Put your trust in this

Thumym
The entire realm was seen as a barren wasteland with not even a small speck of green for miles, in this place of what seemed like stripped earth lived one of the known most dangerous species, the Mitus. Tommy and Shade were traveling through this wasteland trying to find the answers to their problem.

Night fell as the two had set up camp near one of the few empty caves using two spark rocks that generated fire out of thin air.

"Well this is peachy." Tommy said picking up one of the cooking meats they had secured from one of the local wildlife, he bit into it and started eating.

Shade picked up some meat and ate in silence. He felt like everything was gone. The wasteland could have used something to break the monotiny, but it fit his mood. Barren of emotion, and numb to thought. He felt vulnerable, powerless, ruined. On top of that, just sitting there put all of the cosmos in danger.

"You have no idea." he said, finishing his meal.

"What exactly does that mean Shade?" Tommy asked glaring at him, Okin then appeared after eating in space as he shrunk down to half his size and sat with his master.

"It's too calm. Calmness always preludes destruction. Peace is a myth designed to placate people. Soon the peace ends, the carnage comes forth. Doesn't it seem odd that we were never given a time frame to deal with whatever is coming?"

Tommy chuckled a bit as Okin was lying his head on his masters legs, "You might not believe me but you're actually staring at one of the Six who does keep the peace. It might be because you're not from this dimension but at most people often deal with their chaos on their own." Tommy said looking down at his emblem.

"Only when someone stops to see the true way of things can the answers be clear." Tommy then laid down and looked up at the stars. "In my life before I found out about all this I would have agreed with you, peace is only an illusion, but given the responsibility of the entire universe on my shoulder, I think it can happen."

"I held responsibility for an entire existence. I was only one of five who had the guts to try. An army was our foe, topped with living incarnations of the Seven Deadly Sins, and their boss. I hoped to lay my sword down forever after, but, as a Demon, I attracted alot of unsavory people. I had to fight again and again, just to protect someone I cared about. It's the same now as it was then. My blade will never part from me, nor will I from it. For me, peace will never come, just because I can never die." Shade said.

"When I was young, I was like you are now. I thought that I could turn a blind eye to things and that peace could come. But it doesn't. In all lives, there's something that forces us to hate, to kill, to do things unsavory to speak of. Tell me, so long as life goes on, how do you expect peace?"

"First off, don't assume you know who or what I am just because of Your histroy, second if a human like me could be chosen to lead five other members of different species to protect everyone then I do expect peace to be acomplished." Tommy said standing up and staring at the moon.

"I've seen chaos in my own life, I watched my world turn upside down beacause of this entire experiance, but it has also introduced me to people who went through the same thing. It is that kind of will that pushes me to show the universe that a monkey like me could bring peace to the it." Tommy said raising his hand towards the moon.

"Whatever you say kid. Maybe, one day, you'll see your dream come true. I hope so, because I'm sick of war and death." Shade replied. "I've lived a killer's life for years, I'm done."

Tommy chuckled as he laid down on one of the mats he set up for their beds, "Thanks and Shade, you might not believe me but I hope you find the peace you want even if you don't think you deserve it." He replied pulling his blanket over him as Okin laid next to him.

Shade laid down on his mat and smiled to himself. I wonder if there's hope for a monster like me... he thought, falling asleep shortly after.

Morning
The dreaded heat rose up making much of the area seem like Warkus, many of the Hydras had retreated to their caves making it easier for Tommy along with his friend Shade to walk across to the town on the map that they had recieved from Quinkra.

"Man, I wish Domi was here, he'd the only person who'd actually just wear shorts to enjoy this blazing heat." Tommy said wiping his head with a towel while his Instavine wrapped him up with gear for the condition around him. "Here you might wanna put this on, those clothes of your's might be fashionable but it won't mean jack if you're knocked out by the area." He said handing one to Shade.

Before he took the Instavine, Shade removed his jacket, not wanting it altered in any way. When he touched the object in question, it altered his clothing to match the area. "Honestly, I don't like being roasted alive, but I prefer it to freezing to death." he commented, slinging his jacket over his shoulder.

"Trust me, I don't think you could handle the types of frozen tundras some of the realms are known for." Tommy replied as he started climbing up the wall towards the top.

"To me, cold weather is ammuntion for my power. I can use an ice cube to spear your heart, if I was put in such a position. Lucky you, I'm not evil anymore. Or...you should hope so." Shade replied, slightly laughing.

Tommy shook his head kiddingly as he continued climbing up, after half an hour the two finally made their way to the top and saw the view of one big valley. "Man, it's strange that even though this is hostile territory, I can still admire the views of this place." Tommy said cracking his neck.

"Hey check it out." Tommy said pointing at two shadowy beings who were walking somewhere with what seemed like a wild animal.

"Who, or what, are they?" Shade asked, confused.

Tommy pressed some buttons on his watch then instantly took a picture of the species which resulted on a page with them. "There called Mitus, not exactly popular among the realms to the point where they almost never leave their homes. Aiside from their unique ability to take on any shape and make almost anything out of their bodies, they're mostly conartists." Tommy said putting the file away.

"It would seem that they live near here, which means we can talk to whoever's in charge about the power Quinkra asked us to find."

"Well, you know more than I do. Even worse, I suck at being diplomatic, for anything." Shade replied, unable to think of how do deal with such creatures.

"Take it easy, I haven't told you yet but everyone knows about my predecessors before my group was formed so we got some respect. We'll use violence as a last resort when dealing with them." Tommy said as he started to shadow the two Mitus following them towards their home.

After what seemed like hours, the two followed the Mitus to their village near what seemed like a giant cave with crystals twice the size of any Hydra. "Moprito, it's a material often used as energy sources not to mention it's worth about one trillion dollars earth-wise." Tommy said suprised that they would be living right next to a gold mine of energy.

"For one crystal? Damn, you could live like a king with just one of those. My old Demonic manager would love to get his toy fairy wand holding mits on something like this. Too bad I nearly killed him." Shade said with a sigh, remembering that week he spent at the beck and call of the Devil Himself.

"Come on we gotta stay on task, the elder from this village must know the location of what we're looking for." Tommy replied as he casually got out of the shadows and started walking towards the main front gate.

Shade followed closely, thinking of things long forgotten by a living man, or rather, he was the only one still alive to remember.

The two casually approched the gates not noticing that two Mitus guards had disguised themselves as common rocks, the two guards then shaped themselves to be Hydra's twice the size of normal ones. "Who dares to enter the Mitus Captial?!?!!? " They roared charging up an energy blast.

Out of nowhere Tommy roared which sounded alot like a lion as the two flinched and reverted back to their small normal form. Tommy took off his right glove and showed his Legendary Tattoo. The two instantly bowed.

"Please forgive us my lord." One said as the other opened the gate.

"Note to self, don't get on your bad side." Shade said, smiling. "Although that begs the question, how much political clout do you hold anyways?"

"Haha, to be perfectly honest nonewhatsofreakingever." Tommy laughing as he put his glove back on and started walking, "My predesseors originally brought peace between the two first tribes, many of the people saw them as gods." Tommy said sighing as many looked in awe as he passed through with Shade.

"The Six are not meant to get involved with politicians, we keep the peace between all no matter who they are, personally I hate politics."

"I see. Personally, I say kill them all and re-create the system. It's all corrupt air-heads talking shit anyways. They say for the people, they mean for the people's wallets. It's been that way since the dawn of time, and no well-meaning attempt to change it as it stands will work."

"Who knows? Maybe things will change."

The two eventually made their way towards what looked like city hall as they entered, two Mitus escorted them to the main chambers as the two saw one Mitus sitting at what seemed like a desk.

"Are you the leader of this village?" Tommy asked looking at him.

"Yes, I am known as Tebo and I am honored to be in the audience of one of The Six Ancient ones." He said bowing down with respect. "Now what brings you all the way to this part of the galaxy?"

"We seek the powers of legend told around this place." Tommy said crossing his arms.

"Why would you and your companion want these devestating weapons?" Tebo asked in shock.

"Because, if we don't, you'll all die. Something's going to wreck all worlds, and that's being polite." Shade said, a hint of fear and frustration in his voice. Not much could scare him, but the memories of what he saw still frightened him.

Tebo could tell that the boy was afraid, "I might know where to find them but getting to the weapons is something completly different." He said pulling out a chunk of the wall to open a safe behind it. After punching in the numbers, he handed Tommy two maps.

"The locations are on two different places, though I would suggest going after one at a time together. It is said that those who had these maps before went different times and were never seen again." Tebo replied.

Tommy instinctivly grabbed the white scroll without thinking about it, "It's no trouble, we will go at the same time to both locations." He said opening it.

"You sure kid? It's not like you to not challenge yourself. But, what do I know, just your friendly Doom and Gloom specter from Bael knows where." Shade joked, opening his map. "Why print two locations on two maps anway?"

"The two power's we're seeking is one of light and darkness." Tommy said showing how the map he grabbed was on a white scroll while the one Shade had grabbed was on black. "Quinkra realized that we were the only two who could pull it off."

"Let me guess, you'll get light, I get darkness? Or is that just too cliche?" Shade asked.

"The darkness inside this dimension is misunderstood, chaos is what evil thrives on here and in my personal experiance you may be darkness but it only means that you are complicated and misunderstood." Tommy said putting the scroll into his pocket.

"If you ever somehow become more like Ray, he'd tell you the same. But here's what I am. A murderer. Any soul my blade cut had no chance. It was sent to Hell. Unlike what you think, Hell where I'm from has no exit unless you are granted leave for a reason or another."

"Maybe, then again maybe not. So aside from giving us the maps which don't have any clear visual place, where would we find them?" Tommy asked as Tebo took out a cyber key making a scanner appear out of nowhere as it opened the wall to a basement.

"Legend tells this entrance will lead to the weapons, after retreaving them you should be able to leave through another exit." Tebo said leaving his office.

"Well? What's taking so long? We don't exactly have time to shoot the breeze ya know?" Shade said, irritable. TIme was running short, every second counted to him.

"Easy there, Voulkin isn't exactly powerful just yet, he'll need time to absorb some energy, especially enough to take me down." Tommy said as he started down the steps of the basement.

Purgatory
Quinkra was back to her usual buisness of attending to the souls that pass through into her realm, many of her servents running left and right trying to get everything in shape.

'''"Playing with your toys again sister dear?" '''a maleviolent voice said booming over Purgatory which made the spirits and the servants run in hiding as Quinkra stood her ground. Out of nowhere black ooze appeared right in front of her as it sputtered up taking a solid shape of a strange being.

"Hello brother." She replied glaring at the state her brother was in, covered in some unreconized armor with scales all around him and dread-locks of hair.

Thymum
The two travellers eventually found light at the end of the tunnel and after coming out of it saw what seemed to be twlight surrounding the area. "Huh, I kind of figured it would be one half light one half darkness, though it's pretty cool by my standards." Tommy said as his gear suddenly changed into clothes of white.

"Okay this is strange." He said checking to see if his instavine was on the frits.

"How? White suits you kiddo. Shows purity of heart. That is, if you believe in all that bull about colors meaning something." Shade said. "Although, this place is pretty freakin' awesome actually."

"Guess the dark enjoys you." Tommy replied pointing at Shade's gear which changed to an all black color, "Anyway we're here so let's check these maps." He said opening his trying to find out where to go.

Shade opened his map and started trying to piece together possible nearby landmarks. "Reason I wear black is my lover said it made me look good, kinda brought the blood red of my eyes. She always knew how to get me to do all that crap."

Tommy chuckled as suddenly the two maps started glowing with Jakin energy, it then shot up into the air as two figures appeared out of nowhere looming over the entire area. The two then pointed in one direction then quickly disappeared, "Either this is a trap or there's more to these weapons than we orginally thought." Tommy said scratching his head.

"A trap? Guarding weapons of mass carnage that a man like myself would love to have? Impossible." Shade said sarcasticly. "I say we go opposite of where those things pointed."

"Think's it that easy? Unlikely I say screw it and let's take our chances." Tommy replied as he started walking down the way the two beings pointed towards.

"I've corrupted a youth with my cursing tounge. What's next? You killing someone? But in all seriousness, you sure you want to follow orders from a magic map?" Shade asked, tempted to simply follow his own plan, but realized that if he got hit by anything, it was pretty much the end of him.

"First off man, I'm 18 so don't call me kid, and second, it's probably best to assume that both directions are bobby-trapped so either way we're boned so let's take our chances with the guides." Tommy said as he continued walking.

"I'm by far older than you, so compared to me, you're a kid. I'm over fifty technically speaking, thrity-two biologically and eighteen in appearance only. Been a demon for at least sixteen of my living years. And therefore, by technicality, I will call you a kid until you prove otherwise." Shade said, keeping stride. "If you can answer this riddle, I'll stop calling you that. Why is a raven like a writing desk?"

Before Tommy could answer, the two had arrived near one of the caves, surrounding the cave was a dark void of energy swiriling as if everything around it was being pulled it. "You wanna stand here and twiddle or you wanna get down to buisness?" He replied smiling.

"Personally, I got all of my eternal damnation to twiddle. I want to actually do something, while there are people to save."

Suddenly two golems appeared in the front entrance growling at the two, "Son of Darkness may only enter." both replied as they summoned two stone blades.

"That's your cue." Tommy said cracking his neck.

"Son of Darkness eh? I like that." Shade remarked, walking into the cavern. "If I'm not back in five, go on without me kid. Get the weapon, save the day."

Tommy chuckled, "I can't without the "Son of Darkness" so come back." Tommy replied giving him a thumb's up. "I know it's cheesy but best I got right now."

"Tch, have fun waiting around kiddo." Shade said, entering the cave to begin his trial, his resolve unshakable. If anyone could see his eyes, a cold, shadowed blue shone rather than the carmine red that blazed into the minds of men. He was steeled for whatever may come, no matter the price he'd have to pay.

''"Anger.......Chaos......Destruction...... yet they are not aimed towards true darkness..." ''a voice said echoing through the cave.

"Who goes there? Show yourself voice. Don't hide and taunt me with your words!" Shade yelled, his echo bouncing around the cave. He proceeded deeper in, scoffing at how he wasted time responding to a intangible voice without a origin.

''"You wish to know who I am....... I am the voice that calms the pit of despair, I am the voice who calms the madness of chaos, I am the voice of Darkness." ''It replied as suddenly the entire cave started to move on it's own as if inhaling and exhaling.

"Spooky." he remaked dully. "You can make a cave look like it draws breath, I can freeze Hell. If you're the voice of Darkness, then please tell me how to get that weapon I'm supposed to get from you. I don't have time to sit here and shoot the breeze with a echo from inside a cave, and I bet you know that."

Suddenly shadows then emerged right from underneath Shade as they then turned into the shapes of his friends, "''Who are you trying to convince that all you are is chaos?? The Item you seek will only be given to you after you have proven yourself." ''It replied as the shadows then pointed foward towards an opening at the end of the cave.

Averting his gaze, Shade walked calmly to the end of the cave, smirking to himself. Walking to the end was his test? Really now? What was that voice trying to do, scare him?"

When the light at the end of the tunnel calmed down, it revealed what seemed to be some sort of monastery with black liquid coming out of the water fall as little animals drank from him. "You stand before the Temple of Darkness, where the true powers are held." The voice said as suddenly the liquid came out of the wall and landed in the middle of it.

Out of nowhere it started taking shape into a being of darkness, it then solidified and took shape of a being with 10 hands who was blue. "''I am Legion......" ''It said with multiple voices coming out of it's mouth.

"Welcome to the Void"" It said as it sat down to meditate.

Shade could only whistle in awe. "Let me guess, learn the way of the warrior, gain power, get the weapon, typical comic book hero cliche stuff, right? While I'm at it, need any wax on or off anything?" Tapping his foot, she smirked at the blue giant, the same smirk that symbolically meant that he wasn't about to hold back anything.

Suddenly Legion flexed one of his hands causing some of the ooze to surround Shade as then it shot up taking the form of Shade's wife.

" Let us ask why do you want this power?" Legion said making her move her lips while it said it.

"If you can make her form, I think you know damn well why ya blue skinned bastard! She's why. I'd kill, slash, maim, murder, do all vile things to see her smile, and now that smile I love so much is in danger and I need the power to stop it." Shade said, feeling tears well in his eyes. "Go ahead, do what you want to me, but I will have what I seek by the day's end."

Legion opened one eye causing the image to her to disappere, "The power You seek will never be acomplised, you follow chaos and anger. For you to truly become the warrior you are destined, you must let go of all the evil in you....... The evil of your old master" It said pointing at the blade Shade was holding tight.

"No way in Hell I'm discarding Shinjitsu Zai-no. I earned this sword, fair and square. No other blade in the world could take his place. This sword and I fought all the Devil's forces and walked away alive, free, unhated. It's beings like you, beings that taunt me by using my friends against me, that I would love to crush underfoot. First you dare to create dark replicas of everyone, but then you make one of Loran? You have no idea who you're messing with. And when I say I'll crush you, I'll do it with this sword."

"''Then show me what you can do...." ''Legion replied as he reclosed his eye.

Shade slammed the sword back into it's resting place and uttered his catch phrase, turning once again into the insectiod armored warrior. He jumped with such force that he was in front of the Legion's face. Running on instinct, not skill or experience, he created a large blue ball of ice cold energy. "Where I'm from, we call this a Cero. Enjoy." he gloated, firing the blast.

Unknown to Shade, Legion easily pushed Shade's arm up redirecting the blast into the celing as he then used another arm to punch right into Shade's gut.

Pain. Blankness. Cold. Three things he could feel as he fell to the ground. There was no way Legion should have survived that blast. And yet, the Ice-Lord was broken in just one shot. The ground meeting his back awoke him again in time for his spine to snap and regenerate slowly. The only thing holding him to this life was desire, a desire to protect the woman he loved.

"Is that all you've got? A lucky gut shot?" Shade mocked, forcing himself to stand. "I told you once, I'll make you pay for disrespectfully using Loran like you did, and I won't die till I do!" he yelled, freezing the air and hurling the icy needles at the giant blue monster.

Suddenly out of the black ooze appeared two beasts that roared causing a powerful shock-wave to repel the needles away, Legion then used all 10 of his hands as the gravity suddenly changed. Legion then opened his eyes and released dark energy as it grabbed Shade and brought him face to face.

"It is over, now...... open your mind......" He said as suddenly two of his arms grabbed Shade's blade and mind. A suddenl aura appeared as he let go and revealed the aura that was chaos.

"The trial has now begun"

Shade hung there, nearly lifeless, his mind an open book for Legion's mental onslaught. He was a broken shell of a broken man, not even fit to call a man anymore.

"What is lost will be replaced with what was meant to be, you Shade Kagekyo were not meant to be a slave of chaos but to be the Protector of True Darkness. Your former self will no longer control you, it is time to be reborn into the home of unity." Legion said as suddenly the black ooze swallowed Shade up.

"Do your worst, freak." he whispered, letting the ooze take him. Being proved powerless so easily had rendered him more of an emotional wreck than before, because at that moment, all the could think of were the people who he had to watch die, and now, he was going to lose everything.

Inside Shade's mind Legion appeared and brought up all of Shade's friends, "What you have with them and everything you hold dear will not be lost. You must truly become one with the power to command it, as Chaos you chosen to become evil, now the true darkness will become your destiny." He said as then everyone there disappeared.

"Fork over the power. I will become a protector, only for them. After this, I think I'll be done being a warrior anyway. Might as well go out with a bang, no?"

"This is only the beginning...." Legion said as then a light blinded Shade causing him to wake up to a now dark cave with no sign of the Monastery only rocks and torches. The ooze resided into Shade and his blade causing the Jakin energy inside of him to increase to the point where the shadows came and bowed to the Protector.

"Looks like I'm the master of shadows again." he remarked, grabbing his sword and walking back out of the cave, every nerve in his body begging to die.

Out of nowhere one of the beasts appeared right in front of Shade holding what looked like a sword as it presented it to him.

"Thanks, Shadow thingie. I would have left without this." Shade said, smiling and taking the sword, straping it to his other side, finally heading out of the cave. Sure, it took a while because of the pain, but he made it.