I'd like to thank XV-Dragon (Will is fine), TCTK (Thanks for the compliment), minipower (Here is the next chapter), KnightofFaerun (That was a very insightful review), Wilhelmina Vandom (Yep that is pretty much what the council decided), J()e i)o (Read and find out), and CCRox4Eva (There is no need to apologize, but I'm glad you're back) for the reviews and support. Thank you also goes to all the non-reviewing members, and please take the time to review.

Anyway my college classes start tomorrow, wish me luck everyone, so I don't know when I'll be able to update again, so enjoy Chapter 29.


"You're doing good Taranee," Saga says as she sits on the opposite side of the pool from the Fire Guardian.

"But all I've done is create a lot of steam," Taranee complains as she stands in the shallow section.

"Yes," Saga rebuttals, "but as you do that you are slowly working on completing your task, which is to hit me with a wave of water. You see as you create heat, which eventually leads to the water becoming steam, you also create small ripples in the water. I'm sure you can figure out the rest."

"Okay," Taranee says concentrating again, "I'll try again."

"That's all I ask," Saga titters as the water starts to ripple even more as Taranee starts to form an underwater current.

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"Well, are ye going to lie there all day boy," a man says to rustle Caleb awake from the pile of hay that he had fallen into.

"Huh," Caleb says rubbing his head. The last thing he remembered was being swallowed by a silver portal. "Who are you, and I'm not a boy. I'm Captain of Meridian's Royal army."

"Captain," the man says with a laugh while he scratches his bushy red beard, "and of Meridian's forces. Ha, now that's a funny one."

"What," Caleb says reaching up to grab the hilt of his sword, "you don't believe me."

"I never said I didn't believe ye," the man chuckles as he lifts his cloak to reveal at least three swords strapped to his body. "And ye would have a hard time picking a fight with me. Especially, after Lady Saga asked me to train ye."

"What makes her think I need to be trained," Caleb says crossing his arms proudly. "I helped defeat Phobos after all."

"Pho-what now," the man says scratching his wild red hair, "never heard of him. He some kind of demon or something."

"No he was an evil tyrant," Caleb says in an annoyed tone. "Who are you anyway?"

"The name is Cyrus McCloud," the man says with a polite bow, "and I'm going to help you learn how to wield that stick you call a blade."

"We'll see about that," Caleb says crossing his arms.

"Then how about this," Cyrus says with a joyful grin, "if you can hit me anywhere with that blade. Then I will accept that you need not be trained."

"Deal," Caleb says drawing his sword.

"Excellent," Cyrus chuckles.

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Cornelia yawns as she sits up on the tree branch in which she fell. "That was a good night's rest."

"I'm guessing you slept well," a voice echoes up the tree.

"Hello," Cornelia asks down the branches, "is someone there?"

"Yes," the voice echoes back up, "now would you please come down."

"Why," Cornelia asks as a confused expression adorns her face.

"So I can talk to you, you silly girl." The voice echoes up and then with a shrug Cornelia hops out of the tree and floats down to land on the ground below.

"Okay," Cornelia says seeing no one around, "I'm here, but where are you?"

"I'm right behind you," a girl about Lillian's age says with a chuckle while Cornelia spins around to look at the little girl. She was wearing a basic green dress and had long mossy green hair with eyes that sparkled like emeralds.

"Who are you," Cornelia asks cocking her head in curiosity.

"I'm the one Ms. Saga chose to teach you." The girl says happily.

"What's your name," Cornelia asks with confused eyes, "and how is someone so little supposed to train me?"

"I may be small," the girl says with a big grin, "but I'm a great teacher." She then vanishes into the ground and her voice echoes. "My name is Kiki and you're my student so live with it."

"This isn't time for games," Cornelia angrily growls and the ground beneath her shakes a little.

"First we should work on your temper," Kiki says as she comes half way out of the branch of a tree. She wore a cute grin as she says this.

"I have perfect control of my temper," Cornelia screams as the ground shakes even more violently.

"Then why are you generating earthquakes, Ms. Temper –tantrum," Kiki says only to aggravate the blonde Guardian even more.

"I am not having a temper tantrum," Cornelia basically roars as trees around her start to fall because of the shaking.

"Tell that to the trees you just brought down," Kiki says placing her right middle and index fingers on Cornelia's frontal lobe making the woman's entire body freeze. "We should probably take care of this in a different location." The two then meld into the ground and out of sight.

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Hay Lin heard two people whispering near her, but her body felt like it weighed a ton. The young Air Guardian then slowly opens her eyes to see the two Dark Enigma members at the entrance of what she could only surmise was Shell Cave.

"I think she is waking up," one of them says as her vision starts to return to normal and she can make out that it is the man that performed that mind technique thing on Cornelia.

"That's good," the one she finally recognized as Mizu says with a grin. "How are you feeling?"

"Why should you care," Hay Lin says hoarsely, "you're my enemy."

"She does have a point," Akatsuki says calmly.

"Just wanted to know," Mizu says calmly sitting next to the girl.

"Why can't I move," Hay Lin asks after trying to stand.

"Your body is severely atrophied from transforming into whatever it was that you used to escape," Akatsuki says folding his arms and looking at the entrance to the cave. "So if we wanted to hurt you we could at any moment."

"Then why bring me someplace private," Hay Lin asks calmly while still keeping a suspicious eye on the two. Whatever was affecting her must be affecting Inari as well because she had not been able to get in contact with him.

"I wanted to tell you the reasons why Mitsunari and the Tri-Planar council are after you," Mizu says with a chuckle.

"Then spill it," Hay Lin says in a harsh tone.

"Well," Mizu says, "Mitsunari is currently working on reviving a powerful magical entity, and he knows what has the power to stop the beast."

"Me," Hay Lin says with a confused look.

"In a sense yes," Akatsuki says, "there was a reason that Irma's persona was attracted to you, and even survived once the nymph took over."

"Huh," Hay Lin says as she starts to feel her arms and legs again.

"A long time ago," Mizu says, "there was a powerful sword that fell from the heavens and into a lake on this planet, almost impaling a mermaid in the process? The blade was a magical artifact from an unknown world and it bristled with powers that only the hearts of worlds should possess. The mermaid, not knowing of the blade's power, then heard travelers walking along the lake. She swam to the surface and shyly gave the men, one looking to be a powerful warrior and the other an elderly mage, the sword before returning under the water's surface. The warrior then used the blade to claim the land around the lake as his kingdom, but with all of the sword's powers it did not make him immortal. Once the kind king died the mage, the king's closest friend, put a spell on the sword so that only one of the kings blood could receive the blade ever again. After the spell was cast the sword vanished only to emerge in medieval England and was given to a kind man who also became king, but he too died."

"What does this have to do with me and Irma," Hay Lin angrily asks as she slowly sits up.

"The nymph would never know this," Akatsuki says with a joyful grin, "but she is a direct descendant of the king in the story, but the sword also chooses its master. Therefore the nymph cannot summon or wield the blade. Instead the sword chose someone thus your friendship was started for that reason."

"But because of the spell," Mizu says before Hay Lin can rebuttal, "you cannot just pull the magic from Irma's body because you do not share the blood relation."

"So what you are trying to say is that I've been chosen to wield some all powerful weapon," Hay Lin says with a slightly joyful grin.

"Yes," Akatsuki says, "but you have yet to claim it."

"And how do I do that," Hay Lin eagerly asks.

"You and Irma must share blood," Mizu says with a chuckle, "this was usually done when people swore to be blood brothers, but with your cultures fear of certain diseases the practice has been all but abolished."

"So once I become a blood sister to Irma then I can wield the sword," Hay Lin asks only to get a nod from the two Dark Enigma members. "Why are you telling me this?"

"We should be going Mizu," Alecara says calmly, "they'll be wondering where we are soon."

"You're right," Mizu sighs standing, "please remember Hay Lin. That not all Dark Enigma members are your enemies." With that the two quickly vanish leaving Hay Lin alone in the cave.

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Will slowly opened her eyes. She was in what appeared to be a cave, and was lying on her back. She sits up and a cool damp cloth drops off her forehead.

"If this is heaven," she says looking around, "then I want my money back."

"Ah you are awake," a male voice says from behind Will. She quickly turns to see a man dressed in a tattered black cloak. He had dark blue eyes that looked to carry a great pain, and his hair was pure white and even wilder than Will's. Will then clutches her head and starts to feint but is caught by the man's right arm. "You should still be resting. That fever took a nasty bite out of your side."

"Who are you," Will timidly asks as she notices the strange 'thing' on his right arm. It looked like a black tattoo but it was more like pieces of sharp volcanic glass that grew out of his skin. On the back of his hand was a purple diamond shaped gem that seemed to have a small black dot in it.

"I've gone by many names," the man says as he helps her lay back down being careful to avoid touching her with the obviously fully functional right arm, "but you may call me B.D."

"What does B.D stand for," Will asks inquisitively her fever making her ignore her paranoia.

"Let us save that for another time," B.D says calmly to avoid the question. "Now is when I ask how you are feeling."

"Fine I guess," Will says blushing a little. She didn't know why though, she was in love with Matt so why should this kind of questioning from a stranger fluster her.

"Can I kill her now," a demonic voice, that was more like a whisper than anything, says.

"What," Will asks in a frightened tone.

"Please excuse my right arm," B.D says placing his cloak back over the front of his body, "I was infected by a curse that has a mind of its own."

"Okay," Will says though she is still afraid, "so what where those things."

"The thing that bit you was a simple fever," B.D says while pouring each what looked to be a cup of coffee. He then turns and hands Will the one in his left hand. He then takes a sip of his drink after placing it within his left hand.

"And the other one," Will says looking at the beverage before giving into her thirst and taking a sip. It tasted like a combination of mango and orange juice.

"Let's just be thankful that I showed up when I did," B.D responds taking another sip of the warm liquid. "That thing was a powerful virus. One of which no cure has been found."

"Well," Will says with a yawn, "thank you for saving me then."

"You are very welcome," B.D says as Will puts her empty cup on the ground next to her and slowly drifts off to sleep.

"It was my pleasure," B.D says happily while picking up the cup and placing it on a stone table, "Keeper of the Heart of Candracar."