Fan:Legacy of Heroes

Legacy of Heroes
Author:	boyscout99
Completion Status:	Incomplete

Book One: A Maelstrom Hero

Prologue

Yonder... to him it seemed as the universe would always be in peace. But things didn't always work out. Long before imagination had ever been discovered he was in a war in his own world. A terrorist the one who started this war was called. It was a rightful name for such a cruel evil mini figure. But it wouldn't matter. For in about five minutes he would be in multiple pieces... at least that was what Yonder thought. He was just one out of thousands of Space Ninjas that together formed an alliance... he was just a trooper.

Soon he wouldn't be. Soon his world would be in peace again. His Alliance's intelligence group had found a time when this terrorist would be most vulnerable to smash. A ship full of ninjas including him was heading toward this terrorist's unguarded, weaponless, and defenseless ship.

Soon they would be there. Soon. A loud voice came over the ships speaker, "We are approaching enemy ship!" Then it repeated, "We are approaching enemy ship!"

Yonder and many other of the ninjas got onto a shuttle which detached from the ship and headed straight for the terrorist's ship.

Inside there was much panic from the terrorist named Brogan. But he wasn't going down without a fight.

The shuttle locked onto Brogan's ship and ninjas came pouring out. They spread throughout the ship. Yonder, being one of the most experienced ninjas wanted this war to be over more than anyone else. He headed straight for the ship's bridge where Brogan was.

Sure enough. Brogan was there. He slowly turned around... then laughed, "A hopeless one ninja is trying to destroy me!"

Being cocky, Yonder replied, "Yes. If you think I'm nothing then you don't have anything to worry about."

While secretly pulling out a gun Brogan replied, "Yes, your right."

The gun was then revealed. Yonder only had about a second to see it... for he was shot. He broke into multiple pieces.

Chapter 1

Years later a group of four explorers found the long lost source of imagination. They celebrated by creating whatever they imagined. But three of them were not aware of the fourth in the shadows creating nothing. He had other ideas.

Inside the mind of this explorer he seemed to be racing with thoughts. He had a big decision to make. Finally he made his mind up. He was going to betray his friends.

He imagined a powerful warrior, a giant spiderling. The spiderling started to attack the three explorers. The fourth explorer named Baron Typhonus let out an evil chuckle which disabled him from having time to avoid the spiderling when it betrayed HIM!

Baron Typhonus

Baron tried to leap out of the way but was caught by the spiderling and pulled inside the imagination Nexus which turned into a big cannon of purple mist, the source of the Maelstrom the new infection that the Baron had made.

Thousands of new mini figures were created run by the evil infection. They attacked the three explorers who were forced to fight for their lives.

Doctor Overbuild, one of the explorers whose gifts were creation and object control, had instantly grown a strong connection with imagination. With imagination he could communicate with even the infected imagination... which meant he could communicate with the Baron.

"Typhonus," he groaned in his thoughts," how could you do this to us?!!"

But he had no time for that now. He had to battle for his life. The Maelstrom mini figures kept getting slashed down by his saws or claws. This infection was powerful, it had the ability to bring back the dead to work for it... perhaps it was! For when Overbuild was about to slash down another one he stopped for a moment. He could pear deep into these creatures. He was an expert with imagination. In the one he was about to smash he saw pure imagination deep inside it. He couldn't smash it.

But still this infected soldier was still of course infected. It tried to smash him.

Another explorer named Duke Exeter who's gifts were smashing and the art of battle quickly cut the Stromling down with his sword.

"Nooo," Overbuild yelled.

But he didn't stop fighting. It was a long and brutal battle, but they survived. At the end when most of the infected imagination had cleared from the area most of the smashed Stromlings had perished... but one remained. Overbuild walked over to it, leaned down and picked it up. He brought it back to a hospital room and a few of Overbuild's medical robots started working.

And there began the rebirth of our hero... Yonder.

Chapter 2

Overbuild sat in his office running through a computer of mini figure files when the third explorer who had been betrayed that day named Hael Storm came in. He craved adventure and wanted to search every corner of the universe. He almost new every brick on the ship that the four of them (now three) had searched for the imagination Nexus in.

"Aiee Overbuild, how you doing mate," he could be known as a pirate with the way he talked.

"Hello Hael," Overbuild replied, "I assume you're here to see our guest?"

"I think youz knows the answer to that."

"Yes I do. Right this way Hael."

Overbuild lead him down a hall into a medical room where the Stromling he had taken that day laid in a medical bed with numerous machines keeping him stable.

"And whoz might this Maelstrom scalawag be?" Hael asked.

"This a Maelstrom minion who I sense pure imagination inside. I believe he was once... well"

"A real mini figure?" Hael cut him off.

"Yes!" Overbuild replied," You know this infection has the power to bring back the dead. Perhaps it did."

"Then why are you keeping him here? He has no hope," Hael asked confused.

"There are two reasons," Overbuild explained," One is because I believe that we should create a team called Nexus Force to fight this infection, and that we higher someone else to create a fourth faction in this team. The faction will study this infection and find a way to defeat. This Stromling can help them start off. And secondly, I believe there IS HOPE for this Stromling. The medi-bots have found a way to turn all the infected imagination into pure imagination... well at least most of it. That way this mini figure can be reconstructed."

At that moment Duke Exeter walked into the room.

"Aiee Dukie. Weez were just talking about this here Stromling," Hael greeted him.

"Yes, but that's not the only reason I called both of you here," Overbuild explained," I've already explained to Hael that I want to create a huge team made of thousand of mini figures called Nexus Force to fight away this infection. I also believe we should have a fourth leader of the team to create a faction that studies the infection. I know you will all agree with me to create this force, but I believe we should have a vote for the fourth faction."

"I believe that would be a good idea," Duke agreed," But the fact that it would study the Maelstrom is a little risky and gets on my nerve don't you think?"

"Perhaps," Hael put in," But I believe that it's a good idea."

"Then we're all in agreement for the new faction?" Overbuild asked.

"Yes," Hael and Duke replied at the same time.

"Okay then," Overbuild said," I've been doing a little research on different mini figures who I thought might be a worthy leader of this faction and I've decided on Baron Typhonus's old apprentice, Vanda Darkflame."

Vanda walked into the room.

"What!" Duke yelled," You're trusting the Baron's old APPRENTICE!"

"Yes!" it was Hael's turn," Not only that, but making a group of ninjas in this force is a bad idea. They are not to be trusted!"

"Too bad," Overbuild said calmly and cockily," I got this conversation up to the point where you said,' yes' recorded. Tomorrow it will be all over the news."

Chapter 3

That recording did get out into the News. It became famous... really famous. But that was ten years ago. Since then thousands of new mini figures had joined Nexus Force. Duke Exeter was looking through his files in his office. The files showed the hundreds of Nexus Force recruits that came in each day.

Then Overbuild came into his office.

"It's time!" he yelled gasping.

"Time for what?" Duke asked upset," I'm busy Overbuild."

"Just come with me!" Overbuild urged," I've got Hael. Come to find out."

Duke groaned but came. The three of them walked to the medical room.

"Seriously Overbuild, if you don't tell me what's going on right now then I'm turning around right now." Duke protested stubbornly.

"Come in here," Overbuild persuaded.

They walked into the room where Vanda was waiting. Beside her was the Stromling from ten years ago on the same bed he had laid there all that time. Except he was almost a whole mini figure.

"This is what!" Overbuild sad excitedly," Remember 10 years ago when I asked the medi bot how long it would take for this Stromling to be healed. He said a few years. Well it has been a few years. It's time for the Resurrection of this mini figure."

"Sir I believe this mini figure has enough infection erased from him that we can pull him off the machines," the medi bot reported to Overbuild.

"Then what are you waiting for!" Overbuild cried," Loosen him."

The medi bot unhooked the machines from the Stromling. Features grew on this new mini figure's face. They were partly mangled, but he was still decently handsome. He started breathing, then let out a loud groan.

Vanda rubbed her hands across his hair and said," Rest easy Stromling. Don't struggle."

Medi bots helped him up and dressed him up in white clothes.

"What's youz name Stromling?" Hael asked.

The Stromling looked up... then said silently," Yonder."

Chapter 4

Yonder slowly healed from minor wounds. Not all of the infection and been erased from him though. Overbuild reluctantly gave him over to the Paradox. It was meant for him to be there. They would treat him well. They were good with the infection.

They shipped off to the Venture Explorer that took the hundreds of new recruits each day.

Yonder walked aboard. He had changed into a green tank top and matching pants. There was a row of rookies all lined up. At the front of the line there was a mini figure in blue pants and a red shirt. It looked as if his smile was pasted to him, for he never lost it. The rookies were identifying their selves then taken off to another room.

Yonder then came up and he was asked to identify himself. He had listened to other people address their selves so he knew what to say.

The mini figure asked him," What's your class Rookie?"

Yonder replied," I myself don't know sir, but I believe I'm in the Paradox."

Then the mini figure asked him," Where are you heading to?"

Yonder spoke," I believe I was given orders to go to Nimbus Station, sir."

The mini figure pointed to a door," Head to that room. You'll be given further instructions."

"Yes sir," Yonder obeyed.

He started to walk away when the mini figure called out to him again," Hey kid."

Yonder turned around," Yes sir?"

"The name's Bob."

A smile grew on Yonder's face," Yes sir."

He walked into the room where dozens of mini figures were. He looked around a bit and saw an open seat on a bench by a few other mini figures. He sat down right by them.

The mini figure on Yonder's right let out a big sigh. He was probably bored. Yonder understood. He hadn't even been in here for five minutes and he was already bored.

The mini figure to his right was so bored that he asked Yonder," What's your name?"

"Yonder," he replied.

"Yonder," the mini figure repeated," That's a strange name. I'm Glider," he stuck out his hand for Yonder to shake it.

He did take it. They started playing different games like Rock Paper Scissors or when they got their hands on paper they played Tic Tac Toe.

Yonder was starting to become a pro at these. Once he was able to trick Glider while playing Tic Tac Toe. He was about to make his final mark X to win the game when a huge explosion rocked the pad of paper of the desk and Glider and Yonder of their chairs. A voice came over the ship's speakers," Engine 2 is leaking imagination. Maelstrom forces have picked up our scent. We are under attack! All mini figures are to stay calm and head to dock 5. Bob and Captain Lane will be there to assist you."

Yonder and Glider ran toward dock 5. Along the way Yonder asked Glider," Who's Captain Lane?"

"She's Sky Lane, captain of this ship," he told Yonder.

"I see," Yonder said as both of walked into the hanger.

Although they weren't, thousands of other mini figures were in panic. They ran to Bob who directed them to Sky Lane, but first they had to be given the skill of imagination from him. After both of them collected 6 imagination orbs they returned to Bob who kept his promise and gave them the skill of imagination.

Yonder ran up to some bricks and built them with his imagination. It created a fan that blew him up to the little tower in the room that Sky Lane was on. Glider did the same. Sky Lane instructed them to smash a few crates around the room to build a rocket. After that she gave them a Thinking Hat to build the rocket.

They got permission to go down to the surface of the nearest planet... Avant Gardens to meet Wisp Lee an injured Paradox scientist that helped rookies survive that were just off the Venture Explorer. Yonder loaded his rocket on the launch pad while Glider did the same thing on the launch pad to the right of him. Yonder climbed in then looked over at Glider," You ready?" he asked.

"Not really," Glider replied.

"Neither am I."

Yonder hit a button on the rocket and the engines started. Just when they were about to take off an explosion knocked Glider out of his rocket and left him unconscious on the floor.

"Nooo!" Yonder yelled.

He tried to jump out of his rocket but it was too late... his rocket took off.

Chapter 5

Yonder landed his rocket at the launch pad Sky Lane told him to go to. As she said right by the landing pad there was Wisp Lee, an old injured scientist who helped rookies that just came off the Venture Explorer survive.

Wisp directed him to another mini figure who was known as important who did the same after he did some service for that mini figure. Yonder kept getting sent to different mini figures, one after the other who just needed help from him. Yonder didn't understand why these mini figures were considered important when they needed other people to do their work for them.

One of them told him to smash a certain amount of Stromlings. Yonder accepted gladly. It was a little easier with a weapon then when he first tried it when he had to use his fists.

While he was fighting he got a little cocky when destroyed five mechs that had surrounded him without getting smashed. He decided to go into the spiderling cave.

He approached the first spiderling with a double jump and a slam. It barely injured the spiderling. It turned around and knocked Yonder down with a web. Yonder had 1 health left.

The spiderling was about to give Yonder the final blow when a Rank 3 Assembly Engineer jumped in and smashed the spiderling with a few easy blows.

He helped Yonder up," You shouldn't try that before you've even joined Nexus Force."

"Sorry about that. Got a little carried away," Yonder apologized.

"No problem," the Engineer assured him," Every newbie has to learn the stats of a Stromling... except, some have to learn it the hard way. What's your name rookie."

"Yonder," he told the Engineer.

"My name's Scarabbeta. Scarab for short."

"Scarab, okay. Please help me contact my friend. He's still up on the Venture Explorer... probably stranded!"

"Your friend's up there?" Scarab asked," Then of course we'll get him."

He pulled out a Rank 3 Summoner wand and summoned a few bricks. Then he built a transmitter with them.

"This is Scarabbeta to Venture Explorer," he said into the transmitter," Do you copy?"

Chapter 6

Scarab's communication reached Sky Lane. She needed to help Glider. She jumped of the little tower she was on. Glider was still unconscious. She picked up his head a bit to wake him up gently.

"Your friend Yonder is waiting for you down below," she told him," You should get going."

"Where's my rocket?" he asked.

"Here, I'll give you mine," she said as she gave him it.

"But you'll be stranded here!" he exclaimed," I couldn't do that! There are no rocket parts left!"

"Just go ahead. I'll be fine," she told him.

Glider reluactantly took the rocket and blasted off to the same launch pad on the surface of Avant Gardens that Yonder had landed.

When he did land Scarab was there waiting for him.

"Who are you?" Glider asked him.

"Scarabbeta," Scarab told him," Scarab for short. I met your friend Yonder."

"Where is he?" Glider asked again.

"I told him to go on ahead to Nimbus Station to join a faction," he informed him," I'll take you there right now if you'd like."

"Yes!" Glider replied excitedly," Lets go."

Scarab lead Glider past the battle field and through the monument to where the launch pad to Nimbus Station lied.

"Do you have a rocket?" Scarab asked.

"How did I get off the Venture Explorer?" Glider asked a question as an answer.

"Then lets go," Scarab said as he put his rocket on the pad.

After that Glider did the same. When they landed Yonder was there.

"Glider!" he said," you're alright!"

"Yes, I am," Glider said," I see you made it too."

"Yes, I joined the Paradox," he reported to both of them proudly.

"Nice," Scarab congratulated him," You did the four tests then?"

"You bet I did," he assured him.

"Then you can help Glider," Scarab said using a declarative sentence as an imperative.

"What!" Yonder was startled," I can't do that alone!"

"Yes you can," Scarab assured Yonder," If you can do it alone, then you can help Glider. I have other things to do Yonder. You can do it."

Scarab loaded his rocket on the launch pad behind them and flew off.

Chapter 7

Yonder helped Glider comeplete the 2 missions of the 4 missions that were on Nimbus Station first. Then when they were done they went back to Avant Gardens where they did the Survival test and got the Infected Bricks.

When they got back they went over to Nexus Jay who gave Glider the descicion of a faction. Glider decided to join the Sentinels.

They both had really had no idea what any of the factions' talents were suppost to be or what they were made to do. They just picked their factions almost randomly. Yonder didn't even have any of his faction's gear. Glider went right into it. He put on all of his equipment.

A few days later Scarab returned to them. He gave them both good weapons. First it was Yonder. While he was battling with him, Scarab saw that Yonder was having a tough time fighting. So he gave him a (2)+(3)+(3) weapon called The Star.

Later on while Glider and Yonder were hanging out on Nimbus Station, Glider started looking through his backpack. He found a (3)+(3)+(3) weapon in it that Scarab must of secretly put in his backpack when he lead him to Nimbus Station.

Glider never realized that it was such a good weapon even though he called it his best weapon, and Yonder never even knew he had the weapon. He finally found out one day when he was battling with Glider. He wanted to see this weapon that Glider called his best. He actually was kind of jealous when he found out that his weapon was better than his own.

Scarab saw how much Yonder relied on him... and soon Yonder did too. He decided that he would allow Scarab to be his master. And after that Glider became Yonder's apprentice.

Soon they grew the courage to venture off to distant worlds like Forbidden Valley (even though Nexus Force recommended not to go there until you were at least Rank 2) which quickly became Yonder's favorite. Then they went to Gnarled Forest which was a pretty unique planet.

On another day Yonder found the Crux Prime launch pad on Nimbus Station.

This was just the beginning of Yonder's adventures.

Chapter 8

"I suggest that you don't think about doing that," a voice behind Yonder said.

Yonder looked around to see Vanda Darkflame," Do what?"

"Go to Crux," she replied.

"I wasn't thinking about that," Yonder lied.

"Really," she said cockily," You've been staring at the launch pad for a long time. It seems to me that you've been trying to decide whether or not to go there or not. But it's not my problem anyway. Kurt Tussle over here would make sure you won't go. If you want him to let you go then you better complete his missions he has for you first."

She started to walk away," Or..."

"Or what?" Yonder asked.

"You can beat me in a sword duel," she grew a smirk," Don't worry, it'll be a friendly match."

"I'm not worried," Yonder grew the same smirk," You're overconfident."

Vanda did a double flip down to Yonder who was on the launch pad. She finished the jump with a kick to Yonder's stomach. Yonder fell into the little valley below. The valley where Velocity Lane stood. Vanda threw one of her two swords down to him. Half of the blade sunk into the ground right by him. He quickly got back up on his feet and picked up the sword.

"Now," Vanda said," the real battle begins."

She jumped down at him for a second time. This time she went head first toward Yonder. The sword was in front of her. Yonder leaned down and but the sword over his head in a protection pose. Their swords clashed. Yonder flipped her backwards. Then he turned around to face her.

They ran toward each other and began fencing. Vanda made a quick move and flipped Yonder's sword out of his hand. She did a double jump and began a slam down. Yonder took advantage of her mistake. She gave him time to get his sword. Those double jumps and slams take way too much time. Yonder put his sword in front of him again to block the damage wave made from the slam.

They joined in fencing again. It was Yonder's turn to make a move. He held Vanda's sword with his in a clash. Then while still holding on to Vanda's sword he began to stab his into the ground. At the last second he adjusted the stab to make hers sink into the ground instead. He then pushed her back from him with a kick. She was a defenseless.

Nobody uses the ninja art of combat these days," she admitted," I was taken by surprise. You have beaten me. I have seen your worthiness. Come with me."

She motioned him. They climbed up the gate blocking the construction of Nexus Tower. She loaded her rocket on a half constructed launch pad to a half constructed tower. After that Yonder did the same.

They landed at Nexus Tower a few seconds later. Vanda took him into a room where dozens of leaders of Nexus Force were. All the faction leaders, Sensei Wu, Nexus Jay, and get a load of the guards. There were thousands of Sentinel guards.

Of course! This meeting was going to be very important... and Yonder was going to witness it all.

Chapter 9

Bob was there also. His clothes were shining and he was smiling as always. His feet were kicked up on the table. There were also other people like a Rank 3 Sentinel named Duke Blueblade. He was nicknamed Duke the Dominate as was Exeter. They competed a lot to take the name for their own.

There was also Sky Lane who was telling a story about how she escaped from the half intact Venture Explorer when Yonder and Vanda came in. She told the story very powerfully and was very good with her hand motion to make the story even more intense.

Sensei Wu was also at the table sitting in his chair with crossed legs and eyes closed concentrating in something Yonder did not know what. Vanda told him that Sensei was one of the main reasons this meeting was being held.

The meeting began when Exeter stood up and pounded his fist on the table.

"Order! "Order!" he yelled.

Everybody stopped their conversations and allowed Duke to speak.

"We are gathered here today to discuss the following subjects: Nexus Force's treaty with Sensei Wu, the Civil War inside Nexus Force involving the Venture League's pirates and the Paradox's ninjas, and the most important subject, a possible new enemy of Nexus Force, Bob's brother Maels."

File:173px-Pic05F9912DA372ED1F9E9ADEFEB87551AF.png

Bob, with Maels before he turned to the Maelstrom

He began on the first subject by calling up Sensei Wu. He began to explain that a few days earlier Skeletons had invaded his dojo. He wanted Nexus Force defense unit set up near his dojo 24/7. Exeter gladly agreed. He assured Sensei that we would create a schedule made up of mini figures that would take shifts.

Next Exeter called up Vanda and Hael to settle the war matter. At the end of it they agreed that they would both leave each other alone even though they still disliked each other.

Then came probably the most important matter in this meeting, Bob's brother. Bob was called up to explain the situation of this incident. He told the people at the meeting that lately his brother Maels had started to wonder why for the long amount of time he had not been heard of by most mini figures even though his brother was probably the most famous one around LEGO Universe. Bob said that he did not expect anything would come of would come from this until one day when he was in a Paradox laboratory. He found a Maelstrom Imaginite with an image on it. It looked like a reflection of yourself when you're looking down into glassy water. It showed Maels bowing toward Typhonus. Bob could faintly hear something," I will join you Typhonus. We will get revenge on my brother."

Exeter assured Bob that they'd keep their eyes peeled for this and that the Paradox would do their best to find out information.

When Yonder left the meeting he had an uneasy feeling.

Chapter 10

Yonder walked out of the construction of Nexus Tower into Nexus City with Bob to talk with him. They went behind an alley so they could speak alone.

"Hello again kid. You needed me for something?" he asked.

"Yes," Yonder said," I want to find more about Maels. Is there anything else there is I can know? Tell me about Bruise. Who is he?"

"I can tell you a bit," Bob allowed," But you can't tell anyone. I believe you have a good future kid," he sighed," Bruise was a good friend of mine. We went to the Nexus Academy together and became best friends. As he learned of the Maelstrom and how the Nexus Force battled it he became more greedy for power and saw that the infection held the key to it. The only thing that held him from joining Typhonus was me. As I learned this our friendship started to break. That meant his hold from joining the Maelstrom started to loosen, and I'm guessing once he found out that Maels was going to join them, he decided to tag along."

"Interesting," Yonder said looking up to the night's stars," I'm satisfied. See ya later Bob."

"I'll see you too," he replied.

Yonder made a turn into another alley. He still had that uneasy feeling. As he walked down he got more uneasy, and more uneasy. Finally, the feeling got so high he felt like he was going to black out.

Suddenly a glowing purple mini figure hopped out of some shadows. His glowing red eyes stared straight at Yonder. He held a Morning Star in his hand. He swung it wildly at Yonder.

"Where's Bob?!!" he asked in a craggly evil voice.

"You lay hands on him over my broken pieces," Yonder warned him cockily.

"If it has to be that way," the Maelstrom warrior let out a sarcastic sigh," Then DIE!"

He leaped at Yonder who pulled out his own Morning Star that Scarab had given him. He swung it at the warrior. Their weapon's chains tied together. They both struggled to pull their weapon away.

Bob, who had heard the battling, rushed around the corner to help Yonder. He tackled the Stromling and pinned him do the ground.

"Who are you?" he asked furiously," What's your name?!!"

"Bob," the Stromling said," It's been a while. I think you can guess."

Bob's eyes widened as he realized the terrible truth. He almost burst into tears.

"Noooooooooooooooooooo!!!"

Chapter 11

"Aahhh, so you've finally found out," the warrior chanted.

"Maels!" Bob cried," What have they done to you?"

"You mean what have they done for me," Maels corrected," I feel great. You are nothing now compared to my power. You just deal with rookies. I will win this war with my master. And after that, destroy him to rule the whole LEGO Universe!"

"Not if I can help it," Yonder swung his weapon at Maels.

Maels rolled over to dodge it. Yonder backed him into a corner. He was about to give Maels a blow to the chest when a mini figure in silhouette jumped in front of Yonder and pushed him back with a blow from the hilt of his knife.Yonder recovered quickly.

Bob rushed at the mini figure but was kicked back. He started walking toward Yonder who was on the ground. As he came out of the shadows Yonder was able to see his features. He had on a silver troll helmet and a mask over his mouth revealing only his eyes. His shirt was patterned with flames. His pants looked somewhat robotic with targets painted on it and the way the light shone on the brown kind of khaki color. He had a long black cape that almost dragged across the ground. His steps crackled against the ground as he got closer.

"Bob, get out of here!" he yelled as he did a flip backwards and stood back up.

"I'm not going to leave you, kid!" Bob yelled back.

"We'll both die if you don't get help!" Yonder said almost ordering Bob.

Bob sighed and rushed off.

"Who are you?" Yonder asked the caped mini figure.

"If Bob has told you enough," he paused," then I'm sure you can guess who I am."

"Bruise," Yonder whispered.

Bruise had seemed to heard though," Yes! I am still considering whether or not I should allow Typhonus to infect me. But, there is no chance that I'd have to consider whether or not to help the Maelstrom."

Yonder gritted his teeth. All he could do was stall Bruise and Maels until Bob came with reinforcements," How could you betray your best friend?!!"

"You don't know how much good evil can do!" Bruise shot back," I will be merciful once I rule. But those who try to get in my way now I will have to put my wrath on."

"You know there's no good inside the Maelstrom or the Darkitect! The Nexus Force keeps everybody in peace."

"The Darkitect, of course there's nothing good about the Darkitect. But the Maelstrom is decided by the one who controls it! Once we defeat Nexus Force I will control the Maelstrom... by destroying the Baron!"

Around the corner came dozens of mini figures dressed up in different faction armor. Duke Exeter hopped down right behind Maels. Bruise and Maels hopped up one of the buildings and ran away.

"You may have won this time," Maels warned," but this war is far from over!"

Chapter 12

"I can't believe it happened all sudden," Exeter complained," We should of been aware of this. Our defenses should of stopped it. We are weak."

Duke and Overbuild were in the Sentinel war room where Duke usually hung around at in Nexus Tower studying the hologram map. The map didn't have it's usual mountain world with lines and dots everywhere. It showed four worlds: Forbidden Valley, Gnarled Forest, Avant Gardens, and Nimbus Station.

"It's okay, Duke," Overbuild comforted," We'll be able to fight it."

Lately, Maels had lead Maelstrom squads through many worlds fighting through every Nexus Force trooper there to consume them. The last planet uninfected by the Maelstrom was Nimbus Station. Nexus Tower was taking heavy hits from the Stromlings who were climbing up to windows and breaking in. Alarms were going off all over the tower. Sparks were flying down on every mini figure from the ceiling. Some times the lights blacked out and everybody thought they were doomed. For that little moment the red eyes of all the Maelstrom zombies came closer and closer. Then the lights turned back on. If you were lucky, then you were able to fight the Stromlings surrounding you, but if not then you became one of them.

"It's all over Overbuild," Duke moaned," We have no chance."

Overbuild grabbed Duke and started running away with him. Stromlings came down the halls chasing them. They turned into the deck where the launch pad to Nimbus Station was. Dozens of other mini figures were there putting there rocket onto the launch pad as quick as they could.

A blast of Maelstrom mist struck the launch pad which blew up into pieces. Duke looked around.

"Maels," he whispered in hatred.

Maels shot another blast of mist toward the part of deck that was closest to him. Duke's eyes widened as the deck broke off of Nexus Tower and fell down to the surface of Crux Prime.

Was this the end?

Chapter 13

Even on Nimbus Station you could have seen the damage done to Nexus Tower. Yonder looked past the gate to see the construction almost collapsing. This would definitely set back the tower's due date to be open.

"Yonder!" it was Glider running up to him," Hael and Vanda have called a meeting. Come on."

Yonder went with him to Block Plaza. Hael and Vanda stood in the middle in the grass that was almost dead now.

"Listen!" Vanda shouted," I know you may think there is no hope, but there is."

Hael started to explain," The reason Maels is so powerful is because he has a powerful item called a Red Brick. We've rated these bricks five diamonds on the rare scale."

"But there is an antidote," Vanda called out," It is another artifact that most of you know of. The Imagination Brick."

It was Hael's turn," The Red Brick is a poison to the Imagination Brick and the Imagination brick is a cure to the Red Brick. The first one who allows their brick to take affect will win over the other."

"But that's not all," Vanda told the crowd who started to mumble as if the speech was over," The Imagination Brick is on Crux Prime. We need somebody to get it."

Yonder stepped forward," I will."

"We will consider that," Hael replied.

But Vanda needed another volunteer," You know that the Imagination Brick may destroy the Red Brick, but most of us, if not all, are not strong enough to control it. We need Bob. I believe he is hiding in Avant Gardens. Someone needs to help him."

Yonder nodded over to Glider.

"I'll find him," Glider volunteered.

Hael sighed," I do not believe weez should let these youngsters out onto desolate battlefields filled with the strongest of the Maelstrom scalawags."

Scarab came out from the crowd now," I believe we should. This will be a good lesson for them. It will be some good practice too."

"Then we're all in agreement!" Vanda shouted.

The crowd started to cheer.

"FOR NEXUS FORCE!"

Chapter 14

Glider and Scarab followed Yonder to the Crux Prime launch pad.

Scarab was first to say his good byes," Good luck kid. May imagination be with you."

Then Glider," Make sure you come back in one piece. I'd hate to lose you."

"Not to worry," Yonder assured them.

The thrust on his rocket began letting fire out and then flew into the air. Scarab and Glider watched Yonder's rocket slowly disappear into the sky. Then they went to the Avant Gardens launch pad where Glider would leave.

"See ya' around kid," Scarab said.

"Next time you see me I'll have Bob on my side," Glider replied.

"I hope so," Scarab sighed," I hope so."

Glider took off to Avant Gardens. When he reached the world he looked down to see where he could land. He grunted as he saw that there were thousands of Stromlings near the usual landing spot was. He circled the world for about ten minutes when he finally made up his mind.

He set coordinates on his rocket to land at the normal landing spot for Avant Gardens. Then he flew near The Monument and jumped onto Bob's head. The rocket landed just as he had set the coordinates. The Stromlings surrounded the rocket as it landed. Then when it hit the ground they flew at it with their weapons. In a few seconds there weren't two of the rocket's pieces together.

Glider took out a pair of binoculars to look for Bob. He was no where in sight. Then he had an idea. He took out an Imagination crystal and made a Nexus shoot out of it. Maybe it could attract Bob. But then Glider realized his mistake. He saw that it attracted the Stromlings first.

Chapter 15

Spiders started to crawl up the monument to reach Glider. Glider started looking around for ideas. He couldn't find any. He started to battle the Spiders when they reached him. After a while Glider realized he couldn't do this. He was about to give up then a wave of Imagination knocked all the Spiders off.

Bob jumped up to Glider's side. He created a contemporary wall around the head of The Monument like a crown on its head.

"Bob!" Glider cried," your hear!"

"Yes," Bob replied," I knew it wouldn't be long until somebody came looking for me. Lets get off this planet."

"Oh," Glider blushed," I didn't really think about that part."

"What happened to your rocket?" Bob asked.

Glider pointed to the pieces near the picnic area.

"I see," Bob replied," Follow me."

He smashed the wall and jumped off the monument into a grass field. It was a place that only skilled mini figures that could get places off the map. Glider followed.

They walked for about an hour when Glider started getting hungry. He pulled out his backpack and looked through it. He found a Picnic Basket and started looking through that. There wan't much food. Only a biscuit. The other items were just a Gem and an Armor Polish.

He kept looking through and found a Buttery Croissant which he gobbled down. He also found a Drumstick. After he finished that he treated himself to a Quicksicle. After he ate that it was hard to wait for Bob.

A few minutes later they reached a forest. Bob lead him through to his campsite which was just his backpack laying on one of two logs right by a campfire.

Bob sat on the one that his backpack was right by. Glider sat on the other.

"Do you have any ideas?" Glider asked.

Bob sighed then though for a moment. Then he said," I can build a rocket. But I don't have any pieces. Do you?"

Glider started looking through his backpack. He looked up," I have lots of bricks. But I don't think any of them will be useful in the construction of a rocket."

Bob sighed again. He slumped over. Then he stood straight up," I have an idea!"

Chapter 16

"What?" Glider asked.

"You know the vendor at the picnic area who sells models?" Bob started to explain with a question.

"Yes," Glider replied.

"He sells rocket models!" Bob informed.

"Yes," Glider said," but he's probably infected by now. Of course if he's infected he would have destroyed all his models."

"Yes," Bob admitted," He would have. But he stores all his models in a safe that's held in a secret room in the middle of The Monument."

"The MIDDLE!" Glider exclaimed," A SECRET passage way. Awesome!"

"Lets go," Bob motioned.

They started walking through the forest. When they started getting out of the forest a Stromling came out from behind the bush. It swung it's sword which replaced it's hand at Bob. Glider pushed Bob out of the way and ducked. Then he pulled out his sword and smashed the Stromling.

"Phew," Glider sighed," That was close."

Bob wan't relieved at all, "Do you know what this Stromling means?"

"Nothing," Glider replied," I just smashed it."

"No," Bob corrected," It means the Maelstrom has found a way up here."

Bob groaned.

"Oh," Glider understood.

They walked out of the forest fearing the worst. Then they saw it. Rows of Maelstrom warriors lined up in front of them on the grass field. An Eagle roared as it soared past them.

Then Bob did something Glider never thought he would do. He started running TOWARDS the Stromlings. They started running toward him. Apparently, Glider knew, Bob was a very smart mini figure. He had something planned. So Glider followed Bob.

Right when they were about to reach the Stromlings Bob threw out some pieces which he formed into a fan like the ones on The Monument as it landed. He ran right onto it and flew up into the air over all of the Maelstrom lines. Glider was right behind him.

They landed and ran towards The Monument. Glider looked behind him and saw the Maelstrom lines rushing toward Bob and him. They were gaining on them.

Chapter 17

The Maelstrom wave was only about five feet from Bob and Glider when they reached The Monument. Glider was out of breath, but they had to keep going. They jumped down to where Rusty Steele usually would be. They started running up the path of The Monument. After two turns to the left they reached a lower level of the monument's path. They turned to the left again and started running that way.

Finally they reached an elevator which Glider started to build. Bob told him to stop. Behind the elevator Bob started putting his hands under a crevice near the ground. He pushed up and revealed that there was a stone door their that he just opened. They quickly scurried into it before the Maelstrom found out they were there.

After they closed it Glider put his head near the bottom of the door. He heard the footsteps of the Stromlings walk past.

Glider let out a sigh of relief," Lets find the models."

"Agreed," Bob replied.

There was a shelf full of metal safes. Bob noticed one of them labeled," Rocket Models." He took a ladder laying against a wall and put it against the shelf he climbed up on it to the row where the rocket models were. He pulled on it a bit.

He looked down to Glider," It's locked."

Glider through up his sword which Bob caught. He gave on swift wack and cut off the lock. He opened it and found tons of models of Classic Rockets. He handed the three models to create the rocket to Glider. Then he took three for his own. He hopped down.

"Now we have to fight all those Stromlings," Glider complained.

"We don't HAVE to," Bob replied.

He motioned Glider over to an elevator. It started going up to the very top of the room where there was a whole that let light from outside in. When it reached the top, Glider looked around and realized that he was on top of the stud on Bob's head on The Monument.

When they reached the top the Stromlings quickly noticed them. They started climbing up to them.

"We better hurry," Bob said as he pulled out his rocket.

Glider built a launch pad which Bob launched off in his rocket on. Glider did the same after.

Glider's mission was complete.

Chapter 18

Yonder's rocket landed in a sizable crevice on Crux. He took out a pair of binoculars and looked around. He found a few Stromlings.

He climbed up a cliff to get a better view. Apparently an Elite Spiderling saw him first. A couple Apes followed him. Yonder only found out when they were just a few feet from him.

He started running away. When he had run about twenty feet when he got hit by a huge boulder chucked from an Ape. He flew through the air and tumbled along the ground. Once he got his senses back he realized the boulder had wiped out almost all of his armor. He quickly got up and kept running.

Yonder was hit again from a blast from the Spiderling. He tumbled over again. This time they caught him. He tried to run again but the Spiderling kept him down with a web.

Now Yonder had lost about half of his health.

He thought he was doomed until a Rank 3 Sentinel Knight jumped down from a rocky hill above and used his shield to block the attacks in front of Yonder. When he go the chance he recharged Yonder's armor.

Yonder helped the Knight smash the Stromlings.

"Your a survivor from the tower aren't you?" Yonder asked.

When he was flying towards Crux he flew past the Maelstrom-taken-over Nexus Tower.

"Yes," he told Yonder," But there's more."

"Take me to them," Yonder ordered.

"No problem," the Knight replied," Follow me."

They started walking through the hills of rock when Yonder asked," What's your name?"

"Sting," he replied," Most people call me Stingy for my nickname."

"Ah," Yonder said," Who are the other survivors."

"I'm travelling with a group of Sentinel Knights lead by Duke Exeter," he informed," Doc Overbuild is leading a group of Assembly Engineers, but we haven't seen him for a few hours."

"I see," Yonder understood," Lets go."

Their walk was turned into a run as they got more anxious to get back.

Chapter 19

A few minutes later Yonder and Sting reached the campsite where Exeter and the group of Sentinels were. There were three Knights with Exeter sitting at the campfire. They were each discussing battle plans and planning what they would do in the morning. Exeter was studying a map.

Exeter looked up and saw Yonder and Sting walking in.

"Sting!" Exeter yelled in relief," You made it back!"

"Yes," Sting replied," and with a friend."

"And who may you be?" Exeter asked.

"Yonder," he informed.

Two of the Knights looked straight up at Yonder once he said that.

"Good," Exeter said," By tomorrow morning Overbuild's scouting squad should be back. Hopefully he'll come back with a few other survivors from the tower. We'll head back to Nimbus Station then."

Exeter went into his tent identical to about half a dozen in a circle around a campfire.

The two Knights that had looked up came over to him.

"You're Yonder?" the first knight asked," Scarab has told us a ton about you."

"Really?" Yonder asked," Who are you?"

"I'm surprised Scarab hasn't told you about us," the second knight spoke up.

Exeter heard Yonder's voice chatting with some of his knight's outside. He peeked out.

He walked over to the three of them," So, you've already started talking with a few of my knights. And the best ones I see."

"The best ones?" Yonder was curious.

"You bet," Exeter complimented," One of these two knights could make a match of me in a second."

"Really?" Yonder was surprised," I would of guessed you were the best warrior in the whole LEGO Universe. I would think that someone could barely beat you in a match, but serve you in a second. Wow."

"That's just how good they are," Exeter replied," I haven't seen any flaw in their moves, ever."

Yonder yawned just before a wolf howled in the night.

"I think we better get going to bed," the other knight at the campfire suggested," It's getting late."

"Good idea Blueblade," Sting said as he yawned too," Hey Marauder (he meant Yonder), you can spend the night in my tent. I have an extra cot."

"Okay," Yonder replied," Be there in a sec."

When everybody was in their tents except for him and Exeter, Yonder started talking with the Sentinel faction leader," Sir."

"What is it, Marauder?" Exeter asked.

"What are the names of those two knights?" he asked," The ones I were talking with."

Exeter looked over his shoulder," They're known by VS1 and VS2."

"Hmm," Yonder started stroking his chin," Night Exeter."

"Good night kid."

Chapter 20

Yonder awoke the next morning to the sound of coughing. He quickly got dressed and walked out of the tent. He found all of the Knight's eating breakfast at a table under a tent like pavilion.

Yonder joined them. He heard the coughing again coming from Duke Exeter's tent.

"Is Duke alright?" he asked Sting who was sitting right next to him.

"I don't know," Sting replied," He hasn't been out of his tent all morning."

Yonder sighed hoping their leader was alright. Duke came out of his tent a few minutes later while everybody was finishing up eating their egg roll. He looked really pail. He continually coughed into his fist. He almost fell over trying to get to the pavilion. Yonder and Blueblade had to help him the rest of the way.

"Are you okay?" Yonder asked.

"I, I, I'm, fine," he choked up," We, we have to get re, ready to leave soon."

Sting suddenly looked at Yonder," Wait, you're not a survivor from the tower right?"

"Right," Yonder replied.

"Then why are you hear?" he asked," Why did you come to Crux?"

Yonder suddenly realized he hadn't told them yet," I'm looking for an Imagination Brick."

Sting gasped," Before I found you, when I was on my search I found the Imagination Brick. The Maelstrom had found it first. I saw Maels too. They said that they were going to send it to Aura Mar."

Duke looked over at Yonder," Why, why do you need the Imagination br, brick?"

"Because Nexus Force believes it can destroy Maels," he answered.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Blueblade asked," Lets go to Aura Mar to get that Imagination Brick!"

"I'll stay here with Duke," Sting told them," VS1, VS2, would you like to go with them?"

"Are you kidding?" VS1 said," Of course we're going with them."

"Then we better get going," Yonder suggested," It won't be long before Maels decides to attack Nimbus Station. Lets go!"

Chapter 21

The four of them started heading to Aura Mar. They decided to not run into any Stromlings along the way, so they had to do it the stealth style.

When they did get to Aura Mar they started making plans. Blueblade would overlook the battle from a cliff. Yonder would attract the Stromlings after running around a bit. Then VS1 would go get the Imagination Brick and smash any Stromlings that stayed while VS2 would go help Yonder battle off the Maelstrom warriors chasing him.

They started putting their plan in motion. Yonder went up behind the crashed Talon Dropship. He studied the land a bit. He saw most of the invaders running around the place like they usually did. As his eyes looked across more. Then he saw something that made him gasp. It was Maels talking to an Ape in front of the Imagination Brick.

Yonder got closer to hear what he was saying," You must guard this brick very well, Ape. It is the destruction of my power. Do not let it in the hands of anybody who comes across this place. If somebody tries to get the brick roar, and you'll get reinforcements."

Yonder looked past the Stromlings and saw VS1 and VS2. VS1 had binoculars to his eyes. Once he saw that Yonder was looking at him he pointed to the binos he held them to his eyes again. Yonder knew that the Knight was trying to get him to use his own binoculars.

Yonder looked through his backpack and found his binoculars. He got a closer look at the two Knights. He saw that VS1 one was trying to lip move to communicate with him.

Yonder studied it closely and saw that he was asking," Are you ready?"

He shook his head no, then pointed to the Stromlings and nodded meaning," I'm not, but they are."

He saw VS1 let out a deep breath and shrug. He knew they had to do it. Yonder sighed and nodded.

He jumped out of his hiding place and smashed a few Stromlings with his Morning Star. Then he started jumping around to attract the Stromlings. The Stromlings guarding the Imagination Brick didn't chase him though.

Two mechs and three apes were the guards. They shot at him though. Yonder started running in circles around them. Almost every time the Apes threw a boulder at him he felt the wind of it. At one time he actually felt it brush his hair.

When he got most of the Stromlings in the area chasing him he started to run away from the area. Then VS1 came jumping out of his hiding spot and ran over to the Stromlings guarding the Imagination Brick. He smashed most of them expertly except for one of the Apes. After a few wacks at it the Knight build the anchor which smashed right down on top of the Ape.

The dazed Ape quickly let out a roar.

"No!" Yonder yelled. He knew that he had just called reinforcements.

Chapter 22

Yonder tried to reach VS1 to warn him, but he didn't make it in time. A swarm of Maelstrom lines came out and trampled the Knight.

VS2 yelled and started running toward the lines," Not my brother!"

But it was a hopeless fight even though he was such a good warrior.

Yonder thought they were all dead when lightning was forced down on all the Stromlings. Blueblade jumped down from the hill he was watching from with Doctor Overbuild and a team of Rank 3 Engineers were right behind him. They started smashing the Stromlings with the rest of the team.

"We have to get the Imagination Brick!" Yonder yelled.

Blueblade nodded back.

Suddenly Yonder heard a chuckle. He looked up to the hill where Blueblade stood before and saw Bruise. As he started to jump off the hill Yonder yelled," Get down!"

They all ducked as Bruise jumped right past their heads. Bruise instantly started running toward the Imagination Brick. He motioned a Stromling Invader over to him. He whispered something into the Stromling's ear and put the Imagination Brick into his backpack. The Stromling started running away with two Spiderlings.

"We have to catch them!" Yonder yelled over the sound of battle," We can't let them get away!"

"Right," one of the Engineers agreed," We have to get them."

"Then why don't you lead the way Nexusadmiral?" another Engineer asked.

"I prefer you to do it Camotoy," Nexusadmiral replied.

"Then I will," Camotoy started running down a path.

The rest of the group started running behind him. Before Yonder started running VS2 stopped him to see his weapon. Yonder gladly gave his Morning Star that Scarab had given him to the Sentinel. After looking at the weapon for a moment he looked at Yonder," This weapon isn't good enough for Crux. Take this."

He gave Yonder a Massive Spear from Nexus Tower.

Yonder swung it around a bit," Nice. We better catch up with the rest of the group."

They caught up with the rest of the group quickly.

"Where are they going?" Blueblade asked," Those Stromlings are running somewhere, but where?"

After a bit of running they reached the Stromlings' destination... Caldera Mar.

Chapter 23

They gazed around for a bit, then started chasing the Stromlings again. The three Stromlings that had the Imagination Brick ran to where three Apes were sitting. They started battling each other.

Dozens more Stromlings surrounded the group after seeing the battle. Then Yonder heard the same chuckle they heard at Aura Mar. He looked up at one of the floating platforms above the surface and saw Bruise once again.

"You'll never survive now," Bruise chanted," No Nexus Force troop or team has ever tried to battle of all of the Stromlings at Caldera Mar all at the same time."

Yonder gritted his teeth in hatred. Just then Bruise was hit down to the surface by a shadowy figure behind him. Bruise landed safely. Everybody looked up and saw the figure walk into the light.

He was a Rank 3 Space Marauder. The Marauder pulled out a Rank 3 Sorcerer wand and jumped down to the surface where Bruise was. He began fencing with his wand against the Maelstrom servant's daggers.

"Faboo!" Camotoy yelled," Just in time!"

The Paradox soldier didn't reply. Camotoy turned back and continued battling.

"Get the Imagination Brick out of here!" Bruise yelled to the Stromling.

The Stromling replied in his language," Hisssss."

"You know where!" Bruise replied still trying to battle Faboo," To the Skeletons!"

Sting froze like he had seen Typhonus himself. Skeletons? He gritted his teeth in anger. Then his grit turned into a smile," Lets smash!"

Chapter 24

Yonder looked around towards Sting," You were suppose to stay with Duke."

"Well, you can't disobey a faction leader over a Nexus Force troop's commands. I tried to fight him, but he kept insisting."

"Well, we can't turn back now," a third Engineer in Overbuild's squad said.

"Right," Overbuild said," Lets go Constructo."

"Wait," Yonder stopped," Who's Faboo?"

"FabooSolarBucket?" Camotoy asked," He's Rank 3 in both classes, expert Dragon smasher, also a good friend of mine."

"I see," Yonder answered," Faboo, how did you find us?"

"I was just smashing dragons over there," he told Yonder," Usually I fight them on Forbidden Valley, but I decided to come here for a change. I just looked down and noticed that all the Stromlings where running toward one spot. That's unusual for Caldera Mar. I looked back and I saw this fellow."

He pointed to the ground where Bruise lied defeated.

"Guys," it was Blueblade," We REALLY should be going."

"Right," Yonder said," Lets go."

It took them less than a minute to get to the skeleton mining operation site called the Maelstrom Quarry. Yonder looked around a bit and saw the Stromling that had the Imagination Brick talking to Nuckal.

File:300px-Maelstrom Quarry.png

Maelstrom Quarry

Nuckal glimpsed up at Yonder's, team then looked back down at the Stromling. Then his face shot straight back up at the team. He shifted himself into a battle pose.

"Get the Imagination Brick to the tower," he told the Stromling," Miners, we have company!"

Nuckal

The rest of the Skeletons looked up from their word and charged at the team. They began battling each other. Yonder slashed through Stromlings with his Massive Spear to get to the tower that was holding up the Skeletons that had the Imagination Brick.

Knuckle stepped out of a crowd of Skeletons battling Overbuild and faced Yonder blocking his path. He chuckled.

Then Sting rushed past Yonder to face Knuckle," Stand back Marauder. I have a score to settle."

The Skeleton and the Knight began fencing. Yonder rushed past them to get to the tower. He began wacking it, but that wasn't very effective. The Skeletons laughed at him.

He started trying to come up with a new plan when he heard an old voice behind him," Allow me to do that, young one."

Yonder looked around and saw Sensei Wu standing in the middle of the heated battle.

"If you insist," Yonder smiled.

"My pleasure," Sensei Wu formed himself into a tornado of Spinjitzu.

He easily brought down the structure of the tower. When if fell he stopped his tornado. The Skeletons ran away and through the Imagination Brick behind them.

Yonder picked it up," We have what we want! Lets go!"

Chapter 25

Yonder thanked Sensei Wu and started to leave.

"Wait!" Sting yelled," I need to finish this battle with Nuckal."

"How about we help you?" Yonder suggested.

Nuckal's eyes widened. He panicked so much he hopped into the arms of a Skeleton on a tower. They all laughed.

"I think that is a score settled," Yonder said.

"Let that be a lesson not to mess with me, bone head," Sting warned Knuckle.

Nuckal grunted and they were on their way.

"I hope Duke is okay," Yonder said.

"Me too," Overbuild agreed.

Suddenly they heard someone scream," Stop them!"

They looked up and saw Bruise who had recovered walking up to them from Caldera Mar.

"The battle's lost!" Yonder called out to him," Stand down."

"Not without a fight," Bruise replied," I may die, but better that then face the wrath of Baron Typhonus."

"We don't have time for this, Bruise," Yonder said," Come on."

They all ran at him knowing he had no choice but to die, or let them pass. Bruise jumped out of the way at the last second. They rushed through Caldera Mar going to fast for any Stromlings.

They made it to Zeta in less than a minute. Yonder got up on the deck with the rest of the group. He let everybody put their rockets on the launch pad first. He was about to put his rocket up on the pad when he heard the Sentinel guard there yell," We're overwhelmed. Retreat!"

Yonder turned around and saw dozens of Stromlings charging toward the deck being led by Bruise. A Stromling smashed the turret protecting the deck. Yonder started trying to battle of the Stromlings while the Sentinel quickly loaded his rocket on the launchpad.

Two Stromlings knocked Yonder to the ground. Bruise had his knife up ready to kill. Suddenly a blond haired mini figure with shining armor stomped down Bruise. It was Duke. His hair fluttered in the wind, and he didn't look ill anymore.

"Come on, kid," he helped Yonder up," Lets get back to Nimbus Station."

Chapter 26

"So, why does Nexus Force need me anyway?" Bob asked Glider as they walked down the path from the Avant Gardens launch pad to Block Plaza.

"We believe you have the ability to destroy, uh," Glider paused.

"Maels?" Bob finished.

"Yes," Glider looked at the ground.

Bob sighed," I knew eventually Nexus Force would want me to destroy him. I guess I have no choice, but I still love him."

Glider didn't answer him. He felt bad for telling Bob that he had to destroy his brother, and he never even thought about how he would feel.

They reached Block Plaza. When the crowd saw Bob they cheered. Glider and Bob pushed their way to the middle of the crowd where there was an open space. There in the middle was all four faction leaders, Yonder, and Scarab.

Yonder smiled proudly when he saw his apprentice with Bob. The cheers fainted when thunder from a bolt of Maelstrom powered lightning was heard. Dragons flew in and landed around the crowd trapping them.

Maels slipped off one of the dragons and started walking toward the crowd. The crowd moved out of the way for Maels making a path for him. He continued walking when he reached the middle looking straight at Bob.

"Today!" he called out to the crowd," I get revenge on my brother by destroying him!"

The crowd gasped and cried with fear. Bob said nothing.

"Die!" Maels charged at Bob.

Bob quickly jumped out of the way. Maels turned around to face Bob again. He began charging. Yonder knew what to do. He threw the Imagination Brick right above Maels's head. Bob leaped over Maels and caught the brick.

He let the power of Imagination surge from the brick into him. Maels began charging at him once again. At the last second Bob unleashed the great power at Maels. It destroyed all his power inside him, but he was still infected.

The Red Brick formed in front of Maels. Bob picked it up.

"No," Maels begged," Please don't do this."

"It is not out of repent that you beg," Bob said strongly," but it's out of fear. You still hate me. And I... I have given you too many chances."

Red power shot out of the brick and smashed Maels. A wave of Imagination burst out of the broken bricks.

The wave didn't stop at the edge of Nimbus Station. It kept going and reached the other planets. It uncured them. All the new Stromlings that had been infected by the power of the Red Brick were cured and returned to their normal mini figure forms. The permanent Stromlings retreated back to where they belonged before.

Yonder smiled and started celebrating with his new friends he made on the mission to get the Imagination Brick.

But then his spirit was dampened as he looked down and saw Bob kneeling at Maels's broken bricks. He looked like he was going to cry.

Chapter 27

That night Red Blocks was full with hundreds of mini figures partying and celebrating. Nobody seemed to notice but Yonder that Bob wasn't there. He was the only one who noticed because of what he seen yesterday night. Yonder felt badly for Bob. What if he had to destroy Glider if he had decided to join the Maelstrom. He would not be able to do it. It took a lot for Bob to make that act... a lot that Yonder didn't have.

Yonder sighed. Then out of the crowd came Scarab with VS1 and VS2 behind him. They were wearing Rank 3 Samurai gear now.

"So," Scarab leaned himself on a wall right by Yonder," You've me these two."

"Duke gave them a lot of compliments," Yonder answered.

"I see why," Scarab looked at the two of them," They've been my buddies since before mini figures could go to Crux."

"They were in Knight gear when I met them on Crux," Yonder said.

"That was only because we were in Duke's Knight patrol that day," VS2 told him.

"We actually prefer Samurai," VS1 said brushing a hand across his shoulder pads.

"I see," Yonder replied.

Scarab started to look around," Hey, where's Glider?"

"Um, that kid?" VS2 pointed at Glider talking with a Rank 1 Engineer.

"Yup," Yonder walked over to the two," Who's this?"

"Greenbrick3," Glider answered," He's new. Has barely been to any worlds."

"And how did you two meet up?" Yonder asked.

"He just came up to me and congratulated me on finding Bob," Glider told him.

"Hmmm," Yonder stroked his chin.

Then a vendor called out from his shop," Daily news served right here. The Nexus Headline sold right here. Biggest headline for the day: Four new worlds created. You can find out what that means for only 20 coins."

Yonder decided to buy one. Then he started reading and he gasped.

Chapter 28

The Nexus Daily

Lately, after an unfortunate turn of events, Nexus Force was almost defeated. A brave group of heroes were able to stop the evil infection of the Maelstrom from taking over the whole LEGO Universe.

One of the main sources in completing this plan was one of the Baron's newest servant named Bruise who now blames himself for not carrying out his part in this scheme.

A day after he failed, Spinjitzu ninja master Sensei Wu claims he saw Bruise climb down into a mining tunnel made by the Skeletons. He ordered two of his most trustworthy servants, Kai and Cole, to follow Bruise.

Bruise reached his destination about five minutes before Kai and Cole did. When they did arrive Bruise was talking with some voice of a character they could not see. They got close enough to hear this much of the conversation.

Bruise was speaking when they arrived,"... failed too."

Then the voice replied," I know he failed, but he just didn't have enough time to get the lecture from me. I need to replace him."

"I promise sir, if you give me the chance to have the power of Maels then I will not fail you again."

"So be it. But I can not give it to you. You must collect the Infected Orb. It is the source of Maels's strength and power."

"Where can I collect this orb, master?"

"There is only one of them, and Maels contained it. You must go to the place where he fell. That's where the orb will be."

"Then I will. I will retrieve the Maelstrom Orb. I promise."

Chapter 29

Yonder couldn't believe it. He continued reading.

Bruise then left the area back into the tunnel. Cole followed him back to the Maelstrom Quarry, but Kai stayed.

He continued listening to the voice speak," Now, I believe it's time to create another problem for Nexus Force. How about a galaxy to go with the planet."

And with that a spurt of pure Imagination was shot at six asteroids surrounding Crux Prime. The asteroids started to glow and attracted more asteroids. Soon all the asteroids attached making big moon like planets.

Imagination started forming things on the planets making mountains, snow, water, and stone structures. Kai left the place and reported everything he found out to Sensei Wu. As soon as the ninja master found out about this he informed Nexus Force. Nobody has yet been to these planets, but as soon as mini figures are available the situation will be carried out with an expedition team.

Yonder finally looked up. This was interesting.

He walked over to Scarab," You need to read this."

After a moment Scarab finished reading it," I'll talk to Duke later on tonight. VS1, VS2, I think you should come with me. You know Duke better."

Yonder looked over at the brothers," Why are you called that?"

"VS1 and VS2?" the older one asked," Our parents called us Vskid1 and Vskid2. We just decided to call ourselves VS1 and VS2."

"You're really close aren't you?" Yonder asked the brother upon what they just told him.

"Yes," the younger one said putting an arm on his brother's shoulder," Nothing is going to separate us. Not even Typhonus himself."

"With that courage nothing could happen to us on this expedition," Scarab said," that is if we go."

"All the same," Yonder looked up at the sky," I have an uneasy feeling."

Chapter 30

Duke Exeter was about to go into his room for the night. He had been at the party at Red Blocks until he could barely walk. He yawned as he walked past a hall in Nexus Tower where dozens of doors were. They lead into other rooms where other Nexus Force leaders were sleeping. Some snored loudly.

Finally Duke found his door titled, Room 112. He opened his door and yawned again. He took his first step into his room when he heard," Sir!"

Duke groaned and looked outside his room. He saw a Rank 3 Engineer walking down the hall with his most trusted troops VS1 and VS2 behind him.

"What is it?" Duke asked.

"My team and I would like to be one of the expedition teams to go to the," Scarab paused," four or six planets?"

"What do you mean four or six?" Duke asked.

"The one who sold the newspaper I read was claiming there was four new planets. But when I read it, it said there were six planets."

"Six planets were created by the blasts of Imagination," Duke explained," But when the Venture Explorer went out to get a look at the planets, there were only four."

"That's strange," Scarab replied," Only four planets."

"Yes," Duke was now getting really tired," Now I'll work on the expedition squads tomorrow. Good night... uh"

"Scarab."

"Good night, Scarab."

Duke walked into his room and looked at his clock. It read 5:30. Duke hit his bed. He didn't remember anything else the next morning.

Chapter 31

The next morning Duke got up at 2:30. He got dressed quickly and headed over to his office. Every faction leader had a desk and computer there. All four of them always had sources on getting information or organizing different things on the biggest most recent event.

Duke grabbed some breakfast at Three Meal Cafe. It took him ten minutes to eat and he was back on his way to his office. When he reached the office, Hael was at his desk with his feet kicked up on it. He was chatting with Overbuild.

When he saw Duke walk in he sat up and greeted Duke.

"Aiie, Dukie," Hael was cheerful as always.

"Hi Hael, Overbuild," Duke greeted them back.

"Did ya' have a good nap?" Overbuild joked.

"You didn't stay at a party til' 5:30 last night," Duke made an excuse.

"You didn't have to," Overbuild reminded him.

Duke sighed and sat down at his desk.

"You guys want to help me organize some plan for the expedition to those four planets?" Duke asked as he typed on his computer.

"Oh," Hael turned his chair around," I forgot to tell you. We already organized that for you. You don't have to worry about a thing."

"Well, I kind of want to know about it," Duke was surprised.

"What do you need to know?" Overbuild asked.

"When is this going to happen? Who's going on it? Is there any strategy that they're following?" Duke started listing of questions.

"A pair of two Talon Dropships for each planet will pick up their team and take them to a certain planet at 4:00 this noon," Overbuild told Duke," They will rendezvous at Nimbus Station and tell us any information needed. They will each be given a total of three hours."

"And who will be in these four squads?" Duke asked.

"You can find out if you come to Dock 7 at 4 o' clock," Overbuild said, then turned around and kept working on his computer.

"Then I will," Duke replied.

He turned around and started typing on his computer just like Overbuild.

Chapter 32

Duke, Hael, and Overbuild walked down the hall with the door to the dock in front of them. They walked into the hanger where Vanda was waiting with her arms crossed.

After a moment eight Talon Dropships flew in. Wind blew in each of the faction leader's faces. Everybody leaned back except for Duke. Hair blew behind his face as the dropships landed.

A door on the bottom opened under each of the dropships and out came dozens of mini figures. A few mini figures that Duke noticed came out of one of the Dropships. It was the Rank 3 Engineer that he saw last night and VS1 with his brother VS2. Behind him there was a Rank 2 Knight with a Rank 3 sword and shield and a Rank 3 Space Marauder with a Massive Spear and a Dragon Helm on.

Outside the dropship right beside the group there was another team that would be going with them. It was made of four Engineers. Three of them were Rank 3 and another one was Rank 1.

Duke continued looking through the groups lined up. When he was finished he nodded in approval," Good enough."

Overbuild stepped up and clapped his hands," Okay men,"

"Excuse me," the voice came from a Rank 3 Daredevil girl.

"and women," Overbuild continued," your team has a total of three hours to scout out the most area on your planet and come back to Nimbus Station to give as much description on the planet as you can," Overbuild started pacing," The strategy on just how you're going to scout your area is up to you. Good luck, men."

The Daredevil coughed.

"And women."

The squads boarded their dropships. A few seconds later they took off. The four faction leaders watched until the dropships disappeared into the sky.

Chapter 33

Inside one of the Talon Dropships, Scarab and his team were preparing to land at the planet. Yonder looked down at the planets. One was a huge forest. It was all green from what he saw. Big and bushy. As they circled the planet he saw a few spots of blue that were probably small oceans. It was called Yuzzhan 7.

The next planet they passed looked like a huge ball of sand. It was a desert planet. You could see brown shadows swirling around giving signs of a sand storm. Yonder felt badly for the expedition team that had to go there. The planet was called Bara Nui.

The next planet was kind of like a huge space station. Reports from other expedition teams that were in ship but never landed on the planet said that the world was at first fully natural. But then bricks started forming out of the Imagination inside the planet. In just a few minutes there was no longer any nature. It was just bricks and technology. The planet was named Spades 5009.

Then came the last planet, the one Yonder's team was going to. It was dark. It had green smoke twirling around like the brown around Bara Nui. It looked very uninviting and evil. The Darkitect would probably like to settle there. Because of its description it was called Darthemere.

The dropship began heading into the atmosphere of the planet. It was very rough. The ship started shaking around. Most of the mini figures in the ship fell over and slammed into the walls.

The pilot yelled in fear," I can't see anything! We're going to crash!"

Suddenly there was a loud bang. The ship jerked and all the mini figures fell over. There was a loud screech as the ship was unmistakably dragging across something. After a few seconds the ship skidded to a stop. There was a moment of silence, then a mumble as everybody tried to find an exit.

After about five minutes everybody got out of the ship. Yonder looked around the planet. It wasn't a pleasant sight. There were dozens of buildings all slouched over and beat up ready to fall over. The ground was uneven and cracked up. It was hard to walk on.

Yonder turned around to get a look at the beat up dropship. He flinched as he saw it. There was no way they could get anywhere in that thing. The group started to set up a campsite. When they finished there were four tents, and four benches around a fire with a pot of soup on it.

Yonder sat down right by Scarab. He looked across at VS1 and his younger brother. Scarab sighed," In the morning we'll have to go looking for the other dropship. They're our only hope."

Then from the cockpit of the beaten dropship came a squeal. Then a few seconds later a roar.

Chapter 34

The team was now on full alert. They neared where they heard the noise slowly. Each of them had their weapons ready. Then a claw was revealed from behind the dropship. The claw grabbed on pulled the rest of his body up revealing all his features. Yonder knew who it was. It was hard to recognize him, but it was the pilot. He had been infected by some weird force.

He was a zombie. He wasn't Maelstrom, but a zombie. His face was pale and gray. It's features were beat. His eyes glowed red as it stared at them. His teeth were hideous. They were green and black. He drooled green slobber. His pilot suit was torn and ripped revealing his beat up body. It was bruised and battered.

Scarab yelled," What the heck is that thing!"

"Have no idea!" Yonder yelled back.

"Whatever it is," VS1 broke in," It's not gonna last long."

He jumped up on the broken ship and stabbed his Powerjouster into the thing corpse expecting it to fall. Instead it grabbed the Samurai and threw him back. VS1 groaned after he hit the ground.

The zombie grabbed the Powerjouster and pulled it out of his carcass. VS2 ran over to his older brother to help him up. Scarab threw his Controller at the zombie. The weapon sliced right through the zombie's neck cutting its head off from the rest of the body.

Scarab smiled as the body fell. Then the body pulled itself back up and PICKED UP its head. It jumped down at Scarab and knocked him back with his head.

Then it turned toward Yonder and started running for him. Yonder put his arms in front of him to defend himself, but he knew it would be no use. He just did it out of panic.

Right when the headless zombie was about to reach him a blue flash knocked it back and smashed it. Yonder gave a sigh of relief.

Chapter 35

Yonder looked to his left to see what caused the flash. What he saw made him laugh.

"That's a new look for you, Glider," he said upon seeing a Rank 2 Space Ranger.

"I was waiting to surprise you," Glider replied.

"Well you sure did," VS1 commented as he sat up," And so did that thing."

"What was it," VS2 said looking down at the bricks of the zombie.

"I have no idea," Scarab joined the conversation," But I believe it's what that mysterious voice that Kai heard was talking about. Maybe it's some new type of Imagination that infected it."

"If it is," Yonder's voice sounded shaky," then it's not a good type."

"We better start packing up," Scarab changed the subject," We need to find the other dropship. It's the only way off this planet."

A few minutes into their packing Yonder realized something. They didn't know how the pilot got infected.

"Hey, guys!" he called out to the others.

They gathered around him," What could of infected the pilot. We should find out so we avoid becoming like him."

"Or," Scarab said," so we can smash whatever turned him into the thing that he was."

At that moment a loud screech was heard by all of them followed by a roar. The screech was unmistakably coming from a group that all screeched at the same time. The group turned around.

"I think we have company, guys," Yonder said holding up his Massive Spear.

Then the dropship started to shift a little bit. The roars got closer, and closer. Then dozens of zombies revealed themselves. They surrounded the five of them.

Yonder looked down at Glider. He was doing something very odd with his Zip Gun. Its blue glow started getting brighter. Then it got so bright Yonder had to look away from it.

Then Glider pointed it upward and let out a stream of blue energy. The energy created a dome around the five of them. It was a shield. The zombies started pounding on it trying to get in. Yonder smiled at their clumsiness.

"We're trapped," Scarab announced.

Yonder's smile turned into a frown as he realized that Scarab was right. How long could they stay like this.

Chapter 36

"Uh, guys, my Zip Gun can't last forever."

"We know, Glider," Yonder replied," We need to find a way out of here."

"We could just fight these guys," VS1 suggested.

"These guys, as you call them, are practically invincible," Yonder answered," It would be an impossible fight. We can't overestimate our strength. We don't know how powerful these corpses are."

Scarab sighed," It looks like we're doomed."

Just as he made the comment a few explosions smashed all the zombies. The team turned up to look at what caused the explosions. They saw a Talon Dropship spurting out missiles as it landed right by them.

Glider turned off his shield and the team walked over to the landing Talon.

Yonder laughed," It doesn't look like we're going to have to go looking for the other dropship."

"Aww," Scarab moaned sarcastically.

A Rank 3 Inventor, two Rank 3 Engineers, and one Rank 1 Engineer walked out of the dropship.

Yonder noticed them all," Ah, Camotoy, just in time. And you brought some friends along."

"Yup," the Rank 3 Inventor replied," We've been looking for you since yesterday when we lost you in the storm."

"Storm of what?" Yonder asked.

"We have no idea, really," Camotoy replied," That green mist, whatever it is."

"I have a feeling it's going to be something we're not going to like," Scarab broke in.

"Me too," Camotoy said," I believe it's powering those things."

"I think we've seen enough," Yonder started," We should get back to Nimbus Station."

"Yeah," Camotoy nodded," Lets get out of here."

They all started walking to the dropship. They were about to reach it when it somehow fell over on its side. They all had to jump out of the way to avoid getting smashed.

"What the heck was that!" Scarab yelled.

Then they saw what caused it. There was a whole stampede of more zombies. They all let out groans and screeches as they limped toward the team. Glider tried to put up a shield again, but his gun didn't have enough power.

They didn't have any escape this time.

Chapter 37

The zombies started to close in on them. Yonder started trying to come up with ideas. Battling wouldn't work. They couldn't battle through these corpses. Was there any escape? No.

The zombies were only five feet from them when a mini figure, moving so fast he looked only like a blur of blue, rushed out from behind a corner. He started hitting back the zombies with a wooden staff.

"Ha!" he yelled," I knew this day would come!"

Then he moved behind the group and swapped his staff at a rock wall. The wall broke revealing a secret cave. He motioned everybody inside.

They all rushed in quickly. Yonder was able to get a good luck at the mini figure. He wore blue plastic type armor. His visor on his helmet looked a little T like. He had a crest on top of his helmet making it look fancy. He held a brown ninja staff.

The blue armored mini figure walked near the entrance of the cave. The zombies limped nearer and nearer towards the cave. The mini figure threw up his staff. It hit the ceiling of the cave which started rumbling a bit. The mini figure caught his staff when it came back down. Boulders started falling from the apparently fragile ceiling of the cave. The mini figure rolled out just in time avoiding being smashed by the boulders.

The falling boulders formed into a wall of rocks preventing the zombies to get in. The mini figure twirled his staff and hooked it to his back," That's the way you escape from zombies."

Yonder spoke up," If you don't mind us asking, who are you?"

The mini figure motioned them further into the cave," If you'd like to know, follow me."

A few minutes later they came into a large circle room that was about thirty feet high and forty feet wide in diameter. In the middle of the room there was a campfire with four benched around it. They all sat down.

The mini figure began his story off by saying," You may not believe me, but I think we live in different dimensions."

Chapter 38

"Different dimension?" Yonder began stroking his chin," Go on."

"A long time ago, about fifty years, our dimension was thrown into war. Before the war there was no government, no politics, nothing. There were markets and shops though. But we had no law. There was no need to have one. Everybody in our dimension was peaceful and innocent. But I guess we should of been prepared, because one day eventually there was somebody who was evil. The cause of the war. His name was Brogan."

Yonder somehow though he knew the name, but he allowed the mini figure to continue telling his story," Brogan was rich. He had many treasures. He was considered a pharaoh before he began the war. Then he was able to gather an alliance after twenty years of kidnapping thousands of children and raising them himself to become warriors for him. He started a war trying to take over the whole universe. We formed our first government and alliance. We studied ancient art of combat. Because of the way we fought we were considered ninjas, space ninjas to be exact. We fought Brogan for many years and finally smashed him. Many years after the war was over I was born. I joined the Alliance which no longer fought wars, but kept order in the universe. Then, years later on the anniversary of the day the war had been one, news came out that some strange creature was roaming around one of the planets. I was called onto the squad of Space Ninjas that would be going to check out this creature. When we arrived, we planned a diversion just in case. I was able to get a good look at the creature. What I saw was something I had never seen before. And it was talking to some sort of nexus of green light. I was able to hear part of the conversation. The creature was speaking first. He said something like,' Thank you for restoring me.' Then he said something about repaying the his debt to the light by taking over the whole universe with the power given to him by the light. Then the light said something back. I think he said something about returning the creature to what he once was if he did not repay his debt. Then the creature replied,' Yes master.' Then the light said back,' Do not fail me, Brogan.' At that point I realized that it was Brogan, the terrorist. He needed to repay his debt because the light, whatever it was, brought him back from the dead. I tried to find a way to call off the attack, but it was too late. My teammates attacked Brogan as planned. He just summoned a wave of energy on one of them. That ninja fell down dead for a few seconds. Then it rose again as an undead warrior. My friends tried to kill, but got infected too. Soon the infection spread all over the universe, and I was the last one alive. I now try to resist against these zombies and survive. One day, I was scurrying around one area when I saw a portal of the same green light powering Brogan open. I walked into it and found myself in a place that didn't look any different from my universe. I began walking around and found you guys. I think that that portal opened into another dimension. Your dimension."

Chapter 39

"That's weird," Yonder stood up," considering that Baron Typhonus just created this planet."

"Well," Glider spoke up," maybe the Baron purposely created this planet to be a gateway to another dimension. Perhaps that dimension is the problem he was talking about, the problem for Nexus Force. And he did say he was going to create a galaxy with it. He created a galaxy with this planet."

"Well we can't just leave this problem that the Baron created for us. We will destroy it!" Scarab gave a determined yell.

The rest of the team cheered with him.

"But we don't have any way off the planet," one of the Engineers said.

"Who cares, Constructo," another Engineer replied," Creativity beats challenges any day."

"Then lets do this!" the Rank 1 Engineer joined them.

They started to leave the cave. But Yonder stayed back in the cave for a moment.

"Brogan," he whispered to himself," I can swear I know that name from something."He got up and caught up with the rest of the group," So what exactly is your name?"

"Katsu," the space ninja replied.

Yonder groaned. Now he felt like he knew that name too.

"And where are we going, Katsu?" Yonder asked.

"To the portal," Katsu told him," I though you were coming to save my universe."

Yonder stopped," Wait, we'd like to help you, but if we go into your universe we might not be able to get back. Lets stop and think about this."

The team stopped and turned around.

"What is there to think about?" one of the Engineers began," We have no way off this planet. Helping him may be our only hope."

"Maybe we can communicate with another Talon Dropship," Yonder started off," Or maybe they'll come looking for us."

"No," the Engineer fought back," According to our scanners, before our Talon Dropships the storm increased by at least ten times. From what I've seen, the storm hasn't cleared up at all. Clearly something alive is controlling it, and it knows we're here. It doesn't want us to leave. That's why we have to destroy it. And it's in Katsu's universe. We need to cooperate if we're going to get out of here."

Yonder sighed," I guess so."

"Then lets go," Katsu urged," We shouldn't waist anymore time."

Chapter 40

They sneaked past as many zombies as they could. In just a few minutes they reached their intended destination. It was a big round circle of green light. You could faintly see shapes behind the light.

"C'mon, lets go," one of the Rank 3 Engineers jumped into the portal.

"Who is that guy?" Scarab asked.

"His name is Nexusadmiral," Yonder told him.

"And the other one?" Scarab leaned toward the other Rank 3 Engineer.

"His name is Constructo," Yonder informed Scarab again.

"What about the newbie," he looked down at the Rank 1 Engineer.

"You can call me Greenbrick3," the rookie replied.

"Come," Katsu motioned them into the portal," We should get in before the zombies find us. They can track human scent better then any other life being."

Yonder shivered.

They all jumped in one by one. They landed in what looked like exactly the same place. You could give the same description of the two planets. They both looked like a bomb was dropped there.

Katsu began leading them.

"Where are we going?" Yonder whispered to the ninja.

"To my campsite," he replied," It's where I always stay."

About five minutes later they reached a crevice about a foot and a half wide. Katsu was the first to jump in. Then a few seconds later Yonder did. He landed in a cave about the size of the other one they had been to before. It also looked mostly the same with the campfire and the logs, but there was also a blanket in one corner with a backpack and some food on it.

Yonder sat down on one of the logs. Glider sat down beside him.

"So, what exactly are we going to do?" VS1 asked.

"Smash that undead terrorist of course," VS2 replied.

Katsu sat down on one of the logs," It may not be as easy as you think."

"What do you mean?" Glider asked.

"Well," Katsu began," you see, Brogan is very powerful. He is almost invincible. His only weakness is Imagination. While our alliance was trying to fight the infection, Brogan started destroying all Imagination. As we started to lose the battle, some of alliance's intelligence agents started to write down where little speckles of Imagination were on scrolls. I have spent years trying to find these scrolls. Finally, at one point, I did. It just so happens that Brogan created dozens of commanders for his army of the undead. Most of the Imagination artifacts needed to destroy Brogan are guarded by these commanders. I have never tried to face one, and it's probably a good thing. But now that you are here, you can help me find them."

Yonder's eyes suddenly widened," Brogan," he whispered. Then he stood up," Tell me where the first one is. I have a score to settle with Brogan."

Chapter 41

Katsu and the team climbed out of the cave. Katsu began leading them to the first enemy. As they walked he started reading the scroll to the team," The first Imagination artifact you must find is a Imaginite. The reason Brogan did not destroy this artifact long ago is because it is believed that the Baron had told Brogan about a powerful source that would combine two dimensions. For a long period of time the Imaginite wasn't destroyed. When Brogan finally learned about this item he decided to leave it alone thinking it was the source. To this day it still remains in the spot it has been for many years."

"That scroll will become false in just a few minutes," Yonder said after hearing Katsu read it.

"Hopefully," Constructo said.

They reached the ruins of a building that was leaning over. They were about to walk around a corner when Katsu held them back," This is the place. One of Brogan's commanders is just around the corner. It isn't actually undead. It was designed by him."

Yonder peeked out. He saw a small round figure. It looked just like fire and stones combined. It had orange eyes that blinked now and then. He was about as tall as the middle of Yonder's chest.

Yonder turned around to face the team," Okay, if we create some diversion I think we can smash this guy."

"Do not underestimate his strength," Brogan spoke up," I have fought ones like his kind that are not commanders. I have not yet defeated one. I have barely hurt one. And I always come back from battling one injured."

Yonder sighed," Then maybe we can come up with a diversion that won't even involve fighting him."

"But somebody will have to attract him," Scarab pointed out," Although they won't have to fight him, somebody has to attract him away from the Imaginite."

"I think it should be me," Katsu suggested," If Brogan finds out you guys are here, then it may cause bigger trouble for us. But they know I'm here, and nothing would happen if they saw me and got away alive."

"Okay," Yonder agreed," Pick different spots around this walking campfire, but don't get caught."

"Lets do this," Glider pumped his fists.

Chapter 42

Yonder climbed up on one of the broken up buildings. Glider followed him. They looked down at the fire creature.

"What do we do?" Glider asked.

"Well, from according to what I've heard we just wait until the creature chases Katsu and leaves the Imaginite," Yonder answered," Then, we just go get it."

"Where is the Imaginite?" Glider started looking around.

Yonder pointed to a glittering green artifact.

"It's shiny," Glider joked.

"Shut up," Yonder nicked his shoulder.

"Owe," Glider started rubbing himself.

Suddenly they heard a swish of air and then a thwack. They looked down and saw Katsu hitting the fire creature with his staff. The creature blew a breath of fire at Katsu knocking him back. Katsu patted his shoulder to put out a flame on his armor. Then he got up and started running away. The creature began chasing him.

"Stay up here," Yonder told Glider.

He hopped down from the building and grabbed the Imaginite. The three Engineers ran out to help him.

"I got it!" he yelled back to them," You guys and Camotoy go help Katsu!"

"Alright," Nexusadmiral said back.

The three of them ran past Yonder chasing the fire creature and Katsu. Yonder put the Imaginite in his backpack and started climbing back up the building where Glider was.

As he began to reach the top Glider helped him up.

"What do we do now?" Glider asked him.

"I guess we just go back to Katsu's cave," Yonder replied," and pray to Imagination that Katsu and the rest survive."

"Can't we help them," Glider asked him," instead of hoping?"

Yonder sighed," I guess so. Come on."

He and Glider jumped down from the building and started racing to the spot of the battle. When they reached it they saw an unfortunate sight. They were losing against the beast. He had barely been damaged. This was going to be tough.

Chapter 43

Yonder and Glider rushed to help the others fight the creature. Yonder started stabbing the creature with his Massive Spear while his teammate began shooting it with his blaster.

The creature knew he was being overwhelmed. He let out a wave of fire knocking over everybody battling him. He began walking toward Katsu. When he reached him Katsu tried to keep him back with his hands. They began wrestling and struggling to survive.

The creature got into a perfect position to bite the ninja. He opened it's mouth preparing for its attack. Katsu quickly stuck his staff back into the monster's mouth.

It gagged and spit out the weapon giving the others time to recover. He knocked it back flying over Katsu and hitting a ruined building.

"Only if we had some water," Yonder wished," It could extinguish the fire on him."

"Imagination is close enough," Glider reminded him.

"Then lets use all our forces combined," Nexusadmiral suggested.

"Are you sure?" Greenbrick3 wanted to be sure," That technique hasn't been used for years."

"How else are we going to defeat that thing?" Scarab asked.

"We need to do it," Yonder put his hand in reach of all the others.

Everybody nodded and put their own hands over Yonder's. An Imagination orb started to glow in the bundle of hands.

"You might want to move out of the way," Yonder suggested to Katsu.

The orb spurt out a river of Imagination at the fire creature. Katsu ducked just in time. The orb collided with the fire creature extinguishing all the fire on it. A few steaming cold rocks fell from where the creature was. That was all that remained of it.

Yonder patted his backpack," I have the Imaginite. Let's get out of here."

Katsu heard a howl from dozens of zombies nearing them," Yeah, let's."

Chapter 44

They rushed back to Katsu's cave. Eventually along the way, a few zombies had spotted them and started to chase them. When they reached the cave they easily fought all of the corpses off. They quickly all got into the cave one by one.

"So, what's next?" Yonder asked.

Katsu pulled out his scroll," Crystallized Imagination."

"Hmm," Yonder began stroking his chin," Sounds interesting. Not to mention challenging."

Katsu started to tell the story," Along with the Imaginite, some other Imagination was able to survive for a very long time. The reason of this is because it was in a deep underground cave that Brogan did not bother with until he started to get rid of all other Imagination. The Imagination in this deep underground cave were just a few orbs that, after being left alone for such a long time, joined together and crystallized into a diamond like artifact. Brogan could no longer sense its presence because of the crystallization allowing nothing to detect it. It is believed that know one guards this artifact, but it is very dangerous to try to get the artifact because of the fact that the cave is very unstable and could collapse at any minute. If gained, you will have one of three artifacts allowing you to destroy Brogan. Good luck."

"Lets go get some Imagination," VS2 said as he stood up.

"Wait," Katsu stopped them," Remember the cave is very unstable. When we get there we have to be very careful."

"No problem," Scarab sound annoyed," You don't have to worry about anything."

"Ok," Katsu started walking outside of the cave," Just making sure you knew."

A few minutes later they reached a large pit. They all stared down at it.

"So this is the cave," Yonder said looking down into the pit," Doesn't look too unstable to me."

At the moment he said that, a few boulders came out of the wall of the pit and was consumed in the deep blackness of the bottomless pit.

Glider shivered," I'm having second thoughts on this."

Yonder would not allow anyone to see the fear that grew in him," Bah, how hard can it be?"

He gulped and jumped into the pit, not ready for what was about to come.

Chapter 45

The rest of the team jumped in after Yonder. They fill for about thirty seconds when they started to see the bottom of the cave. The stones that fell had buried themselves into the ground with the impact that they created.

Yonder stabbed his Massive Spear into the wall of the pit. He started scraping along the wall slowing down. He finally stopped when he was about three feet from the ground. He pulled his spear out of the wall and fell the last three feet. It felt good to touch solid ground again.

Glider created a small shield over him before he reached the bottom. When he hit the ground he bounced right back up and landed again. Everybody else had used the same strategy Yonder used by stabbing and scraping whatever weapon they had on the wall closest to them.

When Katsu landed he pulled out the scroll," This scroll has a map of the whole cave. We can follow it to the Imagination Crystal."

He put the scroll in a Messenger Bag that he had brought along and started walking down a tunnel. The rest followed him.

Whenever they reached a fork of tunnels Katsu pulled out the scroll, read it for a moment, and continued walking down one of the tunnels. After a few minutes they reached a dead end. Katsu pulled out the scroll again and looked at it for a few minutes.

Then he looked up," This tunnel isn't suppose to lead to a dead end."

Yonder looked at the wall making the dead end. He walked over to it and kicked it. The stone wall collapsed.

"Over the years a stone wall must of formed here," Nexusadmiral guessed.

"Most likely," Katsu said," I've never been down here."

They continued walking down the hall. Then they reached another dead end.

"This is where the tunnels are suppose to stop," Katsu announced," The Imagination Crystal is somewhere around here."

The team began looking. After a few seconds Yonder spotted it.

He walked over to it," Guys, I've found it."

The team walked over to Yonder. It was a blue crystal that could easily been recognized as naturally made by itself. It didn't look fancy or anything that anyone would like.

It was half encased into the wall, but it wouldn't be to hard to get out. Yonder started tugging on it.

"Wait!" Katsu yelled.

But it was too late. The crystal broke off the wall easily... but then everybody heard a rumbling noise... and the cave began to collapse.

Chapter 46

They quickly scrambled down the hall trying to find their way out of the cave. Eventually, over all the panic, they got lost in the labyrinth of tunnels.

"Which way do we go?" Greenbrick3 said in a shake voice looking all around.

Katsu pulled out his scroll," I don't know. I would if we knew where we were."

Yonder started looking around the room. He noticed it from something.

Then he remembered," This is the fork right before we found what we though was a dead end."

"Right!" Katsu said," This way."

He motioned everybody one way. This time he didn't put the scroll away. He was looking at it as he ran shifting here and there to go a different direction. Rock and debris continued to fall from the ceilings of the tunnels. Everybody in the group each had a time where they were nearly smashed from a boulder falling.

Finally they found the bottom of the gigantic pit that they jumped into.

"Do you have the crystal?" Constructo asked Yonder.

Yonder tossed it up in the air and caught it," Yep."

"I guess we'll have to climb back up," VS1 announced.

"No duh," Scarab replied.

Yonder was the first to start climbing. He gripped on every stone or crevice he could find. He pulled himself up and continued climbing. When he was about twenty feet above the ground the other began climbing.

Sometimes Yonder almost fell when he grabbed a loose rock. He just got a grip at some random crack and barely kept himself up.

Boulders began falling out of the wall which created another danger for the climbers. Finally Yonder could see the top of the whole where they had jumped in. He looked down to make sure his team was behind him. Everybody was there. Yonder sighed. They were going to make it.

He reached the top and started helping his teammates up. Eventually all of them were up except for Katsu. Yonder grabbed his hand to help him up.

Suddenly there was a shake. Yonder fell down about thirty feet into the whole with Katsu. He quickly grabbed the wall to make sure he wouldn't fall anymore.

He looked for Katsu below him. He spotted the ninja unconscious lying on a little ledge hanging out of the wall.

Yonder climbed down to help him. He fell down onto the ledge standing over Katsu. Katsu slowly awakened. His vision was blurry and he could barely hear Yonder. He could faintly hear him yelling," Katsu, are you okay! We have to get out of here!"

Just when his vision cleared, he saw something above Yonder. As soon as he realized what it was he pushed Yonder off the ledge. The thing, which was a boulder, came right down and on him.

Yonder heard a scream from the ledge... it was Katsu's. He climbed up to the ledge and found the boulder on top of Katsu whose breath was dying out.

"Yonder," he whispered. It was all he could let out. His breath died away, slowly.

Chapter 47

"No!" Yonder cried," You can't die!"

"Yonder!" Glider called from above," You have to get out of there!"

Yonder pulled off Katsu's helmet gently. Then he took his Messenger Bag. He swung the bag over his shoulder. Then he pulled Katsu's helmet close to him and began to climb up the wall. He reached the top with a little help from his friends.

"Where's Katsu?" Nexusadmiral asked.

Yonder didn't reply, but looked down at the helmet. Then everybody realized the horrible truth. They walked back to Katsu's cave without anybody saying a word.

After a few minutes they were at the campsite each sitting at one of the logs around the fire. Yonder lit the fire with some help from a few of his friends.

Scarab sighed," Now what do we do. Katsu is gone, and we don't have any directions on the last Imagination artifact.

"No," Yonder said in a low voice," We do."

He swung the Messenger Bag in front of him and pulled out the scroll.

He began reading it," You have gone far, now you must face your final challenge. It's time you battle the one of you have done all you can to defeat. The last piece of Imagination you will need is a diamond made out of the Imagination powering Brogan. It is a glowing green color, the same color that was seen by many of the ninjas that faced Brogan. They were killed. You must collect this piece in order to avoid suffering the same fate as they did. But be warned there are many guarding Brogan. It would be difficult to defeat him alone with no one to protect him. With guards, he is almost unstoppable. Good luck."

Yonder looked up from the scroll," This may be harder then we think."

"No," Greenbrick said," I know how hard this will be. I think we all do."

"Then lets get going," Glider stood up from his seat and started walking toward the exit of the cave.

"Wait," Yonder stopped him.

"What is it?" Constructo asked.

Yonder put his Massive Spear in the middle of the fire," For Katsu."

The others put their weapons in too and repeated Yonder," For Katsu."

Chapter 48

They traveled up to the castle where Brogan was. It was gigantic. It would definitely be guarded.

Yonder walked silently up to the gate. The other followed him. The gate was a huge cage door.

"How do we get in?" Glider asked.

"Boom, boom," Yonder replied.

He walked right in front of the gate. He pointed his Massive Spear at the gate.

"When they come out smash them," Yonder told the others who had their weapons ready right by the gate.

Yonder threw an Energy Grenade at the gate. There was a large explosions followed by a big bang of metal caused by multiple pieces of the gate falling on to the ground. There was a moment of silence, then a series of groans. Yonder could see dozens of pairs of red eyes back in the darkness deep into the castle charging toward him. Then the eyes were revealed as zombie's as they walked into the light. They still groaned, howled, and screeched as they charged toward Yonder.

When they reached the gate, the whole team gave a surprise attack and started smashing as many corpses as they could. Yonder rushed toward the battle with his spear ready and began helping his friends.

Then, VS2 saw something about twenty feet above in the wall of the castle. It was a hole. He took two Samurai arrows out of his quiver. He stabbed them into the wall and began climbing up to the hole. When he reached it he climbed into it. Instantly, he knew what it was by the smell. It was the castles old sewage tunnel.

"Hey guys!" he called back down," I think I've found our way into the castle."

"What is it?" Camotoy called back.

The Samurai looked back down the tunnel," Um, I think it's a sewer."

"Disgusting," Scarab said," You expect us to go in there."

"It's our only way in," Yonder shrugged.

He ran over to the wall. VS2 let down a rope for him to climb. One by one the whole team climbed up to where VS2 was.

"I think I'm having second thoughts on this," Glider said after smelling the place.

"Wonder how many years some rotten biscuit has lied down here," Yonder joked.

"Or, how many dead rats are in this place," Camotoy added.

"There couldn't be," VS1 made another addition to the joke," They're probably already serving as privates in Brogan's army."

The whole team laughed. Then they were silenced as they heard a howl behind them down the tunnel.

Chapter 49

"I think the zombies are after us," Yonder announced.

"Yep," Scarab agreed.

Suddenly they heard another screech. It was so close Yonder's ears hurt after it was over.

Then they heard Greenbrick scream," They've got me! Help! They've got me!"

The whole team looked back at the Rank 1 Engineer who was at the very back of them. They were crawling through a tight and closed tunnel, so they couldn't help him.

Greenbrick3 started moving backwards. He was being pulled by the group of zombies. He tried to grab one of the wall in the tunnel, but he couldn't find anything on them to grab onto.

"No!" Camotoy yelled," Greenbrick!"

"We have to save the newbie!" Constructo ordered.

"We can't," Yonder said in a lower voice," It's too late... he's gone."

The team stopped crawling. It was so quiet they heard Yonder let out a quiet sigh.

"We have to keep going," Yonder continued crawling through the tunnel.

After a few minutes they saw light up ahead.

"There's the end of this smelly conspiracy," Scarab joked.

Nobody responded. They were too sorry for Greenbrick.

Yonder was the first to reach the end. The first thing he did when he got out of the tunnel was take a deep breath of fresh air. The rest came following. They hopped down twenty feet to the ground below each on at a time.

"Where do we go now?" Nexusadmiral asked.

Yonder shook his head," I don't know. I wish the scroll had a map of this castle like it did with the cave."

"I guess we'll have to find out where to go by ourselves," Glider began walking down a hall.

There was a big red carpet with yellow art sewed into it laid across the hall. It was dirty and beat though. The whole team walked down the hall prepared for any attack from an undead warrior.

After about thirty seconds of walking they stopped in their tracks. For about twenty feet in front of them was a weird, alien faced like, creature holding what looked like a Rank 1 Space Marauder blaster.

"Another weird creature," Yonder said holding up his Massive Spear.

"One made from Brogan's imagination," Nexusadmiral added.

They charged at the creature who was getting his blaster ready. When they reached him, a blast of energy, that looked much like a Rank 1 Space Marauder's except it was green, knocked Yonder's Massive Spear out of his hands and sent it flying back. Yonder looked at the creature defenseless.

Then, the stampede of his team rushed into it knocking it back. The creature let out a screech knowing it was defeated.

"What did it do that?" Glider asked as he blasted the creature dead.

Yonder thought for a moment, then grew wide eyed," I think we should get out of here."

Then, they heard a series of groans. They looked behind themselves and saw a stampede of zombies limping hastily. The stampede was coming towards them.

Chapter 50

The group continued running down the hall, but this time, away from the zombies. Eventually, they saw the end of the hall. It lead to two wooden doors each with a little ring for a handle on it. The team burst through the doors and continued running. They looked around the room as they fled. It was a room full of gold. It looked like it had been untouched for ages.

The next room they went into was a normal hall with no carpet and just stone floors, wall, and ceiling. About half way down the hall, they could see, there was a wooden plank. Built into the floor. They didn't mind anything about.

Yonder first ran onto it. It wobbled a bit, then broke down into a dungeon. It was jail. The cages were mostly empty, but there was one that contained somebody. Yonder couldn't see because of the shadow he was hidden in. He started walking closer to the cage. Then he saw the mini figure.

"Greenbrick!" he cried," You're alive!"

"Yonder?" Greenbrick3 looked up at him.

Their reunion was stopped as they heard a screech very near them. Yonder looked up to the plank that had dropped into the dungeon. There was another one of the horrifying corpses. It limped toward Yonder.

The zombie backed him into a corner. He stabbed his Massive Spear at the zombie trying to protect himself. The zombie grabbed the weapon and threw it back. Yonder put his arms in front of him waiting to be attacked.

Right when the zombie flung itself at Yonder a blue flash knocked it to pieces. Yonder knew what caused it before he even saw it.

"Glider, Greenbrick is down here. You need to help me get him out," Yonder ran over to the cage.

"Yeah," Glider answered," I know. You think you yelled it loud enough. Now, we have to hurry up. The team is waiting."

"Right," Yonder threw an Energy Grenade at the cage.

It blew up freeing Greenbrick3.

"Lets get out of here now," Glider said motioning them toward the wooden plank leading them to the hall.

Suddenly a zombie appeared in front of them and backed them back into the dungeon. Dozens more appeared behind him. They were trapped.

Chapter 51

The group of zombies backed the three of them into the dungeon again. They continued waking backwards until they hit the back of the dungeon. They couldn't run anymore.

"We have to fight them," Greenbrick3 raised his wrench at the zombies.

Just then the wall behind them burst open. Stones and dust from the rock wall came flying out. When the dust cleared more zombies came out of the whole in the wall. They quickly grabbed Yonder, Glider, and Greenbrick3.

"Great," Glider complained," Now what?"

Yonder closed his eyes ready for the worst. He didn't remember what happened next. He blacked out.

He awoke a few minutes later. He sat up and rubbed his head. He looked around and saw that he was in a square shaped room with no ceiling. You could look up to the night sky. Glider and Greenbrick3 were kneeling on their knees right by him. He looked for ways to get out, but there was no way over any of the four walls. He started examining the other details of the room. There was a gate in the middle of each one of the walls. Behind the gate was a deep dark hall. Yonder couldn't see anything.

Then he looked up. A few feet above the wall that they were facing there was a balcony. There was a throne on top of the balcony. Yonder gritted his teeth when he saw who it was. Brogan.

Behind Brogan he saw there was a little hole in the wall about half a foot deep. Inside the hole there was a green gem. The last Imagination artifact they needed.

Brogan stood up from his throne," Welcome. I am glad that you are allowing us to be your hosts today."

"Could you tell me who,' us,' are," Yonder said as he stood up.

"Perhaps," Brogan said in a cheerful voice," You'd like a challenge."

At those words the gates began to open up with a long, slow creek. One zombie came out of each of them.

"Really," Glider laughed," You expect four of your privates to defeat us."

"Privates?" Brogan sounded insulted," These are not my privates. They are the most skilled soldiers I have."

Yonder grunted," What do you expect us to do?"

"Fight them, of course," Brogan acted like they should know.

"What have you done with our friends?!!" Greenbrick yelled in fury.

"Oh my men haven't caught them yet," Brogan shook his," It's so sad. I was really hoping to see you all at once."

"Too bad you will never have the chance to," Yonder said cockily," after we get our hands on you."

Chapter 52

"Who are you?" Brogan asked Yonder," You're face looks familiar."

"I'm,' the hopeless one ninja,' " Yonder told him.

"Ah," Brogan sat down in his chair," So it's you again. I thought I had finished you off long ago. What a reunion this is. It's unfortunate that you won't have enough time to be able to tell me your story."

Yonder knew what he meant by that. He shifted himself into a battle pose. The others did the same. Yonder ran up to the first one and began attempting to slash of its limbs. He quickly realized that these zombies would be more difficult to smash.

He struck his spear at the zombie's right arm. The attack made a flesh wound, but the zombie seemed unharmed. It acted like the wound wasn't even there. It grabbed Yonder and pushed him back.

Yonder took the time he had to check on his teammates. They seemed to be doing alright. They weren't making any progress in fighting the other three zombies, but they were doing well in resisting them.

Yonder turned back to the zombie he was fighting. He grunted. What weaknesses did this gor caked thing have. Then he had an idea. He pulled out his Morning Star that Scarab had given him. He slashed it rapidly at the corpse. It couldn't resist such fast attack. In a few seconds it was smashed.

Yonder turned toward the other three zombies. They had cornered Greenbrick3 and Glider. The two of them were huddled close ready to get attacked. Two of the zombies picked up them both and grinned at them.

Yonder ran at the one not doing anything. He quickly smashed that one in a surprise attack. Then he began on the next one. He disabled it quickly by slashing of its limbs. He faced the last one. He swung his weapon in the air getting ready to give a final strike to the zombie.

Then the zombie unexpectedly leaped at Yonder. It sunk its teeth into his left arm. Yonder screamed in pain.

"No!" Glider yelled.

He and Greenbrick quickly smashed the zombie. They leaned over Yonder who was moaning in pain. They saw his skin turning paler and gray.

Glider took out a Paradox Power Potion from Yonder's backpack. He poured what was contained in it down Yonder's throat. Then he let Yonder lie down onto the stone ground.

Yonder let out a sigh of breathe... then he was silent.

Greenbrick3 looked at Glider," Is he..."

Brogan chuckled," So I have killed that fool twice! How foolish he is."

'No,' Glider thought,' Yonder? Dead?'

Chapter 53

Brogan let out another cold, evil, chuckle.

Glider stared up at the zombie leader. His stomach was full of sickening anger. His eyes glared at Brogan in hatred.

He pulled up his gun and shot at Brogan. Brogan just floated out of the way. He was sort of like a ghost from what Glider saw.

"Hopefully you won't be as skilled as your pathetic zombies," Greenbrick3 spat out.

Brogan laughed," You will never be able to smash me alone."

"Yes," a voice said," Maybe not alone, but with friends they will."

Glider instantly recognized the voice. He looked up to the top of the wall facing directly to the one that the balcony was on. He saw just what he expected to. Scarab and his friends were there.

They leaped down from the wall and ran over to Glider and Greenbrick.

"Ah," Brogan said in a calm, chilling voice," So it's you. It's so unfortunate that you were not able to arrive in time to save all of your friends."

Glider gritted his teeth," They have saved enough to smash you, mush brain."

Brogan pretended to look offended," Mush brain? Oh, you'll pay for that one!"

A blast of green mist shot out of his staff. Glider leaped out of the path of the mist.

"How will we defeat him?" Nexusadmiral asked.

Scarab looked around," I'll come up with something. But for now just stay alive."

Brogan swooped down to the team. The group turned and got ready to battle. Camotoy began blasting at Brogan with his Inventor gear. Brogan just put his staff in front of him and the blasts bounced off of it.

Then VS1 and his younger brother started fencing Brogan who was using his staff against their Samurai swords. Eventually, despite how good of warriors the two brothers were, they were overwhelmed by Brogan. He flipped their swords out of their hands and knocked them back.

One by one everybody took a chance at battling Brogan. They continued trying over and over again.

"He's too good," Camotoy shook his head," It's useless."

"We have to come up with something else," Scarab said while battling Brogan.

"You will never be able to defeat me," Brogan broke in," Surrender, and I will make you all generals of my army."

Scarab let his guard down a bit at the words.

Brogan continued," You will be treated with the most respect by me. You will be more powerful then anyone else in my army. You will be the key to taking over the next dimension that is soon to be ours!"

It was a great temptation, but they were too devoted to Nexus Force. Scarab shook his head and realized what was happening.

He leaped at Brogan and kicked him back," NOOO!"

"What?" Brogan pretended to be surprised at this most generous 'offer' that he had made.

"No," Scarab repeated," You killed my friend, you have corrupted a whole dimension, and on top of that you try to make us join you when it will only lead to a whole other dimension the same as this. No! We will not let that happen!"

Then Scarab was hit with an idea. He grew an Imagination orb in his hand. Then he pointed it at Brogan," Guys, I'm going to need a little bit of your help."

Suddenly the rest knew what he was planning.

"Are you crazy?!!" Camotoy yelled," It was hard enough putting out the fire on that one creature, but now trying to defeat a leader of a whole dimension with that technique. Impossible!"

The orb in Scarab's hand began to grow larger.

Constructo sighed," It's the only way."

At those words everybody put their hands in with Scarab's. They shut their eyes in concentration. A gigantic orb began to grow.

Scarab peeped up," Lets finish this."

Chapter 54

A spurt of Imagination blasted out of the orb. Brogan quickly reacted. He stretched out a long line of green mist. The two blasts collided. The ones controlling each of the blasts all tried to concentrate more to overwhelm their opponents blast.

After about a minute of this Scarab began feeling sick and tired. Sweat trickled down his neck. It was difficult for him to breathe. Everybody else felt the same way.

Brogan laughed," I think it's about time you give up. Remember that offer. Mark my words, if you accept then you will know that it is the greatest thing that can happen to you."

Scarab gritted his teeth. He took a deep breath. They couldn't fail now. No. He wouldn't let this happen.

He began coughing now. He also started to feel numb. If they kept this up much longer they probably would be dead.

Scarab was about to give up when a mini figure jumped on Brogan. Scarab's vision was so blurry and the mini figure was moving so fast that he, and everybody else, didn't see who he was. But they could see what he was doing.

The mini figure leaped of Brogan up to the balcony where the evil leader's throne was. He climbed up the wall where the green gem was.

Brogan gasped when he saw the mini figure grab it out of the whole," No! You dare not!"

The mini figure did a back flip back down to the ground. It all happened in slow motion. Brogan looked terrified. Scarab was able to just get a glimpse at the mini figure. Once he saw his heart leaped with joy. Yonder!

Yonder put his hand holding the gem in with the group. The power of it surged through the orb quickly. After a few seconds a much more powerful blast shot out of it and knocked Brogan back. Imagination flooded over him.

"Nooo!" he screamed," This can't be happening! You can't!"

All of his power was drained out of him. He was nothing now.

At the loss of his power an Imagination wave burst out of nowhere. It consumed everything around it. The castle was reconstructed and looked beautiful again. The night sky turned into a gorgeous blue and endless sky. After a few seconds thousands of mini figures walked into the room. They had been zombies, but they were now healed. They cheered in excitement and joy.

"Brogan is defeated!" they chanted," We are free again!"

Yonder fell over from all the stress.

Glider leaned over him," Yonder! Are you okay?"

Yonder groaned," I'm fine."

The rest of the team fell over like Yonder. They too had lots of stress from using all their concentration on the orb for such a long period of time. Even Glider fell over.

"Yep," Glider said," I think we're all beat."

Yonder smiled," It was worth it though."

Glider nodded," We thought you were dead."

Yonder shook his head," No, just healing."

There was a moment of silence between the two. Then they began laughing. The rest started giggling too.

Then, there laughing was silence as there was a roam of thunder. Everybody looked up to the sky. A dark cloud began covering it. A flash of lightning came out of it and hit the ground near Brogan who was lying down powerless. A shadow shaped in what looked like a large man wearing a cape and magician hat holding a staff appeared from the lighting bolt.

"Brogan," the shadow said," You were not able to repay your debt to me."

"No," Brogan begged," Please, don't."

"The grave is where I brought you from," the shadow continued," and the grave is where you shall return."

A lightning bolt hit Brogan. He broke into pieces after giving a loud scream.

"Wait!" Yonder yelled," Typhonus!"

But it was too late. The shadow disappeared.

Chapter 55

Vanda Darkflame walked away from the Imagination Nexus in Nexus Tower after having a meeting with the three other faction leaders. She stepped into a Paradox teleporter l and was smashed. She was rebuilt on the other side of the teleporter.

After doing the process again she arrived in the room that held the Shadow Orb. She breathed in the scent of Maelstrom. Most people would consider it nasty, but Vanda had lived around it her whole life. She had gotten used to it.

She looked around the room. After a few seconds her eyes met a very strange site. It was a Rank 3 Space Marauder working on something on a table. The table was set up in the right of the bridge to the Shadow Orb where all the Maelstrom exhaust floated around.

Vanda walked over to the Space Marauder," Hey!"

The Space Marauder looked up," Yes?"

"What are you doing?" she asked.

The Marauder pulled off his Miner's Helm that he was wearing to protect his eyes," Why would you like to know?"

Vanda instantly recognized him," Yonder, I thought you would have more respect for a faction leader."

He chuckled," Alright, I'll tell you."

"It has something to do with the dimension you discovered?" Vanda guessed.

Yonder sighed," Yeah. I can't get over that vision of Typhonus. I wanted to confront him there."

"And," Vanda made Yonder continue.

"This wand will help us find him," he lifted up his creation to show Vanda.

It was a five foot staff with a purple diamond at the end.

"Ah," Vanda was impressed," So you are living up to be a true Paradox."

"I hope Paradox won't have to exist after this creation has made its act on the Shadow Orb," Yonder started walking to the dark portal.

"Wait!" Vanda called out.

Yonder looked back," Yes, mistress?"

"I think it would be best if we organized a few things here. This could be a major breakthrough. I'd hate to see the moment go to waste."

Yonder nodded," I guess? How long will I have to wait?"

"Just a few minutes," Vanda assured him," I'll just have to gather Duke, Hael, and Overbuild along with a few Paradox and Assembly scientists."

"I'm fine with that."

"Alright then," Vanda said," I'll be back in just a minute."

After about an hour of waiting, Vanda returned with a few men in purple shirts wearing white lab coats with Paradox symbols on the back. After they came through the door a few Rank 3 Inventors holding note pads and pens walked in followed by all the faction leaders and a crowd of people ready to see the war come to an end.

Yonder smirked," Okaaaay. Think you brought enough people, Vanda?"

"Nah," Vanda joked," A few more would be nice."

The crowd surrounded Yonder who began walking toward the Shadow Orb. He hopped into it.

After a few seconds he landed on a stone path with swirling Maelstrom light around it. It was the usual scene that a mini figure would see when they go into the orb.

Yonder waited, and eventually after seeing the Baron a few times, each time closer, the leader of the Maelstrom appeared right in front of him.

Yonder began charging up the wand. He pointed it at Typhonus. Most weapons would be destroyed by this point, but Yonder had designed it with a Maelstrom material that could get through the Shadow Orb. Then he shot a blast of Maelstrom at Typhonus... or that's what he expected it to do.

Instead of a blast of purple power, mist poured out of the weapon. It was Maelstrom. It flooded over Yonder's body. It consumed him until you could see nothing of him. Inside, Yonder felt like the wind was knocked out of him. He started trying to breathe, but he couldn't. He realized what was happening.

"No!" he yelled," Not Maelstrom! Not again!"

Chapter 56

Outside the Shadow Orb, everybody awaited for Yonder to come out with news of victory. They waited a few minutes. Every now and then you heard a scratch of a pen coming from and Inventor writing on his notepad.

About an hour of waiting, the Shadow Orb began to brighten. The crowd gasped in excitement.

A few seconds later they screamed upon seeing a very powerful looking Maelstrom warrior. He wore a Ronin helmet and a black breastplate with red markings on it. His arms looked like normal Stromling's. They were torn with cuts and purple blood all over it. His pants were covered in black torn pants. He held the same staff Yonder held when he went inside the orb.

The crowd screamed. They started running for the nearest teleporter. The Inventors rushed in front of the crowd and pulled out their Improved Launchers. They began blasting at the Stromling.

After they missed a few times the Stromling pointed his staff at them and shot a blast of Maelstrom mist out of it. The blast hit the Inventors and smashed almost half of them. Vanda jumped in the front of the crowd and pulled out her katanas.

She raised them in front of her," Alright beast, what have you done with Yonder?"

The Stromling chuckled," I would of guessed that a faction leader such as you would of guessed the outcome of him."

Vanda was confused. She squinted her eyes.

The Stromling chuckled again," I AM Yonder."

Vanda's eyes widened," No. It can't be. NOOO!"

Yonder grinned. He pointed his staff at Vanda. Another blast came out of it. She jumped out of the path of it just in time.

She shook her head," This can't be happening. Why you? I..."

Yonder pointed the staff upward. He shot another blast that hit the ceiling of the room. It exploded leaving a gigantic hole.

Yonder jumped over the crowd. He landed right by a teleporter.

He looked back at Vanda," It's over."

"No!" Vanda yelled.

After Yonder left Ronins, Stromlings, and Hammerhurls rushed out of the Shadow Orb.

Yonder chased the crowd while laughing. In a few seconds he reached the Imagination Nexus. He stared at the nexus for a few moments. Suddenly he heard a noise behind him. He looked around and saw Vanda and the other faction leaders fighting valiantly against thousands of Stromlings.

Yonder grinned evilly.

"You stay here," he ordered the Stromlings," I have business elsewhere."

He walked through the heated battle of Stromlings against Nexus Force troops. After about a minute he reached the launch pad.

He chuckled as he loaded his rocket," Time to please my master."

Chapter 57

Yonder's rocket flowed smoothly through space towards Nimbus Station. Every now and then he chuckled as he thought back about his experience at Nexus tower.

After a few minutes he saw the usual landing spot for Nimbus Station. He grinned. He began preparing to land his rocket.

He was about a thousand yards from the planet when an explosion from a blue blast bolt knocked him ninety degrees to the right. Yonder looked back to see what caused it. He grunted in hatred after seeing the Venture Explorer.

He spun around and headed for the ship. Another blast came at him. Yonder swerved out of the way. He narrowed his eyes at the bridge of the ship. He was concentrated on heading there... perhaps too concentrated.

He wasn't aware that the ship was still blasting at him. Another blast at his ship exploded about twenty feet from it. The explosion damaged his rocket and threw it completely of course. It spun around wildly.

Yonder cursed the gigantic cruiser. His rocket went up in flames. He couldn't see where his ship was going. After a few seconds he blacked out from all the pressure. He couldn't handle it.

About half an hour later he awoke. He rubbed his eyes for a second. Then he groaned and sat up. His vision took a moment to clear. When it did he looked around. He saw he was on a grass ground with bricks spread out all around him. It must of been the remaining of his rocket.

He looked to his left and saw a few trees with the background of a mountain. He looked to his left and saw a building about twelve feet tall. It was beat up and had many structural problems. Purple Maelstrom smoke rose up into the air from it.

Yonder knew where he was. He smirked as he realized this was the very land he had met Scarab. Avant Gardens.

He slowly stood up. He cringed a bit from pain.

"What could of happened?" he asked himself.

"You crashed," a voice said in his head.

Yonder recognized it," Master Typhonus."

"Yes," the voice replied," Yes it is."

"I crashed?" Yonder asked him in his thoughts.

"Yes," Typhonus replied," Your failure is most unbearable."

"I'm sorry," Yonder replied," Please, one more chance."

"It is okay, child," Typhonus assured him," My plans have changed. You are just where I want you."

Chapter 58

Yonder walked toward the Sentinel base slowly. He was ready to carry out the plan Typhonus had for him. He stopped about twenty feet in front of the base.

He raised his staff ready to shoot out a deadly blast of Maelstrom smoke when he heard a familiar noise to the right of him," Yonder!"

He turned his head to see where the voice was coming from. He saw what he expected to. It was Greenbrick3.

The Rank 1 Engineer gave a final blow on a Mech and began walking toward him," What happened to you."

Yonder grinned and pointed his staff at the rookie. A blast came out of it and knocked Greenbrick back.

He chuckled," The best thing that could happen to a mini figure."

"No," Greenbrick shook his head," No. It can't be. What have they done to you?"

He chuckled again," It's funny. I never thought I'd say these words, but here I am. You mean, what have they done for me."

"You replace the Mechs in my number one concern of the Maelstrom," Greenbrick3 raised his wrench.

"Yes?" Yonder asked," Well you won't have to worry about any."

He shot another blast at Greenbrick. About half way to the rookie, the blast exploded.

Yonder looked around to see what caused it. His eyes met a Sentinel Faction Guard who had his musket up and tip smoking.

The guard loaded his gun again and aimed it at Yonder.

Yonder made the bullet bounce off his staff. He shot a blast at the guard. It knocked the musket out of his hand and knocked him back.

"Help!" he called back to the base.

The other guard rushed out and began shooting at Yonder. He helped up his friend and rushed back to the base with him. Beck Strongheart quickly got up on his feet.

"Get all the rookies into the base!" he yelled," Tell Wisp to come back too."

The two guards rushed out of the base again. They tried to create a diversion to get around Yonder. One of the guards began shooting at him trying to attract his attention while the other guard tried to sneak past him.

Yonder realized this. He turned toward the guard trying to sneak past him and blasted at him. He was easily smashed.

Yonder chuckled," Too easy! Nexus Force is so foolish."

"No!" the other guard screamed.

He shot another bullet at Yonder who easily dodged it. Strongheart rushed at him while he unsheathed his sword. He yelled as he ran. He reached Yonder and began fencing with him.

"You are wasting my time, Beck," Yonder complained," Surrender, and I will spare you and all the rookies here."

"You can't defeat us just like that," Beck shot back.

"Or can I," Yonder smirked," Observe."

He pointed to the Paradox factory. After a few seconds of staring it, Beck saw a gigantic, robotic claw break out of the top of the roof. It grabbed the top of the building and pulled the rest of its body out of the building. The hole in the roof continued to become larger as more of the body came out.

After about five minutes the thing revealed itself. It was a gigantic Mech.

"Umm," Greenbrick3 stuttered," Mechs just moved back into first place."

Chapter 59

Yonder laughed," Now, face the wrath of the mechs."

The mech giant raised up his arm with the built in cannon on it. He shot a ball of deadly energy at the base. It collided into the bus. The car went toppling onto the ground and forced Melodie Foxtrot to leap out of the way to avoid getting hit by it.

Rookies rushed into the base screaming in panic and fear. Beck Strongheart motioned them in while fighting of Stromlings whose numbers had seemed to increase a lot from their normal number.

Greenbrick3 ran over to Beck's side," What do we do now, sir?"

Beck looked down and sighed," I don't know."

"Perhaps I can help," a robotic voice said behind them.

The two of them turned around to see what it was. Their eyes met PRDX-4.

Greenbrick3 smiled," Just in time."

PRDX-4 loaded his blaster and ran toward the battlefield.

"I didn't know mechs could move that fast," Beck looked confused.

"I knew," Greenbrick announced proudly," Mechs are my specialty."

"Perhaps you can lend a little aid to my fighting," PRDX-4 said while blasting at Stromlings.

"Oh," Greenbrick looked embarrassed," Right."

"A few others like me would do," the mech suggested.

"You know me to well," Greenbrick pulled out some bricks and made them hover in the air," Lets get buildin'."

He threw the brick forward. As they landed on the ground they formed into other mechs that looked identical too PRDX-4. One of them formed right in front of an Infected Mech. When the pieces came together it formed into a mech pointing his gun forward. The gun aimed right at the Infected Mech's face.

"Uhh," the robotic Stromling stuttered.

The other mech gave him no time to speak. He smashed it in one shot.

Yonder gritted his teeth in anger," So this is a mech war now, is it? So be it."

He threw out hundreds of pieces just like Greenbrick that formed into more Infected Mechs. The battle was really heating up now. Hundreds of mech blasts flew across the battle field. Even though it seemed the Nexus Force mechs were winning, the Maelstrom still had the upper hand with the mech giant.

Beck was fooled," We're winning! Ha! That wasn't hard at all."

"Um," Greenbrick3 pointed to the gigantic mech causing the Sentinel base to be consumed in a shadow.

"Oh," Beck giggled in embarrassment," Right."

Chapter 60

Yonder ordered the Hammerhurl to his side. Wrench Naals was his name. He was a Maelstrom engineer and Yonder's sidekick for the mission.

"Naals, is my rocket ready?" he asked Wrench.

"Yes sir," Wrench answered.

"Very good," Yonder congratulated him, "You're in command now."

"Yes sir," Wrench repeated, "I assure you my training has paid off."

Yonder began walking slowly step by step toward his rocket. He about reached it when a man stepped in front of it and created a shadow that covered Yonder.

Yonder knew who it was, "Wisp Lee."

"So it is," Wisp said.

"Have you come to face me," Yonder said drawing his wand.

"Yes, but with no weapons," his voice sounded muffled through his mask covering his mouth.

Yonder stopped, "Oh, this still shouldn't be a challenge."

He dropped his wand and gave a karate chop toward Wisp. The Paradox scientist was knocked unconscious by it.

Yonder shook his head, "It's unfortunate that he was so foolish. He would of made a great Stromling."

He climbed into his rocket, "I'm counting on you Naals."

"I won't fail you, sir," Wrench assured him.

"Now to Nimbus Station?" Yonder asked Typhonus in his thoughts.

"No," Typhonus's voice came back, "I have different plans for you."

"Then where to?" Yonder felt a spark of anger toward his master glow up in him.

"To Gnarled Forest!" his master announced, "That is where!"

"Then I will go there," Yonder obeyed.

The thrusts on his rocket lit up and his rocket blasted off into what looked like endless space.

"Okay, men!" Wrench called out," the general is gone, so I'm in charge. Impress me! Double your efforts!"

Each side of Mechs continued to fire at each other. Mechs were blowing up into pieces by the second. PRDX-4 was surrounded by blasts. He looked around trying to find Infected Mechs to blast at. He looked back and saw that his men were being smashed much more faster then the other side of Mechs. He looked up and saw the Mech giant still blasting at his soldiers.

He looked back at Beck, Greenbrick, and Melodie," We need to find a way to smash that giant."

"Agreed," Beck deflected a shot from an Infected Mech with his shield, "We need to find a way."

After he finished saying that the giant lifted up its foot.

"It's coming toward us," Melodie shivered.

"Run!" Greenbrick screamed.

The group rushed to the cave at the back of the Sentinel base. All the rookies and soldiers in the base followed them.

"Men, fall back!" PRDX-4 ordered.

The Mechs rushed into the Sentinel base with Infected ones blasting at them behind. Suddenly the foot of the giant stomped right in front of them blocking their path. They were trapped!

Chapter 61

The Infected Mechs began cutting through PRDX-4's squad smashing anything they saw. PRDX knew he had to think quick. He didn't fell panicked though. He was a Mech, it was impossible for him to have emotions. There was only a few men left in his squad now. Suddenly, an Infected Mech jumped on him. Its deadly gun was pointing straight at his eye. At the moment he thought there was no hope the giant's foot lifted off the ground opening their path. It left a gigantic footprint in the ground.

PRDX-4 pushed the Infected Mech off him and turned around. He saw the giant climbing over the cave. He motioned the remaining of his squad. They rushed toward the cave. They jumped up on the fan to the higher level. PRDX got a glimpse of the group up ahead. They were talking with Rusty Steele who looked confused.

He understood when a furious vibration knocked them all over. He looked up and saw the giant. They began rushing up the monument. PRDX and his squad raced after the whole team.

Once his squad got out of the cave they caught a glimpse at the giant who was climbing up The Monument.

"Uh oh," PRDX-4 muttered.

The squad raced up after the team. Fortunately, they didn't have to bother with all the hazards because the others had bothered with those first. After a few moments they reached the top of The Monument where the rest of the team was stuck because of the smashed fan that would usually lead people to the road-like path. Instead, there were dozens of rows of Infected Mechs marching down the path as a group. Even worst, the eye of the Mech was staring at them from above. He clung to the left side on Bob's head on The Monument.

A rookie shivered," What now, Commander Strongheart?" Beck shook his head," It seems that we've lost."

Greenbrick was shocked," No!"

Beck turned towards him," What?"

"We have weapons, don't we?" Greenbrick asked.

"But," Beck began to protest.

"Then," Greenbrick continued," we fight!"

He jumped on the giant's head," Lets take big foot down!"

Yonder flew above the sky of Gnarled Forest looking for a good place to land. After a few rotations Typhonus suggested, "Try the jail area. Work from there. By the end of your time here I want the whole planet engulfed in Maelstrom."

"Yes sir," Yonder replied," I'll land there." {C {C He dove down toward the planet. He was going to make his master proud.

Chapter 62

As soon as Greenbrick had gained his balance on the giant's head, he was thrown off by it. He landed about half way up the monument with a thud.Beck told Melodie to stay with the group and jumped down to the Rank 1 Engineer.

"Are you okay?" he leaned over Greenbrick.

The Engineer slowly sat up," Besides the fact that I'm in tons of pain and we're about to GET SMASHED BY A GIANT MECH!" he stood up and jumped out of the way of a blast from the giant mech that nearly hit him with Beck," I'm fine."

"That's good to know," Beck joked.

The giant prepared to shoot another blast at him. You could see the energy began to glow in its barrel. Eventually the blast shot out.

Greenbrick ducked behind cover with Beck," What now?"

"I don't know," Beck shook his head," You're suppose to be the pro with Mechs. You can find a way to bring down this thing, can't you?"

Greenbrick shrugged," I guess." He thought a moment," I may have an idea."

Yonder jumped out of his rocket and landed on the top of the wall with the built in jails that contained mannequins of ninjas in them on it. His rocket collided into the deck that the jail keeper stood on. The wood on it went up in flames and it toppled to the ground along with the jail keeper who screamed in terror. Yonder broke his fall by sending a blast of Maelstrom smoke that created a portal under him. The jail keeper fell in the portal and was infected. He came out looking like a normal Stromling Pirate.

Yonder raised his wand in the air," Arise, pirates!"

Hundreds of Stromling Pirate's claws and other body parts broke out of the ground. They pulled the rest of their body out and began limping toward any Nexus Force soldier. All the mini figures in all their various factions began fighting valiantly against them, but they were no match for them. They were either infected or smashed. About half of them escaped.

"Ha!" Yonder chanted," I am more powerful then anyone from the Nexus Force scum now!"

Chapter 63

"What do you have in mind?" Beck asked Greenbrick.

"You need to get down to Sky Lane," Greenbrick explained, "Tell her she needs to contact the Venture Explorer. It may be useful in destroying this thing."

"Got it," Beck started rushing up the Monument, "Stay there, kid."

Greenbrick didn't reply until Beck was around the corner where he couldn't hear what he had to say," No can do, Commander Strongheart."

Lines of Stromling Pirates marched down the pathway to the pirate campsite. Yonder paced slowly with them. In a few seconds they reached the area where dozens of pirates stood or lied around boringly.

{C Yonder pointed his staff at Captain Jack Knife," Charge!"

The Stromling Pirates limped hastily toward him. An Stromling Admiral who was in front of the pack reached him first. He let down his anchor and began blasting the captain who was instantly knocked over. {C The Stromling leaned over Jack ready to kill. The captain was sure this was the end of his life.

When the Stromling was about to smash him a loud noise rung through the air. It sounded like a pistol. At the noise the Stromling burst into pieces. {C Jack sat up and looked around to see what caused the admiral to die. He looked behind himself and saw a Rank 3 Daredevil.The Daredevil twirled her Flareguns and put them away in her backpack. After that she pulled out a Rutcarver.

Behind her a Rank 3 Adventurer was revealed. He wore a bandanna over his mouth revealing only his eyes. The two rushed toward the rows of Stromling Pirates and began smashing them as fast as they could. Yonder saw how well they were doing. He knew the Maelstrom needed a better soldier.

"I have seen how valiant the Nexus Force can be," Yonder blurted out, "But it is time for the Maelstrom to be valiant too. Arise, my precious!"

At the words he spoke, Gnarled Forest began rumbling. Suddenly, a gigantic Ape arm broke out of ground of the campsite. Then the whole Ape came out. It was twice the size of any normal Stromling Ape although its features looked exactly like one.

Yonder began laughing loudly, "Face the wrath... of Queen Kong!"

Chapter 64

Beck didn't take the normal way up the Monument. That would just lead him into a battle with hundreds of Mechs. In stead he went a different way. It led him to the right side of the path where there was a large patch of grass. He rushed down the grass not worrying about anything including the Mechs who instantly noticed him. They shot at him, but Beck outran all the blasts.

It took him only about five seconds to reach the end of the path where dozens of mini figures were fighting valiantly. Sky Lane held a pair of Flareguns that she shot at the Mechs. Beck rushed toward her while defending himself from Mech blasts with his shield.

"Sky Lane!" he called out to her.

"Commander Beck," she looked relieved, "Thank goodness you're here. We need you desperately."

"I can see that," he reached her, "I need a favor from you."

"Can it wait?" she asked.

"No," Beck shook his head," Not really. "

She groaned, "Ugh! What do you need?"

"Contact the Venture Explorer," he ordered her, "That giant is too much for us."

"What giant?" she asked confused.

At that moment she said that a gigantic shadow covered them.

Sky Lane looked up to see what it was," Oh."

Beck cleared his throat, "The Venture Explorer."

"Oh, right," she rushed back a few feet toward the launch pad that led to the Venture Explorer. She pressed a button on it.

The button blinked once and a voice came out of a speaker, "Commander Starcracker from the Venture Explorer here. What may be your request?"

"Epsilon," Sky Lane replied, "Avant Gardens is under attack. We need the Venture Explorer to help us push the Stromlings back to where they belong."

There was a moment of silence. Then Sky Lane heard Epsilon's voice on the transmitter again, "Pilot, direct the ship towards Avant Gardens."

A voice replied, "Yes sir."

Then Epsilon called out another command," Gunner!"

"Yes sir," the gunner's voice replied back.

"Charge up the cannons and extend them from the ship! We'll need them!"

"Yes sir," the gunner repeated.

"We'll be there Sky Lane," Epsilon assured her, "Just hold out a little longer."

Chapter 65

"That's not good," the Daredevil said referring to the gigantic, female Ape that was in front of them.

All the pirates in the campsite quickly jumped up and pulled out any weapons they could find. They charged towards the beast.

Queen Kong reacted quickly by ground pounding. The wave gave much more damage and was much more deadly. It either smashed or fatally wounded the pirates that were close enough to her.

Captain Jack, the Daredevil, and the Adventurer standing right next to her turned towards the Infected Pirates limping down the path.

As they began fighting them Captain Jack announced, "We're not going to be able to fight too much longer," he paused to slash down one of the Stromlings, "We need to get out of here!"

"Right," the Daredevil agreed, "Let's go!"

She grabbed the captain's hand and dashed into the woods with the Adventurer following her. Sometimes they tripped or stumbled, but they continued running. Finally, when the three of them thought they had run far enough, they stopped and sat down.

"Me men," Jack groaned, "I just... left them to die."

The Daredevil wasn't concerned about that, "We need to find a way out of here."

"Luckily," Jack continued ignoring her, "me treasure wasn't there. 'Em Maelstrom scalawag would of taken zat treasure too."

"If we can get to the launch pad we will be fine," the Daredevil ignored Jack too, "but we still have to worry about the Maelstrom."

"Me riches are at 'em ol' place down back near 'em broken bridge."

The two of them continued to ignore each other and talked to themselves about their own subject. The Adventurer just sat their watching the comedy take place. Whenever one of them said something, he stared at them until the other said something. Then he would shift his head toward that person and repeat the process.

Finally, after a few minutes he cleared his throat to stop them. Both stopped talking.

"Oh," the Daredevil girl said embarrassed, "Um, sorry cap'n."

"No," Jack shook his head, "Me's apologize to you, young miss."

"If you are both done talking," the Adventurer broke in, "I think we should introduce ourselves, sis'."

Jack stared at the Adventurer. He had a strange accent.

"Right," the Daredevil agreed with her brother, "My name's Candy." She put out her hand for Jack to shake.

"Please to meet you," the captain shook it gladly, "And you probably already know who I am."

"Yes sir," Candy pointed to her brother, "And this is Bandit."

"Please to meet you," Jack put out his hand towards Bandit.

The Adventurer didn't shake it, but let a noise out of his mouth that made his bandanna wave a bit," Hmph."

"Um," Candy stuttered embarrassed," he's a little... uh... shy."

"I see," Jack nodded," Now, to get out of here."

Chapter 66

Wrench climbed up to the spot on the Monument where Melodie Foxtrot stood with the pack of rookies. When he finally reached the ledge, he flipped himself up.

He pointed his wrench at Melodie, "Surrender!"

"No!" the Sentinel girl shot back bravely as she shifted herself into a battle pose, "These are future Nexus Force heroes. They are what I live for. I live to keep them safe. I won't let them down now!"

"So be it," Wrench gave a karate chop to Melodie.

She and her weapons went flying back. She took off her jacket and stood back up weaponless... but she wasn't going to give up. To Wrench's surprise, she threw a fist at him which knocked him off the platform they were standing on.

Melodie smiled as the crowd of rookies behind her cheered. She picked her jacket off the ground and put it back on.

Then she turned around, "We need to get to..."

Suddenly, strong light flooded them. Melodie turned around. She saw Wrench standing on top of the giant Mech's head.

He chuckled evilly, "Did you really think that your pathetic attack was going to smash me?!!"

The Stromling turned around putting his back to Melodie and prepared to jump off the Mech, "I have business elsewhere. My master needs me at Gnarled Forest."

He leaped off the Mech and landed where Rusty Steele usually stood. He rushed into the cave and out of Melodie's sight.&nbsp Melodie then faced the giant in fear.

"Miss Foxtrot?" one of the rookies spoke up in a whimpering voice.

Melodie shook her head. She didn't protect the rookies. She had failed.

Just when she lost her last spark of hope she heard a voice yell, "Hey!"

The giant turned around to see what it was. His sight met Greenbrick3.

"Greenbrick!" Melodie yelled half in fear for his life and half in joy that he was there.

The Engineer laughed and began running down a path of the Monument. The giant took an enormous step to keep up with the rookie.

After about a minute of running Greenbrick stopped. Melodie knew he stopped where he did for a reason. It couldn't be just a coincidence that he was right in front of the gigantic weapon the model of Bob was holding on the Monument.

"What in the name of..." Melodie stopped when she heard another familiar voice call her name.

She turned around. To her relief her eyes met her commander, Beck Strongheart who was only a few steps from her. Behind him was Sky Lane and Rusty Steele.

"Melodie!" Beck repeated, "What's going on?"

She sighed. Beck reached her and looked down at what the crowd of rookies were staring at.

"Oh no," he mumbled upon seeing the giant walking towards Greenbrick.

Then his spirit lifted as he saw what the giant had stopped in front of. He was only a few feet from the tip of the weapon Bob was holding.&nbsp Suddenly, a gigantic blast collided into the wrist of Bob's hand. Beck looked up to see what caused it. He saw the Venture Explorer.

Now the crowd was really excited.&nbsp The giant turned around just in time to see the weapon Bob once was holding on the Monument pierce his body. He tumbled down toward the ground and burst into bricks. He had been successfully smashed.

Chapter 67

Yonder watched as Wrench's rocket slowly landed onto the surface of Gnarled Forest. He was still at the jail area arranging different squad of Stromling Pirates. After a moment his servant's vehicle landed and he hopped out of it.

"Wrench!" Yonder clapped his hands, "Tell me, did you take over Avant Gardens?"

"I assure you, master," Wrench replied, "everything is going as we have planned. The Mech giant will most surely win over Nexus Force."

"Good," Yonder said impressed, "You have a good award awaiting you for when we return to the Baron."

"Thank you, master," though he had to hide it in respect of his master, Wrench was very excited and pleased with himself.

After Wrench left, Yonder turned toward Admiral Flogmore who had just arrived from Crux Prime to help take over Gnarled Forest.

"What's the situation?" Flogmore asked in a deep, scraggly voice.

"Glad you asked," Yonder started off, "I followed the soldiers toward the campsite. There I summoned Queen Kong. All of Captain Jack's men their were either smashed or taken captive," he pointed to a group of uninfected pirates who were all in old, rusty, broken chains, "But Captain Jack himself escaped along with two other Nexus Force soldiers from the Venture League. They ran into the forest. Your job is to hunt them out and kill them."

"What about you?" Flogmore asked disrespectfully.

Yonder was shocked by his rudeness, "What did you say?"

"I said, what about you?" Flogmore repeated trying to make his point that he would not treat Yonder as his master.

Yonder quickly realized it and just decided to cooperate with him, "I will be leading a few other squads to take over the rest of this planet. Understand?"

"Got it," Flogmore replied.

He walked over to his squad of Stromling Pirates and they all marched into the forest.

Yonder turned back toward Naals, "You will be coming with me. Keep my rocket at the top of your backpack. I may suddenly want to use it."

"Yes sir," Wrench saluted.

Then Yonder looked to a few other squads of Pirates ready to leave, "Move out!"

The squads slowly turned around and began limping down the path. Yonder followed them while keeping their pace.

Along the way he got another message from Typhonus, "I see you have done well, my apprentice."

"Thank you, master," Yonder replied, "But I know that is not why you have called me. What do you need me for, now?"

"You are a very smart student," Baron chuckled, "Yes, you are right. I have called on you for a different matter."

"And what may be your bidding, my master?" Yonder asked.

"There is a strong presence of the Paradox at Forbidden Valley," Baron answered him, "You are to go there."

Yonder replied," Yes, master."

Chapter 68

Beck rushed down toward Greenbrick. It only took a minute for him to reach the rookie, "Are you okay?" "Yeah," Greenbrick nodded, "Fine. Why?"

"Well, um," Beck tried to explain.

"The kid's alright," Rusty Steele broke in, "but the Monument's not. The damage the Venture Explorer did to it may push back the date of when the Monument is suppose to be finished."

"Oh," Greenbrick realized, "Sorry about that."

"No problem, kid," Rusty assured him," You just saved Avant Gardens."

Yonder's rocket slowly neared Forbidden Valley. A grin grew on his face as he got closer.

"Where should I land, master?" he asked Typhonus.

"The Great Tree," the Baron told him, "It is the center of Forbidden Valley. Once that is taken over, you are nearly unstoppable."

"Yes, master," Yonder obeyed, "Will you send anyone to help me?"

"Grim Daisho is on his way to meet you from Crux Prime," Typhonus reported, "He will help you in your mission to take over this planet."

"Thank you, master," Yonder ended the conversation.&nbsp He now concentrated on reality.

His rocket swooped down into the branches of the Great Tree. Just before he jumped out of his rocket, he directed it towards Master Fong. The aging ninja master jumped out of the way nearly getting hit by the vehicle.

Yonder did a flip in the air and landed neatly on one of the branches. He turned toward Fong who lie on the ground. Suddenly a karate chop knocked him to the ground. He rolled around to see what hit him.

He saw Brickmaster Clang, "Evening, sir. How about you stop hurting my master."

Yonder gritted his teeth and pushed Clang back.

"Agh," the ninja shook his head," People just aren't nice anymore."

"Hi-ya!" Yonder was kicked over again this time by someone else.

"Yan Parablister," Clang cheered the gear vendor that had just given Yonder another blow.

"Oh you may think..." Yonder couldn't finish what he was saying. Someone had landed on him and knocked him flat on the ground.

"What now?" he groaned.

"You mean me?" Yonder recognized the voice. The one who had landed on him was Numb Chuck who must of jumped off his branch down to join the others in battle.

Yonder yelled out in fury. He kicked Numb Chuck away from him and faced Yan and Clang.

"I am done with you!" Yonder screamed in hatred. He paused and squeezed his eyes," I am done with Nexus Force."

Chapter 69

Candy peeked around the tree she was hiding behind and saw the group of Stromling Pirates limping down the path. They were only about thirty feet in front of her. She turned back toward her brother who had climbed up a tree on the other side of the path a few feet back.

He had his Crossbow loaded, and his Whip ready. Once he noticed Candy was staring at him he nodded to her. That made her feel better.

Captain Jack was at the bottom of his tree hiding. He held an Exceptional Flintlock Pistol in his right hand. The gun was loaded.

Candy smirked. She revved up her Rutcarver which made a small noise. The weapon began charging up energy.

She heard a few hums from the Pirates. They had apparently heard the noise. When the Pirates were close enough, Candy jumped out from behind the tree. She landed in the path right in front of the Stromlings. Her weapon had stored up so much energy that in one swipe the whole first row of the zombies vanished.

Jack leaned out from behind his cover and fired a couple rounds from his pistol. Then he hid back behind his cover. Bandit was shooting his Crossbow and reloading it as fast as he could. His advantage with being so high helped his sister be able to stay on the path.

After about a minute, one of Jack's shots eventually just let out a clicking sound. He was out of ammo. He unsheathed his Cutlass of Blocking and charged out from his cover to help Candy.

A few seconds after Jack discovered that he was out of ammo, Bandit discovered the same thing when he reached back for another arrow and found none there. He pulled his whip off his belt and jumped off the tree.&nbsp The three of them fought as valiantly as they could, but they couldn't push back the Stromlings.

"It's too much!" Candy announced, "We have to get out of here."

She stopped fighting and ran into the bundle of trees. The other two followed her. The Stromlings continued down the path.

After about five minutes of running Melody finally sat down. She leaned herself against a tree. The other two stopped too.

"What now?" Jack shrugged.

"You're suppose to be the captain," Candy reminded him," What are we going to do?"

Jack sighed, "With that Ape on Gnarled Forest we really can't do anything. We have to get rid of it first." Bandit's eyes suddenly widened. Candy noticed it. She knew: A light bulb just went off in his head.

Chapter 70

"What is he doing?!!" Smashmaster Foom yelled.

He and Gathermaster Klex had come down to see what was causing all the destructive noise. They were both surprised to see a Maelstrom form of Yonder holding a wand that was raised in the air. A cloud of Maelstrom gas was above it.

Yonder laughed loudly, "Calling my frieeends."

He stretched out the word, "friends," to make the words travel more deeply into the hearts of his listeners.

"What?" Klex looked confused.

Yonder chuckled," You'll find out about..." he paused.

Suddenly Clang screamed, "Ronins!"

Foom turned around just in time to leap out of the path of a swish from a katana being held by a Ronin.

"...now,"Yonder finished.

Dozens more followed Maelstrom Samurais followed the first Ronin. Foom quickly stood up and unsheathed his katana. He began smashing the Ronins as quickly as his damage combo on his weapon would allow him. Klex joined him. He used his Great Halberd to fight the Ronins.

Fong, Yan, and Clang began battling Yonder with Shinobi karate. For they didn't have any weapons. It only took a few ninja moves for Yonder to fight them back. He hopped up on top of the tree.

He began stroking his chin," I was hoping somebody who seems to be running a bit late to be here by now."

"You mean me?" the voice came from somebody standing on the branch leading to Calvary Hill.

Yonder slowly turned around. When he caught a glimpse of the one who answered him he nodded," Yes you, Daisho."

Grim Daisho, the named Dark Ronin Invader from Crux Prime, hovered up to the Great Tree's usual entrance. He moved in front of the group of Ronins who were waiting for their chance to fight Foom and Klex. When he reached the front, he took his turn to fence the two ninjas. Their swords clashed and there an epic duel began.

Yonder called out to the Ronins, "Warriors! Follow me!"

He hopped down from the top of the branch. Ronins flooded down from the tree rushing toward their commander who pointed to the branch leading to the Ravencloud Gate, "Go and destroy anything there!"

About half of the pack of Ronins swarmed down the branch at Yonder's words. He stood there watching until they were out of sight.

Then he turned toward Calvary Hill, "Go and do the same!"

About half of the Ronins that were left rushed past their master and down the branch. Yonder chuckled. After they went out of his site he began walking down the branch leading toward the Paradox Refinery. The rest of the Ronins followed.

When he was about half way down the branch he turned back and whispered, "I'm counting on you, Daisho."

Chapter 71

Candy, Jack, and Bandit all hid behind a tree peeking out towards Brig Rock where hundreds of Stromling Pirates limped around. In the far right corner of the place, Jack noticed the pirates from his campsite that had survived cuffed up in chains.

"Me men!" he blurted out.

Candy's eyes widened. Jack was about to say more, but she quickly put her hand over his mouth

"Shh," she whispered.

Jack took her hand off his mouth slowly and almost said the word," But," to argue with her. Instead he looked back toward his men. Stromling Pirates were teasing them.

"Eh," the first one said while lifting up one of Jack's men's arm, "This one ain't to shabby. He looks sort of like me. I think we were twin brothers before the Typhonus hired me."

The group laughed. "He kind of does look identical to you," another one laughed, "He'll look exactly like you when the master accepts his resume."

The group laughed again.

Jack gritted his teeth, "You all look the same when Typhonus infects you, you mush brains."

Candy and Bandit weren't paying any attention to what Jack was saying. Their focus was on the gigantic Ape standing in the middle of the area.

"Queen Kong," Candy whispered while shaking her head, "What a sight."

"Hmm," Bandit agreed.

"So, bro," Candy turned toward him," ready to carry out the plan?" Her older brother nodded.

"Alright then," she said, "You guys better get moving."

The two boys rushed into the forest. Once Candy saw that they were gone, she looked towards Jack's captured men. She waited a few minutes. It was all part of the plan. The three of them had planned a diversion to free the Stromlings' prisoners.

Once she saw Jack and her brother in position right behind the tree in the part of the forest closest to the prisoners, she stood up. Now was the time to act! She revved up her Rutcarver making a loud sound. The Stromling Pirates looked up to the sound seeing Candy in plain sight.

"Come and get me!" Candy called out and laughed.

She stood there for a moment making sure that all of the Stromlings were chasing her. Then when they were close enough she turned around and rushed into the forest with the Stromlings still chasing her. When Jack and Bandit saw that all the Stromlings were gone, (except for the Ape) they leaped out from behind their hiding spots and sped over to the imprisoned pirates.

The two of them began struggling to get the chains of the men.

"Captain!" one of them shouted out.

Jack thought it was because he was excited to see him," Yes, it is me."

"No," the pirate corrected him, "Look out!"

Jack turned around quickly. What he saw seemed like it was happening in slow motion. I gigantic boulder was in mid air coming straight toward him. Queen Kong had thrown it.

Chapter 72

"Crux Prime!" Kenjin the Wise yelled.

He had been standing normally right by the Wishing Well. Suddenly he heard a noise that he hadn't heard since his youth: the grunt of Ronins.

The old ninja master quickly turned around to face the infected Samurais that flooded down the path. The four other ninja apprentices that stood bowing in a circle while admiring how much better Forbidden Valley was then Gnarled Forest came to help too. The group began fighting the Ronins valiantly, but it was a hopeless fight considering how largely they were outnumbered. The odds that they would win was practically impossible.

Kenjin realized this, "When all else fails, the answer is to stop trying." The apprentices knew what he meant.

"But master," the ninja named Steve argued, "we can't leave you."

"Yes," Kenjin disagreed, "Yes you can. I will do anything to protect the future Paradox ninjas."

"But," Steve tried to continue, but he knew that he had to obey orders.

The four of them hopped backwards in different direction and ran through the Ravencloud Gate. The two guards followed them. The troll wasn't as fortunate as they were. He was overwhelmed by that Ronins and smashed.

The bright side of that was it gave Kenjin the Wise the time he needed to escape. He used a skilled ninja jump to get past all the Maelstrom warriors and landed right by the six other ninjas.

"Master!" Steve hopped up in joy.

Kenjin didn't reply. Instead he limped as quick as he could. He had a bad hip which limited his speed. They needed to get to the launch pad.

When they did reach the launch pad Ninja Tashi was with them. She was the first of them to start loading rockets up. When her vehicle was up she climbed into it and blasted off to Nimbus Station. The others followed her. They had successfully escaped.

Chapter 73

The group of ninjas landed at the Forbidden Valley launch pad on Nimbus Station safely. Instead of taking the normal, long way down to the lower level of the planet, they decided to jump off. Being ninjas, they landed calmly on the ground.

They rushed towards Nexus Jay to report to him that Forbidden Valley was under attack. Before they reached him, a few other familiar mini figures did. Kenjin knew who they were.His old apprentice Fong and all the other ninjas on the Great Tree.

Fong began saying things to Jay that Kenjin could not hear, but he knew his apprentice was telling him about the things he was about to. As Jay began to hear the story, he started writing on his pad of paper much more hastily. He was probably taking notes on all the facts Fong was telling him.

When Fong noticed his master he stopped talking to Jay and rushed up to meet Kenjin.

"Master!" he exclaimed, "Thank goodness you're alright. I thought that..."

"Yes," Kenjin cut him off, "But now is not the time to chat. Does Nexus Jay know everything?"

"Everything that he needs to know," Fong assured him.

Kenjin looked up into the sky, "I have a feeling that attack on Forbidden Valley was not half as bad as what is going to happen."

Jack prepared himself to be smashed. Right when the boulder was about to hit him a green flash blew the rock to pieces. Jack looked around to see what it was. To his left he saw Candy.

"What," he stuttered, "How did you?" A noise right at his feet gave him the answer.

Jack looked down and saw Candy's Rutcarver. The tip was still spinning. He couldn't believe it! She had actually THROWN her weapon at the boulder and smashed it.

He stood there with his mouth wide open in disbelief. Bandit cleared his throat bringing Jack back to reality. He glimpsed behind Candy and saw all the Stromling Pirates still chasing her.

"Hurry!" she ordered him.

"Oh," Jack turned around and started continuing his task, freeing his men.

Candy ran to Jack's side and leaned over to pick up her Rutcarver. As she stood up she noticed another boulder from Queen Kong coming their direction. As soon as she regained her position her Rutcarver instantly came up and swiped the boulder smashing it.

"Bandit," she called out, "those Stromlings aren't going to wait."

At the words her brother rushed over to the Stromlings and began fighting them.

"Done," Jack said as he gave the final blow from his knife releasing the chains on the last pirate," Let's go!"

Chapter 74

Bill Shido flew back into the air and tumbled to the ground. He quickly shook his head and looked to see what hit him. Yonder again. The ninja messenger back flipped and stood up. He unsheathed his Elite Katana and raised in front of him.

"Let's dance," he mumbled.

Yonder chuckled and hopped down to Bill's level, "I have no time for you, Shido. My master's request are much more important then a pathetic ninja."

He continued walking past Bill in high spirits. But they were dampened when he noticed the portal in front of him. Then he shook his head and grinned.

'How foolish am I!' he thought.

He raised his staff up to the part of wood above the portal. A blast of Maelstrom gas shot out of the end of it and hit the wood. It exploded into hundreds of splinters and fell to the ground. The portal itself burst into a flash of light that instantly faded away.

Yonder grinned and continued walking. His Ronins followed him. Bill was busy fighting a Horsemen that had nearly trampled him.

Soon the Refinery was in Yonder's view. He took a small moment to sniff in the Maelstrom exhaust coming from the factory's pipes. Then he shook himself back to reality.

Instead of taking the launch pad down to the level where Boris Toobsox was, he jumped down there. Stupidly, the Ronins tried to follow him. They simply fell down into what looked like a bottomless pit. Yonder shook his head at their foolishness.

Boris noticed Yonder in the air. He reacted quickly by dashing up to the Refinery. He stumbled a few times in all his panic.

Vapor Overcast noticed him, "What is it, young child?"

"The," Boris gasped for breath, "A... I saw... Stromling... powerful."

Vapor's features turned to confused, "What?"

She got her answer when she heard a loud explosion. She looked behind Boris and saw Yonder who had blasted the ground with his staff to draw attention. Brick Fury quickly turned around, but he was only able to see Yonder for a minute. He was blasted.

The bang of metal on the ground made Vapor cringe. Fortunately, Brick only had a minor injury to his mechanical stomach.

"Run!" Vapor screamed.

Echs Ray had heard the cry. He quickly warned Kammy Kazei and Shu Fitts. They leaped down into the little valley where the lone Horsemen always stood. They ran to the edge of the valley. Directly in front of them there was the box that people would use to build the box that you needed to smash to get some bricks. You would use the bricks to build the third pipe for the Refinery.

"Help!" Kammy called out.

Brick, Vapor, and Boris all ran up to the box to see what caused the noise.

"Not a problem," Vapor said.

She threw out dozens of Maelstrom Infected Bricks that formed into a bridge.

"Yum yums!" Brick cheered.

Vapor shook her head, "Now now, Brick."

The six of them rushed up to the Dragon Battle.

"We're stuck," Shu said.

"You're right," a voice behind them said, "You are stuck.

The team turned around to see Yonder.

Echs shook his head, "This ain't good."

Chapter 75

Jack and the pirates rushed toward Queen Kong. They hurt her a bit with their weapons, and then rushed back to avoid getting swept up by her ground pound. The damage barely marked her. It was far from significant.

Meanwhile, Candy and Bandit were forced to hold off the Stromling Pirates. They had seemed to be doing well. Much better than Jack and his men. They had almost pushed them all the way out of Brig Rock.

Both their spirits were high until they heard another Stromling's voice. This was not an ordinary one they knew right away.

"Hello there."

Bandit and Candy both looked around to find the source of the sound. They saw Admiral Flogmore. Behind him was a Hammerhurl. Bandit grunted.

"I'll hold them off," Candy told her brother, "Keep fighting those guys."

Candy raised her Rutcarver as she approached the named Admiral. She wasn't able to bring it down on her opponent, though. Flogmore quickly but down his anchor and blasted at the Daredevil knocking her back. She groaned as she landed right by Bandit. He stopped fighting and leaned over his sister to make sure she was okay.

Flogmore laughed loudly, "It's over, Nexus Force. You are done!"

"Are they?!" a voice that sounded very far away called out.

Candy looked up to see what it was. In the secret passage way leading to the Keelhaul Canyon Raceway stood Swifty McGurk and his other teammates.

Candy sighed in relief, "Just in time, Swifty. Just in time."

"I'll deal with him," the Hammerhurl told his leader.

"Go then!" Flogmore ordered him.

The Hammerhurl raced up the broken stairs, hopped to platform to platform where the jails were, and reached Swifty and his team. He stared at them for a moment. Then he made his attack. Swifty blocked it and knocked him off the platform down to the surface.

Before the Hammerhurl reached the ground, he threw a few bricks that formed into a rocked. He climbed into the rocket and turned on the engines. The vehicle swooped up from the ground just in time.

Flogmore grunted, "You have failed me, Wrench!"

"No," Naals called back, "I have not failed. I'm going to where my master needs me."

And with that he was gone.

Flogmore looked back at the battle, "Looks like I can do it my way now."

Chapter 76

Yonder entered the Dragon Battle. This was the last portion of Forbidden Valley that he needed to take over. He had to make sure that there was nobody in here. As he assumed, there was.

He recognized the Nexus Force soldier. It was a Rank 3 Space Marauder with a Wormholer trying to solo Blastbreath. The soldier was Camotoy's friend, FabooSolarBucket.

Yonder grinned. He jumped down the path and ran up to Faboo. The Space Marauder was just able to avoid Yonder's swift attack. He regained his stance and pointed his weapon at his opponent. Yonder deflected shots back at Faboo with his staff.

Faboo decided to use a different strategy. Instead of shooting directly at Yonder, he shot at his feet. It caused a small explosion which knocked the Stromling warrior back. His opponent now hung helplessly on the edge of Blastbreath's platform. Faboo slowly walked up to him knowing he had the win.

He charged up his Wormholer ready to give the final blow when a sudden explosion knocked him off Blastbreath's platform and onto Torchblight's. Faboo shook his head and looked up to see what caused it. What he saw was a few bricks where the explosion was and a Hammerhurl falling from the air. It landed safely.

"Good strategy, Wrench," Yonder congratulated him, "Using your rocket as a weapon is something not many Stromlings can do."

"If they even have rockets," Faboo grunted silently to himself.

"Now," Yonder turned his attention back towards Faboo, "time to finish you off," he paused for a moment, then raised his staff in the air, "Face the wrath... of Fire Daddy!"

At Yonder's words, the platforms began shaking. Faboo fell over from all the vibration.

A few seconds later, a gigantic Maelstrom Dragon emerged from the dark pit beneath and flew upward. It ran right through the platforms of the Dragon Battle smashing them into tiny boulders. Faboo flew into the air. Fortunately, he landed on one tiny, small rock still floating the air. It wasn't big enough for him to stand on, so he was forced to cling to edge. He desperately tried to find somewhere to give a grip so he could hold himself on.

Yonder and Wrench were able to get on top of Fire Daddy when he came up. The three other Dragons quickly tried to get out of the way of Fire Daddy, but Burnsnout wasn't fortunate enough. He was knocked by the fierce Dragon's body and wasn't able to get his wings flapping in time to catch wind. He fell down into the pit and never emerged again that day.

Yonder and Wrench leaped off Fire Daddy's back and landed on the fourth Dragon who circled the battle summoning Ronins on the platform that held the Dragon that was being attacked. They both sat down on its back and got a firm grip on it.

Yonder waved at Faboo, "Good luck."

And with that the Dragon flew off into sky heading towards Nimbus Station.

Faboo looked back at Fire Daddy. He muttered to himself, "Impossible."

Chapter 77

"Gaaah!" Swifty yelled as he jumped onto the head of Queen Kong.

The mother Ape looked up at him in the air just as he landed on her. He grabbed her nose to get a good grip. She whipped her head around trying to get the pirate off her face, but Swifty continued to hold on. Eventually, the Ape stopped trying and turned her concentration back to the pirates on the ground.

Swifty looked down at ground making sure he could attack the beast. Once he was sure he pulled out his Cutlass of Blocking. He began slashing at the Ape with no restraint.

On the ground Bandit chuckled at Swifty's foolishness. His attacks were going to do nothing against such a big Maelstrom enemy as Queen Kong.

"Bandit," he heard Candy's voice, "Come on. You're supposed to be fighting the Stromlings, not that one."

Bandit grunted and shook his head. He turned back towards the Stromling Pirates and began slashing at them with his Whip again.

Candy glared back at Flogmore. She prepared for another attack.

Flogmore chuckled, "You know you can't win. Surrender now and I will spare every one of your friends here!"

"Never!" Candy rushed at the Admiral in fury.

Flogmore laid down his anchor like he had done many other times and began blasting at her. Candy had tried a lot to get past the blasts, but this Stromling's strategy was smarter than others. The damage done to her had forced her to use all her Vitality Vials. She couldn't fail this time. She didn't have anymore consumables to back her up.

Unfortunately, she did fail. She tried to go around the blast, but Flogmore adjusted his cannon and shot her.

Now Candy had only four health left. She grunted. Flogmore prepared to give the final blow. Candy quickly flipped backwards and stood back up. She took a few steps backwards to move out of the reach of Flogmore's blast.

She now realized that she couldn't move around the blast... so she just had to go above it.

When the next round of blasts came, she jumped over it and slammed down on Flogmore.

A smirk grew on her face," Now you've lost, Flogmore."

The Admiral grunted, "Maybe this time."

He kicked her back and back flipped. He turned around and rushed into the woods. Meldoy laughed," Nexus Force wins again!"

"Not yet," a familiar voice said, "But we will."

Candy looked at the cause of the voice. She saw Hugo First. Behind him were Arrthur Arrbuckle, Merciless Ned, and Toby Squidbarrel.

Even through the bandanna, you could see Bandit smirk.

Candy cheered, "Yes! We will!"

Chapter 78

"Where to now, master?" Yonder asked Typhonus in his thoughts.

He was sitting behind Wrench on the Dragon as it flew across Forbidden Valley.

"To Nimbus Station," Typhonus answered, "The place you have been eager to go to since you started this journey."

Yonder smirked, "Wrench, bring the Dragon to Nimbus Station... We have work to do."

Faboo flung himself over to a platform that was large enough for him to stand on. He turned around and looked at Fire Daddy. The Dragon spit out a blast of fire at him. Faboo leaped to another little stone island barely dodging the attack. The platform that he had been on exploded into tiny stones.

'I have to find an effective way to smash this thing,' Faboo thought.

Suddenly it came to him. But before he could set his plan into motion, another blast came from Fire Daddy. This time, Faboo didn't see anymore stones large enough for him to stand on. Yet, in panic he jumped. He was just able to get a grip of a floating boulder.

Fire Daddy fired at him again. Faboo swung to the left not letting go of the boulder and dodging the blast at the same time. After he had stop swinging, he pulled out his Missile Launcher. He quickly lifted it up, aimed it, and shot it at Fire Daddy's wing. After an explosion, the wing burst into flames. Fire Daddy began hastily flapping it trying to put out the flames. He came to no success

Faboo smirked. He spotted another platform that was large enough for him. He swung himself over to that. Once he gained position, his Wormholer came back out.

While Fire Daddy was distracted with the flames on his wing, Faboo shot at a few rounds of lasers at him. The lasers hit his cheek and rocked him violently.

The Dragon began falling. He tried to catch himself, but with his hurt wing and the unexpected attack, he wasn't able to fly back up. Faboo watched as the Dragon fell deep into the pit below. He had done it all by himself! Soloed the hardest Dragon since Butterscorch!

After he stood there for a moment, a few others rushed into the Dragon cave. Faboo looked up to see who they were. Brick Fury, Echs Ray, Shu Fitts, Boris Toobsox, Vapor Overcast, and Kammy Kazei.

"What happened?" Echs asked upon seeing all the rocks and boulders spread out through the cave.

Faboo chuckled as he rebuilt the platforms with Imagination, "Long story, my friend. Long story."

Chapter 79

The team rushed at Queen Kong.

"For Imagination!!!" Candy screamed.

The armor of the Ape seemed to be going down a bit more quickly, but they needed some other strategy.

"We need Renee Tombcrusher!" Jack yelled over the noise of the battle.

Bandit knew what he had to do. He leaped out of the crowd attacking Kong and ran down Elephant Escarpment. He needed to find Renee!

When he reached the Maelstrom Trench he found why she didn't come with Hugo. The Stromlings. There were hundreds of them. Renee was doing her best just to keep them off her platform to stay alive.

Bandit grunted and rushed forward smashing the Stromlings as fast as he could. He jumped up on Renee's platform and shot down at the Stromlings with her.

"The Ape?" Renee asked him referring to Kong.

Bandit nodded back.

"How are they doing?" she asked.

Bandit replied back by shaking his head. She frowned knowing what he meant by that.

"We need to help them," she pumped her fist in determination, "And I might just have an idea."

Candy heard a female voice call out, "Hiya Apey!"

She turned her head to see Renee and Bandit both on top of a tree. Bandit was hanging from a branch with Renee standing on top of it.

The Ape also glimpsed at the noise. Once she saw who it was, she picked up a gigantic boulder and hurled it at the tree.

Renee smiled and lifted her gun up. She aimed at the boulder in mid-air and shot out her net. The net and the boulder collided in the air and shot back at Kong. The mother Ape's eyes widened as the boulder smacked into her face and the net wrapped around her head.

The boulder smashed her face and she slowly fell to the ground with a loud thud. Smoke went flying up and the mini figures were forced to put their hands in front of their faces to avoid it from getting in their eyes.

When all the dust cleared, Candy glimpsed around a bit then screeched, "We did it!!!"

She jumped up and down clapping. The other mini figures cheered. Bandit pulled of his bandanna revealing a big, wide smile. Even he could not hide his joy and excitement.

Chapter 80

Yonder waited patiently for the Dragon to reach Nimbus Station. He and Wrench were nearing the surface of the planet. They heard a noise behind them and both turned around to get a glimpse at what it was.

Yonder smirked when he saw it. Dozens of Dragons in different fleets of V shapes behind them. There were Stromlings, Pirates, Admirals, and all sorts of different Maelstrom creatures riding on the back of them.

"Sir," Wrench spoke, "We're nearing Nimbus Station."

Yonder turned his head back around, "This is when it begins to get tough!"

Duke and the other faction leaders stood before the holographic map on Nexus Tower in the Sentinel area. They were there discussing an unusual amount of Maelstrom activity going on dangerously close to Nimbus Station.

The map projected Nimbus Station and anything within a 100 mile radius around it. They saw all the Dragons approaching one of the only planets in the Universe that didn't have Stromlings on it.

"What do you think is going on?" Vanda asked.

"I'm not sure," Duke replied, "But it doesn't look good."

"Agreed," Overbuild nodded.

Suddenly, the Dragons swooped down towards the surface. Hael gasped at the sudden act. Mini figures on the planet began screaming and running around in panic as the Dragons landed.

"Weez have to get down der!" Hael announced.

"We need to send our cruisers to help evacuate all the civilians on the planet," Duke added.

"No time can be wasted!" Overbuild said, "Get your ships ready and we'll rendezvous back at Nimbus Station."

The four leaders walked away from the table.

Vanda lifted her Nexus Force comm. link to her mouth as she walked away.

"Berserk," she spoke into it.

"Yes ma'am," a voice replied.

"Get Fallout11 and prepare the Paradox Observer for takeoff," she ordered him, "Nimbus Station is under attack. We need to evacuate everybody there."

"Yes ma'am," Berserk repeated, "Will you be coming with us?"

"Yes," Vanda told him, "but in different transportation. We'll be riding separately."

"Alright," Berserk understood, "Meet ya there. Berserk Might Photon out."

And with that the comm. channel turned off.

Chapter 81

Yonder laughed loudly as he watched the mini figures scramble around Nimbus Station while his Dragon landed.

He slid off the flying beast and turned toward Wrench, "Prepare the men for a big battle. I'll be terrorizing these pathetic civilians for a while."

He hastily swung himself in the other direction facing the mini figures. Just before he made his first step a shadow that raced across him made him stop. He looked upwards. He saw four gigantic ships cross him and land on the ground.

Yonder cursed as ramps deployed and the doors opened. Each looked like it belonged to a faction. There was one that was mostly silver with blue designs all over it and a huge Sentinel logos pasted on both sides. Another one was white with orange designs and had Assembly logos in the same places that the Sentinel logos were. Another ship was black and had read markings on it. You could easily guess by now that it had Paradox logos on its left and right side. The last one could easily be recognized as the Venture Explorer. It was probably the most well known ship in the Universe.

Out of the Paradox ship walked out two Rank 3 Space Marauder carrying Wormholers. Out of the Assembly ship came two Rank 3 Engineers. Yonder recognized them as his friends Camotoy and Nexusadmiral. From the Sentinel ship came two Rank 3 Knights, Sting and Blueblade. From the Venture Explorer two Rank 3 Daredevils walked out. They each stood by the ramps motioning mini figures into the ships hastily.

Sting suddenly stopped and stared at Yonder. Camotoy and Nexusadmiral went along with him. Yonder saw Sting's lips move. He knew that his friend was saying, "No." over and over again.

He laughed, "Yes! This is what I've become. Now... feel my wrath!!!"

A blast of Maelstrom was shot straight towards the Knight. Sting simply blocked it using his Sword's charge up.

"Ha!" Yonder chanted, "So I see I underestimated you skills!"

Camotoy and Nexusadmiral shot at him with the Improved Launchers. Yonder dodged all the blasts. Camotoy, Nexusadmiral, and Sting all took their turns trying to smash their "once at a time friend". But his skills were to good for them, and they didn't want to risk putting the civilians' lives in danger. So they stood their ground and continued to help mini figures into the ships.

Yonder whispered, "This battle is mine!"

Chapter 82

After Vanda landed on Nimbus Station using the Nexus Tower launch pad, she quickly put her rocket back in her backpack. She waited a few seconds for the other faction leaders to arrive in their own rockets, then raced down the path with Hael, Overbuild, and Duke following her.

As she ran down the path she unsheathed her Katanas from their holder and prepared them for battle.

In no time at all the four of them reached Block Plaza. They saw the four ships and the guards leading mini figures into them.

Duke sighed, "Thank goodness they've done everything we've ordered them to."

"Yeah," Vanda agreed, "But no time for chit chat. We've got work to do."

She rushed toward the Paradox Observer where her two trusted soldiers, Berserk and Fallout11 were," Everything going well, boys?"

"Yes ma'am," Berserk nodded, "So far everything's been under control."

He paused and fired his Wormholer at the rows of Stromlings approaching. A few of the Maelstrom creatures were smashed.

After Berserk was done Fallout took a turn at doing the same, "We've held the Stromlings back as long as we could. But now their lines are getting thicker. I don't know how much longer we can hold this up."

Vanda frowned, "Neither am I. Who's leading this attack."

Fallout pointed up to a Maelstrom mini figure near a Dragon.

Vanda gasped, "No. It can't be," she felt a tear escape her eye, "It can't be Yonder. Noo!"

She rushed at him swinging her Katanas wildly. Yonder smirked and shot her back with a blast from his staff.

"I am much too powerful for you, Vanda!" Yonder yelled to her, "I am too powerful for ANY of you Nexus Force mini figures!"

"Please," Vanda begged, "You know this isn't right. There are millions of innocent mini figures in you hands. Repent!"

"Never!!!" Yonder shot a wave of Maelstrom energy at Vanda.

It damaged her badly.

Meyer Muckrake, her bodyguard, ran up to her, "Mistress, we MUST get out of here. All the civilians are aboard the ship. We're ready to leave."

"I can't," Vanda shook her head while still letting the tears rush out of her eyes, "I can't leave him."

"Vanda, 'he' is no longer there," Meyer told her, "The Maelstrom has destroyed him."

Vanda didn't say anything this time. Instead she continued to cry while Meyer helped her board the Paradox Observer. Yonder watched slowly as his friends boarded the ships. He laughed.

"Everybody is retreating!" he patted Wrench's back, "We've one!"

"Everybody," a voice broke in, "Everybody except for me."

Yonder looked at the source of the voice that sounded muffled and almost robotic. He saw a Rank 3 Space Ranger. He quickly realized who it was... Glider.

"The Maelstrom have never succeeded," Glider said, "And today... that won't change."

Chapter 83

Glider was the first to attack. He blasted at Yonder with his Zipgun. Yonder easily dodged it. He rushed at Glider with his staff pointed forward. Glider quickly realized this was going to be a close combat battle and switched into his Rank 3 Knight gear.

He unsheathed his sword and began fencing with Yonder. After a few seconds his opponent kicked him back with a blow to the chest.

Glider now realized that there was practically no possible way he could defeat Yonder with all the Stromlings with him. He needed a partner. He began brainstorming for ideas.

Suddenly he saw something glimmer in grass. He leaned down to it and realized it was a small green crystal. It was oddly shaped. Glider quickly realized why. That wasn't the full crystal. Part of it was in the ground... no! Most of it.

Glider quickly dug up the rest. An Imaginite! Perfect!

Glider raised his sword up in the air. He yelled as he brought it down furiously on the Imagination artifact. The sword sunk into it and was bathed in green lightning coming from it. Once the lightning vanished the sword flashed the color of blue showing a sign of Imagination inside of it. He smirked and stood up.

"So you've decided to continue your attack!" Yonder laughed.

This just made Glider more furious. He rushed at Yonder again with his sword raised in front of him. Yonder joined him with fencing.

"Surrender!" he ordered his friend, "I have too many Stromlings for you to fight off!"

"Yes," Glider agreed, "Maybe for me to fight off. But with you I can never fail!"

Glider slashed Yonder's neck leaving a deep cut. Yonder screamed and fell down moaning in pain. After about a minute of screaming he stopped and made no movement. The cut flashed blue just as Glider's sword did.

Glider feared... no! He couldn't bare the thought. He couldn't have just slain his best friend.

He leaned down and touched the cut. Suddenly, Yonder unexpectedly cringed and threw Glider's hand off. He put his own hand on his cut. Glider quickly stood up and pointed his sword down.

Once Yonder looked up Glider knew that his friend was no longer infected.

He laughed in joy, "How many times do I need to tell you that the Paradox is a dangerous faction?"

"Yeah," Yonder joined him, "Well when you're half infected it's pretty hard not to pick Paradox."

Glider nodded and helped Yonder up.

Wrench stood with a wide open mouth right by the Dragon he and Yonder had arrived on Nimbus Station with. He couldn't believe his leader was just defeated. The Stromlings began to charge at the two of them, but Wrench told them to stop. He knew Typhonus would be more proud of him if he smashed Yonder when he was fully armed. He would do anything to complete his goal!

Chapter 84

Yonder looked up, "We'll never be able to fight all of these Stromlings."

Glider didn't reply. He knew that Yonder was right. There was almost no possible way they could fight of the Stromlings themselves.

The Maelstrom lines began marching forward. Admirals and Horsemen led the pack. They broke into a deadly charge ready to trample Glider and Yonder.

"I never thought it would end this way," Yonder whispered.

Suddenly, light flashed down on them. They both looked up to see what was causing it. They saw the Venture Explorer with its hanger door opened. The lights inside the hanger were shining down on them. Three figures stood in it.

They leaped off the edge of the ship and flew down towards the surface of Nimbus Station. As they got closer Yonder and Glider began to recognize who they were. Scarab, VS1, and his younger brother!

Yonder cheered, "Yeeaaauuuh!"

The three mini figures landed safely on the ground and the Stromlings retreated back to their lines.

"It's curious the trouble you two can get in," Scarab joked.

"No time for that," VS1 broke in, "We've got work to do."

"We're going to need better gear to fight these guys," VS2 announced.

"Right," Scarab began switching his clothes.

He replaced his Rank 3 Engineer gear with an Explorien Bot Shirt and Pants, a Dragon Helm MKIII, and the Little Friend. He kept his Shoulder pads though. VS2 took off his Rank 3 Knight armor and put on a Scanning Helm, a T-Rex Shirt, a Massive Spear, and Rank 3 Samurai Shoulder pads and Pants. VS1 wore the same as his brother, except with the Powerjouster instead of a Massive Spear.

"All ready?" Scarab asked.

"All of us," Yonder replied, "Except for me."

He looked down at his black armor with purple and red designs. The Darkitect had given it to him.

"I have to agree," Glider nodded, "But that's why I brought this!"

Glider opened his backpack and pulled out a full Rank 3 Space Marauder suit.

"Heh heh," Yonder chuckled, "Who would of guessed?"

He quickly suited himself up in the gear. Once he finished he looked up. Glider was pulling something else out of the backpack.

"Sutoro Hatto gave me this," Glider told him, "He thought it might be useful... if you ever came back."

Yonder's eyes widened, "A Wormholer!"

Glider smiled as he handed his friend the weapon.

"Now," Scarab broke in, "Are we ready?"

Yonder slowly turned around, "Totally!"

Chapter 85

"It's too dangerous," Meyer told Vanda, "We can't go back down."

"But he was cured," Vanda complained, "We can't just abandon him and his friends!"

"Vanda," Meyer shook his head, "You are more valuable then them. Nexus Force needs you. You're a Faction leader. We can't just risk your life to save a few people that we have billions more of."

"They're more then that," Vanda said calmly, "They're more then the dozens of recruits that we get each day."

"You are deceiving yourself, Vanda," Meyer said.

Vanda turned around and looked down through a window of the ship. She looked at Yonder and his friends hopelessly battling thousands of Stromlings. If they died, she would never forgive herself for it.

"We don't seem to be doing any significant damage to their lines!" Scarab called out over the sounds of the raging battle.

Glider grunted, "I survived an impossible battle only to end up dead because of another one."

"Only if we had one strong weapon that could take out all these Stromlings at once," VS2 said.

Yonder's eyes widened.

"Maybe we do," he whispered.

He looked to his left. The staff! He needed to get it.

He took a moment to blast a couple Stromlings with his Wormholer, then charged at his wand.

"Where are you going?" Scarab chased after him a couple steps, then stopped.

Yonder was charging right into the aim of a few Dragons. The Maelstrom beasts spit a few blasts and him. He barely dodged it.

The staff was now only a few feet from his reach. He slid for it and knocked an Admiral with the act.

He grabbed it and stood up. He spun around preparing to rush away. Before he could start running a fire bolt hit him knocking him back several feet. Though his armor was damaged, he was thankful for the attack. For it knocked him about half way back to his friends.

"The wand!" VS1 exclaimed.

"You got it," Glider cheered.

"Now to use it," Yonder smirked.

He gripped down on the staff and his smile faded.

"What's wrong?" Scarab asked.

"I..." Yonder paused, "I can't use it. I'm no longer a Stromling. I... can't."

"What?!!" Scarab couldn't believed.

"You mean..." VS2 couldn't finish.

"Yonder, you can do it," Glider tried to encourage him, "There is still Maelstrom inside you. Use it for the good. It's what the Paradox do!"

Yonder didn't reply. He gripped the wand tighter. Glider was right! If he could use the Maelstrom inside of him.

He started to glow purple. He felt sick.

Glider cheered, "Keep going! You're doing great! Keep going!"

Yonder started coughing. He gripped the wand harder and harder until a dent was created.

"Harder, Yonder! Harder!" Glider continued to cheer.

Yonder screamed. He didn't no if he could do it or not!

Chapter 86

At that moment a vision of Typhonus popped into Yonder's head. It was almost like a dream. His form looked blurry and faded.

"You can not succeed," the Darkitect told him," You are to weak."

Yonder didn't reply. He knew what his old master was trying to do.

"Your friends," Typhonus said, "The only way to save them from my army is to join me again. You will never be strong enough to save them without me!"

"No!" Yonder shook his head, "I am stronger then you think!"

"You fool yourself, Yonder," Typhonus told him, "Your friends' lives are decided by your decision."

"Never!" Yonder screamed, "I won't join you!"

"Alright then," Typhonus replied continuing to stay calm, "If you won't join me for them, then you will join me for HER!"

A cloud of light appeared in front of him. Inside the light there was an image of Vanda.

"What have you done to her?!!" Yonder asked burning with anger.

"Oh," Typhonus shook his head, "nothing yet. But I can tear up her ship with my Dragons anytime I want."

Yonder once again didn't reply. He looked down at his feet. He had a big decision to make. All his friends were on the line.

"No," he muttered to himself.

Typhonus had seemed to have heard, "What?"

"NOOOO!!!" he screamed and thrust the staff at Typhonus.

There was an enormous purple explosion, and the Darkitect disappeared.

Yonder came back into reality. The staff that he had been holding with his two hands exploded. A wave of Imagination spread over Nimbus Station.

"What's happening?!!" Scarab asked over the loud, sizzling sound of the Imagination curing the Stromlings.

"A good thing," Yonder replied.

At that moment he broke down on the ground and groaned. The strong Maelstrom presence inside his body had hurt him.

"Look!" Glider pointed out, "The Stromlings are being cured! Forbidden Valley is looking healthier! So is Gnarled Forest!"

"If you ask me," VS1 broke in, "I'd say the staff was controlling the part of the Maelstrom that took over all the planets."

"Agreed," VS2 nodded.

As they spoke the four Nexus Force ships landed. Vanda quickly rushed out of the Paradox Observer with her two Space Marauder guards behind her. She leaned over Yonder where Glider, Scarab, VS1, and VS2 were.

"Berserk," she looked behind herself toward one of her Space Marauders.

"Yes ma'am," Berserk saluted.

"Get this soldier into a medical capsule," she ordered, "Immediately!"

"Consider it done," Berserk turned around, "Fallout, you heard the mistress. Get on it!"

"Yes, commander," Fallout quickly ran into the Paradox Observer.

"Vanda," Yonder muttered, "I..."

He couldn't finish. He blacked out.

Chapter 87

Yonder awoke in a bed with white pillow, sheets, and blanket. The bed was set in a room of the same color. Over by a desk near the bed stood a nurse wearing a coat and mask looking at a set of tools. Beside her stood Vanda.

He heard her tell the nurse, "He's awake. You may leave now."

The nurse nodded and walked out of the room.

As soon as she was gone Vanda walked over to Yonder's bedside, "Did ya have a good sleep?"

"If you mean 'good' as in a long one," Yonder replied, "then, yes."

"That's nice," Vanda nodded.

There was a moment of silence, then Vanda broke it, "Yonder, what were you going to say to me... before you... well..."

"Blacked out?" Yonder finished her sentence, "I'll tell you when the right time comes. It could be a few life changing words that I think is not the proper time to announce."

"Life changing?" Vanda looked confused.

"Just trust me," Yonder told her.

At that moment a crowd of people came into the room. Fourteen people to be exact. One of them Yonder recognized as Wrench Naals, except in a Rank 3 Engineer uniform. The others were Glider, Scarab, VS1, VS2, Camotoy, Nexusadmiral, Stingy, Duke Blueblade, Berserk, the Space Marauder Vanda usually ordered, Berserk's partner, Fallout11, Faboo Solar Bucket, a Rank 3 Adventurer, and a female Rank 3 Daredevil.

"These," Vanda began to introduce them, "are all the Nexus Force soldiers that saved the many worlds, or helped take them over, that you Infected. You know most of them, but there are a few that you need to be introduced to. This Rank 3 Engineer here you may recognize as your assistant, Wrench. He is actually Doc. Overbuild's oldest son, Atom Overbuild. He was cured once the staff was destroyed. You should of seen the look on his father's face when he found out where his son was all this time.

These to Venture League troopers over here are related. The Daredevil is Candy and the Adventurer is Bandit. Without them, Gnarled Forest would have been taken over with Infection. They, and Captain Jack Knife, were able to smash the strongest Ape since King Hurla and Roo Moorg."

"Howdy," Bandit waved.

Candy glanced over at him with a strange look," Bandit, that's the first time I've heard you say 'hi' first since you were four!"

VS1 chuckled, "You seem to remember a lot about your younger brother."

VS2 looked up at him, "Man, I wish you were like that."

"Guys," Blueblade broke in, "You are representing Sentinels in a bad way."

"Agreed," Sting nodded.

"Who cares?" Faboo asked, "We all know Paradox is the best faction."

"I had no idea that my best friend would be so selfish," Camotoy joked.

"Alright," Vanda broke in, "Enough with this. Yonder and I need a private chat."

"Ooh, love is in the air," Nexusadmiral taunted.

"Wonder who's breathing it?" Atom looked up pretending not to know.

"Alright, guys," Vanda continued, "Everybody out."

She started motioning them out of the room.

As Glider was about to leave he turned back towards Yonder, "You were a real hero at there, bud."

"Yeah," Scarab broke in, "Though he was half Infected and practically took over the whole LEGO Universe in Maelstrom form."

"Then, he's a Maelstrom Hero," Glider replied.

"Yeah," Yonder nodded, "That's what I am. A Maelstrom Hero."

Book Two: Racin' Generation

Prologue

Venomous Laser Ion slammed his car into his opponent's own vehicle as they both neared the finish line in Vertigo Loop. This was their final lap, and the win was up for grabs!

Venomous heard a voice announce over the loud speakers, "Smokey Exhaust is nearing the finish line with Venomous Laser Ion right behind him."

Suddenly Venomous's heart seemed to skip a beat. He felt his cheeks turn hot red. He was just a normal Nexus Force soldier studying in the Nexus Academy that loved racing. Now he was being announced as a down-to-the-wire rival of the Universe's probably most famous racer!

He tried the same strategy again by slamming into Smokey. The professional racer vaguely tapped his brake petal and let Venomous slam into the wall a few feet in front of him. Venomous's car wobbled a bit letting Smokey pull up to the right bumper of it.

Next, Smokey crashed into Venomous's right side pinning him to the left wall. Venomous gritted his teeth and cursed the dirty racer. He tried to turn out of it, but Smokey wouldn't let him.

When the two of them were only about five feet from the finish line, Venomous's car exploded because of the high amount of pressure. He went flying into the crowd of fans watching the race.

"Smokey Exhaust wins again, folks!" the speakers announced, "Smokey Exhaust wins!"

The crowd started to boo. It didn't effect Smokey at all. He was called a dirty racer that would do anything to win. That usually meant that he would play unfairly. He was used to the boos. He had gotten it almost every time he won a race.

Venomous coughed a bit as he held his chest. His body was aching with pain. He felt like a truck had hit him. He tried to stand up, but couldn't. Using all his strength, he sat up using the wall separating the fans from the race track as support. His vision began to become blurry. He struggled just to stay awake. The fans looked like a big tornado of colors to him.

He heard a familiar voice screaming his name. He slouched his head over to his right side to catch a glimpse of the source of the sound. The sight was a blur, but he recognized the mini figure rushing toward him as his girlfriend, Ruth. He usually called her Ruthie.

He began to stoop down as his sight became more faded. The sound of mini figures hassling around him and asking him questions about how he was feeling thundered in his ears. But out of all the voices he still heard Ruthie's screaming his name. It was the last voice he heard before he blacked out.

Chapter 1

Venomous sat in a hospital bed the next morning browsing through channels on a TV in front of him with a remote.

All the items on his bed where white. They felt very comfortable. Venomous thought that it was very convenient considering he was inside a hospital.

He shut his eyes and remembered back to when he first woke up. The first thing he saw was the clock. It read, "7:30 A.M." The room was lit by a dim light and the light coming from the window. The sun was just rising into view for Crux Prime.

A nurse was sitting in a small white chair writing on a small pad of paper with a six inch pencil.

"Where... am I?" Venomous asked her.

The question seemed to startle her, "Oh! I wasn't expecting you to be up this early. Are you feeling alright?"

"Where am I?" Venomous repeated his question.

"You're at the hospital," she told him, "After your crash last night at your big race, you blacked out. You suffered a broken bone and a few other minor injuries, so we took you here. That's where you've been all night. We did a few a few procedures on you and wrapped up your injuries, so you're fine now."

"Greatly appreciated," Venomous thanked the nurse.

"Breakfast will be served in an hour," she informed him, "Lunch is at 1:00 and dinner will be served at 6:30. There's a TV for your entertainment. You can control it with that remote right there," she pointed to a coffee table beside Venomous's bed. On top of it was a device half a foot long, "If you need anything or want a beverage at any time, just call me."

Venomous nodded, "Alright. Thanks."

The nurse left the room, and he had been watching TV every since. At first it was difficult for him to reach the remote. His body was in so much pain! He wished he had asked the nurse to help him get it before she left. He thought of calling for her, but didn't want to make himself sound weak.

When he finally did get the remote, he didn't know what to watch. There weren't very many good shows on. He was stuck watching the News. The subject the announcers were talking about was boring. It was a bunch of political junk about a new weapons law for mini figures. Venomous did not find it amusing at all.

Finally, they closed the topic and a series of commercials popped up. Venomous laid back in his bed and sighed. He tried to go to sleep. He thought about his test that he was supposed to take today back at the Academy. It was a hard one that he didn't study very much. He was somewhat relieved that he got out of it. It was something about engineering defense systems. It was Doc. Overbuild's specially selected topic. Unfortunately, all of Doc. Overbuild's tests are hard.

Eventually the commercials finished premiering and the News announcers showed up on the screen. The head announcer started to talk about a new subject. The first sentence made Venomous gasp.

Chapter 2

"Smokey Exhaust's latest race was quite a match, wasn't it?" the head announcer started.

"It sure was," another one agreed, "Now, we all know he'll do anything to race, but nearly killing a Nexus Academy student it just taking it too far."

"Agreed," a female nodded, "And to think he wasn't charged anything for his deadly act. He claimed it was an accident, but we all know it wasn't."

"Right," the other one began talking again, "And if you're wondering what we're talking about, you'll find out when you watch this little clip."

A video showing the finish line of Vertigo Loop started playing on the screen. It showed Venomous and Smokey exhaust nearing. Suddenly, Smokey slammed into Venomous's car. After a few second Venomous's car exploded and he went flying into the crowd. He almost hit the man holding the camera that was taping the video.

That struck Venomous as odd. He hadn't noticed the camera during the incident, but it didn't matter.

The feeling of anger and rage that he had felt that night started to grow in him again. He now saw all the mini figures hassling around him and Ruthie rushing toward the commotion clearly on the TV. He also saw what happened after he blacked out. Someone yelled to get an Ambulance. A few seconds later sirens were heard. An Ambulance appeared from around the corner. A few black suited man rushed out of the vehicle and loaded Venomous into it. The doors shut and it drove off.

After that, the video ended. By this time Venomous was furious! In his rage, he threw the remote at the TV screen. A loud -CRACK!- echoed through the room as the item Venomous through bounced off the TV screen. It left a deep and wide scratch. The picture on the screen fizzled a bit, and then went completely black.

There was a moment of silence... then Venomous heard a female voice, "You know you're going to have to pay for that."

It was Ruthie. She was leaning on the rim of the door. She was in her usual outfit she wore, a green Tank Top and blue Jeans. Her brown smooth hair was in a pony tail.

"I know," Venomous looked down, "I'll find some way to get the money."

She walked over to his bed side, "Are you okay? Person Two, Atom, and I have been worried sick about your health."

Person Two and Atom were Venomous's best friends at the Nexus Academy. Person Two was Venomous's roommate and best friend, and Atom was Ruthie's friend. She introduced him to Venomous when they became friends.

"I'm fine," Venomous replied, "Did the nurse tell you my conditions?"

"Yes," Ruthie nodded, "But I still had to find out myself. After a bit of debating, she let me in."

"Hmm. So how are the others?" Venomous asked.

"They've been doing well," Ruthie assured him, "Person Two, of course, got another A, and Atom had an easy test this week that he aced!"

"I'm sure Doc. Overbuild was proud of him," Venomous chuckled.

Atom was Doc. Overbuild's son. He usually got a lecture from his dad whenever he got a bad grade.

Ruthie laughed too, "Well, I guess I'll see you around. I have another geography class that starts in five minutes."

"Alright," Venomous nodded, "Bye."

And with that, Ruthie set off for her class.

Chapter 3

Three days later on Friday, Venomous had healed enough to go back to the Nexus Academy. The first thing he did when he woke that morning was stand up, stretch, and give a long sigh. He rubbed his right arm that had been injure. It felt a bit sore, but it was good enough.

Next, he rubbed his leg. It had also been broken. He got the same results as he did from his arm.

As he got dressed he heard a knock on the door. He quickly threw on a T-shirt and tightened his belt around a pair of jeans. When he answered the door, he found himself glancing at Ruthie.

"I didn't expect to see you here," he commented.

"I just thought you might want some help," she told him, "You know, getting to the Academy with an injured leg and arm."

"I'm fine," he assured her, "You can wait out here and I'll be out in five minutes."

Pleased with what Venomous told her, Ruthie nodded. Venomous shut the door and continued to dress properly. Though he said five minutes, about ten minutes later he finally walked out of the room with combed hair, white teeth, and a few fancy articles of clothing.

Ruthie had a worried expression, "What took you so long?"

Venomous laughed, "You really need to stop worrying about me. I'm hurt, yeah, but I can manage myself."

Ruthie sighed, "Still. Sometimes you need to relax and let other people help you."

Venomous shook his head, "Not when I can do things myself."

"Whatever," Ruthie rolled her eyes, "We should be getting to class. It starts if fifteen minutes."

"Yeah," Venomous agreed.

Atom glanced around in panic. He was inside the Assembly class school room. Time was ticking down on the clock to 7:30, the time the class started. His best friend, Venomous, was reported to be back today! If he wasn't there, he'd be in really big trouble.

Doc. Overbuild was in a particularly bad mood today, and Atom knew it. He knew whenever his dad wasn't happy.

He glimpsed up at the clock again. Twenty seconds until 7:30! He shut his eyes and shook his head. Twenty seconds seemed like five minutes to him!

He sighed when he heard the bell ring. He looked up. Doc. Overbuild wasn't here yet! After a few seconds the Assembly faction leader walked through the door... but not before Venomous did. Atom almost jumped out of his seat and yelled for joy. Venomous had made it!

"Next time don't be so late," Atom whispered to him as he sat down, "I was afraid my dad wouldn't be to happy with you."

Venomous chuckled, "He probably wouldn't."

"How are you?" Atom asked him, "You've been in the hospital for quite a while."

"I'm fine," Venomous assured him, "My injuries are just a little sore now."

Atom nodded, "That's good. Person Two will be excited to see you at lunch. I'm surprised he still kept his acing streak on his test considering how worried he was about you."

Venomous nodded, "Person Two is a good student."

"Yeah," Atom agreed, "Let's hope we can get a grade like him today."

"Alright, students!" Overbuild tapped his desk to quite the classroom, "Please turn to page 342 in your study books. The subject of today's class will be the effect of ray shielded defense systems."

Venomous and Atom groaned along with the class. This was one of their hardest studies of the whole year!

Chapter 4

Ruthie waited anxiously as the last few seconds until 12:00 ticked down. Her feet itched to rush out of the class. She usually enjoyed her Venture classes considering her favorite subject was geography, but this one was particularly boring.

As soon as the bell rang she jumped up from her seat. As she ran by Hael Storm's desk, she slapped her pile of paper on his desk. Hael gave her a strange glance, but she didn't care much.

She burst out into the hallway. The sound of students chatting and hussling around along with the slam of lockers filled her ears. She up to her locker and swung her backpack over a hook inside it.

After resting for a couple seconds, she slammed her locker and set off for the lunch room. It only took her a few seconds to reach the room considering it was only a few yards away from her class. When she reached the room, she saw Person Two already sitting at the table she, Venomous, Atom, and, of course, Person Two usually sat at together.

It worried her a bit that Venomous wasn't there yet. But Atom wasn't there yet either, so their class probably just went a bit long. She walked up to Person Two.

"Have you seen Atom or Venomous yet?" she asked him.

"No," Person Two shook his head, "But I'm anxious to. I haven't seen Venomous for quite a while."

Ruthie giggled, "Yeah. I want to see him too, except I've seen him a lot more then you have lately."

Person Two nodded, "Yup. You're lucky. I've been dying to see him since I heard he had crashed."

"You should of gone to see him," Ruthie told him, "He would of been happy to have you in his presence."

Person Two chuckled, "My latest test was really hard. I had to study the whole week. Besides, he would probably be more happy to see you then if I came."

"You're his best friend. He would of loved to see you," Ruthie assured him.

Person Two shrugged, "I guess."

At that moment, a familiar voice broke into their conversation, "Hi, guys!"

The voice belonged to Atom. He was taking quick steps toward the table with Venomous following close behind. Person Two broke into laughter out of excitement. He jumped out of his seat and rushed over to Venomous. They embraced each other tightly. Ruthie thought she even saw a tear on Venomous's face. But even if it was there, he quickly wiped it away.

"Man, I've missed you!" Venomous exclaimed.

"Me too," Person Two nodded, "You have no idea. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Venomous assured him, "Just a bit sore."

"That's good," Person Two replied as they let go of each other, "I was afraid you wouldn't be able to compete in our dodgeball game today."

Venomous's eyes widened, "Dodgeball?!"

Atom nodded, "Yup. I would of told you, but I was afraid you wouldn't of wanted to compete."

Venomous grinned, "You were afraid I wasn't going to want to compete? Boy, you've forgotten a lot about my personality over the time I've been in the hospital."

Person Two's eyes sparkled, "So, are you coming?"

"Of course!" Venomous answered.

"Alright, guys," Ruthie broke in, "Let's get some lunch first."

Chapter 5

Venomous sat back down at the table where he and his friends usually sat at after he had gone up to the concession stand window. He had ordered his lunch that he always bought when it was available to buy, a chicken burrito.

Person Two had bought the same. It was his and Venomous's favourite. That was just one of the similarities they had as best friends.

Atom liked pizza best. He had bought four slices of it. One was pepperoni, one cheese, and two were his favourite, meat lover's pizza.

In between bites of her salad, Ruthie commented on Atom's choice, "That has the most carbohydrates I've ever seen."

He chuckled, "It's better then a lame salad. How do you live like that?"

She laughed along with him, "If you want to win a dodgeball game, then you gotta eat healthy."

"Ladies, ladies, break it up," Person Two broke in.

Atom shot him a sharp glance.

Venomous giggled, "Fifty percent correct, Person."

Person Two shook his head, "No, one-hundred percent."

Atom cleared his throat sarcastically, "Dude, you're in a faction that has a female leader. Now, if anybody should be called a lady, it's you, Paradox freak."

"Okay," Venomous shot his hands up, "Let's stop before this argument goes from sarcastic to serious."

Ruthie nodded, "I agree with Venomous. We may have a faction war started pretty soon if we keep this conversation active."

"Um... guys," Person Two pointed down to the other side of the cafeteria, "I think a faction war may have been already started."

They all glimpsed towards the spot in the room where Person Two was pointing. What they all saw made them clinch their fists and grit their teeth. There was a big crowd of mini figures surrounding one of the corners of the room chanting, "FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!"

All four of the students knew that when there was an event like that, Quest Warrior, the Academy bully, was in the center of it. Quest Warrior was a Sentinel student that was probably the best martial artist, self-defence, and sword skilled mini figure in his class. For this very reason, he was Duke Exeter's favourite student. Unfortunately, also for this reason, he could hurt anyone he wanted. Realizing this, he made himself known as the school's "most dangerous bully".

He usually started fights for the smallest and stupidest "conflicts" as he called them. He just did it because he knew he could win and he wanted to just for fun. Considering they themselves did not want to face Quest Warrior's wrath, most of the students encouraged him in his fights by chanting, "FIGHT!"

Venomous shot up from his seat, "I'm not going to let this happen again!"

Ruthie shivered, "What are you going to do?"

Venomous smirked, "Show Quest Warrior that he's not the toughest guy in the school."

"You can't do that!" Atom screamed, "You would get turned inside out!"

"Yeah," Ruthie agreed, "You wouldn't have a face after that fight."

Venomous shook his head, "I don't care. This needs to stop."

Person Two stood up, "Then I'm going with you. I can't bare to see my best friend getting beat up by the strongest guy in the Academy."

Venomous chuckled mischievously, "Let's do this."

Chapter 6

Hastily, Venomous pushed his way through the crowd of students to the middle of the mob where Quest Warrior's newest "fight" was taking place. Venomous wasn't at all surprised on seeing who the victim of Quest Warrior's wrath was: Alfred McDonald, the geek of the Academy

Alfred was an Assembly student, Doc. Overbuild's favorite as Quest Warrior was to Duke Exeter. He knew practically everything an experience Assembly member needs to know. Some even joked he knew more than Doc. Overbuild himself! Venomous even thought this to be partially true.

Unfortunately, Alfred had nobody to actually call "friends" because of his intelligence. He was just... different from all the other students. His favorites were not like an average Academy student's "favorites".

These thoughts didn't stop Venomous, though. He knew that just because Alfred was different, he didn't deserve this. Plus, Quest Warrior wouldn't have treated an average student any differently in this case.

Venomous shifted himself into a running position. After a few seconds, he sprinted and rammed straight into Quest Warrior's right side. He had picked the perfect time to strike; for Quest Warrior was completely unaware of anybody surrounding him due to the fact that he had his full intention on Alfred who he had pinned to the ground.

The crowd gasped making Quest Warrior more frustrated. He recovered quickly after flying five feet in the direction Venomous had pushed him over to.

Venomous helped Alfred up and patted him on the shoulder, "Next time try to stay away from Quest Warrior."

Alfred straightened his glasses, "Thank you, Laser Ion. Your help is much appreciated."

He usually called the other students by their last names. That was one of the reasons people considered him "different".

Just as Venomous began to turn back around and leave the crowd, he felt a strong force tackle him. Without a doubt, it was Quest Warrior who was seeking revenge on the one who had caused his first loss in a fight.

Venomous struggled trying to get out of the head lock he was in. Quest Warrior allowed him to be freed a little bit which confused Venomous. He understood why when the bully hardened his grip around Venomous, who was, this time, in a different position, again.

The position that he was now being held in allowed him to see Quest Warrior's face. This also allowed him to see him preparing to strike. Quest Warrior shifted his knuckles and clinched his hands into a fist. He raised the fist up preparing to bring it down directly on Venomous's face.

Suddenly, a flash of black blared in Venomous's eyes. When his vision cleared, he was staring straight at the ceiling. He sat up to see Person Two struggling and rolling around with Quest Warrior a few feet in front of him.

Venomous instantly stood up and prepared to come to Person Two's rescue. But before he could, the cafeteria bell rang allowing itself to be heard throughout the class. The lunch lady walked into the room along with a few other mini figures who worked at the Academy. They motioned the crowd of students out into the hall where they were to go to their next class... or dodgeball game.

"You all are to go to the gym where you will have an exercising session," the lunch lady announced, "Today you are playing dodgeball."

Venomous heard a few students slightly cheer and a few, "Yes!"s from others. As they were walking, Atom and Ruthie rushed up to Venomous and Person Two.

"Are you okay?" they both asked at the same time.

"We're fine," Venomous assured them, "I mean, it was only the wrath of a mini figure with a foot long muscles and a doughnut instead of a brain."

How many times had he had to tell people that he was okay today?

Person Two chuckled, "Sometimes I almost consider that a true statement."

"Hey!" an angry voice called out to them.

The four of them looked up to see Quest Warrior. His cheeks were hot red and his eyes seemed to be on fire.

He pointed towards Venomous, "I'm not done with you, Laser Ion. You're gonna pay in dodgeball!"

Chapter 7

A few minutes later, Venomous stood on one side of the gym along with the others that he had been chosen to team up with for dodgeball. On the other side of the gym, Quest Warrior stood in front of another crowd of students. Within that crowd was his gang of bullies that "worshipped Quest Warrior's bulky guns" as Venomous said they did. Though they all called themselves "friends" with Quest Warrior, they were really just followers in his league of criminals. They only hung out with Quest Warrior for protection and to become what they called "famous". "Alright, athletes," the gym teacher clapped his hands together, "Here's how this will work. Most of you know the rules to dodgeball, but I have a few rules. If you get hit in the head, it will be known as a 'head shot', and will not count. Head shots can cause painful injuries. If you catch a ball, the one who threw it at you is out and must head to the sidelines. If you catch a ball, and it just so happens that one of your teammates are already out, they are allowed to come back into the game. There's no other way they can come back unless that happens. If a ball bounces off one of your teammates, and you catch, the one who threw the ball is out, but if a teammate on your team is out, he cannot come back in because the ball bounced off another player before you caught it. The first team that gets all the players on the other team out wins. If one team has only about three or two players left, I will call a 'suicide' which means the other team can charge up to them as close as they want. That's all. Any questions?" there was a silent pause, and then the gym teacher continued, "Well, if nobody's going to say anything, then, LET'S PLAY DODGEBALL!" The teacher rushed onto the sidelines and turned back towards the court. He faced a red line straight down the middle of the room. On top of the line there was a row of dodgeballs. "Ready?" he called out. Both sides nodded. He raised his hand a shot it down, "GO!" Both teams sprinted instantly towards the row of dodgeballs. Venomous dove down allowing himself to be the first one to reach the balls. He flipped the one he grabbed up towards a player on the other team. It lightly tapped his left shoulder and fell to the ground. The teacher blew his whistle, "You're out!" The player Venomous hit sighed and walked off to the sidelines. Venomous rolled backwards so he wouldn't be in the other team's range. Person Two slightly jumped to hop over him. When he grabbed a ball of the ground he quickly raised it up to shield himself from another incoming shot that the other team had fired. Venomous looked back and saw one of his teammates toss Ruthie and Atom each a ball. They rushed up to the front lines with Person Two. Venomous hopped up just in time to dodge a laser ball that Quest Warrior had shot at him. The shot made him fall back down again. "Man, he's strong," he muttered to himself. Quest Warrior had seemed to have heard. An evil grin grew on his face. He swooped down and grabbed a ball from the ground. After stringing his arm back, he flung the ball at Venomous. His target was just able to block the ball with the other one he had just fired. Once Venomous stood up, he rushed towards the back of his team's side of the gym. There he recovered by taking a few deep breaths. Then he looked up and ran into the fight once again. Quest Warrior was waiting for him. He flung yet another ball at Venomous once again. The shot was so fast that Venomous had not time to react. Fortunately, at the last second Person Two dove in front of it and blocked with a dodgeball that he was holding. Unfortunately, the ball was knocked out of his hands when he blocked it leaving him defenceless. A player on Quest Warrior's team ran up and easily hit Person Two with a dodgeball eliminating him from the game. By this time, Quest Warrior already had another ball in his hands. He chucked it a fourth time at Venomous. It slapped his cheek causing agonizing pain. He fell onto the gym floor rubbing the red spot that had been hit. He heard Ruthie scream, "Coach! That's illegal!" "Yeah!" Atom added, "Quest Warrior did that on purpose!" The teacher walked out onto the court waving his arm to stop the game. He faced Quest Warrior, "Son, did ya purposely his Laser Ion in the face?" Quest Warrior didn't reply, but instead smiled in an indescribable way. The teacher shot his arms toward the sideline, "You're out!" He leaned beside Venomous, "Are you okay? Quest Warrior's a strong guy." Venomous stood up with the teacher's help, "I'm fine," then he looked at Quest Warrior, "But I don't know how long I'll stay that way."

Chapter 8

Venomous stretched and yawned loudly. Then he gave a deep sigh, "What a day!"

Person Two nodded, "Yup. I hope to never have to experience anything like that again."

It was 10:00, the time Venomous, Person Two, Ruthie, and Atom usually went to their rooms to go to bed. Venomous and Person Two were room mates. They shared a bunk bed with each other.

Venomous climbed up into the top bunk and comforted himself under the covers, "Quest Warrior will be after me now."

Person Two sighed, "Yeah. I know."

There was a moment of silence, then Venomous broke it, "You know that means you will be put in danger by hanging out with me, right?"

"I know," Person Two repeated, "Why do you ask?"

Venomous looked down, "I don't know, I... just wanted to know if you knew."

There was another moment of silence.

This time Person Two was the first to speak, "What's the problem."

Venomous laid his head on his pillow, "Oh, nothing. Did you get good grades today?"

"Yeah," Person Two told him, "You?"

Venomous giggled a bit, "I don't know. Atom will tell you how hard our test was today."

Person Two laughed, "He's always complaining about his tests. You can't go to him to find out if the Assembly lesson was hard or easy."

Venomous opened his mouth to reply, but stopped when he heard his cell phone beep. He always kept it under his pillow when he went to bed. He pulled it out just as it beeped again and looked at it. It read, "Text from Ruth". He flipped it open and looked at the text.

It said, "r u ok???"

Venomous replied, "yup :)".

A few seconds later, Ruthie sent a text back saying, "good how r u feeling".

Venomous shook his head, and sent a message back, "im fine. stop worrying about me".

About five minutes later, a reply came, "u know quest warrior still has a large grudge against u".

Venomous sighed at reading this and replied, "yeah i know. ill be fine".

Venomous was a bit surprised at reading the next message sent to him, "NO U WONT! stop acting like ur fine. ur not, and u know it! we r always here 2 help u!"

Venomous pondered a bit, and finally replied, "sry :(... i guess im being a jerk..."

"no its ok. im being 2 aggressive. did u get good grades???"

Venomous answered, "i did ok. i just need a bit of sleep".

"then i should let you go. good night :)" was Ruthie's reply.

Venomous gave his final text by saying, "good night. luv u ".

Then Ruthie gave her final, "luv u 2. good night ".

Venomous closed his phone and slid it back under his pillow. He rolled over and looked at the ceiling. Some day he would get out of this Academy. Someday he would be a Nexus Force soldier. Some day... his life would change.

Meanwhile, all four Faction leaders stood in a briefing room in a higher level of Nexus Tower. They all sat at a large table which had a holoprojector built into the middle of it. It projected a holographic live image of Nexus Tower. A fleet of Maelstrom Dragons a far distance away was approaching the Tower.

"This isn't good," Vanda said with a worried voice, "Is there anything we can do?"

"Well, that's the reason I gathered you all here," Duke responded, "I wanted to inform you all that I believe our defence system will easily take care of the Dragons before they reach the Tower."

"When should that be?" Overbuild asked Duke.

"In approximately four hours," Duke told all of them, "By then we, all offensive and defensive systems should be easily prepared."

"That iz good," Hael commented, "Meez duzn't want azybody messin' with ze Tower."

Vanda nodded, and looked at Duke, "What does our calculation system tell us about the area the fleet will reach first on the Tower?"

"Well, if our calculations our correct, if the Dragons make it through our fire power, they will reach the level which the Nexus Academy is on, but that is highly unlikely to happen with fully charged long range missile cannons."

Hael raised an eyebrow, "Should weez zend zumbody to keep ze ztudents calm?"

"Yes," Duke nodded, "I think we should. And I know just the mini figures to do it."

Chapter 9

The next morning, Venomous woke up to the sound of an explosion and a few of the Academy's students screaming. He sat up, rubbed his eyes, and hopped down onto the floor. Person Two was already up and putting on his last article of clothing.

"What's going on?" Venomous asked him with a tired voice.

Person Two shook his head, "I don't know... but I don't think it's good."

Venomous's expressions on his face turned to worried.

Person Two seemed to have noticed, "I don't think it's anything bad. I mean, what's the worst that it could be. It's not like a Maelstrom invasion or anything like that."

Suddenly, the door broke off its hinges and was sent flying through the room due to an unknown force. Venomous jumped out of the way just in time barely dodging it. In the door frame stood a Stromling.

Person Two's jaws dropped, "What the heck!"

The Maelstrom pest rushed at Venomous with its bladed arm extended. Venomous ducked out of the path of the blade, but the Stromling continued to run and tripped over Venomous's body clumsily. The Stromling shook his head and stood up.

It swung his blade at Person Two's face, but the attack was dodged. Venomous tackled the Stromling from behind. The zombie fell onto the floor. It elbowed Venomous off of him and stood up once again.

It prepared to give a killing slash at its opponent. It raised its arm in the air and swung it down. Just as Venomous thought his life was over, a Rank 1 Shinobi crashed through the room's window and grabbed the Stromling's wrist. He twirled it around and tossed it out the window which he had just come through. It fell down several stories until it hit the ground and smashed.

Venomous stared in awe at the Shinobi's quick moves along with Person Two, "How did you... where is... who...?"

"You can call me Night," the Shinobi cut him off, "Now, we should be getting out of here."

He took stealthy step across the room and exited through the door. Then he peaked back in, "Are you guys comin'?"

Venomous looked down, "Uh... yeah. Just let me change out of my pajama pants and throw a proper shirt over my T-shirt."

Venomous, Person Two, and Night all silently walked down the hall and out of the men's dormitory. They walked down a set of stairs into another hall. They moved down that and reached the lunch room.

If you asked Venomous and Person Two to tell you the definition of a mess, they would tell you what they saw. There were students scrambling all over the place in panic. Some were running because Stromlings were chasing them. The room was filled with screaming and crying.

Venomous shook his head, "What happened here?"

Night sighed, "A fleet of Maelstrom Dragons attacked Nexus Tower last night. Nexus Force assumed that their defence systems would be able to fight them off before they reached the Tower, but they were... wrong. The Dragons reached the Academy level first where they unloaded hundreds of Stromlings. That's why there are so many here."

Person Two looked up at the Shinobi, "And Nexus Force hasn't sent anybody to protect us?"

Night looked down, "I assume they have, but he, she, or they have or hasn't come yet."

Person Two sighed, "Well, I guess we'll just have to fight of the Maelstrom until they do come."

And with that, he rushed into the battle.

Chapter 10

Venomous screamed, "Wait! Person Two! Don't do it!"

But the Paradox student was already to far into the battle to hear him. Venomous only had one option left. To join the madness too.

He looked around the room scanning the heated battle. At one point his eyes stopped wandering and locked onto a mysterious conflict. Quest Warrior was fighting of a pack of Stromlings who had backed him into a corner.

As much as Venomous hated him, he brought himself to helping him. He rushed up to the corner and started smashing the Maelstrom soldiers with his fists.

When he had made his way through about half of them, he heard a loud thud like something large slamming onto the ground behind him. His eyes widened and he slowly turned around. What he saw almost made him faint in fear. A Maelstrom Dragon.

It opened its gigantic jaws and gave a loud roar. The sound waves were so strong that it made Venomous's hair wave wildly. He protected his face by lifting up his arm. The Dragon then prepared to blast Venomous. Venomous thought he could already see the fire in the beast's mouth. A few seconds later it spit out its deadly flames. Venomous crouched down preparing for his body to be scorched up.

Just as the blast was about to hit him, something that appeared to Venomous as a black flash jumped in front of him and shielded him from the blast with some item that he was holding. When his vision cleared he realized that the "black flash" was Person Two. He had blocked the Dragons fire blast with the Paradox classroom's white board. Unfortunately, it had melted.

Person Two let down a hand for Venomous to grab, "I think Quest Warrior can handle himself."

Venomous grabbed it and allowed his friend to pull him up. Ironically, as soon as Person Two helped him up, he was pushed back down. Person Two had tackled him out of the path of another blast from the Dragon.

Person Two jumped up and rushed over to the Dragon's tail dodging fire blasts at the same time. He climbed up the scales and onto the Dragon's head. It roared and shook his head viciously trying to get the mini figure off of him, but Person Two's tight grip had allowed him to stay on.

When the Dragon stopped whipping his head back and forth, Person Two climbed up a little farther and whispered something into the Dragon's ear. After that, it shook his head a bit and settled down on the floor calmly and fell asleep.

Venomous raised an eyebrow, "How did you do that?"

"It's a Sorcerer spell," Person Two announced, "It either makes Maelstrom bosses such as Dragon, Apes, or Spiders either fall asleep or shut down... forever if you know what I mean."

Venomous nodded, "Looks like this Dragon got the fortunate effect."

"Yup," Person Two nodded too, "Hopefully it will keep him asleep long enough for us to be able to..."

Suddenly, the Dragon stood up from the ground and roared. It spit a blast of fire at the two students. They both jumped three feet out of the way of the explosion.

Venomous shook his head and looked up just in time to see the Dragon shoot another blast. He raised his hand up preparing for the blast to hit him when at the last second a Rank 3 Knight jumped in front and blocked the blast with his Shield. Then he turned around and helped Venomous up.

"Thanks," Venomous said as he brushed some dust off of his shirt, "I'm guessing you were sent here by Nexus Force."

The Knight chuckled, "Naw dip, dingus."

"In other words, yes, we are," another voice broke in.

Venomous looked over and saw a Rank 3 Engineer with a pair of Serratorizers. He twirled one of them around in his right hand and placed them into his backpack.

He reached out his hand for Venomous to shake, "I'm Scarabbeta, but you can call me Scarab."

Venomous shook it happily, "That's nice. I'm Venomous Laser Ion."

Scarab smiled, "Nice to meet you, Venomous."

"If you guys are done talking, we have a Dragon do smash," another voice said.

It was a Rank 3 Space Marauder. He held onto a Wormholer.

Scarab nodded, "Right. Excuse my apprentice, Yonder. He can become quite rude at sometimes," he jumped up on the Dragon, "But, he's partially true. Now, you can leave the room and let us take care of everything."

The Knight began attacking the Dragon too along with the Space Marauder. In mere seconds they smashed the Dragon easily. The Knight gave the last hit. After that he twirled his Sword and placed it back in his sheath.

The Knight apologized, "Sorry for having to meet up this way. We haven't had proper introductions yet. I'm Glider, and these are a couple of my farming partners who you already know the names of."

Venomous shook his hand, "Nice to meet you all."

"Um... guys," Person Two stuttered, "Just because we smashed the Dragon, it doesn't mean that we smashed all the Maelstrom presence in this room."

Venomous nodded, "He's right. Hey, where did that Shinobi go?"

Yonder smirked, "You probably met Night. He doesn't hang around in one spot too much. He's always on the move."

"Well," Glider said as he equipped a Powerjouster, "Let's show the Maelstrom the consequences of those who invade Nexus Tower."

Chapter 11

Person Two and Venomous watched in awe as Scarab and his friends expertly smashed off all the Maelstrom presence in the room with incredible timing, fighting skill, and powerful gear.

Person Two shook his head and whispered, "Amazing."

Venomous nodded, "Isn't it? Do you think some day we will be like that?"

Person Two grinned, "I know we will."

At that moment, Scarab ran up to them after smashing an Ape.

"We could use a bit of help," he joked.

"Right," Venomous agreed as he pulled out his Basic Dagger from his pocket, "Let's go!"

He began to run past Scarab towards a Spiderling when he was stopped.

"What are you holding?" Scarab asked him.

"Oh," Venomous looked down at his weapon, "A, um... I think it's called a Basic Dagger."

At that Scarab broke out laughing, "A Basic weapon? Are you serious?"

Venomous's face turned red.

Scarab noticed, "Oh, um... nothing's wrong with that. I mean, well, I... I guess I just overestimated a rookie. Most of them don't even have weapons."

Person Two raised his eyebrow, "Where are you going with this?"

Scarab cleared his throat, "I just wanted to give Venomous a better weapon. He looks like he deserves it," Scarab turned towards Yonder who was blasting at a pack of Ronins with his Wormholer, "Hey! Dingus! Could you come over here?"

Yonder pretended to look offended, "Dingus? I thought you said that you were trying to work on being humble for your New Year's Resolution."

Scarab chuckled, "Trust me. This is my humble side. You don't want to see my competitive side. Now could you come over here?"

Yonder groaned. He smashed the Ronins with a swipe from his Wormholer and began to hop down towards Scarab.

Once he landed right by his master he asked, "So what did you want me to come over here for?"

"Venomous here has a Basic," Scarab explained, "I was just wonderin' if you had an Elite for him."

Yonder smirked, "In fact I do! How does an Elite Battle Axe sound?"

"That sounds good," Venomous approved, "I've heard quite a lot of Sentinel students talking about Elites. I've always wanted to try one out."

"Ooh, they're good," Scarab assured him, "They are not expensive or rare, yet they have a pretty high damage combo."

"If you guys are done talking," Glider broke in as he blasted at a swarm of Stromlings that had surrounded him, "we kind of have some Maelstrom to smash."

"Right," Scarab replied.

He tossed the Battle Axe to Venomous and rushed up to help Glider. Meanwhile, Yonder and Venomous took out the large enemies such as Spiderlings, Apes, Horsemen, and Dragons while Person Two fought off packs of Stromlings with his fists. In no time at all they had cleared the whole cafeteria from the Maelstrom.

After the battle was over they rebuilt all the smashed students with Imagination. Fortunately, most of the students had survived in their panic or were able to fight of the Stromlings that attacked them, so there weren't too many students that needed to be rebuilt.

"Well," Scarab said as he built back the last student, "Let's see how else we can help."

Chapter 12

Venomous, Scarab, and the others rushed down the halls of the Academy fighting off any Maelstrom creatures they found. Venomous found it quite easy with his new weapon. Unfortunately, Person Two had a tough time.

Glider noticed this, "Hey, kid! Do you find a bit unfair that your friend gets a weapon, but you don't?"

Person Two shrugged, "I don't really care. Taking care of the Maelstrom is the main priority at the moment."

Glider chuckled and tossed him an Elite Javelin, "Let's see if that helps you take care of the Maelstrom."

Person Two grinned, "Thanks."

Glider gave a slight salute, "Don't mention it."

Meanwhile, the Faction leaders stood together in the same briefing room they had been in several hours ago.

Vanda shook her head in disappointment, "Exeter, this is all your fault! Because of this countless numbers of innocent lives will be lost... innocent and young lives."

There was a moment of silence, then Duke broke it, "I'm... sorry. Although I don't have much humility, I have to admit that this was my fault. I overestimated my power this time, and because of this the Maelstrom will gain many soldiers, and we will be known as a failure of protecting the innocent."

Overbuild shook his head as he stood up from his seat, "Why are we still in here?! We should be down there helping out the future generation of Nexus Force!"

Hael nodded, "Weez are foolish! Weez need to be zown zere now! Lez go!"

Ruthie ran through the halls of the Academy with Stromlings in hot pursuit of her. She was crying hardly from half fear and half worry for Venomous.

"Stay calm," she kept repeating over and over to herself, but she continued to cry.

Why did this have to happen? Why couldn't Nexus Force have stopped this? Why did she have to be caught up in the middle of this? Why? Why? Why?

Suddenly, a Spiderling crashed through a window and landed in front of Ruthie. It hissed at her sharply. Ruthie stood idle for a moment terrified. The Spiderling shot a deadly web at her. She was wrapped up in it and fell down screaming in pain.

The Spiderling prepared to give the final blow when it suddenly hissed again. But this wasn't the same hiss. It sounded like a painful hiss. It was!

Atom was attacking it with his bare fists. The Spiderling spun around and shot a web at him, but he dodged it and continued dealing damage. The Spiderling slashed at him with one of its feet, but he grabbed it and flipped it over.

Now the Spiderling was defenceless. Its specie was so inflexible that it could not even right itself when it fell over. But somehow it managed to be able to climb well.

Atom easily smashed it in a matter of seconds, then he began to work on the Stromlings that had been chasing Ruthie. Unfortunately, though they were much more weak then the Spiderling, they outnumbered Atom by far. He was soon overwhelmed and pinned to the ground by one.

Its bladed arm's elbow pushed against his neck making it hard for him to breathe. While all this was happening, Ruthie was able to get the web off of her.

"Get out of here!" Atom screamed, "Save yourself! Make sure Venomous is okay!"

Ruthie shook her head, "No. I can't do that! I can't leave you! I would never be able to live with myse-..."

"JUST GO!" Atom screamed.

Ruthie turned away and began to run with tears streaming down her cheek. She looked back at Atom one last time and turned back around to continue to run. Suddenly, a gigantic dent was pounded into the ceiling from the other side. It came along with a loud pounding noise.

After that, an enormous, hairy, purple arm broke through the dent and grabbed another part of the ceiling. It pulled that part off too revealing its whole body. Horrified, Ruthie gasped. A Maelstrom Ape.

Chapter 13

The Ape hopped down from the hole in the ceiling and landed in front of Ruthie. It lifted its head up and roared. She was forced to close her eyes to shield them from sting of the hard wind blowing in her face.

The Ape grabbed a chunk of the floor and chucked it at her. She jumped out of the way barely dodging it.

The Ape raised itself over her striking fear into her as she lie on the ground. It raised its fists preparing to pounce on her when suddenly, in a flash, a mini figure jumped onto the beast's head and stabbed a spear-shaped axe into its neck.

It roared and fell down limp and dead. {C After he was dead, Ruthie's vision cleared and she saw who had killed the Maelstrom monster.

"Venomous!" she screamed.

She jumped up and buried her face into his shirt crying with overwhelming relief.

He stroked her hair softly, "It's okay. You're safe now."

"I see you found your girlfriend," a voice broke in.

Venomous looked up and replied, "This is her, Scarab. She can get into some quite interesting situations."

Ruthie laughed as she wiped away tears, "Excuse me, Mr. Perfect. You were the one wanting to fight Quest Warrior."

Venomous chuckled, "You and Atom both don't like to take chances."

Suddenly Ruthie gasped, "Atom! When I left him he had been captured by a group of Stromlings!"

"Where was he?" Scarab asked.

Suddenly another voice called out to them, "Guys! I need some help!"

"Sounds like Person Two," Venomous thought out loud.

"Let's go," Scarab motioned them down the hall as began running.

The others followed him. They were about to turn around a corner when Person Two walked out dragging Atom by his shirt's collar. He had deep cuts under both of his eyes and his face was smothered in dirt.

"I found him in what used to be my class room," Person Two announced, "He was being taunted by a group of Stromling Pirates."

"Yeah, Pirates like to do that," Scarab said as he knelt down towards Atom, "Did you check his pulse?"

Person Two shook his head, "No, but I'm pretty sure he's still alive."

Ruthie knelt down with Scarab shaking her head, "It's all my fault. I shouldn't have left him."

Venomous put a hand on her shoulder, "You couldn't have done anything to help him."

Scarab touched his neck gently and looked up, "He's fine. A bit loose though. We just need to get him to a Medic Evac. They'll be able to stabilize him."

"We have do something before then," Person Two told him, "In my recent studies about the Maelstrom, I've learned that Infection can come when unexpected. Atom's symptoms tell me that he could be a victim of Infection."

Scarab hummed, "If only I had a Faction drink."

Ruthie's eyes widened, "In my class room Hael Storm always keeps a Vile of Vitality on his desk. It's just down the hall."

"I'm not sure Pirate saliva is good for him," Person Two joked.

Scarab shook his head at the comment, "No time for that. Ruthie, we'll need to go with your plan. Lead the way."

Chapter 14

Ruthie peeked into the Venture class room. Once she had glimpsed all over it she looked back at her friends.

"There are dozens of Ronins in there," she announced, "I believe we should come up with a diversion. Hael Storm has taught us many ways to move in on packs of Maelstrom without being seen until an attack."

Scarab shook his head, "Atom could be Infected any minute. We need to press a large scale attack. Creating a diversion will take too much time. Is the Vile still there?"

Ruthie looked back in the window and nodded, "Surprisingly, yes! Except it's not where it usually is. It's on the floor. Hael keeps its lid pretty tight."

"Question," Person Two broke in, "How clean is the Venture class room's floor?"

Venomous sighed, "You really need to shut up."

Person Two smirked, "The advantage to being humorous all the time is that you can't embarrass yourself."

"Yes, but the disadvantage is that nobody takes you seriously," Scarab differed.

Person Two shrugged, "True enough, but still…"

"Um, guys, are we going to get that Vile or what?" Ruthie stopped their conversation.

Scarab nodded, "Yeah, we should be getting it now. Allow me to lead the way."

At that moment Scarab slashed at the window. It shattered into pieces and flew all over the class room obviously attracting the Ronins' attention. One hissed and charged at Scarab who easily smashed it with his Big One before it even came close.

He stopped another one by holding it up in the air with his magnet. He ran up to hit and quickly smashed it with a few hard blows from his Wrench.

"Amazing," Ruthie whispered.

Person Two smiled, "That's what I said."

Scarab charged at another Ronin which hovered above the Vile. Just as he was about to reach it he swooped down and grabbed the bottle off of the ground. Once he recovered he tossed it to Venomous through the window he had broken.

Venomous swiped it out of the air and leaned down beside Atom as he pulled off the cap. He opened Atom's mouth and poured a drop of the liquid inside of the Vile into it.

After he was done he stood up and closed the bottle, "Should that keep him safe for now?"

"It should," Person Two assured him, "But the best thing for us to do now is transport him to a hospital."

"The only available transport is a Talon Dropship which will most likely be in Nexus Force's hangar like Yonder told me," Venomous pointed out, "But that's several levels above in Nexus Tower."

Ruthie raised an eyebrow, "Who's Yonder?"

"We'll tell you later," Venomous assured her.

Person Two shrugged, "Your point is about the hangar…"

Venomous opened his mouth to speak when suddenly a Dragon's mouth broke through the ceiling. Its long neck allowed it to reach so far it almost was able to snatch Venomous with its jaws. In fact, it was so close it got a hold of his shirt.

Venomous screamed, "Help me!"

Ruthie and Person Two stood still shocked by the sudden attack and confused on what to do. Finally Person Two pulled out his Elite Javelin and hopped up. He grabbed onto Venomous's foot and pulled himself up onto the Dragon's nose. He stabbed his spear right in between the beast's eyes. It roared in pain and dropped Venomous.

It shook Person Two off his head and retreated back into the hole it had come through. When they had both recovered Scarab walked out. He looked around and saw the three students recovering.

He raised an eyebrow, "I thought I heard a Dragon."

Venomous pretended to ignore him, "You were saying something about a hangar, Person Two."

Scarab lost his confused expressions and spoke, "The Medical Evac.! How is Atom?"

"He's fine," Person Two assured him, "Now, are we going to get out of here or what."

At that moment they all heard a faint Dragon roar.

Scarab nodded, "Yeah, I think we should leave."

Chapter 15

Scarab, Venomous, and the others crept down the Academy halls to where an elevator stood. Venomous shifted his arms around a bit. He had been carrying Atom the whole way.

"There it is," Person Two announced, "I see it every day, but I barely ever use it."

"Yeah, because I always go out to get you dinner," Venomous joked.

"Not true at all," Person Two argued.

Ruthie rolled her eyes, "Men."

Scarab walked up to the elevator's panel and pressed one of the buttons on it. A few seconds later the door opened revealing a small, but elevator relatively speaking spacious, room. All four of them walked in with Venomous still carrying Atom. As soon as they got in there, Venomous gently set Atom on the floor and rubbed his arms.

"Man, he sure did have a lotta pancakes Saturday," Venomous commented, "I feel like I've been carrying a baby elephant."

The elevator started moving up the shaft slowly making its riders feel vibration.

Ruthie shivered, "I hate that feeling. This is why I always take the stairs."

Her face started to turn green. She squeezed her eyes shut trying to make the sick feeling go away. Finally, after what seemed like hours to Ruthie, the elevator stopped.

They all thought that they had reached the level they were heading to, but quickly found out they were wrong.

"Why aren't the doors opening?" Venomous asked oddly.

Scarab stroked his chin, "I don't know. Probably just a temporary sort of hiccup in the elevator system."

Ruthie sighed, "I'm just happy we stopped moving."

After a few minutes, Person Two said with a worried voice, "I don't think this is a hiccup."

Suddenly, the escape exit on top was barred open. They all gasped startled by the unexpected event.

"Oh, this is definitely not a hiccup," Scarab admitted.

At that moment a Stromling jumped in. He slammed his feet down on Venomous who immediately fell on the floor groaning. Scarab quickly smashed the Maelstrom warrior with a simple swipe from his Wrench.

"Well, I don't think this bucket of bolts is going anywhere," he assumed.

Person Two nodded, "I agree. We'll have to go up the hard way."

Ruthie raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean ‘the hard way'?"

Venomous groaned, "Please don't tell me that I'm going to have to carry Atom all way up the elevator shaft. Pleeease."

Ruthie held up two ropes, "I brought these if they will help you climb with Atom."

Scarab chuckled, "Pleeease do it for us."

Venomous rolled his eyes.

Scarab laughed again, "I'll take that as a ‘yes'."

Ruthie swung her right foot up into a small crack in between two metal plates that were built into the right wall of the elevator shaft. She secured it there allowing it to support the rest of her body. With that done she pulled herself up a couple more feet.

When she stabled herself again, she looked back down at Scarab, Person Two, and Venomous who were several yards lower than she was, "You guys gettin' tired yet?"

Person Two groaned, "We are getting powned by a girl."

Venomous rolled his eyes, "Don't worry about it. We gave her a head start."

Scarab sighed, "If only that were true."

Ruthie smiled pleased with herself. She continued to climb.

They passed floor after floor wishing that they would find the right one, but found out to their disappointment that it was the wrong one. Finally, it came into view.

Ruthie smiled, "There it is!"

"Finally," Venomous complained, "Atom is really starting to get heavy!"

Ruthie pulled herself into the doorframe of the level and started trying to bar it open. It didn't budge. Once Venomous reached her he started trying to pull it open. After a few seconds of struggling, it automatically opened due to pressure revealing a group of Stromlings that had been anxiously waiting.

Ruthie gasped and threw a fist at the first one. It quickly grabbed her and tossed her back. Fortunately Venomous caught her.

"Jump!" he ordered. She leaped over to the other side of the shaft and clung onto it.

Venomous jumped up into the doorframe, slid Atom off of his back, and attacked the Stromling with his Pickaxe.

It was easily smashed, but Venomous has swung so hard that the blade of his weapon had buried itself into the ground leaving him defenseless. Another Stromling took advantage of the opportunity and pushed him out of the doorframe.

Venomous screamed as he fell down the elevator shaft into what looked like bottomless darkness below.

Chapter 16

Yonder tapped a Talon Dropship as he entered coming up the entrance ramp. Glider was walking behind him.

"I wonder where Scarab and the two noobs are right now," Glider thought out loud.

Yonder shrugged, "Well, we can't leave without them. But I don't know how much longer we can wait. Nexus Force wants everybody out as soon as possible so they can attack the Maelstrom with stronger weapons without the risk of committing friendly fires."

Glider sighed, "We're taking a chance with waiting for them."

Ruthie screamed, "Venomous!"

Scarab tried to catch him by leaping from one side of the wall to another. His hand missed Venomous by less than an inch.

Person Two tried to stretch out and grab his shirt. He caught it, but Venomous was falling so fast that he wasn't able to get a grip.

Venomous continued to fall for what seemed like miles. Eventually he reached the spot which the elevator had stopped running.

He prepared himself for a hard impact when suddenly a flash of red jumped out of nowhere and caught him. The flash then landed on the elevator softly with almost no impact.

Venomous shook his head confused, "Wha…?"

His vision cleared allowing him to see what caught him. It was the leader of the Paradox, Vanda Darkflame.

"Are you okay?" she asked in a soft, kind voice.

Venomous nodded, "I'm fine. Are my friends alright?"

"What friends?" she asked as she helped him up.

"You probably know Scarab. He was helping a few of my fellow students up the elevator shaft," Venomous explained, "We reached the door which opened to the level the hangar that we were going to was on, and a squad of Stromlings were there."

"Is that what knocked you off?" a familiar voice asked.

Venomous looked up to see Doc. Overbuild standing in the doorframe of another level of the Tower.

Venomous nodded, "Yes."

"Was my son with you?" Overbuild asked in a concerned voice.

Venomous looked down at his feet and whispered, "Yes."

Overbuild's eyes widened, "Is he okay?"

"When I was with them we were trying to get to a Medical Evac.," Venomous told him, "He had been injured by the Maelstrom and needed treatment from a medic. We stabilized him with a Venture Vile, but he needed more help."

Overbuild raised an eyebrow, "How is he now?"

"I don't know," Venomous admitted, "I'm not up there with them."

"Then let's get up there!" a determined voice said underneath Venomous's feet.

He looked down and saw Hael Storm trying to hack into the elevator's panel to get it moving again.

Venomous chuckled, "Allow me."

He hopped into the lift and adjusted a few wires behind the panel. A few seconds later the elevator started moving once again.

Overbuild smiled proudly, "My student."

He hopped onto the elevator with the three others and rode with them. As they neared the point where Venomous's friends last where, they began to here Stromling squeals and different battle sounds.

"I'm guessing this is where they were," Hael assumed the obvious.

"No. Really?" Vanda joked.

She began hopping side to side up the shaft with amazing speed. While she was in the air, she unsheathed her Katanas and wielded them wildly around.

"Let's dance!" she yelled.

Chapter 17

Person Two looked down and yelled back up to Scarab and Ruthie, "Venomous is back!... with some new visitors. Are those the Faction leaders?"

Ruthie cheered, "He's okay! Yes! Wait… Faction leaders?"

Person Two nodded, "Yup. All of them except for Duke."

"That's too bad. We could really use his… -Ung!-… help right now," Scarab complained as he battled of Stromlings.

"No problem," Vanda assured him, "They're just Stromlings."

She flipped herself up into the doorframe and began slicing down Stromlings immediately. Hael joined the fighting.

"Suffering catfish! I haven't fought such easy Maelstrom scalawags in years!" Hael taunted.

In less than five minutes all the Stromlings had either been smashed or decided to retreat.

Vanda twirled her Katanas around and put them back into their holders on her back, "May this be a message to the Darkitect that he has no control over us!"

Hael sighed, "Well, now that's finished. What else?"

"Miss Darkflame," Person Two said as he pulled a crumpled up piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Vanda, "There's my finished homework assignment."

She laughed, "You're a good student, Person. All the others are probably rejoicing over not having to finish the assignment."

He smiled comforted from the reaction to his joke.

"And, if it isn't Scarabbeta!" Overbuild exclaimed, "How long has it been since I've seen you last? Three months almost?"

"Since the Maelstrom invasion on Nimbus Station," Scarab recalled, "That was the last time."

"Yes, that was it!" Overbuild remembered, "Now, what have you done with my son this time?"

"Oh," Scarab looked down at Atom, "We were transporting him to the hangar where he could be given medical assistance when we ran into these Stromlings."

Overbuild picked Atom up, "Well, we should be going. It looks like he may not last much longer."

Glider shook his head, "If we wait any longer sanctions may be charged against us. We were ordered to leave ten minutes ago."

Yonder nodded, "I guess you are right. Pilot, get the Dropship ready to evacuation!"

Inside the cockpit of the Talon Glider and Yonder were having their conversation beside, the pilot yelled back over the loud engines, "Yes sir! Load all passengers and cargo aboard the ship! Duke Exeter wants us back at Nimbus Station!"

Yonder nodded again, "Got it. Rookies, move in!"

A crowd of students that had been waiting a few feet away from the Talon poured into the Dropship in a mad stampede. In a few seconds they were all loaded in.

Yonder and Glider pushed a pile of crates full of ammunition, weapons, and identification papers for the students up the ramp. Once they had loaded everything in they looked back.

"I hope Scarab will be alright without us," Glider thought out loud.

Yonder sighed, "Me too."

The ramp began to fold up transforming into a door.

Yonder looked down, "Goodbye, Scarab."

Once the door had shut the Talon lifted a couple feet of the ground. It prepared to shoot out of the hangar when suddenly Scarab, Venomous, their friends, and the Faction leaders barged in.

"Wait!" Scarab waved his arms in the air, "We're here! We're here!"

The Talon set itself back on the floor and the door opened back up.

"Finally!" Glider exclaimed, "Do you think it took you long enough?"

"Naw, we were thinking of staying," Person Two joked.

They all boarded the Talon and the door closed once again. The Dropship this time, with its engines already charged up, lifted off the ground and shot out of the hangar headed for Nimbus Station.

Chapter 18

"Were you really considering leaving without us?" Scarab asked half humorously and half seriously.

"I think you know the answer to that," Yonder answered him in the same tone.

"Guys," Venomous spoke up, "Atom?"

"There's a Medical Capsule over here," Glider motioned them over to a bed enclosed in a glass case.

"Once he's in there, I can program the Maelstrom extraction," Yonder announced.

Venomous waited as the glass capsule opened. Then he slowly set Atom down in the bed and closed the glass back up. Yonder pressed a few buttons on a panel built into the wall beside the capsule. The capsule slid into a hole in the dropship's wall.

"In a few minutes he should be fine," Yonder assured them.

"And wuz youz dinking of leaving weez Zaction leaderz?" Hael tried to continue the conversation.

Glider's face turned red, "Yeah, about that…"

At that moment the pilot's voice came over the speaker, "Passengers, we are nearing the surface of Nimbus Station. Please prepare for a small impact."

"Do any of you have a bag?" Ruthie asked with a green face.

"Can you hold it for about another minute?" Person Two asked, "I just survived a swarm of Maelstrom and would hate to die due to being overwhelmingly disgusted."

Venomous shook his head, "Not the time, Person."

Person Two shrugged, "What?"

Venomous sighed knowing that explaining would do nothing. Suddenly, there was a small jerk throughout the ship. All the riders almost lost their balance. A couple students did and fell over. A few seconds later a wall opened revealing the spot which the ship had landed: Block Plaza on Nimbus Station.

"I haven't been here in a long time," Venomous said as he admired the place.

"Since at least a couple years ago," Ruthie added.

"Hmm," Person Two hummed and nodded.

In the middle of the small grass spot in the center of Block Plaza stood Duke Exeter. His sword set cleanly in his sheath and his shield was hooked up to the back part of his armor. A large crowd of mini figures stood around him. Some of them were experienced Nexus Force soldiers, others were civilians, and a large portion of them were students from the Academy.

"Welcome!" Duke greeted the crowd, "As most of you know, Nexus Force has been invaded by the Maelstrom. Unfortunately, we were not able to hold them back."

"Thanks to him," Venomous heard Vanda mumble.

"We thank you for acting so calmly in such dangerous circumstances," Duke continued, "It is most likely that nothing will come of this. All Nexus Force soldiers are just to remain on Nimbus Station until Nexus Tower is reconstructed and we Faction leaders can give further instructions.

"Now, you may all be thinking of the future of the Nexus Force Academy's students. Well, after some consideration and discussing, the Nexus Force Council and I have decided that, even though they are so young, will become official Nexus Force soldiers."

Venomous and his friends gasped.

"No way!" Person Two exclaimed.

Ruthie's jaw dropped, "But… I… I'm not ready yet!"

Venomous shook his head, "Neither am I."

"Don't worry!" Duke tried to calm them, "They're training is not completely over. They will be transported to Avant Gardens by the Venture Explorer commanded by Bob, Epsilon Starcracker, and Sky Lane. At Avant Gardens their battle and all other required skills to be a part of Nexus Force will be tested. If it is discovered that they are not ready, they will be trained by Sentinel Commanders Beck Strongheart and Melodie Foxtrot in the Sentinel Camp. And if they are lucky, they will even be trained by Epsilon Starcracker."

Venomous nudged Ruthie, "There's a bit of relief."

Ruthie sighed, "I still don't like this."

Chapter 19

A Nexus Force Official walked up to Venomous and the others students still standing in the Talon.

"Follow me," he ordered.

They walked behind him up a grassy path. As they walked down it a holographic screen projected an image of Avant Gardens, and a mad scientist standing beside clock-shaped portal.

"Don't act afraid," Venomous advised Ruthie, "Just stay calm. I've heard a lot of rumors that these Officials and Commanders can be pretty strict, especially Commander Strongheart."

"Even Commanders Foxtrot and Lane?" Ruthie asked.

Venomous shrugged, "They're alright. I think they will particularly like you since you're the same gender as them."

Ruthie giggled, "Yeah right."

"No, I'm serious," Venomous replied with a stern face, "That's what I've heard."

"Rumors can get around pretty fast at the Academy," Ruthie told him, "I only believe half of what I hear and trust half of what I see there."

Venomous shook his head not replying. In a few minutes they had reached the end of the path. Set on it was a Talon Dropship just like the one they used to get to Nimbus Station.

"Not again," Ruthie groaned, "I'm gonna lose my whole inside if I have to go on one of those things again."

"Don't be a chicken," Person Two taunted, "I'd hate to have to go without you."

"Oh, shut up!" Ruthie shot back.

"Hey, we forgot Atom!" Venomous remembered, "I'm gonna go back for him. You guys tell the pilot to wait for me."

Person Two nodded, "Got it."

Venomous gave a goodbye salute and shot back down the path. It only took him a few seconds to get back to Block Plaza. He ran up to the Talon he had come to Nimbus Station in and knocked the door. He was surprised to see who opened it.

"Atom!" he exclaimed.

"What… happened?" he asked rubbing his eyes.

"A long story," Venomous told him, "All you need to know right now is we're being transported to Avant Gardens to become official Nexus Force soldiers, and that you need to follow me."

"Uh… okay," Atom replied with a confused face.

He walked down the ramp with a bit Venomous's help. He was still weak from the Infection and extraction. As they both began to head back up the path, they were stopped by Scarab, Yonder, and Glider.

"Are you sure you are ready?" Scarab asked them, "I mean, we could come with you. You heard Duke Exeter. We're off of duty until worker can fix the damage done to Nexus Tower."

Venomous shook his head, "We'll be fine. Thanks for your concern, though."

Scarab shrugged, "Alright. Bye."

They shook hands.

"Bye," Venomous replied.

And with that he set off back up the path with Atom close behind.

Chapter 20

"So, what you're telling me is that you met up with a group of experienced Nexus Force soldiers, found me, and escaped to Nimbus Station in a Talon?" Atom asked.

Person Two and Venomous had explained to him what was going on and how he ended up where he was on the ride in the Talon to the Venture Explorer.

"Yup," Venomous nodded.

"But, there's a lot more detail than that," Person Two added, "Like, Hael Storm's Vile of Vitality, going up an elevator shaft, or meeting the Faction leaders."

Atom raised an eyebrow, "What?"

Venomous shrugged, "Long story. If I tell you everything it will be just as long as the amount of time it would take to read the whole Harry Potter series."

"Not true," Ruthie spoke up, "It would probably be about one fourth of one of the books."

Venomous shrugged again, "Whatever."

At that moment, the crowd of students around them began to chant, "FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!"

"Not again," Ruthie groaned.

"Why does Quest Warrior have to be such a jerk?!" Person Two exclaimed, "I mean, this is a chance of a life time, and he's throwing it away!"

Ruthie pounded her fist against one of the ship's walls, "He's ruining our chances too! Whatever the officials think of him, they'll think about all of us too."

Venomous shook his head, "And there's no way we can stop it. If we stay out of the fight, we'll get in trouble anyway. And if we join the fight… well, you know."

They all nodded.

Suddenly, the pilot's voice came over the speakers, "Students, please prepare for an impact identical to the one you felt when you landed on Nimbus Station. We are landing in the Venture Explorer's hangar."

"Aye!" Ruthie yelled, "I hate this part!"

"Hey," Person Two's eyes widened, "I have an idea. How about we ask Quest Warrior if we can use his shirt for a barf-bag?"

Venomous laughed, "Yeah right."

"You think I'm joking, don't you?" Person Two asked him.

"Don't try to fake it," Atom warned.

Person Two smirked. He walked into the crowd of students still chanting "FIGHT!" and right up to where Quest Warrior was rolling around on the ground with another student.

Person Two tapped Quest Warrior's shirt, "Excuse me, Mr. Warrior. I'm sorry for having to interrupt your play time, but my friends is about to throw up. Could we perhaps use your shirt?"

Quest Warrior looked at him strangely, "Get out of here, whimp, before I whip your bricks too!"

Person Two grinned and shrugged, "Sorry, man. Just askin'?"

He walked away laughing until his insides hurt. When he reached the spot where Venomous, Ruthie, and Atom were standing he fell on the ground and rolled around laughing.

"You should be in the Sentinels," Atom joked, "'Cause what you just did right there takes courage."

"Naw," Person Two shook his head, "I'm stickin' with Paradox. I just showed this school how brave Vanda's disciples can be!"

Ruthie slapped her face, "This is going to be a long trip."

Chapter 21

Jett Moonshot watched as several Talon Dropships entered the Venture Explorer's main docking hangar. The Talons were supposed to have brought several groups of students from the Nexus Academy to the ship to be transported to Avant Gardens.

Jett sighed. The last time he and the other commanders of the Venture Explorer had transported Nexus Force recruits, their ship had been attacked by the Maelstrom. Their destination was Nimbus Station, but because of the ship's damage, they were forced to evacuate in rockets down to the surface of Avant Gardens.

The event had definitely brought down the reputation of Nexus Force. Endangering the lives of so many young mini figures was a serious tragedy. Jett was determined to make this one a different experience!

The first Talon landed, and its door unfolded and deployed into a ramp revealing several of the students. The room was filled with the sound of mumbling from them chatting or talking to themselves. They tromped onto the hangar floor and right to Jett.

He twirled the pencil in his hand and lifted up his notebook holding a large pad of paper preparing to write down the students' names and information he and the commanders of the ship needed to know. He was going to be here for a while.

Venomous looked around admiring the Venture Explorer. It was an awing sight. There was so much confusing technology!

"Amazing," he whispered to himself.

Ruthie overheard, "I know. I've heard so much about this ship in my class, and I've always seen it from a distance, but I've never been inside it. This has been my dream for so long! It's exactly how I imagined it."

"It may be a while until we get settled in, though," Atom complained.

"I wonder how long it will be until Quest Warrior is kicked off the ship..." Person Two joked.

"Shut up!" Ruthie yelled at him.

"Or else you'll be kicked off with Quest Warrior," Venomous added.

Ruthie rolled her eyes, "Not you too!" At that time they reached Jett Moonshot.

"Names please," Jett said without looking up from his notebook.

"Sir?" Venomous replied confused.

Jett looked up, "Could you please tell me your names so I know what to call you when I assign you your rooms?"

"Oh," Venomous nodded, "I'm Venomous Laser Ion. These are Person Two, Ruth Venturi, and, of course, Atom Overbuild, son of the Faction leader of the Assembly."

Jett looked back down at his notebook and continued writing, "Ah. Now, could you please tell me the Factions you would like to join?"

"Well, I think you know Atom's," Venomous started, "I would like to join that one too. Venturi prefers Venture, and Two wants to join the Paradox."

Jett hummed, "Hmm. Alright, thank you. If you could sit right over there for a couple minutes and allow us to prepare you a spot for you and your friends to stay on the ship, we would all appreciate it. Your names will be called in a few minutes."

He pointed to a row of cushioned chairs backed up against the wall. Several other students were already sitting down... including Quest Warrior.

Venomous shrugged, "Okay. Come on, guys."

He walked up to a spot where there were four empty seats. He sat down the one farthest to the right. The others took the left three.

Venomous sighed in comfort as he let himself relax back into the soft padding of the chair.

"This is lame," Person Two commented, "I'd expect a professional ship to have completely uncomfortable chairs. This feels like a waiting room at a massage!"

Ruthie rolled her eyes deciding not to argue. She had learned over the past couple of days that you couldn't change Person Two's mind.

Venomous looked over at Quest Warrior. His brawny arms made everybody shiver. Quest Warrior noticed that Venomous was looking at him. He glared right at Venomous who quickly turned away.

"Everything okay?" Atom asked him noticing his sudden movement.

Venomous nodded slightly, "Yeah... everything's fine."

Chapter 22

Venomous opened the door into a small bed room in the Venture Explorer. The Nexus Force Officials that were on the ship had given the room to him for the time it would take to reach Avant Gardens.

Inside the room was a double bunk bed, a closet, and a small desk. It had a strong stench that made Venomous want to barf, but it would have to do.

Venomous threw a suit case of necessities and clothes that had been given to him by the Officials into a corner of the room and laid down on the lower bed. He closed his eyes and sighed. It had been a long day.

Person Two entered the room a few seconds later holding a suit case identical to Venomous's. He set it down, stretched his arms up into the air, and yawned.

Then he shook his head, "Wow. Things happened so fast. First, we were just going through our normal routine, then -BAM!- Nexus Tower we was invaded, we went to Nimbus Station, and then somehow we ended up here."

Venomous nodded, "Amazing, right? It's unbelievable how life changing just a few hours can be."

At that moment, one of the ship's Officials walked into the room. He wore a suit similar to Jett Moonshot's, but instead of it being marked blue, it was marked green.

"Comfortable?" he asked.

Venomous shrugged, "I guess."

"Good," the Official replied taking Venomous's answer as a yes, "Feel free to search the ship. Just don't get in anyone's way. Dinner tonight will be at 6:30. Tomorrow, I will be coming to wake you up at 5:30. Breakfast will be at 7:00. Come to the cafeteria for that. If you can't find a way, ask an Official. There should be plenty standing around. Be back here by 12:30. That's when I will be handing out lunch. Then, go back to the cafeteria to eat lunch at the same time. Got it?"

Venomous nodded, "Yeah. Thanks."

The Official smiled, "Good. Remember, you're free to search the ship if you want."

And with that, he walked out of the room. Once the sound of his footsteps faded away down the hall, Person Two turned towards Venomous.

"Let's explore the ship!" he exclaimed.

"No," Venomous disagreed, "I'm tired. Wait five minutes. I want to rest a bit."

Person Two sighed, "Suit yourself, but I'm going to explore whether you're coming or not."

Venomous rolled his eyes, "Whatever."

Person Two smiled. He ran out of the room at full speed.

Venomous chuckled, "Person Two..."

The first room that Person Two found was the cafeteria that the Official had mentioned. It was about the size of the one back at the cafeteria, but its details were much more different.

After looking around it and chatting with the cooks a bit, he decided to continue to explore. He skipped down another hall into what looked like a briefing room. There was a large table with a hologram built into the center. The floor was a black carpet with gray patterns.

Considering there was nothing there, he left immediately without looking around. After searching around a bit, he finally reached a peculiar sight. The room looked like an enormous hangar.

There were rows of three-winged starfighters with Nexus Force symbols pasted both on their left and right sides. Beside one was set a large metal box. Sitting on the box were a few powerful looking Nexus Force soldiers. After standing there for a couple seconds, Person Two decided to go over to them.

Chapter 23

Venomous sat up from his bed and yawned. He rubbed his eyes clearing his vision. Another yawn came out. He stood up and stretched for a couple seconds, then looked at the clock.

What he saw made him gasp, "Six-fifteen! Man, I've been asleep for a while!"

Remembering that he was still dressed, he shot out of the room at full speed. Since he had come to his room so tired, he wasn't able to study the features of the hallway. There was nothing fancy about it, plain gray walls with white and black checker tile flooring, but it was very clean. There was a bit of dust, but no dirt or mold.

Venomous made sure not to spend to much time admiring the cleanness and continued running down the hall. The first room he reached was the cafeteria. Venomous realized that dinner was in only about ten minutes. He looked around the room trying to spot any of his friends. He couldn't find any of them.

"Where are they?" he thought out loud.

The ship was huge. They could be anywhere. Venomous sighed and continued down the hallway. The next room he came to looked like a briefing room, but knowing that he didn't have much time until dinner, he didn't stop to admire it.

Finally he reached the hangar where he spotted all three of his friends, Person Two, Ruthie, and Atom. They were talking to a group of Nexus Force soldiers. Both of the groups each took turns laughing at the other's few sentences.

Venomous jogged up to them slowly. When he reached them, Person Two looked back.

"Hey!" he greeted Venomous, "So much for a 'five minute nap'."

Venomous shrugged, but didn't say anything. He sat down on a small metal crate and shifted himself into a comfortable position. He studied the soldiers carefully. Two looked like Rank 3 Space Marauders. Person Two had showed him images of Rank 3 in all the classes for Paradox.

Two others Venomous was sure were Rank 3 Daredevils. Ruthie had showed him pictures of all ranks of the Daredevil class. She wanted to be one some day.

The last soldier was a class that Venomous didn't recognize, but assumed was Venture due to the symbols on his uniform.

"So," one of the Marauders smiled, "Who's this?"

"This is my friend, Venomous," Person Two introduced him to the Marauder, "He is... or was, an Assembly student in the Academy."

"That's nice," the other Marauder replied positively, "Just like Atom."

"Yeah," Atom added.

The Marauder reached out his hand for Venomous to shake it, "I'm Berserk Mighty Photon. This is my crew, Fallout11, Ion Burst, Candy, and Bandit."

Venomous shook it cheerfully, "Nice to meet you all."

"Nice to meet you too, Venomous," one of the Daredevils (a female) said warmly.

Venomous raised his chin up a bit in a slight nod, "Thank you. Candy I assume, correct?"

She nodded, "Yes. That's me. Your friends are good company... unlike these guys."

She elbowed Ion (the other Daredevil)'s shoulder. They all giggled, including Ion.

"So," Fallout spoke for the first time, "You are all heading to Avant Gardens to finish your training."

"Yep," Ruthie confirmed, "I can't wait to feel the Daredevil armor on me!"

"You bet! It's awesome!" Candy told her, "Except, it does feel a bit uncomfortable. They don't make it for women."

Ruthie laughed, "I think it will be alright."

"It will," Candy assured her.

At that moment Berserk looked up at the clock.

"Shouldn't you guys be in the cafeteria around now?" he asked.

Venomous looked at the clock. It was exactly six-thirty!

"Shoot!" he exclaimed, "Let's go, guys. From the way the Official acted in our room, I don't think he'll be happy with us being late."

Chapter 24

Venomous finished the last bite of his dinner given to him by the cooks. It was a salad. Not his favorite, but this one was relatively better than the others he had had at the Academy cafeteria.

"So," Ruthie tried to begin a conversation, "How did you like those soldiers?"

Venomous shrugged, "Yeah. Sure. They remind me of the others we met in the Academy."

"You mean Scarab, Yonder, and Glider," Atom added.

Venomous nodded, "I wonder if they'll remember us..."

Ruthie shook her head, "Probably not. They have way too much on their minds to remember a couple of students."

"What do you want to do now?" Person Two asked after pushing his empty salad bowl aside.

"Whatever we want to do," Venomous smiled, "The Officials don't care one bit what we do as long as we stay out of trouble."

"Do you wanna go back to the hangar to see if those soldiers are still there?" Atom asked.

"Nah," Ruthie didn't share the same eagerness, "I don't think the soldiers will still be there, and even if they were, I wouldn't want to bother them."

"Come on. Pleeease," Atom begged.

"Candy may even tell you more about the Daredevil armor," Person Two added a tempting fact.

That changed the way Ruthie looked at things. She thought for a couple moments, then finally budged, "Fine. But just for a little bit. I'm exhausted and want to go to bed."

Atom pumped and gave a, "Yesss!" in a way that sounded like he was a snake.

Berserk shifted a bolt that was one of the many stabalizers to the ship he was working on into place. After that was done he clapped.

"I'm done!" he announced proudly.

"Oh, come on," Ion grumbled obviously doubtful, "You can't be done already. I wonder what poor, innocent rookie is going to blow up in that rocket when going down to Avant Gardens."

Berserk rolled his eyes, "You're just jealous."

Candy sighed, "Men..."

"Hey guys!" Fallout spoke up, "Look who just came inside the hangar."

Each of the commandos looked over at the entrance into the hangar. The group of rookies they had met earlier were walking through it.

"Hey!" Berserk greeted them, "Glad you survived dinner. I heard it was salad!"

Ruthie sighed, "Men..."

Candy held in a laugh, "We must have been separated at birth."

"Nah," Ion disagreed, "She's way more innocent then you could ever be."

Candy shook her head and decided not to argue. Instead she turned towards the rookies, "So, how has your trip been so far?"

"Okay," Venomous told her, "We haven't been on the ship too long, but when you're away from home, it seems like it's been forever."

Fallout patted him on the shoulder, "I can relate. I was once your age and at the Academy. It took me a long time to adapt to the changes there."

Person Two leaned over and looked past Fallout. He grinned at what he saw, "Hey! Is that a Steampunk Rocket you're working on?"

"Yep," Berserk nodded, "You can have it if you want."

Person Two shook his head, "Nah. I mean, what would I use it for. I have nothing to do with a rocket."

Berserk raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean you, 'have nothing to do with a rocket'?"

Person Two looked at him curiously, "Um... I mean, I have nothing to do with it."

"You... do know that you're going to use a rocket to get to the surface of Avant Gardens, right?" Candy asked.

Venomous's eyes widened, "What?!"

Chapter 25

Venomous laid his head back against the pillow in his recently given bed. It felt strange; he wasn't used to it yet. But he didn't remember it feeling like this when he had taken a nap earlier. He must have been to tired.

Person Two walked into the room looking exhausted. He stretched and yawned, then fell into the bottom bunk of the bed.

He gave a sigh of exhaustion, "Wow. Do you believe it? We're actually going to fly a rocket down to Avant Gardens."

Venomous looked down at him strangely, "And you're excited?"

Person Two shrugged, "Why not?"

Venomous sighed, "Just as I started to realize this trip may not be as hard of an experience as I thought it was, I suddenly find out that we have to do something way out of my physical and mental ability. I just can't do it!"

"Yes you can," Person Two assured him, "I'm sure you can. All you need to do is practice a bit in a simulator... if they have simulators. And even if they don't, I can teach you!"

Venomous rolled his eyes, "Yeah right. What makes you think that?"

Person Two chuckled, "I've won two pilot awards back at the Academy. Not one. Not three. Not four. But two!"

Venomous burst into laughter. Although Person Two was usually annoying, sometimes he was the brightest spirited, funniest, and most encouraging mini figure Venomous knew.

After a moment of silence, Person Two continued talking, "Anyway, it's really late. We should be getting to bed."

Venomous nodded, "You're right. Good night."

"Good night," Person Two repeated.

Venomous pulled the chain which was connected to the light built into the fan just a few feet above him since he was in the top bunk. The lights turned off leaving the room almost completely dark. The two boys quickly fell asleep unaware what unpleasant surprise lied ahead of them.

Meanwhile, Jett Moonshot, Bob, and Sky Lane where all in the briefing room that both Person Two and Venomous had discovered earlier that day. The three ship commanders stood in front of the table with an image of the ship being projected out of the holo-projector.

"We're nearing Avant Gardens," Sky Lane announced.

"We realize that," Bob replied, "We know that's not the only reason you called us here. There's a detail you're leaving out. What is it?"

Sky Lane nodded, "You are very much correct, Bob, as always. A Maelstrom black hole has just recently appeared on our scanners beside Avant Gardens. There is no way we can get the recruits to the world without going in range of the black hole. The Sentinels down on the world are doing the best they can to get rid of it, but it looks as if it will take some time."

"What are you proposing?" Jett asked.

Sky Lane sighed, "We may have to take the risk of going near the black hole."

Jett slammed his fist on the table and exclaimed, "No! We're not going to risk the recruits' lives again! We already suffered a big blow to our reputation the first time we escorted recruits like these to Avant Gardens. We will not suffer another one!"

"Jett, come down, please," Bob begged, "I know it's risky, and I know you don't like the idea, but we have no choice."

Without another word, Jett stormed off furiously.

Sky Lane shook her head, "Jett may be right, you know. It's risky... maybe too risky."

Bob nodded in agreement, "It may be risky, but if worse comes to worse... I think these soldiers will be ready."

Chapter 26

Venomous awoke next morning in a rather awkward position. The way he woke was just as strange.

Ruthie was whispering into his ear, "Venomous, wake up. Before the Official comes. Hurry."

Venomous groaned, sat up, and rubbed his eyes, "Wha...?"

The door knob began to turn. Ruthie's eyes widened. She dashed into Venomous's bed and hid herself under the covers. The door opened revealing the Nexus Force Official that had introduced them to the room yesterday.

"Alright!" he yelled, "Time to get up!"

He turned on the lights with a switch built into the wall right beside the door. The light blared into Venomous's eyes making them burn with pain. He quickly shut them.

He heard Person two groan below, "What's going on?"

"Time to get up," the Official repeated. He clapped his hands, "Okay, move it!"

Then he shut the door.

"I was trying to wake you up before that happened," Ruthie explained after he was gone, "He did it in my room too. While he was in another room, I tried to sneak in here and tell you before he came. It turns out I wasn't fast enough."

Person Two sighed, "Grown ups these days. They are always expecting the kids to be as flexible with their resting schedule as they are!"

Venomous smirked and hopped out of his bed, "Well, we should get going. We have a long day ahead of us, and hopefully its start wasn't a foreshadow of the rest of it."

Ruthie nodded, "Agreed!"

Atom walked out into the hallways of the Venture Explorer half-asleep. Sometimes he wondered why Nexus Force thought the way they did. Turning on the lights to wake up exhausted future Nexus Force soldiers?!!

He sighed. He knew he had a long day ahead of him and needed to prepare for it.

After wondering around a bit, he ran into his friends who had evidently been through the same experience.

"Can you believe the nerve of that guy?" Person Two asked obviously frustrated, "I was about to kiss Katie Hills when suddenly, I was drowning in blaring light."

A burst of laughter came out of Atom as he slapped his knee, "I knew it! I knew you had a crush on Katie! I could just tell!"

Katie Hills was considered the "hottest chick in the Academy". But Venomous looked into personality too. He preferred Ruthie.

"Atom, stop it!" Ruthie ordered strictly pointing at him, "You always want to start an arguement!"

Venomous turned away from Atom and chuckled, then turned back around.

"You're right," Atom admitted nodding, "Let's head over to eat breakfast. We have about five minutes."

The Baron watched in delight the four young Nexus Force recruits walking through the halls of the Venture Explorer from his throne room deep in the Maelstrom sea surrounding Crux Prime. One in particular he studied. His stature showed he was strong; the way he walked said that he was capable and flexible; his face had handsome features...

Yes! This would become his new apprentice. Whether by will or by force, he was going to make it happen! Yonder had failed to join him by will, and he himself had failed to make Yonder join him by force. However, yet this recruit... "Venomous was his name"... had many friends that he would use to draw him into joining the Maelstrom.

Yes! His plan could not fail. He was going to capture Venomous's friends... and reveal to him friends that Venomous had felt were there... but had never truly known who they were...

Chapter 27

Venomous had good friends; friends that would never let him go through life alone; friends that would always be there for him, and he knew it too! However, in the hours that approached, he would learn that he actually never knew how much he really felt for them...

Person Two laughed at the information that Atom had just shared, "No way! You're mom's epic... but mine's better!"

"Nuh-uh!" Atom disagreed, "There is no way you're mom's any more awesome then mine! Plus, my dad's a Faction Leader! Ooooh! Beat that!"

Person Two shrugged, "Can't beat ya there. Venomous, what 'bout your parents?"

Venomous turned red, "Um... well... I don't... really... know my parents."

"What?!" Atom looked shock.

"How?" Person Two asked, "You at least have to have an image of them!"

Ruthie knew when Venomous was disturbed, and she could tell now was the time, "Guys, maybe we should talk about this later. We should probably be getting to breakfast."

A bell suddenly rung. The sound traveled throughout the halls loudly.

"Well, if the lights and that Official didn't wake a couple people up, that sure did!" Person Two joked, "Come on! I hear today they have French Toast!"

Atom and Person Two ran off.

After they were gone, Ruthie turned toward Venomous, "Is there something wrong?"

Venomous shook his head, "Some other time, maybe. Let's go to breakfast."

Sky Lane put her hands together and started praying. They were nearing the Maelstrom portal, and the recruits hadn't heard a single word about the danger she and Bob had decided to go through.

Jett Moonshot took a deep breath and announced, "Here we go!"

He refused to take his eyes off the holographic projection informing him on the location of the Venture Explorer, the portal, and Avant Gardens.

"May Imagination be with us," he whispered.

Bob ran into the room and told them, "I've prepared the escape pods just incase they're needed."

Jett looked up shaking his head, "Remind me again, why we're taking such an awfully big risk other then to save a few stupid hours?!!"

"Because the Sentinel Encampment hasn't received medical supplies, weapons, armor, ammunition, food and water, or reinforcements from Nimbus Station for some time now," Sky Lane explained, "And on top of all that, we've recieved no communications from the Encampment, or the Assembly in all that time!"

Bob looked towards Sky Lane mouth hanging wide open.

"Why am I just getting told all this?!!" Jett exclaimed loudly, "And why the Crux did we decide to bring rookies on this trip without even telling them the danger they're going through?!! It's as if you knew that they would decide not to come if they knew! They have every right not to go on such a dangerous mission! Nexus Force could have sent anybody else to help the Sentinels and Assembly, but, no, we're going to send young, innocent mini figures into one of the most dangerous battlegrounds this war has ever seen! Even if everybody does survive this, which would be a miracle, we're still going to suffer, and the donations of money and bricks will be even less!"

He kicked the table projecting the image he had just been looking at over, then stormed out of the room.

Sky Lane felt like crying, "Perhaps he's right. Maybe we shouldn't have taken them. Let's go back!"

"No," Bob said calmly shaking his head, "We can't now."

"Why not?!!" Sky Lane shot back thinking he said that only because it was his will to go on.

He proved her wrong by replying, "Cause the Maelstrom portal is already sucking us in..."

Chapter 28

Person Two dug into his French Toast joyfully. After gobbling it down for some time, he looked up to notice Venomous hadn't eaten a single bite, but was pushing his food around his plate.

Quickly, Person Two wiped the whipped cream off of his face and began trying to start the same conversation with Venomous as he had earlier, "Really, what happened to your parents?"

Venomous didn't reply, and continued messing with his food.

"C'mon, Man!" Atom urged, "We've been your friends for years. We trust each other like we're brother. If it's something you don't want shared cause it might embarass you, you don't have to worry."

Venomous put his fork down and shook his head, "It's not that. Maybe I'll tell you some time, but not now. I'm just... not in the mood."

Without warning, the ship suddenly jerked and began tilting left. The tables, with no surprise, went with the force of gravity, and began sliding towards the wall that Venomous and his friends were sitting against.

Venomous took the initiative by jumping up and kicking the first table away. Ketchup and fries went flying into his face along with hamburgers that came in enough numbers to make a pile on top of him. He wiped the fries away just in time to kick away another table.

Students were also sliding across the floor. They were able to avoid suffering any injuries from the impact they took against the wall by using their hands.

When the ship had tilted enough, Venomous began running up the left wall. He turned back towards the rest of the students and motioned them towards him, "Follow me!"

They all obeyed his simple instructions and ran up the wall. Eventually, they ran out of running room.

"Got any ideas now?" Person Two asked Venomous, "We can't keep running forever."

"What the Crux just happened?!!" Atom asked loudly.

"Probably just a malfunction that Nexus Force will get straightened out soon," Venomous assumed the simple.

"I don't think so," a familiar voice that most recognized as Quest Warrior's arose from the crowd. He pushed his way up to the front and continued presenting his theory, "I think Nexus Force is hiding something from us... and I intend to find out!"

Several "yeah"s and "here we go"s arose from the crowd.

"Well, we're going nowhere if we can't find a way out of here," Atom reminded them.

"Why don't we use the normal exit?" one of the students asked.

The group looked towards where the exit usually was. It was covered by a pile of tables, dirty food, paper plates, and napkins.

Person Two chuckled, "I think we all know why we can't."

"And that's why we're here to help!" a voice that sounded familiar to Venomous yelled.

The crowd looked around trying to trace the source of the voice. They found it when their eyes laid sight on a Space Marauder coming out of a hole made in what used to be the ceiling with a grappling hook.

"Berserk!" Ruthie exclaimed.

Once he touched down in the middle of the crowd, she ran up and hugged him.

"Whoa, easy there," he said gently nudging her off, "We need to get out of here."

"What happened to the ship?" Venomous asked him.

Berserk sighed, paused, and then finally replied, "That's not our priority right now. What's important is that you all escape. Come on. Let's get out of here."

Chapter 29

A surge of relief went through Baron as he watched the students escape from the room. He had almost called off the portal to save Venomous's life. Not that he cared for the weakling, but he wanted him to eventually become his servant. He would tear apart Nexus Force, terrorize the population of Nimbus Station, and make all mini figures bow before him with Venomous!

However, calling off the portal would spoil his plan! He would kill off Venomous's friends one by one, weakening him until the point where he could easily infect him. Although many did not know it, Maelstrom infection had mostly to do with a victim's mental strength, not physical.

Fortunately for Nexus Force, most victims were not so mentally weak that they would be strong enough in the Maelstrom to become generals. Actually, the only Maelstrom generals that had been created had been transformed in the Maelstrom orb, which was very hard to get mini figures to.

Baron was planning for Venomous to be the first to be so mentally weak because of all the pain of loss, that he could actually infect him without getting him to the orb. He would be the most powerful Maelstrom leader of them all... perhaps even stronger then the Darkitect himself! He would lead the Maelstrom to victory!

Bob pressed buttons, pulled levers, and tapped touch screens all over the Venture Explorer's control panel in panic trying to straighten out the ship. After many long, stressfull minutes, he finally succeeded. He picked a chair out of a pile of furniture and sat down in it wiping away sweat from his forehead.

After he had completely recovered, he looked around the room and yelled out, "Sky Lane! Sky, are you there?!!"

"Bob!" a muffled, female voice called out painfully, "Bob, help me!"

Bob ran over to the location which the voice came from: a pile of computers and desks. He picked up the computers and keyboards and tossed them away as fast as he could with all his strength.

Finally, he pushed away the desk revealing Sky Lane lying there pale as a ghost, tears streaming down her face, and lips quivering in fear. Cuts all over her face and small shards of glass sticking out of her legs and arms told Bob the pain she had been through.

"The students," she mumbled, "Are the students o-..."

"We need to get you to a medical station," Bob cut her off, "They'll know how to treat you!"

He scooped her up with two arms and carried her out of the room.

"No, leave me here," she begged, "Go help the students."

"I couldn't live with the thought that I left you here to die," he replied shaking his head, "I... love you."

Sky did not say anything else. She continued to cry. Bob could not tell why. Was it because she thought he was selfish, or because she was happy he had finally announced he felt the way she felt about him?

He was not going to let her die!

Chapter 30

Venomous sat up from the ground and looked around. Several other students were also lying around including his friends.

"I think the ship just straightened out," Atom guessed rubbing his head.

"Really?" Person Two asked sarcastically.

"The ship's probably a mess all over," Berserk assumed, "We need to get you guys into escape pods immediately."

"Is there anything we can do to help save the ship?" Ruthie asked, "It's been through so many adventures, and I've read so much about it. You couldn't possibly just let it float around in space."

Berserk sighed, "Nobody's told you actually how much danger we're really in right now."

Venomous raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

Berserk took a deep breath and began, "About a week ago, we lost communication with the Sentinel Encampment on Avant Gardens."

"Even with all the beacons they set up?" Atom asked.

Berserk nodded, "Yes. That's why we believe they're in a large amount of danger... if they're even still there. I don't agree with the call, but Nexus Force decided to send a group of uninformed recruits to help the Encampment. You're those recruits. However, even just getting to the planet would be a dangerous mission. There's a Maelstrom portal set up to suck in any reinforcements that tried to get to the planet."

"So that's how the ship went out of control," Person Two realized.

"And that's why you want us to get to escape pods," Atom added, "So we can escape from the ship while it's getting sucked in."

"Yes," Berserk replied, "Now, we haven't a moment to spare. We have to get to those escape pods!"

Bob rushed into the medical room inside the ship and quickly placed Sky on a bed. Outside in the hall he had just been in, mini figures young and old rushed around in panic and complete disorder.

A nurse walked into a room from a door in the corner.

"Shouldn't you be at the bridge helping the mechanics stabalize the ship, Commander Bob?" she asked in a soft, middle-aged voice.

"She needs to be stabalized first," Bob explained, "I fear for her life. I found her under a pile of computers."

"I'll start taking x-rays," the nurse assured him, "You should be helping your men."

Bob nodded and left the room, but before running down the hall he looked back to take one last glimpse.

"Please let her be okay," he begged anyone that was listening.

Chapter 31

Berserk crawled through the ventelation halls as quickly as he could. Every now and then, he would look back to make sure the students were following him. Eventually, he found the end of it: a hallway that was evidently built into the edge of the ship; for eight circular doors marked where the escape pods were.

"Those are the doors the lead into the escape pods!" Berserk announced.

A hum of cheers rose up from the line of students. Berserk popped open the lid concealing the vent and hopped out. Next came Venomous. He and Berserk helped the rest of the students out.

As they helped the last one out, the ship suddenly shook knocking most of the mini figures over. Each quickly recovered.

"Let's get you guys out of here," Berserk suggested.

Quest Warrior nodded, "Agreed."

Berserk began explaining loudly how to operate an escape pod. Once he had finished, he split the crowd of students into individual groups and sent them each into a different pod. The groups, who had caught on quickly, piloted the pods down to the surface of Avant Gardens as if they had mastered the trait.

The last two groups who still had not escaped in a pod were, coincidentally, Quest Warrior with his gang, and Venomous beside his friends.

"Alright!" Berserk said clapping his hands together, "You guys are the last of 'em. Quest Warrior, would you and your friends like to step in."

He motioned them towards one of the pods. Quest Warrior walked in with his gang following him. They each took a seat in the pod, strapped themselves in, and prepared to launch.

Berserk made a quick inspection and nodded to himself, then began to walk out. Suddenly, the ship shook again throwing Berserk off his feet. He quickly caught himself by grabbing onto one of the control panels.

Once he had grabbed it, he heard a beeping noise. He looked down at the button he pressed and gasped. Before Venomous had time to ask why, the pod door closed along with all the others. Then, they each launched out into space.

"Son of a brick!" Person Two cursed, "He launched all the pods!"

The group was silence for a moment in disbelief that what they had seen had actually happened. Person Two broke it in his anger, "Well, that's just great! Stuck on this stupid bucket of bolts! It's like the Venture Explorer catastrophe about a year ago all over again!"

Venomous put a hand on his friend's shoulder, "It's okay. We'll be al-..."

"Get your hand off of me!" Person Two ordered.

He shoved Venomous away from him and crossed his arms.

Ruthie gasped, "My..."

Person Two looked around, then down, and sighed, "I'm sorry, guys. Really, I am. I was just shocked that that had happened."

Atom nodded, "We understand. Right, Venomous?"

Venomous nodded also, "Right? It's in the past now. Let's get out of here."

"But how?" Person Two asked.

"I know. The Venture Explorer was very famous among the students in my class back at the Academy. I, along with them, studied it a lot and all about its catastrophe when all the recruits were forced to escape. In one of the hangars, there are crates full of rocket pieces. The recruits, with Commander Sky Lane's permission, used the pieces, built rockets, and escaped the ship. We could do the same thing!" Ruthie suggested.

"Sounds like a plan to me," Person Two said.

"I'm in," Atom announced.

"Let's do it!" Venomous finished.

Chapter 32

Venomous rushed through the storage room as fast as his plastic legs would carry him. He stopped and looked behind his back to make sure his friends were following. Ruthie was nearest, a bit ahead of Atom, who was leading Person Two in the back.

As they neared the door exiting the room, the ship shook unmercifully. The ship began to collapse. Part of the floor began to give away to the pressure of the Maelstrom black hole. The tiles in that part of the floor became separate parts of the ship as they broke off and flew into the black hole leaving an enormous hole.

The hole began to suck the crates and spare ship parts outside the ship. Venomous and his friends started sliding down also. All hope seemed lost.

Suddenly, Sky Lane ran into the room looking badly wounded. She chucked one end of a cable beside Venomous.

"Grab it!" she screamed.

Without needing to be told a second time, Venomous swiped it off the ground. He then turned back towards his friends who were still sliding towards the hole. He grabbed Ruthie's hand. She grabbed onto Atom who, fixed a grip on Person Two's shirt.

Sky Lane tried to pull them all up, but, together, they weighed too much. Her grip on the other end of the cable loosened. Just as she was about to let go, Bob jumped in and helped her pull the four students up. The six of them ran into the next room and slammed the door shut behind them.

"Thank you," Venomous managed to get out between large gulps of air.

"What happened?" Bob asked, "I thought Berserk was supposed to evacuate you off the ship."

"Things went a bit wrong," Person Two answered.

"We were trying to get to the main hangar to fly out of here in rockets," Ruthie explained.

"I see," Sky Lane understood, "Well, we shouldn't waste any time. The ship is collapsing."

Almost as if Sky Lane had planned it to happen right as she finished her sentence, a large chunk of the ceiling hit the floor right beside them. The six mini figures looked up. To their horror, that chunk was only the first. Dozens of metal boulders began to follow out of the ceiling barely missing the mini figures.

"Run!" Atom screamed.

The six mini figures ran towards the door leading to the next exit in complete disorder. Along the way, Person Two tripped and fell behind the group. Four of the six mini figures were able to get to the exit safely. However, right before Venomous leaved the room, he looked back toward his fear filled faced friend, Person Two.

He was desperately trying to stand up and get towards the exit, but each time a piece of the roof hit the floor, the vibration it made knocked him back down.

"Come on!" Venomous yelled, "You can do it!"

Person Two tried several more times, but each was a failure. Deciding not to stand and watch, Venomous shot towards his friend. He stretched out his arm about intending to grab Person Two's who was also outstretched.

Venomous assumed that the reason Person Two had his arm out was to let Venomous help him up, but as Venomous neared, he saw a small shiny piece of silver in his hand. Right as he was about to reach Person Two, as piece of the ceiling hit him smashing him. If you asked him about it now, Venomous would say he swore that it happened in slow motion.

Venomous shrieked, "NOOOO!!!"

He dropped onto his knees with tears streaming from his face, "No... No, no, no! It can't be! He can't be dead!"

His crying was stopped when he noticed the piece of silver that Person Two had in his hand right in front of him. He picked it up and observed it. He suddenly gasped. It was the Paradox badge! Each student was given the badge of their own Faction when they joined the Academy. They would have to earn the next three at Avant Gardens and Nimbus Station.

He clutched it tightly. He swore that he would never lose it. It was the only thing he had to remember Person Two now...