Garroth and Blaze's bodies were rushed to the lab right after landing. Waiting there was the team and Elizabeth, hoping that Blaze's call was not that serious. Unfortunately, their hopes were foiled once they came through the doors. Aphmau gasped, seeing how gruesome Blaze looked while Garroth's skin looked as white as snow. She couldn't believe that this was happening. Blaze had gotten himself in dangerous situations before and always got out of it. So seeing him in this state crushed her world.

"Travis,", Elizabeth said, getting right to work; "how long will it take to charge that relic with your prototype?"

The white-haired man bit his lip, doubting his machine now more than ever. Katelyn had to interject, protecting her boyfriend's pride; "Give him ten minutes. We'll figure out something."

"Make it five,", Elizabeth ordered, fixing her suit before looking down at her watch. "I'm going to the control deck to keep an eye on Teony and Laurance's progress. Aphmau, would you like to join me?"

Aphmau, for the first time in her whole career, said no. "Laurance needs Garroth and Blaze. So the best way for me to help him is to help here."

Washer smirked and nodded, taking her leave respectively with some of her guards. Aphmau then put all her focus back on the team. "Okay everyone! Scaleswind needs us! So get those gears moving!"

Everyone then scrambled to their jobs, typing in commands in their computers for the machine. Aphmau looked to see Garroth's relic on a podium inside the testing room. She prayed that this would work...
While that was going on, she left Katleyn and Travis to go see Dante who was assisting the nurses and doctors with the two heroes in any way he could.

"How's their condition?", She asked,

"Dead,", Dante said, bluntly. He didn't want to sugar coat it. He wasn't in the right mental state to do that. "This better work."

"Okay, give me a little power!", Travis' voice came over the chaos. The team all began their protocol, typing in the commands. Three lasers aimed at the cross relic, firing at it. Sparks flew and the lights flickered for a moment. Seeing that all the data was safe, Katelyn demanded; "More!"

The lasers got brighter, electricity shooting from the sides. Aphmau couldn't believe how much was already going into it. She watched a close-up on one off the screens, seeing how the small details on the pendant were slowly melting down. That worried her. What if it was too much?

"A little more! We're at 250 million volts!", A man announced.

"Travis, Katelyn! What if-"

Katelyn looked back at Aphmau with a sympathetic look. It was then the two girls realized that they had no idea what the outcome was going to be. They just had to hope.
Meanwhile, the Doctors were performing defibrillation on Garroth, deciding that Blaze was basically a lost cause due to the blood lost.

"Clear!", One said, activating the defibrillators.

The blonde's body jump but, his heart rate did not start. Dante's though was racing. He was a researcher at a university. He never signed up for something like this. Looking at Blaze was even worse...

"290 million volts!", Someone shouted. "Everyone take cover!"

Travis and Katleyn watched as the dial kept going up and up. Once it reached the last million, everyone took cover under desks and waited. The testing room lit up like fireworks as the lasers reached maximum charge. Once it grew dark again, everyone slowly retreated out from under their ever so safe hiding places. Travis, out of the four that were there, looked first. The others' heart sank when they heard;

"Dammit!"

He slammed his desk, frustration taking over his body. There on the podium, where the relic once stood, was a melted puddle of iron. His soul shattered, knowing that he messed up. The only comforting thing was Katelyn's touch from a warm hug. There it goes...their only hope.

"What now..?", Aphmau asked gently. Nobody knew. That was their only plan.

She looked back at Garroth and Blaze, seeing them still lifeless on their stretchers. She walked up to them and pulled the covers over them. Dante looked at her with sadness in his eyes but, she had no time for mourning. She had to put it on the back burner.

"Okay! Everyone! Let's move to the control deck to help our friends on the field. We need every mind available to help. Now that we don't have plan A, we have to do plan B which is be the heroes that the city needs,", She said, gripping a near by desk. "Let's...let's move out."

Everyone, knowing that she was right, moved out. Except for the four. They came together, giving it their all.

"Guys I'm-", Travis began but, was interrupted by Dante; "It wasn't your fault. We all did our best. We can go on knowing that."

They all looked back at the bodies, a cloud of depression looming over them. It hasn't rained down yet though. There was still a job to do.

"You know...this is worse than high school,", Katelyn admitted. "This time we have to say goodbye for the first time...and a second time."

"Let's make them proud. Shall we?"

They all smiled half-heartedly and nodded, making their way out of the room. Now, the lab was completely silent. Not a soul there...except one.

A blue spark came out from the puddle. Then another. Until a blue flame emerged from it. It floated up and over through the glass that separated the two rooms. It made its way from the desks and screens, towards the two fallen warriors. It landed next to where the blonde was resting and a figure formed. A man. He looked rugged. Like he had seen every war on Earth and knew what the sacrifices that came with it. He wore a full suit of armor with a blue cape that matched his stern, wrinkled face. His hair resembled a silver fox, going down to his shoulders. All of him was a transparent blue. A ghost, to say the least. He sighed, stretching and saying; "I'm was never going to get used to that cramped space. I hope those people won't be to upset that I didn't tell them the full plan..."

He looked down and removed the covers over Garroth. He rolled his eyes and said; "You're so dramatic, really. You only needed to die once. Nope. You said, why not twice and wait for the third, huh?"

Then a smile formed on his lips, resting his hand on his forehead, saying softly; "You're going to thank me later."

He disappeared, the flame returning to only faze into the blonde. The room went silent again, for a moment. Until, his pale hands sparked blue. He jumped, just like before. A beep came from his heart monitor, it slowly gaining speed.

Then, his eyes shot open and he sat up, gasping for air.

"Ekon...", He said, breathlessly, clutching his chest.

Now now kid. Don't get to excited. You have a job to do.

Garroth smiled brightly, happy to hear his voice again. But, he was right. He needed to get Blaze up. He got out of the stretcher, tripping a bit, getting his legs awake. He uncovered Blaze, his stomach turning seeing how badly beaten he looked.

"Ekon, what do I do?", He asked.

Grab his earrings and break them. Amina's soul needs to be released.

The blonde nodded, removing the earrings and clutching his fist together tightly. His blue sparks returned and when he opened them, the jewels were broken. A bright magenta flame appeared and soon formed into a women with long black braided hair, her skin painted with the images of battle on her dark skin. She looked at Garroth with a comforting smile and asked; "Great entrance Ekon."

Garroth's eyes glowed a bright blue, Ekon's voice coming out.  "You have a job Amina. Get to it."

"And there's the man I remember."

She laughed as she went back to flame and absorbed into the redhead. Garroth returned and seeing that Amina was gone, looked down at Blaze. He leaned down and combing his hair out of his face, looking for any sign of life. Occasionally looking up at the monitor.

"Come on Blaze...please,", He begged, his voice shaking slightly.

A sound came from the monitor, his wounds glowing before disappearing. Garroth's eyes never wavered from the man's face.

A small cough erupted from the man's mouth, his eyes slowly opening. They met with ocean blue and he knew. Everything was okay.

"Who'd thought death felt like power nap?"

"Wolfie!", Garroth cheered, embracing him tightly. Tears ran down his cheeks in utter relief.

Blaze wasn't much different, a million bricks lifting off his shoulders. He sat up, some pain coming with it, making his way; "Ow."

Garroth immediately got off of him, asking; "Are you hurt still?"

"No no! Just...a little sore but, it doesn't matter!", Blaze insisted, caressing the blonde's cheeks. "You're okay! And your scar is gone!"

Garroth saw that he was right and was just now realizing that he could see perfectly on top of that. "Heh...I guess Ekon is a bit more powerful."

Blaze chuckled and said softly, pure joy displayed in his voice; "I love you.."

"I love you too..."

They shared a passionate kiss, not long though as they both heard their spirits shout in their head.

Get moving!

Blaze bolted off his stretcher and Garroth stood up straight again. They knew where to go thanks to the redhead's knowledge of the place. They ran off to the control deck, not taking long to reach there, their speed was already kicking. When they barged in, everyone snapped their heads, shocked to see them. Aphmau dropped the papers she was holding, some of her stress releasing. She and her friends sprinted over to them and almost tackled them in hugs.

"You're alright! You're okay!", Aphmau exclaimed, kissing both of their cheeks in pure joy.

"Don't ever die again! Please!", Dante exasperated, patting them on the shoulders.

"Not planning to,", Blaze smirked, hugging his friend.

Agent Washer came up to them and said with a smile; "I'm glad you two are okay and I would love to celebrate  but, there's a city that needs your help."

The blonde and redhead looked at each other, a look of determination in their eyes. They knew what to do. They were a team again.

"What do you say P? Got an idea?", Blaze asked, crossing his arms, proudly looking at his boyfriend.

Garroth looked at Washer and asked; "How fast and how close can you get us there?"

Word Count: 1795

Howler and Protector are back guys! They're not dead any more!!! Yay! So please...don't kill me, haha!

Only a few more chapters left...