Megamind was unsure as to what he would find when he entered the invisible warehouse. He couldn't believe that he didn't think to check for invisible lairs. The idea was absolutely genius. He was almost ashamed that didn't come up with it himself. He built an invisible car for Pete's sake. But he knew keeping such a large structure like his lair completely invisible would've taken a tremendous amount of power. He would've needed an entire power plant to sustain it.

The dogs had chosen to remain outside.

Swiftshadow crept carefully a few steps ahead of him. Head down and tail low, barely moving. She seemed to glide across the floor.

He'd had a few thoughts about her. A reluctant hero. A young warrior barely starting to tap into her potential. He knew whichever path she chose in life she would find greatness. Maybe even become legend. she just needed a nudge in the right direction. If not from him then perhaps that Crawford fellow.

He did do a good job in teaching Swiftshadow an new power. Her once blue eyes were now glowing silver. He didn't quite know what exactly she was seeing but it did allow them to find the building. Her ability to speak dog had also came in handy. He still wasn't sure what he was going to do with three dogs. The big black one he could definitely vibe with. he shoved that aside, as it was a future problem.

He carefully crept in the darkness. It was hard to see in the dim light. He felt for the bright bombs in his utility belt, and his de-gun in it's holster. Swiftshadow halted. Ahead was mass of fur, hooves, and antlers.

"Megamind, how many people have disappeared?" She whispered.

"If we're including Roxanne and Metro Man, thirteen," He answered.

"I think we found them," She said. Megamind counted the heads of the deer. There were thirteen. Two individuals however caught his attention. An impressive white elk with a white tail doe next to his side. The elk was staring at them intently. It nuzzled the doe and pointed in their direction. She bleated softly at him. It was strained and full of urgency, like a warning.

"Roxanne," He said under his breath. The doe nodded. His eyes wandered over the elk. "Metro Man?"

The elk looked at him with terror in his eyes. In all the years Megamind had known Metro Man he had not ever seen the man scared. For what could scare an invincible man. Yet here he was trapped in the form of an elk looking scared out of his mind. Once upon a time he would've found this a great triumph. Now, it was just sad.

And a testament to just how powerful the foe they were facing was. Even more terrifying was, according to Swiftshadow, the fact that this was only a fragment of Malic Korvoth's power. That alone sent shivers down his spine.

Yet he knew that there had to be way to stop. After all where there's evil, good will rise up to stop it. And evil never wins.

His thoughts were interrupted by a cold rhythmic clapping.

The clapping sent chills down Swiftshadow's back. Stepping out of the shadows was a tall freckled man. A cruel grin stretched across his lips. His aura was a sickly green with dark tendrils weaving into it, each originating from a brilliant blue star on his chest. A dozen more strings branched out from the gem each tied to one of the deer.

She blinked as the magic left her eyes, everything returning to normal. It was starting to give her a headache.

"Well, well, It seems you found my little menagerie," The man spoke, "And you have managed to pickup a sidekick,"

"I prefer the term partner," Growled Swiftshadow.

"Calvin?" Said Megamind, "It was you?,"

"Who?" Wilson and Swiftshadow echoed one each other.

"He's Roxanne's new camera man," Answered Minion.

"But that still doesn't answer why," Said Megamind.

"Why indeed," Calvin chuckled darkly, "I've was always been a big fan of yours, Even before your turn to 'the good side.' The showmanship, the respect, the reverence, the glory. Everything my pitiful acting career failed to provide."

"You want to be a villain?" Swiftshadow said. She was starting to think this guy may be a little unhinged.

"Exactly. With Megamind now showboating as the hero, this city has gotten a tad boring. It needs a villain to fill the void."

"And the deer?" Said Megamind.

Calvin pulled a shimmering blue gem out of his collar, "A villain needs henchmen does he not. But the only thing this blasted thing is able to do is turn my captives into deer. I personally would've gone with something cooler like an army of tigers,"

Swiftshadow flinched. The Dulsbury horde was still carved deeply into her mind.

Calvin continued, "Anyways beggars can't be choosers. so allow me to introduce you a couple of my minions, you might know them,"

He motioned to a couple of the deer. The white elk and the white tail doe. They reluctantly came forward. Swiftshadow noted that they seemed to be fighting every step the took. Both straining to hold themselves back yet mercilessly compelled towards their master.

"Metro man and Roxanne say hello to your hero." grinned Calvin. The pair bleated sadly, "What was that? Bellow for fucks sake,"

Metro Elk raised his head and trumpeted at the sadistic man. Swiftshadow may not speak deer but she was certain that it was a form of fuck you.

"But you know If the great hero of Metro City were to disappear then they would leave me to take over uninhibited," The pendant began glowing brightly in sapphire hues. It was pointed directly at Megamind. Swiftshadow launched herself, intercepting the pendents beam. Agony ripped through her. She hit the floor writhing in pain. Spasms arced through her body. It hurt about as much as it did in Dulsbury.

"Swiftshadow!" She could barely hear Megamind's shout over the ringing in her ears.

"She didn't last long did she? No matter there's more than one way to skin a cat," He snapped his fingers and all of the deers eyes turned blue.

Megamind stepped backward. A half dozen antler pairs all pointed at him. Sharp hooves marched in unison. He gripped the De-gun tightly. He hoped that this magic would not interfere with the ray.

Minion was at his side. He was glad to not be alone. Swiftshadow lay prone on the ground. Her teeth and claws clenched in pain. When he looked into her eyes she gave a subtle wink. He hoped that meant that she was going to be okay. Wilson was nudging her awake.

Whatever she had planned he knew he had to just keep Calvin and the herd distracted. That he could do. He just had to avoid being gored.

He carefully pulled out a bright bomb. A little round sphere that fit neatly in the palm of his hand. Holding the button he braced himself.

"Minion, now!" He shouted as he slammed the sphere down. He shoved Minion to the side as blinding light erupted in existence, scorching out the shadows. The Deer charged blindly forward, missing the duo.

Swiftshadow immediately bounded to her feet. A slight silvery shimmer consumed her as she disappeared from view.

'Good,' Megamind thought to himself. Now he could focus solely on Minion and himself. He fired the De-gun at the herd. Four deer dropped into the form of shining cubes. A young moose charged him, Megamind nimbly swerved out of its path. A blast of the De-gun was enough to neutralize it.

Again and again the deer charged. Megamind was thankful for his athletic agility. He barely managed to keep from being impaled by sharp antlers and pointed hooves. His cape however wasn't so lucky. By the eighth or ninth attack it was in tatters.

Minion was busy wrestling a mule deer when an another began boxing him into the ground. Megamind fired the de-gun several more times. Five more deer fell. three remained. Metro Elk, Roxanne, and a mule deer remained.

An ominous red glow cracked beneath the elks blue eyes. Dread filled his chest. Whatever Swiftshadow had up her sleeve, she'd better pull it out soon. he didn't know that he could hold out against a mind controlled super powered elk.

Swiftshadow crept silently upon her prey. The thin fragile illusion cocooned her. Calvin had stepped back letting the deer horde take action. He didn't pay much attention to her after he blasted her. While the pain faded she could still feel the gems power tingle in her talons.

She ignored Megamind battling the deer horde. She couldn't think of that. Even if every instinct screamed to go help him. She couldn't think of anything other than her current objective. Any break in focus would shatter the illusion. She would lose the element of surprise.

Breath she told herself. She had hunted deer before. One had to be careful in bringing down a deer. Antlers and hooves can gouge and kicks could maim. She remembered the first time she took down a deer. It was shortly after she left Amity Park. A young buck with four points in his antlers. A quick snap of the neck was all it took. It had taken hours worth of patience to track him down and stalk him. Even the slightest sound would've sent him flying through the brush, leaving her with an empty stomach. She ate like a king for a couple days after that.

She had to employ that same patience and focus now. Steps careful, tail stiff, and wings close. She was almost in striking distance.

A bright crimson laser seared the cement at her feet. Calvin jumped back, "Watch it you insolent cow!"

The white elks eyes were alight with lasers. Megamind danced around the lethal beams. He leapt and ducked over and under them like a ballet dancer. Minion had his hands full with two other deer. A hand full of cubes lay scattered across the floor.

She felt the Illusion start to waver. Cracks began to form. She sucked in a breath and refocused. She was a shadow in the forest moving swiftly in the underbrush. She was a gentle breeze in the canopy. She was the first warning of frost in the fall. Always felt but never seen. The cracks disappeared.

She pressed forward once more. Only five more strides.

Four strides.

Three.

Two.

One.

She pounced. The Illusion shattered. Talons buried into Calvin's shoulders, jaws aimed for the pendant. Calvin screamed as she yanked on the chain. She ignored the thundering sound of stampeding hooves. A piercing pain exploded in her side as the gem broke free of Calvin's neck.

She found herself skidding across the floor as the gem left her gaping jaws. The white elk keeled panting over with blood on its brow tine. Blood from the gash on Swiftshadow's side. Red and blue. The other deer also fell to the ground, their bodies changing. Morphing. Contorting.

Antlers shed and fur receding. Hooves splitting into fingers. Bone and flesh rearranging into another form. Roxanne, Wayne, and an unknown man took their place. They groaned as they regained conciseness. Minion started to tend to the mystery man.

"Roxanne!" Megamind darted to the woman's side, helping her up, "You okay?'

"Megamind, Calvin is-" Roxanne started.

"The kidnapper? I know," He said as he hugged her.

"You alright?" Swiftshadow walked over to Wayne. She nudged him until he was sitting upright.

"I think so," He rubbed his head.

"You're not hurt at all?" Asked Wilson.

Wayne glanced between her and Wilson, "You're the girl I let sleep in my home,"

"Yep, and you're a dead superhero," She said.

His eyes wandered down to her blood covered side. "you're hurt,"

She could see the guilt consuming him, "I'll live." She shrugged. the wound hurt, but it wasn't the worst pain she felt. It was defiantly going to take a few days to heal.

A grim chuckle filled the building. Calvin staggered to his feet with the gem in his hand.

"You think you've stopped me? Cause I only just getting started," Gripping the gem tightly he slammed it into his chest.

He began to transform.