Chapter Four

Stephen was grateful that the trip with Jade was considerably smoother than the one he'd made on his own.

They stepped out, into the cave, and Jade immediately moved to lie down on the bed, free her astral body.

Cloak pulled away from Stephens' shoulders, went to hover close by, prepared to fulfill its' role as guardian.

Stepping up to Stephen, Jade took the Gyve and the regulator from him, inclined her head toward the bed, suggested,

'Feel free to share. It's better than the floor. Trust me.'

Seeing Stephens hesitation, and his awkward expression, she smiled, leaned close,

'I promise I won't tell Christine,' and winked.

Blushing just a little, Stephen nodded, and, careful to occupy the other half of the bed, loosed his astral body.

Dutifully, Cloak settled across its Chosen, wrapping its edges carefully over his closed eyes.

Tucking the Gyve and the regulator into her tunic, Jade headed toward the door.

'Shouldn't we close the gateway?' Stephen asked, gesturing toward it.

Jade tossed a steely look, explained,

'I'm leaving it open. If something happens to me, you'll at least be able to return.'

With an unhappy frown, Stephen insisted,

'What if something happens to both of us?'

Cloak gave an agitated flutter, without leaving its' post.

After a moment, Jade replied,

'If that happens, it won't matter whether the gateway is open, or not.'

Jade took a deep breath, readied her staff, informed Stephen,

'Once we step out, I'm going to seal the door with a Ward Of Protection. Just in case it slips past us. It won't be a permanent stop, but, it might buy us some time should that happen.'

Stephen nodded, sharply, and, as she reached for the doorknob, he asked quickly,

'Anything special I need to know about this thing?'

'It's really ugly. Plus, it stinks,' she responded, then, to his confused expression, offered a wide grin.

As she laid her hand on the doorknob, her brow crinkled, and she added,

'As soon as it realizes it can use you to get out of here, it's going to go straight for you. Oh, and try to avoid getting hit by the purple energy balls. They sting.'

Then she opened the door, and led the way into the windstorm.

As Stephen stepped past her, snapped up a large shield, he immediately noticed the winds were considerably diminished compared to his last visit.

Behind him, Jade finished winding the argent glyph across the door, where it spun like a multi-faceted wheel.

She stepped close, her staff held at the ready, a confused frown wrinkling her brow as she scanned the dust-filled landscape.

'It seems awfully quiet, compared to before,' Stephen commented, loudly, over the wind, squinting into the swirling clouds of grey dirt.

'Yes,' Jade agreed, worriedly, keeping her back up against Stephens, 'It actually creates the windstorms, to confuse you as it attacks.'

'So, where is it?' Stephen asked, scowling.

Then, the carrion stench hit his nostrils, and an immense shadow suddenly loomed over them.

Both Masters jerked around, face first, into a hurricane force blast of dirt and rocks, as the creature lunged at them, with an ear splitting screech.

It's first blow smashed Stephen's shield into splinters of light, sent him careening, head over heels, across the ground.

He shook his head to clear it, climbing to his feet.

Jade lunged with her staff, sent a brilliant bolt of white crackling into the creature, illuminating it enough for Stephen to get a good look at it.

Well, Jade hadn't been kidding.

It was hideous.

As well as huge, towering perhaps twenty feet tall.

Jade conjured a large shield just as it spat a stream of rancid black goo her direction. Then, it battered viciously with what passed for hands against that shield, destroying it, and driving Jade to her knees.

Stephen fired several crimson fireballs, which splattered against its slimy green hide, driving it back.

That had the unfortunate side effect of drawing attention his direction. Within a second, just as Jade had warned, it recognized him as its avenue of escape.

When its' eyes met his, he understood just how dangerous it would be for this being to gain access to a physical body.

Even in his astral form, its' pulsing, three-eyed emerald gaze seemed to penetrate straight to his head. A demanding mental attack, so sharp and piercing, he couldn't suppress a scream of pain as he stumbled back, one word pounding in his brain...

Surrender.

If he hadn't been in astral form, he had no doubt the creature would have been able to possess his body, instantly.

Jade scrambled to her feet, bombarding the creature with sapphire lightning, turning it away from Stephen in its' efforts to block her attack.

It howled, anger, folding a defense over its face.

'Strange!' she screamed, panicked, but, with its gaze diverted, he firmed his stance, re-conjured his shield.

Waved that he was alright.

The creature, clearly spurred by rage, gave a roar, and, with a gesture, spun the power up on its windstorm.

Instantly, visibility dropped to zero, and he lost sight of Jade.

Which was bad.

She couldn't even attempt to capture the creature without knowing where he was.

His sense of direction absolutely confused, Stephen backed up, toward what he hoped was the wall of the cave, an attempt to get his bearings, but wasn't sure he was heading the right direction.

Off to his left, he saw Jade's staff blazing like a beacon, it's light cutting thru the whirling dust clouds, the violet-hued return fire from the creature.

He struggled towards her, mentally gathering his resolve.

After all, he was the bait.

Had to be.

Jade was the only one able to handle the physical Gyve in an astral body.

Glowering into the wind, he lowered his shield, hoping that would allow him to slip close without the creatures' notice.

It didn't work.

Almost immediately, its' attention turned toward Stephen.

It's desperation to escape gave the creature an edge, made its' attacks more unpredictable, reckless.

It gave a brutal swipe of its arm, striking Jade, sent her flying, off into the storm.

Stephen barely managed to re-conjure a shield to deflect yet another vicious assault.

The rapid fire blasts drove him back, the buffeting wind and debris tore at him.

Deflecting the enormous black energy balls quickly drained his strength, and he fell to one knee, with a groan. The creature screamed, deafening, stomped a massive foot. The ground shook, and Stephen spilled to his back, ears ringing, his shield once again scattered.

Then, the thing in the storm grabbed Stephen, pinning his arms in its' grip, crushing the breath out of him.

Carried him directly to the door of the cave, where it began to tear at the spinning glyph.

Gasping for breath, struggling to remain conscious, Stephen caught sight of Jade, battling her way toward them, the Gyve raised.

Saw the horror in her expression as she spotted him in the creatures' fist.

She froze, lowering the Gyve.

With the last of his energy, Stephen bellowed,

'Do it!' and fell limp in its' grasp.

Beneath the relentless assault, the glyph failed, exploded, vanished.

With a roar of triumph, the creature pounded the door with its' fist, smashing it open.

Suddenly, the windstorm fell to a dead calm, and the creature turned its' blazing green gaze toward Jade, jowls slavering, as it bellowed its' triumph.

Jade staggered, tossed a horrified look towards Stephens' battered body, still clutched in the creatures' hand.

Then, she squared her jaw, charged, rising the Gyve, fierce determination.

Before she could open it, the monstrous creature swiped at her, smashing her against the doorway of the cave.

She crumpled to the ground, the Gyve torn from her hand. It bounced, over the threshold of the cave door, spinning away across the floor.

The beast dropped Stephens' limp form next to hers, at its' feet, then turned to tear the doorway wider. Enough to allow it to bend its' massive head into the cave, intent on finding, seizing, and possessing Stephens' physical form.

The fall jolted Stephen back to consciousness, and he opened bleary eyes to see Jade, lying alongside, her face inches from his.

Jade coughed, gasped, lifted her head, realizing the Gyve was beyond either of their reach.

They'd failed.

'No...'she moaned, struggling to crawl after it, but Stephen laid a hand to her shoulder, shook his head, managed to grate out,

'Cloak,' and pointed toward the crimson guardian, hovering just inside, unmoving, between the creature, and the mortal body of its' Chosen.

Cloak had barely managed to keep calm, listening to the battle raging outside the stone walls. It fluttered, ruffled, fussed, over each new explosion, but never abandoned it's' assignment.

As the battle began to escalate, so did Cloaks' anxiety.

It sensed its' Chosens' distress, but had no way to assist him that didn't involve leaving its' post.

When the walls begin to shake beneath the monsters' violent blows, however, Cloak flashed upright, scanning the room.

It nearly panicked when it realized there was absolutely nowhere for it to go, nowhere to hide Jade, or its' Chosen.

Impulsively, it dragged the bed to the farthest side of the room, away from the door.

Moments later, the stone door disintegrated into rubble, and Cloak got a good look at the evil on the other side.

It shuddered, fear.

Then, saw its' Chosen, his astral body battered and torn, lying at the beasts' feet.

Its' initial reaction was to fly at the creature, somehow drive it away from Stephen.

Until it realized the Gyve had rolled to a stop at its' hem.

And, it knew what it had to do.

It looked past the beast to its' Chosen, met his eye, then floated up, slightly. Gave a quick flick of its' collar, to one side, hoping Stephen understood what it meant.

Stephen nodded, wrapped an arm around Jade. She understood, and tucked her head against his chest, eyes closed.

The creature was oblivious to anything but its' own escape. Seeing Cloak hovering between it, and its' intended target, it gave a shriek, and shoved its' shoulders into the room, reaching for Cloak.

Cloak snatched up the Gyve, opened it.

Stephen rolled, away from the doorway, Jade held tight to his chest, using the stone wall to shield them from being sucked into the devastating maelstrom that completely devoured the evil creature.

Stephen stepped unsteadily from the gateway, into his study in New York. Master Jade, staff clenched tightly in her hands, cradled in his arms, with Cloak clearly carrying them both.

As the gateway closed, Cloak allowed Stephen's weight back to his feet, but it was too much. Wong laid his weapon aside, a rush to catch Stephen as he collapsed to his knees, and Hank reached to take Jade's unconscious body.

Stephen offered Wongs' concerned look a weary smile, a nod of thanks to Hank.

'Did it work?' Wong insisted, and Stephen gave another nod,

'The regulator worked perfectly, Doctor Pym. The creature, and the Gyve, are gone.'

Hank, holding Jade on his lap, her head resting against his chest, laughed with satisfaction,

'Wonderful news.'

Wong gave a brisk nod of agreement, offered,

'I have rooms prepared for Master Jade, assistants to care for her, until she regains her strength.'

'Great,' Stephen mumbled, struggling to find his feet, even tho he was so exhausted he could barely keep his eyes open.

Cloak wrapped tightly around its' Chosen, lifted him, gently.

Trusting Cloak implicitly to care for him, Stephens' eyes fell closed.

Wong stood, looked at Cloak, who gave a slight deferential bob of its collar, then quietly carried its' Chosen off to a well-earned rest.

Stephen didn't often eat in the dining room of the Sanctum, but in deference to his guests, he made an exception.

'So, the Cloak was actually the one who captured this monster?'

Hank asked, shaking his head in astonishment, as he stirred his coffee.

Stephen, devouring a plateful of bacon, eggs, and pancakes, nodded, an eyebrow tilted over Hanks' disbelief.

Hank laughed,

'I thought it was just a cloak. An animated one, but, still a cloak.'

Stephens' brow lowered, defensively, with a quick look toward his crimson companion, hovering close by,

'You wouldn't say that if you knew it like I do.'

Hank chuckled, sipped his coffee, admitted,

'Well, I'm starting to figure that out.'

Wong appeared from the kitchen, carrying a plate of bacon, eggs and pancakes to set in front of Hank.

Wong gave Hank the look, Wong face, said, seriously,

'I make excellent pancakes.'

Hank raised his eyebrows, laughed, picked up his fork.

Cloak suddenly floated up, catching Stephens attention, and bringing him to his feet,

'Master Jade!' he welcomed, with a broad grin.

Both Wong and Hank turned to watch as Cloak hurried over to guide Jade to her chair next to Stephen at the table, then hovered close behind them.

'Wong, the pancakes smell divine,' she offered, leaning her staff against the table, next to her,

'I've eaten very little in the way of real meals for many years.'

Wong hustled back into the kitchen, and Stephen settled back to his chair with a broad grin.

'The rooms are wonderful, by the way, Doctor,' Jade complimented, 'I haven't slept so soundly since...well, I have no idea.'

Stephen returned her smile, imagining he could see the sparkle of her lovely blue eyes.

Wong returned, carrying a plate for Jade, as well as himself, and settled at the table to enjoy the meal.

Hank paused between forkfuls of pancake to ask,

'Master Jade, if I may presume to ask... for some of your time discuss your journeys between realities? Once you are fully recovered, of course.'

'Certainly, Doctor Pym. I could do no less in thanks to the man who assisted Stephen in restoring my freedom.

'Oh, and eliminating a very dangerous inter-dimensional threat.

'I must warn you...I will have plenty of questions of my own, for you.'

'Excellent! I look forward.'

'I hope you like London, then, Doctor Pym,' Stephen observed, drawing a confused look from Hank, a matching tilt of Jades' head.

'As you may be aware, Master Jade, the London Sanctum has been without a Master since the assault by Kaecillius and his zealots,' Wong said, matter of factly, adding a generous amount of syrup to his stack of pancakes,

'You been chosen, by unanimous vote, to fill that position. Your previous tenure as Master of New York makes you ideally qualified.'

'Not to mention your many decades of experience battling in, and traveling between, alternate realities,' Stephen added, settling back with a hot cup of tea.

Jades' expression was absolute surprise.

After a few moments, she lowered her head, and sighed.

Quietly, noted,

'I suppose that now is when I should modestly decline such an honor, protest my lack of abilities, my obvious handicaps.'

Stephen and Wong both straightened in their chairs, disbelief, and Cloak drifted close, laid its' hem to her shoulder, as if pleading for her to reconsider.

'Jade,' Stephen began, setting his tea aside, brows knitted, 'I would have strong words with anyone who doubts your competence...'

'So would I,' Jade bantered back, flashing a grin as she raised her head, 'I'm more than competent, as well as exceptionally qualified.

'Of course I accept.'

As her sharp witted response struck home, Stephen laughed, shook his head. Cloak gave a relieved shake, and, without further comment, Wong went back to his pancakes.

Stephen reclaimed his tea, with a quizzical half smile.

Realized, looking at her,

'Master Jade, I think we shall get on quite well, together.