Palis, Chapter one. Allience!

[~Hidan~]

It was a dark, just turning to sunrise. Gracia gleamed in the sunlight as it came over the mountains. A faint wind from the east rang chimes and rustled the leaves. The soldiers in front of the palace changed watch. The sound of footsteps quickly raised as people left their homes to attend the Royal Court of Ishia for Morning Prayer. The center coliseum of Gracia held every one of its one hundred and seventy thousand citizens.

Ishia had ruled Gracia for almost seven hundred years now, yet she still looked as though she was only in her twenties. As she came to the center of court all began to cheer wildly. Today was the anniversary of her 699th year as the queen. She raised her hand in silence.

“Thank you all for coming today, as you all know today I pass another year on as being your chosen leader. I thank you for your support and am happy to say I will be here for many years to come.” She said with a soft voice that all could hear. “Today I would like to introduce you to our newest member of council, Brius Osidius.”

A quite cheer followed.

“Thank you all for your warm welcome. I will do my best as the newly appointed general of the west legions. May honor guide us to more victories then the following year.” Brius said loudly.

Morning Prayer went on for server more hours; many new things were to be discussed this morning.

Meanwhile in a city seven miles south of Gracia Nichi sat on the north most tower of Vesta. He held a telescope to his right eye and watched the Morning Prayer in disgust.

“When will these simple people learn to have their meeting under a roof, anyone could attack them.” Nichi shook his head

“Well getting over the coliseums walls are anything but easy my friend. The fact that you can even see from here is only due to the elevation. Being a good thirteen thousand feet above the walls is one thing. You know Gracia is very well protected.” The tower guard said while smoking his last cigarette. The guard was a wolven, half human half wolf, how he held the cigarette still confused Nichi.

“That all well and all but the Kain and his friends do have dragons, I have seen and slayed countless ones, they are not easy in numbers and if Kain should ever be so wise to mount his men on them it would spell disaster to the free world.” Nichi said as he got to his feet.

“Off to get your next bounty?”

“No off to get breakfast.” They haven’t had any good jobs for me recently, Nichi thought to himself. As Nichi lowered himself onto the ladder a medium red dragon was spotted of the southern tower. “Time for the morning workout I guess instead.”

Nichi jumped off the tower and landed on all fours he picked his sword off the wall by the base of the tower and ran towards the south tower. The dragon was circling the south tower as Nichi arrived and threw all the weight into his sword to throw him to the top of the tower. Nichi landed off foot and twisted with his sword almost hitting the tower guard with the end of his sword.
“Out of the way old man!” Nichi yelled at the man who darted down the ladder. Nichi’s eyes turned a burning yellow as he started chanting a flight spell. This wind around him brought him face to face with the dragon and within a couple of moments Nichi returned to the ground with his sword in one hand and the dragons head in the other.

‘Yet another boring day’ Nichi thought as he walked to his house and prepared something to eat and fell asleep.

Fire, all around him fire. The city was falling. The fire clan had sprung a surprise attack on the ice village. Nichi watched as his father and brother were torn apart by the fierce blade of the Rigutsu Warriors. Nichi’s eyes turned that burning yellow for the first time. Watching the others fight he gained several new abilities and with the new found power snapped. Unleashing all sorts of massive attacks he managed to overwhelm the Rigutsu Warriors that had killed his brother and father. After killing them he picked up the sword that had killed his kin. It was seven feet long and over two feet wide, bout it only seemed to weigh a couple of ounces. The yellow of his eyes turned almost red. He began to slay man after man and with the rising of the sun he came to notice he was the only person alive in the village. He then also noticed a strange wind that was lightly pulling him, it slowly got stronger and stronger. He held tight to the sword as he was pulled into the darkness of the origin of the winds. Nichi woke in a strange new land. Before him stood a man of metal over sixty feet in height, before him stood the doors to the Gracian City.

Nichi woke in a cold sweat. Twenty one years and he still had the same dream at the beginning of each New Year. Palis had become his new home, but he was still unable to come to love it will all his heart. Somehow the weapon that killed his kin felt closer to him then even his home.

[FFnut]

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Earth, The Year Infinity, The End Of Time

"You know something, old man, tell me what it is now!" shouted Magus. He picked up the old man and threw him across the floating block. "Schala isn't anywhere in time, I've checked. I've been everywhen, and I can't find her. Something happened to her with Lavos. I want you to tell me NOW!"

The old man got up and brushed himself off. "Magus... Janus. I don't know where or when Schala is. I don't..." The old man got a face full of fire.

"Don't piss me off, Gaspar. You're the Guru Of Time. You of all people would know what happened to Schala," said Magus. "She vanished after Lavos appeared in the Ocean Palace. Tell me how to find her. Now."

Gaspar shook his head. "Very well, Janus. She went through a different portal - one that led to another world. The portal was only open for a split second, but it opened again years later, for a few more seconds."

Magus grabbed Gaspar by the neck. "My name is Magus. Do not forget that, old man. Now, where and when will this portal appear?"

Gaspar shook his head. "After the incident in 12,000 BC. It was in the hall of the Mammon Machine. That's when Schala went through. It only reappeared at 1:24 PM on The Day Of Lavos. Right where Lavos broke the surface."

Magus did some quick temporal calculations in his head. "You do realize that gives me about half a second to get to the portal before Lavos blocks it, right?" Gaspar nodded. Magus thought for a bit more. "And then in this other world, I'll appear almost fourteen thousand years after Schala showed up. How am I going to find her then? I doubt that this other world has such permeable time as ours does."

Gaspar shook his head. "Ja... Magus, don't worry. I've been keeping tabs on that portal. The way time bends around it, going through it in 1999 AD won't send you very far ahead compared to going through in 12,000 BC. I'd say a maximum of a week's difference in the other world. It may be fourteen thousand years here, but it's only a week's difference there."

Magus nodded thoughtfully. "Seven days. She can't be in too much trouble in seven days." He walked over to a bucket, turned toward Gaspar, and gave a gracious bow. "Farewell, O Wise Guru, I shan't see you again until I return with Schala."

The Guru gave a small chuckle. "Just so you know, you should arrive at the beginning of the 699th year of Ishia. Keep that in mind if anyone mentions the date or Queen Ishia or something.

Magus turned back to the bucket and stared at the depths. He felt himself get whisked away through time...

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Earth, The Year 1999 AD, The Day Of Lavos

Magus flew out of the Time Gate and started heading to the break point - where Lavos would pierce the surface. He also had to make sure that Crono's team didn't see him trying to get through the portal when they battled Lavos. Hidden in a nearby tree, Magus heard Robo's robotic voice, "1999 AD! At 1:24!"

Magus shot out of the tree at the portal that had just appeared in the air. At the same instant, the ground split open as the giant spiked shell of Lavos began to rise out from the core. Molten rocks fired into the air. Magus veered out of their way, still focused on the portal. He increased his flying speed to the absolute maximum. He reached the portal just as the topmost spike of Lavos's shell managed to reach there as well.

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Palis, The Year 699 Ishia, Just Outside The Walls Of Gracia

Magus was thrown violently through the portal and slammed into the ground. He had a huge gash on his chest from where Lavos's spike tore at him as he flew through the portal. A dragon slowly circled overhead, descending towards Magus's prone form. With his last ounce of strength, Magus pointed at the dragon and whispered the words, "Black Hole." The dragon was suddenly enveloped in an orb of darkness, which slowly closed in until the dragon had vanished. Magus understood how lucky he was - that spell rarely worked, especially against things more powerful than generic soldiers or goblins or the like. Magus finally noticed the huge gash on his torso. He swore loudly and promptly passed out.

[Mong00se]

The town was dead. It looked like a ghost town out of an old western movie. Malice looked around, scanning for any sign of life, but there we not a sound to be made. He looked to the left, to the marketplace. Carts of fresh days produce lined the stands. He looked again to his right to find only the sign of the inn swaying in the wind.

This is wrong he thought. Where are all the people? Has the threat the elders told me about already got to them?

Suddenly, he heard a boisterous cheer from the circular building behind him. From the amplitude of the cheers, Malice estimated the building was carrying over 100,000 people. He walkedd along the sandy streets toward the coliseum, wondering what all the cheering was about. His walk was totally in silence. Not a soul presented itself.

They must really like their leader if they all go to worship him , he thought once more.

As Malice reached the coliseum, he realized just how big the building really was. The decorative arches that marked the entranceway stood at least 150 feet over his head. He stared up at the art finely chisseled into the building's stone, and squinted as the light of the midday sun bounced off it and into his eyes. This truly was a marvellous sight, He woud've liked to meet whoever had built this impressive building.

Another cheer erupted from the building, this one much louder. Malice judged this because the echo a place of this size would creature would be enormous.
They must be celebrating something.

Malice strode through the arches and into a lobby of sorts. A giant stone staircase met his gaze, and he quickly mounted it. The giant stairs seemed to take him forever to climb, but when he reached the top, he was in awe of what he saw.

Thousands of people were packed into the stands before him, all still cheering loudly. Their joyful respite was all addressed to the stage in the centre, to a young woman.

She's their leader? Why, shes no older than I am? he said out loud with a chuckle.

The woman raised her hand, and the cheering stopped. She spoke.

"That will be all for today my fellow countrymen. Remember, at any indication of the other factions in our town, you will run and tell General Rufin, and he and his retainers will handle the issue. If you'd like to become a retainer, then sign up in town hall, but don't try to be a hero. The outside factions are dangerous enough, and we still don't know what stirred them to invade Gracia. Remember, you are all children of Ishia. May the gods be with you."

There was applause this time, and the sound of citizens rising from their seats. Footsteps drew closer to Malice, and he quickly remembered his elders words of warning:

"Malice, you are gone to scout out for anyone who would be able to pick up on magic quickly. Do not cause a stir, and avoid all problems if you can. Stay under the radar."

The town was looking for members of a renegade faction, and the sight of someone who didn't resemble themselves could make them uneasy. He was to avoid all problems, and he'd do just that. He heard the voices of the townsfolk nearing, and riding the current of the air, he became one with the air, invisible to the untrained eye.

He slipped into the wall, unseen.

He stayed in his cloaked form until the majority of the people has left. When silence surrounded him, he slowly slipped out of his guise. He walked into the stands and looked around. The previously filled seats were now empty.

He heard voices from the centre of the stage. Riding the currents silently, he slipped to the base of the stage - staying out of sight - to ensure he'd hear it. The young woman was still standing there, with the man she'd refered to as Rufin. He listened intently as they spoke.

"Rufin, you've known me for a long time, but I don't think I can go on with this charade. The townsfolk suspect a renegade faction. They don't know the real cause of our distress. I fear that if they knew, panic would ensue, and we'd lose all hope of defending the town." Ishia said.

"Then why tell them of any danger?" Rufin. "Let them lead their lives, clueless."

"I'm afraid it's not that easy. The owner of the inn said he found a strange coloured crystal in one of his rooms. It was a daemon stone, a corrupted stone. This problem is over our heads."

Malice was so engaged in the conversation, that he didn't realize that he'd been slipping the whole time. He adjusted his stepping, and gravel scattered along the ground.

"What was that Rufin?" Ishia asked.

Rufin leaned over the side and spotted Malice.

"My leige, it appears we have a trespasser. No doubt from a renegade faction."

Malice spoke, trying to defend himself. "Faction, no. I can assure you I mean no harm."

But Rufin didn't buy it. "Nice try stranger... RETAINERS, COME TO MY AID."

Eight retainers armed with swords and bows appeared from various entrances in the stands. They all drew their bows, and knocked arrows.

"Please sir Rufin," Malice said cooly. "I really don't want to do this. I do not want to test my strength against yours, for I fear we will need to unite soon."

"Nonsense boy, you will taste the arrows of my retainers. FIRE"

The arrows were released from their bows, and they flew through the air toward Malice, who was now standing on the stage.

"I warn you General," Malice said. He took stance, his feet shoulder width apart, his arms out to his side. He spun around, creating a small whirlwind. The arrows struck the wind, and fell harmlessly to the floor.

"Attack him, Draw your Swords!" Rufin commanded, and the retainers ran.

Malice looked past Rufin to Ishia. He bowed. "I'm sorry to have met you under these conditions, but for now I will retreat. May the gods be with you Lady Ishia."

He bent down, and took off from the stage, riding the currents of the wind. He saluted Ishia, and nodded to the general and his men, and sped off through the sky. In order to avoid fuss, he cloaked himself, and left the outer walls. The grand walls of Gracia fell behind him as he flew toward the nearby forest, where he'd make camp. He silently cursed himself for his display, but hoped that he could make things right before it was too late, and the threat was upon them.

[~Hidan~]

Nichi stood up and walked to the door which someone had been knocking at.

“Who is it?” Nichi Yawned

“Bounty from the capital!” the boy said.

Nichi opened the door and took the scroll. He read it and left quickly. ‘Another elemental’ he thought with a happy grin to himself.

He disappeared into the woods and using a walk of wind spell ran silently through the woods. He smelled the burning of wood. He was close. Nichi used ice to cover his sent and approached undetected. He sat and watched as a boy sat looking over a scroll as his food cooked. He noticed the mark of wind; it was different from his own worlds mark but undoubtedly similar. The only clan he could remember to be evil was the ghost clans.

Looking at the scroll still the boy said “The winds never lie to me, I could feel you coming.”

As Nichi had thought wind clan for sure. The boy threw a stone the opposite direction that Nichi was hiding in hitting an ice copy of Nichi.

“What the hell? A copy?” the boy seemed a little flustered by the thought he had read things wrong.

“Over here, your skills are very good however, I know how they work, setting up a copy wasn’t too hard to do and make you not focus on me.” Nichi stood from the bush he was hiding in and stepped forwards. You caused a bit of a scene in town today. Rufin is a moron though and never lets the queen talk. Ishia wishes to meet you, and you will weather or not you wish it.”

The boy turned and looked at the guy standing in front of him. His eyes looked as thought they were on fire and the sword he carried dwarfed him. “Who might I have the pleasure of meeting?”

“I am Nichi, bounty hunter and servant of the castle, well sort of.” With that Nichi sat down and pulled out an apple and started to eat it. “How about you boy, who are you and what did you have to say Ishia?”

“I am Malice, I am from Theira and I was sent to deliver a scroll to the queen about recent problems with the dark crystals.” The boy looked into Nichi’s eyes as they turned back to looking normal. “What’s with your eyes?”

“They were reading you. I can sense change in blood pressure and increases in stress. I am a lie detector of sorts. Just making sure your not here to kill the queen that would be bad you know. I mean she has kept this part of the world safe for almost seven hundred years now you know.

Malice’s jaw dropped, seven hundred years. “I had no idea she was that old, she looks younger then you.”

“That’s the beauty of being the leader of this land, as long as she is loved and this land remains good she will never die, and as long as she doesn’t die this land stays without disaster, famine or drought, and how she is loved.” Nichi said as he finished his apple.

“How come you have not attacked me and restrained me?” Malice said uncomfortably.

“I’m not as much of a bonehead as Rufin; I know you want to talk to her so you’ll come peacefully. And besides that you have no chance of running from me.” Nichi said calmly

Malice looked up at Nichi again. Malice blinked and Nichi was gone. Malice looked close at were Nichi had been sitting, it was slightly wet. Nichi hadn’t been there for a while he realized, he had been talking to a copy this whole time. ‘He’s watching me from someplace I’d better not do anything rash.’ Malice said as he picked up his cooked food and began to eat.

In the trees about fifty feet above Malice, Nichi watched him. ‘He’s much smarted then most I will have to see what comes of this.’ Nichi pulled out a comic book and began to read. Tonight would be a slow one again.

Malice finished his food and went to sleep. As the sun rose he looked around for Nichi and gathered his stuff and headed back to Gracia.

Malice saw the form of Nichi standing near the gate into Gracia. He was holding a young boy in his arms. “I found him here when I came into town this morning, looks like he just came from the other side.”

Malice followed Nichi into town as Nichi carried the young boy. They came to the coliseum and walked in the main door and went to the center were Ishia stood. She was wearing blue genes, a white shirt and sandals Malice was confused by the way she dressed.

“Can you heal this young man he seems to have taken quit a bit of damage? It seems he just came from the other side.” Nichi said to Ishia

“Of course!” Ishia said as she touched the boy and instantly healed him. “So this is the boy I had the pleasure of having scared away from me by Rufin. So why is it you have come to see me?” Ishia’s long blond hair and beautiful blue eyes dazed Malice.

“Don’t stare at her too much boy she can hurt you a lot worse then you think.” Nichi said chuckling

“I came from Theira with a message from my leaders.” He handed her the scroll and bowed.

The boy on the ground that had just been healed started to come around. “Where am I?”

“Gracia palace in Palis.” Ishia said to the boy

[FFnut]

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Palis, The Year 699 Ishia, Just Outside The Walls Of Gracia

Magus came to several hours later. He struggled to stand up and finally found his balance. With a loud swear he decided to fly over the wall to see what was there.

"What the... DAMN IT ALL!" he shouted. Apparently the wound on his chest was worse than he'd thought - all except his most basic magic was fried, including his limited flying ability. With a couple of quick spell words, he pointed at the ground.

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Palis, The Year 699 Ishia, Gracia Colloseum

A loud explosion sounded from just outside the walls. Malice, Nichi, and Queen Ishia all whipped their heads in its direction.

"The hell was that?" asked Nichi.

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Palis, The Year 699 Ishia, High Over The Walls Of Gracia

A long string a swear words erupted from Magus's mouth. All he'd done was cast a simple Dark Bomb spell to launch himself over the wall, but he made a slight miscalculation with the amount of power he allowed into it. In effect, he was flying much further over the walls than he had anticipated.

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Palis, The Year 699 Ishia, Gracia Colloseum

The purple spot over the walls was getting ever closer. Nichi and Malice drew their weapons, expecting a fight. what they got was a man in a purple cloak landing right in front of them.

Magus stood up and dusted himself off. He looked up at their weapons, then immediately put his hands up. "Calm yourselves. I'm not going to hurt any of you..." He grinned, showing his teeth and two fangs. "At least, I won't hurt any of you yet. Depends on how much you hurt me."

Malice stepped forward. "And you would be...?"

Magus answered, "My name is Magus, and I am here to-" He collapsed from exhaustion.

Queen Ishia looked over at Magus's crumpled form. "He looks pretty bad. Let's help him inside - we can continue our conversation there."

[Mong00se]

While Magus slept, Malice took the opportunity to explain his position to Ishia. They sat around a circular wooden table. Under Ishia's order, Nichi was serving them all hot tea to drink, but as he did so he shot begrudging looks. Having stated that he was a bounty hunter, Malice figured he didn't like doing the little jobs, or playing host.

The room around them was very plain. The same stone coliseum walls surrounded them, and there was a small kitchen and a table; the table where they sat. There were no decorations or intricate stone workings on the walls like Malice had seen on the outside of the temple. There was also a small bed in the corner. The room didn't seem to be organized for any specific purpose.

"Before we get started Ishia, I must ask, what room is this?" Malice asked.

"This is my secondary living quarters. I portray the image of a stern ruler, but on the inside, I'm fairly plain, and don't need alot to survive. I give back to the city as best I can." she replied.

"Well from what I can see, you run a fairly good city," Malice said with a grin on his face.

"And I see I don't intimidate you either, Malice. You say you're from Theira, and I believe you, but I don't understand. Theira usually stays veiled. They don't like visitors, and not many people know they exist. I've met with Elder Frobhai many a time, but besides him and his two guards, I've never seen another Theirian. I do not even know the whereabouts of your island. So I wonder, why has he sent you and not come himself?" Her face bore a concerned look.

Malice pulled out an unopened scroll and handed it to Ishia. "He told me to give this to you. I have yet to lay eyes on it. He said he must remain in Theira and monitor the situation from there, but he sends his regards."

Ishia took the scroll and smiled. The smile was warm and delicate, and only then did Malice understand how she had reigned for so long. She looked down and unrolled it and began to read. As she read, Nichi spoke up.

"So those strange markings, did you do those yourself?" he commented.

"Bah, we're born with them, us Theirians. Pretty cool huh?" Malice said playfully.

Nichi didn't even smirk. "Yea I guess."

Malice noticed the stone faced bounty hunter. "Ahh cmon rusty lighten up. Don't talk much do yea?"

"I let my sword do the talking. MNaybe you should try the same."

"Sorry fella, don't carry a sword." He pulled out his daggers, and twirled them around, putting on a show for Nichi. "But these babies do just fine I find."

From the other side of the table, Ishia gasped. Both Nich and Malive looked up at her. Her gentle face had changed to a look of shock. After a moment she looked up and addressed the two.

"Malice, what do you know about this?" she asked.

Malice shrugged. "I know nothing. I was supposed to deliver this to you and look out for any able fighters while keeping myself out of trouble. Why what's wrong?"

"You know of the crystal forge, yes?"

Malice's eyes widened. There was a problem with the crystal shrine? That would potenitally lead to the corruption of all the crystals that figureheaded the great cities. "Yes I know of it. It lies in the heart of Theira. It regulates the aura of the crystals, keeping corruption out of them. What has happened to the crystal forge?"

"Something has set it off, and the crystals are becoming unstable. They're preparing to launch the 4 great daemons. That would lead the world to dismay. Elder Frobhai has asked that you journey to the nearby villages and contact the neutral factions. If we can recruit them, then we might be able to stop whoever is behind the corruption of the crystal forge." She paused and looked at them, letting them absorb the shock. "Your elder has also asked that I send an able bodied man to assist you. Nichi, I would like you to go with Malice."

A voice came from the bed behind them. "I would like to go too. There is someone that I'm searching for, and exposure to the world will give me a better chance of finding her."

All three spun around to find Magus resting himself on his scythe. He was up and moving, but still straining.

Nichi was the first to speak. "If you can keep up, you can come little man."


Magus smirked, "Not only will I keep up, i'll beat you there."

"You must go, the crystals are becoming unstable. The minor crystals will release minor daemons, but there are 4 big crystals, located at the top of the castles of the four main kingdoms of Palis. The crystal of divine faith tops Gracia castle."

In the distance there was a small explosion. Dust shook off the roof, and footsteps quickly neared the room. Rufin swung open the door gasping.

"Ishia, the crystal we found in the inn, it released its power," he said panting.

"How bad's the damage?" Ishia asked.

"Not bad yet, but theres a ruby dragon roaming around town square."

Ishia looked to the three hero's, and they nodded.

"We're on it," Malice said.

"Who made you boss," Nich muttered under his breath.

The three ran out of the room and towards town square.

[FFnut]

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Earth, The Year 590 AD, Truce Canyon

A blue portal opened up and a small boy fell out. A number of imps quickly swarmed around him, until a fat green monster appeared and saved him.

"W-who are you?" asked the boy.

"I'm Ozzie, leader of the Mystics. Who are you?"

"My name is Janus. A m-monster popped up in the Ocean Palace and I-I ended up here," said the litte boy through his tears.

Ozzie put his arm around the boy. "Don't worry, Janus. You can come and join the Mystics! But we're gonna need a better name for you. How does Magus sound?"

The little boy Janus looked up at Ozzie and smiled. "Magus..."

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Earth, The Year 600 AD, Magus's Tower

"Neuga, ziena, zieber, zom... Now the chosen time has come... Exchange this world for...!"

"Magus!"

Magus turned around, his eyes flaring. Who dared to interrupt him while he was summoning Lavos? Who would bother the great Magus during a spell? He whirled around and came face to face with that which was once known as Glenn... at least, before Magus had cursed him to turn into a frog. It looked like the spell only half worked, anyway; although the skin and facial features were those of a frog, he was still humanoid. "I... it's that stupid frog! Kissed any princesses lately?" Magus stuttered.

Glenn, now called Frog, drew the legendary sword Masamune and pointed it right at Magus. "I rather enjoy this form. And I oweth it all to you! I have something for you!"

Magus closed his eyes, knowing that a confrontation was inevitable. "Ah... The Masamune! I bet you're just dying to use it! The black wind begins to blow... Okay... give me your best shot... If you're prepared for the void!"

Frog's strength, combined with the Masamune and his new friends, proved too much for Magus to handle. Unfortunately, Lavos awoke and hurled everyone in the room through time.

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Earth, The Year 12,000 BC, The Ocean Palace

"I’ve been waiting for you, Lavos. I swore long ago... that I'd destroy you! No matter what the price! It is time to fulfill that vow. Feel my wrath, Lavos!" With those words, Magus discarded the cloak he had worn while acting as "The Prophet." Unfortunately, although Magus was strong, Lavos was stronger. With a powerful blast it knocked everyone in the room to the ground. Magus noticed one person stand up. It was Crono, a young man who had battled Magus back in 600 AD while he was summoning the awful creature before them. Crono walked up, raised his sword to deliver a blow, and...

Magus watched the sword clatter to the ground. He couldn't believe what had just happened. He continued to watch as the three Gurus and Janus... himself... entered the room. With horror, the events of so long ago replayed themselves before his eyes. He saw Schala's pendant flash and he was teleported to safety.

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Palis, The Year 699 Ishia, Gracia

"Hey, Magus, snap out of it!" shouted Nichi.

Malice laughed. "You'll never beat us moving at that speed!"

Magus chuckled. "Oh, you want me to go FAST, is that it?" he asked. A slight whooshing sound was heard as he blew past them. They turned the corner and found the dragon lumbering over them.

Malice started whipping up some wind, and Nichi started blasting the dragon with ice.

Magus hurled a couple of ice spells at the dragon, then stopped altogether. To anyone else, it seemed as if he had just completely left his own head.

All I need is a good memory. Just one. I just need to think of a memory that fills me with enough hatred. Just need one. Ah... of course! When I saw myself and the gurus get sucked up... perfect!

Suddenly Magus flew up into the air, giving a salute. The words "Dark Matter!" thundered from his lips and suddenly the dragon was bombarded by the strongest magic Magus had to offer. It screamed in agony, blasting fire to take him out of the sky.

Magus plummetted towards the ground. Malice quickly formed a cushion of air to catch him.

Nichi, however, had other plans. With a scream, he launched himself onto the dragon's back. He coated his knives with ice and plunged them into the dragon's skin. As the dragon tried to throw him off, the blades ripped up most of its back.

Malice, having revived Magus, spun around to deliver a blow to the dragon. Magus cast another minor ice spell, this time on the sword, to augment its damage.

The dragon screamed in agony, spewing fire all around. Nichi formed an ice barrier over himself, and Magus cast a defensive spell on himself and Malice. Another blow from Malice's sword finished the dragon.

"Wow, you can actually PROTECT people?" asked Malice.

Magus shrugged. "Weak spell. Only non-damaging one I've got, and it doesn't work against physical attacks. Only things magical in nature, such as spells or a dragon's breath, are deflected by it, and even then not too well."

Nichi laughed. "We'll have to keep that in mind. Now let's see this crystal."

[~Hidan~]

Nichi watched Magus and Malice on the ground after the attack. Nichi sighed as he decided it was time to ju7st use a better skill. A white ball of energy formed on his right hand and grew to about the size of a baseball. He ran at the dragon avoiding his first direct attack and landed the fist right into the side of the dragons head. With a loud cry and lots of snapping sounds the whole neck of the dragon twisted sever dozen times all the way down to the body. If fell dead and the wind blew away the ashes, leaving behind the clear and empty crystal that was once its soul, Nichi stomped it with his boot.

“Are you two all…..” Nichi said as he collapsed from exhaustion. Spiral took way to much energy from him, Nichi hadn’t rested recently and was low on energy to perform such a powerful move was smart only in there was only one monster.

Malice stood up and looked over at Nichi in awe. “Are you all right?” he said as he picked up Nichi’s head and tried to get him to focus his eyes.

“I’m ok, just needing some rest. I used a lot of energy last night stalking you and then didn’t sleep last night. It was unwise to you one of my best moves.” Nichi said as he slowly got to his feet. Ishia entered the court were they had been fighting and ran over to Nichi and started using a healing spell to recover his strength.

Magus stood up and turned his back to them and started walking towards the coliseum. “Were we staying, I think we all need rest.” Yawning as he walked away.

“I’ll get you all a room, don’t worry.” Ishia said frowning at the kid as he walked off.

Later that day Malice and Magus were shown to the guest room of Ishia’s palace, it was quite and comfortable, and plenty of room for the three to stay the night, however Nichi never came.

“I wonder were Nichi is?” Malice said looking around the room interested in the craftsmanship of the moldings.

“Don’t know don’t care, let me sleep and I’ll care later, but now is now and I’m tired now so leave me be.” Magus said dozing off.

Malice looked at Magus and stuck out his tong in defiance. He decided to leave the room and try to find Nichi.

Nichi sat in his favorite room; the walls were covered with books and scrolls of great warriors’ stories and the skills of them all. He had spent the first sixteen years of his life just reading and practicing the powers of all his Heros. His new mom had taken very good care of him and saw to it that he had become so powerful.

“So Mom, do you think they can help stop this evil? Nichi said looking at the girl in the corner.

“You know your older then me in appearance now, you don’t need to call me mom anymore, I’m just someone who cares for you. Yes I do think they could help stop this. But you should wait for more. To come, I know that two more are to come, that is what the wise man said to me.” Ishia said looking at her only loved one that had stayed alive in the time she had with them. So many people she cared about had died in the past, and Nichi was the only one that managed not to leave her.

Malice came to the door and listened, he was surprised by this new information and intrigued as well.

“You can come in you know. We don’t have any secrets to keep from you.” Ishia said and the door opened.

Malice walked into the room and bow and sat down. “How bad is it?”

Ishia sighed. “The four generals are already awake. They are not on the move yet only because they are not at full power, but with them awake many more attack will follow I am afraid.”

Nichi sat to the side reading a scroll, His eyes a bright red.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you Nichi, why is it your eyes change like that?” Malice said calmly.

“I crossed over to this world after a great fight in my town broke out. During that fight I became so enraged and felt so helpless that I opened myself to a new power. My eyes when they look at different powers see how they are done and teach me how to copy them, because of this I can learn almost anything, but it drains me a lot more to use someone else’s powers over my own, so I read these books, by both reading and copying they become my powers and therefore a lot more useful to me. Why my eyes change, just to read a little closer.” Nichi said without lifting his head from the scroll.

Interesting, a copy ninja, not too unlike a doppelganger Malice thought. “So you could copy any move?”

Looking up now Nichi said. “No, I can’t physically copy fire, for it would tear me apart. I can also only copy a magic spell to be around 1/10th of its original strength. Also anything that is blood based, such as your wind powers are completely out of my range. I am best with Ninja art, fighting styles, and stances.”

They talked for several more minutes, but sleep was calling both of them and they left shortly after to sleep.

Nichi dreamed of the usual. Malice dreamed Nichi’s dream, Magus snored.

[Drazniich]

In the dead of the night, a quiet clicking could be heard reverberating down the halls. Perfectly measured, like a metronome, only this tune was anything but a joyous classic. The Guards slept peacefully as the noise passed, drawing closer and closer to the room our travelers were resting in. Soon, an eeiry soft whistling accompanied it.

Whispers permeated the still night air. "What creature slouches towards bethlehem..."

If the guards had been awake, they would have questioned him. But instead, he calmly walked along, silver cane tapping against the floor, ringing an almost minute tone. "Where shadows lie..."

Flitting behind him, a small pixie. She was buzzing around, wall to wall and door to door.

"For the rag man will get you if you do..."

He paused, and tapped his cane to his hat brim. It rang softly again. He stepped infront of a door.

"And my soul shall be lifted from that floor..."

He turned the handle.

"Nevermore..." he whispered. He gazed upon the sleeping party, slowly moving a chair to the corner. He leaned back, tapping his cane on the ground twice.

If you were a god, or omnicient being, you would have questioned the tone, and how the air seemed more... normal now.

He watched as the spell came free. Nichi blinked his eyes open. "And now, the fun starts." Belial grinned.

[Mong00se]

Nichi had been dreaming his same old dream. It statred the same and it climaxed the same every night. Though this time, as he neared its torturing finish, he was snapped out of slumber by a strange tapping. He stared at the ominous figure that cast its shadow upon him, and he gasped. Nichi hadn't been scared of anything for a long time, but something about this figure chilled him to the bone.

"What is your business here?" Nichi asked sternly, hand on sword.

A chuckle escaped the mans throat, but he did not answer. His cane still tapped rhythmicly on the stone floor.

"I said what is your business here!" Nichi commanded again in a short burst of anger which even surprised himself. The elevated command woke the others from their slumber.

Malice opened his eyes and looked around, not dreary from sleep, but instead fueled by the fright in Nichi's voice. Before he was sitting up, he had his dagger up in the air, and with a twirl he came to rest it on my palm, towards Nichi, the origin of the sound. He saw Nichi, almost frozen as he looked toward the door. Malice drew his attention to the door, and suddenly realized what had frightened Nichi.

He was covered by the shadows, but the candles flicker illuminated his face. He wore a sharp, piercing smile, and his eyes glowed the same look of contempt. Another thing that caught Malice's eye was the cane. The character tapped it along the ground at intervals, creating the same effect as a hypnotic chant. He was dressed in black clothes, only adding to his mystery.

The man looked sheerly evil, but Malice didn't squander. He put forth a determined look, and drew his other dagger. If it was a fight we wanted, it was a fight he was going to get, and Malice didn't intend on losing.

Nichi exploded in anger. The rapping from the cane seemed to be driving him to insanity. "WHAT BUSINESS DO YOU HAVE HERE? ANSWER ME OR TASTE STEEL." Veins popped on Nichi's head, and Malice noticed he was out of breath. A cold sweat ran down his forehead.

By this time, Magus was awake. He sat up in the natural post-sleep groggy daze, and held his head as he regained his bearings. He looked toward the man, but certainly didn't seem to take much notice of him.

"Are you scared yet?" he mocked, perfectly still besides the motion of his cane.

"What are you doing here?" Nichi asked again.

"I will not justify myself to you little man. You have not seen your share of battles to know what it is like to wander eternally. And yet you still act as though you would sacrifice everything you know to bar my path. You have not seen the flesh of burning bodies, heard them scream as they are incinerated. You have not seen the torture that is induced on people through the deceit of humans. I have seen these things, and I know you do not have what it takes to strike me down. But do not take me lightly, for if you intend on making me suffer, then you will experience a world of pain. Put away your swords, for it is not a fight I ask for." He remained cool.

Magus, now listening intently, added, "then what do you want?"

The tapping stopped.

[~Hidan~]

Belial looked at Nichi and smiled. “We all want something don’t we?”

Usual response for a demon, nothing out of the ordinary except the last time Nichi had seen this face he was about to be killed. Nichi felt the scar on his right arm. “Why are you here!?”

“I thought I’d pay an old friend a visit. I mean it’s been what 3 years since you almost killed me after I almost killed you. I thought it was time for a reunion.” Belial smiled slyly.

Malice looked at Nichi who was now about as white as a ghost. “Who are you?”

“Name Belial, card shark extraordinaire and a demon that believe in the balance.” Belial said laughing. “I am everyone best friend and worst nightmare in one happy package.”

“He’s a bastard demon and a very powerful one at that. We almost killed each other last time we met, and I prayed never to see him again and guess what, he’s here.” Nichi started to calm down. “So why are you here, it can’t be solely for the reason of seeing me, a mere mortal.”

Magus decided that this was not his conversation and went back to sleep.

Malice looked at Belial and now realized just what the dark figure in front of him was. The man did not seem out of the ordinary other then his choice of clothing.

“Nichi my old friend, I’m here to help you. You see those damn demons in the spire plan on killing the entire mortal realm and then kill all the demons as well. I can’t have them doing this. Who am I to play with if you all are gone and if they come to kill me as well, I doubt I will be able to fend them off alone.” Belial said sternly.

Nichi thought about what the demon just said, and it did make sense that he would want to save the world from complete destruction. “You promise not to kill anyone innocent while we are on this journey?”

Belial sneered, “You know I would never do such a thing, I am a demon of high morals, so long as they don’t try to cheat me in cards they shall not be killed.”

“Can we actually trust a demon?” Malice said calmly. “I mean your whole existence is for the pain of souls, why should we trust you?”

“Because I’ll kill you right here and right now instead of letting you help me if you rather it be that. I only offer my help once; refuse and I’ll make it very painful for you.” Belial laughed.

“Fine you can come, but one bad move by you and I’ll take you out of this world with me.” Nichi said. “I’m going back to sleep. Don’t mind Belial, he wont touch us.”

Nichi’s dream was not that of the fall to this world tonight, it was of the horrid fight he had had with Belial before.

Malice woke first. The demon known as Belial sat in his chair just as he was the night before. Malice looked over were Nichi was sleeping and woke him. Magus slept so heavy that Malice was unable to wake him.

Nichi and Malice got ready and left with Belial following them. Nichi then noticed that the pixie that followed Belial around. “Ensayne how nice to see you again Nichi said sarcastically.” Nichi had been robbed by this little thing last time they had met, she was the whole reason the fight had started.

“Nichi oh great, its you again why the hell are we here to see him again dear, oh right because you think he’s fun. I don’t want to be around him remember what he did to me last time? He put me in a glass jar!” Ensayne said with her usually speedy and pissed off voice.

“It was your fault, shut up about it.” Belial said softly.

Nichi and the others came to the center of the coliseum were Ishia was waiting, along with Magus. Ishia had a look of deep concern as Belial came into view.

“What is a demon doing here?” Ishia said calmly.

“Its ok, he’s going to help us believe it or not.” Nichi said with a sigh

“Isn’t he the same one that almost killed you?” Ishia said sternly

“Yes mother, he almost killed me, if he hadn’t tried to drown me I’d be dead, but I think he actually wants to help this time. He isn’t going to do anything stupid.” Nichi said looking at Belial who was now going around the garden and sniffing flowers. ‘How strange he can be.’

“I won’t try to kill your son, I promise. I have a person vendetta with these demons that are controlling the spire right now that is my only concern.”

Ensayne looked around and then looked right at Ishia. “He won’t do anything stupid because he thinks your son is able to kill him, don’t worry.” She giggled.

Nichi and the other went over the plans with Ishia. Mid day came; Ishia had gone to take care of council matters and such.

“We’ll we have a plan, now we just need to get out gears ready, we’ll be traveling by way of carnasor, so they can hold a lot but over pack them and they are likely to try to eat you. These are the supplies we have access to. There is a scroll research academy in the south gate, and alchemist next door, weapons merchants are near the north gate, holy relics are in the church here, just west of the coliseum. Food and drink can be found to the east, and most important the enchanter can be found to the east on the shore near the docks. We leave tomorrow.” Nichi said “We can each get our stuff on our own so don’t wait for others to get these things. Everyone needs different supplies.”

“I’m going to need some money.” Magus said

“Me as well, I did not bring any money with me.” Malice said

Belial looked at both of them and grinned. “I don’t need anything I’ll stay here and indulge myself in the innocence of the town.”

Sicko Nichi thought as he handed both Malice and Magus a couple of hundred gold pieces. “I’m going to the enchantments store if anyone needs me.”

Malice headed to the weapon shop, Magus to the scroll shop.

Magic from scrolls, a new concept, Magus thought. He got to the scroll shop and asked to look around; he read the scrolls and realized they were not spells he had ever seen before.

“Young man, do you need help? Are you and advanced level ninja? We have very few people come in that look at the harder scripts.” The store manager said.

Ninja scrolls, no wonder they made no sense. “No I’ll be going thank you.” Magus decided may be he should go get food instead.

Malice entered the weapon shop and looked around. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of black go by the window. He came outside and there stood a tainted warrior, the black crystal in his forehead gave off a creepy light.

“Those who stand again the darkness shall fall before its power.” The warrior charged drawing two large double bladed axes.

Malice dodged. a fight... Lucky him...

[FFnut]

*************************
Palis, The Year 699 Ishia, Gracia

Magus started towards the weapon shop. He figured if he was going to get something to eat, he should see if anyone else wanted to tag along. He neared the shop and saw a big guy with two huge axes standing close by.

He felt something grab him and whisk him into the shadows. It was Malice.

"Look," whispered Malice. "He has a crystal in his forehead. Any idea what it means?"

Magus whispered back, "How would I know anyway? I'm the new guy in this world. I know almost nothing about the stuff that happens here."

Malice sighed. "That crystal feeds off all negative emotions. Heck, the more negativity there is around it, the more powerful it is. Just having an attitude could make this guy stronger."

"Have any clue how we're going to hurt him? I'm not going to go out there and play shiny-happy-hippy in front of a psycho. Any chance we can just slip past?"

Malice shrugged. "Doesn't matter. As long as he's still standing here with a crystal in his head, he's a threat to everyone. We have to take him down."

Magus slowly drew his scythe. "How do I always get stuck with the freaks who have morals?"

Malice spun out his weapons. "Let's do it."

Magus nodded. "I'd rather wait until we have demon-boy or Nichi for backup, but..." he stopped, thinking of Schala. Thinking of what she would do in this situation. "...but we can't worry about that now. We don't want anyone to get hurt."

The two of them stepped from the shadows, weapons drawn. "He said that any who stand against darkness are gonna get crushed by its power," said Malice.

Magus shrugged. "Dunno what he's talking about. It's been my experience that the darkness always loses. I guess he still has to learn that."

Malice smiled. "You'd better be careful. I'm actually starting to like you, Magus."

Magus chuckled. "You're one of the few, I guess. Let's get him."

[Mong00se]

The crystals curse over the warrior was strong. He stood across from Magus and Malice, staring into their eyes, as if diving deep into their souls.

"Give in to the darkness. Let it become you. The darkness will become you..." it chanted.

Magus looked at Malice, and the two nodded at eachother. They split up and started circling the shadow warrior. Dust flew up from the sand from their movements, making it hard to see. A brisk wind blew across the road.

"Give in to the darkness. Give in to the darkness. GIVE IN TO THE DARKNESS." The warrior still chanted. Suddenly, a surge of shadow erupted from its body, surging outward. "GIVE IN TO THE DARKNESS," it screamed again, and it charged.

Both Magus and Malice had covered their eyes when the blast of shadow came at them, and both were unready for the attack. When the dust cleared, Malice noticed the corrupt warrior charging towards Magus, who still had his hands covering his eyes, his arms across his chest.

"Magus, look out!" Malice shouted, and Magus immediately snapped into action. He barely had time to block the shoulder of the warrior as it rammed into him. Magus parried the blow, but his scythe was flung from his hands. It spun to a stop in the gravel nearby. Magus himself wasn't too shaken. He blocked the blow, and with all his might he pushed back on the defences of the warrior. With brutal strength, the warrior lost balance and fell backwards.

Magus took the opportunity to run for his scythe. He was no good to the fight empty handed, and he knew it. He reached the scythe and bent down. As he clasped his one hand around its handle, a shadow shot up from the ground and enveloped Magus. The shadow quickly turned into a claw that squeezed Magus, and it raised up to the sky.

With his one hand free, Magus slashed wildly at the shadow. With each dent he made in it, it reformed good as new. Magus knew he could not fight shadow with shadow, and slowly sighed. He dropped his scythe, and flexed his palm towards the warrior, who was now up on his feet and controlling the shadow with one hand, sword in the other. A static charge formed around his fingers, and Magus grinned. "Bolt!" he shouted as a lightning bolt hurled down from the sky. With another shadow, this one resembling a shield, the warrior blocked the bolt. The warrior snickered and clenched his fist. The claw tightened around Magus' body, and it felt as if his ribs were about to give way.

A blast of wind cut through the arm of the shadow, severing the link. Before the shadow could reform, the hand opened and dropped Magus. He landed on an air current and floated safely to the ground at the foot of his scythe. The warrior looked peeved, and look towards Malice, who was giving Magus the thumbs up. He motioned his arm toward Malice, and the shadow quickly followed. Malice noticed the attack just in time, and windwalking, he shot straight up on a current. Rematerializing in the air, he looked down at the warrior. His legs spread to shoulder length, and his arms were raised straight, out in front of him. The warrior called a bluff, and laughed, once more repeating his chant, but he was wrong. A strong current of air, like a tornado, lifted the warrior out of the air. Malice took the opporuntiy, and flew towards the warrior, still visible. He caught him as he was still flying upwards, and with a swift kick, knocked him down again. Like a bullet, the warrior fell towards the earth.

Midway through its fall, the warrior came to and summoned a shadow. He fell towards the shadow cushion, still blindly chanting the insidious phrase. Magus looked up the 50 ft into the sky at the jet black cushion, and acting on instinct, he threw his scythe. With enormous power, the scythe made contact with the shadow, slicing it in half. Before it had time to reform, the warrior fell through it, and hit the ground with a large thud. The were a few cracks as ribs hit ground, but then only silence. It uttered the phrase one more time, and then it finally followed its own words, and succumbed to the darkness of the underworld. The crystal on its head went black.

[~Hidan~]

Nichi walked out of the enchantments shop and across the street into the comic book store. He picked up server new books and then headed to the weapon shop to look into getting some sharpening stones. Malice and Magus were outside of the shop both looked a little worse for the wear.

“What happened to you two? You haven’t been beating each other up have you?” Nichi said half joking.

“We had a little demon trouble.” Malice said pointing at the drained crystal on the ground.

“These things are not very much fun you know.” Magus said as he got himself composed.

Nichi looked at the crystal and then smashed it with his foot. “Well I’m glad you managed it by yourselves.”

The three of them entered the weapon shop. Nichi got his sharpening stones and some throwing daggers, Magus got his weapon repaired, because it had taken minor damage when he came into this realm. Malice picked up a new set of daggers.

They left the shop after paying and went over to the market for rations and such. They headed back to the coliseum, on the way back Nichi noticed Belial, telescope in hand, looking over the wall of the bath house.

‘Perverted soul he is.’ Nichi thought.

When they arrived in the center of the coliseum Belial was already there.

“Does everyone have what they need?” Nichi said as a man brought in four carnasors to them.

They all nodded.

“Then lets get out of here. Pack up and lets just get going, I fear waiting till tomorrow is not going to be a good idea, for the presence of multiple shards in the city at once is a bad sign.” Nichi got onto his carnasor and the others did the same.

“So we are to head to the three cities to the south first and re-secure the cities removing the tainted shards from there right?” Malice said looking at a map.

“That’s right, we have to make sure the area is safe before we leave it, Ishia is powerful and so is her army, but she can’t afford to loose very many troops. We won’t be able to enter the spires land without military support later.” Nichi explained.

Magus looked confused. “So are we supposed to kill everyone in the towns we are going to?”

“No by killing the shards that are in the city the cities inhabitance will turn back to being good. There should be three full shards in each town.” Belial explained as if he actually cared about killing the innocent.

The all nodded and mounted their carnasors and headed out of town. It would take them five hours to arrive in Versia, the first city on the southern coast that they had to free.

So the journey starts.

[Drazniich]

Belial mused over his present situation. Here he was, traveling with one of his biggest mistakes. Worse than that, he was traveling and couldn't use his full force. "Damn you two..." he thought. They woke up a sleeper to chase him down. They couldn't take on a bastard demon by themselves, of course. But they could get Zera-shaal, a moving engine of destruction, to either destroy him or everything around him.

He looked down at the carnasur. A mount he wasn't really used to. He reigned it to a stop. The three looked back, stopping as well. "Why'd you stop?" Nichi raised an eyebrow.

Belial took his cane from his side. He drew a circle in the ground around the beast. "Anyone not fueled by anguish may wish to cover their eyes." he warned. Black symbols began to form outside the circle. He swung his cane out and downward from his side, and it extended into a whip.

"With the blood of this beast, I demand a minion." Belial shouted. He lashed across the carnasur's side. Blood poured down, and black flames consumed the area inside the circle. When they subsided, standing there was an obligitory winged nightmare. Flames gouted from it's mane, its feet glowing with hellfire. It reared, and turned towards the party.

Nichi didn't even break stride. The sword came out and forward almost as fast as his mount paniced. Faced with dicipline from the rider and the raw, primal fear the nightmare produced, he chose to rear. Nichi forced it back down and aimed to swing.

With a cry, Malice drew his daggers and lept. He landed on the creature's wing. He dug both knives in, but the creature seemed to barely notice. His wingbeat sent the warrior up about thirty feet, and the nightmare kicked him for distance on the way down. It began to grow as Malice's mount turned to run.

Magus rode in on the left, with Nichi on the right, attempting to cut straight across it. They looked back, and flames spewed from the wounds. They quickly sealed however, and with a snort gouting flames from its nose, it paced forward, murder in its eyes.

Belial stepped in the way, meeting its gaze. "Stop." he said firmly. The nightmare stepped up, face to face with the greater demon.

It growled, its eyes aflame. Belial grabbed its mane with both hands, headbutting it repeatedly till it stumbled to the ground.

The others moved in for the kill, with the exception of Malice, who walked up holding his chest. Belial laughed loudly, much to Nichi's fury.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Belial asked.

"WHAT? YOU SUMMONED-" Nichi began.

"I was talking to the horse." Belial snapped. "Now, get up."

The nightmare stumbled to its feet. It looked around hazily. Belial hopped on its back.

"Shall we?" he started forward again.

"I hate him so very, very much." Nichi muttered.

"I am starting to agree." Malice winced.

Belial looked back. "I'm insane, not deaf." he laughed.

Malice considered throwing a dagger to the back of Belial's head. The creature he rode seemed rather docile now, but severe concussions can do that.

Magus rode up beside him. "About how we don't invite new evil..." he said.

"What about it?" Belial looked over.

"We don't invite new evil to join us!" Magus shouted. "What if-"

Belial held a finger to his lips. "There is no what if. There is only a carefully considered outcome." he said quietly. "Either it is or it isn't, but you can stack the odds in your favor, and you know to always split a pair of eights."

Nichi hurried up to Belial as well. "Don't ever, ever do that again, or you're gonna pay dearly."

Belial slowed down a bit. "Nichi, its a practicality issue. My mount needs no food nor water, just a little fear. Attempt to slay it again and we will have WORDS." Belial smiled the grin of a man who has a hand full of aces.

Nichi smiled back. "And then I suppose that Zera-shaal shall notice your presence?"

Magus rolled his eyes. The image popped in his head of the thing searching for Belial. He shuddered. "You're being chased by that?"

Belial froze. "How do you know about him?"

Malice came riding up fast. "What the hell is a sleeper?" he asked.

Nichi answered before Belial could speak. "I was wondering who was watching our duel in my dream. He's wasn't there when we fought, but he was there last night."

Magus considered very carefully what he'd just seen. He cracked his knuckles. "This is the point where bringing you along starts to suck, right?"

"When my abilites are needed, they will be used." Belial said sharply. "A sleeper is a demon so horrific in its power that it needs constant sin around it to function. When stuck in the abyss long enough, it runs out of energy and falls into hibernation. This one is a destruction beast, meaning the more it smashes, the stronger and faster it can move. Only those who are careful can stand against it, and guess what?" Belial asked.

They all looked at him. "WHat?" Nichi finally said.

"Evil powers cannot hurt it." Belial said. "Only those with good intentions can hope to wound it. So, in short, it finds me, it tears everything apart until it gets me."

Malice was the first to pick up on it. Nichi and Magus realized it a split second later. "You need us." Magus said. Malice rolled his eyes.

"It kinda was gonna go unspoken." Malice glared at Magus. "But that doesn't make it any less true."

Belial cracked his neck. "Listen, and listen well, because I hate repeating myself. Yes, I can't stop Zera-shaal. Yes, you can. Yes, I need you to help me should it find me, and based on your performance and of course, choice of company-" he winked at Nichi, who stared stone faced. "I figured you would be a good group to do it."

Belial gripped his cane angrily. "And yes, that also means that you have me, so to speak, behind the eightball. Name your price for this one. Other than, of course, my near armageddon like powers in your corner against these damn intruders. With Zera-shaal out of the picture, those who woke him up will have to come for a reckoning, and once I dispatch them, I can bend the little... 'friendly to the locals' policy, if only to save you all."

He looked onto the horizon. "An odd twist, making the demon parley with the damn mortals."

[~Hidan~]

Two hours later they arrived at town. Nichi had walked the rest of the way because Belials little pet had managed to damage his carnasor’s motivation to come with. Nichi was use to walking though. He was right though that damn demon needed his help that was the only reason he came. Nichi thought it might be a good idea to remove his restraints now knowing that he was in fact going to need full power to fend off such a powerful creature as this. Everyone dismounted and they tied up the carnasors outside of town, Belials pet disappeared into the darkness.

Malice and Magus looked ready; Belial just looked like he was thinking of how he could cheat the situation.

Nichi lifted up his Pant legs and pulled back his sleeves revealing two bracers on each limb. One was think and plain the other ornate but very thin. He first took off the plain ones from his arms and dropped them. Malice looked intrigued. The bracers hit the ground with a large thud.

“What were those exactly?” Magus said

“They seem to be training weights.” Malice said.

“Yeh Magic training weights that I’ve been wearing for about ten years now, they increased in weight every time I got stronger.” Nichi said. “They were around 30lbs each when I put them on. I have no idea how much they weigh now.”

Malice bent over and picked one up. His eyes wild. “These must weigh at least 150lbs now.” Malice looked impressed.

Magus picked up the other. “Very interesting!”

Malice took of the others on his legs they also seemed to weight about the same. “With this demon after Belial we can’t be too safe. If you have anything that will help you fight better please have it ready.”

Malice looked at the other bracelets. “What are those?”

“These suppress ki, the only time I have ever taken off these was fighting Belial, and He can tell you how nasty they can make me.” Nichi said looking at Belial who nodded in agreement.

Malice went and pulled up his pant legs and pointed to his own training weights. “I only keep them on the legs, my physical attack depend too much on speed to hinder it with weights.” Malice smiled. “It’s interesting we would use the same training methods.”

Nichi nodded, and pointed at the gate into town. The cane tapping started. Belial started in waving at the others. “If I find anything you’ll head them screaming, try to follow that.”

Malice magus and Nichi all entered together staying in a group. Nichi couldn’t believe how much lighter he felt. As he was enjoying how much lighter he felt the broad side of an axe hit him knocking him out of the air as he was jumping. Malice and Magus turned around to see a hulking beast about 8 feet tall that looked like a gain oxen demi-human.

“I think we found one.” Nichi said as he got back to his feet. ‘He doesn’t seem too happy to see us though.”

“But I don’t see any sign of a crystal in him.” Magus said readying his scythe.

Malice drew his daggers and pointed at its eyes. “Its one all right no whites in the eyes can only mean that he is possessed.”

Malice readied for attack and conjured his wind walking abilities; Magus started casting a large void spell. Malice went in, the monster swung his axe and malice went under its arm on the right and side and sliced the tendons. As they started to heal Magus launched the void spell on his the back side of the same arm, taking it almost to the bone. Malice caught foot and turned and hit the arm again with the end of the blade hitting bone and taking off the entire arm. As this happened Nichi Attacked the left arm and managed to cut the monsters hand off with two well placed blows to the wrist. Magus readied another void spell the creatures dismembered limbs started to grow back but not fact enough to block against the combined force of Nichi and Malice’s furry of head on attacks. The void spell hit right in the chest of the beast and knocked it down. Nichi went in for the final blow but the beast kicked him in the face. Nichi screamed in pain and fell to the ground holding his eyes. Malice used the winds current to throw the beast several feet into the air and as it came back down Malice used his daggers to plunge into the back of hits head. The beast went limp and turned to dust. The crystal shard laid on the ground a pale white color. Malice smashed it with his boot.

Magus was already at the aid of Nichi who was holding his eyes as blood spew from behind his hand. “Are you ok? What’s wrong Nichi?” Can I do anything?” Magus said concerned.

“Water I need water.” Nichi managed to say after much sobbing with pain.

Malice put a sack of water in Nichi’s hand and Nichi took it and got on his knees and poured it on his face. He turned to Malice and Magus.

Malice looked in horror. “Your eyes, they are gone.” Malice said looking into the now empty sockets of Nichi’s face.

Magus looked as well and felt his own eyes and shuttered.

Nichi got to his feet and started walking. “Makes no difference, I’ve been blind before. I can travel by hearing but I can’t fight like this, Belial might be able to help.” Nichi shivered at the thought of letting hit black magic touch him.

Malice and Magus nodded at each other and followed Nichi.

“So you can no longer learn skills by use of those eyes of yours?” Malice said sounding somewhat upset.

“I wouldn’t think so.” Nichi laughed. The pain was already going away.

A loud scream came from the road just ahead of them. Belial stood there with a faded crystal in hand and crushed it. He didn’t even seem to have broken a sweat killing whatever he had just faced. He looked at Nichi who was walking towards him. “This is not a good sign. I remember you being strong, not weak enough to loose your eyes to a damn lower demon.” He almost laughed as he said this.

“This might be funny and all to you but I can fight like this.” Nichi shuttered again. “I need your help; I know you can heal me, though the side effects are going to be less then desirable.”

Belial looked very pleased to Malice and Magus; it was almost as if he wanted this to happen. “Well I can’t give you back eyes, but I can give you better hearing.” He chuckled. “Only thing is if I do this, you’ll hear everything, including the demon aura talking to you.” Belial lit a cigarette. “Oh and you’ll be a semi-demon from then on, a half breed.” Belial said grinning in a way that made him look like he was doing it just because he knew that Nichi couldn’t see him doing it.

Nichi thought this over. “Is there any other way?”

Belial smiled again. “Well I could give you white eyes.”

Nichi had heard of white eyes, eyes that could only pick up the aura of creatures by the flow of their energies. It however also is said to drive people who have them crazy because they see the dead, and can’t sleep because they can see through their own eyelids. Problems that can be solved if give the proper items. “Will those taint me as being a demon?”

Belial sneered unhappily. “No you remain mortal. Lucky for you should you choose that I happen to have taken some off the last guy that lost a poker match to me.” Belial couldn’t look more pleased with himself to Malice and Magus.

“Don’t do it, neither of those cured ways of gaining back your sight is worth it.” Malice said.

Magus looked confused. This world was so very strange compared to earth.

Nichi though this over. “Give me the eyes.”

Belial smiled happily. “It’s your choice remember that.” He pulled out a jar from under his jacket and poured the two eyes into his hands. Placing his other hand over Nichi’s eyes and the eyes disappeared from his hand and the hand over Nichi’s eyes glow black.

Malice noticed something strange right away when Belial took away his hand. Nichi didn’t have the white eyes. They looked more catlike. “Is that how hey are supposed to look?” He pointed.

Belial looked at Nichi and shock filled him. He looked at the jar. “Oh shit!”

Nichi’s eyes were a dark red and looked very pissed off.

“What the hell did you do Belial?” Malice said stepping back from Nichi who was now glowing a black aura.

Belial swallowed hard.
Ensayne appeared and looked at Nichi’s eyes. “Belial what exactly do you think your doing?” She looked at the other two. “I’d get back if I were you. A bad thing is going to happen to Nichi here and I don’t think you want to see it.”

Before they could get back two horns came to the surface of Nichi’s forehead. Fangs grew and his shirt was burned away by the energy surrounding him. The marks of the ice tribe burnt away. The mark of Xeris formed in its place.

“What the hell is happening to him Belial?” Malice said

Magus looked and then said “He put the wrong eyes in. Those were dragon eyes. Nichi’s body is about to be replaced completely with a new one of its design.” Magus had heard about this once on his travel, but he thought it was only myth.

Ensayne nodded and pointed.

[~Hidan~]

Nichi’s horns were gone, the fangs were not. Otherwise the body looked the same. Nichi passed out and fell to the ground.

Belial looked relieved for some reason. He went over and picked up Nichi. “We should find someplace to rest for the night; he won’t come too for at least a couple of hours.”

The next morning Belial came into the room where they had left Nichi. They had found an old house close to the town gate that was empty. Malice and Magus had each found their own room as well. Nichi was not in the room though. Belial looked outside and around the building. He found Nichi looking at his reflection in the water troth just outside the gate.

“Are you ok?” Belial said with the first sound of actually feeling somewhat concerned thus far.

Nichi looked at his face the eyes that were now in his head scared even him to look at. Other then his eyes the small fangs and pointy ears only his hair had changed to be annoying. It was now almost half way down his back in length and when he tried to cut it just grew back. “I think I’m ok, what exactly happened though.” He turned to Belial and was trying as hard as he could to use his ice powers.

“I pulled out the wrong jar. Those are eyes from a dragon I killed. They were not part of his body but rather in a chest he was protecting. They looked interesting so I took them; I really have no idea what they are aside from that.” Belial said

Ensayne looked at Belial and sighed. “They are no ordinary eye; they are a strange thing that showed up almost 4 thousand years ago. I’ve heard of two other people having them since they showed up. On was a god named Dao, he was the first on to have them. After he was killed they were lost for a long time and then out of no were a demon named Kararn had them, this is the first they have shown up since.”

Belial looked at Ensayne dazzled. “When do you have time to learn this crap?”

“Shut up. All you need to know is be careful the side effects can be very intense.” Ensayne said

Malice and Magus came outside both stretching trying to wake up.

“Well let’s get the last bastard that is here so we can move on to the next place.” Malice said looking pumped up.

Magus looked at Nichi. “Yes let’s get going if everything is all right now. We have much ground to cover.” ‘Schala I’ll find you I swear.’ Magus thought looking at his comrades feeling confidence that this would indeed happen with their help.

Only one more Crystal stood in their way in this town, a bad beginning may be a chance of something good coming.

[Drazniich]

Belial shook his head. "I suppose that I shall have to figure out a way to fix this..." he said, examining his cane. "On the upshot, you'll at least get to try new things."

Nichi grabbed Belial by the coat, raising him off the ground. "I'm glad you find this funny and all, but what happens next?"

Belial looked down at Nichi's hands, then at Nichi's face. Nichi set him down. "Ask the damn sprite, I suppose. She seems to know a lot."

She shrugged. "That's all I know."

Belial adjusted his hat. "I hate to say it, but for better or worse, you're gonna live with it for now. Next time, try to keep your eyes in your own head."

He stalked down the street. Malice glared at him. "He's a lot of trouble, you know." he whispered to Magus.

"How does he survive, acting so reckless?" Magus wondered outloud. Nichi pointed.

"He survives because he's smart. He plays the odds against each other, damnit, and somehow, he seems to come out on top."

As Belial passed a door, a white and black blur slammed into his side, crashing him through the opposite side of the street. Malice and Magus broke into a run. Nichi started walking slowly.

"Well." Belial coughed, standing up. "That wasn't very polite."

The blur turned out to be a shirtless male, with a large red crystal gleaming in his chest. He held a pair of punching daggers, and his boots had small blades pointing out.

Belial raised his hand. "Do you have any last requests befor-"

He was cut off as the thing shrieked at him, lunging forward and bringing his foot across the demon's face. Belial spun, dropping to a knee. "Must play nicely..." he growled.

Malice put his hand against Magus' chest. "This could be fun." he smiled, sprinting forward. The attacker turned on his heel, and blades clashed.

While the crystal baring monster seemed to be all on the offensive, Malice's footwork counter balanced him. The speed was nearly defing vision, but there was no mistaking that Malice's technique was his only hope.

The punching daggers kept coming in high to reach at Malice's throat. Malice, in turn, kept blocking them both, moving his legs away from the bladed kicks. Suddenly, he planted his foot on the attacker's knee, and vaulted up, doing a flip to land headfirst with both daggers extended into the creature's collarbone.

It shrieked, flinging Malice against another wall, which he rebounded off of for a dive roll. COming in low, he stripped the creature's legs, just missing the responding attacks. He threw an excellent leg sweep to knock it off balance, then rose up with a spinning heel kick.

The creature hit the ground face down. Malice cracked his neck. "Want somemore?"

It flipped over, its wounds begining to mend almost instantly. "Ah hell..." he cursed.

Magus' awaiting scythe pinned the abomination to the ground, right through the chest. Without warning, Belial's whip latched around its leg, tearing it from the hip.

He wound up and took the other leg off. Nichi had reached the pandamonium. Before anyone could speak, he leaned over and ripped the thing's head off.

He shattered the gem with his heel. "I don't have time for these damn games." he hissed. THen he composed himself. "Sorry, I'm a little testy."

Belial retracted his weapon. "Yes, and I am a little restrained. And Malice is a little quick, and Magus is a little lost. Do you see the patern?"

"DON'T MOCK ME!" Nichi shouted. Belial held his cane out behind him, striking a stance.

"I gave you those eyes, I can take em' away." Belial warned. It was only half true. He'd have to kill him, of course, and he couldn't, but the demonic motto would always be 'me before you.'

Belial snapped his fingers. His mount decended. "I'll have you know those eyes are priceless, and besides that, I meant no harm in giving them." he actually seemed a little upset. "I try to keep my word, you know."

Malice raised an eyebrow. "Demon? HOnor?"

"We have a very strict code of laws, thank you." Belial snapped. "Ones which keep us from total annihilation."

He started down the street. "I am going to research a bit on those eyes. I suggest you all play nicely in the meanwhile."

[Mong00se]

Belial left the party, cane tapping as he strode down the road, the faerie on his left shoulder whispering into his ear as he went. Malice watched them go as Magus attended to Nichi, and just Belial's form turned to the right blocking the faerie's view from him, Malice swore he saw her staring at him, as if to warn Belial of him.

With every passing minute, I come to trust that demon less he thought, and turned to Magus to help with Nichi.


Though not blind, Nichi was still having some trouble with orientation. He felt groggy, which he figured was pretty good for just having his eyes ripped out and replaced with unknown objects. He thought back to what Ensayne had said, and focused on that as he walked to take away from the searing in what used used to be his eyes. Ensayne had said they came from a dragon, and invoked madness on all who achieved them. Nichi's might flashed back to his unbelievable rage as he decapitated the corrupted warrior. This troubled him, for he'd always been able to keep his emotions in check during any of his fights. Was he too going mad? He shook it out of his memory.

No he told himself. I can fight this.

He knew this wasn't true, that he was lying to himself. Like the two warriors before him, he would soon go mad. He could feel his mind warping. Something inside of him shifted. He was changing. He could already feel his thoughts becoming more malicious. He look to his right, to Magus, who was supporting his weight as they walked through the town square. He could see Magus, and he realized just how easy it would be to draw his sword and end Magus' life there. He shook his head again, banning the thoughts from his head.


Magus looked over at Nichi, and noticed him shaking, troubled. He felt sorry for a warrior such as Nichi. He truly did not deserve a fate such as that. He decided to put his search for Schala on hold, and help Nichi regain his strength. They were on a journey, and he'd still search the towns for mention of a young woman who appeared out of the sky, but he felt it better to help Nichi in his time of need.

Magus smiled. "You alright there buddy?" he asked, concerned.

Nichi answered in a gruff voice, that didn't seem entirely his. "Heh, yea I'll just walk it off. It's nothing."

Magus laughed to humor him. His heart wanted to believe it, but in his mind he knew there was something deeper to this newfound problem. "Good. Well we're at the inn now, lets head upstairs and rest a bit."

"Sounds good." Nichi replied. "And thanks Magus." The last part seemed kind of forced, but Magus didn't care. He was happy that Nichi was doing well.

The three walked into the inn and Magus and Nichi went straight to their rooms. Malice, on the other hand, had a lurking suspicion that something wasn't right. He had some detective work to do, and it started at the library. He waved to Magus, and told him he was heading off to the bar for a quick ale before Belial got back. When the two were in their rooms, he summoned the forces of the winds, and silently travelled toward the library.

*****

Nichi lay in his bed, restless. It took him much longer to fall asleep, and as he did, he hoped that his recurring dream would strike him, in fear of a much worse vision.

[~Hidan~]

Nichi fell asleep. The normal dream as always started.

The village was in flames and people were screaming. For the most part everything seemed normal, only this time Nichi was not killing the enemy he was slaughtering his own people. In the peoples faces that he killed he saw Malice and Magus’s faces, fighting on his side were demons. He could make out Belial’s face amongst the demons. He turned and saw Ishia and with a single blow took off her head.

Nichi sat up in a cold sweat. ‘This is not happening to me.’

He looked out the window and noticed it was midnight.

Malice appeared in the window. “Are you ok?” He said as he floated in the window. “It seems the villagers are all normal again.”

“I don’t really know if I am ok, but I’ll manage.” Nichi said shaking his head.

“Well I looked into the legends behind your eyes.” Malice said pulling out two scrolls. “To say the least they are dangerous. How I am not quite sure yet, but it seems that you’ll be safe as long as you can talk yourself out of doing evil things, evil becomes evil and well it will also become very tempting. Should you loose it and start becoming more and more evil well, let’s just say it’s over for you being a saint and a nice person.”

“I figured. I just had a dream that I killed you and magus and joined forces with the demons. I can’t have that happen.” Nichi thought of the image of killing Ishia.

“Don’t worry we’ll keep you in line, however Belial is getting to the point of pissing me off.” Malice looked at Nichi. “I don’t trust him, in fact every time he looks at me I trust him less.”

“I don’t trust him either. However we don’t have much choice now do we? It’s painfully obvious that he is evil, but he also has some good in him and so long as he has that, well he has a lot to loose by letting the world die as well.”

“I’m not talking about that. I think he knows more about these eyes then he is letting on.” Malice said looking out the window. “And if not him then that little thing that follows him knows more.”

Nichi stood up and stretched. “If they know more and are keeping it from me then it might be for the best.” He smiled.

Meanwhile…..

Belial sat in the moonlight with Ensayne.

“I don’t think its right to not tell him what he’s in store for.” Belial said. He almost felt bad for Nichi, but there wasn’t much he could do.

“If he knows he is going to die and be reborn in the next 15 days he might just try to make you pay for it before he does die.” Ensayne said harshly. “I’ve never known you to give two cents about a mortal anyways.”

Belial glared at Ensayne. “You know damn well why I give a shit. He is the only hope either of us has in living to see the next century.”

Ensayne nodded. “If he dies, he won’t be Nichi anymore, you know that. He’ll be someone sort of like him. He’ll have some of him memories, possibly some of his personality, but he won’t think or act the same.”

Magus stood up from behind a small brick wall. “So what are we supposed to do for him?” Magus looked pretty pissed. “How are we supposed to help out Nichi, we can’t have him die on us.”

Belial with a look of surprise looked over at Magus. “You, the one I least expected to be listening in on me.” Belial grinned. “We can’t do anything but hope that when the change happens he doesn’t come back evil, at least not too evil. If he still has some good in him well, there is a chance that he will be able to keep control.”

Magus turned. “You better hope he turns out ok.”

“I wouldn’t tell him what you know.” Ensayne said calmly.

“I know I won’t, the way I figure it, the less anger he feels right now the more likely he will return as a Nichi willing to help us.” Magus left.

The group formed at the gate the next morning ready to head to the next town. Nichi looked out of it but ok overall.

Malice had decided he was going to take charge now. “Ok guys we have a lot more people to save. Let’s get this show on the road.” They left behind the town and moved on to the horizon in hopes of what might be in store for them next.

[Drazniich]

Belial rode a few paces behind the party, an archaic manuscript in his hands. The cover was stone, with a series of silver glyphs decending down the front. Each page sent a scene in black fire above the book, twisting and turning as it played out an epic love story.

She was a child, and I was a child...

He slowly reached his hand through the images. They flitted around his fingers, escaping his touch. It played on. There was an angel, he flaming wings outstretched as she cradled someone in her arms. There was a sword embedded in his ribs, and flames pulsed down the handle. He turned the page again.

Now, she drew the blade out, turning towards something unseen. A massive demonic visage decended towards her, and she screamed defiant silently as its hand came to sweep her away. The dying figure at her feet raised himself up slowly, pointing a crooked finger at the monster. A great gout of flames torrented towards its face, but the angel was taken up with it.

Bleeding and crying, the figure lay, as a single rose fell down from above. He picked it up gently. While the rest of the story was in black fire, this, somehow, was in gold.

Belial slammed the book shut.

"So many, so long, so fast." He sighed. Malice looked back.

"Years?" he said simply. Belial nodded.

"TIme may fly, and make fools of us all, but what can unbreak the hardest of hearts? Can a shattered diamond ever hold beauty again?" Belial mused. "Some small portion of the world belives that nothing ever really goes away. That they just go somewhere else."

Malice nodded.

"However, the things that come from where all the others go, where do they go when they die?" Belial looked off into the sunset. "Feelings are not lines of silver connecting us, they are internal, nothing more."

Malice cracked his knuckles. Magus rode back. "Tell me a story." Magus said simply.

Belial raised an eyebrow as he lit a ciggarette. "What kind of story?"

"A story. Any story. SOmething to pass the time." Magus answered.

Belial sighed, thinking back to all the tales he knew. "A demon scorned can rock the foundations of the earth, and no one better example exists than this one. Ages and ages ago..."

Belial spoke the story, but it began to replay in his mind again...

-----------------------------

There he was, armored and armed. In his hands, the black sledgehammer he'd annhilated many a city with. His wings of stone were spread, and he was pacing foward across a battlefield. With every step, a small patch of grass burned into cinders, till the wind was carrying ashes like snowflakes. The sky faded from a brilliant blue to a dull crimson. LIghtning arced across clouds of gray, the earth rumbling slightly. He wasn't walking, he was foretelling. His stride carried him with all the sureness of a glacier, there was no stopping nor swaying him.

He was drawing towards a rift in reality, one through which his opponent had stepped. It was no mortal or immortal. It was a mockery of both, a clockwork messiah. Its vents gouted steam with its every move, and pistons clicked, shuffled and whirred upon its back. Standing a full twelve feet tall, created of brass and steel, its arms a strange combobulation of various projectile weaponry, from a five barrled cannon to a large, crystaline structured elemental weapon. Jutting out from below the massive full arms were smaller, lithe arms, carrying dangerously sharp blades that whirled into motion. About his feet were the bodies of many a foe, demon and angel alike, but one was still moving. His legs had been snapped off at the knees, and his chest was blasted open, but the dark ether inside him was somewhat intact. Belial was drawing slowly closer.

The clockwork monster looked slowly down at the wounded angel. It said nothing, though capable of speech when needed. Instead, it just leveled the cannon at the angel's head.

Shivering with pain, the angel spat a mouthfull of blood directly into the barrel that began to glow.

Belial winced as he watched his only friend's head explode in a cloud of gore. But it was too late for that now. Cast with a hard heart, fate had taken everything from him. Now, he'd strike back, first this thing, then fate itself.

The machine started lumbering forward, the steam venting rhythmically huffing. It raised both arms, aiming for Belial.

He kept approaching. The weapons both lept into life, barraging the demon with a withering hail of fire. Belial didn't even flinch as his wings were ripped to shreds, shrapnel embedding in the ground below. He kept walking.

The machine stopped approaching, and seemed almost puzzled.

"You took them." Belial said calmly. The machine brought the massive cannon atop its back to bear, firing a shell the size of a human.

Belial swept it away with a wave of his arm. "You killed them. You, who cannot feel victory, loss, or success. You killed them all."

It slowly began to revese direction, firing again. Another shell thudded into the earth. It was swallowed up as the ground began to fissure. Flames erupted almost a mile high from each crack.

The machine tensed up, waiting to pounce. Belial was only ten feet away now. His hands were gripped tight enough to dent the handle on his nigh indestructable weapon. Before attempting to close the gap, the machine fired its crystal elemental arm at Belial.

THe beam ceased to exist upon hitting th hammer head. THe machine lowered its self, pressure building till the vents screeched. It lept.

Twelve someodd tons of screaming death attempted to crush the demon bodily. Belial gripped his hammer directly below the head and brought it up square into the monsters chest, stopping it dead. Cracks formed.

"Your protecting magic failed you." Belial said coldly. He snap kick the thing back a few feet. Striking a stance, he raised his hammer. "No soul."

He brought it down with a clap of thunder. It sent the monster reeling. He raised his weapon again, this time, coming around to smash it on the shoulder. The cannon fell off, brass melting from the sheer force of the weapon.

Cogs popped out. The twin bladed arms aimed towards Belial's chest, but he spun his hammer around and ripped them off. The machine's head was level with Belial's.

"Emotions I have none." It intoned, its voice just the right series of tiny bells being struck. "Emotions are the force of destiny. But you do not carry any in your heart, cold one."

Belial gritted his teeth, thinking of the thirty brothers and sisters he'd lost that day. "No, I carry mine in my fist."

He headbutted the thing, then lept up a few feet to bring the full force of his weapon down upon the clockwork messiah's forhead. It fell, its mechanisms ceasing, to the earth.

-----------------------

Belial paused. "Thirty friends that day. Thirty faces that comeback to me everytime I feel pain. Eons and eons of loss. Tell me what makes us evil. Instinct? A wicked heart? Or simply time?"

[FFnut]

****************************
Palis, The Year 699 Ishia, Somewhere

Magus looked up at Belial. "What makes us evil?" he asked. "I wish I knew the same thing. I was considered evil back in my world. I simply wanted revenge on a monster for..." he trailed off, then realized that he was thinking too much again. "...anyway, I began to lead a war while trying to summon the monster at the same time. Some of my enemies found out that I was summoning a creature that would destroy the world later. They confronted me, challenging me while I was summoning the monster. At the time, I did not know that this monster would destroy the world in almost fourteen hundred years. They were confused - they thought I created the monster, whereas I merely summoned it from the depths of the earth. Later I joined them. But what makes us evil? In my case, it was keeping a dark secret. I wanted vengeance, without explaining my intentions." He looked around, making sure that Nichi and Malice were further ahead. He lowered his voice. "And if you don't tell Nichi what's going to happen to him before it happens, you'll be considered just as bad."

Belial's eyes widened. "Interesting. I'd never thought of it that way. Still," he muttered, glancing at Ensayne who was also flitting about nearby, "I think we'd better hold off for a few days. There may be a way to fix him, in which case, why bother making him anxious?"

Magus nodded, and suddenly gasped. He hopped off his mount and grabbed a small red rock on the floor, examining it.

Nichi and Malice turned around and rode back. "What is it, Magus?" asked Malice.

Magus picked it up, examining it. "I think it's Dreamstone," he said, "but it's from my world, not this one. There's only one way any Dreamstone could have made it here; either with me, but I didn't have any, or from... the pendant..." He closed his eyes and gripped the rock piece tightly.

****************************
Palis, The Year 698 Ishia, Somewhere

Rain splatted against the desert ground. Heavily armored boots trudged through the muddy ground, leading a dragon with a young woman on its back. She sat up on the dragon's back groggily. The soldier turned and slapped her. The force from his slap threw her pendant from her neck, and it shattered on the ground. She jumped off the dragon to collect the pieces - she had all except one safely hidden in her cloak before the soldier slapped her into unconsciousness again. He hoisted her back onto the dragon and continued trudging down the path. The small stone remained on the ground.

****************************
Palis, The Year 699 Ishia, Somewhere

Nichi, Malice, and Belial all leaned towards Magus's face. Magus's eyes suddenly snapped open, the red in them gleaming. He grabbed Nichi by the front of his shirt and pulled him close. "When's the last time it rained here?"

Nichi shook his head. "What kind of question is that?"

Magus's grip tightened. "Answer! When did it last rain?"

Nichi shrugged. "A little over a week ago, at best guess."

Magus let go of Nichi and sank to the ground. "A week. A week. We'll never...' He suddenly stood up, his eyes looking out into the distance. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He opened his eyes again. "The black wind howls..." he whispered, although he was too quiet for anyone else to hear. He walked over to his mount. "Come on! We'll never crush the next crystal standing around like this!" He rode off as fast as possible, the others close behind.

[~Hidan~]

Everyone was worried about what was going to happen to Nichi, it was the 7th day he had the eyes in him and they seemed to have taken a large toll on him. He wasn’t talking much and kept away from the fights they were having along the way. They had set up a camp near a river, Nichi had already fallen asleep.

Masuto looked at Nichi as he slept. ‘He’s growing weaker; I’ll be able to have some fun soon.’ He thought. Masuto woke up.

Malice and Magus looked over at Nichi’s body only to find nothing.

“Were did he go?” Magus said looking around.

“Malice and Magus is it, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” A familiar voice said coming from the shadows. Nichi, just with long red hair stepped into the light of the fire. “I hope you don’t mind me joining you, Nichi’s out cold for a while so you’ve got me.” He smirked.

Malice and Magus looked at each other in disbelief. Belial walked up behind Nichi.

“Who are you?” Belial said with a hiss.

“Why I am Masuto Ochiri.” He laughed. “You must be the famous demon Belial; I’ve even heard stories of you in the whispers of the spirits.”

Belial looked at him and went to the fire and sat down. “So you’re the spirit connected with the eyes?”

“Why yes I am. I am the legendary slayer of dragons, I killed so many of them that I was granted their power, too bad it killed me, but lucky for me I was able to pass myself on in these eyes.” He pointed to his eyes.

Malice looked and confusion struck him, the eyes he pointed at were normal blue eyes. “So what will happen to Nichi?”

“Oh nothing, we’ll just be sharing this body for a while. I’ve decided not to kill him, because he has more potential then my own power.” Masuto grinned.

“Are you on our side?” Magus said being very strait forward and stern.

“I am on your side, and now that I am awake Nichi won’t be such a looser anymore, he should start feeling a bit better.” Masuto said.

The three of them looked at each other, then noticed that Masuto had gone back to sleep.

The next day Nichi woke up he felt great.

“Nichi?” Malice said looking at him.

“Yes? What is it?” He turned and looked at Malice who was standing a few feet away.

Malice looked at Nichi, his eyes were normal again; he had the same green eyes he had when Malice first met him. “Nichi your eyes, they are normal!”

Nichi ran to the river and looked into the river to see that in fact his eyes had been restored to normal. “What happened last night? I had the strangest dream.”

Malice explained everything to Nichi.

“No way I’ve got some other personality inside me now?” Nichi scratched his head. “I guess it could be worse.” He smiled and started to whistle and seemed almost too happy.

Magus looked at Malice. “What the hell is wrong with him?”

“I think he’s lost it.” Malice said looking at Nichi strangely as Nichi went about getting ready to go in a strange and bouncy matter.

Belial looked at Nichi and turned the other way. ‘Oh great, he’s been tamed by Masuto, just what we need’ he though and sighed.

“Let’s go!” Nichi said jumping on his carnasor.

[Drazniich]

Belial shrugged. Some time, he'd have to deal with it. When it came up, reality could be torn to accomodate such a termination.

He adjusted his glasses. Every once in a while, Belial had a tendency to subconciously throw a wrench in the works. This may have been the worst one to date.

Naturally, as they rode, he contemplated this as a pattern. That was his other hobby. Spotting potential proofs to either fate or choice, long term routes that proved consistant over the eternity he was given.

And, naturally, as sprites are wont to do, Ensayne rode on top of Nichi's head, singing "Jeepers Creepers," for a good couple hours. Every time some one swatted at her, she dodged in that way that only annoying pixies can.

Belial sighed finally and said "I gave them to him."

Ensayne nodded. "Cool then."

He went back to his thoughts. There was no such thing, he belived, as fate, although you had to admit then that luck had to exist. But things happened too convienently. He could be realitivly sure that giving Nichi those eyes was going to end up either saving or condeming the world, or at least a small part thereof. But, then again, Belial was the only one who could heal them, realistically, whether or not he improved on the original design didn't really matter.

If Fate existed, Nichi was no better nor worse off than before. If choice existed, that Nichi would suffer only because it was Belial's fault, then it could be said that he'd be screwed, because no one can ignore a guilt trip quite like a demon.

As of the present time, he'd never seen Nichi that alert. Belial liked to think that these three had a 55% chance of being the ones to save the world, or at least, bail him out to the point where he could put his finger on the scales.

Many a kingdom owed their survival or downfall to a wellplaced action from the demon. Belial looked at his companions, not without a touch of compassion. "You of course realize, no matter what happens, that you all will go down in history as having sold your souls to achieve whatever end we reach."

Magus looked over annoyed. "Excuse me?"

"You have associated with me. I hate to say this, but many people will say you gave your souls to me to achieve the powers that you will need to slay these intruders. Sorry. Them's the brakes." Belial sighed. "You'd figure that perhaps I give these boons out of foolish sentiment, but nope. Everyone thinks that you have to give your soul to a demon for it."

He gestured at Nichi. "Sometimes, you're just a happy mistake. Others..."

Belial shuddered to think of some of the abominations he'd created. He wouldn't be surprised if any of them were still alive.

[Mong00se]

Nichi rode with a newfound confidence. He looked high to the sky, as if he could never see and had just acquired the talent for the first time in his life. Magus and Malice looked at him with unease. This Masuto character was having more of an affect on Nichi then he was willing to admit. Nichi rode higher in his mount. He seemed physically taller. Though that was the only physical trait so far they'd seen, the mental tolls had hit him hard. He rode wearing a newfound confidence in his abilities, but that had come with a price. He also rode with a newfound cockyness, which he constantly mocked Magus for. While Malice felt uneasy still, he looked at Belial and saw him actually smile for the first time since the two had had the "priveledge" of meeting. the smile looked more ominous then joyful, but Malice could sense that the demon was up to something yet again.

"Haha don't worry Magus, one day when you obtain skills like me, I'll teach yea how to use him?"" Nichi taunted, seemingly playful.

Magus winced as if hit by an arrow, then he shook his head. "Malice, when will we be at the next town?"

Before Malice could answer, Belial spoke up. "The next town is Frevola. It's a large town, so do not expect your search to be over as quickly as in the other village. We should be there by dusk."

It was already midafternoon, and Malice figured he could bear the ride. Their seemingly perfect team wasn't turning out to be what it should, and Malice blamed Belial. Malice had a suspicion that the demon had awoken the Masuto demon for a reason, maybe to sway Nichi into helping him kill his demon. Either way, Malice only smelled more trouble and turmoil in the group in the future. The four rode in silence.


As dusk hit the travellers noticed a tall city on the plains. Lit by torch, it almost seemed magical. The sun began setting behind them, creating darkness faster in the distance. As they came closer to the city, they heard a scream, and noticed a single figure run from the gate.

"Hya," Nichi urged, and pressed his carnosaur forward. The others happily obliged and did the same.

Three carnosaur exploded from the gate, travelling at inhuman speed, even so for a carnosaur. They could barely be seen through the darkness, and they appeared as little beacons of light from the torches their riders carried. The scream, now noted as a mans scream, came again and the man continued to run towards Malice and the party. Nichi, still in the lead, broke forward from the group, and grabbed the man as he ploughed through. Nichi reared his mount and it came to a stop in front of the pursuing riders. They skid to a stop and leapt off their carnosaur.

"Give ussss the man, he is wanted in our kingdom," they said in an inhuman hiss with a hint of rage.

Nichi immediately noticed something wrong, and spoke. "What has this poor man done to you? He does not look to me like a common criminal."

The lead exploded, "GIVE HIM TO US NOW." And he raised his poleaxe in response, pointing it at Nichi.

Magus looked up. "I think they're infected guys."

Malice agreed. "Yeah, and what's to say the whole village isn't the same. A chase such as this would not go unnoticed between the guards. I think the village must be infested."

"In that case, lets crush 'em," Nichi said, and drew his sword. "Sorry guys, but he's ours. Ensayne, look after this man, we'll need to talk after."

Ensayne looked at him with a look of disgust on her face. She looked to Belial, who just laughed.

The three villagers attacked, and Malice knocked his fists together. Magus drew his scythe and readied himself. They waited for an attack. Nichi, on the other hand, didn't wait, but attacked. He swung his sword, blocking the blow of the lead's poleaxe and snapping the weapon in two. He swung his leg around and connected with the outside of his foot, his leg still bent at a V. There was a distinct cracking sound as the lead's jaw broke. He crumpled to the gruond. The other two attacked him in a rage. Nichi sidestepped the blow, and the villager stumbled forward. He parried the second blow and with a sweep of his legs, the villager lay on the ground. Nichi spun his sword so it rested downward in his hand, and stabbed the villager on the ground. The second villager regained his balance and attacked him. With his awkward grip, he blocked the blow, swinging his arm forward, pushing the sword back. With a quick pull back, he ran the villager through the heart.

Nichi quickly dealt with the lead villager, who lay on the ground, blood erupting from his mouth. He turned to the man, who lay shaking on the ground watching the fight. "Now," Nichi said. "What has happened to your village?"

[~Hidan~]

As Nichi walked towards the man who lay shaking Nichi started to scream in pain and fell to his knees. Nichi started to convulse on the ground and then as if nothing ever was wrong stood back up. Malice and Magus knew instantly that it was Masuto that was now standing there. Belial cocked his head in interest in what was about to happen.

This time Masuto looked different. Instead of the short red hair he had last time it was long and a silvery grey. He seemed even taller then last time, he also seemed somehow divine. “What were you running from these men for?”

The villager at first seemed freaked out, but now that he was talking to Masuto he calmed down, somehow Masuto’s voice seemed almost calming. “Just recently our town was taken over by the dark shroud and our lord went insane, slowly so did all the villagers. I never turned like them and so they thought I was a traitor and tried to kill me so I ran.”

Belial looked at them men who were dead on the ground. None of them seemed to be carrying a shard of any type. “It’s an Aunix crystal or red one as you loosely call it. This is not good, they influence anyone lower then them, which means this man here has royal, demon, or godly blood in him.”

Malice examined the bodies further. “They all have velmore marks on the back of their heads, defiantly mind control, but more then just that. It seems whoever is leading this is also streaming their power to all those under his control. We’ll probably have to kill everyone just to get to him.” Malice sighed.

Magus kneeled near the man and started to cast a healing spell on his legs. “Have you seen a girl around here?” He went on to describe Schala in detail.

The man shook his head. “I’m sorry but I have heard nothing of a person like this.”

Magus sighed.

Malice watched Masuto as he walked around the dead bodies. Masuto seemed to be giving off a very strange aura. “Who exactly are you Masuto?”

“Well now the questions start.” Masuto said as he went on to explain that he was the first person of this world to become a god through helping his people, then ascended to being a demon by killing so many because he was enraged that he could not marry after becoming a god. He was in love with a girl so badly that he decided to become a demon so that he could marry and have kids. Only it took so long for him to kill enough people to become a demon that she had already passed away. So he killed himself only to leave his soul stuck in a set of eyes. He had gone from body to body for almost twenty thousand years. Nichi was the first person with a body and spirit strong enough to hold him.

He told this while carrying and digging the men graves.

Malice and Magus were at first confused at what Masuto was doing, they then decided to help. Belial grinned at what was going on. ‘So thousands of years later he has finally come to peace with the death of his loved one.’

Another set of men on carnasors came out of the town at full tilt. Malice and Magus drew weapons and prepared for defense. Belial decided to watch rather then fight.

Masuto motioned to them to lower their weapons. He stood in front of the men as they approached. The men didn’t even stop they just jumped off their carnasors and jumped into attack. Masuto didn’t even draw Nichi’s sword. Rather he raised his hand and closed his eyes, a wave of energy passed from his hand knocking over the men and stunning them.

“Rope please.” Masuto said as he sat down exhausted.

Malice and Magus ran over with the rope and started to tie up the men. Belial grinned, exactly what he expected from a man like him.

After attempting to question the men several times and getting nothing from them Malice and Magus tied them to a tree sever miles outside the town.

Masuto never changed back into Nichi after that fight but slept for several hours after the fight. Malice and Magus returned to find Belial talking to Masuto.

“What are you two talking about?” Magus said looking at Masuto strangely.

“We were talking about coming to terms with the sins of our past.” Masuto said smiling. He had changed more; he looked even more like a different person.

Belial nodded. “We are also talking about what has happened to Nichi’s spirit.”

Malice looked at Belial with murderous eyes. “So what has happened to him?”

Masuto looked strait at Malice. “He gave up, something he said was wrong with what had happened since he and I joined body. He gave me his body in return he will be my first son if I have one.”

Magus shook his head. “So he handed his life over to you because he feels that you’re powerful enough to save his mother and this world?”

Masuto nodded.

Malice looked displeased. Now he had to trust two demons to helping him. “I don’t trust you, or what you’re saying, can you prove that he actually intended for this?”

Masuto looked at Malice and shook his head. “No I can’t, and I’m afraid I won’t be much use to anyone for a while. It will take a long time before I can gain much power, or learn to control this body’s power.”

“Magus and Malice I know you don’t trust me at all but Nichi really did wish for this to happen. He was here just a moment before you came back, he had hoped to talk to you but his strength left him too quickly.” Belial said arms crossed and eyes closed.

[Mong00se]

Magus and Masuto drifted fast into sleep that night under the rocky outcrop they'd chosen as their makeshift camp. Their snores echoed across the plains. Malice had his own agenda though. He feigned sleep, listening to Belial whistle across the fire. The tune was hypnotic. It sang of a burden, the burden of destruction and of sorrow that Belial carried. Malice listened as Belials tune told him the story of a great war of the past, and more preticularily of its loss. Though the whistling didn't sound morbid, it was produced with a great weight, as if Belial was carrying the world on his shoulders.

Though Malice had never heard the song before, he felt drawn to it. He listened intently, and the notes formed in his head. He silently followed along, singing himself the tune. He swore he'd never heard it, and yet something about it felt so close to his heart. He tried to think back to his childhood, but he could not recollect any instance of that song. As Belial stopped the tune and put out the fire, Malice hummed to himself, entranced.

When he was sure that Belial was sound asleep, he slowly got up and gathered his things. He prodded Magus, and he slowly rolled over, sleeping soundly. Good, he would need them to be asleep. Malice windwalked up onto the rock quickly, and hid his pack amoungst the grass. He marked the spot; he'd return for it later. By that time, the group would be looking for him elsewhere, and he could windwalk back in and collect his stuff.

He was regretful to leave them, but with the current situation, he felt safer by himself. The elders had told him to collect strong willed warriors. Magus could become a Theirian mage. His kind could enhance his magical abilities, molding Magus into a powerful warrior. Once, Malice thought the same of Nichi, but with his newfound demon, he wasn't so sure. Belial was neglecting to tell them something about Masuto, and Malice could hear the tenseness in Masuto's voice. His happy demeanor seemed too forced. He was safe for now, but how long before his companions put him in harms way?

Malice windwalked down, realizing just how little he knew of the elders plans for the warriors. Malice was completely in the dark, and it was a feeling that made him useasy. He knew the elders weren't playing him, but it felt that they too were hiding something from him. With all his friends hiding their secrets from him, he was better of alone. He looked back as he left, and frowned into the dark. He'd conquer the town alone, without raising a ruckus and then he'd move west, instead of the intended east, towards the village of Falgoh. From there, he'd have a better shot through the mountains towards his destination. Silently he turned to leave.

"Leavin' without us? And yea didn't even say goodbye? How your friends would pain over your loss."

Malice spun around to find Belial leaning against a tree, widdling a stick. His face and body were basked in moonlight, and he gave off an otherworldly glow.

"Demon, it's none of your business, but I must leave," Malice said unswayed by the demon's taunts.

"It's because you can't trust me isn't it? You fear your own life, and our humble group is slowing you down?" The demon replied as-a-matter-of-factly.

"That's... not it. I won't discuss it with you demon. You have ruined my friends life, and I will not forgive you for what you have done."

By this point, Malice was furious. But Belial simply smiled, and calmly said,

"I believe you take your friends for granted, young one. I know more about life and death than you think, and the wisdom I could bestow upon you is endless."

"And at what price would this come? My eyes? My body? My soul?"

"You have me wrong boy. My past is... long and troublesome. The worlds largest library could not hold the knowledge I possess from years of unrelenting torment. But it is behind me, and I long to create a new existance, one less scarring." He paused and pointed. "Tell me Malice, do you intend on vanquishing the whole town? I warn you now it is a task far out of your reach. There lies a troubled soul, and I don't like you would be able to come to terms with it."

Malice almost exploded, but then lowered his voice. "You will not keep me from accomplishing my goal, and it lies in that town. That is where I will head. Please do not try and stop me."

"I will not stop you. Instead, I will join you. I have become frail in my years, or moreso then one thousand years ago, and my body could use the exercise."

Belial put his arm on Malice's shoulder, and they began to walk towards the city.

"Plus, we have some talking to do."

[FFnut]

*****************************
Somewhere, Sometime, Magus's Dream

"..." said Crono.

The gigantic beast loomed ahead. Magus turned to look at it, but it seemed... different, somehow. It was as if it wasn't really... "Crono," Magus whispered hoarsely, "what is that thing? It's not Lavos, is it?"

Lucca spoke up. "It's sort of Lavos... don't you remember? Lavos merged with Schala. They're one and the same now. And it's still ripping everything apart."

Magus shook his head. Impossible. Lavos and Schala merged? How can this be? And now they must defeat Lavos... but he couldn't kill Schala...

Lavos-Schala fired a beam, disintegrating Crono.

Again? thought Magus. He's already been blasted by Lavos, we brought him back, but... He glanced around. None of the other team members were there. He saw the monster's face clearly now; it was, in fact, Schala's. Magus's hand trembled, and he dropped his scythe. The abomination began charging up a second beam.

Magus's hand unconciously dropped into his pocket. His fingers tightened around a small red piece of rock. He took it out and stared at it. ...Dreamstone? From the Mammon Machine? Or maybe... from Palis? Ugh... what is Palis? he wondered. Suddenly it all came flooding back to him. Defeating Lavos at Crono's side... coming to Palis searching for Schala... That's not even part Schala. This is just a dream. He lifted his trembling hand.

The monster was done charging.

Magus screamed "Dark Matter!" The pure dark energy flowed from his fingertips, completely surrounding the monster.

Nothing happened to it.

The beam flew at him.

I'm dead... I'm dead and I can never save Schala. If it was truly a dream I'd have woken up by now. What is this? What's in my mind? Schala... Schala... this thing has twisted her... I can't kill her, but I can't die either... Schala... Schala... "SCHALA!"

The beam seemed to freeze.

Time itself seemed to freeze.

The words "Dark Flare" escaped from Magus's mouth.

A flame composed of compressed darkness appeared beneath the creature.

A force comparable to that of Bahamut's breath (honestly the only analogy I know everyone on an FF board will get) blasted the monster.

The shell split.

The beam vanished.

Magus looked at the foul creature within the shell. Magus shook his head and blinked. Is that...

The sleeper dashed at Magus with incredible speed. Magus knew he was going to die, when suddenly...

Masuto came flying out of nowhere. "Need a little help?" he asked.

Magus nodded. "I dunno if Nichi told you, but that thing is a sleeper demon called Zera-shaal. It's after Belial, though I don't know why. Only people with good intentions can hurt- OOF!" He went tumbling as the sleeper charged him.

Masuto stepped back. "Wow. That thing is fas- OW!" He also flew back a bit.

Zera-shaal let out a horrible screech. It charged for Magus again.

This time Magus knew what to do. He whipped out his scythe... then remembered he dropped it when he was fighting Lavos-Schala. He got slammed again.

Masuto staggered up. "The hell was tha- GRAH!" Another hit.

Magus got up again. He gripped the Dreamstone. He squeezed harder and harder until it cut his palm. The pain stimulated his brain...

**************************
Palis, The Year 699 Ishia, Campsite

Magus sat straight up. His palm was bleeding. He quickly crawled over and shook Masuto awake.

Masuto looked at him groggily. "What the... is it gone?"

Magus nodded. "For now, at least. But it found us, it might be looking for Belial soon." He glanced up at the night sky, remembering the surge of power that went through him when he cast Dark Flare. I'd better remember how to do that one, he thought. Then he began shouting. "Belial! Belial! BELIAL!"

[Drazniich]

Belial's hand sparked as he put it on Malice's shoulder. "To understand the destruction you cause, you must always know why you do it."

Malice ground his teeth. "Don't your kind thrive on pain and suffering?"

"No. No we don't. We do what we know. We suffer constantly. Our world is a long, lonely walk of rejection, repression, and isolation." Belial's eye shed a single, silver tear. "Any thing of beauty you hold shall turn to ash, they say. You do things for people, you hand them gifts to achieve their ends, and invariably, they abuse it. And rather than admit that perhaps they are evil inside, or that they were too weak to hold that gift, they say we corrupted them. That we took their souls..."

Malice stopped. "Wait, you don't?"

"I have never, NEVER, in all my existance, given a gift with a string like that attached. I would not instill evil in a creature. I have given each one praying for my salvation."

"You sound like you work hard to do good. Then howcome you can't hurt a sleeper?" Malice wondered outloud.

"Because... because when you have to suffer this much, your emotions become unstable. I hate to admit it... I don't want... I never... I HATED IT!" Belial fell to his knees, gripping his head. "BUT THEY PUSH YOU! WE SHOULDN'T HAVE FEELINGS!"

Malice looked in horror as black flames circled Belial. "I never asked for it..." Belial whispered. "But they kept on screaming..."

Malice tried to pick Belial to his feet. Instead, he shared the hallucination. A city burning in the black fires Belial was known to create. Belial was crying in the center of a crossroads, as all around him, ashes rose high into the sky. Implanted in his ribs was a holy claymore.

Malice fell over backwards. Belial rose again. He lifted Malice back up, steadying him. Malice was shaking from the anguish he felt that Belial carried. "You know, not all of us become damned. Some of us were sadly born that way."

And then, Belial was flung thirty feet away. Standing there, inches from Malice was a fourteen foot tall abberation. Its aura was completely visable, almost masking the creature in darkness. But it was there. Its massive arms and legs were strained, as if not attacking was an effort it could barely maintain.

OOG: I'm going to mention that the specifics of it are a mish-mash of your innerfears.]

Belial kicked up from the ground. "You!" He shouted. He thrust his hands out forward and a horrific gout of flames slammed into the Sleeper.

It ignored them, charging forward and pinning Belial to the ground. Its fist came down into Belial's chest again and again.

Malice blinked. He rushed forward, jumping on its back. "BACK TO HELL WITH YOU!" he roared, stabbing the back of its neck again and again.

Belial put both feet into its chest, throwing it off. His wings shot out as he rose up like the last tide upon a flaming shore. "Now, you will see... true demonic combat..." he growled.

Sure, you had to have goodness in your heart to hurt a sleeper. But when two demons battle, they can always hurt one another.

The area around Belial, Malice and Zera Shaal began to darken. Malice backflipped off of the sleep, landing behind Belial. Belial spun, planting his palm right in the middle of Malice's chest.

He fell, twitching, coughing up a mouthfull of blood. Belial began a series of gestures. Zera Shaal charged forward, and met a wall of un-reality. He stopped before hitting it. A host of black shadowed demons poured from the rift, swarming Zera Shaal.

Malice suddenly felt... diffrent. His limbs felt a little loose. He went to stand, and was nearly thrown off balance by the new speed he had.

"What have you done?" he gasped. He easily cleared Belial, the rift, and Zera-Shaal in one leap. He unleashed a flurry of kicks and punches onto the Sleeper.

Zera-Shaal roared, flinging the shade demons from his form. He swung both his arms outward, dispelling the rift. Belial formed a square with his fingers infront of him, and a bolt of nothingness careened towards the demon.

Malice ran up the demon's back, kicking Zera Shaal as he lept straight up. The bolt passed cleanly through the sleeper, who dropped to his knees. The wound began to close rapidly, however.

Belial raised his hands over his head. Suddenly, two pillars of ice appeared behind him. The whole scene shifted to the middle of a bustling city. People ran screaming. Belial looked around, terrified at the change. Zera-Shaal started to advance. Malice lept off of buildings on either side, slamming into Zera-Shaal. The sleeper was pounded down against the ground again and again.

Malice suddenly fell limp, going through a window. He panted and coughed. He felt weak as a newborn kitten.

And very, very thirsty...

Belial spun, drawing his cane. The pillars of ice dissapeared. "COWARDS!" he screamed. Zera-Shaal was regaining his balance.

Belial thrust his arms outward. "For what I must do... I am truely sorry..."

He pointed at Malice. The weakened warrior disapeared.

Zera-Shaal began to charge. HIs speed was gaining. Belial crossed his arms in an X infront of his face.

"Please... let them all die in the change..."

He thrust his arms outward again. Zera-Shaal was inches from him as a giant wave of nothing flew outward.

Belial disapeared.

------------

Belial landed from the sky right next to Malice. Masuto calmly walked over to them. "What in the name of..."

Belial just lay there, shivering. His wings retracted. Malice slowly and shakily got to his feet. "Wa... water..."

Belial thrust his hand out. "Stay back..."

Even Masuto felt the evil that Belial had just done. Over half a city, winked out of existance. And he knew, deep inside, that the sleeper would most likely return. After all, he could be recreated. All they needed was matierals.

Belial was wretching and spasming. Silver blood was escaping his lips. He heaved and rolled, finally just twitching, sprawled on the ground.

"So... much... matter... to... consume..." Belial whispered...

Masuto sighed. "You ARE a demon of unmakeing." he shook his head. "Lucky bastard."

Malice drained a bottle, slowly crawling to another.

Magus propped Belial up. "What's an unmaker?"

Masuto looked solem. "They can make things cease to exist. True destruction. But doing so takes not only tremendous effort, it also requires the Demon to take some of it into himself. And how many souls did you just unmake?"

Belial closed his eyes. "Uncountable."

He looked like someone who drank far too much. Paler, shaking, he used his cane to get to his feet. "Its like an overdose..."

He turned, placing his hand on Malice's head. Malice felt rejuvenated, and still a little loose. "I had to help you, kiddo." Belial whispered. "I thought you could use a limited removal. YOu can push your speed without limit, saving how much energy you have."

Malice just stared at the sky. Belial sat down. "I suppose we must do something soon?"

----

OOG: Yep. Unmaking. To clarify, having just decimated that city, a good couple punches will truck Belial into a coma for a little while. He'll be normal again in a few hours. Malice's gift stays till Belial removes it.

[~Hidan~]

Masuto looked at Belial and shook his head. “I was created as a Tormenter Demon when I was changed over. I feel it’s much more painful to be like you.” Masuto stood up and walked towards town and then jumped into the air, in the distance lay a hole in the outer edge of the town, it spread over two miles. This was the second largest city in the alliance, over a hundred thousand people probably died in that blast.

Malice had finally calmed his thirst. Masuto walked back towards them. “What were you doing?” Malice said looking at Masuto who had a look of sorrow on his face.

“I was seeing just how many died in the blast.” Masuto said now smiling at Malice. “One hundred thousand is my estimate.”

Malice fell to his knees. “So many. Holy shit!” Malice looked at Belial in contempt. “You killed that many people to save yourself?”

Belial just laughed. “Would you rather I let him kill me and you and then the rest of the people in the city then the one we just freed and then Gracia?”

Malice sighed and lowered his head. Magus thought about what he had done in his own past and sighed as well.

“Its nothing, did you know that all of Palice use to be under the protection of Gracia, everyone was happy and there were no serious demons here. I made it that way, and now the 90% of the world that is in their control that was all my doing. I killed everyone that lived on that side of the world that’s how it fell under the crystal shroud.” Masuto said as tears fell from his eyes. “I killed 41 billion people.”

Malice looked at Masuto and went white. He could not believe his ears. “And you did this all because you were not aloud to get married?”

“Love is a powerful thing.” Masuto said looking at the sky as the sun began to rise.

They gathered their gear and started towards town. Masuto whistled to the beat of Belials cane tapping. The beats together seemed to make Malice and magus seem more confident in their strength. Malice decided to carry a few extra bottles of water with him, seeing as the power Belial gave him might be useful in their current situation. The streets seemed empty as they walked through town. Eyes could be made out in the windows of the houses as they passed but they all looked frightened.

Only a small group of heavy armored men stood at the end of the road, in front of the town Palace. Malice turned red in the face with anger. He knew someone in that crowd.

“Guys take care of the others; the tall one with the red hair is mine.” Malice said as the men drew their weapons. Masuto stopped and raised his hands, two of them men immediately stopped and started to scream. “I’ll hold these two the others are up to you two.”

Malice killed two as he ran towards the red headed man, Magus was holding his own against a group of four men and Belial killed a few that ran towards him but mostly protected Masuto as he channeled to the two he was holding. Suddenly they both stopped screaming and looked at each other and then committed suicide. “Sweet dreams.”

[Mong00se]

A great noise echoed through the streets, and Belial quickly turned to see one of the men blowing into a conch horn. With a flick of his wrist, the queen of spades embedded in the soldiers neck, and he topped to the ground.

The noise still lingered in the air as Malice approached his goal. The red haired man stood at the top of the palace steps, looking meniacly at him. His eyes burned flames, which only added to the insanity blatantly drawn on his face. Malice had grown up with this man. He was a fire adept named Boiz. As a child he'd always been wreckless, abusing his powers. Like Malice, he'd been gifted in the art of spellcasting, and he quickly learned to maximize his powers at a young age. He had been first in his classes, with Malice only a hair behind. They had become friends purely because of their skill.

Then something odd happened. One day, Boiz seemed to change unexpectedly. He became even more rash and hard headed. He refused to work as a team with Malice, and it had almost cost him his life on a few occasions during time trial exams. Slowly he'd grown distant. Malice had noticed the change, and had tried to talk to him, but his stubborness would not hear it. After a month of this unusual behavior, he had snuck into the crystal quarry, and had stolen crystals of fire, his element of kin. Upon exit of the caves, he was discovered by the village elder. He absorbed the power of the fire crystals, and with his newfound strength, he burst through the Theirian guards and had fled the island.


Malice reached the bottom of the stairs, and looked up at Boiz. "So it is you who is behind the crystal corruptions," he said.

Boiz laughed a sinister laugh. "Not I, my boy, but another force. He supplies me with unimaginable power, and in return I spread the crystal plague. Not a bad deal." He laughed again, a shrill laugh.

"I'm sorry Boiz, for you were once my friend, but for the sake of Theira and Gracia, I can't let you do it." Malice pocketed his daggers. "Lets do this the old fashioned way."

"I have no time to deal with filth like you. Maybe once you could compare to my power, but now I am the strongest Theirian mage."

Boiz drew his weapon, a double edged sword. He swung it around, and the two blades caught fire. "If it is a fight you're asking for, then I will deliver. I doubt I'll even work up a sweat."

Boiz leapt into the air, his fiery blades creating a ripple in the air. He briefly twirled the blades above his head, and with a piercing yell, he brought the sword down upon Malice. Malice rolled to the side, evading the attack. The sword hit the stone ground, spraying sparks in all directions. The bloodlusted Theirian looked to the right, where Malice had just been, but he was not there.

"Please Malice, don't try your cheap tricks on me. I grew up with you. I know exactly how you fight."

A fiery insignia burned on Boiz's hand, and he shot a fiery burst into the air. The flames hit their mark, and Malice fell from the sky, now visible. Before he hit the ground, he summoned an air current, which caught his fall. He windwalked once again and charged towards his enemy. Boiz felt the current coming, and slashed forwards with his sword. It was just as Malice had planned, and he vaulted over the sword slash, laying a foot to the back of Boiz head.

Boiz staggered forward, but quickly regained his balance. Malice was trying very hard not to be seen, and it was frustrating Boiz. His temper flared, and his body heated up to molten temperatures. The air rippled, and Malice's form appeared at the top of the steps. Boiz laughed again, and shot flaming bursts towards Malice. Malice was ready for it this time, and he uncloaked and dodged to the side. His motions were a blur as the wind propelled him sideways, out of the way of the projectiles.

"Where is this unbeatable power Boiz?" Malice taunted. With a burst of air, Malice shot forward, and landed a punch to Boiz stomach. Boiz spat fire at the impact. Before he could bring about his sword, Malice executed an uppercut to his jaw. Boiz actually lifted from the ground. And Malice spun around and kicked him into the side of a building. Dust shrouded Boiz as he hit the building. Malice strained to see through the dust, but he couldn't. He cautiously walked forwards, preparing for the worst.

Suddenly, three fiery projectiles were hurled at Malice. He summoned the wind and knocked the bullets aside, but he wasn't ready as Boiz leapt from the dust slashing with his double bladed sword. Malice dodged the first slice, but the second blade sliced through his vest, creating a deep gash. Malice held his chest as the pain shot through it. The blades came down again, and Malice summoned a current that boosted him high into the air. He forgot the pain and focused on the battle. Boiz was now throwing fire at Malice, and he was having a hard time focusing. Determined, Malice spread his feet at shoulder length and put his arms out to the sides. The blueish insignia flared on his palms, and he screamed the word that he hoped word end the battle.

"HURRICANE!!"

Malice started slowly spinning. The firebolts hit the air and dissipated. The spin became faster and faster until a funnel of air started to appear from his body. He lowered himself to the ground, surrounded by the cyclone, and walked towards Boiz. Boiz still held his insane look on his face, and didn't seem worried that the tornado was nearing. Everything around them was being picked up and thrown, and Masuto ordered the others to take cover to avoid flying debris. The bodies of the dead soldiers were picked up and tossed effortlessly aside. The only thing that rested on the ground besides Malice was Boiz.

"You have become strong Malice, but you have yet to see my real power," mocked Boiz. The flames on his sword grew larger, until his whole body seemed to ignite. He spun his sword above his head, and created a fiery vortex. With great strength Boiz threw his sword into the hurricane. Instead of being shot out like the rest of the debris, it lit the hurricane. The fire surrounded Malice, searing his skin. Releaseing his anger, he shot stright out of the eye of the storm. The pain distracted his focus, so no cloud of air met him as he fell. He hit the ground with a thud.

Boiz was upon him in seconds. He'd already retrieved his sword, and it was now pointed at Malice's neck.

"See, you cannot match my power. And as I promised, no sweat," he said, demonstrating by wiping his forehead.

Malice couldn't form the words to respond. His strength had left him, and e knew it was the end.

"Prepare to die. I'm sorry things had to be this way. Oh wait a second, no I'm not." Boiz said, laughing his crazy laugh once more. He raised his blade to swing, but froze in midslice as a menacing growl split through the air.

"No," Boiz said humbled. "Not now. The Zera Shaal cannot be here now. Not in my moment of glory. No."

The growl grew closer, until it seemed right over top of Malice. Malice saw the demon through his blurred vision, but couldn't make out the details. He saw the flicker of Boiz's sword as he blocked what appeared to be the arm of the Zera Shaal. The last thing Malice saw was Boiz being thrown high into the air. After that, all he saw was black.

[Drazniich]

Belial watched all of this as he guarded Masuto. Masuto finished his two guards artistically. "Is that Zera-Shaal?" Mastuo pointed.

Belial's jaw dropped. "Nothing... can be remade... that fast." he gasped. He holstered his cane. "Damn it. I'm taking him down the hard way."

Masuto shook his head. "Hello? Goodness?"

"Not after its first remade. It would need to recharge its forces to become immune again." Belial took off sprinting. Finally, he lept straight up into the air, spinning like a top and flinging card after card into the body of Zera Shaal. It screeched in pain.

Masuto raised a hand over his eye. He disapeared.

Belial landed over the body of Malice, catching Zera-Shaal's fist as he attempted to finish Malice off. They strained against each other, as Belial slowly lifted the sleeper off the ground. He hammer-threw the demon into a building.

Masuto appeared over him in the rubble. He unslung his sword from his back. A piercing chours of screams silenced everyone who wasn't evil within a mile and a half. One billion suffering cries all escaped at the same moment. "Time to go back to sleep." Masuto smiled.

He brought the blade down into Zera-Shaal's face again and again. The sleeper kicked Masuto up into the air, then off into the distance. Belial was there waiting, five feet from Zera-Shaal's head.

A large blast of un-making erupted again, this time, directly at Zera-Shaal's face. The decapated demon slowly started regenerating.

"We need someone holy." Belial looked around. "Someone who can kill this thing."

Malice lay unconcious. Belial lept over, crouching next to him. "Damn it. Can't they make these things tougher?" he growled as he began to heal the downed fighter.

[Zerlina]

…where am I? She lay still.

Pulling her weight up to rest on her forearm, a maiden, drenched in Gaian rainwater and barely conscious, let out a soft and inaudible cough.
Dazed, she made the beginnings of what could have been standing up, but fell back when the water on her hands met no resistance from the marble roads. Her head pounding, she groaned and did nothing for some time.

How long had she been there? How had she come there in the first place? It seemed all too much to try to comprehend. Perhaps the storm had blown her to a nearby town, or perhaps… she’d died?
As the water-fog from her eyes began to ease up, she finally took a look around. It all seemed so strange, like something out of a book. The air was thick and had to be taken in slowly, she noted. Perhaps this was on a mountain? Or a cliff? Maybe a cavern?
Whatever it was, it felt uncomfortable- eerie almost.

Finally managing a clumsy rise, she stood still for a moment to regain her balance, like a babe newly trained to walk.
“Hello?” the barefoot girl called out shyly, and thought she may have heard her own voice echo “Is…someone here?”
Habitually, she lay her fingers on the silver flute hidden in one of the pockets of her clothes.

[~Hidan~]

Zera-Shaal had almost completely regenerated. Belial tried to wake Malice and get him to fight for him. Masuto lay downed in the middle of the road, slowly getting to his feet. In the distance Masuto could see a girl walking down the street a faint holy aura surrounded her. Zera-Shaal was completely healed now, it looked from side to side for its closest victim, and it made its choice and started to charge the girl.

The girl looked frightened as the huge beast ran towards her. She looked around for help but no one was there that she could see. She drew her flute and held it ready to use, but the monster was on her too fast to cast any spells.

Zera-Shaal jumped over her and hissed as it fell onto her. She held her hands up in defense. Zera-Shaal fell on her flute as she held it out, the holy power contained in the flute. The beast screamed in pain as the holy powers tore away the flesh of the creature like it was butter.

Titania stood up and looked at the beast the now lie in two. ‘What the heck is going on here?’ She thought to herself.

Masuto came up behind Titania. “Impressive, you must be favored by the god’s.”

Titania turned to see Masuto standing over her. “Who are you? What the hell was that? Were the hell am I?”

“Whoa whoa, hold up. That is a demon, and you killed it. This is Palis; this is the city of Falgon. Me I’m Masuto, the others are just up the road from here. It seems you just came here so we might be able to help you.” Titania nodded her head and followed Masuto.

Malice had finally gotten to his feet and Belial was sitting recovering from unmaking the Zera-Shaal. Magus was attempting to conjure some sort of healing spell but was not succeeding very well. Titania walked over to Magus. “Who are you trying to heal?”

“Malice got pretty beaten up there; I was just trying to help him out.” Magus turned to look at the young girl leaning over him.

Titania walked over to the man who she was told was Malice and started to cast a minor healing spell on him. “Feeling better?”

“Much thanks.” Malice stood up and bowed. “Who is this?”

“She seems to have just come to this world, she killed Zera-Shaal.” Masuto said sitting down on the side of the street.

“Are you ok?” Titania said looking at Masuto and Belial who both had massive cuts all over their bodies.

Masuto raised an eyebrow. “Healing us would probably kill us. It’s best to leave us alone until we heal by ourselves.”

Belial nodded. “So you’re a maiden of the ways of holy magic.”

Titania nodded and sat down looking really confused. “This place is just a little confusing.” Looking at Belial and Masuto she asked. “Why is it that my magic would hurt you?”

“Demons don’t take holy magic too well.” Belial said poking at the gash in his arm. “Lucky for us things like this don’t take long to heal.”

People started to come out of their houses and seemed very confused. They looked like that had been under a trance for some time now. The heavy air left the city and the presence of evil had left.

“Looks like we are finished with this town, where are we off to next?” Malice said breathing in the cleansed air.

[FFnut]

************************************
Palis, The Year 699 Ishia, The Road From Falgon

Magus cast a wary eye at Belial before leaning in towards Malice. "Hey," his voice rasped, "what do you think Belial's going to do now?"

Malice raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Magus shook his head. "You don't remember? When Belial joined us, he said he needed us to kill the sleeper. Now that Zera-Shaal's dead, what's going to stop him from killing us and leaving?"

Belial had been eavesdropping on their conversation and quickly strolled up next to them. "How about my word?"

Magus stopped and looked at Belial. The Earthim's red eyes met the demon's silver ones. "The word of a demon?" Magus almost laughed, then paused to reconsider his past. A grin spread across his lips. "I've had some luck with promises from things other people consider evil. I guess I can trust you, if only for a little while."

Belial grinned as well, his devilish teeth glinting. Lowering his voice so only the two of them could hear, he continued. "Plus, that girl over there took out Zera-Shaal by accident. Imagine if I tried to double-cross you. She'd be able to vaporize me in an instant."

Magus glanced at Titania, who was walking a little bit behind the group. "Another good reason to bring her along."

Malice looked at him. "You're not sure if we can trust Belial, but you think we can trust her? She's not even from Palis."

Magus smiled. "Neither am I."

He stepped back to talk with the girl.

"So what kind of world are you from?" he asked her.

She looked at him awkwardly. "What do you mean?" she inquired.

"You're obviously not from Palis... and I'm not either, to be honest. Where were you from before you came here?"

She glanced up at the sky. "I'm from a place called Gaia. My village was attacked and..." she trailed off, not wanting to reveal more.

Magus nodded. "Don't want to reveal your past, huh? It's alright, neither do I. These guys know next to nothing about Earth, where I'm from." He shouted to Masuto, who was leading the group. "Where're we off to now?"

Masuto turned around and kept walking down the road, backwards. "The town of Adinem. Don't know what to expect there, so keep an eye out." He turned back around and kept walking, everyone else behind him.

[~Hidan~]

Three days it would take to get to Adinem. The group had been pounded by the sun all day long and it was taking its toll, so they pulled off the road to rest for the night. Belial and Ensayne talked while the others rested. Titania was watching the stars, they were very clear tonight.

Off out of listening distance Belial talked with Ensayne. “I just thought of something very important about our friend Masuto. Do you know the name of the first mortal to ascend to being a god?”

Ensayne looked at Belial annoyed by the question. “You know damn well it was Masuto, Aikia Masuto….. Oh wait I see what your saying. Wasn’t Masuto supposed to be Aikia and a girl, not a guy?” She peered at the camp only to notice that no Masuto was there.

“I’m interested; do you think she’s been putting up an act just because she is stuck in Nichi’s body?” Belial said looking around for Masuto.

Masuto appeared by the camp, he seemed to be carrying something. “I’m going to go see what he’s up to.” Ensayne said flying off.

Masuto hid behind a large old tree that was near the camp. He laid on the ground a fox pup that was asleep. Masuto took out a small knife and cut his finger and dripped some blood on the fox’s head. ‘A sacrifice Ensayne thought. What could he be trying to conjure at this hour?’

Masuto started to concentrate energy into his hands and they glow a feint yellow. The fox did as well. Then the Fox woke up and opened its eyes and let out a scream.

Masuto’s eyes rolled up. Hearing the noise Malice, Titania and Magus all came to see what was going on.

“What in the hell is this?” Malice said looking at the glowing fox that started to get bigger and bigger. “Stand back he might have summoned something to kill us.”

Magus shook Masuto only to notice something was very strange. “Hey guys, why does Masuto look like Nichi again?”

Belial hearing this ran as fast as he could taking of his jacket as fast as possible. “Don’t look at the fox or you’ll be very sorry.” Belial yelled.

It was too late with that warning Malice and Magus Turned to look at the fox who not looked a lot like a girl. Titania forced them both to turn their heads. “Come on we can wait on the other side of the tree.” She said trying to move them back.

Belial threw his jacket over the fox.

“So I guess it worked.” Nichi said coming out of the trance he was in. “She’ll finally be given her own body; (phew) you have no idea how hard it is to listen to a girl talking to you about their problems non stop for days.”

Belial looked at Nichi with disbelief. “What the hell? How did you come back?” Belial looked at the Girl lying on the ground now. “You can mean that I was right and she Masuto is really Aikia?”

Nichi nodded. “Yup that’s why I let her take over my body, she needed to be in control long enough to gain enough power to do a change of bodies. I don’t really understand it all but you’ll see what I mean once she wakes up.”

The Girl moved and opened her eyes. “It worked? Oh my god it worked!” She sat up forgetting she had no clothes on yet.

Nichi and Belial turned their heads away as fast as they could.

“What, why are you not looking at me, did I screw it up, do I look hideous?” She said as she looked at herself noticing that she was completely naked, and she quickly pulled up the jacket to cover herself. “I’m sorry that was my fault. I didn’t think that through, now if I can only conjure some clothes.” Aikia attempted to conjure clothes but noticed she was completely out of energy after changing bodies.

Belial handed her a stack of cloths. “These should do till we get to the next town.” With that Belial and Nichi stood up and went back to the camp.

At the camp Malice and Magus looked as though they had been trying very hard to explain to themselves what they just saw. Then seeing Nichi back Malice almost fell over. “You’re alive? I can’t believe it. Masuto said he took over your body permanently.”

“That was the idea at first but Masuto realized that she didn’t belong in a man’s body any longer then she had to be in one.” Nichi said

“Wait your telling me that Masuto is a she?” Magus looked at Nichi in wonder.

“Yeh, she told me not to let you guys know until she was able to find her own body.” Nichi stretched like he hadn’t moved in a very long time.

A tall young girl with silvery white hair came out from behind the tree. The same awe inspiring presence that Masuto had when in Nichi’s body was there just more elegant. She was wearing all white with a black Jacket that came all the way to her feet. “Well I guess the secrets out.” She smiled.

Titania looked at her and laughed. “You have fox ears!”

Aikia felt he head and sure enough she had fox ears. She had expected as much, thankfully she hadn’t gotten a tail with the package. “Well it’s what I get for not using a human’s body to move into.” She sat down and sighed, it feels good to be back to being me again. Well mostly me at least.” She laughed.

The next day came and so did the sun. Everyone went on towards Adinem. It was only a few more miles till they got there.

Arriving in town they noticed that it was very calm, and that the presence of the crystal shroud was not very think in the area.

Nichi looked around, and then he noticed something. “Someone else has been through here and taken out the crystal before us.” He picked up the remains of a shattered crystal.

“Who else would be able to do this?” Malice said looking around and feeling the air to see if anyone else was in the area.

“This was done a while ago it would seem, and they have been gone for some time now.” Aikia said sitting down on a bench. “It seems like we get to take a rest.”

Nichi nodded, with no other towns in the south coast they were to wait here until notified by Ishia what the next town was to be. “Well let’s get a couple of rooms in the inn.”

Magus went into the Inn and reserved 3 rooms. “Ok Nichi and Belial, you guys are in one room, me and Malice are in another, and Titania and Aikia will be in the other.” Magus handed out the keys to everyone.

Aikia took her key. “Well I don’t know about you guys, but I’m taking a shower, something I haven’t had in almost ten thousand years.”

Titania nodded at Aikia. “I think I’ll take one too, coming into this world by that storm has left me rather dirty feeling.” She looked at her cloths which were spotted with dirt.

Belial took his key and smiled. “I’m going to go have a good hard drink. I think I deserve one.”

Nichi took his key and said nothing just walked out of town and sat under a tree and fell asleep.

Malice followed Nichi after taking his key. Malice had much he wanted to ask Nichi. He let him sleep and sat down near him and thought about all that had happened in such a short time. ‘I wonder if his eyes are normal again?’

Magus went around the town asking everyone he met if they had seen a girl. No clues came up in the time he spent, but he found out that a man in a silver cloak had killed the demon controlling this city.

[Zerlina]

((I still don't really want to control anyone else's characters yet because I don't know you well enough to do so...sorry))

To be completely honest, Titania had lied. Though she pretended to make her way up to a shower, she instead turned and left the inn.

Kicking up a little bit of dirt with every step, the girl far from home made her way down a town road, trying to make sense of the situation. So she'd been blown off to some other world, it seemed. Or perhaps she had merely hit her head and was hallucinating.

Casting a weary glance back at the inn, Titania continued down the road with an unintelligible look on her face. The once proud girl walked with her head down and her hands in her pocket, confused and crest-fallen, not knowing whether she would ever see the Gaian moons again, or smell the sweet grasses of the Mountain Path.

For some time, she continued on like this, considering all her options. Firstly, she could follow the group…they seemed to know what they were doing. But really, the only reason they wanted her, she thought, was because she destroyed the demon in the other town. Scared to be left behind, she hadn’t even considered speaking up about how much of a fluke that was. In truth, she was a terrible spell caster and had learned a long time ago her magic was unreliable.

After about half an hour, Titania realized that she had no idea where she was.

“Damn.” She muttered and turned a few times to take in the geography of the town.

It seemed she had somehow made her way to a square that she thought marked the center of the place. So that meant that eventually they was probably going to besomeone around from whom she could ask directions. Perfect! Feet aching, the girl made her way to the fountain and sat on the edge of it. Suddenly wishing she had stayed and showered, she dipped her hands beneath the water and began to scrub them. For the first time in her life, she could see the accumulated dirt leaving her fingers and palms. Oh how she wished to go home!

[Mong00se]

The world spun around her in a blaze of confusion. Nausea hit Titania as she realized how terribly lost she was. She staggered forward, then back, looking in all directions, but only mountains surrounded her. She put her arm out against a tree to brace herself.

"Why madame, that certainly is a very far shower," came a voice from behind her. Titania spun around, but saw nothing.

"Who...who is there?" she asked feebly, not knowing enough of this land to know of its inhabitants.

In front of her, Malice materialized, as if appearing from the air itself. His form wisped into shape, and he smiled. "Sorry, didn't mean to follow you, but I thought you might need a guide, seeing as you don't know the terrain. I will offer you my humble services and become your makeshift guide." Malice bowed, a sarcastic grin on his face.

"I'm sorry Malice, but I cannot accept your offer. It seems that your group can do without me, and I wouldn't want to be a mere accessory." She had a serene quality about her, and Malice knew the words she spoke were the truth.

"If this is regarding your confrontation with the daemon earlier, think nothing of it. We are not asking you to stay because of your magical abilities, but rather because we are all lost to this world in a way, but together our team is strong. And we'd like you to be a part of it."

Titania blushed. She did not know if the words he spoke were true, or if it was just a rouse to add her to their roster. After thinking, she spoke.

"And who is we? Is this the teams decision, or yours? And anyways, I am not very competant when it comes to magic use. To tell you the truth, the whole daemon trick was really a fluke. I was never really good at magic."

Malice looked shocked. She had the demeanor of that of a White Wizard. "Then let me make a proposal," he said quickly, jumping at the idea that had just popped into his head. "I am adept in magic. I am a wind elemental of the Theira tribe. I am not framiliar with your sacred art of holy magic, but I have seen it used many times before. Magic is not about ability; it is about concentration and determination. This I can teach you. So what do you say?"

[Zerlina]

Titania couldn’t help but let a smile appear on her face. If he was willing to teach her how to use her magic, then she could go with the others and not feel like some kind of burden.

“You would really help me?” she asked, her smile growing as he nodded.

Still, she felt ashamed somewhat, and brought up her hand to push some hair out of her face (the real reason for this not being that her locks annoyed her, but rather, that she could hide her grin behind her sleeve).

“I’ve heard that before, you know...” she brought her hand down “‘magic is not about ability; it is about concentration.’
Where I come from, we have a tradition in the art, and our elders and parents teach us about it. They used to say things like that all the time. The problem is that it makes no sense until you understand it. And when you understand it, there’s no point in hearing it.” She laughed and then once again hid her smile.


“Right, well,” she cleared her throat, trying to seem serious “do you think you could answer one question for me? I’ve been wondering it for…the past half hour. I suppose you’re expecting it, anyways.
Is there- is there any way of getting back home to where we came from?”

[Mong00se]

The question hit Malice hard. He bit his lip, stalling for a solution. She was too pure and innocent to know that they hadn't yet found a way home. The details would crush her already fragile spirit.

Titania saw him bite hip lip, and noticed the stall for time. The wave of realization swarmed her fast. "Oh," she said softly, relieving the pressure from Malice. "There is no way back is there?" Her head sunk down.

Malice felt horrible to crush the lost girls hopes. He saw her head drop out of sadness, and did his best to calm her. "Titania, do not lost hope yet. We're working on a solution. We're searching as best we can, but as of yet, we havn't found anything relative to an escape from this corrupt world. Please do not dismay."

Titania raised her head, her eyes red. She brushed away her tears, and looked at Malice. "Thank you Malice."

Malice scratched his head and giggled, accepting, but not relishing in the appreciation. She was a fragile soul, and he felt compelled to protect her, at least until her skills improved. He took her hand. "Lets head back to town, the others will be worried. You should get some sleep, for we leave early tomorow."

They disappeared into the currents, and flew silently towards Adinem.

[Drazniich]

Belial sat there, staring at the water glass full of whiskey. He idly rotated the glass on the bar. "Pious energies make me feel all tingly."

He reflected on the latest turn of events. It was a neat trick, createing a sort of kitsune body out of a fox. Belial would love to be able to alter others with a simple sacrifice. Instead, his always required a sort of... more mundane touch...

He sat, wondering to himself. COuld he? Without matierals? It was always worth a shot... he'd screwed up and undone worse.

He stepped out into the street. He drew a circle on the ground, and an eight pointed star. "Hmm... concentrate on form..."

He began to dream... what had he looked like back then? Who had he been? It was so long ago he had that body. A very long time... had he changed after, or was that his last one? He wasn't very fond of the warlock look he had going...

Wait, hadn't he tried a female form then? Was it that time he had one? It was confusing... his mind was fading from the recent unmaking, and he was very tired... but the ritual had begun. Crap... he was mixing images.

Anyone else saw a pillar of black flames, shifting and forming.

He thought he had it. It was bound to work. Besides, now the twins wouldn't recognize him.

He dismissed the ritual. His clothes were the same, and very much no longer fitting. He had lost mass in the change, going down to about 5'9". His hair was no longer a cursed metal, but a nice electric blue. His eyes had changed, looking more mortal, matching his hair. His ears came to points, something he hadn't counted on. Apperantly, he'd been some sort of elven like creature, most likely, that was the female form he'd been thinking of.

His hair was a little shorter than he preferred. It simply came down past his chin in front and got shorter goin' back. The hardened leather clothes were far too large, as he was now gaunt thin. He held out his arms, admiring the blue tattoo work he'd done. The left arm had Reckoning written on it, the right Staysane. He didn't need to see his back to know that the image he'd wanted was there. [Post later] Now, it was just a matter of conjuring clothing, something he could do easily.

He couldn't really come up with something interesting, so, for the time being, a long black skirt bedecked in silver chains, and a holder on his back for his chain. He pointed, incinerating his old clothes. In the heat, he saw himself, and realized he'd made another sort of mistake...

There was a blue eightpointed star surrounding his left eye. "Uhoh..."

The particualar runes involved marked it as his star. Now, any rudimentary knowledge of him would identifiy him as Belial. "Ah well... time to bug Nichi."

[FFnut]

*************************
Palis, The Year 699 Ishia, Adinem

Magus looked out onto the horizon. He felt apprehension of some kind. He slowly walked out past the edge of town, scanning the ground for a clue. He found it.

Bending down, he picked up a small red rock nearly identical to the one he'd found earlier. He closed his eyes and concentrated on it.

*******************************
Palis, The Year 698 Ishia, Outside Adinem

"Shut it, you stupid girl!" grunted the man.

Schala groaned. "Janus... Janus..."

"I said SHUT UP!" he shouted, slapping the girl. "Whoever this 'Janus' is, if he even exists, he'd do well to know not to try and fight against Lord Kain."

Schala sat up groggily as the man and his dragon continued on, Schala being strapped to the dragon's back. She broke off a piece of her pendant and looked into it. "Janus," she whispered, "if you do come here, help me. Please. Help me. Please. Help me... Janus..."

*******************************
Palis, The Year 699 Ishia, Outside Adinem

The image faded from Magus's mind, and he gasped. Schala... I'm here... Janus is here for you. Please, Schala, where have you gone? Where? I miss you... I've missed you for the past... he suddenly stopped the train of thought. How long ago was the last I saw of Schala? It depends on how you look at it. It could be roughly ten years, from when I last saw her as Janus, in terms of my physical age. It could be roughly fourteen thousand, from the time between her coming to Palis and me coming to Palis, earth time. It could be a week, the same way in Palis-time, or only a few days, physically from when I was the Prophet... He shook all thoughts from his head and went back to Adinem to get some sleep.

[~Hidan~]

Nichi looked up into the leaves of the tree he sat under and though about how it was to be so light as to fall to the wind and ride on its current. Is this what it was like to be alive again? He looked at his hands and still could not believe that he was back in the same old body that he had before. Only a little was different. Lucky for him his bracelets were never removed in the whole ordeal. He still had his ace hidden from the rest of them. He had replaced his training weights now that Zera-Shaal was dead he didn’t need to be on high alert. He thought about what it was like in his home world these days. He had met one other from his world that came almost a thousand years after him, the world had changed much, they no longer controlled the elements, and they were the elements.

Aikia walked out of the Inn in clean cloths that she had conjured. Wearing white pants and a blue blouse her already strange elegance was even more amplified. She noticed a strange boy walking her way. He gave of a strong demon aura. “Belial?”

Belial looked up at her; his head had been sunk in shame due to his strange appearance now. “Yes?”

“What exactly happened to you? You look well um younger, and well different.” Aikia said pointing at his eye.

Belial shook his head. “I attempted to copy your powers, and remake a body. As you can see it might not have worked as well as I’d have liked it to.” He sighed.

Aikia started laughing uncontrollably. “You’re so cute; just wait till Nichi sees you.”

Belial went red in the face for the first time he could remember. Just what he needed was the other to laugh at him.

Nichi could see Aikia coming his way. He could tell it was Belial near her. “Um Belial what are you doing?”

Both Aikia and Belial looked a little shocked that Nichi wasn’t laughing at him.

“I got bored.” Belial said giving out a sigh of relief.

Nichi shook his head. Nothing could surprise him with what had been going on recently, until he saw from the corner of his eye Malice.

Malice was smiling widely and looked too happy to be human. Titania in arm with him was riding the wind through town. They stopped at the inn and Titania went in, she looked like she had yet to take a shower. Malice left her and came over to join the others.

“How’s it going guys?” He then noticed the odd looking elf boy. “Who is that?”

Aikia started laughing again.

Belial sat down and shook his head. “It’s me Belial; you could say I had a mishap with some magic.”

Malice looked at him and smiled. “I like that form more. You look more trustworthy as a kid.” He laughed.

Nichi looked at Malice and smiled. Nichi was really glad that he had loosened back up since Nichi had gotten back his body. “So lover boy how’s our new comrade?”

Malice shook his head quickly. “It’s not what you think! I’m just going to teach her how to use magic.”

“I didn’t ask for excuses I wanted to know how she is. Knowing there is little or no hope of going back to her world.” Nichi said amused by Malice’s reaction.

Malice shook his head some more. “Umm I think she is ok. I haven’t the heart to tell her no person has ever left this world.”

Nichi stood up and started to stretch. “Well that’s not true. There is a way to leave, isn’t that right Aikia?”

Aikia nodded. “The only problem is it’s in the center of the Black Spire.”

Belial looked interested. “What is in the middle of the Black Spire?”

“There is a portal that can send you wherever you wish to go.” She said.

Malice looked at Aikia oddly. “Then why would those demons care to destroy the world over not being able to return to their own worlds?”

“That’s because demons can’t use it.” Nichi said. “You can’t be a full demon to use it.”

Malice scratched his chin in thought.

Magus walked in on the group talking, having heard about the portal. “That great news, I wont have to stay here forever.” He gave out a sigh of relief.

Nichi looked into the sky. He wondered if he too should return to his world.

Titania came out shortly after and sat with them as they all talked of the adventure so far. They sat there until the sun set and then went to turn in for the night.

The next morning Nichi was again under the tree only this time he was practicing his fighting. Only he and Belial were awake at his hour. Nichi unleashed some of his best moves over and over again on different minor demons that Belial summoned.

Meanwhile two weeks riding distance from them.

The front gate had been shattered by the force of the bettering rams that hailed the doors. The army of Gracia stood fast against the legions left by none other then Valmarus. Ishia and her army of Angelitus tore through the enemy forces with ease. Lucky for Gracia Valmarus was only there to test the forces of Gracia and did not stay long enough to loose all of his troops and have to take the city himself. The battle lasted two weeks, but Gracia was well prepared and casualties were minimal.

Ishia sat in court for the first time since her 699th anniversary. “We have just seen the beginning of the movement that will determine if the world as a whole will live of fall. Have he heard anything of were Nichi and his companions are?”

“We have, they recently took the second city and should be done with the third.” A member of the council said.

“Good someone send an envoy to tell them of the attack and to come as soon as they can to help with re-securing the city.”

“Right away madam, just one thing, we heard rumors of the silver knight being in the same area as them.” The man reported.

Ishia looked at him in horror. ‘Dacono lived!’ “Send warning of this to Nichi as well.”

Dacono was Nichi’s older brother from the same world as him. Dacono’s mind was torn apart when he entered this Palis and had made him into a madman, a madman with insane power.

(Remember its going to take a while for the messenger to come so don’t post anything about it getting there, I’ll take care of that.)

[FFnut]

*************************
Palis, The Year 699 Ishia, Adinem

Magus walked out of the inn, noticing Nichi and Malice practicing their fighting techniques. He took a deep breath of the clean air and smiled. As he started walking towards them, he remembered something and started gliding quickly.

Belial looked up from the minor demon summoning and noticed Magus floating a few inches above the ground towards them. He grinned. "Now this one's here. What does he want?"

Nichi turned towards Magus. "What's up?"

Magus stopped abruptly and lowered himself to the solid ground. "Nichi... who's Kain?"

Nichi and Belial looked like they had just been hit by bricks. "How do you know about Kain?" Belial's voice was a low whisper. "Who told you about..."

Magus was surprised. Is this Kain person really that bad? he wondered.

Nichi whispered as well. "Kain is... well... how do you know about him?"

Magus took the second piece of Dreamstone from his pocket. "The Dreamstone. I found another piece outside the town. I got a memory hidden within it transported into my brain, or something. That's why I wanted to know when it had last rained when I found the other one - the memory was of a rainy day. Now the person in this memory mentioned Kain. Who is it?"

Nichi nodded to Belial, who looked around to make sure nobody could hear before continuing. "One of the demons of the Spire of Khan. They're the rulers of Drasonia - the entire area outside of Gracia's jurisdiction."

Magus gasped. Schala... dammit... "So when are we going to this spire and killing these demons?"

Belial let out a cross between a cough and a laugh. "Killing these demons? You really think we can deal with these demons ourselves?"

Magus shook his head. "We have Titania. She took out your sleeper, didn't she? She should be able to take out these damned demons. I think we can- GAH!" He fell to the ground, looking as if a hurricane had just hit him. He was clutching his ears and rolling around on the ground.

The sound assaulting Magus's ears was deafening. He could feel it all around him, even if nobody else could. The sound grew ever louder...

****************************
Palis, The Year 699 Ishia, Somewhere

Schala screamed. She heard the same horrifying sound that Magus heard so far away. She held the sides of her head, trying to block it out. She felt the amazing force grow around her. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"

*************************
Palis, The Year 699 Ishia, Adinem

The sound subsided. The feeling vanished. Magus stood up, looking as if he'd gotten a little drunk. He looked over at Nichi and Belial. "That was... the black wind..." he rasped. "It... travels through time and space... and worlds, as well... whenever some powerful evil occurs, it blows. It blew many times back on Earth... but never... it was never that strong..." He regained his composure. "Some sort of unbelievably terrible thing must be happening now. I mean, things that threatened the world itself never caused more than a slight breeze. That felt like a tornado. Only I can feel it... at least, back on Earth only three of us could. Myself, my mother and..." he trailed off. He closed his eyes. After a few breaths, he opened them again. "Well, guys, care to invite me to your little practice session?"

[Zerlina]

Titania quietly returned to the room, closing and locking the door behind her for fear of what murderous demons might emerge after dawn to hunt. As it stood, her thoughts did not travel far enough in the future to wonder whether going to sleep with a locked door would be good for the poor unfortunate who was supposed to share her room.

With a sigh, she sealed the windows and closed the drapes as well. For one so unfamiliar with the world it is hard to imagine what horrors the outside might hold, and so it is often found best to merely shut it out.

Her room a little safer, she sat on her bed and stared down at her dirty feet, wishing that her flight to the eidolon wall had taken place when she was wearing shoes.

Who could imagine that a hurricane had sent her so far away from home! Letting herself fall backward onto her uncomfortable mattress, she thought of everything she’d left behind, and soon realized that it would be a long time before she ever saw it again.

This new world was sickening. It was full of confusing cities, demons, darkness, and air so thick it stole your breath. The ground was rocky, foxes came to life as human spirits, and men went mad with hallucinations. The group was already established and she felt like an outsider, finding the only person she could really talk to so far was Malice. The entire journey to the town had made her aware of how much she was only watching the group- she was not yet part of them. So where in all of this chaos did she fit in? Why had she come here? Was Phoenix punishing her for some deed she never knew had been committed? …Perhaps then there was a way to return... maybe if the eidolons were appeased! But what would they want?

She thought for some time, letting the minutes pass arbitrarily.
Goodness perhaps? Or strength? Maybe devotion to the traditions of Madain Sari as some kind of proof of trust in the eidolons?
Crawling beneath the covers, she considered a hundred possibilities, the several voices of reason chattering on in her head like hungry vultures ready for a kill. Unable to think, unable to sleep, the Madain Sari girl climbed out of her bed, and took up a quill. People here seemed to speak the same language, so why shouldn’t they be able to read it?

Gone out. Don’t worry. Will be back before sunrise.

-Titania



Tying up her once-white robe, she stepped outside, placed the note in a crack in the door and took off for town.

Some time later, she arrived and waited on the ledge of the fountain, digging through her pockets for a small chisel that was once used to carve on the eidolon wall. Picking up a stone, she began to shape the crude figure of a bird, skilfully avoiding her fingers with the sharp edge. When at last her job was finished, she removed from her pocket a small jewel that had been given to her.

Oh well she thought, and cut off a piece, pressing it against the petrified bird to make a makeshift eye.

Suddenly something did not feel right.

Before she could ponder longer, she saw a shadow moving near an alley, and made for its direction

“Excuse me!” she called and ran barefoot in its direction, obviously having grown up in a fairly small community “Do you know whom I could trade for a pair of shoes? I have this...”

She produced the bird from her pocket and tried to get a better look at whoever it was she was conversing with, his momentary silence making her uneasy. With her free hand, she laid her fingers on her flute, just in case.

[Drazniich]

Belial stood, summoning his nightmare mount. "May as well train him to recognize me..." he muttered. The horse that devoured and slaughtered the hopes and dreams of others matierialized, rearing to strike Belial down. He bicycle kicked the horse on the jaw.

"Now that that's out of the way..." he smiled. There was something to be said for Belial's new form. It really made him seem incredibly less sinister, especially in the sunlight, where as his old form seemed to dampen light around it. He drew his cane, now a bit longer, almost like a miniture staff to his new form, and began to practice.

"Being a demon, kids" Belial orated while he spun the cane around. "Isn't all about taking souls and destroying things. Actually, its more your job to simply change the world. You're the force of rebellion. Without you, there is nothing but calcification."

Nichi shook his head. "So at what point did mutating others come along?"

Belial paused. "Mistakes have been made. Others shall be blamed."

[~Hidan~]

Nichi was amused in how Belial made friends with his horse. Nichi sat under his tree all day reading comic books. He thought about what Magus had said about feeling the Black Wind. What could have happened that was so bad that he would feel like that. Aikia sat down next to Nichi; she picked up one of the comic books and tried to read it.

“What the hell? What language is this?” She flipped through the pages of the book. “Why are you reading this?”

“I read it because I like it. It’s written in English, it’s from earth. A crate of these book manages to get here every once and a while.” Nichi continued to read.

Aikia looked at the comic book. “How did you learn English? Not many people from earth come here.”

Nichi changed pages. “I taught myself.”

She looked at the cover of the book, a half dressed elf girl sat on the cover. “Umm what is this called? Why is there a half naked girl on the cover?”

Looking at the book she held. “That’s Ragnarok.” He held up the book he was reading. “This is King of Hell.”

Belial had un-summoned his horse and came back to see if Nichi wanted to train more when a man in a silver cloak passed him. Belial turned his head and watched him disappear into the supply shop. A powerful evil came from this man. It made him shiver in fear. ‘Wait a sec, me a demon shake in fear to a mere mortal.’

Nichi watched as Belial walked towards him. Belial’s face was pale with fear. “Hey man you ok? What’s got you freaked out?”

Belial snapped out of it. “There is a very powerful mortal here, he is wearing all silver and well I’ve never felt anything like that before.”

Nichi smiled, ‘Brother!’ “Which way did he go?!” Nichi stood up and pulled off his training weights and his power restrainers.

“You might want to get back before he removes all of them Aikia.” Belial said as he jumped back. Aikia also jumped back.

The last restrainer dropped to the ground. Waves of energy pushed back and down the grass. Then in a burst of white, almost like fire formed around him bending back the tree itself from him. “Were did you see him?”

Belial wasn’t sure just who this person was but Nichi seemed determined to destroy but he was scared to feel two powers of such magnitude in one day. “He was in town near the supply shop.”

Like a bolt of lightning Nichi ran into two leaving behind a trail of frost. He passed Titania who was standing near an all close to the fountain. “Run to the others as fast as you can.” He yelled as he passed.

Barefoot and confused she took off without a second thought towards the tree where Nichi and the others had been training. “What on earth is Nichi freaking out about?”

Malice had just come out of the hotel after feeling the power unleashed from Nichi. “I have no idea, Belial you know?”

Belial shook his head. “Well sort of. He took off after I told him about a man in silver armor.”

Nichi hunted through the town yelling for people to get as far from his as possible. Finally he saw the man he was looking for. “BROTHER!”

Dacono turned his head and smiles wildly. “Oh your still alive, I thought last time I threw you off a cliff you might have been blessed with death.” He pulled out his sword and swung it around wildly to try to show off.

Nichi pulled his sword of his back and swung it towards the ground with such force that wind cut the ground all the way to Dacono’s feet. “Yeh thanks for that, if you hadn’t thrown me off that cliff I’d have never met Ishia and become who I am today.”

“Well enough chat lets see if you can stand up to your big brother.” Taking a fighting stance Dacono looked towards Nichi ready for the fight.

Nichi’s eyes turned the usual yellow that came with his copy ability. He gripped his sword in one hand and charged forwards ready to strike. He formed Spiral in his left hand ready to punch. Nichi’s first swing game down in a way to make Dacono dodge to the left, Nichi hit Dacono in the gut at full force. Dacono went flying into a building destroying it as his body slammed through it.

Dacono burst out of the rubble at full speed slashing at Nichi with insane speed. Nichi was able to doge most of them and the ones he couldn’t dodge he put up ice barriers to take the blow instead. Dacono tried to freeze Nichi to the ground but as the ice came up from the ground Nichi jumped into the air using blocks of ice as footings to jump higher and higher into the air. Dacono tried swing at him, but he couldn’t jump with all the armor he was wearing. Nichi was now almost two hundred feet in the air when he grabbed hold of the handle of the sword and fell holding the sword as though like a pogo stick.

Falling at incredible speed he started to spin and cause a tornado of ice. Dacono tried to get out of the way but his armor made it too hard to get out of the way. Nichi’s attack his with full strength. It knocked him into the ground several feet. Dacono spat up blood and screamed in pain.

Dacono coughed up blood and looked at Nichi. “So you’ve done it you’ve gotten stronger then me by far.”

Nichi smiled and wiped the sweat from his forehead. “Yes brother and your betrayal on our clan has finally been avenged.”

Dacono pulled a talisman from under his jacket and held it out for Nichi to take. “Take this, it was fathers. It should be the only living member of out clans to keep.”

Nichi picked up the talisman. It was the key to unlocking the true power he was to have. “Why did you kill them all? Why did you lead them to our village, how could you kill our own people?!” He looked down on his bother for the last time before casting Exidos on him.

Dacono’s body disappeared into the vastness known as nothingness. Nichi returned to the others, saying nothing as he passed by the others picking up his power restrainers and his weights and clasping them back on. He sat down and sighed looking at his father’s talisman.

Belial looked strangely at him and then at the talisman. “Umm Nichi?”

“What? I killed him ok, I killed my brother, WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT FROM ME!?” Nichi said as he burst into tears. Why was he sad for killing his brother that had lead to the utter destruction of his clan?

Aikia and Belial stood back. Neither of them had been very good at dealing with issues of this nature.

Malice sat down next to him along with Magus and Titania.

“You had a good reason for doing that didn’t you?” Titania said trying to comfort him.

“Did I? Was avenging my village worth killing my brother for? I don’t know, but he killed so many of my family and friends, he’s the reason I’m here. I don’t know I just don’t know.” Nichi said sobbing.

Malice thought about his last battle. “I know what that is like, you’ve done what your heart thought was right. Don’t blame yourself for doing what you think is right.”

Magus nodded in concurrence to what Malice had said.

A man on a gryphon landed a couple of feet from where they were. “Master Nichi!”

Nichi raised his head to see one of Garcia’s knights sitting there. “What is it?”

“Master Nichi Gracia came under attack, Queen Ishia asks for your presence at the castle as soon as you can make your way there. There is also word of your brother being in these parts so please be careful.” The soldier said looking oddly at Nichi whose face was sill red from crying.

Nichi looked at the talisman and shook his head to clear his mind. “Well Dacono is dead, and we’ll be there as fast as we can.” Nichi looked at the others. “Please take the others into town and get them what they need to travel, the young lady is in need of shoes. I’ll be writing up a message for you to present to Ishia since it will take you a lot less time then it will for us to get back.”

The Soldier went with Malice, Magus and Titania into to get them what they needed to be comfortable for the travel to come. Everyone returned within the hour ready for the long journey ahead. Horses were provided to ride back; the carnasors that they had come here on had worn themselves off on the journey here.

12 days later they arrived in the gates of Gracia. So end Chapter one.