R.D. nodded. "Yes, let's get going. Lead the way to the nearest robot-spitting doorway, Vagabond. You did say you're the human map."

A dark figure wandered aimlessly through a murky swamp, scaring the native inhabitants wherever it went. The creature drew it's cloak around it a bit more, not from the cold. It glanced around, apparently trying to spot something. It's red eyes seemed to pierce through the fog, the water, the trees, or anything else it looked at.

Suddenly the creature's head came up, staring off into the distance. Something was coming.

Re-Tuul felt a strange presence in the swamps of the American Mideast, and decided to investigate.

He was not disappointed at the figure that he now watched.

He was using his abilities to mask his powers, and had donned a black cloak. The Khaglessi made his way through the swamp towards the other cloaked figure, never slowing and never hurrying. It stopped in front of the being. "Greetings," Re-Tuul said conversationally, "I have been expecting you."

The creature glanced up at the cloaked figure, and expecting something else was slightly put off guard.

"Who are you," the creature asked as it continued to stare at the figure. "And why have you been expecting me?"

Out for fun, get caught by the boogie man... the creature thought in amusement.

"Boogie man indeed," Re-Tuul responded, catching the being offguard. "Yes, I can hear your thoughts. I know who you are, I know what you are, Kalmar Uverth."

Re-Tuul grinned at his surprised prey.

"I'm here to offer you another chance at destroying infernal corruption, demon hunter. Interested?" the disguised demon said.

Kalmar was sufficiently disturbed, as he was visibly shaking while staring at the cloaked figure. My thoughts?

"An offer," he said, regaining some composure, "what are the conditions of this 'offer?"

In truth, the demon hunter was very interested. It had been a long time since he had found anything worth his talent. Simple demons were weak, and frail... the way this man spoke made Kalmar assume he referred to much bigger prey.

"Yes, tell me of this 'deal'," he uttered as a slow grin spread across his face.

"Simple," Re-Tuul replied. He'd taken the bait.

With a wave of his hand, a ghostly image appeared between them and off to the side. It was of a young man with brown hair and hard brown eyes, wielding a pair of swords. It stood in place, seeming to battle invisible opponents without making a sound.

"This is the Rising Dragon," Re-Tuul said quietly, "And although he's at his weakest, his power is great. Destroy him, and you might find a cure for your own corruption..." he let the statement hang.

The image of the boy frankly bored him. He had seen scarier things after waking up to find his old girlfriend without make-up on. He shuddered at the thought and focused again on the image of the boy.

"I will defeat him, but I will keep his head for my own..." he smiled again. But upon hearing the cloaked figure's last statement, his blood ran cold...

He knew. How many other's knew. Paranoia gripped him as he drew his cloak tighter around him. A tiny voice in the back of his head laughed, and he let the paranoid feeling pass.

"If what you promise comes to pass, I will forever be in your debt..." he told the being. "But when I complete this task, what name shall I call out into the night, so I may collect my reward?"

His face gave way to an inquisitive look, hoping the figure would slip and tell him what he wanted to know.

"My name is unimportant, Uverth," Re-Tuul stated. "Remember... do not underestimate him. He has already destroyed eight of some of the most powerful beings without his new abilities. Be wary. Your power is greater, but still be wary."

"Don't worry... complete your task and you'll know what to do afterwards..."

With a quiet chuckle, Re-Tuul disappeared in a flash of orange light, leaving his cloak behind.

Kalmar Uverth watched the slowly fading orange glow. The only sound he heard was the cloaked figure's words replaying in his mind.

"... complete your task and you'll know what to do afterwards..."

For the first time in a long time, Kalmar felt... excited. He started walking again, his pace never changing, though thoughts of what he would do to the boy to free himself ran wild.

"He'll never know what hit him," the creature muttered to the swamp, as he slowly walked onward.

Edited by Fallen on November 5, 2006 at 21:39:44.

Dark Wolf didn't pay much attenstion to Maya's remark,he turned back around to look out in qwortyard of the casle(in which the 7 beasts were standing)he then turned back around to Maya , "the seven are here my lord."

Hallow-Morph looked around the cementary as he continued walking. "Strange place..." He said. "Not because of being a cementary, of course, it just feels... abnormal." He stopped in his tracks, as right in front of him, several dozens of yards away, colourful sparks erupted in mid-air, and then flowing around in a circle to create something of a portal-like thing. "Oh, goody." He uttered. "Other-dimensional invaders." He immediately stated, as an arm and a leg or two appeared through the other-worldly gate.

"I'LL lead the way!" Matt boldly proclaimed, entering a bold pose with his finger outstretched, pointing to uncharted lands.

"Oh, God," Hugo muttered. "Here we go..."

Morph walked up to the portal. It was weird... he felt drawn to it. He raised his hand, and slowly moved it towards the abnormality. As soon as he touched it, it sucked him through! Swirling colours drowned him, until they slowly faded into black, and new memories appeared...

Re-Tuul, once more in the sky, stopped in midair once more and began to laugh.

"All the players have arrived, and it is time to draw the opening curtain!"

With a flash of orange light, Re-Tuul found himself descending rapidly towards a ruin entrance Kattelox. With a throwing motion of his arm, dozens of small energy beams ripped through the air and started shredding through the entrance. With a maniacal grin, he lifted one clawed hand up, and a white sphere of antimatter appeared. He threw it down as well, and the entrance was consumed in an explosion.

"Catch me if you can, MegaMan Juno," the Khaglessi whispered gleefully.

This time, the memories came by faster. A flash, and he saw Roll smiling at him, another flash, and he saw Blazen and Ray involved in battle, another one, and he saw a bright white light right in front of him, the sign of a fully charged buster, a serious look on the face of a purple-haired lad, and then his head exploded. Then, the only thing that was left... was rage.

"Of course, Juno," Re-Tuul replied, his grin widening, "Don't you consider all demons foolish?"

The Khaglessi held his hand out, to his side, and with a flash of orange light, was holding his greatsword in hand while creating an anti-warp field around the himself so Juno could not teleport around him.

"Now, Ancient," Re-Tuul beckoned, "It's time to play the game. Catch me if you can!"

With a snarl, the demon thrust his free hand, launching a beam of shadow energy at Juno while flying backwards rapidly.

Edited by RisingDragon on November 6, 2006 at 11:10:03.

Sneering, Re-Tuul slapped the beam away from him with a twist of his greatsword and continued flying. He didn't care how fast Juno moved; quite the contrary, the faster the better.

As the two of them shot out over the ocean, Re-Tuul seemed to disappear. He reappeared close behind Juno and swooped in, swinging at the Ancient's back with his greatsword, using his forward motion to continue leading him out over the ocean.

With a flap of his wings, Re-Tuul swept himself over Juno, avoiding the blade easily. Strange reddish-orange lines appeared on his wings, forming into the design of four angry looking eyes. The ocular designs fired four large beams of energy at Juno, and then Re-Tuul swept open a large portal and dove through.

"Come, Juno! I have something to show you!" he snarled at the Ancient before disappearing.

===At Australia===

A portal opened up, and Re-Tuul flew out of it. He looked about quickly, and permitted himself a small smile. Perfect. Hydro has yet to return. Come to me, Juno. Come.

Re-Tuul flew high up into the air and began watching the portal, waiting for his opponent to follow through.

"Ah, you really have come," Re-Tuul mocked, "I had been under the impression you wouldn't come through the portal, seeing how I'd be waiting for you."

Re-Tuul fluttered down to Juno's level in the air. "You are the leader of your world's resistance. One of the two sides of the Dark Apocalypse," he said to the Ancient, "Then perhaps you should know that this war will not be so simple."

Re-Tuul grinned and started laughing. "A third side is about to enter the fray, MegaMan Juno. Are you ready for it?"

===In Space===

The time had come.

The darkness swept past the moon and descended on Earth.

===At Australia===

A speck of darkness, which had been hanging solemnly over the continent, suddenly expanded. The shadow grew and grew, soon blanketing Australia, letting little light through.

Re-Tuul started laughing. "Make no mistake, Ancient! This is no trick!" he shouted gleefully.

At the very center of the continent's airspace, dark clouds billowed, extending tendrils of darkness down towards the surface.

Re-Tuul slowly descended to the ground, turned to face the darkness, and bowed. Thunder crackled as a shockwave of dark power blasted from the nexus of the darkness as the tendrils fused into one giant pulsating length and slammed into the earth. The energy could be felt throughout the world, catching the attention of all dark beings.

"My master has arrived."

The darkness paid no heed to the transformed Ancient. Instead, the pillar of darkness in the center of Australia began to move upward, ripping something from the surface and leaving a giant hole that collapsed in on itself, making a crater. The action rocked the ground, toppling the cities of the continent.

Should anyone had looked up as pillar ascended back into the clouds, it would see the tendrils at its end gripping a large spherical object. The pillar began to shake, and suddenly the tendrils closed around the object, consuming it completely as it assimilated it. The whole continent began to shake violently at the action, and Re-Tuul took to the air, floating up behind Juno. "And now you meet my master... Ziatoch."

With a thought, Re-Tuul escaped into the unknown with a flash of orange light.

Now having completely assimilated the object, the unholy growth receded into the blackened clouds, and they took an unnatural red glow upon their stygian surfaces. A pair of massive, slitted serpentine eyes opened, partially obscured by the darkness in the sky, and stared down at the continent it had taken hold of.

OOC: Does, uh...does Matt and the gang know this is going on?