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Legendary Heroes: A R.O.S.E. Tale {Completed}


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#26 Galexy

Galexy

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Posted 28 August 2010 - 12:02 PM

Chapter 23: Updates

Xyler launched himself into the air, a small smile on his face. â??Sorry, Katinka. No time to play now.â?

The female Hawker watched wordlessly as Xyler flew off, his large wings beating against the still air. She thought about chasing him, ordering Ruven to turn the ship around to follow the fleeing man, but decided against it. The ship would be slower than his form of flight. Besides, she had other errands to run for Hebarn. There was little time in her world to be chasing random men.

Xyler looked back once to see if the ship would follow. When it did not, he slowed his pace. He did not know where Esseff had disappeared to nor did he know where Galexy was currently located. She made no attempts to contact him, which may have to do with the fact that her User-Interface was still deactivatedâ?¦and he was under a new alias.

His encounter with The Affliction clansmen had be profitable. He learned a lot about the events unfolding in their worlds and how everything was seemingly connected. And he knew who Galexy was last seen with.

As he flew, the Raider flipped open his UI and scrolled to the Personal Messaging tab - the only thing still functional on the attachment. He typed in Ellyâ??s name, thankful that the male Affliction member had recalled the Museâ??s entire ID-tag, and sent her a quick query.

â??Elly?â? He typed, fingers flying across the glossy screen. â??I know you donâ??t know meâ?¦but Iâ??m aâ?¦friend of Lexyâ?¦Galexy..Is she with you now? Have you seen her? Iâ??ve been looking for her everywhereâ?¦Please contact me as soon as you can!! My new ID-tag is Xyier now, instead of Xyler.â?

He trailed off at the end, not sure of what all he should include in a text message. He added his old ID-tag at the end and pressed send. The message box blinked away and the message was delivered. All he would have to do now is wait. He wondered how long it would take the Mage to answer. He was anxious to know where the girls were and if everyone was doing well. Essâ??s parting words had made him very uneasy.

A red light blinked on his UI, causing him to pause mid-flight. Hovering hundreds of feet above the ground, Xyler answered. â??Hello?â?

â??Xy? Itâ??s LoPan,â? said the Mercenary.

â??Oh, hey. Whatâ??s up?â?

"You disappeared on us. Just calling to make sure that youâ??re ok,â? replied the Dealer.

"Iâ??m fine,â? responded Xyler. â??I got a lead on Lexy. She was last seen with her friend from the Arumic school for Muse, Elly. Iâ??m trying to reach them now.â? There was no need to tell LoPan where that information came from. He paused. The Affliction clanmembers were fighters. He was sure he could take them in an one-on-one fight, but two or moreâ?¦Plus, one never knew when an extra hand, especially a mercenary, would be useful.

"Where are you now, Lo?â? Xyler said. â??Iâ??ll swing by and fill you in.â?

"In the capital still,â? replied LoPan as Xyler resumed his flight. â??Trying to find out what all happened during the latest â??Maintenanceâ?? from the shopkeepers. Crune reports that the General Managers messed with the refining equipment of all the refiners in every city. Raffle from Zant, Paverick in Eucar, Nel Eldora in Xita Refuge all report similar findings. Even Mairath out in Breezy Hills reported the same thing.â?

Xyler touched down next to LoPan and closed his UI. The Dealer continued talking without missing a beat. â??Theyâ??re all failing a lot more now, saying that its quite difficult to get anything pass 6. Lower grde items donâ??t break as often anymore, but that doesnâ??t seem to appease many customersâ?¦The wealthier elite, spending their IM points, have found new runes that help increase their chances of success a bit. One rune even prevents an item from breaking or degrading!â?

"I am doing the best I can here!â? yelled Crune. He tossed a mangled and broken staff at a disgruntled customer. â??First came these non-stop, incessant Maintenance freezes, then the ramblings of madmen falling from the sky, and now this!! If you donâ??t like my refine rates, go see Raffle!â?

He shoved away from the crowd, pushing his NPC robotic representation out to take his place. The mechanical clone of Crune blinked its glowing red eyes and held out its touch screen monitor. Customers could chose to access Cruneâ??s aid via the screen the robot held or by linking up wirelessly with the robot using their UI system.

"Hi!� beeped the robot, its voice imitating a happier and friendlier version of Crune. "Please select the help you need from the menu below and Crune will do his best to get back to you�Option 1�.�

LoPan motioned for Xyler to follow him towards the back of the store. The robot droned on in the background, repeating its message verbally and electronically every time someone linked up. Those that were hit with the UI virus causing them to lose their NPC text on their UIs had to wait in line to use the NPC robotâ??s monitor.

The pair snuck around the store, out of sight of the seething crowd, and paused at the rear entrance to Cruneâ??s home. LoPan rapped a series of knocks on the manâ??s door, linking the knocks together in a series of short, rhythmical patterns. He paused and repeated the pattern a few seconds later.

The door opened slowly. Crune stared out from the small crack in the door. He scowled at the pair. â??What do you want? Iâ??m a busy man you know.â?

"Is it true?â? LoPan asked. He stuck one hand into his pocket and withdrew a small blue gem. Twirling it through his fingers, he continued. â??Did they change all of the refining equipment?â?

Crune motioned for the pair to enter. He waved them over to some chairs within his workroom, palmed LoPanâ??s bribe, and sat down across from them.

"Ah, they did indeed.â? The manâ??s face drooped sadly. â??That Maintenance we just had a few hours agoâ?¦Everyone thought it was just for those blasted flyersâ?¦but they replaced all of the smithing equipment while we were more or less frozen. Refine rates are shotâ?¦To do half as well as before my customers now have to supply me with some special IM refines. Venarunes, I believe theyâ??re called. To make matters even worse, Monsters donâ??t seem to have such a hoard of regular refines stashed on them anymore either.â?

"I never understood how it is that these Monsters all seem to know where to find the stores of materials and refines to hoard when regular people like us canâ??t find them anywhere,â? Xyler said.

"It would be nice to go straight to the source instead of defeating Monsters to obtain them,� Crune agreed.

"But it is a nice bonus to each kill, to find a mat here or some zulie there,â? added LoPan. â??They all sell well in town to all those who donâ??t or can't go out to hunt and battle for them.â?

"Thereâ??s that.â? Crune sighed. The clamour in front of his store increased in volume. â??Things were bad before. Itâ??s just going to get crazier from here.â?

A red light flashed on Cruneâ??s UI. â??Excuse me a moment.â? He pushed a button on his UI and answered the phone. â??Hey. How are things going there?â?

Nel Eldoraâ??s recognizable voice streamed from the attachment. â??Horrible! Like we didnâ??t have enough to worry about already hereâ?¦Did you check the Item Mall listing? Apparently a new refine rune has just been discovered! Againâ?¦within moments of this Venarune. Itâ??s very, very, very rare though. Neptarune, I believe theyâ??re called.â?

"Neptarune? What the *^.^* does that do?� Crune swore.

"Increase success rate by 10%, like the Venarune, but no chance of breaking or degrading when failed.�

"That sounds like a mixed blessing,â? Crune stated. His head started to swirl with the heated, day long debates that were sure to ensue. It was not a good time to be a refiner, he thought silently. â??Thanks for the update..â?

"Yea, thought you should knowâ?¦â? Nel paused. A loud uproar could be heard in the background. â??Gotta go!â?

There were a few minutes of silence as everyone took the newest information in. When it seemed that Crune would not speak again, Xyler spoke up.

"You mentioned a man falling from the sky? Earlier�outside in the crowd. What did you mean by that?� asked the Hawker.

"Oh, that.â? Crune shook his head and pulled his hat off. He twisted the thing in his hands as he spoke. â??He came down out of the sky around the same time the second wave of flyers came down earlier today.â?

"Before or after the GMs came?�

"After. A few minutes or so after they left. He fell right out of the sky. Landed a few feet from my shop. A Mage was there to freeze him mid-air so he did not hit the ground. A Cleric saw to his injuries.â? Crune shook his head. â??But he was raving mad, that man. On and on he droned. Metal Monsters controlled by fictional bad guys. Raving about diseases and disasters that will befall us all.â?

Crune paused and scratched his head. â??They took him to the Arumics to see if he was..â? Crune whispered the next word. â??infected.â? The man shivered. â??Arua protect us. That madness needs to stay in Eldeon. We have enough troubles with the Devil Pest here. We donâ??t need any extra infections.â?

"You didnâ??t recognize this man?â? asked Xyler. Being Junonâ??s main refiner, Crune dealt with a lot of people. He usually knew everyone by name.

"I donâ??t think so,â? Crune started. â??But there was something vaguely familiar about him.â? He shrugged. â??I didnâ??t get too close to see, though. No good risking getting the infection, you know.â? He stood suddenly. â??There now. You have your story, paid in full. Get out. Things to do, things to do.â?

LoPan stood first, pulling Xyler up with him. It was obvious that the Hawker still had a lot of questions to ask.

"Thank you for your time, Crune." Lo Pan said. He opened the door and pulled the Hawker out with him.

"Uh, thanks!â? Xyler called as he was hauled away. Outside, out of earshot, Xyler turned to loPan. â??What was that all about? I wasnâ??t done.â?

"I know, but you canâ??t bombard him with questions. We need to leave him happyâ?¦or relatively happy, so we can come back later to ask more questions. Canâ??t tire a source out, you know!â?

"A source?� Xyler asked incredulously.

"A mercenary is in the need-to-know profession," LoPan explained. â??If thereâ??s something that I do not know, I ask the vendors here. Crune, for example, knows everyone. Thereâ??s a lot that doesnâ??t get past him.â?

"Except for the identity of the man falling from the sky..�

"Well, we can rectify that. Letâ??s go have a little chat with Chelsie. She works for the Arumics.â?

Xyler stared at his UI. Elly had either not gotten his message, had her UI set to silent, or did not want to answer him. He itched to send another message, but decided to wait a little longer. He returned his attention to the Dealer and raised one eyebrow. â??Just like that?â?

LoPan smiled. â??Just like that.â?

---
Author's Note: This chapter reflected one of the first few refine updates that I've experienced in my (comparatively) short time with Rose. Refine rates were changed, as were levels of degrading and breakability. Developers also introduced Venarunes and Neptarunes at this point. Plutorunes were soon to follow. Monster drop rates, horribly, were decreased during this time - making it even harder to refine items. The chaos that followed these changes, both in game and on the old forums, was not unexpected...and merely served as a small precursor for the changes that came much later with the introduction of catalysts in our refining world.


Edited by Galexy, 02 September 2010 - 06:28 AM.

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#27 Galexy

Galexy

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Posted 28 August 2010 - 12:03 PM

Chapter 24: Old Acquaintances

And just like that the Mercenary got the pair into the exclusive Arumic headquarters. The Dealer blantantly flirted with Chelsie, who didnâ??t even question why a mercenary wanted to see a madman.

"As tall as twoâ?¦no three men!!â? echoed a shrill voice. â??As tall as a buildingâ?¦All metal with a heart that glows. And itâ??s squeaky roarâ?¦.Ahhhhh!!â? The voice lowered in volume, becoming little more than muffled ramblings.

Xyler and LoPan turned the corner and entered the main lobby of the Arumicâ??s building. In the center of the room, caged in a large square cell, much like those scattered throughout the Underground Prisons, sat a much dishelved man. His clothing resembled tattered rags more than any decent attire. His red-orange hair stood up at odd angles, many strands looking more than a bit singed.

However, what stood out the most on the man was his startling blue eyes. The irises covered his entire eye, leaving no space for his pupils or the whites of his eyes to show through. The manâ??s skin was an ashen while, slightly grey at the edges. This served to accentuate his eyes.

At the sound of their approach, the man swiveled his entire body around to face them. His crazed stare roamed madly around before freezing on Xyler.

"You!â? he cried, his voice shrill. â??You were thereâ?¦.you saw! The Metal Monsters are coming for us! They heard us crash and came to kill us.â? He laughed, head lolling to one side than the other. â??I got away, but theyâ??ll come for me. For you, too. We must run. RUN!â?

He stood hastily, as if to run, and crashed into the bars of his cage. He grasped the bars with arms, hugging himself tightly against them. â??We must leave,â? he whispered, hugging the bars ever tighter, a direct contradiction to his own words. â??Thereâ??s danger everywhere.â?

"His eyes look like yours,â? LoPan said loudly. He turned away from the madman. â??Whatâ??s up with that? Iâ??ve never seen anything like it. And now both of you look like that. Do you know him?â?

Xyler ignored the first question, preferring to answer the second one instead. â??He was a prisoner on Eldeon, too. I do know him, I thinkâ?¦Heâ??s â??â??

"We canâ??t leave yet, though,â? the madman interrupted. He dropped to all fours and crawled around the cage, looking under the pile of blankets that served as his bed for something. â??Canâ??t ever leave without it..Have you seen it?â? He looked up, eyes beseeching. â??Have you?â?

Xylerâ??s brow furrowed at the remark. Heâ??d heard that crazed rant before. â??Alphonso? Is that you?â? He walked up to the man, crouched down, and peered intently at the manâ??s upturned face.

"Have you seen her doll?â? asked the man. â??We canâ??t leave without Rosemaryâ??s Doll.â? Tears streamed from the Piloteerâ??s eyes. A deep gash that ran from the manâ??s forehead down the right side of his face and ended just short of his jaw pulsed in time with his cries. The wound was an old one. Its edges glittered with Cleric magic, but the aid had come too late. Alphonso would carry the scar for the rest of his life.

Xyler reached a hand through the bars and rested it on the manâ??s shoulder. â??I have not seen it,â? he replied solemnly. â??But weâ??ve found it once before. Iâ??m sure we can find it again.â?

"Do you â?? do you think so?â? whimpered the famous pilot. â??Iâ??ll need itâ?¦Iâ??ll need it before we fly again.â? He smiled quaveringly. â??Thanksâ??thank you, friend.â?

Alphonso blinked his pale blue eyes a few times before closing them. He curled up on the floor where he had been searching for the missing item and promptly fell asleep.

An Arumic Priestess approached the cell, her soft slippers barely touching the ground as she walked. â??Are you sure this is Alphonso?â? she asked, her voice soft. â??Weâ??ve brought him before our elders, but none had recognized him.â? She paused and frowned. â??The townspeople refused to come by to identify him â?? despite our reassurances that his is not infected like the rumors suggest.â?

"If heâ??s not infected, why is he locked up? Why is he still in those rags?â? LoPan asked indignantly. Alphonso was a pioneer in his field, an icon. He was suck and needed help. To se the man so degraded disturbed the seasoned mercenary.

The Muse raised her arms up, palms out to halt LoPan. â??We tried to give him something else to wear,â? she started. She gestured to a pile of clothes off to one side of the cage. â??But he refused to accept any of it.â? She paused and lowered her hands. â??As for the cellâ?¦â? She sighed. â??He requested to be returned to his cell immediately. Heâ??s actually a lot calmer now in the cell than he was out of itâ?¦â?

Xyler raised his eyebrows. â??And you just happened to have a cell here?â?

The Priestess smiled. She raised her left hand and wiggled her fingers. The bars of the cage shimmered and collapsed in a shower of rainbow glitter. â??This would not be the Arumic school for Muses without magic within its halls, now would it?â?

LoPan waved his arm across the open area where the bars once stood. It passed through the air without any resistance. â??It wasnâ??t just an illusion then? I saw him run into it.â?

The woman wiggled her fingers once more and the air sparkled brightly. Bars sprung out from the shimmering air. LoPanâ??s arm collided with the metal bars that formed with a loud thump. â??Our magic is much more than mere illusions,â? she stated haughtily. â??But it all depends on how much you believe.â? She shrugged then, dismissing the matter. â??Itâ??s real enough for Alphonso, and for you it seems. He can leave it whenever he is ready.

She turned her gaze from the striken man and met Xylerâ??s eyes. â??Heâ??s been god-touched,â? she said gently. She stared at Xyler for a long while before looking away. â??Some fair better afterwards than others. But we know his identity now. That will help.â?

"How?� LoPan asked skeptically. He noticed the way the woman looked at Xyler and filed the information away for later reference.

"We can help him remember who he is, bring him familiar items and people known to him. Itâ??ll make him remember the good thingsâ?¦and forget about these imaginary monsters that haunt his dreams.â? She paused. â??Itâ??s prolly best not to remind him about the Rosemary IIâ??s explosion nor the current state of his enterprise with Ruven at its headâ?¦â?

"His Metal Monsters are real,â? said Xyler. â??There were there that day when our lifeboat crashed on Skaaj.â? LoPan, having heard this part of the story before, eagerly nodded his head in confirmation. â??But they werenâ??t monsters in the sense of the word. They were more man-controlled machines, than living breathing things. Alphonso was already out of it by the time the machines found the three of us in the woodsâ?¦â? Seeing your beloved ship go up in flames would do that to a man, thought Xyler.

"The three of you?â? asked the Arumic woman. She had heard of many rumors about the Ferrel Guildâ??s new inventions and wondered if this could be one of them.

"A Cleric we met on the flying vessel. He was in the lifeboat with us when we crashed. I do not know what became of him.â? Or what became of Lexyâ?¦he added silently. Why wasnâ??t Elly answering her messages??

"And you are sure that there were people on these castle-I mean machine monsters?â? corrected the woman. Her eyes narrowed in concentration. â??Did you get their names? Or their clan affiliation?â?

"I donâ??t know their clans, but I remember their names.â? He listed out two names of the drivers that were aboard the machines.

The womanâ??s eyebrows shot up in surprise. â??Are you sure?â?

"They took me captive with those machines and shipped me off to the prison.â? He replied, eyes narrowed. â??Iâ??m sure.â?

Her eyes flicked over to the mercenary, looking him up and down. â??I have to ask you to leave now.â?

"What? Why?â? argued the Dealer. The different clues clicked together suddenly. â??Iâ??m a part of AR! Iâ??m not in the Ferrel Guild.â? He took a step away from the magic-casting Muse. â??Whatever disputes are going on between the factions, Iâ??m on your side.â? He nodded vigorously.

She turned her attention to Xyler, who shrugged nonchalantly and said, â??Iâ??m unaffiliated.â? He turned to leave anyways. He learned what he came to learn and picked up some other news along the way.

The Arumics somehow knew about the metal monsters that had attacked him. She even started to say their names before she stopped herself. He learned that the Arumics had magics capable of creating things out of thin air, magics that they did not teach at their school. He learned that Alphonso had been God touched, though not by who or for what purpose.

Tensions between the guilds have always been precarious. He did not know how this new information would go over with the rest of their faction. He did not want to stick around to find out. There were enough worries as it was.

"If I locate Rosemaryâ??s Doll,â? he said as he walked out. He worried about leaving the Ferrel Guild member in the clutches of the Arumics, but that was neither here nor there. He needed healers right now and this was the best place to find them. He could only hope that their ethics ranked higher than their political views. â??Iâ??ll be sure to bring it by for Alphonso.â?

Just as he was about to exit the door, the woman caught him by the arm. Xylerâ??s pale eyes flashed in a mixture of surprise and anger. Had the environment been different, he would have had drawn his weapons on the woman already.

size="3"> face="Calibri">â??I apologize,â? stammered the woman quickly. In her haste she had forgotten her mannersâ?¦and normal caution. One did not grab people unsuspectingly in a world full of warriors seasoned for battle and came away unscathed. She lowered her hand and took a step back.

She gestured to the pendants that hung on a long leather cord around his neck. One pendant belonged to Lexy, his gift to her many years ago. The seven-petalled, crystalline flower shone in the light and clanked softly against the dark pendant beside it.

Unlike the rich shine produced by the jeweled pendant, this one hung heavily and dull. The gilded design etched into the metal surface was barely seen beneath the layers of girt worn into it over time. The shape of the pendant, however, was unmistakable.

"The Black Tortoise crest,â? the woman said solemnly, recent disputes forgotten. Her eyes widened in awe. Her eyes traced the slim outline of serpentine creature entwined lovingly around a tortoise shape. It was an ancient family crest, preserved in history and lore, and originated from Luna. â??I have not seen this family crest inâ?¦I donâ??t even know how long. How did you come by this?â?

Xyler tucked the pendants beneath his shirt. â??I found it, thatâ??s all.â? That he found it with his parentsâ?? prized possessions was something he did not wish to share with this stranger.

A keen wail started up within the depths of the headquarters. Alphonso had awoken. The Arumic Priestess turned from Xyler, her face torn. Would she continue to ask questions about the crest or tend to her patient?

Alphonsoâ??s need won out and the woman scurried away to aid him. The choice relieved Xyler. He felt better at leaving the poor man there and he avoided more questions that he did not want to answer. His past was his own. Unraveling that mystery was not something he was willing to share just yet.



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#28 Galexy

Galexy

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Posted 28 August 2010 - 12:04 PM

Chapter 25: Lightning

Ellylovesess placed a reassuring hand on her friendâ??s arm. â??Youâ??ve lasted this long without it even on,â? she said reasonably. â??Having itâ?¦off..should make little difference.â?

Galexy turned her face up to look at the Mage who sat so rigidly by her side. Her usually bright, cheerful face, often streaked with tears of late, was impassive. Emotionless. The feeling was so constant now, so common. How could one feel shock or despair or loneliness when that was their constant state of emotion? All she felt now was numb.

The snow continued to fall in steady waves around them. It completely hid the remnants of the shattered User-Interface. â??How can I function this way?â? whispered the Cleric, her voice flat. â??Xylerâ?¦he couldâ??ve turned it back on for me. I know it. But thisâ?¦â? Her voice trailed off.

"The same way youâ??ve been doing!â? The Mage stood and pulled Lexy to her feet. Anger crossed the Mageâ??s soft features. â??Your magic worked fine for you without UI on. We didnâ??t think it would work, but it did.â? She gestured jerkily at the cool bonfire a few feet from them. â??It still works fine now, without that thing on your arm.â? Elly took a deep breath. â??Things will be alright. Youâ??ll see.â?

In truth, the loss of the machine, so integral in all of their lives, came as a mighty blow to the sensible Mage. It had always been there, like another part of their being. It was unnerving seeing Lexy without her UI on and learning ways to cope with that. Knowing that it was completely gone now made it even harder to deal with.

What was worse, she had not been there to protect her friend from danger. When Esseff had thrown her through the portal, like she had so recently done to him, she was seething with anger and had desperately wanted to get back to the fight. But she had no scrolls on her. No Eucar scrolls, not even the teleportation scrolls sheâ??d engineered. Sheâ??d spent a part of the night rearranging things in her UIâ??s inventory and her storage account. All she had on her were dirtied mats that she was going to clean in the morning. Everything vital had been left at the innâ??s storage vault.

Elly was lucky that her cart was still in her PAT inventory. She tapped on the function that brought her cart out, hopped on, and raced back to the magical city as quickly as her cart could go. By the time that she arrived, however, the battle was over.

"Youâ??re alive,â? Elly continued, thankful that this was the case. â??And weâ??re going to keep it that way, k?â?

Lexy tilted her head in confusion. â??Of courseâ?¦â?

Elly lifted up her UI and pulled a book out from her inventory. Seeing Lexy flinch at the apparatus, Elly quickly lowered her arm and pulled her sleeve over to cover the UI. She did not see the blinking red light on its surface.

The Mage handed the book over to her friend with her left hand, making sure that her own intact UI remained hidden. â??Itâ??s my notebook,â? she said in explanation. â??I kept a record of all the spells I learned at the school and spells I learned from others Iâ??ve met in my journeys. You can have it. Use it to learn some more offensive spells.â?

Lexy took the book. She ran her fingers lightly over the pinkish, purple leathery surface. An inscription on the cover read â??Mage Diaryâ? in small script print.

"You�have a diary?� she asked, expression puzzled. A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips at the thought of her ever practical friend using a diary to keep all of her deep, dark secrets written down.

Elly rolled her eyes, knowing what Lexy was getting at. â??When we passed our second profession exam, the mayor gave us all these diaries,â? she explained. â??I guess he wanted us to keep track of stuff in it or somethingâ?¦â? She shrugged as Lexy said â??uhâ?¦creepyâ? softly. â??I used it for my notes and stuff, too. No sense wasting a good notebook.â?

Lexy closed the book and smiled. She looked almost normal again. Her friend was always vigilant with her studies, ever careful with her notes and spells. This was a huge gift. â??Thanks, Elly. This means a lot to me.â?

"Come on. Letâ??s get out of this cold.â?

The Muses retreated to their rented cabin, bundles in tow. As they walked, Lexy recounted the story of what had happened after her friend was shoved through the magical portal.

"He took some scrolls?â? Elly asked, eyes wide. â??Which ones??â?

At the time of the attack, Lexy had been too preoccupied with the loss of her UI that she had given little thought to what the Affliction clansman was after. It was only when Elly asked about the scrolls that the Cleric recalled that there were more than one set of scrolls in her pack.

She bolted forward and upended the Pumpkin backpack, its Jack-o-lantern head lolling eerily to one side. They both rummaged through the wet items, dislodging bits of snow that still clung to some of the items, and surfaced with a bundle of scrolls in one hand.

The scrolls themselves looked undamaged from the melted snow. The weight of the other items in the bag had not affected the stiffness of the scroll either. The seal on the scrolls shone with its magical sheen. They were still in the possession of the scrolls that had once belonged to her Fighter Clown friend, Fayhter.

Lexy hugged the scrolls close to her chest and looked up at Elly. â??He got the other scrollsâ?¦The ones we fought the Elite Monsters for.â? She sighed. Should she be thankful that those were the ones stolen and not these or should she be upset? They had worked hard to get those schematic scrolls back. Rosemaryâ??s soundbox-doll had said that they were important for the Hunt Quest to find Xyler. And now they were gone.

The Cleric looked down at the scrolls. The Fighter Clowns had all given their lives to protect these scrolls. That had to mean more than her reunion with Xyler. Sheâ??d find him some other way.

"Weâ??ll have to get out of here,â? Elly said, looking around. â??When Ess finds out that he got the wrong scrolls, heâ??ll be back.â?

"Calling our enemies by their first names now, are we?� she asked, one eyebrow raised.

Elly threw the large, stolen gem at Lexy, who caught it with a smile. â??Just pack up, will you? We need to find Dex and go,â? she ordered. But she returned the smile. Lexy made a joke. About the Hawker, no less. That's a good sign...right?

----

The girls sat stiffly aboard the tiny Flying Vessel, dubbed LandsAlot, squished between a sleep-deprived Hawker and stoned Cleric. With Alphonso missing, Ruvenâ??s usurpation of the Interplanetary enterprise, and the price gouging that followed, a boom in illegal space flights by unlicensed piloteers resulted. Cheaper prices, easier, hassle-free access made the black market mode of transportation become high demand.

IM ticket sales were up, but not everyone could afford the prices of the exclusive store. Black Market transportation was the only alternative if you wanted to travel anywhere off planet. Finding them had been easy. Announcements and Shouts littered the city streets and drowned out normal conversations. Town officials and GMs did nothing to halt this trend. There were bigger fish to catch and fry at the moment.

They sat in silence. The Dealer, Ionik, who called himself Dextreme or just Dex for short, had not been at his cabin. The Lunaris man who rented the cabins out to visitors in Eucar said that Dex had checked out in the middle of the night.

It was difficult to accept the disappearance of their fellow adventurer at first. But, upon reflection, his desertion was fated. He was a stranger, on vacation on a supposedly uninhabited planet, whom she had run in to on a supposedly deserted planet. He had helped Lexy find her way through the jungle, into the secret laboratory where they found Elly, and uncovered many secrets there and back on Junon. He had followed them through their expeditions around Junon and fought with them against the elite monsters on Luna.

That had been plenty to ask of from the stranger. He had moved on. How could she stop him? His desertion did not hurt as much as she thought it would. Had she become so used to the pain now? This constant feeling of loss and hurtâ?¦

The dull throbbing in her head started up again and Lexy closed her eyes.

"Thatâ??s a good idea,â? Elly whispered. â??Catch some sleep before we get back to Junon.â?

-----

The gentle rocking of the Flying Vessel through the sky was soothing. The sensation, which caused so many Visitors to become nauseous and sick, did not affect Elly. It never had. It was soothing, something she loved to do, but, for one reason or another, very seldom had.

"I grew up on the water,â? she said to no one in particular. â??I just remembered it now.â? She gaed at Lexyâ??s sleeping form and smiled. Theyâ??d gone sailing once, off the coast of Kenji Beach. The Cleric never forgave the Elly for the â??terrorâ? of that expedition.

"Well this is cozy,� said a voice from across the small vessel.

Elly smiled and looked up, ready to answer in agreement. Her eyes locked on the figure seated in half-shadow and fog across from her. The figure shifted forward, into the light, just as the fog receeded lightly. Her smiled faltered and fell.

Leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees and seated on an empty bench, looking completely at ease, was Esseff. The Affliction Hawker smiled. He turned away from Elly and leaned back against the sides of the boat.

The sun shone brightly down onto the boat, all darkness completely gone. Waves lapped softly against the sides of the boat, startling the Mage. She stood from the wooden bench and strolled quickly across the decks of the boat to peer off the side. Sure enough, the sparkling blue-green waves greeted her, coupled with the cool, salty breeze of the sea.

"Where are we?� Ess materialized suddenly by her side at the ledge, shockingly close. Elly took a step back, away from the man she knew to be an enemy.

"How would I know?â? she replied angrily. She looked around curiously. This place reminded her of something. It felt intimately familiar, but she knew that it couldnâ??t be real. No place in all of Rose resembled the serene beauty of this watery world.

The Hawker shrugged, indifferent to her hostility. â??Itâ??s your memory. I figured youâ??d know.â?

"A memory? What do you mean?â? Elly looked around the ship once more, looking for something that was familiar. While she had been looking over the edge, the ship seemed to have changed on her. Elongated and widened, the ship now resembled a floating island more than it did a single vessel. Buildings rose skyward from the decks, kissing the sky, and gardens decorated the buildingsâ?? edges.

"How does this float?� she asked in wonder, flitting from scene to the next. No other passengers seemed to be aboard. She peered at the wooden structures, ran her hand across the glossy surfaces, and bent to smell the sweet flowers that decorated the gardens. She continued in this fashion, touching everything that she crossed, peering at everything, evaluating it all, and trying to remember.

Ess followed unobtrusively behind the Mage, taking in the sights as much as the keen little scientist was doing. He smiled softly as he watched Elly flit to one place to another, fully unaware of the winding path she took them through and, yet, somehow, fully aware that there was a destination to be reached.

They came to a halt sometime later. It was hard to tell how much time had passed. Had it been an hour or only a minute? Reality bent in these dreams and time was an irrelevant factor.

They reached a building, nestled within the city of buildings on the floating island of a ship. Elly reached into her pocket and brought out a key, smiling. She stuck it into the lock and twisted the key, pushing the door open.

"Iâ??m home!!â? she cried suddenly, joyously. The Mage stepped into the brightly lit dwelling. Sunlight streamed in from every direction, greatly confusing the Hawker who could not fathom how light reached the first floor of a building surrounded as it was by even taller structures, blocking out the natural sunlight.

Elly turned to the Raider, animosity forgotten, and pulled him through the doorway. She smiled happily. â??We use mirrors,â? she said, noticing his expression. â??To bounce the light down.â? She spun around the room, eyes closed, and collapsed in the sofa. â??Itâ??s good to be home.â?

Ess remained standing in the middle of the living room, watching the light filter down through the series of decorative mirrors and reflective surfaces that glittered across the walls. The effect was dazzling and somehow did not blind him. It bathed the Mage in its soft light, making it seem that it was she that glowed with the light. It was a nice effect.

Suddenly, the light dimmed. Ess looked up at the mirrors as Elly opened her eyes and glanced around. â??A stormâ??s coming,â? she whispered, feeling the sensation deep within her heart. The feeling of dread filled her as a new memory returned. â??Another oneâ?¦â? She paused as the color drained from her face. â??NO! No, no, no, noâ?¦Not again. Not again!â?

"Elly - !� Ess started, but she interrupted him. She stood up in a flash, grabbed his hand and dragged him outside.

Outside, black clouds rolled across the sky. Thunder boomed piercingly loud in their ears as the winds whipped through the narrow alleys between the buildings, up along the built-in curves, and towards the unfurled sails of the boat.

Lightning flashed overhead. Every once in awhile, the bolts of lightning would flare up as it connected with one of the myriad of metal-tipped masts that extended high up above the buildings and disappeared. No rain fell and yet the streets ran with water. Ess turned from admiring the architectural genius of the buildings to watch the massive waves lap steadily over the railing. Drains that spotted the decks channeled the excess water away.

Another bolt of lightning stuck, lighting up the dark sky with its white glow. As it dimmed, an orange haze shone in its place. Fire. Screams erupted from the location and sirens filled the air. Suddenly, the boat was filled with people, oddly dressed and heavily accented.

Elly paused, looking towards the lifeboats and back at the fire. She ran towards the fire, pulling Ess along for the journey. The fire did not spread through the wooden city as quickly as Ess had imagined it would. The response from its citizens was quick.

But then, another bolt of lightning struck, followed by another blaze far away. And then a third blaze followed. The fire spread quickly this time and more screams arose. The decks of the ship grumbled beneath their feet and lurched unsteadily.

"Somethingâ??s wrong with the ground plate,â? Elly whispered, fingers clutching the Hawkerâ??s shirt tightly. â??The currentsâ?? are not getting channeled into the water correctly. Weâ??re going to burn.â?

Ess stared at her blankly and placed his hands over hers. â??How do you know all of this?â? he asked calmly. He looked around at all the frantic faces. A little lightning, a little fire. What all did it matter, in a dream? Even if it were real, he could not fathom how something so trivial would elicit so much fear. But it affected her. That made it matter. Butâ?¦why does she matter? When did that start?

"I helped design the lightning protection system,â? she murmured, collapsing into him as the chaos reached a new height around them. â??The masts, the connectors, the conductors, the ground plate. All of it. I helped do itâ?¦me. I did this.â?

A new peel sounded now, high above the cries of the citizens. A deep voice accompanied the sound. â??Abandon ship! Abandon ship!â? More words followed the cries, but the Firemage did not pay attention. She watched the parade of people running towards the lifeboats, away from the infernos that engulfed the ship. She saw them disconnect with the main ship, abandoning their ruined home, and rowed away.

"I did this.� Elly closed her eyes, blocking out the sight of the burning buildings.

Another voice, calm and collected, responded from nearby. â??Did what, Elly?â?

The Mage opened her eyes and stared at the bewildered expression on Galexyâ??s face. As tears ran down Ellyâ??s face, she replied, â??I remember now.â?


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#29 Galexy

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Posted 28 August 2010 - 12:05 PM

Chapter 26: Cracked

The transparent shield gave an audible crack; the sound reverberated throughout the citadel and caused all other noise to halt. The red robed figures backed away from the central dais where the Goddess of Gods laid prone in her induced slumber. A small crack, no longer than a Short Swordâ??s length, appeared at the edge of the rectangle barrier that enveloped the sleeping Goddess. The scroll that marked and held that corner of the cage dulled in color, changing from bright gold to a softer shade of yellow.

The robed vassals scurried away and informed their great master of the newest problem. Three Muses, each greatly revered for their powers in magic, stood around the dying scroll trying to infuse the thoughts of sleep, the essence of nothingness and quiet, back into the magical scroll. The scroll blinked, became brighter momentarily, and then dimmed once more. The crack on the barrier lengthened.

â??The scrolls on not working,â? the Dark God said quietly. Everyone in the room peered closely at their lord before lowering their gaze. He seldom spoke quietly and his doing so unnerved his followers. â??Call in our people,â? he ordered, sweeping his gaze at all of those gathered before him. â??It is time to vacate the occupied planets.â?

A shocked murmur arose from crowd. Protests bubbled from the lips of warriors. Were they retreating, giving up? They were fighters! The Goddess Arua did not scare them!!

Hebarn silenced his clansmen with a glare. â??The Time of Awakening is upon us,â? he announced, smiling. Those who understood the full meaning of his words returned his smile. â??Find those on the Brink, those about to turn and bring them to the correct side. Convert them before their new memories fade.

â??We return Home and plan for war.â?

-----

It was dark out. The shops were of the city were all closed for the night and even the 24 hour vendors were quiet. Visitors huddled on the benches and on street corners, looking sorrowful and lost. A new announcement was made, earlier in the day, of a great new Launcher system to patch updates and news alerts to peopleâ??s User-Interfaces. Despite the beauty of such a creation, a green Choropy of Death pervaded, sending most citizens on an endless loop of nothingness and waiting.

Esseff, his own UI altered by Hebarn, was not stuck in such a wormhole. He cared little for the vacant stares of the citizens who waited and complained about getting access to their UI systems. They would only complain about the lack of NPC texts when they were patched through, anyhow.

He left the city streets behind and blinked out, appearing instantly before the great Sage Tree nestled away in a corner of the Forest of Wisdom. Visitors seldom visit the old relic of a tree ? ever since it fell into its deep sleep after the Devil Pestâ??s war. Many barely remember that the Sage Tree used to be sought out constantly for its wisdom and advice. Now it was his place of solace and quiet. A place to get away from it all.

He sat at the base of the tree and closed his eyes, reflecting on all that has occurred. Memories were restored, partially for some, but for most of the Visitors, their memories of their past lives ? their lives on other worlds outside the Sea of Souls ? had come rushing back. Some were glad to be away from their previous lives. Many were not.

And while he pondered, he dreamed, as he often did after the Gift of the Devoted was granted to him from the God of Malice. The dream, the memory, lasted only a few minutes in real time, but seemed to stretch on endless in his mind. It seemed so out of place in the calm, cool breeze that came from the west. There were no raging fires here, no chaos, no Elly.

In the flitting dream, he had walked through Ellyâ??s memory with her and relived the experience as if he were there. It had been so real, that memory, so lifelike. He could still feel and hear the remnants of that world pulsing behind his eyelids. It was not the first shared memory-walk he experienced since Aruaâ??s slumbers, but it was certainly the most vivid.

As a Native Planet Citizen of the worlds, he had no other memories like these Visitors. Nothing to remind him of past lives, past regrets or happiness. Everything he had been from here. And yet, these memories, so clearly not his own, haunted him in his sleep and in his waking moments. He walked with Visitors who shared their lives and memories with him. He accepted this â??gfitâ? as his punishment in aiding Hebarn in the Goddess Aruaâ??s capture.

A red light beeped on his altered UI. He pressed the button on the device to answer the incoming message. â??The God of Malice has called in all of his recruits,â? droned the voice of a Follower he did not recognize. â??Aruaâ??s shield is failing. We are to return Home with our newest recruits at all speed. You are to join the other elite forces and turn the loyalties of those on the Brink.â?

Ess frowned. â??There are many on the Brink,â? he stated. The Newsletters, the myriad of maintainance freezes and changes, and renewed memories saw to that. â??Are there any that I am to Convert first?â?

A new voice answered him. As the first word was uttered, Ess found himself on his feet with his head bowed respectfully out of reflex. â??Find the Hawker-who-Knows,â? Hebarn said, his voice vibrating the UI upon Essâ??s arm. â??Bring him and those who follow him Home with you. It would be best if he chose to come with you.â?

Ess swallowed. The god implied that he was to take Xyler whether or not the man agreed to join their cause. Few were ever taken back to the planet Hebarn against their will. Loyal Followers were always preferable. Those on the Brink stayed here until the time they Converted. It was dangerous otherwise, for everyone involved.

â??You want the Muses?â? he asked, skeptically.

â??The Cleric who wields magic without her UI will be valuable to our cause. I have no need for the devices of the female Mage, despite the courage she showed in fighting you. There are plenty more like her ? and without the bothersome ties she has with her faction. I give you leave to end her.â?

Ess remained quiet as a new sensation, a new emotion, swept through him. He couldnâ??t put a name to it. He wouldnâ??t put a name to it. The Affliction did entertain such weak emotions and feelings. His eyes hardened as he replied, â??I will seek out the Hawker.â?

â??Do not fail me in this.â? The red light switched off as Hebarn cut the connection and Esseff lowered his arm. The god had been angry with the presentation of the wrong scrolls.Angry was putting it mildly, but he had seen ? and felt ? much worse. Still, it was not the punishment he had feared.

The Time of Awakening had been foreseen many generations ago. Even the Sage Tree had spoken of it. Perhaps it started with Aruaâ??s return, as Hebarn anticipated. He wondered if the other gods and goddesses will be returning and thought of Luna, trapped in her own eternal dreams on the planet of her namesake, and of all the others out there.

The Hawker smiled. This was definitely the best game yet played.

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#30 Galexy

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Posted 28 August 2010 - 12:07 PM

Chapter 27: Quest Complete

The close encounter with yet another crash landing aboard a Flying Vessel had done little to shake the girlsâ?? numbing calmness. Landsalot, the illegal transport vessel they had boarded back on Luna, had swerved off course early on and landed, quite literally, with a bang on Eldeon, despite the port of destination of Junon Polis.

The Muses had clambered out of the rickety vessel with the other passengers, keen on finding a more reliable means of travel ? one that did not end with a crash on a the wrong planet. Elly, who was hoarding her limited cache of teleportation scrolls she had engineered, wished that she had used them instead.

â??Itâ??s becoming an increasingly better idea to stay planet-bound,â? the no-longer-high-looking cleric aboard the ship muttered. Galexy, having experienced a more serious crash in a Flying Vessel, could not agree more. She watched listlessly as the man walked away, joined hands with a female whom he bent down to kiss on the cheek, and went off towards Xita Refuge. She watched the pink rose of their clan symbol bounce around the corner and out of sight.

They had been lucky, she mused, landing so close to the city. There had been no flames, no panicked passengers, no chaos. The piloteer steered his vessel towards the closest planet when the engines spluttered and landed as close to the city as he could. Everyone was safe. Everyone was ok.

Her eyes flicked over to Ellylovesess. The Mage had shared her new memories with Lexy towards the end of their flight. They shared the pain of the memory together. Lexy found some solace in the tidbits of happy memories she recalled. Her friend could not be convinced to hunt further for more memories. The fear of coming upon painful memories once again impeded the search for any pleasant ones.

The Cleric reached down, grabbing hold of her friendâ??s arm to steer her toward the city and noticed the blinking red light upon Ellyâ??s UI. She swallowed the lump in her throat at the apparatus, forced a smile upon her face, and said, â??Thereâ??s a message waiting for you, Elly.â?

The Mage blinked and looked down at the UI. She brought her other hand up rather mechanically and pushed the button that would read the voice message aloud.

â??Elly?â? came the deep voice of the message. Lexyâ??s hand clenched around Ellyâ??s wrist as she recognized the voice. â??I know you donâ??t know meâ?¦but Iâ??m aâ?¦friend of Lexyâ?¦ Galexy..â?

Lexy closed her eyes and concentrated on breathing. The voice ebbed in and out in her consciousness as she fought to stay upright. â??Is she with you now? Have you seen her?â? She heard the urgency in his voice, the worry, and her heart beat faster. â??Iâ??ve been looking for her everywhereâ?¦Please contact me as soon as you can!! My new ID-tag is Xy-i-er now, instead of Xyler.â?

He was alive. His UI was fixed. The thoughts flew across her mind. He was looking for herâ?¦ He changed his name?

â??Xyler?â? Elly whispered, her hand flicking quickly across the bright surface of her UI. There was a pause as static answered on the other end. â??This is Elly...You left me a message about Lexy?â?

A muffled voice sounded from the UI as the Clericâ??s legs crumpled beneath her. She vaguely heard Ellyâ??s words as her friend spoke into the messaging system. She sat on the ground, clutching to Ellyâ??s arm, as the passage of time blurred around her.

â??Heâ??s coming here,â? Elly whispered, wrapping her fingers around Lexyâ??s strangle-hold and gently prying the fingers loose. â??Heâ??s ok and heâ??s coming here to find you.â? A sad smile alighted on her face. â??You were right, Lexy. Good things do happen.â?

â??Oh, Elly!â? Lexy threw her arms around her friend and hugged her fiercely. There had been so very little of good lately. She knew Elly was still hurting from her most recent memory, but couldnâ??t help the feeling of excitement and happiness that had started to fill her once more.

They sat in silence for awhile, before Elly sighed and sat back, smiling. Together, the girls stood and dusted themselves off.

â??Did he say how long it would take him to get here?â? Lexy asked.

â??Iâ??m here.â?

Startled, both girls looked up at the sound that came from above them. Elly reacted first, her staff drawn and poised to fight. Lexy looked up slowly, her eyes never leaving the face of the man who floated above them.

â??Wings?â? she asked, her voice barely audible. Her eyes widened. â??You have wings now?â?

The Hawker raised both his hands, showing that he was weaponless, and landed a few feet away from Elly. The Mage looked back and forth between the faces of the other two and lowered her staff. From the expressions they both wore, there was little doubt who this stranger was now.

â??Yes, I have wings.â? Xyler smiled, dispelling the gloom that seemed to haunt his features. He took a step forward and pulled Lexy into his embrace. He buried his face her hair, which she wore loose now instead of up in its usual buns. There was a quick flash of memory, a fleeting thought, of another Lexy with darker hairâ?¦ but that was impossible. He dismissed it. â??Itâ??s good to see you.â?

â??How did you get here so quickly?â? gasped the Cleric. She pulled back from her Hawker slightly to study his face. The rich, blue hues of his eyes were startling, but the rest of his face appeared not to have changed. â??You just calledâ?¦How did you find us so fast?â?

â??Fast?â? echoed the Hawker. He shook his head. â??It took forever to find you.â?

Xyler cupped Lexyâ??s face with the palm of his hand and wiped away her tears with his thumb. â??Iâ??ve been looking for you since the Rosemaryâ??s crashâ?¦â? He sighed and looked over to where Elly stood. â??When Elly called, telling me where you were, I used the Teleportation Scrolls I bought and came to the Refuge. I flew the rest of the way out here.â?

Xyler stepped back from the Cleric and walked towards Elly, half-dragging, half-pulling Lexy along with him. He grasped Ellyâ??s hand, turned it so that her palm was facing down, and brushed his lips quickly across the back of her hand.

â??Itâ??s a pleasure to meet you, finally,â? he said solemnly. He raised his pure blue eyes up to meet the Mageâ??s gaze. The corners of his eyes crinkled mischievously despite his serious words. â??Thank you for keeping Lexy safe for me.â?

The Mage returned the manâ??s smile warmly. â??It was quite a challenge, I assure you,â? she started. Lexyâ??s elated features melted into a slow scowl, while the others laughed. Elly pulled her hand out of the Hawkerâ??s grasp and waved it about. â??Actually, she did pretty well defending herself. Even without herâ?¦â?

The girls blinked and averted their eyes. Xyler looked at them in confusion. â??Withoutâ?¦?â?

Lexy pulled away from Xylerâ??s embrace and brought her right arm up. She pulled back her sleeve to reveal the area of pale flesh of her arm that was at odds with the olive tan hue of the rest of her body.

Xyler placed his hand gently on the empty space, stroking the area delicately. His eyes flickered to the Crystal Wand that glowed with magic clasped onto Lexyâ??s belt. â??It seems that we have a lot of catching up to do.â?

Beneath the sound of his words, a tiny robotic voice, muffled by the pack in which it laid, whispered, â??Quest complete.â?

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#31 Galexy

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Posted 28 August 2010 - 12:08 PM

Chapter 28: Confrontation

The firelight from the three bonfires, two from the Cleric and one from the Mage, crackled softly. The healing flames were cool, unlike the heat from regular bonfires, and helped sooth the nerves of the four Heroes gathered around the central flames.

LoPan, the Dealer turned Mercenary, sat a bit apart from the group nervously cleaning, unloading and reloading his weapons. He eyes their surroundings warily, his keen ears always listening for the Monsters he knew roamed these parts of Eldeon. Since his reunion with Xyler an hour before, the Dealer had been nothing but vigilant in keeping an eye out for lurkers in the woods.

Ellylovesess sat across from the newcomer, equally wary of him as he was of their surroundings. She spoke seldomly as Galexy and Xyler, sitting arm in arm, recounted their separate adventures; only added what her own voice into the conversation to answer questions asked of her. Else wise, her mind floated.

It would have been better, she knew, to concentrate on the conversation. LoPan and Xyler brought with them new thrilling tales of conspiracies and magic, something that had always interested her. She had found her job working in secret on the planet Skaaj through her conspiracy-seeking networks. Now that everything was turning out to be real, and deeper than anything anyone could have foreseen, she was not as keen on them as she once had been.

How would one expect her to feel, to wake up one day to find out that your entire life was a lie? That your true life, your past life, had gone up in flames because of something you failed to doâ?¦or did incorrectly. Before these memories, she would have sought out the answers to her questions, to figure out what all went wrong.

Now, however, she was not sure she really wanted to know. She only wanted to forget. The new life she had forged here was a mostly happy one. Her existence was carefree. Deal with Monsters, be a Hero, create new inventions, test them, excel, make Zulie. There was little grief, very little loss or heartache.

No one ever died because of her.

â??Elly, is everything ok?â?

The Firemage looked up her friend, only then realizing that she was crying again. She laughed harshly through her tears, swiping at her face with the sleeve of her Dimple Suit. â??Iâ??m just tired, thatâ??s all,â? she said, shaking her head. â??I donâ??t even know what time it is anymore, with all the traveling we did.â? A pause and a sigh. â??I probably just need to rest.â?

The Cleric frowned at the response, but did not push further. â??Are you sure we should be resting out here?â? asked Lexy, directing the question towards Xyler. He was the one who had originally suggested that the group remain outside of the Refugeâ??s walls. Xita was crawling with guards and GMs these days, he had said. Until they figured out whose side the administration was on in this supernatural war, it was better to stay away.

â??The Monsters wonâ??t bother us here,â? he said calmly. He alone of their company had not eyed the surroundings forests warily. â??There is nothing to fear from them. Itâ??s the Gods we have to worry about.â? He smiled ruefully.

â??It is odd,â? LoPan put in. â??I can plainly see some of them. Thereâ??s a Pincer Queen, right there, just ignoring us like weâ??re not a threat. I donâ??t get it. Usually theyâ??re so territorialâ?¦â? He shook his head, not understanding.

â??Does it have anything to do with why your eyes are all blue like that?â? Elly asked, forcing her thoughts deep within herself. â??I donâ??t think Iâ??ve seen anything like that beforeâ?¦and Iâ??m sure Lexy wouldâ??ve mentioned something like that in her PMs to me.â?

â??That Arumic lady said something about that, didnâ??t she? Alphonso was like that too,â? LoPan said. He thought about that incident and snapped his fingers. â??Thatâ??s right. She said that he had been god touched..and something about him not faring as well as others.â? His eyes widened as he looked at the Hawker who had averted his gaze. â??Youâ?¦youâ??ve met a god?â?

â??I donâ??t remember what all they did at that underground prison..Iâ??m not sure I want to remember,â? whispered the man. â??There were others there, like me and Alphonso. He fared much better than any of them.â? He cringed and ran a hand through his hair. â??Some of us escaped that place, like I told the girls earlier, but none of them were changed like I was.â? He shrugged. â??The Monsters here donâ??t bother me. They didnâ??t on Junon, either. I donâ??t know why that is. Nor do I know what being â??god touchedâ?? means. The Muse didnâ??t elaborate. Iâ??m still me, thoughâ?

â??Of course youâ??re you, who else would you be?â? Lexy said, leaning her head on his shoulder. She fingered the flower pendant that hung from a thin cord around her neck, glad that Xyler had found the present to return to her once more.

â??We arenâ??t who we thought we were,â? Elly interjected with a frown. She poked at the ground by her feet with the sharp end of her staff. â??Not by any means.â?

â??We are who we are meant to be, memories or no,â? LoPan said. He earned himself a glare from both girls and shrugged in response. â??You were an inventor back from wherever and so you were here. The past may have been altered, but you, the essence of who you are, is still intact. Whoever stole your memories couldnâ??t change that.â?

â??But whoever messed with Alphonso and I could alter personalities,â? said Xyler. â??And memories, too, it seems since I canâ??t remember it at all.â? He sighed. So many worries, so many pieces to this puzzle. He wasnâ??t even sure if he had all the pieces or what it would turn out to be like when, or if, he ever assembled the puzzle. â??We have to find Rosemaryâ??s Doll, too,â? he said, changing the subject. â??The Muse said it would help him regain his memory some.â?

â??I have it!â? said Lexy suddenly. She had forgotten all about the doll since leaving Luna. She pulled out her sack and rummaged through the pile, pulling the tiny doll out. â??Dex says thereâ??s a SoundBox inside that makes it talk. It gave me that Quest I told you about.â?

Xyler accepted the doll as Lexy passed it over to him. He inspected the doll, with LoPan inching closer and watching the Hawker over his shoulder. They inspected the doll together, poking and prodding at the mechanisms. â??The doll is broken,â? Xyler said afterall. â??Looks like it has been that way for awhile. Thereâ??s no way it could have talkedâ?¦â?

â??But it did!â? the girls replied. Lexy nodded and continued, â??There was a garbled recording of the Metal Monsters, I mean the Castle Gears, coming after you and Alphonso and then the childâ??s voice spoke about the quest to find you.â?

â??Thatâ??s odd,â? mused the Hawker, turning the doll to and fro. LoPan agreed. Between the two of them, they had a fairly good handle on electronics. Xyler shook the doll. â??How did you make it work, Lexy?â?

Galexy took the doll back from Xyler and smoothed out the soft fabric. â??I just held it and it talked to me,â? she said. â??I donâ??t know how it worked, but it did.â?

â??Itâ??s because you believed,â? said the childlike voice from inside the doll. â??It all depends on how well you believe it.â?

â??How curious,â? LoPan said, edging closer to Lexy. â??The Muse at the Arumic school had said something about that too. That magic depended on how much you believed in something, that it wasnâ??t mere illusions.â?

â??What are you?â? Xyler asked, his expression skeptical.

â??I am everything and nothing at once, the essence of heart and being, the creator of ?â??

â??Arua?!â? scoffed Lexy, interrupting the goddess. She turned her head to the side and stared at the stuffed toy in her hands. â??Youâ??re Rosemaryâ??s doll?â?

â??Iâ??ll take that, thanks,â? said a new voice, snatching the doll from the Clericâ??s grasp.

The group splintered, jumping away from the newcomer, surprise on all of their faces. None of them had sensed his arrival. Esseff stared at the four as they struggled to their feet. He shook the doll ferociously, trying to get it to speak. â??I think I broke it,â? he said nonchalantly and proceeded to crush the doll between his hands.

â??Whatâ?¦what do you want?â? asked Lexy, her eyes wide. Their last encounter had not been a pleasant one.

â??Why, I want you, of course.â? The Affliction member smiled.

Xyler, already positioned before Galexy, took a step towards Ess, his weapons drawn. â??I. Donâ??t. Think. So.â?

â??Well, youâ??re welcome to come along, too,â? he said, still smiling. â??The more the merrier.â?

â??No oneâ??s going anywhere,â? growled Elly, her weapon pointing directly at the Hawker. She was ready for a fight this time. There were no mysterious portals for her to be thrown into and she needed a good fight to get all of the pent up anger out.

â??Ah, you..You I canâ??t take with me.â? The smile faded completely from the manâ??s face and he scowled. â??Though I wish that werenâ??t the case.â?

Ess paused and blinked, surprised that the words were said aloud. LoPan, Xyler, and Lexy all exchanged confused looks while Elly blushed scarlet. From anger? wondered Ess. Or something else?

â??Now this is an interesting twist to the game, ainâ??t it boys?â? Katinka emerged from the woods, her voice high and grating as always. Warriors, all clad in deep crimson robes, streamed out from behind her. They surrounded the Heroes.

She tilted to her to one side and stared haughtily at her partner. â??I knew there was something up with you. That this thing is the root of it all just blows me to pieces!â? She giggled at the expression on Essâ??s face. â??Our lord didnâ??t really like the answer you gave him so he sent me to check up on you.â?

The laughter died from her voice and her stance straightened. â??We have a mission to do here,â? she said. A soft chorus of bells started up, barely audible but readily felt. â??And you will abide by it.â?

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#32 Galexy

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Posted 28 August 2010 - 12:09 PM

Chapter 29: The Final Stand

It was an unlikely alliance, but one welcomed nonetheless. The Heroes fought against the red robed figures in bursts of bright magical flares and sparks from metal striking against metal. And through all the fighting, one lone Affliction member fought with them.

It was an astonishing thing, watching Esseff turn his back on them to face Katinka. The expression on her face would have been funny if the situation had not been so dire. And, in the end, it was a fortunate turn of events to have the Hawker on their side. Xyler would have been able to keep up with Ess, but the female Hawker was something else altogether. It took their combined efforts to halt the increasingly deadly blows delivered by the pixie of a woman.

And even so, the Heroes were losing.

Bonfires erupted across the forests, healing and restoring the magical powers of the Heroesâ?? small party. Buff bubbles streamed steadily from the Clericâ??s Crystal Wand, and gunshots and fire erupted from the Dealer and the Firemage who fought against the growing tide of Red Robed figures.

â??I canâ??tâ?¦keep this..up,â? panted Ellylovesess as she swung her staff at a man who had come too close. The Champion crumpled in a heap and vanished as his User-Interface spawned him back to the nearest Area of Rest. He would be back, soon. They couldnâ??t stop this onslaught of aggression fast enough. They were outnumbered four to one and their enemies kept reappearing.

â??Iâ??m running low on bullets,â? added LoPan, grunting. A red robed figure fell to the ground, the most recent receiver of his rainstorm of bullets. He dodged, deflecting an ice attack aimed at him. â??I just took that one down. How did he get back here so fast?â?

Elly, engaged in melee combat now, was too busy to reply. A Soldier, armed with fierce looking sword, swung his heavy blade down over Ellyâ??s head. She parried the blow, grunting with the effort it took, and countered with a side attack from her staff. Chunks of her staff littered the area at her feet. It had not been forged to battle against the mighty blade of a sword this way.

Another figure joined the attack, baring dual swords. The woman, a child really, swung the weapons enthusiastically, but with little skill, ending up hitting foe and friend alike. Meteorites fell from the sky around them, burning streaks through the red robes, but doing little to halt the attack. No matter how hard the party fought, the enemies always came back.

A sudden jarring sensation on her arm jolted Elly, assuring her that her latest block had failed. Beams of bright, golden light encased her as Lexy healed the Mage. The pain from the attack lessened, but the darkened staff failed to relight. The darkness that crowded the edges of Ellyâ??s vision did not recede as it normally did when healed.

Lexy brought her Crystal Wand down upon the head of an unsuspecting attacker, disabling him. A rapid fire attack from LoPan took down the rest of the figures surrounding the Mage, finally giving her room to breathe.

â??I think my weaponâ??s broken,â? Elly said, trying to catch her breath. â??The glow is gone.â? She brought up her UI, ready to pull another staff from her inventory and paused. A large, jagged crack rippled across the surface of her blank UI screen. â??Oh noâ?¦Oh noâ?¦â?

LoPan jerked the staff from Ellyâ??s grasp and linked it with his UI. He activated the Repair Hammer item, restoring the weapon and thrust the staff back into the hands of the bewildered Mage. â??Lexy can fight without hers and so can you!â? he shouted, eyes scanning for the return of the Red robes. It was the first full break theyâ??ve had since the beginning of the attack. â??Iâ??ve seen a Muse create a cell from thin airâ?¦She told me then that it all depends on how much you believeâ?¦and how much they believe it to be real,â? the mercenary shook his head and then shook Elly. â??There are magics about that we know nothing of. You have that magic inside of you. Use it now!â?

â??I believe in you, Elly.â? Lexy said stoutly, resting her hand reassuringly on Ellyâ??s arm, covering the crack on the UI. It was only then that the Mage looked up, her rigid gaze broken. â??We can do this. With or without our UI.â? Her eyes skittered across the field, towards where the two Hawkers fought. â??We have to.â?

â??Weâ??ll help you,â? came a tiny voice above their heads. Tiny dots of light flickered to life above the trio. â??You can do this. The Goddess has faith in you.â?

As the pinpoints of lights grew brighter, recognition of the voice kicked in. â??Faelin?â? asked Lexy, perplexed. â??Faelin, what are you doing here?â?

The lights pulled away, leaving a group of five Aruaâ??s Fairies in their place. Each fairy looked identical, aside from the bonnets they wore on their heads and the expressions on their faces. â??Arua sent us. She said you needed our help battling the disbelievers.â?

The Clericâ??s gaze turned from her fairy friend towards the broken remains of the doll dangling from Esseffâ??s belt. â??It is broken now,â? Faelin said. â??She cannot help you through the doll anymore.â? The fairy smiled as her eyes flashed brightly blue. â??But we can help you.â?

Each fairy flew upwards and out, each seeking a member of the small party to hover over. A brilliant blue beam of light encased each Hero as the fairies each cast their own magical protection and buffs on their fighters. Faelin, floating just behind Galexy, reminded the party members of their summoning spells. If there ever was a time they need an extra hand, this was it.
A large elemental, as tall and wide as trees surrounding them, burst forth from its portal with a loud roar and charged forward just as the tide of red robed figures emerged from the thicket of trees, revived and rebuffed from their recent visit to the Area of Rest.

A small green leprechaun, armed with sharp claws and razor-edged teeth, spawned by Xylerâ??s side. Mr. Shenanigans tipped his hat towards Xyler, buffed the Hawker with extra mspd, and launched himself towards Katinka.

Two mercenary henchmen appeared by LoPanâ??s side, each baring their own assortment of weapons. Without waiting for buffs, they, too, joined the fray. And slowly, the tide of losses carried in their favor. It took longer and longer for the red robed figures to return from the Area of Rest, increasing the rate of those being dispatched in the field as there were less enemies to fend off.

And just when things were looking up, just as the Heroes felt that the battle would cease, two new red robed figures appeared in the clearing. The red robed figures retreated behind the two newcomers, whose golden belts shone brightly around their waists. Even Katinka, her face bloodied from the battle, retreated from the battle to stand near the two figures.

â??You have fought well today,â? said the shorter of the two. The woman pushed back the hood on her robe to reveal a startling pale face, striking in its beauty, and silver locks that were set in an intricate pattern of braids, curls, and ribbons upon her head. â??But we havenâ??t much time for battles now. Itâ??s time we speed things up a bit, shall we?â?

She raised her right hand and fire exploded from its tips. Bright jets of flames streaked out from her fingers and encased each of her enemies in a cocoon of heatless fire before any had a chance to twitch. The Firemage turned her hand inwards, as if gesturing for them to approach her, and all five of the Heroes, plus their summons, were pulled forward until they were a few feet from her and dropped upon the ground.

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#33 Galexy

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Posted 28 August 2010 - 12:10 PM

Chapter 30: Choices

Who is she? thought Lexy as she struggled against the binds that held her. Though able to breathe through the flames that engulfed her, she was not able to speak. How did she bind us so fastâ?¦I didnâ??t even see her move!

â??I am Starburner,â? replied the woman as if she heard Lexyâ??s thoughts. â??I am merely one of Hebarnâ??s many Vassals, sent here from our great planet to spread the word of our Dark Lord. In this time of chaos and confusion, I bring awareness, truth, and choice into the hearts of those on the brink of change.â? She stepped towards them and lowered her hands. The flames disappeared with the movement and so did their weapons. â??And you, dear Visitors, have had yours eyes opened to the hypocracies of this life these past few days; have learned some awful truths about this Goddess you serve so blindly.

â??I am here to offer you a choice, a newer life, perhaps even a better one than this. One of your own making, free of the lies of your present life.â?

â??What sort of life?â? asked Lexy. She stopped, astonished that the words had left her. Once spoken, she did not hold back. â??What other choice do we have besides this life? Is there a way backâ?¦from where we came from?â?

â??I regret to say that no methods of return has been found,â? said Starburner. â??This does not mean one will not be found, someday.â? She turned and gestured at the crowds of red robed figures that now surrounded them 10 to 1. â??I offer you a life to fight against the wrongs of Arua. A path in which your memories can be restored and remembered. To fight alongside Hebarn.â?

â??But youâ??re our warriors,â? the fairies cried suddenly. The flew about the field in agitation, their voices blending over one another in harmonic melodies. â??Our Anonymous! It is your duty, decreed by the goddess herself, for you to serve and follow her. You all are her children, her chosen!â?

Mr. Shenanigans growled and swiped at the flittering fairies with his tiny hands. When they flew out of reach, he threw his green hat at them. A vassal threw a net over the small Leprechaun which bound him to the ground with the sticky netting.

â??She did not choose us,â? snapped the Cleric, her eyes burning with rage and grief. â??She took us, took us from our homes and stranded us here!â?

â??She saved you! She does not take those who wished not to come!â? Faelin pleaded. â??Sheâ??s waking up, again. Sheâ??ll tell you!â?

â??Who would wish to come here, to work in life-long servitude to an absent goddess,â? came the harsh voice from the man standing next to Starburner. â??Who would want to serve blindly in this war, on a side not of their choosing?â? He pushed back the hood of his red robe, his yellow eyes piercingly bright.

â??Herun!â? gasped the fairies. Unable to fight directly against the threats they perceived, the fairies shrieked collectively and flitted in agonized circles above the heads of their friends. â??The Betrayer,â? they whispered urgently. â??Do not heed his words. Do not believe him. Do not, do not, do not...â?

â??Our memories are fading,â? Elly whispered, her fingers sliding across the broken UI. â??Everything will go back to normal soon, with Arua awakened.â?

â??I donâ??t want to forget,â? Lexy replied, her own voice just as soft. Her eyes shifted to the fairies floating above her. Faelin, her closest fairy friend ever since her arrival in this world, floated with them. Their fear and agitation was almost palpable. â??If I did choose to come here, why canâ??t I remember? Why would I choose this life?â?

Starburner stared haughtily down at those kneeled before her. â??The Goddess of Gods is flawed, and only Hebarn can save us from her mistakes.â? Her pale lipped pulled back in a sneer. â??Arua is selfish and vain. She created the seven planets, with love, so that her people would worship her.â? Another pause as one of the men spat on the ground. â??Hebarn will fight her until she sees the error of her ways and grants us all freedom from her imposed so-called love.â?

â??She took your memories so that you would fight for her without question. That you would love her without fault.â? Hebarnâ??s Vassal stepped up to Xyler, bending over to look him in the face. She tilted to her head to one side, her voice turning velvety and soft. â??Join us and fight for your right to choose your own future,â? she turned to Lexy as she continued. â??And the right to remember your past.â?

She straightened and looked at the others. â??If you chose to forget, then so be it.â? Her gaze flicked over to Herune and the other red robed figures gathered around them. â??I will not force you to choose our side. Those who join us must do so freely. We are not like the Goddess of Light.â?

Katinka scowled at the Mage, but did not refute the womanâ??s words. That Katinka did not interrupt the speech further supported Lexyâ??s intuition about Starburnerâ??s rank and power among the Affliction.

â??I will stay here,â? Ess said, breaking the silence that followed Starburnerâ??s words. He leveled his gaze with the Mage, his stance relaxed despite the racing beat of his heart.

â??You stay to be with her? The one you were sent to kill?â? Herune snarled. The man took a step forward, hands clenched around the weapons that suddenly appeared in his hands. Katinka, for her part, merely stared in stunned silence. â??For a weakling Visitor, you will give up all that the God has granted you?!â?

â??It is his choice.â? Starburner said calmly. She held up her hand to stall the Betrayerâ??s approach and Herune paused. A slight flick of her wrist sent Ess to his knees. â??The Gift of the Devoted only remains as long as you are devoted. If you remain here, those gifts will be taken back. Do you stick with the choice to remain here? You are only given this choice once.â?

The Hawkerâ??s gaze never wavered. â??I do.â?

â??So be it.â?

Fire burned through the Hawkerâ??s body, lightning tinged with the burn of ice. Sparks erupted behind his eyelids as he shut them against the pain. His head throbbed as the power flowed through him and out of his body.

Elly clutched onto Essâ??s arm, supporting him through the waves of pain he endured, the pain that he endured to remain at her side. She gazed at him with new eyes, worried about the implications of his choice. She glanced at Starburner, ready to appeal in the Hawkerâ??s defense, but the woman was already stepping back.

â??You choice has been made, then.â? She turned to Elly and sneered. As their eyes met, memories of her past flooded Ellyâ??s mind. â??You choose to stay with him, to forget your past? To bury your guilt?â?

â??I choose to be normal again,â? Elly whispered, cringing against the horrid memories. None of them were pleasant ones. Not one. Why would anyone choose to remember that? â??For things to go back to the way they were before.â? She shook her head. â??I do not want these memories.â?

â??And I donâ??t want to lose mine,â? intoned Lexy. New memories swirled to the surface as Starburner kept her gaze on the Cleric. Lexy gazed at her friend. She understood Ellyâ??s choice, just as she knew that Elly would understand hers. There was a possibility that once the memories were lost, Elly would not even recall their recent adventures together. It would be as it was when they parted ways so very long ago. â??I want the right to choose where I go from here and what I do.â?

â??You wonâ??t have much of a choice on that front if you do join up with them,â? Ess whispered, his breathing still labored from whatever it was that Starburner had done to him. He laid a hand on the Clericâ??s arm, his eyes entreating. â??Youâ??ll be forced to do whatever the Dark Lord asks of you.â?

â??Actually, they wonâ??t have to,â? Herune said calmly. â??Hebarn is curious about these two. He wishes to meet them, on their terms if need be. They do not have to join the Affliction.â?

â??Yet,â? muttered the Hawker.

Herune only shrugged.

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#34 Galexy

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Posted 28 August 2010 - 12:11 PM

Epilogue

Those Visitors who believed the Newsletters swelled to join Hebarnâ??s side ? anything to get away from the lies spewed by the Founding Four and the Federation that were falling apart at the seems. King Loderic, the 77th king of Junon, was nowhere to be seen during the chaos.

Visitors, tired of being frozen mid-step in continuous maintenances, being wiped of their memories of lives past, and having every aspect of their current lives monitored and tweaked to the whimsies of the General Moderators, followed a new mantra.

â??Who can we trust but ourselvesâ? Newsletter, Vol. 4.3 had decreed. â??We can trust in Hebarn.â? The old mantra, engraved on the broken Rune stone, that Visitors all followed before, â??We came from motherâ??s holy womb/ To protect all others from their tomb,â? was quickly discarded.

The Gypsies, the free Junon souls who often lived independent from the Akram Kingdom, swelled to join the ranks of the God of Darkness and Secrets. With their newest alliance, the guild further fractioned and split. Only a small portion of the Gypsy families remained on the Occupied Planets.

The Ikaness, who suffered the worse at the hands of Arua, having to fight for lands that Arua never granted them despite their presence on all seven of her planets; who felt abandoned by not only the goddess, but by the Ancient Families as well, had long ago made a pact with the Dark God.

Shroon, now joined by her fiance-to-be Methio, lead the Ikaness militia in Hebarnâ??s honor, in hopes of one day achieving the revenge she seeks and finding out who murdered her parents. The Ancient Families not aligned with her God of Jealousy would regret the day they turned their backs on the Madreson family line.

And these were only a handful of the newest recruits brought back to the Dark Planet. Hundreds of thousands of Visitors swarmed to join the ranks of the Affliction clan, aligned their Fate alongside Hebarnâ??s Vassals, and flowed through space towards the Dark Planet Hebarn.

Among these individuals, a lone Cleric and Hawker drifted.

â??I canâ??t believe that it has come to this - that my first great adventure would end up this way - that it would cost me all that I believed inâ?¦and cost me my friends.â? Galexy looked up from her entry in the Mage Diary and stared at Xyler. â??But at least I am not alone in this next leg of my life. He is with me now. I will be better for it.

â??This newest war of our present time has already been lost, forgotten by so many of its participants. Elly no longer remembers her burdens, those painful memories of her past. She lives in peace on Junon, developing her scrolls and potions at the Arumic Academy with Karitte as her advisor. Itâ??s funny how life chooses our paths for us. Harin, Karitteâ??s sister, is my advisor and tutor here. They both carry and teach the secrets of Luxem Landreginâ??s time. Only on opposite sides of the war from one another.

â??Alfonso, Dextreme, Nova, my companions in my most recent adventuresâ?¦I found them, afterall. They fight the good fight, in Xita and Junon, for the Awakened Goddess. They push back against Hebarnâ??s influence, serving their Goddess to the fullest. Soon, I must fight against them. Too soon, I fear.

â??Ess watches over Elly. He alone of my traveling companions who are not with me on this Dark planet, he alone remembers the past. He has not forgotten their memories nor his own. He will watch over my friends and protect them when the time comes.

â??I chose this newest path freely, choosing to remember as much of my past as I can, while fighting against the allies that were once my dearest friends. I fight for them, though they do not know this. They will not believe that I am fighting for their freedom. They will brand me as a traitor because of my deeds. But I fight the good fight, too, even if I am on this side.

Xyler is with me on this pathway, for his own reasons. He doesnâ??t speak of them, but I know that his path will lead us back to Luna and whatever it is that haunts him there. For now, our destinies lie with Hebarn, the God of so many dark tidings. But where will this new destiny lead us? Will this adventure, too, cost me more than I had anticipated at the start? Andâ?¦Do I even have a choice any longer?â?

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#35 Galexy

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Posted 28 August 2010 - 12:14 PM

Posted Image


Click here to read the sequel: Legendary Heroes: New Beginnings


Edited by Galexy, 30 August 2010 - 10:29 AM.

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#36 Zurn

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Posted 23 September 2010 - 11:43 AM

wow i have to say that was quite the story :) and i think it was a very well done story at that :)
Way to go Galexy.
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