FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 173 Track 4: Last Amazing Race

Windows burst inwards, the once ballroom is now a battlefield. Men in heavy combat armor smash through the door, floodlights shine in through the broken windows to blind all inside. Men in black mask ooze in like an alien all-consuming slime. Tail has seen this maneuver before but not to this scale, she tries to warn Mac and Walker "It is time to go!" but it is too late, the sound of gunfire fills the air.

Hetatsubachi burns with rage, demonic light burst from his body as he brings two table to life to act as shields to buy the party a moment to draw their weapons and ready for battle. Walker starts shouting orders like a general on a precolonial battleground, his team takes ranks encircling their lord.

Mac, strangle calm, looks to Walker with a smile and nod "Are we good?"

Walker nods in return "we are." The two ancient warriors are elated. The smell of blood, the sounds of battle, as soothing as church-bells. As the action begins each and every one of Walker's bodyguards are happy to demonstrate their extraordinary abilities.

Demona uncaps her wings and stands up straight showing off her immaculate glory, greasy red hair, flashing eyes shining like a cats eyes in a darkened room, courageously she stomps towards the invaders. The gargoyle's skin has the density of steel, artillery fire bounces off her sharp curves, Demona is unbreakable. Men cower before Demona as she snatches a gun from a man's hand and crushes it with her bare hands, she then leans forth and screams a panther-like hiss.

Krystal is the opposing extreme, the lunar fox is quick and nibble, her ability to appraise danger and feel her surroundings allowing her to dance between bullets, her halberd is live, she demonstrates her speed and skill spinning her staff around to cut shots from the air. Jumping dancing and twisting Krystal closes the gap between her and the front line forcing the soldiers to fight her in hand to hand combat.

Two soldiers rush Walker, managing to slip past his front line defenders strictly do to having numbers on their side. Mac side steps to take his place as Walkers Yojimbo. One black masked warrior recognizes Mac's glowing golden eyes "he is here, the Avatar." the solder calls into his radio as he moves in to attack. The first solder lifts his gun. Mac steps in past the barrel windmill blocking to push the weapon offline. Mac throws a back fist to distract the solder as he counter-grabs the weapon, Mac turns his body twisting his back into the gunmen's chest and pinning his arms to his body in a chicken wing like hold.

The second solder draws a knife and runs in to attack Mac in an attempt to protect his partner. Mac throws out a thrust kick to stun, he tacks the barrel of the gun from the first solder and tugs forward with one hand and drops his elbow on the other side to steal the weapon. He performs a backward stab with the but of the gun then thrust forward to stab with the barrel against the second he takes the gun in both hands and uppercuts the man in front of him then cleaves down on the man that had been behind him.

Walker claps and laughs "your hand to hand skills are still at the top of the game I see."

The wall behind Walker collapses, a swarm of men start to fluid in through the hole in the wall. In the blink of an eye, Walker can change his form from that of physical matter to that of energy suddenly capable of moving faster than the speed of light. Walker reaches onto his back and call into being his nodachi, he spins around and, in a flash, has jumped from one side of the room to the other, he is visible for only a few moments as his sword leaves its sheath, then as he takes a swing.

Walker swinging his sword seems to strike twice, the first time shattering the weapons and armor of a dozen attackers, the second conjuring a crashing thunder and vacuum force throwing the men Walker has struck to the ground.

Alice has taken a different approach, she has gathered Lucca and Charisma and is searching for a place for them to hide. Alice is ready for this fight, she had been hardened in battle over the years by the Jesuit.

Alice finds a closet and pushes her bandmates in. As she does a man grabs Alice by the back of the head. Alice brings up both hands and grips her attacker by the hand, she drops her weight and turns to face him dropping down into keba-datchi, this forces her attacker onto his toes and exposes his ribcage to her. Alice throws both hands forward in a cannon punch to the exposed underside of her target. She slides steps into a rising elbow strike, hammer fist to the groin, then she back kicks him into the nearest wall.

Charisma looks to Lucca "she can fight? I didn't know she can fight." Charisma looks around "where is Tail?"

Tail, Marks, and Hetatsubachi find themselves circling the wagons, each standing at a 120* angle from the other. Tatsu has his head down, and his teeth bear, bits and pieces of anything around he could happen to spot he has brought to life and made to orbit himself as an aggressive tornadic shield. A phantom wind howls around Marks translucent flams spark off of his body awaiting a challenger to approach. Tail had drawn the photon sword she was gifted by the watchers, a holographic gantlet has conjured onto on hand, a metal globe floats in front of her.

Marks peeks over his shoulder to his would-be daughter "do you still box?"

Tail nods with a grin "here and there, I have also taken up Hema, Bushi-do, and Krav-Maga."

Marks looks over to where Mac and Walker are fighting "you know the golden-eyed monk that taught me Kie-ho, did he not offer to train you as well?"

Tail nods again "he did, I just didn't seem to show any aptitude for it. Sure, I can do pyromancy, but energizim is outside of my spectrum of skills."

"I want both of you to know that you smell horrible by the way." Tatsu complains. "it is like a mix of rusty motor oil, sour pickle juice, and old chicken fat." His eyes turn to the glowing glove on Tail's left hand "what is that?"

Tail explains "it is a gravity force modulator or at least a holographic resupination of it, the real thing is hidden under my skin. It allows me to influence gravitational forces in a localized area."

Marks looks interested "how large?"

"I have tested it at fifteen cubical feet" Tail fans her tails happily talking about the toy she made for herself.

"How much can it influence gravity?"

"I have shifted g/1 to g/5 and g/0.3 I can also rotate the direction of the force."

Tatsu ask for clarification "how does that work?"

Tail starts "well, you see, everything in the known universe generates energy fields, everything has mass, and positrons and electrons can be found everywhere so by forcibly changing the direction that the electrons are facing..." noticing a group of attackers moving closer to them Tail flips around her sword "do you mind if we finish this another time?"

Marks holds a hand overhead, a cluster of invisible swords materialize above him, Marks points the semi-tangible blades fly down and spike four men to the ground. Tatsu throws his tornado of debris at three more men, the wind sweeps them into the air.

One attacker armed with a nightstick gets into close range with Tail. He comes in with an overhead swing to smack at Tail, Tail beings up her photon blade holding it at an angle to slide the club down across her body harmlessly, tail slaps him in the stomach with her edge in returns. The soldier falls back a step but holds himself up. He pulls his stick back with one hand running forward threateningly.

Tail throws her magnetic globe at the warrior, it bounces off his mask. Tail skips forward and punches with her gauntlet, she quarters his mass and quadruples hers at the same time. This sends the solder skipping along the floor as if he had been hit by a truck at 90mph. Tail looks at the glove. As this is her first time using it in live combat "that was neat."

Karin stands in the center of the room, she turns her head looking around. Their if fighting on all sides of her. Her ears lower, guns fire, swords flashing. Time slows, Karin can see every bullet, sweet drips to the floor, a wind blows, everyone struggles, everyone but Karin who stands and watches. Until the battle comes to her, she will merely wait.

***

Only a few blocks away military vehicles block the roads, anti-aircraft guns are rolled into place. Hundreds of men in full combat gear stand at the ready. Wright von Richton stands amongst them, one hand on the side of her head holding a radio as she listens in on status reports.

Lincoln Gallard arrives on the scene, he steps out of his car dressed in a shaman-like robe and a matching cap with panther-like strips. He pushes his glasses into place then swiftly walks between a group of soldiers approaching the horrible Wright von Richton, he calls out to her "What is all of this nonsense?"

Von Richton speaks into the microphone on the table before her "Springfield, get Cerberuses into position. Have Edger activate the Rune Sword once inside. Valentine, you will need to use your Hex Bullets to neutralize the magical fields protecting Mac and Walker alike. Then turn your attention on the gargoyle and the foxes. Allen, stay close to Springfield, without his protective aura and the Ruin Blade you will be overrun. Watch out for the white fox, she has voidmance at her discretion according to Mr. Blake. England, I want Tail, Krystal and Karin are disposable."

Gallard grabs von Richton to turn her to face him "what is the matter with you, you silly girl?"

Von Richton places down her headset "is there something you would like to say, Mr. Gallard?"

"I have been watching you these last few weeks, and I do declare this is madness." Gallard begins "100 men that were on 10-year tours of service you have ordered here abandoning decade-long investigations. You have borrowed 1 billion dollars from the coffers. You offered a full pardon to your pet England without concocting 'the House of Twelve.' You have brought Cerberus here leaving the vaults unprotected. What is all of this? What does this mean? It will take us years to clean up all this mess." Dramatically Gallard exclaims "You have the devil in you women!"

"I am the sword and the shield, this is the decisive hour. We are fighting in the first battle of the last war that will ever be fought by humanity. It is the last hours of the last days of our world. What I am doing, Gallard is what I told everyone I would do. I will save us all, even if I have to send us all to hell to do it. today we will have glory, or we will watch it all burn."

***

Alice is strong, but only slightly stronger than the average man. Her real strength is silence, she moves without making a sound, she jumps at a wall and runs three steps before jumping off and landing on the back of an assault trooper, one knee on his back and both hands tucked under his chin she pulls up on his spine until it cracks and he falls silent. Alice then steals his mask and coat pretending to be a mercenary so she can sneak around in their ranks. Fighting every trooper could take hours, but a strike to the head will confuse them. Maybe even force a retreat.

Six men armed with S.A.W.'s attack Marks, Tail, and Tatsu. Tatsu throws a table at them to interrupt the attack. Marks one-up's Tatsu by punching the air and changing the direction the bullets are flying, pitching the shuts backward into the guns jamming them.

Tail looks around "Anyone have eyes on Karin?"

Tatsu laughs "Karin can take care of herself." He shows his fangs as he watches the men regroup and ready for another strike "honestly I feel bad for anyone that touches her."

The black masked soldiers quickly seem to regain their composure. The lot line up in an execution line, a line of men on their knees, the second line on their feet.

Walker steps forward, Krystal and Demona slide in alongside him. Walker lowers a hand to his side calling on the power of the moon to fill him. A current of energy slides down Walker's arm and into his hand shaping into a ball of plasma. Walker can end this fight right now. With a wave of his hand, he will call into being a wave of lighting that will sweep across the room and destroy the weapons of his attackers.

Walker swings his hand forth, the room fills with lighting taking the shape of a terrible winged beast. But then, it vanishes...

Edger Frog, Hunter for the Holy Order of the von Richton Watcher Society, Classification Cerberus, has entered the battlefield. He is an abnormally large man, well over six feet tall with the body of a Mister Universe continent. He looks like a punker, long blond hair, greased chest, a white trench coat with spiked shoulders. Edger grips in his fist a sword, almost comically oversized. The handle of the sword is cross-shaped, the blade is forged from blue steel, writing in moon script is drawn down the edge.

Edger holds the sword in front of him, the lighting beast Walker had summoned is sucked into the sword.

Walker locks eyes with Edger, Walker whispers to his team, "A Ruin Knight." He looks side to side "the Ruin Knights are specially trained to hunt and kill spell slinger. They can redirect magic at them so long as the caster is in the line of sight. And the blade he has can shatter any spell cast." Walker looks at Hetatsubachi. "We need to get that sword away from him fast."

Tatsu nods "easy enough." The wolf explains.

A web of magic symbols orbit around the party. Amarant Springfield holds up his Shepperd's cane.

Tatsu reads the magic writing as the glyphs float in the air "Sealing glyphs. How amusing." Tatsu whispers to himself as he is scanning the area "Keep out of the light generated by the glyphs. Walker if you or I touch them we will have our supernatural strength stolen from us. Marks, it will kill you."

Marks slides alongside Mac and Walker as the party falls back. The battle becoming direr. "it would seem this lot knows who we are and brought weapons specifically to harm us."

Walker grips his longsword in both hands, his suit and tie burn away forming into his moonfolk battle gear, a white cape with shoulder armor and a nightshade tank top with tassels coupled with matching baggy pants. "such weapons are not cheap. This must have been a long time in the making."

Mac unsheathes the Avatar sword "von Richton really doesn't like you does she?"

Krystal stands in front of her master her staff held in front of her at a low ready. Krystal nudges her head upwards pointing at Amarant, a shuttering whimper to her voice Krystal airily musters "they boy, that is..."

Walker holds his sword overhead in a two-handed stance "I know who he looks like, but that is not our Springfield."

Demona growls, her eyes bleed smoke "Stand tall sister, do not cry for the dead, instead howl to worn hell that a warrior has joined their ranks. Even today Springfield's ghost walks amongst the kings of Norway protecting this world from the Elementals."

Krystal whispers with Demona "I fear I will never understand your religion. Your cry on birthdays and you sing in cemeteries. You make heroes out of madmen and resolve arguments by juggling swords."

Demona spins her sword and clenches her shield in on fist "I am a chieftain of Avalon. In Avalon, there is no death, only transformation, when a warrior yields in battle their minds leaves their body taking on the shape of living memory. In this form the fallen offer guidance to the living. Every time an egg hatches that means that a warrior has returned to earth to learn new techniques to aid their brothers in the other world."

Tatus looks up "I like your style wild girl."

Amarant calls out to the gunners "ready your arms!"

Tail flips around her photon sword hiding it on the back of her arm. "so, what weapons do you think they have to hold you and I back?"

Mac rolls his eyes over to look Tail over "you aren't bulletproof are you?"

Tail slaps Mac on the back with a few of her tails, "you are. Get me in arm's reach, and I may be able to invoke such chaos."

Walker whispers to Tail "think that toy of yours can punch through the big guy's sword?"

Tail nods "I think I can do that."

Amarant yells out "Company Fire!"

Demona snaps her wings out and holds her arms to the side to hide her friends behind herself. Round after round of machinegun fire bounce off of her steel-like skin, tiny cuts and burns quickly start to form where she is struck continually.

But then one gunman discards his rifle, he reaches onto his hip and draws a pistol, it has an ax head that acts as a trigger guard and a spearhead coming off of the sight, the gun has been cast in silver. The gunner discards his mask revealing his flowing yellow hair. He reaches onto is other hip pulling a matching weapon each gun seems to have three barrels. His arms cross over. He takes a step forward breaking the line. He takes only a single shot with each weapon.

The blond gunmen hit Demona in one leg and shatters her armor. Demona grunts and falls to her knees. Her eyes stop glowing, and she looks up frightened. A second shot hits her in the hip and Demona falls onto her back.

Krystal grips her halberd in both hands and runs forward to attack, she waves her way into enemy fire.

Tatsu barks "this is bad."

Walker calls out "Krystal!" Walker pints ahead "Mac! Help her."

Victor Valentine is a marksman of legendary esteem, he has inhumanly acute vision. Like Richard Blake, he is labeled as in Abit by the watchers. Using his super vision and highly trained muscular responses he can see 80 feet a clearly as something within arm's reach, this lets him spot the smallest flaws in his opponents' armor. This made him prime material for the Cerberus team only Marin Duphran can match Valentine's skill, the two of them have fought many times over who is truly the best sniper amongst the Watcher's. Victor can see as he watches Krystal's spears spin, she can only cover from her ears to shins.

Krystle dances into the crowd with blinding speed to draw attention away from the wounded gargoyle. Krystal pushes her way into the crowd, she wants Amarant. Years ago Springfield was a member of Walker's team, he helped Mac and Walker in the early phases of there war against Cravixs.

When Amarant had first approached Walker, he was a child, barely over a hundred years old. But never the less a revered druid, Amarant clearly had the blessing of Selena on him. At only a hundred years of age, he was almost as strong as the lady of the moon her self, many would say. Amarant practiced his craft alongside Walker and Meyu Darclair.

When last Walker had seen Amarant, Springfield was tracking the children of Adam Crow on earth. Amarant had at that time believed that though Cravixs had three bodies, he only had one mind. But they are all linked. If Springfield could find the family of Adam Crow, he could craft a spell that would shatter the bloodline, and with one-third of the evil god dead, Cravixs would lack the power to jump between worlds and consume them.

Krystal knows well all of this, Krystal ,an extinction of Salena's will, once nothing more than a stuffed toy the grace of the lady of the moon gives her life. Krystal was crafted with a single purpose in mind. To pleasure her lord and master.

Victor takes his shot, Krystal is grazed across both legs by a single bullet, Krystal falls to her knees. Victor lines up a second. Krystal turns her eyes upwards, she locks eyes with her attacker. Krystal is ready to face her fate.

Mac runs forth to join the fray. This triggers a mass melee. Mac swings his sword across his body, Victor crosses over his guns as a shield then spins backward sidestepping around Edger for protection. Edger turns his massive blade down at Mac, Mac brings his sword into a high guard forcing Edger's sword to glance off of Mac's curved edge.

Tail places A hand on Mac's back and leaps over him. Tail throws a punch with her holographic glove. Edger twists his body hiding under his sword like it is a shield. Tail's punch pushes Edger back a dozen feet.

A new face joins the battle. Allan Frog, Allan is everything his brother isn't Edger is a giant, Allen is below average in both height and weight, Edger is trained in two-handed sword style, Allen practices twin weapon form, Edger is a champion bodybuilder, Allan is a world-class parkour artist. Together the Frogs are a deadly duel.

The five engage in a dance of blades. Tail attacks Edger, Allen interrupts, Victor counterattacks, Mac steps in to protect Tail, Mac retaliates, Tail summons her shield sphere to block as Allen offers backup to Victor. Edger throws himself at Mac and Tail, Mac and Tail, work together to catch and redirect the attack. Tail throws a fist full of burning powder in the air to force Allen and Victor to fall back.

With limited magic available to Mac in spite of his age and experience, physically, Mac is only slightly stronger than the average man. The combined might of the three heads of Cerberus may even have been able to overpower him without Tail there to offer backup. Tail balances the equation, the lot of them lock into a stalemate. Until...

One of the gunmen brakes formation, she spine on her heels and opens fire on her teammates. First shooting Amarant, then attacking Victor. Mac can see what just happened and tacks advantage. Edger goes to attack the turncoat, throwing a single punch and she collapses in a heap, crushed by his overwhelming size. Mac wraps an arm around Edger's arm and grabs the Ruinblade, he pushes forward and down pulling against Edger's thumb to steal the sword from him.

Victor retreats from battle as Allen jumps to protect his brother. Tail spins in and slaps Allen with her halo of tails then presses her photon sword to his cheek burning into his skin. With Alice as a distraction Mac and Tail overpower the Frog's. Yet one member of the Cerberus team has still to act.

Karin walks through the group almost unnoticed. The White fox brushes her hand across the bodies of many people, she steals their memories with her touch. Soon Karin knows everything about their enemies.

That is when England, at last, comes out of hiding, one arms shifts into the shape of a spear, he pulls away from the wall that he was hiding inside of retaking his semi-human form. Sliding along the ground like a shadow the demon grips Karin around the neck with one hand and stabs her in the back with his other.

Karin leans back into the monsters embrace, this should have slain her instantly, but Karin is not like many of the others here, she is like Mac and Walker, she has holy blood. Karin's mimic ability is triggered when she is grabbed, she assimilates England's memories and power, she adds his strength onto her own. Karin throws her arms off to the sides, and an explosion of psychokinetic energy erupts from her body.

England is launched away from the white fox. Karin is filled with wrath. Black-red flames spill from her body, a voice echoes from the fox "Behold child of Phage, you stand face to face with the void itself."

One of Karin's fist clenches, waves of light and wind splash outwards from the white fox, a fluid of energy forms a blinding flash and echoes with earsplitting sound, the top dozen floor a torn from the hotel, the walls or reality start to corrode. Karin's shadow becomes a thousand-armed monster, three eyes for a body and a web of hands seemingly infinitely folding outwards.

The wave of energy flashes outwards again shattering lights, windows, and electronics of all types within half a mile crack or break. Marks Kie offering him protection. The thousand armed one lowers its body getting eye to eye with England, the beast cloak of arms cocooning the offending army.

England is overwhelmed by the supernatural power, he crawls, on one hand, his other hand held before his face struggling not to look upon Karin and her irregular shape. "Behold the fusion of that which is good and that which is holy. Allow me to pass judgment on you and your ken. England, slave of the von Richton's, your heart, is stained with greed, your intentions overshadowed by ambition. The cruelest of men have always paved the road at their feet with the desire for glory. The children of Phage are cursed with the ability to only die on the sand which their mother conceived them. so, you England will not die; instead I condemn you to the vacuous fires of the Never."

The thousand armed one reaches its spectral limes into the body of England "your heart and brain, on the other hand, belong to me, what I will send into the deep will be nothing more than a shell. Your flash has no more need for a spirt." Karin drains away from England everything that made him who he was. His dreams, his wants, his love and his fear, his ambition and his longing all that is left in his mind when Karin has drunk away his mind is the 'I' spoken of in the phrase 'I think therefore, I am' "I welcome you to anialatoin."

Not this building or even this continent can remain stable in the presence of Karin's spectral form. The air freezes, water boils, metal warps, the earth quakes. Karin outstretches with her feelings, the godly thing that is what Karin truly is, does what it was created to do, it is a force of nature that sends out its web of arms in search of more minds to harvest. Karin is the seed of Cravixs, Karin is hunger made flesh, and her catnip is memories.

With the Ruinsword now in Mac's hand, Walker can wield his magic once more, but he doesn't need to. Karin mummifies anyone that doesn't throw down their weapons and flee from her cataclysmic power.

Mac looks to Walker shouting "Karin is a Tamriel?"

"No," Walker explains "Karin is Cravixs. Or at least a clone of it." Walker takes control of the situation, he calls over the phantom wind "Karin, that is enough."

Hearing the voice of walker calling to her Karin returns to her cold calm self. A slight smile on her face as she looks to her 'father' with loving eyes. England vanishes with the thousand-handed one being sucked to a place without time or space.

Marks looks to Walker, a stillness in the air "Extraordinary." He exclaims

Tatsu's eyes are on fire, flames bleed from his paws, he looks to Karin, his lips curled threateningly. "do that again I dare you." He growls "I am looking forward to another real fight."

Tail unmask Alice and picks her up.

Charisma comes out f the closet with Luca rejoining the group "did anyone else just see a monster of kaiju size stomping around?"

Mac walks over to Walker, he slaps the Moonfolk "you have a void beast just walking around with you? Do you have any idea how much damage that thing can do?"

Walker waves around the room pointing out the oddity of water boiling at room temperature and ice crystals forming all around them "well, it looks like physics took the night off."

Tail speaks up "I think Alice is ok." Tail looks down at her hand, then her sword, and her shield globe. "Looks like all my toys broke on the other hand." Tail looks around, "Everyone check your phone." Tail request.

As everyone is picking themselves up after the battle, the stillness of the air takes root. In day to day life, people are surrounded by white-nose so often that it becomes alien to be in a place where the sounds of cars, or radios, or even electrical humming isn't omnipresent.

Mac explains "my phone is dead."

Walker nods "Ditto."

Demona has ripped apart her dress to form bandages, she walks around the room packing the wounds of her friends. "I left my phone in the car."

Suddenly music starts playing and it is shocking, everyone starts looking around for the source.

'Cat ears!

Cat ears mode!

Cat ears are Go!'

Marks pulls out his phone, "mine is still working."

Tail looks to Marks, "I think you may have an unhealthy opposition."

Marks reads a message on his phone. "David jazzmen and Nuku have acquired Charlie Belmond. They are on their way to location 56."

Mac digs around in his pockets for a notebook and starts reading down the notes he has left for himself "Loft?" he asks trying to remember the meeting spots that they had talked about earlier.

Marks turns his head "Cabooze."

Mac looks to walker "we need to get ahold of Meyu and see what Larry and Reizuki's condition is."

Marks nods "then I will contact Snake and El."

Charisma jumps around aggravated "we where just being shot at by the feds, should we maybe find a place to hide before they start shooting missiles at us."

Hetatsubachi shrugs "I think she is right. Walker, do you have any recommendations?"

Walker points over to Mac "do you have a safehouse in Minnesota?"

Mac nods "yeah, the warehouse."

Walker throws his cape over his shoulder "then it is time for me to stretch my wings."

***

Von Richton's radio explodes, windows shatter all around her and Lincoln. Von Richton spins around shouting for a report. Light flickers off of her glasses, she turns her head and looks up the only light within a mile is coming from the hotel, the arms of the thousand-handed one outstretch.

Von Richton whispers to herself "Ten bells ring. Only two hours left until midnight." Von Richton throws off her green coat reviling her Angelic Battle Gear. She runs to the hotel "Time is running out."

Lincoln chases Wright von Richton "what does that mean!" he shouts.

***

Only minutes later Von Richton arrives with a cleanup team, they miss Walker and his friends making there escape by just seconds. Soldiers gather floodlights searching for survivors in the wreckage.

Lincoln walks slowly, his head rolls side to side taking in the deviation. There are easily over a hundred men mangled on the ground that Lincoln has worked with over the years. He brings a hand up to his chest and draws a holy symbol in the air whispering a prayer.

A hand grips Lincoln by the leg. Lincoln kneels down finding Springfield on the ground, the young Faykin white from bloodless "Never stop praying to the moon." A whisper leaves Springfield's lips "Never stop praying to the moon." He repeats, "Never..."

Lincoln crouches, the old man turns his head calling out into the crowd "Medic!" Lincoln is shaking with fear, he places a hand on the side of the face of the child. Lincoln has known Springfield his enter life. It was Springfield that first showed Lincoln around the library. During the 1960 fire, Springfield was the first person to run into the archive. There is no one more loyal to the watchers. Lincoln whispers to his teacher "how can you be so stupid?"

Springfield is desperately trying to stay awake, he has learned secrets that he must pass on. "Dove is Crow" Springfield takes Lincoln by the hand "Dove is Crow, do you understand?"

Lincoln, if not lost in fear, would readily understand what Amarant is trying to say but at the moment can do little more than shake his head. "Springfield." Lincoln whispers.

"Joe Dove, Magdalen..." Springfield tries to explain, but he is cut off. Four rescue worker pushes Lincoln off to one side to gas Springfield and starts operating on him.

Lincoln squints, he gets it, Springfield saw something in the archive, something that is of dire importance, Springfield is trying to tell Lincoln to look for what he saw, Joe, Crow, Magdalen, what do they all have in common?

Von Richton acts like a field commander, she takes control of the teams, takes inventory. Wright kneels down, she picks up Tails broken Shield Sphere. She rolls it in her hand then stands up and shouts "Where is my Cerberus team? Status update."

Victor calls out "The Frogs are over here. They were caught in that blast. Their condition is unstable."

Von Richton approaches "you seem to have dodged it."

Victor explains "I got lucky."

Von Richton folds her arms "I don't think you were in the building at the time the blast accrued." She looks him up and down with vile eyes "where is the Ruinblade?"

"they took it."

Von Richton grips her cane tightly "tell me your miraculous escape come with the benefit of knowledge."

"Charlie Belmond is on his way to a place called Cabooze, El Driver and Snake Gekks are with Walker and Marks. Mac has the Avatar sword. And they are on their way to a warehouse in Minnesota." Victor talks fast.

Von Richton seems pleased. "you have the luck of demons on your side." she looks side to side "now, where is England?" a soft wind blows through von Richton's hair, her eyes are drawn across the room. A shadow is burned into the ground. Wright walks around the shadow studying it, her expiration growing ever more frustrated as she taps her cane to the ground.

When Karin transformed England was standing on the event horizon, it is his shadow burned onto the ground. Von Richton brings one hand up pulling at her hair, her lip curls into a sneer and she starts shouting in raw anger. She can see clearly what has happened, she has failed, and her oversight has cost her the lives of many of her men and her pet.

Von Richton can no longer hold on to her human mask, she throws her glasses at the ground shattering them, her eyes reflect pink light, her skin takes on a rosy hue, tendrils of light grow out of her back and flutter around as if suspended in water. For the first time in years, von Richton's real face is visible to all those around her Wright von Richton was a mask, Aska the Forgotten is the beast beneath. Aska is an Overbing, one of the lawgivers of the realm called Zion.

Von Richton, now as Aska slaps her tendrils into the ground and leaps into the air. She knows what Cravixs next prophecy is, she must stop it. She must stop him, the law be damned.

Act 2 The Last Hour Before Midnight