When Michael returned to The Sanctuary, he looked around... there were a lot of new faces around... in fact he could not recognise a single person he saw. "Michael... that's your name right?" Niko asked. "Indeed... did Lukas tell you that?" Michael replied with his own question. "Lukas told me a lot of things about you... including how you first met. He said that he would like to meet you in the Core Chamber." Niko told Michael. "The Core Chamber? Nobody is allowed in there... Lukas shouldn't be there!" Michael yelled as he was worried that Lukas might disturb the core and accidentally destroy The Multiverse. "Do not worry... Lukas was called there by the Core themselves... he is also now considered the successor of the core... so basically... don't take him lightly anymore... because he doesn't take his job lightly." Niko reassured Michael. "Well...it's been nice meeting you Niko... I guess I should be off to see Lukas." Michael explained. "Nice to see you too Michael... by the way... Lukas might ask something big from you... just a heads up... I mean... if you are the saviour of The Multiverse, then it shouldn't be that hard for you. Goodbye and good luck." Niko warned Michael before walking away.
Michael walked into the Core Chamber... it was almost completely white except for the core itself which was changing colours every few seconds. "Michael? I didn't think you had survived." A voice echoed from across the room... it was Lukas... he seemed to be his normal everyday self although he did now have a new red scarf... similar to Niko's. "Lukas? It's good to see you again... you will not believe the hell that I've been through." Michael explained as he seemed relieved by seeing Lukas. "Oh I think Raptors has told us enough... yes they did take back Omega... and they took a lot of other things...but we're surviving... but the question is for how long will we survive?" Lukas said rather calmly. "You have changed a lot since I last saw you... then again... a lot can happen in two years." Michael told himself more than anyone. "Yes a lot can happen in two years... although, from what I've been told about you, I can safely say that you haven't changed at all." an unknown voice spoke from an unseen area. Michael looked around in confusion. "Who was that?" Michael asked. "Well... you know how I said that I thought you were dead? Well... I may have chosen... someone else... that fit the description of the saviour of The Multiverse... don't be mad." Lukas clarified whilst constantly slowing his voice. "You did what!?" Michael yelled in confusion. "Don't disturb the core!" Lukas quickly responded. "Michael... this may be a surprise but you need to stay calm around the core! I feel like you of all people should know this!" The voice said in a sharp tone.
"I can't believe this Lukas... the moment I'm gone you replace me! Since when were you the one who leaded The Protectors anyways?" Michael asked angrily. "I was the leader of The Protectors when the rest of them died! Me and Niko were the ones who saved the entire freaking Multiverse whilst you were gone... and we even had a vote with everyone here... they all agreed that either me or Niko should lead the new Protectors and Niko was kind enough to let me lead us...now if you carry on acting this way around the Core, I'm going to have to force you to leave. Eanaro is currently the one who people think will become the saviour of The Multiverse... prove them wrong and maybe I'll think about showing you some respect!" Lukas yelled at Michael as he seemed to have a lot of anger that he was holding back. "It's not like I could've stopped them from capturing me! You saw how powerful they were... I couldn't have stopped them!" Michael explained. "You are so stupid Michael! For starters, you were the one that ran at them which made them attack... which allowed them to capture you. Second, you are acting so immature... you find out that someone new is on the team... yes they're replacing you as of right now... if you prove me wrong then I will give you back your position... plus since Eanaro has joined the team, that just means we have more of a chance of surviving. Third, again you are disturbing the Core... leave now or I will make you leave!" Lukas retorted as he randomly seemed to be mad at Michael.
"I'm not leaving here Lukas... what made you think so negatively about me?" Michael asked as he was just trying to understand. "I welcomed you back... I didn't think negatively about you... I was happy that you were back but now... just go. I'll send you your first mission when I feel like you're finished acting like this." Lukas replied as his anger slowly started burning out. The Core started changing colours... it was turning black. Lukas then pointed at Michael and all of a sudden, Michael was thrown out of the Core Chamber and the doors locked themselves behind him. "Um... I'm guessing your reunion didn't go all too well." Raptors' familiar voice spoke. "How can you tell?" Michael asked sarcastically whilst getting up. "You know... I think you're losing your touch Michael... it might be time for you to retire." Raptors explained in a concerned voice. "No way... I'm one of the strongest beings here... if I retire then everyone will be in danger." Michael said confidently. "Are you sure? You haven't even met everyone here...they may be more powerful than you... like a new generation that is stronger than the last." Raptors suggested... as he was most likely just imagining a false reality. "Well... if Lukas sent Niko out to get me, then they must be one of the strongest beings here... and even they are not all that strong." Michael retorted as he was starting to get annoyed at Raptors continuing the conversation for longer than it needed to be. "I don't know... I mean... have you seen Niko in combat? From what I have heard, Niko is the only person that Lukas will take with him on his missions... there must be a reason for him doing that... maybe Niko is just stronger than you think?" Raptors clarified.
"By the way I must ask do you really live here? I mean it is just amazing laddie simply amazing! Sure there's a lot less to see inhere compared to my home but that doesn't mean there isn't any joy to find in here. In fact it must drive you insane to just constantly work and work in a seemingly endless white sphere and don't bother asking me what my home was like and if it drove me insane because I think it is pretty obvious that I already am insane! Is there anywhere for me to get something to eat? I would really like a few-"Raptors was saying but he got cut off. "Raptors! As much as I appreciate you showing interest in our Multiverse... can you please take at least a few seconds to breathe? I barely understood anything you just said!" Michael told Raptors whilst cutting him off. "Well I can repeat it for you if you'd like... and also dead things don't need to breathe." Raptors spoke whilst correcting Michael. "You... what?" Michael asked as he was confused. "Well...I was never really alive to begin with... I was born with the properties of a paranormal entity... I'd rather not think about those days... so if you don't mind... can we not talk about that?" Raptors explained. Michael shook his head and walked away.
Michael walked past what must have been hundreds of people and each time he passed one of them, he heard gasps and people whispering "It's him! It's Michael." He didn't want to be noticed though... "Lukas is going to ruin my reputation. No one will care about me anymore." He thought... as he remembered Eanaro and how he hated him for replacing him. "I will prove them wrong... I'm the one that is going to save The Multiverse and I will show them that it is the truth." Michael thought to himself. He waited by the wall of The Sanctuary for his first mission... before he heard the voice of Lukas in his head. "You seem ready... so... your first mission is to find a girl... her universe was recently destroyed and I sense immense power within her that is just waiting to be awakened... I unfortunately cannot do this as I have something to be doing... don't think this mission is unimportant as this girl could be useful as a Protector." Lukas explained to Michael. "Great... telepathy... what's next? The ability to detonate my non existent brain?" Michael asked rhetorically. "Don't test me... just find the girl." Lukas replied. Michael sighed and set off to try and find the girl... it didn't take long...only around fifteen minutes before he found her... she looked weird... she was wearing a pink shirt with a purple stripe on it...she had a pink skirt on... even her hair was pink at the tips.
"Hello there. I'm here to get you to a safe place... don't be-"Michael was saying... but then the girl turned around... her face was terrifying... her eyes were purple and her iris was pink... her mouth looked like it had partially melted... and inside her mouth was yet again... nothing but pink. "Oh... you're here to save me are you? Well I wouldn't mind being invited to The Sanctuary even though I have been trying to get in by myself... you are going to take me aren't you?" The girl asked in an eerie voice. "What the hell did you send me into Lukas?" Michael thought to himself. "Oh Lukas sent you here? He surely must have told you all about me... did he? Never mind... I can see that you didn't get much time to talk after... you know... how you overreacted and everything?" The girl explained... Michael noticed her voice seemed normal when she was talking about Lukas. "How did you do that? You can read minds? My body doesn't have a mind... how can you know what I am thinking?" Michael asked all these questions in quick succession as he was terrified. "Everyone knows that the mind is part of the soul... you don't need the brain to use the mind... as long as you're determined enough to live with just your soul." The girl replied.
"I'm guessing Lukas didn't actually send me to rescue you... I'm guessing that he actually wanted me to keep you occupied." Michael thought out loud. "Seems like it... although it is a bit boring if we just sit here and talk... how about a little more action...like... I don't know... a bit of a brawl?" the girl asked whilst shrugging. "Sure... I'd prefer it if I knew your name before I finished you off though." Michael confidently replied. "Well then Michael... my name is Bete Noire and I am the embodiment of fear...now... let us get started." The girl explained whilst her hand turned into a strange pink substance. Michael readied himself as the pink substance removed itself from Bete's body and it turned into a giant scythe which Bete then spun around as if she was already well trained in using it in combat.
"Hm... why has Subject X-UED allied himself with the Protectors? Surely that doesn't help his master out in the slightest!" "Taen... you know that Subject X-UED betrayed it's master right? If anything, Subject X-UED should try to hinder Subject X-TMA who is still loyal to it's master." "I did not know that... it would be great if somebody actually informed me of what was happening! Anyways... X-UED is making a stupid mistake! Anybody who would betray a being as powerful as Subject X would certainly seem to have a death wish!" "It seems that Subject X-UED thinks that allying itself with Lukas and the rest of the Protectors will allow itself to live a free life and maybe even give it the strength to kill Subject X. Truly... it has been blinded by it's desperate attempts to escape the end that is soon to arrive."