FISSURE, THE STORY

Zeon was a small and peaceful planet, since the beginning of life, each living creature lived in harmony evolving their own way but also with respect for each other. Two main races can be found in Zeon: the Beorn and the Catonean. The Beorn prevailed through hard work, edifying cities, developing economies, and politics. On the other side, the Catonean prevailed in spiritual peace, living close to nature and learning about how to contribute to the planet and the health of their own body. Despite their difference, Beorn and Catonean were never enemies, to the point that any member of each race was well-welcomed in any city of the other race. Zeon was a peaceful planet but peace and happiness don’t prepare you for when fate makes a turn.

It was Zeon darkest day, and since then there was only night. A gigantic spaceship appeared in the sky. Beorns and Catoneans looked up, helpless and terrified. In a flash of time, an army of robots started to destroy cities and tribes, they started to capture anyone in their sight bringing them to the spaceship. In the confusion, some Catoneans were able to hide themselves using the unreachable forests, Beorns were not that lucky as their open city was at the most vulnerable.

Years passed since this tragic day, since Doomulus Grime’s conquest. Since then, the robotic dictator took full control of the planet, forcing everyone's conscient being to work for him in what looks like infernal factories. Nobody knows what those factories are for, nobody knows if Doomulus Grime will set them free one day. It's only rumored that those factories siphon, from the center of the planet, a powerful energy.

Of course, there were wars, rebellions, and mutinies. Every time, in front of the too-advanced Doomulus Grime’s technology, the uprisings failed… miserably. Those tragedies gave birth to one orphan, a little blue Beorn crying in the middle of an empty battlefield. His screams were so loud that a young Catonean, Mondo, found him. The little Mondo couldn't let the baby there and he brought him to his father, and chief of a hidden Catonean tribe, Dongorio.

The high chief welcomed the baby as its own, as a brother for Mondo but there was more. As Chief Dongorio looked through the eyes of the little Beorn, he saw hope. There were a few myths that Beorn and Catonean shared, but one of them, both of their race believed firmly, the legend of the Augury. The Augury was said to be a blue-furred Beorn, born in a tragedy, who will be the only one able to defeat an upcoming catalyst.

Chief Dongorio: Since the dawn of us, several times, Zeon was on the edge of its end, and each time an Augury appeared to save us all, leading our people to salvation. Today, as Zeon is living its darkest night, the prophecy awakes in my arms. Welcome to our tribe, little Unten.

Before the watchful and encouraging Chief, Unten—now a teenager—trains hard to join the Dongrio militia, which he is destined to lead one day to fulfill his prophecy. With Grime’s robots capturing and enslaving Beorns and Catoneans to toil in the sinister Grime Corp. factories, knowing how to defend oneself is essential.

Unten trains alongside Zerita, whose unmatched agility lets her leap effortlessly through the course, slashing obstacles with her razor-sharp claws. Mondo, Unten’s older brother, is also there, a skilled archer running at full speed without missing a shot, hitting the bullseye of every target. Despite enduring this intense training from a young age, Unten doesn’t see himself as a strong warrior, especially compared to his brother and Zerita. His struggle is apparent to the tribe—no one denies that Unten works hard, but there’s a lingering question: will he ever find his strength? It’s a question the Chief always brushes off when asked about his adopted son. Deep down, the Chief knows Unten is the Augury, the one foretold to lead them, but he also knows Unten is not yet ready to carry the weight of his own destiny.

A sudden tremor shakes the arena, cutting the training short. Earthquakes were once rare, but lately, they seem to occur with unsettling frequency, the Chief thought grimly. After training, Zerita, Mondo, and Unten have a secret ritual: they meet at the top of the tallest tree around their tribe. Climbing it is always a challenge, especially for Unten, but the view is worth it—rising above the clouds, they can see the vast Peaceful Plains stretching out below. The distant hills, now cloaked in autumn’s golden grasses and red leaves and a few lone trees stand on the horizon. It’s their usual spot to share secrets, play games, and snack on their favorite fruit, the Blump. But today feels different. Mondo had tracked a group of Grimebots, Grime’s robotic minions, earlier that day. He’s convinced he’s found the site for a future factory. The news is bad, especially since they all remember what happened last time. A few years ago, a factory had been built near their tribe, and instead of resisting, Chief Dongorio had forced all the tribes to relocate.

Zerita: I had enough! I won’t let Grime force us to run away again! Chef Dongorio can give any order he wants, I'll stay and I'll fight all of them myself if necessary!

Mondo: That’s why I came up with a plan! The factory seems like it is still at an early stage of construction, we know how to act fast and strong, we can sabotage the construction, and keep doing so until Grime Corp gives up.

Unten: Are we ready for that? What if the plan goes wrong?

Mondo: You are the Augury, you will save Zeon, Unten, but to do so you need to act big! If we destroy this factory with you as our leader, the world will find hope again in the prophecy and will find the courage to fight again Doomulus Grime.

Despite Unten being a little anxious, they all agree to do this on their own.

In the middle of the night, they all leave in secret their house to join each other at the entrance of the tribe. Mondo has enough arrows to kill a village, he is more than ready! In silence, they look at each other one more time and then run through the plains in the direction of the construction site.

The site is hidden deep in the forest, and when they get there something, looks wrong. The Grimebots, slave robots of Doomulus Grime are attacked by flying eel-like creatures. Despite their insistence, the eels are not strong enough and look in danger. Unten and his friends step up and save them from the robots after a short fight where the robots fall to pieces. The group understands the creatures are Narobis, a rare species of Zeon reputed to have a strange power. The smallest Narobi then pushes Unten multiple times until he falls into a hole.

Unten: . . . . !

Unten falls into what seems to be an old temple for Pixella, the Ancient Narobi Queen. The little Narobi is flying around him with excitement which confuses the Beorn. The temple is now in ruin barely as majestic as it used to be. Unten knows a few old tales about Pixella, nobody knows what she really was but she lived in the company of the Narobi all her life, fascinating any Beorn or Catenean who came across her. She died centuries ago by fighting alongside what was considered the first Augury... Unten stays a moment hypnotized by the statue of Pixella standing in front of him, he feels like the statue is talking to him.

Queen Pixella: In your journey's trials, this faithful companion shall stand by your side, a steadfast ally in the pursuit of your destiny.

Unten wakes up from his dream state when the Narobi gives him an electric charge right on the nose.

Mondo: Unten! Are you okay down there? I didn’t realize we were adding 'professional pothole inspector' to your heroic résumé. You really do dig deep for new skills, don't you?

Unten: Hilarious, Mondo. Yeah, I'm fine... I'll join you as soon as I understand what that small Narobi is trying to tell me.

Unten eventually gets it, as it sees pipes around him. Doomulus Grime is constructing his factory above their temples. As Unten promises the Narobi he will stop Grime no matter what, the Narobi flies around him with happiness.

The Narobi: :)

Unten: You’re adorable little one! I'll call you Fanti. Does it sound good to you?

Fanti: ♡♡♡♡

Unten joins Zerita and Mondo at the surface with a newfound motivation and Fanti follows him closely. After he's sure Unten is okay, Mondo explains his plan, if they destroy every four pillars the whole foundation of the factory will fall down. That said, once one pillar is destroyed the whole factory will be alerted of the attack, they need to work separately, one on three pillars simultaneously, and then quickly destroy the last one together.

From where they are, a few meters from the factory, the pillars are visible. Each of them chose one. Zerita sharps her claws, Mondo takes his special bomb arrow and Unten punches the ground with all his strength. While punching, Fanti joins Unten, and Unten's fist flashed with lightning! Unten discovers a new ability with the help of the Narobi!

They then run alongside until each of them goes on their way.

Despite some obstacles and some fights against Grimebots, the three heroes are able to keep it low. When they reach their pillar, they the signals from the other, they each imitate a bird sound, and once the three are confirmed to be where they should be, they simultaneously tear down the pillars. Without waiting any other seconds, they run to reach the final fourth pillar but little did they know that they were about to face the darkest turn of events.

While they were planning and executing their sabotage mission, the tyrant, Dooomulus Grime himself were at the construction site, visiting what he considers as his soon-to-be biggest factory of Grime Corps. He assisted in the demolition of the pillars but despite his brief surprise, he quickly change his expression and welcomed the sudden challenge.

Doomulus Grime: Saboteurs? ... Can I ask for a normal day without having to annihilate some savages?

Using his best bodyguard Grimebots, the most high-tech robots in his army, Grime is sadly able to capture Unten, Zerita, and Fanti. Mondo had the chance to escape and he is promising his friends to bring some help from the tribe while running away. It was so sudden, Unten and Zerita couldn't have the chance to fight, the robots were so fast and powerful that they were trapped and put in a glass cage without letting the friends realize that they were chased. Defeated, they could only see from afar the last pillar standing strong...

Doomulus Grime congratulates Unten and Zerita for their huge mistake, now the tyrant will be finally able to locate the legendary Dongorio Tribe, one of the very few tribes that were under his radar... until now. On the screen around him, Unten and Zerita, the recording is following closely Mondo as he is running in the Peaceful Plains, unaware he is being spied on. Doomulus Grime rejoices when the tribe appears on his screens.

Suddenly, all the robots present in the factory fly away with one goal, to reach the tribe, and capture each of the inhabitants in the tribe. Helpless, Unten, and Zerita have to see the horror through Grime's screens. Doomulus was watching too, despite his inexpressive metal head, he was easy to realized how much pleasure he had to see all these rebels being taken from their home and fly away. He was satisfied until all the screens fall on the ground until Unten’s cage smashed the ground too and opened. A shock just happened. What could have caused such a strong shock that everything in this room would scramble?

The author appears after a second shock, an explosion so powerful that it destroys an entire wall. Behind the explosion, a giant and intimidating blue Beorn holding within his pawns a smoking bazooka.

Boare: Finally we meet Can-Face! The name is Boare and I hope you digest metal well ‘cause I’m gonna make you eat every piece of this factory.

Doomulus Grime: Come on! It was supposed to be my day off! Let’s finish this fast, I’m expected in Elasmo Bay in a few minutes.

The fight starts and it is immediately a showcase of pure power, Doomulus flies above the ground rushing into Boare to slash him with his metallic claws while Boare himself jumps and smashes with a fist so strong it destroys anything it touches.

For a while, Unten doesn’t understand what’s happening and can barely move despite his cage now wild-open. It’s when he hears Zerita calling him for help that he finally wakes up and runs to her cage while avoiding falling debris. With Fanti’s help, he tries to open Zerita’s cage but they don’t have enough power to do so and things get dangerous as the room is falling apart on them.

Zerita: Don’t waste your time on me and help this guy defeat Grime! We have a chance here!

Determined Unten joins the fight, using Fanti as a weapon against the tyrant. While jumping around and hitting the enemy, Unten finally realizes that he is not as weak as he thought. Unfortunately, Unten’s electric attacks and Boare’s pure strength are not enough, Doomulus Grime doesn’t even show any slowdown.

Doomulus Grime fires a laser against Unten and misses him. Zerita who saw the attack coming was able to balance her cage so the laser destroyed the locked door, she is finally free! Zerita thinks, for a moment, about joining her friend but she has a better idea: going directly to the last pillar and destroying it. She is the fastest she's ever been, running around the already scrambling factory until she gets to the final pillar and then slashes it with her powerful claws. The mission is a success and the whole factory falls down.

Doomulus Grime: That was supposed to become my favorite factory! You scamping blue beorns, we are not done!

Doomulus Grime flies away promising terrible revenge. Unten is ready to celebrate this little victory but Boar suddenly turns to him with the angriest face. Unten is so scared and is looking around for a way to escape but he's definitely stuck with this mountain of muscles.

Boare: How dare you stepped into MY fight? You think because you are blue, you are the chosen one, huh? My biceps are bigger than your sad-looking face! You have nothing of a hero. Go back to your trees instead of getting in my way.

Boare then jumps away through a window. Unten barely has the time to process what happened, he needs to look for Zerita and to save his tribe from Grime. Running around the ruins he and Zerita finally find each other but they are blocked by a gap. Unten is scared, Zerita side has the roof dangerously cracking and it doesn’t look like she can escape from the upcoming fall.

Zerita: Unten, we don’t have much time so please stop worrying, ok. If I can’t get out of this, I want you to continue and save the tribe. You can do it, the fight you had against Grime was glorious with or without this Boare. Grime must have taken our tribe in one of his factories, you’ll need to find which one and save them. Trust yourself, I have no doubt now you are the Augury.

Suddenly, the roof falls on them, and Zerita disappears under the rubble. Unten doesn’t have the choice to flee while convincing himself that in some way Zerita survived too. Once outside, he has no time to worry about his friend, as he sees far away Boare leaving. If he wants to be stronger and save his tribe, he will need the help of this guy. Still, Boare kind of scares him, Unten hesitates but Fanti encourages him with a little shock. Toward his next adventure, Unten, in secret for now, starts to follow the blue beorn.

END OF CHAPTER 1

Hidden from Boare’s sight, Unten and Fanti continue to follow him. Unten’s thinking about his tribe being captured by Doomulus Grime’s robot, he wants to save them but he has no idea where they could have been taken. His only chance for now is Boare. Boare may be hot-tempered but he is a strong warrior and they share the same goal, destroy Grime. If only Unten could find a way to let him join Boare’s fight.

They arrive at what looks like a cavern entrance but is reinforced by pieces of machinery, steel, and wood. Since Boare enters so does Unten. They go through a long and dark tunnel with constant sounds of clockwork and vapor emanations. Finally some light, Unten arrives at The Underground.

The Underground is a shelter for most Zeon natives, especially Beorns, since their species don’t do well in nature without technology. Unten has heard a lot about this place, it’s a dangerous place with an important criminal population. The reputation is quickly confirmed as Fanti is suddenly captured by a thug.

Fanti: >:O

Unten chases the thug among The Underground, among the house piled together with metal wires and the huge arena from where is coming sounds of violent battles. When a sudden earthquake shakes the city and blocks the thug's way with roof pieces falling on the ground, Unten finally gets the thug and successfully fights him to get Fanti back. When the thug runs away, Unten realizes that he has lost track of Boare when a very tall green Beorn comes to him.

? ? ?: Is it a Narobi? They're so cute and precious. You should hide it, people will keep trying to steal from you.

Unten: He attacked me, why? Shouldn’t we help each other? It’s enough suffering to live with this Grime we don’t need to add a new layer to it.

? ? ?: People suffer so they don’t care about doing good anymore. But some of us persist. My name is Eliza. I love your blue fur by the way, people who dye their fur blue look so tacky but yours, you must be into fashion. I can’t follow the trends.

Unten: I’m Unten and that’s real.

Eliza: Real? If I were you I wouldn’t joke about that. I need to go back to work but you can drop by anytime. I’m working in the little bakery at the corner there. Bring me some fruits and I will bake them into the best dessert you ever eaten. I don’t want to show off but I want to show off, I’m that good. See you.

Unten continues to look for Boare, with Fanti hidden under his poncho. As he asks around, he realizes some weird pink cloud around the houses and the streets. He asks about them and understands from the Underground inhabitants that this is a toxic fog that appeared a few days ago due to the recent string of tremors, they think some pipes from a Grime Factory must have been pierced by it. It's dangerous to go through it without a mask and people are scared as the fog is slowly taking over the Underground. As an underground shelter, the city is already in danger due to the earthquakes but the gas may turn this place unsuitable for living even faster. If the worst happens, they will all need to leave and risk their lives outside against Grime’s army. Unten feels the fear and sadness around him but he mostly feels the need to help the Underground. He doesn’t know how to do it but he promises to free them from the fog.

Before investigating, Unten needs to find a mask to walk through the fog. He meets Reten, a blacksmith able to forge for him a gas mask. Reten is a crazy orange beorn, talking about conspiracy and other realities, but he is Unten’s only help. As with anything you need to get in The Underground, you need to make a trade, Unten then looks around for the mask component between tubes, filters, and metallic pieces. Some moral choices put Unten in a delicate situation when he needs to steal some of this component from the people he wants to save. Finally, Unten brings everything Reten needs and gets the gas mask.

Reten: With this mask, you can go as far as you want in the fog! There nobody will see you, you can do whatever you want. No one to judge you, put you in prison for crimes against your planet and then force you to run away to another dimension where you are forced to become a blacksmith to make a living while preparing an arsenal for your next move. By the way, I have some great ideas for weapons, if you are interested let me know I can forge one for you!

Unten: Thank you, I guess.

Reten: By the way, what's the thing with you Blue people wanting to go deep into the fog? What's there? Even before the fog nobody wanted to go there, it was just stalagmite and stalactite.

Unten: Another blue beorn ordered you a gas mask?

Reten: A blue steroid-filled beorn, yeah! You know, I do prefer the blue fur, in my dimension the Augury was orange.

Into the fog, Unten is guided by Fanti who is feeling something close, they then find a Queen Pixella temple buried in the desert. There Fanti learns a new power, Velocity. This ability allows Fanti to move like a flash of light and go through sinuous space.

Queen Pixella: With the swiftness of a lightning strike, no barrier shall hinder thy passage.

As they continue moving forward, Unten can hear some metallic sounds. There must be a Factory somewhere, that would explain a lot, Unten tells himself before seeing a fight through the clouds. It’s Boare, the giant beorn who is fighting against two Grimebots. Unten realizes that the Grimebots are more advanced than the ones he used to see before, they even look like Beorn robots. Unten is suddenly attacked by other Grimebots and has to fight against them. That’s when Boare sees him. The two beorns defeat the Grimebots but once again Boare is mad against Unten to have followed him to The Underground. Boare is ready to start a fight against him, but Unten stands on his own, Boare is his only hope.

Unten: I want to save Zeon from Grimes, I want to save my tribe for the mistake I did but I’m still weak but you're not. We have the same goal, so please give me a chance to fight on your side.

Boare: There is only one Augury, no place for two.

Unten: I don’t care! I don’t know if I’m the Augury, and I don’t know if you are either. What difference does it make? Should we wait for a sign or can we just act like we were the hope this planet needs?

Boare: That’s a good talk, cub, but I don’t have time to train a newbie. You need to prove to me that you know how to fight because I don’t want anyone to slow me down.

Unten: I know how to fight, I was trained my whole life. There is a tournament in the arena in The Underground, go see me participate. If you still think after that that I'm too weak for you, so fine, but you have to give me this chance.

Boare agrees in a sight. Unten looks sure of himself but deep down, he's pretty anxious about his deal, he saw the fighter from the Arena and they look pretty tough. That said, he finally convinces Boare to at least think about that, so beat it.

The arena is chaotic and despite Unten’s anxiety, he’s actually doing pretty well in the fight. Not only, did he win one fight as asked by Boare but has a winning strike, going up to the finale of the tournament. The public is all over Unten, who is he? Why someone so skilled has never been seen before? Unten starts to understand, that he was raised to be a warrior among the best of his tribe, he never felt strong in his tribe but the training was paying off. As the final match is starting, someone appears in the middle of the arena to take a hair out of Unten’s fur.

Stranger: The blue is real! It’s not a dye!

The public gasped in front of this revelation. You can hear the same question among the crowd “Is he the Augury?”, “The legend is real?”. As the attention around him suddenly switches, Unten feels unsafe and surrounded but one thing especially it’s inspiring fear to him. Somewhere in the crowd, a red beorn is staring directly into his eyes, a smile on his face, the red beorn stands straight while everyone else is moving around.

? ? ?: . . .

The red beorn jumps into the arena and attacks Unten. The champion that Unten was supposed to fight for the final, tries to stop the stranger but he’s quickly defeated. The stranger is too powerful, Unten needs to run away now. Unten does his best to defend himself but he’s getting harder to avoid his hits. Hopefully, Boare appears, saves Unten, and brings him into the fog to hide.

Unten: This guy would have torn my limbs off! What was his problem?

Boare: He has no name, he’s part of an anti-augury group. I’m blue so I had fought him a few times in the past, he is relentless. They have only one goal: To kill us, to kill a false hope.

Unten: Do you agree? Is that what we are? A false hope?

Boare: ... We have a lot to do, lil' cub.

In the fog, Unten and Boare trail the Grimbots until the colossal silhouette of a factory loomed before them. Here it is, the largest factory on Zeon. Boare feels the excitement, this is the challenge he was yearning for. With a shared nod, Unten and Boare infiltrate the factory.

Unten and Boare sneak through the corridors, hiding themselves from cameras and guards. The objective is clear - discover the building's vulnerabilities to dismantle it. However, they quickly discover that this place is also a prisoner camp. Beorns and Cateneans, once captured, are subjected to brutal torment until they submit and turn themselves into efficient workers. Unten's heart sinks at the realization that his tribe might be there - he has to find and rescue them.

As they delve deeper, the duo uncovers the architect of this sadistic operation – a dangerous robot named Ramiranda. She strides through the factory in a dress of mechanical spider legs. To free the prisoners, they have to eliminate her, but the task won't be easy, they need a strategy against her. With the advantage of remaining undetected, Unten and Boare seize the opportunity for a first strike. They observe Ramiranda, studying her movements. With the help of Fanti, who is demonstrating a new power being able to manipulate machinery, they start to put a trap on Ramiranda's way, weakening her while remaining invisible. When they are ready to go, suddenly Doomulus Grime appear on all the screen of the facility cackling at them.

Doomulus Grime: You guys... Can you stop being so obsessed with me and "free Zeon" or whatever? It's tiring. You don't even do it right! You didn't think that I had super good security in my prisoner camp? I see you, you teddy bears! Ramiranda, my favorite creation, please take care of our guests.

The screens turn off and suddenly Ramiranda attacks Unten's hideout forcing Unten, Boare, and Fanti to fall on the floor close to her. Since she is too powerful, they have to run for their lives. Finally, an opportunity appears, a gigantic grind wheel! Fanti possesses the tool and uses it to cut Ramiranda's robotic legs-every wound on her releases a deep black fog. Ramiranda falls on the floor but can still move!

Ramiranda: Little beorns want to play the heroes. In their soul, a prophecy hollows.

The fight proves to be challenging with Ramiranda fighting with agility and fierceness. When they finally defeat her, they can barely stand up.

They can now free the prisoner, opening their gate with Ramiranda's keys. Unten is still not able to find his tribe, but one of the cages gets wide open. Someone slashed the lock and freed the people inside before Unten and Boare arrived. There is some hope, maybe he was his tribe's cage.

Suddenly Ramiranda reappears, dismantled but still fighting. All the prisoners got together to stop her but suddenly she hit an enormous pipe, the pipe content then boasted outside. Finally, they will know what Doomulus Grime was taking from the planet through their factory but what Unten sees is a nightmarish black cloud, the same emanating from Ramiranda's wounds, sweeping anyone around before disappearing in what seems like a hundred beorn screams.

Boare: Those screams, they were not from the prisoners. They... they came from the cloud itself... The heck was that?

Unten: Pure darkness.

Once again, Doomulus Grime appears on the screens. The reception is bad and the picture is getting static. This time Grime doesn't say anything but Unten can feel in his stare, a cold rage targeted at him. Then, the factory suddenly stops working, turning off the screens and blacking out. The fog disappears allowing everyone to leave even without masks. It's the biggest victory, any inhabitant ever had against Doomulus Grime. Unten is excited about how pissed off Grime must be now. He asks Boare what they should do next.

Boare: You should lead to Elasmo Bay, that’s where his next big plan is. Whatever he’s doing here, you need to stop him.

Unten: Me? What about you?

Boare: These people, they won’t be welcomed to The Underground, they are weak they will be easy prays there. They need a place to go, and I’m afraid their homes aren't safe either.

Unten: Are you breaking up with me?

Boare: Oh shut up lil’ cub! What I want to say… I saw the Augury in you. You’re right maybe any of us is the Augury but we should not wait for a sign, our own prophecy is waiting for us to claim. I will help them because that’s the kind of hero I want to be. I found my purpose and I hope you too, Unten the Augury.

Unten hugs Boare and accepts the fact that he is once again alone with little Fanti in his adventure. Unten and Boare then go in different ways waving at each other. Far forward, there is Elasmo Bay and he can already hear the sounds of the sea.

END OF CHAPTER 2

Unten finally reaches Elasmo Bay, but to his surprise, instead of the grand city he expected, he finds only a market perched atop a cliff, surrounded by white sands, turquoise waters, and towering palm trees. There is nowhere else to go, so Unten blends into the market crown, looking for any clue about where can be Doomulus.

Suddenly, a big wave hit the cliff throwing water on the stands. People have started complaining that since the recent tremors, the sea has been agitated, it’s never been to the point that they had to close the ports.

? ? ?: Of course, the wave will hit my stuff. Thank you, Nature! ... My blumps needed to be cleaned. Heck, I hate the above-water world.

Unten sees a young yellow Sjarc trying to put back to her stand all the blumps that were thrown away by the wave and goes to help her.

? ? ?: Nice dye job. Pretty risky too, are you like a rebel of something?

Unten: I’m not really sure who I am but my name is Unten.

Ronnie: Deep, man. I’m Ronnie. Thank you for helping me, but they are all ruined… I have no choice but to head back to Elasmo, now. Listen, if you come to Elasmo, let me know I have this huge greenhouse, you can't miss it!

Unten: Elasmo is not there?

Ronnie: Why are you saying? This is Elasmo Bay but the city is there obviously.

Ronnie is pointing at the sea.

Unten: It’s underwater…

Unten needs to find a way to get underwater but with the agitated sea, no submarines are available at the time and since the waves are too unusual for the season according to the sailors, there may not be any transports until tomorrow.

At the top of a colline, Unten can see some flashing lights and curious, Unten decides to get there to see what’s going on. To his surprise, there is a photo shoot where a brown Boern poses with perfume while the waves strike behind him. Unten can see a bunch of diving suits on the side, there must be the ones that the beorn and the photographer are using, maybe he can convince them to lend one to him. Unten needs to wait as the brown Beorn executes dramatic pose after dramatic pose for the camera. Finally, it’s a wrap and Unten joins the Beorn.

????: Wow! You bought this toxic blue taint? I thought they removed it from the market. I looked so good in the campaign. You want an autograph?

Unten: I’m sorry, I’m not from here. Should I know you? My name is Unten.

????: Eh?! You can still survive as a beorn outside Elasmo Bay? I thought they all were tortured to death or something like that. This is awesome! By the way, I'm Mynis, supermodel, actor, influencer and part-time farmer. But still, what are you doing here? Looking for a refuge?

Unten: Actually, have you seen Doomulus Grime around?

Mynis: This rusty piece of work… Yeah, he’s been coming to the city often recently.

Unten: Can you tell me where he usually goes? I need to face him!

Fanti: (◣_◢)

Mynis: Someone is taking his blue fur a little too seriously... But why not? I've free time. Do you have any suit or submarine to get there? Don’t answer I think it’s pretty obvious. Hey photographer! I will need your driving suit, no question asked, it’s important. Thank you, my friend, here are some discount coupons for your next purchase.

They both suit up, while Fanti hides herself in the helmet, in front of the shocked photographer. Once ready, Mynis winks at Unten through his helmet and jumps from the cliff into the sea. Unten is kind of scared to follow him but there is no time to hesitate and leaps into the waves.

Beneath the waves, Unten marvels at the beauty of Elasmo City. Encased in a glass dome, the city glows with the vibrant light of bioluminescent seaweed. Towering structures rise from the ocean floor, interconnected by glass water pipes for aquatic races like the sjarcs, while land dwellers such as the beorns and catoneans walk freely on the dry ground beneath the dome. Before entering the city, Unten must pass through a strict border checkpoint. However, Mynis, revealing his local celebrity status, helps Unten bypass the rigorous scrutiny. Despite the favor, Unten is reminded that Elasmo Bay enforces strict rules on visitors—he has only one day before he must leave.

Upon entering the dome, Unten is immediately bombarded by omnipresent advertisements promoting the latest trendy products. As a beorn raised in a catonean tribe, Unten is deeply unsettled by the stark contrast between the peaceful lifestyle here and the suffering endured by those on the surface, plagued by the metallic tyrant and the recent earthquakes.

Unten: How is it possible that this city exists? How Grime would allow you guys to live freely like that?

Mynis: With shady pacts, bud. We have a city council that many people suspect to work for Doomulus Grime. What is the goal of this collaboration? Nobody knows for sure but nobody wants to. I guess life is easier that way.

Unten: Are there a lot of beorns and catoneans in Elasmo?

Mynis: A very few. Most of them come from rich families who fled at the beginning of the war.

Mynis explains he's from a half-submerged cavern near Elasmo, where they traded with Sjarc. A model agency discovered him, captivated by his blue fur and the Augury legend tied to it. He quickly became a sensation in the underwater city but had to change his fur color with dye as it became too controversial.

Mynis suddenly hides behind a bus station. Curious, Unten notices a nearby protest and joins him in hiding.

Mynis: Heck! You see the protest? They are a group that wants to open Elasmo City for the rest of Zeon. It’s been months now that they want me to join their cause.

Unten: Why don’t you want to help them? The Dome seems vast enough for everyone and things are really bad up there, we need help.

Mynis: That’s the thing, I support them, I want the change. But they see me as the Augury or something, like the one that will resolve everything just because of this stupid blue fur I had. Unten I’m useless without cameras, I can’t even throw a punch without hurting myself! I’ll never be the hero they want, or I want, to be.

Unten: It’s been barely a day that I’ve been here, and I can already see how powerful you are. Look around, you seem to have a lot of influence here! Look! I don't know what a Fantendo is but your picture up there makes me want two of them!

Mynis: You don't want that, it's pretty messy and hard to clean up.

Unten: What I mean is that you don’t need to fight, you can just help them to be heard.

Mynis: Like in a marketing campaign?

Mynis's face suddenly lights up. He leaps from his hiding spot, urging Unten to follow him into the square. Then, he climbs onto a bench and calls for everyone's attention.

Mynis: Hi buds! You know me, Mynis, supermodel, influencer, and part-time gardener. I’m not there to sell you my next products, I’m here to show you my support. See the little blue guy, here? I know, pretty average-looking... but he made me realize that, yes, if I want to help our planet, I can’t do this alone, I’m not that smart and I waste too much time taking care of my appearance but that’s not your case! You have the ideas, I have the influence. Why if I opened for you the door to the city council? Let’s talk to them and change the world!

An enthusiastic Mynis quickly outlines a plan that wins over the group, despite initial doubts about a celebrity leading them. At the City Council Building, a towering office complex, Mynis passes security with Unten and the protest leaders disguised as his PR team. Inside, the building is even more saturated with advertising than the city itself, and Unten uneasily realizes that Elasmo lacks real leadership—only marketing people roam, robotically spouting terms like "KPI," "ROI," and "Engagement." No one seems to care about the city's residents.

Mynis requests a meeting with the council, pretending to pitch a new revolutionary product called Fantendo Tau. They finally meet the council, which consists of a beorn, a catonean, and a sjarc in business attire. Mynis delivers a compelling speech about the need for a peace campaign, urging Elasmo to open its doors to those in need and to launch a powerful worldwide message of support.

Council Member: What would be the return on investment?

Mynis: I’m sorry what?

Council Member: I like the campaign, we can use it if one day we are in a crisis and need to save our reputation.

Mynis: No that’s not what I wanted to talk about. We need something concrete, it’s more than a campaign it’s real actions that need to be done!

Doomulus Grime: They won’t listen to you, little beorn. I raised them well, if there is no money involved they don’t care.

Doomulus Grime suddenly appears on a screen behind the council. Unten braces for a fight, expecting him to show up, but instead, all the employees reveal themselves as armed robots, ready to attack the protesters—they actually were robots all along!

Doomulus Grime: Hi Unten! You can be proud I know your name now mister "Symbol of Hope". Everyone has been talking about you since your last transgression. What a pain in my neck you became. It's time to remember this ugly planet there is no place for hope. Robots send them to the construction site.

Outnumbered, Mynis and the protesters are quickly overwhelmed, unable to defend themselves against the relentless onslaught of robots. Unten watches in horror as his companions are knocked down, one after the other. Mynis struggles fiercely, but as he throws a punch, he stumbles, crashing headfirst into a desk. Fanti falls next, injured, and before Unten can react, a massive GrimBot bursts into the room, charging toward them like a missile.

The GrimBot grabs Unten, Mynis, and several other protesters, then smashes through the windows, flying them into the open air. Unten’s heart races as he notices the robot’s glowing red eyes—it's preparing to blast its captives. Just as all hope seems lost, an arrow, appearing from nowhere, pierces the GrimBot’s head. The robot jerks violently, its systems failing, and it begins to lose altitude. One by one, the hostages slip from its grasp, falling to the ground. Unten is the last, crashing hard alongside the collapsing GrimBot, and he blacks out as he hits the ground.

After Fanti sends him a little shock, Unten wakes up in what appears to be an empty construction site, there's only the two of them, where are the others? Despite the presence of machines, no work seems to be happening. Hearing someone crying, he follows the sound and finds Mynis in tears in a cavern above the water.

Mynis: I should have come back, I told my mom I would but things got so crazy with my career. This is where I was born Unten, and there is nothing left.

Unten surveys the cavern, filled with machines, tools, and the ruins of destroyed houses—but no signs of life. It’s clear that if beorns once lived here, they were taken to the factories. There's no escape; piles of rocks block the way deeper into the cavern, and enormous coral-krakens guard the exits in the underwater area. Mynis explains that these titans are a constant threat to sjarcs who venture too far from Elasmo. It’s the first time both he and Unten have seen one, and they’re terrifying.

As they search for the protesters, they notice more of the construction site and realize something massive was being built here. There are machines and metal pieces everywhere, but the construction itself is gone, leaving behind a huge crater surrounded by tall, empty scaffolding. Unten knows whatever happened here is bad news.

Further into the caves, Unten discovers a new Pixella temple where Fanti learns Fuse, enabling the little narobi to control electrical machines.

Queen Pixella: Through the vessel of electricity, the iron beasts of labor shall bend to your will.

With this new power, Unten gains control over all the site’s machines, which was broken by the Grimbots. Eventually, Unten, Mynis, Fanti, and Woah locate and assemble all the protesters and remaining workers. But one problem remains—the coral-krakens protecting the site. That’s where Mynis gets a big idea!

Mynis: Unten! What about fighting them with something up to their size, eh?

Fanti: ! ! !

Mynis points to a massive circular saw at the edge of the construction site. Fanti is unsure if he has enough power to fuse with such a large machine, but Mynis and Unten, using the Beorns' ability to conduct electricity, assemble batteries and motors to boost Fanti's strength. It works! A fierce battle ensues between the machine controlled by Fanti and Unten and three coral-krakens. Each clash shakes the ground! Finally, the beasts are defeated, and an exhausted Fanti collapses into Unten’s arms. With the path clear, it's time to return to Elasmo City for a serious talk with the Council and Doomulus Grime.

Upon arriving in Elasmo City, the protesters and workers charge into the City Council, ready to take it over. Even regular pedestrians join in, united by the belief that it's time to help the planet and open Elasmo’s bay instead of siding with the tyrant. Amid the rushing crowd, Unten senses a familiar danger—he knows he’s near. Turning, Unten comes face to face with the red beorn.

? ? ?: . . .

Unten fights hard, carefully blocking attacks that might harm any protesters. The red beorn is eventually defeated and retreats.

Mynis: Who the heck was that?

Unten: He follows me and has kept attacking me since we met in The Underground. He’s part of a cult against the Augury. As far as I know, he doesn’t have a name.

Mynis: It’s your nemesis then! Unten this is perfect for your brand! All heroes need a nemesis. Let’s call him Netnu! Get it? Your followers will love it, they will give you even more support if you have a nemesis!... Okay, I can see you don't follow me on this but you know when you name things, they become real, concrete, and less terrifying. I can see how this guy scares you, trust me, I don’t know how to fight but I know a few things about how to change your perception of the world.

Unten: I'm not sure Mynis. Why I would need followers?

Mynis: Followers, worshippers, supporters... Don’t you get it? You’re the Augury, people need you, they need hope. For so long I thought it was me because I was the only one around with real blue fur. Do you know how terrible it felt? To be as clumsy as I am, to have no interest in fighting but to feel like I’m supposed to take over the world to save it? You, on the other hand, I can feel the passion, you make all the right choices, and you inspired me to be a hero in my own way.

Unten: I'm actually starting to think that this whole Augury thing is true but I’m not perfect for the role either. I’m so scared all the time

Mynis: But you never give up.

Unten and Mynis join the protesters in successfully taking over the council. The new leaders promise that Elasmo City will now use its vast space and wealth to help those in need across the planet, refusing to be intimidated by Doomulus Grime or make shady deals with tyrants.

As Unten searches for Doomulus Grime, he discovers that the tyrant has already fled the city, but Unten finds his secret room behind the council chambers. There, surrounded by documents, Unten learns that in exchange for "neutrality," the Council allowed Doomulus to secretly build a machine called the Giga Drill on the construction site. The project was recently completed, and Doomulus left with it. Reports indicate that initial tests near the city caused tremors across the planet. Alarmed by the machine's potential, Unten prepares to pursue it, but Mynis decides to stay behind.

Mynis: A lot of people will arrive here and they will need support. I’m good with my words, I know I can reassure them and help the process. I still want to be a hero you know. Maybe the people of my hometown, even my parents, will arrive so I need to be there for them.

Unten: You are one of the brightest heroes I’ve ever met Mynis. If your parents are in a factory, I will do my best to free them and send them to you.

Mynis: It means a lot to me, thanks. You know, I think I will give up this top model gig. Following trends is exhausting, I mean do you know how long it takes every morning to wear all these belts on me? Also, when all it’s done I would like to do what I really love, gardening. I heard that a girl with the biggest greenhouse in the city is looking for a roommate, that would be a good start.

Back at the bay, Unten gazes at the towering snowy peaks of the Oorgathroln mountains. According to the documents he found, this is where Doomulus Grime took the Giga Drill. The climb seems impossible, and Unten feels overwhelmed. Suddenly, a cool sjarc appears riding a hoverboard—it's Woah, a traveler Unten met a few times across Zeon. Woah had even helped Unten navigate difficult paths by lending him his hoverboard.

Woah: I was looking for you all over the bay, Unten! People got really excited about you! You’re a star in The Underground and beyond. Everyone you saved is talking about you and the message travels fast! Two of them, tell me to join you at Elasmo, that you would need this.

Woah tosses him the hoverboard.

Unten: Wait... Are you giving your hoverboard to me?

Woah: Keep dreaming blue fur, bring it back to me once you get to the top. Now, ride the wave, Augury!

END OF CHAPTER 3

Unten soared to the peaks of the Oorgathroln Mountains on Woah’s hoverboard. As he landed on the snow-covered plateau, the hoverboard flew away, returning to its rightful owner. For a moment, Unten stood still, mesmerized by the night sky illuminated with bright auroras. Like all inhabitants of Zeon, he doesn't feel the cold. Suddenly, five Grimebots cut through the clouds. Unten’s eyes followed the robots’ path, and in the distance, he caught sight of a looming shadow—the colossal GigaDrill. Deep in his gut, he knew Doomulus Grime was there, waiting. Unten had finally arrived at the place he was meant to be—the last step before embracing his destiny.

As Unten sprinted toward the GigaDrill, the snow exploded around him, and three Grimebots ambushed from beneath the icy ground. These weren’t ordinary Grimebots—they had sleek, beorn-like forms, moving with unnerving precision. Unten fought back fiercely, but the Grimebots’ advanced technology quickly overwhelmed him.

Just as the tide seemed to turn against him, Zerita appeared out of the white haze, her blades flashing in the cold light as she tore through the metallic foes. In perfect sync, arrows whistled from afar, each finding its mark and piercing the Grimebots' heads with deadly precision. Within moments, the battlefield was silent as the remains of his enemies surrounded Unten.

Zerita: You are a lot of trouble, Augury.

Before Unten could move, ready to hug his lost friend, an arrow cut the air between them. The arrow takes down a Grimebot that had been silently closing in from behind.

Zerita: I saw that one! If you're too much of a coward to fight on the front lines, at least stop stealing my kills!

A figure emerged from the haze, ignoring Zerita’s comment. She was a Catoneon adorned in the traditional female warrior armor and braids of the Dongorio tribe. Unten was drawn to something familiar in her. Then it struck him—the eyes of his brother.

Unten: Mondo?

Mioda: Mondo was someone I’ve left behind. I’m Mioda now.

Unten: I’m glad to see you alive and well, sister. And, thank you for saving me in Elasmo Bay.

Unten picks up Mioda's arrow, he recognizes the same arrow that saved him by piercing the GrimBot before it could kill him. He realizes she has been watching over him all along. Mioda smiled at her brother, and at that moment, Unten realized he had never seen her so genuinely happy and free. She then leads him through the snow hills.

Mioda: Follow me, we're going to our camp. After Zerita frees our tribe from the factories, we gathered here and with time other survivors joined us.

Unten: Zerita saved you all. I’m not surprised, she’s always been the greatest warrior I know!

Mioda: She’s far from the Zerita you used to know, Unten. This whole thing changed her. She breathes violence. It saddens me to say that but be careful with her.

They are now close enough to a camp for Unten to see the shimmering ice igloos glowing beneath the eternal northern lights. Zerita finally catches up after tossing pieces of grimbots to a group of beorn, who plan to repurpose them into weapons.

As Unten walks through the camp, a few unfamiliar faces eye him warily. Most are too tense about the upcoming battle to notice him, while those who do seem displeased by his presence. Zerita and Mioda brought Unten into the largest igloo where Chef Dongorio welcomed him.

Chief Dongorio: I can’t believe it, faith finally brings us back together.

Unten: I missed all of you so much. Now, I'm starting to feel at home again.

Chief Dongorio: Zerita, Mioda, I need to talk to him alone. He needs to know what’s going on.

They both leave the igloo. Unten nervously realizes he wasn’t alone with his father—someone had been hiding in the shadows. As the stranger steps forward, he recognizes Netnu, the red Beorn. Before he can react, Netnu grabs him, covering his mouth to silence him. Chief Dongorio watches his son struggle but does nothing.

Unten is led down a staircase into a vast labyrinth of ice tunnels, where shimmering reflections of rainbow-colored light dance off the walls. The tunnels stretch endlessly in every direction, so immense and sprawling that no end is in sight. Occasionally, through the translucent ice, glimpses of strange, vibrantly colored fish can be seen swimming in the freezing depths.

Netnu throws him into a hole. Unten immediately tries to climb out, but the slick ice makes it nearly impossible to find a grip. The red Beorn then seals the hole's entrance with a heavy metal grid.

Chief Dongorio: My son, I’m proud of you, of the warrior you became. But I can’t allow you to unravel everything we’ve built here. The camp will place all their hopes on you to save them, and that hope will rob them of their fighting spirit. We’re preparing for an attack in just a few days. Once we’ve won, I’ll release you. Until then, we’ll ensure you’re taken care of. I’m sorry, Unten.

As the chief leaves the tunnels, Unten is left alone with Netnu, who watches him from above in silence. Vulnerable and trapped in the icy pit. Netnu says nothing—just stares, cold and unwavering.

Netnu: . . .

The silence continues until Netnu slams his metallic prosthetic arm into the ice wall. The impact sends cracks splintering through the frozen barrier. Suddenly, Unten realizes with horror what Netnu is doing. Cold water bursts through the cracks, flooding the pit. The freezing water pours in relentlessly. Is this the end? Trapped and powerless, Unten can still feel Netnu’s cold gaze, watching him sink.

Suddenly, the metal grid cuts open and arrows rain down from above, landing on the icy walls around Unten. He seizes the opportunity, grabbing the arrows and using them to climb out of the freezing pit. Glancing up, he sees Mioda standing at the edge. She isn't alone—Zerita stands beside her.

Behind the cracks left by Netnu, where water still cascades, Fanti calls for Unten's attention. Unten understands what the Narobi had been trying to show him—another ancient statue of Queen Pixella, hidden behind the fractured ice.

Queen Pixella: The ruler of the machines prepares to unseal the Darkness. Thy world's fate teeters; this be thy final moment to intervene. Our paths shall cross once more, face to face.

Zerita’s sharp instincts kick in; she’s sensed Netnu nearby. Without hesitation, they all sprint in pursuit, determined to confront him before he can escape. When they finally catch up, they fight until Netnu becomes barely able to stand. Zerita moves with the ferocity of a beast, leaping through the air to deliver the final blow. But just as she’s about to strike, Unten, still drenched from the water, rushes forward. He places himself between her and Netnu, shielding the evil beorn.

Unten: We don’t kill one of our own! I would not let you do that.

Zerita: Step away, Unten. It’s not the time to play the golden heart. When his cult joined the camp, they come with weapons to help us fight Grimes, but I knew something was wrong from the beginning. And now, I have the proof, they kill anyone that goes against them.

Unten: Don't become one of them! We have the same goal, free Zeon from Grimes. They would pay for their crime but at this moment, Grimes is about to hit big on our planet and we can’t afford to be divided!

Suddenly, Netnu strikes Unten hard in the back, sending him crashing to the ground in pain. Before he can land another blow, Mioda fires an arrow, narrowly missing Netnu as he dodges at the last second. Seizing the moment, he sprints away, vanishing into the labyrinth of ice tunnels. As the sound of his footsteps fades, Zerita turns to Unten, her eyes blazing with fury. She doesn’t say a word, but the weight of her silence is deafening.

As Unten, Zerita, and Mioda finally emerge from the tunnels, they race toward the chief’s igloo, demanding answers. Inside, they find Chief Dongorio in a heated argument, yelling at several cult members—followers of the same order as Netnu. The cultists are pushing for an immediate confrontation with Doomulus Grime. Their reasoning is clear: with Unten now in the camp, his growing influence threatens their chance of winning against Doomulus Grime. If they don't strike soon, the people will rally behind the Augury, and weaken their spirit. The camp will never be stronger than it is now and they have enough weapons from the grimbot parts to win. But Chief Dongorio stands firm and refuses. However, it's already too late. One of the cultists holds up a severed grimbot arm and then presses a button. The arm begins to beep ominously.

Mioda: It's a signal! He sent our location to Grime!

Suddenly, an alarm resonates through the camp. Everyone rushes from their igloos, weapons in hand, their faces grim with the shared understanding of what the signal means—war. The starry sky above begins to fade, swallowed by the dark swarm of grimbots hovering overhead. Unten, Zerita, Mioda, and Chief Dongorio race toward the highest hill overlooking the camp. They stand at the forefront. Above them, an army of robots of every size. Unten turns to face the gathered crowd below. From where he stands, he can sense the fear through them. As the Augury, his role is clear. It's time to show the cult, everyone, that he is not a symbol of frailty but a beacon of strength.

Unten: I know you feel it... the fears, the doubts. I feel it too. They came to break us but they don’t know the fire that burns within Beorns, Catoneans and Sjarcs alike! This is where it ends. This is where we stand! We are fighting to take back what was stolen from us—our freedom, our planet, our lives! The machines have no heart, Doomulus Grimes has no soul, but we do. And that’s why they will fall! I am the Augury and together, we take back our planet tonight!

The moment Unten charges, the camp erupts into chaos and surges forward, their war cries blending with the sounds of laser fire. Above, the sky fills with the dark silhouettes of grimbots, their eyes glowing red as they swoop down, firing beams across the battlefield.

Fanti transfers her electric energy to Unten’s weapon. Unten hits around low-flying grimbots, sending them crashing to the ground. Beside him, Zerita darts through the chaos. Her claws glint in the dim light as she leaps onto a larger grimbot, tearing through its metal frame with effortless grace. She vaults off its collapsing body, flipping midair to dodge a laser shot before landing in a crouch. Mioda stands at the camp’s edge, her eyes focused as she takes a deep breath. With perfect aim, she releases a flurry of arrows, each tipped with a small explosive. The arrows strike grimbots mid-flight, their explosions lighting up the sky like fireworks.

The robots respond with relentless force, raining down lasers. Groups of Beorns huddle behind rocks and igloos, firing into the sky. Catoneans leap from cover to cover, their claws and speed making them hard to hit. As the number of robots decreases, the camp surges forward as one, laser fire and claws ripping through the remaining enemies. One by one, the machines fall until the sky clears and the battlefield is silent, littered with metallic remains.

Among the wounded from the battle, Chief Dongorio lay on the ground, a searing laser wound across his side, leaving him unable to stand. DONGORIO: I'm sorry, not just to you but to my whole tribe. I shouldn't have trusted that fanatic. I rejected the legend of The Augury, only to follow a cult that clings to disbelief just as blindly. What you did, Unten, you are the Augury, I should have never doubted.

Zerita: We have no time for an open-hearted conversation. This was just a first patrol, if we don’t act quickly a bigger army will come and we will be annihilated, whatever little speech you have in you Unten.

Unten: Doomulus Grime will need to prepare a new army, we have some time to go and stop him.

Zerita: I like that. Let’s find this piece of work and be done with it.

Ready for the final battle, Unten, Zerita, and Mioda sprinted through the snowy hills, cutting down robots as they made their way toward the source of the planet’s tremors—the GigaDrill. This massive mechanical tower loomed above them, its colossal gears, fans, and wheels constantly churning. It was the engine of destruction threatening their entire planet, and its movements had triggered the avalanche they barely avoided on their way.

At the base of the machine, Unten and Zerita began their ascent, the constant grinding of its moving parts turning the climb difficult. Every step became more dangerous as the GigaDrille's shifting machinery jerked and twisted. From below, Mioda did all she could to aid them, firing her largest arrows into the metal, creating temporary handholds for them to grip onto.

Mioda: Oh, you needed 'some boosts? For a hero so used to being on a pedestal, I thought you'd be a natural at heights.

Unten: Hilarious, Mioda. Some things never change...

Even Mioda's help had its limits. As the climb grew steeper and more chaotic, Unten and Zerita found themselves at a dead end, unable to push any higher. When things couldn't get worse, Doomulus Grime descended, from the top of the GigaDrill. His menacing figure cut through the air as he hovered around Unten and Zerita. After all this time, the tyrant and Unten stood face-to-face once more.

Doomulus Grime: I knew I heard pathetic whining! Look who's here? My best friend Unten and other rodents. Trying to stop me, eh? Well, it's a little too late for that but while you're here, let's play together! If I make you fall, you die! Let's go!

Unten and Zerita dodge desperately the rockets fired by Doomulus Grime, but one explosion catches up with Unten, blasting him off the platform. He plummets with no way to save himself—until Netnu appears, grabbing him and breaking his fall. Embarrassed, Unten blushes as he finds himself cradled in his nemesis' arms, but he quickly regains his composure. Standing up, he nods in gratitude. Netnu wastes no time—swift and strong, he helps Unten climb back to the top of the Gigadrill.

At the summit, Unten feels as if he could reach out and touch the northern lights. Doomulus Grime joins him, flanked by a squadron of grimbots. Netnu leaps into action, battling the machines to hold them off. With Netnu occupied, the final showdown is set. Unten, Zerita, and Grime stand at the highest point on all of Planet Zeon.

Doomulus Grime: Desperate, are we, Unten? Look around. I already won. I won the second I planted my stylish boot on this miserable excuse for a planet. And now? My job’s almost done. With this ingenious machine I built, I’m about to drain the core dry instantly. Finally. I’ve been stuck on this boring rock for way too long. If it weren’t for this deliciously rare energy, I would’ve grabbed a few slaves and been out of here years ago. But this power... oh, you wouldn’t understand. It’s not just any energy—it’s like it’s alive, like it’s calling to me. My ‘superior’, Mr. Prime, wants me to hand it over, but I’ve got a better idea. I’m keeping it. Why settle for ruling a corner of the universe when I can have it all at my feet? I’ll use the Darkness. I’ll bend the universe to my will. Me—a god. Sounds about right, don’t you think?

Unten: A god? Of what—boredom? You’re killing me with your non-stop talking. Ever tried shutting that rusty can up?

Doomulus struck, weaving through the air and delivering powerful blows that forced Unten and Zerita to stay on the defensive. The GigaDrill groaned beneath them, its massive wheels and gears grinding as the battle raged across its surface.

Each time Unten thought he gained an advantage, Doomulus lashed out with a brutal counterattack. Zerita, was agile as ever, yet even her speed could barely keep up with his precision. As the battle wore on, Unten and Zerita began to fall into a familiar coordination honed through years of training together as children. With a wordless understanding, they anticipated each other’s moves, their strikes coming faster, more precise.

Doomulus, sensing the shift, unleashed a savage attack, knocking Unten dangerously close to the edge of the GigaDrill. But this time, as the tyrant dove in for the finishing blow, Zerita leaped onto his back, her claws digging into his metallic frame. With a fierce yell, Unten hits with all his strength left. Their force combined cracked his armor revealing a horrifying truth: Doomulus Grime's body was a fusion of metal and flesh. His very skin had become his armor, twisted and fused with machinery. Unten and Zerita stood panting while sparks and oil sprayed from Grime's wound.

Doomulus Grime: You think it’s over, huh? I told you I already won. I won’t die; the Darkness will save me, make one with me so I can watch Zeon shatter before my eyes. Oh, there will be nothing more delightful than seeing you fail and DIE!

The GigaDrill trembled violently beneath their feet.

Unten: We need to stop this thing!

Unten spotted a control board. Screens, gears, and circuits—Unten tried to make sense of it. Desperation surged as he and Zerita pushed buttons, slashed at wires, and struck at anything within reach. It was futile. There was no time to figure out how to stop this machine. From the top of the Gigadrill, Unten could see his world. The emerald waters of Elasmo Bay, the shimmering desert above The Underground, and the comforting orange-leaved trees of the Peaceful Plains. All that beauty... all that life, on the brink of destruction. He couldn’t let it end like this. But what could he do? Suddenly, a violent tremor ripped through the GigaDrill, nearly throwing Unten and Zerita out of the machine. Far below, the ground was cracking open. Massive fissures split the planet-wide. From these cracks, a dark, swirling cloud began to rise, dense and ominous. It was the same black fog he had seen back in Grime’s Prison in The Underground. It spread across the land. Then Unten saw it. Emerging from the largest fissure, two bony, skeletal hands burst forth. The ground seemed to scream as the hands gripped it, pulling the fissure wider with terrifying force. And then, as the fissure widened, a skull with glowing red eyes rose from the abyss, its hollow gaze locking onto the GigaDrill. Here is The Darkness.

Doomulus Grime: Come to me, Darkness!

The dark cloud rose, coiling around the GigaDrill like a serpent of smoke, its movements slow and ominous, as if hesitating. As the cloud reached the top of the machine, it halted before Unten.

Doomulus Grime: Not him! NOT HIM!

Zerita: Uten!!

Zerita's instincts kicked in—she knew. With a scream, she sprinted toward him, shoving Unten to the ground. In that split second, the cloud engulfed her. Unten watched in horror as she was consumed by the darkness. Then, everything vanished. The world went black, as if the light itself had been snuffed out.

END OF CHAPTER 4

Unten wakes in a small gondola, drifting through an inky black sea that mirrors a distorted sky swirling with deep purples and blues, pulsing with distant stars. Fanti on the boat’s edge casts a faint glow into the darkness. Scattered across the waters are strange sights: flickering neon signs with unreadable symbols, a massive half-submerged mask, and staircases that plunge straight into the depths. Faint, eerie music seems to come from nowhere and everywhere at once. He realizes he was in his Hyper form, his skin of gold shining to an unknown source of light.

Unten: This is it? Is it the end?

In the distance, a pale silhouette glides across the water toward him. As she draws closer, Unten recognizes her from the temple statues—Queen Pixella herself, her white skin and green hair glowing in the darkness.

Queen Pixella: You falter, young heroes, yet the battle is far from over.

Unten: Heroes?

Mynis: What a twist, eh? The heroes were us three all along! We are the Auguries.

Boare: Yeah yeah, one for all and all for one. Now let's hit some... some what exactly? Some black clouds?

Mynis, radiant in his silver form, and Boare, gleaming as brightly as a sapphire, appear to Unten, each standing on their own boat. Though they seem near, Unten knows they’re scattered across Planet Zeon, now fracturing in their reality outside The Darkness. Relief fills him at seeing his friends again, but time is short. Queen Pixella seems to offer them one last chance to save their world, and they must act quickly.

Drawing their focus, Queen Pixella raises her arms, summoning the image of a medieval castle from the depths of the darkness. Slowly, the castle takes shape, revealing plains and villages sprawling around it. Unten recognizes this ancient vision—the early dawn of Zeon’s civilization, a thousand years past.

Queen Pixella: In the age when the Beorns began to raise their mighty cities, the Catoneans honed their crafts to perfection, and the Sjarcs’ empire expanded in the depths, Zeon’s future seemed assured. Yet, in that calm, the first cataclysm stirred. From the decayed remnants of the Zeonians, deep within the planet’s heart, The Darkness took shape... a force born to share its endless suffering with all life. I was but a young princess then, the last of the Narobi's royal line, charged with protecting my people. Though our family wielded great power, all fell but me, leaving me alone to act. And that’s when I found her... a Beorn with the courage of the Catoneans and the resolve of the Sjarcs.

Samsteth: ...I, Samsteth, was once a Beorn like you. On this cursed day, centuries before your time, I became the First Augury.

Queen Pixella vanished but a new ghost materialized before them—a blue Beorn named Samstet. Her presence was haunting but the group’s focus shifted to the massive, eel-like creature looming behind her. It was a Narobi, easily twenty times the size of Fanti. Despite its intimidating power, the Narobi obeyed Samstet like a loyal guardian.

Samsteth: Follow me, Auguries! I faced The Darkness when I was alive. I lacked the strength to vanquish it entirely. You likely won’t fare better... but we can imprison it again.

Without hesitation, Samstet darted toward the distant castle. Unten, Boare, and Mynis exchanged brief glances before pursuing her, the colossal Narobi slithering behind.

Unten: I still don’t understand… what is that thing? The Queen’s explanation didn’t make sense either.

Samsteth: Since the dawn of time, when people on Zeon die, their essence is absorbed by the planet. Over millennia, those essences accumulated. The Darkness is the result—a concentration of countless souls twisted together into a single, evil force.

Unten: The Darkness in the purest sense... enough to turn mad any power-angry beings, being like Grime.

Boare: I don’t care! Samsteth, how can we defeat it?

Samsteth: We’ll get to that now. Trust me. Whatever happens next, do not move.

Before anyone could respond, Samstet vanished. The trio froze, uneasy but obedient. Moments later, she reappeared, standing atop the head of the Narobi, commanding the massive creature.

Mynis: Heck, guys? That giant worm’s coming right at us!

Unten: Stay still! She told us to trust her!

Boare: Trust her? We just met her!

The Narobi surged toward them, its monstrous body an unstoppable force. Panic flickered in their eyes as it hurtled closer. At the last moment, just before impact, the Narobi transformed into a burst of thunders, engulfing them.

When Unten opened his eyes, everything had changed. Mynis and Boare were nowhere to be seen. Confusion gave way to a startling realization: he was no longer himself. Their minds, their souls, had fused into one being, Samsteth and she was not a ghost anymore. Samsteth, riding her Narobi, now stood before the castle in a physical body, the combined strength of all three pulsing through her veins.

Samsteth rides through the shadows astride her colossal Narobi. The creature’s undulating body shimmers with an electrical light, illuminating the castle's grotesque architecture. Spires twisted like gnarled fingers, staircases spiral upward into nothingness, and walls seem to fold and shift, defying all logic.

Giant Narobi: ! ! ! !

The Narobi’s scream reverberated through the castle and collapsed its walls. As they breached what seemed to be the throne room, Samstet scanned the shattered remnants of the room—scorch marks, shattered columns, and remnants of majestic tapestries fluttering in the void. Then, at the chamber's far end, she saw her: Zerita.

Unten’s voice surged through Samsteth’s consciousness screaming Zerita’s name.

TO BE CONTINUED