"Max, have you managed to acquire the crystal yet, or should I just send someone else to do it for you?" Cyclonis called through Max's locked door. She respected his privacy... to a point. But now, he was trying her patience.
"Master, what an unexpected surprise..." The Onyxian said darkly, walking up behind her silently. He held out a solid-black crystal, which glowed a dim black as it softly hummed with power.
"Is this-?"
"Yes, Cyclonis... the Chakra Stone... one of the most powerful crystals in the entire Atmos..." Max pulled it away from her as she reached out for it, cradling it in his arms protectively.
"Ah-ah-ah... careful, human... it's not likely to accept you as its master..." He suddenly stated haughtily.
"What do you mean by that!?" The sorceress queried angrily. As she watched in disbelief, he began walking away from her, heading toward the coroner's wing where the body of the Dark Ace now lay.
"Where are you going, Max!?" She called, and began following him after unleashing an indignant scream. As they neared the body of the Dark Ace, Max signaled her to stay back. Firmly grasping the strangely finger-shaped left side of the Stone, he raised it over his head and began chanting in Onyxian.
"Max, what're you...?" As she watched in amazement, the Dark Ace began to glow a bright black, and his once-limp hands twitched ever so slightly. Her eyes slowly widened as Max was engulfed in a similar hue of light.
"Oh, my God..." Cyclonis whispered softly; she was beside herself with excitement. Max's chanting grew a bit louder, and as he suddenly ended the ancient incantation, the Dark Ace's eyes shot open. He gasped for air, clutching his chest as he believed he was still being choked. When he realized where he was, he regained his composure and slowly stood upright.
"Master... what happened to me?" He asked softly; it seemed that he still needed time for his strength to return. His knees nearly gave out as he let go of the medical bay, Cyclonis rushing to his side worriedly.
"You died, human... that's what happened..." Max finally spoke again, his voice laced with venom. The older man shot Max a look of surprise and went straight for his sword. With no crystal in it, having been removed for use elsewhere, he brandished the powerless weapon menacingly.
"Master, look out!" He lunged for the Onyxian's throat. Max slipped right to dodge, knocking the human to the floor with a short-arm clothesline. He placed one hand over the sharp blades as he leaned in closer, his hand slowly trickling black blood as he struggled with the Dark Ace. One 3-toed foot had been firmly placed on his stomach, pinning him where he was. As the shorter human looked up at his aggressor, he saw how unfazed he was by the pain emanating from his bleeding fingers.
"You're not very thankful, human... I just brought you back to the land of the living..." He disarmed the Talon Commander, pointedly shoving him in the chest. As he let the Dark Ace up, the 2 locked eyes once more.
"Dark Ace, Max is right... he did bring you back for me..." Cyclonis' voice held a strange mix of awe and pleasure. Max rolled his eyes.
"It's not that big of a deal, Master... this powerful stone has existed for as least 5,000 years..." He responded with passionate disinterest. The Dark Ace scowled in disgust.
"To think I owe my life to-"
"You owe your life to me, Dark Ace. If I hadn't sent Max to retrieve the stone, you'd still be dead." Cyclonis answered icily. The Talon bowed respectfully but said nothing in response. Again, Max merely rolled his eyes.
"Now, Cyclonis... about our deal..." He slowly made his way closer.
"You're not finished yet, Max... there's 1 more thing I need you to do..."
"What's that, Master?"
"...Return the Stone to Onyx." She replied softly. Max raised one eyebrow.
"Why should I do that?"
"Because I asked you to, Max... isn't that enough for you to return a sacred object?"
"I honestly don't care whether it is returned or not... mere curiosity drives my question..."
"Well, I no longer have any need for its power, so there would seem to be no real reason for me to keep it, is there?"
"I suppose not, Cyclonis..." The Dark Ace stared wide-eyed at the pair.
"I don't believe this, Master! You're truly going to have him return such a powerful crystal to the Onyxians!?" The sorceress turned to glare at the Dark Ace. He cringed slightly, only to receive a soft smile from the young tyrant.
"Don't worry, Dark Ace... I have complete faith that Max will remain by my side to the end... just as I have complete faith in you..." The Talon Commander bowed respectfully.
"Of course, Master... my apologies for ever doubting you..." Cyclonis laughed lightly.
"What you just expressed was not doubt, Dark Ace... it was uncertainty..."
"Of course, Master, you do realize that the Storm Hawks are still out there..." Max stated suddenly. The sorceress raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? And how can you be sure they've escaped from my prison?"
"Because they're the Storm Hawks, Master... they've gotten out of worse situations than being locked in a dungeon..." The hybrid replied cryptically. Cyclonis scoffed dismissively.
"They are nothing without you, Max... I've seen how you fight: such intense ferocity and blinding speed. They don't stand a chance against you, not even all of them together..."
"But I will not fight them, Cyclonis... nothing you can do to me would wash away the guilt of killing them..."
"Guilt? You, feeling guilt!?" Cyclonis laughed loudly. The Onyxian growled angrily and swiped her staff away, pointing it in her face menacingly. For a brief moment, he saw fear in the sorceress's normally-passionless eyes.
"Just not as much as you, Master..." He replied slyly.
"Alright, Max... you will instead go and recapture them..." She stated after a brief and awkward silence. He returned her staff to her and nodded compliantly.
"Master, what shall I do?" The Dark Ace suddenly reentered the conversation.
"Stay here with me, Dark Ace... you haven't yet regained your full strength..."
"Very well..." He again bowed respectfully, not daring to anger her again. By now, Max had begun to leave. Cyclonis turned after him.
"Max, 1 more thing..."
"Yes, Master?"
"Betray me, and you won't be the only one who'll pay..." The hybrid stared at her a bit, blinked his eyes in confusion, and laughed hysterically. As he walked away, the sound of his taunting laughter followed him down the hallway...
To Be Continued..