Najerin was against this idea, "Even if Miss Raven's abilities are to be believed, there are too many things that could go wrong should anything happen to you or the children. Not to mention what Maxxor might do if he finds you missing."

White face didnt seem the be very concerned, "Tom has been through this before and therefore knows the risks. Even if he ends up there alone it wont change the plan. As for Maxxor, if something were to happen, you can tell him everything."

"Are you sure?"

White face nodded.

The blue mage's eyes narrowed, he stood in silence like a storm about to rage. But under White face's cool gaze it didnt last long. With a heavy sigh he sat down in the nearest chair, hand on his forehead as if suddenly tired, "I still don't like it."

"What if i went along?"

All eyes turned to Phantom rubbing the back of his neck as he floated there, "Well, I've got an idea of what they really are, and if I'm right, I have experience that could help i an pinch."

"Fine by me," Tom said, "If Raven's ability is real, then I'd appreciate all the help we can get."

Raven, still wrapped in her own wings, gave a weak smile at this.

White face clapped her hands at this, "Then how about we get going? Tom, if you would?"

"don't you need to…"

Before Tom could finish his sentence, White face held up a crystal vial and a mugic, "Huddle up, come on."

Tom stood up, skimming through his scanner for the right location as three creatures crowded around him. Phantom placed a hand on Raven's shoulder with a reassuring smile. She returned his smile nervously as she placed her hand on Tom's arm and refolded her wings behind her.

"Be careful," Najerin said firmly. White face smiled, absently placing her paw like hand on Tom's shoulder.

"Alright let get going."

Tom pressed the button and vanished in a flash of code.

Danny's mind reeled a bit as they were suddenly in a stretch of dead trees. Shelving his eyes from the sudden chang in light, he floated above the tree line to take a look around. To one end the tree line thinned into a scrubland bordering desert hills, in the opposite direction was a forest that was much more alive than where they were now.

"So this is Broken edge," he mused aloud, "Looks like three different landscapes mashed together out here."

"I think one reason it's called that is because of how much the Mipedians and the Overworlders fight over this area." Tom explained in a raised voice, "Since it's the border between their territories it's supposed to be a neutral zone, sometimes neither side sees it that way."

Danny looked about the blackened trees anew as he floated back down. Even a few patches on the ground looked like they were healing from blast damage. He found himself wondering just how much power residents of this world usually had that a whole grove would still be this bare, and if maybe that time he encountered the big green guy without a fight was more lucky than he thought.

"Uh, you think any of them are out here now?" He asked hesitantly, not really wanting to get in the middle of a local fight if he could help it.

Tom looked about thoughtfully, "Not sure. There should be an Overworld outpost over this way. If we go there we can ask if any one's seen anything recently."

Danny nodded, it was as good a place to start as any. As he thought this he glanced to Raven who was looking about worriedly, "Raven? Are you ok?"

"She's not here!"

Tom and Danny glanced at each other before realizing what she meant.

"White face?" Tom called.

Danny flew up again, looking about at the ground below. Even if she had dashed off, she should still be within his sights at this height, or at least a sign of her. Compared to tracking ghosts in a whole city this would've been easy.

"I don't see her." He reported as he dropped back down, "I don't think she came with us."

Tom looked to his scanner, then to Raven, "Is that because you can only take one other creature with you at a time?"

Raven shook her head, shivering, "I-I'm not sure. I never knew about this ability before. I don't ...i don't know how it works."

"Hey, you ok?" Phantom asked as he landed.

"Without Miss White face, Are we going to be alright? She and Phantom were supposed to…" she trailed off, her voice shivering with fear. Phantom took her hands in his, giving her his best smile.

"It'll be ok. The plan hasn't changed, just altered a bit. That's all."

"He's right." Tom said reassuringly, "All you have to do is stay close to me and i can port us out if things get too hairy."

She looked between them, nodding once despite the still nervous expression written on her face. Her wings relaxed, folding behind her till they were out of sight, giving her a full appearance of a white haired human girl.

"Ok, lets go. You said there was an outpost right?"

Tom nodded, "Yeah, this way."

***8***

Ren stood in the shadows with her mask removed, watching as a crew of Overworlders assessed the damaged done to the room that now had a huge hole in the wall. Gathering up books and stone fragments, sweeping away broken wood and dust.

"You know this means they'll be on high alert after this." Najerin said quietly.

"I know." She responded in a flat tired tone.

"And Maxxor wont be happy when he hears about this."

"I know."

"And given how much Intress already distrusts you, theres a good chance she'll try to use this to have you incarcerated or perhaps worse. Theres only so much i can do to stop her once the other Overworlders are convinced of their actions being justified."

Here he partly expected her to raise her voice even a little in frustration at the obvious. But he was far from disappointed when all she did was repeat herself in that same tired tone of voice as before, "I know."

He sighed heavily, rubbing at his brow, "I think it would be wise if you stopped your apparent obsession of this Semiwrath character, what ever he did to you in the past shouldn't warrant such trivial outbursts. Honestly, I'm beginning to think that I'm actually the older one between us."

Ren gave a small smile at this, "Well you at least look the part. But your wrong, I cant forget about Semiwrath. He's the type to do whatever it takes to get what he wants, as clever as he is dangerous, with power to back him up."

Nearing frowned at this, mildly surprised, "You're afraid of him?"

"More of what he might do than anything else about him."

"What exactly is he then?"

Ren went silent, a wolffish growl escaping her throat, her eyes changing color to a deep gold tinged red, "The less you know the better. But I can say that if you ever cross paths with him, don't face him alone."

***8***

He had wandered far across the sands for many days now. Lost, disoriented and angry; he loathed those Ma'rillians for what they had done to him, if he had the chance to do it over he was sure he could at least leave a nasty marking on the one who held him under their control for so long, forced him to work alongside those mepedian thieves and trespassers while spreading toxic liquids across the land he called home.

Ever since the mind control had been undone the whole thing felt like one very long nightmare wrapped in a waking dream that still haunted his sleep, which only added to the already burning flames of his rage. Whenever he did have a moment of clarity he found all he could think of was his little sanctuary in the driftlands, under his precious water stone and the treasure it collected for him in both liquid sustenance and bait for his favorite prey. How happy he had been to find himself back in the desert.

But he was out so far after so long nothing was familiar here. So he had wandered aimless for days, picking food where he could while imagining what he would do if he ever saw a Ma'rillian again. All the while trying to find his way back to his lair.

He paused as he looked at the scrubland before him, the transition between sand to grass and later on to trees here was a little unnerving for the desert dweller as it meant he was no closer to where he wanted to be. However on arriving here he found himself thinking he could get his bearings better if he followed the edge of this place for a while, and had already done so for half a day now, when something caught his eye. Three figures, two humans and a floating creature that looked sickeningly similar. With mild curiosity he chanced a little closer.

They were'nt much to look at, no human was in his opinion. No good thieves and useless weak fighters. Not that it mattered to him at the moment, this wasnt his territory anyway. The white hair on the female was an unusual feature, the fact the flaoting creautre's haired this trait had him thinking briefly that they were siblings and there was really one human. Not that it made much difference to him, they all looked weak.

He was about to leave when the dark haired one turned around, his face so familer it hit him like a flash kick.

He laughed, a wicked smile gleamed in his eye, "Well, looks like I have the opportunity for a little fun. Plus a little revenge."

With that he raised his claws and vanished beneath the sands.

***8***

It was several minutes before Tom recognized enough of the area to know where they were going. Durring that time a conversation started up.

"So you have no idea how long you've actually had this ability. You only just found out about it." Phantom confirmed.

Raven nodded, "I found out when i first met Kaz. I was… disoriented and when we were attacked I grabbed him before he ported out and just sort of… followed him. I'm not sure how I do it or how to explain it."

"It's still a pretty cool ability." Phantom said with a smile, "I bet we could help you figure out more about it if you want."

"I'm surprised you didnt know about it for so long." Tom added, "If the wrong creatures or even Chaotic players knew about it, I can think of a few ways they might try to use it for themselves."

"I know how that feels." Phantom said in agreement, "Lucky its just us and Najerin. And Kaz."

Raven cast her eyes downwards at this, looking a little depressed. Tom took notice, slowing his pace to walk next to her.

"Hey you ok?"

"Well…"

Phantom seemed to catch on, "Oh Ren Whiteface right? I dont think we have to worry about her. She seems like she's got other things on her mind."

Tom's original thought paused as did his feet, he looked to Phantom in confusion, "Wait, i thought…"

Fwoosh! Something hit the ground in front of them, the impact enough to knock them all off their feet. Phantom started floating again, eyes glowing ready for an attack. Raven and Tom scrambled to their feet, Tom pulling out his scanner while Raven frantically looked about shouting, "What was that?"

Tom had one look at his scanner screen, the tracker function active and blinking. His eyes went wide in alarm as he turned to Phantom, "It's…."

Raven screamed as the ground erupted beneath Tom's feet and he vanished from sight.