Before the Asteroid's Destruction
Jagged rocks crunched beneath Ash's boots as he sprinted forward, his breath controlled despite the fire in his lungs. The battlefield faded behind him, replaced by an eerie stillness that gnawed at his senses. Something was wrong. The air carried a pulse—faint, yet undeniable—like a distant heartbeat echoing through stone.
Then, he saw it.
A pale glow seeped through the cracks between the boulders ahead, pulsing in slow, steady waves. He slowed, weaving between the jagged formations, eyes locked on the source. As he stepped closer, the light revealed itself—a perfect sphere, hovering just above the ground. Its surface was impossibly smooth, untouched by dust or scratches, radiating a quiet energy that crawled beneath his skin.
Ash's fingers curled instinctively. His blade hung loosely at his side, but he didn't draw it.
"Is this what I'm looking for?"
Max hadn't mentioned anything like this. No warnings. No explanations. Just coordinates.
His hand twitched. The glow pulsed in response.
WHOOSH.
A gust of wind slammed into him.
No time to turn. No time to react.
THUD!
A fist tore into his ribs. Pain exploded through his side as his feet left the ground. He crashed onto the rocky terrain, skidding until his back slammed against a boulder. His fingers clawed at empty air. His blade—gone, knocked loose from his grip.
Dust settled. Silence, except for the slow hum of the orb.
Ash gritted his teeth, eyes snapping up.
He wasn't alone.
He sucked in a breath, steadying himself—just in time to see the shadow looming over him.
Speedy landed lightly, his boots barely stirring the rocky terrain. The usual cocky smirk was gone. His gaze, visible through his visor, was sharp with irritation.
"You really thought you got rid of me?" His voice was steady, almost mocking, but the edge behind it was real.
Ash tensed.
Speedy moved.
A fist crashed into his ribs, then another—each hit faster than the last, hammering into his arms, his chest, his face. Ash tried to block, but Speedy's speed made it impossible. His strikes weren't just fast; they carried force, every blow fueled by the wind whipping around them.
Dust kicked up with each hit. The ground trembled beneath the assault.
"You could've walked away," THWACK! "but no—" WHAM! "You just had to make this difficult—" THUD!
Ash gritted his teeth, struggling to stay focused. He had to do something—now.
Then—the world shook.
A deep, guttural BOOM echoed through the asteroid, rolling through the rocky expanse. The impact sent vibrations up Ash's spine.
Speedy hesitated. His fist hung mid-air.
A pulse of light flickered in the sky.
Ash forced himself to look.
Above, the Apex carrier ship hovered, its cannons glowing with residual energy. A second later, a beam of pure destruction—purple and blue, swirling like a storm—slammed into the asteroid.
The explosion swallowed the horizon.
Shockwaves ripped through the ground, splitting rock apart. Cracks spiderwebbed beneath them, and the land itself shifted, breaking into unstable fragments. The wind howled, carrying dust and debris as the sky darkened with falling stone.
Speedy's expression twisted. "No—no way. We were taking this rock, not—" His voice caught. "What the hell is he thinking?!"
Ash barely heard him. His breath was ragged, his mind racing.
Then he saw it.
The orb.
It was still there, untouched by the chaos, floating right beside him. Its glow pulsed, steady, almost expectant. His suit's sensors flickered, unable to register its energy.
Everything screamed at him.
Move.
His hand shot forward.
The instant his fingers touched the surface—
A voice. Small. Boyish. Unfamiliar.
"Finally… you found me."
Ash's eyes widened. 'What—'
Light erupted, blinding and absolute.
And the world—changed.
————
Before the Asteroid's Destruction – Kael's Perspective
Kael moved like a phantom, claws slashing through the air. The asteroid's uneven ground crumbled beneath his every step, but he barely noticed. His body burned with power, fire coursing through his veins as he clashed against Jov's molten fists.
Each strike sent shockwaves through the battlefield. Sparks and embers scattered as their blows met, the force rippling through the unstable terrain.
Jov planted his foot. The ground beneath him cracked, then—boom!—jagged stone spikes erupted in a deadly wave.
Kael's instincts screamed. He sprang into the air, twisting mid-flight. Heat welled up in his throat, then—whoosh!—a blazing fireball roared toward Jov.
The man smirked.
A wall of solid rock burst from the ground, swallowing the attack. Flames washed over it, cracks spreading across the surface, but before the fire fully died—Jov charged through the smoke. His fist, wreathed in molten heat, came straight for Kael's chest.
BAM!
The impact sent Kael skidding backward, his claws digging into the stone for balance. His breath came heavy, steam rising from his body.
Then, something felt… off.
A heat—different from before. Not from the battle. From inside.
His fur smoldered, the air around him shimmering. His body burned, not with power, but with something worse.
'No. Not now.'
He shook off the thought and lunged again, swiping for Jov's head.
Jov slipped just out of reach, countering with a molten strike. Kael barely caught it on his forearm, but the impact rattled through his bones. They clashed again and again—flames colliding with stone, heat warping the air between them.
Kael's muscles ached.
His movements slowed.
Jov stepped back, his smirk widening. "Ohhh… I get it now." His voice was almost mocking. "Your fancy form—doesn't last long, does it?"
Kael growled, forcing himself forward. His claws lashed out—too slow.
Jov leaned back effortlessly. "Yep. That's what I thought."
A sharp pull coursed through Kael's body. The red fur faded. His beast-like frame shrank, muscle giving way to his human form. His hair returned to its normal color. Floating shards of his suit snapped back in place, covering his body as the last traces of his transformation burned away.
Kael exhaled hard, wiping sweat from his forehead. His body screamed for rest, but a grin still stretched across his face.
"At least I bought them more time," he muttered. His breaths were unsteady, but his confidence wasn't. "Whatever you're planning… they'll stop it."
Jov crossed his arms, watching him with amusement. "Oh, you're here to stop us? From taking the asteroid?"
Kael's eyes flickered with confusion. "Asteroid?" His pulse quickened. "I thought there was something on it."
Jov's smirk wavered. Just for a second. "What do you mean—"
BOOM.
A pillar of light crashed from the sky.
The Apex carrier ship loomed above, its cannons glowing with residual energy. The beam struck deep into the asteroid's core. The explosion followed instantly.
The world detonated.
Shockwaves tore through the battlefield. Cracks split the ground beneath them, entire sections of rock breaking away into the void. A deafening roar filled the air as dust and debris spiraled upward, blotting out the sky.
Jov staggered. "No—no way. We were taking this rock, not—" His expression twisted. "What the hell is he thinking?!"
Kael barely heard him. His mind was elsewhere.
The explosion's center—
Max was there.
Panic surged through his veins. His chest tightened.
"MAX!" His voice ripped through the chaos.
The light swallowed everything.
Then—nothing.
White.
Endless white.
————
Max's Perspective – Before the Asteroid's Destruction
Max planted his feet, energy shields flaring as laser fire poured down. Bolts of plasma struck the glowing barriers, flashing against the invisible force before dissipating. His mechanical arms twitched, adjusting mid-battle, their servos humming with anticipation.
A trooper lunged from the side.
Max's metal limb lashed out, fingers locking around the soldier's wrist. A sharp twist—crack!—the plasma rifle wrenched free, clattering to the ground. His second arm shot forward, palm sparking—boom!—a pulse blast hurled the trooper backward, slamming him into the asteroid's crumbling rock.
More figures emerged.
Max's sensors pulsed. Three incoming—left flank. Two more—right. Another group circling behind.
His visor scanned them instantly. Weak points. Movement patterns. Weapon types.
'Predictable.'
A smirk tugged at his lips. His back-mounted cannons whirred to life. Twin barrels locked onto the flanking units—pzzzt!—a rapid burst of energy rounds tore through their formation. The battlefield lit up with scattered explosions.
He moved like a machine, each step calculated, each counter flawless. A trooper swung a plasma blade—Max twisted, activating his wrist-mounted repulsor. A sharp pulse knocked the attacker back. Another soldier rushed in—his mechanical arm shot forward, fingers wrapping around the enemy's neck before slamming them into the ground.
Heat signatures spiked.
His shoulder cannons swiveled. Boom!—a devastating blast engulfed three Apex soldiers mid-charge, their armor searing from the impact.
Max exhaled, rolling his shoulders. "This is getting boring."
Then—beep.
A sharp chime echoed in his helmet. His visor flickered.
His scanner flared red.
Max's eyes narrowed.
A tremor ran through the asteroid beneath him.
Then he looked up.
The Apex carrier ship loomed above, its core pulsing, the swirling mass of purple-blue energy gathering at its cannon's mouth. The ship's hull vibrated with sheer power. The air around him crackled.
Max clenched his fists. His suit's systems surged.
"[High-energy attack detected. Activating Shield—Max Grade.]"
Golden hexagons materialized across his body, locking together in layers. His suit shifted, mechanisms clicking as reinforced barriers wrapped around him like armor.
'Not enough.'
His arms shot skyward.
A massive shield formed above, humming with energy.
'Still not enough.'
Another barrier layered over it. Then another. Then another. The shields stacked, growing denser, glowing brighter, forming an impenetrable dome. His entire body burned with exertion, every ounce of power channeled into the defenses.
The cannon fired.
A beam of destruction carved through space.
Impact.
The first shield cracked.
Then the second. The third.
Each layer shattered, force slamming into him. His suit's alarms shrieked.
Then—one final pulse echoed in his helmet.
"Emergency defense systems activated for all team members. Evacuation sequence triggered."
Max exhaled, forcing his body to stay upright.
'It should protect them…'
His fingers twitched.
'But is it enough?'
The beam struck.
Light consumed his vision. The asteroid fractured.
His body collapsed under the pressure. Shields buckled.
Then—nothing.
————
Aboard the Apex Carrier Ship
The old man leaned back, fingers tapping against the armrest. The asteroid's remains scattered across the void, some fragments drifting aimlessly, others carving fiery trails toward distant celestial bodies. A select few hurtled toward the planet.
His lips curled. "Destruction has a certain… elegance, doesn't it?"
The command doors slid open with a sharp hiss. A trooper stepped inside, boots clicking against the metal floor. He raised a fist to his chest in salute.
"Sir, the salvage ships are in position. We're collecting the asteroid fragments now."
The old man exhaled slowly, savoring the weight of victory. "And the enemies?"
The trooper flicked his wrist, scanning the latest data. His visor pulsed.
"Scanners show nothing but debris, sir. No life signs detected."
A slow grin crept across the old man's face.
"Good."
His gaze lingered on the wreckage beyond the viewing screen. The silence stretched. Then, his wrist device beeped.
His eyes darkened.
With a controlled motion, he stood, adjusting the high collar of his coat. The doors to a secured chamber slid open before him, revealing a room bathed in dim, electric blue light. Six towering screens lined the walls, their displays flickering as masked figures appeared one by one.
He reached for his own mask—a deep blue metallic design, its surface etched with flowing engravings that shimmered like waves beneath the moon. As he placed it over his face, a familiar surge coursed through his veins. His vision sharpened. His thoughts cleared. The mask's neural link pulsed in sync with his breath, feeding him real-time data.
Greg stepped forward, his voice even. "Everything is proceeding as planned."
A sharp, distorted voice crackled through the speakers. One of the masked figures leaned forward, golden streaks lining the jagged edges of his mask like frozen lightning bolts.
"Planned?" A scoff. "You let Jov die."
Greg barely blinked. "And?"
Silence.
Greg tilted his head, voice as steady as before. "What use is a pawn that's reached its limit? His flames were strong, but his control was lacking. He was already standing at the peak of his potential. Weakness like that has no place among us."
Another screen flickered to life. A woman lounged in a high-backed chair, her silver mask adorned with delicate frost-like etchings. A cold laugh slipped from her lips.
"Wise men grow softer with age, but you…" Her head tilted. "You were never wise to begin with."
Greg's fingers twitched at his sides. His voice, however, remained smooth. "Careful, ice witch. If I had my way, you'd have been the one left on that asteroid instead of that failed fire user."
She laughed again, low and mocking. "I wonder… does it haunt you, knowing your 'Water Clan' is nothing but a relic of the past? Drowned by its own weakness?"
Greg's spine stiffened.
Before he could speak, a new voice cut through the chamber.
"Enough."
A suffocating stillness settled over the room.
The largest screen flickered, revealing a tall, imposing figure draped in a dark robe. His mask was unlike the others—black and silver, its swirling engravings twisting like an endless storm. The air itself felt heavier under his presence.
Greg bowed his head. "Lord B-Mask."
The others followed, each dipping their heads in silent reverence.
B-Mask's voice carried no anger, no emotion—just an unsettling weight. "Rise, Greg. You have done well. However… why dispose of the fire user? He was still useful."
Greg straightened. "He had no future." His tone held no doubt. "But I have found another candidate."
A pause.
B-Mask tilted his head slightly. "And who would that be? Surely you don't mean Flame."
The golden-masked figure leaned forward sharply. "That's suicide if you go after him!"
Greg's voice remained steady. "Not him. His son."
The ice-masked woman tapped a gloved finger against her armrest. "Hmm… now that is interesting."
A deep, gravelly voice rumbled through another screen, where a figure sat motionless. His mask, unlike the others, bore deep, jagged cracks—etched as if the earth itself had split to form it.
"And how do you plan to turn him?, You've all seen how he idolizes his father."
Greg turned to B-Mask.
Silence.
Then, B-Mask's voice, calm as ever. "Good. He will do."
Another pause.
"If he refuses—"
The room seemed to shrink, the weight of B-Mask's presence pressing against their chests.
"—then we will break him."
Greg smiled beneath his mask. His gaze flicked to the floating remains of the shattered asteroid on a nearby screen.
The plan had begun.
And nothing would stop it now.