Riding Flammie, Hawk, Riesz and a reluctant and apprehensive Heath sped towards the Island of Oblivion, hoping to reopen the Gate to the Mana Holyland. But when they caught sight of the Mana Stone rising from the water with Carlie standing on it, they decided to change course.
"Carlie!" Heath yelled. "Stop!"
The small figure looked up, and a wave of pure power sent Flammie scrambling to regain airspace.
Before the party appeared the Mana Goddess. Instead of the clear image like the current Goddess, this one was gray and smoky, her hair a dull black and her form resembling that of a fleeting shadow.
"Go back," she said. "She will end the suffering on this plane."
"Doesn't this sound so cliched?" Hawk muttered. "Dead spirits convince promising but innocent girl to destroy the world so she can save it?"
"Even in mortal danger you still jest?" asked the Goddess.
"Okay, that was bad," Hawk shuddered.
"Who cares," growled the Dragon Master, standing on Flammie's head. "Let's go stop her."
"Stop them!" the Goddess yelled as the party leapt off Flammie and landed on the floating stone.
The three of them ran towards the centre of the Mana Stone, where Carlie was standing. But before they could reach her, three forms blocked their way.
The first one was a large white wildcat. She had cold blue eyes, a matching ribbon around her neck and steel claws that looked as though they could gouge the Mana Stone. Bigieu hissed and snarled, showing them more than a mouthful of razor ivory teeth as she snapped her long tail on the floor.
The second one was the Wizard of the Red Lotus, complete with his swirling red cape. He appeared to glow in the setting sun, his eyes blazing as a thin ring of fire encircled him.
The third one was a giant serpent. He was a jade green dragon that looked long enough to wrap around the wide end of the Mana Stone and still be able to fight. Through Jorgmungand's towering body the party could see the glitter of claws, ready to fight.
"Guess I'm after the dragon," Riesz said.
"Then I want Bigieu," hissed Hawk.
"I'll take care of Koren," Heath assured.
The two lines charged and clashed.
"Carlie!" Heath yelled. "Stop!"
The small figure looked up, and a wave of pure power sent Flammie scrambling to regain airspace.
Before the party appeared the Mana Goddess. Instead of the clear image like the current Goddess, this one was gray and smoky, her hair a dull black and her form resembling that of a fleeting shadow.
"Go back," she said. "She will end the suffering on this plane."
"Doesn't this sound so cliched?" Hawk muttered. "Dead spirits convince promising but innocent girl to destroy the world so she can save it?"
"Even in mortal danger you still jest?" asked the Goddess.
"Okay, that was bad," Hawk shuddered.
"Who cares," growled the Dragon Master, standing on Flammie's head. "Let's go stop her."
"Stop them!" the Goddess yelled as the party leapt off Flammie and landed on the floating stone.
The three of them ran towards the centre of the Mana Stone, where Carlie was standing. But before they could reach her, three forms blocked their way.
The first one was a large white wildcat. She had cold blue eyes, a matching ribbon around her neck and steel claws that looked as though they could gouge the Mana Stone. Bigieu hissed and snarled, showing them more than a mouthful of razor ivory teeth as she snapped her long tail on the floor.
The second one was the Wizard of the Red Lotus, complete with his swirling red cape. He appeared to glow in the setting sun, his eyes blazing as a thin ring of fire encircled him.
The third one was a giant serpent. He was a jade green dragon that looked long enough to wrap around the wide end of the Mana Stone and still be able to fight. Through Jorgmungand's towering body the party could see the glitter of claws, ready to fight.
"Guess I'm after the dragon," Riesz said.
"Then I want Bigieu," hissed Hawk.
"I'll take care of Koren," Heath assured.
The two lines charged and clashed.