Chapter Text
"Just stand still, Marine. The bio-scan will only take a second."
That instruction came from a blonde-haired man with a crew cut. He was wearing a standard-issue UAC security personnel uniform. Honestly, these men and women were properly trained soldiers who were fit for an active warzone. But under the UAC's employ, such capable and deadly individuals were regarded as little more than the hired muscle to make sure work got done and problems were solved.
The person getting a bio-scan was the latest addition to the ranks in the UAC research facility on Mars. The location was appropriately named Mars City, and many people spent multiple years of their lives there. The most dedicated individuals would even prefer to stay here until they die, or perhaps those who simply found the quiet isolation of the red planet more comfortable than the overcrowded conditions of Earth.
"Alright, everything looks good," The blonde-haired man said once the bio-scan was finished. "Report to the front desk and get signed in. The Sarge will want to speak to you immediately, so don't dawdle in the lobby." He stated.
The person nodded in response, not big on words. They turned to their left to face a set of twin mechanical doors that would separate when approached. It only took two steps to trigger the sensor, revealing what lay ahead. However, it wasn't a cleanly lobby. No, it was...it was...
"Ah, Marine," A bald, older man with a blind left eye greeted the person. His head was grotesquely extending from the mouth of a Demonic-winged beast. The neck, if it could still be called that, was a never-ending tube of flesh covered in saliva or some other unpleasant substance. "Glad to see you've come back. We've all been waiting for you." The man said with a smile that stretched from ear to ear.
Surrounding the abomination was a realm of fire and brimstone. There were also pillars of meat that were covered in moaning, gasping, crying mouths. Various facial features were dotted about, from eyes to ears to teeth to noses. All of these things were people who had been transformed or repurposed purely for the entertainment of the madman and his masters.
"Help us." "Please, it hurts." "I don't want to die." "Someone, save us." "So...much...pain..." "I...I can't feel...anything..." "Where am I?! What's going on?!" "Please stop." "I'm tired, so tired." "Let it end. LET IT END!" "KILL ME! FREE ME FROM THIS HELL!" "WHY?! WHY DID THIS HAPPEN?! WHY?!"
More and more voices spoke. It was an overwhelming auditory discord. The person fell to their knees with their hands on their ears. They knew what was coming. These were only the voices from Mars City. No, please, don't let them hear the rest.
"...F..."
Slowly, the chorus was rising. Shrieks, screams, cries, and yells. Children calling for their parents. Lovers trying to save one another. People trampled each other as they ran from the hordes. The warmth of raging infernos. The collapse of civilization. A genocide that would lead to extinction.
"...Fly..."
Stop. Stop it. Please. Enough. I tried my best. I did what I could. Earth was already gone by the time I got there. I couldn't kill them all. I couldn't save anyone. SHUT UP! STOP! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THIS! I DON'T WANT TO SEE IT! I DON'T WANT TO SMELL OR TASTE IT! ENOUGH! LET ME GO! LET ME GO! LET ME-
BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT
Suddenly, everything changed. The environment was a room in the Ivory Tower. There was very little noise, and the air was clean. Nothing was wrong.
"I'm sorry, Flynn." Vega, that was Vega. He spoke from a drone hovering above. "I didn't plan to wake you with an electric shock, but you weren't responding to anything else." He explained.
"...It's...fine..." Flynn replied breathlessly. His eyes were wide, his body trembled, and there was a light layer of sweat on his skin. "Sorry...I...I was..." He tried to form a sentence, but his head felt so light.
"It appeared as though you were experiencing a nightmare. You were mumbling at first, but then it became hysterical." Vega informed him as he sat upright.
"Yeah...the usual..." Flynn said, trying to regain his composure. "If you could, I'd appreciate this staying between us. I don't want the others to know because they might make a big deal of it." He requested.
"Of course. It is not my privilege to pry or disclose any private information." Vega promised, making him smile.
"Thanks, that means a lot," Flynn told him before getting to his feet. "Alright. Sitrep. What's happening?" He asked, doing some stretches.
"We've found another way to go to Urdak. Singularity was stranded due to countermeasures prepared by Samur. The rest of our group suggested that Lucifer and Charlotte, who are descendants of Samur, may carry the essence of Khan in their souls. The Wretch and I confirmed that to be true. Thus, a method to send them to Urdak was determined. Everyone is gathered and waiting." Vega answered.
"Waiting? What for?" Flynn questioned. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm glad to be kept in the loop, but this seems pretty urgent. Why bother getting me up while this is going down?" He added.
"Well, as the method of transportation was realized, an idea emerged. Singularity has been sharing its power with you to extend your life, along with other benefits. The Wretch wondered if you might have received some of their essence as well, which would contain Khan's, too. So, on his request, I compared our data on Samur's soul to yours that I obtained when treating your injuries. The result was a match." Vega explained.
"...Wait...so...I'm going to Urdak, too?" Flynn inquired, wanting to be sure he understood the thought process.
"Correct. The others were quite relieved by this discovery. While Lucifer and Charlotte are powerful, having someone with your background and skills brings a welcome layer of security." Vega confirmed.
"Will it be safe for me, though? I'm pumped full of Divinity, and we all saw how well that worked against Samur. I doubt Urdak will be less dangerous." Flynn pressed.
"Doomguy provided details on what happened when he and Singularity reached Urdak. Samur has a device ready to capture you. It will also restrict your movements. However, this is not an issue. By using the essence of Khan in your soul, we can teleport you, Lucifer, and Charlotte to Urdak by using her as an anchor point, just like how Singularity did. That means you will be able to take anything on your body with you, which includes equipment. You will carry a device that will discharge a high concentration of Argent energy to disrupt and destroy the apparatus. Think of it like using the BFG, only not as potent so as to not cause harm to yourself." Vega stated.
"Huh, sure, been tossed around and beaten to shit, might as well explode on top of that." Flynn chuckled, followed by a sigh. "Alright, Vega. Take me to where I need to be." He ordered.
Vega responded by having his drone exit the room with Flynn in tow. Together, the duo ascended a few floors, which took about a minute. After that, they arrived at their destination and were met with greetings.
"Hey! He's up!" Clara was the first to notice Flynn as he entered the room. The rest of the group turned to look at him when they heard that.
"Are you alright, Flynn?" Lucifer asked, coming closer to him. Since it was his father who tossed the man around, Lucifer felt guilt.
"As good as I can be," Flynn answered with a small smile. "But let's not get hung up on me. Vega says we're taking a vacation to Urdak," He joked.
"Oh, if only," Charlotte replied with a saddened smile. "Maybe we'll have time to savor the sights later. For now, when we get there, my father and I should wind up close to where Khan is kept. We're bringing along our PDAs in the hope that we can still communicate with the others, though the Maykrs might have things in place to prevent that, too. Regardless, we're not to do anything until you find us. We don't know how far you'll be from Khan's chamber, but we are confident we can keep in touch since we'll be in the same reality. If not, we'll look for you." She informed him.
"It shouldn't be too difficult. We'll just track down the sound of a massive explosion," Lucifer commented with a smirk.
"Don't go giving him the wrong idea," The Wretch interjected. "The blast will be powerful, yes, but it won't cause you any discomfort." He assured him.
"Heh, it's fine. No big deal if I get a little singed," Flynn said with a shrug.
Following that, the group proceeded with the business at hand. First, the device was fastened to Flynn's body. It was like a harness with a mechanism that rested on the torso, which is what would discharge the Argent.
Next, the teleportation method. Since the goal was to use Flynn, Lucifer, and Charlotte's connection to Khan, the machines that would aid them weren't too complicated. They were large, circular contraptions that each person would stand on. Once in position, the inventions would then register their souls, focus on the essence that originated from Khan, and then search for the source. When it was acquired, the platforms would send the trio to it.
Lastly, if the PDAs couldn't contact those in the Ivory Tower and the trio could accomplish nothing, the machines would be able to retrieve them. That was another reason for their souls to be registered. It was agreed that if there was no communication after an hour, the Wretch would bring them back. With Samur out of the picture, there was very little chance for something bad to be waiting, but it was still a possibility.
"Are you ready?" Vega inquired, receiving nods from the trio. "Please remain still. You may become disoriented when the process is complete. Do your best to remain on your feet. Regarding you, Flynn, the device will automatically discharge after one minute. The countdown begins now." He told them.
Afterward, the platforms came to life with a bright blue glow. The energy encased the trio, accompanied by a light hum from the machines. And then...
...
...
...
For a moment, there was an indescribable array of colors and sensations. When it ended, the scenery was a blurred mess. The bodies wobbled as balance became uneasy. But, with enough effort, there was no unpleasant meeting with the ground below.
"Charlotte? Are you okay?" Lucifer called out for his daughter. He was shaking his head in the hope that it would settle everything faster.
"I'm dizzy, but that's all. I've still got all ten fingers and toes." Charlotte assured him. She sounded close, as in a few feet away.
"Wait, how can I hear you two?"
Both Lucifer and Charlotte were brought to a pause. That...couldn't be who they thought it was...could it?
"Flynn?" Charlotte called out as both she and her father turned toward the direction of the voice. By now, their sight was back to normal, allowing them to see none other than the man they heard.
"Yeah, it's me," Flynn confirmed, facing them as well. "I...don't know how this is possible, but it looks like we made it together." He said.
"That would be our doing,"
The trio was surprised. They looked up at the ceiling, for it sounded as though voices were coming from everywhere.
"Singularity? Is that you?" Flynn asked with a hopeful tone.
"Tis we, Flynn!" Singularity excitedly answered. Now that the trio was paying attention, they noticed how the many lights in the room flashed when Singularity spoke, just like the Soul Cube.
"Wow! How did you guys do this?!" Charlotte inquired with an ecstatic grin.
"Samur was too quick to leave. The container we were put into remained connected to the device. We've gained multiple lifetimes' worth of experience navigating and interacting with technology as we are. Traveling from the container into the rest of Urdak was-"
BZZT
The trio had forgotten something. Strapped to Flynn's body was an Argent explosive with a one-minute timer. Without the support of the machine that was meant to hold him, combined with his relaxed condition because of Singularity's presence, Flynn was sent flying backward by the force of the blast.
BAM
"Flynn!" Lucifer and Charlotte shouted in unison before hurrying over to their downed ally. The poor fellow had come into contact with something that stopped his flight across the room.
"Ugh..." Flynn groaned as the father-daughter duo reached him. "Is all my bad luck catching up with me?..." He questioned.
"You are having a REALLY bad day," Charlotte agreed with a sympathetic smile as she and Lucifer helped him up. "But hey, things are turning around. We're not separated, Singularity's with us, and we don't have to worry about...any...more..."
Charlotte slowly stopped talking. When the men looked at her to see what was going on, they discovered her staring at whatever it was that Flynn had collided with. Upon inspecting the object themselves, they...found...
"Ah, yes, we should introduce you," Singularity spoke while the trio remained stunned. "Everyone, this is our mother. Khan, Creation incarnate." They revealed.
Lying before the trio was a giant machine containing an equally massive Maykr. The imagery evoked the story of Sleeping Beauty, except the princess was essentially God and represented a perfect union between flesh and technology. Through a thick glass covering, Khan was seen resting with her arms over her chest as though she were praying. Maybe it was her last action for the sake of her children. A mother's prayer that someday things could be as they once were.
"I...have seen a lot..." Flynn began, whispering due to his shock. "But this...just...wow..." He breathed out.
"We know. She's magnificent." Singularity proudly said. "Our mother's soul is taken by the machine that holds her. It is then distributed to all realities by utilizing the entirety of Urdak. To clarify: Excluding facilities and apparatuses that are serving other vital functions, everything in the realm is part of the mechanism. It wouldn't cease to function if one or many things failed or were destroyed, but dedicating so much to this ensures no disruption. Only the total devastation of Urdak would bring an abrupt end to the process, which would then wake our mother." They explained.
"Okay, so, no blowing up anything. Got it." Flynn replied. That wasn't a joke. He was ready to do some demolition work if it was required.
"Your enthusiasm is appreciated, but not necessary. Before your arrival, we were working to restore communication. We only need five, maybe ten minutes more." Singularity shared.
"What about transportation?" Lucifer asked.
"That is MUCH more complicated. It will take an hour at the very least, but that is being hopeful." Singularity answered.
"Is there anything we can do?" Charlotte inquired, not wanting to stand around and be useless.
"Well, there is something that we've considered..." Singularity admitted. "We planned to connect our souls with our mother to stir her consciousness before the awakening. However, none of you would know the first thing about our technology, and even with our assistance, we'd be doing most of the work. So, if you are not against the idea, you three could interact with her while we contact the others and attend to everything else." They suggested.
"Oh! Yes! Let's do that!" Charlotte exclaimed with glee. After all, Khan was her great-grandmother. That was more important to her than the whole manifestation of Creation part.
"I'm on board as well. I'd like to see if father's attitude was unique to his personality," Lucifer remarked.
There was an expectation of commentary from Flynn. Yet, he surprised the others by staying quiet.
"Flynn?" Singularity called.
"..." Flynn sighed while closing his eyes. "It's not that the idea is offputting. Most people live their entire lives hoping for a chance to meet God. It's just...Charlotte and Lucifer are her family. But even if we ignore that I have no personal relation, I just don't think it'd be appropriate for me to be included. This seems like an intimate sort of situation." He explained.
"Nonsense. You're family to us." Singularity responded, catching him off guard. "We've fought together. We've survived together. And now we work to free our mother and start the crusade against Doom together. You may not be our sibling by birth, but that is only a distinction." They asserted.
...
...
...
"Alright, fine," Flynn sighed again, letting his shoulders sag. "I'll go along with it if you NEVER say stuff like that again..." He offered, feeling embarrassed.
"No promises~" Singularity teased before getting serious again. "Now, all you three need to do is sit down, relax, and enter a state of meditation. Our mother's soul is so significant that your consciousness will naturally link with hers if there is no resistance, especially when you're this close to her. When the connection is formed, it will feel as though you've fallen asleep. The next time you seem to awake will be in her mind. Do you understand?" They instructed, ending with a question.
In reply, the trio nodded. Each one chose a spot to sit against the device and made themselves comfortable. From there, they closed their eyes and waited. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breath out. Breathe...in, breath...out. Breathe...breathe...breathe...