The Kourakos brothers weren't the only ones monitoring the police band that night. Across town, Resonance, a calculating criminal with energy-absorbing abilities, stirred at the faint crackle of a 10-88. For someone like her, unregistered supers were a rare delight. Usually new and inexperienced, they were easy prey, and earlier reports of a warehouse fire might suggest this one had energy that Resonance could use. She flexed her fingers, feeling the familiar hum as she began to draw in the faint ambient energy around her, already imagining the thrill of facing someone unknown. She was unique in this city, the only person able to safely absorb Mainstream's power, and she savoured the challenge of each new fight, hoping for a chance to test her limits.

= = =

Sam, wrapped in his 'Steel Sentinel' persona, surveyed the charred remains of the warehouse, his gaze pulled to the epicentre of a blast that had torn through the structure. Fragments of fallen roof panels lay scattered around, but one of the larger sections bore the unmistakable scorch marks of a plasma discharge - Mainstream's work, without question. He sighed, his thoughts flickering between concern and frustration - how many times had Tyler's lack of control gotten him into trouble? He could be so much more if only he could harness his power more precisely. Sam pictured him working in the shop, using his plasma to weld and cut sheet metal with finesse instead of destruction. He then imagined what the real-life effects would be, and shuddered. Sam's own power could shape metal to anything he wanted, but a touch from Ty's charged fingertip could eradicate half an axle.

He crouched beside the singed metal, running his metal-clad fingers over the smooth, unnaturally precise edge left by Ty's blast. He felt a pang of hesitation. Covering up someone else's recklessness didn't sit right with him; it danced dangerously close to corruption, tampering with evidence, but he'd heard Ty's version of events, and his examination of the other panels backed him up. Heat from an immense local source had softened and deformed the supporting structure before Mainstream arrived on the scene. He could almost hear Ty's voice in his head, a defensive quip and an embarrassed shrug. His friend didn't need another black mark on his record, not for a warehouse incident with a clear cause and no casualties.

After a moment's pause, Sentinel focussed his will on the tell-tale panel, feeling the metal respond to his power. He softened the sharp line, coaxing it to melt into a more ragged, natural shape - an ordinary structural failure rather that metahuman clumsiness. The cover-up was subtle, a minor tweak to keep Ty's name clear.

He stood back to examine his work, and half-wondered if Ty would ever realise what Sam had done to protect him. With a final glance around the wreckage, Sentinel prepared to leave, hoping his small act of loyalty wouldn't come back to haunt them both.

Sentinel's focus on his handiwork was broken by a faint scuff on the ground, and small oof of escpaing breath, barely audible over the settling debris. He turned, startled, to see a tall, imposing figure slightly crouched in the centre of the blast radius, one arm lowered. He recognised the stance of somebody landing from a drop, almost the classic three-point landing. She couldn't have dropped from the roof - there was nothing up there and she'd have made more noise, so she must have appeared mid-air, descending with a muted impact. Her glowing eyes swept over the scene, skating over him without pause. She hadn't noticed him - his metal-coated form blended seamlessly into the jagged landscape of twisted beams and charred girders.

For a moment, he simply observed her, assessing. This was Zar, Ty's "fire elemental", the one he'd insisted was lost, perhaps a little dangerous, and probably stronger than she realised. He wasn't kidding. She had the build of someone used to exerting strength, her muscles coiled and ready, and a wariness in her expression that hinted at confusion rather than aggression.

Sentinel's eyes narrowed, his mind racing through possibilities. Zar looked like someone caught in the wrong place, her bewilderment almost masking the power she radiated. He could see why Ty had thought she might need help - and why she might also cause trouble if her strength or confusion got out of hand.

Zar muttered to herself, the words barely carrying over the low crackle of smouldering beams. "This place again?" She stepped cautiously through the wreckage, navigating pools of murky water and patches of still-glowing embers with delicate care.


From his semi-concealed vantage, Sentinel observed, taking in details Ty hadn't seen fit to mention. Sure, he'd said she was strong and seemed lost, but he'd somehow skipped over her statuesque presence. Her figure was striking in that way only superhumans could manage - slender waist, powerful shoulders, she had an athletic build that looked sculpted rather than accidental. Her face was sharp, almost regal in spite of the wild hair, with the kind of symmetry you'd expect to see on a comic book cover, an exaggerated blend of strength and beauty.

<I>Good grief, Ty</I>, he thought. <I>You left out a few details.</I>

He decided to make contact, and cleared his throat softly to let her know he was there. Her burning gaze scanned his general position for a moment, before finally noticing him. "Hey," he waved a little, just to make sure she saw him. "Just so you know, I'm not here to hurt you." He raised his hands slightly in a gesture of peace.

The woman turned toward him, tilting her head with a flicker of curiosity. "I, also, intend no harm," she replied slowly, her brow furrowing. "Is life so violent here that one's lack of harmful intention must be stated aloud?"

Sam chuckled, nodding. "You'd be surprised. People don't always know what to make of me, so I try to give them a head-up. You know, metal skin, super-strong, it's a lot to take in. I'm not scary on purpose, it is what it is."

Zar considered this for a moment, then nodded thoughtfully. "Perhaps I should do the same." She glanced down at her hands, flexing them slightly as if the idea of a threatening appearance was strange to her. Surely she knew what she looked like? Surely she knew she wasn't normal, but then, if Ty was right nothing in this world would be normal to her.

Sam watched her carefully, taking in every word. "I'm known as Steel Sentinel," he said evenly."I know who you are, Zar Kael, but I don't know why you're here."

Zar inclined her head, her expression softening. "This is my understanding, also. I am Zar Kael. This, I know." Her eyes held a distant, literal fire as she spoke, her voice swelling with pride. "My purpose here, though? that, I do not yet know. I am to be a champion, loyal and mighty. My power will lay waste to my enemies."

Sam narrowed his eyes - that didn't exactly sound promising. "And who, exactly, are your enemies, Zar Kael?"

She shrugged her broad, powerful shoulders. "I do not know. I have no enemies? Maybe they have already been laid to waste."

"Uh-huh. Sure, seems plausible," he replied, a skeptial eyebrow raised. "What do you plan to do, then, if there's no enemies to defeat?"

She looked off into the distance, as if seeking answers in the lingering smoke. "I will seek guidance from my master," she said, her tone shifting to bitterness. "He had the wisdom to summon me, yet? his oaths are false. I was promised power and freedom, majesty and respect." She glanced down, scowling at her own hands. "Instead I am bound into a stumbling husk of solid matter."

Sam paused, then tried for a reassuring smile "Well, if it's any consolation, it's a, uh, very impressive husk."

Zar studied him, confused by intrigued, her gaze softening just a bit. For a moment, the fire in her eyes dimmed to a quiet warmth.

"Steel Sentinel, will you help me, please?"

= = =

The following morning Ty woke to the soft buzz of his phone. Squinting at the screen he scrolled through a string of messages from Sam:

"Met Zar. She seems nice."
"Lost Zar. She can teleport."
"Nightstick Nick is in the hospital. Probably Zar."

He groaned, dragging himself out of bed, only to freeze mid-step. There were dirty footprints on the carpet - bare feet right at the side of his bed. He sat back down and checked his own soles, just to be sure. Clean. A sinking feeling settled in his gut as he followed the prints, trailing them all the way down the stairs to be basement.

There, curled up on the concrete floor, lay Zar, fast asleep. Her fiery tail was wrapped around her like a fur boa, flickering softly as if barely holding on to its flame. The fierce warrior from last night looked strangely peaceful, almost childlike, her expression soft in the dim morning light.

He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. Of all the places to spend the night, why his basement? The footprints in his room only went one way: out. Had she teleported right to his bedside, while he slept? He checked his phone again, scrolling through Sam's short messages. "Met Zar. She seems nice," he mumbled to himself. "Yeah, sure."

= = =

He watched her for several long moments, his gaze lingering on the figure curled up like some mythic creature slumbering in his basement. Even asleep, even at peace, she exuded a raw power that suggested the potential for untold destruction. Her tail, usually ablaze, was now only guttered, a low, dim flame - it seemed weak, and he was concerned. Was this normal, or was she running low on energy? Did her fire need recharging, or was there something else she relied on in this strange world? Magic? Coal? The power of friendship? Perhaps food would help?

"It'd certainly help me," he muttered, heading back up to the kitchen. Maybe the smell of coffee and sizzling bacon would coax her awake, and he could ask her a few questions over breakfast - a more civilised environment, if he was lucky. Failing that he'd wait until she was done, and hope she was calmer with a full belly.

He focused on the task at hand, forcing his mind away from the bizarre reality of a barely clothed, otherworldly woman sleeping on his basement floor. Apparently, she could teleport - at least, that's what Sam had claimed - and it was the only explanation for how she'd shown up miles away from where he'd last seen her, somehow in his basement. He suspected the amulet might be involved. Maybe it was a beacon.

He dialed Sam's number, listening to the long rings until finally Sam picked up with his usual lazy drawl, "Brooks' Breaker's Yard."

"Yo, Sam. You awake?"

"Just barely. You get my messages?"

"Yeah. And I've got an uninvited guest sleeping in my basement."

A thoughtful silence, then, "On that ratty old chair?"

"Nope, she's curled up on the floor. I'm cooking her some bacon, hoping it might? recharge her? Her fire's low. I dunno what happens if it goes out."

"That sounds ominous. Hope bacon does the trick. She seemed okay when I talked to her. Pretty sure she's on our side."

"I need to know everything she told you."

Sam let out a groan, "Not much, man. She used to be fire, in a world made entirely of fire. Now she's here, in our world, and it's not agreeing with her." Sam hesitated, then continued. "I don't think she even realised that I was a human being encased in metal - like it didn't even register. She finds us that strange. Can you imagine?"

Ty chuckled, but his curiosity got the better of him. "So what did you talk about?"

"Earth. People. Her plans," Sam replied. "She's got a lot to learn, but she's got the attention span of a matchstick. You have to remember, she was made of fire, Ty. Picture being a single spark in a universe where everything is fire, where there's no separation, no limits. No walls. No boundaries. They had nothing but complete and absolute freedom, and now she's stuck here, bound up in a body with flesh and bones, constrained by gravity and the laws of physics. Honestly, just cut her some slack while she figures things out."

Ty nodded, glancing toward the basement staircase. He hadn't considered how much a shock this must be for her. "That's got to be rough."

"Exactly," Sam agreed. "She's learning, though. Trying, at least. Just keep that in mind, huh? She's not like us, and she's probably terrified? or might be, if she had any concept of personal danger."

Ty took a deep breath. "Yeah, I'll keep that in mind."

He tossed some bread into the toaster. "You don't think she's a vegetarian, do you?"

Sam snorted. "I doubt she even knows what plants are. She's got bits and pieces of information from somewhere - maybe the spell got botched partway through. I've tried explaining some basics, but I think she got bored. I looked away for two seconds and she was gone. No warning, nothing, just gone."

"Maybe she ran off." Ty laughed. "You <I>do</I> have that effect on women."

"Very funny," Sam retorted. "No, seriously - she vanished. And earlier, when I was at the warehouse , she just appeared out of thin air and dropped to the ground. I'm guessing it's her arrival spot.I was gonna ask, but didn't get around to it, and then, well, didn't get the chance."

Ty nodded, eyeing the sizzling pan. "I'll see if I can get some answers. Gotta go, Sam, bacon's just about done. Time to wake up sleeping beauty."

"Alright. Good luck with that."

Ty hung up, dropped the phone into a pocket, and retrieved the toast as it popped up, wincing as he arranged the hot slices on a plate.

"What are you doing?" Zar's voice drifted from the doorway. He looked up to see her yawning, ginger hair sticking out wildly in all directions. She rubbed at her eyes with the innocence of a sleepy child, and for a moment the strangeness of her presence here softened.

"Making breakfast," he replied, keeping his tone light, inviting her with a smile. "You want some?"

She tilted her head. "What is it?"

"Bacon and toast. Or I've got cereal, if you're interested."

She blinked at him, slow and uncomprehending. He realised he'd misunderstood the question - she wasn't asking what was <I>for</I> breakfast - she wanted to know what the breakfast <I>was</I>.

"It's food. Fuel. We need it to gain energy," he explained, motioning to the plate. He glanced at her tail, drooping low behind her, the flames mere flickers against dark fur. Now that he could see it clearly, it struck him how much it resembled a wolf's tail, though he doubted she even knew what a wolf was.

Why did she have a tail at all? And why did it burn? He was madly curious. Had the cult shaped her, imprinted her with this bizarre form, or did the flames and tail represent something she herself had chosen, something from her own world?

<I>Why</I> did she have a burning tail?

She padded over to the hob, leaning over to squint at the food sizzling in the pan. Ty picked up a piece of toast and took a bite out of the corner to demonstrate. "Put it in your mouth, take a bite. It's food."

She raised an eyebrow, watching him curiously, then reached down and plucked a strip of bacon from straight from the hot pan. Ty's eyes widened, and he opened his mouth to shout a warning, but she was already chewing, unfazed by the heat. She paused to lick the sizzling fat off her fingers, as it if were no more dangerous than water.

Ty let out a slow breath, relief mixed with fascination. So, she was immune to fire and heat. It seemed obvious, given her claim to be an avatar of fire, but a small part of him had wondered if, despite everything, she might be more human than she looked.

"Good?" he asked, half-joking.

She looked at him, considering, then nodded. "I like this."

He carried the plates over to the dining table, and Zar's glowing eyes tracked them like a hawk. "You can have more. Go ahead, help yourself," he encouraged, as she leaned over the chair to snag another strip of bacon.

"This is? food?" she asked, inspecting it briefly before stuffing it into her mouth.

"Bacon. I mean, yes, it's food," Ty tried not to laugh. "That specific type of food is called bacon. We have, well, many types of food."

Her eyes widened with sudden interest, as if the world had just opened up a little more. She pointed at his toast, tilting her head. "And that? is also food?"

He slid the plate her way. "We call it toast. Try it."

She picked up a slice and sank her teeth into it, freeing in mild alarm as the crunch echoed unexpectedly loud in her ears. She blinked, looking at him in surprise.

"Don't worry," he said, smiling. "That's just what toast does."

She considered it for a moment, then took another large bite, chewing slowly with a thoughtful expression on her face.

"I am Zar Kael. What are you?"

Ty winced. Damn, her first real question and it was loaded with potential problems. "I am Tyler Drake. My friend's call me Ty - it's quicker and easier to say." He decided against mentioning his codename just yet. He didn't think she was ready to handle a secret identity yet, and she hadn't actually seen him take off his uniform so there was a chance she hadn't realised that Tyler and Mainstream were the same person.

"Tyler," she repeated, feeling the shape of the word. "Am I a friend?"

He gave her a smile. "I hope so."

"Ty, then." She spoke the name like she was testing it out. "You are my master. Why did you bring me to this place?"

He blinked, caught off guard. "I didn't bring you here, Zar, I? found you. Or maybe you found me."

Her eyes widened. "You're not my master?" She hesitated, looking almost lost. "But? I feel it. Like a current, pulling at me."

He shook his head softly. "I am nobody's master, Zar, but I'd like to be your friend. Your guide. I understand that this world must seem strange and overwhelming. Will you let me help you?"

She looked at him, and he could see warring emotions written on her face - confusion, anger, betrayal, followed by flickers of fear, desperation, and finally a kind of relief. Her face softened, then grew resolute.

"Tell me what I must do," she said quietly, the determination in her voice clear.

Chapters...