Chapter 5 - Legendz of The Ten Islands: Volume V

15. Resolution

After going through multiple close calls, the Story Bridge was finally within sight. Mr. Mednik could clearly see Lady Mary and her men gathering at the edge of the broken bridge. Mr. Mednik was in tatters when he got onto the bridge, his armor and clothes were shredded; the sunglasses that never left his face even when he was indoor were no longer there. "Whatever you're planning to do, Mary, you better do it now!" Mr. Mednik spoke between rapid breathes. The Abomination emerged from the side of the street and spotted Mr. Mednik standing still on the Story Bridge. It gradually picked up speed as it approached Mr. Mednik. Then, it broke into a sprint on all four when Mr. Mednik stood his ground. It gave a loud battle cry before lowering its head and picked up its momentum. Mr. Mednik unleashed the magnetic pulse that he saved up between his palms when the beast began closing in. The magnetic pulse launched him upwards and backwards into the air. The Abomination gave chase with a powerful leapt that collapsed part of the bridge. When both of them got airborne, Mr. Mednik directed another pulse of magnetic energy at the beast, knocking it sideways while changing his own direction with the recoil. Mr. Mednik slowed down to a gentle glide as he closed in on Lady Mary and her men. It didn't take long for the beast to finally realize that it had been led to a trap. Strong as it may be but intelligence wasn't the Abomination's best attribute. It will chase any foe that caught its attention, making it an easy opponent to fool. Multiple greenish tentacles shot forth from the Egi River and wrapped themselves around the Abomination's feet, dragging it into the river. Slimy goo was secreted the moment the tentacles latched onto the beast, causing the tentacles to coalesce. The Abomination struggled to stay afloat but the tentacles' pull were too strong. After thrashing aimlessly in the water and swallowing a few liters of water, the beast finally succumbed to the asphyxiation. Its movement became less vigorous and then stopped altogether. A giant spider the size of a Mini Cooper was then seen emerging from the river. The spider crawled onto the back of the Abomination's neck where there was no armor. A huge stinger was ejected through the spinnerets as the spider raised its abdomen and then quickly swung it down, puncturing the Abomination's spine with the stinger. The beast was motionless when the entire length of the stinger entered its spine. The spider sunk its fangs into the dark fur after the whole length of the stinger had penetrated through. Its eight legs were then raised slightly before piercing through the primate's skin, securing its position behind the Abomination's neck. The underwater tentacles dragged the body of the beast towards the bank of the Egi River and left it there. Moments later, the Abomination began showing signs of life; it coughed violently a few times before sitting upright. "Are you sure it won't attack us anymore?" Mr. Mednik asked. "I'm positive. Just watch." Lady Mary replied confidently. The Abomination slowly got to its feet and stared at Lady Mary and her men. It didn't seem to show any signs that it would attack them. Instead, it just stood there like a statue, staring at them. "Alright, that's a job well done, guys!" Lady Mary clapped her hands twice. "Dr. Sanjit, I'll leave him in your care then. Escort it back to base and Dr. Sanjit will be in-charge until I get back alright?" Lady Mary issued her order. "Yes Ma'am!" Dr. Sanjit and the rest of the Sleeping Forest members gave their leader a final salute before heading down the bank of the river to join the Abomination. They then proceeded back to base, with Dr. Sanjit leading the front. "You're sending them off just like that?" Mr. Mednik asked. "I just received words from Erik. He's here with the Spirit World army. They won't need my help anymore." Lady Mary answered. "So what are you planning to do now?" Mr. Mednik asked. Before she could reply, a call came through the intercom. "Mary, is Mednik with you?" It was Erik on the line, his voice sounded tense. "Yeah, he is. What's the matter?" Lady Mary replied. "Ask him to stay put at the bridge, I'm going to get him now. Something bad just turn up!"

Kelvin and his friends were greeted by a heavy torrent on their way to the Celestial Square. "I'll be going this way, just received new orders from the Spirit World. See ya!" Chris said to the rest before he made a sharp turn to the right and left the group. Kelvin wanted to go after him but decided against it when the Celestial Square was within sight. Despite the heavy downpour, the unmistakable smell of blood lingered in the air the closer they got to their destination. The smell was not as bad as the Spring Garden massacre but the blood bath was much more gruesome. From above the air, they could see that most of the square was painted red. It wasn't any ordinary red, it was the dark carmine color of dried blood. The rain did little in diluting its redness. Finer details of the scene could be picked up as they descended near to the ground; the flattened bowels and its contents, the severed limbs and crushed skulls with parts of the brain still intact made the scene ever more grisly. Someone was seen running towards the gang from the sheltered walkway nearby. "Chen?" Kelvin muttered to himself as the figure began closing in. "Kelvin, Kenneth! You're alive!" Joy and excitement filled his face when Chen saw his friends in the flesh. Chen hugged Kenneth the moment he got near. "Oh come on, Chenny! It's only been three days since we last met!" Kenneth gently pushed his friend away. "Blargh-h-h…" The sudden sound of retching could be heard from behind. Cindy was seen throwing up onto the ground beside her hover bike. She was unable to tolerate the horrifying scene of innards and mashed human remains. Chen and Julee quickly helped Cindy to her feet and guided her towards the shelter. "Where's the rest?" Kelvin asked. "From last I heard, they're on Star Street 6. It's that way!" Chen pointed towards the opposite street before joining Julee and Cindy. "Let's go then," Kenneth beamed and then both of them took off into the air again.

Kelvin and Kenneth reduced their speed as the rain grew heavier. Their visibility of the surroundings also became poor, forcing them to ride closer to the ground. The sign 'Star Street 6' could be seen at the junction as they turned to enter the street. A young lady was seen lying on her belly by the granite pavement soon after they entered Star Street 6. Kenneth stopped the bike beside the young lady and got off to check on her. He patted her on the back, trying to wake her up after failing to do so by shaking her shoulders. Kenneth failed to realize that the torn piece of shirt wrapping around her back was a bandage. His action caused a low moan and left spots of blood on his glove. "Who're you?" The girl turned her head to face Kenneth. "You're Alia right? We're Calvin's friends, we met at the Yume Summit tournament remember?" Kelvin said. As always, Kelvin's recognition of people's face and name were incredible. "If you're looking for Calvin, they went that way…" She groaned before passing out again. Kelvin and Kenneth dragged Alia further into the granite pavement to shield her from the rain before heading towards the direction she pointed. Five shadows were seen standing in the middle of the tarmac road like statues when the two boys approached the end of the road. "Lenny! Wake up!" Kelvin grabbed his friend by the shoulder and shook him violently. "Calvin! Calvin!" Kenneth did the same. But no matter how loud they yelled or how hard they shook their friends, they didn't respond. Their eyes were stationary, staring blankly to the space in front of them. After going at it for five minutes or so, the two boys gave up. "They're not responding, what're we going to do?" Kenneth asked. "I really don't understand. Their heart beats are present but they're not responding. It's as if they've been frozen in time." Kelvin said. Both of them retreated back into the cover of skyscrapers to dry up. The temperature of the entire city seemed to have dropped drastically since it started raining. "Have you try prying into their mind?" Kelvin asked. "I did. All of them had some sort of barrier preventing me from communicating with them telepathically. Then again, I'm not so great at this mind reading stuff." Kenneth replied. "So what do we do now?" He added. "We should bring them inside before they catch a cold." Kelvin said. "You're right. I'll get Iris and you get Lenny," Kenneth suggested. "No, I'll get Iris and you get Lenny!" Kelvin protested. These two can always argue about girls in virtually any situation. "Alright, how about we both carry Iris inside then go bring the others." Kenneth said. Kelvin nodded and both of them stepped back into the pelting rain again. It didn't took long for them to bring everyone under the shelter. "It's funny how they can look so stiff," Kenneth pointed out. Then the two of them broke into laughter as they made jokes of their statue-like friends. Just then, they both noted Lenny began blinking and shivering. They stopped laughing and walked towards Lenny. All of a sudden, both of them received a slap to the cheek as they were heading towards Lenny. "Where do you think you were touching just now?" Iris's face was furious with rage. "It isn't what you think!" Kenneth said defensively. "Yeah," Kelvin followed. "You know, we can clearly hear what the two of you were saying even though we can't move." Calvin said between shivers. While the two boys were getting an earful from Iris, Alex opened his storage portal and removed blankets from it. He covered Yui's back with the first one before distributing the rest to the others. "We should probably go check on Alia," Kenneth made up an excuse to escape. "Yeah, we definitely should," Kelvin said and both of them bolted. Calvin ran after them while the rest stayed behind. Iris began throwing a tantrum when the two boys ran off. "I'm gonna tell daddy about this!" She screamed.

Erik's portal opened on the eighty-seventh floor of the Celestial Tower. Several footsteps followed after his as they made their way through the empty passage. There were four double doors visible after exiting from the portal. Two of them led to a conference room while the other two led to the main communication control room. Erik and his companions took position behind the two doors to the left. On the count of three, they busted their way inside the control room. What they saw inside was completely out of their expectation. There was zero resistance to their forced entry and everyone inside the room was either on the ground or lying beside the table, unconscious. Erik proceeded cautiously to the nearest person and checked his pulse; it was present. "He's gone. His energy signature is not here anymore." One of the Spirit World Elders said. Just then, a new presence was felt coming from outside the doors. Everyone turned around with weapons ready but they relaxed when they saw it was only Count Fleming. "How's Lord Moto?" Count Fleming asked. His white hair was a mess and his forehead drenched in sweat. "He's alive. Just unconscious, like the rest of them." Erik pointed at Lord Moto's body. Count Fleming went to Lord Moto's side and placed his right palm on Lord Moto's head. He was trying to reach him telepathically. When Count Fleming's eyes finally opened, the doors to a metal cupboard nearby were violently ripped off from its hinges. Everyone in the room were startled by the sudden development. "We need to get Mr. Mednik now!" Count Fleming barked. Mr. Kato who was waiting outside entered the room to investigate the commotion. He immediately caught sight of the running digital timer inside the cupboard. Erik tried calling Mr. Mednik twice but they weren't getting through. He then switched to contacting Lady Mary instead, hoping that Mr. Mednik had already made it to the bridge. His call went through and he managed to locate Mr. Mednik. Erik wasted no time in teleporting to the broken Story Bridge to get Mr. Mednik. Erik grabbed Mr. Mednik by the wrist the moment he saw him; they both then reappeared back in the main communication control room before Mr. Mednik even had the chance to open his mouth. "It's a time bomb," Count Fleming said. "I'm very well aware of that!" Mr. Mednik traced the wires connecting to the timer to locate the explosive charges. He suddenly smashed the wall beside the cupboard to reveal a secret compartment filled with explosives!

"Oh my!" Mr. Mednik examined each of the individual explosive canisters attached to the timer. "It's HE-83, enough to blow the entire tower to dust." Mr. Mednik said. "Do you think you can defuse it?" Erik asked. Mr. Mednik glanced at the timer and shook his head. "Mr. Mednik, you're a Nova. You can do it!" Count Fleming said. "Nova is a team, not a person. If I have my team with me now, maybe we can consider defusing it. Even then, it would be tough with this time constraint." Mr. Mednik replied. "Then what do you think we should do?" One of the Elders asked. "Evacuate. Warn everyone and evacuate the area. The explosives might seem a lot at first glance but the blast radius should not be more than four hundred meters. Five hundred, just to be safe." Mr. Mednik answered. "I'll have my men evacuate this building now," One of the Elders signaled his men. Two of the Elders left with their men to search the tower for survivors and evacuate them. "I need energy. I'm out of juice after luring the beast half way across the city." Mr. Mednik said. "Worry not," The remaining Elder put his hand lightly on Mr. Mednik's shoulder. Mr. Mednik felt the sudden surge of energy coursing through his veins. "How did you do that?" Mr. Mednik asked. "I'm a Soul Elemental remember? Our energy are compatible with all other elements." The Elder answered. A loud siren was heard over the entire central business district despite the heavy downpour. It seemed to originate from the Celestial Tower. Mr. Mednik's voice was soon broadcasted after the siren stopped. He relayed instructions for the public on the evacuation route out of the Celestial Tower area. Kelvin and his friends immediately evacuated from Star Street 6 the moment they heard the broadcast. The two boys' mischief slipped Iris's mind when everyone was too busy evacuating. Alex on the other hand broke away from his friends to help Yui search for her guardian. He teleported her back to the Celestial Square where most of the survivors were. They were all busy leaving when Alex got there; half of the crowd were already nowhere to be seen. Jessie seemed to be leading the remaining people while Chen was helping her out at one corner along with many other unfamiliar faces. Alex teleported Yui to the second floor of a building nearby so she could have a better look at the crowd. Through sheer luck, she managed to identify the person she was looking for.

Alex teleported beside the person pointed by Yui and let her did the rest. She called out to the person in front of them and the lady turned around. She was a tall lady, probably in her forties. She wore a black and white tunic with a headdress that closely resembled the religious habit of nuns back on Earth. The lady wrapped her arms around Yui for a warm embrace the moment she saw her. She also thanked Alex multiple times, making Alex felt awkward. Alex later found out the lady's name was Madam Katherina and she was Yui's guardian all along. It turned out that Yui was an orphan even before the incident at the Celestial Square. He didn't prop any further into Yui's personal details. With a bashful smile, Yui waved Alex goodbye and disappeared into the crowd along with her guardian. "Alex, we need to go. This place is gonna blow!" Chen spotted Alex and ran towards him. "What are you doing here anyway?" He added when he got beside Alex. "Just delivering a lost child. Anyway, we should go. Are you done here?" Alex replied. "Yeah, Jessie and her men will do the rest. Let's go." Chen pointed at the hover bikes nearby; Julee and Cindy were already on one of them. Chen got onto the front while Alex took the pillion seat. The four of them then ascended into the air and left the Celestial Square. Not long after they took to the air, a shockwave was felt reverberating through the air. Alex turned to see a huge ball of fire vented from the top of the Celestial Tower. Another bright flash was seen somewhere in the middle of the tower before it collapsed onto itself; covering the entire place in thick greyish smoke. They stopped on top of a skyscraper some distance away from the Celestial Square and stared at the aftermath of the explosion. Grey-white dust was seen covering the streets leading to the square. Dark smokes still rose from the site after the tower had collapsed. Chen spoke into the communicator to check on the others. Fortunately, everyone made it out of the explosion thanks to Mr. Mednik's warning. After that, they got back onto the hover bike and headed back to the Alfonzo Hotel to regroup.

The hotel was packed with people when Alex walked through the front door. A few familiar faces could be seen mixing among the many new faces. He spotted Kelvin and the rest of his friends at one corner and went to join them. "Hey, you're back!" Kelvin wore a happy smile when he saw Alex and Chen approaching. Kenneth and Lenny were there too along with Iris, somehow she seemed rather unhappy. Three new faces were seen beside Kelvin when Alex approached him. "Guys, you remember Chris right? From the camp last year." Kelvin introduced Chris. "Yeah, I remember now. No wonder you look familiar, ha-ha." Chen said and shook Chris's hand. "This is Jason and he's Jia Hao. We're junior operatives from the Spirit World." Chris said. The guys then exchanged handshakes. "Where's Calvin?" Chen asked. "He's with Alia at the medical bay," Jia Hao said. "Oh, so you guys met him too?" Alex asked. "Yeah, we met a while ago when they brought Alia in." Jia Hao replied. "Why don't we talk over some refreshment? I'm hungry." Kelvin pointed at the restaurant. "I agree," Chen said. Alex was about to join them when he caught sight of Count Fleming and remembered the message from Lalkarz. He pulled Lenny and Iris to one side and asked them when would be appropriate to convey the message to Count Fleming. "He looks busy, why don't we tell him later?" Iris said. Alex nodded and they were about to leave when Count Fleming walked towards them. "Do you guys have something that you need to tell me?" Count Fleming was straight to the point. "We do actually," Lenny hesitated. "We ran into Lalkarz accidentally earlier and he has a message for you." Alex said. "What's the matter, Fleming?" An elderly man appeared beside Count Fleming; he was wearing a white robe and had a wooden staff on his left hand. "Elder Connor, it's nothing. It seems these kids ran into Lalkarz earlier and they said he had a message for me." Count Fleming answered. "It's alright, Count Fleming. If you're busy, we can tell you later." Alex said. "Nah, don't mind me. We're finishing anyway." Elder Connor waved his right hand dismissively. "Any clue to Lalkarz's whereabouts would be helpful." He added. "If there's nothing else, we'll be taking our leave. There's work cut out for us now that Lalkarz is on the loose." Elder Connor said. "Yes indeed." The two old men gave each other a nod before Elder Connor left with his men. "Come, we should discuss this somewhere more private." Count Fleming said and headed to the elevator behind the reception counter. Lenny signaled Kelvin to go ahead without them when he came looking for them. As the elevator began ascending, Count Fleming asked. "So, the three of you met Lalkarz this afternoon is it?" "Four actually." Alex replied. "Who's the fourth person?" Count Fleming asked. "It's Calvin, sir. He's with Alia in the medical bay." Iris answered. "I see. Why don't we go visit them?" Count Fleming pressed the stop button and the four of them exited the elevator.

The medical bay was packed with patients as a result of the melee with the Fire Clan. Alia had a special room all to herself at the corner of the floor since she's a citizen of Gaea. They walked through the busy corridor to reach Alia's room. Calvin stood from his seat when he saw them entering. "Count Fleming, guys… What brings you here?" Calvin asked, surprised by their presence. Alex closed the door and said. "It's about the message from Lalkarz." "That's right," Count Fleming took a seat on one of the many vacant plastic chairs in the room. "I see." Calvin said and sat back down. "So, what's the story then?" Count Fleming asked. The four of them then retold the entire event as best as they could remember, including the message from Lalkarz regarding someone named Connor. "I see. Is that all?" Count Fleming asked the four of them. Alex thought of mentioning Yui's involvement but then decided against it since it held no significance, so he thought. The other three had also left out Yui when they retold the event to Count Fleming. "Who's this Connor he mentioned anyway?" Lenny asked. "I don't think you should go deep into that," Count Fleming's voice began to muffle and the four of them felt their vision blurring before it became pitch black. "Alex, Alex…" A hand was felt grabbing at Alex's shoulder and shaking it when his vision became clear once more. "Count Fleming?" Alex looked drowsy, like someone who just woke up. "What are we doing here?" Alex looked around the room and then back at Count Fleming, he seemed disorientated. "You guys ran into Lalkarz earlier this afternoon near Star Street 6 remember? You're here to tell me what he told you guys." Count Fleming explained. "Lalkarz? Right, we did ran into him earlier." Lenny said. "Oww, my head hurts!" Iris said all of a sudden. "Mine too!" Calvin followed. It seemed that all four of them developed severe headache the moment they tried to recall the event. "That's alright guys, don't push yourselves too hard. It's probably nothing important. Lalkarz used similar tactics to provoke me in the past. Maybe it's the same this time. Get some rest and have the doctors take a look. It could just be a side effect from Lalkarz's hypnosis. If you do happened to remember what the message was, I'll be at the restaurant downstairs. Take care guys." Count Fleming said and left the room.

16. Gone Fishing

It's been a week since the incident at the Celestial Square. Investigations were still ongoing and the area was still under clean-up and reconstruction. The total death toll had reached more than eight hundred. All those who were involved with the incident were being investigated by the Spirit World agents. Those who operate involuntarily under Lalkarz's hypnosis were free to go but those who acted on their own free will were arrested and trailed for treason and crime against humanity. However, Sir John and a few other high ranking officers of the Freedom Clan escaped before the Spirit World agents managed to get to them. After the investigation on the Freedom Clan was over, the entire clan virtually fell apart with most of the remaining higher-ups resigning. Few of the oldest members simply could not stand the shame and called it quits. It was an irony to see a clan that was founded solely to liberate the world from the tyranny of evil ended up joining the very same evil they vowed to defeat. The administration of the clan was reconstituted by the remaining members and General Max was elected to be the vice-president of the clan while Erik was promoted to General of the East Sector of Freedom Fortress. General Max regained consciousness a day after the Celestial Square incident but his physique was unlike anything before the injuries. More than half of those bulky muscles on his back were gone. He couldn't even stand up straight let alone fight. His left leg was badly burnt as well, causing him unable to stand for a long period of time. He was put through intensive physiotherapy to help him walk after he woke up from the coma. When he finally came back to the fortress, he was seen walking with a cane on his left hand. Despite that, his effort and passion to teach Kelvin how to master the element of Force never changed. As for Master Shin, he had gone missing after the incident in Celestial City. There was no clue or eyewitness of his whereabouts after the fight with Professor Dexter. It was as if he just vanished without a trace. Surprisingly, Iris was relatively calm regarding his father's disappearance. "He told me such a day would come," was all she said. She was very reluctant to share any further information and would avoid the topic when questioned. Master Shin's deputy, Master Lee had taken over the role of master swordsman of the Freedom Clan dojo after he disappeared. Lenny and Kenneth were familiar with Master Lee since he would fill in whenever Master Shin was on errand. Dr. Robert Flummox and her wife Jane were found unconscious in the main communication control room along with Lord Moto. Further investigations revealed that they were agents from the Council of Light sent to track down Lalkarz. Their names were cleared and they returned to their usual job in the Freedom Fortress. Things finally seemed to be returning to the peaceful days when the boys first came to the fortress about a month ago except for the weather. It rained almost every alternate days since the day they returned to the Freedom Fortress.

"Aww, it's raining again." Chen quickly ran towards the closest roof for shelter. "Why is it raining like every day?" Kenneth said while drying his hair with a towel. "It's the monsoon season. It'll probably be raining like this for the next couple of weeks." Erik's voice was heard coming from the side. "Oh-h, we have monsoon season in Yume as well?" Chen asked. "Of course, Yume sits directly on the equator, it's either sunny or rainy all year long apart from those man-made snow fall." Erik replied. "I see. By the way, Erik. Why are you here anyway? Aren't you supposed to be busy and all?" Kenneth asked. "There really isn't much for me to do. As you might have already noticed, the east sector is a recruitment camp. We didn't really have much new recruits apart from those that you have already met. Although almost everyone in Nirvana has some form of power, be it Elements or Abilities, not everyone militarize them. Most of the people you see training with you are just for self-defense. The Freedom Clan army simply isn't what it used to be fifty years ago." Erik replied. "Right. But you still haven't told us what you're here for." Kenneth said. "Oh, right. Thanks for the reminder. Are you guys free tomorrow? I'm planning to take you guys for a fishing trip." Erik answered. "Sorry, Erik. Tomorrow I have a meeting with representative from the Council of Light." Chen said. "Ah, so he finally decided to meet you." Erik said. "Who are you talking about?" Chen asked. "It's alright. Forget what I said. Go to that meeting. It's more important. How about you, Kenneth?" Erik asked. "I'm free tomorrow but to tell you the truth, I'm not that much into fishing. Besides, won't it be dangerous to go fishing during the monsoon?" Kenneth replied. "It's totally safe." Erik replied confidently. "You might not like the activity but I bet you'll sure love the scenery. It's one of a kind, you won't regret it!" Erik added, trying to convince Kenneth to go. "If you say so. Are you going to invite the others as well?" Kenneth asked. "Yes, I'm. So I'll see you at the dorm tomorrow." Erik said and turned to leave. "Do I need to bring anything with me?" Kenneth with one last question. "That's not necessary. Everything will be taken care of. Just be sure to be there by seven thirty." Erik replied and left. Erik then proceeded to invite the other four boys. Lenny was unable to join because an important guest from Gerona Island was coming to visit the dojo. He was tasked with welcoming and entertaining the guest together with Iris and a few others. The rest agreed to go with Erik on his sudden fishing trip.

As dawn approached on the 2nd day of 16th November, Kelvin, Alex, Kenneth, Calvin and Julee gathered at the front of their dorm, waiting for Erik's arrival. "Where's your girlfriend, Alia? I thought she goes wherever you go." Kenneth teased. "Ha-ha, very funny, Ken. She's only here to tutor me on Lady Christina's order. Besides, she's still recuperating from her injuries. She should rest more." Calvin replied. "Aww, that's so sweet of you." Kenneth grinned. Calvin raised his fist but lowered it again when a van stopped in front of them. "C'mon, let's go," Erik lowered the window and said. "You're driving us there?" Kenneth blurted. "What's wrong with driving once in a while? It wouldn't be much of a trip if I just use the portal to take us there." Erik replied. "Fine," Kenneth sighed and got into the van. "You still haven't told us where we are going exactly." Kenneth said. "Right, the place is called Vanilla Valley." "The jungle at the far southeast of the island?" Julee asked. "Yeah, that's the one." Erik replied. "We're going fishing inside a jungle?" Kenneth asked. "I heard there is a river running through the valley. Other than that, I don't think there are any other large body of water there." Julee said. "I see. Julee, you didn't participate in the Monsoon Feast fishing trip with us last year right?" Erik asked. "No, I didn't. In fact, I don't even know how to fish." Julee answered. "I see. Then this will be the first time for all of you. I'll leave the surprise for later. You'll be amazed when you see it." Erik smiled. "What's so special about the Vanilla Valley?" Kenneth asked. "You'll see," Erik said. They then engaged in long conversations on the interesting facts about Yume, from the Freedom Clan to the Great Lakes. Some were true facts, others legends and the remainder lay in the grey area between the two. The conversations made the three-hour long trip seemed like a breeze. "Here we're. It seems there are other visitors here as well." Erik stopped the van and got off. A refrigerated truck and a few camper vans were seen parked at the entrance. They drove across a few steep mountain paths before finally arriving at their destination. "That was a long ride!" Kenneth got out and started stretching his back. Erik opened the boot of the van and withdrew a few harpoons and a box of gloves. Kenneth pointed at the harpoons and said. "What kind of fish are we catching exactly? Whales?" "Whales are not fish. They're mammals, Ken." Calvin corrected. "I knew that," Kenneth replied. "Relax. They're fish, not whales. Just not ordinary fish," Erik closed the boot and headed into the jungle path. "C'mon," Erik ushered the rest to follow.

They trekked along the dirt road for about ten minutes before finally arriving at a cliff. A huge wooden cottage stood before them at the other side of the cliff. A wooden hanging bridge connected the cliff to the cottage. The bridge looked old but very well maintained. Kenneth rocked the bridge as he crossed it, trying to scare Calvin. But he ended up getting scared himself when the bridge started swaying. "Cut it out!" Calvin's leg began shuddering when he accidentally looked down the cliff. "Just keep moving," Alex grabbed Calvin by the shoulder and dragged him across. "I didn't sign up for this!" He cried as he was being dragged along. All of them made it across in one piece. They met a few elderly man on the second floor of the cottage, smoking. They greeted them with a friendly wave of the hand and resumed their conversation. "This is the River Fairy Cottage, it is run by the Haida tribe. They're an indigenous seafaring tribe that called this valley home. There's a river that runs through this valley into the ocean…" The rest weren't paying much attention to Erik's explanation, they were too attracted to the fine architecture of the wooden building and its various carvings on the pillars. "C'mon, it's this way to the fishing site." Erik ushered and led the way. They were guided to a large wooden platform which branched outwards into many smaller wooden platforms. Beyond the platforms lay a body of water as far as the eyes could see. It was a spectacular sight to behold. Tall and thick wooden trunks rose above the surface and shaded the area from the morning sun. "Hey, I don't know there's a mangrove forest here." Kenneth said. "I don't think those are mangroves, Ken." Calvin said. "That's right, those are Kapok trees, one of the tallest rainforest trees." Erik explained. "Wow, those are actually rainforest?" Kelvin said. "Yup. And we're standing just below the canopy. The rainforest here in Vanilla Valley get flooded for two months or so during the monsoon season. And a very special kind of fish came to breed here during those months. Look! There's one there now!" Erik pointed to his left all of a sudden.

A middle-aged man was seen pulling a huge fish out of the water. The fish was struggling so hard that water splashed all over the place, wetting everyone nearby. As the fish was being hauled out of water, it continued flapping violently on the wooden platform. A spear had to be driven through its gills before it stopped moving. "Are you kidding me?" Kenneth exclaimed. "What kind of monster is that?" Kelvin asked. "It's a distant cousin of the goliath tigerfish found in the Congo River back on Earth. Except it's just much bigger than those found on Earth. We called them Ryby here." Erik explained. "Just look at the size of that thing," Calvin muttered to himself. "Are they dangerous?" Kenneth asked. "So far there hasn't been any case fatality. Though many people got injured, lost a finger or two." Erik replied. "Seriously? And you expect us to catch that?" Kenneth gave Erik a look of disbelief. "Oh, c'mon! You guys faced much scarier foes than these fish. I'm sure you'll do just fine. Besides, you can use the harpoons if you're too afraid to use your hands." Erik replied. "I'll stick with the harpoon," Calvin answered almost instantly. "Yeah, me too." Alex followed. "I'm just curious. What are you planning to do with a fish so big once we caught or killed it? Obviously you can't expect the six of us to finish it." Kelvin asked. "Of course not. This is part of the Monsoon Feast activity I mentioned earlier remember? The clan used to send a team here every year but too much had happened recently that they decided to cancel it. So I figure maybe we can catch some fish and then bring them back with us and share them with the people back at the fortress. We can even ask Mrs. Parker to prepare her famous Goliath Stew. She used to do it every year with the catch." Erik explained. "That doesn't sound half bad." Kenneth drooled at the thought of Mrs. Parker's cooking. Food never failed to motivate Kenneth. "So how do we do this?" Alex picked up a harpoon and examined it. "Wait here, I'll get the bait." Erik opened a portal and walked inside. "That's where you kept the bait?" Calvin commended. "Of course, it did be too heavy and smell bad if I were to put them in the van." Erik reemerged with a large polystyrene box in his hands. He placed the box on the floor and opened the lid. The inside was full of fresh meat with bones attached. "What meat are these from?" Calvin asked. "Assorted meat, beef, mutton, pork, venison and turkey. We have all sorts of leftovers from the kitchen when you were gone." Erik then demonstrated to the rest of them on how to catch the monster of a fish.

A group of Ryby swarmed in on the pork rib the moment it landed into the water. They fought ferociously with each other for a bite of the juicy meat. Alex and Calvin took their aim and launched their harpoons. Both of their harpoons hit their marks. Holding on tight to the rope attached to the harpoons, the two boys began pulling, trying to yank their huge preys out of water. The beasts proved to be strong and resilient, resisting the two boys' effort to drag them onto the platform. Calvin drew a nearby harpoon into his left hand with his magnetism while holding onto the rope with his right. He then plunged the other harpoon into the struggling fish. With his magnetic force, he lifted the two harpoons which were deeply hooked into the beast's flesh. The Ryby was propelled out of the water and high into the air before falling down onto the wooden platform. The huge fish flapped twice in its pool of blood before its gills stopped moving. "Alright!" Calvin shouted victoriously. Alex on the other hand was having a difficult time yanking his Ryby out of the water. After wresting with the rope for five minutes, he grew tired and withdrew a laser pistol from his storage portal. A single shot blew a hole in the beast's head and killed it. He then hauled the seven-feet-long giant onto the platform. The few strangers around him stared at him as his put his laser pistol back into the portal. "What?" Alex looked at Kelvin who was levitating above the water surface. The other strangers turned their gaze away and resumed their fishing. "There really isn't a law saying you can't blast the Ryby with a laser gun." Erik said. "Right," Kelvin said and turned his attention to the school of Ryby underneath him. They made short work of the large piece of pork rib Julee threw into the water. Kelvin picked his target and isolated it from the shoal by manipulating the water current. Then, with a sudden swing of his right wrist, his target shot forth from underneath the surface. A geyser thrusted the fish into the air and it was instantly frozen solid by a sheet of ice. Kelvin then lifted the block of ice onto his shoulder and glided towards the wooden platform. The strangers around him gave a round of applause for his amazing performance as he laid the block of ice beside Calvin's catch. Kenneth nodded to himself as he stared at the block of ice. He then decided that he would outdone Kelvin. He walked towards the edge of the platform and unleashed a loud roar. An explosion caused by his sudden psionic energy release forced two Rybys up into the air. Not to mention sending a huge splash of water into the air as well. A few unfortunate strangers were drenched as the water rained down onto them. A battle cry was heard when Kenneth grabbed the two airborne Rybys with his psychic energy and slammed them onto the wooden platform. "Pff, show off!" Calvin said, unimpressed by Kenneth's action. He was later forced to apologize to those strangers whom he soaked.

"Alright, that's enough guys. We're here to fish, not to exterminate the Rybys." Erik said and started dragging their catch into a portable refrigerator cold room inside his portal. "I'll give you a hand." Alex dropped his harpoon and went to carry another Ryby carcass into Erik's portal. "That's fine, Alex. I can handle it. Why don't you guys go take a look around and enjoy the scenery? It's not every day you get to see a beautiful place such as this one." Erik said and continued hauling the giant carcass. Alex nodded and gathered all the harpoons in one place. The rest helped cleaned up the blood that was left on the wooden floor before they all ventured deeper into the jungle. "Just make sure not to go too deep, okay!" Erik shouted as the gang disappeared into a wooden platform that branched into the distant. The five of them eventually split up in one of the many junctions along the platforms. Calvin and Alex took the left while Kelvin and Julee headed straight. Kenneth on the other hand insisted that he would travel alone. And so the five of them split into a group of three, each taking a different route. Kelvin and Julee ended up beside a large waterfall at the end of the route they took. The deafening roar of the waterfall could be heard from a distant even before they could see it. From a distance, a torrent of white curtain could be seen tumbling down the rocky outcrops. As they moved closer to the waterfall, they were soaked by the plume of water vapor that hung over the edge of the wooden platform. Both of them couldn't help holding their breath as they stared at the magnificent natural wonder in front of them. Kelvin created a windshield made of water to shelter them from the water vapor. He also dampened the loud noise of the gushing torrent with a sound barrier so that they could speak with each other without shouting. "Beautiful isn't it?" Julee said as she gazed at the top of the waterfall. "Mhm," was all Kelvin could say. From where they were standing, the plunge pool was completely shrouded by a thick mist. It was probably flooded like the rest of the rainforest. "If I remember correctly, this waterfall is called the Tlilxochitl Fall. It is the largest waterfall in all of Yume." Julee said. The two spent their next fifteen minutes enjoying the scenery around the waterfall before heading back to join Erik.

As Calvin and Alex ventured along the wooden platform, Alex met a familiar face. "Shirley? What are you doing here?" Alex called out. "Alex? What are you doing here?" Shirley was surprised to see Alex as well. She was no longer in the blue and gothic Lolita dress that she used to wear when they first met in the Kairi Chapel. She was in something more outdoor suitable, a plain casual one-piece dress and a straw hat. "I'm here fishing with my friends from the Freedom Clan. This is Calvin by the way," Alex said and elbowed Calvin in the tummy. "Knock it off!" Alex whispered. Calvin was staring so hard at Shirley's blue eyes that he had to be hit to snap him out of it. "Oh, sorry." Calvin offered Shirley a handshake. "No, it's alright. I get that a lot. Ha-ha." Shirley laughed and shook his hand. "Is Lenny here as well?" Shirley asked. "Unfortunately, he had something else to do today." Alex replied. "So what are you doing here exactly?" Alex asked again, pointing at the large sack on the floor. "Actually, I'm here to collect herbs to make medicine. Other than the apprentice priestess, I'm also the village's healer. Though I'm still learning." Shirley answered. "Oh, I see. Do you need any help with that? We're currently free anyway. Right?" Alex said and gave Calvin a look. "Right. We love to help." Calvin replied instantly. "No, that's not really necessary," Shirley said. "Don't worry, we insist. We got nothing better to do anyway." Alex said. "If you say so. Thanks." Julee said and moved towards a rocky cliff near where they were standing. "What are you doing?" Calvin asked. "See that reddish plant over there?" Shirley pointed at the side of the cliff above them. "That's the Rufus Serpent, a type of fern that grows only during the monsoon season. I was about to scale the cliff before you guys came." Shirley said. "I'll get it." Calvin seized the grappling gun that Alex just withdrew from his storage portal and launched himself onto the cliff. "Hey! That's mine!" Alex protested. "Do you want the whole plant with the roots included?" Calvin shouted from above. "Yeah, if possible." Shirley yelled back. Calvin made a shovel from the metal bracelet on his wrist and scooped the fern with his right hand while holding onto the rope with his left. "How much more do you need?" Alex asked. "A couple more will do." Shirley answered. "Is that a Rufus Serpent as well?" Alex pointed at a cliff to the right. "Yeah," Shirley nodded. Alex then vanished and reappeared beside the Rufus Serpent he spotted. He anchored himself onto the cliff with a lightsaber while harvesting the fern with a knife. The trio then went on a harvesting spree for medicinal herbs and fungi in the flooded rainforest.

Kenneth loved strolling around the park or woods alone ever since he was a young boy. He had this unexplained attraction to Mother Nature. He passed by a few middle-aged men fishing using a fishing rod instead of their hands, probably not catching for Rybys. After five minutes of walking, he had wandered deep into a part of the rainforest where the canopy was so dense that hardly any sunlight was able to penetrate through. The air was humid and dense with the smell of foliage. It was dark in there as well. Suddenly, Kenneth caught a glimpse of greenish glitter from the murky water beneath him. He leapt onto one of the thick branches nearby to have a closer look. The shinning object seemed to be moving and was closing in on one of the wooden platform deep inside the forest where it was pitch black. His curiosity prompted him to follow it. He moved stealthily across branches and stopped directly above where the object was. That was when he heard the singing, a melody so beautiful yet full of sorrow at the same time. He could feel his eyelids getting heavier all of a sudden and his limbs beginning to go numb. Before the singing had the chance to weaken him further, he created a mental shield to block the hypnotic attack. His consciousness began clearing up. He drew his lightsaber as if it was reflex and landed onto the platform down below. That was when he saw the true face of the shinning object he had been chasing. It wasn't an object, it was a creature! "What brings you here, sailor?" The creature spoke.

17. Shapeshifters

"What are you?" Kenneth asked while pointing the blade of the lightsaber at the creature in front of him. From the waist up, she looked just like a normal human girl; from the waist down, was the tail of a fish covered in glittering greenish scales. She just smiled at Kenneth and spoke in a language unknown to Kenneth. Suddenly, the trees above him began lighting up by tiny yellow glow. "Relax, they're just fireflies." The creature tried to calm Kenneth down. "This is a restricted area you know. You're not supposed to be here." It added. Its tail began disappearing and was replaced by human legs. Moments later, the creature that stood in front of him was completely human from the exterior. Kenneth slowly lowered his lightsaber and retracted the laser blade. "Sorry about that. I must have missed the 'No Entry' sign when I wandered in. The name's Kenneth." Kenneth secured his lightsaber to his belt and offered a handshake. "I'm Kanna." She said and shook his hand. "Are you a shapeshifter?" Kenneth asked. "No. I'm not a power user. I'm what you people called a witch. I practiced the art of polymorphism. There are many other kinds of arts which you guys collectively categorized as the element, Magic." She explained. "Sorry about earlier, it was completely my fault." Kenneth turned his head away from her, embarrassed to stare at a girl in bikini. "It's partially my fault too. I was the one who attacked first. By the way, what are you doing here?" She asked. "My friends and I were on a fishing trip here for the Monsoon Feast. And I sort of wandered here." Kenneth replied. "Where are you from?" He added, turning to face her. "You're not from around here are you? That's a strange question to ask, you know. Anyway, I'm sure you'll have no trouble finding that out." She answered. With an enchantment, her tail grew back and she dived back into the water. "Now don't simply wander into forbidden territory. Not all encounters end peacefully like ours. See ya!" She submerged into the water and swam away. Kenneth stared at the glowing tail as it disappeared into the darkness. He then went back the way he came.

Alex, Calvin and Shirley were harvesting mushrooms on the branch of a tree when a loud explosion was heard in the distant. Alex glanced at the source of the sound and saw a pillar of black smog rising from the area of the wooden cottage. "Calvin, we need to check it out. Something seems wrong." Alex said. "No shit!" Calvin agreed. "Sorry, Shirley but I think we need to go now. You stay safe alright." Alex said. "No, I'm coming with you!" Shirley answered and unstrapped the wooden staff from her back. "Well, we're not gonna stop you if that's what you wish." Alex said and placed the sack of herbs and fungi in his storage portal. The trio then rushed towards the wooden cottage. On their way there, they ran into Kenneth who was also drawn to the sound of the explosion. When the four of them finally reached the large wooden platform where they used to catch the Rybys, they met Sir John Edward – Freedom Clan's ex-president. A few other high-ranking officers were with him as well. And beside them were Kelvin, Julee, Erik and a few others who were fishing with them just now. They were all unconscious. The water near the platform were redden with blood. Body parts were seen floating on the surface of the water. Kenneth activated his lightsaber while Alex withdrew his laser pistols, ready to engage. "Lower your weapons or else these people die!" Flame made of darkness danced on Sir John's left palm before it formed a large circle around his hostages. "What do you want?" Kenneth asked while still holding on his lightsaber. "A deal. You guys get me what I want and they will be free without harm." Sir John said. "How do we know you won't go back on your words?" Calvin asked. "You don't! You either do what we say or you can have your friends back piece by piece. Is that what you want?" Sir John said. Alex returned his laser pistols into the storage portal and beamed for Kenneth to do the same. "So what's the deal? Let's hear it." Kenneth said after securing his lightsaber onto his belt. Sir John projected a hologram with a square device and said. "This is the Disforme, one of the Sword of Darkness. I have hidden it in the old storage facility where you murdered First Sergeant Rashed. Get this for me by tomorrow and they're free to go." Sir John said. "And don't you dare try anything funny because we have eyes and ears all over the Freedom Fortress." Sir John warned. "Now go! Be here by tomorrow, or else." Sir John reminded them by making the flame grew bigger. "You better keep your word!" Kenneth pointed his finger at Sir John before heading for the hanging bridge.

The four of them got into Erik's van and started the engine. "Where did you get the key?" Kenneth asked. "You don't always need one." Alex replied and pointed at the finger prints recognition pad. "Anyone who registered in the Freedom Clan vehicle system can activate the ignition button." Alex put on the seat belt and drove down the hill. "What are we gonna do?" Calvin asked. "What can we do? If we don't give him the sword by tomorrow, they're gonna die." Alex said. "I guess you're right, we should just get the damn sword then." Kenneth said. "We can't do just that, we need a back-up plan. What if he did not keep his promise? What if he kill us too when we return with the sword?" Calvin said. "Good point." Kenneth agreed. The four of them debated on what would be the best course of action on their three-hour long journey back to the Freedom Fortress. The four of them managed to reach a conclusion when they got back to the base. "We'll need Lenny and Iris's help if we were to succeed. You two go get them, Shirley and I will head to the old storage facility to find the sword." Alex suggested. The four of them split up and headed their separate ways.

"The old storage facility is just right around that corner." Alex pointed. Alex and Shirley stood before a large shutter gate in front of the old building. It instantly brought back terrible memories of Alex's ex-mentor. "It's locked." Shirley tried to lift the shutter gate. "It doesn't matters," Alex replied and grabbed hold of her wrist. In the split of a second, they were inside the facility. It was pitch black until Alex switched on the lights. Only the lights at the center of the facility was working. The interior was as messy as the day he and Lenny left it. However, the center of the facility was neat and tidy. The tall shelves were repaired and placed neatly along one another, with a central aisle between the rows of shelves. Boxes of wooden crates were neatly placed on top of each shelves. "Someone must have cleaned his place up," Alex said and walked towards the lights. "You take this row and I'll take that. We'll inform each other once we find the sword alright?" Alex said. Shirley just nodded and went to the shelves on the right. Alex walked along the rows of shelves and spotted a glass case containing multiple medieval swords located on the lower shelf. One of the swords was unmistakably the Disforme from its appearance. Alex approached the glass case and slid the glass panel open before removing the Disforme for inspection. To test if it was really what they said it was, Alex grabbed the hilt and visualized the sword turning into a spear. The next thing he knew, he was holding a spear instead of a sword. "That confirms it. Didn't think it would be that obvious. Now…" Alex murmured to himself. He transformed the blade back to its original shape and called out to Shirley. "I found the sword," Alex showed Shirley the Disforme the moment she showed up. "Great job!" Shirley praised. "I'll be keeping it safe in my storage portal." Alex said and opened his storage. He turned and walked into the portal, with his back facing Shirley. "Hey, wait up. Can I have another look at the sword for a moment?" That was when Alex sensed the strong killing intent coming from behind. With a quick dodge to the right, he avoided a giant scorpion's stinger aiming for his back. Alex threw the sword aside and began closing the portal but the imposter Shirley managed to get into the storage portal before it completely closed; trapping the both of them inside.

Alex cut off the giant stinger with a lightsaber, causing the imposter to shriek in pain. He then impaled the laser blade into the imposter's shoulder, nailing him to the wall. His left hand raised a laser pistol and pointed it at the man's head. The man's left arm suddenly elongated and wrapped around Alex's neck, choking him. "If I die here, you'll be stuck here forever!" Alex said. The grip on his neck loosened and the man's arm returned to normal. Alex kept his gun pointed at the imposter. "Tell me what I want to know or none of us is getting out of here!" Alex demanded. "When did you figured it out?" The man asked. "Back at the cottage. You don't looked surprised when you see Sir John. And your reaction when he called me a murderer, it was as if you knew it already." Alex answered. "I see. I was just supposed to watch you guys and nothing more. But the plan you guys came up with was flawless. I can't let that happen. So I intervened." The man pulled the lightsaber off of his shoulder with a wince. "What about the girl you imitate? What happened to her?" Alex demanded. "She's fine! Nothing happened to her. Now will you please let me out?" The man stood up while putting pressure on his left shoulder with a torn piece of cloth. "Drop the lightsaber and empty your pockets!" Alex demanded. "Fine, alright!" The man dropped the lightsaber onto the floor and emptied his pockets. Alex then smashed the communication device with his foot. "Now face the wall and raise your hands where I can see them!" Alex ordered. "Oh, give me a break!" The man protested. "Now!" Alex yelled. The man did as he was told. A portal leading back to the facility opened in the small room. Alex pointed his weapon at the man and beamed for him to move. "Thanks!" The man turned around and snickered. All of a sudden, his hairs turned into sharp spikes and shot off of his head. They impaled Alex on the chest and knocked him to the ground. "You're too trusty, kid. He-he-he…" The man gave a sinister laugh before turning to leave. "Right back at you, fool!" A hammer connected to his face the moment he turned around. It smashed his nose and disoriented him. Alex followed with a kick to the groin before sending him back inside the storage portal with a shove. Alex then teleported his Doppelgänger outside together with the Disforme. "How did you…" Before the man could say anything else, a flash bang went off. The portal closed and all the explosives inside were detonated all at once. The Doppelgänger slowly faded as it returned to Alex's body together with all the memories it had gathered. "It gets easier, huh?" The sledgehammer dropped to the ground as Alex slumped against the nearest shelf. He stared at his shaking hands and started crying.

Kenneth and Calvin found Lenny sweeping the granite tiles outside of the dojo. They whispered his name to draw his attention before pulling him into a tool shed when he was close enough. "Hey, what gives?" Lenny blurted when he saw his assailants. "Shh, quiet down or someone might notice us." Calvin spoke softly. "I thought you guys were supposed to be fishing with Erik. What happened?" Lenny replied in a muted tone. "Something really bad had happened, okay. We need your help. Are you done here?" Kenneth said. "Yeah, I'm. It turns out the VIP is an old geezer. We were doing those aesthetic martial arts moves that are completely impractical in combat to entertain him. He left a while ago. But he seemed to make a lot of eye contact with me. It was as if he knew me." Lenny replied. "So did you find out who he was?" Kenneth asked. "I don't give a damn! Now what's with all the secrecy?" Lenny said. Kenneth and Calvin explained their situation to Lenny and he immediately understood the gist of it. "So what are we gonna do? Do you need any more help? I can ask Iris. She's just outside." Lenny said. "That would be great. We'll meet up with Alex at the old storage facility." Kenneth said. Lenny's face turned gloom when he heard the place they were going to meet. Kenneth and Calvin gave Lenny a nod and left the tool shed when no one was watching. They disappeared into the darkness of the night.

"Man, what's that smell?" Kenneth asked the moment he stepped into the old storage facility. The shutter gate was opened when they reached the facility. "It smells like chlorine." Calvin replied. They met two Alex cleaning up their dimension storage with mop and cloth. "What happened here? And why is there two of you?" Kenneth asked. "Your first time seeing him use that ability of his?" Calvin said. "That's my Doppelgänger. It's faster with two people cleaning the place." Alex replied. He put down the mop and stepped outside the portal. "This was what happened." Alex showed them a partially burnt wallet. "Whose wallet is it?" Kenneth asked. "The Shirley imposter. He's the spy Sir John sent to keep an eye on us." Alex passed the wallet to Calvin. Calvin flipped the wallet open to search for identification but found none. "He doesn't have an ID with him. All he has with him was this and some cash." Alex pointed at a photo in the wallet. "Is that Shirley?" Calvin examined the photo. "He must have used it to imitate her." Alex said. "So what happened to him?" Kenneth asked. "I…Uh… I killed him. Blown him to pieces in the storage. That's why I'm cleaning it now." Alex said regretfully. "Jesus, you don't have to be that extreme." Kenneth blurted out loud. "He was gonna kill me! If I didn't stop him, he's gonna take the sword! Then, we'll have nothing left to bargain with!" Alex cried out loud. "Calm down, Alex." Calvin said. "I think what you did was necessary! He did what he had to do, Kenneth. I would have done the same if I were in his shoes." Calvin added. "Sorry about that…" Kenneth said and picked up the mop. "Here, I'll help you clean up." He went into Alex's storage dimension without another word. "So what's the plan?" Lenny spoke after the situation had quiet down. "I brought Iris with me," Lenny added. Alex took a moment to stop his tears and sniffles before he spoke. "I think we need a change of plan," "Why? The last one was good enough, wasn't it?" Calvin asked. "It was. But it is also very hard to pull off. Now that we know who the spy was, you can take his place and we'll take advantage of that." Alex pointed out. "You want me to impersonate Shirley?" Calvin asked. "Exactly! Sir John won't know the difference until it's too late." Alex replied. "Alright, I'll do it but I need some practice first. Do you have other photos of Shirley which I can use?" Calvin said. "Lenny has some. Mine are all gone in the explosion, sorry." Alex replied. "I'll go get it. It's in my room." Lenny said and left the building. "What's next? Even if we managed to fool them, what would be our next step?" Kenneth finally spoke. "That's what we're here for. To discuss on our battle plans. Anyone of you counted how many men Sir John had with him?" Alex said. "I saw six, if I remembered correctly," Calvin answered. The discussion went on late into the night as the gang began formulating a rescue plan for the next day.

"Wow, these suits are awesome!" Lenny whispered. "Of course they are. They're from Gaea." Iris replied. The two of them made their way stealthily behind Shirley as they crossed the hanging bridge. "You sure they won't notice us?" Lenny asked in a low tone. "They will if you don't shut up!" Kenneth hissed from behind. Lenny, Iris and Kenneth were completely invisible to the naked eye after they donned the military-grade camouflage suits that Alia gave them. They turn the wearer invisible and also dampen their energy signature and body temperature to match their surroundings. "Alright, just like we plan," Alex spoke into the microphone in his helmet as they approached the end of the hanging bridge. Alex and Shirley were greeted by two bulky men at the end of the bridge. They led them back to the large wooden platform where they caught Rybys a day ago. Lenny, Iris and Kenneth on the other hand made their way into the wooden cottage to search for the hostages. Sir John and two of his followers stood at the end of the large wooden platform, opposite where Alex and Shirley were standing. The two bulky men walked towards Sir John after leading the two children onto the platform. "Where is the sword, Alex?" Sir John asked. "It's in my storage portal. You'll get the sword once I see my friends are safe." Alex replied. "You don't call the shots here, boy!" The lady standing beside Sir John said. "Then you're not getting the sword." Alex said. "I don't think you're in any position to make demands, kid!" A dagger appeared on the lady's hand. "Do that and the sword dies with me," Alex stood his ground, unintimidated by the lady. Sir John gave the lady a look and she lowered her weapon after a few swears. "You outnumber and outgun us. Plus, you have an Arc Net activated to prevent me from teleporting away. Are you really that much intimidated by merely two children?" Alex goaded with a smile. Sir John chuckled and ordered his men to bring the hostages out. "Is that good enough for you?" He asked after Erik, Kelvin and Julee were dragged onto the platform. All of them were shackled but they seemed unharmed, physically. "Don't worry guys, I'll get you free." Alex said to his friends. "The sword please." Sir John demanded. "Shut down the Arc Net," Alex replied. "You're getting arrogant, kid!" The lady raged. "The sword is inside the portal. I can't open it unless you shut down the Arc Net." Alex said. "Fine, shut the damn thing down then! You two, watch him!" Sir John ordered the two bulky men to secure Erik. Sir John was beginning to lose his patience.

After the Arc Net was deactivated, Alex extended his right hand into his storage portal and withdrew the Disforme. "Alex, don't give him the sword!" Erik yelled. One of the two bulky men shoved a handkerchief into Erik's mouth before he could utter another word. "Now, let them go." Alex said while holding onto the sword. "I'm not playing any more of your games, kid! Give me the sword or Erik dies!" Sir John pointed his palm at Erik's head. The Arc Net was reactivated moments after Alex withdrew the Disforme. "Calm down now. I'll give you the sword right now. Why don't you let them go," Alex raised the Disforme on top of his head with both hands and slowly walked towards Sir John. Shirley followed closely behind him. Sir John signaled one of his lackeys to loosen the shackles when he saw Alex approaching. "You can stop right there." Sir John ordered. At that instant, Shirley's hair coalesced into a single bundle with a sharp tip at its end. "What the hell are you doing, Raymond!" Sir John yelled when he saw the hair extended and directed towards Alex. "Alex, behind you!" Kelvin warned. Shirley's hair changed direction at the very last moment and impaled into the Arc Net. Everything happened so sudden that none of Sir John's men had time to react. Alex dived to the left and morphed the Disforme into a pistol. He could feel his energy being drained from his body when the shots were fired. The lady beside Sir John created an energy barrier the moment Alex dived, protecting Sir John and herself from the bullets made of energy. Kenneth, Lenny and Iris sprang into action as planned. Kenneth emerged from the shadow with a powerful palm strike. His palm hit the back of his opponent's head. The psychic energy that was charged on his right palm were channeled into his opponent's brain, resulting in a concussion that knocked out the bulky fella. Lenny and Iris charged at the other bulky guy with sword blazing. The bulky man's reaction was much faster than his partner. Earth and rocks covered the man's upper limbs to meet Iris's katana and Lenny's lightsaber. The other hostages who were freed from the wooden cottage came charging at Sir John's men as the fight broke out. The man who unlocked Erik's shackles were knocked out cold by a powerful karate chop to the back of the neck. A maroon-colored dagger appeared on Erik��s hand which he used to free Kelvin and Julee from their shackles. "How's that for a kid?" Alex pointed the pistol at Sir John with a smirk.

"I was going to let all of you live you know? Too bad," Two swords shot forth from Sir John's shadow and landed on each of his hands. The sword on his left was the Siskhlis and on his right was a new blade that they had never seen before. The new sword had an odd shape; it had two blades on the same side, each branching out into a semicircle before ending with a sharp straight tip that lay parallel to each other. The design of the sword would have caught anyone's attention as its shape was downright ridiculous and impractical for combat. The two blades formed an incomplete hollow circle with an opening at the sword's tip. Its shape would make hacking and slashing difficult for anyone who uses it. "What the hell is that bizarre thing?" Kenneth asked. "It's the Lamia, the vampire sword." Erik replied. "Does that odd thing even works?" Kenneth said skeptically. "Why don't I show you?" Sir John secured Lamia's hilt to a strap on his right forearm. "Kenneth, run!" Erik teleported after alerting Kenneth. "What are you…" Before Kenneth realized it, Sir John was already in front of him. He was fast, probably the fastest adversary the boys had ever faced. "Shit!" Kenneth's instinct took over. He crossed his arms and lowered his head, bracing for impact. An invisible shield formed in front of him to meet Sir John's attack. He could feel his shield gave way the moment the Lamia grazed it. Sir John raised his left arm to swing the Siskhlis after he shattered Kenneth's shield. It was too late for Kenneth to react as the sword came swinging down. In that split second, he felt a heavy object rammed into his flank and pushed him off balance. Sir John cursed and raised his blade again. "Be careful! He's fast!" Alex helped Kenneth to his feet. "Thanks!" Calvin tore apart the dress he was wearing and morphed back into himself. With two plasma cannons in hand, he went after the lady in red. The large wooden platform suddenly turned into a battlefield between Sir John's men and everyone else.

18. The Council of Light

Erik suddenly appeared behind Sir John with his dagger in hand, aiming for the neck. However, Sir John anticipated it and blocked the dagger with the Lamia. He then counterattacked with the Siskhlis. Erik dodged the blade and yelled. "Move! Now!" A portal appeared in the space beside Kelvin. Kelvin hesitated before diving into the portal followed by Julee. With another stern order from General Erik, Calvin, Iris and Lenny abandoned their fight and retreated into the portal. Kenneth and Alex lunged for the portal but was met with a wall of dark flame. "Tsk! We should have teleported!" Alex clicked his tongue and spun around. Sir John had lit a ring of dark flame which surrounded the four of them. Erik was seen lying on the wooden floor near the edge of the fire. His left hand was clutching onto his right shoulder. There was fresh blood all over the right side of his shirt including the sleeve. He was badly injured but it didn't seem fatal. "Kenneth, think you can somehow break through this wall of fire?" Alex said without taking his eyes off Sir John. "I'll try my best." Kenneth murmured and unleashed a constant stream of psionic energy to subdue to dark flame.

Sir John took his time striding towards Alex; he could have closed in the distance between them in mere seconds but he didn't. Alex slowly moved away from Kenneth while paying close attention to Sir John's feet. In the split of a second when Sir John's left heel struck the ground, Alex teleported. He recognized the footwork Sir John used when he instantly close-in on Kenneth. Alex reappeared some distance behind Sir John and squeezed the trigger on the Disforme, firing three shots at Sir John's back. Sir John raised his right arm without turning around. The Lamia absorbed the incoming bullets and converted them into energy for the wielder. "You're a sharp one, Alex. With a few years of proper training, you'll turn out to be an excellent fighter. But currently, the difference in experience is just too much." Sir John spun around with a smug of self-satisfaction. It was all over the moment Alex decided to teleport. He was too inexperience to see through the feint. Sir John's deliberate movement was a trap right from the start and he fell for it. Alex stared in horror as the tip of the Siskhlis protruded through the right side of his chest. He turned to see that the blade came directly from his very own shadow, a move unknown to Alex. Alex could feel the heat building up in his chest as warm blood soaked the clothes underneath his armor. At the same time, blood was coughed out involuntarily as he tried taking a breath. His vision blurred and his head felt light when the blade was suddenly pulled from his chest. His breathing grew rapid and shallow, with a punctured lung and an uncontrolled hemorrhage. Alex lost his footing and fell headlong onto the wooden floor. The Disforme slipped from his grip as he fell. "Alex!" Kenneth yelled when he saw his friend stumbling to the ground.

Sir John casually strolled towards the Disforme, ignoring Kenneth's presence altogether. The Disforme was the only thing on his mind at that moment. Kenneth readied his dual lightsabers and was about to charge when Erik barked the order to stand down. "Back off, Kenneth!" General Erik got to his feet. Kenneth faltered but in the end, he decided to obey Erik's command. Sir John picked up the Disforme with a broad grin on his face. With his confidence building, he tossed his fist into the air and gave a triumphant roar. He continued to stay oblivious to the enemies around him. The Disforme and Siskhlis melted in his hand and they merged with the Lamia to form a single sword that took the appearance of the Siskhlis. He couldn't suppress the grin that was building on his face as he raised the combined sword high above his head and let out an evil laugh. He then made his way towards Alex and pointed the sword at him. "Look who's laughing now, boy!" Sir John was overly confident of his victory that he paid no heed to the slight movements of Alex's right arm. "Laugh while you can, creep!" Alex thought to himself as he prepared for a surprise attack. He wasn't the type that just give up, even in the face of an overwhelming odds. "Any last words?" Sir John raised his sword. "Yeah, catch!" Alex uttered through gritted teeth. He instantly rolled over and tossed the burning object directly at Sir John's face. The spherical object exploded into glaring white light, its brightness comparable to that of a sun. Sir John was too lax when he approached Alex, he didn't even bother to strengthen his defensive aura. A lesson that he would take to the grave. But the most crucial fact above all else, was that he never expected Alex to have such weapon in his arsenal.

A normal flash grenade wouldn't do much to a veteran like Sir John but that spherical object was no flashbang. It was a cocktail of instant Light energy made to counter the Darkness. It was too late for Sir John to even blink when he saw the burning plant covering the sphere. He knew what it was the moment he saw it, it was too obvious to be mistaken for something else. "Argh-h-h…" Sir John staggered backwards while covering his eyes with his left hand. The wall of dark flame surrounding them disappeared the instant the Light energy was released. Even with his new found strength, he was unable to mount a decent defense in time after that surprise attack. He was left disorientated by the blinding light and his defensive aura momentarily weakened. With a custom-made photochromic face shield, Alex's Doppelgänger sprang into action under the cover of extremely bright light. The well-timed strike gave Alex the opportunity to land a devastating blow. The laser dagger wielded by Alex's Doppelgänger raked across the right side of Sir John's face, taking four of his fingers and his right eye in the process. "Ahh-agrhhh…" Sir John roared in agony and swung his sword in random directions. It struck home and left a deep gash on the Doppelgänger's chest but it was all unnecessary effort. The Doppelgänger would have disappeared altogether without the final blow as Alex reached his limit. With a final self-satisfied chuckle, Alex lost consciousness. His Doppelgänger faded away as it returned to its host. He was able to hear a few familiar voices yelling his name before his vision went pitch black. Despite the blinding light, General Erik was able to navigate his way beside Alex and dragged the unconscious boy into his portal. After making sure everyone was accounted for, General Erik made a portal opening to the casualty department of Saamaya Hospital. He collapsed to the ground after everyone had exited from his storage, joining Alex in dreamland.

Chen waited patiently in the guest room with Mr. and Mrs. Flummox. They were waiting for the arrival of a representative from the Council of Light. At exactly ten o'clock, a vortex of white light appeared in the center of the room. Chen was startled by the sudden development and reached for his weapon. "Relax, it's just our guest." Dr. Robert said. Chen secured his retractable stainless steel rod back to his belt. The vortex grew into a portal and a scrawny man stepped out. At first glance, he looked kind of malnourished but he was a tall feller. He wore a grey suit and a black panama hat. There was a white religious scarf bearing the symbol of the Council of Light hanging from his neck. The scarf extended all the way to his waist, covering both sides of his chest. "Good day, Mr. and Mrs. Flummox. And you must be Chen. I am Archdeacon Sylvester. Sorry to keep you waiting, right this way please." Archdeacon Sylvester gave them a light bow and shook Chen's hand. "Good day to you too, reverend." Mr. and Mrs. Flummox greeted the archdeacon and stepped into the portal. Chen followed them into the portal without hesitation. They later emerged in a large space that looked like the interior of a medieval castle with its stone arches and wall tapestries. "Welcome to the Church of the Holy Apostles. The vice chancellor's office is that way," Sylvester pointed. "We'll be on our way then. We'll leave Chen in your care." Mr. and Mrs. Flummox gave the archdeacon a quick bow before they headed left. Sylvester then turned to face Chen and rest his hand on Chen's shoulder while ushering him towards a door to the right. "We must be on our way now. The cardinal is waiting." "Why would the cardinal wants to meet me?" Chen asked. "You'll know the answer the moment you see him." Sylvester gave a genuine smile before holding the door open for him to enter. Inside the wooden double doors lay three well-decorated wooden doors studded with ambers and gems. Archdeacon Sylvester approached the door in the center and gave it two gentle knocks. "Come in," A swift reply came from the other side. Sylvester again held the door open and gestured Chen to get in. "Dad? What are you doing here?" Those words just escaped Chen's mouth before he even realized it.

"Surprised to see me?" Chen's father gave him a silly laugh before embracing him. "I'll be taking my leave now, Cardinal Chen." Sylvester gave a light nod and closed the door. "Thanks, Sylvester." Chen's father replied. "I thought you were in Idaho." Chen said. "Well, I got to tell your mom something, right? It's not like she'll believe me if I told her I work for a powerful clergy organization in another dimension. She would think I'm a lunatic! Ha-ha-ha." Chen's dad finished off with his familiar laughter. "Right… So you were the one who suggested General Erik to bring me here?" Chen took a seat on a nearby leather sofa. "That's right. It was supposed to be just an exposure of Nirvana for you. Never would have thought that you and your friends would be dragged into all these mess. Sorry about that." His father said. "It's alright, dad. It's not your fault, what happen happened. But still, why did you ask Erik to bring me here?" Chen asked. "Didn't I just tell you? As an exposure to this realm. If you really like it here, you can choose to continue your studies here with me." Chen's father answered. "Then why didn't you bring mom instead? Then we can all stay here together." Chen replied. "Err…" His father hesitated before answering. "You're a hard one to please as always. The real reason is more of an obligation you see. I never wanted any of you to have anything to do with Nirvana if that's possible. However, as a member, at least one of his or her children must be enrolled into the Academy of Light unless none of their children possessed the element of Light." "What? Whoever came up with such a stupid policy?" Chen blurted out in surprise. "It's set in stone since its establishment during the Great War. I know it's a little hard on you but… It's not an easy decision for me too, you know?" Chen's father walked towards a refrigerator and grabbed two cans of ice lemon tea. He tossed one to Chen and said. "It comes with the job, I'm afraid." "But why would some organization devised such an absurd policy? It was as if they're trying to grow an army." Chen said. "It wasn't as if. It's a fact. You see, this rule was made soon after the founding of the Council of Light. It was dark times back then, many soldiers with the element of Light were killed in the battle against Narakiya's army of darkness…" "I get the idea," Chen interrupted his father's explanation. "But the war ended a long time ago, didn't it? It's been fifty years!" Chen added. "There's more to it, just hear me out, okay?" Chen's father replied patiently.

"Soon after the war ended, they realized there is a need for a global peacekeeping force to be established to monitor Nirvana, making sure such a terrible war never occur again. Speaking of war, do you know why it was known as the Great War? It wasn't because of its duration but its casualties. In fact, if you would take solely the duration into account, it would be by far one of the shortest war in Nirvana. The Great War lasted just little over a year…" "Dad, you're getting off track again! Stick to the point!" Chen interrupted his father again. "Oops, sorry about that. And so, the Council of Light and the Spirit World decided to share the responsibility of policing Nirvana. However, the Council of Light simply do not have the manpower the Spirit World has. At one time soon after the war, there's only little over five hundred members only. Even now, the total members including the reserves just barely made three thousands even with the military conscription-like policy in place for over fifty years!" Chen's dad explained. "Okay, I can see why they still keep the policy. Is the element of Light really that rare?" Chen asked. "Apparently it is. The organization had been offering many benefits over the years in hope of attracting any power users with the element of Light but the turnout rate had been disappointing. Maybe simply because there wasn't that many like us out there in the first place." Cardinal Chen took another can of soft drink from the fridge. "Want one?" He glanced at his son. Chen shook his head and said. "Does this means this element runs in the family?" "You're partially correct but that's not always the case. In fact, half the time it's not true. That's why we're having such a hard time finding new recruits." Cardinal Chen answered before he popped open the can. "Can't you just recruit power users with other elements to help with the policing? I meant all you guys need are just muscles, right?" Chen asked. "If brute force is all we need, the Spirit World got plenty to handle all the peacekeeping. In fact, they were the ones doing the job most of the time. The recruits we are after are more specific. We're forming an army of exclusive anti-Darkness soldiers. Therefore, not any Tom, Dick and Harry out there will do. We need only Light elementals." Cardinal Chen explained. "But why the discrimination? Darkness is just one of the many elements out there, it's the person who wield it that matters, right?" Chen said. "My thoughts exactly. A few of us tried bringing up the matter to the chancellor but old wounds are hard to mend. Those who have lost loved ones in the battle with the army of darkness still hold grudges. Like you said, Narakiya and his goons are the black sheep but taking it out on everyone else is just wrong. It's not like as if they have the liberty to choose their elements." Chen's father replied. "So what happened to the survivors with Dark element after the war?" Chen asked. "Social ostracism. Most chose to go into hiding but majority of them were forcefully relocated for easier surveillance." His father answered. "Dang, that's rough!" Chen exclaimed. "Well, history and rules have always been written from the hand of the victor. No surprise there. But things have gotten more lenient over the years." His father explained.

"What happens if I do not have the Light element? It's only possible to know after coming here, right?" A sudden thought came across Chen's mind. "The better for you. You can simply enjoy your trip here and go back to your life back on Earth as if nothing had ever happened. Judging from your tone just now, I take you don't really like it here?" Chen's father replied. "On the contrary, dad. I am actually pretty fond of this place apart from the violence and near-death experience. I really don't mind staying here." Chen corrected. "Wow, that's a surprise. Good to know." Chen's father threw the empty can into a waste paper bin and flumped into the leather chair behind his mahogany desk. "So, what else have you got planned for me?" Chen asked. "Hmm, I'll show you around the academy and perhaps a quick sight-seeing in the city before dinner? Then, I'll have Sylvester sent you back to the Freedom Fortress. It's semester break now, so you probably won't be seeing any student in the institution. The next semester starts shortly after your trip finishes…" Chen's father's voice trailed off when he noticed his son wasn't paying attention anymore. Chen was staring blankly at the wall, deep in thoughts. "You know, there is no need for you to enroll into the academy immediately. Take your time, you have until your sixteenth birthday before you're obliged to join the council. Spend more time with your friends back on Earth, if that's what you're worrying about." There was a long pause before Chen answered. "It really doesn't make much of a difference for me. This could well be the last vacation the six of us would spend playing together. Perhaps that's the main reason why Erik was able to convince us on this trip so easily. Subconsciously, each of us just want our last vacation together to be a memorable one. Because starting next year, all six of us will part our separate ways. Each of us will be going to a different high school in a different country altogether. It won't be easy for us to get together like now." There was a tinge of sorrow in his voice. Chen's father rose from his chair and took a seat beside Chen. "That's just part of growing up. There will always be goodbyes and farewells. But I'll always be here if you ever need me." He put a hand on his son's shoulder. "Thanks, dad!" Chen embraced his father.

Cardinal Chen brought his son on a tour of the Academy of Light where he sometimes worked as a lecturer. They toured the gothic architecture and its mostly empty hallways and lecture halls. After a decent tour of the institution, they moved into the city for sight-seeing. The Holy City of Svet is a coastal city on the continent of Argia. The architectural design of the city is a reminiscence of the combination of Islamic and Renaissance eras. There weren't many tall skyscraper in the city. Most buildings gave a decades-old facade, if not century-old; each of them seemed to hold untold stories from a forgotten time. The view of the city was impressive from all angles but the most memorable scene for Chen would have been the cliff overlooking the Gulf of Svet. The scenery reminded Chen of the coast of Bali viewed from the Uluwatu Temple. It jolted happy memories from the time when his entire family was on a getaway trip to Bali two years back. "Hey," Chen's father's call broke his reverie. He grabbed the bottle of mineral water that was handed to him and turned his attention back to the setting sun. His father took a seat beside him on the wooden bench and followed his gaze at the evening sunset. "It's a lovely sunset," His father said. "It sure is. Hey, dad. There is something that was on my mind for quite a while now. How come none of the Council of Light members show up in the Celestial City Incident when they found out Lalkarz had a hand in it? I thought you people are obsessed with anything Narakiya related." Chen asked. "It should have been that way if we don't have a situation at the moment. Normally, the higher-ups will jump at the news of Lalkarz but with the chancellor's health deteriorating, it couldn't be helped. We did send a team to Freedom Fortress and Celestial City on the follow-up investigations." His father explained. "Who is this chancellor anyway? Is he the big boss man? And what about you, what does the cardinal do?" Chen asked. "Ha-ha. Our administrative posts may seem odd at first but it's actually quite straight forward. The council has the same titles as that of a Roman Catholic Church seeing as we're a clergy organization after all. However, instead of a pope as the top brass, we have a chancellor and two vice-chancellors." Cardinal Chen explained. "So the chancellor is the big boss then." Chen clarified. "That's right. Below the vice-chancellors are twelve cardinals, one for each continent. The remaining two are the cardinal of foreign affairs, that's me. And the cardinal of internal affairs. The chancellors' job are similar to that of a clan lord or president. As for the cardinals, they're like head of states, overseeing religious activities and also monitoring Darkness element related stuff in their respective continents. As for my job, it's similar to that of a minister of foreign affairs and the same concept can be applied for the cardinal of internal affairs." "I see." Chen nodded. "What about Sylvester? What does he do?" "Well, the archdeacon runs the non-religious departments. Their jobs are more towards administrative stuff like finance, social welfare, education, that sort of things." His father replied.

Cardinal Chen took a sip from the bottle of mineral water before he continued. "The chancellor is elected among the twelve cardinals of the previous term while the two vice-chancellors are elected among the archbishops. Each term last approximately nine years." "Oh, if I'm reading this correctly. That means you have a chance to be elected as the next chancellor?" Chen asked. "That's correct. But even I know the limit of my capability. There's someone else more suitable for the job. I'll probably vote for him when the time comes. And this brings us back to your previous question as to why we did not intervene in the Celestial City Incident. The current term should have ended two months ago and a new cabinet elected but the current chancellor had a dying wish that is to carry out his duty till the very end. It's not a request unheard of since there have been two previous chancellors who made the same request. Seeing as the chancellor is a hundred and eighty-year-old and well respected figure, the cardinals voted to approve his wish. It wasn't such a bad idea two months ago when the decision was made, since the situation around us had been somewhat peaceful. But… You know what happened next." "Okay, I get the idea but why can't you all just operate as usual? Taking decisions from the vice-chancellors instead?" Chen pointed out. "That won't be possible because the usual decision when they heard Lalkarz's name would be to send the cardinal himself personally to investigate. We can't have that because once the chancellor pass on, an election will be held immediately after the cremation ceremony." Chen's father answered. "I don't really see what the big fuss is. Can't you all just postpone the election to a later date?" Chen said. "I hear what you're saying. Among the many flaws in the council, this is one of the most ridiculous. But that's just how the council operates, son." His father replied. Chen turned his attention back at the sea again. The sun was getting really low on the horizon. "So, what happens to you when the term ends?" Chen asked. "Well, I'll be going back to my old job as an Archbishop or a full time lecturer at the Academy of Light." Cardinal Chen gulped the remaining water and tossed the bottle into a rubbish bin nearby. "C'mon, kiddo. It's time to go. There's this fantastic restaurant I want you to try out." Chen's father ushered his son to his feet. The two walked back into the city as dusk began to replace the twilight.

After the wonderful dinner with his father, Chen was sent back to the Freedom Fortress by Archdeacon Sylvester. The food was amazing but more importantly, he got to spend quality time with his father, something which is rare since his dad worked abroad all the time. As he was walking back to the dormitory, he shoved his hands into his side pockets to keep his hands warm from the chilly night wind. That was when he felt an unfamiliar object in his left pocket. "Oh, that's right." He murmured to himself and kept walking. It was a golden pendant his father gave him during dinner. "It's a holy pendant to keep you safe in my stead. Just say the prayer of Light and your aid will arrive. But try not to rely on it too much, it drains a lot of energy to use it." His father's word still lingered in his head. Chen entered the empty dormitory with a sigh. He took a change of clothes and a towel before heading into the shower. After that, he called it a day and hit the sack.