New world

The palace of heaven stood strongly, even though it had no ruler. Zero looked upon this palace with great sadness, "Cyril, where have you gone. You left after becoming a god, abandoned your people and your duties." Zero cursed to the heavens. "If i had what you did, I would never abandone my post as you have."

A thin, teal-skinned man in a silver top-hat and waistcoat fiddled with the controls to Heaven's holographic topographical editor user interface. "Needs more hotsprings. Everywhere needs more hotsprings," he murmured delightedly.

Zero heared the man muttering about hot springs and turned to look, "Excuse me... I think a hot spring would go great in the courtyard." Zero wasn't sure just who this man was or even what he was, "If you don't mind my asking, while i have your attention, just who are you?"

The man jumped in surprise. "What the hell are you doing you motherfuckers?!" He paused, "Err... motherfucker." The man sighed and tipped his hat. It turned into a bowler hat. "I am Cash Kai! I was looking for Cyril."

Zero let out a slight chuckle, "You'll be looking for a while. Bastard skipped out on everyone." Zero started floating. He thought for a moment, "You know... why keep looking for Cyril when you got me right here?"

He looked Zero up and down. "What? You? You think you're the pinnacle of strength and righteousness?"

Zero shrugged, "Look around, do you see anyone that could do better? By all means if you do, be my guest." Zero had a smerk on his face, "So... what do you say?" Zero held out his hand to seal the deal.

He thought for a while. "I could always train Maynin..." He pointed two fingers at a wall and flicked them down, opening a wormhole. "Thanks for the lead, kid. Maynin it is."

"Wait wait!" Zero panicked. "What do I have to do to prove i can handle the job?"

The Kai stopped. "I may..." he pursed his lips, "I may have a job for you."

Zero sighed in relief, "what is it?"

"Kill some rats," he said simply.

"That's all?" Zero sighed, he was hoping for more, "alright where are they?"

"Sewers." Cash Kai grinned.

"Jesus christ! Give me more than that." Zero yelled. "How many? That would be nice to know aswell."

Cash Kai looked a bit apprehensive, "Your impatience would be best put to work with Whis and his lot."

Zero took in a deep breath and let it out, "I'm sorry, your just being very blunt. I would appreciate if you would give me a bit more detail."

"I was yanking your chains about the sewer level. Your planet's burning."

"What?!" Zero screamed. "How? Why? When? Screw that I need to get back to Clockwork."

Cash Kai gestured at the portal. "The werewolf mafia is besieging your planet. Stop them." He put a hand on Zero and gave him a small taste of godly power.

((4,600 words))

Chapter one: The invasion
They came faster than the blink of an eye. It was in that moment that the planet seemed to have lost all hope and any chance of redemption.
Earlier that day:
The sun glared down on the planet of Clockwork, the wind was that of a gently breeze and it was about seventy-five degrees. Kabuto waited on his brother Kobushi to arrive at their favorite Ramen shop where they had agreed to have lunch before going off to train.
Kobushi walked along the streets of the capital approaching the ramen shop where he was going to meet his brother. As he walked he noticed a strange group walking on the opposite side of the street. The tallest was a thin pail man who wore a blazer and glasses. The one next him was a smaller, probably five foot nine, but more muscular. The man in the lead, possibly the ne in charge, wore a leather jacket with studs on the shoulders. Kobushi decided he would follow them, just to make sure they were up to no good. Kobushi waited for the traffic to clear before crossing. Kobushi pursued the men until the fell back into an alleyway. Kobushi ran in after them only to find that they were expecting him. “You have to potent a smell for stealth kid.” The smaller man said.
“I figured it wouldn’t be long before you guys figured me out.” Kobushi’s fists were enveloped in an aura of hellfire, “So, you want to lead this dance or should I give you lessons?”
“I much rather watch others fall to feel good about my own skills.” The man in charge was now behind Kobushi. The man reared his fist and swung. Kobushi was lucky enough to dodge the attack and appeared on the wall of the alley.
“That was close, you almost stepped on my toes.”  Kobushi launched himself from the wall and reared back his fist ready to strike.
“Children will never learn that dancing is for adults.” The man stopped Kobushi’s attack with his own hand. After the dust from the impact cleared it was clearly visible to all that the man’s hand had morphed into that of fur and claws. “Perhaps I should teach you the sprinkler.” The man, clutching Kobushi’s hand, began banging him against the walls of the alley. He then through him over his shoulder causing him to land in the middle of the street. “Children need to know their place.” The man stomped on Kobushi’s head which in turn caused him to black out.
Back at the restaurant Kabuto had ordered about three cups of tea while waiting for Kobushi. Kabuto admired the architecture of the small restaurant. Though it looked like a shack on the outside the interior was composed of silk table clothes, padded seats, decorative statues depicting the history of ancient cultures, and finally the tapestries with their vibrant colors and beautiful designs. This was no ordinary ramen shop, this was a ramen shop fit for the queen herself. Kabuto looked over to the door way and saw two men talking to the waitress who then pointed over towards him. The men and kabuto both saw each other. Kabuto got up and began walking towards the back. The two men followed him as he led them through the kitchen. Once there kabuto walked out the back door where a couple servers were having a smoke break. “Excuse me when the two gentlemen behind me come out would you inform them that I will be waiting for them around the corner.” The server nodded and kabuto continued to walk. When the two men exited the server told them the message, “Thanks pal, here get yourself something nice.” The taller of the two handed him a gold coin. These were indeed the two men that had helped take down Kobushi and it seemed as though they now targeted Kabuto. The men rounded the corner into a dead end. No one was there but the two of them, “I thought the guy said he was around here.”
“Maybe there was a different corner.”
“Up here morons!” Kabuto yelled from the roof tops’ “I don’t know why you’re fallowing me but I intend to end this game now.” Kabuto tapped his scepter on the roof and a small magical rune appeared above the two men, “Now, vanish.” A stream of energy appeared from the rune and smothered the two in enormous bursts of Ki. When the smoke cleared only one of the men remained, however if one looked closer they could see that it was a fake.
“Sorry kid, but we’re a little tougher than that.” The taller of the two held a glowing card with a picture of a gate inscribed on it. The two had managed to slip past Kabuto using this strange card. “Now, I’m going to put an end to the game.” The smaller more muscular one began to transform his body, his body became coated with fur and elongated claws and razor sharp teeth, his body mass doubled at the least, “The boss is waiting for us so don’t make this any harder on yourself.” It took only one punch from the enormous beast to knock out poor Kabuto. “Let’s hurry and take him to the palace.
Now:
“Kabuto, Kabuto, can you hear me? Wake up.” Kabuto awoke to find himself and his brother tied to a column in the main palace of Clockwork.
“I’m so glad you decided to join us my dear Kabuto. Kobushi has been nothing but terrible company.”
“What do you want? And who are you?”
“All in due time kabuto. For now I can tell you only my name, Tatsuki Abarime.” The man in the leather jacket stepped over to the window and looked upon the city, “Do it.” The city erupted in flames and loud explosions could be heard all the way from the slums on the outskirts of town. “And so it begins.”
Chapter two: The return
The planet was on fire, burning to the ground and nothing could be done. The two sons of the ruler were tied up and without their powers. The city had nothing it could do to save itself except try to put out the fires. It was then that a flash of light appeared in the center of the city. A white haired man was down on one knee, then he looked up then ran, he ran as fast as a bullet train. Zero was running, running to the rescue. Windows broke as he ran past them and curtains tore from their rings as he flew past.
Tatsuki could see the dust made from zero from the palace, “Rukime! Deal with this.” The tall man walked over to the window and then leapt out onto the edge and held up a card with an eye inscribed on the card. “Parish!” the card began to glow and a giant eye like creature appeared, “Parish with regret.” The giant creature began to glow and then fired a giant, what could only be described as, eyebeam. The beam of energy hit right behind zero as he ran and instantly exploded. The explosion grew and followed Zero as he ran.
Zero looked behind his shoulder and then back in front of him. Up ahead was a cart that had been turned over, Zero jumped onto the cart and then with enormous might pushed off and flew up in the air. The explosion began to form under him, Zero had jumped so high that he could make out the form of the explosion. All of a sudden Zero’s hand began to glow and formed a small vortex, “Crap!” the vortex pulled all the energy into Zero and then was gone. As Zero floated in the air he looked over to the giant creature that looked as though it was about to fire again. Zero held up a finger, “Go back to hell demon.” Zero fired a Death Beam that had monstrous amounts of energy. The beam made contact with the creature and eradicated the giant eye as well as most of the tower of the palace. “Woops, I think I over did it.”
“I would say so.” Rukime had teleported behind him with a pair of wings sprouting from his back. Rukime held two cards in his hand, one with wings and the other with the gate. “Let’s end this shall we.” Rukime began to change his form. Gone was human Rukime and here was Werewolf Rukime.
“I’ll end it when I have answers. Why are you here?” Zero demanded to know.
“Why? You know why. The thing you’re hiding in the palace.” Rukime said with such grace. As if it would be illegal to speak of it in any other tone.
“Don’t tell me you’re after the moon charm.” Zero said in a surprised tone.
“That’s the one.” Rukime flew towards Zero and swung his claws. Zero dodged the attack with ease.
“I won’t let you have it.” Zero opened a small dimensional portal and reached his hand in. he then pulled out the katana given to him by Riza. “You, no all of you are now my prey and the hunter will never give until he is dead.” Zero dashed to Rukime.
“Then allow me end this hunt.” Rukime slashed with his claws at the sword. Both Zero and Rukime faced in opposite directions after the clash. Rukime looked over his shoulder until he felt something break. He turned back and saw that his nails had been cut off.
“You looked like you could use a trip.” Zero turned to look at Rukime and then pointed his sword towards Rukime. The tip of the sword began to glow and a ball of Ki formed at the end, “Fly away, Ki cannon.” The ball flew from the tip of the blade with the furry of a realistic cannon ball. Rukime held up a card with a bag inscribed upon it and the attack was sucked in.
“So sorry, I won’t be that easy to beat.” Rukime flipped the card over and the attack flew back at Zero. Zero slashed with his sword and the attack split in two.
“Let’s end this.” Zero began glowing bright purple and was surrounded with an aura that resembled that of a Samurai. Zero lunged towards Rukime and Rukime the same. The two clashed once again and again faced in opposite directions. Zero then sheaved his sword in the tiny dimensional portal and Rukime began to fall to the ground of the ruined city. Once he hit the ground there was no doubt Rukime was dead. Zero gave him no last look and flew on to the palace. Once inside the tower Zero freed Kabuto and Kobushi.
“Father you came just in time.” Kabuto said with a slight sound of relief in his voice.
“We need to hurry they went do to the main hall.” Kobushi informed.
“No, I have a special job for the two of you. I want you to go into town and help the citizens with whatever they need.” Zero said.
“But father…”
“Do not talk back to me Kobushi do as I say. I say what I do because it is for the good of the city. I know you want to fight, but what would you do when you got down there? You lost once already. Now please do as I say.” The two boys nodded and jumped out of the tower and flew to the city. Zero walked over to the stairs and then looked back out at the city. He could see smoke still steadily rising and screams could still be heard from families that had just had their lives taken to the brink of destruction and dropped there. Zero turned away from the city and began walking down the stairs to the main hall. Zero’s head was filling with thoughts of ways to kill the ones responsible, “it ends now.”
Chapter three: The explanation
Tatsuki and his remaining henchmen were running through the main hall when they heard the sound of foot steps behind them, “He beat Rukime!”
“Ginga, make sure you delay him long enough for me to get the Moon Charm.” Tatsuki ordered.
“Yes sir, I won’t fail like Rukime.” Ginga barked.
“Its bad luck to speak ill of a fallen comrade.” Tatsuki warned. Tatsuki continued on, leaving Ginga to deal with Zero. Zero walked down the main set of stairs that led to the main hall, “It’s going to a lot of work cleaning all this up once this little invasion is over.” As he walked Zero came down to the end of the stairs to an empty main hall, “Guess they moved on.” Then out of nowhere a dagger popped out from the shadows and nearly struck Zero. Luckily it missed by only a hair. This dagger wasn’t a lone wolf, the rest of the pack followed very close behind. Daggers flew from all directions, twenty no thirty daggers had flown on their course to Zero. However, they all missed.
“How?” A voice proclaimed from the shadows, “How could they all miss? You haven’t moved and I’m one of the best shots in the galaxy.”
“It’s not that you missed, projectiles just don’t work on me.” Zero bent down to pick up one of the daggers. He began twirling it around his finger, “So… while we have some free time why don’t you tell me what you want with the charm.”
“It’s not the charm we’re after. It’s what lies within the charm. A small metal ore that when adorned by the wearer grants them unlimited power. However, it will only work with that of a Lycanthrope.” Ginga explained.
“And just how did this precious metals tail wind up in the ears of you furry dogs?” Zero asked, hoping that Ginga would tell them their plans.
“The metal has a long history on our planet.”
“And just where would that be?” Zero inquired.
“Oboroten,” Ginga answered, “Oboroten is a safe haven for any crime syndicate in the universe. All one would need to do is place a man on Oboroten and you could find out just about anything the criminal underworld has to offer. As for our little merry band, we’re just a scouting party, sent here to find the metal ore and extract it. Once we have it, we’ll hand it over to the boss and then we’ll be the strongest mafia in the entire universe.” Ginga had spilled the beans on just about everything, except for one small detail.
“So, how would one take over Oboroten? And is your boss there?” Zero crossed his fingers that Ginga was stupid enough to answer.
“Yes, our boss just so happens to be hiding out on Oboroten. But as for taking it over you can’t. Oboroten has no ruler it’s a back ally planet with no ruler, no laws, and no military.” Ginga had spilled the last of the beans.
“Perfect.” Zero through the dagger into the shadows and a thud could be heard from Ginga falling to the ground. Zero looked over and saw that Ginga was laying on the floor and in his hand clutched a small spherical object. Ginga began to crawl his way out of the dark and it was visible where the dagger had plunged itself into his chest.
“You… you know… you know that you have only sealed your death right?” Ginga barely managed to spit out.
“And just how is that?” Zero asked.
“You killed both me and Rukime… our… our gang won’t let that stand. Tatsuki will… Tatsuki will finish you off once you find him and he has the metal.”
“I thought only one could wear the metal?”
“Did those words ever come out of my mouth? I said the wearer will possess unlimited power once adorned. I never… I never said only one could wear it.” With Ginga’s last breath he pulled the pin from the grenade in his hand and it rolled out into the main hall. “Know die, you bastard.” Zero quickly surrounded the grenade with a nova sphere and the blast was contained. He looked over to Ginga who was lying dead on the floor. A loud clatter was made over to Zero’s left. A maid was peaking around the corner, “You there, clean this up would you.” The maid nodded her head and quickly began disposing of the body. Zero walked outside into the palace garden with the explosion still in hand and through it up in the air. The sphere was released once it reached its distance limit and the explosion spread throughout the sky like a giant fire work. Brilliant orange poured out of the sun and across the horizon. The sky was blood red.The furrowed clouds were every shade from palest pink to deep crimson. Dawn broke over the horizon, the brilliant orange egg yolk sun spilled across the clouds as far as the eye could see. Red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning. Indeed the sun was rising. There was a well-defined range of cumuli a few degrees above the horizon, and a massive, dark-gray rain-cloud above it, from which depended long, bent fringes overlapping the lower cumuli and partially veiling them; and from time to time sunbeams poured through narrow openings and painted the exposed bosses and fringes in ripe yellow tones, which, with the reflections on the water, made magnificent pictures.
Zero walked over to the fountain in the middle of the garden. The secret passage had been revealed by the infiltrators and had clear signs of forced entry. Zero began his walk down the spiraling stairwell that led down to a room filled with unlit torches. Zero lit one and grabbed it, holding it in his hand. He began walking down the corridor towards the Moon Charm. It had been hidden away for years. But now, it would seem as though it was about to be uncovered.
Chapter four: The Moon Charm
Small, loose stones littered the floor causing him to trip as he got closer to the rock face. Zero shone the beam of his torch ahead and a cave came into view, the entrance was so small he almost missed it. The cave was built into the muddy brown rock of the tunnel, the stone guarding the entrance was jagged and uneven, arranged in such a way, that it would be difficult for passersby to spot. Inside the beam of his torch was enveloped and lost in the blackness, Zero had to move around by following the damp wall of the cave with his hands. All of a sudden, flaming torches sparked to life, lighting up the tunnel ahead and bathing the entire cavern in a flickering orange glow.
The Lord of Clockwork prowled through the chain of long narrow tunnels which linked the great lunar vaults, and peered from the cavern's entrance, and out through the tranquil and crystalline sea. He watched as the strange contraption descended like a great metallic bird from above, and as it landed, knew he'd nothing to celebrate.
The stairs ahead were twisted in a perfect spiral, like a child's slinky toy pulled from each end. Each stair was likely a deep walnut, but with the thick layer of undisturbed dust it was hard to tell. The inner edge was painted antique cream, and when Zero disturbed the dust layer the paint was quite perfect underneath; no dirt and no flaking or dents. It was as if it was perfect one day and abandoned the next, just like the rest of the world. He let his hand fall on to the black iron rail, rough in its rustic charm and placed his weight on the first step. There was no creak or sign of rot, they were as solid as the day they were made. He walked swiftly to the top leaving his shoe prints behind.
Zero then at the top of the stairs found a door. The door was solid metal. Nothing was going to budge it. The surface was flat and shiny like the outside of a stainless steel refrigerator. There was no handle, no lock, and no hinges, nothing to get a grip on. The top and bottom, even the sides, lay so utterly flush with the frame that there was no hope of jimmying it open even if he had had a crowbar, but he had nothing of the sort. Zero wished not to destroy any thing in this underground hide away. But it seemed he had no choice. Zero raised a hand to the door and blew it clean off its hinges.  The dim lights flickered, casting a crepuscular glow within the room. The air was still and the flame barely flickered. It was steady and bright enough to relieve the darkness of the room, but it was not enough to read by. The items around the candle cast shadows that radiated out as hands on an old analogue clock would. The wick blackened and the wax slowly turned to liquid, running down the side and onto the glass plate.
Zero entered the room and found locked away in the farthest corner of the room a small box laying on a table. Zero opened the box and pulled out the charm. Zero saw on the side a small clip that opened the charm. It was polished and cut to perfection. The brilliant gem bounced rays of rainbow light over the dim room. Zero stood there, transfixed by the enchanting jewel. Its surface was impossible smooth. Its colors, impossibly bright. A magnificent rainbow aurora surrounded it, giving off an ethereal glow. It shimmered in the room with a radiance of its own.
“Beautiful isn’t it?” Zero turned around to see Tatsuki standing behind him, “I knew once I got you down here I could make you lead me straight to the Moon Charm.” Tatsuki walked forward to Zero, “Now hand it over to me and I won’t pull the trigger on your city.” Tatsuki held up a small detonator, “Your people have been through enough already haven’t they?” Zero handed the stone over to Tatsuki. Tatsuki held the charm in his hand, “Glimmering wickedly in the sunlight, it’s what all men desire. More precious than gold, and more beautiful too, is the jewel. Casting hope and fortune upon us, but it is also the most dangerous thing. It leads men to greed.” Tatsuki began to walk out of the room when stopped by Zero who had pulled a lever on the wall. A gate came down in front of Tatsuki stopping him. “What do you think you’re doing? Have you forgot about my threat already? Or perhaps you think I’m bluffing.”
“Either way it matters not now. If you pull that trigger and the city explodes you kill us both down here. The shockwaves will cause a cave in. look at the walls, they’re already cracked from your first charges. They won’t hold for another.” Zero sprinted forward and pulled out his sword from the small dimensional rift and ran Tatsuki through.
The charm fell to the ground and Tatsuki along with it. “It seems you have beaten me.”
“Guess those forces will come after me now.” Zero said. He had enough for one day.
“Forces? What forces?”
“The ones your buddy told me about. Ginga I think you called him.” Tatsuki laughed a little.
“There are no forces, the three of us that came here were the last of the Werewolf Mafia. At the most he was trying to scare you.” Tatsuki clutched his chest. His heart was almost done for. His last beats started now, “Long ago, our gang was hunted down to the last members, us. We sought power to take our revenge on the ones who ruined our family, our friends. But instead we can now go to them in the afterlife.” Tatsuki lied on the floor dead. Zero pulled the lever and the gate lifted. Zero walked out and Tatsuki continued to stay right where he was.
Chapter Five: the Finale
Zero made his way back to the surface and looked upon the city and then at the palace. The palace was high upon the hill overlooking the town, it's many pointed towers giving it the look of an eccentric crown. The walls were a white stone that glistened in the summer sun and the roof was grey slate. It was as big as twenty of the ordinary houses of the town and employed a good number of the townsfolk as servants. Around the palace were the horse pastures and kitchen gardens for the royal family, and around that was a stone wall topped with iron spikes and guarded day and night.
Zero then looked back to the city. The city changes every few minutes on the journey home; the downtown flicking between affluence and poverty. There are streets of up-market stores, smooth black and glass exteriors, and fancy names in fancier lettering. The kind of places with perfumed atmospheres made all the more inviting by music and well-groomed subservient staff; exchanging their tokens of the upper class life for the swipe of a credit card. In moments were are passing the run-down pawn shops, the liquor stores and dingy supermarkets that are about as wide as two bowling lanes at Lucky Strike. These human off-casts are clad in everything from skimpy summer ware to thick wintry jackets, either freezing or roasting in the cool but sunny fall day. On the sidewalk are spaced out women with wild tangles of hair and more than one person with a cart of aluminum cans. A few moments more and we are in suburbia, rows of uniform houses and neatly moved lawns, each wide avenue draped in the seasonal reds and golds.
Then there is the inner city. The inner city grew out of the cracked sidewalk like the jagged gap-toothed grin of an old junkie. The only splash of color in the grime came from the lurid graffiti and the sidewalks were littered with injection paraphernalia. From every covered doorway came the dejected stares of men and women in their pathetic cardboard sleeping bags. From upper windows came the boom of sub-culture music. The hookers stalked the streets in their skimpy outfits and high boots looking for work, their drug-addled bodies as thin as pins, and their cheekbones jutting out through pallid skin.
Zero teleported back to Cash Kia to inform him of the good news. Once there Zero looked around for him. But could only see the millions of hot springs that had been placed while he was gone. Zero decided to wait in one until Cash Kia showed back up.
From deep inside his chest, through every cell of his body, the warmth welcomed him like an old friend. But it was strange, because he never felt that way before. It kind of scared him, you know? Feeling the cold slowly leaving his heart... All his life everything he once loved or cared about always fucked up and broke him, tearing apart his soul bit by bit. But that time... That only time he felt like everything in his little tiny universe was right for the first time.
Who would have known that he would have to miss it someday? He flew too close into the sun, and the warmth burned his wings and made him hit the ground so hard sometimes he couldn’t even breathe.
When cash Kia showed back up Zero exited the hot spring and went to change. Once we was in a fresh pair of clothes he informed Cash Kia that he had completed the task.
Word count: 4626

2.7B PL
1.39B Z
+Godhood

Cash Kai sighed, "Fuckin' Space Werewolf Mafia." He put a hand on Zero's forearm and they began to glow.

"Whats happening?" Zero asked. "I feel great, i'm alive! I can do anything!"

"Woosh."

END