Artemis Volume 10

**Fall Of The Phoenix**

Started February 5th

Finished February 21st

Line Count:

Terra - 219

Tempest - 127

Millie - 115

Amelia - 115

Ivan - 40

## Issue 1 - Glowing Red Devil

Someone put down a radio. Playing quiet folk music. A girl sat down next to a fire. There was two other men. They were all dirty and beaten. One of the guys had a blanket around the girl. She was shivering. They were all metas.

???: On one, two three. Our identities are nothing anymore. We’re free!

They had birth certificates. Their names were Seta, Emon, and Dimes.

Dimes: So, you guys wanna see some card tricks?

Seta: Your card tricks suck.

Dimes: Oh come on! I know we can’t use our powers guys, let’s just make light of the situation. Come on. Pick a card.

Emon: Okay okay, if you’’ll stop asking.

Emon took a card.

Dimes: Okay, don’t show me your card. Put it back in the pile.

Seta: Ugh, this is stupid.

Dimes: Shhh! You’re going to see magic!

Emon put his card back condescendingly. Dimes shuffled the cards.

Dimes: Is this your card?!

Dimes took out a card.

Emon: Holy shit…

Dimes: You don’t have to be a dick, it’s not that impressive.

The card was the least of his worries. In the distance there was a figure illuminated in red.

Emon: Seta! Fire out! Kick it over!

Seta fired a huge blast of water into the fire and Dimes kicked it over.

Emon: Grab onto me. I’ll guide us.

The two grabbed onto Emon. He guided them through the dark. They heard steps around them. Ruffling in the distance.

Dimes: It’s not safe...We’re fucked.

Emon: Shut up! We will make it through this.

Something ran in.

Emon: Duck!

It took out a sword that flickered blue. He slashed at the group, but missed. Someone else dropped in from the roof. He had wings.

???: Everyone, just come softly with us. We won’t hurt yo-

Dimes threw a bunch of cards right over the two’s necks. Close enough to slice them right off.

Dimes: We aren’t going anywhere with you fucking maniacs.

A red shot rang through the air. A bullet ripped through Dimes’s head. Through the hole, Terra’s face was seen. She put away her gun and stood in front of everyone. Glowing a raging red.

???: Terra! What the fuck?!

Terra: That doesn’t sound like a thank you for saving your life.

Seta fired a blast of water at Terra. Before it even hit her, her water fell to the ground. As Terra extended her hand out. Seta turned pale, crouched over and threw up.

Emon stared at Terra in pure fear. She held out her hand. And he fainted from a sudden blood loss.

Polybus: Try and help a little bit more, Ludus.

Ludus looked at the two like they were crazy.

Ludus: You didn’t need to shoot that guy! Polybus is fast enough to dodge a card!

Terra: Why do you care? We don’t want anything going wrong when we’re this close.

Polybus: Tisipone and Alekto got their targets. They're going back to a camp.

Terra: Let’s get out of here.

Ludus: You’re acting almost as heartless as Athena.

Terra: You didn’t seem to have a problem before.

Ludus: I never liked the way you handled this! It’s so...brutal.

Terra: That’s how it is. I’m doing all I can to help people. It’s pretty obvious I can’t save everyone.

Polybus: That’s enough out of you two. Let’s take these people out.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Terra, Polybus, and Ludus walked into a big house. Amelia was sitting on the couch with Lobo. Millie was cooking dinner. Millie and Amelia both had rings around their ring fingers.

Ludus: Hey Millie! I can help with dinner!

Lobo: What about the necklace?

Amelia: My necklace? That has nothing to do with these, it was a gift from my brother. I can’t believe I tried giving it back to him.

Lobo: giving it back?

Amelia: I didn’t think I deserved it. Maybe I didn’t, but hey, it’s the closest thing that reminds me of him. Hey look, Terra’s back.

Lobo: Hello, Terra. Nice to see you’re all back!

Terra: Of course we’re back.

Lobo: How was it Ludus, did you atleast swipe at them?

Ludus: I’ve been at this for like, three years. Why do you always have to say that?

Terra: It’s been five years.

Millie: Hey Terra, you wanna bring those metas up?

Terra: Yeah.

Terra went downstairs, to see a group of 100 or so metas all crammed into the basement.

Terra: All of you, come with me. I hope you’re all ready to move.

Meta: Where are we going? Will it be better?

Terra: You won’t have to deal with humans. That’s what I told you.

Meta: Yeah! Anything to not be locked up like an animal!

Terra: Lets go.

A girl walked up next to Terra as she moved the mob out of Millie’s house.

Girl meta: You don’t seem nearly as great as metas say you are. Well, the ones who are still around.

Terra: What makes you say that?

Girl meta: This isn’t my place, but I was a psychologist before people found out about my powers. You seem like a ghost. Almost like a reanimated corpse the way you go from place to place, taking metas out. To most of us, you’re the devil. They called you the Glowing Red Devil. Or just, the devil. You scare all of us. You’re unpredictable.

Terra: And you’re Satan girl. I’ve heard it all. And yet I help people. That’s what makes me unpredictable, huh?

Girl meta: Pretty much, yeah.

Terra: I don’t care who I am to others. The only reason I’m here now is to write my wrongs. Let’s just get this over with.

Terra gathered the mob of metas in a circle after some time. She held up her skyland trinket. And everyone was beamed up.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

An entire new city had been erected by Hesial and the Olympians. Having metas there was hard, but it was similar to having normal gods present. Terra walked the group of metas into the city. They were all looking around wondrously. It was a whole new dimension after all. Terra let the metas free, and saw other metas who were adjusting to society. They had changed clothes to fit the Olmypian status quo. Some even had children. Terra walked home, past a saloon. Two metas rolled out.

Meta: You seriously wanna do this right now?!

Meta: I was just minding my own business!

Meta: I don’t care where we moved to! It’s still survival of the fittest!

The two metas stopped fighting immediately as they saw Terra.

Terra: I brought you both here to live in a society where you can be civil. If you wanna fight, I won’t hesitate to bring you back. Or worse.

Meta: Yeah, remember your friend Fletcher?

Terra: I remember him. I haven’t forgotten about any of you. Everything’s changing. Adjust, or be left behind. You got it?

Meta: Y-yeah.

Terra walked away.

Meta: Fucking devil…

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Terra returned home. She didn’t talk to anyone, just went into her room, She just felt the emotions boil up again. She went into her bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. It felt black and white to her. No color anywhere. She just sat down, and let it out. Silently sobbing into the sink.

Lobo: Did any of you see Terra come in?

Ludus: I did. She went in her room.

Lobo: Maybe I should check on her.

Amelia: I’d leave her alone for a second. She’ll come out when she’s ready.

Polybus: So, you are really Aphrodite’s kid?

Ludus: Yeah, I’m pretty sure you know that.

Polybus: My father was Hermes.

Ludus realized that Polybus never talked like this. He was normally quiet. Doing what he had to and that was it.

Ludus: O-oh. Nice. That makes sense.

Polybus: Both of our parents, they were cut down by him, Ivan.

Ludus: That’s um, sudden.

Polybus: Sudden how?

Ludus: Oh sorry I didn’t mean it like that! I swear!

Millie sat down next to the pair, laughing at Ludus.

Millie: It’s okay, what were you saying, Polybus?

Polybus: It’s hexing. He’s attacked twice in the span of eleven years. For Olympian time, that’s quick. Considering our time is forever. Or at the very least a very long time. It’s been eight years since his last attack. What if he returns?

Ludus: I’m confident Hesial would’ve put up defenses. She wouldn’t let it happen again.

Polybus: That could mean even more people like me and Ludus. With parents who were lost before their time.

Millie: I think I can kind of understand. My parents left for work one day and just, never came back.

Ludus: That’s horrible.

Polybus: What did they do for work?

Millie: They worked with B.L.A.D.E. They went into space. When Kris left for college I nearly had a heartattack. I’m so overprotective. He’s my last family. Who knows what could’ve happened to them in space.

Amelia: Me, Donny and Riley only ever knew our mom. Good thing she was a deadbeat. You guys had to go through so much.

Millie: Hey, what happened to Riley?

Amelia: Oh, she got a new job.

Polybus: Doing what?

Amelia: I don’t know. She doesn’t tell me anything nowadays. It seems like a really busy job. I wish I could talk to her more.

Terra came out of her room. She sat down with the crew.

Terra: Hey, what are you guys talking about?

Polybus: Family. We all seem to share the fact that our parents are well, gone.

Terra: Hah. My mom was...never there. From what I was told and from what I remember, my dad loved her, but he was scared at the same time. He couldn’t take whatever she was doing to him anymore, and ran. Leaving her with me. That’s when her blue flames showed themselves.

Millie: You were burnt?

Terra: No, I don’t think so. The next day, I was at my grandparents doorstep.

Ludus: She sounds abusive.

Terra: She’s still out there somewhere. It’s too late to look for her now.

Millie: It’s never too late. You could still find her.

Terra: I’m not going to though.

Millie: Just saying, your parents are your parents. I mean, they gave birth to you.

Terra: What part of “I’m not going to” did you miss?

Millie: Okay, okay. Calm down.

Terra realized what she did. She quieted down. Nearly removing herself from the conversation.

Lobo: I wonder if I could’ve known my real mom. The replacement I got wasn’t any better. Maybe I could’ve been a parent.

Polybus: Why can’t you?

Lobo: I’m thirty-one. Why would I have a kid just for him to watch me die?

Polybus: You’re a demi-god. We live longer.

Lobo: I used too many revives. One on Terra, one on Themis. He didn’t come back.

Terra: He did say his soul was damned.

Lobo: And then I used another one on someone special. We dated for a while. Then she found out about my past. Wanted nothing to do with a girl who thought genocide was alright. I’ve got until thirty-three.

There was a silence that swept the room. Ludus touched Lobo’s shoulder.

Ludus: I’m sorry.

Lobo: It’s okay, it’s like I have forever as long as I’m here.

The day crawled to an end. Everyone went to sleep. Terra had trouble, as always.

## Issue 2 - Stragglers

Tempest walked up to a huge door, seemingly about to be demolished, He looked into the city formerly known as Quirin. It was a place metas took refuge in during the war. And it was also San Francisco. He walked past the gate, Two guards at the door saluted him.

Guard: Good morning, General Springer.

Tempest: Good morning men.

Tempest had new cybernetic eyes. They looked just like regular eyes. They were silver. He wore a new set of armor with the word B.L.A.D.E on the back. The same thing all generals are given. looked into the destroyed city. There were building machines going around, beginning to build skyscrapers. Bordon walked up behind Tempest.

Bordon: It took so long to clean up Miss. Lorenz’s mess. But her time in the spotlight is coming to an end.

Tempest: What happened to her?

Bordon: I gave her and her friends a house and told them to shut up. Maybe she’ll finally go away.

Tempest: Was she really that bad, sir?

Bordon: Don’t be all soft on her. She’s a terrorist. You get that?

Tempest: Am I a terrorist too? I was the one to take down the Empire State.

Bordon: Sure, unintentionally. You even killed Integer for me. I still don’t get why Fury kept her alive.

Tempest: She’s gone now. Why are we here anyway?

Bordon: I have business to take care of. A meeting. You’d be bored.

Tempest: I enjoy business negotiations.

Bordon: Then let me say it differently. The meeting is confidential.

Tempest: Should’ve said that from the beginning.

Bordon: You have nothing to do. So go do something. Search for buried treasure or something. Practice your sword skills.

Bordon walked away. Tempest looked around, he was instantly bored. He went over to one of the construction sites. He saw the construction for a huge building.

Tempest: Soldier, what is this?

Soldier: A B.L.A.D.E facility. There’s going to be many throughout the country soon. Maybe even the world.

Tempest: What’s it for?

Soldier: We will be able to connect to world leaders, house our lost soldiers, run more advanced computers, and more! This is the next step in technology. The cybernetic enhancements you were given cost a fortune. But we made many breakthroughs. Metas were the past, cybernetic enhancements are the future.

Tempest: That’s kinda of unsettling. What if we give ourselves powers? Won’t we have the same problem as before?

Soldier: We aren’t like those animals. Humans have no cage.

Tempest: Perhaps our minds are our cages.

Soldier: I don’t do any of that hypothetical shit. I’m just here to do my job.

Tempest walked away, he stumbled over something stuck in the ground.

Tempest: Did these guys seriously not clear this place out?

Tempest pulled the piece of metal out of the ground. It was a red piece of armor.

Tempest: No…Is it really…?

It was like the armor was talking to him.

???: Tempest...Theo...Come here…!

Tempest felt his mind throb and dropped the piece of armor. He picked it back up. No voices. But Tempest thought about his times with Terra.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Three years earlier.

Bordon was standing over Terra. Who seemed really disgruntled.

Bordon: You are not giving up! This is your mess! You caused it!

Terra: You want me to be honest? It’s fucking up my head! They almost killed Lobo this time, my soldiers are falling. I can’t have more deaths on my conscience.

Bordon: Then begin killing them. They tried to kill you, you kill them. If your teammate is really in trouble, you are authorized to use lethal force.

Terra: What part of more deaths on my conscience don’t you get? The job will be done, then we’re done. Forever. No more trying to kill me.

Bordon: Fine.

Bordon shook Terra’s hand. She walked away. Tempest followed her.

Bordon: Where do you think you’re going?

Tempest: I’m leading her out. I’m supposed to be a bodyguard after all.

Terra and Tempest stepped outside.

Terra: You followed me for more than just that. What do you want? You know I’m not in the mood to sneak around and have sex and shit.

Tempest: No. I used B.L.A.D.E’s tech to make this.

Tempest handed a gun to Terra.

Tempest: I called it Lorenz force.

Terra: That supposed to be a joke?

Tempest: Lorentz force is the combination of electric and magnetic force on a certain point because of electromagnetic force.

Terra: So if I was smart, maybe I’d know?

Tempest: Just take the gun. Use it in a tight spot.

Terra: I guess the joke was kinda funny.

Terra took the gun and faked a smile.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Tempest kept the piece of armor with him. He tucked it away safely. He walked away from the construction site. His eyes picked a disturbance up. A group of metas, right under him.

Tempest: Very smart.

Tempest took out his sword, and raised it above himself. He was prepared to stab right through one of the meta’s heads. He looked down as the piece of armor. He thought of the face Terra made as she watched him cut down people with no remorse. He stabbed his sword down and brought it in a circle. He fell into a small underground tunnel. With a bunch of metas, all alive, running for their lives. He teleported in front of them, and stole one of their powers. He made them all sink into the ground.

Tempest: All of you, you’re coming with me.

Meta: Please! We don’t want to go to those camps! We did nothing wrong!

Tempest: It’s the rules. All of you must go into confinement.

Meta: How do you even know we committed war crimes! I was homeless! Then all the metas here stepped all over me, and then the humans came and pushed us underground!

Meta: Yeah! You’re a meta too! Why aren’t you in a jail?

Meta: What makes you better than us?

Tempest: I’m with the winning side. On their side.

Meta: Doesn’t matter! Those camps are a nightmare! Even if their under new management!

Meta: You know what we have to do.

The three metas took out pills. They swallowed them.

Meta: What’s the point of living when you’re locked up like wild animals all of your existence?

All of the metas died from poisoning. Tempest put his sword away. He jumped out of the hole. But he had a bad feeling in his stomach. Everything that he just witnessed was wrong. He got a call from Bordon on his com.

Tempest: What’s up?

Bordon: You sound unsettled. Something scare you?

Tempest: What makes you think that?

Bordon: Nothing. Come meet with me outside of the city. We are going to the MFI camps.

Tempest: Why?

Bordon: Why do you have to ask why so much? I heard complaints about numbers.

Tempest: Terra said she got everyone.

Bordon: Yes. You expect me to trust anyone?

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Bordon and Tempest walked into a MFI camp. They walked past cells. Tempest went up to a random meta.

Tempest: Hey, you. Were any metas ever taken out of here?

Meta: Why would I tell you?

Tempest: Because I asked.

Tempest took out his sword.

Tempest: And I’ll skewer you if you don’t tell me.

The meta grabbed Tempest’s sword and stabbed herself with it.

Meta: I’m stuck here the rest of the life...Why didn’t the Glowing devil kill us all? What’s the sick game she’s playing…?

Tempest: Bordon! There’s a bleeder!

A bunch of medics came after the woman. They pulled her out, and carted her to a medbay.

Bordon: They really want to get out of their crimes, huh? I counted, some escaped. Somehow.

Tempest: How?

Bordon: Hey, quiet. That girl who went to the medbay, we need to go up there and kill her.

Tempest: What? Why?

Bordon: What’s your problem? Popping the W word all the time!

Tempest: She was innocent, and suicidal. No thanks to you.

Bordon smiled.

Bordon: You mean no thanks to Terra. You think I caused any of this?

Tempest: She’s dumb sure, but she had good intentions.

Bordon: Good intentions don’t suddenly make you inexcusable from punishment.

There were screams being heard from the medbay. Kuzu, the girl who stabbed herself jumped down in front of everyone. She had made a blood scythe, and covered her wound with blood from the guards.

Kuzu: Enough blood and voila!

Kuzu’s meta cuffs were broken. Bloody versions of herself appeared behind her and Bordon. Bordon took out a gun. Tempest slashed through both of them. He blitzed Kuzu. She blocked with her bloody scythe and kicked Tempest up into the air. She started drowning him in blood. He broke out with an energy blast.

Kuzu: I’m not going back!

Bordon broke a glass switch and pulled the lever. The water systems in the building went off. All of the blood structures Kuzu has made melted away. She tried to remake her scythe. But Bordon aimed in, and shot her in the chest three times. She fell on the ground.

Kuzu: At last, I’m saved.

Tempest stood above her. He took out his sword regrettably and stabbed her through the back. Killing her.

Bordon: Go to her house, check on her to see how she’s doing per say, Make sure there is nothing suspicious.

Tempest: Yes sir.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Tempest showed up at Terra’s house. He came up the the big double doors and knocked. He heard running, Polybus opened the door, with Amelia behind him.

Amelia: Next time, next time I’ll win,

Polybus: Hey look, it’s Tempest.

Tempest: Hello. I want to talk to Terra.

Polybus let Tempest in.

Polybus: Not planning on killing us or anything, right?

Tempest: What? No.

Terra came out of her room. Tempest was surprised to see her in this state. She looked like she had just gotten out of bed. But all the time.

Tempest: Terra. We came here suspecting you may have let some metas go. Or left out stragglers.

Terra: Are you serious? I don’t want another war starting. Look around, You’ll find no metas.

Tempest: Are you sure?

Amelia came behind Tempest.

Amelia: She’s sure. If you’re going to accuse us of not doing our jobs right, then we’d ask you to leave.

Tempest’s walkie-talkie went off.

Bordon: He can’t leave. It’s my house. I’ve scanned the country. There is indeed no more metas left that I know of. There may be stragglers. But not enough to fight back. Your work is done, Terra. But I have my eye on you.

The walkie talkie gave a conclusive beep.

Tempest: Well, you have it there. Your work is done.

There was a moment of silence. Everyone cheered. Even Terra found some energy.

## Issue 3 - Love and Madness

Everyone clinked their glasses together in a circle and downed their shots.

Terra: To the metas we lost, and the ones stuck in those jails.

Amelia: I can drink to that.

Lobo: It feels like the years went by quickly.

Polybus: I probably won’t forget this. It was very chaotic. Especially with that meta king incident.

Terra: That was hell.

Millie: So, how should we celebrate?

Terra: By finally relaxing, that’s how. I don’t think I ever wanna get into another fight.

Polybus: If anything, the Earth may need us gods even more than before. Me and Ludus may be weaker on Earth, but it doesn’t matter. Metas are gone. You aren’t done Terra.

Terra: Just let me lay down, Polybus.

Terra walked into her room. She laid down. Finally feeling done, at least with this chapter. She heard her friends outside celebrating. But she didn’t even want to get up. Who celebrates over committing genocide? It’s more a funeral than a party. Now that her job was over, what else did she even have to do? She knows she doesn’t deserve a life of freedom after the amount of freedom she took away. Everyone might be better off without her. Millie came into her room and laid down next to Terra.

Millie: You don’t look too good. You’re even more pale than normal. Get it, because your a ginger.

Terra turned over, looking at the ceiling.

Terra: I thought you guys were celebrating.

Millie: Well, it doesn’t feel right without you.

Terra: Why are we enjoying this? We took freedom away from so many. We shouldn’t be celebrating.

Millie: ...I never thought about it that way. I can’t just tell everyone to stop though.

Terra: Yeah, I get it. It’s fine.

Millie: Do you...need someone to talk to? I know I’m always busy with Amelia. But I’m a shoulder to lean on.

Terra: Yeah.

Millie...Okay.

Millie got up. She went for the door.

Terra: I missed most of my twenties, y’know.

Millie stopped. She sat down at the end of Terra’s bed. She stared at the ceiling. And proceeded.

Terra: Twenties is like the time I could’ve had real fun, found myself. Maybe even had a kid.

Millie: Wait. You want a kid?

Terra: Yeah. My family is all but wiped out. I have to continue the family tree. My grandparents were heroes, their the reason I’m alive. I’m 28 now. That’s old for a kid.

Millie: I know people who had kids when their 35. Don’t worry about it. Can you believe that I’m 34 right now?

Terra: Wait, you really are? Where’d the time go?

Millie: Me and Amelia might have a kid, eventually. We’re past due if anything. Already been married for 2 years.

Terra: But...you can’t have a kid.

Millie: We could adopt. Or get a doner. Doesn’t matter.

Terra: Oh yeah. I forgot about all that science stuff. Kids are hard to deal with. Besides, I don’t know if I’ll live that long.

Millie: What?

Terra: I mean, I caused so much pain and destruction. The world’s better off without me.

Millie: Hold on. Please. We’re your friends. We want you to live. If you...did that. You know it’d be a tragedy. You want to spare people from pain, spare us. Maybe you should come outside. I don’t want you to get lost in your own head.

Terra and Millie came out of Terra’s room.

Terra: Hey guys, I think I know somewhere we can go.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Terra, Ludus, Polybus and the rest of the gods were sitting at the meeting/ dinner table. Terra’s friends were there too. Eating the various treats Olympians offered.

Lobo: I can’t believe I would’ve had the honor to eat at one of the Olympian’s dinner parties. This ambrosia is something else!

Hera: And it’ll probably be your last time..,

The two other new Olympians were at the table too. Eris, the goddess of chaos. And Kobu the God of fire.

Millie: I can’t believe we were only here once. This place is amazing.

Hera: That doesn’t change that we still need to speak about rulers. We’ve gone five years without a solid ruler. Just Hesial. Letting Terra open up entire cities for nobodies!

Terra: They need a home.

Hera: You know you took away that home, right?

Terra: And you let Zeus die, and the rest of your kids.

Hera: Wh-Say that again to my face!

Terra stood up and stood right in front of Hera.

Terra: We were all there when Ivan attacked. Who saved your ass?

Athena: Hesial. Don’t act all high and mighty.

Terra: I freed Hesial. If you don’t like my city, go ask her about it. She's more worried about you than me. Because I don’t screw every dude I see.

Terra just turned, and sat down. Ludus was surprised to see her finally do that. He even cracked a smile.

Polybus: Jeez, she really took up Aphrodite’s role now.

Lobo: So, anyone wanna try some Earth food?

Polybus: I hate Earth food!

Lobo: This Earth food is great!

Ludus: It’s a lot more varied than ambrosia and nectar.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Millie, Amelia, and Lobo had gone exploring around Olympus. Eris came up to Terra. She had a red oversized shirt and a red dress that faded to white. She had faded red hair and golden eyes. She wore black gloves as well.

Eris: You are the legendary Terra. I feel like I’ve seen you before.

Terra: Maybe you have. We saw each other briefly when I beamed up to drop off metas. Don’t fuck with them.

Eris: I am the god of chaos. But I wouldn’t trifle with the devil.

Terra: I’m somehow doubting that. What about him over there?

Eris: That fire dude? He’s an enigma. He’s not even from Olympus.

Kobu was chatting with Hera. He seemed like he was trying to seduce her.

Terra: Where else would he be from?

Eris: There are many other dimensions. But who knows where Hesial pulled him from. He’s trouble. Which I would usually like. But he might be trouble for me.

Terra: Why are you even telling me all this?

Eris: Gals support gals. Why do I need a reason? I’m the god of chaos! Unfiltered disarray. I don’t care what happens. But if I can push a problem to become worse, well…

Terra: You will. Of course. Why are you even here?

Eris: I’m the daughter of Zeus and Hera. I should’ve been picked long before you were even conceived of. Delta was smart.

Terra: What do you mean?

Eris: Oh, nothing.

Athena: Stop alienating her, Eris.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Amelia and Millie were walking around the castle.

Millie: Look at all of this…

They were looking at statues and memorabilia.

Millie: Nike? That’s a god?

Amelia: Like the shoe? That’s super weird.

Millie: I never thought Olympian gods really existed. Well, before Terra showed us.

Amelia: Even that dragon lady over there...Really exists?

Millie: Don’t tell me you think that statue over there is hot.

Amelia: If it was real, maybe.

Statue: You think I’m pretty? That is truly humbling.

Amelia and Millie were startled. The statue they were looking at was Hesial. She came over to them.

Hesial: Cool, right? I can transport my consciousness between my multiple selves. And you are real humans. I’m seeing you up close.

Amelia: Terra’s a human though.

Hesial: I wouldn’t go that far. Her blood is interesting. It could be because of her father.

Amelia: Father?

Hesial: So, what do you two desire? Everlasting knowledge? A house? Peeks into your greatest nightmare dimensions?

Millie: So...You can let us see into dimensions?

Amelia: That’s what you caught from that?

Hesial: I can. The other beasts might get mad at me, they say I’m careless. So where did you want to go? There’s a good bunch of choices. Nightmare dimension, Dream dimension, The speed force,

Amelia: Hey, speed force? I’ve been there.

Hesial: Oh, and there’s the Astral Realm. But I don’t like that place.

Amelia: Yeah, I hate that place.

Millie: It’s probably a bad idea to look into other universes. Who knows what we might see.

Hesial: There’s lots of things that humans can’t comprehend. Unimaginable beings of pure destruction, or just dead people.

Amelia: ...Hey, can I go to the Astral Realm? Or atleast look in there?

Hesial: That’s sudden. Are you sure?

Amelia: Yeah, I think.

Millie: Amelia...Don’t tell me.

Amelia: I just want to see if he’s still there.

Millie: I don’t think you do.

Hesial: A loved one? They don’t usually stay in the Astral Realm. You can’t fully go in there. That’s against the rules. But I can give you a window of sorts.

Millie: I don’t know if you should, Amelia. Terra seemed pretty shaken last time she went in there.

Amelia: Lucky for you, I’m not going in. Just a peek. Please let me do this.

Hesial: Your willingness to never let go is your weakness Amelia.

Amelia: It can be a strength too. Show me.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hesial stood next to Amelia in front of a portal.

Hesial: You will be seeing through the lens of Skyland into the Astral Realm. Things may seem weird. This place attracts fears and other things. You’ll find what you're looking for. I can sense your fear.

Amelia: Just send my in.

Amelia walked through the portal. The Astral Plane looked slightly different than the last time. She was floating in the air. The stars she saw a long time ago were now clearly lost souls. Drifting about.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Lobo was walking throughout the new city for metas. She walked into a bar. She saw metas talking to each other, and laughing. She smiled. Lobo came up to the bar.

Bartender: What do you want?

Lobo: I don’t like to drink. Maybe some water.

Bartender: Suit yourself.

Lobo: So, this city is all made of metahumans? Interesting. How many did Terra bring up?

Bartender: Who? People call her the devil. Maybe she wanted us to be free. So why did she kill or jail everyone else up? It’s some sick game.

Lobo: Yes. She really is playing a sick game. I’ve known her for 11 years after all.

Bartender: I can’t believe you’ve been able to deal with her for that long. We do appreciate the freedom. There’s millions of us here though.

Lobo: Millions...Hm. That sounds like fun.

Bartender: Sure, for a small woman you act weird.

Lobo: Everyone seems to say that about me.

Terra came into the bar. Everyone quieted down.

Terra: Hey Lobo. What are you doing here?

Lobo: Hi Terra! I was just having a drink. I wanted to see this city for myself. It’s so beautiful.

Terra: Hesial outdid herself.

Lobo: It must be a big change. All the greek architecture.

Terra: I didn’t know you even knew anything about that.

Lobo: I dabble.

Terra looked around. She saw that nobody was even talking. Or they were whispering.

Terra: You can all continue talking. I’m just like you. I’m a customer.

Bartender: Wh-what do you want?

Terra: Your strongest drink.

Lobo: You really don’t have to disrespect Miss Lorenz here. She wants you to be free.

Bartender: Didn’t you just sa-

Lobo smiled sincerely.

Lobo: Please, make this drink your best for Terra.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Amelia saw him. Donny was drifting through the ocean of spirits. Amelia was somehow able to make it up to him.

Amelia: Donny? Is that really you?

Donny looked up. He looked incredibly tired. His face of sorrow immediately brightened up.

Donny: Amelia…? You’re here to save me?! I’m so happy to see you!

Amelia was nearly crying.

Amelia: Yeah...Me too.

Donny: Please, get me out of here. He won’t let me move on. All I see is black.

Donny tried to hug Amelia, he phased right through her.

Donny: What…? Are you really here? Am I crazy?

Amelia: No. I’m here. I’m here.

Donny: Please, get me out. I see nothing but blackness. Will it be like this forever? I don’t want it to be that. Please.

Amelia: I’ll get you out of here. I’ll find a way. I will.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hesial: Shit. We have to get her out. He’s close.

Millie: Whose close?

Hesial: Marxes. We can’t let him get her.

Hesial summoned some of her power, and pulled Amelia out of the portal. She fell on the ground. Crying her eyes out.

Millie: I told you...you didn’t want to see whatever it was.

Amelia: He’s stuck. Forever.

Hesial: Imagine seeing nothingness forever. But being conscious that you are seeing nothing.

Amelia: I need to get him out! Let me back in!

Hesial: You can’t. If you wanted to succeed in getting him out, you’d have to be dead. I would personally wait until you die.

Millie: Is it better than not knowing, Amelia?

Amelia: I don’t know. He could’ve been getting tortured for eternity by Ivan. I’ll find him. I can have a family here. Maybe I can make up for it. Or atleast do right by what Donny would want me to do.

## Issue 4 - Behind the Mask

Terra was outside, she was gardening. She stood up to grab her shovel to dig out a trench with. But it wasn’t there. She walked over to the shed. But she heard rustling in the woods. Curious, she walked into the woods. She looked around. It was just a deer. She smiled, the deer jumped out of a bush. Terra came towards it slowly. It came up close to her and let her pet it.

Terra: Aw. I’m surprised you’re wandering so close to the house.

Deer: Yes. I do like to wander.

Terra: What the-I must be going crazy.

???: No. That deer is special.

The deer smiled creepily. It backed into the bushes. Ivan came up from behind Terra.

Ivan: Shhhh. Don’t scream.

Ivan put his hand on Terra’s shoulder from behind. Terra looked up, and saw him looking straight down at her. Smiling. He put his hand on her face,

Ivan: Stay there, or I’ll kill everything you love. You know I’m not bluffing.

Terra’s heart was beating out of her chest.

Ivan: On your knees.

Terra silently got to her knees. She felt Ivan put his hands on her head. She screamed out in agony and defeat, A completely primal scream. The deer changed form. The last thing Terra saw was someone put an umbrella over their head.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Terra jumped out of bed. She woke up crying. Lobo burst in the room.

Lobo: Terra! What’s wrong? It’s almost three in the morning. I heard you crying and screaming from my room.

Terra could barely form a sentence. She was just crying. Trying to make her tears diminish. Lobo came to her and held Terra against her chest.

Lobo: Let it out. It’s okay. I’m here. Your family is here.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

It was morning. Terra came out of her room. She was exhausted. She wasn’t able to sleep at all. Lobo came out of the shower. Everyone else was awake. She went over to the kitchen and saw some food that was left out. She just grabbed some toast. She didn’t know why, but she could barely eat. She drank her apple juice though. Lobo came into the room with a bathrobe on.

Lobo: You’re finally up.

Terra: What time is it?

Lobo: Like 1 pm.

Terra: I didn’t even sleep.

Lobo: Maybe go back and try and sleep again?

Terra: I’ve already wasted enough of the day.

Lobo: Well, what do you want to do?

Terra: ...Maybe I should go back to sleep. I don’t even feel like doing anything…

Lobo: Well, Millie and Amelia are out. The other guys are up in Olympus. So we have the house to ourselves.

Terra: Oh.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Amelia and Millie were walking in a parking lot.

Amelia: I still really hate driving.

Millie: Yeah, but if someone sees you using your powers…

Amelia: We’ve got authority, it’s fine.

Millie: I think T.H.O.R.N. was disbanded. Bordon gave us the house and told us to shut up.

They came up to the store “Henry Hall’s gizmos.” There was a guard standing in front. With some sort of detector.

Guard: Through here.

Millie pulled out her B.L.A.D.E badge.

Guard: O-Oh. I beg your pardon.

The Guard shut off the detectors and both of them walked through. As Amelia walked through she swore she saw someone familiar.

Amelia: Millie, look.

Millie looked over in the corner of the store.

Millie: What? There’s nothing there.

Amelia: I swear to god I just saw that masked man we fought during the war.

Millie: Calm down Amelia. Your brain might still be scattered from Skyland.

Amelia: Well, for one I’m stuck at a crossroads. Hesial said it herself. I can’t help Donny if I’m alive. So do I…?

Millie: What is it with people wanting to kill themselves? Maybe it’s selfish for me to say please don’t. But please don’t. We’re married. You remember the talk we had about kids?

Amelia: Yeah. I dunno. Are we ready?

They sat down on some of the furniture in the store.

Millie: I think so.

Amelia: Who would have the kid?

Millie: I’ll do it. I don’t want you to deal with all of it.

Amelia laughed.

Amelia: What if I want to deal with all of it? You always get yourself into trouble. If I’m staying alive, then I wanna do it. Gives me even more of an excuse not to use my speed in a lethal way.

Millie: I thought you were done having tantrums.

Amelia: Debatable. Also, why are we even talking about this in a store?

Millie: Didn’t want Lobo or Terra to hear. I mean, this is a private thing.

A gunshot was heard close.

Millie: It wasn’t just me that heard that, right?

Amelia: Nope.

Millie got up.

Millie: Fucking seriously? You know the drill.

Amelia: Won’t we get in trouble?

Millie: I don’t care. Do you?

Amelia: True. I’ll get people out. You do what you do best.

Millie: Yep.

Millie ran towards where the gunshot was heard. Amelia looked around and saw a backup exit. Time slowed down around her. She grabbed a bunch of people and got them out. She saw three people with bullets right in front of their face. She pushed the bullets out of the way one at a time and double checked. She grabbed the last three people out of the store.

Millie: Amelia! Looks like you were right!

The mask stood at the front of the store.

Millie: He was supposed to be gone.

Amelia: Let’s go.

Millie: Hey Amelia, there’s an upstairs if you didn’t know.

Amelia: Goddamnit. You have this guy?

Millie: Yeah.

Amelia: This’ll be awesome. I saw it in a movie once.

She put in headphones. The mask threw a grenade at Amelia and shot a bunch of bullets. They practically froze in the air to Amelia. She grabbed the grenade and threw it back at The mask and moved the bullets away from Millie. Amelia ran up the stairs and saw a bunch of people looking for exits. She looked at the glass in the store.

Amelia: Ugh.

Amelia ran back downstairs and grabbed a bullet out of the air. She brought the bullet upstairs and watched it destroy the glass. She saw everyone go to duck. She grabbed two people and ran them to the parking lot. She grabbed the next three and did the same. She came back and looked around. She saw a man screaming and two of his hotdogs in the air. She ate one of his hotdogs and put the other back in his plate and ran him out. She came back to the parking lot where she had everyone. And she saw The mask go flying out of the window from the grenade explosion. The mask rolled to his feet.

Amelia: Everyone! Get back to your cars and run! All of this never happened!

Millie got punched in the face by The mask. He leg sweeped her onto the ground and held a gun to her face. Amelia ran over and threw The mask off of Millie. He hit the wall of the store hard. Amelia came up and punched him at super speed. Somehow, he took out his knife and swung it at Amelia nearly at her same speed. She jumped back.

Millie: So, how are we going to take this guy down?

Amelia: You have a blast saved up?

Millie: Yeah.

Amelia: Get ready. Keep him busy real quick.

Amelia ran away, running down the highway. A kid looked out the window of a car.

Kid: Mom! Dad! Look! That blue streak!

Mom: Blue streak? I doubt it.

Kid: I know what I saw!

The mask swung his knife at Millie. She just barely dodged it. She took out her own knife and blocked a shot. The next slice she also tried to block, but Millie’s feeble blade was broken right off, and she was sliced across the chest and her stomach.

Millie: Seriously?! You slice me in the tit? That’s literally my favorite part of the body!

Millie saw the blue streak that was Amelia. She immediately let out her blast she had been saving up. Amelia ran in and punched the Mask right in the face with all of her built up momentum. There was a huge bang, likely the sound barrier being broken multiple times right in The mask’s face. He went flying all the way through the store and came out the back, knocked out. Amelia was hit by Millie’s blast though.

Millie: You okay?

Amelia stood up.

Amelia: Shit, he stabbed you in the boob? That’s my favorite part of the body!

They went over to the Mask.

Millie: Time to finally unmask this piece of shit.

Amelia grabbed The mask’s mask.

Mask: Hey! Don’t pull like that!

Millie: What the…?

Amelia: A feminine voice?

The mask got to his feet slowly. His body shifted into something else. Someone else.

Eris: Congratulations. You two were able to outwit an Olympian god. I just had to kill a bitch to get my golden seeds back. I wasn’t expecting to see you here. This store was just begging to be shot up.

Millie: You were working for Simon?!

Eris: Yeah. I just wanted info on Tempest. And Simon helped me cause lots and lots of chaos. So, you two wanna know some place you can have fun?

Amelia: What?

Millie: You harassed us all throughout the war!

Amelia: Yeah, fuck you.

Millie: Come on, let’s go Amelia. I think I’m driving.

Millie picked up Amelia like a bride and brought her to their car.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Terra sat down on her bed.

Terra: Fuck it. Lets try this.

Terra got into her meditation stance. And started meditating. She tried to let the thoughts fly away. But her mind was clouded. Everytime they started to fly away she saw another meta she killed. Out of nowhere, she saw Stick, of all people cut off the head of one of the metas.

Terra: This isn’t real…

Terra suddenly fell down. She landed on a thin layer of water. Stick stood in front of her.

Stick: God, you disappointed me. Y’know, if you stayed with me you wouldn’t be having the same problems you are having today.

Terra: The fuck? This isn’t real. Am I dreaming?

Stick: Yes, and no. I’m connecting our minds. Your one second of successful meditation made it so I could. You really fell from grace. You really should stop being a pussy.

Terra: You only come to me when you want something. What is it?

Stick: Well...

## Issue 5 - Golden Goddess

Terra: What do you want? Spill it.

Stick: I’m putting together a new team. The Chaste is all but dead. Except for me, of course.

Terra: Yeah, how are you not dead?

Stick: Just extending my life. If us humans focus enough we can live like demigods. I have a new mission that I think you would be intrigued by.

Terra: Well, it’s not like I know my way out of this. What do you want?

Stick: I want to take down B.L.A.D.E.

Terra laughed.

Terra: You know that’s impossible, right?

Stick: The word impossible is why you’re a depressed shell of your former self. B.L.A.D.E is poisoning the world. Eventually, we’ll be just like you. A shell.

Terra: Fuck off.

Stick: I basically raised you. I can never fuck off.

Terra: I never saw you as a father. My grandparents raised me, not you!

Stick: I’m here to help when needed. You know that B.L.A.D.E is fucking everything up better than anyone else.

Terra: True. But I’m not ready to work with you.

Stick: You’ll mature sooner or later.

Terra woke up. She had fallen asleep again.

Terra: What the hell…

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Millie and Amelia were driving home. Millie’s phone started ringing.

Car: Call from: President Bordon.

Amelia: Bordon?

Millie: Well, you can’t hang up on the president.

Millie answered.

Millie: Hello?

Bordon: What was that I just heard about, Millie?

Millie: What was what?

Bordon: You and Amelia destroying a store! What were you doing?!

Millie: We were saving the store, actually.

Amelia: Remember that Mask guy? He was there. We had to stop him from killing people!

Bordon: You two are getting close to your last chance. So tell me, Millie. Terra won’t pick up, so what happened to the ten million metas that just disappeared from the jails?!

Amelia: Shit, I’ve never heard him this pissed.

Millie: You trying to say we suck at our jobs? I’m pretty sure we got all of them. Tell me, you see any spread across the country?

Bordon: No. Ten million metas wouldn’t have gotten away that easily.

Millie: Guess it remains a mystery. They pulled a big disappearing act. Or maybe killed themselves.

Bordon: Well you’re lying. Tempest saw it. Terra did something. He sensed the hundreds of metas in your basement. You hear that? Hundreds!

Millie: There must be some sort of misunderstanding!

Bordon: There is no misunderstanding! You set free millions of metahumans! That wasn’t the deal!

A figure landed in front of Millie and Amelia’s car. They grabbed the car and crushed the hood with an iron grip. They flipped the car over his head. Amelia felt herself lose consciousness for a second. Millie was trying to wake her up.

Millie: Amelia! Get up! Get up! Run as fast as you can!

Amelia: What’s happening?!

The car was flipped over. Eris propped her umbrella up

Eris: I’ve also been hired by Bordon and his minion. I thought word spread fast around B.L.A.D.E.

Millie: Goddamnit!

Millie let out a blast she had stored up from the crash. She shot Amelia out of the car.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

There was a knock at the door. Lobo answered it.

Lobo: Oh, Tempest? What a surprise to see you here.

Tempest: Hi Lobo. I just um, wanted to see Terra.

Lobo: Oh, okay. Sure. I hope she isn’t still asleep.

Lobo went into Terra’s room and checked on her. She was still asleep.

Lobo: Hey Terra! Wake up!

Terra: Ugh...what…?

Lobo: Tempest’s here.

Terra: Tempest? Oh. Let him in I guess.

Tempest came into Terra’s room.

Tempest: Hi Terra. I just needed a break from Bordon.

Terra sat up and moved her hair out of her face.

Terra: Yeah. I dunno why you came here of all places. But you can sit down.

Tempest sat down on Terra’s bed.

Terra: What did you want?

Tempest: Maybe this was a bad idea. I’m bothering you, aren’t I?

Terra: No, no. I need to do something anyway.

Tempest: You seem so different. What is it you like to do again?

Terra: Not much, really.

Tempest: You liked Bibble and Sip. Why don’t we try and replicate their recipes?

Terra: Nah, just lay down with me.

Tempest: Why? What does that accomplish?

Terra: I can’t motivate myself. At all. At least I had something to do when I got metas. Especially when I brought them to Skyland. I almost wish my life was completely normal.

Tempest: How are you even opening up to me?

Terra: How? It’s called venting, you should try it. Let me show you. I honestly want all this to end. I should either die or maybe have a normal life.

Tempest: Die? Why would you want that?

Terra: You know how many people died because of me? 120 million and more. Why should I still be alive?

Tempest: You need to be cheered up.

Terra: Maybe you venting will cheer me up.

Tempest: Fine. Uh, here’s one. I’m tired of Bordon. The last five years, since I left you, I’ve felt so empty inside. I don’t even know why I like you. You are kind of stupid, to be honest.

Terra: Not offended.

Tempest: But I can teach you things. And you can teach me things. When I’m constantly learning is when I feel like I’m able to be me. Bordon just makes me do mission after mission expecting me to kill anything in my way.

Terra: Maybe I feel a little more happy.

Tempest: I heard this thing in a show. It’s called “moving too fast” would it be moving too fast if we got together again?

Terra: What do you mean?

Tempest: See, this is what I mean. I mean us, dating. Obvious-

Terra: Yeah, I knew what you meant. I just wanted to hear you say it.

Terra smiled at Tempest.

Tempest: Maybe we should start with getting you a therapist.

Terra: Maybe. I dunno if you’d really want to deal with me. It’s not like us dating is just going to cure me of depression.

Amelia burst into the house. She looked around for people. She looked in Terra’s room and saw Tempest and Terra. She grabbed Tempest off the bed and threw him off the bed into Terra’s mirror. Cracking it. She punched him in the gut.

Terra: What the fuck Amelia! What was that for?!

Amelia: What did you and Bordon do?!

Tempest threw Amelia off of him.

Tempest: I didn’t do anything!

Terra: Okay! Everyone shut up! What did Tempest do, Amelia?

Amelia: Him and Bordon agreed to let that bitch attack me and Millie! Now thanks to them, she’s gone!

Terra: What do you mean gone?

Amelia: She took her! Probably to a B.L.A.D.E base!

Terra: Who took her?!

Amelia: Eris! That new god!

Tempest: Me and Bordon did hire her. But I didn’t order her to attack you both. Let me show you I’m loyal to you by helping you, okay?

Terra: I swear to god Tempest...Please don’t tell me you’re lying.

Tempest: I’m not! I really want to be with you!

Lobo came into the room.

Lobo: What’s going on?

Tempest: We’ve got a rescue mission to go on.

## Issue 6 - Chaos

Tempest: Terra, are you up to go on another mission?

Terra: Not like I have a choice. Eris might be the only one who wants to listen to me.

Terra called her armor to herself. They heard things banging downstairs until the armor came, Lobo jumped out of the way as the armor came in the room. It fitted right to her. Even though the armor was a bit too big for her now.

Amelia: Tempest, what do you think happened to Millie?

Tempest: She will be okay. B.L.A.D.E doesn’t usually do toture. They may just want to lock Millie up. Did you do anything B.L.A.D.E might not like?

Amelia: Well...We saved a store when The mask attacked.

Tempest: So you used your powers out in the open?

Amelia: Pretty much.

Tempest: Yeah, that isn’t good. Bordon doesn’t want anyone using their powers. Now people will think that metahumans are back. Do you know how fast information spreads these days?

Amelia: I see what you mean, but people were in danger! People would have gotten shot!

Terra: Wait, so The mask attacked you? I thought he was gone.

Amelia: Me too. It turns out The mask was actually Eris all along.

Lobo: What a twist.

Terra: Eris...That bitch. Remember this scar?

Terra showed a faded scar on her neck.

Terra: That was her. She would’ve killed me if it wasn’t for Delta’s help.

Tempest: Well, we have to start thinking of a plan.

Amelia: Should we ask for Delta? Can you reach her, Terra?

Terra: Delta’s doing her own thing now. I haven’t talked to her in a month or so, but she’s….busy.

Tempest: I will go back to Bordon. I’ll act like I’m still on his side. His precognition is still partly up to his suggestion. He can see many scenarios of what I’ll do. He still expects me to be on his side. So I doubt he’ll suspect me. I’ll go in and try and meet with Eris. If I can get Millie out without you interfering I will.

Amelia: We’ll be on standby.

Terra: Be safe. I don’t know what Eris can do, but I do know that she lives and dies by chaos.

Tempest: So she’s very unpredictable.

Amelia: Are you sure you’re in good shape to fight Terra?

Terra: I haven’t been out of this for that long.

Lobo: What she’s trying to say, is that Eris could be a difficult opponent.

Terra: I’m not fighting her to the death. We just need to get Millie out.

Everyone left the room, Amelia looked at herself in the cracked mirror.

Amelia: Of course this happens now.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Tempest came to the B.L.A.D.E tower Bordon was in. He took the elevator up to Bordon. He came into Bordon’s office.

Tempest: Hello Bordon.

Bordon: Oh, hello Tempest.

Tempest: While I was out I heard about some sort of meta attack.

Bordon: Yes. That attack proves to be a big problem. Now some people are worried.

Tempest: Did you capture anyone?

Bordon: No, not yet. As a matter of fact. It’s good that you showed up here. Because I think I know of the metas that are responsible. Go, I’ll send coordinates later.

Tempest: Isn’t it Terra’s job to secure metas?

Bordon: Yes, but her work here is done. Just go take care of what you have to.

Tempest: Yes sir.

Tempest went back into the elevator. He took out his phone and texted Terra. “He knows what we’re up to, sent me away. Looking for Eris now.”

Tempest went into the main floor. His eyes changed color, and he saw the stats of everyone around him. He made the range even further. He saw someone with the highest stats in the building. He went up on the elevator. The elevator stopped and someone went into the elevator with him.

???: Hello Tempest. Why are you going up? The board showed up with you on a mission. Something about metas.

Tempest: Hello Colt. Just um, suiting up for the mission. I heard the metas have powers that’ll melt right through my armor.

Colt: Floor 70? That floor doesn’t have armor on it.

Tempest: It has backups. T.H.O.R.N used to use them all the time.

Colt: Whatever you say, man.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Eris had meta cuffs around Millie. She used a tranquilizer dart to keep her paralyzed. She walked her down the hall to Bordon. He was sitting in a chair looking through artifacts.

Eris: Hey! I have your prize. Why do you even want her so bad?

Bordon: To make an example out of her. Why do you care?

Eris: I was just wondering, is all. My prize?

Bordon handed Eris the piece of Artemis armor that Tempest had given in.

Eris: Thank you. Now, you can have her.

Bordon: You can go now.

Eris got into the elevator. It opened right before she got in. Tempest was in there. She pushed him back and closed the elevator.

Eris: Wow...You chose a bad time to go up this elevator.

Tempest: Yeah, and you chose a bad time to fight me.

Tempest went to touch Eris to steal her powers. She stabbed Tempest right through the hand.

Eris: Y’know, it would really be a shame if you used those destructive powers of yours to kill me. The powers of Empyrean.

Tempest: I’ll just kill you myself.

Tempest used some sort of power to stop the elevator from going down. It was almost like it was getting crushed. He took out his sword and slashed at Eris. She took out her umbrella and parried. Tempest held his hand right to her face and shot a blast. She moved his hand up, blasting a hole in the elevator. Eris took out her knife and stabbed Tempest in the side. He jumped through the hole.

Tempest: See ya.

Tempest slashed the elevator’s cables and let Eris fall. She opened her umbrella. Tempest started free falling. He slid down the side of the elevator shaft and jumped out into an open floor. Lots of people scrambled from the startle.

Tempest: Bordon isn’t going to like this.

Tempest jumped back down the elevator shaft to the first floor. He went out the front door and went to the parking lot. Where Terra, Amelia and Lobo were waiting. Tempest jumped in the car.

Tempest: I don’t know what Eris has up her sleeve. But she has your armor Terra.

Terra: What? No she doesn’t.

Tempest: No, your old armor.

Terra: That was destroyed.

Tempest: No, your old old armor.

Terra: The armor that was knocked off of me when I fought Integer?

Tempest: I wouldn’t know. But sure.

Amelia: Sounds like it.

Tempest: I found it a little while ago buried in the sand by a construction site. So I gave it in to B.L.A.D.E.

Terra: Now Eris has it. I think I could beat her if I tried.

Tempest: She’s smart and cunning. And she definitely didn’t die when I dropped an elevator on her.

Terra: We have to take her out.

Amelia: She can also shapeshift. She’d be hard to find.

Tempest: I know her stats. As long as I’m with you, we’ll be able to find her.

Amelia: What about Millie? Is she okay?

Tempest: Yes. She was paralyzed from the quick glimpse I got of her. But she was alive.

Lobo: Tempest! What about those stab wounds?

Tempest: I’ll be fine.

Lobo climbed over the seat and rested her hand on Tempest’s wound. She began to heal him.

Tempest: She did get me good a few times.

Tempest got a call on his walkie talkie. He shushed everyone around him.

Bordon: Tempest, come back to my office. I’ll be needing you. The mission is called off. I have a speech to make.

Tempest: Got it.

He put the walkie-talkie away.

Tempest: He knows what I’m up to. He must’ve seen it with his powers. He lied to me about metas. Probably knowing I have a soft spot for you Terra.

Lobo: We can’t just walk right into his trap.

Tempest: He’s basically forcing us to.

Lobo: Maybe this will work...Our top priority is to get Millie out of there. So be ready to take her out as soon as the president is done with his speech. He knew what you were up to because he was suspicious of you. Which means you should empty your mind, don’t think about getting Millie. Convince yourself that isn’t the plan, so he doesn’t suspect you.

Terra: Are you saying just to act completely normal?

Lobo: I know his precognition doesn’t work like that. On the other hand, you could very well be planning to grab Millie, but we’ll have Amelia run in and pick her up.

Tempest: How do you even know Millie is going to be there?

Amelia: He wants to make an example of us...That’s the speech.

Terra: I didn’t expect you to be such a good planner Lobo.

Lobo: Well, I’m pretty good. Not my fault I’m such an intricate planner. What did Bordon tell you anyway, Amelia?

Amelia: He knows that Terra took metas to Skyland. I don’t know if Tempest knows that he used him though.

Lobo: Here, I have some things to add to make sure the plan is certain.

## Issue 7 - Danger Above

Tempest met with Bordon in a limo.

Bordon: We have a meta truck transporting Millie. I’m going to announce to the public that the meta threat is extinguished, that the war is finally officially over. I have to show one of the fruits of my labor as well.

Tempest: Of course, sir.

Bordon: And Tempest, what happened to the elevator? I thought you had a mission assigned to you.

Tempest: Yes. I think we had an intruder in the building. Eris, the goddess of chaos. It sounds insane. But it’s true.

Bordon: So you really have been hanging out with Terra? I may be your president. But I consider you a colleague too Tempest. Take this from a friend, Terra is trouble. She is nothing but a weapon. Just like you were. She brings nothing but destruction.

Tempest: Then wouldn’t she be a good asset?

Bordon: She was, for a little while. I hear she’s a shadow of her former self.

Tempest: Right. I did investigate her. I reported nothing.

Bordon: Yes.

The limo arrived at the place the speech was to be spoken at.

Bordon: Stay close.

Tempest knew that Bordon was planning for every scenario in his head right now.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Lobo: Everything is in place.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Bordon got onstage. There was a crowd of about 300,000.

Bordon: Hello citizens. We are at the end of a war, finally. While tensions have died down slowly. I can officially say that the mutant threat is fully extinguished. I want to thank our new military, B.L.A.D.E. Who will be building outposts all across the country so we can respond to threats easily. Gone is the era of metahuman superheroes or vigilantes who think they can do anything. They destroy cities, buildings, and worst of all, innocent families' lives. They said they were supposed to be a symbol of hope. Can’t you see the irony? During the war, even our precious Empire State Building was destroyed. We’ve been rebuilding. But it will take time. Please bare with me.

The audience clapped, and so did Tempest.

Bordon: Now, I want to show any metas who may still be out there watching what happens when you go against America.

Two B.L.A.D.E soldiers brought Millie on the stage. She could walk now. But it would be unwise to attack now.

Bordon: This is a metahuman who decided to destroy a store while trying to protect civilians. We need rules in place for this kind of thing. Protecting civilians is great. But some were wounded from the whiplash of a speedster pulling them out of the store. Women who are much worse than her are in prison now. So if any metahumans want to come out of the woodwork, then know, that you will be like her. Many of you are responsible for war crimes. We will track you down. Don’t be unwise like this young lady, I understand my speech may be taken in different ways. But know this is all for the good of mankind.

Bordon seemed like he was waiting for something. But there was nothing happening.

Bordon: Thank you.

Terra’s armor came flying out of seemingly nowhere. She pinned down Bordon with her armor.

Bordon: Tempest! Protect that mutant!

Tempest looked down at Bordon. The crowd was panicking.

Tempest: You knew I was going against you, don’t lie. So no. I shouldn’t have gone with you five years ago.

A blue streak flashed behind Tempest. And Millie was gone.

Bordon: Then I would run.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Amelia dropped Millie on the couch at their house.

Amelia: Are you okay?

Millie: Bastards paralyzed me. But I think I’m okay now.

Amelia: Okay. We’re on his hit list now, you know that right?

Millie: Of course we are.

Shortly after, everyone else came into the house. Terra with her armor back on.

Lobo: Millie, do you need healing?

Millie: No. I think I’m fine. Eris has that piece of Artemis armor. I don’t know what she needs it for, but it’s big. I think we might have to leave. This is B.L.A.D,E’s house.

Terra: I can beam us up to Skyland.

Amelia: Good idea.

Lobo: I mean, if we stay here what’s Bordon going to do to stop us?

Terra: The only reason I beat him last time was because Simon used that device that removed all meta powers. If it wasn’t for that, he would’ve tired us out eventually. Or found a good moment to strike and kill us. I think if he brought enough firepower, he could take us down.

Millie: So what’s the plan?

Lobo: Maybe we-

Tempest: Maybe we take care of the missile that’s coming straight for the house.

Amelia: Missile?

Everyone went outside.

Tempest: I need somebody to get it high up.

Terra: Oh, I can do that.

Terra removed her armor and covered the missile with it. She tried to lift it higher. But it was barely going up. It was coming closer and closer to the house.

Tempest: Today would be a good idea!

Terra: I-I’m trying! I don’t know why it’s not working!

Tempest summoned the power of Olympus and helped Terra lift it higher. He shot a blast up at it. And it exploded.

Tempest: You’re off your game.

Terra: Look, I tried! I guess I just need to get back to training.

Millie: Shit! Look!

There was a barrage of missiles coming at them now. About five.

Terra: We can’t get rid of that many!

Tempest: We have to try! Amelia! You and I are gonna have to-

There was a loud crash. What looked like a huge flash of lightning crackled through the missiles, and they all exploded. They were lifted up high with telekinesis where they fell to the ground causing no harm. Polybus ran in. He put his sword away.

Polybus: We’ve been watching you. This is why Hesial was hesitant to bring Eris in as an Olympian.

Ludus flew in. He had two angel wings on his back. Which went away when he landed.

Ludus: We can’t even find her. Oh yeah, and sorry about the explosion. Was it too close to the ground?

Tempest: No, it was just fine.

Amelia: He’s just going to send more missiles. Or soldiers. Or worse, himself.

Millie: Should we pack up tonight and leave in the morning?

Amelia: Yeah. Someone is going to have to keep watch for missiles.

Polybus: I can do it. I don’t even have to sleep.

Tempest: I can help as well.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Everyone helped each other pack up. It was a long and worrisome night. Terra laid down to finally get some sleep. Her being old school, turned on a radio next to her. She closed her eyes while listening to some podcast about animals. One of the people on the podcast stopped mid sentence. Terra flipped around to look at her radio. It was still on. She groaned and got out of bed to look at it. She looked to see if it needed batteries, even though it was plugged in. Which she checked next. She turned it off and turned it back on and sat down to hear it boot back up. She heard the tune of the podcast’s intro. But heard an entirely different voice.

???: Greetings Terra. It’s been awhile. I just wanted to remind you-

Terra’s heart sank and she stood up and started at the radio with fear in her eyes. She heard Ivan’s voice through the radio.

Ivan: Leon’s spell blocked my vision from Earth. But not that much. I want you to know, there’s nowhere you can go where I won’t find you, there’s no place you can hide that I won’t kill you. I have set up the pieces, everything is in place for my return. When I do, nobody you know is safe. Lock your doors, I could be closer than you think. I could be right next to you. I could be in another bedroom. Start training, I want you to be in your best shape when we face each other aga-

Terra smashed the radio. She stomped on it over and over. Tempest came in the room.

Tempest: Hey, calm yourself. What’d that radio do to you?

Tempest was confident. He put his hands around Terra from her back. He kissed her on the cheek from the back.

Terra: Tempest, no.

Tempest: Come on, I thought we were giving this another-

Terra: Not now!

Terra shook Tempest off of herself. She looked down at the smashed radio.

Tempest: You need to calm down.

Tempest left the room.

Terra: Tempest, you know I didn’t-

Tempest closed the door behind himself.

Terra looked at herself in her shattered mirror. Just like the mirror, she was in pieces. She picked up a chunk of the busted radio and whipped it at the mirror.

## Issue 8 - Cracked Reflection

Terra didn’t sleep at all throughout the night. The words “I could be closer than you think” echoed in her head. Could Ivan even be in someone’s body? Is that possible? All she knew was that he was gunning for her, and he wanted her in Skyland for some reason. He wanted to destroy everything she built. Of course he did. She went outside and saw Polybus still waiting for more missiles.

Terra: Hey, Polybus. I have a question.

Polybus: Yeah, what do you want?

Terra: Well, you know stuff about other dimensions, right?

Polybus: Yes. Why do you ask?

Terra: It’s about the Astral Realm. Could someone from that universe like, possess someone else? On Earth?

Polybus: That’s a really weird question. But yes, of course. Especially from the Astral realm. Beings from there can see into our universe, with enough power, they could take over our minds.

Terra: Fuck! I need to find out who! W-We can’t go to Skyland.

Polybus: Why not? You aren’t making much sense.

Terra came into the house.

Terra: Everyone stop packing! Can all of you group up?

Everyone came in the living room. Confused.

Millie: What’s wrong, Terra?

Terra: This sounds insane, but listen to me. Any one of you could be Ivan.

Amelia: Ivan? Like Integer’s husband Ivan?

Terra: Yes! He fucking contacted me through the radio.

Tempest: That might explain why she destroyed it.

Terra: H-He talked to me through it! He said he could be closer than I think. He made it pretty evident that it’s someone in this house!

Tempest: This sounds like a boy who cried wolf scenario.

Terra: Well it’s not! You saw me last night Tempest! First hand!

Tempest: You did seem pretty shaken up.

Terra: Any of you could be possessed by him!

Ludus: That is possible, right?

Polybus: I told it to her myself, a creature from the Astral Plane could hypothetically possess someone in the real world.

Terra: I know that none of you will believe me, but hear me out.

Polybus: Hey Ludus, just charm her out of it. She’s going ballistic.

Ludus: My charmspeak? No! Not to her!

Polybus: It’s better than letting her go insane.

Millie: Terra, I think you need to calm down. Your going crazy.

Terra: I’m not fucking crazy!

Lobo: Terra, you just need to calm down. Maybe then we can make sense of all of this.

Lobo came up to Terra and hugged her.

Terra: You haven’t seen Ivan first hand! You wouldn’t understand!

Millie: Terra, I know Ivan first hand though. He’s the reason I have this robotic arm. You told me he came back during Skyland. But hearing his voice through a radio sounds like a little much.

Terra: Do you hear my voice? Don’t I sound genuine? I’m depressed! Not fucking insane!

Lobo: Calm down, Terra.

Terra pushed Lobo off of her.

Terra: We can’t go to Skyland. That’s falling right into his trap. Ivan can get to Olympus. We can’t let him destroy all that we built.

Millie: If all of this is true, who's to say that Ivan isn’t going to go to Olympus anyway?

Terra: Probably because he’s here. In this room.

Lobo: That’s providing he can’t just split his mind into two.

Amelia stood up.

Amelia: Terra, you need to take a fucking chill pill. There’s a good way to figure this out. We have B.L.A.D.E on our asses. We don’t need more stress.

Terra: Ivan is much more of a problem than B.L.A.D.E!

Amelia grabbed Terra’s arm.

Amelia: Calm. Down.

Terra went to push Amelia off of her. Time slowed for Amelia. She pushed Terra away, she went tumbling into the wall.

Millie: Amelia. That was a little too much.

Amelia: She needed a little lovetap. Not my fault.

A piece of Terra’s armor came from behind and hit Amelia.

Amelia: Seriously? Terra. I don’t want to really fight!

Terra walked towards Amelia. Amelia didn’t do anything. Terra threw a punch at Amelia’s gut. She blocked the punch and came in with an elbow, Terra blocked it and knocked Amelia onto the ground.

Lobo: Okay! That’s enough! Stop this!

Lobo got in the way of Terra and Amelia. Terra pushed her out of the way. Millie stood up.

Millie: Get a hold of yourself!

Ludus: Terra! Stop!

Terra stopped.

Ludus smiled at Terra.

Ludus: Help Amelia up and sit down.

Terra helped Amelia to her feet and sat down.

Ludus: Take some deep breaths.

Terra calmed herself down. She broke into tears.

Terra: I-I’m sorry.

Tempest: Terra. Listen.

Terra wiped her tears.

Tempest: If you think it is the best option to stay here and leave Skyland. Then we’ll do that. But you need to find us a way to combat B.L.A.D.E.

Terra: I...I think I know a way. It’s the last thing I would want to do though.

Tempest: Well?

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Eris was in the underworld. She traveled past the great rivers of blood. Deeper into the underworld. It got darker, she saw even more terrible people and monsters. She had her umbrella propped over herself. It was beginning to rain. Someone came from behind her and tried to pickpocket her. She grabbed the man’s face behind her. She picked him up and turned him to stone. She dropped him on the ground, he shattered. She saw a long river of lava beginning to form. There was screaming far away. Charon was on his paddleboat, he threw people off of the boat, they were pleading for him to help them. But he had nothing to say. He had a japanese mask covering his face and wore a huge purple and black robe.

Eris: Hey! Charon!

Charon looked at Eris. He kept the boat stationary.

Eris: Could I have the pleasure of taking this boat ride?

Charon looked at her blankly. She got on the boat anyway. He still had some souls to transport. They were on their way to the last ring of the Underworld.

Eris: I really do love to see you. You don’t have anything to say. Which means you aren’t like my stupid brothers and sisters. Under that mask you understand me. I really am annoyed with the Olympians. They don’t understand me. Chaos is the natural order of the universe. Fate isn’t a thing. They think it is though. They even try and make fate a thing to those stupid humans. They are usually tricked by the god’s shenanigans.

Charon looked at Eris.

Charon: It’s due to fate that they are on this boat.

Eris: You saying fate is the same as chaos?

Charon: Fate is birthed from chaos. Now, you want something. What?

Eris: I have something of high value to you.

Eris took out the piece of Artemis armor.

Eris: I would like to exchange this.

Charon Name your price, what do you want?

Eris: Anything?

Charon nodded.

## Issue 9 - Consequence

Terra: First, I think I’ll try and connect with him.

Lobo: So who's this guy again?

Terra: Stick. For whatever reason he hates B.L.A.D.E now. He has the power to protect us. I promise.

Millie: Stick? That old blind sensei?

Terra: Yeah.

Amelia: How would an old blind dude help us? I could probably flick him and kill him.

Terra: You’d try and he’d break your finger. Even at speed. We never saw eye to eye. But if we are going to survive, then he’s an asset.

Millie: Are you sure you can even meditate?

Terra: I should be able to. Can all of you leave me? I need to focus. My mind’s clouded as it is.

Terra closed her eyes and tried to focus. Let her thoughts fly away. Just like she was trained. Then she saw Ivan in the house, slaughtering her friends. She opened her eyes, took a deep breath and tried again. Her thoughts were like balloons. She held them up and let them fly off into the sky. But all she could focus on were her friends being killed. They could be getting attacked right now. She opened her eyes.

Terra: Dammit! I can’t do this!

She thought back to the way Stick taught her to meditate.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Stick: Everyone! Sit down in a circle. Come on, get moving.

Everyone in the dojo including Terra scrambled to get in the circle.

Stick: Do as I do. Cross your legs. Place your hands gently on your knees. This is the first and only rule of meditation. Focus on your breath. Only your breath. Now, close your eyes. Deep breath in, deep breath out. Now, do it over and over. You won’t even notice how much time passed.

Sae: Why do we do this again?

Stick: To focus your mind and let all your thoughts go away. If you want to get attached to someone, you should’ve already left. Let all your Earthly tethers drift away.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Terra: Breathe in, breathe out.

Terra closed her eyes and took a deep breath in, and a deep breath out. She had to make her head empty. As it should be. In real life, she fell asleep. Stick contacted her. In her mind, she was laying on a thin layer of water.

Stick: So, you want my help? I’m surprised you came to your senses.

Terra: Bordon hates me and is on my ass now. I need to do something, and I think you’re the only one who can help.

Stick: B.L.A.D.E is somehow pulling the wool over everyone’s eyes.

Terra: B.L.A.D.E is coming after me, and we can’t defeat them by ourselves.

Stick: Come to my dojo. Go to the apartment building on 44th. Click the hidden elevator button.

Terra: How would I know where it is if it’s hidden?

Stick: All you have to do is click a bunch of buttons. Type in 2016.

Terra: I can do that.

Stick: And stop being a pussy. When the hell did I teach you to be scared?

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Terra: Tempest, you’ll keep an eye on the house? Right?

Tempest: Yes.

Polybus: Me and Ludus will return to Olympus. You’ll know if we see Ivan.

Lobo: Sounds like a plan.

Tempest: All of you, be safe. This blind sensei seems like he’s dangerous.

Terra: He is. But not to us. To B.L.A.D.E.

Terra and everyone else left. Leaving Tempest as the only one in the house. He sat down, and started contemplating things in his head. If he were to do what he was thinking, what would really happen? Would he be doing the right thing? He could stop all of this before it ever started.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Terra and company entered an apartment. The lady at the desk looked at all of them.

Desk lady: Where are all of you going? Do you need a room?

Terra: We’re going to the Chaste.

Desk lady: Ah, name?

Terra: I’m Terra Lorenz.

Desk lady: Move along then.

They went into the elevator. Terra typed in 2016 into the keypad. The elevator started going down.

Terra: Okay. I don’t think any of you have met Stick. Just let me take care of it.

The elevator opened, and they saw Stick sitting in the middle of the dojo.

Stick: You’ve arrived. And you brought a small army.

Terra: I was just being safe.

Stick: So, what happened?

Terra: B.L.A.D.E got pissed off after they used their powers in public.

Stick stood up and came over to Millie and Amelia.

Stick: Hmm. This blonde one is ready for a fight. She’s grounded. I don’t sense any fear. But you,

Stick gestured to Amelia.

Stick: You are eager to fight, and completely off the ground. I sense growing anger, maybe a little bit of fear. That is where anger comes from after all. What’s your names?

Millie: I’m Millie, that’s Am-

Stick: No, no. Let her say it herself.

Amelia: Ugh, I’m Amelia.

Stick: I don’t get why Millie here didn’t do better.

Terra: Okay, that’s enough judging my friends. They used their powers to save people out of a store. And B.L.A.D.E tired to make an example of Millie. So we saved her, now B.L.A.D.E is after us.

Stick: We’ll need more than just myself.

Stick grabbed a sword off of his wall.

Terra: Hey, that’s the sword we got you.

Stick: That’s right. I have help coming if we need it. Really you know that B.L.A.D.E will never stop coming after you.

Terra: Then we’ll have to make them stop.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Tempest went into Terra’s room. He grabbed her phoenix necklace. He used Terra’s powers to activate it and was beamed up to Skyland. It looked just like Polybus explained it to him. He went to the Olympian’s castle. Which had been mostly rebuilt. He knocked on the door. Dionysus answered.

Dionysus: Oh, hey it’s Terra’s fiance.

Tempest: It’s nothing like that. I want to speak to Hesial.

Dionysus: How did you even get up here?

Tempest: I used my powers, and this necklace. So, can I speak to Hesial?

Dionysus: Hmm. I should probably say no. So yeah sure.

Dionysus brought Tempest to Hesial. Tempest was astonished by what Hesial looked like. Mostly human, but with dragon wings and horns. It was creepy to him.

Tempest: Hesial. I want to go to the Astral Realm.

Hesial: Why do so many people want to go to that forsaken place?

Tempest: I need to speak to my father.

Hesial: Are you sure you want to do this? Things could end badly for you.

Tempest: I don’t care.

Hesial: Okay then. Have fun. You need to be tethered to me so I can pull you back if needed, though.

Tempest: I will tell you when you can take me out. I want to talk to him.

Hesial sent Tempest into the Astral Realm with a worried face. He looked around. He saw souls wandering, along with odd creatures in the Astral Realm. He looked down, and saw Ivan sipping on some tea. Like he was waiting for him. Tempest practically swam down there. Ivan looked up.

Ivan: Son. Sit down. Pour yourself some tea.

Ivan poured Tempest some tea and slid it over.

Tempest: You aren’t surprised to see me?

Ivan: I foresaw this. A touching reunion between father and son. Or well, not too touching.

Tempest: You want me, don’t you?

Ivan: You are one of the ones I want.

Tempest: I know you miss your wife. The only thing Terra says you feel feelings for is your family. So maybe I can suffice. I’m your only family left.

Ivan: You are. Theodore. It is nice to see you. So what is your game? You love Terra so much you want me to call off my war in favor of being with you?

Tempest: I’ll do whatever you want. As long as it doesn’t involve killing Terra.

Ivan: You give a hard bargain. I don’t kill Terra and I get you.

Ivan turned in his seat.

Ivan: That’s a nice thought, me getting what I want. However, you are also the one who killed my wife.

Tempest: Kill mom? What makes you think I would do that?

Ivan: You told me about it, that one time when we were by the fire. I was surprised you opened up.

Tempest: What…?

Ivan: I told Terra that I was close by, I’m telling you the same thing now. You killed my wife. It’s funny, for the longest time I thought Terra did it. But she didn’t. I may have been able to save her if I knew earlier.

Tempest grabbed Ivan’s hand. He just needed to hold on long enough to copy him.

Tempest: Look, dad, I didn’t mean it.

Ivan took his hand away. He stood up and walked behind Tempest and ripped the practically invisible cord out of his back that was still clinging him to Skyland.

Ivan: You have no intention of being my son yet. I’ll have to teach you someday.

Chains came out of the ground and chained Tempest to his chair.

Tempest: No, no. Ivan! If you hurt any of them I will-

Ivan: You’ll what? You are powerless. If you knew your father, you should’ve expected this. Looks like you are going for a time out. You are too powerful to be in my way.

## Issue 10 - Trust

Stick: Do you really plan to protect the house that they own? You should’ve been ready to move already.

Terra: Well, I can’t get separated from the people here. Any of them could be possessed.

Stick: Now you’re just talking insane.

Terra: An enemy of mine, Ivan could be possessing anyone here.

Stick: Then find a way to flush them out.

Lobo: You could ask us about memories. Ivan probably wouldn’t remember what we do.

Terra: Yeah, maybe we try that.

Stick: Yeah and what if he picks up memories? Just ask them if their Ivan.

Terra: That’s stupid. How would that help?

Stick: I can read them, if they're lying. I’ll know.

Terra: Shit, that’s not a bad idea. Let’s do that when we get home.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

The group walked into the house.

Terra: Just wait a sec, I’m going to grab something.

Stick: Now you’re just wasting time. So. Whose house is this anyway?

Millie: Well it’s considered mine, B.L.A.D.E owns it.

Stick: Not bad. As far as I can tell there’s lots of space.

Amelia: Hey Millie, can we talk, y’know, in private?

Millie: Oh, yeah sure.

Amelia took Millie into their bedroom.

Amelia: It’s a positive test.

Millie: Wait wait, what?

Amelia: Do I need to spell it out for you? I’m pregnant now.

Millie: Holy shit. We fucking did it!

Amelia: Yep, that’s usually how a kid is made.

Millie: You know what I mean!

Millie hugged Amelia.

Millie: So, ever thought of names?

Amelia: It’s pretty unoriginal, but maybe Donny?

Millie: Y’know what, I can roll with it. And if it’s a girl?

Amelia: What do you think?

Millie: Kate.

Amelia: After your mom?

Millie: Fits the theme.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Terra came out of her room.

Terra: My Phoenix charm. It’s gone.

Lobo: Gone? How?

Terra: I have no idea.

Lobo: Tempest isn’t here.

Terra: You think…?

Lobo: Why would he do that?

Terra: I have no idea.

Stick: What’s the problem?

Terra: Tempest, he was supposed to protect this place. He must’ve gone up to Skyland.

Lobo: Why would he even do that?

Terra: I...I have no idea.

Amelia and Millie came out of their room.

Millie: What’s the problem?

Terra: Did you notice that Tempest is gone?

Millie: Shit, he is gone.

Amelia: He couldn’t have gone far.

Terra: I beg to differ. He went to fucking Skyland. And we can’t follow him.

Terra put her hands on her head and sat down. She took a deep breath. Lobo sat next to her.

Lobo: Terra, we’ll figure this ou-

Terra: What is there to figure out?! Tempest is gone! Ivan is in someone’s head! And B.L.A.D.E’s out to kill us! We won’t figure anything out!

Stick: Shut the hell up! You really want to give up? I don’t know why I even consider you my student. But there’s going to be B.L.A.D.E soldiers on us in minutes. I don’t know who the hell Ivan is, but we’ll find him. And Tempest, he left you behind. Fuck him.

Terra: He didn’t leave us behind!

Stick: As far as I’m concerned, there’s no way to get to him. So until further notice, he left you. Grab your armor and get the hell up. Because now, their outside.

Amelia: How do you know?

A B.L.A.D.E soldier broke into the house. Stick sliced his head off like butter. He gestured toward Amelia and shrugged. The screen door at the back of the house was broken over.

Bordon: So you really brought master Stick along with you.

Stick: Bordon.

Terra: We should be able to take care of Bordon now.

Stick: You called me here for a reason. I’ll take him.

Terra: He can predict anything you can do! How do you match that?

Stick: You must’ve forgotten the fact that I’m blind. I know what he’s going to do. But that doesn’t matter because he knows what I’m going to do.

Bordon: So what brings you in today, Stick?

Stick: B.L.A.D.E’s accumulated too much power. I think I’m the only one who knows that.

Bordon: Everything I do is to protect the country. You don’t like my methods, I can kill you.

Stick: I doubt it.

Bordon drew his blade, Stick took a katana out. He kept the masamune blade hidden.

Amelia: I hope this doesn’t hurt.

Amelia summoned her speed and took down tons of B.L.A.D.E soldiers. She destroyed all the soldiers guns and knocked down any bullets flying through the air. Millie stood at the door where there were tons of soldiers trying to get in.

Millie: Terra! Punch my hand!

Terra: Yep.

Terra punched Millie’s hand, and a huge blast knocked the soldiers down like dominos. There was a loud bang heard downstairs. Amelia ran down there, she saw a bomb going off, and a poor soldier giving his life to let it go off. Amelia condensed the explosion before it got bad and moved the soldier out of the way.

Amelia: What kind of dumbass gives his life for his country?

Soldier: That’s why your a terrorist!

Amelia: That’s why your country doesn’t give a shit about you. Your welcome for saving you.

Stick and Bordon were matching each other exactly. Bordon was just a little step ahead of Stick. Bordon blocked a hit from Stick and slashed down. Stick jumped in the air, Bordon held his sword behind him, expecting a slash. But Stick grabbed a broom and jabbed him in the back.

Bordon: What…?

Stick hit Bordon in the face with the stick and Bordon slashed it in half. Stick threw the two pieces of the stick at Bordon. Bordon slashed through them and Stick felt an opening. He slashed right across Bordon’s stomach, but Terra jumped in the way and stopped Stick’s blade.

Stick: What was that for?

Terra: We can’t actually kill the president!

Stick: Why not? He’ll just get replaced.

Bordon slashed his sword at Stick. Stick used the power of toad style to block the sword with his arm.

Stick: That was pretty unfair.

Stick took out the masamune blade and slashed at Bordon. Bordon blocked, but his blade was sliced right in half.

Stick: That’s enough.

Eris came into the house, she gently stepped over the glass that Bordon had broken through.

Eris: The old man is right, that’s enough.

Stick: Who the hell’s the barbie?

Eris: I’m Eris, the goddess of chaos.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

An hour or so earlier.

Eris came into the Astral Realm. She saw Yuri sleeping peacefully. She was surprised to see Yuri in such a state. Peaceful. Eris shook her awake. She sat up and stretched.

Yuri: Who is there?

Eris: It’s me, Eris.

Yuri: Ah, Eris. Do you have it?

Eris took out an eye.

Eris: Charon only gave me one.

Yuri: All I need is one eye.

Yuri took the eye and put it back in it’s socket.

Eris: Ew. Probably should’ve washed it.

Yuri: You’re crazy. Now, is it time?

Eris: Hope you’ve hyped yourself up. Because yes it is.

Yuri smiled.

Yuri: You wouldn’t believe how excited I am.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Yuri walked in behind Eris, with her new eye and everything.

Yuri: I can see why humans like it here. Earth is great!

Eris: You know what to do.

Yuri: You’ll be okay, right?

Eris: Yes, I have an umbrella.

Yuri activated her radiation powers. The entire house was engulfed. Everyone began choking and slowly burning.

Yuri: We don’t want all of you being a problem

Terra fell on the ground. She felt her skin burning. She looked up at Yuri.

Yuri: Humans are such easy-

Stick slashed up at Yuri, slashing her right up the skin. She jumped back.

Yuri: How are you-

Stick nearly slashed Yuri’s arm off. Eris touched Stick and he turned to stone.

Yuri: I never expected a human to be such a formidable warrior.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Terra, Millie, Amelia, Lobo and Bordon woke up in a cave.

Terra: A cage. Of course.

Lobo: Look, there’s Stick.

Stick was still stone, sitting in the corner of the room.

Amelia: It’s starting to crack.

Terra: I doubt he’ll be in there for that long. We have to save him.

Yuri came over to the statue. She let Stick out of the stone prison.

Amelia: What the…

Stick: So. What the hell is it that you want?

Yuri: You said you wanted to destroy B.L.A.D.E?

Stick: That’s right.

Yuri: I can help with that. I want to work out a deal.

Stick: Fuck it. Talk before I kill you.

Yuri: Let’s leave, we wouldn’t want the rats to see.

Amelia: My powers don’t work.

Millie: Amelia, are you okay?

Amelia: Just a little burnt. No internal damage.

Millie: Good.

Lobo: Why the hell did she even keep us alive.

Bordon: You said that one of you is Ivan, right?

Terra: How do you know that?

Bordon: Ears everywhere. It’s incredibly possible that they kept all of us alive, because she doesn’t know who Ivan is.

Terra: Your saying he went so undercover that even his allies don’t know?

Bordon: Maybe.

Terra: So which one of us is Ivan?

Amelia: I mean, I know I’m not Ivan.

Lobo: Yeah, I feel like myself.

Millie: None of us know who is lying. It could even mean...Amelia.

Amelia: Millie, don’t think like that! We are having a kid! How could I be that monster?

Millie: Isn’t that what he would say?

Yuri came back to the cell.

Yuri: So, which one of you is it?

Terra: What?

Yuri: I want to see Ivan. I know you are there.

Everyone looked around at each other.

Millie: Who is it? Come on.

Lobo stuck her head through the cage and kissed Yuri. Yuri let her out. Lobo got in a more calm and relaxed stance.

Lobo: I must admit, it was nice getting to know all of you.

Lobo’s body started to wane. She contorted and rearranged herself. She grew taller, and everyone watched in horror. Out of the remnants of Lobo’s body, sprouted Ivan.

Ivan: Ah, it’s good to be back.

Yuri: Let’s go get you some clothes. Can’t go up into the world with no style.

Ivan: Correct.

Ivan walked away with Yuri.

## Issue 11 - Pull My Strings

She saw Ivan sitting at a tea table. Tempest was chained down. He had nothing to say. Ivan stood up and came over to her,

Ivan: How are preparations going?

Eris: Great! Charon gave me this.

Eris gave Ivan some sort of scroll.

Eris: You can return to Earth now.

Ivan: Amazing. You did a great job, Eris.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Terra looked at the remains of Lobo’s body. She nearly threw up in her mouth.

Terra: Everytime she hugged me, or comforted me, or when I cried into her, It was him.

Amelia and Millie silently sighed. At least they knew that none of them were Ivan.

Millie: She said she didn’t have much time left…

Bordon: We can’t be worrying about her right now. We should be focused on getting out of here.

Terra: Do you seriously not have even a hint of compassion?! You are so inconsiderate! Sure, it was my actions that got me in my place. But it’s because of your actions that I want to fucking kill myself! There was an easier way! I killed millions with my own hands.

Bordon: You know I’m the president. I don’t have time to be locked in a cage with all of you. Everything I do is to protect the country in the end. If it takes one little girl from the sticks being depressed, then so be it.

Terra: So that’s a no?

Bordon: I don’t have compassion for you, no. How many of my own men do you think I’ve seen die in front of me? Your friend just shapeshifted into an evil naked man. Who I have to stop now. Let’s spend less time arguing and more time getting the hell out of here.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Yuri: Are you ready, hun?

Ivan: Yes.

Ivan came out, adorned with his normal outfit. A jacket with red highlights. Under the jacket it looked like he imbued it with part of his armor he used in Olympus.

Eris: Hey Ivan, I actually had a question.

Ivan: What would you like?

Eris: I was just wondering...once you do kill all the gods, what about me? What about Yuri? Yourself?

Ivan: That’s an...interesting question. I suppose many would see me as hypocritical. I hope you don’t. Let me assure you, Once my mission is completed I plan to retire my powers.

Eris: And me and Yuri?

Ivan: Why, you are allies. Why would I hurt you?

Eris: Just...making sure.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
2 years ago, 2028

Lobo was tending to her garden. The real Lobo.

Lobo: Aw, you’re wilting. Here, I’ve got just what you need.

Lobo watered some of her plants. She went to tend to her plants by her screen door. Terra came out onto the stairs and sat down. She seemed down.

Lobo: Hey Terra. Just get back from another mission?

Terra: Yeah.

Lobo heard the slightest crack in Terra’s voice. She knew something was wrong.

Lobo: What’s wrong?

Terra: How do you even know something’s wrong?

Lobo: I’m just a psychic, deal with it.

Terra: I had to kill a meta today. One of them had Amelia on the ropes for a sec. And I just...pulled the trigger. I’ve already caused the death of millions. I-I didn’t want to do it.

Lobo: You aren’t the reason all those people died. Sure, your actions sped up the process. But I feel like it would’ve happened anyway. Maybe just later. You’ll have to kill people. The fact that you care shows that you are a good person. And jeez, find a hobby besides wallowing in your sorrow. After Themis, I started gardening. Now I can preserve life. You can do the same, You can take the innocents to Skyland. And they can start a new, happy life. They call you the devil, nobody feels sympathy for the devil. So they think your evil. Who knew the devil could give so many such a great chance.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Terra : God, how long was he even Lobo? He could’ve been her forever.

Millie put her hands on Terra’s shoulders.

Millie: You have to take your mind off of Lobo. We knew the real her, and we have no idea how long Ivan was her. It’s best to remember Lobo as herself, not as Ivan. We have to focus on getting out of here. Maybe we'll start digging.

Terra: How are you staying calm? Ivan’s back. Who knows what he’s doing now?

Millie: This is a shitty time to reveal it. But I have a fucking kid coming, me and Amelia do. Nobody is stopping me from going baby shopping. I have something to fight for. What are you fighting for?

Terra: I need to keep the metas in Olympus safe.

Millie: Now focus on it.

Amelia: So what? We’re digging?

Bordon: I doubt we’ll get out that way. We need to get the attention of one of those people.

Amelia: Maybe Eris...Or if we got a weapon.

Bordon: They took all of our weapons. And my sword’s broken.

Amelia: And these bars can’t be bent.

Terra: We can’t just wait.

Amelia: Maybe we could turn off whatever’s suppressing our powers.

Terra: Wait...Stick. Stick isn’t stupid. He knows that they’ll destroy everything.

Amelia: We can’t talk to him.

Terra: We can whisper to him.

Millie: I’m pretty sure he’s still here.

Terra: Stick, I hope you can hear me.

Stick was sitting in a room. He was waiting for Ivan, Eris and Yuri.

Terra: We can’t find a way out, I know you know shit. Find something. Something like your blade that is powerful. That can bust us out. Ivan wants to destroy all gods. Humans are a product of those gods. Don’t be tricked by them. Ivan destroys everything. So can Yuri. Don’t let something too powerful fall into their hands.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Stick took Yuri and Eris into his dojo.

Stick: So you’re telling me, with this weapon you’ll be able to take down B.L.A.D.E?

Yuri: I’ll at least cripple them.

Stick went into his relic room. He grabbed a red glowing stone.

Yuri: Finally, there it is.

Yuri went to grab the stone.

Stick: Wait. Are you sure you have the power to hold this stone?

Yuri: Yes, now let’s take it back to the base so I can show Ivan.

Stick went with the women.

Eris: How did you get that stone, exactly?

Stick: B.L.A.D.E had it, I stole it. As a matter of fact, it was in her hands before it got to B.L.A.D.E

Yuri: That’s right. There was a team of warriors called the Sentinels. Who managed to best me. Guess what happened to most of them?

Eris: They're on the boat with Charon. Or were at least.

They came into the base.

Amelia: How are we even going to get out? We have no powers and this cage is way too sturdy.

Yuri: Ivan! Look what we have.

Ivan: What is it?

Stick took a red stone out of its box.

Stick: This is a powerful stone. It’s said it could destroy worlds.

Ivan: That’s right. We appreciate your help, Stick.

Stick: Well, I really do want B.L.A.D.E destroyed. But It’s not worth the world.

Stick tossed the stone behind him, it rolled into Terra’s cage.

Ivan: I knew it was a bad idea to trust an old man.

Ivan took out his blade.

Ivan: Now you will be erased.

Ivan swung his blade at Stick. He took out his masamune blade. Pushing back with equal force.

Stick: I doubt it.

Ivan: You are a strong contender. I would almost consider you inhuman.

Stick: Your an immortal, and yet you’re still a dumbass.

Stick broke him and Ivan’s lock and kicked him back. Ivan slashed forward. Stick jumped over him and slashed down Ivan’s back.

Stick: Can’t even beat an old man in a sword fight.

Terra, Millie, Amelia and Bordon were looking down at the stone.

Bordon: That’s the offensive stone. You wanna get the hell out of here? Someone needs to use it. It should be the strongest. It will hurt to use. It could shatter someone’s bones.

Millie: I’ll use it. I’m pretty sure I’m the strongest.

Terra: Respectfully Millie, I’m a demigod.

Millie: You need your strength, Terra. Respectfully, you’ve lost strength. I can’t afford to lose this battle.

Terra: Okay.

Amelia: Be careful.

Millie held the stone in her hand. Her hand was slowly being destroyed. She slammed it into her robotic arm. It was imbued into her robotic arm.

Millie: And I get a cool new toy.

Millie punched the bars of the cell off. Everyone got out. Millie ran up from behind Eris and hit her hard in the back. She went flying into the wall, breaking through some of the rock in the cave. Yuri was surprised and smiled. She threw a punch at Millie. Millie grabbed her hand and punched her in the stomach. Yuri’s wind was knocked out of her. She jumped back and laughed.

Yuri: Wow, last time I felt a hit like that from a human I lost an eye.

Millie: You’re going to lose a lot more than an eye.

## Issue 12 - Deep Inside

Ludus and Polybus were sitting across from each other, eating.

Ludus: Do you think Terra will be okay? After everything she’s been through.

Polybus: What do you mean? She was unstable. But she was okay.

Ludus: She’s one of us, a god. And yet she, um. Is mentally unstable. I could feel it when I looked at her. She’s going through the motions, yet she’s disconnected from reality. She’s crushed by a sense of worthlessness, and I think she wants to take her own life.

Polybus: We wouldn’t want another Olympian dying…

Ludus: Sure, but we also don’t want Terra herself dying! She’s a friend, isn’t she? Remember those Earth shoes she made you for the holidays?

Polybus: I don’t think she made them herself. But they were nice. It was comfortable running with them.

Ludus: She cares for us, so we should care for them!

Polybus almost laughed,

Polybus: You know the other gods would be laughing their faces off right now?

Ludus: Is it seriously wrong for gods to care for other humans? Do you know how many kids Zeus had? How many women he cheated on Hera with? There were tons of humans on Earth he preferred over others.

Polybus: Well, Terra is one of us. I still don’t understand why she hasn’t used the river of life. She could be immortal!

Ludus: I don’t think she wants to be immortal.

Athena came over to the table.

Athena: Both of you, We hear that Ivan’s been sighted again?

Ludus: Wh-what?

Athena: Not here, on Earth. He’s with Terra. We need gods down there immediately.

Ludus: You want us?!

Athena: Yes. Is there a problem?

Ludus thought about his first run-in with Ivan.

Polybus: We’ll get down there as soon as we can.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Terra’s armor went flying through the streets, until it came down into the cave, it attached to Terra. Ivan slashed his blade down at her. She blocked it just in time but was blown back. Millie blocked a hit from Yuri and jumped back. Amelia came from behind Yuri and tried to vibrate through her, but Amelia’s hand was nearly burnt off. She brought her hand straight back and Yuri elbowed her in the face. Millie jumped over and shielded Amelia.

Millie: Amelia! Just back off! Run if you have to!

Amelia: But, what about you?

Millie: Protect our child.

Amelia: Be careful.

Amelia bolted off. Eris jumped in front of Amelia. But she vibrated through Eris and threw her on the ground.

Terra blocked a hit from Ivan and punched him in the face. He slashed down and brought his sword around overhead. Terra just barely blocked it and fell on the ground. Stick threw Ivan’s sword off just before he got ready to skewer Terra.

Stick: Jeezus christ, adjust your stance!

Stick kicked Ivan back. He jumped in with his sword. He slashed down at Ivan’s hand. Terra jumped up and kicked Ivan in the face. Stick slashed down. Ivan had dropped his blade. He was missing his middle finger.

Ivan: Wow...Nice. This won’t grow back, correct?

Stick: Neither will this you piece of shit.

Stick slashed his sword at Ivan’s head. Ivan activated the root chakra and made a shield around his body. He made the shield crack off of him, and Stick jumped back. He used the third eye chakra to lift the shield pieces and throw them at Terra and Stick. Terra jumped in front of Stick and blocked the pieces, She got a cut across her cheek. Stick jumped over Terra and slashed down at Ivan’s head. He took an astral plane chain and blocked the sword. He pulled it right out of Stick’s hand.

Ivan: That won’t be a problem anymore.

Ivan took the sword and stabbed forward at Stick. Stick clapped his hands together, and caught the sword’s tip.

Stick: You really shouldn’t sound so confident. You're a weak excuse for a god.

Ivan: I’m no god.

Terra went around Ivan, and stabbed him through the back with her spear. Ivan made it fly forward with telekinesis. Stick dodged to the side and knocked it down.

Ivan: Yuri! Radiation now!

Yuri: No! You’ll get hurt.

Millie was finally able to land a punch to Yuri’s gut. She jumped up and uppercut Yuri in the face. As Millie rose up Yuri grabbed her by the neck and slammed her against the wall. Millie closed her hand. But nothing seemed to happen to Yuri.

Yuri: You entertained me for long enough, human.

Terra tried using her disease powers on Ivan. Nothing. He lunged forward with his chain. Terra dodged to the side and kicked Ivan. She turned on destruction and threw another kick. Ivan went flying at the wall. He stopped himself. Terra threw off a couple pieces of her armor and pushed Ivan against the wall. Ivan struck himself with electricity and blew off Terra’s armor. Both Stick and Terra were hit by it.

Yuri: Kill them?

Ivan: Kill them.

???: Kill you.

A bolt of lightning slashed down Ivan’s back. Ivan was sliced in half, both Terra and Stick were covered in blood. Ludus came down and fired a blast into Yuri’s back, causing her to drop Millie. Ivan quickly reformed. His body pulled itself back together.

Ivan: Two gods? And new ones too?

Polybus slashed forward at Ivan. Ivan dodged under and threw one of Terra’s armor pieces in Polybus’s face. Yuri picked up Azrael’s blade and gave it to Ivan. Polybus struck forward at Ivan. They locked blades. With Polybus trying to push Ivan back.

Ivan: The way you strike...with the anger, power and force of a wild beast.

Polybus: You killed my father. I watched. That was when you sealed your fate.

Ivan pulled his blade away and moved to the side. Polybus fell forward. Ivan stabbed his sword into Polybus’s back.

Ivan: That’s what happens when you put too much force into one attack. Same way your father went.

Ludus’s eyes were watering. Terra screamed and stabbed her spear through Ivan. Her gauntlets came from behind and stabbed into Ivan. Her shin guards stabbed into his stomach.

Yuri: Leave him alone!

Eris and Yuri went to save Ivan. Millie and Stick held them back.

Terra: Why do you do it? Why do you kill all of my friends? The fuck is wrong with you?!

Ivan: Oh Terra. It’s this game we’re playing. They have to die. I have to break the cycle.

Terra: You think this is a game?! A fucking game?!

Ivan: They're controlling you! They're controlling me! They’re the reason I’m saying this! I don’t know what fucked up game they're playing, but they made me know. We are all controlled by the gods. You think you know what freedom is. But we are trapped.

Terra: The olympians aren’t controlling anyone!

Ivan: Not the Olympians, or the beasts.

Terra: Stick, give me your blade.

Stick pushed back Yuri.

Stick: Terra, back up.

Terra: what?

Stick: You heard me.

The walls of the cave began shaking. Terra called her armor and spear to herself. A big machine landed on top of Ivan.

Millie: What the fuck is that?

Bordon: It’s a bomb.

Terra: That’s where you have been?!

Bordon: It’s powerful. But it will kill those things.

Stick: Powerful enough to blow the entire block up, America the people my ass.

Terra: The block?!

Stick: The block and then some. We’ve better get the hell outta here.

Terra: We have to do something!

Stick: Nothing we can do now, kid.

Bordon: It will kill those pieces of shit.

Yuri: You really think a bomb will kill us? That bomb will do nothing!

Bordon: Let’s get the hell out of here.

Millie: What if it does nothing?! We’ll be killing civilians for nothing!

Bordon: I can’t say I didn’t try.

Stick and Bordon started leaving the cave. Bordon’s sword lit up. He placed it down. It made an electric blue fence. Trapping Ivan, Yuri, and Eris.

Yuri: This fence will not hold us! We will return, an explosion is nothing to us!

Millie: I’m somehow convinced she’s right. We’re just delaying the inevitable! Turn the bomb off, Bordon! We had it under control!

Bordon: Let me think about that, no.

Terra: Fuck this. I’m not letting that bomb destroy New York. People are just recovering from the war.

Bordon: How do you plan to stop me?

Terra turned around and started walking back.

Millie: Terra, what the fuck are you doing?

Terra: Making a use for myself. I’m not letting B.L.A.D.E do whatever they want.

She took off the electric fence made by Bordon’s sword.

Yuri: Look who's back? The hell are you doing?

Terra: I highly doubt you’d die from this explosion. But hundreds of people could if it happens. You want to kill me, do it. If you’re really scared for your life, then run.

Yuri cut off Ivan’s arm from under the machine. His body reformed around the arm.

Ivan: Look at you, trying to be a hero.

Terra: Ivan, If I’m being controlled to think I’m doing the right thing, I don’t care. This feels like me. It’s the most alive I’ve felt in five years.

Ivan: Good for you, Terra. Your heart of gold it at least admirable to some extent. Next time we meet, it won’t be just Polybus meeting the end of my sword. If there is a next time.

Ivan escaped through a portal to the Astral Realm.

Terra saw the timer, the bomb armed itself. She stood next to it and covered her armor around the top. She covered it as best she could to condense the explosion. She thought about the people she locked up. She gave only certain metahumans a second chance. All of them deserved a second chance at life. She should’ve given them all new lives in Skyland. Either way, the MFI sites would go to someone she trusted to make the right decision. Something deep inside gave her the courage, She felt like it was her pure stupidity. Nobody else was dying because of her. Nobody. She’d miss the chance to have a family. But in her mind, she didn’t deserve it. Someone who committed genocide deserves nothing, maybe this act would save her. Terra stared at the timer. 3..2…

Terra: Three...Two...One...Come on.

The bomb broke open, and there it was, the explosion. She condensed it with her armor. But not even a demigod could stand next to a city-level explosion and survive. The explosion was lessened, but Terra saw the lights embrace in front of her. It was here. It was inviting. It was justice for what she’d done.