Ness slowly opened his eyes, feeling dazed as the light blinded him. He slowly got up, now sitting where he lied unconscious a few seconds ago. As he slowly regained his senses, he realized it was cold. He looked around him to see snow all over. 'Is this... Winters?' thought the boy. He then realized something was off. The snow's color had a little pinkish tint. He looked up the sky. The sky had the pink tint too. 'A barrier... We're trapped in...' Ness then snapped out of his daze as he looked around. "Paula! Jeff! Poo!" Sadly, he couldn't find any of his friends. He was alone. All alone. He gathered his strength to stand on his feet and dusted off the snow from his clothes before examining the barrier. He could only see a spot of light that looked like the sun above. The rest was a pinkish blur. From the way he saw it, there was a huge snowstorm on the other side. Ness examined the barrier. He was probably a few minutes away from one of the borders. He looked the opposite way and noticed how far the other side was. This barrier had a huge radius. Ness had no idea how much terrain was under the dome.
"So you're finally awake" said a voice coming from behind him. Ness turned around, remembering the voice all too well. Standing between him and the barrier was the hooded man. Ness took a stance, not sure what was going on. "Your friends are not here. They were left behind at the Fire Springs and must be back at their homes now. I'm fairly sure they're looking for you, but as long as this storm covers the psychic dome, no one will have a visual of it. Not only that, but the dome blocks off any psychic reading from the inside and the outside. That way, your two psychic friends won't get a hold of you." Ness, having a little bit of difficulty to hold on his temper, raised his questions to his assailant and kidnapper. "Why are you doing this!? What's the point in bringing me here away from my friends!? Who are you anyway!? What do you want from me!?" The man stood silent as he moved closer to the boy. Before Ness could fight back, the man held him by the collar of his shirt. Despite how close the two were right now, the hood was still covering the man's face. "Answers will come when the time is right, said the man. For now, you're in my cage and you will abide by my rules." The man let go of Ness and walked toward the nearby woods before turning to him. "This barrier prevents the outside to interfere with the inside, he said. It's basically the same one you encountered in the Fire Springs. However, to make a barrier of this size required a medium. At the center of this dome lies an object infused with mental energy. This allows the PSI used to maintain this dome to perpetually go on. Here's the one and only rule of the game: reach the center and cancel the energy flow of the stone to dispel the PSI. It's your one and only way out. Succeed and I might consider letting some answers go out of the cloak." He tossed Ness' Legendary Bat at the feet of its owner. Ness, after staring at it for a few seconds, picked it up while keeping an eye on the hooded man. "So all I have to do is reach the middle and you'll let me go?" asked the boy. The man chuckled a little bit before answering. "You sound like it's gonna be easy. Don't underestimate the task at hand." A small bunny walked by the edge of the woods. The man noticed it and lifted his hand. An orb of energy formed in his palm before it was launched at the animal. The bunny made a cry for just a moment and soon underwent a transformation. The bunny's back legs' muscles developed and it took mere seconds before it could stand on its back legs. Its front paws started to morph, gaining more control over its articulations. Lastly, its fur became a tad harder, forming spikes on its back. Ness, outraged, yelled at the hooded man. "What are you doing!? Why are you using those animals like that!?" The man looked at the boy before turning back. "Defeat stronger enemies to become stronger. Make an opponent stronger to become stronger yourself. When Earth senses the incoming danger, it will be ready to take a little bit of pain for its inhabitant's and own sake." The man walked into the woods. As Ness attempted to chase after him, the Augmented Hare blocked his way, wanting to fight. The challenge was officially underway.
Ness took the initiative as he swinged his Legendary Bat at the morphed animal. Taken by surprise at the quick reaction of its opponent, the Augmented Hare was knocked back. However, while in mid-air, it managed to regain its balance and landed on its feet. Before Ness had time to understand, the bunny made a powerful jump, sending itself meters above the air. 'No way... that thing's legs must be super strong!' Ness realized what would be the animal's next move. As the hare dived its way back down, it moved its feet down, sending itself into a drop kick straight at Ness. The boy barely managed to dodge the swift assailant as it made its impact, creating a crater of snow where Ness once stood. Before he had time to catch his balance, Ness had to once again dodge the rabbit's legs as it chained its last attack with a sweeping kick. The Onett boy attempted to counter that last attack, but the dangerous animal managed to jump and stood atop his bat before trying a spinning kick. Ness' quick thinking made him fall down on the ground to evade and countered with a PSI Rockin Gamma. Taken off-guard in mid-air, the bunny had no way to evade the kinetic blast and received it fully. The animal took its distance back, trying to regain its composure. Ness took the chance to get back on his feet and keep track of his opponent. 'That animal ain't using actual martial arts... its legs' muscles are simply built for this kind of movements. I guess what Jeff said about the potential of evolution has some sense into it.' He stared at the crater where he stood before the fight began. 'If I let myself get hit by one of those kicks, it won't be a pleasant moment...' The bunny leaped once again at its adversary. Ness immediately moved sideways to prepare a parry. Though he managed to block some of its attacks, the Augmented Hare jumped above him and rolled itself down. The hardened spikes in its fur impacted with Ness' back, causing him pain as he was caught off guard. Before he could fight back, the hare followed it up with a powerful kick, sending Ness a few meters away on the ground. As it attempted to finish the job, it leaped again for a drop kick. Ness instinctively turned himself and raised his hand. "PSI Flash Gamma!" As flashes of light caught the rabbit's eyes, it stunned itself as it started crying and couldn't see anymore. Ness took the opportunity to get up and have a swing at the hare that was now unable to see him coming. The impact was a homerun as the animal was sent crashing into a tree. Ness got worried if he did a little too much but to his surprise, the rabbit slowly started to return to its original form. As it became normal, it got up on its legs and got close to Ness. After sniffing him for a few seconds, it calmly hopped on its way back into the forest.
As Ness' back pain brought him back into order, he decided to apply some LifeUp treatments before proceeding. 'Just one adversary and I had to use one Rockin, one Flash and one LifeUp, all in Gamma level... If this drags for too long, I'll be in trouble later. I need to get to the center and quick.' After being back at full health, he ran into the woods, heading to the center's direction. However, only minutes after he went in, he encountered two more Augmented Hare and, to his dismay, a caribou that met the same fate. Its legs were bulkier, its antlers were bigger and wider and its head seemed to be rock solid. 'I guess I should be thankful it doesn't have cybernetic implants...' Sadly, Ness didn't have much time to think about the situation. The three animals didn't hesitate to charge him.
Ness barely dodged the two rabbits as they leaped at him with a kick. Though he managed to hit one as it passed by, the critter managed to get on its feet quick enough. Swift on his feet, Ness jumped on the side right before the Augmented Caribou rammed into him. One of the hares then went in for another charge. However, Ness was ready for him as he readied a PSI Paralysis Omega. Though he managed to paralyze the other bunny, the caribou and the charging hare were unaffected. Wide open, Ness received the kick on the chest and was sent back. Sadly, he didn't have time to get up and counter before the Augmented Caribou attacked him and sent Ness flying by shoving him upward with its antlers, making him hit the ground roughly. Trying to overcome to pain, Ness tried to heal himself with LifeUp Gamma. However, as soon as he finished, the two animals came back at him. Damaged again, Ness had to heal again. By a split second, he managed to dodge the following kick, but couldn't avoid the next ram. However, Ness took the chance to fight back as he countered with PSI Rockin Omega. Though the numbed rabbit managed to keep standing, the other one fell down and reverted to its natural form. Receiving an impact from the stampeding caribou, Ness had to use his next PSI to recover from his wounds. He had already spent so much PSI and he knew he wasn't at the end of it. He hated to admit it, but those augmented animals was far stronger than what Ness could ever imagine. The caribou went suddenly berserk and rammed toward him at full speed. Luckily for him, it gave the enraged animal difficulty to properly aim and Ness managed to avoid the incoming threat. Having a clear shot, Ness swinged his Legendary Bat with all his strength at the animal, hoping to finish this in one final blow. The impact was accurate and the caribou stumbled. Just like the animals before, the animal reverted and dashed back into the woods. As Ness turned to the numbed rabbit, he took his bat in hand. "Hang in there, I'm turning you back to normal" said the boy. As he was about to give one last hit that he judged strong enough to force the animal to revert but weak enough to not harm it too much, Ness was taken by surprised as the hare regained its senses and kicked him in the gut. Before he had time to think, Ness repositioned himself and slammed his bat, knocking the hare away from him. Then, the small animal reverted back to its normal self and, like if nothing happened, started to hop around for food. As Ness looked up at his bruises, he couldn't help but stare at the animal. 'It.... healed over time?'
Ness leaned back against a tree. After a few more vicious battles, he became too tired to go on and had to seek refuge and that's when he found this tree with wide branches covered with snow. It hid itself from view as it looked like a pile of snow. Hiding under those branches, he set up his temporary hideout for the time needed for his recovery. He cursed his luck for not being able to start a fire without burning his base but resigned to fight off the harsh cold on his own. Ness opened his backpack, reaching for his rations. He was relieved that the stranger didn't take his food away. He had at least something to eat. He took out a bento box and opened it to reveal the famous Brain Food Lunch. Best stuff for rejuvenating one's mind if we omit the wonderful Magic Pudding. Ness would give anything to have one right now. Under the current circumstances, the lunch was still good nonetheless. He started eating with voracity, realizing he didn't eat anything since he set out to the Lost Underworld. How long was it? Ness wasn't so sure anymore. Right now, the only thing that mattered was to finish his food and think of his next move. After having the last bite, he dug up a bottle of water and a PSI caramel. After calming his thirst, he chewed his caramel and started thinking. He didn't make much progress yet. After his second fight, he encountered more caribou on the way and even snow falcons... those last ones were dangerous as they were, they were a great threat when under that weird technique's effect. Ness had no choice but spend most of his time healing himself. The problem was while he was doing so, he was wide open for the next attack. Then, he had little time to fight back before having to heal himself again. At this rate, he wouldn't reach the center in days and he'll have to find a food source if he wished to go on.
"Sigh... There's got to be a way to get the job done..." He couldn't help but to think of the words the stranger said back at the Fire Springs. Those words about how he thought there was nothing left to learn and that he had reached his limits. Back then, it seemed normal for him that his friends and himself couldn't get any stronger. They were still human after all. Though he did feel that they lacked power to defeat Gyigas on their own, he always shrugged off the thought since he believed that the battle went the way it was supposed to go. But now, Ness realized how he might have unconsciously stopped himself from growing stronger during all this time. There was something beyond, the current events are proofs of that. "Other PSI techniques huh..." said the young man to himself. Still, where to start? He can't just make something new out of the blue like that. Sure, he saw the hooded man use that fancy electric discharge or whatever it was, but Ness never was good with elemental control like Paula or Poo to begin with. Maybe he could try to do a variant of his current techniques. Something that is similar yet acts completely different and new. Yet, what, how and into what? Ness' thoughts disappeared as he heard a noise. To his relief, it was a regular snow hare, seeking shelter as well. Ness never had that much problems handling animals so they weren't scared of him if he remained quiet. Ness looked at the little creature. It reminded him of his battles with the Augmented Hares and how they surprised him so many times. Especially that part where, after being paralyzed by his PSI, one of them managed to regain control on its body to attack again, as if its natural healing had become faster. The thought of it, however, sparked something into Ness' mind. "Healing over time... what if..."
Passing around the trees and marching through the path filled with snow, Ness was determined to reach the center. Baseball bat in hand, he was curiously glowing by a peculiar aura. He had spent a few minutes experimenting and now it was time to put it to practice and see if he got something useful to go on. It didn't took long before Ness' path crossed with an Augmented Caribou. The two engaged into a fight and Ness didn't take too long before giving the first strike. The fierce animal, however, didn't plan to give up that easily as it charged at the boy. Bracing the impact, Ness took the opportunity to retaliate. Despite the animal's attacks, Ness didn't plan to give up fighting. He monitored his own condition. The brutal attacks had wounded him all over but it was with satisfaction that he saw his most mortal wounds close off little by little. It seemed his plan was working. 'Getting a little too much wounded now... I should use one now.' The boy raised his hand as light engulfed him. "PSI LifeUp Gamma." His wounds completely healed, he was now fully out of danger just as the caribou gave another charge. Once he got up from the impact, Ness noticed the aura dimmed out as he swinged his bat with all his strength. The animal, finally kneeling down, reverted back to its natural form before walking away. Ness was satisfied of the result. 'That new technique works like a charm! Why heal a huge amount of wounds in an instant when you can stretch the healing for a longer period of time? Sure, the potency is pretty low compared to LifeUp but this should keep me up and running a lot longer that way. Once I get too much damage, I just have to use LifeUp Gamma and repeat... I can't believe we never thought of that before.' Ness looked at his hands. The potential of PSI. So wide and so deep. The possibilities might as well be endless. Perhaps it was time to let that potential guide him through a new level... However, there was no time for that as Ness walked by a tree where an Augmented Falcon was perching on. Bat in one hand, light glowing on the other, Ness was ready. "PSI Refresh!"
"PSI Offense Up Alpha!" shouted Ness as he strengthened himself in order to face the last animal blocking his way to the center: an Augmented White Bear. Despite the animal's massive muscular growth and its hardened fur shaped like an hedgehog's quills, the boy didn't backed away from his opponent. With his refreshing aura active and his strength powered up, he charged in at the beast, taking his first swing. Despite receiving the powerful strike, the animal retaliated with his long and sharp claws, tearing through Ness. Wincing at the sudden pain, Ness let his aura's regenerative effects heal his wounds as he countered with a PSI Flash Gamma. Unable to stop crying from the blinding light, the white bear attempted to fight back, but couldn't hit his mark. Wide opened, the powerful animal got the receiving end of a barrage of home-run swings until, at last, it reverted back to its original form. As it gave an aggressive cry at Ness, it understood he was out of its league and slowly walked away, leaving the teen through. Ness opened his bag to get some more rations. He was almost there and he was sure that there was at least one more obstacle between him and the source of the barrier. Ness had to be ready this time. He couldn't afford to lose. After finishing the food and recovering the rest of his strength, he pressed on. As he went forward, Ness finally got out of the woods and had the view clear of what was ahead. A pinkish light was glowing all the way in front. Standing between him and this light, the hooded man watched Ness heading his way. The two looked at each other for a long moment. Ness had no doubt that the man was staring at his eyes even though he still couldn't see his face. Ness, after realizing the man wouldn't move aside, took his fighting stance. The man, on his side, took his sword from his coat and taunted the boy to begin. "You think you can make it through yet? Let me show you how wide the gap still is."
The hooded man didn't waste any time and immediately tried a PSI Electro Gamma at Ness. The boy had enough time to try his own PSI Refresh before receiving the discharge. A little shaky from the damage, Ness got back up, his refresh aura already in the work. "So, you've learned a new trick, said the hooded man. Still, that won't be much help once I'm through with you! PSI Blizzard, Gamma!" As if answering the man's call, the snow under him started whirling around him and the air started to crystallize. Once the density became great enough to veil him, he unleashed the small snowstorm at Ness. Unable to avoid an attack with such a wide area cover, he decided to take the hit dead on while focusing on his next PSI. Bearing through the cold and searing blast, he tried his PSI Offense Up Alpha to prepare his counteroffensive. Once the ice and snow settled down, Ness immediately charged in, confident in his refreshing aura in keeping him on his feet long enough. The hooded man prepared for the incoming attack and attempted to deflect Ness' bat and counter but had to dodge at the last moment when he realized the power used in the swing was too much to push back with one hand. Seeing an opening, Ness tried to swing his bat backward to catch the man off guard, but his opponent had already anticipated the move, let himself fall on the ground and pushed Ness back with a double kick. Keeping his balance, the chosen one took the chance to use a PSI LifeUp Gamma on himself to return to full force while the man got back up. At that moment, Ness' refreshing aura started to dim. Annoyed at the timing, Ness had to resort in making another. While he was busy focusing, the hooded man took the opportunity for his next offensive as he launched a PSI Brainshock Alpha. As Ness' refreshing aura was restored, he was immediately submitted to the shock wave and started to feel dizzy. "It's time to end this, said the man. Don't ya think?" As the man rose his sword in the air, a vortex appeared above them. "PSI Starstorm, Omega!" As the stars fell down, Ness knew there was only one way to get a win or win situation. He charged at the opponent who was unable to fight back while using his technique and attempted to attack. However, Ness managed to lose his balance and hit himself. As he felt down, the Starstorm landed on him. As the hooded man stared at Ness' position, he let a small sound of intrigue out of his mouth as he saw the boy standing, using a PSI Life Up Gamma on himself. "So attacking me was the best way of action for you. Would you have succeeded, you would have hit me directly. Even so, even when you failed, you could snap yourself out of the strange feelings because of the physical pain. With that aura keeping you barely standing, you were in full control of yourself to restore your strength. I'll admit it : you're a little harder to take down than last time." Ness didn't bothered answering as he charged in. The hooded man attempted to parry but this time, Ness used an angle hard to avoid and managed to hit his target at the level of his stomach.
Grunting for a brief moment, the man took the opportunity of this sudden proximity to take hold of Ness' Legendary Bat with his free hand. Realizing what was happening, Ness tried to pull out, but the man's grip was too strong. He couldn't let go of his weapon. Doing so would put him at a great disadvantage. This might be his chance, however, as the man was now wide open for a PSI attack. As Ness prepared his following attack, a peculiar detail lured his attention. He had never noticed it before, but the hand that the man was not using to hold his sword was always clenched, not showing his fingers. Now, he could see why. On the middle finger, the glove was torn and some kind of red claw was mounted on the man's finger. It wasn't natural. It looked more like some kind of metal piece bound to the man's finger. What was it? Suddenly, Ness snapped out his trance when he noticed the man was swinging his sword at him. He reacted quickly by raising his hand. "PSI Rockin, Omega!" The man realized what was happening and quickly stopped his attack and jumped away. Evading part of the telekinetic blast, the man regained his stance and stared at the boy. "You're a little better, I'll give you that, said the mysterious figure. Still, you're not strong enough to pass this spot yet." "You say that, but you're barely able to hold me here, replied Ness. I'll beat you and get pass you in no time. Just watch me!" The man chuckled a little more as he stabbed his sword on the ground. "You can't beat me, he said. How could you when you can't even defeat your own fears and torments?" The man snapped his fingers and as the sound passed through Ness' ears, everything went black.
Ness looked around. Darkness. He felt uneasy. A trick? Was his perception blocked? Through the void, he heard a quiet and monotonous noise. A quiet, creepy, breathing. Ness didn't feel good. The atmosphere seemed way too familiar. Then, as if something felt Ness' feelings, colors seemed to pierce through the deep black. Tints of red slowly mixed with it. Grasping his Legendary Bat, Ness simply stared as the nightmare was starting all over again. "...Gyigas...". So that was it. He was trapped in an illusion. An illusion pitting him against his own darkness all over again. Before he could figure out a way to break through, he heard a familiar chuckle behind him. As he turned around, his eyes met with the mechanical spider armor. In it stood the only person that Ness never managed to resolve his differences with. Pokey, in the form Ness last saw him, was grinning down at him. Ness knew that there was no other way but to fight back his own darkness.
Pokey's machine quickly went after Ness who immediately leaped back, hoping to stay out of range of the machine's deadly weapons until ready. He used his PSI Refresh on himself first, knowing from his previous fights that he had to keep his defense up as soon as possible. Pokey charged at him but Ness managed to barely dodge the metal claws. Next was PSI Offense Up Alpha. The Illusion of Pokey simply grinned at Ness as he chuckled. Ness didn't liked that one bit. He decided to move in as he swinged his bat at one of the armor's legs, hoping to get an opening while it stabilized. Though he did succeeded in slamming the legs and put the machine slightly off balance, an unstoppable force knocked Ness above, across and to the other side of Pokey. Hitting what seemed to be the ground brutally, he winced in pain. Gyigas' influence was all around him. Though it was all an illusion, his presence was still well embedded into his mind. The pain seemed real. The battle felt so real. Ness got up on his feet. He charged back at the armor once more. This time, he leaped up to reach Pokey's seat before smashing the cockpit's glass with his trusty bat. His enhanced power did the trick as Pokey's machine was knocked back enough to make it lose its footing. The Illusion of Pokey, however, preserved his eternal grin. Before Ness had a chance to regain his footing, he was knocked away by the machine's claw. Hitting the ground once more, Ness felt the pain once more. His refresh managed to keep up with his bruises. Ness could still go. He stared at the image of his long lost friend. Focusing all the mind power he had, he focused a huge amount of kinetic energy. Once properly powered, the boy unleashed his PSI Rockin Omega. As the kinetic blast impacted on the armor, the remaining energy flowed through all around Ness. He could hear a cry of pain coming from all around. It felt so ominous. It felt exactly like back then. Before Ness could snap out of it, he felt an immense pressure onto him. The form of Gyigas' darkness was impossible to understand. As Ness felt like if he was being crushed into bits, he fell on his knees. The battle felt just like the last time. It felt so real... The feeling of despair building up in his heart was just like last time. It was real. The unknown. The ominous. The almighty. This was what Ness and his friends faced on that fateful battle. The feeling of being helpless against adversity. The feeling of the upcoming defeat. The feeling of despair. It all came back to Ness. No one knows what would have happened if the people of the Earth didn't answered their calls of help. However, this time, Ness was all alone in his illusion. He was drowning in his own despair. He might have faced his own nightmare before, but the darkness of the Cosmic Destroyer was so overwhelming that even through time, space and body, it had an influence into Ness' mind. As he felt the pressure applied on him again, Ness' vision started to turn black. Was that it? Was he gonna lose to his own despair? As he tried to hold on, visions of his closed ones appeared in his mind. His mom, his sister, his dog, his classmates, his friends, Poo, Jeff, Paula... all those people he held dear. They were out there, doing their best. He couldn't allow himself to give up no matter what trials he would have to endure.
Ness closed his eyes and held on to whatever he could. He had to find the power to fight back. He looked as deep as he could in his soul. He knew that within this endless darkness, there was still a single spark of light. He had to find it. He knew that he would find it. No matter what it would take, he would keep fighting. Ness let his instinct take over and trusted himself that he will pull through. He felt a peculiar sensation. Was it hope? Was it confidence? He wasn't so sure. What he knew, however, was that power that was building up into it. It was as if this power was waiting there to be noticed. Ness took crasp of this power. In his mind, only four words was ringing loud and clear: I will not lose. Ness' body released a green aura, engulfing him as his vision came back. While the energy swirled around him, Ness unleashed it all around him. Attacking the Illusion of Pokey, attacking Gyigas' Darkness, it felt like PSI Rockin but was completely different. It wasn't kinetic energy. It was something else. A flow of energy that felt so familiar but its nature eluded him completely. As the energy flowed all around him, his illusions was slowly disappearing, lingered by the flow engulfing them. In the end, only darkness remained as the shadows were swept away. Only then did the light came back.
Ness' eyes opened wide. He was back to reality, back in Winters, facing the hooded man. "So, said the man, you managed to face off your darkness. That's good. Still, pushing your fears away won't be enough." As the man raised his sword once more to call upon the Starstorm, Ness felt the power rising into him once more. It was there. He didn't took a second to wonder. He pointed his hands at the opponent and focused all that energy within himself to release it forward. As the green energy flowed, the hooded man was taken by surprise. As he didn't expected this turn of event, he received the attack head-on. Ness could hear a cry of pain through the blast. As the attack finished, Ness looked at the man who covered himself with his arms. Parts of his coat seemed seared. Other parts seemed to have been gnawed out. What just happened? Before Ness could understand, he heard a loud laugh coming from the man's direction. "You sure surprised me there, boy. You managed to realize that inner power sooner than I expected." "Inner power? asked Ness. What do you mean?" The man stood back up. "The power that Earth and space is not master of. The power of time itself... PSI Chronos Alpha."
"The....power of time?" Ness was confused. How could time be manipulated in such a way? "When harnessed in its raw essence, time is nothing but a flow going where ever it can. Time is all around us as we sail through that flow from the past to the future. However, should one be able to control that flow, he can use it to alter the world to his will. Still, time control is beyond anything you can imagine as it requires a refined control over it. What is left then? A raw control of that essence. You unleash the flow on time on whatever you targeted. Those in contact with this energy flow is at the mercy of its chaotic result. Elements changes, cells become younger, cells become older, cells dies, cells are born. In the end, a raw control of time can result in a powerful attack that gives this as a result." The man pulled back the sleeve of his coat that was breaking apart. To Ness' surprise, he saw on the man's arm what seemed to be a burn. "Like a burn made by the hot flames, the chaotic effects of time is like a fire then never dies. Though the wound will heal over time once the chaotic time flow is gone, it is still a devasting attack. While your PSI Rockin, the form of your most precious thing on Earth, controls over space, PSI Chronos, an universal form, controls over time. It's a power than even those bound to Earth cannot learn. Only a few can truly realize this new kind of power. You, however, was blessed with both space and time." Despite trying to understand all that, Ness was still confused. The man chuckled at the reaction but didn't bother to repeat himself. However, he picked back his sword and sheathed it back into his coat. "You prove your worth, said the hooded man. You can go on forward to the center now."
Was it really over? It seemed a tad unrealistic. Ness didn't feel like he won the fight. Still, it didn't seem like a trap either. He walked closer to what seemed to be the source of the barrier, an orb of pinkish light. Ness stared at the peculiar artifact. It had a warm radiance that felt familiar to Ness. He picked it up. As he examined it, its radiance changed color to yellow. Without him noticing, the weather outside the dome had calmed down to a regular snow. The sun was setting and nightfall was nigh. Ness, however, only had eyes to the orb as it turned blue. At that moment, the barrier that trapped Ness for so long simply vanished. "What's the meaning of this?" As he said those words, Ness lifted the orb as it flashed in a bright light and took a shape that Ness recognized.
Meanwhile, at the Andonuts laboratory, a lot of work was going on. While the doctor was working upstairs by observing the weather pattern, Paula, Jeff and Poo were downstairs. Poo was in a trance. He used his astral form to look for Ness as he figured that if he could find a place where no living being could see, he could find Ness as well. While he searched, Paula was helping Jeff fine-tuning his new set of power exoskeleton legs. "So those helps you carry your heavy stuff without feeling anything?" asked the girl. "Exact, replied Jeff. I had to replace my old version because the material I used was way too heavy. I sunk into the snowbank outside the lab too many times. Dad showed me this alloy when he came back. It's light enough to carry around. Still... I don't trust underwater uses yet and the backpack and tools still make me heavy like a ton. On the plus side, if I remove the backpack, I'm almost as light as I am normally. This will help my mobility in combat... and the Sky Dasher wouldn't support too much weight. With the 4 of us and some stuff loaded inside for emergencies, I really wouldn't risk using my old ones in it." Paula look perplexed as she looked at Jeff. "You... planned all of that?" Jeff gave a light smile as he finished up his tuning. "Not really, answered Jeff, but it still came to mind while I was working on them." "I should have known, commented Paula while holding in a giggle." Suddenly, an alert appeared on one of Jeff's screens. As Jeff rushed to check, Paula felt something. While they tried to understand what's going on, Poo had woken up and the three shouted in unison. "Found him!"
"What's the meaning of this?" Those were Ness' words as the orb transformed before his eyes. In his hand was now an object he knew far too well. "That's my... Magicant Bat. How did..." "An item forged by one's mind, said a voice behind him. Such an unique object." Ness turned back to notice that the hooded man followed him. "I took it on our way there. Being made from your own mind, this bat was the perfect catalyst for maintaining a barrier. However, it also has a second purpose." Ness was curious. What else did this man had in store? "Since this bat is an extension of your mind, it should expand along with that very mind, don't ya think?" Could this be true? Ness never thought about it before. He looked at his Magicant bat. There was nothing that could contradict the theory. It was worth giving it a try. Ness closed his eyes and focused his energy at the Magicant bat. He could feel the power from the bat. He felt that power slowly growing as it reacted to Ness' own power. As he opened his eyes, he saw the Magicant bat turn into sparkling dust, floating around him. As he wondered what was going on, the powder swirled down and enveloped Ness' Legendary Bat. It then started to glow with a new radiance. "Impressive, answered the man. It seems that your Magicant Bat acknowledged its power was better suited within your actual bat, creating a new weapon only you can truly comprehend. This bat is your creation and your creation alone." Ness examined his new weapon. Though he could clearly see his Legendary Bat, the swirls of powders created some patterns, making the look completely new. Ness could feel the newfound power within it. This was by far a weapon that would fulfill its purposes. "It's my new baseball bat... my Dream Bat..."
"There! He's right there! shouted Paula as she looked through the window of the Sky Dasher. Make us land, Jeff!" Down on the ground, Ness was staring at the sky after hearing the noise of the aircraft. By the look of the unusual design, he knew it was Jeff's work. He smiled as he waved at the craft. As it landed on the cleared space, Paula and Poo jumped off the ship the moment the door opened. Ness ran toward them and the three embraced each other, happy to be reunited once more. Shortly, Jeff followed as he hooked Ness' neck with his arm. "We're glad you're safe, said Jeff. Safe and crazy to be out in this cold without proper clothing." "Give me a break, answered Ness. It wasn't my idea!" As the four laughed away their worries, Poo and Jeff noticed the hooded man who had shown himself. However, before they could do anything, Ness held them back. "It's okay, he said. There's no need for that now." The man stood there, watching each one of them. He saw three boys and one girl, almost full-grown adults, with resolve in their eyes. Ness couldn't see for sure, but he could have swore he saw a grin on the hooded face. "Very well, I guess it's time for you four to know what's at stake here."
"Listen closely for I am saying this only once, started the man. A chain of events has been set in motion decades from now and continues its course as we speak. It's time for you to understand the gravity of this chain reaction." The man paused for a moment before turning at the moon, now high in the sky. "It all began with a single race living far from this planet. In their search for knowledge, they began observing our primitive world. Those aliens were advanced not only in technology but in self development as well. They learned to control a power that affected the very fabric of space with the power of one's mind alone." "You mean PSI?" asked Paula. "Exact, answered the man. PSI never originated from Earth and it was never intended for its people to discover it. However, as a twist of fate wanted it, two humans were captured by that alien race for further study. What happened, no one really knows. However, one of the humans managed to return to Earth safe and sound. Having spent his life among the aliens, he came to know about PSI. On his return, he decided to study PSI more. This caused a discontentment from the original masters of PSI. Fearing that this human could spread PSI all across his planet, they decided to act. They sent one of them to Earth on a mission to make sure the knowledge of PSI would be eradicated from Earth." The man paused once more before he turned to stare at the floor. "However, things didn't went as planned. By the time he arrived, the human who caused all this ruckus had already passed away. Not only that, but he successfully managed to awaken the potential of a few select people and allowed potential to grow among even more of them. The alien knew that it was no more a task of silencing. He concluded that he had to eradicate the inhabitants of the planet to keep the secrets of PSI as their property and theirs alone."
The man paused for a moment. The Chosen Four were still listening, slowly sinking the words into their mind. The man stared at the moon once more and continued. "However, to his disbelief, he failed at the hands of a handful of children. Defeated by the very weakness that made him unique among his peers. However, despite beaten, the alien swore his revenge on this planet for the pain he endured. Over time, that alien's mind slowly started to become twisted... His power was running free, growing stronger. It reached a point where his physical body couldn't hold on anymore. As it decayed, his mind was slowly drowning into his own power. In the end, only one entity remained..." Listening to the whole story, Jeff immediately connected two and two together ."... The Cosmic Destroyer..." "Correct, said the man. All that was left was his hatred, his pain and his obsession for revenge. The foul creatures that followed him prior remained loyal and followed him in his counterattack. As for his peers, they figured this turn of event could potentially exterminate Earth for them. Ergo, they stayed still and observed. They could deal with the Cosmic Destroyer themselves once he had destroyed us." The man turned to the Chosen Four, looking at them. "Still, the four of you know better about how this ended." The girl and the boys looked at each other, the memories pouring back into their minds. "And yet, the chain of events hasn't ended."
Ness looked at the man. They were finally getting into the core of the subject. "What now?" The man stared at the boy before moving on. "With Gyigas' second and final failure, the enemy concluded that Earth was now a potential threat. Though it was Gyigas' instability that caused his downfall, he was still powerful beyond comprehension. For them, Earth cannot be ignored any longer. A plan has been set in motion. Through their evolution, those beings have knowledge about controlling the flow of time. It was that knowledge that granted them the technology to move through space, the very same technology Gyigas used to lodge himself millions of years of the planet's past. With the power of Earth proving to be a match, they decided to resort on the power of time." The man looked away as he stared at the scenery of Winters. "It's useless to explain to you the details right now. However, the result is what you need to know. They plan to erase Earth from history. By destroying the Earth's past, present and future simultaneously, a paradox will occur, deleting any trace of Earth as if it never ever existed. That is their plan." The Chosen Four were taken aback from the revelation. Paula was the first one to break the silence. "That can't be..." "Earth, said Poo, deleted from history?" Ness took a step forward. "We can't let this happen! We have to stop this!" "If this is your wish, answered the hooded man, then listen closely."
"Like every planet in the universe, Earth has its own power. However, it also has a time flow. Space and time are in constant symbiosis. To keep the time flow bound with Earth, parts of time's power manifest across the world. The Essences of Time. Each of them representing a face of our definition of that power. It is said that those imprinted by the power of all these essences shall be granted the ability to fully comprehend the potential of time and attain its full power. The enemy cannot be defeated if we cannot fight on the same ground as they do. Therefore, you must set out and seek the Essences of Time. Earth possesses seven of them. Seek them and obtain their blessings. However, don't think that their power alone will be enough." The man turned his back on the four. "If you believe that, you will lose and the Earth is as good as gone." The man started to walk away. Before Ness could stop him, a strong wind blinded his vision with snow. "The current time is a time of action. Don't let us down." As the wind stopped and the vision cleared, the man was gone.
"I never imagined we would have to set out once more, said Jeff. I guess we're just not fit for normal lives." "A month ago, all I was thinking was college, said Paula. Now, the only thing on my mind is the safety off our world. It does feel like old times." Poo stepped up to his friends. "You can count me in. If we have to defend our home once more, I'm ready to travel the entire Earth." "GUYS!" Paula, Jeff and Poo turned to Ness as he stopped their discussion. "Saving the world is our priority, that's for certain, but I'm begging you, guys! Let's go somewhere warmer. I'M FREEZING HERE!" The three laughed at the remark. "Poor guy, said Jeff. I'm still surprised you haven't turned into a Popsicle yet." Poo took out his own coat and put it on Ness' shoulders. "Then let's go home first, said Paula. From there, we'll review everything." The four nodded at the idea and started to walk back toward the Sky Dasher. "That one ain't gonna crash on us... right, Jeff?" "I can leave you here if you want to, Ness." "No thanks!" replied Ness shivering.
Reunited at last, the four stands strong in front of adversity.
The boy genius with his endless imagination and his inventions,
The girl prodigy with her determination and her talents,
The royal prince with his devotion and his strength,
The chosen boy with his courage and his heart of gold,
You're friends, bound together through the trials that you overcame as one.
Take arms, stand proud and stare to the horizon where your next journey awaits.
It's time to save Mother Earth once again.
To be continued...