Night came as it would any other day of the week. Cord led Samantha and Mary deep into the woods by the old parking garage. There were no shadowy monsters to fight this time. Towards the heart of the woods, they came across a small metal hut sitting in a clearing. When Obsidian and the students approached, the metal doors slid open.
"About time you became the rational one." Ms. Giv stepped out with a small group of armed guards following close behind.
"Where's Cyclone?" Obsidian asked.
"He's inside. Waiting for all of you. Come now, we haven't a moment to lose."
The guards escorted the heroes inside and into a large elevator. While descending, Samantha and Mary gazed into an entire underground facility full of scientists and guards. At the bottom floor, they were all escorted to a hallway full of children locked behind glass walls.
"Impressive, isn't it?" Ms Giv gloated. "Every school year or so we abduct a dozen or so children. Before the school year ends we use them for as much research we can squeeze out of them."
"What do you do when you're done with them?" Mary asked.
"We simply wipe their minds and throw them back into the school setting. Which is what we'll be doing with you." The guards stopped and aimed their guns at the heroes.
"What are you doing?" Obsidian asked.
"It's obvious you're just another clone while the real one is preparing to sneak around."
"Oh, believe me, I'm as real as can be."
"Nonsense. You're a fake. Created from a shadow." A guard approached Obsidian and scanned him, checking for a genuine Aura Crystal. The guard was surprised with his findings.
"He's real. The Aura Crystal he has is not a copy of any kind."
"I see. Well, you're more foolish than I thought. Guards, take us to see their friend."
The armed tour continued, venturing further into the heart of the facility. The destination was revealed to be one big room with two people sitting inside. In the center was a miniature table with a chess game occuring on top of it. Cyclone sat on one end, levitating a few captured pieces off the ground. The opponent was a man in a sleek white lab coat. He took the time to polish his glasses before deciding his next move.
"Cyclone!" Mary shouted.
"Hush! He is thinking and so am I!" the scientist yelled in anger.
"Adam, can we please get this moving? There are still students on the campus that need to be dealt with," Giv said.
"Checkmate, my dear boy. I win again." The head scientist rose from his chair and looked upon his guests with a smug smile.
"I take it that you're in charge," Obsidian said.
"Please, call me Adam. Giv, you and the guards can leave us. We'll be fine." The guards nodded and stepped out of the room without so much as a single word.
"You must have some power over them."
"Indeed, and you are correct in your assumption. I am the head of this facility. I'm the genius that found a way to manufacture Aura Crystals."
"Well, know that you're finished. I'm shutting all this down," Obsidian declared.
"Cyclone, what is he thinking right now?" Adam asked.
"He is scared," Cyclone said. "He is scared that the plan is going to fail. He is scared that Obsidian will get caught."
"Ah, thinking in the third person are we?" Adam laughed.
