Disclaimer- I don't own NiGHTS or the related characters that belong to SEGA. Any characters
not appearing in the originals, though, belong to me, so don't take them.
Chapter 1 - The Visitor
One year has gone by in Nightopia. One year, where the inhabitants of the dream plane
could finally relax. Those who had once only known peace, that had been defenseless under
Wizeman's frigid shadow, no longer had to fear the once overpowering Nightmaren forces.
Many had scattered away, lost without their old leader and fearing a new one.
But this did not mean peace for Nightopia.
Reala had somehow made it through. NiGHTS had seen his spirit spark- but he was there,
and he had been trying his best to fill Wizeman's non-existant shoes.
Fortunately for NiGHTS, the now named by the NHC official guardian of Nightopia, Reala was just as scattered as the minions he was trying to control. He may have been a higher rank, but still, a follower. Now he had nothing to begin from except what he knew alone, which was not easily translated to the rest of the Nightmaren. Reala knew he would probably be long gone if Wizeman
was still around- but no one here so far had dared to challenge his leadership. So far. He could
see it in them, though. They were tired, physically, mentally- they wouldn't take much more, no
matter how much conditioning they had in the past years. But this wasn't his only problem-
A gloved hand reached through the churning, fuschia barrier, clasping onto the nearly flat Spring
Valley grass and keeping hold as if it would never see the light of day again otherwise. Other hand
shot through, latching onto the ground a few feet into front of the first one. They dragged their
owner slowly and carefully out of the barrier. The stranger then stood up to his full height-- which
couldn't have been any more than four feet. His long blue cloak and hood waved slightly as he
moved on, his startled sapphire eyes taking in everything they could. His smooth, well-toned voice,
which seemed very out of character, reflected the shock in his eyes. "I can go in--?
The eyes, still very clear, narrowed in realization. A smile crept up his shadowed face, the
slyness seeping into his voice even more than the surprise before. "Wizeman's rule is over."
It hit Reala like a shard in the back of the head. That stranger's energy- powerful, packed, and
approaching the nightmares. But he just happened to be preoccupied-
"I won't accept these failures anymore" he grumbled, scratching two heavy claws together.
"Wizeman wouldn't have."
"Reala, face it. You're no Wizeman- " Jackle responded.
He knew this was coming. "No, I'm not. But I don't think you want to argue with me."
"If you're so good, anyway, why don't you go out there yourself!" Jackle challenged.
Reala's eyes sparked. Yes, this was it. Someone had finally snapped.
"All right, Jackle. You think I shouldn't be in charge? Got a problem with me? Say it to my face."
Jackle's eyes widened a bit at Reala's off-key tone- way too calm for a response to that kind
of challenge. Still, this was a chance- he wasn't backing down this time. Not if he wanted things
to change. "Yeah. I got a problem-"
Before he could finish, golden stars whirled around him, then rushed in with crushing pressure-
and exploded. His screams resounded off the wall as he slammed into it, sliding to the
ground and landing roughly on his feet, then crumbling to the floor in a shattered yellow flat. "A-
A paraloop?!" he gasped weakly, trying to get to his feet. "But how? You were-"
"A traveling paraloop" Reala corrected, turning to the others. "Anyone else have a complaint?"
The room was absolutely silent. They had thought Jackle was immune to paraloops because
of his form. And if that paraloop could hit him that hard, who knew what effect it would have on
the rest of them?
"Good, then. I have-"
He stopped abruptly, staring at the wall off to the side- an unusual twist from his normally lethal
focus. They examined him, then stared at the same wall. It didn't seem out of place to them-
A vision flew by Reala's clouding eyes. That stranger again, his energy drawing ever close. That
energy rose and dug into the back of his head again- tainted with some distant familiarity.
Something he wanted to remember, but at the same time his mind was desperately trying to
put back away.
The energy sense jammed through the struggle in his mind, fragmenting every thought remaining
in there with painful bursts. Reala dropped to his knees with an agonized scream, clenching his
head so hard they heard faint tearing. "What is it?!"
"Go!" he hollered. "Something's there- Spring Valley-"
A Hollow, Kircle, and Gao flew out into the dreams. It didn't take them long to find whatever they
were looking for. That tiny stranger was no more than a football field from the nightmare entrance,
yet even on first sight they could feel something different. Still, he didn't strike them as he did
Reala. "That's what was bothering him so much?"
They swooped down, right in the stranger's face. He watched them with interest, but with no signs
of a start, like with most visitors. "Identify yourself" Hollow commanded.
They thought they saw a smile, though it was hard to tell in the shadows of the hood, his tone
seemed to indicate it. "Hello there!" he greeted, extending his hand. "So glad to see some old
friends!"
The three exchanged baffled glances. "You are-?"
"It's great to be home! Well, I'm not really home yet. I'll be stopping by shortly. Go home and
tell them they're having company. Goodbye! See you later!"
This certainly was an odd visitor. They didn't even know him and he was ordering them around?
But they couldn't resist. His eyes, his dark blue eyes seemed to wash over their minds and block
out any logic that would work with them. They had no choice-
~*~*~*~*~
"He just--" Reala dropped his head in hands. "Are you telling me you just came back?!"
"No, no!" Hollow squealed, quivering. "He-"
Reala pounded his fist angrily against the wall, his normally chilly eyes reflecting the flames that
gave him his energy. "Did you even see what he looked like?!"
His interruption had startled the words out of the Hollow, so the Gao piped up. "He was wearing
a hood" the two-legged lion informed him, his huge fangs slightly garbling his words.
Reala quaked like building magma, but before he went off, the wall imitated him, drawing his
attention. And before he could even get confused, the wall crashed down. Bricks flew, dust
clouding the air and chaos taking over. The Nightmaren scrambled around, trying to escape-
except for Reala. He stood defiantly in the wa of the wall, fanning away the debris with his
hands. "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!"
The stranger was there, standing on a pile of the rubble, leaning on a silver broadsword just
about his height. "Who are you?" Reala demanded.
"Reala! What a surprise! I would have never expected to find you in charge-"
A silence, a startled silence, fell over the room. Some, including Reala, knew the voice
immediately. They couldn't place an identity, all they knew was it belonged to someone who
they never expected to see again. Reala blinked a few times, trying to see in the shadows of the
hood. "It's can't be- who are you, really?"
"Oh come now, Reala. I know you've got something in that otherwise empty mind of yours."
Now he remembered. He remembered frustration, humiliation, long, hard tests- all from his existance.
An enraged growl rose from his throat as the figure removed the hood, revealing a large silver
helmet and a young gray face- an apperance that matched his startlingly pleasant voice perfectly.
The helmet was decorated with neon green spikes running right down the middle to the back.
"What are you doing here?"
"I've simply come back to take what is mine."
The Nightmaren sauntered to the others, who had lined up defensively against the wall. "For those
of you who don't know, my name is Syclone. I'll be leading you from now on. Our mission- to
collect all the dream energy."
"All of it? You can't be serious" Reala protested. "First of all, it's nearly impossible, there are far
too many dreamers. There's new ones every day! Second, it would endanger the whole dream
plane! And since when are we following you in the first place?"
"Perhaps you weren't listening. I am in charge. And just to prove this-"
His eyes flicked towards Jackle, glowing with a faint violet aura. In an instant, Jackle was inches
behind Reala, a card slicing through the air right towards his head. Reala caught the hand, using
the gold paraloop sparks to hurl him across the room. The others began to close in, slowly enough
for Reala to get a good look at all of them. His eyes glimmered dangerously, showing a fierce but
expected rage. "I knew it" he said in a low tone. "I knew you all were against me. But why him?
Why would you follow him?"
They weren't listening. Reala concentrated hard, sparks flying from his fingers around his attackers,
and scattering them with a burst of light. Syclone watched, but didn't seem the least bit annoyed.
"I guess I'll have to take care of you myself, then" he concluded, stretching his hand out. He
sounded happy about it-
Something moved. Nothing anyone could see or hear, but something they felt. Energy, slowly
gathering in Syclone's hand and raising a lavender glow- it moved in from all over the place.
Presently it became visible, purple lasers flowing towards his hand and creating a bublle of light.
About then Reala knew he was in deep trouble. He had seen this attack once, very distantly- he had to act. He wasn't going to be caught in this. He tensed his fists, gathering his own fire energy.
"ENERGY BEAM SHATTER!"
Too late.
The energy blasted towards him, too quickly for Reala to even put on a different expression. The
force crashed Reala straight through the other nightmare wall and out of sight. Syclone didn't even
waste time watching him go. "Now, let's get these walls repaired. But first, I want to know what
happened to those four that got me kicked out of here in the first place. Someone who's been here
awhile? Clawz. I remember you."
The monster cat padded to the front, settling right in front of Syclone. "You just saw Reala."
"Yes, yes, I know. The flying checkerboard. The other three?"
"Tierra is here."
Syclone caught sight of a winged maren, sitting in the corner with her knees drawn close to her
chest. Her head was down, her long, slick green hair hiding her face. Her deep blue, skintight
uniform seemed to match her mood perfectly. Syclone walked to her, still with that mischevious
cheer. "Hello there!"
Tierra looked up sharply, her glassy emerald eyes brimming with an anger all too familiar to Syclone.
Her sugar pink wings fluffed out. "Don't talk to me!"
"Now, Tierra, is this how you treat all your guests?"
She lashed out at him, and her fist connected with a loud clang, pushing him back a few paces.
However, he was more surprised than hurt. "Still the same-" he chuckled.
"Leave me alone!" Tierra screeched, folding her wings over.
"All right. Where's Krescent?"
"Killed in a battle- with humans" Claws snickered. "She was supposed to be-"
"What about NiGHTS?"
The whole room seemed to murmur restlessly, as several maren turned and left the room. "Hehe-
well, this will be an interesting story-"
~*~*~*~*~
Two Nightopians wandered by, chattering excitedly. Just another day in Spring Valley, same old
every day. But routine didn't bother them. It was better than being chased around by flocks of
hungry Nightmaren.
They were interrupted by a flash, a small one, but pretty bright- it had come from the nightmares.
Something sailed by, slamming into a nearby tree and nearly breaking it in half. Splinters of wood
sprayed towards the startled Nightopians, who recognized what it was right away. They scurried
away, too frightened to remember they had wings.
Reala's eyes darkened to match the sky's deep blue. His mind was drifting, pulled away from him
for the moment. Syclone's goals- far too dangerous. He had to be stopped. But Reala couldn't stop
him alone, he knew that from the past. But who would help him? All the other Nightmaren were
following Syclone.
Except one. The only other one who stood a chance in the past against Syclone.
"No way. No. I don't need his help-"
He raised himself up from the tree- and immediately collapsed. He had gotten stronger, he actually
made it through this encounter, but he was pretty banged up. Though, he never let that stop him
before. He dug his claws into the tree bark, slowly dragging himself to his feet and then launching
into the air. The dull spark trail faded shortly behind him.
~*~*~*~*~
Minutes later, the two Nightopians whooshed by NiGHTS and landed in front of him, squeaking
and chittering like baby sparrows. Despite the fact that he had learned quite a bit of their language,
he couldn't pick out a word of this. At least the little angels trusted him now. The first three months
as a guardian were difficult with the wary ones, but thanks to Reala, he had proven which side he
was on.
It wasn't hard to tell their emotions, though, and these two had the daylights scared out of them.
NiGHTS waved his hands as if to get their attention. "Slow down! Hey! What's the rush?"
They motioned behind them, squawking and flipping their wings anxiously. "Let me guess.
Nightmaren."
One of them responded with a scream, ducking away. NiGHTS glanced up. A lone silhouette
floated across the sky, right into the sunlight. "No wonder they're so freaked" NiGHTS said to
himself.
Reala struggled his way through another air pocket, totally unaware of the purple blur approaching
him from below. That is, until it rammed into him, nearly taking him out of the sky completely. He
somehow regained his balance, ready to strike back.
"You know, if you're trying to sneak up on someone, you should pay attention" NiGHTS told him,
in a defensive position, but with a grin.
Reala just stared at him blankly, but his mind was working away. He didn't need to face this now.
He wasn't going to back down if NiGHTS wanted to fight, though. However, he couldn't even raise a
fist. Logic broke through- if he wanted to stop Syclone, he couldn't waste time with other enemies.
NiGHTS grew impatient. "What? Why are you looking at me like that? Hello??"
He recalled that idea that had popped into his head before. Maybe NiGHTS could help-
'I must have hit my head too hard, thinking things like that. I don't need his help."
"Looks like you got into a fight already" NiGHTS observed. "Why don't you go home? You don't
stand a chance in this condition."
"I- I can- I can't" Reala choked. Speaking had suddenly become quite a struggle, and gravity took
a hold on him. He dropped, managing to slow himself but still hitting the ground with a pretty loud
thud. NiGHTS spiraled down after him.
"What do you mean, you can't?" NiGHTS questioned.
Reala got back on his feet, obviously in a world of hurt. NiGHTS offered a hand, but he slapped it
away. NiGHTS didn't take it personally, though- Reala was his major enemy, after all.
"I need your help."
NiGHTS jerked back, staring with alarmed, azure-tinted eyes. "WHAT?"
"You heard me."
At that moment NiGHTS figured Reala must have been in a lot more pain than he was showing-
he would never, EVER, ask for help, especially in a condition like this. But who had done this to
him? "What for?!"
Reala himself was having a hard time believing it. He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping no one was
there to see this. He hesitated as another thought crossed his mind. Sure, NiGHTS had his problems
with Syclone in the past, but he also recalled that NiGHTS had always refused to fight Syclone. He
always seemed so calm back then, ignoring the battles besides the fact that it did often involve him.
If NiGHTS knew Syclone was involved, he might not help out. Just as long as he didn't mention the
name, he would be fine. "I have reason to believe this world is in danger" he answered at last.
NiGHTS closed one eye halfway.
"And it's not because of me" Reala added quickly.
"Really? Who then?"
"I don't know- he just blasted his way into the nightmares and took over!"
"And being the excellent leader that you are, you just stood by and allowed it."
Reala growled, raising his claws. "Hey, hey now. If you want someone to listen you can't be
threatening them like that" NiGHTS warned. "Look, I'm sure if there was any danger, the NHC
would have told me, OK?"
Sparks flurried around him, twisting up into the sky with trails of darkness following and blocking
out the cheerful valley. A dim light appeared under his feet, slightly illuminating seven figures a
few feet away. So the NHC was going to call him after all. Maybe now he could figure out what
Reala was going on about.
"We have a request of you."
The voice roamed through the corridor as the speaker stood up. "It may be dangerous, but that
hasn't been a problem before."
"What is it?" NiGHTS asked eagerly.
"We have discovered something strange happening in the last few days" a lighter, female voice
chimed in. "It is confirmed that there is a lost Ideya out there, one without an owner. We have
been waiting for this sign."
"Sign?"
"All creatures of this world are based of dream energy. You know this."
NiGHTS nodded. "So-?"
"There are a few exceptions out there, though. A few Nightmaren, specifically, that were created
with mostly positive dream energy. Your mission is to find these Nightmaren, the Ideya Guardians."
Before NiGHTS could ask, the first speaker cut in again. "You will know who they are, because you
are one of them."
NiGHTS touched the gem in his chest. It warmed with a faint, rosy glow. "This is an Ideya? How?
Ideya are light."
"Ideya are beyond explanation. You have another mission as well. This loose Ideya is releasing far
too much energy, it is distorting the plane around. If it is not contained soon there will be terrible consequences."
He was still a little irritated with the way they just shot off information like that- too much like the
nightmares he had been trying to escape from. But at least it was straightforward. "All right. What's
it look like?"
"It's purple."
A moment of silence. NiGHTS whirled, walking closer to the members but not close enough to get
pushed back by that field around them. "Am I losing my hearing? PURPLE?"
"One of the earned Ideya. Some Ideya dreamers are born with. Others, they must be gained through
the trials of their own life and dreams. These are the earned Ideya. You must keep focus on the
mission at hand."
The silver sparks whisked him away, back to the valley, where he found Reala holding a flaming
twig. Amazingly, he seemed almost back to his old self. "What was that about?"
"Well, the Council didn't say anything about your little control problem" NiGHTS scoffed. "Now,
I have other duties to attend to. Get lost."
"Don't you get it?!" Reala snarled, crunching the stick in his hand. The fire went out in a dazzling
burst of sparks. "This guy wants all the dream energy. ALL of it. This world will fall off any plane of
existence."
"No one can get all the energy" NiGHTS shot back, turning away.
"Yeah? Well, then, we'll just see what happens. We'll just see when all these dreams start crumbling
away. When, even if you somehow escape the dream plane, the NHC will be waiting on the spirit
plane to fry your butt because the destruction of that world was all because you didn't listen to me!
Huh? What, you just gonna let all these creatures-"
"All right, all right!" NiGHTS sighed, rolling his eyes. "I'll help you out. But it'll cost you."
"Cost me what?" Reala queried suspiciously.
"First of all, my number one priority still stands. I have to find an unstable Ideya. If, for any reason,
my mission gets in the way, I will be taking care of it first. Don't try and stop me, understood?"
"Yeah, fine."
"And second-" NiGHTS grinned mischeviously. "You have to beg."
"What?! You little-"
The Nightopians nearby covered their ears. NiGHTS came closer, holding one finger up to silence
him. "Watch the language. You want me to help or not?"
'Do I really want to do this?' Reala asked himself.
"Hello? I can't wait all day, you know" NiGHTS pretended he was going to fly away. "Bye,
checkerboard! Good luck against this guy! You'll need it, taking on him and the Nightmaren
all by yourself-"
"Fine!" Reala snapped, descending to the ground. He got on his knees and clasped his hands
together. "Please help me" he grumbled.
"I can't hear you-"
"Help me" he repeated, in the most flat and annoyed tone he could.
Stifled Nightopian laughter reached his ears. He growled at them, but kept his temper in check.
For once, fighting wouldn't be the current solution. "Such enthusiasm" NiGHTS responded. "It's
good enough. I didn't think you'd actually do it. So you must be telling the truth, then."
"NO KIDDING! What, I'd lie about something like this?"
"Yes."
"This is serious-" Reala hissed.
"Do you think he can get all the Ideya?"
"Well, he took control of all the Nightmaren except me with just a wave of his hand, and broke
right through a nightmare wall. Totaled it. I'd say he has potential."
"Then I'm going to get backup. Wait here."
"Hey, wait! Backup? Where?"
"Oh, you'll know who they are."
Reala crossed his arms. "Great! So what do I do while you're gone?"
"Umm- play with the Nightopians!"
Reala watched him leave, then turned to see several smiling faces by his feet. "What have I gotten
myself into---?"
He turned back to the nightmares. It was such a strange view now, knowing he couldn't go back.
One question stuck out in his mind- how had Syclone gotten the others on his side so easily? He
debated it quietly. Yes, they had been annoyed with Reala, but they had been so flat-out angry with
Syclone that he had been banished from Nightopia. He would have sensed any mind control power
if it was involved. But he would just have to wait to find out the cause.
not appearing in the originals, though, belong to me, so don't take them.
Chapter 1 - The Visitor
One year has gone by in Nightopia. One year, where the inhabitants of the dream plane
could finally relax. Those who had once only known peace, that had been defenseless under
Wizeman's frigid shadow, no longer had to fear the once overpowering Nightmaren forces.
Many had scattered away, lost without their old leader and fearing a new one.
But this did not mean peace for Nightopia.
Reala had somehow made it through. NiGHTS had seen his spirit spark- but he was there,
and he had been trying his best to fill Wizeman's non-existant shoes.
Fortunately for NiGHTS, the now named by the NHC official guardian of Nightopia, Reala was just as scattered as the minions he was trying to control. He may have been a higher rank, but still, a follower. Now he had nothing to begin from except what he knew alone, which was not easily translated to the rest of the Nightmaren. Reala knew he would probably be long gone if Wizeman
was still around- but no one here so far had dared to challenge his leadership. So far. He could
see it in them, though. They were tired, physically, mentally- they wouldn't take much more, no
matter how much conditioning they had in the past years. But this wasn't his only problem-
A gloved hand reached through the churning, fuschia barrier, clasping onto the nearly flat Spring
Valley grass and keeping hold as if it would never see the light of day again otherwise. Other hand
shot through, latching onto the ground a few feet into front of the first one. They dragged their
owner slowly and carefully out of the barrier. The stranger then stood up to his full height-- which
couldn't have been any more than four feet. His long blue cloak and hood waved slightly as he
moved on, his startled sapphire eyes taking in everything they could. His smooth, well-toned voice,
which seemed very out of character, reflected the shock in his eyes. "I can go in--?
The eyes, still very clear, narrowed in realization. A smile crept up his shadowed face, the
slyness seeping into his voice even more than the surprise before. "Wizeman's rule is over."
It hit Reala like a shard in the back of the head. That stranger's energy- powerful, packed, and
approaching the nightmares. But he just happened to be preoccupied-
"I won't accept these failures anymore" he grumbled, scratching two heavy claws together.
"Wizeman wouldn't have."
"Reala, face it. You're no Wizeman- " Jackle responded.
He knew this was coming. "No, I'm not. But I don't think you want to argue with me."
"If you're so good, anyway, why don't you go out there yourself!" Jackle challenged.
Reala's eyes sparked. Yes, this was it. Someone had finally snapped.
"All right, Jackle. You think I shouldn't be in charge? Got a problem with me? Say it to my face."
Jackle's eyes widened a bit at Reala's off-key tone- way too calm for a response to that kind
of challenge. Still, this was a chance- he wasn't backing down this time. Not if he wanted things
to change. "Yeah. I got a problem-"
Before he could finish, golden stars whirled around him, then rushed in with crushing pressure-
and exploded. His screams resounded off the wall as he slammed into it, sliding to the
ground and landing roughly on his feet, then crumbling to the floor in a shattered yellow flat. "A-
A paraloop?!" he gasped weakly, trying to get to his feet. "But how? You were-"
"A traveling paraloop" Reala corrected, turning to the others. "Anyone else have a complaint?"
The room was absolutely silent. They had thought Jackle was immune to paraloops because
of his form. And if that paraloop could hit him that hard, who knew what effect it would have on
the rest of them?
"Good, then. I have-"
He stopped abruptly, staring at the wall off to the side- an unusual twist from his normally lethal
focus. They examined him, then stared at the same wall. It didn't seem out of place to them-
A vision flew by Reala's clouding eyes. That stranger again, his energy drawing ever close. That
energy rose and dug into the back of his head again- tainted with some distant familiarity.
Something he wanted to remember, but at the same time his mind was desperately trying to
put back away.
The energy sense jammed through the struggle in his mind, fragmenting every thought remaining
in there with painful bursts. Reala dropped to his knees with an agonized scream, clenching his
head so hard they heard faint tearing. "What is it?!"
"Go!" he hollered. "Something's there- Spring Valley-"
A Hollow, Kircle, and Gao flew out into the dreams. It didn't take them long to find whatever they
were looking for. That tiny stranger was no more than a football field from the nightmare entrance,
yet even on first sight they could feel something different. Still, he didn't strike them as he did
Reala. "That's what was bothering him so much?"
They swooped down, right in the stranger's face. He watched them with interest, but with no signs
of a start, like with most visitors. "Identify yourself" Hollow commanded.
They thought they saw a smile, though it was hard to tell in the shadows of the hood, his tone
seemed to indicate it. "Hello there!" he greeted, extending his hand. "So glad to see some old
friends!"
The three exchanged baffled glances. "You are-?"
"It's great to be home! Well, I'm not really home yet. I'll be stopping by shortly. Go home and
tell them they're having company. Goodbye! See you later!"
This certainly was an odd visitor. They didn't even know him and he was ordering them around?
But they couldn't resist. His eyes, his dark blue eyes seemed to wash over their minds and block
out any logic that would work with them. They had no choice-
~*~*~*~*~
"He just--" Reala dropped his head in hands. "Are you telling me you just came back?!"
"No, no!" Hollow squealed, quivering. "He-"
Reala pounded his fist angrily against the wall, his normally chilly eyes reflecting the flames that
gave him his energy. "Did you even see what he looked like?!"
His interruption had startled the words out of the Hollow, so the Gao piped up. "He was wearing
a hood" the two-legged lion informed him, his huge fangs slightly garbling his words.
Reala quaked like building magma, but before he went off, the wall imitated him, drawing his
attention. And before he could even get confused, the wall crashed down. Bricks flew, dust
clouding the air and chaos taking over. The Nightmaren scrambled around, trying to escape-
except for Reala. He stood defiantly in the wa of the wall, fanning away the debris with his
hands. "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!"
The stranger was there, standing on a pile of the rubble, leaning on a silver broadsword just
about his height. "Who are you?" Reala demanded.
"Reala! What a surprise! I would have never expected to find you in charge-"
A silence, a startled silence, fell over the room. Some, including Reala, knew the voice
immediately. They couldn't place an identity, all they knew was it belonged to someone who
they never expected to see again. Reala blinked a few times, trying to see in the shadows of the
hood. "It's can't be- who are you, really?"
"Oh come now, Reala. I know you've got something in that otherwise empty mind of yours."
Now he remembered. He remembered frustration, humiliation, long, hard tests- all from his existance.
An enraged growl rose from his throat as the figure removed the hood, revealing a large silver
helmet and a young gray face- an apperance that matched his startlingly pleasant voice perfectly.
The helmet was decorated with neon green spikes running right down the middle to the back.
"What are you doing here?"
"I've simply come back to take what is mine."
The Nightmaren sauntered to the others, who had lined up defensively against the wall. "For those
of you who don't know, my name is Syclone. I'll be leading you from now on. Our mission- to
collect all the dream energy."
"All of it? You can't be serious" Reala protested. "First of all, it's nearly impossible, there are far
too many dreamers. There's new ones every day! Second, it would endanger the whole dream
plane! And since when are we following you in the first place?"
"Perhaps you weren't listening. I am in charge. And just to prove this-"
His eyes flicked towards Jackle, glowing with a faint violet aura. In an instant, Jackle was inches
behind Reala, a card slicing through the air right towards his head. Reala caught the hand, using
the gold paraloop sparks to hurl him across the room. The others began to close in, slowly enough
for Reala to get a good look at all of them. His eyes glimmered dangerously, showing a fierce but
expected rage. "I knew it" he said in a low tone. "I knew you all were against me. But why him?
Why would you follow him?"
They weren't listening. Reala concentrated hard, sparks flying from his fingers around his attackers,
and scattering them with a burst of light. Syclone watched, but didn't seem the least bit annoyed.
"I guess I'll have to take care of you myself, then" he concluded, stretching his hand out. He
sounded happy about it-
Something moved. Nothing anyone could see or hear, but something they felt. Energy, slowly
gathering in Syclone's hand and raising a lavender glow- it moved in from all over the place.
Presently it became visible, purple lasers flowing towards his hand and creating a bublle of light.
About then Reala knew he was in deep trouble. He had seen this attack once, very distantly- he had to act. He wasn't going to be caught in this. He tensed his fists, gathering his own fire energy.
"ENERGY BEAM SHATTER!"
Too late.
The energy blasted towards him, too quickly for Reala to even put on a different expression. The
force crashed Reala straight through the other nightmare wall and out of sight. Syclone didn't even
waste time watching him go. "Now, let's get these walls repaired. But first, I want to know what
happened to those four that got me kicked out of here in the first place. Someone who's been here
awhile? Clawz. I remember you."
The monster cat padded to the front, settling right in front of Syclone. "You just saw Reala."
"Yes, yes, I know. The flying checkerboard. The other three?"
"Tierra is here."
Syclone caught sight of a winged maren, sitting in the corner with her knees drawn close to her
chest. Her head was down, her long, slick green hair hiding her face. Her deep blue, skintight
uniform seemed to match her mood perfectly. Syclone walked to her, still with that mischevious
cheer. "Hello there!"
Tierra looked up sharply, her glassy emerald eyes brimming with an anger all too familiar to Syclone.
Her sugar pink wings fluffed out. "Don't talk to me!"
"Now, Tierra, is this how you treat all your guests?"
She lashed out at him, and her fist connected with a loud clang, pushing him back a few paces.
However, he was more surprised than hurt. "Still the same-" he chuckled.
"Leave me alone!" Tierra screeched, folding her wings over.
"All right. Where's Krescent?"
"Killed in a battle- with humans" Claws snickered. "She was supposed to be-"
"What about NiGHTS?"
The whole room seemed to murmur restlessly, as several maren turned and left the room. "Hehe-
well, this will be an interesting story-"
~*~*~*~*~
Two Nightopians wandered by, chattering excitedly. Just another day in Spring Valley, same old
every day. But routine didn't bother them. It was better than being chased around by flocks of
hungry Nightmaren.
They were interrupted by a flash, a small one, but pretty bright- it had come from the nightmares.
Something sailed by, slamming into a nearby tree and nearly breaking it in half. Splinters of wood
sprayed towards the startled Nightopians, who recognized what it was right away. They scurried
away, too frightened to remember they had wings.
Reala's eyes darkened to match the sky's deep blue. His mind was drifting, pulled away from him
for the moment. Syclone's goals- far too dangerous. He had to be stopped. But Reala couldn't stop
him alone, he knew that from the past. But who would help him? All the other Nightmaren were
following Syclone.
Except one. The only other one who stood a chance in the past against Syclone.
"No way. No. I don't need his help-"
He raised himself up from the tree- and immediately collapsed. He had gotten stronger, he actually
made it through this encounter, but he was pretty banged up. Though, he never let that stop him
before. He dug his claws into the tree bark, slowly dragging himself to his feet and then launching
into the air. The dull spark trail faded shortly behind him.
~*~*~*~*~
Minutes later, the two Nightopians whooshed by NiGHTS and landed in front of him, squeaking
and chittering like baby sparrows. Despite the fact that he had learned quite a bit of their language,
he couldn't pick out a word of this. At least the little angels trusted him now. The first three months
as a guardian were difficult with the wary ones, but thanks to Reala, he had proven which side he
was on.
It wasn't hard to tell their emotions, though, and these two had the daylights scared out of them.
NiGHTS waved his hands as if to get their attention. "Slow down! Hey! What's the rush?"
They motioned behind them, squawking and flipping their wings anxiously. "Let me guess.
Nightmaren."
One of them responded with a scream, ducking away. NiGHTS glanced up. A lone silhouette
floated across the sky, right into the sunlight. "No wonder they're so freaked" NiGHTS said to
himself.
Reala struggled his way through another air pocket, totally unaware of the purple blur approaching
him from below. That is, until it rammed into him, nearly taking him out of the sky completely. He
somehow regained his balance, ready to strike back.
"You know, if you're trying to sneak up on someone, you should pay attention" NiGHTS told him,
in a defensive position, but with a grin.
Reala just stared at him blankly, but his mind was working away. He didn't need to face this now.
He wasn't going to back down if NiGHTS wanted to fight, though. However, he couldn't even raise a
fist. Logic broke through- if he wanted to stop Syclone, he couldn't waste time with other enemies.
NiGHTS grew impatient. "What? Why are you looking at me like that? Hello??"
He recalled that idea that had popped into his head before. Maybe NiGHTS could help-
'I must have hit my head too hard, thinking things like that. I don't need his help."
"Looks like you got into a fight already" NiGHTS observed. "Why don't you go home? You don't
stand a chance in this condition."
"I- I can- I can't" Reala choked. Speaking had suddenly become quite a struggle, and gravity took
a hold on him. He dropped, managing to slow himself but still hitting the ground with a pretty loud
thud. NiGHTS spiraled down after him.
"What do you mean, you can't?" NiGHTS questioned.
Reala got back on his feet, obviously in a world of hurt. NiGHTS offered a hand, but he slapped it
away. NiGHTS didn't take it personally, though- Reala was his major enemy, after all.
"I need your help."
NiGHTS jerked back, staring with alarmed, azure-tinted eyes. "WHAT?"
"You heard me."
At that moment NiGHTS figured Reala must have been in a lot more pain than he was showing-
he would never, EVER, ask for help, especially in a condition like this. But who had done this to
him? "What for?!"
Reala himself was having a hard time believing it. He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping no one was
there to see this. He hesitated as another thought crossed his mind. Sure, NiGHTS had his problems
with Syclone in the past, but he also recalled that NiGHTS had always refused to fight Syclone. He
always seemed so calm back then, ignoring the battles besides the fact that it did often involve him.
If NiGHTS knew Syclone was involved, he might not help out. Just as long as he didn't mention the
name, he would be fine. "I have reason to believe this world is in danger" he answered at last.
NiGHTS closed one eye halfway.
"And it's not because of me" Reala added quickly.
"Really? Who then?"
"I don't know- he just blasted his way into the nightmares and took over!"
"And being the excellent leader that you are, you just stood by and allowed it."
Reala growled, raising his claws. "Hey, hey now. If you want someone to listen you can't be
threatening them like that" NiGHTS warned. "Look, I'm sure if there was any danger, the NHC
would have told me, OK?"
Sparks flurried around him, twisting up into the sky with trails of darkness following and blocking
out the cheerful valley. A dim light appeared under his feet, slightly illuminating seven figures a
few feet away. So the NHC was going to call him after all. Maybe now he could figure out what
Reala was going on about.
"We have a request of you."
The voice roamed through the corridor as the speaker stood up. "It may be dangerous, but that
hasn't been a problem before."
"What is it?" NiGHTS asked eagerly.
"We have discovered something strange happening in the last few days" a lighter, female voice
chimed in. "It is confirmed that there is a lost Ideya out there, one without an owner. We have
been waiting for this sign."
"Sign?"
"All creatures of this world are based of dream energy. You know this."
NiGHTS nodded. "So-?"
"There are a few exceptions out there, though. A few Nightmaren, specifically, that were created
with mostly positive dream energy. Your mission is to find these Nightmaren, the Ideya Guardians."
Before NiGHTS could ask, the first speaker cut in again. "You will know who they are, because you
are one of them."
NiGHTS touched the gem in his chest. It warmed with a faint, rosy glow. "This is an Ideya? How?
Ideya are light."
"Ideya are beyond explanation. You have another mission as well. This loose Ideya is releasing far
too much energy, it is distorting the plane around. If it is not contained soon there will be terrible consequences."
He was still a little irritated with the way they just shot off information like that- too much like the
nightmares he had been trying to escape from. But at least it was straightforward. "All right. What's
it look like?"
"It's purple."
A moment of silence. NiGHTS whirled, walking closer to the members but not close enough to get
pushed back by that field around them. "Am I losing my hearing? PURPLE?"
"One of the earned Ideya. Some Ideya dreamers are born with. Others, they must be gained through
the trials of their own life and dreams. These are the earned Ideya. You must keep focus on the
mission at hand."
The silver sparks whisked him away, back to the valley, where he found Reala holding a flaming
twig. Amazingly, he seemed almost back to his old self. "What was that about?"
"Well, the Council didn't say anything about your little control problem" NiGHTS scoffed. "Now,
I have other duties to attend to. Get lost."
"Don't you get it?!" Reala snarled, crunching the stick in his hand. The fire went out in a dazzling
burst of sparks. "This guy wants all the dream energy. ALL of it. This world will fall off any plane of
existence."
"No one can get all the energy" NiGHTS shot back, turning away.
"Yeah? Well, then, we'll just see what happens. We'll just see when all these dreams start crumbling
away. When, even if you somehow escape the dream plane, the NHC will be waiting on the spirit
plane to fry your butt because the destruction of that world was all because you didn't listen to me!
Huh? What, you just gonna let all these creatures-"
"All right, all right!" NiGHTS sighed, rolling his eyes. "I'll help you out. But it'll cost you."
"Cost me what?" Reala queried suspiciously.
"First of all, my number one priority still stands. I have to find an unstable Ideya. If, for any reason,
my mission gets in the way, I will be taking care of it first. Don't try and stop me, understood?"
"Yeah, fine."
"And second-" NiGHTS grinned mischeviously. "You have to beg."
"What?! You little-"
The Nightopians nearby covered their ears. NiGHTS came closer, holding one finger up to silence
him. "Watch the language. You want me to help or not?"
'Do I really want to do this?' Reala asked himself.
"Hello? I can't wait all day, you know" NiGHTS pretended he was going to fly away. "Bye,
checkerboard! Good luck against this guy! You'll need it, taking on him and the Nightmaren
all by yourself-"
"Fine!" Reala snapped, descending to the ground. He got on his knees and clasped his hands
together. "Please help me" he grumbled.
"I can't hear you-"
"Help me" he repeated, in the most flat and annoyed tone he could.
Stifled Nightopian laughter reached his ears. He growled at them, but kept his temper in check.
For once, fighting wouldn't be the current solution. "Such enthusiasm" NiGHTS responded. "It's
good enough. I didn't think you'd actually do it. So you must be telling the truth, then."
"NO KIDDING! What, I'd lie about something like this?"
"Yes."
"This is serious-" Reala hissed.
"Do you think he can get all the Ideya?"
"Well, he took control of all the Nightmaren except me with just a wave of his hand, and broke
right through a nightmare wall. Totaled it. I'd say he has potential."
"Then I'm going to get backup. Wait here."
"Hey, wait! Backup? Where?"
"Oh, you'll know who they are."
Reala crossed his arms. "Great! So what do I do while you're gone?"
"Umm- play with the Nightopians!"
Reala watched him leave, then turned to see several smiling faces by his feet. "What have I gotten
myself into---?"
He turned back to the nightmares. It was such a strange view now, knowing he couldn't go back.
One question stuck out in his mind- how had Syclone gotten the others on his side so easily? He
debated it quietly. Yes, they had been annoyed with Reala, but they had been so flat-out angry with
Syclone that he had been banished from Nightopia. He would have sensed any mind control power
if it was involved. But he would just have to wait to find out the cause.