As the night stretched on in Bellwood Senior Village, the soft hum of an old television filled the quiet common area. A man sat at the front desk, eyes flicking between his computer screen and the blinking phone beside him. With a sigh, he picked it up.

"Bellwood Senior Village, may I—oh, hello, doctor," he said, straightening slightly as the voice on the other end spoke. "Yeah, it's been quiet all night. The residents are all in bed... well, except for old George."

Leaning back in his chair, he glanced over toward the dimly lit lounge, where an elderly man sat motionless in a wheelchair, his gaze fixed on an old TV playing a medieval drama. The flickering light of the screen reflected in his eyes, but he barely reacted to it.

"That's the only channel we have for him," the man continued, shrugging as he turned back to the call. "I dunno, he's been here since the place opened back in the '70s. Never talks much, barely reacts to anything. Just sits there, watching those knight shows."

He paused, listening to the doctor's reply before chuckling. "Yeah, he's ancient. Bet he's got some stories, huh?"

At the other end of the room, George remained eerily still, his fingers methodically rubbing the edge of a worn, gold coin in his palm.

Meanwhile, within a hidden cavern, a young squire of the Forever Knights stood hunched over an aged parchment, tracing the strange symbols inked upon it. The dim torchlight flickered against the stone walls, illuminating the ancient vault before him. His hands trembled slightly as he read the inscriptions—warnings, perhaps? Instructions? He wasn't sure.

A group of armored Forever Knights entered, their boots echoing through the chamber as they dragged in a large, industrial-grade laser drill. The squire looked up, concern flashing across his face.

"Uh, I—I'm not sure you should do that," he stammered, stepping back.

The knight at the helm of the drill scoffed, adjusting the controls. "I found it, Squire, and I'm going to open it." His voice brimmed with arrogance, his fingers tightening around the trigger.

"Whatever it is," the squire muttered under his breath.

The knight turned his gaze toward him, his smug expression unwavering. "It bears the seal of the Forever Knights, and you yourself said it's nearly two thousand years old. I wager it's an ancient cache of alien weapons," he mused, rubbing his chin.

The squire hesitated before offering, "That would certainly make Sir Cyrus happy."

"Reason enough to proceed." The knight smirked before barking, "Stand back."

Obediently, the squire stepped away as the knights donned their protective goggles. Their leader positioned the drill against the stone vault, the machine whirring to life. A focused beam of red-hot energy shot forward, melting through the hardened rock.

Then, something unexpected happened.

The symbols along the vault's surface began to glow—an eerie, pulsating crimson that spread across the stone like veins. The squire's eyes widened in alarm.

"Stop! Something's wrong!" he shouted.

But the knights didn't listen.

A brilliant flash of light erupted from the vault, engulfing the chamber. The knights staggered back, shielding their eyes as the glow intensified. The squire barely had time to scream before the light consumed them all.

Back at the retirement home, Old George suddenly sat upright, his weathered fingers tightening around the coin in his palm. A strange, familiar energy pulsed through it, sending a shiver down his spine. His sharp eyes flickered toward the caretaker, who was too engrossed in his computer game to notice the sudden change in the elderly man's demeanor.

Seizing the moment, George silently pushed himself up from his wheelchair, moving with a swiftness that belied his years. He cast one last glance at the room before slipping out the door, his steps steady and purposeful.

The soft click of the door closing finally caught the caretaker's attention. He looked up, blinking in confusion.

"George?" he called, swiveling his chair to glance around the room.

But the old man was already gone.

Meanwhile, Michael and Jen, riding on Shockwave, followed Kevin's car as they pulled up near a canyon, the quiet night stretching around them. Kevin parked his car and stepped out, followed by Gwen and Ferox.

Michael shifted slightly, attempting to dismount, only to realize that Jen had fallen asleep, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist in an unrelenting grip.

"Jen, wach auf," (Jen, wake up) Michael said softly, nudging her gently.

Jen stirred, groaning slightly before tightening her hold around him. "Piggyback..." she murmured sleepily.

Michael sighed but couldn't help the small smile that tugged at his lips. With practiced ease, he shifted her onto his back before finally stepping off Shockwave, who immediately transformed back into his humanoid form.

Kevin smirked as he leaned against his car, watching the scene unfold. Gwen, arms crossed, raised an eyebrow at the half-asleep Jen. "Jen, seriously? You were asleep?"

Jen blinked blearily at Gwen as her vision adjusted. "Well, yeah. It's, like, one in the morning," she muttered, resting her chin lazily on Michael's shoulder.

Kevin chuckled. "More like three."

Michael rolled his eyes. "Not our fault you guys barged into our house in the middle of the night and woke the kids."

Kevin shrugged. "Oh, please. It's not like you two even sleep." He then glanced at Shockwave. "Tell him."

Shockwave, ever the instigator, smirked. "Most nights, you two keep busy until sunrise with... certain activities. Thankfully, I soundproofed your room."

Michael flushed instantly, while Jen—completely unfazed—smirked and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Darling's just so good in bed," she purred, resting her head against his shoulder.

Gwen groaned. "Can we not?"

Kevin chuckled. "Yeah, we're standing in the middle of nowhere, and you two are still flirting."

Michael cleared his throat, regaining composure. "Let's focus. Why are we even out here?"

Gwen's expression turned serious as a faint, violet glow flickered across her Anodite form. "I felt a ripple in the mana. Something powerful."

Jen smirked. "I think I felt a ripple in our bedroom too, darling. Maybe they should investigate while we continue our nightly activities." She pressed herself closer to Michael, letting him feel every curve as her teasing tone dripped with amusement.

Michael exhaled sharply and shook his head. "Vielleicht morgen, Jen. Lass uns das erstmal überprüfen." (Maybe tomorrow, Jen. Let's just check this out first)

Jen huffed but remained clinging to him, nuzzling into his back. "Fine... but I'm holding you to that."

"So we're not driving down?" Michael asked, raising an eyebrow as Kevin examined his car, eyes narrowed in distaste.

"The gravel's gonna chip the paint," Kevin muttered, giving his car a slight protective pat as if it were a delicate piece of art. Michael sighed, resisting the urge to ask Shockwave for help.

Gwen smirked, glancing at the scene. "We're really setting the hero bar low tonight, huh?"

Jen, who was still lazily draped over Michael's back, yawned. "Yeah, yeah... this is fine," she muttered, not taking her eyes off him, clearly content with her position.

As the group ventured deeper into the canyon, the terrain shifted and they reached a narrow cave. Inside, they found scattered remnants of metal—what appeared to be twisted fragments of armor and destroyed weaponry. Michael chuckled dryly. "That's some rippled mana right there."

Jen, distracted by her affection for Michael, kissed his cheek again, making him smirk as they walked deeper into the cave.

Kevin crouched near a pile of debris, inspecting a shattered helmet. "Looks like the Forever Knights threw themselves a party," he quipped, tossing it aside.

Meanwhile, Michael and Shockwave moved toward the rear of the cave, discovering what appeared to be a vault—its entrance cracked open, and traces of disturbed earth around it. "With an uninvited guest," Michael muttered under his breath, eyeing the deep, gouging tracks leading away from the vault's opening.

Then, the faint sound of armor clicking reached their ears. The group immediately tensed. They turned to see a lone Knight stepping forward from the shadows of the cave, his armor gleaming under the faint light. "A friend of yours, no doubt," he said coldly, a mocking smile on his lips.

Michael's face hardened, and he sighed in annoyance. "Ich fange an, die einfacheren Tage zu vermissen." (I'm starting to miss the simpler days)

Kevin, grinning, glanced at Michael. "Hey, it must be Monty Python week, right?" he quipped, his tone light as he adjusted his Ultimate Sawmpfire arm, preparing for a fight.

Michael asked as he raised an eyebrow. "Which group are you from? Urian? Patrick? The Forever King's faction? Or perhaps the remnants of my grandfather's group?"

Jen slid off Michael's back, instantly on guard.

"Frauds and apostates, the lot of them," the knight declared. His armor gleamed under the dim cave light. "I am Sir Cyrus, and we follow the true path, the ways of our founder—the First Knight."

Gwen raised an eyebrow. "Another faction? I'm going to need a notebook for this."

Shockwave's optics narrowed as he scanned the area. "What tried to break into your vault... or perhaps break out?" he asked, his voice low and mechanical, eyeing the destruction around them with suspicion.

Cyrus stiffened, his eyes flashing with anger. "To the best of our knowledge, you did," he responded, his voice cutting through the tension.

Everyone exchanged puzzled glances. "Us?" Michael echoed, incredulous.

Before anyone could respond further, Cyrus raised a hand, silencing his Squire who attempted to speak. "Silence, squire. Your kind speaks when it is needed," he snapped, his gaze harsh as he turned back to the group.

"You think we did this?" Gwen asked, stepping forward with a skeptical look on her face.

Cyrus's gaze shifted to her, eyes cold. "Two of my men are missing. And you're here. Now, you're going to tell us where you've taken them, even if it's your last breath," he said, crossing his arms in defiance.

Behind him, his guards drew their laser lances, ready for a fight. The air was thick with tension, and Michael could feel the standoff building.

Jen, finally slipping off Michael's back and stepping into a defensive stance, glanced at the others. "Well, this should be fun."

Gwen couldn't help but smirk. "If we were actually involved, you'd be in worse shape already. So, maybe we can skip the threats and get to the point."

The Forever Knights wasted no time, raising their laser lances and opening fire. A barrage of energy blasts shot toward the group, but Gwen reacted instantly, conjuring a shimmering purple barrier that absorbed the attacks.

Kevin lunged forward, his Diamondhead pincer fired razor-sharp crystal shards, sending several knights sprawling. More knights rushed in from the sides, attempting to flank them, but Gwen pushed her shield outward in a concussive pulse, sending the knights flying backward.

Ferox, now in his monstrous beast form, roared as he leaped into the fray. His claws caught two knights mid-air, slamming them into the cave ceiling with bone-rattling force. A third knight attempted to strike him from behind, but Ferox's tail whipped around, knocking the attacker across the cavern.

Meanwhile, one knight managed to close the distance on Kevin, thrusting his laser lance toward his chest. But Kevin smirked, grabbing the lance's tip and effortlessly absorbing its energy. The weapon flickered out as the knight stumbled back in horror.

"Wasting your ammo, dude," Kevin taunted. "I'm invincible." With a flick of his wrist, he sent the knight hurtling through the air, crashing into a pile of debris.

Just as the battle seemed to be turning in their favor, a sharp voice cut through the chaos.

"Right! Nobody move! Or the changeling suffers."

The cave fell silent.

Cyrus stood near the edge of the fray, his lance pressed against Michael's back, Jen beside him with another knight aiming at her.

Kevin, Gwen, and Ferox froze, their eyes darting between Michael and Jen.

"Hands above your heads," Cyrus ordered, his voice dripping with confidence. "Now."

Michael and Jen exchanged a quick glance before sighing in unison.

"If you say so," Jen muttered.

They raised their hands—but instead of surrendering, they slammed them down onto their Ultimatrixes.

In an instant, a flash of green and red light engulfed them.

Jen's form expanded, her skin shifting into thick, armored plating as she roared, transforming into Humungousaur. The force of her transformation alone sent a shockwave through the cave, knocking nearby knights off their feet.

Michael, now Chromastone, stood tall, his crystalline body pulsing with raw energy.

"Alright," Michael's voice reverberated, glowing eyes locked onto Cyrus. "Versuchen wir es noch einmal." (Let's try this again)

Before the knights could react, Jen swung her massive tail, smashing two of them into the cave wall. Michael lifted his arms, absorbing a barrage of laser blasts before unleashing a blinding energy beam straight at Cyrus.

Jen grabbed Cyrus, her massive arms squeezing him like a vice. Bones creaked under the pressure as his head was forced back to meet her burning glare.

"It's the middle of the night," she hissed, her voice dripping with venom. "My time with my beloved husband was disturbed—" Her grip tightened further, making him gasp. "And you're really annoying!" She punctuated her words by giving him another painful squeeze.

Cyrus, his vision blurring from lack of air, looked at the other knights and managed to choke out, "Hold fire!"

The remaining knights hesitated before finally lowering their weapons.

Meanwhile, Kevin was shaking an unconscious knight like a ragdoll. "Hey, wake up and stop fighting." He shook him harder. "Come on, man."

Gwen floated toward him, crossing her arms. "Kevin... he's unconscious."

Kevin blinked, then immediately dropped the knight. "Oh."

Jen rolled her eyes before unceremoniously dropping Cyrus to the ground. He groaned, trying to get up, but before he could, Jen was already towering over him, her form shifting back to normal with a flicker of green light.

She gracefully walked over to Michael, who had also turned back to human, wrapping herself around his arm and pressing her body tightly against him. "We have a situation," Michael said coolly, staring down at Cyrus. "And, by the way? You caused it."

Jen giggled softly, but there was something off about it—something predatory. She nuzzled into Michael's arm, her eyes never leaving Cyrus.

"If you want to fix it? Great." Her grip on Michael's arm tightened possessively. "If not..." Her smile turned eerie, her voice dropping into something darker. "Stay out of my beloved husband's way."

Cyrus tensed. There was something in the way she said it—like a warning. Or a threat.

The young Squire cautiously stepped forward, sensing the tension. "S-Sire, if I may be so bold... These people didn't cause the accident. It was Sir Reginald. He tried to op—"

"—With a laser drill," Shockwave interrupted, his single optic scanning the ruined vault. His mechanical voice was as cold as ever. "Judging from the damage, an explosion occurred when the vault was breached."

Cyrus glanced at the wreckage—the shattered drill, the fractured vault door—before shifting his gaze back to the Squire. "Is this true?"

The Squire nodded hesitantly.

Cyrus exhaled sharply. "Then for now, we shall declare a truce."

The group nodded, but Jen merely hummed, tilting her head as she stroked Michael's arm.

"Who made that thing?" Gwen asked as she floated closer to the massive vault, her glowing hands tracing the ancient inscriptions carved into its metal.

"The First Knight forged the sacred seal seventeen centuries ago," Winston said, adjusting his glasses as he examined the etchings. "As for why it failed... I was attempting to translate the inscriptions, but I didn't finish in time."

He extended his hand, and Gwen shook it firmly. "Maybe I can help. Gwen Tennyson."

"Winston. Sir Reginald's Squire," he replied, still shaking her hand a little too eagerly.

Before the handshake could get any weirder, Kevin stepped in between them, gently pushing Winston back. "Okay, Sir Reginald's Squire, you got an explanation for what happened here?"

Winston hesitated, glancing at the ruined vault. "Perhaps the laser struck an explosive on the other side of the seal?"

Shockwave, who had been quietly scanning the area, let out a mechanical scoff. "Negative. No explosives detected within the vault or anywhere in this canyon."

Michael frowned, stepping closer to the entrance. "You're telling me that even though it's got a giant Forever Knight symbol on it, you don't know what's inside?"

Winston sighed. "Any records were lost to time."

Michael peered into the vault, but all he could see was endless darkness.

"Sir Reginald believed it was a weapons cache filled with captured alien technology." Winston explained.

Shockwave's optic flickered, his scanners running another deep analysis. "There are no significant technological energy readings coming from within. If it were a weapons vault, there should be at least residual energy signatures."

Gwen closed her eyes, letting her Anodite form glow faintly as she stepped closer to the structure. Her body shimmered with arcane energy before she opened her eyes again, her expression serious. "I don't think this is a weapons vault. It's infused with magic."

Cyrus stiffened. "Preposterous. A Forever Knight would never use magic."

Gwen turned to him, unimpressed. "Well, one of them did."

Cyrus looked like he was about to argue, but before he could, one of his knights hurried over and whispered something into his ear. His expression darkened, and he turned to face the group.

"Police reports indicate that several locals have gone missing after a blinding light."

The group tensed.

Michael sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Great. Let's check it out... Hopefully, it's not another universe merger."

"Maybe I should stay here with Winston, try to translate those inscriptions," Gwen suggested, brushing her fingers over the ancient carvings.

Before anyone else could speak, Kevin immediately called out, "What? No. Bad idea." He shook his head firmly as the others turned to him.

Gwen crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes. "And why not?"

Kevin hesitated, then quickly scrambled for an excuse. "I mean... we're gonna need all our firepower in case we have to fight. Y'know, whatever we're up against."

Gwen remained unimpressed. "The massive blinding light?"

Kevin pointed at her. "Exactly! That thing. Could be