Dave’s mirror of communication activated, receiving a message being broadcasted from Emerilia.

“All Stone Raiders are to immediately return to Terra, all members of the Terra Alliance are to move into readiness positions ready for immediate deployment. This is not a drill!” Josh’s voice cut through the silence that had descended over Party Zero as they stopped looking out over the asteroid and the heavens above.

“You heard the man!” Deia yelled, all of Party Zero turned and rushed towards the portal to the Ice Planet, their bodies mere blurs.

None of them talked as they rushed from the asteroid, to the Ice Planet, then through Nal to Pandora’s Box through the power facility and into Terra. Bob had taken a separate portal in Pandora’s Box to reach Datskun.

Automatons and carts were the only things in the skies, massive barges carrying troops from across Emerilia were moved to and from the teleport pads.

The city streets had quickly been cleared by Shard, the businesses and people of Terra as well as their visitors looking in shock as the military units that had been stuck in training or were being called up were rushing into Terra.

No one was allowed in the skies, Shard taking over with the automatons to move everyone without having any accidents.

People that had been in the taverns relaxing were now rushing through the city in squads, their eyes hard as they moved towards their barracks.

Party Zero called up their armor everyone was in a state of shock with all the movements going on.

“Party Zero, there is a cart outside waiting for you, please board it. Steve, I could use your help in organizing the movements of the city,” Shard’s voice came from overhead Party Zero.

“Linking in,” Steve said as Party Zero moved towards the waiting Carts.

As soon as they were secured the carts took off towards Stone Raider towers.

Dave found Deia’s hand, holding it as they rushed forwards.

***

Across Emerilia the same scene was taking place. With the interfaces and party chat information passed at an alarming rate.

The message was simple and terrifying.

The Portals had opened and creatures from the other planes were now descending. With them were creatures that were part of the Myths and Legends Event.

People checked their weapons, city guard and military units were put on full readiness as the city’s defenses were checked.

The horns of the Elves were heard across Markolm as the military units within their beautiful towers marched out to the city walls in crisp orderly lines. Old Alliance agreements were checked over and units were sent to Terra as per the Terra Alliance agreement.

Tribes checked their defenses and reached out to one another in aid.

The ground around the Dwarven Mountains shook with the sound of drumbeats, the Dwarven War Bands called to service.

Within those mountains bellows worked harder as weapons were checked and armor was fitted. Dwarfs donned their armor moving into their war bands and war clans. Artillery was checked and tested.

In the north of Opheir War Clans that had been based out of the Mithsia Mountains, training behind their massive defensive wall now moved out of the forest and to preset positions.

War drums filled the Kufo’tel forest as horns from the Kufo’tel Elves called the people back to their city in the forest as retired and reserve rangers donned their armor and moved to full readiness.

Several War Clans and supporting Kufo’tel Elves gathered themselves together, marching forward out of the defended land and towards Cliff-Hill.

Cliff Hill had grown into a massive city now, larger than even Omal, their defenses were checked as they manned their walls and watched for danger.

Bob watched this all, a solemn look on his face as he checked the action logs that showed what the Empire had done.

“Those mother fuckers,” Bob said with a cold voice. “They opened all portals that hadn’t been discovered and random ones that have to link Emerilia to the other systems containing aggressive species. Twelve races in total, even races that were closed off due to having low numbers or because they unbalanced Emerilia before. They also spammed the damn spawn points. Do they just not care anymore?”

Bob went through the information before frowning.

He typed out a quick message with all that he knew, sending it on to Party Zero, Fire and Water.

He stood up from his chair and headed back towards the portal that connected to Pandora’s Box.

“I might not be able to do anything on the main stage of Emerilia yet, but I can support them from the rear with what we’re doing in the Nal system and Moon Base,” Bob said his voice hard and his eyes cold. He would take over the various projects that were ongoing to take some of the pressure off of Party Zero and the others.

***

Josh looked at the message he had received from Bob, his lined face grew darker, he quickly shared it to the other leaders in the alliance and Lucy who would share it outwards to everyone.

“Okay, well, it looks like nearly everyone is here,” Josh said looking to everyone that was in the room, there were a few missing but they would be there shortly.

“All of the undiscovered portals Across Emerilia as well as a number of spawn points have become active. We’ve got creatures from all of the different realms and planes now on Emerilia. Most of them are around cities. I was going to call a meeting later today anyway to address something else. It seems that there were a number of sub quests connected to the Event of Myths and Legends. Most of the disruptions and quests that have been given out in the last couple of months dealt with creatures and people that were released for the event. Thankfully with our people being out in the world a number of these quests were dealt with. However now it looks like it will be hard to focus on just these quests as we have to deal with this new threat. I suggest to everyone that they should first secure their cities. The lands of Emerilia might not be safe in the near future to roam around in.”

“If we lock ourselves up in our cities how will we support ourselves? This isn’t a long term solution,” one of the leaders said.

“It is not, but these creatures and people are roaming Emerilia we don’t know enough about them or what is going to happen, it is best if people hole up, train to their limit and be ready for what’s about to come, whatever that might be,” Josh said.

“Do we have a plan to deal with this?” Another asked.

“We first need to find out where these portals are, this is something that the various scouting elements of the Alliance are looking into. Once we know their locations our aim is to move from portal to portal, set up bases that will stand in the way of the portal and it’s exit, stopping anything from exiting,” Josh said.

How I wish we could use that shield that Dave has come up with for the portals. If we were to show it off it would show that we know how to use portal technology and the Jukal might not take too kindly to that. And if we blatantly destroy the portals then we will get penalized heavily.

Barring the use of Dave’s technology, they would have to do it the hard way, fight whatever came through those portals and hold them off as Emerilia dealt with their own issues before they could even think about heading through these portals to try and secure the locations on the other side.

“If they are invading, have the defensive castles like the ones surrounding the Goblin Mountain appeared?” Another asked.

“We have had sightings of the castles. We have teams ready to move to these locations in order to take over these castles before others get there,” Lucy said.

“We only have a dozen Ono’s at our disposal, right now we need more from the Aleph before we can put one at every castle location so we can support the people that are capturing these places. We’re working with the Aleph to increase the production of Onos at this time,” Florence said, having rushed over from Verlun.

“Make sure that your forces are ready, we will hold thirty percent of our forces here, the rest will be capturing castles, or they will be assisting in clearing up any quests that have been left open in the cities part of this alliance. If we get all those quests sorted out we should flush out some more creatures from the event, securing our towns and quickly gaining experience to level up people,” it was clear that Josh’s words weren’t a request but an order.

***

Party Zero were all hearing a similar briefing from Esa who was standing in front of a number of groups that had been picked out from the fighting forces, Stone Raiders and other guilds that had joined the alliance.

“You are all to act as capture parties, this means that you will be moved across Emerilia in order to move to castles that have been located around various active portals. You will move in, place a drop pad and begin capturing the area, an Ono will be shifted to your location to allow reinforcements in to support you. We need these castles. If the forces exiting the portals take these castles they will have a firm beach head into Emerilia, making it easier for them to launch attacks and move in more forces to Emerilia.

“Each of you have been sent a location, all fees are waived from the Onos with these tokens,” Esa threw out the tokens her hand blurring as they arrived in front of the different parties. “We don’t have time to wait, so move out! Party Zero come and see me!” Esa yelled as people started charging out.

A space was made for Party Zero as they moved to the front, Esa inviting them to a private chat.

“Malsour, Induca, talk to your family, see if they can put down some drop pads for us. Dave whatever plans you have to make those castles mobile I want it sorted out and soon. Take whatever resources you need from the guild to make it a reality. We need them mobile yesterday,” Esa said.

Dave nodded, looking to Steve and Malsour.

“Deia I know that Party Zero is the strongest group that we have, you decide which locations you want to take I’m sharing with you a map that will update with where people are being sent. I want you to try and go for the locations that are the furthest from an Ono,” Esa said.

“We can split up if needed to put down the drop pads,” Deia said looking to Party Zero who nodded.

“Good, then I don’t think that there’s anything else I need to tell you. Good luck,” Esa said, turning and leaving.

“Dave what are you going to need?” Deia asked. “Anna find us a portal to go to.”

“Steve and Malsour, however we’ve pretty much got everything sorted out we just need people to build the components. I’m going to send the list of things to the Aleph, Dwarves and the smithies under the Grahslagg corporation. With the Stone Raiders’ resources we can speed this up so we can get the first castle ready in a few weeks. If I was willing to pull apart one of the first version destroyers then I could get another two in a week,” Dave said sounding like he was seriously considering it.

“Do you need to work on it or will you be coming with us?” Deia asked.

“I will be with you lot, we’ve gamed out the project, now it’s just getting the prototype and working it out. Steve, get with Shard and Bob and start to run those simulations. Get Bob to contact Sato if he needs more assistance,” Dave said.

“Done,” Steve said.

“Okay, let’s move, Anna you find any potential locations?” Deia asked as she moved to the carts that were waiting for the remaining parties that were about to depart for the teleport pads.

“We’ve got two between the Gorlei Mountains and Aygasse on the Heval continent,” Anna said.

“Steve,” Deia said.

“Planning our route for cart, it’s going to be a hairy ride,” Steve said, Party Zero reached the carts, already tens of them filled the skies filled with other parties heading out.

Their carts took off, flying through the air at speeds that pushed them back into their chairs, faint blurs and whurs went past as they missed other carts by mere inches. With the AI’s controlling traffic there wasn’t a chance of collision but that didn’t mean they weren’t flying a hundred things through the skies at one time. To any other sentient it would have been complete madness and lead to countless accidents.

They shot down towards a teleport pad. All traffic between teleport pads had been locked down for the use of the Terra Alliance. As one party rushed through, another location was immediately dialed up and another group would pass through.

The carts stopped just outside the teleport pad area, Party Zero rushed off the portal changing locations. “Aygasse, Heval!” The controller yelled out.

Party Zero turned into streaks as they rushed through the area and into the teleport pad. They came out of an Ono in Aygasse, turning upwards and charging into the sky, two way points appeared in the distance.

“Lox, Dave, Induca, Suzy and Anna move towards the second portal, the rest of you with me to the first portal,” Deia said.

“Watch out,” Induca said, her body changing as she extended into her Dragon form as they flew towards the second portal. Malsour also changed.

Two Dragons appeared in mid-air Party Zero on top of them.

Induca and Malsour roared into the sky, stretching their wings as they pushed forwards toward their waypoints.

Deia Ignited the air behind Malsour increasing his speed while Jung Lee cast enhancing spells and pulled out affinity spirits that moved around Malsour, aiding him.

Malsour’s speed surged, breaking through the wind with thunderclaps.

Deia glanced to Induca, around her Suzy’s creations were supporting as was Anna who’s sword whistled, guiding the air around Induca while a spell formation around Dave passed around Induca’s body.

Induca’s speed was even greater than Malsour’s. Deia let out a breath of relief. The second location was further away and she was hoping that Lox and his group would be the faster of the two, it seemed that her guess had been right.

She focused ahead as the wind howled. They left Aygasse behind as they passed over fields, forest, and rushed towards the south.

It wasn’t long until Malsour spoke up.

“I see the castles, they’re around a ruin, the portal must be underneath it. Wait a minute, something is coming out,” Malsour paused, taking a moment. “They look like Xelur soldiers to me.”

“Shit, this one must be connected to the Xelur realm,” Deia hissed between her teeth, she hadn’t forgotten her fight with the reincarnated Xelur Demon Lord at Cliff Hill.

“There are four castles around the ruins,” Malsour continued.

“Jung Lee, you’re the fastest of us, you get to the Southern Castle. Malsour and I will go to the East and Western Castles respectively. The rest of you take the Northern Castle,” Deia said.

All of the party nodded in agreement.

It took them nearly twenty tense minutes before they reached the portal from Aygasse, a speed that would have made most people look at them in shock.

“Ready?” Gurren said to everyone as they prepared themselves.

“Go!“ Deia yelled.

A red and Grey streak shot off towards the South and West, Malsour banked towards the West while the remaining members of Party Zero jumped off and dove towards the Northern Castle that was below.

Fire mana surged around Deia, not even taking the time to look back as she was wholly focused on the oncoming castle. The Xelur Soldiers that were on the ground cried out at Deia. All of them looked different from the other, however all of them seemed to be crying out in pain, once they saw Deia their pained cries turned to excitement and madness. These creatures survived off of eating people’s souls. Or the nanites that made up their bodies and the power that sustained them.

They had been a once powerful techno race, however they had turned to fighting and in their decline they had lost a great number of their power supplies. All of them naturally possessed nanites in their bodies. When they killed and consumed other’s nanites, they would have great gains in power. They would attack and kill anyone not of their tribe for their nanites, all the races within the Jukal Empire used nanites in their bodies and were natural prey for the Xelur race.

When a portal opened to Emerilia they quickly rushed through. However the tribes that had been around the portal on the other side upon seeing the portal open had engaged in fighting one another, not willing to split up the spoils of Emerilia with any other.

Even those that had made it through the portal were fighting one another. Giving Party Zero the time that they needed to rush towards the castles.

“We’ve secured the Eastern tower,” Lox said from the second group.

Deia’s eyes widened before she nodded, she had thought that the speed Malsour displayed had been great but Induca had clearly defeated them in speed.

Deia slowed her progress as she reached the castle, using the full force of her mana to slow herself.

She cut down on her speed, quickly passing over the large walls and heading into the inner castle, she flew through the halls entering the area underneath the large tower that rose above the inner castle.

A status bar appeared telling her that she was capturing the castle.

“Drop pad down in the North, Ono is here,” Gurren said sounding a bit shocked.

She pulled out a drop pad, quickly clicking it together and placing it on the ground in the middle of the area underneath the castle and right on the capture point in the center of the castle.

She stepped backwards as the capture continued.

“Drop pad down,” Deia said as a flash of light filled her vision, a Ono appearing in the place of the drop pad. A moment later the Ono’s runes started to light up as a teleport pad connected to it.

“Drop pad down,” Malsour said.

“Here as well,” Jung Lee said.

The Ono in Deia’s castle connected to the teleport pad. It seemed that the moment it did that people were flowing outwards.

A man at the front looked around, locking eyes on Deia before jogging over.

“Esa, told me to tell you to move to the next location,” the man said.

“Thank you,” Deia said, switching back to party chat.

“Once you have people coming out of your Ono’s then go back to Terra, we’ll regroup and head to the next location,” Deia said.

“Got it, we’ve got Ooinfa coming out of our portal, what you got over there?” Lox asked.

“Xelur,” Gurren spat.

“Lovely,” Lox said in a dark tone.

Deia passed through the Ono, entering Terra once again. The rest of Party Zero did the same, quickly meeting up. It didn’t take them long to find a new location to head towards as they repeated the process over again.