Chapter 28

CHAPTER 28: Abdication and Exile

Maximillian had just woken up in his room when Sarah came bursting in. She was shouting frantically, and soon enough Nicolai and William both came into the room. 

"Whoa! What's the matter? What's so important?" exclaimed Maximillian.

Sarah immediately burst into frantic speech. "Your majesty, in all the lands beyond here, it is known that you have abdicated. After some research, we discovered a plot called the Pdonis Plot. We are not sure how they managed to send a message with our papers, unless-"

"Unless someone we know is a traitor." finished Nicolai.

William held up a piece of paper. "This is the message that was sent to all the major governments of the world under your control.".

Maximillian read: 

THE EMPEROR MAXIMILLIAN HAS ABDICATED AND CURRENTLY LIVES IN EXILE IN THE ALPEDELLE MOUNTAINS. WE HAVE DETECTED SHADOW CLONES OF THE EMPEROR GOING AROUND THE WORLD. SHOULD YOU SEE ONE OF THESE, KILL IT ON SIGHT!

The threesome waited with baited breath. until Maximillian finally said, "There is only one choice. I flee to the Alpedelle Mountains."

"But- but- your majesty you can't-" began Sarah.

"Unfortunately I must."

After that thye all went silent, as Maximillian, along with William, Sarah, Nicolai, Reinhard, Joan, Uriah, Merlin, Zenon, Hi-En, Tennin, Philinus, and a new recruit at the palace named Charion L'Champiyon with his two brothers, Chamile and Chastine. The group traveled silently and invisibly (Merlin had cloaking charms) to the Alpedelle Mountains.

Chapter 27

CHAPTER 27: The Pdonis Plot

Maximillian was in one of his own private chambers back at Central City. Only a week ago did he go with an army to rescue the fallen companions at Sandland. Ever since, he didn't feel quite right and just knew there was some evil plot somewhere against him. So, he locked himself up in his private chambers and attempted to find a plot. Servants occasionally brought him food and drink, but it was not known if he even slept anymore. Somehow, someone he trusted had gone bad...

That someone was Onslow. Even though Onslow had failed at decimating Maximillian's army, he was working up a plot to overthrow Maximillian. With the emperor gone, the world would be in anarchy and Doom could take over. The plot was to go into action the next day, and what Maximillian did not know (he is not all-powerful) is that his chief guard, Donnery, is a traitor. Onslow decided to name this plot the 'Pdonis Plot' because of the last name of Donnery being Pdonis.

Chapter 26

CHAPTER 26: Solar Saga: The Magnus

After a day of camping on the summit of the mountain, finally the companions (now only five) found a way to attempt to destroy the evil that killed Travis in this region. Actually, that was a bit of a incorrect statement. The companions didn't find the evil, the evil found the companions. Because on the second day of trying, Sivrat-Gilles appeared again.

"You fools! I told you to leave. Hmph. Have my minions already killed off the others members of your group so that you have been forced to recruit another?" asked the tantalizing, snake-like voice of Sivrat-Gilles.

"Never!" shouted William and he charged headfirst. He was, incidentally, also blown back headfirst and lay in a corner, knocked out. Sivrat-Gilles hit Joan and Reinhard, and they too were motionless. Leaving only Hi-En and Zenon, Sivrat-Gilles tried to run. He was no fool, but perhaps Hi-En would be to quick to dodge his attacks and his reflections. He still tried to attack Zenon, though, and Zenon, caught off guard, was tortured into agony.

"That's for disobeying the master! That's for not dying when you should have! That's for-"

Sivrat-Gilles couldn't control his own power and was knocked out with the force of it. However, his master seemed to have appeared.

"Sivrat, failed so early? Sigh.... I will have to finish this. My name is Condyne."

"Condyne, you don't scare us!" taunted Zenon.

Condyne raised towo muskets and blasted Zenon and Hi-En so fast they couldn't react. Both crumpled. Condyne blew away the smoke, when suddenly he sensed a being more powerful than himself. Dressed in such elgeant white and gold robes... who was this?

It was the god-emperor, Maximillian.

With a single blast Maximillian issued from his hand, he hit Condyne (previously known for his insane speed-being so fast his movements couldn't be sensed by most humans) with a honing spell. It shot Condyne into the air, then obliterated him, possibly into pieces so small he would never be found. Having completed ths fight, Maximillian helped bring the five friends' unconscious forms over to Sarah and Philinus, who immediately began healing them.

Chapter 25

CHAPTER 25: Solar Saga: The Temple

The group, now reduced to seven, continue to head on climbing the mountain while reinforcements continue to fight and sitract enemies so the companions and head on. Tennin, however, is a person of extremely proud status, and so leaving the rest of the companions to continue their journey, Tennin jumps into the battle and pulls out his Buster Katana. Immediately he uses his special ability.

"Special Ability! ThunderStrike!" Tennin yells as he smashes a column of the enemy dead instantly.

The six head on, with Merlin and Zenon occasionally firing a spell or too and any aggressive beings. Reinhard is at the back of the group, occasionally stabbing at an enemy that saw them. Uriah led the front of the group, closely followed by William, Joan, and then Merlin and Zenon.

Five hours later, the Doom forces having been defeated, the tired companions rest, almost at the summit. The sun glows red in the sky signalling it would be giving way to the moon soon. Tennin apparently set up camp and the army was now immobile. Reinhard suddenly noticed a large structure on the summit of the mountain.

"What's that, guys?" asked Reinhard, referring to the structure.

"I don't know, but we should check it out." replied Uriah.

The six took up camp and began climbing again. Merlin, being old and frail, had to drop out, and Uriah escorted him back down the mountain to where Tennin was camping. The structure turned out to be a large temple, in which a man was completely clothed except for his eyes, which were closed, apparently in meditation.

"Hey! Hello? Who are you?!" yelled William to the stranger.

"Me? Would you know anyone named Hi-En?" replied a calm voice belonging to the stranger.

"Aren't you a ninja, one of the east?" asked Reinhard.

"Of course. Where else do ninja live?" replied Hi-En, now opening his eyes. "Look out!" shouted Hi-En, and it didn;t take much to realize why. A large oozing black and purple blob was heading their way, firing streams of acid melting through the floor of the temple. Hi-En through a shuriken, and Zenon amplified it's power to pierce. The shuriken went straight through the ooze and exploded it. It reformed and attacked again. Joan healed her allies while striking the beast, using her ability, Healing Strike. The beast, unable to stand all the holy power in the attack, was subdued and morphed into a patch of odd-looking dust. The heroes were safe, for now...

Somewhere else,  the emperor Maximillian was worrying about one of his best fighters, William. The entire army had failed, and apparently no heroes had reported back yet. Maximillian decided to journey to Jaem Tuung, to find it in ruins. Nicolai and Sarah were both unconscious  just outside the city gates, and many others were badly hurt. Jaem Tuung itself was still burning, although very soon there would be nothing left. A cursed fire of some type had burned everything, and Maximillian swore to avenge this act as he found the same brand Zenon did on the island...

Chapter 24

CHAPTER 24: Solar Saga: The Finding 

After hearing the legend, Zenon's curiosity leads him deep into a forest, followed by Reinhard and Joan, who have also awoken. Zenon notices a temple and runs up to it.

"Whoa. This temple is insanely large!" exclaims Zenon.

"Yes... That's strange. There's no mark on the temple!" states Joan.

"I say, we should go back to tell the others." says Reinhard.

"Tell us what? Anyways, we're here, so whatever," grunts Uriah, carrying a heavy load of tents, sleeping bags, and supplies on his back.  "Wait, what's that grotesque temple?"

"We're not sure, but I suggest we check it out." replies Reinhard.

The party of eight moved into the temple, not knowing that a relative of Travis was waiting...

"LEAVE THIS PLACE, OR DIE!" screeched the shrill voice of a masked stranger.

All eight pulled out weapons, and Travis, out of impulsiveness, attempted to impale the stranger.

"Travis... Good to see you... Remember me, Sivrat-Gilles? said the stranger.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, the strange person reflected Travis' lance, impaling it upon Travis himself.

"Holy crap!" yelled William, and the seven remaining charged on Travis. All seven were blown back.

"Fools, leave me alone and you will be spared... I came only for Travis." And with that, Sivrat-Gilles vanished.

"Damn it!" cried Joan a moment after the battle ended. " I was really looking forward to beating the hell out of his face!"

"Travis is dead, and we need to continue on our journey here. We've gone this far; we can't stop now." murmured William.

"William is right, we need to continue to-" said Tennin before being interrupted by a large group of kobolds, goblins, orcs, and trolls.

Joan called for reinforcements, and another battle begun...

Chapter 23

CHAPTER 23: Solar Saga: The Legend

After much conversation, Merlin attempts to use an identify spell on the symbol to discover what it symbolizes. The spell succeeds, and Merlin identifies the symbol as truthfully being from the Dol Sol. In the language of the Dol Sol, a script appears.

"This script will tell you what happened to the Dol Sol." says Merlin in a calm voice.

"But we can't read it!" says Joan.

"I could try a translate." suggests Zenon.

"First we should keep a copy of the text, just in case the translate damages the original." says Tennin.

The copy read:

Textoon readuus. sykusin machuus?
Denn machuus tu finn, end-us texdinn.

Onke Dol se magnifecentex.
Po a semoes Dol Sol yei Dol Lun.
Overria un stimpleei relugu wrrt, 
Do Dol se vanisico!

Wrrt werted onne, 

Pacs no de cumme.

Do Dol, bi Do Dol Sol oke Do Dol Lun,
VANISICO!
An cau un Semo Wrrt!
Po, readuus, soc a oppe.
Finn de pyramedia!

After the translation, in poorly written but amazingly legible writing, was:

Reader of this text, do you seek much?
Then much you will find, in this text.

Once the People were magnificent.
But seperation caused the People of the Sun and the People of the Moon.
Over a stupid religious war,
The Dol had vanished forever!

War waged on,

Peace did not come,

The People, be the People of the Sun or the People of the Moon,
VANISHED FOREVER!
All caused by a seperation war! 
But, reader, there is a hope.
Find the pyramid!

The translation was enough to fuel the group to go further into the mysteries of the Dol...

Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22: Zenon Again

Zenon was in a predicament. He was stuck an a small rock he thought of as a shelter, and no one knew he was here. The beetles in Sandland couldn't get him from here, but his magic was useless against the tough exo-armor of the beetles. He was scared, and was desperate, and so activated a blue orb in his hand to attempt to communicate with Rahcaz and call for help. Rahcaz did not reply, strangely. During a previous encounter, Zenon had accidentally planted a blue orb onto William. Thus, six hundred miles away, an man named William noticed the message.

"Hey, Nicolai! What's this?" said William, refferring to the blue orb. "It's a message, from... Zenon?!"

Nicolai and Sarah exchanged looks, and Uriah stopped his conversation with Reinhard Amerson, the newly appointed leader of Jaem Tuung (the previous one, Jone Tuscans had been killed by Nicholai during his attack),  to walk over wit Reinhard to William and Nicolai.

"What's that you got there, er... Nicolai?" asked Reinhard.

"I'd like to know for myself too, but it seems to be a message sending device. We need someone to track down where this message was sent from."

"Did I hear that someone needs to see where some train tracks come from?" asked an elderly man, apparently eavesdropping.

Nicolai turned in shock, as did William and Reinhard. The combined group looked at the man, dressed in light brown robes. William immediately recognized the man as being Merlin, Head Mage of the International Mage Federation and Chief Mage of the emperor of most lands, Maximillian.

"No, you heard us wrong, we need to track down where this message was sent from." replied Reinhard.

"Hmmmm...." said Merlin, looking at the orb. "This came from a very, very tiny island near Sandland. You surely aren't planning of going there?"

"Of course we are, right guys?" says William halfheartedly, as Nicolai and Sarah were backing away.

"I think Nicolai and I should have a bit of a chat first." said Sarah, dragging Nicolai away too.

Nicolai and Sarah did not end up searching for Zenon, although William, Reinhard, Merlin, Uriah, Travis, and a female warrior of the Holy Islands named Joan ended up embarking on the search in one of Tennin's helicopters, driven by Tennin himself.

Upon reaching the spot where Merlin said Zenon was, they found Zenon, cowering in fear of the helicopter. Much boring explanation was made between both sides, in which Zenon was repeatedly threatened by William and Uriah, although in the end tthe group reached a consensus. Merlin was a better mage than Zenon, and cast a spell that created a bubble that humans could enter but the bettles could not. the eight of them (William, Uriah, Reinhard, Merlin, Travis, Joan, Tennin, and Zenon) made camp. Zenon looked in the distance, and noticed a pyramid. With the help of Merlin's Far-Sighting Binoculars, Zenon identified a symbol no one else knew.

"It's the symbol of Arctunus, a neccromancer of the Dol Sol who vanished a long time ago, maybe 3-400 years ago. Not long after he disappeared, the Dol Sol entirely vanished, strangely. We need to investigate deeper into this, since the fact that his symbol is on this pyramid means we could potentially be looking at a 400-year long mystery about what happened to the Dol Sol, or people of the Sun.

William took a look, then said, "Well, this will have to wait until tomorrow. Uriah and Tennin are already asleep." William got into his sleeping bag, and Zenon continued to wonder about Arctunus.

Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21: Conflagration, and Anger of the Same Type

The look on Sarah's face was all that Nicolai remembered before he fell unconscious. Why are you so incredulous? Sarah...

Nicolai woke up in Jaem Tuung, with a group around him. Nicolai immediately felt himself embraced by Sarah, who was closest. Uriah, William, Urza, Philinus, Travis, Jeremiah, Phineas, and Primo were all nearby.

"Whoa, where am I?" exclaimed Nicolai.

"Jaem Tuung, although we've already obtained Galgamath." replied Philinus.

Sarah, still speechless, went over to a nearby bed and collapsed on it.

Momentary silence, then,

Phineas suddenly noticed something.

"Guys, is that a fire?" asked Phineas, pointing the Galgamath in the distance.

"Wait, I think it is, by chance!" replied Urza.

"We better check it out!" shouted Nicolai. "Before Galgamath burns down!"

But then the fire spread to Jaem Tuung via some wooden rooftops.

"Wait, we have to protect Jaem Tuung first!" screamed Sarah over the townspeople and others panicking.

By the time the fire was put out, half of Jaem Tuung had vanished, with Galgamath completely gone. A dark figure walked through the ashes, stopping and aiming an arrow.

Jeremiah cried out in pain.

The elves turned around to notice Jeremiah pulling an arrow out of his leg, and... Nicolai shot the arrow?

Wait... Me? thought Nicolai. How is this me? Unless shadowbinding causes shadow clones?

"My name is Nicholai." growled the figure. "Prepare to die!!"

Primo drew back his crossbow and let loose an arrow. It missed Nicholai by an inch. Nicolai fired an arrow. It missed too. Travis and Urza drew pikes and stabbed at Nicholai. The combined pikes, along with the spears of many other bystanders who had noticed, pinned Nicholai to a wall. Nicholai, enraged, broke free and shattered all the spears, every last one. Uriah decided now was the time to use his special ability.

"Special Ability! Thundersmash!"

The smash struck Nicholai straight in the head. He fired a death bolt, missing tit's intended target Uriah and blasting into a three-floor hotel. The hotel collapsed.

Nicolai drew his bow once more, this time using his special ability.

"Special Ability! Arrow Rain!"

A variety of arrows pinned Nicholai to the ground. An arrow pierced Nicholai in the throat, and the gargling and choking Nicholai vanished into a puff of smoke moments later.

"How is this possible?" murmurs Philinus. "Unless... Unless... Nicolai hasn't been shadowbound?"

That's how! They captured me and utilized my likeness to create evil clones!

One mystery less to solve, but one more is created in Doom City...

"YOU!! YOU!!!!! YOU FAILED ME!!!!!!" pouts a livid Doom.

"M-my leader, I t-told you, I d-d-d-didn't know it w-would fail l-like s-so."  squeak a trembling and clearly terrified Rahcaz.

"ENOUGH! YOU HAVE FAILED ME ONE TOO MANY TIMES! DIE!"

Rahcaz was dead before he lay on the ground, as a small orb fell out of his hands...

Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20: Into the Storm

The helicopter whooshed toward Jaem Tuung, as a group of men on the ground, wearing the insignia of Doom, fired a missile known as the Storm.

FOOM!

"Tennin, is something wrong? Is someone firing at us?" asked Nicolai.

CHOOM!

"I don't know, there shouldn't be anyone firing." replied Tennin. "Here, I'll go check."

KABOOM! FOOM! BOOM! BOOM! KABOOM! The ship began to rock.

Areson, the tail gunner, fell off the heli and vanished into the depths below. Only then did Tennin realize they were under attack.

"We lost Areson! Only eight of us left!" yelled Tennin. "GET INTO BATTLE POSITIONS!"

Partinson, the co-pilot, was blasted in the leg with a bolt of death magic. He died instantly. Ned, the pilot, now did Partinson's job. Cristof and Galway, two guards near Tennin fired at an enemy helicopter that joined the fight.

"Wait, it's a HELL-E!" shouted Tennin over the intense battle just after Cristof was hit.

"Man down! Only six left!" shouted Rays, the navigator.

Nelson, the computer engineer, took out a pistol and began firing at the enemy heli. He hit the cockpit and shot the heli down. "Enemy down!"

The right wing was blasted by something, and the two on that side of the heli, Rays and Nelson, were both killed.

"We're going down! Four of us left, and the right wing's busted!"

Tennin, at this moment, jumped off, and landed in the water below. Nicolai, not knowing what to do, followed suit. One last bolt of magic hit the heli, blasting it into bits. The blast hurled Nicolai straight into a mountain, and he fell, limp, straight in front of an elf, a female elf by the name of Sarah.

Chapter 19

CHAPTER 19: Via Helicopter to the South

Upon a strange conversation with Wade, information was established about the current events of the world. Nicolai proceeded to exit the room, immediately realizing his whereabouts. Nicolai felt a strong urge to leave, and left the private building of Wade in a n attempt to find the nearest shipyard.

"Excuse me, sir, but where is the closest shipyard?" asked Nicolai to a kind-looking passerby. 

The stranger gave a chuckle before answering with, "There are no shipyards in this city. There is only an airport. Perhaps that is what you are looking for? Wait a second, aren't you Nicolai, prince of the elves?"

Nicolai was taken aback. "How do you know that?"

"Because I am Captain Tennin, commander of the south. Your friends are currently resting in Jaem Tuung after they liberated Galgamath. I can take you there; it is not much; I am trying to get back to Tennin City after the revolt there last week. Would you like to get on my helicopter?"

"Sure, if it means I can get to my friends."

Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18: Wade

Far, far away, in the city of Achakt, the dark-haired elf so well-known by the name of Nicolai, wakes with a start.

Damn it. No. I must tell Sarah. The doom forces are coming. THEY ARE COMING!!

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" says a relaxed voice from somewhere else in the dark room. "Whattcha screaming an' shouts about for?".

"Who are you?" asks Nicolai.

"Me? Good ol' meh? Meh be Wackiwade of deez landies sioy!" replies the voice in a somewhat gangster style.

"Wackiwade? That is a name?"

"No! Obvi it not a name! Wut kinda idi be you? Mah name's Wacky Wade!"

Nicolai wonders what happens, at the exact moment Philinus thinks of a possibility of why Nicolai might be still alive.

Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17: Trivial Triumph

For one quick second, Sarah stared in disbelief. By the next, Sarah had passed out.

Some time later, Sarah awoke in a room, accompanied by her friends and family. Oh gosh. So lethargic right now. I bet it was all a dream. Nicolai is okay. Nicolai is okay.

"Oh good, she's awake." A voice around Sarah said, but it was too soft to detect the speaker.

Sarah, having completely awoken from a great deal of lethargy, sits up on the soft bed on which she was lying down upon. "Whoa. What is going on here?"

"We've already taken Galgamath. Half our army is occupying Galgamath to ensure we don't get another attack like the one on Jaem Tu-" says William, before a scared look from Uriah cuts him off.

"Jaem Tuung? You mean that battle was real?!" exclaims Sarah. "Wait, where is Nicolai?"

Everyone remains silent. 

"W-w-w-wait. I-I-I k-killed Nicolai? But h-h-how? I-It w-was a stun sh-shot!"

"You may have not noticed, but Nicolai had an amplifier crystal (used to increase speed/damage of one's weapons) in his hand at that moment. The shot got amplified, and stunned Nicolai permanently, unfortunately." speaks the calm voice of Philinus just as Sarah bursts into tears. No one sees this great capture of Galgamath (haven taken three long years to accomplish due to insufficient power) as any accomplishment. The tragic mood in Jaem Tuung that day is mirrored by what happens in Doom City, where Doom, Rahcaz, and a dozen others are celebrating the death of a great hero.

Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16: Tragedy Upon Tuung

Uriah falls from a tower, immediately alerting Sarah and William something has happened. Sarah heals Uriah, pulls out the arrows, and notices something wrong.

"This arrow is one of Nicolai's arrows! What would that be doing here?!"

Uriah mounts up on his griffin (something he has not been able to do so far, due to the perilous journey to Jaem Tuung), and Sarah and William exchange scared glances.

William charges, accompanied by Dvak, Ottokar, Sarah, Primo, Travis, and Jeremiah, who all happened to been in the area. Uriah and a group of cavalry (consisting of Lancelot, Gawain, Galahad, and Percival) charge and immeaditely recognize Nicolai. A though strikes Sarah's mind. What if Nicolai has been brainwashed? Or possessed? Oh no.... DAMN IT! 

Nicolai is nothing like his normal self, firing arrows at insane speeds toward the guardians of Jaem Tuung. Nicolai utters something incomprehensible to the soldiers nearby, and they all charge.

At that moment, Sarah realizes something highly important. Nicolai has been... has been... Shadowbound?!?!

Being shadowbinded is not at all something good. It causes the victim to lose all previous memory and instantly follow the wishes of the shadowbinder.

"Special Ability! Rain of Arrows!" calls out Nicolai. A rain of arrows causes the heroes at Jaem Tuung to retreat.

Sarah, in a final act of desperation, blasts a holy shock intended to stun Nicolai.

The shot hurled toward him...

Time seemed to stop...

It hit Nicolai square in the chest...

Nicolai fell backwards...

And the battlefield was still as all of the Doom soldiers retreated, and the Central forces looked in amazement, as...

Nicolai was killed.

The 30-year old elven archer, renowned over many a continent was...

Dead.

Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15: Enmity 

Nicolai awoke in a dark room.

Urgh.... Why am I so exhausted? What did I do yesterday? Cause another raid upon another helpless village, like I am feeling right now? I wonder, what in the name of Elvidius [the elven god] is going on?

Nicolai realizes he is laying on a hard metal bed.

ARGH! That hurts so bad! Urgh...

"Huh? What's this note?" says Nicolai, noticing a crumpled up paper sheet on the floor.
The note read:

     Dear Myself, 

              I know you are reading this, and I want to tell you one thing. You have been 

             brainwashed. No matter what-DO NOT GO EVIL! 

                                                                                                    -Nicolai

                                                            

"Brainwashed? Really now, Is that the best you can come up with, Rahcaz? Nice joke and all, but really?" excalims Nicolai, as he crumples up the note.

A hooded man walks into the room. His voice comes out as a monotonous croak. "Nicolai. You have been ordered to attack a group of rebels currently in hiding at Jaem Tuung. A raid group will be waiting for you in Galgamath. Good luck, and do not fail us foolishly like Klem, Lavia, and Zenon did."

Nicolai, having received orders he agrees with, sets out for Jaem Tuung. That's strange. Why do I reckon I am about to attack Sarah, William, and Uriah. Wait, who are Sarah, William, and Uriah? Ah, must be my nerves.

In Jaem Tuung, Nicolai's disappearance and Sarah's sudden vision of Nicolai being brainwashed causes Sarah to awake with a start. 

"Oh no. Nicolai has been brainwashed. We need to save him now!" exclaims Sarah.

"Are you sure you weren't just dreaming? I felt a little woozy too, after that dark magic." replies Uriah.

Sarah is unsure, and the lot go back to sleep. 

The next day at 3:00 in the morning, seven arrows are fired directly at the gate of Jaem Tuung, killing all five guards and injuring Uriah, who was on lookout, in the leg twice.

Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14: Vortexial

In Jaem Tuung, as the various heroes are preparing to raid Galgamath the next day (Galgamath is held by the Doom forces), one elf decides to skirmish around. Nicolai leaves the city and begins to look around for enemies. He notices a mage standing around, appearing to do the same thing. I need to gain the upper hand here. I need to surprise him. Nicolai charges down the hill and nocks an arrow, when suddenly, everything seems to slow down.

That's a strange sensation. What's happening? Why do I suddenly feel so lethargic? 

Nicolai then suddenly hears a disembodied voice. "Nicolai!" someone calls. "I have been waiting for you."

"Who are you?" exclaims Nicolai. "What are you doing?!"

"My name is Rahcaz, new lord of the Corrupt Lands."

Nicolai is astonished. "Wait, that means Kalcustus is dead? What happened to all the plans for the invasion then?" he thinks out loud.

"There will be no invasion. You will not remember this."

Nicolai realizes that he and this mysterious figure are no longer is the windy, mountainous area of the Buus Mountains, but instead in a strange vortex. Nicolai starts to run but is cut off.

"You cannot run. There is no escape from here."

Nicolai wonders what could be going on in this situation, when suddenly Rahcaz comes into view.

A man of about six feet, with black hair and a small mustache to match. He looks quite familiar...

And that was the last thing Nicolai remembered that day.

Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13: The Beetles of Sandland

Unbeknownst to the foursome now already in Jaem Tuung, Zenon had been severly hurt and indeed knocked off the mountain. However, someone else found Zenon first. Someone by the name of Rahcaz.

Rahcaz was a mage of much secrecy, to the point where hardly anyone knew anything about him. Rahcaz teleported out of thin air, appeared in front of Zenon, healed him, and teleported away, with Zenon. Thirty minutes later, Nicolai, Sarah and William find Uriah.

Zenon awoke in a jail cell the next morning. He immediately let out a long groan. Zenon promptly stood up. Where am I? Why am I locked up? Uh-oh. Did that son of a b- Nicolai capture me? Zenon suddenly hears something else in the same area. A strange... clicking noise. Getting louder... Why is it g-g-getting l-l-ouder-r? Zenon suddenly became tense and panicked. With a burst, Zenon broke out out of panic. SPLASH! KESH-FOOMMPH! Zenon suddenly fell onto a strangely soft object. Then he realized that the soft object was a large sea sponge, and that Zenon himself had fallen into the sea. Zenon calmed. At least I know where I am now. These sea sponges are only found off the coastal ares of Sandland. So that means... The clicking noise... Was a DEATH BEETLE! How am I going to find shelter at this rate? It's already past evening and I'm trapped in shallow water with no safe land to swim onto. At least the beetles hate the sea. So I'm safe here. For now...

Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12:The Ambush Five Miles to the Destination

Five miles, from Jaem Tuung, a problem arises. The foursome consisting of Uriah, Nicolai, William, and Sarah continues to head on. In the middle of the Buus Mountains, the real Zenon is planning an attack. Zenon plans to ambush the group approaching...

"Special Ability! Wrath of Doom!"

An explosion follows this, and Zenon appears before Nicolai. Sarah screams, and Uriah attempts to smack Zenon in the face. Zenon's Wrath of Doom damages anyone who gets within a 3x3 meter area of him, so Uriah is immediately thrown out of the area. Nicolai fires a wide swath of arrows, but Zenon's Wrath of Doom melts the arrows as they come near him.

"Hahahahahahaha! Puny idiot!"

Nicolai did not take the taunt well. "Idiot? Then we are very similar, aren't we?"

Zenon is outraged at Nicolai's cheek. "Damn you!!!!! DIE!!!!!!"

Zenon fires a large blast of pure dark energy, misses Nicolai, and takes out Uriah. Uriah gets thrown off the mountain and disappears from view. Sarah cries out, "Uriah!".

William is outraged by now. "You son of a b- ! Special Ability! Whirlwind Blades!" His multiple hits from his special ability hit Zenon numerous times. Zenon looks slightly surprised, and falls off the mountain. A few minutes of silence. Then Sarah breaks the silence with a slight sob.

*          *          *

Five hours later, William, Nicolai, and Sarah find Uriah unconscious but breathing at the edge of the mountain. Strangely, Zenon has vanished in all form. After Sarah heals Uriah's wounds, Nicolai's asks, "What happened to Zenon's body? I want to beat it up further. Maybe he wasn't dead?"

Sarah looks up and replies, "It could be that his body disintegrated. Remember Lavia?"

Unfortunately, Nicolai has a strange tendency to guess things correctly...

Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11: Onslow, Absolute Idiot

Onslow Zimmers was never a good commander. As a matter of fact, it was only due to tricks that he managed to climb his way up to being the commander of the army setting out to the Doom Land.Unfortunately for Onslow, every last soldier in the army slowly dropped away, and before Onslow noticed anything, he was alone with a couple of loyal servants. It seemed as if the mission was going to be a total failure.

*          *          *

William, Sarah, Nicolai, and Uriah had already boarded a boat by the time Onslow was deserted. The foursome had plans for meeting up with some others they realized had also deserted the main mission. The point they decided? Jaem Tuung (pronounced Jai-EM TOO-Ung). This small town was on the southern coast of the Southern Peninsula, near the Buus (pronounced Buh-Oose) Mountains. Several stops they planned along the way were at Rotan (pronounced Ro-TAH-en), Beyn (pronounced Bei-EN), Douhte (pronounced De-OOhe-teh), and Alco (pronounced All-CO).

Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10: The Four You Can't Ignore

After much discussion, Nicolai and William have come to an agreement that they both dislike the plan that Onslow, the commander of these forces (only commander as Maximillian, the emperor wanted to go but was stopped but a large mob of people). As the discussion continues, Nicolai's cousin Sarah, a well-known elven healer and princess, comes by, and the three of them together agree to go separately from Onslow's group. Then, a knight under William's command named Uriah, realizing what his master and two others are going to do, joins the group out of loyalty. A strong team of four had been formed.

That night, something peculiar happened. All the heroes seemed to think that there was something quirky about their commander, Onslow. No one could ignore his devilish look. Nicolai seemed to know something wasn't right. But he just couldn't figure it out. But everyone decided to leave the group as soon as the main group set out.