Ben 10 Radiant War, Volume 4

Dreams of the Heart

"CRRSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHH!"

The sound of crunching metal met her ears as the massive mech exploded against the asphalt of the parking lot. 

Parvarti coughed as smoke and sparks jumped out of different areas in the cockpit, and "Red Alert" signs started appearing all over the holographic screens surrounding her, showing the outside view. 

"D..Damnit.. it's like trying to fight a brick wall with normal fists!" Parvarti gasped as she frantically put her hands back in the arm cylinders to transfer her movements to the mech.

Granheart 10 slowly pushed itself up to its knees as outside, Etheria approached, sword and shield drawn. 

"You've tried this for a while now." said Etheria as she stepped forward. "You're powerful when aligned with your peers. But against the denizens of my world you'd be considered a mere apprentice in training combat-wise.  Why do you think Dragfeld is so naturally strong? Even the average farm hand in our world tackles monsters daily to keep them away from his crops.  If anything, every other universe I've been to has been disappointingly lacking when it comes to strength... at least that's how I used to think."

"You talk too much!!" Parvarti's voice echoed from the mech as Granheart let her energy sword slide out of her wrist and she cleaved it down at Etheria. 

Etheria smirked as she deflected the building sized blade easily with her significantly smaller greatsword.  "I admire your spirit. As much as it pains me that you suffered at our god's hands, I must admit that work was necessary."

"WHAT'S NECESSARY... ABOUT USING ME LIKE A SET OF CLOTHES!?" Parvarti screamed as her mech got to its feet and multiple energy beams fired from slots on her shoulders. 

Etheria held up her shield, and a golden aura shaped like a giant pair of angelic wings blocked the beams in an instant. 

"Many evils are necessary in this world.. however, that which is supernatural or grants humans self power at an extraordinary rate, is not one of them." said Etheria. "That is what entices me about Lord Akira. He knows as I do, the evil of extraordinary power in the hands of sentient beings with the ability to feel greed, anger and sadness."

Granheart activated its powerful rockets, flying into the air as one of its arms morphed into a cannon, hurling down a giant orange energy blast at Etheria from above. 

Etheria blitzed away with immense speed, appearing at a leisurely stroll nearby. 

"My world is filled with gods and beings of extraordinary power. It resulted in an evil demon king that commands total obedience, magically enhanced beasts that terrorize all in their wake, and a common people who possess too much massive strength while the few who remain ordinary can only submit to their cruelty.  Power corrupts. Power creates war..  and power cannot be completely vanquished from the world either."

Etheria ducked as several missiles fired from Granheart's torso zoomed past and exploded behind her. 

"I have acknowledged that fact as well. That we have to live with power no matter what." said Etheria as she continued to walk forward. "I cannot stop politicians from rising, for if there is no leadership than all beings would simply take from each other without quarter. A world completely without those in power is also one where everyone freely destroys each other for the sake of gaining power without regulation and is therefore a contradiction and an impossibility."

"Sh-she's too strong.." Parvarti gasped as Granheart zoomed backwards in an attempt to gain distance, her visual targeting turning staticky from the sheer aura that the warrior was putting off.