Mod couldn’t help but laugh as their enemies piled up across the subway station. He’d managed to knock away the rogue and the spellsword, and Athena sent the monk flying a moment later.

Of course, they weren’t out of the fight completely. Both the monk and the spellsword managed to rise to a knee, but the rogue didn’t stir. Mod hesitated for only a second, wondering how best to keep them at bay—

Then Athena dropped a pyramid on top of them. Three interlocking barriers trapped the spellsword and monk in a crouch. The monk glanced around in confusion and hammered a fist at the barrier, but it didn’t budge.

Mod didn’t need convincing. He turned his attention toward their target.

Across the subway station, bursts of lightning were coming faster. Magus Rollan looked like he was caught in the middle of a storm. Lightning crawled across the ceiling and smaller bolts swirled around the mage. Arsenal’s punches and kicks struck the swirling barrier, each one resulting in a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder. Rollan’s barrier managed to protect him from a direct hit, but it did nothing to keep his feet planted. Each strike sent the mage flying, making it look like he was being buffeted around by the storm.

The mage continued muttering incantations, even as he was thrown around. He struggled to keep his wand overhead.

“He’s channeling that spell. You need to break his concentration.”

Mod already knew, but it was nice to hear his theory validated.

Athena stood beside Mod. “Give it up, Rollan!”

Only then did Mod realize that her nose and mouth were red with blood.

“You alright?”

Athena wiped a thumb across her nose, then quickly wiped up the blood with her handkerchief. More blood dripped down Athena’s nose. “Bad matchup.”

The bursts of lightning were coming faster, the thunder growing louder… Mod knew that some spells continued growing in power the longer they were channeled. He wasn’t worried so much about Arsenal or himself, but if Rollan’s spell kept getting louder, there was a real risk of the Summit or the Brotherhood hearing it.

Mod pulled his sonic blaster out of his lower leg compartment and dialed it to medium strength. He aimed it at Magus Rollan and fired. Even with the setting, the whine of the sonic drowned out the cracks of thunder. Arsenal was too close to avoid the sound, but her suit would protect her.

The effect was immediate. The mage recoiled, trying in vain to cover his ears. A second later, the spell faded and Rollan collapsed to his knees.

Mod didn’t turn off the sonic until Arsenal seized his wand.

She hoisted Rollan up by the collar of his robe and leaned him against a nearby pillar. It took a moment for Rollan to recover. Soon his eyes darted around the station, but his allies were across the platform—still detained.

Arsenal turned on a small light at the end of her gauntlet, casting harsh shadows across the man’s face.

Magus Rollan was older than Mod had thought at first glance. He squinted at the light and held tightly onto Arsenal’s gauntlet. Deep set wrinkles lined his face. He glanced quickly between the three of them.

Athena stepped forward. “Magus, your friends stole something that doesn’t belong to you.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” The words came out a harsh whisper.

“I’m looking for a necklace. A very peculiar necklace… A locket with a drop of blood in the center.”

Rollan’s eyes widened in recognition. He pawed at Arsenal’s gauntlet, but she held him easily.

“You’re—you’re working with the Cabal?” Rollan raised his voice and glanced toward where his partners were trapped in the darkness.

Athena leaned forward. “Your friends are occupied at the moment. Now, I’d appreciate some honesty.”

“Not like the Cabal to work with outsiders, let alone artificers…” Rollan glanced at his captors, then suddenly back at Athena. “I—I don’t have it.”

“Who does?”

Rollan finally got his feet beneath him and straightened up a bit as Arsenal held his collar. He started to say something, but stopped several times.

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“I can’t tell you who has it.”

Athena retorted, “What are you talking about?”

“There’s a geas on us. I can’t tell you.”

Arsenal asked, “What’s a geas?”

Mod’s stomach sank. Mod knew far less about magic than he knew about tech or other superpowers, but he knew the basics of the spell—it was nothing good.

Athena grunted in frustration. “It’s an enchantment spell that keeps people from talking about a subject. That means that our friend can’t tell us who has the necklace, where it is, or any other information about it. He’s lucky—not even torture can break it.”

Arsenal muttered, “You know a lot about magic…”

Rollan looked to Mod and Arsenal. “I don’t expect artificers like you to understand, but she’s right. I cannot help you.”

TINA spoke quietly in their ears. “I can trace Rollan’s cellphone logs.”

Athena nodded. “I think we’re done here.” Then for Rollan’s benefit, she added, “We won’t get anything out of him.”

Arsenal still hadn’t released her grip, but the mage heaved a sigh anyway.

Rollan asked, “Why go to all this trouble? It’s just a necklace—”

“It’s not,” Athena corrected. She stepped so that she was face-to-face with the mage.

Athena took the wand from Arsenal’s other hand and held it up. “This is precious to you. It’s hard to replace, but not impossible. There are skilled smiths in the Felwardens that could make you a new one in a week. What you stole cannot be replaced.”

The mage’s eyes darted between Athena and the wand.

Then she hurled it across the station. It landed somewhere in the darkness of the subway tunnel. “Let him go. Don’t try to follow us.”

Arsenal released him, and Magus Rollan took a careful step back.

Mod and his team retreated back the way they came. Athena didn’t release her barriers around the spellsword, monk, and rogue until they were around the bend.

~

Mod, Arsenal, and Athena didn’t stop until they were a block away from the subway station. Mod kept an eye on the subway stairs, but no one followed them.

Athena led them inside the remnants of a corner store. They’d went south, toward the section of the city with the least renovations. Most of the windows had been busted from floodwater and merchandise was strewn about. The smell of mildew lingered in the air, but the group was alone.

Athena said quietly, “TINA, how long will it take you to track down that necklace?”

“It depends on whether the Felwardens make a habit of keeping their phones on and on their person while conducting business… Nevermind. It seems like most of the Felwardens are ignorant of technology.”

Athena smirked. “That’s what they get for not keeping up with the times.”

Mod watched his teammate warily. “What’re we getting ourselves into?”

Athena met his eyes for a moment, but ultimately said nothing.

Mod continued, “A geas is a powerful spell. Which means that someone high up in the Felwardens cast it. Rollan said it was just a necklace, but it’s not just a necklace. A powerful mage wouldn’t be interested in just a necklace.”

“Alright,” Athena finally said. “Toss me a fusion cell.”

Mod pulled one of his spares out of his upper arm and tossed it to Athena. She caught it and spent a moment admiring the soft orange glow.

“This is just a battery, right? To me, it is. I can’t do anything with it. I don’t know what went into creating it… It’s not just a battery to you. It’s potential. It has meaning.

“That necklace contains the last drops of blood of my friend’s daughter… my goddaughter. It is one of the last remnants of my friend’s old life. Her daughter was never turned. That necklace is all she has left of her daughter.”

Athena trailed off solemnly, but Mod pushed the conversation forward.

“Is it magical? Is that why the Felwardens want it?”

“It is just a necklace… Athena turned the fusion cell over in her fingers. “What does this mean to Midas?”

Mod stared at the glowing disc. To Midas, it would be potential and new possibilities. It would be a means to new power.

“Are either of you familiar with artifacts?”

Mod and Arsenal shared a look. Arsenal replied, “They’re magic items, right?”

“Not necessarily.” Athena tossed the fusion cell back and answered for him. “Quick lesson in magic: An artifact and a magical item aren’t one in the same. An artifact doesn’t have to be magical, but it does have to have metaphysical weight or significance. The more significance an item has, the easier it is to imbue with magic or even turn it into a permanent magic item.

“A king’s sword passed down through ten generations has significance. It’s much easier to imbue it with magic than a freshly made sword—even if quality and materials are taken into account.

“The Felwardens want my friend’s necklace because of the significance it carries.”

Mod turned over Athena’s words in his head. It felt like she’d filled in the gaps in his research. Of all the types of supers, mages were the ones he was least familiar with, but this helped significantly.

While Mod was lost in thought, Arsenal asked, “What are the Felwardens going to do with it?”

Athena shrugged. “I don’t know. And it doesn’t matter. I told Lucy that I would get it back.”

TINA added, “It will still take time to narrow down leads. Several hours at minimum.”

Athena balled up a fist in frustration. Mod knew that feeling all too well.

“We’re not prepared to take on the Felwardens…” Mod said. “Not yet. Before we do anything else, we need to hack a drone. Then we can do some research.”

~ ~ ~