As Edward and Lena walked together towards the War Room through the Watchpoint's depopulated Hangar 18 - a common sight on the base as Overwatch's numbers was a shadow of its former self - the latter's phone rang.

"Who could that be?" Edward asked as Lena fished her phone out of her jacket's pocket. The screen displayed an incoming video call from a certain red-headed woman. Her happy youthful visage was peppered with freckles on her nose and cheeks which added more to her personal charm. "Is this who I think she is?"

"Uh-oh, I think I'm in trouble now..." Lena muttered under her breath and picked up her call, but thankfully, the cheerful face that appeared on the screen lifted her worries away.

Sensing it would be rude to stand so close, Edward decided to move away from them and chat with ATHENA about the seemingly decommissioned OSS-7 Aurora - an atmospheric aircraft similar to the MV-261 Orca, but much smaller and was only intended as troop transport instead of an aerial command center. Lieutenant Maria Estrada was the aircraft's designated pilot, but she was nowhere to be found as she didn't answer Overwatch's recall. With nobody to pilot it coupled with severe internal disrepair, the aircraft remained suspended on the hangar's maintenance dock above them.

"Hey Em!" Lena chirped, a wide smile curled on her lips.

"Hey babe!" chimed the redhead. "You haven't called in days. You had me worried you know?"

"Aw I'm sorry luv, a lot of things happened lately. You wouldn't believe it if I tell you."

"Good or bad?" Emily asked, her expression changed from happiness to a bit of anxiety.

"All good!" Lena immediately answered, struggling not to look elsewhere and maintaining her voice pitch on its normal cheery state. "Anyway babe, there's someone I'd like you to meet. Oi Edward!"

Hearing his name, Edward excused himself from his chat and walked briskly towards the Brit, shooting her a questioning smile.

"Edward, meet Emily. Emily, meet Edward."

"Hello Emily, it is so nice to finally meet Lena's girlfriend! She told me so much about you."

"Hahaha, the pleasure is all mine, Edward. Only the good things, I hope. Though, I have to say, after seeing you in person Lena's stories are definitely outdated." Emily chuckled, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.

"Well, I’m not the one with the Chronal Accelerator. Time affects me, unlike Lena here." The crusader shrugged.

"Listen, I know you two are busy so I won't keep you any longer. But, Edward, may I ask you a favor?"

"Of course!"

"Take care of Lena for me, please? Sometimes she doesn't know her limits." Emily sighed.

"H-hey! I am right here!" Lena protested.

"Worry not, Emily." Edward assured her, smiling gently "Lena is completely capable of that. But regardless, you have my word, and my shield."

"And yourself too, of course. I am looking forward to meet you in person. Come home soon, Lena...I miss you a lot."

"I miss you too, babe. Take care of yourself, okay? Love you."

"Love you too," replied Emily before ending the call by blowing a kiss to the camera.

"You are very lucky to have her by your side," Edward said as Lena put her phone back to her jacket.

"M-hmm, she is just the best. I sometimes think I don't deserve her at all." The Brit smiled as they resumed their walk to the War Room.

"So, next time we are away on missions, try not to take a stomach-full of bullets again, understand? Stay where I can protect you. Lena, I'd hate to see you get hurt or worse. I made a promise to the lady, and I intend to keep it," he concluded, his tone leaving no room for negotiations, eyes locking onto hers.

"As you said before, I can take care of myself. But...of course, and thank you for your concern, luv. And I really hope you don't end up like a pot who calls a kettle black. Remember, we don't need you to be a hero, we need you in one piece." Lena smiled warmly, giving his arm a quick hug as they walked.

"I'll try not to disappoint."

Before they could even exit the hangar however, the usually open sliding doors closed on them. The sudden anomaly was followed by rapid footsteps approached them from behind...accompanied by the sound of cocking guns. Lena and Edward spun on their heels, and saw ten men pointing their assault rifles at them, they were positioned tactically all over the room, 5 of them were set up on the ground floor while the rest took aim from the suspended walkways and balconies. They were clad in Overwatch blue body armor, but these men weren't part of those who answered the Recall.

"It's those bloody Talons we took in...damn it!" Lena cursed under her breath.

Edward cracked his neck and stretched his shoulders, a dark smile appearing on his face.

"Well, lookie here boys! Our first kills of the day," a bald man shouted as an ox stepped forward, pointing his rifle at the two.

Lena recognized him as the Talon captain Jesse and Genji had interrogated during their induction to Overwatch. He turned his attention to Lena who just ejected her pulse pistols from her gauntlets, a nasty scowl on her face. "Or maybe we should fuck that deviant whore in every hole first, turn her into the real woman she should be. I will make you watch as she screams, then we will slit her throat and break your neck."

"Now now, why did you have to say that? I’m afraid I’ll have to teach you some manners as your parents clearly have failed to do so." Edward grinned in an unsettling manner, like a predator ready to tear its preys apart.

"Oh? And how will you do that? Will you spank our bums?"

Edward chuckled darkly. "No. You will stand still and not move an inch."

As if on command, the Talon operators froze on the spot. Their facial expressions showing signs of intense struggle to even move their fingers, which would not budge at all. But most of all, they were horrified. Next to him, Lena's boiling blood subsided into amusement.

"I haven't the time to do this all day with you, I think you learned your lessons and I am prepared to send you home. AFTER you apologized to the lady, AND tell us who else is being naughty and why you are being unruly. Do I make myself clear?"

Of course, no answers of confirmation or denial came; as their mouths were shut tight by an unseen arcane force. Edward lowered the force field surrounding their mouths.

"Fuck you motherfucker!" spat the captain. The rest were silent, yet maintained deviant gazes towards him.

Edward lifted the captain from the suspended walkway he was standing and set him down in front of him and, with one swift motion slammed his robotic arm into the operative's face with a loud sickening crunch emitting from the blow. Blood cascaded down his swelling nostrils like a waterfall. Normally, a person would have fall flat on their backs from such a blow, yet Edward's arcane grip kept him eerily still. Edward grabbed the captain on his collar, and looked him dead in his eyes.

"There are ten of you here, yes? Then I shall give you exactly ten attempts for you to both apologize and answer my question. Fail to apologize, answer inappropriately, try to lie to me, make me wait too long...and I will make you shoot at your own men. Piece by piece."

"You'd never--"

His deviance was interrupted as Edward's telekinetic manipulation moved his limbs on command, not unlike how a puppeteer would control a marionette by its strings. The captain unwillingly lifted his rifle, took aim, and fired four times at the nearest standing operator. The high velocity 5.56mm armor piercing bullets tore through his kneecaps, and thighs - rupturing the femoral arteries which caused him to bled out rapidly, screaming inhumanly. Again, instead of falling over, the operative remained locked in place, standing like a bleeding statue. Soon enough, blood started pooling by his boots.

At that moment, both the captain and Lena's amusement instantly vanished.

"Nine attempts to go," Edward said coldly, his tone cold and merciless.

"He's a grunt anyway, no major loss." The captain smirked, still trying to maintain his crumbling foolhardiness.

This time, Edward forced the captain to aim at those perched on the suspended bridge leading to the OSS-7 Aurora. He pulled to the trigger, and fired twice. The rounds found their mark on an operator's shoulders, tearing the arms completely from their sockets. They fell to the hangar floor, spattering blood all over the impact point. As if in a macabre orchestra, pained howls began to fill the hangar which was slowly turning into a slaughterhouse.

"Based on the two you just shot, I estimate they will all bleed out in minutes. But you can still save the rest, 8 attempts to go."

"Bloody hell, what the fuck are you doing?!" Lena growled. At that point her amusement had completely vanished. She grabbed Edward's shoulder and forcefully turned him to face her. She stared hard into his eyes, a mix of anger and fear filled her own, only to be petrified of what she saw. The images of a cheery boy running around the Watchpoint were gone, replaced in their stead by a hollow darkness.

"You might want to confess a little faster, captain!" Edward continued his torture, as he shrugged Lena's hands off his shoulders.

This time, Edward made the captain draw his pistol from its drop-leg holster. With one hand still holding on to his rifle and the other taking aim with his side-arm, the captain fired eight consecutive shots at four operators. Using his telekinesis, Edward slowed the bullets to the point where they were only powerful enough to pierce their eyeballs without getting through their brains. Tears of blood gushed out from the wounds and streamed down their faces, accompanied by inhuman screams of pain. The remaining untouched assailants screamed for their lives, to be delivered from their tormentor.

At this point, Lena found it difficult to not retch her breakfast on the floor. She stood there, petrified and powerless to do anything by what she saw. She was all too familiar to the cruelty of warfare, as all Overwatch agents are. But cruelty on such a scale, she never seen nor did. Neither rebel omnics nor Talon butchered their victims in such a way. But this...this was something else. And the one who did it, was someone she thought to never be capable of doing such atrocities. Outside, she could hear people trying to open the door manually on Winston's command, as Talon had apparently overridden the electrical systems so ATHENA cannot intervene. A fatal mistake on their end.

"Four more attempts to--"

"STOP! PLEASE! I'LL DO EVERYTHING YOU WANT!" The captain screamed, bawling and sobbing like a child. Edward nodded, taking away the captain's rifle, pistol, grenades, and combat knife, turning him around to face the one who he insulted. Edward forced the weeping man onto his knees "I-I-I'm sorry f-for t-threatening y-you like that."

Lena did not respond.

"And for the second inquiry?"

"N-nobody else is i-involved! When you brought Sombra in, we saw it as a prime chance to escape! We were planning to grab her, and bail! That's all! I swear it on my mother's grAAAAAAAGGGHHH!" He roared in pain as Edward broke the captain's right hand with his telekinesis, bending it to an unnatural angle.

"W-what the fuck man! He told you what you want, it's all true!" roared one of the unscathed operatives from his back.

The captain hissed in pain, now pale as a ghost, his wall of arrogance having completely been torn down. Now he groveled pathetically on the floor, not unlike a common coward.

"Then I must thank all of you for your cooperation." Edward then created a pistol gesture with his right-hand thumb and pointer finger, and placed the 'barrel' of the gun under his chin. The Talon captain and his men, save from the two who already bled out to death, followed him suit. But instead of their pointer fingers, they put their pistols' barrel under their chins, their screams and howls of terror played like execution drum rolls on Edward's ears.

"P-please! H-have mercy!" croaked the captain amidst cold sweat and ragged breath.

Edward knelt and gazed deeply into the captain's fearful eyes "Mercy? You threatened to rape my friend." he growled and slammed the Talon's head face first to the hangar floor, shattering his lips against his own incisors which also got snapped in the process. Edward grabbed him by the vest and effortlessly lifted him up with one hand, once again looking the captain dead in the eye.

"You set out on killing a lot of people on this base. Had you not ran into us, you probably would have done so. Of course, this is not your first rape and murder is it? And now you dare beg for mercy? No captain, you do not ask for mercy to men like me. Now, auf wiedersehen."

He brought his thumb down in the manner of how a gun's hammer would come down each time the trigger is pulled. Eight simultaneous gunshots echoed throughout the hangar. Edward stood up, and ceased his arcane grip on the now dead operatives, they slumped to the floor...blood gushing out from the gaping holes on the top of their skulls. As Edward's face was only a hair away from the captain's own as the shower of gore blew from the latter's cranium, his face was covered with the captain's fresh blood...still gazing into the Talon's terrified dead eyes. He finally broke eye contact, stood, and turned towards Lena.

"Are you alright, Lena?"

Returning to her senses, but heavily shaken, Lena only managed to nod slowly.

Suddenly the massive blast doors were torn open from their place, crumpled like a sheet of paper. And where the doors used to be stood Luna, Lightning, Winston, Reinhardt, Jesse, and a dozen of Overwatch soldiers ready for battle. Before Edward could do anything further, Luna's horn glowed with magic, and a flash of intense white light was the last thing he saw before blackness consumed him once more.

As his consciousness return to him, Edward found himself seated on a metallic chair bolted to the floor. His arms and legs were restrained by thick steel clamps. He realized that he was being held at the base's detainment facility, probably as precaution after the twisted 'this little piggy' act he pulled off on the hangar. Of course, Overwatch Military Codex would have condemned the traitors with capital punishment anyway, but perhaps Edward's methods were too...violent for them to handle. So there was another possibility that he was being punished for his actions, not that he could not rip these shackles off himself, but this time his captors were people he considered to be his own kin. They must have a good reason in doing so.

Speaking of which, just because he was curious, Edward tried to concentrate his telekinetic grip on the clamps restraining his limbs. To no avail. It was then when his eyes fell on a bluish metal ingot sitting by his feet, the kind of which he could not recognize. It didn't take him long for him to conclude that this strange ingot was the reason behind his inability to use his power.

The stark white cell's eerily silent monotony was broken when it's sliding door opened with a hiss, revealing Winston, Luna, and Lightning on the other side.

"You're awake, good. How are you feeling?" the alicorn asked as they entered the room, smiling slightly.

"Well, aside from these binding shackles, I am fine. If I may ask, why am I restrained? Is it because what I did to those traitors?"

"After you dealt with the rogues, your magic energy was too volatile. I was worried you might harm yourself and others around you, so I knocked you out. Although I never would have thought the results would be so macabre, instability is prone to happen when such a powerful energy is kept dormant for an extended period of time. I instructed the others to keep you here, as a safety precaution to others."

"Well? Is it okay to free him now?" Winston crooked his eyebrow, Luna nodded. The scientist mirrored the gesture to a guard waiting by the cell's door, and in a flash, the steel clamps were disengaged.

"My apologies about that, Edward. ATHENA, please tell Doctor Ziegler to breathe easy, everything is under control."

"At once, Winston," came the AI's reply.

"It is fine, you did what was necessary."

Edward got up from his seat with a groan and stretched his stiff limbs. He turned his attention to the bluish metal ingot lying on the floor, and knelt down to pick it up. He balanced it on his hands, feeling it, and studying it carefully, Luna was about to say something but refrained herself until he made his conclusion.

"An alloy of iron, cobalt, no. This is something else. What is this?"

"We call it, dimeritium. This metal prevents the transfer of magical energy. If you wear or are in the proximity of one, you wouldn't be able to use your powers in any way. Effective against magic wielders but useless against those without such abilities. There are, however, known cases where extremely powerful mages manage to overcome the restraints generated by dimeritium. Without it, these shackles would be useless as you could have easily rip them off your limbs should you went berserk."

As Luna finished her explanation, she took away the ingot with her mouth and placed it inside her saddlebag. Then, they proceeded to exit the facility.

"So, will you please tell me what happened?" Winston asked.

"I was on my way to the war room with Lena. Emily called, we talked a bit. Talon rebels cornered us, thought they had the upper hand. They said something about...ahem, having their way with Lena and making me watch while they have their way with her before killing us both. Well, you know the rest. By the way, how is Lena? Where is she now?"

Winston crinkled his face in disgust upon hearing what those Talons had planned for them. "She is in the medical wing with Angela and Reinhardt. A bit shaken, but physically she is fine. Before you...er, executed them, did you learn anything from them at least?"

"Well done, you inconsiderate pile of shit." Edward mentally slapped himself upon realizing that he had potentially traumatized Lena for life. He will have to make it up to her somehow.

"To put it simply, they were going to free Sombra, kill everyone who gets in their way, and escape. Thankfully, nobody else were involved in their scheme. They had the element of surprise, had they not ran into us they very well might have done so. Speaking of which, has our Sleeping Beauty woke up from her slumber?"

"Well, by human standards I suppose she is rather attractive, despite her cyber-- oh, OH! Okay, I get the reference." Winston smiled shyly, causing his two companions to laugh at his antic. Lightning however, remained stoic.

"Unfortunately, she is still out cold. Thankfully though, Lightning's electric blast did not damage the cybernetics grafted on her brain and spine, so aside from the immense pain before fainting, no harm was done. It's only a matter of time before she's up. I made sure of it. Before you ask, don't worry, I only restored the cybernetics' base functions, enough to keep her alive. But I bet my right arm she won't be messing with our computers, nor cripple us with that infamous EMP blast of hers."

"Good. I want to have a little chat with her once she is awake. I assume she is in this very facility, yes?"

"In the maximum-security block, yes. However, I feel obliged to remind you, to not do any unnecessary violence to her. She is a VIP, and we need her cooperation. We don't need another body bag, I-I hope you understand."

"Fret not, my friend." Edward smirked, patting his friend's shoulder. "My tongue is made from the finest silver. And I must have a word with the inner council to re-evaluate our conscription procedure. I trust I don't have to remind you about the whole situation in the hangar?"

"Yes, tomorrow then. Same time, same place."

"I shall be there as well, there is something I wish to propose before we got so rudely interrupted," chimed Luna, who remained silent through the whole conversation.

"Ah yes, this brings Fizzlepop to my attention. Tell me, do you have any idea how to help her at all?"

Luna's eyes seemed hopeful as well upon hearing this question. But, would it be right to make Overwatch to dabble in a field they barely understand, while they have more urgent problems to worry about? Not to mention, their time and resources were also limited. But, in Equestria, she knew nopony else who would do anything for the poor mare. At least she should give Overwatch a chance, right?

"I suppose I must wait for Angela's report about her anatomy and physiology before I can even begin to think about the cybernetics. So regretfully, I cannot say much right now. BUT, but...based on the Castillo mission, I managed to read plenty of bio-electric activities each time you used your magics. Maybe I have to start constructing micro electro generators as the primary catalyst for the prosthetic horn. Along with the cybernetic grafts for the brain and spine of course. L-Luna, I told Edward yesterday that I'd love to come to your training session today, he said yes, but I'd like to ask you myself. Can I come?"

"Of course you may! But I have to say Winston, even we Equestrians have given up on her. Neither medicine nor magic in our world could repair such a damage. You have your own concerns to worry about, more urgent expenses which would require all available resources at your disposal. If you feel that this would cost you a heavier burden, don't hesitate for a second to quit from this endeavor. Nopony would blame you." said Luna. "We do not wish to trouble you more than we already have."

Edward showed the alicorn his cybernetic left arm without speaking, implying that there was hope of repairing Fizzlepop's horn. Maybe it was not perfect, but it would be better than to be left with completely nothing.

"Trouble? Nonsense, Luna! You are very welcome to stay as long as you wish, and this is also a prime opportunity for us to study about magic from a scientific point of view, a privilege which I daresay, possessed only by us. We will do our best, don't worry." Winston assured the Moon Princess with a warm smile. "Tonight, I'll bring my MRI drones to get a good read on what is really happening to you when your powers are at play."

"Thank you, Winston. We will never forget this." Luna smiled.

"Do not thank us yet, princess," Edward said. "We still have to find the Spark of Life. If anybody knows it, it would be one of Talon's inner council members. One of which, is unconscious in the detention facility. We will squeeze every last piece of information from her regarding this matter."

"I might have a way to help you with that." Luna grinned mischievously. "One which is less...violent."

"Agent Berg, please report to the armory." ATHENA's voice echoed through the Watchpoint's P.A. speakers.

"It seems I will have to visit the armory first before anything else."

"We shall speak more of this during your training." Luna said, stopping him. "Which starts two hours from now, don't be late."

"I won't." Edward winked before taking his leave.

"Your father allowed you to make this hideous modification?! Damn idiot must've lost his mind! If he is here right now, I'd like to hammer some sense into that thick skull of his!" Torbjörn seethed, hitting his forging hammer on the disassembled shoulder missile launcher which got damaged on the previous mission to Castillo. The sudden sharp noise caused Edward's eardrums to ring.

"Well uncle, he agreed on my prospect to add more firepower and attack range. And you have to admit it, the base suit lacks range," the young Crusader replied in a measured voice.

"Do you know why the Crusaders do not arm their armor with any explosive ordinance? Pray tell!" The engineer fumed again.

"We are prone to get shot, and so, if anything penetrated the armor and hit anything volatile, namely missiles...we are done for, as we have no way to escape the suit. And that could endanger the entire team taking cover behind me."

"EXACTLY!" Torbjörn let out a sigh of frustration. "I get it, you want to add more offensive capability to your arsenal. But whoever had worked on these launchers, probably want you dead. Both the missiles and launchers are too bulky, no missile shielding...I am telling you kid, you are very lucky the particle beam did not trigger the missiles."

"So, what can be done?"

"Until I can figure out a way to compensate your losses, no missile launchers. Understand?"

Edward mentally cursed as he lost his primary means of ranged attack, but he indeed felt someone had hit his stomach with a sledgehammer when he elaborated the reason why a Crusader's armor was not armed with any explosive ordinance. In his transitioning days from being a Knight Commander of the Order of the Dawn to donning the mantle of Crusader, he would take jobs here and there as a lone wolf, so he would need an effective way of wiping out enemies as quickly as possible by his lonesome. And his answer was - more firepower the better.

But now...he was no longer a lone wolf, but a member of a pack. And it was his responsibility to be their shield, not their doom.

"I understand, thank you uncle. Is there anything else you would like to discuss?"

"I do. Although the results are a bit...messy, you saved us from a lot of trouble today. And also, yesterday with that mech. You deserve a reward, so, I am allowing you to pick anything from the armory, free of charge."

"Oh! Um, I believe that will not be necessary, uncle. I have all I need with me."

"Really?" The engineer smirked underneath his bushy blond beard "You won't be interested in this?" he asked, pointing at a steel grey rectangular weapon container beside him which Edward had failed to notice earlier. The engineer turned the container's rotary lock, resulting in a clicking sound and a steady hiss. The container automatically opened itself, revealing the weapon that was stored within.

It appeared to be a German longsword, but if it were to be brought to the Middle Ages, every knight would gaze at it with shock and awe. The weapon was clearly more advanced than its medieval counterpart, looking more like a machine rather than something hand forged. Even the black scabbard, which hugged the blade's shape perfectly, looked robotic.

"This is Siren, a little pet project of mine," said the engineer, with a smile of satisfaction. "Draw it."

Needing no further command, Edward placed his right hand on the sword's black hilt, while his left held the scabbard near the longsword's steel grey cruciform hilt and carefully parted the weapon from its sheath, letting out a metallic hiss as it was being pulled away.

After the longsword fully came into view, his eyes filled with astonishment, and his heart swelled with pride. The longsword's gleaming silver blade, cruciform hilt, and circular pommel were shining with a lustrous glow. Its morphology was based on the XVIa longsword type, according to Edward's memory on Oakeshott typology - the blade was long and slowly tapering, with a flat hexagonal blade cross-section and a fuller running along one third of the blade - perfect for both thrusting and cutting.

However, Edward knew very well that there was something else to this weapon. The unearthly gleam and high-pitched whistle each time he swung the sword ascertained him that this was in fact, a vibrosword.

Vibroswords, like all vibroweapons in general, are equipped with vibro-generators - energy emitting machines sent out high-frequency sonic pulses that could cause anything attached to it to be sent into an extremely quick vibration, most often found in the hilt or handle of the weapon. This frequency enabled the weapon to weaken the molecular bonds of anything it strikes, and therefore should it make contact with something, the vibrations rippled across the material, destroying a giant portion of the target and damaging it more devastatingly than a regular version of the weapon. This caused even the slightest glancing blow to potentially become a gaping wound, one not even biotics would be capable of instantly closing as the regenerating cells around the wound would also be destroyed.

Another equally noteworthy aspect of the sword, was its material. It was forged from pure meteorite steel and silver with special forging techniques heavily classified by the Ironclad Guild. Ordinary steel will not do for vibroweapon forging. This is because when the vibro-generators were fitted, a mundane steel weapon would immediately crumble due to the high-frequency sonic pulses rupturing it's molecules at a hyper-accelerated pace. As a result, vibroweapons are virtually indestructible. However, other vibroweapons and or energy weapons could be used to counter it.

"No need for words, I know when someone loves my work just by looking at them," he said, still maintaining a smirk on his face.

"I do, uncle. This is a very, very beautiful sword. Overall length, 132 centimeters...blade length, approximately 101,6 centimeters...hilt length, 25 centimeters...and the weight...er, I'd say 1,2 kilograms. I used to have one like this."

"I see you know your swords. All of your measurements are correct," Torbjörn said, surprised. "Whatever happened to the previous one?"

"I...returned it to its rightful owner." Edward smiled softly, returning the longsword to its scabbard, and placing it back down inside the container. "But, why this? Vibroweapons are extremely rare and difficult to forge, not to mention the cost. Uncle, are you sure about this?"

"Difficult?!" Torbjörn laughed out loud. "That would be one hell of an understatement, my boy! Only members of the Ironclad Guild know how to forge one properly, not to mention the material -- but, don't concern yourself with that. You definitely know your swords. I assume you know how to use one?"

"Better than what I know in theory," Edward said pridefully. "Uncle, if I may, I would also like to send some of my personal weapons to you for inspection. If you require payment, I will gladly do so."

"What kind of weapons are we talking about?"

"H&K G36C and 417 rifles."

"Huh, antiques. You must have made some very interesting modifications to keep up with today's weaponry, I would love to take a look at them."

"I will fetch them for you. Maybe you can do a general analysis while you are at it? As a weapon smith, you surely have keener eyes than me, uncle."

"Why not. But may I ask you a favor first? Consider it as payment for me."

"Happily, what is it?"

"Spar with Brigitte, will you? Regularly. Reinhardt is getting too old for this kind of job, and most of those amateurs who answered our recall could not keep up with her. Genji is currently her more regular sparring partner, but she says she's always interested with new opponents."

"Of course, I am also very intrigued to see her fighting prowess."

At that moment, Brigitte walked into the armory with Bastion and its bird friend, Ganymede. The yellow northern cardinal was perched on the omnic's right shoulder, and it seemed to be in a "conversation" with Bastion as both seemed to be chirping and beeping at each other. Edward was absolutely intrigued by how responsive this unit was, as books dedicated to the First Omnic Crisis deemed Bastions to be mindless killing machines with no semblance of personality whatsoever. Despite this new revelation, he kept his distance, just in case.

"I've done the final testings as you asked, papa. Bastion is ready for combat and won't be firing at any Overwatch personnel and or civilians, ever. Oh, hi Ed!" chimed the young Swede. Bastion stopped his talk with Ganymede, walked up to Edward and extended its left hand in greetings.

"Wzzzz.Wooo," beeped Bastion with an inquisitive pitch.

"Oh, hello!" Edward smiled, grasping the former omnic's hand with his own, shaking it. "Hello to you too, Brigitte."

"Good." Torbjörn responded. "If it does act up again, I am turning it into scraps."

"Papa!" Brigitte shot her father a rebuking stare, Bastion however seemed oblivious by his threat. "So, what's going on? Whew, the heat is intense." she wiped the sweat from her forehead with her palm.

"Your papa just gifted Siren to me," Edward said. "And I am your regular sparring partner now. Alongside Genji, Uncle Reinhardt, and others you'd like to beat of course."

"YES!" the brunette cheered. "Congrats on Siren by the way, I sure hope you know how to use her. It sickens me to see such a beautiful blade just sitting there doing nothing."

Edward chuckled. "Speaking of which, what do you say we do just that, right now." Brigitte nodded furiously, a wide smile etched on her face.

"Grab your gear then," Edward said, retrieving Siren from its container. "The gym ring, fifteen minutes."

After making a quick detour to his aircraft in order to grab his gear, Edward stepped into the gym. He was clad in a spare Crusader undersuit with Siren strapped on his back and a blunt steel longsword about the same size as Siren on his hip, safely secured on the undersuit's tactically placed magnetic weapon holder strips. Normally, he wouldn't wear a sword on his back as his martial doctrine discouraged him to wear one in such a position. The primary reason was, it would be impossible to draw a sword that size from one's back, as a normal human arm would not be able to provide sufficient pulling range.

But, remembering his telekinetic ability has returned, Edward would debunk such reasoning without lifting a hand, literally.

On its own, a Crusader's undersuit was already a formidable combat armor as it was weaved from carbon nano tube, ensuring no conventional bullets or blades will ever go through while also greatly negating blunt force trauma thanks to the hydrostatic gel fitted under the linings and padding. However, the undersuit would be useless when put up against more sophisticated hazards, such as energy weapons.

Of course, he was not expecting to face gunfire during this sparring session, nor he believed he would suffer a grievous wound as he definitely went through worse, but he wore it because if Angela found out that he sparred with no protective equipment on him whatsoever, the good doctor would surely skin him alive. Something he was really trying to avoid.

The gym was rather bustling with activity as a lot of Overwatch's personnel were training, and on the gym ring he saw Fareeha sparring fiercely with Sergeant Zhou with Jesse as referee.

So, Edward stopped by and decided to watch the show. They both traded blows with each other, each giving and getting as good. Fareeha however, had learned the sergeant's attack pattern, and feigned a step, seemingly placing herself right at his hook. But that feign was immediately transformed into a roundhouse kick, hitting Zhou square in the temple, knocking him to the ground. Luckily, his head was protected by a thick foam training helmet, so aside from a ringing head and dazed vision, he won't be suffering from anything else.

Jesse closed the match, and Fareeha proceeded to walk towards a recovering Zhou and helped him on his feet.

"A blow well executed, captain," Zhou said weakly as his head was still spinning.

"That was a good match." Fareeha smiled and gave the sergeant's shoulder a hearty pat.

"Well, well, color me impressed!" Edward smirked as the sergeant was led away by his men to the audience stands.

"You're joking right? After what you did recently, this is all just a sideshow. The entire base is talking about you." She dismissed him as she vaulted over the ring lines "Speaking of which, thanks for the help with those Talons. Shame, would have loved to fight them myself."

"Don't worry, this will not be over anytime soon. You'll have your fill, believe me."

"What's better, we will fight them together."

"To have the legendary Pharah as my air support. Why, it would be an honor." Edward bowed deep in a teasing manner. Seeing this annoyingly ridiculous gesture, Fareeha quickly placed him in a headlock which caused him to tap her locking hand repeatedly as a sign of submission.

"I see you're all suited up. Who's your dance partner?" Jesse asked after Fareeha let him go.

As if on cue, Brigitte entered the gym. Clad in her own protective undersuit, armed with a training mace and a yellow silver-rimmed steel heater shield. Edward knew she's always been athletically shapely, a detail only a blind person would miss, but now, that he focused entirely on her, Edward couldn't help but stare at her like a brute. Toned muscles, ample breasts and lovely hips which seemed to sway each time she took a step - a frame which would put supermodels to shame.

A fair, beautiful face which was complimented by a bright pair of hazel eyes and a long, wavy mane, neatly kept in a ponytail which color resembled that of autumn leaves. Adding to this, were the twin strands of hair elegantly going down just by her ears which only emphasized her beauty. But what really captivated him, was that confident and warm smile which seemed to light up the entire room.

"Edward, du idiot! Sie ist Torbjörns tochter, um Gottes willen!" (Edward you idiot! She is Torbjörn's daughter for God's sake!) he berated himself internally and shake off his musings as Brigitte approached them. He hoped that nobody had noticed his stupid reaction.

"Oh hey! You must be Fareeha Amari. I am Brigitte Lindholm, but please call me Brigitte." She strapped her mace on the undersuit's hip magnetic strip and gave Fareeha her right hand.

Fareeha took her hand and gave it a hearty shake "Call me Fareeha, please. Lindholm...wait, so you are Torbjörn's...?"

Brigitte nodded, still maintaining her smile. "In the flesh, I am looking forward to fighting with you Fareeha." She paused before turning towards her sparring partner "You too of course, Ed."

"We Overwatch brats have to stick together." Fareeha chuckled, throwing her arms on her friends' shoulders. "It feels like another lifetime huh? You know, since we dreamed of joining Overwatch."

"Yes, but unfortunately we are getting off topic here. I would love to go on a spree of nostalgia later, but we are here to spar are we not?" Edward smirked.

Brigitte mirrored his gesture, picked up her mace, and stepped into the ring with her sparring partner. Jesse tossed Edward a training helm, which he caught and donned. Brigitte however, refused hers when the cowboy was preparing to chuck the headgear.

"Don't be ridiculous, put on your helmet." Edward crossed his arms over his chest.

"Well, never needed one before. Nothing bad has ever happened to me, and for your information this is not my first fight," countered the young Swede, still wearing that prideful smirk on her face.

"I see Uncle Reinhardt's bravado bled to you. Very well, don't say I didn't warn you."

"Don't hold back."

"I won't."

Unsheathing the blunt longsword from its leather scabbard, Edward leveled his sword to his midsection, his stance spring-loaded like a snake ready to strike.

His opponent unstrapped her mace, and raised her shield.

Before anybody else could blink, Brigitte arched her weapon and the mace's head shot forward towards Edward's face in an audible whistle, with a cord holding it on to the rest of the weapon. Quickly, instinctively, Edward side-stepped the incoming blow while at the same time parrying with his sword. The deflected ball of solid sand-packed kevlar, quickly returned to the short pole as Brigitte charged forth with her shield raised. Screaming a mighty war cry, she delivered a powerful shield bash before swinging her flail in a flurry of blows.

The shield connected with Edward's torso, causing him to stagger backwards, and for the first few blows to hit his head, face and core, but thanks to the helmet and undersuit, the impact was heavily negated. Still, a bit of blood was pouring from his nose and got into his mouth. Her strikes were powerful enough for him to know that, if he did not wear any protective equipment, they could potentially bruise his ribs and probably cause a minor concussion as well.

Between deftly dodging and parrying with his sword, Edward was very impressed by her sheer speed, precision, and strength. But what's more, her brutality. A normal flail would not be capable of being swung so rapidly with such a deadly accuracy as the steel head would need some time to regain its striking trajectory. It seemed the armor smith had improved the ancient weapon to be suitable for precise close quarters combat, each swing extending the solid striking head with a cord that retracts it back to the pole so that it could be swung again mid-way as the user saw fit.
The spectacle apparently has drawn every single person training in the gym, gathering into a small crowd around the ring. With half of them believing the fight would end in moments, with Brigitte standing as the victor. but the other half had their doubts as well.

Contrary to his bulky frame, Edward's movements were akin to a lizard scurrying across sand. He swiftly dodged, and pirouetted around her, his blade constantly deflecting her blows while riposting at the same time, trying to find a gap in her robust defense, as each of his own blows were met by her heater shield. Putting her entire weight to the front, Brigitte executed a shield bash in order to stagger her opponent, and end this fight with a swift blow to the head.

This was the opening Edward had been waiting for.

Avoiding the powerful charge, he quickly pivoted behind her and, delivered a powerful strike to her right ear with the flat side of his blade. Brigitte was heavily dazed due to the intense pain ringing inside her head, but despite her will to continue fighting, she felt Edward's blade pressed against the side of her neck which supposedly marked the end of the match.

"Yield."

Brigitte however, did not intend to surrender that easily. She spun around, shifting her position away from the blade, while simultaneously swinging her flail - wrapping the cord on Edward's front leg - and pulled. Having not expected his move, the sudden powerful tug caused Edward to lose his footing and fell on his side.

Edward, equally tenacious, twirled his tied leg as leverage in order to bring her into grappling range. He successfully brought her down, and clamped her neck between his legs - quickly cutting off her airway.

"You already fought beautifully! Now yield!" Edward demanded once again.

Brigitte tried to free herself, but with her weapon arm pinned under Edward's leg and her vision quickly blackening, she finally relented and tapped his thigh three times. Edward quickly let her go, and she inhaled deeply as her airway was finally relieved from pressure. At this moment, the crowd was cheering loudly.

"Are you okay?" Edward asked over the audience's cheers as he gently helped Brigitte to her feet.

The young engineer chuckled and wiped beads of sweat streaming down her face. "That was one hell of a fight though, we should do that again ASAP."

"I am your regular sparring partner now anyway." Edward smirked, grimacing a bit as his lips were swelling from Brigitte's flail strike earlier.

They retrieved their weapons which got discarded during the ground fight, and proceeded to exit the ring.

"That was some next level shit, fellas." Jesse grinned while patting their backs heartily, before turning his attention to the rowdy crowd. "Alright y'all, show's over."

"But I’m serious. Thank you very much." Brigitte smiled warmly as they walked some distance away from the ring and sat on a nearby bench.

"Whatever for?" Edward asked as he wiped off the now drying blood from his face.

"For not holding back on me. Aside from you, Reinhardt, and Genji, people here tend to do that when they spar with me. You know, because I am Chief Engineer Lindholm's daughter. Emphasis on, daughter. Yet, I defeated them all the same."

"Your father mentioned something of the sort. And you are very welcome." He smiled and patted her back. "By the way, that was quite an impressive flail, I thought that was a mace at first."

Brigitte smirked pridefully. "You have no idea what I've got in store for you then. I have my own suit you know, not as bulky as yours though."

"Is that so? Why didn't you wear it then?"

"Haha, that is a great way to get yourself killed."

"I couldn't tell if that was a spar or a real fight," Fareeha cut in as she arrived with a med-kit containing a couple of blue glowing biotic tubes. She quickly unpacked them and prepared to administer the healing agent by spraying.

"Alright, don't move."

As she began applying the medication, all of the injuries they sustained in that spar were instantly gone. Aside being drenched in sweat, it seemed like nothing had happened in that match.

"Thanks, Fareeha," said the two in unison.

"So tell me, who taught you to fight like that? I never expect someone of your build to move so..." Brigitte asked, stifling a giggle, "gracefully." Fareeha also seemed to be interested in her query, since she also shot him a questioning glance.

"Just because I am 195 centimeters tall and weighing 90 kilograms, I’m supposed to be slow, rigid, and clumsy?" Edward smirked in return. "Well, when I was younger my parents put me through a lot of martial arts, namely Kyokushin Karate, Aikido, Jiujitsu, and of course, the German school of fencing. I also practiced Wushu for a little bit, before I started law school in the University of Oasis."

"Well, well, what do you know, a brute with a working brain." Fareeha snickered.

"Don't interrupt, Fareeha, or I'll make you sit in the corner. Anyway, back to the main topic, fighting with so many disciplines was difficult at first, but as time went on, I began to develop my own techniques with the base concept of a 'dancing tank'."

"I see your point," said Brigitte. "Felt them, in fact."

"Now now, don't be so glum." Edward squeezed her shoulders. "As I said before, you fight beautifully. Uncle Reinhardt's doctrine of never dropping one's shield seems to be seared into your muscle memory. Your flail techniques are masterful. Tell me, did you practice with an instructor or by yourself?"

"I practiced by myself mostly. Being out on the road with Reinhardt don't exactly give you the opportunity to practice with the masters. Besides, the greatest teacher of all is experience itself, no?" The young armor smith smiled proudly. "Speaking of which, will you show me a few tricks?"

"Gladly. But I have a prerequisite for that to happen."

"Oh yeah? What's that?"

"Defeat me, and you will know everything I know."

"Challenge accepted." Brigitte smirked. "So, what do we do now?"

"Want to go hit the weights?" suggested Fareeha.

"Only if we can get something to eat afterwards. I am actually kinda starving." Brigitte rolled her eyes in amusement.

"I will take care of that." Edward smirked.

After exercising the afternoon away with his friends, making them some fluffy ice cream topped pancakes afterwards (which they wolfed down in minutes), and taking the liberty to freshen up at his room, he was now waiting in front of Winston's laboratory for Luna to arrive. Maybe some people won't bother and would proceed to train first and bathe later, but he was about to begin his first day of arcane training with a sovereign for God's sake. So, he preferred not to reek of sweat. He was still clad in his undersuit, which thanks to its material, only took seconds to dry after he sprayed it with water to rinse away sweat and other not so pleasant secretions. He had Siren strapped on the left side of his hip, and his heavily modified Glock 34 pistol secured on the other. In addition, he also carried a silver DM51 fragmentation grenade and a spare 17-round magazine for his pistol.

Not that he was expecting a fight, but better to have an umbrella ready in case it rains. During his approach to the cliff, he had this distinct feeling of tingling electricity coursing through his system; but he brushed it off as excitement for finally starting his training.

Just before coming there, he thought about checking on Lena - her room only a door away from his own - but he decided it would be best to leave her alone for the day.

"Tomorrow it is then..." Edward mumbled to no one in particular, his eyes panned the skies, painted a vibrant bluish orange as the sun was setting over the horizon.

A bright flash of light caused Edward to cover his eyes, revealing Luna, Lightning, Twilight, Fizzlepop, and Angela as the light died down.

"You arrived early." Luna smiled.

"I'd rather not be late on my first day of training. And the sunsets here are always beautiful." Edward chuckled before turning his attention to Angela. "You look tired Angie. What are you doing here? Why don't you go get some rest? I don't know, spend some time with Genji. I hardly see you two together since I set foot on this rock."

The doctor stretched her tired limbs, letting out a long yawn in the process, before fastening her white medical coat as the cold sea breeze hit her frame. "What can I say, little brother? After a whole day of studying pony physiology, I simply must see how magic works for humans. Besides, after what happened on Hangar 18 today, well, I want to make sure you are alright. And Genji...can wait."

"Speak of the devil." Edward grinned as he saw Genji darting from roof to roof. He quickly made his way down a walkway towards the small group, flipped to the air, and landed gracefully on the ground without so much as making any noise.

"I have a feeling I would find you here," said the cyborg ninja as he took off his mask entirely, revealing his scarred face and light brown eyes underneath.

Seeing the perfect opportunity, Edward asked him to take Angela to their room so she could rest. Genji agreed, but a sharp glare from Angela refrained him from doing so. Seeing there was no way to change her mind, Genji pulled a spare chair from the adjacent satellite dish station for his lover - an offer she gratefully accepted. Angela placed her Caduceus Staff against the wall and slumped on her seat. Throwing his arms up in submission, Edward decided not to push any further.

"How are you doing, Fizzlepop? Any luck with Angie today?" Edward asked gently, kneeling to meet her on eye level. "And I am very sorry about the ruckus that happened in the hangar earlier."

"Well, we chipped out a bit of my horn for sampling, had some blood taken, and--"

"Angela scanned her with this device, and it was AWESOME! The machine projected a live image of Fizzlepop's organs to the air! And we ended up studying pony anatomy and physiology for today! Let's just say even I learned something new." Twilight cut her friend off, finishing with a wide grin on her face. Edward smiled and nodded in response.

"I see everybody's made it," said Winston, entering the area with a tablet computer alongside a quartet of the aforementioned MRI drones. "G-go on, pretend we are not here."

"We invited Winston to join us," Edward said, turning his attention to the remaining ponies. "I believe his presence is necessary to provide a scientific point of view to our training, I hope you do not mind."

"Of course not," Twilight said with a wide smile plastered on her face. "In fact, I was hoping you'd come, Winston. We could scrutinize every last data together!"

"W-we'll get to that later, Twilight." The gorilla chuckled.

"So, are you ready?"

"Yes, master."

"Oh please, there is no need for that." Luna chuckled as they walked towards the cliff's edge. "Now then, onto your first lesson. In magic training, a strong bond between teacher and pupil is essential. There are two ways of achieving such a bond; one, is through years and years of mutual rigorous training - the traditional method, which I will not use since we do not have such time. And the second, Hive Mind."

"I see. Care to explain how this works?"

"As the name implies, Hive Mind is a way for magic users join their minds together to achieve the ultimate coordination and understanding with each other. Since magic is abstract in nature, words often couldn't convey the proper illustration of what somepony has in their mind. While this could be mistaken for telepathy, the goal is to understand each other's way of thinking and feeling, essentially creating a collective consciousness between us, where ideas and imagery could be exchanged and understood almost instantly - much more complex than mere inter-mind speaking. In addition, we will have access to each other’s' knowledge and memories...should we wish to share them."

"Okay, how long is this going to take?"

"Could be seconds, could be hours. It all depends really, as each pony or human in this case is unique."

"Princess, forgive me my insolence but I must object to this decision." Lightning protested telepathically with a rather blunt tone, keeping a flat expression on his face as he did not want to draw the wrong attention. "Edward seems like a good person, however we barely know anything about him, and now we are trusting our arcane knowledge to a human whose power range is yet to be known?"

"True, but he seeks a way to explore his vast arcane capabilities, in hopes that he may use his magic for peaceful purposes. He needs our help, Lightning. It is our duty as Equestrians to always help those in need, when we can, while we can," Luna said sternly. Lightning did not speak again.

Luna spoke again. "And a word of warning Edward, this is going to re-open your third eye. You will experience quite a vertigo, not the most pleasant of processes, I know, but without your third eye, any wish of exploring your potentials would remain a wish."

"Ah fick..." Edward cursed under his breath. "Well, if it must be done, then so be it." He noticed Angela was about to ask something but stopped her politely, promising he will explain later.

As they sat down face-to-face near the cliff's edge, Luna's eyes locked with Edward's own. "Hive Mind is not something that is done lightly, we will not just link our minds together with a random subject. I do not wish to make you feel forced into doing this...but there is no other way, not under our current circumstances."

Of course, this did not help with Edward's latent anxiety. "Then in that case, I am glad you are the one doing this. I cannot begin to thank you for the trust you have placed on me, a complete stranger no less, with something so personal."

"Soon, we won't be strangers anymore." She smiled softly, closed her eyes, and rested her horn on Edward's forehead.

A spark of blue light caused Edward and Luna to recoil in pain as the sensation was akin to being stung by a powerful jolt of electricity. Edward's vision flew into a kaleidoscope and he curled on the ground, clutching his head which was whirling inside like a typhoon while keeping his eyes shut.

"There, there," Luna said softly as she cast her calming spell on Edward, eliminating the pain at once and his eyesight quickly returned to normal. "How are you feeling?"

"That, was the worst vertigo I have ever had." Edward grunted as he rolled on his back and sat back up, Angela was already kneeling by his side at that moment, placing her hands on his back and chest respectively. She asked if he was feeling okay as his heartbeat shot through the roof according to Winston's scanners, to which Edward confirmed that he was indeed unharmed. Nearby, Twilight and Winston were deep in discussion about what had just happened. Winston stated he had never seen such a heavy activity on a human brain before, and was even more amazed by Luna's own, as the MRI readings lit up when the alicorn cast her spell. After making sure Edward was alright for the last time, Angela joined Twilight and Winston to see for herself what had just happened.

Luna thought of an object in her mind, a silver cup decorated with blue sapphires.

"Now, tell me, what am I thinking about?" asked the alicorn.

"A silver cup, with blue sapphires around it," answered Edward nonchalantly as he stood back up.

"Correct! Now, you try. Think of ideas, sentences in other languages, anything!"

"Lex specialis derogat legi generali."

"A law ruling over a specific matter, overrides a law ruling over a general matter. Interesting doctrine of law interpretation. I believe the language is, Latin?"

"Precisely! Tell me Luna, is this line of communication exclusive between us, or can I establish a new one with others?"

"Since your third eye is now open, you are also a conduit of magic. So yes, I believe you can now converse with Twilight, Lightning, and Fizzlepop anytime you wish. But unfortunately, you cannot initiate Hive Mind just yet. To master it require years and years of practice. It is one of those spells I cannot teach you through thought transference at your level. Because if I try to force it on your unprepared brain, the massive energy stream could kill you or even render you in a vegetative state. But for now, to help you understand the basics, I shall teach you telepathy. Close your eyes, relax, but pay close attention."

Heeding her instruction, Edward closed his eyes and felt a building stream of energy swirling inside his head. Unlike the head-splitting vertigo he experienced when he was linked to Luna's Hive Mind, the sensation was actually rather pleasant, like that slight dizziness one would receive after drinking a cup of twenty years aged wine. Soon, the stream subsided and Edward opened his eyes. At that moment, the knowledge hit him faster than a speeding bullet train. He knew how to tune his own brain waves so they may intermingle with those of his interlocutors', translating them into vocal speech which could be heard correspondingly with each other inside their respective minds. He only needs to think with whom he wished to converse with to begin.

"It feels good, no?" Luna smirked, her tone barely above a whisper. "Now try it on Angela over there."

Edward pictured the blonde in his head, adapting the ghostliest tone he could muster. "Do you believe in ghosts now, Angela?"

The doctor immediately sprung to an alerted posture, startling Winston and Twilight who were standing beside her. She grabbed her staff, frantically looking in all directions "W-who's there?!" she yelled out. Of course, the source of the ghostly voice was nowhere in sight, but she could've sworn she recognized that voice somehow.

Genji, confused at Angela's sudden outburst, went over to her and asked what was wrong, trying to calm her down. However, her frantic confusion was cut short when she heard snickers coming from Edward and Luna's direction. When she turned her attention to them, the pair burst out laughing.

"Do you believe in ghosts now, Angela?" Edward repeated his words between his fits of laughter. "My Lord, I cannot believe you fell for that! Oh...you should have seen your face!"

Finally realizing by whom she had been played, Angela ran to him at an astonishing speed despite the fact that she was wearing formal attires despite her combat gear and started smacking her staff against his gut, which was thankfully protected by the armored undersuit. He couldn't help but to guffaw even harder. Minutes later, the laughter died down and Edward apologized, giving Angela a quick hug.

"Now, can you tell me why I picked this particular spot?" asked Luna after the hustle and bustle finally subsided.

Knowing he couldn't possibly be well informed in something like that by himself, Edward tried probing his mental connection with Luna for answers, hoping she would share them. Fortunately, she did.

"Mana veins," he said confidently. "Where we stand now, is the linking intersection of all the veins contained on land, water, and air. It all makes sense now! Geographically speaking, we are situated between Europe and Africa, flanked by the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean! Furthermore, various winds also blow through this place; namely, the Mistral blowing from the northwest - this cold, strong, wind we are currently feeling, Tramontane from the north, Gregale from the northeast, and Levante from the east."

"I see you are getting accustomed to our bond, good. This place is fertile with Mana, an ideal place for those capable of manipulating the arcane. However, not all places have the same condition as this particular spot. Some could hold more veins, while others, next to none. And thus, vary in yield. You could harness some to create city-leveling earthquakes, while others are barely enough to light a campfire. Yet, I expect you to be able to find even the smallest available veins as your survival could very well depend on it. A general rule of hoof - or thumb - in detecting Mana veins, would be that distinct feeling of excitement coursing through your body. The stronger it is, the more abundant the Mana, and vice versa. I trust you are feeling it now?"

"I do! I thought I was just excited for training!" Edward awed.

Luna laughed at his childlike reaction. "Mana is known to do that. After all, it is a limitless source of power. However, it is very easy to lose yourself in that feeling of power. Do not get carried away in the vortex, or you will no longer be able to control yourself. It will control you. Be very careful. I mean it, do you understand? Be. careful." Edward nodded.

"Now, since you have never drawn from the veins, I will teach you. Pay close attention."

As Luna transferred her thoughts to his subconsciousness, he knew exactly what to do. Closing his eyes once again and eliminating all unnecessary distractions, he focused his senses to attune himself with his environment; feeling the cold Mistral blowing against his frame, the solid rock upon which he stood, and the sound of waves crashing against the outcropping slopes far below. Within each motion of nature, a powerful primal force surged through his system. He let this ethereal strength flow through him a while longer, not realizing a cloak of dark blue flames had manifested around him which intensified as he maintained his growing connection to this newfound vigor. The rocks beneath them began to tremble, the already strong winds were howling, and the waters below began to grow white with fury.

Some Overwatch personnel posted nearby rushed out from their stations as they thought there was an earthquake. But after they saw for themselves what was really happening, they were glued to the spot.

He felt himself drowning in the powerful swirl of magical current, but remembering his mentor's words, Edward immediately snapped back to his senses and severed himself from the energy stream. When he opened his eyes, his emerald green irises flashed with a vibrant mesmerizing glow. Soon, his eyes returned to normal, his fiery cloak faded, Mistral's howls dissipated into a gentle breeze, the earth stopped shaking, and the sea's fury regained its tranquil temper. He turned his attention towards Luna who smiled with relief. Looking behind him, he noticed Winston, Twilight, and Angela had their mouths agape while Genji, Lightning, and Fizzlepop could barely hide their amazement.

Everything was silent for quite a while, the only audible sounds were the gently blowing winds, the crashing waves, and the steady humming of Winston's hovering drones. Luna was first to break the silence.

"I see you remember my warning, and that is good. However, you forgot one very important detail. Earlier, when you answered my question about why I picked this place, you forgot to mention the most vital component of them all - yourself. Aside from us alicorns and certain beings, I have never seen such a powerful magic wielder in our world - the phenomenon we experienced suggest as much. The amount of Mana you could harness is massive, and I am certain your power is still growing. However, the more powerful you become, the more likely it is for you to lose yourself. Which is why it is essential to know who you really are, and I don't need a magical bond to notice that," The Moon Princess said solemnly.

"You are strong and steadfast. Despite the great many hardships you have experienced, you are capable of great empathy for loved ones and strangers alike. Thus, you will do your utmost to protect them, or die trying. You heed wisdom from others, even if it is difficult for you to accept at first. However, in that unwavering personality lies your greatest weakness - you are stubborn. Once you have your mind set on something it could be very hard to convince you to do otherwise, even if that mission could cost you dearly. You keep every bad experience to yourself, even though there are others who will readily aid you. And lastly, you show absolutely no mercy to your enemies. This stubbornness, combined with your keep-to-oneself attitude, and mercilessness, could corrupt you beyond repair. Trust me, I know that very well. A story I will tell all of you, soon enough."

A brief image of a dark demonic mare with rows of sharp fangs which bore an uncanny resemblance to Luna flashed on Edward's mind, sending a shiver down his spine. His fight-or-flight instinct told him to draw his weapon and extract the information from her by force. However, his rational judgement drowned this violent impulse, telling him, if she was still under the influence of this malevolent force, Luna would not bother sharing this information and would directly resort to bloodshed. His mental bond with Luna also urged him she bore no ill will, but rather...a profound regret.

And thus, Edward collected himself and remained silent, waiting for his mentor to continue.

"Edward, what I said today is not meant to turn you into arrogant fool nor to judge, but it is important to remember the two different wolves fighting inside your soul. For the one you feed most, may very well determine your destiny."

Luna stepped closer to him, her icy blue eyes staring deep into his emeralds. With her midnight blue coat, coupled with the ethereally waving starry celestial mane and tail, she appeared to be a personification of the night sky itself. Which was not so far from the truth.

"The power of magic, any magic, comes from here," Luna said, placing her hoof against Edward's heart. "But only when tempered by your mind, by discipline, self-control, and most importantly - wisdom - is where your true strength lies. You must never forget that. Understand?" Her tone soft and motherly.

Edward knelt down, and gently but firmly held her hoof in his hands. "I understand. Thank you, Luna. You have given me much to think about."

Luna couldn't help but to get a bit flustered by his action. "Before we end tonight's session, is there anything you wish to ask?"

"I do have some questions, but I suppose they can wait. Perhaps we should answer their questions first?"

Edward pointed at the small curious crowd who had gathered behind Winston which they had failed to notice because of getting too immersed in their conversation. At the crowd's fore were Jesse, Brigitte, and Fareeha, wearing what would be colloquially known as shit eating grins on their faces. Despite being exceptionally proficient of not directly showing her emotions at court, Luna found it difficult not to blush at the scene. Edward let go of the alicorn's hoof, before springing back up to his feet, and clasping his hands together.

"So, how can I help you?"

As the crowd dispersed from the area with their questions satisfied, Edward and company retired to their residential wing to rest. But some had other ideas. Winston decided to work on the data with Twilight (despite Lightning's insistence for her to rest) right away while Jesse McCree decided to spend the night in Sombra's cell again, to keep an eye on her in case she wakes up. So, those who remained were Luna, Lightning, Fizzlepop, Angela, Genji, Fareeha, Brigitte, and Edward himself.

When they entered the living quarters, they saw Reinhardt and Torbjörn passed out on the bar after emptying two large pitchers of cold golden frothy beer. While the others settled down for drinks themselves, Edward helped his adoptive uncle to his feet while Brigitte did the same with her father, quickly escorted both men to their quarters and rejoined the others. However, by the time they returned, Fizzlepop and Lightning (requested by Luna to watch over Fizzlepop) had already gone to bed. Of course, the electric yellow unicorn did not agree to this, but he dared not deny a request from his liege.

"So Angela, what were you going to ask?" Asked Edward to the doctor as he plopped down on a nearby sofa with Brigitte beside him, helping himself to a big glass of refreshing cold beer served on the table.

"What does this 'third eye' do, exactly? Esoterically, I know this is supposedly a speculative invisible eye which grants perception beyond ordinary sight."

"Yes, but that is not all," answered Luna as she finished her beer, putting the glass down with her telekinesis. "When your third eye is open, you essentially open yourself to be able to interact with things that are normally unseen. It is a far more interesting experience than merely seeing them. Some could only see them, true. But, those with a more powerful third eye could outright manipulate those invisible forces as they wish," she said as she refilled her glass and drank half of the content in an instant. "In Edward's case for example, he is already bestowed with telekinesis and Enhanced Condition - a term we use for one with physical and mental condition beyond the peak of mortal capabilities. Now that he is capable of drawing from Mana veins, this could very well increase these abilities to supernatural levels without killing himself - but most importantly, his powers are still growing, which means there is an endless possibility of new arcane developments."

"Very interesting," said Angela. "But I can't help but wonder, does the unseen include...you know..."

"Supernatural entities?" Edward smirked. "Yes."

"Psssh, bullshit." Fareeha scoffed, taking a swig of her beer.

"I know I might sound stupid, but...I still have a hard time believing their existence." Angela sighed, leaning to Genji's chest as fatigue seemed to be getting to her now.

"After all you've seen lately, and you are still skeptical?" Edward furled his eyebrows after finishing his round, and filling himself for a second. "I thought I made myself clear that during my time with the Order, I defended Germany against the growing cyborg terrorists and other inhuman threats."

"Order? What Order?" asked Brigitte, putting down her empty glass. Fareeha also shot him a questioning look.

It was then, when the lights went out. Sensing this was not a mere electrical issue, Luna immediately illuminated the room with a vibrant white light radiating from her horn. Adding to the situation, the room's temperature dropped drastically to the point where white condensations appear on the occupants' breaths.

"Oh ha ha," Fareeha remarked sarcastically in the dark. "Nice try, but I am not falling for your conspiracy with ATHENA."

Edward ignored her as he felt that distinct, cold presence on his back. He could feel every follicle of hair on his skin standing straight, which caused him to focus his other senses as well. It was then when the unmistakable stench of sulfur and rotting flesh invaded his nostrils, a telltale sign of a demonic presence.

Suddenly, a cacophony of shrill shrieks filled the room like a symphony from Hell itself. The infernal choir went on for a full minute before stopping abruptly.

"Edward, if this is an elaborate prank you set up with ATHENA, you win, okay?" said Angela with an audible hint of fear in her tone. And given her experiences as a combat medic, Angela was not someone to be so easily spooked.

Genji however, knew something was very wrong. He told Angela to grab her Caduceus Staff, and placed his hand on the hilt of his Vibro-Wakizashi. Lightning with Fizzlepop came galloping into the room, his horn glowing with a bright light similar to Luna's from having navigated his way through the dark corridors.

Then, a pair of heavy shuffling footsteps could be heard approaching from the hallway connecting the living quarters with the bedrooms.

Edward and Genji drew their Vibroswords in a reverberating hiss, flanking Brigitte who armed herself with a shock baton and tactical shield from a nearby wall mounted weapon rack, behind her, Fareeha cocked her pistol. Lightning charged his already glowing horn with sparks of yellow electricity, Fizzlepop took a combat stance with her horn brandished forward ready to blast any hostiles to oblivion. Luna conjured ten mesmerizing arrows seemingly forged from moonlight itself, arranging them around her form in a tight half-circle formation. And finally, Angela was ready to support the team with healing and damage boosting biotic streams with her Caduceus Staff when needed.

Seeing that everybody was prepared, Luna brightened her light to see what they were dealing with, and saw...

Reinhardt and Torbjörn, still very much drunk. Heavily dazed and disheveled from the liquor, the two trudged drunkenly across the hallway, before noticing the armed group ready for combat.

"Heeeeyyyyyyy, wwwuatss goings oon heeere?" The large man slurred out.

"Yoouuu biiig idiiiooot, young 'uns r havin' a pawrty." replied the other.

Brigitte attempted to break formation, but Edward stopped her. First off, when these two had drank that much liquor, they will not wake up again until noon the next day. And second, the ungodly smell of sulfur and rotting flesh only seemed to intensify as they drew closer.

Edward nodded to Luna, and she loosed a couple of her moonlight arrows at "Reinhardt" and "Torbjörn". They whistled through the hallway at blinding speeds, and buried themselves deep in the doppelgangers' skull with such force that the arrows tore their heads from their necks and pinned the severed appendages to a nearby wall.

As the headless bodies dropped to the ground, with thick pungent dark yellow blood spurting from the neck holes, so did their charade. Two sets of mangled Overwatch body armor could be seen fused to their flesh, which were now deformed beyond all human recognition. Some were even dangling from the armors' gaps as if they were melting from the bones. The left hands were now bloated with pitch black claws for nails, and their right hands were fused with Overwatch standard issue assault rifles. Edward retrieved the heads pinned on the wall for closer examination; broken helmets melted into warped faces, leaving only one yellow beady eyes and wide lip-less mouths stretching from ear-to-ear bristling with jagged fangs visible. The most noteworthy aspects however, were the gaping holes blown through their craniums.

"Even dead those Talons are still troublesome. But apparently the one they made a pact with, transformed them into Grunts, cannon fodders of Hell." Edward clicked his tongue with disgust, casually dropping the heads on the ground which rolled around like a pair of gourds. He proceeded to stab their hearts repeatedly despite they were already very much dead, causing more blood to erupt from the wounds. The vile liquid boiled intensely upon making contact with the sword's silvery blade, before evaporating into a cloud of smoke.

From the living room, Luna could be heard issuing a direct order to Lightning and Fizzlepop. They were tasked to escort Angela out to safety while Fareeha volunteered to act as their rear guard. Six gunshots echoed from the darkened hallway followed by a trio of audible thuds, Genji investigated the noise, his sword ready to kill, and found Edward carrying the real Reinhardt and Torbjörn in his telekinetic grip, having dispatched three more monsters who tried to ambush them along the way. Quickly returning to the living room, he dropped the intoxicated men to the evacuating group (of course after assuring them that they are not copycats).

"Power is still offline here." Edward walked to a nearby window and saw that other parts of the Watchpoint was not affected by the blackout. "It means their Tether is still alive. Get out of here, I will signal you when the coast is clear."

"I am coming with you, and that is non-negotiable," said Luna with a rather commanding tone. She saw Lightning and Fizzlepop were about to protest but shot a glare that refrained them from doing so. Seeing her stare was sharper than his sword, Edward relented.

"We will join you as well," said Genji with Brigitte beside him, her 50.000 volt shock baton sparking dangerously.

"No, I need you outside to maintain perimeter security. Besides, we will work faster with fewer numbers."

Suddenly a bloodcurdling scream echoed from the second floor, Lena's scream. Saying nothing more, Edward and Luna immediately ran into the darkness.

The two swept through the hallways like a pair of hurricanes, dealing blow after blow to every dark abomination unlucky enough to cross their paths, leaving only dead bodies and pooling blood in their wake. They fought as a coordinated force, one constantly supporting the other. The pair had just reached the second floor when they immediately pressed themselves against a corner leading to Lena's bedroom where her painful screams intensified. Despite the ember hot ire burning within his core, Edward forced himself to stay calm. He peeked his head from around the corner, and saw the hallway was filled with Grunts.

Fighting them one by one would waste precious time, so Edward took out the silver DM51 frag grenade from its magnetic strap, pulled the pin, and threw. The ordinance bounced and clattered on the floor before exploding in a cloud of nitrate gas laced with silver shavings which spread throughout the whole area. In an instant, the demonic creatures suffered from anaphylactic shock as the silver entered their systems. As they seemingly gasped for air, their bodies swelled rapidly to abnormal proportions as their sulfuric blood boiled when the silver permeated into their bloodstreams. Luna also poked her head out to see what was going on, but was immediately pulled back by Edward - seconds before the infernal creatures burst into piles of rotten viscera.

Edward sprinted towards Lena's bedroom, blasted the sliding doors open, and saw a large Grunt pinning the naked, barely conscious woman on the floor in a spread-eagle position, its preternaturally long tongue dangled from its grotesque maw, licking circles between her breasts. It was aiming its inhumanly large throbbing shaft against her entrance when it received a powerful kick to the face. The force of the blow was enough to send the creature flying across the room, breaking all of its fangs, and severing its tongue. Luna arrived soon after and evacuated Lena from the ransacked room.

"Take her to my room, Luna. It's just next door to the right, and take her Chronal Accelerator with the charging dock as well. I will rejoin you shortly," Edward said as he readied his Ox Guard stance.

Luna did as she was told, and left just as the Grunt stood back up.

It brandished its rifle-arm to fire, but before it could, Edward executed a rising cut with his longsword - severing the limb in two. The assault was followed swiftly by a diagonal strike aimed at its shoulder ridge - the blade cleaved through it's flesh like a hot knife through butter, nearly bisecting it completely.

With its last gurgled breath, the Grunt uttered out its final words, with Siren still embedded deep in its body. "T-to H-Hellllll w-with youuu," it strained in a deep guttural voice.

Edward furiously yanked up his sword, gutting the Grunt all the way to its neck. He tore out the blade, pivoted, and with the added momentum, felt no resistance as the Grunt's head fell from its mutilated body with a resounding *squelch*. The victor tilted the severed head with his boot and upon closer study of its mangled features, this used to be the same person who threatened to violate his friend - the Talon captain.

"You first, Captain. Someone down there is very, very excited to claim their due." Edward chuckled darkly as he returned Siren to its sheath after the smoking blood had fully evaporated from the weapon.

At that moment, power was restored to the building and the sickening stench of rot and sulfur subsided at once. The captain's dead body disintegrated into a trail of smoke, but instead of going upwards like smokes usually do, it went downwards and disappeared into the floor. The same happened to the hallway just outside, no more demon viscera in sight. Aside from the broken flooring due to the grenade blast, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

He retrieved an intact set of Lena's usual clothing from her destroyed closet, her signature flight jacket which had been torn here and there, and her gauntlets - still containing her twin Pulse Pistols. Edward concluded that Lena had to be ambushed when she was sleeping, having taken off her Chronal Accelerator for charging and disarmed herself. Otherwise, that Grunt will be dead right then and there.

When Edward entered his bedroom, he found Luna casting a gentle shroud of light over her ward. Lena's shivering frame had numerous bleeding cuts and blackened bruises, no doubt caused by the Grunt's savagery. He sauntered to his desk and started to neatly arrange Lena's things before finally plugging the Chronal Accelerator's charging dock back in. Thankfully the device had charged up considerably when the blackout hit, otherwise it may take months to find her again in the time stream should Lena de-synchronize from the current timeline.

"Don't blame yourself," the Moon Princess spoke gently, sensing his brewing anger and regret. "You couldn't have known."

"I know." Edward sighed, locking his gaze on his incapacitated friend. Gradually, the alicorn's spell healed all of Lena's wounds, her breathing steadied, and her quivering stopped. Amazed, Edward asked her what manner of spell Luna had performed.

"That was the Moonlight's Embrace, a healing spell which soothes ailments to the body and mind." Luna smiled as Edward pulled the blanket to cover the pilot's naked form. "Of course this will not make her forget what she suffered tonight, but she will not collapse into depression, fear, and everything else that might occur to victims of rape."

"Brigitte, come in." Edward activated his communication device, receiving a response from the other side. "The coast is clear, no casualties."

"We’re on our way."

The next morning, Lena woke up and realized she was not in her room. Feeling a warm sensation on her left arm, she shifted and saw Edward's head resting by the bedside, he was sitting on a metal chair by the bed with his hand gently holding on to her own. Which added to the question, how was it that she was there? Sensing the movement and feeling Lena's breath on his face, Edward stirred from his sleep and greeted her with a smile of relief.

"W-where am I?" Lena could barely speak, as her throat felt clogged and parched. She sat up, began coughing violently and Edward poured her a glass of water. She downed the whole content as if that was the first drink she ever had in a long time.

"You are in my room. After what happened last night, your room is quite uninhabitable."

Lena pondered on his statement for a bit before the memories crashed down on her like a tsunami. She remembered vividly what had transpired last night, how she woke up paralyzed in the darkness, how the demonic figure appeared in her chamber, and that low guttural voice before she was assaulted relentlessly. She could still feel the intense pain as the demon threw her around the room like a rag doll, beating her and raking its claws over her exposed skin. She tried reaching for her weapons, but that thing was faster and pinned her to the floor. She felt utterly defenseless as it began tearing at her clothes. It moved its clawed hand to her throat and squeezed, causing her to gasp for air, and the creature extended an abnormally long tongue and forcibly shoved it down her throat. She felt her body going numb as the fleshy tendril writhed inside her, a heavy taste of metal invaded her oral cavity, and then, all was blurry.

Tears cascaded down her cheeks as she started hyperventilating. Edward immediately took her face in his hands, telling her to look into his eyes and box breathe. He repeated this command a few more times, before Lena started breathing in a rhythmic pattern. She inhaled for four seconds, held her breath for four more, exhaled for another four, and held it again for the same amount of time. After some time of rinsing and repeating the process, her violent breathing was reduced to choked sobs.

Edward offered her his arms, she responded by collapsing against his frame, mentally drained and physically exhausted. She let him hold her close. His warm embrace allowed her to weep into his chest until her tears ran dry and her shoulders no longer shuddered with each sob. Still, he did not let go. His fingers traced slowly up and down her back, while his head rested against hers.

"I am so, very sorry, for what happened, Lena. If it's any consolation, I killed the demon who did this to you," Edward broke the silence, still holding her tightly. "I am sorry that you have to experience such an encounter, but what I regret the most was the fact that I have contributed to that trauma. What I did in the hangar, was--"

"Ed." Lena pulled away from him, looking straight into his eyes. "Please don't take me the wrong way, I know you were only trying to protect me, and I really appreciate that. But, did it have to be so...gruesome? You know, shooting them limb from limb, and all..."

"I have to admit, that was...messy. Imagine the public outrage if they see Overwatch operating in such a way - let's be realistic, maybe half of the world wanted us gone right now. But I think you knew I had to act fast, they were rebels, therefore they must be dealt with at an extreme prejudice, no? And..."

"And?" Lena looked expectantly, taking his hands in hers.

"A story for another time, okay? This morning is already tragic as it is." Edward smiled, gently wiping the dried tears from her face. "Now, take a shower and after that, we'll get something to eat, sounds good?"

Lena beamed and nodded furiously. Edward chuckled at her reaction.

"Oh, and I've taken the liberty to salvage your things, they are over there on my desk." He pointed "Unfortunately, your jacket has sustained quite the damage, but thankfully, everything else is fine."

The Brit hugged her companion once again, pressing her head against his chest. "Thank you, for everything."

"Bitte schön," Edward replied, returning her hug.

"Hey, I was wondering, if I was stripped naked last night, who put these on me?" she referred to her white baggy t-shirt and red shorts and gasped. "Did you--"

"No!" He said immediately with his heart pounding in his rib cage, his face heating up in shade of crimson. "Angie did that, I swear!"

Lena giggled and parted from him. "I am just pullin' your leg, luv. Wow, you really are shy, aren't you?" she teased.

He stammered a bunch of I's in response, causing Lena to laugh like a horse. Edward just stood there awkwardly, as her laughter died down. "Luv, you are just too adorable. How is it that you keep your composure through the bleakest of hours, but when it comes to small things like this, you go to a vegetative state? Oh Ed, don't ever change."

"For God's sake Lena, take a bath already, I am starving!" Edward blurted out, trying to bring himself together again.

Lena gave him a wink as she took her clothes and entered the bathroom. Edward sighed and chuckled, wondering how is it that he would stare death right in the eye, but that same bravery could be instantly shattered when he was put on the spot like that.

"Ed, you up yet partner?" said Jesse's voice on his earpiece. He went to his desk and put the communication device in his ear.

"I’m here. What is it Jesse?"

"Brig told me what happened last night. How's Lena? She alright?"

Edward confirmed that she was indeed more than alright.

"Good to hear. Anyway, meet me at the slammer when you're done there. Sleeping Beauty's waking up."

"Copy that."

Author's Note

Many thanks to XIII Hearts for editing this chapter (you're the best!)

Aaaaand another chapter's up! Law school's been busy, so I am surprised I am able to write 15k words (this is the longest chapter I've ever written so far during my time here in Fimfiction) I suppose this is progress compared to a year of absence, no?

When you read this note, and have questions about the strong supernatural presence at this story, allow me to explain. Although magic in Overwatch universe is sparse for as far as we know (only present in the Junkenstein comics/events), but Blizzard games are not strangers to it. Take Warcraft and Diablo for example. In fact, the idea of Mana and demons are inspired by them. Of course there's also the game Heroes of the Storm, which basically talks about the convergence of the Blizzard multiverse. Also, Overwatch is essentially the more advanced version of our world. In this context, considering the various myths, superstitions, and beliefs our world has to offer, I don't think the existence of otherworldly forces in this universe is too far fetched, no?

And finally, this is a crossover with MLP, so magic is bound to exist.

By the way, I cannot speak German at all, my German speaking friend is helping me to create the dialogues (not a native speaker). So, if any of you are German natives, or know German well, feel free to correct me in the comments below if you happen to stumble upon any linguistic errors.

Also, since I will be using a lot of fencing terms, here's a little something to help your visualization about longsword guards or stances:

I am still a newbie fencer, so if there are HEMA veterans out there reading this somehow, your inputs are very very appreciated. But please keep in mind I don't want too much realism here, after all this is a fantasy/science fiction universe.

And as for Siren, here's the base design

As always, thank you so much for reading, I hope you find this long chapter enjoyable, do leave your responses down in the comments and I'll gladly respond to them. Have a good one folks, see you soon!