Splinterbark: Ballad of Boogie Betty

[Lovetheangelshadow]

Chapter 0: The Master’s ServantsBoarcelina had worked for so many waking hours for a week purifying the White Rabbit. Her fingers were stained with ooze and burnt ashes of magic as she had to sift and pull out every positive emotion from the beast’s presence. By the time her world had been done her hands were shaking from the lack of sleep and her morale was low. She cursed the harlot and should have known better than to trust the Captain Coyote. Boarcelina had lived long enough and should have known better. Woman like the captain were not new to her as easy as they were to dupe into contracts where finally Boarcelina would strike at them and turn them into creatures as ugly as she was. She relished in their throes of agony as their bodies twisted into hideous forms before she shoved them out into the world to endure the same cruelty she did before finally offering them repose in the form of offerings to her master. The witch of the boars was finally satisfied she had prepared the White Rabbit as pleasantly delicious to Oozebo and would gain much favor. Greed and desperation were particularly bitter to her tastes, but she did not question her master’s tastes. And it spiced up its daily meal of terror.

She led the grotesque hare down deep into the Underground of Cadric City where her master had made its new home for the past four years. There were passages almost no one could find unless you knew exactly where they were which made for an ideal place to hide. Shoving the dumb brute to go where she needed the beast to go was a chore. She rather missed the ancient castles and fortress that were normally places of non-discovery; but the Black Guardian had found hiding their master in Cadric City to be a bit more difficult. According to him, many places had old devices that interfered with beings of magical nature and trying to get rid of them was too long and painful a process that it was not worth the hassle. The current working theory was that a Guardian long since gone set this up. Boarcelina trusted the Black Guardian’s judgement. He would know about how the Guardians operated far more than herself and King and he had yet to steer them wrong.
As she delved deeper into the tunnels she could feel her master’s oppressive presence. Even limited by what it could do, its existence alone was enough to feel pressure against her flesh. Her skin began to shudder and she could feel a turbulence of uncomfortable emotions swirling within. Her companion hollered and buried his head between his massive hands. He hollered and then turned his blood red eyes towards Boarcelina. He tried to lunge at her with his claws aiming for her throat. Boarcelina nary moved her staff before threads of magic coiled themselves about the White Rabbit’s arms and legs and strapped them tightly against his body. She slammed him against the wall for good measure before dragging his form down the hall.

They stepped out into the massive chamber housed in the heart of the Underground. The ceiling was a good twenty feet high and domed above. Flecks of paint showed that this once had been beautifully decorated and once a place of high standing from what was left of the twisted columns surrounding them. Broken marble statues were scattered about-some broken with age and others scratched and ripped apart. She wondered what this place was used for and what it looked like in its heyday. A shame she would never know. Time spells were far out her league and she knew about that one Guardian who messed with such things. She would prefer to not end up like him. In the center of the room on a large dais was a massive iron crucible. Monsters and runes decorated the interior with one hundred and nine ring shaped depressions integrated in the designs. Most of the depressions had been filled with golden rings already. Inside the crucible a large hulking form was hunched over with its back towards Boarcelina. Its skin was muddy and dripped on the floor and its actual color changed between blacks, browns, and greens. As it heard the witch approaching, the monster turned towards them. It had no set face as it kept shifting and transforming into many forms. Boarcelina learned to just focus on its red eyes to keep down the headache. It opened its mouth and in a female voice responded
“Ah Boarcelina, you have come. Have you been successful? And you brought a snack.” It tried to reach for the White Rabbit but it could only go so far before being jerked violently back to the crucible it was attached to. Boarcelina bowed as she brought the beast closer to her master. She also saw that the Black Guardian was also there.

“I trust your venture to Argentina was well? A tan looks good on you”, he smirked playfully. From her pouch, Boarcelina withdrew a large gold ring. It was a little blacked and grimed up with blood, but even in the dark oppressive room it still shined with mystical radiance. The ooze creature grinned maliciously as Boarcelina placed the ring into an empty depression on the crucible. A surge of magic erupted from the iron and struck through the ooze beast. Screeching in both masculine and feminine voices it thrashed before embracing the magical essence into its body with a satisfied howl. It had grown slightly in stature and Boarcelina saw a new face being expressed by it before it melted into the chaotic mixture among with the other shifting facial attributes. It’s euphoria over the witch’s master then turned its sights on the White Rabbit. Boarcelina stepped back and gestured that the hare was all her master’s. The ooze creature grabbed it with a large limb and swallowed it whole. It gulped loudly and grinned happily as it expressed the emotions it could taste. But then it stopped and grasped its throat. Foam began to drip from its mouth and it screamed and coughed. White ooze and greenish foam sputtered and erupted from its mouth as it thrashed in agony. Finally it snarled and hacked up a deluge of the white slime.

“Love….hope…joy…you….you tried to poison me!” Boarcelina threw up her hands and screamed how it was not her fault. She was not given a chance as her master entrapped her in black webs and was dragged along the ground towards the ooze monster’s mouth. The Black Guardian just watched all this occur, amused even. A purple haze began to form about the witch as she was drawn closer to her master’s maw. The haze was absorbed happily by the beast before he dropped Boarcelina on the floor weakened but alive.
“That will do for your transgression”, it sneered.

“Y-yes Master Oozebo. Happy…happy to serve, Master Oozebo.”
A loud wheezy laugh echoes from one of the many tunnels leading into the chamber followed by heavy footfalls of clawed cloven feet and leather dragging along the stone and mud. The gargantuan form swayed elegantly into the space with his massive arms behind his back as he surveyed the black angel assisting the boar witch to her feet. Boarcelina flittered her massive eyes at the Black Guardian with a lusty thanks and blew a smoking kiss in his direction. An action that the Guardian flicked away in annoyed disgust.
“Well well well the gang is all here”, the giant sneered as his long sharkian snout peeled back rows upon rows of blackened teeth. His beady red eyes leered at them.
“Congratulations of your success, Boarcelina. I trust it was not too difficult a task to procure the Gem Guardian’s ring.” Boarcelina’s chest puffed out with pride as she twirled her staff in bemusement. Smoke flittered from the gem in the center as it formed into an angel with gem-like armor wielding a staff. Before the angel a silhouette of Boarcelina raising her staff towards her enemy rose from the mists before the two engaged in battle.

“Oh it took a bit to wear him down after ferreting out his little hiding place, but I managed. Personally I would have liked to have had a little more…fun beforehand.” The appearance of the angel began to twist and writhe in agony as it transformed into a draconic beast. The trio watched with mixed amusement as the smoke version of the witch cackled in glee as it attempted to force the dragon to its will. The former Guardian seemed to have a moment of clarity because it slammed itself against rocks below and impaled its heart on a rocky spire. The Black Guardian cringed slightly as his comrades’ perverted glee. His master seemed to be aware because it glanced at the angel with narrowed eyes before clearing its throat to get their attention.

“And what of you, my dear King? I trust you were successful with your hunt as well?” There was no inquiry in Oozebo’s voice, only demand. And they all were aware of it. King hesitated to look his master directly in the eyes and tapped the meaty fingers of his forepaws together. At least he bowed with one knee before Oozebo.
“Forgive me, my lord. I dear my search was in vain. The Crimson Guardian was in Port Said, but has long since left the location. But it was not my fault, my master! That angel purposely gave me outdated information!” He bellowed as he grabbed his finger towards the Black Guardian who could only raise an eyebrow underneath his devilish mask.
“He led me on a false trail to make me fail on purpose. I would not disappoint you, my lord, with such an important task!” The Black Guardian pretended to be invested in his fingernails.

“I gave you all relevant information. Not my fault you decided to screw around…in more terms than one”, Black responded coolly. King bellowed and lunged for the Guardian. Black summoned dark fire from his palms and jabbed them hard into King’s eyes. Blinded King groped wildly in the air for the angel. He got lucky and snagged Black by the leg. Still unable to see he swung the angel in erratic directions missing the floor with each strike. The fallen angel snarled and puffed into black smoke before reappearing over King’s back. From flames he summoned out of the ether a chain and with one hard strike wrapped it tightly around King’s bullish neck. Struggling to stay in place upon King’s snaking mane Black pulled the chains hard.

“ENOUGH!” Oozebo shot a multitude of tendrils upon the trio and entrapped them with nary an effort. The oozing creature slammed his servants hard against the domed tiles above and dragged them hard letting marble shrapnel and ancient stone cut against their faces and arms before finally dropping all three of them hard onto the ground; watching their bodies bounce and groan out in pain. It let them gasp and whimper in hurt before forcing them to their feet.
“My patience is wearing thin. We have made…considerable progress this past decade thanks Black’s efforts, so I cannot allow you to waste my time squabbling at each other. And you, Black…you lost the ring of the Golden Guardian and allow your efforts to be hampered by a wet nosed whelp of a secondary!” The Black Guardian was having trouble staying on his own feet and clutched his side where a shard of concrete tile had embedded itself nicely between his ribs. Such a mortal wound was far from being able to actually kill him, but it did not stop it from hurting like hell.

“There is no excuse for my failures, my lord. I accept my shortcomings and will rectify the problem.” He spat his last words in the general direction of King.
“See that you do. Three rings remain out there. Three rings keep me trapped to this cauldron”, Oozebo snarled. It waved its hand and three indentations with the face of the décor slowed a faint purple. “Black Guardian, see what you can about locating the Crimson Guardian. They have been a most annoying presence to us. Boarcelina, learn what you can why the Black Guardian’s scouts have failed to return. And King…rectify your failings in Port Said and bring me that whelps’ ring even if you have to drag his dead body along with it. Do I make myself clear to all of you?” The three servants bowed and acknowledged the commands in unison. They were smart enough to. As limited as their master’s powers were at the moment, it was fully capable of ending their lives as easily as it had changed them.

[Lovetheangelshadow]

Chapter 1: History Lesson

Reed blinked several times when he stood inside Shelly’s room. They had been partners for almost three months now as superheroes and despite knowing full well each other’s identities. Then again it was not like he ever invited her to his house. That time Thomas brought her over and even he hadn’t even called. He cringed slightly remembering his abhorrent behavior that day. He had to swallow a lot of pride when he told his parents the night before that he and Shelly would be studying at her house for an upcoming history test. It wasn’t a complete lie. Frix insisted that they know about the Oozlings and that witch they had fought a few days ago. It would feel awkward to talk about it at school as neither Mister Blackbird nor Thomas could see or hear Frix.
His mother remarked his request with disapproval at the mention of Shelly. Marco grinned and fully teased him how Reed was spending time at his girlfriend’s house now.
“SHELLY IS NOT…not my girlfriend”, he snapped at his brother. Marco replied with a big Cheshire grin.

“Aw, widdle brother’s got a big crush. If you ever need a wingman to nudge your awkward self in the right direction…”
“I will be certain to not ask you.”
Inside Shelly’s room he noticed the entire wall of Songbird memorabilia from the labeled long boxes on the lower shelf to the vintage toys, magazines, and other merch. A lot of it looked very old and some had been well used. Shelly even had a massive theatre sized poster showcasing a five part special of Songbird vs the Eastern Hand with several cardboard tubes underneath each labeled with a different Songbird series.
“You…really like Songbird”, he remarked aloud.
“That obvious?” Shelly squeaked.
“I mean Songbird hasn’t been active since the 80’s and there are far more famous current supers out there…”
“Says the guy with the Japanese Mobile Suit Gundam, Macross, and an Akira framed posters in his bedroom”, she teased.
“Touché. Some of these are a collector’s gold mine. Your family don’t seem the type to…”
“They belonged to my grandpa.” Reed caught a depressing tone in her words and she curled up on the bed slightly.

“Oh…I take it he…”
“Grandpa introduced me to his collection when I was a kid. Every weekend we’d read issues together and he’d tell me stories about the Songbird and teach me all the values of being a hero…even when he got real sick. And when he died he…” Shelly started tearing up and Reed handed her a handkerchief apologizing for his prying.
“It’s alright. Grandma was real mad when she found out Grandpa said his collection was all mine. Dad really chewed her out. He pays for a big storage to house the rest of the stuff. I don’t know why it couldn’t stay in grandma’s house. It’s a big house. Grandparents can be silly sometimes, huh?” Reed pressed his fingers against his collarbone.
“I would not know. I have never met my grandparents on my father’s side and my mom’s parents…it’s complicated.” Complicated as in they paid more attention to Marco than him, but he didn’t need Shelly to know that. Frix coughed loudly and rapped the tip of his pincers against a chalkboard Shelly had on the opposite wall.
Drawn on it was a crudely drawn cauldron with a strange glooby monster rising out of it and stick figure angels surrounding it.

“If you two are done bonding over miniscule things, why don’t we actually learn some valuable history?” The two humans shrugged and seated themselves on the chairs by Shelly’s desk while Frix narrated.

He first circled the angels and rapped the chalk hard against them, almost snapping the chalk in two as he did so.
“These are the Guardians. Where they came from and how many there are out there I don’t know exactly myself. All I can say for certain is that they were once known to be all over the world, but their numbers have dwindled especially in recent years. As you are well aware, Reed, the ring is the source of all your Guardian powers. That is as far as I know about them, but this…” He circled the ooze monster while dusting the angels away with his tail.
“This is Oozebo. It is a creature composed of negative emotions. How or where it came from is not known to me. What I can tell is that its main goal is to influence and control as much of the world as it can. For now it is confined to a crucible where it must rely on others to spread its power. Those who follow him are known as Oozlings.

“There are two main forms of Oozlings: the Pureborn and the Converted. Pureborns are typically mindless beasts born from the flesh of Oozebo itself. They possess singular purpose in their existence-most are created to gather negative emotions to feed Oozebo. The monsters you have encountered are such beasts.
The Converted are those who were once human who have accepted…or forced to…accept Oozebo into their lives and become transformed into monsters. They are far more intelligent though how much of their own mind they retain is…debatable. That gorilla and rabbit are such examples.” Reed had his arms folded and eyes closed as he listened. All of this really was new to him. There was not a lot about his father’s Guardian work he had been privy too. His father often refused saying it was for their own safety even if he had early on told them he was the Golden Guardian for the same reason. Even Marco claimed to not know about such things. Personally Reed was certain he was lying knowing how close his father and brother were, and his brother was a darn good liar. Frix was grinding the chalk between his talons.
“I have reason to believe that the Hunter is an Oozling.”
“Really? What makes you think that”, Shelly asked.

“I wasn’t sure at first but when he drained your fear back at the atrium I…”
“He did WHAT?!” Reed bellowed. Reed grabbed Shelly by her jacket flaps and jerked her up to his face.
“What did he do to you, Shelly?!” Shelly blinked stupefied at him. Her response was that she had no idea what Frix was talking about. Frix fluttered between the two and jabbed his pincer into Reed’s hand causing him to drop Shelly back onto the rug.
“He was helping her, you mud brain.”
“Help…help?! Hunter does not help anybody but himself.”
“You have serious issues with that guy. What is your deal?” Reed folded his arms tighter against his body and mumbled it was none of her business. Shelly argued that they were supposed to be partners and that included with him being more honest with her. Their shouting ended there when Arthur knocked on Shelly’s door to check in. He thought he heard angry shouting. Also if they wanted cookies.
There was little else Frix could tell them. The Guardians had been fighting the Oozlings for years, decades, or even centuries. How many there were out there then or now Frix didn’t know.

“You seem to know a lot for a guy who used to be inside a crystal ball”, Shelly mused.
“I have had many encounters with both the Guardians and the Oozlings. You could say it is because of them I am where I am now.”
“Then we should take the fight to this Oozebo, right”, Reed declared.
“If it were that easy. You’d have to get through its Generals. You have met two of them already. Boarcelina, the witch of the ancient sands and while her magic may not come directly from Oozebo, she had lured many a soul to its clutches. And of course, the Black Guardian: sworn enemy of all Guardians and Oozebo’s right hand man. And there is a third general known only as King-a beast who commands the greatest numbers of those loyal to Oozebo and I’d argue the most dangerous. I pray we don’t encounter him too soon. He is not known to show mercy to those to stand in Oozebo’s way of success. You have improved in the past few months, blonde boy, but you stand no chance against any of these three directly.”

“Hey, what about me? Okay so I don’t have big muscles, or flight…or laser guns…magical girl charms…or all the cool stuff…” Shelly slunked a little thinking about it.
“Yes well that is your own fault, isn’t it? But, a good hero works with that he has. I think that is somewhere in your little picture books isn’t it”, Frix dismissed. Shelly frowned at the obvious backhanded comment, but nodded. There was no point in feeling sorry for herself now. She and Reed had a job to do.

[Lovetheangelshadow]

Chapter 2: Splinterbark and Silver’s Less than Eggcellent AdventureThomas watched while munching on a bag of chips as Shelly struggled to make Captain Coyote’s hover board remain stable at higher altitudes. A harness had been tied tightly around her chest with a rubber cord fastened to the ceiling’s pipework. Her hands were white knuckled to the handholds as the thing wobbled and swayed the higher she gradually rose above the floor. Michael Blackbird had raised an eyebrow when Reed and Shelly had brought the half beaten up device before him and debated with him that such a device would be a boon for Shelly as Splinterbark. It would be easier to move about the city to assist and it was much faster than a bus and bicycle. Blackbird was skeptical on the whole thing. The Silver Guardian and Splinterbark were still wanted by the law and again, Silver was the indestructible-Splinterbark was not. He did not know just how far Foxwell would take things to subdue them. There were rumors he was working in deep with LeBatte Industries to perform just such a goal. But even Blackbird’s considerable connections did not know just what.

It took almost a week to finally wear him down and he repaired the board personally. It had been so long since he had really worked on anything mechanical of such complexity. Even the training bot was old and something he just kept around to keep his skills somewhat intact. It also reminded him how much he missed having two arms. Much to his delight, Shelly practiced on that board with feverish enthusiasm. She stumbled and fell on her back several times, but kept going. She was taking this seriously and Reed encouraged her to keep trying. It was days before she could stand on it with it just hovering a foot off the ground and now she was testing her luck at larger heights.
Silver kept his ears open as he focused on his target shooting. His vision was twisting and warping and he felt sick, but he continued to adjust his focus until he could at least hit the edge of his targets. Blackbird had a device larger than Captain Coyote’s pointed at him and even from a distance both Shelly and Thomas could feel a bit of its effects. Finally there was a sharp thwack as a bolt of magical energy stuck the inside edge of a target and then two more before missing wildly and bounced near Shelly’s safety rope. Blackbird snapped the device off and made an audible grumble.

“Your focus is improving but don’t get ahead of yourself too soon.” Shelly steered the hover board closer towards them while still being about a good ten feet off the ground.
“You’ve been doing that for a while since we stopped the Coyote Crew”, she hollered over the board’s engines.
“I would prefer to be prepared and not be floored again by it.”
“And don’t have to be saved by a couple of girls”, Thomas yelled from across the room.
“No one asked you!” Silver bellowed back, his face blushing a deep pink. Thomas grinned and chuckled loudly at his friend’s clear embarrassment. Shelly awed from above and was in the process of leaning back to force the device down when the alarm blared from the main console. The sharp sound had distracted from her concentrated decent and she forced the board back much sharper than she was steady with. Her heels pressed full back on the rocket controls and the thing veered upward. Shelly tried to grab the handles but missed and the board spun from her grip. She jerked hard backwards on the tether expecting for it to keep her from not splatting on the floor. Shelly dangled slightly about three feet from the floor before she heard a rip above her and then a loud snap. She hit something semi soft and forced her terrified eyes open. Thomas had thrown himself between her and the floor.

“Thomas, I’m so sorry!” Shelly cried out as she rolled off of him.
“It’s fine….the concrete floor cushioned the fall”, Thomas groaned. Silver helped him up and had to steady his friend. It didn’t look like he sustained any real damage aside from a slightly bruising on his shoulder where Shelly had elbowed him. He suggested Thomas get his head examined just in case there was any internal trauma. Much to Shelly’s surprise, Thomas actually took Reed’s words seriously. No joking, no smiling, no casual teasing. Just an assurance he would see someone. It made Reed relax a little.
“While we examine Thomas’ head, you two might want to see this”, Blackbird announced from the console.
****

The Chez Oef was Cadric City’s most high class restaurant-even more so than the Feronia Gardens. Only the classiest and the wealthiest were allowed past the silver gates. Resting at the high point of the Dougal Silver Towers, the interior had been remarkably sculpted to resemble a crystalline palace. Large bay windows gave a splendid view of Cadric City. Surrounding the front exterior was the balcony dining area warmed with stone fire pits and shielded from the wind with arching canopies. The host seater welcomed a couple in before a scraggly looking figure approached his counter. A peculiar spicy smell reached his nose and he tried to keep his face straight when professionalism. It could be a new perfume from some small distillery in Spain for all he knew.
“Name please”, he asked snootily.

“Rey, Gallo de Rey”, the guest bawked. Did the guest actually just make a chicken noise, the host thought. Well, these high roller types were always known to make ridiculous notions. He just struggled and ran his finger down the registrar looking for the name. A paycheck was a paycheck.
“I’m sorry sir, but I do not have your name listed. You will have to leave as we are booked for the remainder of the month.” He heard a click as a shadow crept over his log book. A large gun with a wide mouth was aimed directly at his face. He had not really looked at his guest up until now as the customer pulled back his jacket and reveal the colorful costume underneath. The man was dressed in a gold and red double breasted coat blindingly garnished with cheap rhinestones and slitter glue. A loudly stitched rooster hood with boggling eyes was perched on his pickle shaped head and a long feathery cape splayed out behind him.
“Bawk bawk, wrong answer”, the man crowed as he fired the gun. A quick suggestive volley of hard boiled eggs splatted hard against his face and crashed him hard against the small step way leading into the main dining area. The two guards who stood inside the restaurant towards the rooster with guns in hand. With the other hand, Gallo de Rey shot the other gun and coated the floor in yellow sludge. The guards slipped and skidded before being stuck to the ground covered in the goo. Gallo walked effortlessly through the yolky trap and held both guns at the customers.
“Anyone else want to play hero? Bawk bawk, no? Then hand over the valuables. Unless you want to have eggs, a lot of eggs on your face.”
****

“Please tell me we are not heading towards the highest rated restaurant in Cadric City to fight a guy in a rooster costume with an egg gun”, the Silver Guardian groaned as Splinterbark held tightly to his back.
“I could do that, but that would be lying”, Splinterbark teased.
“Just where the heck would he even come from”, Silver groaned.
“Yeah it is kinda weird. Gallo de Rey mostly stomps around the Louisiana state.”
“Wait this guy is a legit career criminal?” Their conversation had to be put on hold as they were almost towards the balcony of their destination. Splinterbark suddenly shuddered the closer Silver approached the balcony. He was aware when she gripped his shoulders a little tightly and inquired.
“I…I don’t know. I just felt weird for a moment.” From the side, Splinterbark thought she saw a certain flutter of an insectoid cape, but there was nothing for that guy here…right?
“So, how do we went to handle this one? Personally I prefer a direct fist to face approach but…Shelly, you okay? You keep staring portside.”
“Hmm? Oh just thought I saw Hunter. Eh, let’s put the chicken back in his coop.”
“Please no puns….”
****

Gallo De Rey tapped his yellow heels against the ground as the bag before him filled up with wallets, jewels, and the like. He almost seemed disappointed even with the growing hall. Maybe if he started shooting up a few guests with some grade A bullets. He aimed his egg shooter towards the front of the line as two guests had tried to reach for their phones. A bolt of magic struck through the connecting hose and a deluge of eggs spilled out on the floor with loud cracks and plops. Silver Guardian blew nonexistent smoke from his gun and flashed a smug grin. Gallo de Rey did not even seem that phased at the guardian’s presence.
“So you have finally arrived. Prepare yourself for a cock fight of dominance and lower you down the pecking order.” Great, more chicken puns, Silver grumbled under his breath. Splinterbark grumbled and scrunched her face in anger.
“Aw no fair, I wanna be lambasted with bad puns too”, Splinterbark whined.
“That is what you are mad about?” Silver snarled. He did not have much time to reside on the annoyance as he and Splinterbark were blasted with a bomb of yolky ooze. It did not take much of his own muscle for the silver sparrow to pull free from the sticky trap and he jerked his partner free just as easily.
“Two Time Blind Time”, Splinterbark shouted to the angel as he opened his wings up wide to move airborne. Silver Guardian held his partner by underneath her shoulders to keep her airborne and her hands free. From her side punches, Splinterbark jerked out to very powdery logs and tossed them one after the other. The first one exploded into fine ash just above Gallo’s chest forcing him to inhale a large cloud of the sawdust. The second busted into shrapnel and he had to use his arms to cover his head to shield his face. Blinded and immobilized, he felt something hard thwack against his side followed by a punch to the gut forcing the rooster to collapse to the ground. Splinterbark rested her now unsheathed baseball bat on her shoulder while Silver Guardian wiped clean his knuckles of loose feathers. Honestly, this guy was not built to take a beating. Just as Silver was forcing Gallo’s arms behind him to keep him bound, Splinterbark’s face began to scrunch up.
“Something is wrong, isn’t it?” Frix remarked.

“I think we’re forgetting something here. Gallo de Rey is no clown king of crime, but there was a reason he was considered dangerous. Now what was it?” A loud shrill whistle from Gallo de Rey gave her the answer. A loud screech of crowing and screeching of talons began to rile up from the entrance corridor. Bursting through the archway was a massive poultry beast of a rooster. The fowl reached a good ten feet in height not including its voluptuous comb or the splayed array of green and blue feathers. The beak was much longer than a standard beak and had been composed of metal with a serrated edge.
“Oh yeah! I forgot about the giant chicken”, Splinterbark exclaimed.

“Are you kidding me right no…” The rooster had jabbed its beak directly above the Silver Guardian and embedded him hard into the floor. With its head lowered, Gallo clutched the fowl’s comb and fluttered clumsily up onto its massive neck. The rooster crowed with psychotic fervor as it snatched the angel in its beak and shook him wildly like a hound with a chew toy. The fowl screeched as a crab leg was stabbed against its eye and it tossed its meal clear across the room. Silver crashed hard through the crystalline sculpture in the center of the room before sliding face first onto a dining cart that had been full of ready to serve food. He wasn’t even aware the statue he had been thrown against in the first place was starting to creak from the weakened structure. He had just gotten the last bit of diced lobster from his eyes when he heard the loud snap behind him and the statue falling hard onto his back and slammed the back of his head hard. As ridiculous as his costume was, Gallo de Rey appeared to be smart enough to try and run while the Guardian was temporarily indisposed. When he turned his steed to grab his loot, the sack was not where he had left it.
A sharp whistle from the musicians’ stage directed his attention. Splinterbark had a satchel and was swinging it high above her head.
“Yo pecker lips, ya drop something. Come and get it!” The poultry duo snarled in unison and charged towards the pink pixie. Splinterbark was not moving from her spot on the stage, just tapping in rhythmically patience and counting down under her breath. The bird was almost directly in front of her when the floor beneath its legs suddenly crumbled and the bird plummeted halfway through. Its legs and wings were stuck between the floors, though it did not stop from swinging its long neck wildly at its prey. Splinterbark rolled past the first peck and then the second. She misjudged where she stood among the instruments and the microphone’s ancillary cord caught her in the leg sending her down hard on her back. She pushed away as the beak came down and stabbed the planks next to her. Its beak jammed, the giant fowl twisted and jerked trying to get free. It was just starting to wriggle loose when Splinterbark commanded the wood around the creature’s face to burst outward and send shrapnel up the nostrils. In blind rage it jerked upwards and sent Gallo de Rey falling hard onto the ground underneath.

The chicken man had better reflexes than he looked and managed to upright himself before landing. As he did he shot the yolk gun directly at Splinterbark’s face, Splinterbark managed to shield her face by grabbing the collar of her peat coat to cover her mouth and nose. The high pressure of the yolk shot her across the stage and colliding with the drum set. The rooster had managed one wing free and was flapping it wildly to force its body upward to break loose.
Frix was tugging on Silver’s jacket collar trying to shake him awake. By some miracle, though still half dazed from the blow to the head, Silver still maintained his Guardian form and not feeling that telltale twitch down his spine yet. He still felt some blood as he grasped the back of his head with one hand while forcing his upper body upwards with the other. His vision a bit hazy at the moment, but he could disconcert that Gallo was holding his other firearm at Splinterbark and the giant chicken was almost free. Silver wrenched himself loose and put himself between Splinterbark and the pressurized eggy contents. The yolk sprayed outward against his chest and sprayed backwards onto Gallo. Silver shoved him hard against the breast of his rooster steed and forced him stuck against the fowl’s feathers. The rooster managed to rest free from its hole and appeared to have some brains enough to escape. “I’m fine! Get the chicken!” Splinterbark yelled behind him as Frix began to pull away the drum set from her tangled legs.
Silver was amazed how fast it could move. He was aware roosters cannot exactly fly like most bird, or himself, but it would be able to flutter outwards to a nearby building if it got to the balcony. The fowl shoved tables and hurled chairs behind it to slow down its predator. The flying furniture was more of an annoyance to the Silver Guardian and he was almost upon its tail feathers. He had managed to grab two but the fight or flight instance of the fowl was stronger than his grip and it wrenched free. The abrupt pull made him spin backwards for the moment-long enough for the chicken to burst through the bay window and out onto the balcony. Gallo had managed to get himself free from the feathery breast and clutched the rooster’s leg as it splayed out its wings to flap to a building down below. The Silver Guardian fired two shots against the back of its arms trying to keep it from trying to take off. His shots came too late as the giant rooster had already taken one flap off the balcony and now with two wounded wings began to plummet frantically to the roads. Silver threw himself off the roof and flapped his wings with all the strength he had to catch up. The beast was panic flapping its wings and scratching in the air-forcing the Guardian to bob and weave while slowing him down. He just managed to wrap his massive arms around its rear and he flapped his own appendages to try and slow the thieves down. Behind him the face of the building was coming close. A spring of an idea, Silver curled his wings to make them drift hard closer to the face of the structure. When the wall was almost going to sandwich him, Silver dug the heels of his boots against the concrete surface and that helped slow things down. Now that their decent was decreasing Silver leapt hard against the building and the trio skidded and collided against the roof of an apartment across the street.

Silver was winded from the ordeal and was splayed out on his back trying to get air back into his lungs. The giant bird wasn’t moving, but he could not tell if it was dead or just unconscious from where he was lying. He heard the shuffling of hard tacked boots followed by a loud clanging and rolling noise. From his position, Silver could see Gallo de Ray staggering towards the roof entrance, one leg dragging and him clutching his side. Well he had to give the man credit for his tenacity. Gallo had already forced the door open and was running down the stairs. The apartment they had crashed on to was strangely dark for this late in the afternoon. Was the space even occupied? As he used his free hand to keep himself aloft, his fingers graced strange gashes in the walls and twice the toe of his shoe caught caught in a depression along the floor. One door was wide open and Gallo could hear the pacing of steps inside. He had a small hot sauce pistol in his boot. It would not stop an 8ft tall silver winged angel but it would be enough for him to take someone hostage until he could escape. His pet would have to wait for rescue for another time.
With pistol raised Gallo spun inside the room and pointed to where he heard a low mumble singing. A lone figure was sitting in an armrest chair and tossing something long, thin, and crimson with a bony hand. Gallo pressed the muzzle of his gun against the occupant’s ear.
“Do exactly as you are told and I won’t shoot.” The figure just kept tossing the vail in cool tempo.
“Well well well, Mistah Gallo Rey, it has been a coon’s age, hasn’t it?” Gallo had not been able to see it before in the darkened room or had he paid much attention but he now saw the face illuminated by the single lit lamp by the chair. He leapt back in horror and tied to put away his gun.

“Y-you! But…but you’re supposed to be…”
“Behind bars? Locked away from the world for a pitiful excuse of safety? A bit of devilish luck came my way.” Gallo tried to run towards the door, but the figure was even faster than his injured body and slammed the door shut with a sweeping kick. They wagged their finger in disapproval.
“Now now now, I can’t let you ruin my grand entrance. I believe I will just have to shut you up. Nothing personal.”
Silver could hear the scream from the closed door. He saw one door with green light seeping out from the edges. Yeah, glowing green door was the obvious choice. He wrenched open the door and he was hit with a sickly bittersweet smell. His lungs burned for a brief moment. He saw the limp body of Gallo de Rey on the floor. He turned his head out into the open hall and took a deep breath to fill his massive lungs before rushing in. He easily carried the chicken man over his shoulder and wrenched a window open to air out the room. He staggered out into the hall and inhaled the cleaner air. Gallo was curled up into a ball and shivering like a maraca. He turned an eye towards Silver and screamed in horror.

“No! Stay away! Don’t kill me! I won’t tell anyone! Don’t kill me!” He bounced down the hall and towards the emergency stairs. The stairs spiraled downward a concrete shaft and both injured and in a panic Gallo stumbled over the railing and plummeted down three floors. His neck would have snapped if Silver hadn’t used his own body as a cushion. What he had not expected was for his back to strike against something hard and spiked down below. Struggling to keep the thief in his arms, Silver rolled over and glanced at what he had landed on. Crocodile Rock was curled up in a ball and muttering repeatedly the devil was after him. He did not even seem aware of the other two’s presence even as the angel kicked him against the thigh. Wasn’t this guy supposed to be in the prison hospital? How did he even get out? Why didn’t he know about this? Silver labored to keep the panicked Gallo in his grip without breaking his limbs with one arm while dragging Crocodile Rock by the tail with the other. He didn’t have much time to assess just what was happening as the sound of guns with the safety being removed surrounded him and the flash of police sirens blinded him. Gallo had resumed ball form and was still muttering over and over again begging for the silver angel to stay away and not kill him.

“No wait, I did not…” Silver tried to shout out when he felt a bullet graze his shoulder.
“You are under arrest, Silver Guardian! Don’t move!” Silver reached inside his coat and drew out a closed palm. He dropped them and silver pearls flashed magnesium light against the crowd. The police heard the Guardian fly above their heads and they fired. Silver could feel the bullets against his back. They just bounced off, but they still hurt. He made his way back up to the restaurant where Splinterbark was being pressed against the balcony railing by another group of police. She glance below her and saw her partner coming to join her. She maneuvered even further back and let herself fall. Silver hollered even as he managed to catch her without much trouble.
They took a breather several blocks down. Silver grabbed her shoulders and shook her.
“What the hell were you thinking?! You could have gotten yourself killed!”
“I saw you down below. I knew you’d catch me.”

“That is not...what if I…IF ANYTHING WERE TO HAPPEN TO YOU I…” Silver cringed and inhaled hard to reel himself back in. Splinterbark hung her head a little.
“No, you’re right to be mad. That was a stupid thing for me to do and I promise to not do something like that again.” Silver sighed with some relief and then resumed coughing. Frix noted that he had been coughing since they had escaped the restaurant. “I am fine. There was a weird gas in the room where Gallo was. But whatever it did to him does not seem to affect me save for a bit of a raw throat.”
“We should tell Blackbird.”
“Shelly, it is just a cough.”

“Oh no. Weird gas and a thief paralyzed in fear? Comic book 101 stuff here.”
“This is not some silly comic book plot. I do not need to be examined.”
“Hmm Frix, didn’t a certain ponytailed Italian boy tell a certain purple haired boy to have himself examined even though he said he was just fine?”
“Why, Shelly I do believe you are right”, the imp responded with a dripping sarcastic tone. Silver raised his hand in protest but then chuckled. They were right. He hated to admit it, but they were right.

Blackbird seated himself back in his chair as he had listened. Shelly was in the shower washing the egg mess off of her during all this. Reed almost got away with not telling Blackbird about the gas part. By the time they had gotten back to the school, the cough had all but gone away. Even the bittersweet taste in his mouth had pretty much vanished. It was as if he had never inhaled any gas at all. Back at school Reed berated his teacher about Crocodile Rock and how he had not told him he had escaped. This seemed to come as a surprise even to Blackbird. Shelly begged to use the shower, but not before mentioning quite loudly about the gas indecent, much to Reed’s chagrin. It was not like her suit had a mystical dry clean function. When she emerged, she was back in her uniform-hair frizzled out thanks to the steam and autumn humidity. Her clothes were stuffed in a garbage bag. The goggles were in a Ziploc bag and these she stuffed into her backpack. Blackbird offered to have her costume cleaned for her. It would be easier for him to keep it a secret from her parents. Once Reed had relayed everything to his trainer, Blackbird typed in a few commands on the dashboard and the training robot went to a white cabinet on one side of the room. He asked in a cool tone for Reed to let him take a blood sample. Reed tried to talk out of it insisting he was fine and obviously the gas had no effect on him. A glare from both Shelly and Blackbird reluctantly changed his mind.
“You two get yourself a good rest. You have both earned it.”
****

It was late in the night in Blackbird’s home. He slowly made his way down to the lower levels of this old mansion towards the laboratory below. It had been a very long time since he had been down here. It had been over thirty years since he had last really used this equipment. It had been state of their art then and while he had not used it in all that time-he kept it clean even in this old dark cavern below the city. He had to use his robotic helper to assist in removing the stopper so he could spread Reed’s blood into different test tubes for analysis. There was little he had to do here if this was exactly what he thought it was. He used an unsteady hand to drop different chemicals onto the samples. Each one turned the blood into a variant shade of eerie green. This wasn’t good, Blackbird told his robot. And knowing what he knew about the boy, he was a great danger to himself and others if he was not treated soon. He was about to send Reed a text when someone rang his doorbell upstairs. Blackbird had not been expecting anyone, at least not this soon. He went upstairs and carefully opened the door.
“You’re early.”
“You sound like I have come at a bad time, old friend.”
“Perhaps.”

[Lovetheangelshadow]

Chapter 3: Afternoon Terrors

Alucard was not one to don on his Hunter outfit in the afternoon. Most monsters hardly ever came out in the daylight. He doubted that they were allergic to sunlight remembering his very first encounter with these creatures. Perhaps it was the atmosphere of the city darkness that gave them their advantage. It was easy to create terror among the populace among the shadows. Desmond grounded him from using his car despite it being almost two weeks since being discharged from the hospital. His vertigo was all but gone save for a minor spell of weakness usually during baseball practice. His stepfather assured him he just wanted to make sure Alucard was well enough before being able to drive again. Then again, it would also be because of the whole kidnapping thing. It made him flinch thinking about it. Everyone else had finally stopped barraging him with questions about the Coyote Crew the more deadpan his responses became. People were now buzzing with the next thing of interest-namely the Before Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade.

Lynn had to stay a bit late after school with her club which meant Alucard could have to wait for her before the family chaffier would take them home. He told her he’d be at the campus village at the tea shop waiting for her. Lynn teased that he shouldn’t be by himself lest he get taken again-but he shot back with a, “You hang around three suspicious females and yet none of them have held you for ransom yet.” Two of the girls hissed at him with his comment. The other stifled a chuckle. Lynn tried to hide the blush on her face and dismissed him off with a fluttered wave of her hand.
Once again he was sitting alone in the Strawberry Dream, one hand propping up his Calculus textbook while mindlessly flicking sugar cubes into his tea one after the other. Trying to focus on the book was proving to be a bit more difficult than he would have liked. He kept glancing out the window maybe hoping to see Maria coming inside to join him. He dug his fingers into his shoulder and snarled to get over it. She used and betrayed you. Everything she said was a lie. He finally took a sip and nearly spat it out all over his graphing notebook. The tea was eighty percent sugar and the sugar bowl almost empty. For goodness sake, how could one person distract him this much? Oh right, his stepsister.

The bell rang signaling another customer had come inside. A teenager, mocha in skin and purple in hair, swaggered his way over to the counter. He was dressed in his school’s blue blazer uniform that was notably too small for his stocky frame. Alucard had seen him before hanging around Shelly, but his name escaped his memory. He felt no real reason to remember names if they had no benefit to him. The girl at the counter did seem to know the kid and waved a hello.
“Good afternoon, Thomas. I have not seen you around in a while. Where have you been?”
“Oh you know, just offering moral support wherever I can.” Oh, he is one of those people Alucard grumbled as he forced is over sweetened tea down his throat. Thomas was ordering his usual-an iced tea with extra lemon to go and pulled out a tumbler to put it in. He also ordered three boxes of tea leaves. While the girl went to the back to get his order, Thomas leaned back against the counter and began to whistle with a strangely perfect pitch-something very unlike his lower slightly gravelly voice suggested.

“Oh hey Alucard. Snacking and studying?” The over friendly tone annoyed the pale boy. His glare seemed to undeterred the only other guest in the room.
“Man, things have sure gotten crazy hasn’t it? And I thought those things a few years ago were nuts…”
“Do you have an actual point in talking to me?” Alucard hissed. Thomas shoved his hands into his blazer pockets and shrugged.
“I was just making small talk. You don’t have to…” His words were interrupted as the clerk had placed his dripping cup against his elbow along with a paper bag stapled shut.
“Oh good. I don’t think I’d make it through practice without it. And mom gets grumpy without her afternoon tea. What the heck?!”
There was a loud commotion outside the store. Thomas slammed a few bills on the counter before emerging to take a look. Alucard casually stood up and haphazardly put his books away while leaving cash on the table. He did not want to admit openly he was also curious. When he poked his head out there was Crocodile Rock.
“Crocodile Rock? How did he get out?!” Thomas inquired. Alucard instinctively put his hand over his chest. He did not feel the icy heat pain. This was not one of the monster’s he dealt with. This was just a large anthropomorphic crocodile made of stone with runes on its chest.
“Who?”

“You know, the big stone monster that Ree…Silver Guardian and Splinterbark fought a few weeks ago?”
“I don’t follow current events.” Another loud crash interrupted their conversation. The stone reptile did not seem interested in his current surroundings, but rather was just barreling through the crowded street and smashing aside anything that got in their way. At the moment his neck had been entangled with a bunch of fall colored Christmas lights that someone had been in process of putting up judging by the ladder entangled on his back. The large bulbs and their heavy cord was swinging about in frantic dance and smashing glass everywhere about. Thomas held out his phone and seemed to be about to press the call button when he quickly put it away. The Silver Guardian and Splinterbark should be halfway to Chez Oef by now to deal with a guy in a chicken suit. A frantic stone croc would be a much greater threat, but they would not get here in time. And he knew what happened the last time Crocodile Rock and Silver clashed. In fact Thomas could still see the clear imprint of the guardian's fist in Croc’s pectorals.

Crocodile Rock was lashing at the ladder stuck to his back as he tried to run down the narrow street of Campus Village. He was screaming for the ladder to get off of him and was trying to claw at it like it was some kind of living being. He then slammed his back onto the ground and began a death roll to try and pry it loose. This only made the strings on his chest tighter causing him to thrash out even more and swing blindly at the environment. Alucard shoved Thomas to the ground to keep a skateboard from beheading him. Crocodile Rock wrenched up several benches and pieces of walls to corral a group of students before him to prevent their escape. He muttered babbling nonsense about pixies stealing his lunches and he was going to stop their thievery once and for all. As the board rolled in front of Thomas he snatched it up and ran his hands along the wheels. Yep, still worked. It had been a few years since he switched from the board to skates, but hopefully it would be enough. Alucard stood dumbfounded as Thomas skated directly towards the beast. Was this guy nuts? He wasn’t him or the Silver Guardian and if he got pounded into paste, it would make Shelly sad.

Thomas made the board skid to the frontal view of the stone monster to get its attention. Crocodile Rock did not attack right away. He hesitated and staggered back a moment. He screeched some nonsense about speed ghosts and the thief of diamonds. He rammed his fists from above though slowed by the electrical wire bound to it. Thomas ducked to the left and grabbed one of the loose cords. With his own momentum and hard weight, he caused the fist to skirt across the wall and cause a huge crack in it. One of those entrapped were smart enough to seize the opportunity and press against the crevasse until it collapsed easily. Crocodile Rock screeched that the pixies were escaping and tried to grab them as they ran. A fireball smacked him hard against the back of the head, not causing any real harm but was enough of a distraction. The beast jerked his massive head behind him towards Thomas and hook swung from below. This time Thomas was not fast enough to get out of the way and was sent flying to the storefront on the opposite side of the road. His body thudded hard against the rock and he slumped like a rag doll to the ground. Thomas groaned using the rock wall to get back to his feet. His shoulder stung like crazy and he could feel the blood seeping through his blazer.
“Damn, mom is so gonna kill me.” Crocodile Rock bellowed and once again raised both fists to pummel the kid into paste. A sudden dark colored pillar of fire engulfed his body and nearly concealing it in the blade. The stone reptile ran in terror raging that the devil was after him as melted plastic and metal dripped away and along the cobblestone in his run. The beast shoved cars aside and bounded towards the expressway still yelling how hell was after him. Alucard unceremoniously jerked Thomas back to standing and glared at him.

“That was real stupid of you”, Alucard snapped dispassionately.
“Yeah…that was real dumb”, Thomas groaned in agreement. As they saw the beast escape to the highway, Alucard mused aloud they should just let the Silver Guardian and Splinterbark handle the beast.
“That…might not be possible.”
“Oh? And how do you know?”

“I mean Cadric City is a big place. Who knows what wackos are out at any given time.” Alucard could hear Thomas’ heartbeat spike. He was lying on some level, but like any good lie there was some truth to it if crazies like that witch and Coyote Crew were any indication. He went back to the café to grab his bag when he felt that stabbing pain in his chest, though strangely off. How could an Oozling suddenly appear like this? And worse was that it was heading in the same direction as Crocodile Rock. If the White Rabbit and Metilla had taught him anything, anytime this presence was around things got made into much worse.
“Hey, you all right? You went pale for a sec there. Well paler than usual”, Thomas questioned. “Concern yourself with your current state of being and I will mind my own”, was Alucard’s sharp response. Thomas dismissed him and headed towards the police car that had pulled into the area. While a good distance away Alucard texted his stepsister asking if she was done with her club meeting. It was only after a few seconds of sending the text did he get a response.
“Busy. Go keep yourself occupied with a philosophy book or something” followed by a frowning face with their tongue sticking out emoji. Alucard did his best to hide his smirk and grabbed the rest of his belongings. Thomas grabbed his arm.
“Hey, where you going? The police are here. Aren’t you going to leave a statement?”

“Why? It is none of my concern. You want to pretend to be a hero, go ahead. Not my problem.” He casually flicked off Thomas’ grip and flung his bags over his shoulder.
Alucard did not keep his Hunter outfit on him. Where could he possibly hide such a suit of finery and have it not get wrinkled? There was his older costume though. The boy’s locker rooms were mostly empty save for the occasional football player who did some after school practice. It only took a few moments to don on these older threads. He glanced at himself in the full length mirror before leaving. A large black hooded tunic with a grey cloak and lots of unnecessary belts made him appear like some generic rouge from a tabletop RPG crossed with a video game protagonist. Felt horns were sewn on top and flopped about like canine ears. He pulled up the face mask and grumbled at this suit as he looked at himself in the full length mirror. He was not even sure why he still had it. Sentimental reasons, he supposed.
Finding the trail was hard to find back again once he emerged from the school grounds. During nightfall there was not as many smells and auras to sift through to find his prey. He sighed and figured his best course of action was to head in the general direction he had seen Crocodile Rock run. The expressway was overlaid with several pedestrian bridges so it made him sticking to the shadows even in the afternoon light that much easier. The monster was not as hard to locate as he had previously thought. Crocodile Rock had chosen to run in a straight line and was constantly looking over his shoulder causing him to crash several times into cars and support pillars of the bridges. Some folks were dumb enough to get out of their car and yell at him but the beast did not respond to their threats-unless they were right in front of him and then they would get swiped aside like toys. Alucard did not bother to check their wellbeing and kept the crocodile in his sights. It was their own stupidity that got them thrown-none of his concern. The Oozling presence was around as well but he could not see anywhere. His Hunter Sense warned him it was growing in strength as the chase went on, but it had yet made its appearance known. This was very unusual. In the past year he had dealt with these things, he had not known one to be subtle. It was both a terrifying and exhilarating thought. The idea of these beasts getting smarter was a tantalizing thought. He was not entirely lying to Splinterbark when he said he was getting bored.

Crocodile Rock was heading towards an apartment building blocked with scaffolding and tarps saying Opening Soon. As Alucard approached he heard that all too familiar sound of twinkling and flapping of wings. Above him, from his vantage point on the bridge he saw the Silver Guardian and the faint glimpse of Splinterbark heading for the Chez Oef restaurant perched on the Dougal Silver Towers. His stepfather had taken him to that restaurant a couple times-mostly for Lynn’s birthday. Food was good, if a bit too high cultured for his tastes. A thought came to him. Thomas said that the Silver Guardian would not be able to fight against the Crocodile Rock in time which very well meant he knew that sparrow brain would be here. Now you’re just thinking nonsense, Alucard. After all, like Thomas said, weirdos and freaks were popping up all over since the Golden Guardian’s disappearance. It must have been just a lucky guess.
The cloaked devil squeezed between the canvasses and managed to lift a window that was fortunately not locked. He had been in empty buildings before especially around the more seedier places of the city, but just as he stepped in he felt his skin crawl a little. Or because that Oozling presence was strong here. He drew out his sword and rubbed his eyes to get them used to the dark. He slowly made his way down the hall he was in and followed the sound of heavy breathing and grumbling from his target.

“You made quite the stir today. I knew setting you loose on the town was the perfect opportunity”, came a low scratchy voice. The Oozling aura was close, a good quick sneak strike should end things and he’d be back at the school in time. Crocodile Rock was screaming for the voice to stay away before yelling out in agony. Alucard spun around the corner and towards the door to the stairs where a preclear green light was bursting through. As he forced the door open, he was nearly blinded as the viridian glow had intensified. He saw through the thin veil of his cloak a strange figure holding Crocodile Rock by the sound. The figure was cloaked and all Alucard could disconcert was that they had a bulbous head and a thin hunched back. A pale bony hand not holding the snout had a large vial and green smoke was seeping from the beast’s body and into the container as a liquid. When the figure seemed satisfied they deliberately let Croc’s body fall backwards and down the stair shaft. Alucard winced when he heard the repulsive thud down below. The figure then turned their sights on Alucard.
“And who are you supposed to be? Some kind of stuffed goat?” She said pointing to the cloth horns on Alucard’s hood. This was the source of the Oozling aura, but something didn’t feel right. The aura was definitely there but at the same time it was not the same. Up close even the smell was off. He could think about this later. The stairwell was small to maneuver in. He jumped back and clutched the opposite wall of the shaft from the stairs. Sword in hand, he leapt down and swung in a wide arc towards the cloaked person. The figure stepped aside in a blur and skidded out into the hall. Alucard followed without missing a beat. As he opened the door a fog of green gas was shot directly into his face. It made his eyes water a little but else. In fact, he was more annoyed than harmed. The cloaked figure seemed to be only mildly surprised at this reaction. Alucard attempted to strike again repeatedly, only for this cloaked being to easily sidestep every blow. His sword lashed against the floor and walls trying to get at this strange person. Just as he thought he had her backed against the wall, his phone rung loudly. Alucard cursed loudly and had looked down at the flashing screen for just a moment. In that moment, the figure had been right up in his face and kicked him hard in the gut. The kick did not feel like a normal kick. This was studded and felt like a row of small fists had struck along his middle. The devil smacked the stairway door hard while his phone screamed his ringtone again. He shoved his way into the stairwell and glowered at the screen. It was Lynn.
“What?!” he yelled into the phone.

“Where the hell are you?” Alucard braced his back against the door and used his leg against the railing to keep the door shut. The figure was banging on the other side.
“Not a good time, stepsis. I’m kind of busy at the moment.”
“What is all that banging? What stupid thing are you doing now?” A low hiss could be heard on the other side. Red gas was starting to seep underneath and swirl up his legs. He doubted it would have done anything like the green gas, but he could not take a chance. He’d have to let this one go for now. Alucard leapt onto the railing and skated down the rail. He bounced away from the slow breathing body of Crocodile Rock and out the door. The figure did not pursue him. They were still at the top of the stairs looking down as Alucard had chanced to look up in curiosity. The sound of police sirens was rising followed by a loud crashing noise from the roof above that even the strange person was distracted by. As much as this was going to wound his pride as Hunter retreat was the genius choice right now.
“Okay okay I’m heading back.” Lynn teased that she was going to tell dad and her dear stepbrother was going to be in real trouble. Alucard just hung up and grumbled at his luck. Sometimes he wished he could strangle that girl just to shut her up.

[Lovetheangelshadow]

Chapter 4: SubstitutesReed was in the process of his usual brushing of the teeth before heading to bed. The halls of the Altamiri Estates were unusually quiet tonight. He could not hear his father and brother downstairs and his mother had long since returned for the night. The staff had long since gone home as well. The estate always made him uneasy especially at night. The place felt far too big for their small family though he once heard stories that this place used to be home to far more than just the immediate family-at least until the big embezzlement and tax scandal also known as the reason he never met his grandparents. Reed bent over to spit out the mouthwash and when he looked up in the mirror his blood ran cold. Hunter was behind him and slowly walking closer with that stupid callous smug grin and chuckling. Reed grabbed the mouthwash bottle and swung it behind him.

Marco casually deflected the blow with his forearm.
“Woah woah woah, easy there tough guy, or dad will make you clean up this mess.” Reed swallowed hard to put his heart back into his chest and he could feel it pounding all the way down. But that was impossible, Reed thought. He could have sworn Hunter was behind him. He wiped the sweat from his brow and grumbled a sorry.
“You okay, little brother? You’re shaking a little.” Marco gently grabbed Reed’s left arm in an attempt to steady it. He even put the back of his hand against Reed’s forehead, but he didn’t feel hot but a little chilled. Reed couldn’t understand it either. He did not feel sick-he had learned better from Circus Freak; but his heart was still thumping frantically. Hunter had looked and sounded real. He thought he had gotten over…that incident.
“I guess I was daydreaming. Late year exams and all that.” Reed forced a smile. Marco let his arm go and patted his brother’s shoulder.
“You were thinking about mom’s accident?” Reed’s already drained face went paler.
“N-no. Come on, it happened months ago. I have gotten over it.”
“You’re a terrible lair, you know that?” Reed snapped that he was fine and pushed aside his brother to go into his room and slam the door behind him.
****

Nothing of note happened at school. So far everything felt normal to Reed. The unpleasant chill had all but disappeared and he had yet to see Hunter stalking around. Where he thought he saw the devil was just someone’s fall coat or carrying an object that looked like horns. It had been a lie to Marco, but perhaps there had been some truth to pre-Thanksgiving tests. For the most part he had that unsetting chill pushed out of his mind. By the time the last school bell rang Reed had all but forgotten these feelings. Shelly was waiting for him out by the gym and talking to Thomas. Thomas was showing his roller derby uniform from the large bag at his feet.
“So does your family have any special plans for Thanksgiving?” Shelly inquired. Thomas folded back a little as he tossed his jersey back into his bag and shuffled his fingers through the tufts of his hair.
“We really don’t do anything. It’s just me and mom so it’s typically takeout.” Reed hummed hearing that. Then a thought came to him. He wasn’t even sure what made him have such an insane idea, but perhaps…
He made himself known with a loud clearing of his throat.
“Oh hey Reed. You’re looking better from this morning.” Thomas remarked. Reed blushed and figured it was now or never. Anything to deflect the whole hallucination thing.

“Say Thomas um…I was thinking….since it is just you and your mother…maybe…maybe you could join us…for…for Th-thanksgiving?” Shelly and Thomas stared at him mouths agape and eyes wide. Then they looked at each other and then back at the blonde ponytailed teen whose face was bring red with embarrassment and clutching the left side of his collarbone. Thomas jabbed a finger at his chest.
“Okay, who are you and what have you done with the real Reed Morgan Altamiri?” Thomas demanded.
“Ooooh Reed has an evil clone? Aw, no fair, how come all the cool stuff happens to you”, Shelly whined.
“You have a warped concept of priorities”, both Frix and Reed mocked her.
“Buuut, you were serious? You were seriously inviting me to dinner?” Reed mumbled a yes before blurting out in rapid breaths that he would still have to ask his parents first. After all, it was just them. His grandparents were practically no contact on his dad’s side and he may or may not have an uncle somewhere, but who knows? Thomas wrapped one arm around Reed’s shoulders and squeezed hard.
“A dinner date? Why, Reed I didn’t know you cared that much”, he playfully teased. There were other students walking by and giggling at the pair.

“Let go of me. You are making this awkward. And you better now be taking pictures of this!” He directed the last statement at Shelly who had by now had taken her phone out and was tapping the screen. She was just checking her messages. She found it odd that none were from Mister Blackbird.
“Maybe he got real busy”, Thomas reasoned. “It’s the time of test stress after all. Not all students here inhaled a mysterious coughing gas.”
“And not all students are dumb enough to nearly be pounded into paste by stone reptiles”, Reed berated. Thomas chuckled nervously and then his phone went off.
Thomas bid them good bye on their way to Blackbird’s office while he joined the others in the gym for practice. As was customary, Reed and Shelly knocked on the counselor’s door since he could have an actual patient inside. Blackbird could never remember to put the “Meeting in Progress” sign on the doorknob and it was a bit embarrassing when they walked in on a student who was in a sobbing fit on the couch. They waited for Blackbird’s customary grumble to let them in. Instead it was an older female voice that beckoned them to enter.

Blackbird was not behind his desk but someone else was. An older woman was sitting in his high backed leather chair and was flipping through documents. Her face was bony with wide cheeks and elongated mouth. Her long beaky nose curled upward slightly that even made Reed’s great hatchet nose to shame. Her eyes were magnified behind massive oval spectacles. Her dress was simple: a high necked knit sweater under a black blazer, grey slacks, and long heeled pointed shoes. Her hair was tied up under a black wrap that draped around her pointed shoulders like an ethereal cloak and she grinned. The most notable thing that Shelly saw with the woman was the large green and red broach she had above her chest. It made both her and Frix shudder like it seemed to be a living eye that penetrated their very spirits. In fact, maybe she was imagining things, but this woman seemed to glare with keen interest on Shelly’s right shoulder-the shoulder Frix was sitting on. The woman held out a bony hand in warm greetings but both students were unsure to take it.

“Where is Mister Blackbird?” Shelly piped up. The woman’s curved smile widened even further.
“Misour Blackbird was called out of town on a family emergency. I will be taking over his duties until he returns. Betty is my name…Betty Van Shi.” Reed and Shelly looked vacantly at each other. Did you know about any family he had, Shelly muttered. No I cannot say I have, Reed whispered back. Seriously? You’ve been here longer than I have. Betty just leaned back in the chair and tapped her long bony fingers patiently together as they continued to whisper that was gradually rising to audible grumbles as they began to argue in frustration. Frix kept his eyes on the woman. He thought the surface of the broach on her sweater began to mist and glow faintly.
“Are we having trouble with each other”, Betty cooed with inquiry. That seemed to make the two stop their chatter.
“Nah, we get on each other’s nerves, but trouble? Nah”, Shelly gleamed confidently. Frix saw the woman frown at Shelly’s answer-almost in a disgusted fashion.
“I see. And do you feel this way as well…I don’t believe I have your name.”

“Reed Altamiri, ma’am. No we…we get along okay.”
“And yet both of you are here in this office at this moment. Surely there is some kind of problem you needed a counselor for.” Reed had shoved his hand into his trouser pockets and now his thumb was running against his ring.
“It is…complicated. We will wait until Blackbird comes back.” Betty narrowed her eyes but still kept her calm smile.
“Of course. But if you ever need help, my door is open. I would be more than happy to…ease your fears.” The two thanked the substitute counselor and made a hasty exit.
“I don’t trust her one bit”, Frix sneered.
“You don’t trust anyone. Last week you insisted my big brother was a war criminal”, Shelly teased.
“Do not underestimate my years of experience. I know a killer when I see one”, the sprite growled. Shelly leaned her back against the building wall and looked at her watch.
“So, what do we do now?”
“We could go on a little patrol.”
“You mean YOU can go on patrol. I gave my suit to Blackbird to be cleaned, remember? Wait, I have this crazy idea. Ready? What if we do exactly what our parents think we’re doing after school? Just to mix things up. That and I am so going to bomb that history test we have for next week.” Reed raised an eyebrow before folding his arms tightly.
“Feh, that is an insane idea. What do you say we pick up some drinks from the 7-11 and sit in the garden area to study?”
“Well what do you know, you are capable at making genius decisions.”
“And just what is that supposed to mean?!”
****
The streets were still damaged from the Crocodile Rock rampage the day before. A good part of the village had been roped off with police tape and a couple of officers were still examining the area or trying to keep curious passersby. Reed and Shelly walked on the furthest edge while still keeping their eyes on the large crater and half smashed barricade debris.
“Don’t you think it’s weird?” Shelly brought up.
“What is?”

“After the last encounter I did some extra research on Crocodile Rock especially after…how it ended last time.” She heard Reed sigh uneasily and his chest sunk forward. “Anyway, his usual crimes involve jewelry or illegal wrestling. There was no reason for him to be in Campus Village. And according to Thomas, he looked like he was trying to get away from something…or someone. Like he was…scared of something.”
“What could possibly scare a nine foot tall stone alligator?”
“Besides you or the Golden Guardian? I don’t know. And you found the guy scared to a stupor in the same building as Gallo De Rey.”
“What are you suggesting?”

“An Oozling or a servant of could be behind these. We already know Boarcelina and the Black Guardian are here in Cadric City. Both would very capable of such an action. I have seen even the most hardened of men cower before them…and King”, Frix offered.
“Then let’s just hope that’s not the case”, mentioned Shelly.
They had finally arrived at the 7-11 store that was on the further end of the village where the college resided. It would make sense for a 24 hour store to be closer to that as opposed to a high school. As the trio picked out their drinks they could hear a bit of screaming at the register. A woman had slammed a half drunk Slurpee on the counter and spraying its contents outward on her hand and the terrified cashier. They could not exactly make out what the woman was saying but it was clear she was screaming for a refund or something. She kept pointing at her tooth for some reason. The door behind the counter opened and a man casually strolled out.
He was notably taller than either the cashier or the woman. He was slender but muscular with porcelain colored skin and heavy black wavy hair pulled into a long braid reaching almost the length of his back. His sharp face and pointed skin smirked casually and was marked with a thin van dyke beard and pencil mustache. He blinked his amber eyes at the guest and calmly asked if there was an issue after introducing himself as the manager. The guest who was shouting before seemed to stammer at him before finding her voice to scream again. The manager didn’t even flinch as the woman shook the cup and spilled more cola flavored ice drink on the collar of his white button down shirt.

“Yes, that is quite the problem isn’t it, madam?” the manager responded with a darker silky voice. “Of course we will gladly refund you your drink and I will personally mix you a new one. Will that suffice, Madame?” Shelly should feel the anger from the cashier as the woman happily sauntered off with cash in hand and an extra-large drink. The manager winked and uttered something about ‘people like them getting what they deserve in the end’. Reed and Shelly had gotten to the counter by then, trying to not smear the drink mess even further. The manager had already began to casually clean the counter with a towel and spray bottle and humming a dark little tune as if nothing sour had ever happened. Shelly glanced at the nametag on his shirt. Underneath the Slurpee fuzz was the name Remiel Blaque. Shelly couldn’t take her eyes off him much to Reed’s infuriation. She was not the only one, Frix had noted. There were a couple other female patrons who were stealing glances at the manager.
“My apologizes for the unpleasant display. Is there anything I can assist you with”, Remiel asked with a soothing pleasantness.
“Hmm? Oh sorry. You just look a lot like one of my classmates. We uh…just wanted to by some drinks.” Remiel seemed entertained by the remark but he made no further comment before leaving the pair to the cashier. When they had exited with a couple bottles of iced tea, juice, and pretzel chips they happened to see the woman from before surrounded by a few concerned onlookers. Her drink was splattered on the floor and dripping into a piece of stone that had been upturned into an obvious tripping hazard. She was gripping the side of her mouth while holding a tooth-the same tooth she had alluded to the drink causing problems earlier.

[Lovetheangelshadow]

Chapter 5: Ghostly GlimmersThomas rubbed his sore shoulder as he pulled his scooter behind the apartment and chained it up under the full street light. The apartment they lived in was neither a penthouse nor a low income slum, but it was average and comfortable enough that he could sleep soundly knowing they wouldn’t hear shots in the middle of the night. Someone did attempt to abscond with his scooter shortly after he had gotten it…until the thief had the misfortune to deal with his mother.
The door to the apartment was locked which was unusual. He glanced at his phone and checked the time. It was almost 5pm and she should be up by now. As he opened the door, he was faced with near blackness. The sun blocked curtains were fully drawn and nearly every light was off. There was a slight light from the kitchen area, but not enough to provide guidance in the foyer. Thomas’s shin promptly hit the coffee table as he groped for the lamp switch and he bit both his lips hard to keep from cursing. He had to cover his eyes as the lights flicked on.

“Oh, I’m sorry Thomas. I thought you’d be home later. Did your game cut short?” Thomas’ mother, Elizabeth Payne, was much shorter than her son but taller than Shelly. Her face was pale, not a sickly pale or a cold pallor but a soft whitish tone almost akin to moonlight. Long dark purple curls framed her sharp face and narrow eyes. Save for her face, the rest of her skin was completely covered. She wore a high necked long sleeved shirt underneath her red 7-11 uniform polo and her hands covered by thin black gloves. The undershirt was baggy with rectangular padding along her arms and chest which made her a bit stockier looking than her dancer-like form suggested. Elizabeth grabbed Thomas’ shoulder and ran her long fingers along a nearly invisible seam across his bicep.
“Good, you didn’t tear up your uniform again. Hard to believe you tore up an expensive jacket skating. Why would you even be in your uniform playing a dangerous sport like that?” Thomas shrugged uneasily. He had full faced lied to her about the Crocodile Rock incident and his involvement. The last time he head gotten involved with anything heroic, she grounded him for a year after lecturing him even worse than anything he had seen Blackbird put Reed and Shelly through. Elizabeth spun back towards the kitchen with all the grave of an ethereal dancer and finished stirring the pot of spaghetti on the stove.
“Thomas, I know I can be harsh, but I just want you to be safe okay? There had been some bad stuff around your school. Maybe we should consider…”
“MOM…mom, its fine. I’ve been okay each time. Nothing is going to happen. I may not be the best student in my class, but I know to run away.” Elizabeth frowned at her son’s dramatic announcement and she shoved the sauce spoon in his direction.
“Don’t you get smart with me, young man. Your father tried the same smug attitude with me in Chile.”

“You married him.” Both of them fell silent after that. Thomas uneasily got the plates and utensils while Elizabeth finished mixing the pasta. Then he remembered and decided now was the best time to make the current situation less dour.
“Say mom, Reed has invited us to Thanksgiving dinner next week. Well sort of. He invited us but hasn’t told his dad yet so he kinda has to ask his dad first before we can show up but he didn’t know if it is okay with us and now I lost the train.” Elizabeth’s eyes widened and she raised a thin eyebrow.
“Reed…the shrinking violet hair haired boy you have out with? He invited US to dinner? You are he did not get replaced with an alien clone?”
“See, what is what I thought too! Isn’t that the craziest thing? So….if his dad says yes…can we?” Elizabeth seemed hesitant as she stuffed some of the spaghetti into a Tupperware and shoving the steaming container into her lunch bag,
“IF his parents say yes, than maybe.” Thomas was unsure about his mother’s reluctance to give a definite answer, but with her it was acceptable for special reasons. His mother wrapped the lower half of her face under a scarf and covered the rest with large sunglasses. Then finally completed the ensemble with a zipper hoodie so that no iota of skin was showing. It had begun to be dark already with the latter half of the fall, but she took no chances. His mother had a sun allergy. It was only by the very convincing argument made by the day manager that the owner was convinced to allow her to wear the long shirt and gloves despite it being against uniform policy. She gave her son a long hug-perhaps a bit longer than typical that he had to remind her she needed to be at work before she finally let go. He did not put up too much of a fight even if it felt a little silly at his age. He knew and understood her reasons and it made her happy.
****

Arthur and Samuel looked at what was left of the smoking ruins of Holmes Housing stock full of large black garbage bags, gloves, tools, and masks. It had been several days and a mountain of paperwork before they could even begin the cleanup. The fact that they had to argue if the Coyote Crew counted as supervillains with the insurance rep was aggravating. They were supposed to wait until the trial regarding them had finished, but there was soot, glass, and muck all over the sidewalk and Arthur could just feel the glares from his store neighbors. It was making Samuel uneasy and very self-conscious even more so than usual. Arthur suddenly chuckled that startled Samuel.
“It is never a good thing when you laugh out of nowhere”, Samuel remarked and looked uneasy over his shoulder. Shopkeepers and patrons alike were huddling over and whispering to each other. Arthur grabbed Samuel’s chin and forced him to look ahead at the half destroyed storefront.
“Ignore them. Besides, I honestly thought the front facing the previous guy had it looked…bland. We’ll spice it up once we get into it. A little Victorian British flair. Give it real classy Sherlockian look. Gloves on and let’s get racking!”

An hour had passed and they had already filled five garbage bags with the debris from half burnt packages of screws to completely melted bales of picture wire. Arthur, tone deaf as he was, was pleasantly crooning sea shanties to himself while Samuel was trying to drown it out with his headphones. Samuel could not understand his employer’s optimism sometimes. Then again, it had certainly rubbed off on his daughter. The two went to the back area to check the workshop area. By some insane miracle the workshop had mostly been untouched save for a few places of the wall facing the store floor. At least he still had some capability to make money. Arthur wiped the sweat from his brow and noted the black smudges on his arms.
“Ho boy, good thing you didn’t have a torch when you trashed my place all those years ago.” He laughed again, making Samuel recoil.
“You are never going to let me forget that, are you?” Arthur patted his back hard.
“Now what kind of father doesn’t give his son a good natured ribbing once in a while?” The comment made Samuel sheepish. Arthur was not his father, by blood or legal means-but he had been far better to him than he deserved.
“Oh jeez, I left the cooler up by the register. Can you snag a couple of cold ones? I think I am starting to taste coal in my lungs.” Samuel nodded and turned to the store room. He had barely gotten his hand on the blue container when he saw a shadow over by one of the store shelves. They were poking at the charred rubble and humming a rather unsettling tune.

“Hey! What are you doing in here?” Samuel barked. He leapt over the counter with athletic ease and sprinted towards the trespasser. The intruder skirted back and in the darkness all he could see was a wrath-like person concealed in a dark cloak. There was a bright green flash and Samuel was choked in a thick cloud of lime colored gas. Arthur had just stepped into the space asking what was going on. Samuel was bent over clutching himself slightly and heavily gasping. Arthur slowly put his hand towards Samuel’s back lowly asking if he was okay.
Samuel grabbed his wrist hard. “You…” he growled in a dark tone that even took Arthur aback.
“You won’t take me back!” He hurled Arthur hard over his shoulder and sent the man colliding into a half burnt rack of screwdrivers.

“I’ll kill you before I let you drag me back to that place again!” His voice went from a cold snarl to hyper active screech as he kicked Arthur hard in the stomach. He managed to now see his employee’s face. Samuel’s eyes had gone wide and his teeth were fully bared like a cornered hound. His arms were shaking and dripping with cold sweat. He had seen this look before. As Samuel reared back to kick him again, Arthur grabbed a screwdriver and jabbed it hard in Samuel’s leg. Samuel wailed and staggered into a shelf as he gripped his leg in pain. He only let that stop him long enough for Arthur to get to his feet. Samuel snarled and drew out a knife he had hidden under his shirt and attempted to stab him. Arthur grabbed his wrist just as the blade plunged down and punched Samuel in the face hard-regretting each blow as he did. He jerked Samuel’s arms behind him and held him in a choke hold while pleasing for Samuel to snap out of it. Then the sound of police sirens screeched to a halt on front of the store. Two officers came in guns drawn.
“Woah there officers. What are you doing in my store? We’re closed”, Arthur snapped while still struggling to keep the wailing Samuel pinned down. The young man was strong and even Arthur’s girth could only hold him for so long.
“We got a call about a fight happening down here. I assume that is the perp?”

“Hey! Don’t call him a perp!” Arthur bellowed. He had gotten momentarily distracted causing Samuel to throw him off and try to run. Arthur tried to snag him back before a panicked officer shot Samuel in the arm that was still holding the knife. The other officer berated him while managing to get Samuel to his knees and handcuff him. All the while Samuel was screaming, sobbing, and shaking; begging to not be taken back and that’s he’d be a good little soldier from now on if they didn’t. An ambulance had to be called and Arthur watched helplessly as they took his adopted son away. He couldn’t understand it. This was not the first time Samuel could shut down into a panicked state, but never save for the first time they met had he ever become violent. Just huddle in a corner while he, Vivian, and Shelly would sit with him until the spell passed. He could hear whispers from the crowd.
“I knew there was something wrong with that man. What was Arthur thinking hiring a crook?”
“I would have never hired someone with a hideous scarred face like that.”

“Maybe we won’t ever see him again. Let us hope.” Arthur wanted to yell at them. He wanted to take one of the crowbars he had brought with him for the cleanup. No, he was not going to indulge their fears and turned heel to give his statement the officers were badgering him with.
No one had noticed the thin mist along the ground that had crept up from the earth they were standing on and were slowly sliding towards the back of the crowd. The cloaked figure grasped her green and red bauble as it steadily absorbed the mist. She smiled with euphoric pleasure as she felt her bones ache a little less and feel slightly less decaying. It was amazing how little it took to get people to seep into fear. She had seen the uneasiness of the passersby towards that grey haired youth and felt his insecurities from where she had hunkered. All he had needed was a little push. She walked away pleased with the appetizer. Best not to gorge too much on fast food. Not when there was a greater delectable main course to prepare.
****

Reed had to slap the sides of his cheeks as he rehearsed in the mirror just how he was going to ask. The realization of what he had just asked of his best friend didn’t hit him fully until Shelly brought it up while they were going over Spanish Colonization if he really had been serious. She even almost burst aloud laughing as his face went white as a ghost before clenching his collarbone repeatedly slowly spiraling into a panic. It took a good ten minutes before Shelly and Frix could calm him down and speak again in full sentences. Eventually he had resigned himself to go through with it. An Altamiri goes through his promises, he had vowed wordless to himself. He could practically hear his father’s voice ring loud and clear with those words. At last he went downstairs when he heard the dinner bell for the second time.
“Hey mom…father, I was wondering…if Thomas and his mom could join us for Thanksgiving dinner. If…if that is alright.” He could practically hear a pin drop.
“Okay, who are you and what have you done with my little brother?” Marco jibed. Reed sunk in his chair now fully regretting this stupid stupid idea.
“Thomas, the kid on the student council?” Morgan responded monotone.
“The kid who took Reed out partying while he was grounded”, Lenora hissed. Morgan just shrugged as he took a large bite out of the steak.
“I don’t see the problem. I’ll just let the chef know he’ll have to serve six.”
“Absolutely not”, Lenora yelled. “He’s a bad influence on your son. All these late school hours, the bruises, lack of sleep.”

“Hey! Thomas hasn’t done anything wrong. He’s…he’s my friend. And it’s not his fault…” He almost blurted out what he was the Silver Guardian. Anything to have his mother blast his friend. She never really had the best opinion on Thomas made so by their first meeting and cemented by the roller-skate incident. He uneasily rested his fingertips along the broken ridge on his nose. Then he saw something he never thought possible. His father was smiling at him. Like an actual prideful smile, not a mocking sneer or halfhearted grin he had gotten used to. The kind of smile he had resigned that his father only used for Marco.
“Again, I do not see the issue. It is just the four of us. Not like your parents ever bother to come anyhow.”
“Morgan…”

“He’s got a point, mom.” Lenora was still glaring daggers at all three boys at the table. It was an hour later before she grumpily resigned to being outvoted and gave her reluctant blessing. At least the pleasant, ‘thanks mom’ was a small token of appeasement. He later sent a text to Thomas, but didn’t get an immediate response. He shrugged. Thomas was never the biggest night owl even if that was mostly the shifts he worked at.
****

Hunter and Jinn were on patrol, this time along the streets near one of the graveyards. Oaken Grove Cemetery was one of the oldest graveyards in Cadric City. Old fashioned mausoleums and crypts dotted the center point of the ancient place and there were several tombstones that had been illegible for decades. A nice thick and damp fog gripped the ground and nearly choked Jinn with the near complete lack of visibility. This was not helped that a man made river was been constructed along the banks and dotted with memorial stones. The witch shuddered and gripped her staff tightly. The slightest creak from one of the many oak trees startled her and she blasted on reaction. Hunter had to snatch the staff from her and lecture her that if she was going to keep giving away their location, she could go home. Jinn huffed and chastised him saying he was doing this on purpose and was he sure there was a monster here. Hunter finally admitted he didn’t know. But he heard it was going to be foggy and just wanted to see what the atmosphere was like. Jinn wanted to give him another tongue lashing when he pressed his talon against her lips and made the motion for her to be quiet. Jinn saw Hunter’s head twitch slightly to the left and right. She had been his partner for a year and she understood his action.
“Is it an Oozling?” Hunter narrowed his eyes and stepped back slightly. It was the same feeling from before. His senses were telling him this was an Oozling monster, but some deep buried instinct was telling him otherwise. Like it was but was not an Oozling. He grinned wickedly as he drew out his sword and held it stiff against his side. Jinn tried to grab his cape to stop him before Hunter suddenly bounded into the fog. She yelled for him to come back while she stood transfixed in the middle of a graveyard surrounded by fog at midnight. Jinn had seen enough horror films with her father to know she was as good as dead if she stayed around. She uneasily tapped on her staff and began to rise up higher. She should just go home, she told herself. Hunter could take care of himself, she reasoned. Jinn was now well up to the height of the oak trees where the fog had finally broken. She hovered up there and squinted trying to piece the fog from her vantage point. She could not see Hunter from where she was-just the tops of the trees and a few utmost tips of some of the high rise crypts. She tried to force herself to leave, but her staff remained in place in the air as if actively refusing her commands.

Then she saw it. A dark purple flare erupted from a denser area of the fog towards the northern area. Then the fog started to change color from the chilly white to a sickly green and was closing in on where the fire had burst. A sphere of dark flame spiraled from the center and began to ebb away the white and green mists. That had to be Hunter. Jinn kicked the back of her staff with her heels and it obeyed charging towards the flame and fog.
Hunter was fighting something big and bulky. The lack of light made it near impossible to make out the exact features of the creature. It slammed its foot on the earth sending a shockwave to uproot the devil bug and sent him flying. The creature caught him midair with just one hand and was able to hold him firm. With the fog away Hunter saw the face of his enemy for the first time. It was large, wide, and animalistic in features. His lower jaw was wide and puffy and his nose was pushed up nearly full back into his skull. The eyes were fully sunken in and completely black. A rancid green miasma was dribbling from the tusked corners on his mouth and it made Hunter’s hyper smell go into overload. With his other hand, the goliath produced a vial filled with growing green liquid. He was trying to use his breath for force Hunter to open his mouth and Hunter’s lungs were burning trying to keep it all in. His chest heaved trying to get Hunter to breathe until finally all natural functions overrode his resistances. Just as he opened his mouth wide to inhale the giant forced the entire contents down Hunter’s throat.
The taste was not too unpleasant to his tongue; a curious mix of peppermint and salt. Hunter’s body spasmed and writhed on the grass, but only for a brief moment before retching the contents completely up along with black ooze and spittle.
“Fascinating”, was all the goliath whispered. Hunter pushed up to his feet and held his sword towards the beast-but he felt very weak. Whatever that stuff was, it had managed to sap his strength and he could just barely stand without using his sword as a crutch. The monster man did not attack back. He just faded into the fog until the mists had completely obscured his gargantuan form. Somehow even his very aura disappeared from Hunter’s sense and this time he was certain the man had not been eaten by a sewer monster. Hunter’s force of show collapsed and he crumpled in a heap on the floor. Jinn had just gotten then barely in time to catch him before he fell face first on the wet grass.

“Hunter! Hunter are you alright? What happened?” She had just now became aware that she had just kneeled in Hunter’s own vomit. She curled and wretched before griping how gross it was. Hunter didn’t even snap at her complaints. He really must be wiped out. He needed to go home, except she didn’t know where his home was. She had a spell she could try. She had yet to get it perfectly right and she did not know what it would do to beings of magical nature. She swapped out the top gem for a yellow one and then placed it on Hunter’s forehead.

“What…do you intend on…trying…now?”
“It’s a temporary energy boost. At least enough to get you home. Just…don’t be sore at me if this doesn’t…exactly work.” Hunter just shrugged as a response. Jinn began to chant in low rhythmic delved tones and slowly turned the gem sphere in clockwise fashion. A faint yellow haze began to drip from her arm and swirl about in the gem. She felt her own energy fading slightly but this was supposed to happen. The gem began to glow brighter and brother until it finally let loose a singular bolt of energy straight down Hunter’s spine. Hunter leapt up and with his super jumping ability it was pretty high, and let out a ‘YEOW!’ He bounced and hoped in confused directions until he finally was stopped by a mistimed jump against a retaining wall. He only lay flat on the ground for a moment before easily leaping to his feet and spinning on his heel.

“Holy mother of…and I thought those energy drinks I chug packed a wallop. Let’s try to…not do that in the future.”
“Agreed. But what was that…thing?” Hunter twitched slightly as a bit of the spell Jinn had used sparked from his body and made his answering a bit difficult.
“I’m not sure. What I want to know is what he tried to feed me. And I thought that sonic gun thingy the Captain had used turned my stomach. My guts are still on fire.” Jinn noted the dripping gooish mess on the hem of her skirt and leggings. She could sense a strange aura of magic among the mess. She tore off the hem of her skirt using a simple cutting spell and then stuffed it into an empty glass bottle she kept on her for aesthetics.
“Can we go home how? I have had enough spooks for one night.” Hunter’s stomach gurgled in agreement.

[Lovetheangelshadow]

Chapter 6: Nightmare or Memory?Reed was not sure why he had woken up in the middle of the night. His throat was both dry and cold as he sat up and shuddered a bit. He felt unusually cold even though the night had been quite warm when he had taken to bed. Wrapping a throw blanket over his shoulders he shuffled downstairs to the kitchen. He really did not like walking in the dark in the estate. The light of his cell phone cast eerie shadows that he could have sworn were twisting to bug like monsters that were leering and jeering at him. He slapped his cheeks hard and cursed for him to wake up. He was just imaging things.
He finally found his way down to the kitchen, but took ten minutes to find a glass. He never did figure out how the chef arranged things. Like who would put the cups on the shelf meant for giants? He could not even find a step stool to each them. He snarled with frustration and his ring glinted in the light of his cellphone. He could just turn into Silver and reach the glasses with ease. Reed leered uneasily at the kitchen door and the pitch black hallway. He was overthinking this. Everyone should be upstairs and asleep, right? He was about to raise up his hand to bring about his Guardian form when something broke his concentration. It was an icy mocking laugh.
Hunter was leaning against the doorway using his sword as a cane.

“Typical coward, hiding behind the Guardian to solve all your problems.” Reed grabbed a cutting board from the drying rack and hurled it at the buggy knight. Hunter casually flicked his hand and sliced the board to splinters with sparks of his fire.
“Temper, temper. Or do you want another family member to have an…unfortunate accident?” Reed covered his hand to invoke his ring and Hunter reacted quickly with a slice to Reed’s wrist with his talons. He felt the blade grace against the radius of his arm. The pain broke his focus followed by Hunter slamming the palm of his gauntlet against his mouth. The back of Reed’s head smacked hard into the refrigerator and for a moment, Reed thought he saw Hunter vanish into the shadows. In the collision, Hunter’s hand slipped a bit, freeing Reed’s upper teeth. The blonde boy took the opportunity and bit down hard. The devil staggered back letting Reed to grab the nearest knife, a bread knife, and swing it madly in front of him with his left hand. His strikes were clumsy and Hunter resorted to a defensive stance using the broadside of his blade to take the strikes. Hunter grabbed the boy’s knife hand and jerked him hard to the ground. The execution was ungainly though as he felt the corner of the cabinet strike hard against the upper side of his back. The light’s suddenly flickered on and Reed shielded his eyes with his one good hand. Marco and Lenora were in the entrance of the kitchen and Morgan was the one holding Reed’s arm. A sizeable bruise was forming on the side of his face where Reed had thrown the cutting board. There were also several minute cuts along his arms and chest and blood on the knife still clutched in Reed’s hand.

The knife clanked loudly as Reed let go of his weapon. Morgan had still not let go of his grip and jerked his son’s arm making his prone form flop and sway like a rag doll.
“What the hell was that? You tried to stab me? What were you thinking?” Reed’s face was expressionless. His mind was still trying to process just what was happening right now. This couldn’t possibly be happening right now. Hunter was here. He could swear with every fiber of his being he heard and saw Hunter as clear as he was seeing his father at this moment. But there was no denying the current situation he was in; he had actually attacked his own father. The sinking feeling that he had become the Silver Guardian right then and there; he could have undoubtedly killed him too. The terror of what he had almost done was far more terrifying than what he had done.
“Answer me, Reed! And your answer better be good.”

“I thought you were Hunter”, he croaked. There was slighting murmuring between Lenora and Marco. Morgan gripped Reed’s wrist tighter, but only briefly and actually apologized for doing so.
“Wait, you mistook Dad for that bug dandy? The one everyone in down has dubbed the Black Beetle?” Marco traced two outlines in the air with both of his hands; one big and hulking to resemble his father and a more slender outline of the insectoid imp. Reed was mostly distracted by the distraction of trying to steady his heart, but he got the gist of his brother’s confusion. Even in the darkness he could have known the difference between his father and Hunter. Their voices were not even close to cadence or range. He did not have observational powers like Shelly, but even he would not be so dense to mistake the two even in near pitch blackness. How could this happen? What made him do this?
Morgan pulled him carefully to his feet. There was both disappointment and concern in his father’s face-an expression Reed thought he would never see directed at him. He could tell his father really wanted to yell at him. Chew him out for this action of violence. Perhaps it was the mention of Hunter that made him stay his hand. Lenora had ordered her elder son to the first aid from the downstairs bathroom. While Marco had to drag out the heavy kit, she then commanded her husband and younger child to take to chairs in the small dining area connected to the kitchen and remove their shirts. Once Marco had arrive with the kit she then then did something that startled Reed but not the other two Altamiri. She stood up from her wheelchair. Her legs were buckling from weakness and she was a bit hunched over, but she was standing.
“Mom? When…when could you…” She shushed him, a bit harsher than she meant to, and had him turn around to show his back to her. The wound from where the cabinet had etched across his skin was not as bad as Reed felt it. Most of the damage was to his shirt and he only had a barely surface scratch. There was a little bit of blood on his neck and head, but thankfully nothing serious. As she cleaned up the blood, her son was asking repeatedly how she could stand. Once she was done helping her son, Lenora collapsed back into her wheelchair clearly exhausted from both the lack of sleep and forcing to stand.
“I can’t stand for too long, at least right now. I have been going to therapy for the past few months. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. It was going to be a surprise.” Reed just blinked at her. He was relieved at this news, but wished she had never had to be in the wheelchair in the first place.

****
The weekend was surprisingly dark and chilly. The cloaked woman glanced out the window of the old apartment she had taken for herself for the moment. The place was cramped, dirty, and smelled of decay from a once lively flower. The darkened streets enshrouded by a light fog from the canal skirting along gave more credence to the ambience. She rubbed the bauble on her neck; twisting the red-green gem between her thumb and forefinger and it proceeded to glow. She walked casually along the hall and hummed a low whittle as she traced her finger along the doorways to her neighbors. Faint mist began to swirl and form along the ground as the gem gradually consumed it. Her face only smoothed very slightly by the time she had finished her stroll and she spat at her reflection in annoyance. Places like these were where fear could always be found even if the taste was redundant and rather bland. She craved something more flavorful and far more potency than the mundane anxieties. What she desired was a good full blown hysteria. Ah, she had to be patient for something like that. Her impatience was what caused her to be thrown in King’s Island Prison in the first place and dear Jimmy in Sing Sing. It was mere providence that Metilla went on that rampage and entrapped those guards in a magic she was all too familiar with. She tucked her cloak closer as she exited outside.

Now where was a good place to stir things up? Not too much, though she reminded. She needed to test the waters first and Jimmy wasn’t here. It would be far earlier with him around. He just had to stand in the middle of the city and the frenzy would commence. She heard a low gurgle behind her. Something inhuman and misshapen was lurking towards her and raised its massive paw to grabble her. She skirted the appendage easily and pressed against her broach. She pulled out a long greenish red whip from the surface of them and formed it into a lasso. Her finger flicked across the surface of the bauble and struck the underside of the beast’s mouth with a pulse of blasting magic. She lashed the beast’s legs easily as it had gotten distracted and dragged it with great effort towards her feet. Her arms had shriveled notably by the time it got to her. So it was an Oozling and one of those weak scouting feeder types. An idea flashed before her.
“You’ll do just fine and I’ll even let you take some back to your master too. No sense in being greedy.”
She pulled out the vial she had been filling with the fear juice she had collected for the past week. Jimmy would understand and would prefer something with a little more bite. She forced the beast’s mouth open and shoved the open neck of the bottle down its throat; pouring the entirely of the contents in the process.
****

Shelly was on video call with Reed. One: she was bored and two: they had an oral report due Monday. She saw that he did not look like his usual immaculate self. Even on the casual days such as the weekends, his hair was well groomed back and he always had a collared shirt on in some form while here she was with jeans and a baggy hooded Star Wars sweater. It had gotten rather chilly quickly so her father had not adjusted the heating right yet-or he forgot again. Then she saw the bandage on his right wrist and demanded to know what happened. Reed seemed very hesitant to tell her and just blurted he had cut himself cutting an apple. Shelly made it clear she did not buy his excuse for one bit chiefly when he was grasping his collarbone while answering. She threatened to put Thomas on the call before he finally caved in. He did not tell her it was Hunter he thought he saw and changed it to an Oozling which was not a complete lie. His partner showed great concern. It wouldn’t be good for them if he became the Silver Guardian of a public place just because he thought he saw something only for it to be something else entirely.
“Reed, are you sure the gas didn’t affect you too? Maybe it was a delayed reaction. You could freeze up with fear at any minute.”
“I am fine. I am pretty sure last night I was sleepwalking or something like that. It has happened before.” It was another truth.
“Are you sure, Reed? I’m worried about you. Please, can you just trust me and tell me what is going on?"
“I am fine”, Reed repeated with a little force behind it. “It was just a one-time thing.”
“But…”

“You keep asking me to have faith and trust in you, can I ask for some of that in return?” Shelly could tell there was something he was withholding from her; something he was afraid for her to learn about. Thomas refused to tell her on an account of, his words, “Best Friend’s Honor” but she was slowly wearing him down to the fact he wanted to say something. Shelly pressed her two pointer fingers against the bridge of her nose and snorted through the gap between her palms.
“Reed, believe me I respect you, but I really feel like…”
“SHELLY! SHELLY!” Frix shoved her phone in her face and pressed the screen against her eyeball. A muffled audio played out a giant monster rampaging through the canal district. She finally managed to peel the device from her cheek and pressed the pause to kill the noise. Frix had been on watching the news app on her phone while they had talked since she was currently monopolizing the computer.
“That’s not good”, Shelly exclaimed.
“What’s not good?” Reed queried. He had even pressed himself closer to his webcam as if he could just push through the computer and look at her device.
“Go on to CCTV’s live news feed site. It’s still broadcasting.” Reed opened up his phone and gleered at the footage. It was a monster all right and it seemed to share similar traits to the Oozlings. The cameraman was having a hard time getting a still shot of the beast. Which meant that the devil would be there soon enough and after last night he wasn’t sure he could handle seeing the real thing and not holding back.
“Sounds more like a Hunter thing”, he mused.

“Look at the ground area”, Shelly insisted. “And don’t roll your eyes like that. See that green mist? That’s the same weird stuff you found Gallo De Rey in. And don’t these things usually appear at night?” She was right, he thought. Hunter might not even show up and that gas put the chicken man in a paralyzed state. Who know what it could do to a crowd? Or what the beast would do to them after wise.
“I’ll meet you at Sunrise Park.”
“You crazy? Blackbird still has your suit.”
“I’ll improvise.”

“ABOLSUELY NOT! That gas could…”
“Reed…someone has to have your back. And I’d rather NOT see Thomas in pink tights.”
“Well thank you for putting that visual in my head. Fine. Ten minutes.” Shelly saluted and ended the call. Frix tilted his head and thought she was crazy. There was no way she could put together a whole new Splinterbark outfit in so short a time. Shelly just winked. Five minutes later she was bundled up in her winter coat and locked the door. Both her parents would still be out at their respective jobs for a while. She would be back before they knew it.
The Silver Guardian was trying to prove what he was seeing.
“You have…really taken that pixie name Hunter gave you to heart.” Shelly was dressed in a short skirt pink sweater dress with a high scarf collar that had several layers of pink, purple, and white tulle underneath. Her hands were concealed underneath long white gloves and legs covered in striped pink and white tights with tall vinyl boots. Her head was concealed by a heavy purple cape that fluttered out in a floral pattern. The green goggles, drawstring bag filled with wood, and the baseball bat rather ruined the theme though.

“It’s an old fairy costume for a con I went to. Not as padded as my old suit but the Pink Pixie is really to split the trees. Oh don’t give me that look. I am working on it! Let’s go!”
At Silver’s speed it did not take much to get to the place where the beast was still ram0oaging through the streets. The creature stood a good bloated sixteen feet tall and was standing bipedal on massive digigrade legs. Large forepaws dragged along the ground with six tentacles each on their wrists. The large head was frog like in form and the rest of the body was covered in uneven patches of black and brown fur. Green miasma was dripping from its lower jaw and spewed jets of it at people trying to run. Those unlucky to be caught in the gas began to scream almost immediately. One yelled for the spiders to get off his arms while a woman thought her long auburn locks were falling out. Splinterbark shuddered and rubbed her arms trying to warm herself.
“Not a pretty sight is it?”
“No. I forgot my old suit was padded for thermal too. I never realized how cold it get flying on your back.”
“That is what you’re fretting about?” both Frix and Silver griped.
“Boys, focus! Tentapaw first, the benefits of thermal tights second.”

Tentapaw sloppily pressed its left paw into the ground and its massive rubbery throat began to expand massively outward as more gas accumulated. Now it aimed its wide snout towards the canals. A banded rope shot from the side and wrapped itself tightly before jerking the body a complete turn. The beast staggered for a moment; unable to react to a silver and white weight slamming on the top of its head. The gas amassed in its sac snorted through its nostrils uncovering the angel in a heavy dose of fear gas. Silver had expected this and had taken a deep breath before he had piledrived Tentapaw’s head. He would rather not have that taste in his mouth again. Splinterbark pulled the end of her lasso tight and wrapped the other end to the traffic light behind her. She had been practicing knots from an old scout book of her fathers and managed a nice fisherman’s knot with the strap. As the beast jerked, the knot tightened and secured the lasso closed. The metal of the traffic light was bending slightly and she yelled for Silver to hurry things up.

Silver shot several concentrated bursts in the beast’s back thinking that would have been enough to take it down. Where the energy shots had struck gas began to squeak and spew out like holes in a leaking balloon. While it made the gas sack under its throat shrink slightly, the creature somehow managed to shake it off. As it thrashed and jerked the ejected gas filled out the town square making the area thick with the choking smog. Splinterbark tightened the scarf over mouth and tried to limit her breathing. More of onlookers who had stuck around were not as lucky. One nearly struck the pink pixie with a garbage can yelling some nonsense about flamingos. She did not understand one thing though. Aside from everything having an even greener filer than normal with her goggles on, nothing changed. She wasn’t being assaulted by giant bats or terror rats or anything. She did feel a strange uneasiness though. Up above, Silver had perched himself on the opposite traffic light and was flapping his sparrow wings frantically trying to clear the smog. She yelled for her partner and tossed something in the air towards him. He caught on and grabbed the object only to look at it in disbelief. It was a roll of extra wide duct tape.
“Why do you…” he shouted with restricted gasps.

“Well you never know. But hurry!” She did not need to tell him anything else. The Guardian flew up high above the miasma and took the biggest deepest breath his massive chest could take. He plunged downward and grasped hard on the beast’s back. He used his gun to burn away a small patch before slapping the tape on. Then he pushed himself off and spiraled around the beast’s chest constricting it and the open vents in layers of tape until the roll was just about spent. The beast snarled and tried to reach over to grab the angel off its back. Splinterbark chucked wooden scraps by its back legs and sent several large shards into its thighs and elbows. This made the tentapaw buck and bounce in answer. The metal pole of the traffic light it was tethered to begin to buckle and groan under the strain. Frix yelled that the pole was about to snap as a massive crack began to tear at the base. Splinterbark thought of a crazy idea, but was suddenly overcome by a wave of doubt. What if she messed this up? What if the monster got away? What if Silver abandoned her again? The fear froze her in place consumed with these worries. Frix screamed for her to move as the metal snapped and was dropping towards her. Splinterbark only came to her senses just as the pole nearly slammed on her head and she side rolled barely out of the way. The post crashed down on the beast hard and almost the Guardian with it. The vents were closed and the beast was heaving and gasping trying to expel more gas.
Tentapaw ripped the lasso away and slammed its paws into the ground. The tentacles on its wrists burst forth and lengthened as they sliced and bounced along the ground. The Silver Guardian grasped Splinterbark in his arms and took the blunt of the lashes before being able to leap out of range. They took several large inhalations as they paused on the roof of a store. The beast did not chase them. For the moment it was just standing there and trying to tear away the duct tape corset. It was finding it to be a lot more difficult to do and in its frustrations began to stamp around the area; tossing cars and lampposts around.
“Okay, so we better get rid of this thing quick or we’re gonna have a massive riot on our hands”, Splinterbark surmised.
“You got an idea?” Splinterbark folded her arms and looked down below here.
“Yeah we can…no…no it’s stupid. How about…nuh uh that is super dumb.”
“Splinter! Focus!”

“I…I can’t. All my ideas are dumb. They’ll just make things worse. I’m too stupid to…”
“Shelly, snap out of it!” The guardian grasped her shoulders and squeezed to hold her steady.
“I need you to stop spouting like that right now! You’re the brains on this outfit and right now I need you.”
“You…you actually need me?”
“Yes! I know I’ve said some things but I mean it. I need you.”
“I don’t know if Shelly is going to get composed in time. Because look!” Frix yelled as he pointed a talon down below. The beast had stopped trying to free its corset. It had dropped its arms to the side and slowly turned its head upwards before slowly swaying its head. Its ears flicked as if it was hearing a voice only audible to itself and it turned in a zombie like shuffle towards the canals.
“It’s leaving? That’s weird”, Splinterbark commented.
“Then we better make sure it doesn’t”, Silver responded.

Tentapaw had dipped one leg into the canal when Silver threw the full force of his body into its chest sending it flying into the side of the department store. More annoyed at the interference than actual pain, the beast opened its maw and a cloud gathered in its throat. Splinterbark had Frix toss the last few wooden scraps she had down its throat and forced them to shard out in the most explosive manner she could muster. Silver came in through the distraction and belted the beast with a right hook, sending it airborne for a few moments before slamming hard on its chest. The angel took up to a higher point and dove towards the prone creature with full intention of making a city sized hole right through it. Just as he had gathered the speed his mind was flooded with the image of the events of Halloween and how the crowd had looked at him the last time he had pounded the monster into paste. The memory was so vivid that he clamped the sides of his head trying to block out the image. His trajectory spiraled out and he landed not with a full punch but a belly flop on the beast’s upper back. Silver had just knocked the haunting from his senses when he heard an unsettling gurgling from Tentapaw. The flesh just above where Silver had landed began to split open and form into a second mouth.
“Oh you have got to be kidding me!” Silver explained before the mouth expelled the cloud of gas full force at the Silver Guardian. Silver did not have time to cover his mouth and he collapsed onto the ground heaving and hacking. Splinterbark yelled for the Guardian and tried to get to him, but the creature stomped between them and attempted to grab the girl. Splinterbark ran to try and get some distance and reached behind her for more ammo but only felt an empty cloth sack on her back. She just barely ducked underneath a tentacle as she frantically looked around for something she could use.

Silver rubbed his eyes as he tried to focus on his surroundings. As he got up he knew something was wrong. A large lighted marquee of the Orpheus Theatre was before him. The streets were filled with people and there was no sign of the monster or Splinterbark. He yelled out for his partner, but no one responded. No one even seemed to be aware he was standing there. His body began to shake with discomfort. He knew where he was standing and the dread was too much for him to deal with right now. He had to get out. He had to get away from this place right now. Splinterbark could not tackle the beast on her on or at least vanquish it. Just as he opened his wings to fly out he heard an all too familiar bellow. A large caterpillar beast was scurrying along the tops of the buildings and spitting out webs behind it to deal with its target. Hunter was in pursuit of the bug, laughing and making rather terrible theatre puns while he was at it. Hunter was haphazardly slashing away at the webs-his sword slicking easily through stone wherever it struck. No, this wasn’t possible, Silver tried to reason.

Splinterbark stabbed a tentacle that had caught her in the leg before it finally let go. She snagged a few concrete debris and used her strap as a sling to keep it occupied. Tentapaw must have run out of gas because it resorted to using its tentacle wrists to keep distances between it and the pixie and spitting on the floor to make things rather slippery for her. Between its massive legs she finally caught sight of the Silver Guardian. He was just standing there staring at the side of the building dumbstruck in his stance. She tried to yell for him and had to duck as a paw almost caught her backside. Frix fluttered between the tendrils and hopped on Silver’s shoulder. He tugged at the angel’s head and yelled for him to stop being a wallflower. Silver did not even seem aware of his presence because he completely ignored him and ran towards the town square. He punched and struck at the tentacles and then seemed to grab debris can carry it away before going back to fighting. His expression was blank almost on autopilot and Splinterbark only barely noticed.

The caterpillar beast then reared up and smacked Hunter high up in the air. While the hunter was distracted with not falling to his death the creature turned its sights onto the crowd. It belched webs at the crowd entangling them in the sticky projectiles. Silver dashed into action almost immediately using his body to shield who he could and snatch away those he hadn’t. Then Hunter struck down from above. His sword swung side and he cut away a good chunk of the building as he sailed down. The debris crushed the bug, but as it descended there was a crowd of people below. Silver tried to reach them but suddenly his legs had become lead and he could not most fast enough in time. Those underneath the rubble were caught in the crash. When he finally could move he tried to move away the debris begging those caught in it were safe. The first face he dug out was Shelly’s. Half of her body hung out from underneath a large formation and she wasn’t moving. He had little time to dwell on his horror until he heard footsteps behind him. Hunter was surveying the damage. He shrugged and casually responded with an, “Oops.”
“Oops…OOPS?! I will give you oops!” Silver roared as he threw a punch at Hunter’s face.
Splinterbark had just barely ducked Silver’s fist but he still clipped her shoulder. His strike was clumsy so the force of his punch was not as strong or she’d need a completely new shoulder.

“Silver! Silver what are you doing? Stop!” she shrieked. She rolled on her but when Silver rammed his fists above her head. She tried to run backwards to put distance between her and the angry angel. She then saw a green haze start to surround him and it was quickly growing in aura and fever. Silver’s face had transformed to one of a feverous hatred with full intent of killing Splinterbark. He swiped madly at her trying to personally snap her neck. Splinterbark was just barely faster than Silver as she continued to run out of his grasp. Silver reached for his guns, but found both of them gone. When he turned his gaze back upwards, Frix was struggling with both of his pistols in his tiny talons. He watched as the spirit tossed them to Shelly to hold. She didn’t like the idea of reporting to a gun, but she turned and aimed at Silver Guardian’s leg. When she pulled the trigger nothing happened. The gun just made a loud clicking side. Oh of course, magic guns. Still better in her hands than his right now.

Splinterbark spoke to soon as the heel of her boot slipped on a puddle of saliva from the Tentapaw and she slid hard on her bum. The Guardian pinned her down and grasped slightly on her throat. Splinterbark pleaded for him to stop. A black flame impacted the angel in the side and he let her go as he frantically patted himself to douse the flames. Hunter put his arm around Splinterbark and dragged her close to him.
“So were you two having a nasty argument or…” Splinterbark yelled for him to look out. Hunter’s reaction was uncanny and he easily maneuvered out of the way with nary a scratch on him. As he and Splinterbark stood before the mad angel, Silver screeched, “Now there are two of you?!”
“What is this guy on about? Besides, like anyone can duplicate my fabulous couture.” His smug grin was unfortunately met with a punch to the stomach from Silver. He could take more than the average human, but damn did that really hurt. Then Silver turned to Splinterbark as she was the closest. A lash of fire grasped about his neck and the flames smoked about his face. Hunter tried to reel the angel back from Splinterbark. He had to keep Silver away from her. He could take it, but the Silver Guardian could easily kill pixie with hardly any trying. Silver dig his feels into the ground and held firm. He even managed to twist the lasso around him to he could face Hunter. He began to tug at the lasso even as the flames sparked and smoked against his palms. Hunter was trying to not be dragged closer, but even he knew Silver was far stronger than him. Despite the people still under the effects of the fog gas all around him, Hunter had to be touching someone to take their essence and if he let go…
Splinterbark stared in dumbfoundedess. Silver had tried to kill her and now Hunter was risking his neck to save her. If she didn’t do something, the angel was going to kill him. The monster was halfway in the canal and proceeding to swim away. What could she do? She fell to her knees feeling scared and helpless. She wanted them to stop. The wooden facing of the building around her began to spark and pop as magic began to dance about them.

“Silver, stop it” Green magic wisps began to swell and stir in the wooden planks.
“Stop!” The wood now formed large shards and released themselves from the stone facing.
“SILVER GUARDIAN, I SAID STOP!” The shards turned in the air and darted all at once at the angel. Hunter had seen the attack coming and had released the lasso to run. Silver had moved two feet from where he had originally stood but the shards turned and stabbed him. The cloud of wooden dust and magic exploded consumed him. From the haze Silver staggered out and fell to one knee. The green haze that had surrounded him was gone and he was holding his head in his free hand.
He stood up and looked around him. Hunter was holding his sword before him with caution hinting that he was fully expecting Silver to attack him again. Splinterbark was grasping her shoulder and was just barely standing up in exhaustion. No, it didn’t happen. Someone please tell him he didn’t just do what he thought he did.
“Look, I get partners now getting along and occasionally fighting but…that was a pretty nasty tussle you two were having. Like even me and Jinn don’t get THAT bad.” Silver’s gaze went from Hunter, to Splinterbark, to Hunter, and finally back at her again.

“Splinter, please don’t tell me I…” Splinterbark hesitated to respond as she just kept rubbing her shoulder. Frix had no such disinclination.
“You tried to crush her throat, you idiot! If Hunter hadn’t gotten here when he did, her blood would be on your hands right now!” Silver stepped back trying to distance himself from Splinterbark as she was trying to get closer to him with her uninjured hand outstretched towards him. It was just like the night before but this time he had almost succeeded. Silver screamed towards the air and then flew off yelling and sobbing.
****

Thomas had seen the live footage on his phone. He saw the monster spewing the fear gas. He saw the Silver Guardian and Splinterbark fighting it. Then he saw the two fighting each other. He knew what was happening. He begged to whatever divine power was now there that his fears were wrong.
“Thomas, you okay? You’ve gone pale.” Elizabeth had placed her hand on his shoulder and he jumped in statement.
“Nothing, mom I…wait, what are you doing up this early? And you’re already dressed.”
“I’m off today remember? Thomas…there is something we need to talk about. You see I…” Thomas phone rang and Shelly was the caller.
“Just a sec, mom. *BEEP* Shelly? Yes, yes I know. I saw. Calm down, Shelly. Take deep breaths. I’ll see what I can do. Are you okay? Do you want me to come get you? I understand. Yes, I think you’re right. Stay safe.”

“Was that one of your friends?” Elizabeth inquired.
“Yeah. I gotta go, mom. Something happened to Reed and I…”
“I understand. Go ahead.” Thomas began to run out the door but paused to look back.
“Mom, was there something you wanted to tell me?”
“It can wait, Thomas. Go ahead.” As he closed the front door behind him, Elizabeth took out her own phone and dialed a number.
“It’ll have to wait.”
****

The beast had been drawn through the canals until it ducked past and between several buildings before it finally stopped behind a series of old warehouses. It stood before the cloaked woman and stopped moving.
“Good Oozling. I watched your work and you have served me very well. A deal is a deal of course. I am not a fool to cross your masters.” She held out her gem and green miasma poured from the beast’s form. It shrunk and continued to do so until it was half of its engorged size. The figure collected the gas into a much larger vial that became liquid as it entered the glass. Finally she ceased and swirled the contents a little before drinking a few small mouthfuls. She shuddered as more of her youthful appearance began to shine through. She still had a bit of age on her, at least for now, but her renewed strength was enough. Students were not the most observant of other type people but even they would be aware of s supposedly 80 year old woman unexplainably having the form of a woman in her 30’s. Besides, she needed far more than what she gathered now for that. She commanded the monster to return to its owners before sauntering off home. As she walked her thoughts turned to the Silver Guardian. There was a great fear surrounding that one. Just draining him alone would be a great reward. But was even greater was the fear he could instill in others. She had been watching the news and reading opinion pieces online. Yes, the supposed hero was going to be very very useful.

[Lovetheangelshadow]

Chapter 7: Friendship in the RainThomas had gone it over and over again in his head about what he was going to say when he got to the Altamiri Estates. He knew he had to be careful in his wording. This was not the first time he had seen Reed break down like this. It would soon be almost a year since that incident and he remembered how many months it took before some resemblance of normalcy came back. He really hoped it not be like that time. By the time he had gotten to the gate he had thrown just about everything out of the window. He pressed the buzzer and waited for the answer. A male voice responded this time asking only with a simple ‘yes?’
“I’m here to see Reed.” Was all he could think of saying that made a sensible lie. The gate actually opened much to his amazement. As he pulled his scooter up the driveway he felt like the statues were about to pass judgment upon him should he say the wrong thing. At the door was Marco, much to Thomas’ relief.
“Hey Thomas! Long time no see. Doing pretty good?” He and Thomas exchanged a high five as Marco escorted him inside.
“So you guys just hanging out or going somewhere or…” Marco began awkwardly. Thomas could hear the uncertainty in Marco’s tone. Obviously everyone was aware that the youngest son was in an emotional state even if they didn’t know why.

“Yeah…something like that. Just to hang out. Oh, hello Mr. Altamiri.” Morgan was packing papers when he had eyed his son and their guest.
“Interesting seeing you here, Thomas. I’m afraid my son is not seeing anyone at the moment. He is acting like a spoiled brat right now.”
“Oh I see. Well can I just say hi? If he orders the guards to toss me out of the window, I’ll go. We cool?” Morgan paused and closed the briefcase. He actually laughed at Thomas’ bad joke.

“Very well. Marco, your mother needs help with getting the Christmas décor down. Can you go and help. I’ll take Thomas to his room.” Marco raised an eyebrow, but shrugged. They headed towards the stairs and Thomas could hear the television from the other room. Foxwell’s shrill voice could be heard very loud and clear over the clicking of cameras and the chatter of reporters.
“Silver Guardian proves to be a continual menace to this fair city. If he has no compulsion on attacking his own partner…” As they walked upstairs towards the halls Morgan strangely was the one to initiate small talk.
“So, you’re the Thomas that my son wants to invite for dinner.” Thomas blushed a little. This was the first he had really met Morgan face to face, or at least this close. He had interacted with the mother and brother often but usually the father was away.
“May I ask a frank question”, Morgan inquired.

“Um sure? I guess. If it’s the hair, it’s a weird genetic family thing. I think mom said it was some ancient Andean curse or something. I’d have to ask.” This time Morgan did not laugh.
“What is your goal in being friends with my son? What personal selfishness do you hope to indulge?” Thomas knew exactly all too well what Morgan was hinting. He should have been insulted at the accusation, but he couldn’t bring himself to be. Ironically it was because of someone manipulating Reed they were friends in the first place.
“I guess my selfish desires are out of honest love. N-not that kind of love, I promise. Eh heh…but he’s a great friend.” Morgan rolled his eyes at the response. Thomas wasn’t sure he took him seriously.
“You don’t need to waste your time out of pity. There is no need to keep up such an act.” Thomas could take Morgan questioning his own motives, but that jab at his own son crossed a line.

“Hey, don’t talk about Reed like that! You want to insult me? Fine! But you don’t speak about my friends like you’re better than them.” Morgan glanced down and chuckled coldly.
“Brave words. Foolish and misguided as they are.”
“I may be a fool, but maybe you don’t know your son as well as you think you do.” The two were in front of Reed’s door and they glared at each other. Well more of Thomas trying to making himself look tough while Morgan stared down at him in bemused annoyance. He broke the tension by rapping the back of his knuckles on his son’s door.
“Go away!” Reed hissed from behind the door.
“Come on Reed, open the door. It’s your bestest best buddy, Thomas; therapist PHD.”
“You’re just as much of a psychologist as Shelly”, Reed croaked.
“Wow, you are using consonants. You must be in a mood.” There was silence. Morgan apologized for Thomas wasting his time and offered to take him home as apology for wasting gas, but Thomas cleared his throat and stomped his foot.

“Reed Morgan Altamiri you let me in this room or I will get the grabbling hook and climb in there through your window!” Morgan was dumbfounded by the statement, even more confused when they heard the lock disengage and Reed opened the door.
“The worst part is, I know you would do it.”
“Aaaaaaannnddd back to formal. My presence is working.” Morgan said he had work to do and would leave the boys to themselves.
“And Reed, if he gives your trouble, have Jeffry toss him out the third floor window.”

Reed sat down at his desk with his arms crossed over the back of the chair.
“Shelly called you didn’t she?”
“I’m not going to lie about that. But I saw the news. Reed, what happened out there?” Reed lowered his eyes and clenched the back of the chair. Thomas repeated his last statement with more force.
“I…I am not entirely sure myself. I was fighting that Oozling and then there was the gas and the next thing I knew…I was in the theatre district where I…”
“Where *it* happened?” Reed slumped further on his chair before shoving off and starting to pace frantically in a circle.
“Look I know it sounds crazy but it felt so real. Everything just seemed to be there-the smells, the sounds, the sights…I could feel the asphalt in my hands. I thought what happened last night was just a bad dream but…Thomas I swear, I am losing my mind here! I could just barely make it home after what I did to…heh heh I sound really stupid right now, don’t I?” Thomas shook his head.

“You’re not crazy, Reed. The Bogeywoman’s gasses can really mess with your head.”
“The what with the what?” Thomas pointed his finger at Reed’s computer and Reed opened the Internet for him. Thomas typed in a few keys and brought up an article. The picture was a woman in a strange costume modeled after a scarecrow. The pants were flared out and the skirt was high and flaring. A massive afro was perched on her thin face that was concealed behind a skull-like mask. Reed noted that Thomas’s hand was shaking as he had made the image larger on the screen.
“I have reasons to believe that this is who was behind that monster this afternoon and Gallo and Croc. She specializes in fear as a power source. The more deep rooted the fear, the more power she can draw from her victims.”
“You seem to know a lot about this. I did not think superhero stuff was your thing.” Thomas paused and forced his shaking hand steady.
“Reed, you need to tell Shelly about happened that night.”

“Hey, do not change the subject. And are you crazy? I…I cannot tell her. If she ever found out…”
“What are so afraid of? She’s your partner, Reed. Okay, I’m not as much of an enthusiast as Shelly, but isn’t sharing dark secrets kind of part and partial of these things? Does Mr. Blackbird know?”
“Yes, he knows. And you do not know Shelly very well.”
“I don’t think you know Shelly very well either.” They glowered at each other for a minute, neither of them budging on their positions. Thomas gave up first.

“Sooooo since I came all this way…what do you say we head down and kill some brain cells on some games since we really haven’t hung out with each other since…well you got your fancy ring. I’ll even let you win a few rounds.”
“Oh you will ‘let me win’. I can mop you any day of the week. First choice is yours.”
Lenora head the noises from the game room downstairs. There was an awful lot of jeering and a strange mix of laughter. When she peeked in her son and his friends were full focused on a fighting game. She saw one character go down and the movie screen yell ‘KO!” Thomas made a mock groan and whined how it was unfair. Reed just mocked in a monotone voice she often heard her husband use though it was clear there was no malice. Maybe she had misjudged her son’s friend after all.
****

It was raining hard on Monday. Shelly noted that Reed was still in a bit of a down mood, but far less worse than she had expected. He had even thanked her for calling Thomas. But no, he was not going to tell her what caused him to freak out on Saturday. During lunch she watched Thomas and Reed mocking each other like close friends would.
“Hey, why don’t you two lovebirds go behind the school or something”, Kirby teased.
“Must you make everything romantic” Reed hissed. Thomas rubbed the back of his head uneasily before looking genuine surprised at the table.
“Hey, where’s Kirby and Bret?”
“No idea. I texted Bret after homeroom, but no messages back”, Sam responded.
“Come to think of it, Lynn only had half of her entourage this morning”, Shelly added.

“The lunchroom does feel a bit quieter in here and it is pouring buckets out there”, Reed agreed.
“Maybe it’s a weird bug going around”, someone else at the table offered. Reed unconsciously rubbed his throat thinking about that remark. That gas could not possibly be lurking around here, could it?
It was not just the lunchroom that felt empty as classes resumed. Shelly could have sworn there had been more of her students in her math class than there were in her English course. It was also the day or her oral report. Slowly as the class filtered through their turns Shelly felt a snowballing sense of dread and anxiety. She tried to distract the emotion with calm things like puppies and flowers, but over and over again terrible images played in her head. Her mind went back to seeing Samuel in the hospital chained to the bed and Silver nearly killing her and how powerless she had been to stop it. Come on you got this. You’ve done this all the time. It’s just an opinion piece on a Shakespeare chapter. What was making her so terrified? She nearly fell out of her chair when her name was called.
****

“You have stared down a giant cyborg gorilla, a crazy clown, a boar witch, and a stone crocodile with a big doofy smile and yet you choke on a five paragraph report?” Shelly had her face buried in her knees outside the school under an awning against the walls as she and Reed were waiting to be picked up. Thomas was hanging out with them until then; dressed in full rain biking gear. His massive long raincoat, thick scarf and gloves, and spiked helmet gave the vibe of one those tryhard edgy heroes from the 90’s.
“I don’t get it. I completely choked up there.”
“Well you did get a big dose of that fear gas from the Oozling.”
“So did you! And you did perfectly fine!”
“Reed, quit acting like a big bully pirate and teasing the pixie.”
“Do not start with that too, Thomas! It’s bad enough that demon gives her a nickname…”
“Aw. I think someone is jelly because he doesn’t have a cute nickname.”
“I do not…” Frix shrugged towards Shelly watching the two argue and Reed becoming more flustered along with it.

“You know, it’s strange. If I didn’t know any better I’d say it was improbable that you two became such good friends in the first place.” Reed was about to speak up against Thomas who was tempted to reveal something when he heard the car horn on his chauffeur’s car. He pointed at Thomas threaten before dashing off under his umbrella.
When he was far out of earshot, Shelly clasped her hands behind her back and turned cutesy in place.
“Sooooo what’s the fantastic origin story of you two?”
“I dunno, it’s rather embarrassing on both our ends?”
“More embarrassing then the Silver Guardian and Splinterbark meeting the first time by shooting at each other?”
“Touché.” Thomas leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes as if he needed to visualize the events in his mind before retelling.

“It was freshman year. After losing my dad, mom and I moved a lot for years so I wasn’t exactly in the best frame of mind by the time I enrolled here. It was a hard rainy day like this. I was on my way to the 7-11 and hardly aware of my surroundings I crossed the red light just as a car was coming.
My story would have ended there if Reed hadn’t shoved me out of the way. Then he yelled at me. Called me an idiot, a moron, and a few other things all the while lecturing me on traffic safety.”
“That…that sounds like him, all right albeit tactless.”
“Honestly, it was a huge wake-up call. I vowed to be his friend since then. He questioned my motives for months.”
“Until you broke his nose with a roller blade wheel?”
“Hey that was an accident! Sure I kinda used it as an excuse to see him in the hospital every day but…oh don’t tell Reed I told you all this. He thinks it’s embarrassing.”

Shelly wanted to ask why when there was a commotion happening in the yard near the parking lot. Hugging close to their umbrellas, they slowly made their way to where several students were already gathering. In a full fist fight, their uniforms stained with mud and rain were Sam and Vincent. Thomas shoved his umbrella to Shelly and squeezed his way past the crowd into the open area. His stocky bulk made it easy to barrel his way between the two and wedge them apart. He used his strength to hold them back even as they still swung angrily at each other. Thomas chucked Vincent over the shoulder first before knocking Sam onto his back with a sweep under his legs.
“What the heck, guys? Save it for the track.” The two boys were about to go at it again when campus security had finally arrived and held them hard apart. Principal Jester and Counselor Betsy were also behind them.
“What is the meaning of this? Thomas Payne, I should have known you were behind this. I thought you cleaned up your act until that stunt you pulled with the school gates earlier this month.”

“It wasn’t his fault, sir. He tried to stop the fight”, Shelly yelled over the crowd. Others in the mass also brought the same sentiment. Principal Jester seemed disappointed that he could not suspend Thomas for whatever reason. Counselor Betty rose up her hand.
“If I may, Mister Jester, may I talk to these boys for just a few minutes? Perhaps I can bring up a more peaceful solution to the problem? One that does not involve a potential lawsuit?” Jester again frowned but relented very easily. Thomas had his eyes more on the counselor as she had the campus police escort them to her office. The woman looked very familiar, but he could not place exactly what it was. Shelly heard the all too familiar *arrrroooogggaaaa* horn of her father’s van. She offered Thomas a ride home, something he politely declined. He needed to think about some things, and riding his scooter helped.

[Lovetheangelshadow]

Chapter 8: Goliath

Thomas had just peeled off all of his rain gear and had left it dripping over the coat rack and dry pan by the front door when he heard his mother’s voice in the kitchen. Then came an unfamiliar voice-a man’s. That couldn’t be right. His mother never indulged company. Heck, it was more than a year before he could rightfully introduce Reed to her without her feeling self-conscious. She appeared far younger than she actually was. She easily passed off as a woman in her late 20’s at most and with a seventeen year old son it raised a lot of questions from their neighbors and a few mothers at Valdus Academy. It was the same problem when his father was still around. He remembered his dad seeming to have less of an issue, but still insecure of his own youth like appearance. When Thomas walked into the kitchen, his mom was sitting at the bar while a man had his back turned and was stirring something on the stove. All Thomas could make out at the moment was his notable height, wavy dark hair, and pale hands. Elizabeth saw her son first.
“Oh hello Thomas. Oh nom you’re soaked. I’m sorry, I should have come get you.”

“I’m cool mom. Who is he?” His tone was unsure and threatening. The man just laughed and turned around while pouring the boiling pasta into the colander in the sink. Thomas knew this man. He had seen him several times at the 7-11 where his mother worked. But what was he doing here, in his house?
“I don’t believe we have had a formal introduction. Remiel Blaque. Your mother has told me a lot about you.” Thomas did not take the outstretched hand.
“I take it you haven’t told him? Elizabeth, for shame. One should not withhold such things from a son”, he wagged his finger like a father mock scolding a child. To Thomas’ annoyance his mother giggled and raised her hand to her forehead dramatically.
“Oh for my shame, my dear Remiel. I have been a terrible mother”. Her response had all the ham Shakespearean his son didn’t know she was capable of. The message was clear though.
“You…and mom…how long? How long as this been going on?!” Elizabeth placed her hand on his shoulder and pleaded with him.


“A…month. I know, I should have told you sooner. It was so sudden and…look why don’t we have something to eat and we can talk about this. Okay, sweetie?” Thomas shoved his seat away from the bar and said he had a lot of homework to do before slamming the door to his bedroom hard enough that the cranky old couple from below them rapped on their ceiling for the neighbors to keep it down. Elizabeth was going to go after him and Remiel held his back.
“Let him cool his head for a bit. You did say he might not take this news well.”
****

Elizabeth knocked on Thomas’ door an hour later. Her son only opened the door slightly and looked behind her and grumbled that Remiel was still there and now sitting on the couch looking through his phone.
“Thomas, come on out. You need to eat.” Thomas closed the door and she could hear him slam his back against it.
“James Thomas Payne, I will not put up with that kind of behavior. You either get your butt out here right now and have dinner or you go for a walk with us. And you know full well I can take that door off its hinges right this moment.”
“I don’t know if you should do that far. I don’t know what your security deposit for this apartment is”, Remiel commented.
“You’re not helping, Remy.” That seemed to make Thomas throw the door open.
“You’re at nicknames now?!” Remiel just shrugged.
“That’s the first time I’ve heard it.”
Thomas declined the walk while shoveling a large helping of the pasta caprese that Remiel had fixed together. He tended to binge eat when he was stressed and right now he was not in the best mood. He flatly declined the walk when Elizabeth offered to wait for him until he was done eating saying he had a lot of holiday homework to deal with. He waited five minutes before throwing on a dry coat and following them behind a several feet pace.
The rain had stopped but the air was still damp and sharp with cold. Despite the sky above still dark with rain clouds, Elizabeth was heavenly wrapped like a mummy made out of clothes. She and Remiel did not speak much during the walk save for commenting on the weather and work.
“You know he’s following us, right?” Remiel surmised.
“Being sneaky was never something he was good at. Thomas is very much like his father and that worries me. Sometimes I wonder if…are things getting foggier or are my sunglasses that messed up?” A strange greenish fog was starting to seep along the ground and thicken around them. Thomas could just barely make out the shadows of his mother and boyfriend. Then a larger shadow came into existence. The shape was making its way across the street seeming to ignore them and anyone else who happened to be in the area. The sudden upraise in the mysterious chill made Remiel sneeze loudly causing the behemoth shape to stop.

It turned with two hollow green eyes and the fog seemed to part away from its form as it maneuvered closer to them. Cold dead flesh came into the view as the goliath approached. He was dressed in a tight wresting outfit decorated in skulls and illegible text. As he smiled, his lips peeled back into yellowed fangs as green mist casually dripped from the gaps between his teeth.
“Goliath?! Wait, you know this guy?” Remiel and Elizabeth said in unison. Goliath also seemed to recognize them as well because its amusement turned to rage and he tried to slam both of his massive palms over their heads. The two jumped back with ease. Goliath bellowed and turned his attention directly to Elizabeth. His hands began to glow green which caused them to grow nearly twice their size before he smiled the sidewalk and sent a rupture speeding towards her. Elizabeth sidestepped only for the ground to crack under her weight and send her leg sliding into the rupture. The jagged concrete ripped a long tear in her jeans exposing her skin to the graying sunlight. It burned slightly, but it could have been worse. As she worked to free her leg, Goliath grabbed her by the torso and yanked her up high. Goliath promptly lost his grip when Remiel jabbed his elbow hard into his suplex and caught the falling woman. The beast attempted to recapture her, but Remiel was inhumanely fast even when carrying someone in his arms. Elizabeth got back to her feet and cracked her knuckles. She would have preferred not to go this route, but now she was annoyed. She apologized to Remiel and asked her to not think her weird after this.
Before he could ask her to clarify, she had already dashed towards Goliath and whistled for his attention. The Goliath sneered at her and thrust his fist towards the woman who did not move. Remiel yelled for her but caught his words as he witnessed her disappear into a puddle on the ground and then reemerge from another puddle behind the creature. The water she arose from propelled to the height of his shoulders. She hovered there and flicked her wrists to her side. The water from the rain shot across the ground and struck the monster with slivers of thin watery blades. The slivers gathered in a sphere of water above her head that she promptly hurled at his face and sent him slamming upon his back. The creature was stunned albeit differently than Remiel and Thomas. Thomas knew was she was capable of, but he had never actually seen her this close in action; not even that one time. Remiel approached her; careful to keep a wide berth to the prone giant. Elizabeth shrunk in posture as she slowly returned to the ground and rubbed her arms uncomfortably.
“Please don’t think I’m weird”, she squeaked.

“Heh, I like a woman with a little fighting spirit. Perhaps we can spar some time.” The two exchanged a giggle with Thomas just dumbstruck to the sight.
“Jimmy? Jimmy!” a cackling voice screeched through the fog. A cloaked figure sliced through the fog dressed in a burlap dress with all the tailoring of a scarecrow. She was not exactly looking where she was going and skated right into Thomas’ back. She pulled herself from the tangle she glared directly in Thomas’ face. She grinned upon recognition.
“Well well well, hello little Payne. It has been such long time.” The fog melted slightly to show her face better and Thomas’s felt his body grow cold. He knew that skull mask. He knew that cloak. He knew that icy grin and sweat deadly tone of voice.
“No…you…m-must be mist-t-taken. I-I-I d-don’t know y-y-you,” Thomas stammered. Bogeywoman ran a long red nail along the underside his cheek and smiled as she lurked closer.
“Oh I never forget one of my children. I remember your fear being so…empowering. Tell me, has it changed much since then?”
“Get away from him!” A stream of water shot at Bogeywoman’s back. The scarecrow raised up her hand and used the fog to turn into a shield that sprayed the water away from her.

“Oh yes, and you. And…well, you too, Remiel. I haven’t seen you in years. How have you been these days?” Elizabeth snapped her fingers and caused the water to rise up to her arm and form into a long sword.
“I am warning you…get away from my son! Or it will be far worse for you this time!” Bogey just chuckled and put a hand on her hip will “inspecting” her nails.
“Will it now? Not with that attitude you won’t.” Elizabeth had barely blinked when Boogey had disappeared from where she had stood and then reappeared on front of her. Elizabeth felt something guard strike the side of her head and she slammed into Remiel’s shoulder. Boogey appeared in another part of the fog and toyed with her nails in jest. Elizabeth called forth the rain from the ground and used it to propel herself towards the witch. She lashed at the cloaked hag again and again as Boogey gracefully dodged each blow with barely a movement on her part. She kicked Elizabeth hard in the chest before rising up and again hitting her in the head with another roundhouse kick. She snatched Elizabeth’s arm and wrenched it upwards to leave her chest open. The sudden move tore the cuff of her sleeve revealing a purple cloth with a pale silver opal the size of the back of her hand attached to it.

“You have changed in the last five years.” She slammed her palm into Elizabeth’s chest and a surge of green magic erupted through her limbs and paralyzed her in place. Bogey’s gem brightened as tendrils of mist crept from its surface and began to entrap its victim.
“There is a fear that has taken hold in your soul. A fear you were able to hide even from me. Interesting just what your fear is. A certain little truth about what really happened to your husband.” Boogey felt the air turn frosty behind her. She had just turned over her shoulder when a black hand gripped her gem and clenched it hard. Boogey felt her heart stop for a moment and breathing cease. In a detached voice Remiel whispered in her ear, “Drop her and leave now.” Boogey obeyed promptly and even gently rested Elizabeth’s stiff body on the ground. The scarecrow woman paced back towards her brother who was just now starting to stand from the ground and motioned him to follow. The fog dissipated almost immediately, but there was no sign of them.

“Liz! Liz, are you alright?” Remiel cried out as he helped her up. She grumbled that she felt like jello in the summer, but her own concern was replaced for her son’s. Thomas was on the ground rolled up tight in the fetal position; shaking and rambling incoherent sentences. Elizabeth got him to a seating position and hugged him assuring that they were gone and everything would be fine.
“Remiel, I think the best thing right now is…”
“I understand. I’ll call Markus and cover your shift.”
“Are…are you sure? Wouldn’t that be a double…”
“You need to be with your son right now. Don’t concern yourself with my wellbeing.”
****

Night had fallen by the time Elizabeth had gotten Thomas out of his shaking stupor. When he could speak in actual sentences again, he assured her he was fine.
“Mom, you have to fight the Bogeywoman again. You have to stop her and fast.”
“Thomas, I…I don’t think I can.” Thomas began to throw out his in wild gestures.
“What do you mean you can’t? You were able to beat her last time. You floored that giant easily. You can do it again. You have to be Luminux again! You just have to!”
“Thomas, you know as well as I do I swore I would never take the costume again.”
“But you broke that vow last time to…”
“Last time you were in immediate danger! Let the Silver Guardian handle her! Right now, we just need to focus on keeping you safe! We’ll move out of town until…”
“NO! Why? Why won’t you do something?!” Then he paused as a thought occurred to him. In a forced calm voice he said, “Mom, where is dad’s gauntlet?”

“Oh no. Get that thought out of your head right this instant! Don’t you ever entertain that idea again!”
“If you won’t do something, I will! I won’t let her get away with this!”
“Thomas, listen to me. This is not a path you want to go down on. This is not a life you want. It’s not the life your father wanted for you.” She pulled back her torn sleeve showing the stone in its full glory the stone hugged her skin and seemed to move as she flexed her hand. She looked at it shamefully, but Thomas shook his head in disbelief.
“Why not? I can do this. You can show me how to use the Solar Stone and…”
“Thomas, no.”

“But…”
“THOMAS, THE SUPERHERO LIFE IS HOW I LOST YOUR FATHER! I WON’T LOSE YOU TOO!” Thomas felt a large breath leave him.
“What do you…what do you mean by that? You always told me dad just disappeared in a mugging. You said…” Elizabeth slumped to the couch.
“Thomas, your father was taken by a supervillain and was turned in to…a monster.” Thomas gripped his fists and began to shake again. A maelstrom of questions formed about in his mind but where then just as harshly replaced with the mocking face of the Bogeywoman.
“What happened to dad?” he growled.
“I…I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?!” Thomas shrieked and the downstairs neighbors pounded on the floor again.
“I don’t know where he is! I’ve tried. Believe me I have tried so find to find him but in the end…I couldn’t take it anymore. I don’t even know if he is still alive. I made the decision to stop and raise you. I’m not Luminux anymore. I can’t be Luminux anymore and I can’t stop the Bogeywoman.” She grabbed her son’s shoulders and while he resisted slightly he let her embrace him tightly.
“Thomas, just know that your father loved you and he would have done anything to keep you from being…like us. Promise me. Promise me you won’t try to use your father’s Solar Stone. Promise me!” Thomas cringed but gurgled an okay.

They had spent a good portion of the night sitting up and watching Netflix when Elizabeth finally feel asleep on the couch. Thomas arranged her into a more comfortable position and pulled the blanket from her bed to cover her. Once he was certain she was fast asleep he went into her room and carefully closed the door just enough that he could see if she stirred outside. Any other night, his mother was as sharp as a wit once the sun had set. But the combination of the magic’s Boogey used on her combined with their argument had worn her out. He did not want to do this. The way his mother had broken down talking about that really happened to his father pleaded with him to not do this. Then he remembered what happened to Reed just from inhaling the gas. If Bogeywoman managed to take him and do what she had done to Thomas, Reed would not survive. He had no other choice. Thomas knew what he was looking for, but where it was would be another story. His mother was never one for housekeeping and it was like a bird’s nest in this room. He had to resist putting things away out of habit. He went inside a drawer filled with old photo albums. People still used these? He putted them aside until he noted that one felt a lot lighter than the others which had all their pages full. Thomas flicked off the clasp and opened the book. The interior had been hollowed out and a box had been stuffed inside the hole. He slowly opened the box and found two items. A cloth arm sleeve with an orange and yellow oval shaped gem on the palm had been folded neatly inside along with a leather bound book. Under the light of his phone Thomas opened the first page of the book. Handwritten in ink were the words: Notes on the Andean Solar and Lunar Stones-James Elio Payne.
“I’m sorry, mom.” He muttered as he shoved the gauntlet and notebook into the pouch of his sweater before replacing the albums exactly the same as before and then retired to bed.
****

The Bogeywoman led the Goliath inside the building. The further they walked, the gray and brown walls gradually phased into mossy green. The corridor opened into a massive space outlined with glass walls and statues of Grecian gods. Bogeywoman showed the behemoth to a chair easily rested him down. Goliath looked around and grumbled in his throat.
“I am sorry I took so long, dear sister. That moon witch had made it difficult to find you.” The Bogeywoman shook her head sadly.
“That happened because of my own arrogance. I should have listened to you back then. I have chosen to be a lot more subtle here as you can see.” Goliath turned his head slowly as he observed his surroundings. Cold glowing vines had grown tightly against the walls and were pulsing with his sister’s magic. However, many of them were shriveled, close to death, but not quite-not too different than his own state right now.
“From what I have heard, there have been great opportunities. Don’t tell me you actually fear this Silver Guardian?”
“Don’t underestimate the boy. He barely his his pinfeathers, but is not one to underestimate. I saw what he is capable off when pushed. Here. Just have a taste and see what I mean.”

She poured half the contents of the flask she had been carrying into a glass before holding her bauble over the liquid and squeezing the gem slightly. She winced a little as she forced a few drops of black ooze into the mixture. After casually spinning it with a talon to mix it, she happily slid the cup to her brother. The Goliath hesitated but he forced the contents down his throat. He shuddered and twitched a little as a little color returned to his face and his skin filled out a little more and lost most of its sallow appearance. The Goliath lipped his massive lips and eyed the rest of the flash.
Bogeywoman was fast and easily sidestepped the greedy clutched of her brother’s massive hands.
“Don’t be selfish. This was only a small sample I could gleam indirectly from the mob panic…with the opportune help of an Oozling, of course. Remember what happened last time you drank too much at once.” She swirled the contents before her before tucking it in the folds of her costume. Her brother noted a saddening expression even from underneath her mask. He gingerly embraced her tiny form.
“I’m sorry, Betty. I know you do what is best for the both of us. But we will take this Guardian as well?”
“I can assure you, we will drain every ounce of fear from the Silver Guardian. Then this city will easily be our feeding ground for years to come.”

[Lovetheangelshadow]

Chapter 9: GhostSilver was flying slow and a bit low across the city. Not low enough to be easily spotted, but not too high that he could not see the patrons below. He gulped thinking that in three days it would be Thanksgiving and he had actually invited someone to dinner. It was also one day before the Before Macy’s Parade or its more official name of the Cadric City Parade of Thanks. The thought never occurred to him until he chanced to see the warehouses nearby. One was open and a swirl of color could be seen though. Soon there would be floats and various school marching bands and dance schools all parading down Cadric Main Street and in the back would be the Host of Honor. For three years it had been the Golden Guardian standing upon a chariot of mock lighting like the god of thunder himself. Silver involuntarily winced loudly in his earpiece.
“Just be patient. Soon you’ll be standing up top your own special chariot to your adoring fans.”
“If the city does not arrest us first”, Silver chided. “Find anything about that Bogeywoman?”
“Mmm not a whole lot I’m afraid. She is one of those old but obscure type villains. I wish I could be out there with you…”
“NO!” The yell was harsh that he could hear her squeak in response. He stammered an apology.

“You’re…you are still injured from…the weekend. Besides, your brains could serve us better right now since Mister Blackbird is still out.” There was a pause on Shelly’s end and the faint sound of the squeaking of her swivel chair.
“You suck at flattery”, she said flatly.
“Anyway I had to ask around some forums. I got a fountain of information from a group that specializes in lesser known supers. The Bogeywoman has been around for a long time. First known sighting was in 1925 and was believed to be responsible for a series of disappearances. Her victims were never found.”
“That does not sound good.”
“Yeah. That seems to be a pattern regarding her sightings. Occasionally they find a Vitim or two-dead from fright. There are only four recorded captures: two of them here in the States; by Songbird in 1971 and Luminux in 2018.”
“So she is evasive. Just great.”

“Yeah, according to the forum runners there have been rumors she has an accomplice who always gets her out before she is convicted. No solid information though-I’ve got like five versions alone from the devil himself, to a zombie, and even a wealthy admirer.” Hearing Shelly’s story made him wonder about school and how there seemed to be less people of late. Then he remembered Thomas and how it was he who gave them the name in the first place.
“Shelly, did they release a list of victims from her last crime?”
“I thought of that. No dice. Almost all the victims were minors so that information could not be made public. Why would you…oh…you don’t think…he did seem pretty shaken up at school today.”
“If I am right, then we need to stop her for Thomas’ sake. I just wish I knew where to look.”
“I have a hunch. There is currently a riot happening in the downtown Baymark district. One of Bogeywoman’s known main traits is hanging around where there is likely to be mass panic.”

Shelly was right. Baymark District was a stone’s throw away from the start of the parade route. Sure enough the there were people in a massive brawl. The cops were trying to pull groups apart from each other using tear gas and bully clubs, but with little success. Silver noted that they were not just fighting this crowd, but each other. The tell tale green mist was there though it was not as thick as before. The fog stayed low to the ground obscuring everyone’s footing and those who had fallen flat against the ground. At least there was some breathing room, Silver thought though he would rather not inhale that gas a third time. He just spread his wings out wide to try and waft the gas away when he heard a loud metallic screech from the top of the hill across. A tanker truck was barreling down the slope skidding and sliding towards the mob still intent on tearing each other apart in terror. Silver slammed his palms against the engine of the speeding vehicle and dug his heels hard into the ground. The tanker was a lot heaver and had more momentum than he anticipated; forcing himself to twist his weight to force it to turn and slide away from the crowd as much as possible. When it finally stopped, he wiped his brow as his relief someone yelled that it was the Silver Guardian and someone actually hit him with a purse.
“Get him before he gets us!”
“Deputy Mayor Foxwell was right!”

“Stop him!” The crowd swarmed in on the silver seraphim like starving dogs on a carcass. Silver curled his wings in front of him before using them to smack the crowd away and apologizing profusely as he did do. He leaped to the top of the tanker and then the crazed riot started to rock the vehicle.
“Reed, what is going on?” Shelly yelled into the earpiece.
“Kind of busy at the moment. Hey! Get off of me!” People, civilians and police alike, were scrambling over each other and rocking the tanker to shake the angel off. Some had managed to grab Silver’s wings and use their combined weight to drag him off. The Guardian grabbed the safety railing to try and keep up as more of the mob had grasped his wings keeping him from flying. The railing snapped under his massive grip and he plunged into the heart of the encroaching mob. They continued to scream and attempt to tear at him. Police clubbed him or shot tasers into his back while civilians were grabbing what they could to attack. Silver Guardian could not hit back lest he accidentally hurt someone under his massive strength. Now he was pinned to the ground the mist was swirling about his throat and he could not but inhale it. It did not take much for the ground under him to distort and change to that theatre district. It is not real, it is not real, he chanted to himself. The mantra seemed to help a bit, but now he could not tell exactly what was really in front of him or a hallucination. He slammed his palms into the ground and started to force himself up underneath the weight of the crowd. They still grabbed and tugged at his wings, hair, and coat; keeping him pinned to the spot.
“Back off…” He was unaware of a silvery haze pulling from the viridian fog around him and surrounding his form.

‘I SAID BACK OFF!” The haze turned solid and exploded from Silver’s body in a massive white dome that threw the crowds to the edge of the area. A spherical shield had materialized around the Guardian before it flickered and shattered as he collapsed to his knees in exhaustion. As he saw the shield dissolve before him he muttered aloud his disbelief of what happened. Then he heard the scraping of wheels behind him. He turned as a long claws struck him across the chest. The figure disappeared into the rising fog once more. There was still chatter among the stunned onlookers but he felt the air change around him. He closed his eyes and swung to his left side. He heard a solid ‘oof’ before he grabbed a fistful of burlap and cotton in his opposite hand.
“Not bad, little boy”, Bogeywoman grinned. The Silver Guardian then felt a sharp stabbing pain in the side. Bogeywoman had plunged a kris into his flesh. There was a green color to the blade and where the police’s clubs only shattered against his skin, this knife had drawn blood. Exhausted from the shield spell and now he had a gashing slice against his abductors; he dropped the scarecrow and collapsed on the ground. He tried to use his hand to stop the bleeding, but even his Guardian former could take so much. The witch stood in front of him and forced his head upward to look into her eyes.
“Don’t worry. I have no intention of kill you…yet.” Bogeywoman held her bauble over the Guardian and shined the full force of its light against his body. Silver tried to resist, but he could not keep the hallucinations back. That memory played in his head over and over again, vague and uncertain but no less terrifying. It was faint but he could just barely hear Shelly’s voice.

“Reed! Reed what is happening? Hang in there! I’ll try to get to you!” Somehow her voice was enough to pull him out slightly. If it was comfort or fear for her safety he did not know, but it was enough to start fighting back.
“Stay where you are! I can do this!” The gem wavered as it sensed the angel’s resistance. She snarled and forced more of her magic towards the gem, her face growing more haggard and thin as she did so. Then she was forced back as a sphere of dark fire stuck her cloak and she shrieked while dousing the flames. Through his weary sight he saw Jinn approach him and rest her staff against his wound. Before him, Hunter had shifted himself between the angel and the scarecrow. Silver snarled as he felt his wounds close and his strength returning. It was not him being saved is what he was having trouble with; it was that his savior was Hunter. He wanted to squash that bug into paste and the gas was making his hesitation minimal. The Bogeywoman seemed amused.
“Oh, it’s you again. At least you’ve dressed into something more dapper, but I have no time to dance with you. Get away from my meal!” She dashed on skates right at the Hunter and swung the dagger at his neck. She might have been fast on the ground, but Hunter’s reflects were faster and he swayed easily out of the way. He jabbed his sword into the ground and caused a small crack before the Bogeywoman’s skates to skip. She smacked on the ground hard and scraped against the asphalt. Hunter had raised his sword but it would not move. He was not even sure how something so big could have snuck up on him without him noticing. The Goliath had his massive hand fingers on the blade and was holding it back. Angry flames were erupting from the blade and swirling around the Goliath’s arm. The Goliath appeared to be hardly phased that his arm was on fire. Silver rammed his newly refreshed body into the brute and forced him to slide back. The blade was wrenched from Hunter’s hand and tossed across the square.

“Not a fair trade of favors”, Hunter hissed as he dashed for his weapon. The Goliath smacked Silver Guardian aside and picked up the stunned body of the Bogeywoman.
“We leave now?”
“Yes, I know when we have been bested.” The Goliath was not fast, but he seemed to be able to melt into the smoke. The Silver Guardian noted that where a large metallic drum was strapped to the beast’s back. Hunter appeared to be aware of it as well. He then looked at a spot near one of the buildings before dashing off after the duo. Jinn yelled for him to wait for her. The Silver Guardian decided to follow them as the crowd was stirring back up again.
****

Thomas had parked his bike next to the half-finished building and hugged the box close to his body. He figured Flinter’s Folly would be pretty empty even this late in the afternoon. The place was a mile of partially built buildings and unpaved parking lots. It was supposed to be a high end shopping district complete with apartments and various indoor and outdoor activities until all the investors pulled out. Now it was a common hangout for gangs or bored teens looking to get their kicks one way or the other. Thomas had found this place by accident shortly after he and his mother had moved to Cadric City and he would not deny he set loose more than a few rocks at windows before finding healthier alternatives. He ducked into the parking garage underneath what would be an apartment. He pulled the collar of his raincoat high and shuddered a little with his growing anxiety and the cold. He opened the box and tugged the glove onto his left hand. The cloth was tighter than he expected and the threads stretched a little. The gem felt warm between the cloth and his skin, but also a bit unsettling. Something about it made him tremble even more. Looking at it he noticed flecks of black inside the stone and reasoned it was just the natural pattern. He had never seen the stones up close before. His mother always kept hers covered and his vague memories of his father reminded him he had done the same and would never let him touch the stones.
He opened up his father’s journal and just skimmed the pages until he got to the page about the powers.

“Several tests have shown that the Andean stones react to thoughts and emotional reactions. The more orange colored stones lend towards fire while the whiter stones bend to water. Some stones with imperfections have…” Thomas snapped the book closed and placed it on top of a chipped concrete pillar nearby. He inhaled and made small hops to get his blood going. He faced a wall and imagined shooting a fireball from his hand. He punched the air hard but nothing happened. There was not even a glimmer from the stone. Maybe he had the pose wrong and tried looked up images of the Celestial Twins. He attempted to shoot with his wrists together, a hand slicing in the air, even a hoping cat-like dance. He imagined every form of fire spells he had seen on television, comics, and video games. He got no response. He bellowed in frustration and tugged at his hair. Why? Why couldn’t he made this work? His mother had made it look so easy.
He smashed his fist against the stone wall.
“Stupid stone!” He punched the wall again and again while screaming. It wasn’t fair! He was finally happy with his life. Why did that stupid witch have to show up now?

Why couldn’t he do anything to help his best friend? Why was his mom dating someone else? Why wouldn’t she help? He didn’t deserve this. It was not fair!
“Stupid rock! Work! Why…won’t…you…work?! His gloves were tearing away as rubble started to chip and cut against his skin. He hollered and punched the wall full force; feeling a shockwave sear through his arm and shoulder. The pain seemed to slow town time for a few brief moments. He saw the stone hit the concrete wall and crack. Shards splintered from the stone and embedded themselves into his flesh like they were drawn to it. Thomas could hardly take a moment to panic of what he had just done when the bulk of the stone flashed and sparked with magic. Lighting raced through his body and he cried out in agony. It was brief before he collapsed to his hands and knees and gasped for breath. He looked to his shaking hand where the gem was. The cloth had all but burned away and the gem had burned deep into the back of his hand. Where the shards had struck his skin was stained black slightly.
His skin around the stone began to quiver. Then crystals sprouted from the stone and shards. The shards began to race up his arm and grow at an exponential rate. His opposite arm transformed the same way and his sleeves shredded as they grew in size and strength. His whole body spasmsed with pain as his heart raced even more than his current panic state. Was this what Reed went through? He was never going to tease him ever again-assuming he survived this. No, he could not just stand here and pray to survive. Clutching his chest tightly and pushing through the pain he forced his legs into a run yelling for help.
Thomas ran down the street as Flinter’s Folly was a stone’s throw away from downtown. His body twisted as he felt something inside twist and reform. It felt like his face was being pulled apart and his cries were turning distorted. He did not remember this ever happening to either of his parents. Why was this happening to him? Was it because he broke the gem? He staggered towards a coffee shop and slammed the palms of his hands against the doors and smashed them open.
“H-help…me”, Thomas pledged to the crowd. The patrons had seen him and screamed in response.
“Run! It’s a ghost!” Most of them ran past him while others had taken out their phones to record the chaos. A ghost? What were they talking about? There was a large mirror behind the counter and Thomas staggered towards it. The pain had mostly gone by this point; it did not ebb how hollow and heavy he still felt. In the mirror a completely different person stared back at him. The crystal had completely overtaken his arms and spiked up around his shoulders. On his face crystal plates had formed into a domino style mask before forming at the top into a spiked crown. His hair had turned to smoke and bubbled and boiled inside the crown. The rest of him; his face, body, and clothes had become white and transparent. What had happened to him?

He heard police sirens outside and commands for him to come out with his hands up. Thomas hesitated knowing if he did, he was on a one way ticket to jail. Still, what could he do? He slowly moved outside with his hands before him. The cops all had their guns trained on him as he stepped foot onto the pavement.
“Please! It’s not what you think!” Thomas cried out. The voice that came out was not exactly his own. It warbled, echoed, and sounded like two rocks scraping together. He grabbed his throat in horror and that made a jumpy officer shoot at him. The bullet struck Thomas in the chest and passed right through him. The hole in his chest smoked a little before reforming back in place. Thomas gargled and took a step forward in anger at the fact someone shot at him. The cop was ten feet apart from him but it was less than a second before Thomas had his crystalline claws on their shirt. He tossed the officer clear across and banged the guy against another car. Then he heard the radio crackle inside the vehicle he was standing next to. Thomas easily slashed the door open to hear the dispatcher clearly.
“All units, Silver Guardian has been spotted in the Baymark District fighting a scarecrow. Riot still in progress. All units please respond.” So, that was where the witch was right now. He had no time to deal with minor peons. He had a Bogeywoman to permanently exorcise.

[Lovetheangelshadow]

Chapter 10: Freaking OutIt was not keeping up with Hunter and Jinn that was difficult for the Silver Guardian. It was trying to keep one eye on the Bogeywoman and Goliath. Bogeywoman was riding on the back of the metallic cage held by Goliath and seemed to be directing her charge in the direction to escape. Goliath was not practically fast but he was surprisingly nimble. In an effort to slow the trio down, the beast tossed garbage cans, cars, and other debris in their direction. Hunter bobbed, weaved, and slid along the projectiles with ease and cackled and quipped doing do. The Guardian and cobalt witch had their hands full catching the same debris.
“So why are you two here exactly?” Silver gasped out between playing catcher’s mitt a compact car before being smacked in the face by a garbage can. He staggered and nearly lost his grip on the screaming passengers. Jinn conjured a cushion of air to slow them down.

“I just happened to be in the area. Hunter…who knows that goes on through his head.” The insectoid demon had gotten far ahead of them. The terror duo must have assumed that their distraction worked because they had ceased tossing objects and focused on just escaping. They had gotten towards Cadric City Park and shoved their way deep into the trees. The Goliath shoved and squeezed his massive form against the pines until they had finally emerged into an enclosed glen. He stopped and began gasping for air. Bogeywoman hopped down and patted his massive arms.

“Take a breather, Jimmy. I believe we have lost them….for the moment. That Guardian is no tracker.” Goliath filed his lungs with air and patted the cage on his back with his elbow.
“It is not the Guardian I am concerned about finding us.”
“Oh please. If you mean Luminux, she is far less than capable than she was before” Bogeywoman scoffed.
“Aw and I don’t count?” Hunter had been casually lying on his back on top of the cage.
“How did you….?!” The Bogeywoman shrieked. The Goliath tried to grab the devil from the cage. His fingers grasped the edges of Hunter’s cape and he started to jerk the devil off his feet. Hunter rapped his fingers against the push clasp of his cape, but the clasp jammed and he felt the pin jab him in the neck. He was yanked roughly into the air and his throat closed for a moment as the cape choked him. An energy shot crashed against the pin clasp and shattered it-releasing the monster hunter from the strangling effects of his own wardrobe. He landed on all fours against the ground and pushed himself back upright with a backflip. The Silver Guardian and Jinn arrived into the glen with Silver having both pistols in his hands. As he descended, he shot three more volleys and made direct hits on the fasteners that kept the metal cage attached to the Goliath. The cage landed with a hard thud and the side lock cracked open. The door creaked open by the content’s weight and several unconscious children spilled out.

“So I was right. You pair of sick freaks!” Hunter growled as he pulled out his sword and charged.
****

Thomas wasn’t sure how he was managing this, but at the moment he did not care. He figured out real quick how fast he could run. Even at his best dash time he would never have been able to run at this speed before. The Speedster he was not, but the best he judged the distance he was covering was at least 85 mph as he was able to keep up with a car on the highway without breaking a sweat. It did not feel like running either. He could not feel the pressure of the pavement underneath his feet or the wind against his face. It was more like gliding along the surface as he skirted easily between cars. Thomas discovered this newfound speed easier to control as he attempted a skiing motion. There was one other advantage to his current state as well. He did his best to not run into cars on the highway, only for a car deciding to cut off another car and make that vehicle break in front of him. Thomas dug on the back of his heels trying to stop and collided into the back of the car. Somewhat. His ghostly form easily phased through the metal but his crystalline arms and head halted his crash. The vehicle swerved and swayed dragging him to the shoulder of the highway. He staggered from the car looking at two large dents caused by his hands and a ring indentation on the trunk. The driver stomped out the door to chastise what the guy was thinking. That is until he saw the ghost kid and drove back into his car to screech away. Thomas instinctively rubbed his sore neck to a pain that was not really there. He had to figure this speed thing out on the way there.

When he got to Baymark Square, he caught the fleeting glimpses of Silver Guardian speeding over the rooftops towards Main Street. Around him were people lying on the ground, hurt or dazed and confused. Police were helping themselves and others to their feet or calling ambulances to those seriously hurt by the riot. It had thinned out considerably but the fear gas still crept along the ground. Thomas bent down and noted that the gas appeared to trail in one direction and it was flittering towards Main Street. Baymark Square was heavily populated, but Main Street was tightly dense. If the Bogeywoman caused a panic there, it would spread insanely thought the city.
“Police! Freeze!” More officers had arrived on the scene and aimed their guns towards the spectral boy. He did not comply. He knew the bullets did not harm him. He inhaled hardly through his nose and imagined being able to completely pass through them. The crystal armor shined and flickered before fading slightly. So that was how dad meant the mental command thing, he thought. He ran forward towards where he thought the Bogeywoman was and easily passed through with all the ghostly ease as befitting his current state; leaving a trail behind of ghostly fire in his path. He figured he could catch up easier by phasing through the city buildings. He passed through the first wall with ease and he was elated. So this was what happing superpowers was like. No wonder Reed took opportunity to be the Silver Guardian whenever he could. This rush Thomas was feeling was quite stimulating. He had almost completely forgotten about his panic about the situation. His focus was broke when his arms caught a mannequin and tripped him up inside a clothing store. A dress got caught on his crown and the more he pulled the greater the tangle as the silk threads clung to his glassy spines. Now how did he get into this tangle? He should have been able to just slip out easily. He put that image of being a full ghost in his mind and on command the clothes fell through him like he was never there in the first place. So that was how it worked. Thomas left the store and resumed his chase on the sidewalk.

He saw them in the glen. “So I was right! You sick freaks!” Hunter screamed out as he charged towards the terror team. Strange, Thomas thought. Hunter was a strange man for what he did and did not care about. Hunter went after the Goliath first and swing his sword in a wide arc before him. The Goliath shielded his face with his massive arms as the blade easily sliced against his greyish skin. As he drew his arms down, the singular would bubbled green before healing themselves completely. The Goliath grinned at Hunter’s disbelief and used that opportunity to grab Hunter with a single fist and slowly clenched his fist. Meanwhile Silver was attempting to pick up the cage while Jinn shielded him from Boogiewoman’s rushing strikes. Her shields shuddered and cracked as the scarecrow phased between the trees to strike the duo. Silver had peeled the back of the cage and found about seven children of various ranges had been shoved inside. Green gas had dribbled between the growing cracks as he opened to free them and he was met with a large puff of fear fog. He could taste the peppermint and cilantro combination in his mouth, but thankfully no hallucinations. He figured the gas had done most of its work. The angel then realized just what that meant. The kids were starting to awaken as the dimming afternoon sun reached their eyes.

“Eeeek, don’t hurt us!” The children writhed and clawed to get to the back of the cage and as far away from the Silver Guardian as possible. Silver’s face cringed a little at the insult, but repeated the mantra it was just the fear gas. Surely they really could not as afraid of him in reality. Where was Splinterbark’s knack for barking orders when you needed them?
“Reed, what is going on? Can you hear me, Reed?” Shelly’s static voice came over the earpiece. Her voice was cutting in and out and when he said yes she kept repeating the query. He did not have much time to think of it when Hunter’s body collided against him. The Goliath slammed his foot on the top of them and pressed his weight down against them. Jinn was distracted by the collision allowing the Bogeywoman to ram her elbow hard into Jinn’s chest and force her to the ground. Flat on her stomach, Jinn shakenly reached for her staff and the scarecrow grinded the wheels of her skate onto her wrist and sunk it into the soft earth.

“Hold them still, dear brother. Waste not, after all.”
Bogeywoman pulled her broach a little further from her neck into clear view and directed it down towards the pain on the ground. She shuddered and winced as she forced the gem to glow brighter and brighter until it bathed its victims completely in the spotlight.

A white streak formed before her and she felt hard slashes across her wrist forcing her to drop the bauble. A specter came into view in full visual before everyone. The Goliath opened his mouth to claim his surprise and the ghost responded by raking his claws across his chest. The behemoth moved back from the crazed ghost-releasing his charges. The ghost did not relent on the assault and he lashed repeatedly at him driving the giant further and further towards the trees. Thomas used his speed to run his talons across the trees and cause them to collapse on the beast. The Bogeywoman repaid in kind with her own dashing strike against his side. Her knife cut through his arm releasing a bit of mist from the wound before reforming itself. The ghostly boy snarled and the claws upon his hands extended. He screamed and lashed at her face. Bogeywoman was far faster than he was and slipped into the shadows of the trees before he had even swung his arm. Then he felt something lash at the back of his head-striking the crystal crown. He cried out as the crystal rung against his skull and he felt the pain run through him. Bogeywoman slid to the side and ran the edge of her knife on the crystal formed on his shoulders. He felt the knife slave against the gems and small shards erupted from the injury. So that was where he was the weakest, he surmised to himself. The scarecrow plunged the knife downward towards his heart. Thomas let it plunge into one of his arms and while she was stuck, punched her hard in the chest.
She had left go of the knife and was stunned from the blow. Thomas’ vision went a bit hazy. The only thing he could think off was making this woman pay and he didn’t care how.

The Silver Guardian roughly shoved Hunter off his back as he got to his feet.
“Friend of yours”, he asked as he witnessed the mad ghost continue to press his assault on the Goliath.
“You are assuming I have friends”, Hunter groaned. The cage buckled as the ghost boy’s claws tore into it as he attempted to stab the Bogeywoman in the face. His talons came far too close to one of the captive kids when he had done so. Furious, as he jerked it out and kicked the cage in anger it being in his way. The cage began to roll downward before the Guardian and Hunter just managed to catch it.

“What the heck is that guy’s deal? He could have killed the kids”, Hunter griped. Silver pulled one hand away from bracing the cage and jerked Hunter up to his face by his lapels. He should break this guy’s face right here and now for that remark. No, he wasn’t worth it. The police were after him enough as it was. They heard the Bogeywoman yelling for help from across the glen. The specter had her by the throat with one hand and was holding the kris in the other. He was ready to plunge the knife when Silver rushed his arm between them blocking the strike. He wrenched the ghost’s hand from Bogeywoman’s throat and dragged him a few paces back.

“Hey! Let go of me!” Thomas shrieked.
“I do not know who you are, but I am stopping you here and now.” He was not going to let him? What did he know? He had no idea what the Bogeywoman did to him. What right did he to dictate what justice needed to be done? Thomas snarled and turned full ghost to slip out of Silver’s grip. He then became solid once and smashed his fist hard against the Guardian’s face. He had no super strength but the blow was enough to twist Silver’s neck enough to distract his focus. As the angel steadied himself and pressed a hand against his bruise he vague saw the ghost go after the Bogeywoman again. Silver darted and grappled the boy to get him away. The two tumbled along the dirt until Thomas flipped back to his feet. Silver was struggling to get back up. He could feel his strength fizzling out. The mobs, that shield spell, and this chase was stretching his limit. Shelly was trying to ask him what was happening, but it was getting more difficult to hear her voice. He said something about fighting a ghost guy but that was all he could spill out. Angered at the interference, Thomas ran full speed at the angel and rammed him hard-sending the angel deep into the copses. He paused waiting for the angel to return, but nothing happened. Good, now the angel would not interfere. But when he turned to resume his revenge, the Goliath had managed to free himself. Though weakened, he managed to scoop up his sister. The Bogeywoman opened the palm of her hand and a small sphere fell to the ground. A white hot flash flooded the area blinding everyone within the glade. When Thomas had managed to focus his eyes again, the terror team was gone as was the metallic cage. The boy roared and rammed his fists against a tree; effectively shattering it into pieces. Hunter and Jinn were gone. He assumed the Silver Guardian was gone as well and now thanks to him, Thomas had to comb the whole city to find those two.
****

Elizabeth had woken up and showered as per her usual day. She felt a bit awful after the argument she had with her son the previous day. She had not meant to blow up at him as she had done. It had been ten years since her husband’s disappearance and she understood how hard it would be for Thomas to let go. After all, she had kept uprooting his life for a little more than seven years trying to find James. She had finally realized it was not healthy for either of them and she resigned in stopping. She was thankful he had found a friend in that Reed boy-a strange friendship to be sure but a welcome one. As she entered the kitchen area she was surprised not to see her son snacking and working on his homework. Elizabeth checked his room and his room was empty. His biker coat and boots were gone. She looked in the garage connected to the living room and his scooter was also gone. She checked her phone and there were no messages. Strange, she thought. Thomas knew how important it was to message her if he was going to be home late. She called his phone and got only his voicemail. Not like him to have a dead phone either.
She then called Reed’s cell phone. Like before it went to message. Elizabeth did not have any of his other friends’ numbers and she couldn’t remember if he had them written down somewhere. Before she would go into tearing up his room looking for them, she called Reed’s brother’s phone. It had been the only number Reed had been willing to give. Marco answered.

“Oh hello, Mrs. Payne. Did something happen regarding Thursday’s dinner.” Elizabeth had to hide a small giggle. The way Marco had said it reminded her of her old days as a geography teacher.
“Good evening Marco, I am sorry to bother you, but is Thomas over at your home? He is not answering his phone.” There was an awkward pause.
“Actually…I was just about to call Thomas myself. Reed isn’t home either.” Elizabeth felt her stomach drop. Then a terrible thought came to her. She ran into her room and threw out the bottom drawer of her dresser with feverous strength. She tossed aside many of the photo albums until she got to the one that she had kept hollow. The box that been tucked inside was gone. She had to clamp a hand over her mouth to keep her from wailing out.

“Mrs. Payne? Is something wrong?”
“Marco I…I’m sorry I…I need to go. I hope your brother is alright.”
“Mrs. Payne, if something is wrong let me-“Elizabeth had ended the call. She began to pace and tug at the sleeves of her uniform. If Thomas had the stone who knows what damage he could cause intentional or not. Or worse, what the stone could do to him. James was more than a little concerned when their son had been born. So far, she had taken all the precautions her husband had made to give her son as normal of a life as she could have. She pulled out a box from underneath her bed. The box was caked with dust, but the contents were pristine. She placed her hand on the fabric but then saw her watch. She had to be at work soon and she could not afford to miss another shift.

She called Remiel at work and told him her son was missing and could be in great trouble. Remiel could not take another double for her unfortunately and there were no other night managers available to cover her shift. He could try to convince Markus for the overtime, but there was only so much even he could do. He then offered to look for Thomas himself once she got here.
“Remiel, are you…are you sure? You don’t have to…”
“I have a knack for finding people. I’ll keep you updated. And you might want to fix your makeup before you get here. Low class as this is, you can’t show up to work looking like a sad panda.” Elizabeth sniffled a little and forced a laugh. She whispered a thank you and referred to him as an angel. She could have sworn she heard a dismissal snort before Remiel had hung up.

Thomas had searched until his legs could not run anymore. His stomach gargled and grumbled loudly as hunger set in. The sun had started to set and clouds began to creep along the starry sky promising another lovely round of night rain. The spirit boy trudged with his shoulder laming loud scraping sounds against a retaining all. He was exhausted, starting, and frankly quite lost. He had searched all around the park, further areas on both Main and Baymark districts and there were no traces of them to be found-not even a wisp of fear gas. He screamed and pounded both fists hard into the wall before sliding down to his fear and just limped there. He could not believe he lost them. The whole reason for this was to protect his best friend and he failed. A loud thunderclap brought on the rain but he did not feel it. He could see it bounce against his spectral skin, but he felt nothing. And he was stuck like this. He began to cackle at the irony of it all.

“There he is, officer! Over there!” Through the mist of the rain he saw two vague shapes against blue and red lights. One he thought he was pointed at him and the other was running towards him. “Hold it right there! Under the Zero Tolerance Supers act, you are under arrest.” Right, Thomas had forgotten that was still in effect. He scrambled to his feet and tried to half gallop away. His exhausted form made him stumble and slide the closer they got to him. Thomas tumbled into a dead end alleyway and crashed against the dumpster. Great, he could not even smell the dumpster. The police had him boxed in. This was it, he was as good as dead.
Thomas squinted and waited for them to slap the cuffs on him when he heard a clamor of shouts. He opened one eye and was engulfed in a cloud of thick black smoke. He couldn’t process what was happening when he felt something grab him by the shoulders and hoist him upwards into the air. As he rose higher he saw the smoke had filled the alley and was snaking upwards towards them. When whatever had him finally touched ground he body had just about given up the ability to possess consciousness. Before he blacked out, he thought he saw a pair of black wings and then he was out.
****

Thomas groaned and shuddered. His whole body ached and he felt hot. He felt hot. He rushed himself up to a seating position and then collapsed back down from the blood rushing from his head.
“Yes he’s at my apartment now. No he’s sleeping on the couch right now. Of course, Liz. I’d be happy to. I’ll see you in the morning then.” Remiel hung up on his phone and approached the couch with a plate of star cookies. He placed it before Thomas.
“Nibble on these. I’ll heat up some leftovers.” Thomas eyed the man with suspicion, but his growling stomach and the painful prangs of hunger outvoted his distrust. He pulled the blanket closer to his shoulders and gingerly took a treat. The cookies were soft and still warm. Thomas never thought he’d be grateful to actually be able to taste something. He was never going to take sensory feelings for granted again. It was a few minutes before he realized it. His hands were completely normal. As he looked up his arms, the crystal was gone and looking at his reflection on the coffee table he was back to his old mocha colored self. Aside from the sleeves of his jacket being completely gone and a few holes in his shirt, there were no sighs he had never been that spectral creature. Then he looked at his left hand. The gem was gone! There were small cuts along his wrist where the gem had cut initially cut him, but they appeared normal as well. Had he imagined all this? Had he been so deluded that he ran all over town thinking he had super powers? He huddled under his blanket and glanced around him. Remiel calling this place an apartment was an understatement. It was significantly larger than the cramped space he and his mom shared. It was not ancient and classic like the Altamiri estates. It was sleek and modern. Posters of glam and punk bands completely with signatures adored the walls and felt far out of place in this sterile environment. There was no way he could have been able to afford all this on a convenience store manager salary.

Remiel placed the bowl of soup and two cups of coffee on coasters on the table. Remiel sat in an armchair across the table and took a mug for himself. After taking a long purposely drawn out slip he remarked,
“Your mother is furious at you. I foresee quite a punishment in your future.” he said as matter of factly but bemusedly.
“How did you even find me?” Remiel just grinned and waved his hand in dismissal.
“Oh I just followed the trail of guilt and betrayal”, he said with an air of coolness. He seemed to be aware of Thomas’ growing discomfort before he added,
“I joke. I just had a hunch. Oh, by the way, is this yours?” He pulled from his breast pocket and pulled out the orange gem. Thomas rubbed his eyes. The gem was still cracked. Thomas croaked a yes but Remiel did not hand it back. He started to examine it in the bright lights of the apartment slowly and methodically as if to tease Thomas.

“It is none of my business, but what compelled a good kid like yourself to run yourself ragged in that part of town?”
“I…I have my reasons.” None he felt interested in divulging to a stranger. Remiel just shrugged and tossed the stone to himself, much to Thomas’ annoyance. It wasn’t his and here this man was just dancing it about like a children’s toy.
“May I ask you something personal”, Remiel questioned while keeping his eye on the stone.
“I may not answer”, was Thomas’ curt reply.
“All right. You didn’t think your revenge all the way through did you?” Thomas nearly choked on the coffee he had been drinking and had to spit out what was in his mouth. He gagged feeling the hot liquid burn his throat. Remiel just causally responded by handing him a napkin.
“I…I don’t know what you are talking about”, Thomas wheezed.
“Oh really? So you did not run yourself into exhaustion looking for a certain Boogiewoman?” Thomas slammed his palms on the table, spilling the rest of the coffee and soup.

“You…you don’t know anything about me!” Remiel was still not looking directly at him and was now watching the liquid drip onto the white carpet.
“You mother told me. I can’t blame your actions. It can’t be easy to get over being kidnapped, dragged, and used as a fear battery…”
“You’re lying! Mom would have never told you…” Remiel just grinned a dark smirk.
“Oh it’s not my fault women just love chatting with me. Maybe it’s my handsome face or my silky smooth voice…” Thomas leaped over him and grabbed Remiel by his shirt collar.

“Shut up! SHUT UP! Who do you think you are? You think you can just waltz in to my life and act like everything is perfect? You think you can just replace my father? You have no idea what I’ve been through! I hate you! I don’t want you anywhere near me or…” A bright green light pierced his sight. The stone in Remiel’s hand had been engulfed in a swirl of white and green blaze for a few moments before fizzling out. Thomas dropped his hands slightly staring at the jewel dumbfounded and confused.
“What…how did that happen.” Remiel was emotionless to the response.
“How did what happen?” he sneered.
“D-don’t pretend you didn’t…you found me as a ghost didn’t you?”
“I did? I don’t recall I did.”
“But…but you…you had to…”

“Thomas, whatever you saw or whatever you think I saw, I didn’t. Now sit down please. I have to spray the carpet before it starts staining the floor and I lose my deposit.” Thomas slumped on the floor while Remiel had gotten the cleaning supplies. The boy mumbled for one of the towels and started wiping up the spills on the table.
“Thomas, might I offer your some advice?” He took Thomas’ grumbling as some kind of answer.
“There are two things I have learned in my life. If you aspire vengeance, don’t be hot headed about it. The phrase revenge is a dish best served cold does have some weight. Revenge in clarity is far more satisfying.”
“And what is the other thing”, Thomas piqued. Remiel looked at him darkly, but still smiling.

“Be honest with yourself in your revenge. Trying to delude yourself your actions are for justice or some flimsy virtue will only circle back on you in the long run. Don’t pretend you are some kind of hero. You don’t want to stop the Bogeywoman because she is a supervillain that needs to be stopped. You hate her for what she did to you. Accept that with yourself and others. There is no shame in walking in the darkness. Sometimes that is your only option.” Thomas narrowed his eyes at the man. That was the strangest advice he had ever heard. He would have thought Remiel was going to talk him out of it, not encourage retribution.
“Remiel, just who are you?” Remiel seemed amused at the question.
“Just your mother’s boyfriend, for the time being. Now pass me that scrub brush if you please. This coffee might have gotten into the matting.”

[Lovetheangelshadow]

Chapter 11: Losing my MindThe Bogeywoman and Goliath had many close calls before. It would not have been the first time in almost a hundred years had someone tried to kill them. It was not their first encounter with a Guardian either. Perhaps because it was they were getting old-older than natural time would have allowed. Perhaps it was because they were tired. Never the less, it was the first time in a long memory they had come this close to death. Bogeywoman prepared the next set of pods for their latest catch. In her own arms was the unconscious body of a waif of a blonde boy. In all her years she had never seen a Guardian so young. In their escape they came across the weakened form of the Silver Guardian. They witnessed him return to his actual form. Both of the terror team agreed it was in their best interest to take him with them; even more in agreement from Bogeywoman. And since they had a taste of his fear, they knew they just had to have him to their growing list of power batteries. Overtaking him was not difficult. Whatever the specter kid did to him, it was enough to early wipe him out. It was not like he didn’t try to fight back.
The Goliath slumped to his knees and nearly tossed off the cage in crude fashion to lose the burden. He had bluffed his strength and now in the seclusion of his sister’s hideout he could cease the façade. The front of his coat and vest were soaked and stained with blood and black ooze. He had kept it hidden under the straps of the cage, but now they were under full view for his sister to see.

“Oh god, Jimmy! Jimmy, what happened? How could this happen?”
“The one with the horns…his sword…is not just a sword. I cannot heal it under my own power.” The Bogeywoman frantically patted him down and cried for him to hold on. The Goliath was collapsing further onto the ground as he bled out more onto the floor. Bogeywoman removed her broach and placed it on a wooden dais in the center of the chamber. She closed her eyes slightly and she clenched her hands into claw-like poses over the gem. The gem first sparked and sizzled before burring into black and green flames and flooding the chamber with the ambient light. The light brought to vision numerous green veggie like translucent pods. Half of the pods had an occupant inside. Some were children while others held teenagers and a pair of adults. Those began to glow and mist began to seep out from the pores of the pods. The mist formed about the Bogeywoman and the stone. Her hands began to dance and spiral about the stone. She directed the miasma towards her bother. The cold jade and black mist surrounded the gargantuan form bit by bit before seeping into his wounds. The wounds resisted the mist at first like some holy power was determined to finish its smiteful purpose. The Bogeywoman snarled and pulled more power. Muffled screams could be heard from the pods and the still forms of its victims began to quiver and shake even more. Some thrashed in a restrained dreamlike state and made their cages rock violently. At last her magic overcame the power of Hunter’s blade and the wounds closed up. The Goliath was still weakened from the loss of blood, but he was still among the living as much as he could be. He forced strength to catch his falling sister as she nearly fell back and hit her head on the dais. Her body had aged a good ten years and that was not including the youth she had already gained back. The Bogeywoman gasped and choked as he helped her stand up.
“My my my, you must have had one heck of a day.” King emerged from the shadows of the room as casual as an old friend visiting his sick grandma. Neither of the two were happy to see him.

“You must be King. To what we owe the pleasure of this visit?” Bogeywoman wheezed with all the vitriol her haggard body could muster. This did not seem to faze the chimera. He ran his claws along the pods. The encased victims were now limp inside the cages and just floating in the fluid that kept them suspended. His tail tapped the cage on the ground still full of unconscious children. Then at his foot was the cataleptic boy. His thumb ran against the hilt against his sword as if calculating some cruel temptation.

“The same old game, eh? Terrorize some younglings and drain their fear from them until the fright ends their life? And for what? The meager promise of eternal youth? Come now, I know you are far more capable of that. Perhaps I could…spice things up a little?” The Bogeywoman got to her feet and dragged her gem across the dais and back to around her neck. She nodded to Goliath who muttered a few words before performing the task of placing their preys into open pods.
“No thank you. I know all about dealing with your ilk and the price of your…favors.” As she spoke the last words she glanced balefully at her brother and bit her lip. King snarled a bit in annoyance and forced a smile across his multifanged mouth.
“A pity it is. I could force the deal of course, but perhaps it would be far more amusing to fall to your own folly. Are you certain we cannot work something out? My assistance and all I ask is the head of some brat they call the Silver Guardian.” The Bogeywoman tried to keep from glancing towards the pods. Goliath had not moved his head, but his eyes did.

“Oh ho, you have him don’t you? Hmm now which one of these lovely little peas is it? Which one should I cut down?” King had drawn out his heavy sword deliberately slowly and grinned in malice. The Goliath was about to move to stop him when the Bogeywoman placed her arm between them.
“There is no need for that. You want the Guardian, you can have angel after we’re done with them. Only the ring is of any interest to you after all. We get what we want and you get what you want. Understood?” The Goliath cracked his knuckles to show his seriousness. King cackled at this show of bravado. These peasants had no chance against him. However, the more fear they spread the more his master could feed and a Guardian ring for dessert. Yes, this would do far better in his favor then wasting energy.

“Very well. Have a lovely Thanksgiving dinner. I will come to collect my Black Friday deal then.” King returned to the shadows as easy as he had emerged. The Goliath hummed and shook his massive head.
“Are you certain about this? I don’t trust this King fellow if rumors are to be believed.”
“No…but we’d be ill advised to not play his game for now. Now then, let us get the rest of these brats into their pods. We will have quite the feast in due time. We just need a few more ingredients and I am thinking a particular returning course.”
****

Thomas had been dropped off at school by his mother. By some miracle his scooter was still where he had left it in that abandoned shopping mall-he had the foresight to hide it before all this mess started. His mother also confiscated all the keys to it. She did not yell at him when she had gotten home. She just came come and glared at him. She said nothing. It honestly felt worse. Now wrapped up and bleary eyed from the lack of sleep, Elizabeth personally drove her son to school and stayed there until he had passed the tower walls. He and Shelly had reached the entrance to the Fifth Tower Hall at the same time.
“Woah, what happened to you?” They both said to each other almost simultaneously. Shelly looked half asleep and her uniform was half ragged. She hadn’t even buttoned her blazer evenly.

“I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night and then this morning got the rudest wake up call. Not even Samuel’s drill sergeant alarms were this bad.”
“What happened?” Shelly rubbed more sleep from her eyes and tried to smooth out her frizzled hair with the same hand.
“Reed’s mom came pounding at our door this morning. She accused me because Reed was missing.”
“Reed is WHAT?” His outburst got a lot of stares from people passing him.
“Reed…didn’t come home last night. I tried to find him last night. All I know was that he was fighting a ghost guy while trailing the Bogeywoman.” It was now Thomas’ turn to blink and rub his eyes. On Shelly’s shoulder was a guinea pig sized imp with an insect body, rabbit ears, and deer antlers. Was that the Frix Reed had told him about?

“I’d wager this ghost is the reason has disappeared”, Frix huffed. Thomas felt his color drop. Something just came to realization. He had not really thought hard on last night due to lethargy but a dreaded feeling came over him as he remembered what he had done last night. He had fought against his best friend. The Guardian was already fatigued when he had come into the brawl. What is Reed was lying somewhere out in the park injured or worse? What if the Bogeywoman had gotten to him? This was the very thing he had wanted to prevent. What had he done?
“Thomas? Are you okay? Your hands are shaking. Hey, what happened to your hair?” What about his hair, Thomas intrigued. He pulled out his phone and turned on the selfie camera to look. A notable streak of grey hair had appeared along the front left part of his bangs.
Homeroom was even emptier than the previous day. Thomas was drumming on his notebook uneasily. This was all his fault. Who know what torment that witch would put him through? How could he have been so stupid?
“And I am telling you he would never do something like this”, Lynn’s voice came to notice. Lynn was arguing with her stepbrother who was his cool nonchalance.
“Are you sure your boyfriend didn’t just ditch you? Maybe he wanted a four day week…geez, what happened to you two?” Alucard remarked when he was passing Thomas and Shelly.

“Long day yesterday. Did something happen to Reggie?” Thomas replied. Alucard rolled his eyes and jabbed a thumb towards his stepsister.
“Dear stepsis thinks her boyfriend got kidnapped or something incredulous.”
“It is not stupid. He was fine until he got into that fist fight yesterday and they had him go to that therapist lady. Reggie was perfectly fine until yesterday and he did not return any of my texts.” Shelly looked behind her and around. There were a lot more empty seats than before. Sure some could have already gone off on a self-imposed early Thanksgiving vacation but school was only a half day today so they could suffer a few hours. She nudged Thomas in the arm and whispered, “You’re the more social one. Think you can sniff around and see what you can dig up? My old school was not as fancy as this one but not even that school had this many ditches in so short a time frame.” Thomas agreed. This was not the time for him to be wallowing in self-pity.
They snuck away when the bell normally used for the lunch hour rang. Most of the students had gathered by the front area waiting to be picked up so it was easy to meet each other by the Fourth Tower.

“It was not easy but I picked up a few things in the locker room for PE. Looks like a lot of students have been getting into some kind of brawl where campus security got involved.”
“That is unusually high especially for a place like this. Or are people finally noticing the high society snobbery.” Shelly’s comment actually made Thomas chuckle a little and his anxiety of the situation ebbed a little. He could see why Reed was so fiercely protective of her-among other reasons.
“I would not know about that, but here is the weird thing. All of them were suggested to go to counseling by that sub lady.”
“That is indeed odd. What do you say we investigate?” Shelly responded coyly. She put up her hands and started dancing back and forth making jabs in the air just above Thomas’ mid abs. He could not help but laugh quite loudly at her posture. He placed his hand on her head and easily pushed her back at arm’s length.
“Maybe we should think about this more…subtly? My reputation is shaky enough as it is.”

“He has a reputation”, Frix balked. Thomas huffed trying to obscure the fact of him now being about to see the sprite. He could not tell Shelly it was his doing that Reed was now among the missing. Not until he made things right.
Sneaking into the Administration building proved to be a bit trickier than they thought. The door was crowded with teachers who were eager to leave for the long holiday themselves. Some were murmuring if the Before Macy’s Parade would go on as scheduled or be postponed with the recent happenings. Since neither of them could fly aside from Frix, they had to skirt around the building to find another way. There was a door labeled Garbage that was well tucked behind the multiple rows of dumpsters. A part of the wall had been removed to push them out and onto the street for pickup. The door was heavy, metallic, and locked from the inside. Shelly noted a transom window up above and told Frix to slip inside. He sneered he did not have to be told the obvious but obeyed grudgingly. It was a bit of a trick as Shelly and Thomas heard his little talons scratch and struggle with the dead bolt of the door. They heard a loud groaning click before the door very slowly opened by about an inch. Frix’ wings buzzed and squirmed as he tried to budge the door even further. Shelly managed to wrap her nimble fingers around the door and pull. The door was stubborn and physical strength was not something either her or Frix were proficient at. She managed to get the door open enough for Thomas to assist and they jerked the door open. They had to get inside quickly as the door slammed back shut. They cringed waiting for someone to notice two students in the Admiration building where they shouldn’t be but nothing.

“We have…got to…find a better way inside Blackbird’s office”, Shelly panted. “Didn’t that wormwood guy build extra secret passages or something?”
“It’s Wyrmglade and believe me, if I knew I would have preferred to use it. I’d rather deal with ghosts than that door again.”
The door to Blackbird’s office was surprisingly not locked. So far the office appeared as usual when they opened the door. Crossing the threshold, however, all three of them shuddered. There was no visual changes inside the office, and yet none of them could shake the feeling that something was off. A cold mire of dread overcame them. Frix was the first to fall from his perch. On instinct Thomas leapt for him and caught the little bug in his palm.
“Wait, you can see Frix? But I thought…”
“Let’s focus on the now. If the Bogeywoman drains Reed, that’s it for the Silver Guardian. Uh not that I doubt your abilities. Heh heh I just…”
“No, you don’t have to say it. I am fully aware I’m not as useful as the Guardian.”
“Th-that was not what I meant. I didn’t mean…”
“My office hours are closed for the holiday”, Betty Ban’Shi sneered behind them. Neither teen had even heard the door open. How did she get in here without them noticing? The woman appeared a bit more gaunt than before; her skin pressed hard against her skull and even her wardrobe appeared far more faded and drawn out than yesterday.

“Oh uh…sorry. We should have knocked. I mean Mr. Blackbird used to have all hours open and…” It was not entirely a lie that Shelly was rambling. Betty seemed rather amused, but her focus was not on the short girl making excuses but rather the tall dark-haired boy next to her who was transfixed in place.
“You seem…deeply troubled about something, young man. I was just closing up but I can make an exception for a little more time.” Betty brushed past Shelly and moved ever closer to Thomas until she had cornered him next to the desk. Thomas hadn’t noticed because he had always seen her from a distance, but it all clicked now.
“YOU!” Thomas shoved her and shoved her hard into the display case.
“Thomas, what the heck are you doing?!” Shelly brandished him.
“It has been five years but I’ve never forgotten…I have kept seeing her face in my nightmares. She’s the Bogeywoman!” Thomas accused loudly. Betty’s skeleton smile widened. She ran her finger along her broach and green flames burned across her flesh. Her clothes changed to black and burlap and a skull mask formed to her face. Thomas and Shelly tried to run for the door when they heard the deadbolt slide in place. The room was becoming more illuminated by the lime glow of the Bogeywoman’s broach.

“Scream and pound all you like-most of the staff has already gone. I would not have come today either if I wasn’t interested in collecting one student in particular. We never finished our session, Thomas Payne.” She lunged for the two with claws outstretched. Shelly wrapped her arms around Thomas’ neck and used her weight to drag him down. The Bogeywoman banged her face into the door but recovered quickly. The office was small and there was little place to run. She snatched Shelly by her backpack and dragged her closer. Thomas tossed a lead paperweight at her chest allowing Shelly to slip from the straps. She jerked her bag from the witch’s grip and pulled Thomas to a spot in front of the desk. After pulling her goggles from the bag and hurled the open bag at her and let a flurry of papers and writing tools spill out all over her. While distracted, she smacked the decorations edging and the trap door released her and Thomas down the slide shaft.
The slide down was bumpy as it was not designed for them to be side by side. They crashed hard on the ground. They vaguely heard angry screams and shouts from above, but they figured they had some time before she found them. Thomas booted up the computer and frantically looked for the controls for the robot while Shelly looked for a weapon she could use. She found her costume still on the table where she had left it a week ago, now rancid from the spoiled egg that had caked onto the fabric. She grumbled how gross it was as she pulled the utility belt. There was some wood left and her hook staff was still here. She’d make due. Thomas had finally gotten the robot moving and set to defense mode. She called for Thomas to help her see if there was another way out. The chamber was solid. They were effectively trapped down here.

“I take it you two have a history.” Thomas hesitated, but it was out of the bag now.
“I take it you’ve read up on this one.”
“Yeah.”
“Remember when I said I wasn’t in a good place before coming here? That made me a target for her. She tricked me and others under the guise of a teacher. For almost a week she subjected us to nightmares while she drained our fears. We would have all died if it hadn’t been for Luminux.” His fists clenched and he started shaking again. Shelly pressed her hand against his bicep.
“Thomas…I’m so sorry.”
“It’s…its fine. I am ashamed to say I’ve never really gotten over it. Pretty pathetic huh?” The banging was getting louder and there was a grinding of gears and hinges. The Bogeywoman was close to getting in. Shelly twirled her staff as she took her stance beside the training robot.

“Thomas, I’m going to distract her. At the first chance you get, get out”, she ordered.
“Wh-what? No! I won’t leave you behind!”
“Thomas, this is not up for debate.” Thomas began to throw his arms wildly before gripping the sides of his head with his hands.
“No I…I can’t do this! It’s my fault she got Reed in the first place. All because I…” Hold on, that ghost boy that the Silver Guardian was telling her about. That could not possibly be… Shelly shoved her phone into his hand.
“Please listen to me, Thomas. The best thing you can do right now is get out and get help. You are faster and more agile than I am. The odds are in your favor right now. Just trust me, okay?” Thomas whimpered how he couldn’t just abandon her, but the loud crash above silenced his objection.
The Bogeywoman slid down gracefully with ease down the slide. Fear mist was trailing behind her and starting to cover the floor. She looked around her and smiled coyly.
“So the rumors are true, the ol’ Songbird really did start training young heroes again. You two are fools to trust that man.”

Shelly kicked up a piece of wood and smacked his hard towards the witch with her bat. She did not expect for the wood to explode in her face. In the distraction Shelly used her staff to hook the Bogeywoman by her leg and tugged hard onto her back. The training robot’s arm reached out to pin her down and missed as the wraith rolled away. She leapt up and climbed onto the robot’s back. She lashed her claws on the back paneling and forced the cavity open to pull out several wires. As the body began to fall forward she leapt for Shelly with claws outward. Shelly caught her by forcing her staff in front of her and the witch latched on to the handle. The two pressed hard against each other trying to push the other down. Shelly was smaller, but she was just slightly stronger than the Bogeywoman. Frix looked over her shoulder and silently signaled for Thomas to run. The boy didn’t want to. He wanted to stand and fight, but the memory of what he had done made him freeze in terror. Frix left Shelly’s side and grabbed Thomas by his coat labels.

“Quit standing there like a deer in headlights and run!” Thomas tried to protest but no words came out aside from stuttering. Shelly dropped down and the sudden loss of force caused the Bogeywoman tumble over her shoulder and collide against the ground. The Bogeywoman used her hands to brace herself and forward flipped back to her feet. She sliced and slashed at the girl while Shelly did her best to divert almost every blow. Frix smacked Thomas hard against his face.
“Shelly is sacrificing herself for your sorry hide. You want to make up for your mistake? Then get out now!” Thomas thought about Remiel’s words. He didn’t like it, but he had to be honest with himself. He could not fight the Bogeywoman, not as he was now and this could likely be his only chance. He swallowed hard and ran.
The pink pixie swung her hook to keep her distance from the witch. The mist surrounding her feet began to rise upwards until it was almost at her knees. She didn’t know how long she could keep the Bogeywoman busy or how far Thomas had gotten by now. Both of them heard the elevator move. The Bogeywoman tried to reach past her towards the lift by shoving speeding past her. Shelly tossed her rope along the ground and let the threads tangle and trip up the wraith’s wheels.
Shelly wiped sweat from her brow and felt her lungs pop a little. It was a lot harder than she had guessed fighting a supervillain all on her own. She was really going to need to work on stamina after all this.

“You…are a foolish little girl”, the Bogeywoman spat. She staggered up and pointed a claw at Shelly.
“And you are a creepy old lady, what of it”, Shelly smirked.
“Snarky and spirited, but where the brightest light shines lies the deepest shadows. You were stupid to allow the Songbird to be your teacher.” She was moving closer, swaying her bauble back and forth. Shelly felt lightheaded but forced the hook in front of you.
“You mean Blackbird. And don’t you dare talk about the Songbird that way!”
“Oh? Do you know why he stopped teaching young supers like you?” Shelly had no answer. There had been theories all over the internet, even her grandfather had a few when he was alive, but nothing with hard evidence.
“Your precious Songbird guided one of his students…to her death. He killed her.” Her bauble swung more and more and Shelly felt an uneasy drowsiness try to overtake her. She fought hard against it and shook her head frantically.
“You liar! He would have never…why would he…you’re just trying to mess with my head!”

“Oh really? Are you sure? You’re hesitating.” Shelly was trying to ignore the shaking in her staff. The Bogeywoman rushed in and smacked her hook to the side before grabbing Shelly by the throat.
“I will kill you right in front of him and let him live on with his guilt. I will relish in devouring all that grief and anguish once your fair city becomes my restaurant of terror. And you, the Silver Guardian, and that moon witch will help me achieve that goal.”
****

Thomas ran. He did not know where he was running to, but he just kept running. He felt sick. He felt angry. He felt helpless. He didn’t like it. He didn’t like losing this much control not after he had finally gotten some resemblance of it back. His rapid thoughts and crashed hard into someone. He heard a hard splat and a feminine squeal from underneath him. Lynn was on her back and in the mud from the previous rain. Alucard was clutching his sides and laughing.
“What the hell are you doing, you moron? Get off of me!” Thomas frantically scrabbled up back to his feet and assisted Lynn.
“Aw, what’s the matter stepsis? I think the color of the mud complements your red hair just nicely”, Alucard sniggered.
“Oh shut your haggis hole. And you! What do you think you were doing, shoving people around?” Thomas’ breathing was increasing to where he was almost hyperventilating. Through snot and tears he croaked, “The Bogeywoman…she is…on campus. She got…Shelly. I was…I was running to get help.” His words came out fast and frothy that Thomas was not even sure he had spoken actual words. Maybe because he was in a panicked state and was seeing things; but he thought he saw the bemused smile in Alucard’s face fade into an angry scowl for a minute. Lynn didn’t appear to care.

“And you didn’t call the police because?” she grilled. Thomas squeaked an “oh right”. Honestly he had completely forgotten he still had his backpack on. He really was out of his head. He unlocked the phone in his hand and saw a different background than his own. The Songbird proudly gave a thumbs up towards the camera and he felt even sicker than he was already. Just as he hit the phone app, the tune “Moon River” played from the front pouch of his backpack-signaling that his mother was on the other line. He stumbled and fumbled pulling it out. When he answered he heard a lot of panting and loud sounds of things breaking.
“Mom?! Mom, what’s going on?” he yelled out. There were a few minutes of his mother yelling and gasping combined with low growls and finally a cold dead voice roaring, “Get over here you little moon witch!”
“Thomas! Thomas are you safe?” his mother yelled into the mic. Thomas bit his lip and glanced back towards the admiration building.

“Y-yeah, I’m okay.”
“Oh thank god. Listen, get to the police station and stay there! Don’t come home! I…”
There was a loud snap followed by a dead dial tone.
“Mom? Mom! Mom answer me!” His hand dropped and the phone slid with it. Lynn placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Thomas, do you need a ride to…” The boy shoved grabbed her hand, clenched it, before tossing it off and muttering he had to leave before running off leaving the Dougal stepsiblings just standing here.
“Let’s go home before dad sends the marines after us”, Alucard said aloofly.
****

Thomas had ran towards Campus Village and down the street towards the 7-11. He did not understand why he was running this way. Why he was going to that man of all people for help. But he needed help. The Silver Guardian couldn’t help him now and he didn’t know how to contact that Hunter fellow and his partner. Some unseen pull was dragging him towards Remiel. He hated it, but what choice did he have at this moment?
He slammed into the glass door and a chip display was knocked over by the impact. Thomas peeled himself off the glass and frantically gathered up all the chips in his arms. Multiple bags crushed in his frantic grips and he choked apologies as he tried to bring the bags to the counter. The cashier looked at him and backed away slowly. Her hand was sliding over the alarm under the counter then Remiel covered it with his hand and shook his head assuring that he would handle this. After telling the clerk to separate the damage goods and putting them aside for him to deal with later, Remiel escorted the frantic boy behind the store.
“Care to explain why you just barged into my store like a drug addled shooter?” he glared at Thomas.
“I’m sorry….it’s mom. The Goliath…the Goliath took her! And now the Bogeywoman has my friends, my family, and I…ARGH!” He slammed the wall with his fists and dragged them along the speckle where it cut against his skin.

“Have you called the police, yet?”
“….no. I…I don’t even know why I came here! I don’t know what I should do!” Thomas continued to spit out nonsense and smack the sides of his head and shoulders until Remiel finally had enough and yelled for him to knock it off. He would take Thomas to the police station but that is the most he could do. He told Markus he would be back soon and roughly shoved Thomas in his car. Thomas sulked and was fiddling with Shelly’s phone. Why did she give him her phone anyway? The police might have been able to use it to track her. She was not stupid. No, there had to be a reason. He was just about to peruse through the apps when Remiel’s car screeched to a halt. They were in front of the police station. Remiel held the door open to let Thomas out. When the boy was out of the car, Remiel grabbed his shoulder but kept his back to him.

“Think about what I said earlier”, was all he whispered before getting back in the driver’s seat and speeding off. Thomas watched the car disappear around the corner. As he did, his hands somehow found themselves back inside his coat pockets. Then he felt it. In his right pocket of the blazer was something smooth and a bit cold. His hand gripped around the Solar Stone. It had changed color since he had last seen it through. The black flecks had grown larger and orange color had ebbed into an ominous green. But it was the same stone with the same crack in the center. Thomas stared at it and then looked at the doors to the station and back and forth between them and the stone. What could the police do anyway? They didn’t save him last time. Why would here be any different?
Thomas ducked into the alley next to the station. He put down his backpack and took off his blazer. There was no need to have that jacket ruined. Now, how did he get the stone to work again? He punched the wall again with the stone clenched in his fist, but nothing. No, breaking the stone was not it. He closed his eyes and paced. Come on, Thomas, think. How did you do it? Argh you don’t have time for this, he berated himself. Those two took everything from you. You hate them. You want to make them hurt. You want to make them pay.

The stone flashed and he felt it pierce his palm. It didn’t take much for the crystal to form about his arms and face again. He forgot just how much this hurt too. The transformation was faster this time, but he had to figure out to make this a lot more painless. He rather missed the long tailcoat his rain jacket had given him, but he did not have time to be concerned how “cool” he could look. Thomas grabbed his backpack and decided to head back to Cadric Park. They had to leave a trail somewhere.
“Hang in there, Reed. I swear, I’ll save you no matter what I have to do to do it.”

[Lovetheangelshadow]

Chapter 12: Everything and the MoonElizabeth could not sleep. By now she would have been completely out and dead to the world until sundown. It had been almost five years since she was ever really up while the sun was still out. Her body ached for rest and yet her mind refused to allow it. She found herself wide awake even as she had driven Thomas to school that morning. When Remiel had brought her son home, so many of her greatest fears wanted to come crashing out. She wanted so badly to yell at him and had to press one of the throw pillows against her mouth and scream into it. She saw the gray streak in his hair and the tears in his clothing to know full well what he had done.
Once her son had been dropped off at school she tossed in her bed trying to collect her thoughts. Sooner or later she would have to tell Thomas the full story. Why his father never wanted their son to come in contact with the Solar and Lunar stones and the full story of his disappearance. Eventually she relinquished to her anxieties and sat up on the bed and decided she could at least clean up the mess of scattered albums she had left. As she did, her hand touched a leather box under her bed. Emblazoned on the front were the outlines of a sun and moon intertwined with an intricate letter ‘T’ in the back. She lifted the box and coughed at the musk smell. Folds and purple and silver fabric had been neatly folded inside. On top was one arm greave with a silver gem fitted to it. The other she kept on her person at all times. She had to. She thought about how angry and upset Thomas had been when she refused to go out and fight against the terror team. Maybe he had a point. The Silver

Guardian struggled against those two. He didn’t know how to fight them. Without much thought she tried on her old costume just for kicks.
She admittedly thought it was a little embarrassing now looking at herself in the mirror. Her old costume consisted a black tank style leotard with a large purple v pattern down the front and a silver moon just above her chest. The neckline rose up to cover her neck and lower chin. Silver rhinestones curved over her shoulders and flared out like small wings over her shoulders and along her back. A multi-pleated skirt flared out from her hips and shimmered with alternating colors of black, purples, and white. Cloth greaves with the Lunar stones firmly attached covered most of her upper arms and purple thigh high boots adorned her muscular legs. Adorning her head was a curved silver crown that lowered down in the front to form a metallic half mask. The costume was a little wrinkled from being stuck in the box for so long. Aside from the last time she broke her vow to save her son-the last time she gotten into the getup was when she and her husband chaperoned Thomas’ 3rd grade Halloween party.
After coming after her initial embarrassment she flexed a little in her reflection. She started twirling slightly glancing at various angles. She had long forgotten when putting on the costume was something she enjoyed. There was a knock at the door. Strange, she was not expecting anyone and Remiel was at work. She hurriedly threw a bathrobe on and yelled that she was coming while shoving her phone in the pocket. As she twisted the doorknob a large hand burst through and grabbed her to slam her body through the splintered hole.

The Goliath grinned at her. He was bigger than she remembered from the previous day, or perhaps just had more vitality than last time.
“Going to a costume party? Nice mask.” Elizabeth, now was Luminux was going to show this beast her mask was more than just a mask. She had one free hand and used it to wrest a thorn easily from her crown. She plugged it hard into the Goliath’s hand and slipping out when he reacted. She vaulted herself over the giant’s shoulder and moved out into the parking lot. Her landlord did not cover supervillain damage. She tossed aside her robe and posed to strike only to falter. The afternoon sun shone bright against her pale skin and immediately felt the burn. Right in the heat of the moment, she had forgotten about that. The gems on her gauntlets began to hum on her command and her bare skin was coating in a thin protective mist. Goliath leapt downward and crackled his knuckles while facing her down.
“It is not going to end like last time. If I had not been busy with that Crusader Captain on the other side of town, you would have never gotten my sister arrested in the first place.” He charged first throwing his massive shoulder down at her. Luminux sidestepped but was caught be the concrete debris from the impact. The slight twinge from the cut sidetracked her leaving for the Goliath to smack her with the palm of his hand. She skidded and bounced until hitting the border wall faced the street. She grumbled slightly at being unfocused by so little a cut. She really had been out of practice. She saw her phone from the bathrobe she had tossed. She had to warn her son. She grabbed the phone just as she ducked a punch and pressed the fast dialing feature.

“Thomas! Thomas are you safe?” she yelled into the phone. There was a pause.
“Y-yeah, I’m okay.” No, she could tell he was not but she decided to keep up the pretense.
“Oh thank god. Listen, get to the police station and stay there! Don’t come home! I…” The Goliath had caught her by the hair and tossed her towards the side of the building-her phone shattering in the process.
The sun had dried up almost all of the rain from the day before and the old water flask on her costume’s belt was bone dry. The Goliath took a big heart breath and belched a big cloud of fear gas to engulf her.
Luminux’s vision was blurred by the fog and he dry coughed trying to get that peppermint and oregano taste out of her mouth. The sounds of the street had fallen silent.

Even her own footfalls couldn’t be heard as she groped her way through the vapor. Then a set of the steps coming from her right reached her ears. A figure, smaller than Goliath, was sliding through the mist. It was a man-skin charcoal black with veins of magma running down his neck and arms. His eyes glowed slightly and as he smoke sparks of fire slipped from his lips. Black crystal was jutting out from his chest, hands, and face as he staggered in zombie-like stupor.
“James”, Luminux muttered. James Payne reached a hand towards her and pointed at her accusingly.
“Liz…why didn’t you save me? Why did you fail to keep our son safe?” Luminux took one step back but no further. No, this was not real. The Goliath was trying to mess with her head to his advantage. Her son begged her for help and she turned her back. She was not going to make that mistake again. She was still surrounded by the gas and gas meant water. Luminux spread her fingers outward and concentrated her powers to reach out to the water vapor around her. It took a little more effort than she was used to-she really was out of practice-but she had pulled all the gas around her and formed it into a sizeable sphere in her hands. The vision of her husband was gone to be replaced by the Goliath being far too close for her comfort. She jutted her hands forward and unleashed the pressure of her sphere right under his chin making him stumble back and bend backwards. Luminux pulled the spray in the air back together again and splashed it along the ground behind Goliath’s footing. She puffed against the water; turning it into a thin sheet of ice. Now was the tricky part. She breathed in and out slowly to steady her heartbeat and clear her mind. Goliath snarled and threw a punch at the still form of the moon witch. Luminux raised up a hand casually and thrust her palm against his knuckles. There was a strange throwm noise from the strike and the Goliath’s fist shrunk slightly. The giant stared befuddled at his mismatched hands unsure how she could do such an act. He swung his other fist and Luminux ducked underneath and stuck her palm against his chest. Goliath shrunk down a little more-his formally healthy form now returning back to its waxy state. He stepped on the ice and crashed onto his back. Luminux raised up her hand and the ice curled upwards and encased the giant. Goliath struggled, but somehow Luminux had weakened him. How? He had read up on Luminux ever since his sister had been incarcerated. She had no such power. Had she? Luminux calmly pulled his collar towards her.

“I admit my interrogation skills are a bit rusty, but let us try anyway. Where did you take the children you’ve stolen?” Goliath tried to catch another batch of gas in her face and Luminux literally pulled the air from his throat and held the vaporous ball over her hand. She clenched her hand a little and the ice closed in slightly.
“Next time, I’ll pull the water from your lungs and I’ll do it nice and slow. Where…are…the…children?” Her captive spat he would never betray his sister and goaded her to do her worst. Luminux had rather hoped he fell for her bluff. She had only done it once before and she did not like it then or now. She did not have to. A ring of fire formed around the two and a wave of heat struck Luminux from all sides. The haze that had kept her from burning held back the best it could, but it did not keep the dizzying heat away. She staggered and wobbled as her strength drained from her and she lost her focus. The Goliath easily broke free from his icy bounds and wrapped his massive arms around Luminux until she fell unconscious.
Goliath watched as the flames seemed to mysterious back away and cease to give off heat. King emerged from the flames, his arms behind him, and grinning.

“Ah nothing like a nice cozy fire to ease the chill of the coming winter away.” Goliath held Luminux close to his form. King just waved his hand.
“Oh relax big fella. I don’t steal one’s right to justified revenge, but you looked like you needed a paw.” He gently touched and turned Luminux’s face and remaking how pretty of a face it was.
“What do you want, King?”
“Oh no no no, wrong question. It is not what I want. It is what you want. I am just here to provide a little…service.” From his cape he pulled out two vials; a small thin one filled with concentrated black smog and a much larger flask with green and black liquid.

“And those are?”
“You are still going to have to deal with that horn headed abomination and the Guardian. Use the vial on the horned one and he’ll be nothing more than a trembling mess at your feet. Use the large flask on yourself if the Guardian proves too troublesome.” The Goliath hesitated as King placed both inside a fitted case and held it out to him. His sister never allowed him to make crucial decisions on his own; reminding him why he was the way he was in the first place. King seemed to read his hesitation easily and placed a big hairy arm around his shoulders.
“Oh I know. Your sister is the boss. She calls the shots for your best interest.”
He hugged slightly and Goliath felt a sure of power rush through him. His weakness had vanished and he felt just as strong as before.
“Consider it a token of good will. Your sister has done so much for you. I am sure she would forgive you if she saw how much you want her to be safe. What’s the harm in that?” The Goliath grasped the case with conviction and grunted in agreement. King snapped his fingers and the flames whisked away and himself with it.
****

Lynn gripped the arm rests of the car. Her brother had a tendency to drive a little faster was safe, if it was to get a minor rush and he’s mock her anxiety while doing it. This was not one of those drives. He was determined to get to the castle as fast as possible. There was no mocking, heck even the radio where he enjoyed blasting classic rock tunes was off. He skidded into the parking area and dashed up the steps without even locking the car. Desmond blocked his path while carrying a large cardboard box marked “XMAS Décor.”
“Oh I expected you home earlier. Alucard, can you help your mother? She’s terrorizing my kitchen staff again.” Alucard just kept heading towards the stairs.
“Mom’s fine. Just call me when dinner is ready. I’ve got studying to do.” Desmond moved to catch up with him, only for his daughter to stop him and clumsily lifted the box his from arms.

“You know he’ll just be irritable during dinner. Come on, I’ll help you, dad.”
Alucard tossed his bag onto the bed and threw his closet open. This was the fastest he had ever changed into his Hunter outfit. Twice he had to redo the buttons on his purple button-up shirt because they were completely uneven. He wasn’t sure exactly where to find them. They did give off an aura akin to the monsters he fought, but his senses were not as accurate around them. His best place to start was Cadric Park. He had tried to track them down after that ghost boy attacked them. He had been in a rush then. He had only involved himself last time because his mother had been in the crowd in Baymark Square. There had to be something there he had missed. Hunter threw the windows open and leapt out past the castle walls and towards downtown.
“Hang in there, pixie. I’ll find you, I swear it.”
****

Thomas had gotten to the park though he had been turned around to where exactly to start. He took him down a few path and scaring several park goes before he finally found the glen where he had fought them in the first place. He felt his stomach turn a little. This was where he had also fought the Silver Guardian. What had he been thinking? The glen had heavy depressions in the dirt where the cage had been and even a few scorch marks from the fight. There were no signs he could see to tell him where they had fled though. On a whim since they had managed to take Reed, perhaps he should check where Thomas had tossed him. The copse of trees was a hit of a tight fit even when several of them having been broken by the Guardian’s body. Thomas got stuck for several minutes before forgetting he could just phase through them.
Once past the tree line, he was in an off the path coppice. The ground was covered in uprooted tree roots and the branches above her so thick that it blocked most of the sunlight. The only viable illumination was the pale glow from Thomas’ own body and even then he had a hard time seeing where he was. There was a slight sound of a shuffle ahead of him. He slowly walked forward to the noise claws out unsure what he was going to find. Hunter was kneeling on the ground and trailing his talons along the dirt.

“You! What are you doing here?” he shouted before swiping at the devil’s arm. Hunter jumped back and drew out his sword.
“Look as much as swinging dance with you would be fun, I’m kinda on a bit of a time crunch here. So if you could go haunt somewhere else that would be nice. Okay?”
“I asked you a question!” Thomas’ wrists shuddered and two massive blades ejected from the crystal and curved a bit over his arms. He had seen his parents form weapons from fire and water respectively-it would make sense. He swung at Hunter’s leg, but Hunter parrying each blow effortlessly.
“Listen Casper the Pain in my Backside Ghost, I am rather busy hunting down a bogeywoman. So back off!” Hunter stamped the ground and summoned a shield of black fire in front of him. The flames graced against Thomas’ ghostly skin and he yelped. He shifted his footing back and slashed at the soft earth causing a spray of wet dirt before him and pelting the devil. Thomas retracted the blade in his left wrist and slammed it against Hunter’s neck and pushed him into a tree. His claws extended to embed them into the tree and keep Hunter pinned.

“This isn’t one your little monster hunts! The Bogeywoman is mine to take down! So you back off!” Hunter didn’t struggle back. He casually folded his arms behind him and leaned fully back onto the tree.
“Oh? Is that so? Fine. Go ahead and stumble around. It’s not like they kidnapped a bunch of children or anything. But you don’t care about that do you?” Small thorns jutted from Thomas’ fingers but Hunter didn’t flinch. How could he speak so casually about this?
“Don’t you lecture me about civilian lives! Not after what you have done.”
“Heh heh heh and what am I supposed to have done? If some rubberneck is dumb enough to not get out of my way, then what happens happens. Oh and first rule of interrogating someone…” Hunter snapped his fingers and Thomas felt the handle of his sword jab him hard in the lower back. Hunter grabbed the tree he had been pinned to and used it as support as he swung and kicked the underside of Thomas’ arms. Free from the specter’s grip, Hunter snagged a leash of fire around him to grab Thomas by the wrists and slam him hard into a nearby boulder. He held his blade right above the fallen ghost.

“Never leave their appendages free.” Thomas just lay there. It was clear Hunter was far more experienced than fighting than he was and hadn’t quite figured out how this form worked.
“You…you don’t understand”, Thomas gasped. “I have to be the one to do this. You don’t know…how much I hate them! They tormented me! And now they’ve taken everyone I’ve cared about! I want to be the one to make them hurt!” Hunter leaned on his sword and he hummed.
“So that’s it huh? The ol’ revenge origin story?” He held out a hand towards the ghost.
“Let’s say we make a temporary truce. And for the record, there is only one person among the missing I care about. The rest? Your problem.” Thomas uneasily took his hand and hissed the agreement.

“Oh right. Do you have like a name I can call you because I really need to address you with something since I’m not, like, going to kill you.” Thomas rubbed his head uneasily. He hadn’t really thought about that.
“Yeah about that…”
“Specter Streak.”
“Don’t I get an input on…?”
“No no you didn’t answer fast enough. It’s in my head and that is how it’s gonna stay. I mean, you’re a ghost and you go fast and it just rolls off the tongue.”

“I don’t think…”
“Look, it’s either Specter Streak or Mr. Spooky Pain in my Ass. Pick one.” Thomas started laughing much to Hunter’s puzzlement.
“What’s so funny?”
“Sorry, It’s just…they sound like names Splinterbark would think up.”
“Oh…I guess so.”

“Splinterbark is the one you want to save, isn’t she?” Hunter’s pale face flushed ruby red and he crossed his arms high above his chest.
“N…no. I don’t care about anyone but yours truly.” Thomas, now Specter Streak, lightly patted Hunter on his shoulder.
“Don’t worry. Your bad boy loner image is safe. I won’t tell.”

[Lovetheangelshadow]

Chapter 13: HellbentHunter placed a hand around the depression in the dirt and sniffed the air around it.
“It is a bit old, but that gas tends to leave one heck of a distinct smell. There were definitely here for a bit. And look there…” He pointed to heavy square impressions in the dirt leading out of the grove and to the north.

“That big guy was carrying a cage, right? So these are likely his tracks and the thin ones here and here are likely the Bogeywoman’s skates.” Specter Streak knelt down and squinted where Hunter was dragging his talon. He could barely see the tracks in the darkness even when his shining body was close to it. No wonder he never saw it when he was running around like a fool. Hunter didn’t say much else before scampering up a tree to exit the enclosed area and out towards the field. Hunter was fast and nimble along the trees, but Specter could keep up along the ground. At least so far Hunter was going in a straight line for him to follow. Then he suddenly darted left and Spector almost skidded into a park bench trying to adjust his direction.

“Hey! A little warning would have been nice!” he shouted at the demon. Hunter paused long enough to hang upside-down on a branch and shrugged.
“Sorry, not used to escort missions”, he jested. Specter did not have time to quip back when Hunter was off again. He twisted and darted before finally stopping.
The iron fencing and intricate Grecian statues came into view. Feronia Gardens still had traces of the police tape clinging to the gates. There was an unsettling emptiness about the place as most of the plants surrounding the building had long lost their foliage and bare vines clung along like dead tendrils of an undead monster. Hunter ran his hand along the trail then closed his eyes and sniffled. He bounced easily over the fence and moved towards the sides of the building. The door had been heavily padlocked since his last visit here and the hole in the glass roof was boarded up. Thomas slipped through the walls easily. The interior had been mostly cleaned up since Circus Freak and Prism Beak’s assault and somehow that made it even more creepy. He sped through the docking area, the back halls, and all around the main stage but there was nothing that would indicate where the terror team had gone. Hunter was pacing outside waiting for the ghost and trying to think of other possibilities. Spector poked his head out from the doorknob and yelled. “Scrooooooooggggeeee!” The action startled the beelzebug and he bounded off to the top of the gate.

“Sorry, I just had do to it once”, Spector called out.
“Har har, very funny. No dice down there?” Spector emerged out from the door completely and shook his head.
“Yeah, the trail ends here. No tracks and the scent just stops. Which means either they were eaten by that thing in the Underground or…”
“WHAT? They can’t just disappear! We’re running out of time!” Spector shrieked.
“I know. I know. Just cool your coffers and give me a minute to think here.”

“Don’t you have some kind of spidey sense or something? How else do you track down those monsters?”
“One: it’s Hunter Sense-trademark. And two: it doesn’t work that way. It only lets me know when one of those monsters are within a 2 mile radius and how close it is. I still have to do all the work. Now quit screaming like a banshee so I can think!” They didn’t have time for them to just stand around and think. He couldn’t bear imagining what horrors the Bogeywoman was putting Reed through. He rammed his fist in frustration against the wall and he heard a soft thud by his feet. Shelly’s cellphone had dropped from his pocket onto the grass. He gingerly picked it up and stared at it.

Maybe he should consider Hunter’s way of taking a moment. Shelly had to have given him her phone for a purpose. Maybe there were emergency contacts or some kind of secret message? No, her phone list was short and simple and there was nothing in her Note app. He snarled and rammed the palm of his hand against his head. Thinking things out was not his best suit. He started just sifting through her apps. She had a lot of odd games here and there. Then there was one on the last screen that seemed out of place. It was a big silver colored ‘S’ against a background of a flurry of wings. Without much thought he pressed the app. The screen went black for a minute before the large S covered the entire screen. Once the app loaded a map appeared on the screen and signaled it was locating one Silver Guardian. The map marker circled the area of the park before settling down on a large area about a mile from there they were standing.
“Fancy app ya got there”, Hunter said behind him; startling Spector and nearly dropping the phone.
“It’s Shel…Splinterbark’s phone. She must use it to track her partner.”
“And you have it because…” Spector cringed remembering why he had the phone.
“She…held the line to buy me time. Wait a sec. This can’t be right through.” He pointed to the marker’s location.

“It’s over the Athletic Park region”, Hunter commented.
“But Athletic Park is practically a flat area of tennis and basketball courts and the football fields. There aren’t any places to hide there.”
“Not above ground. Come on!” Hunter grabbed Spector Streak’s arm and dragged him around the back of the Feronia Garden’s building. They pushed their way past a tight grove of cherry blossom trees and towards a circular slab of metal. On the grate was the Cadric City Water Department 1945. Hunter grunted trying to lift the cover up on his own. Even with Thomas’ help it was a struggle to get the rusted slab off before it tumbled over and rolled off to the side.
“That’s our way into the Underground, The tunnel will take us right underneath Athletic Park”, Hunter informed him. He was always halfway down before Spector questioned him.

The tunnel was pitch black-even darker than the grove. Spector could not see a thing outside a few inches in front of his hands. He pressed the flashlight function on Shelly’s phone and it helped a little. The tunnel was narrow and Hunter’s horns just scraped the top of the tunnel. Hunter was covering his mouth and grumbled something about the smell. For once Spector was grateful that almost all of his senses were dead in his current form. The walk space was narrow and beside them was a shallow river of runoff water that swilled and splashed against the sides of the path.
“Let’s move fast. The less we’re down here, the less chance I end up losing my appetite for turkey”, Hunter ordered.
Moving fast was trickery than Spector expected. The walkway cracked and bent in several places making him hard to use his super speed. Hunter had it easier as he could run along the wall like some kind of bipedal arachnid. Spector slipped on a tree root that had grown down there and fell into the canal. The water was deeper here and the current was oddly strong. He felt something grab him by his leg and plunge him underneath the tide. In the darkness he couldn’t see what had grabbed him so he swung blindly. He thought he had slashed at something because the thing that had grabbed him lessoned and he could put his head above the water. He trashed and groped in the darkness for the ledge. He felt his claws latched onto the stone and the tried to pull himself from the water. He could hear the tide rising from behind him and something gurgling from it. A dark fireball whizzed past his head and struck whatever was behind. Hunter leapt across the celling and slashed at the thing. As Spector dragged himself out of the water, a terrible growl rumbled the inside of the tunnel before it lowered to a deathly whisper and crashed back under the water. Then the path was illuminated by a small fire. Hunter was standing next to him, sopping wet, with a fire in one hand and shreds of some kind of tentacle appendage handing from his opposite shoulder. He looked down and saw the carcass of a squid, twisted and malformed in the vague shape of a cephalopod, floating on the water’s surface before melting away.

“What…what was that?” Spector gasped. Hunter spat out some of the water from his mouth and flicked the dissolving pieces of the creature from his shoulder.
“That was an Oozling. This might sound paranoid, but I think that creature was left here for us. And by us, I mean me. Which means we’re on the right track. How’s the phone?” Thomas had all but forgotten about it. By some miracle somehow it got ejected onto the walkway. The casing was cracked but seemed otherwise fine. The app had ceased functioning though saying it had no signal. All they could do was move forward.
“Hey Hunter, I uh…thanks for saving me back there”, Spector said after a few minutes of walking.

“I didn’t save you because of an altruistic response. I just don’t need the Silver Guardian hounding me on something else.”
“You really don’t care about others, do you?”
“Why should I? No one cares about me, not really.”
“What about Jinn? I thought she was your part-“
“Jinn is not my partner! I’m not stupid. She only hangs around me because I attract monsters she can practice her magic on. I’m just a training exercise to her.”
“You can’t possibly believe that.”
“You don’t know me very well.”
“But you care about Splinterbark.” Hunter’s face twisted into a grimace and the flames in his hand burned a little brighter than was safe.

“No I don’t. She just keeps the Silver Guardian from wringing my neck. Practicality-that is all there is to it”, he barked. Spector could hear a slight crack in Hunter’s voice. He was lying, but was very adamant to keep up that lie.
The tunnel opened up into a massive dome chamber. As they made their way into the center, they were surrounded by green pods each with a person inside. Those trapped within were in postures of fear and the spherical covering distorted the images in grotesque antique. This made both Hunter and Spector shudder.
“I have faced slimes, creatures with their intestines inside out, and a couple having…questionable appendages with no problem. This…this creeps me out”, Hunter declared. The pods had mist dripping from their carapaces and the condensation was making disconcerting plips on the floor. Hunter touched one of the pods and unintentionally drew a rush of power from the surface. This time, though, the power boost made even him feel ill at ease.
“What is happening to these people”, he gasped.

“The Bogeywoman puts her victims in these pods filled with her fear gas. She then forces them to relive their greatest fears over and over again until she drains every last bit of fear. If you’re lucky, you’ll die of fright early”. Spector explained with a cold venomous tone in his words.
“I see. No wonder you are so hellbent on revenge. Out of curiosity, if you go get that chance, what do you intend to do exactly?” Spector paused on Hunter’s question. Truth be told, he had not thought that far. He just wanted to hurt her. He never thought about how. Spector did not think much on this, however, when he chanced to look at his left and saw his mother in one of the lower pods.

Spector Streak ran straight towards her, yelling out her name and that he was going to get her out of there. He stabbed his claws into the plant’s coating and tried to peel it backwards. The pod was stubborn to give up its captive and the coating was slick with some kind of mucus to keep outsiders from getting a good grip.
Hunter let him so his own thing. He was here for only one person. Shelly was a little more difficult to find among the masses of the prisoners. Some he knew from school, others were kids, and there a handful of adults. Hunter felt sick as he passed by several children. He really did feel sick on the whole thing. Shelly was among the upper clusters. Frix was in a separate pod next to her. He wondered what terrified familiars. Hunter drew out his sword and carefully placed the edge of the blade towards the top of the plant skin. He would have to be quick since she was up a little high. Then something latched onto his leg and jerked him hard away from the pod-making only a small incision in the casing. The tendrils twisted and tossed the two boys before slamming them into each other and letting them drop hard onto the floor.
“Ow…what is your headpiece made out of?” the grumbled to each other.
“Well look that the squid dragged in”, the Bogeywoman sneered.

“I don’t know how you two found this place, but neither of you are getting out of here alive!” Goliath declared. Spector Streak unsheathed his arm places while Hunter took a fighting stance.
“The Bogeywoman is all yours. I’ll handle the giant”, Hunter informed Spector.
The two boys charged first even as the terror team did not move from their spots. Spector swung the right handed blade first. The Bogeywoman bounced up before he had even started the arc and landed effortlessly on the flat side of the weapon. Spector reached by thrusting his left arm at her legs. The witch of fear was fast. She easily dodged the strike and side kicked the Spector across the mouth. As the ghost jerked to the side, she landed before him and jabbed her palm hard into his chest. His ghostly body was tangible to her touch and was sent flying across the room before colliding with a stack of empty pods. He blinked at the Bogeywoman was directly above him now wielding a scythe. He raised his arms just as the scythe swung downward. The blade got caught against his crystalline skin. Despite her tinny frame, she was a lot stronger than Spector would have guessed as it took every fiber of his muscle to keep the scythe from inching closer and closer to his neck.
Hunter spent most of his time sidestepping and rolling underneath the Goliath’s fists. With each thrust of his arms trying to flatten the beelzebug, his knuckles dig deep into the ground. The shattering of the earth sent cobblestones spraying out in quick arrays of shrapnel. Hunter was able to dance away from most the debris though a few had managed to graze him against his arms and legs. The Goliath managed to grab him by his cape and swung him towards the upper levels of the chamber. Hunter was able to twist in midair and brace against the impact. He slid down a bit from the blow and his hands caught against the husks. He apologized under his breath and slammed his palms against the shucks and drew in the fear from the captives. A sickly green haze surrounded him as he absorbed into raw strength. He bounded from his position and focused all that energy to his fist. Hunter rammed into the Goliath and let loose the fear energy into a concentrated blast sending the giant crashing through a wall and into another underground tunnel. The Goliath rose from the rubble with only a few scratches on him. In fact, he seemed even larger than before. The green haze that had surrounded Hunter before now enveloped the giant before phasing into his skin. He grinned and thanked Hunter for the snack and he was going to kill him quickly as repayment.

Spector was strong in his own right, but even he was having trouble keeping that scythe from lowering further and further towards his ghostly flesh. The gem under the Bogeywoman’s neck was shining brighter as it seeped mist from its base to surrounding the boy.
“You may have taken on a new form, how I don’t know, but you are still the same weak, useless, pathetic cowardly little boy from all those years ago”, the Bogeywoman teased. The mist around him was getting thicker and he tried hard to not breathe it in while still holding the weapon back.
“I am going to enjoy what fear I can pull from you this time. I can already taste your growing despair. I will enjoy ripping everything that matters to you right in front of you.” Her eyes turned towards a pod on the upper levels and another on the lower side of the clusters.

“Which shall I frighten to death first? How about that one over there?” A misty hand spring from her side and began to reach out towards one of the pods. The pod began to blaze even greater than it had been already. The occupant’s shaking twisted and write in greater ferocity than before. Spector watched in horror as the witch gleefully pulled threads of fear towards her. She was going to kill them and he was helpless to do anything about it. The whole purpose was to prevent it from happening in the first place and he had failed. He hated her. It wasn’t enough for her for what she did to him before. She was going to do it again and again; over and over to satisfy her sick sense of power. The black specks in the crystal carapace of his left hand began to pulse in time with his heartbeat. With each pulse the blackness began to spread. With a terrible howl he emitted a surge of inhuman strength and shoved the handle of the scythe hard against the Bogeywoman’s nose. The blow pushed the witch hard across several feet and she slammed hard into the dais. Spector snarled as his arm blades lengthen and morphed into a more serrated edge. The black impurity in his arm began to spread across his neck and chest. Without another word he dashed towards the witch-his movements janky and wild like a doll on strings.

The Goliath snarled as he tried to grab onto Hunter. The dapper dragonfly leaped, tossed, and rolled and was full on laughing as he did so.
“Quit messing around and fight me, you peasant!” Hunter leaned on the back of the giant’s neck as casual as a cat.
“Now what would I want to do that? You have no idea how much fun this is!” Goliath slammed the palms of his hands against the back of his neck and ended up slamming his own skull instead. Hunter had vaulted over Goliath’s head before leaping off his chest.
“Fun? You find this…fun?”

“Oh I mean sure you’ve got a girl I kinda maybe like and the whole kidnapping children thing is rather icky, but honestly, this is one of the most entertaining brawls I’ve had in a while. I am feeling pretty darn good.” The Goliath roared and rammed his fist on the beetle boy. Hunter danced under the strike and kicked the Goliath in the abdomen with an upwards kick. A weakling pulse surged through the behemoth and he shrunk slightly. He staggered a bit and followed up with a hard swing from the left. Hunter turned his sword around and swung against the flying fist with the dull side of his blade. The fist shriveled as it traveled along the arc and the beast fell forward with the sudden loss of balance.
“Aw, what’s the matter, big guy? Can’t stomach a little positive influence?” Goliath belched a fog of fear gas in Hunter’s face. Hunter coughed and pulled on his tongue as he spat and gagged.
“Bleh, as seriously distasteful as that stuff is, you know your little scare smog doesn’t work on me.”
The Goliath had moved back to standing while Hunter had been trying to get the ungodly taste out of his mouth. He pulled out the small vial of black gas and shook it a little.

“Perhaps we need something with a little more potency.” He chucked the vial and it shattered easily against the clasp of Hunter’s cape.
Hunter snorted the ashen taste from his lungs and rubbed his visor. The stone chamber and the Goliath were completely enshrouded in heavy, swirling, black smog. Hunter shoved his hands into his pockets.
“Ooooh spooky smoke. Like this cheap show is actually going to scare me”, he declared. His voice sounded weird in the fog. It felt like it barely carried from his own position. Okay, creeped out, but not afraid. He stepped forward a few paces and a gust of wind erupted from the ground underneath him. His Hunter costume had been blown away and he was back as Alucard in his school uniform.
“Really? This is the best you’ve got? You’re wasting your time, you overgrown corpse! I’m not afraid of anything!” The smoke shuddered a few feet from him and began to take a new form. He recognized the image, but it didn’t terrify him. Then the smoke twisted into more familiar forms. “No…this…this isn’t real! Ha ha ha! Y-you can’t scare me th-this way!” Goliath watched as Hunter struggled against a force unseen to him before the black beetle suddenly collapsed prone and grasped himself in terror muttering and begging for someone to come back. Goliath grasped him and slammed the boy against the wall. Hunter did not fight back this time. He was firmly clutched in the stupor of terror. Goliath plopped the boy on the ground and loomed his foot over Hunter’s head.
“I would love to see what terror keeps you up at night, but you are a pest. And there is only one way to deal with pests!”
“Sorry pal, but I have dibs!” The Goliath turned and gasped before a fist collided hard against his chest sending his body crashing into the walls. A rumble above caused a section of the ceiling to collapse and buried him under a heavy weight of rock and debris. How? How could he have possibly gotten out?

[Lovetheangelshadow]

Chapter 14: It’s Only a NightmarePrism Break had escaped and was now setting fire to Altamiri Towers. The Silver Guardian and Splinterbark had arrive dust in time to keep the flames from spreading to the upper floors.
“Ah, my old nemesis the Silver Guardian! There is no way you are going to trick me this time!” He turned his laser canon towards the pair and fired several successful volleys. The Silver Guardian easily brunted the bulk of the blasts while Splinterbark had just managed to duck over a desk after being shot in shoulder. Then she heard Prism Break yell out and then scream that he surrendered. When Splinterbark got up from under the furniture, the Silver Guardian had already stripped the villain of his power suit and in handcuffs. Since when did Silver carry hand cuffs? Police officers barrel past her and thanked the Guardian for the arrest.
They did not have much time to revel in his victory. Splinterbark’s earpiece rang out. Blackbird informed them that the Coyote Crew had been seen robbing the Cadric City First National Bank. She just barely had time to grab onto Silver’s leg before he flew off over the city.
The Coyote Crew had the bank surrounded by their patrol bots. The duo had just emerged from the clouds above before the bots started swarming in on them. Splinterbark was knocked clean from her unsteady grip and surrounded by multitudes of the malicious automatons. She managed to summersault her body behind one and grip onto the top of it to keep herself aloft. The Silver Guardian had already smashed easily past the robots that had tried to stop him and was inside the bank. Splinterbark struggled to hold on as the bot strained to keep up with her weight. Her fingers slipped and she began to tumble towards the street. She hit something semi soft just before hitting the ground. The Silver Guardian had caught her but seemed more annoyed than relived at her safety. On the ground standing beside him, the Coyote Crew had been tied up and without even looking her partner shot the rest of the bots down.
Once again Blackbird’s voice cracked over their radio. The Metilla Gorilla had been seen downtown. Before the Guardian could fly off, Splinterbark managed to grab his wing.

"Hey, can you like stop dumping be back here? Some of us can’t fly here.” Silver rolled his eyes and smacked away her hand.
“Like you’re going to do anything against a cyborg gorilla? All I ever do is just rescue you. You are just slowing me down.” There was an icy perniciousness in his voice. These were not words screamed out of frustration. They were deliberate and clear in their intent.
“But Silver I…I thought we agreed to…” The Guardian laughed at her.
“We agreed? On what? Me holding myself back just to make you feel better? There are far more important people than you to save. You see for yourself I can save the day just fine without you. You don’t belong out here, Shelly. Go home.” Splinterbark tried to get closer to him and he shoved her away hard before flying off.
Splinterbark tried to run after him. As she did, the sky grew darker and the sun faded to moonlight. The Silver Guardian had already disappeared among the stars and she was left alone in a dark city. Splinterbark held her hook staff in front of her, and jabbing at every shadow around her. Then she heard snarling and hissing behind her. The shadows began to melt and merge together until they formed a feline shape. The beast slowly emerged from the darkness and pawed on the ground before it. Splinterbark tried to run, but he legs refused to move. The cat leapt towards her throat and she raised her arms waiting for the strike. The cat wailed as a blade sliced along its side and then across the neck. The beast melted into ooze before Hunter’s feet. Hunter looked over his shoulder at her with the same annoyed look in his expression.

“Really? You faltered at some dumb cat?”
“It’s not exactly that simple…but I thought you knew that.”
“Oh Puh-lease, what a stupid thing to be scared of. I thought you were much better than that. You’re a waste of my attention.” Splinterbark got to her feet.
“Hey! I didn’t ask you for op-“ Hunter pointed his sword at her throat.
“Go home, Shelly. And stay there. You don’t belong out here. You never did.” Then he leapt up towards the side of the building and disappeared.
The sounds of a cry for help rang among the brickwork. Splinterbark ran towards the noise and saw a girl corned by a thug. Well she could at least handle some low grade goon. She tossed wood around the guy’s legs and sent splinters against his ankles. He ducked over slightly and Splinterbark swung her bat across his skull. Stunned and rammed her elbow into their abdomen and knocked them again with her bat. With the creep unconscious, Shelly turned to help the woman up. The woman knocked away her hand.

“Ugh, you? I had to be saved by some cut-rate brat?” She shoved Splinterbark aside and walked out of the alley.
Shelly trudged along the streets. She saw the Cadric City News Station and its massive screen with Suri Monkrey interviewing the Silver Guardian.
“And what of your partner, whatshername?”
“Partner? Suri dear, I never had a partner. And if I did, not like it matters. No one knows who she is. No one cares”, the Guardian declared. Shelly fell to her knees as the city faded to blackness. She rubbed her eyes and felt the tears pooling on her sleeve. They were right. She wasn’t good enough. No one wanted to be rescued by her. They did not see her as a hero, just a pest. She didn’t understand. What was she doing wrong?
“Why? Why is everyone leaving me behind? I don’t deserve this! It’s not fair!”
“No, no it is not.” The voice gurgled behind her. A glowing crooked mouth and eyes peered from the solid darkness. The face seemed to shift and reform constantly as it drew closer and closer to her.
“Poor little Shelly. No one respects you do they? You are considered inferior to them just because you don’t have as many powers as they do.” Shelly tried to draw back away from the encroaching form and yet the presence seemed to be everywhere. The face began to circle her and swing gently like a pendulum.

“I can help you prove them wrong. You want to be the heroine everyone loves? You want the power to prove your dissenters wrong? I can provide all that. All I ask in return is your loyalty to me.” Shelly paused and then began to pace with her arms folded tightly against her chest. The presence just continued to circle her as it patiently waited for her answer.
“You’re Oozebo, aren’t you?” Shelly said at last. The presence did not confirm or deny this accusation.
“I don’t know why you keep pestering me and frankly I don’t care.” Shelly flicked her wrist and her hook staff materialized in her hand. She swung it in a side arc in their face and the essence reeled back.
“You can take your offer and shove it up your…how does your anatomy work exactly?” The creature snarled and slammed its massive hand against Shelly and pinned her down.
“Do not be a fool. You have only tasted a fraction of the power you possess. I can make you into something more-“ Shelly turned her head upwards while trying to push up.

“You don’t get it do you? People thought the Songbird was a joke when he first started out. Sure I don’t have super strength, or fly, or shoot fireballs, and awesome as that would be, I am going to be awesome with what I’ve got!” They both heard strange mufflings from above. Suddenly a large crack of light struck through the darkness causing the smoky avatar to shrink back and hiss. Wooden planks began to spring up from the ground and Shelly saw her green goggles materialize over her eyes.
“I am Splinterbark. The Pink Pixie! The Princess of Prickly Pain!” The wooden planks began to creak and pop as sparks of magic before shattering and the splinters spiraling around her body.
“Now get lost!” The shards struck the avatar as a flood of light swarmed the area and tore away at the scenery.
Shelly’s arm burst through the hole in the pod and peeled back the surface. She gulped in the fresh air of the Underground and heaved the last of the fear gas in her lungs. She just now realized just how high up she was and wrapped her arms around the pod’s stem to stay up. By coincidence Frix’s pod was next to her. She swung the cocoon over until she plucked the pod from its fastening against the stone. She hugged the pod until it popped like the grape and Frix slithered out. The imp still had his eyes squeezed tight as she pulled him out.
“No no please, don’t put me back in the orb. I swear I will never betray you again!” Shelly shook the spirit and yelled for him to wake up. The bug shuddered and squirmed until his eyes slowly opened.

“Sh-shelly? Where…where are we?”
“Well we’re either on the set of a monster B movie or the Jolly Green Giant’s Fear Factory. Think you can fly now?” The sprite shuddered but then nodded. Shelly told him to find Reed. As she looked down, she saw a ghost and Hunter fighting against the Bogeywoman and Goliath. Something about the Spector worried her.
Frix called from a row below her and pointed to Reed’s prison. Shelly tried to find something to grip, but Reed’s pod was not like the others they had passed. This was slicker and felt reinforced more than the other carapaces. She managed to find a small seam and tried to wriggle her fingers underneath it. She tugged and pulled while yelling for Reed to wake up while Frix went below looking for a sharp object.
The Altamiri family were walking out of the Orpheus Theatre. Reed was humming to himself the protagonist’s triumphant number-perhaps a bit louder than he had meant to.

“Aw someone has a lovely singing voice”, Marco teased.
“Now Marco, just because your singing sounds like a garbage disposal”, Lenora, walking perfectly fine with no wheelchair in sight, taunted. Morgan huffed and said well even the best of them couldn’t be good at everything.
“You are no Lin-Manual Miranda yourself”, his wife retorted. Reed turned a beet red and shrunk a little especially as his father commented his son actually being good at something. Then there was a terrible roar from above as a many faced massive centipede emerged from the back of the dome of the theatre. It clicked and clacked its mandibles and flicked its long tongue from side to side. On cue, the massive beast caused a panic of the theatre crowd below and other patrons in the surrounding restaurants. The creature did not seem to be aware of the patrons at first. Something swift and dark colored was slamming repeatedly into its face and neck. The centipede lashed its tongue and managed to smack the pest. Hunter was careened to the ground but landed gracefully at his feet before the Altamiris. He wiped the slime from his face and remarked something about an after show because bouncing to the light post nearby and was leaping from post to post to get back to the monster.
Reed looked towards his father and muttered if he was going to do something about the creature. “The first priority is getting the people to safety.”
“But…”

“Let the Hunter deal with it. Just do what we can to make sure the citizens are safe.” Reed hesitated, but obeyed. He trusted his father to know what was best for the situation. Morgan and Marco went one way while Lenora grabbed Reed’s hand and went in the opposite direction. Morgan ordered her to get Reed to the road just outside the Orpheum Plaza. The crowd was dense and the creature had begun to wrench pieces of bronze and stone with its mandibles to toss at the bouncing devil. Hunter was able to dance about, slice, or blast way the projectiles, but some slipped past him and were striking the court. Reed and Lenora were shoved and jerked by the mob until an ember of back fire had landed on his chest and he wrenched his hand free to put out the flame. He could barely pat it out as he was jostled and tugged in a different direction until his leg had snagged on debris on the ground and he fell over in front of one of the vacated restaurants. The ember had died down but had burned through his shirt and had seared a sizeable marking over his collarbone. The burn stung against the night air and it felt like a hundred tendrils had latched onto his flesh and were trying to twist their way into the bone.

Reed’s thoughts on the pain did not distract him for too long. He heard a small cry for their parents and help. By the next restaurant over a little girl was lying on the ground. One of the heavy outdoor tables and a chair had been knocked over in the evacuation and she pinned down by her ankle. Reed bit his lip and ran staggeringly over. It was hard to pull his hand away from his burn but he forced his will as he heaved the table back upright. The girl’s leg appeared swollen but not broken that he could see. He scooped up in his arms and struggled to lift her up. His father and brother he was not. Reed was trying to walk away towards the roads leaving outside the plaza when they both heard a hard chalk nail screech above them. The Hunter had run along the stone awnings and was dragging his sword behind him. Stopping just as he was above the awning above them, Hunter had used tremendous force into a massive jump into the air. The weakened awning cracked from the inertia. He stabbed the beast in the armor place on its head and heaved backwards to force it to roll forward. The centipede collided with the awning and it caused to crumble above Reed and the girl.

It seemed to happen in slow motion. In a blur he saw his mother running towards him. She rammed her body against his and shoved him out of the way just as the concrete and the beast fell down. Reed tumbled, rolled, and skidded while using his balled up arms and legs to shields the kid. When he had finally stopped, it was a few moments for him to realize what had just happened. He screamed aloud as he had released the kid and ran towards the pile of rubble before him. The monster had melted by this point as Reed tried to remove the debris. Then he felt a large arm smack him away and he slammed against the sidewalk. Marco grabbed him and yelled frantically if he was all right. Reed didn’t answer. His eyes were towards the black cloaked swordsman slinging to the side of a building like an uncaring beetle. Then Hunter ran off without a shrug or a care. Reed yelled for him to stop, but his body just have out from the injuries.
The Golden Guardian had wrenched and tossed aside slabs of rubble until he had finally reached his wife. Lenora’s head was bleeding from a gash across the temple and she yelled and shriveled how much her back hurt. The Golden Guardian then glared at him as he carefully pulled Lenora from the pile.
“You…what have you done?” He shoved Reed hard into the side of the building.
“You stupid, worthless, waste of existence thief! And you dare to call yourself a Guardian?” Guardian? His father knew he was the Silver Guardian?
“How…how did you know I was…” Reed stopped. His voice was wrong. This was the voice of the Silver Guardian. Reed glanced down and saw his the fingerless gloved hands and white leather sleeves of the Silver Guardian. But how had this happen? He was clearly wearing the ring of the Guardian, but this was not what happened. The crowd from the plaza had already began to point accusing fingers at him calling him a monster, a fake, and a copy. The Silver Guardian clapped his hands over his ears to drown out the jeering but they cut clean through.

“Stop it…please, stop! It wasn’t my fault! I didn’t do it!” He shoved the crowd aside and flew away as far from the noise until it finally cased to bare echoes. When he landed, there was Splinterbark. Silver breathed a sigh of relief and approached her telling her how glad he was to see her. Splinterbark drew out her staff and pointed it right as his neck.
“That is as far as you go, Reed. I’m taking you in.” He tried to stammer out what she meant and she chucked an exploding brick of pine at his face.
“You lied to me! I want nothing to do with a supervillain!” She charged at him and he put his hands up in self-defense to just shove her back. He then heard a sickening crunch of bone and gurgling from Splinterbark’s lips. Just as watched her collapse to the ground the scenery shifted before he was sent plummeting back down into darkness.

The darkness ebbed back into the theatre district. The same scene happened from before. His family was making remarks on his singing even though Reed had not sung. Then the monster appeared. Reed found his body going through the motions again even as his mind was aware this had already happened. The child. The debris, His mother saving him. The crowd accusing the Silver Guardian. Him killing Shelly. Then falling back and it happening again and again faster and faster until Reed screamed for it to stop and wrenched the Guardian Ring from his finger and hurled it.
Time seemed to stop the moment the ring first bounced along the street. Everything was frozen in place with Reed in the center curled up in a fetal position and using his arms and hands to try and block out noise. It was his fault. It was Hunter’s fault. It was his father’s fault. He felt angry at all of three of them. Someone plucked the ring from the floor.

“This ring is far too valuable to just toss like a crackerjack prize, you know.”
Reed heard the footsteps walking towards him and he struggled to move his hand from his face. Marco was standing above him; tossing the ring in his left hand. Reed forced himself to a seating position.
“Marco? You knew I was the Silver Guardian?” Marco laughed and made his brother uncomfortable.
“Come on Reed, you are smarter than that.” Reed hung his head.
“So, this is one of the Bogeywoman’s fear hallucinations huh? That does not make what happened last year any less real. It doesn’t make what I have done any less true!” Marco raised an eyebrow.
“Oh? And just what have you done?” he asked him. Reed sprung to his feet and grabbed Marco’s coat collar; tears streaming down his face.

“Do not mess with me, Marco! You know full well what I have done. I am responsible for mom being in a wheelchair. I…I am not worthy of being the Silver Guardian. I stole the ring! I was not chosen. I am not worthy. Why? This is all a joke isn’t it? Some god’s sick and twisted—“ Marco slapped him and Reed spun a near 180.
“That is enough, Reed! Now is not the time for you to feel sorry for yourself! I do not know who was responsible for what happened to mom! But right now, you need to suck it up and become the Silver Guardian. Because right now, that is who they need!” Marco pointed upwards and put his other hand to his lips to demand silence. It was faint but there was another voice among the falling frozen rubble.
“Reed! You’ve got to wake up! Come on! Wake up!” Shelly was yelling repeatedly and there was a faint rippling of pounding. His thoughts were so jumbled he didn’t know if this was real or another illusion. The only clear thought was that if the Bogeywoman had been determined to keep him in this spiral of his fears, he would not hear Shelly telling him to wake up. Marco wouldn’t be here either. He uneasily grabbed the ring from Marco’s outstretched hand and hesitated for a moment before putting it back on.

“By the ring on my hand, Silver Guardian arise!”
Shelly was trying to pull the carapace and had just felt it give a little when the interior of the cocoon began to glow. Reed’s body had become engulfed in the silver light before it flooded the inside of the pod and began to pierce the seams. The carapace exploded outward as it had been made to entrap a 5 foot and a half teenager; not an 8 foot winged adult. The sudden burst made Shelly loose her grip and she dropped to the second level. Her fingers barely gripped the pod below and she was sliding fast. The Silver Guardian snatched her by the hand and leaved her up to his shoulder before descending down. She was actually stunned.
“How…how did you-“

“Long story. What is going on?” He could see the Goliath made Hunter shirk in fear and was about to stamp him flat. Silver dashed and punched the giant hard before burying him under the rubble. He knelt down and picked up the still shivering form of Hunter. The devil was incoherent and seemed very unaware Silver was even there. An unpleasant acrid smell clung to Hunter-not too dissimilar to the ink gorillas they had fought earlier in the fall. Perhaps…
The Silver Guardian tried to steady himself into a calm state. He was still shaken up from the nightmare stupor and this was Hunter they were talking about. Shelly had joined him now with her green goggles in her hand and looking at him expectantly. It was an unpleasant task and as tempting as it was to leave Hunter in this state; he just couldn’t bring himself to do it. He inhaled a massive gulp of air through his nostrils and as he exhaled focused his purifying power to his palms. Shelly watched as small wisps of silver dance about his arms and collect around his hands. Two small pulses burst against Hunter’s shoulders and he gasped out like suddenly being pulled from the water and finally allowed to breathe air. Then he suddenly reeled and grabbed where Silver had been holding him before yelling out in pain.

“Yeowch! It burns! What the hell did you do!”
“You are welcome by the way”, the Silver Guardian snapped. Hunter grumbled a thanks before getting to his feet. He saw Shelly and she thought he smiled for a moment. Like a genuine smile of respite.
“Well my work is done here. I think I will be…” The Silver Guardian grabbed his cape.
“Not so fast, bug breath. As much as I hate to do this-we…I need your assistance. We need to get these people free.”
“Woah no, I don’t do charity work. This isn’t my concern anymore so…” They heard a high pitched wail from the other chamber. Spector Streak had the Bogeywoman pinned down under his foot and was holding her green bauble high above his head. The Bogeywoman was begging him to not break it. It all clicked for the Silver Guardian; who the ghost kid was and just what he was about to do. He left Hunter and Shelly where they stood and grabbed Spector Streak into an arm lock and was trying to pry the gem from the ghost’s hand.
“That’s enough, Thomas!”

[Lovetheangelshadow]

Chapter 15: Walk in the ShadowsSpector’s thoughts became muddled. He was not even sure what he was thinking anymore. He slashed, kicked, and punted the Bogeywoman with everything he had. All he could think now was to kill her. To put everything he had into her demise. He couldn’t even remember why. The black impurities began to spread thought his body at in an increasing pace. Nearly half of his body had now been consumed by the pulsing shadows in his form. The more it spread the stronger he felt and it felt good. The anger and hatred no longer scared him and it felt like power.

The Bogeywoman was not afraid. This was not the first super to come after her for revenge. In fact she rather relished such fools. She reveled in their blindness and the despair that followed as they succumbed to their own folly. She had drawn more than enough power to keep up with the speeding specter and easily dodge those rocky claws of his. She had only been cornered by the boy once as she missed one of the potholes caused in the chaos. She just managed to duck from Spector Streak slamming the palm of his hand towards her head. The impact caused his fingers to get stuck in the concrete and was distracted by it. The Bogeywoman grinned and reformed her shadow hands to grab the boy and commanded the hand to soar across the space and slam into the archway entrance. The hand then proceeded to slam and drag him along the ground-upturning the rock and mud from below until he was half buried in it.

The hand finally let him go now that his face was half submerged in the mud and his body was not moving right away. He couldn’t exactly feel the rough concrete or the cool dirt under his palms, but something hurt. His body felt like something was tearing him apart from the inside. He was not going to let that stop him. It was a struggle but he was able to force himself to his hands and knees. The Bogeywoman cackled as she dragged along her scythe behind her.
“You’re a strong kid, but you lack discipline and focus. Perhaps with a little guidance you would have been formidable opponent. Too bad I will not risk that chance.”
Do you want some help? A strange voice rang inside Spector’s head. Who was this voice? As if this voice could read his very thoughts it answered quite kindly, Just an angel of vengeance. Or perhaps a devil of justice. Now just fall into the shadows nice and easy. Spector was honestly frightened at the voice, but it was so calm and comforting. And if did not do something he was as good as dead.

The wispy halo that fluttered around Spector had begun to turn the same blackish color as the stain that had been coursing over his body. He stood up, his limbs flopping and swaying at his sides. The Bogeywoman paused uneasily. She had seen that kind of aura before. No matter, once she separated the boy’s head from his shoulders, she would not have to concern herself what that fallen guardian had in mind. She swung the scythe downward while the boy’s body was slumped forward. Spector’s arm raised at blinking speed and snatched the scythe’s handle without even looking. The spectral speedster’s face rose up, the eyes behind the mask fully blackened, and his lips curled into a cold, sickening fanged smile. Spector twisted his back clockwise as he effortless wrenched the staff from her hands. He stomped his foot on the ground and light began to crack in two long rows on both sides of Bogeywoman. The crevices formed nary shook before black crystal erupted from the earth and surrounsding the area. The crystal pierced the walls and ceiling. Pods rattled and shook and some were sliced open by the edges of the shards.

Spector Streak touched the side of the crystal and chuckled icily. In a flash his form had wisped into the formations. The Bogeywoman held her four arms at attention ready to hit from any direction. She had not anticipated from below. A small smooth plate of the crystal had been formed near her back heel and Spector’s hand rose from it and jerked hard on her ankle. The witch slipped forward before Spector emerged from a crystal on her left and struck her hard across the mouth. The ghost continued to fly forward and vanished into the mirror-like structure above. The Bogeywoman had nary a time to even wipe the blood from her mouth before the crystal creature sprung from behind and slashed her across the back. She tried to run and Spector Streak just laughed. He raised his hand before him and clenched the air. The crystalline walls shuddered before stretching out and entrapping the wraith’s arms and legs. The minerals grew across her limbs before she was almost completely encased save for the upper part of her chest and head.

One of the sharp edges had cut the fastener that held the Bogeywoman’s broach in place. Spector Streak picked it up and began to thumb the surface while it was in the palm of his hand. He was all too familiar with that this bauble could do and just what he should do with it. He began to close his fist upon it and the Bogeywoman begged for him to stop. Spector Streak sideyed her with apathy. So, she was afraid of him breaking this gem? A cruel curiosity struck him and he tightened his grip even further. The Bogeywoman could not move but she struggled to breathe all the while begging him to stop. Spector hesitated and laxed his grip. He started to feel a bit sick with the dark thoughts spurning through his head. Was he really intending to go that far? Why do you hesitate? She tormented you. Took away all those you cared about. Do you really want to let her live? To let her escape and bring further pain to them? End it, dear boy. Do what needs to be done. The voice soothed and surrounded Spector’s brain. It made sense. He was doing the right thing. She was a killer. This was the only way to stop her.
He raised the bauble in full view so the Bogeywoman could see it plain as day. His hand slowly started to close before someone grabbed him from behind and held him firm in an arm lock with one hand and they forced their own hand between his fingers and the bauble.
“That is enough, Thomas!” the Silver Guardian yelled. The Guardian calling his name out briefly broke the dark cloud enshrouding his thoughts. He knew who he was? No, he was trying to stop him. Spector Streak tried to break out of the angel’s grip. He was strong, but the Guardian was a great deal stronger. He tried to phase out, but even that did not seem to have any effect.

“Thomas, you are angry. I get it. Believe me, I know what it is like. But you are making a mistake!”
Ignore the Guardian. Guardians only care when someone is about to take their glory. The crystals around the area started to quiver and hum.
“Let…go…of…me…you…self…righteous…angel!” Specter growled.
“Are you out of your damn mind!? I will not let you do this! Is this really worth it? Is killing her worth losing everything? Please…don’t make me have to take you down too.” So now he was treating him like a villain just like that? He was doing this to save everyone and without a hesitation, his best friend was going to turn on him? Was all the effort he made into their friendship worth nothing? Yes, how dare he view you as a lesser? How dare the angel take this right to justice from you? The thought of that flamed even stronger than his loathing for the Bogeywoman. Both voices were ringing in his head making it hard to think.

“Shut up…SHUT UP BOTH OF YOU!” The gems shattered with the shards hovering in the air before turning their pointing tips and torpedoed themselves towards Silver’s back. Most had bounced off of his skin, but some made their mark and they marked deep. The angel reeled back as a reflex and had lost his grip on the ghost. Spector Streak grabbed him by his coat and twirled his own body into a fast spiral before hurling the Silver Guardian towards one of the still standing gemstone walls. The angel slid to his knees with a sickening thud before collapsing to his hands. The crash had forced the shards even deeper and he winced and gasped in pain. Spector Streak turned his back towards him to resume his slow torture. The Silver Guardian started to crawl and beg for him to stop.
Something made Spector Streak pause. If it was the Silver Guardian’s words or some small voice on conscious, he did not know. He started to look around. His eyes glanced to the pod walls above. He saw how close his shards had gotten to those entrapped and a couple had fully pierced some of the empty ones. He swayed back from it as if it would settle the unsettling pitting in his stomach. Spector knocked against the wall he had slammed the Guardian on to and nearly tripped over him. The Silver

Guardian had by now stood but was weakened by the shards in his back. The sinking dread slowly grew stronger and it terrified him. Then Remiel’s words rung in his head about being honest with revenge. How could he have been so blind? He hadn’t done this to save his friend. He hadn’t become this to be a hero. The voice in his head attempted to pull him back saying to ignore such lies and finish the job. But now the voice’s words sounded hollow and unsettling. Thomas had stolen from his mother, gotten his best friend captured by a witch, and had now just tried to kill that friend. The black staining retreated back to the flecks in his hand as he tossed away the bauble and just stood there dumbfounded.

The Silver Guardian just barely managed to catch the gem before it could shatter on the stone floor. He tucked it inside his coat pocket and ran over to his friend. He uneasily put his hand on Spector’s shoulder and uneasily asked if he was all right before wincing and nearly collapsing on the speedy specter.
“Reed! I…I mean Silver Guardian, are you all right?”
“Yeah…as good as one can be whose had their best friend literally stab him in the back.” Spector Streak chuckled uneasily.
“HA, 33 pods easily”, Hunter bragged from the back wall. Almost all of the occupied pods had been cut open and Shelly had been helping people shake awake.
“Oh wow and I only cut 10. You suuurrreee showed me”, she responded sarcastically.
“Indeed. I am clearly the…you little she-devil! You tricked me again!”
“Can I help it if you clearly have an obvious ego? And what do you mean ‘again’?”
It took a bit of uneasy focusing, but Spector Streak was able to mold the crystal to a bit more of a constricting cocoon around the Bogeywoman. As Silver forced her to sit down she muttered,

“You are unusual for a Guardian.”
“And just what do you mean by that?” His question would never be angered as a loud grinding rumble of stone and monstrous bellowing echoed from the opposite chamber and a large figure was emerging from it.

[Lovetheangelshadow]

Chapter 16: Terror BullThe entrance of the second chamber erupted with falling dust and black smoke. The source of the smoke stumbled forward with its massive arms crossed and groaning in between loud growls and snarls. The dark fog dribbled from the massive nostrils of the minotaur like beast as it continued to move towards them. While it shambled further into the main chamber, it did not appear to be aware of the people inside it. It was staring perplexed and almost upset at its curved cloven hands covered in curling purple woolen strands. Then it ran its fingers along its curved horns followed by its snout.

“Jimmy! What have you done?” Bogeywoman shrieked out. This seemed to catch the bull’s attention from itself. Its yellow eyes burned red seeing the witch entrapped in the crystal with a ghost kid and silver winged angel near her. It jabbed its finger towards them and thundered, “YOU! YOU WILL NOT TAKE HER AGAIN!” Goliath slammed his hands on the earth and charged towards them on all fours. While Spector Streak and the Silver Guardian could easily skirt to the side, the entrapped wraith was not as lucky. She braced for the force of the rush when the loud crunch of cracking crystal reached her ears instead. Spector Streak had managed to erect a small barrier wall between her and the bull’s ramming shoulder. It did not stop him completely-only slowed him down and the ghost kid was still shoved back a few feet as the barrier shattered in his face. He had no chance to recover when Goliath swatted him away like an annoying fly with one solid backhand of his left arm. The Silver Guardian picked him up from the floor as the bull tore the crystal cage holding his sister as easily as a gift box and plucked her up to his shoulder. With a snarling long heavy hiss, he inhaled deeply and belched out a massive cloud of black smoke in their direction before Hunter could finished yelling for them to not breathe it in. The entire half of the room was choked with the dark fog while the bull climbed up the wall and tore away at the ceiling to escape.
The miasma dissipated fairly quickly as it faded into the ground revealing a massive silver shield had been created to block it away from the heroes and the kidnapped. Silver collapsed to his knees under the exhaustion and shuddered under his increasing weakness. Shelly approached his side as the rest of the shield had collapsed and faded.

“Since when could you make magic shields?” she inquired.
“Since when could you make targeting wood missiles?” he snapped back.
“Fair enough. Can you stand?” Silver whimpered a nod while using her shoulder to stand again.
There were murmurs and rumblings as people slowly started to wake up from their fear induced slumbers. Luminux was staring upwards at the giant hole in the roof before she noticed her son sheepishly sauntering over towards her.
“Mom I’m so…” he started to apologize when she shushed him.
“We will discuss the full measure of your grounding later, Right now we have got to get that bull away from the crowds while your winged pal over there recovers. You there! Demon bug!”
“Hunter”, Spector whispered from the side of his mouth.

“Thank you, sweetheart. Hunter! Get your caped butt over here. We’re going to need everyone we can to stop the Goliath!” Hunter shrugged and casually waved his hand saying that being a hero wasn’t his gig and he was going to be late for dinner before he felt a sharp tug on his horns as Luminux had grasped it and wrenched his head down to her level.
“That was not a request, young man!”

“Ow ow ow okay okay! Let go! I just fixed that horn!” Luminux promptly let go and patted his shoulder with a sweet “Thank you sweetie” response. She grabbed both his and her son’s hands and flew out of the hole.
Silver dragged himself behind a wall of crystal that had been left before collapsing back into Reed. Shelly hurriedly directed the crowd towards the only exit tunnel before checking in on her partner. Reed had been hunched over on his knees and elbows and coughing up flecks of flam on the ground. As she got closer, she noted that the back of his shirt had been torn by several small tears and here lightly flecked with blood. She had seen him get shot, torched, shocked, and stabbed but this was the first time the wounds still remained even if less severe.
“Let me guess, there are shards in my back because it really hurts right now”, Reed wheezed. He tried to sit up and flinched pretty loudly.
“Take it easy, Reed. Let Hunter and Spector handle the Goliath and the Bogeywoman. Don’t push yourself”, she tried to reassure him. Somehow those words gave him enough strength to force him to stand up and press his hands against the rock wall to stay up. He didn’t trust Hunter to not cause massive collateral damage. Thomas was another matter entirely. He was not going to let his best friend take to bat for him because of his on weakness. There was something else too, but he could not think on it at the moment.
“I know trusting in others is not a strength of yours but I suggest you listen to your partner”, commented Blackbird as he shuffled towards them with his one good arm around the shoulder of a woman neither of them knew.
****

The Goliath was taking massive strides to leave the park and head towards Main Street. The Bogeywoman cold barely hold onto his shoulder as she was still processing what was happening. They were coming onto Main Street where many had gathered for the Before Macy’s Parade. Balloons and floats had just begun to move down when Goliath leapt into the middle of the crowd and roared a terrible erupting screech. It did not take much for the crowd to start scattering in various directions trying to escape. The problem was that the roads had been heavily blocked off to allow a clear pathway for the parade route and it slowed many in their escape. The Goliath easily plucked the floats nearby and chucked them at the fleeing onlookers just to raise the panic further.
A clacking of guns gathered behind him as police pushed and squeezed through terrified mobs and aimed their firearms at the beast. Ignoring their warning for him to freeze, the massive beast charged and used his new horns to flip two cars over and pin two officers underneath him. A volley of bullets were fired at his chest. The bullets had made clear holes where they had struck but with an unsettling rippling of his violet flesh made them close without a trace of harm. Goliath huffed in air and belched a large fear fog in a long sweeping motions across the street until a good section of the square was gagged with it. With now a sizeable number of people under the grip of his fear spell, the Goliath greedily devoured their fear. He paused mid feeding when he saw that his sister was not participating in the feast.
“Oh I would love to, but oh right. The Silver Guardian has my stone!” The Goliath whimpered and tapped his forehooves uneasily.

“I am sorry. I didn’t think about…”
“No you didn’t you bull headed codger!” the Bogeywoman shrieked as she grabbed his bovine ear with both of his hands.
“I told you to not listen to King! I told you to trust me!” She continued to shriek and yet the Goliath did not seem to be fully listening to her but rather to something else and agreeing with them. Suddenly he grabbed her with one hand and pulled her up to his snout.
“You think I am stupid? You don’t appreciate me?”
“That is not what I am saying. But you shouldn’t have…”
“Traitor!” He tossed her across the street as easily as chucking a foam plate.
Spector Streak braced his body as he used it as a cushion to soften the impact.
“This is the second time you have saved my life today”, Bogeywoman commented. Spector shoved his hand hard against her chest and cocooned her inside a tight crystal cage.

“Prey I don’t regret my decision”, he growled. Goliath snarled and barreled towards the ghost with horns primed to pierce both of his targets. Hunter skated between them and plunged forward swinging his blade wide across the bull’s lower lip. In the brief pause in the moment, he bathed his hands in fire and blasted a massive blaze directly into the bulls face. The bull’s face had been blackened by the fire and soot, but was otherwise more annoyed than pained. A low gurgle formed in Goliath’s throat and burped fear fog in his direction. Luminux had come up from behind and snapped the gas inside a sphere of ice around his snout before sliding down his back and encasing the beast in a shell of ice. She yelled for her son to take action and follow suit. Specter Streak left the side of the Bogeywoman and pressed the palms of his hands against Goliath’s frozen leg and cover the ice shield with his own crystalline powers. The three treaded close a few paces while keeping on hand ready to strike back if necessary. So far Goliath appeared perfectly trapped inside the cold blue prison.
“Weird, I figured he would go down a lot harder than that”, Hunter huffed. Then they heard a loud crack from the top of the casing as if to answer his complaint.
****

Lynn and Desmond had been busy hanging the garland through the house. She leaned on her staff after placing the last wreath on the top newels inside the old ballroom. Her father was standing on the upper balcony inspecting her work. His reverberous chuckles was a welcome sound to hear for Lynn as he nodded and rapped the top of the barrister with his hands.
“Most exemplary, Lynn. Your control and discipline has improved exponentially in the past year. Whatever practice routine you are using, I envy it.” Lynn blushed nervously knowing full well he would not envy her a bit if he knew just how she had been practicing. Heaven knows she had to use her levitation spells more often than routine to keep Hunter from splatting on the pavement. Desmond descended down and looked at his pocket watch commenting it was almost time for the parade.
“A shame we could not be there in person this year. Or have your brother down here helping decorating this place. Perhaps I should…”
“You know how Alucard is during the holidays. Besides, then we’d have to decorate the house like normal people,” Lynn said hastily; hoping to distract her father from the topic of her stepbrother.

“You act like that’s a bad thing.” Desmond turned on the tv. Suri Monkrey was standing in front of Cadric City First National Bank and in mid explanation about the parade. The camera had just turned to see the Turkey Tommy float coming around the corner when a minotaur erupted into view and began rampaging among the mobs.
“A monster has just appeared from nowhere to attack the parade. Wait…who are these people. I see the Black Beetle but I don’t know who the other two are.” Hunter jumped into view and waved enthusiastically into the camera.
“Small correction: it’s Hunter. Hun…ter. Okay, back to bull bashing. Chao!” He blew a kiss at the camera before bouncing off towards the bull. Suri yelled for Vivian to turn the camera off and for someone to tell her who the other two were. As the live camera cut to the studio Lynn couldn’t help but roll her eyes. That was so like him to showboat. Still she felt unsettled. Maybe it was her Dougal intuition, but she felt like she would be needed in this conflict. Then a loud clamor of voiced erupted from the kitchen. The chef had emerged into the den red faced and waving a gravy dripping spoon in one hand. Behind him was Irene. Both of them were dusted heavily in flour and Desmond complained that they had chosen to have a food fight without him.
“Master Desmond, your wife is crazy! She wants me to make an impossible dish for tomorrow!”

“It’s not an impossible dish ye banger loving pile of cat guts! It’s an inside-out apple pie! Apples on the outside and crust on the inside. If you would just let me show you…” Desmond and Lynn watched blankly as the chef and Irene were in a full blown shouting match. Lynn nudged her father with her elbow saying that she was going to take a power nap before dinner. Desmond allowed her provided she did a check on her brother. She nodded slightly with low enthusiasm before disappearing leaving her old man to stop another Hundred Years War. Lynn had not even bothered to check her brother’s door before changing to her Jinn outfit and sneaking out her balcony window.

[Lovetheangelshadow]

Chapter 17: The Kings’ MessengerThe shell had burst from the top as ooze burst in a peculiar fountain. The ooze began to compile into a semi familiar bovine-humanoid shape hovering in the air above them. The crystalline shell began to dissolve into the beast’s flesh and incorporate itself into the minotaur form. The Goliath’s steer-like body had now completely reformed itself; stronger and more bizarre then what he had previously transformed into. His new form had grown to nearly 40 feet in height from before. His horns now twisted into a spiral above his head and smaller ones now lined his thickened neck. The crystal and ice he had absorbed had grown in thick jagged plates along his new monstrously massive arms. The Goliath hovered several feet from the ground, his body slumped a bit and his eyes closed in a puppet-like stupor. Suddenly the body spasmed as tendrils protruded from his spine and stabbed themselves deep into his arms, legs, and head. Goliath forced his eyes open and they were empty, red, and burning with a hateful white flame.

Goliath roared and a ripple of energy cut through the air. Under the crushing force of the sound, the trio had been shot back and slammed hard against the glass window of the nearby hotel. Then the beast raised his ice covered hand and the air stirred and shook with the energy he now seemed to command. Hunter, Spector Streak, and Luminux began to feel themselves pulled from the street and dragged to the bull’s raised hand. Luminux had managed to grab onto a fire hydrant she was passing. She wrapped her legs around the base and outstretched her now free hands towards the other two heroes. Hunter and Spector were now held in limbo shifting back and forth as they were being tugged between two forces of gravity. The two writhed in viable discomfort as they were pulled from both sides. Goliath flopped away his crystal hand from his side and flicked his wrist; sending shards of crystal towards the moon warrior. Luminux endured as two of them had graced her arms and cheek. One of the shards had struck against the topside of the hydrant and sent a burst of water into her face. She lost her focus and was now dragged upwards in the air in rocket speed into the palm of Goliath’s hand. The bull tossed the trio up in the air before clapping his hands together with a hard force and held them there. Cackling in cruel humor he began to juggle them as easily as stuffed dolls while humming an unsettling childish ditty.
Goliath bored easily with them and tossed them with a hard widespread swing against the buildings that flanked the street. Before they could become paste against concrete-bubbles formed around them and they bounced before plopping on the ground. The falling bubbles were dragged along the ground before flying upwards towards a central direction. Goliath saw them and raised his ice arm to drag them back again. Then a burst of light struck him from behind. Energy cut through his shoulder and sliced his arm clean off and releasing his potential victims. Luminux, Hunter, and Spector were dragged up before resting. Jinn sighed as she popped Hunter’s bubble with the point of her staff.

“Seriously, if it were not for me, you’d be dead by now”, she grumbled.
“It’s because you like me”, Hunter teased as he patted her head. Jinn answered back with a small bolt to his hand.
“I only put up with you because you are a decent training dummy”, the witch hissed. A heavy flap of wings descended from above as the Silver Guardian and Splinterbark arrived from above. Silver was just putting his revolver back in its holster as they touched down.
“It took you long enough, sparrow. Wait…is that a new outfit, Pixie?” Hunter remarked.
Splinterbark was now dressed in a pink and white vinyl-like sailor dress but had been padded with armor plates along her arms, back, and chest. Her legs were also armored with high thick boots adorned with leaf-like patterns. Her helmet was more or less the same-now sporting a more professional appearance. Her goggles had been replaced with a green visor. Splinterbark spun a little in place and filtered in her dance showing it off.
“You like? Our trainer had it made it for me. And oh man now feeling chilly while flying on this guy is a godsend!” A bellow from below attracted their attention.
Goliath’s arm had been lifted from the ground by more tendrils and fitted back into place. He began to slam his fists against buildings and floats as his eyes darted from side to side.

“Come out and fight, Guardian! Show yourself coward. You are not even worth my own personal claws.” The six looked over the side railing.
“Did Goliath…get bigger from the park?” Splinterbark gasped.
“Yeah, it looks like he got mine and mom…Luminux’s powers as well.” Spector replied.
“Not to mention his healing ability has increased. Not even my sword seems to leave marks anymore”, Hunter added. Splinterbark sat on the air conditioning unit and twirled her hook staff between her fingers while rocking her legs against the side. Hunter was the first to be aware of what she was doing.
“You have something in mind?” he asked her.
“Maybe. Hunter, how big of a flame can you produce? And just how much emotion do you need to drain to make one?”
****

The bull was stomping around and smashing against the buildings and still yelling for the Guardian. He did not even seem fit to call the angel by his full name. Those who had stuck around or were huddling inside buildings to watch the show were now trying to leave hoping the monster did not see them. Goliath’s wariness appeared to have heightened with his transformation and he used his newfound powers to pull them from the rooms and street towards his palms. With the opposite hand he formed a cage about them before hissing his new victims in the black fear gas. It did not take much of the gas to draw power from their fear. His horns shimmered with new power before he felt a sting against his nose.
The Silver Guardian was having before him with one gun pointed directly at him and was twirling his other gun between his fingers. This was enough for the bull to stop feeding and casually drop its victims like a child done with an old toy. He acknowledged the angel’s existence and then summoned forth a blade from his crystalline arm and swung at the angel. Silver’s shield only just graced the impact of the sword but he as at least still flying. He fired a few more shots at Goliath’s face before flying off down the street.

Goliath may had inherited Spector Streak’s crystalline powers; but thankfully he had not appeared to have inherited his speed because while he had chosen to remain hovering, he could not fly very high or fast. Ultimately, the bull realized it had more control on land than in the air and chose to run instead. It was not easy to keep a speed slow enough for the bull to keep him in sight and following him, but fast enough to stay out of that arm sword he was swinging abound. Silver had to keep looking over his shoulder to make sure Goliath did not use that gravity spell to draw him back. Spector Streak was at the Goliath’s heels and had managed to skate up the back of the beast’s leg to his shoulder. Silver shot against the arm to weaken the beast’s armor while Spector finished the blows to desolate the limb. It did not take too much time for Goliath’s arm to reattach itself, but enough to keep him from using any real magic. He sputtered and belched the fear gas in concentrated bursts. Silver skid, spun, and flapped to keep just out of the way. As big as Goliath was, thankfully his aim was terrible.
The Silver Guardian led the beast just past Baymark Square and down one of the utility roads that was not paved and not exactly very wide either. On one side, there was a water canal on the side that was not as visually appealing as the main canals in the inner city. This was lined with rough gravel and stone and was much wider. Thanks to the rain, the canal was flooded with water and had spilled out onto the utility road. Goliath slashed at the air and the canal walls as he slipped and slid against the rushing water of the channel. At last the canal opened up into one of the inner city’s concealed reservoirs. The depth of the channel and the reservoir was a notable depth and Goliath plummeted face first into the water. His prone body almost filled out the width of the pond and when he got up, the water only went to just above his knees. Silver looked out to the shores and gulped that he did not see the rest of the party yet. Spector had drawn out his own arm blades and was skating across the surface of the water towards them. Silver held his firearms at the hip and flew alongside his friend hoping to buy the others time.
****

The crystal cage that Goliath had dropped had been saved by Luminux before they crashed to the cement below. The people inside were still under the effects of the fear gas and clawing and tugging at each other in delusional panic. Hunter tugged at the strap of his gauntlet with unease. Splinterbark grabbed his wrist and gave a small huff.
“Hunter, if you don’t feel comfortable doing this I can figure something else out.”
“Yes you should think of something else!” Jinn screeched as she jutted her staff between them and the cage. Hunter opened his mouth to speak but Jinn interjected before jabbing an accusing finger at Splinterbark.
“You have no idea what kind of person Hunter is! I spent way too long getting him to stop his addiction but then you came along and messed it all up! One little taste and he’s right back to where he was before.”

“Jinn, I get it but…” Hunter tried to intervene. Jinn was shaking by this point and was still screaming until it had become garbled frantic nonsense. Splinterbark looked at the two of them. It was clear Hunter was growing more annoyed at his partner and Jinn was acting out of some kind of anger and fear. Jinn was right. She did not know Hunter as well as she did, but if what Frix said was true then they did not have as much time to argue.
“I trust him”, she finally said aloud much to the shock of the devil and witch. This only made Jinn angrier, but Hunter relented a bit. She trusted him? He was not sure how to respond to that. He was used to people expecting him to carry them forward, but he could not remember anyone actually just…trusting him with a task. He did not hesitate in the removal of his gauntlet and trust his pallid hand towards the crowd. Drawing the fear and panic from the crowd did not take much effort on his part. Both of the girls watched with both festination and horror as the devil boy’s form shifted subtly as the black aura sounding him grew in strength. The crowd who had been screeching and howling in the panic had subsided and now lay prone inside the cage in a half-sleep state. Hunter was shuddering a bit and smiling a rather sickening euphoric smile as he looked over his current form. He had grown taller and his musculature had improved-not as close as the guardian, but significant enough. The aura around his back and formed into a great pair of smoky leathered wings. It had been a long time since he felt like this. He had all but forgotten how good the power rush felt. But then his eyes cast on Splinterbark and he felt a sharp vile prang of guilt. Jinn was still glaring at him in disgust. Luminux did not react at all and jabbed her gaze towards the sounds of sirens coming from the far end of the street. They noiselessly nodded at each other and took flight, with Jinn carrying Splinterbark on her staff.
****

The Goliath had Spector Streak inside his fist and was encasing his body in ice inside his grip. Spector tried to phase out of the shell and his power refused to function. It was like his own power was nullified by the magic his mother had. The Silver Guardian was trying to wrench the hand open. His palms were slicked with ice and he had trouble keeping a grip on the surface. Ice was forming up his arms and he could feel the frost biting at his skin. With a frantic burst of strength he ripped two of the fingers apart leaving him open to grab half frozen ghost and fly to the shore. The ice had gotten all the way up towards his torso by this point. Silver managed to jerk the case open right before the Goliath dragged him by his wings and slapped him hard against the surface of the water.

“You overcame the Black Guardian? How? Why would the ring choose a weakling like you?” A crazy idea struck the Silver Guardian. He transformed back into Reed and plunged into the water as Goliath had been holding him by the wing. While the minotaur was distracted by the sudden disappearance of his target, Reed clumsily paddled around behind and converted back into the Guardian and punched the back of the bull’s neck. The beast waited in agony and his while body shuddered from the impact. He spun wildly and caught the hard with the broadside of his horn.
A fireball exploded on the open side of his face; the impact causing the neck to twist completely around. Goliath paused as he uneasily reached for his head and snapped it back into place with an unsettling squishing crunch. Spector was finally getting to his feet though he was still shivering from the latent frost. Maybe he had hit his head harder than he thought because since when could Hunter fly? Luminux and Splinterbark had joined him on the shore while Jinn was following close behind Hunter and continued to send magic blasts to keep the beast occupied.

“Sorry to keep you two waiting. You still up for the next phase?” Splinterbark asked him. Spector Streak could still feel the chill in his bones but nodded.
He began to skate across the water in spiraling twists around the beast’s legs. The water refused to mold at first but slowly they began tap against Goliath’s legs in higher and higher waves until they had formed into small spouts that the bull now noticed. Luminux was near her son and once the waves had gotten high enough-she dipped her fingers and began to rake them through the surface. Ice began to form and soon it was enough for her to manipulate its path.
“Do you really think that is going to work a second time? You are even greater fools than I thought!” His arm made a move to smash the constricting carapace before a lasso of magical energy lashed about his wrist and jerked him back hard. Jinn didn’t have the physical strength or the will to keep him in place for long before he had nearly jerked the leash from her grasp. The Silver Guardian came to her side and grabbed the rope and pulled. The Goliath had been robust enough to jerk around a teenage witch, not enough against an angel of magical strength. His fingers were starting to open and they could feel the gravitational pull he was attempting to summon. Splinterbark yelled out for Hunter and the devil was quick to act on his cue.
He had never summoned a flame this large before to be honest-but he also had not taken as much energy before either. A sphere of concentrated flame began to form between his hands. As he slowly pulled them apart, there sphere began to follow suit and grow outwards until he had a sizeable sphere of black crackling flame above him. It was also becoming harder to keep himself in their air and steady as he was pouring almost all of the energy he had siphoned into this flame. He honestly thought he was going to pass out any moment and his body was hurting from it. He tossed the sphere with the last shred of borrowed strength right at the beast’s head. The flame had engulfed the bull completely. Steam hissed from the water and ice until the whole space had been choked with it. Hunter felt himself fall and he splashed hard into the water. He was not under the surface for long when he felt someone grab him and jerked him upwards to the surface. Luminux, despite her smaller stature, was able to carry him by holding him under his arms and got him to the shore. His body jerked and he vomited up the last bit of his sponged magic. She patted his back and inquired if he was alright.

The steam had dissolved and now they could see the Goliath clearly. The ice and crystal plates on his arms cracked and shattered with loud plips and plops into the water before dissolving away. He was also notably smaller than before; perhaps a good ten feet or so. There were no other visible signs of harm save for places where the skin was still smoking from the burn. The Goliath drew in a loud breath and roared as more tendrils sprung from his spine and lashed out in blind wild rage. The Silver Guardian had flown out high enough from his reach and saw a green glint from the base of Goliath’s neck. The flame had burned away several patches of fur and he could now clearly see a gem embedded in the flesh just like the bauble the Bogeywoman had. The notable difference though that this one was heavily mottled with black slime. Splinterbark had taken several dead branches and was directing the shards at the tendrils to keep from away. Spector lashed at the creature’s legs and caused deep gashes in his thighs. Jinn summoned shields as she flew by and shot concussion blasts at the monster in between breaths. With each wound the gem flashed and the wounds disappeared. Silver didn’t like knowing what he had to do to make this stop unless…

He would have to get in close for this to work. The tendrils seemed to be aware of his closing approach and had turned their focus towards him. Goliath trashed and twisted in the pond aware he needed to keep the Guardian away from his back. Splinterbark and Jinn struck from the left side simultaneously while Luminux used her magic to pull him the opposite. Spector Streak gotten onto his back and was lashing at the base of the tentacles cutting away at them as fast as his exhausted body could force. He had collapsed a moment from fatigue and two tentacles had grabbed the Silver Guardian.
The angel tugged and pulled as more and more fronds entangled around him. Energy sparked across them and sent a surge a power through his body. Spector Streak tried to tear him free but the moment his hands touched them he was blasted back by the same force. Suddenly half of them broke apart. Hunter, gasping and lopsided, was easily able to cut away the branches with his sword. Silver’s body slammed onto the surface of the gem and grumbled at the idea of having to owe anything to the dapper demon.

“I hope you have some kind of plan because even as someone as proficient as me can only keep a fight up for so long!” Hunter barked as he continued to chop away the vines still coming at them. Silver pressed his palms against the gem. It burned against his skin similar to the feeling he felt when he had grasped Hunter’s sword at the news’ station. He admitted he was not even sure this was going to work. This was a lot bigger to purify than Metilla and he could already feel a force pressing against him just by touching the gem. Still he had to try.
Shutting out all the sounds and steady his mind was not easy. With each breath the chorus around him faded until he could only hear his own heartbeats. Light slowly emitted from his fingertips as his wings unfurled; his silver feathers spreading outward from their base. As they touched the lashing tendrils, they froze and crumpled to ash. One of the primary feathers had lightly touched Hunter’s wrist and he yelped as it burned. The light was now passing along the Goliath’s skin and Hunter had to leap off into the water to escape from it. Spector Streak felt a similar pain and followed suit. Jinn, Splinterbark, and Luminux watched in awe as the Goliath was immersed in white before disappearing.

[Lovetheangelshadow]

Chapter 18: The Future Vincent Commodore and Michael Blackbird were walking together down the hospital hallway. Blackbird was still in his hospital robes; clearly still weakened by his time with the Bogeywoman but restless to not stay in bed. They had passed by the room where the three children had been talking and laughing.
“I had given you three months, old friend”, Vincent sneered.
“I take it you are choosing to arrest them then”, Michael responded.
“I should. I am still not impressed. They are no Golden Guardian.”
“I am not training them to be, unless you prefer I do?” The two went upstairs and then entered a darkened room. Lying on the bed was a woman hooked up to several machines. Vincent gripped her hand, and the body reached by curling her fingers around his own. Michael felt his heart sink seeing her after all these years.
“I am not doing this to be cruel, Michael. You remember when you hung up your cape for good? Remember what you promised me? And now you are doing this again? Are those children it?”

“I see. So that is your stance then, hmm?”
“The Silver Guardian went berserk Baymark Square. The Hunter is running amok at night. And that ghost caused panic on Main. Frankly the only sane one is that Splintergirl.”
“Splinterbark”, Michael corrected.
“Whatever. The point is, I won’t let you ruin their lives…not like you did to her.” He glanced at the woman and his grip tightened. Vincent slumped on the chair; clearly tired.
“Michael, I am giving you until the end of the year to stop them.”
“I don’t control Hunter or the ghost kid. And you really think this old fossil can handle an 8ft tall angel with guns?” Vincent shot from his chair and grabbed the edge of his coat and gripped Michael up to his face.
“For the sake of their future, Michael. Stop them or I will.”
****

The sterile while tiles were the first thing that Reed saw upon opening his eyes. His chest felt heavy and his whole body ached with a steady flaming throbbing pain. It was a grueling task to sit upright and he was trying to not wince loudly on movement.
Then he felt large arms grasp him around the middle and give him a squeeze.
“Reed! Oh thank god you’re okay!” Thomas cried out.
“Ow ow ow ow, Thomas! Multiple backstabs, remember?!” Thomas released his friend leaving him doubled over gasping for breath and wrapping his own arms around him to press down the pain. The back of Reed’s hospital gown was partially open and Thomas could see several red splotches seeping through bandages on his back. A prang of guilt struck him and he slumped in his chair and began to tug at his gloves.
“I’m sorry…I’m so sorry. I’d understand if you didn’t want to be my friend anymore.” Reed raised an eyebrow at the statement.
“Well it is true this is the second time you have put me in the hospital so I am questioning how safe this friendship is for my health.” He chuckled with a small effort to lighten the mood, but Thomas was still a bit huddled on his chair. It was clearly still bothered by what happened.
“How did I get here anyway”, Reed inquired.
“You don’t remember?”

“To be honest, all I can remember is falling into darkness towards the Goliath before everything went white.” Thomas shoved his chair closer until he could lean his elbow on the bed railing.
“There was an explosion of light and we found you, well Reed you, lying face down in the water. Mom put you among the other victims for the police to find.”
“That explains why my throat feels raw. And Goliath? And the Bogeywoman?”
“The police took her without a struggle back to King’s Island. But…we didn’t find Goliath and I swam to the bottom of that reservoir several times. There was no trace of him. You…didn’t vaporize him by any chance did you?”
“No I…I don’t know. Honestly sometimes when I’m the Guardian I don’t have full control of what I do. Ah. Shelly! What about Shelly? And Jinn and…eugh…Hunter?”
“Shelly’s fine. I just left her in the hospital cafeteria a few minutes ago. As for Hunter and Jinn, I don’t know. They disappeared the same time as Goliath.” A knock came at his door and Shelly peeked her head in. She was dressed in her own gown with Frix on her shoulder.
“Hey, you two done making out? Wow, Reed, and I thought you looked bad at the reservoir.” Reed grumbled about her bedside manners as she took a chair on his opposite side. There was a bit of a pause before she finally said,

“So…what did the Bogeywoman scare you with?” The two boys were a bit off guard. Reed looked nervously at Thomas while his friend just gestured a hand towards Shelly.
“It is not something I like talking about.”
“Look Reed, I get it. But it has to do with Hunter doesn’t it? We’re partners, Reed. I can’t help you if you don’t trust me. I mean, I’m still scared I won’t be good enough of a partner.”
“You…still think that, huh?” Reed uttered before looking at Thomas hoping he’d back him up in keeping the secret. Thomas shrugged, looked at Shelly, then back at Reed before nodding his head. Reed gripped the ends of his blanket nervously before inhaling deeply and acquiesced. He told her everything that had happened that night one year ago. About Hunter fighting the monster without a care of those around him. How Reed had tried to save a kid. How he had watched his mother be buried under rock and the anger on his father’s face. About how angry and guilty he felt. He could not look at her or Thomas as he told this and just stared at his knees underneath the blanket. He imagined they were looking at him with horror and disgust as he left everything out. Just talking about it made him start sobbing. When he had finished, Shelly had gently placed a hand on his upper back careful to not touch any of his wounds.
“Reed…why didn’t you tell me this before?” Reed had to force himself to look at her. She appeared sympathetic-something he wasn’t understanding.
“I…I thought if you knew what I had done…you’d see me less of a hero.”
“Well I am a bit miffed with you, but more like you honestly think such a silly thing that you think so lowly of me. The ring picked you, didn’t it? You were already acting like a hero even before the ring. You save that kid didn’t you? And don’t forget out plum topped chap over here.” Reed buried his face in his hands and hissed at Thomas for revealing that piece of his past.

“In all seriousness, Reed; I don’t think you’d be the Guardian if you are as such a bad person as you think you are.”
“She is right, you know. And I am the one who almost became the bad guy, remember?” Thomas added. “Speaking of which, I am thankful you did stop me, Reed.”
“Not to mention if it really was your fault, that means you’ve got a cool backstory and redemption arc. Which is so not fair! Even Thomas has cooler powers and a backstory too”, Shelly wined.
“You have the strangest set of priorities, Shelly. And I am sure you two would do the same for me if I ever crossed the line,” Reed responded.
“Ha you being the villain? If anything, Shelly is more likely to be the fallen hero”, Thomas jibbed.

“And just what is what supposed to mean?” Shelly snarled.
“Well you know what they say about short people being closer to hell…”
“And guess where you’re going Dummy Phantom!”
“How am I friends with the two of you again?” Reed groaned as he cupped his head in his hands to steady his headache; prompting laughter from the other two.
“So, Thomas, I suppose the Spector Streak will be coming with us on our adventures from now on? Oh! The Super S Squad! Or how about Triple S?” She was so caught up in the prospect of a team, she was unaware of the discomfort Thomas was showing. He tugged at his gloves again.

“As…cool as that would be, I don’t think I can do that. I don’t think I am cut out for this hero thing. But if you need Spector, I’ll be there.” Frix narrowed his eyes at the boy. Thomas was not telling them something. Shelly had a noted look of disbelief as well but was concealed by a gentle smile.
“I understand. Besides, Reed has his hands full keeping me alive. I don’t think he can babysit another partner”, she teased promoting more jibbing from Thomas and sheer embarrassment from Reed.
“Auxiliary or not, you’re one of us. And we’re gonna kick Oozeboo’s butt and totally get statues in the Hero Museum! Triple S Squad for the future!” Shelly stuck her hand out over Reed’s lap. Reed grumbled that her overenthusiasm was mortifying, but he did not hesitate to place his hand in the center. Frix joined and they were now all looking at Thomas. The boy shrunk a little. After everything they were willing to have faith in him. Then again, Shelly trusted Hunter. If she could do that, there was not anything he had to be scared of.
“Triple S Squad for the future!” he chimed in.
“Please stop doing that you two. We are not making that stick.”
The End