Chase floated in this darkness, neither falling nor flying. It was like being in space, or what she imaged it would be like. A hand reached out and took hers. It was Gar.
“Chase.” He spoke, but his voice was miles away.
She answered him, but even to her own ears, the sound was distant. She pointed toward Quark. Gar got the message and left her to get a grip on their friend. Wrapping an arm around his chest, Gar took hold of Quark and then reached back for Chase. He moved his wings and flailed his legs, but it wasn’t so easy to move in here. Chase reached back for him, their hands almost touching at the fingertips.
Suddenly they fell across a cold, hard ground. It was like waking up from a bad dream, but their hands were still outstretched toward the other and Gar still had Quark about the chest.
The first thing Chase noticed was the warmth. It had been cold where they were, now there was a strange warmth. Yet, she knew she was outside. Sitting up, she found the world an odd darkness. It appeared to be nighttime, where the world should be bathed in a placid moonlight. Yet, that moonlight was blood red, not milky. Not too far away was the source of this light, a ball of red energy, swirling around.
“Stop dawdling! Get to your feet!” Krampus scared her from behind.
She looked back and found him holding his sack, glaring down at all three. “What... where am I?”
“Not your concern. It is time for the sacrifice.” He grabbed her by the arm.
Gar suddenly grabbed Krampus’s wrist and pulled him away from Chase. “LEAVE HER ALONE!” He went to punch Krampus, but was thrown away.
Chase fell back to the ground and then got to her feet. “I’m not going down without a fight.”
Krampus laughed at her. “If the living statue is no match, what do you think your chances are... human?” He stomped toward her.
“As good as I can make them.” She materialized her magic blades for the first time in months. With a quick flick, she sent them toward his eyes.
Krampus quickly hit them away and grabbed her with both hands. “Nice try.”
“I’m... not done...” She struggled against his grip. Both blades reappeared in her hands and she stabbed them, one in each of his arms. Yanking back, she dug them through his flesh. This caused actual pain in the Mythic and he let go of her, throwing her across the hard, rough ground.
“DAMNABLE CHILD! I WILL ENJOY SACRIFICING YOU!” He lunged at her.
Gar sped across the ground and body slammed Krampus, both tumbling away. Gar landed on top of Krampus and pinned him down with his legs. He then punched him repeatedly. “LEAVE... HER... ALONE!”
All at once, Krampus grew in size by five stories. Gar was dropped to the ground. “Typical mortals! I am a GOD AMONG YOU PATHETIC BEINGS!” He swiped across the ground with a massive claw and sent Gar smashing through the pumice of this volcanic island.
Chase cowered near Quark, her blades ready. She knew they would do little good, but it was all she had. “Quark... come on... wake up. You’re the only one here who might stand a chance.” She pushed and nudged Quark.
Krampus watched this and then let out a boisterous laugh. “You think that creature is any match for me! His mind is gone, his life will be spent soon!” At that moment, Gar returned, flying right for Krampus’s face. Krampus caught him like one might catch a baseball. He then slammed Gar into the ground at his feet. “STAY DOWN, INSECT!”
“Gar!” Chase looked over, hoping Gar had not shattered under that impact.
Gar lay there, dazed, but still moving.
Krampus turned from them and held his enormous arms out in worship of the glowing light. “My lady! Respond to my call!”
That disembodied woman’s voice answered, “Who calls upon me?”
“It is I, the one who has brought you back, Krampus. Join me, be my ally, help me rebuild Legion in our image. Let us bring terror across the galaxy. Let us rule all creation!”
Nova sat next to EB in a BADGE shuttle as they zoomed across the darkening skies over Earth.
“Are you sure?” Nova asked.
EB answered, “I have no doubt. I sensed this power, this energy, for some time. It seemed so familiar, yet I couldn’t put it together. Now I know who this is.”
“Is she dangerous?”
EB gave Nova worried eyes, “More than you can possibly imagine.”
The robot pilot said, “Director Nova, incoming communication.”
“Put it through.”
A holographic screen appeared in front of Nova. A scientist spoke to him, “Sir, temperatures across the world are dropping rapidly.”
“How much danger are we in?” Nova asked.
“Hard to say. It can’t be good. However, we have never experienced a situation even remotely like this before. The sun disappearing is not something we could plan for.”
Nova asked, “what can be done to protect the population?”
“We don’t know. World leaders are already moving people into safe places. But, I doubt there are any prepared safe places for such an event. And, this doesn’t account for the population in areas that cannot be reached easily or who do not have a safe place near enough to save them. Sir, we could be looking at a massive death toll in a matter of hours if this isn’t fixed soon.”
EB hopped over onto Nova’s lap, “BUDDY, BUDDY, BUDDY!”
“Not the time!” Nova shoved him off.
EB hopped right back up, “No, it IS the time. Look, outside. LOOK LOOK LOOK LOOK!”
Nova pulled down the small shutter and looked to see Quetzalcoatl flying next to the shuttle. On his back was a large spider and Maneki-Neko.
“What the?”
Just then that spider creature jumped off Quetzalcoatl and flashed into the shuttle. The spider transformed into what looked like a traditional African tribal shaman.
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| Art by Fabien Kong |
“Hello Director, long time.” The man smiled.
Nova frowned, “Anansi?”
“No time for reminiscing, Director. We know what’s happening. This world will perish in a short time. We can help save it, but this will leave her to the heroes.”
“What do you mean?” Nova asked.
Anasi pointed out, “Look.”
Nova watched as Maneki-Neko suddenly jumped off of Quetzalcoatl and held up her golden charm. It grew to an enormous size and beamed light. Quetzalcoatl flew off, his body already growing in light.
Nova asked, “Computer, show me a world live map.” The hologram changed to a globe composited with all the footage from BADGE satellites. Small points of light appeared all over the planet.
Anansi said, “It is all we can do. We cannot replace your sun forever, but long enough so that your world does not die while you deal with this darkness. Go. Stop her.” He flashed out of the shuttle.
EB hopped up to Nova’s lap again and gave him a friendly punch in the shoulder. “I’ll take care of North America. You...save the world.” He blasted off in a white blur, leaving the shuttle by means that Nova couldn’t figure out.
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