Premonition

Ulyshia Cathedral, Narrator A.

Shortly after Yuzan's defeat of Ololi, a small child was running for her life along the streets of Ulyshia City. This scared child was none other than Ololi herself, who had managed to transfer her consciousness into one final clone at the last second. Horribly injured from her battle, she limped forward, trying to reach the Grand Cathedral of Ulyshia. Her final hope lay in the sanctuary of the holy building.

The Ulyshia Cathedral was an imposing building, to say the least. Standing at over 531 feet tall, painted in black from foundation to roof, and with gargoyles and tall marble statues that stared down at whoever dared to try and enter with ill intention, it was a place that would send fear into the heart of any sinner, but not Ololi. Entering through the doors that would tower over a grown man, she stepped into the Cathedral, which had all the lights turned off after everyone had left, excluding the Bishop. Peculiarly, despite the sheer size of such a building, which was easily one of the largest churches in the entire world, the staff was minimal, with only the Bishop and a few nuns being staffed. Ololi was accompanied only by the sounds of her footsteps as she made her way to the back of the church to meet with the Bishop, a man named "Saint Peter." She knocked on the door to his room, the sounds echoing through the empty Cathedral. She heard a masculine voice say, "Come in," and she entered the Bishop's quarters.

Standing before her was the imposing figure of St. Peter, who was shirtless as he washed his priest's robes by hand, old-fashioned as he was, and his back turned to Ololi. He was a shockingly tall man, standing almost seven feet tall, his horns providing an extra eight inches beyond that. As a full-blooded Ulyshian, his skin was pitch-black, except for the red Christian crosses tattooed on his back and chest, both from his waist to his neck. Nobody knew why he had decided on a red cross tattoo, but it was more proof of his devotion to the Lord. St. Peter and Ololi were not alone in the room, as above them were rows and rows of female angels, each flying in the air with their wings, staring down at Ololi, ready to attack at a moment's notice. "State your business," said St. Peter, breaking the silence.

"This is bad news! Someone is meticulously hunting us down and picking us off one by one. I fear that none of us are capable of defeating this monster!" 

In contrast to the scared Ololi, St. Peter was calm as he continued washing his robes, his back still turned as a sign of his indifference to her. "Is that so? Then I suppose the great Yuzan has decided to make his move."

That name, Yuzan, sent shivers down her back. She, like most other Phoenixes, knew and feared the name Yuzan, a man who was known throughout the entire continent of Atlantia as a hero to some, villain to others, and a God to those who believed in Pan-Atlantism, the ideology of union between all demihumans that lived on the continent of Atlantia. "You can't seriously mean THAT Yuzan, right?"

St. Peter, who was now finished cleaning his robe, sat on the chair next to him, opened up his Bible, and addressed the scared Ololi, "The very same. I knew he would make his move sooner or later, so I made some deals with the Arman Empire to help me deal with him. We initiate our plan tomorrow."

The mere thought of facing Yuzan a second time sent shivers down her spine and chills through her soul, and she begged the man not to allow her to face the monster. Her begging left the Bishop in giggles. "Don't worry, Ololi; you won't have to face the scary Yuzan because you're out of the alliance."

Her demeanor went from scared to angered within seconds, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M OUT?!?! WE HAD A DEAL!!!! I WOULD DO YOUR DIRTY WORK, AND YOU PROMISED TO GIVE ME MY PARDON!!!" She screamed so loud that her voice echoed through the room. But then, there was an odd quiet in the room as Ololi waited for an answer from the now eerily still Bishop. Suddenly, he slammed his Bible shut and turned around slightly to give her a view of his glowing red left eye, filled with hatred and malice.

"Our deal is off, Ololi. I only wanted your brother for his skills; now he is dead. With him out of the equation, I have no further use for you. Now leave!" Instead of being intimidated by his stern voice, Ololi started stomping on the ground like a toddler.

"YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!! I'VE DONE EVERYTHING YOU ASKED OF ME, AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY ME?!?! THIS ISN'T RIGHT!!!" St. Peter remained relatively calm, unlike the temper tantrum she was throwing. He asked her a simple question in a calm and soft tone.

"Tell me, what day of the week is it? This is something even you should know." When Ololi answered his question with "Sunday," he slammed his fist on his chair, breaking one of the armrests, and yelled out in rage, "THEN WHAT IS FILTH LIKE YOU DOING IN THIS HOLY PLACE ON THE LORD'S DAY?!?!" Returning to his usual calm demeanor, he spoke again, more quietly, "It hasn't even been a few hours since our holy rituals have concluded, and you dare to taint this place with your sins and lust?! A filthy sinner like you has no place here unless it is to repent for your crimes against children, which you are not here for. Leave. NOW!"

Ololi stood her ground against him, the worst mistake she could have made: "I'm not leaving until my business is finished. I want back in so I can get my pardon."

St. Peter slumped back in his chair, his body entirely concealed by the back of his chair, "Your presence is unwelcome, and your business is unneeded. You've failed me once, so clearly, you will fail me again. Your mistakes not only prove your uselessness, but they also hamper my plans. With your brother gone, a Phoenix named Megadeth is certain to appear in this city to avenge the death of his old friend."

Ololi realized her words were going nowhere, so she tried her last trump card to turn the tides in her favor, "I know how his powers work. That information should be invaluable to y-." Her words were instantly cut short by his methodical voice, which forced her into silence. 

"Yuzan Hellfire's Phoenix ability is named 'Lusus Naturae,' or 'Freak of Nature.' Of the ten main types of Phoenix abilities, this one falls under category three, the Transformation Types. Lusus Naturae allows its user to alter their body down to the molecular level and transform it into whatever shape, form, or material they desire. The true strength of this ability comes from its versatility, as it is considered the purest form of Transformation Types. I already know everything there is to know about Yuzan, so your information is useless to me."

His words stumped her. She wondered how he knew so much about Yuzan's abilities when they'd been a mystery for decades. The only person who would know so much about his abilities would be Helena, who would only reveal that information to her most trusted allies. Now crying, Ololi thought out loud what she would do now that her one chance at a pardon was gone. Not realizing she was thinking out loud, she was met with St. Peter's answer, "I have no care for what happens to you. You can rot in jail for all I care."

"This isn't right!" She said.

Now thoroughly angered, St. Peter ordered Ololi to leave, who refused. "I won't ask again. LEAVE NOW!"

"YOU SICK BASTA-." Her tantrum was abruptly stopped when two giant, red crosses made of steel burst from the ground at opposite ends from her. In an instant, the red humps of steel came crashing into her from her front and back sides, crushing her to death and making her blood splatter all over the place. Realizing the mess he had made in his anger, St. Peter rose from his chair, clearly annoyed at the final inconvenience Ololi gave him.

"Even in death, you're still a massive pain in my ass. May you rot in hell, Ololi. And may the Lord show no mercy to you and all the other sinners who prey on the weak." Spitting on the spot where she once stood, he ordered his group of angels to clean up the mess, and they immediately removed every trace of her filth from the Lord's house. St. Peter then left the room, approached the phone kept in the church, and dialed the number to one of his more competent associates.

"Here's the plan. Tomorrow morning, I want you to set up the decoy I gave you, which mimics the aura of Helena. If everything goes according to plan, then Yuzan will be forced to chase this presence like a dog, where he will then be sucked into your pocket dimension and open to our attacks. But be wary because once someone enters your domain, there are bound to be others who will also take the bait and try to enter. Do not let them enter, and do not fail me." Hanging up the phone, he remembered one final setback that Ololi caused: Her and her brother's absence would no doubt mean that Helena would send in a trusted associate, whom St. Peter held a lifelong grudge against.

Fakerael, near the Maza Strip

It was the middle of the night, and yet, instead of the usual quiet and darkness of the early morning, the skies were lit up with the fire of bombs and rockets as the homes of thousands of innocents were torched and blown to rubble. Just outside the city limits, two small children ran for their lives, one a small girl and the other a boy. As they ran for their lives, they held on to each other's hands in a desperate hope to feel some safety in the horror they were facing. Just as the children felt some degree of hope from the possibility of escaping their nightmare, the girl was suddenly hit in the head with a bullet from the gun of an unknown enemy. The bullet killed the girl instantly, and her brother tried desperately to wake his sister from her eternal slumber. But his tears and wails would soon be interrupted by the sounds of boots as a group of soldiers surrounded him. Among these soldiers lay the face of a man known as Adin, a high-ranking military officer. He looked down at the crying child as he begged him to help his sister, not realizing that her condition was beyond any saving. In mock pity, he crouched down to meet with the kid face-to-face.

"Sorry, kid, but I'm afraid there's no helping your sister there. She's kind of...dead." With his last word, Adin pulled out his pistol and began firing multiple anti-Phoenix rounds into the corpse of the little girl. "See! There's no helping her."

Still crying, the boy cried out, "This isn't fair! Why my sister?"

With zero traces of empathy in his voice, Adin placed his hand on the kid's hair and said, "Awwww! Sorry, kid, but life's not fair." Suddenly, he pushed his finger forward and poked the kid on his stomach. Immediately, the boy began to scream out in pain as he bled out from every orifice, with deadly poisons coursing through his veins. As the kid slowly died an agonizing death, the soldiers around him laughed at his misery, watching the life slowly drain from his eyes. After his spasms stopped, Adin reloaded his pistol and shot the kid in the head, confirming the death. With the kid now dead, Adin pulled out a notebook and pen from his pocket, jotting down the effects of the combination of multiple different poisons and diseases he killed the kid with. Page after page was filled with the different combinations of afflictions and how they affected the body. Finishing his notes, he closed the notebook shut and smoked a cigarette.

"If I believed in God, I would fear repercussion from him. But I don't follow any of that nonsense." Adin then felt a vibration in his pocket; his phone was ringing. Looking at the caller ID, he was happy that his dear friend Helena was calling. He immediately picked up the call and greeted her. "Hello there, good friend! How may I assist you on this fine morning?"

"I want you in Ulyshia immediately; there have been possible sightings of Yuzan there." Hearing this, his eyes lit up at the possibility of meeting the infamous Dark Lord.

"Yuzan, you say? Now, that is an interesting proposition. I should be there within 12 hours. Thank you for the heads up." Hanging up the phone, he spoke to his men, "Well, it looks like you guys are getting an early vacation. I have business elsewhere. Make sure you hand my mother those flowers I ordered for her." After his soldiers left him to his own devices, Adin finished smoking his cigarette, stomping it on the ground. "The great Dark Lord, Yuzan. This will no doubt be the highlight of my week."

The Nation of Elfland. Vladimir Alexeev

Life has always been a bitch for demihumans. For as long as mankind can remember, there have been races of humans that are difficult to classify. First, it started with the Elves and the Kitsune, who faced regular discrimination and extermination attempts since their discovery over 3000 years ago. While the existence of Elves and Kitsune was undoubtedly a shocking revelation to humanity, the discovery of the continent of Atlantia would shake the world to its core. Around 1500 years ago, a group of Japanese merchants decided to venture further beyond the seas than was previously thought possible. During this voyage, they discovered a new continent: Atlantia, named after the ruins of Atlantis, which they found around the seas of the northern edge of the continent. But this was not the most shocking discovery they made.

On this continent, the sailors found innumerable races of Phoenix that could not be classified under the category of mankind. Vampires that thrived on human blood, Lamia with tails that could stretch the length of ten men, Arachne who weaved intricate and beautiful clothes for their fellow demihumans, Alraune who thrived off of the beautiful forests that they nurtured in return, Ulyshians who lived their entire lives in the darkness, living Skeletons that defied all logic by being able to speak, and the Elthirians, who were crossbreeds between Vampires and Elves. While all of the thousands of races they discovered on this continent were different in their way, one thing was sure: They were most certainly not humans.

Once news of this new continent spread around the world, the powers that be decided they wanted a piece of the bountiful resources of this land. And so, for the past millennia, the continent of Atlantia has been at constant war to protect its lands and people. Nowadays, the United Sisters of Arman, or the Empire of Arman, have been competing with the King of Humanity for control of the continent, presently standing at a stalemate.

I'm presenting such a drab and boring history lecture to give you an idea of what drives me: A world where all demihumans can be free and live on their continent without interference. But enough with the lecturing; let us move to the present.

Once a year, I visit Elfland to check up on my extended family, with whom I have a rather...tenuous relationship. My extended family was comprised mainly of Elves until my mother married a vampire and subsequently created an Elthirian baby, me. My father is an essential member of the royal family of Redmoa, the home of the Vampires, the current emperor under the rule of the King of Humanity. Despite my royal heritage, I've had no place in Elfland or Redmoa for as long as I can remember.

On my way to my mother's house, I was met with scorn and disgust as the crowds of Elves around me made their hatred for Elthirians visible. My only saving grace was that I was at least not a Dark Elf; they would have most certainly attempted to assault me if I were. One Elven child even attempted to throw a rock at me, which I dodged perfectly due to my years of practice in both nations. When I finally got to her house, I was met by my Uncle, who was blocking the front door. "Let me in," I said to him.

Standing his ground, not moving an inch, he said, "No, we're not letting you ruin this, Alexeev. Go bother someone else, but leave us out of it."

"What do you mean I can't enter? This is my dying mother we're talking about here! I demand to be let in!" But my words fell on deaf ears as I was personally told to leave by my grandfather, who threatened to call the cops on me for the crime of trying to visit my mother, who was dying of cancer.

I didn't say anything to them; I just ran into the woods and punched the biggest tree I could find right out of its roots. How could they do this to me? A son not allowed to visit his mother on her deathbed! I just stood there, furiously punching my fists into the ground until they started bleeding. But soon, I felt a presence that was undoubtedly a bad omen for me. Looking behind me, I was met with a Dark Elven woman wearing what appeared to be a military uniform (though it wasn't any uniform from any army that I recognized), with a Colonel cap on her head, a scar on her right cheek, and her right arm missing. The look she gave me was filled with rage like I had killed someone close to her. Sensing her intent to kill, I readied my right arm and activated my Phoenix ability, "Red Claw." Instantly, my arm glowed a deep crimson red, threatening her to back off. I then asked the woman what her business was.

"You interrupted my nap." She said as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"We're in the middle of the forest."

"I was sleeping underground before you woke me up. I usually wake up around noon but missed ten minutes of sleep because of you." Before I could even question the ridiculous woman before me, she raised the stump that used to be her right arm up in the air, and the Phoenix Mark on her right arm lighted up as the trees around us dismantled themselves and magnetically propelled themselves toward her right arm, creating a prosthetic for her.

She didn't attack immediately; she just stared me down as we sat at a standstill, waiting for the opportunity to strike. Time seemed to freeze as we stood there, neither of us moving an inch. We were both waiting for the other to slip up, to show a hint of weakness to pounce on, but neither of us was willing to look weak before anyone. For what felt like hours, I stood there, thinking up thousands of different methods of attack in the little time I was given, yet still focused on the enemy before me. Her prosthetic arm was created using surrounding trees, so she needs to rely on the environment around her for her ability to work. If my intuition was correct, then she must be some Energy Phoenix, a Phoenix that operates by controlling an element or energy. Perhaps her ability was limited to only controlling wood? Which would explain why she set up her base in the forest. But my thinking was cut short when the sound of a falling tree branch broke us out of our concentration, and we both lunged at each other, aiming for the kill.

However, before the two of us could strike, we were suddenly hit by a giant hand that pinned us to a nearby tree. Someone had interrupted our duel. When I looked down at the uninvited guest, I was shocked to see the face of Ella Eleanor, a lieutenant in the Arman Empire, dressed in her leather military uniform with her red armband visible on her left arm and a visor cap on her head. In her hand was a magic wand, the source of the hand holding us down. With a snap of her fingers, five other Armani soldiers appeared out of the trees, also dressed in leather uniforms and visor caps. She took a minute to admire the prize she caught before turning her head to the Dark Elf, "Well, well, well. Look what we have here! The Great Seraphina Nightshade, along with the bastard child of the Redmoan emperor. Your pretty little head might fetch me a promotion; I've been a second lieutenant for far too long."

I began to think of a means of escape from this situation, but the unthinkable happened. In the blink of an eye, I went from being held down by the arm of an Armani Lieutenant to being at the center of Ulyshia City. I thought I was hallucinating something, but it was all real and happening before my eyes. I went from being in Elfland to being in Ulyshia within a second. As I was looking around me to gauge what was going on, I saw the face of Yuzan Hellfire before me, who looked just as confused as I was.

Yuzan

I'm not a sociable person. Even when I was just a kid, I never really interacted with people outside of my birth mother and later my sister and Helena. Not that I ever could have made many friends during my young years in Ulyshia because every other kid saw me as a freak for being born with albinism. They hated me, and I hated them in return. As the years passed, I rarely interacted with anyone at the private schools I attended or the military academies I trained in after graduating high school. I've always been a ghost to others, someone who seemed there, yet as far away from them as possible. This is why it came as a shock to me when I woke up in Dorothea's apartment, both of us utterly naked after what was clearly a one-night stand. When I got out of bed and saw that I was not at my house, I rubbed my eyes to ensure that I wasn't dreaming, but it was all as real as could be.

Dorothea was sleeping peacefully in her bed, which was so wet from God knows how many different mystery liquids it looked like somebody had dropped it in a river. The rest of the room was also a complete mess: pictures had fallen off the walls, clothes were strewn all over the floor, her nightstand had fallen sideways, some of the windows were cracked (I don't even know how that was possible. Perhaps her moans were so loud that it cracked the glass?), and the bed frame had completely collapsed in on itself, leaving the mattress sitting on the ground, we must have gone at it like wild beasts, no, like absolute demons.

Looking back at Dorothea, I could see that she was far more beautiful than I gave her credit for: her skin was without any blemish or mark, her breasts moved up and down with her breathing, her long, blonde hair looked silky smooth and gorgeous, and her waist had taken on some fat, likely due to aging, but it was still breathtaking. As I stared at her, she moved in her sleep, causing the blanket covering her pelvis to fall onto the ground, giving me a perfect look at the rest of her body. It was then that I realized something. How do I say this? Her carpet appeared to match her drapes, but this was more like a forest. Not to suggest that I was staring at her or anything. I don't really have a sex drive to begin with; I can't even remember the last time I had sex or felt the urge to indulge in myself.

Going into her bathroom, I looked at myself in the mirror. While disguised, I appear as just some ordinary white guy with short hair and average features. It's quite a far cry from my ordinary appearance, with long hair, red eyes, black hair, and an imposing physique. My head was still ringing from the massive hangover I had, which seemed only to get worse. My only hope was to let this momentary lapse of judgment be a one-time thing and cut ties with this woman before anybody found out.

After showering and getting dressed, I saw Dorothea awake and sipping coffee on her kitchen table. She was not even wearing a bra, just a pair of panties. She offered me a cup of coffee, which I refused because I don't drink coffee. I just made myself a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast and sat at the same table as her, an awkward silence falling between us. But soon enough, she broke the silence.

"Last night was great. I hope you can visit again."

She said, in her usual carefree voice. To this woman, everything was a joke; I could see it in her eyes. She was nonchalant about everything and didn't take anything seriously; she was like my polar opposite. "I guess I could comment on it if I could remember anything," I told her, clearly not wanting to be part of this conversation. Hearing this, she seemed to be shocked and sympathetic toward me.

"That's just awful! Maybe we could try again sober so you can remember next time." She was beginning to get on my nerves. I didn't want anything to do with her, and she wanted to be some friend with benefits to me. I only had sex with her in the first place because I was blackout drunk, and now she wants to continue this relationship? What ticked me off even more was the fact that she brought her hand to her mouth and mimicked a blowjob motion while she spoke. Everything was about sex or getting drunk to this woman. I tried calmly and peacefully to exit this relationship.

"I would rather not. I didn't intend to have sex with you and would prefer to end things here."

She didn't listen. She just looked shocked, as if it was preposterous even to consider someone rejecting her. "It seems you've just had a bad morning, dear. I could brew you some tea to help with your hangover." I calmly rejected her offer, not wanting her pity or her help. I was stuck with this woman because I went to her workplace and because she knew Mallory. Shit! If Mallory ever found out about this, she'd lose it. I had to get out of this place fast. I didn't care what happened next, just so long as I got away from her.

"Listen, Dorothea. I'm sure you're a great person, but you're just not my type. I'm going to make my leave now. Thank you for the place to stay." But as soon as I got to the door, she said something that made me freeze.

"Not your type? That wasn't what you said last night. You were practically fawning over me like a little kid." I could hear little giggles in her voice as she said that. Little kid? LITTLE KID?!?! Did this woman honestly see me as that? Curious for more information, I walked back to her and asked her exactly what she meant by that.

"Oh, that? You were way too drunk even to move last night, so I did all the work for you. As soon as you gave consent, of course. All that broken furniture was because of me."

I couldn't believe what she was saying. I would never let someone do that to me, drunk or not. She must have been lying about me giving consent and just went ahead and did it. I was the Dark Lord, for fuck's sake. But this wasn't just a matter of ego; if one of my associates found out about this, I'd be a laughing stock, a joke. I'd never live it down, especially from SIN, that little shit. Knowing him, he probably watched us so he could tell everyone. This woman was a danger to my reputation.

I circled the table, thinking of something to do. She, meanwhile, just went on and on about our sex and how she did everything. I was getting increasingly mad at her, so I walked behind her and lifted my hand, a small blade erupting from the palm of my hand, hidden out of her view by my fingers. I seriously thought about killing her at that moment, but I realized that I would no doubt be the primary suspect, so I sheathed my blade and tried to cool my nerves again.

"You seem a little upset. Is something wrong?" She asked. Her question caused me to let out all of my rages in response.

"Yes, there is something wrong. I have a reputation to maintain, and being seen in public as some womanizer who has casual sex with people would tarnish that. I can't be seen with you; you're a liability on my character."

She didn't even respond. She just laughed at me. She laughed. At me.

"God, you're such a worrywart. There's nothing to be ashamed about. Your secret is safe with me. God, if I knew you were going to take this so personally, I would have just fucked our boss so I could get a free raise." At least that was a relief. "You're such a funny guy, Y-you know?" I scoffed at her response. 

"Whatever! I don't care what you think." I made my way back to her door, now thoroughly pissed. Before I left, I asked her one last thing, "And when was the last time you shaved your pubes? It's a fucking mess down there!"

Barely able to contain her laughter, she said, "I think it was the 70s. Quite an odd question to ask."

"Which 70s? The 1870s?"

"No, the 1670s, to be exact."

As soon as I was out of that place and greeted with the comfort of the Ulyshian cold, I could calm down slightly. However, I was still murderously mad. Because I wasn't looking where I was going, I accidentally bumped into a group of Ulyshian schoolgirls, their glowing red eyes looking at me scornfully. They yelled out curses at me in the native Ulyshian language, not realizing that I also spoke that language. I decided to let them go, not wanting to be in the presence of the young more than I had to. As I was walking to work, some wild twist of fate came together that changed everything from that point on. As I was walking, I suddenly heard the voice of an old associate.

I would recognize the voice of that man anywhere. It was the voice of none other than my adoptive brother, Saito Kenji, coming from right behind me, "Drop the act, Yuzan. I'd recognize that presence even with those concealments you put in place." Before I turned to face him, I morphed into my actual face, my now black hair growing down to my waist. I was at least lucky enough for Kenji not to see my face before I transformed.

"What do you want? I have no time for an idiot whose only worth comes from his family name." Looking back at Kenji, I could see him ready to strike any moment. Whether his attack would work would be up to his incompetence.

"You know exactly what I want, Yuzan. I'm here because of my sister!" He was pissed off, so I decided to stoke the flames of his wrath even more to bait an attack.

"And which sister would that be? Are you talking about Lily or that whore who can't keep a boyfriend for a few months?" Now, don't mistake my insult there for misogyny. Truth be told, I don't care about my other sister, one way or the other, to care about her relationships. I was merely trying to enrage him, nothing else. 

It seemed like my plan had worked; he was even more angry after I said my words. "How dare you speak of her that way!? You sick bastard!!!"

"And how dare you refer to Lily as 'my sister'? She was OUR sister, and I knew her better than you knew yourself. Don't act like you know what she would have wanted because I truly knew who she was." I honestly was mad at Kenji for saying that. I was a part of that family even before he was born. He barely even interacted with Lily when she was alive, and now he wants to claim that he's the upholder of her will? He was nothing more than a coward trying to make himself look cool for the cameras.

I had nothing else to say to that fool, so I lunged forward, my arms turned into blades. But, just before we could attack, we were stopped by an overwhelming presence, the presence of Helena. I didn't even question it; I just ran to where the presence was, which was somewhere in the High District. And as soon as I got to the source of the presence, there was nothing, just a photo on the ground. Looking at the photo, I could see that it was that of a mangled child, clearly dead, with the words "Caught you" written in black Sharpie. I couldn't even react before I heard the sounds of a camera clicking and everything going black as I was sucked into some void.

Narrator A.

In Ulyshia City, there are said to be six active serial killers, each more heinous and depraved than the last. But these were not any ordinary butcherers; these were intelligent killers whom St. Peter was paying to do his dirty work when asked. One of these killers was known as "The Shadow Stalker," infamous for targeting children and sending photos of his crimes to the authorities as part of some sick, and quite amusing, game. With his monstrous Phoenix Ability, he can trap his victims in a pocket dimension where he sets the rules of who is allowed in and who is allowed out. At least, he would have had it not been for the meddling of one mischievous man.

The Shadow Stalker teleported to his "Command Room" when he trapped Yuzan in his photo world. He intended to allow his allies to attack Yuzan in a realm where he couldn't run or get help. Everything was going to plan for him as he finalized the preparations for the attack on the Dark Lord Yuzan. But just as he was getting ready to call St. Peter to inform him of the successful capture, he was met with the voice of SIN, who was right behind him.

"You know, it's pretty interesting how your power works. Normally, a Phoenix such as yourself, who relies on creating pocket dimensions, would have to go through the hassle of having uninvited guests randomly appearing in your domain. But, it appears that there is something about your ability that is actively stopping others from interfering without permission."

Looking behind him, the Shadow Stalker, dressed in a suit and ski mask that concealed his face, confronted the mysterious intruder before him. SIN raised his hands as a show of formality and said he came in peace. The Shadow Stalker said nothing. He never said anything in his whole life. He stared at SIN as he spoke. Even as SIN explained the intricacies of his ability, which nobody else should have known, he remained silent. But suddenly, there was one thing that SIN said that finally got the man to react, gasping at what he said.

"You see, there is a little thing in your Phoenix Ability that specifies who can and who cannot enter this domain. Now, and hear me out here, I wonder what would happen if this tiny little aspect of your ability were to stop suddenly. This is just a theory for now, but I strongly suspect that without this ability, there would be more than a few strong Phoenixes in the surrounding area and nations that would be sucked into this dimension as well. And then we could have a little party and have fun." The Shadow Stalker immediately took action, pulling out a knife and lunging at SIN, who dodged his attacks effortlessly.

SIN was getting excited at the thought of more Phoenixes arriving, and he could barely contain it in his voice, "Now, now, there! Don't...be so shy! We're gonna have a big ol' party here, and it's gonna be a wonderful time for everyone involved. AND DON'T WORRY ABOUT BEING IN THE COOL KIDS CLUB, BECAUSE EVERYONE. IS INVITED!!!!" And with a snap of his fingers, the photo realm that the Shadow Stalker once had complete control over went haywire, and the aspect of his ability that decided who did or did not enter his domain began to select strong Phoenixes to enter against their will randomly. Not only was every other Commander under Yuzan forced into the photo realm, but dozens of other strong Phoenixes entered, with many others to come later. It is best to thoroughly describe the first groups of Phoenixes forced into the photo realm.

GROUP A

Michael Exolvun peacefully slept in his bed when SIN unleashed the seal on the photo realm. He was at a loss for words when he suddenly woke up at the expensive coffee shop he had been to yesterday. "OH COME THE FUCK ON! NOT THIS PLACE AGAIN!!" He said the moment he woke up. But he was not alone, as Mallory, the last person he'd ever want to see again, was right in front of him, equally as confused. They instinctively pointed at each other, saying, "YOU AGAIN?!?!" In complete unison. But they had decided against fighting each other, instead choosing to investigate their peculiar surroundings. To their shock, they realized that the fake Ulyshia City they were in was utterly devoid of life, save for the few strong presences they could feel all around them at different points of the city.

Group B

Group B comprised Raven, X, and Thanatos Reinkaos, who were summoned near Antonio Armando's former nightclub. X wasted no time as he swept into action, jumping to the nearby rooftops to get a better view of his strange surroundings. X knew that he was in Ulyshia City, which he knew so well and fondly, but something was off, and he didn't know why. With his superior eyesight, he could see that the boundaries of the pocket dimension stopped at the borders of Ulyshia City, just beyond the nearby forest. 

Raven was just as confused as everybody else was when they first arrived. "Where are we?" She asked. Thanatos could not give a specific answer other than "Some sort of pocket dimension." He tried to reassure Raven but realized they were in immediate danger with all the Phoenix energies he was sensing. One of Thanatos' abilities gave him a near-perfect radar of nearby Phoenixes. He told X the coordinates of the nearby Phoenixes he was sensing and then grabbed Raven to drag her to a safer location. 

Group C

Elizabeth Batory immediately sensed she was in the domain of an enemy Phoenix. She felt no fear but a strong sense of rage at the mere thought of somebody trying to entrap the great Queen of all Vampires. To make matters even worse, she was just about to drain her favorite prey of his energy once more when she was interrupted by the summoning. She knew then that she would make whoever placed her in the pocket dimension pay dearly. But she was not alone; the Armani General Villa was also with her. She could also sense she was in an enemy domain, but her true worries came when she realized she was missing something.

Realizing what was missing, Villa began hyperventilating, begging Elizabeth to help her, "WHERE'S MY BOYFRIEND??!!!?? HE'S NOT IN HIS CAGE ON MY NECK!!! YOU'VE GOT TO HELP ME FIND HIM!!!"

Group D

Group D was possibly the most unexpected group of visitors in the photo realm.

In the old era of Phoenixes, when the mighty Godslayer ruled, one Phoenix changed everything and ended his era: Ignis the Inferno. The two Phoenixes of Group D were old associates of his: Evelyn Desdemona, the Succubus Queen who was once rumored to have been an old lover to Ignis, and Atlas Ironheart, one of Ignis' four most trusted and powerful commanders and who was feared in his heyday as "The God of Destruction."

Instead of worrying about his precarious situation, Atlas looked at Evelyn and smiled. "EVELYN?! Is that you?!?! I haven't seen you in years! How are you doing, old friend?" He then lunged toward her and trapped her in a bear hug that almost accidentally broke her ribs. "I don't know who trapped us in this dimension, but at least I've managed to reunite with an old friend. When I find the kind person who brought us back together, I better thank them."

Group E

In contrast to the confused looks of the Lily 2.0 and Dracula, Necromancer was freaking out as a result of being removed from his workshop. "I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT!!!! WHEN I FIND WHOEVER BROUGHT ME HERE, I'M GONNA FUCKING KILL THEM." Falling to his knees, Necromancer pointed his arms toward the sky, "DO YOU HEAR ME, WHOEVER IS IN CHARGE OF THIS REALM? I WILL KILL YOU, AND THEN I'M GONNA BRING YOU BACK FROM THE DEAD SO I CAN KILL YOU AGAIN!!!"

Group F

As soon as Adin had reached Ulyshia, the first thing he did was make his way to the Low District so that he could purchase a hooker. His favorite thing to do was buy the services of unsuspecting prostitutes so that he could torture and kill them when he was done with them. But right as he was ready to welcome the woman into the hotel room he was staying in, he was teleported to the photo realm with a boner still in his pants. Before him were Tatiana and Saito Kenji, all three of them just as confused as the other. Sensing something was awry, Adin morphed into a mist to investigate his surroundings, leaving Tatiana and Kenji alone.

Tatiana was confused and almost losing her cool when she realized the young-looking Kenji was with her. She placed her hands on his shoulders and asked him, "When this is over, do you have any time to come over to my place?" 

Group G

Ella Eleanor and her five subordinates immediately took action upon entering the photo realm. Searching the nearby subway systems, alleyways, and rooftops to understand where they were. Ella spoke to her girls in her usual motherly voice, "Now, ladies, it appears we are stuck in some realm that is made to mimic the appearance of Ulyshia City. We will stay put until we can contact our supe...riors..." She stopped as soon as she felt that unmistakable presence. The presence of the infamous Yuzan Hellfire.

She burst into maniacal laughter upon sensing Yuzan. "WELL, LADIES! IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GETTING THAT PROMOTION AFTER ALL!! WE'VE GOT THE GREAT YUZAN IN THIS REALM WITH US!! HIS HEAD WILL BRING US FAME AND GLORY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME." Lifting her arm in a salute, she screamed to the heavens, "GLORY TO THE QUEEN OF HUMANITY!!!" As her subordinates joined her. "GLORY TO THE QUEEN OF HUMANITY!!!" They all said in unison once more.

Group H

Throughout Vampire society, certain Vampires are recognized as particularly notable, even if they do not hold any political office. So far, the only ones recognized thus far as "legendary" are Dracula, the great freedom fighter who has spent centuries fighting for Vampire freedom, and Elizabeth Batory, known for her cruelty, which scared off countless invaders trying to attack Redmoa. However, there have been rumors of a third, and in some circles even a fourth, legendary vampire. These rumors would prove accurate, as standing on top of the Ulyshia Cathedral was a nameless nobody who referred to himself as the "God of Vampires."

"It appears some cocky mongrel has decided to entrap ME in something as childish as a pocket dimension. I'll find whoever runs this place and gut them. Chimeras, ascend." Throughout the walls of Ulyshia Cathedral came an army of chimeras, each more grotesque and horrifying than the last. "Find me whoever runs this realm, and bring me their head." At his orders, the army of chimeras descended upon the fake Ulyshia City, ready to attack anything in their way.

Meanwhile, at the back entrance of the Ulyshia Cathedral lay Eddie, that annoying fuck. Eddie had zero care for the fact he was in a pocket dimension or any cautiousness for his safety. He instinctively searched around for nearby Phoenix auras when he came across the familiar presence of Thanatos Reinkaos. The moment he sensed Thanatos, Eddie rushed toward the Low District with nothing but violence on his mind.

Group I

Seraphina Nightshade was summoned to the forests of Ulyshia, along with Red Cobra and a mysterious creature that neither could identify. Red Cobra, as a representative of the King of Humanity, had no care for Seraphina, who was wanted only by the Armani Empire. He instead took his attention to the beast before them, which appeared to be scared by their presence. The beast's skin was pitch black, with traces of red throughout and two horns on its head. Abruptly, Red Cobra realized what beast the creature was: it was a member of the previously thought-extinct species of monster known as the Demon Boar. Fearing the worst, the beast charged toward Ulyshia City, running from the humans it feared and hid from instinctively. Red Cobra chased after the beast, as he had been told countless stories of the Demon Boars and their boundless furiousness and penchant for violence.

Now alone, Seraphina Nightshade sat under one of the trees to nap.

Group J

Group J was Yuzan Hellfire and Alexander Alexeev, but you already know they're involved.

Group K

St. Peter's plan was simple, so simple that he was confident that it could not be fucked up. But it was fucked up.

He was preparing for lunch when he was summoned into the photo realm. Knowing the Shadow Stalker's powers thoroughly, he immediately realized where he was. He immediately lost his temper upon realizing his simple plan was ruined. Smashing his fist against the wall of a small shack in the Low District, he left a hole so massive that the entire building came crumbling down. Summoning forth his angels, he ordered them to find any Phoenixes in the area not associated with him and kill them, especially prioritizing killing Yuzan. St. Peter was confident in the abilities of his angels, for they never failed him, and he knew they would succeed in bringing him his heads. Looking up, he was confused to see one of the angels floating in place, not moving and staring at something behind him. Looking behind him, St. Peter could see the face of Dwalin Smithbeard standing behind him. 

"Does that also include me?" Dwalin asked.

St. Peter looked at the tiny man before him and sighed, saying, "Just get out of here. You can go free."

Dwalin then screamed in delight and ran off to find an exit from the realm.

Final Group, Group Alpha

There was something peculiar about Villa's summoning to the photo realm. While Villa and her boyfriend would usually be considered as one by most other realms, due to Villa combining his soul with hers whenever he was in the bird cage, something about the photo realm caused it to see both Villa and her boyfriend as two separate beings. Villa had taken the bad news with fear and panic at the thought of being separated from her puppy, whose real name was Aeron Darkblade, but he had long forsaken his name for a life of luxury under Villa. Meanwhile, Aeron was confused to see himself out of Villa's grasp. She would never let him out of her sight. And more peculiarly, was that he was once again capable of speaking and thinking on his own and was wearing clothes again. Immediately, Aeron could tell he was in some pocket dimension and instinctively knew he was in a fake Ulyshia City. He knew the back alley he was in, like it was the back of his hand. He would always take this route to reach the Ulyshia Cathedral when he was a child. But he knew there was something off about this place, that he was in a fake, and he was enraged to see that somebody would dare try to copy his birth city.

"So, you think you can trap me in my birthplace?!? I'll feed you your own heart, bastard." Responding to his rage, Aeron's eyes lit up a dark shade of red. While Villa was utterly unaware of this, Aeron was a native Ulyshian, born with albinism that made him look like another race to someone who didn't know any better. A shadowy mass of darkness erupted from Aeron's body, rapidly engulfing the area around him. Aeron was determined to destroy this fake Ulyshia City, no matter the cost.