Nightfall

Part Three

The reporter pulled her hat on tighter, hastily digging in the snow for her fallen microphone. "And what do you suggest, Kyle? That we go sit in our homes, and wait out the biggest story of the century? Our planet is being invaded! This is one battle that must be covered by the media."

Kyle mumbled something unintelligible while he dusted off the snow from his hand held camcorder. After taking a quick peek over the snowbank that served as their cover, he activated the recording.

"This is Tracy Preston, reporting from one of the several fronts that have developed around the city. Ever since the National Guard rolled their tanks onto the streets of Langstrum Alps, what was once a dangerous situation has now become an all-out war. A flurry of bullets continues to spray into the strange invading army, since the Guard fears any more potent weapons could do damage to the city, and thereby harm innocent civilians trapped in their homes. While the Guard is being cautious, it is clear that their opponents have no such concerns. These strange beings, armor covering the majority of their features, have responded to the firepower of the Guard with their own weaponry. Pulses of seemingly laser energy continue to sweep through the blizzard, pulverizing the Guard. Unfortunately, their hailstorm of bullets doesn't appear to have as significant an effect on their enemy."

As Tracy narrated the events, Kyle boldly aimed his camera over the snowbank, recording the firestorm nearby. Without warning, however, a fresh flurry of misguided bullets sliced in their direction.

Kyle released a yelp of surprise as one bullet embedded itself into his shoulder, causing him to drop his camera and collapse to the ground in shock.

"Kyle!" Tracy screamed, tossing the microphone and lifting her partner's head from the snow. Kyle gasped urgently, his warm breath releasing steam into the freezing air.

"I'm... okay," Kyle assured her, allowing her to lift him to a sitting position, "It just grazed me."

"No, it's in you, Kyle," Tracy stated, hurriedly zipping up Kyle's heavy jacket to keep him warm, "We've got to get you inside, so I can take a better look at this."

"It's too dangerous," Kyle said, watching as Tracy hurriedly packed the camera and equipment into her backpack, "We'll blow our cover completely if we start parading around. This is a warzone!"

"We'll be fine," she assured him, wrapping his arm over her shoulder and pulling him along, "There're apartment buildings right behind us."

After a few steps, Tracy felt a powerful chill suddenly freeze her in her tracks. Instinct alerting her to the sound of footsteps behind her, she quickly whirled around.

She couldn't contain a scream from escaping her as one of the strange armored warriors folded his arms, grinning at her coldly. Tracy swallowed hard when she noticed the creature standing before her had fangs.

"W... what are you?" she asked, slowly backing away from the creature. Her grip inadvertently tightened around Kyle's waist.

"I could tell you," the creature said in a husky voice, "but I prefer my prey to be in the dark."

Tracy and Kyle stumbled backwards, falling into the snow as the creature closed in. They were completely frozen with fear, watching as bright red orbs began to glow from behind his visor. He pulled off his gloves, revealing charcoal gray fingers that began to glow with a faint black energy.

Just as his ashen hands reached out, the creature grunted in surprise and pain, and collapsed onto the stunned humans.

Tracy and Kyle both shrieked in panic, hurriedly pushing the body from them. Tracy's green eyes widened as she noted the smoking patch on his back, and the hole in his armor from which the smoke poured.

"I'm sorry about that," said a voice, "I could have hit him at a better angle."

Tracy and Kyle followed the sound of the voice, and looked above them. Hovering just a few feet away was a figure cloaked in black, white, and gold, with pearl wings extended several feet from his body, pushing against the air to keep him aloft. Dark brown hair hung around his face, the harsh winds flailing it around roughly.

The two reporters were utterly speechless as the stranger dropped to the snow, and offered his hands to them. Stunned but cooperative, they allowed him to lift them to their feet.

"What... what..." Kyle whispered, blinking repeatedly.

"Listen, you two," the man said, "you're in a seriously dangerous area. You must get inside immediately. Hopefully, the Denebians won't expand their invasion to intrude on people's homes. At this point, they're trying to get the streets under their control."

"So that's what they're called," Tracy said, casually pulling off her backpack, "And who are you?"

The warrior seemed surprised by the question. "I'm... uh..."

"You're one of the Spectrum Force, aren't you?" Kyle inquired, "I recognize the uniform. The wings are a bit different, though."

"Well, I'm not quite an Enforcer," he answered, "I'm more of an ally, trying to patrol the streets during this invasion."

"So where is the Force now?" Tracy asked, quickly toying with something in her bag, "I haven't seen a single one of them during this entire invasion."

"They're handling another phase of the invasion. A monster, in fact," he answered, beating his wings once again. The force of the wings pushed him into the air immediately. "Listen, I've gotta help the Guard. Those bullets won't do anything against Denebian shielding. Just get yourselves inside, okay?"

"You got it," Kyle said, waving. Tracy smiled, and watched him turn to leave. Quicker than a reflex, she pulled out the camcorder, and recorded the winged hero's departure.

"That took you long enough," Kyle sighed, "You only got his back!"

"Well, it would have been rude and ungrateful to shove a camera into his face while he was trying to save us," Tracy pointed out, zooming in on the fight scene. She watched in amazement as the hero retracted his wings, and then spread them, creating a wide beam of white energy that plowed into the alien forces like a tidal wave. "This is terrific footage. But I have to get closer..."

"You do have a death wish, don't you?" Kyle moaned, "Tracy, this Denebian creep that attacked us is only stunned. He'll be waking up soon."

Tracy bit her lip, lowering her camera. With a sigh, she turned it off, and once again picked up her bookbag. "Let's get inside," she decided, "Besides, we have enough info to give a major report once this is all over, including shots of this new winged Enforcer."

"When this is all over?" Kyle huffed, "Let's hope this doesn't all end with the Denebians carting us through the streets like animals."

"Ye of little faith," Tracy sighed, "That guy said the Force was taking care of it. When have they failed us?"

"When have they had to deal with a full-fledged invasion?" Kyle pointed out.

"They can handle it," Tracy said pointedly, "They can handle anything."

The Red, Yellow, and Green Enforcers continued flying along the Hamilton River, searching for some sign of abnormality. Other than the fact that the entire city of Langstrum Alps was covered in several feet of crisp white snow. That, and the fact that the Sun was blocked by a strange black cloud, that prevented all heat and light from reaching the Earth.

"We're almost out of LA!" Matt called, slowing to a halt, "I think we should go back."

"You're right," sighed Tamara, also slowing down, "Keith, let's catch up with Rachel and the others. Keith?"

But Keith Maloy, the second-in-command of the Spectrum Force, didn't hear his girlfriend's calls. Behind his blue visor, his ocean blue eyes were closed tightly in concentration. He was receiving a telepathic transmission.

"Tammy, Matt," Keith said, his eyes opening, "Craig, Rachel, and Jocelyn are in trouble. They've encountered the monster."

"Then let's move!" Matt said, immediately vanishing in a streak of green light.

"Wait!" Keith shouted, "You'll use up all your reserved power!"

But the Green Enforcer was out of earshot, streaking down the length of the Hamilton River in the form of a beam of light.

"C'mon," Keith said to Tamara, "we'd better follow. But don't turn into a beam of light. It's the most energy-consuming ability we have! Let's just hope the others can wait."

The water was inky black, and ice cold. The reason why was simple- there was no sun to warm the water, or illuminate the mysterious world beneath the surface. Jocelyn was silently grateful for the Spectrum Shield that protected her body like a second skin. It clung to her form, and moved with her, allowing the skilled diver to maneuver through the water with relative ease. It's warm energy protected her body from hypothermia, and it contained a reasonable amount of air, allowing her to breathe as she searched through the blackness. Finally, it exuded a bright orange light, giving her some light to search with. Of course, it also made her easily noticeable to the creature she searched for.

A dim flash of purple light caught the Orange Enforcer's attention, and she struggled to follow its source. She managed to push herself through the blackness with her powers, catapulting her deeper into the water. She finally found her teammate, still entangled in the thick tentacle that had dragged her under the water a few minutes ago. She seemed unconscious, yet her Spectrum Shield, which protected her from the cold and provided her with a cushion of breathable air, continued to glow faintly. Jocelyn followed the tentacle around her friend with her eyes, and saw what it was connected to. She just barely managed to keep herself from screaming.

The creature was as black as pitch, with seven long tentacles. One tentacle kept the Purple Enforcer hostage, while two others reached up through the water to the surface, obviously fighting the remaining Spectrum Enforcers topside. The remaining four tentacles were waiting, most likely to surprise the Enforcers and capture them in the same manner they caught their leader. All seven tentacles connected to a round surface, lying flat at the bottom of the freezing river. On the face of the disk sat a large eye, and a wide mouth. Jocelyn shuddered when she saw the sharp fangs- each as large as a human being-- that surrounded the edge of the open mouth.

Once Jocelyn recovered from her initial shock, she pushed herself towards her friend. She remained as silent as possible, hoping that the large creature was too busy flailing its tentacles at the rest of the Force to notice the intruder. The tentacle holding Rachel remained still, allowing Jocelyn to reach it.

*Ray?* Jocelyn asked telepathically, *Ray, do you hear me?*

To Jocelyn's alarm, Rachel didn't respond. Jocelyn swam closer, and looked at the tentacle. It squeezed Rachel extremely tightly, nearly smothering her to death. In fact, the only thing preventing that was the faint energy shield that protected Rachel. Unfortunately, it was slowly fading out.

Gotta do something... her mind echoed. Jocelyn immediately reached her fists out, creating a continuous stream of bright orange light which plowed into the tentacle fiercely. The tentacle began swaying, causing the current to wash the Orange Enforcer away as if she were a fly. Jocelyn struggled against the force, but she couldn't even figure out which way was up as the current dragged her deeper into the river. Finally, Jocelyn came to a stop, and looked back at the tentacle. It had stopped stirring, but it didn't loosen its hold on Rachel.

Well, that didn't work too well, Jocelyn reflected grimly, But I have to get Rachel out, before her shield collapses completely! Think, Brainiac!!

Suddenly, Jocelyn felt her thoughts disperse as another voice appeared in her head.

*Jocie? Are you okay down there?*

*Matt! Yeah, I'm okay. I just can't get Rachel free from the monster's tentacle!*

*Get a grip, Kiddo. You'll think of something.*

A small smile appeared on Jocelyn's face. *Get a grip! That's brilliant, Matt!!*

*Huh?*

*Just keep your eyes peeled for more tentacles. Ray and I will be up there before you know it.*

Jocelyn swam back to the tentacle that squeezed her friend. She then touched the weakening purple shield, and concentrated. The shield began to take on an orange-purple tint.

Good. I managed to merge her shield with my own. Now, to get a grip, and loosen his.

Jocelyn extended the merged shield, so it encased both Rachel and herself. Since they were inside the same shield, Jocelyn managed to grab Rachel's shoulder. Then, she pushed out on the shield mentally, causing it to stretch. In the process, it forced the tentacle to expand its grip, so it was no longer crushing Rachel. There was at least a foot of space between Rachel and the orange-purple shield. Jocelyn smiled, and pulled Rachel out of the tentacle easily. Then, she constructed another orange shield inside the larger one, so it surrounded both young women. Finally, she collapsed the larger shield, and the tentacle released when the creature realized it was no longer holding something. Jocelyn then flew through the water, her friend in tow. In seconds, the two Enforcers broke through the surface of the water, and continued upwards.

"Jocelyn!" the Green Enforcer called, flying to his friend, "Is she okay?"

"She's had the wind knocked out of her," Jocelyn responded, "She should be coming around-"

"Wha--?" Rachel whispered, her eyes slowly opening beneath her blue visor, "What happened?"

"That happened," Jocelyn said, pointing to the flailing tentacles that continued their offense against the Yellow, Red, and Blue Enforcers. Rachel looked, and frowned.

"Thanks for the save, Joce," she said, allowing her own powers to hold her in the air. Jocelyn released her friend, and smiled.

"No problem."

"Correction," Matt said, looking back at the fight, "Big problem!"

The Orange and Purple Enforcers looked down, and saw all seven tentacles standing erect. Tamara, Craig, and Keith flew upwards, and rejoined the rest of the Force at a reasonably safe distance.

"What's going on?" Tamara asked.

"Oh boy," Jocelyn whispered, watching as the tentacles began pushing through the water, forming a circle, "Guys, do you remember 'The Odyssey'?"

"Vaguely," Craig said, rubbing his chin, "Why? What does that story have to do with anything?"

"Uh oh," Keith muttered with understanding, "Remember that chapter with Scylla and Kharybdis?"

"The monster in the cliffs, and the whirlpool..." Tamara whispered, her eyes wide. All the Enforcers looked downwards, and saw the seven tentacles spinning powerfully, creating a whirlpool in the center of the river. At the bottom of the whirlpool, which reached all the way to the bottom of the river, the disk-like body of Shiva was visible. And the mouth was open wide.

"What is that?!" Keith yelled.

"That's the monster we've been fighting," Jocelyn said, "I wonder what its up to..."

Jocelyn got her answer when a sphere of pulsing white energy flew from the mouth of the creature, heading directly towards the team of assembled heroes hovering above it.

Meanwhile, the blazing white figure of Chris Greyson flew across Langstrum Alps. The strong winds that accompanied the blizzard made it increasingly difficult to fly, but he discovered that if he merely glided along the current, he would suffer from less wing fatigue. So far, his afternoon had been eventful. Besides saving the two reporters, he had also rescued several other citizens who were trapped due to nearby firefights. He also helped the National Guard in several spots, in order to help them fend back the invasion army and minimize casualties. Still, all his efforts didn't mean that much. After all, if the Spectrum Force didn't come up with a plan, the entire planet would be destroyed in a matter of days.

"Hey," he whispered to himself, flying low near a hotel, "isn't that Rachel's minivan?"

Out of sheer curiosity, Chris lowered to the ground to investigate. Sure enough, the purple dice in the windshield gave testimony to its owner. But what caught the young mutant's eye wasn't the dice. Rather, it was the shattered windshield.

"Not a good sign," he concluded, turning full circle. All he saw was pure white snow, covering everything surrounding him. There was at least three feet of accumulation by this time. However, there was a patch of red-tainted snow not far from the van. A sudden chill crept up Chris' spine as he realized what it was.

"Blood," he whispered, kneeling on the snow. He dug through the snow nearby, and found the body of a middle-aged man, nearly completely buried in a snowbank. Chris pulled the man free, and his stomach wretched when he saw the black arrow protruding from the man's chest.

"He doesn't have his wallet on him," Chris said, checking the man's pockets, "I wonder why he seems... familiar to me."

Chris then checked for a pulse at the base of the man's jaw. Fortunately, there was one, albeit faint.

"I've got to get him to a hospital," Chris decided, looking once again at the arrow. He was then struck by an idea. "I wonder if the arrow has any memory energy stored in it. Maybe it can tell me what happened here."

Chris looked at his hands, and willed his gloves to vanish. Once they did, he grabbed the arrow with both hands. At first, he gasped at the cold of the black marble. But then, images flowed through the young telepath's mind.

"So, Mister Stephen Maloy III, you are related to this young man," Celea stated, showing Stephen the photograph.

Stephen looked at Celea, bewildered. "What of it?"

Celea smiled again, and tore the photograph in half. "Guilt my association," she remarked, "Your connection with the Red Enforcer has sealed your fate, old man."

"My son, the Red who?" Stephen asked, "What the hell are you talking about?!"

Celea nodded at her troops, picking up her bow from the snow. All the soldiers stepped back, leaving the bewildered human being alone before Celea. Stephen's eyes widened when he saw her draw an onyx arrow from her quiver. He staggered to his feet, and stepped back as Celea pulled the drawstring back on her bow. She smiled as she took aim.

"My signature arrow," Celea explained, "I want Keith Maloy to know who exactly killed his father."

"NO!" Stephen cried as the shiny black arrow streaked through the cold winds. It plowed into Stephen's chest, and wedged itself there. Stephen choaked out another cry, as red blood stained his shirt and jacket. The strength in his body vanishing, Stephen fell onto his back. Red blood stained the fresh white snow beneath him.

"Majesty," a soldier said, approaching the unconscious man and touching his neck, "he is still alive."

Celea shrugged. "Perhaps, but not for long. The Spectrum Force is fighting Shiva, and there is no way they can get to him in time to save his life. Besides, I don't want his death to be so easy. I want him to suffer. The more he suffers, the more the Red Enforcer will suffer. Let us go."

The mental image fading like a dream at dawn, Chris pulled his shaking hands away from the arrow. He pressed his lips together firmly, and stared at the hapless victim for a moment.

"This... this is Keith's father," he choked, "Celea wanted him to suffer before he died. I guess the snow that buried him slowed his bleeding, allowing him to survive longer than expected. But he can't hold out for much longer."

Chris gently lifted the wounded man, and leapt into the sky, flying towards the LA General Hospital as quickly as his wings of psionic energy could carry him.

"Scatter!" Rachel shouted, diving away from the powerful sphere of light flying in her direction. The five other Enforcers did the same, just avoiding the pulsing energy sphere. It streaked past them all, and crashed into a bridge crossing the river. It reduced the construction to splinters and pebbles, leaving the small remainder of it covered in a foot-thick layer of ice.

"That was close," Craig muttered.

"Where did that come from?" Matt asked.

"Stay on your guard," Jocelyn said, "It may throw another one!"

However, the tentacles slowed their circular motion, and dove back into the water. The whirlpool collapsed, and the river appeared calm again. But only for a moment. Two more tentacles broke the surface, and began flailing about.

"Here we go again," Craig sighed, thrusting his fists at the tentacles. He fired a wide beam of blue energy, which once again had no effect. He then flew out of the tentacle's way, and continued his attack. The Yellow, Purple, Orange, and Green Enforcers followed suit, but the Red Enforcer hung back.

"Our light beams aren't working," he muttered, "Maybe we'll have better luck with the Elemental Armory?"

To test his theory, Keith summoned his Flame Daggers, and dove down into the fray. However, instead of firing light beams at the tentacle, a river of flame spewed from the razor tips of the weapons. The fire struck the tentacle, and the tentacle dove beneath the water's surface urgently.

"Bingo!" Keith declared proudly, pumping his fist, "Guys, try your weapons!"

At the silent command of the Force, the Lightning Saber, Wood Boomerang, Ice Bow, Wind Nunchucks, and Earth Lance appeared. The team then redoubled their efforts, converging their elemental energy onto the second tentacle. That one too dove into the water, obviously injured.

"This isn't over yet," Rachel said, "That thing is still down at the bottom of the river."

"How do we destroy it?" Matt asked.

"Well, we definitely use the Spectrum Storm," Jocelyn commented, "The creature doesn't seem to have a problem with our light attacks, but the elemental attacks hurt it."

"Too bad we can't use the Storm below the water," Craig said, "but we need air to serve as the medium. Water would put out the fire before the energy even reached the monster."

"Then we wait for it to create that whirlpool again," Keith said, "We'll aim the Storm for its mouth!"

"Perfect," agreed Tamara, "but how do we get the monster to fire that energy sphere again?"

"We'll have to let the monster build up its energy," Rachel said, "But we'll get our cue to use our Spectrum Storm when the seven tentacles start revolving around the center point."

Just then, two more tentacles broke through the surface, and began flailing about.

"Weapons away!" Rachel ordered, "Just use light attacks, until its vulnerable again."

The Spectrum Force obeyed, and used their usual light attacks to fend off the tentacles as they had before. Suddenly, however, during the heat of the battle, a wave of green light erupted around Matthew, reverting him out of costume.

"AH!!" he screamed, plummeting towards the freezing water below. Jocelyn, the closest Enforcer, managed to catch him before he struck the river.

"What happened?" she asked, lifting away from the surface and watching her friend worriedly.

"I... I guess I used up a lot of energy before," he said, "My Spectrum Stone's running low."

"Can you Sync again?"

"Put me down and I'll try," he answered. Jocelyn nodded, and flew to the edge of the river, placing him down on his feet and landing beside him.

"Spectrum Sync... Green!" he cried, holding his ring to the sky. The stone flashed with green light, but nothing else happened.

"You've got to concentrate harder!" Jocelyn said, "Without the Green Enforcer, we can't create the Spectrum Storm and destroy that monster! What did you do to use up all your energy anyway?"

"Well... I did shift into a beam of light," Matt said sheepishly. Jocelyn frowned.

"That explains it," Jocelyn sighed. She glanced towards the river, and saw all seven tentacles sprout from the river. "Try again! And hurry!"

Matt nodded, a determined frown on his face. He raised his ring to the sky again, and squeezed his eyes shut. "SPECTRUM SYNC... GREEN!!!" he screamed.

Matt's arm began to shake as the green gemstone on his silver ring began to glow. At first, it flashed once, but then, it remained steady, glowing brightly. Jocelyn stepped back, and watched as Matthew transformed into the Green Enforcer. He then collapsed to his knees, panting heavily.

"You did it!" Jocelyn cried, hugging her friend tightly. She then pulled away from him in surprise. "My God, your heart's pounding like a drum!"

"I... I can't maintain the transformation for... much longer," he whispered, "The strain's... incredible."

"Can you summon your Nunchucks?" Jocelyn inquired, glancing again at the river. By now, the remainder of the Spectrum Force hovered above the monster, their weapons at the ready. The tentacles had begun revolving, starting to create the whirlpool.

Matt held out his hand, and the Wind Nunchucks appeared. Jocelyn helped him to his feet, and gazed at him intently. "Can you fly?"

"Not for long," he said, slowly rising off the ground. Jocelyn followed, and the six Enforcers stood in a row.

"Matt," said Tamara gently, "are you okay?"

"Fine," he wheezed, "let's get this over with."

"Spectrum Storm!!" the Spectrum Force cried out in unison.

The entire team held their weapons to the sky, and encased them in bubbles of colored light. Once the bubbles became opaque, the six heroes threw the bubbles into the air simultaneously. The six bubbles joined in sky, forming a white sphere crackling with the power of the elements. The sphere sailed into Shiva's open maw, and the creature's eye widened in surprise. The seven tentacles stopped moving, and plummeted into the water. For a few seconds, the water was calm, but then a column of bright energy blasted through the water, throwing the freezing river water in all directions. Then, the six weapons returned to the Spectrum Force, and all was quiet.

"Let's get back to Cloud Castle," Jocelyn said, unconsciously grabbing Matthew's arm in case he should collapse again.

"Yeah," agreed Tamara, gazing up at the black sky, "we're running out of time!"

"Oh, Lord," Monica Maloy whispered, shaking her head in defiance as she paced across the room on the verge of panic, "This can't be happening. It can't. Things like this don't happen in real life. They just don't!"

Connie watched mutely from her seat on the couch as her mother continued her nervous pacing. The darkness had become almost complete blackness, as the electricity had expired not long after her father's departure. The armies outside must have hit the power lines.

The inky blackness of the outdoors, coupled with the darkness within, was petrifying for Connie. She was too scared and worried to even move from the couch. Instead, she sat there, the room dimly lit by aromatherapy candles Monica had intended to give her son as a birthday gift. The candles flickered with the slightest breeze, and any alteration in the lighting cast imposing shadows on the walls.

While Monica vented her terror through nervous action, Connie kept it within, a blank look of emptiness shining in her large blue eyes.

"Where's Stephen?" Monica asked, pausing in front of the large window. She leaned her forehead against the glass plane, as if a closer look would somehow open up the thick blackness for her inspection. "He left hours ago!"

She let her head rest against the window, sniffling quietly as she folded her arms. "Wh... what would I do if something happened to him?"

Connie sighed deeply, calming herself enough to rise to her feet. She carried the comforter with her, and gently draped part of it over her mother's shoulders. "Don't think like that," Connie scolded her mother gently, "He's probably still at the High Rise with Keith. I mean, it'd be too dangerous for him to come back now, especially now that it's pitch black outside. And the phones don't work, so how can he contact us? I'm sure he's waiting out the storm, and he'll come back when things cool down."

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Both women jumped slightly in surprise, and hurried to the door, anxious to see Stephen again.

Both were greeted to a shock as they opened the door, and saw a slender but fit man dressed in black, white, and gold spandex.

"Hi," he said, clasping his hands in front of him, "Are you the Maloy family?"

Connie swallowed, and pulled her mother away from the door to make room for the visitor to enter. "Yes," she whispered, "and who... or what... are you?"

"I'm one of the Spectrum Force," he answered, entering the room and closing the door behind him.

"The what?" Monica asked, befuddled.

Connie's eyes narrowed in thought. "I remember my brother mentioning the Spectrum Force before," she revealed, "I just assumed it was some kind of urban legend or something. I mean please... color-coded superhuman warriors?"

Chris shrugged slightly. "Well, seeing is believing, I guess."

Monica then grabbed Connie's arm in sudden panic. "Why are you here?" she demanded in fear, "Is it about Keith or Stephen?"

Chris bowed his head slightly. "Y...yes. Yes it is."

Monica's grip tightened on her daughter, and she held her breath expectantly.

"Stephen Maloy was attacked by Denebian soldiers... the invading aliens... right outside the hotel," he reported quietly, "I found him about twenty minutes ago in the snow."

"Oh... no..." Monica whispered, her grip on Connie fading as she slid to the floor heavily.

Connie took ragged breaths, her wide blue gaze switching back and forth from her mother to the costumed hero. "Is he...?"

"He was alive," Chris answered quickly, "He is alive. I immediately flew him to the hospital, and made sure he was taken care of. Then I came back to the hotel. I figured that would be the best place to look for any family members, since this is where I found him. The receptionist was kind enough to give me your room number."

"He'll be all right, then?" Connie asked, daring to hope for the best.

"I don't know," Chris admitted, "I came to bring you to the hospital."

"Yes," Monica said, grabbing her purse from the couch, "Let's go."

"But... how are we going to get all the way to the hospital?" Connie inquired.

"I'll take you," Chris answered, stepping towards the window. He pulled the frame open, and then opened the screen, allowing the freezing air to whirl into the room. The strong winds immediately blew out the fragile candle flames, immersing the room in darkness.

The thick blackness was crushed when a brilliant white light pulsed from Chris, in the shape of two powerful wings, stretching from his back and towards the high ceiling.

"Ohmigod!" Connie shrieked in shock, shielding her eyes from the blinding light, "What are you... some kind of angel?"

"Nope," he answered, wrapping one arm around Connie's waist, "Just another one of the good guys."

He then pulled Monica towards him, and stepped towards the window. "Now hold on tight, and brace yourselves. My energy shield will protect you, but it's still pretty cold out there."

Both women held their breath in alarm as the three leapt out of the window, the intense white light generated by the hero lighting their path.

The six members of the Spectrum Force stood at the base of Spectra's throne in silence. Tamara was holding onto Keith's hand fiercely, as if trying to squeeze the anxiety from her body. Matt was leaning slightly on Jocelyn's shoulder, still weak from his strained transformation. Spectra regarded her team for a brief moment, and walked down the stairs that stood between them.

"Matt has already run out of power," Rachel said, disappointment evident in her expression, "so the rest of us can't have very much left. Our battle with Shiva has depleted us."

"Have you reached a decision?" Spectra inquired. Rachel nodded, sliding off the silver ring that decorated her right hand. She held the ring between her index finger and thumb, and gazed at the gemstone wistfully. She then held it out to her mentor.

"I'm just sorry I failed you," she whispered quietly, "You trusted me to lead the Spectrum Force, and protect Earth. I couldn't do it."

Spectra shook her head, and took the ring from the former Purple Enforcer. "You did not fail me. By forsaking the White Stone, you are ensuring the continued existence of the entire universe. You have managed to see beyond your home, to the bigger picture. I am proud of you."

Keith, who was standing beside Rachel, let go of Tamara's hand, and pulled his ring off as well. He sighed deeply, and handed it to Spectra.

"I'm... sorry I yelled at you," he said quietly, "It's not your fault this happened."

"I know you didn't blame me," Spectra said, accepting the red stone, "Frustration makes people say and do things they normally wouldn't."

Tamara's eyes were glassy as she slowly slid the silver band off her finger. "Thanks for letting me be a part of this," she said, "I never dreamed I could accomplish anything so important. We lost this time, but the fat lady hasn't sung yet."

Spectra smiled at Tamara's optimism. "I am proud for having served with you."

Spectra continued down the line, and a silent Craig thrust out his hand, with the blue ring sitting in his palm. "The fate of the universe is in your hands now."

"And I couldn't have done anything without your sacrifice," Spectra said, accepting the stone.

"Here," said Matt, holding out his green ring, "Take care of it, will you?"

"I shall," Spectra answered.

"So, this is the end of the Spectrum Force," Jocelyn said solemnly, adding her ring to the six in Spectra's palm, "After all the fighting, for it to end like this...?"

"The Nightfall will be captured once again, and the universe will continue," Spectra said, "It may be hard to fathom at this point, but we have gained the greater victory."

Spectra ascended the stairs, and sat down. She opened her palm, and the six stones separated from the silver bands, and began rotating in a circle of white light.

"Since they are so low on energy, it shall take about an hour for the stones to be rejoined into a whole. If you do manage to come up with any other ideas before that time, please bring them to my attention. Even without your stones, you can reach me telepathically, and I can return you here. All is not lost yet."

Suddenly, Chris flew through the window, passing through the force field that kept out the force of the elements. He landed on the golden tiles, and his mask automatically pulled down his neck, revealing a dark grimace on his ghostly visage.

"Are you okay?" Rachel asked urgently, walking towards him. He shook his head in the negative, and looked past Rachel to Keith.

"I... I'm afraid I have some bad news," Chris said, looking directly at the former Red Enforcer. The latter's eyebrow rose.

"What news can possibly be worse than the death of the entire human race?" he muttered bitterly.

"Your father was attacked by the Denebians," Chris answered, "He's in critical condition in the hospital."

Everyone gasped at the news. Keith's eyes widened, and Tamara grabbed Keith's arm immediately. Keith glanced down at her blankly, and then returned his gaze to Chris.

"What... happened?" Keith managed to whisper, his lip quivering.

"I found him out in the snow with an arrow in his chest," Chris answered, "He was alive, but just barely."

"Celea," Craig spat with indignation, clenching his fist.

"Spectra," Keith said, turning back to the throne, "can you send me to the hospital?"

Spectra nodded, and a black circular portal appeared. Keith jumped in, followed by the remainder of the Spectrum Force, and then Chris.

The hospital waiting room was quiet. There were only about ten people there, considering the inclement weather, coupled with the aliens roaming the streets. Six of those people were UCLA students, who were waiting for their friend and his family, who was visiting a patient in critical condition.

"Why would Celea attack Mr. Maloy?" Jocelyn wondered out loud, "What would she have to gain from it?"

"She wanted to make Keith suffer," Chris said quietly.

Rachel's dark brown eyes widened at the thought. "That would indicate she knew he was Keith's father."

Chris nodded. "I absorbed the memory energy in the arrow. Celea found a photo of Keith in Stephen's wallet, and she recognized him immediately. She also told Stephen that Keith's the Red Enforcer."

"What difference does it make?" Matt muttered darky, leaning forward in his chair and staring at the floor, "We're not the Force anymore anyway. Besides, Keith's dad is probably better off this way. If he... dies... at least he doesn't have to watch his family suffer as the planet falls to the Denebians."

The surrounding teens remained silent in reaction to the bitter observation made by the young man. After a moment, Jocelyn moved to his side, and lay a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You sound like you've given up."

Matt took a deep breath, and glanced up at her. "Why shouldn't I?"

"Because we're not dead yet," Rachel said, "Even if we lost the Spectrum Stones, we can still fight the Denebians. Sure, we'll be at a disadvantage, but maybe we can form a resistance, or... something!"

Rachel frowned at Matt's doubtful expression. "Besides, Spectra said we have an hour to come up with another plan of action, before she contains the Nightfall in the Spectrum Stone."

"Are you saying we can actually come up with a way to save the world in an hour?" Matt said incredulously, "It's not gonna happen. The only thing that can contain the Nightfall is our Spectrum Stones, and that's the end of it."

Tamara looked at Matthew in amazement, his statement sparking her creative mind with an idea.. Oh my God! Why didn't I think of it before?! It just may work... but it's a longshot. And risky. In fact, they'd never let me go through with it. I... I just can't tell them.

"I'm going to the bathroom," Tamara said, leaving her friends. She stepped into the abandoned bathroom, and concentrated. Spectra, do you hear me?

*I hear you, Tamara.*

Please, bring me to Cloud Castle. I have an idea that might work.

*I shall bring you all here immediately...*

No! Please, just bring me. I don't want the others to know.

There was silence for a moment.

*Very well. I'm sending you a portal.*

Tamara opened her eyes, and saw the black portal open in front of her. She quickly stepped through, and appeared in the throne room of Cloud Castle. She looked up, and saw Spectra seated at her throne, the six Spectrum Stones still orbiting some unseen axis.

"What is your idea, Tamara," Spectra inquired, "and why can it not be shared with your teammates."

"Because they'll try to talk me out of it," Tamara replied, folding her arms over her chest to keep them from shaking, "Okay, remember you said the Spectrum Stones are the only things that can contain Nightfall?"

"Yes."

"Well, who's to say you need all of them to do it. Maybe one shard is enough."

Spectra regarded the young woman curiously. "There is a substantial difference between a White Stone and a fragment of it. For instance, a colored fragment wouldn't be able to completely contain the Nightfall. Only a white gem can deflect all the light that would feed it."

"But it's not the fact that it's white that keeps the Nightfall imprisoned, right?" Tamara continued, "The white coloring prevents light from entering, and therefore makes Nightfall weak. But it's the actual geometric shape and magical properties of the prism that contained the Nightfall."

Spectra blinked. "An interesting hypothesis, but if the Nightfall is allowed to gain energy, then it can free itself from the colored fragment. Can it not?"

"Not if the fragment is placed somewhere where there is no penetrating light. If we can find a vault for it, to keep the Nightfall, we can buy ourselves time to find another White Stone, and capture it for good! We've already seen that the Denebians somehow managed to get the Nightfall from the core of a Sun. It'd be safer if you hid it here, so long as they don't know where it was hidden. Like, how about deep within the surface of a planet?"

Spectra then rose from her throne, clasping her hands in front of her, "There is another significant difference between a shard and the entire White Stone. The geometric design of the White Stone is formatted so it actually can suck darkness into itself, like a vacuum. That property is practically disabled in the shard. The Nightfall won't be forced into the crystal, as it was in the White Stone centuries ago."

Tamara huffed with exasperation, letting her body drop to the floor. She sat on the cold golden tiles, tipping her chin to the large window stretching nearly completely across the eastern wall. From her vantage point, she gazed into the thick darkness that was created by the black Nightfall. However, unlike normal evenings, there was no moon to cast its gentle light to the Earth. Without the sun, the moon had no light to reflect. The sun was the energy source that powered all the immediate light in the solar system. It was the source of life, supporting everything that lived on Earth.

Just then, an idea occurred to the former Yellow Enforcer.

"Spectra," she said, tilting her eyes towards the mentor of the Spectrum Force, "The Nightfall is attracted to energy, right? That's how it finds the stars to consume."

Spectra nodded. "The Nightfall is attracted to life and light energy like a moth responds to a flame."

"Then, maybe a shard could attract the Nightfall!" Tamara declared, rising to her feet with newfound optimism.

"But, the White Stone does not have any life energy within it," Spectra pointed out, "Its energy is magically generated. There's a difference."

"But I can use it to reflect my own life energy, right?" Tamara pointed out, "A Spectrum Stone is capable of a lot. It takes in the power of the sun and transforms it into magical power. Can it somehow feed off life energy in a similar way?"

Spectra's inquisitive expression collapsed into a deep frown. "Such an action is extremely dangerous and ineffective. That is why I never informed the Spectrum Force of this ability. Yes, the Stone can reflect the life force of an individual, but the amount of energy within a single human being is so weak in comparison to a star, that it can only sustain a single energy burst."

"Could that energy burst lure the Nightfall into the shard?" Tamara asked, locking her eyes with Spectra's in a demanding manner.

Spectra's brow wrinkled in thought, and she turned away from Tamara to glance at the six Spectrum Stones.

"To be honest, Child... I do not know. That faint energy burst would have a different source than your usual powers, and it would be impossible for a person to sustain for longer than a moment. However, since it does originate from a living being, instead of a lifeless star, then it would be probable that the energy would be attractive to the Nightfall." Spectra then descended the row of stairs, and stood beside the pensive Yellow Enforcer. "The plan of action that you are considering is inadvisable, Tamara. It is extremely dangerous for the harbinger of the Spectrum Stone, and while it is possible that it will work, there are many hypotheses that must be true for it to work out. We cannot be sure that the Nightfall will enter the stone, or that it will be trapped within. There are properties of a shard that are not true with the whole. The effect of the combination between the Nightfall and the gem, as well as the connection between the Nightfall and the holder of the gem, are completely unknown."

Tamara swallowed, stepping away from Spectra and wrapping her arms tightly around herself. "I... I know it may not work. In fact, it probably won't work. But, do we have any other options that don't leave us with a dead planet?"

Spectra met Tamara's demanding gaze, and shook her head. "You are right. This is the only option we have that gives Earth a chance."

"Then it's what we're gonna do," Tamara decided, "I'm flying into the Nightfall, and I'll flash my life energy with the help of the stone. Hopefully, that flash will attract the parasite to investigate the crystal, and then its own momentum will push it into the crystal."

"Once the Nightfall is within the gem, you will automatically be reverted back into your human form," Spectra said quietly, "You will not be able to sustain the transformation into a Spectrum Enforcer with that darkness in the core of the gem. You'll be killed in moments."

Tamara's mouth opened slightly, and her lips began to tremble. She then pursed her rose lips together, and took a deep, calming breath. "If I die, will you be able to transport the yellow shard back here? Will you be able to contain it somewhere, so the Nightfall will be under control?"

Spectra nodded solemnly. "I am the one selected by Luminous to guard this White Stone. When the individual I deem worthy of holding a shard perishes, the shard automatically returns to me. The bond between the gem and the Enforcer breaks, so it becomes mine again."

Tamara smiled weakly. "So, if I don't make it, the gem will return."

"It should," Spectra corrected, "Once the Nightfall is within the gem, I don't know what the consequences will be. Still, I should be able to find it through my bond to the shards."

"So, is this plan a go?" Tamara asked, biting her lower lip as she awaited Spectra's response.

The ancient White Denebian descended the stairs, and placed her hands on Tamara's shoulders. To the young human's amazement, a smile crossed Spectra's ivory visage. "I must admit, I am impressed by your ingenuity, selflessness, and bravery. Like I said before, I am not your commander, so I cannot force you to make any plan of action. While your plan is risky, and while the costs will be great in your loss, the chances of it working are high enough that the plan grants consideration. If you can get the Nightfall into your gem, I can make sure it stays there."

Tamara sniffled quietly at the vote of confidence, and wrapped her arms around the stoic alien. Although she was slightly unraveled by the display of affection, Spectra returned the hug with almost maternal warmth. After a few moments, Tamara pulled away. Slowly, and with tears streaking down her pale face, Tamara walked up the stairs, and took her stone from the circling ring. She then found her silver band, which was lying on a pillar next to the throne. The gemstone connected to the ring immediately, and she slid it onto her finger.

"For the last time," she whispered, "Spectrum Sync... YELLOW!!"

In a bright flash of light, Tamara was once again the Yellow Enforcer. She descended the stairs, and stood in front of Spectra.

"Can... can you do me a favor?" she asked.

"Certainly."

"Tell Keith, and the others, that I had to do it. And tell them that I love them all."

"I will. Farewell, Tamara Fox."

"Bye," Tamara whispered, her body trembling as she floated off the ground. She waved, and passed through the window. After a wistful glance at Cloud Castle, and the city below, she flew into space. She moved as quickly as she could, streaking towards the Sun. She could feel her energy lowering, since her Spectrum Stone had only a little left. Still, she was determined she would reach her destination.

"Sheesh," Jocelyn muttered, glancing at her watch, "how long has Tammy been in the bathroom? It's been fifteen minutes."

"Maybe she got lost," Matt offered, the scowl on his face freezing his features.

"I'll go look for her," Rachel said, "She's probably really upset."

Chris watched as Rachel left the waiting area towards the restrooms. He turned towards the doors leading into the actual hospital, and saw Keith walk through them, his hands in his pockets and his ocean eyes bloodshot and dull. All four teens hurried to meet him.

"What's happened? How is he?" Craig pressed.

"He's alive," Keith said in a voice barely above a whisper, "Fortunately the arrow missed any major organs, but it was a hair's length from puncturing his heart. Still, he's lost a lot of blood. He... he may not make it through the night..."

Keith's voice died as he pushed through his friends, and sat down heavily on a bench, holding his face in his hands. He then ran his hands up his flushed face and through his blonde hair. "My mother's still with him," he revealed, "and Connie is waiting there too. I... I don't know... I just couldn't... take it anymore!"

Keith's voice quivered once again, and fresh tears welled in his eyes. The confident, hot-headed Red Enforcer was replaced by a broken young man, who gazed down a path of endless night. "Why did this have to happen?" he asked no one in particular, his voice shuddering as he gasped for air, "What if he doesn't make it? We never got along well, but I... I always thought we'd straighten out our differences eventually..."

"Oh Keith," Jocelyn whispered, sitting beside him and wrapping him in a warm hug, "I'm so sorry..."

Keith let his hurt and depression overwhelm his senses, and he returned the hug with near desperation, as if he was trying to hold on to some sense of comfort by clutching Jocelyn's small frame.

Suddenly, however, something just felt wrong in the pit of his being. He quickly pulled away from his friend, and glanced around at the others. "Hey," he said quietly, "Where's...?"

"Guys," Rachel called at that moment, running towards the congregation, "Tamara's gone."

Keith turned to Rachel, his eyes wide. "What do you mean 'gone'?"

"She's not in the bathroom," Rachel clarified, "A nurse said she saw a young woman go into the bathroom about fifteen minutes ago, but she didn't see anyone come out. And she's not in the bathroom now."

"Then, where is she?" Chris asked.

"Do you think she went to see Spectra?" Matt offered.

"Without telling the rest of us?" Rachel asked skeptically, "That's not like Tammy."

Suddenly, all six heroes heard a strong voice echoing in their heads. *Spectrum Force, this is Spectra. Please go to the parking lot outside the building you are now in. There is a portal waiting for you, and the coast is clear of onlookers. And hurry. It is important.*

After about ten minutes of flight in the form of a beam of light, Tamara reverted herself into her normal form. She could feel the pressure building in her chest, giving testament to her low energy supply. But she ignored the pain, and flew forward. Her expression hardened when she slowed to a halt, just outside the black cloud that masked the sun.

"Incredible," she whispered, just within the space of the cloud. To her surprise, her voice carried through the Nightfall. Whereas sound cannot pass through the void of space, the Nightfall served as a sound medium.

Here goes everything... she thought, passing deeper into the cloud. Inside the cloud was an eerie sound that was slightly reminiscent of suction. Without giving it another thought, Tamara pulled off her glove, revealing her ring. She held her breath and concentrated, as if trying to push her focus through the gemstone. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw the blackness start to pour into the ring as if it were a drain.

It's working! she realized in excitement. But after a few minutes, she shivered in fear at the realization that the ring had turned from bright yellow to heavy black.

"Oh God," she whispered in panic, as the inky blackness continued to pour into the ring. First, the gemstone turned black. Then, the silver band turned black.

"What's happening?!" she shrieked, as the Nightfall continued to drain. Suddenly, Tamara felt her arm grow numb. She stared at her bare hand, and in horror, she noticed her skin. It had turned pitch black.

A terrified, anguished scream was the last sound to pass from Tamara Fox's lips.

"What's going on?" asked Keith wearily, folding his arms. At this point, it took all the strength in his body to keep himself at all calm. His father was dying. He failed his planet. His love was nowhere to be found. There was enough tragedy weighing on Keith's mind to bring him to his knees.

"Spectra?" Rachel asked, stepping closer to the podium. Spectra's eyes were closed in deep concentration, and a grim frown crossed her face. The former Spectrum Force knew it could only mean bad news. All the individuals present noticed that the Spectrum Stones remained on the podium beside Spectra's throne, indicating that she hadn't yet joined them into the White Stone to capture Nightfall.

"Guys!!" Jocelyn shrieked, staring out the large window, "Look!!"

Matthew, Rachel, Chris, and Craig joined Jocelyn at the western window, and gazed out in shock. Although it was early evening, the Sun was visible over the horizon. The entire sky was slowly taking on a navy blue shade, far brighter than the thick blackness that covered it for hours.

"I... I don't understand," Matt choked, glancing from the Spectrum Stones to the window and back again, "I thought there was no hope..."

"I told you not to give up!" Jocelyn shrieked with excitement, tightly hugging her good friend. Overcome with relief and joy, Rachel enthusiastically kissed Chris, who returned the gesture with equal gusto. As a team, five young heroes then embraced in a group hug of victory. Once again, against impossible odds, good triumphed over evil. Miraculously, the Nightfall was defeated, without the sacrifice of the White Stone.

But Keith didn't join his friends at the window, in their celebration at the salvation of the planet. Of course, he was greatly relieved that Earth would continue. The dark empire of the Denebians hadn't won yet. But in the core of his being, he knew the future wasn't as bright as it looked at the moment. And Spectra's frown was a testament to that.

"Spectra," Keith said again, turning to the wise sage, "where's Tamara?"

"Yeah," said Craig, stepping away from the window, "She disappeared at the hospital! Do you know where she went?"

But Spectra was still oblivious to the words of her Spectrum Force. In frustration, as well as in response to the overwhelming dread that began building in his heart, Keith ascended the golden stairs, intending on jarring Spectra from her magical reverie. From atop the podium, he had a clear view of the pillar upon which lay the Spectrum Stones. His eyes widened when he noticed only five stones were present.

"No," he whispered, falling to his knees to see if the yellow stone had fallen, "it's not what I think it is..."

"Keith?" Chris said, watching his best friend's actions, "Are you okay, man?"

"No I'm not!" he yelled, standing up and grabbing Spectra's shoulders, "Wake up, dammit!!"

Spectra's eyes shuttered open, and she gazed into Keith's panicked eyes. He released her, and stepped back, allowing the White Denebian to walk past him, and descend the stairs. She stopped at the window, and gazed at the sun in the distance. Sure enough, it looked healthy and strong.

"Success," she said quietly. While her voice carried some sense of relief, her frown didn't soften. She then turned back to the six teenagers, who stood in a row.

"Can you please explain what's going on?" Matt said, still in shock at their sudden victory, "It doesn't make sense."

"And where's Tamara?!" Keith demanded, "Her stone's gone!"

"What?!" said Rachel, turning to her friend with wide eyes, "You're kidding."

"No, I'm not," Keith said, an impatient frown on his face, "Would I kid around about something like this?"

Spectra held up her hand, signaling silence from her young team. "Tamara came to me about twenty minutes ago, asking for permission to attempt a very dangerous method of capturing the Nightfall without putting an end to the Spectrum Force. She hypothesized that a single shard of the White Stone, as opposed to the entire crystal, would be sufficient in capturing the Nightfall. She was determined to save the planet. And so she went into the Nightfall as the Yellow Enforcer, intending to seal the Nightfall in her Spectrum Stone."

"But, even if it did work, there's no way Tammy could survive it... is there?" Jocelyn whispered, her hand slowly rising to her lips.

Spectra shook her head solemnly. "I lost telepathic contact with the Yellow Enforcer minutes before I contacted you. I tried to re-establish communication, but there is nothing out there. I cannot locate the yellow stone either. It is as if she has vanished from reality. Moments later, the Nightfall completely disappeared, allowing the Sun to shine on Earth again."

"She's... dead?" Keith inquired quietly, his voice weak with denial.

Spectra nodded, her grim expression deepening. "Tamara sacrificed her life, so her planet can live on. The Spectrum Force may be down one, but they can still provide ample defense against the Denebians."

"And that's it?" Keith growled, clenching his fists tightly, "She's just dead, end of story? Why didn't you stop her?!"

"I couldn't," Spectra answered, "Tamara was determined to try her best to save Earth."

"Why... why didn't she tell us?" Jocelyn choked, tears forming in her fawn eyes, "I mean, she could've at least... said goodbye."

Spectra smiled weakly at the young Orange Enforcer, at to the girl's surprise, she noticed a watery film over the sage's eyes. "She knew you would try to discourage her," Spectra said gently, "She told me to tell you all that she had to do this, and that she loved you all dearly."

At that, Rachel squeezed her eyes tightly, and covered her face with her hands. Chris' eyes gathered moisture, and he gathered Rachel into his arms, stroking her deep brown hair gently as she leaned weakly into his chest. Jocelyn too began to cry outright, and sat down on the golden floor right where she was standing. Craig leaned against the nearest wall, his eyes wide with shock, and wet with tears of sorrow. Matthew was crying as well, wiping at his eyes and trying his best to fight it. Keith looked at all his friends, his fists clamped so tightly that his knuckles became white. His entire body trembled with anguish.

"First my father, and now Tammy," he whispered, tears spilling from his eyes. He looked up at Spectra, his blue eyes enraged and crazed. "Get me outta here! NOW!!"

"Take back your Spectrum Stones," she commanded, "You are the Spectrum Force again, sworn to protect Earth. Tamara sacrificed her life so the team could continue to fight for the planet."

Keith hurried up the steps, and grabbed the red stone immediately. He then transformed himself into a beam of light, and streaked out the window, leaving the other Enforcers to mourn Tamara Fox without him.

His mind swimming, his last clear thought was to escape. He couldn't bear to fall apart in front of his friends.