The Grandmaster was fiddling with various objects on his desk. I remained strapped to the flat surface by the magic energy. I watch him pick up items, then place them back down. Then, he turned to me and grinned widely. I shutter as I see his disgusting teeth. 

 

I get an urge to ask something as my thoughts rush around in my head. "Grandmaster, why are you doing these horrible things to innocent worlds? What's your motive?" 

 

"My motive?" He walks over to me with a slight grin. "My motive is to keep the powerful over the weak. Weak societies don't mean anything in a universe filled with power hungry species. They don't bring anything new to the table."

 

"Oh really? Then why destroy my planet? Ain't I enough to prove my species is capable?" 

 

"Ha!" He backs away from me before pointing at me. "You don't represent everybody." 

 

"I thought the sword chooses the most capable of the species. If I got here, then that should mean something." The Grandmaster begins to laugh at my comment. 

 

"I don't think anybody told you yet, have they?" 

 

"What?" I raise my eyebrow in curiosity. 

 

"You're not the first AzLean Soldier, you're just continuing in the footsteps from the one before you." My eyes widened when I heard this. "There was another before me?"

 

"Yes." He says with a lot of enthusiasm. "His name was Theodore Bucky." He turns away and begins making his way over to something large covered up by fabric in the corner. "He changed my understanding of the sword's power when he first took hold of it. It was. . . Interesting to witness." He brushes his hand against the sheet. 

 

"However, just like you. I couldn't let him win." He grabs hold of the sheet and pulls it off. That's when it reveals a large glass chamber with a liquid inside. The color was green, but it didn't appear to be any form of waste. Within the liquid, was something that made me sick to my stomach. A humanoid skeleton was inside, and it had no indication of leftover remains inside. It was just the skeleton inside. "So. . . I killed him."

 

"What the fuck?! Why did you keep him with you? That's sick!" 

 

He laughed from my sickened expression and concerned tone. "He serves as a memory to me. I respect him for not believing in our efforts." I felt like puking the longer I laid my eyes on it. I turn away from it and toward the floor. He laughs again, before hearing him place the fabric covering around the glass chamber. "Now, I guess I can add you to the collection with him." 

 

After taking a second to get the image out of my head. I lift my head to him with an expression of irritation. "Not going to happen." 

 

"Well, I'm sorry to tell you but you don't really have a choice." He picks up something small from the desk and lifts it up toward me to see. Which I notice instantly to be my earpiece. "Your friends aren't coming to save you. So, any luck of escaping is long gone." 

 

I growl in anger, continuing to try and pull the sword to me. However, nothing happens when I do. "Also, I nearly forgot to tell you. I'm glad you brought the sword back to me. You have shown me that the sword holds too much power to be in the hands of mortals. So, I'm going to just have to destroy it like it should've been long ago." 

 

"Don't you dare! Once I get out of this, I will kill you myself with that sword! Show you how ironic it is to be killed by your very own weapon." He laughs once again with more evilness in it. 

 

"I'd like to see you try. . ." He grins widely down at me, which gives me shivers. Though, I keep my expression tightly calm and neutral to show I'm not afraid. Even though I'm aware that the Grandmaster can see right through it. 

 

That's when something happened that surprised both of us. A loud and large explosion was felt throughout the spaceship. The Grandmaster's expression turned to concern as he turned toward the direction the explosion came from. "Hm. . ." The purple magic forms around his hand as he brings up a visual image of what's happening outside. 

 

That's when we see Azorian spacecraft slowly approaching the battleships. "It looks like you're right about them coming to save me." I chuckle and grin. 

 

Grandmaster turned to me, but his expression wasn't what I was expecting to see. "Don't get your hopes up, this may actually benefit us actually." He laughs a little before more purple magic forms around his hand. A portal opens up to my left, which reveals the familiar face of Peter in the grim reaper outfit. 

 

"I'm going to check on the co-pilots. Watch him for me." Then the Grandmaster begins to rush his way out of the room. When he left, it was only me and Peter by ourselves. Our eyes met, but Peter's eyes were still fully black. Telling me that the Robanian back on earth was still controlling him. I growl a little when I notice this. 

 

"Peter. . ." 

 

"Silence you pathetic intruder. . ." He doesn't appear to be enthusiastic about the situation. His expression told me that he wasn't entirely happy. In fact, it was like he was in pain all over his body. Which is even more evident by the even worse condition he was in now. His veins were darker this time, and were slowly creeping up his neck. 

 

"Peter, I know this isn't you. You need to snap out of this." 

 

"What are you talking about? I am Peter. . ." 

 

"No, you're the Robanian. Taking over my best friend's body for your own benefits." He walks in front of me and fully faces me. "I know Peter, he would never do this. It's not like him." 

 

Peter slightly smirks at me. "Peter, if you can hear me. You need to push him out. Don't let him take control of you. It's not his body, it's yours." He stops and looks at himself, raising his arms up in the air before meeting eyes again. 

 

"Looks like he's not here. Too bad, so sad." He reaches his arm out and takes out the familiar staff. Grabbing it and holding it out to me. Scrapping the tip of the sharp edge against my neck. Though, it doesn't pierce my skin. "This gives me a chance to kill you here and now. Grandmaster will be happy to know I did this for him. I can be rewarded for doing the impossible." 

 

I move my head away, trying to avoid the staff. "Peter. . ." I manage to let out. "Do you remember that time when you and I met? And what we told each other that day?" 

 

"Silence! Or I'll slice your head off." He pulls the staff back, before beginning to get himself ready to swing it. 

 

"We told each other that the most important thing in a relationship is communication. Well, I want to tell you something that I regret. I'm sorry for not doing my part, and I no longer want to keep secrets. I should've told you sooner what was wrong. Not only that, but the fact that we will always stand beside each other. No matter what!" Right when Peter was about to swing the staff toward my neck. He stopped himself and started to groan and growl in pain. 

 

He yelped out as he dropped the staff and fell to the floor. I watched him squirm in pain, before finally passing out. I stared down at him in worry, before reaching my hand out to the staff. I used whatever energy I had to pull the staff toward me. Fortunately, it worked and it flew into my hands. Gripping it before harnessing the energy within to set me free from the purple energy strapped around me. 

 

I catch my fall by rolling my body. I stand upwards onto my feet and immediately go over to Peter's side. He was still breathing, but completely unconscious. I try to wake Peter up by shaking him a little. However, Peter was out cold. I sigh before looking around the room for any sign of my sword. 

 

Though, I couldn't find it anywhere in the room. Telling me that it's likely in another room. I decided to try and sense for the sword's presence around me. I knew that it couldn't be far because I'm not feeling sick at all. That's when I felt its energy across the ship from where I was. I was near the back of the spaceship. 

 

I begin heading toward the door and open it. The door opened automatically, which revealed the empty hallway. I kept the staff in my hand tightly just in case any Robanians came past. It might not be the sword, but I'm able to harness the energy within it for my own use. I begin walking down the hallway and keep my ears perked to any nearby sounds. 

 

I soon come to a four way intersection with hallways leading out. I check all directions, but find multiple Robanians down one. From what I can tell, I was going to need to go down there if I wanted to get to the sword. I glanced down the hallway, but noticed that they were also heading down it. 

 

I take this opportunity to follow them carefully and quietly. As I follow them, they walk into a room and close the door behind them. I knew the sword wasn't in the room so I went past it. Though, before I could get to the end of the hallway. I hear voices from behind me. Alerting me instantly as I grip the sword and turn my body around. I aim the staff down the hallway, which is where I find multiple Robanians in armor. 

 

They began to go toward me, but stopped as black energy spurted out of the staff. The energy hits one of the Robanians and kills them. Though, I yank the staff into the floor and begin using the energy to form creatures with the black energy. The creatures came in various sizes with glowing red eyes. 

 

The creatures begin to leap and attack the Robanians. Giving me time to make a run for it. I make several turns before eventually coming to what appeared to be the control room. The door was closed, but I could hear voices within. I press my back against the wall beside the doorway. 

 

I hold the staff in front of me ready. The black energy wraps around the tip of the staff. I then reach my hand out and slowly begin to push the door open. I quietly and cautiously walk through the door. Luckily, nobody inside was looking in my direction. Allowing me to slip inside undetected. 

 

I can see the Grandmaster on the other side of the crowd of Robanians. He was in a deep conversation with the rest of the Robanians. That's when I saw the same light blue energy lit up near him. I knew instantly that the sword was there. I hide myself to the best of my ability and begin to listen into the conversation. 

 

"The Azorian are making a mistake. Let's start with some warning shots to warn them that we will attack if they don't leave immediately." After a few minutes, I hear multiple missiles fire from the spaceship. Hearing them explode out in space. Though, I couldn't hear any sign of spaceships blowing up. 

 

"If they don't leave within the next-." Before he could finish his sentence, I hear the spaceship get hit by multiple missiles. Shaking the spaceship and causing the lights to flicker. "Hm. . . They chose this. Send out your fleets and get ready for battle. If they want this, then we will give it to them." 

 

I hear the Headmaster beside him approve of him. The Grandmaster chuckles in delight. Almost as though he was enjoying every moment of this scene forming. I growl in annoyance as I tightly grip the staff. If I can't get around the crowd, then I'm going to have to go through. 

 

Unfortunately, before I can make a move into the crowd. My leg was gripped and pulled away, resulting in me falling onto my face. I used the sharp end of the staff to dig into the floor to prevent me from getting pulled further. I looked down toward the cause of the force. That's when I saw Peter once again within the doorway. 

 

The entire crowd was now aware of my presence, turning to watch my struggle. Some of whom attempted to assist Peter in capturing me. Though, I used the energy of the staff to kill the Robanians. Then, yanked the staff out of the floor and hit Peter on the forehead with the bottom of the staff. 

 

This causes him to lose his grip and grab his forehead in pain. Allowing me to get up onto my feet and begin killing the Robanians within the crowd. Unlike before, I actually felt the Robanians energy hit me. Which told me that the staff wasn't nearly as strong as the sword. Though, that didn't stop me from continuing forward. 

 

As soon as I killed the last Robanian. I was now face to face with the Grandmaster and Headmaster. Both had annoyed expressions, though I can tell Grandmaster was slightly amused. Grandmaster motioned for the Headmaster to take care of me. Which the Headmaster eagerly approved. I watched as his magical hands appeared in front of him and slowly began to approach me. 

 

I held the staff in front of me in defense. I prepare myself, slowing my breathing to calm myself. Although, something happens immediately seconds after I start to feel ready. The small burst opened with a large flame. A familiar silhouette flew through the hole and landed beside the Headmaster. 

 

As I examined the silhouette, I came to the realization that it was none other than Hank himself. Holding the axe and nunchucks in his hands at full flame. I grew a large grin on my face at the sight of him. "Hank!" I yelled in excitement. Hank instantly leaped forward and swung the nunchucks forward. Causing the end of it to extend like a chain and wrap around the Headmaster. 

 

Hank used intense force to pull the Headmaster toward me. Using the axe to slice the Headmaster in half vertically. Flying in between the two halves of it and landing onto his feet. Standing upright fully and pulling the end of the nunchucks back in. He then turns to me with a smile, happy to see me uninjured. 

 

The Grandmaster was unimpressed to see Hank. "Go get the sword, I'll distract the Grandmaster." I nod to him, and begin to wait for Hank to make the first move. Even though I know that Grandmaster heard us. 

 

Hank stepped closer to the Grandmaster, holding his axe out readily with flame covering it. "We meet again, only this time. I'm going to show you what it's like to lose something important to you." 

 

"Oh really?" Grandmaster grinned widely at him. Hank instantly leaped toward Grandmaster, holding up his axe in the air above him. As soon as he got close enough to hit him. Grandmaster used intense force to punch Hank in the chest. Causing Hank to spit out blood from the impact. Though, instead of getting onto the floor and giving up. He arose again after taking a second to breath. 

 

I watch Hank dash ahead toward Grandmaster, and begin to push a large flame toward him. Seeing the Grandmaster begin to use his purple magic to block the fire from making contact with him. That's when I realized that this was the opportunity to go in and grab my sword. I quickly dash toward the sword that was mostly stationary behind the Grandmaster.

 

He notices me coming toward him and uses his free arm to cast multiple magical beans. I quickly dodge out of the way using the dark energy of the staff. Then, I leap forward highly into the air with a lot of force. The grandmaster is about to cast another magical spell on me. Luckily, I threw the staff toward him with the sharp edge of it penetrating his shoulder. 

 

Which allowed me to land beside the sword and pick it up with both of my hands. The surge of energy went through my body as I felt myself growing in power. The Grandmaster behind me yanks the staff out of his arm. Then he turns to me and quickly attempts to use his fists to knock me out again like earlier. Though, I vanish in an instant of speed and reappear near the doorway. 

 

Peter jumps onto me and attempts to tackle me. I dodge quickly and push him underneath me. I lay my foot down onto his back and lower the sword down to him. The blade makes contact with his neck, and I begin to push energy into his mind. Trying to use the energy to free his mind like I did with Hank and Hoy months prior. 

 

After a few seconds, I notice Peter's struggle to stop. Telling me that Peter was free from the mind control. I help him up to his feet and check his eyes. Which now had no sign of blackness covering his pupils. I grew a sign of relief and tried to snap my fingers in front of him. Though, I came to the realization that Peter wasn't fully snapped out of it. I kept snapping my fingers, but nothing was working. "Peter?" I tried to shake him a little, but even that wasn't working. "Peter?! Wake up man!"