The Strike Team had just recently arrived at the beautiful park in the wealthy neighborhood.
An ominous disturbance loomed over the frozen lake, making it clear where the gate would open when the time came.
A strange haze permeated the air as armored vehicles set up the usual fortifications in preparation for the altercation.
The leader of the force, who was a government Master, was ordering his forces to pull back and make a defensive line.
But none of that was what had drawn Noble's attention.
'That can't be.' Her eyes had to be deceiving her in the low light that was forming for the imminent disaster.
One, two, three, four…Four Saints besides her had answered the call to deal with the incoming gate.
Three of them she had spoken to recently, and the fourth she had seen flying over Bastion.
Saint Kai, Saint Morgan, and Saint Nephis were all very recognizable. They did not hide their identity. Indeed, each of their presences was magnetic, and combined, it was nearly impossible to look away. It was so distracting that even the soldiers adjusting their machinery were still mostly focused on the stunning trio.
However, Noble was most interested in the fourth member of the group.
The imposing Saint wore dark clothes. Unlike the other three, he hid behind a three-horned mask.
A mask that Noble had seen all too recently. That was something she would have to ask the man about later, because they would certainly be having a conversation when this was all over if she had anything to say about it.
The fourth Saint was none other than Saint Sunny.
'Or rather the Saint Shadow.'
This incarnation of Sunny was one that Noble had not met. But everything about this version screamed that he was dark, mysterious, and edgy. Who else could it have been?
Four Saints in one place. Five, counting her. What were the odds of that? Bee Two would be able to tell her, but Noble knew all on her own that the odds were very low indeed.
Which begged the question…
'Did they come together?'
That was a bit concerning. Before Noble could fully consider the implications of that kind of meeting, the rift in reality finally manifested.
The world around them lost color, and a gust of wind pushed Noble back slightly in the air.
Noble blinked. Suddenly, there were five figures where there had once been four. Sunny's words wafted through the air, only confusing Noble further.
'Did he really just say to sit back and relax?'
The new addition to the field of play had emotions, but they weren't human. The creature wasn't filled with the hatred of a Nightmare Creature either. All she emanated was cold indifference to both the people and the gate.
'That's an…echo?'
Was Sunny really going to let his Echo handle the entire gate? As the beautiful figure strode forward unaccompanied, Noble could come to no other conclusion.
Child of Promise dropped behind the strike team, reluctant to interrupt the action and too curious to leave.
A moment later, the show began.
Through the rift, a grey monster with two hulking tusks burst with fury.
Noble wondered how the echo would react, and the answer was simple.
She didn't. Instead, she let the creature barrel straight into her shield. The monster was aerosolized almost instantly.
If Noble had blinked, she might have missed the whole exchange. But she couldn't look away. Her heart was racing from unused adrenaline.
More creatures were born from the menacing darkness, and the onyx beauty finally took a step.
Her grace was beyond anything Noble had ever seen in the Dreamscape. The stunning warrior slashed and sliced with ease. Her style was closer to a dance than a battle as she cleaved creatures with abandon. Almost immediately, a pile of bodies began to fall at the lady's feet.
Noble studied the style, determined to glean something for herself from the harrowing exchange.
The first wave of the gate was disastrous…for the Nightmare creatures.
The Strike team watched the hurricane of action with reverent awe, while Noble took in every stunning detail with her Quick Study Attribute.
This echo was truly a battle master.
'Phenomenal!'
The second wave of creatures met the same end as the first. Noble was fascinated by the scene, but she couldn't help but spare some attention for the four Saints standing by and doing nothing.
Kai felt a mix of unease, amazement, and confusion. He stole furtive glances at the man beside him. Noble could guess what he was thinking.
If the echo is this powerful, what about the man who wields the warrior?
Sunny was filled with not unwarranted glee. Who wouldn't be proud of the onyx beauty?
Morgan looked reserved, but her interest was keen. Like Noble, she wanted to know every detail of the clash. Her interest ran deeper than battle prowess, though. There was also a bit of disappointment.
Had Morgan wanted to handle the gate? Or perhaps she had wanted to see one of the other Saints do it instead of a single echo.
It was Lady Nephis's reaction that Noble found the most fascinating. Changing Star was the only one of the Saints that Noble had never spoken to directly, and the princess's public speaking only made her even more of an enigma. The silver-haired Saint's expression was impassive, but her emotions were like a tidal wave.
If Noble shut her eyes, she was sure the colors from Changing Star would be some of the most vibrant that she had ever seen.
Nephis was elated. Her excitement was even greater than Sunny's. How was that even possible?
From all accounts, Nephis was always itching to jump into a battle to protect innocent people. If that were the case, shouldn't she have been annoyed by this mysterious Saint preventing her from joining the fray? And with his echo, no less!
Yet Nephis was reveling in the scene. Did she enjoy the thrill of Nightmare Creatures dying?
'That's not it…'
There was something that Noble was missing.
A third round of creatures sent the Awakened around her into a bit of a frenzy. They prepared for the echo to finally break, unsure if the relaxed Saints would be quick enough to respond if the breach happened on the far end.
But Noble knew their angst was unwarranted.
The onyx battlemaster had shown herself more than capable of containing the crazed creatures as the mountain of her conquest continued to grow.
There was something vaguely familiar about the echo, but every time Noble tried to focus on that piece of information, her mind began to wander.
The echo, in contrast, was laser-focused on her goal: complete annihilation.
Her mission was accomplished a few heartbeats later when the gate guardian emerged from the tenebrous void.
With barely a whisper, the stone warrior cut the grey mound of flesh in two. The Guardian was gone before many of the Awakened warriors had enough time to register that it was most likely a Corrupted Tyrant.
Both Princesses of Valor seemed quite pleased with the results. That's when Noble realized what she had stumbled upon.
This wasn't some accidental gathering.
This was an audition!