Flashes of fractured light.

Moments flicker in and out of existence like memories skipping on a broken reel. Blood stains the ground, but it’s unclear whose. It vanishes. Then reappears. Then vanishes again. The word “DOOM” pulses through the air, etched in crimson flame, then reversed, then rewritten again.

Time warps.

Gravity tilts.

Sound collapses inward. 

And then...

From the folds of twisted reality, a menacing, shadowy figure emerges slowly, wreathed in flickering static. A black silhouette, shifting like smoke, with glowing golden eyes that pierce through space itself. They burn with cruel knowing... Familiar... Terrifying.

A massive scythe drags on the ground behind them. The blade pulses with distorted energy, vibrating out of sync with the rest of the world with each grating drag.

Laughter rises—jagged, glitching, echoing in layers. Suddenly, he’s there, inches away. He grabs her... Time fractures on contact, clocks spin backward, voices speak in reverse, and every moment she’s ever lived flashes behind her eyes.

He lifts her to the skies effortlessly.

Then, without warning...

He slams her to the ground.

She falls down to the ground with a huge BOOM, out of breath. She holds onto her chest, trying to steel herself.

ASTORIA

(Heavy breathing, gasping for air)

Pixller lifts her from the ground, and tries to tend to her. She reaches a hand to Pixller's face...

PIXLLER

Holy crap! Astoria!! Are you ok!?

ASTORIA

(Weakly)

Please... Don't... chase after him...

HUNICA

What... what did you see...?

ASTORIA

(Weaken)

Terrible... unspeakable things... Darkness... Evil destructive, distorted power... like nothing I have ever seen...

She holds her head as she tries to stand. Pixller helps her up to her feet, holding on to her waist so she won't fall.

ASTORIA

(Weaken)

Pixller... I know how you feel... but you can't go on this mission... chasing Uri will only lead to your doom...

(Beat)

I'm sorry, but Doom WILL befall anyone who chases Uri... I suggest you leave him wherever he is... and just forget about him... 

PIXLLER

I'm sorry... but I... just can't do that.

He looks over at the other two.

PIXLLER

Well... You coming or not?

MEWARD

On second thought, I think Pepe and I will sit this one out... someone has to stay and make sure Astoria is ok, ok? Alright good.

Pixller rolls his eyes, and gestures to Hunica to go into the Portal. They both step into the portal.

ASTORIA

Good luck... You're gonna need it...

Pixller and Hunica materialize inside a what appears to be some kind of Jet Hanger, but there is no jet. Hunica looks around.

HUNICA

(Confused and shocked)

What in the... Pix what is this…?

Pixller ignores her as he sticks out his gloved hand, opening a bunch of screens again. He presses a few buttons and a Cyan Circle appears on the ground under him. Then a red X also appears on the ground a few feet behind.

 PIXLLER

(Matter of Fact)

Get on the X.

HUNICA

Pix what is this place?

PIXLLER

(Matter of Fact)

Get. On. The. X. Or I will fucking leave without you.

HUNICA

(Groan)

Ugh Fine!

When she stands on the X, Pixller snaps his fingers and all the screens disappear from view. The Red X turns into a red Circle, and Hunica immediately falls through the hole. Pixller's eyes narrows, raises his hand up in the air and the ground begins to shake.

The paneling on the ground begins to light up with the same purple and cyan cybernetic glow, as the floor transform and shifts as this massive, all-terrain, Tank vessel begins to emerge slowly.

It resembles a colossal, round biomechanical beetle. A sleek, low-slung vessel clad in segmented armor that ripples with glowing cyan glyphs and rune-circuit lines. With a wide, domed carapace with angular plating, like a ritual sigil cast in metal, flanked by articulated legs.

The roof opens up as this beast of a mothership's legs begin to change into flight mode. Pixller puts his hand over his head.

PIXLLER

Begin liftoff.

The T.A.N.K. slowly propels itself up into the air out of the hangar as it goes higher and higher into the sky. Pixller stands a top of this massive ship, staring off into the distance, his purple hair flowing in the wind dramatically.

PIXLLER

Swarm!

A bunch of Little hatches open around the Tank, and suddenly an ungodly swarm of Beetle Drones blanket the skies. Hundreds upon thousands of them all flying around. Pixller takes out the potion his robots brewed for him, pours it on his glove, it turns red. Immediately all the drones turn red as well and set off towards the Forest.

Pixller drops down into the Tank and lands directly in the driver seat, grabbing the controls and immediately stepping on the gas. The Tank takes off, following the swarm.

PIXLLER

(Being a Dick)

Hang on, princess! And remember, keep your arms and legs inside the ride at all times!