Tanks! Yay tanks!

Sure that's not really a dream related idea, but think about it... What else would the modern armies have to fight off another race of creatures?

Guns, planes, tanks!

The protectors are supposed to be pretty much useless anyway so... Yeah tanks.

Also I was, incredibly reluctant to write this chapter simply because of Makoa, I , personally, hate reading about fan characters and I'm just the type of person that won't do something I hate seeing, sorry if you don't like fan characters but, if I were to change it now I'd have to go back six or seven chapters...

Also I kinda screwed myself over a while ago anyway without realising, Trish, Astral, Sar, *Cough*

Go poke around on my dA if you want to know what any of the characters look like... , or if that link chooses not to show, go back to my profile.

They all stared down, disgusted, angry, not caring or interested.

Before them, bundled in grey silk sheets, were two big-eyed, wriggling, cooing forms, looking around their new surroundings and pawing at things far from their reach.

Jackle looked down over his collar, the other high level 'maren standing around the tiny forms, the elder grimaced, children? Why children?

Out of all Wizemans creations, this was the strangest. Two first-levels, created to partner each other. Wizeman had put extra effort into these two, trying to make them even more powerful, and this was the result? Two tiny children?

Something had gone wrong with the creation, instead of Wizemans powerful, fearful first-level hunting team; the god had created two tiny, squishy babies.

Saragasso shut her eyes, her hovering fingers held out over the two forms as she listened to their spirits, a healer trait that she still had.

"They will need to be taken care of."

The high-levels murmured, looking around their group as they waited for a volunteer.

One form stepped forwards. The 'marens emerald eyes locked on the little girl, who stared back with her own purple eyes, she cooed quickly, slipping the knuckles of her hand into her mouth.

Jackle frowned, shutting his mantle. "Does that mean you're volunteering?"

The silver lips pulled back in a smile as the 'maren turned to the elder. "I guess so."

"Very well, Makoa, she's your problem now."

The other 'maren were speaking amongst themselves again, something like this had never happened before, it was of great interest to them all.

Makoa gripped the little girl in his white claws, starring into the amethyst pools again. "Great things from her."

The 'marens never cared for Makoas senseless ramblings, but tarot cards were being shuffled beneath Jackles cape as he stared at the baby in Makoas hands, something wasn't right.

Orange gloved fingers rubbed at Jackles blue eyes as he thought, in his earliest memory of NiGHTS, he despised her, both her and Reala were considered by the 'maren to be failures, but they weren't labelled elders.

How much things had changed now. Now, it was her that despised him.

Jackle didn't really interact with NiGHTS when she was a baby, Makoa had cared for her, at least until he was killed. He'd never told her that Makoa had first been the one to look after her; he figured it was something she didn't need to know.

There were many secrets he had kept from her, but she was learning of anything she wanted, and she was changing.

He bowed his head, watching the 'maren as she stared at the roof, fiddling with the purple stones around her wrist. She was thinking about something, and Jackle wanted to know what.

With a few words hidden beneath her breath, NiGHTS took to the air, hovering down one of the halls and leaving the elder by himself.

She hadn't so much as acknowledged he was there, whether or not she ignored him on purpose, he didn't know, but he didn't like it.

He wanted her friendship back, he'd begun to miss their usual gatherings in the remains of the library, how the two talked about the strangest things, how he could make her giggle over the slightest ordeal.

He'd ruined their relationship.

He blinked unevenly, staring at the tarot card he held.

"Not me..." He murmured, a few of the 'maren around him giving him a quick look before returning to what they were doing.

"Reala..."

With a quick hiss he threw the card away, just missing a now-startled high level, and he hovered after NiGHTS.

The 'maren was standing in the middle of the hall, by herself, staring at the black doors to Wizemans chambers, her amethyst eyes looking distant as she thought.

"NiGHTS?"

She blinked, turning back to look at Jackle who stood with his mantle pulled shut in the middle, staring over his collar.

"Elder." She said coldly, turning her back to him again and returning her gaze to the door.

With a quick sigh he hovered to her side, staring directly at her cats eyes despite the fact she wouldn't make eye contact with him.

"You know I regret what I did."

The girl gave a quick, mocking laugh, smiling for a moment before her cold expression returned.

"And you know I'm sorry."

The 'maren shook her head quickly, smirking before turning to the elder.

"Do you mind? I have things to do."

He growled, shuffling his cards inside his cape. "Which explains why you're staring at a door."

"I'm waiting, Makoa-"

"Makoa?" Jackle cut over her words, nearly dropping the cards he held. It'd been many years since he'd last heard that name; Makoa had died long before NiGHTS could ever remember, how would she know of him?

"Yes." She hissed, not appreciating being interrupted.

"How would you know a long dead 'maren?"

She smiled quickly, she hadn't recalled every telling Jackle that she wanted to create the 'maren, and she was certainly not about to. With a quick laugh she flew away, leaving the hall and disappearing into the dark fog surrounding the castle.

It had been a very long time since Makoa had been alive, the castle had changed, there was no one he recognised, but still he looked around with childish interest, taking note of all the things that were different.

He hadn't expected to come back, he'd died an unworthy traitor, suffering at the hands of his master, he'd always thought that that was Wizemans way of saying 'I hate you'.

Yet here he stood, in one of the smaller halls of the castle, it'd taken Wizeman a long time to acknowledge the 'maren had been created, he'd chosen to ignore him for a good amount of time, eventually he'd snatched the 'maren from where he stood and literally threw him from the chambers, which, did not concern the 'maren, he simply stood up, brushed himself down, and started walking.

He had many questions to ask, but stayed silent, the other 'maren were looking at him with interest and he would simply smile at them, they would whisper to each other, shrinking away as they murmured. The 'maren were certainly kinder now, the previous generation would've replied with a hiss, an insult, or even an attack.

The high-levels drapes in the main hall had all been replaced, indicating that the high-levels themselves had also been replaced. His emerald eyes inspected the drapes carefully, taking note of the 'maren he should be wary of. There was a ball, a lizard, a cat... etc.

But he took no notice of the two belonging to the two first-levels, instead his interest was caught by something that he did recognise, a bright orange drape, Wizemans emblem on one side and to the other was a card-wielding shape with curved horns. Jackle.

Makoa had never liked Jackle, Jackle had never liked Makoa, that was the story between the two, but he was pleased that he'd at least found something he knew of.

He couldn't help but wonder how an Elder had survived for so long, but at the same time he was wondering just how it was he'd been recreated so he brushed the two thoughts away and started walking again.

He'd always known of the glittery forests throughout Nightmare, but never recalled them to be so close to the castle. He was hovering just ahead of the edge of a balcony, staring down at the stone area below him. It looked to him like the decorative gardens humans liked to build, set in the middle of some open corridors, with sparkling plants, curved paths and a little fountain.

Wizeman would never have allowed something like this when he was alive, things had changed.

He dropped from his perch in the air, disturbing the dust on the path as he landed, he watched it settling for a moment, but the sparkles didn't get to reach the ground before someone called his name.

He didn't know anyone else in this time, and he certainly didn't know any girls, so he was rather curious as to how this feminine creature had learnt his name.

He inspected her quickly, assuming that her light smile meant that she wasn't about to lecture him for doing something wrong and his own smile returned, he still had no idea who she was, but he was more than happy to learn.

"It's good to finally meet you." She bowed quickly, unsure just what to say or how to act; Makoa simply kept smiling, having no words to say either.

After a quick thought, NiGHTS decided to start with the basics.

"My name's NiGHTS, I-"

His smile was gone quickly and he stepped back, his white claws lifting and tensing as he stared at her.

"NiGHTS?"

"Yeah?" She blinked, not understanding his confusion.
He stepped closer again and started to inspect her, she certainly didn't look how he remembered her to, but maybe it was her?

"You look different." He murmured, beginning to fiddle with a feather on his collar.

"Different? My... Form changed a while ago, but how do you know me?"

Makoa smiled again, plucking the feather from his collar and playing with it between his fingers as he watched her.

"I took care of you when you were a baby, I should've known it was you, really... Your eyes are as sparkly as ever, that was one trait I'd always liked about you, Nightmaren all have fairly cold, stale eyes."

"Y-you did? But, Jackle said he raised me, I remember him doing so."

The 'maren shrugged, throwing the feather away.

"I assume he took care of you, I died when you were only little."

She nodded slowly. It was quite a surprise that he'd known her; maybe that was why she'd taken a liking to him in the book?

He was looking around again, still smiling contently as he inspected random things in his sight. NiGHTS was relieved that he was happy, she'd been fearing that his recreation would do something drastic to him and he'd be terrified, or angry, or something.

She couldn't help but be proud of the fact that she had created him, he didn't seem to have noticed anything wrong with his own features, so NiGHTS assumed she had done well. She'd only had the books description to go by.

His horns were rather large, bigger than Realas, and they curved right under like rams horns, they were covered with blue silk and white bands, a softer colour than most 'marens wore. He wore a blue tailcoat with silver designs all along it, swirls and bands. His eyes were a vibrant green and reminded her of a child, his interest in everything around him supporting that judgement.

The one thing that'd always interested NiGHTS was this 'marens peculiar markings, his bottom lip and his eyelids were a shiny silver against his white skin, the markings on his left eye breaking off into two curly swirls, a third line directly down his face.

NiGHTS didn't have markings; she was rather disappointed by that.

Makoa was rather happily playing with and plucking the feathers from his metal collar, it wouldn't take long and he'd have none left, so NiGHTS decided to distract him from that.

"Do you want me to show you around the castle?"

He stopped fiddling and looked away from whatever it was he was staring it, shaking his head quickly. "I went exploring before."

"Okay." She tilted her head back, thinking. And a question came to mind.

"How did Wizeman react when you came back?"

The 'maren pulled a face quickly, then went back to smiling. "He didn't, he ignored me the entire time. Why create someone and then ignore them?"

He gave a little laugh and looked at a large decorative pot to his left, NiGHTS rubbed her head, did he think Wizeman had created him?

"Wizeman didn't bring you back."

Makoas smile faded again and he looked at her again. "Then how did I come back?"

"I made you."

The 'maren didn't react, he was very politely disagreeing.

"I did!" She growled, seeing from his expression that he didn't believe her. "Look!"

She brought her hands in front of her chest, holding a newly formed orb which glowed with white-yellow energy, there was a cracking sound from the sphere and a little flash, the bulk of the energy faded away until it left a shiny residue, which began to warp until it formed the shape of a very confused Verol in her hands which quickly darted away.

"Why do they always run?" She murmured, watching the green critter disappearing around a corner.

Makoa simply blinked, looking in the same direction as NiGHTS, he was rather impressed but said nothing.

Then a question came to mind and his attention returned to NiGHTS.

"What about your hunting partner? What of him?"

His companion winced quickly, Makoas question hurting the 'marens heart. She still didn't know anything of Realas situation, and it still upset her.

The other 'maren was silent, thinking he'd said something wrong because of her reaction, with a sigh she turned back to him.

"Walk with me, I'll explain."

Jackle was flying, zipping through the air and diving randomly as he mumbled angry words to himself, NiGHTS was being cruel now. Sure, he'd warranted it by acting the same, but she wasn't the type of person to act like that to him without joking about it, this wasn't right.

Nor were the bright lights in the darkness below Jackle, he watched them travelling beneath the fog before deciding it was just one of Nightmares illusions, and resuming his flight towards the castle again.

He was thinking of speaking to NiGHTS again, trying to think of how to get her to listen, and more importantly, why she was acting so cold.

And the moment he landed, she came wandering in through one of the doorways.

She'd been carefully explaining the recent ordeals to Makoa, who was listening intently, every few moments NiGHTS had to stop as the emotions overwhelmed her and she risked crying, silencing herself and thinking of something else was the only way to stop the tears.

Jackle was very surprised to see the 'maren at NiGHTS side, but the stronger emotion was that of anger- NiGHTS had started to ignore him, started to act like a jerk, then she replaced him with a new friend, he wasn't jealous, he was just annoyed.

At least he told himself so.

"Makoa." He growled out, flicking a card between his fingers under his closed mantle.

The blue 'maren blinked unevenly, looked at the elder, and smiled. Jackle did not return the gesture.

"Jackle."

The blue eyes narrowed, looking to NiGHTS then back to Makoa again, Jackle knew this was her doing, and he was about to throw questions and insults at her and her creation but the moment he opened his mouth something distracted the inhabitants of the entire castle.

Something large, fiery, and destructive tore itself through the wall of the castle, throwing chunks of stone in every direction.

Then more came, smashing the wall as the 'marens all scattered from the path of the debris, everyone was incredibly startled and confused- At least until they saw heavy metal objects rolling towards the now-open wall.

Makoa, who was hovering to the side of NiGHTS, tilted his head in confusion at the vehicles, the little lights on them glowing fiercely as the mechanical beast roared.

"What are they?"

NiGHTS grabbed his wrist, seeing a barrel aiming for the wall behind them, and quickly pulled him from the line of sight- narrowly dodging the blow.

"Tanks!"

Jackle had followed NiGHTS, darting shots alongside her, she hadn't particularly noticed.

"How did they get to the castle? The fog should've kept them away!"

NiGHTS finally acknowledged him, agreeing. "Even if they made it near the castle, the illusion should've tricked them and sent them in to Gillwings jaws!"

"Are they protectors?"

NiGHTS shrugged, the protectors didn't have any emblem or flag to show it was them, but who else would roll expensive tanks into the middle of the Nightmaren territory?

There was only one safe exit to this room of the castle and all the 'marens flocked to it, but the attackers saw that coming and quickly shot the stones from the arch of the doorway, making it crumble and cutting it off before the 'maren could reach it.

NiGHTS hissed under her breath, turning back quickly and darting between the crowd of 'marens and the tanks, the other 'marens didn't know what to do, but her sudden movement caught all their interests.

NiGHTS held one clawed hand out ahead of her, channelling energy from her palm and the white glow spiralled towards the tank, coming a metre short of each and disappearing under the ground. There was a moment's pause, then the 'maren hooked her fingers in the air and massive black tendrils appeared from the ground, wrapping themselves around the tanks.

Laughter echoed in her head, evil, maniac laughter as the tendrils began to pull the tanks in each direction, bending the metal several ways before tearing them, and their drivers, piece from piece.

Makoa stared in horror as the other 'maren watched with envy, admiring NiGHTS new skill and whispering amongst each other.

The tendrils receded, the laughter quieting to a halt as NiGHTS realised it wasn't in her head.

It was her.

"My servant, I am not pleased."

Saragasso said nothing to her master as he spoke his slow words.

"My favoured first-level is associating herself with a traitor; this could prove to have negative results."

"Yes master, why had you summoned me on this matter, though?"

Wizeman was silent for a moment, shifting the arrangement of his hands before he continued.

"I have formulated a plan."

"And what would that be?"

"I want Reala released."

Saragasso smirked mentally, she knew the god wouldn't keep the 'maren locked up, she was right. And she was satisfied, Reala was truly distraught.

"But I ask something of you."
"Anything, master."

"Bestow a gift on Reala, from me."

"A gift?"

"A gift, a new emotion... Jealousy."

A black and purple fish was darting around the clear lake; the rocky perch was looming over her, still alive with both good and bad memories.

She blew a group of bubbles, watching them float before reaching the surface, then she dived again.

To her surprise the lake was actually full of a large amount of different species of tropical fish, showing off their vibrant colours deep below the surface where they couldn't be seen by someone looking into the water.

She swam to the very bottom of the water, coming face to face with an oddly proportioned face that resembled a work of Picasso, a flounder.

This irritated NiGHTS, idiot dreamers would wander in and think of something they found funny, odd looking creatures, and they'd litter the perfect would with something they held no respect for, so in one fluid movement NiGHTS sunk her piranha teeth into the flounders head, killing it quickly.

A fish was floating behind her, obviously interested in this free meal; she blew another series of bubbles and quickly chased them to the surface, leaving the dead fish behind to feed the other.

But the other fish wasn't interested in the flounder, instead it followed her as she swam up, and to confirm that it was following her she darted towards some coral, going through a slightly bent ring and darting under a rock before heading for the surface again, but the fish still followed.

This was getting really annoying, so with an angry puff of bubbles she jumped from the water, shifting back to her usual shape to abandon the other fish.

But something caught her wrist, pulling her back under the surface and stopping her shape-shift midway, and despite the water between her and the other form, she quickly found her lips pressed against another's, taking a moment to register just who those black markings reminded her of.

Reala.

The new, dark 'maren form quickly dissipated, returning to NiGHTS usual purple-and-pink attire as she wrapped her arms around Realas shoulders and kissed him back, his own arms around her waist as he flicked his long fish tail and swam towards one of the lower ledges of the rocky perch, and the two curled up against each other in the little groove.

"Reala." She whimpered, staring into his eyes as tears began to gather in her eyes, he smiled warmly and kissed her again, squeezing her tightly in an affectionate hug.

They didn't need to say anything to each other to know just how much they'd missed each other. They didn't need to say anything at all, they just sat in each other's arms, the only thing disturbing their reunion was the brightly coloured fish, nipping at the fins of the 'marens tails.

Reala was back. NiGHTS smiled, resting her head on his chest as his claws stroked her side, holding her warmly.

Reala was back, how perfect this was.