Valorverse: Conqueror Arc

[True Grave]

Omega shot forward like a bullet and began relentlessly hammering Crusader. Unfortunately for him, he was planted in one spot and so was impaled by a Sword of Valor strike just like Conqueror before him. As Crusader rode out the beating, he channeled his Soul Energy into the sword. Omega was eventually in such discomfort that he had to jump back. Once he was off of the sword, Crusader acted fast. Constructing his Soul Energy into a ring of gold and white light around his body, he made it so that Omega would get run through with a Sword of Valor if he got too close to him.

Omega tried to get around this by flash stepping around the blades, but there was simply no way to get to Crusader. Even if he dodged the blades, he couldn't dodge the Fist of Valor that the blades led him into. His one advantage, his speed, had been nullified. Omega screamed in frustration.

"How can this be?!"

Crusader smirked, finding great satisfaction in Omega's frustration.

"Do you want to know why you're losing, Omega?"

Omega was so furious that he couldn't even answer.

"It's because you're rusty. You lost all of your fighting skills during your long nap. You're more powerful than I am, sure, but of the two of us, I'm the more skilled and experienced fighter. Power alone won't defeat me."

Omega clenched his teeth in rage and then grinned sadistically.

"Don't be so cocky, Crusader. I can still destroy you from a distance."

"Try whatever you want. You won't win, Omega."

Omega chuckled and his Soul Aura got even more intense.

With expert control, Omega smothered all around him in a blanket of darkness. Only Crusader pierced the darkness with his Swords of Valor. With a mighty yell, Crusader unleashed his Soul Aura and dispelled the darkness with his light. Omega took a step back in terror.

"Impossible...!"

Crusader regarded Omega with unshakable confidence burning in his eyes as his Soul Aura flared with incomprehensible power around him.

 

[True Grave]

Omega grinned and his own Soul Aura flared up with unimaginable power.

"You may be more skilled as a fighter, but I am more powerful than you are. A petty New God like you can't stand up to my full power."

"Firestar didn't seem to have too much of a problem," Crusader countered.

"But he didn't fight me directly. I underestimated him, a mistake I won't repeat with you."

Omega absorbed Conqueror's body fully into his darkness. He was now a writhing humanoid shadow with glowing red eyes.

"I will crush out your light, Crusader. All of existence will die with you."

Crusader took his Muay Thai stance.

"Come and get it."

Omega shot forward, but this time was different. He had formed into a black energy blast with all of his power contained within it. Crusader took aim and threw a right straight forward into the air.

Shining Fist of Valor!!!

A gold and white energy blast met Omega head on. There was a dome of energy formed as the two sources of energy collided.

Omega pushed forward but Crusader held his ground. The power of the Destroyer increased without any sign of stopping. As it did, Omega could have sworn his eyes were playing tricks on him. Scott without armor seemed to be standing before him with Valor perched on his shoulder. The members of Team Firestar, Rise, Firestar himself, and then the United Clans seemed to appear next to him, one by one. Even the Kashans and Voltari seemed to be there before him.

Crusader felt the hearts and minds of everyone he loved standing with him. He felt like his parents and Coach Watson were there to remind him of what was important. His teammates, mentors, and allies all across time and space were there, too. This was the time to protect all that mattered. This was the time to use all of his Destroyer power.

"For everyone you ever hurt, Omega...I'm going to finish you!!!"

Crusader screamed with everything he had in his soul and let loose the reins on his Soul Energy. His Shining Fist completely engulfed Omega. The Old God of endless darkness, the Universe Incarnate, was completely stripped of his power.

"Nooooo!!!!"

That inhuman, primal scream was the proof of Omega's defeat. With his consciousness destroyed, Omega would be merely the darkness in space once again.

 

[True Grave]

As the Shining Fist of Valor dissipated, Crusader remained on his feet in launch position. He had passed out standing up and his armor had dissipated. The crowd on Combatia went insane, but he could not hear them. The chants of his name were deafening, the crowd so excited about this mysterious but powerful Destroyer. As they did, a buff dark-skinned man wearing only green pants flew over the coliseum and landed. He slapped Crusader on the back, jarring him from unconsciousness.

"That was some performance you put on, Crusader," he said in a deep, manly voice.

Crusader looked at him with surprise.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Myron. I'm a Destroyer, like you."

Crusader's eyes went wide.

"Whoa...Seriously?"

"Yeah, seriously. This is Combatia, the planet created just for Destroyers."

"Combatia, huh? Were you one of Conqueror's teachers?"

"I was the one who taught him the art of Gyxpao."

Crusader subconsciously gripped his solar plexus with his right hand. The strikes directly to his soul had been incredibly painful.

"Well, you taught him well."

"Yes, but his ego was far too large for him to ever reach his full potential. His allegiance to Omega was ultimately his undoing."

Crusader looked to the sky, lamenting that Conqueror was permanently gone, forever and always only existing as part of Omega.

"You, on the other hand, have real potential. Have you considered living on Combatia with your fellow Destroyers?"

"Well, no. I just became a Destroyer."

"I see, I see. Well, no pressure, but the offer stands."

Crusader nodded.

"I'll think it over."

He telepathically asked Firestar for a Fire Path back to Earth One and it appeared behind him.

"I'll be going now, Myron. If I decide to live on Combatia, you'll be the first to know."

He walked through the Fire Path and it closed behind him.

 

[True Grave]

A couple hours after Crusader returned home, a party was being held at Team Firestar HQ. The center of it was in the party room, but everyone was free to use the entire campus as they saw fit. Alcohol was flowing and dancing was going on for as far as the eye could see. Shell Shock was chugging more beer than anyone and dancing with tons of women. Lone Wolf was dancing with his favorite woman from United Clans, a Japanese Karate expert named Yuki. Lithuel was also the life of the party and was dancing with human, demonic, and angelic women.

Spirit Rider was dancing with one of his women named Heather, a local girl he was seeing who worked as an aerobics instructor. Existence was dancing with Siren, though not looking the most comfortable. He finally bit the bullet and talked with her.

"Julie, I'm old enough to be your grandfather, despite my appearance. I don't have feelings for you in that way. I want you to find someone your own age who will treat you as well as I do."

Though Julie was sad, she understood. Existence would continue to be her mentor and teacher, but that was all. He let her go and began dancing with a middle-aged mutant woman named Amy. Julie got an alcoholic drink, not feeling like dancing at the moment. She would be fine after some time to walk off the hurt. She took a big drink and exhaled as tears dried on her eyes.

---

Crusader was with Rise, Queen Enjela, and Madam Shadow in his bedroom. Rise was wearing a tuxedo for the occasion and seemed self-conscious.

"Does this really look good on me?"

"Of course, Enjela said, " You look very handsome."

Crusader was also dressed in a tuxedo and clapped Rise on the shoulder.

"You'll look better after you eat," he said with a smile.

Rise chuckled good-naturedly.

"Yeah, I know. I'll try to lose the emaciated look."

The four of them joined the party. The Champion's arrival was the cue for the DJ to cut the music. The smooth-voiced black DJ spoke into the microphone.

"All members of Team Firestar along with Rise, please head to the front of the room."

All seven of them made their way to the front.

"For their heroism in saving all of time and space from the Old God Omega, please give them a round of applause."

After generous applause, the DJ began playing their favorite songs back to back. The seven of them began to dance and mingle as they pleased. The party went into the next day, stopping around the afternoon of the following day.

---

Shell Shock was passed out in bed with several naked human women. Lone Wolf was asleep after sex with Yuki, who was naked and asleep next to him. Spirit Rider was asleep after sex with Heather, who was naked and asleep next to him. Lithuel was passed out in bed with several naked women of assorted species. Existence was asleep after sex with Amy, who was naked and asleep next to him. Rise was passed out after eating himself into a food coma.

Crusader was alone in his room. With Omega defeated, he had a crossroads in front of him. Did he defend his title of Champion and commit once more to Team Firestar? Or did he leave it all behind and start training on Combatia? Crusader remained deep in thought, weighing his options. Whatever he decided would be his life commitment for the next five years.


To be continued...