It was the oddest sensation. Although everything was black, Tanner could feel the heat of the flames rolling over him, he could feel and smell his clothes catching on fire, he could hear distant shouts of two people witnessing their comrade meet a firey demise.

And yet, nothing hurt. Nothing at all.

Sure, the heat was a bit annoying, but it certainly didn't feel like he was burning.

"You're standing in a stream of fire," a familiar, eerie voice said, as if Tanner wasn't aware.

"I know," Tanner growled, turning to face the masked creature from before, "and I would like to do something about that. Get me out of here." The masked figure chuckled and looked around at the endless, sprawling dark that was the world.

"Why?" was the simple response.

"Because..." Tanner faltered out of surprise. The answer was top obvious! "Because I'm on fire. Burning."

"So?" the figure shrugged. Tanner opened his mouth to yell, argue, anything, but the figure continued. "Do you feel pain?" it asked.

"What does that have to do-"

"Do you feel pain?" the figure asked again, louder. Tanner stopped and took a breath.

"No, because I'm probably already dead, thanks to you."

"You mean thanks to you," the figure replied, its mask showing a blank expression. "After all, I'm just a figment of your unconscious imagination, right? So if that's what you think, then I'm burning too, aren't I? So don't blame me." Tanner scowled and crossed his arms. The fire's heat seemed to be dimming. Whether the fire was dying or Tanner was, he couldn't tell.

"You're not part of my imagination, are you?" he asked.

"What do you think?" the mask asked with a small smile.

"I think," Tanner replied seriously, "that you should answer the question." The mask's smile grew, and though it wasn't a hostile smile, it still gave Tanner the shivers.

"Who am I, hero? I am everything you fear most, your worst nightmare, quite literally. I mean you no harm. I mean no one any harm. But you and your disgusting Resistance -" The mask's expression was hateful now, and it spat out the word. " - You still try to cut me down, to make yourselves feel like you are in control." The masked figure began growing, steadily taller until it loomed over Tanner darkly.

"I cannot be contained," it bellowed. "Cut me back, and I will grow stronger. Who am I, you ask? I am fate. I am power. And when you force my hand, I am dread and fury." The figure didn't shrink back down to size, but simply vanished.

"And someday," a almost sad, quiet voice whispered, "I could be you." Tanner gasped, but not only from the voice. The heat had returned, and it was hot, and he could feel it, and he could smell it, and the darkness around him shattered and became the real world. Tanner gave a cry, of pain and confusion and anger, and then slowly realized that he was not on fire. At least, not mostly. There were embers all over him, which he brushed off with one nervous hand. Small flames were flickering on the marble floor beneath him, soon to go out.

Tanner turned, slowly, to face Rem and Linsey, who stood with expressions that told complex stories. They told the story of seeing a friend burn, and the horror and sadness of that. But there was another story, too. One that said that the two were afraid... of Tanner.

"I'm... not dead," Tanner said, blinking once. "But... I think I might..." Then his eyes closed, and he wobbled on his feet. Tanner fell, and the last thing he remembered was Rem and Linsey catching him.

***

Tanner's head hurt. His body was still hot and felt burnt. He felt like his brain might explode, which would trigger the rest of his body's explosion.

But he sat up.

The pain wasn't as bad as he's expected, but that's not to say it wasn't bad. He saw in front of him Linsey, and behind her, Rem. They were still in the temple.

"Oh, you're... you're awake," Linsey said quietly.

"Well, of course," Tanner replied sarcastically. "Getting burned alive is no big deal, apparently."

"I'm sorry," Linsey apologized quickly, "it's just, well, I'm not sure any of us know what happened there."

"First things first," Tanner said with a great stretch that felt like it ripped a hundred different muscles. "Is the Generator still active?"

"Yes," Linsey replied, trying to stay business-like, despite the whole human-s'more incident. "It's been about a minute since you blacked out."

"Oh," Tanner said thoughtfully. "Well, that's good. I think."

"We activated a couple more traps getting you to safety," Linsey continued. "We figured out how to disable them."

"Good," Tanner nodded. "That's all I needed. Now, erm, what exactly happened when I got... you know. Incinerated."

"Well," Linsey began slowly. "You sorta, kinda... um..."

"You didn't burn!" Rem exclaimed. "You just stood there with a blank, faraway look in your eyes, and just... well, stood there some more. I mean, you got singed and all, and, well, no offence, but you should have lit up like a match."

"I should have," Tanner agreed. "But... why didn't I?"

"We're not sure," Linsey admitted. "I activated the fire trap again after we got you to safety, and it was real fire. It can burn anything flammable... except for you, apparently." Tanner frowned.

"That's too weird..." He shrugged, acting more confused than he was. It must have been the creepy masked freak. It simply had to be. Tanner was now certain the masked figure wasn't imaginary, and that he was a real, living whack-job who invaded your mind while you burned, or didn't burn. It was confusing, but Tanner was sure of it. But what could he tell his friends? He couldn't exactly just mention it one day. "Hey, guys, there's a weird guy in my head with a mask and he can breath fire and turn huge, and he says he's the future and stuff and he made me fireproof once. Any thoughts?" And so, Tanner remained silent on that topic. He looked around, wondering if there were any other deadly traps around.

"So what are we waiting for?" he asked. "Let's move." Linsey and Rem glanced at each other, obviously still concerned about the whole fireproof Tanner thing, but followed nonetheless. They proceeded cautiously, but activated no more traps and arrived in the grassy center of the temple.

"Hello," a friendly voice called. "Who are you three?" Tanner looked around but saw no one.

"We're three Resistance members," Linsey called back. "Are you the guardian of this Generator?"

"Sure am," replied the voice, and suddenly, there was a man standing next to the trio. He had a uncut lump of grey hair on his head and a warm smile on his face. He was an older man, short and a bit plump. Tanner jumped back, startled.

"Oh, sorry," the man apologized. "I don't usually get visitors. I didn't realize you wouldn't be used to sudden appearances."

"That's fine," Tanner shrugged, still staring at the man. "Did you teleport here?" The man grinned and winked.

"Anyway, I assume you're here to crush my Generator?" he asked, still smiling.

"Uh, yeah," Linsey replied with a apologetic smile. "Sorry about that, sir."

"Oh, it's not a problem," the man laughed. "And please, call me Richard." Richard began walking toward the exit, and the three Rebels followed in a casual pace.

"You know, I want to see the Obsidian Gate destroyed as much as you do," Richard continued. "The only reason I protect this Generator is because we can't have any unworthy heroes attempting this mission." Richard stopped walking and turned, smiling politely at the trio. "So this is how it will go down, okay? The Generator is hidden in this temple currently. All you have to do is disable it without being caught."

"What happens if you catch one of us?" Rem asked.

"Oh, just a bit of temporary pain and confinement," Richard answered happily. "Nothing serious."

"So you'll be the only person trying to catch us?" Tanner asked, looking for loopholes in the task. It was just too easy to be true. But Richard just nodded.

"Correct." Tanner frowned.

"Okay, but you realize that if some Unseen agents had come before us, they'd have already knocked you out and disabled the Generator, right?" Richard chuckled.

"Oh, son. You underestimate me!" With that, Richard turned and walked away. "Just give me a shout when you're ready," he called. Tanner turned to Rem and Linsey.

"There's a twist," Tanner said immediately. "There has to be. It can't just be a game of cops and robbers, with three robbers and one elderly cop."

"True," Linsey agreed, "but I don't think he'd lie to us, either."

"I say we quit worrying about it," Rem said impatiently, "and just disable the Generator already." Tanner nodded.

"I guess so. We can make a plan once we know what he's got up his sleeve. For now, we can all split up and take different parts of the temple. Sound good?" Linsey ad Rem nodded, so they ran to three different sections of the temple.

"We're ready!" Tanner called.

"Okay!" Richard's voice replied. "The trial has begun!" Tanner immediately started looking for a ladder or some stairs to get to the upper level. The first just seemed too exposed and difficult to defend. After a bit of searching, and no sign of Richard, he found a ladder, and climbed it. He arrived on the second floor, which was almost exactly like the first, just higher. To his right was a empty path, and to his right... Richard.

"Hello," Richard greeted him cheerfully. "This is usually the part where people run." Tanner, unwilling to break the tradition, sped away, with a surprisingly fast guardian on his heels.

"Richard's right behind me!" Tanner yelled. "You guys keep looking for the Generator!"

"What?" Rem's voice yelled back. "Wait, guys, I figured it out! Come to where we started as soon as you can!" Tanner glanced at the center of the temple and saw Rem nearly there, and Linsey approaching fast. The only thing between him and them was a railing and a seven foot drop. Tanner gritted his teeth and hatched a crazy plan. Richard was close behind him, and gaining slowly, so Tanner had no choice. He darted toward the railing, jumped over it and grabbed it simultaneously, and swung back, then let go and hit the ground. He stumbled on impact at first, but Richard was off his tail. He dashed to the center, where Rem and Linsey waited.

"Okay, make it quick," Tanner panted. "Richard could be anywhere."

"You have no idea," Rem exclaimed. "Look, at the exact moment I heard your warning yell, I was being chased by Richard."

"And I'd seen one just a little before I heard the yell," Linsey added. Tanner frowned.

"What could that mean. Are there multiple Richards?"

"He said he was the only one defending the Generator," Rem mused.

"No, I didn't," said a voice next to the trio. All three of the teens were immediately on their feet and facing Richard, keeping a safe distance away.

"What I said," Richard continued, "was that I'd be the only person trying to catch you." Tanner's eyes darted to the second level of the temple, where Richard could be seen watching them. Another Richard stood on the first level. "My robots, however," Richard chuckled, "are not people, and so I wasn't lying." Tanner gritted his teeth and cursed himself for not seeing that loophole.

"How many of you are there?" he asked.

"Well, it's me and nine robots," Richard grinned. "So sorry about the surprise attack thing, but I'm still technically playing by the rules." Tanner heard a quiet thud behind him, and his hands began to move slowly.

"Oh, it's no problem," he laughed uneasily. "It's just that we have to RUN!" At that moment, he spun around and fired his blaster. The robot who had nearly taken the Rebels paused for a moment, a large burn now on its head. Linsey and Rem were stunned for a moment, but followed Tanner's command and turned to dash away. A few robots, now uncaring of who saw them, chased after each. Tanner was left with two robots, one of them still smoking, and the real Richard.

"Ah, impressive!" Richard laughed. "I thought I might have you there."

"Don't count us out quite yet," Tanner warned taking a few cautious steps away from the trio of Richards. "We might surprise you."

"I hope you do, boy," the real Richard smiled. "I hope you do." Then Tanner turned and ran, while the two robots took off after him and the real Richard stood, watching.

Tanner and his team ran to and fro around the temple for about ten minutes, avoiding any robots or guardians they saw. Sometimes Tanner would get cornered and had to fight his way out of the situation, which he tried not to do often in fear of frying the living Richard. Luckily, everything he blasted wasn't alive. Tanner was certain he'd been in every corner of temple, but no one had found the Generator.

"Where could it be?" he asked Linsey when their paths intersected. "He said it was in the temple when we started." Hearing it aloud helped Linsey's brain connect the dots.

"But that doesn't mean he didn't move it!" she exclaimed. "He used a loophole already; why wouldn't he use another?"

"Great job," Tanner praised her. "Now, if either of us find Rem, we can tell her. For now, let's start searching outside the temple!" He dashed away, as a (presumably) robotic Richard had spotted them. Looking back, he saw Linsey had made a clean escape, too. Tanner ran around the great pillars of the temple and out of the wide exit. He looked around, wondering once again where the Generator could be. The island was relatively flat; if anything, the highest spot was where the temple was built. Tanner saw no Generator, but there were three other side's of the temple to look around from, so he wasn't discouraged. Then, in a victorious shout, Linsey's voice yelled "Found it!" Tanner sped in the direction of her voice, and only had to round the corner of the temple to see the Generator, and Linsey. The Generator was on a small bolder, and Linsey was climbing it quickly. But not quickly enough.

"Watch out!" Tanner called, a little late. A robotic Richard had grabbed Linsey's ankle and tugged her down. Linsey fell onto the ground, landed on her chest, and immediately rolled, reaching for her blaster, but a metal boot kicked it away. Linsey's hand flashed to her sword, which was connected to her belt, but the robot stepped on her arm, stopping her from moving. Tanner resumed his run to assist her, but when Linsey saw him coming, she shook her head, even while lying on her back.

"Just take out the Generator!" she ordered. Tanner knew she was right, and changed course, headed for the boulder. But then, about five robotic Richards stepped out from behind the boulder; it was the most robotic clones that he'd seen in one place (not that he'd seen many robotic clones). He stopped and whipped out his blaster, firing twice at the Generator. One shot missed by less than a foot, and the Generator's legs bent to duck under the other. Tanner gritted his teeth. There was another pack of Richards headed for him, coming from the temple. Linsey was on the ground, and that was when Tanner realized she was unconscious.

"What did you do?" he asked angrily, not caring which Richard heard.

"Just some simple sleeping gas," Richard's calm voice replied from somewhere in the cluster. "It will wear off shortly, with no permanent side effects." Tanner sighed. He was alone... but wait! He'd nearly forgotten!

"Rem!" he called. "There are about ten Richards around me, and they took Linsey down. I need you to shoot the Generator!"

"Right!" Rem's voice called back from nearby. He saw her come charging out of the temple, not even flinching at the number of enemies. Half of the robots turned to asses this new threat, but Tanner wouldn't have it.

"Oh, no you don't," he growled. He fired a few shots from his blaster - the backs of the Richards were immediately blackened and glowing with heat - and then pulled out his sword. All the robots were focused on him, now, and he pulled out his sword. There had to be about a dozen robots closing in on him, and there was no possible escape. He grinned, to keep himself from feeling the pressure.

"Rem? I think you have about forty five seconds until this plan goes up in flames."

***

"Rem? I think you have about forty five seconds until this plan goes up in flames." Rem gritted her teeth and forced herself to move faster. She was climbing the boulder, which was short and had plenty of handholds. Sweat was the only thing slowing her down.

One of her hands brushed the top of the stone, and Rem boosted herself up. The Generator stood in front of her, and her job was too easy. She just had to get it to ground level and give Tanner a second to press it. She began to reach toward the Generator when she stopped and frowned.

"I knew this was too easy," she growled, looking up at Richard, who stood on top of the stone with her, holding out a short sword to prevent her from touching the Generator.

"Well, this is how heroes are made, I suppose," Richard shrugged. "Fighting lots of robots, attempting to let your comrades deactivate machines while a man with a sword tries to stop you..." Richard glanced down at Linsey's unconscious form. "Sleeping." Rem darted her hand toward the Generator to push it over, but a flash of steel was in between her and victory. She glared at Richard.

"I wish you were a robot so I could shoot you with my blaster," she growled.

"Well, if it helps soften the blow of defeat, I'm greatful that you're not going to shoot me," Richard offered. Rem glanced back, knowing that time was wasting away. Tanner's sword was a blur in his hands, and robots were sparking from its touch left and right. A few even had circuits showing, but in the mob, there was no way for Tanner to aim, or even move too much.

"Any time, Rem," he called desperately. "Unless you want to chat with the guardian some more, settle out your differences over lunch, maybe, while I get mobbed by robots." Rem turned back to Richard with a innocent smile.

"Sorry, it looks like this is the part where I get this machine off the rock." Richard frowned as her hand moved toward it; his sword swung... and collided with Rem's blaster instead of her fingers. The blaster sparked, but held firm as Rem fired the blaster.

***

Tanner turned quickly, letting his blade fly in a arc. It skimmed one robot, forming a small cut, smashed into another, sending its target stumbling backwards, and finally paused as it cut deep into a third robot, which had a hole cut in it from the sword already. That robot fell over, sparking, creating a small barricade.

But Tanner knew it wasn't enough.

There were still ten metal men coming at him, and he barely had enough room to attack anymore. He felt a metal hand grab him from behind, and more immediately followed. Struggling was a waste of time. It was over.

And then, with a furious war cry, Rem barrelled into some robots, tipping some off balance, which hit others, and following this with a few kicks to the remaining machines.

"Go hit that button," Rem ordered while ducking under a metal arm's punch, "or this really epic comeback will be for nothing!" Tanner broke free, readied his sword, and charged. The stakes were higher than ever.

"Good job, Rem!" he called. "You're my new favorite maniac!" Rem probably would have responded, but she was busy getting swarmed by robots. Tanner didn't stick around to place bets on who would win that brawl (cough cough, robots). He just ran toward the fallen Generator. There was a smoking spot on it, but Tanner didn't pause to wonder how it got there. He glanced at it, laying on its side, and didn't see the DEACTIVATE button. So he jumped over it, and the button was there, on the other side. Ahead of him, the real Richard stumbled into view. As Tanner's hand shot to the button, he could see Richard smile and nod. And then, there was a soft click. Behind him, the robots stopped attacking Rem. And all was silent.

"Well done," Richard applauded. "You truly are the hero."