Artemis Volume 9

Started January 21st

Finished January 31st

10 days, what?!

Line Count:

Terra - 328

Delta - 213

Tempest - 153

Millie - 43

Amelia - 34

Jilaya - 29

## Issue 1 - Civil War

Simon was walking down the street. With full body B.L.A.D.E armor. Along with a couple of the police issued meta killing guns. He had a group of people following him. Some wearing armor. Others just holding regular guns. Lots of them wore shirts with “no more mutants” on them. Simon led a battalion of humans down the street.

Simon: They really want to take New York?! They want to steal this election from us?! We’ll show them the willpower of human-kind!

Metas were slaughtering humans left and right. Only the strong humans stood a chance. A flash of blue lightning came through the crowd. Separating the fighters. Amelia came back. She had no idea who to save. Millie came from behind and grabbed her shoulder.

Millie: This isn’t about our biases, it’s about stopping the fights. Just separate them!

Amelia ran into the crowd and took many people out of the fight. She either moved them away. Or punched them lightly. Still enough to stop it any fights. A human shot a meta that Amelia had knocked down.

Amelia: No!

Human: Thanks. You with B.L.A.D.E?

Amelia ran up to him and punched him in the gut. She heard bones rupture. He spat out blood and fell down.

Amelia: I...didn’t even punch hard...

Millie blocked gunfire and knocked out metas and humans left and right. From afar, a man wearing a weird looking dog mask in a jacket was holding a sniper rifle. He set his sights on Amelia. He saw her stop. She was walking with a limp. Only running in bursts. He rested his hand on the trigger. Creeping up to her head. Before he shot, he heard a bang and his gun jammed. Delta stood in front of him. He stood up. He towered over Delta.

Delta: You’re nothing without that gun.

The man in the mask took out a knife and stabbed Delta. She blocked the first one. But didn’t bother to defend. It’d just break. He stabbed her in the gut. The knife even pierced through Delta’s armor.

Delta: What?! How?

Terra came from behind and knocked him down the hill they were on.

Terra: How did he stab you?

Delta: I don’t know!

Delta and Terra jumped down to the fights that were happening.

Millie: Terra!? What the fuck are you doing here?

Terra: Got back just in the nick of time.

Millie: So you were in Skyland?

Terra: We’ll talk more when we get home.

A meta came out of nowhere and shot a beam of light at Millie. She blocked and Terra jumped over her and knocked the meta out with a kick to the face. Delta jumped in the air and shot a flurry of magic bullets while spinning. She landed on her knees and put her guns away. She looked around, and saw the people she took out still moving. Amelia slammed one to the ground. Everyone looked around. There was no fight around them. Millie and Amelia set their sights on Delta. Millie let a blast out she’d been holding up at Delta. Delta was slammed with the energy and fell into a kick from Amelia.

Terra: Hey! Hey! Stop! Guys!

Millie: What? She literally destroyed the brooklyn bridge.

Amelia: You were flying.

Terra: Oh yeah, why didn’t you fly in Skyland?

Delta: My head would practically explode if I went any higher!

Terra: That sounds like bullshit. Kinda like a copout...How do you just forget you can fly?

Delta: I didn’t forget! I just um...didn’t feel like flying? Y’know what, I dunno why. What the fuck...Someone must be playing with my head. You think Ivan’s in here?

Terra: I wouldn’t doubt it.

Amelia: Well. She seems mentally stable.

Simon: You think this is the end? There are many more fights that need stopping!

Millie: Simon! What the hell?!

Amelia jerked her leg like she was going to attack Simon.

Simon: Save your strength. It’s of no use to you.

Simon took out a device. He threw it in the air.

Terra: Shit!

Delta protected everyone. But the device was no bomb. It let out a shockwave.

Terra: ...what was that?

Amelia: It’s just like the…

Simon took out a pistol.

Amelia: MILLIE GET DOWN!

Amelia jumped over to Millie to shield her. Simon shot his pistol. Terra jumped in front and blocked the bullet.

Simon: What?

Delta slapped the gun out of Simon’s hand. She kicked him back. He slid across the pavement. The Mask walked past Simon. With two assault rifles. Delta and Terra jumped in front. They removed their armor, making a wall that the assault rifles pelted. Terra shot one of her gauntlets forward. The mask grabbed it out of the air and threw it off to the side, along with his guns.

Millie: We don’t have time for this! There’s still more fighting!

Terra: Can you even use your powers?

Millie: No, I don’t feel them!

The Mask took out a rocket launcher.

Terra: Shit, Delta!

Delta: We can’t protect everyone at once!

Something whizzed past The Mask and Simon. In a split second, The Mask’s rocket launcher was sliced in half. Tempest slid across the ground. He had a mask similar to Delta’s on. A bit smaller and around his eyes. Simon clicked a button on his side. And a group of B.L.A.D.E soldiers and humans ran over.

Simon: T.H.O.R.N! Go stop the riots throughout the streets!

Tempest: You’ve been off the grid for so long. Do you think we’d listen to you?

Tempest blitzed Simon. But the Mask pulled out a handgun and shot a bunch of shots into Tempest. He got hit by a couple, hitting his armor. He blocked the other bullets with his sword. The Mask stood up and ran away with Simon. The group of people shot their guns at Tempest. To Tempest, time slowed down. He blasted through the crowd of people. Cutting them down in rows.

Tempest: Millie! Go back. I’ll stop the fights.

Millie: Tempest! Aren’t you still injured?

Tempest: I’m fine.

Terra: Me and Delta will help!

Tempest: Someone has to take those two back! Delta, you come with me. Show me that you’re loyal to us now.

Delta: Ugh, what do I have to lose? Terra, take them back home.

Terra: But-

Delta: You heard me!

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

Terra walked into T.H.O.R.N headquarters with Millie and Amelia.

Millie: We still could’ve fought, y’know.

Terra: You would’ve died on the way here! I had to fight through a couple crowds to get you here.

Lobo opened the door to the main area. She ran over to Terra and hugged her as soon as she saw her.

Lobo: Terra! I thought you were dead! Not like this asshole helped in the slightest!

Themis came out.

Themis: Look, I tried to send a message, I tried to contact Athena. Nothing.

Terra: I can’t believe all this is happening...The war.

Themis: It’s gone worldwide too!

Lobo: Seriously?! She probably blames herself!

Terra: It’s hard not to. I did this. I let them out. All because I thought justice was a good excuse. Holy shit...whose gonna die because of me? How many people have died because of me already!?

Millie: Terra! Calm down, there’s nothing you can do about it.

Lobo: It’s out of your hands now.

Amelia: We found out Simon has something that takes our powers. I don’t know how long.

Lobo: It’s just like the bullet he shot you with Amelia.

Amelia: Yeah, that took my speed too.

Terra: We have to end this quick before it gets out of hand. I’m going back out!

As Terra went for the door. Delta and Tempest burst out. Tempest covered in blood, and Delta with some on her. Tempest leaned on a wall and coughed.

Tempest: We cleaned house as much as we could. Other heroes are stopping the fighting.

Terra: Come on Delta, lets go back out, you have to have some fuel in you!

Delta: There’s only so much we can do.

Themis came right up to Delta and slammed her against the wall. He put his sword up to her neck.

Themis: What the fuck is this radical feminist doing here?

Terra: Hey! It’s okay! She’s on our side now!

Themis: Doesn’t change the fact that she killed all those people.

Terra: We-

Delta: No Terra. I did do that. There’s no protecting me.

Delta shoved Themis off of her.

Delta: Look, Tempest. I took your sight. I can’t believe how bad that must’ve been.

Tempest: So bad it cost multiple surgeries. Why are you saying this?

Delta handed Tempest her axe.

Delta: I took your sight. Take mine. Eye for an eye. Literally.

Tempest took her axe. Everyone stared in dismay. Delta sat on her knees and put her arms out. Ready for fate.

Tempest: What are you doing? Get up.

Delta: What. Why?

Tempest: Yes. I hate you for taking my sight. Caused me lots of pain. Pain is temporary. What? You just want to get revenge on yourself because you hate yourself?

Delta didn’t say anything. She was speechless.

Tempest: I get it. Your mom was a controlling prick. She “made” you a feminist. Some biases are deeply engraved within our psyche. That’s why you look at Millie differently than you look at me. Think for yourself. You don’t always know how long that mind of yours will be all yours.

Delta: ...Thanks?

Tempest: It’s no problem.

Lobo jumped in front of everyone.

Lobo: So, Amelia, how long did that bullet take to wear off before?

Amelia: Probably like, three hours.

Lobo: It was a blast, maybe it’ll wear off faster? Either way, we have to go after Simon first. He’ll use that device to kill metas and mutants like sheep. We should hit the center of these attacks. Learn more about The Mask as well.

Delta: One of his knives pierced my armor. There’s something up with that guy…

Lobo: So let’s do a heist! Let’s infiltrate their base and see what we can dig up. Which means Terra, be at the top of your game tomorrow.

Terra: I’ll be as swift as Artemis.

Themis: Hey, speaking of Artemis, your eyes…

Themis looked into Terra’s eyes. Glowing green as the Earth

Themis: You took the role. You were imbued with some of Artemis’s power.

Terra: I think I’m Terra, God of Earth.

Themis: Terra, Goddess of Earth.

Terra: Yeah that. This necklace lets me go to Skyland.

Themis: Good to know. Guess that’s not important right now. We’ve got a war to fight!

## Issue 2 - Morally Grey

Terra, Tempest, Delta, and Lobo were skipping across buildings. Lobo had a scanning device in her hand.

Lobo: The highest concentration of human activity seems to come from...Just a couple blocks up.

Terra: I think I see it from here.

Delta: Where?

Terra: One of the voting places.

Tempest: There’s tents there, a fire...lots of humans.

Delta: How can you tell?

Tempest: My vision isn’t what it used to be. But I can see in bursts. Thanks to this high tech gear from B.L.A.D.E. Either way, let’s sneak in. Lobo, you’re patrol.

Tempest jumped down, along with Terra and Delta.

Delta: You sure there needs to be three of us?

Tempest: I’m positive. We need to rely on each other if any of us get caught. We all have valuable information. Especially Terra. She has lots of knowledge about Slave camps. Imagine what someone could do with that knowledge. There are powerful people there. Look out for each other.

They heard talking. They hid behind a taken down wall. And heard Simon’s voice. He was talking to someone else. There was a tall man. He was standing in front of Simon. He towered over him, and looked like he could split him in half. He was wearing a black trenchcoat, and had a black and grey beard.

Simon: Look, General Grey. Can’t we find a common ground? We both have similar goals.

General Grey: There’s no common ground to be found. You just want senseless violence. You’re a rebel without a cause.

Simon: Of course I have a cause! I want humans to retake this land!

Terra: Who's that guy? The general.

Tempest: I don’t know. He just recently appeared.

General Grey: Then we have two opposing ideals. You know what happens when people have opposing ideals in a war?

Simon: What?

General Grey picked up Simon by the neck.

General Grey: History always tells the side of the winner.

Simon struggled and struggled. He took out his gun. General Grey took it and threw it away.

Terra: Shit…

General Grey heard the faintest move behind the wall the group was behind. He slammed Simon on the ground. And walked over.

General Grey: While I’m here...there’s something I needed from you. You were with the president. Where did he go?

Simon: I was an underling. I don’t know shit. He flew away in a helicopter. Probably to the other side of the world.

Terra: What do we do?

Tempest grabbed them both and teleported away to a higher level. They saw Simon’s soldiers running down stairs. And then The Mask. He shot a sniper rifle from up high. The bullet seemed to stop in midair as soon as it got to General Grey’s head. General Grey reflected the bullet back, and it missed The Mask.

General Grey: We’re already doing this? Ugh.

Simon took something out of his jacket pocket. A ball of some sort. With the ball he teleported away, atop the building. Right next to Terra and company.

Simon: Soldiers! Come with me! It isn’t worth it! He’ll deal with the goliath!

All of Simon’s soldiers retreated. A tall robot walked out of a garage door facing General Grey.

General Grey: Run all you want! I’ll catch up to you, Akir!

General Grey faced off against the gigantic reassembled robot. Terra watched as he tore it to pieces.

Tempest: Let’s go. We got some info.

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

Tempest returned to the T.H.O.R.N base.

Tempest: Now there’s a new general in town.

Lobo: A new general? What do you mean?

Delta: He seems to want New York for himself.

Terra: We have to stop him.

Lobo: So now we have to chase after two sides of the war? You can’t really expect to stop it.

Terra: I have to try.

Tempest: We have another lead, Grey wanted to know where the president is. And I want to know as well. It’s my duty to protect him. Me and Terra will go find his coordinates. Then I’ll get in contact with him.

Terra: Wouldn’t he tell you?

Tempest: Over a video call? Who knows who could be listening in!?

Tempest: Come on Terra.

Delta: Hey…! Tempest.

Tempest: What?

Delta: The woman who were always by my side. My soldiers. Where are they?

Tempest: In jail. Or dead.

Tempest left with Terra.

Terra: Hey, that’s kind of harsh.

Tempest: It’s the truth.

They ran across the city. It was like a warzone.

Terra: Where do you think it is?

Tempest: The city hall. He has to have coordinates hiding somewhere.

Terra: What makes you think that?

Tempest: He left in a hurry it’s possible our infallible president messed up.

Terra: What?

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

Lobo: Delta, I bet they escaped prison at this point. Most prisons are in shambles.

Delta: So do you think you can track them down?

Lobo: None of them were ever registered on B.L.A.D.E’s networks. I don’t think I can find them. Sorry.

Delta: Maybe I could go for a search…

Themis: Why do you even want to find them? It’s not like you cared about them anyway.

Delta: I just want to make sure some of them are still alive! My strategies were shit back then!

Themis: You won’t find them. Their probably fighting for themselves out in the war.

Delta: That means they could be dead.

Themis: Yep. Not like they killed tons of dudes before.

Delta: Hannah...I killed her because I wanted power. Everyone else probably still follows Artemis.

Themis: Yeah, they’d probably hate you.

Delta: I want to find them. Just one. I think I have an idea of where they would hide.

Lobo: You can’t go out there by yourself!

Delta: Yeah I can. I’ll be fine.

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

Terra and Tempest walked into the city hall. It was in shambles. Tempest went to the president’s office.

Tempest: Look for the coordinates on the computer.

Terra went over to the computer and looked at it, confused.

Terra: Where’s the on button?

Tempest: Godammit. Stand guard.

Terra did just that.

Tempest: After the war I’ll have to teach you about modern society,

Terra: Really? What do you think the worlds gonna be after the war?

Tempest: Two things could happen. We could go back to using sticks and stones. Or we could kill all the problematic ones. Natural selection. The forces of nature rule over everything. Either way we’ll be set back a good amount of years.

Terra: Ugh, this is still my fault…

Tempest: Shut up. Focus on fixing this.

Terra: Yeah. You got those things? Where Bordon is?

Tempest: Coordinates. Yes. Now, we should destroy this.

Terra: Why?

Tempest: We wouldn’t want anyone getting the coordinates.

The window behind Tempest broke and two stretched out arms pulled him back.

Meta: Don’t mess with our president! You’ll die for that!

Tempest: Destroy the computer!

Terra punched her hand through the monitor. She jumped out the window. Tempest sliced the arm off of the meta that had grabbed him.

Terra: Tempest! We’ve spilled enough blood!

Tempest: You say that like I care. This war has already taken thousands. What’s three more?

Terra jumped in front of Tempest. She knocked out the meta. A couple of his friends came up to them. Terra knocked out the one behind her. The one next to Tempest made one of his arms super big and smashed down on Tempest. He blocked with his blade. Terra came around and knocked him out with the back of her spear.

Terra: Any death that is preventable, should be prevented. I know I have my problems, but you seem like you get high off of killing people. It’s like a drug.

Tempest: You know the feeling. The rush. To best an opponent in battle is and should always be an honor. The opponent died a hero. For fighting an opponent like me. I live undefeated.

Terra: You can still lose a fight.

Tempest: Whoever dies first is the real loser.

Terra: You know how selfish it is? To take pride in killing other people when they don’t need to die? I felt the rush before. I can see how you can get excited off of it. But life has other ways to feel rushes like that.

Tempest: Enlighten me, like how?

Terra: Remember what you were told to do? Protect me.

Tempest: Yes. I remember.

Terra: I want to be with you Tempest. I know your head is too unstable to understand. But I want to go out with you, Tempest.

Tempest: Aren’t we out right now?

Terra: On a date dumbass!

Tempest: ...A date?

Terra: Yeah. Remember the dance? What did you feel like then?

Tempest: It was something different. The feeling was fascinating, really. But, there’s a war going on right now. We should hold off for now. Until the war is over. Or until we get freetime.

Terra: I’m okay with that.

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

Delta ran as fast as she could. She made it to the Brooklyn bridge’s remains. Sure enough. There was a small fire billowing under it on the grass. Delta came over. She saw three women. Beaten and battered. They all had bows on their backs. One of the women was Hannah.

Hannah: Delta? It can’t be…

Delta: Uh, yeah. It’s me.

The other woman sat up.

Delta: Agatha, Diana, Hannah. Where are the rest.

Hannah: Sit down. Talk to us! Where did you go?

Delta: I went to Skyland.

Delta sat down.

Delta: I met the gods. And saw as many die. It was chaotic.

Diana: Gods died?

Delta: Yeah.

Agatha: So? Did you take your mothers rightful spot?

Delta: No.

Hannah & Agatha & Diana: What?!

Hannah: Why not?

Delta: Look. How many of you are left.

Agatha: Just us three. The rest were killed by other metas. It’s a dangerous world out there. We had a run-in with someone named General Grey. He tried to kill all of us. He said we were inspiring hope in angry young woman.

Hannah put her hand on Delta’s shoulder.

Hannah: We have lost so many. But we’re still under your command. It was mom’s final action to put you in control.

Delta: Hey...did you ever think that maybe mom was too hard on us?

Diana: Have you gone mad? She was brutal. But she loved all of us the same!

Delta: There was never one time where she expressed love for me. She drove me to do all these fucked up things...Well. I guess I did them myself. Did you ever think she was...wrong?

The woman looked at Delta, confused.

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

Tempest and Terra were sitting in B.L.A.D.E headquarters.

Terra: Damn. Maybe I should go home. It’s been a long time.

Lobo: It’s safer to stay here. We’re underground.

Kris, Millie’s brother was sitting next to her. He was eating oatmeal. He turned and bumped Millie. He moved out of the way, and Millie let out a little blast.

Millie: Ha! My powers are starting to come back!

Kris: And their equally as annoying.

Lobo: And how long has it been?

Millie: Fiveish hours. Give or take.

Amelia was running around. She tripped on herself. Millie picked her up.

Millie: Be careful you clutz.

Amelia: Maybe I fell on purpose.

Amelia and Millie kissed as Delta walked back in. She was now dirty, covered in ash from a firepit. She had marks on her head and her neck.

Lobo: What happened to you?

Delta: Can’t convince everyone their mother’s a megalomaniac.

Terra: Who did that?

Delta: Artemis’s woman. They wouldn’t understand. I just hope they don’t take things too far.

Terra: That looks bad, can I practice my healing on you?

Delta: Not like I have anything to lose.

Tempest was sitting down on the medical bay.

Lobo: You ready for the eye checkup?

Tempest: I’ve been ready.

Lobo: I may be able to repair your eyes to the way they used to be. But you’ll still probably be blind.

Tempest: I don’t like this big slice across my face. So it’s okay.

Lobo: Though scars were cool.

Tempest: The scar it leaves will be cool. Actually, I had something to ask you about, Lobo.

Lobo: What’s up?

Tempest: How exactly do you date a girl?

Lobo: What kind of question is that? Oh-ho-ho. Tempest, what did you do?

Tempest: It’s what Terra did. She wants me and her to work. She wants me and her together.

Lobo: And you want advice from me? Do what’s in your heart. I guess. Don’t try and overcomplicate it. If Terra really likes you, she’ll come around. And hey, good catch. She’s still just as stunning as she used to look.

Tempest: What makes you say that?

Lobo: I’m not blind. You’d have to be blind to not notice a girl like that.

Tempest: That’s not funny.

Lobo: Ah well, let's finish this eye surgery. Maybe you can be a little less blind. The more I heal your eyes the easier it’ll be to use those B.L.A.D.E glasses. They’ll last you longer.

## Issue 3 - Going Back to Cali

Terra was watching the news.

Terra: Why is the news even still going on?

Lobo: I guess people need to know what’s going on.

News reporter: And here we have overhead footage of New San Francisco, named Quirin by the metas.

The city was nearly just as Terra had left it. With little settlements spread throughout.

Terra: It really is worldwide…

News reporter: From the midwest battles have raged on. Burning farms to ash in their wake.

Lobo: It might be out of our hands, Terra.

Terra: One stupid choice I made led us here. To an all-out war.

Lobo: I mean, not all of it’s your fault. You’re twenty years old, you know how much of a weight that is on your shoulders?

Terra: That doesn’t mean I can stop.

They heard a knock on the door.

Themis: The hell? We never get knocks on our doors.

Tempest: I’ll get it.

Tempest opened the door slowly. It was two B.L.A.D.E soldiers holding a TV.

Tempest: What is this?

B.L.A.D.E soldier: A message from President Bordon.

Millie: He made you lug a TV over here?

B.L.A.D.E soldier: Anything for Mr. President.

They turned the TV on. The President appeared on the TV. It was a recorded message.

President Bordon: Hello T.H.O.R.N. This message was recorded for you all so you know to find me. I’m somewhere in California. You’ll find my coordinates in the city hall. Destroy the computer.

Tempest: Terra, you destroyed it. Correct?

Terra: Yep!

President Bordon: I want T.H.O.R.N to come to my base. I have special orders for all of you.

Millie: Sorry Kris. Guess we’re moving again.

President Bordon: You might be asking. When are we going to come back? I don’t know. But you signed up when you joined B.L.A.D.E. You will all be given good homes in California. When you are allowed to go back to New York you may. I want you here as soon as possible. There will be a helicopter landing nearby. They’ll radio you in. They’ll probably say something in code. Be here. We don’t have time for slackers.

Everyone sat in silence.

Lobo: Damn. We really have to leave? I’m going to miss you all.

Amelia: You have to go to Cali?

Millie: Guess so. This is a huge job. A huge responsibility.

Amelia: Well, can I come?

Millie: I mean, he didn’t say you couldn’t. And I’m not leaving Kris here.

Kris: Yeah, last time you left I had to stay in those school dorms!

Millie: I said I was sorry about that!

Lobo went over to Themis.

Lobo: We’ll stay in contact, right?

Themis: Of course. It’s the wonders of technology!

Tempest: Bordon won’t like us having phones. Do you know how easily they could be pinged?

Lobo: Don’t worry. Bordon likes me.

Tempest: He doesn’t like anyone.

Tempest pulled Terra aside.

Tempest: That “date” you talked about. Should we just get it over with?

Terra: What do you think?

Tempest: I don’t see why not.

Terra: But you really are leaving. We should wait.

Tempest: Why?

Terra: Well, I don’t want things to escalate too quickly. Unless you’d do long distance.

Tempest: No long distance. The president wouldn’t let it happen.

Terra: Then we’ll wait. Maybe we can find out more about your past.

Tempest: The dreams were getting worse. I didn’t understand any of them. I was out for a while. Living in some...other world. I saw a woman.

Terra: A woman?

Tempest: It’s hard to remember her. It was just a woman. I felt connected with her. Like we were friends.

Terra: Was it Lobo?

Tempest: I would know if it was Lobo. It was someone I didn’t know.

Terra: If your dreams are really connected to your past, do you remember anything important in the dream? Like symbols or numbers?

Tempest: Something stuck out. It said facility twenty-three.

Terra went back inside.

Terra: God, I really want to see if my apartment’s still open.

Amelia: Maybe take a shower while your there, Terra. You smell like deer since you came back.

Themis: Must be Artemis.

Terra: Come on Delta. Let’s go hit the showers.

Delta: You want me to come?

Terra: You need someplace to sleep, right?

Tempest: I’ll go. It could be our last mission together.

Terra: Going to my house?

Tempest: You never know what we might see.

Lobo went over to Themis.

Lobo: So, now are we going to make this work Themis?

Themis: What? I told you, loving me shouldn’t be in the cards.

Lobo: You can’t kill me if I’m across the country! We could easily go into video calls.

Themis: I don’t even have much of a place here. California was my original place. My office is probably destroyed.

Lobo: We could find it!

Themis: Did you not hear me?

Lobo: I bet a nameplate is still around!

Themis: That nameplate was my pride and joy. Fine.

Lobo: You’ll come with me?

Themis: Can’t touch you through a screen. That’s not my kind of shit.

Lobo: True…

Themis: You aren’t afraid of men like Artemis, right?

Lobo: I wouldn’t be this close to you if I was.

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

Terra, Delta and Tempest were running through the streets. They got to Henry Hall’s apartments. It looked like it had just been fixed. But now it was touched by war. Before they could go in, a man stood atop the apartment building. He was sitting in the middle of a huge mech. It jumped off the apartment roof and to the ground. Henry Hall was in the mech.

Henry Hall: Who dares to pass?!

Terra: It’s me, Terra! You know me!

Henry Hall was wearing some sort of glasses.

Henry Hall: You all are metas! I might need to call the boys!

Terra: You’re with Simon?

Henry Hall: Yeah! A bunch of metas came through and trashed my place for no reason! I’m gonna make them pay! With this new suit the mechanic made for me!

Terra: The showers still work?

Henry Hall: Of course!

Terra: Look, just let us through.

Henry Hall: You miss your rent all the time! And you didn’t even pay this term! I’m taking you down!

Tempest blast through Henry Hall. He sliced at one of the mech’s hand. But his sword bounced right off. Terra jumped in with a kick. The mech didn’t even flinch.

Delta: Ugh, out of the way!

Delta charged a bunch of magic into her gun. And shot the mech right in the center. Nothing.

Henry Hall: This mech is indestructible! I didn’t even feel that!

Henry Hall shot a bunch of missiles out of his mech. Delta blew up two. Tempest sliced through another. Terra was ready to take her explosion. Delta blew her’s up though. Henry tried to crush Terra. She grabbed his foot in midair. Delta kicked off a wall and kicked him on his other foot. The mech fell on the ground. Tempest jumped ontop of it. He ripped the top open, where Henry Hall’s head had came out of earlier. He pulled out Henry Hall and held him by the scruff.

Tempest: Could you just let these two women take showers?

Henry Hall: Maybe. Can I watch?

Tempest: You’re a creep.

Terra: Tempest no-

Tempest threw Henry Hall on the ground. He ran away.

Tempest: Hm? What did you think I was going to do?

Delta: Well played.

???: This is now General Grey’s territory! Outta the way!

???: And this is Human territory! You get outta they way!

Terra: I hope it isn’t like this throughout the rest of the world.

Tempest: Let’s stop this.

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

Delta and Terra were sitting in her room.

Terra: It’s been a while since I’ve sat here.

Terra looked at a picture of her grandparents.

Delta: Who are those?

Terra: My grandparents.

Delta: Shit, how old were you in that picture?

Terra: Eight. Funny how time flies.

Delta: You all look happy. They still around?

Terra: No. There was a fire. And men on motorcycles.

Delta: I bet they’d be happy for where you are now.

Terra: Maybe grandpa would’ve been able to guide me if he was still around.

Delta: Can’t dwell on the dead. We can only remember them.

Terra: We should go back to T.H.O.R.N headquarters soon though. I wanna say goodbye to everyone.

Delta: Take a quick shower. I’ve never used one of those things. Their so cool! So I’m taking my time.

## Issue 4 - Answers

Tempest: Goodbye Terra. Maybe we’ll see eachother after the war is over.

Terra: Yeah.

Tempest: Hey, that computer was destroyed, right?

Terra: Yeah of course! I smashed the monitor.

Tempest: Goddamnit. That’s not how it works. Remember the big block under the computer?

Terra: Mmm. Nope.

Tempest: You’ve got a lot to learn about the real world.

Terra: Hey, is that a smile I see?

Tempest: What’s it to you?

Terra laughed.

Terra: I’ll be seeing you, Temp.

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

President Bordon: Tempest. Snap into it. I can’t have generals zoning out in the middle of the battle. You were a lot more useful last time we met.

Tempest: I won’t let you down Mr. President.

Millie: So we’re getting armies of our own?

President Bordon: Task forces. The B.L.A.D.E soldiers who were drafted think they can do whatever the hell they want. So I need you to kick them in shape.

Amelia walked out of the equipment room in the helicopter. She had bracers on her arms and legs. The armor was glowing blue in a pattern engraved in the bracers.

President Bordon: And you, speedster. If I catch you step out of line you’re going right to prison where you belong.

Amelia: Yeah, yeah. I got it.

President Bordon: You better have.

Amelia: What do these bracers do besides look cool?

President Bordon: You’ll hit harder, and you can transfer energy. They also measure your health. Blue for doing great, yellow for in the middle, and red for on the verge of death. All B.L.A.D.E soldiers are outfitted with this tech so we know who to bring in and out of the battlefields.

Millie: That’s pretty awesome.

President Bordon: Those bastards have been attacking the white house. Soldiers protect it. But if they find out I’m not actually in there, it could get bad quick. Your first shift is to protect it. We’ve been tipped off there’s a big operation about to attack in a couple hours.

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

Delta was looking out the window.

Delta: One thing that’s nice about everyone being gone is that it’s not a lovefest the size of Aphrodite's weddings.

Terra: Why the hell is nobody out there?

Delta: Oh, so you totally ignore my joke. I go-

Delta: Shit. Nobody would’ve guessed that it was a warzone just yesterday.

Terra: I mean, listen. Nothing.

Delta: Should we go looking for trouble?

Terra: We just climb a really high building. See if anything’s going on.

Delta: Or we use this shit that Lobo gave me. Scans for any big groups of people. Pretty convenient, huh?

Delta pressed a button on the device. Green dots for humans and red dots for metas.

Terra: Looks like red dots are grouped in one place and green dots are grouped in another.

Delta: There’s others spread throughout the city.

Terra: Should we go looking for trouble?

Delta: I mean, Depends.

Terra: I know metas probably like me. I mean, I freed them. And Grey doesn’t know about me yet.

Delta: I doubt this General Grey will be thrilled to know you.

Terra: Well, something I wanted to do was search about Tempest’s past.

Delta: That’s a pretty stalkerish thing to do.

Terra: No! He forgot his past. I want to help him reclaim it.

Delta: How do you know where to start if he forgot?

Terra: He said in a dream he had he was in a facility. With the number 23 on it.

Delta: Sounds even harder to find. This facility could be anywhere!

Terra: Well let’s find it! We’ll have to go to T.H.O.R.N headquarters.

Delta: It’s probably locked down now that it got cleared out.

Terra: You know what to do.

Delta: Ugh.

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

The door to T.H.O.R.N’s headquarters was turned to stone. Delta slashed the stone down with her axe.

Delta: So, you know how to use the T.H.O.R.N computer?

Terra: Of course!

Terra went over to the computer in the medbay. She pressed the on button.

Terra: Alright. It’s on now. I’m lost.

Delta: Jeez. Move aside. There’s probably a search function on this thing.

Terra: How do you even know how to use it?

Delta: Remember when I went across the state? I had to learn how to use one a couple times. Plus we had a tech girl who was good with computers. She was friends with Lobo when she was around...Ironic.

Delta did some typing. She opened a search bar with the filter “facilities”

Delta: This computer is pretty easy to use. What was the number again?

Terra: Twenty-three.

Delta typed it in.

Delta: Huh. There are a couple facilities. There’s only three in this area.

Terra: That’s good enough for me!

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

Terra and Delta walked into the first facility. It was the closest.

Delta: This place is a ghosttown.

Terra: Hey, there’s a desk here.

Delta: Yeah, that was kicked over. Someone was mad.

Terra: Look. A note.

Terra picked up the note. It looked old.

Terra: “You’re running out of time”? That’s a weird message to put on a note.

Delta: This place is definitely abandoned.

Terra: Yeah, let’s go.

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

They made it to the next warehouse.

Terra: Doesn’t look li-

Delta: Shhh.

Delta pulled Terra down.

Delta: Look, a fire. There’s people here…

Three people came towards Terra and Delta.

???: Could be humans...You ready?

???: All charged up.

The metas walked out into the front.

Delta: We need to take them out. They’ll find us.

???: Spread out, look for em.

Delta grabbed a guy. One from far away heard Delta.

???: Danny! Blast em!

Danny turned around, and a huge weapon materialized next to him. It looked to be a laser cannon of some sort. A huge beam came out of it and hit Delta. Delta still stood after the beam.

Delta: That all?

Danny: Shit! She’s another one of us!

???: Must be one of Grey’s girls!

Terra: Hey! We come in peace! We were looking for something, that’s all.

Danny: Oh my god...Striker, Bishop. We found her!

Terra: Me?

Striker: Terra Lorenz! Or, Terra the terrorist as we like to call you! Come in!

Terra: What?

Bishop: You’re like an idol to us!

Striker: I want to see your power firsthand. Show us!

Delta: Looks like you’ve got fans.

Terra: Y’know, there’s a war going on. Do you think this is the time?

Bishop: Yeah! Show us!

Terra: I dunno. I can do this.

Terra made her armor fly off of herself. She flew it around in a circle. She put her armor back on herself.

Terra: And more, obviously.

Bishop: So what’s your power?

Delta: We utilize the Power of Olympus.

Striker: What’s that? Like Olympian gods?

Bishop: How did you get that cool of a power?

Terra: Well, we weren’t-

Danny: Aw man, come on Terra. Let’s have a quick match!

Terra: Guess I can’t say no.

Danny: Just, no armor, yeah?

Terra: That kind of defeats the purpose. But okay.

Bishop: We know you can do more things than just use your armor!

Terra: Fair enough. No armor.

Terra stood off against Danny. A huddle of more metas was around them.

Terra: Alright. Let’s go.

Danny summoned an energy blade and slashed at Terra. She dodged and punched Danny in the face.

Terra: You okay?

Danny: I expected harder. Come on! Show me your power!

Danny swung his sword around and threw a kick at Terra. She dodged the sword and blocked his kick. She ran in to get a hit and got kneed in the chest by Danny. Terra wasn’t expecting the pure power behind the knee. She fell on the ground and quickly got to her feet.

Delta: Wow! You’re getting your ass kicked!

Danny slashed down and then summoned a blaster. He shot at Terra’s leg. She dodged the sword and jumped out of the way of the blaster. She hit Danny with one of her energy punches.

Danny: Now I felt that.

Danny summoned a shield and threw it at Terra. She dodged under to be met with a punch from Danny. She felt the wind nearly get knocked out of herself. He summoned a big energy glove and punched Terra in the stomach. It sent her flying into the crowd of metas. Who threw her back in. She was still recovering.

Terra: Alright. Come on.

Danny stabbed forward with his sword. Terra pushed it down. She threw a kick at his head and then a punch to his gut followed by an energy blast. He slid back a little. Danny summoned a big hammer and swung it at her. She flipped over it and swung into a tornado kick. And hit Danny in the face. He stumbled back, and then kicked Terra in the stomach. She fell on the ground.

Danny: It didn’t even feel like I was fighting a meta.

Terra: I don’t know what kind of person you think I am, but I’m not a meta. I’m human.

Danny: You’re…what?

There was mumbling among the crowd.

???: So a human let us free? What?

Danny: That’s why you’re so weak.

Danny stood above her.

Danny: Just like all humans.

Terra: Delta…

Danny helped Terra to her feet.

Danny: That just makes you even more cool! It gives me hope. Maybe not all humans are bad. And I’m pretty cool that I beat my idol’s ass.

Terra: Not next time.

Danny: It was pretty unfair I asked you to use none of your armor.

Striker: Wait, Danny. You’re just going to let them go?

Danny: Terra’s a big idol of mine. Come on Striker! Remember when she took down that huge mech? When she let us all free?

Striker: You also remember seeing her killing metas?

Bishop: She doesn’t even have a side!

Striker: Come on Terra. Pick your side. Human or Meta?

Terra: You want me to be honest?

Delta: No they don’t Terra…

Terra: I won’t lie. Metas don’t deserve all this abuse. Humans don’t deserve all this bad treatment. Both sides are bad in some ways! I might be human. Realistically I guess I’m demigod.

Striker: Demigod? You just lost to a meta!

Terra: A human against a meta? That doesn’t seem too fair.

Delta: Terra. You’ve been imbued with the power of an olympian god. You haven’t given yourself enough credit.

Delta looked into the audience of metas.

Delta: Hey! I call a rematch between Terra and Danny! That’s how we’ll settle this. Danny. Don’t hold back this time.

Terra: What?

Delta: Terra. Those glowing green eyes don’t lie. You’re a demigod. If not, you’re a full god. You’re stupid brain must be blocking it out or something. But show these bastards they should fear Terra, The god of Earth.

Terra: You really think I can do it without my armor?

Delta: Beating one meta shouldn’t be a problem.

Terra: Shouldn’t I heal first?

Delta: Don’t be a pussy! Get in there!

A meta was healing Danny a little bit.

Danny: Sorry Terra. This isn’t personal.

Danny and Terra squared off again. Danny held his energy hammer and slammed it down on Terra.

Delta: You aren’t nimble jackass! You’re a fucking tank!

As Danny slammed his hammer down. Terra caught it. She ripped it from Danny and punched him in the gut. Red energy flowing through her. She sent Danny flying across the ring.

Danny: That’s the Terra I know.

Striker: Terra. Choose a side. This is a war! You can’t pick both sides! You pick a side. Or die.

Terra: Haven’t died yet. I must be lucky.

Striker: It’s the truth of war!

A bunch of blue arrow-like energy projectiles appeared around Terra. Delta summoned a bunch of plants around Terra. But the arrows churned right through. Since Delta was closer, Terra ripped her armor off of her and blocked the arrows. She summoned her own armor to herself. She instantly went into destruction. Glowing a vibrant red. Her eyes now glowed electrifyingly.

Terra: One day, you’ll force humans to protect themselves.

Delta: This armor isn’t the only artifact the gods left behind.

Striker: We are humans too. Smarter, faster, stronger. They locked us up like animals.

Delta: Doesn’t violence cause violence?

Striker: I don’t care at this point.

Striker summoned a huge arrow. Terra weaved under it and flicked him in the face in her destruction form. He was sent flying in the air. And landed hard on his back.

Terra: Delta, you think this is the wrong place?

Delta: Yep. These dudes would be too dumb to figure it out.

Terra and Delta walked out.

## Issue 5 - Facility 23

Terra and Delta ran across buildings to the next warehouse.

Delta: You think you might’ve pissed them off?

Terra: Not planning on sticking around to find out.

Delta: True, true.

Terra and Delta got to the warehouse. They looked around.

Delta: Hey, look here.

Terra followed Delta to an abandoned lab. There was a glass dome overhead.

Delta: Terra...Look.

Delta was looking in the sky. Blocking the sun with her hand.

Delta: Look at the sun.

Terra: What? It’s bright.

Delta: The dot on the sun.

Terra: Yeah...what is that? It looks like the sun has a mole.

Delta: It’s a spaceship...Like a satellite.

Terra: What’s that?

Delta: How do I know more about this than you? It’s a flying object that rotates around the world. It’s bigger than a satellite.

Terra: God I wish Lobo was here.

Delta: Call her.

Terra took out her trusty flip phone and called Lobo. To their surprise, Themis picked up.

Terra: Hey, Lobo.

Themis: Do I really sound like Lobo.

Terra: Oh, hey Themis, what are you doing with Lobo’s phone?

Themis: Oh, you want to know? That’s kinda weird but we-

Terra: Wait wait! I don’t want to know! I just have a question.

Lobo took the phone from Themis.

Lobo: What’s up?

Terra: I wanted to know, what’s that big satellite in the sky?

Lobo: That? I’m not supposed to say this, but that’s the B.L.A.D.E ship.

Terra: The B.L.A.D.E ship? You mean that’s their real headquarters?

Lobo: Yeah. They have settlements all around the world. Like the T.H.O.R.N settlement. Either way, be careful Terra. The war’s going crazy. Y’know me and Themis had to do it in a tent!

Delta: TMI Lobo. TMI.

Terra: ,,,,yeah, Thanks anyway.

Terra put her phone away.

Delta: This base is right in earshot from that place.

Terra: Hey look at this. Three knobs.

Delta: Three people worked here…

Terra finally turned her attention to the middle of the room.

Terra: Shit…This is just like that dream,,,

Delta: Dream?

Terra: There was this one weird time...Where me and Tempest shared a dream.

Delta came up to the machine in the center of the room. It was a huge testing tube. She wiped off the dust over a metal plate.

Delta: Well it says it right here...Project Tempest.

Terra: Project Tempest. So Tempest is really a lab experiment. Maybe that’s how he got his powers.

Delta: Hey, who else gives humans powers in laboratories?

Terra: Jilaya Springer. What does that even mean? Jilaya kidnapped him and worked on him? So he’s just another experimented on meta. Right?

Delta: This lab is special, It’s always following the B.L.A.D.E ship. Look around for scrolls.

Terra: Files?

Delta: Sure.

They started pulling out cabinets and looking at empty files. Delta skipped to the T section.

Delta: Project Tempest...Here.

Terra looked at the file. There was a picture attached. Delta showed it to Terra.

Delta: Aw, they look like a happy family.

Terra: What?

Terra felt a shiver go up her spine. She saw just what Delta said. A happy family, Jilaya, Ivan, Erica, and Axel.

Delta: Hey look, there’s a baby in Integer’s hands.

Terra: Yeah…

Delta: There’s a passage here. From Integer.

Terra: What’s it say?

Delta: “I’ve tried to experiment on my older kids. But it seems they aren’t compatible. Since they are mutants. Me and Ivan kept trying until we got a powerless baby. Finally, it worked. Little Theodore is going to change the world. Ivan liked the nickname Theo. I think it fits. With Theo, project Tempest is born.”

Terra: Wait...So that means…No…

Delta: Yeah, that dude you like so much, is Integer’s kid.

Terra: He’s Jilaya’s kid…

Delta: Explains why he’s so powerful.

Delta: Here’s another passage. “Theo’s going in the tube today. He’s three months old. I hate to do this. But it’s for humanity.”

Terra: Tempest...Theo. We were going to date! I was going to date Integer’s kid...Right after I…

Terra put her hands over her face,

Terra: I killed her family. I...I’ve ended so many people! Why should I have a shot at life?! Why?!

Delta: Terra...It’s the way the cards have laid out. Just because Tempest is Jilaya’s kid doesn’t make it bad,

Terra: He’s Ivan’s kid! The same Ivan who gave me this scar!

Terra took her hands off her face, revealing tears. She dragged one of her hands across her face with her scar.

Terra: It just...It can’t work.

Delta: ...Terra...Just calm down.

Terra: Thanks to me, millions of people are probably dead! How does a twenty year old deal with that!?

???: In here! There’s some in here!

A group of three B.L.A.D.E soldiers burst in the door. Terra stood up, ignited with a brighter red than normal. They shot a flurry of bullets at her with their rifles. The bullets didn’t even hit Terra.

Terra: Not now!

Terra made a red energy with the hand motion she made. The energy flew at the guards and killed them all instantly. Delta got up.

Delta: Jeez Terra! Cool it! I get it, you’re frustrated. I was frustrated a little while ago. I didn’t get anywhere good. Take a breath. Breathe.

Terra: You’re right...I-I need a minute.

A group of B.L.A.D.E soldiers broke into the place.

Delta: Shit. We have to protect this data.

Terra: We can’t let them in.

Terra and Delta broke through the door. There was a flurry of bullets. Delta and Terra pushed their armor forward, blocking the bullets. Terra jumped in the air, requipping her armor and slamming her fist on the ground. Tons of soldiers went flying. Delta jumped in the air and shot a flurry of bullets. She knocked down a bunch. Two soldiers came from behind Terra and grabbed her. They took out some meta cuffs. Delta made one of her gauntlets fly off and hit the two soldiers. Knocking them out.

Delta: Those cuffs aren’t doing shit anyway.

A B.L.A.D.E soldier was on some stairs. He held his gun to Delta’s head. One of Terra’s gauntlets came around and knocked him off his feet. He fell down the stairs.

Delta: Thanks.

Delta was shot right in the chest. The final blast of the shotgun nearly hitting her in the face. She went flying. The Mask walked down the stairs. Guns blazing. A B.L.A.D.E soldier stood up. The mask blasted his head off. Just before the bullet hit Terra in the face she blocked it with her gauntlet. Delta jumped forward, blocking a bullet and punched the mask in the stomach. He grabbed her hand and threw her off the stairs. The Mask shot a bullet into Delta’s head. She quickly put on her mask and blocked the bullet. The Mask came down the stairs and shot again at Delta. She held her gauntlet in front of her and blocked. She shot up at The Mask, he got hit right through the shoulder. Terra ran up and kicked the Mask into the wall. He dodged Terra’s next punch. She punched right through the wall. The Mask grabbed her head and slammed it into the wall. Delta stood up and punched the Mask in the stomach. He took out the same blade from earlier that broke through her armor. She dodged his first slice. She did a backhandspring. Terra jumped off the wall and pushed The Mask back. He stabbed Terra in the stomach.

Terra: Seriously!?

He lifted his knife up and stabbed Terra in the neck. Terra choked on her own blood, bleeding out on the floor. Delta slashed her axe over her head. Stabbing The Mask through the chest. Killing him. She threw him off of Terra.
Delta: Fuck! Terra! Stay with me!

Delta panicked. She started crying herself. She put her hand over Terra’s neck. She started turning Terra to stone. The blood stopped.

Delta: Terra, you can hear me? Use your healing!

Terra couldn’t talk. She lifted her hand slowly and covered her neck. Which was covered in a layer of stone.

Delta: This could end badly. Just...be okay.

Delta stood up. She heard someone walking down the stairs.

Simon: Good job Mask!

Simon saw The Mask laying on the ground.

Simon: Or not.

Delta grabbed Simon by the neck. She slammed him on the ground.

Simon: Not so hard!

Delta: Why did you do it?! You sick fuck! What’s wrong with you?!

Simon: You two are in my way. All metas need to be stopped. Killing you two is like stopping the problem at it’s source.

Delta tightened her grip around Simon.

Delta: You’re the problem.

Delta tightened more. She stared into Simon’s dying eyes. Then she thought about the men she did this to already. She dropped him. He had a coughing fit. She kicked him in the face, knocking him out. Terra started saying something, her voice breaking.

Terra: The...Mask...Tempest…

Delta ran into the Tempest test room. The file she had been looking at was gone. She saw the shadow of the mask jump out the window.

Delta: Dammit!

## Issue 6 - The Spoils of War

Terra was in Olympus. She was sitting in Hephaestus’s laboratory. Her hair had gotten even longer. She tied it into a long ponytail. A large robot was behind her. Making armor that covered her neck. It covered a scar on the side of her neck.

Terra: So you really are Hephaestus?

Robot: Well, Hephaestus made into ones and zeros. I’m close to the original. I liked my human body better.

Terra: Thank you Hephaestus. You always take good care of me.

Hephaestus: It’s my pleasure. I’ve never worked on armor as extraordinary as yours.

Terra went to the upper level of Skyland. She saw the gods sitting down to eat. Terra came over and sat down with them. Her normal outfit was considered “ungodly” or something. So she wore a big poncho made from cloth and a short skirt. Everyone was served some sort of delicacy. She looked up at Poseidon.

Terra: What is this stuff?

Poseidon: Well, the most fine Olympian delicacy! Ambrosia and nectar!

Terra: This ambrosia is just a big cake or something.

Hera: It’s made from a collection of fruits, marshmallows and rich creams.

Athena: Oh, and try the nectar. It’s the greatest.

Terra drank some of the liquid. She felt rejuvenated.

Poseidon: These are thought to increase your lifespan.

Terra: I don’t think marshmallows and cream is going to do that.

Hera: And while we have come here to eat, we have also come to talk about new gods.

Athena: New gods?

Hera: There should always be twelve of us. If not, we’ll just be killed off. There are meant to be twelve Olympians.

Poseidon: And it’s not like you have my unfaithful brother around anymore to make more Olympians.

Athena: What do you think Queen Hera is? A baby making machine?

Poseidon: What else has she done for us? Why should she be the new ruler of Skyland?

Ares: That’s true. Maybe it should be a real ruler, like me!

Athena: Seriously? You’re a madman hungry for war!

Poseidon: I’m more powerful than Zeus! I should be the new ruler!

Ares: Go back to the sea where you belong!

Polybus: Everyone shut up! Nobody deserves to be rulers if we bicker like this!

Hades: Polybus is right. Nearly half of us died because we couldn’t come to a good solution.

Terra: Why does anyone have to rule over Skyland anyway? Shouldn’t Olympians all be on the same playing field. We should work together to keep Skyland and Earth safe!

All the Olympians looked at Terra, confused. Some of them even laughed.

Terra: Seriously? Isn’t that how it should be?

Hera: Sorry. Reasons like that are why the current generation has no direction. That’s the reason you started a war.

Terra went quiet and sat down on her seat.

Hera: See? That’s what I mean.

Polybus: You’re just hungry for power your dear husband handed to you all your life. At least Terra worked to get here.

Dionysus: Look, we need more Olympians. All of you had kids, just appoint them and be done with it!

Ares: Many of our offspring died in the raid.

Dionysus: You still have enough!

Terra: Ugh…Now I know what it feels like to be you Delta…

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

It had been three years since the run-in with The Mask. Simon was jailed up, and General Grey was defeated by Kai. New York was in even more shambles than last time. Terra felt like the war was coming to a close. There were still battles going on in the streets by unaffiliated metas and humans. Death counts all around rising. She came down from the sky. She stopped some fights on her way home as usual. She walked into her house and saw Delta, who was fiddling with her armor.

Delta: You remember how I could fly?

Terra: Yeah.

Delta: I thought it was just stupid stuff. But I really can’t do it anymore.

Terra: Huh. I think you have to be really strong to do it. Really skilled. I remember Artemis could do it when we fought a while back.

Delta: So, now what? We took down General Grey and General Fox. What are we supposed to do now?

Terra: I feel like this war is going to stop soon. Kai told me I have to find a way to end it. I need to decide what I’m going to do though.

Delta: Think it over. Those slave camps had millions in them...That’d be enough space for anyone who committed crimes.

Terra: I’m not doing that! Do you know how long that would take?

Delta: A long ass time.

Terra: Well did you ever find anything else for Tempest case?

Delta: We looked everywhere! That evidence that The Mask took is gone. Like it disappeared off the face of the earth.

The pair heard a bunch of helicopters fly over their heads.

Delta: Helicopters?

Terra: What if it’s B.L.A.D.E?

Delta: It’s not Tempest, Terra. It’s really creepy when you chase helicopters.

Terra: Come on! Let’s just look!

Terra and Delta ran to the helicopters. Two of them landed on the building high up. They heard a bunch of yells.

Delta: Terra...Look.

A huge group of humans with mechs walked out. On the other side, a group of metas walked out. Holding guns. Terra and Delta were right in the middle. They acted like Delta and Terra weren’t even there. They started shooting at each other. Terra and Delta made a ring of armor around them. Blocking the bullets.

Delta: Ugh. Of course this happens now.

Delta was ready to attack. When three people jumped out of the helicopters. Amelia and Millie fell down. Amelia ran down the side of a building. Millie cut herself on her hand, and smashed on the ground. Making metas go flying. Amelia took out the rest quickly. Tempest jumped from the other helicopter. Disarming all the humans and cutting down their mechs. He sliced one in half, and then turned to see Terra. And stopped. Everyone was either knocked out, or running for their lives.

Millie: Alright Amelia.

Amelia: Yes ma’am.

Millie locked Amelia in meta cuffs. Terra ran up to them with open arms and hugged them both.

Millie: I bet it was lonely without us here. Come on Delta, join in.

Delta: Group hugs aren’t my thing.

Terra: Why not?

Delta: I’m uh, claustrophobic.

Terra came over to Tempest and hugged him too.

Terra: I didn’t know if you were even going to come back.

Tempest: Why wouldn’t I?

Terra: Do you guys have time to stick around?

Amelia: If you’re willing to help us take down these metas.

Millie: Yup! That’s our mission. To finish off the threats in New York.

Terra: So things really are calming down…

Amelia: That’s not true. You haven’t left New York to see the rest of the world. Sure things are slowing down. But that doesn’t mean it’s over.

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

After a long day of stopping sudden fights breaking out, The group sat down and ate at the local Henry Hall’s Restaurant. Themis and Lobo also joined the group.

Amelia: Come on Millie. You can take the cuffs on so I can eat!

Millie: Fiiiine. Don’t get mad at me if Bordon kicks our asses.

Delta: Hey Terra, you’re going to tell Tempest about his past, right?

Terra: Well, I was gonna. Now’s not the time though.

Delta: You’d better not be putting it off.

Terra: So what kind of missions did Bordon put you guys up to?

Millie: Y’know. The norm. We had to stop a bunch of fights, take down leaders. Hey, who was that guy we tried to find but couldn’t?

Tempest: Enzo. He’s either dead, or alive, and with a huge force of metas.

Terra: Sounds scary.

Tempest: You wouldn’t believe it. There are many rumors about him. In general, lots of our missions were boring.

Millie: What did you two do?

Terra: Same thing, oh! And we fought off General Grey with the Crimson Dragon.

Millie: Oh yeah. That guy. He alright?

Terra: Seems fine as ever. Probably better than last time.

Lobo: We did get to see the B.L.A.D.E ship. That was cool! It had been so long since I’ve been up there!

Themis: It was like standing atop mount olympus. You could see everything. Even though it was a bad idea to look down.

Lobo: You almost threw up into space! You know how disgusting that would’ve been?

Themis: Better than doing it in Nick Fury’s face.

Amelia: Come on! I’m eating!

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

Everyone walked out.

Delta: Good thing you’re a good cook Lobo.

Lobo: I should open my own restaurant! I’m that good.

Themis: Eh, food was sub-par.

Lobo: Fine, you cook something!

Themis: All I know how to cook is ambrosia! That’s what happens when you grow up as one of the sons of Athena. She was a shit cook. Except for ambrosia.

Lobo: Never tried it. Make some!

Terra: I wouldn’t try it. It makes your stomach hurt. It’s a combination of the worst stuff! Especially the marshmallows! I hate those things.

Everyone headed home. Lobo, Themis, Millie and Amelia went into T.H.O.R.N headquarters. Terra was standing outside with Tempest.

Terra: Hey Temp?

Tempest: Yes?

Terra: Did you still want to go on that date?

Tempest: I thought you would have forgotten by now.

Terra: Of course not! You said you were coming back and you’re here now, so…

Tempest: Yes, let’s go. Where do you think?

Terra: Uh, well most places are destroyed. We could go sightseeing!

Tempest: It’s a war. There’s no sightseeing to be made.

Terra: Of course there is! Have you not seen New York? Or the stars in the sky at night?

Tempest: No, I haven’t and never will.

Tempest waved his hands in front of his mangled eyes.

Terra: Oh...Yeah. Well we could go to eat or-

Tempest: No. I like your idea better.

Terra: If there’s no fighting, tomorrow?

Tempest: Tomorrow it is.

## Issue 7 - She Destroys All

Terra and Kai ran out of the cave. Blade in hand. They ran past the old man.

Kai: Hope I remembered the way back!

They both ran at top speed. But came to a violent stop. The old man emerged from the woods. With an armada of moose on his side. He was sitting on a moose in the middle.

Old man: That curse, I foretell that the one you love will be your undoing. It’s a truly terrible curse!

Terra’s dreams changed again. She was looking out of the testing tube. Her brain filled in the person in front of her. Jilaya was running around the room frantically. She typed a bunch of buttons on her computer. The testing tube opened and Terra felt herself fall out of the testing tube. She wasn’t wearing any clothes. She could tell she was inside the body of a male. With white hair falling down in front of her face. How was she in Tempest’s position this time? Jilaya ran over to Terra and held her up. She was crying and spouting nonsense. She took out a device and stuck it on Terra’s head. Everything went black.

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

Terra sprung awake out of her bed. Delta was getting dressed. She looked at Terra like she was insane.

Delta: Someone didn’t sleep well.

Terra: I did sleep…

Delta: Yeah, I’m talking about me. You were talking in your sleep all night!

Terra: What was I saying?

Delta: Just babble. Spouting random shit.

Terra: Nothing weird?

Delta: I probably wouldn’t tell you regardless.

Terra: Oh screw off.

Delta: So, you said you have a date or something? You know there’s still fights to be stopped?

Terra: Yeah. Me and him will go out tonight. Usually activity is low. I mean, there’s not that many people even left to fight.

Delta: Their either dead or hiding.

Terra: Ugh...I should be focusing on ending the war though, Maybe I should call it off?

Delta: You deserve a little break. We all do. The war will end even sooner if we burn ourselves out.

Terra: ...right.

Delta: And hey, Terra. Are you seriously not going to tell Tempest about his past?

Terra: I will. It’s probably not appropriate tonight though.

Delta: What? Do you not want to “ruin” the mood? I doubt there’s even a mood to set. You’re a hopeless romantic.

Terra: So are you! Remember when you froze up around Persephone?

Delta: That’s different! She’s married!

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

The day flew by for Terra. She had been building this up with Tempest for three years. She started to wonder if she was obsessive. Or atleast obsessed with the mystery of Tempest. Terra was waiting on the top of a building. She was pacing back and forth. Tempest jumped up.

Terra: H-hey Tempest.

Tempest: So Terra, what’s it we’re supposed to do here?

Terra: Well this was just out meeting spot. We were going to go looking all around.

Tempest: You want to find beauty in war?

Terra: That’s a fancy way of saying it. Where do you want to go first?

Tempest: I have a place.

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

Tempest was holding Terra in his arms.

Terra: Where next? Come on! I can’t even peek?

Tempest: See how it feels to be like me for a change.

Terra: You’re not even blind!

The mask around Tempest’s eyes was glowing vibrantly. He looked up at the huge statue of Mr. Untouchable. His hand was outstretched. As if embracing the city. Tempest jumped off the ground and atop Mr. Untouchable’s arm. He put Terra down.

Terra: Where are we now?

Tempest: Look.

Terra lifted her blindfold. She looked at the city from Mr. Untouchable’s perspective.

Terra: I remember when the lights were so vibrant. It was beautiful whether you looked up or down.

Tempest: Even with this mask, I can see the stars. They shine brighter.

Terra: How do you even know?

Tempest: You’d lose interest pretty quickly. It’s lots of advanced science. The stars make you wonder.

Terra: Wonder? About what?

Tempest: We’re a small dot in the infinite cosmos. We are only a grain of sand in the ocean of space.

Terra: That’s...awfully cryptic. It’s scary really. I don’t try and think about those things.

Tempest: Why stop yourself from wondering the big questions? I got bored with the question of “what I was going to eat today? Or what job was I going to do today?”

Terra: Isn’t it scary though? Delta told me that she read somewhere that someday the sun’s going to blow up and the Earth will cease to exist.

Tempest: We’ll be long gone after that, Humanity would’ve probably wiped itself out.

Tempest sat down on Mr. Untouchable’s hand. Terra sat right next to him and laid down to get a view of the stars more.

Terra: What?! Wiped ourselves out?

Tempest: Did you know there are enough nukes to destroy the Earth in one fateful strike? Or the amount of gods we face? If the Olympians wanted, they could destroy Earth.

Terra: I didn’t even go to school. We only learned basic things. I don’t even know what culture is like on other continents. The world feels like it’s just this country sometimes.

Tempest: Makes sense why you’re so ignorant to many things. But I can show you.

Terra: Really?

Tempest: I’m willing to pull you out of your intellectual ditch, maybe you’ll be willing to pull me out of my mental ditch,

Terra: Heh, that’s the plan.

Terra and Tempest got off the statue.

Tempest: Where to now?

Terra: The water?

Terra and Tempest went to the Hudson River.

Tempest: This is the only water that’s really close.

They were sitting on a bay with their feet in the water.

Tempest: Here. I brought something for us.

Tempest took out some food. He had doughnuts from Bibble and Sip.

Terra: How did you get those?

Tempest: Their kind of cold. But not moldy.

He handed Terra one. They ate in near silence. Hearing the silence of the war torn land. It was almost peaceful. They sat next to each other, staring off into the distance. The next minute, Tempest was looking into Terra’s eyes. He leaned in and kissed her. She was completely caught off guard by this. But went with it. They pulled away from eachother.

Tempest: Sorry, was that not the right way to date? Lobo told me to-

Terra: No, no. It’s okay.

They both kissed again. Tempest pushed Terra onto the railing of the pier. Terra pushed him down on the ground.

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

Terra walked in her apartment door.

Delta: How did it go?

Terra was startled by Delta.

Terra: It went great!

Terra realized she sounded a little overexcited.

Delta: What’d you guys do?

Terra: Lots of sightseeing. Ate doughnuts.

Delta: And screwed?

Terra: Seriously Delta? What makes you think that?

Delta: I dunno. There’s just a big aura of “we screwed” with you.

Terra: Well okay, it went great. I don’t even know why I like a dude who kills people for a living so much. Millie tells me all about fake guys. Tempest is just...all there on display. Y’know?

Delta: About being attracted to Tempest? No. But I can see what you mean. What about telling him what we found out about his past?

Terra: Like I said, it would’ve ruined the mood!

Delta: Why don’t you want to tell him?

Terra: I’m just waiting for a good moment.

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

Tempest was walking down the street at night. He was patrolling. Nothing to be seen. A set of TVs turned on next to him. Bordon was on them.

Bordon: Found out it was safe to broadcast now. We finally have a new mission for you, Tempest.

Tempest: Just for me?

Bordon: That’s right.

Tempest: What is it?

Bordon: A job. Kill Terra Lorenz.

Tempest: ...Wait, what? Why?

Bordon: A question? That’s a first. You know the amount of damage she caused. It’s come to my attention she allowed some sensitive information to be taken as well. Everything she touches she destroys. End her.

Tempest: Well I think-

Bordon: No “I think”. It’s an I will. Kill her. You knew this was coming. That’s why you haven’t gotten romantically involved. You are my best soldier. Kill her.

Tempest: She...means something to me sir. I can’t just kill her. Have someone else do it.

Bordon: Who? The fresh meat? Lobo? She’s too weak to do anything to her! You’re the most powerful, you know that. You have the power to kill her. I don’t like repeating myself. Do what you’re assigned, or we’ll have to terminate you from T.H.O.R.N. Don’t forget what I did for you.

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

It was 2020, when the MFI was shut down. Tempest opened his eyes. He felt weak. He looked around the room. His eyes adjusting. He felt his hair. It was wet. He looked ahead of him. There was a letter. Addressed to “Project Tempest”.

???: Sir! Look in here! Is this dangerous?!

Bordon walked into the warehouse. He saw Tempest crawling towards the letter. He picked up the letter. Tempest reached up for it. Up at Bordon.

Bordon read the letter.

Bordon: Hm. So you’re Tempest. I wonder if this letter lies.

Bordon stepped away from Tempest.

Bordon: Everyone, Fire! That things’s hostile!

The group of soldiers fired at Tempest. On reflex, he jumped into the air. He ripped a pipe from the ceiling and saw the bullets coming at him slowly. He deflected all the bullets. And deflected the last straight into Bordon’s stomach.

Bordon: Nice.

Time rewinded from Bordon’s perspective. He stepped from Tempest again.

Bordon: Why would someone abandon something as interesting as you? Pick him up. Bring him in the helicopter.

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

Tempest: I remember Mr. President. I would’ve died if it wasn’t for you.

Bordon: You wouldn’t have realized your potential. That Terra girl, she’s a bad influence. She destroys everything eventually. Destroy her, for me.

Tempest looked around. As if looking for someone else to correct him.

Tempest: Yes sir. I’ll do it.

## Issue 8 - It’s Killing Time

Millie and Amelia stood outside of a B.L.A.D.E cell.

Millie: You sure you wanna do this?

Amelia: I’ve got questions for him. You do too, don’t you?

Millie: Yeah, I guess.

Amelia: What do you mean you guess? Let’s go!

Amelia and Millie opened the door to the cell. They saw Simon locked up.

Amelia: So, Delta fucked you up, is that it?

Simon: What was I going to do against her? I’m surprised she didn’t kill me after all the men she wiped off the face of the Earth.

Millie: I don’t think she’s planning on killing any men anymore. You know your people are still running wild out there killing themselves?

Themis and Lobo came to the window.

Themis: What are you assholes doing talking to him?

Amelia: We’re questioning him, okay? Mind your own business.

Lobo: About what?

Millie: We're getting to that.

Lobo: Hey, any of you seen Tempest around?

Amelia: No. Him and Terra went out last night. Haven’t seen him since.

Themis: I bet us not seeing Tempest and him being with Terra is probably correlated.

Lobo: Terra’s too innocent to do that!

Themis: Innocent isn’t how I would describe it.

Simon: Going off on tangents in front of me?

Themis: Alright then, lets get back onto the main topic. What makes you want to kill all those metas, huh?

Simon: I want to show that humans bite back. Metas pushed us around as soon as they got out.

Amelia: We were locked in camps for the majority of our lives! Even when we lived in society we were looked down upon. Like monsters.

Simon: You are monsters! You just want to blame someone for your suffering. Humans didn’t put you in those jails. A higher power, Integer did. This world should not have a species above humans. We need to stay equal. Or we’ll all kill each other.

Themis: Seems like you’re killing each other right now.

Simon: I’ll kill all those metas who abuse their power. We don’t like being stepped on. I doubt metas do either, But not everyone wins.

Lobo stepped outside. She was swiping around the computer. She heard the door open. Tempest walked in.

Lobo: Oh, hey Temp! How was the date?

Tempest batted an afraid eye at Lobo. He picked up his sword, and started walking out.

Lobo: Hey! You’re just blind! Not deaf!

Tempest: The date was amazing.

Tempest walked out. Sword in hand.

Lobo: Something’s up…

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

It was early in the morning. Terra and Delta were sleeping. Someone came over to the door. The lock was broken open. He walked into the room. The lights off. Blade in hand, Tempest walked over to Terra. Delta and Terra were almost indistinguishable from each other. They were both slumped over in their beds. Their hair being the same color. Tempest ripped the covers off of Terra’s bed. He looked down at her. The face of the man above Terra’s bed looking nothing like Tempest. He was a black man with an eyepatch. He attached a device to Terra. And she was teleported away. The man left the room. It wasn’t long until Tempest walked in.

Tempest: Looks like Delta left.

Tempest looked down at who he thought was Terra sleeping. Everything ran through his mind. The time they were at the party, the dance, the missions they did together. And the date they had last night. Tempest held his sword above his head. Tears ran down his face. He felt his face. Confused as to what was happening. He silently wept. And again, held his sword above his head. He let the sword’s weight do the work for him. It stopped dead in it’s tracks with a clang. Delta instantly woke up and kicked Tempest across the room. She still had her armor on.

Delta: I knew it was a good idea to keep the armor on at night! Hey, wait...Tempest? The fuck are you doing here? And why did you…?

Delta jumped over to Tempest, grabbed his head and slammed him into the wall.

Delta: What the fuck are you doing here?!

Tempest: That’s none of your concern.

Delta: What?! Of course it is! Tell me before I fire a fucking bullet into your back!

Delta ripped out her gun and slammed it against Tempest’s back.

Delta: You’re fucking crying? I thought you weren’t a wimp!

Tempest: I had to...I had to…

Delta: Spit it out! What?!

Tempest: I had to kill Terra!

Delta shot Tempest in the leg.

Delta: You had to what? The fuck is wrong with you? Do you really get off by killing people?

Tempest: No! I-

Delta: You know she really liked you, right? She seemed like she wanted a future with you. I thought you did too.

Tempest stood up and threw Delta off of him.

Tempest: I was told to kill her by Bordon. He wanted her dead.

Delta: Then why isn’t she here?!

Tempest: I don’t know!

Bordon came on the TV in Terra’s apartment.

Bordon: She’s getting away.

Tempest: What?

Bordon: Terra is on a spaceship headed for the B.L.A.D.E ship. It’s Fury. He just loves to go against me at every turn! The ship should be close to T.H.O.R.N headquarters. Go.

Tempest: Yes sir.

Bordon disappeared and Tempest went to the window.

Delta: Why are you listening to that guy?! He doesn’t give a shit about you!

Tempest: Bordon got me to where I am today.

Delta: Y’know, I said the same thing a while ago about my mom. She ended up to be an abusive piece of shit. What do you want for you? Would you rather work under an organization, or save Terra and let her live. I know what she would pick. Think for yourself for once!

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

Tempest just caught up to a small ship that was leaving. He quietly jumped on. He used his blade and turned himself into a ghost. He phased into the ship, And hitched a ride. It flew into space at extraordinary speeds. Engulfed in a sort of blue light. They landed in a huge space vessel. Nick Fury got out of the ship. With Terra in some sort of capsule that was floating above ground. Tempest came into sight. He watched Fury walk down the halls. The B.L.A.D.E ship looked like something out of a movie. Tempest ran down the halls after Fury. Fury went into his office. A huge metal door closing in front of Tempest. He went into his ghostly form again. He walked into the room and waited and watched. The capsule opened and Terra was startled awake.

Terra: What the- where am I? What is this?!

Nick Fury: This is B.L.A.D.E. Let me give you a second to take it all in.

Terra let herself calm down.

Terra: How did I...How did I get here? Who are you?

Nick Fury: Guess it’s a shame for you, you missed your first space ride. integer

Nick Fury took out a badge.

Nick Fury: Nick Fury, director of operations at B.L.A.D.E.

Terra: What do you want?

Nick Fury: If I had a penny for everytime I heard that question...I want you to stop being a problem, see? You can’t help me.

Terra: Not like I can take anything back now. And I’m trying to stop the war!

Nick Fury: Yeah I get it. You’ve caused me lots of problems, you know that right? You can’t clean up your own messes.

Terra: I’m going to end the war! I just need to talk to the president. We need to come to an agreement.

Nick Fury: It won’t be a good one. Bordon only does things his way. How do you propose we even end the war?

Terra: How do you think we come to a peaceful conclusion?

Nick Fury: A peaceful conclusion? Motherfucker we’re far past a peaceful conclusion. Guess Integer was right when she jailed those people up like animals.

Terra: That was wrong! Obviously our prisons don’t work! Everyone who came out of the prison is destroying the United States!

Nick Fury: Those camps weren’t prisons. They were hells. I see where you’re coming from. Every meta we did jail up after the fact or already jailed up hasn’t made much of a development to a good life. It’s too late to do anything about it. We let those metas out again, they’ll start another war. After this, all, if not most mutants are going in the slammer.

Terra: What?! You can’t do that! How would things have changed?!

Nick Fury: Maybe a couple new cities. If you’ve got a better idea, I’m open. We just need metas and mutants in a place where they can’t hurt some random dude walking down the street. Both races hate each other. If we have to, we’ll seperate them.

Terra: What? Give metas half of the U.S?

Nick Fury: Hell no! Do you know how hard it’d be to move people?! That’d start another war all by itself!

Terra: Ugh...Why did Bordon even want to kill me?

Nick Fury: You found out about his little secret. The Project Tempest secret.

Terra: Yeah…

Nick Fury: Good thing you didn’t tell Tempest. He’d probably go ballistic.

Terra: Jilaya...Integer is his mom, I couldn’t even believe it.

Tempest thought to himself. Integer is his what?

Terra: His mom raised him doing experiments on him!

Nick Fury: Yeah. He’s too powerful to even be around.

Terra: I mean, he’s strong. But not that strong.

Nick Fury: That’s because you haven’t seen half of his power.

Tempest made himself visible.

Tempest: And it’s still enough to kill you.

Tempest came over to Terra. He slashed her out of the capsule. Nick Fury reached for his gun. But Tempest knocked him down.

Tempest: Terra...why didn’t you tell me?

Terra: I-

Tempest: That doesn’t mean I wanted an answer. I should’ve killed you when I had the chance.

Terra: What?

Tempest: The thing I’ve been searching for my entire existence. In front of me, and you didn’t even want to tell me.

Terra: You were going to kill me?! I thought we had something! I thought this was real!

Nick Fury: If you’re gonna kill me, you may as well do it. I can’t stand hearing this.

Tempest: Take me to her.

Nick Fury: Elaborate.

Tempest: My mom, Integer. Take me to her!

Nick Fury: Your wish is my command.

## Issue 9 - Sympathy

Nick Fury: Well, we had a stowaway. You two, go down and see Integer. She’s cell 157.

Tempest: Why does she have to come. It’s personal.

Nick Fury: You’re dangerous. I need someone to pin the blame on.

Terra: I’ll go if I have too.

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

Terra and Tempest stepped in the elevator. A long ride of awkward silence followed. They walked past the cells. They saw some people yelling at them. Others were dead quiet. The most quiet of them all was Jilaya. Terra looked in the cell. She was shaken to see her again. She looked similar. She wore a jail outfit and her black hair was starting to turn grey. She was turned away from everyone. Looking out her jail window, at the cosmos.

Terra: Jilaya.

Jilaya turned around. She looked back to the cosmos. And then looked again. Seeing it was Terra.

Jilaya: Terra? That’s you? You look older, slightly taller. Why are you here?

Jilaya’s gaze immediately turned to Tempest.

Jilaya: Theo…? Theo! You came back to me! I-I’m sorry! I’m sorry for all of it- the testing tube, the family, the...

Jilaya started to well up with tears.

Jilaya: Your brother and sister...It’s okay, now that you’re here. Let me…

Jilaya looked up close at Tempest.

Jilaya: You’re so handsome.

Tempest: You locked me in a cell my whole life and then erased my mind.

Jilaya: Theo...Listen-

Tempest: I’m not Theo!

Tempest was enraged. He took out his sword. Terra had never seen him like this. Jilaya backed up in horror. Tempest stabbed his sword into the cell. A red shield appeared around the cell. Tempest’s sword was stopped in it’s tracks. He used all the force he could muster to force his sword into the cell. Out of nowhere a needle was fired into Tempest’s neck, and he passed out.

Nick Fury: Dumb bastard’s confused. You chat it up with Integer there. Luckily, she doesn’t bite.

Terra allowed herself to fall and slide to the floor against Jilaya’s cell.

Terra: Jesus christ…

Jilaya sat against her cell, directly opposite of Terra.

Jilaya: You’ve met my last son. Good to see he’s alive.

Terra: Yeah, hardy har har.

Jilaya: There’s a civil war down there, hm?

Terra: Why are you even talking to me?

Jilaya: I’ve had nobody to talk to for four years. I’ll take you. You seem stressed, let me help.

Terra: You? Help me?

Jilaya: Be real, we don’t know very much about eachother. If we saw eye to eye, I think we could be good friends.

Terra: So you aren’t mad at me for killing Ivan? Or the rest of your family?

Jilaya: I’ve been given lots of time to think. What’s the point of wasting energy on you when I can’t even kill you. I’ve been given time to think. I think you got what’s coming to you. Haven’t you?

Terra: I...I have.

Jilaya: I told you, you will always have to deal with the repercussions. Was I wrong?

Terra: I get it. You were right. I was a dumbass. I’ve heard it a million times.

Jilaya: I admire your need for justice. You remind me of myself when I was young. You grew up in a closed off place. Away from all the societal traps. So you see things for what they are. Locking up metas was wrong. But it was a necessary evil.

Terra: You seriously-

Jilaya: No time for the moral high ground. I know it was wrong. But it was even more wrong to let them all out at once. Humans can’t adjust to that! Find someone who may accept metas and mutants for who they are. Their gods compared to humans. Just like you and I. You are a god, and yet still human.

Terra said nothing. She was thinking it over.

Terra: I don’t even think I wanted to be a god.

Jilaya: Neither did my test subjects. I mean, the testing, it was great. Don’t get me wrong. What I’m saying is that your heart is bigger than your brain.

Terra: I don’t know if that’s a compliment or…

Jilaya laughed.

Jilaya: A compliment. You seem like you need lifting up. My kids would act just like you when there was something wrong. Erica was the emotional type. I remember Theo as a baby. She played with him all day. I had never seen her that happy. I wish I could see that smile on Theo’s face again too.

Terra sniffled and wiped her eyes.

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

Terra was walking from the cells. There were a bunch of guards walking through the cells. She went to the elevator. A woman stepped in the elevator with her.

Woman: Nice day today, isn’t it?

Terra: I wouldn’t go that far. There’s a war going on right now.

Woman: A war? Hm. I never hear that word or any variation of it anywhere but Earth. Why am I surprised?

The woman walked out of the elevator. Terra tried following her.

Woman: I don’t think this is your floor.

Terra: O-oh yeah. Sorry.

Terra went up to the floor with Nick Fury’s office on it.

Terra: This technology is confusing…

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

Terra: Fury, can Tempest see his mom?

Nick Fury: Didn’t you read the situation back there? I doubt Tempest here would be too thrilled to talk to his mother.

Terra came over to Tempest.

Terra: Tempest. I know you want answers. I shouldn’t have hidden them from you. But hey, this is your chance.

Tempest: I’m going to talk to her.

Nick Fury: No killing this time.

Tempest: You’ll have to take my sword.

Tempest was moved to a small room. He was sitting in a chair, there was glass and empty chair in front of him. Fury and Terra were standing outside and watching.

Nick Fury: This probably isn’t going to end well.

Terra: I think I see why. But Tempest can’t break through that glass.

Nick Fury: Remember your feminist friend? She was trained her whole life to be a killing machine. Specifically of men. What’d she do? Killed hundreds of men. I don’t know what you did to her in Skyland, but you’d better do it to Tempest.

Terra: You know about Skyland? How do you know so much?

Nick Fury: I’ve got my eye on you. That’s besides the point. I’m saying if all we know is killing then whats our first instinct?

Terra: Oh yeah...I’ve seen that before.

Nick Fury: Lets hope the glass holds. And he doesn’t pull anything funny. We know all his powers currently. So he shouldn’t be able to get through. And without that blade he can’t go all slimer on us.

Terra: Slimer?

Nick Fury: You’re too young.

A couple guards brought Jilaya into the room. She was chained down.

Jilaya: Nice to see you, Theo.

Tempest: Why do you keep calling me that?!

Jilaya: Calm down. Theodore. That’s your name, your real name. Tempest is just what B.L.A.D.E calls you...I know you can’t see me.

Tempest activated his vision. He looked at his mother.

Tempest: Why do I...Why do I feel like I know you?

Jilaya: You do. You are my child. The only one left.

Tempest: Only one?

Jilaya: My other kids died four years ago.

Tempest: Would I know them?

Jilaya: Maybe.

Tempest: Why am I like this? Why can’t I remember anything?

Jilaya: That’s how you were built. I needed a vessel that was human. You were born human. The mutant gene is something scientists haven’t been able to crack, well, except for me. It’s sporadic. There’s always a chance that it’ll happen thanks to unknown forces.

Tempest: Not answering any of my questions.

Jilaya: I wanted the perfect meta. The most powerful being I could make. That’s what you are.

Tempest: Why? My powers are normal.

Jilaya: Except the one dormant inside of you. You can copy abilities.

Tempest: So...My life before consists of being locked in a cage and being experimented on? Is that all I am to you?

Jilaya: You are my son. Any moment I spend seeing you, looking at you is a moment I’m thankful we’re both still alive.

Tempest: Would my life be peaceful? Would all of this stop if I was never bred into what I am today?

Jilaya: I know it’s hard. We can’t do anything to change our past. Just...try using your powers!

Tempest: How?

Jilaya: Let me show you.

Terra: Do you think he’s gonna…?

Nick Fury: Shit...Shut it down! Get her out!

Jilaya: Take my hand.

Tempest slid his hand under the little hole in the glass.

Jilaya: It’s like a vacuum. You just need to plug it in.

Terra looked around.

Terra: Shit...I need to do something.

Tempest felt the power of Empyrean flow through him.

Tempest: I was your lab rat. None of you care about me.

Tempest held his hand out and shot a blast straight at Jilaya the glass was shattered. Terra jumped in front of the blast. Negating it.

Terra: Tempest! This isn’t the way! She did nothing wrong!

Tempest: My life could’ve been normal! Everyone lies to me! You, her, B.L.A.D.E! Bordon was always straight up! He never lied!

Terra: Just back off! I want to fix this just as much as you want to!

Tempest: You destroy everything.

Tempest came up to Terra and punched her in the stomach over and over and over before she could even react. Terra elbowed Tempest in the head. He grabbed her leg and spun her around before throwing her into the wall. He looked down at Jilaya.

Jilaya: Tempest...you’re crying. Smile. For me.

Tempest shot a beam straight through Jilaya. Obliterating her top half.

Nick Fury: Motherfucker!

Nick Fury pressed a button outside of the room. The room was closed completely shut.

Nick Fury: It’s going to be a bumpy ride.

The room was cut off from the B.L.A.D.E headquarters. Terra and Tempest left in the room. They started hurdling towards Earth.

Terra: Fuck!

Terra looked at Tempest. He was unconsious.

Terra: What happened…?

They were falling, and falling. Terra and Tempest were just floating now.

Terra: Goddamnit! I don’t even have my armor!

She had to try. There was no other way. Terra tried calling her armor to herself. The room was getting even closer to the ground. It was starting to flare up, and it was getting extremely hot. Terra grabbed onto Tempest. She laid towards the Earth. She thought that if she was going to die, she may as well die in the war she started. Terra was slammed against the far side of the room as she felt the building hit something hard. Leftover humans and metas both ran as the Empire State Building fell to the ground from the large impact. Terra felt herself be shifted to the ground of the floor as she felt the ground getting closer and closer.

## Issue 10 - Terra the Terrorist

Lobo was typing on the computer. The big hunk of metal was falling to the Earth like a meteor of destruction.

Lobo: What is that?!

Themis: Looks like a huge hunk of metal.

Lobo: Look! It says it’s in a crash course for the Empire State Building, and every other building around it!

Themis: We’re not even a block down!

Millie: Amelia! You have to get us out of here!

Amelia: Cuffs?

Millie took off Amelia’s cuffs and she grabbed Millie and ran her out. She came back, got Lobo and got Themis. Simon sat in his cell.

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

Terra heard Amala’s voice. With an annoyed tone.

Amala: Come on, get back up. Focus!

Terra was staring up into the air. Rubble all around her. She realized there was a fire that had ignited around her. She had her armor on. Tempest was laying next to her. Bleeding from his head. Had she not done good enough trying to protect him? Then Terra thought, why did she even protect him? He just killed his mother! T.H.O.R.N and Delta came onto the scene.

Delta: Are you serious? The fuck happened to you.

Terra looked up at Delta and tried speaking. But couldn’t.

Delta: Ugh. You’re lucky that armor got to you in time.

Delta picked Terra up.

Lobo came over to Tempest.

Lobo: Ugh! Tempest you dumbass! What did you do this time?!

Delta: Yeah. I guess you guys have been kept in the dark this whole time.

Amelia: Let’s just get these two somewhere safe.

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

Terra was sitting down in her apartment. She had taken off her armor. She tried activating destruction. Nothing. She looked next to her. Tempest was laying in the other bed.

Terra: Why? Why’d you do it?

Delta: It’s all he knows. Killing. When you only use one option to get out of situations, well. That’s the only option left in our eyes.

Amelia looked down somberly.

Amelia: So he killed Integer, who was actually his mother?

Lobo: Why’d he even do it?

Terra: I don’t know. I didn’t see the Jilaya that locked up millions and experimented on them when I was up there. I saw a mourning mother.

Themis: Hey, not to kill the mood or anything. But Simon was still in there when we got out.

Lobo: It wasn’t like we were going to risk setting him free.

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

Simon was limping out his his cell, which was destroyed from the crash. He was heavily bleeding. The Mask came into the base,

Simon: So now you finally appear.

The Mask grabbed Simon and they made their way out. They went to an excavation site. The Mask put Simon down. There was someone working on a machine. A huge satellite.

Simon: Good thing the mechanic kept things in order.

The Mask looked down at Simon and shook his head. He went over to the mechanic. She turned around.

The mechanic: Can you just stop calling me that stupid nickname?

Simon: Well “Four” is a pretty crap name.

Four: That’s who I am. Killing these metas is the next best thing to putting them back in jail. The machine is done.

Simon looked at the machine.

Simon: Does it do what I asked?

Four: Of course. Just give me my pay. I’ve done enough for you.

Simon: Yeah yeah. Mask, give her the shit.

The Mask handed Four some golden seeds.

Simon: Now, it’s time for some revenge.

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

Themis: You know that means that Simon has been wide open this whole time. Anyone could’ve gotten him out!

Millie: We’ll take a look back at T.H.O.R.N headquarters. You guys stay here.

Lobo: I should go. What if your powers are deactivated?

Amelia: Fair enough.

Themis: I’ll go too.

Lobo: I thought if you went with us, we’d die.

Themis: Oh fuck luck. That has nothing to do with it.

Lobo kissed Themis.

Lobo: Come on. Oh, and Terra. Tempest should wake up soon enough. Be careful.

Millie, Amelia, Lobo and Themis left. Leaving Terra, Delta and Tempest there.

Delta: Well, this is awkward. We’ve gotta wait for him to wake up. And then explain to him that he took a planetary orbit fall.

Terra: It’s not that I’m worried about...He thinks that the president really has his best interests at heart.

Delta: Maybe he does. I tried to kill you a little while ago.

Terra: Now’s not the time to bring that up.

Delta: My point is that as president, you’ve done nothing to benefit the country. You helped the Olympians, sure. But what’d you do good for this place? You let free millions of metas, destroyed national treasures, whether it be on purpose or on accident, and took one of B.L.A.D.E’s best soldiers out of commission. Seems like a pretty solid reason to kill you.

Terra: What do you think, B.L.A.D.E’s just going to bust through my door and try to take us out?

Delta: I dunno ma-

They heard Terra’s door be smashed down. And a bunch of B.L.A.D.E soldiers ran into the apartment and aimed their weapons at Terra and Delta.

Delta: Looks like today’s not our day.

Bordon walked through the crowd.

Delta: Even Bordon came to see us. Must be a special occasion.

Bordon: I’ve decided to take things into my own hands. It’s better you die like this. Americans will rip you to shreds if I don’t. They really loved that stupid Empire State Building.

Terra: Look, we can work this out.

Delta: Yeah, you can have Tempest.

Bordon: I doubt the bimbo standing in front of me would let that happen.

Delta snickered.

Terra: Bimbo? What’s that?

Bordon: Alright. Men, leave.

Soldier: What?

Bordon: They’ll just kill or injure you all. I have them.

Soldier: But sir! One of them took a fall from space! How will you beat that?

Bordon: Trust me. I’m expecting everything they are going to throw at me.

Bordon’s eye changed it’s color. It turned red and started glowing.

Delta: Pretty sure he can do nothing fancy.

Delta took out her gun and shot a bullet between his eyes. He raised his longsword and blocked it. He held his hand out. To Delta, it suddenly felt like she was carrying the weight of a building on her back. Terra felt a little bit of weight pull her down. Like gravity was slightly stronger. Delta struggled to hold her gun up and shot a bunch of bullets at Borden. He turned invisible and appeared in front of Delta again. He swung his sword right at her head. She made one of her gauntlets come up and block the blade. Terra came from behind. He put his sword behind him, expecting the attack and blocked Terra’s hit, and then swung his sword up. Terra dodged, going to the ground, and did a flipping kick at Bordon. Bordon dodged and grabbed her foot in the air and slammed his sword into her gut.

Bordon: You can’t win. I get as many tries as I want. You only get one.

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

Millie lifted a large hunk of metal out of the way of Simon’s cell.

Millie: He’s gone.

Themis: Well, this is the last thing we wanted to happen.

Lobo: So now what, we find him?

Simon: I’m right here.

Simon was sitting under a desk with a beam wedged under his leg,

Amelia: Looks like you couldn’t get far.

Amelia grabbed Simon. She ripped him out of the desk.

Simon: Hey! Easy!

Amelia dragged him. Simon took out some of his weapons. He pressed a button on the small ball in his hand. It let out a pulse that made Amelia and Millie lose their powers. Just like last time. Simon grabbed Amelia. He put his gun to her head.

Millie: Put her down or I swear I will-

Simon: Do you think I’ll actually put her down? Oh well, I suppose I could if that’s what you mean.

Millie moved closer to Simon. He practically drilled the gun into Amelia’s head.

Amelia: It’s...It’s okay Millie. I’m okay with this.

Simon: All of you, back off. Drop your weapons. And armor.

Lobo shed her armor.

Simon: Hey, and the arm.

Millie stared darts into Simon’s soul. Simon shot Amelia in the arm.

Simon: The arm! You heard me!

Millie took off her prosthetic. Themis realized Simon’s gun was down. He grabbed his pen, and turned it into a gun while Simon was staring at Millie.

Simon: Kick the arm over.

Millie did just that.

Themis pulled his gun and shot straight at Simon. The bullet whizzed past his head. Simon aimed his gun forward with dead accuracy. And shot a hole through Themis’s head. Amelia wiggled out of Simon’s grasp. She got shot right in the back. Time moved in slow motion to Millie and Lobo. Lobo fell to her knees and screamed. Distracting Simon. Simon aimed his gun at Lobo and shot. Lobo grabbed Themis’s gun and shot twice. The first destroying the bullet from Simon. And the second hitting Simon in the chest. Simon fell on the ground. And coughed. She looked at Themis. She put her hands on his head. And began reviving him. Like she did to Terra. Millie watched as Lobo’s life force started to drain slowly. She came over to Amelia.

Lobo: She alive?

Millie: We need to get her somewhere safe! She’ll die if she doesn’t regain her speed! Come on Amelia...Come on...

Simon put his radio to his mouth.

Simon: Turn it on...

Lobo felt her life drain a little. She stood up. The hole in Themis’s head healed. She kissed him.

Lobo: You’re okay. It’ll be okay.

Lobo rested her head on his chest. She realized his heart still wasn’t beating.

Lobo: Why...Why didn’t it work? Why didn’t it work?! Themis!

Millie: Lobo! He’s gone. I’m sorry.

Lobo stood up with Themis’s gun in her hand. She came over to Simon. Who was still alive. She shot him over and over and over. Until the clip was empty. She kept Themis’s gun. Millie looked away. She put her arm back on.

Millie: Lets...Lets go.

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

Bordon blocked every single one of Terra and Delta’s hits. He kicked Delta against the wall. And then slammed Terra on the ground. He put his foot ontop of her. Terra tried to turn on destruction. But there was nothing.

Bordon: I’m taking back what is mine.

Delta took out her gun and shot at Bordon’s back. He blocked it with his sword.

Bordon: Stay out of this.

Bordon lifted his sword.

Bordon: At the least, you’ll die like a warrior.

Bordon was seemingly knocked off of Terra by some sort of invisible wave. Delta and Terra felt the weight they felt be taken off. Delta shot Bordon in the chest twice. He fell against Terra’s wall, bleeding. Terra and Delta took a second to breathe. Tempest was looking at them.

Tempest: Terra...Mr. President.

Tempest jumped off his bed and stood in front of Bordon.

Bordon: Make a choice. It’s me or them.

## Issue 11 - Prodigal Son

Tempest fired a gun down at a shooting target. He was very off.

Bordon: Hey, you. Adjust the stance. Maybe you’ll shoot better.

Tempest adjusted his stance and shot down the lane. He missed even more than before. Bordon groaned and came over to Tempest.

Bordon: Watch.

Bordon picked up a pistol and shot down the lane. Dead on. He stood behind Tempest and adjusted his stance.

Bordon: Your foot needs to be here, not here.

Tempest shot down the lane again. His shot was better.

Bordon: Better. But not what I expected from someone like you.

Tempest: Like me?

Bordon: I was told you were special. Powerful.

Bordon thought back to when he first found Tempest.

Bordon: Maybe try your hand with something else.

Bordon took Tempest into another training room. He took out a sword. He handed it to Tempest.

Tempest: Who brings a sword to a gunfight?

Bordon: You.

Bordon stepped back and shot at Tempest. Tempest’s vision changed. He saw the bullet moving slowly through the air. He slashed it in half. Bordon was intrigued.

Tempest: Why would you shoot at me? You know that could’ve killed me.

Bordon: I highly doubt it will. Prepare your blade. Let me show you

Bordon took out his longsword.

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

A huge pulse was sent across New York. Tons of metas were turned powerless. An armada of humans advanced through the city. Killing every meta they found. Metas fought back with guns of their own. But human firepower was too much. Lobo was running with Millie, who was carrying Amelia.

Human: There’s more metas over here! Kill em!

Lobo turned around and was hit with some bullets. She floated in the air, and her eyes turned white and glowed. She let out a pulse. All the humans around them were turned to stone.

Millie: That’s new.

Lobo: Keep moving.

Amelia: Millie! Put me down! I’m-\*cough\* losing blood!

Millie: Fuck!

Lobo: Pressure on the wound! Put pressure on the wound!

Millie was crying at this point. She flipped Amelia around. Ripped off her jacket and put pressure on Amelia’s wound.

Millie: This is selfish, but if she...y’know. Will you be able to bring her back?

Lobo: One more use would kill me.

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

Tempest: You lie to me about my mother. Now you try and kill The one man in my life who gave me purpose. I don’t love the purpose I was given, sure. But it’s made me strong. My mission is to kill you. I should’ve obeyed orders from the start.

Terra: Tempest, I’m not fighting you.

Tempest punched Terra square in the face. So hard she went flying through the wall. She took Delta with her. They fell four stories down onto the ground. Terra looked behind her. She turned and watched meta after meta be slaughtered.

Terra: Delta, the metas, they need help. Stop as many humans as you can!

Delta: You can’t face Tempest alone!

Terra: And I can’t let more people die in this war! Go!

Delta: ...Right.

Delta ran off to stop humans. Tempest stood high above Terra. She saw that he had acquired his sword now. He jumped down. Holding his sword above himself. Terra jumped out of the way.

Terra: I know you didn’t want to do this! You didn’t want to kill your mom! You don’t even know why you did it! You know you don’t want to kill me!

Tempest: Don’t make this harder than it already is.

Tempest slashed straight at Terra’s neck. His sword bounced right off.

Terra: That sword can’t do anything to me.

Two of Terra’s gauntlets came from behind and hit Tempest dead on the head. Terra advanced towards him and threw a flurry of punches. Tempest did a flipkick, kicking Terra high up into the air. He summoned Jilaya’s power. And shot Terra back into the ground. She took her spear and threw it straight up at Tempest. He jumped off the apartment building and grabbed Terra’s spear out of the air. Terra stopped Tempest in his tracks when he almost stabbed her through the face. She rolled under and tripped Tempest. She got ontop of him and punched him in the face over and over. She stopped herself once she saw a drop of blood come from Tempest’s nose. He threw Terra off of himself and fired a beam into her. Sending her across the ground again.

Tempest: Hm, stolen powers still work.

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

Delta watched as humans killed metas. Delta took out as many humans as she could. She then saw a meta gain his powers back. He lit a human on fire.

Delta: Shit. Their back.

Amelia’s speed started to run through her again.

Amelia: It’s back!

Millie: That means…

Millie cut herself. She saw a blast come out.

Lobo: Use your light!

Millie: What?

Lobo: Terra told me a story, about how you’re powers are also self-preservative. Use them to cover Amelia’s wound.

Millie let her light drip like blood onto Amelia’s wounds.

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

Tempest jumped to Bordon.

Bordon: You know what to do now Tempest. Use your true power.

Bordon gave Tempest his power of precognition. Tempest could suddenly see everything Terra was planning to do in the fight. Terra jumped up at the apartment. Tempest jumped out and knocked her to the ground. One of Terra’s gauntlets came from behind. Tempest grabbed it out of the air from behind him and threw it into Terra’s stomach. Another came from behind him. He stabbed his sword through it. He took it off and stabbed it through one of Terra’s arms. Tempest copied Terra’s power. He dodged out of the way of Terra’s spear, which was spinning through the air like a blade of death. Tempest dodged the spear. Seeing all the possibilities of where it could go. Terra came from behind and jumped at Tempest. Tempest ripped her armor off of her with her own powers. She fell to the ground. He threw a haymaker at Terra. She put her hand up. And caught his punch. Nearly feeling her tendons in her hand snapping. They traded punches. Tempest grabbed his sword and slashed right for her head. Terra spun around and hit Tempest with a backfist, so hard he went into a building. He stood up, Terra threw another punch. And then an uppercut. Tempest grabbed her hand and pulled her into himself and let out a huge blast. Bringing Terra down. He picked Terra up by the neck.

Tempest: Why didn’t you tell me? Why?

This could be Terra’s last chance.

Terra: I was afraid for you Tempest. And I think I was a little myself. I couldn’t accept you were my once greatest enemy’s kid. If I told you, you would’ve left me behind. You would’ve went looking. I know it’s selfish. It wasn’t right. I shouldn’t have looked for answers.

Tempest looked up at Bordon. And at Terra.

Terra: Please. I liked what we had.

Tempest: Me too. That’s why I have to do this.

Tempest dropped Terra. She was slumped on her knees. He aimed his sword for the center of her chest. And bore down.

Delta: Stop! Don’t you fucking do it!

Tempest looked up at the sound. Delta was standing next to Bordon with a gun to his head.

Delta: I’ll blow his head off if you don’t let her go.

Tempest lowered his blade.

Tempest: Let him go.

Delta: You first.

Delta jumped down from Terra’s apartment. She held Bordon next to her. She pushed him at Tempest. Holding her gun straight at him and going around to guard Terra.

Delta: Leave. Go back to the fucking hole you both climbed out of.

Tempest leaned on Bordon for support.

Bordon: Retreat from your mission Tempest. Let’s go.

## Issue 12 - Abandon The Fight

Newswoman: The Meta/Mutant Civil War is finally coming to an end after five long years. Fights are still spread out. But war has ceased for the moment. We will now reveal the official death toll.

Numbers appeared on screen. 100,000,000 humans, and 20,000,000 mutants. Terra was just, frozen. She had nothing to say. Delta wanted to say something like “sorry” but she didn’t feel like saying anything would help Terra at this moment.

Newswoman: We have a statement from the president now.

Bordon: My hearts go out to the people who were affected by this. I hope everyone knows just as well as me that metas and mutants are not done. Thanks to a certain terrorist, they were let out much ahead of schedule. I planned to free them. But not like this. So we have to round them up and stop this madness. Once and for all.

Terra shut the TV off.

Delta: Terra. I’m sorry for-

Terra: Not now Delta. Please.

Terra spent the rest of the day acting like a ghostly shell of a person. Delta had left for a little while, to help with reconstruction. She came back that night to see Terra sitting on the edge of the hole in their apartment. She had a drink of very strong alcohol.

Delta: Terra, where’d you get that? We don’t have any alcohol!

Terra: Dionysus can hook a girl up.

Terra took another swig. She laid down, looking up at Delta.

They heard someone walk into the apartment. Considering the door hadn’t been replaced. It was Nick Fury.

Nick Fury: I dunno why I’m doing this. But I came to compensate for shooting you into space. Was totally supposed to kill Tempest and not destroy the Empire State Building. Both of which I failed in. Here Terra. I’ve got the best thing B.L.A.D.E could offer you for atleast trying to stop the war.

Terra looked at a little cardboard box. It read “contraband”

Terra: A contraband box, seriously?

Nick Fury: Pick before I leave.

Terra looked at the box. She drunkenly looked at all the objects.

Terra: Hey, this thing looks familiar.

Nick Fury: That’s because it is. It’s a device Integer used to steal power from her dad. I have a feeling she still cared for him. Considering she chose that power to pass to her son.

Terra: Can I take it?

Nick Fury: There’s lots of cooler items in there. But so be it. It’s got one more use left.

Terra: Use?

Nick Fury: You can steal one more power. I mean, me personally, I would’ve chosen an extra eye.

Delta: I really like that sweatshirt in the botto-

Nick Fury: No touching! You be happy with that now.

Nick Fury left the room.

Nick Fury: Oh yeah, and end the damn war already!

Terra laid down on the floor. Looking up at the item.

Terra: How is it that you find some respect for someone you used to hate?

Delta: I know the feeling.

Delta laid down on the floor with Terra.

Delta: Hm. This is kind of relaxing.

Terra: Oh yeah, it’s great.

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

Terra woke up the next day in the same spot she fell asleep in. Delta was waking her up.

Delta: Alright you disgusting animal. It’s time to stop moping around and stop this war!

Terra: Wh-what? Ugh, I feel like shit.

Delta: That’s what happens when you get a hangover. The fighting has stopped. You have to make sure it stays stopped.

Terra: Wouldn’t fighting just happen again?

Delta: Just...look at the TV.

Terra looked over at the TV. Bordon was on it.

Terra: Fuck off Bordon! I’m done!

Bordon: That’s your response to a man with a proposition?

Terra: A what?

Bordon: If I can’t kill you, then we can come to an agreement. Meet me by the Hudson river.

Delta: I don’t think you have a choice, Terra.

Bordon: Very perceptive. That’s right.

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

Terra came to the Hudson river. She saw Tempest. She almost yelled his name happily. Excited to see him. But that couldn’t be the case.

Bordon: It’s time to put your big girl pants on.

Terra: Ugh. What’s your proposition? I’m happy to end the war any way that I can.

Tempest: I doubt it.

Bordon: What Tempest means is that this is the hardest way. But also the only one.

Terra: Well, throw it at me.

Bordon: You made this mess. I need you to clean it up. You’ll need to find every meta we know committed a crime, and put them back where they came from.

Terra: What!? I can’t do that! Do you know how long that would take?!

Bordon: We didn’t have lots of info on all of them. So we’ll need you to capture everyone you can find. We’ll do background checks on others to see if their good citizens. So it’s not really “everyone” just, most.

Terra: I can’t do that all by myself!

Bordon: We’ll give you a task force. You can make your own up, or use our soldiers.

Terra: I don’t want them to rot in slave camps! That’s millions who are going to live out their lives like that!

Bordon: Then you shouldn’t have let them out!

Bordon rarely raised his voice like that. Terra quieted down.

Bordon: This is our only option that’s on the plate.

Terra: Why can’t we give them the mental support they need?

Bordon: They will get angry again. I’ll be outlawing powers from being used in this country.

Terra: Why?

Bordon: Imagine someone is in the middle of a mall, and they shoot ice from their hands. That’s equivalent to shooting a gun off in the middle of a mall! Metas will be threatening to all humans now. At least the norm. So tell me, are you in? Or not?

Terra: ...I don’t have a choice, do I?

Bordon: No.

Terra: I’ll only take the deal if you do this for me, lock up the humans who fucked up too! I know there’s the talk about the winning side telling their part of history. But one of my friends died because of a human! A fucked in the head, insane maniac. Lock up the humans who deserve it. Deal?

Bordon looked astonished.

Bordon: Deal.

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

Terra was at home. Delta had left for the day again. Terra even saw that she left her weapons for the day. Terra picked up her gun. She began to cry. She started placing the weapon in different places on her body, pointing it towards her heart, her stomach, She frantically put it to her face. Closed her eyes and dropped the weapon. And continued sobbing. Delta came in after a little while.

Delta: Hey Ter-

Terra was sitting at the desk, and writing down names.

Delta: You must be busy. What’s going on?

Terra: I have to round up every single meta I can find.

Delta: What?

Terra: Me and Bordon came to an agreement. I have to do my part.

Delta: You can’t do all that by yourself!

Terra: I know. That’s why I’m making a team. I was going to ask, do you want to join?

Delta: I appreciate the offer. But it’s time I fly the coop. That’s a human saying if you haven’t heard it. I want to finally travel the country and atone for what I’ve done. Somehow. I also have a couple three crazy woman who I have to stop.

Terra: Yeah, I get it. You deserve your own life. You should be free.

Delta: I hope you find freedom sometime, Terra.

Terra: We’ll find out. When were you planning on leaving?

Delta: I dunno. Next week. I wanna hang with you for a little while.

Terra: Y’know, I’ve got over ten million metas to catch, I don’t know if I have time to hang.

Delta: You need a break. You just fought basically your boyfriend. You need some time to yourself. And by that I mean time to dedicate to me.

Terra laughed.

Delta: Hey! You smiled!

Terra: What’s wrong? I can’t smile.

Delta: I dunno, you looked like you were crying.

Terra: Not anymore.

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

Terra thought back to her conversation with Nick Fury.

Nick Fury: If you’ve got a better idea, I’m open. We just need metas and mutants in a place where they can’t hurt some random dude walking down the street. Both races hate each other. If we have to, we’ll seperate them.

Terra: Holy shit...Holy shit I’ve got it!

Delta came out of the shower with a bathrobe on.

Delta: What’s all that about?

Terra: I know how I can save metas!

Delta: Oh god...how?

Terra: Fury said it himself. Separate the races! I can take some metas to Skyland!

Delta: I would definitely ask. That’s millions. I’m just saying. Don’t get your hopes up.

Terra traveled to Skyland. She went to Hesial’s quarters. It was a huge extension to the castle. With a gigantic room with human shaped beds and other things. But enough room for her dragon form.

Terra: Hey Hesial! Where are you?

Hesial came out of the shower with a bathrobe on and her hair tied up. She had a cup of coffee.

Hesial: I see why you humans like this coffee so much. It’s very addicting.

Terra: I wanted to talk to you. Hesial.

Hesial: What can I do for you, Terra?

Terra: This is kind of a big ask. But I have a couple questions.

Hesial: Fire away, I like you anyway, it can’t be too bad.

Terra: Do you have enough room for like, a couple million more humans? And more?

Hesial: Hm. That is a big ask. Done.

Terra: Wait, really? Yes?

Hesial: I have all the power here. I could make you come new towns and cities. Why do you need that much room?

Terra: You know what’s happening on Earth, right?

Hesial: Yeah, lots of metas are being shafted aside. Classic humans. Wanting to keep their land to themselves. Look, I don’t need to worry too much about you, because your heart is in the right place. You are the god of Earth. Which entails keeping balance on Earth. Do as you must.

Terra thanked Hesial profusely and left the room feeling happy. She could maybe enact real justice for once.

Hesial: Also, don’t forget to meet the new Olympians. By the gods, their a riot.

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

Delta: So, you’re starting tomorrow, how do you feel?

Terra: I thought I was a hero. I’m not. I’m a sorry excuse for one. I get in my own head. Because of this, the war happened. I have to do all I can to fix it. Even if I die trying.

Delta: Just, don’t beat yourself up over it. You seem like you might commit suicide.

Terra laughed.

Delta: I’m like a wandering samurai. Actually, before I leave, write this down. Listen to this album, Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Discovered em last week. I’ll be traveling the country with these tunes.

Terra: You don’t even have phone.

Delta: I found this thing in the trash.

Delta took out an old Iphone.

Delta: It’s got tons of music!

There was a moment of silence between the friends.

Terra: You’re a good friend Delta. Most of the time.

Delta: I’m flattered.

They hugged. And Delta slung a backpack over her back.

Delta: Break those chains, Terra.