As soon as he had entered, people started to stare at him. They gossiped on about the horror that he had brought upon them, about the incident with the girl. But they left him alone, terrified of some power they claimed he had. Nearing the castle, he saw some soldiers snap in position.
- "S-s-sir Geshtar! W-what brings you here?!", one of them stumbled. All looked frightened, probably because he was thought smashed to bits either by the Mana Heroes or the Beast itself. But he didn't flinch, he frowned and spoke in a loud voice:
- "What's your problem, crawler?! You think you can ASK me what I'm coming back for?!!" He raised his sword and saw the guards flinch. But hitting him would only make him look bad, he realised, so he continued: "You're all lucky I'm tired. Next time, just let me pass through and don't ask me those silly questions... if you want to have another night's sleep..." And, saying the latter, he stepped through the gates and into the castle.
He realised that he would have to pay tribute to the Empress before going back to his old room. Walking to the audience hall, he saw many servants bow to him... like nothing had happened. So he guessed he must have been nice and polite inside the castle. "Could come in handy...", he muttered before stepping towards the throne in which the Empress Algea sat: her flowing black hair reaching all the way to the floor was already filled with little bits of grey, her grey robes nearly bleached white. But she still looked majestic: her eyes looked at him with all their royal grace, her hands were still frail but steady and when she raised herself to greet him, she did so with utter care. Seeing her in all her greatness and might made him fall to his knees and put his sword down.
- "My Empress Algea, your beauty and splendor remain unmatched."
- "Enough of that bowing and brownnosing...", she said with a smile, "Come forth and embrace me, as a friend." He raised himself, put away his sword and stepped towards her, taking her hand and kissing it. He put his hands on her shoulders, but she took them and put them around her waist.
- "Why, Empress..."
- "Don't call me that anymore, Geshtar. I am now Queen Algea of the Green Cities. Gold Isle sank a few weeks ago because of the earthquakes, and I must say I'm glad about that... I've been sitting here almost all that time. Now, show me your compassion and guide me to my rooms." Geshtar was shocked because of her invitation: "Algea, I'm sure it isn't fit for you to invite a man like me to your rooms..." His protests were to no avail: she dragged him along to her rooms. Once inside, she relaxed and took his hand.
- "Geshtar, tell me what is going on. You were defeated by the Mana Knights... I know because they told me themselves! How did you survive?" She smiled when he scratched his left ear. "At least your real self hasn't changed a bit! I know how Thanatos bound you, he did the same to my husband. But enough already, tell me."
Geshtar told her of his savior, her good cares, his stay in the Water Palace, the amnesia and his quest for himself. She quickly guessed the reason for returning to the Empire.
- "Sure, Geshtar, you can enter any of the rooms used by Thanatos' party. And be sure to ask me anything...", she lowered her voice slightly and whispered to him while following the sheath of his sword, "... anything at all..."
Geshtar blushed: somewhere he had always known that Empress Algea was fond of him. But this fond? Had she ever suggested improper behavior? ...Had he ever agreed on that... or participated in it?
- "Well... I better get going. The sooner I finish my quest, the sooner I can return to Luka." He turned around. "Thanks for the offer, but this time I better decline. Sorry if I hurt your feelings, Algea: I have changed." He walked away through the great halls of the Empire, to get to the room where he once had slept, dreamt and hoped.
Slowly, the door opened, revealing a big empty room - or was it? The desk was dusty and the bed ravaged. But his old shirts and trousers were still hanging in the wardrobe, and underneath his pillow was... the diary! He started reading it, and stopped at a small note he had scribbled hastily:
"Today we went hunting. Emperor Vandole ordered me to escort his "charming wife", the Empress Algea. If he'd only know I do more than escorting her..." He blushed: so he didn't have a false impulse when around her - once he must have been yearning for her, like he was yearning for Luka now. He continued to search...
"Thanatos drives me insane! That poor kid Fanha... he has made her summon a Darkness Dragon! That's way too much for a kid like her! She's still unconscious, but sometimes I can feel her agony. Her soul is screaming "Let it stop, Geshtar!", but what can I do? Thanatos has his demon, I'll be killed as soon as I disobey!"
"Why, Fanha has fallen in love with her own conjuration! He's called SIR Sheex nowadays... I don't like him, no matter what his name is - Sheex, Dark Stalker or Aegragropollion! Poor child, she really IS fond of him... Why doesn't she like me instead?"
"He's really done it this time, the goddamn lich he is! Put a spell over me, made me rape and slaughter an innocent girl... He's NUTS, goddammit!!!" The rest of that entry was blurred.
"Awoke somewhere on a cold and dusty floor, somewhere far away. Fanha was there, too. What has happened? I saw some blood-stained armor parts on the floor... Sheex, maybe I never really knew you, but you were so human..."
Geshtar was about to put back the diary when something fell out. It was his key to the room of Fanha. Also, a note fell to his feet. It was a good-bye letter from her.
"Dear Geshtar,
I'm going after him. May the Gods have mercy on my soul, I'm following my heart. Maybe it won't set back the evil done, but it's a part of a greater justice.
Don't follow me... you mean too much to me to follow me mindlessly.
With all my love, Fanha"
He remembered it: he had found the letter, read it, and immediately dressed. He did exactly the opposite of what she asked... and if it hadn't been for the defeat of that vile serpent Thanatos, he would have been dead too. The evil curse was broken, his soul was set free and his heart became filled with good once again. His Elemental Benefit saved his life... just in time. He just wished he could have saved Fanha...
He turned around and walked to her room. The key easily fit in the keyhole, and in a matter of a few seconds to find the right way to turn the thing, he stood in a room that had unmistakenly belonged to his best friend and her lover. The room was very tidy, all of Sheex' stuff were stacked in a closet that was locked. The desk, where she had written dozens of stories, was covered with pens and pencils in all colors and sizes. Was she an artist as well, then? Geshtar picked up one of her drawings: it showed him, armored and ready for battle. He held his sword menacingly and his mantle flowed around him like a cloud around a high mountain peak. The next drawing depicted Thanatos, dying because of the Mana Sword. Hopper held it high, it shone brightly - even when covered with the blood of the most evil creature ever. Beside Hopper, Nasha - in tears for her lost lover - and Stine - his hand against his forehead, as if he suffered from extreme migraine. On the back of that one was a note:
"Thanatos was slain by Hopper, the Mana Knight. The Sword shines when justice is done, it has defeated evil and sings in harmony with the wings of the Mana Beast. Nasha's lover, Dyluck, was killed because Thanatos possessed him. And Stine, Most Courageous of all Sprites, lost his solid form because Mana disappeared." He shuddered as it hit him that Fanha couldn't have seen and known that: she had died a while before those events... or had she?
- "I can understand your disbelief, Geshtar. But indeed, I drew this... in my current form." Geshtar heard it, a faint whispering coming from behind him. He turned around, and indeed, there she was: a spirit floating in mid-air, her shape undoubtedly hers.
- "Fanha, how come...?"
- "Ssssh, Geshtar, it's a long story... But first I've got to disappoint you: I'm fading away. I'm still here because I have been chosen to tell the world, the future, to be careful for Thanatos' evil. One day, he will rise again... and then, he will be aided by those of TRUE evil nature! Take the drawings with you... remember me as I once was and like I am now: always truly a spirit of good."
- "Wait, Fanha, tell me: why are you fading?"
- "I can remain here because Mana is still weak... but it's rising rapidly and I won't be around for too long... Understand, Geshtar, that one day... one day, we'll be together again - as friends. Yes, Geshtar, I know what you have felt for me all those wasted years... and I did feel the same once, but now it has changed. You have Luka, I have Sheex. But we'll always have each other. We are one soul split in half and joined by fate... but never to be reunited." She dissipated, leaving him behind in the empty, hollow room.
Geshtar didn't remember how he got outside. The next thing he knew, he was standing outside crying his eyes out. The drum already in his hand, Flammie landed next to him.
- "Rrrreeeeh... Isss your research here dooooone already?! You're cryinnnnnng! What has happened?" Her purple eyes gazed at him, mildly amused.
- "I... I met my twin soul, that's all... Tell me: why does Mana keep some alive and kills the others?"
- "Gessssshtar! I cannot tell you that!" Suddenly, Flammie was shocked. Her eyes became burgundy, her feathers brushed into each other to accentuate her anger: it made the horribly loud sound of a raging river. "You young hot-heeeead! I will never be able to tell you that!"
- "S-sorry... Can we go now? I want to go to the Desert, just drop me off somewhere near Kakkara."
He reached the desert city at high noon, covered with sweat and dust. They had flown all night to reach the desert (somewhere, Flammie had lost her sense of direction and had to be guided by Geshtar), and she had landed in the middle of the desert, leaving him to search for the city in the early morning sun. But now, finally, he had reached it! His tired eyes looked around to find an inn somewhere.
- "Oh, dear! Poor man, let me help you!" A voice that sounded so familiar... He turned around: it was Seyma, his savior. Lucky I've assumed my disguise again, he thought. "Come with me, sir. I can offer you a nice cool bath, a decent meal and a good night's sleep. My name is Seyma, I serve Salamando in the Fire Temple." She smiled and took him to a small house in the shadow. Inside, she asked him which Element he served, and what brought him in the desert.
- "I am Flamin, I serve Undine, the Element of Water. Luka, her caretaker, has sent me out to find out about the Imperial bodyguards Sheex, Fanha, Thanatos and Geshtar. She appears to be really fond of him..."
- "HOW COULD SHE DO THAT?!" Seyma had yelled it, and it was filled with hate and despise. "Geshtar of the Empire is an evil, evil man!!"
- "Oh, she thinks he isn't. I don't know whether she's right or the rest of the world is. I have journeyed around before..." He saw her gazing towards an invisible object on the cupboard, so he quickly added: "Luka sent me here to investigate his past. He's dead now, I suppose..."
- "No, he isn't... He has survived because he was a..."
- "...Servant of Undine, yes I know. She has told me when he had attacked the Water Palace. Hopper first met him there, and she burst into sobs right after the Heroes had left... She gave me my first mission there: follow Geshtar, record his acts of terror, and report all that to her." He gazed at her, admiring the dark shade of blue her eyes. "How about that bath, dear lady?"
- "Don't call me that, but call me Seyma." She smiled slightly after having seen the expression of amazement in his eyes. "It's a long story, I'll tell you tomorrow..."
She showed him a small room where a bath was placed, surrounded by shelves: soap, towels, clothes, herbs, boxes and a single bucket were placed on them. The water was especially cool in the hot climate. As he took off his clothing and slipped into the water, he sighed of relief: the burden of the last few days seemed to be lifted off his shoulders and put far, far away. The soap he had picked, smelled like the rare desert lilies. The scent made him very dreamily, images came flooding into his head. Images of his childhood: his pet dog, Myst; his mother and father; one of his sisters, Maysel, handing him some berries (he faintly remembered him being very sick by eating them... She died two days before he was fully recovered: the amount of berry poison in her body was three times the lethal dose.); his other two sisters, Eysha and Lyven, taking care of him when his parents were out for business. But he had the feeling a shadow was lying over his past. He couldn't figure out what it was, until he remembered he had copied all of his family's charts. There would lie the answer... there, in his sisters' files, would lie the words that held the key to his darkest memories...
He rinsed off the soap and came out of the water reluctantly, taking a greenish towel and drying himself. When he dried his left foot, it came to him that the fabric was soft... much more soft than he was used to. Faint memories of icy water, rough linen towels, snow and crying... The dark secret... The dark side... He whinced, then dried his other foot and got dressed. In the meantime, Seyma had prepared him a good and healthy meal: he ate it all, with a few glasses of the best wine he'd ever tasted. Then, she showed him to a small room which held a bed and a small cupboard.
- "There's a long shirt in there, so you don't sweat too much. Goodnight!"
- "Goodnight, Seyma! ...Say, why are you doing this? I'm a mere Servant of Undine!"
- "That's why I do it." She smiled, revealing a perfectly symmetrical smile that was heart-warming. "We Elemental Servants must stand up for ourselves in this world. We are gravely underestimated!" Her eyes darkened. "You just go to sleep now, I'll take care of the rest. Goodnight, Flamin!"
The next day, he awoke of soft sunlight falling through the window, and he was immediately out of bed. His clothing felt amazingly cool, and he picked up a soft flowery scent as he put them back on. Seyma had left him a note, saying she had gone for her service in the Fire Palace: he then had a small but nutricious breakfast and went there too.
The desert was remarkingly hot, even in the early morning. He stepped to the imposing castle, surrounded by a few lava pits and quicksand. Inside, a man came towards him.
- "Sir, do you wish an audience with Salamando?" He nodded, and the man blindfolded him. "Follow me please, sir." He was lead through a network of tunnels, past lava-pits, over crevasses and into the very heart of the Palace. The man took off his blindfold and pushed open the door to the Seed Chamber.
As Geshtar walked in, his disguise dropped: the Mana Seed penetrated his disguise and showed his true self. In front of the pedestal stood Salamando.
- "Welcome Geshtar. I knew you would come to see me one day. Your disguise has dropped here... I assume you know why?" He smiled.
- "Yes. After all, I've spent most of my life serving Undine... I come for answers."
- "Depending on which questions, I will answer them." The fiery Elemental floated - no, burned - to him.
- "First of all, what was my task while serving the Empire?"
- "You were the army lieutenant. Thanatos had lieutenants for everything: army, demons and Mana. You led the Imperial army after Vandole's generals all were killed. Sheex, being a demon himself, led the demonic hordes. And Fanha, gaining the necessary information from your mind, was responsible for breaking the seals on the Mana Seeds. You were kept loyal with spells, cast on you by both Fanha and Thanatos. It broke your heart to know Fanha, your best friend, liked some one better than you, but what really hurt you was that he was a demon: Sheex." He raised his staff. "More questions?"
- "Yes. Why did Thanatos need the help of Phanna, that innocent girl from Pandoria?"
- "Hmmm... Phanna possessed the most life force on the planet! Demons don't have that, humans have it the strongest. Her blood lineage had very strong life force, even for humans!" The flaming salamander paused. "She had the lowest resistance, could easily be caught with false promises... just like you..."
- "Hmph! I was weak because I drank!" Geshtar felt low and degraded by the Fire Elemental in front of him. "What was that girl's weakness then?"
- "Her weakness was love: she had fallen in love with Dyluck and felt secret jealousy when he preferred Nasha over her. His attention went directly towards her, and Phanna became bitter within... Then, when Thanatos promised her he'd give Dyluck to her, he kept his word... knowing Nasha would hear from it and disrupt her - spellbound - happiness. And, well, the rest is history: by slapping Phanna in the face, Nasha broke the spell and saved her best friend. Dyluck was far too sensitive to Thanatos' wizardry, he could only be saved by Nasha's love... with the additional help from a spearpoint or two by Hopper... More questions?"
- "Uhh, only one... Tell me, can you summon Sheex?"
- "NO!" Salamando's fire grew and became white, by fear. "NO, NEVER AGAIN! Once, Geshtar, an Aegragropollion was set loose on the face of the Earth. That one time was one too many. Demons like Sheex are nothing to toy with!"
He turned around, to see someone come through the door... Seyma! She saw him and was shocked until deep in her soul.
- "Geshtar!! You... you FIEND!!" The sound of metal scraping metal as she drew a small dagger. "I'd rather kill you than have you harm Salamando!"
- "Seyma!" Salamando's voice was harsh and reprimanding. "Go back there and wait until we are finished. He isn't evil anymore, if that's what has been bothering you... Go now before I relieve you of your services!" Seyma turned white as chalk, then bowed icily in front of Geshtar and went back where she came from. "Poor girl, she's still too young to serve me... but I need a caretaker until Mana is fully restored. It won't take long anymore... not too long... Well, do you still have questions? No? Then go, to where you have to go next. I bid you farewell, Geshtar, and hope that you will find your answers soon."
Geshtar assumed his disguise again, struggling against the Mana Powers in the room. As he was guided outside the palace, he thought about Seyma's reaction to him. His thoughts of friendship hadn't changed: she was still a sweet girl to him, but he... He didn't think she liked him anymore... He turned around, facing the Palace, and walked away, tears running down his cheeks for losing a good friend. And inside the Palace, Seyma too cried: he wasn't the man she thought he was. That felt bitter in her heart, and she tasted that bitterness all the better now she had seen him again. He had assumed the disguise of a servant of Undine... Luka had to be warned! If he had given her a false name and pretended to be someone else, then surely Luka wouldn't like that!! She went to her house, faintly noticing a large white dragon flying over the desert. She'd go to Luka, and tell her what Geshtar had told her. She'd foil his plans, although she didn't know them... She'd foil them, foil them good...
- "Rrrrrrrrraaaaaii, Geshtar... Al that flying around has made me verrrrry tired. Only to the Tree Palace and back to the Water Palace, prrrromise me!" The white dragon whispered. Strange, have her wings turned green? Geshtar wondered.
- "Allright, girl, I promise. Please, take me there. I'll guide you, unless your sight is fully restored..." He looked at her purple eyes, which were slightly burgundy at that moment.
- "Nnnnoooo, I'll need your guidanccce... Please, get onto my back, Gessssshtar." He climbed onto her back, and petted her soft downy neck feathers as she lifted her majestic body off the hot desert soil. They flew towards the small coral island, where the Tree Palace stood. Flammie's wings beated in a melodic way...
... and far away, Stine's spirit floated next to Fanha's. Stine was faintly colored, and clearly visible; Fanha was no more than a slightly visible spirit of her former self. Both of them said, at exactly the same time, as they heard the melody being carried over the world:
- "It has begun."
- "S-s-sir Geshtar! W-what brings you here?!", one of them stumbled. All looked frightened, probably because he was thought smashed to bits either by the Mana Heroes or the Beast itself. But he didn't flinch, he frowned and spoke in a loud voice:
- "What's your problem, crawler?! You think you can ASK me what I'm coming back for?!!" He raised his sword and saw the guards flinch. But hitting him would only make him look bad, he realised, so he continued: "You're all lucky I'm tired. Next time, just let me pass through and don't ask me those silly questions... if you want to have another night's sleep..." And, saying the latter, he stepped through the gates and into the castle.
He realised that he would have to pay tribute to the Empress before going back to his old room. Walking to the audience hall, he saw many servants bow to him... like nothing had happened. So he guessed he must have been nice and polite inside the castle. "Could come in handy...", he muttered before stepping towards the throne in which the Empress Algea sat: her flowing black hair reaching all the way to the floor was already filled with little bits of grey, her grey robes nearly bleached white. But she still looked majestic: her eyes looked at him with all their royal grace, her hands were still frail but steady and when she raised herself to greet him, she did so with utter care. Seeing her in all her greatness and might made him fall to his knees and put his sword down.
- "My Empress Algea, your beauty and splendor remain unmatched."
- "Enough of that bowing and brownnosing...", she said with a smile, "Come forth and embrace me, as a friend." He raised himself, put away his sword and stepped towards her, taking her hand and kissing it. He put his hands on her shoulders, but she took them and put them around her waist.
- "Why, Empress..."
- "Don't call me that anymore, Geshtar. I am now Queen Algea of the Green Cities. Gold Isle sank a few weeks ago because of the earthquakes, and I must say I'm glad about that... I've been sitting here almost all that time. Now, show me your compassion and guide me to my rooms." Geshtar was shocked because of her invitation: "Algea, I'm sure it isn't fit for you to invite a man like me to your rooms..." His protests were to no avail: she dragged him along to her rooms. Once inside, she relaxed and took his hand.
- "Geshtar, tell me what is going on. You were defeated by the Mana Knights... I know because they told me themselves! How did you survive?" She smiled when he scratched his left ear. "At least your real self hasn't changed a bit! I know how Thanatos bound you, he did the same to my husband. But enough already, tell me."
Geshtar told her of his savior, her good cares, his stay in the Water Palace, the amnesia and his quest for himself. She quickly guessed the reason for returning to the Empire.
- "Sure, Geshtar, you can enter any of the rooms used by Thanatos' party. And be sure to ask me anything...", she lowered her voice slightly and whispered to him while following the sheath of his sword, "... anything at all..."
Geshtar blushed: somewhere he had always known that Empress Algea was fond of him. But this fond? Had she ever suggested improper behavior? ...Had he ever agreed on that... or participated in it?
- "Well... I better get going. The sooner I finish my quest, the sooner I can return to Luka." He turned around. "Thanks for the offer, but this time I better decline. Sorry if I hurt your feelings, Algea: I have changed." He walked away through the great halls of the Empire, to get to the room where he once had slept, dreamt and hoped.
Slowly, the door opened, revealing a big empty room - or was it? The desk was dusty and the bed ravaged. But his old shirts and trousers were still hanging in the wardrobe, and underneath his pillow was... the diary! He started reading it, and stopped at a small note he had scribbled hastily:
"Today we went hunting. Emperor Vandole ordered me to escort his "charming wife", the Empress Algea. If he'd only know I do more than escorting her..." He blushed: so he didn't have a false impulse when around her - once he must have been yearning for her, like he was yearning for Luka now. He continued to search...
"Thanatos drives me insane! That poor kid Fanha... he has made her summon a Darkness Dragon! That's way too much for a kid like her! She's still unconscious, but sometimes I can feel her agony. Her soul is screaming "Let it stop, Geshtar!", but what can I do? Thanatos has his demon, I'll be killed as soon as I disobey!"
"Why, Fanha has fallen in love with her own conjuration! He's called SIR Sheex nowadays... I don't like him, no matter what his name is - Sheex, Dark Stalker or Aegragropollion! Poor child, she really IS fond of him... Why doesn't she like me instead?"
"He's really done it this time, the goddamn lich he is! Put a spell over me, made me rape and slaughter an innocent girl... He's NUTS, goddammit!!!" The rest of that entry was blurred.
"Awoke somewhere on a cold and dusty floor, somewhere far away. Fanha was there, too. What has happened? I saw some blood-stained armor parts on the floor... Sheex, maybe I never really knew you, but you were so human..."
Geshtar was about to put back the diary when something fell out. It was his key to the room of Fanha. Also, a note fell to his feet. It was a good-bye letter from her.
"Dear Geshtar,
I'm going after him. May the Gods have mercy on my soul, I'm following my heart. Maybe it won't set back the evil done, but it's a part of a greater justice.
Don't follow me... you mean too much to me to follow me mindlessly.
With all my love, Fanha"
He remembered it: he had found the letter, read it, and immediately dressed. He did exactly the opposite of what she asked... and if it hadn't been for the defeat of that vile serpent Thanatos, he would have been dead too. The evil curse was broken, his soul was set free and his heart became filled with good once again. His Elemental Benefit saved his life... just in time. He just wished he could have saved Fanha...
He turned around and walked to her room. The key easily fit in the keyhole, and in a matter of a few seconds to find the right way to turn the thing, he stood in a room that had unmistakenly belonged to his best friend and her lover. The room was very tidy, all of Sheex' stuff were stacked in a closet that was locked. The desk, where she had written dozens of stories, was covered with pens and pencils in all colors and sizes. Was she an artist as well, then? Geshtar picked up one of her drawings: it showed him, armored and ready for battle. He held his sword menacingly and his mantle flowed around him like a cloud around a high mountain peak. The next drawing depicted Thanatos, dying because of the Mana Sword. Hopper held it high, it shone brightly - even when covered with the blood of the most evil creature ever. Beside Hopper, Nasha - in tears for her lost lover - and Stine - his hand against his forehead, as if he suffered from extreme migraine. On the back of that one was a note:
"Thanatos was slain by Hopper, the Mana Knight. The Sword shines when justice is done, it has defeated evil and sings in harmony with the wings of the Mana Beast. Nasha's lover, Dyluck, was killed because Thanatos possessed him. And Stine, Most Courageous of all Sprites, lost his solid form because Mana disappeared." He shuddered as it hit him that Fanha couldn't have seen and known that: she had died a while before those events... or had she?
- "I can understand your disbelief, Geshtar. But indeed, I drew this... in my current form." Geshtar heard it, a faint whispering coming from behind him. He turned around, and indeed, there she was: a spirit floating in mid-air, her shape undoubtedly hers.
- "Fanha, how come...?"
- "Ssssh, Geshtar, it's a long story... But first I've got to disappoint you: I'm fading away. I'm still here because I have been chosen to tell the world, the future, to be careful for Thanatos' evil. One day, he will rise again... and then, he will be aided by those of TRUE evil nature! Take the drawings with you... remember me as I once was and like I am now: always truly a spirit of good."
- "Wait, Fanha, tell me: why are you fading?"
- "I can remain here because Mana is still weak... but it's rising rapidly and I won't be around for too long... Understand, Geshtar, that one day... one day, we'll be together again - as friends. Yes, Geshtar, I know what you have felt for me all those wasted years... and I did feel the same once, but now it has changed. You have Luka, I have Sheex. But we'll always have each other. We are one soul split in half and joined by fate... but never to be reunited." She dissipated, leaving him behind in the empty, hollow room.
Geshtar didn't remember how he got outside. The next thing he knew, he was standing outside crying his eyes out. The drum already in his hand, Flammie landed next to him.
- "Rrrreeeeh... Isss your research here dooooone already?! You're cryinnnnnng! What has happened?" Her purple eyes gazed at him, mildly amused.
- "I... I met my twin soul, that's all... Tell me: why does Mana keep some alive and kills the others?"
- "Gessssshtar! I cannot tell you that!" Suddenly, Flammie was shocked. Her eyes became burgundy, her feathers brushed into each other to accentuate her anger: it made the horribly loud sound of a raging river. "You young hot-heeeead! I will never be able to tell you that!"
- "S-sorry... Can we go now? I want to go to the Desert, just drop me off somewhere near Kakkara."
He reached the desert city at high noon, covered with sweat and dust. They had flown all night to reach the desert (somewhere, Flammie had lost her sense of direction and had to be guided by Geshtar), and she had landed in the middle of the desert, leaving him to search for the city in the early morning sun. But now, finally, he had reached it! His tired eyes looked around to find an inn somewhere.
- "Oh, dear! Poor man, let me help you!" A voice that sounded so familiar... He turned around: it was Seyma, his savior. Lucky I've assumed my disguise again, he thought. "Come with me, sir. I can offer you a nice cool bath, a decent meal and a good night's sleep. My name is Seyma, I serve Salamando in the Fire Temple." She smiled and took him to a small house in the shadow. Inside, she asked him which Element he served, and what brought him in the desert.
- "I am Flamin, I serve Undine, the Element of Water. Luka, her caretaker, has sent me out to find out about the Imperial bodyguards Sheex, Fanha, Thanatos and Geshtar. She appears to be really fond of him..."
- "HOW COULD SHE DO THAT?!" Seyma had yelled it, and it was filled with hate and despise. "Geshtar of the Empire is an evil, evil man!!"
- "Oh, she thinks he isn't. I don't know whether she's right or the rest of the world is. I have journeyed around before..." He saw her gazing towards an invisible object on the cupboard, so he quickly added: "Luka sent me here to investigate his past. He's dead now, I suppose..."
- "No, he isn't... He has survived because he was a..."
- "...Servant of Undine, yes I know. She has told me when he had attacked the Water Palace. Hopper first met him there, and she burst into sobs right after the Heroes had left... She gave me my first mission there: follow Geshtar, record his acts of terror, and report all that to her." He gazed at her, admiring the dark shade of blue her eyes. "How about that bath, dear lady?"
- "Don't call me that, but call me Seyma." She smiled slightly after having seen the expression of amazement in his eyes. "It's a long story, I'll tell you tomorrow..."
She showed him a small room where a bath was placed, surrounded by shelves: soap, towels, clothes, herbs, boxes and a single bucket were placed on them. The water was especially cool in the hot climate. As he took off his clothing and slipped into the water, he sighed of relief: the burden of the last few days seemed to be lifted off his shoulders and put far, far away. The soap he had picked, smelled like the rare desert lilies. The scent made him very dreamily, images came flooding into his head. Images of his childhood: his pet dog, Myst; his mother and father; one of his sisters, Maysel, handing him some berries (he faintly remembered him being very sick by eating them... She died two days before he was fully recovered: the amount of berry poison in her body was three times the lethal dose.); his other two sisters, Eysha and Lyven, taking care of him when his parents were out for business. But he had the feeling a shadow was lying over his past. He couldn't figure out what it was, until he remembered he had copied all of his family's charts. There would lie the answer... there, in his sisters' files, would lie the words that held the key to his darkest memories...
He rinsed off the soap and came out of the water reluctantly, taking a greenish towel and drying himself. When he dried his left foot, it came to him that the fabric was soft... much more soft than he was used to. Faint memories of icy water, rough linen towels, snow and crying... The dark secret... The dark side... He whinced, then dried his other foot and got dressed. In the meantime, Seyma had prepared him a good and healthy meal: he ate it all, with a few glasses of the best wine he'd ever tasted. Then, she showed him to a small room which held a bed and a small cupboard.
- "There's a long shirt in there, so you don't sweat too much. Goodnight!"
- "Goodnight, Seyma! ...Say, why are you doing this? I'm a mere Servant of Undine!"
- "That's why I do it." She smiled, revealing a perfectly symmetrical smile that was heart-warming. "We Elemental Servants must stand up for ourselves in this world. We are gravely underestimated!" Her eyes darkened. "You just go to sleep now, I'll take care of the rest. Goodnight, Flamin!"
The next day, he awoke of soft sunlight falling through the window, and he was immediately out of bed. His clothing felt amazingly cool, and he picked up a soft flowery scent as he put them back on. Seyma had left him a note, saying she had gone for her service in the Fire Palace: he then had a small but nutricious breakfast and went there too.
The desert was remarkingly hot, even in the early morning. He stepped to the imposing castle, surrounded by a few lava pits and quicksand. Inside, a man came towards him.
- "Sir, do you wish an audience with Salamando?" He nodded, and the man blindfolded him. "Follow me please, sir." He was lead through a network of tunnels, past lava-pits, over crevasses and into the very heart of the Palace. The man took off his blindfold and pushed open the door to the Seed Chamber.
As Geshtar walked in, his disguise dropped: the Mana Seed penetrated his disguise and showed his true self. In front of the pedestal stood Salamando.
- "Welcome Geshtar. I knew you would come to see me one day. Your disguise has dropped here... I assume you know why?" He smiled.
- "Yes. After all, I've spent most of my life serving Undine... I come for answers."
- "Depending on which questions, I will answer them." The fiery Elemental floated - no, burned - to him.
- "First of all, what was my task while serving the Empire?"
- "You were the army lieutenant. Thanatos had lieutenants for everything: army, demons and Mana. You led the Imperial army after Vandole's generals all were killed. Sheex, being a demon himself, led the demonic hordes. And Fanha, gaining the necessary information from your mind, was responsible for breaking the seals on the Mana Seeds. You were kept loyal with spells, cast on you by both Fanha and Thanatos. It broke your heart to know Fanha, your best friend, liked some one better than you, but what really hurt you was that he was a demon: Sheex." He raised his staff. "More questions?"
- "Yes. Why did Thanatos need the help of Phanna, that innocent girl from Pandoria?"
- "Hmmm... Phanna possessed the most life force on the planet! Demons don't have that, humans have it the strongest. Her blood lineage had very strong life force, even for humans!" The flaming salamander paused. "She had the lowest resistance, could easily be caught with false promises... just like you..."
- "Hmph! I was weak because I drank!" Geshtar felt low and degraded by the Fire Elemental in front of him. "What was that girl's weakness then?"
- "Her weakness was love: she had fallen in love with Dyluck and felt secret jealousy when he preferred Nasha over her. His attention went directly towards her, and Phanna became bitter within... Then, when Thanatos promised her he'd give Dyluck to her, he kept his word... knowing Nasha would hear from it and disrupt her - spellbound - happiness. And, well, the rest is history: by slapping Phanna in the face, Nasha broke the spell and saved her best friend. Dyluck was far too sensitive to Thanatos' wizardry, he could only be saved by Nasha's love... with the additional help from a spearpoint or two by Hopper... More questions?"
- "Uhh, only one... Tell me, can you summon Sheex?"
- "NO!" Salamando's fire grew and became white, by fear. "NO, NEVER AGAIN! Once, Geshtar, an Aegragropollion was set loose on the face of the Earth. That one time was one too many. Demons like Sheex are nothing to toy with!"
He turned around, to see someone come through the door... Seyma! She saw him and was shocked until deep in her soul.
- "Geshtar!! You... you FIEND!!" The sound of metal scraping metal as she drew a small dagger. "I'd rather kill you than have you harm Salamando!"
- "Seyma!" Salamando's voice was harsh and reprimanding. "Go back there and wait until we are finished. He isn't evil anymore, if that's what has been bothering you... Go now before I relieve you of your services!" Seyma turned white as chalk, then bowed icily in front of Geshtar and went back where she came from. "Poor girl, she's still too young to serve me... but I need a caretaker until Mana is fully restored. It won't take long anymore... not too long... Well, do you still have questions? No? Then go, to where you have to go next. I bid you farewell, Geshtar, and hope that you will find your answers soon."
Geshtar assumed his disguise again, struggling against the Mana Powers in the room. As he was guided outside the palace, he thought about Seyma's reaction to him. His thoughts of friendship hadn't changed: she was still a sweet girl to him, but he... He didn't think she liked him anymore... He turned around, facing the Palace, and walked away, tears running down his cheeks for losing a good friend. And inside the Palace, Seyma too cried: he wasn't the man she thought he was. That felt bitter in her heart, and she tasted that bitterness all the better now she had seen him again. He had assumed the disguise of a servant of Undine... Luka had to be warned! If he had given her a false name and pretended to be someone else, then surely Luka wouldn't like that!! She went to her house, faintly noticing a large white dragon flying over the desert. She'd go to Luka, and tell her what Geshtar had told her. She'd foil his plans, although she didn't know them... She'd foil them, foil them good...
- "Rrrrrrrrraaaaaii, Geshtar... Al that flying around has made me verrrrry tired. Only to the Tree Palace and back to the Water Palace, prrrromise me!" The white dragon whispered. Strange, have her wings turned green? Geshtar wondered.
- "Allright, girl, I promise. Please, take me there. I'll guide you, unless your sight is fully restored..." He looked at her purple eyes, which were slightly burgundy at that moment.
- "Nnnnoooo, I'll need your guidanccce... Please, get onto my back, Gessssshtar." He climbed onto her back, and petted her soft downy neck feathers as she lifted her majestic body off the hot desert soil. They flew towards the small coral island, where the Tree Palace stood. Flammie's wings beated in a melodic way...
... and far away, Stine's spirit floated next to Fanha's. Stine was faintly colored, and clearly visible; Fanha was no more than a slightly visible spirit of her former self. Both of them said, at exactly the same time, as they heard the melody being carried over the world:
- "It has begun."