-Imperious' Throne Room-

Upon returning to, and sitting back down upon his throne, Imperious had mixed emotions about what he had just foreseen in the future using his magic, and those emotions and thoughts where all currently warring with each-other. 'Vulpine's fate and destiny does hang delicately in the balance, these next few weeks or months will tell the tale, and his destiny, will be revealed. For my vision did reveal one thing... old hatreds... will be revived...'

-Unknown Location-

Lightning flashed all around the darkness that surrounded the being as he lay there inside the void, but the lightning confused him. 'Lightning... here?' he couldn't help but ask himself as the thunder now boomed all around him as the lightning now seemed to illuminate dark clouds that where only visible when the lightning flashed.

Lightning flashed again but this time inside a cloud a single figure was seen. Although the being could not make out who, or what the being inside the cloud was, the being inside the cloud appeared to reach out a hand towards the man trapped in the void. The man reached for it, but before contact could be made between the trapped man and the being shrouded in shadow, lightning flashed again, and the being was gone, leaving the trapped being alone once again, also leaving him to ponder what this new being was.

-Meanwhile: New York City Outskirts-

Vulpine stood on the edge of a building, keenly watching the fight below.

Exile and Sheath had been tracked down by the Secret Warriors and now retaliated against them, not wanting to give up their newfound freedom. As he watched them fight he couldn't help a chuckle.

'These Inhumans', mutants, and mutates put on quite the show,' he mused in his mind.

They each wielded weapons of old, though some did it rather awkwardly as they tried to use their powers as well. But he noticed they were trying to corral their targets rather than trying to strike them. Scratching his chin, his vision focused on the anger with which these 'Secret Warriors' fought with though.

But his attention shifted to Vixen. He never thought he'd see another of his people again, let alone a Fox. 'Vixen' she was called, according to his emperor. One eyebrow raised as he saw the Fox wield an incredible weapon, one Vulpine had never seen before.

'Fascinating,' musing to himself in his mind.

Then two angry cries caught his attention.

Exile and Sheath were pinned against a wall, bolts from a crossbow and arrows struck through their clothes at the farthest reaches of their limbs yet not piercing their body parts. Vulpine's eyes narrowed, scratching his chin. But his ears twitched as he heard the sound of sniffing. His vision switched back to Vixen, managing to see her nose flare.

'My scent, she's caught it...perhaps this can be used to my advantage...but where is the emperor's signal? The fight's over and I've lost my chance to-' mumbled in his mind.

Then a portal just above the Secret Warriors manifested. Dozens of skeletal warriors armed and armored dropped to the ground before charging forward.

Vulpine chuckled.

'That will do nicely. Now to wait,' he mused in his mind.

The Secret Warriors found themselves on the defensive. The skeleton's ambush had some of them just inches from the heroes, forcing them back. Doreen and Gwen leapt back as they fired their respective weapons.

"Move!" Daisy ordered, blocking a strike from a skeleton.

Rayshuan struck out with his spear, knocking weapons from skeletal hands yet found himself jabbed at with spears himself. Dante lunged forward with a roar, swinging his axe that was ablaze out at a skeleton's sword. The burning blade cut through the sword, leaving a dark scorch mark on the cut ends.

"There's dozens of them!" Riri shouted, slashing her naginata around as she fired repulser blasts.

"We've got this!" America called out, slashing with her dagger's at the joints of the skeletons.

She dodged under slashed and danced around shields, dealing damage with each slash. The skeletons hissed but America heard no hint of pain in their shrill voices.

Kamala elongated her body as she struck out with her kusarigama, dodging the attacks of skeletons as he blades cut through their bones.

"You heard! Keep going!" Kamala agreed.

Daisy grumbled as she shot forth a rumbling blast, shattering a skeleton as it came at her. But another slashed with its blade before she could fire another blast. The katana she was gifted had been brought up just in time. Her eyes narrowed and gritted her teeth. Out of the corner of her eye, more skeletons rushed her and her friends. She looked to the side, Vixen still distracted.

"Vixen! We need help!" Daisy called out.

"No...No, it can't be," Vixen whispered to herself.

The Secret Warriors were being pushed back as the skeletons started to mob them. Vulpine smiled down at this. The heroes unskilled hands just barely managed to hold back the skeleton's blades. They were being corralled now, Vixen had now jumped into combat. Her blade carved through the weapons of the skeletons, but they managed to force her back with her friends.

'Now,' Vulpine chuckled in his mind.

He leapt in the direction of the portal ten arching downwards to miss it by a hair. Then he landed on the ground, eyes wide and mouth agape.

"Where am I?!" He cried.

The Secret Warriors turned to look at the stranger. Vixen's eyes widened.

"It can't be," she gasped.

Daisy slashed out with her katana, cutting down a skeleton charging at Vixen.

"Vixen!" Daisy called out.

Vixen was fixated on the stranger. His brilliant, fiery eyes stared back into her own. Her sword hand was weak and her ears dropped to her sides.

"Vixen!" Riri cried out, cutting down another skeleton.

Vulpine gazed back at her, mouth agape.

'Hmm, this'll be easier than I thought,' he chuckled in his mind.

But he barely dodged the sudden slash of a skeleton.

'What?! He nearly cut off my ear!' Vulpine hissed in his mind.

His eyes narrowed as he leapt forward, pulling out his short sword. Cutting off the sword hand of one skeleton, he then ducked under the following shield bash.

A small smile slowly shifted onto Vixen's pace.

The Fox before he strategically strike at the skeleton's weak points and literally disarm it and others that rushed at him. She'd never seen a warrior fight with such honed cunning, not even her father.

Vulpine saw Vixen's look of admiration out of the corner of his eye.

'Ahh, I see. Clever, my emperor,' Vulpine chuckled in his mind, but keeping his stern visage.

He realized the emperor had commanded his soldiers to attack everyone there, even himself. These skeletons were expendable, to secure Vulpine's 'good image'. Then his gaze shifted to see a few skeletons rush the trapped Exile and Sheath.

'And just to make things more credible,' he mused.

Vulpine cleared the distance with a single leap, slashing his sword and cutting off both the skeletons' heads. He landed atop the skeletons, cracking a few bones under his weight. His eyes met those of Exile and Sheath. His eyes made them gasp. They'd only seen such fire in another. But the three turn to see the Secret Warriors dispatch the rest of the skeletons. They slowly approach Vulpine.

"Thank you for the assistance. But who-" Daisy started to say.

Vixen rushed up to the Fox.

"I can't believe it! Another Fox!" Vixen cried out.

She wrapped her arms around Vulpine, tears streaming down her smiling face.

"I'm not alone," she cried.

Vulpine smiled, wrapping his arms around her.

"You never were," he replied.

To Be Continued...