These Black Eyes Chapter 110: Angel Spear Four part 1, a teen titans fanfic

110. Angel Spear Four part 1

I froze in mid step.

I gasped.

Where was I??

With bulging black eyes under my shades, I spun around to gather my bearings.

I was standing at the end of a long, metal hallway.

Everything was dark.

The walls were a dull, stone gray.

And it was cold.

I took a deep breath.

My breath wafted outward in a steamy haze.

My eyelashes felt frozen.

I hugged myself, teeth gritting.

Blinking…..blinking…..

I had my shades on. My uniform. Myrkblade was in its scabbard over my shoulder. My boots. My combat fatigues. My bandanna….

I was equipped to be somewhere and do something…

But what???

I looked around.

I saw the dead end. A solid wall of black at the end of the metal hallway.

If I was walking forward all this time…did I come from the wall?

I blinked.

I ran a hand through my black bangs. Everything felt cold…stale….numb.

Frozen.

What was I just doing exactly???

I squinted my black eyes. I stopped hugging myself. My metal fingers flexed on my left hand.

I took a shuddering breath.

Robin had come back from his time back in Gotham. Beast Boy was making tofu brunch. Raven had her nose in her latest vampire novel. Starfire was sending a transmission home to her family. Cyborg was calling me on the communicator…telling me about a drive he wanted to make that afternoon in the T-Car. It was a sunny day.

I blinked.

I looked around.

Darkness.

A thin hallway.

Dull…gray….stale….

Leading down towards some faint glow.

I took a deep breath.

I clenched my hands into fists….and walked forwards.

I felt drawn to something. But I didn't know what. I didn't know where I was. I didn't know what was happening.

All I knew was….it was dark. It was cold. It was stale…

I walked forward.

One boot at a time.

My breath floated in the air more and more.

My limbs started to get used to the sensation, despite the goosebumps.

I knew this was a strange place. I knew that I was aimless and clueless in this environment. But I also knew that….for some reason…..I was there for a purpose.

But I couldn't describe it. Neither could I describe the other awkward feeling gnawing at me.

I wasn't alone…….

I bit my lip.

I furrowed my brow.

I approached what I had at first sensed was the end of the hallway.

But it seemed to….extend further. There was a faint, tip-of-the-tongue glow of dull gray light at the far end of the corridor. With each step I took, it drew away from me. It's not fun to play a game of hide-and-seek with light beams.

I took a deep breath.

I held my flesh right hand out.

I concentrated.

I warbled murk out from my fingers.

It swam in a current along the walls. It snuck down the hallway and covered the contours of the slabs of metal.

I felt for shadows that didn't belong in the darkness. Hidden figures. Shrouded masses.

But my extra senses picked up nothing.

Regardless, there was that slight inclination…

That feeling of not being alone.

I kept my walking at a cautious pace….

Was I drugged and then just woke up? Perhaps this was a hallucination? Or was I transported somewhere?

My world had become a little pocket floating around my ears. My own footsteps and my own shufflings echoed back into me. It was almost a deafening sensation. Unnerving.

Were there any enemies of the Titans capable of……doing something like this to me? We just did in Mad Mod. And it couldn't have been Control Freak. I wonder if this had anything to do with that 'Master of Games' person that Beast Boy told me about…

I took a deep breath. I was used to fighting enemies alone and doing things solo. But for some reason, I couldn't help but wish the Titans were there with me.

Regardless, I trudged forward.

The hallway stretched on and on. And after quite the trek, I truly did reach the end. Or at least, the end of one thing.

I stood at the opening of a tunnel into a corridor with multiple other tunnels beginning.

A labyrinth??

I sighed.

Even if I was to hypothetically get lost in a place like this…my one concern is how long it'd take to get out of there. And…would someone or something find me before I could?

As if on cue, there was a loud scraping/shuffling from my right.

I gasped and spun to look.

I extended my right hand.

I felt along the currents of murk with my spatial sense.

A body was coming…

There was a hissing sound. Something animalistic and chilling.

I gritted my teeth. With a huge inhale, I covered my body with smoke and disappeared into the shadows. In cloaked, stealth form…I flattened myself up against a wall and waited….waited….waited….

The scraping came louder….closer….

I didn't dare risk sacrificing some of my stealth to extend my spatial senses again. After all, I knew the….thing was closing in fast. I merely stayed cloaked in hopes of the stranger creeping by.

And as it came closer, my black eyes squinted across the interior. I slowly snaked a metal hand up and slipped my shades down a bit so my naked optics could get the best view amidst the obscurity.

And something……hairy came into focus. Shuffling across the hallway. With sinewy limbs under curtains of shifting white and brown fur. And I saw catlike fangs and slitted eyes of a deceptively bright blue. And claws that reflected in some unnatural light that wasn't truly there.

My brow furrowed. I bit my lip and pressed myself further against the wall.

The creature brushed by me. My nose tickled with the very edges of its whiskers. My insides shook in response to a deeply rooted vibration from the creature's being. Like an earthly purr. Deep and low.

I breathed slowly.

With a swish of a tail, the creature passed by with pantherlike grace.

And I was alone again.

I sighed with relief. I shook my head and ran a cloaked hand through my hair.

I turned about and aimed myself for the furthest tunnel to the right---

"RAAAAAWR!!!!"

With a glint of shiny claws, the feline creature pounced back down the hall…and right at me.

I gasped and ducked.

CL-CLANG!!!

Sparks flew from the cold walls of metal, illuminating the nearby vicinity.

The creature shrieked and flung two paws of serration down at me again.

I rolled out of the way.

SCRAAAAAAAPE!!!

Strips of metal ribboned off the floor from the strikes.

I ended from my roll in a crouched position.

The creature pounced again: "RAWWWAWWWR!!"

CHHHHING!!!!

I gritted my teeth and held Myrkblade out horizontally above me. CL-CLANK!!!

Six inch claws met the wooden obsidian of my blade. My eyes bulged.

I pushed against the monster.

It reared back with a hiss.

I stood up and spun into a fighting pose.

The giant, bipedal cat paced around me. There was a very…sentient grace about it. I could sense an expression of hatred and carnal hunger in its furry face. It stood on the full height of its rear paws. The thing towered eight and a half feet. Its pointy ears were nearly to the ceiling.

I slowly rotated to face the creature. I kept Myrkblade at ready. Breathing steadily….

It moved.

I moved.

SWOOOSH!!!

"RAAWWWWR!!!!"

The creature dove at me with both murderous paws of shredding power lunging.

I held my breath and---

SWOOOOSH!!!

--teleported behind it.

THWUMP!!!!

The creature collapsed against a wall. It shook its furried head and shrieked angrily.

But I was long gone.

Screw that!!

I blurred down the hallway on rushing feet. I took a right at a sudden turn and came to a large, enclosed room of metal leading off to three or four other passages. I snaked around the end of the hallway and pressed myself against the wall, panting. I craned my ears.

The creature was gaining distance on me. But my blurred movements must have….obscured my scent or something. The creature zoomed down the hallway I was just previously in. I heard its furious hissing and the shuffling of its mighty, furred limbs as it rushed down the corridor and on into obscurity.

I breathed easier….relieved….

And then a green circle of light encased my figure.

I raised an eyebrow.

FLASH!!!!!!

I was nearly blinded—but was too busy gasping for breath. A force field of bright green light had circled around my torso and--

WHUMP!!!!!

I was slammed back hard against a wall. I gasped for air. The energy field constricted. I tilted my head back in a silent scream. I twitched.

CLANK!!!

I dropped Myrkblade and all but collapsed into myself from the constriction.

A figure floated down in mid air.

A female figure.

She had furious, furrowed eyes of bright, glowing green. Her outfit was…a solid black jumpsuit with green shoulders, sleeves, and boots. And over her chest was the plastered image of….of….

I winced and strained to look with my exposed black eyes.

Green Lantern??!!

"Kalasistro denui?!?!" her alien voice thundered commandingly like a soldier or drill sergeant. There was immense power in her being. I finally took notice of the tiny ring on her right hand from which the constricting energy was circulating. "Makme remora thua?!"

I sweatdropped. I looked helplessly at her from my point of bondage.

Her glowing eyes narrowed. Dark black bangs dripped around her temples. I was too busy being strangled to take note of her beauty. She spoke again…slowly this time….and with a different dialect. "Madak-kakun heveretten nikkuka-na?!?!"

I struggled to get loose.

She constricted the green beam.

I was at my rope's end.

She gritted her teeth and—this time—snarled: "Who are you?!?!"

I reacted to that with a gasp.

Her eyes opened a bit. "You are from Terra Firma??"

I bit my lip.

"But you do not look Terran!!"

I wheezed.

She dropped me to the floor, but kept a 'picket fence' of green lantern light erected around me.

"Who are you and what do you know about this place?!" she demanded. "Answer me!!"

I rubbed my side and merely winced.

She eyed Myrkblade on the floor. She parted her beam and lifted it into the air with green tendrils. "Is this your weapon?! What were you going to do with it?!?!"

I sighed.

"Why don't you talk?!?!"

In a fury of frustration, my wrists blurred a set of hand-signs. She raised an eyebrow and touched down to the floor on her feet. "You……you…..can't talk?"

I fumed. Frowning, I yanked down the collar of my fatigues and pointed at the 'X' shaped scar around my neck.

She took a deep breath. "Well…that's just perfect." She mumbled and eyed the darkness of the interior around us. "Not only did I somehow end up in the belly of some god-awful beast, but I had to have a mute punk like you to run into."

I planted my hands on my hips and pouted.

She looked at me again and pulsed her ring, causing the green energy field to fluctuate threateningly. "Do you know anything about this place?? Yes or no??"

I shook my head.

She sighed. "Fitting. Let me guess….you were suddenly transported here without any warning?"

I leaned my head to the side with wonder. I gradually nodded.

"So was I…," she said in a low voice of thought. "I was in the middle of patrolling sector one-four-one-seven when I found myself between these accursed walls. At first, I didn't think much of it…but suddenly this hideous beast of fur and claws came in from another hallway and nearly tore me to bits!! I would have ripped it in half with my ring…but I need to find answers first. I need to know what this place is. And naturally the first sane person I find can't help me!!"

I clenched my fists….

….I relaxed.

I eyed Myrkblade on the floor.

I eyed the woman.

"Can you at least show me where you came from??" she asked. She gestured one hand while still holding me at bay with the other's ring. Behind her, a dark and furry object suddenly loomed. "Maybe if we compare our points of origin, we can uncover some of the mystery behind this place—"

I gasped. I tensed.

She tensed.

I teleported.

She closed the green field in a dome.

But she was too slow. I blurred through the temporary cracks in smoke form, materialized by Myrkblade, swept it up by the hilt, and jabbed behind the woman's neck.

She winced.

CLANK!!!

My blade stopped a paw-full of claws just behind her neck.

"ROWWRRRR!!!!" the feline monster shrieked.

The woman spun around. She gasped for a split second before forming a solid wall of green and shoving the monster back.

FLASH!!!

I jumped back, panting.

The creature roared while slashing and biting at the solid energy field. The green energy warbled and distorted at every bit of contact.

The woman grit her teeth and grabbed me by the shoulder. I gasped as she flew and dragged me along the corridor at a hyper speed with the shield of green trailing behind us. Half a minute later, we were several twists and turns away from the monster. We rested against a wall and caught our breaths.

"That's the second time I was nearly sneaked on from behind by that thing!! I swear…this labyrinth is putting me off balance!!"

I nodded, heaving for breath. She looked at me. She was ever so slightly shorter than I was. But she was quite obviously…..adult. Perhaps in her mid to late twenties. "Do you sense it as well? A stale feel to the air? Like everything is frozen and cold….yet not?"

I nodded. I sweated. I pulled my shades off and wiped my brow. My black eyes blinked open for a second or two.

"……," she stared at me. "You are Terran. And yet….you are not like the Earthling occupants of sector two-eight-one-four." I merely panted. I slipped my shades back on and shrugged.

She looked down the hallway and sighed. "Thank you. Apparently, you are quite gifted. I should have expected enough from you to nearly lose my head." She smirked at that.

I smirked as well.

She took a breath and said: "I am Katma Tui of the Green Lantern Corps," she said. "Sentinel of Sector One-Four-One-Seven. Is there any name that you have which you can give me?"

I scratched my head. I mouthed my name. But she obviously wasn't good at lip syncing.

"I see that this is going to be difficult….," she nodded. "Very well then. Your name is 'hey you' until I can learn anything else. Got it?"

I bit my lip.

"Good. Now follow me. The furthest we get from that creature…the best."

I couldn't help but nod.

We traversed down the dark metal tunnel. It was still cold. It was still stale. It was still….unnervingly paranoid.

"Whoever constructed this structure that we are imprisoned in…I sense a malevolent force at work," she thought aloud. "I have every reason for someone wanting to capture me and end my life. A member of the Corps is an easy target in ANY part of the galaxy."

I went bug-eyed at that. It suddenly occurred to me that where I was—however I got there—it had to have been space. As in outer….space.

Kansas was very far away.

"Any reason why you would be teleported somewhere??" Katma asked.

I scratched my head in thought.

Mad Mod?? Control Freak?? Auugh…how many people have I met that actually have the ability to do this sort of thing to me?!

'You must not have a lot of enemies! Pretty amazing for a knight such as yourself!'

I froze in mid-step. Blinking.

Katma crept on a few feet ahead of me.

'What? Did I startle you? Ohhhh…I do apologize. Such was not my intent!'

I spun around. Question marks formed over my head. My black eyes trailed the walls through my shades.

Katma paused in her step and looked back at me. "Um…..hey you????"

'Do you happen to know where we are? I was enjoying an oh-so-heavenly sip of Nebula Tea on the veranda when suddenly I was in this gloomy habitat. Are you a resident of this domain?'

"What's gotten into you?" Katma asked with a curiously raised eyebrow. "You seem like you're…hearing something…."

I glanced around some more. I blinked.

Uh………h-hello?

'Hehehe. Hello there! My, aren't you the bashful type!'

I jolted visibly.

"Hold on…," Katma raised her unringed finger and looked towards the ceiling. "I…..I-I hear it too…."

'Ooooh! It is another one!! A woman! Hello, how are you doing today, ma'am?'

I looked helplessly at Katma.

"A telepath…," Katma grumbled. She looked at me. "Guard your thoughts!"

'Awwww……but I mean truly no harm! I only wish to meet with someone in this dreary place! It is awfully cold and dark in here! Would one of you please help me??'

I stared into space.

Tell me what you see around you.

'A dark corridor. Gray walls. Everything's metal!'

Katma grit her teeth and looked at me in response to that. "Are you….'talking' to her?!?!"

I held a finger up.

I concentrated.

Any……thing other than walls and darkness?

'Um…I see many corridors branching off into many locations. Do you know where that is?'

I smiled.

I think so. Hold on.

"Sounds like she's in the spot that we both ran into the creature…," Katma mumbled.

I looked at her funny. She looked at me funny.

A beat.

"So you ARE hearing her??" she uttered.

I nodded.

"And….are you talking to her? I couldn't 'hear' you…but I could hear her…."

I shrugged.

"I suppose she's capable of one-way telepathic communication with non-telepaths…"

I started marching towards the direction from which we came.

"Hey you."

I stopped and turned around.

"Are you certain….you wish to go back?" she asked.

I nodded. I gestured something she couldn't possibly understand…but ended up just simply pointing in the direction of where the female telepath had to be.

"Then at least let me go with you…," Katma held up a glowing ring for emphasis and took the lead. "Punk kids think they're invincible these days. Especially Terrans!"

I smirked helplessly and followed her along.

As we trudged backwards, we kept an eye out for a furred demon. Neither of us were in the mood for a nasty confrontation.

'You are both……heroes, are you not?'

Katma glanced at me.

I glanced at her. She spoke aloud to the air: "Um…I suppose you could say that I am. I dunno about 'hey you' over there."

I stuck my tongue out.

'You are both benevolent souls. I can sense it.'

"If you're so good at sensing things and talking to people with your head….whoever you are….," Katma spoke as she illuminated the hallway with her ring, "…then maybe you can tell us how to get out of this infernal trap!"

'But this place is not a trap!'

"How do you know?"

'I…I cannot explain that.'

"Why not?"

'I do not know how.'

Katma groaned.

'But…I sense that this is not a trap. It is like a place I have never been inside before. But it is a gathering place, is it not?'

I narrowed my eyes.

A gathering place??

'There are many diverse souls in this place. There are you two. And there is myself.'

"And there's this hideous beast as well," Katma mumbled as she cautiously lead the way. "You ever sense that??"

'Are you referring to Lidikins??'

Katma and I exchanged glances.

A beat.

"Lidikins?!?!"

Lidikins?!?!

'Hehehehe! Lidikins is my yeoman! She is most precious!'

"You mean….that giant tiger thing is your….your servant??"

'And pet, I suppose you could say. I brush her fur everyday. She is absolutely darling, is she not??'

I made a wyrd face.

"Yeah…," Katma nodded back at me with a weak smile. "…just what I'm thinking." She turned around and bumped into a petite figure.

"EEEEEEEEK!!!!"

"HEY!!" Katma jumped back and aimed her glowing ring.

CHIIIIING!! I had Myrkblade out.

We froze at the sight of a teenage girl…cowering in a shimmering gown of lavender and ivory silk. At finding out she was not damaged, she lowered her trembling hands and looked up at us with a glowing, angelic face. She was a young looking thing—deceptively—dressed in the most absurdly feminine piece of attire. Frills…bows…lace…you name it. Estrogen splashed morbidly around her in a thin gown that accentuated ten times more beauty than she already (legitimately) had. If anything looked foreign in that place, it was that misfortunate child with her long, auburn hair and slitted eyes of alien amber. She blinked at us and uttered with a trembling lip the voice of the telepath:

"I…I d-do hope I have not offended you two greatly! Please….do spare my life! I will do anything!!"

Katma sweat. She panted and lowered her ring. "Malathastra menu yornui…." She snapped out of it. "In case you haven't noticed….yes, we are heroes. But we are heroes with WEAPONS and EDGY nerves!! Do NOT sneak up on us like that again!! We almost treated you as that unruly beast of yours!!!"

The girl bit her lip. Slowly, her amber eyes started to water. In a mew-like sound, she started to sob and covered her eyes with lace-gloved hands.

Katma furrowed her brow. She pushed a bang or two away and simply looked at me. I shrugged. I walked over and gently rested a hand on the sobbing girl's shoulder.

She hiccupped and leaned into me weakly. Dependently. "I….I-I'm sorry….it's just that….I am so very far away from home…and this place is so somber and frightening…and…and I c-can't find Lidikins for the life of me!! Oh…she'll never do well by herself in this awful, awful maze! She'll not do well at all!!"

Katma cleared her throat.

The two of us looked at her.

"Um…wh-what's your name, miss?" Katma asked.

The girl sniffed. She rubbed the tears off her rosy cheeks and squeaked: "Minnae….Minnae Metharsia."

Katma did a double take. "You don't mean…of the Royal Metharsia Family of the Outer Centauri Cluster?"

The girl blushed and wrung her hands in the hem of her skirt. "I….yes….I suppose my proper title is Princess Minnae of Metharsia-Centauri….but….it is not ladylike to b-boast!"

"Girl…ambiguity is hardly ladylike!" Katma grumbled. "Look. We're all stuck in here together. I'm trying to find us all a way out and the last thing I need is for a little prissy like you to get your royal telepathy stuck in our heads and confusing things!!"

"But I was only trying to reach out and find Lidikins—"

"I'm sure your….cat-beast-yeoman thing is quite fine!!" Katma cackled. "I'm Katma Tui of the Green Lantern Corps. I'll do everything in my power to protect you as a sacred member of the Metharsia-Centauri royal bond. In the meantime, Lidikins can wait. Follow my orders and I'll assure you safe passage outside of….where the Hell this place is!"

Minnae blinked. She glanced over at me. "And who is this gentleman???"

I looked at the girl. A beat. I looked at Katma. I looked at the girl again. I smiled.

Noir. Noir from Earth.

"An earthling!" Minnae cupped her hands together and gasped with a happy smile. "I have always wanted to meet someone of your species and planetary ilk!" She leaned her head to the side prettily. "Are all males from your planet possessing in such…..luscious hair?"

I blushed.

"Eeep! How improper of me! Ahem….," she curtsied. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Sir Noir." She then curtsied at Katma. "And you too, Madame Tui."

"Uh….yeah…," Katma glanced at me. "'Noir'???"

I nodded.

The female Green Lantern blinked. "………….yeah well…..whatever." She spun around and looked down the hallway. "Since we had to haul ass to get back here to you…we lost track of where we were going to begin with. Now I've got to start out all over again. Hey you—er, I mean Noir? Care to help me?"

I nodded. But as I took a step--

"What of the other?" Minnae remarked.

The other two of us stopped and looked at her.

Katma made a face. "Other?"

"Mmmhmm," Minnae nodded. "….," I looked at her. I looked at Katma. "You mean your giant cat thing?" the green-eyed guardian asked. "Don't worry. We'll find the furball later. Right now, we gotta get our bearings."

"No no no," Minnae shook her pretty head. "I am referring to the other."

"Other what?"

"Other hero inside this labyrinth."

My jaw dropped.

"There's someone else in this place?!" Katma remarked.

"Yes," Minnae nodded. A beat. She blushed and cupped her cheek with a laced glove. "Er….th-that is to say, he is not exactly a hero."

"Please explain…."

"Every time I try to reach him telepathically….," the princess frowned, "…he retorts with the most vulgar of words! I do believe he is displeased both with being stuck here and hearing from my constant, mental inquiries."

"Then maybe….um….you should give him a rest," Katma said. She started pacing off and the two of us followed her down the dark hallway. "Who knows, he may be the answer we have to understanding this place. And if that be the case, we want him in the best of spirits."

"I understand," Minnae sighed. She smiled at me. "I do suppose Miss Tui I our leader."

"Captain Tui, thank you," Katma emphasized. "And if you'll excuse me, princess….but it's only natural that I take the lead. I am with the Corps, after all, and it would do you and….Mr. Noir here a lot of good to learn from my experience in survival. Now…follow me this way."

I rolled my black eyes under my shades.

Katma glanced back at me suddenly, frowning.

I put on a plastic smile.

She turned back and continued walking.

I sighed with relief.

As we three trailed down the hallway—Katma ahead of us and Minnae and myself trailing—the princess looked at me and I looked at the princess.

A beat.

She smiled.

'I see that you are unable to talk. That is most unfortunate.'

I winced. I simpered.

I……uh……please excuse me. It's been a while since I've………'talked' to someone so instantaneously.

'I understand.'

She smiled at me and nodded her head silently. Her lips were closed in a pursing grin.

'You are one defined by silence and patience. I can sense that from you.'

Uhhhh………y-yeah……

'You have also supplied me with an alias.'

I made a double-take at her.

How did you know—

'Your real name is Jordan, is it not?'

Yes. Yes it is. Jordan.

'And Noir is……something you fight by?'

I suppose you could say that.

She looked concerned.

'I am most sorry. I feel that you are……wounded.'

Not wounded…just…

'You feel that I am prying?'

Yes, to be honest.

'I see. I shall refrain from now on. I see that you are someone of many secrets………and much pain.'

I bit my lip and looked away from her while walking.

'………but I must assure you of one thing.'

And what is that, Princess Minnae?

'Do not despair. Though you, Captain Tui, and myself may be in a rather dismal predicament…I do not sense that our friends—and your friends—are in peril. You need not worry about your companions. I sense that they are on the foremost in your mind right now.'

I sighed heavily. I smiled.

Thanks……seriously.

'It is only my pleasure, Jordan.'

Noir.

'I'm sorry. Jordan Noir.'

I chuckled.

Katma looked back at me again.

I cleared my throat and looked serious.

"…..," she looked ahead while lighting the way with her ring. "Tell me, your highness….," she spoke without looking to Minnae. "What is it that you last remember before appearing here?"

"Before this dismal place??"

"Correct."

Minnae cupped her pretty gloves together. "Like I stated earlier, I was having tea in the veranda. I was planning on dressing up in the dresses given to me by the second daughter of the Grand Centauri Clan last night…when suddenly I found myself here. Were you both similarly interrupted during leisure?"

"Well, I was in mid-transport between planets….," Katma stated. "…but I suppose you could call it leisure."

Minnae looked at me. "And what of you, Mr. Noir?"

I was just…walking through the Tower.

Minnae leaned her head to the side. "Tower??"

"Tower???" Katma glanced back and made a face.

I simpered.

On Earth………on Terra Firma, I belong to a group of crime fighters called the Teen Titans. Our base of operations is the Titans' Tower.

Minnae looked at the Green Lantern. "He says that he works alongside the 'Teen Titans' on Earth. He must have been about to meet up with his companions when he came here."

"Hmmmmm," Katma furrowed her brow in thought. "John once told me of another group on Earth like the JLA called the Titans…."

I raised an eyebrow.

Katma shook her head. "Well…we're a little hard pressed to find a pattern here."

"I feel like there is a slight link," Minnae said.

"Like what, your highness?"

"Besides the fact that neither of us were preoccupied at the time of transportation…," the princess smiled, "…we are all people of relatively noble stature. I am a princess. You, Captain, are a sentinel. And Mr. Noir here is a vigilante!"

"Extremely contrasting occupations in my book," Katma said.

"Would you not agree that there is similarity in our varied strengths?"

"No offence, Princess….but I can level entire space dreadnoughts with my power ring. 'Noir'-somebody here seems pretty adept with a sword. But yourself? Unless you wish to sick this 'Lidikins' pet on someone…your strength is anything but brutal."

I looked at Minnae.

"Strength comes in many forms," Minnae pleasantly replied. "Would the Green Lantern Corps expect any less?"

I looked at Katma Tui.

The woman bit her lip "You may be right. Whoever brought us together had a reason. And as it seems—unless one of you is hiding something—"

"I would sense it," Minnae interrupted.

"…….." Katma continued, "…….none of us is responsible for this labyrinth, nor our being here."

I glanced at Minnae.

What of the fourth person?

Minnae looked at me.

"The fourth person?" she spoke aloud. "Why do you not ask him yourself?"

Katma froze in her spot. She turned around and looked at Minnae. "What do you mean by that?"

The girl pointed a dainty finger. "He is merely beyond that wall…."

Katma and I turned and faced a section of metal bulkheads. There was a light, clanking sound echoing from the other side. Katma illuminated the section of wall with her ring. She growled.

"Dammit….it won't let me open a portal through. I can't figure out the configuration of this metal!"

I walked over silently. I gently placed my flesh fingers over it. I rested my ear against the cold, stale material. I concentrated.

And almost as soon as I started 'listening' closely….the pounding from the other side stopped.

A beat.

We all looked at each other.

"Um….," Katma leaned her head to the side. "…what on earth could he be d—"

BLAM!!!!!!!!

SMASH!!!!!

I gasped as my body flew back from the exploding metal and ricocheted off the wall on the other side.

Minnae shrieked and hid behind a startled Katma.

A low, deep-throated voice rumbled from the other side: "Fraggin', yellow-bellied rats!!! Wait till I get my hands on your cruddy behinds!! Nobody locks up the Main Man!!!"

SWOOOOSH!!!

SLAM!!!

A huge, muscular figure of pale-skinned and red-eyed testosterone landed in the hallway after having jumped through the hole from the adjacent corridor He jerked back his head—spikey black hair exploding everywhere—and in a flash he had a gun raised and aimed at the first target he could see.

Minnae.

"Eeep!!" the princess quivered.

The zombie-like monstrosity—decked from head to tow in an outfit befitting a punk biker from Hell—smiled a deathlike grin. "Wow! Look how pretty that thing is!!" A beat. "I want to shoot it!!"

He pulled the trigger on his mammoth gun.

SWOOOOOSH-SLASH!!!

I charged in with an upswing of Myrkblade. CLANK!!!!

POW!!!!

His gun blew a hole it the ceiling.

"What the tap-dancing Hell?!?!" the monster-man gasped. He growled at me. "Ya little bat fart!!"

BLAM!!!! I gasped and barely jumped out of the way as his lightning-fast draw struck the floor beneath me.

I dove, rolled on the ground, and stood up in the middle of the hallway a couple of yards down with Myrkblade posed to block.

"HA!!! It's always fun when they're too fast to hit on the first round!!" he smiled psychotically and aimed again, yelling in his pro-wrestler voice: "Hope you're not lead intolerant, asshole!!"

BLAM!!! BLAM!! BLAM!!!

I blocked. CLANG!!!!

I slid back six feet from the impact. My boots burned into the floor. I panted for breath and desperately blurred and teleported—barely avoiding the secondary blasts. "HA HA HA HA!!! Hey, this is fun after all!!" the alien beamed. He fired at me constantly. "What's wrong, Shadow?! A long way from your Peter Pan?! DANCE!!"

FLASH!!!!

A cylinder of green encased him and squeezed the gun from his grasp. "Awww what the f---"

SWOOOOSH!! WHAM!!!

He was slammed up against the wall.

"OOF!!" he winced, his solid red eyes glaring inside of black sockets. "Frag it!! There's always a demigod in the mix—whoah!!! Rowwwwwr." He grinned as Katma flew before him, restraining him with the energy field. "Hey there, cutie," he winked. "What's the ring mean? You married to anyone I haven't killed yet?"

Katma Tui snarled. "Lobo….the entire galaxy is looking for you…"

"Pfft!!" the wicked albino cackled. "And what good will it do for the galaxy to find me?!?! Heaven and Hell took their picks…and I was tossed back into the sea of destitution!! And speaking of which, wanna spawn with me like a good little fish, baby??"

I stood up, panting. I looked over at the restrained alien man in a mixed feeling of exhaustion, confusion, and shock.

Katma leaned forward towards the captive. She was frowning. "Just what is a scumball like you doing in this claustrophobic nightmare?!"

"Hey!!" Lobo sneered. "I was hoping you were gonna tell me, toots! The Hell that I know…it's you creeps that built this place and lassoed me in like a frickin' king of the bovine!! Well, shit on you morons!! The Main Man doesn't do house calls—NRKKKK!!!"

Katma constricted the green energy around him like a huge, emerald fist.

"Spill your beans!! Tell us what you know!! NOW!!"

"I…. don't…. know…. a…. single…. frickin'….. thing!!" Lobo wheezed. "All I know is that I'm stuck here in this oversized closet with the rest of ya!! I'm in the middle of a bigass bounty right now!! I can't afford to go on field trips in closetland!! Not to mention the fact that my hog is missing is really starting to piss me off!!"

"Worthless piece of filth!" Katma growled. And she flicked her wrist, causing the green energy field to close in all the way. The chamber echoed with the sickening snapping sound of Lobo's shattering ribs within his body.

"WAAAUGH!!!" he wheezed and vomited out a torrent of blood.

Minnae shrieked. I gasped.

"Don't worry…," Katma dropped the bloody carcass of Lobo and leaned her hands to her hips. "He'll get up. Just watch."

I stared in horror.

The mangled body of Lobo slumped to the floor. After a few seconds, he twitched all over. The snapping of his ribs resounded again….but this time in some sickeningly odd reversal. Soon he was hacking and coughing but altogether regaining control of his lungs. He stumbled up to his feet and shook his head as if he had merely taken a dive into his own blood and needed to shake dry like a dog.

"Heh…I love a girl who collapses my lungs on a first date."

"You're lucky I don't just rip your head off," Katma snarled. "Even as a bounty hunter, you must know how valuable your ass is in over two hundred intergalactic nations."

Lobo smirked. "Is that a come on?"

Katma pointed a glowing finger of green. "Millions have died thanks to your infamy. It'd do me a lot of good to kill you right now."

"But you won't because you can't," Lobo shrugged. He walked over—constantly under the Green Lantern's eye—and picked up his gun from the floor. "And also…maybe in some really bogus fashion…you actually need my friggin' help in getting us all out of this cockeyed mess!"

Katma stared. "Plus…you are more valuable alive in the intergalactic halls of justice."

"Sweet cakes….I've not been alive for a long time. Read a history book….then tell me all about it. I never did learn to read. Ha!"

"Right now—as much as I hate to admit it—the important thing is to find a way out of this mess," Katma groaned. "Regardless, that means certain necessary precautions." She aimed her ring.

SNAP!!

Lobo's gun fell into pieces.

"HEY!!! What's the big idea?!?!" he snarled and held up his fists. "Why you stuck-up, dominating, she-skunk!!!"

CHIIIING!!!

Lobo stopped in place. I held Myrkblade to his chin, glaring.

He smirked. "What's with the overrated phallic symbol, pipsqueak?! I was only playing!! Was merely gonna suck her ovaries out with a straw. Ya know. Fun times!!"

Katma side-glanced at me. "Stay out of this, Noir. You have no idea who we're dealing with here…."

I glared at the female Green Lantern.

I deal with threats as I choose……

Minnae spoke up: "H-He says he deals with threats as he so chooses."

I smirked.

Lobo went cockeyed. "Who said what?! I didn't hear anything!!"

"He thought it," Minnae explained, blushing.

"Okay….look….," Lobo pushed my sword away and held up his hands. "As much as I love a leisurely game of charades and all, this is all seriously crappin' me!! What in Satan's underpants is going on here?!?!"

Katma began: "We were hoping you—"

"—would tell us!" Princess Minnae finished with a giggle.

Katma glared at her.

"Looks like I have myself here a couple of winners," Lobo smirked.

"We were all transported somehow into this place spontaneously," Katma explained. "Tell us…were you doing anything of any major importance at the last time you remember before appearing here?"

"You mean besides sitting on the Krapper?!?!" Lobo laughed. "Ha ha ha ha!!"

Katma shook her head in disgust.

"Nothing special, Missy," Lobo gave a thumb's up. "Again…I had a bounty to take care of. But I was just starting on that. Been a good long time since I smashed someone's sorry-ass face in. And now that I'm cooped up in this hellhole and my hog's missing…I think it's due time I started breaking craniums into talcum powder!! Someone give me a cigarette."

"Cigarette?" Minnae made a face. "Do you mean a death tube?"

"Call it what you want, chick," Lobo snapped his finger and pointed. "Whatever burns my lips will do just fine!"

"I don't know WHY in the universe I thought you might have something productive to tell us!" Katma moaned.

"Oh, and you think I'm here for shits and giggles myself?!" Lobo frowned. "While we're at it…how about trying to answer some of MY frickin' questions?! Like why on earth am I stuck here with Minnie Mouse, a Samurai Ray Charles, and a talkative member of the Green Lantern Corps?!?!"

"I do believe we are all here for a purpose!" Minnae cupped her hands together and smiled pleasantly. "We are completely different in our natures. And yet we are very similar in our uniqueness!"

A beat.

Lobo raised an undead eyebrow. "Say what??"

"Don't ask," Katma groaned and rubbed her temples. "She is full of ideas…"

"Mr. Noir! At least you agree with me?"

I scratched my head. I sighed. A beat. I smiled.

"What's with you, squirt?!" Lobo looked at me. "Cat got your tongue?? That's never supposed to happen until the honeymoon, ya know. HA HA HA!! You get it?!?! Ha ha! Honeymoon!! Cat! He—"

FLASH!!!

Katma shoved him against the wall with a frustrated 'anvil' of green energy. She looked at Minnae and I.

"I honestly have no idea what we are to do now…"

"Companions!" Princess Minnae emphasized. "What matters is that there were four of us to begin with and now we are collected!!"

"What is she babbling about??" Lobo groaned, standing up.

"She's a telepath," Katma said. "She's detected four entities inside this place from the get-go. With the exception of her furball, of course."

"Sprechen sie what?!?!"

"Lidikins!!" Minnae giggled. "My companion!!"

Katma's green eyes narrowed. "A beast of a guardian. Like a giant, two-legged tiger."

I charaded 'fangs' with my fingers.

Lobo scratched his spikey head. "Uh huh…….dude, did I land in the fraggin' looney bin or what??"

"Incorrect. This is a sanctuary."

The four of us contrasting characters gasped at once.

"Okay…," Lobo looked straight up. "Who invited God??"

"You have all finally passed the initial test. We shall proceed on to phase two."

SWOOOOOOOSH!!!!!

I blinked. I watched incredulously—along with everyone else—as the walls of the labyrinth around us faded away and a whole new….'plane' of existence rushed up underneath us like a whole new world on visible strings and--

FLASH!!!

I spun around.

We stood in a bright-gray interior. A room of sorts. Circular, aerodynamic, futuristic.

Alien.

Katma Tui narrowed her eyes.

Minnae pensively clasped her fingers together.

Lobo scratched his head. "Um….so who invited us into boredom factory??"

"I am responsible for your being here."

The four of us spun around.

Minnae gasped.

Katma stepped back, her ringed hand raised subconsciously.

I squinted my eyes as a bright white aura emanated from the center of the room. The bright gray cloud fizzled in on itself and the brilliant fury dimmed to reveal a tall, graceful figure standing in our midst. It was extremely….difficult to describe the entity before us. I saw its skin…yet, I didn't see its face. And what piece of it I could see appeared to be there and not there at the same time.

I suddenly felt very….very insignificant.

"Welcome, brave ones, to the Great Implosion."

"The Great What?!?!" Katma made a face. "Who are you?! Where is this place?!?!"

"Not where…," the figure leaned his…hers….its head to the side. "When."

"Duaaaah??" Lobo shook his head. "This sure as Hell better not be a pop quiz in math! I skipped right after third grade. Heh…kinda hard to attend school after blowing it up."

"I cannot explain in any of your native tongues the identity of my essence. It is safe to say that I possess nothing. And I am not I. We are we."

"Er….okay….," Katma nodded. A beat. She looked over at Minnae. "You getting anything, your highness?"

Minnae shook her head. "I sense a great power from this entity!! But I am far too weak to gain any alternative thoughts from within! We are merely subject to what it tells us."

"And we shall endeavor to explain the situation at hand. For as destiny determines it, you four are needed for a very important mission."

"Mission?" Katma exclaimed. "Excuse me….but none of us chose to be here to begin with. And we're not mercenaries for hire!"

"Heh…," Lobo smirked and cracked his knuckles. "Speak for yourself, sweet cakes."

"If there has been any defining moral precedent throughout the whole universe, it is that to those whom are given…much is required." The being held a hand out towards us as it spoke. "You four have been bestowed with great powers—whether or not you have chosen to accumulate such. But regardless of your desires, there is great responsibility to be had. I am certain that each of you understand this."

I took a deep breath and slowly nodded. I slowly glanced over at the others through my shades.

Minnae seemed to understand.

Katma hesitantly folded her arms and looked off.

Lobo was chuckling. "Responsibility! Heh! That's a rich one!"

"Lobo. The last of the Czarnians. Though your reputation has had its fair share of heartless murder and terrorism, your brute force and penchant for directly confronting the opposition will be priceless in the task at hand. Your powers defy the laws of life and death. To you…mortality is a game. And you have the ability to play it well for the sake of good."

"Heh…why thanks a lot! You wanna come over to my place sometime?!" Lobo winked. A beat. "Er….you are a 'she', r-right???"

The being's 'head' turned and faced Katma.

"Katma Tui. Native of Korugar. Elite member of the Green Lantern Corps under the Guardians of Oa and in charge of the protection of sector one-four-one-seven. Your strength and proficient use of the power ring is exceptional. But your leadership skills are far more magnificent. You shall be the authority to oversee the accomplishment of this mission. Your maturity shall be the stability upon which this task shall lie."

Katma leaned a hand on her hip. "Sounds simple….do we have a choice??"

But the being went on. To me this time.

"Noir. Agile Earthling. The latest edition to the Teen Titans. Your vigilance against crime is praise-worthy. And your fighting is nearly unmatched. Your speed and agility in combat is what the team shall need in overcoming surprising obstacles. But far more valuable is your honor and diligence. You are the perfect servant. And in this case, you shall be the perfect soldier."

I blushed a little and bowed. I looked pensively at the others.

The being faced Minnae next…

"Princess Minnae Metharsia of the Metharsia-Centauri Royal House. You are famous and revered throughout your galaxy. Your beauty is exceeded by nothing, save your wisdom. Let no expert fool you. Your telepathy is the finest in your nest of the stars. Your intellect and perception will be the guiding light for your three companions. And your withheld strength shall be the wildcard for any emergency situation."

Minnae bit her lip. "But…I-I am not equip for conflict with any force whatsoever!! I have always have yeomans or guardians to protect me! I-I'm too sc-scared to imagine what would happen t-to me on my own!

The figure's head tilted. "Your gifts are far more expansive than you are willing to admit." A shimmering hand stretched out. "All you must do is wake up to them."

Suddenly, bolts of bright blue from the ceiling flew down and zapped the princess.

She shrieked and rubbed her arms as if she was burnt.

Katma growled. "Hey!!! Ass!! Leave her alone—" In a green streak, she flew towards the being….only to be knocked back by a wall of light. "Ooof!!"

"Please. Merely observe."

I ran over to Katma's side and helped her up. We both watched in horror.

The girl twitched and winced. "Eeek!! Please!! Stop it!!" She gritted her teeth and clenched her amber eyes shut. "Don't!! That's not nice!! You're making me angry!! You are making me angry…."

FLASH!!!

Minnae's eyes opened. Tongues of flame energy vomited out of her optics, and soon she had cat eyes. Fangs shot out from her teeth. Then---

FLASH!!!!!!!!!

Sparks shot out from Minnae's body this time. The effeminate dress and accessories were gone. In the princess' place stood a very familiar, burly beast of white fur and snarling jaws. It shook and growled with feline ferocity. "ROWWWWWWWR!!!!" It glared at us with blazing cat eyes of fire and pounced with drooling jaws.

SPLASH!!!!

A white energy field kept the creature at bay.

The two of us flinched.

Lobo merely whistled. "Bad pussy!!"

"Lidikins…," Katma mumbled. "She and the Princess….they're—"

"The same," the being spoke. "A mutagen in the bloodline of the Metharsia dynasty assures them of instant devolution into the beastly, feline identity of eons passed."

As the being spoke, sparks of yellow shot from the ceiling and penetrated the pantherlike monster's body. It started to thrash and fight less. Sedated, it panted and crouched on the ground.

"All that time it was her…," Katma smirked. "Heh. The princess has a bite after all."

"It's a good thing I didn't kill that cat when it first pounced me," Lobo folded his arms. He smirked. "It's a lot funner hearing the babe shriek when she dies! Hahaha!"

Katma flung a green, translucent mace into his chest.

WHAP!

"OOF!!"

The last of the sparks danced over the beast. A dome of bright light encased it. Magically, Minnae reappeared. Panting. Sitting on the floor in her shimmering gown like a deflated flower.

I walked over and knelt by her side. I placed a concerned hand on her shoulder.

She blushed. "I….I suppose I have some explaining to do…"

I smiled.

Naah……you're pretty much covered.

She smiled bashfully back at me.

Katma Tui walked up. "What is it exactly that you want from us? What is this mission?"

"It is a task that you have all been finely chosen for. It has not been an easy or simple process. We had to go through many rigorous trials to bring you four to where you are now."

"Care to give us the geographical low-down, Mrs. Flashbulb??" Lobo grunted.

"Again. You are at the Great Implosion," the being extended its limbs while speaking. "It is an infinitesimal moment in time. An eternity in a single instance. And that single instance is securely located at the crunch point of the two fluctuating halves of the universe."

"Eh….huh?" Lobo seemed to have a brain melt.

"The universe—in definitions of the third and fourth dimensions—is a constantly folding and flexing entity. Time and space curve to the full extent of its elasticity. When there is no more room left to move, the curve bends back in the other direction until mass is no longer capable of being contained. Because of this principle, mass expands outward once again and the entire fluctuation is repeated in an endless loop."

Katma gasped. "The Big Bang. The Time Loop. So it is true…"

"Time is as tangible as space. It goes backwards and forwards. Identically in each throe. And just like space, there comes a point when time becomes too dense for it to remain stable within one frame of existence. At such a point, time and space collapse. But the collapse cannot happen in a frame that is infinitely dense. A paradox results, and the final outcome of differentials is a repetitive expansion. But within the paradoxical crunch, there exists—in as much as one can call it 'existence'—a realm not defined by time or space. This is that point in paradoxical non-time. This is the Great Implosion in the fulcrum of the Universe. You four stand now in the Sanctuary, built between the flexing of the endless loop of all that 'is'. And the reason that you four stand here…is because we have called you."

I leaned my head to the side and thought of that. It made some sense. The cold. The staleness of everything. The out-of-my-element paranoia. This was a place outside of time and space. No wonder it made my skin crawl…

"And who are 'you', exactly?" Katma asked.

"Nameless and bodiless….we are the combined spirits of all identifiable forms of sentient life within the border lying dimensions upon which even you four exist," the being said. "We do not know who created us. We do not know how we began. And we do not know how we will end. All we know is that we are. The only element that truly defines us is Life. And because of that, we have dedicated ourselves to the protection and preservation of all that Life stands for."

"Heh….," Lobo chuckled. "Doesn't sound like my type of crowd. You sure you hired the right errand boy, Casper??"

"The fact that you are here speaks for itself," the being nodded. "You have all been selected from your specific pocket in space and time for a purpose. A purpose that shall be fuilfilled. For that purpose is absolute. And that purpose is to counteract the elements of Death. For Death—and its agents—are the true enemy to what we are."

"How fascinating….," Minnae blinked. She stood up to her feet beside me. "We are to….fight Death itself?"

"Death is as mysterious an entity as we are. For as long as we exist…Death also exists. And Death is constantly fighting to snuff out Life, which is our prime element. To answer the call to fight Death, we have chosen to oversee to the preservation of all that is. Even the realms of mortality that abound within infinite layers outside of the Implosion."

"Oh, I see…," Katma smirked slightly. "In a way…you too are guardians…."

The being nodded. "We are—in such a cause—the Sentinels to the Angels."

"Angels??"

"You. You four are the chosen Angels of this mission at hand. A most noble mission. A mission to preserve a specific event in history. A history with an outcome for the most part favorable to the elements of Life, in spite of the cost and sacrifice needed at hand."

"Sorry, bub. But we're no angels," Lobo smirked. "Well…maybe Miss Strawberry Shortcake over there. But I seriously don't want a part of some dumbass history lesson! I want my hog! I want my weapons! I want out of here. Now!!"

"Lobo. Even if you so desired to leave. You would not be able to. There is no perceivable 'space' outside of this Sanctuary. And there is no 'time' for which you could possibly leave in an instantaneous fashion as you so desire…"

"Er…," Lobo's red eyes bulged. "You mean….there's no space and there's no time right now? Dammit…I left my Rubik's cube at home!!"

"I know this is all quite hard for the four of you to perceive. But please understand that you are right where you should be. And everything is thusly as it should be. The twenty million four hundred thousand and seventy eight times we attempted this meeting prior to now all failed. But finally we have achieved a successful meeting with all of your lives in tact and have no need for a complete reversal."

"Whoah whoah whoah….wait a second…," Katma held her hands out and blinked her green eyes. "You mean to say that the four of us have…..b-been here in this very same labyrinth and room over twenty million times before?"

The being nodded. "And on each occasion, your abruptness and confusion caused the deaths of each other. It was thusly necessary to repeat the meeting until all of your successfully survived in an outcome that promoted piece and common understanding. Such a goal is now realized."

Minnae bit her lip. "I've….just died a bunch of times and didn't know it??"

I felt chills up my spine.

"You have…but not in any facet in which you could possibly perceive it…," the being explained. "You are yourself. You are alive. And you have been drafted for this mission." The entity looked at everyone and spoke on: "On this mission, you four will not just be angels. You shall be Angel Spears."

"Angel Spears??" Katma remarked.

"Yes. For—as much as you are preservers of life—you are required to deal as much force as possible to accomplish the means set before you. Even forces of lethal nature."

"Ooooooh," Lobo rubbed his hands and grinned. "I may like this idea after all…"

"You're asking us to kill people???" Katma remarked.

"I am asking you to fight a battle for us. A battle against Death."

"But how does death counteract death?! Two wrongs don't make a right!!"

"A common misunderstanding of mortal beings is that life is aligned with 'right' and death is aligned with 'wrong'. Though Death may be our common enemy, it does not prove that Death is an ill thing for the universe. Dichotomy is the endless parallel upon which the perceivable dimensions hinge. To deny this is to corrupt the balance of the universe. As Angel Spears…you are to protect this balance. You are to fight the forces of Death and its agents, the Demons. For you four, a specific time and place in the very same galaxy and relative time that you share has been chosen. Do not fret…for this is happening everywhere and all the time all at once. The forces of Life against the forces of Death. Angels and Demons interceding on their elements' behalf. Sometimes we win for Life. Sometimes they win for Death. As Angel Spears, you must not concern yourself with the likelihood of victory. You must instead focus on accomplishing your task with all of your strength. It is imperative that you do so."

Minnae looked back at Katma and me. "I….I-I guess we have a job to do…."

Katma sighed long and hard. "I've always been a protector of the peace. And this is all way beyond me. But something tells me….even if I had a choice…there is something transiently necessary about my involvement here." A beat. She groaned and lowered her eyelids. "I do concur. I'll help out the best that I am able."

Minnae spun back to face the being and smiled. "And I shall endeavor to assist as well!"

I took a deep breath, smiled, and nodded.

The being looked at the last 'Angel Spear'. "Lobo. You seem hesitant."

"You're damn right, I'm hesitant!" he pointed at himself. "What's in it for me after all of this crap?! The Main Man's busy, ya know!!"

"You may fear not…," the being spoke. "…you shall be greatly rewarded for your assistance."

Lobo raised an eyebrow. "Rewarded??"

"Indeed. Voluminously."

Lobo grinned evilly. "Well allriiiiiight. Heh." He smirked at me and pointed at the being with his thumb. "And to think I was just seconds away from fraggin' this dopey Nirvana dump to Guacamole with my spare plasma boomstick!!"

I sweatdropped.

"Then it is settled. Allow me to briefly explain the mission."

"How briefly exactly?" Katma raised an eyebrow. "Certainly we are entitled to know the nature of our actions?"

"To the extent that you understand what you are to do," the being said. "We shall be transporting the four of you into the middle of a planetary invasion on a sphere not too far from your galactic habitats…and not too long ago previous to your chronological signatures. As some of you may be somewhat familiar with each other and realize…you are both from the same plane in time and space. Angel Spears have always been drafted in such a fashion."

"Okay," Katma Tui nodded. "So what are we getting into?"

The Being waved a graceful hand.

A huge map splashed against a curved wall. It showed a line of forests at the edge of a huge set of canyons. In the Northwest was an urban sprawl with giant spires of alien nature. Slowly moving specks of armies and battle machines could be seen as if through the fish-eye of a satellite camera.

"Evil invaders are raiding this planet from orbit. The natives' have technology and warrior fury competent in defending their home. But the drive of the villains is far too strong. They have broken through the galactic defenses, and a contingent of warships have entered the atmosphere and are joining a battalion of invasionary ground forces surrounding the Capital City of the planet's culture. As history dictates, one of the enemy ships is being shot down in the canyon region just outside of the jungles to the south of the Capital. Inside of that ship are a handful of prisoners native to the invaded homeworld. Historically, they shall rise up and escape from the spacecraft. And with them shall be computer data stolen from the ship itself that are pivotal in bringing down the galactic armada of invasionary spacecraft. Your mission, Angels, is to protect these escapees. You must assist them in their flight from the crashed ship, through the jungle, and into the Capital City where they can process the data and bring the invasion to a hault. To do so, you must protect them in traversing through the ruthless infantry of the enemy…along with the line of artillery that the forces have assembled around the City…and finally the occupation around the spires of the Capital itself."

Minnae gulped.

Katma flexed her fingers. "Sounds simple enough. When do we move?"

"It is not that simple in reality…," the being said. It looked at us firmly. "As history dictates, this occurrence takes place over a span of six hours minimum. For that sake—and in order to conserve our precious time-jumping energy—you are being given only six hours to see to the safe passage of these escapees."

Katma's jaw dropped.

I went bug-eyed.

Lobo smacked his forehead. "You've got to be friggin' kidding me!!"

"You are Angel Spears. And as proven, your powers are more than enough for the task at hand. Even given the time constraints."

"Yeah, I know….but…," Katma murmured, "….only SIX HOURS?!?!"

"You shall accomplish this. History demands it. And as it stands, the forces of Death are on the invasionary force's side. Expect Demons at every turn as you push on through. And do not lose track of the fact that the safe delivery of the escapees and their data is the sole purpose and point of victory in this mission. All other lives are necessarily expendable and second to the need to accomplish this mission. No matter how many enemies or allies may get in your way—as Angel Spears you must break through and fulfill the objective. For such you will be heroes…as much as you shall be reapers. It is your destiny."

The being flicked its wrist.

Four cylinders rose up from the metal floor and rested among us. On each was a silver bracelet, perfectly shaped to fit our arms.

"Garb yourselves with these. They are your failsafes…"

Minnae and I slipped our bracelets on without questioning. Katma and Lobo were a little hesitant.

"What are these fruity things anyways??" Lobo mumbled, fingering a red button on it.

"Do not press that!" the being exclaimed.

Lobo glanced up at it.

The being leaned its glowing head to the side. "It is meant for a last resort. For each of you. When or if your own powers happen to fail you, press the red button on these sleeves once in such a time of need."

"What will happen?" Katma asked, finally slipping hers on.

"You shall be imbued with the essence of the Angel Spears. You will become the fiery sword of justice incarnate. But only for a limited time. And each of you can only use them once. Again…they are for last resorts. Trust us when we tell you that you shall be confronting many foes. And many enemies at once shall have you as targets."

"I don't need no friggin' button of joy to kick ass!" Lobo spun a spare pistol in his hand and posed for some invisible camera, grinning. "Just give me something to shoot!"

"I do hope we are together in this….," Minnae shuddered. "As much as Lidikins may try to help me…I-I'd still be helpless alone…"

I gave her a reassuring smile.

"You all shall be dropped in close approximation to each other besides the canyon. From there…you must regroup and infiltrate the crashed prison ship. Assist the escapees inside. You shall be prompted from thenceforth what to do."

"Everyone…," Katma breathed in and faced the rest of us. "Follow my lead. I've lead people into the hearts of battles before. I'll know what I'm doing."

"What if we get lost?!?" Lobo grumbled. "Not that I mind of course…I'm a one man Main Man!! I'm just in it for this 'voluminous reward' babe. Hah hah!"

Minnae wrung her hands together. "I-I feel that it is my duty to….t-to provide communication for us all?"

"Can you relay our thoughts to one another?"

"I-It might take some concentration, but y-yes…," Minnae blushed.

Katma smiled. "Glad to have you on our side, your highness." She looked at me. "Think you're ready for this, kid?"

I took a deep breath and nodded. I flexed my flesh and metal fingers.

FLASH!!

I was suddenly blinded when my shades came off.

I flinched and squinted my eyes.

"Whoah….you're some wyrd freak under all that dark exterior!!" Lobo exclaimed, holding my glasses.

With a blurred hand, I snatched my shades from his grasp and—frowning—planted them back over my black eyes.

"You look like a black-eyed pea. No…better yet! A squirrel! Heh! That's what you are from now on, Mr. No-Talk! Squirrel!!"

I pouted.

Only Kara can call me that!

'Oooh! Who is this Kara??'

I gasped and looked at Minnae.

Hey! No peaking inside my head!

"Hehehehe…sorry," she giggled.

"Prepare to be dropped in…," the being said. It drew away into obscurity. The room darkened. The staleness around us turned into a wyrd tingling sensation. "…let the fury of the Angel Spears guide you."

Katma took a series of deep breaths. It seemed like some sort of focused battle meditation.

All I could do was tremble. I was still young…

"You think they give tour guides on this planet we're going to?" Lobo asked.

"Cut the jokes," Katma snarled. "You report to me now. If I give you the signal—or Minnae relays my mental commands—you obey. Got it, zombie-butt??"

"Hey hey hey!!" Lobo shrugged and grinned. "If you wanted to flirt with me, babe, all you needed to do was ask!!"

"You'd better wave to me the first time we meet on the battlefield," Katma glared. "Or else I may be tempted to squash you and call it a 'war casualty'."

"Heh. Not on a first date!"

"I-I can feel it!" Princess Minnae gasped. "We are descending!"

I gasped as I felt the universe rise up through my bowels and shove up into my head.

"Something tells me this is gonna cause underwear stains…," Lobo groaned.

And we were……gone.

T-Minus: Six Hours.

Location: Thick Jungle.

Humid air.

Distant explosions.

Mortar fire.

Shouts and pounding and cries echoing in the branches.

I gasp.

My black eyes open wide.

I'm standing under a green canopy.

Thick branches of tropical leaves dance before me in a hot wind.

Something soars overhead.

I look up.

A trailing object. A rocket?

A scream---

BOOM!!!!!

An explosion mere meters behind me.

The ground shakes and I fall hard to my chest.

WHUMP!!

I wince.

Branches and rocks fall all over me in a shower.

Then something streaming, warm, and wet.

Th-Thump!!!

I look to my right.

I gasp.

A chunk of someone's arm has rolled off of me.

I jump up to my feet.

My torso is drenched in green liquid. Thick and warm.

Blood.

I pant.

I spin around.

What's left of three exploded bodies pile up behind me.

I step backwards…hyperventilating.

Something soars overhead.

And…

BOOOM!!!!

Closer this time.

A tree falls over.

Splinters fly past me in squishing streams, almost piercing my cheek.

I stumble into a low-hanging branch and unsheathe Myrkblade instinctively.

CHHHHIIIING!!!

I pant.

I look around.

My black eyes dart about my shades.

Where are the others?!?!

'I am attempting to contact them now, Noir!'

M-Minnae?! Where are you?!

'I do not know! I am surrounded by foliage and there are explosions all around me!'

Same here. We're both in the jungle that the glowing person told us about. Katma and Lobo have to be close by.

'Are we supposed to regroup by the crashed ship??'

Yes…but where is it?!

'Look!'

I glance around. Panicked.

What?!?!

'On your wristband! The one with the forbidden button!'

I hold my right hand up. I do a double-take.

Numbers and letters in perfect Terran text splash before me across the elastic material. It is like liquid crystals of an LCD screen. There is a flashing arrow pointing me to the right and marked 'East. Distance: 0.38 miles.' And beneath that I read the ominous text….'T-Minus: Five Hours, fifty-eight minutes.'

I gulp.

The person was right. We don't have forever to do this.

'What should we do?!?! I still haven't contacted Captain Tui yet!'

I take a deep breath and look up at the sky.

A beat.

She would want us to regroup at the ship. Follow the arrow on your wristband. Meet at the crash site!

'And th-then what??'

I have no clue. But something tells me that we'll find out. Holler if you need anything. I'll come and help you out if necessary.

'Understood. Thank you Noir!'

Hurry!

I turn about until the arrow flashing on my wristband points me eastward. And I start running.

T-Minus: Five Hours, fifty-seven minutes.

Location: Jungle—Rough Path

I sprint down aisles of trees upon trees.

My lungs heave.

Everything is hot.

Sweating.

Humid.

I can still feel the blood on my jumpshirt and fatigues.

Soaking through.

Sticky…

I grit my teeth. Cries all around me.

War cries.

A native tongue.

I pant and pant.

I glance upwards.

In my bobbing vision, I see something beyond a late-afternoon sky. Tiny pinpricks of exploding light puff and splash in random spots along a halo-like cluster surrounding the planet.

A space battle………

The armada is colliding with the planetary defenses high above us as I run……

But aren't I supposed to run into ground forces??

I hear a moaning sound to my immediate right.

I skid to a stop.

I look over, panting.

There are two figures against a palm-like tree. One is injured…lying on his back and clutching what's left of his lacerated stomach. His green eyes are thin and leaking with green tears. His flaming red hair is shredded and tossed about. He's on the verge of death.

The second figure huddles over him, holding his hand and sobbing. Another male. His leg is injured. He takes one look at me. Green eyes brimming with tears. After a beat, he registers my image and frowns…two specks of red, elevated eyebrows furrowing. He jumps up into a hovering position and his hands glow a furious green as she sneers: "N'gul thratta!! L'menal bakta thatsu'm!!"

I gasp.

My lips part.

Tamaranian……

A shadow over me.

The man looks directly upwards and gasps. "Nu X'Hal!! Gord'n thretta'm!!!"

ZAP!!!!

A bolt of bright blue sails through his body.

Green blood flies.

The young soldier lets out a sputtering shout and falls dead to the floor before me.

I jump back.

I look up.

A reptilian creature with a jet-pack of red metal hovers down and glares down at me. Dark eyes narrow and sickly yellow teeth show as it lets out a shriek and points a glowing spear at my body.

ZAP!!!!!

A blue stream flies at me.

I grit my teeth and twirl Myrkblade.

CLANK!!!!

The energy beam flies off into the jungle canopy.

The creature shrieks and fires again.

ZAP!!!!

I blur to the left, run forward, teleport, and solidify in a spiraling swing of Myrkblade.

SLASH!!! CH-CHIIIINK!!!

I slice off one of the metal wings.

The invader gasps and hovers unevenly.

WHUMP!!!!

I kick him hard in the chest.

He goes flying into a tree across the clearing.

WHUMP!!!

He shakes his head, groaning.

A whistling sound.

I look up.

A missile is sailing down.

With a gasp, I charge out of the clearing on blurred legs.

I hear the creature behind me shrieking long and shrill and then--

BOOOM!!!!

The ground shakes.

I wince.

The creature sounds off no more.

I keep running straight ahead. I spot fallen bodies of Tamaranians and the reptilian creatures all around me. Scattered randomly throughout the forest.

The sounds of cries and explosions becomes louder and louder.

I look at my wristband.

Text flash: 'Distance: 0.03 miles.'

I look up.

The end of the line of jungle is approaching…

I pierce on through.

T-Minus: Five Hours, fifty-two minutes.

Location: The Plain of Flight

I emerge from the line of trees.

Everything goes into slow motion.

I am panting.

My black eyes twitch.

I see a brown plateau sloping into a canyon.

Fallen spacecraft and burnt artillery lie smoking in piles all around.

And scattered throughout are reptilians and Tamaranians fighting.

Bodies streak through the air, shouting in their native tongue and launching starbolts at invaders in their jetpacks. Soldiers battle hand to hand on the ground. Mortarfire and laser cannon fire exchange from rock ledge to rock ledge. The battle is disorderly. Every man for himself. Bodies strew the floor. Burnt flesh and mysterious alien blood fills the air with a pungent odor.

I want to throw up.

And then…

A rumbling sound.

Time resumes.

I come to a stop, panting.

I look straight up, clutching Myrkblade in a trembling hand.

It is coming.

It is falling.

Burning on the sides with hot-red friction.

The battling pairs of invaders and defenders look up and shout in shock and surprise.

A huge dreadnought of a spacecraft plummets to the ground. The air shakes with its arrival. The air heats up. It reaches the edge of the canyon first…and….

I flinch….

PLOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Earth and dust fly up in dual fountains as the cutting-sharp head of the elongated spacecraft strikes the ground first and slices its way through solid rock. Bodies in the way are either obliterated or tossed aside. Huge lumps of rock and stone soar into the air and become gargantuan hail that rain down on desperately fleeing soldiers—crushing their bodies like juicy insects.

I turn and run.

I blur.

I take on as much form of smoke and steam that I can. But it's still not fast enough.

The dreadnought rumbles over me.

Then—in utter horrifying proportions—it upends. The backside tips up and over. A huge metallic groan fills the air like some giant ancient god from the seas and a huge metal lever is lowering down on me.

I look around.

I spot a crevice.

Three or four shellshocked Tamaranian soldiers are already huddled inside it. They look helplessly at me.

A shadow covers my figure as I dive forward and teleport-fly into the crevice just as everything comes crashing down.

RUMMMMBLE!!!!!!!!!!!

And all is dark.