The team together
Astrid bolted forward making hand signs. Ross followed behind her. Astrid made the final hand sign and pressed her hands forward. Ross jumped over her and rode the wave of shadows that came out. The wave knocked the robots back and Ross engaged. Mathew jumped to the side of Astrid as she was making more hand signs and released energy beams. Astrid lifted her hands up and spikes destroyed two of the robots. Ross jumped on one of the exploding robots, flew in the air and destroyed one coming behind Mathew.
“You see I can be helpful.” Ross stated
“And yet you can still be a pain in my ass.” Mathew replied.
“Sadly enough it’s one of the side effects of my multi-tasking. You have to get the good and the bad.”
“Would you just focus,” Mathew said as several of the robots approached them.
Astrid had finished destroying the rest. She ran forward as Hector raised a hand from the war room. The remaining robots with Mathew and Ross glowed gold and disappeared.
A Rival pair uniting
They reappeared in a room indistinguishable from the pieces of Drakthar.
“What just happened?” Ross asked.
“Kill now, ask in a second,” said Mathew blasting beams off part of Drakthar.
The wall gave way and crushed 3 of the robots. Ross sped around and killed the rest.
“Can I ask now?”
“Yes you may.”
“Good what just happened?”
“The easiest answer was that we were shifted away from the rest of the group. If Hector has been watching us this entire time, he utilized that you and I frankly don’t get along at all and hopes that we’ll fall apart easy.”
“Or that I could kill you…”
“You can try.”
“Well in the scenario the odds are in my favor. I’m basically immortal. You could keep me off to an extent but at some point mere mortal, you will tire.”
“How long have you been analyzing a battle between us?”
“I haven’t been. It’s just an easy hypothesis.”
“If you two would stop fighting like an old married couple, we would like to kill you now.” The voice came from Calvin that walked into view.
“We implies plural,” Ross said with a slight chuckle.
“For once I’m with you on this.” Mathew agreed.
“See we can get along.”
“Don’t test this.”
“Ladies there’s more than one of me.” Calvin stated. Several other Calvin’s came out. “The bringing forth of the downfall and despair regarding your lives starts now.”
“That’s a neat parlor trick. So you can multiply.” Mathew noted.
“No, this is just me sent throughout realities. The Matron made an offer that seemed plausible to fix the predicament we all are in.” The original said before all of them phased and sent a shockwave.
Ross shielded Mathew as they landed on a wall the rebar went into Ross back.
“Ow that shouldn’t scar but it’ll leave a mark on my soul.” Ross said coughing.
“Won’t the entire conflict from this place leave a mark?” Mathew asked pulling Ross off the wall.
“Probably not on our souls, but it may be the cause of several nightmares.”
“This is true,” Mathew noted.
“Shut up,” Calvin yelled as they sent another shockwave. Mathew held out a hand and a wall of fire interrupted the blast. From the fire came Ross’ axe killing one of the Calvin’s. He recalled the axe.
“How long have you been able to do that?” Ross asked surprised.
“Partial shifts are all I can do here. I haven’t been able to do a partial from that plane yet.” Mathew replied
“Do you have water up your sleeve?”
“I can try but it may not be that big.”
“Well I’m not a Shifter therapist… but maybe breathing and concentrating on them may work.”
“You may not be that bad after all but there is the recoil that may shock us.”
“I got that handled,” said Ross. “It’s part of my plan. Now blast them!”
Mathew held up both hands and they glowed purple. In front of the Calvin’s came a blast of water. From the other hand, Mathew blasted energy electrocuting them. Ross grabbed Mathew and they took off running. From a wall above the Calvin’s, Ross threw Mathew who blasted them with energy. Mathew fell towards the wall, braced himself, glowed purple and landed on the floor.
“What the hell,” Mathew said to himself.
“Thousand souls,” Ross called out as he ran at the disoriented Calvin group as he swung his axe killing them. “Are you alright?” Ross asked Mathew walking over.
“Ross I shifted,” said Mathew looking around.
“Like a partial shift?”
“It’s kind of like that. I haven’t done what I’m going to call point to point shifting before. I guess being linked at least on a limited basis links me to the shadow plane. However, I’ve never used it that way before.”
“Could you get us back to the others?”
“Possibly but it will need some practice.”
“Well let’s practice then.” Mathew touched Ross, they glowed purple and disappeared. It was sometime later when they arrived in the hanger. “Have you been able to find people in the past?” Ross asked
“Yes if I concentrated on them.” Mathew said.
“So what may be the problem?”
“I’m very new to this style of shifting.”
“Well then it’s time for more therapy then.” Ross said sitting down. “Sit with me young padowan.”
“I’m letting you get away with that one,” said Mathew joining.
“When will you learn man? Life isn’t life without a tad bit of humor.”
“I guess you’re right. Since taking up this cowl, I’ve lost most of my humor.”
“Well dude, you got a future misses on your hands. Better step up that smile making game. Now we need to get serious. Since you know Rufus better, you should focus on him. Take out everything else.” Ross said as Mathew closed his eyes. “Don’t put up with the crap of this place. Don’t focus on our predicament. Just focus on Rufus. Let your mind remain clear of everything else.
Mathew saw Rufus and felt where he was. Finally he started glowing purple.
“I think I got it,” Mathew said.
“Then let’s go,” Ross said touching Mathew’s shoulder. They both glowed purple and disappeared.
A team reunited
Hector had disappeared from Elania, Astrid and Rufus for some time. They went into the control room to try to locate the rest of the team.
“Well this was a bust,” said Rufus. “This room remained intact, but the scanning software is completely useless.” Rufus unlocked a compartment beneath the desk. “However, Greg always had a stash of food down here. I knew about it, but he was such a good worker I allowed it.
“Is there any coffee?” Astrid asked.
“God hunny are you going to become one of those people obsessed with coffee?” Elania asked with a sigh.
“She wouldn’t be the first. There is a bag chocolate covered espresso beans.” Rufus noted.
“What are those?” Astrid asked with her eyebrows raised.
“Think of it like coffee candy.” Elania explained.
“Well sign me up.”
They had gone through most of Greg’s stash when there was a purple glow from behind them.
“What the hell?” Rufus asked surprised.
“I can do some robust shifting in here,” stated Mathew standing up.
“Are those chocolate covered expresso beans?!” Ross exclaimed.
Astrid put them in her lap.
“Share them Astrid. This is what I meant about you not being the only one obsessed with coffee.”
“Aw,” Astrid groaned handing Ross the beans.
“Can you focus on Hector?” Rufus asked Mathew.
“I think I can,” Mathew replied.
At the Point of Reality, the Matron was communicating with Hector.
“Mathew can shift more than I had anticipated,” she said.
“Does that mean the next phase of the plan?” Hector asked.
“Yes it does.”
“It will be done Matron.”
“Does this mean we make our move on earth?”
“Try tearing them apart one more time. Then yes we will move in.
The team had finished with Greg’s snacks when they all gathered together and put hands on Mathew.
“Remember,” said Rufus, “we are going into this blind so expect anything and everything.”
The team glowed purple and disappeared. They reappeared in the cell block of the misfit society. Everyone glowed gold and ended up in separate cells with the mergers ring in a far off room. Mathew tried shifting but couldn’t.
“Welcome,” said Hector with a smile, “to your end.”