Lillian was exhausted. She felt like there was just nothi iank for her to pull out. She sat down o that had been provided for her at the camp just outside the break zone, letting her head hang. During the fighting she hadn’t had any time to think or process what was happening. Now it felt like it was all ing back to her in waves. She reached up and rubbed her eyes before letting out a tired sigh. I o meditate and solidate what I learned. If I take too long after an experience like that, teacher will put me through physical ditioning again as punishment.

  She pulled her legs up into her p o and steadied herself before taking a deep breath. I’ve got a few hours until they’re expeg me to e back out and help, that should be enough. She let out the held breath and rexed.

  “Lily!”

  She opened her eyes with a frown, “Cass?’ she called back. She sounds frantic, what now? She slipped off the cot, her legs ag as the fp to the tent flew open and a flurry of blonde hair raced inside. Alex was right on her heels followed by Snow. They all looked horrified. “What? What happened?”

  Cass held out her phohere was a live stream of the news pying. A man in a suit was sitting behind a desk, his expression grave and his skin pale. “-more when things develop. For those of you just now joining us as word spreads, chaos in the western Uates following the dungeon break io Ward of Tokyo. Several high security private prison plexes taining a popution mounting in the hundreds of known vilins and high-threat criminals underwent simultaneous prison riots and break-outs within the past hour.”

  Lillian's blood ran cold and she took the phone from Cass, her legs giving out as she sat down o, watg the man on the s as footage showed vilins attag prison guards aroying walls at one of the prisons. “The riot began after Ishtar ihe various prisons' security systems and inters. Witnesses say that her words indicated that this had been pnned for some time. Prison guards outside the structures reported the formation of Ishtar’s signature portals at every location,” the maured to the dispy o him that ged to sho of the Uates with off-blue clouds moving in various dires. Twe systems were clearly visible and their positions horrified Lillian.

  “The signifit release of mana by the Tokyo dungeon break has pushed a densation of mana over the pacific o in the dire of the west coast. This is happening simultaneously with a sudden spike in mana ing from the epigeon near Seattle, Washington. It is reported that Bck Lotus, currently sidered the world's most powerful hero, is actively attempting to clear the dungeon,” he tinued with a picture of her teacher appearing on the s. The man’s face went dark, “With the ining wave nearing the western seabuilds are moving quickly to read shore up any dungeons within the effective area. Reports indicate that some manner of interference is preventing the Pandora ittee from using their gateway work to send reinforts to Bck Lotus, the Chairwoman had this to say.”

  The s ged and showed Miss Car standing behind a podium with a pair of heroes behind her. One of them was an asian woman in a green gsam with a bored expression on her face. She pyed zily with her long bck hair and shot the occasional g her terpart. He was a buff man in a blue-gray suit and sungsses and a dark widow's peak. He had a grin on his fad was waving to the reporters as the chairoke, “We are currently ascertaining the severity of the situation ile. Tokyo was the sed dungeon break since Dharan and the first we were able to measure with a carter radar. The scope of the potential damage is still beiimated. Right now our priority is getting as many heroes as possible close to the area in order to get them ihe duo assist Bck Lotus.”

  Car adjusted her gsses and stood up straighter, “We have reason to believe that despite her hostility towards the Pandora ittee, Ishtar has broken vilins out of prison in order to send them to the Seattle dungeon. Carter radar readings from the portals at the prison and fre ups at the Seattle dungeoo support this. We are unsure how she was able to coordinate so many portals et them through the interference, but we are looking into possible methods to replicate what she’s done.”

  A reporter raised his voice, “Word oer says that Ishtar is responsible for the Tokyo disaster! Is there any word on that iigation?”

  “The Tokyo iigation is ongoing,” the Chairwoman said with a frown, “We have reason to believe that this was the act of another vilin, though.”

  “So the lives lost in Tokyo were a result of a grudge between two vilins?” the reporter pressed, “How they get away with-”

  “Let me be abundantly clear,” the Chairwoman said sharply, putting her hands on the podium and leaning forward. She gred into the camera, “The heroes of this world, the Pandora ittee, and society itself will not take this lying down. When we find out who is responsible, there will be a reing. No further questions.”

  Shouts rose as she turned around, marg past the two heroes who turned quietly to follow her. The s ged again, “The Pandora ittee has made no further ents ouation. With many heroes still assisting in stabilizing the situation in Japan, s are mounting about what response e in time for Seattle. Civilians are already evac-”

  Lily pulled herself out of the rance she was in from watg the footage. She paused the feed and ha over to Cass in silence, rubbiemples. “Is there anything we do?” she asked with a sigh. The situation was so bad she’d gone from pao numb in an instant. She could barely draw up enough emotion to be angry about the situatio alone anything more. Snow sat dowo her and put a hand on her shoulder. She looked at her girlfriend and saw something painful in her eyes. “There’s more, isn’t there?”

  “Liberty’s thugs who got away, they attacked Sonya. She’s hurt pretty bad,” Alex said shakily, “Marta’s with her at the hospital.”

  It was as if her entire world had just colpsed in on itself. “She’s hurt?” Lily croaked, “What do you mean she’s hurt?”

  Snow shook her head, static filling the air as she spoke, “We don’t know, Bandit just told us.”

  “Sonya’s out of ission,” Cass said hollowly, “Bck Lotus is trapped in the Seattle dungeon and we all know who’s actually trying to attack it. If the news is true, vilins are going to try to interve we have no idea what they’ll do after, even if they do succeed.”

  “Greg told us how that Halloricks powers work,” Alex grunted, crossing his arms, “He must be why the Pandora ittee ’t get people to Seattle.”

  “We ’t even take a gateway to go help,” Lily said a her head fall between her knees. She felt sick. Images of the devastation in Tokyo creeping up in the back of her mind. Imaginings of how bad the situation ile would be, could be. “Are a bunch of random vilins really the only hope we have?”

  “No,” Snow said firmly. Lillian looked up at her and a small hand touched her cheek. Snow smiled, “Bck Lotus is there,” she said.

  “Yeah!” Alex said, “No worries. Besides, Bck Lotus is in the dungeon, not outside. She go all out in there. I bet you Liberty’s in for one hell of a rude awakening.”

  Cass hesitated o him but nodded her agreement after a breath. She squared her shoulders. “That woman’s going to get what’s ing to her one way or another. If it isn’t at Seattle then we’ll have our shot. I know it. We just o keep making a good showing of ourselves so they’ll call on us when it’s time,” she said, “Trust your teacher.”

  Lillia out a breath and nodded slowly. She looked up at them. The team that had seehrough some of the toughest fights of her life. They were right, she had to believe ieacher. If there was anyone on this p who could make it through this, it was Bck Lotus. She firmed up her resolve and smiled at Snow and the others before hopping to her feet. She let her power feed through her muscles. It wasly healthy, she knew. Bed rest was better, but if everyone else wasn't resting then she wasn't about to either.

  “e on,” she said, “We’ve got work to do.”