Prologue – Thoughts

There he was, facing off against Saol, tired, grumpy, and most of all, determined to end it soon and get along to the dungeon. Then, everything blackened, his vision gone, and then there was nothing. His computer made a strange beeping noise and shut off. There wasn’t light around his room any more, nothing but darkness. Had he gotten a Game Over? No, it would’ve noted him that before the game screen blackened. He set down the goggles slowly, wondering just what had happened. He watched the computer in the darkness. His hands were sweating and his breathing was heavy. It had been hours since he had come to Mac Anu and just when he thought they were in the grand finale, it ended, just like that. It was gone, all the progress, everything. He punched the table and looked at his knuckles, which were now bleeding. He winced, the pain running up to his heart. He held it tightly and got out of the chair, in search of a bandage that would keep the blood in his body, not out.

The boy sifted through his drawers, looking for it, wondering just where it would be, all else forgotten. He could hardly see in the darkness, but he didn’t care. His fingers wrapped around something soft. He held it tight in his hand and took it out, pealing it off and wrapping it around his middle finger. He sighed and pushed the drawer of his desk back in.

His thoughts were jumbled at the moment. He wasn’t sure what to do, where to go, or anything else. He waited for a second, stock-still, for the lights to go back on. He could throw Gyl a flash-mail, maybe try to see if he got back in, but then again, it wasn’t like he wanted back in. He kicked his bed and hit the covers, lying still, watching the fan as it wheeled around in a circle. His chestnut eyes locked on the string that hung around, spinning slowly around with the fan. He watched as the fan slowed down with the power and eventually, it hung still, the string wading back and forth through the air. He heard the door open and close.

”James?” his mom asked, holding up a lantern. He got up and put his legs in a criss cross applesauce kind. He took the lantern up in his hands and nodded in her direction. ”Your father’s working on the power,” she said gently, her red hair whipping about and grazing off his cheek. She smiled and disappeared through the door again, calling his dad’s name quietly.

The boy looked at the lantern, rolling it over in his hands. It was warm in the cold room. He pressed it tighter against his hands and closed his eyes, trying to imagine a hot beach. He stood on the edge of it, watching the ocean from the sand, his skin baked instead of frozen with sweat. His hands burned. He let go of it and rubbed his hands against the blanket, sighing as he did so. The Eventide Crescendo was gone from his vision and now all he could see was the pale light of a lantern. What was better? Slaughter or peace? He watched the light flicker with a cool expression. His hair fell over his eyes and so he watched as the lantern went out. He was enveloped in total darkness once again. His mouth was open, though no words slithered out. He squinted to see, but found nothing there. It was just…total darkness. His fingers connected and he was left to stare.

His window was open. He could hear the sound of rain coming down hard, followed by thunder. He got out of bed, reaching out for a solid surface. His nightstand first and then the glass of the window, followed by the smooth touch of a spider. He recoiled, managing to knock his lantern down. The cord snapped out, producing a light that revealed the spider for a second as it crawled out of the window. He was enveloped in darkness a millisecond later. He closed the window, still listening to the pitter patter of rain as it came down, hundred by hundred, down on the ground. He wondered how the Eventides were faring without him. He was but a burden among them…or at least that was his thought. Yes, he could try to go back, yes he might be able to get back in because they were entering the dungeon, but… He thought about Centrus and how he disappeared in the field. He couldn’t get back in, could he? He was not a burden, but something special to the Eventide Crescendo. A Fist Fighter, an opponent, an ally.

He hit the bed again, his head digging into the pillow. His thoughts were clouded at the moment. He didn’t know what to think about. It was like the Eventide Crescendo had poisoned his mind with those unique pictures. He knew there were people who went into comas, he knew there were people who could feel it in there, and he knew most of all that he had information.

Information that could be used against them.

No, he didn’t think he was going back, but going back within the month alone would bring him in the view of the Knights, who would obviously arrest him. He didn’t have much information that they would take, though. He had the truth, the truth that they refused to believe. He didn’t like that all the players were blinded by the danger that was among them. Yes, it might be in a few fields, but hundreds of thousands of field were accessed every day. Some returned with their arms full of treasure, some failed, some went into comas, and some died…thinking about it made him sick. Yes, the Eventide Crescendo was for a good cause, but he didn’t belong there! Even if someone wanted him back in, he wouldn’t take it. It wasn’t because he was a coward. The dungeon was literally suicidal for every single one of them. One of their numbers had left, leaving them with only a few left. He was sure Baron would be one of the people to help them. There was Talal, Takua, Exangelus…he hoped that they’d be able to protect themselves in the fight for truth.

He hoped Talal was faring okay. He looked up in wonder at the ceiling. He knew Baron would stay safe and protect them. He was his rival and yet he was the second to leave the fight for truth. Yes, he knew it was raining, yes, he knew the power would go back on in a bit, but what he didn’t know was whether or not he’d be okay with leaving them. Would he be forced back into their ranks just because he held dire information or was he going to be thrust back into ‘The World’ for the entertaining time he had bought it for? Life wasn’t going to be the same. No, heck, it was going to be hard adjusting to the game he had bought. He had gone into the Eventide Crescendo thinking it would be something time-consuming, something to get his mind off stuff. Yes, it had been something that had kept his mind off things, but it was also something that had managed to exterminate the very reason he played the game.

He pressed his hands together. His mom came into the room and asked if he needed batteries for the lantern. He shook his head and told her that he was just going to waste it. She nodded her head and left, the short conversation over in a pinch. The boy ran a finger through his hair and dug in so he could touch his head. He glared at the darkness under him. He ran a finger across the patterns until his hand ran across the edge of the bed. He stopped and let his hand drag back in the direction of himself. He rubbed his cheek with his left hand, set it down, and glanced at the light above him that was now flickering. He drifted back on the bed and hit the covers, staring at the light that was growing ever brighter. He blinked, his eyes attempting to adjust to the new light that was coming up above his head.

The bulb lit up, though it was still dull in the dusty house. He pushed himself off the bed, watching the computer flicker back on, his progress managing to save, but when he saw the blank screen, there was no sight of the battle that was occurring. He slipped into the chair and slipped the goggles on, not bothering to adjust them as there was no point. He was just checking in. He snatched the controller up, already listening to the noise of his mom talking to his dad downstairs. He clicked the start button and entered ‘The World’ for another try.

He was going back in. Hopefully he’d come back out, whether he came willfully or was spat out.

At least, that’s what his thoughts told him.

Chapter 1 – Never the Same

Things will never be the same.

The thought chilled the boy as his fingers hovered over the keyboard, ready for the dance and speed of merely typing in his username and password. They hovered for a moment, pondering whether or not to type it in and click ‘Log in’ or to real back in and think about it. The second choice was all too tempting, a choice that would let him think of when best to go on. The Knights of War would obviously be out on the lookout, out looking for any of the Eventides. If he so much as logged in, they’d be alerted and on his tail. What would be better? Sitting here doing nothing or risking it all just to have some fun? Nemera and Sidhe would obviously try and kill him for making such a stupid decision, but they weren’t going to talk to him anymore after he disappeared. They hovered more, growing tired by the second. He pulled them back and scratched his leg, though it wasn’t itching. He had to think about it…boredom, or risking it all, boredom, or risking it all…?

The boy frowned. He might be interrogated, his character could be deleted…or he could be bored for an hour? He glared into the darkness of the goggles, then hovered back over the keyboard, his fingers doing a slow dance as he typed in his username. He started to type his password. His pinky hovered over the enter button. He wanted to play, but he didn’t want to go back to the field. He might even encounter someone there…where was Centrus? He was the one who had left the Juk Prison first…perhaps his computer had started working? He wondered about that slightly, but pushed the thought away. He’d make a stand against the Knights of War, he guessed. He did have a bit of new equipment, after all. His pinky made its descent and clicked the key, then ascended up into the air to grab the right side of his controller. Instead of the screen coming up, a message came up.

Shenmock, the Fist Fighter and Archer class are now available! You will lose two levels of your progress, but will receive unique classes for the level drop! Choose today!

He almost clicked out of it, but looked at the unique name. Fist Fighter sounded pretty awesome. Yes, he’d drop his level, but the thought of fighting with his fists and not losing any of his armor sounded…great, to tell the truth. Then there was archer. Sekai was the archer in the Eventide Crescendo. The thought of shooting arrows at foes that were far away sounded good, as he wouldn’t be harmed at all unless he was really stupid. Close range or long range was the question? He could choose to stay with his Long Arm class or go on to another unique class that not many players got access to. He made the thought quickly and clicked on the Fist Fighter option. It asked the obvious question of ‘Are you sure about your decision?’, but he clicked yes. The screen flashed and it showed his character. He could add a few features with his class change. He twitched his character around, not bothering with the hair or eyes, but making for a cooler-looking jacket and a long, black cloak. He wore boots now and wore fingerless gloves. Yes, now he looked more like a high level player. He upped the height just a tad bit and then he was done, satisfied with the changes.

Then came the obvious question. Should he quit now or…should he log into ‘The World’? He took a deep breath, blew up so his hair flipped away from his eyes, and clicked the button. It wasn’t the back button, but rather the confirm button. He half-smiled at his first accomplishment. Next came the surviving of the Knights of War. Maybe he wouldn’t be recognized? Then again, he had killed a few of them when they came. He had the same hair, the same eyes, but a different class. The evidence and name was still obvious, though, so…his hopes were probably gone. The light of Mac Anu’s sky grasped him in its arms, welcoming him into the game once again.



Emerald eyes flickered open to look at the Aqua Capital of Mac Anu, the place where the battle had begun in. His black cloak enveloped all but his face, though he could’ve easily shielded that much with a hood. That would make things all the more suspicious though, so he chose to be obvious. Maybe it’d confuse them? One of his hands gripped his fist guards tightly, prepared for the slightest hint of battle ahead of him. He didn’t take a step, though, but rather watched the area around him. The place was piled with the Knights of War, as they were all questioning the people who played for information on the Eventides. They were widely known, as it seemed. He didn’t bother to count the amount in the immediate area. It was pointless; they outnumbered him a hundred to one.

He shook his blue hair to the side and chuckled to himself as he walked forward. There were a few glances from the Knights of War, but their eyes came back to the men and woman that they were questioning. He started forward down the steps, his steps more elegant then when he was a Long Arm. He moved down quietly, his cloak billowing behind him and revealing the slightest tint of a blue jacket full of different weapons. He saw a girl run turn from the Weapon’s Shop. She looked up, saw him, and raced off in his direction. It was Kei, obviously, and she didn’t look all too happy with him. She dragged him over to the side near to where the Pawn Shop was. She glared at him, her gaze stern and unforgiving. ”Please, please, please don’t tell me that was you fighting along those people just a few hours ago?” she questioned, her palm pressing against the wall, blocking his escape. ”Those knights have been gathering information for hours…though I’m not sure if they’ve gotten anywhere. Anyways! What are you doing wandering around here? You better get out of here!” She continued to glare at him.

”Kei, Kei!” he whispered. ”Get out of the way. Now.” The words were half because he didn’t want to be noticed by anyone. Her hand released and she continued to glare at him. He grabbed her and pulled her into the nearest alley, sticking to the shadows where no one would see them. ”You must’ve been seeing someone else out there. Note the difference.” He spread his hands and pointed with his hands to the jacket and the black cloak that let him sink in. He put a hand on her shoulder. ”You were probably just seeing things.”

She gave him a friendly shove and laughed lightly, though she still looked suspicious of what he was doing. ”Why, I hardly know you now. You’re not one for style, but…” She leaned back against the opposite walls, her arms crossed as she looked him over. ”…you actually look…different for once. You’re not as simple as I thought.” He cringed at the word ‘simple’, knowing what she meant, as he was always the one who liked things simple, not anything too big, though.

”Kei!” a gruff voice called. She turned and looked out, then pulled back and looked to him, her expression worried for him. She held out a hand. It touched his palm and slipped off.

”That’s the barkeeper. Got to go.” He hadn’t even noticed the new dress that she wore. Instead of the shiny armor and golden hair, she wore a flowing violet dress. There was a bow on her back. He stood there, dumbfounded by her looks for a second, then stopped to think why the barkeeper was calling.

”You work at the Mac Anu Sports Bar?” he questioned, tilting his head and looking at her with an intense emerald eye. She only nodded in response and dashed off, leaving his sight. He sighed and looked away, staring into the darkness of the alley. He peered out, looking out for any people who looked…suspicious, to say. All he saw were players and if he looked hard enough in the distance, a few of the knights, though there was nothing. Just coming online today was like being watched by thousands of eyes. He started breathing heavier as he moved out of the way, his cloak a swirl of black behind him. His boots clacked and clacked, making him cringe with every step.

He moved to the right and stepped over a sign that had fallen from long ago, probably some kind of shop that a few players thought up. Probably to scam a bunch of players…yeah, that sounded like ‘The World’ alright. He moved faster, stepping past multiple doorways and stepping past a few people hanging around. He had that worried expression on his face. He was worried about being discovered. Yes, he was a different class now, but he had the same name, same color, same hair, and it was quite obvious that he had just become one. He came out one of the back alleys and turned his head to both directions. There were so many people walking around. He was shoved into multiple times, but he never went down. He looked up. There were a few knights walking around, but nothing more than a few. They looked battle-hardened…that was definitely a bad thing. He moved through the crowds, trying deliberately to blend in, though he didn’t know where everyone was filing into. He heard the yell of an NPC and two hands grabbed onto his cloak, tearing it off before he was sent into a boat with a few other people. He grunted as he hit the boat and rolled back, though there wasn’t a lot of leg room for his character to move around in.

He got up and opened his eyes, trying to get a good idea of where he was. Yes, he was in a boat, as he saw it, but where was it going? He turned frantically to look around. He looked to the docks, where a few more players stood. Five players dropped themselves into the boat before they rowed off in the direction of them. ”Uhh,” the boy muttered, looking around to the four people in the boat, two rowing. He pushed himself off and looked to the dull water. ”Where are we going?” he asked, looking around. He made a move to get into the water, but the game refused to let him. A man turned to him, who was carrying a katana in his right hand.

”Idiot! Did you not listen? We are headed out for the event…doofus.”

”Great…” the boy muttered, leaning back and rolling his eyes. I’m in such a pickle.

Chapter 2 – Beginning of a Journey

”Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,” a small boy chimed, using clean, smooth strokes to propel them further. The boy hung back, wondering just where they’d be going and just why they took his cloak. He ran a finger through the water and wrenched it back out. The water was freezing, like something had…done something to it. He looked down into the water and frowned at the sight of no fish, but rather damp water with the slightest hint of white in it. He looked up back in the direction of Mac Anu, which was fading with every stroke. There were a few other canoes that were moving fast, but they seemed to be at the head of the pack. The boy looked up to where they were headed, only to see black clouds shrouding everything around them. He looked back down into the water to see the slightest hint of a tentacle.

”What’s down there?” he questioned, leaning over the boat and staring down in the depths of the water. It was like someone had spilled ink into it, as if it was literally destroyed. He watched it with intense eyes, wondering what they would have to go through just to get to their destination.

”I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” one of the men advised, watching closely with ruby eyes as he looked down. There was something in there, something that would be their first burden…or something like that. ”It’s our first test, boys. Probably some sort of Kraken.” Two of the boys continued to row hard while a bearded man hefted his axe and hefted it on his shoulder, though he was a bit shaky. Shenmock stared at them, dumbfounded. A kraken?! How could he expect any of them to handle something like that when they were in the boat? There was a rumble from under.

”A kraken?!” the boy called back, slightly terrified at the sound of that. He whirled around and crawled past the two rowers, staring into the man’s ruby eyes with his own emerald ones. ”You really expect us to survive a kraken in this boat? We have no room, no places to run, and most of all, no real chance at winning.” There was a gurgle from the water that arose the two boys. They were small; very small indeed. One pulled out two daggers, the other pulling out a sword that looked two sizes too tall for him.

”Scared, aren’t ya?” one of them questioned with a wide grin on his face. He twirled the daggers, threw them up, and let them clatter to the boat. One of them went straight in while the other clattered. Water started to flow in from the crack, making everybody groan.

”Look what you’ve done noooow, Ren,” the other boy said, poking him in the chest. They looked to be twins, both with shaggy hair and looking like people who had nothing to eat for a few weeks, maybe a month…well, at least he judged that by how skinny and small they were compared to him.

”Wasn’t my fault, Ken! Honest! That was the wind!” the other retorted, grabbing his twin and shaking him. ”Honest!” he said, shaking him a bit harder than before. Ren pulled him off and looked to the water and at the dark sky above them.

”We grow near to our destination. Beware,” the man spoke. He drew his bow and pulled an arrow out, setting it lightly on the string and pulling it back, right in the direction of the gurgling. The Fist Fighter stared at him with a confused expression before turning back. The gurgling stopped for a second. The two boys stopped arguing and drew their weapons, staring down at where it had stopped. There was a moment of silence as they watched. The boy didn’t bother to draw anything, but rather watched and waited for it to come. Seconds passed as hours, hours passed as minutes…it seemed that time was slow.

”There it is!” Ken called, pointing down at the gurgling close to another boat that was rowing. The man pulled the string farther, the arrow notched carefully on. He had a mix of gray and blonde hair. It was light, going down to his shoulders. Shenmock watched with a steady eye as the gurgling stopped for a moment. The tide grew heavier around them as they stared. Wind came around, whipping him in the face. The boy stepped on the edge, leaning forward, trying to make out what was going to come. ”It’s comin’ up!” Ken called, holding his blade tighter and raising it higher.

The Kraken shot up from the water, its tentacles lashing out at one of the boats. A man brought his broadsword in a giant swing, cutting off one of many tentacles. The man stood there, the arrow notched, but he didn’t make a move to let it fly into the creature’s head. He closed one eye, but still, he did not let it fly. ”What are you doing? They need you!” Shenmock yelled in his face, but he only ignored him. The boy bit his tongue, letting the blood flow out of his mouth. He licked it away and stared coldly at him. He looked back to the battle, where a Wavemaster called upon the power of Vulcan. Flames licked around the monster, burning its tentacles. The man yelled in its face, throwing his heavy blade around. One of the heavy axe men on there pulled his axe back and swung, slashing off a tentacle. The Wavemaster let out a tortured scream as he was dragged into the water. He made a reach for his friend, but instead was eaten. With the tentacles lashing out and doing rapid damage, the team was otherwise done for unless someone helped.

”Attack all at once. We will bring him down in one strike, or else we risk getting some serious injuries.” The man looked to him with an expression of disgust. ”If you’ve got some sort of spell, you’d better use it now, less you like being eaten.” He looked up. Shenmock could only give him a cold glare and turn to the fight with the Kraken. The man with the broadsword brought another tentacle, but ten replaced it. They had to get to the main body or else they would never finish it. It was a pointless battle…as Shenmock could see it; they would never win.

”Why don’t you help them?” the boy muttered, staring at the havoc that was in front of them. The boats nearby were standing by too, watching the fight from their own safe boat. One of the boats was rowing away from the battle, moving on to wherever they were supposed to go. He repeated the question, but found no answer, but rather silence, just the rustling of the wind. He sighed and turned, looking him straight in the eye so he could see him straight in the face. ”Why don’t you help them?” he spat, though he only got a shove to the side.

”We are enemies in this event. If you want to fight by them, fine, but if they come in and you accept your allegiance, you’ll find that you won’t have a head later.” The Kraken smashed the boat and the men yelled as it swallowed them up into its depths. There was a gurgle as the tentacles disappeared into the depths of the water. He stared at the bubbles that came above the water. This time, they were headed to the loudest group: theirs. He pulled his hand back, but was only wrenched back by the man. ”If you attack now, you’ll miss. We need to wait for the right moment,” he hissed in his ear. It seemed everybody else knew his plan. Why not him? The twins pulled their blades up in defense, breathing heavily and shuddering.

”Ken?” one of the boys whined, his blades up and shaking. They could see clearly from the water that the Kraken was heading for them. A look from Shenmock told him that they had insanely dirty feet. Their clothes were ragged, like some farm boys…he guessed they usually wore cloaks…huh, he still wondered just why they had taken them away.

”Yes, Ren?” his so-called twin asked, his voice shaky, the look of despair on his face. The bubbles came closer and closer with each second. The monster was almost upon them. Shenmock looked into the pale darkness, a look of wonder in his eye at the sight of himself. Ken shuddered and leaned against Ren, almost slumping down, as Ren was doing the same exact thing to him.

”I love you, brotha’.” Ren looked to his brother. They nodded at each other, gritted their teeth, and readied his blade. Both of them charged off the boat right as the Kraken came up. Ken was surrounded by an emerald aura, the aura of Krake, the God of Juk. Ren, on the other hand, had a ruby aura surrounding him, making his hair swirl back in a frenzy of curls. They both plunged down into the water, their blades digging into the monster that was coming up.

”Now!” the man hissed, letting loose his arrow with a burst of Gan energy. The arrow zinged right between the Kraken’s now-visible eyes. On either side of it were Ken and Ren, shoving their blades deep into its sides. Water burst out over the canoe, drenching everybody. The man with the axe finally spoke as he charged into the fray, his axe gouging deep into its flesh. The Kraken let out a terrified cry as three more arrows zinged in, each over the eyes and joining the ones that were still in between. Rain poured down on them, making it all the hazier. He pulled his hand back and with a cry, he jumped into the fray, his leg coming down and smashing it straight in the head, managing to knock it out of its senses for a second. He leaned forward on its head and let his hand hover over the skin.

He closed his eyes, despite the wind and rain that roared around him. ”Vulcan!” he cried, letting the light emanate from his hand. The dark sky lit up with flames as meteors poured down around him. The man with the axe, still silent as ever, jumped back into the safety of the boat, though he managed to crack a bit of it while he was at it. Ken and Ren let out a cry and threw themselves into the boat. Two more arrows whistled past him, sinking into the monster’s flesh. The Kraken was enveloped in flames, only to float back into the water. The boy reached out and jumped, only to fall into the water and sink.

Why was he so heavy right now? He didn’t know at the moment. Maybe it was that his character couldn’t swim or that he was meant to die like this. What…? He sunk further down, still staring out at the darkness that hovered above. Two hands pulled him up and over the boat. He hit the ground, coughing hard and rolling in, though his feet were hardly comfortable. For a second, he had just sunken there, as if in a trance. What was with this event? What was it doing with his character? Ken and Ren stared at him and looked up, the clouds lightening to a thin mist in front of them.

”We’ve got a short ways to go now, boys. Come on, row, row, row.” Ken and Ren pulled the paddles back and dug into the water, pushing the boat forward with new strength. He could see the faint outline of other boats passing, but other than that, all he could see was the thick mist. ”Quaking Arrow of Fissure,” the man muttered, notching an arrow and thrusting it off into the mist. Light burst through, lighting a way to their destination. The boy was bewildered by the sight of things in front of him. There was a shore and a few people there, but…other than that, nothing but a dense forest that led up, up, and up…he stared out to the end, shuddered, and looked down at the boat.

”Where are we?” he managed to choke out.

”We…” Ren said, pointing up at the thick mist above and at the forest that they’d have to go through.

”Are at the…” Ken started, pointing one of his fingers at the outline of something fiery far beyond the hill.

”The end of ‘The World’. You will not be finding any place like this…any field, anything. They hold this event every now and then, but not many get to see it. Be proud that you’re one of the few who’ve seen it.” The man blew a hair up out of his eyes and stared out towards the land.

”I didn’t come here to sightsee,” the boy muttered, glaring at the canoe and the leak that he had managed to slow with a bit of ice.

”Be happy,” a man muttered. He whirled around to stare at the man who held the axe, a long brown beard coming down. ”Because this isn’t all sightseein’, boy. This is a test to see what we can resist…and what we fall for.” The man leaned against the back, his axe held tight in his hand.

A wind roared across the waters, making the mist a little clearer.

The end…was it near?

Chapter 3 – Burden Bearer

The rest of the trip was made in silence. The only thing he could hear was the breeze pass by and the paddles digging into the water. Ren and Ken, for once, were as silent as could be, stock-still, their mouths unmoving. They started to go slower as they approached the shore. The waves crashed down, sending them forth onto the beach. The two men got off, then Shenmock, and following up, Ken and Ren jumped off and hit the sand just as the water swallowed up the boat. They looked at each other, nodded, and moved forward up the beach behind them, trying to keep up with everybody. His character started to shake and chatter, as the wind was so…so cold to them. The boy looked behind him to the ocean and the mist. There was nothing there, only the icy water and the last remains of their small canoe. Ken and Ren stopped and looked back too.

”There’s no goin’ back now.” Both nodded and stared off into the seemingly endless ocean. Ken and Ren started walking, but Shenmock stood there, watching as the waves crashed to the shore. He shivered again and looked to the jungle-like area in front of them. ”Come on, now, Shen! Can’t be holding us up! Let’s go, move it, move it, come on!” Ren called, waving his hand around. Shenmock, though a bit impatient by his comments, turned around and headed forward. There was something about this place that gave him the chills, just that dark feeling… He shuddered and moved forward beside Ken, still looking ahead of them. A man stood up, likely an NPC. He didn’t look pudgy like the others in Mac Anu, but rather a tall man that bore a staff much taller than Ken and Ren. They stared up at him with curious eyes while Shenmock shook his forward slowly.

“Welcome,” he croaked, clutching his staff like he was some man at the end of his days. “You all have come here to take the burden, take it and keep it, take it and destroy it, but…the choice is yours.” He looked off in the distance. He had long white hair and a gray cloak that looked a size too big for him. “There is an immense world full of peril out there. Many of you will go, but many of you will fail to come back here.” He nodded to the rustling trees that were far above. “You are the last ones that have come. Just know that…things won’t be the same out there.” He held out a necklace with an emerald jewel on it. It wasn’t all too attractive, but then again, he said there was some…pull to it. “Which one of you has the strongest mind, the one who is confident they will destroy this?”

There was silence for a second. Dead silence. No one moved, no one breathed. A whole minute passed. His archer friend didn’t even look confident with it. The boy took a deep breath and stepped forward, holding out his hand. Ken made a hand to stop him, but Ren stopped him with a push of his hand. The archer sighed, the heavy axe sighed, gripping his axe tighter as the man slowly dropped it into his hand. The jewel hit his palm, bounced off, and hit it again, this time still. A force blew forward, making him drop it in the sand for a second as a wind roared around them. ”Ah,” the boy muttered. He looked at the jewel and picked it up this time, with a bit more bravery than before. It had this immense pull, like…his character wanted to take it for his own, never give it back…what was wrong with him?

”That jewel is no regular thing, Shenmock. Push it aside, stay on other things. Do not let it take you, less you’ll be gone within the hour,” the man warned. The boy stuffed it in his jacket pocket and looked at the man, who had his eyes locked onto the pocket before shaking himself awake. Something was not right here…

“You are to destroy the jewel. Take it out with a weapon if you will, but that alone will take days.” He spread his arms to the long hill above him and to the beach. “You will have to travel and find where you think it is best destroyed. Once it is destroyed, the event is done.” He let his arms fall down and he continued to hold the staff like a crutch. “Stay close now. Plunge into the forest. Hopefully we will see you again.” A path opened up in the trees, revealing a long ascent up, though there was a path that led up instead of rock climbing. The boy shook and moved forward to the path behind the archer, who had his bow out and ready.

The faintest of light emanated around the men as they walked. They produced long, green cloaks, fitting for each of them. Their boots were gone, though, only for them to find their bare feet. Their clothes seemed a bit more ragged, like an adventurer. The boy looked up and ran a finger through his blue hair. At least that was still intact. He heard Ken and Ren whispering behind him in a low, whispering voice. He could hear them, though, so he decided to…eavesdrop, to say.

”I feel like a King, Ken, with these cloaks and this little jewel that…connects ‘em together.” He started playing with the object and managed to trip over a root while he was at it. He face planted, but got up before anyone else could notice. He picked a few twigs out of his hair and followed them up the path. It was a long ascent up there.

”I feel like a King, too, Ren.” He laughed, but Ren only stared awkwardly at him, as if he were proposing something mad. ”What?” he questioned, jumping across a small opening in the path. Shenmock almost looked back, but he knew he’d fall if he so much as looked at them awkwardly. He looked at his fingers, which were currently twitching for the jewel. He stopped behind the others at a long opening. He heard the slightest noise of a river under them.

”Well…it’s obvious we can’t both be Kings…unless we’re gay…or that you’re the Queen, Ken.” He laughed hysterically, but only got shoved by his brother. Unluckily enough, he pushed him in the direction of the opening in the path. Ren stared at Ken as he plunged down into the opening. Shenmock, without thinking, fell forward and grabbed Ken’s hand in seconds. Arms grabbed at his legs and then he heard the slightest tingle as the jewel inched out of his pocket.

”Faster, faster, faster! The jewel’s falling out.” It inched out of his pocket, hung there for a second, and fell in the direction of the river. ”Grab it!” he yelled to Ken, who was hanging helplessly with one hand. He made a grab for it. It bounced off his hand, hit his arm, and then fell off. He pulled his foot up, hit it up, and then grabbed it with his hand. All of them made a sigh of relief at the sight of the jewel in safe hands. Ken winced at the power that it held, then was pushed up the final foot over the opening. They all fell back, huffing and puffing from the close call. Shenmock stared at Ken, who was holding the jewel and staring at it, his eyes curious.

”It’s so…” he muttered under his breath, looking at the jewel from every angle. Shenmock snatched it away from him and stuffed it in his pocket, though his fingers were shaking from the pull it held. Ken looked at him, terrified, then took a deep breath. His fingers, too, were shaking. Even without it, he was having trouble handling it. The Fist Fighter didn’t like this…at all. He looked up across the opening and then up, where he heard the rustle of trees and bushes from where other men were.

”We climb here,” the archer announced. He still hadn’t bothered to ask his name, as he hated conversing with the guy. He grabbed a vine that was hanging from it, obviously left to climb, and started up the hill. Shenmock followed, his feet more accustomed to this. It was much easier for him, as he used his hands and feet for everything now. He grabbed the vine, pulled himself up, and grabbed a place higher. He looked down, gulped, and continued to climb up like he was the king of the jungle. He pulled himself over the edge, rolled forward, and looked up to the bushes and trees that were still there. They still had a long ascent ahead of them. Ren pulled himself over, then helped Ken up. The archer jumped over as if it were nothing. Thirty seconds passed and the heavy axe pulled himself over, rolling his eyes at them as they started up the path.

That jewel…it was so strange. It had this pull that made his fingers shake with every second. If they didn’t get this done soon, they wouldn’t be able to finish it quick enough. This seemed like a test of how you could resist something, like a bunch of cookies in a jar with a sign that said ‘Do not touch. For the Cookie Monster only.’ Something like that. Ren and Ken continued to converse, though it wasn’t about any touchy subjects this time, as they learned what touchy subjects did to them when they weren’t careful. The archer still led, his bow still in hand. The boy didn’t have a spear to protect him this time. Only his hands. He turned and followed the archer up a different path, this one a tad bit steeper. His feet were dirty from the surroundings. He, at least, still had gloves. Would that do any good against the resistance? He stared at it, then dug it back into his pocket, a pocket where the jewel wasn’t at.

It seemed he was the burden bearer.

Chapter 4 – Ambushed

It was a long ascent up. Every time he’d think they’d made some progress, he looked up only to see nothing but more trees and a long ascent. He didn’t dare look down, though, as it would only make his character woozy from the sight of things down there. Ken and Ren, meanwhile, were pushing the Heavy Axe up, as this was nothing for a heavy class to do. The archer was still leading, his bow out and ready, an arrow notched out. Well, at least one of them was on his guard. He looked at the mist that and sea, then up again. There was still a ways up. He glared at the ground and moved up, listening to the groans and comments of Ken and Ren. They turned and moved up again, though up ahead, there was a path blocked out by trees. Ken and Ren stopped pushing and both fell back on the ground, huffing and puffing. The archer turned back, glaring at the two. They both shot up and dashed forward to where they were. The Heavy Axe moved up, mumbling something under his breath about energy.

The former Long Arm walked past the archer and looked path up the path. Leaves, twigs, and the like covered the ground. It was perfect for a trap or an ambush. After all, they were the last ones there. If they separated them, they’d have a lesser chance of getting there in time. He looked up the path, sighed, and turned back. ”Stick together everybody. It looks like a hard path ahead of us, so…stay together. If we get separated, whistle. Got it?” Ken and Ren looked at each other and nodded. The Heavy Axe nodded, along with the archer. Everyone crowded up. He walked forward, tapping at the area around him for any sign of traps. As he saw it, there were none for the first thirty yards. It was strange to find so little in such a good place.

The boy stepped forward again and wrenched his foot back as a net shot up and snapped up into an opening. The archer peered down the opening and stared at the water below, followed by the craggy rocks. Ken gulped. Ren chuckled. The Heavy Axe grunted. Shenmock stepped up and inched around it. For one thing, he’d be dead if that happened…and he didn’t exactly enjoy dying. The group continued on, Shenmock in front, Ken and Ren at the back. Ken had his blade pulled out, Ren with his daggers out, staring at each other and inching around each side of the hole.

The path moved slowly up, not very evident, but he was still sure that it led up to the top of the hill, where most of the players were already. There were likely about four other groups headed for their distinct destinations, but…how long was left after this forest? Was it right up the hill or was it miles ahead of it? He wondered about that as he walked forward. There weren’t any traps ahead of them, as he saw it, unless they were off the trail they were following. He was sure there was at least one group lurking around, watching their every step, waiting until their guard dropped. He looked up again after what seemed like endless hours of walking…to find the top not much farther up. He looked back and managed a grin to tell everybody that the top was close by.

Everyone went in a sprint up to it, even the heavy axe managing to follow Ken and Ren. There was a zing! that pierced the air. An arrow pierced the boy’s shoulder and he was sent staggering back into a tree. He let out a grunt of pain as he wrenched the arrow out of his shoulder. Two men in the same cloaks came forward, one carrying an axe, the other carrying a blade. Ken and Ren let out a yell and charged forward, literally tackling the heavy axe. Ken pulled his blade back and bonked him on the head while Ren went for something harder: stabbing the guy. The heavy axe pulled up his weapon and made a full sweep around him, making the heavy blade stagger back. A blademaster and another heavy blade filed in while more arrows came through the forest, piercing Shenmock in the chest. He wrenched more out of it, blood spilling out of his chest. With a quick mutter of ‘Repth’, he charged forward at a heavy blade. He jumped, pulled his foot back, and smashed him in the head, following up with his other leg that sent him back to the ground.

The boy brought his foot back and brought it forward into the man’s chest, knocking the breath out of him. An arrow was sent into his leg, making his legs buckle for a second, but he stood his ground. He pulled the arrow out and pulled his fist back to the blademaster that was moving towards him. ”Fist Slam!” he cried, his fist connecting with his cheek. He glared at him as he was sent spinning back down the hill. Shenmock charged forward at him and jumped, his leg out in front of him. The man got up, dropped his blade, and grabbed Shenmock’s legs. He pulled him back and sent him back into the air. The Blademaster picked up his blade and thrust it at Shenmock. With a quiet laugh, he sent an ice pillar up in front of him. The blade pierced the pillar, breaking it into millions of pieces, but not managing to hit the boy.

He heard the yelp as an arrow pierced Ken. Ren pulled his daggers up and deflected the next arrow that was coming at him. The blue-haired Fist Fighter looked in the direction of the forest, hesitated for a second, and then charged into the forest, dancing through the trees and swinging off the vines that came in his view. He saw the faint breathing pattern and the zinging arrows. He sprinted forward, grabbed onto a branch, and sent him off in a whirl of ice. His hands were clasped together as he moved forward in the direction of the archer. He pulled one hand back, a Rom spell conjured into a sphere of ice that cut at his hand. ”Rue Rom!” he yelled, sending the sphere of ice energy into the man’s rib cage. Ice pierced his side, along with wind that cut at him. The boy’s hair was flung back as he sent the spell forward. He let go of the sphere as the wind roared around the man in a sideways tornado. He danced back as an arrow from his own comrade pierced the man and exploded in a burst of Vak energy.

It was a few seconds before he was back. Ken and Ren were still wrestling with their own man while the heavy axe pulled it around in large sweeps. His friend the Blademaster was nowhere to be found at the moment. He turned and charged at one of the heavy blades, his leg coming around in a sweep that connected with his side. The man staggered back, but retaliated with a few swings from his blade. A golden aura surrounded the man as he pulled his blade back again and pulled it forward, letting the blade sink into his shoulder. He was sent down in a flash and for a second, his vision started to fade. He heard screams from Ken and Ren, the grunt of the heavy axe, the archer sprinting around, and…the sounds of battle fading away. A minute later he was up, but…no one was there. He looked around the battle scene and called out Ken and Ren’s name, only to find more yells from them, but they were so…lost in the forest.

He cursed and punched the tree, only to watch as blood dripped down from his fist. They were all gone, but where? Were the archer and the heavy axe going after them and expecting he would go up and take care of the jewel…? He turned to the hill and sprinted up, sure that the group had left. Why had they left him? Why had he heard the yells of Ken and Ren in the distance? He didn’t know what exactly happened, but he’d sure find out. He pulled himself up the last feet of the hill and stood at the top, only to gasp in surprise for what was in front of him.

‘The World’ is a big place.

Chapter 5 – Path to Ruin

The path in front of him seemed perilous, one that only a fool would take. It stretched out for what seemed like miles, until it cut off at so many points. Mountains were spread across, reaching into the sky, their caps white with snow. The path in front of him was gray, besides a few black rocks that were spread about the area. You could see black shapes lurking about, along with golden portals that were spread far across. That alone was like crossing a monster-infested field alone. It was suicidal. He dug into his pocket and clutched the jewel. He took a deep breath and pulled it out, staring at it. It was a different color now; it was sapphire. He turned to look at the path he had just gone, only to find it turn emerald. He stared at it and turned around again. It turned into a ruby and started to shake. It was pointed at a place far away, a place that was darkened by the clouds. He heard the distant screams of monsters from that point. It looked as if it was to…break.

That was it. The necklace, the jewel…it told you which place it was to be destroyed. But…when he turned around, it was as light as a feather to his character, as if there had never been a burden. He tightened his grip around it and stuffed it back into his pocket. He hoped he’d run into the others along the way. They had their own path to take for now, but he, the burden bearer, would have to walk his own path, the path to ruin. He looked down at the hill that was left below him and the rocks that jutted out at points. It was insanely steep, but the only way down… He glared at the rocks, breathed, and stepped down into the rocks. The rocks parted, making him slide down. He was almost sent spinning forward if not for his other foot coming down. His character was sent headlong in, sprinting down the steep hill and dodging about the craggy rocks, all the while screaming. It was a long minute before he reached the bottom, full of crashes and flips, and head bangs (ones that really hurt). His bare feet were literally cut to pieces while going down, if not for the frantic Repths he cried out in the middle of his terrified screams.

He face planted in the rocks, spun forward, and hit the ground huffing and puffing. His emerald eyes caught sight of the way he had gone down and then drooped. If there was a different way, he would’ve taken it. If this was the hardest way down, great, he couldn’t go back unless he could somehow make it into a rock-climbing hill. He turned and looked to the path in front of him, the one he had seen up there. Now it seemed all the more dangerous, as he could see a golden portal about seventy yards ahead of him, a bit to the right. He pushed himself off, dusted off his shorts, looked at his feet with a dull expression, and jogged forward in the direction of the portal.

The jog, after a few seconds, turned into a sprint. He sprinted across the rocky surface until, once again, he found clear grass again. He stopped in front of it and looked around, noticing a few other portals in the distance, but none that would come along the way to…gulp…his destination. He pulled his brass knuckles out and leaned forward, listening to the portal as it activated in front of him, sending out two monsters in its wake to fight him. A Dark Witch and a Fire Witch, monsters that would definitely give him trouble. Each witch sat on a different orb: the Dark Witch had a violet orb while the Fire Witch had a crimson one. They both went in circles, letting out the annoying giddy laughs that every monster gave. The Dark Witch raised its wand and activated a ‘MeAni Zot’ to tackle him. He frowned and raised his arms as dark fingers from the Underworld jutted up from the ground and pierced him. He let out a quiet yelp, but nothing more. A second level spell…it was better than a third level spell. So, if he used a Rai spell on the Dark Witch, it’d be much easier to take it down. The only problem: he didn’t have any. He dug into his pocket as the Dark Witch started to prepare another spell for him.

The boy wrenched out a ‘Lightning Bolt’ scroll and twirled it around in his hand, electricity roaring around his character as the scroll was spread out. Lightning pierced the air, connecting with the Dark Witch right as he called, ”Rai Don!” The scroll disappeared just as quickly as it had come. He frowned and looked at its status. Yes, it had been critical, but…it wasn’t good enough to kill it. A simple level one spell wouldn’t take that thing down. The Fire Witch, this time, was the one to call its spell. It raised its wand, a crimson aura surrounding it and making wind roar around it.

The former Long Arm dug his hands into the ground, his fingers coming into the dirt and digging past the ants. The dirt and soil froze as he did so and spread across the ground. Grass blades fell from where they were as the slightest trail of ice came up. There was a silent moment as flames came around him, but then, the spell stopped, a thorn of ice coming up instead. The witch let out a scream of disapproval, the ice digging into her orb and making it a dim crimson. The boy pulled his nunchuks out and charged the Dark Witch. His first swing as an upper thrust, followed by a spin kick to the side, and then ended as both of the weapons came down simultaneously on the witch’s hat. The witch dove out of the way with her orb, managing to knock him down while running around to its partner.

Light poured out from his pockets as he pulled out his Brass Knuckles and prepared for his next assault. This one would hopefully finish off the duo. They hardly had any hit points and plus, their defense against so many physical attacks wasn’t something to be proud of. He charged forward at the two. A ‘MeAni Kruz’ came at him. Bats screeched as they dove out of the sky and condensed. He let out a cry as they dug into his sides, and then disappeared back into the sky. The boy pulled his knee back and pulled it forward, crying out as he shattered the orb in half, along with managing to knee the Dark Witch. The witch screeched in pain as it was sent spinning out of the way, dematerializing within milliseconds. He whirled around, only to see flames licking at his sides from a previously called ‘Vak Kruz’. The flames came around him and converged on his blue jacket, tearing and burning it. A cool aura burst forth in front of him and then came forward, ice and water already coming forth to join with the wind. Seconds later, the battle was over with a torn Fist Fighter standing in its wake.

The boy stood where he was, planted in that spot, watching the sky. The volcano he was headed towards was black, except for the usual dance of red magma. He flinched and waited there, as if he was waiting for someone to come and rescue him, someone to do his job for him. No one came though, and he was left to sprint headlong, the jewel all the more heavy in his pocket. The grass was half-dead, though, as he could see it. It wasn’t hot from the burning sun, but it was at a loss of actual heat. All he saw were tangled roots and blades of grass that were scattered about. He even noticed tree stumps, though there were no trees to rest on them. It just showed what this place had gone through; it gave you your own idea on what had happened. It was obvious that this place had once been a safe haven, only to have been destroyed by monsters, monsters that were covered with greed, monsters that looked for riches, even if it meant destroying the very place they had once resided in.

This place was ruined…destroyed…dead.

Chapter 6 – Twin Disaster

Ken thrashed at the heavy blade that was dragging him. The hand squeezed around his leg, making him yelp in pain, but he never stopped thrashing and trying to escape the grasp of him. Next to him, Ren was struggling for his blades, only to find nothing. Ren tried to roll out of the man’s grasp, somewhat better than thrashing, only to be dragged into the mud. He tried to push up with his hands, but was only wrenched forward. He wiped the mud off of his face and started to think for another plan, only to find none. Ken, meanwhile, continued to thrash, despite a heft of a blade. The man brought it down, bringing an earsplitting scream out of Ken’s mouth, one that echoed around the valley so everybody could shiver in fear. Ren thrashed this time and tried to make a reach for his brother. His fingers trailed off his brother’s dirty arms, only to be smacked off. All he could do was wait there, watching the sky turn to black.

”Where are we going?” Ken managed to choke out as the group started up a rocky surface. He managed to choke out a healing spell for both of them, then continued to try and think of an escape plan for the two of them. A rock tore at his shirt and he was left to wince at the sight of blood trailing down. They didn’t bother to hide it, though, as they seemed to be in a great hurry. Sor would hopefully find them…somehow. His head hit another rock and he let out another yelp, one that made one of them smile. He glared at them, only to be thrown forward. He cracked an eye open and stared down at the steep descent. He gulped, along with Ren.

”Down there?” Ren asked with terrified eyes. Both of them looked at each other and gulped again, seeing as the descent would be the ending of both of them. One of the men nodded and another wrenched his hands back and his feet forward. Ren let out a cry of pain as his hands were pulled out, but the men only ignored it and tied a vine around it. ”Careful now, ouch! Careful, please, you just might-“ He looked at the man that was in front of him, who was glaring at him with those hurt, black eyes.

An ice path was lain out for them, only to lead out into the descent. Ken saw the form of someone running down another descent, a scream emitting from his throat. The Blademaster sighed; he knew who that was. It was obviously their fifth and last friend, Shenmock, who was doing well to go and destroy the jewel…or whatever they were supposed to do. Ken winced at the sight of the ice path lain out for the two of them. Farther down were multiple craggy rocks. If they fell, they’d be pierced and…be left for the monsters. He heard a rustle in the tree, followed by the whistle of an arrow. Ken tried to move around, only to find a foot on his back. He was pushed forward and stopped at the moment.

A hatchet was thrown out of the trees, piercing the man who had just been shot. The man fell back, hit a rock, and rolled down the hill, only to fall back down to the rocks, his corpse fading away as he went. One down, four more left to go. Ken and Ren continued to stare at the ice that was fading. Three more arrows whistled out, piercing another man and sending him staggering back, only to fall back and fade, just like his partner. The two stepped back, the bearded man holding a heavy-looking axe, Sor holding his bow ready. The man pressed Ken harder to the edge, his legs the only thing holding him down. He dug his bare feet into the dirt and closed his eyes. The man let the Blademaster go and so he soared down the ice. The boy was sent off the edge and started to come down. There was a golden light as his blade materialized in his hand. The end was coming ever so close. He heard the yells of Ren as he, too, was shoved off. The boy threw the blade into the rocky wall and grabbed onto it. The boy clutched his blade and looked at the bottom that was ever-so close to swallowing him up.

Ren screamed as he soared down. Ken pressed against the wall with one foot and reached out with his free hand. Ken’s fingers slid there for a second and, for a second, Ken had him, but the next second, Ren was down, down, down, plunging into the rocks. Ken let out a yell and jumped down from his perch to his brother, who was now lying dead, his skull having cracked upon impact. Ken knew he was sitting right next to him, but watching your comrade die in a game was…hard. He hit the rocks and dashed over to his Ren, who was lying face up, his eyes wide open. Even though he heard his brother chuckling in the background of the game music, he couldn’t help but sit and stare at his comrade. In any regular event, he would’ve been able to revive him, but…this was the exception. He looked up, only to find two corpses plunging down into the rocks.

Ken could only smile at the moment as he watched his brother disappear. Two teams down, one separated, two more running ever closer to their destination. The Blademaster watched as the Sor descended down a steep hill, trying his best to get there quickly before their comrade disappeared. No, he wasn’t gone for good, but they wouldn’t be seeing him for a while. Sor dashed across the craggy rocks, despite the complaints from the heavy axe, who was still going slowly down the hill. Ken stood up and motioned for him to stop. Ren dematerialized, along with the others who had perished at their teams’ hand. ”We must not mourn over someone’s death. It’s not like he’s dead forever, just dead for the event. Shenmock is crossing those plains at this moment, doing his best to bring the…jewel to its destination.” He looked to the black speck in the distance, headed to the volcano, the one thing that towered over the rest.

Sor nodded, along with the heavy axe. Ken managed to smile at them before he dashed off. The heavy axe shook his head slowly and charged after him, hefting his axe and moving along as fast as he could go. Sor jumped to the head of the group, beside Ken, who was dashing at top speed. There were no speed charms tossed between them, but rather they moved at their best rate. The Fist Fighter was fast, but they’d get to him. If he was stuck in one more battle, they’d be there at his side. Ken wished that Ren was there with them, but then again, he’d be seeing him at dinner tonight. His brother had left the room to go do some chores. He was covering for him; just like always.

”You okay?” Sor managed to ask as they dashed in the direction of the speck. It seemed their comrade was moving to another portal and then to where the volcano was…strange. Well, a volcano could obviously destroy anything, but…the jewel…it didn’t make any sense. Ken nodded, but inside, he felt a bit awkward without someone else to talk to all the time.

”Wait a sec, guys! Not everybody can run that fast!” the heavy axe called as he raced after them, sweat beading down the side of his head and his legs looking as if they’d just been crushed by a few thousand tons. The heavy axe dashed past them, chuckled, but was only left in the dust once again by Ken and Sor. Laughing was the best thing they could do at this point, as there would be harder times ahead. All they could do was laugh and enjoy themselves for now…

Chapter 7 – Reunited

The boy sprinted across the dead plains, a black shape to all those who noticed. He didn’t slow his pace down, even when he saw black shapes a bit of a ways away. He knew those were his comrades, those who wanted him to wait so they could catch up with him, but he couldn’t waste any more time. They had to finish this soon or else they risked… He didn’t know what they would risk, actually, but rather didn’t want to risk waiting another few minutes for them to catch up. The next monster portal wasn’t far off, followed by the volcano, their destination. That wasn’t exactly a good thing either. He pulled out his Kaze Nunchaku he had received from Kiwi, twirled it around, and came at the glowing portal with a determined look in his eye. It cast off a few sparks as he came at it, and then revealed a General Armor.

The monster’s armor was thick, but with multiple scars and the like from battle, making it less impressive to anyone. The boy didn’t stop running, though, but rather jumped and yelled, ”Double Mortal Scorcher!” Flames burst from the nunchuks as he came forward, pulling them forward in a spin formation. Flames licked at the armor, the nunchuks whacking them with multiple clangs and resounding bongs! Shenmock couldn’t help but grin as he brought them down on its armor again, managing to dent it a little. The monster let out a groan of dissatisfaction and brought its sword around, batting the former Long Arm away with its power. The boy was sent flipping to the side, listening to a few bones whine for a little less strength in the blows dealt by his opponent.

He lay there for a few seconds, looking at the dirt and then picked himself off the ground, his face a little black from the rocks he had rolled through. His nunchuks, though, were behind the monster, already guarded from him. He frowned and looked at the enormous sword in its hand and then at the space around it. He glared at it, stuck his tongue out, and then picked up a rock off the ground. With both hands, he pulled his foot back and thrust it forward at it. The monster merely flicked its wrist and cut it in half with its blade. He picked up another and made the same maneuver, but it was the same process. He threw a rock. The monster swung its sword. Then it was chopped in half. Then the rock would hit the ground, as if it was as harmless as a fly. He took a deep breath and charged at it. He made a jump and grabbed onto its armor. With a grunt, he pulled himself up and over its head. He hit the ground and whirled around, nunchuks in his hands, at the ready.

The monster loomed over him like some giant mountain. Its shadow was cast over him as it rose its blade and brought it down. He dove to the side as it came into the rocks, splitting each and every one of them in half (or close to). Shenmock got up and stared at the monster and then at the rocky terrain around him. He hadn’t even looked at the terrain before…how dumb. The monster would have trouble stepping into the places that were rocky, thus leaving it open to a multitude of spells. The Fist Fighter danced back, twirled his nunchuks around once, and slipped them back into his pockets. His fingers dug into his palm for a second as he rose his hand, casting upon the Vak energy that would hopefully help him win the battle.

He muttered the word and closed his eyes, hoping for the best. ”Vulcan,” he mumbled so low that he could hardly hear it. The rock in front of him started to glow red until it exploded in its face. The form of Vulcan materialized up above the rock, a hand stretching out, fire emitting from it. The sky was alight for a second and the fireballs rained down upon his enemy, showing no mercy. There were enough that a few missed their target, but by the time the spell had ended, the monster was engulfed in flames, the only thing left without a scratch being its sword. The monster roared out in pain, but still did not fall. Two simple skills would not take this thing down, not without a real fight. The monster charged forward despite the rocky terrain and swung at him. He rose his arms in defense, but still, the blade seemed to break through his defenses. For most viewers, it would seem like a simple bonk on the head, nothing big, but those who saw it closer knew that it was not a bonk, but rather a crack. A devastating one at that.

His head was the target of the attack and so the head had been struck by the blade. The boy fell back, his hand rubbing at his head and his emerald eyes a haze. It might not have killed him, but it sure took a hunk out of his hit points. There was a cry and a spell was cast. An axe connected with the arm and with a roar, it slipped off. A small boy charged up at the monster, jumped, and stabbed it right in the neck. He wrenched it out with a cry and jumped back, watching with a chuckle as the monster plunged down to the ground, a corpse now that they had taken care of him. A ‘Repth’ was muttered as they fought and he was left to watch in a bit of amazement as three of his team members took care of the monster.

Ken was there in what seemed like a millisecond. He held out his hand, a wide plastered on his face. ”You look like ya need some help, chap.” Shenmock, for a second, grinned at him. He received a return grin, though it seemed a bit strange. He took his hand and got up from the ground. The archer stood over it and fired an arrow into its armor. The monster groaned again and dematerialized, defeated. There was a person mission…Ren. Where was he? Was he hiding or something? He turned and stared off into the distance. Ken looked a bit troubled at Shenmock’s expression. ”He’s…gone…” He stuffed his hands into his pockets and looked up to the volcano that was in front of them. It was a ways away, still, but they could get there, if they tried hard enough.

”The volcano’s still a little ways away. It shouldn’t take too long to get there. This has been a bit short, but it’s the closest one…” He looked to Shenmock and flashed him a grin. ”We’re almost done, boys. There’s no going back now. You’ve got the necklace?”

The Fist Fighter nodded and patted the pocket in which he had stuffed it in. He winced at it and looked to their destination. Magma erupted from it, making each of them gulp once. ”Let’s get going. Now.” Before anybody could argue, the boy sprinted off up the hill, jumping over the rocks and ignoring his feet, which were arguing with the terrain. Ken followed, and then the other two.

Almost done…

Epilogue – Destruction

The group made their speedy ascent up the hill. At first, it was a quick descent, each one moving up quickly. The Fist Fighter, at first, was in the front. Minutes passed as they ascended the volcano, each one eager to finish it, get the burden off them. Each and every one of the avatars felt the pull of the necklace as it moved closer to its destruction. They were so close…and yet so far. Shenmock stopped and hit the ground, taking deep breaths. He pulled it out and stared at the ruby that was jingling about, arguing to him so that he would stop. He wanted so much to get rid of it and yet it had the pull to his character. He could do nothing to it! It was so infuriating. He looked up at Ken, who was staring at him with awkward eyes. The boy stuffed it into his pocket again and stared at the boy.

Without another word, the boy scrambled up the hill behind the archer, who was moving up as if nothing was going on, nothing was killing them slowly. Each step made his legs shake. Ken, at one point, offered to help, but he ignored it. Helping would only make things worse, as he saw it. He stopped again and took a seat in the dirt, watching the plain that they had just crossed and then at the great hill. His character took another deep breath and continued up the seemingly endless hill. His hand was in his pocket, holding the jingling necklace tight, refusing to let go. He tried to pick up the pace, but instead stumbled and dropped it into the ground. He stared at it for a moment and made a motion to pick it up off the ground, but instead, he found that a gloved hand had already picked it up.

The archer stared at it with eager eyes and looked to him. ”I will carry it for a while. You seem tired” The words shocked him enough that he scrambled up and tackled him. He pulled his fist back and punched him straight in the cheek. The archer looked at him for a second as he pulled the necklace away and sprinted up the hill, distracted enough that he didn’t need to stop. He heard distant yells, but they were all a blur to his character as he charged up, tripping every now and then, but continuing on as fast as he could. He didn’t look back, he didn’t scream like a little boy, but rather continued at a fast rate. He grabbed onto a rock and rolled over it. More magma jutted from the top as he came up.

Go, go, go, go, go, go, go! He kept on climbing over the rocks, nearing to the entrance. It was a long, narrow passageway ahead of him. It was so bright in there, he had to squint even in the entrance. An arrow whistled past him, grazing off his shoulder. He looked back at the archer that was climbing up. Ken and the heavy axe were clambering up after him, but not trying to hurt him. They were yelling at him, as they knew weapons would be next to nothing. He looked back and then up as a rock blew out of the volcano and came rolling down the hill. The former Long Arm scrambled forward and dove into the crevice. Rocks rained down behind him as he started to sprint forward, leaving the three of them behind. He didn’t know where their fate lied, but he could only hope that it was a good one. He heard the distant scream of the archer, and then another crunch, though he wasn’t sure who it was from…

The boy dared himself to look into the pit, the pit of darkness, the pit of ends. Lava jutted up from the side, making him scramble back to the protection of the rocks. The necklace was so heavy in his hand at the moment. He wanted to stuff into his pocket, but…the action was gone. He started to walk forward, looking around at the place where he would end the necklace’s short life. His character was sweating heavily and his cloak stuck to his back. He tore it off and threw it into the pit of lava to his side. His feet burned, but his character didn’t bother to do anything to it. He started to walk forward, the necklace continuing to grow heavier in his hand. He stopped at the end, leaned forward, and stared down into the pit.

There was so much lava, so much that could destroy. The magma shot up again, this time coming down on his head. He looked up, yelped, and jumped back, still holding the necklace tight. Rocks were thrown away from where he had come from. Ken squeezed in and stared at him. The heavy axe was nowhere to be found. He never found out either of their names. ”Destroy it!” he screamed, his arms flailing in the air. Ken charged forward, staring at the boy as he looked into the lava and then at the necklace. He was shaking all over, trying to get a hold of himself. Ken slid to a stop and stared at him. The ruby glowed as it hung over the edge, at the brink of destruction. A screeching noise came from it, making both of them cover their ears. Ken grabbed his hand and wrenched it up, revealing the necklace that was shaking.

”Destroy it,” he muttered under his breath, shaking all over from the sight of it. Shenmock couldn’t answer, but rather held it in his hand, over the edge of destruction. He let out a cry, trying to throw it, but failing in his attempt. Ken’s fingers inched up to his palm, where he touched the necklace. He swallowed once, then slowly let it slide off his fingers and into the lava. The Blademaster stared at him, his eyes darkening at the sight of the lava coming up in bursts. ”It’s over,” he whispered in his ear, already moving to the rocks. The Fist Fighter was left at a loss for words as he stared down at the ruby. Wind erupted from it, making the rocks at the end slide off, along with other chunks of rock attached to it.

A shudder went down the boy’s spine as he sprinted off behind Ken, moving towards the rocks and listening to the explosions that came up behind him. Ken was waiting outside, right next to the rocks. He held out a hand and Shenmock gladly took it. He was pulled out of it and they were left to watch as lava poured out around them. ”What happened?” he managed to choke out, staring off into the distance and listening to the crackle of rocks. They waited there, leaning against the rocks, watching with lost eyes.

Ken only stared at the plains and then at the hill in which they had come from. ”Sor was killed by the rock that rolled down the hill. He must be angry that he couldn’t clear it, but…it’s not that much anyways.” He looked off to the other side, where there were snow-capped mountains and the like. ”Core died protecting me. He brought his axe and held it down until I moved around it.” He sighed and stared at the lava that was disappearing down the hill. ”I’m done here. We might’ve destroyed the necklace, but we didn’t come out with three.” He gave a wave, took a last breath, and disappeared in a wash of golden.

The boy wanted so much to just stare off into the distance forever, but he knew that he would have to be getting to bed soon. With the burden off, he felt a bit freer. With a last lost gaze at the plains, he too, disappeared with the golden rings. It hadn’t been the thing he had been thinking of, but it had been an event nonetheless, one that he had both cleared and failed. That was…strange.

But…strange was everything now.

Nothing would be the same.

((You got off to a rocky start, as we both know, but you managed to turn it around into a pretty good tale. I can guess what inspired it. xP

Shenmock: +1 Level, +Ice Dragon Fist, +Newt Necklace, +Fireman's Coat, +1Nightblight, +1 Ice Floe, +1 Resurrect))