Chapter 1

Etrius and Beecher had their backs to each other, arms crossed. Beecher cast a heavy glare at Etrius over his shoulder.

"Let me get one thing straight," Etrius said without so much a glance back at his comrade. "I'M the team leader here. You'll follow my orders, whether you like them or not."

Beecher ground his teeth. "I saved your fucking life. Don't forget."

"I saved mankind. Don't forget."

Beecher snarled, but Etrius didn't see it.

The doors to the lab swung open, and Nox breezed into the room. "We've found over fifteen wandering Evils in the past twelve hours." She reported.

"Keep searching," Etrius ordered. "We can never know when they'll sneak up on us unnoticed."

Nox blinked. "Our shift is over. We can't go further any longer."

"That's another thing with you," Beecher snapped. "You push us past our limits to do the most unnecessary shit. We never get a break."

"Evils don't get breaks, and neither should we."

"Mankind is saved, goddamnit! Element Evil is eradicated, and the resource war is over. What more do you fucking want?"

Finally, Etrius glared over his shoulder. His lush green eyes had darkened. He pushed past the doors without another word.

Beecher followed him, Nox watching the two comrades until they were out of sight. They'd been fighting for days. Etrius had grown cold to Beecher, and the team. He was fully convinced that the war wasn't over because there were still Evils wandering the Earth. He believed they posed a threat, and he wasn't going to stop until he had each and every one of them eradicated.

Beecher tailed Etrius until they reached outside. The grinning moon crested in the sky, hanging just above the tree lines. The air was thick with fog that wafted from the forest, as if alive.

"Where do you think you're going?" Beecher grabbed Etrius by the shoulder.

Etrius swung around on instinct and threw his fist back for a punch. Beecher caught it.

He glared into his eyes with hatred not even Etrius had seen before. "If you're so interested in wiping out the Evil race, then why don't you just do it yourself? There's no fucking need for the team to be here, kissing your ass."

Something unfathomable sparked in Etrius' eyes at Beecher's words. "Do you have any idea what it takes to lead a team? I'm doing everything in my power to keep this team in one piece."

Beecher scoffed. "You're doing a lousy job at it."

Etrius yanked his fist away, his muscles trembling with aggravation. "If you don't want my guidance, then fine. This was you're decision." In one swift motion, he peeled off his military insignia and flung it at Beecher. "I quit."

Beecher laughed, the darkest sound no one had ever seen. "You're too much of a coward to do this. You always have been."

Etrius turned and away and began marching towards the forest, his eyes shadowed.

Beecher continued firing words at his retreating back. "You know, I'm starting to wonder. Were you really possessed by the Mind Worm? I'm starting to believe you killed The General yourself."

The force of his words was enough to make Etrius freeze in his tracks. His tightened his fists until his nails had broken skin. "Shut up."

"So you're feeling guilty about it. He was the enemy, Etrius. If you're so fucking pissed that he's gone and in the grave, then maybe you're not our comrade after all. You're our enemy, and the coward I always knew was inside you."

All at once, Etrius' posture relaxed. He exhaled, his breath crystallized in the midnight air before dissipating back into nothing.

He turned back to Beecher, the darkness of night shadowing his face. He slowly began making his way towards Beecher.

Beecher raised a brow. "Changed your mind?"

Etrius didn't response. Instead, he pulled his fist back. Without warning, he struck Beecher across the face.

Beecher's vision jarred to the side. He stumbled to his knees. The world rocked beneath him.

Beecher glanced up at Etrius, who towered over him.

Beecher struggled to get his feet under him, and then delivered a series to blows toward Etrius' stomach.

Etrius absorbed them blows, taking little damage. He grabbed Beecher's shoulders, wrestling him to the ground. Beecher drove his knee into Etrius' stomach, winding him. He threw him to the ground, then pinned him in place.

He threw his fist back, delivering a final blow between Etrius' eyes. A flash of black and red, then silence.

~X~

The doors swung open, and Beecher emerged into the base. Nox and the team were inside the lab, the Crystal Shard in the center of the floor. Equipment had been moved out of the way to create a spacious clearing.

Beecher joined the team. "Are we ready?"

Boomer raised a chainsaw, a dangerous smile performing on his face.

Beecher grabbed a protective iron mask and slid it over his face.

"Where's Etrius?" Lloyd asked.

"Patrolling the outer base," Beecher said cryptically. "He'll be back soon. Let's get this over with."

Boomer yanked back the chain, a whirling sound roaring from the chainsaw. With one foot, he held the Crystal Shard in place by the gold chain. The whirling saw collided with the Crystal's surface, and sparks of blue energy flew off, blinding his vision.

When he switched the device off and stepped back, the Crystal Shard was still there. In one piece. He grunted. "This thing is too powerful to exist. It needs to be destroyed."

Somewhere within her, Nox felt at peace knowing it wasn't destroyed. Those were her powers within the Crystal, but she knew she could never have them back. Once released, Earth would be destroyed. Then there was no going back.

Boomer tossed the machine away, then held out his hand. "Sledgehammer."

Ivan grabbed an iron sledgehammer near the doorway and handed it to him. Boomer raised the hammer over his shoulder, and then swung it down with all his strength.

Again.

And again.

The Crystal Shard didn't even crack.

He let the hammer drop. "Plan B. Acid."

Ivan carried a titanium bucket filled with liquid that steamed. Even the handle felt hot, and it took much effort to carry it. With his powers gone, he was as average as any mortal.

He set the bucket down, droplets of water dripping from the edge. They hit the floor, sizzling and eating away the surface.

Nox grabbed a pair of iron claws and dipped the Crystal Shard into the acid. Nothing.

A muscle in Lloyd's mouth twitched. "Plan C."

~X~

Boomer smiled from the opposite end of the bullet-proof glass. The Crystal Shard lay within, stacks of C4 surrounding it, nearly filling the room. The trigger was in his hand, and he longed to see an explosion. Especially this close.

Lloyd glanced at Boomer. "Boomer, are you read—"

Boomer slammed his thumb down on the switch.

POOF.

Black ashes and smoke settled on the glass.

Boomer frowned. "That's it?"

"It's too small of an area to see anything big, Boomer." Nox tried to peer through the smoke and see if the Crystal was still there.

Boomer's frown deepened. "The least I could've gotten was a football field to blow this thing up in."

As the smoke began to settle, Nox made out the glowing cobalt-blue light of the Crystal Shard. She grumbled, leaning her back against the glass. "This isn't going to work. If Romanov were here, he'd know exactly what to do."

"We'll he's not," Lloyd's eyes were on hers. "We just need to focus and get by without him. We can't change the past." He flexed his fake fingers.

Lloyd had gotten used to having a robotic arm, and he actually preferred it to his real one. His sword-wielding abilities had been increased dramatically with the new arm.

Things had been getting better for the team, but for how long would they last? Nox got the feeling it wouldn't be very long.

~X~

Etrius stumbled through the forest, trees, mist, darkness and confusion surrounding him. Tree branches extended over him like skeletal fingers against the haunting moonlight.

Shadows were cast on the soft earth.

Tall figures loomed out of the shadows, but disappeared once he blinked. Hallucinations.

How did I get here? Questions circled his mind like a whirlwind. Where am I? Who am I?

He stopped for a moment, and collapsed against a tree. His legs could barely hold out under him. He checked his pockets. No wallet, no ID card, no cash. What happened to me? Why can't I remember?

There was a broken bridge that lingered within his mind like an afterimage. On the opposite side, lay his memories and thoughts. But the missing pieces kept him from crossing to reach them.

There was nothing in his mind but a black void that haunted him, taunting questions. Like a monster lurking beyond the reach of light.

His mind was empty. Not even the forest looked familiar.

Footsteps.

Overhead.

Etrius stiffened, and then reached down. He plucked a large stick from the ground to use as a club.

Someone emerged from the darkness, blue eyes watching him from the shadows. He wore a beret. "Ah, Etrius. Long time no see."

Etrius raised the stick over his shoulder, like a club to show him he wasn't afraid. "Who the hell are you?"

The General chuckled. "Can't believe I'm back from the dead, huh?"

Etrius' eyes darkened. "Don't play games with me. Who are you?!"

The General raised a brow, genuinely confused. "Etrius?" He stepped closer, chuckling. "Are you fucking around?"

Etrius' grip on the club tightened. "Don't come any closer! I don't know who you are, but—" The world rocked beneath his feet. He nearly lost his balance had he not collapsed against a tree.

"Etrius, cut this shit out." The General's eyes darkened, and then glowed white with Element Evil in his veins. "You're not fooling me."

"Stay back." Etrius' breath was stolen at the sight of The General's eyes glowing.

Crunch.

Too late. He realized he'd dropped the stick somewhere in the darkness.

He whirled around, leaning against the tree for support as he prepared to run. Got to get out of here…

His vision doubled, sea-sawing in and out of focus. His legs gave away beneath him.

He was unconscious before he hit the ground.

~X~

"Do you hear that?" Nox inquired, her ears picking up the lowest sound.

Lloyd frowned. "I don't hear anything."

"Listen."

The slightest trace of white noise lingered in the air as it grew tight, and hard to breathe.

To Nox's ears, she could barely hear Romanov's voice.

She sighed and hung her head down, dismissing it. "I need to get over that old crackpot. I'm hearing voices."

Lloyd flexed his fake fingers, creating a whirling sound. "Wait… I hear it to."

Nox laughed. "Are you kidding?"

"Shh," He said, listening. "It's coming from the lab."

Nox pressed her hands to her cheeks. "It's his ghost, coming back to haunt us!" She laughed.

They sauntered into the lab, to see the Crystal Shard glowing even brighter than before. The cobalt light painted the walls, lab equipment, and bounced off glass. The slightest trace of burning wood hung in the air.

Romanov's voice emanated from the Crystal Shard, which lay on a steel lab table.

"Is anyone hearing this?" He cursed in Russian. "I'm still here! I'm stuck inside this god-forsaken place. There's a way for me to get out, just tell me someone can hear this!"

Nox cast a weary glance at Lloyd. "You can hear this too, right? I'm not going crazy and hearing things?"

Lloyd replied with a silent nod of his head.

Awkwardly, Nox spoke up, like she was speaking into a microphone. "I hear you, crackpot. Back from the dead, I see."

Romanov screamed in victory at the sound of Nox's voice. She cupped her hands over her ears.

"You haven't destroyed the Crystal yet! Don't!"

"We already tried to," Lloyd spoke up, moving closer to the Crystal. "It's indestructible. Nothing can destroy it."

"Lloyd's here too. Perfect. That's excellent news, because you're going to need the Crystal."

"Why?"

"It's what can release me from this hellhole. I trust that you've defeated the Mind Worm?"

"Yep," Nox said casually.

"I knew mankind could rely on you. There's nothing more dangerous in this universe. I can get home. Please hurry. There's no more food or water."

Lloyd's eyes creased together. "Yeah, about that… We destroyed the base already."

"The base isn't necessary. You only need one thing to open the portal. And it's on Earth. Follow my directions, and this should work."

"On our way," Lloyd turned to Nox. "Start rounding up the team for a rescue mission."

~X~

A slight smile performed on Romanov's face, even as his stomach growled and the pangs of hunger gnawed viciously at it. He stared at the portal in victory.

He was going home.

If he didn't die of hunger or thirst before it happened.

Thunder rolled in the distance.

Romanov frowned, and then turned to the source of the sound. It was coming from the direction of the castle. It never rained here. Why would there be thunder?

A black cloud bled across the sky, like a virus. Then Romanov understood. There was a much more evil and powerful force at work.

~A/N~ The plot thickens ._.