The War of The Souls
Author's Notes: OO!!! I'm more popular than I thought! There's more reviews for Veil of Darkness than The Awakening and Legend of Nidogod *combined*! And, it's not even finished yet! Since you peeps like it so much, I'm planning a sequel, which is probably good news for all of you. I'm also not going to kill off Freya, for she now has a bigger role and more background. ^^
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I'm not waiting for a fortune teller,
I feel my wish will come true.
I've never thought ahead with my luck,
Is it my treasure? Tell me what I've really looked for...
---Fly In The Freedom-----
Rayman stood poised at the entrance of the Cave of Bad Dreams, his hands curled into lethal fists. He had sensed Freya and Bad-Rayman's presence long before the two Commanders suspected anything. They had underestimated him and now they were going to pay dearly for their mistake. Sssam was a bit confused at the way his friend was acting but he played along as if he was as focused as his friend, staring blankly out into the marshes in the direction that Rayman was focused on like he saw the intruders too. They were acting like Freya and Bad-Rayman had the drop on them, but then they will strike out while the two were recovering from their surprise attack. "I know those two..." a quiet hiss rang from behind the two watchful friends. Rayman turned his head in surprise and saw that both Rex Skyler and Donnia Starhunter had risen from their sleep. They looking like scarecrows in their ripped clothing but had the spirit of great warriors glowing in their eyes as they too scanned the marshes. "They're Freya and Agent B.R., two of Morphina's finest. They have short tempers, but they track like predators. They were the ones that captured us in the first place." Rex replied softly. Rayman gave the two a look that said 'shouldn't you two be resting', but he quickly shook it away. He cletched his teeth.
"I know this sounds strange to all of you, but the cloaked one seems familiar in some way, like I bumped into him at one point of my life but quickly brushed it off with the coming events." All three of Rayman's friends seemed confused. Rayman still stood rigid, his hidden rage building ever so slowly from within. "Both of them have magic powers, but one of the Commanders has powers that remind me of myself, in some obsure way. Anyone with magic powers has sort of a sixth sense that feels the pulse of magic power in someone else if they're close enough. That's how I can tell." Donnia Starhunter shrugged at this comment. Her sword was ready for use at her side.
"Agent B.R. never takes off that cloak so he could be related to you in some way..." Donnia didn't know how right she was; she hit the truth right on the head. Seeing this as a perfect opportunity for an attack, Freya and Bad-Rayman sprang from the underbrush like leopards and landed just a few feet from the company of four, trying to make themselves look alot more threatening than they really were. Rayman, Skyler, and Starhunter strangely didn't seemed surprised, but Sssam jumped back for he didn't notice them before. The two Commanders were disappointed that their entrance didn't have any elements of surprise but they still felt like they accomplished something.
"Rayman, it's been a while." Bad-Rayman hissed. The party guarding the entrance, including Sssam, gave each other confused glances. The Commander smirked underneath the cloak's hood. "Surprised? I thought so, seeing as you left me to die after you defeated me in Candy Cateau those years ago..." The truth began to dawn on Rayman. Magic electricity surged around his fingertips as he realized why the Commander was so familiar to him and his magic pulse was almost exactly like his. "No...You can't be him...." Rayman stammered. He couldn't believe the Mr. Dark's infleuence was still alive. "I know, I couldn't believe it a little while ago either." Freya added rather dully to Rayman's comment. With a single dramatic sweep of his hand, Bad-Rayman removed his cloak and flung it carelessly away. Everyone gasped in surprise; everyone assumed that Rayman's stories were just fantasies to spread at the campfire. He raised his left fist at eye-level, watching the dark magic that resembled Rayman's sparkle off his fingers.
"I've waited too long for this moment. This ends now, Rayman!" Bad-Rayman exclaimed, as a symbol of a challenge. Rayman rushed forword, meeting the challenge, but he wasn't alone in this battle. Along with him, Donnia Starhunter and Rex Skyler joined in, along with Freya joining in on the other's side. Sssam could only watch, helpless and without weapons against the battle of good and evil. Instead, he stood as unnoticeable at possible near the entrance, praying to Polokus that Rayman didn't lose. The fight was evenly matched. While Rayman had more recruits on his side, his counterpart had a wolf-furry with powerful rune magic and more experience in killing things. There was no way in knowing which side would win until one of them fell.
"Please, Ivy! Finisssh your training soon, or else Rayman might not have a chance!" Sssam whispered to himself. The battle officially started with a mach-speed fist fight against Rayman and Bad-Rayman, and a wizard's duel against Freya and the two mages. Rayman and his counterpart both dodged and attacked their enemy with the skill of master warriors, each one attacking in complex patterns that were blocked off by the other's speedy sidesteps and movements. Their battle was a contest of both skill and stamina, each one waiting for the other to let their guard down. Freya, on the other hand, was too busy casting rune magic on the two human mages to even notice her partner's side of the battle. Rex and Donnia were both casting their most powerful magic against her, which was blocked off with counteracting spells. All in all, both fights were complex versions of Pong.
As the battle of the two Raymans and the three spell casters wore on for about another twenty minutes of constant beating, the battle was beginning to see a change in the pattern. Freya had blocked all of her oppenents' attacks with her rune magic, but soon her magic power was wearing thin from overuse. Desperately, she had already ordered her pack of zombie chickens to keep Donnia occupied as she attacked Rex on an one-on-one match. Freya thought that if she knocked out one of her enemies, the other one would be easier to fell. As Donnia hacked away at mindless creatures with a thirst for blood, Rex had to fight against Freya by himself. "This is for all the creatures you killed, you nasty wolf!" Rex Skyler shouted to Freya, hoping that he could make short work of her. His fingers pulsated with burning red fire. "I, demon of Shadows, call upon the power of my ancestors, so I may defeat my enemies...R-E-D...B-L-AST!"
A wall of scalding orange flames leaped towards Freya, but she sidestepped rather easily by rolling to the side. Only the tip of her tail caught the fire's blaze, but despite the burning pain she felt from the attack, she managed to keep her voice straight as she shouted to Rex. "Hah! Is that the best you can do, boy? You did the same trick when we caught you six months ago!" She got off from the ground and traced a rune in the air. She planned on finishing this kid once and for all. "Say goodbye to the living world, pretty boy!" Unfortunately, Freya had made an awful mistake when she forgot about Donnia. Crying like a madman, Donnia sprang from out of the crowd of zombie chickens, sword raised high above her head. Before the wolf- furry knew it, Donnia swiftly dug the tip of her sword deep into Freya's right shoulder-blade, leaving a deep gash of shining crimson. Freya howled loudly in pain.
As Rayman and Bad-Rayman traded punches and sidesteps, it was Freya's cry of anguish that was enough to make Rayman's evil counterpart let his guard down by turning his head to where Freya had called. Instantly, Rayman took this distraction as a chance of a lifetime, and hit his foe with a well- placed energy uppercut. The counterpart fell a good six feet away on his left side onto the muddy ground of the marshland. Instantly, the battle was officially over. Bad-Rayman got up and brushed the swamp dirt from himself. "Thanks alot, Freya. You made me let my guard down..." he grumbled to himself. He reached for his trusty hunting knife to press against Rayman's stomach and be finished with his bad omen once and for all. But, when he reached for his knife hilt, the knife that he usually kept at his side was gone. Oh no, he thought, Rayman must've caused me to drop it! Cursing to himself, he hoped that the worst didn't happen. Suddenly, the worst thing that could ever happen to a Commander happened to him for then he saw his enemy's friends pressing his killing weapon against his partner's throat.
"Alright, Bad-Rayman. We'll do this the easy way or the messy way. If you even try to attack us in any possible way, your friend will have a new mouth to talk through." Donnia stated. Rex Skyler had Freya pinned to the ground by sitting on top of her, leaning on her bad shoulder to add to the pain. Donnia had the point of Bad-Rayman's hunting knife right underneath Freya's chin. Freya whimpered as she felt the cold iron against her throat. What had happened was that Sssam saw from his hiding place that Bad-Rayman had a hilt with a dangerous hunting knife just waiting to be used. He had informed Rayman that, if given the chance, he could knock the knife out of his hilt and use it to end this dispute once and for all.
"You've just reached an all-time low, Rayman. I expected you to be alot more civilized than to use some human mages and a snake to threaten me." he commented. Donnia instantly shot his comment down with a comeback. "You're the last person I'd expect to do something civilized, seeing as you trashed our hometown with a whole horde of ogres, serpents, and zombie chickens. In my eyes, this skinny little fleabag deserves to be skinned alive." Freya didn't even bother to struggle; her bad shoulder, the weight of Rex on her, and the sharp knife against her throat probiting her movement. Instead, she waited to see how her partner was going to agree with them. "Okay. I'll go along with your little request, as long as I get Freya in one piece." the disgruntled Commander replied dryly. Rayman and his friends seemed to be expecting this kind of reaction. Rayman answered immediately. "I want you to tell me what you know about Morphina, and don't skimp on the details either. I want everything, including her battle formations, strategies, and any secret information."
"You've just wasted a request, Rayman. Even I don't know everything about Morphina's plans; she keeps to herself most of the time. However, since you want to know what I happen to know, I'll tell you this. Once Morphina strikes this marsh, the War of the Souls will wipe out everything in its path, including Freya and me. If Morphina finds out that we were playing stool pidgeon, she'll probably dispose of us before she even lays a finger on Jano; traitors are her most hated things in the world. You see, we have a better chance of surviving in an active volcano than surviving the wrath of Morphina. To get back to business, Morphina mentioned something about using a fairy creature to lead the entire army into the marshes; someone who knows the world like the back of their hand and would know all the shortcuts."
"Ly!" Rayman blurted out. The Commander looked over to where he shouted. "I don't know her name, but she could be Ly. As I was saying, this fairy will lead the army into the marshes. Morphina will probably take the rear in the form of either an inconspicious horde-member or something enormous like a Chinese Dragon; best to keep your eye out for both cases. Either way, she'll attack the Entrance to the Cave of Bad Dreams first. If she manages to destroy the Cave's lock, which happens to be Jano, every ghoul and demon imaginable will be released into the world and we'll be facing an eternity of shadow, mind-control, and hellfire." As he explained, the friends listened intently. They were now gazing at him with frightened expressions. Even Freya ceased her soft whining, and her zombie chickens stopped any movement.
"You probably will have a chance of saving your neck from Morphina's wrath if you help us defeat this menace." Rex said softly. He was no longer leaning on Freya's bad arm, but instead just keeping her from moving. Freya's partner shook his head; he was fingering his empty hilt. "Your offer is true to its words, but I think no one can stand up to Morphina if she's feared by the strongest beings in the universe. The zombie-tamers are dead; what with Davis enslaved, Pierce dead, and Rosemary cursed. Sure, the girl Morphina was talking about is still able to fight, but can one person possibly do?"
To everyone's surprise, Freya answered his question. "One person can save a world from being enslaved by a pirate ship full of robot pirates. A single person can travel into the many regions of the world, gathering the four Masks of Polokus, breaking the cages of enslaved personal, and collecting the shattered pieces of the Heart of the World together to restore peace. A person can do anything, as long as they have hope, friendship, and a little luck on their side." Rex, sensing that she wasn't going to do any harm, got off from her. Freya rose to her feet and rubbed her sore throat. She soon continued her answer. "I don't care about Morphina's horde anymore. In fact, being a Commander in her army no longer seems glamorous, if she intends to enslave us all." With a quick sweep, Freya tore off the forest- green cloak she wore and flung it to the ground, revealing that she wore a light brown tunic underneath. She looked at her partner, who was shocked to see the normally-hyper wolf act like this.
"If your words are true, then Morphina will smite us like we were nothing more than diseased rats. But, if you were also true about the War of the Souls and how they will wipe everything out in this marsh, then at least we can make our final stand important. Which is better; dying because your enemies stole some unvaluable information, or dying because you weren't afraid to stand for what you believed in!" Everyone seemed stunned that Freya, a cutthroat from Morphina's horde, had the words of a wise man. Now, she turned her discussion to her partner. "Bad-Rayman, forget about revenge, forget about your hatred against Rayman, forget about the two battles you lost, forget about your rank in Morphina's eyes, forget about everything that made your life miserable! If we help Rayman and the last zombie-tamer, then our reputations will change. We will no longer have to hide in the shadows under the hood of a cloak, and we will no longer have to slit somebody's throat to obtain food. Now, we can have a good cause for once. What do you say, Bad-Rayman?"
It didn't take him long to answer. He gave Freya a sly smile, which meant he was impressed to see that a whiny hound like her had turned into a swift thinker in the course of the day. Or, was she just hiding her intelligence like he hid his identity? "You never cease to amaze me, Freya and once again you're right. If we're going to die tomorrow morning, then at least our death will be worthwhile if we sided with Rayman." All the while, Rayman and his friends were listening to the whole conversation. Sssam was to first to question the two Commanders' side switch. "Why should we trust you two? What'sss going to ssstop you from inserting that hunting knife of yours into our backs while we're sleeping and make a fortune off our bodies?"
"If we intended to harm you, swamp snake, then what's stopping us from doing so right now? I could've continued the fight easily, and Freya could've broke the necks of those two mages, but we decided that we just don't care about being cutthroats anymore. You can trust us now." With those words, the two ex-Commanders held out their hands in a form of friendship, alot like what Ivy did when Rayman beat her up alot eariler today. Rayman was hesitant of siding with one of his old enemies, but soon he shook hands with both Commanders. As unexpected as the whole fight had started, it ended with a new friendship and some new allies to help out against Morphina. But, if Bad-Rayman's words were really speaking the truth, Rayman, Ivy, and all of their friends might need as much help as they can get.
Luckily for them, four new beacons of hope were racing through the swamps at top speed....
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Monsters, demons, slaves, and Commanders of every species and nightmare imaginable marched out of the fortress tree in straight rows, each one steered by a handful of Morphina's most trusted cutthroats. The Bayou was filled with both the mindless roars of the mind-controlled monsters and shouts of approval and order by the leaders. Each creature, no matter how unimportant, was each handed some kind of armor for defense. Ogres had suits of armor, snakes of every shape and size had plates of steel running down their backs, humans and human-like furries wore chain mail, and flying animals wore lightweight plates of metal on their chests. Everywhere, creatures that flew, floated, walked, slithered, swam, crawled, and climbed awaited the orders of one creature and one creature only; Morphina.
At the front of the whole crowd of battle-ready monsters and leaders, Ly the fairy creature stood, surveying the scene like she expected this to happen. Her silky-smooth purple hair was tangled behind her, but she didn't pay attention to her looks since she was first appointed to the front of the legion. Peace and laughter no longer filled her eyes, but instead they glowed unnaturally with hate and blankness. No doubt that Morphina used her mind-controlling powers on Ly, but she didn't force Ly to obey her every command. Instead, her commands were more loose; "Lead the army and destroy anything that gets in your way when the time comes. Feel the demon fire control your every movement, Ly." Morphina had instructed her. Next to her, Pondscum and his human partner, who had both given up chasing Davis and his new friends an hour ago, stood waiting for their punishment from Morphina.
"You have done well, Ly. Everyone in my army is ready just like I expected." Morphina's silvery voice ran out from above. A golden eagle landed in front of Ly and instantly shapeshifted into the human form of Morphina. Pondscum and his human partner suddenly tried to make themselves invisible, but Morphina noticed them instantly. "I'll take care of you two failures later, but first I need everything in my army to go according to plan. You'll take the rear of my legion for now, but when this little war is over, expect your free will to be under my control." She motioned to the large army that lay in front of them. "These creatures are commanded to attack before the first rays of light. However, our enemies won't see the light of day once we strike. My Veil of Darkness will cloak my army with shadows."
"What about the boy, the frog, and the two teensies? The least you could do is..." Ly trailed off under the unhumanlike glare of Morphina that said 'don't-mention-the-fish-that-got-away-or-you'll-regret-it'. Ly quickly changed the subject. "What is the Veil of Darkness? You keep mentioning it to me. Is it important to you?" To Ly's surprise, she heard Morphina chuckle softly at her question. "The Veil of Darkness is the main reason why the most powerful beings on this forsaken planet fear me. No light can penetrate it. It makes even the bravest adventurer tremble under the blanket of darkness. It is under my Veil that I deliver my final blow to my most hated enemies."
As Morphina stood next to the soulless Ly, she couldn't help but to add on to her statement. "Ivy and Jano don't stand a chance..."
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Davis, with his three new friends, was miserable beyond belief. His pants legs were soaked through with dirt, grime and swamp water, sending cold chills up his spine. His clothes stuck to his back thanks to the strong humidity that the swamp possessed even after the sun had set long ago. Bugs buzzed in a thick cloud around his face, but he couldn't be bothered to swat them away as they nipped at his cheeks. Life seemed to drag on at a slow pace now that they were trudging in the muds of swamp lands he didn't recognize. Luckily, Globox knew where he was going; Davis and the Teensies relying purely on him to the path to the Cave of Bad Dreams. Davis was impressed to see that the Teensies didn't seem phased by the swamp's harsh conditions after dark; they probably had great stamina considering their size.
"Globox, we've been walking for hours! Where's the Cave of Bad Dreams?" complained a Teensie who was trudging beside Davis. Davis sighed inwardly in relief; he didn't want to be the first to complain to Globox. Davis could see that the swamp did a number on their clothes also; the brightly colored robes now worn down into colorful rags that looked like beggar's clothes. The Teensie's complaint broke the hour-long silence that had followed them like the short pursuit of Pondscum, but Globox didn't seem to mind. "We walk just a little further, then we be there!" It bothered Davis that Globox answered so vaguely, but that couldn't be helped really. He let his thoughts wander as they trudged onward on through the mud. Soon, the group led themselves onto solid ground again. As Davis wrung out his pants legs, Globox spotted something.
"Globox see campfire. Rayman must be there!" Davis felt his hope return as he too saw a bright red light in the distance. If they hurried, they could get there in under five minutes. The Teensies felt uneasy. "Why would Rayman set up camp in the middle of this gloomy land?" A Teensie asked supiciously. Davis immediately knew the answer. He quickly answered to whoever spoke up, seeing as both Teensies looked identical and he didn't catch the names of either one. "Morphina *did* say that Rayman would most likely cross paths with Ivy. Maybe they've set camp to rest for the night." As the group approached closer, another Teensie spoke up. "Don't they know about the attack tomorrow morning?" Davis shrugged. "If they don't, we'll be their messagers. Come'on!"
Davis quickly appointed himself as the new leader, and soon the group tiptoed through the underbrush to the campsite. It turned out that after the two ex-Commanders became Rayman's friends, they informed the group that if they were to stand a chance, they needed to rest for the night under vigil watch. As the others rested in a circle around the campfire, one would look out for the first signs of attack. Even though Donnia and Rex seemed skeptical about lighting a fire, Freya and Bad-Rayman told them that Morphina already knew the direction of the Cave of Bad Dreams and would attack there first thing, campfire or no campfire. Besides, no one intended to stay up for the rest of the night. Donnia and Rex both slept close to each other, resting their heads on a log and feet next to the campfire. Rayman and Sssam were currently sleeping; Sssam curled in a neat little bundle of purple next to Rayman's feet. Even Freya slept peacefully, her shoulder cushioned by herbs and bandages in apology from Donnia. The current nightwatch was Bad-Rayman; he felt that he didn't need as much rest as the others.
Davis felt extremely confused and upset to see Freya, the very person who kidnapped him and gagged him eariler, sleeping peacefully in the same campsite as Rayman. His hands cletched into angry little fists; if Freya was there, what would become of Ivy and Rayman? He had to find out. Without warning, Davis stomped into the campsite, his friends following him gingerly. Bad move for Davis; instantly an uncloaked Bad-Rayman sprung from the shadows, knife in hand. "It's you! What in Polokus's name are you doing here?" Davis set up a harsh tone. "I should say the same thing, Agent B.R.! You have no right to be here! If Ivy finds out..." The group of three behind him already seemed confused at this quick meeting. "Ivy? Agent B.R.? I think you skipped some details, Davis." Already, some of the campers awoke from their sleep. Freya, Rayman, and Rex were already awake. Rayman had to end this now.
"Stop it, you two! Gutting each other isn't going to solve anything!" Rayman literally threw himself in front of the two rivaling friends. Davis was surprised to see Rayman defend the same person who had recently killed his father eariler, but he didn't dare to argue against the powerful being. Just then, Rayman noticed that Globox and some Teensies were with Davis. At the sight of one another, Rayman and Globox both hugged each other warmly as a sign of their friendship. "Globox, what happened to all of you? It looks like you were involved with the pain-in-the-neck Morphina too." Rayman questioned. "Globox and Ly heard that Rayman exploring swamp. We followed, but instantly we captured by monsters! Ly was dragged away without a struggle, but Ly also gave Globox Silver Lum! "Give to Rayman!" Ly says. Globox put up big fight!"
Globox explained. The Teensies then finished. "After Globox was captured, we were next. The capturers of Globox obviously found two beings of powerful magic tempting, so they imprisoned us as well. After tracking through ravines and forests, we ended up at the bowels of the Bayou, where Morphina currently resides. She seemed impressed with us, but she really wanted Globox's Silver Lum. He throws the Silver Lum and it hits Davis here, somehow breaking the soul-bondage Morphina once had on him. We ran for our lives and here we are right now." Freya, who was listening the whole time, commented on their experiences. "It seems that Morphina crossed paths with everyone present here."
"That's why we should keep on our toes, Freya. If Morphina has half the mind-reading power that Jano possesses, there's no telling what she already knows about us." Rex added. Davis was overjoyed to see a human mage on the same side as Rayman, but no sign of Ivy discouraged him. "Where is Ivy, Rayman?" Davis asked Rayman. He answered by pointing towards the Cave of Bad Dreams. "She's in there, completing the final stages of her training. Jano's pushing her hard, considering what little time we have left. If we're lucky, she's just about finished." At those words, Davis quickly chose a spot near the campfire to wait for Ivy. As much as he was insisted to rest up, he wanted to see his sister before the War.
It may be the last time he ever sees his sister again.
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Ivy was thrilled, but tired beyond belief as Jano led her out of the Cave of Bad Dreams. Her clothes, although still remained mostly intact, were soaked with sweat and torn at the sleeves where monsters nipped at her. Her vibrant red hair fell around her shoulders like a red veil, which she shook off with one toss of her head. Her hands were cramping from overexercising her powers, but it was a good kind of hurt. Walking like a zombie, Ivy followed the Guardian through the Cave of Bad Dreams until they went through the portal and ended up at the entrance. Ivy blinked, surprised to see that night had fallen a long time ago and that a campfire was set up nearby. She was about to ask Jano about why Rayman had set up camp, but he already answered before her words took form thanks to his focused mind- reading.
"Rayman must know that Morphina will attack this place sooner than we expected, which is why I rushed our little training. It seems that night had fallen many hours ago; which means that your training indeed made sense of time. Normally, it would've taken us two days to learn all the right moves but you learn very quickly for a girl your age." Ivy merely nodded ominously at this comment and said nothing. Soon, they were out of the entrance and were on the large root that led into the Cave of Bad Dreams. She saw that not only Rayman and Sssam had set up camp, but also alot more people that Ivy didn't know yet. As soon as she entered into the ring of people, a very familiar face ran up to greet her.
"Ivy!" Davis ran up to her and gave her a big hug, even though they saw each other just this morning. Ivy returned the hug, but she was shocked to see her brother, a non-believer of demons and magic, resting near a campfire with Rayman. "Davis! How'd you get here?" Ivy asked. Davis's mood wasn't killed by her question. "It's a long story Ivy, but it can wait. First, I must warn you that Morphina is going to attack the Cave of Bad Dreams at the first light of day! If we aren't prepared, we'll be wiped out!" Ivy sat down at the fire next to Rayman and Sssam, listening to her excited brother's words. She was examining the faces of the many different creatures that had joined Rayman's cause during her long training course with Jano.
"I must get aquainted with your new friends, Rayman! How did you find so many people in a short amount of time?" she asked her friend. He responded with a brief explanation. "I didn't find them. All of them ran into us one way or another. They've all came to help us when I told them about your cause against Morphina. Donnia and Rex ran away from her army and floated up here, Freya and Bad-Rayman are quiting their careers in Morphina's army, and Globox and the two Teensies followed Davis when they ran away from her imprisonment."
Ivy smiled warmly and soon the fire's warmth made her drift off to sleep. Her friends did their best to not disturb her as she rested her tired muscles for the war tomorrow. Soon, everyone in the camp was fast asleep, with Jano as the night-watch; seeing as a powerful being like him didn't need rest as much as the others. Soon, their world will be cloaked with the Veil of Darkness, but everyone made sure that they must Morphina's army with their strength and friends backing them up.
Tomorrow will decide the fate of the world, good or bad....
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End of Chapter 5.
This chapter was a pain to type, but it was well worth the wait I think. The evils of writer's block has now passed, so expect Chapter 6 to not take as long. Chapter 6 may not be the last chapter; seeing as this one took a long time. Now that all of my important characters have met under a common cause; the war will probably be easier to write for. (I was planning for the two Commanders to be on Morphina's side until the very end and for both of them to die a slow death, but they've really grown on me since then. I don't want Freya to die anymore! )
Ly is going to have a big role in the upcoming chapter. Stay tuned to see what happens! I might also write for Rayman again, so probably expect to see a sequel in the coming future.
Remember to review! ^^
Author's Notes: OO!!! I'm more popular than I thought! There's more reviews for Veil of Darkness than The Awakening and Legend of Nidogod *combined*! And, it's not even finished yet! Since you peeps like it so much, I'm planning a sequel, which is probably good news for all of you. I'm also not going to kill off Freya, for she now has a bigger role and more background. ^^
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I'm not waiting for a fortune teller,
I feel my wish will come true.
I've never thought ahead with my luck,
Is it my treasure? Tell me what I've really looked for...
---Fly In The Freedom-----
Rayman stood poised at the entrance of the Cave of Bad Dreams, his hands curled into lethal fists. He had sensed Freya and Bad-Rayman's presence long before the two Commanders suspected anything. They had underestimated him and now they were going to pay dearly for their mistake. Sssam was a bit confused at the way his friend was acting but he played along as if he was as focused as his friend, staring blankly out into the marshes in the direction that Rayman was focused on like he saw the intruders too. They were acting like Freya and Bad-Rayman had the drop on them, but then they will strike out while the two were recovering from their surprise attack. "I know those two..." a quiet hiss rang from behind the two watchful friends. Rayman turned his head in surprise and saw that both Rex Skyler and Donnia Starhunter had risen from their sleep. They looking like scarecrows in their ripped clothing but had the spirit of great warriors glowing in their eyes as they too scanned the marshes. "They're Freya and Agent B.R., two of Morphina's finest. They have short tempers, but they track like predators. They were the ones that captured us in the first place." Rex replied softly. Rayman gave the two a look that said 'shouldn't you two be resting', but he quickly shook it away. He cletched his teeth.
"I know this sounds strange to all of you, but the cloaked one seems familiar in some way, like I bumped into him at one point of my life but quickly brushed it off with the coming events." All three of Rayman's friends seemed confused. Rayman still stood rigid, his hidden rage building ever so slowly from within. "Both of them have magic powers, but one of the Commanders has powers that remind me of myself, in some obsure way. Anyone with magic powers has sort of a sixth sense that feels the pulse of magic power in someone else if they're close enough. That's how I can tell." Donnia Starhunter shrugged at this comment. Her sword was ready for use at her side.
"Agent B.R. never takes off that cloak so he could be related to you in some way..." Donnia didn't know how right she was; she hit the truth right on the head. Seeing this as a perfect opportunity for an attack, Freya and Bad-Rayman sprang from the underbrush like leopards and landed just a few feet from the company of four, trying to make themselves look alot more threatening than they really were. Rayman, Skyler, and Starhunter strangely didn't seemed surprised, but Sssam jumped back for he didn't notice them before. The two Commanders were disappointed that their entrance didn't have any elements of surprise but they still felt like they accomplished something.
"Rayman, it's been a while." Bad-Rayman hissed. The party guarding the entrance, including Sssam, gave each other confused glances. The Commander smirked underneath the cloak's hood. "Surprised? I thought so, seeing as you left me to die after you defeated me in Candy Cateau those years ago..." The truth began to dawn on Rayman. Magic electricity surged around his fingertips as he realized why the Commander was so familiar to him and his magic pulse was almost exactly like his. "No...You can't be him...." Rayman stammered. He couldn't believe the Mr. Dark's infleuence was still alive. "I know, I couldn't believe it a little while ago either." Freya added rather dully to Rayman's comment. With a single dramatic sweep of his hand, Bad-Rayman removed his cloak and flung it carelessly away. Everyone gasped in surprise; everyone assumed that Rayman's stories were just fantasies to spread at the campfire. He raised his left fist at eye-level, watching the dark magic that resembled Rayman's sparkle off his fingers.
"I've waited too long for this moment. This ends now, Rayman!" Bad-Rayman exclaimed, as a symbol of a challenge. Rayman rushed forword, meeting the challenge, but he wasn't alone in this battle. Along with him, Donnia Starhunter and Rex Skyler joined in, along with Freya joining in on the other's side. Sssam could only watch, helpless and without weapons against the battle of good and evil. Instead, he stood as unnoticeable at possible near the entrance, praying to Polokus that Rayman didn't lose. The fight was evenly matched. While Rayman had more recruits on his side, his counterpart had a wolf-furry with powerful rune magic and more experience in killing things. There was no way in knowing which side would win until one of them fell.
"Please, Ivy! Finisssh your training soon, or else Rayman might not have a chance!" Sssam whispered to himself. The battle officially started with a mach-speed fist fight against Rayman and Bad-Rayman, and a wizard's duel against Freya and the two mages. Rayman and his counterpart both dodged and attacked their enemy with the skill of master warriors, each one attacking in complex patterns that were blocked off by the other's speedy sidesteps and movements. Their battle was a contest of both skill and stamina, each one waiting for the other to let their guard down. Freya, on the other hand, was too busy casting rune magic on the two human mages to even notice her partner's side of the battle. Rex and Donnia were both casting their most powerful magic against her, which was blocked off with counteracting spells. All in all, both fights were complex versions of Pong.
As the battle of the two Raymans and the three spell casters wore on for about another twenty minutes of constant beating, the battle was beginning to see a change in the pattern. Freya had blocked all of her oppenents' attacks with her rune magic, but soon her magic power was wearing thin from overuse. Desperately, she had already ordered her pack of zombie chickens to keep Donnia occupied as she attacked Rex on an one-on-one match. Freya thought that if she knocked out one of her enemies, the other one would be easier to fell. As Donnia hacked away at mindless creatures with a thirst for blood, Rex had to fight against Freya by himself. "This is for all the creatures you killed, you nasty wolf!" Rex Skyler shouted to Freya, hoping that he could make short work of her. His fingers pulsated with burning red fire. "I, demon of Shadows, call upon the power of my ancestors, so I may defeat my enemies...R-E-D...B-L-AST!"
A wall of scalding orange flames leaped towards Freya, but she sidestepped rather easily by rolling to the side. Only the tip of her tail caught the fire's blaze, but despite the burning pain she felt from the attack, she managed to keep her voice straight as she shouted to Rex. "Hah! Is that the best you can do, boy? You did the same trick when we caught you six months ago!" She got off from the ground and traced a rune in the air. She planned on finishing this kid once and for all. "Say goodbye to the living world, pretty boy!" Unfortunately, Freya had made an awful mistake when she forgot about Donnia. Crying like a madman, Donnia sprang from out of the crowd of zombie chickens, sword raised high above her head. Before the wolf- furry knew it, Donnia swiftly dug the tip of her sword deep into Freya's right shoulder-blade, leaving a deep gash of shining crimson. Freya howled loudly in pain.
As Rayman and Bad-Rayman traded punches and sidesteps, it was Freya's cry of anguish that was enough to make Rayman's evil counterpart let his guard down by turning his head to where Freya had called. Instantly, Rayman took this distraction as a chance of a lifetime, and hit his foe with a well- placed energy uppercut. The counterpart fell a good six feet away on his left side onto the muddy ground of the marshland. Instantly, the battle was officially over. Bad-Rayman got up and brushed the swamp dirt from himself. "Thanks alot, Freya. You made me let my guard down..." he grumbled to himself. He reached for his trusty hunting knife to press against Rayman's stomach and be finished with his bad omen once and for all. But, when he reached for his knife hilt, the knife that he usually kept at his side was gone. Oh no, he thought, Rayman must've caused me to drop it! Cursing to himself, he hoped that the worst didn't happen. Suddenly, the worst thing that could ever happen to a Commander happened to him for then he saw his enemy's friends pressing his killing weapon against his partner's throat.
"Alright, Bad-Rayman. We'll do this the easy way or the messy way. If you even try to attack us in any possible way, your friend will have a new mouth to talk through." Donnia stated. Rex Skyler had Freya pinned to the ground by sitting on top of her, leaning on her bad shoulder to add to the pain. Donnia had the point of Bad-Rayman's hunting knife right underneath Freya's chin. Freya whimpered as she felt the cold iron against her throat. What had happened was that Sssam saw from his hiding place that Bad-Rayman had a hilt with a dangerous hunting knife just waiting to be used. He had informed Rayman that, if given the chance, he could knock the knife out of his hilt and use it to end this dispute once and for all.
"You've just reached an all-time low, Rayman. I expected you to be alot more civilized than to use some human mages and a snake to threaten me." he commented. Donnia instantly shot his comment down with a comeback. "You're the last person I'd expect to do something civilized, seeing as you trashed our hometown with a whole horde of ogres, serpents, and zombie chickens. In my eyes, this skinny little fleabag deserves to be skinned alive." Freya didn't even bother to struggle; her bad shoulder, the weight of Rex on her, and the sharp knife against her throat probiting her movement. Instead, she waited to see how her partner was going to agree with them. "Okay. I'll go along with your little request, as long as I get Freya in one piece." the disgruntled Commander replied dryly. Rayman and his friends seemed to be expecting this kind of reaction. Rayman answered immediately. "I want you to tell me what you know about Morphina, and don't skimp on the details either. I want everything, including her battle formations, strategies, and any secret information."
"You've just wasted a request, Rayman. Even I don't know everything about Morphina's plans; she keeps to herself most of the time. However, since you want to know what I happen to know, I'll tell you this. Once Morphina strikes this marsh, the War of the Souls will wipe out everything in its path, including Freya and me. If Morphina finds out that we were playing stool pidgeon, she'll probably dispose of us before she even lays a finger on Jano; traitors are her most hated things in the world. You see, we have a better chance of surviving in an active volcano than surviving the wrath of Morphina. To get back to business, Morphina mentioned something about using a fairy creature to lead the entire army into the marshes; someone who knows the world like the back of their hand and would know all the shortcuts."
"Ly!" Rayman blurted out. The Commander looked over to where he shouted. "I don't know her name, but she could be Ly. As I was saying, this fairy will lead the army into the marshes. Morphina will probably take the rear in the form of either an inconspicious horde-member or something enormous like a Chinese Dragon; best to keep your eye out for both cases. Either way, she'll attack the Entrance to the Cave of Bad Dreams first. If she manages to destroy the Cave's lock, which happens to be Jano, every ghoul and demon imaginable will be released into the world and we'll be facing an eternity of shadow, mind-control, and hellfire." As he explained, the friends listened intently. They were now gazing at him with frightened expressions. Even Freya ceased her soft whining, and her zombie chickens stopped any movement.
"You probably will have a chance of saving your neck from Morphina's wrath if you help us defeat this menace." Rex said softly. He was no longer leaning on Freya's bad arm, but instead just keeping her from moving. Freya's partner shook his head; he was fingering his empty hilt. "Your offer is true to its words, but I think no one can stand up to Morphina if she's feared by the strongest beings in the universe. The zombie-tamers are dead; what with Davis enslaved, Pierce dead, and Rosemary cursed. Sure, the girl Morphina was talking about is still able to fight, but can one person possibly do?"
To everyone's surprise, Freya answered his question. "One person can save a world from being enslaved by a pirate ship full of robot pirates. A single person can travel into the many regions of the world, gathering the four Masks of Polokus, breaking the cages of enslaved personal, and collecting the shattered pieces of the Heart of the World together to restore peace. A person can do anything, as long as they have hope, friendship, and a little luck on their side." Rex, sensing that she wasn't going to do any harm, got off from her. Freya rose to her feet and rubbed her sore throat. She soon continued her answer. "I don't care about Morphina's horde anymore. In fact, being a Commander in her army no longer seems glamorous, if she intends to enslave us all." With a quick sweep, Freya tore off the forest- green cloak she wore and flung it to the ground, revealing that she wore a light brown tunic underneath. She looked at her partner, who was shocked to see the normally-hyper wolf act like this.
"If your words are true, then Morphina will smite us like we were nothing more than diseased rats. But, if you were also true about the War of the Souls and how they will wipe everything out in this marsh, then at least we can make our final stand important. Which is better; dying because your enemies stole some unvaluable information, or dying because you weren't afraid to stand for what you believed in!" Everyone seemed stunned that Freya, a cutthroat from Morphina's horde, had the words of a wise man. Now, she turned her discussion to her partner. "Bad-Rayman, forget about revenge, forget about your hatred against Rayman, forget about the two battles you lost, forget about your rank in Morphina's eyes, forget about everything that made your life miserable! If we help Rayman and the last zombie-tamer, then our reputations will change. We will no longer have to hide in the shadows under the hood of a cloak, and we will no longer have to slit somebody's throat to obtain food. Now, we can have a good cause for once. What do you say, Bad-Rayman?"
It didn't take him long to answer. He gave Freya a sly smile, which meant he was impressed to see that a whiny hound like her had turned into a swift thinker in the course of the day. Or, was she just hiding her intelligence like he hid his identity? "You never cease to amaze me, Freya and once again you're right. If we're going to die tomorrow morning, then at least our death will be worthwhile if we sided with Rayman." All the while, Rayman and his friends were listening to the whole conversation. Sssam was to first to question the two Commanders' side switch. "Why should we trust you two? What'sss going to ssstop you from inserting that hunting knife of yours into our backs while we're sleeping and make a fortune off our bodies?"
"If we intended to harm you, swamp snake, then what's stopping us from doing so right now? I could've continued the fight easily, and Freya could've broke the necks of those two mages, but we decided that we just don't care about being cutthroats anymore. You can trust us now." With those words, the two ex-Commanders held out their hands in a form of friendship, alot like what Ivy did when Rayman beat her up alot eariler today. Rayman was hesitant of siding with one of his old enemies, but soon he shook hands with both Commanders. As unexpected as the whole fight had started, it ended with a new friendship and some new allies to help out against Morphina. But, if Bad-Rayman's words were really speaking the truth, Rayman, Ivy, and all of their friends might need as much help as they can get.
Luckily for them, four new beacons of hope were racing through the swamps at top speed....
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Monsters, demons, slaves, and Commanders of every species and nightmare imaginable marched out of the fortress tree in straight rows, each one steered by a handful of Morphina's most trusted cutthroats. The Bayou was filled with both the mindless roars of the mind-controlled monsters and shouts of approval and order by the leaders. Each creature, no matter how unimportant, was each handed some kind of armor for defense. Ogres had suits of armor, snakes of every shape and size had plates of steel running down their backs, humans and human-like furries wore chain mail, and flying animals wore lightweight plates of metal on their chests. Everywhere, creatures that flew, floated, walked, slithered, swam, crawled, and climbed awaited the orders of one creature and one creature only; Morphina.
At the front of the whole crowd of battle-ready monsters and leaders, Ly the fairy creature stood, surveying the scene like she expected this to happen. Her silky-smooth purple hair was tangled behind her, but she didn't pay attention to her looks since she was first appointed to the front of the legion. Peace and laughter no longer filled her eyes, but instead they glowed unnaturally with hate and blankness. No doubt that Morphina used her mind-controlling powers on Ly, but she didn't force Ly to obey her every command. Instead, her commands were more loose; "Lead the army and destroy anything that gets in your way when the time comes. Feel the demon fire control your every movement, Ly." Morphina had instructed her. Next to her, Pondscum and his human partner, who had both given up chasing Davis and his new friends an hour ago, stood waiting for their punishment from Morphina.
"You have done well, Ly. Everyone in my army is ready just like I expected." Morphina's silvery voice ran out from above. A golden eagle landed in front of Ly and instantly shapeshifted into the human form of Morphina. Pondscum and his human partner suddenly tried to make themselves invisible, but Morphina noticed them instantly. "I'll take care of you two failures later, but first I need everything in my army to go according to plan. You'll take the rear of my legion for now, but when this little war is over, expect your free will to be under my control." She motioned to the large army that lay in front of them. "These creatures are commanded to attack before the first rays of light. However, our enemies won't see the light of day once we strike. My Veil of Darkness will cloak my army with shadows."
"What about the boy, the frog, and the two teensies? The least you could do is..." Ly trailed off under the unhumanlike glare of Morphina that said 'don't-mention-the-fish-that-got-away-or-you'll-regret-it'. Ly quickly changed the subject. "What is the Veil of Darkness? You keep mentioning it to me. Is it important to you?" To Ly's surprise, she heard Morphina chuckle softly at her question. "The Veil of Darkness is the main reason why the most powerful beings on this forsaken planet fear me. No light can penetrate it. It makes even the bravest adventurer tremble under the blanket of darkness. It is under my Veil that I deliver my final blow to my most hated enemies."
As Morphina stood next to the soulless Ly, she couldn't help but to add on to her statement. "Ivy and Jano don't stand a chance..."
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Davis, with his three new friends, was miserable beyond belief. His pants legs were soaked through with dirt, grime and swamp water, sending cold chills up his spine. His clothes stuck to his back thanks to the strong humidity that the swamp possessed even after the sun had set long ago. Bugs buzzed in a thick cloud around his face, but he couldn't be bothered to swat them away as they nipped at his cheeks. Life seemed to drag on at a slow pace now that they were trudging in the muds of swamp lands he didn't recognize. Luckily, Globox knew where he was going; Davis and the Teensies relying purely on him to the path to the Cave of Bad Dreams. Davis was impressed to see that the Teensies didn't seem phased by the swamp's harsh conditions after dark; they probably had great stamina considering their size.
"Globox, we've been walking for hours! Where's the Cave of Bad Dreams?" complained a Teensie who was trudging beside Davis. Davis sighed inwardly in relief; he didn't want to be the first to complain to Globox. Davis could see that the swamp did a number on their clothes also; the brightly colored robes now worn down into colorful rags that looked like beggar's clothes. The Teensie's complaint broke the hour-long silence that had followed them like the short pursuit of Pondscum, but Globox didn't seem to mind. "We walk just a little further, then we be there!" It bothered Davis that Globox answered so vaguely, but that couldn't be helped really. He let his thoughts wander as they trudged onward on through the mud. Soon, the group led themselves onto solid ground again. As Davis wrung out his pants legs, Globox spotted something.
"Globox see campfire. Rayman must be there!" Davis felt his hope return as he too saw a bright red light in the distance. If they hurried, they could get there in under five minutes. The Teensies felt uneasy. "Why would Rayman set up camp in the middle of this gloomy land?" A Teensie asked supiciously. Davis immediately knew the answer. He quickly answered to whoever spoke up, seeing as both Teensies looked identical and he didn't catch the names of either one. "Morphina *did* say that Rayman would most likely cross paths with Ivy. Maybe they've set camp to rest for the night." As the group approached closer, another Teensie spoke up. "Don't they know about the attack tomorrow morning?" Davis shrugged. "If they don't, we'll be their messagers. Come'on!"
Davis quickly appointed himself as the new leader, and soon the group tiptoed through the underbrush to the campsite. It turned out that after the two ex-Commanders became Rayman's friends, they informed the group that if they were to stand a chance, they needed to rest for the night under vigil watch. As the others rested in a circle around the campfire, one would look out for the first signs of attack. Even though Donnia and Rex seemed skeptical about lighting a fire, Freya and Bad-Rayman told them that Morphina already knew the direction of the Cave of Bad Dreams and would attack there first thing, campfire or no campfire. Besides, no one intended to stay up for the rest of the night. Donnia and Rex both slept close to each other, resting their heads on a log and feet next to the campfire. Rayman and Sssam were currently sleeping; Sssam curled in a neat little bundle of purple next to Rayman's feet. Even Freya slept peacefully, her shoulder cushioned by herbs and bandages in apology from Donnia. The current nightwatch was Bad-Rayman; he felt that he didn't need as much rest as the others.
Davis felt extremely confused and upset to see Freya, the very person who kidnapped him and gagged him eariler, sleeping peacefully in the same campsite as Rayman. His hands cletched into angry little fists; if Freya was there, what would become of Ivy and Rayman? He had to find out. Without warning, Davis stomped into the campsite, his friends following him gingerly. Bad move for Davis; instantly an uncloaked Bad-Rayman sprung from the shadows, knife in hand. "It's you! What in Polokus's name are you doing here?" Davis set up a harsh tone. "I should say the same thing, Agent B.R.! You have no right to be here! If Ivy finds out..." The group of three behind him already seemed confused at this quick meeting. "Ivy? Agent B.R.? I think you skipped some details, Davis." Already, some of the campers awoke from their sleep. Freya, Rayman, and Rex were already awake. Rayman had to end this now.
"Stop it, you two! Gutting each other isn't going to solve anything!" Rayman literally threw himself in front of the two rivaling friends. Davis was surprised to see Rayman defend the same person who had recently killed his father eariler, but he didn't dare to argue against the powerful being. Just then, Rayman noticed that Globox and some Teensies were with Davis. At the sight of one another, Rayman and Globox both hugged each other warmly as a sign of their friendship. "Globox, what happened to all of you? It looks like you were involved with the pain-in-the-neck Morphina too." Rayman questioned. "Globox and Ly heard that Rayman exploring swamp. We followed, but instantly we captured by monsters! Ly was dragged away without a struggle, but Ly also gave Globox Silver Lum! "Give to Rayman!" Ly says. Globox put up big fight!"
Globox explained. The Teensies then finished. "After Globox was captured, we were next. The capturers of Globox obviously found two beings of powerful magic tempting, so they imprisoned us as well. After tracking through ravines and forests, we ended up at the bowels of the Bayou, where Morphina currently resides. She seemed impressed with us, but she really wanted Globox's Silver Lum. He throws the Silver Lum and it hits Davis here, somehow breaking the soul-bondage Morphina once had on him. We ran for our lives and here we are right now." Freya, who was listening the whole time, commented on their experiences. "It seems that Morphina crossed paths with everyone present here."
"That's why we should keep on our toes, Freya. If Morphina has half the mind-reading power that Jano possesses, there's no telling what she already knows about us." Rex added. Davis was overjoyed to see a human mage on the same side as Rayman, but no sign of Ivy discouraged him. "Where is Ivy, Rayman?" Davis asked Rayman. He answered by pointing towards the Cave of Bad Dreams. "She's in there, completing the final stages of her training. Jano's pushing her hard, considering what little time we have left. If we're lucky, she's just about finished." At those words, Davis quickly chose a spot near the campfire to wait for Ivy. As much as he was insisted to rest up, he wanted to see his sister before the War.
It may be the last time he ever sees his sister again.
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Ivy was thrilled, but tired beyond belief as Jano led her out of the Cave of Bad Dreams. Her clothes, although still remained mostly intact, were soaked with sweat and torn at the sleeves where monsters nipped at her. Her vibrant red hair fell around her shoulders like a red veil, which she shook off with one toss of her head. Her hands were cramping from overexercising her powers, but it was a good kind of hurt. Walking like a zombie, Ivy followed the Guardian through the Cave of Bad Dreams until they went through the portal and ended up at the entrance. Ivy blinked, surprised to see that night had fallen a long time ago and that a campfire was set up nearby. She was about to ask Jano about why Rayman had set up camp, but he already answered before her words took form thanks to his focused mind- reading.
"Rayman must know that Morphina will attack this place sooner than we expected, which is why I rushed our little training. It seems that night had fallen many hours ago; which means that your training indeed made sense of time. Normally, it would've taken us two days to learn all the right moves but you learn very quickly for a girl your age." Ivy merely nodded ominously at this comment and said nothing. Soon, they were out of the entrance and were on the large root that led into the Cave of Bad Dreams. She saw that not only Rayman and Sssam had set up camp, but also alot more people that Ivy didn't know yet. As soon as she entered into the ring of people, a very familiar face ran up to greet her.
"Ivy!" Davis ran up to her and gave her a big hug, even though they saw each other just this morning. Ivy returned the hug, but she was shocked to see her brother, a non-believer of demons and magic, resting near a campfire with Rayman. "Davis! How'd you get here?" Ivy asked. Davis's mood wasn't killed by her question. "It's a long story Ivy, but it can wait. First, I must warn you that Morphina is going to attack the Cave of Bad Dreams at the first light of day! If we aren't prepared, we'll be wiped out!" Ivy sat down at the fire next to Rayman and Sssam, listening to her excited brother's words. She was examining the faces of the many different creatures that had joined Rayman's cause during her long training course with Jano.
"I must get aquainted with your new friends, Rayman! How did you find so many people in a short amount of time?" she asked her friend. He responded with a brief explanation. "I didn't find them. All of them ran into us one way or another. They've all came to help us when I told them about your cause against Morphina. Donnia and Rex ran away from her army and floated up here, Freya and Bad-Rayman are quiting their careers in Morphina's army, and Globox and the two Teensies followed Davis when they ran away from her imprisonment."
Ivy smiled warmly and soon the fire's warmth made her drift off to sleep. Her friends did their best to not disturb her as she rested her tired muscles for the war tomorrow. Soon, everyone in the camp was fast asleep, with Jano as the night-watch; seeing as a powerful being like him didn't need rest as much as the others. Soon, their world will be cloaked with the Veil of Darkness, but everyone made sure that they must Morphina's army with their strength and friends backing them up.
Tomorrow will decide the fate of the world, good or bad....
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End of Chapter 5.
This chapter was a pain to type, but it was well worth the wait I think. The evils of writer's block has now passed, so expect Chapter 6 to not take as long. Chapter 6 may not be the last chapter; seeing as this one took a long time. Now that all of my important characters have met under a common cause; the war will probably be easier to write for. (I was planning for the two Commanders to be on Morphina's side until the very end and for both of them to die a slow death, but they've really grown on me since then. I don't want Freya to die anymore! )
Ly is going to have a big role in the upcoming chapter. Stay tuned to see what happens! I might also write for Rayman again, so probably expect to see a sequel in the coming future.
Remember to review! ^^