Tri finds himself in a deep white void staring off into the infinite expanse around him. He looks around scanning the area for some sign of anything other than himself, something for his mind to grab onto. And in the distance, a speck appears a small dot breaking the pattern of the infinite white.

“Hello!” He yells his voice echoing out. “Hello, who are you?”

You must decide. A voice echoes out across the expanse. You must make your choice.

“Edmond?”

Tri, if you cannot decide, I’ll make the decision for you. Edmond’s voice fades away. Goodbye.

“Wait, Edmond!”

“Edmond get back here!” Tri yells his hand outstretched reaching for the ceiling.

He finds himself in his bed covered in a harsh cold sweat as he stares at the ceiling. “What was that? Why am I having dreams about Edmond?”

He pulls up the watch and stares at it with Edmond’s coin rusted over with no sign of its formerly silver shine. “Great still useless, still no sign of his ghostly self.”

“Oh well, better get on with my life for now.” He says getting up. “Making a choice, what’s that all about?”

Elsewhere inside an abandoned warehouse, a large burly young man stands around taking glances at his phone to keep time. As time passes, he gets tires and pulls his phone out to tap away at the screen playing random games until he tires.

“Where is this guy!” He yells out.

“Alger, he’s not coming.” A young woman with long red hair says walking into the warehouse. “And you're getting antsy, keep it up and you’ll smash up the place.”

He puts his phone away and scowls. “Ilena, don’t talk to me like that!”

“Your scare tactics don’t work on me, sir.” She says jokingly. “Come on Alger, he’s not coming, maybe we can do something else with our time.”

“But if we don’t listen to the Prof’s request then he’ll stop making these cool toys for us.” He pulls out a Phantomizer and smirks. “With this, we can cause a true revolution.”

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“Yes sir, I’m well aware.” She says seriously. “But we can let the poor little mouse stay in his pin all huffy for a while if we’ll placate him, he’ll be fine.”

Alger smiles wide and grabs her. “Ilena I love the way you think!”

“Come now Alger, are you and Sis going to get all close and feely in an abandoned warehouse? That’s not romantic at all.” A young woman with short red hair says walking up to the duo. “Seriously what is this guy thinking? We all come out here to congratulate him on a job well done, and he doesn’t show up. Isn’t that right Tad?”

A large bulking young man walks up to the trio with a large smile on his face. “If he had succeeded, I was even willing to throw down with him. Well since he’s not here what about you Meranda?”

“No thanks, I’d like to avoid getting all sweaty.” She says with a grin.

“Ah, but what I wouldn’t give to see both your and dear Ilena glistening with a post-workout afterglow.” A young man in a fine suit says sitting on a pile of boxes.

“Jago, are you trying to sound like a huge pervert?” Meranda says seriously.

Alger smiles. “Come now everyone, we’re all here. Even if your ally is late, we can’t not be happy about the situation.”

“Of course, Alger,” Ilena says happily.

As the five stand around a young punk rushes up towards the group holding out a damaged and crumbling Phantomizer. “Boss!”

“Oh, what is it? And is that?”

“It was the one gifted to Frank, the Prof detected it and sent someone to locate it.” He says panicked. “No one’s seen Frank, and there’s no way he would’ve have left this…”

Alger steps forward and holds the punk in his arms. “Don’t worry, if we find out what happened then we’re going to crush the one who did this.”

“Alger,” Ilena says holding up her phone.

“What is it, Prof?”

“I told you this was a serious matter, you shouldn’t pass this off to one of your underlings.” A voice says on the other end.

Alger sighs. “Listen, Prof, I gave one of my men a chance to prove themselves and they just so happened to fail. Next time…”

“Next time you yourself or one of your cohorts will go. I’ve tested you, your little cabal has the highest fusion coefficients out of your entire lot.”

“Yes, I know, but if we don’t give the others a chance then….”

“Then what you’ll be missing out on having fun with more of your little friends? Well what if this person is dangerous, what if whatever happened here happens again? What then? You’ll be short one more of your friends.”

Alger grips the phone. “Alger, don’t grip so hard, you’ll break another one.” Ilena grabs the phone. “What do you recommend Professor?”

“I say one of you five head out there and deal with this threat permanently.” He says as the phone line goes dead.

Alger sighs. “God that man is a pain to deal with.”

“So, we have to head out there and deal with the threat?” Tad asks curiously. “How about I go out there and…”

Jago steps forward and rushes to Ilena’s side. “Tad, I’m sorry to say this but, you’re a battle ax. Sometimes you need a little a more delicate hand.”

“And your volunteering?” Tad asks.

“Of course. I rarely get the chance to use my own skills, and I enjoy using them greatly.” Jago says.

Alger steps forward and grabs Jago’s shoulder. “If you’re going, you know what to do?”

“Trust in me and I’ll get this done easily.”

“Unfortunately, we can’t get rid of the Prof’s limiters so you won’t be a full power, but aside from that…”

Jago smiles and steps away. “Oh, don’t worry. This is a hunt, and I’m a great hunter. Just trust in me because the Hunter is now on the move.”