Arc frowns and touches his earring.
“Define ‘problem’.”
“I’m seeing something moving through the forest toward the Shard Base at high speed!”
Max nods soberly. “Can confirm, sir. We have movement outside the western perimeter fence.”
Arc looks to Frank.
“Were you expecting company?”
“I was not.”
“Well, my friends report that you’re getting it.”
Blinking in front of Arc, Frank quickly teleports the pair to the roof. Arc grunts.
“You could give a fella a bit of warning before you…”
“Look!”
Frank points to the west. The rustling of branches and leaves fills the air along with birds taking flight. Sereb Blinks next to Arc as Frank steps back.
“You and your allies have quite a way with security.”
“Thanks. But I find it’s best to have more information than not enough.”
Frank turns to him. “If we survive this encounter, I’d like to speak to you about that.”
“Very well.”
They look ahead, but see nothing. Arc calls out over his earring.
“Anyone see anything?”
Ember frowns. “No. Whatever it was just stopped short of the tree line.”
Rose sighs. “My scanners don’t show anything other than the movement we all witnessed.”
Viktor frowns. “Could it be Wiseman?”
Frank turns to Arc. “Who?”
Arc ignores him. “Maybe. But I don’t see what he’d have to gain by coming all the way out here.”
Xenos sighs. “True, sir. But he’s done stranger things before.”
Ember grits her teeth. “Agreed.”
Hugh frowns. “And who’s to say exactly who’s side he’s on.”
Arc nods. “Everyone stay on your toes.”
Frank puts a hand on Arc’s shoulder. “Should I call for backup?”
“No.”
“But if it’s Diva…!”
“Then my friends and I need to handle it. They’d just get themselves killed..”
“I shall assist as well.”
“We’re more than capable of taking care of…”
Frank interrupts him. “You forget! This is Shard territory, and I WILL defend it and my gang if necessary!”
Ember gasps. “Something’s coming out!”
Arc squints. “Uh… anyone have a better visual?”
Max frowns. “It’s someone in a blue cloak.”
Hugh nods. “Can confirm. I can’t make out who it is though.”
Viktor squints. “Diva or Wiseman?”
Xenos grips his spear tightly. “Or someone else entirely.”
Rose sounds hopeful. “Perhaps they do not wish to cause harm. After all, they are just standing there.”
The figure slowly walks forward. Reaching the fence they reach out a hand. A flash of light is seen as the metal melt away. Rose grimaces.
“Perhaps they are indeed hostile.”
Ember rolls her eyes. “You think?!”
Arc turns to Frank. “We should probably get down there and figure this out.”
“Agreed.”
In a flash Frank Blinks down to ground level and begins walking toward their guest. Sereb frowns as he turns to Arc.
“Shall we join him?”
“Yes. I have a bad feeling about this though.”
Arc jumps into the saddle and Blinks himself and Sereb down next to Frank. They walk side by side.
“Maybe you didn’t understand what I meant when I said ‘we’.”
Frank does not look over as he soberly continues walking. “Oh, I did. But right now this individual is a Shard problem.”
“Call it what you will. But I get the feeling I probably know whomever is under that cowl.”
“Friend or foe?”
“No idea.”
They meet in the center of the yard as the floodlights shine down on them. Frank frowns.
“Who are you and what are you doing in my territory?!”
“I think you know who I am.”
Frank’s eyes grow wide as he clenches his fists.
“Diva!”
The woman throws back her cowl to reveal her face. A wicked grin spreads across it.
“It’s been awhile, Frank.”
“Not long enough!”
Arc and Sereb quickly step between the pair.
“You have a lot to answer for!”
Diva laughs. “Do I now, Hero? Whom would be interrogating me?”
Frank hobbles forward. “Me! Start talking, witch!”
Arc does not take his eyes off Diva. “How about you let me handle this, Fontaine?”
“This is a Shard matter!”
“Well, she’s on my list too!”
Diva rolls her eyes. “If you boys are quite finished fighting over who’s going to attempt to take me…”
Frank Blinks behind Diva and lunges toward her. Smirking, the young woman nimbly dodges to one side as he swings at her backside. Missing, he hits Sereb by mistake. Without missing a beat the wolf bats him away with a massive paw. Arc calls out angrily.
“Stop it!”
Sereb sighs and hangs his head. Arc looks over to Frank who is standing up with the aid of his cane.
“Sorry about that. You okay?”
Frank nods angrily. “I will be when this vile woman is dead and gone!”
“Easy there. Remember, I need her alive.”
Diva laughs. “You three are doing a better job of fighting one other than me. This is too easy.”
Frank turns back to Arc. “You don’t know what she did to me!”
“Agreed. But neither do you.”
Ember groans. “Do I need to come down there?!”
Diva chuckles. “In any case, I’m here with a message for you, Frank.”
“For me? What could you possibly…?”
“Aren’t you even the least bit curious as to why you were taken?”
“I am! Tell me and I may yet be merciful!”
Diva chuckles wickedly. “Very well. If my… associate was correct, your power should have manifested itself by now.”
She looks up to the top of the building where Arc and Frank had been watching her before turning her attention back to the two.
“And judging by that display of magic, I’d say he was right.”
Frank clenches a fist. “That he was. And now I’ll use this power to…!”
Diva laughs. “To do what?! Defeat me!”
Frank reaches into his coat. Moving like lightning he pulls out two knives and hurtles them at Diva. However mere inches from her face they suddenly stop as if frozen in time. Frank gasps.
“What?! How did you…?!”
Diva smiles wickedly. “I didn’t do a thing.”
She points a finger.
“He did.”
Turning, Frank see’s the Hero’s outstretched gauntlet. With a flick of his gauntlet the knives clatter to the ground between them.
“I can’t let you do that.”
Frank glares at him. “Why not?! The information she has isn’t worth the imprisonment of countless others, is it?!”
“I suppose not. But killing her now won’t solve anything.”
Diva grins. “That it won’t. But you’re still welcome to try, novice.”
Arc dismounts and steps between Frank and Diva.
“How about me? Care to test your magic against mine?”
Diva shakes her head. “Think what you will about yourself, Hero. But you’re a hundred years too early to stand against me.”
“I may yet surprise you.”
Diva sighs. “How? With superior numbers?”
Frank raises an eyebrow. “Eh?”
“His partner is flying overhead, and there are four… acolytes around the other side of the building watching us.”
Arc gasps. “How did you…?”
Diva grins. “As I said earlier, you’re not ready to face me yet.”
She turns back to Frank.
“I had intended to talk a bit before getting to work. However it appears a dialogue is not wanted.”
Frank snarls at her. “Work?! What are you…?!”
Diva raises a hand as a portal opens. Rose calls out frantically.
“Interdimensional rift detected!”
Arc gasps. “What the…? HOW?!”
A device materializes on the ground in front of Diva. It is roughly waist high. Frank frowns.
“I don’t like the looks of this.”
Ember calls out. “Looks like there’s more!”
“Dragon?”
“She brought in four, not one!”
Arc grimaces. “Where are the others?!”
“Equally spread out around the perimeter. I see Stingray and Hammer next to similar machines on the northern and southern side of the compound! What do you suppose…?”
Diva presses a button and the device hums to life. A translucent dome stretches forth covering the grounds and reaching a hundred feet into the air. Max calls out over the radio.
“Sir! She’s trying to box us in!”
Rose nods. “The barrier’s range appears to be only a quarter of the perimeter. However, if the other devices are allowed to activate…”
Diva calls out. “Activate the generators, now!”
As if on cue Stingray and Hammer each press buttons on their respective consoles. Their devices come to life and materialize their own sections of the barrier. Ember cries out frantically.
“They’re connecting?!”
Frank turns to Arc. “We need to do something!”
“Agreed. Ideas?”
Rose’s voice fills Arc’s ear. “The final device on the eastern side of the compound has not yet activated. Perhaps they are having equipment problems.”
Arc grins. “That’s good enough for me! Let’s go!”
Frank nods. “I’ll meet you over there!”
He Blinks to the rooftop and begins running east. Arc jumps on Sereb’s back and grabs the saddle.
“Let’s go!”
Running at top speed around the building Arc calls out to his squad.
“Go inside the building and start making noise! Someone should hear you and raise the alarm! We have to get the Shards out of there!”
Xenos grins. “Yes sir!”
Hugh nods. “We’re on it!”
Arc comes to the east side and looks across the darkened compound. He spots another device and Mio standing next to an open access panel. Diva’s voice can be heard coming over the machine’s radio.
“Mio, status!”
“My device shorted out. I’m bypassing the burnt circuits now.”
“Well, hurry up! The Hero and Fontaine are heading right for you!”
Mio looks up as she closes the panel. “I see them.”
Ember squints. “Hero, I see Mio! Let me take her down!”
“Negative. She’s too close to the device. Let me distract her while you try to take out that machine.”
“Argh! Fine!”
“Just wait for my signal.”
Mio begins pressing buttons as Arc and Sereb reach her. “Here goes nothing.”
Arc calls out. “Mio, stop!”
She stiffens at the sound of Arc’s voice.
“You can’t stop this, Hero! No one can!”
“Maybe not. But I think you could.”
Mio shakes her head. “Oh really? And why would I…?”
“Because you’re not a bad person, Mio.”
“You don’t know anything about me!”
“I know you want to make the world a better place.”
Mio frowns. “Our conversation in the cave?”
“Yeah.”
“Look, I’m grateful for your help back there. But don’t get the idea that I owe you, or anything.”
“Whatever you and your friends are doing here isn’t helping anyone other than Diva and her ilk. Tell me, how will this make the world better?”
Mio stammers. “I… you have to look at the big picture! This is just one small part of it!”
Arc looks over his shoulder at the partially formed barrier. “All I see if a means of containing something. What are you planning?”
“No idea. This is Diva’s operation. I’m just doing my part to help it succeed.”
“Wait! You don’t even know what it is you’re doing?!”
Mio shakes her head. “It’s not important! After all, I’m sure you don’t tell your underlings everything.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. I’d never lead them into a situation without telling them what I knew about it. Doing so helps them diagnose a situation better and help me plan on the fly.”
Mio takes a step forward, her staff at the ready. “That’s why you’ve been so ineffective in stopping us.”
“You mean the Shards, or The Organization.”
Mio frowns. “How did you…?”
“I think you and I both know it’s only a matter of time before you and your friends do something irreversible.”
Arc takes a step forward. “Whatever it is you’re doing, stop. Diva can’t be trusted.”
Mio’s hand hovers over a button. “S-stay back!”
“Look, Mio. I can tell your conflicted about this. But there’s more to it than that.”
“There isn’t…!”
“You’re afraid.”
“Afraid?! Of what?!”
“Me.”
The pair are silent for a few moments before Arc continues.
“I think you and I both know that I’m a much more powerful magic user than you are.”
Mio grimaces. “That… that has yet to be determined!”
“Really? Then why is your hand shaking?”
Mio clenches a fist over the console as Arc continues.
“I think we both know that with a flick of my wrist I could cut you in half, or burn you to a crisp with magical fire.”
Mio holds up her staff. “Just try it!”
“No.”
Mio looks confused. “No?”
“I’m not interested in killing you. Just stopping Diva and your friends from making a big mistake.”
“It’s YOU who’s making the…!”
Diva’s voice comes over the speaker.
“MIO! What are you DOING over there! Stop chatting up the Hero and get that thing up and running NOW!”
Mio turns her head to face the machine. “Yes, ma’am. I just need to…”
Suddenly the speaker is blown apart. Mio snaps her head back to Arc. She sees him holding the gun he took from their safehouse.
“Why did you…?”
“Because I didn’t want Diva to keep listening in on our conversation. That and I knew if I charged up a spell, you would have sensed it.”
Mio quickly casts a Barrier Spell in front of her.
“You’re right. But now that I know what you’re up to, I can easily defend myself and the device.”
Arc levels the gun at Mio’s barrier. “Really? Because I get the feeling you’ll run out of mana before this gun empties.”
Mio gulps but says nothing.
“And even if you don’t, I’ll still have more than enough power to take you down in your weakened state.”
“Just try it!”
Arc lowers the gun and puts it back into his ring.
“I don’t think so.”
“What?!”
“Like I said a few moments ago my goal isn’t to kill, or even hurt you. I just want you to stop this madness. Preferably on your own.”
“Well, if that’s your plan, I…”
Mio is cut short as she takes a blow to the back. She staggers forward a few paces and drops her staff before Sereb lunges forward and tackles her, pinning Mio under his sizable body. Frank steps toward her and shakes his head.
“Mio… for all your intelligence, you never could see more than what was right in front of you.”
The young woman wordlessly glares at him as Arc calls for Ember.
“Dragon, take it out!”
“On it!”
Flying straight down, Ember dive bombs the machine. Pieces of it scatter across the yard as Ember walks toward Arc. She looks at the woman on the ground.
“She didn’t put up much of a fight.”
Arc shrugs. “I suppose not. But it was more of a battle of words than weapons.”
He turns toward the building and its partially formed barrier.
“Well then. I suppose all that’s left to do is…”
Diva materializes next to the ruined machine. With a wave of her hand she knocks everyone to the ground including Sereb. Mio quickly grabs her staff and gets to her feet.
“Ma’am, I…!”
She is cut short as Diva backhands her. Mio falls to her knees as Diva glares down at her before gesturing to the ruined machine.
“You weakling! Can’t you do ANYTHING right!”
“I… I’m sorry! You see, they got the drop on me, and…!”
“Shut up! I’ll deal with you after we finish up here!”
Arc and the others slowly get up.
“Finish up?!”
Ember points a claw. “You’re about to BE finished!”
Diva looks Ember up and down. “Interesting. I never thought a dragon would be so foolish as to come here.”
Frank appears confused. “Dragon… what?”
He looks behind him and spots Ember in her dragon form before turning to Arc.
“You have powerful allies!”
Diva raises a hand and opens a strange looking portal as she touches her ear.
“I need a replacement unit!”
A moment later a second device identical to the first materializes next to Diva. She looks angrily to Mio.
“Get that thing going, and I mean NOW!”
“Y-yes ma’am.”
Mio stumbles to her feet and hurries over to the machine. Arc reaches out with a hand to push her away with a Telekinesis Spell but Diva counters him.
“Not this time!”
Ember flaps her wings and flies at Diva, her spear at the ready. As she approaches, Diva steps to the side, grabs Ember’s spear, and effortlessly knocks her away before tossing the weapon aside. Ember grits her teeth as she rises.
“What the…?! No human is THAT strong!”
Diva smiles wickedly. “Considering you’re Torch’s daughter, I had hoped you would have put up more of a fight.”
Ember breathes a stream of magical fire at Diva. Her opponent puts up a Magic Barrier, deflecting the attack. Ember grabs the Spear of Courage with a Telekinesis Spell as she levels it at Diva.
“I’ll show you a fight!”
Arc lunges in front of Ember, forcefully holding her back.
“Dragon, wait! This isn’t right!”
“You got that right! She’s going down!”
“Let me handle this.”
Ember seethes. “Fine! But hurry!”
Arc turns back to Diva.
“What did you say about Torch?”
Diva rolls her eyes. “That he raised a pathetically weak whelpling for starters.”
Frank turns to him. “Hero, what is she talking about?!”
Arc clenches a fist nervously. “Later! Right now we need to stop her! Everyone, let her have it!”
Diva chuckles. “That won’t be necessary.”
Oddly enough, Diva herself lowers the barrier. Mio looks up from her task, clearly confused.
“Ma’am, the device still needs another minute to charge up!”
Diva chuckles darkly as she surveys Arc and his friends. “I know. However, I think they need to be taught a lesson on what real power is.”
Arc levels his Spear of Righteousness at Diva. “Fine by me! Let’s…!”
He is cut short as Sereb races past him and lunges at Diva. She smirks and raises a hand to open a portal nearby. Moments before Sereb reaches her, he finds himself knocked head over heels as a very large object plows into him. Quickly getting to his feet the very angry wolf turns to face his assailant.