Genuflection

[Denunciator]

Chapter 12: Crossing of the Betrayed

The boy stood at the entrance, out of breath but looking very pleased at himself. The Phoenix had recovered first, as it was in the air and was able to surround itself to shield the full impact; the Basilisk with its incremented senses and the Siren with its superconductivity didn't recover at fast. "What is the meaning of this?" The crowing was both musical and yet threatening. Alex felt uncomfortable - it was the first time he had been so close to another beast, much less the Phoenix, and he had just posted a direct challenge to it. Please don't let me go wrong... please- "I asked you, what is the meaning of this?" The voice had lost its musical ring, and yet it still sounded calm and composed, although much morel lethal. Before he could answer, he felt the wind pounded out of him, and his back burned. Falling to the ground, he cried in agony; the skin and flesh on his back had torn in many places, and there was a crest on his shoulder blades, although what they represented was unclear; the black symbol seemed to have depth, giving of an aura without even pulsating in the slightest. The bird flapped its wings, hovering in the air for an imperceptibly long amount of time, before finally crowing once; it seemed to have some effect on the boy, for he suddenly stood up, although he looked as if he were a puppet on strings; his eyes were totally black, and his limbs moved jerkily. Recognition dawned on the Phoenix's face, and it ruffled its feathers, seemingly unconcerned. "Not used to small children's bodies, are you?" Alex's lips moved slightly, and a croaking sound sifted through the orifice; the Phoenix laughed a tinkling laugh that caused the entire chamber to reverberate. "Fine!" The voice rang out loud, and caught the bird by surprise, but it still managed to respond. "Angst, I sense." A whispering echoed throughout the chamber, before a voice softly whispered, behind it, "Always the cynical one."

On reflex, the legendary flame beast turned around and recoiled, blowing a gigantic ball of fire; the figure merely flapped a wing, and the flames dissipated. "Dark Dragon, I've had enough of this rubbish. Get out of here at once, you are not involved. How the hell did you come back anyway?" The dragon bared its teeth, the only spot on the entire creature that wasn't in black or gray. "I am not involved in what?" The reply was terse. "The fight." Another menacing grin. "What fight?" Surprised, the Phoenix looked down; both Siren and Basilisk had disappeared, leaving behind two humans with shallow breaths. "Looks like I knocked the wind out of them..." All of a sudden, the Dragon gasped, and started vanishing; Alex's skin and flesh began healing. Before the Phoenix could understand what was happening, a group of Flame Wizards stormed the arena and raised their weapons - at the sight of the bird, all of them dropped to their knees, both in reverence as well as in submission. One particularly brave Wizard stood up, and asked, "Was it you?" The bird tilted its head. "The fire outside. It's razing the Tree."

The creature could only gape in shock.
__________

They say we only realize our mistakes after the consequences become apparent - it was now such a case. Outside the World Tree, forces were being mobilized - forces by the monarchy of Ereb and the ancient Ellinia; forces by the Dark Lord and the renegade warriors, banding together, ready to fight a war that they were confident would change history. Whichever side won, the damage was done - ironically, the World Tree had been done in by the creatures created specifically to defend and nurture it. It had come millenniums, people had died for it, and now...
__________

Far away, the spirits started to awaken. Spirits of old - the Faeries of the main Ossyrian continent, and those who had experienced the previous war against the Black Magician, when he had poisoned the forest of Ellin, thousands of years ago. They had now a specific task, set on them by the Goddess - guide the young travelers in their growth, and lead them so that they would find her ravaged sanctuary, and defeat the force within, gain its power, and return to finish the war and Black Magician, once and for all.
__________

The Phoenix had returned to its host, the female assassin that lay at the base of a scorched crucifix, the Altar of Paladin gone in its summoning. The knights of Ereb had finished their work, cleaning up the inner parts of the Sanctuary as well as healing the hosts of the beasts. The conscious people were now gathered in the main town of Sleepywood, milling around the table. Trista broke the silence. "What do we do now?" Athena tapped her fingers on the table, trying to come up with a coherent reply, but all she could think was of the disaster that awaited Victoria. Jul sighed. "I recently took over the post of Grendel, and I'm now faced with this... what next?" Silence reigned for the next few minutes; the noise of the people finishing up the job faded off to a hum. Trista commented, "Would be better if we even knew what was happening." From above her, someone replied. "Try going outside. It's really bad - the bark of the tree is entirely scorched, and the fire ravaged most of Kerning City and the route all the way here. On the other hand, the Door of Dimension for Thieves is now in plain sight." Raising her head, she stared straight into the eyes of Keiichi, less than three feet away from here; flustered, she looked back down and studied the table. "By the way, I'm Keiichi, former Knight and new Dances with Balrog. Though I don't really like the name." Trista muttered, "Makes the three of you." She raised her voice slightly. "And how are the others? Alex, Reika and... whoever that was?" The Knight gritted his teeth. "It's Claire, and they're all unconscious."

Athena surprised him my interrupting. "Uhm, what is your age, by the way?" An uncertain reply. "...Sixteen?" She gasped audibly, and Julian turned. "What's wrong with that?" She rolled her eyes. "That makes only you, Jul." Keiichi stared at the two job masters. "Am I missing something here?" Julian grinned. "Oh, she thinks she's the only genius who can hold the position of Job Master at the tender age of sixteen." It was the Knight's turn to be surprised. "Six...teen?!" Julian groaned. "Can we stop with the age thing and start thinking? I mean, seriously, we have a crisis here?!" The other two stopped staring at each other and started staring at the wooden table. Five minutes passed before a new voice interrupted them. "What nuances of life can you see within the wood?" Shocked, everyone stared up - it was Sabitrama. Julian respectfully looked up, and said, "Nothing, we were just thinking...." The wise man smiled. "Of the fire, no? A few questions to aid you then: where did the wood come from?" Uncertainly, the Magician master replied, "Um... the Tree."

"Philosophy states that all atoms are intertwined, that we are all a single organism, beating together as one. Magic bases itself on that philosophy, no?" Without waiting for a reply, he walked off. "What?" Christine and Keiichi both looked at Julian, confused; he was lost for words. Without warning, Alex tapped Athena on the back. "I think he means that if the Tree really is dying, the table would be crumbling and stuff." Turning, she silenced him with a wave; he shrugged. Keiichi called out in a conversational tone. "Hey, 'Lex, healed up yet?" Alex gave a non-committal nod. "Fine then." Julian's voice was dejected. "I'll assemble a team of mages to go." Christine stared at him. "Are you crazy? The Warriors and Thieves are running rampant, and you want to send your mages?" Alex stared back and forth. "Am I missing something?" Grendel's jaw was set. "I need to send some fighters to Ossyria to do something about it. I can't just... stand here, can I?!" Christine nodded. "Oh yes, you can. Alex, you take the assassin and whoever's in there. You will go to Ossyria, and find Spiruna. Do you comprehend?" The tone was unlike any he had ever heard. Quite furious for a teenage- "I asked you, do you comprehend?" The tone was lethal, and the words cut him like a blade. "Y-Yes." The word came out like a stutter. Nodding, she turned and was gone in a swish.

---

The group lay around in the small chamber off Athena Pierce's office. Christine was out at Ellinia discussing Victoria's future with Julian, and she agreed to let them have her office and its antechamber to plan. Alex sipped some water from a bottle, occasionally offering a sip to Reika; Claire lay on the sofa, resting herself after the heavy injury wrought by the Dark Dragon, whilst Trista was polishing her staff silently. "Well, I've decided." When he saw that he had everyone's attention, he continued. "There's no point in being the Warrior Chief if most of my soldiers are going to defect. So, I've decided. Wherever you're going, I'm following." Claire nodded. "I guess we'd better prepare. For me... there's really nothing left." The rest made murmurs of assent. "Fine then, we shall set off for Ossyria. I've already booked the tickets." Putting his hand in his pocket, he retrieved five tickets for the ship to Orbis. "If you would do the honors...?" Bowing, he stepped aside, and Trista created a Mystic Door. Stepping through, the party felt their consciousness blur...

[Denunciator]

Arc 2: Ossyria - Orbis/ElNath
Chapter 13: First Experience

"Whoa!" Reika gasped at the sight.
"Amazing, isn't it?" Keiichi commented, on the sights. This was a land that he hadn't seen for the longest time, and he missed it - the light sensation one got from being high above the ground, the little huts of steel that the faeries lived in, the gigantic rocks that kept Orbis afloat. "Enough staring, we should get to work." Stealing one last, sad glance at the charred Tree, far in the distance, he headed towards the east of the town; the others followed. Halfway through, though, they were accosted by a fairy. "Who are you, and from whence have you come?" Bowing, the Knight turned on his charm and replied, "Victoria Island. We are envoys looking for a way to help save the World Tree." The fairy was stunned into silence. As they turned to leave, the fairy stammered, "Spiruna wishes to see you." Smiling, Keiichi replied, "Thank you so much." As they walked out of the gates, Alex whispered confidentially, "The fairy likes you." The Knight gave a terse smile, and continued walking on. Climbing down the steep slope, he stared at the gigantic gap that split the main part of Orbis and Spiruna's house. "How the hell," he asked, through gritted teeth, "Am I supposed to get across the gap?" Before he could complete the question, a long but thin bridge appeared, traversing the expanse. "Ask, and thou shalt recieve." Grinning, Alex jumped. "At last, we're getting somewhere."

There was only one problem.

"I'm scared of heights!" Reika clenched her fists and stared out at the bridge, whose breadth could only accommodate a person. Keiichi spun around. "I thought you were an Assassin? You're supposed to be able to travel along walls and fly in air, and you tell me NOW that you're scared of heights? I don't care, get Alex to carry you or something." Rotating gracefully, he ran across the bridge. Trista made an awkward expression, and headed towards the house. Claire patted the Assassin on the back. "Keiichi isn't so harsh normally, he's just... it's a big responsibility." Reika nodded, tears forming at the corner of her eye. "I feel..." Alex glared at her, his eyes gentle. "Don't you dare say you're useless. If not for you, I'd be-" She interrupted him. "If not for me, you'd be living a normal life in Henesys. You'd be fine, you'll wouldn't have to shoulder such a gigantic responsibility, you... you..." Breaking down, she sat on the stone floor, tears pooling. Sighing, the archer squatted beside her, setting his new Ryden on the ground; the gold limbs were polished, the green streams that ran down in a spiral glowing like an emerald river. "Look, we're all tired after the two day trip on the Orbis ship, but you can't do this! If you collapse now, what will happen to me?" She looked up, tears glistening on her eyelashes. Wiping it off with the back of his hand, he pulled at her arm, lifting her off the ground. Kicking up the Ryden, he turned and it landed neatly in the quiver at his feet. "You mind?" Clare smiled and picked it up, strapping it beside her sword. In one swift movement, he slung Reika over his back, putting her hands around his neck. "You're strong for a twelve-year-old," the Knight commented, and stood aside. Alex nodded thankfully, crossing the bridge.

The crossing was tortuous; Reika nearly strangled him, but he managed to get across in one piece. Standing at the door of Spiruna's house, he let her off his back and nodded; the door promptly opened... and he gasped.

There was nobody inside the house.
__________

Athena stood at the gate of Henesys, staring out at the lines of bowmen. "Listen! We are now facing a crisis! Some Warriors have joined the ranks of the Thieves, and thus, we are gathering to fight. You must train yourselves! Learn from your seniors, learn from your counterparts, fight to advance yourself. From now on, the only safe place is Henesys. Walk as if every moment might be your last, fight as if every moment might be your last. Do not leave the town after night falls. Rangers and Snpiers are to work in shifts lasting three hours each; the strongest are to take the borders after dusk. That will be all." Turning, she left the town, simultaneously summoning a bow and looking around. The light around her was dimming in intensity, the day ebbing fast. Ahead, the Nautilus glistened, dew beginning to form around the recently polished hull. Some maple leaves fell to the ground, and her cloak made a swishing sound against the grassy ground. An epitome of peace. What had been the former rainforest that covered Henesys' rise was now merely a few sparse trees, having been conquered but not successfully used by the Mushmoms for their gains. Pulling out a pocket book, Christine began reading.

She found the history of Victoria appealing - long ago, it had been an island of naught but trees, with a small civilization developing on the east side, what was to be Ellinia in the distant future. There, the ancestors of the previous job masters had grown up and fought against the mutant monsters, created as a result of the immortal Dark Magician trying to poison the forest. He had nearly succeeded, but he beat a retreat after a force was organized for the sole purpose of defeating him, and he went to the Minar Forest, far in the south, to hide and prepare for the next onslaught. Flipping a page, she continued reading. The surface of the page was glossy, and this probably saved her life. In the book, she saw a slight movement, and froze. It could be a pig... or-

Turning, she rolled backwards as a Warrior brought his sword down. He hid himself? In the same movement, the Warrior let his sword get embedded in the ground vertically and pushed his body over in a somersault, his legs crashing into the bow Christine had held out. From his thigh, he drew two blades. "I've never seen a Warrior using two blades before," the Bowmaster commented, trying to buy time, to think of a tactic. It didn't work. She saw a brief flicker before he was boring upon her, his blades slashing too fast to be seen as a concrete object - more like flowing water, commanded by a master of the elements. Hitting the floor, she leveled the bow and fired a wild shot; exactly like she expected, he didn't move to avoid the arrow; firing it straight on this time, she was surprised by his reaction - he continued slashing, as if the projectile wouldn't hit him, and this time, he was right. Inches before his flesh, the arrow dropped to the ground, embedding itself until it could be barely seen amongst the blades of grass. One of the blades connected, making a long indentation in her upper arm. Fresh blood stained the ground. "Who are you?" Her voice was surprisingly steady, even in the face of danger like this. "This is absurd." The voice seemed to sneer. "A job master, unable to defend herself against a mediocre Warrior. Saddening." His lips hadn't moved... Raising an eyebrow, she studied the Warrior. His eyes were devoid of expression, exactly as if he were a puppet being controlled on strings. "You seem to have made some interesting conclusions," the voice continued, the tone of sarcasm rising with every note. "Yes, I can read minds... although the term mind-reading sounds so... juvenile. No, this art of mine is akin to telepathy, to the reading of a magnetic field caused by conscious thoughts."

Magnetic field?!
"Yes. It appears that this Warrior I'm controlling has a particular... affinity, shall we say, towards the art of magnetism. It is also common sense that he would be able to avoid most attacks, as magnetism is far stronger than gravity." Christine began to see her position - she couldn't plan movements ahead, because whoever it was that was puppeteering her adversary would be able to pick them out of her head and counter in fashion. Leveling the bow, she shut her right eye and aimed it straight for the Warrior's head. "Arrow Blow." The arrow surged forwards, mana spiralling around it, leaving a double-helix tail following behind it. Again, just before the arrow reached the Warrior, it hit the ground. "Strafe." Four arrows formed along the bowstring, and she released all of them at once. The spinning of the arrows was so rapid, even she could not see them, and yet again, the arrows headed down just before they connected. Making her judgement, she jumped upwards and grabbed a branch, tearing it off; quickly, she sliced off the leaves and fired the makeshift arrow. This time, the Warrior jumped sideways, rather awkwardly compared to his fluidity from just now. "It appears you're not made for jumping." The voice responded, rather angrily, "Don't get too proud of yourself, it's not over."

From the Warrior's back, two arms appeared, each holding another blade. Summoning an arrow, she charged the head with mana and released it. This time, the Warrior brought an arm forwards, slashing the sword just as the arrow moved into its trajectory, and the wood got split in half. The other upper arm threw the sword like a dagger, and the speed was just as high. Before she was aware, Christine had turned slightly to barely avoid the melee-weapon turned projectile. Turning and firing, she barely heard the crack the sword made in the tree behind her, and the long shadow of the tree darkening, ominously blocking out the diminishing sun.
__________

The sky was overcast over Kerning City. Amongst the ruins of the former city, a solitary figure roamed. Cloaked in black, he was the stereotypical "Warrior of the Night", his hair gently covering his forehead. Nimbly leaping over a fallen pillar, he continued his study of the town. Much had been ravaged by the fire, but a strong will still remained in him, a fire of passion... and of hate. Hate for the people who he had fought against for so long, hate for their underhanded means. He would take revenge - that was for sure. Reaching the untouched part of the city, he saw a few figures huddled around the table. The renegade Warrior leaders, preparing for battle, welcomed him with open arms. Smiling gladly, he sat down at the only remaining space. The conversation between them resumed. Although blessed with relatively high intelligence, he could not keep up with these Knights, who spoke in terms known only to those who had practiced magic.

He was absorbed in his own world, in his hatred. Hatred at his enemy. When he first heard of the fire it was still relatively small. He had not hoped that anyone would aid him and his city, but even so, he was embittered that not even the Wizards had come to check on the conditions. He regretted having dragged his townspeople into this messy affair, and he regretted his decision of carrying on the legacy of the previous Dark Lord. It had been a long time...

[Denunciator]

Chapter 14: Unknown

Alex stepped into the house tentatively. The dust was a few inches thick, looking as if it had been untouched for centuries. As he continued walking, dust flew up, and there was a cough behind him. Claire.

"What the hell is wrong with this place? It needs some cleaning up all right!"

Not showing any signs of having heard anything, Alex tiptoed around, careful to disturb as little dust as he could. The bed was covered with a thick sheet of something..... octagonal in shape, with spokes around it, it looked like a wheel. He'd heard of creatures making these... things before, but never seen it in person. He poked it, and found his fingers stuck. "Those are spiderwebs, dummy!" Walking over, Claire hacked it to pieces, pulling bits of the web off his fingers. "Hey... guys?" Both of them whipped around. Reika was standing in front of a table, looking at the sole picture on it. The frame was ornate, but the picture was... plain. Strangely, it looked something like Orbis, but vastly different. For one, it was dark, unlike the bright, shining town it was now. There were no tall spires, just little huts. The architecture was neat, a circle of houses surrounding a little fire. The fire looked like it was dancing merrily, almost as if it were alive. As they stared, the differences became more apparent. "You know..." Claire said, rather uneasily, "The only thing in that picture that looks like Orbis is the tiles of the roof and the general shape and structure of the houses." Alex nodded. It was eerie.

Beside Alex, Reika trembled. "This is creeping me out... can we leave?" The bowman shook his head. "Kei must have gone somewhere, he has to be near here. We can't just desert him!" Kneeling down, he tried not to breathe in as a cloud of dust rose. Grabbing the photo frame, he dragged it forwards and stared in intently. In the far distance, he could see woods, thick and impenetrable. Definitely not Orbis. Then where...? Biting his lips, he continued to focus on the image. Woods... what else? It was then that he noticed.

"Claire? Claire!" The Warrior whirled around, dropping the scissors with a clatter. A surge of coughing rose behind her as she stopped before the table. "Don't do that!" Reika indignantly shouted, her voice rasping slightly. Ignoring the Assassin, Claire knelt down and asked, "What was it you got me halfway across the house for?" Alex pointed in the distance. "See that?" Claire raised an eyebrow. "See WHAT exactly?" Pointing at the ground slightly in front of the fire, he said, "The stone. There's an engraving on it." She nodded, unclear of what was happening. "Uh huh... what about that?" Alex continued, "So, we know from history that symbols were used as messages so that only the person who knew what the symbols meant could decipher them." She shook her head. "So?"

"So we know for one that this is an ancient, primitive society."
"Okay... then?"
"Then what was the photo taken with?"

Claire was lost for words. What was the photo taken with? Alex continued speaking. "The papers only recently announced that Magatia had just perfected the technology of photograph-taking - the method of using light to capture it on some substance, which is where the name comes from. We know this can't be a drawing from the clarity of the details, but if this is a photo... where, and how?"

"...I don't know."
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Grendel paced around in his library. He hated it, hated not being able to do anything for his people. The Archmages were as confused - they had never seen a fire which mustered enough energy to scorch the World Tree till it was charred, and they didn't know of the consequences. Already, adverse effects of the incident were beginning to become clear. Lith Harbor had already experienced two flooding incidents in four days, and Omega Sector had a power blackout. Over the week, things had already begun to be put into motion, and yet he sensed that it wasn't enough. Most of the Warriors had turned into renegades, and the remaining Warriors exterminated; the Thieves were beginning to establish good relations with the Warriors, and an alliance between them would turn the tables on the Mages, who had sat on the fence for so long. It was time to make decisions, time to take sides.

Walking over to the tree in the center, he stroked its branches. The stem glowed, and pulses of light shot down.

---

Ellinia was in a mess. "Move, move!" The Mages ran around, arming themselves with the weapons specially reserved for emergencies, staffs and wands that they had spent hours each day polishing. The Ice Elementalists were already beginning to summon Ice Barriers that blocked out entire sections of the forest, safe zones where protection would be increased for the sake of the civilians as well as the young Magicians. Late in the afternoon, the sun was shining brightly on the forest; as such, the Elementalists were careful not to place the barriers at an acutely slanted angle, lest they set the trees on fire. Mages occasionally flashed past, casting binding spells on the branches of the trees. Anyone who passed these areas would have to handle the trees first, which would give enough time for the fighters to get to the area.

Gaia; every organism was one. As preparations were made for an invasion, people were being displaced with apologies. The most skilled negotiators amongst the magicians had been sent, and it didn't take them much time to empty the city of Ellinia. The strongest Elementalists had been called back from their explorations, and they were ready to protect their hometowns. "At the count of 3." The voice called out over the noise, and it died down. The moment "3" was called out, the Elementalists raised their hands. A loud cracking filled the town as the branches began bending at the will of the casters, distorting to form a protection. Within five minutes, the once-beautiful town became a citadel, a citadel of wood and leaves. "Flame Barrier." Flames erupted around the walls, surrounding the leaves within a package of fire. Grendel stepped out, his face a mask of sadness. "I'm sorry I had to put you through all this, but we had to take a side sooner or later..." Some of the Elementalists patted him on the back. A Mage flickered and appeared beside him. "Jul." Grendel turned his head. "We've done the protection, so our job in any fight would be...?"

"Debuff."

He nodded. He was about to Teleport away when he turned. "Take care."
__________

Keiichi looked around, confused. The air around him was turbulent, the trees oppressing. His mood had been severely dampened since he stepped foot in Orbis - so much had changed, so much of his old life gone. He remembered when he could freely travel around, explore the world, when he had been roaming the then-modest town of Henesys and met... He blinked and tried not to recall the past, but he couldn't - everything here was so peaceful, so serene, and yet he was trapped in his world, in his meager beginnings as a Knight.

---

He sighed. The afternoon was sunny, and it was comfortable; the town of Henesys was, for once, lacking the hustle and bustle it usually held, owing to the sales at the dock of Lith Harbor. Outside, he could hear a person training, the sound of the bowstring ringing in his ears. He sighed again, staring up at the sun. The grass around him rustled slightly, a blade falling onto his face. Brushing it away, he began to be aware how exposed he was - lying on the grass in the middle of a town. Any antagonist could take him out easily. Before he could adjust himself, light flashed in his peripheral vision. The blue glow of mana was unmistakable - a Wizard teleporting. "Show-offs," he muttered, leaning against the large tree near the town's west exit. Another flash. This time, the Wizard teleported right past him, the speed causing wind to blow three bales of hay into his face. Cursing, he slashed at the brown grass-like object, unsure what it was for in the first place. As he brushed the last of it off his armor, he sat down again, senses intent. For want of things to do, he let his fingers trace random shapes in the grass.

...

He sat up, startled. Rubbing his ears, he grabbed the sword beside him. For some reason, they felt sore, as if they had been strained to hear something. Trying to convince himself that he was overreacting, he breathed in... and coughed. Not far away, he felt a disturbance within himself, a disturbance of the elements. Someone was using elemental attacks to hurt a human. Stepping out, he saw a flash of light above him. It smelled slightly of charred flesh.

"Why are you attacking me!?" The bowman cried out, his voice straining.
"Because my master has ordered me to do so." Ridiculous.
"Who's your master!?"
"That is one name which I cannot disclose."

Sensing something wrong, he launched himself up the ladders as quickly as possible. What the hell is with bowmen, ladders and hay, anyway?! Just as he got to the top where the Green Mushrooms were, he saw the bowman's feet frozen to the ground, the grass glittering under the sun. Pausing for a split second to admire its beauty, he saw the Wizard from earlier on charging a beam of lightning, the emerald tip of the Thorns staff glowing blue. "Crap." Just before the lightning hit the Bowman, he stepped in the way, his shield absorbing all the energy. Cursing, the Wizard teleported away. Tilting his head, he watched as the flashes of blue disappeared. The bowman was young, his black hair reflecting the sunlight. Just as Kei started heading towards him, he fainted.

---

Sitting in a tree, Kei munched on his Unagi. He'd seen it selling for a thousand mesos each, an offer too good for him to resist although he had just taken lunch. Sighing, he tore off a bit of the fish and chewed it slowly, savoring its taste. The light glinted off the Mushmom's windows, revealing a little of its interior. From what he could see, it was plush and cozy; he would have liked to ask the Mushmom for some design tips, had it not been a boss intent on murdering explorers. Wondering how on earth bosses respawned, he bit on another piece of Unagi. All of a sudden, a glowing door appeared. Mystic Door, hmm? Guess someone's going to kill the next Mushmom. Should be interesting. To his great surprise, a dark-haired boy fell out, followed by a female Warrior. It was the bowman again. His name was... Ivan? The girl, he hadn't seen before. Long brown hair, almost waist-length; her pupils were hazel in color, and although they were slightly unfocused, they still held a certain degree of confidence and ability. Kei felt himself smiling. From this distance, he couldn't hear their conversation, but they seemed to be making introductions, and preparing to return to Henesys.

Which was why what happened was a shock to everyone. The door of the mushroom house was flung open, and a gigantic fungus stepped out. There was no other word for it - the Mushmom was even more regal than he had imagined it to be, and it let off an aura of scorn and anger. "Who dares disturb my sleep!?" The words rung in his ears, and he fought to stabilize himself. The girl screamed and headed up a rope; at the sight of the armored boars grinning down at her, she screamed again. Before the Knight could recover from the shock, the Mushmom had already advanced on Ivan; crushing the remnants of a glass bottle, it moved forwards and jumped again. The rope which the girl was hanging on swayed wildly; there was a loud thump as she hit the ground and faded into unconsciousness. Reflecting on the weakness of the Warriors now, he zoned out and felt himself withdraw yet again. When he next recovered full consciousness, there was a dragon facing the Mushmom, a bow in its claws. "Hurricane!" The shout took Keiichi by surprise. I've never heard of that skill before-

The Knight stared, confounded, as hundreds of arrows flew towards the Mushmom, a stream of gold and black.
__________

The Dark Lord poured another cup of wine and pushed it at the Chief Bandit, who flatly refused. "Kon, please. I need all the help I can get." The person lay his dagger on the table and brushed his pants. "Isaiah, you know that I can't just give anything like that, I'm a mercenary, for the Goddess' sake." The Thief master nodded with a pained expression. "But this is your hometown, and it's been ravaged. You know how weak we are now. If we win this war..." Kon interrupted him. "Why was this war fought in the first place? The birthright of the Archaeion? If anything, we were the ones that were wrong." Isaiah sighed. "It's not only that. There's a story I have to tell you."

---

Young Isaiah walked the streets of El Nath in silence. It was late in the afternoon, shortly after the troopers had stormed the city, burning every house in sight. He thought of all his friends. Where were they? The twins and the little children in the neighboring house... where did all of them go? As he turned the corner, he stepped into the market. The Potion store had been burned down, the boiling medicines used as fuel for the fire. Hate flared up in him. Hate for the attackers, hate for the people who had ordered this attack. A paper fluttered in the wind, and he picked it up. The header was clear and concise: Operation Snowstorm. Reading the debrief, he got angrier every second. Although he was only six, he was intelligent, and he understood what the message was: Someone had sent them to kill his people, his family, his friends. Someone was responsible.

At the far end of the town, there was one item left unburned, one item left untouched. Walking over, he stroked the bow. It was beautiful beyond words - monochrome, the black and white streaks looked as if they had been painted meticulously, each stroke carrying the creator's love and sense of artistry. As he absorbed these thoughts, the bow morphed into a claw. Lifting it, he slotted it onto his fingers. It fit neatly. A little smile lined his face, as he examined his new weapon. Majority of the claw was white; the only part that was black was the clawtip. He felt something at his ring finger. Removing the claw, he shook it; a crumpled piece of paper fell out.

"This note is addressed to whomever finds this weapon. I know my life is about to end, and I've tasked my friend to safeguard this weapon in the hopes that someone, in the future, would be able to use it."

The story ran on for about three pages, the script neat and perfectly legible through the crumple. At the end, there was a parting note.

"Lastly, I wish to apologize for any hurt I may have caused anyone in my ventures. I hope you will use this weapon well.

Artemis."

Isaiah stared at the paper, confused. He had heard of this person before... His father had mentioned it once or twice in passing, and he heard that in fact, his parents had fought next to her before. Smiling with pride, he stood up and contemplated his future. What he would do with this claw. All of a sudden, a group of bowmen materialized from the forest. Surrounding the child, they made snide comments.

"Only a child."
"What a small kid."
"Bet every part of his body is as small!" This elicited some laughter. The leader raised his hands for silence, and said, brusquely, "Hand me the weapon." Isaiah held the claw protectively. "I SAID HAND ME THE WEAPON!" Drawing his bow, he shot the arrow at Isaiah's left arm, and his fingers slackened, the claw dropping onto the ground. Picking it up, he grinned as the weapon transformed back into the bow. "Archaeion... I have waited a long time for this." The whole troop continued cracking jokes as they headed back into the forest, their maniacal chortling echoing.

"Bowmen..." he gasped, hanging on to consciousness, "I'll... take revenge."

Collapsing on the ground, he stared up into the sky. His last sight was of the snow falling, his last feel a coolness on his forehead.

[fanficl0ver]

Ares shook his head sadly. "You'll never understand what it truly means to be a Dragon Knight until you master it. Did you think that granting you power means it bows to you servilely? It's a dragon - respect goes mutually." There was a sudden explosion of light; in that fleeting moment, a shadow appeared a above him, hovering silently. Sleek, powerful, fast; the master of all dragons. "Dark-" He was cut off as Ares leapt for him
--
I was about to comment on this part, when I began reading, but after I ended...THIS DOESN'T MATTER ANYMORE!

Why do I see some familiarity here from another fic..? It feels like..this is a sequel to AHS..please correct me if I'm wrong. OMG! What a damn great fic! 99/1! The details, cliffhangers, pauses, emotions, displayed perfectly! Just some minor flaws in language but WHO CARES about that! By the way...would you mind giving those..um..desendants..a hand above the others? I mean, Keiichi is already a Job Master, but he's not all that powerful yet. I thought he was a lv 10x knight..? Then again, only if this is "sequel" to AHS. But really, there are mentions of the first -or second- generation, like...Alexis! Ahh...I'm so excited! CONTINUEEE!!!!!!!!
--
Oh yeah, the comment for that part was it's quite confusing. Can't tell who has the hovering dragon, Dances or the DK.

[Denunciator]

This is supposed to be the 3rd story in the series, but no, I wasn't commissioned to write it.
...

Which gives Kira the right to sue me :D

On another note though, you're the first person (besides the original writer) to notice it, and for that, I applaud you. Both of them were Warriors, and both of them had dragons. I was gonna give up on the fic, but I have been inspired recently by uh... events. Anyway, thanks for your comments, I'm even more motivated now xD

Edit: Oh dear, I just realized it should be Keichii instead of Keiichi. Crap. Forgive me for the mistake D:

Edit2: I finished re-reading, and the amount of typos is SHOCKING.

[Denunciator]

Chapter 15: Loose Ends

Alex gasped as he fell onto the mossy ground, startling the figure lying there, in silent contemplation. "Hi, 'Lex," Kei said, dreamily, as if he were in a trance. Looking around, Alex was surprised at his surroundings - that of in the picture. Not so long ago, he had touched the picture right on the symbol, and felt himself being absorbed. "Found your way here before me, I see," Alex commented grumpily, lying down beside the Knight. Next to them, the embers of the fire glowed, a slight smell of burnt charcoal wafting from it, mixed with the light smell of grass. As he breathed in, Alex felt his heart beat slower, calming down after the perilous journey. A slight moistness enveloped his mouth as he breathed the last humidity the day held, not unwelcome after the high altitude had nearly robbed his body of all its water. A gentle wind blew, and the cricketing of the insects rose by a degree. Beside him, Keiichi sighed. "Peaceful, isn't it?" Alex nodded, and the grass rustled slightly. A squirrel bounded up to the Bowman and nuzzled him. Blushing slightly, he reached across and stroked its mane. Purring slightly, it arched its back, its tail waving slightly. Pulling the animal towards him, he put his face to its fur; there was a smell of wood and something else he couldn't identify, and the mixture was so comfortable that he lay there for five minutes, taking in its scent. Finally, he rose off the ground and held his bow up. The Ryden glittered in the dying light, the colors brilliantly emphasized against the green background. I've come so far... and I'll go further. For the moment, his promise of revenge was forgotten, replaced by respect for the natural world, and for life.

Sighing, he began to examine his surroundings. The trees were starting to look less sparse, the space between them filled by the void of darkness. Light from kerosene lamps spilled into the area outside the huts, bathing the slumbering Kei in a warm glow. It's as if he has an aura of brightness and holiness, the embodiment of a Knight. Somehow, though, he didn't seem as simple to Alex as he appeared to be, and he stood there for a while, studying him. His thin fringe covered his forehead, occasionally flapping slightly in the breeze that blew through the clearing; his chest rose and fell in rhythm, his breathing inaudible. What am I thinking? Shaking his head, he stared up at the violet sky, wondering where Reika and Claire were.
__________

"What the hell?!" Reika shouted into the darkness. "The bloody cheek of Alex to touch the symbol without telling us... now we're trapped in this weird place which I don't know how to hell to get out of..." Stepping forwards cautiously, Reika tilted her head. "What?!" Turning, she motioned for her to be silent. There was barely a foot of light where they were standing - beyond that, it was sheer blackness, extending all the way to a ring of light, barely visible. There could be anything between that, and they wouldn't be able to tell. Biting nervously on her fingernails, Claire tried thinking of a plan. Reika murmured something unintelligible. "What was that?" The Assassin shook her head, replying, "Nothing. I was just thinking, would flames be able to light it up?" The Knight raised her eyebrows. "Worth a try. Flame Charge." Her sword glowed. Slashing it outside the circle of light, Claire made a sound of exasperation. Sighing, Reika sat down. Above them, a spot of light shone brightly, far beyond their reaches; the intensity was barely bearable, heat beating down on them in waves. Reika loosened her collar. "Damn, shouldn't have worn Dark equipment."

Claire paced the ground in circles, trying to think of a solution. Recalling Alex's words, she cursed. "'Ask, and you shall receive' my ass. How the hell do we get out of here?" The prison was starting to get mildly oppressing, even for the darkness-loving Assassin; they both knew very clearly that although there wasn't physical torture, the mental pressure that was put on them would probably be enough to break them within the hour. "Screw this." Slamming her sword into the ground, she pushed the blade inwards until only the hilt could be seen. Pulling it out, she threw it, causing it to sail past Reika's head, clattering on the ground behind her. Almost instantly, a gigantic crack opened, smoke emanating in clouds. A loud hiss escaped into the room, causing Reika to flinch and step backwards. "I haven't replaced my claw yet..." she said, almost uncertainly. Filled with trepidation, she could only stare forwards as the smell of burnt flesh became overwhelming. "I've... only ever smelt this... in a barbecue..." Choking, Claire bent over, breath quick. Inhaling deeply, the Knight stood upright and gasped.

A gigantic figure rose from the gap, unlike any other she had seen. Half lion and half bird, it was majestic beyond words, and yet its eyes pierced into her body, causing her to collapse. Studying the two helpless figures at its mercy, it said, in a grating voice, "So."
__________

Christine raised her bow and fired a shot, shattering the bark around the point of impact; a neat hole was torn through, large enough to fit ten men. Stepping forwards, she watched as the tree fell neatly around her, imprisoning her in a ring of wood. Before she could move out, tendrils emerged from the tree-hole and wrapped around her limbs, effectively trapping her in her creation. She swore. Chuckling, the Knight stepped forwards and retrieved his sword. "Not so swaggering now, are you, little girl!" Teeth gritted, she retorted, "Much older than you are." Baring his teeth, he said, "Maybe. Then again, maybe not. Let's find out, shall we?" The Knight had no problems leaping into the hole, landing soundlessly in the grass. Ignoring the indent, he stepped forwards and put his index finger under her chin, tilting her head up. Indignantly, she flailed against the binds, but failed, drawing a chuckle from the male. Leaning forwards, he put a light peck on her cheek, heading down. Before he could continue, he felt cold metal at his neck. Slowly, he turned around. Standing on the trunk was a young boy, dressed in brown, blending in neatly with the wood beneath him. "Let her go, or you die. Simple." The Knight laughed manically, revealing two extra arms. "So you're an insect. Then what, you're gonna sting me?" Angry, he leapt up and slashed madly; the boy dashed backwards rapidly, leaving an indentation in the wood. Before the Warrior could take one more step, he drew a symbol with his wand. The wood around the Warrior creaked, and turned into miniature gnomes, each holding a stick. Giggling gleefully, they slashed at the Knight, causing blood to flow from his legs. Aggravated, he tried stepping forwards, but found his feet trapped in the wood, invisible from sight. "Flame-"

"No use," the Elementalist interrupted, cheerfully. From behind the pillar stepped three elementalists, cloaked in blue, white and red. "Meet my friends." As the Knight brought his flaming swords down, the Water Elementalist drew a circle with his wand. Water, made from the air around him, doused the swords, causing them to thud dully against the tree, embedding itself inside. "Aero Slash." Blades of wind sliced through the wood trapping the Bowmaster, freeing her. Leaping forwards, the Fire Elementalist carried her safely out of the way, saying, "It's fine, we'll handle the battle." Turning, he couldn't help but laugh - the swords had now become wrapped in wood, rendering them useless. "Air Shield's really effective for absorbency prevention, huh," he crowed, smirking. "You... you... ugh!" Screaming, he leapt backwards and vanished from sight. Sighing in relief, the Elementalists headed for Henesys, ignoring the wide-eyed Christine.
__________

The first of the Warriors appeared near the northern fringes of the Ellinian forest, having gone all the way back from Sleepywood to Perion. Armed to the teeth, they looked as if they had been preparing for the past decade - everything, from the stallions to the weapons, was as elegant as it could be. Cursing, the Wizard on guard reached for his warning bell. Before he could press it, he felt a blast of pressure hit his stomach, causing him to double over. Just before he fell into unconsciousness, he reached for the nearest tree branch, touching it.

---

Back at the fortress of Ellinia, the Mages were headed for battle. All of them, being non-elemental, specialized in movement and de-buff skills - effectively, they were to weaken the opponents before the aggressive force, the Elementalists, came in. As they headed north, the team commander briefed his army. "I want no fatalities to our forces. Make sure you take the utmost precautions, and consider all possibilities before you break rank. I want us to split into two. One will go with me by the front, and one will route them from the back. Comprehend?" Looking at the nods of assent, he smiled grimly. Rapidly Teleporting forwards, the commander formulated a battle plan. Tidying up just as he met the Warriors, he looked around. Just my luck, he thought, displeased. Although the trees around them provided good cover for them, it could also hide potential ambushes. Taking a step back, he whispered to the second platoon's leader. "Get your scouts to scan the area for potential ambush. Get the movement prevention carried out. Go." Waiting ten seconds, he made sure the commands had been passed down, before he stepped forwards with a smile. "You are entering protected land. Please turn back, we do not want to get aggressive." One of the Crusaders called out, "I know you guys! You're the weak people that got demoted to debuffers cos' you got no attack skills!" The troop of armored warriors laughed. Maintaining his cool, the commander replied, "That was a personal choice. I am repeating myself: this is a protected area. Turn back, or I will be forced to make my move." Raised eyebrows throughout the crowd ensued. "Well, it's good that we didn't bring our horses in, it would have been a waste of energy for these weaklings." Smirking, the troop took a step forwards.

Behind the commander, the Mages shouted various spells. All around them, the branches grew, forming a net of safety that ringed them in. Running backwards, the panicked Warriors began hacking at the branches, but before any substantial damage was done, a group of defensive-buffers shouted, "Magic Guard!" A mana shield appeared around the branches, and the attacks met blockades in thin air. "Execration. Mana Freeze." The weaker Warriors cried out in panic as stigmas appeared on their armor, destroying them in a blast of energy; the braver ones stepped forwards as one. "Combo Charge." The Mages shot glances at each other, their mouths twitching. Confused now, the Warriors began shouting in confusion. "Iron Body? Erm... Flame Charge? Holy Charge?! Power Strike!" Frenzied, the troop ran around, unclear of their direction. Sighing, the commander explained, to nobody in particular, "Execration destroys all your internal mana. As your armors are crafted of your own mana and blood, they broke. Mana Freeze first and foremost freezes your internal mana, and more importantly, it prevents mana intake. Knights would be able to overcome the first, but definitely not the second. So you guys should stop jumping around and get a hold of yourselves." As the frenzy carried on, he sighed. "Levitate." The Mages found themselves lifted off the ground, high above the battlefield. "Field of Enervation." Immediately, the movement stopped, and the Warriors dropped to the ground, fatigued. "That's that, then," he sighed, tiredly.

Almost as the sentence was completed, the arena barrier shattered. Warriors and Thieves were amassed, as far as the eye could see. The siege on Ellinia had begun.

[Denunciator]

Chapter 16: Tatakai

The figure was amused. "You tread into this lair unarmed? That is... mildly interesting." Claire swallowed. "Uhm... We didn't mean to." Surprisingly, the creature raised a furry eyebrow. "Tell me about it." Contrasting its dark brown head with its gold body, she replied, "We were at a person's house, and one of my friends touched this... magical picture or something. Anyway, we ended up here instead of where he is... wherever he is." The creature nodded, the wise eyes staring continually. "Three questions. Who am I, where did I come from and what purpose do I serve?" Claire glanced at Reika, who stared back, her face a mask of confusion. Turning back, she studied it. The creature flapped its wings impatiently. "Well, I'd say that you have an eagle's head and wings and a lion's body, so obviously you would be some legendary creature, and so I wouldn't know where you come from. As for what your purpose is, it'd probably be to guard some treasure or prized possession of your masters'." The animal chuckled, a surprisingly light tone. "Right... and wrong. Here you go." One of its claws reached into its wings and retrieved a book, tossing it at Claire. Barely catching it, she studied its cover.

The title was written in ink on the papyrus booklet. "Examining the Griffin..." she mused. The paper was thin, but sturdy; the words hadn't faded throughout the years that it had survived the weather. The air around her swam as she quickly flipped through the book. The creature laughed. "Looks like you're not made to read. Griffins are guardians of treasures. Since the beginning of time, they have been looked down upon by the others because they are a hybrid, neither here nor there. I will never be truly amongst animals or legendary creatures, and because of this, I am relegated to guarding the treasure that lies here. I sense that you have a similar story." Waving its wings, he caused the room to brighten up, revealing elaborate traps spread throughout the floor. Crouching, he stared at the Warrior and Assassin. "Tell me your stories."
_________

Squatting on the wooden floor in the middle of the spartan hut, Alex looked around. There was only a mat and a table beside it, taking up half of the little residence. His bow lay on the table, an elaborate item in a simple area. The roof was thatched, made of straw bounded together. How was this house created? He sensed himself drifting off and tried to correct himself, to wake up. He concentrated on the hard floor beneath him...

The area was pink, as far as he could see. The sky, the ground... the expanse was unending, stretching to the horizon and even further. He was bound to the fluffy floor, destined to wait for whatever would come for him in due time. Alex started counting. Seventy-six... Seventy-seven... Seventy-eight... A roar erupted, throwing the Bowman backwards; he cried out in pain as he struck the ground, his head hitting the soft floor with a surprisingly loud thud. He wished for someone, anyone, to save him, to destroy the creature about to kill him.

"Vanquish me?" The voice was amused. Alex's head swam with the ringing musical tone. He felt as if he were floating, the air around him lifting his mortal body and turning him into something beyond human, almost immortal; he heard music of incomprehensible beauty, so much so that he himself wasn't able to process it at all. The only thing he knew was that he wanted to be here forever, to be calmed by the melody...

And the area once again warped, becoming dark. Alex confronted a figure that looked like him, a figure with alabaster, unblemished skin, a figure that was more beautiful and majestic than him by a thousand times. "So, Alex. You have come, as I expected you would." The voice was the same as the previous one, but this time, he had not been adversely affected. Grasping at his back, he found his Ryden. Even before he drew it, the figure had spoken. "You would be foolish to attempt what you are thinking." Ignoring him, Alex pulled out his bow and leveled it. Quickly, he pulled and released the string four times; the figure merely sidestepped the arrows, and they flew into nothingness. He smiled. "You really are... juvenile. Holding out his right hand, he flicked his wrist. A bow materialized, a bow of pure energy. "Astral...?" He nodded, the smile still on his face. Benevolent... "Glad you have some knowledge in that head of yours. Still remember you used this weapon to save someone?" Alex grit his teeth. The person continued speaking. "I shall fight at your level, of course. It would be unfair to overpower myself with your latent abilities."

Latent... abilities?

"Never let your mind off your opponent." The whisper came from behind him; he felt cold steel at his neck. "Shall we try again?" The figure jumped and did a somersault, landing in front of the Bowman. "Dark Ryden." The Astral Bow glowed and reformed into the same bow Alex was holding, except that it had a dark tinge to it. "Ready? Soul Arrow." The bow glowed black. "Spiral Shot." The modified Arrow Blow spun in a wide arc, the dark projectile shrouded by the darkness in the area. The arrow struck Alex in the right arm, and he recoiled in shock. "What the hell?!" The figure wasn't amused - surprisingly, it was cold and emanated an air of disappointment. "If this is how you fight, I have no idea how you survived this long."

There was a long period of silence in which Alex held the Ryden limply, his right arm dripping blood onto the ground. "What do you take pride in? What makes you an archer? Don't tell me, I have no need to know." The shrouded figure raised his weapon. "You have one second." Pulling the bowstring to its limit, he let it go. The arrow flew towards him, the power creating a mini-vacuum; Alex heard the whirling of the metal tip slicing against the air. Despair overtook all his senses, and he felt himself retreat to the distant recesses of his mind... except there were no recesses, nowhere to hide from his impending death. The arrow struck him in his chest, and embedded itself deeply in his heart. He felt it beating, every movement rending his heart. He felt no pain, only darkness. His vision dimmed.

What makes you an archer?
...I don't know.
What makes you who you are?
...I don't know.
Who are you?
...
Weakling.

Alex forced his eyes open. "Who are you?" The figure stared back expressionlessly. "Would it matter if I told you?" The Bowman nodded. "I am who you are. In simple terms, I am you." Looking at his blank stare, he sighed, his black cloak waving in the intangible wind. "You are the body, I am your thoughts, your power, your will. Thus, I constitute you - without me, there would be no you. Not that I expect you to understand." He waved at Alex's arms. Both of them were healing, the bloodstreams drying up and disappearing. "Find yourself, and you can defeat me." The figure leveled his bow. "Air Blast." An arrow appeared in the bow, barely visible as a spinning bulb. The moment he let it go, Alex felt the air ahead of him parting, clearing a path for the attack. Attack after attack slammed into Alex as he toppled onto the floor, a shell incapable of thinking. Alex watched as the figure disappeared, forming beside him almost instantly. "D...ash?" Without replying, his antagonist took an arrow, and plunged it into Alex's right arm. His bow clattered to the ground, but he didn't feel anything.

"Very well then. While you lie here, a helpless shell, I shall trample on your pride."

---

Alex stood up, ready to leave the hut. Donning his black cloak, he felt a degree of sadness. That he had to do this in the first place was already a gigantic insult, and it would hurt many people. Above all, it would hurt himself.

But he had to. For the sake of this boy.

Picking up the Dark Ryden, he left to search for the Assassin.
__________

All organization had been abandoned in the face of warfare. Archmages had been called in to help secure the opponents, but they were limited by the lack of attacking skills - all they could do was to keep binding their opponents and distract them while they waited for the Elementalists, who had gone to Ereb to ask for help. "Magic Guard!" One of the mages cried, narrowly evading a spear; magical barriers appeared around all the Wizards in the vicinity, protecting them from the attack. Swords were being brandished everywhere, the Warriors slashing blindly in an effort to distract the mages; it seemed to work, for they didn't cast any binding skills for fear of hitting their own teammates. The Bandits were rapidly flashing amongst the crowd, Assassins sniping whichever Wizard was open. Already, most of the magicians had suffered injuries, but none were close to fatalities... yet. "Where are the bloody Archmages?!" The commander shouted into the crowd, rolling to avoid the throwing stars aimed at him. Wearing black, he was a glowing beacon in the middle of a dark field - a sitting duck for whichever Assassin caring to aim at him.

The situation was bad - the Bandits had managed to use smokebombs to group the mages, and they were being forced into corners, where the Warriors would have easy shots; after all, with such a thick wall, nobody could Teleport past them. The situation was bleak.

---

The Mages were kneeling on the ground, preparing to get the final blow that would end their short careers. The commander was in the center of the clearing, surrounded by twenty people, mostly Bandits and Assassins. His eyes were shut, waiting... And they flew open, alerted by the presence of a force, a power unlike anything they had ever felt. "What is happening?" Chaos had erupted through the clearing, the renegades looking for the source of the power. As if in answer, a girl appeared, her brown hair tied up in a ponytail, her staff reached out. "Trista?!" She nodded grimly, and turned. "Mages, you can leave. Leave the rest to me. It's been hard on all of you." As the Mages stood up and prepared to head for the town, the army of Warriors laughed. "You? Alone? Against us?" A sardonic smile appeared on her face, and she tilted her head. "Since when did I say I was alone? You think I'd go find Spiruna for nothing?" Around the clearing, faeries appeared, their little wands no more than the length of a pinkie. Another burst of laughter, this time by the Thieves. "Faeries!"

Trista's voice was cold. "I suggest you not underestimate them. Their magic is much older than you." As if on cue, the faeries raised their wands; Trista herself leveled her staff and spoke, slowly, "Arctic Field." The ground around her started frosting over, its radius expanding rapidly; the Warriors cried in surprise as their feet were embedded into the ground - no matter how hard they slashed, the solid ice wouldn't give way, not even taking a little damage from the combined force of the army. The thieves, who had evaded by jumping, fared no better. "Vacuum." A dome was created in midair, causing an imbalance in the amount of air; in the same moment, the faeries used lightning whips to slash at their weapons. There were loud shouts as the bodies fell to the ground, frosted over by the ice. "Implosion." The vaccum collapsed on itself, the air rushing in; energy rent at the figures lying on the ground. Trista shielded her face, wincing as fountains of blood spurted in all directions.

Just then, one of the safe zones opened up, and a little boy walked out. "Are they... dead?" Trista walked over, patting his head. "They're fine, go back in okay?" He gave a little smile and ran back in. It pained her to lie, but who would tell the truth? War was painful, and war was filled with death. Looking at the dead figures, she felt a sense of pain stab her. Some of them were her age, some younger. Children who hadn't even bloomed, and their lives had ended.

Kneeling down, she prayed.
__________

[Juanky Serenity]

you have quite a talent for writing.
keep it up (;

[Denunciator]

Thanks :D Where are you from?

[fanficl0ver]

Ahh! Sorry for taking a 4 day long break! I'll be able to chase most fics (mainly yours, Kira's and Kon's). Glad to know that I didn't get the wrong idea of this fic!

By the way, now that this is 3 page long, maybe it's time to update the first page of the fic? That way it'll be easier to read for new readers, instead of chasing it from Chapter 1 all through 3 pages to the last chapter. Anyway, for your last chapter, it was cliffhangy, definitely, but I'd like to make a guess(or a few guesses)...Ivan? Alex's dark form? Something to do with the Dark Dragon? Hmm...a dream? Shadow? Maybe you haven't gotten to that part, in which case you could use one of the guesses ;)