"What is the status on our colonies?"
Blue Pearl held up a screen, reading out loud the contents to her Diamond. "Yellow Diamond has managed to gather the fleet and went on a campaign through our space to remove all intruders. Most colonies were devastated in the initial attack and will require we direct our resources to rebuilding them. We have to deal with numerous incursions into our space by known enemy factions and but some of our damaged ships were found and offered help by the United Stellar Alliance."
"Make a note for me to send a message to the Alliance we have no need for assistance and that they are to remain outside our space." Blue Diamond quickly said.
As much as she would have accepted help, at least for aiding in recovering their Gems the Empire could not afford to be seen as weak, not even to the United Stellar Alliance.
"Yes, My Diamond." Blue Pearl complied.
"Continue please." Blue Diamond said, sitting back on her throne.
"As you wish. We have begun repairing the damage here on Homeworld and we should have everything cleaned in rebuilt by the end of the cycle." Blue Pearl continued.
"Good work, Pearl." Blue Diamond praised. "Send a copy of the report to White."
"Yes, My Diamond."
Blue Diamond sighed, bringing up an image of the Special Zone. No one had ever escaped the Zone and centuries later not only do a small group escape but Homeworld was infiltrated by an Asgardian and purple…thing that was able to fight against even White Diamond. It seemed Earth's warriors had become more powerful than anyone could have ever dreamed. Blue Diamond sighed as she brought up an image of the three Elementals, knowing that White would be furious they escape.
She could not help but keep her gaze a little longer on the Slime Elemental…
The one called Ed.
"There is one more matter, My Diamond. Yellow Technique from the Special Zone had one of the escaped specimens detained before she was rescued." Blue Pearl continued.
Blue Diamond watched as the image of the human in question was detained in the Rejuvenator. "She was in the Rejuvenator."
"Yes." Blue Pearl nodded. "According to Yellow Technique's report though the subject escaped she was still encoded with the obedience codes used for disobedient subjects."
"Does Yellow know of this?" Blue Diamond asked.
"Not yet, My Diamond. I can submit a copy of this report to her upon her return." Blue Pearl replied.
"Do so. I believe Yellow will want to know." Blue Diamond said, looking at the image of subject: NA-ZZ. "She is likely close to the Elementals so she can be of use to us. And see to it this report is sent to White as well. She ordered the Elementals brought here from the beginning."
"At once, My Diamond."
Xxx
White Diamond barely paid any attention to the report Blue Diamond sent her. She had more important matters to deal with. Her Pearl held out two crystals to her which she delicately took between her fingers. She gazed down at the two crystals that had been used to keep Ice and Slime from using their powers.
Her Pearl then held out the shards of the one used on Candy which White took into her hands. Even though the crystal had been shattered White Diamond could still feel energy from the shards. They had absorbed enough of the Candy Elemental's powers to for shards to contain remnants even in their current state. While White Diamond would have preferred to have three fully intact crystals two along with shards still filled with energy would have to do.
"Now all that is needed is Fire." White Diamond said softly, her empty smile remaining as she dismissed her Pearl.
Despite these setbacks White Diamond now had three crystals containing the energy of three Elementals.
Now one was all that remained.
Xxx
"Here she is."
Cree grunted as she dropped onto the floor in Sammael's throne room. Looking up she managed to muster enough courage to glare at the Fallen who stared back at her calmly. Obviously he must be ticked at her for trying to get in the way when he went after her sister that had been against their deal. She didn't even bother to wonder why she trusted him in the first place.
"Cree Lincoln, I hear you caused a bit of trouble out there during our operation." Sammael started casually.
"You promised you wouldn't go after her." Cree said as she stood up. "That was our deal!"
"I didn't harm her and I only intended to detain her long enough to hear what I had to say." Sammael calmly replied.
"Don't give me that bu-" Before Cree could finish her sentence there was a flare of magic and suddenly Cree found herself unable to speak.
"I suggest you remain calm." Sammael advised, lowering his finger and cancelling his spell. "I was going to release them as soon as we finished our talk. Therefore I never violated our agreement."
Cree grunted but said nothing.
"Good." Sammael stood up, gesturing for Cree to follow. "Come with me. I have something to show you."
Seeing she had no choice Cree followed Sammael through the halls of his fortress, traveling down a set of stairs. Down below there was a hallway lit with torches of dark fire, emitting a twisted light to the place. Cree could feel herself shaking more and more even as she struggled to keep herself calm through it all. Finally they reached the end, coming into a giant chamber with rows of stone slabs and Sammael stopped in the center of it, standing on a raised platform.
"Don't be shy." Sammael remarked. "Take a closer look."
Cree stepped forward, shaking a bit as she looked at the nearest slab and saw…
Samuel 'Uncle Sam' Paulsen
Hiccup Horrendous Haddick III
Lilith Grey
Michael Lincoln
Janine Lincoln
Cree's eyes stopped on the last two names, recognizing them instantly. "Momma…Daddy."
She looked at Sammael who stared back as calm as ever. "These are…gravestones?"
Sammael snapped his fingers and flames illuminated the chamber even more. Shelves with books and old scrolls lined against the walls almost all the way to the ceiling. Cree stared up and looked around with widened eyes.
What was this place?
A graveyard for Sammael's enemies?
The archives of his victories and triumphs?
Records of history long forgotten?
"I have shown this room to every member of the Invisible Hand and to every Fallen who has come here." Sammael explained, walking up to Cree and slowly pacing around her. "Do you know what this?"
"…A graveyard. These names…They are all people that you killed." Cree answered.
"More than that. These are the names of people killed by Grimm that I went through the trouble to learn about or were killed in connection somehow to me. It's a big world and even I can lose tracks. These records hold names of people forgotten by everyone else." Sammael said, stopping behind her. "Others were killed on my orders, carried out by our associates. Do you know why I keep these records?"
Cree shivered. "To show everyone…Just the kind of monster you are."
"Exactly." Sammael leaned over her shoulder, looking her in the eye as she flinched. "I was never human. Fallen are humans infused with the essence of the Grimm but whatever that was human in me died, perhaps before I was even born. Humans made me into what they thought was the perfect fusion of man and Grimm…"
Cree shivered as she stepped away but Sammael followed her until she backed into the wall. A hand came up to her chin, forcing her to look into the blazing red eyes.
"I was made to become the harbinger of this world's end. I was made to end the world." Sammael continued as Cree started to tremble in fear. "This is not a graveyard, Miss Lincoln. It's a place of truth, a reminder of what I was meant to be and what I intend to do."
Cree wanted to look away from those eyes. "And…what do you plan to do?"
Sammael grinned. "What else? The world as you know it will end but when I am done a new one will rise. One that no one, not even the so-called Spiral will control when I am done."
Cree understand what this place was.
It was not a place of truth.
It was the archive waiting to be filled by those who lived long enough to see the end of the world.
And the lucky ones would simply have their names etched on an empty slab.
"It is too late to step back and leave now, Miss Cree. By now your sister will have told Sebben and the Justice Friends about your connection to me. You're a wanted criminal that will be hunted by all sides across the world and I doubt even they were willing to listen, let alone your dear sister."
Cree fell down to her knees as she realized what Sammael meant.
She was trapped.
She would hunted if she tried to flee by everyone.
The Invisible Hand.
Satyra.
The Justice Friends.
Even her own sister.
She was trapped.
Trapped by her own mistaken belief she was helping her sister.
Xxx
"Looks like a storm might be coming."
"Knowing our luck it's going to be something big like a hurricane."
"Hmm." Nigel hummed in agreement.
"Bring it. I ain't afraid of no hurry cane."
With Major Glory's permission Nigel, Abby and Wally had been special cards to help them get past security in the Hall of Heroes. Their parents allowed them to go there and hang out with the Peach Creek kids who were still waiting for Kevin to wake up. Right now they were all hanging out in what appeared to be a large room at the top of the building that gave them a spectacular view of the city. The room had a large holographic TV, probably the first of the new models; big comfy couches with a kitchen in the next room and even had a game room.
They had come back to hang out with the Peach Creek kids and get to know Ed but he was up in one of the separate rooms above the rec room, doing who knows what. They hung out with Jonny, Nazz and Rolf for the most part and having a bit of fun with the games they had. The place had almost every kind of game imaginable from board games to video games and a room with a pool table. Nazz had to explain the rules of the game very carefully to Rolf or he'd have ended up whacking the balls off the table and send them crashing through a window.
"So huh…Abby." Nigel started awkwardly, not bothering to correct Wally's grammar error. "Is there anything you want to talk about?"
"Not really." Abby answered, taking a sip of her soda as she stared out the window, seeing the dark clouds gathering in the distance.
"Nothing? Nothing at all?" Nigel asked carefully.
"You wondering what I talked with Omni about?" Abby asked.
"No, not that. I was thinking something a little more personal than that." Nigel rubbed his head, unsure how best to ask.
"Go ahead and spit out what you want to ask. You don't have to tip-toe around me, Nigel." Abby said, sipping her soda again.
"Well, you finally found your sister." Nigel began, waiting to see Abby's reaction.
When he saw her simply take another sip of her soda he decided it was safe to continue.
"I mean, she left you with us and no one could find her for years, only for her to show up working for Sammael of all people."
"Yep." Abby said, lowering her bottle.
"I understand if it's hard to talk about but I just want to know if you're really okay." Nigel finished, taking a deep breath.
Wally looked at Abby, wondering what she would say.
"Well…I probably should still be angry with her." Abby admitted, not taking her eyes away from the darkening sky while taking another sip. "But honestly, she left me behind long ago and as time went on I found myself thinking less about her. I didn't even think about her all the time we were on the Gem planet until we got back and I saw her…I am not sure I can even be surprised at her anymore."
"Abby…" Nigel trailed off.
"Don't worry. I'm not in need of a shrink…yet." Abby said, trying to ease the tension with a bad joke. "I think awakening as the Candy Elemental helped me a lot. Plus I was already told she killed our brother so…"
"Sounds like you might need some help." Wally commented.
"Maybe but I'm not one to talk about my feelings to a stranger. I'd rather just talk to you guys about it." Abby shrugged.
"That's a first." Nigel couldn't help but comment.
Abby looked at her fellow Elemental. "And why's that?"
"Well, usually you like being alone for this sort of thing. It takes a lot to get you to open up about anything." Nigel quickly explained.
It wasn't like he was wrong.
"You're right…But maybe I don't want to do that anymore." Abby leaned back on the couch. "Maybe I don't want to bottle up my feelings, pretending I'm not hiding myself like I've been doing all this time. Cree told me to and then took off and look where that got…"
Nigel and Wally patted her on the shoulders. She sighed and let out a small smile. "Maybe I am taking the first steps to feeling better…That whole abduction thing really took a lot out of me."
"It was a wild ride." Nigel agreed.
"And I was there to bail you guys out." Wally remarked proudly.
Abby chuckled, pulling Wally in and messing with his hair. "Yeah. You really went the extra mile for us…Thanks, Wally."
Wally pulled away; a little annoyed that Abby messed with his hair but waved it off. "No problem. I'd do it again, you know."
"Hopefully not too soon." Abby sighed, looking a little more relaxed. "Makes you wonder what Hoagie's been up to. Haven't heard from him in days."
"Yeah, he entered some contest in some place…I can't really remember the name." Nigel rubbed his head. "Some sort of science contest."
"Probably been having a blast compared to us." Wally remarked.
"Did you say a science contest?" The three kids nearly jumped as Nazz walked up and sat down next to them along with Jonny and Rolf. "Funny guys should say that. Ed and Eddy's friend, Edd but we just call him Double D left for a science contest too."
"Really? Where?" Nigel asked. "Maybe it's the same one."
"Not sure. You'd have to ask Ed or Eddy about it." Nazz answered. "What are the odds they are in the same contest?"
"Probably high." Abby replied. "Hoag's a pretty smart kid."
"So is Double D." Jonny said, holding up Plank. "Double D's invented all kinds of crazy stuff."
"So has Hoagie." Nigel replied.
"Really? Like what?"
"WHAT IS THAT?!" A voice shouted from above.
"Is that Eddy?" Nazz asked as the kids jumped to their feet and ran up the stairs to Ed's room.
The door opened and Eddy backed out, hitting the railing. "What is that doing here, Ed?!"
"Eddy, what's the matter?" Nazz asked as the kids gathered around and looked in Ed's room. "Is that a…"
"No way." Abby whispered, eyes widening in shock.
"He brought one back?" Nigel gaped.
Inside Ed's room was a baby Terrible Terror, sitting on Ed's bed.
"Hey guys! Look what I brought back!" Ed said happily. "This is Nester!"
"You brought a dragon back?" Nigel asked, looking incredulously at Ed. "An actual dragon?"
"Yup." Ed nodded.
"He was with you the whole time we were trying to escape?" Nazz asked, staring at the dragon.
"Cool, huh buddy?" Jonny asked as he ran in to get a better look at the baby dragon.
"Rolf cannot believe Rolf's eyes." Rolf rubbed his eyes repeatedly. "Is this a dream from the lack of meat? But Rolf ate an entire table's worth last night."
Eddy was breathing deeply trying to remain in control after finding Nester, and started shaking his head with a laugh that was anything but happy. "Are you kidding me? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU LUMPY!?"
Ed stepped back. "But Eddy…"
"NO! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT! Do you even care or realize that in the past few days I have been abducted, used as a lab rat, and last not but least ALMOST DIED! No you don't, because while the rest of us we're trying to think of a way to get back home, or worrying if we'd ever see home again at all, YOU were having the time of life with a bunch of stupid lizards!" Eddy shouted with a very red face. "Not to mention apparently making a new best friend in one of the leaders of the SAME ALIEN RACE THAT KIDNAPPED ALL OF US IN THE FIRST PLACE!"
"Eddy, relax." Nazz said, surprised by how angry Eddy was.
"Calm down." Abby grabbed Eddy by the shoulder but he shoved her off. "Hey!"
"STAY AWAY FROM ME YOU FREAK!" Eddy rounded on Abby, pointing at her in the nose. "It was your fault I went through all that too!"
Narrowing her eyes Abby slapped Eddy's hand away. "Excuse me but it wasn't a picnic for me either, pal!"
"Yeah. What's your problem?" Wally shouted, not tolerating Eddy shouting at one of his friends.
"My problem…My PROBLEM?!" Eddy shouted, spinning around and glaring at everyone. "MY PROBLEM IS ALL OF YOU! YOU MA-MGICAL FREAKS DRIVING ME INSANE?!"
"Three-haired, Ed-boy!" Rolf shouted. "That is enough!"
"Take your tough talk and blow it, Rolf!" Eddy spun around, stomping out of the room. "I don't want to be near any of you! You'll just mess me up more than I already am!"
"Eddy, where are you going?" Nazz called out.
"Anywhere but here! I'll do some scams out on the streets!" Eddy shouted, slamming the door shut, leaving the rest of the kids with a tearful Ed.
"Just what is that boy's problem?" Abby asked, kneeling down as Ed cradled Nester in his arms. "This isn't as big a problem as he was making it."
"This is something else." Rolf said, sniffing the air and narrowing her eyes. "The air is fowl with the stench of immortal doom. Something is coming."
"Great. Here we go again." Nigel sighed.
"Or…perhaps it is one of us who has made the wind of foul air…Hard to tell."