[ Creators ]

Chapter 50

Castor sleepily pokes around in some bushes trying to find anything that even remotely resembles a crystal, "(This mission...is just getting silly.)"

Indigo excitedly climbs up a tree and happily chants, "Yeet yeet yeeeeeeeet!" as she does. "Careful, dear.", Selena calls, keeping a very close eye on her rambunctious daughter.

"(Wait a minute-)", Castor thinks, "(Can this suit pick up on energy signatures?) ...ehh- suit? Pick up familiar energy signatures from the crystals?" The suit responds accordingly, and it reveals on a holographic screen that there are two Gaia Crystals nearby, both in the same location. Indigo and Selena look over and catch a glimpse of the hologram as Castor is about to head that way. Indigo runs up and catches him by the sleeve.

"Castor!"

"Yes?"

"Don't go over there, there's an evil thingy!"

"Huh-?"

Selena walks up, "I've always felt suspicious energy from that area... But if there are crystals over there... then we'll take the risk. Indigo, stay close to me please." Indigo clings to her mother's skirt as they carry on.

After following the set path, they soon come to a part of a forest that feels... off. The three notices in the distance what looks like an old cave sealed shut and covered in runes. Selena points forward, "That's it, right there." "It looks like a tomb", Castor observes. Indigo clings tighter onto her mother, "It's full of baaad energies. Mommy told me to stay away and never touch it."

They carefully and slowly get closer to this tomb, and they see that embedded in it are the two crystals. "Finally.", Castor steps forward to retrieve the gems but as he does, he begins to notice old signs scattered about the area.

"Stay Away"

"Monster Within"

"DO NOT GO INSIDE"

Castor tilts his head, confused, "What...?" He does some investigating and finds only more signs, the sheer number of warnings becomes dizzying to look at.

"He will make the World turn Black"

"This World Will Fall"

"He is the Void."

"He must stay here for Eternity"

"DO NOT RELEASE
V Y Z"

At that moment, Castor realizes what his dream was about, it was a premonition, another warning!

"...No..."

Selena gingerly puts a hand on Castor's shoulder, "Castor? Are you ok?"

"...I get why you told her never to come here-"

Just then, the group hears a "CRASH" behind them. They whip around and see what can be described as a robotic version of Castor, with menacing, glowing red eyes.

"Mommy...? What is that?"

"Is that- me-?"

The bot ignores them and does a quick scan of the area, immediately locking onto the two crystals. It rushes towards them, nearly knocking over Exisite in the process, then tries to pull the gems out via false telekinesis. "WAIT! NO!", Exisite counters with his own power, but this does little to stop the automaton as it ZAPS him with a field of electricity, pushing him into the ground. It grabs the crystals, but just as it's about to fly away, the tomb illuminates with purple light. "Ugh-! SELENA!", Exisite shouts, "Get Indigo and RUN!" "Ok!", Selena does just that. "Nooo! Exisyyyyyy!!!", Indigo cries as she's pulled away from the scene. Exisite grabs a walkie-talkie from his belt and calls, "Delta! Delta, come in!"

Back at the base, Delta, a young tech prodigy who had been staying with the team, and who sees Castor as a mighty warrior for justice, picks up his walkie and asks, "Delta here! What's your status, Castor?"

"Is DarkClaw there!?"

Hearing his name, DarkClaw gets up and says into the walkie, "Yeah fam, what's up?"

"We might have a problem-! This metal-me took off with two of the crystals. But the real problem is that it released something it shouldn't have!!"

The door to the tomb opens, and a grotesque, purple glow emanates from within as demonic cries can be heard, as if erupting from the depths of the underworld itself. DarkClaw and Delta hear the chaos from their walkie.

"Crap-!"

"Wh-What is that?! Should we go check it out?"

The shining light is like a beacon and the cacophonous screams start to garner attention from all over. Heroes, villains, and civilians alike watch as this entropy spills into their lands.

"It's too dangerous.", Exisite says breathlessly as he hides behind a tree.

"Then run, man!", DarkClaw barks as he takes the walkie from Delta.

"I can't do that- I gotta stop this somehow."

"Castor Kurai, I order you to return home immediately!"

"..."

"Castor?", Delta asks to confirm he's still there.

Just then, Nave, a vigilante and old friend (slash rival) of DarkClaw and Ex appears to figure out just what exactly is happening here. Realizing this fight will be easier with two people, Exisite stands his ground. He whispers into his walkie, "No. I can't afford to run now."

As if on cue, a suspicious man steps out from the tomb as the erratic energy clears up. Everything he wears is black: his hood, his long sinister coat; his face can hardly be seen, other than his deathly, orange eyes. He stretches and yawns as if he was awoken from a very long nap, and the first thing he sees is Nave approaching him as he asks, "And just who might you be?"