Week 29.3 – The Cluster

Previously: Digger was sent into the past and ran into Caveat Maledictor at the Flea Market of Eternity. And now…

Digger turned toward Caveat. “Look, I know none of this will mean anything to you right now, but…”

“Excuse me,” said another Digger as he leapt between them and disappeared as his fingers grasped the crystal.

“What the hell?” Caveat yelled.

“Long story short, I need you to keep this safe,” Digger said. “There’s a master villain from my time called the Cobalt Czar who can’t be allowed to get hold of it.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know, just take it before more of me show up!” Digger handed the lanyard to Caveat. “Thanks.”

“Thanks for what?” Caveat asked.

“For whatever. I gotta’ go.” Digger grasped the crystal and fell into the future. As the world reformed around him, he was sure that the crystal had become broken somehow. Because there had been a house here when he left.

***

Twain moaned and sat up. He saw movement out of the corner of his eye and turned to see Yi Fan walking past him, her hair blowing in an invisible wind. Twain’s skin drew up into terrified gooseflesh as the Ghost Dragon’s leg passed through him, and then the thing was in front of him, bigger than before, a twisted, giant parody of a man. Lightning shot from the house to engulf both the ghost and Yi Fan. They screamed and Ghost Dragon swung his huge arms, knocking down the entire facade of the house.

[blockquote type=”blockquote_quotes” align=”right”]Ghost Dragon seemed to flow up from the debris. He seemed more solid than before, swirling clouds of dust trapped within the energy vortices that made up his body. Twain could barely make out Yi Fan’s shape inside him…[/blockquote]As the masonry fell, Ghost Dragon charged forward into the wreckage. Lightning crackled and Ghost Dragon roared and the walls cracked. Something exploded back toward where Twain imagined the kitchen to be, and then the entire house was collapsing in great billowing clouds of dust.

A figure flew up out of the wreckage, electricity arcing off him in all directions, and then the Ghost Dragon seemed to flow up from the debris. He seemed more solid than before, swirling clouds of dust trapped within the energy vortices that made up his body. Twain could barely make out Yi Fan’s shape inside him as they both roared their fury at the sky and headed off in pursuit of the lightning man.

And then Digger reappeared on the patio, still wearing his curve-hugging Chinese dress.

***

Metalord soared over cramped, narrow streets and looked down at the furious, howling thing below him. He figured this must be the Ghost Dragon that the Chinese super Bu Shou had warned him about.

Despite his horrifying appearance, he had seemed easy enough to beat at first glance. He was obviously some sort of projection formed around the person inside him, whom Cole could barely make out. This made the strategy to beat him fairly straightforward: defeat the person inside and you defeat the projection.

Problem was, the thing was obviously more than just a terrifying image. Whatever it was made of, it absorbed and diffused his lightning bolts, so that only a fraction of the energy actually got through to its intended target. This creature would not be beaten easily.

How will Cole beat Ghost Dragon? Or will Ghost Dragon beat him? And what about Twain and Digger? Don’t miss tomorrow’s thrill-packed episode!

To read from the beginning, click here…