AN: Story's Shadow and I are back. Hope ya'll enjoy.

-Streets of New York, 3 Hours Later-

The Secret Warriors made their way through the streets, Vixen and Vulpine following them from the shadows. Citizens ran past the Warriors, screaming and some looking back in horror. A fog settled several yards away and was too thick for the group to see through. Iron Heart did a scan, but a red x and a soft blaring sound came after the scan had finished.

"Crap, my tech can't scan that fog."

Vixen watched as the humans finally fled out of sight. She and Vulpine left the shadows to stand with the Warriors. Quake turned to Vulpine.

"What is this?"

"A phantom fog. There's little doubt soldiers are waiting to ambush within."

Inferno chuckled as walked up to the front.

"Then let's smoke'em out!"

Quake's eyes widened.

"No! Wait-"

Inferno had already shot a stream of flames from either hand into the fog. A fire roared within the fog, bits of light flashed from within the fog but they eventually vanished and the fog remained. Nothing moved out of the fog. Inferno's eyes widened.

"What?"

Quake slapped the back of his head. Inferno yelped then groaned as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Hey!"

"We have no idea who or what's in there! You're very lucky we didn't hear screams! They could've come from hostages!"

Inferno rubbed the back of his neck.

"...Right...my bad..."

Iron Heart scanned the fog.

"This doesn't read like a normal fog."

Vulpine sighed.

"Conjured from magic by focusing spiritual energy that my people believed to be pulled from the plane where spirits walk on the physical plane."

Inferno raised an eyebrow, scratching his head.

"What now?"

Ms. Marvel rolled her eyes.

"The place where ghosts are."

"...That still doesn't make sense..."

Iron Heart turned to the group.

"I'm getting the same reading of this fog a few blocks from here."

Quake looked to the group.

"Ghost-Spider! Squirrel Girl! Ms Marvel! You stay here with our Fox friends. The rest of you, we're-"

The fog suddenly dissipated. As it vanished several ranks of ghastly skeleton warriors stood before them, weapons drawn. Some stared at this in surprise, while Squirrel Girl just grinned at this.

"You know what this means, guys?"

Inferno looked her, eyes wide.

"That we've got an army of bone boys to fight?"

"No, dummy! Weapon practice! We haven't really gotten to use those things Vixen's dad gave us! Let's try'em out!"

Ms. Marvel raised an eyebrow.

"They're back at base."

"No problem. Chavez?"

Chavez grinned and kicked one foot out, creating a star hole. The Secret Warriors ran in and out, all of them holding the weapons Crusader had given them. Quake glared at the skeleton warriors, who charged.

"Same game plan! We split up! Ghost! You command! The others, with me!"

Quake's group followed her as Iron Heart guided them to where the fog was.

Ghost-Spider shook her head.

"My head."

She grunted as she raced over to and jumped onto a house and climbed to the roof.

"SG! Get up high! We'll lay down cover fire! You three get'em!"

Vixen, Ms. Marvel, and Vulpine charged at the skeletons. Squirrel Girl grunted as she quickly climbed onto another of the houses then took a spot on the roof. She pulled back the bowstring.

"Fire!"

Ghost Spider aimed her crossbow and both her and SG fired on the skeletons. The entities hissed as they raced forward, weapons held up. Squirrel Girl's arrow landed in the skull of one of the skeletons which caused it to vanish in a gold light that quickly consumed it. The shield and mace that it carried dropped to the ground. SG's grinned madly.

"SO! AWESOME!"

The bolt from Ghost-Spider's crossbow cut into the rib cage of another skeleton which soon vanished in the same fashion as the skeleton struck down by SG had. Ms. Marvel cried out in classic if not perhaps cliché martial arts fashion as she swung her kusarigma. The blade flew forward, cutting down skeleton's shoulder and clean through the other side of its boney body. Ms. Marvel twisted around the strikes of the skeletons and elongated her body to cut with her weapon at different angles.

Vixen cut down one of the skeletons as it rushed at her, the Blade of Heaven simply incinerated the skeleton as soon as it touched the bones. Vulpine dodged the sword strike from a skeleton before he locked his arms around the shoulder blade of the entity and knocked the blade out of its hands. He quickly rolled under the shield and grabbed the blade.

He turned to Vixen.

"Very impressive weapon."

"Thanks, it was a gift."

Vixen cut through the shield of another skeleton warrior as she spoke, the fire that destroyed the shield raced up the skeleton's arm. It turned back to Vixen and slashed with its sickle blade. The young Fox blocked with the Blade and the skeleton's sword shattered instantly once it met with the heavenly sword. Vixen snarled as she brought the sword down, cutting the skeleton in half before it burst into flames.

Ms. Marvel moved her body around a line of skeletons as she surged to flank them from behind. She held the chain of her kusarigma with both hands then used on to throw the blade forward and twirled it around. The blade cut like a buzz-saw and slashed through one skeleton after another. The Inhuman heroine laughed.

"So cool!"

SG grinned as she continued to fire arrows, the projectiles hitting the skeletons and destroying them with a single shot each.

"I can see why Robin Hood liked this so much!"

Squirrel Girl laughed as she continued to bring down skeleton after skeleton.

Ghost-Spider grunted as she struggled slightly to reload her crossbow. One hand went to her head and she groaned.

"This nausea again?! Now?!"

A few of the skeletons raced towards the house she was on and started to climb.

"I'm not that vulnerable!"

She fired a shot of webbing at them, though it went off to the side slightly. The webbing wrapped up the feet of her would-be attackers. Ghost Spider grunted as she finally got shots off with her crossbow and destroyed each skeleton.

"This would be so much easier if I wasn't feeling this way!"

Vulpine grunted as he blocked the strike from a skeleton's mace with the sword he'd taken before he ducked down and slashed with the blade, cutting through both legs and sliced them in half. The entity fell backwards and thrashed around. The Fox grunted as he brought the sword down and cut the skull in half.

He grunted as he stood up. His gaze fell on an alley as he was on his feet and his eyes widened when his vision focused.

A figure was in the alley for a moment but then gone the next and despite the sounds of the battle around him, Vulpine detected no noise from the unknown individual. Vulpine turned to see a skeleton running at him, axe raised. He dodged to the side and slashed the sword he'd taken upwards. The blade cut off the arm that held the axe then Vulpine slashed again and cut the skull in half before the body fell.

He turned back to the group.

"I saw a few of them run off! They must be trying to spread and widen their attack! I'll go after them!"

Vixen cut down another skeleton and incinerated it with the Blade of Heaven. She turned to see Vulpine rush off.

"Be careful!"

She jumped to the side to evade a stab from another skeleton before she retaliated.

Vulpine grunted as he followed the figure into the alley then a strange sensation overcame he. He felt as if he was walking through a space that was a mix of solid and liquid. The Fox grunted as he partially bended over and almost puked.

"How droll."

Vulpine grunted as he calmed himself and stood erect. Before him stood a figure he hadn't seen for some time. Both stood in a thick fog that moved around them.

"Stalker."

"Vulpine."

The Fox looked around.

"A space between the realms? Moving into it was what I felt?"

"Not in the way you're thinking. His majesty created this...what might the people of this world call it? A 'time bubble'. Time flows differently here, where mere moments might happen outside...it might be hours in here. His majesty didn't want our meeting to be interrupted."

"I must admit, I never expected to be called to meet during a battle."

"His high majesty wanted an update on your progress with your mission. He feels how one acts in battle truly determines their intentions and loyalties."

"I see."

Stalker nodded.

"And how is your progress?"

"I've been working my way into this group's hierarchy, studying them and learning how they fight. As I'm sure you know now, they've been given weapons by-"

Stalker held up one hand.

"-the Emperor's enemy...yes...we know."

"...Yes...apologies."

Stalker lowered his hands.

"Still...despite one of them holding arguably the most powerful weapons in existence...none of them are invincible. One just has to study one's foes to see how strong they actually are and to discover how to best defeat them in whatever way is the most sound manner."

Vulpine slowly nodded at this.

"I've been assessing how they work and how they could be neutralized...admittedly...something...unexpected has happened."

"Such as?"

Vulpine inhaled deeply then exhaled, sighing.

"I've begun to...develop strange...feelings and emotions...in regards to the group...or mostly the young Fox."

"I see."

"My bargain with his majesty...I no longer want power."

"Very unexpected. Explain."

"The young Fox...Vixen...in exchange for my long, faithful serve to his lordship...instead of the power he promised me...I wish to be granted a safe life away from his majesty's mission...from the war. A life with her...please give him my message: that for my service, I wish to have a union with Vixen where we both may live happily for the remainder of our days."

"What of your current mission? You must inform his highness on how to best deal with these so-called 'heroes'. They are connected with their seniors, some of whom are more powerful than they are. Helping to defeat these young warriors will aid in defeating their masters."

"...For what I ask...and what I feel for Vixen...for her happiness...I don't wish to fight them."

Stalker was silent for a few moments.

"This is unexpected...and a very bold request. These were not the terms of the original agreement, Vulpine."

The Fox nodded.

"I know and give him my sincerest apologies about this...I've just-"

Stalker raised his hand and Vulpine stopped talking, then lowered his hand.

"Even if his majesty were to accept these new terms, a heavy price will need to be paid."

"Honestly, I'd hoped my service till this point would have sufficed...but I understand."

Stalker sighed.

"I will deliver you request to his majesty. You will hear his response when the moment is right."

Stalker vanished and the fog dissipated. The sensation that had hit Vulpine as he entered the time bubble hit him again then it was gone and he found himself in the alley.

To Be Continued...

AN: So Vulpine now truly wants out and desires to be with Vixen away from Imperious' war. But with a heavy price needed for this transaction, what do you think Vulpine can do, or will Imperious decide for him?