Matt re-shouldered his sack. "Then let's boogie. We're burnin' daylight...somewhat."

R.D. shouldered his satchel, and checked its contents after placing the last Chaos Emerald inside. He had changed back into the outfit he had worn during their last adventure, before the Eternal Sanctuary, as his last outfit had been completely torn apart in the battle against Re-Tuul, and the torture sessions that had followed. They left the inner facility, where the Vortigaunt joined them by the driveway across from the wrecked bridge.

"That's odd," he murmured as he pulled the Great Serpent's Scale out. "It isn't glowing like it usually does."

"Lemme see that." Snatching the Scale from R.D., Matt studied it closely for any signs of damage. "The last thing we need is for this to be broken."

The Scale managed to gleam in what little light there was, but it was all natural--none of the chaotic, mystical energy that it used to drill a Gateway into the fabric of existence. Was their task here not complete yet?

"I don't know what to make of it," Alasea said as she took it. "I'll see if I can figure something out."

The Vortigaunt that had accompanied them this far soon approached. "Is there reason for delay?" it asked, clasping two of its hands together.

"The Scale we've been using to travel dimensions isn't working," Helena said. "Is it busted?"

"Hell if I know," Matt said, holding it up. "I'm not a magic scale expert."

Wordlessly, Alasea handed the Great Serpent's Scale over to the Vortigaunt, who accepted it in one hand. Silently, the alien looked over the scale, examining it for whatever flaws that its kind could see that they, as humans, could not.

After a moment, he handed it back to the group. "The way ahead is dark for the moment," it said, shaking his head.

"Well, we'll figure something out," R.D. said as he accepted it back.

"There's always the Gateway device on Persior," Alasea suggested hesitantly, likely causing all but Ileyna and Helena to flinch. "I know it's not the best idea, but at least it is one."

R.D. nodded, and looked back up at the Vortigaunt, who had stepped back. "Thank you... for saving me," he said. "I don't know how you did, but I'm grateful for it."

The alien nodded. "Our purpose is mutual. We all serve the same mystery," it replied. "Could you but see the eyes inside your own, the minds in your mind, you would see how much we share."

As cryptic as it was, R.D. only nodded, strangely heartened by the words.

"I must now join with my kin," the Vortigaunt bid farewell. "We shall continue our hunt for Corruptors."

Edited by RisingDragon on March 31, 2011 at 0:00:05

Matt held out his hand to shake. "Good luck out there. Thanks for all the help."

The two shook hands before the alien departed, returning to the inner facilities of the waste management center. The large gate opened, allowing them passage, and they stepped out.

"Where do we go from here?" R.D. asked, looking back.

"Can I see that for a moment?" Ileyna asked, gesturing to the Great Serpent's Scale. Wordlessly, R.D. handed it over to the girl, who accepted it in both hands as she looked it over.

It seemed to gleam in her hands as she examined it, ignoring the others as they discussed their options. Before long, its edges seemed to glow brightly, and Ileyna made a squeak when she noticed it.

"Guys...!"

Alasea looked over, and swore as she saw the Scale's burning light.

Crimson light enfolded the scale, gathering up the energy until soon, the air was thick with the red particles--it was gathering far more than was necessary to create its Gateways.

Rays of light erupted from the scale in Ileyna's hands, piercing through the air and causing the ground to shudder as the Scale activated once more. The Gateway formed all around them, swallowing them up in an instant and hurtling them into a blackened void.

"FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK-!" Matt shouted as they spiralled through charged time and space, until the end approached and he was spit out onto new ground. Rather than meeting hard impact, though, the ground caught his body softly, and he realized that it was actually some sort of shimmering material, transparent and soothing blue. As he pressed down on it, it forced him up, solidifying under his hands and knees like glass.

"The hell...?" he asked, looking up, and found the black sky glistening with innumerable stars, each of various shapes and colors and sizes.

The others quickly followed suit, landing gently all around Matt. Blue light filtered down from Ileyna's form as she hovered above them, looking about wildly.

"Alright, where the hell are we now?" R.D. asked, standing up carefully.

"Idon't know...but I feel something in the distance," Helena said. "It's very strong."

"Me too," Matt said. It felt like it was...resonating with the piece of Omega Essence he had.

"It's the Omega Essence," Ileyna said, staring off in the same direction. The pull was strongest in her. "It's all gathering in one spot."

"Well that's just great," R.D. swore. He helped Alasea up onto her feet as he looked around. "What is this place?"

Hugo was walking around them, surveying the area. "It looks like it stretches on forever," he said, rather quetly.

"If Ileyna feels Omega Essence," Matt mused, "and I feel it, and Helena feels it...then this place must be pretty special. And I bet five bucks that we're supposed to track down this energy we're feeling. That's how it seems to work these days."

"So this is it, isn't it?" Alasea asked, looking over at Matt. "This is the endgame."

"Looks like it," R.D. said, staring off in the direction the three Essence-hosts were fixated on. He turned to Matt.

"Let's do this," he said. "Let's finish this once and for all."

"Don't jump the gun," Hugo said. "We don't even know what we're supposed to be doing here."

"Your friend is right," a new voice interrupted, and when Matt turned behind him, he saw the calm and cloaked form of the Chronomancer, out of thin air as always. "It is time to finish what has been begun. We have gathered most of the Essence from across the Multiverse to here, the center of all dimensions, so that it may recondense into the Omega Core, and thus free itself from evil hands."

Needless to say, with the Chronomancer's reappearance, R.D. looked rather suspicious and on guard. In the darkened region, his eyes were once again alight, as Matt had saw before, but no one else spotted the phenomenon except for the Chronomancer himself.

Surprisingly enough, it was Ileyna who responded to the man, nodding once. "Convergence is at hand," she said quietly, unlike herself.

"Yes," the Chronomancer replied.

Matt glanced at Ileyna, then back at the Chronomancer, not sure whether to make heads or tails of that exchange.

"What's to stop Magister from just snatching the Core when it's done gathering?" Hugo asked, also keeping a wary eye on the Chronomancer. "Or for Core Genesis to reappear?"

"Core Genesis cannot truly be destroyed, but it will need many milleniums to regain its strength," the Chronomancer answered. "And there is no question that another will rise to confront it. Such is the cycle of its nature."

"Wait... this has happened before?" Alasea asked, looking confused.

"That's not good enough," R.D. said. "We know what happened to the Multiverse after Matt shattered the Core. There has to be a way to stop it permanently."

"As long as the Core cannot reunite, Core Genesis cannot rise," the Chronomancer said. "But that would only invite discord into the Multiverse...and further put your lives at risk. You would either invite the chance of ruin thousands of years into the future...or guarantee it at the present."

Helena placed a claw over her heart. "Hold on...Matt uses the Essence to draw power, but Ileyna's had hers since birth. And apparently, I only came back to life due to the Essence. If it's removed from us...what happens to me and her?"

The Chronomancer gave her a long look. Without a face to see, it was hard to judge what he was thinking. "Perhaps the fates will be merciful."

Well, that certainly didn't instill them with much confidence.

"There has to be a way to help them," Alasea said finally, horrified that they might not be able to save them.

"But we don't have a choice, do we?" R.D. growled, staring right at the Chronomancer. "We still have to keep going on this path you set for us."

Now it was R.D.'s turn to get the long, blank look. "You have the choice to break away. You always did. Others do not."

"The hell is that supposed to mean?" Matt asked.

The Chronomancer pointed towards the feeling of gathering Omega Essence, long in the distance. "I will meet you at the center where the Omega Core gathers. I must ensure nothing disturbs it until then."

Hugo snapped his pickaxe out to point at the cloaked man. "Hold it. You don't get off the hook that easily. I want some damn answers. Just who are you, anyway? And why exactly are you pulling our strings around? What have you been hiding from us all this time?"

"Worry about reaching the center first," the Chronomancer simply replied. "It appears it will not be a simple task after all." And with that, he vanished into nothingness.

The air was tense for the moments following the Chronomancer's departure.

"Bastard," R.D. broke the silence.

"Do we even want to know what he meant by this not being a simple task?" Alasea asked.

"It means we should be careful," Hugo said. "Let's get to the center as fast as possible so we don't draw any more attention."

Matt reached into his pocket and threw out the Firebird, which unfolded. "Way ahead of ya."

"So much for not drawing attention," R.D. remarked at the Firebird. Nevertheless, he brought out the Thunder King from its cube form for his own use.

Helena picked up Hugo. "We need to haul ass, Matt. How fast can this thing go?"

"You remember Radical Good Speed?" Matt asked.

"Yeah?"

Matt smiled wide.

"...great," Hugo said.

Alasea immediately went pale at the mention. "I'm riding with R.D.," she choked out.

They suited up and drove towards the Essence's energy source. As they approached, those attuned to it could feel the resonation spike within their cores, stronger and stronger with each second.

"Matt?" Helena asked.

"Hmmmm?"

"What do you think is going to happen?"

He shrugged. "I dunno. Hopefully it's not a super-complicated final battle for the sake of all existence. I'm kinda burned out on those."

Helena looked at him. "I don't think it's going to be that easy. Nothing worthwhile ever is."

"Spoken like a true sage."

"Which means...well, if there's anything you want to say, lemme know now."

Matt scoffed. "You think not all of us are gonna come back alive or something?"

"If that happens...wouldn't it be better not to have regrets?" Helena replied.

"You've got a point. Anything you want to say?"

Helena looked out the window at the Thunder King racing alongside them. "Somewhat."

Behind them, Ileyna fidgeted in her seat, squashing her hands into her lap. Her form was still alight with the glow of her powers, like she couldn't turn them off, or didn't want to. She looked only increasingly nervous as they got closer to the Convergence.

"So this is it?" she asked. "After all this, it's going to end now?"

Matt swept a free hand in a wide gesture. "All journeys must come to an end," he intoned dramatically. "That's just how it is."

Helena smiled at Ileyna's reflection in the rearview mirror. "Hey, don't worry. We'll get through this together. And after this, you'll be able to see your friends again."

"Hope Elec Man's cooled down by now," Hugo muttered, readjusting himself on Helena's fidgeting lap.

"I'm sure he has," Matt said. "You had your reasons. They'll understand." He glanced at the dash, checked his dials. "Let's just hope this last obstacle we gotta get through isn't a complete pain in the ass."

"You're not getting out of it that easily. I'm going to give you the fight of your lives."

Matt's eyes widened as Malvettix reached past his seat and pointed languidly at the speed dial. "By the way, you should probably slow down a little, the center of the universe isn't going anywhere."

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"

Ileyna quickly released an ear-piercing scream of terror at Malvettix's sudden appearance, shoving herself as far away from the entity as she could. A quick breath was soon followed by a second scream, longer than the first.

The screaming was easily heard over the engines of the vehicles, catching R.D. and Alasea's attention and causing them to look over and spot Malvettix. R.D. cursed, and hit a button on his machine, causing a compartment to open up.

As R.D. yanked the Bone Jack out of the motorcycle and aim it at the passenger window, Alasea opened up her telepathy.

Ileyna, duck!

Still screaming, Ileyna rolled onto the floor just as R.D. fired the triple-barreled shotgun.