Gar asked, “What do we do, Justin? This can’t be the end of the world.”
Justin said, “I don’t know. I’m barely keeping BADGE together through all this. It may be beyond our ability to fight. We don’t even have Midgard to stand up against what she throws at us next.”
Chase said, “I could contact my father. He is powerful and has known Nova for a long time.”
Justin said, “Yes, try Santa. But I am not sure he can do anything about this.”
Dr. Henderson said, “Is this truly the end?”
“It might be. Lady Echidna has all four powers, the three stones and Midgard. I don’t see how we can stop her now. Worst of all, she also has Nova on her side. Even if a small part of him is desperately trying to aid us, I think it’s too late. I think when he wrote this he knew that it would be his last words to the world.”
Torrik quietly said, “I am sorry. I will return to my world and gather forces. Even if it is hopeless, we will make a stand at the Great Divide.”
Gar said, “Gather the heroes. They too would rather go down fighting.”
“No! We will not go down fighting! I won’t give up! I refuse to give up!” EB yelled.
Chase held his back. “Nova has given up. There is little chance.”
EB slapped her hand away and hopped to the middle of the table. He pointed at everyone angrily, “Nova is many things, but he never gives up. That man has faced trials that you have never even imagined. We fought Jinn, TWICE! We rewound time to fix this planet after the first battle. Drocha tried to screw up time itself and we stopped him with TWO Nova. This is not the end, it can’t be and I am ashamed of all of you. . . cept maybe Torrik. . . Nova is our friend and also one of the most brilliant minds this world has ever known. He wouldn’t just leave us an ‘I give up’ letter in the bottom of the deepest trench on Earth. How stupid are you people? Nova left this as a clue and we are sitting around acting like it’s all over!" He shocked the room when he clapped his paws together and a flash of magic grabbed Justin, yanked him halfway across the table and EB now held Justin by an ear. With the angriest face he could muster, EB growled in his ear. “BADGE never gives up on their own, especially on the man who has saved your asses more times than all the heroes on this planet COMBINED!”
After being released, Justin stood up on his feet. He was honestly scared right now. EB never got this mad. “What do you think he hid in this letter?”
EB walked over on the table and looked down at it. “Something is just not right. First, what does he mean about dividing his soul? Also, why did he call Midgard his old friend? Why single our Midgard? They were hardly friendly toward each other.”
Chase said, “This is true. Back during the Fenrir incident, I got to witness the time Nova left the Eye of Fenrir with Midgard. They weren’t friends, more like two people with a mutual interest.”
A warning siren blared, followed by the voice of Strange Quark, “Guys, better get in here. We have something happening near New Meta City.”
Justin hurried out of the room, followed by the others. “I thought we got an all-clear from them.”
Quark, in the command position, pointed at the screen. “Well, it’s not ‘all clear’ now. We have weapons fire and one hell of an energy spike. I have never seen this kind of arcane energy before.”
Chase rushed over to a computer, “Activating the optical sensors, focusing on New Meta City.”
The screen changed from charts and readings to a video feed produced by the station’s observation system. It quickly zoomed down to view the area of New Meta City in Antarctica. The massive domed city was a circle to them from above. A bright white light moved quickly around black dots that fired red beams at it. Four landing craft sat on the ice shelf near them.
“What is that?” Torrik asked.
Quark looked at a sensor reading. “I don’t know. But whatever that bright dot is, it is emitting a power signature that is off our charts.”
Justin said, “Quark, get Gar, Chase, and Torrik down there right now.”
“Right, hold your stomachs!” Quark waved his hand. He vanished, no one else did. He suddenly reappeared and staggered, “What the?” He zapped away again and then reappeared. “Okay, now this is making me dizzy.”
EB said, “Lemme try.” He clapped his paws and vanished, but then reappeared. “Oh, that hurt my head.”
Quark said, “I don’t know how, but that energy signature down there is interfering with my powers.”
Dr. Henderson gasped, “What is that? Blood?”
They saw the snowy white ground near the battle quickly turning red as the black dots scattered across the ground. The bright white light stood in place for a second among the gore and then a wave of light came from it and the four landed craft all exploded.
“Can we get a closer image?” Justin asked.
Robot 10915 answered, “Zooming in, heightening resolution. Maximum imaging on screen.”
They now could see the dismembered bodies of hundreds of soldiers littering the ground, their blood soaking through the snow. The burning wrecks of their ships billowing smoke into the sky. A figure walked away, clad in bright gold and white light. All they could see were wings on his back for a moment, but that faded as the light diminished. Soon, this person merely walked away into the ice fields.
“Who is that?” Torrik asked.
Justin said, “I don’t know.”
“I do.” Chase answered. “I saw that once before, during the fight with Fenrir. When Midgard attacked Nova. He started beaming a bright light. I could hardly look at him, but what tiny glimpse I got was... that. I couldn’t believe what I saw. It looked like some kind of warrior angel.”
“What are you saying?” Justin asked.
A deeper voice answered, “She is saying that she saw Nova’s true form.”
Santa Claus walked out from the lift.
Chase ran over to him. “Father! What are you doing here?”
He hugged her, a sorrowful look on his face. “My dear, I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time. I have dreaded it, but knew it would eventually come to pass.”
Justin asked, “What is it, sir? What do you know?”
“A secret I promised to keep to a man I trusted more than anyone else. A secret that I was only allowed to know because this day would come. Nova is not what you think he is. However, if he is embracing his true form, then the darkest days are upon us. Nova is an Arcblade.”
“I know that,” Torrik said.
Santa nodded. “However, do you know what an Arcblade is?”
“Not really.”
People know them as archangels. His return to his true form is a harbinger of the end of time.”
EB said, “Then, he is on our side! We have a chance!”
“No.” Santa said, “He is incomplete, his power split. This is how she can control him. And how she will defeat him. He doesn’t even fully understand what he is right now.”
***
Lady Echidna stood in the middle of her temple, patiently waiting for news from Nova. The only sound in the room was the whimpering of Midgard in the corner.
With a quick turn, she looked back in horror. “What is this? You unfaithful lover!”
There was a moment of serious confusion and rage in her before she calmed down. “This is how it shall be, then it shall be. Midgard, my precious pet, I am afraid it is time.”
She walked up behind Midgard and reached down, touching his shoulder. He quivered at her hand, but then lurched back and tensed up. His eyes were wide and his mouth open, but soon both closed as the color in him drained. His body slumped over and he fell in a dead heap on the stone floor.
Looking at her gloved hand, she whispered, “I had no choice. I really did enjoy watching you work.”
With that pitiful apology uttered, she strode into the middle of the room and held out her arms. “To me, my precious pets. Give me all that I gave you. Surge in me the power I deserve. The end of days is upon us and I will bring the sun to ruin, the stars shall fall, and this world will mire in darkness as I reclaim my rightful rule in Yohan.” The three eyes exploded and the power from them flooded her body.
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