Project S.T.A.T.I.C. Part 4: Worlds Apart

Pam leveled a glare at Ashley as the power flickered. The sounds of a distant explosion, spells landing, and fighting echoed off the walls of the caverns. Rebecca and the others had been busy while she worked her way to free Beth and distract Ashley. The vampire queen looked more imposing and intimidating than she had ever seen her. The makeshift armor she wore, the heated scowl on her face, and the parasitic hunger and hate that rolled off of her in waves were worlds apart from the woman she’d come to know in their world. Then again, that’s exactly where they were; worlds away from their home. 

Beth’s restraints came loose after the last flicker of power, and she was quick to roll off of the table. The young woman instinctively moved to take cover behind Pam while she caught her breath. There was a mixture of shame and relief radiating from her beloved. The shame came from her prideful nature, but the relief was clearly from being able to see the woman she loved again. There was an undercurrent of dread and anxiety behind that relief. Judging by her girlfriend’s reaction, Ashley had left quite the impression on her.

Ashley took a step forward, but Pam’s eyes began to glow a bright shade of white. She froze for a second as a cold wind emanated from Pam; a forceful gust that stirred up the dust Ashley took a step back and grinned, “Well, well, it seems you have a bit more than your predecessor. This might actually be interesting.”

“Stop talking,” Pam warned, taking a step forward and opening her hands by her side.

“She’s fast,” Beth said, trying to regain her footing, “Don’t underestimate her, Pam.”

“She hurt you,” Pam countered, watching Ashley closely, “She would be wise not to underestimate me.”

“That’s the spirit,” Ashley chuckled as she widened her stance in preparation for Pam’s incoming attacks, “Let’s see if you can back up that confidence, Pamela, or are those pretty eyes of yours just for show?”

Pam growled as she hurled two bolts of raw arcane energy at Ashley. She wasn’t surprised when Ashley managed to easily dodge the twin bolts. Just like that, the battle was on in earnest. Ashley rushed at Pam to close the distance before Pam could launch another offensive. Ashley’s knee shot up, aimed at Pam’s midsection, but Pam’s body shimmered for a second before it disappeared. Ashley’s eyes widened for a second before they fell on Beth. Annoyed, Ashley’s hand shot out to grab Beth and pull her towards her and use her as leverage, but she was knocked back by a surprise shockwave.

It was risky to use her pet as bait, but it was a necessary step to gain the upperhand against Ashley. Pam had disappeared in the cold wind from her initial power display. She’d left an illusion in her place. It worked to play off of Ashley’s arrogance. She pushed Ashley away from Beth with a quick surge of energy, but she’d given herself away in the process. Pam didn’t waste time before launching her next attack.

The ground beneath Ashley began to shake and split as ethereal chains broke free and shot up towards her. They glowed a deep shade of crimson and sparks rolled off of the links. They wrapped around Ashley’s wrists and ankles before she could break free. The chains tightened around her and began to glow, but Ashley snapped them with ease before they could do any serious damage. Still, it was enough to buy Pam time for another follow-up attack. Pam flung another bolt of arcane energy at Ashley, ducking low as she did so and clenching her other fist. 

Ashley took the brunt of the bolt and watched as fragments of Pam’s magical chains stopped in midair. She watched as they began to spin and swirl around her. THey turned to jagged shards aimed at her as they spun in a vortex. The fragmented shards continued spinning and swirling before they started to launch themselves at her. The second they did, Ashley found her opening and seized her moment to escape. She ducked her head, twisted her torso, and danced around the fragmented blades that came for her. A few of them grazed her arms and her cheek, but she remained almost entirely unscathed. 

Pam watched as Ashley found a way to escape the bulk of her surprise attack. She made it look easy and effortless as she dodged and waved her way through a wave of enchanted projectiles. She’d need to be far more aggressive if she was going to stand a chance at bringing down the vampire queen. Ashley was faster than she remembered, but thankfully Pam had seen several of her moves through her time with Jake. Ashley’s eyes were locked on her, and she was in front of her in the blink of an eye. Pam’s training with both her friends kicked in as she held out a hand and blocked a fist aimed at her jaw. She took a step back and caught an elbow with her other hand as Ashley tried to redirect her momentum, but she took a boot to the side as Ashley hit her with a spinning side-kick.

Pam wrapped her arm around Ashley’s leg to try to counter Ashley’s momentum. She stumbled forward a few steps, but she kept her grip on Ashley’s leg. She threw her weight forward and pivoted to the right as she pressed her hand against her shoulder. Pam sent Ashley flying across the chamber. Ashley flipped herself in midair to stop herself from crashing into the floor. She landed in a crouch and glared at Pam, but Pam had already started preparing her next attack. She put her hands together and let her power flow through her body. Electricity crackled and sparked from between her fingers and hands as a lightning bolt took shape. She hurled it across the room at Ashley. Sadly, Ashley backflipped over the incoming bolt as it collided with the machines in the back.

Beth watched the first couple of minutes with nervous anticipation. She wasn’t traumatized by what she’d been through, but she was tired and felt anxious about dealing with Ashley. Pam was holding her own, but she didn’t know how long it would last before Ashley gained the upper hand. She couldn’t let her fear and hesitation keep her frozen. Beth didn’t have her guns, but she’d fought for years without them before. She needed to wait for the right moment to jump in and lend a hand. 

She watched as Ashley landed on her feet and raced towards Pam again. Pam threw another set of bolts at Ashley that she ducked under and sidestepped to dodge. Pam kept hurling bolts as rapidly as she could, but none of them managed to hit. Ashley was practically dancing around them and getting closer by the second. Pam’s hand crackled and surged as Ashley got within arms reach. A closed fist sizzling with electricity was aimed at Ashley’s jaw, but Ashley caught her elbow to stop her and her other hand shot out and wrapped around Pam’s throat. 

Pam was lifted off her feet by Ashley for a second before Beth charged in to make ehr move. Beth threw her shoulder into Ashley’s side and knocked her girlfriend out of Ashley’s grip. She pushed herself up and over Ashley to roll across her. When she landed, she dropped into a crouch and swung her leg to trip her tormentor before she could recover. Ashley went down, but Beth was already in the process of retreating as their enemy fell on her back. Luckily, Pam was quick to capitalize on the opening with another spell.

Pam raised one hand for a second before she quickly brought it down again. The sound of booming thunder filled the Birdcage just before a bright flash of light cut through the air. A flash of white and a crackling bolt of lightning crashed down onto Ashley. The attack would have been enough to finish and fry any other adversary, but Ashley Bilefoot rivaled the likes of Rebecca and other godlike entities they’d faced. The spell hurt, but it didn’t take long for Ashley to get back to her feet. Her armor was blackened, her hair was singed, and there were faint drops of blood trickling down her cheek. 

“Miserable little, dogs,” Ashley growled, cracking her neck and knuckles as she stood up straight once again, “That one actually stung, you wretched-”

Her tirade and threats were cut short as a large ball of swirling fire flew past. The fiery orb could have easily swallowed Ashley whole if it had hit her, but she jumped back just before it could consume her. The orb stopped for a second before it changed direction and came flying back towards Ashley. The ball of fire seemed locked onto Ashley and it followed her every move. Frustrated, annoyed, and fed-up, Ashley stopped after the third time she managed to avoid the incoming inferno and it changed directions. Her eyes flashed a deep shade of crimson as she stopped and delivered a forceful punch into the heart of the orb that caused it to rupture in nearly meaningless sparks. 

Ashley let out a guttural growl as she rose into the air like the vampire queen she was. She hissed as she surveyed the area and tried to find the source of the surprise attack. This was getting tiresome, tedious, and more infuriating by the second. Her eyes landed on a familiar tall figure that she hadn’t seen in years: the witch that had originally resurrected her before trapping her in the void. It was disgusting to see that filthy cur up and moving, but moreover it was maddening to think that she’d nearly caught her by surprise. That simply wouldn’t do; she wouldn’t fall to the likes of such a disgraceful woman. 

Admittedly, there was something that was different about the witch. Ashley recognized the spell shortly after the first turn of the orb. It wasn’t the usual sort of ritualistic, or any of her usual attacks, No, that was a spell that she’d seen the druids in the wilds cast. The reports that she’d received, however brief they’d been, had also mentioned a shapeshifter in the tunnels. That was another skill those same druids used all too often. It was rare to see them on the fields of battle, regardless of side, but their spells and magic were different. There was something far more primordial and savage about it. Honestly, it seemed like magic that would have been far beneath the haughty witch she knew. 

Rebecca had pulled ahead of her group shortly after Ashley’s outburst. The vampiric parasite was on the verge of some sort of breakdown through self-justifications and self-righteous acts. It was frustrating to watch, but she was the last person that could judge. It didn’t mean that she liked it, but she knew what it was like to slip and slide down a dark path in the name of justice and self-satisfaction. However, it wasn’t something that she could very well do anything about here and now. As a group, they had far more important and pressing matters to deal with.

She’d been the first to arrive within striking distance of Ashley and the others. She wasn’t in range for a melee, but she could easily cast a spell or two from where she stood. The most notable and obvious one that came to mind was a fire spell she’d learned centuries ago. It was a powerful one that she could control and guide with little in the way of effort and concentration. It nearly did the trick until this world’s Ashley chose to stand her ground and destroy the spell with a single punch. She was far stronger than she remembered.

Their eyes locked and a familiar sense of hatred bubbled and brewed between them. Old hate was renewed and rekindled in seconds. Not all of Rebecca’s more negative emotions had come from the demonic influence over her. Ashley flashed her fangs as she dove at Rebecca. Her own vendetta was apparent as she gave chase to Rebecca without a second thought to Beth or Pamela. Rebecca took a step back and held her hands to her side. The temperature around her began to drop as she shaped a series of blades in her hands for her next attack. She didn’t need to end this, but she needed to at least buy them some time.

As Ashley got closer, Rebecca unleashed her spell. She threw a series of icey blades that cut through the air and rode on a cold wind. Ashley chuckled as she began to spin in a corkscrew fashion as she rocketed towards Rebecca. She managed to dodge both of them with her spinning, but she was caught by surprise again when the blades burst beside her. They exploded into dozens of small shards of ice and chill. It wasn’t the shards that broke her stride, but rather the chilling explosion that shocked her and knocked her off course. Ashley crashed to the ground and screamed her frustrations as she got to her feet. 

“Pam, remember the echo formation?” Beth asked, stopping beside her lover and glancing over at her.

“You’re typically armed when we practice that one,” Pam pointed out, watching Ashley and Rebecca closely as their paths prepared to intercede.

“I’ll improvise,” Beth shrugged, stepping forward in preparation for their plan, “You trust me, right?”

“Always,” Pam sighed, pulling her hands together and letting a cloud of darkness form around them, “Foolish as you can be, I trust you wholeheartedly.”

“Love you too,” Beth chuckled as she broke into a sprint without another word.

Pam shook her head as she waited for the opportune moment for her part. Despite everything her little Kitten had endured, she was still willing to run headfirst into the fire. Some things would never change, or so it would seem. Once Beth was ten feet away, Pam threw the first of her spells. It hit the ground in front of Beth and her girlfriend jumped through the vortex. Immediately afterwards, Pam began spinning her hand in a circle to open a doorway above Ashley. As Ashley was getting close to Rebecca, a swirling pool of darkness opened up above her and Beth fell out of it with her leg extended. Her boot collided with the side of Ashley’s face, but Pam swiped her fingers to move the first portal in place. Beth fell through it before Ashley could counter.

  Beth ignored the cold chill and the screaming that surrounded her as she fell through the space between worlds. It was only for a few short seconds, and this plan was one they’d been saving for a special occasion. They hadn’t field tested it yet, but trial by fire was almost always how she operated. She felt a push beneath her as light filled her vision, and she clenched her fist while a strong wind carried her upwards. She rose up out of the ground and her fist connected with Ashley’s side as she tried to sidestep and avoid her. Just as before, Beth entered another portal before Ashley could counterattack or grab her.

Rebecca watched the display for the first two strikes. She had to admit, this was a clever tactic that the two women had concocted. It had to be Pamela’s brainchild, but she would give Elizabeth credit for being able to utilize the spell’s power. However, she knew that it wouldn’t be long before Ashley caught onto their pattern and broke whatever momentum they were building. If they were going to succeed in this, they were going to have to work together. Rebecca closed her eyes and knelt down to touch the stone floors. It might not work for long, but perhaps she could give them the opening they needed to find some victory.

Ashley was slowly picking up on Beth and Pam’s pattern. She was dodging better with each passing attack. Finally, Ashley managed to spin out of the way of another of Beth’s falling kicks. Her hand shot out and grabbed hold of Beth’s ankle. She let out an annoyed growl as she twisted around and slammed Beth’s body into the stone. It was then that Rebecca made her move. The stone on the floor shifted and rolled as it carried Beth away from Ashley while simultaneously raising up and pulling Ashley’s ankles into the ground. It wouldn’t hold her for long, but it would buy Beth time to get back to her feet.

While Ashley was being held, Pam had already shifted her focus. The second that Ashley had managed to anticipate and snatch Beth, she was readying another offensive spell. Her hands moved around an invisible ball. She traced the outline of a sphere quickly and frantically. Her eyes began to glow again and her hair started to rise as her energy started to seep out. She was half-tempted to split herself, but for once all of her emotions were united. She needed their power right now, and this needed to connect. The air around her began to crackle and pop as raw energy was sucked into her spherical hand movements. 

Ashley was growing more and more furious by the second. These three were proving to be far more difficult than she would have liked. She wasn’t above admitting when she made a mistake or underestimated someone, but the heat of battle simply wasn’t the time for such things. That damned witch had managed to trap her ankles with a rudimentary spell ,and this was on the heels of a sideshow attack from Beth and her magical little girlfriend. She could feel the static electricity crackling and building in the air too. She looked back in Pam’s direction in time to see an orb of pure energy swelling in her hands. It wasn’t as big as the witch’s flame sphere, but it would certainly prove problematic if she were to let herself get hit.

Ashley screamed as she bent down and smashed the stone that was holding her in place. Her ankles free, she jumped back just as Pam threw the ball of energy at her. It flew much faster than the witch’s spell. She felt the heat of it singe some of her hair as it passed by her. She slid to a stop and prepared to move and attack, but a sharp pain hit her exposed back. Something cold and metal had dug its way into her flesh. She knew the curves of the blades all too well. They were different, but both of them were eerily familiar. One of them had a curve to it almost like wings, and the other was slim, cold, and incredibly sharp. Had Jake managed to get free, and had he actually managed to defeat one of her Sentinels?

Ashley looked over her shoulder and frowned as she saw a woman wearing a modified version of Jake’s costume. She’d landed in a crouch and was getting back to her feet. The long brown hair cascading down from her torn cowl, the shape of her body, and the glare she could sense behind the mask told her who it was, but that couldn’t be. From what she’d overheard from Beth, the Tellar whore was an undead monster in their world. This was clearly the same girl cosplaying as a hero. She was going to enjoy killing her a second time. Seeing her filled her with a sense of hate that outpaced even the witch. This was the same girl that had stolen her prized pet from her. Ashley screamed as she locked eyes with Courtney.

Courtney had been trailing behind Rebecca in hopes of keeping an eye on Jake and their Ashley. Things had been going south ever since they’d arrived in this world, but the closer they got to the real threat, the more it seemed that Ashley was losing her mind; whatever was left of it anyways. The sounds of fighting reached their ears shortly after Rebecca had rushed ahead. There was a big part of Courtney that had wanted to sprint alongside the reformed spellcaster, but then she risked losing Jake a second time. It wasn’t until Ashley, possessing Jake, stopped out of the blue and fell to one knee that she felt truly torn.

The Jake of this world moved to help steady his counterpart, but he held up a hand as Courtney moved to check on the two of them, “Go, they need you. I can handle this, I promise.”

“I’m not-,” she’d started to argue before Jake cut her off with a shake of his head.

“This is the least I can do, and the most I can,” Jake sighed, helping Ashley to sit, “I’m not good in a fight right now, but maybe I can help these two through whatever this is. Go, maybe the four of you can finally stop her. Please, for me.”

“I’m coming back for you,” Courtney finally said, looking behind them as the sounds of stone shifting graced her ears, “I’m not losing you a second time, Jake.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” Jake offered her a smile, the first earnest one he’d given in a long time, “Go before they get into more trouble, please.”

She nodded and grabbed her grappling gun to speed up her chase. She’d practiced enough in her world to move through the air as though she were a pro. She flipped through the air as she soared closer to the fight. When she spotted the redheaded dynamo that was proving to be some sort of insurmountable object, she grabbed her last birdarang and a dagger she’d scavenged from their last fight. She released the cable and let the two projectiles fly as she flipped backwards midair. She landed in a crouch in time to watch as Ashley paused and turned to face her. The woman was all too menacing in appearance, and she had an air about her that rivaled the Beth she knew from her time. It, combined with what she knew she’d done to Jake, left her seething with rage and animosity.

The sudden scream caught her, as well as the rest of their group by surprise. The ground quaked and shook as Ashley let out a primal scream that caused debris and rubble to fall. It was ear piercing to boot. A sudden gust of unexpected wind cut through the surrounding area and seemed to separate the two of them. Courtney stood up straight for a second as she realized what she was doing. She wanted her to herself, and that was honestly fine by her. After everything she’d heard about this woman, and everything she’d put up with from the one traveling with them, she wouldn’t turn down a fight. 

“Standing your ground, eh?” Ashley chuckled as she watched the rising vapors keeping the others at bay, “I admit, I’m surprised. I’d respect it if I didn’t hate you so much. I’ll have to break you quick, girl. Loathe though I am to admit it, your traveling companions are more powerful than I originally gave them credit. It won’t take them long to break through that feeble little barrier.”

“Then come at me, you narcissistic, sadistic bitch,” Courtney spat, raising her hands.

“If you insist,” Ashley smirked, practically disappearing before reappearing again in front of Courtney.

Courtney was only able to stop an incoming knee by feeling the wind from Ashley’s approaching figure. She caught it in her palms, but the force still nearly knocked her off her feet. This woman was faster and stronger than anything she’d personally faced to date. Still, she wasn’t going to lay down and surrender to the likes of this pretentious and cruel freak. And yet it was pure luck that allowed her to block a shifting, spinning roundhouse from Ashley. Again, the strength behind the kick sent her stumbling to the side a few steps. The vampire queen didn’t waste any time before following through with another attack. Her foot hit the ground and she leapt into the air for a diving ax-kick that splintered the stone where Courtney had been only a millisecond ago.

Courtney frowned as she realized that she was going to have to go on the offensive if she was going to have any shot at winning this. She moved in and threw an uppercut with her shock-gauntlets activated. Ashley managed to lean out of reach, but Courtney kicked to the side and spun around for a surprise attack. Her boot connected with Ashley’s collarbone and brought the mighty vampire down to a knee for a brief second. Courtney followed her attack up with a left cross to the jaw that sent shockwaves of electricity crackling through Jake’s tormentor. It left another opening for her to strike at her jaw with a second uppercut, but two hits were all she could muster before Ashley had enough.

Ashley’s hand wrapped around her fist and her fingers coiled tightly around it. Her tech began to falter and crumble as Ashely took the brunt of the shocks and got to her feet. Her eyes were practically glowing red as she stood up and headbutted Courtney without warning, but she didn’t let go of her hand. Courtney swore she could feel the bones in her hand beginning to fracture as Ashley continued to squeeze her. She was pulled forward and Ashley slammed her other hand into her joint without a second thought or any warning. A sickening snap and crack could be heard before Courtney couldn’t help but scream. Ashley had snapped her arm without even trying.

Pam was left standing on the outskirts of the battle as Courtney tried and failed to hold her own against a woman leagues above her. It wasn’t fair, but the barrier that Ashley had erected would burn anyone that tried to cross it. Of course, dispelling it was simple enough, but it would take concentration that she didn’t have. Rebecca could handle breaking it, or at least she could have if she hadn’t been busy checking on Beth. It would have been refreshing to see if it weren’t for the fact that they were still dealing with a megalomaniac that wanted to break them. In Courtney’s case, it was quite literal. She needed to act fast unless they wanted to live out the rest of their short lives under this psycho’s thumb in a blackened world as cattle.

Ashley grinned to herself as she hauled Courtney to her feet. The girl was trying to fight back sobs and wails of pain, but Ashley could see it in her face. She was on the brink of a breakdown, she would be the first example for what was to come. It would do all of these pathetic pretenders good to see what happened when they tried to stand in the way of her conquest. Ashley canted her head as she opened her mouth and let her fangs sparkle in the dim lighting. She was hungry, and perhaps Jake needed a reminder of why this girl was such a pathetic failure. She could feed on her, enthrall her, and make her beg, or worse, while Jake watched from his cell. Yes, that sounded like the perfect way to relieve the stress of this hellacious day.

Courtney could see the teeth of the vampire queen inching closer to her throat, and she could do nothing except struggle in her grip. However, no matter how hard she tried, it simply wasn’t any use. There was nothing she could do to get herself free. She tried to swing her legs, but every movement sent waves of agony shooting through her arms. She was going to become food to this sadistic monster. The worst part of it was knowing that she was breaking a promise to the man that she loved more than anything, or anyone, else in the entire multiverse. 

Suddenly, the unexpected happened. Courtney was pulled from Ashley’s grip by the teeth of something big and strong, but whatever it was didn’t break her skin or armor. Ashley growled as she prepared to lunge at Courtney, but a ball of light came flying from out of nowhere and slammed into her chest. The explosion that followed was unlike anything that Courtney had ever seen or experienced before. It was like a bolt of lightning had touched down in front of her, but it was also like a missile going off. She was sent flying backwards, but a strong hand caught her and spun around to shield her from the blast. She looked up to see Rebecca holding tightly to her cape and covering both her and Beth with her body and an ethereal shield.

Pam smirked as her plan came to fruition. She’d put so much power into her last attack that she knew it wouldn’t pay to miss. She’d poured a part of herself into the orb to ensure that she could redirect it rather than have it miss and go to waste. Once Ashley had managed to evade, it was just a matter of keeping the attention off of her long enough for her to find another opening. It had seemed that was going to be more difficult than she had originally thought until Courtney showed up. It had given her all the distraction she needed in order for her to deliver the death blow. The orb ruptured as soon as it connected and practically vaporized Ashley Bilefoot. The vampire queen was no more at long last. With this realization, Pam relaxed slightly, although her hair continued to stand up as her senses still felt on edge. They still needed to figure out a way back home.

Rebecca lowered her barrier and offered a hand to Beth as she stood up. Unsurprisingly, the little woman slapped her hand away and picked herself up. “Nice to see your manners haven’t changed, Elizabeth,” Rebecca rolled her eyes, turning her attention instead to Courtney and trying to heal her, “You’re welcome, by the way.”

“Does someone, anyone, want to tell me what the actual shit is going on here?” Beth shook her head, looking down at Courtney Tellar dressed like a Birdgirl, “Jake said you were dead.”

“Different world, different me,” Courtney shook her head, unable to shrug, “It’s confusing as hell, but apparently this is normal for you all.”

“Normal might be an overstatement,” Beth sighed, “I’m not even sure what normal is anymore. Multiple versions of people I know, friends becoming enemies, enemies becoming friends-”

“How sweet that you think we are friends,” Rebecca grinned, “Truly, I’m touched, Elizabeth.”

“Fuck off,” Beth rolled her eyes, “I wasn’t talking about you. I don’t trust you still, but maybe if you’d quit calling me Elizabeth I’d be more tolerant. I’m not some english protestant, ya asshat.”

“That is your name, though,” Rebecca pointed out, “I have seen your birth certificate.”

“Can we pause this until we are back home?” Pam sighed, “Kitten, I’m ecstatic to see you, but we need to find a way back. Where are Jake and Ashley?”

“They’re here too?” Beth asked, looking back at Rebecca, “You actually managed to pull that stunt off?”

“I am a woman of my word,” Rebecca smiled as she ran her hands over Courtney’s arm, “I am going to assume that…Pamela, do you feel that?”

Pam tensed and Beth frowned, “You’ve got to be kidding me…”

“I…how?” Pam whispered as the ground began to shake.

“Wretched little, harpies!” Ashley’s voice filled the void, “Did you really think I would allow myself to be defeated this easily?! Did you truly think that I wouldn’t anticipate the off-chance that one of you fools might find a way to fell me?! There is no killing me, fools! There is no escape, only pain and suffering!”

The four of them watched in disbelief as particles of skin, blood, hair, and bone began to arise from the dust. The winds swirled as they bound themselves together and began to take shape again. They could see her organs for a brief second before they were encased and covered by skin. In a matter of seconds, Ashley Bilefoot was standing once again. Her armor and clothing were torn and tattered, but her body looked almost entirely unscathed. Her eyes were truly glowing now as she stretched and prepared for another round of fighting.

Rebecca frowned as she realized what this was. It was something that she had nearly done herself, and something she would have had she not been so pressed for time in the final days of her possession. She stood up and stepped in front of both Beth and Courtney. She looked over at Pam and sighed, “A phylactery…”

Pam’s eyes widened as she realized the true depths of the trouble that they were in. She hadn’t expected this, and it changed the entirety of their fight. She wasn’t sure how they were going to beat her now unless they knew where the damned thing was being kept. That meant that she and the others were back to square one; worse even. At least at square one, they had an inkling of an idea what to do. Her mind raced to find an idea as Ashley prepared to face the four of them once and for all.