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Mystic's Magma form59Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdsVKoSJG2z
Mystic had been chasing Ryker across countless worlds for months. Each world they visited bore the scars of their battles—crumbling cities, scorched landscapes, and terrified inhabitants. Ryker always seemed one step ahead, leaving a trail of chaos in his wake. Mystic, driven by a sense of duty and a personal vendetta, pursued him relentlessly.
Finally, their chase brought them to a world that seemed eerily similar to Earth. Mystic found herself standing in a field just outside a city. The sun was setting, casting a breathtaking array of colors across the sky—blue, red, orange, and pink. It would have been a beautiful sunset if it weren’t for the screams. Screams? Who was screaming? Mystic turned around to see civilians running from what appeared to be monsters. Wait, were they monsters? They looked like deformed humans, twisted and grotesque.
Mystic’s eyes blazed with determination as she summoned her Magma Elemental power. Her hair turned a dark red. Her clothes turned into black leather pants, with matching corset top, trimmed in a dusky red. A cape-like fabric flowed behind her from around her waist. The ground beneath her feet cracked and molten lava surged up, forming a protective barrier around her. With a fierce cry, she launched a torrent of fiery magma towards Ryker. The intense heat distorted the air, creating a shimmering mirage around her.
Ryker, unfazed, activated his dark vortex magic. Shadows swirled around him, forming a protective shield that absorbed the brunt of Mystic’s attack. He then used his transformation magic to morph into a shadowy figure, slipping through the cracks in the ground and reappearing behind Mystic. With a swift motion, he unleashed a barrage of dark energy blasts.
Mystic barely had time to react. She spun around, her magma shield deflecting most of the blasts, but a few managed to break through, scorching her arm. Ignoring the pain, she retaliated with a powerful magma wave, forcing Ryker to retreat.
The battlefield was a chaotic dance of fire and shadows. Mystic’s magma attacks illuminated the darkening sky, while Ryker’s dark vortex magic created pockets of impenetrable darkness. The ground trembled with each clash, and the air was thick with the scent of burning earth.
As the fight raged on, Mystic’s resolve only grew stronger. She knew she had to end this, not just for herself, but for everyone counting on her. With a final, desperate surge of power, she channeled all her energy into one last, devastating attack. The ground erupted in a massive explosion of magma, engulfing Ryker in a sea of fire.
For a moment, everything was silent. Then, from within the flames, Ryker emerged, battered but still standing. He smirked, his eyes gleaming with dark amusement. “Is that all you’ve got, Mystic?” he taunted, his voice echoing through the battlefield.
“Of course not!” she replied, but the exhaustion was catching up to her.
"Oh Mystic," Ryker's voice dripped with malice. "You can't run from us anymore. We've uncovered all your secrets. We know which Earth you're from, your background, and even who that little pet of yours is... she's someone from your future, isn't she... Rena~?" His evil grin sent chills down her spine before he vanished.
Mystic turned her head in every direction but couldn’t make out where he went. When she turned back around, he was directly in front of her. With a swift motion, he swung his weapon, severing the bag from her shoulder. It tumbled into a portal he had opened behind her.
"Would you like to know what secrets your little ~pet~ is keeping from you?" Ryker's grin was sickening. "She's..." His words became a blur as Mystic's vision swam.
Ryker let out a terrifying laugh. Mystic suddenly felt warm and cold at the same time, and there was a sharp pain in her stomach. She reached down and felt a handle sticking out of her stomach.
"That blade is poisoned," Ryker sneered. "You have five minutes left to live. I'm sending you somewhere you won't be able to return from. Not that you'll live long enough to try!" With a forceful shove, he sent her tumbling backward into the portal.
Sy paced her lab frantically. Her hair was untamed, her clothes wrinkled, and the bags under her eyes made it clear she hadn’t slept in a week—because she hadn’t.
“Miss Sy, please. You need rest. Pacing like this won’t find her any faster,” Aether said softly, trying to calm her down.
“I can’t! It’s been two weeks! We have to find her! She has to be somewhere!” Sy yelled, her voice frantic.
“Yes, but—” Aether began.
“But what?! I was supposed to be there for her. I don’t understand what happened. Is she even still alive?” Sy collapsed into her chair, her voice breaking.
“She’s not dead. I can assure you that,” Bob said as he walked in.
“Then where is she? Why can’t I find her? It’s like she’s completely vanished! I know my tech—I should be able to find it, but the screen is just blank,” she said, resting her tired head in her hands.
“I don’t think it’s your tech, Sybi. Someone must be interfering with your systems. Do you think it’s that hacker from a few months ago?” Lilith suggested, rubbing Sy’s back in comfort.
“I don’t know. But, she’s out there somewhere. Alone. I’m worried,” Sy said, tears welling up. “She doesn’t do well when she’s alone.”
“But she’s not alone, is she? She has Ver with her,” Bob pointed out.
“Well, yes, but it doesn’t ease the bad feeling I have,” Sy whispered, dropping her hands to the desk.
“Why don’t we ask the others to look for her? In case she managed to make it to one of their worlds,” Aviv suggested.
Sy perked up. “That’s a good idea. Thank you, Aviv,” she said, smiling softly as she turned to her computer.
“But while they are looking, can you please get some rest? We need you the most, Sybi,” Lilith asked gently.
“Yes, I’ll get some rest. I’m sorry for worrying you all,” Sy said, looking up at the guardians surrounding her.
“We understand your worry, Miss Sy. We are all worried too. She’s strong. I’m sure wherever she is, she’s already made some new friends. She’ll be back before we know it,” Alkwan said with a gentle smile.
“I sent everyone a message to keep a lookout for Mystic,” Sy said as her eyes started to droop. “I’m… I’m going to lay down for a while. Will you let me know if they stop by?”
“Of course we will. Now go get some rest,” Lilith said, helping her out of her chair and gently pushing her towards the exit.
As Sy made her way to her room, she replayed the events of that dreaded day in her mind.
“Sy, are you seeing this?” Rena asked, looking around at the scene before her.
“Yes, this is horrible. Is this his doing?” Sy replied.
“I think so. It must be one of his new powers, or he’s made some nasty friends,” Rena said, covering her mouth to keep from hurling at the sight. Deformed humans stumbled around, chasing regular humans. They’d rip them apart once they caught someone.
“I… I don’t think I can do this,” Rena choked up, but before she could make a run for it, she heard familiar laughter.
“Oh? What’s wrong? Little Mystic can’t handle the chaos?” Ryker grinned.
Rena turned around, anger overtaking her senses. “What have you done, Ryker? These are innocent people!”
“Oh, are they? Are you sure?” Ryker’s grin grew wider. “Oh, and I didn’t do this, but it’s beautiful, is it not?” he said, opening his arms as he spun around.
“No, it’s not. It’s terrifying!” Rena screamed.
“Mystic, be careful. He must have more guardian powers. His essence is off the charts. It’s almost equal to—” Sy started to explain but was cut off as Ryker walked towards Rena.
“Aw, well that’s too bad,” he chuckled. “Well, enough small talk. I’m rather tired of this game, aren’t you? I finally figured out how you are everywhere. It’s because of your little pet,” he growled as he jumped at Rena. He placed his hand on the side of her head. Rena froze, not expecting him to touch her. He used this to his advantage, ripping the earpiece from her ear.
He put it up to his ear, grinning wide. “Say goodbye, Sy. I’ll be seeing you soon.”
Then everything went black, silence filling her lab. The screen started to blink red, text appearing in bold letters: “She’s gone. You’re next.”
Sy reached her room, letting out a defeated sigh as she walked to her bed. She sat down on the edge, the stress still lingering in her body. They had been chasing leads about Ryker for months. Most of the time, they stopped him before anything happened. When did he get so powerful? They knew he was getting power-ups from lower guardians’ essence, but there was no telling whose powers he was getting. Sy was a brilliant scientist and engineer, so why couldn’t she detect any of her tech? The only tech she could locate and connect with was the tech she had given each group they had helped—the fairies, the heroes, and the bulls. Sy was exhausted; it was catching up to her, so much so that she didn’t notice a figure step out of the shadows of her room.
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