Artemis stroked her hair back as she held her bow with her right hand, gloved and concealed from the mist that battered her. Beside her stood Deatheater, looking out into the mist with curiosity... “How the hell did this get here?” “Beats me. I do know that there’s gotta be prey hiding within this mist though...” “Where’s the rest of the team?” “Always asking the boring questions... come on Death, let’s have some fun!” Artemis ran off into the mist, and deatheater frantically followed her as he yelled out pleads in vain... • Skyestra... dragon of the sky. It hovered before Cell and his team, fluttering up and down. It’s bird-like claws were as sharp as steel, and it’s feathers ruffled into a mane as its beak radiated another ear-piercing shriek. ImmaDrizzit immediately ran beyond the group, his eyes glaring red from rage, and raised his shield... “Foul beast! Old hell devil! Fight me like a real beast would! Fight me! Come on you fowl!” Skyestra screeched, but before she could send the Paladin’s head flying with a well-timed swipe, Myst flew right into her, colliding her side and sending both dragons to the ground. Snowy gestured the group away, and Cell’s voice boomed away.... “They’re fighting each other! Everyone away! We’ll regroup at the shack! Just run!” His voice was barely audible over the screams of the two dragons, but enough to send the team dispersing into different directions. Immadrizzit watched as the two dragons wrestled each other, but Diana pulled his arm desperately... “Please.... just come with us! We don’t have to fight them! They’ll kill each other! There’s no need for you to interfere!” Immadrizzit pointed his bloody sword at the two dragons.... “Bloody fowl... consider this a blessing....” And with that the medic and the paladin ran off into the mist, leaving the two dragons clawing and scratching. Their shrill and stark roars pierced the night sky above them, and echoed across the land as the mist grew thicker and thicker.... • Three hours had passed. Three hours of waiting. MillionBlue had made his way back, and the team stumbled upon Artemis and Deatheater midway through their retreat. However, TotallyNotThor and MagicSpaceKitty were still absent from the group. The mist near the lake still held, and the night sky above the shack held twinkles and glimmers as the stars flew above the moon. MillionBlue had started a fire in the shack, and he had left the group to their affairs as he patrolled the beach. The group sat around the campfire, eating Mil’s delicious sautéed salmon, save for two.... ImmaDrizzit and Diana sat along the sands directly outside of the shack, looking at the misty wall that had clouded the beach. ImmaDrizzit sighed as he ran his finger across the blade of his sword, the metal glove creating sparks. Diana let her voice run dry as she soaked up the beach... “I need to tell you something....” This caught the Paladin’s attention... “Tell it, fair lady.” “I’ve.... felt like a failure to the group lately... all I do is provide advice and.... heal? I just heal!” “Fair lady, I don’t think you understand the importance of that.” “Of healing?!?” “May I tell you a story?” Diana grumbled as she lay her head down on the sand, but she eventually agreed. “Tell whatever story you want.” “In my old kingdom, where I had used to serve as the captain o the guard, there was Old Guntar. A fierce warrior. He was my mentor. He could slay a basilisk with two eyes close and a handful of rocks. However, one day he took on a foe too mighty to embrace: the hydra. In great danger, he thought not to bring a medic to the fight, for his confidence and want to protect his kingdom had blinded his needs. He died a painful death, but today, he is honored and a symbol to how our cockiness can get to us. We shan’t let it. Yet I do. Which is why I am blessed to have you here.” “You.... you really think so? A healer can’t even fight.” “A warrior cannot continue to fight without a means to recover, m’lady” “I guess you’re right.... huh.... I... thank you... I needed somebody to talk to and you seem to understand me. More than Cell-3 of course.” “Anytime fair one. I’d be the first give my life just to have you live yours.” Silence overwhelmed the two shortly after, and they were soaking in the sights once again. Robo Owl was sitting in the corner with Cell-3, both tampering with Cell’s self-installed stereo set which, somehow, he had forgot about. Unfortunately, Cell only brought his Boston albums, so they had to settle for ‘Surrender To Me’. In one corner of the shack, Hammerfist and Phoenix were deep into a conversation, away from the feast. Phoenix’s head drooped down, and Hammer sensed something off.... “Phoenix?” “What?” “Everything good? The team can’t survive without healthy members.” “I.... it’s that deatheater guy. We go back. Before I was dropped into whatever this dimension shit is, we were servants of some Lord Nil. My homeland was a hellscape, fire everywhere, magma boiling... it was pretty. We were both high-ranking in her military but we always had to compete for positions. Usually I’d get the job but death would be there to steal the show and... damnit it just pisses me off!” “It helps to void that jealousy.” Phoenix looked at Hammer with slitted eyes... “You’re as useful as chicken shit.” “Thanks for the compliment.” “None needed.” Hammer thought it best to leave the Hellraiser alone for a while. As Robo Owl had said it earlier, he just needed to let off some of that steam. He approached a window, and he looked out into the mist. He looked back towards his team. His head began to flow with thoughts... “I could’ve killed Skyestra... I know I could’ve.... why had I failed?” He shook his head frustratingly as he barged out of the shack and past ImmaDrizzit and Diana, and began to jog towards the mist. He was going to end this dragon. He unsheathed his jeweled blade, but his retreat from the shack did not go unnoticed; A metal arm threw him to the ground, and ImmaDrizzit’s helmet hulked above him... “Ay lad. What calls you at this time of moonlight?” He asked curiously as Diana watched curiously. “I’d prefer you’d not get into my business. Wouldn’t want to put others at harm.” Hammer answered as he tried to struggle out of the Paladin’s fierce grip. “We’re here to help,” echoed Diana’s soft voice. Hammer hesitated for a moment’s notice, but eventually he had to give in... “Those dragons are still there. The mist hasn’t cleared. I’m going after them.” “Then we’re going too,” the Paladin and Medic said in unison. Hammer voiced his agreement, and in less than a minute, the trio found themselves in the mist again. Hammer’s stomach felt uneasy; the mist brought him back to earlier that day, but he knew he would not fail this time. Not again. • [spoiler]Continued below[/spoiler]