"So was this Graham guy an ex boyfriend or something?" Carmen glanced at Swiftshadow. Carmen knew that she was merely trying to break the silence that followed Chiefs debriefing. Streetlights flashed through the cars windows. Such a tranquil night for evil to be brewing.

"We were never a thing," Started Carmen, "But that didn't mean we weren't close. It's just that things got complicated between us."

"How complicated are we talking?"

"Why the interest?"

"I'm hoping that there's something that will allow us to help Graham in fight off Malic Korvoth's possession. Even if he manages to fight it for even a second, it might give us an opportunity to rip the gem off him,"

So she wasn't prying for the sake of prying, noted Carmen. There was strategic reasoning behind Swiftshadow's thought processes. "We started off as schoolmates At VILE academy,"

"I thought you were against VILE?"

"We are. Long story short, I was raised by VILE and tried to be a thief. Realized that what VILE was doing was wrong and made it my mission to stop them,"

"I'm guessing Graham didn't follow you when you defected?"

"Yes. Leading us to be two good friend on opposite sides of a never ending conflict. At least until he got his memories wiped by VILE when they decommissioned him,"

"Yeesh. Did he get his memories back?"

"With help from ACME. But he rejoined VILE soon after, Which sent us back to square one. I haven't seen him since he saved me from my own brainwashing experience,"

"I'm guessing that's a whole other can of worms?"

"What about you? You seemed pretty interested in using ACME's neural scanner." said Carmen, changing the subject.

"Its for personal reasons,"

"Aw, you can tell us," Said Zack, "We won't tell a soul,"

Swiftshadow sighed, internal debate painted over her face, "I kinda have these huge gaps in my memory. Mostly centring around my…internment in Shockwaves lab, and everything before that is just a big blur,"

"So you don't remember a thing about your past?" Commented Ivy.

"I do have these occasional flashes of memory. I know I have a brother, but can't remember his name or face. I wont stop until I find him and my way back home,"

"You're hoping ACME's device will help uncover your memories?" Said Carmen.

"It's either that or continue wandering the globe hoping I get lucky. With Lockdown prowling around doing such isn't quite as safe as it used to be,"

"Uhhh, guys? We're here" Tension and worry eked into Zack's voice as he skidded the car to a stop.

Swiftshadow didn't need to look out the window to know that they had arrived. Dark oppressive energies flooded the air like a thick fog. She nearly choked on the sensation alone. She eyed the building as she stepped out of the car. The building before her was standard modern structure. Square, concrete and glass. What little colour it had was completely drained as dark shadow clung to the walls like vines. A pair of mountain goats stood guard at the entrance, their crimson eyes staring unblinking.

The rumbling of an engine nearly sent a bolt of panic through Swiftshadow before she realized it was the other half of Carmen's crew. The last thing she needed right now was Lockdown turning up. An eldritch horror on one side, an alien bounty hunter on the other.

"We came as fast as we could," Said Chase, "Aaand what is that?" He pointed at the shadow claimed building.

"Malic Korvoth," Swiftshadow answered simply. Julia stepped out of the car with Wilson cradled in her arms.

"Perhaps, It would be wise to plan our battle before we proceed," Shadow-san was the last the leave the vehicle. While he hid it well, Swiftshadow could still see him wince slightly from his injuries.

"Swiftshadow, what are your recommendations?" Carmen focused on Swiftshadow.

"Firstly, our main goal should be locating Gray and removing the gem from his person," Swiftshadow spoke in her best professional sounding voice, "Secondly, judging by the goats at the doorway he's likely turned all the personnel into his caprine minions. They should be avoided if all possible."

"Uh, why should we be avoiding the sheep?" Questioned Chase.

"Cause, if you're bitten or scratched by one, you become one of them," Wilson answered.

"So what do we do if you are cursed?" Shadow-san stared pointedly at swiftshadow.

"I wouldn't worry to much about that," Said Swiftshadow. Shadow-san raised a brow.

"Would you care to explain the meaning of those words?" said Shadow-san.

Swiftshadow sighed, "For whatever reason I am immune to some of Malic's abilities. Among them being the whole being turned into animal minion thing. The only reason I can think of as to why, is because of this mark on my shoulder."

"We only have half a dozen bright bombs left so we should use them sparingly," Said Wilson, "If Chief's account is to be believed, Malic is immune to your gas guns, so we should save them for him. His minions on the other hand may still be vulnerable to the gas,"

A sudden twinge in the dark energies caught Swiftshadow's attention. She whirled around looking for the source. It wasn't coming from the building, but from somewhere closer. A large swirling vortex of darkness appeared no more than two hundred meters to her side. A white clad boy about her age stepped out of the portal.

"Julien," She nearly spat.

"Halfway across the planet, and our paths still cross," The white clad teen spoke in a fine aristocratic demeanour. Carmen could tell that he came from wealth. An emerald glint caught her eye. A serpent shaped gem hung from his lapel. It had the same kind of cuts and stylings as the wolf gem.

"Halfway across the planet and you're still blindly following Malic Korvoth." Swiftshadow retorted. There was a draconic growl edging the girls voice. Even human form there was still something beastly about her Carmen noted. The way Swiftshadow's eyes narrowed and bared her teeth reminded Carmen of wolf or panther contending with a rival.

"I told you once to stay out of my way," Sneered the white suited boy. His square and upright posture spoke of sophistication and accent denoted of elegance. He was definitely someone who was raised with silver spoon in his mouth. Whoever this Julien guy was he certainly was no friend of Swiftshadow's.

"I would love to, but you see I promised to help these guys reclaim their building and save their colleagues from that thing you covet. Whether you believe it or not I like to keep my promises,"

"Whatever, I'm getting that gem,"

"And what do you want this gem for?" Questioned Carmen.

"I have my reasons and none of them are any of your business," Julien said nonchalantly. He huffed as he crossed his arms.

"Au contraire," Said Chase, "Anything involving ACME property and personnel is our business, And if you want that gem you will have to deal with us,"

A black spike shot up from the ground. Its point halting right between Chases eyes. "Listen here," Julien growled menacingly, "I'll do what i want, take what I want, and no one is going to stop me."

"Julien, wait," Wilson spoke softly and firmly. Julien glared at him. The spike lowered slightly. "Malic Korvoth won't save her,"

'Her?' Carmen wondered momentarily.

Juliens fist clenched. The shadows quivered around his feet. "Just who do you think you are? cause you certainly aren't my uncle,"

The robot raptor winced. He sighed before speaking, "Maybe you're right. Maybe you're wrong. But do you remember your fourteenth birthday?"

Julien hesitated for a moment. His icy blue eyes narrowed onto Wilsons small form. "I do."

"It was your first birthday after the divorce. I wanted to give you something special. So I spent nearly the whole month building you your gift. I knew you had always wanted a pet but couldn't due to your mothers allergies. I built you a little stegosuarus."

"I remember. What about it?" Tendrils of shadows snaked their way around his feet, spreading outwards.

"I programmed in a secret in it that could be accessed by pressing one of its back plates and saying the phrase 'What do you call a dinosaur that never gives up? to with it would respond with a try-try-try-ceratops!"

"Even if you are my uncle," Stated Julien, "I've gone too far to turn back now. If HE can't save her nothing can,"

Shadows clawed their way into the ground like roots of a tree. They shot out of the ground like a wall of brambles. Carmen scrambled back avoiding the lethal points. Chase was thrown into Zack and Ivy. Swiftshadow was already in dragon form spitting silver fire. Carmen reached into her coat for a bright bomb. Before she could even press it button the wall disappeared leaving behind a torn up parking lot.

Julien was nowhere to be found.

Gray was drowning. Darkness pressed down on him from all sides, dragging him down further and further. He couldn't see. Couldn't breath. Memories flashed before his eyes. Memories that weren't his.

Strange worlds drowning in his darkness as he hungrily devoured them. A near constant hunger that was never satisfied no matter how many realms he devoured. Creatures and entities beyond his imagination battled valiantly against his wrath only to fall to his terror. Deities brandished their magic and heroes wielded their weapons only to falter and fail.

He was invincible.

When he broke into this realm, hungry for more, he believed that this one will fall just as easily. The first spirits fell to him easily. But then they began to fight back. The spirits and their champions banded together and they… And they…

Gray pulled himself out these memories. They weren't his. They belonged to the thing keeping him trapped in this abyss. An abyss he could not escape.

All he could do was drift down, down, down.

He was tempted to let himself go. Let himself drift into oblivion. Become a part of the darkness. A shard of himself stubbornly clung on to consciousness. It told him that if he let himself go he would not be coming back.

He suddenly felt another presence. He didn't know what exactly what it was. A spark? Ember? It gave him some comfort to know that he was not alone in this darkness. And possibly given him the strength to fight back.