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?"
"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."
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