Fiction:Time's Terminus

Time's Terminus
Previous	Second Borealis Galactic War, Da Insurrekshon
Date	2826
Place	Ottzello Sector
Protagonist(s)	Volzara, Tuolog, Yogtam, Sherita, Zr'Ahgloth, Fre'kloar
Antagonist(s)	Zargoth, Antagonar, alt-Rel'larutina, alt-Zr'Ahgloth

“Everything is temporary. Everything has a beginning, and everything will end. Time will now reach its conclusion.”

- Zargoth

Time's Terminus refers to the final chapter in the Conflict of Time between Vyro'Nazdea, also known as Volzara, and Vyro'Ralzora, also known as Zargoth. Wishing to settle the conflict once and for all, Zargoth launches a series of attacks in which he destroys countless universes and timelines, in order to confront Volzara in a final battle and destroy her.

Chapter 1

The Beginning

From the very top of the Shining Tower, on a late summer evening, the view of the Golden City was truly a sight to behold. A bustling yet very clean and sleek metropolis, this city was the peak of civilization, the envy of the universe. From here was the sight of a vast, impressive cityscape, covered with bright neon lights of the buildings below, and thousands of flying vehicles rushing to get from one place to the next. A city of people who, of all classes, enjoyed comfortable, luxurious lives, well-looked after by their government.

For Prince Zargoth, this was something he had grown used to. Living in the palace situated at the center of the Golden City, the capital of the Taldar Empire, he had become familiar with the empire that his father, Emperor Zogrith, had built. A government so stable and so secure, with a people living such lavish lives, it was the envy of history. This was the peak of the Taldar.

Zargoth hadn't come to the top of this tower to admire the view from the second-highest point in the city. He'd come here to dine. Atop the Shining Tower was the most famous fine dining establishment in the galaxy, both for its food, and for its price. As he greeted the waitress at the front door, ready to show him to his seat, he wore the smile that he was well-known for. A smile that all the women admired, and the men envied.

• Waitress - Prince Zargoth! It is an honor, your highness.
• Zargoth - The honor's all mine, being served by a beautiful lady such as yourself. Will you be showing me to my seat?
• Waitress - But of course. When I saw a reservation was made for Zargoth and one other, I made sure the rest of the staff were on their best behavior! It's been about fifteen minutes since your reservation, but we kept it just in case.
• Zargoth - No need to worry about it. I may be a prince, but I'm as much of a citizen as you are. Sorry I got here late.
• Waitress - So, what brings you to Shining Tower?
• Zargoth - Well, actually, I've got a date.

The waitress couldn't hide her envy, as the prince continued to smile. Though well-dressed, he was very relaxed and casual in his demeanor, almost seeming out of place in an upper-class restaurant. He seemed much more earthly than what one would expect of a prince. The waitress took him to his reservation and sat him down across the table from an empty seat.

• Waitress - Whoever she is, she's a lucky one.
• Zargoth - Trust me, the lucky one is me.
• Waitress - Should she be arriving soon?
• Zargoth - I hope so. Most times, a lady shows up at least thirty minutes before I do. Sometimes a lot longer. Guess they're normally eager for the opportunity. Not this one, she's even later than I am. She's special.
• Waitress - The seat was booked under your name. Anything I should look out for to find who this lady is?

Zargoth grinned a little, and turned back to the waitress.

• Zargoth - You'll know who she is when she gets here.

The waitress nodded a little, and walked back nervously, still feeling immense pressure from having to serve a prince. But as Zargoth had said, she immediately knew who his date was as she arrived. By Taldar standards, the woman was truly beautiful, catching the admiring gaze of many of the patrons as she walked by in a regal dress towards Zargoth's table, and taking a seat. Zargoth simply sat in silence as she took her seat, admiring her. Though well-dressed, much like Zargoth, she had a very casual demeanor. The two of them were still young adults.

• Zargoth - You're late, Miss Volzara.
• Volzara - Doctor Volzara, thank you. I'm sorry, Prince Zargoth, I got a little caught up in my work.
• Zargoth - I figure. For someone to be part of my dad's personal research group, I bet you're busy all the time. You know, researching.
• Volzara - Yeah, something like that, I guess.
• Zargoth - So, been here before?
• Volzara - No, actually. No way my family could afford it. Even though the lower classes are very comfortable, we can't just take a trip to the most prestigious restaurant in the entire empire, can we?
• Zargoth - Yeah, figure most folk don't get to come here often, unless they're filthy rich from owning property, from working for my dad's personal guard, or--
• Volzara - Or on a date with a prince?
• Zargoth - Girl, you took the words right outta my mouth.
• Volzara - If your goal is to impress me, then, you didn't do a bad job. I love the view from up here. This city is truly beautiful.
• Zargoth - The city ain't the only beautiful thing in my sights right now.

Volzara chuckled a bit, shyly, while Zargoth looked visibly impressed. Most of the time when dating a woman, they were falling over themselves to please him, really anxious not to lose the opportunity of being made a princess. But here, this woman wasn't attempting that. He could level with her, and talk to her as an equal.

Or at least, he thought, because after some brief small talk, Volzara instantly phrased a quite accusatory question to him.

• Volzara - So, I know you didn't just bring me up here to flatter me and then take me home for the night. Trust me: I know by now when that's what a man is trying to do.
• Zargoth - You don't think I'm attracted to you?
• Volzara - No, I still think you are. I just think that wasn't the reason you invited me here.
• Zargoth - You're onto something. Well, truth be told, Volzy, you are quite the looker, but--
• Volzara - But if you just wanted quick sex with a hot girl then you're not exactly short of options.
• Zargoth - I was gonna put it a little less bluntly than that.
• Volzara - Your father set you up with me because he's suspicious of my team. Of the research we're doing. We may be his personal team, working on his personal top-secret project, but he doesn't have much control over us. In fact, because we aren't an official government agency, there's so little oversight over us. And that scares him.
• Zargoth - Look, just because my dad wants me to spy on you, doesn't mean I will. I can lie to him if I have to. I don't really know what secret projects my dad has working, or why he has the Empire's top scientists in a secret team that get paid ten times the rate of any other organization, but I want to know at least what the gist of it is. And besides, when he's gone, I'll have to take over from it, right? He's been around a long time.

Volzara sighed a little.

• Volzara - And here I was told you weren't naive.

She paused a little, before deciding if she should explain anything to him. Ultimately, she choose to discuss it a bit more. Partly because if Zargoth reported to his father that she'd imparted nothing, he'd get much more suspicious. But also, partly because she was familiar with the male gaze at this point. She could tell he had genuine admiration, and that maybe she was in a position to win him over.

• Volzara - You've been taught about time travel, yes?
• Zargoth - Yeah. It was one of the first things I learned in school. The Taldar did discover how to travel to the past, but the short of it is, you can't change the past. If you go back and change the past, you don't actually change time, at least, you don't change the time you came from. You just change relative space for different people, and effectively create a branching timeline.
• Volzara - Yes, that is correct. But your father never accepted that premise.
• Zargoth - So... He's funding your group to find a way to time travel that could actually change the past?
• Volzara - He's funding us because he's found a way. After millions of years.

Zargoth leaned back a little, stroking his chin. He never lost eye contact with Volzara, other than to place his order with the waitress. Volzara seemed a little awkward discussing her work with anyone, but she'd not imparted anything yet that could incriminate her. Once their drinks arrived, she continued the conversation.

• Volzara - There are different spatial dimensions as defined in mathematical, geometric space. We occupy third-dimensional space. We perceive everything in three dimensions, and anything above that would be beyond our comprehension.
• Zargoth - Can't say I ever learned about there being more than three...
• Volzara - The fifth dimension has been theorized by the Taldar for years, but mocked as a rather silly concept. The proposition would be that as well as our third dimension coordinates in geometry - x, y, and z - there's a fourth and fifth. The fourth is unimportant; it's our coordinates mapping our place from realspace compared to the hyperspace plane, what you use for space travel. But the fifth is our coordinate as mapped across time.
• Zargoth - Interesting... So from the fifth dimension, us three-dimensional beings are basically mapped in our position from space, as well as from time.
• Volzara - Right. Internally, we refer to that as our "holodata"; our "holographic" "data" is mapped along time from fifth-dimensional "holospace".
• Zargoth - So if one could work out what our fifth-dimensional coordinates are...
• Volzara - Then one could work out how to move back and forward in time, within the same timeline.
• Zargoth - You love finishing my sentences, don't you?
• Volzara - Maybe I just love figuring people out. Working out how they think, and what they're gonna say next.

Zargoth was at this point truly fascinated by Volzara. This was an entirely new feeling for him: fascination by what someone had to say, with a longing to hear her say more. He desperately wanted to hear what she had to say, not because of some ulterior motive, but because it truly piqued his interest. Both in the topic, and in the girl discussing them.

• Zargoth - So my dad wants you to make a time machine that can actually change the past, by changing his fifth-dimensional coordinates to another, and subsequently altering everything mapped to the spatial x-y-z-realspace coordinates that occur after those fifth-dimensional time coordinates, to basically rewrite history?
• Volzara - It is his obsession, and we're close to cracking it. We've even found a way to interface with this holodata ourselves. Some kind of energy that interfaces with it. My team calls it "Chronoscopic energy". An energy that, if harnessed by mere three-dimensional beings like us, can alter that holodata as mapped in the third dimension. It's not nearly sufficient enough to change time, but it can do things like, say, freeze time for a few seconds, speed up time on an object for a minute, you know, stuff like that.
• Zargoth - Can it speed you up next time so you get to your date on time?
• Volzara - Funny, but yes. More importantly though, it taught us something.
• Zargoth - What's that?
• Volzara - That changing the holodata as mapped from the fifth dimension is a very, very dangerous game. Merely using Chronoscopic energy for such tiny changes causes major shifts in fifth-dimensional space, so to change time on the scale that your father wants would cause seismic, monumental changes.

Volzara had been ambivalent about talking in-depth about her research at first, but she was beginning to thoroughly enjoy it. This, too, was a new feeling to her; that she could talk about her passion to someone who was interested and who was listening to her. Typically, if she did tell anyone, they were nodding along and waiting impatiently to get to the next point, and if it was a man who was interested in her, they were even less interested. Much to her surprise, Zargoth was fascinated by both.

As their meals arrived, the two tucked in on well-done steaks, created not from animal meat, but generated in a lab to provide the exact perfect taste that would seem filling to those who dined on it. Volzara was beginning to loosen up, while Zargoth only wanted to hear more.

• Zargoth - It's dangerous then, huh.
• Volzara - Your father has been obsessed with it. For the millions of years he's kept himself alive.
• Zargoth - So I did hear you right when you said "millions".

As they finished eating, Volzara looked out at the windows from the tower, smiling. Zargoth followed her eyes and looked out himself.

• Zargoth - Magnificent city, ain't it?
• Volzara - Yeah, but have you ever wondered how it got this way?
• Zargoth - Well... because my dad is a great emperor? Because he's brought peace and justice to the Taldar for the last one hundred years, bridged the class divide that plagued us for so long, and empowered the greatest minds in Taldar history like yours to become truly wonderful inventors?
• Volzara - That's the story you grew up with, and all of us grew up with. But for countless other timelines, the future of the Taldar Empire under your father's rule is ruin.
• Zargoth - I'm not sure what you mean.

Volzara had perhaps said too much, but she was past the point of being cautious. She had Zargoth's trust, fully. Or at least, the safe knowledge that if he were to use her words against her, that she had some leverage.

• Volzara - In the first timeline your father came from, the Taldar Empire was destroyed in a civil war under his reign. A class conflict by led to an uprising, the death of the queen, and finally surrender as his parliament took over and created the Taldar Republic.
• Zargoth - So what did he do next?
• Volzara - He traveled through time. But using the standard way, they only way he knew how. So when he traveled through time, seized rule from his past self, and led the Taldar Empire in a much more totalitarian direction, he hadn't changed the timeline he came from. He'd just made a new one.
• Zargoth - And he kept doing that?
• Volzara - The first time, he turned the Taldar Empire from a constitutional monarchy to a dictatorship. With a firmer iron grip on power, he thought, no one could threaten his rule. And it worked, for a bit, but he couldn't stop the uprising that followed. You can't keep people fooled under a dictatorship for long.
• Zargoth - Have to say, I have a hard time imagining my dad being brutal towards his people. Given how, y'know, they're so well looked after.
• Volzara - Your father realized after two more time jumps that his error was not that he'd gone too strict, but that his premise was flawed. To prevent an uprising, he would have to take away the reason for such an uprising to begin with. He would have to keep all of his people happy. The people, the parliament, the generals, the banks, everyone.
• Zargoth - And that took him a few tries, huh.
• Volzara - Several. Each time, learning from his mistakes, working to create the utopia that would keep him in power. All the while, lengthening his life any way he could.
• Zargoth - Obsessed with power?
• Volzara - I thought that at first. But then I realized when examining the fifth dimension myself that he was taking a lot of the research with him. That's why the Taldar are so advanced; this technology we have now is from thousands of timelines worth of developments.
• Zargoth - All the while, he wanted to find the way to do time travel properly. So he wouldn't create new timelines each time. So he could create his perfect timeline, without leaving several in ruins.
• Volzara - Indeed.

Zargoth's calm fascination with her had turned a little sour. His smile had turned to a much more stern expression. It wasn't that he thought she was lying, she seemed too genuine for that. But that she would shatter his entire worldview over steak and a few drinks was something he didn't take kindly too.

• Zargoth - Lemme get this straight. My father, the benevolent ruler of the Taldar Empire, adored by his people, is hiding a dark past as a dictator in which he slaughtered millions of people and left others in poverty?
• Volzara - You're missing the part where he made backroom deals and ordered assassinations of those he'd seen in other timelines would be threats to his power, but yes.
• Zargoth - Sorry, but he's a good man. I simply don't believe it. I don't believe he'd be so mad for power.
• Volzara - Oh, it's not for power, although most in my team think so. But I know precisely why he's doing it.
• Zargoth - Go on.

Volzara paused before she said her next line. Normally, people didn't believe her, but perhaps Zargoth would.

• Volzara - Because he blames himself for the death of his queen. He feels immense guilt. Guilt that overshadowed the guilt he felt for the people whose lives he ruined. And he will stop at nothing to bring her back.

Zargoth leaned back in a little, pondering what she had said. His father had always talked about another wife he'd had before he'd met his mother, but never went into specifics. If anything, this part of the story made her story far more plausible to him.

• Zargoth - Driven to commit atrocities, all for a lost love.
• Volzara - Yeah. Just think about it. Hundreds of timelines out there, all in which people are right now suffering under a brutish regime, all because your father thought that was the best way to prolong his life and his research in order to get his queen back.
• Zargoth - You are quite the remarkable woman, Volzy.
• Volzara - Heheh, "Volzy"? That's a new one. Only my best friends call me that.
• Zargoth - You suggesting I just became one of your best friends over dinner?
• Volzara - Mmmmmaybe.
• Zargoth - That's a shame. I was kinda hoping for something, y'know... a little more than that.

Zargoth's smile came back, as Volzara chuckled again shyly. It took a lot on a first date to really impress her, with how many times she'd been let down. But it wasn't the food or the view that caught her attention, it wasn't Zargoth's status as a prince, and it wasn't the charm he had that was so legendary among the Taldar. It was his interest in her work, something she'd never seen before. Volzara knew for certain that Zargoth was genuine in his fascination.

• Zargoth - How do you feel about going on another date after this? Maybe you can tell me a little more about this fifth dimension.
• Volzara - Gladly. Though, as much as I appreciate you taking me out here, and it is a nice view, it's extremely tiring getting ready and putting on formal wear to come to places like this.
• Zargoth - You know, I was thinking the same thing. I may be raised in a palace, but fancy dinners like this aren't the place for me.
• Volzara - Yeah, and I loved the steak and all, but it all feels a bit much. I prefer something a little simpler.
• Zargoth - So do I, y'know. Say, why don't we hang out on one of the lower streets of the city and I'll show you my favorite meal?
• Volzara - Is it pizza?
• Zargoth - Course it is.
• Volzara - Right answer. That's my favorite dish too.
• Zargoth - Girl, you are remarkable.

The two left in higher spirits than when they'd arrived. At first, they'd both been cautious of each other; Volzara had had enough of men trying to win her over, and Zargoth hadn't really expected a date set up by his father to go anywhere, even though he had been impressed by her looks. But as the two returned home - Volzara to her house in the suburbs, and Zargoth to his palace - the only thing they could think about was each other, and the sheer possibilities of the fifth dimension.

This was the spark of something beautiful.

An Era Shortlived

To my fellow Ottzelloans, both those who voted for me and those who did not, today we begin to celebrate the dawn of a new era. An era which has eluded us for far, far too long. After millennia of war, chaos, poverty, and strife, now we Ottzelloans have earned that which we have longed for: an age of prosperity!

This was the speech given by president Fullix Halcrum at Grenzaar City, the golden metropolis and capital of Ottzello. A Heeyorian with a sturdy build and wearing a business suit, Halcrum had enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame and made his way quickly through positions in the government of the Union Republic of Ottzello. Though feared initially to be coasting by on his unmatched charisma and dealmaking that had allowed him to quickly become elected as Governor Halcrum, he quickly proved his competence by overseeing huge economic growth in his state, through pragmatic policies. It also just seemed like the perfect time to become elected President,

Among those in his inauguration crowd was Yogtam, who watched with conflicted feelings. Yogtam was a former Leader of the late Unified Nation of Ottzello. Despite the massive success the Unified Nation made in bringing the formerly bitterly-divided Ottzelloans together, the organization was now unpoplar with the people due to the extremely draconian policies it had enacted on its citizens, spying on them through nanomachines forcibly injecting them in their body to create an illusion of social cohesion. Yogtam's reputation had somewhat soured due to his association with the Unified Nation, but he remained popular among his Inalton kind, who had a great deal of respect for him as a war veteran. A veteran who was, of course, unhappy with Fullix's promise to drastically cut military spending to a fraction of what it once was under the Union Republic, let alone the Unified Nation.

Still, it was hard to argue with Halcrum's reasoning. The broader Borealis Galaxy had mostly settled into peacetime since the War of the Ancient Three, with most of the threats that once plagued the galaxy long-since deceased. And the Ottzello Sector, once viewed as a dystopian pit of an already dystopian galaxy, was beginning to follow suit. The days of the mastermind criminal Falrik Zaarkhun's threat to the sector, Da Rogue Boyz' frequent hostilities, or the demonic invasions to the galaxy, had long-passed. So while Halcrum's reasons for joining the rest of the Polar Crystal Alliance in opting to celebrate peacetime by reducing spending on weapons had undoubted appeal, Yogtam's years of seeing brutal conflict up close meant he largely disagreed with any forms of disarmament.

However, Yogtam had always been the quiet one in the room, watching intently as things unfolded. So he watched Fullix Halcrum's speech with his eyes wide open, guarded, and ready for any new threat to rise, however soon.

• Fullix Halcrum - I thank you all for electing me as your new president, and I am deeply and profoundly grateful for the opportunity. To those who voted for me, and those who did not, I will be a president for all of you!

Applause erupted from a crowd of excited Ottzelloans. As was typical Union Republic tradition, following the inauguration speech by the new president, the three most prominent opposition candidates would give their own speech in response, encouraging unity:

• Kralgon Emperor - I may have chosen to step up to lead the Federalist Party in opposition of your plans for disarmament, but I respect the choice Ottzello has made in this election. I urge our supporters to continue to advocate for a strong national defense, but to work together to deliver a prosperity that we all want. We shall ensure our nation remains secure.
• Talyama - As the presidential candidate for the Social Democratic Party, I advocated the Galotian values I had always believed in: kindness, respect, compassion, and cohesion. I may have strong policy disagreements with Fullix Halcrum, but I know that he shares many of these values and wants a better Ottzello for all. I look forward to working with him and to the vigorous debates where we will shape Ottzello's future together.
• Zr'Ahgloth - HIS MOMS UGLI AN I WANNA RECOUNT. SHOULDVE VOTED ME FER FREE PIZZA SMH

But just as they left the stand, and Fullix Halcrum returned for a few final words, his head was blasted right open.

---

A panic ensued as alarms immediately rung. It seemed impossible for a sniper to have both breached the defense forcefields surrounding the event, and evaded the numerous scans performed by drones monitoring the area with a perfect coverage of the area. But there Fullux Halcrum's corpse lay, before he had even taken up position as president, blasted straight between the eyes by a sharpshooter.

As the crowd looked around frantically to see where the shot could have come from, Yogtam turned to Tuolog, who had been attending the event with him. Tuolog, the wise leader of the Ioketa species and still the most respected Ottzelloan alive, had always known how to keep calm in situations of panic, being thoroughly disciplined in techniques to keep oneself grounded and logical even in the midst of great danger. But Tuolog's Chronoscopic senses were also so finely-tuned, moreso than any of the dozens of Ioketa already watching the inauguration, that for him to not have sensed anything was something that greatly concerned him.

• Yogtam - Any thoughts on how they got in?
• Tuolog - Only a single possibility.
• Yogtam - Is it what I think it is?

Tuolog nodded with great concern, as he saw portals open behind him.

• Tuolog - Time anomalies.

What emerged from these portals horrified everyone in attendance, for different reasons. It was clear that the attackers were Loron: the enormous, muscular figures, the sharp teeth, and the trained predator stalk eyes were easy markers. But these Loron, wearing fully-mechanized metal suits, were nothing like those from Ottzello. No saliva-filled hunger came from them, no chaotic wailing of their arms with their attacks, and no yelling insults or war cries at their opponents.

Instead, these Loron moved and acted with a precision that was unparalleled. Apparently well-practiced in some form of martial arts, these Loron had an agility and a speed in their movement that was impossible for the thousands of Union Republic security guards (most of which were themselves Loron) to keep up with. They moved swiftly, carefully, and in a way so coordinated with one another that it was entirely foreign. The audience were horrified for different reasons: most in fear at the skill of these attackers and their ability to very quickly mow down the security guards being sent their way with such ease, while others in disgust at how un-Loronly these attackers were.

To Yogtam and Tuolog, this was also a curiosity. When they served as Unified Nation of Ottzello Leaders with the Kralgon Emperor, the Kralgon Emperor had actually come to the conclusion that, though the nanomachine control and a training regime could turn the Loron into disciplined warriors, doing so was a fool's errand. This is because one of the great strengths of the Loron was their savagery, the brutish way they charged to battle without thought or care. Their means of overwhelming an enemy and striking fear into their hearts with loud brutish cries followed by highly aggressive attacks from the naturally immensely strong creatures.

To this day, no species of sentient beings in the known universe matched the natural strength of the Loron. These invaders kept that strength, but matched it with combat skills the likes of which no Loron—no, no Ottzelloan of any species—possessed. Perhaps the Kralgon Emperor had made an oversight, or something about these time anomalies was extremely concerning.

• Yogtam - Know anything about them?
• Tuolog - Unfortunately not. They must hail from different timeline to ours, but I no clue what that could be... I not mapped every timeline in existence.
• Yogtam - Not a problem. I'm no stranger to fighting Loron. Can you find the source of the anomalies?
• Tuolog - Yes, I will do so. You hold them off?
• Yogtam - Yeah. If there's one thing I learned over the years... it's how to fight a Loron.

Yogtam immediately geared up his weapons. His arm-mounted plasma blasts appeared to be absorbed by the invading Loron's forcefields, but his other arm-mounted electric blasts were at least capable of disrupting them. Facing one of the invaders—a creature over twice his size, and ten times his strength, which could end his life with a single punch—was no easy feat, and Yogtam was much more used to Loron that he could run circles around, not ones running circles around him.

Fortunately for Yogtam, he was at least able to keep pace with them, and he used this to his benefit. By frantically parrying and dodging their attacks, he was able to hang on just enough to fire an electric blast into their eyes, allowing him to then fire a plasma blast into their armor's shield generator, and then into their heart.

It only took three dead invading Loron before the rest of the invaders circled Yogtam and chose him as their target. At the very least, it seemed, these invaders had retained the Loron's love of a challenge. But just before one of the invading Loron could pounce and attack Yogtam, it found itself picked up midair by a larger, beastly creature that proceeded to then slam it down on its knee and break its back in half, even through its powerful metal suit. To Yogtam's relief, that creature was none other than Zr'Ahgloth.

• Zr'Ahgloth - SCROO DESE STOOPID POSAS PRETENDIN DEYZ LORON. DEY DISGUST ME WIV DEIR NINJA ATTAKS AN DEY LOOK LIKE DEYZ FROM MORTAL KOMBAT
• Yogtam - Something tells me these Loron aren't anything like ours. Good to have you around, old buddy.
• Zr'Ahgloth - YEH DEYZ WEIRD ALRITE. I BET DEY DIDNT EVEN VOTE FER ME SMH
• Yogtam - Well, Tuolog's gonna figure out how they got through our defenses, so we'll tackle the root of the problem soon. In the meantime, how's about we team up to fight copycat dumbos just like the old days, eh? And pizza party afterwards?
• Zr'Angloth - DEPENDS. WHO DID YA VOTE FOR IN DIS ELEKSHON
• Yogtam - I like to keep my vote secret, but no, I didn't vote for you.
• Zr'Ahgloth - DEN YOO BETTA PAY FER DA PIZZA

Between Yogtam and Zr'Ahgloth, it was hard to find two military leaders who were more different. Where Yogtam was quiet, cautious, and measured in his approach, Zr'Ahgloth was always the most impulsive. He and the Kralgon Emperor had a bloodlust that led them to leap towards violent solutions in almost every instance, and often to take the most simplistic military strategy of "run in and shoot them". This led them to frequently butt heads with Yogtam who preferred a more detail-oriented plan of attack. Zr'Ahgloth also kept the very typical Loron traits of having a total lack of manners, a tendency to hurl insults, and a lack of regard for others around him.

Nonetheless, over their long years as a Leader, Zr'Ahgloth had developed a soft spot for the others, and a sort of comradery that he retained with them. He had become fiercely loyal not just to the Loron, but the Union Republic as a whole. It was this loyalty, and his disgust of these invaders, that motivated his savage takedowns of the invaders before him. Though many could outpace and outmaneuver him, his brute strength far exceeded any other Loron, and his uncontrolled rage led him to tear them apart.

The group of 85 invaders had slain thousands of Ottzello security guards and mechanized defenses. But with the help of the two former Leaders and the reinforcements called in, they were eventually all dispatched, right around when Tuolog warped Yogtam and Zr'Ahgloth to a nearby building.

---

Yogtam and Zr'Ahgloth had worked with Tuolog long enough to not be disoriented by his abrupt teleporting them around. They knew quickly to next find their feet, and examine the area around them. They soon saw they had been taken to a skyscraper for the Great Clock Tower, a tower that not only kept time for the entire city, but was a monument to the Vyro'Narza, better known as the Taldar. The third-tallest building in the entire Borealis Galaxy, it made sense that if one had somehow management to infiltrate it, they would have a clear shot at the president.

The next thing they noticed was a foul and unfortunately familiar smell, followed by a chuckle that they had grown to despise just as much.

• Tuolog - I should have known it you.

The chuckle grew louder and then erupted into laughter, as the figure from the shadows approached. Just as they suspected, it was Billig Oltauris, the obese criminal who had inherited Zaarkhun's legacy. Unfortunately for them, he had also inherited Zaarkhun's intellect. If anyone would know how to bypass the most advanced security computers in the galaxy, it was him.

• Billig Oltauris - You should've, 'ey? But now, you see where it all ends...

As he spoke, he had his typical smugness, but seemed less guarded than he usually was. A conversation with Billig usually came with an air of tension, as one knew the cunning criminal would always have something up his sleeve. You were always in danger in Billig's presence. But for some reason, this time, Billig was waving somewhat of a white flag. He wasn't carrying any weapons with him, other than the sniper rifle that lay at his feet, completely unloaded. It had only held one bullet: the one he had just used to kill the president.

• Zr'Ahgloth - I DUNNO WHER YOO GOT DOSE COPYCAT FREEKS FROM BUT PUT DEM BAK. I WULD CALL DEM COPYCAT DUMBOS BUT DEYZ NOT EVEN WORFY OF BEIN CALLED WANNABES COZ DEY SUK AT IT. DEYZ LIKE DA FAKE KNOKOFF WALMART VERSHON OF A LORON
• Billig Oltauris - Oh, mate, they're Loron alright. They're the Loron she wanted.
• Yogtam - "She"? Who is "she"?

Billig chuckled in pride, before gleefully answering. Normally, this kind of glee would be followed by a trap of his, but not this time. Instead, his glee came from how proud he was.

• Billig Oltauris - Now who do yer think? What's the name of that chick you all worship? Volzara, of course! Them's the Loron she always wanted!
• Tuolog - They from a timeline where the Loron were allowed to become intelligent?
• Billig Oltauris - Oh, they ain't much smarter than your dumbass Loron. Nah, they still barely got anythin' in that large 'ead of theirs.
• Zr'Ahgloth - OI MATE ILL HAV YOO KNO DA LORONZ IS DA SMARTEST. FIRST OF ALL, DEY VOTED FER ME. SECOND OF ALL, DEYZ CAPABLE OF COUNTIN ALL DA WAY TO DA HIGHEST NUMBA: TWELVE. WIVOUT MISSIN A NUMBA. FOURF OF ALL, DEY VOTED FER ME!!!!
• Yogtam - So why kill the president? And why unleash time anomalies? You always have one agenda: yourself. So what is it this time? You're no stranger to playing with the spacetime continuum.
• Billig Oltauris - That I ain't. An' I got no beef wiv President Fullix Halcrum, 'ey? But killin' him? That counts as a Branching Event in the Taldar's books.
• Tuolog - A Branching Event... an event classified by the Taldar in which they consider significant enough to branch a timeline off from this, to where event did not occur or was different. It when the timeline splits in two.
• Billig Oltauris - Yup! An' yanno what 'appens when there's a Branching Event and the Taldar be splittin' the timelines?
• Tuolog - Spacetime weakens... It become vulnerable to attacks from the likes of you...

Yogtam growled in rage, ready to strike Billig down. This was unlike him: normally, Zr'Ahgloth was the more bloodthirsty one. But though Billig could sense that Yogtam was inches away from killing him, only held back by Tuolog wishing to hear him out, Billig did not raise a finger in defense.

• Billig Oltauris - The spacetime continuum of this 'ole universe is collapsing now. I've sold you all out, 'ey? This be just another failed timeline, another that's gonna be purged off the map. You're all goin' down with it!
• Tuolog - And what you get from this? You never wanted to destroy our universe before, even when you could.
• Billig Oltauris - The Arbiter of Time 'imself made me an offer that's a little too generous to pass up. 'E guaranteed me a timeline of me own. A timeline in which I win. In which I become the richest and most successful man in the universe, 'ey?
• Tuolog - The Arbiter of Time... the Ioketan word for Zargoth.
• Yogtam - Oh, I'm sure your idol Falrik Zaarkhun rolls in his grave as we speak...
• Billig Oltauris - That's because Zaarkhun 'ad principles, 'ey? Principles that 'eld 'im back. I don't got no such thing. So when Mr. Arbiter of Time offers to squash the beef, give me what I want, an' all I 'ave to do is destroy the universe I came from? Hell yeah, I'm takin' the deal!
• Yogtam - So that's it? Destroy our timeline, on the promise you'll have your own?
• Billig Oltauris - I don't gotta think about what 'appened 'ere. I never cared about the means to me fortunes, only that I get 'em. So you can do yer worst to me now. On the moment I die, I get taken to the timeline where I'm lappin' in luxury. A pile o' cash in me spaceship, a pile o' cash in me palace, a pile o' cash in me second palace away from 'ome when I get bored o' the first one, an' a pile o' cash in the dungeon where I keep me pets! I lie back all day, as me servants serve up the finest cuisine from around the universe, listin' all the plebs that tried ta take me throne that day, only ta get squashed like bugs!
• Zr'Ahgloth - dat sounds decent if yor palace has a subscripshon ta netflix
• Yogtam - You always sickened me... I regret not dealing with you sooner...
• Billig Oltauris - Doesn't matter when ya did. I did me part 'ere: I shattered the barriers between this timeline an' the timeline that Volzara most favored. The one where she got the Loron she always wanted. Our timeline don't matter to 'er, coz it's another failure that almost gave us the Vyro'Ralza. It got inches away from Ottzello acceptin' Zargoth's offer ta transform Ottzelloans into the Vyro'Ralza, the things that been a thorn in Volzara's side for longer than any known universe existed. She don't care about this one! But her precious perfect timeline? Now it's gotten personal...
• Tuolog - You mistaken. Volzara cares about all timelines, including ours. Something you never understood, for you never care about any but yourself. How fitting of you to end this way, Billig. As the pawn of another of Zargoth's vindictive games against Volzara.
• Billig Oltauris - Hah... you think 'e'd go through all this trouble fer mere vengeance?... You ain't seen nothin' yet...

Before Billig could finish his sentence, Zr'Ahgloth broke his face with a single punch, before devouring him whole, and burping.

• Zr'Ahgloth - yoo die as yoo lived: as food
• Tuolog - We must be vigilant. It crucial that we repair the spacetime continuum. We've no idea what the consequences could be if we do not.
• Yogtam - Right. Inform the Polar Crystal Alliance that Billig has fallen. At least we come away with some good news.

The Emperor and the Empress

Tuolog, Zr'Ahgloth, and Yogtam met with the Polar Crystal Alliance Council as the first point of order. The Council, sat upon their thrones, watched their arrival with great interest; contact between them and URO had been low for a long time, purely because there were no wars to worry about that required their attention. Sitting at the center was Semirian of the Zoles Imperium, flanked by the now-aging Xeron of the Niaka Special Forces and their own representative, Valzaria. Beyond them were Rylarien of the Seagon Cryptocracy, Gavikrag of the Ransio, Augustex of the Paladians and Nayanur of the Rovegar Matriarchy. And in the center of the chamber, the ancient Kormacvar Warmaster Arkarixus watched their arrival with an unreadable expression, as was common for him.

Though they were hardly unfamiliar with the Council by this point, and a meeting like this practically seemed routine, they couldn't help but feel as if something was different. As if this wasn't their typical "galactic threat comes to destroy Borealis" that they'd dealt with before.

As they arrived, they found the Kralgon Emperor waiting for them there. The Emperor had been another member of the old UNO Leaders who, like Zr'Ahgloth, had begun with a strong dislike of working with others that developed into a sort of comradery. Though he had been appalled by recent events, and felt vindicated after the presidential candidate who promised to cut the military was proven wrong mere seconds after assuming the presidency, he didn't let this pride cloude his judgment. It was time to focus on the task at hand.

• Kralgon Emperor - There we are, my old friends. I knew I could count on your arrival.
• Tuolog - Kralgon Emperor. Prepared well as always. I thank you for arriving. And Council, it good to see you again. I sorry that it be under such circumstances.
• Semirian - It has been a long time since we last spoke, Tuolog. What can the Council do for you today?
• Tuolog - Well, the first thing we have to report is good news. Billig Oltauris, leader of the Oltauris Consortium, is now deceased.
• Kralgon Emperor - Yes, and we are done routing out the remainders of the Oltauris Consortium. It is effectively terminated.

A smile grew on the faces of the Council at the news, though Xeron instead raised an eyebrow.

• Xeron - Wait a minute. You're telling me he was not' already dead? All this time?! I swear, our forces could be more competent than this.
• Semirian - Billig took me hostage once. It brings me great joy to know he is finally gone.
• Augustex - Aaah, so the last bastion of Wranploer piracy falls at last. It will only take a few years for order to finally be dominant in the Eastern Arm.
• Nayanur - All fine and well, but I take you have more proof than your words, Ottzelloans? Forgive my bluntness, but it is a bold claim.

As if on cue, Zr'Ahgloth burped and coughed up a bone, which they immediately recognized as belonging to Billig: a Wranploer bone, but one that clearly struggled to support the weight of the obese man it belonged to.

• Zr'Ahgloth - he tasted DISGUSTIN an i had ta wash my mouf wiv soap. I ONLY DO DAT TWICE A YEER
• Nayanur - ... Urgh, you uncouth creature!
• Valzaria - I see nothing has changed with you, Zr'Ahgloth, hehe.
• Zr'Ahgloth - YEH IM STILL KIKIN ASS. btw yoo shuld vote fer me in da nex elekshon. also good ta see ya agen
• Tuolog - Yes, it is good to speak once again, Valzaria. Though, I trust you have heard the less good news.

Before she could respond, Arkarixus came closer to the Ottzelloans, his arms crossed behind his back as he frowned.

• Arkarixus - A Loron assault, orchestrated by Billig? Was it the Rogue Loron? I warned you, an attack from them would lead to their destruction.
• Kralgon Emperor - We ruled out the Rogue Boyz very early on. Believe me, Arkarixus, I wished I could sit here and say "I told you so" as much as you do, but no. Not only are these Loron drastically different to the Rogue Boyz in everything from their methods to their armaments, they appear to have great biological differences from the Loron we know.
• Valzaria - What are these Loron? Even the subraces we know like the Dark and Cold Loron are still biologically similar to the originals.
• Tuolog - I investigate this, and it seem Billig tell truth: these Loron hail from a timeline in which they never tampered with. A timeline in which their growth in intellect was never stunted. In our timeline, the Loron had always been created by their female counterparts, the Norol, out of biological necessity: they there to protect Norol from the threats of their homeworld on Groodrub. Problem is they outpace the Norol in growth and overtake them.
• Kralgon Emperor - The Norol in our timeline were overwhelmed, to practically become second fiddle to the very species they had created to protect them. But in this timeline, there had been nothing stunting their growth like in ours. In ours, Durzhan, working for the Vyro'Ralza, had deliberately altered the Loron to become mindless savage beasts that would wreak havoc on the galaxy. But in this timeline...
• Zr'Ahgloth - dis all sounds a massiv pile of bull btw but ill let it slide cus i dislike dese noo loron mor dan i dislike yor story
• Tuolog - In this timeline, they become grave threat indeed.
• Xeron - So we're dealing with time traveling Loron... It's not even the first time, is it? So annoying.
• Tuolog - That not entirely accurate. What Billig did was weaken the spacetime continuum, creating time anomalies. But these time anomalies far different than any we experience before. Typically, the anomalies cause random effects, are chaotic in nature, and entirely unpredictable. This time, all anomalies link to the same alternate timeline.
• Arkarixus - And how do we solve this? I do not want yet another time anomaly war.
• Tuolog - The only way I know how is to repair the cracks in space and time before the entire universe is destroyed. Either it can collapse from the rifts created, or the Vyro'Ralza can purge it for danger, should it become too unstable. We have to find a way to repair it.

The Councillors all looked at each other, nodding before turning back to Tuolog.

• Semirian - The Council will aid in this endeavor to the best of its abilities.

Normally accustomed to staying silent in meetings like these, pondering and waiting to speak when he had gathered all the facts, Yogtam spoke next. He cleared his throat before delivering an impassioned response.

• Yogtam - Council, I am grateful for your support, but I wish that you all know this: I have fought Loron for most of my life, and these... "alt-Loron" can barely be called such. They possess the same brute strength and the same endurance that far outclasses any live sentient race we know of, but they bring with them a discipline, a precision, and a coordination that is not even seen amongst our own Borealis species. They will be a far graver threat than we are accustomed to. I believe it is very likely that I will give my life to this cause. But I want you to know that in doing so, I am fighting to finally achieve the galaxy we had dreamed of since we started this very alliance. To finally achieve peace in Borealis. It has eluded us for so long.
• Valzaria - Surely it doesn't need to come to that point, right? We have faced far worse than "smarter Loron". We will prevail as we always do.
• Arkarixus - Whatever they may be, these invaders will meet the same fate as all those who tarnished Borealis before them; defeat.
• Yogtam - I share your sentiment. But when I fought them myself, I couldn't help but feel like...
• Zr'Ahgloth - LIKE I WAS FITIN A WALMART KNOKOFF VERSHON OF A LORON
• Yogtam - Actually, more like the exact opposite of what he said.
• Augustex - We must prepare accordingly, but we must not allow this enemy to intimidate us. That would be giving them a free victory.
• Kralgon Emperor - Indeed. However... and I can't believe I'm saying this... I must make a final proposal to the Council before we adjourn the meeting.
• Valzaria - Of course, go ahead.
• Kralgon Emperor - We'll need experts here. Experts in fighting Loron. Of course, we have many of these within the Union Republic, but we still need all the help we can get. Therefore... I propose we ally with the Rogue Boyz against a common enemy.

The Council eyed the Kralgon Emperor but, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, there was no outrage or concern among them. Instead, Xeron let you a sharp laughter as he leaned back on his throne, and Algustex and Semirian both took a contemplative stance. Nayanur, however, contorted her face in mild disdain, though she did not vocally oppose anything.

• Xeron - You want to use them as cannon fodder? Be my guest!
• Nayanur - The "Rogue Boyz" are under your Republic's care. If you wish to use them for your advantage, it is within your rights.
• Zr'Ahgloth - tbh i dont particularly like dem eitha but I LIKE DEM WAY MORE DAN DA WALMART LORONZ
• Arkarixus - Keep them on a short leash. But beyond that, I see the tactical advantage of this decision.
• Rylarien - Hmhm. Imagine us making this decision a few decades ago.
• Valzaria - I would be the first to be appalled by it, for sure.
• Kralgon Emperor - Oh, I think I'd be appalled sooner, but... Us Leaders, our time has long passed. We are all retired, save Zr'Ahgloth who keeps trying to run for president.
• Zr'Ahgloth - AN I KEEP LOSIN COZ OF CHEETAS
• Kralgong Emperor - So we'll need all the support we can, including from former enemies. I can't promise that this "alt-Loron" threat won't leak out to the rest of the galaxy, but if we can do nothing else, we will contain it to our sector and go down fighting.
• Tuolog - The unpredictable nature of these time anomalies mean I have no possible way of foreseeing the future. But I know that this threat unlikely to be easy...
• Arkarixus - It would be irresponsible to simply watch Ottzello fall. I will make contact with the Kormacvar Legacy and we shall keep a close eye on this invasion. Should it truly threaten the stability of Borealis, the Grox will be called for... pest control.
• Kralgon Emperor - I love how you think, and I love every word you just said.
• Zr'Ahgloth - i dont im pretty sure yor callin me dum BUT ANYWAY WAT NAO?
• Tuolog - For now, we hold off Loron invasions while I look for a way to stabilize spacetime. There only one problem, however: we absolutely cannot make contact with Volzara under any circumstances.

Arkarixus raised an eyebrow, while the Council eyed Tuolog in confusion.

• Arkarixus - This makes no sense. The Goddess should be the first to be involved in a spacetime problem of this nature.
• Tuolog - Indeed. But if what Billig said is true, and he made a deal with Zargoth... I fear that is precisely what Zargoth is counting on. He wants Volzara here. He wants to kill her.
• Arkarixus - Does he truly? The last time we witnessed them together, he faltered. Very hard, at that.
• Zr'Ahgloth - hurhur i rememba dat he started CRYIN LIKE A BABY
• Tuolog - Right, Volzara is his biggest weakness. He purge his emotions because he wish to purge his feelings for her, but he not able to. Now, he wish to kill her, by using us against him. And if what Billig said is true... the timeline that these alt-Loron came from was her preferred timeline, because those were the Loron she had first envisioned.
• Xeron - Well, it's not like any of us have the means to contact Essential Gods to begin with.
• Tuolog - We simply must deal with this alone if we possibly can, as we cannot risk falling into Zargoth's trap. Though, fear not. For I have an ace up my sleeve...
• Arkarixus - And what would that be?
• Tuolog - ...Sorry, but the fewer people who know of it, the better. We cannot risk Zargoth catching wind of it. Just know that I plan for this very circumstance and that I be ready when the time comes.
• Arkarixus - Hmpf. Were it anyone else making such a claim, I would have swung them about by the head.
• Zr'Ahgloth - alrite so i guess we go bug da rogue boyz an let tuolog figure out da problem
• Nayanur - And by "we", you mean yourself.
• Zr'Ahgloth - no i meen ma pizza delivery boi. yes i meen me dur
• Nayanur - Then get to it already!
• Yogtam - Thank you, Councillors. Meeting adjourned. I hope that next time we meet, we'll have good news to report.
• Valzaria - Be strong, and be careful.

---

In Da Propa Big Rogue Krooza's command bridge, the mood was positively electric. Ever since the end of Da Insurrekshon, the Rogue Loron had taken extremely well to their new role as "inter-dimensional warriors", having almost entirely forgotten about their long-held beef in the Borealis Galaxy. By crusading across other universes looking for foes to vanquish, the Rogue Loron had gained somewhat of a reputation as an inter-dimensional band of space pirates.

So when they received a transmission from their home universe, and from Zr'Ahgloth, the reaction would not be a positive one. Rather, it would serve as a grim reminder of their old nemesis, whom they failed to vanquish.

The Leeda, Fre'kloar, burst into the room with rage, having just come back from a battle with an interdimensional beast dubbed the "Kraken of Unholy Deff" by the Loron. Though he had come out victorious, he slammed on the table as the other Loron, in the middle of their drinks, were interrupted.

• Fre'kloar - I AM OUTRAGED. OUTRAGED BEYOND WORDS!!!!
• Hagto'Zhl - FREKLOAR MAN WAT DA HELL IS YOO DOIN CANT YOO SEE WES HAVIN A BREAK

Fre'kloar pulled up the remote control and pointed it at one of the screens, which showed a login screen.

• Fre'kloar - ONE OF YOO IDIOTS CHANGED DA NETFLIX PASSWORD AN NOW I CANT USE IT. SMH I WAS IN DA MIDDLE OF WATCHIN AVATAR: DA LAST GANGSTA
• Drizz'pyrokirk - yo i like dat show cus dat geeza goes around shootin fire and ice at peepz. sik
• Jol'kiar - YOO STOOPID KIDS. BAK IN MA DAY WE USED CABLE TV AND WE WAS HAPPI DAT WAY
• Voa'reak - I BLAME KALKUIR CUS HES A GEEK WHO AKSHULLY KNOWS WAT A PASSWORD IS
• Kal'kuir - I DID NO SUCH FING. I BLAME MY WIFE
• Da Propa Big Rogue Geek - Actually, he did it yesterday as a prank.
• Ray'loth - OH YEH? WELL YOO EARNED YASELF 3 DAYS IN DA BRIG
• Kal'kuir - bruh yoo all suk. ALSO ONE OF YOO ANSWA YA TRANSMISSHONS ALREDY DAT FINGS BEEN BEEPIN FER DA LAST FIVE MINUTS

Rel'larutina, who had all this time just sipped from her drink watching the confusion unfold, walked over to the ship's console. As she eyed the transmission, her eye narrowed as she turned to the Leedas.

• Rel'larutina - Okay. This... isn't ideal. At all.
• Fre'kloar - YOR RITE MAN DA PASSWORD SHULD ONLY BE GIVEN TA ME
• Rel'larutina - Not that, idiot. This transmission? It's from URO.

The Rogue Boyz went silent with a gasp at first, before turning to one another. They were unsure how exactly to respond. Part of them wanted to be petty and ignore the transmission, while another part wanted to be petty and reply just to respond with profanities. Before they could make a decision, Grak'tona spoke up.

• Grak'tona - DA KING HAS DECIDED TA HEER WAT DESE WIMPS HAV TA SAY
• Hagto'Zhl - UGH I WAS HOPIN YOO WAS ASLEEP OR SOMEFIN
• Grak'tona - i was but den i herd Avatar was on air an i akshully wanna watch dat man. i wanna see how a'ang an ka'tara get togetha
• Rel'larutina - So, who was it? The only reason URO would ever contact us is if someone screwed up on our non-aggression pact. Which one of you did it?
• Zalk'don - WASNT ME MAN I SWEAR I HAVENT BOMMED UNO/URO SINCE... GODZ HAO LONG AS IT BEEN AT DIS POINT???? MA BOMZ IS ALL DUSTY NAO
• Kal'kuir - BY MY CALCULASHONS ITS BEEN A DOZEN DOZEN DOZEN YEERS SINCE ANYONE EVEN SPOKE DAT NAME
• Traz'raka - oh ma dayz DEYZ GONNA ARREST US? DA COPZ IS AFTA US AGEN???
• Gol'thabex - no fair man wes been good killin totally unrelated dumbos i cant be deelin wiv dis
• Brag'klogga - YO GUYS DONT PANIC. DERES A PAGE IN DA GANGSTAPEDIA ABOUT DIS. DIS DAY WAS PROPHESIZED BY DA GREAT PROPHET KNOWN AS BRAG'KLOGGA IN DA YEAR OF OUR LORD 2021 AS DA DAY DAT URO WOULD INVITE DA LORONZ OVA TO A PIZZA PARTY
• Hagto'Zhl - AS IF I WULD HAV A PIZZA PARTY WIV DA COPYCAT DUMBO!!!!
• Brag'klogga - BUT DEN HEERS DA DEEL WIV DA PIZZA PARTY. ITS AKSHULLY ALL A ROOS SET UP BY ZR'AN AN K'AR SO WE CAN STOMP DEIR FACES IN AFTA AN CLAIM DA RITEFUL RULE OF BOREALIS
• Rel'larutina - Okay, I'm 99% sure you just made that up, so I'm gonna accept the transmission now so we can get this over with.

Rel'larutina proceeded to do just that. To their surprise, as both Zr'Ahgloth and Tuolog's holograms appeared, there seemed to be no hostilities coming from them whatsoever. In fact, even Rel'larutina was taken aback by how neither of them began by shouting. Just as they opened their mouths to speak, though, they were interrupted.

• Tuolog - Hello, I come to-
• Grak'tona - YOO HAV REECHED DA AUTOMATED VOICE LINE OF DA KING GRAK'TONA. DA KING IS OUT TODAY ON A SUPA IMPORTANT CHARITY EVENT KNOWN AS "SPA MASSAGES FER SUPA TUFF RICH KINGZ DAT RULE DA OONIVERSE" AN WILL BE BAK AFTA A BAKRUB. PLEEZ LEEV YOR MESSAGE AFTA DA BEEP. BEEEEEEEEEP

Both Voa'reak and Zalk'don held onto themselves as they started laughing uncontrollably at the message, while Rel'larutina looked at Grak'tona in disbelief.

• Rel'larutina - ...Seriously?
• Grak'tona - SHHHHH IM TRYNA PRESERVE DA ILLUSHON. UHH UHH SORRY YOR MESSAGE CANT GET THROO YOR BREAKIN UP
• Zr'Ahgloth - OI IDIOTS QUIT YOR STOOPID GAME WE KNO YOR DERE
• Fre'kloar - dont look at me im not da one dat hired da spa massage

At this point, an angered Hagto'Zhl proceeded to shove all the others off the console and begun yelling.

• Hagto'Zhl - COPYCAT DUMBO HAO DA HELL DID YOO EVEN FIND US??????? WES A DOZEN UNIVERSES AWAY FROM BOREALIS MAN
• Tuolog - Through me, actually. I been tracking you for a long time. By the way, Fre'kloar, congratulations on defeating the Kraken of Unholy Death. In many timelines, that beast devoured entire civilizations that you just saved.

Fre'kloar's remaining eye widened as he turned to the others in confusion.

• Fre'kloar - did uro just COMPLIMENT me???? wat da hell i must be high
• Zr'Ahgloth - yeh well DONT GET USED TA IT. wes heer becuz wes askin ta make an offa dat yoo cant refuse
• Traz'raka - MAN DATS MA LINE. HAGTO IS RITE YOR A BUNCH OF COPYCATS
• Rel'larutina - Shut up, will ya? Anyway, since you're not after our lives, do go on. I'm certainly curious over why you'd want to offer us anything, of all people.

Tuolog then projected images of the invading alt-Loron as they attacked URO's capital. As the Rogue Loron watched what they saw, they did so in disgust. Everything about the alt-Loron was appalling to them, from their deafening silence as they moved swiftly between foes, to their coordinated and precise attacks at their opponents. The Loron normally took pleasure in their kills; these alt-Loron didn't seem to feel a thing.

• Tuolog - These are the invaders that attacked us recently. They are invaders from another timeline, which we calling alt-Loron.

A vein popped on Jol'kiar's head as he suddenly got up and flipped the table in front of him with such force, it was launched into the ceiling.

• Jol'kiar - WAT. DA HELL. IS DIS BREECH OF TRADISHON?!?!?!?!?!
• Grak'tona - I SHARE DA OUTRAGE OF MA BODYGUARD HEER. DEYZ WANNABE LORONZ OF DA LOWEST LEVEL!!!!
• Naktor'zak - MAN LOOK AT DESE GEEZAS!! DEYZ MOOVIN ABOUT DA BATTELFIELD LIKE A BUNCH OF STOOPID ROBOTS
• Tuolog - Frankly, we're yet to be convinced they aren't robots.
• Kal'kuir - IF DEY IS DEN DEYZ DA MOST BORIN ROBOTS EVA MADE I SWER
• Brag'klogga - yooo guyz im not gonna lie da prophecy AKSHULLY told about a groop of loronz dat is barely loronly at all an is like a total abominashon an IM NOT EVEN KIDDIN I DIDNT MAKE DAT UP ON DA SPOT FER ONCE
• Rogue Geek - He's not. That's something he did actually write about a few years ago.
• Knar'gank - deres no elegance in dem. no feelins of bein a troo gangsta. dey jus kill and moov on, not a word spoken. its makin me sik to da stomach
• Zr'Ahgloth - so heers da deel. we jus killed billig. if yoo help us kill dese knokoff walmart Loron den we will let yoo take ova all his old planets

Fre'kloar raised a finger, as if to be outraged at the news of Billig's death, but instead just relaxed.

• Fre'kloar - billigs ded eh? meh he was neva as cool as zaarkhun so wateva. so we get ta steel all his planets eh?? hmmmmmm
• Jol'kiar - DESE LORONZ GIV AKSHUAL LORONZ A BAD NAME. DEY HAV TA DAI. DEY HAV TO BE TAUGHT A LESSON
• Grak'tona - DA KING DEMANDS ALL DA RICHES DAT BILLIG ONCE HAD BUT IS HAPPY TO ACCEPT YA OFFA ON DOSE TERMS
• Rel'larutina - Hell, even I feel disturbed by these Loron, even if, many decades ago, I'd probably consider them what I wish Loron were actually like. So yeah, count my support too.
• Hagto'Zhl - IM STILL NOT CONVINCED. YOO GUYZ SUK. AN TBH WE DONT OWE YOO NUFFIN AN WES ENJOYIN OUR LIFE IN OTHA DIMENSHONS. SO I VETO
• Jol'kiar - STOOPID CHILD. YOO WOULD LET DIS CORRUPSHON OF OUR TRADISHON GO UNPUNISHED??? I SHULD SLAP YA TEEF OFF

Shortly thereafter, another hologram appeared, apparently from an entirely different signal. It crackled a little, having come from a kind of technology that was removed from the telecommunication technology of their timeline. What they saw as it appeared was a tall Loron who wore thick metallic armor and stood upright. Though this made him appear taller than Zr'Ahgloth, they noticed he had many of the same physical features that aside. The alt-Loron they were looking at was, in fact, an alternative Zr'Ahgloth.

• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - ...So these are the creatures that my race would become. Pathetic.
• Tuolog - Oh my... I see it now. You are alt-Loron counterpart to Zr'Ahgloth.
• Zr'Ahgloth - HOL UP. A SECOND COPYCAT DUMBO?!?!?
• Hagto'Zhl - A SECOND COPYCAT DUMBO?!?!? HOL UP.
• Fre'kloar - MATE WHO IS YOO CALLIN PATHETIC??? WATS WIV YOO? YOO LOOK LIKE A TOTAL GEEK
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - Feeble creatures. Your mind corrupted, your methods barbaric, your reach... insignificant. In our timeline, the Loron ruled over all the stars, dominating. But here? You have two choices: playing second-fiddle to the Kralgon whom we devoured in weeks, or becoming a band of failed space pirates.
• Fre'kloar - FAILED???? OK LISSEN HEER BOZO. DA ROGUE BOYZ IS DA BEST EMPIYA EVA. YA MOMS DUM AND I DONT BELEEV A WORD YOR SAYIN. SO GET IN LINE TA KISS MA ASS
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - Hahaha. Where I hail from, the only two recognized rulers of all of space, are Emperor Zr'Ahgloth...

Another hologram appeared alongside him. This time it was a Norol. She stood much taller than the Norol from their timeline, but as they observed, aside from her metallic armor, her physical features matched those of Rel'larutina.

• Alt-Rel'larutina - ...And his superior, Empress Rel'larutina.
• Rel'larutina - ...Okay, I'm getting real entertained now.
• Jol'kiar - EMPERA??? YOR SUPPOSED TA BE DA PROPA BIG BOSS. MAN ITS ALL WRONG YOR PEEPZ IS ALL WRONG. YOO CALL US CORRUPTED WHEN YOR ALL MESSED UP
• Alt-Rel'larutina - On the contrary: it is your people who are "messed up". And it was thanks to the tampering done long ago that your kind became weak, held back by the limits placed on your intellect. True Loron know their place: they serve us. The Norol. We were created by Volzara as the true rulers of the universe. The rightful rulers. And I, their rightful Empress!
• Tuolog - Misguided. Volzara would never want Norol to become conquerors.
• Rel'larutina - Yeah, I take it a back a bit. You sound like a bitch.
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - So, this is what becomes of Fre'kloar in this timeline? Interesting. In my own, you were wiped out long ago for your failed insurgency against me. How pathetic that the Zr'Ahgloth of your timeline could never defeat you.
• Fre'kloar - MATE IF YOO WERE STANDIN IN FRONT OF ME ID MAKE YA EET DOSE WORDS. AS WELL AS YA OWN FEET. IM DA BEST BOSS EVA AND YOR A LIL WIMP
• Alt-Rel'larutina - You're all fated for one of two things: to become my subjects, or to become my pet's food!
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - And if I must feast on you, I will do so gladly.

At this point, Hagto'Zhl slammed his fists into the console as an aura of Dark Chronoscopic Energy enveloped him, his red eyes shining in anger. His voice took a demonic turn as he responded.

• Hagto'Zhl - YOO IS NUFFIN. WE IS DA TROO LORON. AND IF DERE IS ONE FING I HATE IS A COPYCAT STEELIN MA NAME. SO YA BEST PREPARE YASELF CUS IMMA GONNA SHOW YA REEL CORRUPSHON
• Alt-Rel'larutina - Food it is then! I'm sure my pets will love the taste of worms. I conquered my own universe, and now, I will take yours!
• Tuolog - You will not win. We not let you.
• Zr'Ahgloth - I CONCUR WIV DA ORIGINAL COPYCAT DUMBO. HES COOLA DAN YOO, SECOND COPYCAT DUMBO. IM GONNA BATTA YAS
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - I look forward to meeting you in ritual combat, a trait that it seems our races shared even after the timelines branched as they did. Come alone, and face me on the battlefield. See where your story ends.
• Fre'kloar - I KILLED GRATZ'KAOZ HIMSELF. YOO IS NUFFIN!!!!!!!!
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - Oh, you did, did you? So did I! He was mincemeat to me!

The Rogue Loron all gasped; the mere idea that someone could beat the legendary Gratz'kaoz so easily was simply alien to them. However, Hagto'Zhl remained defiant, closing off the alt-Loron from the transmission to their faces before turning back to the others.

• Hagto'Zhl - TAKE DIS SHIP BAK TO BOREALIS. WE HAV A DUMBO TA KILL
• Fre'kloar - YEH!!!! afta i watch da nex avatar episode plz i wanna see what happens ta zu'ko
• Hagto'Zhl - OK FINE i also wanna see dat BUT AFTAWARDS WE GO BAK
• Zr'Ahgloth - OI FREKLOAR WES GONNA FITE DESE NOT-LORON AND YA BEST BE SIK AT IT DONT EMBARASS ME
• Fre'kloar - IM NOT DA ONE WHO SHULD BE WORRIED ABOUT BEIN EMBARASSED. PREPAR YA BEST BOIZ FER DA JOB
• Brag'klogga - DIS DAYZ COMIN!!!!!!!! or is it? im not sur at dis point

The Resistance

Many decades ago, during the Second Borealis Galactic War, the populous, bustling metropolis planet Fadaj, and its star system, had been entirely obliterated by the Xi'Arazulha. The planet was later repaired with a combination of the Vyro'Narza's godlike time powers, and the Ioketa's less impressive but still comendable powers, and then resettled and restored as a bastion of prosperity and progress in Ottzello since the dreaded war. In the timeline the alt-Loron hailed from, its story was much different.

No such war had ever begun, and the alt-Loron's empire had reached a power that meant few godlike races dared touch it. Fadaj was still home to a vast cityscape that became somewhat of a symbol among Ottzelloans, and was still situated on the edge of its sector in space, guarded by powerful and imposing orbital fortresses that warned any malicious actor to think twice. What was different was what it represented: Fadaj in their timeline was a symbol of the might of the empress and her reach. With statues dedicated to the Norol queens and empresses throughout the centuries they ruled in their timeline, and a huge military presece of Loron patrolling the streets, Fadaj reminded those who visit it of how powerful the Empress was, and how its billions of citizens of all different species were under her control.

And in this timeline, Empress Rel'larutina wanted to shape its own Fadaj to be much like her own.

One minute, the citizens went about their daily lives as one would expect: hurrying from one place to the next, either walking across the streets, taking the grav-trains, or flying their own vehicles through the thick air traffic. Most of the citizens were far too busy to notice the Loron, who stood atop the roof of one of the tallest scrapers getting into position. The next, he let out a yodelling war cry that, for some reason, the entire planet could hear.

---

Projected by Dark Chronoscopic power, the Loron froze the entire city in time. Those who had been paused in a position where they had a good look of him could see that this Loron, though he was hunchback and cranky, still behaved nothing like the ones from their timeline. He carried a staff and wore a dark purple robes, covering the dark purple tattoos across his face and body. Those who studied the Loron recognized the staff, and could make the connection: this was an alternate timeline Brag'klogga, who after having frozen them, projected his voice across the planet.

• Alt-Brag'klogga - Hark, ye infidels of the Fallen Timeline! Rejoice, for salvation has come to your accursed timeline!

The alt-Brag'klogga pointed his staff up to the air, a burst of energy sparking from it resembling a lightning bolt somewhat in reverse. As it reached the clouds, a portal appeared through the air, out of which several starships, resembling the Loron Fightas and a sort of flying Loron Carrias but with far better builds and more sophisticated weaponry, flew down. With them, they carried hundreds of thousands of alt-Loron, all well-armored and heavily armed, bringing weapons. The alt-Loron proceeded to, while the planet was frozen in time, destroyed every defensive turret or weapon on the planet, while surrounding the garrisons of soldiers and defense forces that the Union Republic had in place to defend the world.

No civilians were killed, because apparently, this was not the goal. Instead, the goal was to intimidate the world: this would be the start of Empress Rel'larutina's true conquest. With a huge glee on his face as he did so, alt-Brag'klogga then bowed as an enormous hologram of Empress Rel'larutina appeared by him (with similar holograms appearing across the planet). The Empress took a look around at the planet's time-frozen citizens, pondering, before choosing one of the many written speeches she had prepared for when she took control of a world.

• Alt-Brag'klogga - I present to you, your new Empress, Rel'larutina! The great protector of the Sacred Timeline, who rules over all its quintillion citizens! She who felled the Delpha Coalition of Planets, the Krassio, the Galactic Empire of Cyrannus, the Rambo Nation, the entire Andromedan Galactic Commonwealth, the...

Alt-Brag'klogga looked at the hologram to see her disapproving of his flattery, before clearing his throat. She did not like when he got himself carried away and spoke for her. After he stayed silent, she then turned back to the citizens, and paused before speaking. Within a few moments, she had made her assessment of this timeline, and chosen which speech to deliver.

• Alt-Rel'larutina - ...Lowlifes. Shameless, filthy wretches. Your timeline so disorganized, so plagued with strife, so divided into factions. Factions scattered across your universe, desperately trying to hold a bitterly-divided people together. Divided by race, creed, ideology, geography, class... concerns which are so petty. And who leads these divided factions? Shameless career politicians who you feel are legitimate because you "voted" for them, voted for them to do naught. Useless religious leaders who held a throne you feel is legitimate because you think they are "destined" for it. Despotic dictators who rule you because you "fear" them.

As she spoke, despite the contempt and condescension that came from her words opening words, it was not delivered in such a manner. Rather, those who listened on with her light tone, hearing she spoke calmly and softly, began to sense she was coming from a place of concern.

• Alt-Rel'larutina - I come before you to bring you something so much greater. I rule not because you chose me, by the pre-determination of any higher power, or out of fear. Instead, I have but one claim to your throne: I rule you because you will need me. You have suffered much: rampages of feared machinations, bloodied political conflicts, long wars against demons, and everything in between. Struggle has been accepted as an inevitable fact of life. Not in my timeline.

The Empress spoke with compassion as she delivered the next portion of her speech. Her genuine intention in her words were to implore listeners to accept her offer, to appeal to them. Of course, still present in her delivery was that of a proud conqueror.

• Alt-Rel'larutina - In my timeline, I crushed every one of these threats before they even approached the point they did for you. Yes: trillions of people who lost their lives in your timeline still live in mine, under my protection. I, and the queens and empresses before me, led our people as they slew warlords, tyrants, demons, and even demons. I crushed everything that would threaten your lives, and united a universe under one banner: my banner. Because that is how the Goddess Volzara had always intended us: we are the guardians of civilization.

By now, the alt-Loron were all in place, ready for alt-Brag'klogga to unfreeze the timeline, just before the Empress delivered her final word.

• Alt-Rel'larutina - I will protect your universe, as I did my own. And you will celebrate my ascension with joy!

At that moment, the timeline unfroze. Whatever the citizens were doing before, they weren't now. Most of them stayed right where they were, a gun pointing directly at them. Aside from the destruction of the planet's automated defense towers, it wasn't immediately clear how far the invading alt-Loron's weaponry surpassed their own. But none, even the planet's defense soldiers, wanted to risk it at first. As the alt-Loron pointed their rifles, which they could see were repeating railguns, at the soldiers and urged them to disarm, there was a great deal of hesitation.

Perhaps it was because they didn't know what to think of it. Alt-Rel'larutina didn't seem to be coming from a place of malice, and was offering peace. And if what she'd said about protecting her entire universe from the Nanohorde, the Corruptus, or even other worse menaces, was true, perhaps the best thing to do was to hear her out? If she had such power, did it even matter whether they agreed or not? They clearly couldn't match her, if she was indeed telling the truth.

Though all these thoughts crossed the minds of Ottzelloan citizens, their mind was soon made up when an elderly Galotian citizen spoke up and threw a rock at the nearest hologram.

• Citizen - I don't care how "benevolent" you present yourself. You're another wannabe tyrant trying to rule Ottzello! We've fought your kind before, and we'll fight you again!

Before the alt-Loron could shoot the citizen down, cheers erupted. Across the entire planet, similar sentiments were echoed, and similar outbursts occurred. The Empress sighed.

• Alt-Rel'larutina - Very well. Men, you know what to do.

As she gave the word, the alt-Loron shoot each of the protestors, and everyone in support of them. Their bullets ripped through citizens, even the heavily well-armored policemen and soldiers, in nanoseconds. The alt-Loron fired with such precision and coordination that it would terrify the protestors were they not too caught up in the chaos to see through it. While the protestors and soldiers were relatively chaotic, the alt-Loron moved in lockstep.

The second an alt-Loron saw someone protest or voice opposition, they had already aimed their weapon to fire squarely at their head, killing them instantly, all while their fellow soldiers fired at a completely different target. Even against URO's Tralkikianoe robots in their defense force, the alt-Loron seemed to be more machines themselves. Not only did they have no hint of remorse or hesitation in their movements, no two alt-Loron attacked the same target at once. And with their size and brute strength, even in comparison to URO's Loron, none who opposed them lasted long at all.

As the dust began to settle, it seemed clear that the alt-Loron were winning the battle. Anyone who dared speak up became a target of theirs in seconds. They were precise enough not to catch any other civilians, and to be careful enough as to not catch any in their crossfire. They made a very deliberate attempt to keep those innocent alive, but to squash any and all opposition to them.

---

As the street war waged on, in one back alley near the skyscraper alt-Brag'klogga had come from, one protestor had just barely managed to escape with her life. Another Galotian civilian, she had managed to lob a small grenade into a squadron of alt-Loron before ducking into the crowd and running off, running across the back alleys. The back alley was still located high above the surface on a sky bridge, meaning that if she slipped too far, she could easily fall. And this proved to be an issue, when, much to her dismay, she noticed that an alt-Loron with their attuned senses, had in fact caught up to her.

Bullet fire from around the corner terrified her as she kept running, her heart rapidly beating. It was impossible to outrun a Loron, she knew, and the alt-Loron were no different. Breathing heavily, as the alt-Loron caught up to her, she dropped to cling onto the side of the skybridge, seeing it as her only way out. With nothing below her but an abyss before she would hit the surface, the alt-Loron approached, trying to get a better aim on her hands to fire.

As he fired, his bullets were blocked by a small forcefield that had been thrown in front of her hands. The puzzled alt-Loron looked around, and was unable to see the fully invisible female Inalton, wearing camouflage armor, that dropped in front of him. As the Inalton dropped her camouflage, the last thing he saw was a large, extended mechanic hammer hit him across the side of his face, before an arm-mounted plasma blast shot him in the middle of his chest. The Inalton soldier turned towards the Galotian citizen, and held out her hand.

• Inalton soldier - You okay?
• Citizen - I'm slipping!
• Inalton soldier - Grab my hand. I'll pull you up!

The soldier pulled the citizen up, with relative ease. Despite her smaller appearance than most Inalton, she was deceptively strong, able to pull the citizen up with a single arm, with relative ease. The citizen breathed slowly, and the soldier allowed her to catch her breath, before introducing herself.

• Sherita - My name's Sherita. I'm guessing you've not heard of me around here.
• Citizen - Can't say I've heard the name before...

Sherita wore metalic-looking armor that covered her full body, revealing she had somewhat of a small yet sturdy frame. Much like typical Ottzelloan technology, seemed to be made purely out of nanotechnology, allowing her to retract her helmet at will. However, the citizen could tell it was unlike any armor that existed in the Union Republic, and seemed to be much more advanced, and bore no insignia of any kind.

• Citizen - You're not from the Union Republic of Ottzello, are you?
• Sherita - Uh... the what? You guys formed a Union Republic?
• Citizen - Huh? Yeah, years ago...
• Sherita - Fascinating... The only Ottzelloans I know are in the Alliance, or under her control.

The citizen looked puzzled, before piecing it together: Sherita wasn't from this timeline. She was from the same timeline as the Empress. As such, the citizen asked a question she was afraid to hear the answer to.

• Citizen - So... Empress Rel'larutina... was she telling the truth? That all those nations... were destroyed by her?
• Sherita - ...Yeah. Every last one of them.

The citizen looked dismayed, but Sherita had little time left.

• Sherita - Look, you'll have to stay safe. The Loron who spotted you were part of the resistance is gone now, so if none of the others know you are, you're safe. Rush on back home, but lay low!
• Citizen - But I want to fight! I don't want to let this empire take over my home!
• Sherita - They won't. But you have to look after yourself first before you look out for others. If you can stay alive, you can keep the resistance alive. Work underground, undermine them from within!
• Citizen - Me? I don't... Okay. I'll do what I can.
• Sherita - I believe in you. Stay safe. And keep the resistance alive. I'll be back. I'll fix this. Don't worry!

With that, Sherita activated a thruster pack on the back of her armor, before covering her head again with the helmet and engaging camouflage once more.

Sherita flew straight to the top of the skyscraper, where alt-Brag'klogga sat, yodeling to himself a little with his eyes shut. He opened one of them, as Sherita appeared. She disengaged her camouflage, knowing that alt-Brag'klogga could see through it, as a large grin formed on his face.

• Alt-Brag'klogga - Ah, you again! The famous fighter of the Alliance to Restore Free Civilization follows us to this timeline! Just as my prophecy foretold.
• Sherita - Save it, Brag'klogga. That was a great show you put on there, but you and I both know you're full of it. You don't care for Empress Rel'larutina anymore than I do.
• Alt-Brag'klogga - True, she follows a false goddess. Or I should say, a doomed goddess.
• Sherita - Doomed? What do you mean "doomed"?
• Alt-Brag'klogga - Even now, I lead the Cult of Zargoth from the shadows of the Empress and her conquest! Our goal was always to appear in this timeline. She follows my prophecies, thinking she is serving Volzara, when Zargoth is merely leading Volzara into a trap!
• Sherita - What?!
• Alt-Brag'klogga - Ah, it will all be revealed to you in time. Volzara will meet her end, and Zargoth, the True God of Time, shall reign supreme over all timelines! My prophecies have foretold it all!
• Sherita - Did your prophecies foretell this?

Sherita fired her arm mounted plasma blast rapidly at alt-Brag'klogga. Mere inches away from hitting him, he quickly warped behind her and blew a rasberry to mock her.

• Alt-Brag'klogga - Ooh, you've improved! Great reflexes from a doomed one!
• Sherita - Stand still and fight me, coward!
• Alt-Brag'klogga - Ah, it is written that we shall see battle one day, my dear. It was written the day you rejected the word of Zargoth.
• Sherita - I don't care about the "word of Zargoth"! I just don't trust your crazy cult to be any better than she is!
• Alt-Brag'klogga - Hohoho! And in time, you'll be proven wrong. Now, I shall make haste!

Alt-Brag'klogga then aimed his staff up in the air, firing another energy blast in the air to create a portal. Out of it came a starship, which fell through the sky, but crashed far below on the ground, causing an explosion instead. Alt-Brag'klogga sighed.

• Alt-Brag'klogga - ...Pretend you didn't see that. Cheerio!

Instead, Alt-Brag'klogga created another portal in front of him and walked through it. Behind where he left, Sherita noticed behind him that several warships that appeared behind him, all of which belonged to the Union Republic. They had sent reinforcements. Sherita flew over, trying to reach them as quickly as possible before they landed: she was going to tell them to turn away at once, because they had little chance of surviving there.

As she reached the command bridge of the ship just as it entered atmosphere, she warped in and addressed the captain of the ship, but before she could issue her warning, she was floored but the man she saw.

• Sherita - ...Yogtam?

Bitter Timeline Rivalries

Arriving in Yogtam's vessel, he and Sherita had traveled to the Vida'Rranlora database for Ottzello. From space, it looked like an enormous, planet-sized chrome sphere, though the Ottzelloans had long since figured out where the opening to the giant computer's inner sections was located. As they arrived, the Vida'Rranlora greeted them as they do with all outsiders; aloof indifference. Their ghastly, semi-transparent forms combined with their echoing, droning voices made them look particularly unsettling, though Yogtam knew they were not dangerous.

• Vida'Rranlora - Inalton lifeforms. State your purpose here.
• Yogtam - This is Sherita. She hails from a timeline removed from ours. And would like to learn of its history.
• Vida'Rranlora - This database is built to archive information, not share it. State your reasons for why we would do so.
• Sherita - I need to know what happened here so I know of the timeline I'm working with. Because I may know how to save it, if I know what resources are available to me.

The Vida'Rranlora circled the two of them in silence. Yogtam knew they were particularly stubborn whenever anything was asked of them, though eventually the AIs stopped on their tracks and turned their eyeless heads to them again.

• Vida'Rranlora - By our pact with the Vyro'Narza, a limited amount of information may be shared. State what you wish to know.

As she asked questions to the Vida'Rranlora, Yogtam watched as her heart began to sink more and more. She saw through them visions of a timeline she'd been denied of: a timeline in which people truly lived in freedom. An Ottzello that, perhaps, had lost a lot, countless lives lost to war and strife, but in the end, had won something valuable: a future they could shape for themselves.

• Sherita - It's all true... Everything she ever said was true. The Empress really did stop centuries of bloodshed... And who are these "Corruptus" demons?
• Vida'Rranlora - The Infernal Ones are the Essentials of Nightmare Essence. Threat level: extreme. Status: inactive.
• Sherita - And this... Regnatus. Just how big a threat did he really pose?
• Vida'Rranlora - Prime Intelligence of Borealis Grox Empire. Threat level: very high. Status: deceased. Extent of influence in this database's area of study: low.
• Sherita - Wait...I thought in this timeline, Ottzello became influenced by the broader Borealis Galaxy...
• Vida'Rranlora - This database is assigned to Galaxy O00X1. Information on broader Galaxy B00X1 can only be obtained from its own database.
• Yogtam - I'll answer that for them, since the Borealis database won't share anything: no, they did threaten us. A lot. Regnatus was far stronger than any Grox you'd expect. He was a machine god with control over the entire subspace of the galaxy and ruled over the Borealis Grox with the power of his mind alone.
• Sherita - The Empress said she defeated all the Grox, but I don't believe she ever defeated anything like that. I suspect he just was never activated in this timeline. But you overcame him...
• Yogtam - It may be so that the Empress has staved off dozens of galactic threats, but that does not mean we need her tyranny. We can protect our universe without them, as we have.

Sherita didn't seem too convinced, weighing the casualties from this timeline with the relatively lower number from her own.

• Sherita - I'm starting to question if it's all worth it... Sure, you live free in this universe, but you also lost trillions of lives to all these demons and godraces...
• Yogtam - No war comes without sacrifice. All we can do is save as many lives as we can.
• Sherita - Just one last question. The Blyro'Tralzica. The Cult of Zargoth. Do they exist here? What became of them?
• Vida'Rranlora - Blyro'Tralzica. Status: active. Cooperations between it and Ottzelloan governments have existed for years... "Cult of Zargoth", no data available. Does not exist in data files. Has the lifeform meant "Blyro'Tralzorca"?
• Sherita - The Blyro'Tralzorca were absorbed into the Cult of Zargoth centuries before I was born. But the Blyro'Tralzica are here... Does that mean Kaltogo is alive?!
• Vida'Rranlora - Ioketa lifeform "Kaltogo". Status: deceased. Killed in action in battle with Regnatus.
• Sherita - No... not here too. He was our last hope. Unless... his son Tuolog! And his partner, Gratz'kaoz! Are they here?

Yogtam raised an eyebrow sharply as Sherita referred to Gratz'kaoz as a "partner" of Tuolog, out of great concern. He could tell at this point she was growing desperate to find help in this timeline, but the fact she had turned to Gratz'kaoz of all people was extremely concerning.

• Vida'Rranlora - Ioketa lifeform "Tuolog". Leading figure of Ioketan culture. Status: alive. Loron lifeform "Gratz'kaoz". Servant of demon lord Zr'An'Kar. Status: deceased.
• Sherita - "Servant of demon lord"...oh no...
• Yogtam - He... wasn't in your timeline?
• Sherita - Nevermind that. If Tuolog is alive here, that's who I need to see at once.
• Yogtam - Sure. I'll take you to him. It seems we need to make another appointment with the PCA Council.

---

As Yogtam convened with the Council, bringing Sherita with him, the mood was a little darker than before. While most Councilors had been quick to dismiss the threat of the alt-Loron, it is clear their perceptions had been colored by the Loron of their own timeline. These alt-Loron were a far graver threat than they realized, and if Empress Rel'larutina's words had rung true, they had indeed toppled the mightiest nations of the universe in their own timeline. It was only a matter of time before the alt-Loron spread beyond Ottzello.

The matter of the alien Inalton soldier that stood before them was a little curious, though. She didn't match anyone that they recognized, and the armor she wore was foreign to them. Still distinctly Ottzelloan, but apparently far more advanced.

• Sherita - Hello, Council. I am told that the Polar Crystal Alliance is a very respected and well-established organization in this galaxy, one that appears to have withstood many dangers that our timeline never faced before. I am Sherita, Leader of the Alliance to Restore Free Civilization. I hail from the Empress' timeline.
• Valzaria - Welcome, Sherita. It is good to hear that, even in their own timeline, these alternate Loron have met resistance. I must say, your attire is most curious. It doesn't resemble anything I've ever seen in our Union Republic.
• Sherita - It was developed by a man who is now deceased, killed in action. A Kralgon whose father never gave him a proper name, but who led his people to battle against the Loron. Or, what was left of them anyway. We knew him only as the "Kralgon Crown Prince".
• Valzaria - Truly? He's known as the "Kralgon Emperor" to us.
• Kralgon Emperor - Fitting that in that timeline, I die fighting. But embarassing to know that it's to a Loron.
• Xeron - These alt-Loron are proving to me a greater thorn than anticipated. Our soldiers are used to the old, screechy barbarians, not these... "sophisticated" and "professional" brutes.
• Sherita - I've seen a little of what the Loron are like in your timeline, and I don't recognize them either. They don't resemble our own Loron one bit... Our Loron are barely autonomous at all. For the most part, they're controlled by Norol brainwaves. It's very rare that they're even self-aware.
• Semirian - So, ultimately, they are slaves.
• Arkarixus - It makes no difference. Whether they fight out of their own volition or by the order of another, they will die. They are far from the most impressive enemies I have encountered.
• Sherita - I know you've fought a lot here... but I wouldn't underestimate the Empress. Not just in my own battles against her, but in watching what she's done over the years, she has genuinely kept our universe safe. Even still... that safety came with a heavy price.
• Arkarixus - I do not underestimate my enemies. I merely have the power and experience to understand the gravity of the threat they pose.
• Valzaria - Whether the case... What exactly is our plan?
• Sherita - Well, I was going to say I need to speak to your leader, but it looks like that's what I'm doing right now. Sorry, Arkarixus, you were never awakened in our timeline.

Arkarixus clenched his teeth and narrowed his eyes at the thought.

• Arkarixus - ... Pity. I would have taught your Loron a lesson already if I had.
• Tuolog - I'm sure you would.

As Tuolog stepped in, he had the typical expression of glee that some had come to expect from him: with an entire room filled with dread and anxiety, Tuolog was often there to brighten the mood. Sherita looked shocked and relieved to see him in his state.

• Sherita - Tuolog! I'm so happy I could meet you! In my timeline...
• Tuolog - I pass away before you get the chance. I know. But you lucky to have met Kaltogo, and he proud of you for leading the Alliance in his stead.
• Sherita - Thank you...
• Tuolog - Now, tell us this plan of yours.
• Sherita - Well, for us to enact it, I was kinda hoping we'd have more Loron.
• Semirian - Tuolog was meant to bring Da Rogue Boyz to our side. How has that gone?
• Zr'Ahgloth - i bet deyz still catchin up on Avatar Da Last Gangsta

As a hologram of Rel'larutina, the one from their timeline, appeared, Sherita gasped at first. Rel'larutina took not notice of it, as she just sighed and turned to Tuolog.

• Rel'larutina - Yes, we're all on-board. And yes, the other Loron are watching their stupid TV show.
• Nayanur - What else would you expect of these irresponsible hounds?
• Xeron - Preach it, Nayanur. Preach it.
• Rel'larutina - Hold on a minute, I'll fix this. Hey! Hey Grak'tona! Xeron just said your crown looks cheap!

A roar was heard, followed by broken glass, coming from from Rel'larutina's hologram, as Grak'tona appeared in a fury, the other Loron following suit.

• Grak'tona - DA KING ORDAS DA BEHEDIN OF ANYON WHO DISSES MA CROWN
• Fre'kloar - MAN YOO GUYS KEEP INTERRUPTIN US AT DA WORST TIMES I SWER. DA BIG PROPA FITE WAS BOUT TA START. I WANTED TA SEE DAT BLIND GEEZA THROW A MOUNTAIN AT PEEPZ
• Rel'larutina - You do know you can just watch it later, right?
• Brag'klogga - watch it lata... WHEN WE CAN WATCH NAO? SOUNDS LIKE SACRILEJ TA ME
• Tuolog - Know any of these, Sherita?
• Sherita - I recognize about a third of them. The rest, I think they were put to death for defying Zr'Ahgloth.
• Zr'Ahgloth - lol sounds bout rite

Hagto'Zhl shoved the others out of the way to make himself look bigger and puffed his chest.

• Hagto'Zhl - YA WISH YA COPYCAT DUMBO. YOO AND DAT OTHA EVEN DUMBA ONE
• Zr'Ahgloth - YOO WANNA SLAP??? MAN I SWER YOR MANNAS GOT EVEN WORS SINCE YOU BECAME AN INTADIMENSHONAL SPACE PIRATE
• Arkarixus - Enough with this nonsense.

Arkarixus glared at the holograms of the Rogue Loron, and they all yelped in fear for a moment.

• Arkarixus - I had hoped to never see you again. But if I must, then you will make yourselves useful.
• Sherita - Wait... you can just do that and strike fear in them? I wish that worked on my Loron.
• Arkarixus - I once broke their spirits. And their bodies.
• Fre'kloar - NAO YOR JUS BEING A JERK
• Sherita - This timeline is very lucky to have you. And... Yogtam wasn't kidding when he said the Loron here are loud. And messy. And stupid. And lazy. And really, really foul-smelling...
• Grak'tona - DID YOO LOT CALL US JUS TA DISS US? DIS IS AN OUTRAGE TO DA CROWN
• Sherita - No, but I do need your help in defeating Empress Rel'larutina. We're going to need Loron, and lots of them.
• Fre'kloar - OH YEH WES GONNA BATTA DOSE WANNABE DUMBOS. TEECH DEM WHO DA BEST LORONZ IS
• Rel'larutina - Something tells me it's not you.
• Fre'kloar - SHUT UP WOMAN IM DA BEST BOSS EVA
• Sherita - In my timeline, you'd be executed for saying that...
• Rel'larutina - As it should be.
• Sherita - Actually, in my timeline, you were executed for saying that.
• Brag'klogga - EVERYUN SHUT UP FER A SEC. I CAN FEEL IT IN MA BONES... DA GODZ IS DISPLEESED

Sherita looked at this timeline's Brag'klogga, puzzled. In her own, alt-Brag'klogga was a Zargoth fanatic, and one of her fiercest adversaries. But in this... Brag'klogga didn't worship him?

• Sherita - The... "godz"? Godz... plural?
• Brag'klogga - OBVS. WAT, DONT TELL ME YA NEVA HEARD OF DA 33 GODZ??? OH MA DAYZ DIS WEIRDO NEVA HEARD OF DA 44 GODZ. LADS I SWER EVERYTIME I SEE SOMEON BADMOUFFIN DA 55 GODZ IT MAKES ME SO MAD. DA 66 GODZ HATE IT WHEN SOMEON DO DAT
• Zr'Ahgloth - YA MEEN ROZ'TAH'FLOK HATES IT. ALL YOR GODZ ARE FAKE SMH
• Sherita - Ohhh, I get it. You guys are all morons and believe in mythical sky gods you made up on the spot. Sorry, carry on.
• Brag'klogga - WAT?!?!?! FIRST OF ALL SHUT UP ZR'AHGLOTH ROZ'TAH'FLOK IS A LOSA FAKE UNO/URO/UZO/WATEVA DA HELL YOR CALLIN IT NOWADAYS GOD. SECOND OF ALL YOR A STOOPID INALTON DISSIN DA GODZ LIKE DIS. I CAN FEEL DEM BEIN PROPA MAD ATM YOR GONNA REGRET SAYIN DAT
• Sherita - So, bring them in then. Like I said, we're gonna need a lot of Loron.
• Brag'klogga - FINE I WILL JUST TA SPITE YA

Brag'klogga's body was enveloped in essence as he begun chanting, and the other Rogue Loron all watched, eager expressions on their faces (while Zr'Ahgloth looked at his watch). At first, nothing seemed to happen, and Councillor Nayanur even yawned in boredom.

However, the air around the Council's chamber grew dark as Arkarixus and Tuolog both felt a dark presence in the air. The Kormacvar became alert as he readied himself for a fight, while a pair of sillhouettes manifested above them, towering over them all. Each had a black, empty eye and a shining red one as they looked down on them.

• ??? - HEAR US NAO
• ??? - AND BELEEV US LATA
• Sherita - Are we sure this is an alternate timeline, and not just a weird fever dream I'm having?
• Arkarixus - What is the meaning of this?! This energy... It is Kolossus!
• Tuolog - It cannot be. Kolossus was defeated. But this much resemble him...
• Brag'klogga - BEHOLD DUMBOS. DA BEST GODZ EVA: ZR'AN AND K'AR
• Xeron - There are two of them now?!
• Sherita - Well, I stand corrected. Your gods aren't fake, they're just... let's just say they're not Zargoth.

Zr'An and K'ar properly materialized before them, and Zr'An pointed a finger down at Sherita, while K'ar posed in an arrogant manner.

• Zr'An - ZARGOTH IS A PANSY
• K'ar - HES A WHINY WEIRDO WHO JUS SPENDS HIS TIME CIRCLEJERKIN ROUND HIS DEEMUN FRIENDS
• Zr'An - IF WE WANTED WE WULD TOTALLY SMASH HIS FACE IN
• Sherita - Not gonna lie... I'm beginning to like these guys.
• Tuolog - I quite fond of them myself, hehe.
• K'ar - DA GODZ IS DISPLEESED. A NOO ARMY OF DUMBOS, CLAIMIN TA BE TROO LORONZ, IS IN OUR TURF
• Zr'An - DA ONLY TROO LORONZ IS DA ROGUE BOYZ. ALL OTHAS IS WEEKLINGS. DEY NEED TA BE TAUGHT A LESSON
• Zr'Ahgloth - OI WAT ABOUT ME???? I SMAKKED DA ROGUE BOYZ OVA A TON OF TIMES WEN DO I GET ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BY DA GODZ
• Zr'An - GO BAK TA KISSIN ROZ'TAH'FLOKS FEET
• K'ar - YEH YOO DONT HAV OUR FAVOR

Zr'Ahgloth sniffed a little and ran off crying, much to the surprise of the others in the room. The two Loron Godz reacted by just posing and flexing.

• Yogtam - Geez... you sure hurt his feelings.
• K'ar - GOOD. PERHAPS HE WILL STOP BEIN A PANSY
• Zr'An - YEH. LOSA WEEKLIN LORONZ DONT MATTA
• Brag'klogga - OI WIV YOO ON OUR SIDE I FINK WES GONNA STOMP DA ALT-LORON FLAT. YO WE SHULD SEND A TRANSMISSHON TO DEM TA MOK DEM
• Zr'An - CALL DESE FAKE LORONZ. DA GODZ WILL RENDER JUDGEMENT
• K'ar - BY WHICH HE MEENS WES GONNA CALL HER FAT AND SAY HER MOMS DUM
• Yogtam - ...Are we doing this, then? I'm game...
• Semirian - The sheer arrogance of these two... Essentials? ... is absolutely astonishing.
• Rylarien - Honestly, it's a little entertaining.
• Nayanur - Ugh, now the entire chamber smells like Loron.
• Zr'An - BEHOLD OUR MANLY MUSK
• K'ar - AKSHULLY DONT EVA SAY DAT AGAIN ZR'AN OR ILL BREAK YOR TEEF
• Sherita - At least y'all are used to the smell...

A transmission was submitted to Empress Rel'larutina, whose hologram appeared in a flash. Though alt-Rel'larutina was not much larger than a typical Norol, she always projected enormous holograms, to make herself seem bigger than everyone in the room. In this case, she looked down on the two Loron gods that had appeared in the council chamber, with an unamused expression.

• Alt-Rel'larutina - ...So this is the rabble who runs this galaxy? Curious.
• Arkarixus - And you are the next tyrant whose corpse I shall hang from this tower. Unimpressive.
• Alt-Rel'larutina - ...A live Kormacvar. I've always wanted to meet one in the flesh. Your entire species, once the defenders of this universe, as we are now. Surely you of all people would understand the need to have a race of guardians watch over the people. But your time has passed, and ours has come.

Before Arkarixus could respond, Zr'An and K'ar both grew in size in order to rival the Empress' hologram, as they begun a new combination of arrogant poses.

• Zr'An - FALSE EMPRESS. INVADA OF DA REALM OF TROO LORONZ
• K'ar - BEHOLD ZR'AN AND K'AR, GODZ OF WAR.
• Zr'Ahgloth - YEH AN NOT DA ONES IN DA VIDEOGAME EITHA. altho kratos wuld be pretty sik if he was on our side
• Zr'An - YOR EXISTENCE IS AN OFFENSE TA OUR TRADISHONS
• K'ar - BY COMIN HEER YOO HAV SIGNED YA OWN DEFF SENTENCE
• Zr'Ahgloth - YEH WAT HE SED
• Grak'tona - DA KING DEMANDS YOO LISSEN TO DA TROO GODZ
• Hagto'Zhl - YEH I BET YOO ALT-LORONZ DONT EVEN HAV SIK GODZ LIKE US

Empress alt-Rel'larutina waited until they were finished speaking, her expression remaining unchanged. When they were done, her hologram walked over to Zr'An and K'ar, retaining an unamused expression, before she turned to the hologram of alt-Zr'Ahgloth that appeared by her side.

• Alt-Rel'larutina - Hmm, what is your assessment of these pretenders, pet?
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - ...Immitators. Immitating a god long-deceased. Nothing compared to Volzara, who guides our way, or Zargoth, who has determined our demise.
• Alt-Rel'larutina - As I thought. My pets will squash you as they did any other. You will serve as nice dog food when we are done with you. After we're done scolding the children that pupport to oppose us, we'll return to behaving as reasonable adults. We have a universe to bring order to.

The two Loron Godz begun scoffing mockingly at the two holograms, changing their poses (but never stopping posing) as they did so.

• Zr'An - VOLZARA, DA TIME PIGGY
• K'ar' - KINDA HOT TBH. BUT SHE IS BUT ONE OF DA GODZ
• Zr'An - AND ZARGOTH, DA WEAK COWARD
• K'ar - PROBS HOLED UP WIV HIS CORRUPTUS PALS CRYIN BOUT HIS GIRLFRIEND AGEN
• Alt-Rel'larutina - Even the Loron's gods in this timeline are uncivilized brutes?
• Zr'An - DA GODZ HAV MADE DEIR CHILDREN IN DEIR IMAGE
• K'ar - AND OUR IMAGE IS DA BEST. LOOK AT DESE GUNZ
• Alt-Rel'larutina - ...Yes, indeed, She did. Volzara made us in Her image. We, the Norol, destined to protect the universe, with our pets, the Loron, serving us in this glorious mission. But in this timeline, you lost your way.
• Zr'An - LAST I SEEN VOLZARA WAS A NOT A GROSS HEAD WIV LEGS
• K'ar - AHAHAHAHAHAHA
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - You would be wise not to insult the Empress. Do so again, and I will make you regret it for the rest of your existence.
• K'ar - HAO BOUT YA DO US A FAVOR AND CRY A RIVER ABOUT IT?
• Zr'An - MORTAL PANSY. YOO IS NUFFIN. ACCEPT YA ROLE AS CANNON FODDA AGENST OUR BEST LORONZ
• Kralgon Emperor - Anyone else having an aneurism over here?
• Xeron - I'm pretty sure I felt one of my organs shutting down.
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - ...The Loron in this universe are a disgrace to what they are truly destined to be. What happened to the glorious guardians of time that we were chosen by Volzara to become? Such a shame. Perhaps, when we conquer this timeline, we should start with these Loron.
• Alt-Rel'larutina - Splendid. Our next target will be planet Groodrub.

Zr'An and K'ar continued their mocking poses for a moment before they suddenly shuddered; now, Tuolog and Arkarixus both truly felt a familiar presence as cracks of dark lightning seemed to course through the heads of the two Loron Godz. They begun screaming in unison, their red eyes shining brighter.

• Kolossus - The Loron are MINE! Body AND soul, in every timeline! You exist as you are only because I have not yet found you... But you are mine! MINE! My servants, my experiments, MY TOOLS! Volzara will bleed and burn!

Empress Rel'larutina was shaken a little by the words, as she responded more angrily than they had seen her before.

• Alt-Rel'larutina - The prophecy declared ME as the rightful ruler of this universe! Your lies do not shake me, false god! I alone am the salvation of this universe! And I will save this one from pretenders such as you!

The two Loron Godz then shook their heads, as if regaining control of themselves. They both looked somewhat embarrassed.

• Zr'An - uh soz bout dat
• K'ar - yeh we dont kno wat dat was bout. wat was yoo sayin?
• Hagto'Zhl - yoooo did yoo guys see dat? DAT WAS SIK! DEY WAS ALL LIKE "IM DA BADMAN GOD YOO SHUT UP" PLUS a bunch of otha stuff i didnt reely understand tbh BUT IT WAS SIK ANYWAY
• Fre'kloar - I ALMOST FEEL SORRY FOR DESE LOSA LORONZ FOR NOT HAVIN SIK GANGSTA GODZ LIKE US. ALMOST.
• Alt-Rel'larutina - You disgust me, you whelps! I come before you, burdened with the responsibility to protect your universe as I did my own... My entire timeline is proof that you need me! You could not cope without me!
• Arkarixus - You were not requested here. You are no protector of ours. Begone, or die. It is that simple.
• Alt-Rel'larutina - Empty words, from short-sighted wretches. Zr'Ahgloth, how should we deal with this rabble?
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - Hmm... their Groodrub is very different from our own. Ours, a metropolis planet, much like the worlds we have already conquered this far. Theirs will be different. It is still covered in jungle.
• Alt-Rel'larutina - I see...
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - We shall send the war veteran against them. One who can teach them true Loron tradition. Jol'kiar will be deployed to Groodrub.
• Jol'kiar - excuse me WAAAAAAAT?!?!??!
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - You will meet your superior self, alternate timeline fool. He will take care of you all. Alas, I must prepare for an invasion more worthy of my skills.
• Jol'kiar - YA MOMS AN ALTERNATE TIMELINE FOOL. FINE I GUESS WE BETTA GO BATTA ME. man dats weird ta say
• Fre'kloar - tbh dis is like da fifth?? sixth time weve fought vershons of ourselves????
• Zr'An - CHILDREN OF OUR BLOOD
• K'ar - DA GODZ HAV A DECREE SO LISSEN WELL
• Zr'An and K'ar - SMASH DEM PROPA
• Arkarixus - Charming. And also, thank you for informing us where you are going next. You imbeciles.
• Alt-Rel'larutina - My glorious purpose is no secret to anyone. For it is foretold in the prophecies that have been written by Prophet Brag'klogga for centuries. You know when to expect me, and you know what becomes of you who dare oppose me.
• Brag'klogga - I DIDNT WRITE NUFFIN BOUT YOO. IF I DID IT WULD BE BOUT HAO WE SMASH YA FACE IN
• Arkarixus - It is a weak mind that binds itself to the idea of fate and prophecy. Mortals must dictate their own path.
• Alt-Rel'larutina - Foolish. The Goddess of Time Herself has already decreed the future of this universe. It has already been written. To go against it is a fool's errand. Now, if there's nothing more to discuss, I shall leave. As I take more of your words, I await your surrender.
• Arkarixus - Begone from my sight, vermin.

The Empress and Emperor left, their holograms vanishing.

• Kralgon Emperor - So, I trust that URO's prepared to retaliate on Groodrub?
• Tuolog - That not easy, considering the constitutional crisis going on. We not have a president.
• Valzaria - I will do what I can to send as many forces to URO's aid as possible. The full might of the Alliance will face these Loron.
• Zr'Ahgloth - nah. no need ta do dat lads. dis is da loronz home. an so it shuld be da LORONZ who protect it. YO FREKLOAR YOO WANNA SMAK DESE WANNABES???
• Fre'kloar - DO YA HAV TA ASK???
• Zr'Ahgloth - GUESS NOT. LETS GO KIK SOM WANNABE ASS

Chapter 2

The Journey

In the Golden City, there was little that did not seek to impress for its outsiders. Even the lower streets were still kept clean, homeley, and safe, to the point where one would not assume there was such a thing as a lower class in the city. Filled to the brim with over 70,000 people walking one of the streets on any given day, once one saw past the vast crowds of people, they would find buildings that would be extremely impressive anywhere else in the universe. Perhaps they didn't impress as much as in the higher tier of the city, but still to any outsider, even the small restaurants on the corners of Golden City's lower streets seemed luxurious, from their quality interior decoration to their vast space.

The crowded streets of the bustling cityscape was perhaps the only place in the entire universe the crown prince of the Taldar Empire could walk unnoticed. As he sat down with Volzara at the pizzeria on the corner, he kept a low profile by wearing commoner clothing and behaving among them. To Volzara's surprise, Zargoth fit in seamlessly with them, and did not give the impression of a man who'd been raised in a palace his whole life.

• Zargoth - So, run that by me again. Your research paper on timelines?
• Volzara - Before I do, I want to hear it from you. Tell me what a timeline is.
• Zargoth - Hey, you're the chronologist professor here! Why ask a dumb, pampered prince a science question?
• Volzara - Firstly, I'm not just a chronologist, I'm also a computer scientist. Half of what I do is writing algorithms to predict the future based on the past, you know!
• Zargoth - Oh, there you go, being a showoff...
• Volzara - But to answer your question: perhaps I respect that dumb, pampered prince enough to think he'd been listening! Go ahead. Tell me!

Zargoth cleared his throat, and finished his first slice of the pizza he'd been given. Volzara giggled a little while he ate very slowly and deliberately, knowing he was stalling for time.

• Zargoth - Okay, so the fifth dimension, right? Everything's mapped on three coordinates in space, but time is all relative. So there's a fifth coordinate for how far along in a "timeline" something is. A "timeline" is the beginning and end of that universe... so uh... if I turn back my fifth dimensional coordinate a few minutes, that's me being early for our date and waiting for you to be fashionably late so you can hide how much actually super into me.
• Volzara - Hahahahaha. Well, for that answer, this chronologist professor would give you a C+. And the + would only be extra points for trying to be a smartass.
• Zargoth - Oh, come on! That's at least a B!
• Volzara - Well, you made a pretty big error: the main problem is that you have to understand that because time is all relative, "timeline" isn't just a universe-wide thing. In fact, the whole concept of a "timeline" is a bit of a crude understanding of what your fifth dimensional coordinate means.
• Zargoth - So... where'd I get it wrong?
• Volzara - The fifth dimensional coordinate—which, to be clear, is spatial, not temporal—isn't for how far along the universe's timeline you are. It's more like how far along your own timeline you are. Everything has a beginning and an end. Your beginning is like your own personal 0 coordinate. Your end, is... well, that depends on how long you're around.
• Zargoth - So, wait... universes don't have timelines?
• Volzara - Sure they do. Think of it this way: the city you're in has three dimensional coordinates. And so the three dimensional coordinates that map your location happen to map your location within that city. But when you leave the city, there are still three dimensional coordinates that map your location, it's just no longer accurate to say those are your coordinates within that city.
• Zargoth - Wait, so... My fifth dimensional coordinate tells me that I'm 27 years old—or 27 years past my beginning... and this restaurant's coordinate tells it that it's in its 11th year of existence, so... Our coordinates don't match at all?
• Volzara - Well, not really. Your beginning wasn't when you were born, or when you were conceived. Your beginning, your 0 coordinate, was the same as this universe's. Because all space and matter was created at the beginning of this universe. So, in theory, your end coordinate should also be the end of this universe.
• Zargoth - Right. But then you have time travelers, like my dad...

Volzara sighed. She'd really hoped the topic wouldn't come up. After a brief pause, she elected to avoid the issue for now.

• Volzara - So, a "timeline" with no time traveling funny business just refers to how long all space and matter in the universe has existed since its beginning. "Timeline" is often used to refer to the beginning and end point of a universe, but everything within it has its own timeline too. Everything has a beginning and end.
• Zargoth - Wait, doesn't that just mess things up completely?
• Volzara - How so?
• Zargoth - Well... let's say I traveled back in time five minutes ago to order different toppings. Now my fifth dimensional coordinate no longer match with the universe's fifth dimensional coordinate.
• Volzara - Well, like I said, all space and matter has a coordinate, right? So your coordinate may be located along your own timeline, but if your matter, physically, is located inside of space that has a different fifth dimensional coordinate...
• Zargoth - Then I'd be in a different place on the universe's timeline, but I still carry on in my own timeline as normal. I'm on a coordinate on my own timeline, but located in a coordinate of the universe's timeline.
• Volzara - Exactly.
• Zargoth - Who knows what coordinate my father is on...
• Volzara - I do. It was the first obvious giveaway that he wasn't who he says he was.

This time, it was Zargoth who chose to avoid the subject. He'd yet to make up his mind on what he thought of his father yet. When speaking to him about Volzara, his father had only nice things to say about her, and even encouraged him to spend more time with her. But he had to know that she, and her whole team, were onto him. It was difficult to know what his father was thinking, and he wasn't ready to ruin a good meal yet.

• Zargoth - So, what happens when there are branching timelines? I mean, you say that going back to the past and changing events doesn't cause you to actually change the present, right?
• Volzara - Well, it's easiest to think of time as a river (one that can branch off into different paths, mind you). If you are near the end of the river, but you travel further upstream and drop a rock in the river, and return back to where you were at the start, that doesn't mean the rock is there where you started, does it?
• Zargoth - Wait, what? Explain to me where you're going with this.
• Volzara - No! Figure it out!
• Zargoth - Well, I... Ohhh. I've changed what's in the river upstream, but that only relates to the geographical space it's in. It's got nothing to do with the geographical space of where I am when I get back.
• Volzara - Yep. And what happens if you drop a rock big enough further upstream? Or put a dam there?
• Zargoth - Well, it could change the path the river takes entirely from there. But, the water flow already traveled to the end of the river where I'd started.
• Volzara - Right. So, you see how the same applies?
• Zargoth - Yeah. If I travel back to when this pizzaria was created, I'm traveling back to the fifth dimensional coordinate of it when it was at its creation. So if I paint graffiti on it there saying "Volzara is the smartest, most beautiful woman in the Taldar Empire", that won't appear in the present day because I left it there. And as it and the space around it travel along their own fifth dimensional coordinate from there to its end, they won't come back full circle to here, because what I did then doesn't affect today.
• Volzara - Hmm, B-.
• Zargoth - Oh, come on!
• Volzara - First of all, I'm flattered, but no one leaves graffiti like that on any building and has it stay there for 10 years.
• Zargoth - This place is only 10 years old?
• Volzara - Secondly... it's not exactly the same three dimensional coordinates, because planetary orbits, galaxies moving all the time, yadda yadda yadda... it's still the same three dimensional coordinates as related to the core of the planet, though, so I'm being pedantic.
• Zargoth - Yeah, yeah, yeah...
• Volzara - Other than that, yeah, you're pretty much spot-on.
• Zargoth - Can I at least get a B+?

Volzara smiled a little. Normally in public, according to the stories, Zargoth's attention would almost always be on the thousands of beautiful women in the Golden City. But the entire time, as many had come and gone through, he'd kept his eyes focused on her. Perhaps his words to her were true, and his affection was genuine.

Volzara then abruptly changed the topic to address the elephant in the room. Perhaps it was out of fear of what becoming too heavily involved with a prince would do to her career. Or maybe it was just fear of falling in love. Dangerous, uncharted territory for her that she wished to avoid.

• Volzara - Did you talk to your father about me?
• Zargoth - Of course I did. Something as important as meeting you... think I'm gonna leave that detail out?
• Volzara - And he didn't... warn you about me? He didn't raise any suspicions?
• Zargoth - Volzara, are you accusing my dad of plotting against you?
• Volzara - Or using you to spy on me.
• Zargoth - We discussed this last time, Volzy. He's not—
• Volzara - Come on. You've talked to me enough to know I'm not one of those dim chicks you bring home on your arm for a quickie. Or whatever chauvinistic views you have of women.
• Zargoth - Volzy, snap the hell out of it.
• Volzara - I won't be used by you! You're trying to lull me into a false sense of security, aren't you? All you men are pigs! And your father is the worst one!

Zargoth was horribly offended by her words, as she looked away, and a tear began to form on her cheek. He didn't even want to know what kind of traumatic experience she'd gone through, but he paused a few moments. His initial reaction was one of anger, wishing to lash out at her for throwing such accusationas at him, but instead he shut his eyes a brief moment, and spoke again, consoling her.

• Zargoth - You're not really versed in this whole... "people" thing, are you?
• Volzara - ...No. Not really. Can't say it's ever worked out for me...
• Zargoth - Afraid of committing to people because then you become attached to them, right? Because once you're gone, you're missing something important in your life. You can't imagine it without them.
• Volzara - Yup...
• Zargoth - Is it because of something in your past?
• Volzara - ...I spend every day at work looking at peoples' pasts. How they change, how they don't change. How beneath the surface of everyone, they've got something hidden in their past. Like your father being a genocidal maniac for thousands of years in pursuit of a lost love.

Zargoth paused once more, trying to choose both his thoughts, and his words carefully. Until then, he was yet to make up his mind on his father, but now he had.

• Zargoth - ...Maybe it's never too late to change.
• Volzara - Huh?
• Zargoth - You know, I wonder if maybe we judge someone's past too much. Maybe that's not the important part. The important part is their future. My dad has... left a lot of dystopian, broken timelines in his wake, but... What if what's important is what he does to this one? And the future ones? If he's learned how to build a truly benevolent Taldar Empire, that looks after its citizens, and keeps them in peace, maybe that's what's important.
• Volzara - ... Haha. You know, I guess I never thought of it that way. Part of our business is studying pasts to predict futures, but... sometimes there can be truly remarkable differences in ones' behavior that even we can't expect.
• Zargoth - Sometimes, people go from horrible places to good ones. Maybe no one's irredeemable, you know? And maybe you should give my dad a chance! Maybe he really has changed.
• Volzara - Right, after thousands and thousands of years as a despot, he's changed to become a benevolent pacifist.
• Zargoth - Hey, what's more important: the beginning, or the end?
• Volzara - ...What?
• Zargoth - Come on, Miss Chronology Professor. You should get that one!
• Volzara - ... That's a trick question. The start and end are just a start and an end. What's important is the journey in-between.
• Zargoth - And there you go. But let's say the "beginning" isn't just when your matter came to be. Anything could be a beginning. And maybe, maybe my dad's had a new beginning as a new man. So what matters now is the journey he takes from there.

Volzara thought for a moment, and then smiled lovingly.

• Volzara - Well, he sure did a good job of instilling just the right values in you. That's gotta count for something!
• Zargoth - Glad we agree! So, I was wondering...
• Volzara - ...Yes?
• Zargoth - I was wondering... what a lady such as yourself would be doing tomorrow night...

Volzara paused, once again in fear. In a panic, she looked at her watch, laughed nervously, and back at Zargoth.

• Volzara - I would love to say I'm free, but I'm still writing my book. I'm a little behind already!
• Zargoth - Book? You never told me you were writing a book!
• Volzara - Oh, it's called, "The Watchers of Time". It's a new theory I had, based on my own background in chrono and computer science. It's a theory about a godrace watching over the fifth dimension and keeping it safe, in the same way a software engineer watches over their codebase. It reimagines the fifth dimension as a written software, basically...
• Zargoth - Wait, a godrace? What for?
• Volzara - To preserve the just flow of timeline. And make sure it's never interrupted by time anomalies!
• Zargoth - You'll have to tell me all about it when I see you next!
• Volzara - Yeah, sure. I'll keep in touch. See you soon!
• Zargoth - See you soon!!

As Volzara took off in a hurry to the grav-train to her next destination, Zargoth sat back in his chair for a minute, watching her as she left, with a tear forming on his own cheek.

• Zargoth - You know, I was kind of hoping... maybe this could have a beginning, too...

The Fall of Groodrub

Just as alt-Zr'Ahgloth had described it, Groodrub was mostly a forest world, filled with all sorts of dangerous lifeforms among its thick jungles and rainforests. But the Loron were no strangers to huge battles that took place on the world, so choosing a battlefield did not take them long. They settled on one of the planet's rare deserts, a great distance away from the nearest city, with the battlefield taking place along the vast space on the side of a cliff.

The Rogue Boyz and URO armies lined up alongside each other, for the first time with complete uniformity; even when they had fought on the same side before, they had always been at one another's throats and there was never a shortage of bickering. This time, the battle-hardened soldiers stood roaring in anticipation, awaiting the arrival of the alt-Loron.

Before they did, a huge hologram was presented before them, of an elderly Loron wearing the thick armor they were used to. From his identical face, they could tell that this was the alternate Jol'kiar. All of the Rogue Loron were there, save for Rel'larutina who remained in Da Propa Big Rogue Krooza to organize the war effort.

• Alt-Jol'kiar - Bah! How disgusting it is to see Groodrub in such a state! You disrespect generations of Loron tradition!

The Rogue Loron's own Jol'kiar stepped forward to the front of his army, pointing a finger at the hologram accusingly.

• Jol'kiar - ITS YOO AND YA STOOPID FAKE BOYZ WHO BREAK OUR TRADISHONS. DISGUSTS ME IT DOES
• Alt-Jol'kiar - Groodrub is meant to be the shining pillar of civilization at the head of the entire universe. It is covered in cityscape, and bears the flags of our Empress! But here... it is a wreck! Barely even constructed on at all... You still allow these subordinate lifeforms to dwell here! I am shocked and appalled.
• Jol'kiar - GROODRUB MAY BE A DUM URO PLANET BUT ITS OUR PLANET. ITS DA WAY DA LORONZ WAS RAISED BY DA GODZ. BAH, BAK IN MA DAYZ WE DIDNT WORRY BOUT NO BIG CITYSCAPES OR SHINING PILLAS. WE JUS SHANKED DUMBOS AND WAS GANGSTA. OH MA DAYZ DO YOO LOT EVEN RAP??????
• Alt-Jol'kiar - You... rap???? This gets worse by the second...
• Jol'kiar - RAP IS DA MUSIC OF DA BOYZ ONLY TOTAL LOSAS DISLIKE IT. MAN YOO LOT IS EVEN WORSE DAN DA DARK LORONZ. DEY MAY BE COPYCAT DUMBOS SOMTIMES BUT AT LEEST DEY HAV DECENT TASTE IN MUSIC
• Alt-Jol'kiar - Loron have no place making music. Did you not get the memo in school? The only musicians are Norol! We have incredible artists such as Brit'neespeers! My, how gross your kind have been without the respect for women that you should have had instilled in you from a young age...
• Jol'kiar - OH JUS CUS YOR A CHIK DAT MEENS I GOTTA LET DEM STEP ALL OVA ME? BRUH YOR A FOOL. RESPEKT NEEDS TA BE EARNED. AND FER YA INFORMASHON DA CHIKZ DID EARN DEYR RESPEKT. DEY IS PARK OF DA LADZ NAO. BUT YOO WILL NEVA BE
• Alt-Jol'kiar - Grr... You insult me with every single breath. Foul, foul creatures! What even is there on this planet other than bloodied battlefields and pizzarias... Oh, at least you have those! One thing you do correctly! Give my compliments to your chefs when this battle is done, 'ey chap?
• Jol'kiar - PFFT OF COURS WE GOT PIZZA PLACES. LORON PIZZA IS DA BEST IN DA OONIVERS. I BET YORS SUKS THO LMAO. I BET YOO DONT EVEN HAVE PINEAPPLE ON PIZZA
• Alt-Jol'kiar - P-Pineapple?!?! Disgusting! A breach of tradition!! How dare you defy the food of the Goddess this way?!?!?! For this alone, I will glass your planet and murder every one of your kind!
• Jol'kiar - COM AND HAV A GO IF YA FINK YOR HARD ENUFF LOSA

The hologram disappeared, and an army of alt-Loron, with alt-Jol'kiar at the head of it, warped in in front of them. The army stood in contrast to the Rogue and URO Loron; as well as being much more disciplined as one would expect of alt-Loron, it was also only a quarter of the size of both of them combined. The lack of Dark or Cold Loron equivalents in the alt-Loron timeline cost them in numbers.

• Alt-Jol'kiar - To arms, comrades! Cut down these tradition-defying filth!
• Jol'kiar - DA BOYZ IS DA BEST! CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGE!!!!!!

The two armies went at one another as one would expect. The alt-Loron silently cutting through their opponents, while the Rogue and URO Loron ran forward excitedly, hacking away at their foes. Despite their superior numbers, they were at somewhat of a disadvantage: though there were many of them, the alt-Loron were better-trained, more coordinated, and better-armed. The first few clashes ended poorly for the Rogue and URO Loron, as they found their numbers thinned out worse than feared.

Jol'kiar himself was in for a similar surprise, but alt-Jol'kiar wasn't at all the foe he expected. As they clashed on the battlefield, alt-Jol'kiar raised himself in the air, seemingly using a powerful form of Chronoscopic powers, and then flew down to tackle Jol'kiar to the ground with a powerfully-charged punch. As other Loron approached him, he held his hands up to the air and raised them and himself around them, spinning them around in a circle before launching them back to Jol'kiar like a cannon.

• Alt-Jol'kiar - The power of the Goddess of Time herself! Only she knows what is best for the universe!

Jol'kiar dodged the shot, while Brag'klogga showed up, floating across the air and swinging his staff, launching a beam of Dark Chronoscopic Energy at the alternate Jol'kiar as he screamed in rage.

• Brag'klogga - ONLY DA LORONZ WHO FOLLOW DA TROO 9999 GODZ ARE ALLOWED TA USE DA GOD JUICE!!!!!!
• Alt-Jol'kiar - Even in my timeline you are a menace, Brag'klogga. I've no idea why the Empress kept you around, especially not after she put Kal'kuir to death!
• Kal'kuir - she did WAT? MAN WHAI I DIDNT DO NUFFIN WRONG
• Alt-Jol'kiar - On the contrary...

Alt-Jol'kiar raised Kal'kuir in the air, tearing off his weapons one by one.

• Alt-Jol'kiar - Your infernal contraptions... breach tradition!
• Kal'kuir - SHUT UP MAN LORON TRADISHON IS ALL BOUT SIK AND LOUD GUNZ! YOR A STOOPID POSA!!!!
• Zalk'don - SPEEKIN OF SIK AN LOUD...

From a distance, Zalk'don fired an artillery cannon at alt-Jol'kiar. Though his Chronoscopic shielding prevented it from harming him too heavily, it knocked him off-course completely as Kal'kuir picked up his weapons.

• Zalk'don - EET DIS POSHIE
• Alt-Jol'kiar - Use of forbidden explosives?!?! How dare you use weapons that could defile the worlds created by the Goddess of Time herself!
• Zalk'don - YA YA BLAH BLAH BLAH I BET YOR GODDESS DONT GOT A SIK BLING HELM LIKE MINE
• Naktor'zak - IMMA DEFILE YA MOM. wait dat came out wrong. ANYWAY ROADKIIIIIIIIIIIIILL

Out of the battlefield, Naktor'zak's tank ran over several Loron and alt-Loron as he fired his main cannon at alt-Jol'kiar, laughing maniacally as he did so. On top of the tank, Ray'loth posed as if he were surfing on it, firing his own guns.

• Ray'loth - GET BENT GRANDPA
• Alt-Jol'kiar - You! You were put to death for sexually harassing the Empress' secretary! I should have you beheaded now!
• Zalk'don - wow. somfings neva change do dey
• Voa'reak - YEH WELL YOO LOT WAS TALKIN BOUT NOT RAPPIN??? WELL LISSEN TA DIS

As they fought, Voa'reak instead flew over them carrying a large boombox, which he turned on. Suddenly, the whole battlefield could hear singles from Flo'Sikka as Voa'reak played the music extremely loudly. Alt-Jol'kiar screamed out in anger as he held his hands to the side of his head, raising objects from the ground to try to block any of the blasts coming his way while his concentration was shaken.

• Alt-Jol'kiar - Aaaaaah!!! It burns my ears!! What even is a "homie", anyway?
• Jol'kiar - YOO CANT BE SERIUS. MAN I REFUSE TA SHARE MA NAME WIV YOO. YOO GIV JOL'KIAR A BAD NAME. GIVE ME A BAD NAME. AAH YA GET IT
• Alt-Jol'kiar - I... I... I've had enough! I SHALL RAIN DOWN YEARS OF HELL UPON YOUR WORLD FOR YOUR DEFILING OF THE GODS' TRADITION!!!
• Drizz'pyrokirk - IMMA SHOW YA HELL

Drizz'pyrokirk aimed his Freezflamas at alt-Jol'kiar, setting them to flaming mode as he let out a torrent of fire at his direction. His concentration broken, alt-Jol'kiar screamed as he leapt into the air, desperately trying to put out the flames on his suit.

• Alt-Jol'kiar - Y-y-you... no... it can't be! Avatar: The Last Gangsta is real in your timeline?!?!
• Drizz'pyrokirk - I MEEN IM NOT A'ANG, IM WAY MOR FIT DAN HIM. I BET YA DONT TAKE ANY PROTEIN SHAKE
• Alt-Jol'kiar - YOU USE THE FORBIDDEN PROTEIN SHAKES TOO?!?!?!
• Drizz'pyrokirk - NOT FORBIDDEN SO LONG AS YA PAY ME ROYALTIES OF COURS. OTHAWISE YA IMMA TOTALLY SUE YA ASS

Alt-Jol'kiar ripped off his flaming armor and charged towards Drizz'pyrokirk in anger. As he did so, Knar'gank suddenly revealed himself with a pair of shankas in a cross position behind him.

• Knar'gank - so loud. time ta be quiet. foreva
• Alt-Jol'kiar - ...I should've known you wouldn't have been put to death in this timeline! In mine, you were killed for stealing the Empress' cookie jar as a child!
• Knar'gank - reely? dats kinda embarrassin tbh. oh well. dai nao will ya?

Knar'gank attempted to stab alt-Jol'kiar, but as he did so, his knives broke. Alt-Jol'kiar's natural skin, even without the armor, seemed even harder than Grak'tona's. Alt-Jol'kiar turned towards Kal'kuir and laughed maniacally, as he raised himself in the air, grabbing each of the Warbosses, including Naktor'zak's tank, with a Chronoscopic grab, and spinning them around.

• Alt-Jol'kiar - Your lackeys cannot harm me, false Jol'kiar! I was chosen by the Empress and by my Goddess! And by the Goddess herself, I will bring down Her fury upon you all!
• Jol'kiar - MAN YOR A SHOWOFF. COM FITE PROPA AND STOP YA WEIRDO GOD JUICE ACTS
• Alt-Jol'kiar - Oh, thank goodness, you at least have the art of theater in your timeline. Did you manage to catch tickets to Ham'ilton? I tried to, but they're so frightfully expensive!
• Jol'kiar - wat da hell is yoo talkin bout... OK DATS IT IM GETTIN REAL MAD NAO. IMMA SHANK YA. COM HAV A SHANKA FITE WIV ME

As alt-Jol'kiar threw the rest of the Warbosses aside and incapacitated them, Jol'kiar looked around at the rest of the battlefield, where the Leedas and Zr'Ahgloth were leading their forces into battle. He noticed that the situation looked grim. Things hadn't improved much since the battle began, and the Rogue and URO Loron were being wiped out rapidly by alt-Jol'kiar's forces. Among the corpses he saw across the battlefield, ten belonged to a Loron from his timeline, for every one he saw from alt-Jol'kiar's timeline.

Nonetheless, alt-Jol'kiar lowered, and nodded. He took off his fedora, and used it to bow towards Jol'kiar in front of him, before pulling out a longsword, and smiling.

• Alt-Jol'kiar - Acceptable terms, my alternate timeline counterpart! I am well-versed in the art of fencing, and I shall take you one on one!
• Jol'kiar - DATS NAO A SHANKA DATS WAY TOO BIG. YOR CHEETIN!!!
• Alt-Jol'kiar - I am only following centuries of tradition, my counterpart! Now, en guarde!
• Jol'kiar - YA MOM EN GARDES, WATEVA DA HELL DAT MEENS!!!!

Jol'kiar took out his shanka (that is, his Loron dagger) and charged at alt-Jol'kiar. Alt-Jol'kiar was at first taken aback, as this was not at all the terms of the fencing he had been taught. He tried to swipe at Jol'kiar, only for Jol'kiar to grab his sword and split it in half. He then looked at Jol'kiar, shocked, before Jol'kiar knocked him to the ground.

• Alt-Jol'kiar - This... this is an outrage!
• Jol'kiar - NAO YA SHANKA IS OF PROPA SIZE. LOSA TRYIN TA CHEET WIV A GIANT SHANKA BAK IN MA DAY ANYON WHO TRIED DAT GOT EETEN ALIV
• Alt-Jol'kiar - Very well... If it's a brawl you want, it's a brawl you shall have!

Alt-Jol'kiar got up on his feet and held his arms forward in a boxing position. Seeing as he was now unarmed, Jol'kiar put his shanka back to its sheath and prepare to fist-fight back; while he considered his enemy repugnant, his pride in fighting in a "propa" way made him follow the Loron tradition. The two exchanged several blows, with both landing them on separate occasions. As Jol'kiar knocked out many of alt-Jol'kiar's teeth, he spat a few of them out, and smirked.

• Alt-Jol'kiar - I may have underestimated you, my alternate counterpart! You are a well-practiced boxer afterall!
• Jol'kiar - I GOT DOZENS OF YEERS OF EXPERIENCE FITIN DUMBOS LIKE YA. IM DA MENTA OF DA PROPA BIG ROGUE BOSS SO DAT MEENS IM DA BEST
• Alt-Jol'kiar - And I, the mentor of the Emperor himself! The one who trained him to one day fight in the ring! Tell me, Jol'kiar, can your pupil match this?

Alt-Jol'kiar threw a punch so powerful it sent Jol'kiar flying halfway across the battlefield, with alt-Jol'kiar landing by Fre'kloar's feet. Fre'kloar gasped as he looked below him.

• Fre'kloar - oh ma dayz did yoo get KNOKED OUT???
• Jol'kiar - ow. dis posa is akshully reely strong
• Grak'tona - NO ONES MESSES WIV DA KINGS ROYAL BODYGUARDS. OH MA DAYZ DIS IS AN OUTRAGE
• Gol'thabex - man i was so busy steelin all da ded loronz wallets i didnt notice jolkiar got blown da hell out
• Traz'raka - man yoo too? OI GET YA HANDS OFF MA POKKET
• Zr'Ahgloth - DID YOR BOYZ NOT KILL DEIR LEEDA YET??? MAN WAT DA HELL I CANT FITE DESE POSA WALMART LORONZ AT DA SAME TIME AS KIKIN DEIR LEEDAS TEEF IN
• Hagto'Zhl - WES WORKIN ON IT COPYCAT DUMBO SHUT UP AND GO DO YA PART OF DA FITE
• Zr'Ahgloth - WELL IF YOOS WORKIN ON IT DEN YOR CLEERLY NOT DOIN DA BEST JOB. IM GONNA GO-
• Grak'tona - STEP ASIDE PESANT. DA KING WILL SHOW DIS FREEK WATS UP
• Gol'thabex - oh boy heer we go

Grak'tona stormed across the battlefield, slowly, in a huff. His body was impervious even to the shots from the alt-Loron, meaning that he was completely unflinching in his approach, as he stepped to alt-Jol'kiar, who winced.

• Alt-Jol'kiar - And who are you exactly? What... what is that filth you wear on your head?!?
• Grak'tona - I AM KING GRAK'TONA. RULA OF ALL LORONZ. AND DIS IS MA CROWN. IT MEENS IM DA KING OF ALL LORONZ. ALSO SHUT DA HELL UP DONT YA DARE DISRESPECT MA CROWN
• Alt-Jol'kiar - Outrageous! Loron are not fit to be "kings"! Only the Norol are suited to take the crown as queen! You will remove that false garment and bow to your Empress at once!
• Grak'tona - HAO DARE YA TALK TO DA KING IN DIS MANNA????? GRAK'TONA RULES. NOT SOM STOOPID CHIK. DA CROWN STAYS WHER IT BELONGS: IN MA HED. AND YOR GONNA BOW TO DA CROWN OR IM THROWIN YA INTO DA DUNJUN!!!!!
• Alt-Jol'kiar - Every word of what you just said offends my senses to a level I cannot begin to describe... False king, I put you now to death! Men, capture him at once, and bring him before the Empress to be executed in front of her!
• Grak'tona - OI WAIT A SEC... YOR EMPRESS IS TRYIN TA TAKE MA CROWN!!!!!!!! IF DERES ONE FING I HATE IS SOM FAKE KING TRYIN TA TAKE MA CROWN!!!! OFF WIV YOR HED!!!!!
• Alt-Jol'kiar - Hmm... wait! I've a better idea! I'll subdue you and bring you in myself to earn her favor! Prepare yourself, false king, for your imminent execution!
• Grak'tona - ON SECOND THOUGHT I DONT WANT TA SULLY MA ROYAL HANDS WIV YOO. ROYAL BODYGUARDS COM SMASH DIS GEEZA!!!!

At this point, Fre'kloar, Hagto'Zhl, and Jol'kiar joined up to Grak'tona. Jol'kiar stood back, as he was more hurt, though he was definitely not going to miss this.

• Hagto'Zhl - I SWER CALL ME BODYGUARD AGEN AND ILL GIV YA AN ATOMIC WEDGIE YOR NEVA GONNA FORGET
• Fre'kloar - LISSEN JUS SHUT UP AND SMASH DIS FAKE IDIOT ALREDI
• Jol'kiar - TODAY WE FOLLOW DA OTHA LORON TRADISION OF GANGIN UP ON DA IDIOT!!!!

Alt-Jol'kiar attempted to use his Chronoscopic powers, but found himself drained. He then looked in horror as the three each beat him to a pulp, one blow after another. Though he was a skilled fighter, he could not withstand this many attacking him at once, and combined, they outdid him with relative ease.

• Alt-Jol'kiar - W-wait! It would not be just to end this fight without following the timely Loron tradition that has been passed down since generations!
• Jol'kiar - AN WAT DAT BE DEN???
• Alt-Jol'kiar - ...Surrender and run like a coward with your tail between your legs! Aaaaaaaaaah!!!!
• Jol'kiar - OK DATS IT

As Alt-Jol'kiar attempted to flee, Jol'kiar pounced on top of him and took out his shanka. With a swift blow, he then thrust it into his alternate self's throat as deeply as he could; he struggled for a moment until he finally went limp.

• Jol'kiar - TROO TRADISHON PREVAILS!!!!!!!!!!!!

With alt-Jol'kiar deceased, the Leedas looked around the battlefield, to see that their fortunes had shifted. Zr'Ahgloth, leading his men in the front, were apparently performing much better. It seemed that Zr'Ahgloth had adapted to the skillset of the alt-Loron, as had his most loyal followers. They had managed to take down far more of the alt-Loron, and far more easily, keeping up with their combat patterns. Within a few more minutes, the battle had been decisively won by the Rogue and URO Loron.

• Zr'Ahgloth - DID WE GET HIM????
• Jol'kiar - YEH. DA FAKE LOSA IS DED
• Grak'tona - LONG LIV DA TROO KING!!!!!

As Grak'tona roared in excitement and the other Loron did so too, a large hologram appeared before them, folding his arms. This time, it was alt-Zr'Ahgloth.

• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - Your first victory against us. Hm. Congratulations.
• Hagto'Zhl - OH MA DAYZ ITS DA COPYCAT DUMBO MARK TWO. OI LOSA WE TOTALLY BATTARED YA STOOPID ARMY
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - It was only a matter of time before sending fewer numbers against you would prove to be a less fruitful strategy. Jol'kiar was too slow and too stupid to be a general anyway. That you dispatched of him means I no longer have to hear his whining about the "good old days" and how "they don't make opera like they used to" anymore.
• Jol'kiar - COM SAY DAT TO MA FACE NOT ONLINE SEE WAT HAPPENS
• Fre'kloar - YEH DUMBO. WE KILLED YA FAKE JOLKIAR AND YOR NEXT
• Voa'reak - oi hold on. do we hav ta fite a fake vershon of everyun of us? man dats gonna take so looooooooooong
• Naktor'zak - MAN DONT GIVE DEM IDEAS
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - Hmph. Your forces are a fraction of where they were when they started. Now, your world is ripe for the taking. Voa'reak, prepare my shuttle for landing.
• Alt-Voa'reak (communicator) - As you wish, Emperor.
• Naktor'zak - LOOK WAT YA DID, VOA. NAO WE GOTTA SPEND AGES FITIN OURSELVES. AGEN.
• Voa'reak - MAN JUS SKIP AHEAD I CANT BE DOIN WIV DIS

The hologram vanished, and dozens of star cruisers filled the sky, each releasing hundreds of shuttles landing across the world. If the Rogue and URO Loron had the numbers before, they didn't now.

The Rogue Geek and Rel'larutina then sent a transmission to Fre'kloar, as the other warbosses arose to their feet, horrified by the sight they saw.

• Rel'larutina - I'm picking up thousands and thousands of warships heading straight to Groodrub. It doesn't look good... and it doesn't look like we have a chance here.
• Jol'kiar - oh. deyz goin full massiv crew on us
• Brag'klogga - OOOOH DIS DAYZ COMIN NAO
• Rogue Geek - I predict a 0% chance of success. And from conferring with the Union Republic, they have already prepared to surrender the planet and evacuate their civilians.

Fre'kloar growled in anger and shook his fist, before huffing out and turning to the others.

• Fre'kloar - MUCH AS I HATE TA SAY IT WE HAV TA LEG IT. SOUND DA RETREET
• Hagto'Zhl - DIS STINKS. I DONT GIV A DAM BOUT GROODRUB BUT I HATE RETREETIN
• Zr'Ahgloth - DIS STINKS. I LOV GROODRUB AN I HATE RETREETIN

As if he was listening, a hologram of alt-Zr'Ahgloth, this time much smaller, appeared before them and grinned.

• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - Good. I was hoping you'd survive so I could face one of you in ritual combat. A time-honored Loron tradition. Who will face me?
• Jol'kiar - MAN YOO LOT DONT RESPEKT TRADISHONS WHAI SHULD WE BE FAIR TA YOO? SHOULD JUS THROW A WHOL SHIK SHIP ON TOP OF YA HED
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - Oh, but we would never betray the time-honored tradition of one-on-one ritual combat. It has been passed on for generations: two Loron fight, one-on-one, in an arena, to win over the affection of his Norol lover. And she chooses the winner as the one who can lead by her side.
• Ray'loth - sounds complicated. i just ate ma gf. was quicka dat way
• Brag'klogga - OOOOOH I FEEL IT IN MA BONES. SACRILEJ TO DA GODZ. DAT OR I REELY HAV TA GO TO DA BAFFROOM
• Jol'kiar - DATS... DATS LITERALLY NOT AT ALL WHAI WE HAV RITUAL COMBAT DUDE WAT DA AKSHUL HELL
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - I do not care for your tradition, whelp. I offer you this as your only hope of salvation: fight me and win, and you will be at the Empress' side when she takes control of this universe. Lose, and I will affirm my right to rule, and to her love.
• Hagto'Zhl - I WULD MUCH RATHA DEVOUR HER ALIV WHIL YOO WATCH. I WANNA SEE DA DESPAIR IN YA FACE
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - None of you volunteer, then? Hm...

Alt-Zr'Ahgloth sized each of them up as he walked around, before stepping in front of his own counterpart. He grinned as he pointed at Zr'Ahgloth.

• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - It's only fitting that it be you. I choose you, my alternate counterpart, to be the one who I crush like a bug.
• Zr'Ahgloth - I DONT TAKE ORDAS FROM YOO. I CHOOS MASELF TA SMASH YA TEEF IN
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - When we reshape this world, we will rebuild the Colosseum of Volzara. There, you will face me. If not... I will glass every one of your worlds.
• Zr'Ahgloth - YOR NOT GONNA GET DA CHANCE. IM DA STRONGEST LORON IN DA OONIVERS!!!!
• Hagto'Zhl - (except me)
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - Consider my offer carefully. It is the only way you will find salvataion.

The hologram disappeared, as Zr'Ahgloth threw rocks at it. Instead, the rock landed in Fre'kloar's only good eye.

• Zr'Ahgloth - ILL NEVA DO WAT SOMONE ELSE SAYS!!!! oops sorry
• Fre'kloar - OW YA IDIOT WATCH WHER YA THROWIN ROKS
• Rel'larutina - Hey, everyone reconvene. I think I heard from that alternate timeline warrior girl that this is what she expected to happen. She thinks that ritual combat is the only time the alt-Loron are ever vulnerable and that we can ever hope to best them.
• Grak'tona - DAT SO? DEN SO BE IT. KING GRAKTONA SHALL LET DA UNLOYAL BODYGUARD FITE IN DA ARENA
• Fre'kloar - WHO PUT YOO IN CHARG??? anyway i agree
• Jol'kiar - well its best ta be zrahgloth dan... idunno. voa'reak. hed probably blow himself up
• Voa'reak - RUDE
• Jol'kiar - lol voa even tho im a massiv MASSIV snob in da otha timeline at leest im still a warboss. yor jus da pilot of zrahgloths shuttle hahahahahaha
• Hagto'Zhl - UGH BUT I WANTED TA RIP HIM APART. OK FINE COPYCAT DUMBO YOO GO SMASH DAT GEEZA. COMPARED TO HIM YOR A COOL DUDE TBH. AT LEEST YA GOT A GOOD SENSE OF FASHON
• Zr'Ahgloth - YEH LETS GO BAK TO DA OTHAS ABOUT WAT DA HELL DEIR PLAN IS. I NEED TO WASH MA EARS WIV SOAP AFTA LISSENIN TO DA ALT-JOLKIAR SNOB. SMH EVEN WEN YOO WAS WIV MA EMPIYA YOO WAS NEVA DAT MUCH OF A NOB
• Drizz'pyrokirk - times like dis its good ta be a cold loron. NO COPYCATS
• Grak'tona - DERES ONLY ONE TROO KING. NO PRETENDAS TO DA CROWN ALLOWED
• Brag'klogga - OOOOOOOOOOOH I FEEL IT. AND ITS BAD. DA WAR OF DA GODZ...... and i REELY gotta go so lets hurry pls

Secound Thoughts

Empress Rel'larutina normally resided on a flagship vessel wherein her throne room sat. Ordinarily, most people never got to see her beyond a mere hologram form that she projected around the galaxy. But little did most of her subjects know, she would very regularly take tours of the worlds she took over. The Empress loved to tour in a small hovership that granted her view of the subjects below, touring with Emperor Zr'Ahgloth, her secretary, and an assisting artificial intelligence aid known only as the "Imperial Intelligence".

With construction on Groodrub underway, the Empress decided to take a tour of another former Union Republic colony that she had taken over: a farm world which was linked closely to Fadaj and would often supply its crops. Much to her delight, her own Loron and Norol had begun to assist the local farmer population (those who'd surrendered) to improve their irrigation technologies, their varieties of crops, and the laboratories that produced the lab-grown meat products.

The local population, generally, looked shocked to see Loron who actually helped build a farm rather than destroy it, and seemed very grateful for the help that the Norol were providing. Although their world had been taken by force, the Empress was making genuine attempts to improve it.

• Imperial Intelligence - Calculating a 250% improvement in productivity and a 300% improvement in output. Within 14 days, this colony will successfully reach its full potential while maintaining a balanced an ecosystem.
• Alt-Rel'larutina - It is great to bring advanced technology to the people of this universe. Already, we have improved their lives.
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - This is just the first of many, my Empress. The first of many worlds we take by storm, and that we will bring advanced civilization to.
• Alt-Rel'larutina - Indeed. Our people were chosen by the Goddess Herself to bring about an age of enlightment to every world we touch. All it took was the downfall of our foes who would oppose us.
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - Yes. And when we destroy the resistance of this universe, they will share in our enlightenment. And perhaps, we too, in theirs. It is entirely possible that the bright minds of this universe have much to offer to science and culture that we did not know of.
• Alt-Rel'larutina - Yes...it is improbable, but not at all impossible. Intelligence, tell me: what do you think?

The Imperial Intelligence spanned across the Empress' entire empire, but appeared to the Empress in many forms. When out on tours, it spoke to her through the form of a small hovering drone floating alongside her Empress Rel'larutina. The Intelligence had a feminine voice much like hers, and the Empress would think of it much like a person. It had been crafted by Norol for centuries, wishing to build a machine that would one day have the computational power to answer every question in the universe.

• Imperial Intelligence - From observing the lifeforms in your own universe compared to this one... this one has, indeed, progressed further along socially, culturally, and scientifically than your own has. Though the Union Republic of Ottzello is behind your empire technologically, more broadly, the rest of the universe has made thousands of discoveries that have eluded us.
• Alt-Rel'larutina - Hm, why?
• Imperial Intelligence - In your own, many of the citizens felt oppressed. The brightest minds among them were in many cases repressed, ignored, or even killed.
• Alt-Rel'larutina - Killed? That can't be possible. We saved lives. You said so yourself; our universe is more populous because we evaded thousands of conflicts that plagued this one.
• Imperial Intelligence - True, we did. But many of the specific individuals who made great strides in this universe were killed long ago in your own. Of course, they are greatly outnumbered by those whose life led them down a different path, because their passions were shut off from them.

The Empress looked visibly distressed. She looked to Emperor Zr'Ahgloth for some support, though he had little to say; security and war was his field of expertise, not domestic policy. She then looked at her new subjects as their lives improved.

• Alt-Rel'larutina - But we are a net benefit to the people, no? We not only saved trillions of lives, but we brought stability to who knows how many others...we brought prosperity to desolate worlds...These are all good things, no?
• Imperial Intelligence - Truly, it is near-impossible to determine the answer to your question. There are so many different metrics one can use to determine which universe is better or not, because of the diversity of thought on this subject. People hold entirely different values.
• Alt-Rel'larutina - Different values from security and peace?
• Imperial Intelligence - Some would sacrifice such security for freedom. Some would forego peace in favor of fighting for a cause they firmly believe in. Some believe that their lives being saved means little if those lives are not made meaningful.
• Alt-Rel'larutina - Have I not made lives meaningful?
• Imperial Intelligence - Many would say you have. Many would say you have not. Many more would not know the difference. What matters is what values are important to you, Empress.
• Alt-Rel'larutina - Perhaps I'm not so sure what is important to me. What I do know is that I have saved my universe from some of the gravest threats to ever face it.
• Imperial Intelligence - This is true, and you should take pride. But I am concerned by a trend of yours I have noticed wherein you equate your success with the number or scale of the foes you defeat. There are many more important things in life.

The Empress looked down at her people once more, and then back at her Emperor.

• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - I have conquered millions of worlds in your name, Empress. I will gladly conquer a few million more.
• Alt-Rel'larutina - Thank you. We will do right by this universe, as we did by our own.
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - We will enlighten them. Whatever you decide, Empress, I am with you every step of the way.
• Alt-Rel'larutina - Yes, yes we will. And... maybe after that, we can cooperate with them, and see if there is any chance they can enlighten us.

---

Yogtam, in his cruiser, awaited anxiously as Sherita returned from a mission against the alt-Loron. He looked extremely nervous watching her from the screens on his vessel. Sherita's plan had been executed near-flawlessly: while the rest of the Union Republic's army was engaging the alt-Loron's forces, she had led small groups of assassins to take out the Norol commanders among them. With them gone, the remaining alt-Loron were scattered and leaderless, forced to retreat. The alt-Loron, unlike this universe' Loron, were entirely dependent on the Norol for thought; as such, dispatching them would halt their offense immediately.

Sherita eventually returned, with several scars in her armor. Yogtam breathed a huge sigh of relief; even though he had watched the entire battle unfold and tracked her shuttle, he did not breathe easy until she was back.

• Sherita - See? Simple.
• Yogtam - Simple?! You had, what, how many close calls there?
• Sherita - Like I didn't have close calls in my timeline every day! Relax, we won a victory here! A victory that, can I remind you, we've been short of lately.
• Yogtam - Perhaps, but... If you'd been killed there...
• Sherita - Then...?

Yogtam paused before he spoke another word. He knew what he wanted to say, and what his real answer was, but fear overtook him. Instead, he gave a more straightforward answer.

• Yogtam - Sherita, your life is too valuable to throw it away like that! You're the only one from your timeline who made it here!

Sherita snapped in response to his words. Though he'd never intended it, the words had really struck a nerve with her.

• Sherita - My life is too valuable?! Yogtam, you're talking like the Empress!
• Yogtam - What?
• Sherita - Thinking anyone deserves to live more than anyone else. The exact attitude she deploys when she puts all her dissidents to death! Sure, why should I risk my life for others? Their lives aren't as valuable as mine!
• Yogtam - Sherita, that's not at all what I meant...
• Sherita - Is this how you do things in your universe, then? You appoint someone as your leader, whether it's a vote or whatever you do out here, and then that person gets the right to make value judgements on anyones' lives that they choose? We get to put these individuals on a pedestal like they have anymore right to be here than anyone else? No, how dare they choose to be selfless for a change?

When she was done, she sighed, and sat down at a chair nearby. Yogtam sat next to her, shutting his eyes in shame at himself, before speaking.

• Yogtam - I'm sorry. I didn't realize the subject was so touchy for you.
• Sherita - No, I should apologize. It's just... I heard those words from someone very important to me a long time ago...
• Yogtam - Yeah. I know exactly what you're referring to.
• Sherita - The First Ottzello Galactic War. Where we led our last chance against the Loron.

It was true. In Yogtam's timeline, he made one final stand against the Loron, led by Da Propa Big Boss Zr'Ahgloth, fighting in a cave on his homeworld with a small squad of fighters, including his fiancée. But she, like the other soldiers, passed away in that battle, and when the cave closed in, Yogtam froze himself in a cryo chamber until he was awoken by the Ottzelloans years later.

In Sherita's timeline, despite the Loron being entirely different, the exact same set of events took place. She was Yogtam's fiancée, and it was he who had sacrificed his life for hers that day. And when she awoke, and went onto led the Alliance, she had missed Yogtam.

• Yogtam - I suppose that's what I told you in your timeline, before I... died...
• Sherita - Yup. Almost the exact same words. You know, I was almost relieved to see you again, decades after I lost you. But... maybe I wasn't ready for that overly protective attitude just yet...
• Yogtam - Sherita, I'm sorry... I just...
• Sherita - I know.

She knew exactly what he wanted to tell her, because she felt similarly herself. But at the same time...

No, it was best not to think about it now.

• Sherita - Let's change the subject, to, I dunno, literally anything else.
• Yogtam - Not a bad plan.
• Sherita - Do you know why Empress Rel'larutina would want your timeline? Like, she had plenty of choices... but why this one? I mean, no offense, but...
• Yogtam - This one reaks and is tarnished by thousands of years of wars?
• Sherita - Something like that.
• Yogtam - Well, you say the Empress believes herself to be a representative of Volzara, right?
• Sherita - Right. It's her obsession. She believes she was destined by the Goddess of Time.
• Yogtam - Well, in this timeline, we were inches away from becoming Zargoth's puppets.

Sherita's eyes widened. Though she'd learned much of this timeline, this bit of information was news to her. But Yogtam couldn't make anything out of her reaction other than surprise.

• Sherita - What do you mean?
• Yogtam - In the Second Borealis Galactic War, we were pushed to the edge. First, we were invaded by a godrace known as the Xi'Arazulha. Then, another godrace, known as the Vague, which as it turned out were a version of ourselves trying to prevent us from becoming puppets. And as a result of that, the rest of the Borealis galactic community decided to lock us in a spacetime quarantine, keeping us away from the entire universe, because they didn't trust us.
• Sherita - No...
• Yogtam - So when Zargoth appeared to us and offered to transform us into the Vyro'Ralza, a godrace in our own right, we very nearly took it. We were done being stepped on. And knowing the Vyro'Ralza are Ottzelloans from a timeline where they'd accepted the offer... Of course, we didn't take him up, because we knew he'd manipulated us from the start to take the offer, so—

Sherita's next question to Yogtam shocked him.

• Sherita - Why the hell did you say no?
• Yogtam - Is that a serious question where you're asking me what my reasoning is, or do you genuinely not know?
• Sherita - You had the chance to become gods of time, and you refused?!
• Yogtam - You mean we had the chance to become robbed of our agency and to betray the goddess who created us?
• Sherita - Nonsense. If Volzara really created us, I'm sorry, but she did a pretty poor job!
• Yogtam - How could you say that?! Volzara loves her children, all of us—
• Sherita - So much so she lives them with just the truly best timelines ever, huh? One where they're ruled over by a tyrant from her supposed "favorite" race, one where they're always hunted by demons and godraces, and who knows what else is out there? She doesn't give a toss, Yogtam! She's useless! She gave us a tyrant!
• Yogtam - Sherita, you're being stupid! And don't you dare blaspheme again!
• Sherita - If you love your beloved goddess so much, try praying to her for a timeline where she actually lets have a proper freaking life together! Let's see if she gives us one where we're eaten by a giant interdimensional kraken monster on our wedding day instead!

Both of them were floored after Sherita's last remark, and neither spoke a word for a good few moments. The very topic was something they'd wanted to avoid; with decades apart, and an entire timeline of a totally different life, they really wanted to avoid the subject of whether they could try their marriage once again, after having already resigned to living lives alone. Because it was too awkward for both to discuss it, the subject was taboo.

Eventually, Sherita awkwardly walked away, saying one thing as she left.

• Sherita - I'm sorry. I need some space to myself for a bit. I'll return to lead our next battle soon.

Sherita left to her quarters, and Yogtam remained behind, holding his head in his hands. As if on cue, Tuolog arrived and chuckled a little.

• Tuolog - Hehe. You not have much of a way with women, do you?

Yogtam was startled by Tuolog's presence, but then smirked. Truthfully, he was relieved.

• Yogtam - Hey, like you can talk!
• Tuolog - Trust me. If I wanted partner, I would have one. I think I observed enough timelines of myself to know which ones find me success!
• Yogtam - Haha. And how many do I find success with the woman who I was engaged to before a battle tore both of us apart?
• Tuolog - A few, actually! More than you think, at least.

Yogtam laughed nervously, but then stopped to look at him. Tuolog had one of those bright, genuine smiles that he was used to: it meant Tuolog was completely telling the truth.

• Yogtam - Well, I'd very much like to visit one. Or at least, have one visit me and tell me all about it.
• Tuolog - The two of you are very well-suited. You both strong in your values, and in your battle for your own galaxy. You both relentless. And you both agree on what is the most important thing to you.

Although Yogtam had known Tuolog for very long by now, he still couldn't quite pick up on this thing Tuolog sometimes did: he would ask a question, but phrased in a way one couldn't tell it was a question at all. He was inviting Yogtam here to share his thoughts. After Yogtam picked up on it, he responded.

• Yogtam - The most important thing to me right now is that I bring Empress Rel'larutina to justice, while you fix the time anomaly problem. That I destroy Empress Rel'larutina and this Emperor Zr'Ahgloth, so that my home can be safe again.
• Tuolog - Hm, I not think that your real answer. I think there something else more important to you deep down.
• Yogtam - Sherita? No... Look, our time's past. We may have had a life together once, and maybe in some timelines we still do, but she's from another timeline that she's gotta return to after this. Her people need her...
• Tuolog - I know. I not talking about her either!
• Yogtam - Then what did you mean?

Tuolog smiled, as he turned towards the windows looking out into space, inviting Yogtam to stand by him as they observed the stars together. This time, Yogtam was used to when Tuolog was deliberately cryptic. He could almost predict Tuolog's next words exactly, save for one important detail:

• Tuolog - You discover this in time on our own. You not need me to tell you. And, it possible you may never see me again to tell you.
• Yogtam - I—what? Why?!
• Tuolog - I come here to tell you that I am going away. I have to go fix the timelines, and I may not come back. With these time anomalies, it impossible to see the feature. So I cannot guarantee I be back after I gone.
• Yogtam - You can't, Tuolog!
• Tuolog - Sorry. I not tell the others, because I not want cause panic before I leave. I not want them try to convince me to stay, and I know that Zr'Ahgloth would try his hardest!
• Yogtam - Alone? Tuolog, we need you! There's still so much more you have to teach us!
• Tuolog - Oh, not to worry. I may not be at all certain what happen after I go, but I certain of one thing: I know you all figure it out for yourselves. I know you all in good hands.
• Yogtam - What's that supposed to mean?

As Yogtam looked to his side to Tuolog, he found that Tuolog had already vanished, and gasped. But Tuolog left behind one last message to him:

• Tuolog - Let me handle timelines. I have it under control. In meantime, you handle rest. It up to you all. But I believe in you!

Ritual Combat

The mood at the Polar Cyrstal Alliance Council chamber was a slight improvement on before, but still fairly dour. Though the alt-Loron continued to take planets, and more Union Republic strongholds continued to preemptively surrender to their might, it had been shown, both by Sherita's recent battle and the Rogue Loron's defeat of alt-Jol'kiar, that they can be beaten. Nonetheless, the chamber would need to concoct a plan to stop them once and for all.

And Sherita, the expert on their timeline, had just the thing in mind.

• Sherita - The Loron are vulnerable at exactly one moment: their ritual combat. They have a very, very strict adherance to tradition: two people battle, on even terms, without outside help. That's the only way we can be on an even footing with them. Because, by the looks of things, our Chronoscopic powers can't really match them.
• Xeron - This is ridiculous! The Warmaster should simply head there and wipe them all out himself!
• Sherita - They'd never accept ritual combat between a Loron and a non-Loron. Arkarixus wouldn't be permitted. And as long as they're not engaging in ritual combat, their guard is up. Trust me, I don't doubt that Arkarixus could defeat alt-Zr'Ahgloth either, but... for this plan to work, their guard has to be lowered.
• Rylarien - We are placing the fate of this war on Loron rituals... Problematic, to say the very least.
• Jol'kiar - EXACTLY HOW IT SHULD BE THO. TRADISHON ABOV ALL ELSE
• Arkarixus - Extinction is what they deserve. Not fairness. But we will play along, for Sherita's information has proved reliable so far.
• Sherita - We're not totally playing fair. It's this ritual combat that will grant us the opportunity we need to assassinate Empress Rel'larutina. Reminder: these Loron, unlike yours, are completely subservient to the Norol. Just a few moments without a Norol leader is all we need for them to fall into complete disarray.
• Valzaria - And when it happens, we will be ready. We must not give them time to recover.
• Yogtam - Sherita, Knar'gank, and I will be ready to infiltrate the Empress' vessel at the minute that her guard is lowered when she approaches the winner to grant them her approval. The tradition says that once a battle concludes, the Norol embraces the one she chooses and the two are effectively wedlocked.
• Sherita - Yeah. But so far, no one's ever bested Zr'Ahgloth.
• Zr'Ahgloth - UH CAN WE SKIP DA WEDDIN PART AFTA I KILL DA COPYCAT DUMBO? I DONT WANNA MARRY SOM DUM CHIK FRUM ANOTHA OONIVERS
• Sherita - She'll die before the "wedding" part, so sure.
• Zr'Ahgloth - OK GOOD. CAUSE HAGTO WULD NEVA SHUT UP BOUT IT IF HE FOUND OUT
• Hagto'Zhl - HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
• Arkarixus - Hmpf. We should not leave them waiting, then. It is time for you to depart... Though, I noticed Tuolog is not here to accompany you.

Yogtam looked around the room and a remorseful expression appeared on his face. As if he'd experienced the death of a family member. In his eyes, he practically had.

• Yogtam - ...Tuolog's gone. He said it's up to us now, but he has it under control. And then he... left. Said we may never see him again.
• Arkarixus - What?! He simply leaves, in a time like this?
• Valzaria - How unlike him... There must be more to it.
• Yogtam - Yeah. He's never done this before... Dammit, he's been around for so long, and yet I still feel like I've so much to learn from him! We could really use his wisdom right now...
• Arkarixus - We will have to make do without it. Now, prepare yourselves.
• Sherita - It's a good thing we have Brag'klogga along with us, to make sure the... other Brag'klogga doesn't try anything funny. Because, uh, I'm pretty sure he will.
• Brag'klogga - WOT? YA MEEN DERES A COPYCAT SHAMAN IN DA COPYCAT LORONZ? IMMA SHOW HIM HAO A SHAMAN ACTS
• Rel'larutina - Have... have you been paying any attention in these meetings?
• Brag'klogga - WAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? OF COURS NOT YOO LOT IS BORIN AS HELL
• Rel'larutina - Riiiiight... I shouldn't have expected it. Anyway, it's gonna feel really weird seeing... "me" get killed like that, but then again, it's already weird seeing me become the conqueror of the universe, so who am I to judge?
• Zr'Ahgloth - well i killed hagto once and it felt pretty good tbh
• Hagto'Zhl - YOO HAD HOMIES HELPIN YOO DEN YA CHEET SHUT UP
• Yogtam - I didn't feel any different after all the foes we've slain over the years. The Corruptus, Regnatus, Zaarkhun...
• Sherita - This time, you'll be freeing an entire universe. Come, let's go.

---

The Union Republic and Rogue Boyz vessels approached the now-conquered Groodrub, to find it completely transformed in an image much like alt-Jol'kiar had described. The planet was now an ecumenopolis, much like Grenzaar or similar worlds: entirely covered in a vast cityscape, with billions of Loron still constructing tall buildings and erecting statues of their Empress.

The destination they'd been sent to was a floating arena in the sky. Known by the alt-Loron as the Empress' Colosseum, the arena was at least a few kilometers wide and many more kilometers long, with vast spectator podiums filled with Norol, and one for the visitors. To these Norol, watching the Loron battle was a sport to them. The Loron were their pets, and they were there to entertain.

Empress Rel'larutina appeared in a hologram, with her starship parked alongside the arena, dwarfing it. Her vessel was an enormous starship, at least twice the size of Da Propa Big Rogue Krooza, and one thing became evident to them: this wasn't just her starship, it was her throne. Where most Norol in the prime timeline made use of giant mech suits to live out their days in their later life, the Empress stayed in a throne.

As well as the hologram she displayed, large screens appeared showing the Empress' throne room. She was indeed physically inserted into the throne of the starship's command bridge, but her throne was decorated with trophies from those she had killed in her timeline. Many of these were people they recognized: the heads of the Kralgon Emperor, King Rebaris, Chief Major Xerkea, Apollo, Emperor Wormulus II, Master Kroc, among many others. Clearly, this was the most important thing to her: the people she'd slain.

• Alt-Brag'klogga - Hear ye and rejoice! Empress Rel'larutina, Savior of the Universe, is here to attend this battle! The victor shall take her hand in marriage, and become Emperor of the universe!

With the squad led by Sherita in place to board the vessel, and the Rogue Leedas taking their place on a podium, Zr'Ahgloth stood on one side of the arena, ready in place, while alt-Brag'klogga stood at the middle.

• Alt-Brag'klogga - In one corner, we have a feared and gruesome challenger: the false Zr'Ahgloth! He smells foul, he looks foul, he dresses poorly, but he has quite the reputation in the accursed timeline! The destined leader of the brutish False Loron, make no mistake, Zr'Ahgloth is here with a vengeance!
• Zr'Ahgloth - YA MOM SMELLS FOUL
• Alt-Brag'klogga - And in the other... he needs no introduction. The true Zr'Ahgloth approaches!

As the crowd of Norol erupted in cheers, with many holding signs showing their adoration for alt-Zr'Ahgloth, the two met in the middle. As was custom in the alt-Loron timeline, they exchanged a few words before battle begun.

• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - You have done well to make it this far. Now, I will show your universe and my own what it means to be a true Loron.
• Zr'Ahgloth - IMMA BATTA YAS IN FRONT OF ALL DESE PEEPZ. HURHUR IM GONNA MAKE YOO CRY IN FRONT OF YOR STOOPID EMPRESS
• Alt-Brag'klogga - A bitter rivalry between two fated adversaries! The prophecy predicts this one will go down! Now, combatants, when you are ready, take your weapon!

In front of them, a small stand appeared, and Zr'Ahgloth was puzzled by what he saw. Two wireless microphones appeared, which alt-Zr'Ahgloth grabbed in an instant and sneered at Zr'Ahgloth, while he still stood confused.

• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - I warn you, I spit fire. The first round is mine! Drop the beat, Brag'klogga!
• Zr'Ahgloth - ... wat. OH SNAP I GET IT NAO
• Fre'kloar - he DOES??? I DONT
• Hagto'Zhl - dis isnt a fite... ITS A RAP BATTLE!!!!!
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - It's not rap, you uncultured swine! It's spoken word poetry!
• Zr'Ahgloth - AND HEER I THOUGHT WE WAS GONNA BEET EACH OTHA UP. TURNS OUT ITS GONNA BE WAY MORE FUN DAN DAT
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - Hahahaha... how you could possibly master the true art of poetry? You plebian!
• Zr'Ahgloth - OK NAO YOR JUS WASTIN MA TIME GET ON WIV IT DEN

Alt-Zr'Ahgloth cleared his throat and tapped his microphone a few times, before music began to play. It was slow, operatic music with a soothing beat, causing the Norol to sit back in their seats and enjoy, while the Rogue Loron were visibly disgusted.

• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - The story I am to tell you goes a little like this. There once was a man named Zr'Ahgloth, who many thought was aggro. He had a counterpart named Hagto, but who never hit him back, yo. So I stepped on the scene, and made sure his clocks were clean, and now he falls to my feet in shame. For the Emperor always brings the pain.

The Norol all erupted in cheers and started chanting alt-Zr'Ahgloth's name, many with bloodthirst in their voices. The Rogue Loron were simply confused. Not only was alt-Zr'Ahgloth's verse truly awful, it barely even rhymed.

• Hagto'Zhl - AR YOO PEEPZ FRIKKIN SERIUS
• Ray'loth - DIS STINKS
• Brag'klogga - DIS IS AN OFFENSE TO DA GODZ. AND TO MA EARS
• Zr'Ahgloth - OK OK IMMA SHOW YOO HOW REEL MUSIC GOES

Zr'Ahgloth grabbed the mic in anger, and rubbed his hands together. As the instrumental played in the background, he began his verse.

• Zr'Ahgloth - YO YO YO... YA MOMS DUM... SHE SUKS ON... MA THUM... AN DEN COME GET SOM... YO WAT DA HELL DIS BEET IS SLOW AS HELL I CANT RAP TA DIS CRAP
• Alt-Brag'klogga - It appears our challenger is forfeitting the match!
• Hagto'Zhl - WAT DA HELL DATS CHEETIN!!!! PLAY PROPA RAP MUSIC RITE NAO!!!!
• Zr'Ahgloth - SCROO DIS. YO CUT DA BEET. IM JUST GONNA BEET YOO UP WIV MA FISTS
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - Oh? A fist fight is what you'd prefer? So be it! Cast aside the microphones, and prepare for a duel!
• Alt-Brag'klogga - My lord, is that legal?
• Zr'Ahgloth - I DONT CARE IF ITS LEGAL IM GONNA PUNCH YA IN DA MOUFF

Alt-Brag'klogga turned to the Empress, who nodded.

• Alt-Rel'larutina - I have decreed it so. Let the battle commence!
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - You will very quickly realize your mistake!
• Zr'Ahgloth - YOR LIFE IS A MISTAKE

Zr'Ahgloth yelled and charged at his counterpart with his fist clenched, beginning a flurry of punches at him. Taken completely by surprise, alt-Zr'Ahgloth was knocked back against the wall, but picked himself up. As Zr'Ahgloth charged towards him, he rolled a punch and knocked Zr'Ahgloth up into the air with an uppercut punch. Zr'Ahgloth was barely fazed by this, however, and tackled alt-Zr'Ahgloth to the floor.

• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - Your combat skills... most impressive...
• Zr'Ahgloth - IVE KILLED MUCH BIGGA FINGS DAN YOO
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - Ah, but there's your mistake. So have I!

Alt-Zr'Ahgloth grabbed Zr'Ahgloth's fist mid-punch, before throwing his own that knocked Zr'Ahgloth up into the air, before standing up and beating his chest. The Loron retaliated by blocking as much he could and then kicking back at his foe whenever he could find an opening. On their podium, the Rogue Loron all cheered for him.

• Fre'kloar - LEFT HOOK RITE HOOK LEFT HOOK
• Hagto'Zhl - COM ON COPYCAT DUMBO KIK HIS ASS. YOR SUPPOSED TA BE MA EQUAL!!!!!

The fight continued this way for quite some time, and one thing became clear: as disciplined as alt-Zr'Ahgloth was, the passion and the fury of Zr'Ahgloth was overwhelming him. For the first time in his life, he felt he had truly met his match.

• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - What... what is this???
• Zr'Ahgloth - DIS IS HAO A TROOO LORON FITES!!!!
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - No! I am a true Loron! You are a mere pretender to my title!

Alt-Zr'Ahgloth retaliated in anger, with Empress Rel'larutina raising her eyebrow. She was not at all used to seeing alt-Zr'Ahgloth act this way. Alt-Zr'Ahgloth was far more used to being cool and collected, keeping his head down even in the worst situations. Zr'Ahgloth was used to precisely the opposite: Zr'Ahgloth used his passion as a weapon against his opponents. If alt-Zr'Ahgloth wished to fight him on these grounds, Zr'Ahgloth would beat him every time.

With another flurry of punches, Zr'Ahgloth overwhelmed his counterpart before grabbing him by the body as he was stunned, spinning him around and then launching him backwards into a powerful suplex which cracked the floor under them. The Rogue Loron all screamed ecstatically, while the Norol crowd gasped in disbelief.

• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - This... this cannot be happening! How can I lose to the likes of you? I defeated Gratz'kaoz, I defeated Emperor Wormulus II, I defeated Master Kroc with my bare hands! How... how are you stronger than they???
• Zr'Ahgloth - BECUZ IM DA BEST. DA BEST LORON EVA!!!! MAYBE I DIDNT KILL DAT MANY PEEPZ AS YOO BUT I GOT DA TROO LORON PASHON IN ME. WHIL YOO IS JUST A STOOPID LAPDOG!!!!
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - ...Hmm. I see it now...

As Zr'Ahgloth leaped in for another punch, he found himself stopped mid-air. Alt-Zr'Ahgloth was no longer interested in fighting fair. He was using his full Chronoscopic powers at his disposal.

• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - Perhaps on these terms, my counterpart, you are superior. But nothing in the rules said we need to fight on even terms, did they?
• Zr'Ahgloth - LOSA!!!! CHEETA!!! STOP USIN ESSENCE AND FITE ME PROPA
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - My queen, have I your permission to unleash my full might on this imposter to the name of Zr'Ahgloth?

Empress Rel'larutina simply sat back and pondered for a few moments. In the end, this entire battle was for her entertainment. She took a little bit of sadistic pleasure in seeing her own alt-Zr'Ahgloth be torn down by Zr'Ahgloth, but that would only go so far. Whether it was out of concern for alt-Zr'Ahgloth, or just the joy of seeing her timeline dominate over the others, she slowly raised her hand and gave a thumbs up.

• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - Now, perish, pretender!
• Zr'Ahgloth - NOOOOOOOOO!!!
• Hagto'Zhl - DIS IS AN OUTRAGE!!!! IM GOIN IN DERE
• Jol'kiar - NO YA CANT MAN DATS AGENST-
• Hagto'Zhl - DIS WHOL FARCE IS AGENST TRADISHON
• Fre'kloar - HES RITE MAN. SCROO DESE POSAS. GANG UP ON HIM!!!!!!!

All the Rogue Boyz jumped out of the podium, priming their weapons and aiming them at alt-Zr'Ahgloth in rage. Alt-Zr'Ahgloth turned to him, a grin forming on his face, as he raised in the air and pulled huge rocks from the floor, spinning them around and tossing them at the Rogue Loron as well as at Zr'Ahgloth. They attempted dodging or firing back, but alt-Zr'Ahgloth could simply use his Essence to ensure his attacks hit every time, while their attacks were simply deflected back at them.

With a swift motion of his hand, alt-Zr'Ahgoth caused Naktor'zak's tank to flip over and be launched at them, and all the Rogue Boyz found themselves crushed under it.

• Naktor'zak - HAO DA HELL DID I EVEN GET HEER
• Fre'kloar - MAN DIS IS STOOPID. BAK IN MA DAYZ WE JUS SHANKED UNO AND WAS HAPPI BOUT IT
• Jol'kiar - ... man yoo shouldnt speek like dat. looks supa weird
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - Your friends attempted to come to your aid, and still, you had no hope of matching me. I suppose I will grant you this opportunity to surrender. Or I can end your life here. Any final words?

Zr'Ahgloth looked up at alt-Zr'Ahgloth, who glared at him. He coughed blood, his entire body aching in pain, barely able to stand. Eventually, he got up to his feet, and sneered back himself.

• Zr'Ahgloth - ...nah mate. da troo loronz NEVA surrenda an im not gonna start now. yoo may hav won by cheetin but yooll neva hav wat makes a loron great. wat makes a loron great is his pashon an his drive ta be da best dere eva was. all yoo care about is STOMPIN DA COMPETISHON. dats NEVA wat bein a loron is about. we dont stomp da competishon ta make dem look bad. we do it ta make US BE DA BEST
• Jol'kiar - did... did zrahgloth akshully jus say somfin wise an loronly
• Hagto'Zhl - DATS MA COPYCAT DUMBO. DONT MESS
• Fre'kloar - gotta hand it to ya mate. yoo wasnt da worst afta all

Alt-Zr'Ahgloth grunted and stepped forward, grabbing Zr'Ahgloth by the throat and lifting him in the air. Zr'Ahgloth was barely able to respond by this point, and was willing to accept his end.

• Brag'klogga - HANG ON A MINUT. DA GODZ WULD NEVA ALLOW DIS!!!!
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - Oh?
• Brag'klogga - DIS IS SACRILEJ!!!! HERESI!!!!! AND ALL DA OTHA BAD WORDS YA CAN DESCRIBE IT. UNFINKABLE!!!! ZR'AN AND K'AR WILL JUDGE YOO DEMSELVES!!!!

Brag'klogga, who teleported himself to on top of Naktor'zak's tank, begun screaming maniacally as he waved his staff around, his body engulfed in Dark Chronoscopic energy. The skies slowly turned dark and cloudy, until a pair of massive sillhouettes manifested in them; materializing in full, the Loron Godz Zr'An and K'ar fell into the arena, towering over alt-Zr'Ahgloth and the others, before immediately assuming an arrogant pose each.

• Zr'An - AGEN WE IS SUMMONED IN DA FLESH
• K'ar - TA PROOV OURSELVES DA BEST
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - What the...
• Brag'klogga - YEH I BET YOO WAS FINKIN DEY WAS HOLOGRAMS DA OTHA TIME YEH? WELL DEYZ NOT!!! DEYZ DA REEL GODZ OF DA LORONZ!!!! DA BEST
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - ...Haha. "Godz" of Loronz. Your trickery does not fool me, magician. Perhaps your "godz" can show me their true might!

Zr'An and K'ar each rose their hands, unleashing a monstrous blast of Dark Chronoscopic Energy into the skies, which proceeded to rain down into the arena like meteors; in instants, thousands of spectators were killed instantly.

• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - Impossible...
• Zr'An - FALSE LORON. YOO IS AN OFFENS TO ZR'AN AND K'AR
• K'ar - WE JUDGE YOO UNWORFFY!!!!!!!
• Grak'tona - SAME DIS PROOVS DAT DA GODZ LOV ME

The two Godz then pointed a finger each at alt-Zr'Ahgloth, and a massive blast of Essence was launched at him. The alternate Loron found himself completely overwhelmed; in comparison to these two creatures, who were actual fifth dimensional lifeforms, he was akin to an insect. The Rogue Loron all cheered as alt-Zr'Ahgloth was blown back, barely clinging to life, as the two Godz floated over to him, doing more and more extravagant poses as they did.

• Zr'An - PANSY
• K'ar - PATHETIC
• Alt-Zr'Ahgloth - By the Goddess...
• Zr'An - DERE IS NO GODDESS
• K'ar - DERE IS ONLY ZR'AN AND K'AR, GODZ OF WAR

The two Essentials shifted their attentions to the vessel of Empress Rel'larutina where she was located. They opened their arms in a mocking shrug.

• Zr'An - AND YOO. DA PRETENDA EMPRESS
• K'ar - YOO DONT BELONG IN OUR OONIVERS

The Empress, unlike the horrified crowd of Norol, didn't seem to flinch. She retained her same smug expression, and merely laughed off the two godlike beings in a laughter long enough to mock them, but short enough to show how little respect she had for them, despite them slaying her best warrior.

• Alt-Rel'larutina - Hmm, is that so?
• Zr'An - YOO BEIN HEER IS A MISTAKE. IT SHULD NOT BE SO
• K'ar - YOO IS NOT PART OF OUR LORONZ. AN ERROR. WE WILL FIX DIS OURSELVES IF WE MUST
• Alt-Rel'larutina - Hm. The prophecies said I was the one chosen by Volzara. A goddess who would smite pretenders like you. I suggest you watch your back.
• Zr'An - VOLZARA IS OUR NEIGHBOR
• K'ar - SHES OK

The two Godz continued to pose, though they eventually frowned in annoyance.

• Zr'An - ...WHAI IS SHE NOT DED YET???
• K'ar - WAT IS TAKIN DESE IDIOTS SO LONG???

Alt-Rel'larutina's expression turned from one of smugness to one of an inquiring mind. She looked puzzled at first, and then turned to alt-Brag'klogga, who had returned to her throne room for safety.

• Alt-Rel'larutina - Brag'klogga, have you any idea what they could be referring to?
• Alt-Brag'klogga - Hmm... I think not! Unless...

Alt-Brag'klogga held out his staff and pointed it around the room, shutting his right air to aim, and then squarely firing, to catch Sherita, Yogtam, and Knar'gank, each camouflaged and disguised in the corner of the room, waiting for alt-Rel'larutina to leave her post. He then warped the three of them over to the arena, and threw them to the ground.

• Alt-Brag'klogga - Imposters! Assassins! Infidels who tried to besmirch our Empress!
• Yogtam - Damnit! The Loron's "godz" snitched us!
• Zr'An - IT EINT OUR FAULT
• K'ar - MAYBE YA SHULD HAV HURRIED YA ASSES UP
• Alt-Brag'klogga - Hmm... but perhaps they did not come alone. I rather suspect they had...

Alt-Brag'klogga looked far away from the arena and fired his staff once again. This time, he caugt the prime timeline's Rel'larutina, in her Propa Big Rogue Smasha, aiming a cannon as a sniper rifle for when Empress Rel'larutina left it. He raised her smasha up in the air, crushed it so its weapons and systems failed, then tossed it atop the three other assassins. Knar'gank could at least withstand it, but both Yogtam and Sherita were left paralyzed, their armor just barely keeping them from being entirely crushed.

• Alt-Rel'larutina - So disappointing that my alternate self would cower to such a race as this.
• Rel'larutina - Ugh... Let's not kid ourselves assuming you'd treat me any better.
• Alt-Rel'larutina - The Norol are meant to rule, and yet here you are allowing the Loron to set the agenda. What a pity.
• Zr'An - SILENCE
• K'ar - FOR YOO STILL STAND BEFOR US
• Alt-Rel'larutina - Oh! I almost forgot about you! Silly me. Brag'klogga, I don't suppose you've a remedy for... this situation?
• Alt-Brag'klogga - Your majesty, it is my great pleasure to welcome the true, mighty god of all the Loron, and all of time!
• Alt-Rel'larutina - Hahahahaha! Hahaha...wait. "God"??

Alt-Brag'klogga then summoned several other alt-Loron to his side, each wearing dark purple robes and chanting in a dark tune that not even Zr'Ahgloth or Yogtam, who'd fought many Vyro'Ralza cultists, recognized. They could barely recognize the words spoken, and it was indeed a Vyro'Ralzan language. Zr'An and K'ar, being akin to Vyro'Ralza themselves, however, could understand them well; as they listened to the chant, the two shuddered and stepped back.

The entire ground shook, as time itself appeared to tremble. Before them, much to the dismay of alt-Rel'larutina, Zargoth appeared.

Zargoth towered over Zr'An and K'ar, and even in spite of the typical, emotionless, entirely cold attitude he always took, the entire arena quaked in fear, horrified at what he could do. Zr'Ahgloth and Yogtam were familiar with the feeling: any time powers that any of them would possess would be dwarfed by his. Zargoth could end a life far quicker than anyone could anticipate his move.

• Zr'An - OH NO
• K'ar - NOT HIM
• Zargoth - And who is it who summons me today? And why?

The regular Brag'klogga pointed accusingly at his counterpart.

• Brag'klogga - HIM!!!! NOT ME!!! EET HIM NOT ME IM NOT TASTY
• Alt-Brag'klogga - God of Time Itself, our plan finally comes to fruition!
• Zargoth - ...So you all played your part adequately. Acceptable. Things can now move as expected.
• Zr'Ahgloth - OI I THOUGHT YOO LOSAS WORSHIPPED VOLZARA???? WAT DA HELL IS ZARGOTH DOIN HEER?????
• Alt-Rel'larutina - We...we did...
• Alt-Brag'klogga - Hahahahahahahaha!!! I fed you years of lies and false prophecies to one day reach this very moment! Now, Zargoth, perform the act!
• Zargoth - To arrive at the very timeline who rejected the offer to become Vyro'Ralza is indeed fitting, given the perpetrators hail from the timeline who accepted it.
• Zr'Ahgloth - WAIT WAT????
• Yogtam - Sherita... did you know about this?
• Sherita - I... no...
• Yogtam - Sherita, earlier you told me you wished you'd received the offer and not us! I don't believe you for one second now! Your timeline created the Vyro'Ralza!
• Sherita - Well, what's Volzara ever done for us?! Volzara's... "chosen one" here only brought us pain!
• Alt-Brag'klogga - Hahahahahaha!! She was never Volzara's chosen one! I planted that myth in her head for years so that she would come to believe it! And eventually, so would all of you!
• Zr'Ahgloth - wait a sec. if yoo lot is from da timeline wher we became vyro'ralza... WHAI DIDNT YOO BECOM VYRO'RALZA TOO?
• Alt-Brag'klogga - Oh, we branched off of that timeline. Just a tad.
• Zargoth - Indeed, I've grander plans for it.
• Brag'klogga - BEST GODZ PLS DO SOMFIN
• Zr'An - ...NO'
• K'ar - DIS IS NOT OUR FITE

The fabric of space and time itself appear to shake, as Zr'An and K'ar were smitten before anyone saw so much as a flash of light. Zargoth had, in a split nanosecond, sliced them in half, and returned to the position he was in before. Though they could of course recover in time, for now, they were out of the picture.

• Zargoth - This timeline is where Volzara will come, and she will perish. She will come to aid her children, her true preferred children, that hail from this timeline. And she will do so to save them from me.
• Rel'larutina - Are we seriously going through this whole nonsense because you're having another go at Volzara? Was the Borealis War not enough?
• Zargoth - Not another go. The final one. I will put an end to her, and rule over all of time. Everything will begin and end with me. Only I can do what is just for the timelines. Only I have the objectivity and the foresight.
• Yogtam - She will stop you! Just like she has always done!
• Zargoth - Indeed, this is what I am hoping. Shall we test the theory? If she truly cares about this timeline so much, she won't flinch at all when I do this...

Space and time trembled once more and shook, but nothing appeared to change. Whatever Zargoth had just tried, it didn't work.

• Zargoth - ...Hmm. Still under a spacetime protection. Bothersome. No matter, for I recruited help for this very purpose. If she won't protect you from me, then she will protect you from them...

The skies, already dark, turned a vile shade of violet. Yogtam and Zr'Ahgloth could recognize the black fog which poured from the clouds as dark portals begun appearing, and out of them, hordes of bloodthirsty Corruptus Demons begun pouring into the crowd, slaughtering them by the hundreds.

• Sherita - Who...who are they?
• Yogtam - It's the Corruptus!
• Alt-Rel'larutina - This is all nonsense! All of this is a projection by Brag'klogga who deceived me! I am the destined Empress of All Time! I am to protect the universe from this! These... "demons" will be no different!
• ??? - You are the empress of nothing.

Before Empress Rel'larutina appeared a portal, and a figure stepped out of it. It was a heavily deformed Inalton warrior enveloped by a demonic aura, who glared at her with an air of indifference.

• Alt-Rel'larutina - No... You... Zr'Ahgloth destroyed you once, and he can do so again!
• ??? - Ah, he may have slain your timeline's version of me... But I am not that man. Tell me, by which name did you know me then?
• Alt-Rel'larutina - Genrai Nal... the right-hand man of Falrik Zaarkhun, one of the leaders of the Alliance. Zr'Ahgloth defeated you both...

The Inalton's expression shifted into a small smirk.

• Murangon Nal - Here I am known as Murangon Nal, the Killer. Vanguard of the Nightmare. And now, master of your people.
• Alt-Rel'larutina - No! Zr'Ahgloth, to my aid!

But as she called out to him from a distance, alt-Zr'Ahgloth was still struggling to fight off the Dark Chronoscopic that was consuming him. Zargoth appeared directly over him, and raised him in the air.

• Zargoth - Now, rise, Antagonar.

Alt-Zr'Ahgloth found himself consumed further in Dark Chronoscopic energy, as his body warped and began to change shape. In time, alt-Zr'Ahgloth did indeed change into the Antagonar figure that Yogtam and Zr'Ahgloth recognized well. As alt-Zr'Ahgloth's cries of pain turned into a laughter, the Antagonar who replaced him bowed at his feet, while Murangon Nal, picking up alt-Rel'larutina, teleported himself close to the two.

• Antagonar - The final piece of the puzzle to complete me! I suppose I am to lead the charge against this timeline, no?
• Zargoth - Not now. The Corruptus shall do this. They have a role to play next. Murangon Nal is in charge of the new army of Loron'Kikra.
• Zr'Ahgloth - excuse me WAT DA HELL DID YA SAY?????

Murangon Nal opened his arms, and from the demonic portals, swarms of Shu'olerthae begun pouring out. He then let out a single, powerful command.

• Murangon Nal - Feed!

And the Shu'olerthae begun possessing the bodies of any and all survivors still in the arena. Empress Rel'larutina witnessed as those possessed were gruesomely mutated into hulking, zombie-like abominations.

• Alt-Rel'larutina - My children... What have you done to my children?!
• Murangon Nal - Your children now serve That Which Devours as instruments of war.
• Alt-Rel'larutina - They were more than mere instruments of war!
• Murangon Nal - Were they now? All they did under your command was kill and slay whomever opposed you. They have the same role now, they merely serve a different master.
• Alt-Rel'larutina - ...They did more than kill. They built! Built statues in my honor...
• Zargoth - Statues that will now be taken down, one-by-one.
• Murangon Nal - So ends the time of Empress Rel'larutina. But the Corruptus never ends.

As Murangon Nal aimed his blade at alt-Rel'larutina, a blast from elsewhere fired at the floating arena. An enormous railgun shell had been fired through the arena; it was now cut in two. Alt-Rel'larutina leaped over to the side with Zr'Ahgloth and the others, but was knocked from her feet and fell back into the rubble of Naktor'zak's tank, holding her underneath the cannon.

• Zargoth - You should escape at once. Spread the Corruptus over the Ottzello Sector. And when you run out of space, over the Borealis Galaxy. And when the Borealis Galaxy falls...
• Murangon Nal - The rest of this Gigaquadrant will follow.
• Zargoth - I leave this universe to you, and to That Which Devours.

Zargoth was gone in a flash of light, while Murangon Nal created a portal to leave while his demons continued to slaughter and possess the populace. Though he was no longer present, the space around them still shook, but it was now from the crumbling arena. A golden shuttle appeared on the other side, as an elderly Heeyorian called out to them.

• ??? - Get in!
• Yogtam - Who... ugh, doesn't matter. Come on, everyone!

Yogtam tried to lift himself from the rubble of the Smasha, but found no success. Luckily, Zr'Ahgloth, who had barely any energy left, was able to lift it enough for them to escape from underneath it, as the three assassins and the prime Rel'larutina escaped.

• Zr'Ahgloth - GO MAN GO AN SURVIV
• Yogtam - You're coming with us too!
• Zr'Ahgloth - DERES STILL ROGUE BOYZ TRAPPED. ILL CATCH UP WIV YA
• Yogtam - Urgh... Fine. Be careful, the place is still crawling with demons!

As they hurried towards the ship, Zr'Ahgloth turned to Naktor'zak's tank and lifted it too, allowing the Leedas to flee in a hurry. When each of them had run out and escaped with their lives, he himself ran with them, but then turned back as he heard a Norol scream. To his dismay, alt-Rel'larutina was still caught under the cannon.

Zr'Ahgloth rushed back and lifted the cannon, then picked her up.

• Zr'Ahgloth - CAN YOO WALK???
• Alt-Rel'larutina - ...No...I can barely feel my legs...

Zr'Ahgloth sighed and carried her, but was swarmed by Corruptus demons that held him to the ground.

• Alt-Rel'larutina - You'll never make it!

Zr'Ahgloth gasped for air and shut his eyes briefly. No one who observed knew exactly what was flashing before his eyes as he made his final move and his final decision: he tossed alt-Rel'larutina over to the shuttle, as the Corruptus consumed him and tore him apart.

Zr'Ahgloth was no more.

Yogtam, watching it all unfold, had his eyes widened in horror while the Leedas of the Rogue Loron all gasped in disbelief.

• Yogtam - No... Zr'Ahgloth...
• Fre'kloar - DATS NOT FAIR. NOT FAIR!!!!!
• Hagto'Zhl - WAT DA HELL MAN HE WAS SUPPOSED TA BE MA RIVAL. IM DA ONLY ONE ALLOWED TA KILL HIM
• Jol'kiar - HE WENT OUT BEIN... BRAVE. HE SAVED OTHAS LIVES. I MEEN I CANT SAY IT WAS ALL DAT LORONLY... BUT IT WAS... HEROIC?? AN I RESPEKT DAT
• Grak'tona - DATS SO WEIRD. WHAI DO I FEEL BAD FER HIM? ISNT WE SUPPOSED TA HATE DAT GEEZA?
• Rel'larutina - ...I... I'll go inform the others. We just lost a hero.
• Fre'kloar - NOT FAIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Vyro'Narza Greetings, young, three dimensional mortals! Information Warfare  · Capabilities  · Vyronicia Fleet Characters Vyro'Nazdea  · Mac  · Baby Taldar History Taldar Empire  · War of the Ancients  · March of the Apocalypse  · Second War of Black Fog  · Second Borealis Galactic War Related Important related topics Chronoscopic  · Sequencium  · Omniverse Related Essentials Vi'Navitum  · Xol'Etra Related fiction Xhodocto  · Xol'Etra and The Krassio  · War of Ages  · Time  · Unified Nation of Ottzello Related phenomena The Box Vyronicia Fleet Starfighter  · Bomber  · Interceptor  · Deathship  · Annihilator  · Technobliteror  · Star Destroyer  · Flagship Taldar Empire Vyronicia Fleet Starfighter  · Bomber  · Interceptor  · Deathship  · Annihilator  · Technobliteror  · Star Destroyer  · Flagship Life and Architecture Housing  · City Hall  · Construction Center  · The Highest Point  · Shopping Mall  · Vyronicia Drone Vyro'Ralza The Traffphyds will obliterate all... Racial information Dark Chronoscopic Characters Emperor Zargoth  · Kolossus  · Antagonar Warfare Deathbringers Forms Ancient forms Original Traffphyd Newer forms Improved Original Traffphyd  · Most Common Traffphyd Ultimate forms Vyroni-Ralzoid Traffphyd  · High Traffphyd Other Chronoscopic Conflict Bow to the might of the Traffphyds... Time: a living, breathing thing.