Last time, on our previous tale...

"Now why do ye suppose the Crystal can sing, lassie?" Giott asked, confused. "I haven't heard the Crystals sing in a long time--no one has."

"We have saved one of the Lost Crystals from the shadows." Mallory explained, showing Giott her star pendant. She touched the glowing purple point, making the Anima inside sing Take a melody.... "According to the tale of the Rainbow Prophecy, it is said that if a Crystal is threatened, that Crystal's Anima sings in hopes someone can rescue it."

"Come tae think of it, lassie, you have a point." Giott replied. "Tell ye what: I'll send word to the High Black Mage that you're coming tae help him--he would know what tae do concerning singin' Crystals." Applause filled the air at this. "Ye can take the Melmond Tunnel tae the surface, if ye wish."

"Thank you for your help." Vince commented.

"I hope your quest goes well for ye." Giott replied as the party turned to leave.

Episode 35: A Star in the Blight

After walking through the tunnel leading to Melmond, a sickening smell greeted the party. "Goodness...what could've created this stench!" Lina cried as she pulled a part of her robe over her nose and mouth.

"It smells like a dung heap!" Vince agreed.

Darien, meanwhile, recognized the small. "Rotting fruits and food--Giott wasn't kidding when he said there was a blight in Melmond." He gestured to the hill overlooking the town that the tunnel's exit was embedded inside--the grass was a sickly yellow, and what few plants there were were a rotted brown. The sky was now gray and drizzly, and the simple wood and stone houses had a substance resembling soot caked on them. One larger brick house, however--stood out among the gloom. The grass around it was green and healthy, and flowers dotted it. The sky above it was clear and blue, a sharp contrast to the gray and dead town around it.

"That must be the Black Mage's lodge." Mallory noted. She motioned for the others to follow as she approached the door, noting how clean it was compared to the houses around it as she knocked.

The door opened a few seconds later, revealing a black haired girl clad in the blue robes and pointed straw hat of a black mage. "Welcome, travelers. I am Aylian the Black...what brings you to our lodge?"

"A pleasure to meet you, fellow mage...I am Mallory the Red." Mallory replied, offering her pinky to Aylian to complete the mage's greeting. "I come with news for your master from the dwarven king."

"News from the dwarves?" Aylian was interested. "Okay, I'll let the High Black Mage know you want to see him." With that, she disappeared down the hall, leaving Mallory and the party to make themselves comfortable on the sofa in the foyer.

Vince, meanwhile, noticed the statue of a black mage whose hat appeared to droop nearby the front walk. "That's an interesting statue..."

"It commemorates a black mage said to have come to the royal city of a distant land long ago." Aylian smiled as she returned. "Although he only came to see the land's most popular drama, that drama served as the starting point for the journey of discovery he undertook." Her face then turned to a look of business. "Master Firin is ready to speak with you...come with me, please."

The party followed Aylian down the hall, past other apprentice black mages untill they came to a large room with books and potion ingredients lining the shelves. A man with sandy blond hair whose blue robe had a little green in the decor sat at an ornate mahogany table, studying what Mallory thought was a crystal ball at first until she looked closer--it was a magical book!

"Master Firin...these are the guests that bring news from the dwarves." Aylian started, prompting the party to approach.

The ornately dressed black mage closed the book and sighed. "Welcome, friends--I understand you bring news from the dwarf king?"

"I am Mallory Foxheart the Red--and my companions and I indeed bring news from Giott--he agrees with your theory that a dark creature is causing the blight surrounding the lodge, but he has not heard the Earth Crystal singing." Mallory explained.

"How odd--Titan senses it, but he also tells me that there is another, deeper presence besides the vampire I feel is the one causing Melmond to rot away like this--all save for the barrier the apprentices and I put up around our lodge." Firin replied. "I would open the Book of Calling and speak to Titan again, but he has not answered my repeated pleas for help."

Mallory remembered the High Red Mage telling her that the black mages owned a special book that allowed them to communicate with the summons without power drain--what if she were the one to ask Titan what had caused the blight? She possibly had his ring, after all.

"Is it okay if Lady Foxheart opens the book and speaks to Titan herself?" Lina asked.

"Very well..." Firin sighed, frustrated about his lack of progress. "Let us see what Titan might say to her." With that, he opened the book again, making a soothing blue glow radiate from the pages. "Bear down with earth energy! Titan!" He turned the book towards Mallory as a large muscular creature that looked almost human appeared in a swirl of small crystals.

"Titan..." Mallory began.

It is good to see you again, Lady Red Mage--what is troubling you? Titan asked.

"Have you possibly heard the Earth Crystal singing?" Mallory asked.

Yes...I hear its voice deep inside the Cavern of Earth that lies west of Melmond and close by my abode, but the way to it is sealed off. Titan replied. The one trying to drain the Crystal's power summoned a vampire to prevent others from descending to the Crystal's room

"If my friends and I were to slay this vampire, would we be able to go down there?" Mallory asked.

You would have removed the biggest obstacle, but the seal would not be broken. Titan replied. The vampire roams on the third floor of the cavern--if you slay it and bring one of the star rubies that are found there to my abode, I will give you what you need to break the seal. With that, the image of Titan disappeared from the book's pages...

To Be Continued...