Legends of the Halcyon Era – No Stopping Noh

Previously, in Legends of the Halcyon Era…

After going on a journey of discovery and personal growth to another world that the Diggers from Terra could never have imagined, they finally returned home with new allies, new insights, and new secrets.

Once Nytetrayn took care of some unfinished business with Trevor Creed and they collectively stopped the thread he’d unearthed, everyone was set to go their separate ways. But one by one, strange machines would appear to attack them – first Black Steel, then Adam Powers and Katrina, then Nytetrayn and Celeste, and finally Janine, Fenix, and MegaMan Magnus.

Steel and Katrina would deliver a badly injured Adam to a doctor before moving on to deliver him to a more advanced medical facility on another island. Alpha-Red, Adam’s friend and reprogrammed custom Reaverbot copilot, went to inform the others of what had happened. Now they are speeding on their way aboard their new airship, the Dragon Star II, to meet with the others on Wingate Isle, regroup, and try to figure out a plan.

In the lobby of the central hospital on Wingate Isle, a man paces.

Black Steel stopped and leaned against the door outside of the waiting room, as he agonized over the situation that had befallen him and his comrades. Just as he was about to embark on his own quest for revenge, it seemed the target of his ire was a step ahead of him. But how?

Worse still, he thought, it would appear that merely being in the presence of Adam and Katrina had endangered them, too. He looked over at Katrina, who was hunched forward in one of the waiting room chairs with her head down, perhaps staring at the floor, or simply lost in thought as she worried over Adam. Thanks to her years of combat experience and skills, she hadn’t been hurt nearly as badly, and was able to dispatch their attackers.

Even then, all of that wasn’t enough to keep the Sky Shark from getting blown out of the sky.

“I hope Alpha-Red made it to the others alright,” he said, hoping it might distract her a little from the more immediate concern about Adam’s wellbeing. Even if it did, she didn’t respond.

The next thing he knew, Steel was suddenly flat on his back on the hospital floor as a familiar face stared down at him. “What the–?!”

“Oh, thank goodness you’re alright!” Janine said, before she commenced hugging him

“Don’t smother him, Jan,” said MegaMan Magnus from across the room.

“Janine! Magnus!” Steel said, after he pulled himself free of Janine’s cleavage. “I see Alpha made it through, after all!”

“He did,” Fenix said as he and the others entered the waiting area.

“He decided to stay on the ship, so as not to cause a stir,” Nytetrayn added.

“Good,” Steel said. “We got problems.”

“Yeah,” Nyte said. “Alfred gave us the rundown, but it sounds like we should compare notes.”

“Where’s Adam?” Fenix asked.

Katrina stood to join in the conversation. “They’re checking him in, and said they’re going to start reconstructive surgery on his face after they give him a CAT scan. He’s unconscious, and they’re worried he could have suffered brain damage.”

“Jeez,” Nytetrayn said, while Janine paled.

“Sit, and I’ll explain everything in more detail,” Katrina told the group. Most complied, though Magnus chose to remain standing, on account of the waiting room chairs likely being unable to support his massive frame. After getting back to his feet, Steel likewise stood off in a corner with Janine, who still hadn’t let go of him, and put an arm around her.

Katrina returned to her chair, and sat with her arms half-crossed as she leaned forward onto her knees. “How much did Alpha-Red tell you?”

“He told us about the attacking Reaverbots, and your ships going down,” Nytetrayn said.

“If those are Reaverbots, I might have to reconsider this whole ‘Digging’ thing.”

“We had our own run-ins with those creepy-crawlies,” Fenix said.

“Pesky pieces of junk,” Nyte added.

Steel looked up at this.

“You too?” Katrina asked. “I guess you made out better than we did, since you’re all here and appear to be in good health.”

“Yeah,” Fenix said. “I’m just surprised Adam got bodied by them. They didn’t seem that tough to me…”

“He was trying not to wreck the inside of his ship,” Katrina said. And while she didn’t actually say “dumbass” at the end, you could practically hear it in her tone.

“…oh. Yeah, that tracks.”

“It grabbed his head and tried to crush his skull,” she continued. “He’s lucky to still be alive, and that’s only because I heard the commotion and went to investigate.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” Janine said. “The one I was fighting let me get right up next to it, and didn’t react at all.”

“In fairness,” Magnus said, “I think yours might have had a thing for you.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s true.”

“Perhaps they each have distinct personalities?”

“What the hell?” Steel said. “I haven’t seen any of these things, and I don’t even know if it was one that took me out. Whoever or whatever it was got me from behind.”

“I had a second one join in,” said Nyte. “They didn’t seem interested in Celeste, though.”

“You also had two?” Katrina asked him.

“Not at first, but by the end, they were basically double-teaming me.”

“Hey, Katrina, did Adam manage to summon Blade before…?” asked Steel.

“I… I’m not sure. What does he look like when he does?”

“If you don’t know, then he didn’t,” Steel said before falling silent again, as he looked down at the tiles.

“Why would it matter?”

“They’re stronger when they fight together,” Magnus said.

“He seemed about the same to me.”

“That probably explains why they could beat him, then,” Fenix said.

Katrina continued to look troubled.

“Is there something else?” Nyte asked her.

“I should have gone to check it out,” she said. “He told me to stay with Steel while he checked it out. If I’d gone instead, or at least with him…”

“It’s not your fault,” Nytetrayn and Steel said at the same time. They gave each other a glance before returning their attention to the despondent Avion.

“You couldn’t have known,” Fenix said.

“I wish I could believe that.”

“Believe it,” Steel said. “This sort of thing isn’t common on Terra, after all. And Adam will be fine, dammit. He’s too damn tough to fall to some random assailant.”

Fenix put a hand on her shoulder. “Survivor guilt. I know how you feel. It’ll get better when he does.”

“Hey,” Nytetrayn said, “maybe his sword can help!”

“What do you mean?” Katrina asked.

“Well, if it has all that weird power and stuff, maybe if anything did happen to his mind, it could fix it? Like a back-up?”

“A good idea,” Steel said. “Or perhaps Blade could interface with Adam in his unconsciousness, bring him out of it and help heal his mind.”

“I guess it’s worth a shot,” Katrina said, as she went over to where the sword leaned against the wall and picked it up. “What a strange blade…”

“It’d have to be, if it’s going to hold a soul,” Janine said.

As Katrina gave her a very surprised look, Nyte said “Adam hasn’t told you everything, has he?”

“Not really. I mean, he told me about Blade, but I just thought he was putting me on.” She looked at the sword in her hands again. “You mean… there’s a soul in here?”

“A soul which belongs to one of my best friends,” Magnus said. “He gave his life in order to put an end to the threat posed by another of our ranks a long time ago, and found himself sealed within the very weapon he wielded for his trouble.”

“Damn you, East,” Janine muttered under her breath.

Katrina looked uncertain, and said “He and I are going to have a long talk… if he wakes up, that is.”

“He’ll wake up,” Fenix said.

Just then, a doctor emerged from the doors leading further into the hospital and approached the group. “Excuse me,” he said, as he looked at Katrina and Steel in particular. “You’re the ones who brought in the young man with the head injuries, correct? ‘Adam Powers’?”

Katrina looked up and replied, “Yes… yes, we did. Sir.”

“Ah, excellent,” he said with a smile. “So the good news is, he’ll be okay. We ran the CAT scans, and they showed that his brain has suffered no damage.”

“Whew,” said Janine, while Celeste breathed a sigh of relief.

“I knew he’d be untouched,” said a smiling Steel.

“Well, I wouldn’t go that far,” said the doctor. “We’ve had to put several dissolving plates in place to get the bones in his face to set properly.”

“And the skull fracture?” Katrina asked.

“Unfortunately, there’s not a lot we can do for that except to allow it to heal naturally. I’ve provided him with a stimulant that will help the bones mend faster, and hopefully he’ll be good in a week or two. While we don’t know what happened to him, the scans showed nothing too far astray; if he had, say, a broken vessel or a concussion, those would have registered by now. But we believe he’s safe now.”

“Has he regained consciousness?”

“Yes, just before I came out here.”

“You should go talk to him, Katrina,” said Steel. “He’ll want to see a familiar face, I’m sure.”

“Ah, you’re Katrina?” the doctor asked. “He asked to see you, so if you could just come with me…”

Katrina followed the doctor in, carefully carrying Blade with her as they ventured further into the hospital.

After Katrina left, Steel turned his gaze over to the television hanging in the lobby, and blinked in recognition at the sight up on the screen. “Hey… isn’t that Monroe Island?”

Nytetrayn said “Huh?” as he and Celeste both turned to look, as did the others. Magnus reached up and turned up the volume on the set so it could be heard more easily. The TV appeared to be showing live footage that confirmed it was indeed Monroe Island.

“Must be something big, if they’re reporting on Monroe,” Nyte said.

“Yeah,” Fenix agreed. “It’s not exactly a hotbed of activity.”

As the camera panned around a ravaged landscape, it became clear that what they were seeing was an enormous crater.

The female reporter on the scene said “Just over half an hour ago, a massive explosion was reported by witnesses who had been venturing to the island to take a break from their travels. We’ve just arrived, and have discovered that Monroe, the small town this island is named for, has been completely and totally annihilated, seemingly wiped from the land itself. Where it once stood, there is now only this enormous crater…”

“Okay, guys?” Nyte said. “Remember what I said earlier about visiting again sometime? I think we can check that off our list.”

“I don’t think I’ll be shedding any tears for Dick,” Fenix said, “but that’s not cool.”

Celeste buried her face in Nyte’s chest, trying to hide her tears. Everything, and everyone, she ever knew there – Lance the Junk Shop owner, the Maple Sisters Molly and Sally, the fountain she enjoyed visiting – all of it, gone. On some level, she felt like she was back where she began when she had first awoken from her coma.

The television droned on, but something else called forth their attention once again. The cameraman shouted something and the visual feed flashed, but just before the camera died, they could see a cylindrical black shape.

Katrina reappeared through the doorway, looking relieved as she said “Hey guys!” Then she took the measure of the room. “Uh… did something happen? I was only gone for like, ten minutes.”

“We have to go to Monroe,” Steel said.

“Wait, what? Why?” she asked, as she looked around the room. Nytetrayn had one fist clenched while trying to comfort Celeste with the other as she fought back the rush of emotions that hit her like a hurricane. Steel was likewise comforting Janine, while Fenix had his back turned to the group with his head down.

“The town has been decimated,” Steel said.

“What?!” she replied.

“Actually,” Magnus said, “‘decimated’ would imply that there’s still something left.”

Steel shot him a look, and continued. “And I saw something black on the camera before it died.”

“Oh no…” Katrina said.

“Didn’t you say the ship that shot down the Sky Shark was black, too?”

She nodded. “Yeah… Adam wanted to see you guys, but…”

“How is he?” Nyte asked.

“Awake and grouchy. So normal for him, at least when he’s injured, I’ve come to find out.”

“Someone has to stay here with Adam,” Steel said.

“Perhaps Celeste and Janine could help you raise his spirits,” Magnus suggested. “The rest of us should go after that giant… flying… cigar… thing.”

Katrina shook her head. “No way. Since Adam’s in no shape to square up with that thing, it’s up to me.’

Nytetrayn nodded. “Alright, so you’ll come with us. Having a former Maverick Hunter and Avion soldier on hand for extra firepower wouldn’t hurt.” Katrina proudly smiled a little at that. “Janine and Celeste should stay here,” he continued. “If that thing is vaping towns, it might be able to make short work of us.”

Janine held firm to Steel. “Not on your life. If you’re marching off into the unknown to face certain, or heck, uncertain destruction, you’re taking me with you.”

Steel sighed, and said.“Someone has to watch over Adam. And… I’d be worried about you out there.”

“Well, what about Celeste?” Janine countered.

“No,” Celeste said as she pulled away from Nyte, and all eyes fixed upon her. “I want to go, too.”

“Celeste–” Nyte began.

“That was my home, too… I want in on this. And if anything happens… I want to be there.”

“It’s too dangerous–”

Unflinchingly, Celeste looked her boyfriend in the face. “Any more dangerous than saving you from Trevor Creed? Or facing East? Or Null?”

Nytetrayn sighed. “You’ve made your point. Alright, let’s get moving. If that thing is hunting for us, we don’t want it coming this way, and if it’s trying to lure us out, then we don’t want to keep it waiting.”

Suddenly, a wheelchair-bound Adam emerged from the doors. “What’s going on out here? I send Katrina to get you, and you’re all planning to take off without even so much as a ‘how you doing’?” he said with a cocky grin that took the edge off his words.

“Something sort of came up,” Nytetrayn said.

“There’s a big hole in the ground where our apartment used to be, and we’re pissed because we’re pretty sure that voids the damage deposit,” Magnus said.

“…yeah. That.”

“So I overheard,” Adam said. “I want to go, too, but the doctors and this hole in my head are telling me no. So go get ‘em.”

“Noble bastard,” Steel said with a smile. “Thanks for hauling my ass outta that ship.”

“Hey, what are friends for? But you’re welcome.”

“Heh, always the tough guy.”

“Hmm,” Nyte thought aloud. “This island isn’t too far from Monroe. It might be a good idea if people cleared out, in case that thing comes here before we get to meet it.”

“You’re right,” Steel said.

“I’ll see what I can do,” Adam said. “I’ve got, ah, ‘connections’ that may just do the trick.”

“Connections?” Steel asked.

“I know people,” Adam said. “They were friends of my father, and I think they’ll listen to me.”

“Whatever works,” Nyte said.

Steel turned back to Jan. “Why don’t ya’ stay and help him out?”

Janine pouted, and he continued. “Look, it’s not that I don’t want you by my side, it’s just that…”

“You’re going to fight an unknown enemy, and you just want me to put my feet up and hope you’ll come back alive?”

“Pretty much,” Steel said, a little sheepishly.

“Steel, I’ve never held out on a man before, but I guess I’ll try anything once.”

“Don’t stand around arguing for too long,” Adam said, “or else there might not be anything to get back to.”

“He’s right,” Nyte said. “We have to get there before it gets moving again. If you’re coming, get aboard the Dragon Star II. We’re leaving in five.”

As the group, minus Janine and Adam, headed for the ship, Adam called out to Katrina. “One more thing: Be sure to give ‘em one for me.”

Katrina smiled.

“As for me,” he said as he turned his wheelchair and headed for the back, “I’ve got calls to make.” As he disappeared into the labyrinthine halls of the hospital, he could still be heard calling out orders to nurses and whoever would listen.

Steel tried one more time. “Jan, you staying here? Please?”

Frowning, Janine said “If you don’t come back, I’m screwing Magnus.”

Magnus let out a cheer, and Fenix doubled over with laughter.

Steel distracted himself from the two to save his rage, instead choosing to focus on his new Soul Sabre. As Janine frowned and went to help Adam, he offered her no parting glance or gesture, refusing to acknowledge the portent of doom that could lie ahead.

As they made their way to the ship, Magnus said “You know, Steel, I feel obligated to point out that this is the first time Jan has ever let a man tell her what to do. The last time her boyfriend tried to exclude her from a fight, she punched him right in the nuts.”

“Wait,” said Fenix. “Weren’t you her boyfriend?”

“Yes.”

“Huh. I didn’t know you had nuts.”

“Yes… had.”

“Might want to watch yourself later, Steel,” Nyte said.

“Let’s just go, okay?” said Steel.

As the group boarded the ship, Nytetrayn and Celeste joined the GunRobos on the bridge and the ship soon took off for Monroe Island. Steel stood against the railing on the deck atop the ship, and cursing himself, took a look back at the hospital where he’d left Janine. He thought about how much nicer it would be to just go away with her, and leave this sort of thing to the others.

As the Dragon Star II soared quickly over the nigh-endless ocean that covered Terra, Surefire piped up on the bridge with “I know what we can do!”

“What’s that?” Blaster asked.

“Okay, try and follow me here: There are these seven magical balls scattered across the planet, and they say that if you get all seven together, you can summon this huge dragon that can grant any wish…

Blaster and Twirl just looked at him.

“With certain exceptions due to terms and conditions.”

“I thought we told you not to fall asleep watching the TV,” Blaster said.

“Pfft. Like I’d listen,” he said dismissively. “Anyway, we can use those to bring back the town!” he continued with a huge smile.

“I’m not even going to waste the energy to hit you,” Twirl said.

On the deck up above, Steel stared out over the ocean as their destination grew ever nearer. His stomach began to churn as he thought about the black ship he’d seen on television. Could it be? Could it really belong to him?

The ship continued apace, most of its passengers silent as they each found themselves lost in their own thoughts of what was to come.

Nytetrayn knew that whoever did this would have to answer for it. Celeste felt much the same way, though her sentiment came more from a place of pain and loss than Nyte’s.

Fenix checked over his weapons, while MegaMan Magnus ran self-diagnostics. Katrina practiced her fighting moves, wanting to make sure she was ready for whatever came their way in her more basic disguised form.

Soon, the island appeared on the horizon.

Finally, the ship arrived over the wreckage of what was once the town of Monroe, now nothing more than a large crater. On the outskirts of the town, parts of a few homes still stood, burning and sending up smoke.

The crew gathered on the bridge and looked out over the devastation.

“Jeez” was all Nytetrayn could muster at the sight.

“All those people…” Katrina said.

Celeste just gulped.

As Katrina clenched her fist, she said “Don’t worry, they’re not going to get away with this.”

Over the crater hovered a cylindrical mass of black, which looked like some sort of misplaced piece of space, a warped shadow in midair. One end pointed towards the sky, the other the earth below, and it did not even seem to bob in the air.

“There’s the ship,” Nytetrayn said. “The question is, how do we go about facing it?”

“We could circle it, strafe it with shots,” Twirl suggested.

“Or we could just ram it, then a boarding party can find a way in and take out the crew,” Magnus said as he cracked his knuckles.

“I don’t think this thing’s weapons are going to do much,” Katrina said, “and I doubt ramming is a better option. It has some kind of shielding. It took a direct hit from the Sky Shark’s main cannon, and wasn’t even scratched.”

As the others discussed their options, Steel quietly looked out at the pillar of darkness. There was no doubt in his mind, which began to throb again. Was another memory being unlocked? Whatever it may be, it was connected to the ebony threat that stood before them.

“We could knock,” Fenix suggested. “And once they’ve lowered their guard at our polite demeanor and answer, we shoot them in the face.” He added a pair of “pow-pow” sounds as he gestured with each hand as a finger-gun for emphasis.

“What door?” Katrina asked. “So far, I haven’t detected any way into that thing.”

“Katrina’s words ring true,” Steel said. “For all any of us can tell, that ‘ship’ is nothing more than a pillar of black liquid.”

“If we land, we could be sitting ducks,” Nytetrayn said.

“We’re probably ducks, no matter how we move. Has anyone else noticed what kind of firepower that thing is packing?” Fenix asked, as everyone looked at him. “Look at where the town was. One crater. You realize what that means, don’t you?”

Katrina nodded in understanding as Celeste asked “What?”

“One shot. It did this in one shot.”

“You’re right,” Nyte said, as he began to regret bringing Celeste along.

“Land the ship,” Steel said. “It’s waiting for us.”

“Huh?” Nytetrayn said. “Are you sure?”

“That sounds risky,” Magnus said. “Should we take that chance?”

Steel pointed to what was once the ship of the news crew they’d seen earlier, a smoldering pile of wreckage. Then to several more around the area. “It hasn’t killed us yet.”

“Fair enough,” said Fenix.

“Hmm, alright. Still, let’s touch down a distance away,” Nytetrayn said, as he directed the GunRobos to touch down in a clearing just a little further west of where the town once stood.

Steel nodded, though he realized that somehow, it wasn’t going to matter where they landed.

After finding a place to park the ship, the Dragon Star II “landed,” though in reality it was hovering in place a short distance off the ground. Nevertheless, the ramp deployed so the group could disembark the ship.

Steel was the first one off. He held fast to his Soul Sabre as sweat collected on his brow.

Katrina followed Steel off the ship, and her old hunting instincts kicked in. She looked around cautiously, taking in her surroundings so as to be ready for any potential surprise threats on top of the one they were prepared to face.

Fenix and MegaMan Magnus followed as well, the latter hovering just slightly off the ground. Katrina noted their armor with a touch of something that wasn’t quite envy, but more like irritation that she didn’t have something of her own that would be better suited to an operation like this.

Finally, Nytetrayn and Celeste made their way off the ship, and Nyte instructed the GunRobos. “Surefire, you’re with me. Twirl, Blaster, you two stay here, just in case. If that thing starts to move, take off, and keep your distance.”

The three diminutive robots saluted, and the walking Powered Buster known as Surefire joined Nytetrayn and Celeste by their side.

In the distance, the black pillar awaited them, like an onyx scar running down the face of the sky itself. Steel led the party toward their destination, forcing himself with each step.

The group passed by burning remnants of houses and various other businesses, buildings that were standing mere hours ago.

Celeste looked around. The Maple Sisters’ bakery, gone. She thought back to the time they offered her a place to stay, if she ever found herself needing it. A most bitter hindsight showed now that it was likely for the best that she never took them up on that offer. The fountain she used to enjoy sitting at to reflect was lost among the ash and blackened ground that stretched out in every direction before them.

Nytetrayn saw no clear signs of the junk shop that he and Fenix would trade in stuff they found in the ruins at. No doubt that meant Lance, the guy who ran that shop, was gone, too. Likewise, the place where he’d go to get his various Digger periodicals was obliterated as well.

Fenix shed a tear for the weapons shop and bars he frequented.

And while they were approaching from the other side of the town, there was little doubt that the apartment which they’d once dwelled in was a thing of the past, too.

As they marched forth, Katrina remained alert, cautiously looking for any signs of danger. Nytetrayn had his Nyte Buster armed and ready, with Surefire prepared to convert to Powered Buster mode at a moment’s notice. Celeste kept her pistol out, hoping she wouldn’t have to use it, but worried that it might very well be inevitable.

Meanwhile, MegaMan Magnus floated up behind Steel, using his optic sensors to scan the bizarre craft, only to give him nothing. Whatever it was, it was virtually unreadable.

Steel stopped a short distance from the ship, and stared up at it.

“So, what now?” Katrina asked from beside him.

Steel wasn’t sure, but before he had time to answer, the bottom of the ship began to move, as though an enormous drop of its black liquid form was melting off like a popsicle on a hot summer’s day.

It oozed slowly but steadily towards the ground, and a blob of onyx liquid formed before the stream of goo separated from its deposit and rose back to the full mass of the ship. It was like the ship itself had decided to hock a loogie to see how far it could let it stretch before sucking it back up again. A gross comparison, yet no less fitting for what they had witnessed.

In the center of the crater that had once been Monroe, what appeared to be a blob rose to reveal a lone figure. Dressed in a black robe, or perhaps a cloak – it was difficult to tell what it was, but its body was nonetheless concealed from their view – the ebony figure sported what looked like a stark white ponytail, not made of hair, but of the same substance as the rest. Standing in contrast to the rest of it was the presence of a conical straw hat which rested atop its head.

It turned to face the group, revealing a white face mask with two unflinching black eyes and a mouth, adorned by various markings.

Fenix drew his twin sabers, and Nytetrayn gave Surefire the order to transform, and the GunRobo followed the command and latched around Nyte’s left arm while he activated the Nyte-Saber on his other arm.

“Wait,” said Magnus. “Don’t attack yet. It may want to talk.”

“Didn’t give those people a chance to talk, did it?” Nytetrayn countered with a grimace.

A limb emerged from the mysterious being’s bodily form, and a hand extended from the end of it, and it made a sound like creaking vinyl as it moved. It drove its hand into where its stomach would be, and its form rippled like a rock being thrown into a pitch-black pond. It then pulled from its own being a long, metal sword whose shining blade seemed to attract the light from the ever-more limited sources around it and reflect it back at those who viewed it. There was no doubt from anyone there that it was as sharp as it was shiny.

“I don’t think they’re in a talking mood,” said Fenix.

“Yeah?” said Nytetrayn. “Good, ‘cuz neither am I.”

As Steel reached for his Soul Sabre, his hand shook not only from his need for vengeance, but also fear. He unsheathed the weapon, and through instinct and pure will, a blade of blue energy erupted forth from the hilt. However, as his eyes narrowed with the hate he’d been holding on to for all this time, the brilliant blue began to dim as the Soul Sabre took on a shadowy hue that appeared as blackened as the threat they faced.

Knowing that this would be his only chance, Steel brought all of his anger and hatred to bear as he made a simple declaration: “He’s mine.”

“Get him,” Katrina said with a nod. The others watched on, some nodding as well. They knew what this meant to him, but were ready to jump in at a moment’s notice.

“You killed my mother when I was a boy,” Steel said as he began to march towards the creature. “You desecrated her corpse, ate her body… you killed me. Now…” Steel said, now dashing at his foe with the saber held back at his side, “I’ll KILL YOU!”

Steel swung the Soul Sabre with blinding speed and all his might.

The shadowy being moved back slightly, and with but a mere gesture, countered the swing. The movement seemed effortless, yet it was enough to knock Steel’s weapon clear from his hands. It quickly spun around, almost like it was twisting in place, its ponytail trailing behind with a fluid grace. Then just as suddenly, it stopped.

Steel blinked before he looked down and gaped. The creature’s blade was driven straight through his chest, and protruded out of his back. New blood dripped to the ground, far from its point of origin. Steel’s mouth, now wet with the taste of his own life, tried to speak… but found no words were forthcoming.

“That ain’t good,” said Nytetrayn, eyes wide.

As Magnus let out an animalistic hiss and his tail flicked behind him while spheres of red energy filled his hands, Katrina narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists.

“Okay, minor setback,” Nyte said. “His healing can handle it, I’m sure…”

The creature ripped the blade from Steel’s chest, sending blood and flesh about the ground. The Digger screamed and staggered as he struggled to not only stand, but breathe.

The strange being then spun once again, and in a flash, what appeared to be an unusually long leg seemed to extend from its body to strike Steel squarely in the chest, sending him flying through the air before he crashed down on the ground and rolled over a few times like a limp mannequin.

Nytetrayn opened fire with his Nyte Buster, and the cloak-like garment which enveloped the creature’s form seemed to just shrink away into its being, revealing a body that appeared lithe but strong, muscular yet undefined. With what looked like a sigh, it whipped its blade around to deflect the blasts back at Nytetrayn.

Nytetrayn switched his Nyte Buster to shield mode to successfully block the returned shots, but in the time it took him to raise his shield, their enemy was upon him, using its blade to cleanly slice the weaponized gauntlet off of Nyte’s right arm. As Nyte pulled his arm back, the pieces fell to the ground.

It spun past Nyte like a blur of black and white, MegaMan Magnus fired two powerful beams of energy from his hands, but they were caught by the blade, held in place almost like meat on a skewer. After standing there for a moment, it looked towards Fenix, and flung the shots at the Digger, who only just managed to dive clear of the explosions that resulted from the projectiles’ impact on the ground near him.

“Surefire, reconfigure!” Nytetrayn ordered, not wanting the GunRobo to experience a similar fate to his main weapon, nor the one he’d experienced once before at the hands of Trevor Creed. With his companion clear, Nyte dashed in after their opponent, ready to go hand-to-hand if necessary. But it spun around again as Nytetrayn approached, stopping the Digger short as the blade now rested a mere inch from his nose, as though it was warning him.

While Nytetrayn seemed to have it preoccupied, Magnus moved in to tackle it from behind, but it leapt straight up into the air upon his approach. This left the former Annihilator Unit to slam into Nyte with a grunt and a curse from the pair, as the smaller Digger found himself underneath a hulking mass of Magnus, who quickly rolled off.

Katrina tried her luck with a burst of flame, which the creature twisted and bent its way around with ease before landing gently a short distance behind Celeste. Katrina tried a pair of fireballs as it touched down, but her target raised its blade to disperse the attack without even looking in its direction, its focus now squarely on the young woman.

Celeste turned to face it before raising her energy pistol and forcing herself to squeeze off a few shots. And for once, her aim with the weapon was true as the bursts of energy hurtled through the air directly at the thing’s torso.

It was all for naught, however, as the threat once again dodged two of the shots with ease, and used its blade to casually deflect the third. The creature continued to look upon her closely, coldly, with no hint of expression or emotion beyond the unwavering expression which adorned its mask.

With no idea of what to do now, Celeste froze in fear. Whatever this thing was, it was making short work of each of her friends: Steel, who had trained intensely for this very moment; MegaMan Magnus, the former Annihilator Unit whose purpose was to destroy the undestroyable; Fenix, who had been in his fair share of scraps; and Nytetrayn, who had just earlier that day fought one of the most feared Air Pirates around into retreat. Even Katrina, a Reploid warrior from another world, couldn’t seem to lay a finger on it.

If all of them couldn’t do anything, then what chance did she have? She didn’t know if she should try to run, or if that would only make things worse. And even if she should, could she just abandon her friends like that? What kind of coward would she be if she ran?

As Nytetrayn shook the cobwebs loose from his collision with Magnus, his eyes widened as he saw their enemy begin to approach his girlfriend, who was now frozen with fear.

“CELESTE!!”

Nytetrayn immediately got to his feet and ran straight for the shadowy creature before activating the jets in his backpack to rocket back into the fray as quickly as possible. In a flash, it twisted around and used its sword to thoroughly dismantle Nyte’s jetpack, sending the Digger toppling into the dirt face-first.

Fenix took aim with his Gatling arm, and opened up a stream of firepower at the back of the thing’s head. In one moment, it spun and disappeared from the masked Digger’s optics; in the next, Fenix found the ends of the barrels from his weapon clinking and clattering to the ground; then a few more seconds later, their foe stood back across the battlefield from him, resuming its advancement on Celeste.

Nytetrayn made another move for it, only for it to flash in motion behind him and deliver a strike with its sword that broke through Nyte’s armor’s shielding. Then it drove the hilt into the base of his neck with enough force to paralyze a normal man, sending the Digger down again.

“N-Nyte…” was all Celeste could say as she began to sweat nervously.

“This isn’t working,” said Magnus. “We all specialize in firepower, but nothing we have can match that thing’s speed and maneuverability!”

“Yeah,” said Katrina, as she regrouped with the others. “I’m no sloth, but even I can’t keep up with that. There must be some way to slow it down!”

Unrelentingly, Nytetrayn returned to his feet and moved after it again. But it paid him no mind, instead continuing to gaze unflinchingly at Celeste as it twirled its blade in an almost sickeningly beautiful motion.

“Looks like it’s got eyes for Cel,” said Fenix. “Steel said it killed his mom, and I don’t think that’s a coincidence.”

“Not while I still draw breath,” Magnus said, as he took off into the air with his own jets, with Fenix quickly grabbing his tail to go along for the ride.

With a sudden burst of speed, the entity met Nytetrayn halfway, and made another attempt to disable the Digger with its blade, now aimed for the area beneath where his arm met his body.

Nytetrayn was ready this time, however, and quickly activated his flash shield to deflect the blow as soon as he saw it make its move. Even so, the deflection of the blade mattered little, as it brought it back around with enough speed to slash through his armor – not deep enough to reach him, but enough to compromise its integrity, and again to neatly slice Nytetrayn across the cheek and draw blood.

While this was going on, Magnus and Fenix dropped in and took up flanking positions on either side of Celeste, and their eyes blazed menacingly. Magnus began charging another ball of energy between his hands while Fenix racked his shotgun. Surefire, seeing what they were up to, took up a position by her as well.

Nytetrayn turned with the creature’s attack, resulting in little more than a glancing blow. He grimaced, and went for an attack on the thing’s arm, but was met as it reached out with its hand, now swollen to a much larger size, which reached around his head to clutch it as one might palm a grape.

The “fingers” folded about his head, enveloping most of Nyte’s face, leaving him just enough opening to see, but still making it difficult for him to breathe. Fortunately for the Digger, he didn’t have to breathe, but the inability to do so after getting used to the habit proved to be very discomforting, just the same.

Despite all this, the creature didn’t seem to pay Nyte any mind, at least not directly, as it continued its walk toward Celeste, now carrying the young Digger along. Nyte attempted a kick at its midsection, and made contact with heavy impact, but the blow seemed to strike only a viscous liquid. As his foot fell clear of the impacted spot, it shimmered and reformed as though nothing had struck it.

Nytetrayn swung his feet out in Celeste’s direction, and activated the thrusters in his boots to try to push the advancing menace back and away from her. He could be heard to say “Back OFF!!!” in a voice muffled by the gooey appendage, but the being maintained its gait towards her, never breaking its stride until it arrived before the petrified young woman and her protectors.

Fenix and Magnus aimed their respective weapons at its head, but waited for the opportune moment to fire.

With a mere gesture, the creature flung its arm and hurtled Nytetrayn back and away from the group. He landed on the ground with a skid.

“Touch her, and it won’t matter what you’re made of, I’ll liquify your face,” said Fenix.

Despite the warning, the creature spun again, and both Fenix and Magnus found themselves cast through the air like their comrade as well, each landing with a grunt.

“…crap,” uttered Surefire. “Uh, we’ll just be leaving now, kthxbye…” he said, as he turned to lead/push Celeste along. Unfortunately for him, he was soon calmly and casually swatted aside like the others, courtesy of the flat of the encroaching evil’s blade.

“Crap…” the GunRobo said again, as he soared through the air.

The inky black demon looked dead at Celeste, now only inches from her.

Celeste finally began to slowly, shakingly start to back away as best as she could.

Meanwhile, Katrina tried to line up a clear shot, but couldn’t find an angle that wouldn’t risk harming Celeste. Fenix, however, had no such problem, as he fired his shotgun at the side of the entity’s head.

Unfortunately, it was too little, too late. The creature raised a shield up around itself and Celeste, which she bumped against at the same time Fenix’s shell was deflected, both impacts revealing the shimmering grey aura it provided when struck. Celeste was now petrified.

Nyte lifted his head again, and wordlessly made a break for the shield and delivered a dashing punch to it. The punch was strong, very strong indeed, causing the shield to shimmer with effort to maintain its integrity, but maintain it the shield did.

The creature’s face shifted, like it was being sucked into its own body as it melted away into the blackness. Underneath, all Celeste could see was a pinkish-red goo. It began to take on the form of some kind of mouth, lined by rose after row of menacing teeth. The gaping, twisted maw expanded and grew larger, large enough to swallow a human form whole.

Celeste was well and truly freaked out.

Nytetrayn’s eyes began to glow green as he kept punching away at the shield with increasing intensity, and he began to glow with a gold aura. Had Steel been watching, he would recognize the glow of his systems kicking in to boost his power.

MegaMan Magnus glowed with his own crimson aura, and the towering warrior condensed it all down into his hands before letting the raw power rush forth unabated. Likewise, Katrina turned up the intensity of her flames as high as she dared and unleashed the beam of fiery energy at the shield.

Space and time collided as the attacks struck the shield, and the creature’s form seemed to shiver as it strained against the massive power of the attacks being brought down upon it. It turned back to Celeste, now with a seeming sense of urgency as it resized the void-like opening where its “face” once sat.

Celeste tried to move around or get away from the creature as best as she could, but within these confines, the effort was futile. The thing lunged at her and took hold of her arms. She screamed, but the sound was brief; in another moment, its mouth closed over her head, then proceeded down her body until she was swallowed up entirely.

Nyte’s eyes widened again as he called her name out once more and powered up as much as he could and smashed his fists into the shield even more. Likewise, Magnus as he continued to pour energy into his attack, and screamed as his batteries drained.

The creature returned to something resembling its original form, albeit now a little bigger than it had been previously.

The ship the being emerged from now moved into a tandem position over its head, and several bursts of plasma energy exploded forth from it, each precisely targeting one of the Diggers. While Fenix and Katrina managed to leap clear enough to only be hurtled away from the blasts striking the ground, Magnus was struck with its full force. Nytetrayn’s aura seemed to block, or at least reduce the effect of the blast as he kept up his assault and tried to break through the shield that prevented him from helping Celeste.

Magnus’s attack came to a sudden halt as he fell forward and hit the ground, motionless.

The ship once again lowered a stringy pillar of goo down, this time through the shield to meet its apparent master. The creature melted back into it in much the same way it emerged, and the ooze was once again sucked up into the body of the ship at the same time the shield died out.

Fenix pulled out his plasma caster and fired at the ship. He shouted “YOU BASTARD!” as its shields deflected his shots.

Nytetrayn staggered forward as he finally got through, and the ship began to lift off. “NO!” he cried out. He stood ready as an aura of sorts seemed to circle his feet, and he blasted off after the ship.

The craft made its way higher into the sky before it turned on its side and streaked off across the sky. Fenix sank to his knees and breathed heavily.

The ship streaked away at astonishing speed. Nytetrayn struggled to keep up as the glow in his eyes began to flicker and fade. His cognitive functions were offline by the time his body hit the ground, throwing up a cloud of dirt upon impact.

New to Legends of the Halcyon Era? Looking to catch up, or just re-familiarize yourself? Then check out the Character Profiles page!

Legends of the Halcyon Era is a work of fan fiction set in the world of Mega Man Legends. It is largely adapted from a series of freeform RPG sessions, combining ideas from several contributors, and further fleshed out here in a prose format.

David Oxford, also known as LBD “Nytetrayn,” is a lifelong Mega Man fan who, along with his wife Nadia, has co-written the Mega Man Robot Master Field Guide and Mega Man X Maverick Hunter’s Field Guide from UDON Entertainment, and runs The Mega Man Network (themmnetwork dot com). You can also find him on Twitter @LBD_Nytetrayn, Bluesky @LBDNytetrayn, and @themmnetwork on both, and on Twitch and YouTube under the name “Nyteworks.”

You can also find Legends of the Halcyon Era as it updates at Archive of Our Own, and on Mega Man Legends Station!

Character designs by LBD “Nytetrayn” and Victor Campan. Cover art by Victor Campan. Logos by Tabby Ramsey.

Thanks for reading!

LBD "Nytetrayn"

David Oxford, or “LBD ‘Nytetrayn’,” as he is sometimes also known, is a freelance writer of many varied interests who resides in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. If you’re interested in hiring him, please drop him a line at david.oxford (at) nyteworks.net.

For a full list of places to find him online, click here.