Mod Superhero

Chapter 5.13 - Nanite Countermeasures

Shortly after Emmett finished that episode of Full Throttle Heart early Monday morning, TINA succeeded in hacking the Felwardens and tracking down the stolen artifact.

Until the war with the Deep Ones, the Felwardens had operated out of a demiplane similar to Belport's Donjon club. A magical space hidden between normal space, shrouded much like Athena's apartment.

The rogue super that broke into the Donjon club and poisoned Amarque had been able to do so because it wasn't really breaking and entering. The Donjon club was magically keyed so that supers could come and go, so long as they had knowledge of where it was hidden and hadn't been explicitly barred from access.

The Felwarden's old hideout was much more secure. Only those with expressed permission could enter.

However, TINA learned that the Felwarden's old hideout had been compromised by the war. Apparently, the same magic that cloaked their hideout also attracted the crystalline Deep Ones. The building was half-destroyed and the magic shroud was compromised.

The Felwarden's new hideout was on the South side of Belport, right at the edge of the boardwalk. Despite the recent destruction, the flood waters had receded from the tunnels. Even though construction teams were working quickly, the South side would likely be the last section to be rebuilt.

Their new hideout didn't have centuries and layers of magic protecting it anymore. What the Felwarden's had now was still effectively, but hastily cobbled together. Each Felwarden had a magic key that allowed access to the hideout, but the keys weren't tethered to a specific individual.

If Emmett, Clara, and Athena could get their hands on three keys, then they could get access to the Felwarden's hideout.

Stealing keys and getting access was the easiest part of their plan. Once they were inside, they would need to sneak through the demiplane or contend with the mages inside. There wouldn't likely be any members of the High Council, but there would be dozens of initiate mages, magi, and likely a Branch Master as well.

Dozens of Class 1 and 2 enemies, and at least one Class 3.

Compared to the recent war, it didn't seem like that bad of a proposition... at first. But in the war, they'd been using lethal force. Emmett's most powerful abilities weren't made for taking prisoners.

Emmett, Clara, and Athena came to the quick agreement that they would steal three keys, break into the Felwarden's demiplane, retrieve Lucile's necklace, and get out without killing anyone.

That complicated things significantly, likely making the mission their riskiest endeavor yet.

~

The group took 2 days to prepare their strategy against the Felwardens.

Athena took some of that time to give them a primer lesson on how most magic spells worked. Then Emmett and TINA took the rest of those two days developing a countermeasure.

Tuesday evening, the group gathered around while Athena cooked canned chili on a hotplate.

Emmett leaned on the counter. "The countermeasure is ready."

Clara leaned against his shoulder. "You really think it will work?"

Athena scoffed. "It'll work alright. It's a little barbaric, but that's exactly why it will work."

They ate chili and went over the plan one final time.

~

A few hours later, Mod, Arsenal, and Athena went out into Belport, heading south toward what was left of the boardwalk. Power was coming back to small sections to the north, but the south side of Belport was lit only by starlight and the sliver of moon that was left.