YAY I have lots of reviews! I feel loved and hyper!!!

You can all thank Vilya, because her extremely hyper review inspired me to write this chapter (and yes, Vil, I know exactly what you mean by your Mercury senses tingling ^^).

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"She's waking up."

Mia sat up slowly, feeling vaguely confused. Then the events of the battle came back to her. She lay back on her elbows, still slightly dizzy, trying to process what was going on around her.

Several worried faces came into focus above her. When she saw Picard's concerned look, she started to get really scared. It was hard to picture the Lemurian afraid of anything.

But Picard simply smiled, his worried look turning to one of relief. "How are you feeling, Lady Mia?"

She attempted to return the cheerful expression, but found it hard - nothing made sense at the moment. "What happened to me? Is Videll -" She stopped in mid-sentence when she saw Videll standing to her right, looking very relieved. Mia did manage a smile when she saw Ivan standing close beside her - she expected he wouldn't be letting Videll out of his sight for a while.

Glances passed around the circle of friends as Picard began an explanation. "Well - many things were revealed during that battle." He paused. "Now I am truly certain that you are the five I was sent for.

"There is a legend told in Lemuria of five Adepts who posess the powers of the Lemurians and the gifts of the gods. For that is what the Lemurians are blessed with - powers of the gods.

"The legend in full I will not tell you as of yet, but these five would set out on a journey to determine the fate of the world - and discover their powers on the way." He smiled. "I am just glad I could be here when it happened, so you could have a clue of what was going on. You will each discover your own gift in time. Mia's is Pure Faith, the Mercury Gift. I also posess this power - it is a gift to be thankful for. But," he added, "these powers will only be brought out in life or death situations, as this one was. For the Gifts are extremely powerful, to an extent that it could endanger the life of the one who wields them. Lemurians, who are naturally born with these powers, are not affected, but to ones such as yourself, it is draining to use them." His eyes became downcast, gray replacing their natural warm gold. "There was another who posessed a Gift," he said, his voice quiet, "and it took her life."

Videll, standing to Picard's left, sensed something significant in those last phrases, but the mind of a Lemurian cannot be easily read.

"This is what happened to Mia. Videll would have been gone before I could reach her, for the mace of an Ice Golem is an evil thing. The Gift chose its time well."

"Will we - see this legend?" Isaac faltered, not sure whether his inquiry was polite.

"Yes - the queen has ordered that you be shown the legend, for it is important in the fate of us all."

Silence once again claimed the group. Picard waited, letting them take it all in. After a while, he broke the silence.

"We still have a journey to make."

Garet was curious about something. "What kind of gift is the teleport skill that Alex has? Do the Lemurians also posess that power?"

Picard sighed as he rose. "Alas, that power can only stem from evil, even if it is not wanted. I know of the Alex you speak of - his fate has been tainted by the wills of those around him - those greedy and cruel."

Mia turned away from the group abruptly. "We'd better get going," she said, and walked out. Picard followed, a sad smile on his face. Even the two Jupiter Adepts wondered about the secret Mia held in her mind that they could not see.

***

The group stood at the edge of the mountains, on a slight rise, looking out on the land that was water. Picard turned to Videll and Ivan.

"I believe you could show us the bridge?"

The two clasped hands, and closed their eyes. Their Psyenergy spread over the landscape in waves, turning the earth first violet, then a blinding white. As the light and luster faded, the true landscape unfolded before them.

All the Adepts could do was stare in amazement at the scene in front of them. The ocean was blinding as it reflected the sunlight in millions of tiny shards - but it was nothing compared to the bridge. The white stone shone so brightly that it was impossible to focus on anything else. The sides were drawn up into an elaborate twisting pattern, as if someone had taken a gust of wind, solidified it, and multiplied it a thousand times, for each section of the bridge was slightly different, and you could never tire of looking at it. When the five finally looked away, the brilliant white and amethyst still shone on their vision, the picture still clear in their minds.

"That is the Hesperia Arc, and our road," said Picard, and he led the group down to the start of the bridge. As they set foot on it, it seemed as if they were carried across by the wind - and they very well might have been, because their feet were so light and their journey so swift, that before they could even think ahead to the end of the bridge, they were once again in view of the Venus Lighthouse.

The shopkeepers at Lalivero were not happy when they heard the quantity of food and supplies the travelers needed, but one look at Picard was enough encouragement to keep everything going smoothly. The group enlisted the help of some of the shopkeepers, and soon their ship was loaded, boarded, and ready. At Picard's request, Isaac handed over the Black Orb.

Picard waved his hand over the Orb, and the ship seemed to glide out into the water with a will of its own. They were on the ocean once again, bound for Lemuria.
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It's midnight. Happy Thanksgiving! ^^

Review, and make me feel loved. I'm going to sleep now...