Arrival of The Legion

Chapter 1:

Chase walked through the BADGE space station with a group of people who gawked at everything like nervous tourists. Some were seemingly in retirement age, while most were in their late teens.

“This is the Mess Hall, which has five restaurants present, some you might recognize…”

A teen boy yelled out, “Oh, cool, you have Julio’s Tacos! I love that place.”

“Yes, BADGE felt that the Mess Hall should have a familiar feel and taste for all the people who pass through the station regularly.”

A middle-aged woman stuck her hand up and asked, “How long will this take?”

“The tour will be over shortly. The testing range is being set up right now.”

“No, I mean this testing and assessment process.”

Chase stopped and said, “As you know, International Law requires all people who develop morphon based abilities must come here to be assessed and tested. The test and assessment normally take a day. After that, one of the BADGE officials will meet with you about your results and offer you the choice of how to proceed.”

“What options will you give us?” the woman asked.

A young man said, “I heard they throw you in prison if you don’t accept the job of a hero in one of the leagues.”

Another woman cried out, “I don’t want to fight crime!”

Chase held up her hands. “This is not the time or place to discuss this matter. I can tell you that prison is not an option. Don’t be worried. This is for your benefit and safety. Now, come with me. Next we will look into the arboretum, my favorite place on this station.” She led them away from the tables for the nearest doors to the arboretum.

Nova pressed his key card into a door sensor and walked into the theater on the station. Right now, only EB sat in the front row of seats with a cell phone two inches from his nose as he furiously tapped buttons.

“Computer, set screen for assessment,” Nova calmly ordered.

The movie screen slid up slowly, revealing a thick pane of transparent metal that was almost as clear as air. On the other side was a large room with a few training robots standing in the corners and several devices hanging down from the ceiling.

“Yes! Level five hundred!” EB yelled and then continued playing on his phone.

Nova sat next to him and casually asked, “Has Chase given you the report on class size?”

EB didn’t answer as he kept playing on the phone.

“EB!”

“Oh, hey, bud, when did you get here?” EB looked up, blinking a few times.

“Just now. I told you not to play games while on duty.”

EB held up the phone, “But, this isn’t just a game player, this is my new Ren Phone. Cool, isn’t it? I got the Nebula Five before anyone else. Latest and greatest! This thing has an awesome camera and the most memory space of any phone. I’ve already downloaded five of my favorite games. I would’ve downloaded the City Superheroes, but the company sold out and the new owners just sunset it. What jerks! I had like two thousand hours of playtime in that. Five accounts, and was top level on all the boards. I think I’ll give that developer a big basket of exploding eggs next week when… oh, uh... what did you ask me?”

Nova’s eye had been twitching for a long enough time for EB to finally get the point. “Has Chase given us a class size?”

“Oh, yeah, she said there are eleven people here for assessment.”

Arx walked in from a different door and sat down. He had a bucket of popcorn in his hands. “Didn’t we just test seven new people three days ago?”

Nova nodded, “Yes. That makes almost thirty this month alone.”

“Odd.” Arx crunched through a handful of popcorn.

Dr. Henderson sat down near Nova and said, “Not so odd with what we’ve been finding out.”

“Have you got results back already?” Nova asked.

She said, “Not comprehensive results from all the air and soil samples. But, I can already tell you that there is a strange spike in morphon levels across the planet.”

“Is that dangerous?” Arx asked.

“Not really. They aren’t that high, just higher than normal. I can’t positively say that this is why more people are showing up with abilities, but it makes some sense.”

Arx blurted out, “You have the 5!”

“What are you talking about?” Nova asked.

EB held up his phone. “Yup, the Nebula Five. Got it the second it went on sale. Pays to be the Easter Bunny.”

Arx pulled out his, “I still have the 4. Wow, what kind of upgrades does this one have? I heard the camera has… um… sorry.” He saw red in Nova’s one good eye.

Chase walked the team of people into the theater room and lined them up in front of the window. “Ladies and gentlemen, this is Director Nova, head of BADGE. Dr. Henderson, chief science and medical officer of BADGE. Arx, leader of ATLAS, and EB, head consultant.”

There were several flashes from phones as some of the teens took pictures.

A girl said, “This is so cool. THE Director Nova and the Easter Bunny in the same room. This is going on my PictoGram right now. This is going viral.”

Director Nova stood and said, “Today, we will assess your morphonic abilities. Don’t be nervous, you aren’t being graded, just showing us what you can do. The process will move forward tomorrow with results of the tests and then we will lay our potential opportunities for you. BADGE is pleased to say this is a painless process. Enjoy your stay with us.”

Arx asked, “questions?”

A girl jumped up and asked Nova, “Can I get a selfie with you?”

“No.”

EB hopped up, “Cool idea!” He snapped a picture with his phone of him and Nova. “Aw, you’re glaring again. You take terrible pictures.”

“SIT DOWN!” His outburst scared the guests. “Sorry about that. He gets easily distracted. Now, please, take a seat and we will test you one at a time.”

Chase looked at a computer tablet. “Mike Johnson, please, head through that door into the next room and show us what abilities you have.”

A twenty something guy got up and walked to the front of the theater where a heavy metal door led into the large room on the other side.

Nova pressed a button on the arm of his chair. “Proceed, using anything in the room necessary for your demonstration.”

“Uh, sir, my power can be…”

“Don’t worry. The room dampens the effects, so you’re unlikely to hurt yourself and you cannot hurt us. Just relax and show me what you can do.”

“Okay.” His tone was worried.

He held out his arms and a gust of wind spun out from his body and continued spinning, taking up several of the robots with it, spiraling them in the air. However, as the air blasted out from him, it took his clothes with it and he was now standing in a tornado of items, completely naked.

“GAH! Stop!” EB covered his eyes, as did several people in the room.

Dr. Henderson pressed a button on her seat and a jumpsuit fell down from a slot in the testing room. “Please, put on that jumpsuit.” The doctor then said to the crowd, “If your power will strip you naked or cause you any physical harm to perform, let us know now.”

“Is he dressed yet?” EB asked, his paws still covering his face.

“Yes.” Arx replied, while scribbling notes onto a computer tablet.

Nova pressed the button. “Thank you. You may return to the theater.”

Chase stood to call the next person, but a buzzer sounded and Gar’s voice came over the comm. “Director Nova, we’re receiving an alert from the planet. You might want to come up here.”

“On my way.” Nova stood, “Arx, Doctor, continue without me. I’ll be in Operations.”

Nova stepped out of the left into the Operations center of the station. The Robots minding the computers ignored his presence, but Gar smiled and waved at him from the front of the room.

“Report,” Nova stated the moment he approached.

Gar pointed to the screens. “We started getting these reports moments ago. Lots of them across the planet, in fact.”

Nova looked at the video feeds from major cities. Large metallic spheres hovered in the air. They were as large as a hot-air balloon, but more round and seemingly not tethered to anything.

“What are they?”

Gar said, “We don’t know. It’s not possible to scan them. We’re getting reports from cities all over the world.”

Nova spent a long moment examining the images. “I don’t like this.”

Chapter 2:

Nova quietly watched the screen as the orbs appeared over major cities, filling their video feeds. Sensor readings scrolled along the side of the screen.

Robot 10915 said, “Sensor are unable to penetrate the outer shell of the spherical object.”

Nova was about to suggest the next course of action when a familiar sound rang through the room. A dozen smaller screens with faces on them appeared along the bottom of the giant view screen. These were military leaders or national leaders of nations all over the earth.

“BADGE. What is going on?” A man with a thick Hindi accent demanded.

A man with a lot of decoration on his uniform yelled, “I want answers!”

Several more made the same bold statements, while Nova remained patiently silent.

After they had their say, Nova calmly answered, “We’re currently investigating the situation. So far, nothing bad has happened, only shocking.”

“Do we wait until one of them explodes or summons an army of gremlins?” The Secretary of Defense for the United States said.

Nova answered, “I’ll alert the leagues to monitor this and I’ll assign BADGE operatives to do a hands-on investigation. The moment we believe there could be a genuine threat, you will be told. All of BADGE resources will help evac citizens while the heroes deal with it.”

“Is that all you have?” The Canadian Prime Minister asked in a not-so-respectful tone.

Nova said, “It’ll have to do for now. Unless this situation changes, do not contact me about it until further notice.” He pressed a button on a panel and all the screens closed.

Gar timidly approached, “Director, was that the best way to handle that? We need a good image for the world.”

“We’ve saved this world so many times, we don’t need to tip-toe around with politeness while blow-hards treat me like a junior officer. We’ll do our job. Now, I need you to do something.”

“Anything.” Gar smiled.

“We have a growing class of people to assess, and I need all my best investigators up here. I want you to go down to the planet and work with Krystal Fae. Inspect these spheres and see what you can find up-close.”

“I will. But, why Krystal?”

Nova said, “She is an excellent investigator, which is why she is a talented journalist. Plus, she has an innate connection to arcane morphons.”

“Do you think this has something to do with morphons?”

Nova shook his head. “I don’t have any clear evidence. We can’t scan these damn things. But, morphon activity has increased and these spheres suddenly show up... there’s a strong chance that the two events are connected.”

Gar headed for the door, but then stopped. “Wait, where is Krystal Fae?”

“She was working with Torrik in North Onnotangu on the Recovery Project.”

“Right, I forgot. Okay, I’ll find them and investigate the nearest orb.”

“Get to it.”

Krystal Fae strolled through a beautiful vineyard that bristled with blossoms at this time of year. Row upon row of grapes grew near a quaint little farm that had rested on this hill for three centuries. Torrik scrutinized the vines and smiled every few moments and then move to the next space.

“This is the most beautiful vineyard I’ve ever seen,” Krystal mused.

Torrik stood up and looked over the vast field. “This is what the care of a true satyr with nature magic can do.”

“But you hardly used any magic. You’ve been caring for this field for the past few months. And the fields of rice on the other side of Onnotangu, and those groves of pear trees, and the field of strawberries near the southern border.”

Torrik said, “All I did was help revitalize the soils and use some magic to encourage the early growth to get things started.” He took in a great breath and let it out slowly, “Makes me sad to go back to my job as a guardian and warrior. I love growing things.”

“I’m glad we’re helping this country move forward. Give this a year or two and they’ll have crops to export and grow their economy.”

Torrik nodded, “Yes. Such a sad story you told. A government so corrupt and controlling that the people were almost completely brainwashed to believe living in poverty, starvation, and under the thumb of dictators was normal. I’m glad to see that they have a good government now and a wise leader.”

“Shizue is the best. And, with a little help, they’ll build a fine nation under her.”

A woman walked up with gloves on. She bowed to them and then said, “Thank you. The vineyard is going to be thriving this year.” She spoke in the language of Onnotangu, but their translators could understand her.

Torrik said, “It should be fine. You might want to keep an eye on the bugs.”

“I will.” She bowed again. “Excuse me, your bag has been buzzing for two hours.”

“Our bag is buzzing?” Torrik frowned.

Krystal frowned and then gasped. “Our comm units. We took them off to keep them from getting dirty.” She ran over and opened up the satchel, pulling out their wrist comms. “Wow, we both have a dozen news alerts.”

“What are those?” Torrik joined her.

“BADGE sets all the comms to alert heroes to potential problems being reported by the national and international news services.”

“Well, what’s the news?”

Krystal handed him his unit, which he struggled to turn on. She activated hers and read over the news reports. “What’s this? It says there are metal orbs showing up all over the world, hovering over major cities.” She scrolled through it, “Oh, no. We also have messages from Prime Minister Shizue. I bet I know why.”

Torrik looked at his device and snarled, “I wish you people used magic glass and not this horrible stuff. I can’t figure it out.”

Krystal had hers up to her head, listening to the message on it from the Prime Minister. “Just what I thought. There is an orb over the capital and she’s worried.”

Torrik said, “I wouldn’t be too worried. If this was really bad, BADGE would have sent us an official message, or sent a shuttle with someone to take us to. . .”

They watched as a BADGE shuttle decloaked near them and lowered into an open grassy area.

“Good call,” Krystal muttered.

Gar stepped out of the shuttle and walked over. “Krystal, Torrik, I’m here to pick you up.”

“Where are we going?” Torrik asked.

Krystal read her missed message. “Apparently, we’re to investigate the sphere currently over the capital of North Onnotangu.”

“Yeah, that.” Gar said.

Torrik asked, “Why us? I’m not a scientist.”

Krystal added, “And I’m only a part-time BADGE agent. I have other duties.”

“Nova said that the regular agents are too busy. This doesn’t seem to be a big threat. He just wants someone to look closer than the sensors can read. Also, this might have something to do with the morphon increase, and he thought you and Torrik could sense something about that. He said you were a talented investigator as well.”

Krystal laughed. “I suppose if Nova will throw a compliment my direction, I should at least try. What do you say, Torrik? You’re a free agent, you don’t have to obey. You could stay here and tend your plants.”

Torrik shrugged. “The plants are doing fine. I don’t mind helping, though I doubt I can be of any use. I promised to offer my help for a few months before heading back to Yohan.”

Gar gestured toward the shuttle. “Then, we can go?”

“No need.” Krystal waved her hand and a magical portal opened.

“Nice. You have such a keen grasp of magic.” Torrik said.

“The ‘Fea’ in my name isn’t just for fun. Now, let’s move.” She walked through the portal, followed closely by Torrik.

Gar signaled the shuttle to leave, and he, too, followed them. The moment he stepped out of the portal, he was in the central square of the capital city of North Onnotangu. A team of officers of the new military waited while Prime Minister Shizue looked at the orb, with a few of her scientists examining it with instruments.

“Alert! Unauthorized use of morphonic powers! Alert! Unauthorized us of…” The speakers screamed this out with a rough sound of an old recording. Red lights flashed on top of poles and small turrets popped up from inside old boxes and aimed weapons at the trio.

“Wait! We aren’t villains!” Torrik yelled out.

Chapter 3:

The streets of the Capital of North Onnotangu echoed with sirens screaming about unauthorized morphonic powers. The turrets attempted to fire weapons that no longer had ammo, causing them to rattle.

Prime Minister Shizue yelled over the cacophony, “Someone stop that awful sound!”

One of her highest ranking officers ran over and yanked at the side of an old metal box that stubbornly wouldn’t open. Gar joined him and asked to help. With a quick nod, Gar jammed his stone fingers into the box and ripped off the surface. The man quickly pulled out cords and destroyed the interior. The alarm stopped yelling.

Prime Minister Shizue walked over to them, as she patted the side of her own head. “I’m sorry for that. We’re still clearing out the old tech from the former government. I thought the morphon detectors were inactive. Fortunately, we had already disarmed all their automated weapons.”

“What was that?” Torrik asked.

Shizue said, “You know, the old North Onnotangu government was so strict. They made morphonic powers illegal and executed anyone who had them. Well, anyone who wasn’t part of the regime’s private forces. I had to be very careful when using my own powers.”

Krystal said, “What turned the system back on?”

“I don’t know. A wireless technology controlled it. Some old version of wi-Fi that our former government installed for their use. I thought it was inactive now, but several things have reactivated recently.”

“How recently?” Krystal asked.

“About the time this… thing showed up.” She pointed at the sphere that hovered twenty feet off the ground in the middle of the square.

Gar said, “We are here to investigate this thing.”

Shizue asked, “Are my people in any danger?”

Gar answered, “We have been scanning these metal balls all over the world. They aren’t giving off any bad radiation or anything dangerous. We don’t know what’s inside. But Nova doesn’t think they are immediately dangerous.”

“But, what is it?” Shizue asked.

Krystal said, “We are here to help find out.”

“My best scientists have been scanning it and testing the surface. It would please me if BADGE shared the information they have scanned. We would be glad to share ours.”

Gar tapped his comm unit. “That should be fine. I will talk with the Director.”

“Come over here.” Shizue walked him over to her scientist.

Krystal and Torrik approached the metallic sphere. It was almost perfectly round. The metallic sphere had a grid of lines on its surface where the metal was attached. There were no rivets or any marks at all. The metal was shiny and clean. Their faces reflected at them, distorted by the curve of the surface.

“Well, there it is… a giant metal ball.” Krystal said.

Torrik said, “Mind if I try a spell?”

“Go for it.” She stepped back.

Torrik held up his hands, “Pichly Finchly Potsy Rex, Quidly Quadly, reveal any hex!” A golden light flashed from his hands. It continued for a few moments and then died down. “Interesting.”

“What did you find?” Krystal asked.

“There is no spell holding this aloft. No magic on the surface. But, your sense devices…”

“Sensor.”

“Whatever. Nova was right, I can’t see inside either. Only the outside was visible. However, if a spell was causing this to levitate, I would have seen it.”

Krystal walked around it, looking it over intently. “I can’t see any marks that indicate anything other than it being made of metal and floating.”

Torrik put his hand on the surface.

“DON’T DO THAT!” Krystal yelled, which caused several security people to jump.

Torrik laughed, “Don’t be so nervous. As a warrior and defender of Yohan, I am taught to put myself at risk before others. If this will hurt me, then that will tell us something.”

“Okay, but I still don’t think it’s wise.”

“Wise or not, this is doing nothing to hurt me. It is cold. Colder than I would expect, with it being such a sunny spring day.”

Krystal ventured to put her hand on it as well. It was ice cold. “Odd. But, not alarming.”

Torrik took his hand away and put his ear up to it. “I can’t hear anything. But, I guess that is to be expected. Whoever made this, made it so that it wouldn’t reveal any of its secrets.”

“Reveal. That’s a good idea.”

“What?” Torrik frowned.

“My turn with the magic.” She took a step back and held up her arms. Her body glowed with a purplish energy and lifted from the ground. That energy expanded out and bathed the area in a strange purple hue. Spectators in the distance gasped, and the security became more alert.

Everyone could see what appeared as tiny dots of glowing bright light around the area. The closer to the sphere, the more dense the dots were. In fact, these dots nearly hid the sphere.

“That isn’t good.” Krystal said.

Torrik asked, “what are we looking at?”

Krystal put her hands down and lowered to the ground at the same time. As she did, the purple cloud evaporated into the air. “My magic just revealed the morphons of the area that are arcane. They are condensing at this location. And, I suspect that all the other types of morphons are doing the same. The question is, why?”

“At least we have something important to report to Nova,” Torrik said.

Gar walked up. “We have something else as well.” He was holding a computer tablet from the Onnotangu authorities.

Krystal and Torrik watched a video from cameras at night in the square. A large flatbed truck drove into the square, stopped, and then continued on.

“What is that?” Torrik asked.

“That is a truck, it is…” Gar started explaining.

“I know what you strange wheeled vehicles are now. What is that truck doing?”

Prime Minister Shizue answered, “We don’t know. Our systems didn’t notice this as a problem, as it seemed to do nothing. But it stopped directly under where this sphere appeared and then moved on. Two days later, this thing shows up. It is too strange to not have a connection.

Krystal huffed, “As a journalist, I can tell you that this is irritating. We have evidence of… something. But everything raises more questions.” She looked at her comm, “But, I suppose new information is better than no information, even if it just adds confusion. We need to report this all to Nova at once.”

Shizue asked, “What should we do for now?”

Krystal let out a sigh. “BADGE just asked me to look. So, I can’t say. I am not Director Nova or any other official from BADGE to tell you exactly what we would want you to do. But, my best advice for now is to give this a wide berth until we have more information. Trust me, we will pass on the information to you the moment we know something. I will make sure of that.”

“Thank you.”

Gar said, “Okay, so, magic us back to the station.” He seemed a little giddy for the experience.

Torrik said, “Can’t. Don’t you recall? I put a powerful spell on your space station. It prevents magical or morphonic teleportation. I had to make sure that Lady Echidna didn’t pop in unexpectedly.”

Krystal was already summoning a shuttle with her comm. “Nova said to leave the spell for now, just in case another magical entity pays them an unwanted visit. We can portal away from the station, but not to it.”

The BADGE shuttle arrived quickly, and they were off toward the BADGE HQ in the heavens while the people of North Onnotangu hesitantly watched their new, unwanted visitor.

In a distant part of the Earth Solar System, a small wormhole opened and an ancient warship slipped out. The engines burned hot as it moved toward a tiny blue planet in the distance.

Chapter 4:

A nervous young man followed the robot escort from the guest quarters across the station into the teaching and development levels. The escort stopped at a door and pressed a code that allowed him into the room.

Arx and Chase sat at a desk with a chair on the other side. This was a modest room with metal walls. Screens displaying the logo for BADGE currently covered the wall on the right side of Arx. A file lay on the desk with his name on the top of it.

“David Millar?” Chase asked.

“Yeah, that’s me.” He said.

Arx gestured toward the chair. “Have a seat and don’t be so nervous. This is all good.”

David, a bulky man with a heavy, muscular build, sat in the cold metal chair. “So, what happens to me?”

Arx scoffed and shook his head. “Almost everyone who gets the assessment treats it like a prison sentencing. Look, you aren’t in trouble and this is to help you.”

“I’ve heard that BADGE will inject me with something to make me weaker, so I don’t use my powers wrong. Or they will throw me in prison…”

Chase rolled her eyes. “Neither are true. Now, let’s look.” She opened the folder. “You have a type -A strength enhanced power from the morphons. You can bench press six thousand pounds. No other current powers.”

“Yeah, I was working out one day and broke every piece of equipment in the gym. Man, was that owner pissed. I didn’t mean to…”

“We have your report,” Arx said.

Chase said, “Okay. So, you’re a prime candidate for the hero program. However, if you don’t want to be a superhero, you can join the ATLAS program and work with Arx helping protect the world from natural disasters. Both cases will include a six month mandatory stay here on the station to learn your powers and take other courses in international law, training in fighting techniques, and other extra programs you can sign up for. All paid for by the International Hero Initiative.”

David frowned. “I don’t know. I like that ATLAS program.”

Arx held up a pamphlet. “Here. Read all about it and I can show you some of the training area if you like. You like to work out in a gym, why not try out the ATLAS training area? That equipment is more your speed. I use it to. . . “

Nova stuck his head in. “How are the recruits… oh, excuse me. I didn’t know you had a session.”

David looked up, a little star struck at the now famous Director Nova. “Sir, it is an honor.”

“Nice to meet you, son. Hope you are having a good stay.”

“May I ask a question?”

Nova let out a slow sigh, “If it has nothing to do with the Lady Echidna situation, yes.”

“I was wondering, what happens if I decide I don’t want to take either path for the BADGE program?”

Nova looked at his two people. “They should have told you.”

“We were just getting to that,” Chase answered.

“Well, son, the third option is to leave and return to your regular life. The only thing that is required, by international law, is for you to have your morphonic powers suppressed by a special implant you will wear. It is small and unobtrusive. But you have to wear it at all times and BADGE will monitor it. This is as much for others’ safety as it is for your own. Morphon powers unchecked can be a serious danger, as you can imagine.”

“Thanks. Mr. Nova. I’ll have to think about all of this.”

“Take your time. I wouldn’t make a quick decision, morphon powers can be a positive way of life that…”

“NOVA, NOVA, NOVA!” EB ran into him from behind, which caused Nova to nearly fall into the room.

With a twitching eye and a weak smile, Nova said, “Please excuse me. BADGE business.”

Nova looked at the bouncing bunny. “I thought you were entertaining our guests in the lounge on Deck Seven.”

EB said, “I was. They’re all at lunch now. I set out blankets in the arboretum for a nice picnic. You know, this whole assessment process can be stressful and a little time around trees, flowers, grass is so relaxing. I used to spend a month in the Smoky Mountains after Easter, just to get some good fresh air. The holidays are a big stress for us holiday heroes. This one Easter, I was…”

“Get to the point!”

“Oh, uh, sorry. What did I… OH! A shuttle with Gar, Krystal, and Torrik is almost here. Gar said they have some good info for us.”

“I know. They sent information to the computers from the ground.”

“Yeah, but they’re here now. So, I suppose they have more.”

Nova grumbled as he left the energetic bunny behind. “I’ll meet them Operations. You know, meeting new recruits is a part of the job I like. Seeing hopeful, fresh faces is a pleasant change and gives me a lot of hope. But, no, I have a bunny that interrupts me and I am…” He muttered his way through the station.

Nova left the lift and walked down the steps to the center of Operations. “Report!”

EB hopped up and said, “They’re almost here!”

“What the!” Nova jumped and looked around, “EB, how did you… oh why do I even ask?”

“What is that?” EB looked at the floor.

A small plant grew up from the ground and made a giant mass of vines for a moment, then shriveled away, revealing Gar, Krystal, and Torrik.

Torrik was saying, “I told you, there is a way to use nature magic to teleport. It was just from the docking bay to here, but it can be much further.”

“Fascinating,” Krystal said. “I’d love to study some of the magics in Yohan.”

“There are a lot of them.”

Nova cleared his throat. “Are we done with magical demonstrations?”

“Oh, sorry.” Krystal replied. “We checked out that sphere over the North Onnotangu. Sorry to say, I can’t give you much information. It seems to be nothing more than a giant floating ball of metal. However, there was something extremely odd about it.”

Nova asked, “What?”

“You asked me to investigate the morphons in the area. I can illuminate the magical morphons pretty easily, which I did. They’re massing on that sphere in an unusually high concentration. And I suspect that all forms of morphons are doing this.”

Torrik said, “Also, those magic morphons aren’t part of a spell or power. I cast a detection charm and found nothing magical about the sphere itself or the surrounding area.”

Nova huffed, “This is damn peculiar. What in the hell are these things?” He looked up at their screens with all the sensor information. “Do you think these spheres are producing these morphons?”

“I don’t think so,” Krystal said. “It looked as though the morphons were gathering toward them, not flowing from them. But I can’t be positive.”

Gar piped in, “At least they don’t seem to cause any harm or danger.”

Nova let out a little smile. “Yes, I suppose that is one way to look at it. But I’m not convinced this isn’t the beginning of some kind of plot or scheme.”

EB said, “The mind is a funny thing. When you know something, you aren’t afraid of it. But, when you know nothing about it, it suddenly becomes suspicious. Not knowing the who, what, when, where, and why, leads us all to think they’re dangerous and a terrible plot. But, like a hidden Easter Egg, just because you don’t know what’s in it when you pick it up, doesn’t mean it won’t be a sweet surprise.”

Everyone looked at EB with great shock.

“What?” He took a step back.

Nova said, “It’s just funny to hear a mature thought from you.”

“I have my moments.”

A blue flash of light filled the room and Strange Quark appeared with a large mug of ale in his hand, which he drank through a curly, silly straw.

“I thought teleportation couldn’t get through your spell?” Gar asked.

“I just got off a shuttle,” Quark said.

Nova asked, “What did you need?”

Quark finished slurping and said, “I have news for you on those metal spheres.”

Nova said, “I like the initiative. I didn’t even ask you to investigate them.”

“I’d like to take a bow, but I wasn’t investigating them. I was checking out this new pub in Mexico City. There was a news alert and thought you might want to see it. It seems the sphere’s creator is about to make an announcement to the world.”

Nova pointed to a robot. “Patch us through all the major international news sources now!”

Chapter 5:

Nova waited while the large view screens populated with videos from around the world. Gar, Krystal, and Torrik stood behind him with EB hopping up and down excitedly. News services around the globe were all chattering in their various languages, all talking about the odd spheres appearing over their major cities.

“So, what do you think? Alien invasion, large bombs, or a publicity stunt?” EB asked.

Nova answered, “I have no idea.”

“Oh, come on, friendly bet. I bet you a bunch of chocolate eggs that this is some kind of publicity stunt. Like a movie is about to be released and they want everyone talking about it. Oh, Oh, Oh, I know, it’s a sports thingy. You know, balls. Hey, what if it’s women’s volleyball? Now, that’d be worth some international attention. Those babes, running around hot sands in tiny bikinis...best. Sport. Ever.”

“You’re disgusting,” Krystal retorted.

“Hey, I enjoy the finer things in life, and a hot babe is one fine thing.”

“Ugh!”

Torrik was laughing.

Nova wasn’t paying this much attention.

The central window became active as the woman at the desk for the International News Network spoke.

“This is Liz Alcord with INN. We have a breaking story. An announcement is about to be made from the creator of the spheres that are currently causing a world-wide panic. We go live to the RTC Global Headquarters…” The video shifted to a meeting room in a large corporate building.

EB whispered, “RTC Global, aren’t they the ones who make Ren Phones?”

Nova’s glare turned decidedly annoyed. “Yes, they are.”

A voice spoke over the screen, “This is RTC Global.” The video shifted quickly to a pre-made promo-ad. Magnificent vistas of mountains, deserts, forests, and the ocean gave gorgeous views of the Earth while a bold, but beautiful woman’s voice spoke.

“In the year 1998, Global Cell and Internet was founded by Bob Willingsby. In 2010, GCI merged with International Wireless and became WiCel Incorporated. By the year 2019, the company gained a new identity as Renaissance Cell Tech Global, becoming the largest and most recognized technology industry in the world. This year, one man stepped up to the position as CEO, a man who has driven the vision of this company to a place none of the founders ever imagined possible.” At this point, a sleek, smiling man with glowing white teeth, brown hair, and a sharp suit appeared with the sprawling natural scenes behind him. Adam Chorad, a visionary in his field and the man who holds the record for the highest wealth ever amassed. His changes to Ren Tech have given us the well-earned place as the most popular cell phone, tablet, and computer company in the world. Dr. Chorad continues to push boundaries forward with his vision of a future that will bring us all into a world that never imagined possible. We present, Dr. Adam Chorad…”

The view changed back to the conference room as cameras flashed and a sharp-looking man walked up to a podium.

“Thank you, thank you. Oh, don’t you just hate those promotional videos? Hahaha. Makes me out to be a legend. Hello, I am Dr. Adam Chorad, CEO of Renaissance Tech, as you just saw. I’m afraid that we unintentionally caused quite a stir across the planet over the past few days. I first want to extend my sincerest apologies. Yes, the finest scientists here at Ren Tech create the metallic spheres that have everyone so worried.”

He gestured to his side, and an image of one of those spheres appeared.

“You see, here at Renaissance Technologies we have a dream, bring the world out of the dark ages. My predecessor changed the name of this company to Renaissance because she believed that we always find ourselves mired in the past and start new, little, dark ages. It is the responsibility of companies like ours to push the new and remove the old. And that is what we are doing today. These spheres are special, new technologies that are self-powered, and might I add environmentally friendly, will provide both strong cell service and free wireless internet to all the world.” There were people in the audience who shouted up some questions, but he simply held out his hands to silence them. “I know the very first concern about that. Won’t this put a lot of businesses out of work? Yes, but only because they are not keeping up. We have no reason to destroy our competition. We are the largest and can handle competition. However, we also must keep moving things forward or risk letting the world fall into another dark age. Questions so far?”

A reported asked, “What sort of power source do these devices use? Solar?”

“No, solar power is good and efficient, but not efficient enough for our purposes. My scientists here at Ren Tech developed something spectacular. A new battery system that can self-charge. It is not ready for smaller tech, like tablets or phones, but it worked perfectly for the spheres. It harnesses the morphons from the atmosphere and turns that into pure energy. No emissions, no harm to the environment, and as far as we can tell, a limitless power resource.”

A woman asked, “What about the cost? How can you provide free services like this? What will your investors say?”

“Good question. Thank you for asking. As of one month ago, I am the sole owner of Ren Tech, having purchased seventy-three percent of the voting stock. That is how much I believe in this company. Also, that means I have the final say on all matters. I am, personally, worth more than one trillion dollars and this company is the first to reach 10 trillion in one fiscal year. Free Wi-Fi will hardly cause any strain on our bottom line. I believe we should stick to our mission statement and help bring progress to this world. That means thinking outside of revenue numbers. Thank you.” He waved and walked away from the stage, even though more questions were being asked.

Before the news analysts started debating opinions, Nova made a slashing motion across his throat and cut the sound.

“That is so cool. I mean, how nice of them. It’s always neat when big companies think of the little people,” EB said.

Krystal shrugged. “So, it was just a mistake. Nothing to worry about.”

Torrik said, “I don’t know. Something doesn’t feel right about all this.”

Nova turned and said, “I agree. I don’t like this.”

Gar asked, “What don’t you like about it?”

“First, BADGE scientists, who are some of the best in this world, have worked for years on ways to harness the power of the morphons. Outside of the interaction between certain people, morphons seem to be inert.”

EB said, “They cause those crystal things to grow.”

“True,” Nova said, “However, the fact remains that after all these years, the best minds I know have never found a way of harnessing the morphons for anything like this. Yet, scientist working for a cell phone company just happen to make that breakthrough in a few months.”

Krystal added, “Not only that, they find a way to turn it into power and build a power system to operate with them.”

“You see where I’m going.”

Krystal nodded. “We need to investigate this new tech and find out exactly what they are doing.”

Torrik asked, “What are you looking for?”

“Alien tech that is being misused, if this is a lie, or if this is true and they did exactly what they claim. We need to know the complete story. Morphons are on the increase for no reason and at the same time we have a company who miraculously comes up with tech to harvest them for power generation. Suspiciously coincidental.”

Gar asked, “What do you need us to do?”

Nova said, “Torrik, you go with Gar and Arx and keep working with the Restoration and Assistance program.”

“If this is a dangerous situation, don’t you need us on duty?” Torrik asked.

“This isn’t dangerous, just confusing. If it becomes dangerous, we will alert you. I still want BADGE out there, helping people and showing the world we are not just an army fighting bad guys.”

“Understood.”

“EB, you will work with Agent Justin and monitor things up here. Get the station and BADGE ready, in case this turns out to be something dangerous.”

EB hopped up and struck serious poses with each bounce. “I’m on it. EB and Justin, the eyes on the sky, the commanders in charge of the army, always vigilant. We will keep things running and the moment the world needs us, we are there!”

Nova stopped him mid-hop by grabbing his ears. “Enough. Find Agent Justin and get him up here.”

“Sure thing, bud. But what are you going to do?”

Nova dropped EB, “Krystal Fae and I are going to pay Ren Tech a visit.”

Chapter 6:

David sat at a table in the Mess looking over the pamphlet about ATLAS. Another pamphlet, which he had just finished, spelled out the information about the classes he would be required to take here on the station. He had already tried out their gym, which was suited to his new super strength. A giant four-armed red man operated the gym and offered some helpful instruction about working out with a super physique.

Chase walked over to his table. “Still thinking about your choices?”

David nodded. “Yeah, it’s a lot to take in.”

She sat down. “We understand. It isn’t a simple choice. Choosing either ATLAS or League will change your life.”

“I don’t have much of a family, but I have friends and a job back home.”

“And we take that into consideration. Working for ATLAS is an on-call situation. You will have weekends of training to keep you in shape for the various tasks you might have to take on. But only when an emergency arises will you be called to duty. Working as a hero is far more of a career. You can go solo, which is called a Ranger position. But you’ll still report to BADGE and to your local government. If you join a League, then you will work with them as a job. BADGE will send assignments to your league for local and possibly international problems. Your league will also work with the local governments to help in situations.”

David sat back and put his hands on his face. “I know. It sounds cool. I mean, being a genuine hero seems so… glamorous. But, up here, with you people, I see it from this side. It is work, it is a sacrifice of your life, and I don’t know if I have that in me.”

Chase said, “I know. Fame isn’t want it’s cracked up to be. Heroes get all the glory and are on the news for their triumphs. But, the news doesn’t show the hard work that goes into training and working, it doesn’t show the bloody noses and sleepless nights.”

David asked, “Would it be okay if I tried some of the training? Go through a class or two, test the waters.”

“Sure. Nova encourages new recruits to take their time and sample everything before deciding. BADGE knows what this can mean. I can set you up for a few training sessions in the simulator. You can work with a league that has booked the simulator for a battle challenge.”

“That sounds interesting.”

“And safe. You’ll experience a hard battle, but you won’t face the threat of death. The simulator has failsafe systems to protect the heroes from true serious harm. But you’ll get a good taste of an actual fight, get to work with experienced heroes, and learn something about yourself.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Agent Justin walked over at that moment. “Chase, I need you to get the under grads ready for deployment.”

“Is something happening?” She slowly stood up.

“Nothing has happened. But Nova is concerned about the situation with the spheres. So, I’m activating all people on the station. Besides, getting the trainees to do some duty time will be a good experience.”

“I’ll talk to Red Fury. He’ll get them in place.’’

“Thanks.” Justin walked away.

David asked, “Are we in danger?”

“I doubt it. It isn’t uncommon to go to an alert status when there is the potential for danger. Often it passes by and nothing happens. Don’t worry, as soon as there is any real action, we will ensure that all recruits are placed in a safe location. If necessary, we can move you down to the planet. For now, be ready for a message from Red Fury about when you will be in the simulator with a visiting league. Put those muscles to work and see what you can do in an actual fight.” She gave him a friendly punch in the muscular arm and then walked away.

David looked down at the information again, a little more concerned than before. The longer he was up here, the more real all this became.

“Why bring me along?” Krystal asked while Nova piloted the smaller shuttle through the atmosphere.

“For several reasons. I like to travel with at least one hero. It’s procedure and makes sense. You have a keen eye and mind for detail, which makes you an excellent journalist. When I talk to Dr. Chorad, I hope you use some of that keen journalist insight. Also, you’re one of the few heroes who can actually see morphons.”

“Just the arcane part of the spectrum. There are many others I can’t see.”

“That will be sufficient.”

They flew fast over the land and passed several tall mountain chains. The ground was green, and the skies were vividly blue right now. Orchards were in full bloom outside a sprawling metropolis.

“Seattle, home of coffee, hipsters, and Ren Tech,” Nova muttered.

“Sounds like you aren’t too keen on this company.”

Nova altered their direction slightly. “Like so many companies before them, they’re a fad. Richer than god and popular among many generations, these companies strike a big noise and act like they own the world. Big egos with self-righteous intentions. But, in a short matter of time, someone else rises above them and they fade. Their trendiness falls on its face and their ego is not enough to cushion the blow.”

“Wow, that was almost poetic, if not a little cynical.”

“Truth is often cynical.”

Krystal smiled. “But, tell me this, oh cynical one, how many of those trendy companies turned out to be evil or did wicked things?”

Nova guided them past the Space Needle as he pondered this. “Okay, you got me. They aren’t all good and sweet, but normally they stay within the law and none have turned out to be truly villainous.”

“Then let’s not walk into this meeting with you being a grump. They have done nothing wrong, but accidentally scared the world.”

“If you believe it was just an accident.”

Krystal sat back with a robust laugh. “And, still cynical.”

“Nothing wrong with logic. It was a fantastic publicity stunt. Everyone is talking about it and the social medias are all buzzing. It’s gone completely infected.”

Krystal frowned. “Social Medias? ...infected? You mean Social Media...no s....and viral?”

“Whatever.”

They approached a complex of buildings that seemed to bear the signature of Picasso’s design. All the buildings were square, but they stacked the squares against each other in odd ways. Windows on the side revealed that the floors were flat, and only the facade was twisted. A giant sign on the top read, “Renaissance Communication Technologies.”

“Nice building, if you don’t mind a modern look.” Krystal said, “Say, why didn’t we just portal down? I could have zapped us here in a second.”

“We’re paying them a friendly visit...” Krystal coughed at that, but Nova ignored it and went on, “I don’t want to alarm them by just showing up. People appearing out of thin air might worry some. When we land, we will decloak and then let them know we are...”

For a moment, a flash of light surrounded them and the computer announced, “Cloaking system interrupted. Visibility has been restored.”

“How?” Nova asked.

The computer answered, “A counter field surrounds the landing zone. It deactivated the cloaking system. Would you like a full report?”

“Send it to the station.”

“Sending.”

Krystal said, “Wow, they have the tech to counter our cloak. I didn’t think anyone could do that.”

Nova maneuvered the shuttle to a landing pad meant for helicopters. “These kids are smart. I’m impressed, and slightly annoyed.”

With the shuttle at a full stop, Nova and Krystal disembarked and walked toward a pair of people waiting for them. The giant Ren Tech company loomed in the distance.

Krystal leaned over and said, “You will never find a greater hive of....coffee and hipsters. We must be cautious.”

“Oh, be quiet and pay attention.”

A man and woman in expensive apparel met them, both with glowing Ren Watches on their wrists and nametags on their shirts.

“Welcome to Ren Tech, Director Nova. It is an honor to have you pay us a visit. I’m Arnold and this is Stacy.” The young man said.

“Thank you.” Nova was holding onto his surly attitude. “This is…”

“Krystal Fae, with the Sentinel.”

“Very nice to meet both of you.” Stacy tapped her smartwatch and said, “We have a nice tour of our headquarters arranged, if you will follow me.”

“No, thank you. We need to meet with Dr. Chorad now.”

“Right this way.” They both gave a gallant hand swing toward the building.

Chapter 7:

David walked out of the simulator, drenched in sweat. DaMoN joined him as they headed toward the locker rooms.

“Wow, that was exciting.” David brimmed with energy as he came down from the thrill of a simulated battle with Fenrir.

DaMoN laughed and slapped him on the back, “The real battle was a hell of a lot harder, but even more fun.”

“Really? How much harder?”

“Oh, you know how it is in the real world. These simulations can’t risk your life, so they pull some punches here and there. When something that big is hell-bent on killing you, the battle is something else. So, which league are you?”

“I’m not in a league. I’m not technically part of BADGE yet.”

“Oh, another recruit. Been a lot of those lately. You put in a good fight. You deserve to be a hero.”

David said, “After that fight, I’m really considering it. Wow, that was fun.”

“Don’t let the excitement of victory go to your head. The simulator is great training, but the real world is something else. Cool off, get yourself a shower, and think.”

David was about to say that he had already thought he would cool off before signing anything. However, just then, the entire station rattled. “What was that?” David asked.

DaMoN frowned. “I don’t know. It takes something big to rattle this place.”

Red lights flashed and a robotic voice called out, “Emergency alert, heroes to station one, repeat, heroes to station one. Cadets and agents report to station two. Recruits, report to security check-in.” A siren blared loudly, and the recording started again.

DaMoN said, “Head for the theater room, Coach Fury will be there to tell you what to do.” Without another word, he raced off for the main level.

David’s jubilant attitude shattered and worry set in. The real world was coming for them now, and he wasn’t sure what to do. He lost all sense of location and forgot how to get back to the theater room. So, he just ran down a corridor, hoping he would recall this place soon.

He turned a corner and followed a corridor that had an extensive set of windows to space. He paused mid-step and slowly turned to see what was outside.

A giant space cruiser drifted by. It was nothing like anything David had ever seen. It was long, bulky, and had weapons dotted all over the surface. However, it was rusty; the hull was cracked in many places, and as it moved, it dribbled bits of debris as though it were disintegrating from old age.

“What the hell is that?”

Justin barked orders out, “I want all security drones in space now. Set the station’s shields to full power. Sensors, get me every scrap of data on that.”

The robots manning the stations worked with speed, fulfilling each order efficiently.

10915 stated, “The power systems on the unidentified vessel are at a minimal status. No weapon systems online that we can detect.”

“Lifesigns?”

“Negative. Sensors are not detecting any known form of a living organism on that vessel.”

On the screen, ten small egg-shaped drones zipped out from the station. They had small weapons for combat.

14001-A spoke, “Query: Signal for heroes to leave station and confront?”

“No. Not at this time. We don’t know what that is and I don’t want to cause any problems by being foolish. Just tell everyone inside the station to be on full alert. Where’s EB?”

10915 said, “EB is currently en route to...”

The elevator doors opened and EB burst out at top speed. “Sorry, I was just in the training area, working with the new recruits. Several have already signed to join BADGE and one is asking to train with ATLAS. Nice people. This one lady is like eighty, but she can use telekinesis like a pro. I mean... oh, what are all the sirens for?”

Justin said, while pointing at the monitor, “That.”

EB screamed and backed up, “No, no, it can’t be!”

“You know what that is?”

EB trembled and nodded quickly. “A fleet of those destroyed my homeworld seven centuries ago. Blow it up, blow it up now!”

“What do you mean... wait?” Justin had an icy feeling run through his body. “Legion destroyed your world.”

“Yes.”

Justin pointed at a robot. “Full alert status. Activate all Leagues. Send a call to all Rangers. Get me Nova, now!”

The warning sirens across the station changed to something that only sounded when the situation was dire.

An hour before:

Krystal and Nova followed the perky representatives of Ren Tech through the halls of the sleek, modern company complex. Workers walked around in jeans and company T-shirts as they talked on Ren Phones or used Ren Tech Tablets.

The interior of the building was not unlike the exterior. Sleek white walls with clear glass ceilings/floors so you could see all the way up through the building. Holo-screens on the walls displayed information.

They paused at the door to a room filled with people using strange glasses. Stacy said, “This is our next biggest thing. Ren Wear. High-tech glasses that can display images like VR to the person wearing them. Just imagine being able to join a meeting across the planet as though you are there at a moment’s notice. Or, using just one lens, you can check the news, look at a recipe, or even relax by the beach.”

Krystal asked, “How far along is the research?”

Arnold said, “We hope to have them available by summer this year. Should be the biggest event of the season. That is, if we can work out a few of the bugs.”

“Oh, I want one,” Krystal said.

Nova cleared his throat, “Fascinating, really, but we have important business to discuss with Mr. Chorad.”

“This way.” Stacy guided him along.

They navigated the unconventional building, passing many amazing new things, as they approached the heart of this sprawling complex. Their guides led them through glass doors and out into a beautiful garden. The garden brimmed with blooming roses and tiger lilies. A river ringed the outside of the area while a grassy lawn sat in the center with a diamond shaped structure seated in the middle.

“What is this?” Krystal asked.

Arnold said, “Dr. Chorad’s office.”

“A little ostentatious,” Nova muttered.

An unfamiliar voice said, “Yes, it is pretentious. But why not splurge when you’re the richest man of the richest company in the world?”

Krystal and Nova turned to find Dr. Chorad standing behind them, a big smile on his face.

Nova said, “I suppose. We have important business to discuss.”

Dr. Chorad said, “Yes, I know. I was in a meeting with investors, explaining the whole sphere situation. Ugh, what a bunch of money-grubbing idiots. They don’t know the first thing about generosity. I was glad when my intern alerted me you were intent on a meeting now. Got me out of there. So, why don’t we head into my office and... oh, Arnold, could you bring us some lunch? I’m starving.”

“Right away, sir. What would you two like?” Arnold asked.

Nova said, “We don’t need anything.”

“Speak for yourself. I could use a bite to eat,” Krystal said. “I’d love some Greek food.”

“Right away.” Arnold and Stacy left in a hurry.

“Come on in. My office is my home. So, let’s get cozy.” Dr. Chorad walked them toward the lone building.

“He’s nice, and kinda handsome.” Krystal said.

“Stay focused. We have a mission.”

“I know, I know. Big rich company equals bad.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Not with words, but your face is speaking volumes.”

Chapter 8:

Dr. Chorad’s office was as white and clean as the rest of this complex. It was more of a living room than an office, with a sunk-in central floor, kitchen, wet-bar, a fireplace, large television, couches, plants, and a desk set against a long set of windows that had a glorious view of the beautiful garden outside.

“Wow,” Krystal said upon first seeing this enormous space.

Dr. Chorad said, “Everyone has that same response. I entertained the Emperor of Japan last week and even he said that. Have a seat. The couches are amazingly comfy.” He walked over to the wet-bar and started pulling out bottles. “Care for a mixed drink? I make a mean martini.”

Nova stood near the couches and said, “I’m not here for a social call. This is an important matter. Dr. Chorad...”

“Call me Adam.”

Nova cleared his throat, “Adam, we need to have a serious discussion.”

“Yes, I know. You’re worried about my technology.”

Both Krystal and Nova were a little stunned by this. Krystal asked, “How’d you know?”

“Simple. Ren Tech is a telecommunications company in the market to sell trendy gadgets to customers across the world. Not something BADGE would have any need to worry about. However, my new sphere technology probably raised a few alarms, which brought you to my doorstep. Am I right?” He said this while mixing martinis and pouring them.

Nova said, “Mostly. We have some unique concerns regarding the tech as well.”

“I’m sure. Trust me, my people alerted me right away when heroes started inspecting the spheres and entire cities declared emergencies.” He walked over and set a tray of glasses down on the coffee table and then sank into the overstuffed couch. “Look, the truth is, I’m seriously upset about the whole situation. Probably more than you.”

“I doubt it.” Nova finally sat down across from Adam on the circular couch.

“Rest assured, the situation was not arranged for publicity. I know that’s what you’re thinking. I had this whole news conference prepared with fanfare and lots of free stuff. We were going to head to New York, set up a stage in Central Park, and make a big show of revealing the spheres to the world all at the same time. I even had this comically large button to press. This is my gift to this world, not some stunt to increase our stock value.”

Nova mulled that over for a moment in one of his famous long pauses. Finally, he said, “I believe you.”

“Oh, good. I was hoping you would. I really did not intend to scare the world. These spheres represent a passion of mine.”

“And what would that be?” Nova asked.

“I believe education is key to raising communities out of poverty. However, that is hard in the places were services like the internet and phone lines are too expensive, or completely impossible. These spheres will extend our tech all over the world in a wide net that will connect everyone. People can share knowledge freely, without worrying about costs. I’m even offering grants to nations to help them supply tech to the underprivileged sectors.”

“How magnanimous.” Krystal picked up a martini from the tray, her tone betraying a little skepticism.

Adam laughed, “Fine, the grants are a giant tax write-off. But that’s to be expected. I may be generous, but not foolish. However, you understand I didn’t mean to cause any alarm. My teams are still investigating why the decloaking activated prematurely. They also started connecting to wireless sources early as well, which caused even more trouble in places.”

Krystal said, “That explains why the archaic wireless tech in North Onnotangu activated.”

“Yes, I heard about that. I hope no one was hurt.”

She shook her head. “Nope. They had already removed the weapons from the systems. Just loud sirens.”

“Glad to hear it.”

Nova said, “There is one other issue I’m here to discuss.”

“Shoot. Oh, if you want to incorporate Ren Tech into BADGE comm systems, that is something we would love to work with you on.”

“No, this isn’t about that. Morphons power your spheres.”

Adam smiled sheepishly. “It is one feature that makes them so efficient. They can run continuously, no need for recharging.”

Krystal said, “How did you figure that tech out? BADGE scientists have been working on studying morphons for years now and we have nothing that can use them as a power source.”

“That, my dear, is a company secret. As you can imagine, such technology would cause quite a stir in competitors who would love to have access to it.”

Nova said, “I want to know how it works?”

“Ah, no. That is a secret that Ren Tech owns.”

“Morphon studies and tech are under the scope of BADGE...”

Adam said, “Actually, that isn’t quite true. Trust me, I had my legal team comb all the laws pertaining to morphons, both national and international laws. You see, BADGE may keep tabs on people who have morphonic powers, and BADGE has the right to information regarding morphons effects on humans and the environment. However, BADGE has no legal authority to obtain information about morphons as used in technology, as long as that technology poses no threat to the planet or the people on it. I can have our lawyers come and explain this in their legalese. It’s boring, but they get the point across clearly.”

Nova kept his calm, but his irritation was evident. “Look here, Dr. Chorad, morphons aren’t something to toy around with. This isn’t like solar or wind power. These particles are still a relatively unknown substance that we are just beginning to study. Using them as a power source could prove dangerous.”

“And, my scientist disagree.”

Krystal interjected, “They also applied atomic energy before fully understanding it. Many people suffered and died because they didn’t know the true depth of how dangerous the radiation really was.”

Adam held up his hands. “Please, let’s be friends about this. I mean no harm and we have done extensive tests on this technology. This wasn’t just thrown out there without some kind of thought put into it. If it will make you feel better, I will ask our scientists to send all the data on our tests regarding the impact of the technology on people and the environment. You can have your people look it over. If you find any problems, I mean any at all, let me know and we will work with you to solve them. If you find there is a legit danger posed to anyone or anything, I will shut them down immediately.”

Nova said, “Fine. That is a start. Just get me that promise in writing, signed. One flaw, one inkling of a problem, and I will have you shut them down.”

“We agree, then.” The doors of his office opened. “Oh, look, lunch is here. Great, I’m hungry.”

Arnold walked in with a tray that had several boxes on it. “Let’s see, your regular lunch, Doctor. Nothing for Director Nova, and a Greek lunch for Krystal Fae.” He handed her a box while saying, “Big fan, by the way. I read your articles all the time.”

“Oh, thanks. That’s why I write them.”

Nova had a scowl on his face as he watched Krystal sink down into a part of this huge couch and open up the box of lunch. This wasn’t supposed to be a social meeting, but Adam turned it into one. So, Nova asked a question he didn’t expect an answer to. “I’m curious about something else.”

“What’s that?”

“These spheres defy all attempts at scanning. None of our tech and even our BADGE heroes with unique powers cannot penetrate the surface with any form of sensor or scan. How did you manage that?”

“That’s another company secret. But, I can tell you why we keep it detection-proof. The stuff inside those spheres is some of the most advanced tech ever conceived. It revolutionizes a lot about telecommunications technology. My competitors would give anything to learn their secrets. I may be generous, but not foolish. Ren Tech is the hottest name in popular technology today, with the newest, most advanced stuff available… and I mean, to keep that standing for a long time.”

Nova wasn’t happy with that answer, but he accepted it. Before he could ask another, his comm activated. “Excuse me.” He stepped away to take this. “This is Nova.”

Justin came through, “Sir, we have an emergency. An ancient Legion Warship just entered Earth Space and is near the station right now.”

“We’ll be right there.” Nova clicked his comm off. “Krystal, we have to go now.”

“Something wrong?”

“Yes.” He looked over at Adam. “Thank you for your time. We will be in touch.”

“Anything I can do to help?”

“No. Just make sure BADGE gets that information you have.” He nodded to Krystal.

She packed up her boxed lunch and then stood up. “Let’s move.” She snapped her fingers and both she and Nova zapped back to their shuttle.

Chapter 9:

Nova pushed the BADGE shuttle to its limit. The engines rattled, and the interior grew hotter under the strain of taxing the power systems. A buzzer beeped loudly for a moment, but was stopped when Nova slapped the button. This was the sixth time he has had to shut down that warning.

Krystal cleared her throat. “Sir, I know you want to get back, but blowing us up will not make this any faster.”

“We have to get back there now. If I had not asked you and Torrik to cut off teleportation to the station, this wouldn’t be necessary.”

The windows grew bright orange as they blazed through the atmosphere.

“Do you think this is really Legion?”

Nova said, “I don’t know. But, I have been worried about this for some time. The rise in Morphon’s in the atmosphere makes little sense, except that is exactly how Legion seeds a world before they attack.”

“But Legion fell years ago. We took it down. We killed the last of Legion’s most powerful during that war. There is no one left to resurrect it.”

“Legion is like a virus. Even the smallest part of it can grow quickly. How it returned so fast, I don’t know. But I’ll not have them invade again.” The warning beeped loudly again. “Damn!” Nova slapped the button, but this time, it didn’t shut off.

“Emergency shut-off activated.” The computer announced, and all the power systems went dark. The engines stopped pushing them. Inertial force in space kept them moving forward toward the station.

“Oh, crud.” Krystal said.

“This isn’t good. I’ve lost all control.”

“Don’t worry, I can still help with this.” Krystal put her hands together and then spread them apart. A purplish glow surrounded the shuttle, and she was now controlling its direction. “I’ll let the inertial force keep us going, but I’ll direct our path.”

They zoomed toward the station, the shuttle silent now. The heat inside the cabin softened as the power systems cooled off so they wouldn’t ignite. Suddenly, a great shadow crossed their path as something enormous blocked the sunlight.

The rusty hulk of the Legion battleship drifted by. Its decaying exterior shedding bits of debris as it slowly moved through space. Flashes of sparks buzzed here and there as systems failed to work properly.

“What on earth is that?” Krystal asked.

“That is a Class 1 Legion Battle cruiser.”

“I’ve never seen anything like that before. The cruisers they came in to attack earth looked nothing like that.”

Nova watched it with irritated terror in his eyes, saying, “They used that ship around a thousand earth years ago. I doubt they had any in service when they invaded Earth.”

“But that makes little sense. Why would Legion be using an ancient, outdated piece of junk?”

Nova said, “I don’t know. But it’s part of Legion and that is all I need to know. Keep your eyes forward. We’re getting close to the shuttle bay.” He pressed his comm on his wrist. “This is Nova. Krystal is guiding the shuttle into bay four. Have a tractor beam ready for an unpowered landing.”

Justin answered, “Understood.”

Nova and Krystal walked through the station toward the command level lift. A four-armed man with red skin interrupted their run toward the lifts.

“I don’t have time, Red.” Nova said.

Red Fury said, “Sorry, but there is a situation.”

“I know.”

“I mean,” Red Fury said, “We have a large group of recruits here right now. I don’t have room in the safe area for this number and getting them on a shuttle is not possible with that ship out there.”

“Krystal,” Nova turned to her, “Go with Red and help send as many back to Earth as you can. If they want to just go down and wait this out before returning, send them to the BADGE facility in London. I’ll alert Benjamin they will join him.”

“Yes, sir.” She left with Red Fury for the back of the station.

Nova got into the lift. Moments later, he was stepping out into the Operations center of the station. Before he could even ask for a report, something slammed into him, sobbing and holding him like a scared child.

“They’re back!!! Why! Why are they back?” EB bawled like a child.

Justin said, “I haven’t been able to calm him down.”

Nova let out a controlled sigh and calmly said, “This may not be a Legion invasion. That’s a really old ship. We don’t know enough yet to make any conclusions.”

“They... they... they’re gonna destroy my favorite planet.” A big, wet sniff later, he continued, “They destroyed my first favorite planet and now Earth. WHY!”

Nova peeled the bunny off of him and held him up by his ears. “Calm down!”

EB sobbed less loudly. “Thanks. I needed a good Nova scream.”

“Ugh!” He dropped EB and made his way down to Justin. “Report?”

“I have all of our investigative drones out there scanning every inch of the exterior of that ship. All the station’s sensors are trying to read the inside. We have sent out hailing messages asking them to respond. So far, we know only that this ship is ancient. Its weapon systems seem to be offline, the power systems are at bare minimum, and nothing on board is alive.”

Nova said, “They don’t have to be a living being to be a threat.”

“What?”

Nova walked around and looked up at the screen. Memories of ancient times, wars fought against these very ships, only in far better shape. “That is an early testing ship. A small fleet of them would arrive at a prepared world and do the initial test against the people. Battle drones would attack. If the drones could defeat the warriors of that world, then the ship would simply drop several tons of sub-nuclear bombs, destroy the world from space, and return to the Legion HQ. If the warriors defeated the robots, then Legion would show up to challenge them more officially.”

Justin said, “They didn’t do that to Earth? Legion showed up and attacked. No testing period.”

EB said, “That would be our fault.”

“What?” Justin turned and looked at EB.

“Well, we tried to hide among your people, to disguise ourselves so Legion would never find us again. We would train your people and help them be ready for Legion. And, I might add that we did a damn fine job since your people were ready. However, our presence didn’t go entirely unnoticed. They could sense our power. That encouraged them to bypass this phase and simply attack. It was kinda like when that one farmer discovered me hiding eggs. He just started picking them up instead of waiting for Easter Morning. I mean, serious... um... sorry.”

Justin asked, “Do you think they’re sending another force to test us? I thought we had finally defeated Legion once and for all.”

Nova said, “I don’t know. Something about this seems... off. Legion didn’t split its forces. It was an all-in situation. They would fight to the death, theirs or their enemies. This doesn’t seem like a precursor to invasion.”

EB said, “Then, what do you think this is?”

“I hope it is just an ancient ship that is lost. Robot 10445, send a communication signal to that ship. Use a focused trifector beam.”

“What is that?” Justin asked.

“It is a type of particle beam that the old Legion ships used. If that doesn’t get their attention, then there isn’t anything alive over there, organic or mechanical.”

“Signal sent.” 10445 announced.

There was a moment of complete silence in the room as all three waiting hoping nothing would answer.

“Signal incoming.” 10445 announced.

“Aw sh...” EB started to speak when all the monitors lit up.

A fuzzy image of a robot stood before them. “Planet below, we are Legion. Prove your worth or face destruction. Send us your strongest. We... we... weweweeee....” Its voice buzzed and scratched. The screen went blank for a moment.

“See... I told you we are in deep crap.” EB was now hugging Nova’s leg. He said, “Come on, go all angle and kick their asses.”

“EB, not now.”

The image returned, and the robot said, “It appears you are unworthy. You will be destroyed.” The image flicked off.

Justin said, “This is bad. Our sensors are reading ten sub-nuclear energy signatures on that ship. That’s enough power to crack the crust of the Earth.”

EB whimpered, “How about now?”

Chapter 10:

Red Fury yelled, “I want everyone to form a neat line. We’re heading for bay 1!”

Sirens screamed as both agents and heroes scrambled all over the place. People bumped into David several times, and he skillfully avoided a robot that was in a hurry to reach an unknown destination. The scene overflowed with controlled chaos, suggesting that the control would be lost soon. Other recruits gathered around him as the four armed instructor bellowed directions at them like a first-grade teacher organizing their students.

“Move, one two, one two! NOW!” Red Fury jogged with them, guiding them along at a hurried pace.

David followed as close as he could until he nearly tripped over an older woman who was struggling to keep up. “Here, can I help?” David asked.

She said, “I can’t run like them.” A dire fear filled her eyes as she struggled to move.

“I will carry you.” David picked her up and held her in his arms, his new morphonic strength proving to make her as light as a feather in his arms.

They rounded corners and rushed down hallways as the station continued to sound the alarm. Soon, they crossed through the mess toward another hallway. The lights in this room changed to a flashing red and a loud computer voice said, “Class Ten emergency! All heroes, this is a Class Ten Emergency!”

“Damn!” Red Fury bellowed, but then threw several arms over his head as he waved them along. “Keep up, move. Good work Mr. David.”

David followed along, hoping the old woman couldn’t hear his heart racing in fear at this. He did not know what constituted a Class Ten emergency, but it was bad enough to send BADGE into this frenzy and that was all he needed to know.

They raced out into the enormous main docking bay of the station. Several shuttles were being prepped as people lined up to get inside. Krystal Fae and Chase both directed everyone to their locations.

Red Fury stopped the team and spoke directly to Krystal, “What is going on? I thought you were magic’ing them down to the planet's surface.”

Krystal said, “Not safe any longer.”

David asked, “What?”

“There’s no time to explain,” Chase said. “We’ll be putting everyone on the shuttles and moving you to a safe distance while we prepare the Orbital Arena to receive guests.”

David set the old woman down so she could get in line with the others. He asked Red Fury, “What is a Class Ten emergency?”

“You don’t need to know.”

“Yes, I do. I want to go home, I want out of this situation. What is the emergency?”

Red Fury said, “A Class Ten means that the entire planet is at risk. It isn’t safe to go back right now.”

David went numb. He didn’t know when or how, but someone moved him into a shuttle with many others. The shuttle flew away from the station. He couldn’t stop thinking about his friends, his coworkers, his home, his cat. Everything was in grave danger, and he might see none of them again. A great flash of light jostled his rattled mind, and everyone gasped as the shuttle rocked hard.

A woman screamed, “It exploded!”

David couldn’t see. This shuttle didn’t have passenger windows, just the front. What had just exploded?

Ten Minutes before:

“I want information now! Where is it targeting? What missiles will it be firing? Get the heroes into space!” Nova spoke to various people and robots around him at the top of his voice.

EB said, “Come on, this is big. Get those big wings out and go slicey slicey that ship with your super sword!”

Nova scoffed, “I can’t. Not anymore.”

“What!”

“Not the time to discuss this!” Nova looked over at a screen. Five heroes flew into space, led by Strange Quark. “Communications open a channel to Quark.”

“It is open.”

“Quark, we don’t know when it will fire, but the weapon readings are growing off the charts. Can you do anything?”

“Don’t worry, I got this.”

EB said, “Quark, bud, that won’t...”

“Not now!” Nova barked.

“But,...”

“NOT NOW! Quark, do it!”

Quark stopped in space, watching this rusted hulk slowly moving toward Earth. The other heroes around him waited for his next action.

“Okay, one ship, zapped to the surface of the sun, coming up!” He waved his hands and snapped both fingers.

A bubble of energy formed around the ship and buzzed, but then nothing happened. He tried this again, with more flourish in his actions. Nothing but the same buzz.

“Aw, duck feathers! It has quantum shields!” He slapped his comm. “Nova, that thing has super advanced shields.”

EB said, “I was try’n to tell ya. Legion has had Quantum shields for like a billion years. You can’t just zap it away.”

Nova asked, “Anything else we need to know?”

EB said, “I don’t know much more, well, cept that the defense systems aren’t weapons based. But, I can’t remember what they used to defend the ship. “

“Can we penetrate the shields?”

“Maybe. Those things are tough eggs to crack. But, you might...”

“Warning, critical decent!” Robot 12323 announced. “Vessel’s orbit is failing. Impact imminent.”

EB hopped up, “Aw, carrot sticks! That’s it! These ships are suicidal. They don’t launch anything, they charge up and them ram the planet.”

Nova yelled into his comm, “Quark! Tell the heroes out there to blow that thing up!” He then yelled into the comm of the station, “Arx, plan B. Move!”

Arx stood at the edge of a smaller docking bay with a unit of his ATLAS heroes. He wore a rocket-geared space suit, as did all the other non-space-abled heroes.

“This is an ATLAS situation. The call to heroes from the surface has gone out, but they probably won’t make it in time. It is up to us. We can’t let that ship hit the planet! Go, Go, Go!” He jumped through the force-field as his rockets buzzed on. They propelled Arx toward the falling ancient vessel. Behind him flew two dozen members of ATLAS.

Approaching the rusted ship, they could see the heroes already there, blasting away. Beams of energy and even two heroes were punching it. Their attacks hit an energy barrier that flickered with the iridescent rainbow hues like the surface of oil. However, nothing was touching the hull of the ship.

“Pop that bubble!” Arx yelled and then dove straight at it with both fists out. He rammed it, but merely bounced off.

A pair of twins rushed up. One used her powers to create large balls of energy that turned solid. Her sister met the object with a hard kick that sent it zooming toward the ship. When it hit, it would bounce off the shields and then evaporate. Others sent eye beams or blasts of energy from their hands.

Arx heard a loud beeping in his suit, and he checked a monitor on his wrist. Punching the call-button he contacted Nova. “Sir, we have a serious problem… actually several.”

“What is it?”

“We aren’t doing much damage to the shields of this thing. Also, the radiation levels are dangerously high. This thing is going to kill us before we can finish this.”

“I’m sorry, Arx, but you will have to put your team at the risk of death. If that ship crashes into the surface of the planet, a lot of people are going to die.”

Arx’s warning system got even louder. “Damn! It just reached the atmosphere. It will fall in less than a minute and the sub-nuclear systems are about to go critical. If that thing blows, even in the air above the surface, it will spread radiation across the planet. Billions will die.”

“Options?” Nova asked.

“I don’t… wait… what the hell is that?”

Nova heard this statement and then Arx’s voice garbled and the line cut off. All the visuals of the situation went fuzzy.

“Get him back!”

10915 Replied, “Radiation levels near Arx are blocking communications and sensors.”

“Damn!” Nova paced, “Visuals!”

“Visual sensors are being blocked by high radiation.”

“Doesn’t this station have any old cameras?” Justin asked.

“No. Only sensor based. We’re blind and deaf. I need something!”

EB hopped up. “I can go out and look. Be right back!” He vanished away.

“Idiot!” Nova scoffed. “He can’t zap back in. I need…”

The station shook hard, and the power across the entire facility flickered and died in places. Justin caught the wall he was next to while Nova hit the floor.

“Report!” Nova bellowed from the floor.

10915 answered, “Large explosion registered.”

“Oh, god. No.”

Chapter 11:

The ancient Legion battle cruiser tilted toward the planet. Parts of the ancient Legion battle cruiser burst into fires as the radiation inside it slowly destroyed what was left of the ship. Arx watched in horror as it headed for the upper atmosphere. His people were still blasting it with everything they had, but it was not enough. The shields of the ship were simply too strong.

“Arx… I don’t feel good.” A woman stopped firing beams from her hands and drifted into space.

Another person’s voice came through his comm. “Arx, the radiation is going to kill us before we can do enough.”

“We can’t do enough. But we have to try. Form up and… wait, what was that?” Something buzzed past him. Then another and another. Hundreds of objects zoomed toward the ship.

“Sir, those are satellites,” a man said.

Arx watched these satellites link using their solar panel wings. They made contact with the shields on one side of the ship. All together, they burned their rocket thrusters as hot as possible and the ship slowly moved back away from the planet.

“Arx, those things are pushing it away from the planet!” One of his people reported.

“Are they BADGE?”

“No, those are telecom satellites… I think they are from Ren Tech.”

Arx said, “Help them!”

Quark appeared next to him. “Don’t bother. They have already pushed it outside of the danger zone. That ship’s gonna blow before they run out of fuel. Move your people away.”

Arx held up his comm to send out the signal when he noticed large chunks of the ship falling away. “It’s coming apart!”

“If it’s not one thing, it’s another.” Quark said, “But we can deal with the debris.”

“On it,” Arx pressed his comm, “Everyone, move away from the ship, but take out that falling debris.”

The heroes and ATLAS people flew at a distance around the ship, blasting and destroying the larger bits of debris that fell away. Once the remnants were small enough, they would burn up in the atmosphere.

“Warning, detonation imminent. Warning, detonation imminent.” Arx’s suit alerted him.

“Move!” He yelled, forgetting to hit the comm.

Quark clapped his hands and zapped all the people away from their furious attack on the debris, causing them to gather near Arx. Before either could say or do anything, they saw the flash point of the detonation of ten of the most powerful bombs in the known universe. However, they felt nothing.

Arx opened his eyes and was in almost complete darkness. He could only see the little lights on his suit and the suits of people around him, along with the odd bluish glow from Quark. EB floated by with a smile on his face. He pointed up, and the darkness cracked and shattered away. It was a giant eggshell.

Nova and Krystal Fae watched the monitors on the station while drones flew around the cloud of debris from the ancient ship. Shuttles carrying the people from the station returned to the docking bays, and the evacuees disembarked.

Arx left the lift with Chase and EB. He approached and informed, “Dr. Henderson says my people have experienced some minor radiation poisoning, but it can be easily dealt with. The ATLAS sensors on the planet show that only a handful of larger objects made it through and fell to the ground. I have people already going to investigate and offer aid.”

“Good work. ATLAS is proving its worth every day.”

“Thank you. I would like to take credit for the success of this, but we really didn’t make this happen. Those satellites saved the day.”

“I know, and I’m going to find out why.”

Krystal said, “Still suspicious?”

“Not entirely. I believe people can do good deeds. But I also know that big corporations are often working an angle for their benefit first.”

Krystal said, “Always the cynic.”

Chase asked Krystal, “Why are you still up here?”

“Just getting some details for the news report. Being able to be this close to these stories is why I am one of the top reporters in the industry.”

Nova asked Chase, “How are the recruits faring?”

Chase said, “Rattled nerves are all that they suffer from. We don’t normally have a global catastrophe when we assess potential new heroes.”

“A healthy dose of reality is a good thing. Though I’d rather not put the Earth at such a risk.”

10915 announced, “Incoming transmission from Dr. Adam Chorad.”

“Chorad?” Krystal looked at Nova. “When did he get our number?”

“I asked him to contact us. I have questions.”

“Oh, I see. I hope you don’t mind me taking some notes.” Krystal stepped back.

“Just be honest.”

“Always.”

The screen flicked on and they were now looking at the pristine interior of Dr. Chorad’s office at Ren Tech. He had a brilliant smile as he sat behind his desk. “I’m so glad to hear from you, and that you and the BADGE station are okay. Any heroes hurt in the incident?”

“Thank you for your time and concerns. No, the heroes are fine.”

“Good to hear.”

Nova spent a moment gathering himself before he said, “Before I say anything else, I want to say thank you, as do all the members of BADGE and ATLAS. Your system saved us and Earth.”

“So glad we could help.”

“Now, I have to know… how did you know?”

Dr. Chorad said, “There was a global alert. Of course, we all knew.”

“The alert was a general alert, not specific. The was no time for details to reach you. You had enough information to know exactly how to help.”

Chase whispered, “Don’t sound so accusatory. He saved our lives.”

Dr. Chorad laughed and answered, “Don’t worry, I expected Director Nova to be suspicious. After meeting him, I got confirmation of what most people know. Nova has a critical mind, which protects him and us, and provides him with the tools to help defend this world.”

“Thank you for the flattery. Now, please answer my question.”

“No, we did not learn the details of this from any regular news source. However, Ren Tech has over eight hundred satellites in orbit. We have the largest network of telecommunication satellites in the industry. We have been using them to monitor threats. When BADGE sends out a general alert to the population, we comb our own systems to see what we can learn.”

“To what end?” Nova asked.

“I see that critical mind is also filled with rocks,” Dr. Chorad said, losing his cheerful attitude and looking far more serious. “You may not know this, but BADGE alerts send people into a panic. You spread fear with every warning. We all know it is for our own good, like a tornado warning. But it still scares us. The unknown is the most frightening thing. Even a tornado warning tells you what the danger is. Ren Tech has some capacity to help. In fact, in recent times, we have used our tech to enhance the networks in at-risk areas so your teams and the local authorities can keep communicating. You’re welcome. In this situation, we saw that something big and ugly was about to fall out of the sky. My teams also told me that our own radiation sensors were off the charts. We were moments away from a global threat of radiation poisoning… regardless of a giant ship crashing into the ground. I made a decision to sacrifice half of our network of satellites to help you and save Earth. BADGE doesn’t own the right to be heroes, Nova.”

Krystal Fae clapped. Nova turned and glared at her. She said, “He’s right, you know. If BADGE would allow the media to actually inform people about the danger, it might lessen the fear.”

“Not now.” Nova stated, and then turned back to Dr. Chorad. With a lot of strength, and no small amount of humility, Nova finally uttered, “Then, I apologize.” He continued, “I have operated certain ways for centuries and I suppose times and people have changed. I will consider a more open flow of information in the future. Now, is there any way BADGE can help you repair the network you decimated for this act of heroism?”

The cheerful smile returned as Dr. Chorad said, “We were already planning on moving most of the satellite’s functions to the new spheres. This will push that project up quickly, but we can manage. Only the GPS system will remain in orbit, and it should work fine with the smaller network.”

“Good to hear.”

Dr. Chorad said, “Now, I have a lot of on my schedule as I am sure you do as well. Don’t be a stranger. If Ren Tech can be of any assistance in the future, we would be glad to help.”

“I will keep that in mind. Director Nova out.” The comm channel ended.

Krystal said, “Saying goodbye is customary when talking to regular people.”

“You should have all you need for your story.” This was Nova’s way of telling her to leave.

Krystal snapped her fingers and vanished.

EB said, “That guy is really nice. Like, super nice, and his tech is soooo cool. I just downloaded this game that…”

“Not now.” Nova walked toward his office.

Chase said, “What’s bothering him?”

EB casually said, “Nova’s always had a keen eye and great judgement for sniffing out the big bad guys. A handsome, smiling face is not enough mask to protect them from Nova’s famous scrutiny. He was ready to not trust this Dr. Chorad, but is finding… for once… his skeptical mind might be wrong. Having to apologize to someone he suspects is probably really, really sticking in his craw. But this wouldn’t be the first time. There was this one time, back when we were traveling with Captain Cook that… “ EB continued telling his stories while Chase led him back out of the room.

A cargo truck rumbled down a long, flat road in the middle of the night. The driver, wearing a BADGE maintenance uniform, worked hard not to fall asleep.

“Breaker, breaker, this is Big Weasel. Come in.” His comm unit activated.

He grabbed it and said, “This isn’t a CB radio. Stop calling yourself that.”

“Hey, we have the most boring BADGE assignment on the planet. Run supplies to Purg Pen every day from Perth. I gotta find my fun somewhere.”

“Okay, Big Weasel, why did you contact me? I just left Purgatory Pen. I got another hour before I make the city limits.”

“Oh, there was a sighting of some of the space debris falling near you. I was hoping you saw it. Might make the drive a little more interesting.”

“I... wait, I do see something. There is a fire burning and a big plume of smoke in the distance. That’s gotta be it. Nothing else out here to burn.”

“Nice. I...a....ch....a...” The signal rattled and faded.

“Big Weasel, you’re breaking up.” Nothing. “Hey, Bob! What’s the matter with this... WHAT THE HELL!”

He ran the truck right into a giant robot. It turned and powerful laser beams from its eyes were the last thing he ever saw.

Chapter 12:

Nova walked out in front of the screen of the theater on the station. Several dozen people, who had been assessed over the past few weeks, sat in front of him. David was in the front row.

“Hello, again. I’m glad to say that the assessment phase is now completed. Each of you has decided on your future plans and I wish you the best. I wanted to personally apologize for the extreme conditions recently. However, you all got a full education of what it is like to be a hero, a BADGE agent, and a member of ATLAS. I couldn’t have planned a better demonstration of all those facets. However, I would never have put you in that kind of danger on purpose. I thank you for your calmness and ability to follow directions clearly. Now, those of you who have joined ATLAS, you will follow Arx to the ATLAS area where he will begin you orientation and hand out your class assignments. Those who have joined BADGE as a hero recruit, Agent Justin will lead you to a classroom for your orientation. All others who have decided not to accept our offer will be taken by Dr. Henderson to the laboratory section of the station. She will guide you in understanding how to control your powers while you live a normal life on earth. Again, thank you.”

David clapped along with the others and then watched the room break up into sections. The number of people who joined ATLAS surprised him. Before he could find his group, Red Fury walked up to him.

“I understand you made your choice?”

“I did, sir.”

Red Fury rubbed the back of his neck with one of his four arms. “Sorry to hear you’re leaving. You have real hero potential.”

“Why would you say that?”

“I saw how you instinctively helped the old lady during the crisis.”

“I just made sure she got to the bay. That wasn’t superhero stuff. I hardly used my new powers. I could have carried her before I got super strong.”

“Look, being a hero isn’t about having powers, it’s about doing what is right instead of what is easy. You saw a person at risk and you instantly did the right thing.”

“I guess. But, after that crisis, I realized I was not ready for this life.”

“No one is. Training, practice, and experience make us all seem ready for anything. But even I get a knot in my stomach when there’s a class ten distress signal.”

“Really?”

“Sure, I ain’t made of ice. I know how to feel fear.” Fury put two hands on David’s shoulders, “Just know, suppressing your powers isn’t permanent. If you decide to give this a try, BADGE will take your call. I know you can be an asset to us and the world.”

“I... I will think about that. Thanks.”

“Good luck.”

Nova walked over at that moment, “Son, you need to...“ His comm activated and EB yelled through it.

“NOVA, WE GOT PROBLEMS!”

“Sorry,” Nova said and walked away. “What is it?”

David looked back, unsure what to think of Director Nova looking uncertain. A kind woman approached, “Ah, David, good. Come with me.” He knew her. She gave him a complete physical when he arrived as part of his assessment.

Nova stepped into the Operations room with Gar and Justin standing in command while EB hopped up and down near Nova.

“I told you this would happen. We should’a blown that ship up the moment we saw it. Then again, it probably wouldn’t have blown up too easy. Whatever. You see! You see! A Legion Deathbot!”

Looking at the main monitors, Nova saw an ancient robot standing outside of Purgatory Penitentiary.

“I haven’t seen one of those in centuries.” Nova whispered.

Justin asked, “What is it?”

“A LEGION DEATHBOT!” EB bellowed.

Nova said, “EB is right. That is a robot from Legion. At least, back when Legion sent those things in to pre-test a world. They stopped that practice eons ago. It looks damaged.”

Justin said, “Our sensors show it has suffered damage from the crash. And it appears to be... rusted. I didn’t think Legion tech could rust, but this one is in terrible shape.”

“My guess is that this robot is at least a thousand years old. It can’t be in good condition. What is it doing?”

Gar said, “Talking to the prison.”

“What?”

Justin clicked a button and a monitoring station outside the prison let them hear the deep, metallic sounding voice saying, “I represent Legion. There are powerful people within the walls of this stronghold. Send them to be challenged or pay the price. I represent Legion. There are powerful...” Justin cut it off.

“It has been repeating that for five hours.”

“Why weren’t we notified five hours ago?” Nova asked.

“Interference from the wrecked piece of the ship near the prison. As it cooled down, their signals got through. But, so far, it has done no damage.”

“It will,” Nova said. “Tell Purgatory to enable the diffusion shields.”

Justin sent out the message.

Gar asked, “What are the diffusion shields?”

“They block sensors from reading inside the prison. We normally don’t need to use them, only when someone is searching for a secret prisoner. Its purpose is to seek the strongest people and attack them. It is reading the villains inside purgatory pen. If we block that, then it might stop sensing them and head back for its ship.”

EB happily added, “Which is in a billion atoms right now, so it will be lost and confused. Easy target!”

“My thoughts exactly.”

Justin said, “Purgatory Pen has responded. They have activated diffusion shields.”

Everyone watched the screen as the robot continued challenging the prison. The energy barrier around the prison changed to a bluish color. The robot stopped moving for a moment, its eyes changed to green, and it turned and walked away.

“Got you.” Nova whispered.

“WOOT!” EB hopped around the room. “That deathbot’s brain is now scrambled eggs.”

Justin asked, “What do we do now?”

“Now, its systems will search for the ship’s communication signal, which doesn’t exist. Until it contacts the ship, it will continue to search. Send some heroes down to assess it and take it out if possible.”

EB asked, "Won't it detect heroes if we send them down? I want it blown up, but those deathbots were really, really nasty pieces of work."

Nova answered, "Now that we have confused its initial search for an opponent, the computer should be searching for a new signal to give it another command. Since there are no Legion signals on Earth, it won't get the command. So, it won't be searching for opponents any longer."

“Don’t you want to alert Perth?” Gar asked.

Nova said, “No. This is no longer a viable threat. We scared the world with a class ten warning. I don’t want to rattle frayed nerves this soon. Just tell our team to be discreet and find a way to either destroy or at least deactivate that robot.”

“On it.” Justin pressed his comm and started handing out orders.

Nova said, “I’m ready to turn in for the night.”

“Me too.” EB hopped along with him. “I could use a good, stiff drink after these past few days. I’m think’n a double thick hot chocolate with loads of marshmallows. You?”

“A bed and a good book.” Nova walked into the lift with EB.

David sat in the passenger seat of a BADGE shuttle as it zoomed toward the planet. He leaned over slightly to get a better view out the front window. This was likely his last chance to be in space, and he wanted to enjoy the experience. Around him sat four other heroes.

“So, you heading back home?” A woman asked.

“Yeah. But I’m still thinking about joining.” He was hesitant to admit this.

She gave him a friendly smack in the shoulder. “Don’t feel blue about struggling. It’s a big choice. We all gave it loads of thought.”

“Sure. But I’m one of only three that gave up on the chances. And the other two are both over eighty.”

“We all lead our own lives how we want.”

He wanted to change the subject. “Why are you heading down? Joining a league?”

She said, “No. Brevis, Kal, Jolt, and I are working with Captain Aqua. He’s our instructor. We have a field assignment to deal with some broken robot. Nothing special. We get a trip to Australia out of it, so that’s nice.”

A man in a blue spandex suit with a flowing cape stood in the aisle. “Okay, people. This shouldn’t be a big job. But, this robot is old Legion Tech, so it won’t be a walk in the park either. Reports are that its systems are confused, and it is meandering. If all goes well, we can knock it down and shut it off before dinner. Questions?”

David said, “Are we going to stop by Detroit before we get to Australia?”

“Oh, sorry. No, we’re going to be dropped off first. Then, the pilot will take you home. Sorry about the big detour. We only had a few shuttles that didn’t need repair after the explosion in space damaged their systems.”

“No problem.” David sat back, wondering when he would get home.

“Sir, we have an issue.” The pilot announced.

“What?”

“The robot appears to be heading into Perth.”

“What? Has BADGE seen this?”

The pilot punched in a command and got nothing but a strange buzzing sound. “I can’t get BADGE.”

Jolt looked at a device on his suit and said, “No, this isn’t good. There is a powerful jamming signal coming up from the planet.”

Captain Aqua said, “Legion always enjoyed killing communications.”

“Should we return to the station?” The pilot asked.

“No, this could be a real danger. Sorry, people, this looks like it’s going to be a bigger fight than I thought. Get us to that robot and then get back to the station.”

“Understood.”

Chapter 13:

David watched the other heroes ready themselves for a fight as the shuttle swiftly sped toward Perth, Australia. His heart raced, and he wasn’t even joining them.

As the hero walked by, David stopped Captain Aqua and asked, “Will you send me back to the station? I…” The shuttled rocked hard with systems flashing and sparking.

“We’re under fire!” The pilot yelled over the buzzing systems.

Smoke filled the cabin from an electrical fire as the shuttle’s systems tried to fight it.

One of the other heroes jumped into the co-pilot’s seat and held onto the secondary controls. “Why is it looking for us? I thought it wasn’t even supposed to be hunting heroes?”

The pilot sprayed fire extinguisher on part of his panel. “I don’t know. It even saw through our cloak.”

“I don’t know. INCOMING!” The hero drove the shuttle to the right and then the left as bright red beams shot from the surface at them.

David held back a scream when one beam cut right through the floor, pierced the ceiling, and almost cut his foot off. A siren buzzed as the shuttle spun out of control.

“Warning, warning, navigation systems off-line. Warning...” The computer announced.

David held his seat and felt the safety belt pressing into him, keeping him from being slammed against every part of the interior. When the shuttle was hit again and part of the aft section exploded, a girl jumped out of her seat and rolled across the floor. Once she was on the floor, she slapped both hands against the surface and a white hazy energy burst out from her and the shuttle slowed down. She gripped the floor with her hands, straining every muscle.

“This isn’t gonna be a soft landing!” She said just as they hit a road in Perth, skidding down through town. Sliding to the side, the shuttle finally came to a stop, and the girl let go of the floor.

“Good work, Sue. That was quick thinking.” Captain Aqua said and then asked, “Is everyone okay?”

The trainee heroes and pilot were fine. David controlled his urge to vomit and then gave a thumbs up.

The pilot ripped off his safety belt and said, “Get out. The power systems are about to blow.”

“Move, people!” Captain Aqua yelled.

David saw two people yanking on the door, but it was damaged and couldn’t be opened. “Here, let me!” He balled his fists together and swung. With a hard slam, the door flew off the side of the shuttle and hit a nearby building.

Everyone ran from the shuttle, heading down a long, empty street in the middle of the night. Captain Aqua quickly used his own powers to summon a thick orb of water to surround the shuttle. It exploded, but the water cushioned the eruption and protected them and the nearby structures.

“Well, there goes our ride home,” One trainee muttered.

The pilot clicked his comm. “Damn, I can’t get BADGE.”

“I can’t get anyone. This dampening field is blocking all comms, even local.” Captain Aqua stated.

A police care raced up to them, sirens going strong. The moment it stopped, a man jumped out with a gun. “Stand down!”

“What? No, we are with BADGE.” The Pilot said.

Captain Aqua approached, his hands held up. “Sorry, officer. We did not mean to alarm you.”

“You didn’t alarm us. We have the city on lock-down. There is a dangerous robot coming in and we cannot call out for help.”

“We’re here to stop it. Apparently, it’s sending out a jamming signal. We can’t call BADGE for backup.”

The officer clicked his walkie on his shoulder, which made a fuzzy whine. “We can’t talk to anyone.”

“We need to find this robot and put it down.” Captain Aqua said.

“Last report I heard, it was heading for King’s Park,” the officer said.

“Okay, trainees, spread out in pairs and head in different directions, but focus on getting to King’s Park. Mr. David, you go with the officer...”

“No, I’ll go with a trainee and help. You have an odd number. I’ll make it even.”

Aqua thought for a second, then said, “Fine. We need all the help we can get. Go with Sue. No one engages the robot until we can ambush it together. This may be ancient tech, but it is still Legion tech. If you find it, use a holoflare to notify the rest of us. Now, move.”

David joined the girl who saved the shuttle and ran down a street toward another road. The officer gave each group directions, based on different ways to get to King’s Park. Their GPS systems on their BADGE comms or cell phones were completely useless, while the dampening field was in place.

After going down several roads and through some alleys, they both heard a distinctive stomping sound.

“I think we’re getting close to it,” Sue said.

David paused and closed his eyes. “It’s walking that way, I think.”

“Good.” Sue ran ahead of him and rounded a corner.

The moment she did, both nearly were under the foot of the stomping robot. David grabbed her arm and swung her back around him into the alley.

Sue said, “I think we found it.” Pressing a button on her BADGE comm, she aimed it upward and a small ball of red light shot into the air.

“What is that?”

“Standard issue BADGE comm unit. It has a holoflare built into it. Plasma point light.”

“Nice.”

Someone yelled, “GET OUT OF MY CITY!”

David looked around the corner. “Aw, crap. Idiot!”

Sue joined him and saw a young man with a metal baseball bat running at the robot. “DON’T ATTACK IT!” she yelled, but it was too late.

The boy slugged the leg of the giant robot with the bat and then fell over from the repercussion.

The robot stated, “Weaklings will be destroyed.”

“Oh, hell.” David ran around the corner and grabbed a man-hole cover in a swift grab. He flung it with all his might, and discus training in college. The heavy metal cover hit the robot just as it shot a red laser to obliterate the boy. The laser, instead, blasted through a brick wall of a building.

“Challenger, prepare to fight.” The robot slowly turned to attack David.

Sue ran past David with her hand on the side of a car. It was hovering in the air under her unique power. With one throw of her arm, the car flew at the robot and crashed directly into its chest. It staggered backward and nearly fell over. “Run, kid!” she yelled.

The boy scrambled to his feet and rushed away down a dark alley.

“What do we do now?” David asked.

Sue smiled. “It wants a challenge, then let it chase us down. Come on, to King’s Park.” She ran hard.

David ripped a concrete parking pillar out of the ground and lobbed it at the robot, hitting it in the leg and causing it to fall over. It was enough to give them time. He followed Sue as fast as he could, passing the disabled monster and rushing toward the open park at the end of this street.

A red laser beam blasted beside them and the road exploded in an eruption of asphalt.

“Crap, crap, crap! It’s targeting us,” David said and started moving in a less direct run.

Sun ducked as a beam went right over their heads. “Good thing its aim is garbage.”

“Yeah, but it only takes one hit.”

“The park!” Sue yelled as they exited the into the grassy park space.

A red blast of energy went right between them and contacted a tree. The old tree exploded from the inside, sending flaming wood showering down over the area.

David stopped in the grass and looked around. “I got nothing to throw and I’m sure as hell not going to fight that in hand to hand.”

Sue ducked as another laser beam sped toward her. She barely avoided death, but then the ground behind her exploded, thrusting her forward. David could see blood and wounds all over her. Grabbing her up, he ran as hard.

“Where are those other heroes?” He muttered.

Ahead of him was one of those Ren Tech spheres. He hid behind it, Sue in his arms. “This thing will not protect us for long. Where are those trainees?”

Chapter 14:

David’s heart throbbed as sweat poured down his face. Sue lay on the ground near him, out cold. He wasn’t sure of the extent of her injury. But that mattered little if this robot got to them. It was just a few feet away. Only this strange sphere from Ren Tech stood between them. Yet, something was off. There were no more heavy footsteps, and the blasting beams coming from the robot were gone.

“Okay, I have to check.” He carefully bent down and looked under the sphere. To his shock, he saw the feet of the robot standing on the other side. It was facing them, or really it was facing the sphere. But it was completely still. “What the hell is that thing doing?” Hoping it was out of power and had simply stopped moving, David leaned around the side and see if its glowing eyes were dark.

The moment he stepped to the side, the robot turned its head, and those eyes lit up. Before he could move, or it could fire, a giant wave of water crashed into it and sent the robot sprawling across the park. The moment it stopped rolling in the water, its eyes emitted the beams and sent two red lasers harmlessly into the sky.

Captain Aqua landed near them, having ridden a wave across the ground. “Are you okay?”

“Sue is hurt.”

Jolt ran over to them. “No time for conversation. It’s getting up!” He ran to the side and thrust his hands up. An electro-static barrier formed in the air that met the lasers from the eyes. The shield exploded, but stopped the lasers.

Aqua yelled, “Get her outta here! We’ll take care of this!”

“On it.” David scooped Sue up into his arms and ran.

An enormous wolf ran by with a man riding its back. Kal, a metamorph, carried Brevis, who held out two sabers made of pure energy. “CRY HAVOC! AND LET SLIP THE DOGS OF WAR!” Brevis bellowed as he jumped off the giant wolf and flipped over the Robot, slicing at its left arm with his blades. Brevis cut the arm of the robot clean from the shoulder and it crashed to the ground.

Undeterred by the loss of a limb, the robot spun around, swinging its remaining arm. It nailed Brevis before he could reach the ground and he flew across the park and crashed into a pond. The wolf got to the robot, only to be kneed in the chin and then slammed in the head with the left arm.

“TAKE THIS!” Jolt sent out a bolt of electricity that ripped a metal lamp post from the nearby street and flung it at the robot. The pole made contact with the face of the robot and it staggered backward, falling down a hill toward the ocean.

David paused in his retreat, hoping the battle was finally over. Aqua ran to help Brevis while Kal and Jolt waited to see as well. Then the robot’s head appeared as it walked back up the hill. Jolt and Kal were both about to attack when the robot released a bright green beam of energy from its face. It didn’t target any one person. It sprayed the surrounding ground with unrelenting power. Sod, dirt, trees, rocks, and heroes went flying every which way. Fires exploded up from areas and smoke mixed with dust clouded the park.

“Sweet Jesus! That thing is going to destroy everyone,” David whispered.

A weak voice in his arms said, “You have to stop it. The city is in danger.”

David looked down at Sue and said, “But I’m not a hero.”

“You can be, just this once. Please.”

The ominous stomping of that monster roared around him as the park turned to ruin. He was the last hero standing. He gently put Sue down and bolstered himself with a primal scream as he rushed toward his enemy. More bright green beams hit the park in other areas as it went to level every inch of goodness nearby.

Grabbing the lamppost on the ground, David muscled up his morphonic strength and got right up to the robot. “HEY, YOU RUST BUCKET. LET’S PLAY SOME BASEBALL!” He swung and hit it in the side. It staggered and then turned to fight. Before it could respond, he swung again, and again, and again. He slammed it left and right. Crunching through ancient metal and breaking free its armor.

The robot leaned forward and blasted a laser beam at him. He jumped out of the way, but the explosion rolled both him and his improvised weapon across the ground.

“Challengers defeated. Annihilating unworthy opponents.” The robot said as it turned to finish him.

“Not yet!” David grabbed the post and thrust it straight forward with every ounce of effort possible. The post pierced the robot in the chest and sent it crashing backward. On the other side of the post, now free of the robot’s body, was a green glowing energy generator. The robot was now completely off line.

“Challenger defeated!” David yelled at it.

Five BADGE shuttles surrounded the battle zone in King’s Park. Medics helped the injured while investigative teams checked the robots’ remains and the damage done. One group walked around, registering the radiation levels. Torrik and Krystal Fae were already working to restore the park where they could.

Director Nova walked up to David, who sat on a park bench with Dr. Henderson looking him over.

“Captain Aqua tells me you stepped up willingly.”

“I saw a need and did what I could.”

Nova smiled, “Like a genuine hero.”

Dr. Henderson closed her sensor device and said, “I understand the mayor of Perth wants to award you a medal?”

“Yes. But, I turned it down. I don’t want to be on the news and get big awards. I just want to go home.”

“So, you still want to turn down our offer to help train you to be a hero?” Nova said.

“Look, I wish I could be a hero. And I rather enjoyed using my new powers. But, to be honest, I was absolutely terrified.

Nova said, “You have the right to your choice and I won’t stand in your way. But, understand something. Heroes don’t lack fear, they simply choose courage over fear. You chose courage today and saved a lot of lives, including all the heroes around you.”

David said, “I’ll think about what you’ve said. But I still want to head home.”

“You have our number. Contact us if you change your mind. Now, head for shuttle Five. It’ll take you home and set you up with the morphonic suppression system.”

“Got it.” David stood, shook Nova’s hand, and left.

Dr. Henderson said, “That boy has the makings of a great hero.”

“I know. And I wager he’ll figure that out soon enough. Now, onto other matters. What happened here?”

Dr. Henderson walked with him toward the center of the area, which was where the Ren Tech Sphere hovered. “We have reports from David, Aqua, and Jolt. They all saw this robot stomp its way into this park and then simply stop and stare at this sphere.”

“Any idea why?”

“You got me. These spheres still defy our ability to scan them. My sensors all say it is a giant, floating lump of metal. That’s all.”

“I don’t like this. I want these things studied.”

Dr. Henderson said, “The moment we touch them, BADGE will be in court.”

“And we wouldn’t have much of a case since there seems to be nothing wrong with them.”

“We would lose international support and, once again, our PR would be tanking.”

“I hate social politics,” Nova grumbled.

“I know. However, we occasionally require them to maintain our work.”

Nova pointed at the sphere. “Use everything you can within the law. I want information about these things.”

“I’ll try.”

David returned to his apartment in Detroit. Life seemed so much simpler now. Detroit was never a quiet place, but tonight, it feel utterly silent. It wasn’t. In fact, it was normal. But, life has been so chaotic recently, it put this into a whole new perspective.

“Where are you?” His cat had gotten out the moment he returned. She was running around in the park by his house.

Rounding a corner, he stopped when he saw one of those silver spheres hovering. It had appeared while he was away, so this was completely new to him. It intrigued him. The world didn’t know how much these things frustrated BADGE, but he was fully aware.

Walking up to it, he could see his warped reflection on the curved surface. It was so smooth, shiny, and silent. It hovered effortlessly above the ground. He paused as he looked at the small patch stuck to the side of his neck. It was the one item he had to wear that made the morphon suppressor work. He touched it with his finger, looking at it through the reflection.

“I guess this will be a part of my life from now on,” He said.

A beeping noise came from inside the sphere. That turned to a humming.

“Weird.” He leaned in closer. Dr. Henderson had told him that the spheres were oddly silent, giving off nothing to study. “Maybe I should call them and let them know.” He turned to go back to his apartment.

A bright light appeared behind him and his body lurched under some invisible force. His feet left the ground and his body flew backwards. For a moment, he was in nothing but darkness. Piercing pain flooded his body and oozy liquid filled the surrounding space. He screamed, he flailed his arms and legs, but to no avail. Soon, he succumb to the darkness and the world fell away.

TO BE CONTINUED... 

Chapter 1:

Nova walked down from his office to the main floor of Operations. A steaming cup of coffee in one hand and almost a smile on his face. Gar was on duty, watching over the station through the night.

“All quiet,” Gar stated.

Nova took a sip of his coffee and then asked, “Has Agent Justin reported in?”

“He has not. He isn’t due to report for another hour.”

“Good. When he...”

Robot 10915 said, “Communication from Agent Justin, emergency line one.”

“Put him through.” Nova turned back to the screen.

Justin appeared. "Nova, good. We have a situation."

“What is it? Don’t tell me the tear in space is open again?”

“No. I was inspecting the area and found nothing out of the ordinary. Lady Echidna is soundly bound deep. However, using these new spectral sensors, I picked up another tear in space.”

“Where?”

“It’s in the station, or I should say the station is passing through where the tear is showing up. If I am reading this right, it should be on Deck M.”

“The Mess Hall?” Nova frowned.

“Yes.”

“Get back here, now. I want that sensor on this station. Meet me on Deck M as soon as you get back.”

“Aye, sir.”

Nova turned to Gar, “You have Operations. I will head down to see what the hell this is.”

The Mess Hall was noisy as usual. BADGE officers, heroes, and a few trainees were having breakfast. A robot tried desperately to manage a few younger children who had super powers. It was so uncommon to see Nova around here that most people stopped to look at him as he passed their tables.

Arx walked up, holding a large cappuccino. “Sir, is something wrong?”

“Yes. Have you noticed anything... unusual today?”

“EB made another pass at Chase and she didn’t threaten to neuter him.”

“This is serious.”

“Sorry. No, nothing to report.”

EB ran in from a hallway and looked around. He seemed to look for something.

“EB?” Nova and Arx walked over to him.

“Oh, hey buddy.”

“Don’t tell me you heard what I said? You were in the training room.” Arx replied.

“I’m sensing something is wrong. There is something happening in here.” He looked around for a moment.

Everyone noticed a blue flashing light from inside the arboretum.

“That has to be it.” Nova left them and hurried toward the entrance.

Arx and EB followed. EB said, “And, I heard you. Hello, bunny ears!” He pointed at his head.

“Oh, sorry.”

They left the metal station for the grassy sprawling park of the arboretum. In the middle of the open grounds, a flickering blue light appeared in the middle of the air.

“What is that?” Arx asked.

EB said, “That feels like a rip in space.”

“Good senses,” Nova examined it from afar. “That’s precisely what it is. And I don’t like it being here.”

“How did it get here?”

“I can explain, at least some of that.” Justin walked up with a bulky scanner in his hands. “The top layer of space has had extreme stress from the gravimetric distortion of the recent tear from Lady Echidna. Subsequent gravitational waves have caused instability in the event horizon of the original rupture. That has led to further instability across the area. Influx of verteron particles have condensed the disturbance into a compressed anomaly, which has created another tear, which is becoming increasingly unstable.”

EB clapped, “Wow, that was pretty good. Nice analysis.”

Arx said, “All I heard were a lot of big science words.”

EB said, “What it all means is that the big hole that Lady Echidna ripped has caused some problems, and they all came together to create this. Which is another hole in space.”

“Oh... wait, how did you know that?”

EB scoffed, “I was traveling in starships and learning about space before Galileo was born. I’m technically a space alien.”

Nova said, “What I want to know is how we close this. I don’t want another gateway for god knows what. We barely survived Lady Echidna.”

Justin said, “I don’t know, sir. The last tear took Midgard to close and he... sacrificed himself to make that possible.”

Nova looked at Arx. “Get your ATLAS teams ready for this. We might have an invasion or something worse. EB, I want this station evacuated and locked down. Justin, have Dr. Henderson and all the other scientists looking at the data and find answers. MOVE!”

A blue hand reached over and held a glass of wine in front of Nova’s face. Strange Quark said, “Cool it, you’re gonna burst a blood vessel. Have some of this. It’s a good year.”

“Quark! Where in the world did you come from?”

“I was minding my own business, being a duck, swimming in a pool filled with whiskey... fantastic stuff at that, then I suddenly felt this disturbance in the space force.”

“Can you provide answers?”

Quark walked up to the disturbance. He peered at it, then paced around it, and finally walked right through it. For a moment, Quark split into five different-colored Quarks...one even had white feathers covering him. They looked at one another and waved, then he stepped back out and his doppelgangers vanished.

“What you have here is a tear in the spectral lens.”

“The what?” Justin asked.

“There are different universes spread across the quantum continuum. We are but one of them. Keeping them apart is a force that is hard to define. Let’s just say it keeps us from seeing each other. However, the rip in space and all the mess out there has created a fracture in that barrier. Now, we have a glimpse into the multiverse. It really isn’t that dangerous, though if it keeps expanding it will wipe out all existence on Earth.”

EB said, “Not dangerous, but it could kill everyone! That makes little sense.”

“Okay, so here’s the deal. If we contain it, give it a frame so it will have a boundary. It will stop expanding and settle.”

“Can we make it go away?” Nova asked.

“Nope. This is one tear that will stay. It might fade and disappear for a while, but it will show back up.”

Justin asked, “How do we contain it?”

“Create a gateway to put it in, one that is lined with anti-matter. Anti-Matter cannot cross into other universes, and other universes cannot cross it. So, it will contain it permanently.”

“Can we do that?” Nova asked.

Justin nodded. “I think so. But we’ll have to work fast. This thing is expanding as we stand here.”

“Then move!”

Several hours later, a team of robots walked into the Arboretum with a large archway. They set it up near the larger tear and slowly moved toward it.

“Nice and easy, boys. That’s our only gateway.” Quark said.

Nova, Arx, EB, Chase, and Gar watched from a distance.

“Are your teeth chattering? Mine are.” EB asked.

“Don’t fret. This will work,” Gar said.

“We hope so,” Chase added.

EB said, “If this is the last of our time, and all this universe is about to be eaten by that portal, I just want to ask for one thing.”

“No.” Chase said.

“Just one kiss?”

“No.”

Bright flashes of blue light flickered for a moment. Everyone put their hand up to their eyes and even Nova looked a little worried. However, the light stopped and turned to a gentle glow as the tear filled this archway and became stable.

“There you go.” Quark said.

Nova walked in, a little caution to his gait. “Are you sure this is good?”

Quark knocked on the side. “It’s firmly in place. You can even move this arch and take the tear with you.”

“Good, I don’t want this in the middle of the arboretum.”

“Can we go through that and check out other universes?” Arx asked.

Quark said, “Yes,... and no. If you step into another universe, you will step into another version of yourself. You will know who you are, but you won’t be the same. Once you return here, you will assume you original form. Does that make sense?”

Chase said, “Hardly anything with you makes much sense.”

“That’s the best compliment I’ve received in ages.”

Nova said, “Okay, Justin, find a suitable place for this and keep it under constant monitoring. We will consider the best use of it. Until then, the arboretum is off-limits.”

“Got it.”

Everyone walked out to get back to their normal duties, and Justin explored sections of the station, searching for the right location.

Hours later, as the station orbited the dark side of Earth, the Arboretum basked in the bluish glow of the portal. There was a flickering, and a hand came through and gripped the side, pulling the person into this universe with a great thrust. Mostly made of energy, the being sniffed the air and then said, “So, I am dead here. Good. I can be anyone I want.” The glowing person melted away, the energy passing through the decks and flying toward the Earth.

Chapter 1:

 Nova stood outside the entrance to the Temple of Lady Echidna. They were currently in tall mountains where even he was uncertain of their actual location. In the far distance, the sun rose in the sky.

Wispy shadow circled around him as Lady Echidna stepped close, her elegant dress giving off tendrils of darkness. “Such a glorious sunrise,” she mused.

Nova asked, “Is it just me, or is the light from the sun. . . diminished?”

She laughed in her throat and brushed her gloved hand against his face. “The time is almost upon us. The light will fail and darkness will reign. My shadow will march across the face of this Earth.”

“BADGE won’t take it laying down.”

“Of course they won’t. But, we gave a little time of peace, and they will be anxious and grow unsure of themselves. However, that time is almost up. Come, there is much to discuss. I have questions for you.”

***

The rolling hills and deep valleys of Norway basked in the glorious blue skies with fluffy white clouds casting shadows across the well-tilled ground. Farmers drove their equipment out of the field, parking in the ruins of what was once a sturdy barn.

Torrik walked with Gar along the side of the field, looking at the recent work. Gar asked, “Are you sure this will work?”

Torrik waved his hand at Gar in a dismissive act. “This is child’s play. Kids in my world, at least nature mages like me, learn this kind of magic early on.”

A farmer in well-worn clothing approached with a nicely dressed woman. The woman, with a small name-tag on her jacket, greeted them. “Glad you could make it. Are you the superhero BADGE sent for this operation?”

Torrik took her hand and held it for a second and then let go. He 

still hadn’t fully grasped the shaking of hands as per human custom. “I’m not a superhero. I’m a Satyr. But, yes, BADGE sent me to help.”

“We’re so glad to have your service. The recent conflict in the ocean with Midgard has left much of our farmlands in ruins. Our crops are utterly gone.”

“Yes. That is what I heard. Now, I warn you, magically grown crops are quick and productive, but they don’t have the finer taste of naturally grown produce.”

She asked, “Will it still be nutritious?”

“Yes. It will have the same nutrition.”

She now translated this to the farmer, who did not speak English. He shrugged and then nodded. She smiled at Torrik again. “Please, go ahead.”

Torrik left the group and cracked his knuckles as he surveyed the farmland. “Okay. So, let’s see. This is a root crop. Right. And, no need for pollination, so that should be fine. All right, let’s get this done.” He stamped his hooves, spread out his arms, and then thrust both hands forward. A wave of green energy spread out from him and covered the field. Sprouts of vegetation sprung up and then grew quickly, putting on leaves and even flowers. The rows of raw dirt soon thrived in thick plants that continued to grow. Finally, he clapped his hands together and the exponential growth came to a stop.

Torrik walked over the plants, avoiding stepping on them as he went between the rows. All three observers on the side of the field were in awe of what he had just done.

“There you go. These... what did you call them?”

Gar said, “Potatoes.”

“Ah, yes. The potatoes should be ready to harvest. Good luck.”

The farmer asked the woman something. She asked, “Is it safe?”

“Sure. The magic is done. This is just a normal field of plants now.”

She relayed this to the farmer, and then he became giddy and said something to Torrik. She translated, “He would like to invite you to have dinner with his family, to show his thanks.”

Torrik said, "I can understand him, I can understand all languages." He spoke directly to the farmer, “Thank you, kind sir. But I have several more farms to help today. Just be kind to nature and keep up the good work.”

The farmer bowed his head in thanks as Torrik and Gar left.

While on the way back to the shuttle, Gar asked, “Did they have to plant those potatoes, or could you simply create them with magic?”

“Oh, they have to plant them. I just made them grow faster.”

“But you’ve made plants before out of nothing. You covered half the station with vines when you first arrived.”

Torrik chortled at that. “Yeah, I did. But, those were made of magic. That disappears quickly. Any fruit from a magic plant has no nutrition and will never fill. And magically enhanced growth like I just did doesn’t make the best produce. Real, good, basic growth is the best. But we have a job to help clean up the mess from the battle with Midgard, and feeding the hungry is part of that mission.”

They left the farmlands and flew in the shuttle back to a temporary base camp in the middle of an empty field. BADGE agents and heroes buzzed around it like a beehive. They were not too far away from the area where the battle with Midgard took place. Large helicopters and several flying heroes lifted destroyed parts of the former dock out of the water. Another set of heroes lifted several sunk barges out of the ocean.

Chase carried a tablet in one hand and held her earpiece with the other as she talked. “Yes, I want five more trucks for the South Field operation. No, just the trucks. There is a lot of debris to get to the recycling system. Thanks. Oh, and give Red Fury the news that he can now join the demolition team on the North Sector. They need his four arms to smash through a partially destroyed roadway.” She tapped her earpiece, and the call ended.

Gar approached. “We grew the potatoes!”

Chase checked something on a tablet in her hands and then looked up at Gar. “Good. The prime minister has been asking about food production. Do you have the other farms up and running?” She addressed this question to Torrik.

He shook his head. “We were just heading there now. Remind them I can help with plant growth, but when it comes to animals, I’m not able to do anything to help them grow.”

She checked her tablet again. “It’s a cattle farm, but don’t worry. They just want the grasslands replenished. A massive fire took out most of the grazing lands during the conflict.”

“I can grow grass.”

“Thank you. You aren’t officially part of BADGE, and yet you are doing so much to help.”

“I’m a highly trained warrior and special operative from my world. I spend days and nights hunting criminals and dealing with dark magic problems. However, I trained in nature magic. I rarely get to apply it like this. It’s nice. Besides, a lot of people got hurt.”

Gar said, “I wish I could do more than just be the escort for Torrik.”

“You get your wish. Justin just contacted me and said he needs you back at the station. His team is ready for the dive and he’ll be joining them planet-side. You’ll be in charge of station operations.”

Torrik asked, “Is this the dive that’s going to be going down to the bottom of the ocean?”

Chase signed off on a document and handed it over to an agent. “Yes. In fact, it’ll be the deepest part of the ocean on Earth. The Mariana Trench.”

“Why don’t you go?” Torrik asked Gar. “You’re indestructible. I can sense the magic holding you together. You’re amazingly tough.”

Gar frowned and shook his head. “I will not go in the ocean, ever.”

Chase spoke before Torrik asked ‘the’ question. “He had an extremely bad experience in the ocean. Gar experienced being buried at sea for centuries. Since then, he avoids the water at all costs.”

“Oh, sorry about that.”

Gar said, “It is okay.”

Torrik asked Chase, “Any progress made in finding Lady Echidna’s new location?”

“No. And it has been three months since the battle with Midgard. She’s too quiet.”

“I know she hasn’t made her move on the Great Divide yet. Heroes and defenders are there all the time.”

Chase said, “This Lady Echidna is patient and calculated, which makes her nearly impossible to predict and terribly clever when she does move. I don’t like it.” She quickly tapped her ear piece. “Good. Torrik, your shuttle is ready. Gar take the main shuttle to the station. It is leaving in five minutes.”

They dispersed to their various locations as the clean-up work continued.

Chapter 2:

 Nova stood in the middle of Lady Echidna’s ancient courtroom. Deep carvings covered the stone walls, while a powerful beam of light shone down over Nova, casting sharp shadows. Three points of light broke through that darkness, each planted in the eye socket of a carved beast of myth. A hydra, the Charybdis, and Fenrir. Infamous creatures that spun elaborate nightmares since the earliest recorded fables.

“Why am I standing here?” Nova asked aloud, his voice breaking through the dense quiet of the room.

Lady Echidna graced her throne with the elegance of an empress and the presence of a vampire. She turned her eyes upon him for a moment and then slowly stood up. She walked away from him to a figure seated on the floor, trembling. They were naked, green, and covered in oily scales. Even with their back to him, a pathetic essence exuded. Her hand touching his back made him tremble and even whimper.

“Centuries ago, when I called you my lover, you saw me create the four beasts of my apocalypse.” She spoke to Nova, not the pitiful creature under her hand. I crafted three of them from pure magic and nightmares. I created the visions of humans, stories they themselves crafted out of their own imagination, their fears. World ending monsters of unmitigated power. I wanted to use their nightmares to control them, to dominate them, and to ultimately use them for my purposes. Yet, it was this one, who was not my original creation, that came to me as a power that I could control.” She walked by the green scaled monster and it recoiled.

Nova said, “He found you, challenged you. You were a chance to prove his strength.”

“Yes.” She smiled. “He had the audacity to think I was weaker. But, I proved my skill was not only in sheer strength, but in manipulation, control. I dominated him. Turned him into something new, something I could use. My masterpiece. Through him I would not only weave the end of this world, but the end of Merlin’s creation on the other side of the Great Divide.”

Nova said, “Why are you telling me this? I know this. I was there.”

She came closer to him. “Midgardsormr was my finest weapon ever created. Yet, in the moment of my triumph then, he turned on me. He broke free and joined with you, a treasonous ex-lover, to exile me into the void.”

“That was before. I am devoted to you, and he is devoted to you now that you have filled his mind with your darkness.”

She became quiet again and walked around Nova in that light. Returning to Midgard, she put her hand on him, which made him twitch slightly. “You broke him, stole some of his power so that he would weaken. And, by doing so, my work over him was also weakened. He was freed of my control. Now, though he has returned, he remains weakened. He should have destroyed those heroes and ended BADGE once and for all. Yet, he lost the battle.”

“I had nothing to do with that battle.”

She pointed a gloved hand at him, and Nova grabbed his throat. “You never told me how you restrained his power back then. How you could stop him. Now, he holds back, uses less of what he is. How? Why? Tell me!”

Nova gasped in a breath when she let go. “I do not know. The shadow you placed back in his mind should have reformed him back into what he was before. I can't remember the details of how I did it, but I know I locked it away, and only your darkness could unlock it. You touched his mind again. He should be all yours.”

She looked at him for a long moment and then walked back to her throne. Sitting down, she finally said, “I do not know how much I can trust you.”

“Fenrir, Charybdis, and Hydra, I have brought them all back to you. How much more do I need to do to prove my worth, my faith in you?”

She said, “I want you to do something for me, something that Nova, the honorable leader of BADGE, would never do.”

“Name it.”

Biting her lower lip, she chuckled at him. “I love that tone, that capitulation. The time has come. I have the four powers to harvest, to bring about my greatest form. With it, I will return to Yohan and establish a new empire of dark magic that will spread far beyond that world, covering this and all the other worlds across this universe. But there is something you need to clear away. Go destroy the city of the superhero rejects near the portal in the South Pole.”

“New Meta City?”

“Yes, my love. Do not let them escape. Slaughter every man, woman and child. With the snowlands of the south drenched in the blood of the innocents, at your hand no less, you will have earned my trust.”

Nova did not crack a smile or wrinkle a single frown at this. He merely answered, “The people of New Meta City will be an easy target, but they are defended. BADGE will send considerable forces to stop me. I am not enough to truly contend with them. Unless I tap into my true potential. . . “

“No!” Her voice cracked in the air like a whip snapped at a disobedient horse. “You will not do that. I expect BADGE to respond. I want them to respond. When their dear Director Nova has his hands covered in the blood of those they swore to protect, it will dishearten them. It will weaken their composure and drive them mad. That is when I will arrive.”

Nova casually said, “It will take time. Without my full power, my reach is limited. Perhaps I should take the mercenaries with me.”

“Yes. Bring them all. I want this done quickly. Then, line my path to the portal with the mercenaries so that I have a royal procession when I return.”

“As you wish.” He answered her and then asked, “You will bring the other beasts when you arrive?”

“No, only their shadows. I will absorb the four beasts’ power to become what I was meant to be, a goddess among insects. I will destroy the heroes and walk triumphant into The Great Divide, and I will finally have revenge.” She stood and walked over to him, placing a finger on his chest. “If you are truly devoted to me, then this will be But, if the honorable Director Nova is still in there, he will not be able to do this. I will still arrive, and I will still be triumphant. However, your blood will mix with theirs in the snow. Do not believe it will end any other way. So, prove your love, or prove your treasonous heart, you have no other choices.”

He took her hand and kissed the back of it, then looked her in the eye with a sultry expression. “It will be done.”

***

“Are you sure this will work?” Arx asked as he stood on the side of a BADGE boat in the ocean.

EB finished creating a rather large, colorful egg next to many others. “It will work perfectly. These eggs are enchanted to hold the extra oxygen tanks. So, when the heroes get down there who can survive the extreme pressures, they will have extra oxygen in case of an emergency. I made this egg shell once before. I used it to surround several parts of a nuclear facility that was about to blow. I mean, it was a total wreck. Shoddy workmanship. But, the cold war was a time of bad ideas. I saved half of the world, but got no credit. It did inspire me to make the first true everlasting gobstopper. Don’t believe that dumb movie. I made it first, and it worked. But, then I realized it was a bad idea. Candy that never goes away. REALLY bad for business. And... sorry, rambling again.” He shut up at the look on Justin’s face.

Justin walked over with several heroes. “Thanks for your help, EB. Grimlock, Gravitia, get them down there. We start phase one of this operation now.”

A woman in a purple outfit with a special mask for diving on her face walked around the eggs and touched them. Each shimmered with purple light for a moment, and the boat suddenly tilted to the side. “Better get ‘em in the wata!” She said with a thick Bronx accent.

Grimlock, a burly ten foot tall hero, grabbed up one and pitched it in the water at a special buoy marker. It splashed in and instantly sank. He did this to each of them.

Justin watched the last go down and he turned to the team of heroes gathered on the deck. Some of them had diving masks and oxygen tanks hooked up, while others had scales and appeared to be part fish.

“This mission is crucial. You have to find whatever is down there as soon as possible. You know the risks. Each will be touched by Gravitia and will be able to withstand the intense pressures. Don’t linger, her power only lasts three hours. You get two. Go down, scan with instruments and your senses. Find what you can and return. Two hours. This is the Mariana Trench, not a playground. Go!”

They agreed and went straight to work.

Justin looked at Arx. “Thank you for bringing in your water rescue team. They’re the best suited for this.”

“Most aren’t actual superheroes who fight crime. But they’re damn good at what they do. I hope they find what Nova left for us.”

Justin watched the team dive in. “That is assuming this is a real lead and not just a diversion.”

Chapter 3:

 Mayor Messenger walked through the pristine streets of New Meta City. Homes and businesses lined the roads, with people happily going about their daily lives. A man walked by with a large tank attached to his back with a mask over his face. He wouldn’t survive without a constant supply of toxic gasses, a result of his morphon mutations. However, here he had the chance to thrive without worry. Other equally challenged individuals walked around, who held a smile on their faces and a chipper gait, even with the odds against them.

“Morning, Angelica.” The Mayor walked into the Observation and Control center of New Meta City. Another woman sat in a half tank of water as she worked the computers.

“You seem in a good mood today.” Angelica swished around in her water as she moved between several control stations.

Mayor Messenger looked out the window that oversaw the city below. “This place always makes me happy. A pleasant walk really cheers me up.”

“Looks like it. I might have my boyfriend take me for a stroll today.” She leaned back in the tank and rested her arms on the sides.

“That’s right, Micheal should be by later. He’s done with his work on the roof of the new church on North Street. Why don’t you. . .” A beeping, which no one wanted to hear in this city, alerted her.

Angelica quickly accessed the External Alert System. “EAS is showing several incoming vessels.”

Mayor Messenger looked at the radar and frowned, “Five at once? BADGE never sends that much supplies to us at a single time.”

“Could they be heroes coming in to challenge the Battle Arena inside that portal?”

Messenger checked the new video feed from the portal that led to the Great Divide. “I don’t know. There has been little activity there since the Midgard attack. Everyone is busy cleaning up.”

“Could be done with cleaning up.”

“Only one way to figure this out. Contact the ships and get their clearance. While you’re at it, tell the Security Minister to activate our defenses.” She saw that look on Angelica’s face. “I’m not taking any chances.”

Angelica sent the communications and then gestured to the main comm screen. “You’re live.”

“This is Mayor Messenger of New Meta City. What is your objective in our space?” She waited but only found silence. “I repeat, this is New Meta City. If you do not declare your intentions, we will fire upon you. This airspace is internationally recognized and protected by sophisticated defense systems.” Still silence.

Angelica said, “Minister Po has the security systems online.”

Mayor Messenger huffed, “We just had them installed and haven’t even tested them yet. Hell, I never wanted this place armed like this. Tell him to get them charged and take aim. But hold his fire until I say.”

“Got it.” Angelica quickly typed her message.

Mayor Messenger looked at her screen, which changed from red dots on a computer map to a live feed from cameras. Five armed aircraft were flying over the ocean toward them. “Those look like troop transports, but I don’t see any markings.”

Angelica changed the view at a new angle. “I have something. Look at this!”

Both gasped when the peeled remnants of markings appeared. They read, ‘World Corps’.

“World Corps! Lady Echidna stole those! Red Alert, tell Minister Po to open fire as soon as they are in range! Activate all defense systems and send an emergency distress call to BADGE.”

The red lights and loud sirens filled the inner dome of New Meta City. The peaceful citizens scrambled to designated shelters while security officers rushed through the streets with guns in their hands. Barricades made of the strongest metals on earth rose in the streets to prevent direct assault. The guards took up positions behind the barriers and readied for the attack.

The city thundered with an explosion as something hit the defense barrier outside. Bright red beams of light crashed into the defenses from afar. The metal dome took the blasts, but an explosion echoed from the eastern side as one of their new turrets exploded.

Mayor Messenger watched while the incoming aircraft bombarded them with weapons’ fire. Their new turrets returned fire, but the aircraft dodged the attacks.

“All citizens are sheltered!” Angelica reported.

“Good. Minister Po! Continue to return fire. Take them down!”

The turrets continued to blast the incoming ships. Several hits made it, but the enemy was durable and continued their approach. Finally, one blast sheared off a wing from the side of the craft and it spun out of control and crashed into the snow, plowing a long line toward the city.

“That’s one!” Angelica called out in glee.

Mayor Messenger said, “yes, but four more are behind it and they are almost on us. Get me Justin at BADGE!”

***

Seven miles below the surface of the ocean, five heroes swam the depths. Each had a glow around them, which indicated the power of Gravitia keeping them down here. A man walked along the bottom, his body as black as obsidian. He picked up rocks and moved them, swished aside several strange creatures, and dug his heels through the sand as he searched.

A thick blob of water that was opaque moved by him. It gained color as she took on a human form. She pointed up and then pointed at her wrist like there was a watch on it. He nodded in agreement, but continued looking.

Another woman came walking by with two large tanks in her oversized arms. She planted them in the sand and then took a tube off one and breathed in hard. The obsidian man took a breath from the other. He pointed down and frowned, a question in his eyes. She shook her head with her eyes closed. The answer to his question.

Suddenly, they all saw a glinting white light in the distance. In this dark world, it was a wild sight. They left the tanks to swim toward it.

They found a woman who had transformed into a mermaid. She held a box in her hands. Inside was a long object that emitted a terrific glow. She pulled it out and revealed that it was some kind of scroll case made of a solid white material with gold scrollwork all over it. She pointed to the inside of the lid of the box, which had a symbol on it that few had ever seen. No one around her seemed to understand it. However, this find was far better than anything else they had come across. With a general agreement among them, they all began the arduous process of ascending.

On the deck of the BADGE sea vessel, Arx walked around while looking at his tablet and holding his ear piece. He ran this operation as he did any ATLAS situation. He kept his eyes and ears ready for anything so he could give out commands.

“Alright, mark your positions and return to the ship. You’ve been down long enough.” He marked his map and then waited while he heard something else through his earpiece. “Good. That should cover sector four. I will mark this. Get up here and rest up for next redeployment ASAP, thanks.”

Justin joined him. “Anything?”

Arx gave a comforting smile. “Not yet. But the trench is huge. There is a lot of ground to cover. The coordinates we got were the exact center of the trench, which we have checked over and over. I suspect we were just directed here. If there is something down there, my people will find it.”

“I hope so.”

Arx opened his mouth, but then quickly clicked the side of his ear. “What was that Shelly? Are you sure? Good. Get it up here.”

“What is it?” Justin was quick to ask.

Arx smiled. “They think they found something. But they were at the deepest point. It will take some time for them to get up here safely.”

“Good.” Justin stood as though he were ready to meet them right now.

“Sir, it will take several hours to make the ascent. You haven’t slept for too long. Get some rest. I’ll let you know when they arrive.”

Justin almost argued with that, but then recalled how often he had this very argument with Nova during tense situations. “Fine. A good nap and I’ll be out here. Don’t hesitate to wake me if... oof!”

EB slammed into Justin while he held a tablet in his paws. “JUSTIN, JUSTIN! WE GOT TROUBLE!”

Justin rubbed his stomach. “How many times have I told you not to run around like that?”

“We got a distress call.”

“From who?”

EB held up the tablet. “Dunno. The system went online and then just shut off. Not enough to trace. It’s a BADGE signal.”

Justin looked at the tiny bit of data. “This is bad. This is the max alert signal, but it could be from any of the world leaders who have our communication line, the station, or even New Meta City. Get in touch with the station, make sure it wasn’t them. Then tell them to contact all the known sources and find out who this is. Move!”

EB gave him a little salute. “On it, boss.” And zipped away.

Chapter 4:

 Nova stood in the middle of the deck filled with the finely dressed mercs devoted to Lady Echidna. The ship shook and swerved as it continued the air assault on New Meta Citi’s outer defenses.

“We’ve taken out all but two of their turrets,” the gunner called back as he continued firing.

Nova calmly watched the window in front of the pilot. “I want all the turrets down before we land. Keep firing.”

Another man at the controls said, “Sir, BADGE is attempting to contact the city.”

“We took out the city’s communications array?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good.” Nova walked over to a computer on the wall and held a bar next to it so he could stabilize himself during this air combat. He worked the controls with one hand and redirected the comm signal to them. He replied to BADGE’s request for details, “All is well. Severe arctic storm has damaged our comm system. Will repair soon. All is clear.” With that signal sent, BADGE would assume everything was fine. At least long enough for him to do his job.

“Sir, the last of their turrets is down.”

“Good, take us in for a landing. Tell all the mercenaries to report to sector alpha. We’ll storm the front gate.” Nova tightened his black gloves and straightened his fine suit.

"Sir, should we attack head-on?" asked the soldier.

Nova smiled, “They are no threat to us. These people are weak and truly powerless. It’ll be a one-sided conflict. Just be ready to do as I say. Do not advance until I give the command. Is that understood?”

“Yes, sir.” The merc commander saluted and then barked orders at the others, who filed out the back once the ship nestled into the snow.

Nova calmly walked out, following them. He took no weapon with him, just his fine tailored outfit and a steely gaze in his one good eye.

***

A cool, dark night sky rested in the heaves, the vast ocean of stars reflecting in the waters of the Pacific. Justin stood on the calm deck and observed the incredible view. He lived in the stars on the station, yet seeing them from this place was unspeakably beautiful.

EB just zipped up next to him and was bouncing back and forth on his heels. “Whatcha thinking about?”

Justin let the gentle roll of the ship in the mild currents relax him. “Just how small I truly am. There are so many stars, so many planets. I’m trusted with such responsibility that some days it seems too much to handle. Yet, in the grand scheme of things, I’m nothing.”

“You are far more than nothing,” EB said.

Justin said, “They say there are more stars in all the galaxies than atoms in me. How can I think of myself as anything but a speck on the surface of everything?”

“It was once said that there are a hundred billion galaxies, and in those galaxies, a hundred billion planets capable of sustaining life. That would mean there are potentially trillions upon trillions of living beings out there staring at these stars from all directions. Yet, among all of those trillions upon trillions, there is only one Agent Justin of BADGE. It isn’t how big and powerful you are, it’s that you exist for a reason.”

Justin slowly looked down at the cheerful little bunny. “Where on God’s green Earth did you come up with that wisdom?”

“Someone once told me the same thing. At the end of days, when my homeworld fell to Legion, only a few of us survived. I wanted to die. I wanted to stay there and never leave, dead among the many of my kind who perished. A great leader of our kind begged the survivors to come with him and find a place to live and help, so that one day we might aid this galaxy in ridding itself of Legion. I said I was too small, yet he reminded me that as long as I breathed, I still had a purpose worthy enough for the universe to give me another day. After seven hundred years here, I have had a lot of days to help and I got to watch Legion fall and have helped stop many, many other big bad guys. We all have a purpose. It isn’t about us, it’s about how we affect others.”

“I guess I need to remember that. It has been hard without Nova to guide us. I feel so much smaller now than I did while in his presence.”

EB said, “You’re bigger without him, because you’ve risen to the occasion.”

“Thanks. And this might be the first real, serious conversation we’ve ever had. Where is this coming from?”

EB grinned, “I have my moments. Plus, I haven’t had any coffee for like three days. We ran out on the ship. And. . . what is that?”

They both looked out as a light appeared in the depths of the ocean, slowly rising to the surface. Finally, the team with the small box appeared.

“It’s the third team. I think they have something for us.” Justin got to the edge and lowered a ladder into the waters. He pressed a button on his wrist comm. “We need assistance on deck with team arrival.”

The four heroes climbed the ladder, the first bringing the box with him. The dark, obsidian man got onto the deck and his skin slowly changed from shiny stone colored glass to a normal dark complexion consistent with his Nigerian heritage.

“We found something. Aqua thinks it’s connected to Nova,” Obsidian said.

A woman shaped blob of water walked across the deck and slowly formed back into a person. She had on a small bikini and nothing else. EB smiled at her as she passed him.

“It’s an odd thing to have down that far. It survived such incredible pressures. I can’t imagine it isn’t important.”

The mermaid woman swam toward the ship. flipped up into the air, transformed into a bird, circled for a moment, and landed. She took the form of a human again. “There is a marking on the inside.”

EB hopped over, “Lemme see!”

Justin opened the box and saw the scroll inside. The light in the box was coming from the scroll, which was dazzling. “What is this?”

“I don’t know,” Obsidian answered. “We haven’t opened it yet.”

“That’s Nova’s!” EB called out.

Justin held out the scroll. “You’ve seen this before?”

“No, not that! THIS!” EB jumped up and pointed at the lid.

Justin opened it further, revealing the mark on the inside of the lid. “I’ve seen this before?”

EB said, “Yeah, in every place Nova worked over the centuries, he left that mark. It was his symbol, his way of letting people know he was there. That’s gotta be what he wanted us to find.”

“A. . . scroll? I expected something more. A weapon, or another one of these stones.”

EB hopped around Justin in a continuous circle. “Don’t keep us in suspense. OPEN IT!”

Justin held the end of the scroll and pulled as hard as he could. “I can’t get it open.”

Aqua held her hand out. “Let me try.” She held the scroll case and turned one hand back into water. She wrapped the liquid around the end and did everything she could to open it. After a few moments, she said, “I can’t budge it.”

Obsidian said, “If Aqua can’t open it, no one here can. She’s the strongest of us. Should we wake someone else?”

EB hopped up and nabbed the scroll and looked it over. “Yup. It’s magically sealed. I might be able to open it.”

Justin reached down and took the case back. “Not here. We need to get to the station. This has to be what Nova wanted us to find, and I want to be in a more secure location when we open it. Obviously, Nova sealed it with precision for a reason. I just hope it has the answers we need at this time.”

Chapter 5:

 Nova stood in the snows of Antarctica, looking at the impressive domed New Meta City. A powerful energy shield flickered over it and the metal plating system was fully intact and energized. They were at the top of their defenses. Smoke billowed out of the former turrets that were all destroyed, as well as the communication tower that was now scattered across the ice planes.

The commander of the mercs approached, “Sir, we are showing the energy defenses of New Meta City are currently over-charged. It will take much stronger firepower to disable them. We need to contact Lady Echidna and ask her for help.”

Nova let no emotion slip out of his face as he spent time looking at the city before him. Then he turned and said, “We don’t need her. I’m fully capable of taking this down.”

The commander did not show any confidence in Nova’s statement. “Still, I will contact Lady Echidna about the situation.”

Nova turned on him so suddenly the man nearly fell over. With a swift motion, Nova had the comm unit in his hand and clicked it off. “You will take my orders.”

“Yes, sir.”

Nova dropped the comm unit in the snow and held out his hand. A hilt appeared in his palm and from it grew a strange and beautiful sword that was far larger than most people could hold in one hand. On it flickered energy. “Tell the others to gather and get ready for what comes next.”

“Yes, sir.” The commander turned and gave signals with his hand, leading the others to gather quickly and stand in uniform lines, weapons at the ready. He finished his orders by saying, “The people under this dome are all morphonic in nature, but have not been inoculated against the Anti-Morphon Guns. We will vaporize them on contact. Focus on your firepower, not knives or fists. I want every last man, woman, and child turned to dust as soon as that dome comes down. Is that understood?”

A resounding voice bellowed in unison, “Yes, commander!”

Nova turned and gave the city one last look as he held his sword, ready for the strike.

***

Justin held the box with the scroll inside as he and EB stood on the deck of the BADGE naval vessel. Arx had command and was directing his people while they resurfaced from their mission. A blue portal opened wide and became solid like glass, with the other side showing the Operations center of the station. Strange Quark, holding a martini, waved them through.

Justin and EB stepped through, traveling a great distance in a moment. Both paused and became dizzy. Chase caught Justin while EB flopped on the ground.

EB muttered, “I hate that portaling of yours, Quark. It always messes with my head.”

Quark leaned over and looked at the small bunny. “It works.”

“Yeah, but I always feel like I’m gonna lose my carrots.” He got up and cleared his throat. “But it goes away quickly.”

Gar, standing in the front of the room, asked, “Is that it?”

Justin held up the box. “Yes. Right here. Let’s get into the conference room.”

Everyone gathered in the main meeting room on Level One of the station. Torrik was already inside chatting with Dr. Henderson. Justin walked in and set the box in the middle of the table.

“Glad you could make it.” Justin looked at Torrik.

The Satyr said, “I finished helping replenish the lands for the herders. I could do more. But, I think the land will do fine on its own now. Nature is best left to its own devices.”

Dr. Henderson asked, “Is that what Nova wanted us to find?”

Justin said, “We think so. EB recognizes a symbol on the inside belonging to Nova.”

Chase asked, “What is it?”

Justin opened it and took out the marble scroll case and set it on the table. “This. And, I cannot open it.”

Dr. Henderson punched a few keys on the computer in the room. “Sensors show incredible amounts of arcane energy infused in that. I don’t like these levels. It could be some kind of destructive device.”

EB said, “I don’t think so. Nova wanted us to find this, and he planted it a reeeeealy long time ago. Back before the bitc....uh....Lady Echidna messed him up.”

Gar asked, “What would he hide inside that?”

Justin said, “I don’t know. Torrik, if this is magical, can you open it?”

Torrik put a hand over the scroll case and closed his eyes. “I don’t know. This is old and powerful magic. I haven’t felt anything like this before. I’m a nature mage, not a true wizard. This is advanced magic.”

“Lemme try.” EB hopped up on the table.

“You?” Torrik almost laughed.

EB gave Torrik a smug look. “I’m a lot more than a cute little bunny. Now, stand back and watch.” He put his paws out and sensed the magic. “This is covered in extremely powerful magic. This is like really, really good stuff. So pure. Wow, it kinda feels like Nova. You know, he has this feeling about him that just exudes power. . . and a slightly musty pine scent. I wonder what aftershave he uses. Or does he just smell like a pine forest in the distance? I miss that smell. Wow, that sounded kinda weird. . . “

“EB, focus!” Justin slapped the table.

EB grinned sheepishly. “Sorry. So, okay, lemme see.” He ran his paw over the surface several times and then said something in his magical tongue. Finally, he pulled on the side and the top came off as the light emanating from it died down. “There ya go.”

“How did you do that?” Torrik asked in genuine astonishment.

EB smiled brightly, “Toldja, I’m more than I appear.”

Justin carefully pulled out a rolled up parchment made of thick paper with a gold gilded edge. The silence in the group was palpable. He carefully placed it on the table and unrolled it. A shaking hand betrayed his nervousness right now. As he opened the scroll, the lettering on it appeared and it was a type of ancient hieroglyphic. The symbols beamed a golden hue for a moment and then rearranged themselves.

“What’s happening?” Gar asked.

Torrik said, “That is a language spell. The spell was written in a way that it would translate itself for whoever opened it. This is often used when the author doesn’t expect their writing to be read for a very long time, so long the reader couldn’t possibly translate it on their own.”

Chase asked Justin, “What’s it say?”

Justin was silent as the color drained from his face. His hand holding it open trembled even more. His eyes were glued to the text.

EB quietly asked, “Justin, is it that bad?”

Justin looked up, terror in his eyes. He said nothing, merely turned it around so they could read the text.

Gar read it aloud, “Greetings to whoever you are, I am sorry it has come to this. I am known as Nova. Whatever language that is that you are reading this, the word is New. I was called by another name long ago, but betrayed a sacred oath and split my soul. I sacrificed much for the wisdom to contend against Lady Echidna so that I could spend my eternity in this realm making up for helping her rise to power. However, if you are reading this, then time is almost up for this world and possibly this universe. I write this to warn you to be ready for what comes after this life. The end of time is at hand. The only reason to give up on hope is if Lady Echidna has returned and has obtained all four powers. With them, she will bring the end of days and I will not be able to stop her. My last wish would be to see my old friend Midgard one last time.”

There was a long silence in the room as the words sank in. Fear permeated the air, and hopelessness settled on them.

EB broke the moment by saying, “Now I’m really insulted. I am his BFF, not that snake.”

Justin exploded, “DID YOU NOT JUST LISTEN TO NOVA’S WORDS! IT’S THE F@#%$*& END OF THE WORLD!”

EB’s mouth hung open, possibly at Justin unleashing foul language, but mostly because the truth truly hit him. He meekly whispered, “But it can’t be. Nova has always protected this world from the end.”

Chase reached over and ran her hand over EB’s head, “He isn’t with us. . . not anymore.”

***

Deep in the south, the icy winds blew hard as the mercs waited on their leader to direct them to an easy victory. For a brief moment, Nova looked upward into the sky as though he saw something. However, he returned his gaze to the city before him.

Nova stood with his back to his legion, his sword held out to the side as his body grew brighter and brighter. Wings appeared on his back and his clothing changed. The surrounding winds shifted and swirled, controlled by the awesome power he tapped into.

With one last look up, Nova gave a little smile finally as he observed the dome before him. “This is for you, my lady.”

Chapter 6:

 A silent despair hung in the air of the BADGE conference room. Chase had held the scroll, but her powers didn’t work on it or the box. Torrik thoroughly examined it and determined it was too powerful to be a fake.

Gar asked, “What do we do, Justin? This can’t be the end of the world.”

Justin said, “I don’t know. I’m barely keeping BADGE together through all this. It may be beyond our ability to fight. We don’t even have Midgard to stand up against what she throws at us next.”

Chase said, “I could contact my father. He is powerful and has known Nova for a long time.”

Justin said, “Yes, try Santa. But I am not sure he can do anything about this.”

Dr. Henderson said, “Is this truly the end?”

“It might be. Lady Echidna has all four powers, the three stones and Midgard. I don’t see how we can stop her now. Worst of all, she also has Nova on her side. Even if a small part of him is desperately trying to aid us, I think it’s too late. I think when he wrote this he knew that it would be his last words to the world.”

Torrik quietly said, “I am sorry. I will return to my world and gather forces. Even if it is hopeless, we will make a stand at the Great Divide.”

Gar said, “Gather the heroes. They too would rather go down fighting.”

“No! We will not go down fighting! I won’t give up! I refuse to give up!” EB yelled.

Chase held his back. “Nova has given up. There is little chance.”

EB slapped her hand away and hopped to the middle of the table. He pointed at everyone angrily, “Nova is many things, but he never gives up. That man has faced trials that you have never even imagined. We fought Jinn, TWICE! We rewound time to fix this planet after the first battle. Drocha tried to screw up time itself and we stopped him with TWO Nova. This is not the end, it can’t be and I am ashamed of all of you. . . cept maybe Torrik. . . Nova is our friend and also one of the most brilliant minds this world has ever known. He wouldn’t just leave us an ‘I give up’ letter in the bottom of the deepest trench on Earth. How stupid are you people? Nova left this as a clue and we are sitting around acting like it’s all over!" He shocked the room when he clapped his paws together and a flash of magic grabbed Justin, yanked him halfway across the table and EB now held Justin by an ear. With the angriest face he could muster, EB growled in his ear. “BADGE never gives up on their own, especially on the man who has saved your asses more times than all the heroes on this planet COMBINED!”

After being released, Justin stood up on his feet. He was honestly scared right now. EB never got this mad. “What do you think he hid in this letter?”

EB walked over on the table and looked down at it. “Something is just not right. First, what does he mean about dividing his soul? Also, why did he call Midgard his old friend? Why single our Midgard? They were hardly friendly toward each other.”

Chase said, “This is true. Back during the Fenrir incident, I got to witness the time Nova left the Eye of Fenrir with Midgard. They weren’t friends, more like two people with a mutual interest.”

A warning siren blared, followed by the voice of Strange Quark, “Guys, better get in here. We have something happening near New Meta City.”

Justin hurried out of the room, followed by the others. “I thought we got an all-clear from them.”

Quark, in the command position, pointed at the screen. “Well, it’s not ‘all clear’ now. We have weapons fire and one hell of an energy spike. I have never seen this kind of arcane energy before.”

Chase rushed over to a computer, “Activating the optical sensors, focusing on New Meta City.”

The screen changed from charts and readings to a video feed produced by the station’s observation system. It quickly zoomed down to view the area of New Meta City in Antarctica. The massive domed city was a circle to them from above. A bright white light moved quickly around black dots that fired red beams at it. Four landing craft sat on the ice shelf near them.

“What is that?” Torrik asked.

Quark looked at a sensor reading. “I don’t know. But whatever that bright dot is, it is emitting a power signature that is off our charts.”

Justin said, “Quark, get Gar, Chase, and Torrik down there right now.”

“Right, hold your stomachs!” Quark waved his hand. He vanished, no one else did. He suddenly reappeared and staggered, “What the?” He zapped away again and then reappeared. “Okay, now this is making me dizzy.”

EB said, “Lemme try.” He clapped his paws and vanished, but then reappeared. “Oh, that hurt my head.”

Quark said, “I don’t know how, but that energy signature down there is interfering with my powers.”

Dr. Henderson gasped, “What is that? Blood?”

They saw the snowy white ground near the battle quickly turning red as the black dots scattered across the ground. The bright white light stood in place for a second among the gore and then a wave of light came from it and the four landed craft all exploded.

“Can we get a closer image?” Justin asked.

Robot 10915 answered, “Zooming in, heightening resolution. Maximum imaging on screen.”

They now could see the dismembered bodies of hundreds of soldiers littering the ground, their blood soaking through the snow. The burning wrecks of their ships billowing smoke into the sky. A figure walked away, clad in bright gold and white light. All they could see were wings on his back for a moment, but that faded as the light diminished. Soon, this person merely walked away into the ice fields.

“Who is that?” Torrik asked.

Justin said, “I don’t know.”

“I do.” Chase answered. “I saw that once before, during the fight with Fenrir. When Midgard attacked Nova. He started beaming a bright light. I could hardly look at him, but what tiny glimpse I got was... that. I couldn’t believe what I saw. It looked like some kind of warrior angel.”

“What are you saying?” Justin asked.

A deeper voice answered, “She is saying that she saw Nova’s true form.”

Santa Claus walked out from the lift.

Chase ran over to him. “Father! What are you doing here?”

He hugged her, a sorrowful look on his face. “My dear, I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time. I have dreaded it, but knew it would eventually come to pass.”

Justin asked, “What is it, sir? What do you know?”

“A secret I promised to keep to a man I trusted more than anyone else. A secret that I was only allowed to know because this day would come. Nova is not what you think he is. However, if he is embracing his true form, then the darkest days are upon us. Nova is an Arcblade.”

“I know that,” Torrik said.

Santa nodded. “However, do you know what an Arcblade is?”

“Not really.”

People know them as archangels. His return to his true form is a harbinger of the end of time.”

EB said, “Then, he is on our side! We have a chance!”

“No.” Santa said, “He is incomplete, his power split. This is how she can control him. And how she will defeat him. He doesn’t even fully understand what he is right now.”

***

Lady Echidna stood in the middle of her temple, patiently waiting for news from Nova. The only sound in the room was the whimpering of Midgard in the corner.

With a quick turn, she looked back in horror. “What is this? You unfaithful lover!”

There was a moment of serious confusion and rage in her before she calmed down. “This is how it shall be, then it shall be. Midgard, my precious pet, I am afraid it is time.”

She walked up behind Midgard and reached down, touching his shoulder. He quivered at her hand, but then lurched back and tensed up. His eyes were wide and his mouth open, but soon both closed as the color in him drained. His body slumped over and he fell in a dead heap on the stone floor.

Looking at her gloved hand, she whispered, “I had no choice. I really did enjoy watching you work.”

With that pitiful apology uttered, she strode into the middle of the room and held out her arms. “To me, my precious pets. Give me all that I gave you. Surge in me the power I deserve. The end of days is upon us and I will bring the sun to ruin, the stars shall fall, and this world will mire in darkness as I reclaim my rightful rule in Yohan.” The three eyes exploded and the power from them flooded her body.

Chapter 7:

 NightShadow flew so hard that his body became surrounded by a white haze as he broke the sound barrier several times. He breached the Earth’s atmosphere and zoomed straight into space, passing the BADGE station and currently inactive Orbital Arena.

“This is bad, this is really bad.” He kept say this to himself as he knew the signs were only getting worse.

Soon, he approached a dark hole in the space that flickered with purple tendrils of energy. He paused before it as he observed it fluctuating. Focusing his own powers, he held out his hands and took hold of the anomaly and attempted to seal it. Just then, the light from the sun flashed and then grew dimmer. At the same time, the hole in space expanded. NightShadow tumbled backward in space.

Stabilizing himself, NightShadow spent a moment watching the sun. The light from it fading.

“This is not possible.” He turned and flew hard toward the station.

***

Justin watched the screen where ten news casts were displaying the information as panicked people raged in the streets.

“What is happening? I want information. Sensors, scan the sun!” He pointed at a robot.

“Scan initiating,” the robot announced.

Justin turned back to others, “Chase, take Torrik, Gar, and EB down to the surface. Get to New Meta City and follow Nova. I want you to get to him, talk to him.”

“Don’t try,” Santa said.

Justin glared at him. “We have to try something. He must be reasonable right now. Be able to give us answers.”

Strange Quark said, “Santa is right. What I sense down there is powerful. Something is protecting all of that area. We can’t get close. Portal or shuttle, nothing is going to get near Nova right now.”

Chase said, “That leaves everyone in New Meta City in danger, and we can’t even get in touch with them or send help.”

EB asked, “What is Nova doing?”

Santa answered, “The only reason I can fathom is that he means to fight her. His mind rages for vengeance, fueled by the remaining sense of honor. Something in him knows this is the end of the world. The sad part is that he probably doesn’t even know why. His soul is torn in two and without the other half, he cannot even remember why he fought her before and why he hates her so much now.”

NightShadow appeared in Operations. He staggered for a second and held the side of a console. “I tried. . . I couldn’t stop it.”

“NightShadow?” Justin turned with a shock at the sudden appearance of the hero.

NightShadow said, “I sensed the hole in space changing, growing. I flew as fast as I could to stop it, to contend against it. But it resisted me. And the sun. . . “

“We know about the sun,” Chase said.

EB added, “It’s all over the news. People are really going nuts over the darkening of the sun. Is something covering it?”

NightShadow shook his head. “No. It’s being absorbed by the void. Light in this area is slowly draining into the void. Something is tapping it. There is a power connected to it that is indescribable. I can sense it, but I cannot explain it other than one word, horror.”

Torrik whispered, “The sun is being eaten.”

NightShadow mused, “That’s one way to put it.”

“No, you don’t understand. Oh, by the name of Merlin! The clues were all there!” He ran back toward the meeting room.

***

Lady Echidna’s body flooded with the power of the beasts of her craftsmanship. She exuded a dark shadow and purple energy that ripped out and tore apart the temple dedicated to her. With a snap of her head, she looked up and the stone ceiling exploded into the sky. Flying out of the new opening, she flew quickly across the land toward the south.

Behind her, erupting from within the temple, was a giant Fenrir shadow monster that stomped across the world slowly in the same direction. Behind Fenrir came a massive monster of a sea serpent with a massive mouth filled with razor teeth. It slithered behind Fenrir in the same direction. Behind this Charybdis appeared a creature like a sea monster and dragon combined with five heads. It had enormous wings that it used to take flight and soar southward.

Lady Echidna moved much quicker than her children and in her wake, the darkness spread, shadow spilling across the earth. The sun above grew dimmer. The normally bright white light of day had diminished into a sick yellow that was turning orange.

***

Citizens in New York City rushed around in panic as the day turned to a sick night with the sun slowly going out.

“It is the end of days! Judgment is coming!” A man cried out from a street corner as he tried to gather attention from the terrified masses.

Several police cars stopped and eight officers jumped out and tried to calm down the people.

A superhero league landed nearby and moved in to help.

“Oh, good! BADGE is here,” an officer said.

Furious Squirrel ran over to him, “We are here to help with. . . “

People screamed even harder as a dark fog rolled through the streets. It was black as night and moved like fire smoke. Buildings were being consumed, cars wrecked when they lost sight, and people ran as quickly as they could to get away from the dark fog that rolled through the streets.

“What the hell is that?!” the officer yelled as he pulled out his gun.

Furious and his other league mates readied their own weapons. From within the fog formed misty creatures. Wolves, trolls, imps, and other demons. All made of this smoke with beaming red eyes.

“RUN!” Furious yelled at the citizens and then shot at an approaching wolf, which exploded in a puff of smoke.

The people tried to run, but the fog was too quick. As soon as it surrounded them they lost all their focus and gained silly smiles. They danced about with abandon like they had just joined a party and were in the throes of a grand ballroom dance. The heroes were unaffected, but set upon by the strange shadow beasts.

***

Nova stood before the stable portal between worlds. On the other side was the long walk across The Great Divide that parted the worlds. Heroes were coming here to challenge the ferocious beasts within, so to hone their skills. But he could never step foot in there unless he wished to suffer terribly.

“Why?” He whispered to himself.

Since Lady Echidna had awakened his mind to what it was before, to the darkness he once embraced, a part of him had flashes of memory. He recalled betraying her, but that part of him was small. A power in him, planted in his soul, forced him to love her, to obey her. Yet, apart from her, he had enough willpower to fight her machinations. But he still couldn’t remember why.

“What am I?” He asked.

“My lover, my friend, the reason to survive while in my dark exile.” Lady Echidna’s voice spoke behind him.

He did not turn to look at her, for fear he would fall into her eyes again and obey without question. “What did we do? This world was yours to control, yet I stopped you. Didn’t I?”

The harsh winds of Antarctica blustered around them off the icy planes as she patiently concocted her next statement. Finally, she said, “You betrayed me on the day of triumph. You became another man so that you would hope to repent in your soul and cleanse yourself of the darkness I spread. I, on the other hand, embraced that darkness in my soul and nurtured it. Fed it with every evil intention and greedy thought. One must embrace true darkness in order to control this universe.

“I can’t accept that. Goodness is not weak. Honor is not foolishness.”

“Oh, but it is.” She said, “This universe is broken, stained by the power of sin. By embracing that power, we could literally control everything. I have the power now to rip this world apart. But, to truly control everything, to rein unchallenged for eternity, we need to go to Yohan. Find the others. Rip out their hearts and feed upon them as I have feasted upon the creatures I created. Once harnessed, all will be clear.”

She waited for him to answer her. But he didn’t.

“Do you realize why I waited these three months? I was not just letting the people grow more nervous with each passing day, I was studying you and your friend. Midgard betrayed me once, as did you. I cannot afford to lose this time. I had to know. Part of me believed you passed the tests, you were obedient to me. Yet, you betrayed me again. But I will still give you one last chance. We can harness Yohan's immense power to become the gods we were always destined to be. Nothing will ever challenge us again. Don't you understand! I loved you more than any other in all my considerable life. I am willing to share ultimate power with you if you only show me you still love me!” Her tone had grown into a sorrowful plea that displayed the shred of emotion in her other than wickedness, true love.

Nova slowly turned around and looked at her. “I do remember one thing from before.”

“What is that?”

“I did love you. I once felt for you in a way I have never before, or since, for any other person. But, you proved to me that you love evil far more than anything else, including me. I did not embrace the darkness, I embraced you because I wanted to believe there was a chance you would return to the light. In that embrace, you planted darkness within me and I fought it them and I will fight it now. I will never succumb to the darkness you harbor as long as I live." He held out his hand so that his magnificent sword appeared.

Covered in shadow and bristling with energy, Lady Echidna rose in the air, “Then, I will kill you and take Yohan as my prize.” She launched herself at him.

He met her with his sword, the contact creating a wave of energy that cracked the ice-shelf for miles.

Chapter 8:

The dark red day shrouded the world in a deathly glare that sent people seeking shelter from whatever was happening.

Rutkowski and his gang ran into the streets. Cars stopped all over as people abandoned them.

“PEYTON!” Rutkowski called out.

Private Eye Peyton ran along with the surrounding police. “Not now, Rutkowski, we have to get this under control.”

“I know! I’m here ta help.” Rutkowski sneered at him, “An I gotta an idea, but need yous to help.”

“What?” Peyton asked.

Rutkowski said, “Use our time powers. Ya know, freeze the city in a time bubble. It ain’t the best thing, but it might stop some of dis madness.”

“Everyone else will be frozen in time.” Peyton finally got it, “But they might be safe. Sure, let’s try it.”

The police chief said, “Peyton, are you gonna trust him?”

“Rutkowski is a no-good, thieving scoundrel, but he’s not a liar.”

“Thanks, I think. Now, get ready. We gotta do dis tagether.” Rutkowski held up his hands.

Peyton did the same. A wave of translucent energy expanded out from them and covered the city. Everyone and everything in time froze.

“Do you think that will work?” Peyton looked around, seeing birds mid-flight, people as statues, and some flying papers stopped in the air.

“It’ll have to work. Wait, what’s dat?” Rutkowski pointed.

A black fog rolled through town, unaffected by their frozen time. Beasts of shadow formed from within the mists.

"Aw, crap!" Rutkowski turned, but then the sight of the creatures freezing in time as they jumped out of the cloud they came from stopped him.

“What the hell is that?” Peyton looked at his BADGE comm from his coat pocket. “Holy Moses, there’s a black cloud covering half of North America, all of Europe, and is spreading fast.”

Rutkowski said, “We can’t freeze da whole world.”

Peyton looked up at the dimming sun, “Come on, BADGE, we need a miracle.”

***

Justin walked into the conference room with a tablet in his hand and Chase behind him. “Torrik, you had better have something good. The sun is almost out and a black fog is spreading across the planet.”

Torrik had several old books open with Nova’s letter in the middle. EB stood next to him on the table with Santa right behind him. Dr. Henderson sat in a chair nearby. The Satyr looked up with dread in his eyes. “Black fog?”

“Yes.” Justin frowned. “Do you know what this is?”

Torrik said, “Yes. Darkness. It consumed a whole continent in Yohan centuries ago. Shadow beasts form in it and attack those who are unaffected by its power.”

“What do you mean, power?”

Torrik said, “It seeps into the mind and drives people insane. Those who give in to its delusions will find safety from the beasts, but those who resist will face attacks. I suspect your heroes will be unaffected, as they have those strange morphons in them, which seems resistant.”

Justin put the tablet down. “The heroes are reporting beasts of all descriptions coming out of it. They are relentless.”

“It took centuries to quell the shadow war. And the beasts are still around in pockets in Yohan.”

“Then we need answers now. This world cannot lose its sun and fight a shadow war at the same time.”

Torrik actually smiled. “I do have an idea.”

EB hopped over to Justin. “This is so amazing, like totally mind-boggling. It was right in front of us all this time and we just didn’t see it. You gotta hear this.”

“Let him speak,” Chase said.

Torrik turned a book around with a painting of Norse deities. “When we studied your legends and myths to learn more about what Lady Echidna might do, I glanced over the myths about your Nordic legends, but dismissed them since we already saw Fenrir rise. However, I remembered the legend itself. It said that Fenrir would consume the sun in the end of days, or Ragnarok.”

Justin said, “But Fenrir isn’t around and the sun is just going dark.”

Santa said, “Often, myths and legends have a modicum of truth buried beneath artistic representation and fables. Listen to him, he has a good idea.”

Torrik said, “In talking with Santa and EB, I think we can pin down the period when Nova finally banished Lady Echidna. It was around your fourth century CE. In the Fifth century, legends arrived that spoke of a pantheon of gods, but had a lot to do with the end of days. They interpreted it as a religious lesson, but I think it was a warning and possibly a hidden message of how to avoid it. You see, the story tells of Hel, Fenrir, and Jormungandr. All three would play a pivotal role at the end of days. Hel, a goddess of death, who lived in a realm of perpetual darkness and held great disdain for mortals and gods alike. Sound like anyone you know?”

Chase said, “Lady Echidna. She was in the void all this time and she has absolutely no compassion for anyone but herself.”

Torrik said, “Then there’s Fenrir. His appearance after being bound would be the harbinger to the darkness to come, which would culminate in the consuming of the sun.”

Justin said, “The Eye of Fenrir was contained in that statue for centuries until released, and that’s when this all really started.”

Torrik said, “Finally, there comes Midgardsormr, or Jormungandr. Which he proudly called himself both names many times. He would fight Thor, the mightiest of heroes, and then fall. But then Thor would fall as well.”

EB said, “Midgard fought all the heroes of Earth and we won, but the darkness wasn’t stopped. It’s coming.”

"Recognize the face?" Santa asked, pointing to the image of Odin, a one-eyed king.

Chase said, “Wait, are you saying that Nova is Odin? I thought you just said he was an archangel.”

Torrik said, “We aren’t saying that Nova is a god of your Nordic people. I’m saying that he used the myths and legends to hide a prophecy in plain sight. Somehow, he knew exactly how this would play out, but he couldn’t let anyone know exactly until the right time. Otherwise, Lady Echidna, or Hel as he has written her, might change her path and all would be lost.”

Justin asked, “What about the other two, the Hydra and Charybdis?”

Torrik said, “The legend doesn’t include them, per se. However, it does reference that with Midgard’s appearance, the oceans would stir and great beasts would come. Both other monsters of legend are from the sea.”

Chase said, “This is all interesting, but how does it help? Everything you just said has come to pass, if this was a prophecy.”

Torrik smiled, “Because the last part of the legend was written in his letter. You see, he alluded to himself as Odin when he said he sacrificed to gain the wisdom to fight Lady Echidna. The legend says that Odin sacrificed his eye to gain wisdom. His letter also said he split himself, his soul.”

“His eye?” Chase asked.

Santa said, “Two years ago, as a special gift for Nova, I sent a hero on a quest to find a jewel. But, not just any jewel, a stone that was Nova’s eye. I knew he had lost it centuries ago, but I did not realize the significance of it.”

EB read the letter, “ ‘My last wish would be to see my old friend Midgard one last time.‘ This isn’t about his bestest friend. . . which EVERYONE knows is me. . . it’s him wanting to be reunited with his eye. And, for some reason, it has to do with Midgard. But we dunno why.”

Justin asked, “Where is this stone?”

Santa answered, “It was brought back up here and given to him. What Nova did with it after that, I don’t know. It isn’t in the BADGE vault. EB already checked the records.”

Gar’s voice blurted on the intercom, “JUSTIN! Get in here!”

Justin let out a heavy sigh. “What now?” He rushed out with the others.

They came into the Operations center to find the screen covered in images of the shadow enveloped cities. However, three large screens showed the monsters of Fenrir, the Hydra, and Charybdis, moving over the surface of the Earth.

“Report?”

Gar said, “They just showed up on sensors. They are taking up positions near Antarctica, protecting it. . . I think.” He pointed at a screen.

Justin looked at what was a snowy field with flashes of light blasting here and there as two things darted all over the place. “What is happening?”

Gar pointed at a robot and the image zoomed in as far as it would go. They saw a shadowy Lady Echidna attacking a brightly lit Nova.

“NOVA’S ON OUR SIDE! HE’S FIGHTING THAT SHE-DEVIL!” EB hopped around.

Torrik said, “He said he can’t defeat her, and I‘m inclined to believe that. She is powerful. In fact, she appears far more powerful than before. He won’t last long, and there is nothing there to stop her from walking into The Great Divide once she takes him down.”

Justin watched this battle for a moment and then commanded, “EB, Chase, Gar, search this station for that stone. I don’t care what you have to do, rip out walls, tear up the floor, find it! Robot 10915, send an all-alert. I want heroes heading for Antarctica at once!”

“But, sir,” Chase said, “nothing can get through to that area.”

Santa said, “I can bring that barrier down. With the help of Torrik, we can interrupt it.”

“Are you sure it’s safe?”

“Of course it’s not safe.” Santa said, “However, Nova trusted us with this prophecy and we must see it through, or this is truly the end of days. I, for one, will go out fighting.”

Torrik said, “I‘m a warrior and defender. I will not back down.”

EB hopped up and said, “For Nova, anything. BFF’s!”

“Good. Everyone you have your mission. Move.”

Chapter 9:

Torrik sat next to Santa in the sleigh as eight reindeer pulled them at top speed through the cold air over the ocean. As the evening approached, the sun descended, yet the sky was already filled with stars. On the other side of the horizon rose a blood colored moon, the light of the sun no longer reflecting a milky white on the lunar surface.

“This is an interesting way to travel.” Torrik felt the side of the exquisite sleigh.

Santa said, “Perks of being a seasonal figure.”

“Magic animals pulling it?”

Santa snapped the reins, and they moved a little faster. “Magical, yes. But, they are not animals. They are constructed out of magic.”

“They certainly can move.”

Santa pulled slightly, and they shifted their approach to the south pole. “Trust me, they can move faster than this. But I don’t want to hurt you.”

Torrik looked over the side. “I think you might want to risk it.”

Santa looked over the side and saw that shadowy mist crawling across the ocean’s surface. In the distance, moving through the clouds, were the giant figures of Fenrir, Charybdis, and the Hydra. He reached down and pulled a lever and then yelled, “YA!” He snapped the reins and the sleigh blasted off much quicker, approaching the sound barrier.

Torrik, holding on for dear life, yelled, “Wow! This is better than wind riding!” An invisible barrier that encapsulated the sleigh parted the surrounding clouds.

Santa yelled, “What is that shadow? I have felt nothing like it before.”

Torrik said, “As I said before, it is the essence of the darkest magic ever concocted. It spawns creatures of darkness that only want to kill.”

They reached the edge of Antarctica, the dome of New Meta City in the distance. Without warning, Santa yanked hard on the reins and the sleigh diverted quickly while it slowed down.

“What are you doing?” Torrik asked.

Santa pointed out as the edge of the sleigh slid across a magical field that surrounded the ice continent. “That barrier is too strong. I can’t get through.”

Torrik cocked his head. “No barrier is perfect. We can. . . wait, what is that?” He pointed at flashes of light in the distance.

Santa reached behind him, into his gift sack, and produced a pair of military grade binoculars. He looked through them and let out a heavy sigh. “Look for yourself.”

Torrik spent a moment figuring out how to use the strange technology, but then saw for himself the battle between Nova and Lady Echidna. Nova kept her away from the barrier, but she was relentlessly trying to kill him in return.

“We have to get in there. Help him stop her.”

Santa reached back and pulled out a large BADGE laser cannon. “Then help me take down this damn barrier.” He used the weapon to fire an endless stream of power at the surface of the barrier.

Torrik concentrated on his hands, his horns both glowed and he pushed both hands forward. A steady stream of lightning blasted out and met the barrier in the same place as Santa’s weapon.

***

“I don’t know where to look,” Chase bemoaned as she and Gar left the vault.

EB hopped over and shook his head. “Not anywhere in cold storage or the food lockers.”

Gar asked, “If this was so important, wouldn’t he put it in a really safe place? Like the secure vault on Earth.”

Chase walked down the corridor as she answered that. “I won’t ignore the possibility. However, logic tells me he wouldn’t keep it anywhere on Earth. Lady Echidna would have a much harder time finding it up here. He would want to keep it away from her.”

Gar asked, “EB, you know how Nova thinks. Where would he have put it?”

EB laughed, “I never figured that guy out. He’s an enigma wrapped in a mystery, smothered in chocolate with a nice nougat filling… anyone else want some candy now? WAIT! THAT’S IT!”

Chase said, “I seriously doubt candy will help right now.”

“No, no, no. Don’tcha see. Clues! Nova loved clues. Come on!” EB ran ahead.

“Wait, we can’t run… and he’s gone.” Chase jogged along with Gar.

Gar yelled, “EB, COME BACK!”

EB zipped back to them. “Sorry. Got excited. Come on, it’s in Nova’s office. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before.”

“Think of what?” Chase asked.

“Don’t spoil the surprise. This is really great. Like, something so intricate.”

They ran back through the station, up to the top level, and into Nova’s old office. Justin was there with them, as he saw all three enter the Operations and run up the stairs.

“What are you doing here? Did you find the Eye?” he asked.

EB said, “Gimme a sec and I’ll have it for you.”

Everyone waited while EB hopped over to a couch beside a wall that had a glassed case containing artifacts as decor. EB punched in a simple security code and the glass opened up. There was an ornate egg with gold gilding in the middle of the objects.

“Here it is!”

Chase said, “Uh, EB, we scanned this office close to a hundred times. Nothing showed up.”

EB set the egg, with its golden holder, on the desk. “Do you remember when we found the Eye of the Hydra?”

“Yes.” Justin said, “I ordered it concealed in an egg like that and sent down to be protected. It didn’t work. Lady Echidna found it right away.”

“But, you see, that was Nova’s plan all along.”

Gar said, “But Nova was already gone. That was Justin’s plan.”

“Nope. We’re underestimating Nova’s calculating mind. He’s like a grand master chess player, only better. He figured Justin would do that. You see, he asked me to make him this egg a while back, and I did, because we are BFFs. And I thought nothing of it. Never really understood why he wanted to have an impervious egg made. But, he's my friend. When Justin came to me and asked for an egg that would be impervious to any kind of scan or detection, I just made another like this. I never realized it was part of a master plan.”

Chase said, “But your powerful magic on the outside would have shown up on the arcane sensors.”

“Nope. Justin sent the second egg to Neo Utopia to be locked in a time pocket so that it was outside of time. Don’tcha know? Nova has time powers as well. He locked this one in a time pocket too. So, it is protected. And, he left this clue, this egg protects what’s inside and cannot be detected by most things. He knew when the time came, only I, HIS BESTEST BEST FRIEND FOREVER, would realize it.”

Chase muttered, “Still bothered by Nova’s statement on Midgard?”

“Shut up.” EB sneered.

“Can you open the egg?” Justin asked.

EB put his paws together and cracked his knuckles. “Yup. Nova showed me a thing or two about time powers. Well, some things... and he didn’t really show me, I just watched him use them.... and he really didn’t like it... but I figured out this much.” He put his paws on the egg and concentrated. After a moment, the surface became blurry and then cracked and what appeared like thin glass shattered and dissipated, leaving the egg unchanged. EB tapped the top, and the egg made a satisfying clicking sound of gilded gears as the top spread apart like a flower blooming. Inside was a tiny cushion with the ruby sitting in the middle. “And viola, Nova’s missing eye.”

Chase said, “That? Are you sure? It looks like any large ruby.”

Gar slowly reached out, “I feel something from it. The magic inside this is… strange. I know it. I have felt this before.”

EB slowly turned and looked at the eye. “I feel it too. This is a Vexillian spell, or one very much like it.”

Justin asked, “What are you talking about?”

EB quietly said, “This is a talisman. Just as Jinn’s bottle was half of his soul. Nova literally split his soul in half and stored half of it here. My God! He was only half of himself and hasn’t even been near his talisman all these years, and he was so very, very powerful. What will this make him?”

Chase asked, “What do we do with this? Just bring it to him?”

EB reached out for it, “Yup. The closer it is to him, the more... Gah!” He held his heart.

Gar lurched as well. “No, what has happened?”

Chase caught EB before he fell off the desk. She asked, “What is happening?”

EB had tears in his eyes as he said, “Nova‘s… dead.”

Chapter 10:

Citizens across the planet were swimming in a sea of black mists. Yet, they laughed and played as though they were in the grandest of parties. In their minds, they could hear the melodic music of Lady Echidna as she sang their deaths to them. Presidents and Prime Ministers, the Pope and Dali Lama all waltzed about with the surrounding people, unaware of the dangers that lurked in the corners.

“No! Stop!” Tri-Blade raced across a dock and caught two people who were about to dance right into the ocean. He threw them back into the city street. Undoubtedly, his rescue caused them injuries, but they simply rose to their feet, laughed, drank from invisible champagne glasses, and continued their dance.

The massive Charybdis plowed through the ocean waters directly for the dock. It’s gaping maw swallowing everything before it. The flow of water toward its open mouth broke part of the dock under Tri-Blade’s feet. He jumped backward and got onto solid ground, his eyes never leaving the approaching beast.

“Watch out!” Nebula tumbled next to him, landing in a crouched position. She took down five shadow wolves bounding toward him.

“Thanks.” Tri-Blade whipped out his blades and readied for more beasts. “What is BADGE saying?”

“I don’t know. This fog is causing trouble with the comm.”

“Dammit! We need Nova. He would know how to fix this.”

Hundreds of heroes came swarming from all directions, attacking the monster in the sea. They drove it back, away from the city, but the fight was just beginning.

Nebula readied her attack as she said, “We can’t wait for Nova to return to us. We have to fight this ourselves. Let’s cut this fish up!” She launched herself off the dock with Tri-Blade on her heels.

***

Lady Echidna, a shadowy monster herself, dove toward Nova and lashed at him with large swaths of darkness billowing off of her.

Nova spun out of the way and deflected her attack with his sword. He then held up his hand and a blinding white light emitted from his palm. She screeched and lurched back. In her stumbling, he raced toward her, swinging his blade.

After being sliced across the middle, Lady Echidna's mid-section produced only smoke. She re-congealed and then hit him in the face with a blast of pure darkness. The force threw him backward across the snowy ground.

Rising, the cloud beneath her billowing as a sick fog of silky black, she said, “This is pointless, Nova! I contain the power of all four beasts combined with my own. There is nothing in this world that can bring me down.”

Nova used his enormous sword to get back to his feet. “I know. But, I must try.”

She laughed, her cracked chortle echoing around him as a thunder. “Pitiful warrior angel. I never could break that spirit of loyalty and honor in you. You were amazing. I enjoyed fighting beside you. I enjoyed laying beside you as well. But you will never accept that you broke yourself when you fell with me. There will never be enough light in this world to contend with what I am. You cannot find it any longer. What was in you is gone. I can feel it, I can see it in your eyes.”

Nova struck a fighting pose, holding his sword in both hands. His eyes locked with hers as the surrounding light grew. “The light you should fear is not that which I once wielded. It is all around us, every day. We just need to look for it. Seek it. However, I’ll show you just how strong I still am.” The light from him erupted, with his wings appearing in a blinding flash. When Lady Echidna lurched back at the sight, he lunged for her. She gathered her strength and lunged at him. The light and the dark meeting in the middle of the icy planes of Antarctica.

With each swipe of his blade, the continent beneath them cracked. With each lash of her shadow, the skies grew darker. The sun overhead, hardly bright enough to reflect on the ocean, seemed to turn to blood as the fight continued.

***
Torrik stopped firing at the barrier with his magic when Santa lowered his BADGE weapon. They both watched the world flash with explosions of incredible brightness as the battle waged.

“Look at them fight. The sheer power.” Torrik whispered this.

Santa said, “I’ve never seen Nova at this strength. I knew it was in him, and I feared it.”

“Why fear it?” Torrik asked.

“Because the only time he would ever harness it would be the day he was certain the world would end unless he gave his all.”

Torrik almost spoke when there came a crack like thunder breaking a thousand times at once. The flash of light shook the skies and lit up the world as if daylight had returned for a moment. However, darkness replaced it quickly.

Santa screamed, “NOVA!”

Torrik said, “The barrier, it’s falling.”

“Nova!” Santa snapped the reins, and the sleigh blasted off at incredible speed, moving where the barrier prevented only moments before.

***

Lady Echidna hovered around Nova, who was on his knees in the snow, his arms held out, his back arched so that his face was looking directly up. A silent scream falling out of his open mouth, and a shadowy dagger lodged directly in the middle of his chest. His wings faded away, crumbling across the ice.

She looked down upon him, a sense of pity in her otherwise bitter face. “So it ends. The last Arcblade to hold on to hope. Yohan is mine, the universe is mine. Nothing can stop me now.” She looked up at the portal in the distance and let out a victorious, sly smile.

***

Chase held EB, who sobbed uncontrollably in her arms. Gar looked as though he were about to fall over. He could shed no tears, but he was just as sad.

“What do we do now?” Chase whispered.

Justin looked back when another alert siren activated. “What else could go wrong?”

He raced out of the office and down to the Operations center. “Report, I… oh God, no!” He looked at the screens.

Robot 10915 said, “We detected these in the shadows moments ago.”

Justin watched the giant, shadowy figures of Charybdis, Fenrir, and the Hydra marching across the world. A dryness hit his throat as he asked, “What is their projected destination?”

10915 calculated and then said, “As far as calculations can determine, their destination is Antarctica.”

Justin said, “She has summoned her sentinels. We have no time. Send out a signal to all heroes they need. .. “

“Systems are not responding. Interference from the black cloud is creating a signal blackout.”

Justin said, “Hack every single communication satellite in orbit. Activate any that are dormant. Send the Black Alert out on repeat. Use Morse Code, flashing lights, anything. I need communication! I will be in the office.” He left operations and ran back into Nova’s office.

Gar met him with, “What is happening now?”

Justin went straight for EB. “It can’t get much worse. We have three shadow monsters heading for the portal and Lady Echidna is there. I don’t know if we can get to her in time, but I need to tell the heroes to move. EB, I need your magic.”

EB held Chase, his face buried in her shoulder. “I can’t go on like this. The darkness, the pain. This world is doomed.”

Chase said, “There is always hope. Nova was always the hope, even when people didn’t realize it. We have to find hope in another way. We have to try.”

EB hopped out of her arms and stood on Nova’s desk. He looked at the empty chair as he held the ruby in his paws. “I love this world, as does Santa. We are the last of our kind to live here. But, we didn’t stay just because we love this place. We stayed because Nova displayed honor unlike anyone we have ever known. Even Lord Dragon failed in the end. But Nova never failed. I swore an oath centuries ago that I would stand beside him in his darkest days and never let him fall, as long as he remained honorable. He has fallen... this world has fallen.”

Justin said, “No, you can’t say that.”

EB turned and shocked them all with his red, glowing eyes. “If we can’t save this world, by GOD, I will may that witch’s victory as hallow as I feel right now. I will tear her apart!” His body glowed as he rose in the air.

“EB?” Chase frowned.

He said, “Get out of here, now. Run.”

Gar quickly grabbed Chase and Justin and ran out of the room. He shoved his back against the closed door and pressed the emergency seal.

An explosion echoed, and the station shook so hard that half the robots tumbled away from their stations.

“Alert: hull breach in section alpha. Alert: Hull breach in section alpha.” The computer announced.

Justin yelled from his place on the floor, “Emergency force fields!”

“Activated. Decompression interrupted. Deploy repair drones.” The automated system reacted as programmed.

Justin got to his feet. “What the hell just happened?”

Gar pointed at a monitor. “Is that EB?”

They all looked at a video feed of what appeared to be a meteor blasting toward the planet’s surface.

Chase got to her feet and read the charts. “The energy readings are unbelievable.”

Justin watched the monitor. “Nova always said that EB was far more powerful that any of us knew.”

“But is he powerful enough to stop her?”

Justin checked his comm unit and smiled. “He isn’t alone.” He saw the comm line open on the main screen. Justin activated their rigged communication system. “Justin to all Heroes. Head to Antarctica and take down the shadow monsters and Lady Echidna. We have one shot at this or it is the end of the world. This is a doomsday alert. Do not hold back! For Earth... for Nova.”

Chapter 11:

Night filled the air, yet the sun had not set for the day. Light was almost gone from the heavens. Only a bright, warm light emitting from the portal to the Great Divide gave any illumination. Lady Echidna strode past the fallen Nova and headed for the portal. The shadow billowing around her gave the appearance of floating along in a fog.

Upon reaching the portal, her dark countenance intensified as the light illuminated her. The look of abject greed sparkled in her eyes. Her hand met another barrier that crackled with green energy, which prevented her from entering the portal.

“Nature magic? The satyr.” She turned to see Torrik running toward her. “Yohan’s last defender is a pathetic goat.”

Torrik cut his running with sideways drifting across the snowy surface. He held out both hands and spoke magical words. Vines erupted from far beneath the ice and attempted to wrap around her.

Lady Echidna deftly avoided each vine as she darted around on her shadowy base. She spun around, creating a dark tornado of mist and then thrust her hand forward, casting a blast of shadow at Torrik. “Die, little goat.”

Torrik clapped his hands, and a bright ball of light formed in front of him. The light created a shield that deflected her shadow. “Don’t think I haven’t fought dark magic before.” He threw the light at her as he ran at a ninety-degree angle away from the pitch.

She created a massive shockwave of darkness that spread out, throwing him away. When it died down, she rose and her voice boomed, “You’ve faced dark magic! Ha! I crafted the dark magic that forced Merlin to flee this world with all the other cowards! I am the darkness that haunted his nightmares!”

Torrik rolled over on the ice and slapped his hands against the surface. Large cracks formed and raced toward her, each beaming bright light. Her shadow fled as the cracks surrounded her. Vines erupted up and ensnared her body and bound her arms down.

“NOW, SANTA!”

Santa zoomed down on his sleigh, jumped out just as it swooped by. He had an enormous sword in his hands with which he aimed directly at her chest. “THIS IS FOR NOVA!”

The moment he was to meet her with his piercing strike, she let out a shattering screech that blasted him away, destroyed the vines trapping her. Santa fell out of the sky, rolled across the icy ground, and then came to a kneeling stop with his sword stabbed into the surface.

Lady Echidna exploded in a hurricane of shadow for a moment, pressing both adversaries to the ground. She let up and reformed as her beautiful self, dark wispy mists pouring off her body. “You cannot hope to defeat me.”

Torrik ran over to the barrier and stood before it. “I will not stop protecting Yohan from you until my last breath.”

“I will accept that payment. In Yohan, I will finally harvest the hearts of all nine dragons. Merlin delayed me, but I will be victorious. You cannot stop me. Nova couldn’t stop me.”

Santa said, “We will not stop trying.”

“You two strike a pathetic defense of this world.”

Santa smiled, “Three.”

“Three?”

Santa glanced up. “We have company.”

She looked up just in time to see the blazing red comet blasting toward her. Santa knelt down and protected himself just as EB met the ground, creating a sizable shockwave of his own. His body ignited in a powerful red energy, and he let out a primal scream that caused him to release a blast of red energy towards her with such force that it threw her miles away, crashing into the ocean.

Torrik waited a moment for the screaming to stop. “By the nine dragons, what was that?”

EB sat there, breathing hard through his teeth as he glared toward Lady Echidna. “I will tear her apart. I’ll rip her soul out and shred it.”

Santa walked over to him. “I don’t know if we have the power to stop her.”

EB’s red glow faded as he calmed slightly. “And she has brought others. The three damned beasts are battling the BADGE heroes, keeping them back.”

Torrik asked, “What are you holding?”

EB opened up his paws to reveal the ruby eye of Nova. “It was his last hope. It was a part of him.”

Santa said, “I sense something in it. Part of his soul. Could it be a talisman?”

EB nodded, “Yes.”

“Connect it to him.”

EB shook his head, “Why? He’s dead.”

“It might do something. Please, try.”

Torrik struck a defensive posture. “Do something, she’s coming!”

EB hopped over to Nova and looked at him. He still was on his knees, his dead eyes staring into the dark sky. Pulling out the dark blade, EB slowly pressed the ruby into the open wound. “I always knew you had a strong heart. Please, let it beat again.” He had tears in his eyes as he held Nova by the chest, pressing that stone deeper into him. “I miss my friend.”

“Something is happening.” Santa stood back.

A red glow appeared in Nova’s chest and EB hopped back. “Could he be alive?”

Nova faded on the winds as dust, evaporating into nothing as it flew away.

“Nova!” EB cried out in such agony that Santa lost control and wept as well.

A garbled beeping sound came from all three of them. Torrik turned on the comm device they had given him and a fuzzy voice of Justin said, “All heroes to Antarctica, Black Alert! All heroes to Antarctica...”

They heard fighting in the distance and could see small people flying around large, shadowy beasts. Portals and aircraft appeared in the skies above. A dirigible flew by, spraying electro cannon fire across Fenrir.

“They made it,” Santa declared.

Torrik said, “What good will it do? She is too powerful.”

EB looked to the side and saw the violent approach of Lady Echidna. “You don’t know what these people are truly capable of. We three cannot defeat her, but we can give them time to try.”

“How?” Torrik asked.

EB looked up at Santa, “The Garlor defense strategy.”

“You think it will stop her?”

EB moved over beside Torrik. “It stopped Legion on Vexillia long enough for us to survive their onslaught. We stand and protect this portal or die trying.”

Holding up his paws, EB cast a spell that created a clear glass-like shell around them and the portal. Santa stood next to him and held out his hands, which created a bright glow that crackled across the surface.

Torrik said, “I see what you’re doing. I don’t know your magic, but I will do what I can. HLIF BORG STOR!” He cast his spell, and another barrier formed around theirs, creating a double thick shield.

At that moment, the shadow of Lady Echidna met them and attacked the surface of their force-fields. They struggled, but maintained their postures.

EB said, “You’re dead, witch.”

Her face appeared in the midst of the shadows. “I will not lose.”

Santa said, “I’ve heard that before, and all those who said it are currently dead.”

Chapter 12:

A massive black cloud of inky mists assaulted the barrier encapsulating the portal between the worlds. The three defenders inside struggled to maintain it, but the strain was apparent on their faces.

Torrik, still casting his barrier spell using his satyr horns as his casting tool, held up a hand and created a ball of bright light. The shadowy forces attacking them recoiled for a moment, but came back just as hard.

Lady Echidna’s face appeared in the clouds, though this face was far older and more wretched than the beautiful woman she pretended to be. “It is only a matter of time. My shadow is unstoppable and the heroes will fall to my minions before they even reach me. Give up.”

EB screamed, “NEVER!”

Just then, something exploded within her cloud, then beams of energy shot through her. She screeched and the attacking on the barrier weakened.

Torrik asked, “What is that?”

Santa let out a deep, laughter. “The heroes are coming.”

More blasts of energy struck her cloud and forced her to re-congeal into a figure instead of the darkness. In the sick darkness of the day, as the sun was almost nothing but a faded ball in the far distance, thousands of heroes rushed toward her. No monolithic creature stood in their way. Her minions had failed.

She watched them approach, her body flickering with black energy. “No matter. I will tear them apart. The battle has weakened them.” Swishing her hand through the air, she deflected several blasts of energy from the approaching Dirigible.

Santa said, “You are tactically wise and incredibly powerful, but they have an advantage you may not truly understand.”

Sending out a wave of darkness, she stopped, a barrage of energy blasts from the front line of heroes racing toward them. “What could these pests have that would be any advantage?”

EB said, “They aren’t just saving the universe, they’re here for revenge.”

She clapped her hands together and sent a blade of darkness at the heroes, cutting through them. However, she couldn't stop all the incoming attacks, and ten blasts hit her hard simultaneously. She flew back across the icy planes and crashed through a rock outcropping.

Santa dropped his barrier, which stopped EB’s defense. He produced his sword again. “Time to make this bitch pay.”

Torrik stood in the middle of the portal and summoned a thick covering of vines inside the opening and then enchanted an additional barrier. “I will stay here just in case. Go. Make her pay.”

EB produced two exploding eggs and said, “With great pleasure.”

***

Midgard’s broken body lay in the ruins of Lady Echidna’s temple. The crumbled remains of the ceiling above scattered around him. Darkness of the world left this room nothing but a void, no flicker of light graced his remains. The quiet of the room was as thick as the shadow that filled it.

Yet, a small particle of light appeared over him, then another, and another. They floated about as dust on a breeze, though there was no moving air in the room. Hundreds turned to thousands and a clean, glorious light filled this tomb of a throne room. The flakes of light drifted closer together and slowly formed the figure of a man in strange robes with glorious wings on his back, which chased away the darkness with glorious golden light.

He folded his wings, dimming the light slightly, and then knelt down next to Midgard. Reaching out with a hand, he touched the shoulder of the fallen ancient hero.

“What she stole from you she could not truly take. You do not remember, as you gave your memory to me for safekeeping. Now, my ancient friend from a bygone era, I return to you the part of your soul you left with me to protect this world.” This angelic being held out his hand, and Nova’s glorious sword appeared. The moment it formed, the man’s beautiful face changed to the wise Nova with one missing eye now filled with a red ruby. He placed the sword in Midgard’s hand and slowly closed the green fingers around the hilt.

“You will live on, my friend. You gave me strength to fight and protect this world. You trusted me to preserve that which made you whole. I never could tell you who you really were, and that we had a deep past between us as allies and friends. But you kept a strange honor that always gave me hope. You gave this world hope, even when you foolishly boasted and threatened with empty promises. I will never forget what you really were under the ego, a real hero.”

Nova stood back and looked up at the broken hole. His wings opened up, and a smile crossed his face. “The fight, my lady, has only begun.” He flew up with incredible speed.

As he cut through the skies, speeding across the land, the light in his wake split the darkness and sent it scurrying away. The mere sight of his passing destroyed the beasts that spawned from it, making them yelp and scream.

***

Lady Echidna stood atop a large rock and ice mountain with heroes all around her. Her body was half made of her shadow cloud. With it, she would strike out and bring down heroes and stop attacks. But there were innumerable heroes around her, pummeling her with weapons fire.

“I WILL NOT BE DESTROYED BY YOU PATHETIC MORTALS!” Lady Echidna screamed and her darkness sped out in a great wind that threw heroes away, smashing many into the ice, some even submerged deep in the bitter waters. The cloud condensed again, and she directed attacks with clear precision. A woman approached with her eyes blasting fire. The shadow stuck her right in the belly and ripped her apart with ease. Three shadowy tendrils gripped the legs and arm of the man, who had transformed into a large white gorilla, and ripped them from his torso.

“Pull back!” Santa yelled out and the heroes rallied behind him, putting distance between them and Lady Echidna’s slaughter.

Furious Squirrel drove his Dirigible directly above them and waited. He spoke over his loudspeaker, “What now?”

Lady Echidna rose and darted toward them.

Santa yelled, “We have no choice! Full boar! There is no backing down!” He ran as he created a blast of magical light from his hands directly at her.

The heroes all followed behind him in a single army, unleashing any form of power or weapon they had. The dirigible in the sky sped forward, its large cannon directly underneath it extended and charged. It let out a strong, steady beam. All this power met Echidna’s oncoming cloud.

She sent out thousands of tendrils of her shadow at them, one bisecting the dirigibles balloon, causing it to list to the side and head for the snowy fields. Her shadow killed hundreds of heroes and agents, but those remaining continued their attack.

“KEEP GOING!” Santa ordered. Lady Echidna’s body shrank and her retaliation weakened considerably.

With a horrid screech that shattered the ice for miles, Lady Echidna’s cloud exploded. The blast knocked people down. Instantly, the darkness nearest them faded away, revealing the stars in the sky again. The sun actually gained more glow.

EB sat up near Santa and said, “Did we do it? Is she really gone?”

Heroes rose to their knees, some to their feet. Santa used his sword to help stand. In the distance behind them the dirigible billowed with smoke, but Furious Squirrel flew down on his steampunk jetpack. Countless heroes littered the ground, the dead almost too numerous to count. However, more survived and were hesitantly joyful that the war was over.

“I think we did it.” Santa said.

The darkness sank in harder than before, almost blinding the people. The heroes felt the pressure of the darkness, and some of them found it difficult to breathe. Lady Echidna appeared in the middle, with the red glow of her eyes cutting through the shadow.

“I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED. I AM THE DARKNESS, I AM ETERNAL! I WILL HAVE MY VICTORY OVER YOUR PATHETIC MORTALS!”

Santa gasped. He slammed his wrist down to activate his BADGE comm unit. He wheezed out, “Justin....she...is unstoppable....you have....no other choice...”

***

Justin watched this horror on his screen. The Earth below was turning to a solid black. It was as if no light could escape this darkness.

The words of Santa sent a sickening chill through his gut. He knew what was being asked of him, but he never wanted to do it. However, he knew it was the last chance. “10915, set the Omega protocol, authorization, Beta Pi Alpha Seven Seven.”

If the eyes of a robot could show fear, it would be visible now. But he did as commanded. “The station's core is set to breach. Directing thrusters. Setting destination, Antarctica.”

Justin whispered, “God forgive me for what I am about to do. 10915, engage.”

All the thrusters on the station ignited and the entire facility sped toward the planet’s surface. Upon impact, one of the biggest explosions would take Antarctica and everything on it possible. The repercussions would be felt for centuries across the planet, but there would be a planet left and that is what mattered.

“The escape pod is ready, sir.”

Justin said, “No, If BADGE is going down today, I will go with it.”

Chapter 13:

Justin watched the sight before him. The world came closer at alarming speed. He had to hold on to the console nearest him so he didn’t fall over as the station rattled and rumbled. The underside was already blazing hot with their energy shields keeping the atmospheric entry from destroying them too soon. On most of the monitors, a warning flashed that the power core of the station was unstable. The impact would detonate the most powerful energy system ever created.

Tears rolled down his face as he knew what was coming. He would die today, as would thousands of others, including everyone in New Meta City. All in the hope that this was enough to destroy this immortal being of darkness.

“I’m sorry, Nova. I wasn’t good enough.”

***

Santa held his throat, struggling to take oxygen in.

A soft sobbing sounded next to him and he reached over and felt EB’s small, furry body on the ground. “Don’t cry, my old friend.”

EB said, “I really thought we could beat her. I thought we could get back my friend. It can’t end like this. Evil can’t win.”

Santa looked up at the small pinpoint of light that was the station careening toward them. “It won’t be long now. There is one last chance. But it will not be ours to see. Now, my old friend, we pass this existence and tread the next adventure, wherever that takes us.”

“It’s so dark,” EB wept.

A bright flash of light cracked the heavens, and the ensuing thunder shook the world. Santa gasped in a stronger breath, the darkness no longer holding him down.

“What… was that?” EB asked.

A brilliant ball of light sped over them, splitting the darkness in twain and sundering it into a mere fog that dissipated quickly.

Santa got up to his knees and watched. “It can’t be!”

EB was about to ask when he saw it. A winged angel flew directly at Lady Echidna, a bright sword in his hand as he met her with an incredible slash. Her scream rattled their bones, and the darkness faded even more.

A nearby hero asked, “Who is that?”

Santa held a quivering smile with tears in his eyes. “It’s Nova!”

Nova, the arch angel, flew around in the sky and a massive bolt of lightning spewed from his hands and met Echidna. She few back and rolled across the ground, recovering quickly with a rise into the air, her shadow still surrounding her. From their view, they saw her standing opposite the angel, who was surrounded by light, in stark contrast to her intense darkness.

She flew directly at Nova and attacked him, her darkness sending him sprawling. He recovered just as quick as she did and came back for a counterattack. Again and again they sparred, each attacking the other with their light and dark essence.

Darth Raider rushed up, “COME ON, LET’S HELP!”

Santa swiftly held out his sword to stop them. “No. We are no true match. We retreat and regroup. I don’t think he can defeat her, but he can hold her at bay long enough for Justin to finish this, I hope. MOVE!”

Everyone turned to run, but paused at what they saw approaching. The color drained from many faces at this sight. EB whispered, “Oh, my god.”

Moments before:

“How?” Echidna screeched as she saw her formerly dead opponent standing before her.

Nova, his red eye glowing brightly, answered, “I was one step ahead of you since before you returned. I knew this day would come, and so I prepared. You split your soul by selling your heart to hate and evil. I split mine by dividing the most pure of mine and placing it in this ruby. Once reunited, I am as I was before, an arcblade.”

She scoffed, “Still a fallen one. You cannot overcome that.”

“No. But I can now face you as an equal.”

Nova flew at Echidna and struck her with his sword of light. He sliced right through her shadow. It caused her immense pain, but she simply reformed. She twisted around and threw an arm at him, which sent a bolt of shadow at his mid-section. Her attack thrust him backward across the ice, causing him to scream in agony.

“End this, Nova! You know you can’t defeat me. I killed you once. I can do it again!”

Nova stood and held up his sword, causing it to beam extra bright. She lurched back. He answered her, “I vowed to defend this world from all evils. I will not back down, I will not stop. This battle is over.”

She held out her hands and brought them back together. All the dark shadows cast by anything around Nova came crashing in at him. He quickly covered himself with his glowing wings and the shadows sloughed off. He responded by thrusting his sword forward and casting a glorious light from it in a single beam. She held up her arm and a swath of darkness met the light and destroyed it.

“Face it, Nova, we’re equals. This battle will continue for eternity.”

Nova smiled and lowered his sword and took a step back. “You’re correct. We are equals. I am complete now, and a match for you. Your soul is dark. I am light. This will continue forever. I can’t defeat you.”

“Then you surrender?” She wasn’t backing down.

He shook his head, “No. I can’t defeat you... alone.”

“What?” her question was answered by the shaking of the ground and the crashing of ice as the continent was crushed.

She looked to see Midgardsormr stomping toward them in his fullest form. He walked through the ocean as one might stride through a pool, the ice parting for him as he moved. In his right hand held the same sword Nova once bore, only it was many times greater.

Lady Echidna called out her shadow to attack before Midgard got to her. However, Nova responded by summoning his light and restraining her. Midgard reached back with his great sword and came crashing down on her with the blade, slicing through rock and ice, deep into the heart of Antarctica.

From inside the fissure created by his attack, the shadow burst out and struck Midgard in the face. The mighty serpent reeled back a few steps, going half a mile away for a moment. The explosion of shadow threw Nova away as well, skidding him across the snowy ground.

Lady Echidna rose in the air, the shadow spinning around her in a torrent. "You cannot destroy me!" She exclaimed. “I am the heart of darkness, the evil of all things. I will never go away!”

A bolt of white lightning passed through her, and she crashed into the ground. Nova stood once more, his hands held up as the light from his body burned so hot that he cast deep shadows across the dome of New Meta City.

“We know what you are, and we know how to defeat you forever, my lady. Midgard, it is time!”

She struggled against his light. Her shadow couldn’t form in the brilliance that surrounded her. “What... what are you doing?” There was a pitiful plea in that voice. The first time she truly sounded fearful in known history.

Midgard stomped toward her, reaching out with his massive claw. He grasped her, taking her shadow into his hand as if he were gripping a branch of a mighty tree. She was in his grip.

He bellowed, “It is over!”

Nova, still beaming with light, flew up on his wings as Midgard rose into the sky, the light of Nova surrounding him and still restraining her.

“Nova! What are you doing? I can’t be destroyed! Midgardsormr, let me go!”

***

Santa watched this incredible sight as he and the other heroes fled the chaotic battle of the three deities.

“What just happened?” EB asked, sitting next to Santa in his sleigh.

Santa shook his head. “I don’t know. I think we won. Oh, no!” He snapped the reins and circled around the fleeing heroes. “Anyone who can help, get to the station. Stop it falling!” Heroes turned quickly and rushed into the sky to carry the station back to its place in orbit.

EB slapped the comm on Santa’s wrist, “Justin, stop the Omega thing. Now!”

“What?” Justin asked.

Santa spoke, “It is over. She is defeated. End Omega before you blow yourself up. I’ve sent heroes to help put the station back in orbit.”

“Understood.”

***

Two days later:

Justin summoned a meeting in the station's boardroom, calling all the BADGE leaders, as well as Santa and Torrik. They spoke about the repercussions of the battle and how BADGE would respond.

“Chase, I’m putting you and EB in charge of speaking with the national leaders that contact us. Let them know we will do all we can to help to address the damages from this conflict. But remind them it is over.”

“Is it?” Chase asked.

Santa said, “It has been two days and there is no sign of Lady Echidna or her people.”

Gar asked, “I still don’t know what happened? I saw Nova... alive. He had wings. And Midgard returned. But they are gone. And…”

Justin stopped him. “There are a lot of questions, and I don’t know if we’ll ever get answers. I am inclined to believe it is over for good. But, without solid evidence, I just don’t know. I am still not convinced that was Nova in the end. As far as the report goes, Santa and Torrik found Nova dead with a blade buried in his chest.”

“I was him! I know it!” EB yelled.

Justin said, “I wish it was him. I wish he was here. We would have answers.”

Torrik said, “Well, I can tell you that none of my spells detect shadow magic on this world. Which is amazing considering how far spread her shadow went. So, it is over.”

Justin looked at the time. “I have a long meeting with the United Nations in ten minutes and we are not accomplishing anything. You have your orders. Let’s get to them.”

The meeting adjourned, and everyone left for the Operations center. However, the moment they stepped out of the meeting, something stopped all of them dead in their tracks.

Nova, in his normal outfit with an eye-patch over his face, turned and looked at them. He let out his signature little smile and said, “About time. I’ve been waiting for an hour.”

Chapter 14:

“NOVA!” EB raced across the tops of the computers all the way down to Nova, slamming into him so hard that Nova stumbled back five feet and had to catch himself before he fell over. EB was now attached to Nova’s chest, hugging him furiously. “I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD, BUT THEN YOU CAME BACK AND THEN YOU FOUGHT AND YOU WERE SOOO AMAZING, BUT KINDA SCARY, IT WAS ALL SCARY, AND SHE WAS A HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE PERSON, AND THERE WERE THESE SHADOW MONSTERS, HUGE ONES, AND THEN THE WORLD WAS ALL DARK AND EVERYTHING WAS ALMOST DEAD AND I COULDN’T BREATHE, I WAS CRYING SOOOOOOOO HARD BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS ALL OVER AND YOU WERE DEAD, BUT YOU CAME BACK AND HAD WINGS AND A SWORD AND WERE ALL LIT UP LIKE THE SUN ITSELF, AND THEN MIDGARD SHOWED UP, BUT YOU ALREADY KNEW THAT. HEY HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? WHY ARE YOU BACK? I SAW YOU WITH A KNIFE IN YOUR CHEST. I’M SO GLAD YOU’RE ALIVE!”

“EB!” Nova attempted to pry the bunny off of him, but failed.

EB swooned, “OH, I LOVE THAT IRATE YELL. I HAVEN’T HEARD THAT IN SO LONG. JUSTIN YELLED AT ME, BUT NOT LIKE YOU. MY BESTEST, BEST BUDDY!”

“Get off me!” Nova finally removed EB from his chest.

EB hopped down and was bouncing up and down with excitement. “What happened?”

Justin led the others down to the front of the room. Everyone, save perhaps Torrik, was misty eyed at the sight of him.

“Sir,” Justin softly said, betraying his failed attempt at holding down his own emotions. “Are you really back?”

Nova smiled and nodded. “Yes. And, to answer the question the world wants to know, Lady Echidna is forever gone. We cannot kill Lady Echidna, but we have contained her in a way that will hold her at bay until time itself stops.”

Santa said, “You have told me much about yourself. You confided many secret details to me, yet I was not prepared for what we witnessed. How did you survive? What… what are you?”

Nova looked around the people in this room, all waiting for this answer with bated breath. “I am Nova, defender of this world. That is all you need to know about me.”

Torrik asked, “You seemed to have a pretty good idea of what was going to happen. How come you let her rise to power and do what she did if you knew how to defeat her?”

“I didn’t know exactly how it would all play out. But I knew I needed to let her advance her plans far enough that she tapped into all her monsters she created. They were the true source of her power. Once she harnessed them, she had nothing left here to give her strength. Defeating her would mean she could never regain that power again. However, by allowing her to harness her power meant the fight would be at her strongest. I knew I couldn’t do it alone. I needed Midgard. He was far stronger than I.”

“What about Midgard? Where is he?” Justin asked.

Nova looked back at a monitor that displayed the space outside. “He is where he needs to be.”

Justin said, “Now that the world is truly safe from her, we can put our efforts into rebuilding.”

Nova nodded, “Yes. However, I am afraid that my actions have truly tarnished my image. I ask that you stand in for me for a while longer. I don’t know if I will ever be welcome again in this world.”

“I will be…”

“ABSOLUTELY NOT! I WON’T LET THE WORLD HATE ON YOU. NO SIREE!” EB hopped around Nova.

“Don’t do anything stupid.”

“Would I ever do anything stupid?” EB grinned as Nova let out an annoyed sigh.

“I can’t stop whatever you’re planning?”

“Nope.”

***

Four weeks passed as the world recovered from what Lady Echidna had done. On a select date, set by Nova, the celebrations began. Heroes and dignitaries filled the field of the Orbital Arena. Where the League Wars would normally occur, people walked around in exquisite outfits and enjoyed an elaborate party.

Nova walked with Chase, who wore an incredible red sequined dress. An ambassador and his wife both stopped and bowed to Nova and then walked on.

“I must admit, EB did a good job.” Chase took a flute of champagne from a passing tray.

Nova greeted a Prime Minister and then continued walking with her. “He spent two hundred million dollars on a huge publicity campaign to promote me. News stories about my victories in the past, constant interviews with heroes and BADGE agents to talk about how good I am, and those commercials reminding people I saved the world from the horrible darkness that spread. I’m surprised he hasn’t commissioned a full-length movie...” Nova saw a funny look on Chase’s face. “Don’t tell me... “

“Well, he has good intentions. And I think Chris Hemsworth would do a fine job of playing you.”

“He didn’t?”

She cleared her throat and looked over at the beefy Australian actor signing autographs. “I think he wants to talk to you about how to portray you.”

“This is insane.”

She fixed his bowtie on his tuxedo and said, “Go, talk to him. BADGE needs a good image and Hollywood blockbusters can help.”

“You go talk to him. Find out about this movie and let me know the details.”

“Fine.” She left Nova for the hunky Australian star.

Arx walked up behind Nova and said, “Why didn’t EB ask me? I’m twice as handsome as that bozo, and I have a perfect body. I don’t need a high-dollar trainer and fake tan.” The jealousy dripped from every word.

Nova laughed, “I think it’s still a good idea for you to stay out of the limelight. The last time you were in Hollywood, you nearly destroy the city.”

“Fair point,” Arx said.

“Did you need something?” Nova asked.

“Oh, yeah, we have a minor problem. EB caught someone who isn't supposed to be here, but he claims he was invited.”

“A gatecrasher? I think the security drones can handle that.” Nova waved at the Canadian Prime Minister.

“Well, they claim you invited them.”

Nova turned around and found EB standing next to Rutkowski in the far corner of the room. The gangster tethered by a long, magical cord made of licorice. “Actually, I invited him.” Nova left the crowd to get to the guest.

Rutkowski glared at Nova, “Is dis how yous guys treat an honored guest?”

EB tightened his magic cord, “Honored my furry butt. You’re here to scope out some sinister heist or something. Lots of expensive jewelry walking around this room.”

Nova said, “EB, let him go. I invited him.”

“Really? Oh, uh, okay.” He let go of the cord and it flopped to the ground.

Rutkowski fixed his 1930s striped suit. “See, told you I was invited. But, don’t get me wrong, I ain’t accepting no hero title or nothing.”

Arx asked, “What is he talking about?”

Nova said, “I heard that Rutkowski and Peyton worked together to help save Neo Utopia during the worst of the crisis. It impressed me that Rutkowski was the one who thought of it and never asked for anything in return. So, I thought it was time that he received some respect.

“I shoulda got some respect years ago.”

Nova said, “You might find being an honest man pays better than being a criminal. And, since the world knows how honorable you acted, you have a pretty good start.”

Rutkowski scoffed, “Great, now I gotta knock over a bank on da way home so I can fix my street cred.”

Nova laughed at that and walked away.

Rutkowski pulled out his cigarette case.

“No smoking!” EB jumped up and slapped the case out of his hand.

Rutkowski rolled his eyes. “Aw, come on.”

“Here, try these.” EB hopped up and handed him some carrots.

Rutkowski chomped on one and looked surprised. “They aint half bad.”

***

Nova walked into the middle of the extensive field as he greeted people along the way. He stopped at a hovering microphone and the lights dimmed so he was under a spotlight. Everyone watched him with great curiosity. The screens came alive around the stadium as they would during the League Wars. Across the planet, people in grand parties stopped to witness this.

“Thank you for coming to this celebration. Tonight, we aren’t here just to recognize the end of a terrible time during the Lady Echidna crisis. I called you together to pay respect to a hero that has given his all for the safety of this world. However, this is no memorial. He will be with us tonight, shortly, and will explain. I believe he is coming now.” Nova stepped aside.

A bright light shone down from outside the clear dome over the arena. A figure appeared in the light and stepped out. Midgard, in his human form, joined Nova.

“I told you I didn’t want a big celebration.” Midgard said to Nova.

Nova responded, “The world has the right to celebrate you, especially with what you are here to say.” He stepped back, giving Midgard the floor.

Midgard approached the mic and spent a moment looking uncomfortable. Finally, he said, “Hello. You know me as Midgardsormr, or possible as Jormungandr. For several thousand years, I have been with you, most of that time in secret. I forgot who I was for a long time and slowly gained a reputation. While I enjoyed my power, Nova drove me to understand honor... even when I rebuked his lessons. He is a good man, better than anyone truly knows. Centuries ago, we made a plan. We knew that our greatest foe would return and precise steps had to be taken to ensure the safety of this world. Regrettably, those steps would cause damage and cost some lives. However, we would achieve the goal. Lady Echidna is locked away as she was before. We have locked away Lady Echidna as before, but now all her power is sealed away with her, preventing her from feeding off this world. Even so, she is clever and dangerous. To make sure she never returns, I vow to stand guard in the void and restrain her for all time.”

There were many gasps and murmuring as he said this. He continued, “This world is a safer place because of BADGE and I know Nova will see to that. So… this is goodbye. It has been an interesting ride. Don’t mess it up.” The crowds applauded him as he stepped away from the mic.

The mic flew away as the ambient music returned.

Arx, Chase, EB, Gar, Justin, and Torrik joined Nova and Midgard.

EB’s lip quivered, “So... you’re leaving us for good?”

Midgard let out a hefty laugh. “Don’t tell me the puny little bunny now cares about me.”

“You aren’t so bad. You saved everyone. I’m gonna miss you.” He walked over and hugged Midgard’s leg.

“Gah, this is what I didn’t want, a mushy farewell. I’m Midgardsormr, not some Dorthy saying goodbye to the scarecrow!” He shoved the bunny off.

Chase laughed, “There’s that Midgard attitude we’ve come to love. Well, I’m gonna miss you too.”

“Bah! I’ll come back once a year to kick all your collective butts. Gotta remind this world who the real badass is.”

Justin asked, “What do you mean?“

Nova answered, “I agreed to a battle once a year. Midgard will return and fight the heroes in an epic showdown. No one kills anyone and nothing gets damaged. But the heroes will test themselves against one of the most powerful beings to walk this earth.”

“Ha! I like that. Never let anyone forget I am the strongest!” Midgard looked up. “I’ve been gone too long already. I need to get out of here.”

Nova walked up and took Midgard by the wrist in a powerful show of friendship. There was a glisten of a tear in his one good eye. “We’re going to miss you. You were a true hero, even when you pretended not to be. You touched all our lives and made this a better place. We owe you so much.”

Midgard replied, “Thanks. Coming from you, that really means something.” He pulled Nova in and came close to his ear, whispering something. He backed away and let go of Nova’s hand. Midgard grew brighter for a moment and then faded away.

Chase asked, “What did he say?”

Nova, who had gained a worried expression, said, “Don’t worry about it.”

Justin said, “I’m going to miss him.”

Nova quietly watched the stars above them. In a soft voice, he said, “He isn’t gone, not really. As long as we remember him, he will always be with us.”

Chapter 1:

 A fresh wind blew around Torrik and EB as they stood out on a ledge overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Five BADGE shuttles flew in patterns around them while BADGE boats moved across the surface.

"I don't like this," Torrik muttered.

EB hopped around him, "Oh, don't be such a downer. We finally beat her to the prize. No big battles. No big tidal waves...nuthin!"

Torrik smiled, "Remember, I was the one who caused the surge in your ocean around the Eye of the Hydra."

EB stopped hopping, "Oh, right. Bout that, It was a magnificent spell, but you totally almost caused some serious harm to people."

Torrik walked away, heading for a path down to the beach. "I hoped to catch Lady Echidna in the spell, not your people. However, I'm sorry that I didn't realize I would put so many innocents in harms way."

EB brightened up, "No one was really hurt, so alls well that ends well I suppose."

They both walked out onto a beach where an encampment of BADGE tents were arranged. Computer equipment was strewn about with people analyzing the data of all the deep water scans.

EB hopped around, a silly grin on his face as he looked at all the amazing work. One of the scientist operating the system walked over and patiently waited. Torrik watched EB for a moment and then looked up at the scientist who quietly waited.

Torrik asked, "Do you have anything to report?"

The scientist watched EB and then said, "Yes, but protocol says I'm supposed to report to the highest ranking BADGE officer. Technically... that's EB."

EB stopped and his eyes went wide, "Oh, right! Oops. Not used to that. So, uh, sure, whatcha got?"

The scientist held up a computer tablet and showed them several read outs, "Dr. Morphosis has continued scanning this area with the help from Strange Quark. We're picking up minor energy readings, almost undetectable. However, if I'm looking at this correctly, they match the same readings as the other known items, the Eye of Fenrir and the Eye of the Hydra."

Torrik pointed at the tablet, "Does that magic mirror tell us where to find the item?"

"Magic mirror?" The scientist frowned.

EB said, "That's his way of asking if you can find it with the computer."

"Oh. Uh, no. But, it's a lead. We have several heroes who can handle the water pressure working down there to check for us. We could use more help."

"I can't breathe under water," EB said.

"What about Gar?" The scientist asked. "His body can handle any pressures."

EB said, "Ain't nuthin in this world gonna get Gar under water, especially this sea. He spent a LOOONG time down there and really, really hates it."

Torrik said, "Work with what you have. So far, we haven't had any sign of Lady Echidna or Master Nova. We have to get to this before they know we have an idea where it is."

"Will do." The scientist said.

"Hey, I'm the bunny in charge, I give orders. So... do what he said."

"Sure." The scientist returned to his computers and sent several messages down to the people under the water.

Torrik asked, "What is Gar? He is full of magic, and looks like a stone golem... but I've never seen a golem with personality. They're pretty mundane creatures. He's strange."

"It's a long story, which I'll be glad to tell you. But, you gotta know one thing, he hates being under water. I mean, really hates it. So, I told him he could help Justin while I'm out here with you looking for the next thingy."

A smaller than usual crowd gathered around the town square of Ka'an Dorado. A giant Krampus ghost lurched back, staggered for a moment, and then rushed forward after having been punched right in the face. Two large, green scaly arms wrapped around his neck and grabbed him. With a body throw worthy of any pro-wrestling star, Midgard tossed Krampus over himself, and slammed him head-first into the ground. The impact caused the giant monster to explode into a cloud of black mist.

Heroes and civilian spectators alike cheered and exchanged money. Midgard ripped free a large sail he had used as a blind fold and waved it around.

"NO EYES AND I STILL BEAT HIM!!! WHAT NEXT!!!"

People yelled out suggestions and argued about what challenge they would pose to him this time. He had defeated this shadow of Krampus so many times he had turned to handicapping himself to keep it interesting. Basking in the glory of all the applause only made it sweeter.

Gar flew in and landed on a taller roof nearest Midgar's face. "Midgard!"

Midgard wasn't listening, he still enjoyed the accolades of glory from the people below.

"MIDGARD!" Gar yelled louder.

This time it was obvious that Midgard was ignoring him. "So, what will it be? Hand behind back? Tail tied to leg?" More suggestions were thrown at him. "No! I am not shrinking down, it's no fun that way!"

"MIDGARDSORMR!!!" Gar yelled.

Midgard turned and glared at him with his giant, serpentine face. "WHAT IS IT, STONE BRAINS? I'M BUSY!"

Gar was hardly intimidated. "Justin needs you."

"I'm not Justin's errand boy! I'm having fun. Go away!" He turned to continue taking suggestions from the crowd.

Gar flew up and got right in Midgard's face, flapping his wings to keep aloft. "This is important. It's about Lady Echidna!"

"Gah! Can't you people deal with that fashionista bitch! I'm busy!"

"Do you want to help Nova or not!"

Midgard's left eye twitched and he finally said, "Fine. Ruin my fun."

"You can come back later."

Midgard let out a heavy sigh, which was a gale of wind in Gar's face. "Let's go."

The shadow of Krampus reformed again since Midgard was standing in the square. Midgard waved a massive claw in the air. "You people deal with this one, BADGE needs me."

The jovial crowds scrambled to evade the enemy as they were now the focus of this monster. Their champion was no longer there to protect them.

Midgard snickered as he shrunk down enough to fit into the BADGE shuttle, "They lost their lust for combat when it's their necks on the line."

The ocean of black twinkled alive with stars and planets while the moon waded through the silent stillness. Torrik sat on the beach and watched the heavens while the BADGE tents remained active with people analyzing the incoming data.

EB came over and held up a box. "Dinner."

"Set it here." Torrik gestured toward the ground next to him.

EB set the food down and then sat in the sand. "Whatcha look'n at?"

"Your stars. They're so different than mine."

EB nodded, "I know the feeling."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not of this world, remember? It has been centuries since I was on Vexilia, but it was my home for a long time. I watched the stars above and our five moons as well. I loved the night skies. When we came here, it all changed. One moon, different stars. It's hard to imagine that the thousands of stars above could actually look so different, but they do."

Torrik smiled at EB, "That is the most mature thing you've said to me since I met you, if you don't mind my saying."

"I don't mind. I can be silly. And I don't care. I like to talk. It gets me in trouble, but people forgive me since I'm cute and fluffy. Seriously, this one time I totally ticked off Chase because I was talking about her outfit and how it made her chest look so sexy. She chased me into the arboretum and was going to stick me with a knife, right in the butt. But, I just gave her my best bunny eyes, wiggled my nose, twitched my tail, and she was nougat in my hands. Gave me this great idea of a Valentines candy made with nougat that is for the person who forgot Valentines Day, I called it my post Valentines forgive-me-nows."

"And, you are right back to silly." Torrik said.

"It's my lot in life. Now, I can be deadly serious, this one time... "

A giant blue and yellow eel jumped out of the water. It had a mans torso and head. Halfway to the ground, he transformed into a full man with bright red briefs as his only clothing.

"Dr. Morphosis?" EB jumped up.

The man rushed over, "We found something!"  

Chapter 2:

 Chase walked out of the lift on the station with two tablets in her hands. Acting Director Justin patiently watched the large monitor with several windows open to show him activity across the planet.

"So, have they done anything yet?"

Justin answered her, "No. I'm still trying to figure out how they hacked our computers. I've called him in to see if he's willing to answer questions."

"Good luck. As for me, I've looked over details about the new Battle Arena set up in the Great Divide. It looks like it'll be perfect." She stopped beside him.

Justin turned his attention to a monitor looking at the permanently open portal near New Meta City. This led to the realm between worlds where powerful creatures of myth and fantasy waited for intruders.

"What did the representative from the Great Divide have to say, exactly?"

Chase looked at the tablet, "Golub the Short..."

"What?"

Chase laughed, "He is an old Goblin commander and leader of the Great Divides forces. Nice guy, if a little smelly."

"What did this Goblin have to say?"

"Golub said they welcome the challenge. Many of those creatures have been waiting there for centuries with very little to do. He said most of the larger creatures are extremely resistant to energies and magical powers, which is why they were placed there. So, our heroes shouldn't do much harm."

"That was my next question. I don't want our heroes to become executioners in some kind of Colosseum type of place. These creatures know this will be tough battles."

Chase changed tablets and showed Justin some information. "It isn't a prison or penal colony where criminals are executed by combat. It appears there is a powerful spell over the realm there, so that the creatures will go down before being killed and their bodies will be transported to a place where they can recover, which they do quickly. So, it will be very hard to accidentally kill one of them. I think the bigger issue will be for the heroes, the spell won't work on them, and they'll have to know their limits and not get themselves into trouble."

Justin said, "I have considered that. BADGE is officially setting up a special Hospital in New Meta City where they will tend to the heroes who challenge this Arena. Also, it will be a protected place to send heroes who need privacy while they recover."

"Sounds like a win win. I'll tell Golub that we're in and to be expecting first real combatants any time."

Justin turned and walked over to one of the robots. He said to Chase, "Not yet. I have one last detail." He then addressed the robot, "10915, I want you to craft an updated rules outline similar to the League Wars. I want rules for our heroes to follow."

"Understood."

Chase asked, "What is that for?"

"This is training and I'll allow them to push themselves, but only so far. There has to be limits or this could get out of hand. Just look at the Krampus shadow battle. Some heroes, particularly Midgard, spend all day there thrashing that beast in every conceivable way. Those creatures aren't shadow constructs that reform after a few minutes."

Chase muttered, "You know Midgard will have something to say about that."

Just then both EB and Torrik appeared out of a flash of magic. Torrik said, "That Midgard is a dangerous person. I have warned you about him. I have never felt such unmitigated power in one creature. Only the Legendary Dragons of old held greater power than what I feel in him, and he seems to not care how he throws it around."

Justin said, "Midgard is one of our greatest heroes, even though he would hate to hear me call him that. He has saved this world on several occasions. I'm fully aware how dangerous he is and his attitude is frightening at times. But, he remains honorable... in his own way."

Chase asked, "What are you two doing here? Aren't you supposed to be searching for the Eye of the Charybdis?"

EB hopped up and down, "We found it!"

"You did?" Justin looked pleasantly surprised.

Torrik laughed, "As usual, my companion is a little ahead of himself. We found something related to it, something vital." He snapped his fingers and a stone tablet the size of a grave stone appeared. It had strange writing on it. There were three symbols with hollowed out impressions in the middle, and a larger carving next to them with a figure on it and the same text.

"What is this?" Justin looked at it.

Torrik picked it up with one hand, "This is a re-creation of what is on the floor of your great sea of Mediterranean. The one below the waters registers with great amounts of the magic related to the eyes found so far. Your heroes and agents scanned it completely and confirmed that this hole here," He pointed to a hole near the bottom, "once held a stone with a slightly unique energy reading than the others. The holes are all cut to the right shape and size for these gems. It all adds up."

Chase asked, "Then, what is this?"

"It's probably a place-holder where the stones once resided. It was also likely the last place the eye of the Charybdis, but it was removed."

Justin let out a great scoff, "Then, a dead end."

Torrik shook his head, "No. It's not. One thing you must learn, Master Justin, any information regarding your quarry is useful in some way. This provides both evidence we are on the right track and gives us a glimpse ahead."

"What do you mean?" Justin asked.

Torrik pointed to the larger patch with the strange figure and writing. "We know of three eyes now, Fenrir, Hydra, and now Charybdis. However, there is something here that is the fourth. I know there were four items used, which I assumed was a fourth eye like the others. But, this one indicates something else, something bigger and more dangerous."

Justin asked, "What does this text say?"

EB hopped up and answered, "We don't know. That is the weirdest writing I've ever seen and I've seen lots. Looks like something from Lord of the Rings. You know, that cool Elf writing. Dontcha just love those movies! I mean, those elves were nice and cute... the girl elves that is. Some of the guys were kinda cute too, wait, forget I said that. You know, my companies were the ones who had all the contracts for the special candies for the movies and we did this one... "

"EB!" Justin bellowed.

EB grinned, "Oh, that almost sounded just like Nova. You're getting better at it."

Justin had a hand up to his face. "We need to translate this. It is vital. This is the first bit of information we have that might get us ahead of her. Chase have the computers scan this and search our database for anything even remotely close to it. Get in touch with all the antiquities authorities across Earth, this is vital."

"Right away."

Torrik gave her that flirty smile and said, "I'll be glad to help."

They left together for the laboratories where this replica of the tablet would be scanned into the computer.

Justin had to ask, "Why aren't you chewing through the bulkheads with jealousy? Torrik is a rival for Chase."

"He's just a flirt with all the girls. Not much for human girls, told me so. I trust him. He's a nice guy."

A robot announced, "Shuttle 423 arriving in bay one."

"Good, tell Gar to escort him up here right away."

EB frowned, "Who?"

"Midgard."

"Oh, him. He's okay, but I don't really like the way he yells all the time and can be so mean. Tried to eat me one time, like one little bunny snack. Thankfully, Vexillians are harder to pick on than he realized."

"I need him to answer some questions and I hope he is receptive to talk, because this situation is about to get out of hand."

"What situation?"

Justin said, "An unauthorized, impromptu attack on Lady Echidna's HQ."

"You found it?"

"Yes."

Chapter 3:

 "Isn't it beautiful." Lady Echidna cooed at the glowing blue Eye of the Hydra. The teardrop shaped jewel rested in her hand as she rolled it around her fingers.

Nova looked over to the wall where there was a place to rest this object. "Why not put it where it belongs?"

She smiled at him and lounged back in her throne. "If I place it, then it will become part of the grand scheme. However, I can harness it later, at a time when I need a champion to stand between me and those annoying heroes. If they think Krampus's shadow is a menace to deal with, just wait until they contend against the Hydra."

Nova left her to pace around the ancient throne room. "Hydra is the strongest of your creations. The Charybdis is still out there, but not as dangerous as the Hydra."

Lady Echidna leaned back and propped her legs up on the arm of the throne, still musing at the blue stone in her hand. "Oh, my dear Nova, the Hydra pales in comparison to the apex monster. The creation I would have used to end this pathetic world if I succeeded in the past."

Nova turned, frowning at her, "I... I don't remember the fourth beast."

"You'll not remember that masterpiece, for it was you who stopped him and laid waste to my plans. I have selectively prevented you from recalling my ultimate weapon."

"But, my lady, I am loyal to you and you alone! Surely I have proven that!"

She clicked her tongue at him, "tsk tsk tsk, let's not yell. I know your weaknesses better than you. This is a weakness. I cannot risk you stepping in the way. I may need the fourth beasts powers to finish my scheme, but I still intend on releasing him at the right time."

Just then two people walked into the throne room from outside. Both wore BADGE uniforms, one in a science department outfit, the other a security guard. Both held guns at the ready. They suddenly dropped down to one knee and bowed their heads.

Lady Echidna sat up and smiled, "Ah, my spies. What news do you bring me?"

They bowed low and the one in the science outfit replied, "BADGE has not uncovered the Eye of the Charybdis. However, they did find something connected to the eyes."

She sat forward, "What? What have they found?"

The soldier answered, "A stone tablet with strange writing on it. I could not get a good look at it. But, it did not contain any of the eyes."

Nova asked her, "What is this? What does it mean?"

She was lost in thought for a moment and then gave him a severe look. "I don't know. This tablet... what is it? Could you have left yourself a clue? Was this part of the original temple I crafted? I need more information."

Nova looked down upon the two cowering spies, "Perhaps they could tell us more if I were to... encourage them to remember more clearly."

She stood and smiled as a serpent about to feast. "Interrogate them, drive out those memories. We need to know more."

"Yes, my lady." Nova directed the now frightened spies out of the throne room.

Lady Echidna casually said to herself, "Perhaps I need to consider altering my plans. I might need my most powerful beast yet."

"JUSTIN! I DON'T LIKE TO BE BOTHERED WHILE I'M HAVING FUN!" Midgard, in his human size, bellowed as he got off the lift for the Operations center. He shoved Gar away as he marched toward Justin. Gar fell back into the lift and disappeared when the doors closed.

Justin had learned to be like Nova around Midgard, retain a firm, unrelenting attitude and not let this loud creature get to him. "While you and your friends are having fun, you're messing up my day."

"What are you babbling about, Justin?"

The lift doors opened and Gar exited properly this time. "I found Midgard."

"Already established that," Justin stated and then picked up a computer tablet and pressed a button. One of the screens on the main monitor displayed a Nordic symbol of a large circular serpent biting its tail. Under that it read, "FAANG"

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?" Midgard bellowed.

Justin gave him a severe look, "The Foundation of an Altered Normal Generation."

Midgard returned that look with a furious, yet confused look, "THAT DIDN'T ANSWER MY QUESTION."

Gar said, "They are your group, right?" His tone was honestly curious.

Midgard made a growling sound that was much larger than his current body should be able to muster. "What? I don't have a group with that stupid name."

Justin pressed a button and several people appeared in the midst of combat. They were dressed in barbaric clothing that made them look like cosplayers at a local Renaissance Festival. "This is a group that, until recently, BADGE has considered a harmless problem. They're made up of people with either partial morphonic infused powers or completely infused abilities."

"Infused?" Gar asked while Midgard was still growling at the screen.

Justin said, "An infused hero is one who uses technology to either enhance their morphonic powers in their body or give them powers through the tech alone. We have a number of BADGE hero allies that are listed as infused. However, this FAANG seems to be made of them entirely."

Midgard drew dangerously close to Justin, "And why am I listening about this pathetic band of stupid humans?"

"Aren't they yours? They seem to have adopted an ancient symbol of Midgardsormr as theirs, they dress like Vikings..."

"THOSE AREN'T VIKINGS! KIDS MOVIES HAVE MORE REAL LOOKING VIKINGS THAN THOSE IDIOTS!"

"Noted," Justin calmly stated. "Regardless. They're loud, pushy, and have crossed a dangerous line recently. You, Midgard, are loud, pushy, and love crossing every line we set."

"I AM THE WORLD EATER! LINES MEAN NOTHING TO ME WHEN THEY ARE DRAWN BY INFERIOR BEINGS!"

"Noted," Justin repeated himself. "So, are you saying these people aren't with you?"

"No! I don't even know who these humans are! What have they done?"

Justin turned to the screen and swiped a finger across the tablet in his hand. A video activated. These rowdy people stood around their own operations center that was filled with computers and pelts. It looked like a Viking hall on the set of a B adventure movie.

"BADGE has proven they are worthless in finding the greatest hero this world has ever known. Nova has refused to work with us in the past, but now we shall prove to him how much better FAANG is than BADGE and he will join us. We will find him, free him, and defeat our enemies. BADGE is so pathetic that it cannot even defeat a single woman who has kidnapped the greatest hero ever! HAZZAH!" The transmission paused with the group all thrusting their fists in the air triumphantly.

"HAZZAH? WHAT KIND OF MORON THINKS A VIKING EVER SAID HAZZAH?" Midgard was so furious his eyes were glowing orange.

Justin said, "They're going after Lady Echidna to rescue Nova. Since you have a strange friendship with Nova, and they used a symbol related to you as theirs, and they... well... act a little like you, I assumed you were at least goading them along."

"I know nothing of these fools! I would eat them for tarnishing my identity!" Midgard started to calm down. "I am not responsible for their stupidity."

Justin gave Midgard a cold look and then said, "I believe you. However, that leaves me with a bigger problem than before. I don't know how to find them to stop them."

"BAH! Let them hunt for Lady Echidna. They will prove themselves fools searching where BADGE has failed."

Justin let out a soft sigh, "Actually, the problem is... they do know where to find her."

"How is this possible?" Gar asked.

"We have found a way to plant something so that we could find her center of operations. We believe we have pin-pointed a location. However, one of their members is a computer expert who was able to hijack the tracking signal and they got the same information. So, they know where to find her, Nova, and her little army. And, they intend on a direct assault, if their transmission is accurate."

Gar said, "But, they'll be killed. She is very powerful."

"They aren't without some merits. You know BADGE steps in when people with inadequate abilities try to be heroes. We protect them from themselves. But, this group, though mostly infused heroes, aren't weak. They have done some good work. They are very strong as a group, one of the strongest freelance hero groups on BADGE's records. My problem is, we can't let her know we know where she is. Also, this might prematurely set off some of her plans that we aren't ready for. And, of course, it will not end well for them."

Steam trickled from Midgards nose and mouth as he glared at the paused image on the screen. "That is not the problem they should be worried about."

Justin, hiding his fear well, asked, "What is it?"

Midgard turned and bellowed, "THEY USE MY SYMBOL AS THEIRS AND WILL MAKE FOOLS OF THEMSELVES! I WILL DESTROY THEM BEFORE THEY DESTROY HER!" He ran out of the room, barely getting into the lift without smashing clear through the doors to do so.

Gar looked at Justin, "What do we do?"

"Follow him. I can't have him murdering them. I'll see if I can talk sense into these FAANG people. Go!"

Gar ran for the lift.  

Chapter 4:

 Torrik and EB watched the ancient tablet floating in the middle of an energy field inside the laboratory. After confirming removing the real one wasn't going to set off anything dangerous, it was retrieved and brought to the station. Several BADGE scientists examined it with various sensors. A plethora of numbers rushed by on screens that seemed to intrigue these engaged minds while EB speculated wild guesses.

"What if, now hear me out, what if this is a recipe?" EB laid over on his belly as he watched the tablet hovering in mid-air over the table.

Torrik frowned, "Recipe? What for? Lady Echidna's favorite mead from ancient times."

"Could be. She's a pretty picky lady. High fashion, fine wines, music. I kinda like her tastes... if she weren't a nasty, horrible, Nova-stealing, witch."

The doctor walked into the room from a different lab. She had a computer tablet in her hands which seemed to have all her attention as she nearly ran into Torrik. "Oh, excuse me."

"No problem. Did you find anything?"

She looked up at the tablet, "Only that the energy readings seem to be residual."

"What does that mean?" EB asked.

"Just that the energy is left behind from something. Like a grass stain from sliding across the ground. The cloth isn't made of grass or growing any, just has it smeared on the surface. This only proves the theory that this once held those powerful objects. However, inherently, it has no power of its own that our sensors can detect."

"Oh, poo. So, that's a dead end," EB said.

Torrik thought hard for a moment as he peered at the object. "This doesn't belong to her."

"What?" Dr. Henderson asked.

Torrik pointed at the tablet and said, "Lady Echidna never does anything frivolous. Everything has purpose and meaning. This tablet wouldn't hide the objects, it didn't have any power from or over them. Why use it? What good is it to her?"

Dr. Henderson said, "It wouldn't be good for her."

EB said, "Come to think of it. She never came sniffing around for it. Her people are always in our faces when we are looking for this stuff. We had a big whole operation camped out on that beach and lotsa stuff in the water looking around. It wasn't a secret BADGE was on the trail of this. And, her minions weren't there."

Torrik smiled. "Good analysis."

EB grinned. "I have my moments."

Torrik said, "This could only mean that she is either unafraid of this, or this worries her. She doesn't want it around. In either case, we need to know more about it."

Dr. Henderson said, "Unless you can decipher those strange words on there, we're out of luck. Our computers were unsuccessful."

EB hopped up. "I have an idea. Oh, oh, this is really gonna work." He blasted out of the room at top speed without telling them anything.

"What got under his tail?" Torrik asked.

Dr. Henderson shrugged. "Just EB being EB. But, he does come up with a good idea now and then. While we wait on him, I'll run another decryption program and see if the computer can figure this out."

Justin paced around the operations center. He worked to control his temper as he was about to speak to people that always got under his skin. He paused for a moment and considered how much time he spent here dealing with what this job entails. It never really occurred to him how much time Nova spent here until it was his job. Then he realized that at almost any time, this is exactly where he found Nova working.

"Incoming Transmission; F A A N G league headquarters."

"On screen at once."

The main monitor filled with the interior of the FAANG HQ. Three people stood before him, with a man at the lead. All wore outfits like vikings and bore great beards, long braided hair, and tattoos on their faces.

"BADGE, I'm Jarl Red-Beard of FAANG. Why have you summoned us? We are preparing for a glorious battle!" The leader bellowed with a phony Viking accent.

Justin groaned.

The man behind Red-Beard yelled, "We shall drink and sing of our glory while BADGE is filled with shame at having not joined us in this great honor!"

"Cut the nonsense. I want you to know that we're fully aware that you hacked our system and have learned about the tracing signal to Lady Echidna."

"Then you know we drink and prepare for glorious combat that will echo throughout the aeons!"

Justin huffed, "This is embarrassing. You aren't vikings and that isn't Valhalla. I am ordering you to stand down and not continue this foolish mission."

The red headed man at the head burst into a deep laugh. "What makes thee think I am beholden to your word? You do not command FAANG! Thou must be insane!"

"Vikings aren't Shakespearean actors, that's just pathetic." Justin muttered.

The leader lost the phony accent, "Fine, act superior to us just because you are well-funded and live on that opulent spacestation. While BADGE sits around and crunches numbers and over-thinks everything, we'll prove FAANG are the real heroes. After we find and defeat this Lady Echidna, BADGE will be nothing but a memory while the rest of the world turns to FAANG for protection."

Justin let himself cool off, not responding in kind to this idiot. "I have not contacted you to merely request that you stand down. I actually wish to make you an offer."

This intrigued all three of them. The leader inclined his ear slightly. "Speak, I'm listening."

There was a part of Justin that really, really hated doing this, but he hoped they took the offer regardless. "BADGE has analyzed your strengths and also noted that you have acted on the behalf of justice and morality. Our evidence of your exploits has shown you are genuine heroes."

"HAZZAH!" All three bellowed.

Justin groaned under his breath and continued. "We also know that your team is made up of people with considerable strength. You could be a valuable asset to BADGE as a new, recognized league. You would be granted all the permissions and benefits of being part of BADGE while retaining your unique identity, location, and have enough freedom to conduct your own missions within reason."

"But..." The leader held out a hand.

Justin knew this was coming. "However, on global, serious matters, FAANG would be required to cooperate with BADGE rules and take orders regarding procedure in the situation."

"I told you! Did I not tell you?" The leader looked at the other two who were nodding. He then sneered at Justin, "BADGE is scared we will steal their thunder. They bask in the glory of saving this world from the big threats. Now, we come along and prove the world doesn't need BADGE and they are scared. You want us to sign away our freedom and become just more servants of BADGE. Then you will send us to defeat Lady Echidna and claim the glory for yourselves."

"Don't be idiots. This is not about glory or honor. This is about organized work, not chaotic heroes."

"We will defeat this lady and then we will be the true heroes of Earth. This is our time to shine."

Justin pleaded with them. "Don't do this! I have seen how powerful she is. You will need help, you will..."

"Enough of this. I tire of this conversation. We have a glorious mission. Keep an eye on the news, Justin, this battle will be historic." The leader shut off the signal.

"GAH! MORONS!"

Robot 10915 said, "Do you wish to reconnect the comm line?"

"No. They wouldn't listen to me. Get me Gar."

There was a long pause and then 10915 said, "I have audio communications with Agent Gargoyle."

"Put him through." After a beep, Justin said, "Gar, this is Justin. Report."

Gar said, "I'm following Midgard. He is big and stomping mad. He keeps yelling about finding this FAANG place. I don't know if he knows where they are. I guess that's a good thing, he would probably stomp them flat, or worse."

"No. I want him to find them. I'm sending you the location of them and what we know of the whereabouts of Lady Echidna. They'll be somewhere in-between."

"But, he'll eat them. He said so."

Justin said, "He may want to destroy them, but I'm betting a good fight with him might make them reconsider their idea to find Lady Echidna. I just hope he can intercept them before they get to her."

"Okay. I hope you're right."

"Me too. Justin out."

Chapter 5:

 Torrik stood in the lab, carefully studying the tablet. Something about this writing on it seemed familiar, but he simply couldn't put his finger on it. He had even cast a memory enchantment on himself to help the thoughts congeal, but he still could not recognize any words.

"Sir, do you need something to eat?" One of the scientist asked him.

Torrik shook his head, "No. I want answers and I can't seem to find them."

"The rest of us are heading out for dinner. If you need anything, contact station Operations."

"Go on, have your dinner. I'll be fine." Torrik waved them out of the room, his eyes remaining fixed on the object before him.

There was a long, quiet pause as he was alone in the room. The strange computer devices were beeping softly and creating dancing lights, but they seemed utterly useless in his mind. Nothing provided answers they needed.

"Torrik, are you okay?" Dr. Henderson walked into the room.

"I'm fine."

"I was heading for dinner when I saw they hadn't sealed the lab. You can leave for a bit, get something to eat and rest."

"I don't need rest, I need answers." He said.

She said, "You sound like me. When I have a serious problem, I will set aside my health in pursuit of answers. It really doesn't help, in fact I find that it works against me."

Torrik said, "You don't understand. I haven't told Justin everything about my mission."

Dr. Henderson frowned at him and came around the table to draw his attention more to her. "What have you been keeping from us?"

"I wasn't keeping this from you because I didn't trust you, I kept it because I hoped you would never need to know."

"Tell me what you know. Any detail about this situation is vital."

Torrik said, "Months before I was sent on this mission, there was a strange incident at the Ghost Library..."

"The what?"

"It's a place where the memories of people are stored in mirrors and their image speaks from their memories."

"Fascinating. What happened?" She picked up a tablet to take notes.

"Some of the most ancient memory mirrors from the earliest days began giving out vague warnings. The memories within were recalling a time when something extremely dangerous was about to happen. They feared the world was about to end. A monster of incredible strength loomed in the distance and was ready to pounce. Our greatest minds studied the histories and spoke with these mirrors. All we could determine was that an apocalyptic event was stopped and that it's origins was the original home, the world we came from, Earth. However, they realized the event wasn't truly stopped, merely deferred. The end of a world was coming. And, if this world ends, so does ours. The two worlds are intricately connected."

Dr. Henderson took down some notes and then asked, "Why didn't you tell us this? Sounds pretty important."

"Because, my people believed it would be possible to upset this event again, to stop it before it started. We learned of the four beasts and knew that they had been reduced to gem stones. If we could obtain even one and keep it from the enemy, then the apocalypse would be deferred again, possibly stopped forever."

Justin walked into the room with Chase and EB at his side, "Sounds like your mission is more far reaching than you led us to believe."

Torrik said, "I apologize for not revealing all the details. I wanted to spare your world the fear this would cause. I really thought I could stop this more efficiently. I sorely underestimated our enemy."

"That is always the mistake that takes down the wisest heroes. If Nova has taught me anything, it is never to underestimate anyone. Don't worry, I still trust you, but I hope you have told us everything now."

"That is everything now. I just hope EB's plan works." Torrik looked down at the bunny.

EB smiled, "It will. Okay, so here it is. We were scared to have Chase use her powers to look into the past of this object because her doing this on those eye thingies has been bad. Like, totally bad. She was down for... well, you know the story. Anyway. When Dr. Henderson said this thing isn't magical, just has grass stains on it..."

"Residual energy readings," Dr. Henderson corrected.

"Yeah, that. Since it isn't magic, Chase should be fine. And, what better way of researching this than looking at its history?" He held up his paws to Chase.

Justin said, "Chase, you are free to do this or not. I know this magic has caused you serious problems already."

Chase said, "Sounds like we are facing the end of two worlds, a little headache is worth the risk."

Torrik said, "Maybe I can help."

"How?" Chase asked.

"I can't protect you from negative effects if there are any. However, I can project what you are seeing so we all see it."

"Really?"

EB asked, "How?"

"It is a seeing-eye spell, we use it with our trackers so we can see what they're seeing on the field. If her vision becomes that of the past she is seeing, then it should work the same."

"Sounds good. I'll get the popcorn..." EB was about to rush away when Justin stopped him.

Dr. Henderson released the tablet from the stasis field and it rested on the surface of the table. Chase walked over and spent a second preparing herself. With a quick motion, she grabbed it and everyone tensed up.

"I'm fine. I... don't feel anything wrong." Chase said.

Torrik put his hand up to her head and said a spell, a mark was left glowing on her forehead when he removed his hand.

A smoke filled the room and a projection lit up inside it. They all could see what she saw. The tablet in the lab, the scientists working on it, then it being brought to the station, then it being found in the waters of the sea. Time moved backward quickly for them. Once it was in the water, time zipped backward a blinding speed.

"Oh, it makes me dizzy," EB said.

Chase spoke as she continued searching this things past. "It takes getting used to. It's hard going this far back, my head is hurting."

Dr. Henderson said, "You can do it, I'm right here to help."

They watched the tablet suddenly lift off the seabed and float upward, returning from being thrown in. The tablet returned to the hand of some strange man in ragged clothes. He had others with him, all peering at it as he put a red stone into it, which he actually stole from it before discarding it into the sea.

"The eye! That was the Eye of Charybdis!" Torrik called out.

"Someone stole it in the past. But who?" Justin asked.

Dr. Henderson said, "I'm recording this, we can check with the historical computers."

Time continued backward as the tablet now rested in a room full of weapons and maps. They all saw Nova, dressed in strange clothes and armor, returning the blue Eye of the Hydra, which was when he had taken it to hide it in the past.

Chase held her head and groaned. "This is going too far back, I can't..."

EB hopped up and put his paws on her, an energy flowing from him to her, "Keep going! I'll help!"

She stopped being in pain and they watched Nova now returning the Eye of Fenrir. Then, both were removed in the past. Finally, he was carving something into the stone with a metal tool.

Chase fell down and held her head. Dr. Henderson rushed over and injected a medicine into her arm. The cloud vision evaporated quickly and the lab was back to normal.

"Chase! Are you all right?" Justin knelt down.

EB was right beside her with Torrik kneeling next to her as well. She said, "I'll be fine. That was just harder than I expected. Please, tell me you guys got all that, I can't do that again."

Dr. Henderson checked her computers. "Yes, the visual recording was complete. We have everything."

Justin said, "Doctor, send that to Operations, every station. Command all the robots to begin searching every last detail of the images, no matter how insignificant. EB, you're the expert on Nova, go help them look over the images. Point out anything that might be important."

EB gave a quick salute, "On it, boss," and zipped away.

Torrik helped Chase to her feet. "That was a brave thing you did."

"It was my duty."

Justin said, "I just hope this gives us an edge, something to go on."

The comms all beeped loudly and Strange Quark in Operations came through, "Justin, craps hitting the fan. Midgard is stomping all over the world in his search for FAANG, you've got some seriously pissed world leaders."

"Damn." 

Chapter 6:

 FAANG flew through the skies, some by powers while others used contraptions. The leader, using binoculars as he flew, guided them.

"I don't see anything," He spoke into his wrist comm.

A huskier hero sailed closer riding a device that looked like a windsurfing board, but with a propeller on the back. "All sensors indicate the signal to her headquarters is directly in front of us."

The leader looked at a small monitor on his wrist comm and then peered through the binoculars. "It should be right there. My guess is that it's well hidden. I say we strike first."

"But, we could hit a civilian target by mistake."

"I trust my gut. Head for this location and ready for an all-out fight. HAZZAH!"

The team replied in unison, "HAZZAH!" Then drove in hard toward their invisible target.

"My Lady!" One of her minions rushed up to her.

"Speak!"

He held up a device in his hands, "We're showing a team of morphonic humans approaching fast. They're focused on our location."

Lady Echidna glared at the device for a moment and then called out, "Nova!"

In seconds, Nova was at her side. "Yes, my lady?"

"How is it that we have been detected?"

Nova looked around, "What do you mean?"

"A team of BADGE heroes is on their way to attack us. How did they know?" Her tone dripped with accusation.

Nova bowed to her, "You must trust in me. I would not betray you. I do not know the reason we are under assault, but we can handle this. Your soldiers are more than strong enough to deal with most of BADGE's hero teams."

"No, they are not. These heroes have proven to be stronger and more resourceful than I expected."

Nova asked, "Why not just mesmerize them into your legion? Heroes could prove useful."

Lady Echidna slowly stood up and checked her gloves as a thin smile crept across her face. "No. These morphon infected humans tend to be more resilient to my power. Regardless, I think it's about time I send a clear signal to BADGE, a signal in blood." She walked toward the door, her heels making a sharp click with each step. Her soldiers readied to follow, but she held up a gloved hand, "No. I'll deal with them personally."

Gar flew hard to follow behind Midgard as he stomped his way across the world toward the team that dared to embarrass him.

"You're scaring people!" Gar yelled.

"GOOD!" Midgard bellowed in response.

Gar swooped around and saw people below scrambling away as Midgard marched over a vast distance. BADGE was going to hear about this from every nation this monster has made a path through.

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" Gar asked.

"YES. NOW LEAVE ME ALONE!" Midgard took a swipe at Gar like he was a gnat pestering him.

Gar fell back a little and then followed at a distance. He tapped his wrist comm. "Gar to BADGE Station."

Justin came through, "You have eyes on Midgard?"

"Yes. He's making a mess."

"I know. We've been fielding calls from national leaders across the planet."

"How do I stop him?"

Justin said, "Only Nova could do that. Truth is, Midgard is heading directly for FAANG, and they are just about to reach Lady Echidna's location."

"What do I do?"

"Keep an eye on this and report back to me."

"Understood."

Gar flew hard only to find himself slamming into the back of Midgard who had suddenly stopped. Gar fell five stories before catching himself with his wings and flying back up. "What did you stop for?"

Midgard was transfixed. Gar looked and saw something that has not been seen on Earth for centuries. A woman shrouded in shadowy black robes with a golden crown on her head stood on the top of an ancient temple. She cackled in glee as the shadow surrounding her lurched out and snatched heroes out of the air and eviscerated them in seconds.

FAANG fired weapons and powers at her, but nothing even got close. Everything was dissolved within inches of her. The shadow would grab another hero and rip his or her limbs off. She wasn't even moving, just had her hands up and the shadows did all the work.

"We have to help!" Gar turned to find Midgard just staring. "Midgard?"

All at once the shadow raced out and struck Gar, he fell from the skies straight down, slamming into the ground at Midgard's feet. Gar was unable to move, it was as though the magic that gave him life was frozen. The world went black for Gar and he experienced life as he had for centuries, a lifeless statue.

"Gar... Gar, are you there?" Chase spoke and he felt life returning.

Gar's vision returned and he could move his head. He saw Chase looking down at him with sky above and trees around him. "Where am I?"

"You are near the site...or former site of Lady Echidna's temple. Can you stand?"

Gar pushed to sit up and then nodded, "Yeah, I'm getting feeling back. I felt like a statue again. It was horrible."

"I imagine it was. Come on, Justin needs you."

Gar got to his feet and realized there was a legion of BADGE shuttles, agents, and other heroes standing around. Even Arx and his small team of ATLAS specialist were there. Justin stood inside a command tent with people working all around him.

Justin saw Gar and actually smiled, "Oh, good. I was worried something bad had happened."

"You know I'm indestructible," Gar stated.

Justin said, "I know, but with what we've seen today I have reason to worry."

"What?"

Justin gestured to the computer monitors on two of the folding tables. There was gore smeared across the ground as forensics teams diligently worked to clean up the mess. "This is all that's left of FAANG, not even one intact body. Lady Echidna's forces were merciless. To make matters worse, we haven't found any indication that any of Echidna's men even fell, they took no damage from this attack."

Gar said, "Didn't Midgard tell you?"

Chase stated, rather harshly, "Midgard left without even warning us that you were down. All we know is that he went back to his hole he likes to hide in when he's not terrorizing stuff."

"I will bother him later," Justin said. "What happened? What did you see before you were attacked?"

Gar said, "None of Lady Echidna's men were responsible for this, and I don't even think Nova was part of this battle."

"Then who did all this? I know FAANG weren't the brightest, but they were very strong heroes."

Gar answered, "They were nothing compared to her. She was surrounded by some kind of shadow power. She stood on top of an old building and destroyed them one by one. I watched it until she attacked me."

Chase asked, "She attacked you all the way back here? But, you were over three miles from the combat zone."

Gar said, "She didn't even move. I was arguing with Midgard when there was that shadow, that hideous darkness. That's the last thing I remember."

Chase said, "That's... horrible. She must be more powerful than we thought possible."

Gar became worried, "We are so close to her. We need to leave this area."

"Don't worry. She has already left. The location we tracked her to is completely gone. Somehow she transported that ancient building away and we have no idea where she is. It will take time to adjust our tracking to find her again."

Arx came in, the color in his skin drained. "I have never seen so many random body parts. I don't think I can... " He leaned over a trashcan and vomited. After a moment, he said, "Sorry. I've seen things I won't soon forget."

"It's okay. You don't have to go back out there, our teams can finish this. And, the robots working with Dr. Henderson and her people can handle this better. Thanks for bringing your people in to help."

"Glad to be of service. I came to report that we have identified every member of FAANG, none survived."

Chase said, "How do we face her? I thought Jinn was bad, but she did this alone without effort. And, she has teams of soldiers, Nova, and legendary beasts at her command."

"I don't know. We can't stop trying and so we must push forward. I did learn something today," Justin said.

Arx asked, "What's that?"

"We are woefully under-prepared and we have precious little time to remedy that."  

Chapter 7:

 "WHERE ARE THEY!" Lady Echidna shrieked in fury as she marched through the throne room of her temple. She looked different, more ancient and clad in a dark black outfit befitting an empress, not her normal luxurious attire. However, as she approached her throne, her clothes subtly changed back to her expensive outfit and her face returned to her beautiful visage.

Nova rushed in quickly and knelt, "My lady, who do you require?"

"My spies! Bring them to me, NOW!" She turned and sat on her throne.

Nova left and returned with the two men that had been assigned to infiltrate BADGE. He shoved them to the ground in front of her.

"Which one of you did this?"

Both trembled in fear and did not respond.

Lady Echidna stood with a shot, a crack of thunder rumbling through the room. "WHO BETRAYED US TO BADGE?"

"My Lady, neither of us would do such a thing," The soldier declared.

The scientist said, "Why would be betray you? We love you."

Nova asked, "In what way have they betrayed us?"

"BADGE sends a team to us, directly. They knew where to find us and how. One of these fools must have been coaxed into telling them how to find us. Or, they allowed themselves to be traced."

"There is no trace on them, I checked," Nova said.

Her gaze turned cold as she glared upon them. "Then, they betrayed us by mouth. And, for that, there is but one punishment."

Nova began to protest when an inky darkness seeped into their bodies and they both gagged for a moment and then fell over dead.

"Did you have to do that? They were a good asset."

"A piece of fruit might be delectable, but if it becomes rotten, it's taste is sour and unpleasing. You discard such worthless fruit." She stated and then returned to her seat.

Nova motioned for his fellow soldiers to come and clean up the mess. "Where have you moved the Temple?"

"We are safe, far away from prying eyes. That is all you need to know."

Nova said, "I guess we return to our task of locating the third eye."

"Not yet. BADGE challenged me this day. They are brave and foolish. I tire of fighting them at every turn. I think it is time to rid this world of them and all other pathetic creatures that would stop my return to glory."

Nova frowned, "What are you saying?"

"I think it is time to unleash my greatest beast."

Turning his sights on a pedestal where the Eye of the Hydra rested, Nova asked, "Are you sure you want to unleash the Hydra? It is an extremely powerful..."

"It is not nearly powerful enough. I don't want a distraction, I want utter ruin. I want all of BADGE and every other human on this planet to face the same fate as those who opposed me. The stench of their courage, the unsightly way they thrive on hope, and the disgusting manner in which they protect one another must be eradicated once and for all. Then, we will finally be able to locate the Eyes and return to our home."

"You mean to unleash the fourth and final beast," Nova said.

"Yes."

"Tell me, what is it? Where do I find this particular eye?"

She stood and walked up to him, "I still do not trust you with this information. Oh, don't look so glum, it ruins that handsome face." She brushed a gloved hand across his cheek. "This is my mission. I know exactly where to find my champion."

Nova took that hand from his face and kissed the back of it. "Please, include me in your work. I must be a part of your life."

"Oh, how I want to. But, I know what happened before, and I will not allow it to happen again. I will leave, with a small team of my soldiers. When I unleash this beast, you will know, the whole world will know. Be ready." With that she slipped her hand out of his loving grip and strutted away, gesturing toward the special ops of her people and they quickly followed.

Justin led his command team out of the shuttle into the station. Arx walked up next to him while he spoke on his communicator.

"Yes, I understand. Of course, get to it. I'll be there shortly." He clicked it off. "Director, there is a flooding incident off the coast of Alaska."

"Then you'd better get going." Justin waved him off.

Gar asked, "What do you need us to do?"

"There's not much to do except search for the Eye of Charybdis. Gar, I want you to work with Chase and Strange Quark in locating it."

Chase said, "We don't even know where to start."

Justin entered the lift, followed by the others, and they zipped off toward Operations. "I hope we have something from the details Chase perceived about that tablet."

Exiting the lift, they walked out into the Operations to find both Torrik and EB talking with several of the Robots.

Torrik pointed at a screen, "Does this mirror have details about the crown?"

"Affirmative. Details are available."

EB hopped along the computer stations and stopped in front of another robot, "Look up all the stuff about every person to have worn it."

"Historical data is available. Accessing data now."

Justin walked over, "What is going on?"

EB jumped up and landed on Justin, his feet against Justin's chest and his paws holding him by the collar. With an excited look on his face he declared, "We found it!!"

Justin stumbled back at the attack as he said, "Found what? Get off me."

EB jumped off and stood on a nearby computer terminal. "Okay, so I was working with these robots looking at all that stuff Chase got from the tablet. It was cloudy and vague, but so cool to see what she sees when she does her special time thingy. So amazing. Anyway, I saw some details about their clothes that looked kinda familiar."

Torrik continued, "We found enough details to pinpoint the time period and potential locations. This amazing computer wizard thing came up with a discovery. Apparently, in the same year as the stone was taken, a unique crown was made for the Kings of a land called Bohemia. When we got a good look at it, we think we have identified the Eye of the Charybdis."

EB hopped up and down in pure joy. "Get this, get this! The crown has this legend, a curse. Anyone who wears it that's not supposed to will die a gruesome death within a year. And, it has happened, recorded in history and stuff. Last guy was some Nazi jerk during World War 1...or 2... I forget. He put it on, crowned himself illegally, and then BOOM, he died at the hands of his own soldiers. So, That kinda makes it real that this has the stone. The magic of those stones is dark and bad, which would make for one helluva curse!"

Justin asked, "Can you put the details on the main monitor?"

The robots put all the various screens with data on the monitor. Right in the middle was this extravagant crown with the title, Crown of Saint Wenceslas, under it.

"SEE, that big red one right there." EB pointed at a stone that was slightly different than the rest.

Torrik said, "It seems that this particular stone was impossible to cut, so they set it just as it was found. Your metal golems said that without the gold setting around it, the stone would have a teardrop shape."

EB laughed, "Golems....they're robots, silly."

Justin said, "So, we just have to convince Prague to let us extract a stone from an ancient, beloved crown from the Bohemian Crown Jewels."

Chase smiled, "I could steal it... I'm a pretty good thief."

Justin gave her a slanted glare. He ignored her suggestion and gave his orders, "Chase, Gar, find Strange Quark and head for Prague right away. Dress in your finest and be as diplomatic as possible, we need to get that stone before Lady Echidna's goons and Nova show up."

EB hopped around, "What about me? I can be very diplomatic! You know that chocolate speaks volumes, especially in Europe."

"No, I need you and Torrik to keep working on that tablet."

EB asked, "Why? We know where to find the Eye of the Charybdis now."

"Right now, I want to know what is written on it and what that fourth symbol means. I just witnessed the kind of power we're facing and I have to ensure we take advantage of every possible avenue of information. You two stand the best chance of anyone on deciphering that, so get down there and focus."

"What are you going to do?" Chase asked.

Justin said, "I'm going to have to get through to Midgard. He's the only one of our allies who stands a chance against that kind of power."

"But, he ran away from her," Chase said.

"He has always played by his own rules, fought when it suited his entertainment. I'll have to convince him to follow orders and obey... which will take some work on my part. God, I wish Nova was here. He could always get through to Midgard."

"I could help," Chase said.

"No. I have to earn his trust, and standing up to him alone might be my only chance. We all have jobs to do, lets get this done before the world comes to an end."

Chapter 8:

 Torrik sat on a stool in front of the tablet that floated again in the beam of light. The computers were in low-mode, simply processing data while the scientists were gone for the day.

With his head in his hands and his face down, he remained as still and silent as the shadows themselves.

"Are you asleep?" EB hopped into the room and jumped up to stand on the table next to Torrik.

Torrik shook his head, "No. Just lost in thought."

EB huffed and looked up at the stone tablet. "It isn't going to help just sitting here. But, I suppose you know that. Hey, I got an idea! Have a breakthrough."

"What?"

EB smiled,"You're looking for the big breakthrough, ya know, gett'n all the info right away with some flash of inspiration. Doesn't always work like that. But, when I'm trying to create the next big candy to take the market by storm, sometimes I get stuck just like this. So, I change my focus to a smaller part, something I can figure out, and then let that satisfy my need for advancing just long enough to rest for a bit. Feels good, cause I'm moving the right direction."

"That's actually wise. Okay, so how can I solve a small part of this?"

EB looked up at the tablet and smiled, "Hey, what if you review the video of Chase's vision about it. Maybe you can focus on a detail that'll help."

"Go ahead. I don't know how to work these magic machines. The images are stored inside them." Torrik looked around at the computers.

EB punched in a command and found the video. He impressed Torrik with his knowledge of computers, but the truth was he knew very little. However, playing a video was relatively simple. The images ran on the screen.

"I've watched this a dozen times. How can I find something new?" Torrik said.

"Dunno. Just try."

Torrik sat back. The video played all the way through. Just before it stopped, Torrik sat up, "There, stop it!"

EB hit the pause button. "What? Did you see something?"

"It has been right in front of me this whole time. I've watched him do that every time and never really added it together."

EB frowned as he looked up at Nova etching the words into the tablet. Which, from this point of view, was just Nova's face looking down since they saw this from the tablets prospective.

"You have your breakthrough?"

"Yes. However, this is the big one. Tell Justin, I'll have something for him soon." He reached over and pulled the tablet out of the beam.

Justin walked through the beautiful lands of the ancient Vikings. The green grasses and deep blue waters of the nearby seas were shrouded in a heavy mist from the morning dew. He stopped before a great metal door with runes carved into the surface.

"hurd myrkr!" Justin spoke the ancient Nordic words.

The great door slid down into a slot in the ground. Only one other person in BADGE knew the secret words to enter this place, and he was currently working for Lady Echidna.

Justin walked into the ancient ruins of a temple long forgotten by man. This place was the home of a legendary beast that was once feared by many and inspired great stories and songs among a people that have since passed into myth themselves.

Stone walls were cut deep with reliefs of serpents and monsters, gods and demons, all from the Asgardian myths of the old religion. However, this was no place of worship. It was a tomb with many men buried among the carvings. Those deemed worthy of divine burial by the only member of the Asgardian religion to ever truly live among mankind.

Delving deep into the great hall, Justin found a sorry figure seated before a roaring fire. In a chair formed of iron and bronze, Midgardsormr seemed lost in the flickering flames.

"I know why you're here, Justin."

Pausing in his approach, Justin said, "You do?"

"I froze. I couldn't stop her. She dismembered FAANG and all I did was watch. I, MIDGARDSORMR, taken by fear."

Justin approached him, "I've never hidden my feelings about you. You are dangerous, hard to control, impossible to contain, and enjoy breaking rules. When this world is in it's greatest perils, it is hard to trust that you'll take the time to use your amazing strength to defend us. At least, I always feared you would decide not to step in. Nova always knew you would do the right thing. And, he was right. Even though your methods are destructive, you have proven to be one of this worlds greatest defenders."

Midgard grabbed a healthy tankard of strong spirits and downed a sizable gulp. "Nova thought I was doing this to defend this pathetic world? Ha! I just enjoy a good challenge!"

"You can't fool me any longer, Midgard. I know why Nova always trusted you."

"And why is that?" Midgard's tone was a challenge.

Justin walked around to look this man in the face, "Because, you have honor. You hide behind a loud voice, rude attitude, and flaunting every rule. But, you have a choice to be a hero or villain and always choose hero in the end."

"Why are you here?" Midgard sank back into the chair and stared at the fire again.

"This world needs you. You saw what Lady Echidna is capable of, and you know what Nova is capable of. We are painfully under-prepared for this. I need to know that you're ready to stand with BADGE. No, not just BADGE, with the Earth. I can't wager on that honor to come through in the end, I need you on the team now."

Midgard pointed at him, "You just want me to make sure your plans work because you aren't Nova and he'd already have a plan to stop this."

"Yes!" Justin blurted out.

"What?" This admission surprised Midgard.

"I'm not Nova! I have to do this my own way. The safety of our world, and now another world, is firmly on my shoulders and I have to make this work. Please, don't ridicule me for not being Nova, I know my limitations. But, I have a plan and I need you to be a part of it. If I must beg, I am begging."

Midgard smiled, "I respect your honesty, few men have the balls to admit they need help."

"So, you'll help?"

Midgard looked away, "I can't."

"But..."

"I CAN'T! There is something in me that felt fear when I saw her fighting that team. Fear! I have never known that in my life, which is considerable. I..." He seemed as if he were wanting to say more, but he simply shook his head, "Go away, Justin, make plans that don't involve me."

"Has it come to this? The end of the world is heralded by Midgardsormr showing cowardice."

Midgard looked at Justin with great rage, but backed down. "Go."

Torrik sat in the grasses of the arboretum and cast a bright green spell on the tablet. EB stood nearby, watching with great curiosity.

Torrik spoke as he processed his spell, "Watching Nova etch this, I realized he wasn't speaking the words he was writing, he was speaking a spell. It is ancient magic that creates a language unique to the object being written on. Nothing else in either world would have this language. With it, he could conceal some message meant only for those who can disenchant his spell, which I am doing right now." The tablet flashed bright and then the light turned blue. Torrik began reading it.

EB asked, "Well?"

Torrik's whole demeanor changed. "By all that is Magical! This...I... we're in trouble! Get me Justin, hurry!"

Justin was almost to his shuttle when his comm beeped. "This is Justin?"

Torrik came through loud, "It's Midgard!"

"What?"

"The fourth beast, the creature Lady Echidna would use to end the world, it's Midgard. Nova inscribed a warning to never let Midgard return to his full strength, which can only be done through dark magic. Midgard doesn't even know. Find him, stop her from touching him!"

Justin turned and ran back, "I'm right with him, warn the station, I'm bringing him in, no matter what."

Midgard sat before his fire, pondering his place in the heroes and villains of Earth. Once he was feared, yet now the world looks upon him like a cherished hero.

A hand touched his shoulder.

"JUSTIN! I TOLD YOU I AM NOT GOING WITH YOU!"

Lady Echidna came around, smiling at him. "Oh, my darling, you have no choice."

"You! I will devour you!" He stood to take his full form, then he gagged and writhed as dark mist poured out of his eyes, mouth, and ears. "GAH! WHAT ARE... YOU DOING TO...ME?"

She pulled him closer, "Devour this world, my precious pet. Leave none alive."

Justin, bruised and bleeding, looked up from where his shuttle had been attacked. He saw a mountaintop explode as a monster rose from it. Justin reached over and dragged his broken comm to him and pressed the main button. The light flickered, it might not even be working, but he had to try.

"To all heroes, Black Alert, I repeat, Black Alert. Please, respond to my location, or the world will end today!"

The World Serpent, once believed to herald the end of all time, grew in size covered in a black, sick magic that crackled across his monolithic body.

"God help us," Justin whispered.  

Chapter 9:

Before Midgard attacked:

Chase, wearing a lovely red dress, walked with Strange Quark at her side. He wore a blue tuxedo with a golden duck pin where a flower would normally be. Walking behind them was Gar, dressed as normal, but with a bow-tie around his neck at Quarks insistence. They approached the Prague Castle.

Chase took in a great breath and smiled, "I love Prague, the history, the art, the buildings, all so lovely."

Quark smiled, "I love this building, so Gothic."

Gar nodded, "Reminds me of many buildings in Rome."

Pulling out her special BADGE card, Chase said, "We can be tourist later. We have a mission."

Walking onward toward the amazing building, all three were allowed through several check points.

Gar casually said, "I wonder how Justin is doing with Midgard."

Quark replied, "No idea. Nova had a hard enough time getting through to the old world serpent, Justin might not even scratch the surface."

"Why would Justin want to scratch him? Does he itch?" Gar asked.

Quark chuckled at that while Chase said, "He means, Justin doesn't have much of a chance. But, things might be different now. Justin really has proven himself a worthy leader, and Midgard respects strong leadership."

A finely dressed woman approached them, "As you requested, President Pavel is waiting to speak with you in St. Vitus Cathedral." She held out a hand for them to follow.

Chase was amused by this, "I see. We weren't required to make a case before he decides to meet us in the cathedral? Very accommodating."

The woman said, "President Pavel is aware that if BADGE sends three of their highest ranked officials to meet with him, then he should respond."

A small contingent of security and this nice lady escorted them through the many opulent corridors of the ancient building. Soon, they walked through a set of doors that led into a classical Cathedral sanctuary, where an older gentleman and three security waited for them.

Chase approached and bowed, "Your excellency, I'm honored you have given us your time."

Gar and Quark followed with silent bows.

President Pavel smiled, "I'm honored to have such high ranking members of BADGE paying us a visit. However, I'm aware that no visit from BADGE is without serious cause, and potential risk to my country."

Chase straightened up. "I'm afraid you're correct. There's a great danger here, an object that must be taken to BADGE for safe keeping. However, I'm also afraid that it is currently nestled into an important artifact belonging to the state."

"The Crown of St. Wenceslas," President Pavel said.

Quark asked, "How did you know?"

"So many legends have arisen about that crown that our people have always felt it was abnormal. Then, in recent times, the United Nations sent inspectors to locate unique energy readings. They discovered something odd about the crown, but it was not morphonic, so it was not reported to BADGE. However, when you asked to meet me about a special visit to this cathedral, I had a strong feeling that the crown was the reason. Am I correct?"

"Yes," Chase answered. "I don't want to disfigure such an important artifact, so I ask that you allow us to take it whole. I promise the utmost care will be granted to it, and we will have the finest jewelers on Earth remove the stone in question before returning it. But, at this time, it has to be moved otherwise..."

All three of their BADGE comm units came alive with Justin's pained voice, "To all heroes, Black Alert, I repeat, Black Alert. Please, respond to my location, or the world will end today!"

"What is this?" President Pavel demanded.

Chase had lost the color in her face as she looked up at Gar and Quark. "Black alert... we haven't had one of those since..."

"Jinn," Quark answered.

The President asked, "Are we in danger?"

"I don't think so. The location on this is far from here. We need to go, find out what is happening." Chase said.

Before anyone could respond, a familiar voice asked, "Going so soon?"

Chase took a step back when her eyes fell upon Nova and a team of finely dressed mercenaries, all wielding the anti-morphon guns. "Nova, how..."

"Don't be an idiot, Chase. I was the one who hid the stones, I kept track of them for centuries. Don't you think I know where they all are?"

She took a step forward and readied her magic throwing stars. "I'm willing to take you down, Nova. I know what's at risk."

"You know nothing. The power Lady Echidna wields is far superior to anything you could possibly fathom."

Chase's eyes narrowed on him, "We only know that we must stop her, and we will. You trained us all too well for us to fail."

"Oh, I did, did I? Like this poor fellow." He gave a little wave with a gloved hand and one of his mercs tossed the body of the badge guard that had been one of Lady Echidna's spies. It landed in front of Chase.

"What did you do?" Chase looked down at the broken corpse.

Nova drew in closer to her, no fear in him as she threatened with her blades. "The battle for this world has already begun. Midgard was her fourth beast, a creature she used once and now has access to again."

"Midgard?" Chase frowned.

Quark gasped, "Oh, sweet baby Jesus...the Black Alert!"

Nova laughed, "Better head for the fray, little heroes. The World Serpent will consume all life and he will be nearly unstoppable. That is, unless you want to try and stop me from getting the Eye of the Charybdis." His eyes flashed that bright white light that Chase witnessed during the battle of Fenrir.

Chase stood back, "If you retrieve it and leave without harming anyone, we won't fight."

"You have my word." Nova smiled with the slick grin of a devilish politician.

Chase backed up, "Go."

Nova and his men headed for the secure vault hidden in the Cathedral of St. Vitus where the Crown of St. Wenceslas has been kept safe for centuries.

President Pavel demanded, "You have no right to go there! I protest!"

Chase kept a keen eye on the mercs and Nova as they went about their business. "No, don't interfere. We can't stop him and there aren't heroes left to invite to this fight, they're all trying to save the world from Midgard."

While the President threw out angry words, Chase watched Nova and his men return with the case holding the crown. They casually stepped over the corpse he had deposited and left the building. Nova remained for one moment to give his parting shot.

"Chase, let Justin know that if BADGE continues to fight us, it will only end the same way for all the agents as it did for that one on the ground. Only a flicker of light in his eye before death befell him." With that he left.

"I DEMAND YOU SEND A TEAM OF BADGE AGENTS AFTER THAT ARTIFACT. IT IS A PRECIOUS RELIC OF PRAGUE!" President Pavel bellowed at Chase.

Quark said, "Trust me, sir, if she hadn't let him go, we would all be dead. Besides, who can we send? The world is about to end and I don't even have a stiff drink to bolster myself before heading in to fight against the biggest badass in BADGE."

Chase walked over and knelt next to the man on the ground.

Gar said, "Should we go to the fight? If it is that bad, we need to help."

They waited while Chase simply looked at the man.

Quark said, "Chase, I can zap us all there right now, we need to go. It is a full black alert."

Gar, growing impatient, said, "Chase, what are you doing?"

She said, "Didn't you find that last word from Nova a little odd?" Reaching down she pried open the eyelids of the dead man.

"Do you see something?" President Pavel asked.

She nodded, "There is something in his right eye, like a fleck of sand. But, it is embedded. Quark, we need to get him back to the station now. If the real Nova is sending us another message, we need to decipher it right away."

"On it. Gar, you ready?"

Gar nodded.

Quark waved his hand and Gar was sent away to the fight with Midgard. Then, Quark and Chase vanished in a flash with the corpse.

Chapter 10:

 Gar was surrounded by blue energy for a moment, when he appeared he was incredibly high in the sky, barreling toward a Midgard that defied all expectations. The World Serpent was so huge that clouds were being bisected by his arms as he swung them. His tail stretched across the ground, laying over mountains and into the sea. An entire village had been crushed by his presence.

Heroes swarmed around him, blasting powers and throwing large objects at his head. Midgard, red in the eyes, screeched in sounds that were no language but that of a thrashing beast. He lurched to the side after a massive volley of firepower from several heroes, and then turned and went to slam his enormous forearm across the ground, which would have caused a massive earthquake. Several dozen heroes joined together and emitted a collective barrier made up of ice, psychic, and general power. The arm met the barrier and was deflected.

Gar swooped down and flew along the ground, heading for a team of heroes racing toward Midgard. When Gar saw a giant green fist coming down to meet them, he flew hard and body slammed the first, moving it to the side just far enough to crash into the sea. Gar tumbled through the air for a moment before catching himself.

Landing on solid ground, Gar gathered his wits after that attack. Shinobi raced up to his side.

"Thanks for the save, that was impressive." Shinobi quickly jutted both hands forward and huge chunks of earth flew up and crashed into Midgards abdomen.

The Avenger landed near Gar and held up a hand. Energy came flooding off the side of Midgard. Using his other hand he returned the power as a full-on blast.

"What's the situation?" Gar asked The Avenger as he continued his attack.

The Avenger said, "This battle is... strange to say the least."

"Strange? I'd say this is impossible! LOOK OUT!" Gar quickly grabbed The Avenger and took flight as Midgard swept a hand across the ground, razing trees, buildings, and dozens of heroes at once.

Getting back to his feet, The Avenger said, "Thanks. I can't drain enough energy from Midgard, he is too powerful."

"Why did you call it strange?" Gar asked.

The Avenger was already scanning for his next opportunity to attack. "If I'm not mistaken, it's like he's holding back. This battle is.... I don't know, not as bad as it could be."

Gar watched Midgard knock two dozen heroes out of the sky with one blast of his energy breath. "I'd say this is pretty bad."

"I know energy, Gar, there is something not right about this whole thing."

"Are you saying he isn't as dangerous as he seems?"

The Avenger looked at a reading on a screen in his arm armor. "No, this is still bad. If we don't stop him soon, our numbers won't hold and he'll begin a rampage that could cost millions of innocent lives."

Suddenly, Midgard turned to attack their location, energy from his mouth and both fists pummeling the ground.

"Run!" Gar grabbed The Avenger again and flew away as many other heroes around did the same.

The ground exploded and then was crushed, sending seismic waves that rippled out across the Earth. Towns hundreds of miles away shook and took damage from each land crashing strike.

"I can fly!" The Avenger yelled.

Gar let him go and the cybernetic hero zoomed off under his own power, heading directly for Midgard's face. Landing on a cliff over the ocean, Gar thought how he would approach this battle. To his amazement, another Midgard showed up, a hero grew in size to match that of this world serpent and grabbed the real Midgard by the arms. They struggled against one another, each fighting in an epic wrestling match. Heroes continued to shower the real Midgard with powers and other weapons.

Gar's comm device activated, "Justin to Gar, report!"

"You won't believe this, but someone as big and powerful as Midgard is holding him at bay."

"I know, that is one of the mimic heroes. He can't hold out for long."

"What do we do? Do you have a plan?"

Justin said, "I'm sending help. Tell the heroes to go full throttle when they see the signal."

"What signal?"

"You'll know." Justin's voice channel clicked off.

Gar looked around, not sure what to expect. Suddenly, out of a flash of blue light came a large portal. Furious Squirrels Dirigible flew through with a bright blue hero standing on top, it was Strange Quark. Gar ran to the edge and took flight, gliding up closer to the battle balloon. He had his comm ready for the all-signal, unsure what this could mean.

To his great surprise, he saw two enemies standing inside the pilot house of the balloon, Private Eye Peyton and the gangster Rutkowski. Both were completely black and white and glowing with a bright white aura.

Midgard's body flickered and he lost most of his color. All at once, he froze as if all time had stopped. Gar realized this was it, he pressed the all-signal, "HEROES ATTACK, ATTACK, HIT HIM WITH EVERYTHING, DON'T HOLD BACK!"

The battle dirigible unleashed a massive volley of rockets and energy beams, Quark shot blue energy from the top, and heroes far and wide joined in and pummeled Midgard with everything they had. Gar simply held his position in the sky as he watched this onslaught of pure power. Was Midgard already finished and they were attacking something dead? Could Midgard even die? What happens if this doesn't work?

A blinding explosion erupted from the center of Midgard and everyone was thrown half a mile away in a perfect radius. The Dirigible faltered and nearly fell into the ocean while Strange Quark fell free from it and splashed in the icy cold waters. When the smoke settled, there was no Midgard to be seen, nothing remained of the bewitched monster of legend.

"Gar! Gar! Report!" Justin came through the comm.

Gar, on his back laying on a beach, held his arm up, "I think it worked. Midgard is gone."

"He can't be gone. He was huge."

"I don't know what happened to him. But, it's over."

Justin clicked off the comm channel and pointed at robot 10915. "I want all our damage control teams to that part of the planet on the double. Get me in touch with every world leader in the vicinity of that battle, I know they will all want an update."

"Understood, Director."

Justin clicked his comm again, "Justin to Arx."

"Arx here. That was one hell of a battle."

Justin said, "I know. I want you to lead the damage control teams on the surface. I want you to ensure the locals that we'll everything in our power to help clean up the mess. And, also send out as many agents and heroes as you can spare, I want to know what happened to Midgard."

Arx, sounding fatigued after that battle, answered, "On it, sir."

Justin left Operations and headed down to Dr. Henderson's main laboratory. The station was strangely quiet, since most of the agents and even the training robots were down on the planet. Justin had ordered every available person and robot to join the conflict. The stakes were far too high.

When he got into the lab, he was met by Dr. Henderson and her nurses. They stood around the body of the agent that Nova had unceremoniously returned to them.

"What did you find?" Was his greeting.

Dr. Henderson said, "This man was killed by a strange power, something seeped into every cell of his body and turned it off. I'd say he didn't suffer, but I don't know for certain..."

"I want to know why Nova returned him and what possible advantage we can garner from this."

Dr. Henderson pointed at the dead agent. "His life mattered."

Justin calmed down from his stiff attitude, "I know. I hate to lose anyone. But, if we don't find a way to stop this, he'll not be the last to die. In fact, many died today, most of them innocent bystanders who were caught in the battle zone. So, I want answers, something to find the solution to this problem."

"I did find something. Nova left us a cryptic clue." She turned to a computer monitor and activated it. There was a fleck on a bit of microscope glass. "We found this in his eye. At first, I thought it was nothing. But, it was unusual to find something buried that deep in his eye. So, I had the computer magnify it. What I found was this." She zoomed and enhanced the image.

"A tiny computer chip?" Justin looked at the small device.

"It is hardly enough to hold any data, but there was a single line. A sentence that reads, 'To defeat your enemy, first you must know who they are', and then a series of numbers." The numbers appeared on the screen. "My guess is these are coordinates."

"Where do they lead?"

She said, "That is the strange part. This leads to the middle of the Mariana Trench."

"Looks like we are diving for clues now."

Dr. Henderson asked, "Are you sure we can trust him?"

"No. But, I have to find out what this is about, it is all we have."

Midgard, in his human form, washed up on the shore of a distant, cold beach. His body battered, his face bruised, and no breath coming or going.

A woman knelt down and turned him over so he was facing the sky.

"You fought well, but not well enough. You held back. I don't know why, but I will find out. Now, come with me, my pet. Your job in ending this world has not been completed." As she touched his face he gasped in a great breath and opened his eyes. They remained glowing red and he expressed no emotions.  

Chapter 1:

Gar flew quickly with a massive boulder in his hands. Heroes raced back and forth from where the waters were threatening the cities. A BADGE shuttle zoomed up near him, with Arx at the controls. Arx’s voice boomed out from the speakers.

“Hey, Gar, we have the floods under control around New Zealand. Put the focus on Tasmania.”

Gar gave a nod and turned slightly in his flight. Dozens of other heroes carrying large objects joined him. One by one, they threw the massive boulders at the shore of Tasmania to hold back the raging seas.

Landing on the beach, Chase and the local head of the military joined Gar. She asked, “What does it look like from above?”

“The water is getting calmer,” Gar said. “But it’s still pretty bad.”

The military leader asked, “Does BADGE know where these strange disasters are coming from?”

“Not yet. But we’re stopping them.” Chase said and then pressed a button on her wrist comm. “Arx, how much more do we have to take care of?”

Arx flew over them as he answered through her comm, “We have it under control. The local Leagues should keep an eye on things, but I think the rest of the heroes can take off now.”

“Good to hear.” She clicked her comm off and spoke to the military leader. “Arx will be in touch. If anything seems to be getting worse again, don’t hesitate to contact him.”

He shook her hand. “This ATLAS program is certainly a welcome blessing for the world. BADGE is doing a great job.”

“Glad to hear it.” She walked over and Gar picked her up. They flew away toward the landing zone ten miles inland.

A large military boat rocked hard in the heavy waters far away from land. On the deck stood a legion of mercs and Nova in his finest attire. Inexplicably, he stood firm while the boat continued to bob heavily. His eyes were fixed on the distance as he watched the heroes finish their work. From this point, the heroes appeared as gnats against a blue sky.

“Sir, BADGE is through. We can return.”

“Send the divers down. I want to see that tomb. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I want to know how our tampering with the tomb of the Hydra caused the ocean to turn so turbulent.”

“Understood.” The leader of the mercs gave swift, rigid motions with his hand and everyone raced to their duties.

Quickly, ten mercs, dressed in their diving suits, delved into the ocean’s surface. The leader of this crew had a special contraption with cameras and lights on it.

Chase sat in the meeting room for the ATLAS program on the station. Arx walked around, checking files and computer tablets. As usual, he wore his ancient Greek outfit as his desired hero outfit.

“I love what I do, but I hate the paperwork.” He put a file down and signed a form, then turned the page and groaned at all the more places he need to sign.

Chase checked over a tablet and then set it down. “I know. But, this keeps the bureaucrats happy, and that keeps BADGE in the good favor of the nations.”

He stuffed papers into an envelope and set it in a basket. “And that’s what we’re here for, to keep the politicians happy.”

“No, ATLAS is here to protect the world from natural disasters. But, it is the perfect program to keep BADGE in a good light. After the World Corps tried to destroy our reputation, and now Nova is acting strange, we need good PR all the time.”

Arx asked, “Do we know anything more about Nova? I mean, you guys fought him at that Fenrir incident. Where did he go?”

“We don’t know. Justin is on that, as are many others. We have a lot to figure out before we go hunt for him. Obviously, whatever this Lady Echidna has done to him has made him impossible to deal with. And I still can’t shake the last images of him I have in my mind. He is... well... not human. And it scares me to think that.”

“Why? EB isn’t human, Gar is living stone,” Arx said.

Chase laughed, “True. But Nova is more than just not-human, he is something extremely powerful. From what I can tell, he and Lady Echidna are of the same origin. She is terrifyingly powerful. What does that make Nova?”

“I don’t know.” Arx set the last paper down.

Chase let out a long breath and then looked at Arx, “Why do you wear that flimsy outfit? It looks comfortable, but you can’t really fight crime in that.”

“I’m not a crime fighter. I’m a natural disaster response coordinator. You know my powers are limited. I can’t make it as a real superhero. But, I can do this.”

She shook her head, “Powers don’t make a person a hero.”

“True.” Arx shoved the papers and tablets over on the table and activated the hologram generator, prepping it for the meeting. “Truth be told. I like how I look. I mean, I have worked my whole life to look good. I partly crafted this body through science, but I also work out a ton and like showing it off. Nothing wrong with that.”

“I guess. Though, if I’m gonna be honest. I rather a man have a little hair on him.”

EB seemed to appear out of nowhere, standing on the table, grinning seductively at Chase. “You don’t say?” He was rubbing his paws on his furry chest.

“How did you... oh, those ears of yours.” She let out a disgruntled huff.

EB came closer. “You don’t get much hairier than a fluffy, cute, bunny.” He was now bouncing his eyebrows at her.

“EB, you know that I... “

“Off the table!” Justin came into the room, angry as ever.

EB hopped over and landed on a chair. “Right-o boss man.”

Chase asked, “Justin, are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Report!” His attitude was short and downright furious.

Arx turned on the simulation in the middle of the table, showing a scaled version of the recent ATLAS effort. “The ocean went craze around the Tasman Sea. From Scamander, Tasmania, to Jamestown, New Zealand, there were massive floods. Minor damage occurred right away, but ATLAS was able to mitigate that quickly. I ordered large boulders be placed in around the beaches to create breakers while heroes with water related powers worked to calm the seas.”

EB stuck his little hand up and hopped up and down. “I used magic to make the waters go way down. Though there were some gnarly waves and great curls. I mean, like serious surfing opportunities, if it wasn’t risking your life to try. Hey, what about a surfing contest? We could have a BADGE retreat and get all the heroes to bring surf boards, oh and get some hot beach babes to...”

“EB! Not now!” Justin demanded. “Do we have any indication of what started this?”

Justin’s stern attitude visibly startled Arx. He softly answered, “Uh, no. However, we have detected abnormal energy readings under the ocean.”

“Abnormal energy readings are not enough. I want answers. Chase, get on top of this, now. I have a meeting with the head of the UN.” Justin said no more and just left the room.

EB, his ears tilted back, cautiously looked over the table at the other two. “What’s up with him?”

Chase said, “I don’t know. But we all have jobs to do. Arx, keep a watch on that situation, be ready with ATLAS at a moment’s notice. I’ll see if we can figure out what caused these floods.” She left with EB as Arx

Chapter 2:

Nova stepped into the grand throne room of Lady Echidna, taking a moment to bow. Behind him was the small legion of his best warriors.

Lady Echidna, seated upon her throne, looked into a beautiful mirror. “You return far earlier than I expected. Tell me you were more efficient than I believed possible.” She smiled at her own reflection.

Nova stopped in front of her and knelt down on one knee, and bowed his head. “We found the tomb of the Hydra, but it wasn’t there.”

She gazed upon her own beauty for a moment before slowly lowering the mirror. “How is this possible, my pet?”

“I don’t know. I had my men search every inch of the tomb. There was no sign of the Sapphire Eye.”

“Pity.” She set down the mirror and gracefully stood. “You still recall all of BADGE’s activity before I cleansed you?”

“Yes, My Lady.”

“Did BADGE ever recover the Sapphire Eye?”

“The Tomb was never discovered.”

She walked past him toward one of the four walls. On the surface was a relief carved into the stone of Fenrir. They had placed the red glowing stone in the eye of the relief. “I need all four if we wish to return to our rightful world.”

Nova stood, brushing off his five thousand dollar slacks. “There was one interesting thing about the tomb of the Hydra.”

“Don’t keep it a secret.” She turned back to him.

“The tomb itself was untouched. When we opened it, it set off a powerful magical spell that stirred the ocean so much that it activated BADGE’s ATLAS defenders.”

Her cool demeanor broke slightly. “Spell? You mean something one of those nasty little Vexillians placed?”

He shook his head, “No, my sweet. It was no simple Vexillian spell. This was far more powerful. It was a tiny seal on the tomb and yet it nearly destroyed New Zealand.”

“Did the island survive the torrent?”

He nodded.

“Too bad. This raises a big concern. We may have a third party in our little game, one that has a high stake in our failure.”

Nova frowned, “You don’t think it could be...”

She nodded. “It has to be. Who else would even know of the hydra and try to seal the tomb?”

Nova looked at the relief on the next wall of the multi-headed hydra. “If they have taken it back to Yohan, then we cannot hope to proceed.”

“Don’t be foolish. They would never take a cursed object back to their pristine little world of magic. It has been hidden here, in this world. And I suspect it was hidden recently.”

“Why? It has been buried for over two thousand years. It could have been moved any time over these centuries.”

She laughed and walked back to her throne. “No. If they had come seeking it before now, they would have contacted you while you were this world’s defender. With your noble heart, you would’ve helped them, as you did with the Eye of Fenrir. They would also have sought the others, such as the Eye of Fenrir, and yet it was exactly where your friend hid it. No, our enemy felt the power of the battle with Fenrir and it alerted them to the danger. It is the only logical conclusion.”

Nova asked, “What do we do? How do I find the Eye of the Hydra?”

She turned and sat down. “If it has been taken, it was taken for a reason. They either know what we are doing, or simply know they must keep the eye from us.”

Nova said, “Then, we look for it.”

She laughed, “Of course. But the problem is, they know we are actively seeking it. Thus, they’ll be waiting for us. The heroes of this world proved their determination by defeating both the shadow of Krampus and the shadow of Fenrir. I don’t want another major confrontation until I am ready. We must approach this differently.”

“So, what do you propose we do, my lady?”

With a wicked laugh in her chest and a daring gaze in her eyes, she said, “If someone from our former world is here, then they have crossed The Great Divide and opened a portal. Even if they have returned, the portals aren’t so quick to close. Perhaps we can use that to concoct a distraction.”

“What sort of distraction? You know we cannot return yet, they...”

“I’m well aware of our banishment!” she snapped at him. “No, we won’t try to go through. Only when we have all four eyes can we hope to fully return. However, we can cause havoc, which will buy us time.”

Justin stood in the middle of the Operations center, right where Nova normally stood. With a stoic gaze, he watched the monitor in front of him. Small windows were open to display the ongoing repair and aid to the flooded areas. Other screens displayed readings and charts for daily processing.

Chase walked into the room with a tablet in her hand. “We have triple scanned the area and worked out the metrics. Looks like everything is back to normal.”

Justin took the tablet and glanced at it. “Any indication this is connected to our clue?”

She shook her head. “We can’t find any evidence that these floods were part of that strange water drop gem Nova left in Midgard after the Fenrir event.”

“It can’t be coincidence.” Justin stated and slapped the tablet back in her hands. “Tell our teams to keep looking.” He walked away, heading for the office.

“Stop right there,” Chase demanded.

Justin paused and turned with a deadly stare. “What?”

“Don’t try to scare me with an intimidating gaze. You’re acting rude and short with everyone. What’s up?”

“I’m doing my job, and I hope you will find the time to do yours... which does not include psychoanalyzing your commanding officer. Get to work.” He left her for his office.

Letting herself cool off, Chase turned to the nearest robot. “Get me Krystal Fae.”

The robot connected the comm lines. A small window opened on the monitors and Krystal looked at her from an outdoor location. “Krystal here.”

Chase said, “I need you to take the team back to the Tasman Sea and check it again for any connection between the Lady Echidna situation and these floods.”

“We scanned the area with every available power and sensor and found nothing of worth.”

Chase said, “Get all our aquatic people on it. Look over the ocean floor again and find something to either prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is not connected, or find the connection. Justin won’t be satisfied with anything less.”

“I’ll get our people on it.” Krystal cut off the comm channel.

Gar walked into Operations from the main meeting room. Strange Quark was with him, drinking Tennessee Moonshine from a bottle using a crazy straw.

Chase asked, “How did the meeting go?”

Gar smiled. “It went well. The Prime Ministers of both Australia and New Zealand were very happy with our work and the people are happy as well.”

Quark finished a rather long drink and then said, “Yeah, they want to list all the heroes’ names who helped stop the floods. I told them we couldn’t give out all the names, some are secret. I suggested they just give BADGE and their local leagues, a big thank you. That’ll be good enough.”

“I’m fine with that,” Chase said.

Gar frowned. “What does Director Justin have to say?”

“He is not in a good mood... “

“Still?” Quark asked.

“Yeah, he’s not himself. But I’m sure he’ll be fine with your suggestion.” She picked up the command tablet. “Gar, I want you to take Operations for a while. I have to go do something.”

“Okay.” He accepted the tablet.

Quark grabbed her arm as she started to leave. “Hey, you don’t sound like you’re heading for a potty break. Where are you going?”

“I need answers.” She said.

Quark shook his head. “You aren’t going to try to connect with that water drop thing again.”

“I have to try.” She protested by pulling away from his grip. “Nova is still missing and in more danger than any of us want to believe. Justin is growing angrier by the day, and we’re going in circles trying to figure this out. That clue has something important I and I must find out what it is.”

Gar gently said, “The last time you tried, it only hurt you.”

“I was tired. It was too soon after the battle with Fenrir.”

“Justin said not to try again until he was certain it would be safe.” Quark said.

Chase retorted, “Justin is hardly in command as he sulks in his office and barks orders at people. He doesn’t know where to go with this investigation and I’m tired of waiting for something terrible to happen. We barely stopped that Fenrir thing and it was just a shadow. The Shadow Krampus killed people. What next? We sit around and wait for an actual monster to show up and flatten a metropolis while Justin refuses to put real effort into this?”

Justin surprised all of them as he said, “Fine. You think you know better. Go investigate that water drop. Do what you want.”

Chase shook off her surprise and said, “I will. And when I find answers, you’d better be ready to act on them.”

“Don’t worry. No one here wants to find answers more than I. Go, find them.” His tone was bitter and almost resentful. He said no more and returned to the office.

Chase waited for a moment and then left without saying anything to the others. The only sound present was the slurping sound of Quark’s silly straw.

Chapter 3:

“I hate this place,” Lady Echidna stated as she stood on an icy hill clothed in the finest winter apparel money could buy.

Nova, in a bright while arctic suit, held up a pair of special binoculars and scanned the area. “I know. This place brings back terrible memories.”

They walked down the icy hill, away from a special landing craft that was surrounded by her soldiers, all dressed in thick, wintry military gear.

“What is that?” She pointed over at a large glass domed city.

Nova said, “That would be New Meta City, a BADGE facility.”

She turned on him with a sharp glare, “You told me BADGE wouldn’t be down here!”

“And I didn’t lie, my sweet.” He responded to her with a gentle smile. Looking once again through the binoculars, he said, “New Meta City isn’t a military or observation installation. It is a haven for meta humans who do not wish to be heroes. In fact, many people in there are at significant risk due to their unusual powers and that place is the only way they can live a normal life. No one there is looking for us or working for any Hero leagues. There is a minimal BADGE security presence. The only transport is one that brings supplies down once a week and sometimes transports new residents.”

A terrible glint in her eye gave off a mischievous plan forming. “So, you are saying there are super powered humans in this city?”

“Yes.”

“Then, perhaps we could add them to our little group and harness that untapped strength.”

Nova shook his head, “Most of the people there are so weak in their powers, they aren’t of any real use. The rest either have powers that are not useful in combat, or are in need of containment all the time due to the risk of killing themselves.”

“Do I detect that old Director Nova sentiment in you? You are protecting them from me.”

“Hardly, my lady. I only wish to prevent you from obtaining unworthy subjects. Tactically speaking, they are more likely to hinder your plans than help them. And, if we do any harm to New Meta City, it will instantly alert BADGE that we are here and I don’t think you want a confrontation at this time.”

“True. They shall be left alone... for now.”

“However, I believe I see our target.” He handed her the binoculars and pointed in another direction.

She looked through them and saw a flickering purple light near a wide field of snow. “That does look like magic. My guess was correct. The magical barrier between worlds is weakest down here, especially after what happened to us. This was the perfect place for them to open a portal.”

Nova said, “We need to get to it in case it’s closing. It’s a two days walk for us. We can’t use any powers to move quicker, or the global sensors will pick us up.”

Lady Echidna shoved the binoculars back in his hand and snapped her fingers. Five of her men rushed over to do her bidding. “Time to move. We have a long walk, gentlemen.”

“Yes...my...lady.” The leader shivered so hard he staggered as he walked.

Lady Echidna hardly noticed his discomfort and marched ahead with Nova directly behind her.

Chase walked down the corridors of the Space Station. EB hopped along with her, chattering the whole time.

“Don’t be angry. We’re all under a lot of stress.”

Chase said, “We’ve been under a lot more stress, and Nova never treated us like that. Justin is way out of line.”

“He’s doing his best.”

She slapped a panel, and the door opened to the next hallway. “The only way this operation works is if we are all on the same page. He is a shut book with nothing but angry looks and few words.”

EB hopped ahead of her and then bounced backwards as he talked to her. “Look, you gotta be understanding. Justin is a great guy, like one of the totally best leaders under Nova. And I’ve known Nova for a long, LOOONG time. I don’t say that lightly. I remember this one time when Nova was still working outta Rome, he had this one general who was a complete dolt. To be fair, back then Nova was undercover all the time, so they thought he was just another member of the Italian military. But, anyway, this General Mastrovito was like all about flirting and politics and chocolate. That wasn’t so bad. He liked the chocolates I made. He didn’t know I made them, but I made some really good liquor filled chocolates that were a HUGE hit. Didja know I invented the whole liquor chocolate thing. I... OW!” He had hopped backward into a wall.

Chase turned another corner and said, “I don’t care. Justin has no right to treat us like he has been.”

EB, rubbing the back of his head, ran alongside her. “Chase, wait... STOP!”

She stood still and looked down at him. “What?!”

“Chase, you have to give him time. Nova was a good friend of his as well. Nova personally trained Justin. Justin looked up to him. Now, quickly, Justin has been given the biggest job in the world. And he’s gotta hunt down his former boss. We all know Nova is nutsy because of what that witch has done to him, but that doesn’t make it any easier. You were bamboozled a while back too, and that made us all upset. So, just... try to be understanding.”

She knelt down and brushed his head. “Okay, I’ll try. But I’m still going to see if I can figure out this clue Nova left us.”

EB followed her. “I know. That’s why I’m coming with you. Someone’s gotta be there if this goes wrong. I like Dr. Henderson, but she ain’t a mighty, magical bunny.”

They walked down several more corridors, moving through several security checkpoints. Security robots stood in place to keep anyone out who might try to get through.

Putting her code into the panel, a door opened into a high-tech lab. Dozens of computers lined the walls while various sensor equipment hung from the ceiling. Everything surrounded an energy field where the teardrop shaped blue object was suspended.

Dr. Henderson stood in front of a computer, checking data. A man was on the screen talking to her. “Thank you, Dr. Hostetter.”

“Any time. I’m sorry I wasn’t of much more help.”

“You did fine. I’ll be in touch if we need anything further.” She cut off the transmission. Standing up, she greeted them, “Chase, EB, I was waiting for you when Dr. Hostetter came back with his analysis.”

Chase asked, “Why ask him? Isn’t he a geologist?”

“Yes. I sent him all our scans and data on this thing. If he could tell us what this was made of, it might help. But he couldn’t find anything like it in all of his research. As far as we can tell, it isn’t made of a mineral from the Earth... if this is mineral at all.”

EB hopped up onto a moving tray and looked at the little object. “It looks like liquid water inside.”

“Yes, but it doesn’t register as water. In fact, it only has an arcane energy reading.”

“Magic?” EB asked, “But I don’t sense normal magic in it.”

“Nothing about this is normal,” Chase said.

Dr. Henderson asked, “Are you sure about investigating it again? The last time you tried it... “

“I know what it did. It took me a full day to recover. But there were other factors that could be part of that. We have to try. We are getting nowhere with finding Nova or Lady Echidna, learning more about their plans, or explaining why we suddenly have watery disasters right after getting this strange water relic.”

“Okay, but I’ll be right here to make sure you get immediate medical attention if this doesn’t work out.” Dr. Henderson stepped back and picked up a sensor device.

EB, still standing on the tray, said, “Be careful.”

“I will.” Chase slowly reached up and put her hand through the energy beam. She wrapped her fingers around the object and closed her eyes.

There was a moment of nothing, then she tensed up and gasped. “I... I see Nova. He is holding this. No, now he is pulling it from something. Wait... ah... I see faces, fangs, a monster... MY HEAD.... AHHHH!” She lurched back, her hand gripping the teardrop.

EB clapped his paws together and then threw them apart. A bright light flashed between her and the teardrop and she was thrown away from it. Dr. Henderson rushed over with her medical scanner.

“Chase! Chase! Are you okay?” Dr. Henderson asked.

Chase, laying on the ground and shaking, looked up at them. “I think... I know what this is.”

Chapter 4:

“Please... stop... I can’t... go on.” One of the mercs working for Lady Echidna fell down in the snow.

Nova ran back to the man, “My Lady, we’re not equipped for these conditions. This snow gear isn’t strong enough for a regular human body.”

Standing a good distance from her crew, Lady Echidna let out a long sigh and then turned back and pointed at a different soldier. “Fine. Head back to the shuttle and make sure he doesn’t lose any limbs. He’s no good to me in pieces. Nova and I will go on. I’m sure we’re safe without your help.” Her tone betrayed a complete lack of care for their safety.

Nova helped the man up and then gave him over to a pair of the others to head back toward their landed shuttle. After seeing they left, he made his way to the side of his mistress.

“You must remember, these humans aren’t as sturdy as our kind.”

She shook her head, “Once, we commanded legions of beings who could march across the deepest depths and tallest peaks without losing any strength. Now, we are stuck with sub-standard apes pretending to be a coherent society.”

As they walked, Nova asked, “If you loath them so, then why have a legion of them around you to do your bidding?”

She paused and looked back at him with a judgmental eye. “Are you questioning my wisdom?”

“Yes, but only because you seem to be standing in a contradiction.” His tone was congenial.

With a smile and a gentle pat on the side of his face, she answered him, “I don’t doubt your loyalty. You proved that to me when you retrieved the Eye of Fenrir. However, you must understand my logic. I don’t have a legion of humans around me out of any weakness on my part. They are there to do things that must be done without others realizing it is actually us. Besides, having them with me enforces the fact that humans are only worthy as our servants. When others look upon me and see my army of well-dress, handsome warriors, they will see the correct choice of servitude over death.” She spent a moment in thought and said, “I will admit, if I wish to maintain such an image, I should at least keep them alive and take into consideration their weakness. You have, as you are so good at, proven your wisdom in my service.”

He bowed his head to her. “Always yours, my lady.”

“Good. Now, let us find this portal. I’m eager to cause some havoc in our dear old realm.”

Chase opened her eyes to the glowering sight of Justin standing over her hospital bed. EB twirled around on the doctor’s stool next to her bed while Dr. Henderson checked on vitals.

“Oh, my head feels funny,” Chase moaned.

Dr. Henderson nodded, “It should. Your morphonic powers were rebounding and caused quite the stir in you. But you’ll be fine.”

EB stopped twirling around and said, “Oh, good. You’re awake. They still won’t let me see if a kiss will wake up the sleeping princess.”

“Good. The last thing I need is a slobbery kiss from a furry idiot.”

“Hey! I only wanted to help.”

“Sure you did.” Chase sat up.

Justin coldly stated, “I hope this was worth it? Did you find anything?”

Chase returned his unfriendly attitude with one of her own. “Yes, it was worth it. And, what I found, none of your sensors would ever detect. That isn’t a clue.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, it is living. This is why I had so much trouble checking into it before and why it messed with my head. I can’t use my power on living things.”

EB asked, “If you can’t, then how do you know anything about it?”

“It was living, then turned dormant. This object was part of a terrible creature once, but I don’t know what kind. I do know at one point Nova defeated it and then ripped this thing out of it. He then hid it. However, recently he retrieved it and the last thing I could see was him putting it into Midgard during their fight.”

Justin asked, “Where did he get it? Where was it hidden?”

“The information was quick and in tiny pieces. So, I don’t know. And, when I pushed into the past of the object just beyond his defeat, I encountered a terrible beast of incredible power. It stared back into me and that’s when EB broke the connection.”

“Do you know what this beast was?” Justin asked.

“No. All I got were demonic faces looking at me and the sense of water. What I believe is that this is an object like that Eye of Fenrir. This is the magical core of some terrible monster that Lady Echidna wants. Nova used his fight with Midgard as a method of passing it to us to keep it safe.”

“I don’t know,” Justin stated. “Nova helping us while he is also helping her still doesn’t make much sense. He has harmed our agents and heroes, he has handed her the Eye of Fenrir, he nearly killed Midgard in a battle and allowed a shadow form of Fenrir to run wild. These aren’t actions of someone helping us.”

EB hopped up on the bed and pointed at Justin. The bunny was as furious as he could be. “My buddy may be enchanted by this witch, but there is still our Nova in there. I know it. He’s trying to help us. He would not turn against this world. I have known him longer than anyone in this room. Hell, I’ve known him longer than most living beings in this universe. He is not our enemy, and if I hear one more word like that from you, then…”

“THEN WHAT!” Justin yelled, “One more word from you and I will have you removed from BADGE permanently, and don’t think I can’t!”

“You wanna try me, big shot!” EB beat his little chest and glared at Justin.

Dr. Henderson came up. “Cool down, everyone. This is not the time for yelling. Justin, apologize.”

“Doctor!”

“Justin. These people are your best hope of saving not only BADGE and the world but also our dear friend and leader, Nova. Do not treat them like this. Apologize.” She sounded like a mother right now, which only helped.

Justin turned and huffed, “Fine. I’m sorry. Now, we have work to do.”

“Justin,” Chase stopped him, “If this is another artifact like the last, then we have to know someone will come looking for it.”

“And we will be ready for them.” He left the room.

A BADGE agent walked along with four robots moving crates of supplies. He stood inside a massive domed city with green grasses, flowering trees and shrubs, and children playing in a park nearby. Streets lined in pleasant homes and shops bustled with activity. People went about their lives with a smile on their faces. A few were either solid red or bright green, or had an extra arm or leg, but for the most part, they appeared as normal people.

A woman in a suit walked up. She had bluish silver hair and bright white eyes with no pupils. “Good morning, Agent Willis. I see we got our shipment right on time.”

He handed her a tablet to be signed, “Would BADGE let your down?”

Scribbling her name on the tablet, she said, “I have been worried about the state of things. The World Corps incident left us a little worried and then Nova going missing added to the concern. We depend on the support of BADGE.”

He took the tablet back. “Don’t worry. EB promised to put aside a large portion of his fortunes to help fund this place in the incident of BADGE failing.”

“How sweet of him... oh, that was a terrible pun. Excuse me.”

Agent Willis laughed at her. “Fortunately, BADGE is operating fine. Nova’s disappearance did little to stop that. So, for the foreseeable future, shipments will be right on time.”

“Good.” She bid him farewell.

His robots finished unpacking the crates and then walked with him back to the entranced. He walked into a bay that had a door which led into the icy cold of the world around this pristine little community.

Just before he got into the shuttle, a man walked up who was half goat, with horns on his head and the waist to hoof of a goat. His abdomen up to his face was that of a well-built man.

“Can I help you?” Agent Willis asked.

“Does this shuttle go to the BADGE place?” This stranger asked.

“Yes.”

“I would like a ride, kind human.”

Willis shook his head. “If you want to reapply for power inspection and potential League placement, you’ll have to contact BADGE administrative offices. Talk to Mayor Sherri, she...”

The man waved his hand, and a purple mist came out. “Please, just take me there.”

Agent Willis smiled again, “Of course. Right this way.”

Chapter 5:

“I could’ve taken him.” EB said as he hopped along with Gar.

Gar turned a corner and headed for the laboratories. “I can’t believe Justin yelled at you.”

“I might’ve provoked him by yelling at him first. But he was saying just the nastiest things about my bestest buddy, Nova. I know Nova is acting strange and has done some really bad things, but he is still also sending us clues. I just know he isn’t totally on her side. He’s like a double agent, or something. But, Justin... Sheesh... that dude needs to act better or I am going to shove an egg where... “

They both turned a corner and came face to face with Justin. “Where?”

EB glared at Justin and folded his little arms. “You don’t wanna know. Just remember this one thing, bub, I may look like a cute little fuzzy bunny and love to make candy, but I’m one of the most powerful, magical creatures on this planet... and don’t you forget that.”

Justin gave EB a critical glare for a long moment and then coolly said, “That’s what I need you for. Come with me.” He turned and walked in the same direction EB and Gar had already been walking.

They made it to the laboratory with the teardrop artifact hovering in the same energy field it has resided in since arriving on the station. Dr. Henderson checked readings near it and Chase stood beside her, simply looking at the object with a touch of fear in her eyes.

“Chase, good, you’re here.”

Chase said, “I don’t know how much help I can be. I told you everything I saw.”

“I know. But does this spark any other thoughts you obtained? Any tiny detail could help us?”

She looked at the teardrop for a long moment while everyone waited. She said, “I just know Nova had something to do with this thing, more than simply giving it to Midgard. Other than that, I also know it truly is the heart of some terrible beast. A magical relic like the Eye of Fenrir.”

Justin looked at the teardrop as well. “Then we must conceal it so our enemy cannot easily find it.”

Dr. Henderson said, “I don’t know if that is possible. Nova was extremely brilliant. He understood everything about BADGE and our technology. He might not have been able to fully use it as a specialist, such as myself, but he understood it better than most. Anything we use to hide this will be at risk of his knowledge, and I don’t think we have time to invent anything new.”

Justin turned around and looked at EB. “That is where you come in.”

“Me?”

“Yes. You said it yourself. You are extremely powerful. Your magic is unique. Could you conceal this with some kind of spell or magic that will hide it from our enemy?”

EB nodded, “I think so. I can put it inside a magical eggshell that will block any kinda sensor device or magical means of location. I mean, this stuff is really totally great at hiding stuff. I once made this for...”

“Not now.” Justin cut him off. “Do it.”

Gar asked, “What good would that do? They will know we will have this on the station.”

Justin answered, “If we can hide it in something, then we can move it. If they can’t see where it is, then we can move it without them knowing. From there, we can put it in a place Nova won’t so easily figure out.”

Chase said, “Nova gave this to us to keep it safe. That’s the only reason he would do this. Lady Echidna got the Eye of Fenrir, but she must also need this.”

“Precisely. And we’ll do just that. EB, get to it.” Justin stood back.

EB hopped up onto a rolling chair and held both his paws up in front of him. He concentrated with all his might, and a white ball of energy formed between his paws. Suddenly, a large egg-shaped object popped into existence around the floating teardrop. It looked like a piece of carved marble with exquisite decorations etched on the surface. The egg plopped down and rolled to the side, completely unfazed by the energy beam.

Dr. Henderson turned off the energy as Justin reached over and picked up the egg. “It’s heavy.”

“Of course it is. That isn’t just any ordinary egg or even chocolate egg. That’s made of pure Vexillian Marble, which can only be conjured by the most powerful of my kind. It’s enchanted to block all sensor devices. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, on this station can read inside that shell. Promise.”

Dr. Henderson scanned the egg. “He’s right. This scanner is the most precise scanner we use in the labs and it cannot penetrate that shell.”

“Told-ja.” EB grinned.

“Can you make four others?” Justin asked.

EB frowned, “Four? Well, sure, but it takes a lot outta me to do this. Might need to rest.”

“They don’t have to be perfectly like this. Just visually. I want this to be identical to the others.”

“Okay, I guess. I’ll get to them. Gimme a sec.” EB started concentrating again.

Justin hardly cast a glance at EB, let alone thank him for this, as he turned to Gar. “You’re also impervious to most sensors. You read as stone and are indistinguishable from most other stone on the planet. I want you to take this and prep five shuttles for departure. Get four other robots to take places on each one, each sending a false signal to read as stone. Give each of the robots a fake egg. Then, leave and take this egg to a destination that will be sent to you from our ground operations in Kenya.”

“Where will I be going?” Gar took the egg.

“I don’t know, and that is the point. No one on this station will know. And, the Kenya station will only have a computer generated response for you, which will be wiped after a one time signal. Take the egg to the destination and you will know what to do when you get there.”

“I will?”

Justin commanded, “From this point on, none of us will refer to this teardrop or anything else about it. We will call it ‘the egg’, and that will be the code. At no time, on any official or unofficial communication line, will you refer to this as anything but ‘the egg’.”

Justin stood in command in operations, with Chase and EB beside him. They all watched as the five shuttles departed the station’s docking bay. They didn’t even know which one contained Gar and the egg.

“I hate sending him out there alone with that. Who knows if Nova will find him?” Chase said.

EB waved his paw in the air. “Don’t worry. Aint no one finding that egg with the amount of magical protection I gave it and Gar is made of stone... magical stone at that. It’s all good.”

Justin said, “No, it isn’t good. We might be hiding that thing, but that is only a temporary measure. We need to know what it would do. Why does Lady Echidna want it? What is she up to? We are leagues behind her in understanding her schemes, and I don’t like it. We have work to do.”

EB hopped up onto a computer console and sat down. “Look. We have wracked our brains for days trying to figure all this out. Maybe a little R and R would be nice for the afternoon. With that teardrop thing gone, and well hidden, we can watch a movie in the theater or better, we can watch a round of simulated battling. The Fifth precinct has scheduled a big simulated battle with Fenrir and I love watching them in action.”

“No, we don’t have time for that.” Justin said.

EB said, “A little down time can’t hurt. I mean, Nova would let us if he were here.”

Chase was about to say something when Justin simply started yelling. “We don’t have time to relax! The whole world is waiting for us to find answers and fix this! You can sit on your furry butt and laugh about this all you want, but people are in grave danger, the world is in terrible danger and we don’t even know why! I don’t care what it takes, but we have to solve this! I have to fix this! And, for the last time, it is THE EGG, and that is all! I don’t want to hear another word out of you other than ‘yes sir’ and ‘no sir’! GOT THAT!”

Chase grabbed his arm. “Justin! That was uncalled for.”

He shook her hand off. “I’m Acting Director Justin, your commanding officer. If you two want to go and take in a movie, be my guest. But don’t expect to come back to your positions. I’ll find agents who are willing to do their job.”

“You can’t possibly mean that.” Chase took a step back.

“Try me.”

Before anyone could answer that challenge, a warning sign came over the screen and a robot announced, “Undocumented magical presence detected approaching station.”

“What? Where?” Justin demanded.

“Shuttle A313, on approach.”

“The New Meta City supply shuttle?” Chase said.

Justin pointed at another robot. “Contact that shuttle.”

There was a long pause and then the robot said, “No response.”

Justin said, “Close all shuttle bays.”

“Shuttle already entering bay alpha. Unable to close bay doors.” A robot announced.

Justin clicked his comm unit. “Station at Red Alert, everyone to battle stations. Potential intruder.

Chapter 6:

“I want people down there, now!” Justin yelled into his comm.

He watched as all the security camera's active footage was on the screens before him. Legions of BADGE agents and robots filled the docking bay. Several trainee heroes were also there.

The supply shuttle’s back hatch opened and everyone took aim. The pilot stepped out and instantly jerked upright and put his hands in the air. “Don’t shoot!” He cried out.

Justin quickly tapped his comm. “Team leader, inspect that shuttle. Take the pilot...” He paused when suddenly vines came growing up out of the metal flooring with roots spreading out across the flat surface. People and crates were shoved around. Something dashed out of the shuttle just before all the footage was of vines and leaves.

Yells, gunfire, and a strange clopping sound came through the audio.

“He’s so fast!” “What is that?” “I’m tangled!”

“Report!” Justin yelled.

The team leader’s voice came over his comm. “Someone just exited that shuttle and we couldn’t get a single shot off. He was moving so fast. These damn vines are everywhere and they’re holding us down. We need backup.”

“Do what you can. We have to contain this intruder.” Just clicked off his comm.

Chase, next to Justin, readied her own blades. “Whatever this is, it has just made a mockery of all our defenses.”

“You and EB get down to the main floor, join the team down there. Do not let whatever that is get any further into our systems.”

EB hopped over onto Chase’s shoulder and put two pawed fingers up at his eyes and then back toward Justin. “We’ll go handle this, and then we’ll discuss with you just how replaceable we really are.”

“Not now.” Chase tossed the bunny off of her and headed for the lift.

Chase ran out of the lift with EB bounding ahead of her at his unnaturally fast pace. The remaining defense forces of the station joined them. They sealed doors in all the high security sections, leaving very few places the intruder could go from the shuttle bay.

Arx came running in with members of the TALOS team, “Justin just activated us. What’s up?”

“Intruder alert,” Chase said.

Justin came over her comm. “We’re reading the magical signal heading in your direction.”

“We’re ready and waiting.” Chase held a throwing star in her hand.

EB materialized two exploding eggs while Arx got his fists primed for a good fight.

For a moment, there was just silence around them. Then, a creaking alerted them to something happening. All at once, vines burst up from under the deck plating, breaking parts of the floor. Several agents had become entangled and thrust up into the air as they were at the mercy of these plants.

“This is magic! Here!” EB let his eggs vanish and then slapped both paws on the deck plates. A wave of blue energy spread out, and the vines were all stopped, then shriveled, and ultimately crumbled away as old, dead plants. EB continued to hold the decking. “I have to keep this up. There’s a powerful magic trying to make this place a jungle, which is kinda cool, but really annoying at the same time.”

The clicking of guns and sudden tension caused Chase to whip around and see their enemy approaching. She was taken aback by the sight before her. A man who was half goat from the waist down, and half man from the waist up, approached. He had horns on the sides of his head, and long, chestnut hair flowing down around his shoulders. His cloven hoof feet making a distinct clop with each step.

“My god, is that a satyr?” Chase whispered.

The man smiled at her. “So, you know what I am. But I’m not entirely sure what you are. Witch, sorcerer, demon... I don’t really care. I’m here for the Eye of the Hydra, and you won’t stop me from getting it.”

Chase took a bold step forward with Arx right beside her. “I don’t care what you think I am, but you aren’t getting anything from us.”

“I have fought many more powerful than you. Don’t push me. Just give me what I came for and I’ll leave your strange flying fortress.”

Chase said, “You’ll stand down.”

“Not today.”

Chase threw her blades at him, intent on cutting a few of those long locks away from his head as a threat.

“Slita!” He said with a strange, echoing voice, and the blades vanished.

She waited for them to return to her hands as they always did, but nothing happened. “What?”

He laughed, “Pretty weak magic.” Crouching, he prepared to run. “Okay, enough of this. I have a job to do.”

Chase calculated his movements and at the moment he dashed, she moved to the side and whipped around with her elbow meeting him in the chest. He flew back and skidded across the ground. The moment he came to a stop, Arx was right at him with a fist swinging at his face, but the Satyr ducked one swing and then dodged the next. However, the third swing met him in the gut and the Satyr fell to his knees.

“Take aim!” Chase commanded, and all the guns in the room were ready to strike down the enemy.

“Nice, you’re worthy fighters. But, not worthy enough.” He slapped a hand onto the decking and a vine grew up quickly, throwing him into the air. The laser fire from the agents’ guns hit the vine where he had been.

He came down with a hard smash into Arx and then quickly kicked Arx into Chase. Both tumbled away. The agents were now firing wildly at him, but he dodged their weapons with incredible agility. With one last slide across the ground, he blew across his palm. A spray of what looked like sparkling pollen bathed the room and the agents all fell into a stupor and acted silly. No longer were they even concerned about the enemy, they were more concerned about playing patty-cake with one another. Even Chase was dazed by this cloud of magical dust.

The Satyr stood up and laughed at them as they played with each other. However, a fist met him in the back of the head and he staggered forward.

Arx grabbed him by the arm and swung him around, and threw him across the room into the dining tables in the mess area.

Tangled in chairs, the Satyr rubbed his head as he said, “Why didn’t that work on you?”

Arx smiled. “I’m resistant to a lot of things. I guess your little sparkle attack is one of them.”

The Satyr smiled and fought with the chairs for a moment. “You are a well-built man. Nice chest, great legs, and some rock hard abs.”

Arx smiled as he flexed a little. “I know. Award winning body. You aren’t so bad yourself. What do you bench?”

The Satyr was to his feet, brushing his shaggy fur on his legs off. “Bench?”

“I am around 800lbs.”

The Satyr smiled with a sneaky grin. “You don’t look that heavy, but you certainly could use a prize for such a fine body. Here, have a flower.” With a quick stomp of his hoof, a flower erupted from the deck plating and wrapped around Arx with binding vines. The massive sunflower on the top came down and pressed Arx against the decking.

“Hey! Not cool, bro!” Arx struggled with all his fine muscles, but he was no match for this floral opponent.

“Now, where did they hide the Eye?” He looked around, only finding a bunny blocking his path. “What... someone lost their pet?”

EB glared at this man, “Pet! I ain’t no one’s pet!” He quickly threw an exploding egg at the Satyr.

With little time to respond, the explosion threw the Satyr back into the tables again. However, this time, he responded with an explosion of rose vines that flew at EB.

EB hopped up high and then came down quickly. A wave of purple energy blasted from him and the vines all vanished. He then threw five more eggs at the Satyr.

“SLITA!” The Satyr ran to the side, his echoing voice caused three of the eggs to vanish, but the last two erupted in blue flames where he had been standing.

EB hopped around, “You like them eggs, Mr. Goat Cheese! Try these!” He zipped around the Satyr throwing egg after egg, each one exploding either with smoke or fire as it hit.

“HLIF!” The Satyr cried out and a bubble of energy formed around him and blocked the attacks.

EB stopped his circular path and merely stood in one place and threw a steady stream of exploding eggs at the barrier around his enemy. “TAKE THAT YOUR HALF-NAKED PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR A FARM ANIMAL!”

The Satyr slapped his hands together, “ENOUGH!” A wave of energy erupted from him. Both EB and this Satyr were flung away from each other. The barrier and egg attack were both cut off.

EB sat up and saw his enemy getting to his hooves.

The Satyr looked back at EB with shock and surprise in his face. “You’re magic… you are...”

EB didn’t give him the chance to speak. He threw one last egg and hit the Satyr in the head. He went down and held his face.

“Had enough!” EB ran over, two exploding eggs ready to strike.

The Satyr sat up and said, “You’re Vexillian.”

“Yeah, so?”

“I’m from Yohan.”

The eggs in his paws both evaporated and EB stepped back, “No... It can’t be...”

Chapter 7:

The blistering winds circled around the finely dressed pair in the middle of the barren wasteland of the south. The dark, starry skies cast a deep shade over the landscape. However, a glimmering, bluish glow flickered on their faces from a hole cut in the middle of the air.

“This is the exact spot where we first fell.” Nova commented.

Lady Echidna smiled, “Yes. Little did we know that our fall from grace was the greatest gift they could offer us. This world was so weak, so young, so ripe for expansion.”

“The magic was almost completely gone from this world. They stood no chance with us here.” Nova said.

She laughed, “I know. I wish we could go back and experience that utopia again. But, alas, we cannot.”

A particularly blustery gale crashed into them, and each held tight to their warmer clothing. Nova yelled over the gales, “The cold may not affect us as it does humans, but I still would rather leave this place as soon as possible.”

“I completely agree.” She said and waited a moment as that wind passed. “Now, to set new events into motion.” Reaching out, she went to put her hand into the glimmering hole in the air. An energy barrier rejected her. Pressing her palm into it, it appeared like a thick plastic sheet covering the opening. “Clever, very clever. Whoever came through was no fool.”

Nova put his hand on the barrier as well, “This can only mean that whoever came through is still here. This kind of spell cannot be cast from the other side. We should be leaving.”

“I do not fear any little fool who came through. They are no match for either of us, especially me.” Stepping back, she held a hand up and a black energy blasted the sealing spell.

Nova said, “Are you sure about this? It could have been more than one person, or they could alert BADGE.”

“When did Nova, the ArcBlade, become so worried about trivialities?” She mused, not addressing his concerns at all.

Nova let out a deep sigh and then said, “I can break this. You know I have the power... “

“You will not use that power. I will not allow it. Just stand there and look pretty. I shall take this down and then set our minor distraction into motion.”

Justin stepped out of the lift, with Chase beside him. The Mess hall was repaired and cleaned up after the battle. Several carts rolled by with large cuttings of vines piled in them. The broken floor plates where some vines had grown through were cut out and being repaired by the staff engineers.

“Remind me why I’m going to meet this person in our arboretum and not in the brig?” Justin coldly asked.

Chase said, “Because EB said we can trust him.”

“That’s not exactly a vote of confidence I would trust.” Justin stated.

Chase said, “EB may be silly at times and have questionable judgment about some things. But, if he says someone is trustworthy, I would listen to him. We both know how devoted he is to those he trusts.”

“Still, I’m not dismissing the guards just yet.” Justin walked through the mess directly into the large arboretum that made up most of the central level of the station.

Inside was a world completely different from the sterile, mechanical life of the BADGE space station. It was a grassy, tree filled haven for nature to flourish. Flowers were in bloom, honey bees buzzed about collecting pollen and nectar, and about twenty specially armed BADGE agents stood at attention around the room.

In the middle of the room, sitting on a boulder near a pond, was the Satyr chatting amiably with EB as he let a butterfly land on his outstretched finger.

Justin was halfway across the grassy field when EB noticed him and zipped over. “Great, awesome. You gotta meet this guy. He’s really cool and knows lots about magic and fighting, and is from Yohan. Can you believe that? Yohan!”

“What exactly does that mean?” Justin asked.

The Satyr stood and smiled at Justin, “Yohan is short for Yohan’anon’da, the name of the lands in which my people are from. Specifically, I’m from a region of those lands known as the Shakonohey Valley, west of the land of the Jade Elves.” He stuck his hand out. “Torrik Treeleaf, at your service.”

Justin did not shake his hand. “I’m Acting Director Justin of BADGE. Care to explain why you attacked my station?”

Torrik was unfazed by the unfriendly attitude of Justin. “A few months ago, in our world, we detected an ancient magic, one that once nearly destroyed our world and yours. Our scholars consulted the memory mirrors of Idore and discovered the four keys were active again. The four Eyes of Darkness. One had already been partially activated. They ordered me to come and find the others and bring them back to be sealed away so that The Fallen could never get their hands on them.”

“Are you talking about the Eye of Fenrir?”

Torrik nodded. “That was the first. But it wasn’t what we detected that alerted us. Someone is using dark, shadow magic. A forbidden magic that caused great turmoil many, many years ago. The person behind this, The Queen of Black Magic, was sent away during the first days of our realm just after our kind left this world.”

“Your people came from this world?” Chase asked.

“Yes. Eons ago, this was our world as well. We left, but that is another story. Right now, we know that once in the past, The Queen tried to rise to power here and use that power to break the seal that keeps her from returning to our realm. She needs four elements to do this, the four Eyes of Darkness. A noble hero once sealed away them, one of the original ArcBlades, but that was so long ago and somehow she has escaped. Now, here I am to find the elements and stop her.”

EB hopped around, “See, that is sooo cool. We Vexillians knew of the people of Yohan, but that was a loooong time ago. This whole thing is so amazing, like a real fantasy playing out. We could all play along. Hey! Let’s play some DnD. I’m always a Barbarian. Justin, you can be a Paladin, Chase is a thief, and Torrik is a total Druid. I mean, wouldn’t that be so cool? And... I’ll shut up now.” The burning glare of Justin interrupted EB’s exuberance.

Justin cooled down his irritation and said, “This all sounds pretty fantastic. All I know is that you bypassed a lot of security measures and nearly took out all our defenses. You tell us this story and all I have to believe you is the word of this idiot.”

“HEY!” EB retorted.

Torrik took a casual step toward Justin. “I’m here to help you and my people. From what EB has told me, which he told me a lot while we waited for you to arrive, this world is in grave danger. The Queen is up to something terrible and she has a good friend of yours trapped. I’m the Captain of the Royal Special Service and there’s very little you can do will stop me. I’m only standing here, obliging you, because we have mutual interests and I want to believe you are honorable. But if you decide not to listen to me or believe me, I’ll be on my way... and I don’t need your permission to leave.”

Justin spent a moment sizing him up and then said, “Chase is correct. If EB says you’re trustworthy, then I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt. But, don’t take us for weak. You might have bested us before, but you haven’t faced the strongest heroes allied with BADGE.”

“Oh, don’t be a spoilsport. Torrik ain’t gonna start any fights, are ya, buddy?” EB said.

Torrik smiled at the excited little bunny. “No. I’ll do my job and try to stop this catastrophe from happening.”

“Fine.” Justin said, “But while you’re here, I’m in charge. This is our world and BADGE is my responsibility. You’ll work with us and listen to my orders.”

“I will be glad to be part of the team, for now.” Torrik said.

“Good. Chase, find him quarters on the station and then bring him to the briefing room so we can all get on the same page about what’s happening out there.”

“My pleasure.” She smiled coyly at Torrik.

EB noted this and instantly lost his zeal.

Torrik stepped over to her. “Chase, that is an interesting name. I love chasing things.”

She blushed and said, “This way, I’ll show you to the guest quarters.”

EB followed behind them as they walked ahead, muttering to himself the entire way.

Chapter 8:

“I don’t like him.” EB said with a touch of bitterness in his voice.

Arx, seated at the same briefing table, asked, “Why?”

EB, the only other person present, said, “I just don’t.”

“But you were the one who convinced Justin to trust him? Do you no longer trust him?” Arx asked.

EB folded his little arms and pouted. “I trust he isn’t our enemy. I’ll grant that. But, he’s too pretty. I mean, those chiseled good looks, all those muscles, and sheesh, put on some pants dude.”

“Oh, I see. You’re jealous.” Arx smiled.

“Am not! He’s just too handsome and, too, I don’t know, flirty. Did you see the way he was winking and smiling at Chase? I mean, get a room... wait, no, don’t get a room. Don’t even think about that. Why can’t we find him a room on the base in Alaska? That’s the perfect place to put him.”

Chase walked into the room and sat. “EB, are you already complaining about our guest? You can’t be jealous of every handsome man who visits the station.”

“You called him handsome! Does he have a spell on you or something?”

She let out a heavy sigh. “He does not have a spell on me or anything. He is handsome. His smile is sweet, his chest is beefy, and he has the most adorable little tail.”

EB hopped up on the table, turned around and wiggled his little puffy tail at her. “What? Look, I have a cute tail, a charming smile, and... okay, so I don’t have all the muscles, but I am a bunny rabbit. I can’t exactly beef up. But, seriously...”

“This is neither the time nor the place to talk about that sort of thing.” Justin walked in with a tablet in his hand. “Where is our guest of honor?”

“I’ll go get him. He might be lost.” Chase said.

“You should be careful around him.” EB muttered.

Chase angrily asked, “Why?”

“Oh, you know, he’s a Satyr. I mean, haven’t you read the myths and legends? Satyrs are sex crazed tricksters. They’re disgusting, lecherous, ...”

Torrik walked in with a cup in his hand. “What else am I?”

Chase said, “EB was just telling us about the ancient legends of satyrs.”

“Oh,” he sat down in a chair, “I see. Most of my kind left this world four thousand years ago with the original migration to the magical realm. A few stayed behind. So, whatever you know about my people would be from those who were here long after the rest of us. I don’t know how they acted or what they did, but they certainly don’t represent those of us who moved away.” He took a drink and wretched, “Oh, that’s horrible.”

“What is it?” Arx asked.

“Something your kitchen maid in the messy place gave me called Caff...cov...um...”

“Coffee,” Chase said.

“That’s it. Coffee. This is terrible.”

“It’s an acquired taste,” Chase said.

Justin cleared his throat and said, “Mind if we get on with this meeting?” Everyone quieted down and looked at him. “Okay, this is the situation. We have all monitoring stations and leagues on the lookout for any suspicious activity from Nova, Lady Echidna, or any of her minions. I have put special measures into place to guard from another situation like the one in Stockholm. However, everything is quiet.”

“Lady Echidna is not on the move?” Arx asked.

Justin said, “I believe her operation is currently searching for the Egg. Gar is currently securing the egg where it will be protected for now.”

Torrik said, “What is this egg?”

EB said, “Uh, it is the... um... well, Justin will yell at me if I say it...”

Justin pinched the bridge of his nose. “It is the Eye of the Hydra you were looking for.”

“Hey, you said we weren’t sup’osed to say that out loud,” EB scolded him.

Justin gave EB a withering glare and then said, “We have it hidden in a secret location that will only be known to one person for now.”

“Then have that person take me to it,” Torrik casually said.

“Not yet. I have a plan. But I need some information first.”

Torrik sat back and asked, “What do you need to know?”

“Everything. Who is this Lady Echidna... or Queen of Black Magic as you called her? What does she plan on doing?”

Torrik said, “It is a long story.”

“Any information could prove vital.” Justin took his seat and waited for answers.

Torrik laughed, “All business, I like that. The Queen of Black Magic was once, long ago, a member of a group called the ArcBlades. They were the most powerful, skilled warriors in all the known universe. ArcBlades were seemingly immortal and had unparalleled powers. They were also honorable and devoted to protecting the innocent. At that time, the magical kinds who currently live in my world were living on Earth. The Queen of Black Magic started a war between the magical and non-magical kinds. However, she then divided the magical peoples against one another with those who believed in her ways against those who did not. We called it the War of Three Sides. It almost destroyed everything. Merlin the Great ended the war, and the Queen was defeated.”

“How long ago was this?” Chase asked.

“In your years, roughly four thousand.”

Arx asked, “Are you that old?”

Torrik snorted, “No. I’m only two hundred.” He said this as if it were a simple thing.

Justin asked, “If the Queen was defeated so long ago, what happened to her?”

Torrik said, “Our kinds left this world and settled in a new world that Merlin had founded for us. The Queen followed us there in disguise, falling into the ranks of the few remaining ArcBlades. She convinced others among the ArcBlades to continue her original plan for domination over the lesser magical peoples. She was defeated and exiled back here, along with a small legion of her own followers. Five others fell with her back to this world. We don’t know much more after that, only that she cursed four of the others and turned them into terrible monsters. We believe she transformed their power into stones that she used to control the very fabric of magic. Her goal was to return to our world and conquer it. But she was thwarted. Legend says that her first general was the one who stopped her and he banished her to yet another realm and hid the stones. That was the last we had in our history books. Not until recently, when we sensed the use of the dark magic, did we have any idea that she was still even alive.”

Chase said, “Could this general be Nova?”

Torrik shrugged. “I don’t know his name. I doubt anyone from my realm knows it. Much has been lost in all these centuries.”

EB said, “It is true. Nova is an ArcBlade.”

Justin asked, “What do you know?”

“Nova once told me about himself. When he learned who I was, who my people were, he knew that we were like the people of Yohan. My race, the Vexillians, are also a magical kind, but of another world. Your world has many non-magical people, which caused the problems that led to the magical people leaving. The Vexillians lived in a world where all were magical. But, long ago, our two peoples knew each other. He told me that he was a disgraced member of a once proud group called the ArcBlades. Though he lost his honor, he would get it back by devoting himself to defending this world and keeping it safe. He told me never to even say the name ArcBlade aloud. But, now that you all know, I guess it’s alright.”

Chase asked, “Does this Queen want to get back to your world still? Is that her goal?”

“I can’t say for certain, since I never met her or know what she is thinking today. But if history is repeating itself, then she is probably trying to get back.”

“Why?” Justin asked. “If she merely wants to subjugate a world, why go after yours when she is already here?”

“Again, I don’t know what is on her mind today. But, the truth is, she gained her power through an unforgivable magic... blood sacrifice. She murdered many to gain greater power. She even sacrificed her own to craft the stones that control the monsters under her command. Magical blood is powerful. She wants to return to obtain that power again. That, at least, was her original goal.”

Justin asked, “If you take the stone back with you, will she be able to get it?”

“No. She and her general were both banished by extremely powerful magic, which is why she needs the stones to return. Also, there is a great divide between our realms filled with magical beasts to stop any who try to cross it without permission.”

“Then we have our objective. Find the remaining stones and return them to your world for safekeeping.” Justin said.

Chase asked, “How do we do that?”

Chapter 9:

The dark of night bathed Nova as he watched Lady Echidna tear at the magical barrier preventing them from accessing the portal. The darkness of her shadowy magic only drank up what little light was left in this icy wasteland. Then, the fabric of magic broke wide open and the barrier split apart as though it were a thin layer of glass. The shards shattered and then evaporated in the wind.

Lady Echidna stopped, a glint of greed on her perfect face at the sight before her. “Come, we have work to do.”

Together, they walked through the portal and left the blisteringly inhospitable world of Antarctica. They stood in a strange land of broken mountains and dirty ground. Echoes rang out in the distance of roars and grumbles from beasts much larger than either of them.

“The Great Divide.” Nova whispered as he took in the sights with a hint of fear on his face.

Lady Echidna was basking in the surrounding glory. “Such a fabulous purgatory they created, and just for us.” She walked onward.

Nova followed her. “They created this to prevent anyone from entering their world without permission.”

“Don’t be so foolish, my pet. They crafted this in response to us. We inspired fear so terrible that they went to lengths such as these to stop us.”

Nova almost responded to her when both heard a terrible screech and then a great shadow fell over them for a moment. A dragon-like beast swooped over and flew away. Nova whispered, “Wyverns.”

She chortled as she observed the creature flying away. “They filled this divide with the most powerful creatures they could find. I’m sure we would encounter many awful things. I would love to harvest their blood and craft my own creations to wreak havoc.” She held up her hand.

“My lady, don’t...”

Her shadowy magic came out of her hand for a moment, then a red energy hit her and she stumbled back to be caught by Nova before falling to the ground. Holding her hands up against herself, she swore under her breath, “Curse that fool Merlin.”

“Apparently, that banishment spell is still active.”

“Obviously,” she retorted as she shoved her way off of him and back to her feet. “Soon, that spell will begin to eat at both of us. The closer we get to Yohan, the stronger it will be.”

Nova said, “We wouldn’t get the opportunity, look.”

Creatures of all descriptions rushed toward them from a distance. Wyverns, led by the one who passed over them moments ago, were the front line of this charge.

“I see the welcoming committee is on its way.”

“We can’t stay. Without our magic, they will devour us in moments.” Nova pulled her back toward the portal.

She laughed, “No, my sweet. They wouldn’t harm their queen.” Holding up the Eye of Fenrir in her hand, she blew across it. A mist of dark red became a billowing fog. She then spoke into it, her voice booming across the entire land. “Minions of great might, turn now to my evil delight. Stand strong and storm the Earth, give us time to seek rebirth.”

The ruckus of beasts slowed down and then stopped. The fog hid them for the moment, but it was already dissipating.

“How did you do that? Our magic is bound here by Merlin’s curse.” Nova asked.

She put the Eye of Fenrir away. “It wasn’t our magic I used. However, we must return. I feel the sting of that curse growing. I also would rather not be around when this portal breaks wide open.”

_____

Torrik and Justin both stood before a large map on the screen in the briefing room. Arx, Chase, and EB were also present.

Justin pointed at Sweden. “The first stone was there, near Stockholm. Apparently, Nova hid it a long time ago in a statue. Somehow he retrieved the second before that and hid it by stabbing into the body of one of our own.”

“He did what?” Torrik asked.

EB hopped up and said, “Nova and Midgard, who is a big serpent dude who is really powerful, and a big mouth, and is kinda rude, and has been both a bad guy and good guy... long story. Um... what was I saying? Oh, right. Nova fought Midgard over the Eye of Fenrir stone. But during the fight, Nova was able to plant the Eye of the Hydra in Midgard’s body, disguising it as a wound. It was like totally brilliant.”

“I’ll say.” Torrik commented.

Justin said, “We aren’t sure where the Eye of the Hydra was originally hidden...”

Torrik said, “Oh, it was over here, near these islands.” He pointed at New Zealand and Australia."

“How do you know that?” Arx asked.

Torrik said, “When I arrived, I sensed the magic from it and followed the trail to a tomb under the water. It was empty. Someone had already gotten to the stone inside. So, I left a minor spell that would trigger when someone else tried getting to it. I assumed that the Queen of Black Magic would be looking for it, so she would meet a nasty surprise.”

“YOU STARTED THAT FLOODING CATASTROPHE!” Arx was to his feet.

“I suppose so. It would cause the waters to thrash around. What? Did it cause some problems?” Torrik looked genuinely confused as to their anger.

EB hopped up onto the table. “That flooded like five cities and threatened an entire nation. That was really, really stupid!”

“Sorry.”

Justin said, “The floods were a problem, but one that has been dealt with. Now that you’re working for us, we can handle things better.”

EB said, “No. It isn’t dealt with. There are loads of people still mopping out their basements because of this furball.”

Justin glared at EB, “Enough! When I say we move on, we move on. Otherwise, you can go back to your quarters. Is that understood?”

Torrik interjected, “Hey, cool off. He’s right, I probably shouldn’t have used such a potent spell...”

Justin turned his anger on Torrik. “I’m in charge, and I will reprimand my subordinates without your help. Is that clear?”

“Sure, whatever.” Torrik held his hands up in surrender.

“Good. Our next objective is finding the other stones. Do you have any idea where they are?”

Torrik shook his head, “No. I only sensed the one. And, it wasn’t really the stone itself I was sensing, but the search for it. She must have been looking to activate it next and thus was using her own power to seek it. That is what I tapped into.”

Chase asked, “Where do we start looking?”

Torrik thought about that for a moment. “If I could study your ancient mythologies, I might find evidence there.”

“There are so many from all the various cultures of Earth,” Chase said.

Torrik grinned with that handsome smile of his and waved his hand in the air. A thick scroll appeared. He grabbed it and then set it down. Unrolling it, he revealed a blank parchment. “Show me the history of sea beasts called Hydra.” The page gained images that looked like multi-headed beasts, several varieties. “See, we have information about some of the ancient monsters the Queen summoned in the past. She seems to be using a lot of her old tactics. I can cross reference what we know with what you have.”

Justin gave the scroll a critical look, and then with a curt nod, he agreed. “I’ll have all our information brought to you at once.”

“I’ll help.” Both Chase and EB volunteered at the same time.

Torrik rolled up the scroll and smiled at Chase, “I would love your help.” He held out his hand.

She took it and stood. “I know. Let’s go to the arboretum to study. Plenty of room to spread the books out on the grass.”

“Sounds lovely. I do enjoy being in nature. This metal environment is odd and unsettling.”

“Perfect.” She walked him out of the room.

Justin huffed and then sarcastically said, “Meeting adjourned.”

EB came close to Justin and was seething in a jealous rage. “See, I toldja he was nothing but a nasty flirt. I’d keep him away from her if I were you.”

“You aren’t me, so don’t tell me what to do. Go, find books and other materials on myths for them. Arx, return to the TALOS room and keep an eye on things. It is altogether too quiet on Earth right now.”

“On it. Oh, and maybe EB is right, that Torrik is flirting hard with Chase and...”

“I already have one jealous idiot. I don’t need two. Just do your job!” Justin barked at him.

Chapter 10:

Torrik chomped down on an apple while sitting on the grass in the arboretum. Chase was next to him, looking through several books on mythologies.

“This is truly amazing. I haven’t had an apple like this ever.” He was engrossed with the rosy fruit.

Chase laughed, “It’s just a red delicious apple. They’re extremely common.”

“Not where I’m from. We have loads of fruits, but nothing like these.”

“What is your favorite fruit?”

“Honey Bark,” He said without hesitation.

“Bark?”

“Yeah, it’s this special type of tree that the bark grows a thick layer of sticky sap on the inside that gets really thick around fall when we harvest it. It is almost exactly like honey, perhaps a little thicker and less sweet, but it is exceptional.”

“Sounds wonderful. I’d love to try some.”

“I wish I could take you back to my world and show you some. But that would be forbidden.”

Chase asked, “Why can’t you just grow some here? You were growing a lot of vines and other plants.”

“That’s because I’m a nature mage. All Satyrs are nature mages. But, our magical plants are just like the trees grown by Wood Elves, not real. They cannot bear fruit or seed. And they will evaporate eventually. So, even the wood itself is useless. Temporarily, it is very useful, but in the long run, it’s worthless.”

“Too bad, that honey bark sounded delicious.”

He took another bite of the apple. “This is just as good, maybe a little more tart, but...here, you gotta try some.” He pulled out a knife and sliced some off for her. He reached over and put it between her teeth.

Not far from Chase and Torrik, a seething little bunny hid behind a tree, which he was gnawing on as he growled. His green eyes were witness to the flirty scene between Chase and Torrik.

“Dude, you’re tearing all the bark off the bottom of that tree,” Arx said.

EB let go and spit out chunks of bark. “That naked furry piece of goat-cheese is making moves on Chase!”

Arx huffed, “So? It’s not like she’s your girl.”

“She is my girl, well maybe not my girl like a total girlfriend situation. I’m working on that. But, they hardly know each other and he’s feeding her apples, and she’s giggling at him. It’s disgusting!”

“She’s just try to make him feel welcome.”

EB snorted, “Welcome, my lucky foot! That jerk is all over her. Right now, they should be working! Not sitting there, giggling and eating apples!”

“I agree.” Justin surprised both of them.

Justin walked toward the Chase and Torrik. Arx and EB sheepishly followed behind him, both caught spying.

Chase greeted Justin with a casual, “Hello.”

Torrik held up the apple core and was about to announce the glory of this fruit when Justin started in. “I sent you here to work. I questioned the idea of coming into this place to get anything done, but I thought better of it. Looks like I should have gone with my gut.”

“Hold on there, Master Justin, we have something.” Torrik said.

“Director Justin, not Master. And just what do you have? Plans for a picnic.”

Torrik stood up, tossed the apple core aside, and came dangerously close to Justin. “I’m here to help you. I have been a military leader for over a hundred years, which I have learned is a long time for your kind. Now, either you stop with the attitude or I can take my findings and go this alone. Got it?”

Justin glared at Torrik, not backing down. “What did you discover?”

Torrik said, “Looking at the information we dug through, there are several possibilities of creatures that she once tried to summon in our world that she could have replicated here. There is this...” Chase handed him a book. “This creature your people call Scylla is described very similarly to a monster she once summoned.”

Justin looked at the open book. “Great, a myth from a legend that has no basis in real geography. Do you have any idea where that monster’s location would be?”

“No. I hoped that you, being from this planet, might have a better grasp of the map.” Torriks’ tone was purposefully rude, almost to a challenging point.

Chase hopped up. “Considering the location of the legends, we can narrow it down considerably.”

Justin spent a moment looking at the artist's rendition of the legendary monster. “Are you sure about this?”

“No. But it’s the best we have.”

“Fine. I’ll have the computer start working on sorting through historical data and see if we can find anything to give us a lead on a location.” He turned and left, not giving them any sort of parting statement.

Torrik waited a moment and then asked, “Why is he so brusque? I know I arrived ready to fight, but we understand each other now.”

“It’s not you.” Chase said.

EB agreed. “Justin has been real rude and strict for a while now. Don’t know why. I tried giving him some really good chocolate and all, but he refused it. I mean, he refused MY best chocolate. You haven’t had anything like that. It’s just the best, and... what was I saying?”

Arx said, “Director Justin was acting this way before you arrived. I’m considering moving the TALOS initiative to the United Nations, or at least a BADGE location off this station.”

“You’d leave?” EB asked.

Chase said, “He’s not the only one. Have you seen Strange Quark around recently? Even Krystal and Chaz have stopped coming for news info. They just pick up the standard media wire from the computer. Justin has been rubbing everyone wrong for weeks. I’ve even thought about going home to my father for a while and working for BADGE on Earth.”

EB yelled, “Don’t leave!” then realized he shouldn’t have yelled that and said, “sorry.”

Torrik asked, “What is BADGE exactly? Is it just a global defense guild? A military force working for your kingdom? I don’t know much about your world and even less about BADGE. I just knew it was the security force keeping the Eye of the Hydra.”

EB said, “It’s a military organization, a reeeealy strict one. You know, you gotta wear pants... unless you’re a little cute bunny... and no fraternizing, and...”

“EB, shut up,” Chase said with a dismissive tone. She smiled at Torrik and took his arm, “Come with me, I’ll show you around and tell you about BADGE. It is an interesting place. I doubt you have anything like it where you come from.”

Arx and EB watched them leave, both a little green eyed at the sight of the pair. EB far more jealous than Arx.

“I’m going with them.” EB stated.

Arx said, “No, why don’t you go help them research locations for this next monster? I gotta go check on TALOS and make sure things are quiet.”

“But, I wanna...”

“Spy on them. Sure, I want to know what they are doing and I don’t want her and him being a couple, either. But she is not interested in me, and by now you should know she doesn’t like your advances.”

“Nothing of the sort. She likes me flirting. I mean, that’s why she is after that hunky goat. She likes furry, cute, magical people. Well, I’m all that and a bag of carrots. She’ll come around. But, I suppose nosing in on them isn’t the best thing. I’ll go help Justin... no, wait, he’ll just yell at me again. I’ll go and...ugh...read more myth books.”

Chapter 11:

“So, that’s what the word BADGE stands for. Interesting.” Torrik sat at a table in the mess area with Chase across from him.

“Yeah, it’s kinda a secret, but it is pretty obvious at the same time.”

Torrik sipped some hot chocolate and then said, “So, the humans of this world gained strange magics... “

“We call them super powers.”

“Oh, okay. Super powers. I guess that makes sense. It really isn’t magic. But, Legion sent those Morphons to your world, and that caused some of your people to have these powers. And thus BADGE formed to help organize and oversee these heroes.”

“Yeah. Nova has been protecting this world for a long time, much longer than BADGE has been around. And that’s the core purpose of BADGE, defending this world. But, we do it through cooperation between the heroes and BADGE. Unfortunately, there has also been a rise in people who gained powers who use them for evil, and BADGE has to deal with them as well.”

Torrik said, “One thing is for certain, when people have power, there are always those who use it for selfish reasons. Magic, superpowers, political powers... any kind.”

“Sadly true.”

Torrik took a big drink and then leaned back. “This really soothes the soul. I...” he looked up, his eyes widened, and he stood so fast the chair fell over. “Demon!”

“What?” Chase turned around just as Torrik cast a spell.

Gar walked up when vines sprung up and ensnared him. In a matter of seconds, he found himself tethered to the ground. Gar struggled for a moment before falling over. “Help!”

“Stop, no! Gar is not a demon!” She ran over and was pulling on the vines.

Torrik cocked his head. “He has demon wings, is made of stone like a wicked construct. And I sense powerful magic in him.”

“Gar is a good friend, and he wasn’t made of evil magic. His soul is from a Vexillian. Let him go!”

“Slita!” Torrik cast his counter spell, and the vines vanished into mists. “Sorry.”

Chase helped Gar to his feet. “You okay?”

“I think so. What’s that?” Gar pointed at Torrik.

“Oh, right, you’ve been away.” Chase smiled and held out a hand. “This is Torrik Treeleaf. He is from another realm and is here to help us.”

Gar smiled, seemingly unfazed by being attacked. “Nice to meet you.”

A white blur zipped up and hugged Gar’s leg. “Buddy! Glad you're back.”

“Hi, EB. Why are you acting strange? You never hug me when I come back from a mission.”

EB let go and frowned. “Things are bad up here. Justin is being a butt, and this guy is... well, I’ll fill you in later.”

Chase rolled her eyes at the bunny, but asked Gar, “When did you get back?”

“Just now. I heard you talking, so I came over to see you.”

“What are you doing here?” Justin walked up with a computer tablet in his hand.

Gar said, “Oh, hello. I just got back, I...”

“Obviously. I cleared your shuttle for docking. You should have come directly to me for a mission report.”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. Follow the rules. You may have rock for a brain, but even you know procedures. Torrik ...” He had just turned to the Satyr when Chase interrupted him.

“Apologize!”

“What was that?”

Chase came closer and looked Justin directly in the eyes. “Apologize to Gar.”

“I have nothing to apologize for. If people would do their jobs according to the rules, then I wouldn’t have to reprimand anyone. Now, I have to talk to Torrik.”

“I’ve had enough!” Chase startled everyone with that outburst. “None of us can be good enough for you any longer.”

“If you would do your job and not just play around like this is some kind of game.”

EB said, “Well, actually...”

“Not now!” Chase stopped EB and then came dangerously close to Justin. “Playing around. Is that what you think we’ve been doing? I’ve put my life on the line for BADGE and this planet more times than I care to count. If you don’t appreciate what we do for you and BADGE, then you don’t deserve our support.” She whipped around and left.

EB hopped up on the table and said, “Yeah, you’re being a total jerk.” With that, he left.

Justin looked up at Gar. “Well, you have any pithy words for me?”

Gar spent a moment with reluctance written all over his face. Finally he said, “Nova was like a father to me. He yelled at me, but always with good reason. I do my best, but it isn’t good enough for you.” He, too, left in the direction of Chase.

“Dammit!” Justin blurted in a fit of rage and went for his comm. His hand hovered over it for a second, and he merely snarled at it. “Damn, Arx is in a meeting with FEMA.” He looked at Torrik. “I’ll get back to you when I have a proper team of agents.” He marched off toward the Operations center.

Torrik casually sipped the rest of his hot chocolate and stood up. He brushed himself off and headed for the lift.

Torrik walked out of the lift and found Operations cold and quiet, save light clicking noises from the robots operating the computer consoles. Justin stood in the center of the room, watching a large map of the world before him.

“I’m not ready for you.” Justin stated.

Torrik walked down the steps toward the lonely director. “I’m not here about my mission. I have something important to discuss.”

“What would that be?”

“You.”

“Not now,” Justin stated.

Torrik snapped his fingers and all the computer screens went blank. “Right now.”

Justin huffed, “What’s this about?”

“A lot of things. I don’t know you well. In fact, I hardly know you at all. But since I arrived, you’ve been short-tempered and downright rude to those you lead.”

Justin turned away, looking back at the still blank screens. “We have work to do. Besides, you don’t have the right.”

“No, I don’t, but I do have the privilege.”

With a sarcastic tone, Justin said, “What?”

“I’m working with BADGE, but I’m not a member of this organization. I’ll follow your orders at my discretion. However, I remain an outsider.”

“We don’t have time for this.”

“We don’t have time for you to act like a tyrant. Your attitude is not only getting in the way of a properly running organization but also in stopping our enemy.”

Justin turned on him. “Look, Torrik, you have no idea what I’m up against. You have no clue what I was handed when I was thrust into the command of BADGE.”

“You think I’m just a silly magical man who grows flowers? I’m the leader of the most prestigious magical military in all of Yohan. I know about pressure and risk, I know about the struggles of command. Don’t you dare think you’re the only person who has felt those pressures.”

“I know how to handle pressure. I just have to be strong.”

Torrik said, “Being strong has nothing to do with being an ass.”

“What did you call me!”

“Stubborn mule. Funny thing, I found out that both worlds have a lot of the same animals. Mules are among them.”

“I don’t need this. We have work to do. Either we do it, or you leave.”

Torrik smiled. “I’ll decide what work we do right now. Right now, you have people out there who trust you, care about you, and are worried. You aren’t being yourself. Even I can see that something is festering under your skin, driving you to be ill-tempered.”

Justin looked Torrik dead in the eyes and said, “You don’t understand, and they have no clue. This job isn’t normal. It’s the hardest damn job in this world. I’m not Director Nova. He isn’t human, he is...now we know... something ancient and powerful. I’m just Justin, the human. And, right now, I’m in charge of the one organization that stands even the slightest chance of stopping an evil villain from destroying our world, and yours. Everyone is expecting me to find Nova and bring him back, while saving the world, and also manage a crisis team dealing with natural disasters. Do you know what kind of pressure that is? Do you realize what I have to deal with every damn day? Leagues fighting with each other over petty arguments. Bank robbers, military coups, alien invasions, floods, earthquakes, meteors, and a maniacal woman with god-like powers hell-bent on ripping apart this world. All of that is on my shoulders. ALL OF IT! I’M NOT DIRECTOR NOVA! I CAN’T DO THIS!” Tears were in his eyes as he screamed these words, not at Torrik, but at the fates themselves.

Torrik reached out and put a hand on Justin’s shoulder. “No one is asking you to be Nova. They’re doing their jobs at the best of their abilities, and that is all you can ask of them. They don’t expect you to solve all the problems, just be there to guide them. You may not be Nova, but you are Justin. You have strengths, use them. A lot of those strengths aren’t in you, but in those around you who want to help you succeed.”

Justin looked up at the darkened screen, his reflection staring back at him. “I really did make an ass of myself, didn’t I?”

“Yup.”

“How do I convince them to come back and help?”

Torrik laughed, “True loyalty is often tested. You’ll find they aren’t as done with you as even they want to think. A leader guides not only by orders and planning, but sets the tone of emotions and focus. Now comes your biggest test as the substitute Director of BADGE, humility.”

Chapter 12:

A woman in a thick outfit stepped out a set of doors on the side of New Meta City. Beside her was a smaller person, so bundled up it was hard to tell they were even human.

“Come on, Cynthia, we don’t want to take long.” The woman grabbed the small child’s hand.

“It’s cold!” The girl whined.

“I know. But this is my job and you will do this one day.” She pulled her around the side of the dome and stopped at a box. “These are environmental units. They monitor the conditions both inside and outside, so we are certain everything under the dome stays warm and nice. But, they can break down, so we just do a weekly check on them. See this... are you listening?”

The little girl made a whimpering sound and then screamed as she pointed away.

Turning quickly, the mother saw a blue scaled wyvern bearing down on them. It unleashed a torrent of blue flames, but missed as it was flying past.

“Run!” The woman grabbed the child’s hand and dragged her toward the entrance.

Both staggered and lurched to the side with the moving ice beneath their feet as the wyvern hit the ground in a heavy slam. It leaned its head back, preparing another blue fire blast.

The woman turned and ripped off her googles. She unleashed a steady beam of yellow energy that hit the wyvern in the face and sent it tumbling backward across the frozen wasteland. The beam continued for a long time and then came to a stop. Instantly, the woman fell over, completely passed out.

“MOMMA! MOMMA!” Cynthia pushed on her mother’s body.

A sensor on the woman’s wrist beeped and a robotic voice announced, “Unauthorized use of meta powers detected. Unauthorized use of meta powers detected...” this continued as the little girl cried over her mother.

Arx walked into the Arboretum to find Chase, EB, and Gar chatting while they sat in the grass.

“Guys? What’s up?” He joined them in the grass.

EB hopped over and gleefully said, “We told Justin off. That jerk was totally out of control and Chase got mad, boy is she hot when she gets mad. I mean, if I knew she wouldn’t do something absolutely terrible to me, I’d get her mad now and then just to see that sexiness.” A throwing star hit the dirt right next to EB.

Chase, who had thrown the blade, said, “You want to see my ugly side again?”

EB gulped and smiled at her. “No. I like you calm and sweet as well.”

Arx asked Chase, “You told him off! Why?”

“He’s out of control. He’s getting worse and worse at barking orders and telling us we aren’t doing enough. I... well, I lost my temper when he started berating Gar, and then he turned on me and said we are just playing around. I probably shouldn’t have let it get under my skin so much.”

Gar said, “Justin needed to be told. I don’t mind being yelled at. I make mistakes a lot. But, I learn and do my best. Nova understood, but Justin is just angry all the time.”

Arx asked, “Are you guys really quitting BADGE over this?”

EB said, “Maybe. Hey, we should start our own organization. I know we can call ourselves the Avengers... wait, that’s taken. Um... what about Chase’s Intergalactic Agency, the CIA... wait, that’s taken too. Nuts. Oh, wait, we could all use one of my factories. Or better yet, we could work out of the North Pole. Your dad would let us use his factory as a staging...”

“We aren’t quitting!” Chase interrupted EB.

Justin and Torrik walked up at that moment with Justin saying, “I’m glad to hear that.”

Chase said, “We may not be quitting BADGE, but I’m not ready to hear you berate us about this. Go away.”

“I’m not here to yell or berate. I’m here to apologize.”

This took them all by surprise. EB said, “Wow! We should’a quit sooner.”

“Shut up, EB.” Chase said.

Justin walked over and sat with them in the grass. “I knew it would be hard filling Nova’s shoes. In fact, I knew it would be impossible. Somehow, he always succeeded. He always seemed to have an answer. If he didn’t have it right away, he would find it. I cannot seem to find any answer. Everything was okay at first. We were on a global hunt for him, and I was sure if we found him, we could undo whatever Lady Echidna did to him. When we did find him, it all went to hell. He nearly killed Midgard and set off that Fenrir beast. He was right there. My chance at handing this job back to him slipped away, and I suddenly felt the pressure.”

Gar said, “But he helped us. Gave us clues about the Eye of Fenrir and then gave us that other stone that I hid.”

“That only made it worse. Nova, what part of him that remains on our side, expects me to solve this. He is putting faith in me, and I just don’t know if I have what it takes. So, after the Fenrir incident, I truly understood the responsibilities expected of me.”

Chase asked, “And because of this, you became a jerk?”

“It wasn’t intentional. I just felt I needed to be Nova, be in charge. He was so solid, so stern. I had to be like that. But, instead of being a great leader, I was an idiot. The harder I pushed you, the more I lost control over things. So, I only pushed harder, hoping it would fall into place. All I did was push you away. Truth is, I do know what all of you have done for BADGE. It exists because of the sacrifices and work you’ve put into it. Nova was an outstanding leader, but it was you who made that possible. I need you, BADGE needs you. I can’t replace any of you.”

EB hopped over and smiled at Justin. “You’re also part of the team. When Nova was leading us, you were right there.”

Justin smiled at him, “And our friend Torrik reminded me of that fact. I can’t be Nova, but I am Agent Justin. I need to focus on my strengths as a leader and do my best. You’ll do your best in spite of my inexperience.”

Chase looked around the group and then said, “Apology accepted. What are your orders, sir?”

A beeping came out of Justin’s command comm. A robotic voice announced, “Distress Signal received from New Meta City.”

Justin slapped his comm. “Report?”

“New Meta City sensors indicate direct assault on the exterior. Reported injury count, one. Unknown enemy.”

Justin turned around and looked at his team. “Time to get back to work.”

Chapter 13:

Justin led the team into the Operations center where the main viewscreen was covered in small video feeds already.

“Oh my God, what are those?” Chase paused at the sight of the monsters attacking the city.

Justin frowned. “Are those... dragons?”

Torrik walked down to the front of the room. “No, those are Wyverns. And those other creatures are wild goblins, and...” He seemed lost for a moment as the images played out. “This isn’t possible. This is simply not possible!”

“Do you know what this is?” Justin asked.

Torrik nodded, “There is a space between our worlds. We call it The Great Divide.”

EB said, “You told us about that. It keeps the bad people from getting across.”

“Yes. It is a barrier to protect each side from the other. To cross it is dangerous. There are many guardians who protect it. Those creatures attacking that strange dome in the ice are from the divide. But the problem is, they’re not supposed to leave and they know it. It is a wild and dangerous place, but it actually does have some accepted order.”

Gar said, “Obviously, something has gone wrong.”

A robot announced, “Incoming transmission: New Meta City.”

“Put it through.”

A window on the screen opened that was bigger than the rest. The tired face of a disheveled woman appeared. She had white hair and eyes with no pupils. “Oh, thank goodness. Our communication system has been damaged. We jury-rigged this to get through.”

“Mayor Messenger, what is the situation?”

“We aren’t sure. One of our citizens went out to do a routine check of the system and a dragon attacked her. She barely survived the attack by unleashing her super power, which nearly killed her to use. Fortunately, her power detection system alerted us and we got her to the hospital just before the full assault started. We have been under direct attack for hours.”

There was a loud explosion behind the mayor and she looked to the side as the video feed fuzzed. “Oh, god! The west defense plates are buckling.” The image fuzzed more as she desperately called out, “We need help, send... “ the line was cut.

“Torrik,” Justin turned and gave the Satyr a severe look, “Is this an invasion?”

Torrik shook his head, “No. Not on our end. I don’t know what is happening, but those creatures should not be attacking outside The Great Divide.”

EB said, “I may think he’s a flirt and needs to put on pants, but I trust him.”

Chase asked, “What would Nova do?”

Justin looked at the screen for a moment and then said, “No, what will Justin do is all that matters right now. Chase, EB, take Torrik with you and get there ASAP. Bring with you medical supplies and a portal shield emitter. New Meta City is under our protection and we will not let it fall. I will summon the heroes. This may not be a planned invasion, but it is an invasion and we will stop it.”

Gar asked, “What about Lady Echidna?”

Torrik said, “I know she is behind this. This is just like her, to set off something terrible to distract everyone. Do not devote everything to her distraction. Protect yourselves from whatever she has planned.”

Justin nodded. “I will. But lives are at stake, and that is paramount. Please, hurry, there is little time to waste discussing this.”

Chase led EB and Torrik out of Operations in a hurry, but Justin stopped Gar before he followed.

“No, you stay.”

“Why?”

Justin watched and waited until the others left. “I have a special mission for you.” He walked with Gar up to the door that led into Director’s office.

A blistering wind raced around both Lady Echidna and Nova as they stood outside their landed shuttle. A smile of satisfaction sat on their faces as they watched the many mythical beasts raining terror down on the dome of New Meta City. Some beasts fought with each other while a few raced off into the distance.

Nova said, “It seems we have started something quite amusing.”

“I started it. You’re merely an observer of my brilliance.” Lady Echidna quipped.

“I stand corrected.”

“Ah, but you are correct in calling this amusing. Those beasts have sat far too long, waiting for something to come along and tease their delight. Just a small taste of my darkness, and they are feral beyond control.”

“BADGE will not know how to handle them quickly. This will be quite the job for them.” Nova said.

Lady Echidna asked, “What of the magical members of BADGE? That Easter Bunny is annoyingly strong, and there is the Fae woman, not to mention Santa.”

“They are wise, powerful, and well accustomed to adapting to any situation. I have no doubt they will make containing this problem easier. But this isn’t the same magic they are used to. Besides, the point, I believe, was a mere distraction.”

“True.” Lady Echidna said, “However, I want it to last long enough for us to obtain the Eye of Hydra from wherever they are hiding it. And, possibly, seek the third stone after that.”

Nova said, “Then we shouldn’t linger here. BADGE is efficient.” Nova turned and pressed the button to open the door.

Both stepped into the shuttle. Inside was the small contingent of her brainwashed mercs huddled near an electric warmer. They looked upon her return with the same eyes of a yearning puppy first seeing its master.

“What are your orders, my lady?” The leader of the mercs asked.

She smiled and gestured toward Nova. “He will guide us to the location BADGE has hidden the eye.”

Nova sat down in the co-pilot’s seat and activated the computer. “Take us up, out of this weather. Head for these coordinates.”

The pilot worked his controls, and the shuttle lifted off from the ground, fought against strong winds, and zoomed away from this frigid climate.

Lady Echidna stood behind Nova’s seat. “Where are you taking us? A BADGE vault?”

“No. I doubt they will be so foolish as to hide it in one of the vaults, which I am well aware of. I trained them better than that. We’re heading for Security Post Seven.”

“What is that?” She asked.

He pointed to a blinking dot on a map of the Atlantic Ocean. “It is a defunct oil rig that BADGE repurposed as a security observation post, which was only used when the League Wars Arena was still on Earth. This was to protect the arena from attacks by villains. Now that the Arena has been rebuilt as an orbital station, this post has gone back to being defunct. However, it has access points for BADGE communications.”

“Brilliant as always, my loyal general.” She kissed the side of his face while he worked the computer.

Two hours passed as the shuttle sped quickly over the ocean’s surface.

“Approaching coordinates.” The pilot announced.

The shuttle drew closer to the ocean’s surface and sped along toward a towering structure in the water.

“Damn, I’m detecting a small security force present.” Nova pointed at a blinking read-out on his screen.

“That is no problem. My team of mercenaries is more than a match for that small band of people.”

“We can’t start a fight. That would instantly set of automated distress signals from each BADGE agent on that station. Their body armor is designed to send out a signal the moment they’re attacked.”

She laughed, “Then, I suppose, I should adopt them into my ranks.”

“Good idea. Pilot, take us down cloaked and land on that helipad. Lady Echidna will take it from there.”

The shuttle hovered over the platform and slowly lowered down. Lady Echidna pressed the button to open the door. The four BADGE agents rushed toward the shuttle with weapons drawn. One was reaching to hit his alert signal on his comm when she cast a black fog over them.

“Get this party started, and start it right. I am here to be worshiped all day and night!” She sang these words, and the agents lost their stern faces and descended into a loopy state of mind. They were now in a dance club, swaying and enjoying the music that only they could hear under her spell. She stepped out and walked among them, touching their faces as she went, “Bow before me, that is this scene, obey me as you one true queen!”

The agents knelt down, bowed their heads, and said, “Whatever you desire, my lady.”

She reached down and lifted a woman’s face to look at her. “Tell me, are there others here who haven’t joined our little party?”

“No, my lady, we are the only detachment for this post.”

“Good. Join the others, and remove those abhorrent patches.”

The four stood and ran for the shuttle, ripping their BADGE patches off their uniforms as they went.

She looked back at Nova, who now stood at the door of the shuttle. “Find me the Eye of the Hydra.”

Chapter 14:

Torrik ran his hand under the seatbelt across his bare chest. It seemed to amuse him. EB hopped around the cabin of the shuttle as it zoomed down toward Antarctica. A team of medical robots and Dr. Henderson sat in the back with boxes of first aid supplies.

“Remind me again why we’re strapped down?” Torrik asked.

Dr. Henderson said. “Standard safety procedure. If we crash, then you’ll have less chance of being hurt.”

“Then why is that one bouncing around?” Torrik pointed at EB.

EB scoffed. “I’m perfectly safe. Besides, unlike you, I can teleport myself with magic. Not too far, and not as well as Quark or others. But, I can.”

Chase finished talking to the Mayor of New Meta City on a tablet and looked up. “Good news. They have several people who can help defend with super powers. So, the city is stable for the moment.”

Torrik asked, “Is this another place where your leagues of magic hero’s work?”

“Not magic, superpowers.” EB corrected him.

Chase said, “No. New Meta City is a place where people who developed powers can go if they don’t want to use them, or can’t use them. Some use simple powers for daily activities, but aren’t really strong enough to fight with them.”

“So, is it a prison for them?” Torrik asked.

“Not at all.” Dr. Henderson stated. “New Meta City is a choice. People can leave if they choose. However, it is designed to adapt to those with morphonic powers. It is safer there for them and can help.”

EB added, “Also, there are bad people who like to get their hands on morphonic people and use them for experiments or to try and turn them all evil and stuff. Lotsa jerks out there who see people as tools and want to harvest these types of people. That’s why New Meta City isn’t exactly on the maps. Few know of it, so keep it secret.”

“Okay, I got it. I do have one other question. You said there are people using their powers to defend it. That woman the mayor mentioned used a power to blast a wyvern away. That is no small task. Surely, she could put her powers to use for the common good?”

Dr. Henderson said, “Some people have incredibly powerful abilities. However, using them is a danger to themselves. I know of this woman. I helped study her powers when she first came to BADGE. Debora has an extremely strong eyebeam power. But, it nearly kills her to use it. I’ll be checking on her right away when we get there.”

“Approaching New Meta City!” The pilot announced.

“Good, get ready...” Chase had to grab the arms of her seat as the shuttle was suddenly veering to the side.

“Incoming fire!” The pilot announced.

They watched as a wyvern swooped past them after unleashing a volley of fire.

“It’s chasing us! I can’t seem to lose it!” The pilot darted their shuttle all over the skies as they continued to take fire from the beast.

“Does this airship not have weapons?” Torrik yelled.

EB, who slammed into the bulkhead over and over, grabbed Torrik’s leg to stop his next crashing. “Nope!”

Dr. Henderson held the medical supplies from flying all over the place. “This is a medical shuttle.”

Chase said, “We do have some weapons!” She was looking directly at EB.

The bunny, still clinging to the goat leg of Torrik, snarled. “Damn.”

Justin stood in silence as he watched the ongoing battle of creatures against the dome of New Meta City. Hero leagues were organizing and moving toward Antarctica, but none had made it there yet.

“Has Gar reached the surface yet?” He asked.

A robot announced, “Affirmative. Strange Quark has transported Gargoyle to the planet’s surface.”

“Good.”

A different robot announced, “Agents compromised. Security Force seven seven nine has been compromised at Security Post Seven.”

“Do we have any confirmation on if they have been killed?” Justin asked.

“Negative. Signs indicate they have been manipulated. Mental sensor devices are offline.”

Justin let out a hard scoff. Dr. Henderson and EB developed a small device that all agents now wear to alert BADGE to any mental manipulation, especially from Nova or Lady Echidna.

Another robot announced, “Computer system compromised. Unauthorized access to BADGE computer systems detected at Security Post Seven.”

Justin let off a little smile. “So, they’re trying to get into our computers. With Nova and brainwashed agents on the site, blocking them will be impossible. But I suppose we shouldn’t let them just waltz right into our mainframe. Robots activate counter hacking protocols against access via Security Post Seven.”

The robots all went to work, energetically fighting the attempts to access the BADGE main computers. It would be a tit-for-tat battle between them and the ancient, brilliant mind of Nova, and they would lose. But Justin didn’t seem too worried.

Torrik held a leather strap that was attached to the roof of the shuttle as the whole cabin rolled. The pilot masterfully navigated around the attacks of the wyvern.

“Do I have to?” EB moaned.

Chase yelled, “Do it!”

“Fine. Here,” He jumped up and held tight to Torrik’s neck. “Are you ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

In a flash of sparkles, both vanished from inside the cabin. Instantly they were outside, tumbling down in the sky as the shuttle zoomed away.

“HOLD ON!” Torrik yelled and straightened himself out in their freefall. A giant leaf appeared under him and he stood on it, riding it like a surfboard. It zoomed down and then swooped up, gliding through the air.

“The shuttle!” EB yelled, still clinging to Torrik’s neck.

The wyvern was dangerously close to the shuttle. Torrik leaned forward, and they sped through the cold, thin air toward their target.

EB produced an egg in his paw and said, “GET US CLOSER!”

Torrik made a great swing in the sky, speeding up even faster as he headed directly for the beast. When it blasted the shuttle with a fireball, EB launched his egg. It met the mid-section of the monster and exploded with a great flash of light. The wyvern lurched to the side, and the shuttle had a clear path away.

“Aw crap, it’s pissed.” EB said as he watched the irate wyvern get back on its wings and stare daggers at them.

Torrik laughed, “This is gonna be fun.”

“You and I have completely different ideas of what’s fun,” EB said just as Torrik flew directly for their enemy.

The wyvern unleashed a torrent of flames at them. Torrik made a corkscrew spiral around the flames, getting ever closer to the beast. The moment they got within a few feet, Torrik jumped off the leaf, causing it to evaporate. He landed on its back, running down it a short way before grabbing one of the protruding spikes to keep from falling.

EB lost his grip on Torrik and went sailing away. He quickly grabbed at the tip of the tail, getting a grip on it with all the strength he could muster. “TORRIK!”

The wyvern swooped down in an effort to dislodge its new passengers. Torrik threw one hand toward the front of the beast and a great vine shot out and wrapped around its head, coming into its mouth like a bridle. With that grip holding him in place, Torrik sent another vine back toward EB and caught the bunny before he went sailing into the cold, clear sky.

“DO IT EB!” Torrik yelled.

EB, the vine around his waist, formed a purple egg in his paws and threw it toward Torrik. “Get it to this thing’s face!”

Torrik caught the egg and waited while they went into a spiral toward the ocean. Yanking hard on his bridle vine, he got the wyvern to swoop up before crashing them into the raging Antarctic sea. Once they were back into a climb, he threw the egg directly ahead of them and let it smash into the face of the beast. A purple ooze spread across it and the wyvern writhed around for a moment in rage and then calmed down.

“It’s falling asleep! Get us down!” EB yelled.

Torrik looked ahead and then back at EB, “I... don’t know how.”

“Gah! You shaggy piece of...” A dirigible zoomed up close to them, with a rope ladder hanging down.

A voice piped over the speaker from Furious Squirrel. “Get on!”

Torrik grabbed the ladder. EB was not far behind. They left the descending wyvern just as it crashed into the surface of the ice shelf, creating a long path in the snow.

The dirigible flew toward New Meta City with several hundred heroes arriving all around them, some in vehicles and others flying, a few coming out of portals.

EB shouted, “WOOT! CAVALRY HAS ARRIVED!”

Chapter 15:

Torrik raced through the snow toward the fray. He made a forward flip and then jumped ten feet in the air to dodge a thrown javelin. When he hit the ground, a massive vine shot up at the feet of an approaching ogre. The ogre shot straight up into the air and then came down with a hard slam into the icy ground. Vines trapped it and kept it at bay.

“DON’T KILL!” Torrik yelled over the commotion.

Heroes of all stripes battled against the surging armies from The Great Divide.

Three skeletal warriors rushed toward Torrik, but were instantly scattered across the ground when a one-ton snowball crashed through them like bowling pins.

Midgard, who had thrown that particular snowball, glared at Torrik. “Why the hell not?” He then slapped the ground with a huge hand and the ensuing quake toppled a small legion of goblins.

Torrik cast a spell that sent flowers popping up in the snow and wrapping around the fallen goblins.

“Because they’re cursed with some kind of foul spell. They are not evil!”

Chase rushed by, throwing her stars at two trolls, nailing them down by their own ragged clothing. “This is getting harder by the minute, Torrik. We can’t keep holding them at bay. Their numbers are getting out of hand.”

“Killing them is not an option. I’m responsible for my people’s safety as much as you are for the people of this world. These are innocent victims. Don’t take their lives or you’ll have Yohan to deal with.”

Midgard laughed, “Bring it!” He grabbed an ogre in his giant hand and lifted him up to take a taste of the flailing beast.

Torrik sent a great blast of magic at Midgard and the monstrous serpent lost his intended lunch as the ogre fell back to the snow, unconscious. “I said, no killing!”

Midgard turned his wrath against Torrik, “You dare to challenge me, little goat man!?”

Torrik threw his hands to the side and enormous vines sprung up from the snow. He had an even more deadly glare on his face than Midgard. “Try me, snake. I’ve trained with the timeless dragons of old. You’re nothing.”

Midgard was in mid-motion to take down Torrik when a portal opened and Midgard slid right through and came falling out of another portal fifty yards away.

Strange Quark appeared and sealed his portal. “No in-fighting! Midgard, you know better. Torrik, don’t poke that particular bear.”

Midgard yelled in fury, but then turned his rage against two wyverns joining the battle.

“That one is dangerous,” Torrik commented.

Quark said, “We all know that. For now, we have a problem to solve. Krystal Fae is ready if you are.”

Torrik held up the strange technological device Chase had given him and spoke into it. “EB, Krystal, you guys ready with this?”

Krystal’s voice came through clearly. “Yes. I have the position.”

EB said, “I’m in my place. Just give the word.”

“Alright. When you see the beam of light, cast your magic toward it.”

Both said, “Got it.”

The battle raged around Torrik, Chase and Quark defended him so he could focus on his own magic. Thrusting one hand directly up, he cast a massive column of blinding light, clearing the clouds above. From either side of the field, two more beams of light shot toward him and met his. All at once, his beam became a massive wave of magical energy that spread out across the continent. Heroes were unfazed by the energy, but the creatures attacking them all staggered and fell back. The wyverns were grounded, and it stalled the warriors.

Everything remained quiet for a moment after the light faded. The creatures of fantasy seemed calm, even confused.

The first voice was from Krystal Fae. “Torrik, did it work?”

“I’ll check.” Torrik walked over to the ogre he had tethered down. The creature looked around and then spotted Torrik.

“Satyr, where is Gud?” The Ogre asked.

Torrik smiled, “Gud, you’re in a new world outside of the Great Divide.”

“Oh, Gud not supposed to leave Great Divide. Is Gud in trouble?”

“No, Gud, you’re fine.”

As Torrik surveyed the area, he saw the other fantasy creatures gathering their senses and some even talking to the heroes. Torrik clicked his comm. “It worked. The curse has been lifted. Good work, guys.”

“Toldja I could do it.” EB responded.

Krystal added, “With a little Fae help, as well.”

Torrik walked over to Quark and Chase while still speaking into the comm. “Everyone, please help guide my people back into that portal. This place is dangerously cold and it could hurt them. If any are injured, let me know.”

“Hey, you aren’t in charge.” EB commented through the comm.

Chase grabbed it and said, “Just do what he said.”

“Alright.” EB muttered.

Midgard, now much smaller and appearing more human-like, walked up and punched Torrik in the shoulder, nearly knocking him over.

“Hey!” Torrik turned, ready for a fight.

Midgard said, “I owed you that. And, next time you challenge me, better make it a fun fight. It’ll be your last.”

Justin chimed through, “Is everything okay down there? Sensors are showing a decrease in energy.”

Chase answered, “Yes. The fight is finally over.”

“Good. We still have problems. Get Torrik back up here.”

Lady Echidna, Nova, and their newly acquired minions stood in the control center of Security Post Seven. The brainwashed workers activated the computers and bypassed at the secure protocols.

Lady Echidna was amused for a moment at her reflection on a dormant computer screen. It then activated and had numbers running all over it. “What fascinating tools the humans have devised. Their technology is almost at the level of our earliest days of magic. But, still nothing compared to genuine power.”

“It is the tech of BADGE that stands in our way,” Nova said.

“Not for long. Have these people get us into their system and find my jewel.” She commanded.

Nova pointed at a person, and she rushed to the computer to access it. He then put in his command authorization codes. With a hard buzz, it rejected him.

“I should have known better. Justin would wipe all my command codes. But, he didn’t design the very base of all the BADGE computer systems... I did.” Sitting before the computer, his hands flew over the controls as he hacked his way through every system and security firewall.

Echidna said, “You certainly have a flare for this.”

“I invented more than half of all modern human technology. They just don’t realize it. Sitting around on this world for thousands of years gave me plenty of time to create. Which also means they have little they can hide from me, no matter how hard they try.”

Data flew by on the screens. Soon he was into the information about the Eye of the Hydra. Everything came to a stop with a map on the screen that had a single blinking dot.

“What is it, my dear?” Lady Echidna asked.

“I know where they have taken the Eye of the Hydra. They entrusted it to Gar, which is not a foolish idea. He cannot be brainwashed or enchanted, and he is damn near impossible to destroy. They sent it to Neo Utopia in hopes that we wouldn’t even think of looking for it there.”

Lady Echidna stood back and tapped her chin. “They cannot be dense enough to believe there would be any inch of this planet we wouldn’t search.”

Nova nodded, “True. But, this was more clever than that. It is hidden in a vault, but not a BADGE vault. This place is even more secure and secret than BADGE’s. It belongs to a notorious gangster, guarded round the clock by his own little army.”

“Oh, how clever. But not clever enough. I think we should pay a visit to Neo Utopia and see what this gangster has hidden in his vault.”

Chapter 16:

Private Eye Peyton stepped out of his 32 Ford and gave the building before him a great snarl. He hated being here. It was enemy territory. But it was his duty to work with these people and make sure BADGE’s plans go off without a hitch.

“I’d rather be having a chicken dinner at Mildreds... Oh, well.”

The place before him was an old laundry business that still operated. However, Peyton and the entire police department knew this was just a front for one of Rutkowski’s operations. Walking inside, all he heard was the steady rumbling of the dryers working on some random persons’ sheets and underwear. Several haggard old women looked over their magazines at him, not sure why a P.I. was inside this place.

He made his way to the back and found the one dryer that had a permanent sign hanging in front of it that declared, ‘out of order’. Opening it, he pressed a hidden button and then closed the door and pressed the ‘on’ switch, which caused it to lower down. He stepped on top of the dryer, now flush with the floor, and it rose back up, taking him into a hidden part of the building.

The doors opened and what had been a dirty old laundromat turned into an opulent penthouse. The place was packed with plush furniture, gilded trappings, and heavy curtains. A radio blared some good old jazz while five gangsters sat around a table playing poker.

“Take yer shoes off! Don’tcha have any class, Peyton?” Steelfist yelled from the table.

Peyton sloughed his loafers and walked across the gooey, thick carpet. “Where’s Rutkowski?”

The voice of the infamous gangster spoke from behind the bar. “Ova here.” He shook a cocktail mixer. “Ya want a glass? Make’n some special drinks.”

Peyton asked, “Why? Celebrating something?”

“It’s not every day that one of BADGE’s top henchmen comes and asks me a favor, even gives me a big fat check, and offers to help clear my slate.”

Peyton walked toward the bar and then felt a stabbing pain. To this, he hopped around as he yanked a toothpick out of his foot. “Nice, real nice.”

Rutkowski, chewing on the end of a different toothpick, chortled as he said, “Now how’d that get there?”

“Funny,” Peyton retorted as he made his way to the bar. “I’m not here to celebrate. Justin wants me to ensure that you’re holding up on your end of the bargain. That item is extremely dangerous and could be catastrophic if the wrong people...”

“I know, I know. I got the rundown from that stone feller. I may like money and would probably sell my sister... if I had one... for a quick buck. But, I know the game. If the crappola hits the fan, then money ain’t gonna do me much good. I’ll do my part. Just make sure they hold up on their end. I’m tired of community service gigs.”

Peyton sat down at the bar. “BADGE is honorable. They’ll hold up their end of the bargain. Now, where is your super secret vault?”

Everyone in the room laughed at that question. Steelfist said, “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Rutkowski added, “So would the FBI, IRS, and the cops. Ain’t showing it to you or nobody. Justin asked me to hide it where no one will find it. Well, that’s exactly where it will be.”

“Then why did Justin send me here to find it?” Peyton asked.

Rutkowski said, “Because we have a special job to do. That jewel thing, it aint in the vault just yet.”

“What?”

“You and me, we got something to take care of. We gotta use our special time power to seal that thing and then we’ll put it in the vault.”

Peyton took a drink of the cocktail he was handed and then asked, “Shouldn’t we do that closer to the vault itself? Unless it’s in this building.”

“It aint here, but yer right, we should do it there.” Rutkowski smirked at him.

Peyton realized his drink was an extra special blend. “You bastard.” With a hard plop, his head hit the bar, and he was out cold.

Torrik walked with Justin in the arboretum on the station. They looked over several maps of Earth on tablets as they discussed the next phase of this job.

“There, that’s the place I think we should start searching.” Justin pointed at a place in the Mediterranean.

Torrik agreed. “If your myths align with enough reality, then the Scylla should be there. Or at least we’ll find evidence of its location.”

EB and Chase approached with Gar behind them. EB hopped up and down. “That was a fun battle. I mean, all those cool fantasy creatures, it was like a totally LARPing. I punched an ogre, kicked a goblin, and totally got a critical roll against that Wyvern.”

“This isn’t a game,” Chase muttered.

“Let me have my fun,” EB said.

Justin said, “I’m just glad the situation is resolved so we can return to finding the last two stones before Lady Echidna gets to them.”

Chase asked, “Will you stick around and help?” She looked at Torrik.

EB said, “Oh, he should be going home now, faaaar away in that Yohan place. Like, forever.”

Torrik said, “Actually, I’m going to be hanging around for a while.”

“What!” EB bellowed and then saw everyone glaring at him. “Sorry.”

Chase asked, “What do you mean?”

“First, my mission was to find the source of this evil magic and stop it. We haven’t come close to that yet. I’m here for the duration. Also, I could be staying even longer if BADGE is up for the challenge.”

Everyone could hear EB muttering, “Please say it ain’t so.”

Justin said, “I think the idea has merit. Training is always good for our heroes.”

“Training?” Gar asked.

Torrik answered, “The portal between our worlds was supposed to be temporary... and for only one person. Thousands of creatures passed through it, ripping it apart and creating a permanent rift. The barrier between our worlds was crafted by the powerful magic of Merlin the Great... and he has been gone for centuries. No one knows how to fix it. This new rift is stable, so I had the idea that you could use the Great Divide as my people have.”

“I thought it was just protection between worlds?” Chase asked.

Torrik nodded, “It is. But, it also provides a good place to hone our fighting skills. Those creatures all love a good fight. So, the warriors of my people go there to training on a regular basis. I thought, since your world is facing all sorts of unique and strange threats, training with magical beasts might provide extra skills.”

“I like it. I know a lot of heroes who would love a chance to test themselves in that kind of arena.” Chase said.

Justin nodded. “My thoughts exactly. I have asked Torrik to be a liaison between his world and ours. He will provide help in this current crisis. In the future, he will remain a friend of BADGE who will aid us in this new training arena and in future crisis... which we seem to have in steady supply.”

Chase said, “Speaking of crisis. What about the Eye of the Hydra and Lady Echidna?”

“I have taken measures to protect the Eye of the Hydra,” Justin said. “As for Echidna and Nova, I don’t know. For now, we’ll have to take this one day at a time. Perhaps, for once, we’ll have the jump on them by finding the next eye before they do. Gar, walk with me. We need to discuss your recent special mission.” Justin excused himself and spoke with Gar.

Torrik smiled at Chase with that ten-million dollar grin and produced a rose in his fingers. He put it behind her ear. “There, a little color to break up all that black leather.”

She blushed, “Oh, how sweet.”

“Chase.” Justin called her over.

“Excuse me.”

Torrik watched her leave and then heard heavy breathing and muttering. There was a calmness to him as he realized the jealous little bunny was about to chew through the floor to control his green-eyed rage. “Look, EB, you don’t have to be so jealous.”

“I’m not jealous, I just think you are a big, fat, flirt!” EB went to hop away.

“You’re right. I am.”

“What?”

Torrik laughed, “I like to flirt. It’s a nasty habit of Satyrs. I suppose that might be where we got our reputation for lecherousness. But, it is not well earned. Flirting is one thing. In reality, I’m not that attracted to Chase, or any human female.”

“What do you mean?”

“Not enough fur, no tail, no hooves. Those feet.... blech. Give me a sweet pair of goat's legs on a busty Satyr girl any day. Chase is a sweetheart and I love the way she smiles at me. But humans are kinda weird looking.”

EB was aghast and then a little giddy, “So... You don’t want her?”

“Not like you think. She’s all yours. Now, can we be friends?”

EB was bouncing six feet in the air. “Sure, no problem, great friends. It’ll be great to have another magical creature around to talk to. Krystal is nice, but always gone. Santa is my buddy, but so far away. Hey, do you like chocolate? I could...”

All their comms activated with a robotic voice. “Alert, Alert. Neo Utopia distress signal incoming.” The voice changed to Peyton, “BADGE. This is Peyton. It’s her. That Lady Echidna... she just attacked the vault. She got the Eye of Hydra!”

Chapter 1:

 A blinding blur raced across the dusty ground in the Savanna with animals hardly able to move before something buzzed by them. The white dot zipped by with amazing precision and speed. A hero in blue tights came running along and met up with this blur. Both moving at almost the same speed.

“Hey, EB, any luck?” Spark asked.

EB, as focused as he had ever been, shook his head, “No. I’ve been everywhere I can run, which is a lot of places.”

“The UCH League has been helping with the search as well, bupkis.”

EB charged ahead even faster, his feet now creating a spray of ocean water as he zipped over the surface of the Atlantic. “I’m not giving up.”

Spark rushed ahead to keep up with EB, “I know you want to find him, but this isn’t working. We aren’t going to just stumble across Director Nova, obviously he’s hiding.”

“He won’t be hiding. He will want to be found. I will find him. He’s my best friend.” He lost that determined look as his face fought not to cry again.

Spark yelled over the spray of water between them, “Justin wants you back on the station. They aren’t giving up, trust me.”

“No.”

“Please. They’ve lost the Director, they can’t lose you as well.”

EB yelled, “We haven’t lost him forever! I’ll find him!”

“Yes, but let them help.”

EB turned slightly and headed for a small island. He came to an abrupt stop. Spark blasted right by him and had to turn around and come back.

The blonde hero stopped and held his knees as he huffed and puffed, “Man, you’re fast, and coming from me, that’s saying something.”

“Tell Agent Justin that I won’t stop looking.”

Spark said, “They aren’t giving up. But working together will be a better choice. They need everyone. When Nova left, it created a bigger hole in the organization than just one person.”

“Nova’s shoes are impossible to fill.” EB said and then snapped his fingers and a BADGE comm appeared, “It’s time. EB to Quark.”

Quarks’ voice came through, “Oh, good. They found you. I was looking in Australia for you.”

“Nope. I was in Africa. I left Australia like twenty minutes ago. Anyway, can you zap me and my friend to the station?”

“Sure. Stand still.”

“Wait...” Spark started to protest when a blue blast of light surrounded them and they were instantly on the station.

Spark looked around. “Oh, uh, I have to get back to my league. I was just called to find you because I could keep up.”

“Oh, sorry. Where’s your league?”

“Knoxville, Tennessee.” He said.

EB said, “Oops, sorry. Call Quark. He’ll get you there pronto.” He dashed up to the Operations center and found Justin talking with Chase while Gar was on a video feed.

“EB!” Chase called out, extremely happy.

He smiled at her without an ounce of his normal, flirty attitude. “Hi, everyone. Sorry I was gone for so long. I tried to find him, I really did, but he’s just not out there. I mean, he is out there, but I can’t find him. And, I will.”

“We will.” Justin said.

“Any luck so far?” EB asked.

Justin said, “No.”

Gar, with the city of Ka’an Dorado behind him on the screen, said, “No evidence here. The shadow of Krampus is still hanging around, but it only responds to heroes approaching it. It’s like a simulation on the station. He isn’t attacking until provoked. Once defeated, he can be summoned repeatedly. I think he’s just a distraction.”

They watched as yet another hero approached the city center, only to have a monster appear and attack her. No one seemed fazed by this.

“What’s the point?” Justin asked. “Why create this monster we can summon all the time? Only to then steal our Director and disappear?”

EB looked up at Chase. “Do you know more about what Director Nova left you in your thoughts? Have you sorted through the memories?”

“Not entirely. Nova and this woman are not from this world. However, they are ancient. They both were here long, long ago. What I can sort out is that they came as observers and helpers. Both were sent for honorable reasons. But she turned wicked, and he had to stop her. The rest is a hard to sort out. I think he didn’t want me to see everything yet. He is using my own powers to help me. I don’t know what he showed me, but I will discover it as we move forward.”

“What did he mean, ‘be clever’?” Justin asked.

“I don’t know. But I’m sure we’ll figure it out.”

Justin looked up at Gar. “You and Arx keep searching for clues. Anything out of the ordinary that might have been left behind. We need something to go on.”

“Will do.” Gar’s image faded.

“What do I do?” EB asked.

Justin said, “You know Nova better than anyone. Try to think of something we can use to figure out how to find him.”

Chase said, “But he told us not to look for him. It would be too dangerous.”

“I know what he said, but he’s not the Director any longer. I am. And, I say that our enemy has had him long enough. She needs him for her plans, then we need to take him away. Any tool we deprive her of will only hinder her all the more.”

“YES!” EB hopped up and down.

“I hope we know what we’re doing.” Chase whispered.

BADGE agents worked at desks and computers in a rather ordinary office. Without the insignia on the walls and stitched to their clothing, it would appear as just another office space. The people chatted with each other in Swedish while sipping coffee this early morning.

Justin came over the monitor, and his words were auto-translated for them. “This is Acting Director Justin to all BADGE offices. Be on the lookout for any signs of Director Nova. Your leagues are asked to create a dragnet to ensure if he is spotted, we will know about it. Remember, he is with Lady Echidna, a class 10 villain that is not to be approached. Justin out.” The screen changed back to a picture of the Swedish countryside.

A woman with the rank of lieutenant stitched under her badge clicked on a comm line. “BADGE office Stockholm to Nordic Dashers and Ice Bears. We have orders to search for Director Nova. We...”

“Ma’am!” An agent rushed over and tapped her arm.

The Lieutenant looked down at a tablet and saw a video of a man walking through their security checkpoints without any resistance. “Who is that?”

“I don’t know, but the guards aren’t answering me any longer. The security system is inactive.”

The Lieutenant grabbed the tablet from him, “That’s impossible. We have the best security system in the known world. It cannot be hacked or deactivated without... this...this is impossible.” The tablet showed her a complete shutdown of their perimeter security sensors.

“What do we do?”

She shut off the signal and pulled out a gun. “Agents, this is a priority alert. We have a potential intruder.”

The office quickly changed from simple clicking and chatting to full action. These office workers grabbed hidden weapons and prepared themselves. A buzzer sounded in all the corridors, alerting the security officers to go into action.

The intruder strode into the main office. He was dressed in an exquisite suit with a diamond studded cane in one gloved hand while he tipped a top hat in greeting. His eyepatch was stitched with a gold thread that created the outline of an eye.

“Director Nova?” The lieutenant whispered.

He smiled, “Obey me!” His voice boomed and a wave of energy infected every mind in the room. All the agents slowly lowered their weapons and stood up with dazed expressions.

The Lieutenant approached and stowed her gun inside her coat. “What do you wish of me?”

“The secret vault, I want in...now.”

“As you wish.” She turned and led him through the office.

They walked up a short flight of stairs and passed through several security barriers before entering a high-tech room not unlike the Operations center on the station. She punched in a code and a small door opened, hidden in the wall. Inside, she pulled out a key.

“Here, my lord. Take this to the secret vault in Skane County.”

Taking the key with a greedy glint in his one eye, he said, “I know where to take this. Thank you.” He reached over and shut the door on the wall.

Together, they returned to the office area where the people remained in a dazed state. He reached the door and said, “You will not remember anything.”

Moments later, she woke up and was looking down at the tablet again. “What...what were you showing me?”

He looked down at the screen. “There was someone there, but...I guess he’s gone.”

Chapter 2:

 The cool air mixed with a harsh cold from the north. People walked by dressed in thick coats. More than one person took note of the finely dressed man walking among them. Nova, in his black suit and top hat, strolled down the old streets of Stockholm. He paused near a limousine parked outside a high-end jewelry store. The driver stood at the side, waiting to open the door for his employer.

“Good afternoon, sir. May I help you?” The driver asked.

Nova smiled. “I need a ride.”

The man blinked and held his head as the power of Nova sunk in.

A woman in exquisite clothes, draped in a golden silk shawl, walked out. “What are you doing to my driver?”

Nova turned and held his hand out, “You will leave and I will take that shawl for my wife.”

“I will most certainly not. POLICE!” She called out and then went silent.

Nova stepped closer, “Now!”

She smiled and handed him her scarf and merely walked away. He folded it up and then turned to take a seat as the driver had opened the door for him. The driver closed the door and then rushed to fulfill his new boss’s orders.

EB hopped in a circle around Justin much as he often did to Nova. Justin appreciated with the same enthusiasm as Nova.

“Would you stop that? You’re making me dizzy!” Justin barked.

“Oh, sorry.” EB stopped and then asked, “So, you alerted all the leagues and stuff. Now what? Huh? I was thinking that we could access all the cameras and computers in the world. There are like billions of little cameras attached to EVERYTHING. We could see if anyone sees anything. I know, it breaks lotsa laws and stuff, but it would mean we would have eyes everywhere. Just, don’t look in locker rooms, I don’t need to see that much man-stuff, and bathrooms, that would be super creepy and kinda icky. You know, this one time I followed this hot babe all around town and accidentally ended up in the girls’ bathroom at a bar. It was weird. They were screaming, someone called animal control, and I... why are you looking at me like that?”

Justin waited a moment for EB to stop rambling. “We aren’t going to spy on every camera on Earth. Even if we did, we don’t have enough people to watch all that footage.”

“It was just an idea.”

Gar walked into the room with Arx beside him. “We’re back.”

“I know. I saw the shuttle docking. Do you have anything to report?”

Arx said, “No. We scoured every last inch of the throne room and questioned all the remaining witnesses, which weren’t many. Nothing to help figure this out.”

Gar said, “And the Shadow Krampus is like a game now. Heroes are coming just to beat him up and train.”

Justin looked up at the screen, which still displayed the ongoing battles with Krampus. “Let them train. As long as no one is getting hurt and no major property damage is happening. Besides, if Nova or that Lady Echidna shows up in Ka’an Dorado, we’ll already have a pretty powerful force there to tap.”

“What’s the next move then?” Arx asked.

“I don’t know. Patience... I suppose.”

“Incoming Transmission: Stockholm BADGE office.” Robot 10915 announced.

“On screen.”

The woman in charge of that office came on screen. “Acting Director Justin, we have a mystery on our hands. Something just happened here and no one can remember it. There was an alert that someone was here without permission, and then he simply disappeared. I first considered it nothing, but then we found that twelve minutes of time had lapsed that were not only erased from all our computers, security footage, and sensors, but our memories as well.”

“Is there any indication of what happened?”

“No.”

Justin thought about this for a moment. “Our enemy used mind control in Ka’an Dorado to manipulate people. This is too much of a coincidence to not be connected. I will send Gar and Chase to check on this. For now, your office is on top level security. Activate your robot forces. They can’t be mind controlled as easily.”

“Already have the robots working.”

“Good. Alert me if you discover anything before my team gets there.”

“Understood, Stockholm out.” She turned off the signal.

Justin turned around. “Gar, go get Chase and prepare to leave immediately.”

“Right.” Gar left the Operations center.

Arx asked, “What about me? I’d love to help.”

“You’ve done enough so far. You’re in charge of the ATLAS program, and that needs your attention here. If we need your help outside of that, I’ll let you know.”

“Okay.”

EB hopped up and down. “SEND ME! I can help. I know I can. Mind control doesn’t work so well on us Vexillians. I could be there and make sure no one else is hurt or mentally controlled. They won’t get me!”

Justin said, “I need you here. We’re down Nova, who was far more than just one man. With Gar and Chase going, and Arx in charge of ATLAS, I need someone here if something happens.”

“Gotcha... WOW, I get to be like your first officer, your Spock, Riker, or Chewbacca. SOOO COOL!” EB bounced around the room in glee.

Stepping out of the limo in his Louis Vuitton Manhattan Richelie Shoes, Nova gazed up at a hillside.

“Are you sure you want to stop here?” His driver asked from inside the limo.

Nova smiled as he put on a pair of Cartier sunglasses and put them on. “This is exactly where I want to be.”

He walked up the hill and looked out across the bay from this elevated position. The ferry boats scurried in and out of the docks as they transported people. The sun glimmered in the partly cloudy sky, and the winds were chilled, but pleasant. For a brief moment, the arrogant face of this new Nova turned into a softer smile. But, that didn’t last long. He climbed the hill and pressed his hand into a rock. His hand print remained behind and the rock sunk down. Dirt and grass fell away from an ancient door that parted, revealing a short set of stone stairs.

Walking into a long, narrow cave, Nova passed pedestals with artifacts on them that had gathered so much dirt and dust it was hard to tell what lay beneath. The last pedestal at the end of this tunnel was just as encrusted with natural debris as the others. Nova stood before it was a gleam of greed in his smile. He reached down with his gloved hand and picked up a strange iron key that had a shape on the end like a cookie cutter, not a key. It was the shape of a small face of some kind of beast.

“One step closer to the eye.” He whispered.

Chapter 3:

 Nova walked down the hill from the ancient vault and paused to take another long look over the landscape. It was beautiful and peaceful at the same time. The sea roared with waves and many boats going to and fro on daily routines. The nearby city bustled with activity.

“Where did you hide it, my old friend?” He asked the wind and then pulled out an ancient map.

The map, scribbled onto a roughly cut piece of sheepskin flipped at the edges in the breeze. There was little writing on it, but something slowly appeared as he held the key over it. The surface gained more definition as red marks appeared. The coastline formed, and then mountains and a path.

“This is older than the cities here. But I don’t need to know where the cities are, just where this is.” He held the map up and established the orientation so that it matched. With a small smile, he saw that the dot was directly ahead of him.

“Sir?” The driver was now halfway up the hill, nervously waiting for his master to answer.

“What is it?”

“Should I drive you somewhere?”

Nova smiled, “Yes. Take me into Trelleborg. I wish to explore the city.”

“I will take you anywhere, my lord. But tell me what you wish to see. I can help locate anything.”

Nova walked beyond the man, back toward the limo. “You cannot tell me where to find the Eye of Fenrir, but that is okay.”

“I can try.” The man stated, desperate to please his master.

“Just drive.” Nova got into the car and waited while his driver hurried to please him by jumping back into the driver's seat and heading back toward town.

Chase stepped out of the BADGE shuttle that rested on top of the Stockholm HQ. A team of agents managed the landing pad, preparing to move the shuttle to a safe location. Gar stepped out next, which always drew some surprise by people who had never seen a walking statue in person. He smiled at them and then joined Chase.

Lieutenant Bonnie met them on the roof. “Welcome to Stockholm, Chase, Gar.”

Chase shook her hand. “Glad to be here. Wish this was just a vacation trip.”

“BADGE agents never really get to have vacations, do we?” Bonnie said and then led them to a stairwell.

Chase and Gar followed as she asked, “Do you have any further information for us?”

Bonnie pressed her security badge into a panel, and the door opened to the main operations center. “A few additional details that might help, though they mostly just raise further questions and concerns.”

“Like what?” Gar asked.

Bonnie pointed at one of her people at a computer and he put a video on the monitor, which was a quarter the size of the one on the station. Footage showed a man, nicely dressed, appearing out of nowhere. The screen flickered, and the next thing was him walking away.

“Who was that?” Chase asked.

“That’s what I’d like to know. His hat covered his face enough that we couldn’t get an ID. His clothing was all expensive, but unremarkable in any specifics.”

“What do you mean, expensive?” Chase asked.

Bonnie looked back at her agent. The young man put a still image from the footage on the screen and small windows opened that showed information, each with prices and names. “We have a Brioni suit with hat, Neiman Marcus leather gloves, Louis Vuitton Manhattan Richelie Shoes, and that is what our visuals could determine. You’re looking at over twenty thousand dollars in apparel. Not something you see everyday just walking around.”

Gar said, “Lady Echidna wore expensive clothing and so did her army.”

Chase looked at the screen. “But her henchmen weren’t this well dressed. This is opulent to the point of decadent. I’d say we have someone special to her, someone important.”

Bonnie asked, “Do you think this is Director Nova?”

“Look, he is using a cane. Nova uses one for special occasions.” Gar pointed at the screen.

The agent said, “We couldn’t get a maker on the cane, so no info there.”

“Doesn’t matter. Gar’s right. It’s a strong hint that this is Nova. But...what was he doing here? Why did he come and leave without a trace?”

“He didn’t. We do have something else.” Bonnie said.

Chase asked, “What is it?”

Bonnie walked over to the wall and pressed a button, revealing the code pad. She put in a code and then used a key to open a small door. “This is a highly secret, secure vault we use for extremely sensitive materials. When this place was first built, Director Nova insisted that we put one object in here and never let it out without his personal permission. A special key, which we have no idea what it was connected to. It was ancient and the only time I ever saw it, I couldn’t tell why it was so dangerous or important.”

“If he asked for to be this secure, there was a reason.”

“Whatever the reason, it’s gone. It’s the only item in this entire facility that is gone. We’ve checked everything ten times over. Nothing else is missing. And, we don’t have any computer files that he couldn’t obtain on the station or other locations. That was his only objective. However, something was left in the vault.”

“What, he left something?” Chase walked closer to see what Bonnie was pointing at.

Gar frowned. “A pebble?”

Chase leaned in and looked at it. “It’s not just a rock, it’s smooth and has something etched on the surface. Have you taken it out and examined it?”

“Not yet. We wanted to show you before we did that. I was worried it would do something to us.”

Chase looked back at Gar. “I know someone who can probably handle it without being hurt.”

Gar got the hint and walked over to the vault. He carefully picked up the small stone and held it in his hand for a moment. Nothing happened. The agent rushed over with a small scanning device and checked it several ways.

“I’m getting nothing. This is just a piece of granite, polished and etched. Nothing more.”

Bonnie looked at it in Gar’s hand. “What’s on the surface?”

The agent looked at his scanner. “It’s an ancient Nordic etching. The computer is having a hard time identifying it. Wait... I have something. I think this is an ancient symbol for Fenrir.”

Chase frowned. “Fenrir, the mythological dog from Nordic religion?”

Bonnie nodded, “Yes. It is said to be destined to swallow the sun at the end of time. But what on earth is this doing in the vault? Who left it?”

The agent scanned the stone again. “No fingerprints, DNA traces, or anything else to identify who left it.”

Chase asked, “Did anyone get into this vault prior to the discovery of the missing map?”

“No. That vault is under constant surveillance. Except for the twelve minute blackout of all data and memory, no one has gotten into that vault in two years. And since the blackout, I only opened it just thirty minutes ago when we found that stone and the missing map.”

“Then... Nova left this?” Chase walked around, pondering this. “That doesn’t make sense. Why would he leave this? Some sort of joke from Lady Echidna, a ploy to get us to be confused?”

Bonnie said, “Maybe he’s just teasing us, toying with us. Like a criminal who leaves a card behind to thumb their nose at the police.”

“That’s not like him.” Chase said, “But, then again, burglary is not like Nova either.”

Gar said, “He might be trying to help us?” He handed the stone to Chase.

“I doubt that.” Bonnie said, “With all the information we have, he is as mind-controlled as all her other soldiers. This lady Echidna wouldn’t let him...”

Chase’s eye’s widened, and she gasped, “Maybe he is trying to help us.”

“Chase?” Gar leaned in.

She looked up at him. “I sense... a memory. Something is buried in this object. My powers are connecting to it. I’ve never felt something like this before. It’s... strange. Very old. The only thing I know for certain, this memory is from Nova. He’s trying to show me something.”

Chapter 4:

 Nova stepped out of the limo with no small amount of curiosity from the locals. He smiled at them and strode down the street with all the flair bestowed upon anyone wearing such expensive clothes. His wife would have it no other way.

The path was gravel and grass as it led to a recreated Viking Fortress. He paused just before entering the museum and turned with a quick snap of his fingers. “No pictures.”

Several locals had just taken pictures of him on their phones. Now, they couldn’t help but delete the images.

He then said, “That’s enough. Go away.” His command was instantly followed, and the people left him as though they had never even seen him.

With that interruption out of the way, he pushed on the door to enter the historic recreation. The door was locked. He tapped it with his cane and the lock undid itself and he was allowed in.

The place was a nice replica of the ancient style of fortresses the Vikings used to build. They made most of the structures of wood. There was some stonework and flags fluttered in the breeze here and there.

“Where to begin looking?” He walked around the grounds for a moment, considering his options.

A woman rushed out, fury on her face. In Swedish, she yelled at him. “We’re closed until April. You shouldn’t be here!”

He casually turned to look at her. “Ah, a docent. How useful. Perhaps you can answer some questions.”

“Absolutely not. I said...” she shook and then her eyes glazed over.

He smiled again. “As I said, I have questions to be answered.”

“How can I help you, my lord?”

Nova walked toward the longhouse. “Where do you keep the genuine relics?”

She walked him toward the main museum. “We have a lot of genuine relics that date back...”

“I’m looking for something that has been here for more than eleven hundred years. Something that has not been moved from its original location.”

She paused. “Oh, sorry. Our museum has everything moved and cared for inside. Everything outside is a recreation for the experience.”

Nova pulled out the key and showed the end to her. “This, do you know where I could find an image matching this?”

She put on her glasses and gazed at the end. “It appears to be part of a rune, perhaps of an animal. It might even be Fenrir.”

“It is Fenrir. Where do I find the rune that matches this?”

“I’m not sure. I’ll check. Give me a moment.” With that, she ran back toward her office, eager to fulfill her new lord’s wishes.

Nova smiled as he waited for her, always amused at the power of obedience.

Just then, five superheroes appeared around him. Three flew down, one teleported, and one sped up and stopped. He was surrounded.

“Whoever you are, we are the Nordic Wind, the official League of Southern Sweden.” The leader, a man in a caped suit, hovered nearby.

The woman who ran in at blinding speed said, “I can sense morphonic powers. You’re off the charts, sir. Do...wait...no, it can’t be.” She gasped and covered her mouth.

Another flier came closer. “Nova, is that you?”

With a slow turn, he looked up at the hero and smiled. “Yes.”

The leader clicked his BADGE comm unit, but it merely buzzed. “What, it’s not working.”

“Mine is dead as well.” Another hero stated.

Nova casually laughed at them. “Don’t worry, you won’t remember a thing. But I think you have a pressing engagement at the south pole.”

The team all winced as their minds were being invaded by his powers. They struggled and held their heads. Three succumb quickly, but two resisted.

“What are you doing?” The leader flopped to the ground as he tried to shed the power overtaking him.

Nova stamped his cane into the ground and a wave of energy exploded out from him that covered their bodies. His voice came from his mouth like a thousand echos of the same words. “You will obey me. You have a mission in the south pole, GO!”

Everyone was now entirely controlled, and they headed out to fulfill this bogus mission he had planted in their minds.

The docent rushed out, “What was that?”

“Oh, just sending some pests away for a while so I can finish my work uninterrupted. Now, about this key?” He turned to her.

She smiled and held up a printout of a rune stone. “I found it. At least, I think this is it. The face matches that key end perfectly. But I don’t believe it can hold a keyhole.”

“Don’t worry about the details. I’ll deal with them. For now, you really want to go take a nap. When you wake, you won’t remember a thing about my visit.”

Her eyes drooped, and she swayed. “Suddenly, I’m very tired. I think I’ll go rest. Thank you for visiting the museum.” With an enormous yawn, she staggered away from him.

Nova left the recreation and headed back for his limo driver.

Once he sat down, the driver asked, “Where to, sir?”

Nova answered, “Tullstorp.”

“Right away, sir.”

Nova looked over the key as he mused about the impending success.

“My darling.” A sultry voice spoke around him.

Nova closed his eye and found himself standing in the shadows of a dark throne room. Lady Echidna sat upon a throne with her soldiers standing around her in their finest suits. “My lady, I am close to my goal.”

“Are you sure? I need to know you’re being faithful to me.”

Nova walked closer, though he was a shadowy figure in this room. “At this moment, I sit in a limo, riding toward the probable location of the eye. It will soon be yours.”

“Good. Do not disappoint me. That eye is important for step two of this plan.”

“Why not come and see the glorious moment of revelation when I retrieve it? The winters are so lovely here in Sweden.”

She stood from her throne and reached up with a gloved hand as though she were stroking his face. “Ah, my darling. I need to know you’re truly mine. You need to bring me the eye on your own, then I shall know your heart truly belongs to me.”

“It pains me to think you would doubt my loyalty.”

Lady Echidna walked around him. “You betrayed me before. You shoved me into the darkness of The Void and left me to rot for centuries. Trust, my darling Nova, must be regained. You’re under my power, but I know your strength as well as I know mine. I know you are clever. Hand me the Eye of Fenrir, and I’ll know where your heart truly lies.”

He reached out, and his shadowy hand met her face. “I will not fail you, my lady.”

“See that you don’t.”

All at once he was back in the limo seat, truly having not left. The driver was looking back at him through the mirror with a befuddled expression. He asked, “Did you say something to me?”

“No. I was speaking to someone else. Just drive.”

“Ma’am, we have a problem.” The agent in the Stockholm Operations center announced.

Lieutenant Bonnie asked, “What is it?”

“The daily update from the Nordic Wind did not happen. When I tried to contact them, there was no answer. They locked their base down and our sensors do not show any of their comm signals in the country.”

Chase, still there, asked, “Do you not have them on any tracking?”

“I’m expanding our sensor range to see if I can pick up their signals.” He ran his calculations and then answered, “I’m getting five pings, all the league is showing up... heading south.”

“South?” Bonnie asked.

He said, “Yes, they’re moving at top speed and their path is directly south. They’re currently over Morocco.”

“MOROCCO!”

Chase said, “This is getting stranger by the moment.”

Bonnie looked at the monitor, which now displayed the five signals traveling across the globe. “This does have one dangerous impact. The Nordic Wind was our only local league in southern Sweden. With them gone, we are much weaker.”

Chase said, “We need answers.”

Gar came in holding the rune stone like it was a precious prize. “The analytical people checked it all out. It is not dangerous.”

Chase said, “I need to use my power and explore this memory to see what this is and why it was left here.”

Bonnie asked, “Are you sure? You could take it back to the station and let the labs up there take a look. I know you just spent time in a coma because of someone tampering with your powers.”

Chase looked at Gar and then at Bonnie. “We don’t have the luxury of time. I have to try. My intuition tells me this was meant to help us.”

“I hope you’re right.”

Chase held the stone tight and focused on her powers.

Chapter 5:

The wind cut sharply around Nova as he approached the small park. The countryside was barren this time of year, with old piles of snow still resting in corners and shadows. There were no tourists or docents around this archaic stone, but it wasn’t in need of much protection.

Nova stopped before a circular path that had benches all directed inward. Everything gazed directly at an ancient runestone planted on a small mount of grassy earth.

“I wonder, is this it?” He muttered under his foggy breath.

Approaching the stone, he read the ancient script that ran around the outside of the image. With a clever smile he read, “Raised in monument to Ulfr. You sneaky snake, you made a monument to yourself to hide the keyhole.”

He pulled out the key and leaned in, looking at the face of the canine monster depicted at the center. The shape of the key, almost like a cookie cutter, matched the head of the beast.

“You can be clever, but not clever enough.” He whispered as he pressed the key into the face.

Chase held the stone in her hands, concentrating on her powers. She was ready to describe her vision, as normally she merely experienced the history in her mind and would be able to talk to those around her. However, the moment she truly began digging into the latent memory buried in this stone, she gasped and froze.

She was now the invisible observer of history. Her sight followed a man she recognized well as he walked along the grassy ground. Director Nova stood there, in rustic clothing from an age long ago, an eyepatch on his face, and a little more color in his hair. He approached a man who sat on a large stone, dressed in a roughly spun blue tunic with heavy boots and thick, grey pants of the same material. He had long hair and a thick beard. This person would blend into any crowd among the peoples of this land Nova had met. Only his eyes stood out in stark contrast, as they were a strange, glowing green hue.

The strange man smiled at Nova. “Another god of this world come to finish me?”

Nova paused and spent a moment sizing up this person. “Are you up for a fight?”

This drew anger from the strange man and he stood with a threatening posture. “I will not be bested by any pathetic creature of this world. I have eaten their strongest demons and crushed their most powerful myths. You, little human, are nothing to me.”

Nova was not intimidated. “If you’re so confident, why did you call me a god?”

“I sense something about you, something... strange. You aren’t like these pathetic meat bags.”

Nova casually approached the hulking man, “Then I have found the man I was looking for. You too are not of this world and are far greater in power, at least you once were.”

“I WILL GET MY POWER BACK! THERE IS NO SUNSET ON MY STRENGTH.”

“Just a pause.” Nova added.

The man plopped back down on the stone with irritation. “It shall only last a few more centuries, ten at most. Until then, I will enjoy the hospitality of those meat bags that call themselves Vikings. They understand a good fight, a good drink, and pride.”

“They are also thick headed and doom driven half the time.” Nova added.

“Ah, but that’s what makes them fun. I don’t get attached to my pets, so it matters little to me.” The strange man laughed with a deep, hearty bellow.

Nova wasn’t laughing, his demeanor was cold and calculating.

The Strange Man’s humor lessened and turned to concern as Nova quietly observed him. “What do you want with me?”

“First, why are you here?” Nova asked.

The Strange Man gestured around him. “I told you, I like these Vikings. Their pitiful gods tried to have me killed, and I put them all to their own death. So, I celebrate their freedom with them.”

“You can lie to many people, but not me. For a man who claims to have killed the gods, you seem weak.”

“I AM NOT WEAK!”

Nova calmly said, “Why are you here?”

“Are you hard of hearing as much as you are hard of sight, winky? I said I like these Vikings!”

“I don’t mean these lands, I mean this world. I know who you claim to be. I know what the humans called you, Jormurgandr. You are a sign to the Nords of the end of time, Ragnarok.”

“BAH! I don’t care about their silly religion. I’m not the sign of the end of time. I’m just...”

“Extremely dangerous, unpredictable, and capable of killing many of the ancient titans who set themselves up as gods to the young humans.”

Jormurgandr snickered, “So, I am somewhat of a world ender. The word of false gods and pitiful deities. They tasted good, if I might add.”

“But why are you here, living as a man? I can sense your power. You aren’t nearly as strong as you could be.”

The Man leaned back on his palms against the rock’s surface. “I came here as I have to many worlds, seeking challenge, seeking balance between good and evil. I like things on an even field. I grew weak after the last world I balanced, and a creature called Loki summoned me here. He was what you call a god, but truthfully, just one of the titans of old who set himself up as a god among many in a pantheon called Asgard. I was fine. They were heavy drinking, partying, fun-loving people. That is, until the head guy, Odin, grew fearful of me once he realized who I really was. He threw me into the ocean and called on all the other titans to kill me. They threw everything at me, but they had nothing to compare. I ate up their demons and monsters, then I killed them. No titans, no problem. But, it cost me a lot of strength. Now I’m like this. I am not weak by the measure of a human, but I am certainly not the man I once was.”

Nova smiled. “I know of your story. I too came here to rid this world of the titans setting themselves up as gods. I and one other set out to bring peace to these people. The humans have a great potential they don’t even know yet.”

“Bah, who cares? When I am stronger, I will rid this galaxy of this world and move on to the next.”

Nova turned to him and said, “You will not. I will defend this world from all threats, including creatures as powerful as you.”

Jormurgandr leaned forward and said, “Just how do you plan on stopping me?”

Nova raise both arms and his body became a brilliant light that sent Jormurgandr tumbling backward off his rock and hitting the ground. Nova spoke, his voice booming like a great thunder rolling across the ocean. “I AM MORE THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE AND YOU WILL NEVER CHALLENGE ME OR YOU WILL FACE A WRATH UNLIKE ANY YOU CAN FATHOM!”

The light died down and Jormurgandr trembled as he sat up. “What are you?”

“You have not earned the privilege of knowing my true identity. However, I see in you a kindness you hide well, a sympathy you hold in a secret place in your heart. This is why I sought you out, Jormurgandr. I need your help.”

Chapter 6:

 The man calling himself Jormurgandr stood next to the rock Nova’s unique power had thrown him off of. There was a true ounce of fear in his eyes as he gazed at Nova.

“What do you want of me? What could I possibly help you with?” Jormurgandr asked.

Nova put his hand in a pocket of his robes and said, “You know of the beast the Nords call Fenrir?”

“Yes. It was one of the monsters they threw at me. I killed it and ate its pitiful form long ago.”

Pulling something out of his pocket, Nova said, “There is another being in this world who equals my power, the only other sent to watch over this place. However, she has turned wicked and delved into darkness. Evil is a trap for my kind. Once you‘ve tasted of that kind of power, your soul is eaten and your heart destroyed.”

“Sounds like a woman I’d like to meet.” Jormurgandr joked.

Nova gave him a chilling gaze. “No, she is far more sinister than you can believe. She would not entertain you. She would destroy you for being a rival.”

“I’D LIKE TO SEE HER TRY!”

Nova’s eye flashed a bright light and Jormurgandr lost some of his zeal, “Even at your strongest, you would not be a match for her alone. As you are now, you would not survive.”

“Then why come to me for help?” Jormurgandr asked.

“She wants to begin an age of darkness in this world and use it as her divine realm of evil with which to spread the darkness across the universe. Her heart touches the darkness, and the more she has, the stronger she will become. She has begun this effort by crafting demonic creatures of great power based on the myths and legends of the humans. Her most powerful creature thus far has been a recreation of Fenrir, made of shadow.”

“I may not be strong enough now to fight such a creature.”

Nova laughed, “No, you are not. However, I was able to overpower its darkness with my light. I destroyed it... or so I thought. It is mere shadow, a being that cannot be destroyed while she lives. But I have contained it to the object that she used to cast it.” Now Nova revealed a ruby in the shame of a rhombus.

“Is that Fenrir?”

“It is... or rather was its eye. Once I destroyed the body, this is all that remained. She just needs to touch it and it will revive.”

“Do you want me to destroy it?”

“You cannot, neither can I. Only on her death can it be destroyed, and I fear nothing of this world can kill her at this time. So, I’m forced to find ways to contain her power. She does not know of you. Your conquests over the titans of old caught my attention, but she was focused more on her own burgeoning realm. Once I realized you could be an ally of mine, I made certain she never knew of you. With your power reduced, she is sure not to easily find you, or even know to look for you.”

“Is she out there seeking this?”

Nova shook his head, “Not at this time. I defeated not only her version of Fenrir, but her as well. I cannot destroy her, I have reduced her to a weaker state. However, she will regain her strength in time. I need you to take this and hide it, seal it so that it cannot be found easily. Do not even tell me.” He held out the stone.

Jormurgandr did not immediately take it. “Why would you trust me? You say I have goodness in me...bleh! I am the world eater! I killed the titans to amuse myself, not to make life better. I like killing things...that means I’m not the good guy.”

Nova held the stone closer to Jormurgandr. “You are a loud, brash, arrogant creature, and you enjoy being so. But, for someone who proclaims he enjoys killing things, you have left the humans relatively untouched. Why?”

“They aren’t worth killing.”

“Don’t lie to me. I may only have one eye, but I can see the truth in you. You understand the concept of justice. This is why you seek balance in the universe. Justice is balance.”

“Okay, maybe you’re right.”

Nova took Jormurgandr’s hand and put the stone in it. “I have few I can trust, but I know you will do what is right. And, in the future, when this is all done, I will help you.”

“How can you help me?”

“We will see. Just know, if you betray my trust, I will be as ruthless as you, and you have had a taste of my power.”

Jormurgandr said, “Fine.”

Nova turned to leave, but paused. “What do the humans call you?”

“I am Jormurgandr, the great serpent...”

“No, what do they call you to your face?”

“Oh, Ulfr the Loud.”

Nova laughed, “I like that. Fitting.”

“You will call me Jormurgandr.” His tone was demanding.

Nova said, “No. That is the name of a demonic force for fear and death. You are here, protecting this world as much as I am now. Another name for Jormurgandr is Midgardsormr, which is a way of saying this world. So, I think I’ll call you Midgard. That way you will know it is I who speaks to you.”

“MIDGARD!” He pondered that for a moment and then smiled. “I like it. If a man comes to me and says that name, I’ll know it is from you, and no other.”

“Good luck, Midgard. I go to continue my protection of this world.”

As Nova walked away from the weakened form of Midgard, the vision faded away around Chase. She watched the current world come into focus around her, with Lieutenant Bonnie and Gar both watching her.

Bonnie asked, “Well? What just happened? You were standing there silent for a long time.”

Chase fell to the side and was caught by Gar. She said, “That took a lot of my power to witness. Nova... left me a message, a piece of his past.”

“Why would he do this?” Bonnie asked.

Gar set Chase up and held her gently by the shoulders. “Is this a trick?”

“I don’t think so. I think Nova is trying to help us. He just showed me what he is here for, or rather, what Lady Echidna has sent him here for. Just like she recreated Krampus, she once created a version of Fenrir that Nova battled. He defeated it and reduced it to a single stone. If she gets it, she can use it for her own evil.”

“We defeated Krampus. This will be no different.” Gar proudly proclaimed.

Chase shook her head. “I think this is much stronger and much more powerful. We have to find where it was hidden before Nova can get to it.”

Bonnie asked, “Okay, so where do we look?”

“He asked someone else to hide it and never tell him where it was hidden.”

“That’s bad.” Bonnie said. “He already has a head start on us.”

“True. But I think I know who we need to ask.”

Chapter 7:

 “Are you absolutely sure about this?” Justin asked.

Chase spoke to him from the Stockholm location with Gar and Bonnie on either side of her. “Yes. I saw it myself. Nova gave this Eye of Fenrir to Midgard a long time ago and told him to hide it. Now, Nova is looking for it. And, trust me, if he gets it, bad things will happen.”

“Fine. I’ll try to get him. But you know Midgard really only paid attention to Nova.”

Chase said, “If he’s a problem, get me on his comm.”

“You think you can convince him?”

“I don’t know, but I will try.”

Justin huffed and pressed a button on his tablet, shifting the view screen to footage from Ka’an Dorado. Heroes sat around on rooftops as they cheered on the fight between Midgard and another incarnation of Shadow Krampus. This looked more like a pro-wrestling event, not heroes protecting the world from harm.

“Sheesh, this is getting out of hand.” Justin muttered. He pressed a different button. “Krystal, are you there?”

Her voice came through, with a lot of noise in the background. “Justin, I can barely hear you.” After she said this, he watched Midgard pile-drive Krampus into the city square as the heroes cheered.

Justin waited a moment and then said loudly, “I need to talk to Midgard!”

“You want me to find the local city guards?”

“NO I NEED TO TALK TO MIDGARD!” He bellowed into the comm.

“Oh, uh... that could be a problem.”

Justin stopped, changed the volume output on her end through his computer, and then said, “It is a matter of dire urgency. Get to him.”

“Okay. I’ll try.”

Nova waited while the runestone reacted to the key he had inserted into the face. The etching of Fenrir over a viking boat was a perfect example of the style for the age. He couldn’t help but be amused at the craftsmanship put into this. Slowly, a glow traced the etching, like someone lighting a long fuse.

“Who are you?” A woman rushed down the path.

Nova turned and smiled at her. “Just a tourist.”

“Do not touch that stone... what have you done!? Stabbed a knife into it? This…”

“Go away.” He commanded. “Do not remember anything of me. You were never here.”

She gained a glazed look and walked away.

“Good.”

He continued with his work. Nova tried to figure out how to open it.

“How did he do this?” Nova looked all over it. As his hands ran over the surface of the glowing lines, he felt the power surge in it.

A voice came from the stone. “This stone is impervious to all you do, but answer this riddle to get through. To death, the gods tried to have me put, where the battle their lives I took, know the answer without fail, if you know where they say I bit my tail.”

Nova stood back, “What on earth does that mean?”

The stone repeated, “This stone is impervious to all you do, but answer this riddle to get through. To death, the gods tried to have me put, where the battle their lives I took, know the answer without fail, if you know where they say I bit my tail.”

Nova grew angry. “I don’t have time for riddles and games.” He reached his hand out and a blinding light came from him, but the moment he did this, he grabbed his head and fell to his knees in pain. “What... what is wrong with me?” The pain left his head as he sat there.

The voice of Lady Echidna came to his ears, “My beloved, you aren’t trying to harness your power, now are you?”

“My lady, I only wish to use it to advance your plans.”

“No. You betrayed me once before. I’ll not have this again. Figure this out without using your full strength, or I’ll bind you forever in my dungeon and complete this task on my own.”

“No, do not forsake me, my love. I’ll do as you ask.”

“Good. Now, bring me that eye!” Her voice faded into the distance.

Nova recovered quickly and stood once again before the stone. “So, I must figure this riddle out. Fine, how complicated can it be coming from that oaf?”

“TAKE THAT YOU PATHETIC CHRISTMAS CRACKER!” Midgard, in his massive serpent form, grabbed Krampus from behind and then leaned back, tossing the shadow beast over him and slamming it headfirst into the ground. This time, the Krampus exploded into a black mist and the fight was over. It was night and most of this part of the city was vacant, except for the heroes. They had brought lights in order to shine down on the battle so the viewers could see better. Fortunately, BADGE kept the media from turning this into a global spectacle. Justin figured League Wars was enough entertainment from the heroes, the citizens didn’t need to watch this foolishness.

The crowds cheered, exchanged bets, and left to get refreshments. Midgard strutted around, taking in all the glory.

“WANT TO SEE ME DO IT A FIFTH TIME TONIGHT? HUH!” He egged on the crowds and they grew into a rowdy roar.

Krystal flew up near his head. “No time. You’re needed.”

He batted his giant hand at her, “Go away, gnat!”

She dodged his hand and came up closer. “Look, this is all fun, but they need...” she dodged his hand again.

“BAH! I’M HAVING FUN!”

Krystal recognized a lost cause, so she had to resort to Plan B. She tapped her comm unit, told Justin what to do, and then cast a spell that sent the small video feed from her wrist come as a floating image many times bigger. Chase appeared before Midgard on a flat, misty cloud.

“Midgard, we need your help.”

“What is this? I don’t...”

Chase held up the rune stone. “The man who gave you the name Midgardsormr is lost and in need of all of us. The woman who has bewitched him is using him to find something you hid a long time ago.”

Midgard’s demeanor suddenly shifted to shock and a little sadness. “The Eye of Fenrir.”

“Yes. I know of it. He shared with me memories of the day he first met you. Now, we need you before everything goes to south.”

Midgard looked around, seeing all the heroes paying attention to this giant conversation. He softly nodded. “I’ll be there.” He threw his hand out, destroying the image and grabbing everyone’s attention. “ENOUGH OF THIS! WE HAVE A LEADER TO FIND! NO MORE GAMES!”

Heroes balked at this. Some even threw their paper cups at him. He reached back and let out a massive, ground shaking roar, and said, “YOU HEARD ME! UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE DINNER, GO!!!”

This changed their attitudes quickly. Midgard transformed back into his smaller self, standing in the middle of the street that he had turned into an arena for too many days.

Krystal flew down and joined him. “Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

“Where do I send you?”

He thought for a moment and then said, “Send me to Tullstorp, Sweden. Tell Chase and the others to meet me there. If Nova is looking for the stone, that is where he will be.”

“Tullstorp it is.” She waved her hand, and a portal appeared in front of him.

With unusual reluctance, he stepped through, traversing the planet in three seconds.

Chapter 8:

 Nova paced in front of the stone, the sun setting behind him as he fought to think of the answer. The riddle played again and again in his mind.

He muttered it aloud as he thought, “This stone is impervious to all you do, but answer this riddle to get through. To death, the gods tried to have me put, where the battle their lives I took, know the answer without fail, if you know where they say I bit my tail.” He looked at the carving for clues. “So, the gods sent everything at him and tried to kill him, but where? They threw him in the sea... that’s it...” He yelled at the stone, “SEA!”

Nothing happened.

Growing more frustrated, he said, “Ocean.”

Still nothing.

“Maybe he used old Norse. That would make sense.” After a moment of recollection, he said, “Harr, Sear, Sand-himinn, vidir,... come on, those are all words for sea. These stupid Vikings loved their water!” He hit the stone.

There was a bright flash of purple behind him and footsteps in the gravel. A smooth, deep voice said, “The Nova I knew would never punch a rock just because he was angry.”

Nova turned around, his face red, “Jormurgandr. Pretty bold of you to show up.”

“You know me, loud and present. I like being where the action is. If I knew we were fighting rocks, I would’ve punched a few mountains on the way.”

“Don’t make fun of me, you pathetic snake. You know I can put you down.” Nova struck a bold pose.

Midgard smiled at him. Even in his small, human form, his smile was devilish. “The last time we stood here, in this land, I was weak and recovering from battling the gods and their minions. Today, little man, I’m much stronger and you, Nova, are much weaker. That woman has taken the strength out of you.”

Nova refused to back down. “I’m not weak. I’ve never shown this world my fullest strength. If you want a fight that you’ve never truly faced, Jormurgandr, I will give you one that will rattle even your immortal bones.”

“I’m not scared of you, Wink.” Midgard prepared to fight.

Nova spoke with a booming voice, “ON YOUR KNEES, SERPENT!”

Midgard stepped back, shaken by that power, but he merely smiled. “Nice try, but you know that would never work on me.”

Nova bellowed, “ON YOUR KNEES!”

Midgard laughed, “Keep trying, Wink, it’s funny watching you fail.”

“If you won’t take my command, then you will have to be put down.” A large, beautiful sword appeared in Nova’s hand, a sword he once used to fight Jinn.

Midgard chuckled, “Oh, gonna poke me with your toothpick?” He began to grow in size.

“Not today!” Nova held up his hand, and a white glow came from his palm. Midgards size change stopped, and it forced him back into a human size.

Midgard staggered back, holding himself. “Okay, that... was unexpected. I didn’t know you could do that.”

“There is little I can’t do, Jormurgandr.” Nova rushed toward Midgard, his sword ready to strike.

Midgard dodged a swing, then another, and with a third dodge, he planted a fist in Nova’s side. Nova stumbled away and Midgard grabbed him by the coat tail and threw him across the grass. “I JUST BODY SLAMMED A TEN STORY KRAMPUS, YOU’RE NOTHING, LITTLE WINK!”

Nova bounded up from his laying position, spinning directly into the air with his sword acting like a mower. Midgard attempted to dodge, but the tip met him.

Midgard fell, holding his face. When he pulled his hand away, he saw greenish red blood. “Okay, that’s new.”

“YAH!” Nova was coming down for a killing strike.

Midgard barely dodged it and kicked Nova in the gut, throwing him across the yard and slamming him into the Runestone.

A BADGE shuttle flew in, the door opening before the ship had fully landed. Gar flew out. Chase dropped to the ground and running. When the shuttle actually landed, Bonnie joined them with four armed agents.

“Nova!” Gar called out.

Chase asked, “Midgard, why are you here? We needed you back at HQ.”

“I’m here for my friend, not you.”

Bonnie, who held a small laser pistol, said, “Looks like your friend isn’t so friendly.”

Nova stood there, holding his sword at the ready. “Ah, BADGE, just in time.”

Midgard actually said, “Oh, no.”

Nova called out, “Your enemy is yourself, fight for me!” His voice echoed and everyone, except Midgard and Gar, grew dizzy and then looked at each other with fear.

“DON’T LISTEN TO HIM!” Midgard called out.

“Too late.” Nova laughed.

Chase threw her blades at Gar, whose stone body deflected them. Bonnie shot at Chase, but Chase dodged the attack. The four agents fought each other.

Midgard yelled, “HEY, BATWINGS! STOP THEM, I’LL STOP NOVA!”

Gar got the message and rushed in to keep everyone from killing one another.

Midgard ducked his head down and ran toward Nova, who had his sword ready for the attack. Midgard’s arms grew green and scaly and a tail shot out the back of his outfit. He wasn’t able to grow to full size with how Nova kept him at bay, but he wasn’t human either. Nova swung his sword, but Midgard’s scaly arms deflected the blows with clever swings.

“You’re not my friend!” Midgard said as he dodged swings of the sword.

Nova spun around and went for Midgard’s tail, but missed. “You were nothing but a tool. Didn’t you know that?”

Midgard grabbed Nova’s arm and then head butted him, staggering him away. “I know my friend, Wink. The director I know...” he kicked at Nova’s leg, forcing him to a kneeling position. He grabbed the arm with the sword and twisted. Nova managed to maintain his grip on the blade, but it wasn’t much of a threat in this position. With Midgard’s other hand, he grabbed Nova by the hair and yanked his head back, “The director I know was my friend, and I say that about few living creatures across this universe. He hasn’t called me Jormurgandr for ten centuries. He gave me a new name, one that I hold with great respect and honor.”

The power of Nova over the other people vanished as his focus was tested by this ignominious position. They stopped and looked up from their haze to see Midgard ready to kill.

Nova, his head being forced back, looked at the stone from this upside down position and whispered, “The answer...it was right in front of me.”

“What, Wink?”

With uncanny agility and strength, Nova pulled his hand free from Midgard’s and swiped across with his sword. It hit Midgard in the chest and he stumbled back. Then, with his newfound freedom, Nova shoved the sword into Midgard’s gut and whispered, “I know the answer to your riddle... Midgard.” He ripped the blade out.

Midgard held his midsection as he fell to the side, defeated. “This is not possible.”

Nova looked at the stone, “This world, that is where the gods tried to kill you, where you fought their demons, and where the legendary Jormurgandr wrapped around the planet and bit his own tail. This world...Midgardsormr.”

The runes flashed and flickered as the stone crumbled apart, revealing a glowing red ruby.

Chapter 9:

 Chase ran to Midgard as Nova stood, holding the Eye of Fenrir.

“Oh, God.” She gasped at the sight of all the blood.

Midgard growled out, “I’ll live, but that bastard will not get away with this.”

Nova looked down at his victim. “I could have killed you. I wanted to see if you could take genuine pain for once in your life.”

“PAIN! I’LL SHOW YOU... ACK!” Midgard tried to move, but his wound prevented him from his attempt at throttling Nova.

Nova turned around and strolled away. “It is over, BADGE. There is nothing left for you to hope for.”

Chase stood and pointed her gun at Nova. “I will not let you take that to her. I saw your past. I know how dangerous it will be.”

Nova looked at her with a dismissive gaze. “What are you prattling about?”

“I know you were the one who brought that here, that you had it hidden. It scared you, which means I cannot simply let it go.”

Nova came close to her, the gun inches away from him. “I don’t care what you think you know. But, I do know that you... none of you, have it within you to kill your beloved Director. I am going to turn and walk away, graciously allowing you to live for today. But know I will bring you down if you try to stop me.”

Chase had tears in her eyes as she looked at him, the terrible image of pulling that trigger flooding her mind. Her hand trembled as it lowered.

Midgard said to the others, “Listen to him, you’re no match for what he is. I should know.”

Nova quietly turned from her and walked away. Everyone lost heart at the sight of his exit. They had spent so much time searching for him, and now he was right there before them and all they can do was watch him leave again.

The echoing sounds of sonic booms broke the moment. Each one grew louder than the last as something approached. Even Nova stopped and turned around at the sound of this.

“What trickery is this?” He asked.

Before anyone could figure out what was happening, a white blur hit him so hard that he flew fifty yards across the ground and rolled. A final sonic boom echoed around them, destroying trees, scattering gravel, and forcing everyone to grab their heads in pain.

When Nova came to a stop in the field, EB sat on his chest and was yelling, “I FOUND HIM! I GOT HIM! BUDDY! I’M HERE TO SAVE YOU FROM THAT NASTY, AWFUL, HORRIBLE, UGLY, NASTY....I ALREADY SAID THAT, UH...OH, WHO CARES! I FOUND YOU!!!” He grabbed Nova and held him like a sad puppy finally in his owner’s arms.

“GET OFF ME!” Nova shoved and fought against the bunny.

“I’m never letting you go, buddy!” EB stayed attached as Nova got up and attempted to pry the bunny off his chest.

Chase called out, “EB! You can’t help him! Get back here!”

“Listen to her, you annoying little rodent!” Nova yelled.

EB dropped off and smiled at Nova. “Oh, you don’t mean that. Though it’s so nice to hear that irate tone again. I missed you.”

“I didn’t miss you. Go, leave. I’m done here.” Nova turned around and bounced off an invisible barrier.

EB clapped his paws together and a golden cord wrapped around Nova's waist. “Nope. I gotcha. You’re coming home with me. We’re gonna make you all better and then go give that witch what’s coming to her.” As he said this, he was dragging Nova across the ground by an invisible force connected to that cord he had materialized.

“YAH!” Nova thrust his arms out and the cord burst apart. “Enough of this! I am leaving, and if you don’t stop trying to keep me here, you’re going to see exactly how mad I can get.”

EB turned, a strikingly angry look on his face. “You don’t realize that I am not the Easter Bunny, I am a Vexillian. I fought off Legion and survived to tell the tale. I faced Jinn, Krampus, and all the other jerks who have come up against BADGE. Don’t mess with me. You are coming back to the station.” EB thrust his paws forward and a magical force struck Nova.

“EB stop! You don’t know what you’re dealing with!” Chase said.

“PSSH! I can deal with this.” He summoned two eggs and threw them just as Nova got back to his feet. Both eggs exploded on contact, emitting clouds of colorful gas.

Nova wavered and seemed as though he were about to collapse when he shook it off and pulled out his sword.

EB laughed, “Weapons against me! HA! Just try to hit me!” He went to top speed, dashing around Nova, throwing eggs periodically as he went by.

Nova swung his blade, but kept missing. He would stumble to the side this way and that as eggs exploded against him. Another golden cord appeared and wrapped around him ten times, binding his arms to his sides and pulling him down into a sitting position.

EB stopped, holding the end of that cord. “See, I gotcha.”

All at once, Nova became a blinding light, and the surrounding cord dissolved away. Everyone had to cover their eyes at the sight of his power. The light rose, growing brighter as it did.

Chase looked up into the light for a brief moment and then cried out in pain.

The voice of Nova, now a thundering boom, came through the light. “I will not be stopped! You are nothing compared to me!”

EB shrunk away, covering his eyes. “Buddy... please, stop.”

The light vanished, and Nova stood there, simply in his exquisite suit. However, he was just as bewildered as everyone else.

“What just happened?” He asked.

Helicopters appeared from visibility blocking shields and lowered. A dozen finely dressed soldiers descended on ropes, each brandishing AMA weapons. A cloud of black smoke appeared. From within strode Lady Echidna in a red dress with a devilish mask on her face. Her diamonds sparkling in the light of day.

“Now, now, my love. What did I say about using your real power?”

EB threw an exploding egg at Lady Echidna, but Nova swiped his cane and deflected it.

She turned with a chortling laugh. “Nice try, little bunny.”

Nova carefully pulled out the Eye of Fenrir from his pocket. “My lady, I found what you desire.”

“Ah, the beauty. I did make such wonderful trinkets back in those days, did I not?” She did not touch it just yet.

Chase said, “please, don’t.”

Midgard, still on the ground, said, “Don’t let her touch it.”

The BADGE agents moved to stop her, but her soldiers drew closer.

She smiled at Midgard. “It is not time for the end. There is so much more to do. But for now. Perhaps a taste.” She snapped her fingers and her soldiers all grabbed their ropes and returned to the helicopters that brought them.

Nova stood next to her and smiled at them. “It’s been fun. I do hope you live through this.”

With that, Lady Echidna held his arm, and both vanished in a puff of black smoke. The smoke did not blow away, but continued to grow. In fact, it grew exponentially. Two red eyes appeared within.

EB ran toward Chase, “It’s another Krampus!”

Midgard whispered, “No, that’s not Krampus. This is much, much worse. That’s Fenrir.”

Chapter 10:

The sun darkened as if a solar eclipse were happening. The land grew ominously shadowed with red glowing light seeping out of every crevasse. Fenrir, at least a shadowed version of him, left by Lady Echidna, slowly took shape as a behemoth dog with terrible fangs, dark fur, and glowing red eyes.

Chase, still holding the injured Midgard, felt her wrist buzz. She quickly clicked it on. “This is Chase. We have a situation down here.”

Justin came through, “Yes. A strange shadow is forming at your location. We cannot figure out where it is coming from.”

Midgard said, “Fenrir is eating the sun. It is destiny. But this isn’t the real Fenrir. That creature is dead. I killed it long ago. This thing is just a shadow demon, a monster emulating the real thing.”

Justin asked, “Can you stop it?”

“I doubt it.” Midgard said, “I hate to admit this, but we’re gonna need help.”

Bonnie rushed over, her BADGE agents taking aim at the forming monster. She spoke for Justin to hear, “We’re registering a power level much greater than the Shadow Krampus.”

“Understood.” The comm clicked off, and then the alert system buzzed and his voice came from all the comms present and across the world. “Acting Director Justin to all heroes. We have a code red in Tullstorp Sweden. I repeat, a code red in Tullstorp, Sweden. Respond with all force.”

“WATCH OUT!” Bonnie screamed as the giant head of the dog reached down to snap up everyone.

Midgard suddenly transformed into his massive size and grabbed it by the mouth, holding it off. He screamed with a painful yell and threw Fenrir away. “Don’t just stand there, KILL IT!” He yelled.

EB formed eggs in his hands and threw, “TAKE THAT YOU UGLY MUTT!” Colorful explosions rained across the side of its body.

Chase couldn’t help but notice the bleeding gash in Midgard as he fought. This was hell for him, but he wasn’t backing down. For the first time, she truly had respect for this loud, obnoxious monster. Today, he was truly a hero.

“You heard him!” Chase ran at the thrashing beast and threw her magic blades directly for its glowing eyes.

The agents stood back and took aim with their weapons, pouring fire at it. Gar ran fast and took to the skies. He swooped around Midgard, dodged a thrashing motion of Fenrir, and smashed it in the side of the head with one stone fist.

Fenrir whipped its head to the side and slapped Gar to the ground with a hard crash. It then rammed into Midgard, shoving him back. His feet scraping across the ground. Everyone below had to dive to avoid being crushed. The impact destroyed the BADGE shuttle, with Fenrir continuing to shove.

Midgard, working his best to keep it at bay, “WE CAN’T LET IT GO, IT WILL DESTROY EVERYTHING! AND I’M NOT LOSING TO A FAKE VERSION OF SOMETHING I ONCE ATE!!” He let out an enormous grunt as he head butted it right back, and then grabbed it around the neck.

Chase stopped fleeing the catastrophe and looked for an opening to hit this. “It’s not enough. I can’t do... we can’t do this.”

Bonnie ran up next to Chase, blasting away with a handgun. “Hit it in the eye again!”

“I won’t do anything.”

“We have to try. That thing will crush every city in Southern Sweden.”

The agents joined them and were firing.

Chase readied herself to fight, even if this was her last fight. She crouched slightly and was ready to run and throw her blades until she had no strength left.

EB ran up, with an egg almost as big as him. He threw it quickly to the ground just as Fenrir took a
step. The egg exploded with a massive ball of fire and Fenrir staggered to the side. “HA! Take that!”

Fenrir roared and let out a blast of red flames at Midgard and then turned its head toward the ground, ready to incinerate EB.

EB dashed around, avoiding both the flood of flames and the now burning patches of grass. “Hey. watch it! No burning the bunny!” He jumped, flipped over, and threw another egg at the dog, which exploded with a purple cloud that surrounded its face. “Like that smell? Now you sleep!”

Fenrir wobbled and Midgard grabbed it by the neck again and threw it over himself and slammed it into the ground behind them. The misty black cloud around it swirling about.

“WE GOT IT!” EB hopped around in joy.

The cloud reformed as a standing dog and it bit down on Midgard, its teeth digging into the existing sword wound. Midgard screamed in pain, perhaps for the first real time in centuries.

Chase threw blades at Fenrir while EB threw egg after egg at its face.

“LET OUR FRIEND GO!” EB yelled.

Fenrir hardly noticed their onslaught and shook its head as it almost bit Midgard in half.

Bonnie ran up to Chase, “We can’t do this! If Midgard can’t fight it, we’re lost.”

Chase looked down at her comm unit, it was blinking blue, “We aren’t lost, we just got backup.”

Portals and flashes of light appeared as heroes came running toward the battle. Ten BADGE shuttles rushed by with heroes diving out of them and taking flight. Dozens of speedster heroes rushed in from all directions. One hero, who was three feet tall, came running and met a large troll-like hero who threw the small woman in the air. Her hands became giant stones that crashed down on the abdomen of Fenrir. They forced it to release Midgard as she thrust it into the ground.

Chase yelled, “HEROES, TAKE THAT THING DOWN, I DON’T CARE HOW YOU DO IT! SOMEONE, HELP MIDGARD!”

She ran toward the bleeding legendary hero, who was slowly shrinking down.

Midgard lay on the ground, holding his stomach as greenish red blood poured out. “Heh, betcha never thought you’d see me bleed.”

Chase said, “Listen, you are a true hero today. I never thought you’d be like this. So selfless.”

Midgard laughed, “Don’t tell anyone you said that, you’d ruin my reputation. Besides, I’m not here to save this world. I’m her to get revenge. Nova is my friend, and that bitch has him under her spell. I’ll crush her little shadow demons and then I’ll crush her.”

A hero in shining silver armor ran in and knelt next to Midgard. “Can I help?”

“You think you can heal a god?” Midgard asked.

“I can accelerate the healing process, but it will hurt like hell.”

“Just do it.” Midgard cringed.

The man put his hands on Midgard and closed his eyes. A bright light appeared in the wounds and they healed up. Midgard refrained from any outward sound of pain, but Chase could tell this healing was agony.

“Thanks.” Midgard got to his feet and looked up at the giant Fenrir as all the heroes battled it. “Time to tame this mutt.”

Chase said, “A worthy foe?”

Midgard scoffed, “Never. It just got lucky. Now to pound this puppy to a pulp.” Midgard cracked his knuckles and dashed toward the battle. With each step he grew bigger.

Chapter 11:

 Fenrir’s tail hit Chase and sent her tumbling across the ground. Pushing herself up, the darkness in the sky loomed heavy and the spikes of red energy grew bright where actual shadow should be. This battle would soon turn the world in to a hellish landscape of nightmare.

“If this is what Lady Echidna calls a sample of her power, what is she?” Chase whispered.

“WATCH OUT!” Gar swooped by and scooped her. Seconds later, one of Fenrir’s feet hit the ground and would have crushed her.

“Thanks.” Chase said.

Gar landed and set her up on her feet. Before them, hundreds of heroes battled the legendary wolf. Gar had a clever smile on his face.

Chase asked, “What do you have to smile about? We can’t beat this thing.”

“Midgard has a good idea.” Gar said.

Chase groaned, “Yup, this is the end of the world. If Midgard is our strategist, we are all screwed.”

Before Gar could explain, the heroes zooming around the beast suddenly took up more distant positions. Midgard, the only one left fighting it, grabbed it around the neck and struggled as it thrashed against him. He made a massive twist of his body and lobbed the wolf directly into the air. All the heroes took the cue and sent waves of powers at it. Those that didn’t have energy powers grabbed boulders and threw them. This caused Fenrir to roar in pain and fury, but that was obviously the plan. Five BADGE shuttles swooped by, each launching a missile into the mouth of the beast.

“Those are sub-nuclear charges. They’ll level half the planet!” Chase cried out.

“Wait for it!” Gar said with glee in his voice.

Several dozen heroes cast a great bubble around the beast the instant the flash hit. The explosion from within atomized the shadow monster, and the bubble strained, but held the explosion at bay. Sunlight broke through the darkness and the shadows of the world faded away, revealing a healthy blue sky day.

The cloud of radioactive debris remained inside the bubble as the heroes casting it, and a few helping them, rose high through Earth’s atmosphere.

Lieutenant Bonnie ran over to Chase, but looked up with her comm unit active. “Keep that bubble in place until you’ve reached space. Then release the radiation. Solar winds will take care of the rest.”

A voice on the other end said, “We got this, don’t worry.”

Chase looked over at Bonnie. “That was Midgard’s plan?”

She laughed, “Not exactly. I decided we had to take it down, so we would shove sub-nuclear charges down its throat and blow it up from the inside. Then contain the explosion and aftermath so to release it in space. Midgard came up with the idea of how to accomplish this.”

“No one let me in on the plan.” Chase said.

Bonnie laughed, “We didn’t have a lot of time to conference this. Fenrir was pushing us closer and closer to populated areas. Once we crossed that line, innocent lives would be lost and the fight would be almost impossible to contain.”

“Understandable.”

“HELP, HE WON’T GET UP!” EB called out.

Chase rushed over to find the bunny next to a normal sized Midgard, laying on the ground. “What happened?”

EB patted Midgard’s human face, “he was all cheering and acting like the hero and stuff. I came over to tell him off and he passed out. Like, when does this brute ever run outta energy? Seriously.”

Chase said, “He doesn’t. This isn’t good.” She waved at some of the other heroes. “Get him in a shuttle. We need to get him to Dr. Henderson on the station.”

Justin and Chase stood outside the infirmary, waiting on Dr. Henderson. There was a quiet tension between them as they each pondered all the events.

“I’m worried, Justin. If that’s a shadow of her power, what are we in for?”

Justin nodded. “I’ve been thinking about that as well. She has merely been toying with us, and each time, it’s almost a complete catastrophe.”

“I know.” Chase lingered in thought for a moment.

Justin caught this and asked, “Is something wrong?”

“Yes. I saw something that has bothered me, and I can’t explain it.”

“What? Something about Fenrir?” Justin asked.

“No. It is about Nova.”

“Was it something you saw in his memories?”

Chase folded her arms and held them tightly against her. “In a way, yes. First, it bothers me he seemed to give us a clue. That doesn’t make sense. But, in those memories, he displayed to Midgard his true power, but I couldn’t see what it was. It put fear into Midgard and that was enough to startle me.”

“What else?” Justin asked.

“Back in the battle, before Lady Echidna showed up, there was a moment when EB was battling Nova and almost had him. Then Nova revealed that same power to us. He broke EB’s bindings and nearly blinded us with light.”

“What did you see?”

Chase spent a moment and finally said, “I thought I saw wings.”

“Wings?”

“I can’t explain it. I don’t understand it. But, yes, in the light around Nova, I saw wings.”

The doors of the infirmary opened and Dr. Henderson came out as she pulled off her mask. “I’ve stabilized him. Midgard is going to be fine.”

Justin asked, “What happened to him?”

“I wasn’t sure, at first. He seemed fine. But something was keeping him down. His energy was draining. I had to go in and explore a little and I found something. Once I pulled it out, his vital signs all got better and he’ll be on his feet in no time.”

“What did you find?” Chase asked.

“Come with me.”

They followed Dr. Henderson into the infirmary, past the operation room, and into the lab. She directed them to a box with a glowing blue object in it. It was the shape of a large teardrop and seemed to have liquid flowing inside.

“What is that, doctor?” Justin leaned over to look at it.

“I don’t know. It has an incredible power signature, the likes of which I’ve never seen. Stranger still, it was inside the wound where the sword penetrated Midgard’s body.”

Chase said, “But Paladin healed that over.”

“Yes, and Paladin made a mistake. This object was keeping the wound open. Paladin sealed the wound over it, which only caused this collapse.”

Justin said, “If this was inside that wound before it was healed, then it got inside before the major battle began.”

Chase finished the thought, “The only way this got in there is if Nova put it there when he struck Midgard.”

Justin nodded. “This could be another clue.”

Dr. Henderson asked, “If a Nordic runestone was a clue to a Nordic ruin, what would a teardrop full of water mean?”

“I don’t know, but we will need to figure this out before it’s too late.”

Musty old ruins sat in dusty and dirt with only flecks of light coming through cracks in the walls. Hieroglyphs were etched into the surfaces depicting monsters and demons alongside the script of an ancient language long since forgotten.

The sharp click of heels broke the quiet solace of this forbidden place. This was followed by heavier footsteps of soldiers. Artificial lights clicked on and flooded the room with greater illumination.

Lady Echidna and Nova walked through their little private army toward the back wall.

“Will it be enough, my lady?” Nova asked.

She smiled and stopped at a stone door. “All I need is one to gain access. I’ll need the other three to achieve my plans. However, returning here is a dream long since dreamt in the void.” She held the stone up and the ruby took on a brilliant light. The wall of stone responded with a minor point of light and then a portion of it slid down, revealing a staircase.

Lady Echidna basked in the stale air that wafted out and she held up her hand, snapped her fingers, and sconces along the walls burst alive with flames. She strode up the stairs in elegance and grandeur, followed closely by her loyal minions.

The next room was a grand, ancient throne room befitting the most powerful rulers of the ancient world. Carved from stone, marble, jewels, and crystal, this room had seats, tables, and a throne. The throne was made of gold, embedded with rubies, emeralds, jade, diamonds, and sapphires.

Lady Echidna stepped up and sank down into the seat as though it were the most comfortable place in the known universe. “Ah, to finally be home. How wonderful! Now, bow to me, my minions, glorify me.”

The soldiers were first to the ground, bowing as low as they could. Nova walked up, stood before her, and sank down to one knee, bowing with his face toward the ground.

“My lady, it is good to see you on that throne again.”

She laughed, “It is. Pity that they used your throne against you. Perhaps we will retrieve it when I’m done.”

“Whatever is your wish, my lady.” Nova answered.

She sat forward. “My wish, now, my darling husband, is for you to retrieve the next. Off to the Watery Grave. Awaken my precious sea monster and let no one stand in your way.”

“As you wish, my lady.”

Chapter 1:

With a loud thud, a massive fist sculpture landed on Woodward Avenue in the dead of night. Two thieves stood there, a little perplexed, as they assessed their quarry.

“So...what now?” One asked.

The other scratched his head. “I didn’t know it was so big. I mean, I wanted to get on the news for stealing this thing, but...wow, it was heavier than it looks.”

“Hey, I got an idea.” The first one announced.

Another voice above them said, “Actually, I have a better idea...no matter what idiocy was going to come out of your mouth.”

Starmaster hovered in the air over the two crooks, his arms folded and his expression less-than-amused.

“Aw crud, it’s a cape.” The first crook said.

The second pulled out a gun. “I ain’t go’n back to jail!” he shot, but the bullet merely bounced off.

Starmaster slowly lowered himself to the ground and said, “I see that you two aren’t much of a challenge, so I will not fight you. But...” he tilted his head, “I hear the police, on their way, responding to my call. Now you can try to fight, run, or turn yourself in. Whichever path you choose, you’ll end up in cuffs. Trust me.”

Exclaiming a few select expletives, both men knelt down and waited for the police. Starmaster picked up the massive tribute to Joe Louis and carried it to a safer place. He spent a moment examining the damage to the display itself.

The police arrived and had the two men in cuffs in a matter of moments. One officer came over to Starmaster.

“You think it’s damaged bad?”

“Nah, just some scratches on the arm. Will take a little welding to get it back into...”

Everyone jumped when they heard a loud thump, followed by another.

“What was that?” The officer looked around.

Starmaster looked up and down the thinly populated streets. “I don’t know. It’s the middle of the night. Detroit isn’t normally bustling too much at this hour in January.”

The officer clicked his walkie talkie just as a massive shadow creature walked around a building. Two red glowing eyes stared down at them.

“Oh, that isn’t right.” The officer said.

“Please repeat that.” The lady on the other end of his walkie asked.

Starmaster shoved him back. “Run, get away. That’s Krampus... I think.”

The officer didn’t need more encouragement and beat a hasty retreat, dragging along the crooks with him as he jumped into his car.

Starmaster rose in the air and stared down at the monster approaching him. “It can’t be Krampus. I watched him die out in the ocean.”

The monster, which had the body shape of Krampus, rushed toward him. There was hardly any definition to the figure, and an inky shadow misted all around him.

Before Starmaster could call for aid from BADGE, the monster set him upon. The fight was epic. Starmaster was not going down easily, but neither was this strange creature. The battle threatened to damage the city, so Starmaster drove the fight toward the water. The giant Krampus thing stepped back and then lunged for Starmaster. With a well placed psychic blast, Starmaster sent this thing stumbling backward, tripping it over the permanently docked riverboat. The monster plowed into the Detroit River.

While it lay on its back in the water, sinking down, Starmaster formed a psionic blade from the hilt he had made to enhance his powers. He made a massive arch in the sky and went for a heart stabbing motion at the creature’s chest.

Darkness followed a blinding smash as Starmaster was hit. He felt his body crash into the ground and was out for a moment. He awoke to the sounds and lights of emergency help. Local police and an ambulance were present, as well as a unit from BADGE.

“Starmaster? Are you with us?” Agent Justin asked.

Starmaster realized he was on a gurney being wheeled toward the ambulance. “I’m alive.”

“What happened?”

“It was Krampus...I...” A mask was placed over his face to provide extra oxygen.

“Please, don’t exert yourself too much. You need medical attention. Sir,” the EMT looked at Justin, “You will have to get his statement later.” With that, Starmaster was raced into the ambulance and taken to the nearest hospital.

***

EB hopped as quickly as he could through the BADGE spacestation. He dodged heroes and agents alike as he dashed for the operations center. He paused for a second, ogled a particularly cute girl in a revealing super suit, and then finished his mad rush to his job.

Blasting out of the elevator, EB zipped right over to Director Nova. “At your service, Mr. Director sir!” he stopped with a paw up to his forehead like a salute.

Nova handed a tablet over to Gar, who walked it back to a robot to be processed. The Director casually said, “Did you get through to him?”

“I did indeed. But, since Christmas was just a few weeks ago and this year he tried my idea of giving out actual gifts, which was a brilliant idea. I mean, seriously, the people of Earth are so happy to have all their Christmas gifts. And the heroes are looking better and BADGE finally is out of the dog-house with the United Nations. It’s like Christmas was great for us all. And... what was I talking about?”

“SANTA!” Nova bellowed and then pinched the bridge of his nose as he calmed down.

“Oh, right. Yeah, I got him. But, he wasn’t up for a communication right now. He said he can give you a report later.”

Nova looked up at the screen as reports and information flooded by. “We have a potential crisis on our hands and I need his input about this.”

EB looked at the screen, one eyebrow and ear cocked, “Uh, I know those are all really cool numbers and diagrams, but I don’t understand them. What’s the crisis that needs Santa’s attention?”

“You know that we have been getting reports of a strange shadow monster showing up and then disappearing?”

“Yeah. It’s real creepy. I thought it was the Spirit of Halloween, but... he’s not this mean.”

“No. And last night it injured one of our heroes.”

“THE BIG JERK! Who was hurt? I’ll go shove an egg up that shadows...”

“It was Starmaster. He’s going to be fine. But, he gave us some information we haven’t had yet.” Nova clicked a button and a small window activated with Agent Justin reporting in.

“This is Agent Justin. I am in Detroit, Michigan. Starmaster has encountered the shadow monster and has identified it as Krampus. He was the only eyewitness outside of one police officer and two criminals, all of which agreed with the description.” The video stopped.

EB frowned, “Krampus? But he died. We all watched him die.”

“I know. This is very confusing. The only person who knows the most about Krampus is Santa, and that’s why I need to talk to him.”

Chase walked into the room. “Don’t forget, Krampus was my uncle for more than three centuries.”

Nova turned to her. “I understand that. However, Santa was his brother and knew him for a lot longer. If there is anything that Krampus left behind that could do this, your father will know. That is, unless you know something that you haven’t told me?”

“No.” Chase admitted. “I’m in the dark as well. I don’t know what this is, but I just know it isn’t from Krampus. He was evil in the end, but he was not truly evil at heart. This thing is mindlessly wicked.”

Gar rushed over with the tablet in his hand. “Director, we are getting an active report of an attack by this thing in Buenos Aires. It is attacking NullForce. She is sending us active feed from her body cam.”

“On screen, now!”

Gar flicked his stone fingers over the tablet, and the video played on the screen.

A shaky, dizzying view of the metropolis filled the monitors. They could see hands and arms from the person wearing this cam as she sped toward a three story tall shadow monster.

“Nullforce! Don’t go in alone!”

“Sir, the communications aren’t active. She can’t hear you.” Gar said.

“Then activate them, I...”

They all cringed when they saw her hit hard by a giant claw and crash through windows of an office building, coming to a stop in a pile of chairs and a desk. On the screen, the camera was still feeding and they could see out the windows of this office. The giant shadow face of Krampus came close to the building and looked in. Then, it vanished like smoke being blown away on a strong breeze.

Chase pointed at one of the robots. “Contact authorities in Buenos Aires. Get aide to that location now.”

EB said, “what happened? Why did it stop?”

“I don’t know. But, I did learn something.”

Gar asked, “What?”

“It took her down and was able to attack the city, but stopped.”

EB now asked, “What does it mean?”

“That thing isn’t going after civilians, governments, or military targets. It’s after heroes and I want to know why.”

Chapter 2:

“I’LL TRY TO LEAD IT AWAY!” Furious Squirrel yelled into his comm from inside the pilot house of his battle dirigible.

Nova watched the scene over Neo Utopia as another manifestation of Krampus attacked. Local police and even some of Rutkowski’s men were battling it, but it had its menacing eyes on the dirigible. With a well-placed swing, forcing the balloon into the side of a building. Glass from the buildings’ windows rained down over the street below while the steampunk airship struggled to not go down.

“Furious!” Nova yelled.

“I....got...this!” Furious Squirrels voice came through in a struggle for survival.

The dirigible returned to the sky and then jets of steam came blasting out the back, forcing it to speed forward. The plan worked. Krampus went for the hero, leaving the non-meta humans behind, unharmed.

“He’s following me! I’ll head him out of the city.”

Nova pointed at a robot. “Do we have any other heroes nearby?”

“Negative. Furious Squirrel is only registered BADGE hero currently on the scene.”

“Same as every attack. One hero, and he or she is the focus.” Nova shook off his confusion and then said, “Furious, get the hell out of there. You can’t defeat him.”

The Dirigible zoomed over the landscape outside of Neo Utopia, flying over open land.

“I’m trying to shake him. He’s faster than my top speed. This thing is...”

Krampus lunged forward and nailed the tail of the Dirigible. It went spiraling out of control for a moment and then gained some control as it skidded across the ground.

“Furious...report!” Nova asked, breathlessly waiting for a sign of life.

Suddenly, Furious Squirrel came flying up out of his damaged ship on a rocket pack, two electro-pistols blasting the monster.

“DON’T FIGHT HIM!”

Furious couldn’t hear him, he fired wildly, but was hit by a fist and plowed into the ground. Krampus stopped for a second and then evaporated on the wind.

“GET A MED-TEAM TO THAT LOCATION NOW!” Nova yelled at a robot.

“Calling local medical, alerting BADGE health authorities.” A robot delineated its actions.

Chase and Gar exited the elevator at that moment. “Sir, we just heard there was a sighting...”

“Yeah, Neo-Utopia, it was Furious Squirrel this time.”

“Did he get hurt?” Chase asked, true worry on her face.

Nova said, “Too early to tell. He was hit hard. But, it was the same as before. He went down and then this monster Krampus simply evaporated.”

Gar asked, “Any idea where it will strike next?”

“No clue. I need to talk to Santa and see if he can help make sense of all this. Did you get to him?”

“Yup, he’ll be...”

Santa appeared next to Nova with EB sitting on his shoulder. “Ah, Director. I’m sorry for the delay. It was a tiring season. I understand you’re having an issue.”

EB hopped down and said, “I got to him and told him what I knew, which isn’t much. I mean, seriously, BADGE knows hardly anything. Just that Krampus is showing up, kicking a local hero’s butt and then, poof, gone. It’s soooo spooky. I still blame Spirit of Halloween. I bet he’s behind this. That jerk is always up to bad things. I know, I know, he’s never really hurt anyone, but who’s saying he didn’t decide nows the time to be meaner than usual? I...” He looked up at the eyes impatiently waiting for him to shut up. “Yeah, Director Nova, tell Santa what you know.”

Nova returned his attention to Santa Claus, “We have a giant shadowy monster attacking that takes on the appearance of Krampus. Every time, he shows up and demolishes a hero, and then vanishes away. There’s no way to predict where it will strike next.”

“I’m Santa, not a fortune teller. I doubt I can be of much help.”

Nova asked, “Do you think it might have something to do with your brother? Could this be something he left behind? Or is he really not dead?”

Chase jumped in, “Sir, my uncle died. I know it.”

Santa nodded. “My brother gave his life to save us all during the terrible event with Lady Phoenix. This cannot be him.”

Nova pointed at a robot. “Put up the images of the attacker.”

Instantly, the monitor before him filled with shadowy images of Krampus in the throes of battle with one hero or another.

Santa paled slightly at the sight of this. “That, whatever it is, certainly looks like my brother. However, it cannot be him. If he had left any of his magic to cause this, I would have sensed it. I wish I knew more.”

Nova let out a heavy sigh. “I had hoped you could help us connect the dots on this.”

“I will offer whatever help I can, but my knowledge is limited.”

Chase asked, “What do we do now?”

Nova looked at the images of this shadow monster. “We take precautions. Gar, get a tablet.”

Gar hurried over and picked up an official computer tablet. “Ready.”

“Take this down. To all Heroes, until further notice, it is strongly advised that no hero travel alone. At least two or more heroes travel together. If a sighting of the Shadow Krampus appears, send out the all-alert and be ready to respond to an all-alert. This thing does not seem to back down from a fight and there is absolutely no way to predict where it will strike next. We need to limit its ability to pick our heroes off one by one. Have any monitoring systems active that you have access to. I want data.” He waved his hand. “Send that message to all registered leagues.”

Gar tapped a button, and it sent the memo out.

Santa asked, “Are you sure that’ll be enough?”

“I have no idea. What I want to know is who is behind this.”

Chase asked, “Do you mean someone other than the Shadow Krampus?”

Nova said, “Yes. I have a strong feeling that we are only seeing what we are allowed to see. Someone is responsible for this act of violence, and I want to know who they are and what they want.”

“Who are you, and what do you want?” A BADGE agent demanded as a woman stood before the barred door of the prison.

A woman in an incredible black dress with long black gloves on her hands smiled at him. She had gorgeous hair draped down to her shoulders. Her lips were as black as her dress and her face was almost white. Her eyes were hauntingly dark and intoxicating behind smokey sunglasses.

Putting a hand up to the bar, she said, “I’m here for a few good men.”

“If you don’t step away at this moment, I’ll have to take you in for questioning.” He threatened her.

She smiled and put her hand through the energy field on the other side of the bars. This shocked him because it should burn her arm off right now. She brushed her hand down his chin and he relaxed with a goofy smile on his face.

“Too bad, you could have been a fun party guest.” Smoke poured out of eyes, ears, and mouth as he fell over dead. She leaned down and pulled his security badge from his uniform and deactivated the door.

Walking into the facility, she strode with the elegance of a queen and the air of the devil himself. Stopping at the banister of a walkway that looked out across the many cells holding the captured members of the World Corps soldiers, she held her arms out.

“Worship me.”

The cells opened and the men in prison jumpsuits stepped out, looking up at her with zealous awe.

“Hey! Who are you?” A guard ran toward her, his gun ready.

She casually turned and gave a simple flick of her finger toward him. “Kill him.”

The prisoners ran to her call and fought the man. He shot several of them, but this did not deter their attack. With a scream that echoed all the way down, they threw him over the banister and he hit the concrete floor far below with a sickening crack.

Having just committed murder, the now escaped prisoners fought to be near her.

She smiled at their devotion. “Come, my pets, the party is about to start.”

Chapter 3:

 Crowds of tourists and locals alike milled about on this fine sunny afternoon. The Left Bank was at its prime again after two years of reconstruction from the last incident in Paris. The sight of all those heroes battling Cupid was a fading memory to those who experienced it.

This was the least of concerns on the mind of Maurice, the head server of the oldest and most luxurious sidewalk bistro on the Seine. He hurried off a couple from Texas that were loud and annoying and breathed a sigh of relief when he set eyes on a high fashion woman of elegance.

“Welcome.” He said in French.

The lady in black approached with all the glamour in the world. Her stride was graceful, her appearance impeccable. “Ah, a table, my good man. One with a view of the Eiffel Tower.”

“Oh, but madame, the only tables with a good view are occupied. Perhaps one with a lovely view of the river.” He offered her a table.

She reached up and brushed her gloved hand down his chin. He gained an amorous smile. With a little pout, she said, “But I wish to watch the tower this afternoon.”

“Oui, Madame, it will be but a moment.” He rushed over and rudely demanded a gentleman to give up his table and leave. This was met with loud yelling from the rich customer, but Maurice was immovable in his passion. Once the table was free, he quickly ushered her over to it. “Will this do?”

She sank down in the chair like a cat slithering onto a perch before pouncing. “It will do just fine. Now, bring your finest wine.”

“At once, my lady.” He bowed and ran.

Another man approached from outside the cafe, wearing a fine black suit and with a little mask over his eyes, like he was going to a fine masquerade ball. “It is done, my lady.”

“Good. I shall enjoy this. Go, tell the others to move on. I will meet you in Ka’an Dorado. The party will begin there soon.”

“Yes, my lady.” He bowed and rushed away as if her order was of the utmost urgency.

She pulled out a pair of gilded opera glasses and looked through them. A figure of a woman stood on

the edge of the tower many stories above the ground. She had glorious butterfly wings and a purple outfit to match the extravagant colors. The dark lady cooed, “Now, my pet, let’s see how this little hero deal with you.”

Screams and a mad dash erupted throughout the heart of Paris as a monstrous shadow beast arose out of nowhere. With heavy growling, Krampus loped across the city, scattering people and objects in his path.

To the dark lady’s delight, the butterfly winged woman jumped into action and confronted this foe.

Director Nova walked with Justin and Arx as they gave him an update about the Atlas project.

Arx pointed at a tablet in his hands. “We have a complete registration from all the Leagues. Everyone wants to get the Atlas alerts.”

“Good. I like to hear the cooperation.” Nova said.

Agent Justin added, “This is the best PR BADGE has had since before the World Corps situation. The United Nations loves this, the people are praising it, heroes are all getting great poll numbers.”

Nova said, “I never wanted this work to be about popularity. But I understand the need for public approval. Good work, I...”

Gar’s voice came over the comm. “Director, it’s Krampus again. This time, he’s attacking Paris.”

Director Nova swore under his breath and clicked his comm. “I’m on my way to Operations. Get in touch with all the Leagues in the area.”

“Already trying.” Gar said.

Nova left the pair and rushed back toward the operations center. After a brief ride up the elevator, he raced out to the floor of the command.

“Report!” He came to a quick stop when he saw the monitors filled with images from Paris of the attack as it was happening live.

Gar said, “We have lots of images and readings from the local security systems.”

Nova frowned. “Who’s he attacking? I don’t recognize that hero?”

On the screen, the same butterfly hero fluttered around Krampus, keeping away from him and responding with blasts of pink energy from her mouth.

“We don’t know, sir. She appears to be an unregistered meta-human.” Gar said.

Nova asked, “Where is BADGE support? What Leagues responded?”

Gar said, “None. We couldn’t get through.”

“What! Give me that!” He grabbed the tablet out of Gar’s hands and typed furiously onto the screen. Nasty buzzing sounds was all he got in return for his attempts to contact someone. “What’s wrong?”

A robot answered, “Comm lines to Paris are down. Comm lines to surrounding areas are down. Fight Club comms are down. System in completely lock-down.”

Nova slowly looked up with a realization in his eye. “This was planned. Robot, use the bypass protocols to send a signal directly to that heroes comm unit. It should get through...”

“Negative. Hero is not registered. Hero must be registered to...”

“I know. Damn.” Nova looked up at the screen as this butterfly winged girl was now trying to run from the battle. “This is why I want heroes to register with us. We can help, we can do something to make sure they have all the support they need. She shouldn’t be alone. I...”

Both he and Gar gasped when they watched Krampus grab her, rip her wings off, and then slam her to the ground. The scene on the pavement was gruesome.

“Oh, my god.” Nova whispered.

Gar said, “I will try to get through to medical teams.”

“There’s nothing left to save. This... this just changed everything. This creature is willing to kill.”

While citizens were still in an uproar, the dark lady sipped her wine with one hand and continued to watch through her opera glasses.

“Wonderful. They’re just as weak as I knew they would be. You can go now, my little baby.” She said, and Krampus faded on the breeze.

Maurice approached her, also in a state of calm. “Will there be anything else, my lady?”

She set her empty wineglass down. “No. Sadly, I have work to take care of.” She stood up.

“Take me with you.” He begged.

“Now, now. Mustn’t be so vulgar. I need warriors right now. But, when I am finished, I will return for you so that you may serve me.”

“Oh, thank you, thank you.” He was kissing her hand between each word.

She strode away, a fabulous air of serenity while Paris recoiled from yet another attack on their fine soil.

Across the world, from every comm unit that BADGE still had control over, Nova’s voice came out. “This is Director Nova. The situation with the Shadow Krampus has turned much darker. Do not engage until further notice. If he attacks you, your first priority is the safety of the surrounding people, your second will be retreat. At this time, we are in retreat until there is enough information to deal with this. Nova out.”

Chapter 4:

 Nova quietly watched the monitors as the screen displayed every angle of the current recovery situation in Paris.

“Communication from: Chaz Hamilton.” A robot announced.

“On screen.”

One of the smaller windows changed to the image of Chaz standing in the middle of a busy room. “I have some good news. Well, as good as it can be in light of the situation.”

“What is it?”

“I was just sitting in at an emergency meeting at the United Nations. They’re worried about the situation with the giant shadow monster attacking and are putting all nations on top alert for sightings. However, they also share the condolences with the family of the murdered hero and say that they have declared that her efforts to stop the monster are a sign of how deeply devoted superheroes are to the safety of civilians. This incident has only raised the approval of BADGE and the heroes among the nations.”

Nova was as stoic as ever. “I understand this is good news. I just wish the cost wasn’t so high. Thank you for the report.”

“Any time.” Chaz shut off the signal.

Strange Quark and Chase appeared right next to Nova. Chase held her head. “That was a long trip, Paris to the station in one zap.”

“It was fun.” Quark said.

“Report?” Nova stated.

Chase stood up straight after the dizzying experience. “We investigated every inch of the incident and the surrounding area. Nothing. No trace of evidence that helps us.”

Quark said, “I checked it for all forms of energy and even multidimensional energies... nothing. The only thing I found out of the ordinary was a strange shadowy energy that felt similar to the shadow villain we fought months ago. But, it was so latent, it could just be residual from that battle.”

“It’s something to go on. See what you find.”

“On it.” Quark vanished away.

Chase asked, “What about Lady Papillion? Have we found her family or anyone connected to her?”

Nova gave a solemn, brief nod. “Yes. BADGE representatives met with her family several hours ago. I sent the standard condolence package, even though she was part of BADGE or an associated league.”

“Any more attacks by the Shadow Krampus?”

Nova shook his head. “Nothing. But, I expect one any time. I just hope no hero decides to try to be the one to defeat him. I don’t need another death on our hands. This thing is...so powerful.”

“No more than Jinn or Lady Phoenix.” Chase said.

Nova said, “No, but in those cases, we were able to gather forces and tackle them head on. This is appearing out of nowhere, striking at a local hero and then simply vanishing.”

A robot announced, “Incoming Message: Security Inspection Team Beta.”

Nova frowned. He had canceled all routine field reports until further notice. “Put it on screen.” He turned and muttered, “This had better be good. I don’t have time to waste.”

Another window opened, and a man stood outside the prison facility where they had been containing all the captured World Corps goons. Two BADGE security guards were being treated by EMTs. “Director, we have a situation.”

“What now?”

“I came to do my regular inspection of this facility and I found only two people here, no prisoners, no other guards. These two people were in a haze, hypnotized or something. They were standing guard and nearly dead from exhaustion and lack of food or water.”

“What happened? Who attacked them? Where are the prisoners?”

The Agent became visibly nervous. “Uh, I...don’t know. Both are still in a state of shock and hardly coherent. One keeps talking about a beautiful woman he dreamed he was dancing with. But that’s all he’ll say.”

Nova cursed under his breath and grabbed a tablet from a table. “I’m sending in an investigation team. You stay there. I want answers!”

“Understood. Agent Max out.”

Chase asked, “Do you think this is connected to the Shadow Krampus attacks?”

“I don’t know. But it is a strange coincidence that we have a bewildering prison break right in the middle of an equally bewildering monster attack. I don’t like this.” He handed her the tablet. “I want you to lead this investigation. Use your powers, see into the past, and tell me what happened.”

She took the tablet and saw a list of agent names and a few robot assignments for this mission. “I will do my best. I have to figure more out here than I did in Paris.”

Nova was silently staring at the screen, a little lost.

Chase paused before heading off for her duties. “Sir, is something the matter?”

He shook his head. “It’s nothing. Just... a touch of déjà vu.”

The heat shimmered off the grassy ground, the green lush plants adding some mist to the air. A small,

dusty road filled with a small cloud as a little car rattled down it. The old man inside the car came to an abrupt stop when he saw a woman standing on the side of the road.

Rolling down the window, he looked up at the incredibly gorgeous woman in a sleek black dress with expensive sunglasses on.

“What are you doing all alone out here?” He asked.

She smiled at him and leaned over seductively. “I go where I want, when I want.”

“Okay. Can I give you a ride?”

She reached over and brushed down the side of his face. “How sweet. But I don’t grace the inside of a vehicle unless it enhances my entrance. But, do tell, how far to the capital?”

“Ka’an Dorado is not far. Just down this road, beyond the jungle.”

“Then I am exactly where I need to be. Why don’t you go on and let them know I am coming?”

With a sparkle in his eye and a bewildered smile on his face, he said, “Anything, my lady.” And quickly drove on.

She mused as he sped down the road. Very soon, men in dark suits appeared out of the jungle, each carrying large Anti-Morphon guns. One approached her. “Should we go kill him?”

“Oh, don’t be so bloodthirsty, my pet. Killing him will not do much good. Letting him spread a little confusion is far greater a power. Now, are we ready?”

The man reached into his coat and pulled out a small controller. He clicked it once and a fabulous limousine appeared from under a high-tech cloak. “We raided the armory this morning. BADGE agents weren’t ready for us. The cloak was easy to grab, and we got this bullet proof limo from their impound. Once belonged to the gangster Rutkowski.”

“Lovely. The perfect entrance. Shall we...” she paused and looked back.

“Did you hear something, my lady?” He was ready to strike.

A wicked smile played on her lips. “No. My lovely monster is about to attack yet again.”

“Do you wish to observe?”

She patted the side of his face. “No need to run and steal me a helicopter. I’m sure this will be the same as the last. The last hero wasn’t part of BADGE. Next, one of their most famous heroes will go down and that will give me information and provide enough fear to really rattle that old cyclops.”

“Understood.”

She chortled at him. “Of course you don’t understand. But, I don’t need your brains, just some brawn and something handsome to look at. Speaking of which. Before we crash the party, I want my attendees to be properly dressed.” She snapped her fingers and all their outfits changed slightly. The black suits changed into tuxedos, black flowers appeared on the breast pockets, and masquerade masks appeared on their faces. They were grotesque birds and beasts, all in black. “Now, my pretty little man, the fun can begin.”

Chapter 5:

 The beautiful palace of Ka’an Dorado sat in the middle of a bustling city. Colorful decorations and elaborate stalls of fruits lined the streets as the people happily went about their daily lives. The palace was ornate and designed with a lot of influence from ancient Mayan architecture.

Inside, the courtroom was loud as usual. Delegates that formed the Ka’an Dorado parliament were in a discussion about trade agreements and security issues. More than one was concerned about the potential of that shadow monster attacking their small country.

There was only one seat in the room, a throne that was as elegant as it was historical. It was an actual seat from one of the ancient Mayan ruins nearby. Decorated with gold and jewels, one man sat upon it in traditional garb denoting his place as prime minister. Everyone else stood around the columned room in suits and ties.

With a crack of sound from a stone hitting the arm of the throne, the Prime Minister called order to the room. The old man with wizened features spoke. “We have too many matters being talked about at once. First, Minister Bruno, please talk about security for Ka’an Dorado.”

A younger man in a blue suit stepped up and addressed the room. “We do not have any local meta-humans to protect our city. However, in a conference call with BADGE, I learned that, so far, this shadow monster has only attacked heroes. So, we might be safe. However, I have doubled all guards and asked that all shelters be stocked and prepared in case of an emergency.”

“Thank you, minister. Any questions?” The Prime Minister asked.

A luscious voice spoke from the far end of the room. “I have a question. Where’s the music?”

Everyone looked at each other and then turned their attention to the person standing in the back of the room.

The woman in black held a mask up to her face and smiled. “Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I’m fashionably late to this party, but it seems to have gotten off to a rotten start. Where’s the music?”

The Prime Minister said, “I don’t know who you are, but this is a closed session. If you want to address the court...”

“Court! How dull. What this room needs is glamour, fashion, style. And, thankfully, I’m here.” She opened her gloved arms and out of nowhere, the chords of Dance Macbre started playing while dozens of men and women, in elaborate black fashion, appeared.

Minister Bruno barked, “What is the meaning of this?”

The lady walked into the room in her usual strut while her little army spread out. She glanced around and the people began to look dazed, happy, even dancing a little to the music. “The meaning, my little man, is that I want a country to rule from, and this place is just right.”

He tapped his smartwatch. “Security to throne room...” He gagged when she grabbed his throat. “Now, now. Inviting guests to my party without my permission is a serious faux pa.”

He grabbed her arm and tried to twist it. Just then, one of her loyal minions hit him in the face and sent him to the floor.

She casually said, “Looks like you don’t want to play. Pity.” With a flick of her hand, a knife stuck into his throat and he bled to death.

Half the court was now dancing dreamily with each other or with the members of her minions. The rest were scared and trying to find a way out.

The Prime Minister stood from his throne. “Whoever you are, leave at once!” His eyes were not looking at her.

“Worship me!” She declared to the room and people fell under her spell. Either they joined in the festivities or simply turned silent. When she turned to the Prime Minister, he was unaffected by this, still resolved to remove her. “I see you are not like the others.” She mused.

“What are you doing? What’s happening?” He demanded.

“Oh, dear me.” She walked up to him. “It seems you’re strong willed and you have the minor advantage of blindness.”

“Yes. I’m blind. What of it?”

Danse Macabre came to a climax as she shoved a blade in his cut and felt him lean against her. She whispered in his ear. “My only true love once gouged his eye out just to break my spell. I have learned to deal with this minor inconvenience.”

Throwing his limp, old body to the ground, she sat upon his throne and then laughed at the dancing people. “Those who love me kill those who are simply entranced.”

Her World Corps minions handed out blades to the former leaders of this little nation. The court members who were joyfully dancing turned on their companions that were simply dazed. Scream after scream came as anyone who wasn’t dancing at this party became a corpse on the ground.

“Director! We’re picking up a distress call from Ka’an Dorado.” Agent Justin rushed over to him.

Nova took the tablet from Justin’s hand and then sneered, “Another coup in a small country. Happens all the time. We don’t intervene in such matters.”

“The last report I got was that everyone in their court was murdered.”

Nova huffed, “Petty tyrants are always blood thirsty. They’ve taken advantage of the unrest from the current situation to grab power. Defer the matter to the United Nations. This is more in their purview.”

“Understood. I’ll send this right away.”

Nova returned to his observation of the monitor while muttering about everyone using the BADGE emergency signal for everything.

Arx and Gar left one of the meeting rooms and walked down the steps to the floor where Nova paced. Chase said, “We have been in contact with all the Leagues and there has been no sign of the Shadow Krampus.”

Gar added, “The League in Paris is sticking together and asking permission to speak on behalf of BADGE for the local media.”

“Tell them they can speak with the media, but to be clear that BADGE is doing everything in our power to find and stop this threat.” Nova said.

“I’ll let them know.” Gar walked back up.

Sirens screamed, and lights blinked. One Robot stated, “Alert Class 1: Sighting of primary target in zone seventy five, sector eight.”

Nova said, “New Amsterdam? Put in on screen.”

The monitors all changed to show various footage from around the city of New Amsterdam. Some were local security cameras, some were news images, and a few were from BADGE official security monitoring stations. All angles showed one thing: a giant Shadow Krampus stomping down the street.

Arx asked, “Is it just me, or does this one look even bigger than the last?”

“I believe it is because of its target.” Nova said.

“Who?”

Nova pointed at the lower right monitor, which showed a scaly green human standing alone in an evacuated street. “The Local League is out on a mission surveying the area for rogue World Corps agents. The only hero left to keep an eye on New Amsterdam is Midgard.”

Arx groaned, “Oh, crap. There goes New Amsterdam.”

“Not if I can help it.” Nova grabbed a comm and clicked it. He punched in a special communication code and then yelled in it, “Don’t fight this, Midgard! That thing is not normal.”

“I DON’T TAKE ORDERS FROM YOU, I OBEY WHEN I FEEL LIKE IT!”

Nova yelled back, with the same rude attitude since that was just about the only thing Midgard respected. “YOU CAN’T WIN THIS! THE POWER LEVELS ARE OFF THE CHARTS!”

“SO ARE MINE...ESPECIALLY NOW!”

They watched the video feed as the massive Shadow Krampus turned a corner and glared down at the human sized Midgard. The scaly hero pulled out several vials of glowing liquids and downed them with a quick swig. His body instantly radiated a strange glow. He grew to an enormous size, bellowing laughter as he did.

“Are those enhancers?” Arx asked.

“Yeah, I didn’t think Midgard would ever use them. We designed those for the lower-powered heroes. They just boosted his power levels. The size growth is his own special abilities.” Nova clicked the comm back on. “MIDGARD! IF YOU INTEND ON THIS BATTLE, DO WHAT YOU CAN TO GET OUT OF THE CITY!”

Arx, Gar, and Nova all watched as Midgard met the Shadow Krampus with equal size and murderous intent in their eyes.

Chapter 6:

 “The scene here is absolutely indescribable. Two monsters the size of fifty story buildings are fighting each other in the streets of New Amsterdam.” A News Reporter bellowed from inside the belly of a helicopter while it deftly zoomed around the scene of action. “Amazingly, the monster known to the world as Midgardsomr has managed to keep the fight from doing considerable property damage. One might think that he is actually trying to protect the city, which is amazing considering his known history. But...oooh, and that was a low blow by the shadow monster...and Midgardsomr swings...and he nails the shadow monster in the head. It’s going down, but...no, it just turned to a puff of smoke and reformed standing again.”

Nova cut his hand across his neck and that signaled for the news to be muted. “Did they hire a sportscaster for this?” He muttered.

Arx stood there in awe of the battle. “Well, it worked.”

A small screen opened with The Wizard and Macaia’s Daughter. “Sir, we are on our way.”

“Do not join this battle. That Krampus is still too strong, it’s going toe to toe with an enhanced Midgard.”

The Wizard chuckled, “Don’t tell me the big snake took Viagra.”

Macaia’s Daughter laughed, “Don’t ever say that in front of him, or your pet dragon will be his next meal.”

“What are you doing?” Nova interrupted their joking.

“We are going to help protect the city and keep an eye on this.”

“Good. Just don’t get yourselves killed.” Nova commanded.

Macaia’s Daughter landed on a rooftop two blocks from the monster battle. Both Krampus and Midgard were head and shoulders above their surrounding buildings, throwing punches and breathing flames.

“Midard is really pulling out all the stops. I’ve never seen him show any respect for property when he is in the middle of a good fight.” The Wizard said.

“He’s doing okay. But, it won’t last long. Look, they’re heading for the Brownstone district near the bridge.” Macaia’s Daughter pointed out. “Ah, rats. There’s a wreck and three buses are stopped.

The Wizard jumped up, “I got em, just make sure those apartments aren’t leveled.”

The two heroes parted at top speed.

Macaia’s Daughter zoomed so close to the battle that she had to duck a backswing and then dodged a flailing tail. Midgard had Krampus by his shadowy neck and was just about to plow him into an old brownstone apartment building.

“Not today!” Macaia’s Daughter hit the building with his hands and a shimmering shield of psycho-kinetic energy spread out. Krampus bounced off the barrier, leaving the building intact.

Krampus dislodged the hands around his neck and then kicked Midgard in the gut, throwing him toward a large public parking garage filled with cars.

“WOAH!” Macaia’s Daughter focused all her powers and caught Midgard mid-fall and forced him back up. Midgard used the newfound rebound and slammed Krampus in the face.

Krampus twisted around and just about plowed into three buildings. Macaia’s Daughter thrust both hands up and a wave of energy hit Krampus and threw him over, landing him in the street, which only crushed half a dozen cars.

Spending a moment catching her breath, Macaia’s Daughter said, “This is insane. It’s like refereeing a Godzilla boxing match.”

Just then she saw Midgard go to pummel Krampus with a double fist pound while the shadow enemy was down. Macaia’s Daughter dropped and put her hands on the pavement, sending out her strongest psycho-kinetic barrier. The slam hit, Krampus wheezed under the pressure and Macaia’s Daughter nearly blacked out, keeping the road system from being wrecked beyond repair.

Macaia’s Daughter groaned as she looked at her aching hands. “This is crazy.”

Krampus exploded into a cloud of dark mist and reformed, standing upright. He swung to punch Midgard. Macaia’s Daughter prepared herself for the next object she would protect. However, Midgard strategically dodged the first swing, then the second, and then caught the arm of the third. He twisted his body around. Macaia’s Daughter created a barrier to protect the building across the street. Midgard’s considerable tail crashed into her barrier and didn’t smash the buildings. While she did this, Midgard swung Krampus around like a giant shot-put and released him with an enormous roar. Krampus sailed over New Amsterdam Bay and just before he crashed into the water, a blast of energy from Midgard’s mouth obliterated the villain in a violent explosion of the black smoke. This time, it didn’t congeal, but fell apart, evaporating on the wind as a slight echo of a scream rolled across the city.

Macaia’s Daughter sat there, stunned. “He...he did it.”

The Dark Lady sat on her throne as her minions danced in glee in their finest fashion. She was celebrating her conquest of this land with an elegant party and all the champagne they could find. This party was no mere rave or simple booze bash. It was a high fashion event where everyone dressed in their finest apparel and each had the essence of importance written on their face. Though each looked upon the Dark Lady as a goddess worthy of adoration.

“My lady, the military is coming to attack.” Her most loyal from the former World Corps Goons knelt down to one knee next to her.

She brushed her hand over his face. “Now that won’t do. It would spoil all this fun. I shall deal with it.”

“Do you want protection?” He asked.

She laughed, “not for this. These are just normal people, the mundane. I can deal with them. Go on, enjoy yourselves. Remember, this party is celebrating moi.” Standing, she patted his cheek and then strut out of the throne room while the party continued.

Stepping out of the capitol building of this little country, she found the street lined with men dressed in green and yellow uniforms, each carrying a firearm. Two men, decorated with many medals, walked up the steps to her.

“We demand you surrender, woman.” The one with the most decoration ordered.

She smiled, “Woman...how crass...how mundane. Now, I’m having the most luxurious party inside, but I’m afraid there’s a dress code. That drab, horribly clashing outfit ensemble everyone is wearing simply won’t do.”

This drew confusion from everyone. The commander again ordered her to leave and submit to their justice.

She laughed in his face and lowered her dark glasses to gaze at them. “I have no intention of stepping down. In fact, this little country is a mere stepping stone. Soon, it will be the sight of a terrible battle. But, for now, I need obedience. I must have your complete capitulation. Worship me.”

As she said these words, the commanders lost their zeal, and the soldiers lowered their weapons. Some tried to approach and even fought one another for the luxury of getting to her. The others simply went into a trance-like state.

“Ah, good. So many new worshipers. How lovely. If you adore me, kill those who aren’t moving.”

The commander who had been talking to her slowly pulled out his pistol and shot his companion, who was in a trance. Behind them, half of the soldiers were gunning down the other half.

She strode back toward her glamorous party, only to stop and look up in shock. “So...my pet has been defeated. What a...” a vicious smile crept over her face, “wonderful turn of events. This is going to be so much fun. Come on, gentlemen, the party awaits.”

Chapter 7:

 A man stepped up to a podium at the head of the United Nations conference. Cameras flickered before him as he addressed both the gathered representatives and the viewers across the world. Behind him, a screen came alive with footage from the Shadow Krampus attack in New Amsterdam.

“Ladies and Gentlemen of the world, we witnessed a terrible battle over one of the most populated cities on the planet. As in the past, heroes stepped up to contend against this villain and protect our lives. However, the United Nations would like to acknowledge and commend BADGE for their efforts. Three of their heroes were involved in this battle. One, a hero who has had a dubious history, went toe to toe with this monster and bravely fought. We thank the hero Midgardsormr for his act of courage.” There was lengthy applause as people watched clips from the fight shot from afar by news.

“Next, another hero, who we are told is called Macaia’s Daughter, no word on her name, just her relationship apparently. She came precariously close to the combat and used her own powers to protect private and public property. Saving not only billions of dollars in damages but also the homes and businesses of innocent victims. People can go back to work and home today without having to dig their lives from the rubble.” A single shot of Macaia’s Daughter protecting a building with her mental powers flashed on the screen and drew even more applause.

“Finally, another hero known as The Wizard came to the aid of civilians trying to escape the city. Due to the panic, a truck overturned and two buses were nearly sent over the side of the Bay Bridge. Dozens of lives were at stake and he saved them all.” The final footage was of The Wizard standing on top of a bus he had teleported to a safe location. During the applause, the head of the United Nations said, “This battle cost zero lives and minimal property damage. The villain was, presumably, destroyed, and BADGE has been vindicated. It is at this time the United Nations completely absolves BADGE of any scrutiny from former events and extends our hand to them to once again work together for a better future.”

Nova signaled for the video to go to mute while the roar of applause was deafening.

“Why didn’t you go? I know they invited you to this.” Gar asked.

Nova said, “I have always enjoyed working behind the scenes and in the shadows. I don’t need public accolade. I sent Arx and Agent Justin to accept this honor, as they also have a meeting with the United Nations about the new Atlas initiative.”

Gar said, “It’s a good thing the world still doesn’t know that Arx is alive, and he works for us now. They don’t realize the man they are showing representing BADGE is the same villain they wanted dead.”

“I’m just glad that BADGE had regained a positive status around the world.” Nova said.

Gar frowned at Nova, “Why do you still look worried?”

“This isn’t over.”

“That Shadow Krampus is dead.”

“He isn’t dead, he’s gone. First, we’ve watched him vanish on every occasion, so I don’t know if this was for good or just for now. Second, where did it come from? Something like that doesn’t just appear. The real Krampus is dead, I’m certain of that. Who or what would take a form of him and then terrorize heroes all over the world?”

“What do we do now?” Gar asked.

“The same. Heroes aren’t to be out alone and we must keep our eyes open for another attack. I just hope Chase finds something out at the prison. There has to be a connection there and I want to know what it is.”

Chase walked around the outside of the prison, looking over the barbed wire fences and the security gates. BADGE trucks and stations were all over the place. There was no civilization for miles in all directions, and this was a no-fly zone. The deafening silence was cut only by the whisper of winds through the dried, tall grasses.

“You see anything?” An older man in a suit walked up. He had a BADGE insignia stitched onto his breast pocket.

Chase said, “Investigator Barnaby, if someone got through the gates and walls around this place, they did so without disturbing anything. I don’t even see any grasses or dirt that is out of place. We’ve tested every door and gate using my power. I can’t see anything. No one has opened them outside of the normal weekly deliveries.”

They walked into a larger tent with two medical beds. Dr. Henderson inspected one of the two guards found at the entrance.

“Doctor, when did you arrive?” Chase asked.

The doctor looked up, a weird device over her eyes that gave her the appearance of a surprised bug. “Oh, Agent Chase. Glad to see you. Just arrived moments ago. They needed a second opinion on this matter. Oh, who is this?” She noticed the handsome gentleman behind Chase.

Chase stepped aside. “This is Agent Barnaby. He works with BADGE.”

Barnaby took her hand with a warm smile. “I work with the London Office, mostly.”

“Barnaby, that’s right. You’re one of the foremost detectives in the world. Nova has spoken highly of you before.”

“He called me in on this case. A jailbreak with absolutely no evidence of a jailbreak. Now, there’s a mystery for you.”

“What have you figured out so far?” Dr. Henderson asked.

The older man shook his head. “Nothing. We specially set aside this place to house only the members of the former World Corps. They were highly trained and considerably dangerous. So, BADGE put them in a prison designed to keep them. When the inspectors got here, there wasn’t anyone left alive who remembers anything, except these two.”

Dr. Henderson said, “I doubt they’ll be of much help. Their minds are mashed potatoes. I’ve never seen such a case of a mental mess. They don’t even know how to feed themselves any longer. I have no idea when...or if, we’ll ever get anything out of them.”

“Do what you can.” Chase said.

Barnaby walked with Chase out of the tent and toward the building. “Okay, so if I recall correctly, your particular power is around seeing the past through touching objects.”

“Yes.”

“Then we need an object for you to touch.”

Chase said, “I have tried everything I can think of. The gate handles, the doors, even the weapons on the guards themselves. I’m limited in what I see. It has to be near the object.”

“Then, we need something that was touched by the person who exacted this break-out.” Barnaby said as he opened the gate to the building.

“What if it was an inside job? What if it was just the prisoners breaking themselves out?”

“If that were the case, then this would be a much messier. Also, our two friends inside would not be so keenly baffled.” Barnaby opened the door to the building itself and allowed her to enter. “So, logically, this was someone else who arrived and executed this escape with precision.”

“Okay, but if they were so precise, then they certainly wouldn’t be foolish enough to leave something behind.” Chase said.

Barnaby walked forward, giving careful consideration to his steps. He stopped just before the banister. “Now, If I were someone who wanted to get everyone’s attention, as I assume our criminal would. And, I would need to do so quickly. I would stand here and call out like this. HELLO!” He said this and the open center of the box-like building echoed.

Chase was impressed. “So, if you’re correct?”

He put his hands on the banister. “I would at least hold this for a moment, to keep better balance while yelling.”

“Brilliant.” Chase said. “Move, let me.” She took his place and put her hands on the banister. Closing her eyes, she focused her powers. She saw herself step up, then walking in. She saw the lights go out for a long time. Then activity bustled around this place as the prisoners quickly exited their cells, or from her reversed perspective, returned to their cells. Then she saw a brief glimpse of a woman in black, then two bright red eyes appeared and a shadow surrounded her. A terrible voice yelled in her head.

“GET OUT OF MY PAST!”

The sound of this was so powerful that it filled Chase’s mind and she couldn’t hold the banister any longer. Falling to the ground, she held her head and cried out in pain. Barnaby rushed to her, but he couldn’t break this.

Suddenly, an icy feeling of something entered her neck, and she relaxed. Dr. Henderson knelt next to her, having just administered a hypo-spray. “Chase...Chase! Are you okay?”

Chase looked up and whispered, “It was just like Jinn.” and then she blacked out.

Chapter 8:

 “For the last time, a kiss will not wake her. This isn’t a fairy tale!” Nova bellowed.

EB pouted while he folded his cute little arms. “You’re talking to the freaking Easter Bunny and you say this isn’t a fairy tale. Chase is out cold and we can’t wake her. What’s the harm in trying?”

Nova stood outside the infirmary on the station with the angry bunny. He let his irritation subside and calmly said, “Think about it. If it doesn’t work and she wakes and is told you were kissing her while she was unconscious, imagine what she’ll do to you.”

EB gained a horrified look on his face. “Good point.”

Investigator Barnaby approached and gave a little head nod to Nova. “Director. I just arrived. The team is still at the prison, going over everything for the tenth time. I doubt we’ll find anything new, but I’ll not rest until we find something of value.”

“I commend your devotion. Now, tell me one more time what Chase said when she came around before she blacked out.”

“It’s like I reported earlier. She said it was just like Jinn and then went cold.”

“How did it happen?” Nova asked.

“I can’t say. All I know is she grabbed the banister, closed her eyes and went silent for a moment. Then she suddenly reared back, held her head and started screaming in pain. She was inconsolable. I yelled for the doctor and when we calmed her down, she said something about Jinn and then was gone.”

EB hopped up and down so far he was eye level with this man. “HOW DARE YOU PUT CHASE IN DANGER! I OUGHT TO POKE YOU RIGHT IN THE...” Nova snatched him mid-hop and dangled him by his ears.

“Cool it. Chase was just using her powers like normal. There was no way we could have predicted this would happen.” He dropped EB and then asked, “Do you think that this could be connected to Jinn?”

EB shook his head. “I doubt it. Jinn’s dead. Like, smoked beyond return. It takes a lot to kill a Vexillian, and he went down hard. You were there, you saw it.”

Nova asked, “Could this be some residual effect of Jinn’s magic?”

EB frowned. “Maybe something left behind, but still doubtful. When we die, all our left-over spells and stuff usually vanish. I mean, during the war with Legion on our world, loads of my people went down and their work was, POOF, gone. A real problem, since we would conjure weapons and shelters and stuff like that. One dude bites the dust and entire fortresses vanish from existence. There was this one lady who created a...”

“I get the picture.” Nova interrupted EB.

Barnaby interjected. “It also wasn’t the modus operandi for Jinn. I read all the reports and witnessed his work personally in the Ireland incident. He would dupe others to help him, but he never relied on minions. There is no reason for him to release the world corps people.”

“Do you think the person behind this prison break has done so to use these soldiers in their own army?” Nova asked.

“Logically, yes. If the culprit behind the break-out wanted to simply cause havoc, there are much more dangerous and powerful villains in other BADGE prisons. Releasing the inmates in Purgatory Pen alone would cause global chaos. Also, if the culprit were just playing around, there was no reason to go to the lengths to release these prisoners rather than any other prison. This was too meticulous for someone simply showing off. Lastly, we know that the World Corps soldiers were devoted followers and good at being henchmen. Thus, logic dictates that the person behind this wanted the henchmen for their own little schemes.”

EB swooned, “Wow, that was all Sherlock Holmesy. And with that Brit accent of yours, it was even cooler. You should write a book or something.”

“Yes, of course.” Barnaby was a little bemused by the excited bunny.

Nova said, “Your logic does make sense. Whoever broke them out is using them. Jinn never used minions. But then why did she say that?”

EB said, “What about the World Corps? Ben Talos is still alive. Maybe he’s up to something evil. He was really nasty, like...a total jerk.”

“And clever.” Nova said. “Barnaby, head to Purgatory Pen and make sure Ben Talos is completely clear from being part of this.”

“I will do my best.” Barnaby gave off another brief nod and then walked off.

EB said, “I had a good idea then, right? Ben is probably behind this. I mean, who else would want the World Corps goons?”

Nova turned and walked away from the infirmary wing. “I’m not sure Ben is part of this. Whoever is doing this had the power to recreate Krampus and then send him all over the planet. They bypassed one of the most advanced security systems BADGE has, and were able to mess with Chase so badly, she is still unconscious. Drochah, yes, but Ben was just another pawn in Drochah’s plans. I...”

“Director Nova to Operations. Incoming transmission.” A robotic voice announced.

Nova hurried with EB through the station back to the Operations center. He found Gar standing at the command, waiting for him.

“Director, we have a transmission from the distress system.” Gar pointed to the blinking window on the screen.

“Yes, I just got the alert. Put it through.”

The screen opened up, and a man in a military uniform was speaking. “We are under attack by Ka’an Dorado forces. They are stronger than expected. Please, BADGE, send help.” It repeated the message again, which was cut short when Nova signaled for the mute.

EB scoffed, “Don’t these little nations know that BADGE isn’t here to settle land disputes?”

Nova pondered this for a moment. “Odd, that’s two distress calls from the same area of the world. Maybe this threat isn’t just petty land disputes between small countries. Robot 10915, do we have any images from Ka’an Dorado within the last two days?”

The robot scanned through millions of bits of data and then said, “Affirmative. We have access to fifty-seven security cameras on the streets of Ka’an Dorado, including bank Automated Teller Machines, Traffic Cameras, Home Security Cameras..”

“Stop. I want images inside their capital.”

EB asked, “Inside? What are you looking for?”

“Just seeing who is behind the little coup that overthrew that government yesterday. If I see a petty warlord, I’ll alert the United Nations. But if I see something unusual, it might be worth investigating.”

10915 reported, “Negative. All recording devices within the capital building of Ka’an Dorado were disabled forty-eight hours ago.”

“Whoever did this coup had it planned.”

10915 said, “Additional information related to request is available. Images of Ka’an Dorado capital building during requested time-frame are available.”

“Good. Put them all on screen. I don’t care how blurry they are.”

Two dozen images appeared, all stills taken from cameras all over the city. Most were extremely blurry, while a few were partially clear.

“Geeze, haven’t these people heard of High Definition?” EB muttered. “OOOh, why don’t you enhance them like they do on those cool Crime Scene shows?”

Nova rolled his one good eye. “This is reality, not science fiction. We can’t take out-of-focus images and make perfect....wait...10915, expand image twelve.”

A blurry image of the street before the capitol building took up most of the screen. Several men were walking into the building, each wearing a tuxedo. They carried something in their hands.

“10915 can we identify that weapon?”

“Affirmative. Image matches known specifications of the Automatic Morphon Atomizer, known as the AMA weapon.”

EB said, “I think we found our missing prisoners...and they’re all dressed up.”

Chapter 9:

 Nova walked into the conference room on the Station. Quark and EB were discussing the best tasting liquor filled chocolate. Dr. Henderson and Agent Justin looked over several computer tablets. Arx and Gar sat near each other without saying a word to the other.

“Good, everyone is back.” Nova said, and walked up to the front of the room.

EB hopped up and stood on the table. “Is Santa here?”

Dr. Henderson said, “Yes. He’s with Chase at this time.”

Nova took his seat at the front of the room. “Give me a brief update on Chase.”

“She’s stable. Her vital signs are all good. I simply cannot wake her up. However, my sensors indicate she’s being held by some kind of arcane energy.”

EB said, “Santa’s really good with that stuff. Better than me, just don’t tell him I said so. If anyone can break the curse or spell on Chase, it will be him. Though I still think a kiss might do the trick.”

“Enough of that. Sit.” Nova pointed at the seat next to Quark, which the bunny reluctantly plopped down in.

“Quark?” Nova looked over at the blue hero. “What did you find in New Amsterdam and Paris?”

He shook his head. “With the help of local leagues and the police, we checked every last detail. I looked into the local energy spectrum as well. I could only see a residual trace of strange energy. But it’s the same energy I’ve seen at every attack. So, I know it’s connected to this Shadow Krampus. Unfortunately, it doesn’t help much.”

“Damnit. We need something. I know this isn’t the last of that thing.”

Quark sat forward. “There is one thing we did find...or rather, never found. At no time did we see any of the former World Corps goons involved. I gathered every speck of footage from New Amsterdam, security cams, ATMs, traffic cams, even cell phones. We ran everything through tracers and not one face pegged the sensors. There doesn’t seem to be a connection.”

Nova said, “I think we found the World Corps goons. They have overthrown a small country in Central America, Ka’an Dorado.”

“Ka’an Dorado? That’s like a spot in the road.” Arx piped in.

Agent Justin said, “Ka’an Dorado is one of the world’s leading gold resources. It is a small country, but they are extremely wealthy. They have never challenged any of their neighbors, but they aren’t weak. Their military is bolstered by the most expensive mercenaries money can buy. The fact that these world corps soldiers could so quickly overthrow them is...odd.”

Nova said, “Investigator Barnaby spoke with the United Nations security office and found that Ben Talos is not talking, however he hasn’t had any visitors since they incarcerated him. But, as we have seen before, masterminds can do things behind bars that defy logic.”

“Are you assuming that Ben Talos is behind this?” Agent Justin asked.

“I don’t know, but it does make sense. He would want the funds that controlling Ka’an Dorado would bring him. He would also automatically have the loyalty of the former World Corps Goons.”

Strange Quark asked, “What do we do?”

Nova said, “Simple. Ka’an Dorado sent us a distress call. We’ll answer it. Strange Quark, take BADGE representation with you and go remove the World Corps goons from this situation.”

Arx asked, “Just a few BADGE people. Not like a bunch of Heroes or a few leagues? These goons were a problem to fight before, and they just overthrew a whole country.”

Nova laughed, “They’re still using AMA weapons. We have enhanced our heroes and even agents to resist those weapons. This should be an easy extraction.”

EB stuck his hand up and waved it around.

Nova let out a soft sigh. “What?”

“Do ya think that these world corps idiots are behind Shadow Krampus?”

“I doubt it. We haven’t seen the connection yet. I’m beginning to think these two incidents might be separate after all. So, the objective is simple. Quark, you and your hand-picked team will go and deal with the World Corps. If you need backup, you’ll have access to the BADGE comm system. We will continue to investigate the Shadow Krampus situation and move forward with that.”

EB added, “And have a big wake-up party for Chase when she comes around.”

“No. We won’t. Just...get to work.”

Quark said, “Arx, Agent Justin, EB, you guys are with me. “

Arx cracked his knuckles, “Good, I’ve been wanting to smack around some of these world corps goons.”

Nova said, “Son, BADGE isn’t about revenge, only justice.”

“Hey, sometimes they are the same thing.” Arx said as he followed Quark out of the room.

Nova walked into the infirmary, where Santa knelt next to his daughter’s bed. He had a hand on her

head and was focusing on his magic.

“Nova?” Santa looked up.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt you.”

Santa stood up and held his head. “This is...powerful magic.”

“I knew it was powerful magic, but Vexillian magic is the strongest.”

Santa walked out of the room and got himself a cup of coffee at a little station in the waiting area. “You know that isn’t entirely true. There are other magics in this universe. Some of which are terribly powerful.”

Nova stepped into the room and quietly watched Santa for a moment while the old man sipped his black drink. There was a deep concern written on both their faces. Finally, Nova said, “It can’t be. The last of the darkest magics were destroyed a long time ago. I know, I did it personally.”

Santa sat down and wiped his hand across his sweating brow. “I’m worried, my old friend. Something changed recently, something that gave me reason for pause the moment it happened.”

Nova gently took his seat across from Santa. “I had hoped we solved that problem before it became a problem.”

“A force of pure darkness tore a hole in space. But you and I know that it wasn’t living in a void. It was from the darkest depths of the layers of space that anything can possibly live. The place where the most vile of evils has seethed for millions of years.”

“The Darkness was connected to Legion. Their actions formed it.”

“That may be true. But it wasn’t Legion that created the realm in which The Darkness thrived all this time. Why do you think it wanted to open a hole in space and spread darkness across this universe? It wants what that realm has wanted since the dawn of time....dominion.”

Nova stood and walked away. “We have been monitoring that tear in space since The Darkness first appeared. NightShadow has been in constant contact with us about it, to ensure that it was dormant. It will close, naturally, and be done with.”

Santa pointed a finger at Nova. “Since when do you underestimate evil? Since when does the amazing Director Nova not plan for the worst? It’s because you worry she has returned.”

“No.”

“Don’t lie to yourself! You’re scared to your very heart she has returned, and that’s why you’ve turned your remaining eye away from thinking it possible. You’ve let technology and other people’s opinions rule this situation. That hole was torn, and it leads to a place where you banished her.”

Nova walked toward the door, back to the main hallway. “If she had returned, I would know it.”

“For the sake of humanity, I hope you’re right. But blithely ignoring the possibility is dangerous.”

Nova paused just as the door opened from his push of the button. “Look, I’m not completely unaware of the possibility. I just...desperately want it to be anything else. I would rather it be Jinn right now, or even Krampus. But if she has returned, then I’ll need your help. The heroes...they don’t...they are strong, but they don’t know what true evil looks like. They haven’t faced the kind of horrible wickedness that lives in the heart of such a person.”

“I will be there for you. But her power is beyond mine. You know this.”

“I know. Just, for now, bring your daughter back. I need my first in command back at her station.” With that, he left the waiting room.

Chapter 10:

 A BADGE shuttle lowered down to the center of the beautiful capital city of Ka’an Dorado. There was no traffic, no pedestrians, just a quiet city. A bright glow from the mid-day sun filled the humid air while a deafening silence broken now and then by the squawk of a tropical bird.

Strange Quark and Arx stepped out of the shuttle and looked around. Each grew worried by the lack of attention their arrival stirred. Nova insisted they arrive without cloaking the shuttles, so the people of the nation knew help had arrived and it would draw out their enemy that much faster.

Arx said, “For a nation that was just overthrown, there is a serious lack of battle damage. Everything looks so clean and nice.”

“I don’t like it.” Quark said, “Not the lack of damage. That’s fine, but we should have some kind of reception. I’m not even sensing anyone hiding in trees or behind buildings. No ambushes, nothing.”

Agent Justin stepped out next, with Krystal Fae and EB behind him. He had a small device in his hands. “The palace is that way.”

Krystal Fae walked up to Quark. “I’m glad to help, but it looks like I won’t be of service.”

“I doubt this’ll be easy. Let’s get to the palace and find out what the heck’s going on.”

EB bounced around. “This place is pretty, like, so colorful. I like it. Now, where’s a World Corps goon so I can smash an exploding egg in his face?” He materialized an egg in his paw.

“You’ll get your chance. Hold still, I’m going to zap us into the palace.” Quark looked around and then snapped his fingers. They all vanished and then reappeared in the same place.

EB looked around like he was about to fight, then paused. “Hey, we’re didn’t move. What gives?”

“I don’t know. Something blocked my transport.” Quark tried again and had the same results.

Krystal Fae held her head. “Okay, that’s enough. You’re gonna give me a massive headache.”

Justin leaned over and held back vomiting. “Yeah, please don’t do that again.”

“Looks like we’re on foot.” Arx marched onward.

Once they reached the palace, after a long walk, they found the outside just as dead as the city.

Justin said, “I don’t like this. No welcoming party.”

Krystal added, “It’s like they don’t even care to protect their new acquisition.”

Quark charged ahead, walking inside the palace. They went through several doors, down a long hall, and then opened the last door to the main throne room.

It was pitch black in the throne room. Krystal Fae reached up to conjure a ball of light, but an unknown source blew it out.

“I seriously don’t like this.” EB said, hiding behind Quark’s leg.

Music echoed around them, as though a symphony had now taken over the room. The dark, haunting melody of a waltz cried out. While it played, little candles appeared in the darkness. They moved toward the group, lightly bouncing. The more candles, the more light, and now the silhouettes of dark dressed individuals appeared. Women in elaborate gowns and black bird like masks. Men were in dark tuxedos with devil like masks.

A woman sung to the waltz, her voice dark and threateningly vicious. There was a joy in her words, like she was about to feast upon their very souls.

a song

a dance

a twirl

a chance

Let your mind be taken

let your soul reawaken

Be mine forever more

a song

a dance

a waltz

a trance

Let your heart now sink

Let your body shrink

as you die upon my floor

A song

a dance

this is your last chance

to be a glamorous child

a song

a dance

no words

just a glance

let the world fade away

night into day

your very last breath

will bring to you death....

There was a great blue explosion of energy, and it thrust everyone out of this nightmare. They had been dancing in the middle of the room with what they thought were other members of this party. Instead, they stood midst all these finely dressed people, each aiming one of their AMA weapons at them.

Strange Quark, who had broken through this insidious spell, was now half a giant blue duck, from his waist down. He had his hands out and was in a state of near-panic.

The dark lady sat upon the throne, a smile on her black lips. “Oh, how very clever. You, blue one, have the power to transcend dimensions. How wonderful.”

“That was quacking nuts.” Quark stated and then stood up, still half a duck. “Enough. I don’t know who or what you are, but that is over. And don’t think your weapons are threatening us. We’re immune to the power of those weapons.”

“How very rude of me.” She rose to her feet with all the grace of a queen. “My name is Lady Echidna. You should fear not the weapons, but me.” Without a glimmer of trepidation in her face, she strode toward them.

Krystal Fae stepped up. “Beware, she is magical.”

“Ah, what do we have here? Some little creature who touches magic.”

Krystal formed a ball of energy in her hand. “I do more than touch it.”

“Darling, you have no idea the true depth and breadth of magic.” Lady Echidna blew as though she were snuffing a matchstick, and the energy in Krystal’s hand simply evaporated.

Quark remained stern, even though he was still sporting the hindquarters of a waterfowl. “What’s going on here? Why are you controlling the World Corps soldiers? Why did you take over this nation? And do you have any connection to the Shadow Krampus?”

She laughed at him in a dismissive tone. Turning, she swept back to her throne and graced it again. “So many questions. But you aren’t ready for answers. What I know, what I am, what I have done, what I will do, all are brilliant questions. But you aren’t worthy to ask them and are certainly unworthy to receive an answer from the likes of me.”

EB hopped up with an enormous egg in his paws, “Why... why do I know you? You feel so familiar?”

“The Easter Bunny. How precious. Too bad I couldn’t bewitch you. It would be so much fun to have that kind of power among my followers.”

Justin prepped his gun. “She’s not going to give us answers. We shouldn’t waste our time.” Taking a stand before Quark, Justin said, “You’re under arrest for the unlawful...un….the…where am I?” he swayed and began to smile like an idiot.

“I feel funny.” EB held his head as he dropped his egg.

Lady Echidna opened up her arms. “Worship me!”

Everyone went groggy and fell to their knees.

“No...I won’t...” Krystal struggled the most, refraining from being taken.

Quark was overcome for a moment, even smiling at her as though she were the most beautiful thing in the universe. Then, he turned entirely into a duck and said, “What...you’re not getting away with this!” He flashed back into his normal self and sent out another wave of energy. All the others broke free from her spell, but he was focusing to maintain this. His blue energy contended against a strange force that acted like a great wind in the room.

Lady Echidna stood up and said, “My, my, you are strong. I can’t have that. Tell Nova to send his finest to strike me down. They won’t win. But I will entertain him and he knows it. Only Nova will I deal with...tell him...his wife is waiting for his return.”

With that, a blinding flash of black energy struck them. Everyone felt as though they were being flung across the city. In moments, each landed with a hard crash on a metal surface, crashing into tables and chairs. They were back on the BADGE spacestation.

Krystal sat up, looking around in a state of confusion. “Did she say she was Nova’s wife?”

Chapter 11:

 Nova ran from his office when a warning buzzer sounded. He skidded into the center of the Operations center.

“Report?”

Gar pointed at the screen. “The robots detected a cloud over Ka’an Dorado?”

Nova looked, praying this was just a storm moving through the area. Instead, he found a strange black cloud building over the city, directly over the Capitol building. “What do we know?”

10915 answered, “Particle density indicates that this is not a natural weather phenomenon. Sensors are detecting the same energy signatures as the other Shadow Krampus events.”

Nova paced as he watched this. “I don’t like this. Is it taking a shape, is it Krampus?”

“A humanoid shape is forming in the cloud now. Energy signature is growing. It has already surpassed the size and strength of known energy signatures.”

Gar asked, “What does that mean?”

Nova looked at the data read-outs. “My god. This is already more powerful than the Shadow Krampus we last saw, and it took Midgard to take him down.”

The doors of the lift opened, and EB blasted out, running into Nova. He was hugging the director’s leg. “I’m so happy to be back here. She was crazy!”

Strange Quark led Krystal Fae, Arx, and Agent Justin down a bit slower than the hysterical bunny.

Nova looked at them with shock and a little irritation. “What are you doing back here? Did you make it to Ka’an Dorado?”

Quark nodded, “Yeah. We made it alright.”

Agent Justin came around to stand in front of Nova. “The situation there was completely unexpected. Some woman is in control of the World Corps soldiers and probably the rest of the nation. She has some kind of mental altering ability. If Strange Quark hadn’t been able to break her power, we would’ve fallen victim to her control.”

EB bawled, “I was so scared I would never see you again. She is a scary, mean, nasty woman. I mean, like a total witch. Promise me you won’t go! She is horrible!”

“What are you babbling about?” Nova demanded.

Krystal Fae stepped over to him. “Sir, this woman isn’t just another meta human. In fact, I have no idea what she is. Her power was...terrifying. I have never sensed a more cold, cruel heart. Even Jinn had an ounce of light in his black soul. She is utter darkness.”

Arx said, “She said something really crazy about being your wife. What’s up with that?”

Nova went pail. His gaze shifted away from them, and he slowly turned back to looking at the screen.

EB, now a little worried about Nova, hopped around and looked up at him. “Buddy, you alright?”

“No. I’m not. It’s her.”

Agent Justin said, “She called herself Lady Echidna. Do you know her?”

Nova calmly said, “Lady Echidna, so that’s what she’s calling herself now. Fitting, I suppose.” He seemed to be talking to himself as if they weren’t there.

“Nova, you okay? You sound like you are in a daze.” Krystal said.

EB gasped, “OH, NO! SHE’S GOT TO HIM! WAKE UP, BUDDY, WAKE UP!” He hopped up and slapped Nova with his little paw.

Nova took it without even budging. The fact that he let EB act like an idiot and even strike him without any recourse was enough to rattle everyone in the room.

After a moment of silence from their fearless leader, Nova gazed down at EB. “You know who she is. You’ve met her at least once before.”

EB stumbled back and put a paw up to his face, “Oh, no! Not her! Not...”

“Yes.” Nova whispered and then turned back to the gathering, “What did she say? Is she behind all these attacks?”

Agent Justin replied, “She said if we send heroes, they will not win. But she will entertain you. She has invited you to meet with her. I have no idea what she wants to negotiate for...”

“I do,” Nova said.

EB folded his paws, “Well, that witch ain’t getting you. I mean, what kind of dumb, ignorant fool does she take you for?”

Nova smiled. “I’ll have to think about this.”

Quark said, “You wouldn’t even consider this...would you?”

“I have to consider all possibilities. I am the protector of this world, and if that requires me to parlay with that woman, then I will. But I will consider all other options first.”

Lady Echidna’s voice boomed throughout the room. “What options would those be?”

Everyone turned to see her smiling at them from every screen in the room. She sat upon her throne, fanned by two of her loyal minions, while she sipped a fruity concoction.

“Lady Echidna, is it?” Nova greeted her.

She laughed and swirled about her drink. “You should come just to enjoy these little beverages. A delicacy of this lovely land I’ve acquired.”

“You know I won’t be part of your schemes ever again. I’ll take you down as I have before.”

She chortled at him, “Oh, the confidence, the arrogance. I think it’s why I find you so irresistible. Of course, you were always good in bed as well.”

EB made a gagging sound while everyone else looked terribly uncomfortable.

Nova was unfazed by her words. “Enough of this. I don’t know or care how you returned to this world, but I will send you back as I have in the past.”

“I wouldn’t count on that. You see, there is one little detail you are unaware of. I have, in my hand, the heart of one beautiful little lady who tried to look into my past.”

“Chase.” Nova whispered.

EB hopped up and down, irate. “YOU BITCH! YOU GIVE HER BACK! YOU CAN’T HURT CHASE! I’LL SHOVE AN EXPLODING EGG SO FAR UP YOUR...”

“As excitable as always.” She casually stared at the fuming bunny.

Nova demanded, “What are you going to do to her?”

“Let’s see.” She pretended to ponder this. “I could take her life right now. However, if you come and meet with me, I will consider releasing what I stole from her.” Before he could respond, she leaned forward and said, “You have twenty-four hours to meet my demand. And don’t think about trying to send in your little heroes to stop me. My champion will meet them.” She raised her glass, “See you soon, my dear husband.” and the screens changed back to normal.

EB was still fuming as the others stood in a state of shock. Gar asked, “What will you do?”

“I have no choice. I have to go to her.”

Krystal Fae said, “Are you sure about this? Chase is my friend too, but you’re more valuable.”

“WASH YOUR MOUTH OUT!” EB yelled.

Nova put a hand out to stop EB from going on a rant. “I won’t sacrifice anyone. I’ve put my life on the line for a long time to protect this world, and sometimes that means protecting just one person. However, I’m also not a fool. We will make a plan.”

“Can we plan down in the mess? I need a few stiff drinks.” Quark said.

Justin said, “I could use a bite to eat.”

“Come on. Gar, transfer all data about Ka’an Dorado and the current situation to some tablets and bring them along. 10915, send a message to NightShadow, I need him here as quickly as he can make it.”

“Understood.” The robot went to work while the others left for the mess hall.

Chapter 12:

 Nova walked into the command level conference room. Arx, Strange Quark, and Gar were already present. From another door walked in Agent Justin with EB.

“The plan is perfect.” EB said right away.

Nova nodded. “We hashed out some good ideas down in the mess hall. Now, I have formed a complete plan from them. Right now...”

Just then, another person walked into the room. The hooded dark figure of NightShadow.

“Ah, NightShadow, good.” Nova walked him with a firm handshake.

NightShadow looked around the gathering. “Glad to be here. I hope you aren’t expecting me to have information about the Shadow Krampus. I already spoke with Investigator Barnaby about it. I don’t know much. The shadow energy it was made from was similar to the Darkness, but not quite the same. I...”

“Thank you, but that’s not why I called you.” Nova directed him to a seat. “I have a special request for you.”

“What?”

“I’ll get to that in a moment. Just listen to the situation, which will explain most of what you’ll need to understand before I ask what I need to ask.” Nova stood at the front of the room and turned on the monitor. An active video feed from the capital of Ka’an Dorado displayed the monstrous figure of Shadow Krampus looming over the city. “This is the current situation down on the planet. A Shadow Krampus bigger and more powerful than any others has appeared and is waiting.”

“Waiting?” Gar asked.

“Yes. You all know that Lady Echidna summoned this thing, but she has not set it on the war path yet. It’s merely her guard and insurance that I obey her.”

NightShadow asked, “Who is Lady Echidna?”

EB said, “Nova’s wife....or Ex-Wife, I’m not sure.”

“WIFE!” NightShadow blurted out.

Nova said, “For another time. Right now, the most dangerous person I can imagine is waiting for me to come and talk with her. She knows that there are thousands of heroes who will come to my call, so she has set this guardian to ensure that only those she desires stand before her. And if I should try to overpower her, I would be alone. But, I have another idea. I’m going to meet with her and I know what she wants. But, I’m not going alone. Strange Quark and EB will go with me, as they are strong enough to stand against her. She won’t perceive two others with me as a risk. She has a whole hoard of minions at her command. However, at the same time, Gar, Arx, Justin, you will summon the heroes of Earth and tell them to take down Shadow Krampus. He isn’t moving, but they can provoke him.”

Justin spoke up, “Sir, I know we talked about this part of the plan in the mess, and I still don’t agree. They constantly blame BADGE for collateral property damage, not to mention risk to lives. Why provoke an attack when there is no attack happening on the enemy’s part?”

“Because the true enemy is not the forty story Krampus in Ka’an Dorado. The enemy is Lady Echidna. She is ten times more dangerous than that shadow monster. I’ll distract her while the heroes battle that thing and bring it down. Once she’s deprived of her guardian, the heroes can come to my side and we will force her back out of this reality. That’s where you come in.” He looked at NightShadow.

“Me?”

“Yes. More than five hundred years ago, I, with the help of some friends, removed her from power by forcing her into the void. That tear in space created by the Darkness last year allowed her to return. I mean to fix that problem.”

Strange Quark said, “I like the idea, I really do. But she is horribly powerful.”

“Yes, she is. There are a few who can resist her power, and I’m one of them. Besides, I know she’s weaker now since she has only just returned. Her power is growing and we need to do this before she becomes a serious problem.”

NightShadow asked, “What do you need me to do?”

“I need you to watch over the tear in space from here. Also, use your special connection to the void to keep this station and BADGE from her watchful eye. She has already proven capable of spying at her leisure. That ends now.”

“I can do that.” NightShadow said.

Nova stood up and fixed his gloves. “Justin, take Gar and Arx and rally the troops. Do not engage until after I have landed and am talking to her. I don’t want her to know what we are up to. Strange Quark, EB, you’re with me.”

Quark stood up and said, “Say the word and we’ll be on her front doorstep.” He had his hand up, ready to snap his fingers.

“No. No teleportation. She’ll sense that right away. Besides, we need to give Justin time to get this message out.”

EB jumped up and ran across the table. “Nova, buddy, don’t go. I can take her. I won’t be bamboozled again...I promise. Quark can even take your form and fool her long enough for me to feed her an egg filled with...”

“You know how clever she is. You know she’ll see through any ruse that isn’t me.” Nova said.

EB pouted. “I just don’t want you to go. She is soooo mean.”

“I know exactly how cruel she can be. But I can deal with her. You and Quark get the shuttle ready. I’m going to take care of something.”

The hushes of a breathing machine softly broke the deathly silence of the infirmary. Dr. Henderson had to put Chase on life-support as her body was slowly shutting down.

“Nova?” Santa looked up from where he had fallen asleep watching his daughter.

Nova walked over to Chase’s bedside and looked down at her. “I’m going to save her life, my old friend. I promised I would take care of her when you first sent her to me, and I mean to see that to the bitter end.”

“You’re going to confront that demon?” Santa asked.

Nova nodded, “Yes. I have to.”

“Are you sure she’ll give Chase back?”

Nova shook his head. “I don’t know. But, I have to try.”

Santa stood up and walked over to Nova. “Why? Every time this witch gains power, you take it personally. It’s like you’re repaying a debt, but I don’t see the debtor?”

“The debt I owe is far older than you, Santa. You do not know what I did. If it weren’t for me, this witch would never have gained the power she has. Every time she rises to power and begins killing people, their blood is on my hands. I will not allow Chase’s blood to stain my hands while I live. I would rather die.”

“I’m coming with you.”

Nova smiled at Santa, “I would welcome your support, but I need you to stay out of this.”

“What?”

“I need to know that you are safe here, watching her and BADGE. I know you never wanted to play hero, but I need you to be strong in case...in case I don’t make it. Besides, I’m taking EB with me.”

“But, EB is not a military leader. I was the Grand Admiral of the Vexillian armies.”

Nova laughed, “True. But EB helped me vanquish this witch once before.”

“He did? I didn’t know that.”

“It’s a long story and I don’t have time to tell it. I just needed you to know I’m going and if I succeed, Chase will wake.”

“I will do as you ask. But I still think I should go instead of EB.”

Nova looked back, “Could you grab me a cup of coffee from the waiting room? I could use a hot drink before heading out.”

“Sure.” Santa left the room.

Nova put his hand on Chase’s head, “This is for if I don’t return, but you do.” He closed his eyes and waited a moment.

“What are you doing?” Santa was now standing next to Nova.

Nova gently removed his hand. “Just wishing her well. Thanks.” He took the coffee and walked out of the infirmary.

Chapter 13:

 Agent Justin and Arx stood with Gar in the Operations center of the BADGE station. They watched with no small amount of dread in their eyes as the ethereal monolithic Krampus loomed over Ka’an Dorado. The BADGE drones keeping an eye on this were far above the city so that they could see from border to border of the city itself, and this only enhanced the surreal nature of the monster.

NightShadow stepped out of the lift. “I’ve secured the space around the station. If anyone tries to use shadow powers to spy on us, they will be blinded.”

Justin asked, “Do you know if anything else has come through?”

“I can’t be certain. I don’t know when this Lady Echidna came through. But it is so small now that it would need to be widened if anything tries to enter this reality.”

Arx said, “I get the feeling this lady doesn’t want to get anywhere near that hole in space again.”

“That’d be my guess.” Justin said. He looked at Gar. “Where is the shuttle now?”

Gar looked at a special tablet that was built with top security. “The shuttle has landed near the palace.”

“Okay, that’s our cue. 10915 activate the Black Alert Comm line.”

The lights changed color to a red hue and a beeping sounded to indicate the top-level alert status. Comm windows opened to League HQ’s all over Earth. Some had people already there to take this call.

“This is Agent Justin. We have a situation in Ka’an Dorado. Another Shadow Krampus has shown up, and this time, he’s much bigger and stronger than any other before. You are to go in and strike it down. Once you have completed this task, you are to proceed to the Ka’an Dorado capitol building and lend assistance as necessary. You will be given further instructions once you have entered the Capitol building. Remember, BADGE wants minimal property damage, but your focus is taking out this Shadow Krampus. For the duration of this battle, Director Nova is unavailable. I will be in charge of BADGE. Agent Justin out.”

Gar said, “That was good.”

Justin whispered, his eyes quivering at the ominous sight before him. “God, I hope this works.”

Nova walked into the capital building of Ka’an Dorado with Strange Quark on his left and EB on his right. Men and women dressed in elegant outfits lined the hall as a greeting. No AMA weapons were present, only party guests.

“Wow, that’s creepy.” EB stated when all the men and women slowly turned to look at them. Masquerade masks still on their faces.

Nova said, “She was always one for making an impression. Ignore them. She has no intention of attacking us now.”

Strange Quark waved his hand over his face and created a duck-style mask that resembled theirs. When Nova gave him a slanted glare, he smiled. “Hey, just thought I’d try to fit in.”

Before Nova could scold him for this, that sultry voice echoed down the corridor. “Welcome home, sweetie.”

It did not rattle Nova. At least he didn’t show any emotions to this, but his focus was all the more determined.

EB hopped along beside him, an explosive egg in his paw. “She looks nothing like the woman we fought before. I didn’t even know it was her. She’s a lot sexier now, in an evil villain that might eat your soul kinda way. But, still hot.”

They were let into the throne room by two men who opened the doors for them. Lady Echidna was draped across the throne, smiling at them. “How nice of you to say, Easter Bunny, or is it EB these days?”

“Look, darling, you can call me whatever you want. I’m still gonna shove this right...”

Nova stopped him. “I’m here. If you think this changes anything, you’re wrong. I still protect this world from the likes of you.”

“Oh, so you are still the champion of this little race of children. Sad. You are worthy of so much more. Once, you recognized that.” She beckoned to one of her servants, who rushed to give her a glass of wine.

Nova said, “I don’t have time to play your games. Give me back Chase, let her go and I’ll consider not shoving you into the void again.”

She sipped some wine and smiled. “Do you know what it was like, all those years, in the vast nothingness between realms? Terrifying, and a little sweet. I learned a great many new tricks there, things that even the great...what do you call yourself these days...Nova, don’t know about.”

Nova looked around the room, “I command you to submit! Obey me!” His voice became a booming echo that rattled the walls. Only EB had ever truly experienced this power of his before. Strange Quark was a bit befuddled.

The surrounding minions were swaying, and some held their heads in confusion. Lady Echidna merely sipped a little more wine and then said, “So, that was your game? You come in here and expect to erase my control over my new army. Like I even needed them.”

EB chortled. “That’s not our only plan, babe. We’re so far ahead of you!”

“Are you now?” She sat up and set the glass back on the tray of her servant, who had regained his vacant look. “You mean the other plan to attack my pet Krampus with all your heroes and then overtake me and force me to give you back Chase before shoving me into the void? That plan?”

EB stopped smiling, “Uh...no...that’s not our plan...um...”

She rose and swept over to Nova. “You think I’m not prepared for your little tricks and tactics? I’ve been preparing for this day for the past five hundred years. I have every moment meticulously planned out. Want to see how far you are from being able to defeat me? Watch!” She waved her hand and clouds of darkness formed in the air, each containing a view of the outside.

Heroes stormed in and attacked the Shadow Krampus. The fight was raging and Midgard eventually slammed the giant figure against the ground, which was followed by hundreds of energy blasts that destroyed the creature. EB was already celebrating when two more Shadow Krampus rose in the city and went after the heroes.

She whispered in Nova’s ear, “They can summon him again and again, and they will continue to defeat him. But, he will return. They will spend hours, days, even weeks hoping to defeat him but they will fail in the end. Even the strongest heroes you have cannot last forever, but my pet has no end. You lose.”

Nova grabbed her by the throat and spoke with that commanding voice. “YOU WILL OBEY ME, YOU WILL SUBMIT TO ME!”

She smiled and laughed at him. “You forget, sweetie, you could never control me.” She vanished and reappeared a few feet away from him. “But I certainly can control you.”

Nova pointed at her. “I’ll never obey you!”

“Oh, then watch them die.” She returned to her throne.

Nova heard gagging sounds and realized that his two companions were on the floor, clutching their chests. “EB! QUARK!”

EB’s eyes rolled back into his skull while Quark transformed into several creatures, each one in the same agony.

“They will die. I could have killed them the first time, but I chose to let them bring you to me. All those I touched with my power before have the darkness seeded into their hearts. In moments they will die, as will your precious Chase.”

Nova slapped the comm unit on his arm, “JUSTIN!”

Gar came through, “Director, Justin is on the floor in pain. I think he’s dying.”

Nova flicked it off and asked, “What do you want from me? Please, don’t do this!”

“Begging. That’s a pleasant start. Oh, how I missed being able to bring you to your knees. But, I’m also not unreasonable. My demand is very simple, Nova, sweetie. Return to my side. Obey as you once did. Then, they will be released. Be quick about this. They don’t have much time.”

Nova felt something he had rarely felt in his life. Helplessness. When he heard EB gasping for breath, he knew he had no choice. “Fine...I’ll join you.”

“Say it.” She demanded.

“Let them go, first. And, I will say it.”

She smiled, “I know you to be a man of your word. Do not disappoint me.” She snapped her fingers and both EB and Quark gasped in a breath and then were transported away in a flash of black mist. “Now, say it!”

He stood firm and clenched his fists. “I will...worship you.” With those words, he became as vacant as the other minions.

Chapter 14:

 “You’re gonna pace until there’s a hole in the floor.” Arx said to Justin.

“The heroes have taken down several Shadow Krampus in Ka’an Dorado and he just keeps coming back. How can we send heroes in to help Director Nova if they keep fighting those shadow things?” Justin continued to walk.

Gar said, “Maybe Nova doesn’t need the help. EB and Quark are really powerful.”

“I don’t know. I just don’t like this. I feel...I feel strange.” Justin staggered and fell against a console as he gripped his chest.

Arx hit the deck on his knees and held his throat. “I...I can’t breathe...gah...” He gagged.

Gar panicked, “Justin, Arx! Someone help!”

A robot announced, “Calling Doctor Henderson.”

Gar turned around twice. “NightShadow?”

Nova’s voice burst through the comm, “JUSTIN!”

Gar grabbed Justin’s comm unit. “Director, Justin is on the floor in pain. I think he’s dying.”

The comm cut off.

“Director! Help!” Gar shook the comm device.

Dr. Henderson rushed in with an aide and quickly checked the two men. “This isn’t good. Arx is out, and Justin is...stay with me!” She pressed a device up against his neck. “I can’t get oxygen into him. Nothing is working. I don’t understand.”

Arx suddenly gasped and panted. “I...can’t...I can breathe. What...”

Justin did the same, gasping and then breathing as though he had just returned from drowning.

“Calm down, calm...” Dr. Henderson administered some medication and helped him sit up. The aide assisted Arx.

Two flashes of light appeared and both Quark and EB landed in the middle of the Operations center.

“Oh, my head.” EB flopped on his back. “That bitch, she got me.”

Quark turned into a toad, “Aw, crud. I almost croaked. Now, I’m a toad. Someone dump some water on me, or better yet, vodka.”

Justin stood with the help of Dr. Henderson. “No time for jokes, Quark. What happened?”

Quark, still a toad, answered, “I’m not entirely sure. She had control of everything. It was a plan. She knew we would come and Nova would try to use the heroes as a backup. She demanded Nova’s obedience. In exchange, she would spare our lives. I sorta lost focus after I heard all that. I guess he agreed to her demands, otherwise would likely be dead.”

“NOT A CHANCE!” EB roared and then grabbed his forehead. “Oh, no yelling until this headache goes away.”

“Where’s my comm?” Justin looked at his wrist.

Gar handed it back.

Justin clicked it on. “NightShadow? Where are you?”

NightShadow’s voice came through. “I was outside, checking on my defenses against the void, and something grabbed me. I couldn’t move, couldn’t use my powers. It was like I was frozen. I was just released. What the hell is going on?”

“Get in here. I think our plans just went down the toilet.” Justin changed the comm line. “Agent Justin to Krystal Fae, report?”

Krystal flew hard toward the looming shadow Krampus that swiped a massive claw at a dozen heroes. She spoke into her wrist comm, “This is the seventh Krampus I’ve fought so far. There’s another on the other side of town. Midgard is...” She dove and then zoomed hard to avoid a spray of energy from the monster’s eyes. Once stable, she continued, “Midgard is taking on a third in the Market District. I hate to say this, but we are hardly able to keep this city from being damaged.”

“Our priority is stopping Lady Echidna. Do what you can to move heroes toward the Capitol.”

“That may not be possible.” Krystal cringed when a massive explosion rocked the city behind her.

“What was that?”

Looking back, she smiled, “Looks like Midgard just smote another Krampus and I’m not seeing it reforming. And...” A second explosion echoed across the country, “there goes number two. All that’s left is the one in front of me.”

“Take it down and then get to Nova now. His life may be in serious danger.”

“Understood.” Krystal charged at the last Krampus while every other hero in Ka’an Dorado converged on the beast.

Punches, kicks, rocks, cars, and anything else joined hundreds of energy beams, bolts, and blasts the heroes could throw. This last Krampus exploded in a ghostly mist.

“Done.” Krystal said and clicked on her comm, “All heroes, to the Capitol Building.” She led the charge, only to find a new Shadow Krampus form as they approached the square in front of the Mayan pyramid shaped building. “This...isn’t right.”

The heroes went to work attacking it. Midgard body slammed it and ripped the shadowy head from the body and threw it away. It was a quick battle, but just as the heroes tried to cross the square again, another Krampus formed.

“Wait!” Krystal called out. “There’s something wrong.”

“I ENJOY MAULING THIS JERK!” Midgard yelled.

Krystal said, “But, he isn’t attacking... he’s just standing there.”

“What’s going on?” Justin asked into his comm.

Krystal came through. “Every time we defeat Krampus and then approach the Capitol Building, another Krampus forms. These are... not as strong as the others. It’s like a defender who can’t be beat, but isn’t really that strong. We can’t kill it, but we can’t get past it.”

“This isn’t right.” Quark said, still a toad on the ground. “Lady Echidna is just holding us back, keeping us from getting to Nova.”

“What’s she doing to my Buddy? I’m gonna go in and stop her myself!” EB hopped toward the lift.

“Wait!” Justin said.

“No. That bitch is just keeping us away. She’s doing something terrible to my bestest friend and I won’t have it.” EB jumped up and slapped the control to call for the elevator.

Justin said, “Look, I’m pissed too. But running head first at this won’t do much good. We have to plan.”

“So, we’re going back?” EB came back to Justin in a flash.

Justin nodded. “Yes.”

“She’s so strong. This may not be a good idea.” Quark said in a strangely croaky voice.

Justin straightened up. “While Nova is away, I’m in command. I say we organize ourselves and rescue our leader and friend. We’ve faced demons, monsters, dragons, and time itself. This creature calling herself Echidna is just another villain to be vanquished. She raised the stakes when she stole Nova, and I won’t have it. Quark, pull yourself together and work with NightShadow. We have to disrupt her power over the void. Arx, Gar, I want you to...”

The lift opened, and Chase stepped out with Santa at her side. She was pale and had to use her father’s arm to keep standing up straight.

“CHASE!” EB bound over to her and was hugging her leg.

She smiled at the affectionate bunny, but then gave Justin a grim look. “I know what you're doing. Nova told me you would. But you cannot do this.”

“What are you talking about?” Justin asked.

Chase kindly removed the bunny and then worked her way down to the front of the room with Santa’s help. “Nova connected with me while I was in that coma. He gave me knowledge about him, about this woman, and about his plan. He knew she would want him, need him to come to her side. Her love for him is psychotic. Using that, he would bargain for our freedom, for my life. But, he said to me, if I woke and he had not returned, to keep everyone from going to his rescue.”

Gar asked, “Why? We love him too. He’s our family.”

Chase went silent as she processed her thoughts. “He told me everything. He showed me his history. I’m still sorting it out. It’s like a nightmare I’m trying to piece together after waking. What I learned is what she is and who He is. Nova... he’s nothing we imagined. Both him and this woman are powerful beyond measure. If we go to his rescue now, we’ll all die. None of us is truly ready to face her.”

Justin asked, “That’s it? He commanded us to abandon him?”

“No.” Chase said, “He saved me, but we must now save the world. His last command he wanted me to convey to everyone is this; be clever.”

Chapter 1:

Thousands of heroes fill every available space of the BADGE space station. Teams huddle together, but seem to mingle well with other teams. Former enemies in the arena are talking over tea while serious rivals joke with one another.

“Excuse me.” Chase pushes past a group who are watching a news monitor near the main mess hall.

Gar sidles along, his large wings making it extra hard to get around such a crowded space. He smiles as he says to Chase, “look, Darkwrath and Mr. Stupendous are eating lunch together. I thought they hated each other.”

“They did. At least after Faction Wars, they were bitter. But, I suppose getting shoved together in here has made them put aside grudges.”

“So, there is something good about this,” said Gar.

“Sure.” Chase muttered and found her way into the lift for the operations center.

She and Gar stepped out of the lift into the command center and found it too had a lot of extra people here. Heroes sat among the robots at the operation stations. Some helped do work, while others looked positively bored.

Santa met her at the front of the room. “Angela! Good, the call is about to start.”

“Incoming communications on secure channels.” A robot announced.

“Put it through.” She glanced back at a tech hero sitting among the robots. “Charlie, I want you to monitor all the tech and be certain no one hacks this signal.”

Two screens opened, one with Prime Minister Shizue and one with Mayor Christopher of Neo Utopia.

“Prime Minister, Mayor Christopher.” She greeted them.

Shizue asked, in a tone like a mother, “how are you, Chase?”

“As well as I can be under the circumstances. How are the heroes under your care?”

Shizue gave a soft nod. “We have over five thousand refugees in our borders right now. Most of them are unregistered supers that are too young or too old to be fighting anyone with their powers. No BADGE leagues made it inside before we were forced to seal the barrier. But we have a lot of amateur meta-humans helping protect us.”

Chase asked the Mayor, “what about Neo Utopia?”

“We don’t have any leagues present, either. Our focus was to get children and unregistered metas here. We have over ten thousand refugees in this city. I’m afraid some are sleeping in tents in the parks. Strangely enough, Rutkowski’s men have been seeing to security both on our border and on the streets. This city has never been safer. However, the combined forces of the World Corps and the UN are standing watch for any crack in our defenses.”

Shizue said, “the same here. We have a massive army standing just outside my barrier wall. The moment they see a crack, they will invade. I do not want war in our streets, but I won’t back down to their threats, either. My people have had enough bullies.”

Mayor Christopher asked, “what did Nova say is the next move? All the legitimate heroes of Earth are on standby, but for how long?”

“I...I don’t know. Director Nova never told me his plans. He simply didn’t want BADGE going to war against the nations. Any action against the World Corps would be viewed as an attack against all the nations. It would be civil war across the entire planet.”

Christopher said, “we must consider the next action. Without a plan from Nova, it’s up to us.”

“I concur,” Shizue said. “We cannot stand idle forever. My people will starve. We can barely support ourselves.”

Chase waited for someone else to pipe in with an idea or comment, but everyone simply looked at her. She recognized those eyes. It was the same look people gave Nova when it was time for a new plan. “I...I will...we...I will have to consider what to do and get back to you. All I can say is to be vigilant and don’t let harm come to those people. BADGE out.” She cut off the signal.

Santa kindly said, “that was well done, Angela.”

Chase put her face in her hand and whispered, “oh, God, what do I do? I’m not ready for this.”

***

Gamma sat in the command center of the secret base for the World Corps. On a screen was a view into the temporary HQ set up near the United Nations. Judge Alpha and Beta sat in that room talking to other people on other monitors.

“Judge Alpha, the situation in the streets of Cairo is drastic. The Dust Devil gang is wreaking havoc. They are meta humans and known villains. My people cannot fight them with the regular police. We need your heroes to do something.” An ambassador from Egypt complained.

Alpha smiled at him with all the diplomacy she had. “I understand. Our heroes were only recently trained and assigned. I’m sure something will be done soon.”

A woman said, “just this week, two meta humans destroyed three banks and carried off the vaults. They are flaunting their actions in the face of our constabulary, knowing they can’t be stopped without heroes present. Tell your people to do something!”

Beta said, “we hear your concerns and I’ll address the UN soon about this. I’m sure our Commander Gamma will deal with this. I’m afraid our search for BADGE and their villains taxed our resources more than expected. Tell your people we will have the matter in hand.”

The screens to the UN cut off, and both Alpha and Beta turned to the secret monitor and looked at Gamma with severe eyes. Alpha demanded, “what’s going on, Gamma! We just gained the public’s trust. We can’t violate it now.”

Gamma shrugged with a loud huff, “tell that to our mighty leader. He said I would have command over the augments, and yet all I have been able to do is coordinate our mercs with the UN forces. The augments are only worried about finding BADGE and obeying Delta.”

“Where is Delta?” Beta craned his head to look around Gamma.

“Didn’t show up. Still back in the lab researching something.”

“Go and tell him what’s going on. I don’t care how much he threatens us, even he must realize we must do something,” commanded Alpha.

Gamma left his seat and walked back to the labs. Pushing the doors open, he found Delta glued to a complex computer terminal. Dr. Osteen was at another station, working on some genetic research. The fat doctor gave Gamma a shrug. Even he knew everyone was unhappy with Delta right now.

“Hey Delta, we have a growing problem.”

Delta ran several calculations and watched a map of the Earth. “It is out there, the time particles are fluctuating at the precise frequencies and 2200 hours. I will find you.”

Gamma stepped closer, “aren’t you listening to me?”

The map had a red marker show up and beeped wildly. Delta burst out with joy, “there! There he is! That is the temporal vortex that opened for seven point nine seconds. That must be how and when he got here. Now, I just need to find him.” He grabbed a tablet and walked away, just as focused on this new device as he had been on the computer.

“Delta!” Gamma watched him walk out of the room.

Delta casually waved a hand behind him, “yes, yes. Don’t bother me.”

Chapter 2:

Gamma stood in the laboratory, frustrated and at a loss for what action to take. The bays that were formally filled with the augmented people were vacant. The testing facilities were offline. Only a few computers remained operational. The only other living soul here was Dr. Osteen, and he had his nose buried in his own computer.

“Osteen!”

“It’s doctor Osteen. I didn’t suffer twelve years of college and a painful dissertation to leave that part out.” Osteen declared and then continued working.

Gamma stomped over to him. “Fine, Doctor Osteen. Do you have any idea why Delta is acting so...strange lately?”

Osteen shrugged, “who knows? That dude has been a bundle of nerves since the day he broke me outta prison. He has been more up tight lately.”

“Can you show me what he has been working on in here?”

Osteen sat back and said, “everything he works on is locked out to everyone, including me. He keeps his secrets. However...” Osteen gained a devilish smile. “I can hack into just about anything. One of the many reasons I’m the most wanted scientist in the world.”

“Prove it.”

Osteen shoved off against his own station and wheeled across the lab in his chair, landing in front of Delta’s station. In a show of pure theater, he cracked his knuckles, wiggled his fingers, and then went to town on the keyboard. “Lets see...simple firewalls, password check points, some basic diversionary programs...and....here...we...go. Eleven seconds and I’m in. Not my personal best, but pretty good.”

“So, what do you see?” Gamma leaned in and was met by a blindingly confusing array of numbers, graphs, and simulations.

“Interesting, very interesting. Looks like Delta has been using this lab to track disturbances in time. Wow, would you look at that? Time is fracturing all over the world. This is really odd and seriously bad.”

“Fracturing?” Gamma asked.

“It’s like that episode of Star Trek Voyager when the ship is broken up into different time periods. It was a Chakotay heavy episode, but still good.”

“In non-nerdspeak please.”

“Basically, the theoretical fabric of time in this solar system has small cracks in it. They’re all pretty tiny, hardly enough to cause any significant problems. But, for a moment, a crack opened that was huge, but then sealed itself. That’s what Delta was looking at.”

Gamma paced behind the doctor. “I guess something like this could be concerning. Although, why is he keeping it to himself? If there’s a problem like this, we should all know. Do you have any more info on the time situation?”

“No. It looks like he found the big fracture and stopped testing the time problem.” Osteen scrolled through screens of data, which included DNA mapping, diagrams of the morphon crystals, and more.

“What’s all that?” Gamma asked.

“This is my work, but he has...I don’t know...changed it. No, wait, he didn’t do this, I did. Fascinating.” Osteen leaned in closer to read a report.

“You did something?” Gamma was still lost.

“Delta’s strange additions he had me design during the development of the augments have a purpose. I can’t tell what it is, but it’s more important than anything else. I think these alterations are the crux of all his plans, but I can’t tell what they do.”

“What did Delta have you do? Aren’t the augments just programmed to follow orders for the Word Corps?”

Osteen shook his head. “On the surface, yes. But there’s something more. Do me a huge favor and keep an eye out. I’m going to sort this out and I don’t want Delta vaporizing me for digging through his files.”

Gamma said, “I’m no computer expert, but wouldn’t he already be alerted to you digging round top secret folders?”

“Seriously, you are a real noob at this stuff. I didn’t just barge into his files and start poking around. I cloned his info and am looking at an independent system. As far as he is concerned, his files are still locked down and secure. However, if he sees me looking at this, I’ll have a hole in my chest, you know that.”

“True. Keep reading. I’ll go make sure you aren’t bothered.”

Gamma strolled into the command center as casual as any other day. To his great relief, Delta was focused on the comm screen, so he hadn’t noticed the intrusion to his private files.

Judge Alpha spoke to him from her location near the UN, “we can’t just sit around and wait while villains attack cities. The world is counting on our heroes to replace BADGE.”

“Tell them, once we have Nova, then our heroes will keep their people secure. Not before.”

“We can’t do that!” Alpha yelled in reply. “The Australian Prime Minister just said that Kangaroo Killer has already taken a whole town. His minions have all the city’s leadership tied up in the middle of the street. We have to do something.”

Delta huffed, “put the Prime Minister through to me.”

“But...”

“NOW!”

Alpha slammed a control and her screen changed to the office of the Australian Prime Minister, who was more than shocked at the sudden appearance.

“Hello, to whom am I speaking?” She asked.

Delta cooled off. “I’m Delta, a member of the ruling counsel for the World Corps.”

“I have never heard of you. I was speaking with your superior, Judge Alpha. Please...”

“You’re speaking with me now. When I have Director Nova in my hands, then my heroes will help protect your people. His capture is far more important than petty criminals.”

“I would hardly call Kangaroo Killer petty. He was threatening to kill all the city officials just for fun, on live streaming. Fortunately for the both of us, someone else stepped up and put a stop to the crime spree in that city moments ago. Kangaroo Killer and his cohorts are currently in custody.”

“What!? Who did this? Was it Nova?”

“Doubtful, Mr. Delta. Some mechanical heroes arrived and saved the city. I do not believe they are superheroes, but they are certainly heroes to my people. The lack of hero support from the World Corps has severely tarnished my opinion of you and your actions. I will be filing a request for an inquiry with the United Nations.”

“You do that.” Delta cut the communication off.

Gamma asked, “who stepped up to save that city? I thought all heroes were currently in hiding.”

Delta casually commanded, “computer, scan Australia for any rise in morphonic activity.” A map appeared, and the country was scanned ten times.

“Negative: no heightened morphonic activity registered in the area of Australia.”

Delta brushed this off. “Must be some jokers who decided to play hero. Not our concern.” He slapped the comm button and Alpha was called up again. “Tell Beta we’re about to call on the UN for an emergency meeting, now.”

“But...”

“Now!”

Chapter 3:

Nova’s office seemed so big right now. Chase couldn’t decide it if was because she was alone on a station jammed with wall-to-wall people or because Nova filled the room so much when she was here. Running her gloved hand over his desk, she wanted so much to be on the other side, talking to him.

“Dammit, Nova, where are you?” She whispered as she activated a small computer. It held all his secret orders and commands. She had access to information that Nova wouldn’t allow God to see if he asked. Yet, she didn’t care about some of his deepest, darkest secrets, just the last page of orders and plans he had written out.

On the screen were simple words, spelling out: Contain all heroes, keep them safely out of World Corps hands, do not retaliate, be ready for the right time."

Gar stepped into the room. “Chase. Are you okay?”

“No. I’m a child playing house in an adults room.” She sat back. “Tell me something good, Gar.”

He fumbled with his words for a moment and gave this request serious thought. Finally, he smiled, “you look pretty today.”

“That’s not a proper thing to say to your C.O.”

“Oh, I just...”

She smiled at him, “but it was sweet.”

“Um...uh...oh, I do have good news.”

“I could use some right now.”

He said, “the protests outside some of the Fight Club’s have broken up. People are restarting their protests against the World Corps.”

“That’s something I suppose. Oh, Gar, what do I do? The world is tearing itself apart, and all Nova left me was a three sentence plan of doing nothing about it.”

“Director Nova was a clever man. We should trust him.”

“How far do we take that trust?” Chase asked.

Before Gar could stumble over another answer, a red light blinked on the desk and she was summoned back to the command room.

Chase led Gar back into Operations where all the robots and assisting heroes watched the giant monitor on the back wall. “Report!”

A hero said, “The Stygian has broken free from captivity and is attacking New Amsterdam. She has a small band of minions from the prison with her. The local police have been told to keep their distance since they don’t have...uh...hero support.”

On the monitor, they could see the garishly green clad villain leading a hoard of marauding hooligans as they ransacked the high-end shopping district. The Stygian unleashed green bolts of energy, playfully destroying water tanks on top of old apartment buildings.

A woman on the news spoke about the chaos. “It is mayhem in downtown New Amsterdam. The Chief of Police has requested all citizens evacuate the East Side. Right now, the National Guard and Police are working together to create a barrier, hoping to keep the enemies contained. However, if a concerted strike on any one point of such a barrier is executed, it is unclear if any normal methods of containment can hold. The Mayor has called upon the World Corps to send in their heroes, but so far there has been no response.”

A hero sitting with one robot muted the monitors. “We can have our team ready in moments! Send us down there.”

Chase watched the atrocities being executed in the defenseless city.

“Director!” the hero demanded her attention.

“Chase...” Gar tapped her shoulder.

She did not turn to answer, “no.”

“NO!? But...why?”

“It’s what Nova wanted. We must...”

“Nova didn’t want us fighting the World Corps or the UN. These are just villains.”

Chase said, “no. We cannot move without drawing everyone in. We must wait.”

“Wait, wait, wait! That’s all you say! We’re going down there.” The hero stormed away from the desk toward the lift.

“Carol! Look!” Another hero stopped the enraged woman.

The screen was unmuted when everyone watched a team of three large, two-legged robots appear with people piloting them. They unleashed a volley of lasers that took down all the general rabble in one shot. The Stygian rushed in to fight, but it was a brief battle. Soon, she and her companions were quickly rounded up and hauled off.

The news anchor said, “I’m not sure what these devices are. They have never been seen before either by a known world power or by BADGE. They have markings on them, but they match nothing in use by the World Corps’ forces. More about this as this story unfolds.”

Chase gave a slicing motion across her throat and the sound was cut off. “Do any of you know who or what those are?”

None of the other heroes in the room answered.

Chase said, “fine. I don’t like the idea of an unknown rogue party stepping up to fight villains, but at least they were quick and efficient.”

Gar asked, “do you think these are part of Nova’s plan?”

“I don’t know, and I have no idea how to find out.”

***

Delta sat at the command table in the secret HQ. Before him was the large monitor with small windows displaying faces of men and women from the UN.

“Who are you?” A man asked.

“I’m part of the commanding council of the World Corps.”

An Indian woman said, “we only speak with the leader or formal representative. Where is Judge Alpha?”

“Judge Alpha reports to me. I’m the last word in the World Corps.”

An American man said, “I always thought there must be someone pulling her strings. I thought it was your own little group of representatives, your own private little United Nations.”

Delta smiled from behind those dark sunglasses of his. “I have dissolved that little committee. For now, I’m the only vote that matters.”

“What is it you want to cast your vote on, sir?” A woman from England asked.

“We have a serious problem.” Delta said.

The Indian rep said, “yes. Villains are roaming our streets and cities unchecked. We need hero support from the World Corps now.”

“That problem is secondary.”

“Secondary!” The American barked. “People are being kidnapped, banks are being robbed, entire cities are being taken over by these petty tyrants. What about this is secondary?”

Delta laughed, “meager problems that will be resolved quickly once the actual situation is dealt with.”

“And just what is the situation you speak of?”

Delta gave them all a cold, quiet pause and then said, “Director Nova remains at large. Our combined forces have failed to bring him in. We must have him, or all our efforts for peace will be for nothing.”

“Bah!” The French rep replied. “Nova is on his station with the other heroes. We don’t have time to worry about one man who has had all his power curtailed.”

“Nova is still here, on Earth. I know it. The time vortex opened and closed AFTER the heroes evacuated!”

“Time vortex?” The rep from England frowned at him. “What are you talking about?”

Delta calmed himself down. “I have evidence of Nova’s activity after the heroes evacuated. It happened after the last shuttle left, after the last portal was sealed. He’s still here. And if he did, somehow, make it to the station, we have a bigger problem.”

The America thrust a finger at the camera. “We have wasted enough resources for the World Corps’ plans. We aren’t spending any more time, people, or money for a single man-hunt. He’ll be found, eventually.”

“I’m not asking for a bigger man hunt. I have a proposal.”

The Indian woman asked, “what sort of proposal?”

“We know there isn’t just one, but three safe havens for the criminals of BADGE. The BADGE space station and orbital arena are the primary location. However, they have also hidden people in Neo Utopia and North Onnotangu. From those locations, Nova can orchestrate a retaliation using all the combined heroes and agents of BADGE.”

“Nova wouldn’t do...”

“Have you so quickly forgotten Hollywood, destroyed by a BADGE force? Washington D.C. assaulted by a BADGE led force, Poseidon Island was leveled by BADGE heroes. Pretoria was nearly reduced to rubble. Should I go on? Do you want to wait until more cities are destroyed, more lives are lost?”

The rep from England nodded. “the evidence appears damning. However, what can we do to stop him when we cannot find him?”

A slight, demonic smile crept across Delta’s face. “We have to do to them what they did to you. You have developed the sub-atomic weapons.”

“That is top secret! How do you know...”

“It is still secret enough. I learned it from good sources. These weapons were designed to save this world against a villain like Jinn or Krampus if BADGE failed to stop them. BADGE cannot stop these weapons, or even see them coming, no one can. You have the power to reduce all three safe havens to radioactive ash. Do it, and the future of this world will finally be safe from the evils of Nova.”

“We will...discuss this.”

“You have twenty-four hours. If you fail to give me an answer, I’ll withdraw all my heroes from your countries and there will be nothing to save you from the villains.” He clicked off the comm channel, a look of supreme satisfaction on his face.

Chapter 4:

Chase stood on a table in the middle of the mess hall of the station. Several dozen leaders of Leagues and other heroes listened to her.

“I know you want to return. The world is a mess right now and we could help. But we must be patient and wise. Nova has a plan...”

“Nova is not here.” Hotwings said.

“I know. And I’m not clear on his plan either. But I know it will work. We must have faith in that. For now, we must sit and wait.”

“I’m through waiting. We’re not controlled by BADGE like those augments with the World Corps. We can go home and do what we do best.” Bartman said with a lot of agreement from the others.

Chase was quiet for a moment and let them murmur until they gave her back their attention. She said, “you’re correct. You’re not programmed automatons of BADGE. You simply listen and obey out of loyalty. BADGE has always kept this world’s best interest at heart, which is a lot more than the World Corps can say. However, instead of vague orders to sit and wait, I offer a compromise. Give this one more day, just twenty-four more hours. If nothing new makes this plan clear, then you’re free to go home. All I would ask then is that you be wise about confronting the World Corps directly. Deal with the local villainy, but don’t push this world into a global war that could be devastating.”

All the league leaders talked to each other and finally it was Hotwings who answered. “Fine, twenty-four hours.”

***

Delta sat in the conference room, those same sour faces on the screen from the United Nations security council.

“Well, what is your decision?” was his greeting to them.

The woman from India spoke without hesitation in her voice, “the answer is no. We will not use the sub-atomic weapons on cities or nations simply to strike at one man.”

The fury in Delta’s eyes was palpable. “You would be so unwise as to not see the opportunity to execute the most dangerous man in history. What if you could use this to kill Jinn before he rose to power, or Krampus, or Hitler? What do you want to tell future generations who will look down in shame knowing the chance at global peace was in their hands and you threw it away out of fear?”

The American said, “it is not fear, Mr. Delta, it is wisdom. We’re not in the business of mass murder simply to hope to kill off one villain.”

The rep from England added, “so far, we still cannot fully corroborate your evidence that BADGE was behind all the attacks you mentioned. Some attacks seemed obvious, but others were more than questionable.”

Delta said, “all the evidence, right in front of your eyes, and you are blind.”

“We aren’t stupid.” The American said.

The French rep said, “also, it is our choice to condemn the World Corps for failing to fulfill their promise of protection and for harboring secret information highly guarded by the United Nations. We will launch a full investigation into how you came about the information about the sub-atomic weapons at our disposal. Such information should not be public knowledge.”

Delta shook with rage, “you...condemn...ME!”

“We do.”

He stood up and glared at them with an odd green color in his eyes. “Then the blood shall be upon your hands.” He cut off the comm signal.

***

Gamma listened to this exchange, cold inside as he realized how close this came to utter destruction of millions of lives. He quickly left the door of the conference room and hurried toward the laboratory.

Slamming open the door, he called out, “Osteen! Where is that data? I want to...Osteen?” He found the lab vacant. The automated lights flickered on at his presence.

“Osteen!” He called into his wrist comm.

Nothing.

A lone computer was active at Osteens’ usual station. Gamma found several files on the screen locked behind coded security. The moment he came close to them, his wrist comm activated, and he was met by the voice of Dr. Osteen. “Sorry to leave you, but this has gotten way too big for me. If Delta is there with you, tell him hi for me. If he is not, just say bugle horn.”

Gamma frowned, “Bugle Horn?”

Those words unlocked the files on the computer. Osteen was clever. He chose this tactic so that Gamma would accidentally open these files only if Delta wasn’t present.

As he looked upon the data, the color in Gamma’s face faded. It was one line after another of stats and results of tests. Simulations ran over and over.

“I have to talk to the others.”

Delta burst through the door of Conference Room B. Gamma sat in the room with Alpha and Beta on separate screens. They were obviously in a deep discussion. A holographic screen hovered in the middle of the room, which was shut off quickly.

“Good. I wanted to see all three of you.”

Alpha coolly said, “coincidentally, we need to talk to you. Sit.”

Delta sat down at the table, a lack of rage in him at her command, which was almost as scary as his fury would be. “I see you must have something terribly important to tell me. First, Gamma, what happened to all the soldiers around this place? Have we forgotten to pay them for their services?”

“I sent them home.” Gamma calmly answered.

“Now, why would you do such a thing?”

Alpha said, “it’s over. Your continued new plans have only driven an excellent scheme into catastrophe. In a matter of days, you have turned the United Nations against us. We had them in our back pocket.”

Beta said, “just moments ago, I got a summons to meet with the United Nations Security Council about a condemnation over illegal actions. They want me to draft an official statement against the World Corps. These are the same people I had convinced to do whatever I wanted them to do.”

“You’ve gone too far,” Gamma added.

Delta hardly made eye contact with them as he examined his fingernails. “It matters very little what the UN thinks of us. Soon, this will all be nothing but a bothersome memory.”

“Why? Because of this.” Gamma turned the holo screen back on.

Delta sat forward and looked at his own private plans. “Oh, I see you have been busy. Digging into files you really shouldn’t see. I told you I had secrets not meant for your eyes.”

Alpha barked, “what is this? You had Dr. Osteen program some kind of secret code into the DNA of the augments. Something that came from your own DNA. What is it? Why are the morphon crystals so important to all of this?”

Beta said, “these simulations show you gaining powers, powers that go beyond anything we can imagine. How, why? What purpose would that serve?”

“That is not for you to know. Even if I explained, you couldn’t possibly understand it.”

“STOP TREATING US LIKE CHILDREN. I DEMAND ANSWERS!” Alpha bellowed.

“You will do what I say when I say it. That is all that matters. That you learned these secrets is hardly concerning. You can’t understand this data. Only that it shows that I am mo

re powerful than you is all that worries you. That is no surprise. I have always been more powerful than you. Now, stop worrying about this, stop yelling at me, and do what I say.”

“And what are you glorious commands, Delta?” Alpha asked.

Delta said, “the United Nations needs to learn genuine fear of me, of the World Corps. We need them cowed like the small children they are. Therefore, Gamma, use the meta-command module on the augments and order them to kill all the world leaders and their families.”

A wave of gasps ran through the three others. Gamma said, “I will do no such thing.”

Delta calmly looked at the others. “Any of you willing to follow this order?”

Beta said, “no. I will not be party to such an act of murder.”

Alpha said, “this ends here and now. I’ll not allow you to do this. The World Corps was always about power and control, but never that depth of depravity. I will turn you over to...to...” she grasped her throat and gagged.

Beta and Gamma were in the same position, gasping for breath, but unable to draw in any air.

Delta stood up from his seat. “Pity. You were such useful idiots. I guess your time is over. As your hearts beat their last pitiful pulses, I remind you that you were given a chip to help keep us connected so that no one would ever be lost. This chip also is a fail-safe against a coup.”

All three fell dead.

Delta took off his glove and pulled out the control mechanism. “Such is the end of all petty tyrants in history.”

Calling up a command screen on the computer, he accessed a special communication protocol. “Delta to all augments across this world. Kill the world leader you have been assigned to, kill their families, kill their staff. Make it as public as possible.”

Chapter 5:

The main monitor in front of Chase had the horrible events spread across it like a nightmare that simply wouldn’t end. Gray skinned augments flew around, attacking palaces, court houses, homes, planes, and other forms of official transport. Jets attacked the augments, but their firepower was no match for the amplified morphonic abilities of these people.

The man reporting the news spoke in a professional, but sorrow filled tone. “So far, over seventy-eight world leaders have been assassinated in less than six hours. Prime Ministers, judges, governors, and ambassadors are among the dead. We have not received a count yet, but we know that many of these people have had their homes attacked, killing everyone inside. This unprovoked coup, led by World Corps heroes, caught everyone off guard. The same words are ringing from every corner of the world. BADGE save us! Two hours ago, the United Nations officially declared all outstanding warrants against BADGE and their associated heroes nullified and have called for aid from the organization deemed criminal just a few days prior. We at the International News Network also call for BADGE. Please, if you can hear us, Director Nova, we need your heroes.”

Chase cut off the sound and looked back at the people sitting at the stations with the robots, then she looked at Gar. “Come on, everyone, down to the mess, immediately.”

It was a quick rush down through the station to the main hall, where most League leaders were currently waiting for their answer. The ultimatum was given less than a day ago, and they were sure it was time. On tablets, small screens, and mounted televisions, the same horrible news echoed through the halls of BADGE. Heroes stood in stunned silence at the sight of such merciless killing.

Chase pushed through the crowd and stood on a table. She pressed a button on her comm and all the screens went silent.

“Everyone! I’m sure you have heard the news.”

“LET US GO DOWN NOW!” Hotwings demanded.

Chase gave him a nod. “I see no reason...”

There came a great blue flash of light behind her and she knew the color of it as it reflected off everyone’s eyes. Turning, she let out a yelp of joy at the sight of Director Nova, Strange Quark, EB, and an odd man in red armor.

Nova stepped up, giving everyone a surprised look. Finally, he said, “well, what are you waiting for? Save the Earth!”

A jubilant cheering broke out as portals were opened and people rushed back to their duty. Strange Quark joined the transportation and helped zap heroes back down to the planet.

Chase called out, “head for portals and teleporter heroes, don’t use the shuttles. No time. Go, go, go!”

Turning back to Nova, Chase slowly stepped down. She just about said something when EB rushed at her and jumped up, latching on with one of his famous hugs. “I’ve missed you sooooo much. I love Nova, but he’s a stick-in-the-mud. I needed my hot babelicious Chase.”

Chase hugged him back for a moment. “You know, I kinda missed your inappropriate flirting.”

“Dawwww!” He was nuzzling her.

“Okay, enough.” She dropped him.

Nova approached, “I’m so sorry for handing you this job so suddenly. But you kept everything in one piece.”

“All I did was follow your plan. Keep the heroes away from going to war against the World Corps. But...I didn’t know what to do after that.”

Nova said, “you did exactly what you had to. The world stopped trusting us. They turned to another source of protection, not realizing they had gotten into bed with the vipers. What we needed was for the world to see the enemy for who they were. By not engaging the World Corps directly, we gave them enough rope to hang themselves. They expected an all-out war against BADGE, but we didn’t give it to them. Once the world, as a whole, turned back to us and asked for our help, it would be time.”

“But why wait for the world to need us, to call for us? We aren’t always welcome, but we always do our job.”

Nova said, “if we had retaliated when the World Corps wanted us to, we would fight not only them, but the armed forces of their new allied nations, against the forces of the United Nations, against the media, and against public opinion. Now, we have only one enemy, the only true enemy we had from the beginning, the World Corps.”

“So, is this it? Is it now over? There is little chance the World Corps has the manpower to fight the combined forces of BADGE and the military forces of the world,” asked Chase.

The man in the red armor said, “not by a long shot.”

Chase cocked her head at him. “Who are you?”

Nova smiled and said, “pardon me, introductions are in order.”

EB hopped around, “oh, this is sooo cool. He’s...”

The man shoved EB away as he slowly walked toward her. “Chase...it has been so long.”

“Do I know you?” She paused and gave him a closer look. “Wait, I think I do know you. No...it can’t be...but...”

“Yes, Chase, I’m Nova from a distant future.”

“Sir?” She looked at Director Nova.

He nodded, “yes. He and I are the same person, just around 1300 years’ distance between us.”

“How...why...what?” Chase could not form a logical question now.

General Nova huffed, “we don’t have time for all this.”

“Come on, let’s head for operations. We’ll explain everything there.” Director Nova guided them toward the lift. His future self seemed a little misty as he looked around, but hid it as well as he could from them.

***

A large plane billowed smoke from its right engine as two augments attacked it. With one well-placed blast from the enemy, the plane sailed toward the ground near a large brick wall.

A blurry light covered the plane, and it stopped falling from the sky. In the distance, on that brick wall, three people held out hands and cast this telekinetic field to save the plane. A different man held up his hands and ten people flashed next to him, the occupants of the plane. Once they were safe, the plane was allowed to fall to the ground.

The two augments rushed the wall. The moment they got within ten feet of it, everyone quickly covered their heads in foil, including placing the same hats on their rescued people. A little girl holding a small doll looked up and her eyes went inky black. Both augments held their heads and screamed in pain. They turned and raced far away.

A man in uniform met the rescued people. “Welcome to North Onnotangu.”

“Oh, thank you, thank you. I’m General Bigos, head of the Mokash Military. We have the president’s family with us. The president was murdered by…”

“We know. It’s an old story by now. You’re safe here.”

Their new guests were escorted off the protective wall around the nation.

The general knelt down and smiled at the little girl. “You did well. I hope you gave them bad dreams.”

She toyed with her doll. “They will wet their beds for a long time.”

“I hope...”

“Sir, there is someone approaching. He’s running through the trees near the wall.” A man held a hand to his head, sensing this with his powers.

The general looked over the wall. “I see him. Ari, get him up here before we’re attacked by another augment.”

A woman with unnaturally long legs jumped down and grabbed the man and jumped back up. He landed near the general and was wobbly for the trip.

“Welcome to North Onnotangu, who....YOU!”

Dr. Osteen looked at the general. “Hello, I really need to talk to your leader right away.”

Chapter 6:

Director Nova and Chase stood in front of the main monitor with EB, General Nova, and Gar behind them. On the screen, Hotwings reported in.

Nova asked, “hows it look out there?”

“Not good. The President of the United States and his family have been murdered. Seventeen senators were killed at the same time. The US military was able to smuggle out as many dignitaries as they could.”

Chase asked, “what about the augment assigned to Washington now?”

“We have her on the run. She’s tougher than we expected. She punched Midgard right in the chin and sent him flying. I’ve seen no one do that since the battle with Jinn. I don’t know if we can stop them. These augments are incredibly strong.”

Nova said, “do what you can. As long as you can keep the augments occupied, they aren’t killing innocent people. Take them down if you can, but don’t get you or your team killed in the process.”

“Don’t worry about us. We can handle this. Hotwings out.”

The screen shut off.

General Nova stepped up, “I have word from the seventh battalion. The mechas are on the move in London. They have the augments under control there. The heroes from BADGE are ready for an ambush just outside of the city.”

“Good.”

Gar asked, “what’s a Mecha?”

General Nova answered. “Mecha are robotic suits piloted by humans. In the future, they’re the means that keep the earth safe and the tools for friendly competition...mostly.”

Chase asked, “do you organize them like the Leagues today?”

The General said, “not quite like BADGE. I help organize the mecha armies across many planets in our galaxy. In the future, there are many villains. However, there is one chief villain who has evaded complete destruction, an alien known as Drochah. He can travel in time and has used that to his advantage for as long as we’ve been fighting him and his forces.”

“Is that why time is fractured?” Chase asked.

General Nova said, “yes, and no. You see, however terrible Drochah is, he understood that interrupting the natural flow of time would be of no one’s benefit. It would destroy everything. His travels into the past were always careful and with precise work to keep from interrupting the flow of time. However, he made a terrible choice to abandon that conviction and altered history to his advantage.”

Gar asked, “what did he do?”

“Drochah was once, in the far distant past, the leader of a group you know called Legion. He was deposed by Kruhl and sent out of Legion eons ago. Since then, he has worked to regain his place as the most feared leader in all the known universe. Each time he was defeated, he would jump in time to avoid death. One time, his jump was disastrous, and he ended up stuck in this time period. He disguised himself as a human and took on the name of Delta.”

“Delta’s an alien and member of Legion!?” EB bellowed.

“Don’t yell.” The Director said.

“Sorry.”

The General continued, “yes. He organized the World Corps and used it in an attempt to overthrow this world.”

“So, that is the disruption in time?” Chase asked.

“Not exactly. His coming to the past and becoming Delta were all recorded in history. I remember it clearly. It was a paradox; It happened because it already happened. But something is terribly wrong. In my memory, the battle in Pretoria, South Africa, was their last conflict before being exposed and brought down.”

Gar said, “but, that happened.”

“The battle happened, but what I remember as the outcome and what you remember are two vastly different things. In the real timeline, the attack ended with the revelation to the world that the World Corps was behind everything. When I sent Chase, Gar, and Strange Quark to find the secret base, they found it and they also found the four leaders of the World Corps. Delta revealed himself to be an alien, killed the other three leaders and attacked you. However, he was still in a weakened state and you defeated him. He returned to the future before being killed. Somehow, he was able to jump back into the past and prevent that failure. The world never learned the truths that were uncovered there. Delta continued his plans, and here we are.”

Chase asked, “why are you here? Did you follow him back in time?”

Director Nova answered that. “I have time powers, but I lack the ability to travel in time by will alone.”

General Nova said, “in the future where Drochah is from, he tried one last effort to destroy us and take over Earth. He was so sure of his victory that when defeat came, he went insane. He jumped back into history, his own history, and altered it. That act fractured time. Today those fractures are tiny. By my time, it has utterly broken time. I could ride a wave of disrupted time back, following it to an origin point. I came out too late to stop Drochah from doing what he wanted, but I am still here to help.”

Director Nova added, “apparently some of your mechas were swept away with you, which are out there helping keep this world safe while we look for a way to fix this situation.”

“How do we stop him? He has already broken time.” Chase asked.

EB said, “this is a doozy. We Vexillians have powers to alter time, and that clock thingy is really stinking powerful. But, to fix this mess, I doubt even we could. Specially since it’s only me and Santa right now.”

General Nova said, “I don’t have that answer. But, I know a few things. First, your people are clever and have saved this world more times than you realize. You can find the answer, I know it. I trust it. Second, Drochah’s plans aren’t to destroy time. That was an unfortunate consequence of his insane move to change his failure in the past. He may not even realize how much damage he has caused, nor does he care. Drochah’s goal remains the same as it has always been. Use Earth as a staging ground to rebuild Legion in his image. He wants not to be the emperor over that horrible band of tyrants, he wants to be a god.”

“Why Earth?” EB asked.

“Because the combination of our sun and morphonic energy creates a unique power that cannot be found elsewhere. With it, he can craft powerful creatures that will be unmatched by any around this universe. He will conquer every world, rule every sector, he will place himself as god-king of all that exists.”

“But if he has broken time, then it will destroy him before he can do that.” Gar said.

“No, it won’t. It will take centuries for time to fully collapse. Before that happens, he will craft his new Legion. Time will reach a critical stage and implode. This system and all around it will be sucked into a black hole and time around the rest of the universe will continue normally.”

Chase said, “all this time talk is making my head hurt. I don’t understand.”

EB said, “well, time isn’t just one single line. It’s this wibbly wobbly timey wimey thing.”

“You stole that from Doctor Who.”

“I know, but it makes more sense that you realize.”

Director Nova said, “now we are all up to speed. The next step is to figure out what the next step will be.”

“That’s about as helpful as EB.” Chase said.

“Hey!” EB retorted.

General Nova said, “what we need is an advantage. Something to give us an edge right now to help.”

A robot announced, “Incoming Message: Prime Minister Shizue.”

“Put her through,” both Nova’s announced.

Shizue came on the screen and gave the two Nova’s a funny look. “BADGE. I have someone who is desperate to talk to you.”

The leader of her military yanked a bound and restrained Dr. Osteen in front of the camera. The fat doctor gave them a timid smile. “Hey, there, BADGE. Yeah, so, we need to talk.”

Chapter 7:

The Operations view screen had North Onnotangu up with Dr. Osteen nervously waited for a response. The only reply he got was nasty looks from everyone in front of him on the station. Even EB was particularly miffed.

Dr. Osteen finally broke the silence. “I know, I know. I’m the last person you expected to see. But if you don’t get me up there now, Delta will find me and skin me alive.”

Director Nova said, “we’ve already been infiltrated by one of your own. Beta pretended to be our ally and then stabbed us in the back. So, you can understand my reluctance to believe anything you say.”

Osteen said, “look, I’m not turning all goody two-shoes here. I’m still out for me. I don’t care if BADGE wins or all the good little people are safe, I just care if I’m safe. I’m not coming to you with any hidden agenda. But I’m coming to you with information you won’t find in a million years. Now, either you believe me, or you let Delta smoke me and lose your last chance.”

Prime Minister Shizue had her people pull Osteen to the side so she could speak. “Look, Director, I have no more reason to trust this monster than you. However, I had a young man with telepathic powers scan Dr. Osteen. We found no lie in him. As far as he’s concerned, he’s telling the truth.”

General Nova said, “we do need information.”

Director Nova pointed at Gar. “Go get Craig and bring him up here.”

“Sure thing.” Gar ran off.

Nova then said, “Strange Quark!”

In a blue flash, Quark appeared with a bottle of brandy up to his mouth. He swallowed and said, “what’s up?”

“I need you to zap Dr. Osteen from Onnotangu to us, right here.”

“Oh, sure. First...” Quark snapped his fingers, and a bucket appeared next to him.

EB asked, “what’s that for?”

“You’ll see.” Quark smiled and then snapped his fingers again.

In a great flash of blue light, Dr. Osteen appeared right next to Quark with a briefcase clutched in his cuffed hands. He was confused for a second and then turned green, bent over, and hurled into the bucket.

“Ew,” was EB’s answer to that.

Nova said. “Thanks, Quark. You can get back to work.”

Quark said. “I’m helping fight these augments in Africa. They are...different. So strong.”

“Do what you can.” Nova said and Quark vanished away.

Osteen staggered back up and wiped his mouth. “That was horrible.”

“Teleportation at that distance in an instant will cause some discomfort.” Director Nova casually stated.

Osteen gave him a stinky look, knowing that was planned. “Fine, you had your fun. Are you going to listen to me?”

Nova pulled out his gun, but merely held it at his side. “Sure. I hope, for your sake, you have something worth listening to.”

“I do. No need to flash the weapons. Here,” Osteen shoved the briefcase at Chase. “I printed off as much as I could. Couldn’t risk downloading it to anything, they might hack it and delete the files. These people have incredible control over things. Anyway, those files are full of data that scared the crap outta me.”

Chase plopped the case on a table and opened it. She pulled out the paperwork. “It’s all calculations and graphs. This is complicated.”

“Of course it is, idiot. That’s some high-level science work.”

Chase held out her hand as a blade appeared. “Want to call me names again?”

“Look. Here’s the deal. I helped develop the augmentation program for the World Corps. In fact, I crafted the idea before I met them. Delta had research they already completed that I combined with mine and together we could perfect the augmentation. Using morphonic inclined people, we could...”

Director Nova interrupted, “we know how it worked. You kidnapped people who could harness morphons for powers, modified them, and turned them into living weapons.”

“Yeah, that’s the gist of it.” Osteen stated, seemingly uncaring that he had just admitted to mass murder. “Anyway, things were going pretty good. The augments were what they wanted. I had achieved my goals, and I was about to be richer than Midas.”

Chase asked, “so...why turn against them? Sounds like you were sitting pretty.”

“Gamma asked me to do some digging. I thought it would be fun hacking into the files they didn’t want me to see. But what I found scared me to death. Delta gave me instructions to include certain coding into the augmented DNA. I couldn’t understand it at the time and didn’t think to question it. When I looked into his files, I discovered the dirty truth. The augments are merely a part of a larger plot. They can absorb morphon energy and are continually growing stronger. Delta has a plan to use them to craft something horrible.”

Chase pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to Nova. “I think I found what you’re talking about.”

Both Nova’s looked at the paper. “Neutral Morphon Core?”

Osteen explained, “as much as black is the combination of all visible colors, this Neutral Core is the combination of all frequencies of morphons. This core would be weak to none, strong against all. It will be able to nullify all others, making it completely resistant. Whatever used this would be unstoppable.”

Nova asked, “so, why would this worry you? Your boss would become supreme.”

“Sounds pretty cool, and I was okay with that. But then I found his master plan. His ultimate phase of all of this isn’t crafting the core, it’s eradicating all life on Earth. He means to exterminate every living thing on this planet. I do not know why, but I know I have given him the power to do this. I don’t want to die.”

“So, you’re just here to save your sorry hide.” EB muttered.

“Yeah, so?” Osteen retorted.

General Nova said, “this is exactly what Drochah wanted all along. Creating a supreme being of power and then using this planet as his base for the next Legion. I did not realize how close he was to that goal. We are on the cusp of extinction.”

“We have to stop him.” EB said.

“That is obvious.” Director Nova replied.

Osteen smiled, “that is where I come in. I have an idea that just might work. My anti-morphon technology could be changed to weaken a foe who is using a neutral core. But I need the labs and tech to craft these weapons.”

“We are not creating hero murdering guns!” Chase stated.

“Look, I don’t want to vaporize heroes. My anti-morphon guns wouldn’t be able to harm a neutral hero like that, anyway. He will be too powerful. But, I can use the same tech to build something new. Unless you still don’t trust me. In that case, we’re all doomed.”

“I don’t trust you,” Director Nova said. “But we have little choice but to work with you.”

“Good. Just point me to the lab and...”

“Not so fast.”

Just then, Gar came in with Craig. “Found him in the arboretum.”

“I want to help.” Craig said.

“Good, I have a job for you. Take our friend here and watch him like a hawk. We’ve sent all our agents and heroes down to stop the augments mass assassinations. You, and a team of our scientists, will work with him. If he steps one foot out of line, you’re ordered to take him down.”

Craig looked at Osteen and his face changed, his eye twitched and he balled one hand into a tight fist. “This...this...JACKASS! What...he...he is the one who...”

“We know who he is. Contain your rage, he just might be our only hope right now.” Director Nova said.

Osteen smiled, “oh, if it isn’t pretty boy. I see you’re still sporting some of my special enhancements.”

Craig grabbed him by his collar and pulled him nose to nose. “If you want to see any of my enhancements in action, just push me one inch. I dare you.”

“Enough.” Nova said. “Take him to the lab. I’ll inform Dr. Henderson to get a staff ready for you. And, remember, Osteen, you’re guilty of so many crimes, firing you into the sun is fully permitted to me.”

“You’re kidding...right? He’s kidding?” Osteen was shoved along.

“Move!” Craig forced him into the lift.

Chapter 8:

Standing on a rooftop, Furious Squirrel used both of his steampunk laser pistols to shoot at the augment flying through downtown Detroit.