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[KingArthur]

Chapter 24 Doonga See, Doonga Do

The late night sky was lit by the atmospheric phenomena that reflected the coming sunlight. It would be morning soon. With the help of the many torches strewn about the Doonga camp, we were all able to see who it was that led the weapons training of the ape-men. It was a slender figure wearing oily-black armor plating, with thin red lines; swinging around a large two-handed sword and wearing a black helmet that sported a beak, bloodlines, and glass lenses. With the face completely shrouded by the Jabberwock helm, the leader of the training would have remained anonymous, but for one thing: the bright blonde hair that cascaded from the trainer's back, below the helmet, was unmistakable.

"It is she!", Hovert declared.

"The specimen?", Dr. Spero asked.

"Arua!", Longondo exclaimed.

"SHHH!!", intoned the Kaiman leader, "We will step back into the jungle. We will plan our attack, rest a bit, and go down to the Doonga camp at first light."

"Attack!?!", Spero chided.

"Shh. Come!", the Kaiman leader led us all back to the cover of the jungle foliage.

Safe once again behind the tress, Spero whispered protest once more, "We don't want anything to do with your turf war! We just want to rescue that young woman from the Doongas' clutches, so we can all go home safely and have a chat!"

The Kaiman leader chuckled, "Please don't get in our way, doc. Those monkeys down there are our enemies, and if that lady is training them to fight us, then she's our enemy too. Now, at dawn, we will go down there and kill every single one of them. There's no rescuing her!"

"Um, excuse me...", I interjected with a whisper. When the Kaiman leader's yellow eye-slits swiveled around to look at me, I noisily gulped down my fear, and continued, "I assure you that our friend down there is not on the Doonga's side. She's not on anybody's side, but ours! This is all one big mistake, somehow. Just let us talk to her, before you start your battle with the Doongas. I'm sure we can take her, and all of us, away from all this, and you can have your fight. She is innocent, I promise."

â??She doesn't look it muchâ?, was the Kaiman leader's reply, "As I said, we will not move until morning. You have until then. But if she is on the Doonga's side, and she decides to fight against us, even after you've had your talk with her... we will kill her. Understand?"

"If she decides to fight against you...", I began to say. We will have no choice but to fight alongside her, and attempt to kill you in turn, was my initial thought. But I did not voice it. Instead, I finished with, "I understand."

"Then you might want to go down there immediately", said the Kaiman leader, with a grin on his scaly snout, "Because your little Soldier friend is beating you to it!"

Hovert was scrambling down the hill, towards the Doonga camp, headed straight for the training Doongas. The Kaiman leader looked at his underlings, with annoyance, but the other Kaimans just shrugged back at him. After all, they were not under orders to hold or restrain us.

"What's he doing?", Kaizy asked, when he saw that Hovert had reached the camp, and had been spotted by the Doongas.

"We should get down there right away", Pabel offered his concern.

"Wait", I said.

The Doongas had clearly been startled by the soldier that had suddenly appeared in their camp uninvited. It took them a second or two to gather their wits and point their weapons at him. The ape-men began to make war noises to intimidate Hovert, but the Soldier kept on, walking towards the black armored lady with blonde hair.

When Hovert got too close, some of the Doongas approached him threateningly, swinging their swords and axes at him. Hovert reached for his own sword to defend himself, but he never even had time to unsheathe it. The black-clad lady had stepped between Hovert and the Doongas, had brandished her large sword at the ape-men, and even snarled at them to keep them at bay. The Doongas obeyed and lowered their weapons. Hovert was safe.

"Let's go down, the long way around the hill", I suggested, "That way, we won't be as obvious as Hovert and won't give away the Kaimans' position any more than necessary."

"I appreciate that", said the Kaiman leader, mockingly, "Glad to be rid of the lot of ya! Now remember, once the sun appears completely in the sky, we attack."

I nodded solemnly, and hoped that we could be well away from that place by then. I led my Eternal Party down the hill, with Dr. Spero following and Pabel guarding the rear, and we were soon at the edge of the Doonga camp.

We could see that the training session had definitely ended after Hovert's display, for the armored Doongas had now scattered, but Hovert and the black-clad lady were still standing together near the spot where we had last seen them from atop the hill. So, we started to walk across the grass towards them.

As soon as we set foot on the camp grounds, a Doonga saw us and ran towards us. The armored Doonga guard stepped in our way, and said, "More! More. People here. Great. Great!". Except, he wasn't too happy about it; rather disappointed.

"Hello", I tried to communicate as peacefully as possible, "We're here to see your leader. We'd like to speak with the woman in black."

"Follow. Follow me", the Doonga answered, "Follow me to the tent. No weapons! Don't use your weapons!"

The Doonga led my friends and I to the middle of the military camp. As we walked beside him, I noticed how much he resembled a man. He walked upright, he had the same muscle structure, same build. He even walked like a man! No apelike motions at all. If it wasn't for the fact that his entire body was covered in fur under his armor, I would've believed he was a person, not a Doonga. His face, of course, was that of a monkey; but even his eyes had human qualities. The Doongas were not like the Kaimans at all! They did not seem like fearsome animals...

Before I ended up taking sides on a turf war that didn't concern me, I took my mind off it to realize that we weren't walking towards Hovert and the black-clad lady at all, but rather to a large white tent in the middle of the camp grounds.

"Leader. The leader is inside", said the Doonga, "You talk with the leader without using your weapons!"

I looked at Longondo and Kaizy. They shrugged. It seemed like we wouldn't be having much choice. I saw Pabel mouth the words, "No time." (As well as hear the thought beating in his heart.) But I dismissed it. This was the most diplomatic way, I was sure of it.

With one last glance at Hovert in the distance, noticing that the black-clad lady had ended up taking off her helmet in front of him, I entered the white tent with a satisfying thought in my head: They are safe together.

My friends followed the Doonga guard and I inside the tent; Spero mumbling something about wanting to meet the black-clad lady, not some monkey war mongrel. And inside, we were met with a larger-than-life ape, fully clothed and armored, and sitting on what looked like a throne. This Doonga had the same build as the others we had seen, but he seemed to have more fur. His monkey face was wrinkled, and he wore a long beard under his chin. He was wearing a tiny crown atop his head, although it seemed more like a toy than anything else.

"Welcome. Welcome people", the large Doonga spoke with a hard voice, "My name. My name is Doongoliath. I am leader here. You people. You people brought Kaimans to my camp? We are Doongas. We have scouts, yes."

The Doongas were intelligent creatures, but the way they spoke... stating their initial ideas before they had actually completed a full thought... would make it difficult to communicate. However, I tried my best.

"We didn't bring the Kaimans here", I said, "The Kaimans brought us. I am Vea Nus Inkwood, and these are my friends. The lady, that trains your Doongas, is also with us. We would very much like to be with her, and then leave this place together, to not meddle in your territorial affairs."

"You people. You people know crazy lady from thin air?!?", Doongoliath seemed surprised, but interested.

"The blonde woman in black armor is our friend", I replied.

"Oh! Oh. Awww... HAhahaha!", Doongoliath was suddenly consumed in a bout of laughter. Soon enough, the Doonga guard joined him in laughing as well.

Then, Dr. Spero interrupted the joyous air with his impatience, "Erm, um, now see here!! We would very much like to get going! And we would like to take our friend with us. This was all a misunderstanding. We must all go back home together. Right now!"

"You wish. You wish to take your friend?", Doongoliath spoke, after his laughter had died down, "But she will not go! She will not leave this place! We have tried! We have tried to make her leave, believe me!!"

"I don't understand something...", Kaizy spoke up, "We have had reason to believe that she is your new leader. Yet, you don't want her here??"

Relax, Kaizy, I felt what was in Pabel's heart, We want it that way.

"She is not", said Doongoliath, "She is not our leader! That is a foolish rumor."

"But, we saw her outside!", Longondo spoke up too, "She was training your troops!"

"She has. She has been doing that ever since she got here. Appeared out of thin air!", Doongoliath explained, "She has done nothing but meditate and train with her sword! After a bit, my Doongas just began to follow her! They know! They know her sword exercises by heart by now! You know! You know, Doonga see, Doonga do!"

Doongoliath and his guard broke out in another fit of laughter.

"We must speak with her", I said, "If we talk to her, I'm sure we can convince her to come home with us."

At this, the Doongas exploded with even more raucous laughter.

"Yes. Let us. Let us do this", Doongoliath said, between giggles and tears, "Bring her, Oonga. Bring her here. Let them talk. HAhahahahahaha!"

The Doonga guard left the tent, presumably to retrieve the black-clad lady. We waited in silence, except for the occasional chuckle from Doongoliath.

When the Doonga guard brought the black-clad lady into the tent, Hovert followed. The Soldier and I shared a nod as greeting, and Longondo wore a big smile on her face.

The blonde woman was as tall as ever, and even with her exhausted look (red-faced and sweaty from her training), she still managed to look formidable. Her blonde hair was tussled but remained bright, and her blue eyes were tired but strong. She breathed deeply, but her posture never gave way. She still had plenty of strength left in her. Longondo's eyes and smile stayed on the black-clad lady.

The Lady's awe-inspiring presence grounded me. Having her there, standing beside me again. This woman was so important! And I, sworn to protect her, had lost her!

"We thought... we thought we'd lost you", I said to the lady. Get a grip, girl! I'm talking like a Doonga! I kneeled before her, "I am so very sorry."

The lady's hand gently touched my face, and with the slightest pull, motioned me upwards. I stood, and finally looked into her eyes. Her look was stern, but forgiving. She didn't say a word.

"We will never fail you again!", I tried to comfort myself more than anything, "We are now in an Eternal Party! Long, Kaizy, and I! We are more powerful. We will not lose you again!"

The lady almost smiled, but not really. Her cold stare was still on me, without words.

"Please, say something", I almost cried.

"HAhahahaha!!", Doongoliath cracked up again, "She doesn't! She doesn't say anything! She doesn't speak! HAhahahahahaha!!"

It was true! The Lady hadn't said a single word since we had freed her, back at the academy, in what seemed like ages ago!

"But, she is Arua", Longondo said, "How can she not speak? Why wouldn't she?"

"She is not Arua", said Hovert, surprising us all, "I do not know who she is, because I do not remember her. My memories are still a blank haze. But I know she is not Arua. She is just a woman. And if she doesn't wish to speak, she will not speak."

â??Well, that's unacceptable!â?, exclaimed Spero, "She must give me some answers! M'lady!! I am Doctor Spencer Spero, du Zant. I am enamored by this meeting. Please, I must ask you some questions."

"No questions", Hovert was the one that did speak, "We must go. Now!!"

There were shouts coming from all around outside the tent. Animal cries!

Sunlight sneaked through the cracks of the tent flap. It was morning.

The Kaimans were attacking!


written by: Vea
guest-starring
Longondo
Kaizy
KingArthur
and Gogetters!
siggies and badges by: Sparx!

Edited by KingArthur, 23 July 2010 - 09:00 PM.

[KingArthur]

Chapter 25 The Forest of Wisdom

"Wait!!!", Dr. Spero cried, and he threw himself at the black-clad ladyâ??s feet, "Please, m'lady! You must speak! You must tell us who you are! Where are you from? I must have a sample of your blood! What is your bloodline? I will run tests!"

Hovert grabbed the little doctor, and stood him upright. "We need to all leave this place. Now!", he ordered.

"He's right", Pabel agreed, "Now that we are all together again, we must leave and find safe shelter. We have nothing to do with this battle."

"Ah! But that you may have wrong!", the leader of the Kaimans was heard to say, as he ripped through the tent flaps with a spear! Other Kaimans shredded the rest of the tent, as they entered the chambers of the Doonga King. Doonga guards followed, and the leaders of both warring sides found themselves at a standstill. And we, in the middle of it!!

The Kaiman leader approached me and patted me on the head, "Thanks to you, little Cleric, we have been led straight to Doongoliath's tent!" He sneered, and I shied my head away from his claws.

"We're not taking sides, savage! We refuse to!", I was surprised to hear my protest out loud. However, I stood my ground, "Just let me and my friends go in peace. We have nothing to do with this war!"

"You have stayed out of our way, but don't push your luck, sweetie!", the Kaiman leader snarled at me, "We just want to kill your little Jabberwock Armor friend!"

"NO!!", Dr. Spero shouted... and showed surprising courage, by standing between the lady in black and the large brown-scaled Kaiman.

"Fine by me!", said the Kaiman leader, "Two, for the price of one! I never liked this particular doctor anyway!" And the large crocodile-man lunged his spear through the doctor, and to the lady in black.

"NOOOO!!!!!", Pabel and I yelled in unison. The rest of my friends were shocked to silence.

Luckily, the Jabberwock Armor held, and the lady was unharmed. But the poor Dr. Spero was not so lucky...

The Kaiman leader retrieved his spear, and Dr. Spero's bloodied body fell to the ground. The scaly monster seemed uneased at his main target's deflection, but even with fear on his face, he lunged the spear at the black-clad lady again.

The blonde woman raised a fist engulfed in lightning sparks, and caught the spear in her hand. (Again, Hovert was interrupted from even unsheathing his sword.) The black-clad lady's lightning crept from her hand onto the spear, and followed its way along the shaft towards the Kaiman leader. When he was engulfed in electricity, he howled in pain for a few seconds, then subsequently became silent and rigid; stunned.

Doongoliath, the other Doongas, and the rest of the Kaimans present were also stunned; but perhaps for different reasons. The Kaiman leader's body, shrouded in dancing lightning bolts, was an intimidating sight.

"Die, you animal!!!", my emotions won over my senses, and I pointed my Wand at the now harmless Kaiman leader.

"Vea! No!", Pabel's voice hit me, just as hard as his hand hit my Wand, "We do not take sides! We want no part in this turf war! Besides, you are a healer! You are not a killer!"

Pabel then held me in his arms, as I lowered my Wand and sobbed.

"Healers...", Longondo said, looking at Kaizy, "That is correct."

Long and Kaizy pointed their Wands at Dr. Spero and began to chant their healing spells. Together, they engulfed the good doctor in that delicious yellow light... and soon, Spero was bloodied no more.

"He is still unconscious", Kaizy pointed out.

"Can someone carry him?", Longondo asked.

"Let's carry him, and move out!", Pabel ordered.

The lady in black released her grip on the spear, and the lightnings faded. The spear and the Kaiman dropped to the ground. The lady crouched and picked up Spero. When she stood, she had draped the doctor over her shoulder and backside. It was obvious that she was impressively stronger than she looked! Or maybe it was that armor... It had stopped a full-grown Kaiman's spear, even at point-blank range, after all! Indeed, The Lady was impressive. But her silent face showed no sign that she cared about this fact.

As my friends and I were leaving the Doonga king's chambers, the Kaiman leader was beginning to come to; grunting and stretching. Doongoliath approached him, and kicked him. This made the rest of the warring creatures come to their senses and start to fight again.

Our fleeing group evaded swinging swords and flying spears, as we ran through and out of the Doonga camp; attacks coming to us from both the Kaiman and the Doonga sides. We fled and lived; Longondo, Kaizy, and I sending Stun shots from our Wands here and there, keeping our enemies away from us, and the lady in black carrying the unconscious Spero to safety.

Running, we reached jungle trees again, and then the trees became bigger and grew in numbers. The foliage became thicker and darker. Soon enough, we knew that we had left Kenji behind, and Kaizy announced that we had entered the Forest of Wisdom.

We stopped running when we reached a riverbed. The forest was still dense at this point, but at least it provided a small break. And there was water.

We sat, and drank. We rested. Then... we talked.

"Is he alive?", Pabel asked. He meant Spero, of course.

"He's alive. But barely. He still isn't awake", said Longondo.

"He may need another round of healing later", added Kaizy.

They had set him down near the river's edge, where they continously used his wet lab coat to dab the doctor's lips with riverwater. Every once in a while, Long would drip a bit of strawberry juice for him as well.

"He must live...", Pabel said.

Hovert was sitting under a large tree, next to where the black-armored lady was resting. She was flustered, and was having trouble breathing. She had carried Spero, running, all this way. Her armor may have provided her with powerful magic indeed, but yes, she must have been human after all. Was Hovert right, then? She wasn't Arua?

"Vea, we're gonna need you to help us this time, with the next healing round", Kaizy told me, a bit aggressively.

"Of course", I said, feeling ashamed, "I'm so sorry I lost it back there, guys. I don't know what's going on, but I feel... After almost losing Arua... If I lose my way in the path that Arua's Fairy has shown me, I do not know how I would cope... And with King Artur gone, we don't even know where to go now! When Spero got stabbed... I don't know... I just felt so helpless..."

"You're not helpless, Vea", Longondo tried to console me, "And you're not alone. You have us with you."

"I know, it's just...", I tried to explain, "Maybe I'm not the one who should be leading... Maybe I'm not the one that should have been chosen for this. Maybe I shouldn't have such a destiny, after all! Maybe Arua's Fairy pegged me wrong..."

"Well, we're all in this together now!", said Kaizy, "Let's not give up on each other. We got... Arua... back. Let's not look back. Let's move forward."

"Vea...", Longondo whispered, "Don't give up..."

"We should all maybe get some sleep", Pabel told us, and he pointed at the already-sleeping pair of Hovert and the lady in black. They looked so comfortable together.

"Do you think they're in love, Pabel?", I asked.

"Maybe", was his reply, "It's hard to know things for sure, I've learned."

"I'm not able to believe that she is not Arua...", I pondered out loud, "If she's not the Goddess, then who is she? And why would we be protecting her?"

"Don't worry about those things right now", said Pabel, "Let's just go to sleep for a while."

"Where do we go now, after this?", Longondo asked.

No one had an answer.

"We sleep on it, I guess", I said, yawning.

While everyone else slept soundly, I had another one of my dreams. In this one, I was in the very forest I was in already, but there was only one tree... I was alone instead of with my friends... I had my white-feathered wings again, but I was not flying...

"Are you there, Fairy?", I called out. I could feel her nearby.

"I brought you someone", the Fairy's tiny voice said.

"Where are you?", I asked, looking around, "I can't see you."

"I cannot be with you completely, as I am trying to connect you with him", the Fairy's voice replied.

"Connect me with whom?", I questioned.

"Someone who shares your power of dreams, as well...", said the Fairy.

"Vea...", a man's recognizable voice spoke from behind me. When I turned, I saw Artur leaning next to the lone tree.

"King Artur!", I exclaimed, "Is it really you?!"

"It's the dream version of myself, yes", replied Artur, "I do not have much time, to talk to you this way, Vea. The Mystic Knife is still inside me, and I am in a lot of pain. It takes a lot of strength to do this; strength I do not have. And besides, Shroon may be here any moment."

â??Shroon can help you! She can heal you!â?, I tried to tell Artur, "Just hold on!"

"No! You donâ??t understand about Shroonâ?¦â?, Artur said to me, "Just listen to me, Vea! The one that I had wanted you to see... The one I was taking you to... My friend with all the answers... is in the Forest of Wisdom! Follow the forest North, until the path is repeated over and over. And just when you think that you are walking in circles, and that the way is hopeless, press on. Press on! And you will find my wise friend there. Kaizy knows... Kaizy knows..."

"Wait! Artur! You are vanishing!", I cried out to him, and I tried running to him, but he disappeared too quickly.

Then, Arua's Fairy came into view, in front of my nose. In all her tiny flower-dress glory.

"I'm sorry that's all I could do for you", the tiny Fairy said, "The King is fading."

"Fairy...", I said, "I was told not to trust you. Why? How can you prove to me that you are trustworthy? How do I know that that was really Artur and not an enemy leading me into a trap?"

"It was the real Artur, Vea", the Fairy told me, "Just as I am a servant of the real Arua."

"Prove it", I felt so guilty, but I had to ask it.

"Indeed", the Fairy said sadly. And next to the tree, King Artur appeared again. He was on the ground, bleeding blue from his midriff. I could see a Mystic Knife protruding from a fatal wound. It was the real King Artur.

"Vea... The tree...", Artur said, "You must trust me, Kaizy knows... Kaizy knows..."

I woke up gasping so loudly that I startled everyone else awake!

"Vea! What's wrong?", Pabel inquired worriedly.

After I blinked rapidly and caught my breath, I said, "I know where we have to go!"


written by: Vea
guest-starring
Longondo
Kaizy
KingArthur
and Gogetters!
siggies and badges by: Sparx!

Edited by KingArthur, 23 July 2010 - 09:02 PM.

[KingArthur]

Chapter 26 Leavetaking

â??Kaizyâ?, I said, â??Tell me more about the creature of legend that is hidden in the Forest of Wisdom.â?

After I had relayed my dream to my friends, and Kaizy had told us the myth, we were certain that thatâ??s where we were supposed to go. Artur wanted us to talk with the Forest of Wisdomâ??s creature of legend!

As soon as we were all ready to go, Longondo, Kaizy, and I gathered around Dr. Spero and chanted our Cure songs together for him. Our three Wands lit up in unison to disperse the healing yellow light, that rested upon his body like a warm blanket. Within the light, sparks danced; and together they began to form shapes, like star constellations. The yellow lights showed us the figures of tiny geese flying around Speroâ??s body, a herd of oxen being breathed in through his nose, and four cobras wrapping around his limbs as if they were tattoos. When the healing animals came together, another, larger figure was constructed out of the yellow sparks; but this one was impossible to discern. Before it could become any clearer, our songs had died out, and the healing light dissipated.

When Dr. Spero opened his eyes, it was with great happiness and tenderness that we received him. We explained what had happened to him, and he told us that he felt fine. Tired, but fine. â??Iâ??m healed. Iâ??m just getting weak in my old ageâ?, he told us, â??Thank you. I owe you Clerics my life.â?

â??And to you, of course, Mâ??Ladyâ?, the good doctor addressed the blonde woman in black armor this time, â??And to you.â?

The Doctor agreed that he should go back to the Arumic Academy in Junon Polis, to recover, and that his interview and experiments with the blonde lady would wait. â??I cannot travel with your group, miss Veaâ?, he said, â??It is too ardous. Whatever destiny Our Lady must fulfill, I will wait for my turn. Promise me you will bring her to me in Junon. I will find the cure to the Devil Pest with her help. She will save us all, I know it.â?

Pabel had agreed to escort and protect him. He would take care of his health back in Junon; and he and Est would discuss with the doctor their Eldeon findings of the Devil Pest.

â??Pabelâ?, I said, â??I donâ??t want to be apart from you again.â?

â??We all have our part to play, honeyâ?, Pabel said back to me, â??We must share our knowledge and research, and then Dr. Speroâ??s experiments can be ready forâ?¦the Ladyâ?¦ when you bring her back.â?

My face showed a hint of pouting, and Pabel continued, â??One day, Iâ??ll take you to Luna and never leave you again.â?

â??Wouldnâ??t it be lovelyâ?, I replied, and I kissed him gently on the lips, â??Iâ??ll miss you.â?

â??As will Iâ?, spoke Pabelâ??s heart when he smiled.

â??Aha!â?, Dr. Spero exclaimed, â??I knew I had one somewhere in my pockets. Never leave home without it!â?

Spero produced a scroll from underneath his tattered lab coat, and unrolled it in front of us to reveal an empty piece of parchment. He took a pen out of another pocket, and after praising that it was still intact, wrote on the paper: Junon Polis.

â??Mana Fluid for ink. Very powerful. Very difficult to come byâ?, Spero explained, as a map of the streets of the capital city began to draw itself on the parchment. â??Iâ??ve no magic, you seeâ?, Spero gave us a big smile.

As we said our farewells, Pabel and Dr. Spero placed a hand on the otherâ??s shoulder; then the Junon Polis Return Scroll whisked them from their spot, and the two disappeared from view before our very eyes.

â??Shall we go now to this place then?â?, Hovert addressed the group. He was already walking in the direction that Kaizy had earlier deduced it was best to go. Kaizy shrugged, and sped up to walk a few steps ahead of the Soldier, to lead the way north. The lady in black only spared a glance at me before she began to follow Hovert.

â??Iâ??ll cover us back hereâ?, Longondo said with an understanding smile, patting my shoulder and egging me onwards ahead of her. She was right. If I had walked covering the rear, I would have spent half the time looking back, in hopes that Iâ??d see Pabel running up behind us to catch up.

During our walk through the Forest, Longondo noticed something peculiar. "None of these trees move from their spots!", she announced, "Isn't the Forest of Wisdom supposed to be the home of thousands of Smoulies? Shouldn't we have run into a walking, talking tree by now...?"

"The Devil Pest has certainly reached this far", said Kaizy, "Apparently, the Smoulies have moved on. These are all just regular trees."

The rest of our walk through the forest that day, happened without any Smouly encounters; only 'regular' trees. Before the next nightfall, we found out that Kaizy had been right with his direction. He led us straight into the part of the forest that King Artur had spoken about in my dream; where the path would be repeated over and over.

Hovert was the first to notice a fallen tree stump that had been in our path more than once. Soon enough, we all started to notice even little things repeat themselves. The height of the trees, the color of the leaves, the position of the bushes. Everything around us in the dark forest was exactly the same as it had been only moments before. All of it, except the ground we walked on; which was missing our footsteps. But that made it all the more frustrating! We felt like we were walking around in circles, yes! But, at least, if we had seen our footstepsâ?¦ then we would have known for sure, and so we would have turned back. But the way it was for us, knowing that we were walking new grounds but had to repeat everything else, was maddeningly gruesome!

It remained that way for hours and hours. It was dizzying, actually. Not knowing for sure whether you were moving forward or walking backwards. Not even the sun waned. The sunlight through the trees was also repeated.

â??What if we do turn back? Would it be that bad?â?, Longondo asked, after she had lost control and freaked out for a moment, when a falling leaf had brushed her face exactly the same way as it had done over 50 times before!

â??We canâ??t turn back! We have to overcome this!â?, Kaizy managed to sound composed, even as he broke through some hanging spiderwebs for what must have been the hundredth time.

Even the Lady did not seem phased. Although she didnâ??t show a lot of emotion, she looked like she enjoyed catching the same butterfly in her hand, every once in a while, over and overâ?¦

â??We can do thisâ?, I, too, tried to sound positive; but, in truth, I was ready to give up.

â??Thereâ??s no need to turn backâ?, Hovert said, now expertly dodging a tree stump that had had him tripping over it the first few dozen times. The Soldier spoke with a hint of excitement in his voice, â??Up ahead, that treeâ?¦ I have not seen that one before.â?

Yes! Only a few steps ahead of us, there was a meadow. And there, a group of fireflies danced around a large tree trunk that seemed to mark the end of the forest path.

Instinctively, we all started to run to it! The Lady ran too! Ha! She has got to be human. She was just as anxious to leave the repetitive nightmare as we were!

Huffing, puffing, and laughing, we all ran across the meadow, crashed against the large tree trunk, and dropped to the ground to sit by its roots. â??We made it!â?, I let out a shriek of joy. We all laughed together until we caught our breath, and I realized that the Lady was smiling. Had she been laughing too?

â??So, where is this creature of legend?â?, Longondo asked.

â??Uuuurrrgghhh!!! Every single time!!!â?, a deep, rumbling voice echoed all around the forest, and the tree trunk that we were resting upon trembled violently.

â??Aaaaahhhhccckkkk!!!!â?, Longondo screamed. But she wasnâ??t the only one. We all screamed as we shot up from our resting places and away from the tree. When we turned to look back at it, I looked up, and realized just how big this tree really was! It was gigantic! The base of the trunk was as round as a house, and the crown of leaves formed a canopy that blocked out the entire sky!

â??Itâ??s always the same thing, every single time!â?, the deep, rumbling voice spoke again, and we could hear it coming from inside the large tree itself. The giant tree was talking! And its trunk reverberated with every word.

Suddenly, tree limbs and vines lowered themselves from the treeâ??s canopy, and hung above us, just out of reach. To either side of us, were lowered two branches; each holding a big, round, green fruit. The skin of each hanging fruit slit across horizontally, and peeled away from the centerâ?¦ revealing inside each of them, a big wet eye! The peels of the fruits blinked around each of their eyeballs, and then the two green retinas pointed their sights at one same spot: us!

â??Every time that visitors manage to tread past my neverending frondsâ?, the treeâ??s deep voice reverberated from its trunk, â??thereâ??s always celebration. And it always wakes me up!! With you lot, it was the loudest bout of giggles I have ever heard! And I have lived since the first of Aruaâ??s creations! So, thatâ??s saying something!â?

I was at a loss for words, as the hanging fruit-eyeballs rotated within their peels to look at each of us in turn. I could tell that all my friends were also intimidated; stunned to silence. And peculiarly, I felt more than just fear clench my throat! It suddenly felt as if something was actually squeezing my jugular! My hand instinctively reached for my neck, and I felt an object there! I looked down, but it was too close to my neck to see what it was. It felt small, hard, and cold; pressed against the spot where a boyâ??s Junonâ??s Apple would be. Then, my fingers felt something more. A cordâ?¦ extended from the object! I traced it all the way around my neck. It was a necklace!

I looked at Longondo and then at Kaizy, and I found what must have been the same thing on them. A necklace of vine, with a pendant close to the neck. A small tree leaf made of gold.

â??There!â?, the giant tree reverberated, â??Iâ??ve given you each a Golden Truth. That is what you came here for, is it not? Now, take your leave! Let me go back to sleep!â?


written by: Vea
guest-starring
Longondo
Kaizy
KingArthur
and Gogetters!
siggies and badges by: Sparx!

Edited by KingArthur, 23 July 2010 - 09:02 PM.

[KingArthur]

Chapter 27 Shroon's Deception

The giant treeâ??s eyes began to close.

â??Wait!â?, I found my voice, â??We have been sent by King Artur!â?

Slowly, the eyeing fruits peeled back their skins again, and the tree spoke, â??King Artur already has his Golden Truth!â?

â??No, waitâ?, I pleaded, â??Weâ??re not understanding each other. We do not mean to be a bother to you, sir. Butâ?¦ we donâ??t even know what these golden truths are! Weâ??re here because the King has told us that you had vast knowledge, and that you could help us with answers to some of our questionsâ?¦ Will you help us?â?

The large canopy shook, and let fall many leaves, as a deafening yawn left the tree trunk, then the giant spoke again, â??I am the Sleeping Sage Tree of Wisdom. I know all, Arua permitting. You have come to the right place for knowledge. Artur is a dear friend. I will help any that he wishes. But first, you must prove yourselves his friends. I will answer as many questions as you wish me to, even if it takes a lifetime, if you are able to answer this only oneâ?¦ Which is the key that opens the Kingâ??s castle?â?

At first thought, I wondered what the tree was talking about, and why would he ask such a thing. Alas, Longondo was much quicker on the uptake.

â??The lighthouse!â?, she gave her answer to the tree.

Thatâ??s right! I gave Longondo a winning smile.

The treeâ??s fruits closed, and nectar flowed from their slits. When the eyes opened again, the tree said, â??My friends. I have not heard from the good Artur for too long. It pleases me to speak of him with his friends. I welcome you. In the name of Arua, ask any questions, and I will answer.â?

When my friends looked at me expectantly, I went ahead and asked the first question, â??What does the Fairyâ??s rhyme mean?â?

After I had recited the Fairyâ??s Rhyme aloud, the tree gave us his first answer, â??The rhyme is a prophecy in the form of a riddle. â??She must not be brought to any harmâ??... means that you must protect Aruaâ??s servant until she has completed Aruaâ??s task.â?

â??Who is Aruaâ??s Servant?â?, Longondo disrespectfully interrupted the solemn treeâ??s answer. However, the giant sage didnâ??t seem to mind, because he continued as if he was simply answering the next question.

â??The blonde woman I see before meâ?, the tree said, â??is the servant that the rhyme speaks of. And if you have already found her, it means that you are not without all knowledge it seems. Heheh, now, letâ??s see. Next, â??she must knead blade, thread, and yarnâ??... speaks of the anatomical ways of Aruaâ??s Universe.

â??Allow me to explain. The universe and the world is a living entity; the seven planets that Arua created in the Sea of Souls live in a working body of space. And, like every living being, it has an anatomy.â?

â??Aruaâ??s universe is a living being?!?â?, Kaizy asked.

The tree continued to explain, â??Everything that transpires throughout all seven worlds is always connected, flowing together in unison... like a biological systemâ?¦ with a life cycle and all. This system is called ROSE Anatomy. And, yes, much like a roseâ?¦ Aruaâ??s universe is very much alive indeed. Furthermore, the seven planets in the universe are living organisms as well. Each planet is interconnected through an invisible line of energy, which is why what happens here in Junon can affect all the other planets as well. This interplanetary line of energy is what Anthony Flight's airships use to guide themselves across the universe from planet to planet. It is called Arua's Yarn.â?

â??Yarn? From the riddle?!â?, I asked anxiously.

â??From the riddle, yesâ?, said the tree, â??With her Blade, Aruaâ??s servant will understand how to complement the other twoâ?¦ her love, and her destinies. Or destinations.â?

â??Destinations. The seven planetsâ?, I said, with excitement, â??Arua's Fairy said to rush her through the seven. The seven planets, of course! But whatâ??s the Thread?â?

â??A God's heartstringâ?, the tree continued, â??is the Thread that sews the mantle of Arua's love; and that, no blade can ever pierce it. When Aruaâ??s Servant has found her Blade, she must then find Aruaâ??s Mantle, which is made of a the Gods' heartstrings. That will be her Thread.â?

â??How do we find Aruaâ??s Mantle?â?, Longondo asked, "If it's made by the heartstrings of the Gods?!?"

â??Aruaâ??s Servant will have to sew the Mantle on her very ownâ?, the tree said, â??But not to worry. She is guided by Arua at all times; cared for by the Goddess of Gods herself! With her Blade, Arua's Servant will thread the holy heartstrings that are true to Arua, in order to wear Her mantle of love.â?

â??Ok, so the Blade?â?, Kaizy asked, â??Which blade is that? Does she need a special sword?â?

â??Tobias Herune's powerful death-dealer!", the tree answered, "The greatest Two-Handed sword in history! When imbued with the strength of the King's red ruby, and refined with a magical Talisman, this sword is an unstoppable force!"

Up until then Hovert and the Lady had been still and silent, taking in every word of wisdom. But at the mention of the sword, Arua's Servant raised her weapon high for all to see.

The giant tree's trunk shook, as it would undoubtedly have during an earthquake, and we heard the wise sage laugh, â??Yes, she has the right Blade indeed. But she will have to knead it with the Thread and the Yarn, for the prophecy of the rhyme to take place; if Arua's Servant is to rid the worlds of evil...

"Which brings us to the next partâ?¦ â??Her blood is only safe when warm; in the lands of old Hebarnâ??â?¦ means that once the kneading is complete, and Aruaâ??s Servant has been brought to Hebarn, her blood will not be safeâ?¦ if she grows cold. If she dies. Which is why, of course, the â??She must not be brought to any harmâ?? part.â?

Finally, the rhyme was clear! The riddle had been solved. There was a short silence as we all pondered on this. Thenâ?¦

â??What is a Golden Truth?â?, Kaizy asked suddenly.

Once again, the tree kept his word and patiently gave us yet another answer, â??A Golden Truth is a leaf from the book of your life. It will be with you until your lifeâ??s defining moment, in which you will be tested, and you will learn the ultimate truth. You will learn who you truly are! There will come a time when life will bestow upon you a test, and the true â??youâ?? will decide whether you live or die. If, during that test, you act true to yourselfâ?¦ the leaf will show you the truth, and will not allow you to die. However, if you decide to act against what you truly stand for, against who you truly areâ?¦ the leaf will not see truth, and it will let you die. That, is the Golden Truth.â?

After another moment of letting the knowledge sink in, Longondo took a turn, â??If this woman is not the Goddess Arua, but merely her servant like any of usâ?¦then, who is she?!?â?

The tree, although honest to the very end, never gave his answer to that question. Because at that very moment, clouds of smoke entered our part of the forest between the branches and limbs of the Sage Treeâ??s canopy, and a burst of fire lit its leaves!

The tree closed its eyes and let out a resounding howl of pain that leveled us all to the ground, clutching our pained ears in our hands. The noise was matched by the trembling of the tree trunk. Then, it worsened. A shower of scorching meteors rained down through the burning leaves, and struck the giantâ??s tree trunk. When the entire tree was set ablaze, the fruit-eyes shriveled and fell. The howling stopped, but the tree continued to tremble and the roots shook the ground maniacally, breaking the earth into pieces under our feet as we ran for our livesâ?¦ back into the deep dark forest.

â??We canâ??t abandon him! We must do something!â?, Longondo cried, when we regrouped after running a few meters. A quick head count showed that Longondo, Kaizy, and I had been followed safely by Hovert and the mysterious Aruaâ??s Servant.

â??What are we supposed to do?!â?, asked Kaizy.

â??What in Hebarn was that?!??â?, I cursed.

Not far behind us, where the meadow used to be, the forest was now ablaze with an infernal fire.

â??That tree is one of Aruaâ??s oldest living beings!!!â?, Longondo cried some more, her shedding of tears quite evident, â??We gotta do something!â?

â??There is nothing you can do for him nowâ?, a raspy, high-pitched voice sounded from behind some trees nearby, â??Out with the old! Hahahahaha!â?

I could not mistake that voice. â??Shroon!!â?, I called out, â??Where are you? Whatâ??s going on!?â?

The sound of snapping wood alerted us of the trees that suddenly blew to splinters behind us, and our party was pushed to the ground by the force of the Tornado that had been unleashed.

As one thought, Longondo, Kaizy and I drew our Wands and shot pure Mana in the direction of the gale winds. When the tornado had died down, a small figure was seen standing amongst the wreckage and wood debris. It wore a hooded red robe.

â??Hahahahahaha!â?, Shroon laughed from underneath the red robe. Then, she disappeared!

Shroon reappeared instantly, a good twenty meters from where she had originally stood. She took off her hood, to reveal her golden and black Arumic veil. â??Impressive!â?, she said, piercing her dual-colored eyes at mine, â??Your Eternal Party really is strong already! But you canâ??t hurt me, if you canâ??t catch me! Hahahaha!â?

My Eternal Party shot three blasts of unified pure Mana, once more, at the red-robed traitor. But Shroon teleported again. This time, she reappeared next to Aruaâ??s Servant. The black-clad lady flinched as Shroon placed a hand on her shoulder. â??This is what Iâ??ve always wanted. I should have just gotten it myself a long time ago!â? Strangely, Shroon had not spoken these words looking at me anymore; she said them looking straight into Hovertâ??s eyes.

Hovert spared no time to take out his weapon. He leaped at the evil Arumic immediately, and tackled her to the ground, away from Aruaâ??s Servant. Once free from Shroonâ??s grasp, the black-armored lady had no choice but to only watch as Shroon teleported one last time; with the brave Hovert in tow.

Shroon did not return. She had disappeared with Hovert. The Lady in black released a howl of disgust and rage, as she swung her broad two-handed sword around at the empty air.

â??Save your strengthâ?, said Kaizy, â??We havenâ??t dealt with him yet!â?

Kaizy was looking at the Raider that had just emerged from behind what was left of some trees. Gogetters was wearing nothing but white sashes for chest protection and long blue slacks for leggings. He was barefoot, and wore no helmet or mask. We could see his long hair tied in a ponytail, and his bloodthirsty eyes looking for a kill. He looked so deadly, and so confident. When he pulled his two new weapons from their sheaths, we understood why he lacked armor.

The twin Katana blades shone silver under the Junon evening sun; and their metal only grew longer before our very eyes! Gogetters swung his sword-whips around and the metal cut the bark off some of the nearby trees that were still standing.

Oh yeah! There was no getting near this guy!

Aruaâ??s Servant struck her warriorâ??s pose, holding her large Two-Handed Sword in front of her. Longondo, Kaizy, and I charged our Wands with blue lightning.

As Gogettersâ?? silver astarot wings spread wide behind him, he chuckled and drooled, â??Goâ?¦ KILLâ?¦ HER!!! Hahahahahaha!!!!!â?

The Lady in black attacked first. She filled her fists with red bolts of electricity until it consumed the hilt of her sword and all the way up to the blade; then, she jumped high in the air, and brought the red lightning sword down on the Raider.

Gogetters was ready. He lashed his Katana sword-whips above his head in elliptical motions, and the coils of metal met the Lady's electrified sword and deflected the warrior woman's jump. She landed behind the Raider, having to tuck and roll away from Gogetters' follow-up metal whiplashes.

Meanwhile, the forest fire was catching up to us fast! "Surround him!", shouted Kaizy, "Create a perimeter! Keep the fire at his back, so he won't escape!"

Longondo and I followed Kaizy's orders, and with him, formed a semicircled perimeter that kept Gogetters and Arua's Servant between us and the growing fire.

"No escape!!!", Gogetters snarled at Kaizy, "All death today!!!"

"Mana Flame!", Kaizy shot a wall of fire from his Snake Wand.

The Raider looped his sword-whips in front of him, in rapid circular motions, to deflect it. The coiling metal had simply turned red with flame, and the Raider was unscathed.

The Lady conjured up her red lightning once more, building it up more and more within her sword, until a large ball of red electricity surrounded the entire blade.

"Storm!", Longondo shouted.

"Tornado!", I joined in.

Large gusts of wind, carrying fire embers and soot, shot across towards Gogetters. Even with his defensive whiplashing, the Raider was pushed off his feet and thrown a few meters back. As he stood to scurry from the rapidly approaching forest fire, The Lady swung her sword and threw her ball of red lightning at Gogetters. It caught him straight in the chest, and he backflipped closer to the forest flames once more.

"Aaaarghgrghhkk!!!", Gogetters screamed, as the nearby fire engulfed his wings. Still yelling in pain, the Raider went into Stealth mode, almost disappearing from the fight. All we could see was a pair of wings of fire floating in the smoke and ashes. The wings began to rotate, faster and faster, until they became a whirlwind of fire and smoke.

"FREEZING ASSAULT!!!", the Raider shouted as he reappeared, and the whirlwind was engulfed in a purple mist. Suddenly, three slashes of the mist reached out to each of us members of the Eternal Party, and we were engulfed in the freezing purple mist as well. When the fog lifted, I couldn't move a muscle. And I could see that my friends, who now had purple toned skin-colors, couldn't move either.

The Lady, having been excluded from the attack, took advantage that she had been ignored for that moment and leapt to attack Gogetters with her red lightning sword again. But, alas, the Raider was still too quick for her. He waited until the last moment, just before The Lady and her sword landed on top of him, and Gogetters whiplashed his Katanas once again; this time, catching The Lady off guard and administering large cuts and gashes all over her armored body. Lying wounded on the ground, her blue blood meshed with the leaking red blood of the Jabberwock Armor, and her sword (surprisingly still in her hands) sparked small red bolts of short circuits from the rubied hilt.

Gogetters grabbed The Lady by her long blonde hair, and pulled her past us, away from the fire. The Lady dragged her sword as she was taken away from us half-conscious. Now, it was my friends and I who stood next to the oncoming forest fire! I struggled with all my might against the purple cold, but I could not even manage a twitch! I could feel my Eternal Party's life force, and feel that Longondo and Kaizy equally shared my predicament; frozen, and helpless.

I closed my eyes, just as the first lick of the flames reached us, and I felt my tense muscles begin to relax... and the cold feeling in the pit of my stomach to go away. The purple mist was melting! Slowly, after the jaws of the roaring fire had consumed us, we were freed from the Raider's freezing assault. Just as the last remnants of the purple mist melted away from our skins, and right before we were burned to cinders, Longondo, Kaizy, and I leapt out from inside the wall of the forest fire; and the Eternal Party returned to the fray.

Black smoke emanated from our Cleric clothes, as Long, Kaizy, and I walked towards Gogetters, who was still dragging The Lady, and had his back turned to us.

Ok, let's bring our Animals together, and get rid of this bastard once and for all!, we all seemed to agree.

"SUMMON ELEMENTAL!!!", my Eternal Party shouted, and three different colored bursts of light shot out from each of our Wands. The Raider turned around, just in time to see Kaizy's green light merge with Long's brown light, which in turn merged with my white light.

Gogetters dropped The Lady and began to twirl his Katana whips in front of him to deflect the blows. However, the Raider never had a chance. The three Animal lights came together to form our Eternal Party Elemental; an orange-scaled dragon with large horns on its forehead and small leathery wings at its back. It shrieked menacingly as it flew fast towards Gogetters, opening the jaws of its tattooed beak wide. As it reached the Raiders whipping blades, the Elemental dragon shattered into three-colored lights again, only to reform as it passed each swing of the lashing whip-swords!

When it passed Gogetters defenses, the Raider screamed like a girl, as our Elemental dragon landed on his chest and began to bite at his face, "NNAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!"

"You should have worn armor, you newb!", I thought I heard The Lady's heart say, as the newly reawakened warrior (still lying on the forest floor) pushed her sword upside down through Gogetters midriff and blasted red lightning all through his body. By the time our Elemental dragon had chewed off the Raider's head, the rest of Gogetters' charred body had fallen lifeless on top of The Lady's sword.

Our Elemental dragon disappeared, as our magic dissipated, and The Lady pulled her sword away (and rolled out of the Raider's falling body's way). When we reached The Lady, we asked her if she was alright, and she nodded. Silent, as usual.

We all ran together, away from the fire (which was beginning to die out, due to the wind having pushed it towards the river), and we reached a small hillock at the foot of a dry mountain. We decided to rest there for a bit, as my Party performed heals on each other and on The Lady.

Longondo shed some tears for the lost Sage Tree, as we solemnly watched the distant smoke still rising out from the dying Forest fire that lit the nighttime sky. Then, she said, "Let's go home. Please."

"Alright", I replied, "We can go back to Junon Polis, to figure out what to do next. There seemed to be a road near here. I saw it while we ran."

"Yes, but look ahead in that direction", Kaizy pointed out, "The road seems to split beyond the foothills. I'm guessing, down to the green grasses of Anima Lake on one direction, and up the arid mountain on the other."

"Don't even worry about choosing a path", Longondo offered, "I have a spare Junon Polis Return Scroll."

We laughed together at this welcome surprise, then Long unrolled the parchment and pointed her Wand to it.

"Vea...", a voice I'd never heard before spoke my name.

The Lady in black armor... had grabbed my hand in hers, but I knew that it wasn't for scroll teleportation purposes. The mysterious Arua's Servant had finally spoken! She looked at me with her deep blue eyes, and said a second word, "Hovert."

I knew immediately what she meant. Longondo and Kaizy must have felt what I was feeling because they let go of each other's hands, and Long rolled up the parchment once more.

"Right", I said, giving The Lady's hand a warm squeeze, "Let's go get Hovert back."


written by: Vea
guest-starring
Longondo
Kaizy
KingArthur
and Gogetters!
siggies and badges by: Sparx!

Edited by KingArthur, 23 July 2010 - 09:03 PM.

[KingArthur]

Chapter 28 A Painful Story

"Which path do we take?", Longondo asked.

The Lady would not stop staring at the top of the dry mountain.

"I guess we take the mountain path", chuckled Kaizy.

Kaizy led the way, up the mountain, with The Lady following close behind.

"Whoa!", exclaimed Longondo, "There's someone up there..."

"What? I don't see anyone", I said.

"I have been looking to the top for a while now", Longondo explained, "And there was a cactus there; or, what I thought was a cactus. It's not there anymore! So, it must mean that someone's up there!"

"Well, I remember you spotted the Kaimans' eyes across a cliff before I did!", I smiled, "So, yeah... Long sees something up there, Kaizy!"

We all held our Wands out at the ready as we climbed the rest of the way.

Longondo smiled at me proudly. It wasn't necessary. How could I not trust my Eternal Party?

When we reached the top of the small mountain, there was no one there with us. The mountain-top plateau was nothing but sand and a cactus growing out of a bush. Across the way, on the other side, a large expanse of darkness lay below the mountain. The night did not let us look at the empty land.

"El Rende Desert", Kaizy said, "It covers the expanse north of both the Forest of Wisdom and Anima Lake."

"The Desert of the Dead", I agreed with him.

"Cradle of the Devil Pest", Longondo added.

Kaizy re-latched his Snake Wand to his Coat belt, "Well, there's no one up here. Might as well call it a night. It's too dark down there. We can explore in the morning."

"There is someone up here!", Longondo insisted, "Mana Flame!" And a line of fire erupted from Long's Ouroboros Wand to burn the cactus and the bush to cinders. After the ashes had been swept away by the wind, Longondo remained dumbstruck.

Then, the sand beneath her feet broke apart, and a figure rose before Longondo! The man grabbed the Ouroboros Wand with one hand and Long's neck with the other! The sand had not completely fallen from his body when he placed Longondo in front of him as a shield and pointed her Wand at the rest of us!

Kaizy didn't have time to unlatch his Snake Wand again, but I had my Baobab pointed right at the attacker. And I could feel the Lady was ready with her sword, behind me.

"Let her go!", I shouted.

The sand finally fell down off of the man's face and clothes. He was wearing a green ranger's uniform, had a white beard, and a black eyepatch over his right eye.

"Vea?!?", the ranger spoke.

"Pein!?!?", I was flabbergasted.

Pein immediately released Longondo, and bowed before us all, "I apologize for the intrusion. I had to know who you were. I thought you were one of Shroon's vile subjects." He lifted his gaze from the sand, to look at Longondo, "Are you alright?"

Longondo pointed her Wand at her own wrist (and then her neck), and said, "I'll be fine. Thanks." She was clearly annoyed.

"Pein! What are you doing here?!", I asked him, as he rose from his bow.

"I saw the Forest smoke from where I was at Anima Lake", Pein said, "It's my job to check things out. When I saw that half the forest was burned down, I had my suspicions. I blamed the Ikaness. So, I climbed up here to scout on them."

"Shroon burned the Sage Tree down", Longondo told him.

"I was afraid of that", Pein replied sadly.

"How did you know that Shroon was Ikaness?", I asked.

"She doesn't hide it very well, now does she?", was Pein's answer, "She is extremely dangerous! Is that why you're up here!? To avenge the Sage Tree? Going up against Shroon, without an army, is madness!!"

"She took Hovert", I explained, "We're helping The Lady here, to bring him back."

"Took who!?!?", Pein was stunned, as he looked closely at the Lady for the first time, "Dear Junon!! Vea, do you know who that is?!?"

"Actually, no...", I answered.

"Did you say... 'Hovert'?!?", Pein continued to ask.

"Yes!", I couldn't help but laugh. The old ranger was reacting too funny. "Well, Hovert is not really his name", I explained, "That's just what Shroon called him."

"Of course she would!", Pein exclaimed, "She made him, after the image of the hero of legend!"

"I- I don't understand...", I stuttered, "Made??"

"The Arumic witches have been experimenting with Devil Pest victims!", Pein said, "For years now! You know that the Devil Pest victims are said to be dead already as soon as they are infected. Risen again, only to fight violently for no reason until they are destroyed. Well, they've been administering the Devil Pest on corpses, Vea! To bring them back! They think they can control them! If they manage to subdue the Devil Pest within the infected... well, they would have a non-violent reanimated corpse!"

"Bringing people back from the dead...", I gasped.

"This has not been going on at the Academy!", Longondo interjected.

"I had heard rumors about it, too", said Kaizy, "But without proof, I never believed it."

The Lady remained somber, and stared at the sand between her feet.

"How do you know all this to be true, Pein?", I inquired.

"Because their test subject... was my great-great grandfather's corpse", said Pein, "The heroic Soldier of the First Ikaness War. Queen Namielle's number one knight! Hovert."

After some silence, Pein continued with his story, "The Arumic witches came to me because they wanted to buy Hovert's Mementos. I kept my great-great grandfather's possessions as a means to earn money from tourists and travelers to Anima Lake; the place where he died during the First Ikaness War.

â??He died bravely. Though infected with the Devil Pest, he managed to control his whims of violence and never harmed any soldier from his side. He battled the Ikaness and their Aqua Warriors 'til the very end. His body was never found, sunken deep, at the bottom of the lake...

"Anyway, the Arumics offered me enough money to last me two lifetimes! So, I gave them his Trunket Helm, his Diary, and many other mementos. It seems they used them to magically find his body and retrieve it from the bottom of the lake. They kept the body safe, in the Arumic Shrine, for a long time.

â??They created many clones of him, but never reanimated his original corpse. They wanted to make sure they could control the Devil Pest before they would finally bring the legendary hero back to life. At least the Shrine is under the lake now, so Hovert can rest there once more...

"But Shroon! This was Shroon's pet project. She led the clonings, she led the Devil Pest reanimations. She is the monster behind Hovert's desecration. But I heard that Karitte was up to much worse! Didn't Pabel tell you any of this?!?"

I was already angry at finding out about these events; the notion of being kept in the dark made me even angrier, "Pabel knows about this!?!?"

"Everyone has their secrets", Pein said, "But the Shamanists and the Arumics sometimes share. I would've thought you'd had heard it straight from Pabel's heart... Vea... Do you remember what you heard young Pabel say, on the day I taught you to listen to hearts?!"

"Yes...", I replied.

â??If I remember correctly what Est said, and you remember correctly what Pabel saidâ?¦ we can put the conversation together and re-enact it, so that you can find out what they were talking about. At this point, I feel you must knowâ?, Pein said, â??Iâ??ll start.â?

And he spoke using Estâ??s words from that day: â??Pabel, I believe that Vea has dreamt about the rumored experiments taking place at Trytehâ??s academy. If she saw the woman that they have imprisoned there, she could be falling into very dangerous territory. The less she knows, the better.â?

After a moment of hesitation, I replied to Pein, repeating Pabelâ??s words from that conversation: â??I would not want to keep anything from Vea.â?

Pein continued with Estâ??s words: â??I know that you have an affinity for her, but for this reason you should try to protect her. Vea is not powerful enough yet to face these things. Especially if the Arumics have managed to imprison whom I think they have.â?

My lips issued Pabelâ??s next words: â??If it is the woman of the rumors, she should know.â?

Est's next words were repeated by Pein: â??Know what? That the Arumics have discovered how to preserve legends!?! That the woman who once defeated the Ikaness could be hidden inside Junonâ??s Arumic Academy at this very moment? That the Arumics have been cloning one of Junonâ??s greatest Soldiers!!? Vea wouldnâ??t even know where to begin to understand! Poor child, she shouldnâ??t have to!â?

I spoke using Pabel's words again: â??I donâ??t think she should understand everything, either. But dreams are a powerful thing, and if Aruaâ??s fairy is beginning to communicate with usâ?¦â?

Pein spoke Estâ??s words: â??It only means that Arua may be weakening, if she has not called forth all of Her Visitors for this task. Vea will not be able to carry out Aruaâ??s wishes without help. And Iâ??m not even sure the Hovert clone is up to the task! That poor Soldier may not be what he once was! And if Vea is able to free theâ?¦ blue womanâ?¦ she and Hovert could make a very unstable combination. And thatâ??s if both their memories are still intact!â?

Pabelâ??s words again: â??I understand that they might have been once connected in the past. If he and the woman are once again today connected, then a Cleric at our side is what we need! And if Arua has made her choiceâ?¦â?

Est's words once more: â??Arua may be flawed!!! Do not forget, Pabel, that the Arumics are in this mess because Arua was not powerful enough to suppress Hebarn in the first place!! A Cleric may be our only chance to undo any pact that Herune makes with the Gods, but we must make sure to side with the right Cleric! We must keep our eyes open at the Academy, and not be blinded by any specific affinities that we may have! That blindness has gotten you into trouble enough!â?

â??That was the end of their conversationâ?, I told Pein, â??Pabel said no more after that.â?

â??I understandâ?, said Pein, â??Est is a very knowledgeable woman.â?

â??Iâ??m sorry that my side of this didnâ??t seem to shed as much light on the situation as Estâ??s words didâ?, I told him.

â??Thatâ??s quite alrightâ?, Pein replied, â??Whatâ??s important is that this information has been passed on to you. After all, according to that conversation, Arua seems to have chosen you for Her tasks.â?

"She seems to have chosen this woman as well!", I looked at Arua's Servant, "But who is she!??"

Pein smiled a sad smile, "That woman was secretly in love with the Hovert of legend. His Diaries are probably the only evidence. The world can never know how much the real Hovert loved her."

"Pein... Who is she?", I asked again.

Finally, Pein gave us the answer, "She has been Our Savior. Frozen in time, now thawed, to come back and save us one more time... She is Namielle, the First Queen of Junon Polis."


written by: Vea
guest-starring
Longondo
Kaizy
KingArthur
and Gogetters!
siggies and badges by: Sparx!

Edited by KingArthur, 23 July 2010 - 09:04 PM.

[KingArthur]

Chapter 29 The Last Hovert

The Lady, as usual, did not say a word. But she made it quite clear that she did not want to wait until morning to go rescue Hovert. Just as the first flashings of a thunderstorm rumbled in the distant sand dunes, Queen Namielle lowered herself down the mountain and into the Desert of the Dead.

Longondo, Kaizy, and I followed her, of course, but Pein went the opposite way. He wanted to visit the grounds where the Sage Tree had died. The ranger told us that there may yet be hope of replanting him.

As to how to find Hovert, Pein suspected that Shroon was holding him captive in the Desert of the Dead, and that that was why Namielle was attracted to climb over the mountain to it in the first place. She can surely hear Hovert's heart, Pein had said, You should follow it.

And follow The Lady we did. Arua had chosen Queen Namielle, the Junon savior of legend, to save the worlds; she was beautiful and powerful, and the Eternal Party would protect her to the end.

As we crossed the Desert, and the storm became closer and closer, a powerful stench filled our nostrils.

"It's the smell of the dead", said Kaizy.

"I'm not sure about that", Longondo commented, "We smelled death in Anima Lake, remember? This is something else."

"Devil Pest", Namielle spoke softly.

Each time that the Queen had spoken, the rest of our hearts skipped beats. She was a woman of few words, not to mention with an intimidating demeanor... so to us, everything around us stopped so we could listen to what she had to say.

"Your Highness?", I dared address her, "Why don't you ever talk? I mean, really talk to us... Why did you never mention who you were?"

We received no answer. My friends and I could only stare at her windswept blonde hair and the back of her Jabberwock Armor as we followed behind her.

"If the Devil Pest is in the air...", Kaizy questioned, "...shouldn't we be fighting each other right about now?"

Again, no answer from the marching Lady. When Kaizy looked at us, Longondo and I merely shrugged.

When we reached the center of the storm, the desert was completely alight with thunder! And we could see nothing but flat, arid, dry land stretching out in all directions. The Desert was completely empty except for ourselves, and a few rocks and boulders that were strewn about for miles. Lightning struck near us, every once in a while, and the fierce wind picked up our hair (along with sand and dust) and threw it at our faces.

There was no rain. Only wind and electricity. This had to be a magic storm!

"They are here!", Namielle shouted over the howling winds.

"Where?!", my friends and I shouted back in unison.

Our voices were still being echoed in the winds of the storm, when one large bolt of purple lightning struck the sky right above us. From that point in the sky, many other streaks of purple electricity ran down in a curb towards the ground. From each of those streaks, more smaller lightning bolts emanated, until we had been trapped inside a webbed dome of purple electricity.

Suddenly, the storm above the desert stopped, and only the lightning cage remained. Outside of the purple dome of electric light, the morning sun began to shine. Inside of our electrified dome, the wind still ravaged.

A ball of purple lightning appeared with us inside the dome, as we all readied our weapons defensively. Meanwhile, a tree root emerged from the arid desert just outside the dome; then from it, stemmed a small dying tree, upwards from the ground. Lying next to the tree, was a dying King Artur.

The ball of light inside the dome dissipated and revealed an unconscious Hovert had been inside it... sitting at the controls, astride the back of a steaming, rumbling... Castle Gear!

Longondo instinctively shied away from it.

"What's going on?", I let out a futile whisper.

Namielle quickly sheathed her sword, and walked up to the humanoid war machine. "He is not dead!", the Queen called out to us, "Merely asleep!"

Make him remember you...!, a raspy voice whooshed in the storm winds.

"Hovert...", Namielle's voice broke, as she called out to her lover, "Hovert!"

"No!", I gasped, "Namielle! Let him sleep! He does not remember you! He is not really Hovert! He is a clone!"

"I have lived through time, Vea!", Namielle yelled at me, "So has he! And we are now, ages later, together again! And he is not a clone! I can feel his true heart! He is my true Hovert!"

I had been afraid that might be true... The first time we had seen Hovert, was at the site of the Arumic Shrine after all...

"Hovert!", Namielle continued, "It is I, your Elle!"

Hovert twitched at the sound of Namielle's voice, and the Soldier began to awaken.

"Something's wrong!", Longondo shouted over the wind, "The Castle Gear is coming to life!"

Yes...! YES!, that raspy voice sliced the wind.

"Hovert is dead!", Kaizy shouted, "He rests in peace now! Queen Namielle! This is not your lover!"

But he was. I had seen the way the two had looked at each other. Somehow, Hovert's love for Namielle had transcended the resurrection process. This... another Hovert... was still the man who loved her!

Thank you for bringing her, my child! I knew she wouldn't resist coming to rescue her lover! Now I will have it all!! The great Hovert will truly live again! Hahahahaha! Bring him back to us, Namielle! Make him yours, once more! Hahahaha!

That was clearly Shroon's voice! She was with us! She had orchestrated this! She had brought us all here! And somehow, things were going according to her plan...!

When Hovert became fully awake, the Soldier smiled down at Namielle, "I remember everything now. I remember I fought for you, Namielle. I fought for your love. I was a knight. I was a Champion! Everything that crossed my path, died by my hands. As... everything... will die... now!"

That's when the roaring wind abruptly died down. Hovert sneered, and laughed maniacally, as the engine of the Castle Gear roared to full life!

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

The sound of Namielle's heart breaking was nowhere near as loud as the sound of the Castle Gear's Punch Arm smashing against her Jabberwock Armor; sending her flying across the desert, to land against the purple dome's electrified wall, Stunning her to unconsciousness on the ground.

"What's happening?!?", Longondo shrieked, as Hovert maneuvered the Castle Gear towards her! His evil laughter matched Shroon's evil laughter in the wind.

The real Hovert is back! HAHAHAHA! The last Hovert! This means that the pact is truly complete! HAHAHAHA!

"Stay calm, Long!", Kaizy called out to her, "We'll fight it together!"

Both Kaizy and I shot Stun spells at the approaching Castle Gear, but Longondo could do nothing but stare at the oncoming behemoth, frozen in fear. The Stuns didn't work on the machine, and Hovert swung the Castle Gear's Punch Arms at Kaizy and I, deflecting us from its way.

The Castle Gear had not punched us hard enough to throw us against the Stun-lightning wall of the dome, but I did lose consciousness for a second. When everything came back into clear view, I got up from the ground and spit out sand and blood.

"LONGONDO!!!!!", Kaizy had come to as well, and he screamed our pink-haired Cleric friend's name from the ground, with tears in his eyes. Hovert had moved the Castle Gear on top of Longondo! One of its monstrous metal legs was pinning her to the ground. Blood was all over Long's body and face. It was squishing her!

Kaizy and I began blasting everything we could, from our Wands, at the large Castle Gear; but any attack spells we threw at it seemed to bounce right off.

"Mother! Father!", we heard Longondo's gurgled shouts, "Not a Castle Ge-!"

As I felt Longondo's life force fading away, I saw her Golden Truth begin to glow around her neck! This was the moment of truth.

And the clone's lover will bring his Devil Pest back. The God will be released, and the pact will be complete!, the memory of Shroon's voice suddenly echoed inside my head, interrupting my thoughts of Longondo...

Oh my Arua! "Kaizy!!!", I shouted, "The memory of his love for Namielle also brought Hovert's Devil Pest back! Thatâ??s why heâ??s trying to kill! Shoot the Castle Gear to heal, Kaizy! Shoot to heal!!!"

Kaizy and I sang our Cure Charms, and our Wands wrapped Hovert and the Castle Gear in bright yellow light. But nothing happened. Hovert still laughed like a madman, and Longondo was still being buried beneath the sand.

â??We need her Heal!â?, shouted Kaizy, "She's the most powerful!"

"Long, honey! Please!", I cried to my best friend, "You don't have to share your parents' destiny! We can change this one! Heal yourself baby! Heal the Castle Gear! Heal!!"

I couldn't take it any longer. I stopped casting my Heal spell and sank to my knees to let all of my tears flow out of me. I couldn't see Longondo anymore beneath the Castle Gear's foot. It was all sand.

"Nooo! NO!", Kaizy cried as well, still casting his Heal, but without really aiming, "NO! Looooong!!!! Don't give up, Long!!!"

Then the most beautiful miracle I could ever witness happened before our eyes! The Castle Gear exploded into a million tiny little pieces, and Hovert was sent flying high into the air, to crash against the top of the electrified dome!

Longondo's spot in the sand was now empty, except for what was now standing in the Castle Gear's place: a large Ox made of blinding yellow light stamped its hooves against the sand. The Ox looked up, to catch the Stunned Hovert on his way back down. Hovert's body landed on the Ox's horns, and the unconscious Soldier was skewered by the two shafts of yellow light. The Ox folded its legs, and brought its head down, to gently place Hovert onto the desert sand, then it exploded into a large blinding blast of yellow healing... and disappeared.

Kaizy and I sprang to our feet, fully refreshed. The last Hovert, who was now rid of the Devil Pest, but without a true cure, lay dead in the sand; finally at rest.

After a moment of shocked silence, the sand beside Hovert began to shift, then break. And a small hand suddenly jutted out from underground! It was holding an Ouroboros Wand. "Long!!", Kaizy and I shouted as we ran to help our pink-haired friend dig herself out of the sand. When we pulled her out, the blood on her face was gone, the Golden Truth around her neck had disappeared, and she didn't have a scratch on her!

Longondo coughed out a little sand, then she smiled at us and said, "As Arua is my witness... I am... a darn good Healer!"


written by: Vea
guest-starring
Longondo
Kaizy
KingArthur
and Gogetters!
siggies and badges by: Sparx!

Edited by KingArthur, 23 July 2010 - 09:05 PM.

[KingArthur]

Chapter 30 Closer To Her God

Kaizy and I embraced Longondo tightly. She kissed us all over both our faces and repeated her thanks over and over again. She seemed to hug Kaizy more closer than me, of course.

"Thank you for being with me, you guys!", Longondo cried, and the three of us laughed and cried together for a few seconds... before Shroon's voice invaded the lightning dome again.

The Eternal Party is powerful, indeed! How touching! Hahahahaha! But you are too late! The pact has been completed, and Hebarn now has the power to rule over Arua once and for all!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!!! So, now, Daughter of Four... I shall do what I should have done a long time ago... I shall watch you die!!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

We stood up, ready for a fight. Then three bolts of purple lightning flew down from the top of the dome, and struck Longondo, Kaizy, and I. To which, I felt completely trapped in my own body.

"You will not kill Vea!!", Longondo shouted from her immobilized stance.

"We will fight for her, to the last!", Kaizy yelled back, also unable to move.

The three of us were Stunned.

Foolish children!!! Do you even know who you're protecting!?? Do you fully understand for whose life, you are laying down yours!!?? Our dearest Vea, doesn't even value her life!!! Longondo! Why do you think you were taken to such uncomfortable quarters at the Academy, the night that you first found Hovert?? It's because Vea's room was still freshly stained with her blood all over the floor!! Blood, that she spilled herself, that very morning!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!!! She is a coward and suicidal. She's not worth a life any more than what she values her own...

"Show yourself!!", I shouted, enraged, "I want you to look at me, and say those things to my face!!!"

"Oh really...?", Shroon's raspy, high-pitched voice echoed inside the purple electricity dome.

Then, she abruptly appeared before me! Staring me down with her dual-colored eyes! The same dual-colored eyes that had saved me on that fateful morning.

"I didn't know who you were that day, Vea. But now I know what you truly are, and I will kill everything you hold dear!", Shroon hissed at me, "Everything including yourself, will die today!!"

I cried irate tears as I pushed against my Stunned muscles with all my might. But my magic was not strong enough. Then, I felt the presence of my Eternal Party's magic. Longondo, Kaizy, and I would truly stick together to the last!

I reached out to the feeling, the magical connection between the three of us, and I felt a sudden surge of magic more powerful than anything I had ever experienced. I was a Goose, but I was a Cobra too! And an Ox! My friends were lending me their powers!

I harnessed the Animals Within the Muse to break free of the Stun spell, and swung my Wand at Shroon's face! The Baobab smacked her hard, and the evil Red Robed's blood splattered through the air.

"You should have left me to die!!!", I shrieked at her, wailing with all that my lungs could muster, "I wanted to take my life! To end all this suffering, to escape the darkness of this world!! And you robbed me from that!! Yes, it's true!!! But, you tell me you want to kill me now?!? I know the meaning of my life now!! I know of the love that I can share with others!! I dare you to see how much now I want to live!!!"

Shroon pulled her hands up to her broken nose, and began to hyperventilate. I could see fear for the first time in those dual-colored eyes. I didn't even want to imagine what she saw in mine!

"You gifted me with a second chance at life", I snarled at the Arumic traitor, "But I owe it not to you, but to Arua and all her children! I owe it to the world, to live! To love, and to do what I can to end the suffering! I still plan to escape the darkness, but I plan to escape it while I'm still alive!! Try and kill me now, that my life is no longer yours. Just you try!!! And see if you can..."

Shroon let go of her gruesome bloody face, and started to laugh. "Don't you understand...?", she let out between laughs, "Just because you broke free of a Stun spell, you think you can defeat me?!? I am the most powerful being on Junon now!!! Haha!!

â??Because of the pact, I now harness the power of the Devil Pest!! I have taken it from Arua!! And now I can bestow it upon any creature of my choosing! Hahaha! Even to inanimate objects, like Castle Gear, as you have just seen! Heheheh! The Red Robes can now follow the plan that Hebarn himself bestowed to our grand leader Herune! The Devil Pest Castle Gears, under our control, will now take over the worlds!!!

â??Heheh! But you won't live to see it. Let's see... Maybe I should infect your little friends from your pathetic little Eternal Party with the Devil Pest, and watch them tear your limbs out as they can't contain their thirst for violence!!!â?

"What are you going on about, you crazy witch!", I spat at her, "If you could do that, you would have done it from the start! The Devil Pest was always yours! You Ikaness created it!!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk", Shroon grinned, while drooling her own blood, "The deities you adore, and the secrets that the Gods don't tell you... Hahahahaha!!"

Right then, the ground beneath my feet began to shake violently! The desert earth cracked and trembled. Outside of the lightning dome, the stones and boulders jumped and rattled with the earthquake. Then, the rocks began to roll. They moved along the dirt towards the same direction, until they all met in one same place. Boulders and rocks of all sizes came together and lifted themselves up from the sand; latched together by dirt, they towered on top of each other, to form the humanoid figure of a giant made of stone!

The God will be released!, Shroon had said.

I shivered with fear, as Shroon's God rose from the desert in the shape of a Stone Golem. The God did not have a face. One of the stones on its head suddenly turned green, and began to shine with a gem's luster. An expression of anger could be read on the green gem.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!", the Stone Golem whined; its voice like echoes of scraping gems inside a cave.

"No! This cannot be!", Shroon cried, "The Gods never appear themselves before mortals!!"

The Stone Golem continued to moan and cry, as its powerful boulder-sized fists came down on the dome of purple lightning, shattering it to bits, sending the bolts of Stunning electricity dancing erratically in the air.

"Very well then!", Shroon yelled, "What better vessel to destroy this planet with, than infecting the Devil Pest onto the God Junon himself!!!"

It was not Hebarn, as I had feared! It was Junon! Shroon's side of the pact had been to release Junon! He was not as I had expected, but nevertheless He was beautiful.

"I can be more powerful than a God!!", Shroon cried out. She threw up her arms against the giant Stone Golem, and black rays of darkness shot from her hands! They hit the God on His stony chest, and Junon cried out in pain; the earth reverberating with the sound! Shroon held on to her black lashings, as she continued to shoot darkness into the God of Adventure's chest.

Junon's stones cracked, and the God began to bleed, green moss spilling from between the rocks. Then the God fell to His knees, kicking up a cloud of desert dust. Within the dust, I could see a black-clad figure with blonde hair approach the Stone Golem. The healing blast from Longondo's Ox had apparently reached all the way to Namielle. Freed from her Stun, the Queen had cautiously tiptoed to where the God was, and now stood below Him.

Arua's Servant raised her weapon towards the God, and the sword caught the falling moss across its Blade. Junon's blood.

The God continued to fall to the earth, the stones breaking away from his body, to become a pile of lifeless rock debris on the desert sand. And during His last moments with us, He sang. Junon's cavernous woes echoed across The Desert of the Dead... and Namielle sang with Him. It was as though they were speaking to each other, through hymns.

When the song had died out, the rocks had all fallen, and the dust began to settle, Shroon let out a cry of victory. "Hahahahaha!", she turned to look me in the eyes again, "You see, Vea, I can kill a God! So, what makes you think I cannot kill you!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!"

"Stop laughing, you stupid monster!", Namielle said, coming out of the desert dust and piercing her sword through Shroon's back, "Your raspy voice is hideously annoying!!"

As I saw the tip of Namielle's sword come out of Shroon's belly, I noticed that the sword had seemed to grow in size, and it now had new symbols inscribed along its Blade, etched in green moss.

"I am Namielle Polarbear", The Lady spoke between breaths, as Shroon's eyes began to lose their life. "I am the Queen and Savior of Junon's people, and the Gods have bloodied my sword and hands", Namielle continued, as she stabbed her sword deeper through Shroon's body, "I have lifted the Sword of Arua, to shred you into slashed dust, and rid your evil from these lands!"

At that moment, Shroon's body decayed abruptly and turned to ash, and the desert wind blew her and her malice away. The remnants of the purple lightning were now completely gone.

"Unbelievable...", Kaizy said, as he shielded his eyes from the now viewable desert sun.

"King Artur!!!", Longondo exclaimed, and she ran to the now accessible dying tree, where the wounded Artur lay. Kaizy followed her.

I guess the Stuns died with Shroon...

"Namielle, Highness...", I reached out to The Lady, "Are you okay?"

Her usual silence returned, as she looked at me quietly with tearful blue eyes.

Then, the Queen walked away from me, and dragged her sword over to where Hovert's body lay. I was hesitant to follow at first. I looked over at Longondo and Kaizy, who were tending to the dying King.

"We have to take him, now!", Longondo called out to me, "He has no pulse, and our Arumic magic can't help him, but maybe Karitte or Tryteh can do something!!"

"We can't leave without Namielle!", I replied.

"Stay with her!", shouted Long, "We'll send Sybil for you!"

Kaizy picked up the King in his arms. Longondo unrolled her Return Scroll parchment and placed a hand on Artur. I saw her lips mouth the words, Junon Polis, and my friends disappeared with the King in a flash.

I closed my eyes, and I could still feel them. Longondo and Kaizy had arrived at the capital city, and there they were safe.

When I opened my eyes, I saw Namielle kneeling next to Hovert's body. I approached her slowly. When I saw her shoulders heaving, I kneeled beside her and hugged her.

"I loved him so much", she told me, "And I will miss his love so much! You would be lucky if you ever know such love."

"I love the boy named Pabel", I told her, "I have been able to experience this kind of love because of you. You saved my life, you don't know in how many ways, Lady! You are Arua's gift, where there was no meaning. My life is saved now, and I thank you."

Namielle sniffed her tears, and faced me. Strands of her curly blonde hair stuck wet to her face. "Protecting me, following me, is not your reason to live, Vea", she said to me, gently placing a hand on my cheek, "The God Junon has spoken to me. He has told me many things. But most importantly, I would like to follow you, Vea. For it is you that Arua has chosen. It is your heart and love that has overcome so many things, and will overcome more still. You have the strength inside you, to reach the very limits before death, and then fight on. I am honored to keep you by my side."

"I am a coward, Highness!!", I buried my face in her neck, to cry, "Before I knew any better, I was ready to give up! I tried to take my own life!"

"But you didn't give up, Vea!", Namielle whispered soothingly, stroking my purple hair, "The God Junon has let me know. Do you even know why Shroon even chanced upon you, the day she saved your life? Do you know why she ventured into your bedroom, to find you? ... You had called out for help, Vea. Before the end, before your sin, you repented. Hope, faith, and your will to live, overcame your cowardice, and you called for help. Neither Arua, nor Shroon, nor I have saved your life. You did, in the end. You decided... to live."

We embraced each other tighter, and for long moments... we cried together.


written by: Vea
guest-starring
Longondo
Kaizy
KingArthur
and Gogetters!
siggies and badges by: Sparx!

Edited by KingArthur, 23 July 2010 - 09:06 PM.

[KingArthur]

Chapter 31 Rush Her Through The Seven!

I hardly ever left Namielle's side after that. For as long as I lived.

I even got to sit next to her during her interview with Dr. Spero inside Headmistress Tryteh's office at the Arumic Academy. The good doctor asked her a lot of questions, and they shared stories from the past. Then, Spero drew some blue blood from one of her arms, and took the samples with him to his cottage in Zant; for further experiments to derive a cure for the Devil Pest.

Not that Junon needed a cure for the Devil Pest anymore. Namielle's destruction of Shroon echoed magically throughout the planet, and as the Devil Pest's powers were cleansed from the evil witch, so too, was the infectious disease cleansed from the lands of Junon. But Dr. Spero set out to finish his quest, to create a cure for any future threats on the planet, as well as to deliver it to those outlying planets that still had outbreaks of the Devil Pest there.

"The Desert of the Dead was just the start", Karitte had explained to us, after Sybil had teleported us back to Junon Polis, "The Devil Pest can be on every other planet by now, because the People in the Red Robes started this second Ikaness war, to hide Shroon's dealings in Anima Lake as well as her treacherous pact in the Desert. I should have known better to trust that Ikaness, but then again, everyone deserves a fair chance... But Shroon chose the wrong path, and she got what she deserved! However, I wouldn't doubt that she wasn't the only one of the Red Robes to benefit from the pact that she made with the Gods. From here on, who knows what the People in Red Robes will be up to next..."

"This is far from over", Namielle told me, as we headed out of Tryteh's office, to the Academy vestibule where we would meet with Kaizy, Longondo, and the rest of our friends. The Lady rubbed the arm that Spero had drawn blood from, then cloaked it once again underneath her new black robes. She looked stunning; her golden curls flowing over the black silk, which was embroidered with the symbol of The Goose. I, myself, wore new threads; a dainty purple Spiritual Vest that went well with my hair, over my long-sleeve top with Muse tattoo embroideries, and matching pants that fit the curves of a young woman perfectly. No one would have suspected that we had only recently endured a painful battle over the safety of the entire world.

"The battle against Hebarn will not be over until we find the Others", Namielle told me, as we walked.

"So, it's true what you told Spero...", I said, "You are a Visitor."

"I remember all of them now", Namielle explained, "I remember why we disappeared. And if Arua really intends for me... for us, to save the worlds... We're going to need their help."

"Do you know where we can find the other six?", I asked.

Namielle smiled kindly at me, "No, my Vea. I haven't a clue! Hmm, but Arua has not led you astray yet, now has she! And I follow you, remember?" The Queen of legend winked at me, and we laughed together.

When we reached the transforming sculpture of the Muse Animals, at the Academy lobby, Longondo and Kaizy were there waiting for us. I noticed that they were holding hands, before they ran up to me (wearing crisp new Cleric uniforms), to take turns giving me warm hugs.

"Vea! Look who's here!!", Longondo squeaked with excitement.

Also waiting for us, amidst the throng of student muses that wanted to catch a glimpse of the Clerics who had saved the world... were Pabel, gorgeously wearing his fine Lunaris furs; Madame Tryteh, speaking intently with her peers, Carasia and Chelsie Chester; High Cleric Karitte, flourishing her yellow robes and nodding approvingly at me; and... a tall, blonde man, wearing shiny Archmage robes and black sunglasses: King Artur!

Even though I ran to hug him, my affection was cut short when he kneeled into a bow, "Dearest Vea, and Her Highness The Polarbear, it is with great pleasure that I see you two again safe and sound. And with neverending honor do I thank you for rescuing me and helping to save my life!"

I accepted no further honorifics and bent low to hug the man, even if he was on his knees. "I'm so glad you are alive, Your Majesty!"

Artur chuckled and stood up, still reciprocating the hug.

"His Majesty, good KingArtur", spoke Namielle, "We are also to be thankful for your great deeds." And the Queen of old kissed Artur on the cheek.

"So, you are well?", I questioned excitedly, after the embrace, "No Mystic Knife?"

"I am quite well, thanks to Karitte, actually!", was the King's happy response, "Luckily, Shroon was not the only Arumic to be familiar with the dark magical arts of the planet Hebarn."

At her mention, Karitte glided forward to us. Pabel followed behind her; he seemed troubled with something. I wanted to jump on him, and hug him, and shower him with kisses right there! But Karitte's tone when she spoke made it obvious that now was not the time.

"Dearest all, it is a joyous time, in times yet still begotten by darkness", Her Most High Cleric said, "One planet has been saved, and another falls into despair."

When Karitte paused, Pabel was allowed to speak, "Word has been received from an Arumic Prophet stationed in Luna, that the Holy Frozen Flame that gives power to the Magic City of Eucar, has died out. Without magic, our world is slowly being overtaken by violent Devil Pest infected monsters. In the darkness, and in the absence of answers to any prayers, my people are already considering that our Goddess has abandoned the Lunaris. Est has left immediately for Luna, and I am afraid I must shortly follow."

"We will go with you, Pabel!", I almost shouted. Then, I looked over at Namielle, and added, "Arua's Fairy did say I should rush you through the seven planets, and Luna is the closest one right now! Maybe there we can find more answers for you."

"I agree", said Karitte, "Vea, you and your Eternal Party should accompany Pabel and take Arua's Servant to Luna."

"Yesss!!", I heard Longondo and Kaizy whisper under their breaths.

These news took away Pabel's sorrow, and I saw the brown tattoos on his face crinkle as he smiled. Finally, I went to him, to hug him, and kissed his mouth.

"Artur? Can you make the travel arrangements?", Karitte asked.

"I cannot go to Luna, I am sorry", was the King's response, "With Our God Junon's return, and the Devil Pest gone, I'm sure we can finally end this second Ikaness war in no time. But any mission away from Junon, would take me away from my royal duties. Also, sadly... my boatman, Itz, is dead."

"Not to worry", Namielle replied, "I know of someone who will take us to Luna."

â?¦ â?¦ â?¦

"Are ye mad?!? I'm not going ter Luna!!", was the response we got from the airship captain, after Namielle had taken the party away from the Academy and out to the Junon Polis marina.

The airship, moored close to Artur's lighthouse, floated a few meters above the sea level; powered by rotors that pulsated mana steam. The ship's captain was a rowdy fellow; tall, with red slick-back hair, and a thin red mustache. He had been yelling obscenities along with orders to his sailors moments before.

The vicious captain dusted off his green uniform, and grinned, before he continued to speak to us with his gruff voice, "I'm not leavin' Junon now!! Now dat the worst is gone!!? I hear dat the Devil Pest der, is vanished! Poof!! This here, Junon's da planet ter be, doncha'know! Not dark and freezin' Luna!!"

"Captain Ruven, is your name, is it not?", inquired Namielle.

"Aye, Ruven's my name, yea!", the captain replied, "Ruven's der name of my father, an' my gran'father, an' his gran'father, an' so on, since der birth of Junon, aye! But what's that got ter do wit' me, der? Eh?"

At this, Namielle pulled Aruaâ??s Sword out of its sheath, quick as lightning, and pointed its tip at Captain Ruven's groins! "Well, if you'd like there to be more Ruvens in the history of Junon...", Namielle spoke with a sneer, "...you'd let myself and my crew on your ship, and take us to Luna."

Namielle walked past the ill-mannered captain and stepped on the plank that led to the boat, all-the-while keeping the sword pressed against the man. "And besides", Arua's Servant added, "The Ruven Clan made a promise to Namielle Polarbear a long time ago, and I'm here to help you keep your word."

"P-pp...Po...Polarbear??", captain Ruven stuttered. Then, he suddenly changed his demeanor, "Why, sure, der! O' course, der! Come on up, all o' ye! If yer wit' da Lady Polarbear, my airship is at yer command, der, doncha'know!"

And with that, Longondo, Kaizy, and I followed Namielle Polarbear onto Captain Ruven's airship, with the handsome Lunaris Pabel close behind. The five of us embarked on an amazing journey to the lands of ice and snow, where magic had first originated; to the second planet of Luna!

The boat's engines roared, the vicious captain yelled out more obscenities with his orders, and the airship took off! We left the city and land behind, and took to the sea and the sky. As the waters shrank away beneath us, the stars and planets loomed ahead. Luna, the moon, shone brightly in the sky; nearer and nearer, as we sailed through the air.

Some distance off the boat's starboard side, I managed to catch a glimpse of a tiny glowing figure, flying alongside of us. It was Arua's Fairy, I just knew it! She was flying to Luna with us!

This was the first time I had seen Arua's Fairy outside of my dreams, and so it hit me for the first time how real this all was! And I wondered... was I right to follow her? Could Arua's Fairy be evil, as Junon's Angel had once suggested? I was already compromised to this whole journey, but... was I doing the right thing?!? To follow Arua's Fairy was to follow Arua Herself!! Surely, under Arua's guidance no harm would befall us!

As we left planet Junon behind, and the white glow of Luna approached us, the silence and emptiness of space gave me no comfort. Arua's Servant stood near me, also looking out into space.

I believe in Arua, I said to myself, I will protect Her servant, and all Her children, all the way to the end!

Arua protect me.

Arua... I hope you can hear my prayer.

Are you there?

Arua?

END
of Junon Adventurers

â?¦ â?¦ â?¦

To be continued... in: ROSE Anatomy 2 - Return To Luna


written by: Vea
guest-starring
Longondo
Kaizy
KingArthur
and Gogetters!
siggies and badges by: Sparx!

[Sparx]

This, is THE BEST fan fiction I have ever read. This story blew my mind. I have still not changed my mind, Vea did write this with a wand instead of a pencil.

[DigitalKitten]

This was interesting til the text messed up, I had a hard time trying to read it through when it was tons of questionmarks in the middle of the story :/ If someone could edit whilst reading I would be grateful @_@ Pherhaps the writer himself? But it's nice to see that you've put some effort into writing a story. 

[VisitorX]

Can you summarize this in 1 sentence? 

[tailboi]

ROLE PLAYER