A silence fell over the team as they processed what Skye had just revealed.

“Should we know who they are?” Lance broke the silence.

“I’ve never heard those names before” Logan added

“I’m a little dissapointed” Skye said “I would have thought the Final Battle would’ve been a well known subject “

“Are you referring to a team battle?” Lance questioned

“I’m talking about THE team battle” Skye emphasized “every team in one movie battling until only one is left standing”

“I’ve never heard anything like that” Logan said “when did this Final Battle happen?”

“Years ago” Skye answered “well before I was born”

“This has been going on for that long?” Lance questioned

“In the real world yes,” Skye explained “but time passes differently in the terror dimension. Even teams may not be experiencing time at the same rate you do but I’m sure you knew that”

Skye paused after she spoke, waiting for confirmation that didn’t come.

“We haven’t had much experience with other teams ” Logan finally said “I’m the only one on the team whose been in more than one team battle and I’ve only been in two”

“What teams have you met?” Skye wondered

“Team East Africa and team Australia” Logan announced

“That explains it,” Skye said with a nod “neither of those teams would know about the Final Battle. Team Devil or Celestial would be the ones you need to talk with. There’s also team China but if you met them you definitely wouldn’t have survived”

“Could we go back to you and your parents” Lance requested “Were your parents survivors of the Final Battle?”

“Just my dad” Skye answered “my mom hadn’t entered yet”

“How could there be survivors” Matt questioned “if it really was the Final Battle shouldn’t the entire dimension be destroyed”

“It should have” Skye explained “however more than one team survived and completed the movie. Causing the cycle to continue till today”

“So what team was your father on?” Lance asked

Skye looked about to answer, movement behind her pulled her attention “I’ll answer more questions later. For now it looks like others need your attention now”

The other newbies were waking up, the expected symphony of confusion and fear soon spread across the group. Crystal, Eve, and Josh immediately began to calm the newbies, Lance joining after making sure Logan and Matt were watching Skye. Josh was helping a well dressed young man onto his feet when a strange sensation entered his mind, a second mind had connected to his.

Elijah's voice streamed into Josh’s head “Lance and Logan want everyone to act as if Skye is one of our veterans. Any questioning should wait until no newbies are around”

“Did she agree to do that?” Josh asked, worried the newbie would cause problems. The sensation of a mental conversation still felt odd to him, despite the training back in the Lobby.

“Yeah she was the first one I spoke to after Lance. Was a bitch talking to her” Elijah's thoughts carried his aggravation, forcing Josh to experience the emotion for a brief moment “either she has a crazy high mental capacity or mine is pathetically low. Knew I should’ve held out for more points”

Elijah's voice faded as he began complaining.

The connection faded as suddenly as it appeared, off to the side Josh saw Crystal tense as she helped the oldest newbie to her feet. Walking the young man to where the other newbies were waiting to make their introductions, Josh pondered the effectiveness of Elijah’s bracer. It was useful being able to communicate without anyone knowing about it, but it’s limitation one person at a time made the process take too long. Just passing a single message took nearly five minutes, an actual conversation would be nearly impossible.

Josh waited with the team for just a moment as Crystal helped the last newbie join the group. Once everyone was close together introductions were made, the veterans went first. They only told their names and brief descriptions of abilities and skills in order to encourage the newbies to do the same. Skye was the last of the ‘veterans’ to introduce herself.

“My name is Skye” she started in a cheerful tone “I’m trained in piloting every vehicle available. Anything from cars, boats, helicopters, planes, and even rockets. In combat though i am a close combat fighter with focus on muscle density and reaction speed”

There was a pause after her introduction as everyone processed what she had said. Then Logan chose one of the newbies to begin their introductions, the well dressed young man Josh had explained God’s Dimension to. He said his name was Dale and that he worked as an intern at a law firm. He claimed to have a passion for light novels and wuxia though and was overjoyed when Lance confirmed some exchanges were available that originated from light novels. The next newbie was a middle aged bank teller named Lucy, whose only skill was knitting. The next two were blue collar workers, one a plumber the other a mechanic. Both were skilled in their areas of expertise but neither considered themselves uniquely skilled. The newbie Crystal had helped was next. By far the oldest, Bertha looked to be in her seventies. She had been a veterinarian when younger and had experience with exotic animals like kangaroos and giraffes. She also said it was the one year anniversary of the death of her husband Stan.

After Bertha was a woman who appeared to be in her twenties, dressed in cargo shorts, hiking boots, and a red windbreaker. Her

“My name is Louie”she introduced “I’m 22 and i’m a hunter. Mostly deer and elk, I’m the best shot in town. Best shot I ever made was right through a brown bear’s eye, instant kill” She spoke with confidence and pride as if she was used to boasting such facts and receiving praise for them. It was impressive, more combat oriented than most newbies. Louie also claimed to have self defense training from her dad as well as wilderness survival skills. After her was a retail worker who was in his fifties and claimed to be on the road to becoming a professional golfer. The final newbie was a manager at Walmart who watched a lot of serial killer documentaries. Josh frowned as he did a headcount and realized just how big the team was.

“We have seventeen members” the jock announced

“That’s quite a jump from the last movie” Lance said

“I never would’ve thought this movie could have a difficulty like this” Logan noted “Something major had to have changed”

“Are we in danger?” Dale asked

“Not at the moment” Lance answered “God wouldn’t put us in immediate danger at the beginning of the movie. Though any time after that could be filled with peril”

“Wonderful” Dale moaned

“What should we do now?” Matt asked “This is a lot more people than we’re used to working with”

“There has to be a motel in this town. Once we confirm what point in the movie we’re in, we’ll rent as many rooms as we can there and use it as a base” Logan declared

“Anywhere away from the main cast should be safe” Lance agreed “we’ll work on what’s changed after the newbies are someplace safe”

A high pitched screech cut through the previous silence, several news vans were pulling into the parking lot. They parked directly in front of the school’s entrance and the doors flung open as the small crews rushed to set up.

“I think I know when we are,” Matt said.

“Me too” Lance said, clapping his hands together “we’re still early in the movie just after the first murders. The next attack doesn't happen till tonight, let's go find a hotel”

The group began walking away from the school, making slow progress until Logan picked up Bertha and carried her. Just before the school was out of sight a bell could be heard, signalling the end of the school day. With directions from locals and an hour of walking the team reached a single story motel with only 20 rooms. Unfortunately only eight of the twenty rooms were available, though they were relatively cheap. Everyone paired off for the rooms, the newbies were put with other newbies except for Skye who was paired with Logan. Lance assigned the rooms, he managed to design it so every newbie room was next to a veteran’s room. It helped that all eight rooms were alongside each other. After the rooming situation was finished the veterans sent the newbies to their rooms, Skye was also allowed to relax but in a specific veteran’s room. The room next to that room was also a veteran room and was where the veterans gathered. Logan was the only one not in the room, instead he sat outside on a white plastic chair. Positioned to be able to see if anyone left their rooms. Elijah proved invaluable as he kept Logan involved. Elijah could link with Logan and speak on his behalf when necessary.

“Let’s start by discussing the newbies” Lance began “Skye being the biggest surprise of the movie will be the first we discuss”

“The biggest surprise yet” Matt corrected

“True” Lance admitted “Elijah helped me talk with her privately during our walk. She says she will be completely open and honest about her plans for the future. She admits she can’t accomplish her goals without help and doesn't think anyone would oppose what she wants to do”

“Can we trust her?” Matt asked first “Could she be lying?”

“It would be impossible to know some of the things she knew” Elijah spoke up, he gripped his jade amulet. The agreed upon symbol he was talking for Logan.

“No one could have prepared her?” Lance questioned “Someone from God’s Dimension”

“Return to the Origin is the only way information about this dimension could spread” Elijah said “Temporary visits come with a warning that any attempt to share information about this place will result in an instant erasing. Why lie about being a child of someone we’ve never heard of?”

“She has some important goals” Lance noted “Maybe she’s hoping to use a sympathetic approach to get us on her side”

Elijah removed his hand from the amulet “I want to say she has a crazy high mental capacity for someone without enhancements. At least as high as Logan’s”

“Do you think she might have been enhanced by God?” Crystal asked

“No, I think it's genetic,” Elijah corrected. “Her psyche force was better put together than anyone else's I've seen. As if she could passively create and hold defenses over her mind. Someone would need to be practicing for a long time to do that and she’s pretty young.”

“If both of her parents were enhanced it may have been passed down to her to an extent” Lance mused

“That's not something we can prove” Josh pointed out

“I don’t think theres any way to confirm her story” Lance declared “at least none we can try in this movie”

Elijah grabbed his amulet again.

“After we finish discussing the newbies I want to hear what she has to say” he said for Logan “As long as her plans won’t put us in danger I won’t oppose her but I don’t trust her yet”

“Let Eve, Logan or I know anything she tells you about God’s Dimension” Lance directed “Even if its buried in lies everything true we learn from her can benefit the team”

“Is there really anything to say about the other newbies?” Matt asked

“Louie looks like she’d have a lot of potential” Josh commented

“Besides those two no one really stands out” Elijah said for Logan

“Dale interests me with his hobbies” Lance said “That's an area I don’t have very well covered”

“The mechanic, Kent might be useful” Crystal added “He told me he was trained in high tech vehicles”

“I agree,” Lance said, “especially if we end up in a scifi movie next. His definition of hightech might not match up to ours but he has a better headstart than most. I don’t believe any of the others have much to offer. Bertha hints that their might not be an age limit to being brought here, but that's of little importance right now”

“Why the hell are there so many newbies?” Elijah asked, his hand off the amulet

“We went from twelve to seventeen” Lance said “I can only assume the bonus missions we completed significantly boosted our team rating. Much more severely than I had anticipated”

“Then we should avoid any bonus missions in this movie” Elijah declared for Logan “we can’t let our rating keep jumping like that. We’ll end up in a twenty person movie and get completely wiped out”

“Unfortunately I agree” Lance said, regretfully” the last movie's missions had a greater effect on our rating than I anticipated. I’d like to take some time until I have a better idea of how bonus missions affect our rating. I don’t want to risk any more spikes like this.”

“I wonder if Skye knows anything about bonus missions” Crystal mused

“She might” Lance nodded “I think it’s time we hear what she has to say”

“I agree,” Elijah said for Logan.

Elijah removed his hand from his amulet and closed his eyes. After a moment he opened his eyes and announced Skye would be there soon. Logan entered first, taking a place on one of the twin beds. No one spoke as they waited. Sky arrived a moment later, a relaxed smile on her face as if she were going to visit with some friends.

“I was wondering how long you would keep me waiting”she said as she crossed the room to the only empty chair. She sat in front of the small passageway that held the closet and the bathroom facing the team who spread across the room.

“The team would like to hear what you told me” Lance said once she took a seat “Please start with your promise to be completely open and honest with us. Then tell us about your father”

“First I want to assure all of you that I will be completely open and honest while i’m in this realm” Skye said, her face turning serious “I have no reason to hide my goals and I have no way to complete them on my own. I am the daughter of Luo Gando and Jennifer Holloway. Luo Gando came into this realm as part of team China. His will to live surpassed all but the leader of the team, easily shown as his strength skyrocketed. His best asset was his natural skill in piloting vehicles. Within a few movies he was piloting a powerful B rank mecha and was viewed as a pillar of his team.”

“So you are actually skilled in piloting?” Logan interrupted

“I am” Skye confirmed “I dont have his talent but I am trained on everything from mechas to motor bikes”

“You didn’t happen to bring a mecha with you by chance” Crystal asked hopefully

“Afraid not” Skye said “Dad’s smallest is fifteen feet tall, didn't fit in my bag”

“I would like to discuss any items you’ve brought with you later” Lance said “For now please continue and tell us how your dad entered this realm”

“Wait we already covered that” Josh pointed out

“No we haven't” Skye said with a teasing smile “My dad was not part of Team China”

Logan inhaled sharply “Devil”

“Thats right” Skye revealed “Luo Gando of team China met his end in the movie Transformers. However his will to live spiked so high before his death, God noticed and created a clone of him, then sent him to team Devil. That is when my father entered Gods realm”

“Wasn’t team Devil one of the strongest teams?” Josh asked

“A team made entirely of clones God hand picked” Lance reminded “meaning your mother was also a clone”

“Yes she was” Skye nodded “but that's a little ahead. Let's continue from my father’s entrance. He entered team Devil and found himself with some familiar faces. Both the leader and strategist of team China had been cloned into team Devil and were in charge there as well. My father swore revenge on team China believing they willingly let him die and begun his plan to kill the leader of team China”

Skye paused and held a thoughtful expression “Have any of you heard of team China?”

“I have” Logan admitted, “I’ve looked at some of the other teams with my leader privileges. Team China is one but everytime I look at them I get a message that no information is available. I assumed the team has not reset from a wipe yet”

“I don’t think so” Skye shook her head “Think about what information is withheld from you”

Logan thought for a moment before a look of disbelief flashed on his face “You have got to be kidding me”

“I’m not” Skye sang

“What is withheld from you?” Lance asked, but received no answer

“There’s no way that's true” Logan said definitely.

“Why?” Lance asked again

Logan looked at Skye with a conflicted expression “God will only let me know how many members of a team has unlocked their constraint. I can also know to what level but to a certain point. If that's what she means then everyone in team China has at least reached the fourth stage of the unlocked mode”

Silence covered the room as everyone processed what Logan just said.

“I’m still new to the unlocked mode” Crystal ended the silence “Can someone explain what's so major about the fourth stage”

“The fourth stage is when you can manipulate your DNA” Skye explained “You can access every string of DNA that makes up your own. Not just your human ancestors but every being from the very first organism that began the journey to humans. You get to handpick what DNA you want active. This allows people to excel in any situation or environment”

“Can you give us an idea of how powerful this makes a person” Lance requested, his voice emotionless and his face a mask of neutrality.

Skye thought for a moment “Anyone who reached the fourth stage is very powerful. I’d say even ten people of your leader’s strength working in perfect harmony wouldn’t be able to leave a scratch on one”

“I believe that” Logan said “do you actually expect me to believe that an entire team with who knows how many members have all reached the fourth stage?”

“Well last I heard they only have seven members” Skye defended

“You have information on the team?” Lance asked suddenly his tone serious, startling Josh and Eve who were beside him

“I have some,” Skye said, a little thrown off. “Though most of it is old. Just the last my parents knew when they left the realm”

“I see” Lance said in a calmer tone “well we got a little off topic. Let’s get back to your story. The Final Battle”

“The Final Battle” Skye copied with a wide smile “My mom wasn’t around yet but my dad had grown significantly stronger. He also had unlocked to the fourth stage and had the strongest mecha imaginable. His leader was acknowledged as the strongest person in this realm, not even God rivaled his strength. Their team also held the clone of the greatest strategist in the realm, the same strategist team China had. They went in with a team of over ten people, my father was one of two survivors on his team.”

“What happened during the battle?” Lance asked

“Many incredible but irrelevant things” Skye replied “What is important to know is that the Final Battle came about because God saw multiple individuals approaching the apex of power that they were looking for. The leader of team Devil was at the front, scratching the surface of the fifth stage. However, somehow he was killed by the leader of team China. Both their teams fought crucial battles against other equally dangerous enemies, most perished to accomplish the goals that led to victory. Out of every person in God’s dimension, less than ten survived the final battle.”

“And the team China leader was one of them?” Logan asked

“He was, my father calls him the Demon of Team China,” Skye replied, “the man my father swore vengeance on. They met before the end of the Final Battle, my father had gained an unimaginable boost in power as a result of a series of events no one could have prepared for. He gave everything he had in an attack on the Demon but he could do nothing to even grab focus. The Demon spared him in order to guarantee the realm will persist. My father swore to one day bring about the end of the Demon’s life.”

“Did he accomplish this before he left?” Lance asked

“No he didn’t” Skye said with a grin “That's why I’m here. I’m here to kill the Demon of Team China”