All scenes in between two (*) were written by Alex Martinez.  He gets full credit for those scenes.

Lord Anthony and his Guardians, after their long and tumultuous trip across the nearby plains, stepped foot into the village of Evolu.

Alex stepped before all of his new comrades and faced them, "Welcome to Evolu."

The others had never been to the village and began to marvel at its unique look and architecture.

Evolu was a city literally built on the ruins of an ancient city of the times of old.  Skyscrapers and rusty old office buildings whose summits protruded forth from the Earth below, were hollowed out and restructured in order to fill the needs of the people.  Many of the old buildings lied diagonally and were covered in moss due to the long period of time in which they had been rendered destroyed.  But, thanks to the efforts of the people, they were recycled and give them the shelter they need.

Built out of each home or structure were chimneys that spewed heaps of steam.  They also had windmills and other such primitive-like devices in order to do their everyday chores.  Clothing lines were hung above the homes as the wind blew across them. 

In the distance, there was also a building that seemed to look like an ancient observatory, with an enormous telescope pointing diagonally towards the sky.

"I've never seen a city like this before…" Jesse sighed in amazement.

Anthony spun around emphatically in such a cheerful manner, "They've been able to restore some of the ancient buildings!"

"It's definitely a unique thing to see," Andre added.

"Are we done here?" Alex asked them, interrupting their awing session.

"Oh, right," Julie agreed, "We should push onward.  The temple shouldn't be too far from here."

Then entire group continued to make their way through the village, admiring the old buildings and being greeted by the Evolu people who were about running their everyday errands.

Jesse quickly noticed something about most of the village people, "Is it me…or do a lot of these people have something in common?"

"What do you mean?" Andre wondered.

Jesse looked around him to see that most of the people wore white lab coats, "Are they all…?"

"Did you forget so easily?" Alex asked him very rudely, "Most of the citizens in this village are scientists studying the evolution of Aeons."

Jesse returned a stare of dislike, "Thanks for reminding me."

Anthony had walked a few steps ahead to then notice the space observatory towards the left-hand corner of the village.  He saw many scientists entering and exiting the building.

"Hey!  That must be where the researchers are!" he exclaimed joyfully.  He quickly began to run over towards the observatory.

"Anthony, wait!" Julie cried as she followed him.

The other three soon followed.

Anthony and Julie arrived at the steps of the observatory where a couple of scientists talked amongst themselves.

"E-Excuse me…" Anthony asked shyly.

"Yes?" a male scientist replied.  He was a bit pudgy and had a pair of round eye glasses.

"Are you all researchers of Aeon evolution?" Anthony wondered, almost starry eyed.

"That's right," a female scientist smiled.  She was a bit older than the rest.  "What's your name?" she asked him.

"I'm Anthony!" Anthony smiled joyfully.

"Anthony?" the woman wondered.

The other three Guardians arrived, standing behind Anthony.

"You are all Guardians, correct?" the female scientist wondered.

Alex nodded, "Yes, we are the sacred Guardians to the Summoner Anthony of Orlami."

"Quit with the introduction," Jesse mumbled under his breath.

Alex gave him a cold stare from the corner of his eye.

"Summoner Anthony…then you are…?" the male scientist began to say, "Lord Anthony, it is an honor to have you in our good graces."

The two scientists performed the Yevon prayer.

"No, no, no!" Anthony assured them, "Please, none of that!"

"You have come for the Ruby Temple, yes?" the woman asked him.

"Yes, it is here, correct?" Julie inquired.

The male scientist nodded, "Affirmative.  Just located over there where you see the ruby altar."  He pointed across a few yards away where an altar stood upon the ground, holding a large ruby.  "There are steps there that lead you into the temple," he finished.

"Excellent, then we should…" Alex began to say.  He looked over to Anthony who had the saddest and most disappointed look on his face.  He knew how much Anthony wanted to know more about the scientists' research. 

Alex stepped forward, adlibbing a bit, "…see your research."

Anthony's face lit up.

"Really?!" Andre gasped.  Even he was surprised.

"Lord Anthony is a Summoner, and he should know everything that he can about them," Alex stated.  He did his ultimate best to make sure no one saw him been sympathetic in any way.

"Oh splendid!" the female scientist grinned, "We shall show you what we've been able to discover!"

Anthony smiled ecstatically to Julie, who stood next to him.

"Let's check it out then," Julie agreed.

The two scientists walked back up the steps, entering the observatory. 

Anthony and Julie were close behind them.

Alex walked ahead of his other two male counterparts.

"See?" Andre whispered to his best friend, "He's not a bad guy…"

"I'll believe it when I have proof about his intentions back at Bazaar," Jesse replied.

The two scientists led the group of heroes down a hallway that was covered in moss just like the exterior.  They had also kept old bulletin boards and other such postings on the walls just as they were when the buildings were destroyed.  Soon enough, they were all led to the area of the hall where a large window was located on both sides.

Inside was the actual research facility where dozens and dozens of scientists gathered together whatever information they could to come up with probable theories in hopes of coming up with full-proof facts.

"These are our research facilities," the female scientist stated, "Here is where we convene and try to come up with our theories."

"Have you been able to come up with something thus far?" Anthony wondered.  He was unbelievably curious.

"Several actually.  However, there is one that seems to be leading to a probability of being the truth surrounding the idea of Aeon evolution…" the male scientist answered.

"That would be…?" Jesse asked.

"After studying our results from seeing Aeons being summoned, we've been able to conclude that perhaps they were all at first in a type of…'premature' form," the woman explained to them.

"A premature form?" Andre asked.

"Yes…As you all know, Aeons are born from the dreams of the Fayth," the man added, "Well, the theory is that when in the dream of the Fayth, that they are in a premature form and that only when the Summoner prays to the Fayth and the Fayth releases the Aeon to them, does it evolve into the form that everyone else sees."

"That is interesting…" Julie pondered.

"Unfortunately, we do not have enough evidence of this being true," the woman told them.

"Has there ever been a case of a premature Aeon being released from the Fayth?" Alex asked them.  He was very poised and intellectual in his questions.

"Not as of yet," the man replied.

"However, there is a mural that…" the woman began to add.

"Mildred, don't feed them that meaningless banter," the man interrupted her.

"Meaningless…?!" Mildred asked him, "It can be very much the one thing that gives us proof of Aeon evolution!"

"What are you talking about?" Anthony wondered.

"Don't listen to her.  It will only…" the man began to say.

Anthony interrupted him, "A mural you said?"

"Yes milord!  Located inside the Ruby Temple!" Mildred smiled, "It shows a small creature that I believe to be a premature Aeon being released and then…Well, let me show you!" 

Mildred reached into her pocket and pulled out a sphere.

"I recorded the entire mural into this sphere," she stated.  The sphere soon activated, showing a holographic image of the mural of which spoke of.

The horizontal mural first showed a small green-colored fox creature shining in the Chamber of the Fayth.

"Here is what I believe to be the premature Aeon," Mildred pointed out.

The entire group gathered around to see this marvelous artwork.

"Then it reveals this person who is supposed to bear this mark…" Mildred continued, pointing to the depiction of a young man who would have a special symbol. 

The symbol was none other than Anthony's very unique Mark of Yevon.

Anthony's eyes widened when he saw it, thinking, "That is…"

"It is then followed by showing that same person in danger and the premature Aeon protecting him," she added. 

The mural showed the young man on the floor with the small green Aeon standing before him, protecting him, and seeming to be releasing all of its power.

"Is it…releasing some kind of power?" Jesse asked.

The male scientist simply stood off to the side, ignoring the story.

"I believe that this is the power the premature Aeon will release in order to protect its Summoner!" Mildred began to explain with such enthusiasm, "I think this event will trigger this Aeon's evolution into a new form!  Look!"

The final depiction in the mural was of an immense wolf-life Aeon, howling.

"This is only but a story!" the male scientist told them.

"Hey, you never know!  You're a scientist, aren't you?" Julie replied, "It is possible."

"What do you think milord?" Alex questioned him.

Anthony shook his head, trying to snap out of his state of surprise, "Uh…I think it might happen…One never knows…"

Jesse looked at how uneasy Anthony was seeming.  He knew exactly why that was as well.

Anthony and his Guardians had already finished their tour of the facilities and stood outside of the space observatory.

Anthony still was seeming uneasy and a bit confused after everything he had saw inside.  So many questions were beginning to surface about so many things.

"This is definitely…different," Andre stated, "I mean…we all noticed it didn't we?"

"It was plain for us to see," Julie replied, as she looked over to Anthony, "…Are you all right?"

"Yes but…it can all be just a coincidence, right?" he asked.

"I don't understand," Alex stated, "What are you all speaking of?"

"Sir Alex…" Anthony began to say as he pulled down his shirt so that his unique Mark of Yevon could be seen.

Alex's eyes widened as he saw it, "That mark…!  It is the same as the one in the mural!"

"Yeah, you think so?" Jesse snapped at him sarcastically, causing the displeased look from Alex.

"Do you really think what the mural says will happen?" Andre wondered.

"It definitely would be interesting," Jesse added, "But…it's probably nothing.  How about we head off for the temple?"

"That's the best thing I've heard come out of your mouth all day," Alex told him in his usual rude and blunt manner.  He began to walk off towards the ruby altar in the distance.

"Heheh…" Jesse laughed mockingly as he stuck out his tongue.

Julie giggled at the two bickering comrades, "You two act as if you were married…"  She laughed as she walked past Jesse.

"What?!" Jesse shouted angrily, "To that little punk?!  I could practically step on him!"

Andre walked over to him, placing his hand on his friend's shoulder, "Give it a rest man…"  He followed Julie soon thereafter.

As Jesse calmed down, he looked back to see Anthony simply standing there, completely lost in his thoughts.

"Hey, are you sure you're all right?" Jesse asked him.

"…Jesse…" Anthony said softly, looking up to him, "…I'm beginning to question a lot of things now…"

"What do you mean?" he wondered.

"This mark that is so different from the rest…the dream that didn't end where it should have…" Anthony listed, "…and now the mural that seems to be connected to it all…" 

Jesse didn't have any answers to give him and didn't know quite what to say.

"Why is it that I'm so different?" Anthony questioned, "I don't understand…"  Without another word, Anthony walked away heading into the same direction as his other comrades.

Jesse stopped, pulling up his sleeve to his own unique and coincidentally similar tattoo, "You and me both Anthony…"

Just as Jesse pulled his sleeve back down and ran after his friends, the same female silhouette who had been following them stood upon the enormous telescope.  She watched them as they descended down the stairway that led underground and into the Ruby Temple.

"The mice have fallen into my mouse trap…" she grinned.

The heroes reached the end of the stairs only to see a darkened hallway that seemed to be reaching the endlessness of the darkness.  The walls themselves could barely be seen.

"Is there a light switch for this place or what?" Andre asked jokingly, squinting his eyes to try and get a better view.

"How are we supposed to find our way through if…?" Julie began to ask.

Anthony took a few steps forward, not even noticing a large diamond-shaped ruby implanted into the ground before him.  He stepped on it, causing it to radiate its cherry luster. 

"Oh?!" Anthony gasped.

In that moment, the entire walls began to sparkle and twinkle as smaller rubies that were carved into the walls grew with the same luster.  The ruby light lit the entire hallway.

"Wow…" Jesse gasped, "…I guess this is why they call it the Ruby Temple, huh?"

"You just figured that out?" Alex replied snidely.

Jesse was just about to snap, but simply took a deep breath to calm himself down.

"Let us push onward," Alex stated as they continued forth.

"A new Aeon…" Julie smiled, "It's so exciting."

"I mean, power like the Aeons is unlike anything I've ever seen," Andre added, marveling at the ruby stones, "What about you?"

"Huh?" Julie wondered, not quite sure of what he meant by his question.

"Have you ever seen magic like that before?" Andre reiterated his question.

Julie gasped for a bit as a distant memory flashed throughout her mind.  She heard a shrieking screams and a dark light that seemed to reach the sky.

"…Julie?" Andre asked her, "You okay?"

Julie blinked twice, returning to normal, "Oh, I'm fine…"

Alex walked before the entire group, noticing a large ruby that was shining in the near distance, "That must be where the Chamber of the Fayth lies."

"Let's hurry then," Anthony nodded in agreement.

Moments later, after walking even more across the hallway, they all stood before a doorway that was similar to the others that they had seen.  However, this green stone doorway had a massive ruby on the front.  Beneath it was the slot for a sphere.

"We made it," Jesse smiled.

"I can't wait to see what's next," Andre added.

Alex handed Anthony his golden Guardian sphere, "I shall give you the honors my lord."

"Oh…me?" Anthony asked.

Alex nodded in return.

"Oh…" Anthony sighed.  He stepped hesitantly towards the slot in the doorway.  He could only remember the mural that was shown to him and all of the unanswered questions he had.

"Go on Anthony," Julie encouraged him.

Anthony steadily placed the sphere into the slot.  Once locked in, the sphere's golden light permeated into the door and ran up the crevices throughout.  The door then slowly began to open.

Anthony turned out cheerfully, "It's opening!"  His smile turned to fear as he saw a purple mist entering the hallway.

All of his friends were beginning to get sleepy-eyed, almost falling unconscious.

"Everyone!" Anthony cried.  Little did he know that his Mark of Yevon was shining beneath his clothing.  It was protecting him from whatever effects this smog could cause.

"A-Anthony…" Julie sighed weakly, falling to the ground.

"Julie!" Anthony shouted as he ran over to her.  He looked and examined her to see she had fallen asleep.

"Don't fall a…" Andre began to say as he fell under the deep sleep as well.

"Oh my, Andre!" Anthony called out to him.

"L-Lord…Anthony…B-Be strong…" Alex struggled to speak, trying his best to fend off the effects of the mist.  But it was to no avail as he too fell unconscious.

"Sir Alex!" Anthony shouted.

Jesse leaned against the wall, sliding down towards the ground.

"Jesse, no!" Anthony cried as he rushed to his aide.  He knelt next to Jesse who had already sat upon the ground weakly.

"…Ugh…" Jesse struggled, "Get out of…here…!"

"Jesse!" Anthony cried once more, as Jesse fell asleep just as his comrades did.

"Ha ha ha ha!!!" a female voice laughed sadistically from behind Anthony. 

Anthony turned around to the already opened doorway, noticing that the laughter was coming from inside.  He gave one last look to his friends who were covered in the mist and then quickly rushed over to the Chamber of the Fayth.

Anthony leaped inside, pulling out his moon inspired staff.  He twirled it above his head and then held it before him, knees bent, and prepared for whatever came his way.

"Who's there?!" Anthony yelled angrily.

He looked around the Chamber of the Fayth that looked almost exactly like the others.  The pillar of green light shined upwards in the center of the room; there is where the Fayth slept.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Summoner Anthony of Orlami," the woman spoke in her soft yet evil tone. 

More of the purple mist was being conjured in the massive spiritual room, conforming together to form the shape of a seductive woman.  When the smoke cleared, she was revealed.

"I am Nazrak, professional illusionist for hire," she grinned.  Nazrak had extremely long violet hair that reached the ground.  She also had several different braids running down her hair, dyed in a lighter shade of purple.  Her eyes matched her hair as did her lipstick.  She wore a bikini top, revealing much cleavage, that was made of silver chain mail-type material.  It was also lined in purple.  Her entire midriff was completely revealed until one could see her long matching skirt that had two slits upon the sides.  The skirt showed off her curvy legs and body, as well as the anklet she wore around her ankle.  She was completely barefoot.

"Illusionist?!" Anthony asked her, "What have you done to my friends?!"

"They're not dead or anything…yet…" Nazrak smirked, rubbing her chin softly, "The truth of the matter is that you were supposed to be sleeping with them."

"What have you done to them?!" Anthony yelled even more loudly.

"All right, all right already!" Nazrak replied, "They're trapped in my illusion of the past!"

"Eh?!" Anthony gasped.

"The funny thing about having a past is…running away from it isn't always a good idea," Nazrak giggled.

"Set them free!" Anthony demanded.

"Absolutely not!" Nazrak shouted back, "I have strict orders!"

"Then I will fight you!!" Anthony told her, holding his staff tightly.

"Very well then!  Bring it on!" Nazrak agreed.

The two combatants faced one another off, ready for their battle to commence.

Andre's bold green eyes opened suddenly.  He realized he was lying down on the ground upon his chest.  Without another thought or hesitation, he lifted first onto his knees and then to his feet. 

"Where…am I?" he asked himself.  His voice echoed throughout what was a white void in space.  It seemed completely endless.  It was as if there were no walls nor floor almost.

Each step Andre took made an echo as he circled around to examine his surroundings.  He had no clue what to make of it, however.

"What the hell is this place?" he wondered, looking all around. 

That was when it hit him.

"Oh by Yevon…!" he shouted, "Where is everyone?!  And Anthony?!"  Andre picked up his feet and began to run, even though it felt as if he was going absolutely nowhere.  "Anthony!  Jesse!  Julie!  Sir Alex!" he called out for his friends. 

Continuing to call out their names, Andre was not paying attention to where he was going or to his feet, for that matter.  Soon enough, he tripped and fell flat onto his face. 

"Ughh…" he grunted.  He soon lifted his head, gasping to find a small African-American boy sitting before him.  He quickly got onto his knees.

The little boy was bald, no hair at all.  He had bright green eyes and wore a gray T-shirt with a pair of blue shorts; no shoes upon his feet.  The poor and lonely child cried and cried.

"Are…are you all right kid?" Andre asked him, "How did you get here?"

"Waa-hah-hah!" the boy sobbed like a baby.

"There, there kid…" Andre tried to console him as he approached, "It's all…"  Andre's eyes widened as the boy looked at him.

The young boy sniffed and wiped his nose with his arm as he looked at Andre.

"You…You're…" Andre stuttered, "…Me."

Julie, meanwhile, had already gotten up and was now in her dream-like world.  She was simply walking across a stone paved sidewalk that was built over some grass.  The sky seemed cloudy and the sun barely shined through.  There was white mist everywhere and it was a bit difficult to see.

"This place…" she sighed, "Somehow…it seems…familiar."

As she continued to walk through the fog, the dark silhouette of a building could be seen in the distance.

"Oh, hopefully I'll find everyone there," Julie said to herself.  She continued onward until she finally reached the entrance to this building.  She gasped when the mist cleared up a bit.

"This can't be!" she cried.

The building was massive.  It was three stories tall and had very Gothic cathedral-like influences.  This was due to the fact that there were many steeples and church bells all about.  Arches were placed throughout outdoor balconies and hallways.  The entire structure was made of a dark marble stone.

"This is…" Julie began to say, "…The Magic Academy…"  She looked up to see the wooden double doors before her as they opened slowly on their own.  All Julie could see past the doorway was more darkness and mist.  She was very apprehensive but decided to gather her courage and enter this familiar place from her past.

(*)Alex found himself all by his lonesome in a completely different place. He was no longer in the Yevon Temple. He seemed to be in a barren land of some sort. There were no trees, no animals, no sign of life whatsoever. All there really was were gray skies, as though it looked like a storm would take place at any moment, and then there was fog all over the place. Covering almost every square inch of land and air to the young Legendary Fencer's eye. The fog was more thick than anyone could even imagine.  It was almost like a wasteland.

Alex had a look of caution and confusion as he walked around the land. "Where the hell am I? How did I get to this place?"

"Lord Anthony!! Sir Andre!! Madam Julie!!" He called out the names of his comrades, his voice echoing all throughout the land, "Anybody?!!"

"What happened to everyone else?" He asked himself as he continued his walk through the mysterious land, passing through the fog.

Alex unsheathed his saber and firmly held it, he had to be prepared for the worst. This place was completely new to him and he had no inkling of whether or not there could be fiends in the area or not.

"Hi-yah!!!" the sound of a young boy's battle cry could be heard from the distance, leaving a faint echo.

Alex sharply turned around to the direction of the voice. "Who's there?!" he asked furiously as he went into his respective fencing stance. "Show yourself to me now!!"

Then suddenly, without any warning, the fog seemed to have lifted on its own.

"What the hell?" Alex inquired, still in his stance, not letting his guard down.

The entire land began to change entirely. From out of nowhere, trees suddenly began to grow from the earth, blades of grass risen up from underneath Alex's feet and expanded into the entire territory. The skies began to darken even further into a night sky that filled with all sorts of shining stars.

Alex looked in all sorts of directions in awe of what had transpired before his very own eyes. "How did that happen?"

"Haah!!!"

"Ki-yah!!"

Two more battle cries much like the one Alex had heard before echoed from the distance. It seemed a bit louder than the last one, which meant that whoever was in a battle was very close to where Alex stood. (*)

Jesse lied on his back, completely awake, but he was falling deeper and deeper into a void that he could not escape.  Around him it seemed like shooting stars were racing past him.  He looked straight up, watching the lights head straight past him and towards the sky.

"What's going on…?" he thought to himself, "Where is this taking me?"

Soon enough, from behind him, a flash of white light occurred.  This caused the scenery to immediately change.  Before Jesse knew it, he was now standing upright, still falling towards the ground.  Only now he was racing past the blue sky and the puffy white clouds he was used to.  In a matter of seconds, Jesse reached past the atmosphere and landed back onto what seemed to be the Earth.

Jesse looked around to see his new surroundings.  He standing at the edge of a brown stone cliff that could almost be mistaken for the Grand Canyon.  The rest was brown, sandy deserts all the way towards the horizon.  The deserts surrounded this enormous crevice in the Earth.  It seemed to have no end, no bottom. 

Jesse looked down, watching some small rocks fall downward, "I know this place…I know it all too well…"  At that very moment, something appeared in the distance that Jesse noticed from the corner of his eye.  He turned to see dozens and dozens of lifeless bodies lying all across the grounds.  He rushed over to them.

"Oh my…" he gasped, "These people…"  He knelt down to a middle-aged man, feeling for his pulse.  Jesse shook his head, "…They're all dead."  He stood up and began to walk about what seemed to be a cemetery.  "All of these people…" he sighed sadly, "But how…?"

As he was looking around, Jesse actually bumped into one of the bodies on the floor.  "Oh!" he gasped, "…What?!!"  He looked down to see a woman with short dark hair and a man with jet black hair, and a mustache.

"Mom?!  Dad?!" Jesse cried as he saw them both lying before him.

Anthony went flying across the Chamber of the Fayth, hitting the ground and skidding across it.  He gathered his strength and got back onto his knees.  He had a few scratches on his face and his clothes.  Nevertheless, he held up his staff valiantly.

"Ha ha ha!" Nazrak laughed, "You're are supposed to be a Summoner?!  You are weak!"

Anthony took this time to catch his breath.

"Try this on for size!" Nazrak shouted as she lifted one arm into the air.  All around her, small bats made of dark magic appeared.  She then thrust her arm downward, launching them towards Anthony.

Anthony raised his staff into the air, holding it in a horizontal position.  He called out the spell, "Shell!"  Above him and out of thin air, multiple lines of rainbow colored light came down and surrounded his body in the shape of a round sphere.  The bats crashed into the spheres, disintegrating instantly. 

"Ahh…a White Mage as well," Nazrak smirked, "Now that I didn't expect."

"I don't have any offensive magic…" Anthony thought to himself, "…I have to summon."  Anthony clasped his hands together, holding his staff in between them.

"Oh no you don't!" Nazrak yelled as she leaped into the air.

Before Anthony knew what hit him, Nazrak somersaulted forward and kicked him straight in the chest and back into the wall. 

"Ugh!" Anthony cried as he hit the wall with a tremendous thump.

"I won't let you use your Summoner tricks!" Nazrak told him, "Bind!" 

Out of thin air, magical binds made of purple light appeared on Anthony's neck and on his wrist; tying both wrists together.

"What?!" he gasped.

"That binding spell disarms your ability to summon!  Ha ha ha!!" Nazrak laughed.

"No!" Anthony cried, standing onto his feet, "…I summon you, Valefor, Winged Lord of the Skies!!"

Nothing happened.

Anthony tried once more, "Phoenix, grant me your flames of the sun!"

Still, no Aeons were summoned.

"This can't be!" Anthony cried.

"Oh yes it can!" Nazrak grinned.

Anthony looked over to see that the entrance way was clear to escape and began to run towards it in order to regroup.  Nevertheless, Nazrak pulled out a whip glowing of violet energy and snapped it at Anthony.  The whip surrounded his entire body, pulling him to the ground.

"Ahh!  Let me go!" Anthony shouted.

"You're not going anywhere!" Nazrak laughed, "Ha ha ha!!"  The whip then began to electrify with purple bolts, shocking Anthony's entire body.

"Ahhh!!!!" he screamed as the bolts pulsated throughout the whip and onto his body.

Andre couldn't help but stare at the little boy who looked exactly like himself at that age.  He was absolutely astounded with what he was seeing.

"Umm…excuse me?" Andre asked politely.

The little boy sniffled some more, "Y-Yes?"

"Could I ask you what your name is?" Andre asked him very sweetly.

The little boy nodded, "…It's Andre."

Andre's eyes widened.  He was stunned to hear that it could be possible that he was seeing his younger self sitting right before him.

Little Andre's eyes began to tear up once more, "…I'm alone."

Andre smiled to him, "No you're not.  You have your friends, and your family too.  Right?"

Andre shook his head, "My family doesn't love me…"

"Oh come on kid, why do you say that?  Your family loves you," Andre tried his best to reassure him, "Your father, your mother, and your…"

At that moment, a large shadow of a young man cast over the two look-alikes. 

"It's him!" Little Andre cried.

Andre looked up to see where the shadow was coming from.  All he could see against the white walls was the silhouette of a very familiar looking young man.

"You're…" Andre began to say.

"Cry, cry, cry," the silhouette mocked Little Andre.  His voice was also very familiar.  "All you do is cry.  Just get over it," he told him.

"Because of you…!  Because of you they don't love me!" Little Andre sobbed.

"Oh please," the silhouetted man brushed it off, "Don't be jealous that I'm better at everything than you are.  They can't help but love me more.  Especially when their youngest son is such a wimp."

"Wah-hah-hah!!" Little Andre began to sob profusely.

"Stop it Rico!" Andre yelled at him.

"Oh come on.  You and I both know what I say is true," Rico responded, "Mom and Dad did always love me more.  I was their pride and joy.  Best athlete, most popular, and now better Guardian.  I mean, the only reason why you trained to be one was to get their attention."

"Why you…!" Andre gritted his teeth.

"It didn't work now did it?" Rico smirked, "I was still number one in their eyes and now here you are trying to make a name for myself.  The situation is quite clear to me.  But here's the truth of the matter…"

The shadow casting over Andre and his younger self grew even larger and even darker than before.

"…You'll never get rid of my shadow…never…" Rico whispered.

Andre was completely floored.  He had no idea how to respond to that.  The truth was that even Andre himself believed that to be true.  He always felt like the shadow of his big brother would always follow him no matter where he went.  And now in this world of illusion, Andre faced it head on like he never thought he would.

Julie walked around the empty main hall of the Magic Academy.  The chandelier that used to shine with golden splendor now hung above with rust and dirt covering it for every inch.  The main staircase was completely run down as many of the steps were broken as well as the rails.  All of the furniture was covered in white sheets, as if the entire place had been abandoned.  It was all covered in mold and dust.  There were even wooden boards placed on the glass windows.

Julie couldn't believe her eyes, "…Everyone's gone.  But…"  She continued to walk around the hall.  "They couldn't have closed down the academy…right?" she asked herself, "Not because of…what I did…"

The flash of screaming and the dark magical light flashed through her very thoughts once more.  She grabbed her head in dismay, trying to shake off the bad feeling that coursed throughout. 

In that moment a doorway at the opposite end of the hall opened.  In the entryway stood the silhouette of a woman.  She had long jet black hair, braided in several braids.  She wore a long dress, and revealed a bit of cleavage as well.

Julie turned around to see the woman, "Is that…?!  No way!"  Julie began to rush over towards the room as the woman disappeared.  "No!  Lulu come back!" Julie called out for her. 

She soon entered the room that turned out to be funeral room.  There were several caskets and coffins that were placed high upon tables.  The room was cold and reeked of death.

"Coffins?" Julie asked herself.  She looked across the room to see the silhouetted woman she called Lulu.  "Lulu!" she cried, rushing over to her.

Lulu was silent.

"Lulu!  How did you get here?!  Do you know what's going on?!" Julie asked her.  She was dying to find out some answers.

Lulu still didn't say a word to her.

"And what are these coffins?!  I don't understand!" Julie cried, "And you!  You left!  You made me have to deal with my power on my own!  Where have you been!?"

Lulu then finally spoke, "…You killed them."

"What?!" Julie gasped.

"These are the bodies of the innocent students you murdered!" Lulu told her sternly.

"Eh?!" Julie gasped once again.

(*)Then suddenly, something had come over Alex. He slowly began to lower his arm which he held his saber in and looked around. He had realized something about this place.

"This land....I know it! This is..." he began to say when yet another battle cry echoed from the skies and into his ears.

"Blade Arrow!!!"

"What?!!" Alex gasped in complete shock as he looked into the direction of the voice and what he saw gave him chills throughout his entire body as he opened his eyes as wide as he possibly could. He saw four different warriors in the distance, not too far away from where he was. All were engaged in a battle against a large number of Sinscale monsters. Each one fended them off with all their courageous might.

One of those four was actually Alex, himself! All though, it looked like Alex, he seemed different in more ways than one. He seemed a few years younger and wore the same suit of armor, however it was colored a navy blue and had no Yevon symbol on the chest plate. He wielded in his hands a blue saber with a traditional bell guard, the handle that protects a fencer's hand from harm.

"It can't be!!! Me?!! And.....?"

Alex then saw two other warriors much like himself, but these two were taller, older, more masculine than he was.

One was very tall and incredibly well-built. He had short blonde hair which was in a messed up fashion. His eyes were the color of a deep blue sea. He wore armor that was almost similar to Alex's but it was black and seemed more heavy and jagged all around. There was also a red bodysuit that could be seen from underneath. He carried a sword a large sword that was had jagged edges on the side and skull-shaped handle with blood red eyes.

"Daigo...." Alex identified the young warrior and saw the other one.

The other was only a little bit shorter. He had brown hair and green eyes. There was also a small scar that was on his left cheek that went diagonal. His costume consisted of a light green turtle necked shirt with gold decor down front ,light brown pants. He also gad black armored gloves that reached to his elbows. Silver chest armor and shoulder guard. To top it off he wore black combat boots. He held in his hands a long sword that had a curved blade with jewels embedded into it and with a golden hilt.

"Zeke..." Alex added on to the list of names.

Alex then looked at the last warrior of the four. This one stood out from all the rest. It was a young girl. She had short brown hair. Her eyes were both different colors. One was green while the other was blue. She wore a dangling blue earring in her right ear that had a small tassel on the end. Her costume was a white fully lined wrap around top with elbow lengthened sleeves that weren't connected to it which were long and nearly dropped to the ground. She also had a yellow waist ribbon that held together a long black skirt that went to her ankles and had a slit on the left side. She also wore dark boots and carried with her a long staff that was blue and red. There was a three pronged star-like design at the top of it.

Alex dropped his saber and fell to his knees as called out the name of this girl, "Yuna...."

"How can this be?!" Alex asked himself. He was still on his knees as he continued watching the battle that took place before him. He still couldn't believe his own eyes.

The blue armored Alex brought his fencing saber up above his head as he began to call out, "Blade…!!!" At the very tip of his weapon, an immense arrow made of red light started to form. As soon as the arrow was complete, he shouted, "…Arrow!!!" He swung down with his blade, heaving the arrow at the Sinscales.

The arrow ripped through a group of Sinscales and quickly reduced them to pyreflies.

Zeke slashed through multiple Sinscales, one by one. "Damn these beasts!" he scowled as he looked over to see more Sinscales coming toward him. He placed his sword in front of him, it began to glow a bright yellow color. "Thunder Wave!!" he yelled, swinging down his sword, releasing a large bolt of lightning that incinerated the oncoming monsters.

Daigo had cut through groups of Sinscales with his deadly blade. "Hi-yah!!!!' he cried at the top of his lungs. He then dug his weapon into the earth below him. He still held the handle of the sword firmly as an eerie black light emitted from his hands and to his weapon. "Darkness Sword!!" he shouted as orbs made from dark energy emerged from the ground and destroyed all of his surrounding enemies.

"Am I dreaming....?" Alex questioned himself in disbelief. "I remember this battle...its the night that..." (*)

"Ahhhh!!!!" Anthony continued to scream as Nazrak kept on electrifying him with her bolts of violet lightning.

"I may be an illusionist, but the pain I inflict on my opponents is completely real!" Nazrak smirked, "Heheh!!"

"Ugh…I need…help…!" Anthony thought to himself, struggling to stay strong, "What should I do…?"

At that critical moment, a man's voice shouted, "…Gusting Wave!!!"

Both Nazrak and Anthony looked up towards the sky to see an immense wave of concentrated wind swerve and hail downward.  The wind sliced through Nazrak's whip, releasing Anthony from her grasp.

"What the hell was that!?" Nazrak asked furiously.

Anthony looked back up from the ground, after regaining his strength, to see Jesse landing in front of him.  "Jesse!" he cried happily, "How did you escape her spell?!"

Jesse held his sword up, facing Nazrak, "No time for that now.  Are you okay?"

Anthony nodded, "I'll be fine, but this binding spell…"

Jesse looked back to see the bands on Anthony's neck and wrists, "What the…?!"

"I cannot summon now!" Anthony explained.

"Don't worry," Jesse assured him, "I'll get you out of them."  Jesse was just about to reach his hands towards the binding bands that were placed on Anthony.

"Stop!" Nazrak shouted.

Jesse, being controlled by magic, did exactly as she said.  He was completely frozen.  "Uh…?!" he gasped.

"Jesse!!" Anthony shouted.

"I can't…move…" he whispered.

"Ha ha ha ha!" Nazrak laughed, "Another trick up my sleeve!  Now you will do as I say!"

"Not while I'm here!" Anthony shouted forcefully.

"What?" Nazrak wondered.

Anthony lifted to his feet and began running towards Nazrak.

"W-What…What are you doing?!" she yelled.

Anthony leaped towards her, head butting her in her chest and knocking her back.

Jesse was released from her illusionist trick.

"You little brat!  Get out of my way!!!" Nazrak yelled heatedly.  She had had just about enough of Anthony's meddling.  She walked over to Anthony and grabbed him by his neck.  She slowly lifted him up into the air, then throwing him to the nearby wall.

Anthony fell to the floor, completely unconscious from the blow.

"Anthony!!" Jesse called out for him, "Stay away from him!!  Your fight is with me now!!"  Jesse slashed his blade to the right and then brought up and to the side of his face while pointing it at Nazrak in a sword stance.

"One down…" Nazrak grinned, "…Now it's your turn!"

"Hahhh!!!!" Jesse yelled at the top of his lungs as he went running after Nazrak.  He leaped forward with his blade in front of him, heading towards her.  But just as he was reaching her, she teleported away, causing Jesse to hit the ground.

"Ha ha ha!!!" her laugh echoed throughout the chamber.  She then reappeared a few feet away from him. 

Jesse turned onto his back and then somersaulted backwards and onto his feet.  "More tricks I see," he said.

"Hmph," she smirked cockily.

"I'll show you this Guardian's true power!" Jesse replied.  He immediately leaped into the air, pulling his sword back at his side. "Gusting Wave!!!" he yelled.  He spun around once, swinging his blade, and releasing a wave of intense wind and pressure at Nazrak.

Nazrak used her teleporting trick once more.

While still in the air, Jesse gasped, "Not again!"

Nazrak teleported behind him without him even realizing it.  She grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him around.  Jesse was caught completely off guard.  Nazrak followed it up by grabbing him by the arm and flipping him over her own shoulder and down towards the ground.

Jesse hit and skidded across the chamber floors with incredible force as Nazrak teleported back down and before him.  Jesse, using his sword, helped himself get back onto his feet.

"Time for my newest hat trick!" Nazrak sneered.  She raised both of her arms into the air and shouted, "Kaleidoscope Horror!!!"

In a matter of milliseconds, a sudden flash of colored light occurred.  Now, Jesse found himself in a void of a kaleidoscopic world.  The colors were ever changing and spinning around him.  It was extremely disorienting and confusing for the young swordsman.  He wasn't sure what to do.

Jesse looked around quickly and a bit worriedly.  He didn't know what to expect next.  Nevertheless, the unexpected came.  Using this attack to disorient Jesse, Nazrak appeared, disappeared, and reappeared in a matter of seconds.  She would come at Jesse from all directions, punching him, chopping him, kicking him, and so on and so forth.  Jesse didn't have any time to react at all.  She would simply keep on coming, hitting him across the cheek, the chest, the stomach, and his back as well.

"Now for my final blow!!!" Nazrak shouted as she came down at Jesse in the form of a flying kick.  She hit him straight in the chest as the kaleidoscopic aura shattered into a million pieces, causing even greater damage to the Guardian.

Jesse was knocked straight into the wall, weak and injured from Nazrak's baffling spell. 

Nazrak walked over and stood over him, flipping back her long locks of violet hair, "Having fun yet?"

Jesse looked up to her, squinting one eye in grimacing pain.