Immortals Gather

Story
The Asgardian ship flies through the air at night, on the fast approach towards the Nazca Lines in Peru. Dragan is flying it, with Ishizu, Leo, Luna, Aster, Skurd and Jesse in the back.

Leo: This ship is so cool! I can feel how ancient the tech is, at least in comparison to today’s tech.

Dragan: This is the advancements of Asgard at its finest! There’s no airship alive that can match this one!

Aster: No ship that can match its lack of comfortability. This seat is making my butt sore.

Luna: I can hear, thousands of voices, just begging to be freed.

Ishizu: And yet, I sense no life.

Dragan: It is the Earthbound, begging to be freed. The alter is in sight. We will land in a few moments.

The others get up to see the alter in the distance, as they begin their approach.

Skurd: I don’t like this at all. Too easy.

Aster: Use Seer Digger to check for any incomings.

Skurd grabs onto the Nemetrix, as he stretches his tendrils over Aster’s head, forming Seer Digger’s face, snout and whiskers, the whiskers twitching. Aster’s eyes are covered, as he sees the image of a barrier dome forming, cutting through their ship.

Aster & Skurd: Speed up!

Aster: A force field’s,

Skurd: Going to cut us off!

Dragan: We’re going at full capacity already!

Leo: I can decouple a regulating valve, and Dragan, you can use lightning to add more output. We may explode, but it’ll give us a boost!

Dragan: I leave it to you, then!

Dragan gets out of his seat, as Leo’s eyes glow turquoise, taking control of the ship. The engine groans as a sign of the regulator being removed, it releasing an additional burst of propulsion. Dragan makes it to the engine with Mjølnir, shooting lightning to power it up even more. The engine begins steaming, though the ship rockets forward. An energy dome rises from the ground, circling around the terrain of the temple. The ship is on fast approach, though the barrier is rising faster.

Skurd: No good! At this speed, we’re not going to make it!

Aster: Give us something that can fly, then! Everyone, prepare to abandon ship!

The ship flies forward, as the rising barrier cuts clean through the Asgardian ship, the bow of the ship being on the inside of the dome. Aster with Fell Wygic armor on him flies out, as Leo carries Luna. Ishizu, Jesse and Dragan fly out after them, as they fly down towards the ground.

Aster: That was a close one!

Skurd: You’re telling me! I’m glad we used that form.

Luna: All those voices are screaming down there. They’re in pain.

Leo: Any that aren’t in pain? That’d be our guys!

Luna: I, can’t tell.

Jesse: As soon as we land, we need to be ready for anything!

A dark energy beam flies through the air, causing the group to scatter. Luna’s grip slips, as she falls off Leo’s back, going tumbling towards the ground.

Luna: Leo!

Leo: Luna!

Leo dives after Luna, speeding up to catch up to her. Aster groans, as he leans to angle downward, going after them.

Aster: We’ll catch up! Get to the alter!

Leo swoops and catches Luna, slowly descending to the ground. They land, Leo putting Luna down, who still clings to Leo.

Leo: It’s okay, Luna. Nothing’s going to happen to you.

Camula: I would disagree with that.

Leo and Luna turn, seeing Camula standing there. She motions her arms skyward, as labyrinth walls shoot out of the ground, trapping them in the walls. Aster flies into the labyrinth as well, as a forcefield forms over the top of the labyrinth. Leo fires a propulsion blast, hitting the forcefield right at the edge.

Camula: I got more of you trapped in my labyrinth than I wanted. But that doesn’t matter. I’ll still kill you, Luna.

Luna: Why me?

Camula: Because you’re the one who killed me. Your powers with mind control and light will be of great use. And after all of that, I’ll kill you, in the most painful way possible!

Leo and Aster move in front of Luna, acting like a shield for Luna.

Leo: You’re not going to touch her.

Aster: Not while we’re here.

Ishizu, Dragan and Jesse land in front of the alter, as they look back to see the labyrinth.

Ishizu: We should go in and rescue them.

Dragan: And risk getting caught in their trap? If we defeat Goodwin, then we will reverse everything! Halldor will be saved, and he can restore everything!

Goodwin: Oh, Dragan. How notably naive.

Dragan looks up, as Rex Goodwin stands at the top of the alter, looking down on them.

Goodwin: I had warned you about facing me again, Dragan. Now, I will destroy you.

Dragan: Never! This day, I will avenge Halldor, and all of Asgard!

Goodwin: I understand that you have your honor to fight for, Dragan. But you, Ishizu Ishtar and Sugilite, you have no conflict here.

Dragan: Sugilite?

Ishizu: That is where you are wrong. You are threatening this world, and I plan to save it!

Goodwin: Save it? I am the one that am saving you! There is a threat, an apocalyptic threat that will come from space to destroy us all! Your new friend knows, he came to prevent the same thing.

Jesse sighs, as the light around Jesse shimmers and fades away, revealing a Crystalsapien, with teal hands, mouth and crystals coming out of his body.

Dragan: You’re, an alien? A full-fledged alien from space?

Jesse: Yes. The name he stated, Sugilite, is my true name. I took the name Jesse to be more, appealable to humans. The Light of Destruction is going to lure the destroyers to this planet, unless I cancel out the signal.

Goodwin: Or unless I quench it. And I will create a new era, in order to preserve this planet’s prosperity, and protect it from those outside threats!

Jesse: Your dark energy isn’t enough to stop it! The Light of Destruction can only be matched by the Gentle Darkness, and your Earthbound forms won’t quench the Light, it’ll only hide it. But light can escape through even the smallest crevasse! You may delay it, but you won’t stop the threat this way!

Goodwin: Even if it doesn’t, I and the Earthbound will become the defenders of this world!

Dragan: Do you have any idea how ludicrous that sounds?! Those are dark gods, unyielding to your will. They will do what they want, which is to kill the entirety of civilization!

Goodwin: It doesn’t matter. When the sun shines on the temple, the Earthbound will rise, and this world will enter its new age. Will you not join me in it?

Ishizu: No. Because I believe that future will be changed. By one who is stronger than you.

Ishizu takes on her anodite form, firing a powerful mana blast at Goodwin. A phantom condor aura forms around Goodwin, him shaking his head in disappointment.

Goodwin: I thought you would be the one to understand. All civilizations, great or poor, will fall. And your civilization, needs to be destroyed.

Goodwin’s aura solidifies into Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca, as he flaps his wings, a gust occurring. Molting, liquid swamp clones clones of Jesse, Dragan and Ishizu morph together, standing in front of them.

Dragan: Clones? Do you not see us as worthy advisories?!

Goodwin: I do. But there is too much at stake to risk fighting you.

Dragan raises Mjølnir and fires lightning from it at Wiraqocha Rasca, as Swamp Dragan flies up, blocking it with its Mjølnir. Dragan flies up, as the two collide, the two pushing Mjølnir at each other. Swamp Ishizu breaks into a semi-liquid form, drooping in front of her. Ishizu blasts Swamp Ishizu, her absorbing the mana attack. Swamp Ishizu blasts Ishizu with a wave of muck, burying her. Jesse fires an Ultraviolet ray, as Swamp Jesse absorbs it.

Dragan: Urgh! By the power vested in me, you shall not stand in my way, you reality altered created monster of the swamp!

Swamp Dragan’s Mjølnir sparks, as it releases lightning, shocking Dragan and blowing him back, him taking it with decent resistance. Swamp Dragan swings Mjølnir, sending him flying back, him crashing into the barrier over the maze. Dragan jumps again, with Mjølnir in front.

Jesse charges in and punches Swamp Jesse, as its body breaks apart like slime, reforming. Swamp Jesse fires a stream of sludge, Jesse raising his arms to brace himself, skidding back slightly.

Jesse: We have to break through these things!

Ishizu fires mana arcs, Swamp Ishizu taking them. Swamp Ishizu forms a sludge whip, as it cracks the whip at her, Ishizu jumping back.

Ishizu: These things are equal in ability to us!

Jesse: In comparison to ourselves! Switch enemies!

Dragan: I see. Fascinating!

Dragan kicks Swamp Dragan away, it having to reform. Dragan flies at Swamp Ishizu, pounding it into the ground, pinning it with Mjølnir. He then fries Swamp Ishizu with lightning, destroying it. Ishizu fires mana arcs at Swamp Jesse, it absorbing the attacks. Ishizu wraps her hair around Swamp Jesse, trapping it. Swamp Jesse screams, as it implodes from all the absorbed energy. Jesse catches Swamp Dragan’s Mjølnir, as he releases an ultraviolet pulse, destroying Mjølnir. Swamp Dragan goes to punch Jesse, as Jesse punches through its face, releasing ultraviolet rays and causing it to explode.

Goodwin: As I expected. You are the stronger members of the Signers, and are equal in strength to Yami. By absorbing you, I shall be stronger than him.

Dragan: You’re not already stronger due to absorbing Halldor?

Goodwin: I didn’t absorb all his power, just a mere fraction to power myself up. I was barely about to beat him before. Now, however, I will add to my power. End Scene

Skurd transforms into Seismic Constrictor, covering Aster in a white scale armor, that covers his head, shoulders, arms and back, giving him a tail and the red eyes over his head. Aster’s vision is immediately changed, him seeing the world through the vibrations of footsteps and sounds. He gets a layout of the entirety of the maze, seeing the entrance and exit.

Aster: I see the exit. We need to go left, left, right, straight, right, straight and left.

Leo: Can you repeat that?

Luna: How’d you not get that? I remembered it easily.

Leo: Oh, okay. I’m ready to go.

Aster walks in the lead, with Luna in the middle while Leo is in the rear, ready to attack with his Power Tool Dragon armor. Aster’s foot touches the ground, him sensing the vibrations as they echo through the labyrinth. The vibrations travel up, taking the form of a muscular humanoid with towers on his back.

Aster: Leo! We’ve got company coming from behind us!

Lightning travels along the ground, as Leo strikes the ground with his scooper, detaching it and using it as a shield, him and Luna going behind it. Aster is past a line in the ground, as a wall shoots up from there, cutting him off from Leo and Luna. He turns to move through before it finishes, crashing into the rising wall, being knocked over in the process.

Aster: Darn it! I felt it coming, but I still couldn’t move in time!

Skurd: Leo is more than competent enough to defend Luna on his own. Camula is the Earthbound Immortal, which is what we need to handle.

Raphael: Too bad you won’t see them.

A wall moves to the side, as Raphael is revealed. Raphael shoots lightning, as Skurd turns into Thunder Log, Aster in a suit of wooden armor, with a hollowed snout for a nose. Aster inhales, the lightning being sucked off the floor, and into the snout.

Aster: Nice try. But, if you’re here, then who’s with…

Leo reattaches his scooper, sideswiping it to knock Kalin back. Kalin flips back, as he lands, firing a sonic howl. Leo uses the scooper to clamp himself in place, as he fires a propulsion blast. Kalin is hit in the shoulder, him howling in pain.

Leo: Hurry!

Leo and Luna take off running, as Kalin sprints on all four, partially going up the wall before crashing into it to keep after them. Leo turns, punching Kalin with the scooper, knocking him back. Luna tries to stop, but can’t stop herself from skidding past, a wall rising up. She goes back, slamming her arms into the wall.

Luna: Leo!

Leo: Luna! I’ll come get you!

Kalin: Not likely!

Leo turns, as Kalin pounces at him, pinning him to the wall. A missile launcher opens in his chest, firing mini-missiles, blasting Kalin off. Leo turns around, as he forms his power drill, drilling into the wall. Luna backs away, hearing the spinning metal.

Camula: That was actually easier than I imagined it to be.

Luna turns, seeing Camula standing across from her.

Luna: Camula!

Camula: Your Light, it is so strong. If it was to power your mind even more than it is now, then you would be the perfect sacrifice for the Red Nova.

Luna: Red Nova? What does that have to do with the Earthbound Immortals?

Camula: You don’t need to understand all of the details. Just know that I am to bring it out of you.

Camula transforms into a miniature Earthbound Immortal Ccarayhua. The Lizard shoots forward, as Luna ducks underneath her, Ccarayhua’s claws scratching through the wall. Leo’s drill bursts through the wall, the drill tip being cut off. Leo retracts it, as Kalin grabs Leo from behind, tossing him back, away from the wall.

Kalin: I’ve been told I can eat you, so I’m going to play around, make this hunt worthwhile.

Ccarayhua extends her tongue after Luna, who takes off running down the labyrinth, turning a corner. The tongue makes a sharp turn, as it swats at Luna’s feet, tripping her. Luna falls to the ground, as Ccarayhua stands over her, stomping her into the ground. Luna lets out a scream, as her eyes flicker.

Yubel: ''Luna, you poor ignorant child. There is a way to stop this, you know. Get into her mind and shut her down.''

Luna: No! I, won’t use my powers to kill her!

Camula: That’s right. Let that beast in control. Show off just how powerful your mind really is!

Yubel: ''She’s already dead, so what’s the harm? Sending her back to whence she came is simply restoring the natural order. And you can’t argue with nature. One way or another, it always win.''

Luna: Doesn’t mean that we need to kill her!

Yubel: ''Isn’t that the point? Of all of this?! To kill them off? Yami has killed at least two of them himself! That is what is needed.''

Camula: Enough talk. Either release the beast within, or die.

Ccarayhua pushes down on her foot, as Luna screams in pain. Her eyes open, them flickering to being yellow and green.

Luna/Yubel: You want my power? You’ve got it.

Luna releases a white light, burning through Ccarayhua’s foot, exposing Camula’s. Camula’s leg burns, as she falls backwards onto her butt, as Luna stands.

Luna/Yubel: Oh? Your new undead form isn’t protected too well against my powers. Sorta silly, for you to seek my power when you can’t withstand it.

Camula: I did what Red Nova asked of me.

Luna/Yubel: I hope it was worth it.

Luna releases a scorching light, as Camula screams, Ccarayhua being burned away. Some of the labyrinth walls drop, showing Aster jumping over Raphael, kicking him from behind. Leo has fired energy ropes, binding Kalin’s paws together.

Kalin: Let me go! So I can kill!

Leo fires another energy rope, it wrapping around Kalin’s snout.

Leo: Finally done with that. Huh?

Leo looks to the light, his visor switching to an infrared scope so he can see. He locates Luna inside the source of light, as well as the shape of Yubel.

Leo: Luna! You get off of her!

Aster: What’s on her?

Leo: Some devil looking thing!

Skurd: Probably that Light of Destruction that Jesse has been so adamant about stopping. Yami should’ve let him handle it while he had the chance.

Aster: We’ve got to stop it! Give me Hypnotick!

Skurd: You sure this will work?

Aster: No! Just do it!

Skurd morphs into Hypnotick, giving Aster its back, wings, and head as a mask. Aster hovers over, as he releases a red mist from his wings, right in Luna’s face. The light dies down, as Camula’s body is steaming and burned. Raphael grabs Camula, putting her on his shoulder as he retreats. He grabs Kalin by the tail as he goes, him letting off a stifled yelp.

Leo: Luna! It’s me, Leo! You’ve got to fight, whatever this is!

Aster: No good! I’ve got her in a trance right now. She won’t be able to respond.

Yubel: But I can.

The Yubel light aura shoots forward, extending her clawed hand. She scratches at Leo, shattering his helmet. She then shoots forward, striking Skurd and swatting him off Aster’s shoulder. Skurd reverts, leaving Aster standing there.

Aster: How’d you do that?! No one has the ability to remove Skurd!

Yubel: Too bad I’m not nobody.

Yubel’s third eye opens up, as Leo, Aster and Skurd lose the color in their eyes, them being completely white. Yubel returns to Luna, who chuckles menacingly.

Luna/Yubel: And now, you are under my command.

A whispering occurs, catching Luna’s attention. She continues her way through the maze, leading Leo and Aster behind her.

Characters

 * Signers
 * Dragan
 * Leo
 * Luna
 * Ishizu Ishtar
 * Aster Phoenix
 * Skurd
 * Jesse

Villains

 * Rex Goodwin
 * Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca
 * Camula
 * Earthbound Immortal Ccarayhua
 * Kalin
 * Raphael
 * Yubel

By Skurd

 * Seer Digger
 * Fell Wygic
 * Seismic Constrictor
 * Thunder Log
 * Hypnotick

Trivia

 * The idea for "decoupling a regulator valve" I got while watching an episode of The Big Bang Theory.
 * The labyrinth, while based off the Yu-Gi-Oh! monster Labyrinth Wall, is very similar in design to the one that appeared in the John Smith 10 crossover Nibelung Valesti Part 1 and Part 2.
 * Jesse is revealed to be Sugilite, a Crystalsapien from the canon series. This technically makes Jesse the fourth Ben 10 character to appear in the series, following Skurd, Diagon and the Esoterica.
 * Jesse is only the second full-fledged alien to appear in the series, following Skurd.
 * The "Swamp clones" that Goodwin created were based off clones of a similar nature in the Naruto manga, summoned by the Rain Ninja that Naruto fought in the Chunin Exams.
 * The idea of the heroes switching swamp clones to fight is based off the Teen Titans episode "The End Part 3," where they did the same thing to beat their dopplegangers.
 * Camula reveals that she is working for Red Nova, who in the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise, was the strongest of the Earthbound Immortals, appearing much later than the rest.
 * Camula is tasked to receive Luna for the Red Nova, and using Yubel's power.
 * Yubel taking control of Leo's mind is a major event that will shape future episodes.