"Isn't it beautiful." Lady Echidna cooed at the glowing blue Eye of the Hydra. The teardrop shaped jewel rested in her hand as she rolled it around her fingers.
Nova looked over to the wall where there was a place to rest this object. "Why not put it where it belongs?"
She smiled at him and lounged back in her throne. "If I place it, then it will become part of the grand scheme. However, I can harness it later, at a time when I need a champion to stand between me and those annoying heroes. If they think Krampus's shadow is a menace to deal with, just wait until they contend against the Hydra."
Nova left her to pace around the ancient throne room. "Hydra is the strongest of your creations. The Charybdis is still out there, but not as dangerous as the Hydra."
Lady Echidna leaned back and propped her legs up on the arm of the throne, still musing at the blue stone in her hand. "Oh, my dear Nova, the Hydra pales in comparison to the apex monster. The creation I would have used to end this pathetic world if I succeeded in the past."
Nova turned, frowning at her, "I... I don't remember the fourth beast."
"You'll not remember that masterpiece, for it was you who stopped him and laid waste to my plans. I have selectively prevented you from recalling my ultimate weapon."
"But, my lady, I am loyal to you and you alone! Surely I have proven that!"
She clicked her tongue at him, "tsk tsk tsk, let's not yell. I know your weaknesses better than you. This is a weakness. I cannot risk you stepping in the way. I may need the fourth beasts powers to finish my scheme, but I still intend on releasing him at the right time."
Just then two people walked into the throne room from outside. Both wore BADGE uniforms, one in a science department outfit, the other a security guard. Both held guns at the ready. They suddenly dropped down to one knee and bowed their heads.
Lady Echidna sat up and smiled, "Ah, my spies. What news do you bring me?"
They bowed low and the one in the science outfit replied, "BADGE has not uncovered the Eye of the Charybdis. However, they did find something connected to the eyes."
She sat forward, "What? What have they found?"
The soldier answered, "A stone tablet with strange writing on it. I could not get a good look at it. But, it did not contain any of the eyes."
Nova asked her, "What is this? What does it mean?"
She was lost in thought for a moment and then gave him a severe look. "I don't know. This tablet... what is it? Could you have left yourself a clue? Was this part of the original temple I crafted? I need more information."
Nova looked down upon the two cowering spies, "Perhaps they could tell us more if I were to... encourage them to remember more clearly."
She stood and smiled as a serpent about to feast. "Interrogate them, drive out those memories. We need to know more."
"Yes, my lady." Nova directed the now frightened spies out of the throne room.
Lady Echidna casually said to herself, "Perhaps I need to consider altering my plans. I might need my most powerful beast yet."
"JUSTIN! I DON'T LIKE TO BE BOTHERED WHILE I'M HAVING FUN!" Midgard, in his human size, bellowed as he got off the lift for the Operations center. He shoved Gar away as he marched toward Justin. Gar fell back into the lift and disappeared when the doors closed.
Justin had learned to be like Nova around Midgard, retain a firm, unrelenting attitude and not let this loud creature get to him. "While you and your friends are having fun, you're messing up my day."
"What are you babbling about, Justin?"
The lift doors opened and Gar exited properly this time. "I found Midgard."
"Already established that," Justin stated and then picked up a computer tablet and pressed a button. One of the screens on the main monitor displayed a Nordic symbol of a large circular serpent biting its tail. Under that it read, "FAANG"
"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?" Midgard bellowed.
Justin gave him a severe look, "The Foundation of an Altered Normal Generation."
Midgard returned that look with a furious, yet confused look, "THAT DIDN'T ANSWER MY QUESTION."
Gar said, "They are your group, right?" His tone was honestly curious.
Midgard made a growling sound that was much larger than his current body should be able to muster. "What? I don't have a group with that stupid name."
Justin pressed a button and several people appeared in the midst of combat. They were dressed in barbaric clothing that made them look like cosplayers at a local Renaissance Festival. "This is a group that, until recently, BADGE has considered a harmless problem. They're made up of people with either partial morphonic infused powers or completely infused abilities."
"Infused?" Gar asked while Midgard was still growling at the screen.
Justin said, "An infused hero is one who uses technology to either enhance their morphonic powers in their body or give them powers through the tech alone. We have a number of BADGE hero allies that are listed as infused. However, this FAANG seems to be made of them entirely."
Midgard drew dangerously close to Justin, "And why am I listening about this pathetic band of stupid humans?"
"Aren't they yours? They seem to have adopted an ancient symbol of Midgardsormr as theirs, they dress like Vikings..."
"THOSE AREN'T VIKINGS! KIDS MOVIES HAVE MORE REAL LOOKING VIKINGS THAN THOSE IDIOTS!"
"Noted," Justin calmly stated. "Regardless. They're loud, pushy, and have crossed a dangerous line recently. You, Midgard, are loud, pushy, and love crossing every line we set."
"I AM THE WORLD EATER! LINES MEAN NOTHING TO ME WHEN THEY ARE DRAWN BY INFERIOR BEINGS!"
"Noted," Justin repeated himself. "So, are you saying these people aren't with you?"
"No! I don't even know who these humans are! What have they done?"
Justin turned to the screen and swiped a finger across the tablet in his hand. A video activated. These rowdy people stood around their own operations center that was filled with computers and pelts. It looked like a Viking hall on the set of a B adventure movie.
"BADGE has proven they are worthless in finding the greatest hero this world has ever known. Nova has refused to work with us in the past, but now we shall prove to him how much better FAANG is than BADGE and he will join us. We will find him, free him, and defeat our enemies. BADGE is so pathetic that it cannot even defeat a single woman who has kidnapped the greatest hero ever! HAZZAH!" The transmission paused with the group all thrusting their fists in the air triumphantly.
"HAZZAH? WHAT KIND OF MORON THINKS A VIKING EVER SAID HAZZAH?" Midgard was so furious his eyes were glowing orange.
Justin said, "They're going after Lady Echidna to rescue Nova. Since you have a strange friendship with Nova, and they used a symbol related to you as theirs, and they... well... act a little like you, I assumed you were at least goading them along."
"I know nothing of these fools! I would eat them for tarnishing my identity!" Midgard started to calm down. "I am not responsible for their stupidity."
Justin gave Midgard a cold look and then said, "I believe you. However, that leaves me with a bigger problem than before. I don't know how to find them to stop them."
"BAH! Let them hunt for Lady Echidna. They will prove themselves fools searching where BADGE has failed."
Justin let out a soft sigh, "Actually, the problem is... they do know where to find her."
"How is this possible?" Gar asked.
"We have found a way to plant something so that we could find her center of operations. We believe we have pin-pointed a location. However, one of their members is a computer expert who was able to hijack the tracking signal and they got the same information. So, they know where to find her, Nova, and her little army. And, they intend on a direct assault, if their transmission is accurate."
Gar said, "But, they'll be killed. She is very powerful."
"They aren't without some merits. You know BADGE steps in when people with inadequate abilities try to be heroes. We protect them from themselves. But, this group, though mostly infused heroes, aren't weak. They have done some good work. They are very strong as a group, one of the strongest freelance hero groups on BADGE's records. My problem is, we can't let her know we know where she is. Also, this might prematurely set off some of her plans that we aren't ready for. And, of course, it will not end well for them."
Steam trickled from Midgards nose and mouth as he glared at the paused image on the screen. "That is not the problem they should be worried about."
Justin, hiding his fear well, asked, "What is it?"
Midgard turned and bellowed, "THEY USE MY SYMBOL AS THEIRS AND WILL MAKE FOOLS OF THEMSELVES! I WILL DESTROY THEM BEFORE THEY DESTROY HER!" He ran out of the room, barely getting into the lift without smashing clear through the doors to do so.
Gar looked at Justin, "What do we do?"
"Follow him. I can't have him murdering them. I'll see if I can talk sense into these FAANG people. Go!"
Gar ran for the lift.
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