OMG! I saw this really cool NiGHTS music video on Youtube with the song "Keep Trying" by Utada Hikaru! It was AWESOME! Check it out; here's the link, if interested:

/watch?vndH2J80sS8U

Anyhoo, this chapter is really long and really cool. In my opinion.

Chapter Twelve: Losing Hope

Hope exited the portal and found herself in the sunflower field. Relieved to be out in the open air, she sighed deeply. She wondered if Jackle was still around, though she was doubtful. It had been almost two hours since she saw him last, and Jackle rarely stayed in the same place for very long. Hope figured he must have gone somewhere else by now.

"I might as well go home," she sighed, "before they find out I've been gone." She turned to fly away, but a voice stopped her.

"Hey, Hope! You're back!"

Hope turned around and saw Jackle flying towards her, a huge grin on his face. "Jackle! You're still here!"

"So, tell me! How'd you escape?" Jackle asked, seeming very curious to know.

Hope explained what had happened, and when she was done, she confessed to Jackle, "I don't know who or what to believe anymore. I feel like I can't trust anybody because no one seems to give me the right answers to my questions. Oh Jackle, you've got to help me."

Jackle admitted, "Well, I'm not sure if I can answer all your questions..." Then his face lit up. "But I know something that can!"

"Really? What?" Hope asked excitedly.

"There's this magical thing in Nightmare Castle that knows everything! I'm sure it'll be able to help you!"

But Hope was uneasy. "Nightmare Castle? I don't know, Jackle, I've never been there. I'm not even allowed."

Jackle encouraged, "Don't worry! It's perfectly safe! No one lives there now, anyway. Come on, Hope, I'll go with you! You'll get all the answers to all your questions, I promise."

Because Hope trusted Jackle that much, she agreed. "Ok. Which way to Nightmare Castle?"

--

Nightmare was more frightening than Hope had imagined. It was very cold, and the land was barren. The only vegetation Hope could see were old-looking trees without leaves, and tufts of dry, prickly grass frozen in the dusty ground. A place where it looked like a river once flowed was now dry and cracked. Nightmare was also very dark; the heavy, swirling clouds made sure no light from the moon and stars passed through them.

Hope stuck close to Jackle. She followed him where the land rose up and soon the Nightmare Castle came into view. Hope was amazed by its size; the ancient stone walls reaching much higher than the walls of Crystal Castle. Hope and Jackle came to the top of the cliff, and Hope heard the sound of water from far below. She peered over the edge and saw black waves crashing onto the rocks at the base of the cliff. She shuddered, for she had never seen such dark water before. "What is that?"

"The Dark Ocean." Jackle told her. "Don't fall in, or else you won't be able to get out. Come on, we're almost at the entrance!"

Hope glanced back one more time at the angry ocean below and then followed Jackle to the entrance.

When they got to the large and heavy oak doors, Jackle knocked loudly on them. "Pizza delivery!"

Hope laughed a bit, feeling slightly better, even though she dind't know what pizza was.

Jackle turned to Hope and shrugged. "Oh well, no one's home. Guess we better invite ourselves in!" He opened one of the doors and went inside the castle.

But Hope faltered. She wasn't sure she wanted to continue. It seemed too dangerous.

Jackle poked his head out of the doorway and asked, "Aren't you coming?"

I didn't come all this way just to be too scared to go in. Hope took a deep breath. "Yes. I'm coming." She went inside and let the door close behind her.

It was even darker inside the castle. Thanks to her big eyes, Hope was just barely able to make out the edges of the walls and Jackle's billowing, bat-like cape in front of her.

"It wasn't always this dark." Jackle spoke up, as if reading Hope's mind. "There used to be torches lining the walls, but since no one's been here in a long time, there's been no one to keep the torches lit. Stay right behind me and don't get lost."

Hope looked up and tried to keep her eyes on Jackle's cape, but he suddenly turned a corner. Hope quickly followed him, but Jackle had already turned another corner at the end of the hallway. Hope struggled to keep up in the dark, but Jackle was faster and moved through the halls with ease. Hope finally saw him go down a long hallway. "Jackle, slow down." She wasn't sure if Jackle heard her because he made no reply. Just as Hope had almost caught up with him, Jackle banked sharply and vanished. Hope skidded in mid-air and glanced around in the darkness. "Jackle? Jackle, where are you?" she called out, worried she might be lost in Nightmare Castle forever.

"In here, Hope!"

Hope turned around and saw dim light coming from the cracks in a large double-door. She went up to the doors, grabbed the brass handles, and pulled them open. She squinted against the light; it was bright compared to the total darkness she was in. She entered the room slowly and the doors closed behind her.

Once her eyes had adjusted to the light, Hope gazed around the room. It was very large and spacious. A huge throne stood in the center, with two lit torches on either side of it, which surprised Hope. There was no floor. White stone pillars around the room supported the ceiling, which was so high up that it was in darkness. Hope had been so intrigued by the room that she didn't notice Jackle was not there. "Jackle? Are you in here?" she asked.

The only response she got was laughter. Not Jackle's rapid, high-pitched cackle, but a deep, slow, sinister laugh. It reverbrated throughout the room, sending chills up Hope's spine. A low voice rumbled, "Welcome, Hope. I've been expecting you."

Hope looked around, trying to find the source of the voice. "W-who's there? Where are you?" She was also wondering how it knew her name. She had her gaze turned upward, so she didn't notice a dark figure rising up from below until it was towering above her. Hope stared wide-eyed at the giant figure hovering between her and the throne. This 'thing' had a dark blue robe, a silver-spiked head, and six hands with an eye in the middle of each. In a wobbly voice, Hope asked, "W-who are y-you?"

"Do not be alarmed, child." the stranger spoke. "No harm will come to you. I understand you have come for some answers, is that right?"

Hope nodded. "Yes, that's right. Can you help me?"

"Of course, my dear. I happen to know everything there is to know about in the Night Dimension. Now tell me, what would you like to know?"

"Well," Hope began, "I want to know about my parents' past. What are they and where did they come from?"

The giant being hesitated. "Are you sure you want to know about that? Beware, some truths are better left hidden."

But Hope was too determined to give up. "Please, I can't go home unless I know the truth. Please tell me."

"...Very well." The stranger started, "Your parents, NiGHTS and Reala, were created...by Wizeman."

Hope gasped. "Created?? By Wizeman?! Then that would make them--"

"Nightmarens, yes."

It was such a shock to hear that. Hope didn't want to believe it, yet she did. Her parents were Nightmarens. "That means I'm...a...Nightmaren..."

"That is correct."

Her eyes welled up with tears. "No...it can't be..." she sobbed. "How is that possible?" But now that she thought about it, Hope wasn't all that surprised. Deep down, ever since Jackle told her about Nightmarens, something inside Hope told her that Jackle was telling the truth about her parents.

"I warned you about the truth, Hope," the stranger continued, "but I will explain. Wizeman created many Nightmarens, NiGHTS and Reala among them, but one after the other, they left him. First it was NiGHTS, who was stubborn and never agreed to his plans. Wizeman tried to put a stop to her by using his other Nightmarens, but NiGHTS defeated them all. Several years later, he tried again, but NiGHTS still prevailed. Not very long after, Reala betrayed Wizeman to be with NiGHTS, for he had grown to love her. Wizeman tried to kill them both, but miraculously, they defeated him. And then you were born, a Nightmaren."

She believed it now, though it was very hard on her. But there was something that still bothered her. "How could my parents steal Ideya from Visitors? That's awful."

"I assure you, NiGHTS had no pleasure in collecting Ideya. Reala, on the other hand, relished every moment. He was tough, savage, even barbaric at times. But that's what made him Wizeman's best and most trusted Nightmaren. Your father would've succeeded him, but he became a traitor. Like NiGHTS."

So that's why Dad attacked Owl like that, and why Mom seemed so threatening to Jackle, Hope now realized. This was the evil past Owl was talking about. But she noticed something about what the stranger said and she shook her head. "They can't be traitors if what they did was good."

"What they thought they did was good. You see, Wizeman promised his Nightmarens a better future. He was doing good. NiGHTS and Reala didn't want to be part of it. It's as simple as that."

Hope frowned. Maybe he was right. "But why didn't they tell me all this?"

"To protect you, probably."

"From what?"

"Nightmarens, most likely. And maybe from Wizeman."

Hope wiped the last tears from her eyes and tried her best to smile politely. "Thank you for telling me the truth. I actually feel a little better. I'm just not sure how I'm going to tell my parents that I know all this."

"Oh, you needn't worry about that right now." the giant creature stated. "And besides, I can't let you go without having paid a price."

"Oh." Hope rubbed her arm and said, slightly embarressed, "I'm afraid I don't have anything."

"Not to worry, I think I can come to a reasonable exchange." His eyes narrowed darkly and he sneered, "Your life."

Hope didn't have time to react because a cuff appeared around her ankle and a chain connected it to a heavy, black ball. "What?!" she gasped.

"I gave you what you wanted, now you must give me what I want, and I want a new servant. From now on, you must work for me for the rest of your life."

Hope struggled to get away, but the ball was too heavy to move. She gazed up in fear at the hands glaring down at her malevolantly. "Why are you doing this? Who are you??"

The giant stared menacingly at Hope and answered, "You shall forever refer to me as Master Wizeman."

"W-Wizeman? But-- he-- you're-- dead?" Hope stammered.

"I said refer to me as Master Wizeman!" Wizeman growled. "Or just Master, if you insist. And I'm not dead. In fact, I have been alive for several days, now."

Hope just couldn't believe what was going on. Owl was right about Wizeman being revived. She struggled again. "No! Let me go!"

"I will not. You have to obey me for the rest of your life, just as I purposed all Nightmarens to do." Wizeman responded. "And there will be serious consequences if you refuse to do so. I'm sure you know I strongly do not tolerate those who disobey me."

"I refuse! I'll never work for you!" Hope cried defiantly.

"I knew you wouldn't agree. After all, you are the daughter of NiGHTS." Wizeman said. "But you will soon learn to change your personality."

"You won't succeed! My parents are going to save me!" Hope declared. At least, she hoped they would.

"True, unless I can kill them first." Wizeman sneered. "And I know just the right Nightmaren to do that." He snapped his fingers, and a voice spoke up,

"Yes, Master?"

Hope turned around and saw Jackle. Her eyes widened in shock. "Jackle? You...you were working for Wizeman? The whole time?" she asked in a shaky voice, her eyes watery.

This must've been the first time Jackle was actually frowning. "Sorry, Hope. It wasn't anything personal; I was just following orders."

The first tears slid down her face. "But...why?"

Jackle looked into her eyes. "Master Wizeman said this would be my opportunity to redeem myself. I didn't want to at first, but he said it would be worth my while."

Hope looked away. "I trusted you, Jackle. I thought...I thought you were my friend..."

Wizeman chuckled. "It seems you are as gullible as your mother as well." His eyes turned to Jackle. "Well done, Jackle. You certainly have proved yourself. I have a new mission for you: find NiGHTS and Reala...and kill them."

Hope whiped her head up at Wizeman, eyes and mouth wide. "No!" She turned to Jackle. "Jackle, don't!"

Jackle didn't meet her eyes and he bowed his head respectfully, "Yes, Master."

"No..." Hope buried her face in her hands and sank to her knees, sobbing.

Before Jackle left the room, Wizeman added, "And Jackle, be very careful on this mission. NiGHTS and Reala are most likely going to fight back. Remember, last time they had enough luck to kill me."

"Love."

Wizeman and Jackle both looked at Hope. "What was that?" Wizeman growled.

Hope glanced up at Wizeman. "It was their love that kept them strong enough to defeat you. Not luck." She now realized that the story Reala told her was about him and NiGHTS when they killed Wizeman twelve years ago.

One of Wizeman's hands loomed in front of Hope. "You're wrong. Love is weak. It does not fight battles, and it certainly doesn't win them. The only reason your parents beat me was because they were lucky. Nothing else."

Hope felt too miserable to argue with her new master, so she just hung her head down and stared at the dark, empty space below her.

"Go now, Jackle." Wizeman said to his servant. "I will be waiting expectantly."

Jackle nodded and bowed one more time before leaving the room, with one last glance at Hope.

"As for you..." All Wizeman's eyes stared at his newest slave.

Bits of light came together in front of Hope's face. The light formed into an object and when it dimmed, Hope could tell that the object was a mask. It was similar to Reala's, only it had three straight, light pink feathers on top of one half, and beside them on the side of the mask were fluffy, dark pink feathers. It had no gem because it was made in a way that would fit around her Ideya.

"You must wear your Persona at all times. It is a symbol of loyalty to me and lets everyone know that you are one of my Nightmarens." Wizeman explained.

Hope reluctantly fit the Persona over her eyes. She would've never wanted one if she knew what they meant.

"It is late, so you won't have to work right now. Rest, and in the morning I will explain further on what you should do." Wizeman summoned blue mist to appear around Hope.

Hope glanced around, but the mist was so thick that she couldn't see through it. When it subsided, she found herself in a dark room. She could see a bed and some other bits of furniture. She didn't have the ball-and-chain connected to her anymore, so she quickly flew over to the door and tried to open it. Duh! Of course it's locked, you idiot! Hope scolded herself. Then she noticed something was written on the door in pointy lines, as if it had been carved in. She read the letters.

N-i-G-H-T-S

This had been her mother's room, Hope realized sadly, confirming the fact that NiGHTS had indeed been working for Wizeman. She sat on the cold floor and began to weep.

Aww, poor Hope! Is there any way she can be saved? Will Jackle actually kill her parents? How exactly did Heath Ledger die and will he still get an Oscar? The answers to (most of) these questions will be revealed in the final chapter, so stay tuned!