E Z R A
Ezra thought the ride back from the mission was depressing, to say the least.
The team were silent as the wind rustled the sail. Not only had they blown the mission to get the scepter, but the Black Knight had escaped, now stronger than ever.
Ezra's spirits were low enough that he had forgotten to ask Elliot how his ray gun worked. That added to his 'Epic-Screw-Ups-List' for the day.
Ezra noticed they were nearing the headquarters of Aegis, the Wyvern having been flying above the East Coast for about an hour. On the approaching, magically hidden island of Sub Rosa towered an impressive facility. With watchtowers and bases, the island was dominated by a massive building appearing like a modernized castle known as the Citadel.
He looked to see his entire team looking missable. He briefly thought of saying a joke to help lighten the mood, but he swiftly shot the idea down. Because of their failure, the whole world was in danger.
Ezra crossed the deck, spotting Callum leaning against the side of the ship. He looked out with a somber expression, a mixture of confusion and disappointment.
Standing beside him, Ezra gently nudged his arm,"You okay?"
Callum tried to spark a hint of positivity in his voice,"Yeah, I'm alright."
Ezra selected his words carefully, afraid he was treading dangerously close to a sore subject,"Back at Vault 51, you called the Black Knight by his name. Do you know him?"
Callum gave a solemn nod,"His name is Benjamin du Lac. He was my best friend back in Camelot. We grew up together. I thought I lost him."
Ezra frowned,"That's how Wren recognized him from your memories."
Callum sighed,"I-I just don't understand. Ben didn't have powers. He was just my best friend. I don't know what could've happened to him that turned him into that."
Jupiter looked up from his spot beside the sail,"Whatever turned your friend into the Black Knight must've really messed him up. The kid is about to unleash an otherworldly army on the world. Did I forget to mention the whole unstoppable, remorseless part?"
Vera gave a grim expression,"With the scepter complete, he can free the Fomorians from their prison at any time."
A glimmer of hope flashed across Wren's face, who sat beside Fletcher on a bench,"I don't think so. To open a portal like that, Ben would have to have a place of very powerful magic- like a nexus."
Fletcher lifted a brow from beside her,"A what?"
* * *
"A nexus," Agent Novak explained on the monitor,"is created when the paths of Earth's mystical energy decussate. The 'roads' of magical energy, known as the Ley lines, run across the entire globe, connecting places with amplified levels of supernatural energy."
She clicked a small projector on the center of the table, and a holographic Earth shimmered into the air. A system of glowing lines covered the globe, crisscrossing and intersecting countless times.
"So, all Ben has to do is find one of this crossroads and he can open the portal?" Fletcher inquired.
Agent Novak shook her head,"The Black Knight will need to find a high-powered nexus to open the portal. There are only a handful of nexuses that powerful on Earth."
She clicked the monitor, and the hologram of Earth closed in on Stonehenge. She gave a look to Callum before locking in on another location. The grid shifted to the Bermuda Triangle, and Agent Novak stated it was highly improbable that he would open the portal out at sea.
The globe moved to a small country in Northern Europe.
"A Level 5 nexus is formed in the area of Vanalinn, the capital city of Senovia. This is a very possible place for a high-level spell."
Agent Novak moved the grid, and it closed in on New York City,"An alarmingly powerful nexus is formed in Manhattan as well, centered around Washington Square Park."
"There," Wren said with certainty,"I just got a horrible feeling from that place. That's where he'll try unleashing the Fomorians."
Jupiter frowned,"Makes sense. That's thousands of potential casualties."
Kaia gave a nod, seeing a pattern in her mind,"Not to mention he has a perfect lay out to amplify his spell. Look at the buildings surrounding the park."
Ezra pointed at five skyscrapers near the park,"I bet each one of those buildings have satellite dishes. He can use the satellites to form a magic circle out of energy..." He traced his finger in lines, drawing over the hologram with fire. Soon a pentagram formed over New York City, Ezra's lines following the redirection and channeling of the satellites.
"He's going to form a magic seal to create the portal," Wren spoke,"The seal will not only amplify his own power, but act as a bridge between our world and the netherworld, unleashing the Fomorians."
Callum stood up from the table,"We don't have much time. Sentinels, suit up. We have a world to save."
* * *
Ezra found the agents of Aegis had been working on customized mission suits for each member of the Sentinels.
Ezra's suit was a sleek black uniform that was flame resistant and laced with Adamantine, making it impenetrable body armor.
He grinned to himself,"This is so awesome."
Suited up, Ezra went to meet Maddox in the courtyard outside of the Citadel. He entered the elevator, and Kaia jumped inside before the doors closed. Her suit was similar, and he noticed special compartments were built inside her suit that housed sources of water.
Kaia smiled,"You ready?"
Ezra lifted a brow, titling his head in thought,"For the end of the world? Yeah, I mean, no pressure."
Kaia chuckled, and Ezra gave her a genuine smile,"I'm sure you're making your folks proud. All of Atlantis should be."
Kaia gave a nod,"I left Atlantis to experience the outside world. With a little help from Jupiter, actually. I've come to love the surface world more than I ever thought possible. I hope I can honor this world and Atlantis. Because, in a way, they are now both my home."
"Well," Ezra spoke as the elevator doors opened,"for a kick-butt Atlantean princess with water powers, you're not too shabby."
Kaia smirked,"From a half-dragon, I'll take that as some high praise."
The air was cool from the ocean breeze, and rays of the late morning beamed through the clouds. The two entered the courtyard, and found the other Sentinels standing before them.
Ezra noticed Callum wore his modernized white body-armor, Excalibur sheathed to his side and his shield strapped to his back.
Vera wore a black uniform complete with multiple weapons, and with new gauntlet-like gloves compete with electroshock technology.
Fletcher had his quiver strung over his shoulder that was charmed to never run out of arrows, and a new, advanced bow was by his side.
Jupiter's suit was resistant to electricity and armored for combat, and Thunderhead was sheathed across his back. He wore conductive gloves specialized to direct electricity.
Wren's uniform was simple, resistant to the elements. He did notice her suit had wing-like appendages attached to the sides of her arms, enabling her to glide through the air with greater precision.
Maddox propped himself on crutches, grinning proudly at the group.
"You guys are ready. Today, you are Sentinels."
Ezra clicked a few buttons on his wristwatch-like device, and the Wyvern flew in the courtyard, lowering to the ground.
Agent Novak walked out of the Citadel as the Sentinels boarded the Wyvern,"Aegis will be closely monitoring the situation. If things go south, we'll be there with reinforcements to evacuate the city."
Jupiter made a face," We got this. We're superheroes, remember?"
Ezra flipped a few switches, and the ship hummed to life. The propulsors raised the ship into the air, and soon the Wyvern blasted off into the sky. Maddox and Agent Novak waved them off.
Ezra looked up from the controls after switching on the autopilot,"We'll be in New York City in a little under thirty minutes."
The team entered the ship, passing the living quarters. They entered the dining hall, and Callum laid out a map of Manhattan Island. With a marker he outlined a mile radius around Washington Square Park.
He pointed at Washington Square Park,"Our first concern is the civilians. We have to contain the battle if it does happen. We can't let the Fomorians spread into the city."
Callum took out a red marker, outlining the five block distance from the park,"This is the danger zone. We can localize the battle here with a defense perimeter. Vera, you think you could use your siren song to control the civilians, get them out of harm's way?"
Vera nodded, and Wren gestured the outer area,"I'll start manipulating the Veil, diverting people away from the danger zone. I think my power over the Veil can warp the minds of the civilians, get them to leave the city."
"You can do that?" Fletcher asked.
Wren shrugged,"I can't see why not."
Ezra held out a rectangular device,"I've been working on an electromagnetic pulse generator. I think if I can amplify the EMP enough, I could knock out the satellites."
Callum smiled,"Good thinking, Ezra. With Vera and Wren on evacuation, the rest of us can converge on the park, stop this battle before it starts."
Ezra's wrist-device gave a small alarm, and his eyes widened,"A major electromagical spike has been detected over the city."
The Sentinels rushed out onto the deck of the ship. The Wyvern was flying over New York Harbor, nearing Battery Park.
The sky above New York City was dark with booming thunderclouds, and green lightning broke across the sky in angry flashes. The churning storm of black clouds was quickly covering the entire city in darkness. Damaging winds swept across the city, and the power was flickering from buildings. The storm spiraled from its center, a beam of fiery red light towering up from Manhattan Island.
"Well, ladies and gentlemen," Jupiter frowned,"welcome to the end of the world."