The monsters proceeded down the hall at a rapid pace; smallish, insectoid monsters that seemed to be made up of nothing but blades. They chittered and screeched as their blade-like limbs tapped repeatedly against the metal floor as they bore down on Matt.

===Nine-Breaker Storage Hangers===

"Dammit!"

Berenson's fist slammed down hard on the metal table. Here in the hangers, they had been relatively ignored by the attacking force--according to Central Command, the enemy was going after the Mass Driver and the Essence. Most other sections of the base had been overlooked, including the mechanoid hangers.

Johann was looking out through the window, at the two mangled Nine-Breakers standing side by side. An intense look was on his face. "I think I have an idea. We can still fight like this."

"You're kidding," Berenson said, standing up to look at his brother. "How can we still fight if those things can't even stand on their own!?

"Easy," Johann said. "We'll stand them up together."

Matt just thrust out his hand at them. "Blow me." He fired a powerful burst of air that swept up the monsters and spiralled them away.

...did he really just make that joke? Yeesh.

Iker and Alvarez retreated down the hall, spraying as many bullets down it as they could at the new enemy force. A portal had ripped open in a chamber they were in, spewing out dozens of monsters and forcing them to retreat.

As they continued their assault, the pursuing Hell Knight caught up to them at last. It began smashing other demons out of the way as it gave chase. R.D. finally had enough.

"You keeps keep moving!" He shouted, drawing both of his Phase Blades and combining them into the Phase Scythe. Holding out the giant sword before him, he readied himself for combat by summoning his Bound Armor. "I'll hold this guy off and catch up!"

"No, R.D.!" Alasea shouted, stopping for a moment. "There's no way you can do that, its suicide!"

"Don't argue with me, Alli!" he shouted back, looking angry. "There's no way I'd lose to the likes of these freaks! Just get moving!"

"You heard the man, move it!" Alvarez shouted, pushing the girl back before firing more bullets past R.D.. Reluctantly, she began to retreat as well. "Good luck, kid! You're gonna need it!"

The Hell Knight roared in fury, generating plasma in both of its hands. With a smirk, R.D. charged forward and attacked.

===Central Command, Aube===

Within Central Command, all hell seemed to be breaking loose. The chamber shuddered violently as an explosion occurred; the main screen showed another creature-turned-living-vessel firing a beam of energy down into one of the main defense turrets, finally shredding through the armor plating at its base and collapsing it. The reactor powering it went critical, and the whole thing was consumed in a massive explosion.

"We lost the cove defense turret!" a technician shouted. "We've only got three turrets left!"

"Concentrate all deployed forces around the Mass Driver!" Patrick ordered. "Make sure nothing gets through!"

Turning, he looked down at Kaile. "What's the status on all our Special Officers?"

"Special Officer Willard has been separated from the rest of Willard Company," Kaile shouted as her fingers flew across the keyboard of her terminal. "Transmissions indicate he's taking Special Officer R.D.'s place on the surface. Willard Company is still proceeding to the Download Chamber!"

A notification appeared on her terminal's screen and her breath caught in her throat. "Jare--Special Officer Larown's engaged an enemy in the undeveloped hangers! He's trapped down there with no backup!" Panic was evident in her voice.

"Get the nearest patrol down there and provide back-up!" the General ordered.

Another explosion rocked the base. "We just lost four Nine-Breakers!" an officer shouted.

"Why the hell hasn't the Ultimate Nine-Ball been deployed!?" the General demanded.

Helena didn't even pause for a second before Hugo was barking at her. "Come on, we need everyone we got protecting the Essence!" He glanced past Helena's ankle at R.D.. "And you come on, too! Don't do anything stupid like Matt would do, we've sacrificed too much already!"

***

Unhassled, Matt flew faster, burning as much wind power as he could.

"We're not gonna get there if we keep having to retreat because of this bastard!" R.D. shouted back. "Just go, I'll kill him and I'll catch up! I'm faster than all of you anyway!"

Plasma exploded violently against R.D.'s armor, throwing him back as the Hell Knight advanced. R.D. quickly got back up and attacked, slashing down and managing to cleave into the creature's chest. Thrusters activated in R.D.'s armor, and using the force, he smashed his shoulder into the demon's gut, staggering it back.

"Just get going!" Iker shouted, "We can't dawdle here! If he can catch up, he will!"

===Sector D-2===

As Matt flew down the hall, he came across another wide room, this time filled with soldiers holding off an enemy force. People were piling onto a service elevator headed towards the surface.

"That's the last of them, lock down the doors!" one of the soldiers shouted. Another soldier ran up to a keypad and punched in a quick code. Behind Matt, metal blast doors slammed shut, leaving only a few demons left, and those were quickly dealt with. The other soldiers began to get into the elevator.

"Come on, kid!" one of them shouted to Matt. "Let's get out of here!"

"Go on!" Helena said, waving Hugo back. "I just need to do one thing!"

"Helena!" Hugo snapped, but she was already leaning back, extending her claw.

She stared at the demon and felt white-hot rush up through her body to her arm. Fire burst into life from her palm, expanding into a large ball. With a yell she chucked the ball at the demon, and it burst into a dozen thin, curving lines of flame that crashed into the monster's face.

Now she could bolt, and she did, going after Hugo.

***

"Does this go to 10-B?" Matt shouted.

Ileyna and Alasea followed after, along with the two G.A.R. soldiers. Behind them, the flames shot out and smashed hard into the demon's face, causing it to bellow. R.D. spun the Phase Scythe in his hand and swung, cutting the Hell Knight's chest once more and knocking it back.

Behind them, demons were pouring out of the portal in droves, turning into a seething mass that struggled to get towards R.D..

"Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you?" R.D. said as the walls were torn asunder by the matter converter, creating his four mounted cannons.

===Sector D-2===

"This thing's headed up to Sector A, but you can keep going to reach the surface levels!" he shouted back. "Just get on, those doors aren't gonna hold forever!"

Sure enough, the blast doors began to buckle as monsters pounded on them, trying to break through.

Matt leapt inside the elevator and swiveled back around, arming an electric blast for whatever would come.

The elevator began to lift, and moments after, the doors caved in, allowing the marauding demons to flood into the room.

"OPEN FIRE!" the lead soldier bellowed, and the soldiers at the front of the elevator's edge unloaded their weapons on them. Over two dozen monsters were killed in the first volley, their bodies disintegrating into ash as they fell back.

"Thundering Star!" A mine of electricity fired into the fray of monsters and expanded into a powerful field to damage multiple enemies at once.

The attack electrocuted most of the enemy force, halting them in their tracks and opening up one hell of a chance for the soldiers. They switched weapon functions on their ZF-1 rifles and fired their rockets into the mass, killing plenty in the volley. Shortly after that, they cleared the wall and were safe--for the moment.

"Thanks for the assist," the head soldier said, turning to Matt. "You need to get up to Level 10-B, right? We've managed to clear most of the upper levels so you can probably get there without any trouble."

Matt nodded curtly. "Thanks."

It wasn't long before the elevator arrived at Sector A-2, and the personnel being evacuated departed, along with the soldiers. Before they left, they input the command to take the lift up to Level 10.

As the ascent began again, Matt could hear the sounds of battle outside much more clearly. The battle was heating up and growing worse by the second.

Matt frowned. Shit was really going down. He hoped the hangar for KishouDoragon wasn't swamped, otherwise he'd have a hard time getting to the mech.

Within Level 10, one of the walls separating 10-A from 10-F had been completely obliterated, as a gigantic, cyclopean monstrosity rampaged through. Its skin was a dead brown color, and its head was flattened back like a crest and covered with metal bands, its single red eye prominent above a mouth full of needle-like teeth. Its hands ended in three-fingered metal claws, and armor covered its shoulders, feet, and lower torso. Missile launchers were armed in the palms of its gauntlets.

With a roar, it lifted up its gauntlets and showered 10-A with a flurry of rockets as the elevator came to a stop.

"Shit!" Matt dived out of the elevator towards the nearest cover when the rockets started flying.

Ceasing its assault, the monster stomped forward towards Matt's cover behind a destroyed Falken; its heavy footsteps shook the metal floor with each step. It snarled as it raised up its weapons again.

The wall separating 10-A and 10-B suddenly exploded, showering the room with debris. With a roar, the cyclops turned and aimed its weapons into the new gap, but a massive metal dragon's head launched from the smoke. Tamaran bit into the creature's arm and wrenched, throwing it down with his superior size and strength. With a scream, the monster collapsed to the ground.

Tamaran released its grip on the monster's arm and lifted its head up, then swung it back down with untold force. The monster's head exploded under the pressure, skull caving in instantly. With the threat neutralized, the mecha dragon lifted its head back and looked over at Matt. its eyes flashed briefly.

Matt stood up in full with a whooping laugh. "Nice one, Tamaran!" He walked closer, hoping it would understand him. "Listen, I need your help. R.D. and the others are stuck underground. He needs KishouDoragon to get out there and fight. Would you mind lettin' me take the controls this time?"

Tamaran's eyes glowed once more in response, and the mecha dragon turned towards the hanger entrance, leading outside into the firefight. It stepped clear of the ruined opening it had made in the wall, pulling down some more debris that it couldn't quite clear.

Permission had been granted, it seemed. The mecha dragon Tamaran proceeded through the rest of the hanger to begin battle. At its entrance, he loosed a frightening roar in challenge at the monsters overhead.

"Uhhhh, okay?" Did it work? Well, there was only one way to find out.

Grasping the wind again, Matt soared past Tamaran towards the hanger entrance, piercing the sky. His eyes took in the massive, raging battle, and for a moment he paused before moving again.

"All right!" he said, lifting his arm. "Fusion!"

Edited by The Helldragon on August 10, 2009 at 21:13:33.

Tamaran responded immediately, feeling Matt's Omega Essence synchronize its energy to his own internal Ao-Gem. Thrusters propelled Tamaran into the air after Matt, and with a roar, the mecha dragon swallowed Matt whole.

The process began immediately, and Tamaran's body reconfigured into the human form of Doragon.

===Central Command, Aube===

"Sir!" Kaile shouted, getting the General's attention. "We've received reports that Matt has initiated Fusion with Tamaran!"

"About damn time," the General said. Now he wouldn't have to worry about the forces on the outside so much. "Have the Galm and Mobius Squadrons fly cover for him until KishouDoragon has been assembled!"

"Yes sir!" shouted one officer, who quickly relayed the orders to Mobius One and Cipher.

"Roger that!"
"Understood."

"Coo-ooh-oool," Matt gushed.

Oh, this was a familiar feeling. Just like driving Genesic GaoGaiGar all over again. But Doragon was way different than that big monster...Matt didn't even remember half the stuff R.D. said KishouDoragon could do. Guess the only thing to do now was try what he could.

"Okay!" he said, his voice amplified from Doragon's mouth. He chambered his left fist, and the giant mech replied in turn. He then brought his right arm up, angling it diagonally across his chest, with his hand flat. It was a neat post he had seen somewhere before.

"Let's go! Hyper Fusion!"

Doragon was quickly enveloped by the sphere of Crystalis flame that was issued from Tamaran's mouth, knocking away the incoming Devil Dragons. Several Nine-Breakers, one of which featuring a left arm painted in crimson colors, flew out and around the transforming machine to ward off other attackers.

Below, the Dragon Spirits rocketed out of the hangers they had been stored in, and took to the air. One by one, the pierced the Crystalis and began to combine with Doragon.

Okay. Um...attacks. What could this thing do? Damn it, he didn't remember! Maybe this thing could let him know somehow. He could drive GaoGaiGar just fine, and if this was built on the same principle, it should let him know what he could do. Hopefully.

Sensing the need of its Crystalis Server, KishouDoragon seemed to respond. Information from the Ao-Gem downloaded itself into Matt's mind, while simultaneously opening up holographic control panels around Matt to display information.

The enemy force, however, did not wait so long. Upon detecting the arrival of KishouDoragon, one of the living vessels turned and readied its crystal weaponry. Energy gathered within one of the two crystals growing out of the "ship's" underside, and fired a crimson beam of energy.

"Look out!" one of the Mobius Squadron members shouted over the intercom, as the Nine-Breakers scattered out of the line of fire.

One of the panels had the instant defensive option Matt needed. "Draken Wing!"

KishouDoragon's wings opened up and their hidden thrusters ignited, propelling the Drake of Braves up and over the incoming beam at high speeds. The beam soared over the island and detonated harmlessly over the seas.

A communication window appeared within the chamber of light, and Kaile's face appeared on the screen. "Your enemy appears to be a mutant Decarabia, Matt," she said. "These creatures lack the defensive capabilities of the Cyraeth like the one R.D. killed yesterday. But its offensive capabilities are much stronger. Be careful."

"AHHH!" Matt shouted out of surprise. "Where the hell did you come from? Ahhhh, never mind. I guess I'll just hit it until it dies."

A panel appeared as he wondered what attack to use. Ah, THIS should work!

Doragon chambered its arm, and the head of GaiaDraken spun at high speeds, glowing red hot. "Genocide..." It threw out its arm and the head launched towards the Decarabia. "Blazer!"

As the Decarabia vessel began to charge up its second crystal weapon, the Genocide Blazer tore through the air. Hastily, the demons aboard the mutant vessel brought up its defense systems, causing a sphere of energy to surround the creature, but it was useless. The dragon-head projectile burned through the shield within moments and smashed hard into the creature's right side, coring it.

Rings of flame expanded within the wound, causing more and more internal damage. Within moments, the Decarabia was consumed in a powerful explosion, while the Genocide Blazer returned to KishouDoragon.

Cheers rose up through the command center and on the comm. channels.

"Let's take those bastards out!" Leon's voice roared over it, easily louder than the other voices. "Only two more ships to go!"

KishouDoragon pumped its fist, mimicking Matt's movements. "Oh yeah! Let's do it!" The giant mech rocketed towards the enemies.