Thanks as always to my reviewers, Guardian's Light (check out his stories in my favorites, they are exceptionally good), XV-Dragon, Lil chap welsh nd proud, and CCRox4Eva. Thanks to all of my readers that didn't review too, I guess. All I ask is one review per reader, JUST ONE!!! Though more are welcome.
333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333
"Oh, isn't this magical," Fionnaoch said flatly," A huge, incredibly hot desert."
"I have to agree with the blowhard," Crone said putting up the hood of her cloak," This isn't exactly a beautiful forest paradise."
"Which way do we go?" Garret asked.
"I think that he would be in that pyramid over there," Napoleon said in his Regent form. The pyramid in question was a large step pyramid that seemed to be made of sandstone and was as tall as a twenty story building.
"Seems like a possibility," Matt said.
"It's times like this that I'm glad I can fly," Irma said.
So, the group of thirteen made their way to the pyramid without any incident and climbed or flew up to the top. Fionnaoch just hovered up as Garret did while Sandpit, Gargoyle, Mr. H., Napoleon, and Crone, who climbed with amazing speed that belied her age, climbed up the steps. The top of the pyramid was a square about 200 feet by 200 feet with the ceiling about twelve feet high held up by several large pillars. In the center of the space, there was a great stone chair that faced away from them.
"Hello?" Hay Lin said.
"Greetings," a voice coming from the other side of the chair said. The chair turned around to face them and revealed a tall, thin man with sandy brown hair and light brown robes with tan skin. His face was covered in a simple mask that matched the color of his robes.
"Are you Sandstorm?" Will asked.
"Yes, I am Guardian," Sandstorm said," You must be the ones from my dreams that come to ask me and my sister to fight the evil darkness, am I correct?"
"You are," Will responded a little astounded.
"I cannot speak for my sister, but I will help you to stop this evil," Sandstorm said," I will take you to her home at the Great Springs and we shall see if she will join us."
Sandpit walked up to the man and handed him the scroll that the Oracle had given him. Sandstorm took the scroll and broke the seal and read it to himself. When he had finished it, he looked at Sandpit and then Gargoyle and then stood up and pointed at both of them. He fired a stream of sand at Sandpit and a beam of grey light at Gargoyle's hand. When the others tried to step in they were stopped by Crone and then Sandstorm suddenly finished what he had done. The first shock was when Gargoyle held up his club arm to show it had become a large, metal, fully-functioning hand.
"My hand," Gargoyle muttered and then realized something," I can talk!"
"Incredible," Sandpit whispered to himself and looked at his friend.
"The Oracle asked me to do these things for you as rewards for your good deeds and to help in the days to come," Sandstorm said.
"Thank you so much! I can't believe it, I can speak and I have two hands again!" the ecstatic Gargoyle said in his brutish voice.
"Yes, many thanks indeed for this wondrous gift," Sandpit said in soft, deep voice.
"You are welcome," Sandstorm said;" Now we should go find my sister."
333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333
"The Master… commands… your… help," Mutten said to the group before him. Two were tall men with claws, hair made of flames, small horns on there heads, and bright red skin, the Efreet brothers. The next was a fat pig-man by the name of Swinely who was eating something from a bowl with his hands. Gorgana was next and she has a snake tail, scales, Medusa hair, and parts of her skin had turned to stone. The last was a tall bat creature with long spindly legs and an even longer rat-like tail by the name of Echo.
"Listen runt," Swinely said, still stuffing his face," Go tell Fenrir to do his own dirty work."
"Now, now porky," Gorgana said and got a glare from her companion," It might be fun to kill some Heart holders."
"We agree," the Efreets said in unison.
"What of you, oh glorious leader?" Gorgana asked Echo.
"I think we should help our old… friend, but first you must tell your master that I need the rest of the day to call in some of our associates," Echo said telepathically.
"Yes," Mutten said and then disappeared from the cave lair.
333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333
"Are you three coming?" a very annoyed Pyros asked Oak, Metal 7, and Kakaski.
"Be patient and watch you tongue reptile," Kim Kakaski said," Lest you desire to lose any of the three or all of them at once."
And with that, the group of four teleported to the prison that held the army of Lurdens. The only guards there were Vathek, Raythor, and Tynar and they were very surprised to see the three intruders. Oak ran with amazing speed at Vathek and knocked him into the wall across the room with a single punch while Kim took out the other two with arrows made of lightening and fire. All three of the guards disappeared in flashes of light.
"Astral drops," Pyros growled," I shall hold up the barrier while you three teleport the Lurdens back to base."
"We know the plan scaly," Metal 7 said.
The three Guild members joined in a circle while Pyros upheld his barrier of darkness against the Heart Holders. Slowly but surely, the energy from the cages surrounded the Lurdens, who were freaking out. Pyros was having trouble keeping up the barrier because apparently two or more of the Heart holders were trying to fold into the prison. Then with a huge flash of light, all of the Lurdens were transported back to Guild HQ.
"Done," Oak said.
"It's about time," Pyros said as he teleported out of the prison. The Guild members followed suit just as a fold opened to admit Dorian, Elyon, Ironwood, and Golem. Elyon looked around surveying the damage of where the Astral Drop Vathek had hit the wall and the two elemental arrows hit the ground.
"This is terrible," Elyon said partially to herself," Now they have any army of Lurdens."
"It could be worse Elyon," Dorian said," At least none of the guards were hurt."
"That was a good idea Dorian and it did keep them from getting hurt," Elyon said with a smile for him.
"I can't take all the credit, Ackeron and Aurora helped me," Dorian said politely.
"All the same, this is a bad sign," Ironwood said. They all knew that things just got that much harder.
333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333
The group on Auras followed Sandstorm through the fold he had created that lead to a mountainous region covered by pine trees and dotted with geysers and hot springs. They followed Sandstorm down a well worn path to a very large, broiling hot spring. It was truly beautiful and that was only ruined by the strong smell of sulfer that permeated the air.
"Sister, it is I," Sandstorm yelled out.
"It has been a long time brother," said the woman who rose out of the springs. She too was tall, thin and had the same tan skin but that was where the resemblance ended. Steam had fiery red hair and she wore green blue clothing that made her look like a belly dancer. She also had a mask like her brother and hers too matched her clothing.
"May I present my sister Steam," Sandstorm said with a bow," Steam, these are the Guardians of the Veil, the Regents of Earth, Prince Garret of Jaxel, Lady Crone of Golias, Lord Fionnaoch of Ulzbor, and Gargoyle and Sandpit of Meridian."
"Greetings to you all. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Steam said walking across the water to solid ground.
"We need your help to stop the forces of an evil man named Fenrir from covering everything in eternal darkness," Will said to her.
"I assume you're a going brother?" he nodded and she continued," Well it could be fun, why not."
"May I say my lady, you made the right choice," Fionnaoch said with a dashing smile for her.
"You'll regret it when we blow you away pests," Everyone jerked around to see Hurricana clinging to a tree.
333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333
Alchemy had just gotten to the Silver Dragon to look for the girls. She knew that they liked to hang out there a lot and thought it was a good place to start. She went in just as they were opening up and went to the first person she thought would know, and it just happened to be Yan Lin.
"Excuse me but are Hay Lin and the others here?" Alchemy asked her.
"Nope, sorry," Yan Lin said a little distracted.
"I really need to see them, it's really important, so can you tell me where they are?" Alchemy asks hopefully.
"I'm not sure," Yan Lin said even though she knew they were on Auras," I'm sorry that I can't be more helpful."
"Well thanks anyway," Alchemy said as she turned and was about to leave when she asked the fateful question," Does the word 'Guardian' mean anything to you?"
Yan Lin was walking away and she froze in her tracks and turned around and suddenly to look the girl in the eye.
"How do you know that name?" Yan Lin whispered.
"I was-,"
"Keep your voice down," Yan Lin whispered fiercely.
"You'll think this is crazy but… I was told in a dream by a wolf," Alchemy said.
"Was there anything special about this wolf?" Yan Lin asked hurriedly.
"He could speak to me, he was pure white, and he called this…" Alchemy said holding out the necklace," the Light Pendant."
"You have to come with me now," Yan Lin said to the girl and then yelled to the kitchen," Mira, you're in charge, I have to go for a while!"
Together, they went into the basement to meet with destiny.
333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333
"Ha Ha!" Aquos bellowed as he rounded up Crustaceataurs on Snout," This is the most fun I've had in years!"
The Crustaceataurs looked different then other Arthrotaurs because they had a more monstrous appearance on the human half. They have four arms on the torso (two human and two claws), mandibles, feelers, large dark eyes, are very violent and brutish, and respect those that are powerful and cruel. They of course were outclassed in terms of brutishness when compared to Aquos. Aquos trapped about fifty in a dark tainted bubble of water and teleported them to the Guild HQ just as Arc came back riding on a large cephalopod made of the same green ooze that comprised the Brethren.
"Aquos how was your hunting?" Arc said to Aquos cheerfully.
"Very well," Aquos replied in an equally cheery voice," That last group makes about 200. What of you and the beast."
"Oak did well making the Ooze Kraken," Arc said petting the horrible creature," He and I caught about the same number."
"Excellent!" Aquos responded petting Snout. Unlike the other members of their groups they got along very well because of their similar natures and love of hunting. They made an ideal team to hunt in the swamps of Arthrosia.
"Shall we head back?" Arc asked.
"Let's catch some more together this time," Aquos said dipping his ball and chain into the water," I sense a large group that way."
"Let's go recruit them then," Arc said and they started laughing as they went towards the party of Crustaceataurs.
333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333
Preview: Continuation of the legend of the Light Wolf, battle at the Great Springs, and transmutations.