Hitori snapped awake, rolling to his feet inside a silver bubble. His heart pounded, and he felt an inexplicable anger. A blistering heat rose from the ground. Protius knelt nearby, slumped against his own barrier.

“Hitori? Protius? Please tell me you’re alright,” Elvira yelled into the radio.

“I think we’re good,” Hitori replied. He nudged Protius who groaned in response. “Great work buddy. I think you can drop the shell and give us some fresh air.”

The bubble around them dissolved into shimmering dust before vanishing completely. Hitori pulled his teammate up with him to their feet. The Arteficer drooped against him. They found themselves in the midst of an apocalyptic scene, a ring of fire, billowing smoke, and vitrified stone. Every structure nearby was gone, replaced with a crater gouged into the earth.

Beyond the epicenter of destruction lay nothing more than the smoldering ruins of dozens of buildings, and beyond them several once sturdy commercial and industrial structures were crumbling at the face.

Meanwhile, Hitori was standing on a peninsula in the flaming sea of the underworld. Protius’s barrier spared a sliver of earth from destruction, deep enough to see into the center of the pit. To Hitori’s surprise he spotted a glittering object resting gently on the bottom.

The Ex Stone sat on an island of tranquility in the lake of boiling glass. For now it appeared at peace, no light shimmered within, though it radiated an aura of menace.

We should probably get it, don’t you think. You know, for the mission?

“It looks like the stone survived,” Hitori said into the radio.

“Need us?” Gordon answered.

“I don’t think so. For now keep your distance. I think we’ll want to get out of here sooner rather than later.” Hitori tapped Protius on the shoulder. “How are you holding up?”

“I can’t say I’m having a good time,” he said. “Would probably loose to a slightly disgruntled breeze.”

“Can you help me get down there?” Hitori gave him a smile.

Protius rolled his eyes. “I ever tell you you’re a try-hard pain in the ass?”

“Not often enough, I’m sure.” Hitori gently lowered Protius and squat next to him. The Arteficer closed his eyes and took a deep breath. After a second a snowy blue light passed into his hand.

“I can only give you a few shots, so you’ll have to jump.” Protius aimed his finger like a gun into the pit, then launched a series of small bolts. Where they struck the ground was instantly cooled, at least enough to stop the rocks from glowing and the sand from oozing.

“Alright, hang tight, I’ll be back as quick as I can.” Hitori hopped between the areas of relative safely, arriving at the bottom without incident. The Ex Stone was currently lodged in a chunk of murky glass. Hitori eyed it with suspicion. It probably wouldn’t be a great idea to touch it with his bare hands.

I’m sure it wouldn’t be that bad.

Hitori pulled a loose cloth from a satchel on his back. As he was about to bend over to grab the stone, a woman dropped in front of him. She wrenched the thing out in a smooth motion, then met him face to face. She stared back with eyes of pure silver, and he felt an intense pressure in his body. She turned and leapt from the crater on one go, leaving behind only one last flash white hair in the moonlight.

What.