Chapter 34
"Spirits?" A six year old Gwen asked. "You mean like ghosts?"
"Yep and a whole lot more." Kurt smiled as he held up a finger. "Some can be naturally born as spirits while others are created from the deceased making them ghosts like you said. Our world is connected to another world, one that is the complete opposite of this one. This world is considered solid with all of us made up of something that makes us physical while the spirit realm is the opposite of solid...Am I making you fall asleep yet?"
Gwen shook her head.
"Oh, most kids fall asleep at this point." Kurt remarked with a grin. "Either you have no idea what I'm saying and just pretending or you actually understand me."
"I understand you!" Gwen pouted. "I know what solid is!"
"Okay, okay!" Kurt held up his hands, now wary of the little girl's apparent temper. "Just making sure. So tell me then what is the Spirit Realm made of its not solid?"
Gwen's irate look changed to a confused look. "Huh?"
"Gotcha!" Kurt grinned. "The Spirit Realm is actually a dimension that we consider mental rather than physical. It's an ever changing world filled with smaller sized worlds created by imagination and believes in certain things, peoples, objects and so much more. That being said the Spirit Realm is much different than our universe and is actually larger and more complex which we won't get into for the moment. I'd probably give a headache after the first minute."
"So what are we doing?" Gwen anxiously asked as she tugged the Star Necklace on her neck. "I want to know what an Avatar does!"
Kurt chuckled. "You'll see soon enough."
Gwen didn't know that soon she'd be cursing herself asking.
Xxx
"How does a symbol do anything?" Gwen, now eight years old asked as Kurt showed her the symbol of what looked bolt of lightning.
"Why are there many types of guns, both large and small?" Kurt answered with a question of his own. "Why are some knives meant to be used for chopping food, or for throwing, or for carving?"
"Huh?"
"Just like how the size and shape of guns are made to for bullets of different size to fit them different kinds of seals are needed for fitting the right type of Method. Specific types of Methods vary with elemental manipulation, portal summoning, defensive and offensive, healing, and so much more. Just like different knives have different uses but can generally all do the same thing if you wish to, each seal has its own specific use and can be more or less useful than others in a situation." Kurt explained with a smirk. "Somewhat easy and you don't have to bother trying to reload or sharpen a blade unless you drop from sheer exhaustion."
Gwen watched as Kurt put on his Omni-Glove and drew the Lightning Bolt symbol. "Spectral Volt."
A small blast of electricity burst from Kurt's gloved index finger and hit the wall, leaving a small scorch mark.
"At full power that would have blasted a hole through the wall and into the next building." Kurt smirked at the awestruck look on Gwen's face. "Still believe a symbol can't do anything?"
Xxx
"How long do I have to do this?!"
Gwen was panting as she fell onto her knees, exhausted from running for so long.
"Really, Gwenny? Only ten minutes and you're already out of energy?" Kurt put down the book he was reading as he stood up. "That's not going to be good for you."
"Why do I need to do this?" Gwen gasped.
Kurt produced a bottle of water from thin air and handed it to her. "Avatars need to be alert and at top physical condition for any fights they find themselves in. That means training your body to be able to move as fast as possible for the longest amount of possible time."
"He's right, child. If you seriously wish to become a Spirit Avatar you must be ready to training that will test you and break you if you're not willing to give it your best." Andromeda spoke up.
Gwen drank the cold water in nearly one gulp and let out a gasp when she was done.
"Be careful what you wish for, Gwenny. This kind of training has left people twice your age unconscious before they hit the ground."
Xxx
A fifteen year old Gwen scrambled out of the way as a tail tipped with a massive axe blade cleaved through the brick wall where she had been standing.
The large pterodactyl like beast shrieked as it lumbered after her, folding is wings and the tips forming into hands before Gwen's eyes. "Hold still! HOLD STILL!"
Gwen found her back pack, which she had dropped when the rogue spirit had first manifested into a solid form and attacked her from above, herding her out of an empty basketball court and into an alley. She reached in and found the smooth material of her Omni-Glove. Recalling her training she pulled the glove on before it was even out of the backpack and held her arm up, palm out.
"SPECTRAL VOLT!"
She felt a drain on her natural reserves as an explosion of light blinded her for a second. She shut her eyes and heard the spirit shriek one last time...and then the light faded. Gwen blinked as her vision cleared, and she saw...
That the spirit was gone, and a two foot wide hole was now in the wall behind where it had been, revealing a dimly lit living room occupied by an incredibly obese man who was snoring away while watching TV, ignorant of the first hole and the one now resting in his living room door.
"Wow...good thing I sound proofed the whole place." Gwen looked to the source of the voice and saw Kurt sitting on the bleachers on the far side of the basketball court, munching on some Doritos. "...want some?"
"You-you were here the whole time?!"
"Yep!" Kurt held up his Omni-Glove up, and a symbol briefly flashed to show her that he had used an invisibility method to remain hidden from her. "It's always a good idea to have a guardian angel sitting on your shoulder and ready to help you out when you need it, though from what I saw you really didn't need it. Your first evil spirit," He sniffed and began to wipe his eyes under his sunglasses. "I'm so proud! I should have gotten a picture!" He held out his arms. "Give Uncle Kurt a hug Gwen!"
...
...
...
...
...
"Spectral Volt!"
Kurt casually dodged the much weaker bolt that splintered the bench behind him. "Really bad idea you know."
"Why's that?!" A furious Gwen demanded.
"Because you're about to fall over in ten, nine-no no no not yet I need to finish my countdown-oh...good night." Kurt groaned as Gwen's vision faded to black after collapsing on the hard ground. "Now I have to get you home. What a drag."
Xxx
'Why are these memories flashing up? Now is so not the time for a trip down memory lane!' Gwen put a hand to her head.
She was watching her former mentor about to fight an old adversary of his and she was busy reminiscing about the past. She shook her head and looked up as the fight began with Nebulous released a whip and lashed it out a Kurt. The Arcane Technician evaded by jumping to the side and pointed his gloved hand at his enemy.
"Spectral Volt!"
A bolt of white lightning shot out towards Nebulous but the ninja like spirit easily evaded and dashed forward.
"Oh no you don't!"
Kurt drew another symbol in the air with his Omni-Glove and around him appeared spears made of light that shot forward like rockets. Nebulous ducked, jumped, and spun out of the way and pulled out a knife in both hands and threw them both at Kurt. However Kurt leaned back and the knives flew over his face.
'Did Kurt just pull a Matrix?' Gwen thought.
'You're seriously thinking of movies in a time like this?' Andromeda asked.
Nebulous jumped forward and struck with both of his knives.
"Fortify!" Kurt called out.
A shield appeared in front of Kurt and blocked the knives. As the knives collided with the shield Kurt held up his right hand and a sword made of light appeared in it. Nebulous slashed the shield again and it shattered, allowing Nebulous to try and finish his foe. Kurt however easily blocked the knives despite Nebulous's speed and his quick attacks.
"You don't seem to be any different from the last time we fought. I'm disappointed." Nebulous remarked.
"Oh I don't know. Maybe I have a few new tricks up my nonexistent sleeve." Kurt said with a care free grin.
That was when strings made of energy came out of the sword and wrapped around the knives.
"Phantom Flare!" Kurt shouted.
A blue fire traveled down the strings and Nebulous grunted in pain as the flames burned his hands, making him let go. He jumped back and landed on the other side of the roof.
"Is that enough of an improvement?" Kurt asked as the sword vanished. "I'd be happy to let you run along like I did before."
"You only won out of pure luck. This time I'm prepared." Nebulous replied.
"Really? Your robe is fire proof this time?" Kurt asked, feigning interest. "Here, let's test it."
He pointed the palm of his gloved hand at Nebulous and let out a shout as a blast of blue fire erupted from his hand.
"Phantom Flare!"
The giant of blue fire flew at Nebulous but the ninja like spirit vanished into thin air, leaving the blue fire to crash into the edge of the roof and blow off the railing.
"Uh oh. I hope no one finds out about that. I might not be able to pay for that." Kurt sweat dropped.
"Kurt, where did he go?" Gwen asked.
Kurt looked around, trying to locate Nebulous but to his surprise he couldn't find the ninja. "This can't be good. No trail left by his spiritual aura, no tracks, no hint of a portal being opened up so I know he's still here."
That was when a knife shot out at him and he narrowly dodged it, but the sharp end managed to graze his cheek. He put a hand to his cheek and felt the blood.
"I haven't felt something like this in a while." Kurt remarked.
"What do you think, Arcane Technician?" Nebulous's voice came from all around them. "My new Method allows me to blind into the shadows everywhere, making it impossible to be seen or sensed. Even a veteran Avatar like you can't find me."
"Shadows huh?" Kurt looked around the roof. "And since we're in a big city like London with lights everywhere there are plenty of shadows with no way to block it all out."
"A troubling conundrum we find ourselves in." Merlin spoke up. "It makes it hard to pinpoint his location with shadows all around us, especially at night in the middle of a city with all these lights. We can't hope to locate him through this."
"So then, you need light to cast shadows. There's a philosophical point of view that I'm not interested in thinking about right now." Kurt remarked.
He ducked as another knife flew over his head.
"So then, no light then no shadow." He realized.
"Kurt, what are you up to?" Gwen was a little nervous about the grin on his face.
Kurt held up his gloved hand and drew a symbol of a crescent shaped moon. "Reflection of the Shining Sphere!"
The symbol glowed brightly and the sky was clear with the moon out, shining down on the tower of London. When it touched the symbol it released a bright white aura that spread all over the tower, outshining any form of light produced by the city. Suddenly everything was engulfed in darkness and Gwen gasped as she looked around, trying to find the combatants.
"What kind of Method is this?" She asked as she reached for her sword.
'Gwen, do not unsheathe your sword.' Andromeda said in her mind.
"But Andromeda..." Gwen tried to protest.
"Trust Kurt, he has a reason for doing this." Andromeda insisted.
"What kind of Method is this?" Gwen lowered her hand.
"Reflection of the Shining Sphere is an illusion based Method that allows the caster to manipulate the five senses of anyone who sees the bright light cast by the Method and when it is cast in moonlight it is even more powerful. This Method once engulfed an entire city and allowed the caster to move unnoticed, even able to fight without getting seen." Andromeda explained. "While there is darkness all around, Nebulous needs shadows to rise into the light from so that he can attack. His advantage is lost."
"So...not enough darkness and he's exposed, too much darkness and he loses his main advantage," Gwen began to understand Andromeda's words. "What else does Kurt have up his sleeve though? I mean now neither he nor Nebulous can see one another."
"Hellooooo!" A voice called out. "Who turned out the lights around here? It's like somebody turned off the stars, the moon, the whole freaking city! Who knew you could do all that by drawing a little symbol? Oh wait, I did!" Kurt cackled. "Be careful Nebulous, don't trip!"
"...Damn you." Nebulous growled.
He couldn't attack Kurt because he couldn't see him now. They were both at a stalemate because as long as neither cancelled their Methods they could not attack each other. He hid in the shadows but since he saw the moonlight of Kurt's method all he could see was darkness and he couldn't find Kurt by following his voice.
"This is not over, Malcolm. I may not be able to see you or anything else but I can still attack!" Nebulous shouted.
He sent waves of shuriken and knives in every direction but to his disappointment he didn't hear anything to suggest he was successful.
"But how can you know if you've hit anything when I can control your ability to hear." Kurt whispered in his ear.
Nebulous spun around and slashed at what he thought was Kurt but the red haired avatar was nowhere to be seen.
"My Method allows me to control your senses and I knew you were watching me as cast it even though I couldn't see you. You can't see anything because I control your sight and along with the other senses I can do this!"
Nebulous grunted as he felt a massive headache pounding the inside of his head.
"Feeling a little sore?" Kurt asked, projecting his voice everywhere. "Here's a very interesting subject you ought to read up on. Mass hysteria, a symptom where people hear something bad like a deadly virus and when they hear the symptoms they start to show the same. Is it because they have been infected? Or is it because they become so scared their bodies react to the symptoms that their minds store away and unconsciously show the very same symptoms?" Kurt chuckled. "A well documented theory on how the body feels what the mind believes and right now I've tricked your body in having a very bad headache."
"I forgot...how scary Kurt can be at times." Gwen admitted.
She found it hard to believe that underneath the smartass attitude he liked to show everyone was a dangerous man whose skills and intellect made him dangerous for almost any opponent. She once commented to Carlos if he could take down Kurt and Carlos stared at her like she was a lunatic.
'Take down Kurt? Gwenny girl you may be smart but you've got to be loco if you think I'd like to try and take down that dragon in human skin. Kurt's a scheming little bastard who had amassed a huge amount of knowledge on the spirit realm and even applied to improve real world applications that he's the mastermind behind all the nifty little gadgets we have nowadays. ' Carlos then paused as if in thought. 'Buuuut I'd risk it for two things. One is a Klondike Bar...and the other is if Kurt ever got in my way right when I'm about to make my big score.'
'He's really that dangerous?'
'Gwenny, remind me to tell you about a guy who used to work for Kurt and opened a box he shouldn't have.' Carlos chuckled. 'His name was Mark, and I think it happened on a Tuesday. Point being that if I can help it I'd rather not go against him...I'm actually afraid to find out who would come out on top.'
"I'm a little scared of how dangerous Kurt really is and that guy's been training me since I was six!" Gwen muttered.
Nebulous growled as he shook off the headache and started to spin, throwing knives in every direction aiming to hit Kurt. However there was no sound and a second later Nebulous was on the ground in pain with cuts forming across his robe. The darkness around him faded and Kurt stood over the fallen spirit.
"You forgot that in addition to Methods I know many techniques on how to kill humans and spirits and the best ones are the kind I can use without making a single sound." Kurt replied with a savage grin. "I haven't been idle all these years Nebulous. Now then, how about you tell me what exactly the Black Star is planning?"
"I could but then...I couldn't do this!"
The outline of a star appeared around Kurt and formed a barrier.
"Oh great." Kurt groaned.
"I had the feeling you'd be as powerful as you were the last time we fought, possibly stronger so I devised a barrier Method to trap you." Nebulous was grinning under his hood. "I may not be able to attack you without lowering the barrier but I can hold you long enough for the plan to be finished."
"Kurt!" Gwen unsheathed her sword.
Kurt turned around and looked at Gwen, his eyes suddenly widening. "Gwen, behind you! Move now!"
Gwen's danger sense was in overdrive and she jumped forward, hearing the sound of a knife slicing the air where her had ad been. She spun around to see the outline of a man standing a few feet from her but she could tell from the bright light coming off him that he was a spirit. He looked almost like a real life version of Mr. Hyde with long side burns, sharp fangs for teeth, blood red eyes, and a long tongue that came out of his mouth. Even as a spirit he looked more animal than human.
"Jack the Ripper." Gwen's eyes narrowed.
"Avatar of Andromeda, Heaven's Star. They never told me you were such a beautiful young woman." Jack remarked with a grin that made Gwen very uncomfortable. "They never described what you looked like but even if they tried it probably would have done you no justice."
Gwen didn't answer him, she stared held her sword and prepared herself.
'Be careful, Gwen. This monster will stop at nothing to make the kill when he sees his next prey. No matter how much training you have endured with me and Kurt I urge you not to drop your guard for ever a mere instant.' Andromeda spoke urgently in Gwen's mind.
'I understand.' Gwen nodded.
"Do I get the chance to at least hear the voice of such a fine specimen? Surly someone as a attractive as you would have an equally beautiful voice." The Ripper continued.
Gwen didn't reply. She never moved or said anything to him. There was nothing to say to a psychopath spirit who gets a kick out slitting woman's throats.
"Oh nothing to say...A pity." The Ripper sighed. "I was hoping for a little entertainment before I had to carry my part of the plan."
'Plan? Since when is Jack the Ripper part of any plan?' Gwen thought. 'All he cares about is making the next kill.'
Jack the Ripper clapped his hands and a large star like symbol with numerous lines and symbols lit up the ground of the roof.
'A Pentagram? He's summoning demons?!' Gwen's eyes widened as dinner plates,
Pentagrams were revered as Satanic symbols, used to call forth demons from Hell and to be honest that was pretty much the truth even if no one believed there was no Spirit Realm or demons that liked to steal life energy or kill humans in the most disgusting way possible. The Pentagrams were the only way a demon could enter the Mortal Realm other than using humans as Familiars to gain as many sacrifices to increase their demon master's power to the point they could break open tears between the Spirit and Mortal Realms. That was why Spirit Avatars tried to kill Familiars as soon as possible before they had sacrificed enough humans. The Pentagram Method was one of the highest ranked Unauthorized Methods and was forbidden with the penalty of instant death for Human or Spirit.
"You're going to summon demons here in this city?" Gwen gasped.
"So you can speak." Jack's grin widened. "And such a lovely voice as well."
"Do not attempt to distract her, Ripper. What is your purpose in summoning forth demons?" The Star Necklace flared with energy.
"Andromeda, Heaven's Star. A powerful spirit and perhaps a goddess if any mortal were to gaze upon your true form. Your voice sounds just as lovely as your Avatar's. It's a pity I cannot slash your throat and see if your blood tastes good." Jack remarked.
"I'd sooner vaporize you for even thinking something as revolting." Andromeda growled. "Gwen, if that Method is complete London will become a blood bath not seen since your Second World War."
"Yeah, I know." Gwen nodded.
This was almost bigger than her fights with Strauss, the Master of the Haunted Mansion(How many times you have heard a place called that?) or the fight with Corin. This time an entire city was in danger of being turned into the next Hell on Earth.
Suddenly Gwen saw a shape form in Jack's hand, and at the same time the area behind him lit up. A door frame formed in mid air, and he stepped back through it before it vanished.
"Gwen, behind you!" Andromeda's warning saved her life.
Gwen turned swung her katana up in a less than elegant swipe born of adrenaline, fear, and desperation. She slashed Jack's sickle aside as he tried to position it to cut her throat from behind. He cackled and formed a second sickle in his free hand, slicing up towards her face. Gwen darted back, trying to defend against Jack's strikes. He was fast and his weapons were not so easy to defend against with a weapon as large as her katana, the sickles could either slice her open with the tips or the curve of the blades could catch her on the neck and decapitate her in one blow.
As a result Gwen tried to put some distance between her and Jack, who created new doors that allowed him to appear behind her in an effort to pull off his signature method of killing: to slice his victim's throat from behind. This could also explain how he had performed his famous killings throughout the years without ever being caught; he could drop the corpses of his victims anywhere he wished after taking his time with killing them in a place of his choosing. Gwen had the luck of having a set of spiritual eyes in the back of her head, all she had to do was find a way to take advantage of his persistence...
"Oh come now Gwendolyn!" Jack cackled. "You should be honored! You're going to be the first genuine virgin sacrifice for a ritual of this magnitude in a thousand years! What better way is there to die?!"
"Not dying at all, that's what." Gwen said as a door formed behind her...and she quickly twisted, stabbing her katana backwards under her left arm.
She heard Jack grunt and was kicked in the small of her back, making her stumble forward and turn to hastily block one thrown sickle. She saw a green luminescent liquid on the edge of her katana...
She had hit him!
"So you're not invincible." Gwen said with a dangerous smile. "I knew you were hard to kill for good but this just makes me feel," She spun again and this time sliced up through one of Jack's wrists as he tried to repeat his attack. "Better!"
Jack backed up, growling even as his hand slowly grew back.
"Is this why you attacked your victims from behind? You were so weak that even a mortal without a spirit could kill you!?" Gwen taunted as she went on the offensive, launching herself forward and slicing down at Jack.
He formed new weapons in his hands, a butcher knife and another sickle. He batted her katana aside as he side stepped her swing, and sliced his sickle down at the back of her neck. Gwen rolled forward, using her momentum to dodge having her head lopped from her shoulders. She came back up on her feet and spun, kicking Jack in his ribs as she turned and then struck her usual defensive stance as he stumbled back.
"That dumb spirit has no idea what he's getting in. Gwen is no defenceless and unsuspecting woman, she's the Avatar of Heaven's Star and the student that was trained by Andromeda and me to be a fully realized Spirit Avatar, a warrior who ensures the balance between both our realms is kept safe." Kurt smirked despite the fact that Nebulous is still keeping him trapped in the star shaped prison. "Jack the Ripper has always attacked from the shadows when he found his next victim, never out in the open and he always ran whenever a Spirit Avatar was close by."
He turned around and looked at Nebulous.
"Is this the best you can do, Nebulous? Hiring some low class loser like Jackie here to try and sacrifice my student to destroy all of London? Why would Black Star even want to summon demons here?" Kurt asked. "You're a bunch of small time vagabonds whipped by the Red Marauder to be his ectoplasmic sacks when he's cornered. Killing an entire city on hell of a leap forward to Triple A threat, even for a psycho like the Marauder. "
"You think you have us figured out do you, Malcolm?" Nebulous grunted. "You still have no understanding of Black Star's motives. In order for the New Order to rise chaos must descend upon the mortal realm, hundreds of demons ready to be sacrificed for the rise..."
"Rise?" Kurt narrowed his eyes. "You're conducting a Ceremony out of the ashes of a dead with the very demons who that will chew on its bones! But what kind of Ceremony needs this level of destruction?!"
"What indeed?" Nebulous chuckled. "Ripper, stop playing around and kill her!"
Kurt spun around and looked back at the fight.
"I guess it's time for blood to be spilt..." Jack the Ripper sighed as he pulled out a tiny bell.
With one ring bright orbs of light surrounded him and flew around him in an unorganized circle.
"What the..." Gwen looked at the flashes of light. "What are those?"
"Drones, summoned by the bell in his hand." Andromeda answered. "These kinds of tools can create or summon spirits, mostly drones to aid their wielder in battle."
One drone shot at Gwen and she sliced it in half but to her shock the drone exploded and sent her flying across the roof.
"Gwen!" Kurt gritted his teeth. "Nebulous if you don't let me in this instant you'll wish I burned you alive when I had the chance!"
"You'll have the chance again soon, Malcolm." Nebulous chuckled. "One drop of blood of a virgin is all that is needed to activate the Pentagram."
'Oh great.' Kurt thought.
Pentagrams were Method made by Demons and Demons were Spirits that fed on the terror of mortals, specifically mortals that were pure in the eyes of Demons. And what was more pure in the eyes of a Demon than a virgin no matter the fact that said virgin they were after was a Spirit Avatar who could fight and kill Spirits if she had to. Methods like Pentagrams activated when touched by the blood of a virgin and if Gwen's blood touched the Pentagram that was etched into the roof of the Tower of London a portal would open up allowing Demons to flood the streets of London.
"So what's all this for? Some new order? Are you freaking serious? This isn't one of those I'm going to take over the world is it?" Kurt rolled his eyes. "What kind of loser like the Marauder is interested in ruling the world?"
"Not him. The one who asked for his service." Nebulous replied.
'The Red Marauder working for someone? Carlos is not going to like the sound of that.' Kurt thought as he turned back to the battle.
Gwen managed to stand up and watched Jack the Ripper opened another door and appeared behind her again. Gwen rolled forward and launched a kick at his face that easily knocked him down. She spotted another drone flying at her and jumped back but the drone changed into a rope that wrapped around her waist and flung her into the side of the roof. Gwen let out a grunt as she hit the railing and fell to her knees.
She quickly grabbed the rope and with a wordless Method she instantly burned it to nothing.
'He's trying to make me bleed so that my blood will activate the Pentagram.' Gwen thought as she slowly stood up, holding her sword in both hands. 'He's a nutcase but he's not stupid.'
'The tool is providing him the edge he needs to defend himself and attack. At this rate he'll either manage to fatally wound you or graze enough that he has the blood he needs to activate the Pentagram.' Andromeda said in her mind after analyzing the Ripper's strategy. 'Black Star has come prepared this time.'
'Yeah well, I'm more prepared this time thanks to the extra training with the others. He has backup, something Corin didn't in case help arrives. I just hope the others can arrive and help me out.' Gwen narrowed her eyes.
She looked the drones flying around the Ripper and tried to analyze their movements to find a weakness like Andromeda had taught her.
'If I can predict their movements I can counter them before they attack me. But they are so erratic I can't make heads or tails which one will try to attack me or defend the Ripper if I even make a move.' Gwen thought as her frown deepened.
Meanwhile Kurt was already preparing a plan of his own that he had made just in case something like this happened.
"Show the existence of all things around me, peer in the shadows, and bring them out into the light. Eyes that see nothing but truth open and show me all of existence before me."
As he finished the incantation several eyes appeared in mid air surrounding the roof and one even came to life on Gwen's back.
"What is this?" Nebulous asked, staring at Kurt. "What have you done?"
Kurt didn't answer; he simply sat down and closed his eyes. A single orb flew at Gwen at high speed, too fast for her to sense and dodge in a few seconds.
"Gwen, right behind you! Kick now!" Kurt shouted.
Luckily Gwen had been on enough missions with Kurt to simply react instead of asking questions. She launched her foot out behind her and shattered the orb before it collided with her.
"Hm?" Jack the Ripper frowned.
Another orb came down on her as she lowered her foot.
"Above you!" Kurt shouted.
Gwen jumped up and sliced her sword through the drone easily.
"Spectral Volt now!" Kurt then shouted.
Gwen drew the symbol in mid-air, aiming straight at Jack the Ripper. "Spectral Volt!"
The blast of lightning that shot from her fingers lanced through the drones surrounding the Ripper and would have blasted him too if he hadn't dodged in time.
"What's happening? I had her right where I wanted her!" The Ripper growled.
'Andromeda, you know what's happening?' Gwen asked as she landed on her feet.
'Those eyes floating in the sky, they resemble the Eye of Truth but there are many of them.' Andromeda replied. 'This must be Kurt's upgraded version.'
Gwen took the chance to glance at her mentor who simply sat in the prison Nebulous had constructed around him.
'They allow him to see everything that's going on at once. No wonder he thought it was too dangerous for you to learn.' Andromeda realized.
'What do you mean?' Gwen asked.
'Your eyes work by sending images of everything they see directly into the brain. These eyes obviously work alongside the same principal as normal eyes but with so many of them transmitting images at once it could cause an overload where the brain is unable process so many images at once. If an inexperienced tried it they could have gone blind until the brain had taken the time to adjust.' Andromeda explained.
'So Kurt's got multiple eyes now thanks to this new Method? That's a scary thought.' Gwen remarked.
'Just be thankful it saved your life.'
Jack the Ripper growled hatefully at Gwen as she turned and faced him.
"Now I finally finish this once and for all." Gwen gripped her sword. "I don't know if I can take him out permanently but waiting for Carlos to show up is too risky."
Jack the Ripper flew back through a door as Gwen tried to slice him in half with her blade and appeared behind her.
"This again?" Gwen leaned forward and kicked the Ripper in the face as he just began to step out. "That's old!"
Jack the Ripper gritted his teeth as he jumped back, barely avoiding the slash that would have taken his head off. He landed on the far edge of the roof and watched as Gwen approached him with her sword glowing bright.
'This not going anywhere...I should have had a drop of her blood by now but she's...different. All of the woman I killed were helpless and unable to fight...Is this what's it's like to fight a Spirit Avatar?' The Ripper thought.
"Ripper! Stop fooling around and kill her!" Nebulous shouted. "We have a schedule to keep!"
Jack the Ripper snorted and looked back at Gwen. "Don't worry, we'll have this done with plenty of time to spare."
He reached into his pocket and pulled a single bell. He rang it once and suddenly Gwen found herself bound as rings of light wrapped themselves tightly around her arms and legs, leaving her unable to stand and leaving her to fall face first onto the ground.
"Now what?" Gwen groaned.
"Another handy little tool." Jack the Ripper grinned as he stepped forward with a knife ready.
Gwen struggled to break the bonds, even summoning Andromeda's power to try and break the rings.
"Don't bother trying to escape." Jack the Ripper now towered over her. "Those rings absorb the energy of spirits, even when they are being used to capture a human." He showed a sickly grin with bright yellow teeth. "The perfect weapon for capturing an Avatar."
He was about to kill her, Gwen closed her eyes, wondering if anyone will ever know what happened to her. However just as the Ripper prepared to stab her a black muscular arm erupted from the ground and slammed into his chest.
"GAH!" He yelled as he fell back several feet.
Gwen opened her eyes and watched with a surprised gasp as Eugene, Avatar of Goliath, the Night's Black Wing came out of a black portal in the ground in front of her. As Jack the Ripper tried to stand up a arrow made of green energy slammed into his shoulder and went straight through.
"AAAHH!" The Ripper howled, pressing hands against his wound.
Theresa landed next to Eugene holding a bow that glowed bright, showing that it was a spiritually made weapon.
Hank landed next to Gwen and knelt down next to her. "You okay?"
"Yeah. Can you get these things off me?" Gwen asked, struggling against her bonds.
"No problem, lassy." Crichton Leprechaun said from Hank's earring. "The thing about being a trickster spirit is that you become an expert on all sorts of Methods!"
Hank touched the rings with one finger and they instantly shattered, allowing Gwen to stand up. "Thanks."
"No problem." Hank nodded with a smile. "You had some fun without us."
"Still enough for you all I think." Gwen replied with a smirk.
Nebulous was about to move but before he could even blink a blast of light shot through his hands, making him scream. The stay symbol that kept Kurt trapped faded, allowing him to move.
"Nice shot. That could only be the work of one guy." Kurt smirked as he turned and look at a distant building.
On the roof of that building stood Bobby, Avatar of Hawke the Immortal Sharp Shooter with a bright glowing rifle that had smoke coming out of the end of the barrel.
"Still got it." Bobby laughed.
"You've gotten sloppy, Kurt."
The red haired glanced behind him as Carlos landed on the roof.
"Since when do you get caught and not have a Method able to break any kind of prison?" Carlos asked.
"Maybe I just got a little rusty." Kurt shrugged.
"Or you just let yourself get caught to figure out what their plan was." Carlos remarked, narrowing his eyes.
"Maybe...But now is not the time. Take out the Ripper while I deal with Nebulous here." Kurt turned back and looked at Nebulous with a dangerous look. "It's time I finish off this little pain in my backside once and for all."
However Nebulous was not willing to stick around so he quickly opened a portal and vanished into it.
"Crap." Kurt grunted.
"Too slow, buddy. You've been off hunting a little too long I think." Carlos chuckled. "I'll deal with Jack the Ripper before he gets away again."
Jack the Ripper was stumbling down the roof away from the team of Spirit Avatars; he jumped down into the streets of London...or tried to. In mid fall Carlos had dove off of the roof and activated a method of his own...specifically the one that allowed his to transform into what many so non-affectionately called his demon form. In a spurt of flames he vanished in mid air, replaced by the dark skinned, fire veined monster that many a rogue spirit and demon had fallen by. But then something more surprising happened...
It grew wings which snapped out and allowed Carlos to pull out of his dive, slamming into Jack the Ripper in mid air. He looped back up and away from the ground as Jack screamed. Carlos laughed coldly. "Having fun Jacky?!"
"Wait! Wait! I-I can tell you where others of the Black Star are! I can tell you where the Marauder is!" Jack desperately tried to save his own life.
"Hm...I say-" Suddenly Carlos grabbed Jack's left hand, which had been forming a knife of spiritual energy to stab him in the side with. "Do I look like an idiot?"
"Don't answer!" Kurt whispered to the others. "Trick question!"
"I already know that the Marauder," Carlos sounded sickened by saying the name. "Is long GONE! Just in case cowardly sacks of ectoplasm like you tried to rat him out. Which means I have no use for you, Jack the Ripper...not that I would have let you walk away anyways; I never did like Women Killers." He looked down towards the others. "Kurt! Bring out the pot!"
Kurt nodded and reached into his coat. "One pot of fifty or more captured demons coming riiight up!"
Bobby raised one eyebrow. "You mean that maniac's gonna-"
"Ohhhh you bet your ass." Kurt nodded. "Ceremony of the Dragon time. Gwen, I guess you get to see just what the Marauder has coming to him if Carlos ever gets ahold of him."
He then produced a sealed urn that was leaking demonic energies. "Got it here Carlos, have at him."
Carlos nodded and shut his eyes, holding Jack up by the throat with one hand. "Unlock the chains that hold the beast within. Let it bleed fire and death onto those who have angered it. Let this fool who does not know his place be burned beyond the edge of existence." His eyes snapped open, blazing white hot with flames now. "Jack The Ripper, you have committed great crimes throughout your existence in life and in death. For this, I feed you to the dragon, a fate that shall leave you beyond any hope of returning!"
He then threw Jack into the air, sending him arcing up hundreds of feet as the killer screamed. Carlos then curled in on himself...and exploded outwards as a dragon made of fire, lighting up the sky above the frozen London for miles as it roared and angled its immense head up. Jack had one last view of it just before its maw snapped shut around him.
The others winced as they heard Jack's tormented howls from within the Dragon. Then...he simply stopped, and the dragon remained afloat before it slowly shrunk back down and was extinguished...
Thud! Carlos landed in front of them all, crouching and groaning. "Ugh..."
"You okay?" Theresa asked.
"I'm good, I just feel like my skull is on fire." Carlos stood up, one hand on his head...and chuckled. "Hehehe...man I love Ghost Rider."
"Carlos!" The entire group groaned at once.
"What?" Carlos asked. "Nobody was thinking that? Hey, I just killed the most notorious serial killer in history, give me at least one joke!"
"...pardon me everybody, I'mma go and get drunk now." Bobby sighed as he walked away.
"Carlos, how did you know that the Marauder would already be gone?" Gwen asked.
"Because Gwen, I have had a certain Method active for about five years now." Carlos explained as he began to roll up one sleeve. "A method I activated the last time I got ahold of the Marauder long enough to get his spiritual signature." He then showed the group what rested on his left forearm...
"That one?" Kurt stared at the bright red symbol burned into Carlos' flesh. "The mark of the Deadman Hunter...Carlos, this doesn't go away until your target is dead."
"I know."
"And it...it takes like five percent of your reserves up at all times until then."
Gwen and the others were startled by this. Gwen herself spoke the question on everybody's mind. "Wait a second...so Carlos has been on a handicap for all of these years with that symbol?"
"Hey, I thought it was a small sacrifice," Carlos replied. "Because when I actually get close to the Marauder, instead of feding off of me...it returns all of the energy it ever took from me." He smirked. "And five years of feeding off five percent of my energy is a lot of power to be returned. I'll be plenty ready when I actually meet the Marauder again. Why do you think he's been so insistent on avoiding me?"
Gwen shared a concerned look with everyone else but Carlos waved them off as he turned around. "Well, time for me to get some shut eye. Been a long night of hunting and killing deranged killers and all."
He simply vanished in a blast of fire and smoke, leaving them all on the roof.
"...He's got a point and we have to get Gwenny here back to the Total Drama show before people ask too many questions." Kurt said with his trademark smirk. "Hope you enjoyed your vacation."
"Yeah, it was really fun." Gwen rolled her eyes.
Xxx
Gwen found herself back in the room she had woken up after Kurt and Carlos had abducted her. She sighed as lied back down on the bed.
'What a day. And tomorrow I'm back on that stupid show. Hopefully Chris will decide to just ship me off to Playa Des Losers.' Gwen thought.
'And leave Dawn and Elliot to look for Nebula on their own? Come now Gwen, you aren't that callous and you know it.' Andromeda pointed out.
'Yeah, stupid conscious.' Gwen shook her head. 'I just hope there won't be too much of a hassle.'
She pulled the covers over her and closed her eyes as her head laid against the pillow.
'Good night, child.' Andromeda whispered in her mind.