Fadeout Fakeout
Conclusion
The trap they entered was so sudden and so devious that there was no way to anticipate, no way to escape. When the door sealed behind them, there came the sound of rushing wind. A window at one end told the dread story: a portion of the nimbus had been diverted around this place. Breaking out would immediately catch them up in the vortex, including Kara, to become the latest lost souls of Wolf 3-4-7. The door ahead had a glass panel looking into a control room. The four undead priests were there running the show. A fifth figure entered from that side.
"Arenzere," Jili said. "The commander of the floating city of Luzistor, where I was kidnapped from."
"The same," Caladra confirmed. "The coward wasn't in sight during the raid, a wise move, since he was a priority target for termination."
Arenzere was a Fringian offshoot, having the bald head and bull neck, but a slimmer profile. His silvery robe concealed his principal tool, a portable teleport. It allowed him instant return to Luzistor from anywhere. His deep voice sounded on speaker. "I must apologize to the girl from the stars." Meaning Kara. "There are no more automatons. It was all to get Jili here. If she agrees to come with me, you may all leave."
"We're leaving anyway, bullneck." So saying, Jili pressed herself against the door and conjured her skeleton on the other side. Arenzere immediately fled to a room beyond as McBurney began the slaughter. When all four of the undead priests were disposed of, he pressed his face against the glass to commune with Jili.
"Open the door," Jili commanded. It took some experimentation, but the skeletoid bashed the correct lever to slide the hatch upward. The team swarmed in.
"We're still stuck here," Caladra pointed out, "unless there's another teleport beyond." The chamber they entered held four opened crypts that held the remains of failed experiments. At the far wall, part of the nimbus swirled inside with an unearthly din. In time, it would engulf the entire complex. Caladra studied the remains. "Jili, look at this." The figures were all clothed similarly to her, but were armed differently.
Wicca looked down at the bodies. "Holy crud, Jili, they're you."
It was quite a blow to Jili, Kara knew, because the thief dreamed of someday meeting others of her kind. She was possibly the only one.
Arenzere made bold to return, his device in his hand. "As you see, Jili, we need you for further study. We plan an army of super assassins. Or we did until the amazons took you away. But the offer stands. Come with me that your friends may live."
Jili turned to the others with a vial in hand. "Turn away and don't look until you hear me call for you." When the others complied, she tossed the vial contents and turned to face Arenzere.
He was caught unprepared for facing a gorgon. He began turning gray, his finger trying to move toward the activate button.
"Now!" Jili yelled in a bass, monstrous voice. She grabbed the teleport device, preventing Arenzere from activating it, felt the others crowd about her. They knew by the serpents not to look upon her, though the spell was already wearing off. Jili pressed the button.
Instantly they arrived atop a platform on a high, conical base accessed by long stairs. Arenzere tried to move, by now almost gone to stone, and toppled over the edge to shatter on the floor below. Jili collapsed from her body's effort to fight off the gorgon effect, was helped up by Kara. Below in the vast chamber, soldiers rushed to stare at the shattered remains of their leader. Two demon lords in elaborate armor stomped into view.
Caladra wasted no time setting the platform controls to the Lunari teleport. Their arrival in the deep-set dish caused quite a sensation. Understandably, Jili teleported back to Montfort for the return to her base in the Old Quarter, a lot on her mind. Caladra departed to Eolca for a report to the senate. That left Kara and Wicca to give a brief account to the Archoners. They had, in the group's absence, been able to place a new spell on existing masks to Earth, preventing any counterfeits from working.
Wicca put an arm about Kara as they headed for the zip tube tunnel. "You don't have to go home right now, do you? Ed is talking about getting me a TV show on his world. I'd like to have you as a guest."
"Even Supergirl needs some R and R," Kara said. "Besides, I need to give the bottle back to Dan."
Suddenly Wicca stiff-armed a hovering reported aside, extended her flying staff. "Let me do the honors for a change." Kara found it hard to say no to the exuberant mage, and swung a leg over the back. The bizarre pair flew off to great fanfare. The crowd wasn't sure what the deal was, but sensed something momentous had happened.
Dan's villa
By now the girls had returned from their shopping trip. Both Zena and Bonnie thrilled to the exploits they heard, asking technical questions about the magic used.
"Like I should have been there!" Zena enthused. "Bonnie has a shield spell, and is a healer. Together, we can combine spells way beyond what we can do alone."
Dan chuckled. "Don't I know it. We've nearly been blown up a number of times, but it scares the hell out of the enemy."
"It's sad," Bonnie said, "about Jili. I hope she one day finds others like herself."
Kara relaxed in a separate recliner. "She was instrumental in our escape. I wonder what she's bringing home to Karst? She likes to grab something of value for the lair."
Wicca traded looks with her. "Say—what happened to that portable unit Arenzere had?"
After a moment's thought, Kara had a good hypothesis. "I believe she'll be going back to Luzistor looking for answers. I hope she finds them."