Mason. “Saw your message. Can’t believe the Union and Federation have formed an alliance. Are they sending an evac team?”

Mason asked Rin Miyo as he entered the VIP lounge, which had now become Selvaria’s command center in the stadium. He wore a sleek black uniform worn by the Union's SWAT officers. Tyson, Miles, and Bison followed behind Mason in similar gear. During a recent scavenging expedition, they came across a police training facility that had escaped the destruction of the Ice Bugs.

Rin. “I can play the message on the holo-screen.”

[Admiral Arthur Radford: I am glad you are willing to offer us your expertise in Combat Mechs. I didn’t imagine this would be how I would get my hands on Vector tech... They will be needed in the coming weeks in great quantity, and you might be the only one who can make it happen. I am perfectly aware of your background and the skills you possess. Know that the Union will offer you everything you asked for in your last message. With regards to the evacuation of your people and animals… We are preparing every air asset to fly to Dallas, but quite a few need repairs after the battle in Alaska Bay against the Ice-bugs. Commander Zao of the Federation and Commander Travis of the Union will co-lead the first joint operation between our nations. The Black Phoenix and Hell Butterfly are joining the mission. Do your best to hold out for the next three days until they arrive]

Mason. “This is great news! Where is Selvaria?”

Rin. “You just missed her. She wanted to celebrate the news by resting with the Sea World animals.”

Mason. “I wondered when she would take a break. Do you have any work for us?”

Rin. “Tyson, you will assemble the weakest combat tamers and have them use the Duel mode system in the Monster App to level up their skills for the next three days. Miles, gather the Non-Combat Tamers and have them begin packing up everything they need and the 3D printers. Bison assemble the strongest combat tamers who have evolved. We are launching an expedition to the northern sectors. Keep the Ice Bugs busy while Mason's Fang  investigates their suspicious activity. We can’t risk anything jeopardizing the evacuation mission.”

Tyson. “I prefer killing Ice-Bugs than training those wimps.”

Rin. “This is an order from Selvaria. You instill fear in them and know how to push their buttons. Every Tamer who evolves will serve under your command.”

Tyson. “When you say it like that, how can I refuse?”

Miles. “Don’t overdo it and kill them.”

Tyson. “Why would I lose out on more subordinates? I will raid the medical supplies if that puts your mind at ease.”

Miles. “Fine, but no more than twenty percent. Those supplies are for an emergency.”

Miles and Tyson bickered as they left the room. Bison went up to the Holo-Screen and pulled out the map of the Stadium and the surrounding areas. Sectors had been created to make it easier to mark how much had been explored in previous expeditions.

Bison. “What unusual activity were you talking about in the north?”

Rin. “High Command believes the Ice-Bugs are building something big. All the Gob Bots we sent as scouts were destroyed. We must find out what they are building and how much of a threat it poses to our evac.”

Bison. “The moon will be up for several hours, so I will go get Albert. His Zombie Ice-Bugs can keep the swarm occupied while Mason scouts it. Can’t guarantee his protection since we don’t have many combat flyers.”

Mason. “I have that covered. Found a Tamer called Braian who awakened the ability to manipulate Dark matter. He can fight like a Valkyrie in the sky.”

Bison. “I heard of Dark matter, but what does it do for him?”

Mason. “He can solidify Dark matter into his Ice constructs to create close combat cold weapons and heavy armor. They become indestructible as long as they have Mana he converts from lunar energy like Albert.” 

Bison. “How come I haven’t heard about this Braian before?

Mason. “Brian flew up to Dallas from South America. He saw our videos of what was built inside the stadium and wanted to help us. The man isn’t happy with the Southern Union for not joining the war against the Ice Bugs.”

Bison. “Shame to hear that they cut themselves off from the north. Wish the damn Ice Bugs went south to knock some sense into them. We could use more Tamers to fight the invasion.”

Rin. “Eventually, the Ice Bugs will create more weather control towers to make it cold enough to head south.”

Bison. “Hold on! Isn’t that tower in the northern sector, a coincidence?”

Rin. “That is why we must investigate.”

Bison. “I agree, but since we will be leaving this place soon. How about we try bringing their Weather control tower down? It could slow down the Bug expansion plans. 

Rin. “It would complicate a scouting mission.”

Bison. “Do any of you feel we are causing them grief so far? Don’t you want to cripple their plans instead of just looking?”

Rin. “I will have to ask Selvaria if it's a good idea.”

Mason. “Ask her. We will get everything prepared.”

It took Rin several minutes to find Selvaria sleeping on a small field of snow and ice.  She is surrounded by Penguins, Otters, and Seals. Galatea had reverted to her infant form to play with the other Seal pups. This mini habitat has an artificial pool for the animals to swim in. The bunnies poke Selvaria to wake her up.

Selvaria. “(Yawning) Do you need something, Rin?”

Rin walked up to Selvaria, informed her about Bison’s idea, and asked for permission.

Selvaria. “If it took the Ice-Bugs a few days to build it, they must be capable of rebuilding it in a few days.”

Rin. “Right. Is there anything that we can do to stop their expansion?”

Selvaria. “We can go down their tunnels and search for their Queen.”

Rin. “You think they have a Queen?”

Selvaria. “Only way to find out is by going down there. You want to accompany me?”

Rin. “You want to go now? But I gave the others assignments to handle.”

Selvaria. “Let them continue with their tasks. The two of us will go down there together.”

Rin.  "That’s insane! We can’t fight them all on our own.”

Selvaria. “Who said anything about fighting them all? We need to do this without drawing too much attention. You already possess infiltration and stealth skills. That is why I picked you to join me.”

Rin. “I am willing to go with you, but I don’t see how finding their Queen will be useful to us. If there is one, she must be heavily guarded.”

Selvaria. “As an Admiral. My job is to study my enemy and find their weaknesses. The Bugs we fought till now can always be replenished no matter how many we kill. They are just mindless drones. Their true leaders must be in their kingdom beneath us, and that is where we must go.”

Rin. “But how do we go down there without a fight?”

Selvaria. “High Command has used some of the Gob Bots to use ground sensors to map the hive. There is a tunnel connected to the Dallas water reservoir. It should provide us a safe and stealthy means into the hive.”

Rin. “It would be a deep dive. I will have to bring out my Mosasaurus for it. If the tunnels are narrow, we will not be able to fit.”

Selvaria. “You don’t have to bring her out or fuse with her. I have prepared Vector Grade stealth suits with the fabricators. They are equipped with breathers that filter the oxygen in the water.”

Rin. “Sounds like you have been planning this for a while.”

Selvaria. “I was not waiting for others to come to our rescue. Inform Mason that neither of us will be participating in the expedition. He and the others might protest if they know what we are about to do. So avoid mentioning anything else.”

Rin. “If we get into trouble, who will be able to help us?”

Selvaria patted the head of a fluffy creature with pink fur.

Selvaria. “Officer Fluffy will handle it.”

Rin. “He can battle thousands of Ice-Bugs?”

Selvaria. “No, but he can eat them.”

Rin tapped on the pendant and her earrings which served as translator devices.

Rin. “This translator must be having a problem. Did you say that pink thing can eat the Ice-Bugs?”

Selvaria. “You will see for yourself if the Ice-Bugs discover us. Now follow me!”

When the two left the stadium, they heard the cries of the battle raging toward their north. Ice bugs from the Western and Eastern sectors rushed over, eager to participate. None noticed Selvaria and Rin pass them by in the stealth suits that couldn’t be spotted with the naked eye.

Selvaria mimicked Rin’s Ninja footwork to avoid making any sound as they moved. They avoided open ground and zigzagged their way through the ruins that were once the iconic buildings of Dallas. Their path to the reservoir passed by the battlefield where Bison led a dozen tamers in close combat. Like a bowling ball, his Tungsten armored minotaur form struck his enemies. Hundreds of Ice Bug zombies followed behind and ripped apart their living kin. The fallen foes slowly rose back up and switched sides. Albert hovered at the center of the battle, directing the zombies. His giant moth wings glittered as they absorbed moonlight and converted into tendrils of Mana that gave back life to the corpses. 

A ten-foot-tall humanoid Ankylosaur guarded Albert with the club on its tail. Diamonds cover the heavy armor on the back and the club. Every time the tail swung, several Ice-Bugs were knocked into the air or flattened. 

Another Tamer in metal Mantis armor, wielding a four-foot-long sickle in each hand, sliced through those that retreated. Several other Tamers in their Monster-Fusion, and Equipment transformation forms aided the Mantis and the Ankylosaurus. Their priority was to protect Albert while Bison and the Zombies led the offense toward the Weather tower that had reached the height of 800 meters. A dark cloudy gas is released into the sky, creating a weather phenomenon blocking the sun. 

In the sky above the battlefield, Rin saw Mason’s Bat monster Fang being chased by several Ice Dragonflies the size of a school bus. His pursuers were perforated by Black Ice shards from above. A humanoid Owl-man flew down with a seven-foot-long great sword made from Black Matter and Ice. The massive weapon was swung several times, bisecting everything it came in contact with.

Fang’s protector must be Braian, from South America. His body is equipped with light armor made of Dark matter and Ice. Glowing silver runes cover the surface, absorbing the moonlight. The dark wings on his back flapped hard to climb back into the sky and intercept the incoming airborne threats.

Selvaria tapped Rin on her shoulder to focus on their task. She pointed towards the water reservoir, which was bug-free. The two ditched slow and steady for a mad dash. They both jumped into the water body and activated the air breathers. They swam beneath the surface of the water, releasing bubbles as they moved. Occasionally they would surface to have a look around and then move on. 

Ice Bugs filled the tunnels, carrying corpses into the hive. The bugs with damaged Ice armor or missing limbs dipped into the water. They would remerge whole, ready to join the fight once again. Rin was surprised by the miraculous healing ability. She and Selvaria found a safe spot to emerge from the water and follow the bugs through the tunnels. They hugged the frost-covered walls and zig-zagged between boulders.

Selvaria and Rin continued down the tunnels until they reached a chamber full of six-foot-tall eggs in the tens of thousands. Half of them seemed to be in the Larva stage. Their gross alien bodies wiggled and squealed. The caretakers carried pieces of Human limbs and stuffed the mouths of the larvae who sucked on it like lollipops. The ones that had completed their growth phase came out of the chamber, battle ready. Beetles, Ants, Termites, Bees, Cockroaches, Centipedes, Butterflies, Wasps, and Mantises. 

The caretaker bugs filled the vacant spots with fresh eggs and attended to the hungry larva. Selvaria and Rin hugged the chamber walls as they sneaked into the tunnel where the fresh eggs came from. They found a cavern floor covered in human and animal corpses arranged in several mounds that towered three stories each. A steady stream of Ice Bugs came in and dumped more meat before leaving. 

Rin noticed that most of the human corpses wore uniforms that belonged to the Union. Their faces were Hispanic or Latino, the flags on their shoulders revealing they belonged to forces in Mexico and further south. From the state of their bodies, they died an hour ago. Rin pointed this out to Selvaria, but she was busy inspecting the weapons on their belts or still gripped in their hands. The Pink Fluffy Hamster popped its head out of her stealth suit and jumped onto the floor. Selvaria placed her forefinger on her lips and then pointed at the weapons. The creature somehow understood what Selvaria wanted and opened its mouth unnaturally wide. As if its mouth is like a black hole, it sucked in grenades, ammo packs, rifles, pistols, and knives. 

Rin was shocked by what she was seeing. It only took twenty seconds before it swallowed enough to satisfy Selvaria. The Pink creature climbed Selvaria’s body and wiggled back into her stealth suit. Rin was about to ask Selvaira where it came from, but a colossal Ice Bug entered the cavern and released a cry. Her attendants grabbed more corpses to present them to her. She devoured them and used her mandibles to peel off the hide, clothes, and body armor that got in the way. She paused for a moment, turning her gaze towards the spot where Rin and Selvaria were hiding. Before the Queen could move to investigate, an Ice Bug that looked like a Black Widow spider drew her attention. The Spider Silk threads on its back dragged a web sack with a Human alive in it.

[Release me, you filthy Arachnid!]

Rin was surprised to hear a voice in her mind. Selvaria tapped on Rin’s shoulder to ask if she heard it too. Rin nodded, and they both moved to a spot to get a clear view of the source of the voice. A bulbous Dumbo Octopus poked through the web sac. Its big eyes glared at the spider which dragged him. 

“Gaaargh!” The Ice Bug Queen roared to silence the Octopus man. Then she lowered her head towards him and started speaking in English.

“You are the one who has been spreading fear among my children?”

Rin and Selvaria were shocked when they heard the Queen speak, including the Octopus man.

[Aye! I am surprised to find a bug that can speak the Human tongue]

“I have devoured enough Humans to be proficient in over a dozen languages. None in the service of our Lord has this ability. Which is why I lead his armies on this continent. But I am curious how you can speak with no sound. ”

[This mode of communication is nothing special among my kind]

“Hmmm… are there more like you?”

[More will come in time to aid this world]

“Why do you and your kind wish to interfere?”

[You must be new to the game… This is a war between worlds the likes of which will explode your tiny Bug brain]

“There is no use trying to hide it. I will know everything that you know once I consume you.”

[You will learn nothing! ELDRITCH HORROR!]

The Ice Bug Queen recoiled and screamed in agony. It caused her guards and attendants to scramble over her body to inspect for wounds. But they were shaken off or stabbed by their Queen, who eyed them with terror. Chaos ensued in the cavern as the Queen massacred her subordinates with fury. Her victims did not understand what they had done wrong to deserve death, but they offered no resistance as the Queen’s pheromones paralyzed their movements. Rin’s mouth hung open in amazement as hundreds of Ice Bugs were crushed, stabbed, bitten, and sliced by their mother. The Black Widow Ice Bug was also among the dead. The Queen fled the cavern, and the survivors followed her. Selvaria and Rin emerged from their hiding spot to look for the Octopus man. But he was no longer in the web sac. They froze when he appeared behind them. Without wearing a stealth suit, his body had the same ability to camouflage like an octopus. 

[Humans have nothing to fear from me, so sheath your blades and calm yourselves]

Selvaria. “Who are you?”

[I am the Great Dreamer!] 

Rin. “So, you are not a human with Tamer abilities?”

[The body maybe, but my face is my own]

Selvaria. “So, you are a monster from the App?”

[Technically… but I used it as a medium to enter your world from mine]

Selvaria. “What did you do to the Ice Bug Queen?”

[I can induce hyper paranoia in my victims with their worst nightmares]

Selvaria. “Permanently?”

[Depends on an individual’s willpower, some take a few minutes while others need hours or days]

Rin. “The Queen?”

[She has immense willpower for a Bug, but not enough to concern us... We have thirty minutes]

Rin. “Shouldn’t we get out of here!”

[We should, but we must steal her egg before we leave]

Selvaria. “They are all in the Egg chamber. Why do you need one?”

[Not those trash! I meant the one who will become a new Queen… It should be covered in precious crystals]

Selvaria. “You mean that one?”

Selvaria pointed her finger up, and Rin saw a disco ball-like crystal half embedded into the ceiling.

[It is much bigger than I expected]

Rin. “How do we get to it?”

Selvaria. “I have that covered. Officer Fluffy, go get that crystal ball for me!”

The little pink creature came out of her stealth suit and opened its mouth. The crystal egg broke away from the ceiling and fell down. It dematerialized into the dust and got sucked into the hamster’s mouth.

The Great Dreamer recoiled when he saw Officer Fluffy and took a few steps back.

[How do you possess one of the minions of the Pink abomination?]

Selvaria. “Nothing to worry about. I broke his mind and turned him into my pet. Do you want the egg or not?”

[Aye! Spit it back out]

Selvaria. “You prefer to carry it in your hands?”

[Fine! As long as you return it to me when we reach safety]

Selvaria. “First, tell me why you want it?”

[That Egg leads to the destruction of Humankind… I came here to prevent it from happening]

Selvaria. “You can see the future?”

[I have seen worlds similar to this one and what this creature is capable of inflicting… I must destroy it to give your world a chance at resisting the Pink Abomination]

Rin’s mind processed the revelation that the Multiverse or parallel worlds truly existed. Selvaria didn’t seem to like the idea of destroying the egg.

Selvaria. “So, you got caught on purpose and came here to find the egg?”

[It was a risk, but it was also the fastest way to get here]

Selvaria. “Were you with these soldiers before they turned to corpses?”

[Yes, the body I control was a soldier in their army when they were ambushed by the swarm]

Rin. “These soldiers belong to Mexico to our south. Is that where you were attacked?”

[No, they were on a mission to bring down the climate control tower before it allowed the swarms to move south]

Selvaria. “You were in control of this body the whole time?”

[No, when he lost consciousness, I took over]

Rin. “Selvaria, I think we need to return to leave now. We can discuss more back at the stadium. Will you come with us?”

[Aye, until I destroy the egg]