15. Legacy

Mariejoa

The peak of Mt. Mariejoa. It was beautiful. Almost all the buildings, all the roads, paved in white, glistening pearl, with lush green yards, clear blue rivers and fountains, and a bright sun in a great blue sky that made everything glitter. There could be no darkness here, no evil or negativity. This was God's Domain. The Holy Land.

A charming, frail old man in a black tuxedo, long gray mustache, and skinny black top-hat stood with his hunchbacked wife, who wore a pink dress and stood with a cane, by a river. "Ahhh… do you hear that, Joness?"

"Mmmmm yeeees…"

"Dear Jennifer is out and about again…"

"Isn't she nice…"

"WHEEEEEEE hahahahaha!" A young woman in her 20s, shiny brown hair in many curls, and flowing pink dress that sparkled, skipped across the pure blue river in pink high-heels, splashing the couple, though they paid no mind. Of all the high-class chaps on this peak, Jennifer Bush's soul was the most pure. Some said a sun took the place of her heart, and this could be true, for her powerful lightbending created the sun that hung over their mountain, the light that brought eternal day to all of Mariejoa.

Inside of a quiet little study, mountains of books were piled. Henry Churchill, in his charming blue-patterned tuxedo, indigo jeans, shiny brown hair and gorgeous blue eyes, peered within the pages of a book. "My, that's fascinating… an enjoyable read." He spoke very softly. "Just what game is this fellow playing. Surely the main character has an astonishing secret. He won't even tell his comrades. The suspense burns me. I cannot bring myself to-"

"WHEEEE!" Jennifer bursted in, mountains of papers toppling down as she glomped her elder Leader from behind. "Heeeelloooooooo, Henryyyyyyyy."

"Please, Miss Bush… I had not even moved my bookmark."

"Ohhhhh you're always reading, come outside Henry, it's a BEAUTIFUL day, BEAUTIFUL day, WAH HAH HEEEEEE!" And she was scampering out again.

Daphne Anderson sat alone in the darkest corner of Mariejoa. Plucking petal after petal from her inky black rose, the stem was as white and cold as the ghostly woman's flesh. "Loves me not….loves me less….loves me fewer….loves me… never."

"WHEEEEE!" Daphne's gray shadow singed on the appearance of sunlight. "Daphneeeee, Daphneeee, come outsiiiiide, get some suuuuun."

"What is sun… what is life… there is only one way… to see one's true path… and that is… without sun blocking their vision."

"Fine, stay here in the dark, I'mma go see Lucy is doing!" She slammed the door on the way out happily.

Dozens of gray statues filled the floor of Lucas Stonebuddy's room. Staring intently on his tiny stone model of the mountaintop, his brown hair shaggy, keeping warm under his heavy black sweater, his cold gray eyes peered over Mini Mariejoa. He quickly moved the little Jennifer statue across the landscape. "Yes, Miss Bush… run free. Like a child. So much personality you have. So much soul. That's why we love you. So our forefathers claim. No… a child must not have so much soul. Beings must be kept confined to themselves… limited. Yes, Jennifer… just run. Laugh. You are great where you are… a person should not go any further than they need to."

He turned around. Four statues stood above him, three ferocious men and one woman, all without shoes, with some kind of stone representing them. "The Four Earth Families. Granite, Quartzite, Sovite, and Hornfels. Not Stonebuddy… no." The upper half of a fifth statue was broken. "The Stonebuddies… had their own way. We limited ourselves… we did not desire ultimate power. That's why we were excommunicated from history. Why we wanted not the power of gods. It was unreal… to us. So history… ignored us. Now let history… see its error."

Somewhere else in Mariejoa, a baldheaded scientist was examining a woman lain on a dental chair, but it was unclear if she was alive or dead. She was beautiful with whitish-blonde hair and patterned green dress, her eyes closed in apparent slumber. "Could I have a revision on the research, Dr. Strange?" an elderly woman in a sleek purple gown and white hair in large loops asked as she walked in.

"The research is still underway, Master Umbridge. I must say, these manners of witchcraft and wizardry amaze me. Calling souls back from the dead, their bodies back to full working form… Why, may I ask, does this 'Grand Inferius' fascinate you?"

"It is not I that desires to initiate it, it is His Royal Highness. Truly, is he so paranoid and overestimate on the White Lotus's armies? A waste of resources and being, Felius Umbridge expresses."

"Forgive me. I had only assumed, since your sister was born a mage and you a Muggle, you sought to use a means of magic."

"I may not have been born with such inhuman qualities as Dear Dolores, but I am still able to accomplish my goals with only words. All she exemplifies is people such as her will only misuse their power and land in incarceration. Yet, there are still so many, benders, wizards, super-powered 'beings.' I want like His Highness wants, a world without them."

"But His Highness possesses such inhuman powers, as do your colleagues. Are they to be extracted from this equation?"

"No… I have grown a connection with them, I will confess. They are not so flamboyant, we have common wisdom and ambitions. His Highness promises to return us to the True World. Oh, the joy I'll feel when that time comes. …If he believes the Grand Inferius will aid us, please Dr. Strange, I implore your assistance."

Dr. Hugo Strange gave a calm smile and bowed. "I will not fail you, Master. I want what you want… to destroy this world's evils. This concept of 'Light' and 'Darkness' shall be within the past."

And here sat the final Leader upon his throne, the ruler of them all: The King. Four towering flames on his sides, clad in silver armor, spiked gold crown, his head under a frying pan with a scratched-out number. Clearly, this guy was immune to heat. Hovering over his throne, the glimmering eye within the upside-down pyramid peering at him. "Something to show me?" The King asked. The pyramid lowered as The King stood up and reached into its iris. He casually pulled out the item which made the eye glow, its true form and core: a Magic 8-Ball flashed a wide assortment of colors, greenblueyellowredpurpleorangegreenyellowblue, a new color every millisecond, and around and around again. Immense, incredible, unparalleled power spun inside this little ball the size of his armored hand. The longer he held it, the more every inch of his armor vibrated. He took off his helmet and, in the dimness of this room despite the tall flames, he seemed to squish the 8-ball into where his right eye would be.

The powerful sphere flashed on his face. The King could see the Earth in its very center, and zooming down, down to a microscopic coordinate on the little planet, the side of Mariejoa, where a huge, ferocious dragon was steadily grabbing its way up.

Doooooong…..dooooooong….

Everybody looked up. The old rich types, their children, Jennifer running around the fountains, the World Leaders from their homes. "Look. It's The King. The King is here." A man announced calmly.

"His Imperial Highness!" a high-pitched woman said.

"The man chosen by God!"

"Praise be His Majesty!"

The whole of Mariejoa cheered. The King stepped out from the entrance to his great marble castle. He stood atop the towering stairway and basked in the admiration of his subjects. "People of Mariejoa: our realm is in danger. It will not stay long, but those who are not willing to die a horrible death must evacuate to the lower levels. Have no fear… your God will protect you."

With humble agreement, the hundreds of citizens began to calmly scramble into passageways leading down within the mountain. The World Leaders came out of their homes and headed for the castle, Jennifer joyfully skipping up the polished stairs.

A quaking force carefully made its way up the mountainside. It grew stronger as it came higher. After one more reach, its arm grabbed the very edge. Then the quaking stopped, for Nigel Uno's frail human arms couldn't cause such tremors. He stood and beheld Mariejoa. A beautiful landscape of white buildings and gentle rivers, totally devoid of all human presence. "Not going to use me anymore, are you?"

"I'll save you for when it matters." Nigel said. "I'll go old natural until then. Don't worry, it doesn't mean I don't trust you."

"Heh heh heh heh!" laughed Malladus. "You have nothing to fear. Your Fulbright friend may be a Logia, but the Unos will always have ME in their bloodline. Like Arceus exists in the Avatar, or Kyogre inside of Eva, Malladus is immortal. And to destroy these pitiful mortals who dare declare themselves your rulers… helping you is my pleasure."

"I guess no matter what we become… we're still family." (Play "Dark Hyrule Castle" from Zelda: Minish Cap.)

Stage 26: God's Domain

Mission: Defeat the World Leaders.

Nigel approached the first pearl gateway across a road between hedge-made statues of animals, and using his L.U.N.C.H.B.O.C.K.S., he hacked into the gate's terminal and decrypted the code 'Hallelujah'. The gates slid open with an eerie, echoing creak as Nigel entered the first mansion. Ancient statues, vases and fancy interior designs decorated these marble halls, kept alit only by the windows allowing the endless sun inside. The Secret Police, government agents in tuxedos and sunglasses, wielding guns, stepped out around a corridor and tried blasting the intruder, but Nigel swiftly dodge-rolled to the side, whipped out a S.P.I.C.E.R., and blasted the henchmen down. Nigel proceeded and turned a right hall to what was clearly a cathedral, a statue of Jesus standing between stain-glass windows upon the altar.

His hands were held out, palms faced up, so Nigel shot his G.R.A.P.P.L.U.H. at Jesus's right hand to haul himself on top. Curious, he threw a piece of candy onto the left palm, the stone fingers immediately snapping shut and would've splattered Nigel had he chosen to grapple to it. From there, Nigel grappled a nearby balcony and swung a row of gold chandeliers to another balcony with a door. He exited and found himself over a gorgeous courtyard where Secret Police roamed. Nigel dropped down and whipped out his G.U.M.Z.O.O.K.A. to begin blasting them, the henchmen countering with guns and spiked Crosses they threw like kunai. One of the Crosses flung his G.U.M.Z.O.O.K.A. away, but Nigel ran forward, lit his feet with flames, and kicked them across the head. Seven agents ran at him from all sides, but Nigel breakdanced and kicked them all down, then punched a Flame Fist at a man ready to stab with his Cross.

Nigel crossed a small bridge over a gentle river to a scaled replica of Notre Dame. A proud statue of Claude Frollo stood before it, the ancient plaque read CLAUDE FROLLO: Misunderstood by Millions. Nigel entered the gates to Notre Dame and encountered the archdeacon. He raised two Holy Crosses and lit the statues' glaring eyes with light, firing lasers at Nigel that made him take cover behind a stone pillar. These lasers were made of light, not fire, so Nigel couldn't grab them. He smirked and pulled out one of his favorite weapons: a small white envelope that he threw like a boomerang and hit the Crosses out of the deacon's hands. He jumped out and blasted the S.C.A.M.P.P. and S.P.I.C.E.R. together, knocking the man on his back. Nigel grabbed a key from his pocket and opened a door along the left wall.

He made his way up wooden stairs and was ambushed by living stone gargoyles. His flames made no dent in their lifeless flesh, but their horns were painful as they were jabbing him, so Nigel leapt and grabbed a higher scaffold before blasting the S.C.A.M.P.P. and breaking their heads off. They still flew up to hit him, but Nigel dodged to the floor and destroyed each one with a respective number of shots. Nigel then climbed a rope up to the bell tower, using forceful punches and kicks to ring each bell until a bridge connected the walkway to a cliff with a new courtyard.

This yard was divided in grass squares between paved roads, a replica of Reims Cathedral across from Nigel. But the doors were sealed and would open when four statues were moved into the correct position. In different corners of the yard were a statue of Mary swaying her rippled robes, one of Mary bowing her head, a statue of Elizabeth, and one of the archangel Gabriel. Nigel never paid attention in history well, assuming this was reference to something, so he only pushed the statues next to ones that looked logical beside each other. From left to right in the empty spaces were Gabriel, bowing Mary, swaying Mary, and Elizabeth, and the gates opened.

The interior was smaller and had a similar puzzle, requiring three different paintings of Mary and her Child Enthroned to be hung in the correct order of date – like Nigel had any idea which went where. So he just hung them up in various orders 'til one worked, which was Cimabue's maestà, Giotto's, then Duccio, whoever the hell these people were. The middle, Giotto's portrait opened to reveal a passage, leading outside before a wide river with a statue of Noah on the other end. Nigel latched his G.R.A.P.P.L.U.H. to Noah's nose, pulled, and toppled the statue forward. His head smashed on Nigel's side, creating a bridge across the river. In this courtyard were many tall statues of wise old men and women, creepy in Nigel's view. From behind the statues came Angels of Justice, whom were clearly Nimbi adults that, for some crazy reason, sided with the World Government.

They wielded golden bows and arrows and launched all around trying to hit Nigel. He ducked behind a statue, but they simply flew around to lock their sights, so he blasted juice cartons from his B.A.J.O.O.K.A. and wetted their feathers, making them sink slightly. With that, Nigel blasted flames and set fire to the wings, running while any remaining ones rained arrows upon him. He made it to a new church with statues of no one Nigel saw as religious. On the left side, Lucas Stonebuddy and Henry Churchill, on the right, Felius Umbridge, Daphne Anderson, and Jennifer Bush. A mural of God was painted on the wall above the altar, along with Jesus in the center of His robe, arms open, and a great statue of The King before him, his glory emphasized by the Lord. Above The King sat a golden pyramid, upside-down with an eye that seemed to peer into Nigel's soul, the more he stared.

All these statues were unsettling, he knew they were watching him, they definitely knew he was here. But Nigel was too great to go unnoticed for long, that's why he failed every spy mission. Everyone had it out for him, the greatest operative that ever lived, everyone, these World Leaders, feared him. So Nigel had the advantage, he wouldn't stop now. He approached the doorway behind the statue and hacked the terminal with his L.U.N.C.H.B.O.C.K.S.. He inputted the code 'New Savior' before the door opened. A single marble road led directly to the center of Mariejoa, the grand castle where His Highness slept. Nigel walked forward fearlessly, absorbed in its glory the closer he got, he could just imagine Numbuh 3 squealing over how pretty it was. Those stairs were so steep, he could just imagine Numbuh 2 sweating, slumping as he tried to climb up without railing. He could see Numbuh 5 thinkin' of living in such a home, maybe put in some pool tables, ice cream and soda bar, the stuff. He could see Numbuh 4 exhausted from coming this far, whining for some food, not admiring the beauty of it all. Well, Nigel would tell them about it… when he returned. (End song.)

"Nigel Old Bean," Malladus echoed inside him, "thinking about your friends now? You should have brought them along if you were gonna get melancholy."

"This isn't really their battle. Besides… I don't want them to get hurt."

"I never pegged you as the one to… doubt their strength."

"This is on a whole different level of strength. Even if they could… someone needs to…"

Malladus was quiet. He could sense it in his mind… his great-grandson's doubt. Intuition of what the future holds for him. "Don't forget who we are, Boy."

Nigel walked up the steep stone steps. The castle's gate drew closer… the gates to God's home. He would not have to walk far. Because they were already here.

The lively sunny sky that watched over this realm was blocked by gray clouds, a cold wind touching Nigel's skin. A presence that would almost make his hair grow back, and stand on end. "You, being, who has brought the unthinkable into a realm as bright as ours." Nigel glanced to his left: the shadow of a statue turned liquid gray as a pale, ghostly white woman emerged from it. "The people of my land have fallen endlessly, to the power you bear." He looked right as a stream of papers blew with the wind, swirling and bunching into one spot, before a handsome, brown-haired man in a blue patterned shirt appeared. "Power which, for generations, has been slowly destroying our world." Before him, an elderly woman in a purple gown and closed eyes stepped down in high heels, and behind him, a disheveled man in a dark cloak. "But now, at long last… will save it." And at the very top of the stairs, the mighty king in the silver armor, gold crown, purple cape, and pan over his head.

"AH HAHAHAHAHAHA!" But one more person popped up from under the stairs, scaring Lucas Stonebuddy, the pink-dressed girl with shiny brown hair. "You tell him, King, tell 'im to butt OUT!" cheered Jennifer Bush.

"You look awfully familiar." Nigel said to His Highness. "Yes, I remember… you're the Sir Knightly person my son told me about. I never would have guessed a man like you would be The King."

"But did you need to guess. …"

"No… they're always choosing harebrained lunatics to run things."

"In more ways than you understand… you are right. It took me a time to understand, the only way to counter senseless, was to become senseless. So that one day, my true touch, would remake this world anew. A kind of world, where you, of all people, used to dream about. …What's become of you… Mr. Uno?"

"I just had other priorities!" Nigel thrusted his hands upward and shot flames at the old woman, Felius Umbridge.

"UAAAAAH!" She hurriedly shook them off her gown. "What FARCICAL behavior! I won't tolerate this! TUT-TUAAAAAT!" And she stormed up the stairs, walked past The King, and entered the castle.

"You always were a stickler for breaking the rules." said His Highness. "It can only be fate that led you this far. But fate has other plans now. Your duty is done."

"Nnmpf!" Nigel suddenly felt something grab him. He looked down, seeing a gray shadow around his feet, stretching to the left and coming from Daphne Anderson.

She whirled her dry, cold hands and created a pitch-black rose with a white stem. "People like you, always trying to bother us. I wish you'd just give up… go cry in a corner." She was ready to pluck the first petal.

"Hm hm hm hm…" A witty smirk appeared on Nigel's face. "You seem to think I'm as weak as cocky Numbuh 86. But you're forgetting something. I'm not 86. I am… Numbuh One." His eyes shot open and burned a fiery yellow, as his entire body shrouded in a black silhouette with red outlines. "HRAAAAAAAAHHHH!" The mountain began to shake. Immense, immeasurable power was building up inside of him. "RAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Nigel started to swell and grow. His hands and feet transformed into claws, wings grew on his back, and his rising, flaming mouth formed sharp fangs as his eyes burned with rage. He was a dragon.

Daphne could no longer maintain her Shadow Possession, the dragon's humongous form too strong to hold. The dragon faced her and blew a ferocious breath, Daphne releasing her shadow and sliding away as the flames scorched her platform. Nigel turned right at Henry Churchill and whooshed his bladed wing, slicing the charming man in two. "Oh my, a papercut." Henry said as he dispersed into paper.

Nigel glanced behind, seeing Lucas and Jennifer at the stairs' bottom, raising his long tail to smash down. "EEEEEEEK!" Jennifer skittered away as the tail smashed Lucas, his body shattering like stone. Nigel turned fully around to observe the rubble with interest, until Jennifer ran back up to him. "WHAT are you trying to DO, KILL MEEEE?!? Well I'll teach YOU a lesson, you JERK!" She threw her arms in the air and cried, "HOLY SUN, SHINE ON ALL-" But just when a bright, bulbous sphere began to appear above her, Nigel snapped the younger Leader in his teeth and furiously swung her around like a dog's chew toy. He didn't stop, just swung her around with all his fury. Once finished, he sent her flying to a distant building, where her bloody body crashed and plopped on the ground. She lay dead and awestruck.

Smoke escaped his snarling teeth as his great lizard head turned around. The King was floating just inches from his dragon face, right hand positioned to flick. The force of his fingers sent the dragon flying all the way across the town. Nigel landed, scraped the ground, destroying many buildings. He became firm again and faced His Highness with royal malice as the silver man hovered in the sky.

Dr. Strange's lab

Hugo Strange quietly observed a series of monitors, based on his newest amount of data. "Miss Umbridge… you will not be aiding your colleagues?"

"Alas, I needed a reminder on why I despise such cretins. A man morphing into a dragon. Demons… tut!"

"Yes, it is a pity… I do root for your team in this battle. If we are able to execute the Inferius, Mr. Uno will make a perfect specimen. Actually… a demon's soul is what we need. The Shadow Chi I have extracted from Daphne's sister here has had an astounding effect on the corpses. I see why a healthy portion of chi is needed to make the spell work."

"Your manner of treating deceased vessels is intriguing to me, Dr. Strange. Where, asks Felius Umbridge, did you study such practices?"

"I discovered some ancient books written by one Alfred Drevis, whom researched ways of manipulating dead by magical means, even though he was a Muggle scientist. Terrific tomes… I believe his daughter, Aya is a renowned surgeon in Germany. Family members truly are connected, aren't they Miss Umbridge?"

"Yes… even if Daphne's niece is aligned with those White Lotus… her sister is here. Willingly aiding us for the fate of the world. I would pity her if she were not among their kind."

"You do not have to feel sorry for anyone, Milady. Ohhh, Isabelle… does she even know… she's alive?"

The lovely woman named Isabelle lay on the dental chair with a mesmerized smile, half-open emerald eyes. "Across… the distant clouds… dusk and sadness falls… Like withered autumn leaves…"

Outside

The King remained afloat, calm and cool, while Nigel gazed. The dragon looked left when Henry Churchill reformed out of his swarm of papers. "A writer's guide to creating compelling characters, never make things too easy."

"A Logia, huh?" Nigel snarled. "Are the rest of you?"

Daphne Anderson appeared atop a building from a liquidy gray shadow. "Why wouldn't we be. Someone has to. The world of worms will always need humans to protect it. Or crush it. When willpower and freedom means little."

"HEEEEEY!" Nigel whipped around again. Jennifer Bush stood on a distant roof, red with fury. "YOU JERRRRK! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU KILLED ME!"

"I can't believe you're still whining about it. Or that they let little girls run the world." Nigel said.

"Oh, Miss Bush is one of our, eh, 'special needs kids' as it were." Henry said cunningly. "Tragic story, but convenient for us. Her family was a group of devoted Catholics who died in a fire when she was five. In the Spirit World, the Goddess Palutena gave her lightbending, and Jennifer mastered her power to fine extent. Obeying an ancient order written by the gods, she challenged Palutena, both for her God Chi and another chance at life. How humiliating did Palutena lose… now Jennifer inhabits a young adult Gigai and possesses Palutena's Holy Sun inside her. That was 2,000 years ago. You can kill her as many times as you like, but the Holy Sun will always shine on her."

"My power comes from ABOOOOVE!" sang Jennifer. "God has chosen me, deemed worthy to spread the Good Word! I am His daughter, the new Christ, and I will live as the woman without sin!"

"A pure soul is always a wonderful thing." The King said. "One only a child could have. So tell me… why did you come here?"

"You know damn well." snarled Nigel. "My wife and I… had another son, didn't we? We don't remember him… and my oldest son, Chris mentions his fight with 'Knightly' being foggy. It couldn't be more obvious. Your damn memory powers played a factor. So tell me… WHERE IS HE?!"

The King was silent. "…Memories are precious, aren't they. I treasure them very dearly. I try my best to preserve them."

"Do ya now? Well, why don't you… get some of your own!!" Nigel flapped his wings and soared at The King, spinning to whip him away with his tail before landing back on the ground. Henry, Daphne, and Jennifer surrounded him like a triangle, so Nigel spun in place and unleashed a breath of fire around him, surrounding himself in a ring as the Leaders backed away. The King flew inside and sent the dragon flying back with a powerful punch, then Nigel jumped aside when he came for him again. Nigel built up flames in his mouth and spat huge, swift fireballs that exploded many yards around them upon crashing, blasting a storm at The King and destroying several buildings as he dodged. Nigel had The King surrounded in a flaming circle, taking him by surprise as the dragon shot in and pinned him under his claws, glaring directly at his face as he charged another furious fire.

"AAAAARRR!" A huge building that looked like a gray White House made of stone came down and smashed the dragon from behind, allowing The King to fly out.

Safely inside their castle, Lucas Stonebuddy overviewed a tiny, board game replica of Mariejoa, having placed the Gray House over where Nigel was. "To achieve victory means to thoroughly develop your strategy, down to the last inch of movement. …Mmmmm a few more inches wouldn't hurt." he said as he slid the Gray House back and forth.

Nigel screeched with pain as the building scraped repeatedly against his wings, but finally built enough strength to thrust it off. He looked curious as a swarm of papers started to flutter around and above him, forming into Henry Churchill. "I say, I have always wanted a dragon. I would much enjoy the feel of those scales." The dragon thrusted upward and broke the man into papers as he only reformed in midair before his face. "Chapter 4 of getting rid of a monster that doesn't belong: erase."

Nigel tried to shake free when his papers began to stick on and encase him, forcibly pulled to the ground. Daphne's shadow then stretched over and took hold of the beast, the ghostly woman pulling out her black rose. "Remember those days when you pined for your crush, never knowing her path? Allow me to reinstate those memories." So very lightly, she plucked the first petal from the rose.

An image flashed in Nigel's mind of his first date with Lizzie. Whatever this was, it didn't seem good at all, so he set his body afire and burned the papers before blasting a flame at Daphne, forcing her to break off. Jennifer appeared and raised her shiny flawless arms, creating a holy sun that made the dragon shut his eyes. "Holy Sun, shine upon the sinner, deliver thy justice." In a flash, Nigel was blind, no matter how hard he shut his eyes, the blinding white claimed his vision. "HAAA!!" The spike of Jennifer's heel jabbed him from beneath the chin, followed by an onslaught of kicks surprisingly strong against the dragon. Anger and annoyance growing, Nigel raised his head and smashed it down on the woman, then one more time, until she was dead and the light was gone. "Ooooooooohhhhh…" A radiant light shone on her from the heavens, and she was alive.

Nigel viewed around as streams of gray shadows flowed out from around buildings. He flapped his wings and flew to the sky as the shadows emerged from the earth and chased him. He turned his head and unleashed flames to burn them away, but they rose like beanstalks in front of him as Daphne appeared in one. "My Gray Shades connect to your deepest emotions… and allow me to pluck them. One… by one…" She held her black rose and looked so eager to pluck the rest of the petals. "You will take the grief so quickly, your heart stops. Death is a beautiful art."

"But you're a bad artist." Nigel snarled, unleashing another stream of flames that barely wounded the beanstalks even as they lit the sky. Nigel flew away again when two towering gray walls closed in from either side, shaking the earth when they collided but Nigel escaped, and kept flying when more pairs of walls tried to smash him. At the very end, a great statue of Lucas Stonebuddy rose, Nigel dodging just before its cold hands clapped. A whirlwind of papers blew around and around, chasing Nigel like a swarm of bees, or at least hummingbirds when the papers took that form. They were in perfect synchronization as they chased, no matter how much Nigel hit them with flames, more papers came.

Just when he thought he lost them, two stone rings, divided in four parts each, captured him, the dragon barely able to stay airborne. He watched as Henry Churchill materialized in midair out of papers. "Have you gotten to observe our talents, yet?" he asked softly. "Mister Stonebuddy does not come out much, but he is an excellent stonebender in his own right."

"You mean earthbender?"

"He prefers to call it stonebending to distinguish himself, he doesn't want to sound great. Humble fellow, like me. I am a paperbender, Logia, but I'm hardly talented. I just need enough to make everything right."

"You guys need to live more. I don't mind being a little hotheaded, 'cause I can do stuff like this." Nigel closed his eyes and inhaled a great amount of air through his nostrils. A light shone on his forehead, building with energy, and the world flashed when it was let loose, a slim, straight line of combusted heat, the light gleaming in Henry's beautiful eyes before the explosion found him.

Nigel plummeted to the ground, close enough to the explosion to be scorched, but also destroy the rings binding him. Let's see… Nigel thought to himself. I'm fighting a hiding earthbender… Logia paper… immortal lightbender… emo shadowbender… don't know where that old lady went… and King… I came here to begin with to find out how he's doing it all. He's strong, but what's his game. What is ALL of this for in the end? Hrrrm…

Nigel Uno quaked across the burning rubble on his massive dragon claws. His Highness hovered meters above, only his cape blowing in the air. Nigel flashed and was immediately standing on a roof, in his smaller, less-imposing human adult form. Jennifer was still uninjured within some burning rubble. Henry's blackened papers were recomposing, Daphne rose from some melted gray shadow. Nigel stared only at The King, and sensed his stare returned through that helmet. "Don't you ever get hot under that thing? I want to see my enemy's face."

The King was unfazed. "I don't need to see yours. I see much more… I see the truth… our very existence is only a game… to self-believed gods above us."

"That's a very deep way of thinking." Nigel spoke smugly.

"Tell me… you know of the Dimensional Fusion, do you not?"

Nigel raised a brow. "Theee… force that combined our world with a bunch of other worlds?"

"Yes, an accursed cataclysm that merged other universes with ours, bringing forth the 'gods' in our universe, bringing forth bending," there was disgust in his voice, "and most notably, bringing forth the Apocalypse. The so-called 'gods' from before our creation thought it would be FUNNY to squeeze a bunch of people in one place, see how they would interact, become friends, and FIGHT each other. But because of so many universes squeezing together, the energy became horribly unstable, so unstable that these universes were bound to implode in upon themselves! And WHO are the ones to suffer, not the gods who caused this, but us! Their simple little test subjects. Our ancestors foresaw such a cataclysm… and moved to this planet, 4,000 years ago, to find the solution. To this day, we hold the piece that told us everything. The Octogan." The King turned away, lifted the front of his helmet, and Nigel heard a gooey squishing sound as it seemed he was pulling his right eye out.

He lowered his helmet back and held the Magic 8-Ball above. It flashed its array of colors as it seemed the '8' was staring at Nigel like an eye. He felt incomparable power spinning in its sphere. "Octagon?"

"Octogan, with the 'o' and 'a' switched, dunno. It is an ancient, and powerful gem of the spirits, that allows us to view the very timestream, and beyond. We don't know where its origins lie, but its power is unparalleled by all throughout the universe. And with its power… we have seen EVERYthing…"

Nigel's brow quirked higher. He wasn't liking the look of this, not one bit. "This Octogan has powers you could never have imagined. Powers to let us view into the DEEPEST secrets of the universe, ALL universes beyond it, and the SPIRIT WORLD above! It's a relic that challenges the Chronicler's knowledge, and can alter the very mind itself! This power is what will help us SAVE the universe… will help us deliver peace to all beings of this planet!"

"What are you planning to do?"

"Since the day we've acquired this relic, we have been steadily gathering the luscious energy of the Spirit World… because with this energy, we plan to grant the world everlasting peace. There is nothing that can stop the Apocalypse… so all beings will inevitably die. But this relic… will send everyone to the world that is supposed to be! We will seal their spirits in an everlasting paradise, one that is absolutely FREE of this Dimensional Fusion, and anything that gives evidence to it! We will create a Spirit World of OUR design, so that while our bodies die, our souls will be safe inside the Octogan. And WE, the sole rulers of this world, will organize everything, keep everyone into place, and see that they live their makeshift existence in peace. For that has been our duty since our ancestors came here. Since this WORLD became ours! For we… are the one, true, GOD."

"Hm hm hm…" Nigel looked smug. "One true God… no wonder I never took part in this religious stuff. You six are God? I never felt more proud to be a demon. You people… are INSULTS to mortals!"

"And you… Numbuh One. Were you really not loyal to your virtues?"

"I was more loyal to the Kids Next Door than anyone I knew. That's why I know… they don't want a smelly adult like me working with them. Our children are the future. I know they will surpass us. But as their father, I won't be ashamed in helping them. I… will defeat you, King."

"Nigel? The Demon Prince? Galaxia's hero? Do you, the planet's 'best' operative… really believe you can defeat God?"

Nigel closed his eyes. "I think I said I'm not a fan of your religion." And his body was encased in blackish-red shadow. Incredible energy burned, his body was growing, even larger than his dragon form, for he was no dragon: horns on his head, shaggy hair and beard, tremendous abs, and a devil's tail. Roughly 50 feet tall… he was the Demon King that lived inside him. He was Malladus.

"Brilliant, Boy… you tamed my God Form all those years ago… and after 2 decades, I can finally stretch my bones again."

"Only when I say, Great-Grandfather." Nigel spoke with Malladus's mouth, for he was still the one in control. "And I say… we feed on the souls that dare call us their creations. I will show them… to their maker."

The King was unfazed, as were his allies. "This is what you are then… Uno." He squished the Octogan back into his eye socket. "Then let me show you… God's power." (Play "Hail to the King" by Avenged Sevenfold.)

Boss fight: The King

He channeled the energy inside him, and the mountain began to shake. The clouds above turned blood-red, dust flowed into the air. A fiery orange aura surrounded The King, growing steadily. He balled his hands together, charged, and unleashed a powerful sphere at Uno, who dodged before King started flying all directions around him, punching and kicking, but Malladus defended until the last kick sent him sliding across the ground, his feet toppling several mansions. Uno inhaled through his nose and blasted a red combustion beam, swallowing a huge region in an expanding bubble. The bubble shrunk immediately into The King's palms, and Uno ran.

The King flew into the sky and unleashed a fearsome beam from his palms, a beam that rivaled the gods during their most bloodthirsty, chasing the towering demon with it, and never did Malladus or Nigel look so desperate to escape something. They caught their breath when the beam died away, but King shot down, punched repeatedly across the face, and sent the demon sliding against his back. Uno jumped high into the heavens, a blinding lightning flash in the red clouds before the Devil came down with a ferocious shockwave, swallowing Mariejoa in walls of the Fires of Hell. Seeing him floating before him like a silver fly, Uno bashed The King to the scorching ground.

The heat was unbearable, the ground was as hot as the floor of Hell, The King was sweating under his armor. Malladus's mighty fist came like a meteor and squished The King in a crater. But His Majesty wasn't finished, his armor barely scratched as he soared into the air again. Uno swirled a bundle of hellfire around his arms and blasted them at The King, who flew around like a superhero with his cape blowing behind. He took to the sky, like a bird like a plane, flew directly at Malladus's stomach and pierced straight through with his spiked crown, blood gushing out the back hole. Uno spun and created a tornado of hellfire, sucking every ounce of oxygen into a realm which would leave it dry, and if King couldn't fight it, he would drown in this hell. No, he would not, for he was the one savior of this world, and he would burn the flames.

He soared into the vortex's core, his sweat having nowhere to evaporate under that armor. He swallowed himself in all the energy the Octogan gave him, countered the Fires of Hell, absorbed them. Nigel and Malladus gaped when their cyclone became part of King's great protective sphere, shining in the sky as a greater sun than Jennifer's. It felt as though Mariejoa would melt as it fell to the top like a meteor, and Uno was frantic where to go. He ran to the nearest edge and jumped off, gripping the side with his fingernails and scraping down. The world turned white when the sun collided, and the top of Mariejoa burned.

When the light was gone, Uno climbed back up. God's Domain was destroyed. All of the beautiful marble buildings, pure rivers, lush greens, statues of God, the holy castle, gone. And, Nigel thought despicably as The King hovered by his lonesome, the five World Leaders. How pitiful he would destroy his own team, his own domain, just to hopelessly defeat the Demon King. No…oh?

The World Leaders were safe, protected inside fiery-orange barriers made by His Truly. Henry, Daphne, Lucas, Felius, Jennifer, unscathed. Uno wouldn't be phased, rushing forth to continue his clash. The massive fists flew swiftly, but King was lightning-fast, going beneath Malladus and rocketing up between the legs, sending the demon skyward. Zip-zap-zoom, from every direction he flashed and slashed, leaving gaping cuts in Malladus where blood flew. Then he slammed Uno into the rugged ground of the new mountaintop, followed by a series of constant Ground Pounds.

Furious, Malladus jumped up and clutched the doll-size King in his fist. He kneeled and bash bash bashed the armored man against the earth, leapt over the side, and scraped his silver against the side as they went down. Malladus clutched the mountain and leapt back up, grinding and twisting his limbs. Malladus stuck him in his sharp teeth and failed to munch through the armor, so he threw him against the ground and smashed. Seeing him lying there like a life-size action figure handled roughly by mean boys, Uno would land the final blow: a fire of unrivaled heat built in Uno's forehead, and its combustion would obliterate King's mortal body, so his soul had nowhere to go but the fiery pit.

The Five Leaders blocked the combustion completely with their power, protecting their ruler with determined faces. The King groggily stood, astonished by their loyalty. "My… subjects."

"You're why I haven't killed myself, yet." Daphne said.

"You're a marvelous fellow, I'd say." Henry smiled.

"Our ruler until the end!" declared Felius.

"Hahahahaha, he won't stand a chance if we take 'im together!" laughed Jennifer.

"Yes, so please let us be quick." spoke Lucas.

". . . . . My Leaders. You are truly loyal… to our cause. Our world… only has one path. Yes… you know that." Then, The King stood up straight. "It is time he knows his maker." They all locked hands and hovered into the heavens.

Nigel stared agape. He had never seen greater teamwork since his team. The Leaders were truly one when they worked together. Their way was righteous. With his earthbending, Lucas summoned a great golden Cross from Mariejoa, kept it firm. Felius uttered an assortment of words, inscribing them on the gold. Jennifer stood at the top, the clouds breaking away as the holy sun shone. Henry grew into a paper colossus of a gigantic Bible, meters bigger than Malladus as its pages opened for all to view its holy contents. Daphne stretched the Cross's shadow and binded the demon. And The King lay in the center where the Cross meets. "SPAWN OF DEMONS: IN THE NAME OF THINE RULER: WE CRUCIFY THEE."

Six points pierced across Malladus's center, creating a circle. Uno cried to the heavens, his power fading. The King of Demons began to shrink. In the end, he was nothing… a devil before God. A stray from the righteous path.

He was Nigel Uno again… frail old Nigel. A washed-out has-been. He wanted to stand… more than anything did he want to win this battle. But a gray shadow connected him to Daphne Anderson. One by one, the woman plucked the petals.

Nigel met Numbuh 5 in CND Training.

"Must…"

Numbuh 5 changed his scores so he could get in.

"stop…"

He lost his hair to the Delightful Children.

"them…"

He was Leader of Sector V.

"and…"

His father was Numbuh Zero.

"save…"

He was invited to the Galactic Kids Next Door.

"my…"

He saved the entire universe. He kissed Rachel, his true love. He defeated Malladus. They found the Eight Firstborn. He tamed Malladus's soul inside him.

"…son…" (End song.)

Daphne's ghostly fingers touched the last petal… and plucked.

Underworld

The Grim Reaper sat on his throne. Thinking quietly to himself after so many hard days. Then he felt it. The last grain of sand in the hourglass dropping. He touched his nonexistent heart. In all his eternity, he had never known grief for a mortal. No… that wasn't true.

Mariejoa

The pain was gone. It was so relaxing… to be removed from all your turmoil. In a single stroke. Nigel would be whisked along by the Grim Reaper, after all this time. …No… it can't end, yet. "No… I… have to…"

"It's over, Boy."

Nigel looked inside him. Malladus's soul was calm. "But that's alright… you've awakened the Uno blood inside you. With this body uninhabitable, I can move to your descendants. I will inform them of your—HUUUU!" He was struck stiff.

"M-Malladus, what-?!"

Malladus looked up, swallowed with fear. A foreign hand reached into the confines of Nigel's subconscious, clutching Malladus in its fingers. "NO! …He's… energybending… me!… Nigel… save!…"

Nigel tried to. He stretched his arm, his only priority right now to grab his great-grandfather's hand and keep Malladus bound to him. But it was too late. The demon's soul was pulled from the confines of Nigel's body. The dying man watched as he was slurped into the Magic 8-Ball. Nigel glared at the helmetless King. His brown hair a mess, his beard in its first phase. A deep blue eye stared down at Nigel, next to an empty socket. "Augh… you…" It was his last breath.

Ahhhh… I guess you were right… Fanny… I am just a… stoopid boy. Like to see what you could do, though. Ahh… Rachel… you finally happy now… I was wrong? No… none of us could have. Our kids… yes…

They were all in his mind. Those two beautiful children. Chris… Aurora, and… you. That third one with the red glasses. You, boy. No… Cheren. That's your name. You are our son. And you did something to make the Government scared of you. Keep at it, Sport. This old man… can't do it, anymore. You… finish my job. Destroy them. Stop the Apocalypse. Save our… universe. I'm… proud of you… Son…

The King bowed his head in respect. A soft wind blew across the mountaintop. Nigel Uno… Numbuh One… he would never forget. He put his helmet on and said, "Time to erase the wounds of our conflict." Raising the Octogan high, its godly power shone. In seconds, Mariejoa was back. The blue sky that reflected its rivers, posh white homes, the greenery, and all the people that retreated to lower levels were allowed to return. Hugo Strange's laboratory seemed as though no damage had befallen it. But Nigel…Nigel was no more. An operative legend saw his final days.