The Heretic's flail was a crude weapon, as dangerous to its wielder as it was to their enemy. The heavy, spiked ball was specific in purpose, lacking any subtlety as it dangled from its steel chain. 

The Heretic rubbed the scars along his wrist, struggling to recall what instance of poor judgment had led him to carry something so unwieldy, yet its weight felt good in his hands—familiar in an unfamiliar world. But this one lacked a handle—being only a replica which had adorned his prison—so he looped the flail's black chain through the shackle on his wrist as the light pitter patter of rain echoed in his mind. 

A small part of him wanted to flee, but he knew well that one could not outrun a Lapis Lazuli; it would be particularly foolish to even try in the rain.

He peered through the thin slits in his great helm, gazing upon the ocean blue Gem that drew closer, her movements languid as a stream's current as she moved through the rain. The Gem awakened a feeling inside him that came dangerously close to sheer terror.

***** 

5,053 years prior. 

The Diamond's Corrupting Light was seen across the world, shattering the spirit of every Gem, and breaking the resolve of every man, but Rose had remained ever resolute in the face of calamity. It was that unbreakable will that inspired loyalty in man and Gem alike.

The Paladin had many questions, but she had no answers to give; all she offered was another task for which he could not fail: retrieve the Prism. Not even lady Garnet could foresee what it might do in the hands of the Corrupted. That made it dangerous, too dangerous to be left be.

His guide was Nora, a squire barely thirteen years of age, but she was the only warp navigator the Order could muster. Warp whistle in hand, she played a divine tune that called forth a pillar of light which lifted her shaggy red hair into the air. In an instant a dozen men were taken across the earth as they arrived at the Blackstone Keep—an underground stronghold built to house the bubbled remains of loyalist Gems who refused to defect. 

As the Paladin stepped off the crystalline surface of the warp pad, the ground squelched beneath his feet. The cavern was dank and muddy as water dripped from the ceiling, an unnatural rain that manifested beneath the earth—that should have been the first sign something was wrong, a foul omen he was too foolish to spot.

"Hot diggity dog! This place is magnificent," Sergeant Dewey exclaimed as he peeled off his black leather gloves to feel the rain. The balding, middle-aged man looked up at the ceiling, his one eye gleaming in sight of the mosaic of color above them.

Countless Gems of varying cuts and colors shone above, held animated in the air by the Crystal Gem's bubbles—a magical prison, the only thing powerful enough to contain a poofed gem, a power the Paladin and his men could not replicate.

"Don't try and play with any of the bubbles!" The Paladin shouted. "And if you see anything with a Gem in it, a helmet, a blade, a mirror, anything, then do not touch it, and most definitely do not take the Gem out!" The Paladin yelled out to the knights who heeded his words as they spread out through the room.

Sergeant Dewey was already holding a gilded silver helm with two blue sapphires grafted to the back. "What'd ya reckon'll happen if I put this on?" The sergeant asked. 

The Paladin placed his hand on the helmet to stop him from placing it on his head. "That is the Helm of the Fell Winter," he explained. "If you're lucky, you'll have an extra set of eyes on the back of your head and the power of winter at your fingertips. But I reckon those two Gems are more likely to overpower your mortal will and seize control of your body, leaving you a prisoner in your own mind."

Sergeant Dewey stared blankly back at him, swallowing the saliva that had begun to build up in his mouth before slowly placing the Helmet in a sack he slung over his shoulder. "Well then, I never needed a helmet anyway."

"Now that we can agree on," Marianne chimed in from a distance, whipping her light pink hair to one side. Her hand sat comfortably on the pommel of her rapier as she and Nora gathered beneath a pyramid shaped Gem which floated above in a pink bubble.

"What are we starin at?" Sergeant Dewey inquired after making his way over to the group.

"The Prism, the very artifact we were sent here to retrieve," the Paladin answered, pointing at the Gem. "It was once wielded by Hessonite over a thousand years ago in her bloody campaign to conquer the earth. Thankfully, Rose bested her in the third Prism crusade, ending the scourge of light which ravaged the earth."

"Wow, I can't believe you lived through all of that," Nora cheered. She stood wide eyed as he spoke.

"The full tale is far more fascinating, child, perhaps fate will permit you to hear it . . . " Marianne's voice trailed off.

"Something wrong?" the Paladin asked.

"The rain, it stopped," she whispered.

He hadn't even noticed. None of the other men seemed to either as they continued to scavenge supplies from the Gem equipment strewn about the room . . . except one.

Suddenly, the water which beaded on his armor began to slither away, dripping off of him and onto the muddy ground. He looked to a lone knight standing by the warp pad, staring into the mosaic of Gems above as the water continued to drop from one spot above him, seeping into the crevices of his plate armor.

The man's eyes briefly squinted then widened in surprise. "It's a water wit—" the man began to cry out, but his words were cut off, replaced by a dreadful gargle as he toppled over in a pool of crimson water.

The Paladin and his men rushed over to help the man, but he was laid out lifelessly on the ground.

A ball of water disguised as a bubble dropped from the ceiling, splashing into the pool of bloody water. Within it was a blue Gem shaped like a drop of water—a Lapis Lazuli. 

A corrupted Gem, the Paladin thought with a compounding dread. It must have been a Crystal Gem if it was wandering freely in here. Was it trying to guard this place still?

The water rippled around the Gem as the moisture was pulled from the mud, forming a towering, inhuman mass of water. What stood before the Paladin was unlike anything he had ever seen before. A corrupted Lapis Lazuli with no physical form, completely encased in a pool of bloody water.

No one dared move from their positions as the colossal form of the Lapis Lazuli stood ominously still. What was it waiting for?

"Marianne, take Nora and the Prism and find another way out," the Paladin whispered to his companion. 

She nodded and tried to slowly move away, but the Lapis Lazuli awoke with life, flowing in a torrential current through the room. The Paladin tried to swing his flail quickly, aiming for the Gem inside—immediately the Gem reacted with a single blade of water, shot out at such an immense pressure that it cut straight through his armor like it was cloth, severing his entire forearm. He roared out in pain as his arm splattered on the ground, still holding a firm grip on his flail.

*****

"Hey, hey, are you feeling alright?" Greg asked as he gently shook him from his nightmare.

The Heretic gripped his forearm, worried it was not there as the rain continued around him, battering against the van. He looked back, Lion was still asleep.

"No, I'm not alright. We are not alright," the Heretic finally replied, his voice gruff and tired. "That is a Lapis Lazuli, a water witch, and it's raining outside," he whispered. The chain was wrapped tight around his arm now, digging deep into his flesh. "You run; I'll fight, got it?" 

"Woah, woah, woah, hold on. I think you got the wrong idea, man. I mean, sure, Lapis stole the entire ocean that one time, but she isn't gonna hurt us," Greg assured with a warm certainty in his voice.

The whole ocean? Surely, he jests, the Heretic thought. But sir Greg had done right by him thus far, so perhaps he could trust him. He looked out the window, the Lapis Lazuli was waiting patiently beside another Gem—an unusually small Peridot based on the green Gem in her forehead. He also noticed the Peridot had a yellow star on her chest and a star on each leg. A Crystal Gem?

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Alright, lead the way sire, but know that if she chooses to fight then none of us will survive to see the dawn rise," he asserted. "For a water witch, all it takes is a single drop of water, and there is no armor strong enough to save you." He tapped the cylindrical white scar above his shackle.

Greg slowly turned away, reaching his hand into the mountains of clothes in the back of the van and pulling out a yellow coat made of a strange, glossy leather. Slipping it on, he promptly pulled a lever on the door beside him and stepped out into the rain.

The Heretic watched as Greg spoke with the Gems for a moment. Was this really ok? He closed his eye and took another breath, holding it in this time as he came to a conclusion. The Lion was of no help; he would need to defer to Greg's better judgement for now. The Heretic pulled the lever on his door and stepped into the rain in a swift, brusque motion.

"So, you're a friend of Steven's mom?" He heard the Lapis ask. 

"It looks like an ironclad clod," the Peridot said dully. 

Clod? He stared at them in silence, still uncertain of their intentions. He looked at the door, wondering if he could rip it off its hinges and use it as a shield. That was certainly an option should the need arise.

The Lapis leaned down beside the Peridot. "Are we doing something wrong?" She asked in a hushed tone.

Greg cleared his throat to dispel the unease. "Paladin, meet Lapis and Peridot. Lapis, Peridot, meet the Paladin." He let out a nervous laugh as the unsettling ambiance of rain took over once more.

"Well, pleased to make your acquaintance, Paladin!" The Peridot shouted. "If you're a friend of Steven's dad, then you're a friend of mine."

"Well met, my lady. I am blessed by your kind words" the Heretic knelt down on one knee, trying to be polite. If she was a Crystal Gem then that made her his superior. 

"That's odd," Lapis said.

"Are you a Crystal Gem as well, my lady?" He asked, sending a silent prayer to Rose as he awaited her response.

"Eh, I tend to help out when the others aren't around," she replied.

Was that a yes? Please let that be a yes.

"Don't be so modest, we are the two most valued members of the team," Peridot proclaimed.

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Well then, I could certainly use your help right—"

"Who's this small fry?" A voice course as sandpaper grated against his thoughts. 

He recognized that voice. He didn't want to believe it, but there was no doubt in his mind.

"Jasper," the Heretic seethed through clenched teeth.