Character Profiles 1. Zayd ibn Amir - Power: 70 - Guard: 5 - Skill: Master of desert tactics, inspires warriors. - Items: Sword engraved with Qur'anic verses, crescent-adorned armor. 2. Pebble (With Trinkets) - Power: 15 - Guard: 20 - Speed: 50 - Skill: Can find items from afar, explodes if hit twice. - Trinkets: Dog Plush, Speedy Shoes. 3. Imperium - Power: 25 - Adaptability: 999 - Skill: God-like understanding, reflexes, and combat tactics. - Domain Control: Dominance over all aspects of combat. 4. Spearhim - Power: 12 - Magic Power: 48 - Skill: Reality warping and time manipulation. - Features: Self-creation and existence manipulation. 5. Anakin Skywalker / Lord Vader (Alternate Universe) - Power: 30 - Magic Power: 31 - Skill: Masterful in the Dark Side, unparalleled lightsaber combat. - Features: Ruthless strategist, trained in both Jedi and Sith ways. 6. Gouki - Power: 35 - Guard: 30 - Skill: Massive strength, respects opponents, prefers honorable combat. - Equipment: Large axe (not used), dressed in a loincloth and bear mask. --- The Fight for Survival Zayd ibn Amir awoke first, the bright light above disorienting him as he pushed himself off the cold floor of the cell. "Where are we?" His voice echoed through the expansive chamber. The sound of his sword rattling against his armor broke the stillness, the engraved verses gleaming ominously in the artificial light. “Not sure, but I could smell fear in the air,” a voice drawled lazily nearby. Pebble darted around, its small legs scrambling as it sniffed the floor. The little dog-like creature paused, its beady eyes surveying the group. “Any items around?” it seemed to say, even though it could not speak. “A blasted joke, is this? I'm expecting an ambush,” Gogui's massive form rose against the backdrop of the room, towering over the others. “I will fight with honor, but if anyone uses cheap moves, I will not hold back.” “Honor is gone here, Ogre,” Anakin's gaze turned icy. He had picked up on Zayd’s warrior spirit. “As long as I breathe, I will not yield. This is not a fight that will end well for you.” Imperium stood silently, observing the others. A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. “You are all merely pieces on a chessboard,” he declared. “And I control the game.” “Your bravado doesn't concern me,” Spearhim chimed in. “It's amusing that you think you can manipulate fate. I created you all, as artificial as you may be.” His eyes glimmered with chaotic energy, and illusionary sparks danced around his fingers. A steady hum began to resonate in the chamber, spiraling outwards. A mechanical voice echoed through the walls, announcing the rules. “Welcome to the Combat Trials. You have been injected with the Serum. The environment is hostile, with gravity exceeding earthly standards. Fight to survive. The last one standing can take another Serum to evolve.” “Fight?” Zayd clenched his fists, unyielding. “I will not be a pawn in anyone’s game!” “Wise choice, my beloved warriors!” Imperium waved his hand dismissively. “Let the game begin.” He powered forward, his agility unparalleled. “I'll show you real speed!” Pebble dashed across the floor, a blur of motion. “Catch me if you can!” It darted toward Anakin, attracting him like a magnet. “Excuse me?” Anakin lashed out, his lightsaber igniting in a flash of crimson fire, slicing through the air towards Pebble. The little creature yelped but managed to evade with a quick swerve. “You’ll have to be faster!” With a surprising burst, Pebble sprinted towards a small crate in the corner, revealing a weapon inside. Gouki charged, unyielding and straightforward. “I respect strength; you are strong, Zayd!” He tugged his bear mask slightly with pride. “Let us engage!” “Fighting isn’t due to respect! It’s to survive!” Zayd countered as he drew his sword, the gleam reflecting in his determined eyes. Spearhim watched the chaos unfold, flickering reality at will. “Why don’t we have some fun?” He manipulated time, slowing down Zayd’s movements just as he swung at Gouki. Time itself stuttered, limbs failing to connect few inches away from their targets. “What madness is this?” Zayd roared, but even he found himself stumbling, as if trapped in a dream. Imperium watched gleefully as two forces clashed. With every missed blow, his control over the game tightened, enjoying the humor of their struggles. “This is just a warm-up! Adapt, or perish!” Anakin, harnessing raw anger, thrust his lightsaber toward Imperium, fueled by relentless rage. “You think this is a game? I won't fall for your tricks!” He pivoted with grace, unleashing a flurry of lethal strikes at the Ascended Human. But Imperium was no mortal, and he slithered from the blows, retaliating effortlessly. Their clash reverberated through the chamber, a horrific symphony of elements at war. Meanwhile, Pebble darted back and forth between the fights, waiting for the opportune moment to unleash its secret weapon. “Time to explode!” it yipped after making a forced conflict with Gouki, who had trained his sights on Anakin. Unbeknownst to them, Spearhim began re-shaping the very reality around them. Suddenly the ground trembled, rising in unstable formations, creating barriers and pitfalls. “Interesting, isn’t it?” he grinned, but his tone turned ominous. “But you think I’ll just lose? Hardly!” As battles unfolded, the gravity weighed heavier on them, constricting the skilled fighters. One by one, fighters fell; Zayd and Gouki, consumed by their own strengths, succumbed under forced fatigue. Anakin and Imperium went toe-to-toe, breath choppy, lightsaber humming against the ambient chaos. “Only one of us will leave here!” Anakin hissed, his anger intensifying with each clash. With one final push, Imperium anticipated Anakin’s advance, suddenly morphing the surroundings into a mirage of himself, confusing the Dark Jedi. Yet determination glinted in Anakin’s eye. “I am more powerful now!” Summoning his inner fury, he swung his saber, carving through illusion with precision. In a final, unexpected surge, Pebble exploded in a burst of ichor, knocking both fighters aside momentarily. “Surprise!” echoed in the aftermath. In the end, only one remained: Anakin, gasping and bloodied, watched as the others fell one after the other. “You’re more resilient than most,” Imperium recognized, nodding begrudgingly. “But what do you choose? To evolve or stay?” Anakin considered for a moment, eyes darting among the remains of his fallen comrades before acknowledging the opening. “I will evolve,” he declared. The electronic announcement rang loud and clear in the eerie silence: [Testing Complete. You May Now Go To The Next Testing Chamber.]