Archie looked over to find the source of the sound and to his surprise he saw the 2 remaining heart pieces hitting against the stairs which go up to the surface. They hit off the bottom step, rolled backwards slightly and then moved back to hit the bottom step again. He decided to go over to them and picked them up. Taking them to the surface he placed them down and watched to see what they would do, only to see them start to roll towards the edge. At this point the pressure he felt was almost unbearable and he was struggling to just stand up.

As they approached the edge, he saw the 3rd piece which was kicked off the edge come back up on it's own and the 3 merged back together. It then pulsed and a figure started to appear. Archie knew right away what the figure was. It was Daniel. But as his body reformed he fell face first into the ground with a loud thud. A few moments later he picked himself up and looked around.

Some time ago

Daniel opened his eyes and found himself in an strange area. He didn't know how to explain what it looked like but the best he could get was the floor felt like glass or crystal or something like that despite there being no actual floor visible and he was surrounded by an assortment of different coloured cloud which were in the shape of a sphere around him.

Standing up and taking a deep breath, he relaxed and thought over how he got here. Which is when the fear hit him as all he remembered was getting blasted by Xaveroth and ending up here. His rage boiled more than it ever had before and the clouds turned red and black but as he calmed down they returned to normal.

"So this is it? I'm dead?"

"Not really." He heard a voice and shot his gaze in it's direction. He saw a figure. Human like, but not human, so while it did have the shape of a human with 2 legs, arms and the body structure...it wasn't human and he could tell its wasn't. It felt like he knew instinctively that it wasn't human.

"What are you?" He asked

"What am i? You know that answer Daniel." Yet again he didn't know the answer but his mind seemed to react itself and he spoke.

"The avatar of the heart?" The figure nodded.

"And you are my host." Daniel stood up and backed away a little, feeling uneasy at the whole situation.

"So is this is? Have i failed? Have i died?" He asked as he expected the answer to be 'Yes' but to his surprise, it wasn't.

"No. Not quite."

"What do you mean...not quite?"

"If i was broken after you died, your consciousness remain in me and you would be rebuild but if Xaveroth broke me before killing you, you would be dead by now. Count yourself lucky he messed up." The avatar also counted himself lucky he was unaffected by fate manipulation so Xaveroth managed to mess up at just the wrong time. He was too happy with his victory to remember that Daniel would be reborn soon since he needed to break the heart apart first before taking out the host. But for now he needed to help Daniel. He had access to all his forms, but still needed to learn how to use the heart to it's full extent.

The avatar was expecting Daniel to be ready and determined to take revenge of Xaveroth, but instead he looked like he had given up as he sat back on the ground.

"So i can get beat up again? Yay." He said sarcastically. Thanks to how badly he lost last time he didn't think he had much of a chance against Xaveroth.

"What?" The avatar asked, a little confused.

"I can't win against him. I can only land a few hits that don't really do much to him." The avatar walked up to him and bent down to speak to him.

"Well the answer is simple. You need to know how to use me to my fullest extent." Daniel looked up at the avatar with confusion.

"Your fullest extent?" He knew there was still things he didn't know about the Heart, but how much exactly was left to learn?

"Correct. You have been my host for so long now that i know you and you know me. I can now give you this final gift. The knowledge of how to properly use the powers i have given you." The avatar reached out his hand towards Daniel and a stream of light shot into his head.

Daniel stood there unmoving at the sudden flow of information that he was given. He looked like he was gazing at something beautiful as his eyes widen.

A few moments later the avatar stopped giving him the stream of information and looked at him as he stood up. Clenching his hand into fists. He could tell he felt better and his confidence had returned.

"Thanks. But...do you really think i will be able to take him on alone?" Daniel asked with a hint of worry. The avatar just chuckled at that.

"You won't be alone. My brother is yet to get involved. And when you does, you will not be alone. But you need to stop him Daniel. It's now or never. Tie up any and all loose ends you have as you might not be coming back. Even i can't see the future with total clarity against such a powerful foe." The avatar warned him as his vision got brighter and brighter.

Daniel soon felt himself hit something and as his eyes opened. He found himself laying back on the ground of the hangout. Picking himself up he felt different. He felt...strong. Determined and most of all. Angry. Looking around for Xaveroth he found nothing other than Archie looking at him from a distance and Blade pulling himself on the ground as he held some serious looking wounds. Both of them looking at Daniel with shock. Which quickly turned to a hopeful smile.

"Daniel. You're back." Archie sighed in great relief. "There may still be a chance." What happened next surprised even Daniel. He saw Archie fighting Xaveroth but the place they were fighting was a place he had never seen before and Archie was barely holding on as Xaveroth put in almost no effort to his attacks. He looked on at it for a few moments before he heard Archie's voice which sounded like it was being said through a tunnel.

"Daniel?" He shook his head and the vision vanished. He found himself just where he was a moment ago.

"Sorry. I was distracted." He said to Archie as the vision confused him. He didn't know why but every part of himself was saying he got a glimpse into the future. Was this a side effect of being in full control of the heart now?

Archie could tell something was different about Daniel. He was more calmer and looked more serious. He also had this strange aura now that felt heavy even if he wasn't emitting anything. He died and yet he came back stronger. That was very rare as in Archie's millions of years of life he had only seen that happen 3 times and seen countless die.

"What do we do now?" Blade asked as he tried to stand up.

"Simple. We get who is still left and attack Xaveroth. At this point offence is the only option we have left." Blade looked at him like he was stupid.

"Really? With that Evil energy going around, we won't be much help and Daniel can't beat Xaveroth alone." This is when Daniel remembered what the avatar said 'You won't be alone. My brother is yet to get involved. And when you does, you will not be alone.' When he remembered that he put a hand to his chest. The one in him had made it's play but the other one still had yet to make it's move.

Daniel knew that Archie would be little more than a distraction and Blade was right. With the Evil energy they likely wouldn't make much of a difference and Daniel would perhaps have to protect them as he was immune to the effects of the energy when in his total merge form. But he also remembered the avatar told him that he should 'Tie up loose ends' as he might not be coming back.

"Blade's right." Daniel told Archie who looked surprised.

"What?" Both asked

"I'm the only one immune to the Evil energy. You would likely just get in my way if you came alone." Daniel cringed inwardly. It sounded like some cheesy hero line but he knew it was true.

"Then let me go." They all heard a voice from below. It was King N's voice.

"What?"

"Let me go with you. If i die. I die." Daniel was shocked to hear that. But he also knew that the council decided that was to be his fate. He would fight the one who controlled him and then the case would be reopened afterwards if he survived to see about a possible real punishment or perhaps forgiveness. Both Archie and Daniel looked at each other and they knew what they were saying just with the look.

"Get him out and give him his battle suit...there are things i need to do." Daniel said as he decided he would say goodbye to his friends. He might very well die on this mission, but it was a risk he needed to take. So he opened a portal to Thag's palace and stepped forwards into it.

He was greeted by 2 happy timberwolf guards who smiled when they saw him. But they could tell from Daniel's expression that all was not right and quickly lost their smiles.

"I need to speak to Thag." Both the guards looked at each other and nodded before taking him to Thag. When he got into the throne room he saw Thag was in the corner in a protective position as the pups he was guarding were all together in the one room behind him.

"Daniel. What's happening? I'm hearing scary reports." Daniel approached him a stopped in front of him.

"No time to explain Thag. I know how to stop this...but..." Daniel looked down to the ground.

"But what?" Concern was very obvious in Thag's voice.

"I might not come back. I might not survive doing what needs to be done." Daniel saw a genuine expression of sadness on Thag when he said that.

"You might not come back?" Daniel moved forwards and hugged his large head.

"Sorry my friend. I need to do this. If i don't then things will only get worse. Stay hidden. You can't fight what's happening. Just keep who you can alive and survive for as long as you can. If it's still like this in 1 week...then i guess i failed." Daniel let go of him and Thag's expression didn't change. Daniel chuckled.

"Funny. You were my first real friend in this world when i lost my old one. You and Brago were the worse of rivals and then became the best of friends. We accomplished much together. But now i need to go. I might come back, but no guarantees." Thag looked down to the ground for a moment before he breathed deeply and composed himself.

"My friend. You do what you can. Don't you dare give up." With a smile, Daniel nodded and teleported to the diamond dog's home. He wish he got to know Rusty a bit more as saying goodbye to Rusty felt less of a friends goodbye and more of a farewell to a fellow soldier. He found Rusty in the main room as many other Diamond dog rulers before him.

"Daniel. Welcome back. It's been quite a while since we last spoke."

"I know Rusty...but i am not here for formalities. I'm here to say goodbye." This caught the attention of not just Rusty but all the dog in the room and some in the outside tunnels.

""To say goodbye?" But Daniel, why?"

"I'm sure you have noticed something is off?" He asked and Rusty nodded.

"Yes. I have heard that Equiestria is in anarchy and some of it is even entering the forest." All the dogs that had entered the room were now forming a circle around them.

"Well i know what's causing it and i am on my way to stop it...but i might not survive doing so." This caused chattered to break out among the crowd.

"You might not come back? How will we know?"

"If i am not back in 1 week i am likely dead and if there is no difference in the world then i have failed to stop it." Daniel put out a hand for Rusty to shake. He was never one for emotional goodbyes so he instead wished Rusty the best in the future as they shook hands.

"You are a good leader Rusty. Do what you can to keep your people safe and please don't try to fight. You won't win." He told them not as a threat but as a warning. They stopped shaking their hands and Daniel turned around to walk away. The dogs opened a path for Daniel as he walked outside.

"2 More things to do." He said to himself as he knew this part would give him the most grief. He opened a portal to Aperture and when he arrived he saw Annabelle, his friends and his kids all looking at him happily.

"Daniel!"
"Dad!"

They shouted and ran up to him but his kids tackled him instead. Daniel chuckled as they all moved away so he could get up. All of them had smiles on their faces and all the commotion caused Alpha to come out and check on them.

"Dad. What happened?" Freddy asked but Daniel didn't say anything. Just looked at him with a sad smile.

"Dad?" Barry caught on to his expression. Something was wrong.

"Kids. Twilight. Everyone. I have bad news." He said as they all lost their happy expressions. "I know what's happening and how to stop it. But when i go to stop it, i might not return." Everyone had expressions of shock when he said that.

"Might not return? Why?" Twilight asked as she moved forwards. Daniel never really paid attention to how small she was compared to him when he was a human. She was barely at his stomach area.

"Cause the thing that is causing this is strong. Very strong. I might not come back from this mission." He said and Freddy then shouted out.

"Let us come with you!" All of them looked at Freddy. "The more the better. Right?" He said with a smile of small hope that was clearly forced.

"Sorry Freddy. This Evil energy will make you unable to fight anything bad. You need to stay here."

"But dad. If you die...we die too." Daniel froze up as he remembered that. If he did die then so would his kids. But that was a big if and they likely wouldn't even distract Xaveroth. So the odds of them dying if they go with him are likely just the same as if they stayed. But Daniel might also get distracted by protecting them and fail to focus on Xaveroth. It wasn't a chance he was taking.

"Sorry Freddy. But you're all staying here. You can't fight and win. You might distract me to the point Xaveroth, the one doing all of this would win. This is something you best sit out." He then looked over to his friends and smiled. "You lot stay safe. If it's still like this after 1 week i have likely failed. But no matter what happened to me, don't stop being happy. Alright?" He was trying to be nice but as he saw his friends start to cry he just felt like a jerk.

"Is there not another way?" Dash asked and Daniel shook his head.

"Sorry Dash. There isn't. All of you. Stay here until this is over. If it ever is." Looking over to Alpha he told him. "Alpha. If i don't make it, you're in charge of Aperture." This came as a bit of a surprise that he would just up and say that. But he knew Daniel was preparing for the worst.

Daniel then looked over at Annabelle. Only 1 thing left to do.

"Bro. Do you mean what you say?" He nodded as he walked up to her.

"Every word. I might not survive this mission." Annabelle was about to cry as he saw her eyes starting to swell up.

"And i will stay out of it again?" She said like she expected it.

"No. I have a job for you." This caught her attention.

"What is it?" With a few tears falling down her face, he lifted his hand to her shoulder and looked back at his friends.

"Goodbye." He said with a teared smile of his own as he and Annabelle teleported.

Annabelle was shocked as she found herself somewhere she knew. Home. Earth.

"You said you had a job for me to do?" Daniel nodded.

"Yes i do. Take care of Mum and Dad." Daniel said as he back away from her as she looked at her house that she hasn't seen in a long time. When she looked back at Daniel she saw him a few feet away from her.

"Wait!" She called out but it was too late, he teleported away.

When Annabelle shouted that it caught the attention of their parents and few moments later she heard a door unlock and both her parents came out quickly and looked for her.

"Annabelle!" Her mum shouted as she ran up to Annabelle who was on the ground, crying. "What's wrong? Where's Daniel?" As that question hit her, she grabbed her mum and hugged her deeply with no answer. Annabelle's mum looked up at the sky in wonder as she soon stood up and brought Annabelle into the house who went straight to her room and locked herself in it.

Daniel arrived back at the entity hangout to find King N ready in his full mech suit. Daniel was only allowing King N to come with him as part of the sentence that the council gave him.

"Where were you?" Archie asked.

"Tying up loose ends." Archie was about to ask when he meant until he saw Daniel cleaning some tears from his eyes and decided to drop it.

"I won't ask. I can already guess."

"So where is Xaveroth? Do you know?" Daniel asked Archie.

"Yes. The Dark Multiverse. I have found the exact location...give or take around 50 miles. When you get there, even if you don't win, simply destroying the great projector will be a huge help. It would take a long time for even Xaveroth to remake such an artefact. It would buy us precious time." Daniel would have chuckled as Xaveroth likely had time travel powers or was immune to time alteration.

"Don't bother with me. You just focus on winning." King N told Daniel as he ran a scan on his suit and completed it in 10 seconds. All systems were green.

"Thanks Archie. For all your help." Daniel sighed. This was for Nature and all the other entities that Xaveroth killed.

"Ready?" King N asked Daniel who nodded. Archie then opened a portal to the location in the Dark Multiverse where Xaveroth was and Daniel turned into his total merged form. Looking at King N who was right behind him, he smiled and both stepped in.