425 Swords

"Working for you?" A scientist stared up at Aldrich. Outside of her hazmat suit, her features were clearly visible. She had shoulder-length purple-tinted hair and gleaming lavender eyes. A young girl, around Aldrich's own age.

Though, not that surprising. With Alters popping up with superhuman intelligence, it was less and less surprising to see young people in higher and higher research-related positions.

The scientist pointed to the rubble around her. The remnants of the enormous underground lab that once was.

"But our whole lab's trashed. Everything we've worked for is all gone."

"Be quiet!" another scientist patted her shoulder. "He saved us! Be grateful and keep your head down for now!"

"No." The girl shook the other scientist off of her. "We were so close! So close to finding out everything! The secret to energy beyond possibility! Beyond the chains of Alter powers! And now-now it's all gone!

Without the ring, there IS no research!"