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.”
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