Arc, Ember and Sereb step out of the Jeep on the side of a dirt road some distance from Angel Grove. Xenos sticks his head out of the driver’s side window.
“You sure you’ll be okay, sir? I’d be willing to come too.”
Arc shakes his head. “No, you head back now. You and the others keep a close watch on me, okay?”
“Yes sir.”
Ember chuckles. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep Arc safe.”
Sereb bares his teeth. “As will I.”
Xenos nods soberly as he rolls up the window and drives away. Ember turns to Arc.
“Maybe you should have taken them up on that. Extra help couldn’t hurt.”
Max’s voice comes over his earring. “We’ll head out there if you need us, sir.”
Hugh nods. “Right!”
Viktor continues watching from the computer screen. “I can watch things here by myself, sir.”
“Thanks, but we’ll take this one. Just watch out for ANYTHING suspicious you guys.”
“Yes sir.”
“Good. Arc out.”
Arc touches his earring and turns to the Ember and Sereb.
“You two ready?”
Sereb nods. “Yes.”
“Are you kidding? Let’s do this, Arc!”
“Alright. Let’s armor up and get this thing started.”
The pair call forth their armor. Arc pulls two magic cloaks out of his ring and hands one to Ember.
“Let’s try to be stealthy.”
Ember sighs as she accepts the robe. “Do you think it’ll work?”
“No. But hopefully it will give us at least a bit of a jump on them.”
Sereb raises an eyebrow. “On who now?”
Ember puts on her robe and cloaks. “Good question.”
Arc shrugs as he cloaks as well. “One I’d like answered soon.”
Sereb jumps into Ember’s arms. They slowly walk down the overgrown driveway toward the farmhouse. Arc and company are careful to keep their voices down as they look around, expecting something to jump out at them from behind every tree. Ember frowns.
“This driveway is pretty long.”
Sereb nods. “I just assumed it was a very unkempt road.”
“Houses out here are set quite a ways back.”
“Why?”
Arc shrugs. “Some people like the peace and quiet of the countryside. Makes for a bit of privacy too.”
Sereb frowns. “For unscrupulous individuals?”
“And law-abiding citizens as well.”
Ember sighs. “So what do you think the Shards are doing out here then?”
“Nothing good.”
They approach a curve in the drive. Arc motions for Ember to stop.
“Why are we…?”
Arc interrupts. “You smell anything, Sereb?”
Sereb sniffs the air for a moment.
“No. However the wind is blowing in the opposite direction.”
Ember scowls. “Just our luck.”
Arc thinks for a moment. “There could be any number of Shards around the bend.”
Ember shrugs. “Or none.”
Sereb growls. “Someone is there.”
Ember looks down at him. “What makes you think so? I thought you couldn’t smell anything.”
Sereb points a paw toward the ground before them.
“There are a number of scents here. Humans have passed this way recently.”
“How many?”
“Quite a few.”
Ember sighs. “Great.”
“There are many tracks. However I only smell a few different scents here.”
Arc looks to Sereb. “So someone comes here regularly then?”
“It would appear so.”
“Anything else you can tell us, Sereb?”
“That we should still be cautions, Ember.”
Arc nods. “Well, that goes without saying.”
He motions for them to continue down the path with himself in the lead. Before long a small, run down farmhouse comes into view. Ember points.
“Look! There’s smoke coming out the chimney!”
Sereb nods. “It would appear the abandoned farmhouse is not so abandoned after all.”
“Right. You two see anything?”
Ember squints. “The windows are boarded up.”
“Perhaps I could scout it out.”
Arc frowns. “That’s kinda dangerous right now, Sereb.”
“So is just waiting here.”
Ember sighs. “He’s right. We have to do something!”
Arc sighs. “Fine. Walk around the house and let us know if you find anything.”
Sereb nods and hops down. Walking quickly toward the house he looks all around the side closest to them before heading around the building and out of sight. Arc turns to Ember.
“I don’t like this.”
“Don’t like what?”
“Splitting up.”
Ember shrugs. “Kinda have to right now. Even if they see him, who’s going to think twice about a stray dog?”
Arc sighs. “I suppose I’m just being worrisome. But the Shards should be on high alert with what we’ve done so far.”
“Well, all we can do is wait for Sereb to come trotting back.”
The pair stand in the snow and look around while they wait. Five minutes pass before Ember turns to Arc.
“Okay, even I’m getting worried now. Do you think something happened?”
“I’m guessing so, yes.”
“We going after him?”
Arc nods. “Absolutely. Let’s go.”
The pair cautiously head toward the farmhouse following Sereb’s paw prints in the snow. Ember looks around.
“He came around the house.”
Arc nods. “Yeah. Then the prints just stop.”
“He just vanished?”
“Unlikely. Probably Mio and her magic again.”
Ember frowns. “When I get my hands on that witch, I’ll…!”
Arc interrupts her as he looks around. “Just stay focused, Ember. We need to…”
Max’s voice comes frantically over his earring. “Behind you, sir!”
Arc whirls around. He sees Ember on the ground with Stingray standing over her.
“I wouldn’t make any sudden movements if I were you, hero. That is, unless you want to end up taking a nap like your little friend here.”
The sound of footsteps in the snow behind Arc draw near. Stingray looks behind him.
“You got him?”
Hammer nods and walks past Arc holding an unconscious Sereb under her arm.
“Yup!”
She walks over to Stingray, her strange looking gun in her other hand as Stingray clears her throat.
“You ready to answer some questions?”
Arc frowns. “Do I have a choice?”
Hammer laughs. “Told ya, Stingray! He’s a smart one!”
“Maybe. In any case, what’s your angle, hero?”
“Angle?”
Hammer nods. “Yeah! Why the heck are you doing all this?!”
“All what?”
Stingray glares at him. “Don’t play dumb with us! You’ve been a thorn in the Shard’s side for some time now, and I want to know WHY?!”
“For the same reason you’re helping them.”
Hammer looks to him confused. “What?!”
“Mio told me that the Shards are trying to make the world a better place.”
Stingray nods. “Yes. What about it?”
“I want the same thing.”
Hammer grins. “You change your mind about joining up then?”
“Not in the least.”
“Then why…?”
Arc cuts her off. “What the Shards are doing won’t help anyone in the long run.”
Hammer shakes her head. “And what you’re doing will?!”
“Yes. You’re not the liberators you claim to be. You’re bullies!”
Stingray puts her hand on her hip. “Those who oppress the masses need to be brought into line!”
“Do they now? How?”
Hammer clenches her fist. “By showing everyone we won’t be intimidated!”
“So what you’re telling me is you’re fighting back by BECOMING the oppressors then?”
Stingray shakes her head. “I wouldn’t expect you to understand our position. Someone with power and abilities like yours must be used to getting what they want.”
“Same as you?”
Hammer points a finger at Arc. “We’re not the one here to answer questions! You are, remember?!”
“Right. Now where is the formula you stole?!”
“Formula?”
Hammer nods with conviction. “You know what we’re talking about! The other night at the warehouse!”
Stingray glares at him. “I don’t know how you did… whatever it was you did, but I want those papers back NOW!”
“Papers?”
“It MUST have been you! Weird stuff happening and all that! It’s obvious you’re looking for SOMETHING!”
Arc nods. “I am actually.”
Stingray narrows her eyes. “Do tell.”
“At the moment I want to find your boss.”
Hammer rolls her eyes. “He ain't available.”
“That much I gathered.”
Stingray nods. “No one knows where he is.”
“Not even you?”
“Not even me.”
Arc folds his arms over his chest. “Forgive me if I don’t believe you.”
Hammer grins and points her gun at Arc. “We ain’t really too concerned with WHAT you think! Help us, or get out of the way!”
Stingray looks to Hammer. “I don’t think him stepping aside at this point is going to cut it, my friend.”
Arc shrugs. “You want my help. I want to talk to the boss. Take me to him and maybe he and I can work something out.”
Hammer frowns. “You got rocks in your ears? I told you we can’t do that!?”
She aims her gun at Ember lying in the snow.
“Now you give us what we want, and you can have your little girlfriend back safe and sound.”
Cherry gasps telepathically. “Arc, you can’t let them hurt Ember!”
“I know.”
“What are we going to do?!”
“I want you to quietly let me out the back of Eidolon’s Ward.”
“They’ll see your face!”
“Not to worry. I’m wearing that mask Rarity gave me, remember? You just do your best not to move.”
“Okay. But be careful!”
Eidolon’s Ward’s back slowly melts away. Arc quickly steps out. Looking up at a branch behind the Shards he reaches out with his magic and gently shakes it. A large clump of snow plummets to the ground below with a thud. Hammer whirls around.
“What the…?!”
Arc jumps out from behind Eidolon’s Ward as Stingray calls out to her friend.
“Hammer! Look out!”
With cat-like reflexes Arc reaches a hand out toward Hammer. He grabs her gun and pulls it to himself as he simultaneously shoves her with his magic across the field into a tree. The force of her hitting the trunk causes a small avalanche of snow to fall from its branches burying Hammer in an instant. Stingray quickly draws her whip.
“Oh no you don’t!”
The whip hurtles toward Arc. It wraps around the gun as Stingray pulls the weapon to herself. Arc jumps backwards into Eidolon’s Ward as it opens to admit him. His opponent catches the weapon and aims it at Arc.
“DIE!!!”
Stingray fires just as Eidolon’s Ward closes around his body. The force of the gun’s blasts knock Arc across the yard and through a small dilapidated old shed. He comes to rest against an old fence post.
“Ow!”
Cherry calls out to him. “Are you okay, Arc?!”
“Thanks to you, yes.”
Arc looks up to see Stingray running toward him. Hammer’s gun at the ready.
“She’s coming this way!”
“I got this, Cherry.”
Standing up Arc quickly calls forth the Spear of Righteousness and moves to a defensive position as Stingray opens fire angrily.
“BURN!”
Arc deftly deflects the energy blasts with his spear. Closing the distance between himself and Stingray he knocks the gun from her hands.
“Stop this! I don’t want to fight you!”
Stingray nimbly counters with a savage blow to Arc’s gut, knocking him across the yard.
“Then why DID you come here?!”
Arc quickly recovers his footing. “For answers! Where’s Frank?!”
Stingray charges at Arc. “I already told you, I don’t know!”
Arc tosses his spear aside and punches Stingray in the face. “You’re second-in-command of the Shards! You HAVE to know!”
Stingray leaps to her feet. “Well I don’t! He just vanished, okay!”
Arc frowns as Stingray lunges at him again. “I don’t believe you!”
Stingray jumps, kicking Arc in the face. His helmet flies off and lands some distance away. She frowns as he uses his magic to pull it back to himself.
“You really ARE afraid of someone seeing who you really are!”
Arc nods as he puts the helmet back on. “I prefer to think of it as being cautious.”
Stingray narrows her eyes. “That isn’t you under there, is it boss?”
“No.”
“Well, you two have never been seen together.”
“That’s for a very good reason.”
“Which is…?”
“Frank and I don’t see eye to eye.”
Stingray nods as she takes up a fighting stance again. “Well then, I’ll just have to beat you and figure out who you REALLY are then!”
Arc charges at Stingray. “Good luck with that!”
He lunges at his opponent, grabbing her shoulders and pinning her to the ground. Stingray uses her legs to toss him over her head and into a nearby tree.
Arc sits up woozily. “Should of seen that coming.”
Viktor’s voice rings out in his ear.
“Sir! We caught a glimpse through one of the farmhouse windows!”
Arc dodges another blow from Stingray. “Probably not the best time for that!”
Max calls out. “That place is filled with crates, sir!”
Xenos nods. “Viktor used some kind of magic to make the picture bigger.”
Hugh shakes his head. “Somehow I don’t think that was magic, Xenos.”
“Right, it was…!”
Max interrupts. “Sir! Stingray’s friend is waking up!”
Xenos frowns. “You can’t take them both!”
Viktor grins. “I don’t think he’ll have to! Look!”
He zooms in on Ember and Sereb. They appear to be trying to get up.
“Ember and Sereb are coming around, sir!”
Arc looks toward his friends. “Hey! You two okay over there?!”
Ember sits up. “Y-yeah. What…?”
Arc turns back to his opponent just in time for her to knock him out of the way. She runs toward Hammer.
“Hammer! Wake up!”
Hammer slowly opens her eyes as Stingray reaches her.
“You okay?!”
“C-C-COLD!!!”
“Come on, get up! You hurt?!”
Hammer frowns at Arc. “Just my pride.”
Arc staggers over to Ember. “How do you feel?!”
“Dizzy. What happened?”
“No idea.”
Stingray glares at him.
“Looks like you get to keep living… for now.”
Hammer clenches a fist. “I’ll get you next time, punk!”
Stingray looks toward Sereb. “One more thing…”
She draws her whip, grabs Sereb with it, and throws him over the house before turning back to Arc.
“Follow us or go after your mutt! Your choice, weirdo!”
Arc and Ember hurry toward the other side of the house as Stingray uses her whip to grab the gun from the snow nearby as she and Hammer head the other direction. She grits her teeth as she tosses the gun to Hammer.
“We’ll get that guy for what he did to Mio!”
Hammer grins. “Yeah! Next time it’ll be all three of us!”
Stingray chuckles as they approach their vehicle. “Hopefully four! He won’t know what hit him!”
Hammer gets in the passenger seat and rubs her hands together. “I don’t get it! How did the boss know he’d be here?!”
Stingray starts the vehicle and drives away quickly. “Who knows? He does always seem to be one step ahead though.”
“Kinda creepy if you ask me.”
“Creepy or not, he was right. But I can’t help wonder if he expected the guy to beat us, or what.”
Meanwhile, Arc and Ember hurry over to Sereb.
“Anything broken?!”
Sereb gets to his feet. “No. But how did I get here?”
Arc looks back toward the tree line. “Stingray and Hammer must’ve gotten the drop on you two.”
Ember sighs. “I didn’t even hear her coming!”
Sereb frowns. “Nor did I.”
Arc turns to the farmhouse. “I wonder what they were here for.”
Ember shrugs. “Guarding something?”
Sereb turns to Arc. “That seems a bit beneath them. Lieutenants on guard duty?”
“One way to find out.”
Arc leads the pair toward the farmhouse. They try the front door but find it locked. Ember frowns.
“Kinda expected that. Let me try something.”
Ember steps back and, getting a running start, charges at the door. Hitting it with her shoulder she falls to the ground as the door refuses to yield. Arc helps her up.
“What the…?!”
Sereb scratches at the door. “This is no ordinary door. It has been heavily reinforced.”
Arc looks confused. “You can smell that?!”
“No. The sound the door made when Ember hit it. While not hollow, it made a deeper sound than it should have.”
Ember frowns. “A solid wood door shouldn’t be THAT hard to break down though!”
Sereb nods. “It must not be wood then.”
Arc taps it with a gauntlet. “Steel?”
Sereb nods. “It did sound like it.”
“Let me try.”
Ember chuckles. “Even you’re not THAT strong! “
“Maybe. Here goes though.”
Ember and Sereb step aside as Arc faces the door. He feels it for a moment before calling forth one of his magic blades. He pushes it into the door frame near the knob. It very slowly sinks in as it forces the wood and metal apart.
“This really IS thick!”
“Still think you can do this?”
Arc nods as the lock begins to smolder. “I think so. Platinum Valve’s work on these Magic Blades was impeccable.”
After a few minutes what left of the lock drips to the floor. Arc gives the door a mighty kick with his boot. It swings open violently and smashes into the wall next to them. Ember turns to him.
“Isn’t that a bit overboard?”
Arc shrugs. “We got in, didn’t we?”
“That isn’t really the…!”
Sereb growls. Arc and Ember face forward to see a portal opening and a navy-blue cloaked figure stepping through.
“W-Wiseman?”
Ember calls forth her spear. “Somehow I doubt it!”
The individual looks at them for a few moments before shaking their head and tossing back their cowl to reveal the face of a young woman.
“I knew those fools wouldn’t be able to keep you away forever.”
Arc frowns. “Who are you?”
The woman looks straight at Arc and smiles wickedly. “I am Diva. A name you will not soon forget, Arc.”
“Um… what?”
Diva rolls her eyes. “I’m fully aware of who you are… Hero.”
Ember steps in front of him. “I think you’re a little confused, miss.”
Diva shakes her head as she points a finger at Ember. “I think it is YOU who is confused here, little one.”
Arc narrows his eyes as he looks Diva over. “So you’re here to stop me then?”
She shrugs. “More or less. Truthfully, you two should probably just leave now. While you can still walk that is.”
Arc sighs. “Sure, I’ll leave. After I check this place for clues. Starting with those crates.”
Ember glares at their hostess. “Is that alright with you, Little Miss Shard?”
“That won’t be necessary. I’ll tell you what’s here, Arc.”
Diva walks over to a crate and runs her hand along its surface before turning back to them.
“These crates hold the key to a great many years of experimentation.”
Ember frowns. “What are you talking about?!”
Diva turns to Arc with a cold smile. “Muzzle your dog, Arc. You are guests in this place.”
“Your home? On guard duty?”
“I have many duties to my superiors. One of which is responding to intruders.”
“How did you know I was here?”
Diva looks toward the ruined door. “When you damaged the lock, it set off an alarm back in my office.”
“At the Shard base?”
Diva chuckles. “The Shard base? Do you really believe an individual of my talents would lower themselves to consorting with common thugs like them?”
Ember levels her spear at the woman. “Well, if the boot fits…”
Diva glares at Ember. “Silence, worm! You are no better than a filthy rat before my might! My organization may work with the Shards, but they are merely means to an end!”
“Why you…!”
Arc holds out a gauntlet to stop Ember. “What about me? Am I also beneath you?”
Diva shakes her head. “No, Arc. You are… different.”
“How am I different?”
“I can sense you power. It is quite a sight to behold.”
“What power?”
“I saw you open a wormhole outside that apartment building the day of the fire on the news. You cannot deny your power’s existence.”
Arc sighs. “Fine, I have… abilities. What of it?”
“You’re wasting your time playing hero to such lowly peons. I’d like you to join me.”
“To what end?”
“There are a great number of wrongs in this world that need righting. I’m part of an organization that is trying to do just that.”
Ember scoffs. “Why would Arc trade his freedom for servitude to YOU?!”
“Not to me, fool. To the organization. With our combined might we can bring order to the chaos.”
Arc frowns. “Not sure what ‘chaos’ you’re talking about. Thing are pretty peaceful around here.”
Ember nods. “Other than the Shard’s antics, that is.”
Diva folds her arms over her chest and sighs. “Have you had your head in the sand, Arc?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Have you not seen the turmoil in the world beyond this one town?”
“What are you talking about?!”
“There is much work to be done in this one small region alone. Which leads us back to these crates.”
Arc nods. “Yes. Do tell.”
“The substances within will allow us to bring about the organization’s goals.”
“Which are…?”
“World peace, ultimately.”
“Somehow I don’t believe you.”
Diva shrugs. “Please bear in mind that your personal opinions do not change reality. Only your perception of it.”
Arc points his spear at the crate before her. “You’re not making much sense. So what exactly is in there?”
“Something that cannot fall into the wrong hands. If you are not currently interested in joining us, I cannot let you have it.”
Ember laughs. “Who’s going to stop us? You?!”
Diva nods. “It should be a simple task. After all, you couldn’t even stand up to those two out there, rat.”
“They snuck up on us! You’re right there!”
Arc prepares to fight. “That and there are three of us and one of you. Look, I don’t want to have to hurt you. Just let me take a look at what’s in the crates and we’ll get out of your hair.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
“You’re wasting time, Arc! Turkeys like her need to be smacked around before they understand!”
Before anyone can stop her Ember charges at Diva. The woman knocks Ember’s spear away effortlessly before punching her in the face. Her body flies through an exterior wall and into the woods. Arc levels his own spear at Diva.
“Battle time, Sereb!”
Nodding, Sereb returns to his normal form. Diva appears surprised at this.
“What…?”
Arc charges toward Diva. As she takes up a defensive stance he Blinks behind her to attack from the rear. But before he can follow through, she vanishes from sight.
“What the…?”
Max screams into his headset. “BEHIND YOU, SIR!!!”
Diva kicks Arc in the back sending him flying across the room. Sereb dives in to stop Arc from hitting the wall.
“Thanks big guy.”
Arc stands as Diva calmly watches him. He frowns as he speaks.
“How did you…?”
Diva interrupts him. “As I told you, I’m quite… gifted.”
“Like Mio?”
“That little adept?! She still needs a focus! I’m FAR more skilled than…!”
Ember lunges through a window and tackles Diva.
“Yeah?! Well, you talk too much!”
Diva Blinks across the room and charges up a spell.
“Insolent little…!”
Sereb lunges at their opponent. She opens a strange looking portal in front of him. Sereb disappears through it. A moment later another portal opens behind Ember. Sereb tumbles out knocking the pair to the floor.
“What the…? Get off furball!”
Diva laughs as she turns back toward Arc. “You see what is possible when you’re imaginative? I…”
Arc is nowhere to be seen. A small sound above prompts Diva to Blink to the other side of the room as Arc drops down from above. He turns back to her.
“See what else is possible when your opponent doesn’t pay attention?”
Diva smiles. “Interesting. Well, I have enjoyed getting a bit of a warmup, but I do believe I need to be off.”
She holds out her hands as two fireballs form in her palms. Arc jumps in front of Ember and Sereb. He casts a Barrier Spell as Diva completes channeling her spell. Throwing her charges, the flames hit the shield dead center. The magical fire cascades across the shield and land on the boxes, igniting them. Diva quickly tosses a few more fireballs around the room for good measure.
“I don’t mind losing this cache. As long as YOU don’t get it either.”
Diva looks around the room as the flames spread to the dried out wood frame of the building. Arc charges up a spell.
“Hang on!”
He Blinks his friends outside. Diva walks out the front door through the flames effortlessly. She turns and approaches them fearlessly.
“The Shards failed my organization. They couldn’t even make a few deliveries correctly!”
“Wait! Where’s Frank?!”
“He’s… around.”
Diva giggles as she turns around to gesture at the building.
“Right now he’s probably a little… hot under the collar though.”
Ember’s eyes widen. “Are you saying he’s IN there?!”
Diva nods. “In the cellar behind magical wards, yes.”
Arc clenches a fist. “Why you little…!”
Diva points to the burning building, interrupting him. “I don’t believe you have time to chat with me. That is, if you still want to save your friend.”
She reaches into her cloak and pulls out a crystal. Tossing it to him Diva smirks.
“I’ll even give you the keystone. Touch it to the sigil and the barrier will fall.”
Arc turns back to the house. “Great! I’ll…!”
A moment later Arc is knocked to the ground. Ember looks over surprised.
“S-Sereb?! What’s gotten into…?”
The wolf grabs the crystal with his magic and runs at top speed around the side of the house. He returns a few moments later with a man draped over his back. Diva watches the scene unfold before her.
“Interesting. A magical beast that can think AND act for itself.”
Arc runs over to Sereb with Ember. “Lay him down here!”
Ember looks to her friend as Sereb complies. “Arc, is he…?!”
Arc shakes his head. “No. He’s alive and breathing.”
Diva sighs. “In any case, we have no more use for the Shards or their so-called base.”
Ember stands up quickly and storms over to Diva. “You could have KILLED him!”
“So? He’s useless to us now and was discarded.”
“Why you…!”
Ember moves to punch Diva, but she Blinks in front of the burning house.
“Come after me or get your friend to a hospital. The choice is yours.”
Arc glares at Diva as Ember helps Sereb lay Frank back in the saddle. “Argh… this isn’t over! Not by a long shot!”
Diva nods. “I agree. We will meet again.”
Arc opens a portal next to him. He motions for Ember and Sereb to walk through as he turns back to Diva.
“Yes, you can count on that.”
Not taking his eyes off his opponent, Arc slowly backs through the portal. It closes behind him. Diva shakes her head as she look at the pyre before her. Coolly she pulls a cell phone out of her robe and dials a number.
“The Shards have failed us for the last time. Begin preparations to clean up one last mess.”