Chapter 5:
Shatterstar, Pierce and his ninjas are spying on a building. Inside, Pierce knows, is the woman who wants him dead and also the Five Fingers of Annihilation, which Shatterstar now has. He thinks it’s unwise to be so close to the woman, but Pierce believes otherwise. They notice two women entering the building. Pierce is surprised that Shatterstar still doesn’t seem to trust him, after all he told him.
They jump down the building and, during the battle, Pierce mentions that Shatterstar can lead them. He wants a full perimeter around the building: nobody gets in, or out. After knocking down the guards, Shatterstar adds that, should he be defeated, everyone should form around Pierce and protect the blade at all costs. They enter the place, but only find… a big, empty room!
Suddenly, a bright light appears! The two women from before, with another woman, teleport inside on a cloud. They jump off, and hope the gentlemen brought the blade with them. Shatterstar orders Pierce to stay behind him, and he starts fighting the three sisters. They explain that their mistress has told them all about Shatterstar’s killing instincts and warrior skills, but aren’t impressed. He fights using his swords, and the women gloat that he fights unarmed women. Shatterstar knocks them out, noticing that the room appears to be larger than it seems, yet smaller than it should be. He orders Pierce to take his men and get out of there.
Elsewhere in her viewing room, Spiral laughs. She is quite impressed by Shatterstar’s skills, but not about Pierce. She remembers that she gave Pierce his intelligence, and mocks that he couldn’t find her unless she wanted it. But she’s certain Shatterstar can’t prevent what’s about to happen. Shatterstar’s other follower, Roundhouse, enters and gets her permission to speak freely. He worries that, since they’ve never encountered someone like Shatterstar before, they can’t defeat him. Spiral believes that and has thought of the idea, and explains to Roundhouse that Shatterstar’s defeat isn’t his purpose.
Spiral is aware that Pierce still hasn’t learned patience in all this years, which she is confident will be his downfall tonight. She orders Roundhouse to join his sisters now in the battle, and make sure none of their enemies leave the building.
Pierce teleports back inside, not wanting to leave Shatterstar defeated. Besides, Pierce wants to investigate Shatterstar’s strange suspicions about the room they are now in. Shatterstar tries to explain, but the women shout that’s enough, and punch him in the face! One of Pierce’s ninjas defends Shatterstar, but the women beat him to death.
The ninja traitor shows his true colors, and tells Shatterstar that the Skornn can’t be defeated. Shatterstar should serve him, as the ninja did. Pierce is furious by his follower’s betrayal, and wants to make him pay for it by killing him. He fights the ninja, but Shatterstar warns Pierce to remain calm and instead fall back to the rendezvous point.
One of the three women orders her sisters to stay back: she’ll handle this. She jumps forward, thinking a careful placed kick will knock Pierce of the glimmering platform they in truth stand on. She also explains they only tolerated him for so long because they pitied Pierce and his family’s quest to kill the Skornn, but they are confident that the monster will walk the Earth again. The woman kicks Pierce, who falls.
Shatterstar instead continues to fight the women. He uses his two months of knowledge in fighting in a dimensional vortex to his advantage, and jumps around the room, until he finds a rope which he uses to grab his attacker. He then slams her against a nearby wall, revealing Spiral’s room behind it. She sarcastically welcomes and thanks Shatterstar, as he has given her the means to wipe the current Earth clean and to start a new one, making her become a god. Shatterstar won’t allow that, and explains to Spiral that she’ll never have the blade, as it’s under his protection.
Spiral wants to take this time to show both Shatterstar and Pierce, whom she calls a fool, the true nature of her house. She explains that, when they witness the scale upon which Spiral now operates, they will know that what she says is coming to pass. And then, they will know fear. She orders her computer to disengage all cloaking devices and prepare the dimensional womb.
Chapter 6:
Shatterstar and Spiral stand on separate platforms, while Pierce hangs on the edge of one. They are surrounded by nothing but a blue space with stars in the middle. Spiral explains that this has all happened before. Every few dozen centuries, the Skornn is set loose to devour mankind, and at every instance, there is always some hero, meddling to drive it back into nothingness. Spiral wants to prove differently this time, and mentions that Shatterstar makes it possible.
She explains that history has never before known people like Shatterstar and mutants, neither. History has never known their kind to live in such great abundance. She jumps at Shatterstar, but not before explaining that once the Skornn consumes enough mutants, nothing will drive it back into its underground prison. She knows that humans fear mutants because of what their existence symbolize: that there is something better, more evolved sharing their world. For years, the humans believed that mutants ushered along their ultimate destruction, and at last, according to Spiral, that will finally happen!
They fight. Spiral tells Shatterstar that she has noticed he’s virtually unstoppable, and that he could join them. Shatterstar thanks her for noticing, and punches! Pierce is aware that Shatterstar is the one who can truly protect the blade. Shatterstar wants to pull Pierce up, but he thinks his time has come, like Spiral said, and warns Shatterstar that there is much for to come for him.
Spiral strikes Shatterstar in his back, making him drop the blade and it falls into Spiral’s hands! She points her attention to Pierce, telling him that he won’t see what the creature does to this world. Pierce tells her to do her worst, as he no longer fears death. Spiral smiles, knowing that, but asks her lover if he also doesn’t fear falling through Limbo for all eternity?! She uses the blade to push Pierce off the platform, causing him to fall!
Shatterstar stands up again, and finally knows what Pierce was hiding: he and Spiral were lovers. Spiral mentions that’s true, but she and Pierce were also friends, but that was a lifetime go. She knew Pierce would bring the blade to her, like an obedient pup. To be without it at any time, brings dishonor to Pierce’s fabled ancestors. She wonders what they would think now, plunging through the abyss, with annihilation in her hand.
Shatterstar tells his adversary that he and Pierce spoke of this: what should happen if the sacred blade ever fell into the wrong hands. He wanted him to swear this would not be for long. He throws his sword towards Spiral, which hits her, making her drop the blade and fall off the platform! But the blade falls off the platform as well. Shatterstar follows them. As they go, Spiral tells Shatterstar he’ll appreciate what happens next. She orders a bodyslide by two. A portal opens, in which Spiral falls through. Shatterstar won’t let her escape, shouting there isn’t a place he cannot find her. He also falls through the portal.
Chapter 7:
Shatterstar wakes up, and finds himself in a strange environment. His nostrils burn, instantly filled with strange air, making it difficult to stand. Spiral appears to be gone and, with her, the instrument he swore to protect. He fears what he has done. Suddenly, a snapping sound is heard. Shatterstar shouts to the person to reveal himself, and finds himself geting punched in the face! When standing up and looking at the culprit, Shatterstar is astonished! This can’t be!
The man tells Shatterstar that he told him to never come back here. He prays to the Askani to help them all. Shatterstar looks forward, and recognizes… Cable?!
