Chapter 2: Steelix's Problem

"Steelix, you don't have to do that." Artix said.

"No, I've been struggling with this, I need to tell someone." Steelix said, "I think I'm in love."

"Wow." Artix said. "With who? I mean, if you don't mind me asking."

"Robina." Steelix answered. "I loved her from the moment I first met her."

"That's not so bad." Artix said.

"Yes it is." Steelix said. "What I'm about to tell you you can not repeat to anyone, understand?"

"I understand, now why can't you be with Robina?" Artix asked.

"She is, in reality, King Alteon's daughter, Princess Victoria." Steelix answered, "And as you know, I am not royalty."

"Steelix, you are one of the greatest heroes in all of lore. I'm sure that if you simply talk to King Alteon-" Artix began.

"I'd rather not." Steelix interrupted, "It's bad enough I reveled who she was to her father."

"You did?" Artix asked.

"Yeah, when me and Sir Ano were dining with the king and his daughters, I kinda slipped up." Steelix responded.

"So, you feel it's your own fault if the royal family is hurt?" Artix asked.

"Exactly." Steelix responded, "And there are those who would love to see Robina suffer."

"You mean the Darkwolf Bandits." Artix said.

"Exactly." Steelix said, "And I have an idea on how you can be with Vayle."

"What is it?" Artix asked hopefully.

"What if you try to purify her? You know, try to remove the orb of darkness from her?" Steelix said.

"No, that wouldn't work. The power of the darkness orb is to strong. Any attempt to remove it from her would surly fail." Artix said disappointed.

"There has to be some way though." Steelix said thinking.

"I got it!" Artix suddenly shouted, "The light orb!"

"What do you mean?" Steelix asked.

"Each elemental orb has power in it unrivaled by any other source of it's element," Artix explained, "So if I can use the light orb to amplify my own light magic, I just might be able to remove the darkness orb from her."

"But won't that remove her necromancer powers?" Steelix asked, "And if you remove her only chance to revive her brother, she may never forgive you."

"There is a very good chance that her necro powers will diminish without the darkness orb, but if we can convince her that she can't revive her brother, She might just allow us to try." Artix answered.

"That might actually work, and I know exactly where it is." Steelix said.

"You do? Where is it?" Artix asked.

"Zhoom has it." Steelix answered, "So pack up, we're going to the sand sea."

"I assume we are bringing Pyro?" Artix asked.

"Of course, I never go anywhere without him." Steelix said followed with a whistle. A small dragon came flying in from a back room.

"Very well, let's head out." Artix said.

"Alright, but it will be a long trip." Steelix said.

"Not if we take a gryphon from guardian tower." Artix said.

"Good point, we'll do that." Steelix said grabbing his backpack. It was a quick trip on gryphon back. They arrived in the sand sea just before the sun set.

"Ah, Steelix, it's good to see you again. What brings you to sand sea?" Zhoom asked.

"We need to borrow the light orb." Steelix answered.

"Really, well we'll discuss it at my house, the sand sea can be a very dangerous place after sunset." Zhoom said.

"Okay then, lead the way." Steelix said. Zhoom's house was a small place near the edge of the main city of the sand sea. It only really had one main room that served as a living area, kitchen and sleeping area.

"Here we are, sorry it's not that nice." Zhoom said.

"Personally I am surprised, leading the black market should pay better than this." Steelix said.

"It does," Zhoom said, "But the pharaoh's laws keep residential homes fairly small."

"Steelix told me that you two beat the pharaoh, so why do you obey his laws?" Artix asked.

"Until the sand sea resistance can put a new family in the throne, all of his laws are still valid, and enforced." Zhoom responded.

"If he still has his guards, why do you choose to live here?" Artix asked.

"Luckily, Sek-Duat, he is the pharaoh, has not been seen since Steelix and Pyro defeated the dunelord. So he can't order his guards to hunt me down." Zhoom replied.

"But having fought Sek-Duat, don't the royal guards know you are with the resistance?" Artix asked.

"No, the royal guards were nowhere to be seen when me and Zhoom fought the pharaoh." Steelix answered.

"Well, either way, please we need the light orb." Artix said.

"I'd gladly lend it to you, but I need to know why you need it." Zhoom said.

"Okay, that seems fair." Steelix said, "We need it to purify Vayle, also known as the purple necromanceress, you see, Artix loves her and he feels that removing the darkness orb from her is their only chance to be together."

"One question though," Zhoom said, "Wouldn't removing the darkness orb from her greatly reduce her dark powers?"

"That is possible," Artix said, "But she only became a necromancer to attempt to raise her brother from the dead."

"Then it's obvious what we have to do," Zhoom said, "If she can put her brother's soul into a dead body, then we can use the very spell Sek-Duat tried to use to live again to truly bring him back."

"That could be a problem." Steelix said.

"We destroyed the crystal she was keeping her brother's soul in, and the spirit departed to the afterlife." Artix said.

"Oh, and it would take a lot of power to bring a soul back from the other side." Zhoom said.

"It would, but I think I know who has enough power to do it." Steelix said.

"But if Warlic uses that spell, he could overload." Artix said.

"I don't mean Warlic, and you won't like who I mean." Steelix said, "In the morning, we'll grab the light orb and head out."