A Story And Addendum For Memoirs Of The Heroes. (Previously "Memoirs Of An Adventure's
Child."))
(All Characters Are Ficticious And bare no resemblence to living people. Any resemblence to fictional characters is only by chance.)
=====================================================
As I awakened from my robotic slumber, I saw Isis looking at me.
She had a look of concern on her face. Last night, Rich, Vet, Li
and myself arrived at the temple, and she brought us to her sanctuary.
Everyone else was still asleep, and Isis said quietly, "Radr, I do not
know if the Mana Net is going to accept you. You are not of ancient
creation, cursed, or a living being. Robots are totally different from
all other beings in creation. They have no biological parts in them."
Softly, I said, "What would happen if the net rejects me?"
I was worried about what she was impling. It was my deepest fear
in the entire world. Computers are immortal, robots are not.
"If you are rejected by the Mana Net, your body will be
transformed into mana and energy for the Mana Net. Since you are
bound to the computer at the base, your soul will become immortal.
Your robot body will be destroied." Isis probably knew that she had
worried me, but I don't know if she understood my fear. I floated
off the place where I was resting. I was about to ask Isis if she
knew if I was afraid of that, but she then woke the others. I didn't
want to say anything in front of them. Isis then said, "I want to
tell you that when you hit the Mana Net, there is a slim chance that Radr
might not be able to help you."
I watched as Rich and Vet made a gasp in disbelief.
Li then said, "Are you say that Radr might not survive entering the Mana
Net?" I had only meet her yesterday, and we learned that she and
Rich were going to marry.
Isis said, "No. I am saying that his robot form might
not survive. Now, we do not have much time to get you down to the
most direct route to the Mana Castle." It was then that my computer
connection had informed me of something. After Ki's abduction, I
started to monitors Li's inn.
"St. Marius has just tried to attack the inn. He is
heading back to the Mana Net." He saw the look on Li's face as she
realized how much danger she was in.
Li's look turned into defiance. "I will not let that
monster kill me," she shouted. Rich walked over to her side and whispered
something into her ear. She calmed down after that. It was
obvious that Rich had known how to calm Li down when she got upset.
Rich then said, "Isis, will St. Marius know that we are
coming to get him?" Rich knew the risks that he was taking.
Isis looked at him and said, "Most likely, you have grabbed
Marius' attention with all of the Haniwa that you have slained."
Vet spoke softly as she said, "And he still wants to kill
us for stopping him all those years ago." She started to shake in
fear. Vet had the most to fear from St. Marius, according to Rich.
She had known how evil he was when he came to the hometown.
Isis then said, "Yes, but nobody will be safe in less than
a year's time. The Haniwa's damage to the Arsenal has started to
increase. In less than a year's time, the Arsenal will expand the
Mana Net into the realms. Marius must be stopped now." With
that, we all nodded and Isis led us out of her santuary.
We followed her into the Celestrial Temple and to the Elevator.
When we reached the center of the world and the great Mana Net, the walkways
to the Arsenal units were packed with Haniwa. Their destorted faces
turned to us and they started to charge us. Rich and Li pulled out
two Hyper Cannons and fired at the attackers. As the Haniwa approached,
the two blasts eradicated all but the last four. Vet casted a flare
spell, a natural flare spell, and the four Haniwa fell in a puff of flame.
We had to move quick to reach the area the Arsenal Units were at.
As we ran, Rich and Vet grabbed every Seven Sword on the ground.
By the time we reached the Arsenal Units, the group had collected about
30 Seven Swords.
I looked at the Arsenal Units and said, "Isis, could we
take a vital part of the Arsenal Units and keep it with us?"
Isis looked at me and said, "That could work, but two people
should carry the parts." Rich and Vet ran to the machines and yanked out
the same part from both machines. Isis saw the parts that they had
removed. "Good choice. Those are the parts that controls all
the weapons. The computers will not detect the weapons. Hold onto
them, for if Marius gets them, we are all doomed." Rich and Vet nodded.
Rich then turned to all of us and said, "It's time.
Let's get the MSD's set up." Isis did her best to keep and Haniwa
away from us. Some managed to breakthrough and Li elimated them with
a Missle unit. Some of them dropped Seven swords, and by the time
the MSD units were set up, there was another 20 added to the inventory.
It was now that the unit was activated. Rich looked at all of us and said,
"Let's go." Rich ran through the portal that appeared first, followed
by Li. Vet followed, and then it was my turn.
As I entered the Mana Net, I felt strange. I could
hear Rich say, "There's the castle, about half a day's journey."
I looked at it and could tell every detail about it. I could see
the size of the castle. It was over 30 floors in size. I could
even tell that it was a complete maze inside. How could I tell all this?
It wasn't until Rich said, "Radr, what's happening to you?" that I realized
that the Mana Net was rejecting me. I tried to communicate my problem,
but couldn't answer. My vocal connection had been cut. My form
had dispersed all over the Mana Net. I was aware of what was happening,
but I could not offer any help. It was then that my soul transended
that of a mortal to that of an immortal.
Vet was in shock and I heard Li say, "Rich, we better rest
abit before we try to go to the castle. I don't think that Vet will
make it right now." Rich nodded and set up the Zonehome. I could
sense it there, even tell its interior design. The place was like
a pocket dimension. As the three entered the device. I decided
to scan the area.
It was a couple of hours later. My form had dispersed
more, and I was getting weaker in the Mana Net. I scanned the castle
again, and eventually I had found St. Marius. He had gathered three
of the Haniwa to his chamber. He was placing something like helmets
on them. I recognized them as the HoloHelmets, and in the corner
of the room, I saw the three devices that Roturet had used. St. Marius
looked at the three Haniwa and said, "You three will capture the invaders,
so that the plan can succeed." He reached over to the first.
I swear that it still had some life in its shell. St. Marius looked
in its eyes. A small spark of Red, Green, and Blue jumped between
them, and the Hani made a sound of satisfaction. He then said, "You
will capture your sister."
He activated the Helmet and that Haniwa transformed into
Ki. He had already taken control of her. She looked at him
and said, "Yes, my master. All shall serve you. All shall feed
you."
St. Marius turned to the second shell and said, "I shall
leave Rich to you. One never forgets the ones that they love."
He laughed out loud and I could only think of one person I only heard mentioned
in passing. The girl known as Jena. That was Rich's first love,
except they never had a chance to ask each other out, but Vet had told
me that Jena felt the same for Rich.
St. Marius activate the Helmet and that Haniwa transformed
into Jena, as she would look at the age that Rich was. She had a
figure that reminded me of Venus, the evil goddess of beauty. I thought
of much trouble that Li and Rich were in. Li was going to see her
sister, and be betrayed by her, and Rich was going to be immobilized by
seeing his lost love. As the Jena/Haniwa faced her master, she said,
"I shall capture the treat to our existance."
St. Marius turned to the last Haniwa and said, "It took
me years to find you amongst all my followers. You were one of the
most tasteful beings whose will, soul, and essence I have feasted on.
You are my key to Vet, and I must say, I have taken a liking to her.
I could use a bride, and her powers will keep her alive, as my slave, or
bride, for millenia."
He activated the device and the third Haniwa transformed
into a woman. I couldn't make out who she was, for I had never seen
her before in my life. She walked over to St. Marius and said, "I
shall do what you ask, Master."
He then said, "Go to the first junction of the maze, and
each take a path. I shall arrange the three to be seperated." I then
heard his evil laugh echo through out my mind. Vet was in more trouble
than Rich and Li were in, but who could effect Vet in such a way, to make
her fall into his trap.
As my form became more scattered amongst the Mana Net, I
had trouble locating my friends. It took me hours to locate the Zonehome,
and another hour to find the entrance. Inside, I could see Vet, Rich,
and Li talking. I could only feel helpless, for I knew they were
going to walk into a trap. Vet still appeared a bit shocked.
She then spoke, "I still can't believe it. Radr is gone."
Rich looked at her and said, "I think he is still around.
After we defeat St. Marius, we shall go to the guardian base and work on
building a new robot body for Radr. I think we can give him his mortality
back."
Li just shook her head. She then said, "When my sister,
Ki, was studying about the ancients, she told me that computers were immortal.
The only way an immortal would avoid Sherp would to pass into the final
passage. The cursed could never reach this passage, and computers
could not be moved. Now that Radr is confined to the computer, he
can never reach the final passage." I had to admit, my hope was almost
all shattered. It was also believed that St. Marius had the 'Mistake',
but then I realized something, I did not sense it in the Mana Net, which
meant only one thing. St. Marius did not steal it, but if St. Marius
didn't steal it, who did?
Rich then said, "Well, we can tell him we will try, I don't
want him to feel it's hopeless."
Vet then said, "But won't that hurt worse. I mean,
he knew the risks and you are trying to promise him something that you
cannot give him." She understood what I was thinking, but how?
Rich turned to her, almost ashamed. "Like when were
going to find your mother. You didn't know that she was dead.
I'm sorry, it is like that. You were told that your mother went on
a trip, and one day, you were going to find her. That was when you
father told you the truth." She nodded.
Li looked at Rich and said, "What happened?"
Rich turned to Li and said, "She literally hated her father.
She wouldn't talk to him for days. I finally told her that he did
that to protect her, but she still hated him for that. The anger
almost disappeared, but it is still there." Rich then looked out
the window. If I could have talked, I would have told him about the
trap, but I couldn't even tell them what had happened to me. Rich said,
"The path to the castle is clear. There is not a single Haniwa in
the way."
Vet stood up and said, "Let's go. If we wait any longer,
St. Marius will be on us before we can even attack him." She didn't
know what he had planned, if only I could warn them. Rich and Li
had nodded and they left the Zonehome.
It did not take them long to make a run for the castle.
Without any Haniwa guarding the way, it had been easy for my friends to
reach the castle. When they arrived, Rich said, "This is too easy.
I think St. Marius knows that we're here."
I saw Vet start to shudder again. For all her years,
and all that she had seen, Vet was still afraid of St. Marius. She
then said, "We can't let Marius win. He will pay for all he has done,
and we will keep him from killing everyone." She was less scared
than she was before. I then watched as the three entered St. Marius'
castle. As they traveled down the first hallway, I knew that they
were walking into the trap. Vet then said, "I wish Radr was still
around, then he could tell us what path to take."
Li nodded as the three entered a room with three paths to
take. She started to walk to the eastern door and said, "Maybe we
should all stick together. If we get seperated, we might get caught
easily." I noticed that Rich was looking at the western door, and
Vet was looking at the northern door. All of a sudden, the door they
all came in closed with a thud. They all turned and ran for the door,
each running into a magical wall. Li shouted, "It was a trap.
He has seperated us."
Rich looked at his friends and said, "Don't fret. We will
find a way to get back together. Just be careful." Rich and the others
had no idea what Marius had planned.
Rich continued down the westren path. As he continued
down that path, I noticed that Rich was coming to a room with no exits,
unless they were hidden. Rich looked around the room and said, "Man,
there has to be a hidden exit in this room somewhere." I watched
as he started to search the walls, testing for a weak spot.
He jumped in fright when someone called his name, "Rich,
it is you, isn't it? I knew you would come to rescue me." I
watch Rich turn and gasp. It was the Jena/Haniwa.
Rich was caught short on words and finally said, "Jena,
is it really you?"
The girl lied and said, "Yes, I managed to escape from that
man, but I couldn't leave this world. I've been hiding in this temple
ever since. Please, help me."
I saw the tears welling up on Rich's face. He could
never forget her, but he had thought she was dead. He was right,
but I couldn't tell him that she was a Haniwa. He ran over and hugged
her. "I can't believe that your still alive, I didn't think it was
possible after Vet told me what she saw."
The Jena/Haniwa returned the hug and said, "Vet just wanted
you all to herself. She was afraid that I would take you from her.
She wanted to be your girlfriend." I then noticed that the Jena/Haniwa
was tightning her grip.
Rich had lossened his grip and he had realized that she
was lying. "You aren't Jena," were the only words he managed to say
when he collapsed. The Jena/Haniwa just looked at him vacantly and
release her grip. Rich fell to the floor, like a wet rag.
St. Marius entered the room and told the Haniwa, "Take him
to the dungeon, and leave him his weapons." He leaned over the form
and picked up something from Rich's body. The unit that Rich had
taken from the Arsenal. I then watched as the Haniwa picked Rich
up and they left the room.
I found Li at another room. She too had started looking
for a way out of the dead-end room. Just as she had given up, I heard
a familiar voice say, "Sister." Li turned around and saw Ki stand
at the door.
Li started to walk to her and then stopped. "You can't
be my sister. St. Marius killed you."
The Ki/Haniwa lied, as did the Jena/Haniwa. "He can't
kill me, little sister. Isis had always protected me. When
he got me here, I fought him off and escaped. He probably tried to
capture you this morning."
Li appeared to be believing what her attacker was saying.
"How do you know he tried to attack me?"
"He would do anything to make me give in to him. Since
Isis is still gone, he need her power to win, the power I have in me."
The Haniwa had said the wrong thing, for Li realized it was a trap for
she attacked the Ki/Haniwa with a vengence.
Almost instantly, Li threw a grenade and ran back, to not
be caught in the blast. The Ki/Haniwa caught it and threw it right
back at her with such speed, that I couldn't process the information in
the main computer of the guardian base fast enough. The blast, and
then the thud as Li hit the ground, unconscious. St. Marius entered
the room and said, "Take her to the Dungeon. Remove her weapons,
her armor, and put her in the suit. Give the key to the suit to the
robot." The Haniwa nodded and picked Li up, and the two left the
room. I then realized what was going to happen. St. Marius
was going to crush the resistance out of Li, have Rich fight to exhaustion
against the robot, and use Vet's own magic against her.
I had to find Vet, and somehow warn her. The first
was easy, for she was working her way through the tunnels, launching a
fireball down the halls every five feet. It was her least powerful
spell, but I admired her quick attacks with it, although they hit nothing.
I judged how much time I had left of sentience in the Mana Net, and it
would be shortened drastically if I tired a message, or two. My first
attempt caught her attention, for electric pulses formed in the wall. My
second attempt proved that I had gotten through, but not all I could tell
her. I had succeeded when she read the message.
"Vet, " she said, "Rich and Li captured. Danger.
Careful. Radr." She sighed and said, "Thank you, Radr.
I don't know how you know, but I wish you tell me how they were caught."
As she finished speaking, I voice came from the room ahead.
It said, "Vet, is that you?" Vet's eyes had gone wide and she ran for the
room. As she entered the room, she looked at the woman crouched in
the corner. I recognized her, for she was the third Haniwa.
But Vet regonized her too, for there were tears in her eyes.
Vet said in a shaky voice, "Mama." She ran over and
hugged the Haniwa, unaware of the trap. "I thought you were dead.
Papa said you were dead."
"I thought I was to, but I was attacked and brought here.
I would have been dead, except this man saved me and said that we would
be patient and hide until the chosen ones would save us," she lied, and
Vet was eating up every word of it.
Vet looked at the creature, still seeing her mother and
said, "Who saved you?"
"I did!" Vet turned in fear and realized that she
had fallen into the trap that St. Marius had set for her. She was
staring right at him. He started to walk forward to her. "Don't
even think off using the Seven Sword, child."
Vet tried pull out the Seven Sword, because she was
not going to die at his hands. I then watched as her mother/Haniwa
attacked her from behind. Vet turned, and didn't stop the attack.
I could see that she couldn't bring herself to hurt her mother, even if
she was dead. The Haniwa said, "Don't you dare question your mother,
or threaten anyone." Vet was knocked straight onto the floor cold
by the Haniwa.
St. Marius leaned over Vet's head and removed her helmet,
replacing it with the helmet that Roturet had used. He then retrieved
the device from her, and said to the Haniwa, "Take her up to my throne
room. Her power, which she has yet to use, will be mine, willing,
or as a slave." The Haniwa nodded, and took Vet out of the room.
My consciousness was unable to contact the Mana Net, as I returned to my
computer form. The last thing I heard was St. Marius laughing in
delight. At that moment, I believed that all was lost.
To be continued????