Chapter 8

"Ahhh! Where is this?! Let me out!" Jack panicked.

Dorothy ignored him. "This is another dimension. A pretty interesting ÄRM that old man has. To invoke an ÄRM like this instantaneously… that's no ordinary magic!" Jack continued to freak out behind her. It got on her nerves. Whipping around, she slapped him repeatedly. "Shut up!" she snarled.

Jack fell to the ground, stunned. "*HMPH* I wanted to go with Sol! Why'd I get stuck with this monkey?" Dorothy pouted.


"Sol, are you okay?" Sol sat up and rubbed the back of her head where she had whacked it.

"Yeah, I'm fine. How about you?"

"I'm okay. I've been here before, so I'm familiar with landing." 'Here' being a place that looked like an Egyptian ruin that had be displaced to a Mayan location. Off to one side was a lake and a number of trees with some kind of purple fruit. A glance up revealed a sky that looked like a spiraling purple, blue, and white Milky Way.

"Babbo, you good?" Sol asked.

"Yes, I'm fine." He hopped over from where he had landed.

"Hey, Snow." Sol pointed at Snow's rather large necklace charm. "What's with the snowman?"

"Oh, this is my Guardian ÄRM. It's official name is Snowman, but I call it Yuki-chan!"

"Huh. Can you tell me about ÄRMs? Weapon ÄRMs are pretty self-explanatory, but what about other kinds."

Snow smiled. "Of course! Well, let's start with Guardian ÄRMs. Guardians are popular with wielders who don't like ÄRM-to-ÄRM combat. When one is invoked, a magical being appears as a protector… but while the protector is out, the ÄRM wielder can only move within a limited range. The guardians are quite varied… there are even some that talk… but I'm amazed to see an ÄRM that can actually talk by itself, Babbo!"

"Well, I'm amazed by how pretty you are, Snow!" Babbo simpered.

"Idiot. Snow, if you could continue?"

"Yes. Next, Dimension ÄRM s! Capable of bending space and opening other dimensions. Potential abilities include: Instant teleportation, a blast of power within a confined space, and communication with distant parties.

"Then there are Darkness ÄRMs. A terrifying type of ÄRM that casts a curse on its opponent when invoked. But every curse has a side effect – bringing violent pain or terrible loss to those who use them. Some possible curses are: immobilization, transforming another's appearance and causing illnesses.

"Holy ÄRMs! They protect and give strength to the wielder through its holy powers. As a general rule they either heal, break darkness curses, or possibly do both.

"Nature ÄRMs tap into the powers of nature! That's what I used when I sealed myself in ice. Their abilities are obviously tied to the elements, such as creating fire or ice, or causing petrification.

"There are other weird ÄRMs that can't be categorized." Sol looked at Babbo, much to his displeasure. "Finally, there are ordinary ÄRMs, like Jacks shovel, that people use in their everyday lives. You can even buy specialty ÄRMs with low-grade powers. However, the really powerful ÄRMs aren't sold in stores. Maybe I could break Ed's curse with a Holy ÄRM, if I could find one…"

Sol looked at her for several long moments. "Ed said your step-mother collected a lot of ÄRMs." Snow nodded sadly, "So she probably has Holy ÄRMs. Since she's with the Chess, I don't think we should feel bad about taking one from her. Or any Chess Piece for that matter." Snow blinked. "You want to save Ed? Then do it. I know you can." Snow's eyes widened and she smiled brightly.

"Thank you, Sol!"

Babbo made an odd sound. Sol and Snow turned to look at him. He was… glowing? "Babbo?" Sol said.

"My… body… feels… strange!" he gritted out. His body flashed, blinding the two girls.


Dorothy held up four magenta magic stones. "These are magic stones. They've been imbued with the powers of an ÄRM. By 'embedding' them, even your 'ordinary' ÄRM… will gain special powers!" Jack looked at his shovel with some amazement. "Of course, this can only be done by the ÄRM creator or powerful sorceresses – like me!" Dorothy laughed.

"So these are what Ed gave Babbo!" Jack said.

Dorothy froze in surprise. "You mean… he actually embedded stones… in that talking globe-headed freak?!"

"He gave him three." Jack was confused by the outburst.

"Three?! What kind… No… it wouldn't matter… in an ÄRM that bizarre… who knows what would happen?!"


"The skill data imbued in the magic stones has been completely erased. Please input new data." Babbo intoned.

Snow looked shocked. Sol looked like she was confused, concerned, and mildly suspicious. "How about a better explanation." Sol demanded.

Babbo was floating and glowing. His eyes were blank, and his voice sounded robotic. "You must use your imagination for the creation of the special powers of the ÄRM 'Babbo'. Please input data."

Sol frowned. Snow was still somewhat confused. "Imagination… input…? How… what…?" she couldn't formulate a question.

"Invent a new ability within your mind. Instantly, Babbo will take on the appearance and powers you imagine. If your imagination is prodigious, then the ÄRMs power will be proportionately great. Now, the power of the first stone – imagine and input."

Snows jaw was hanging. "Babbo is… really amazing! To be able… to create any power you want!"

Sol had picked up Babbo's hammer and was staring at it. "So Phantom would have done this too. Kind of wonder what he made. Not that it really matters." She looked up at Babbo. "Anything I want, huh? … Let's go with that then."

"Your imagination has been inputted. Commence transformation." Babbo and the hammer flashed once again.


Ed was standing in front of the two doors, smoking his cigar. Sensing someone behind him he said, "Hey you! Come out!"

Alviss stepped out from behind a tree. "It's been a long time, Alan."

Edward, once known as Alan, looked incredibly surprised. Thinking back, he remembered a young, spiky haired boy, who had tagged along with the Cross Guard. "Hey! I remember you! That weird kid who wormed his way into the Cross Guard! Your all grown up, Alviss!" Ed glanced down at Alviss' bare arm. A black, intricate but jagged pattern was etched down his arm to the back of his hand. The pattern was on both arms. "That… looks bad. The price of victory was steep… for us all. I share a body with a dog. While you…" he trailed off.

Alviss smiled sadly. "Yes. I don't have long until this tattoo spreads to my whole body. That's why, this time, we must defeat Phantom forever. And in order to do that… I found the Gatekeeper Clown… and invoked it."

"Ah, I see. So you summoned Sol. Now that I think about it, Sol mentioned an Alviss a couple of times. When I called Danna here, he proved to be a worthy partner. I hope Sol will be just as good a partner to you."

Alviss winced. "I kind of doubt she would want to be my partner. Our first meeting was… pretty bad. I wasn't very happy that she had Babbo." Ed looked surprised. "Besides… I saw too many comrades cut down by the Chess Pieces. Even the person closest to me… even Danna! If I never make another friend in combat… then I'll never have to feel that way again, will I?"

Ed used the ÄRM of Fire to light a new cigar. "Well, from what I've seen of her, I'd hazard a guess that if she didn't out right say she hates you, she probably doesn't. Though what you said explains why her friend Jack and Babbo seemed to react poorly to your name." Alviss blinked. "Sol doesn't seem to be the kind of person to waste her time hating someone without a really good reason. She despises Phantom, since he… 'stole' something from her. Since you didn't destroy Babbo and didn't hurt Jack, she probably let the whole thing go. You'll most likely have a harder time winning over her companions."


The light faded. Sol's right hand had been replaced by a metal ball embedded in a kind of cross guard hilt that had replaced her wrist. The cross pattern with the holes for the magic stones that had been on Babbo's hammer has appeared on the cross guard.

"Eh?! What's this?! Why in the world have I become Sol's right arm?!" Babbo exclaimed.

"Hey, you don't sound like a defective robot anymore." Sol commented.

"What?! How dare you?! And explain this!"

Snow was staring, wide-eyed. "Sol… what's… that?!"

"Version 1. 'Hammer Arm.'"

Snow blinked. "Isn't that… kind of… simple?"

"In a way, I suppose. However, it suits my fighting style, and I gave it a trick." She looked at the stones embedded in… well, her wrist now. "Hm… what should the other two abilities be?"

*THOOM* Sol and Snow turned. A number of large stone golems were coming out of the ground. "What are these?" Sol glared.

"Guardians! 'Stone Golems'!" Sol looked at Snow. Why did she sound excited? "A 'combat' challenge! Our first in this dimension! Also, the time flow is slower here; 1/60th of the outside world! Even if we train for 60 days, we'll be gone from the real world for only one day!" Sol's eyebrows rose.

Snow ran forward. "Me first!" She focused. Yuki-chan… Multiply! Four massive snowmen dropped down from the sky, crushing the stone golems.

Sol's eyebrows rose. Huh. Pretty aggressive for such a 'quite and timid' princess. More golems appeared. Sol smirked. "All right, Babbo. Let's turn these golems into gravel."


Alviss looked confused. "Why would I need to win over her companions?"

"You know as well as I do, that the Chess will start the war again. And they will initiate the War Games again. You'll participate for the same reason you summoned her. And she'll participate because she wants whatever Phantom stone from her back. Babbo is her ÄRM, so he'll go. Jack doesn't seem to be very smart, but he is loyal. He'll go just because Sol will. Snow seems to have some odd connection with her, and the pink-haired witch is apparently very attached to her. Even if Sol lets what happened go, you'll have a hard time if you can't get along with any of your teammates in the games."

Alviss was quiet for a moment. Belle looked really annoyed. "I… suppose you're right…" he frowned in frustration.

"I'm not saying you have to be best friends with them, Alviss. But you will need to convince them that you won't pull the same stunt twice."

"…what do you think of her?" Alviss asked.

"Aggressive. Quiet. Brutal. Efficient. Terrifying when truly angry." Alviss looked askance. "She came awake from a nightmare and almost put Jack through a wall, not knowing who he was." Alviss' eyes widened. "Something about her is off, but only in terms of her stability; in regards to her personality and her convictions, she's rock solid. I can see you're hesitant, but you summoned her and then she found Babbo, who I sealed away! I don't think that was an accident. Be prepared for the possibility… that that magicless brute… will end up being the true savior of MÄR Heaven."


"Done." The shattered remains of the golems lay scattered about her feet. Snow was staring, her jaw hanging open.

Amazing! When we first got here, Sol didn't have any magical power, just like Ed said… but after transforming Babbo… and the entire time she was fighting… her magical power keeps getting stronger! Is this Sol's long dormant ability?! Or some power of Babbo's?!

"You're gonna catch flies, girlie." Sol pointed out. Snow snapped her jaw shut. "What's that?" Sol pointed at something in the air behind her.

"Huh?" There was a ring with a cat's head hanging from it. A chain hung from the cat's head, ending in a bell. "It's a Guardian ÄRM."

"Are we supposed to fight it?" Sol asked, confused by its cutesy appearance.

"Oh! No!"

*POOF* The ÄRM activated and a young woman with cat ears and a cat tail appeared. She was wearing what looked like a kind of maid uniform with the bell from the ÄRM attached to her dress collar. "Guardian Merilo!" Snow greeted her. Sol blinked.

"Hello Snow! Oh? Someone I don't know. It's been six years since I've met anyone but Snow. Nice to meet you!" Merilo curtsied.

"Sol. Nice to meet you." Sol started to extend her right hand for a hand shake, then remembered that Babbo was her right hand. She pursed her lips in mild annoyance, then bowed.

"I will be your guide through your training. Please, follow me!" She skipped off.

Sol cocked an eyebrow. With that personality, shouldn't she be a dog?

Merilo led them up the stairs to a section of wall engraved with hieroglyphics. "This is the 'Unbreakable Gate'! From what I've seen, your prowess as an ÄRM wielder is… passable. Now, you must achieve a deeper union with your ÄRM. Do not break the gate. Pulverize it."

"I can already do this. Go for it, Sol!" Sol looked at Snow rather blankly. She then looked at the 'gate'.

Hauling back, she swung. She embedded Babbo halfway into the structure and then yanked him out, watching cracks creep across the surface. There was a face in the upper right corner. It started chanting in some other language, healing the damage. Sol just stared.

"It's not about brute strength. The key is union with your ÄRM." Snow said.


Alviss was still thinking about Ed's last statement when the communication dimension ÄRM in Ed's ear started going off.

All Cross Guards throughout MÄR Heaven! If you hear this announcement through this dimension ÄRM – This is an emergency! The Chess Pieces… have returned!

We read you! This is Acalupa Port! It's a sea of fire here too! We need reinforcements! The Cross Guardsmen of every kingdom!

Blast it! If only we still had Danna…! Where is Alan?! Where is the Cross Guard's second in command?! Where is Alan?!

The ÄRM continued to go off with cries for help. Alviss was horrified. So many attacks at once… it must have happened! Phantom has risen! Before he could cry out to Alan, Ed turned away from him. "…Alviss. Do me a favor. Go help those people. I'm staying here." Alviss was shocked.


Sol was glaring at the gate. She had been pounding it for going on thirty hours now. She was really starting to get annoyed.

Merilo walked over. "Just hitting it isn't enough. I'll give you a hint. The Unbreakable Gate has one weak point. If you hit that spot, even moderate power will pulverize it."

Sol was quiet for a moment. "I'm assuming that finding the spot is the point of the training?" It was more a statement than a question, but Merilo nodded. Sol rubbed her face. "You keep talking about 'union.' Explain that."

Merilo tilted her head. "Well… its using your 'sixth sense.' It's - "

"Sensing what you can't see. I do that on my own. It's how I know who's around me. But I'm not picking up on what you're talking about." Merilo was surprised that Sol had an understanding of the sixth sense. She didn't know what to tell her that could help though.

"Maybe you're looking at it wrong." Snow spoke up. Sol looked at her. "It's like you've always told me. Perspective changes everything."

Sol was quiet. She had said that, but… she had said to Koyuki… right? Shaking her head to clear her stray thoughts, she looked at Babbo. "Any thoughts?"

"…I believe I know what she is referring to. By working together, you can 'see' through me. This allows you to pick up on things that your basic human senses can't naturally detect. Do you understand?"

"I get the concept. Now let's see if we can execute the principle, neh?"

"Alright."

Sol closed her eyes and stood quietly. Merilo's ears twitched as she sense Sol's magic shift.


"But… They need you, Alan!" Alviss cried.

"Look, Alviss. I know you don't see it. You didn't know Danna until he'd already been training for some time. I'm betting on Sol. I'm betting that she'll defeat the Chess. But she can't do that without training. Sol, Babbo, Jack, Snow, and the witch will spend the next three days in the Training Gate. Until they come out, I'm not moving. Right now, I'm not Alan. I'm just Ed. I'm doing what I can. Go help those people, Alviss. Go do what you can."

Alviss found he could understand, but he was still upset. Rather than lashing out, having seen already that that can have bad consequences, he turned and ran off, intending to do as Alan said.

Behind him, Ed's clenched fist started bleeding. I'm putting my faith in you. Don't let me down, Sol!