When last we left Aaliyah, and Gorpi, they were training and sharing stories. Gorpi had just told Aaliyah the sad tale of how she lost her beloved pet, and Aaliyah was just about to reveal a tragic story of her own...
"It was a bright and sunny day at Laurel Plains. My father had just asked me to collect tiger pellets, and I knew when he used that certain tone, I'd better get moving. I made my way through my village. It was a small village to be sure, but it was peaceful, and quiet, and full of friends. We all knew each others names. We all had the same doctor. We all had the same life. I quickly made my way to the area just east of the Green Spring Gully where the tigers normally gather. I was in luck, there was a large grouping of tigers near the small hills where Laurel Road ends. I quietly clung to the edge of the forest, so the tigers wouldn't notice me, and when I looked within the crowd, I spotted a very rare Lavender Tiger. The problem was he spotted me as well. He took off running down the Laurel Road, which in turn caused the entire group to scatter. Two other tigers spotted me as well, but I ignited my fire sword and it scared them off. I quickly made my way down the Laurel Road, but could barely keep up with the beast. I wouldn't stop though. I knew having pelts from that tiger could bring in a lot of gold, not just for my family, but for the entire village. I kept running, past the entrance to the Ancient Laurel Grounds, all the way to Wei's Village. By the time I got there, the tiger was gone. I had to stop and rest, but all of the sudden I had this horrible knot in the middle of my stomach. It didn't hurt, but it didn't feel good either. It was just there. I sat down, and ingested a vitality potion, but the knot wouldn't go away. I started the trek back home, and got all the way to the entrance of the Ancient Laurel Grounds, when I saw them. A strange man, in a large, over sized wheelchair, flanked by two very large, very beautiful fairies. They were not alone however, they were surrounded by a squad of guards, four high level monks, two wizards, and two fairies. I remember thinking to myself, just run, go home and warn everyone, but I had not seen a sight like this before. I could not look away. I was to far to hear what they were saying, but neither side looked happy. And then, suddenly, the man in the wheelchair lunged forward, and roots grew out from the ground, twisted and mutated into spikes. The guards were not prepared, and I'm pretty sure all of them died. I wouldn't know, because at soon as I saw the guards hit the ground I was out of there. I took off as fast as I could go. Back up the Laurel Road, expecting to find some tigers waiting for me, but they were gone. Not a single tiger in sight. Thats when I felt the ground shake. It was a small vibration, but it was coming from the direction of the village. As I ran towards the village it intensified. As I approached I began hearing these crashes and bangs. I quickly made my way to the main street when I saw it. The largest, ugliest creature I had ever seen. It was a giant boar with a cats face, and it had destroyed almost all of my village. I tried to look past it, to see if my house was there, to see..." Aaliyah stops, her eyes welling up with tears. "There was nothing there. Where my house was supposed to be. It was gone. Just a pile of wood and stone. And it was it was at that moment something happened to me. Just like you said earlier, my hands began to radiate light, I felt like light was exploding out of me, shooting into the sky. That's, when..." again Aaliyah stops. This time its Shard who continues.
"Thats when I appeared." she says in an almost angry voice.
"You came to save her?" Onjo asked in an intense voice of his own.
"No, I came to kill them. All of them. The beast. The man in the wheelchair, his fairies. I wanted them all to burn! To pay for what they had done, not just to my family, but to the whole village. I wanted to destroy them, the way they destroyed us. The problem was when I was "born", it attracted the attention of a pair of giant mutated cockroaches, who were also taking part in destroying the village. I blazed a bright fire and prepared to attack when suddenly someone from behind grabbed Aaliyah." Shard said, still very angry.
"It was a guard,"Aaliyah interrupted, " he grabbed my arms and activated a teleportation stone. The next thing I knew we were at the Ancient Grounds. He led me directly to the transport fey, who transported me to the wounded camp. After a few days of rest I realized what had happened with Shard, and well you know the rest."she finishes.
"I'm so sorry Aaliyah," Gorpi said in a sad voice. "Do you know what happened to your family?"
Aaliyah looked down. Almost afraid to even speak the words.
"No, no one knows what happened to the people in the village." She replied sadly.
"Aaliyah, I don't know how much you know about animals, but as a tamer we are taught that they have a mystical connection with the earth."Gorpi said in an intense voice. "I'm starting to think the tiger was maybe sent to you, to protect you from sharing their fate."
"Well the fate I ended up with is not much better. I'm all alone now. Everyone I ever knew or loved is gone."Aaliyah said very sadly.
"As long as I'm here you will never be alone! I promise you, I will be there for you from now on, we're partners until the end okay?" Gorpi said in a slightly sunnier tone.
"Deal partner!"Aaliyah said inspired by Gorpi's kindness.
Not two seconds later Cartaelian appeared.
"Aaliyah, Gorpi, Novice Shan has another quest for you. He wishes to see you at soon as possible." The strange bird creature said.
"Well we better get going, we don't want to keep him waiting."Aaliyah replied.
The trio quickly make their way down the Back Mountain of Green Scarp, and to the Center Square. Novice Shan was standing with Novice Ming, and both were carrying packages. Novice Shan begins to speak.
"I am pleased to inform that your training here has come to an end we would like to award you with these assistant talismans. They are the same as the one you used during training, only these ones are enchanted with powerful blue magic's. They are much stronger and more powerful then the green ones you used during training."
He gives Aaliyah a Longbrow Needle, and a Ice Shield, and he gives Gorpi a Jade Vessel and a Pet Bell.
"Also, my superiors have decided that we must act fast to determine weather or not Master Blood has freed himself, or if someone else has taken possession of him. To that end I must send you to Sky City to speak to Bardo, the Jokul Hunter. He will be able to instruct you further. I fear our time together has come to an end, we will not see each other again for a long time. Please just remember your training and know that all of the world depends on you now. I would like to give you each one more gift before you. These are blue beads. When you arrive at Sky Village, please see the Blacksmith. He will be able to enchant your current Talisman, so they will be more powerful as well. Now go, the faster you reach Sky Village, the better the chances we end this crisis, before it grows...
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Well thats it, hope the revelation was worth the wait!!! Next week Aaliyah begin their trek to Sky Village, but they are about to meet a very strange fairy, as well as a group of hungry wolves!!!=)