Misadventures in the Multiverse

Chapter 42: Project Deforestation

Within the tree The Empires forces have been surrounded by strange white creatures. They are long and skinny with no faces and giant claws. The Emperor watches the frontal force struggling to hold their ground. "What are these things?" He asks The Old Man. "Hmm curious I think they are like the trees antibodies. There the last line of defense. If only I had time to study them." The Old Man answers. The Emperor cracks his knuckles, and his neck. "Right time is short Its seems I'll have to step in." He rushes to the front in the blink of an eye punching the closest one and obliterating the area around it.

His men look in aw as he quickly does the same to all them cheering at the strength of their great leader. "Onward men to victory." He shouted spurning them with new found determination as they all rush forward. Corvus, and Reaper choose to walk conserving their energy for challenges that might be ahead. Lucius grabs The Reapers shoulder. "A moment." He says wanting to pick his brain.

Corvus shrugs going on ahead as they talk. "You've been a valuable member of our nation for years, but Its unclear to me where your loyalties truly lay." The Emperor asks him the assassin doesn't answer right away thinking about the question more than he would with other conversations." "When I was a boy... I learned of your late wife's passing... The very idea of this being a possibility is unacceptable to me. It wasn't the first time something like this happened in my life." He offers as a response. This wasn't exactly what he was expecting to hear but The Emperor seemed to accept this response. "When the time comes then. I will be counting on you to draw out the ones that would mock her sacrifice." He walks off leaving him a little puzzled and unsure what that means.

Outside Marcus has positions the entirety of the army around the tree. The fleet flies in the sky ready to meet any opposition that may rear its head. The ground is competently covered in their forces geared, and armored up. The General and her forces emerge from the tops of the tree approaching The Fleet admiral slowly they have a considerable force, but compared to The Empire it looks like nothing at all. "Open a channel." The General orders from the bridge. She is already fully in armor herself. Marcus appears on her screen. "Well, well. My old rival has come to play with me. I expected this but my word the resistance you've gathered up is rather pathetic. I expected more from you." He mocks her.

She clinched her fist. "You know better then anyone its the grit of the soldier that matters more then numbers." He scoffs at her. "Your words are worthless if you don't have to power the back it up dear. Why even bother opening your calms we all know how this ends." "To appeal to whatever humanity exists inside you. You can't think this will end well for everyone they left behind." She shouts at him. "The supreme leader didn't leave us behind you foolish woman. He has faith in our success. He will not fail, and when he succeeds we will emerge as indisputable rulers of everything that exists." He laughs at her. She sighs knowing this was inevitably going to be the outcome. "Then drown in your arrogance." She said signaling for them to cut the transmission and begin their assault.

The volley of laser cannons begins as Mechs emerge from the hangers of The Union ships to engage them directly. They may be out numbered, but not outmatched. On the ground Theron emerges from a portal with an army from The War worlds some of them Lion people but with plenty of others like the demons they previously fought among them. "Don't be careless if you die here you don't get any second chances." She said as she lightly tapped the handle of her hammer on the ground signaling for them to attack. They charged forward seeming to have a much easier time defeating the ground forces in front of them. Even still there were so many of them they were quickly surrounded by the massive army.

The Chimera descended from the sky landing violently before Theron with the exclusion of their commander. Cindy was still on the bridge with Marcus. She was a little torn. She had a desire to help them, but knew how dangerous the battle was she was afraid if she left his side he might meet his end. "Listen. I know I'm not nearly as strong as you lot. But I can hold my own. Go help them a reward is in order for after the battle." He said enticing her with empty promise. She blushes with the possibility of what it could be. She salutes. "Yes sir!" and rushes off to join them.

She lands on the ground killing a couple of demons without mercy they cry out in pain as they die. She looks a little confused. This isn't the first time she has encountered enemies that are more monstrous, but she was always a little more unsure about fighting them. She felt a weird kinship with them after all her, and the legions discrimination for being different in The Empire.
Theron zips at lightning speed to her hitting hard with her hammer knocking her away and taking out a chunk of the army in the process. Cindy gets up weakly wiping the blood from her mouth grinning. "It's not everyday I fight someone that can make me bleed." The dragon flaps her wings speeding toward her striking her with her fist knocking her down with a powerful hit just the same. Theron stands up recovering. "Aye. We may be enemies but we are also sisters of war. Let us fight." She smiles gladly taking her on for the fight of her life.

That's when The Hopper finally enters the battle. Everyone on board is wearing armor. Clyde is a little surprised Raleigh just had some ready already. Rebecca didn't seem to be much of a surprise to him She put on a helmet and activated a propulsion system on her back. She forces the door of The Hopper open. "Hey hands off my ship. Where are you going anyway." Raleigh would ask her. "I'm going to go ahead of you." She jumped out of the door to flying off toward the base of the tree before they could say anything. Raleigh wanted to go straight there to but she was flanked on all sides by empire fighters. Some of the Mechs cleared a path but she still had to take evasive maneuvers to avoid the chaotic sky's and laser fire.

Loki finally showed himself but what he had chosen as a transport was rather odd. It appeared to be a giant floating parade float with a giant hologram of himself dancing over it. "The party has arrived everyone so lighten up." Loki said dancing as the float kept charging forward. Both The Squad and Scouts seemed a little embarrassed to be associated with him standing on top defending against anyone stupid enough to try and climb up and fight them. Jacob and white stood parallel to each other both with their arms crossed. They still didn't like each other its seems. "Come on." Adrian said pleading for Jacob to do something. "I'm not doing it." He said defiantly.

"You owe us remember." The white scout said now sounding more like he was demanding whatever it was he wanted more then asking. Jacob groans not really wanting to comply but after thinking about getting chewed out again her relents. "Fine but quickly." All of them begin to strike a pose transforming together. "Alright that wasn't so bad was it." Adrian said enthusiastically. "Shut up and fight punk." Jacob said bluntly.

Both The Hopper, and Loki's float had gotten past The line Theron's army had made and progressed closer to the tree. Everyone with enough power to stop them was preoccupied with their fights leaving little resistance but the path they made was quickly closed by Swarm of enemy shoulders. They land at The Trees cave like entrance all getting out ready to defend the position until Loki got the barrier up. The Scouts, and Squad took the front successful in holding back the wall of men trying to stop them. Loki started to write in the air and mumble something under his breath. After a moment a pillar of light surrounded them all covering enough ground to shield everyone inside and their ships. The army seemed confused at first but started to attack the barrier with everything in their arsenal from there personal multi-tools to bombs and missile launchers. They made the barrier flicker a little but it held strong.

Marcus noticed this from above. "What! How could you let them slip past you so easily." He shook his head in disappointment opening coms to the entire army. "All forces focus on destroying that barrier!" Just as he said that his ship was hit hard with a barrage of fire from The Generals flag ship. "I suppose I can't turn my back on you though." He said slightly annoyed. Other then his ship and a few others already engaged in combat everyone else turned their weapons around to fire opon it. Loki winced in pain as now the fire power from both the army and the ships above were proving to be to much he was struggling to keep it up. Lucy quickly healed him and replenished his stamina, but was clear to them all that this would not work forever. "Go!" The doctor demanded of them.

All of the strike team looked at each other and nodded at her rushing into the tree to confront The Emperor. Raleigh takes one last look at her ship a little worried about it, but knowing this was the best option. Loki grins still seeming to struggle a little to keep it up. "Like I'd go down so easy." He reached out his hand ready for them all determined to keep it up.