The Final Desolation

Credit for a lot of the images goes the The Animal Jam Archives, Thanks Dudes!

Chapter 1: The Breaking Point
Tens of hundreds of Phantoms storm the border of Jamaa. The Slayers' numbers are slowly dropping. Commander Hiccup knows that if they are to fall back, the Phantoms' assimilation would spread like wildfire. She sends the last remaining cadet to get help from the rest of the military. The cadet would trip on a rock and fall to his demise. Two days pass, Hiccup knows that no help is coming. She knows that this will be her last stand against the Phantom Legion. She tells her best friend & highest ranking officer, Kazie to run straight to Jamaa & never look back. To tell the Paladins that she is dead & the phantoms are coming. Kazie hugs her tightly while shedding a tear.

"Go!" Hiccup demands.

Kazie runs off into the forest as Hiccup turns to meet her fate.

Chapter 2: Bane of Legends
The Heads of the Alpha Paladins discussing matters within a tree fort.

"WHAT DO WE DO!?" Bepper exclaims fearfully.

"Can we move on from your dead brother?" Duchess responds angrily.

"We may not have your brother, (Sniffles) but we still have each other. And we have to figure out how we can slaughter these things in the droves they face us!" WisteriaMoon says with confidence.

"The Calypso would have literally swallowed Jamaa in one bite! He saved us from our annihilation!" Says Duchess.

Bepper's bawling begins to decline, losing her brother tore her to pieces. Duchess directs her attention towards her map table, displaying the the Phantom's control around Jamaa.

"Any news on the holdouts at the Alpha Tower?" Wisteria inclines.

"They were able to stomp a sweep of Phantom Soldiers & several Phantom Councillor, but they've lost Gelly." Duchess replies. "Drat! Who are we going to send in? Rocky & King are already pushing back the south side forces, Ali & Slushy are driving out the mountain squadrons, & that Twinkle & Lilac are protecting the Den Complexes! Who's left?" Wisteria declares.

Bepper interjects.

"We could always get Snow-" She tries to say before being cut off.

"WE ARE NOT GETTING SENSEI SNOWY!" Wisteria demands. "Why'd she leave again? Oh yeah, because Liza & Gilbert just had to be MARTYRED BY THAT B*****D JULIAN!"

"Sheesh, who peed in your cereal?" Duchess responds.

"Sorry, I'm just very worked up after everything that has happened over the last 3 months."

"Well hey, after (CENSORED BECAUSE SPOILERS AND OTHER STUFF) I thought MY hardships were over. And look at me now, with most of my friends either exiled or dead, and I'm still-" She says before being interrupted.

The sound of fire, steel traps, and electricity filled the area. Duchess rushed down to her balcony, drawing Anti's crossbow expecting to see a Phantom horde storming her hideout, but instead, crawling out of the thicket surrounding the tree was Kazie, with her tail still on fire from Duchess' fire taps, a bear trap on her back-left leg, and her once white & silky coat, now soaking & black as tar from her electric traps.

"OH CRAP!" Duchess exclaims before leaping from the balcony to grab Kazie.

Duchess scrambles back up her tree, Kazie in her paws, as she then sets Kazie on her side-table, and instantly tearing the bear trap in half with her bare paws.

Chapter 3: Allegations
The halves of the trap fall to the carpet, revealing Kazie's incredibly fractured leg. Duchess then takes Kazie's highly exposed fibula & snaps it straight in place, not before grabbing her medical kits and wraps her leg in layers of bandages and disinfectants. Kazie's leg flares up in pain, the chemicals creating a burning sensation, causing Kazie to howl in agonizing pain. Duchess quickly shuts her up by bandaging her mouth, which clearly took the forefront of her fire traps. A few seconds later, Kazie is standing defiantly, shuddering in both stress & relief. Kazie, while both all bandaged and grateful to be alive, is miffed at Duchess' extreme security measures around her Den.

"Thank you, General." Kazie says gleefully.

"I accept your thanks, but what I did is just my obligation. It was nothing." Duchess replies fortuitously. "But why have you come to my secret domain, young lieutenant?"

"The north gate squadron has been eradicated, & Commander Hiccup is dead. There is now a gap in our defenses where the phantoms can invade."

The three head honchos are astonished. Now that the blockade at the canyon gateway has been crushed, Coral Canyons would easily be overrun, & lost very quickly. It was principle that the neighboring regions would fall as well. They could not let the phantoms invade Coral Canyons, at all costs.

Bepper gave a plan to take Rocky from the outskirts of Kimbara, & to get Slushy from the Shiveerian highlands & then her and Wisteria with a regiment of Lieutenants and Commanders, and hold the line until the phantoms would either be driven away, or to keep the holdout for as long as possible. There was much discussion, for weakening other fortresses could lead to invasions there. But without much choice, Duchess drafted a pair of letters to Typical and 2151, & sent Bepper & Wisteria to Coral Canyons, shedding a tears believing that this would be the last they would ever meet or speak to each other. Kazie then falls asleep on Duchess' couch, & Duchess out of pure stress, falls to her floor in deep sleep.

Chapter 4: The Grand March
Wisteria, Bepper, Slushy & Rocky lead the group of almost 300 soldiers of several different species, including wolves, tigers, eagles, falcons & foxes. They all stampede to the Canyons Gateway, preparing for the worst of the worst. They trek across the dry expanse for almost a hour, long before the gate is within sight. However, the lead commanders become very curious, for there is a distinct lack of Phantoms decimating the area, or even any residuals from Phantom invasion. A chill ruptures through Rocky's spine. "Are you sure the lieutenant wasn't lying?" Rocky inquires.

"There can't be any way she could have!" Bepper replies.

They then proceed to march, sustaining their energy for a possible skirmish in the wasteland. After a matter of minutes, the gateway was in sight. They clearly saw the canyon, brimming with Phantom energy. Everybody's jaw drops in shock & awe, for it's Commander Hiccup on her last legs fighting the endless waves of Phantoms in her vicinity. Before Wisteria can call her name, out of nowhere come massive Phantom Chains, bolting Hiccup to the canyon walls. From the darkness, a blade of Phantom Silver rises from the smoke, before it falls swiftly. Hiccup swears vengeance & retribution for all to hear, in anger & determination.

Hiccup is then Decapitated.

The chains disintegrate into thin air, as everyone gazes on in utter horror, several retching as her comatose body slams into the canyon floor. A young cadet runs into the canyon, grabs Hiccup, & returns to his kind. The Phantoms give them a sliver of respect. The Jammers then ready their blades for a clash to forge a river of blood.

"FOR JAMAA!" Bepper, Wisteria, Slushy & Rocky scream in unison. Hundreds of soldiers yell in support.

Wisteria leads the charge, beginning a battle soaked in bloodshed.

Chapter 5: Iron & Blood
Blood & Goop ripples out the the canyon, hundred of Phantoms slain to a single soldier. With so many Jammers charging through the canyon, the Phantoms are continuously pushed back, slowing their attack.

"All right! Drive them back!" Rocky says with elation.

The Phantoms retaliate in response, taking the massive silver blade and throwing it right at Rocky. Rocky of course, dodges it & strikes back with a stone pillar to the eye. (Rocky is magically gifted in earth-bending, just saying) The Phantom troops begin to retreat, & the defense goes up in arms with the screams of victory. However, as the Phantoms dive into the dank mist, as dark purple lights burst from within. All that can be seen is an eye. A humongous, bloodshot, snarling eye. Suddenly an colossal, extremely muscular arm erupts from mist slamming into the ground, fingers digging into the reddish rock. A second arm follows, now slamming to the legion's starboard side. The mist recedes, revealing that the Phantoms have retreated. All of them except what stands before them.

THE PHANTOM GARGANTUAN

"WHAT THE-?" Bepper exclaims in fear & confusion.

Its body resembles that of a king, but noticeably different, being obviously bigger, with a larger eye, spiked crown, & searing mouth of sharp teeth. It sports a pair of colossal, muscular arms, with hulking four-fingered fists aimed menacingly. All standing on four thick legs, clearly built to support the towering mass. It then roars a deafening screech, echoing through the canyon, pounding on its body like a gorilla. Everybody is too mortified to even speak. It then charges the group, leaving thundering footsteps as it grabs the ground to crush the Jammers. Everybody snaps back to reality, but some too late. The Beast leaps into the air, before slamming its fists straight into the ground, crushing almost 30 Jammers instantly, their blood exploding from impact, spraying everywhere. The remaining army then charges the Beast, raising their bloodstained swords in the air. most are slapped away, being crushed from the impact force of the canyon walls. It gazes up at the eagles & falcons, ready to claw its eye out. The Beast's bloodshot eye glows green, staring down the aviary beings before shooting them out of the sky with Phantom energy blasts. Bepper looks around her, witnessing her comrades die their painful deaths. Most of the remaining soldiers are retreating, including Wisteria, Rocky, & Slushy. But Bepper does not run away. Bepper is furious. As her friends look on, She then sprints right towards it, scimitar in paws. She skids to a stop almost 10 feet from the single glaring eye.

"DON'T MAKE ME STAB YOUR EYE OUT, YOU SICK-" Bepper says before the Beast raises its hand in the air before slamming straight into her.

"No!" Wisteria exclaims in horror.

The Beast's hand rises from the ground, before declasping its fist, revealing a still alive Bepper. It smirks at Wisteria, before holding Bepper aloft in the air. It smiles evilly, grinning with its bloody teeth.

It then flat out EATS BEPPER ALIVE.

Wisteria's jaw drops instantly, not before the Beast laughs hardily, before lunging back through the canyon, leaving only 64 Jammers left alive, including Wisteria, Rocky, & Slushy. Wisteria then falls to her knees, before wailing in defeat.

"NOOOOOOOO!"

Chapter 6: Unfathomable
"Duchess!"

"Duchess! Wake Up!"

"DUCHESS!"

"wHoAoaO!" Duchess yelps, before falling straight out of bed.

"Ugh, What the? Wisteria!? Rocky!? Kazie!? What happened? How long's it been? Where's Bepper? ANSWER ME!" Duchess inquired with tiredness, worry, & anger in her voice.

"Yeesh, how long has she been asleep? Wisteria questions Kazie.

"She passed out onto the floor almost instantly after you guys left." She replies. "She hasn't been up since."

"Seriously? That was 2 Days ago!" Says Rocky.

"Before I got my Zs after you guys left, I brought her into bed upon hearing her skull smack the floor."

"What are you guys talking about?" Duchess says, too confused to be tired anymore. "Have I been out for three whole days?"

"Rocky is right. It's been three days since you were last conscious." Kazie explains.

"So where's Bepper? Wait, let me guess. DEAD."

"Yep, swallowed whole by that... Ugh, Thing!" Wisteria says sorrowfully.

"Say What?"

"Some giant Phantom Titan obliterated the legion by itself, then ate Bepper!" Exclaimed Rocky.

"B-b-b HOW?"

"We're not sure, but it ran off with the rest of the Phantom Horde."

"Well now we've lost our star tactician. This is dreadful. They're whittling us down slowly to the point we can't fight back. Those psychotic madmen."

"Well now what?"

"We gear up, get everybody, & give chase. All of the Phantoms went back down the canyon, didn't you say Wisteria?'

"Y-y-yes, but-"

"Then we trail it back to their base! Come on ladies! To the Canyon Gateway!"

"Sorry Duchess, but no can do. We've been fighting for over 50 hours, we need MORE than sleep. If you want to go, that's fine. But I am definitely not.

"Then I have work to do. I haven't done any espionage in ages!"

"Suit Yourself. I'm hitting the sack." Rocky says, before yawning extraneously.

"Count me out, I'm pooped." Wisteria includes.

"And I don't have any sneaking skills, so don't think I'm coming either." Kazie tells her calmly.

Duchess walks over to her wardrobe, throwing open the doors & digging into her collection of Suits. She pulls out a pair of dark purple pants, and a Camo Jacket in the same coloration. She puts on the getup with the accompanying hat in tow.

"If you wanna invade Phantom territory, (Unsheathes Katanas) you do it yourself."

Chapter 7: When Zero Hour Comes
Bepper wakes up, a bright laboratory light beaming onto her cold & depressed body, with pure darkness surrounding her. Drops of liquid fill the void of silence, delivering a chill straight to her spine. She is laying on a cold, metal sheet, & sees that she is bound to it with black leather straps, tied down with articulate metal latches. The latches look unusually made, seemingly unopenable by any size of paws.

"Greetings." Said something in a high-pitched voice.

Bepper's eyes go wide.

"What!? Who are you? Where are you?" Bepper questions them, her eyes darting all over.

"Who has need for such yearning of identity? We don't need to know each other's names. But at least I know yours. (Echoing Giggle)" It said, in the same highly pitched voice.

Before Bepper can respond, the sheet she is laying on begins to rise, tilting forwards, allowing her to see ahead. The rising stops when she is just short of 90 Degrees, only the straps keeping her in place. Two blood-red eyes open before her, with the whites being red instead, only the two slotted pupils staring at her in the pitch black darkness. While the remaining figure lies in the shade, it speaks again, revealing it's serrated & beaked teeth.

"Tell me Bepper, tell me their plans. Disclose your aerospace technology so I may leave this godforsaken place." It requests.

"Never. I won't ever betray my friends. But also what are y-" She replies before she is cut off.

"I won't take no for an answer, young lady." It demands, not before aiming what appeared to be a medium-sized water gun at her face.

She recoiled a bit, but looked back to them upon seeing what was pointed at her.

"A water gun? Seriously? Now I'm not even sca-"

It fires point-blank at her face, before she realizes its filled with grody purple Phantom Goop. It drips off of her face, which is absolutely coated in it, before seeing the figure step out of the darkness. What she saw just filled her mind with even more questions.

It was very clearly not a Phantom, nor even a turned Jammer. It had no fur, but had very pale, very white skin. Upon its head it wore a set of thick, black, tentacles; also oily. It was flat faced, with a small nose & glaring red eyebrows, (Don't ask me how she knew they were eyebrows) but they were not of hair or fur, but they seemed almost inky & cartilaginous. She then noticed its five appendages ant the ends of its arms, they were paw-like, but with the same cartilaginous texture of the rest of it's body, and no claws. (And of course, no fur) It wore a Headdress, but it was very different than any other headdress. It had instead of feathers, a mass of dark flames, almost hair-like, flowing in the darkness behind it. The HD bore a steel headband, with Phantom eye gazing at her through the metallic slit, blinking menacingly. It wore an armored cloak, with black shoulder pauldrons, highlighted with gold crest plating. All inline with a cloak that seemed to just emanate darkness, all tied up with a gold chain necklace, with a Bleeding Red Eye as the central pendant. Bepper could tell it was bipedal, but could not distinguish it's leg features, which were literally cloaked. This image, including a furious expression towards her, Bepper was freaked out.

"Are you scared now? Because you should be."

"What are you...?" Bepper said in fear & confusion.

"Now that you have seen my current corporeal form, I guess we may discuss our identities." It said, pointing at Bepper's face their index finger.

"My name... Is Zero. Agent Zero." She says, carving her once angered expression into a snarling grimace. While her eyes suddenly began to vigorously bleed, the same color as her eyes no less.

"'Come with me, There's something you need to see." Zero says, as Bepper's table is clasped by a steel claw.

Chapter 8: Ink or Sink
Zero claps their hands, and a green light ignites violently, blinding Bepper. When see can see again, her eyes go wide in agonizing fear. Over a hundred phantoms stand around Zero, holding varieties of weaponry in formation. There appear to be Phantomized metal walls built around big black rocks, creating a tense atmosphere. Her attention goes skyward, seeing a massive claw clenched tightly to the sheet she is strapped to. Zero begins to walk away, while the claw follows, leaving the room filled with mysterious devices. Bepper speaks once the gated door slams shut behind them.

"Are we in the Phantom Fortress?" She inquires.

"Not quite." Zero replies, her grin growing steadily. "This place is our Sanctuary, the domain in which we thrive. Without me, you'd already be dead, but I have something these creatures never could attain. Supreme intelligence and post-conquest goals. This place... (breathes in) it fills me with joy, it fills me with power, but if you desire the identity of this place," Zero laments, stopping in the center of a massive room. "This is the Phantom Calypso!" She roars with determination and vigor.

Before Bepper can react in fear and perplexity, a colossal set of black jaws above them recedes open, making Bepper's stomach drop forcefully.

"But-bu-t But ho-" Bepper tries to speak.

"When your idiotic brother took his own pathetic life 3 months ago, the Calypso was blown away to the farthest edges of what you know as "Jamaa" Ugh. From there, I took control, now using this blasted thing's stony corpse as my new base of operations."

Bepper can't even speak before Zero continues her monologue, still waltzing around the fortified remains, with Bepper still tied to the table, the once ceiling-bound claw mechanism now an automated, quadrupedal robot hauling her behind Zero.

Zero leads Bepper through the hollowed bodily chambers of the titan, leading her to the foot cavity. The entire place is dank, purple, and especially cavernous. The feet ever more so. Upon entering the crevasse, Bepper's fur begins to glow softly, as if black lights glowed around her. Upon looking upwards, she notices the literal veins of the Calypso, glowing in dim purple light, clearly how her fur is also glowing. They descend a carved-out staircase to the bottom of the cave, where she sees hundreds of Phantoms slaving away in the mines, mining into the sole. Zero is admiring all of this until she flinches, hearing a holler from deep inside the cavity. She, along with Bepper in tow, rush down to hear the commotion.

"What is it Argus?" Zero tells the figure.

Argus has a similar body type to that of Zero, barely able to see his physique under the glowing veins. But noticeably, Argus had bright glowing yellow eyes, with red streaks surrounding his golden irises. She also noticed he had the whites of his eyes, unlike Zero's pure blood-red eyes. His tentacles were put up in a bright orange ring of circular globules, crowning his black "hair" like an enormous pearl bracelet. He wore a thick jacket, (obviously black) with a white under shirt, with a bleeding pure red eye splayed across his torso, pretty much confirming to Bepper that Zero commanded everyone & everything within this place. Argus' lower half consisted of thick black pants and cleated black boots. His skin was very much darker than Zero's, being soft brown, and the reflection of the purple vein lights beaming off his oily face, while only being somewhat obscured by the granules of rocky Calypso flesh on his face. Argus answers back to Zero.

"Sir! We have found it." He tells her, before standing aside. Spilling out of the rock is a dark purple substance, with flickers of brighter purple inside it. Beside the leakage, is a Phantom slave, saluting in Zero's presence, holding his pickaxe high. Zero walks over to the pussing liquid, holding her head aloft in curiosity and elation. She dips her hand into it, holding it within for a second or two before pulling it out. Her left arm now has black cracks stretching through it, purple light shining through the fractures. It travels up her arm, before the cracks disappear. Zero is clearly ecstatic, displaying her sharp teeth with a wickedly massive smile. Without hesitation, she punches the rock straight adjacent to her, and upon striking it, it explodes, the substance erupting into the cavern ceiling somehow leaving Bepper untouched. When the dust settles, a pool of the substance lay in front of them, almost 40 feet wide. Zero cups some of the substance into her hand, before turning back towards Bepper.

"Ah yes, DARK MATTER. The physical form of liquid darkness. So pure, so rare, and so powerful. (Sneer) I think you've seen all you've needed to see, Bepper. But, everything must come to an end." Zero says, grabbing her by the scruff.

Zero take the Dark Matter in her hand and smears it in patterns across Bepper's forehead. The Dark Matter is agonizing, Bepper screeching & convulsing in pain, restricted by the straps on the table. Zero claps her hands and the restraints on the table unclasp, and Bepper falls to the ground, barely able to stand. Zero bends down at her, leering menacingly.

"No wonder your friends failed you at the gateway, you're tactician skills are WORTHLESS." She tells her, grabbing her by the highly torn tie. "All the failures your friends suffer through only makes me stronger." She continues, as Bepper is beginning to choke on her own tie.

"Now tell me Bepper, are you going to Ink or Sink?" Zero finishes.

Zero leaps greatly, throwing Bepper straight into the pool of Dark Matter, and Bepper drowns slowly, while Agent Zero laughs maniacally.

Chapter 9: Forsaken
Duchess darts across the northern desert, much faster than the armada from a few days ago. Her paws sprint across the vast expanse of golden sand, gleaming in the moonlight. The feeling of the sand brushing through her fur invigorating her greatly. Within 15 minutes, the Gateway is in sight, and it's earthy orange walls almost resemble those of castles, too tall to siege, and the gate being the drawbridge to the inner keep. She runs straight for the gate, but just after crossing the archway crowned by gargoyles of eagles, she trips, biffing the orange sand.

"Owww." She mumbles, returning to her feet.

She then looks upon what tripped her, and freezes with dread. It's a rib cage, probably from a wolf. She identifies the skull, which lays in the sand 10 feet away, some flesh still rotting. She turns towards the canyon, now seeing the mangled corpses of her fallen comrades. Dried blood covers the interior walls, some bone embedded in the rock from impact.

"What kind of monster could have done this? If the Calypso came back, it sure shrunk in stature like a lot." She thinks to herself.

Ahead of her lies an enormous mass of crushed bones, the blood of which soaks the sand, turning it a deep reddish brown. She finds a few name tags, pocketing them for a memorial. She presses on, turning to the valley of the canyon, but before she can begin her journey through the Forgotten Desert, she freezes in shock.

"Duchess..." a figure moans, drudging across the canyon floor.

"Hello? Who are you?"

"DUCHESS..." it moans again, louder.

"Uh..." She responds, confused.

"DUCHESS!" it moans loudly.

The figure is now in clear sight.

"BEPPER!" Duchess exclaims frantically.

She bolts through the canyon, sprinting out of the sand and onto the rock floor. She's hyperventilating, ready to snag Bepper in her arms. Before she can, Bepper drops to her knees in agony. Duchess approaches her, hoisting her head aloft in the air. Her eyes show only white, no irises, cornea, or even pupil.

"Bepper?! Everybody told me you were dead! How are you here!? What happened!? I'll help you!" Duchess tells her, now almost screaming frantically.

"Its... no use, they're too powerful... help me..." Bepper weakly replies.

Duchess takes out her med kit, rummages through it for a few seconds, pulls out her emergency water, but upon turning back to Bepper, a scimitar is swung at her, but she avoids it just barely, it slicing her jacket in two, leaving her shirtless.

"WHAT THE-"

Bepper is now standing very prodigiously, her scimitar in her paw. Her once vacant eyes now an inferno bright purple flames, looking rather furious. Her clothing is no longer dusty and torn, now angular and mechanized. Duchess notices her fur is now bright gray, spotting black streaks of darkness coursing through her limbs, almost as if she was flowing with the energies of darkness. Bepper snarls loudly, pointing her scimitar straight at Duchess. She understands know. This is not Bepper. This is a fake. A decoy made to punish her for even attempting to go after the Phantoms.

"Alright, FINE! You want a fight? Cuz You're gonna GET ONE!" Duchess screams.

She unsheathes her Kodachi, igniting in an aura of flames. Bepper lunges at her, but she blocks it with her blades. Bepper and Duchess tangle in a scuffle of clashing metal, perforating fangs, and ravenous glares. Duchess dodges her constant onslaught from this facsimile of Bepper, trying to cut down the menace at any opening possible, always getting out sped with a blocking of blades. The conflict rages on for almost an hour, them each taking openings to strike before being blocked or evaded. They begin to tire, Duchess not ready to give up, even in such a tired state. Nevertheless, she falls to the cold, hard, stone, accepting defeat. Bepper lunges right at Duchess, leaping high into the air, ready to slice the blade straight through Duchess. Bepper descends right onto Duchess, eager to lay the final smack down, but before she knew it, Duchess draws her Kodachi and plunges them right into Bepper's torso, cleaving her diaphragm, and going straight through her back. Bepper breathes heavily in response, Duchess feeling little remorse in disemboweling (Not really) a figment of unreality. Bepper then raises her head high, screeching loudly as a geyser of purple fire erupts from Bepper's mouth. Soon her screeching stops, and a burst of phantasmic smoke erupts from her body. Her clothing is now in tatters, her fur now white as day, and she falls limp, and her eyes open in tears.

"D-d-duchess?? What are-re-you do-ing to me??" Bepper squeals weakly.

"Bepper? Di-d I just- no." Duchess replies, dropping her Kodachi, confused as can be, beginning to tear up in disbelief.

"BEPPER NO!" She exclaims in catharsis.

She runs straight at Bepper, clutching her body in her arms.

"Get...help, nobo-dy is safe. Zero hour... has-come. Prepare... for our-doom."

Bepper's body goes limp, passing out from the blood loss inflicted by her own friend. Duchess is in extreme disbelief, and in the pure crushing of her emotions, she screams in utter agony for her act of murder against her own friend, echoing through the whole of the Forgotten Canyon.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Chapter 10: All of Nothing
Duchess kneels there, tears gushing out of her eyes. Bepper lays in her arms, her blood dripping out of her torso onto the canyon floor, slowly dying. Duchess gets up, her mind jumping straight to retreating to her home base, hoping that she can sew Bepper's insides back together. But before she can turn to face the moon, hanging high in the sky, a fracture erupts from ground in front of her, a geyser of blood & Phantom goop rising from the fissure. Duchess is in utter shock & awe, before the eruption soon settles, and a figure stands where crack has mysteriously vanished, their back to Duchess. With the dark flaming headdress, and black armored cloak, Agent Zero turns to Duchess, a cocky smile in tow. Zero speaks, now in a different tone, no longer as high pitched, but now an echo-y and slightly robotic female voice, malice fueling her dialect. (But that didn't matter, cause this is the first time Duchess had even seen or heard her)

"Ah, Hubris. Such an amusing course of action." Zero says,before giggling in a haunting tone. "The pure hilarity that you destroyed that which you so desperately tried to protect." She continues, in a calmer, but still maleficent tongue. "And now I get to rub it in your face while you sit there, so confused, sad, & furious about all that which has happened to you." Zero boasts, cackling afterwards.

Duchess couldn't speak, all which she said was true, but she was able to ask a single question.

"WHO ARE YOU!?" She demanded, her fury held back by tears.

"Oh, that's right. You Jammers are so repugnant with your demand for names and the sort. Its so disgusting, because who needs identity anyways? Heheheh. But fine, since she (pointing at Bepper, extra disdain in her voice) was able to receive it, you should be as well. I am Agent Zero, the creator and manipulator of the Dark Matter forces. Not that you would know what that is, wouldn't you? Hmph." She replies, her cockiness drifting into contentment. "What? I- um, pardon?" Duchess responds, her tears drying.

Bepper coughs weakly, blood beginning to seep out of her mouth.

"Thank you for reminding me!" Zero says, turning to Bepper.

From within Zero's cloak, a claw of seemingly magic springs forth and grabs Bepper from Duchess' arms. As this happens, Duchess can only look up, stunned from shock. Another claw emerges from Zero's cloak, the both of them holding Bepper aloft in the air. The claws then lower to Zero's eye level, as if the claw were a table which Bepper was sprawled across. Then using some form of magic, Zero regenerates Bepper from the brink of death, and Bepper gasps excessively, now in a stable state. Just before she wakes up, one of Zero's claws make a snap, and somehow, Bepper returns to unconsciousness. The claws then rush at Duchess, but before reaching her, they halt, and drop Bepper at her knees. Duchess picks up Bepper's still limp body, now shaking in pure befuddlement.

"Run away! Go back to your pathetic friends. Because I want a pure feeling of dread as I rip you and your friends to kingdom come. Now get outta here! Get out of my sight!" Zero tells her.

Duchess looks down at Bepper. She closes her eyes, and scurries out of the canyon, as Zero cackles maddeningly, a veil of Phantom Goop and blood swirling around her, until she, and all blood around her vanishes.