Welcome back to Ashes of Midnight. Last time, Cynder, Nico Minoru, and Magik barely made it away from HYDRA alive, with Fallen Scarlet Witch and Fallen Spyro almost following them back through Limbo, but Caretaker was there to fight the dark forces off. Though needless to say, Cynder and Caretaker are at odds again, since the latter believes the only way to free Spyro and Wanda from the control of evil is to kill them, while Cynder, and Nico Minoru, believe there must be another way. So, what awaits in the morning? Read on to discover...
(Our scene picks up the next morning, where Doctor Strange and Captain Marvel are still working on Doctor Faustus' notebook, when Cynder walks in)
Cynder: Anything interesting in the reading?
Captain Marvel: If by interesting you mean genetic manipulation recipes, demonic incantations, and what Strange thinks is a Lilith fanfiction wrote in a 10,000 year old dead tongue, then yeah.
Doctor Strange: It's ancient Atlantean actually.
Cynder: Great, do we need to get Namor in on this now? Because the last thing I want is that sea-born pissant messing up my day. Again.
Captain Marvel: Have you two even talked since last time we worked together?
Cynder: No, and I don't plan to.
Caretaker: (Suddenly arriving with Blade) Good, he annoys me too.
Cynder: What do you want?
Caretaker: We need to talk.
Cynder: You'll forgive me if I'm not in the mood.
Blade: Come on Cynder, give her a chance.
Cynder: I already did.
Captain Marvel: (Trying to break the tension) However, we did find this.
(With that, Captain Marvel pulls up a video, revealing an excavation site)
Cynder: Some kind of hole?
Captain Marvel: Likely a shipping or smuggling port. Faustus may have been completely insane, but he kept good records.
Doctor Strange: And the target of this place's operations? Me.
Cynder: So it's a hole into the Sanctum Sanctorum to steal mystic relics?
Blade: Going to guess that's why you called me?
Doctor Strange: Well, given the nocturnal and clandestine nature of the operation, and your experience in dealing with subterranean affairs...
Cynder: Stephen, quit with the jargon. We all know you're just coming to Blade for the dirty work. Again.
Doctor Strange: (Looking to Caretaker) She seems more upset than usual.
Cynder: Send me the coordinates. Blade and I will take it out.
Caretaker: We still need to talk about last night.
Cynder: In case you haven't noticed, I'm kind of busy right now, you hag. (To Blade) Let's roll.
Blade: Don't have to tell me twice.
(Cynder is already out the door at this point, but Caretaker stops Blade)
Caretaker: What is her deal?
Blade: From what I heard, your little suggestion of killing her best friend and her husband didn't really go over too well.
Caretaker: She's going to have to face the truth, it's the only way to free them from Lilith's control.
Blade: We all know what you really mean by that.
(With no further words, Blade heads off to join Cynder, leaving Caretaker to contemplate with Doctor Strange and Captain Marvel)
Captain Marvel: I don't know what you said to her, but trust me on this, when you lose Cynder's trust, it's almost impossible to get it back. Believe me, I've been on the receiving end of it. It really stings.
Caretaker: You two seem to get along.
Captain Marvel: When the mission calls for it. Otherwise, she avoids me like the plague.
Doctor Strange: I can vouch for that. I've been pretty close to that loss as well. Cynder's rage is beyond any hellish fury you've encountered, Caretaker. In my professional opinion, you need to avoid that.
Caretaker: She's not even giving me a chance.
Captain Marvel: Just give her this mission to blow off some steam. Chances are she'll be ready to talk when she gets back.
(And as Caretaker knowingly ponders what Blade is saying, our scene ends for today)
And that looks like a good place to end off for now. So, Cynder's not even going to hear Caretaker out, or at least not yet. But at least she's got support. We know Nico Minoru is with her from the last chapter, and now it seems Blade is on her side too. No word from Captain Marvel or Doctor Strange though. But that's not the point. Next time the Terror of the Skies and the Daywalker are going to kick some smuggler tail. So tune in next time to see that play out! Same time... same channel!
