Updates.

After a rather long rest, I decided to try and help out at the landing platform. We were nearing completion and any help would be appreciated. So, making my way down to the site, I asked around if there was anything that needed doing.

Yarak said that I could help with integrating some much needed tech in the center of the platform, an alignment array. The job wasn't too complicated, especially not for Voltron. With his guidance, I installed the array flawlessly. I then decided that I needed to get some more training done. I wouldn't end up helpless like before again.

(Transition! The Heart)

"Your Eminence. We have lost contact with both Multexus and Extermia and have not received any transmissions for ten vargas. We believe they have been destroyed." A druid reports, bowing before his emperor.

"As expected. Atchor failed for the last time." Zarkon remarked, his voice emotionless.

"Shall we prepare an armada for retaliation?" The druid asks.

"Hmmm. No." Zarkon replies.

"No, my lord?" The druid parrots, confused.

"Let them think they have won, for now. Prepare the Clanmürl, Drule and Varkon armadas. Tell the commanders, I want them prepared, better than the Vox, better than they have ever been. Tell them that if they fail, there will be nowhere they can run. Tell them to be ready on my command. Do you understand?" Emperor Zarkon says as he stands from his throne and faces the druid.

"Clear as scaultrite, your Eminence."

"Good. Dismissed." Zarkon says, the druid vanishing to carry out his orders.
Atchor may have failed to kill you, but I know she almost destroyed you. And if you think she was a challenge, you will not stand a chance to defeat me. Celebrate while you can, emperor Zarkon is coming for you.

(Far off in space, on a dark lifeless planet)

"ArGh! DaMn ThAt InSuFfErAbLe PeSt! HoW dArE hE bEsT mE AGAIN! I sWeAr, WhEn I gEt My ClAwS oN hIm AgAiN, I WiLl MaKe HiM SCREAM!" Extermia, formerly known as Atchor, declared, seething at her defeat and the damage she took.

«Yes, it is unbearable, isn't it?» An unknown transmission enquires.

"WhAt?! WhO's ThEre?!" Extermia shouts, searching for the source of the transmission.

«Oh, don't worry. You have nothing to fear from me.» The voice responds, patronising and smug.

"DoN't YoU dArE mOcK mE! I Am ExTeRmIa!"

«Oooh, Extermia! Now that's a good name. Don't you think so?» The voice asks before another voice responds.

«Get to the point. This is taking a very large amount of magic.» The deeper voice says, agitated.

«Oh, right right. Ahem. We have a proposition for you.» The first voice says.

"WhY wOuLd I bE InTeReStEd In AnYtHiNg YoU hAvE tO sAy?" Extermia counters back.

«What if it were to do with a certain white knight you were cursing but a moment ago?» The voice says, surprising Extermia.

"…I'm LiStEnInG."

«Good! Now, what if I told you, I know exactly where he is?» The voice proposes.

"I kNoW wHeRe He Is. I sEnT a Ro-BeAsT tO hIs PlAnEt!" Extermia replies.

«Oh, so that was you? Well, do you know what he is doing there? Who he… cares about? How he trains? Where he lives on the planet? What he can do? Hm?» The voice asks condescendingly.

"…WhAt ArE yOuR tErMs?" Extermia asks after a moment.

«That's better! Now, we want to help you. But we also want your guarantee that you won't turn on us. So, in exchange for helping you, getting you back on your… feet, we want an alliance.» The voice says.

"AnD wHy ShOuLd I tRuSt YoU?" Extermia responds.

«Do you have a choice? I mean, you're stranded in the middle of literal nowhere, you're damaged and I doubt that rock has any resources that can help you. So, whadoya say? Truce~?» The voice beckons.

"AnD wHaT iS yOuR nAmE, pArTnEr?" Extermia accepts.

«That's the spirit! Welcome aboard, Extermia. My name… is Discord.»

(Back on Mystacor)

We return to see Diego with Hammer Strike, Spitfire and Spell all in the training court. Hammer Strike has Flickstone, Spitfire has Thunder and Lighting and Spell Blade has Osiris and a metal shield on his free arm.

I wield my Bayard in energy blade form, standing across from the three captains as soldiers and guardsmen stand at the sidelines, placing bets.

"Three…" Hammer counts, Flickstone at the ready.

"Two…" Spitfire continues, Lightning raised and Thunder ready between her and me.

"One…" Spell continues as the quartz of Osiris glows red.

~~Go!~~ I shout. Hammer immediately charges at me from the left, Flickstone held at his side. Spitfire flies at me from the right, Thunder still up and ready to protect her as she readies a thrust with Lightning.

"!llɒdɘɿiᆿ" Spell shouts, launching a massive ball of flame at me from his position. I slice through it with my blade, the high density quintessence eviscerating his spell.
Wait, why aren't the others hitting me already-

"Second configuration!" Hammer suddenly calls out, him and Spitfire poised at opposite sides of me.
The charges were feints and the fire was a distraction! I think as Hammer hits the earth next to him with a golf swing, launching rubble at me with his Walker strength.

Spitfire beats her wings, sending a gust of wind at me from the other side, trapping me in between rocks and wind. The attacks collide with me in the middle, creating a dust cloud around me.

~~Huh. Nice use of distraction, but that's not enough!~~ I yell, swinging my blade and scattering the dust. I see no one.
Voltron?

Response: Quintessence usage detected. Explanation: Illusion magic.
Can you still detect them?

Response: Visual receivers unable to circumvent illusion. Quintessence detection possible. Locations: 90°, vertical angle, 70°, west angle, 180°.
Above, leftward and behind, got it!

With a wide swing, I shatter the illusion, revealing Hammer behind my left shoulder and Spell directly behind me. Both of them duck under my slash. I then raise my blade above me, feeling an impact as Spitfire is revealed, Lightning getting deflected to the side.

I swiftly raise my other hand, grabbing Spitfire around the head and throwing her at Spell, distracting him. I then parry Flickstone, punching Hammer in the face a moment later. I jet boost myself to the other side of the ring, getting some distance from the recovering captains.

~~Clocks ticking.~~ I say, looking over at a large clock counting down. 2:23. 2:22. 2:21.

"Yeah yeah. !mɿoɈƨ ɿɘɈɒɘɿӘ" Spitfire incants, the quartz in Lightning glowing brightly as a tornado bigger than Spitfire works towards me.

~~Hey! That's a new one!~~ I congratulate as I cut through the spell, raising my Bayard to strike. Spitfire hits me from the side, having moved in my moment of blindness from the tornado. ~~Clever girl!~~

"How's this for clever!" Hammer says, having gotten up. He smacks Flickstone into the ground, sending a ripple of earth at me.

"!γʇilqmɒ ɿɘwoԳ" Spell incants, Hammer's attack doubling in size.

~~That is so cool!~~ I slash forward, destroying the attack. ~~And now it's gone.~~ I then block another attack from Spitfire to my side. ~~Fool me twice.~~ I then knock away her weapon and slam her into the ground, making sure not to put too much strength into it.

"Take this!" Spell shouts as he tries to fire a spell at my right hand…

Divide.

…And then my arm pops off.

Everyone, even the spectators, freezes. Not a sound is heard for several seconds.

"AHHH!" Spitfire screams, kickstarting the reaction. The spectators scream, Hammer screams, Spell screams, even I scream.

~~Hey wait.~~ I suddenly say, noticing a important detail. ~~Why am I not in pain?~~

Answer: Division network.

~~Division network? What is that? And why can I still feel my arm?!~~ I exclaim as I move the fingers on my severed hand.

Response: Division network: Absorbed and integrated from ro-beast: Multexus. Altered and enhanced by full power Progression drive, allowing for use across entire body and both forms.

Division network: Allows user to separate and freely control any part of the body, allowing for damage aversion, multi-angled attack formations and reconnaissance. Continuation: Smallest possible dividable part size is 1 centimetre squared in normal form and one metre squared in full size form.
So I can take myself apart down to centimetre?

Response: Correct.

~~Huh.~~

"Diego? Are you… are you okay?" Spell asks in concern. I bend down, picking up my divided limb. With a simple click, I reattach my forearm.

"Uhh…" Hammer drawls, confused.

~~I'm fine.~~ I finally answer.

"Are you sure? Your hand came off." Spell states.
Wait, I have an idea. Can my head come off?

Response: Affirmative.
Hehehehe.

~~Oh, I'm sure. In fact, check out what I just found out!~~

Divide.

And with that, I pull my own head off. Everyone is once again silent for a moment. Cue the screaming.

"AAAAAAH!" Everyone else screams again, the soldiers in shock and the captains in confusion. Some of the soldiers even begin fainting.

~~Hahahaha! Hahahahahahahahaha!~~ I laugh harder than ever before, my whole body shaking as I do. I even drop my head on the ground, still laughing as the captains gape at me, their faces white. Coming back to my senses, I pick up my head, shake off the sand and reattach it with another click.

"Wh…wh…what?" Spell stutters.

~~Hohoho. That was hilarious! And, a good display of my new ability!~~

"New ability? What new ability?" Hammer asks.

~~It's called the Division network. It allows my body to break apart into pieces, while still having control over each piece.~~ I explain.

"So… it basically turns you into a puzzle?" Spitfire asks.

~~…Basically, yes. A flying, laser shooting puzzle but yes.~~

"How?!" Spell exclaims.

~~I got it from beating that ro-beast, apparently. That's what Voltron says.~~

"Why did you take off your own head?" Hammer asks me.

~~Because that was hilarious. And you have to admit, that WAS hilarious.~~

"Not for us! You pulled off your own head! Never do that again!" Spitfire shouts at me.

~~Alright alright. I promise.~~

"Good." Spitfire says before everyone jumps as the countdown reaches zero.

"Hey! We won! We survived three minutes!" Hammer suddenly yells.

~~No you didn't!~~

Author's Note

This chapter was fun. Packed too. I hope you like it!