Unfortunately, after just a few minutes, Kairi’s voice interrupted the two youngsters as he approached the entrance to Roun’s room.

“Alright love birds, break it up.” He announced, startling Zadavia as he entered before turning his attention to his younger brother.

Roun’s eyebrow tipped upwards at the interruption, as he turned his attention towards his older brother in turn.

“Bad news kid—Harry just called—seems like Teros is finally making his move.” Roun’s eyes widened at the statement, but Kairi just continued. “He needs you to gather the others.”

Roun sighed heavily, hesitating slightly before he sat up.

“Okay, what’s his play?” The young man inquired.

“Apparently, he sent his minions to attack the gates at Long Island and Stone Henge.” Kairi explained with an unusual calmness.

“Okay, I don’t even know what you two are talking about but I’m freaking out.” Zadavia stated with visible panic. “Why are the both of you so calm?” She then pressed.

Kairi just chuckled lightly, while Roun’s eyebrow tipped ever further upwards at his brother’s statement.

“I’m not calm… so much as confused.” Roun muttered, turning his attention back to Kairi. “Why would Teros attack the gates?” He pondered audibly. “What could his endgame possibly be?”

But Kairi just shrugged dismissively.

“Beats me. But whatever it is, it’s probably best if he doesn’t achieve it—right?” He retorted.

Roun sighed and nodded in response.

“You’re right—it doesn’t actually matter.” He affirmed before turning his attention back to his brother. “Do me a favour Kai—get Zadavia and the others out of Geraheim.” He requested, turning his attention to the young woman, who looked visibly shaken.

Roun just rested his hand on her shoulder.

“Wouldn’t she be safer here?” Kairi inquired, but Roun just shook his head.

“No one will be safe here.” He sighed. “Tell that to Harry as well. See if the Rogues and the Imperial army can evacuate the city.”

“Alright, kid.” Kairi nodded. “I assume you’ll round up the others?”

Roun nodded in reply once more.

“Yeah, leave that to me.” He stated before powering up fully.

Both Kairi and Zadavia could feel an immediate change in the air as Roun summoned the energy into his braver form. The air thickened as he did before crackling with palpable energy as his body became illuminated by his trademark aesis.

Roun turned his attention towards Zadavia at this point.

“Thanks for coming over, it really helped a lot.” He smiled.

All the young woman could do was smile in return.

“You’ll come see me when this is all over?” She inquired.

Roun just smiled and nodded before vanishing completely.

~~**~~**~~**~~

In seconds, the young man was materialising in Nikolai’s living room, much to the surprise of that young man and his parents.

“Roun?” Nikolai inquired, having already powered up instinctually on reaction to the massive energy surge that accompanied the Synchros host’s arrival.

“Hey Nik, we need to get the others.” Roun announced as he faded into view, not even wasting time on pleasantries.

“Yeah.” Nikolai nodded. “Geon’s rearing to go. I assume you can sense their location?”

Roun just nodded.

“Alright then, let’s go.” Nikolai responded, drawing a nod from Roun before the two of them vanished under the effects of his silhouette slide.

Next, they appeared at a damp and dingy safehouse owned by the Lehomik Military Alliance, which served as Xavier’s hideout. Much like Nikolai before him, Roun arrived to find Xavier fully powered up.

“What’s going on?” He inquired, but Roun shook his head dismissively.

“I’ll explain everything when we’re all together.” He stated, expanding his energy to encapsulate Xavier as well before they all vanished once more.

The final jump landed them in the small rural cottage on the outskirts of Amridad that served as Jayce’s hideout.

The arrival of the three guardian hosts within the small wooden cabin resulted in a shockwave so potent that it visibly displaced the normally unseen zeta energy and caused all of the devices powered by this energy to go haywire. This had the added effect of scaring Rule and Pamela half to death, but Jayce simply saw this as a bonus.

“What the!” Rule’s exclamation drew a light chuckle from the normally stoic Dias host as he watched the young R.E.D. soldier do his best to power up under the stifling effects of the combined auras of four Guardian hosts.

“Stand down Rule.” He muttered amidst his younger brother’s failed attempts at powering up as Roun, Xavier and Nikolai materialised in the centre of the bedroom that had facilitated his recovery.

“You sensed us coming?” Nikolai inquired as Roun’s silhouette slide was completed.

But Jayce just scoffed in reply.

“Of course.” He stated dismissively. “My bond with Dias is as sharp as yours. She knows when her sisters are agitated, same as Geon.” He added.

Nikolai chuckled at the response, sensing that the young man was still annoyed by their last encounter. Luckily Xavier chiming in would diffuse the tension between them.

“So, I’ll ask again—” he spoke up “—what’s going on?”

“Cutting straight to the chase then.” Roun smirked in response. “Teros seems to be making his move. I just got a message from the Rogue Special Forces. Apparently, he’s sent his minions to attack the gates at Long Island and Stone Henge.”

Nikolai’s gaze narrowed at the statement, before a look of bepuzzlement washed over his face.

“I wasn’t aware that Teros—the Destroyer—was working with anyone else.” He finally stated, drawing a knowing nod from Roun.

“Yeah, it’s the first I’m hearing of it as well—but given the increase in haima’sa activity after our first encounter and them trying to kill me in Genaisa, I’d assume it’s safe to say that they’re in cahoots.” Roun explained, drawing light nods from Xavier and Jayce.

“Jayce and I’ve had similar run-ins with those things in the past—” Xavier now explained “—even before Teros showed up. They seem to have a hard-on for guardian hosts—”

“And Itamis in general.” Roun chimed in. “But I’m guessing that’s precipitated by our connection to Geon.”

“Yeah.” Xavier nodded in agreement. “That’s why we were keeping tabs on them initially.” He explained further, while shooting Nikolai a nasty side glance.

“Indeed. This just confirms our suspicions, really.” Jayce finally chimed in, before turning his attention back to Roun specifically. “Any news of activity on Easter Island?” He inquired, but everyone just paused and looked puzzled at the question.

“Why would they have any interest in Easter Island?” Nikolai inquired, but Jayce just laughed in return.

“You said that they’re attacking the phasic gates at Long Island and Stone Henge, but there’s a third gate at Easter Island.” He explained, causing Xavier’s jaw to drop at the assertion.

“Impossible.” He dismissed. “These things are preternatural disruptions of reality… there’s no way we would have missed a whole one.”

Jayce just smirked before turning his attention to his handler, Pamela. “Have we really managed to keep that thing so well hidden?”

“We did—at least until you decided to just give it away…” She responded with mild amusement.

Jayce just shrugged lightly.

“I assume that preventing the extermination of mankind warrants sharing our secrets.” He retorted, before turning his attention to his younger brother. “Rule, call Tiana and see if we’ve had similar reports near Shiva.”

“You Demai scum are so shady.” Xavier scoffed lightly, drawing an uncharacteristic chuckle from Jayce.

“Quite the accusation from a faction that deals almost entirely in subterfuge.” He dismissed.

Xavier just chuckled lightly in reply.

“Still, I don’t understand what Teros is trying to achieve by taking control of these gates?” Xavier drew everyone’s attention back to Teros’ plan. “You think he’s trying to call in reinforcements from Oya—summon a haima’sa army to level the playing field?”

“It’s possible.” Nikolai responded. “His powers a godlike, but he’s still just one man… Terra has four guardians, five legendary channelers and countless armies that would resist him.”

“That’s true, but still, it’s unlikely that that’s his plan.” Roun shook his head.

“Why not, Itami?” Xavier questioned.

“Well, if what Zielle told me is true, the haima’sa in Oya have their hands full in very much the same way that he does on Terra—they’re a similar global threat—they can’t afford to lend him any assistance.”

“You make a good point.” Nikolai nodded. “But, didn’t you say that this Zielle also told you that Oya doesn’t yet have any guardians?” He pressed

Roun just nodded at the query.

“Maybe Teros isn’t trying to bring anything here.” Nikolai started, before Xavier chimed in.

“Maybe he’s trying to escape there.” He stated. “To start his assaults in a world where there’ll be less resistance.”

Roun’s eyes widened at the suggestion.

“I didn’t even consider that.” He gasped. “With their armies already stretched thin by the haima’sa scourge, there’s no way that Oya could survive an all-out assault by Teros.”

“Not a bad plan, I’ll admit.” Xavier nodded in agreement but Roun just growled in response, his energy flaring as he did.

“We have to stop Teros now, before he escapes into Oya.” He commanded.

“Agreed.” Nikolai nodded, much more calmly. “Having the factions back us in the battle with Teros was the final piece of the puzzle and—quite conveniently—Teros seemed to have put that in place for us. We should attack him now.” He concurred, before turning his attention to Xavier. “What say you, X?”

“I thought it went without saying, but I’m in.” Xavier chuckled at the question.

“Well, Khaaos is the tactician of the guardians.” Nikolai replied with a light chuckle of his own. “Now that your link is solidified to her, we should all defer to you on combat strategy.”

Xavier’s chuckle evolved into full-blown laughter.

“Well that’s good to know.” He bellowed. “Anything else we should know about these four ‘sisters’ before we get started?”

“I suppose we should get our roles in this conflict straight before we proceed any further.” Nikolai nodded. “Geon is the eldest and the wisest, outside of combat she is the de facto leader.”

“Convenient.” Xavier jested, drawing light laughter from Roun at the statement, but Nikolai just ignored the two and continued.

“Khaaos was a general in life and, as such, she leads the four in combat.” He reiterated. “Synchros was a seer. Her insight into the fundamental systems that underpin our world make her critical to identifying how we will kill Teros once and for all.” He explained further. “And as for Dias, while she’s the youngest of the four, she was a warrior in life and is by far the most powerful—in the event of sacrifices, she is to be preserved above all others.” He explained. “Are we clear?”

Roun and Jayce just nodded, while Xavier waved his hands dismissively.

“Yeah, yeah—do what I tell you in combat, and keep Jayce alive. Simple.” He replied, equally dismissively. “As for the strategy: I’m sensing Teros’ presence approaching Stone Henge—our first order of business should be to get him back to the Gaea pocket at Titan Academy.”

“I figured that went without saying.” Roun shook his head. “Any idea of how we’re gonna do that?”

But Jayce, Nikolai and Xavier just stared at him.

“You can’t be serious…”