The cold wind howled through the metallic ruins of the abandoned facility, lifting swirling snow that sparkled under the strange auroras of the sky. The group gathered in front of the main entrance, each reacting to the cold in their own way. Goku, enveloped in his blue aura of Ultra Instinct, seemed completely oblivious to the weather, while Elizabeth rubbed her arms, trying to find warmth in her thermal coat.
A few meters away from the rest, Esdeath observed the surroundings with her piercing blue eyes. It was not the cold, which felt like an old friend to her, that kept her alert, but the strange duality of fascination and repulsion that this... "new world" provoked in her.
"The sky here is not blue, but a canvas of greens and purples... as if it were sick," she thought, recalling the clear skies of the Empire.
The dancing auroras that serpentined above were unlike any natural phenomenon she had witnessed before; they were too perfect, as if someone had painted them with a divine brush.
The Ice General still felt skeptical about everything around her. Initially, she thought it was all an illusion, "a trap" set by her enemies. But no matter how much she refused to believe it, the evidence was right in front of her.
Her gaze slid over the members of the group she was temporarily part of, analyzing them carefully. Her cold eyes first fell on Goku, the "black-haired monkey," who had defeated and humiliated her moments before. He played with that bright and annoying blue glow that wouldn't fade. She certainly had a debt to settle with him.
A few meters away, she spotted the "man in the cape," known as Superman, who exuded an aura of authority so natural that even she could not ignore it. He was speaking softly with Elizabeth, whom she considered a "crybaby princess" due to her weak and kind nature displayed in their brief interaction minutes earlier.
Looking beyond them, the "clown" in the red trench coat, Dante, was standing with his arms crossed, observing a structure made of snow and ice very close to where they stood. The general watched him closely; that man was the most dangerous of all in this place, without a doubt.
Esdeath shifted her attention to the sharp-eyed red-haired girl, known as Rias, who, like her, was contemplating the surroundings with attention to every detail. Her posture and air of superiority reminded Esdeath of the nobility of her Empire, but looking at her gave her a strange feeling. Esdeath was curious about her.
Finally, her eyes landed on the "elder" in impeccable attire, known as Sebas, who remained serene, as if all of this were just a minor setback. He had been recruited after their confrontation. She could still feel that sense of death when looking at him.
"None of them behave like soldiers... but neither like civilians," she reflected, frowning. In her world, strength dictated order; here, however, they seemed to follow that man with brown hair and white sideburns, known as Dr. Richards, who was fiddling with a strange artifact.
"Is he their general?" she wondered, feeling a growing curiosity about the hierarchy that governed them.
To be honest, Esdeath was interested in knowing what each of them was capable of. Having a confrontation with any of them would be rewarding. She couldn't help but smile slightly at the idea of discovering it for herself.
As she got lost in her thoughts, Dr. Richards focused on analyzing the green energy that enveloped the entire planet like a cloak. Adjusting the dial on his scanner, his eyes flickered between the data flowing on the holographic screen. Beside him, a metallic drone returned from its foray into the aurora borealis, its surface covered in a residual glow.
—Fascinating... —he murmured, reading the data from a sample of energy trapped in a force container.
Rias approached, curious about the expression of awe illuminating Reed's face.
—What did you find, Dr. Richards?
At the girl's question, everyone turned their attention to them.
—This energy... It's neither radiation, nor ki, nor even magic like yours or Elizabeth's... —Reed explained, showing the container where the green substance shimmered like a trapped liquid—. Its concentration and purity far exceed the passive energy that each of you emits, by a lot.
—What does that mean? —Elizabeth asked, confused by the scientific explanation.
Goku, who was listening to Reed, leaned toward her.
—It's complicated —he whispered, with a hand covering his lips in a conspiratorial gesture— but it has to do with it being a very rare and special energy.
—Ah, I understand... —the girl said, nodding.
Superman crossed his arms upon hearing their conjectures, using his microscopic vision on the green liquid and commenting on his point about it.
—The molecules behave like a liquid, but their composition is inorganic. It's like...
—Prana —a deep voice interrupted.
Everyone turned toward the source, curious about that phrase. The butler Sebas, who had spoken, remained unperturbed very close to them, but there was a glimmer of recognition in his eyes as he detailed the liquid.
Dante raised an eyebrow, munching on a piece of pizza.
—Pra-what?
—Prana —Sebas repeated—. In my world, it is the primordial energy that flows in all living things. Dragons absorb it, sorcerers mold it... but this... —he pointed to the aurora in the sky—. It's like an ocean compared to a river.
Rias frowned, confused by the term used.
—Sorcerers? Like the mana that wizards use?
Not exactly —Reed interjected, going into "scientific explanation" mode—. Prana is not just magic; it is raw life force. In Eastern theories, it is called chi or qi; some link it to the concept of ether. They may have a conceptual equivalence, but it has a very distinguishable energetic signature that differentiates them.
—Mana is refined magic. This is... the source itself. A very primitive and raw source... —Sebas simplified in response to Reed's theories.
Dante, who had been listening while devouring his inexplicable pizza, raised an eyebrow.
—So this place is like an unlimited energy buffet —he said, looking at the sky—. Why does it sound too good to be true?
Goku, intrigued, looked at his hands. The aura of Ultra Instinct pulsed, as if responding to something. Without a doubt, that energy was equivalent to the ki he wielded. But there was something more...
—So is the reason I can't control my transformation? Is it because of that? Because of Prana?
He asked curiously, raising an eyebrow. Superman responded.
—Your body is reacting to the excess energy in the environment —Clark said, with a hint of experience in his voice—. Imagine your body is a sponge in an ocean. You're constantly absorbing energy, even without wanting to...
Goku frowned slightly, understanding Superman's conjectures. Clark had experience in that matter, as something similar happened to him when exposed to sunlight.
—It's possible that we are all being passively affected by it.
The group listened to Superman's statements with different thoughts about the planet's energy. Esdeath, who had been listening in silence, scoffed.
—In other words, this place is feeding you unwillingly. Pathetic. True strength comes from suffering, not from gifts from the sky. —she spoke with notable disdain.
Some members of the group regarded her with various thoughts at her disparaging comments. Sebas looked at her, intrigued by her brutal philosophy.
—Curious philosophy for someone whose power comes from ice; an element of nature —Sebas replied in his unperturbed tone.
Before Esdeath could retort, Reed's drone emitted a sharp beep. A holographic screen projected in the middle of everyone, showing a three-dimensional map of the facility.
The map detailed that it was a broad structure six stories high and three levels below ground.
—Well, we'll leave that topic for another time. Let's get to what we came for. Computer, analyze the systems and give me a logistical and structural report —Dr. Richards ordered the assisting drone.
—"All systems are functioning at 80% capacity" —the AI responded in a mechanical voice—. "The structure is in good condition. Defense systems are deactivated, no danger detected. However, the main door will not open due to structural obstructions."
Reed frowned slightly, looking at the rest.
—Well, it seems we need an alternative entrance or...
—Let me try —Clark said, stepping forward, focusing his gaze on the metal doors, looking beyond the walls.
A flash of red light emanated from his eyes, followed by intense heat that melted the metal in seconds, catching the attention of some.
The two girls, Elizabeth and Rias, watched the scene with a bit of fascination and awe. Sebas and Esdeath, witnessing his abilities for the first time, analyzed the scene in their thoughts carefully, as it was something they had never seen.
The doors slowly opened with a resonating creak, revealing a dark interior.
—That ability is quite convenient —Goku commented, with his arms behind his head, as if the scene were no big deal.
—Fiuu... —whistled Dante—. Those hot little eyes are indeed useful. Do you come with a warranty included, Boy Scout?
Superman ignored the comment, focusing on the hallway that opened before them. It was shrouded in darkness, interrupted only by flickering emergency lights. The air was thick, laden with the smell of rusted metal and something else... an electric aroma, like static before a storm.
Reed adjusted the controls of his scanner and looked at the team with determination.
—Now that this is resolved, I will do reconnaissance and secure the place. Whoever wants to come is welcome. The others, make sure nothing goes wrong. —he indicated to everyone.
His tone left no room for discussion. He knew some preferred to stay on the sidelines, but this was necessary.
Sebas nodded elegantly and followed him, along with Elizabeth and Rias. The latter cast a glance at Dante, who approached Goku with a mischievous grin.
—Hey, Goku —Dante murmured, leaning in as if sharing a secret—. While the nerds investigate, how about we take a look on our own?
He pointed to the side, where the snow formed strange geometric spirals on the frozen ground.
—Something tells me there's more action down there than in that dusty mausoleum.
Goku looked at him puzzled by the invitation he was giving.
—Mmn. I don't know, Reed said that... —Goku started, scratching his head, until Dante interrupted him.
—Come on, when has what others say ever stopped you? —Dante insisted, winking at him.
—.....
Goku took a moment to reflect. He was certainly not one to take others' warnings seriously. Besides, there was something there that caught his attention about that place.
—Well, why not? —he accepted, without further ado.
Superman, who intended to go with the others, overheard the conversation and approached them.
—We shouldn't split up. We don't know what awaits us here.
—Relax, Boy Scout —Dante replied with a shrug—. It'll just be a quick look. Besides...
He paused for a moment, as if thinking about what he was going to say.
—Don't you feel like those spirals are... weird? Like something recently created them. —he said in a lower tone.
Clark contemplated his words. His vision couldn't penetrate the ground, no matter how hard he tried, and there was something in the air that also felt strange.
Being prepared for the unknown was paramount in these situations, especially knowing what had happened on that planet they visited hours earlier.
—Still, we can't...— "we can't separate from the others," Clark was going to say but was interrupted.
—I'm going too! —Esdeath announced, approaching them.
—Huh…?
The three looked at her, a bit confused. Until now, she had kept her distance, avoiding fraternizing with the others. It certainly seemed like she wouldn't approach them even though they were in the same group.
—You want to come? —Goku asked in a doubtful tone.
—It's not a good idea. We haven't settled properly yet —Clark spoke, shaking his head.
—Leave it to the docs and the others —Dante said before addressing the woman—. Besides, we're not accepting requests.
—It's not a request —Esdeath smiled, and the air around her hands shimmered with frost—. Either you let me join, or I freeze your feet, "clown," until you shut up.
Her authoritative tone made it clear she wasn't joking. She was a strong-willed and determined woman, and she didn't want to appear weak before them.
Dante laughed at her threat.
—Haha. You want to try it, Ice Queen?
—Yes, in fact...
The friction was palpable between the two, but Goku intervened before the tension escalated.
—Well, well! As long as you don't start fighting, there's no problem. —he said, although his blue aura pulsed, as if Ultra Instinct were reacting to the tension—. Besides, we're just going to check things out, okay?
After Goku's words, the atmosphere lightened. Superman sighed, defeated at seeing that they would go regardless of what he said.
—Alright, I'm going too. —he conceded, but not before exchanging glances with Esdeath—. If you do anything, I'll stop you.
The Ice Woman merely flashed a cold smile at Superman's warning.
—Try it, outsider.
—Alright, it's decided. Behind me, please —Dante said nonchalantly.
With the group divided, Reed and his team entered the facility, while Dante, Goku, Superman, and Esdeath headed toward the icy path, where the snow spirals guided them into the unknown. With each step, Goku felt how his energy resonated strangely, as if something underground was... calling him.
The spirals became more defined as they approached, forming almost perfect patterns that sank into the earth and ice. Dante stopped at the edge of the largest one, looking into the dark tunnel that formed in the center.
—Someone or something made this —he murmured, with all trace of joking gone from his voice—. And I have a feeling it wasn't to welcome us.
---
Inside the Facility.
The metal doors creaked open, revealing a vast and gloomy interior. The abandoned facility stretched before them like a labyrinth of shadows and echoes, with wide hallways that seemed to swallow the light. The walls were adorned with worn metal panels, covered in a patina of rust and dust, but in some places, strange runes glowed with a faint light, pulsing as if they had a life of their own.
The air was thick, infused with the smell of rusted metal mixed with something more ethereal, as if the very essence of Prana floated in the atmosphere. Rias, with her curious eyes, looked around in awe while Elizabeth approached a panel where the runes glowed intensely.
—What do you think this place could be? —Elizabeth asked Rias, gently touching the cold metal—. It's very similar to the place we were in before, but it feels different.
She was still not familiar with the technological and unknown environment surrounding her, but her curiosity about the strange artifacts drove her to act like a child discovering something new and wonderful. Every object awakened in her a sense of wonder, as if every corner concealed a secret waiting to be revealed.
—It's as if these ancient scientists tried to understand the mystical, but they also integrated it into their technology —Rias replied, observing how the runes seemed to react to her presence. —The Prana that Sebas mentioned... it's as if this place were fed by it. I wonder what would happen if we came into direct contact with that energy?
Elizabeth's face lit up with curiosity but also a hint of concern.
—Do you think it would be safe? —she asked, intrigued, trying to touch one of the runes imbued with energy.
Just then, Sebas, who had been following silently, intervened with his grave voice.
—It is not advisable to come into direct contact with Prana. The concentration of this energy is so high that it could be harmful to anyone. —he warned the young woman, who quickly withdrew her hand.
Reed, who was acting as a guide, nodded at the butler's warning.
—Mr. Sebas is right. This energy is not only powerful, but its concentration makes it unstable. We do not know how it may react with our bodies.
Rias frowned, recalling Goku.
—But Goku already touched that energy, didn't he? Why didn't it affect him?
—Goku is a unique case —Reed explained, looking at Rias seriously. —His control over his own energy is exceptional. His body can tolerate that energy without adverse effects. Most of us do not have that capability. But even so, I cannot assure you what I say without studying it further.
Elizabeth looked at Rias, her eyes filled with unease.
—So, could it be dangerous to even get too close?
—Exactly —Sebas replied, his expression serious. —The energy of Prana can be a source of power, but it can also consume those who are not prepared to handle it.
The group continued to advance, each step resonating in the silence of the facility. The flickering emergency lights cast dancing shadows on the walls, creating an almost dreamlike atmosphere. Rias felt as if she were in a dream, where science and magic intertwined in an eternal embrace.
As they walked, Elizabeth stopped and looked around, feeling the vibration of the place.
—If this "Prana" is so powerful, who is capable of controlling it? Mr. Goku said there were many presences here. What kind of creatures inhabit this place? —her curiosity turned to intrigue with those inquiries.
—That's what we need to find out —Reed said, his voice filled with determination. —But we must proceed with caution. Curiosity is dangerous, especially in a place like this. We cannot let our guard down again.
Reed's words resonated in the air as the group delved deeper into the facility.
Sebas, who was following behind, couldn't help but wonder what had happened to them.
---
With Dante's Group.
The icy tunnel narrowed as they descended, and the air was charged with an electrifying vibration. The snow spirals guiding them now glowed with a faint green light, as if they were imbued with the same energy enveloping the planet.
—This is definitely not natural —Superman murmured, scanning the walls with his X-ray vision.
—Looks like a party awaits us. At least we won't be bored.
Goku, on the other hand, felt his skin tingle. The aura of Ultra Instinct pulsed uncontrollably, as if resonating with the energy surrounding them.
—Hey, guys... —he pointed ahead—. I think we found the source.
As they rounded one last bend, the cave opened up before them into a colossal chamber. In the center, a waterfall of "pure Prana" cascaded from the ceiling like an emerald river, accumulating in a luminous lake that illuminated the entire space with a supernatural glow.
—What is that...? —Clark inquired upon seeing the waters.
Everyone fixed their gaze on the waterfall where a creature was bathing in its waters.
Above the waters, with its wings magnificently spread and with vacant eyes of reason, a "bird" of iridescent feathers floated. Its body burned with a sickly green fire, distorting the environment around it.
—A bird?! —Goku exclaimed in surprise— but it's engulfed in those green flames!
Everyone detailed the animal with surprise, while others recognized it.
—Is that bird a damn phoenix? —Dante inquired, looking at the bird.
—Phoenix? You mean that magical bird that can resurrect? —Goku asked, recalling the time Master Roshi had mentioned it.
—It certainly seems so —Clark intervened— but it looks like something strange is happening to it.
—If by strange you mean it looks crazy, then yes —Dante commented with his hilarious attitude.
—The Prana condensing from the waterfall is overfeeding it —Superman said, clenching his fists—. It has absorbed too much energy. It's not itself!
Clark's statements hinted at a bit of concern. The fire bird had been absorbing much of the planet's energy. And this caused it to lose control over itself.
—It's not just that —Goku spoke, narrowing his eyes—. I can't feel its ki. I don't sense anything coming from it. It's as if its energy is framed with the environment.
Dante raised an eyebrow at what was said.
—Eh...? Are you saying it's part of the curve, or what? —he inquired, looking at the fire bird. He also couldn't perceive anything coming from the bird.
—That energy is so ominous and yet imperceptible. I couldn't differentiate its energy from the place. It's as if nothing were there —Goku replied, concentrating on the energy of the surroundings.
If it weren't because they were staring at it intently, they would say it wasn't there.
—Don't tell me it's because of that power.
—I wouldn't know how to say it. —Goku replied—. Where I come from, there are people who can hide their presences, but I don't think that's the case.
—Ha. How convenient.
While Dante and Goku continued their conversation, Esdeath, who remained behind them, smiled, sliding her fingers over the edge of her sword. Superman crossed his arms, his serious gaze surveying the phoenix floating over the lake of Prana.
—Let's not provoke it. If it has been corrupted by the excess energy, we could help it instead of—
"ZAS!"
Clark couldn't finish because something stopped him.
A chilling slash of ice cut through the air, crashing into the phoenix's chest. The ice impacted its chest, but instead of freezing it, the Prana absorbed it, causing the green flames to grow with renewed fury.
The phoenix raised its head and "screamed" in fury, a sound that resonated to the bones.
The three men slowly turned to Esdeath, who held her sword with a confident and challenging smile. She looked at their astonished expressions and said:
—What? You wanted to see its power, didn't you? —she said, as if she had just served them coffee instead of unleashing hell.
The phoenix spread its gigantic wings, its green flames grotesquely growing like a storm of emerald fire. The ground trembled, and the ice walls began to melt, not from heat, but from the pure chaotic energy that was now being unleashed.
Goku, Superman, and Dante stared at her with the same expression of "Seriously, did you just do that?"
Dante was the first to break the silence, leaning on his sword with an exasperated smile.
—Well, well! The Ice Drama Queen decides today that there aren't enough problems —he said, making a theatrical gesture toward the phoenix, which was now roaring with divine fury—. Are you still sure that suffering is better than gifts from the sky, princess?
Esdeath ignored him, her eyes shining with excitement at the chaos she had created.
—Finally, a worthy opponent —she murmured, preparing another ice technique.
Goku sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
—Well... I guess we're really going to fight now.
The phoenix raised its wings, and a shockwave of green flames shot toward them, illuminating the cave with an apocalyptic glow.
To be continued.