While Jack and his newly discovered long-lost brother struggled to escape Murbuol, Waldo and his group had rendezvoused with the Blades of Freedom.
Lonestar, Waldo, and the others camped on an uninhabited island, waiting for the Blades of Freedom to show up.
Then a massive fleet emerged. The Blades had arrived.
All of the ships landed on the island.
Everyone inside the ships got out and gathered around Waldo and the others. One of the Blades approached Waldo and shook his hand. It was Jane Zar, the leader of the Blades of Freedom and the sister of Jenna Zar.
"Hello Waldo, I haven't seen you since Muspelheim. Things sure have taken a turbulent turn around here. Lord Shadowking, the leader of the Dark Abyss and the one person we've struggled with assassinating for years, is now dead at last. Despite all that, Nousaurong has seized control of the Abyss and now the Abyss is even more powerful than it was during Shadowking's rule. We sure need all the help we can get. Most of men have been slaughtered by Nousaurong, single-handedly and with minimal effort. Many of us have lost faith in liberating this place from eons of oppression, and many have even gone so far as to desert us. The men you see before you are all that remains of us. We are short on men, and the Enemy has a powerful and terrifying new leader. Not to mention, the Enemy has a powerful army consisting of trillions of men. We only have an army of 1,000 at best. We are on the brink of collapse. It's do or die time for our group. So, why have we started this gathering?", said Jane.
"It's about my brother, Jackson Zar. He's been captured by God-Emperor Nousaurong, and is currently being held prisoner in Murguol. If we don't take action, he'll die," said Waldo.
"And what of it?!", said one of the Blades.
The Blades immediately started complaining about the possibility of attacking Murguol directly.
"SHUT UP!!!!! ENOUGH TALKING, HEAR HIM OUT TO THE END!!!!!!", yelled Jane.
"Thank you," said Waldo.
"You're welcome. But that is a good question. So why should we help you. If we storm Murguol, we will risk losing all that we have left. As I said, we only have 1,000 men, and they have trillions of men. We will be slaughtered the moment we get near Murguol, and the Blades of Freedom will be no more. Everything we've worked for, everything we've fought for, every victory we've ever had, and every person who's sacrificed themselves for our cause will be in vain," said Jane.
"As I said, Jack has been captured by Nousaurong. That is why we must fight. Jack is my brother, and I don't want to lose him. However, that's only part of the story. Jack is also the Chosen One, the one who is prophesied to kill Nousaurong and stop the Apocalypse. He is the only one who has a chance at stopping Nousaurong now or in the future. You need him! He is the key to winning this war! Don't you see?! Without him, all is lost!", said Waldo.
"Look, we're all sad that your bro is gonna die........BUT WE HAVE TO LOOK AFTER OURSELVES!!!!!", yelled one of the Blades.
"HEY KID, THIS IS WHAT I THINK OF YOU!!!!!!", yelled another Blade.
The second Blade stood up and pulled down his pants, revealing his bare, naked butt to Waldo.
"ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!", yelled Jane.
The Blade pulled his pants back up and sat down.
"Jeez, I don't remember them being this rude the last time we met!", said Waldo.
"When we last met, we all were way more optimistic than we are now. They see our cause as a lost cause now that Nousaurong is in power. It's possible many of these people are thinking of deserting us as well," said Jane.
"Then that should be more of a reason to get my brother back! Look, I know you're all feeling a little helpless right now! I know our enemy is crazy powerful! I know that Nousaurong alone is strong enough to destroy we have here, little on him and an entire army! You're absolutely right, none of us have the slimmest of hope at escorting Nousaurong to the gates of Asmeth, so to speak! Only Jack can do that! Jack is the only one of us that can kill Nousaurong, thus the only one capable of overthrowing the leader of the Abyss! As you know, defeating the leader is key to taking down the Abyss! IF WE DON'T HELP JACK NOW AND LET HIM DIE, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO THEN, HUH?!!!! ARE WE JUST GONNA PRAY TO EXZAR THAT THIS IS ALL JUST GONNA GO AWAY?!!!!! NO!!! THERE IS NO ESCAPING NOUSAURONG OR HIS MINIONS!!!!!! WE CAN IGNORE THIS PROBLEM ALL WE WANT, IT SURE AS ASMETH WON'T IGNORE US!!!!!! HE'LL HUNT US DOWN, ALL OF US!!!!! HE'LL SNUFF US ALL OUT, AND ANYONE ELSE WHO DARES OPPOSE HIM!!!!! IF WE DO NOTHING, THEN EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE MOST CERTAINLY WILL BE A LOST CAUSE, EVEN MORE SO THAN IT ALREADY IS!!!!!!! YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH?!!!! YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW THE GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION?!!!!!!!!! DO YOU HONESTLY THINK THAT I AM NOT SCARED OF OUR ENEMY?!!!!!!! Think again, buddies! I'm terrified of this guy! Even Dark Cranky wasn't this powerful, and even he was too terrifying for me! In fact, when I fought Dark Cranky during Space War II, I didn't even have an army of 1,000 men supporting my back! No, we were just eight stupid kids versus an entire empire led by a God! We weren't even the strongest of people! The government that initially supported us turned against us due to political corruption! For the bulk of the conflict, the government that supported us initially actually sided with the enemy and hunted us down as well! We could've given up, but we didn't! It was said during that fight that I was doomed to die should I face Dark Cranky, which eventually of course, I did! Even with all the shit I encountered, I kept on going! Soon, people saw us fighting, and decided to fight alongside us, all because they saw our fierce determination! In the end, we eight stupid kids took down an empire and a God because we had the guts to never give up!", said Waldo.
"I like that story, but this is different! Our enemy isn't Dark Cranky, he's Nousaurong!", said Jane.
"Nousaurong, Dark Cranky, Sadowsa, Shadowking, or whatever........DO YOU THINK THAT MATTERS?!!!!! My point is this, we have more people supporting us than we did during my fight against Dark Cranky! We have 1,000 men, and you have us! If we work together, we can win this fight! May I also add another thing about our planned attack?", said Waldo.
"Go on," said Jane.
"We are not the only ones fighting the Enemy! Surely you've heard the news! Oridia has launched an offensive attack on the Abyss! Unlike us, they have all the manpower you can think of! They have a force of 900 trillion men on their side, an army whose strength is equal to that of the Enemy! They're laying down their lives to destroy the Abyss, gambling everything they've got! That's quite remarkable considering the fact that Oridia suffered a huge loss after Shadowking assaulted the Freedlands a few months ago. Despite those heavy losses, they're still going just as they always have since Oridia was formed to begin with! Chances are that the Oridians themselves are also planning an attack on Murguol! Oridia will help us, I know it! They are one of the most powerful nations in the Multiverse, and the oldest existing nation in the Multiverse! As strong as they are, they alone cannot and should not be the only ones risking everything to take down the Abyss! We all must do our part and assist them! Oridia needs all the strength they can get, even if that strength is only a 1,000 men army! Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by the men who wield them! While wars are led by powerful leaders, in the end, it is the army who helps that leader win the war! Don't you see, with Oridia fighting the Enemy, now is the perfect time to strike! If Oridia goes, and if Jack goes, then any hope at stopping the Enemy is nil! DON'T YOU SEE, WE MUST ACT NOW!!!!!! Are you gonna let this opportunity slip by, or will you seize this opportunity to WIN THIS WAR ONCE AND FOR ALL?!", said Waldo.
"YYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!", cheered the Blades.
"Okay, that's one way to motivate everybody," said Shawn.
"Shut up, Shawn. Anyways, who's with me?!", said Waldo.
"YYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!", cheered the Blades.
"So, here's my plan!", said Waldo.
While Waldo and the others were coming up with a plan of attack, the Oridians were camping out in Kazukudum after a long and grueling battle. They too were also planning on attacking Murguol.
"Any word on where Murguol is stationed, Commander Sunseth?", said John.
"According to the data we've gathered, while Murguol is an artificial island that moves from place to place, it typically is stationed in the exact center of the Abyss. One reason why is due to the strategic position of the region. By staying in the nerve center of the Abyss, Murguol can oversee all activities that go on," said Sunseth.
"Well that does make sense. Is there any chance that Murguol is stationed there right now?", said John.
"Yes, there is a very high chance that is there. As I mentioned, the center of the Abyss is valuable for its strategic position. However, there is one other reason why it's there," said Sunseth.
"What is it?", said John.
"The nerve center of the Abyss is the most fortified location in the entire Abyss. The nerve center of the Abyss is surrounded by the most highly fortified strongholds in the Abyss. Each of the surrounding strongholds houses a massive armada. The sheer size the armadas combined is almost incomprehensible. The strongholds are also equipped with very powerful weapons that can wipe out any invading army before they even step foot in the region. Due to this, Murguol receives the ultimate protection from enemy raids. We already know that Murguol itself is well fortified and highly protected. As long as Murguol is stationed there, any hope at invading the Dark Abyss's capital is nil," said Sunseth.
"At this point, I'm not surprised that this will be the costliest conflict in this campaign. I'm not surprised that there will be a massive army waiting for us," said John.
"Not only that, but the surrounding strongholds are also shield generators. Whenever Murguol is stationed in the Center of the Abyss, the surrounding strongholds generate an impenetrable shield around it, preventing anything from destroying it. The shield around Murguol is so strong that not even a Holy Judgement blast can destroy it," said Sunseth.
"Does our intelligence say anything on how to destroy the shields?", said John.
"Yes, but it's easier said than done. In order to destroy the shields, we must destroy all of the surrounding strongholds. That alone will not be an easy task because the bases themselves are highly fortified and protected by a massive army. In addition to that, there is a high probability that Murguol itself will send its own massive army to assist the other armies in defending the bases. Even if we do manage to take down the shield generators, we still have a problem. By the time we take down the shields that protect Murguol, chances are that our forces will be worn down by all the fighting. Meanwhile, Murguol will be ready for us and kill us all with whatever armies they haven't deployed. Not only that, but we also got Nousaurong to worry about. Defeating Nousaurong will be the hardest part of this whole operation. He won't go down that easily, and he alone can wipe out an entire army. Although knowing you, that shouldn't come up as a surprise to you," said Sunseth.
"How many strongholds are there?", said John.
"According to our intelligence, about 8 strongholds," said Sunseth.
"That's it?", said John.
"Yes, but it still won't be that easy. Don't forget what I said. Those eight strongholds are extremely fortified and house massive fleets. Not only are the bases equipped with powerful defenses, but the bases themselves are impenetrable," said Sunseth.
"What do you mean?", said John.
"The outer shells of the bases are made out of Adamantium, as in we cannot destroy them by simply shooting at them," said Sunseth.
"So they're indestructible, that's what you're saying?", said John.
"In a sense, yeah," said Sunseth.
"Not buying it. Every enemy base, no matter how strong, has a weakness. You said the outer shells are made of Adamantium? said John.
"Yeah," said Sunseth.
"That means that only the outside is indestructible, not the inside. So if we can't destroy the bases from the outside, we'll just have to destroy em from the inside," said John.
"Exactly! According to our intelligence, inside each of the bases is a massive generator that powers the bases. In turn, these generators power the shields. The only way to take down the shields is to take down the generators, but that won't be easy. Getting inside the bases will not be easy. The insides of the bases are full of enemy troops. We'll be surrounded the moment we step foot in there," said Sunseth.
"You're right, but what other choice do we have? The only way we're winning this war is if we win this battle. If we don't fight this battle, then we might as well have not even bothered starting this war in the first place. This is our chance to finally get rid of the Dark Abyss once and for all. As impossible as this battle may be, it's important to remember that we've engaged in harder wars in the past and still won," said John.
"True," said Sunseth.
"This is more than just about winning, this is about saving Jack. We cannot let Jack die, no matter what," said John.
"I know, he is your son and the Chosen One. Without him, we don't have a sliver of hope at defeating Nousaurong," said Sunseth.
"Not only that, but Nousaurong also wants to use him for his own heinous purposes. My wife, Jenna Zar, is the illegitimate daughter of Nousaurong. That means that Jack is the grandson of Nousaurong. Since I am the son of Exzar, that means that Jack is the grandson of Exzar on my side of the family," said John.
"Sweet Exzar and Nousaurong, just when I thought your family couldn't get any more complicated! You're telling me that your son is a descendant of both Exzar and Nousaurong?!", said Sunseth.
"Yes. Since Jack is a descendant of both Exzar and Nousaurong, that means he is the perfect martyr for a heinous ritual, a ritual that will allow Nousaurong to return to his full might!", said John.
"WHAT?!!", exclaimed Sunseth.
"There are many sacrificial rituals out there, but most of those rituals are incapable of reviving Nousaurong. Despite all that, there is still one ritual out there that can revive the God-Emperor, but it's very demanding. In order for this ritual to work, the sacrifice must be a descendant of both the one you want to revive and the person who killed that guy. Exzar killed Nousaurong. Since Jack is a descendant of both Nousaurong and Exzar, that means he is the perfect sacrifice for this ritual. This is more than about saving the Chosen One and my son, this is about stopping a ritual that will spell out disaster for us. If Jack is sacrificed, Nousaurong will come back and no one will be able to stop him," said John.
"But if Jack is the Chosen One, then who would stop Nousaurong if he kills him off at this ritual?", said Sunseth.
"No one. Don't you see? By doing this ritual, Nousaurong is fulfilling both of his goals at the same time: returning to his full might and killing the Chosen One! He'll come back unopposed! There will be no stopping him! Death to humanity will be inevitable! The outcome of this upcoming battle will decide the fate of the Multiverse! We must not fail, and we must not give up!", said John.
"If what you say is true, then chances are that Nousaurong would've already done the ritual by now!", said Sunseth.
"No, not yet! Nousaurong is keeping the Chosen One alive for now!", said John.
"I don't get it! If I were Nousaurong, I would've sacrificed him right now since you have not sent the armies to Murguol yet," said Sunseth.
"Yeah, well you aren't Nousaurong, are you? Nousaurong is waiting for us, without a doubt. He is probably keeping the Chosen One as bait for us. He told me that he is leading us into a trap of some sorts," said John.
"He said that? That seems a little suspicious! Is he leading us into a trap? What good would a master trap do if he could just sacrifice the Chosen One, come back to his full might, and then just kill us off with the snap of his fingers?", said Sunseth.
"I am wondering about that myself. Then again, we are talking about Nousaurong, a master manipulator. I believe he is leading us into a trap, but the reason why is unclear. Nousaurong does things you would not expect him to do, and when you fight him without any expectation that you are bound to fall for his deception, you will fail. I learned that the hard way. I once fell for his lies, and that resulted in the death of my love, Rose, and the death of her son, Cain. Now I have another family, I have a chance to redeem myself for the errors of my past. I failed my old family, I am not gonna fail my new family!", said John.
"It's not your fault, you didn't know that would happen! You wanted to protect them, but Nousaurong deceived you! You are not a failure, John! You are a great man with a great heart! It's true that you are not a perfect king, but you are a great man! Whatever happens in that battlefield out there, I promise you I will help you in any way I can! As the Commanding General of Oridia's Legions, I will protect His Majesty with all my heart and with all my strength! More importantly, as your old friend, I will protect you with all my heart and all my strength! I will fight beside you not as your right-hand man, but as your friend! I'm with you to the end of the line because that is what friends are for," said Sunseth.
"Thank you, Sunseth," said John.
"Now, let's go kick some ass!", said Sunseth.
Then the two gathered with their armies to discuss their plans.