Chapter 1

On an island far away from humanity sat one lone boy, sitting on the top of a tree in the Forest of Syuune. The Forest of Syuune held many mythical creatures; so many that not even all of the siens knew what every creature was. Many siens, or beings that can control elements, took up the Forest as an opportunity to catch a pet or companion for battles or for happiness. Shin already had a Guardian, sworn to protect him from all harm; she sat on his head a little awkwardly, her large eyes looking out across the forest. Her large headphones weren't exactly hindering her hearing; in most cases, it escalated her abilities, and could blow off many opposing siens with sound waves.

Shin pet his Finx's head, his eyes scanning the tree tops below. His white clothing ruffled in the breeze. Then – there!

A boy with an Earth-animal was approaching. He was snivelly looking with a hunched back and tussled brown hair. He wore large wire-frame glasses that slid constantly down his nose and had skinny, twig-like arms. Shin recognized the animal as a common Wusyl, and ideal Guardian. It looked pixie-like, with a human-like body but an unnatural face. Its face had slits for eyes and an onion-shaped head, with small heavy-stone wings protruding from between the spikes of its spine. It had large, sharp teeth that it clacked together. Aelia flinched when she heard it through her headphones.

"Time to keep the intruders out," Shin said to his Finx. Aelia sprang away, and leaped but a few feet away from the unsuspecting boy. Shin judged his opponent's weaknesses; he was alone, that was for sure, and he appeared to be an Earth-sien by his clothing, but it was hard to tell through the foliage.

Shin dropped down near the boy, and let his pale hand draw up a small ball of fire. He would keep his land safe and he would keep people like this boy away from it.

"Come on, Dipole!" the boy said encouragingly, almost tugging his Wusyl through the forest. "The people in the Earth village said that a Hybrid lives near here…"

Shin grit his teeth. You'll never see that Hybrid either, idiot. Shin hurled his ball of fire at the boy's head. He yelped and a wall of earth rose up from the ground in response. Dipole, suddenly alert, flit in back of the wall, and whacked it with its small tail. The impact sent a barrage of stones towards Shin.

Aelia leaped in front of Shin, and focused her sound waves on the earth shards. The stones disintegrated in mid-air, as if hitting invisible walls. The boy gaped in surprise as he took in Shin and Aelia; the powerful Finx had neatly combed white fur and wore loose white clothing. It had fierce green eyes that were slits at the moment. Shin had snowy white hair that changed colors from blonde to light green in the sunlight. His eyes were never constant, either – they went from red to black to green and then settled to a pale green matching Aelia's.

"State your business and then leave, kid," Shin said calmly. He laid a hand on Aelia's head. She relaxed and sat down innocently. She then returned to cleaning her ears and playing with her light blonde hair. But never once did her eyes stop following the boy.

The boy seemed to remember that he had been addressed. "We're not afraid of you!" he retorted.

His Wusyl seemed to think otherwise. It began to chatter quickly to him in Earth, which only Earth-siens could understand. Shin, in case he was about to be outsmarted, leaned down, and listened quietly to Aelia's sensitive headphones. They quickly translated the words into Fire: "We should go now, Jimmy, it's pretty dangerous to be out here. Look how powerful this boy is! And he has a Finx – he must've taken awhile to catch it. It seems well-trained, too."

"No way," Jimmy replied fiercely in Earth. He seemed unaware that Shin was listening to his words through a headphone. "We came here to see the Hybrid, remember?"

"The Hybrid?" Shin interceded innocently. Jimmy and the Wusyl Dipole looked startled again. "You're here to see a Hybrid?"

"Yes," Jimmy answered. Hopefully, he ventured, "Have you seen one around here?"

"No," Shin lied. "The Hybrid stuff is just a lie. There aren't many Hybrids here on Alkali – even if there were, do you think they'd stay in one place for long?"

"No…" Jimmy looked disappointedly at the ground. "Okay, Dipole, we can go back –"

Aelia's ears perked up suddenly. She let out a squeak of pain and fell onto the ground, trembling. Shin didn't need to ask what was happening. He scooped Aelia into his arms and started to sprint in the direction of the hidden part of the Forest. Unfortunately, Jimmy and Dipole followed him.

"Where do you think you're going?" Shin challenged without breaking pace. "You said you were going back."

"I was, but –" Jimmy faltered and nearly lost sight of Shin. Grimly he pulled himself off the mud and conjured a large boulder. He jumped onto it and raced after Shin over the tree tops. Shin saw the shadow pass over his head, and he glared up at the boulder. It exploded into flames, and Jimmy let out a yell of surprise. Shin shook his head in disgust as Jimmy hung on a small shard of the boulder left.

"What was that for?" Jimmy snapped, struggling to right himself. Eventually he landed on a tree and began to jog on the branches. "You could've maimed me!"

"I wish I did," Shin snarled, running a little faster.

Jimmy stuck out his chin. He leaped off the tree he was standing on and landed right on Shin. They fell in a heap as another spasm racked through Aelia's body. Shin angrily shook himself. Embers rolled off his skin and Jimmy leaped back in pain. "I don't have time for this!"

Shin cloaked himself in a ring of fire. They danced around his being, and they turned a bright blue. Jimmy scrambled away as a small spark threatened to set him aflame. As a test, Jimmy chucked a small twig at the perimeter. It was immediately ambushed by the flames and they ate it hungrily. Jimmy gulped, but stood up bravely and continued to follow Shin again.

Jimmy had never been a brave person. But he knew that he just had to find the Hybrid. He had to.

Then, Shin stopped abruptly. They were at a large rock facing the sea. Jimmy was awed by the sight of the bright blue sea – the beach by the Forest was practically undisturbed. Well, except for them. Shin quietly touched the large stone sculpture. It melted away at his touch. An enchantment, Jimmy realized.

Shin stepped into a dark staircase, and fell through. At first Jimmy was horrified. Then he realized that it was just a step down onto an elevator. Bravely, he too stepped onto the elevator. It was a black disk that was hard to see in the dim lighting that glowed a faint purple. They dropped down from the ceiling of the rock, which was as black as the bottomless pit beneath Jimmy's feet. The wind rushed by his ears and his lungs screamed for air. He couldn't believe how fast they were going – where were they going?

Suddenly it came to a jarring halt and a piercing scream echoed through the room. Jimmy flinched, but he suddenly became rigid at the sight of what Shin was approaching.

It was a small bright orb, no bigger than a marble, but it gave off an intense light. It shook violently in the glass cavern; at least, Jimmy though it was glass. They were in a huge green cavern that shone like the Northern Lights, and the small ball violently let out another scream. Shin walked up to it calmly, placing Aelia on the floor. Then, he placed his hand on the orb.

Waves of light erupted from Shin and the ball of energy. Jimmy and Dipole were thrown straight into the glass wall. Thankfully, it was soft like a pillow of feathers. Jimmy was struck by multiple blasts, however, each more painful than the other. First came a blast of air; it left him gasping and blue in the face. Next came fire; it burned through his organs, leaving him screaming against the wall and hissing against his skin. Next came earth; stones pummeled into his stomach, invisible and yet too real. Last came water; it lapped up against his skin soothingly, healing all of his pain until a sharp pain shot through his entire body. His blood, it was –

Then Jimmy fell to the floor, gasping. Dipole landed on him, exhausted as well.

Shin glanced at them, surprised. They had survived? He gazed at the orb which had calmed down considerably, and then loped over to the earth victims.

"How are you feeling?" Shin asked, pulling Jimmy to his feet. Only it wasn't Jimmy. His face had been transformed into a glassy image, and his eyes were missing. His mouth was agape, and his whole body was cold. If Shin didn't know any better, he would've thought Jimmy was dead. Instead, Shin looked at Jimmy with shock.

"You lived," Shin whispered. The orb killed any life forms that didn't touch it. Luckily creatures that were asleep were not affected by this, so Aelia was okay. But Jimmy – how had he survived the four elements' might? No one had ever survived all of the elements' wrath, except –

"You!" Shin gasped, dropping Jimmy's body. It fell limply to the floor. Shin revolted in horror. "You've been changed into a Lexard!"

Jimmy weakly raised his head. He nodded wearily, not really understanding, and then fell again, tired. Shin wrinkled his nose. Lexard was a rare blood disease – it would keep the person alive even if that person challenged death in the face. The only way to kill a Lexard and send it to the grave was through combat. Although Lexards could technically live forever, they were sickly, rare creatures. Plus, they attracted bad luck.

What was Shin to do with this boy? First he followed him to the Chamber of Mirage, and now – he had been turned into a Lexard! That was bad – really bad. Who would know what to do? Immediately the answer came to him.

An Avatar. They knew a bunch of stuff, and they were connected to Zepetiyah. Surely one would know? Shin looked back at the Mirage Orb. He couldn't leave it or else it would kill off the entire island. It had grown attached to his touch, and without him, it would explode. Shin sighed. What did this mean? It meant several things:

1. He would have to go on an adventure

2. He would have to go on an adventure with a Lexard

3. He would have to bring the Mirage Orb

4. He would have to find an Avatar who would be able to control the Mirage Orb and get rid of the Lexard

Shin had been taking care of the Mirage Orb for awhile – Aelia had found it in the Forest one day. After that, he had never left the Forest for too long. If the Mirage Orb screamed three times, it would explode and the people and creatures on Alkali would all vanish.

Shin sighed. This was going to be interesting…