Darkening Threads

by DarkHraefn

News update, 11-25-03: Fic discontinued in favor of rewrite. Check inside for a word from the author, as well as a teaser of Chapter 3 (had the fic been continued). My apologies to all who've been waiting ages for an update.

2. A Fallen Kingdom

Darkening Threads
A Threads of Fate fan-fiction
by Lyn Chan

Disclaimer: Threads of Fate(Dewprism in Japan) and all its characters
are the rightful property of Squaresoft. Everything else that wasn't
part of the game is all mine. All events portrayed bear no relation
to actual incidents - any similarities are entirely coincidental.
Kudos to all RPG designers for creating such wonderful and engaging
games for the avid RPG buff. Nothing beats a good RPG!

Not too many people know about the really, REALLY great game known as
Threads of Fate, which is a shame really, since they don't know what
they're missing. Most of you who are reading this are probably already
familiar with the game, but I'm sure there are also some who are not.
But don't worry, I'll try to make it so that anyone can enjoy the
story whether you've played the game or not. There may be possible
game spoilers in my fic, so consider yourself warned.

Lair of the Lynx
http://www.geocities.com/the_lynx2001/
E-mail: the_lynx2001@yahoo.com

**!!WARNING!!** SOME LANGUAGE AND SITUATIONS IN THIS FIC MAY NOT
BE SUITABLE FOR A YOUNG AUDIENCE, PARENTAL GUIDANCE IS ADVISED!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 2: A Fallen Kingdom

A single lantern lit the room, the dim light casting shadows that danced with
the flickering flame, providing an eerie backdrop to the subdued richness of
the study chamber. The room's sole occupant, a redhead in her early twenties,
took no notice of the dancing shadows, instead settling herself into a
plushly cushioned chair by the desk. She picked up a paper from the desktop,
frowning ever so slightly as she read its contents. With a sigh of disgust,
she set the offending sheet back down, rubbing her temples to ward off the
impending headache.

"This is useless... I'll never get any work done!" Princess Maya complained.
The young heir to East Heaven's throne removed another piece of paper from
the pile on her desk. It was a letter from a foreign merchant requesting an
audience with the princess to discuss a trade proposal. "Hmm... this looks
promising. We can always use more trade... At least it's not another
settlement dispute from a disgruntled farmer or something like that..." she
paused, "Great! Now I'm talking to myself! And this headache is killing me!
Whoever invented bureaucracy must have been evil; I hate paperwork!" Maya
dropped the sheet back onto the desk. Stretching in her chair, she willed
herself to relax.

It has been a busy day for the Crown Princess. Little more than a year ago
her father, the king, had fallen ill-- the doctors said it was a heart
attack. It wasn't fatal-- a normal person would have bounced right back to
perfect health-- but the king wasn't a normal person. His Majesty's usual
diet-- ten meals a day!-- rendered him more susceptible to heart ailments
than most people would have been. For East Heaven's king, the relatively mild
heart attack was devastating. The king's body, weakened by the illness, began
to deteriorate. There was nothing the doctors could do. Even healing spells
were useless-- the king's condition was not an illness or an injury to be
cured but a product of nature. Eventually he was incapacitated, unable to
rule, and all burdens of kingship was passed on to his heir. Maya refused to
be crowned queen, believing in her heart that her father would someday
recover, so she was granted regency over all affairs of state instead. It
was an exhausting job and Maya was just beginning to understand the
difficulties involved in running a country-- even one as small as East
Heaven Kingdom. In a way, she was glad for the experience... if only that
experience hadn't come with such a high price. Since then her days were all
spent busily trying to keep the country running smoothly. Stress was a common
acquaintance; at the end a day Princess Maya was usually strung as taut as
a wire. But recently, another burden was added to her list of worries. It
involved her sister...

A knock on the door jolted Maya from her reverie. Frowning at the
interruption, she arranged the papers on the desk into some semblance of
order and called out, "Come in!" The door to her study gently slid open and
an elderly figure walked into the room. The princess' eyes lit up the sight
of him.

"Gramps! What perfect timing! I was just about to take a short break from all
the paperwork. So. What can I do for you?" Maya asked her friend and tutor,
a man she affectionately called 'Gramps', though he bore no relation to her.
The old man stayed silent, as if considering how to tell her something; his
face was grim. Maya felt a tingle of apprehension rush through her. Something
bad must have happened, Gramps looked as if someone had died... No!

"Something's happened. What is it? Gramps? Tell me!" Maya pleaded, hoping
against hope that her fears were wrong.

The old man visibly struggled to hold back his emotions. It would not do for
him to lose control. He had to tell her, the princess had to know... "Y-your
highness," he choked out, "I have terrible news. It's about His Majesty.
He is..." He paused, too overcome to speak any further.

"No! Please, tell me he's not dead! Father can't be dead..." the young
princess threw herself into the old man's arms, sobbing as she clutched at
the folds of his garment. "Please..."

Gramps rubbed her shoulders comfortingly. "No, the king is not dead." Maya
lifted her eyes at him hopefully. Gramps almost lost the courage to tell her
the rest of it. To crush that hope... But no, it must be done. "His Majesty
has had another heart attack today," he told Maya gently. "It has weakened
him severely. I'm sorry, princess, but the doctors don't expect him to live
for much longer. He is asking for you now, he wants to see you."

Maya sniffed back her tears. She knew that this day would come sooner or
later despite how much she had wished otherwise. Her father was still alive--
for how long, she didn't know-- but she would not face him like a sniveling
child. She was a princess of East Heaven, the heir to the throne, and she
would face her father with a pride worthy of her station. Her father deserved
no less. She lifted her chin high, a fragile smile on her lips, and turned to
the man who was her guardian, mentor, and friend.

"Take me to him, if you please. I want to see him as well."

******

The king's quarters felt like a mausoleum, so thick was the scent of the
herbal incense. Maya shuddered at the sickly-sweet odor; the incense seemed
to hint of things to come, things that she would rather not contemplate.
Slowly, carefully, she approached the figure that lay on the massive canopied
bed, keeping a tight rein on her emotions. Kneeling beside the bed, she
tentatively reached out a hand and lightly brushed her fingers across the
king's brow. "Father...?"

A tremor seemed to shake the figure on the bed. Turning his head to face
her, the old king lifted his hand to lightly stroke his daughter's cheek
before wearily dropping back down. "Maya..." His voice was barely above a
whisper. "I'm glad you came. I'm afraid I don't have much time-"

"No, father," Maya interrupted fiercely, "you're not going to die. You *will*
recover. You'll see."

The king managed a sad smile at the fierceness of Maya's tone. "You and I
both know that's not true. My time has come, but yours is just beginning. I
know that my end is near and I have one request to make."

"Anything, father. I'll do whatever you want," Maya told him, her voice
trembling with suppressed emotions.

"You are twenty-one years old, Maya, it's high time you became queen. You've
put it off long enough, there is no reason for you to refuse it any longer.
Time is short; I want to see you crowned queen before-" He broke off, unable
to continue. Maya understood what the king left unsaid, the bond between
father and daughter transcending words. "My daughter... I wish I could be
there to guide you... but the fates have decreed otherwise. You will be a
good ruler, that I know." The king's gaze fixed on her face, drinking in the
features of his youngest child. Her face, so like her mother-- "I'm so proud
of you Maya-- you and your sister. If only your mother was still alive to
see how much you've grown." He smiled in remembrance of his dead wife. "I
will be joining her soon."

"Don't talk like that, father," Maya gently scolded. "It's not like you to
give up."

"Why not? It's the truth," her father argued back. "And I am not giving up,
I just don't fear death anymore. My life has been a full one and I'm grateful
for it, but now it is time to let go. I hope you understand, Maya, that even
when I'm gone I will always be with you."

Maya reached down for her father's hand, her fingers entwining with his. "I-I
understand, father. It's just... so hard to... think that-" Her grip
tightened, eyes the color of a summer sky glittering with unshed tears.

"Then don't think about it," the king advised. Seeing as his daughter was not
calming down, he cast about for a change in topic-- anything to distract Maya
from her sadness. "So, have you heard from your sister lately?" he asked
rather casually.

Maya's tears instantly dried and her face grew stony. "Who cares what that
lazy good-for-nothing does! She runs off without so much as a by-your-leave,
with no regard to the consequence of her actions, and she thinks that an
occasional letter makes everything all right! She's not fit to be a
princess!"

The king's eyes widened at Maya's outburst. Maybe this was a wrong choice of
topic, he mused. Still, he needed to placate his daughter before things got
any worse. "Come now, Maya, it's not all that bad. Mint needed to find her
own destiny; this is just how she does it."

"Her destiny is here in East Heaven!" Maya insisted.

"No, *your* destiny lies in East Heaven. Mint was born for a different
purpose. What that purpose may be, I don't know, but I know that it does not
lie here. You may think that your sister abandoned you but that's not true.
Mint may be stubborn, and prideful, but think-- would she have left if she
did not believe you were capable of ruling a country?" the king reproved.
Maya averted her eyes ashamedly. "For all your fighting and arguing I know
that you love each other. Sibling rivalry is natural, but there will come a
time when you will have to put aside your differences and work together."

"How can you say that when all she does is run away from her
responsibilities?" Maya asked heatedly." She is a princess of East Heaven,
she can't just go haring off to who knows where! I had thought... I had
thought that after Carona she would have changed, but no! She is still as
selfish as ever!" Glaring at her father with narrowed eyes Maya paused for
breath, struggling for calm. Several moments later she looked away, then
continued in a softer voice, "She should have stayed, East Heaven needs
her... I need her... I can't do this alone-- I'm not strong like Mint..."

"So that's it," the king nodded in realization. "You still doubt your own
ability."

"Well, it's true. I almost brought East Heaven to ruin... If only I had
Mint's strength, then maybe things might have been different."

"Maya, that was five years ago, and it wasn't your fault. The whole nation
was deceived by Doll Master's lies, myself included. And who says you are
not strong? Just because you are not your sister doesn't mean you don't
have strength on your own. Who was it that kept the whole country running
for the past year? You. You have the strength to be a true ruler, Maya, so
don't doubt yourself. I believe in you, and I know your sister does, too."

Maya returned her father's encouraging smile, her mind mulling over the
import of his words. "Maybe... maybe you're right, father. I don't know what
came over me. It's just that... sometimes I feel so overshadowed by my
sister. Strange, isn't it? That I would feel that way about Mint."

"It's not so strange, really. She is your big sister, after all; it's natural
that you would look up to her as a role model," the king said.

"Some role model!" Maya laughed, lifting a hand to hide her smile. "She's
not exactly the ideal of princessly decorum. But she *is* popular among the
common folk, especially since her return from Carona. Would you believe that
there's a 'Princess Mint Fan Club' in the city?"

The king joined Maya in laughter, however weakly. "That's my Mint!" he
exclaimed. A few seconds later, after he calmed down, he asked, "So, about my
question...?"

"Huh? What question was that?" Maya asked, nonplussed.

"About whether you've heard from Mint lately," he reminded her.

"Oh." Maya lost her smile, her expression turning grave. "I'm sorry father
but there's been no word."

Maya's father sighed in disappointment. "How long has it been since her last
letter? Three months?"

"Yes, father."

The king was worried. Three months without any contact from his eldest
daughter was not a good sign. Mint was usually prompt with her correspondence
these days. What could have happened? "Have you tried contacting that boy she
usually goes with? What was his name again?"

"Rue?" Maya guessed. "We already sent him a letter by courier. His reply
hasn't arrived yet."

"I was hoping I could see her one last time." The king lapsed into silence,
his eyes closed. A few seconds later, he continued, "I just hope that Mint
is all right, wherever she may be."

"I'm sure she's all right, father. This is Mint we're talking about." Maya
looked down on her father as he rested on the cushioned bed. She patted his
arm affectionately. "Get some rest, father. Tomorrow is a big day for you."

Her father turned to look at her, his gaze intense. "So you'll do it? You'll
accept the crown?"

"Yes. Now go to sleep," she commanded. She waited until the king was lost
in slumber before leaving the room, closing the door softly behind her.
Outside, Gramps was waiting for her. Meeting his inquiring gaze, Maya relayed
her father's request.

"Make ready for my coronation tomorrow," she ordered.

"But- but princess, it takes at least a week to prepare for a coronation!
There's no way we could be ready by tomorrow," Gramps protested.

"The ceremony will be tomorrow." Maya's tone brooked no argument. She glanced
back at the closed door she had just recently exited. Gramps caught the look
Maya gave the king's quarters and his expression brightened in understanding.

"As you wish, princess," he said, bowing slightly. "Tomorrow it shall be."

"Good." Maya nodded curtly then walked off towards her room. Entering the
lavishly decorated apartment, she headed over to the bed and sat down, her
heart lying heavy within her chest. Glancing at her reflection in the
full-length mirror across the room, Maya took note of her appearance--
shoulders bowed with burden and eyes red from tears that remained unshed.
She stared at her reflection for several seconds, then suddenly collapsed on
the bed as heavy sobs shook her body.

******

It was the strangest coronation ceremony East Heaven has ever seen; what was
supposed to be a joyous occasion was instead shrouded by a feeling of tense
anticipation. With so little time for preparation, the decorations in and
around the castle was not as extravagant as the organizers would have liked.
Still, they had managed to put up a fair number of streamers and brightly
colored ribbons in honor of the occasion. There was no time to make any
public announcements regarding the coronation but nevertheless the people
of East Heaven had turned up in droves to witness the crowning of their
newest ruler, having learned about the upcoming ceremony through the fastest
medium, word of mouth. People crowded into the throne room, which was chosen
as the venue of the coronation. Seated at the massive throne was the old king
who, despite protests from his daughter and the High Council, insisted on
performing the ceremony. Off to the side of the throne stood the various
ministers and members of the High Council who would be affirming Princess
Maya's succession.

The whole chamber waited with bated breath for Princess Maya's appearance,
eager to see the woman who would soon be their queen. The trumpets blared
to life, striking up a regal marching tune as the doors to the throne room
flew open. Framed by the huge doors was a feminine figure garbed in a
beautiful dress of purple, blue, and white-- the royal colors. Princess Maya
glided into the room, walking up the aisle to stand before her liege and
lord. She looked into her father's eyes as she knelt before him, seeing a man
weakened by illness yet undefeated by all he had suffered. She hoped that
someday she could be as strong as him. The pride in the king's eyes as he
gazed upon his daughter was evident to all who watched. After a few moments
of silent rapport between father and daughter, the king began to speak.

"Citizens of East Heaven! You have gathered here today to witness a momentous
occasion. From this day forth East Heaven shall have a new ruler! It is
granted to me as your King and sovereign to present you with my successor,
Princess Maya!" the king proclaimed, his words reaching the farthest corners
of the room. He picked up a jeweled crown from its resting place on a cushion
nearby then turned to the kneeling princess.

"Will you accept the crown of the rightful Queen?"

Maya never hesitated. "Yes, I will."

"Then speak your vow," the king commanded, satisfaction in his tone of voice.

"I, Maya of East Heaven Kingdom, do solemnly swear upon my honor to rule for
truth and justice for the welfare of the people, to guard the land against
all evils, to uphold the laws of God and State, and to bear the burdens of
of leadership without rest or fail. This I vow," Maya declared in a voice
filled with confidence.

Her father's face was wreathed in smiles as he gently place the crown atop
her head. Taking her by the hand, the king helped her to her feet. "Then
rise and rule, Queen Maya of East Heaven!"

The whole room burst into cheers, filling the entire chamber with voices
raised in exultation. Maya stood, giving her father's hand a squeeze, and
turned to face her subjects. She stepped forward, eliciting another round
of enthused shouts, and smiled and waved at the crowd. Wanting her father to
share in the moment Maya turned around, a smile on her lips. Her smile died
as she beheld the sight before her, her face going deathly pale. Her father's
face was a mask of pain, his hand clutched claw-like to his chest. Slowly--
ever so slowly-- he toppled over. With a cry, Maya rushed toward the fallen
king, cradling his body gently in her arms. From behind her the crowd grew
silent, aware that something was very, very wrong.

"Father! No! Father! Somebody do something!" Maya screamed. A team of
physicians waiting in the outskirts of the room rushed to her position,
instantly checking for signs of life. There was a flurry of activity at the
foot of the throne, medical instruments being wielded by expert hands and
orders being shouted. A while later, the head physician shook his head sadly
at the stunned young queen, giving her a look of compassion. Maya stared at
him in disbelief. Slowly, the truth of the matter sunk in and Maya gave a
keening cry of grief, hugging her father tightly in her arms.

"No... no... Father!!"

******

Maya's first official act after being crowned was to organize her father's
funeral. It was an elaborate affair, even more so that her coronation
had been; it was her last gift and farewell to the man she called father.
After the requisite three days of mourning Maya went back to work-- a country
cannot be left without leadership for too long, and she knew it. It wasn't
a difficult matter for her to assume the reigns of queenship-- after all, she
had already been essentially ruling the kingdom for almost a year before
her coronation. The only thing that had changed was that now people were
addressing her as 'your Majesty' instead of 'your highness'. It took some
getting used to; every time someone started saying 'your Majesty' she kept
expecting her father to walk in. But, she adjusted well to her new status
and soon it was as if she had been a queen her whole life. Three weeks soon
passed.

It was mid-afternoon, the people of East Heaven bustling about in what was
the busiest time of the day. In the marketplace vendors hawked their wares,
voices raised above the din of crowd, imploring and cajoling potential
customers to come view their merchandise. Here and there came cries of
"... come and see! Finest silks, imported from Orava!" or "Ceramics! Jars
and vases of the highest quality! Straight from the furnaces of the Nil
Kohva!" Elsewhere in the city craftsmen plied their trade, their finished
works displayed on shop windows for merchants and traders to peruse.
Eventually, those same products will find themselves on foreign markets where
the demand for them is high. In the city's center were numerous bars and
cafeterias, all readying themselves for the soon-to-be arriving students
from the nearby Academy of Magic.

In her study chamber in the castle, Maya also was busy. She had just
concluded a successful meeting with the ambassador from Khara regarding
diplomatic and trade issues between their two countries. Maya was rather
satisfied with how things had turned out; she had managed to cement an
alliance with Khara as well as negotiate a much-needed trade contract.
Currently, she was examining a copy of the document detailing the treaty,
searching for possible loopholes that the ambassador might have
inadvertently-- or advertently, for that matter-- left behind. Satisfied
for the moment that the contract was airtight, Maya returned the sheaf of
papers to its place on the desk just as someone knocked on the door, asking
for entrance. Granting her permission, Maya waited for her visitor to enter.

The study room's door opened to reveal a sandy-haired young man of slightly
above average height dressed in a long, white coat-jacket that was heavily
trimmed in gold and black designs. His bearing was proud, even aloof, as he
stood before his queen. In his hands were several sheets of paper as well
as a travel-stained envelope. "Your Majesty," he said, bowing slightly.

"Ah, Court Magician Raen," Maya greeted the new arrival. "What can I do for
you?"

"Here," Raen said, handing over the papers. "The High Council told me to
give these to you once they learned that I was going to see you, your
Majesty."

"So they made you their errand boy?" Maya laughed as she set the papers
alongside the stack already on her desk. "What are these anyway?"

Raen was not amused. "Bills, petitions. I didn't really look. Oh, yes. The
envelope is supposed to be a letter from someone named Rue."

"Really?!" Maya exclaimed, her expression hopeful. Tearing open the envelope,
she quickly scanned the contents of Rue's letter, her expression falling as
she read further.

"Bad news?" Raen inquired.

"No news, which is worse than bad news," the redhead explained. "At least
with bad news we'd know what happened. This uncertainty is..."

"I assume this matter is important?"

"Very important," Maya agreed. "It concerns my sister. You know that my
sister is missing, don't you? Well, this letter is from a friend of ours.
I was hoping that he knew of Mint's whereabouts but apparently he is as
clueless as the rest of us."

"So we still don't know where Princess Mint is..." Raen concluded. "Well,
it's not as bad as it might have been, your Majesty. This way there's still
hope, and, knowing your sister, I'm sure she's alive."

"I hope you're right," Maya sighed. Suddenly a thought occurred to her.
"Oh, Lord Raen, I forgot what this must be like for you! You're Mint's
friend, are you not? Weren't you classmates at the Academy? You must be as
worried as I am."

"I suppose you could call us friends, of sorts," Raen conceded hesitantly.
"Yes, we did go to the same class-- Advanced Magic under Master Bergold-- but
we were classmates only for the month that your sister actually attended.
And yes, I am worried-- as is everyone else who knows about it-- but not
overly so; I'm sure Princess Mint will survive whatever had happened."

Maya nodded in agreement. "Yes, that's her all right-- resilient, just like
a cockroach." She folded Rue's letter back into the envelope and laid it on
the table. "Was that all you came to see me for, Lord Raen?"

"Yes, you Majes- Wait! No, I almost forgot. The reason I came here in the
first place was to inform you of something that may be important. The
Magician's Council has detected an incredibly powerful storm a few miles off
the eastern coast. Reports say it's due to arrive sometime around midnight."

"That certainly is bad news," Maya commented, "but not really something that
would make the Court Magician come running to tell me in person. Storms are
not unusual, especially at this time of year, so there must be something more
to it."

"Your Majesty is very astute," Raen complimented. "You are right, there is
something more. This storm is no ordinary storm; all evidence suggests that
the weather may have been tampered with."

"You mean someone *created* this storm!" Maya asked incredulously. "But
that's insane! Any type of tampering could disrupt weather patterns all over
the world. The effects would be disastrous! Who would do such a thing?"

"Believe me, I was as stunned as you are when I learned of it. But I did
confirm it myself, the storm is indeed artificial. As for who did it... He
must have been a genius-- as far as I could tell, there were *no* disruptions
in the weather patterns whatsoever! This was as perfect a spell as I've ever
seen." Raen sounded almost admiring.

"Well! Genius or not, whoever created this storm cannot possibly have good
intentions," Maya huffed. "Lord Raen! Organize the Magician's Council. Have
them prepare for any eventuality; we must not take any chances regarding this
matter. Perhaps you should inform the apprentices and novices, too. In the
meantime, I'll have the military prepare for emergency operations. Artificial
or not, this is still a storm, so we must be vigilant."

Raen sketched a bow. "As you will, your Majesty. I shall leave at once." Maya
waited for the door to close behind the departing magician before ringing a
bell to summon a pageboy to her room. She had to act quickly before it was
too late.

******

Gale-force winds buffeted the capital city of East Heaven Kingdom as night
fell all across the land. Along the city walls sentries routinely patrolled
the area under the protection of weather-resistant cloaks, their covered
lanterns bobbing in the wind. It was close to midnight and the storm had
reached its peak. The people of the city remained indoors, houses shuttered
against the rain and wind. All was silent save for the howling of the storm.
A cloaked figure entered one of the sentry towers that dotted the city walls.
Setting his lantern on a nearby table, the soldier vainly tried to shake the
water from his cloak as he shed the soaked garment. Failing success, he
settled instead for hanging the cloak on a wooden peg by the door then went
to sit with the other soldiers who had sought shelter in the tower.

"Rough night, ain't it?" one of the tower's occupants said to the new
arrival.

"The worst," he agreed. "No one in his right mind would be out in a storm
like this, so why're we out patrolling when we could at home, warm and comfy?
And dry."

"Heck, if I know," interspersed a third voice. "Heard there was some ruckus
among the higher ups. They all seem ta be worried or something."

"Yeah, I heard that too," said the second man. "I tried asking my superior
about that and all he said was 'Watch for anything unusual,' whatever that
means."

"'Unusual' huh? Wonder what that could be." For a while all was silent as
each of them tried to figure out what had gotten their superiors all riled
up. Outside, the storm continued to rage unabated. Suddenly, a strong gust of
wind blew open one of the tower's windows, chilling the room's occupants.
The soldier nearest the window got up to close it again. As he struggled to
close the shutters against the wind he happened to glance out the window,
then stared.

"Hey guys!" he shouted. "You've got to see this!"

"Huh? What is it, Von?" asked a soldier from the bench. He walked over to
the where Von stood and looked outside.

"Holy-!" His startled exclamation drew the attention of the other soldiers.
They, too, went to take look.

"What in Hell is that?!" someone demanded. In the field beyond the city gates
were monstrous shapes rising from the earth itself. The creatures were a
mixture of rock and metal and their armored body was ridged in sharp spikes.
They looked vaguely human, or perhaps a caricature of a human, their features
pronounced and exaggerated. Eight feet in height, each monster carried with
it a weapon, usually an axe or mace, that it wielded with astonishing ease.

"My God! They're trying to break down the gates." It was true. Crowding
around the entrance, the creatures methodically hammered the steel reinforced
gates, each blow shaking the walls to its foundation. The soldiers stared in
horrified fascination as the assault continued, then one man, a sergeant,
gathered his wits together.

"Somebody, sound the alarm! You," he ordered, pointing at Von, "go get some
reinforcements. The rest of us will try to prevent them from getting through.
Everybody! Hop to it!" There was a flurry of activity as soldiers rushed to
brace the gates with poles, logs, anything they could find. A bell rung
frantically from the top of the tower, echoing into the stormy night as other
sentry posts took up the alarm. The storm's fury was almost drowned out by
the alarm bells. Nearby residents, awakened by the furor, hastened into the
streets to see what the matter was. Suddenly, an ominous creaking noise was
heard from above the chaos of the night. Then, the walls of the city burst
under the strain of the invaders might. Swarms of the nightmare creatures
rushed through the narrow streets of the city, sending people fleeing for
their lives in panic. Reinforcements from the barracks soon arrived in time
to lend their aid to the harried defenders as they sought to repel the
invading army of monsters. Ranks and ranks of East Heaven's militia clashed
with the unending wave of rock creatures as weapons flashed on both sides,
the ringing of steel on steel echoing in the midnight darkness. The battle
raged on unrelenting.

******

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! The city is under attack!" yelled a servant
as he burst into the queen's study room, gasping for breath. At his words
Maya shot up from her chair with alacrity, her expression unreadable.

"We're under attack?! By whom?" she demanded urgently.

"By monsters, your Majesty. That's all I know," the man supplied.

"So, it has begun," Maya said to herself. "Summon all the members of the High
Council. Tell them there will be a meeting in the council chamber right away.
At once, do you understand? Pull them from their beds if you have to. And
summon lord Raen to the meeting as well. What are you waiting for? Go!" She
watched as the servant scurried off to carry out her orders. Putting on an
overcoat, Maya left as well, hurrying to the council chamber to await the
arrival of East Heaven's highest officials.

As Maya sat down to take a seat at the head of the table, the first of the
council members started arriving, quickly taking their respective places at
the long, rectangular table that was at the center of the room. Once everyone
was seated, Maya called for order. Looking around, she noticed that most of
the councilors wore slightly rumpled clothes, suggesting that they had not
gone to bed but had, instead, stayed awake. That pleased the young queen,
knowing that her government stayed alert at this time of crisis. Why, even
lord Raen and the Lord General of East Heaven's army, General Hardin, were
wet, as if they've just been out in the city.

"Gentlemen," she began. "As you all probably know by now, East Heaven is
under attack. What we don't know is who commanded these attacks, and why. But
that can wait. What we must concern ourselves with is how to repel these
invaders. General Hardin, what is the current status of the invasion?"

"Well, thanks to your timely warning, your Majesty, the military was able to
respond quickly to the attacks. But we did not expect the exact nature of
these attackers, so our soldiers were ill-equipped to deal with these
monstrosities. It took at least a squad of my men just to bring down one of
these creatures. At best, we were able to hold them off for a few minutes, at
least until the magicians arrived."

Raen took over the narration at this point. "Yes, our magicians were better
able to deal with the invaders. The army did a good job of herding the
monsters into the narrow streets, making them easy targets for my magicians.
If we keep going on as we have, we may even be able to stop the invaders from
going any further into the city." Murmurs of approval raced around the room.

"That is good news," the Minister of Finance said. "Lord Raen, I have not
seen monsters such as these before. Do you have any idea as to what they
are?"

The magician shook his head negatively. "I'm afraid not, my lord. These
creatures were created by magic."

"First, a magical storm, and now creatures made with magic! An elaborate
plan, but one doomed to failure, thanks to the courageous efforts of lord
Raen and General Hardin," said a blue-robed member of the High Council.

"I'm afraid it's not that easy," Maya interrupted. "Why would someone bother
to conjure a storm if all he wanted was to provide cover for the invasion?
The invasion would have been better off without the storm; as it is, all he
did was provide us with some warning. I fear there is a bigger plot afoot,
something that makes the storm a necessity."

"I agree with her Majesty," Raen added. "All evidence indicates that this is
the work of a master magician. We must assume that there may be more to this
invasion than what we've seen so far."

"So you're saying that this is not the worst of it?" asked General Hardin.
"Then what can we do?"

"Wait," advised Maya. "All we can do is wait. But we must not be idle; our
first priority must be the safety of the people. General, have some of your
men evacuate the residents from the besieged sections of the city. Find
shelter for them in or near the castle. Right now, this is the safest place
in the whole city. Lord Raen, put your magicians on alert. They are our best
defense against this enemy." Both the general and the Court Magician nodded.
"The rest of you, I would prefer it if you stayed in the castle. Bring your
families to the castle if you wish but remember to stay close." There was
a general murmur of acceptance from around the table.

"Very well, then. Everyone dismissed."

As everyone left the room, Maya remained sitting as she thought about the
current crisis facing her kingdom. Who could have done this? And why? The
level of magic involved in an operation like this bespoke a mastery of the
magical forces unseen since the Age of Aeons. Could it be...? But no, Valen's
gone... Isn't he? All the Aeons are dead. But... who else has the power to
do this? She stared at her clenched hands as if they held the answers she
sought. Growling in frustration, Maya cast her thoughts aside as she moved
towards the balcony, intent on viewing her nation's plight with her own eyes.
Outside, the storm still raged, its fury unabated. Maya wondered what purpose
the storm could possibly serve. Looking down over the streets of the city,
the young queen saw hordes of people fleeing towards the safety of the castle
grounds, assisted by the soldiers. Occasionally, brief flashes of light shone
from where the nation's best magicians continued their decimation of the
enemy forces. Maya stood there, watching the battle, wishing there was more
that she could do. A slight scuffing noise sounded to her left, alerting her
to the fact that she wasn't alone on the balcony. She glanced at the new
arrival and saw the Court Magician staring sadly over at the distressed city
below them.

"In the one thousand years of East Heaven's history, not once have we been
attacked outright," Raen said, his voice grim. "Too many nations have feared
our strength and magical ability. But now, things have changed. We have grown
placid, I fear, too confident in our reputation. Now we pay the price of
complacency."

"I will *not* let this be the end of East Heaven!" Maya declared. "It's true
that we have grown complacent-- I acknowledge that-- but we are far from
weak. We will survive this!"

Raen murmured an assent to Maya's words. "But we haven't seen the worst of
the attacks yet, your Majesty."

"That's true. Do you have any ideas on what the... finale could be?" Maya
asked him.

"No. No idea. But maybe- Wait! Do you feel that?" Raen's fingers clutched
tightly at the balcony railings, his knuckles going white from the strain.
He was staring upwards.

"Feel what?" Maya asked, looking around for the cause of Raen's distress.
"I don't feel anything."

"The magical index of the storm has just risen," the magician explained.
"Someone is pouring power into it. It looks like we'll get to see the finale
of this whole mess very soon." The both of them stared intently at the storm.

"Is it just me or is the storm getting stronger?" Maya asked.

"No, it's not just you. The storm *is* getting stronger," Raen replied.

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew against the balcony, almost sending Maya flying
over the edge. Raen caught her just in time and they crouched down, braced
against each other and the railing for support. The wind continued to blow
just as the rain increased in intensity. Cautiously, they peaked over the
edge of the balcony railing. On the far side of the city the soldiers and
magicians continued to engage the enemy. As Raen and Maya watched from the
castle, the roof of a nearby house was ripped off and sent flying towards
a cluster of the city's defenders. Maya gasped in horror as the structure
crashed into the hapless people, burying most of them under its weight. The
remaining survivors tried to flee but the monsters they were holding off
quickly took advantage of the situation. Not many escaped. Elsewhere, a group
of soldiers and magicians waited in ambush for the approaching invaders.
Just as they were about to begin the ambush, a strong gust of wind rose up
around them, sending them crashing against each other. They struggled to get
up but the wind kept pushing them down. Then, just as the wind began to
relent, bolts of lightning rained down on the people, leaving behind nothing
but a smoking mound of charred flesh. Maya clenched her hands tightly at the
carnage, her nails digging into the palm of her hands. She stood up
carefully, mindful of the wind, and looked around. All across the city the
same things were happening-- strong winds, lightning, even tornadoes-- but
only in places where her people were staying. This was not a random event.

"My God! The storm is... alive!" Maya breathed.

Raen banged a hand on the railing in anger. "Damn it! We can't fight
something like this! There are no spells for fighting a storm-- Hell! There
are no spells for *controlling* a storm! This was supposed to be impossible."

Maya hated feeling helpless. Her people were dying and all she could do was
stand and watch. What kind of queen was she, unable to even protect her
people? But what more could she do? Even lord Raen, East Heaven's top
magician, said there were no spells to combat this sort of thing. Wait!
Spells... of course! It was risky, but she would have to take the chance.

"Your Majesty! Where are you going?" Raen asked as Maya ran inside the
castle.

"I have an idea. Lord Raen, please call the High Council, tell them to meet
me at the council chamber. I know how we're going to fight this storm," Maya
called back as she ran. She dashed through the halls to her room, uncaring
of who saw her in her undignified rush. Reaching her room, Maya burst through
the door and began rooting through the shelves that lined one wall of the
room.

Where is it?, Maya thought as searched. Where- Yes! Found it! With gentle
hands, she removed an expensive looking book from the top shelf. She traced
the golden filigree on the covers with her fingers. The Book of Cosmos, East
Heaven Kingdom's most powerful Aeon relic. Powerless now, true-- Maya had
transferred the Book's power to her sister, Mint, in order to battle Valen
five years ago. But nevertheless, if her intuition was right, then the Book
may very well be their salvation. Maya held the Book tightly to herself as
she headed off to the council chamber to inform the High Council of her
plans.

The assembled officials rose to their feet as their queen entered the room.
"Your Majesty wanted to see us?" asked the elderly Minister of Records.

"Lord Raen tells us that you have an idea on how to fight this storm,"
General Hardin said in his gravelly voice. His clothes were torn and bloody,
a testament to the work he had done that night. "Is it true? My men are dying
out there; I will welcome anything that will help them."

"Take your seats, gentlemen," Maya told them. "It's true, I do have an idea
on how to stop this unnatural storm. It involves this." Maya laid the Book of
Cosmos on the table before her.

"The Book of Cosmos! But... isn't the Book powerless?" asked one member of
the High Council.

Maya nodded in agreement. "The Book itself is without power, but that doesn't
mean it is entirely useless. There are... other alternatives."

A gray-haired man in magician's robes shot from his chair, his face full of
apprehension. "Your Majesty! You can't be thinking...? No, it's too
dangerous!"

"What the devil are you going on about, Romney?" someone asked in
irritation.

The scholarly Romney was shaking in his boots. "The Book of Cosmos, it is-
No! It's too risky. You must not allow her Majesty to do it! There has to be
another way, not... this."

"Do what? You're not making any sense."

"Perhaps I should explain," Maya interfered, seeing as how the other man
seemed ready to begin strangling poor Romney. "There is another side to the
Book of Cosmos, a side that has not been evident until five years ago. You
see, I've always been wondering why the Aeon Atenacius decided to make his
relic in the form of a book. All the other relics are usually a jewel or
something similar, so why a book? But since the Book has never been opened,
we just assumed that it was one of Atenacius' peculiarities. But five years
ago, when the Book of Cosmos lost its power, I was able to open it for the
first time. It was then that I discovered the Book's true nature, it was more
than just a relic-- the Book of Cosmos was also Atenacius' journal!"

"An Aeon's journal! Why weren't we informed of this earlier?" demanded the
curator of the Academy of Magic's museum of Aeon history. "Such a treasure
*should* have been studied by our top scholars! Why have you kept this to
yourself?" The curator seemed on the verge of apoplexy, his face was almost
bursting with outrage. Maya would have found his imitation of a tomato funny
if it weren't so insulting.

Maya glared at the red-faced man. "You forget who you're talking to, Master
Borric!" The curator subsided, settling back in his seat like a sulky child.

"I apologize, your Majesty. Please, continue your explanation."

"Very well, then. If there will be no more interruptions...?" The whole room
remained silent. "Good. Now, as I was saying... The Book was the journal of
Atenacius, but at first I did not realize it. It was written in a language
so ancient that most scholars did not recognize it. I even asked the help of
our top linguistics expert, Master Romney, but even he did not recognize the
language. So I sent a copy of the text to a friend of mine in Carona who
specializes in ancient languages, particularly languages from the Age of
Aeons. He was able to translate a part of the text, which he sent back to me.
His help was the key that enabled Master Romney and I to begin to understand
the writings in the Book of Cosmos. We were not able to understand all of it,
but what I was able to understand convinced me that what was written in the
Book was too dangerous to reveal.

"The Book of Cosmos is a weapon, gentlemen, but that weapon is a double-edged
sword. Although powerless, the Book contains spells capable of destroying
even an entire city, but such spells are a danger even to its caster."

"Then you should not use it at all, your Majesty! You are too valuable to
risk on such a venture! There must be another way of defeating this opponent,
one that doesn't put you at risk," General Hardin argued.

"I agree with the general," Raen put in, frowning at the young queen. "If the
Book is that dangerous then another way must be found. All we need to do is
figure out a way of dispersing storm. It will take time, but if the general
and his men can hold until then..."

Maya slammed both hands face down on the table and leaned over to look the
assembled notables in the eye. "That is time we do not have! My people are
dying, and using the Book is the only way to save them. I will risk
everything to protect my people, even my life! But never fear, I will not be
using the more dangerous spells found in the Book. What I had in mind was to
try to duplicate the Book of Cosmos' original purpose."

"Its original purpose?" asked a council member. "What purpose is that, your
Majesty?" The rest of the people in the room looked intrigued as well, except
for the Court Magician, who continued scowling.

Maya leaned back, satisfied that things were now going her way. "The Book of
Cosmos is, no, was a gateway to another dimension, an alternate universe.
That alternate universe was the source of the Book's incredible power--
through the gateway formed by the Book a person was able to tap into magics
greater than anyone could hope to produce on his own. That power to form a
gateway-- power that was lost when I transferred all of the Book's power to
my sister five years ago-- can be duplicated using a spell. The problem with
this spell is that it was meant for an Aeon. All I can do is create the
gateway. To actually channel the power of the alternate universe will require
the help of the spirit of Atenacius, who still resides in the universe of the
Book."

"Then I should be the one to cast the spell," said Raen. "There's no need for
you to risk yourself, your Majesty."

"No," Maya disagreed. "I should be the one to do it. I have spoken with
Atenacius once before, five years ago when I was trapped inside the alternate
universe. He will be more likely to listen to me. If you opened the gateway
and Atenacius refused to help you... I don't know what might happen. It would
be disastrous. Gentlemen... my lords-- you supported my father, now give me
your support as well."

Silence fell at Maya's pronouncement. The assembled ministers and government
officials debated the merits of Maya's proposal, the discussion at times
heated. Finally, they came to a decision: Maya can use the Book of Cosmos.

"Thank you, gentlemen. I know what a hard decision this was for you; but I
assure you, it was entirely necessary." Maya looked down at the Aeon relic
in her hands. She thought of her plan-- and all that she needed to do. The
next part of her plan was difficult and painful for her. It felt too much
like giving up. But it had to be done... to save her people. "I have one
more request to ask of you-- evacuate the city. Use the Portal Gate; take
everyone to the Kingdom of Seithe-- they are our allies, our people can find
refuge there. If all goes well, you will be able to return safely. General
Hardin, you will be in charge of the evacuation. I trust you to... keep my
people safe."

Everyone was stunned at Maya's request. That their queen was asking them to
evacuate brought to light the terrible reality of the situation. One thousand
years of history, brought low in a single night! Nothing will ever be the
same again. Not a few had tears in their eyes. General Hardin crossed his
arms to her in a salute.

"As you command, your Majesty," he said, gruffly. "I am your most loyal
servant."

Raen spoke up, "Your Majesty, I will stay behind. You need someone to protect
you while you cast the spell... I will be that one. I and several of my best
magicians will remain with you until you are done." Nods of approval greeted
Raen's words as the assembled High Council urged Maya to accept.

"All right," Maya conceded. "You can stay, although I'd rather you not risk
your life. Be ready in thirty minutes-- that will give the people time to
evacuate. Everybody, good luck," she said by way of dismissal.

The room was cleared in a matter of seconds until only Maya was left. Lord
Raen had left to gather the other magicians who would be left behind to
protect her while General Hardin and the others began the evacuation of the
city. In the meantime Maya was left with her thoughts as companion. Was she
doing the right thing? Or was evacuating the city too premature? No, she must
not doubt her judgement. What she should do instead was rehearse the spell
she would be using to make sure nothing could go wrong. She opened the Book
of Cosmos and flipped to the page she wanted. There. With a few adjustments
in the wording it would be just what she needed. But... a minor problem. The
spell she wanted was written in the Aeon language and was not part of the
text that had already been translated. Well, no matter; all that time trying
to translate the Book had taught her a little of how the language worked.
Making adjustments should not be a problem. But, just to be sure...

"Telume Ando, cuio-lye mi kuilen," Maya read aloud. Heavenly Gate, you live
in me...

Maya worked feverishly-- making adjustments, making sure that she got the
translation right-- that she did not notice the passing time. Soon, thirty
minutes had passed. Raen arrived with his band of magicians and saw the queen
hard at work. He coughed softly to gain her attention. Maya looked up.

"Are you finished, your Majesty?" he asked.

Maya blinked. "Oh, sorry. I forgot about the time. Has everybody evacuated
already?"

"Just about. The only ones left are a few stragglers. A couple of apprentice
magicians were left behind to keep the Portal Gate open."

"That's good."

A Portal Gate was one of the items left behind from the Age of Aeons. When
activated by magic, a person can instantly teleport to another Portal Gate
anywhere in the world. Unlike regular teleportation, a Portal Gate was not
limited by the strength of the magician or the number of people to be
teleported. Portal Gates could be found all over the world but their use has
been banned by international law in order to prevent the threat of war. Since
magic was needed to activate a Portal Gate, many countries feared that the
East Heaven Kingdom would try to use the Portal Gates in a military invasion.
In order to allay the fears, the rulers of East Heaven had agreed to forbid
the use of Portal Gates. Maya did not want to be the one to break the treaty
but this was an emergency. Dire measures were needed for dire straits.

"It is time." Maya rose and walked over to where Raen stood. She looked at
the five magicians Raen had chosen. They looked highly skilled, all of them
older that she was. "Gentlemen. This will be a dangerous mission. Are you
willing to risk your lives knowing that the chances for survival are slim?"

The oldest of the group, Juros, a teacher from the Academy, spoke first.
"You are our queen. Live or die, we will follow wherever you lead."

"He's right, your Majesty. We weren't ordered, we volunteered. Besides, I
want to protect the country same as you," said another. The others all voiced
their agreement.

"Thank you all." Maya graced them with a smile. "Lord Raen, are you ready?"

The magician shrugged. "As ready as I'll ever be. Tell me what you need."

"Well, the object of the spell will be the storm, so I'll have to get high
enough for the spell to have the greatest effect."

Raen thought about it. "The south tower is the highest part of the castle,
but it's going to be more dangerous the higher we get."

"Danger is something that can't be avoided. The south tower it is." So
decided, Maya led the way to the south tower, Raen and his magicians
following behind. Walking through the empty halls of the castle, they
eventually reached the base of the tower. Maya looked up the long spiraling
staircase leading to the top of the tower. This was it, there was no turning
back now. She turned to look at her companions.

"It will take time to cast the spell," Maya told them. "When that happens I
will be completely vulnerable. I trust all of you to protect me."

"That's what we're here for, your Majesty," Raen said, looking straight at
her. "Perhaps it's best I go up first, no sense risking yourself before you
can cast the spell."

"Agreed."

Raen nodded. Motioning for the others to follow, he led the way up the spiral
stairs, himself and another one going first, followed by the queen, and the
rest bringing up the rear. The outside wall of the tower was cracked and
pitted, evidence that the storm had not let up in the slightest. As they
climbed, the cracks gave way to actual breaks in the wall, giving them
glimpses of the world outside. Maya gasped at the devastation she saw. The
city-- her city-- was totally demolished! Only the sturdiest of structures
were left standing, and even those showed signs of damage. Parts of the
castle itself looked like a rock quarry, the shattered buildings so far
removed from their former glory. At this height the howling of the wind was
almost unbearable and Maya and her companions had to cover their ears so as
not to go deaf. They picked their way carefully through the debris that
littered the staircase, each step almost tentative. Finally they reached the
top.

The top of the tower was no better than the rest of the castle-- in fact, it
was a great deal worse. All kinds of debris cluttered the floor, including
broken plaster from the tower's ceiling. The ceiling itself-- indeed, the
roof itself-- was mostly gone, ripped away by the storm's savage fury. The
boiling clouds of the storm above them could be seen through hole in the
roof.

"All right, then. Let's begin," Raen said, shouting to be heard above the
wind. He turned to face the young queen. "Is there anything special you need
to do?" he asked. Maya shook her negatively. "OK. Your Majesty, please stay
in the center of the room. The rest of us will form a protective circle
around you. What we will do is create a barrier to protect you while you cast
your spell. Everyone, listen closely. A single large barrier will not be
strong enough to withstand whatever attacks the storm might throw at us even
with all of us powering the barrier, so instead, each of us will create
smaller, stronger barriers that we will mesh together to form a full
protective covering. That way we will each be able to concentrate our energy
into one small area instead of spreading it over a large surface. Got it?"

Everyone nodded. They took their positions in the center of the room as
planned, with Maya in the middle of the circle. As if sensing their plans
the storm suddenly increased its fury, ripping off the remaining sections of
the roof. Rain fell on them, increasing in tempo with every second, and the
wind threatened to blow them from the tower. Hurriedly, each of the six
magicians protecting their queen created magical barriers formed of solid
air, each of the barriers harder than steel and virtually impenetrable.
The barriers also allowed them to see through to the other side. The six
barriers were set into place so that they formed a dome-like structure over
their heads. Calm fell inside the dome, the people inside untouched by wind
and rain, a testament to the barrier's effectiveness.

"You can begin now, your Majesty," Raen said, his arms outstretched to
support his side of the barrier. In the inside perimeter of the dome the
others were doing the same. Looking over his shoulder at Maya he saw her nod
a reply and begin to open the Book of Cosmos.

Maya opened the Book of Cosmos to the page she had marked earlier. Mentally
preparing herself, she began gathering her magic for the most powerful spell
she had ever attempted. Holding the Book open with her hands, she began.

"Heavenly Gate, you live in me.
Obey my voice, my will your Key..."

As she spoke the words to the spell, Maya felt the magical forces moving,
twisting, guided by her words, the magic wrapping around her. Power she had
never felt before rushed through her, filling her with a heady euphoria.
She had never felt like this before whenever she used the Book of Cosmos
back when the Book still had its power. Back then, the magic was in the Book,
and Maya was just like an outsider looking in, never this close to the magic
itself, unable to *feel* the power. It was never this... intimate. Was this
what her sister feels when she uses the power of the Cosmos? Does Mint get
giddy with the thought of so much power?

Raen started as he sensed an immense magical buildup from behind. Looking
over his shoulder he saw Maya glowing brightly like the sun, her eyes closed
and an awestruck look on her face. She had never looked so beautiful. He
didn't have time to marvel for long as the storm suddenly increased its
intensity even more, as if aware of the threat from beneath the magical
barrier, forcing Raen and his companions to actually strain themselves to
keep the dome intact. The rain that had been a steady downpour throughout the
night became a shower of hail and sleet, the deadly ice formations hammering
down the besieged barrier. Bolts of lightning rained down on them at regular
intervals. Still, the barrier held. Raen's expression was one of imminent
victory. If this was all the enemy had to offer... Suddenly, the lightning
changed its course, striking the tower itself instead of the barrier. Raen
realized, to his horror, that this was one scenario he had failed to
consider.

"They're attacking the tower!" he shouted at his companions. "You five will
have to support the barrier yourselves; I'm going to stop the lightning!"
Raen dissolved his side of the barrier and pulled back. Immediately, the
other five barriers spread to accommodate the gap left behind. The walls of
the protective dome were thinner than before and not as strong, but that
couldn't be helped. Another bolt of lightning arced down to strike at the
tower-- but this time, Raen was prepared. Raising his hand, he sent out his
own lightning bolt, deflecting the other one before the tower was hit. Again
a bolt struck and again he deflected it. The event repeated itself over and
over, later on increasing to multiple strikes instead of just one. Raen's
face was covered by a fine sheen of sweat, his teeth gritted with strain. He
couldn't keep this up much longer. Even the barrier, weakened as it was, was
beginning to wobble.

"Your Majesty! Hurry up with that spell!" he shouted urgently.

Lost in her euphoria, Maya had forgotten all about the outside world but
Raen's words brought her back to reality. Flushing guiltily, she hurriedly
spoke the remaining words of the spell.

"Release now your eternal light
Renew in me your holy might."

The gateway was complete, the power that now rushed through her made what she
had felt before seem insignificant. This time Maya kept hold on her senses,
refusing to be seduced by the intense power of the Cosmos. Maya extended her
senses, feeling for the gateway she had wrought by her words. Yes, it was
complete, but nothing was going through it. She could still feel the energy
on the other side of the gateway-- boiling, seething, longing to get
through-- but lacking that final push to bring it from that other universe
and into her world. This was where things became crucial. Maya lacked the
magic needed to channel the power of the Cosmos on her own, she would have to
rely on the spirit of Atenacius to do it for her. Therein lay the problem.
Trapped as he was in another universe, Atenacius could do nothing by himself,
without human intervention he was basically impotent. But Aeons were
decidedly unpredictable and Atenacius might decide not to help her. If that
were to happen, then the strain of holding the gateway open will tear Maya
apart.

Casting her thoughts into the universe beyond the gate, Maya beseeched, "Oh
mighty Aeon, hear me! I am Maya, Queen of East Heaven, and I come to you in
search of aid. My people are dying and my kingdom has been besieged! I ask
you, lend me the power that you command that I may save my kingdom." Maya
held her breath, hoping that Atenacius had heard her request. A few seconds
passed and Maya's heart dropped, fearing the worst, when, from far off came
a reply.

"I REMEMBER YOU. YOU WHO CAME INTO MY WORLD FIVE YEARS IN THE PAST-- AND
BROUGHT WITH YOU ONE OF VALEN'S FOULED CREATIONS! WHY SHOULD I HELP YOU NOW?"

"No, Rue was not fouled!" Maya pleaded. "In fact, he and my sister fought and
defeated Valen! Please, you have to believe me!"

"ONE OF VALEN'S PRECIOUS DOLLS HAS TURNED AGAINST HIM?" The Aeon's voice was
filled with gloating. "AND THIS SISTER OF YOURS... SHE IS THE ONE WHO I HAVE
FELT USING THE POWER OF THE COSMOS WITHOUT THE AID OF MY BOOK, IS SHE NOT?
VERY WELL, THEN. YOU ARE A WORTHY PERSON; I WILL GIVE YOU THE POWER YOU SEEK.
TELL ME, WHAT IS THIS DANGER THAT BESETS YOU SO?"

"Oh, thank you Lord Atenacius!" Maya's heart leapt for joy. Atenacius had
agreed to help! There was still hope for East Heaven! "My nation's capital is
under attack from an unnatural storm. It seems as if the storm is alive! What
I needed was the power to dispel this abnormality, power you so graciously
provided," Maya said in answer to the Aeon's question.

"A STORM THAT IS... ALIVE? COULD IT BE...? NO! IT MUST BE ONE OF *HIS*
MINIONS TRYING TO BREAK THE SEAL! THAT MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN! YOU
MUST STOP HIM, STOP HIM AT ALL COSTS!!" The Aeon's voice faded away into
the darkness of the alternate universe, still screaming at her.

Maya had never thought an Aeon could be frightened, but what she had heard in
Atenacius' voice was definitely fear. What could be bad enough to frighten
one of the most powerful Aeons who ever lived? Who was the *him* that
Atenacius was so afraid of? Maya tried calling Atenacius back, to no avail--
the Aeon refused to respond to her words. But he did respond in other ways.
Soon after Maya lost contact with the deceased Aeon she felt a sudden influx
of magical energy, as if the dam holding that same energy on the other side
of the gateway had suddenly broken down. The power was too strong! She felt
caught up in forces beyond her reckoning, forces that could tear her apart
unless released. And release it she must, for her sake and the sake of her
people. All it took was one word.

"Cosmos!"

The light within her exploded and burst outward, consuming her senses with
its brilliance. It continued onward, causing Raen to shadow his eyes from
the blinding light. The barriers around the little party dissolved as the
other magicians also attempted to shield themselves, not that the barrier
was needed anymore. The storm had no hold within that sphere of light, the
wind and rain ceasing to exist upon contact. The sphere expanded, growing
even larger as the magical storm continued to fight back with everything in
its arsenal. Lightning and hail were thrown against the luminescent globe,
to no effect. The sphere grew and grew, enveloping the tower in its light,
then the castle and, eventually, the city itself. The rock creatures that
still roamed the city streets were blasted into nothingness in mere moments
and the air was filled with a despairing howl as the unnatural storm was
ripped to shreds by the power of Maya's spell. The city was bathed in light
for several minutes, and then, as quickly as it had appeared, the light
softly faded away leaving calm in its wake.

Maya remained standing shortly after it was over, her body still thrumming
with the power she had channeled. Then, silently, she collapsed in a gasping
heap, the Book of Cosmos falling from her hands, her body weak after dealing
with powers no human was meant to handle. Raen approached her, helping her to
a sitting position as she tried to catch her breath, his face wreathed with a
smile of congratulations, a smile which was reflected on the faces of their
companions.

"You did it! You really did it!" he exclaimed.

Maya wearily shook her head. "No, *we* did it. I wouldn't have been able
to do this without your help. All of you." The others smiled their
acknowledgement, but it was clear to them where the credit truly lay.
Everyone felt like rejoicing. East Heaven was saved! True, most of the city
was in ruins, but that didn't matter. Their ordeal was over, and that alone
was cause for celebration. A sudden clapping sound ruined the moment.

"Bravo! A magnificent performance!" Standing just several paces away from the
group was a man with long, silver-white hair and clad in a long-sleeved tunic
and trousers that, while simple in design, was obviously of very high
quality. "I never expected that anyone from this time would be able to defeat
my creations. I shouldn't have been so surprised, really, considering that
you *are* Mint's sister."

"Mint?" Maya asked, shocked at hearing a stranger mention the name of her
sister who had been missing for more than three months. Shock quickly turned
to anger. "You! What did you do to Mint?! If you've harmed her, I swear...!"
Her magic was depleted but if she could just claw his eyes out... She
struggled to rise but Raen held her back. At an unspoken command, the other
five magicians moved to stand between their queen and the mysterious
stranger.

"Please stand back, your Majesty! We don't know how dangerous he is," Raen
advised in an urgent whisper. Raising his voice, he directed his next
sentence at the stranger. "Who are you and what do you want us?" he demanded.

The stranger seemed to find amusement in Raen's belligerence. "Who am I, you
ask? Yes, perhaps you should know the name of your destroyer. Very well then,
you can call me Gear. As for what I want-- rest assured that it has nothing
to do with you, at least, not directly. It is just to your misfortune that
East Heaven stood in the way of my mission even if you didn't know it." The
man who called himself Gear then waved his hand in a beckoning gesture.
Suddenly, the Book of Cosmos flew up from where it lay on the floor
unattended, coming to a rest in the man's open palm.

"No! The Book of Cosmos!" Maya cried out despairingly. She tried again to
rise, but she was still too weak. The others were too caught by surprise to
react quickly enough, except one. The teacher, Juros, quickly unleashed a
barrage of fiery bursts at the silver-haired man. The spot where Gear had
stood was soon covered by a dense cloud of smoke and ash. Everyone tensed as
they waited to see the results of the surprise attack, ready to release their
own magic if needed. When a couple of minutes had passed with no reaction
from within the cloud of smoke, they relaxed. Gear must already be dead.

"That was a very foolish thing to do." A long, sharp metal spike suddenly
emerged from the smoke, impaling the unfortunate Juros through his chest and
then just as suddenly disappearing back into the smokescreen. Rean rushed
from Maya's side to catch the magician as he fell. He cradled the still body
in his arms, tears of anger running down his face. He was not alone, everyone
had tears in their eyes as they beheld their fallen comrade. With a cry of
rage, Raen turned and threw all the magic he had at the man who still
remained concealed beneath the obscuring smoke, the other magicians adding
their own attacks without hesitation. Fire, ice, wind, or lightning-- they
did not care what spell they used, their only thought was to kill. Maya
watched in trepidation as spells capable of felling an entire army was
brought to bear against a single person. Surely no one could survive such an
onslaught, she thought. She was wrong.

There was an explosion from inside the cloud of smoke, the resultant blast
causing the cloud to disperse, as well as forcing them to halt their attacks.
When the wind had died down and the last of the smoke had disappeared, the
remaining members of the little group were treated to an unnerving sight.
Floating several feet over a hole where the floor should have been was Gear,
his body surrounded by a chilling aura of inky blackness. Where before,
Gear's expression was amused and condescending, now it was one of malice.
His lips bore a smile of cruel enjoyment, a smile reflected in the steely
gaze of his wintry blue eyes. Though the sight of Gear apparently unharmed
was unsettling, to say the least, what was even more unsettling was the sight
of the creature that stood just behind him. Fifteen feet tall, the creature
was an armored monstrosity that seemed to be all claws and wings. It eyed
them hungrily, eyes glowing an eerie red in the darkness of its features.

"Congratulations, my friends. You've managed to annoy me." Despite Gear's
words, he didn't sound annoyed. If anything, his voice held a trace of
anticipation. "Though I would love to stay and play with you some more, duty
calls. But don't worry, I'll be leaving my pet with you for your
entertainment," he said, gesturing at the creature behind him. "Do you like
it? It's one of my best creations, the chaos demons-- incorporeal beings from
the void of chaos, brought to this world and bound to me in a physical body
of my own making! Beautiful, isn't it? Well, time to go. Oh, and before I
forget, you won't be needing this anymore." Gear held up the Book of Cosmos
in his hand. There was a brief spark then the Book exploded, the fragments of
the Aeon relic disappearing as if it had never existed. "It may be powerless
but it still poses a threat to the Master's plans, as you have so recently
demonstrated. Nothing must stand in the way of the Lord of Chaos! Farewell.
I doubt we'll see each other again since you won't survive the night."
Without further ado, Gear flickered out of sight.

Maya and her companions didn't have long to remain stunned by Gear's
disappearance. As soon as its master had gone, the chaos demon sprung into
action, rushing across the debris strewn floor of the tower with astonishing
speed, a horrendous roar issuing forth. It crashed into them with claws
extended but missed by inches as everyone scrambled to safety. They spread
out, Raen assisting the still weakened young queen, giving the monster less
of a target. Not giving the demon a chance to recover, they pelted it with
what remaining power they had, to no effect. Shrugging off the attacks, the
creature spread its wings and glided across the room towards what it
perceived as the weakest member of the group-- Maya. Reacting quickly, Raen
tackled Maya just as a set of wicked claws ripped through the space where her
head had been. Maya screamed in panic as she was nearly decapitated. The
demon whirled around for another strike but was stopped short in mid-air,
struggling against invisible bonds. The remaining four of Raen's magicians
approached, the glow of magic in their outstretched palms, weaving flows of
air to bind the chaos demon.

"Good job!" Raen praised. He helped Maya to her feet, the both of them
brushing the dust off their clothes.

"What should we do with this thing?" asked one of the magicians.

"I don't know," Raen supplied. The demon had ceased struggling and instead
had settled for glaring at them. At least, it seemed to be glaring; Raen
couldn't tell. It even seemed to be opening its mouth to scream at them. "I'm
not even sure we could kill it but- Look out!" The warning came too late.
What he had thought to be a scream had turned out to be one of the demon's
attacks instead. The beam of energy that emerged from the demon's wide open
mouth instantly vaporized all but one of the four magicians who bound it.
Freed of its bonds, the creature went after the last one, who tried valiantly
to escape but was eventually caught and slammed through the floor, killing
him outright.

"Nooooooo!!" Raen cried out in grief. Mind numbed by the horrible events,
he ran forward to avenge his friends, magical flames trailing from his hands.
Maya's call for him to stop remained unheard. He ran, uncaring that the demon
was now heading towards him as well. That was what he wanted, to fight the
demon and destroy it... or die trying. What was the use of being the best
magician in East Heaven if he couldn't even protect his friends? The demon
was almost upon him now, its claws raised for a killing blow. Raen was ready.
Water streamed from the magician's hands, wrapping around the creature's body
then suddenly solidifying. The rock-hard ice held the demon in its grasp, but
Raen knew that the binding would only hold the demon for a moment. But a
moment was all Raen needed. As the ice began to splinter and crack, Raen
planted himself in front of the beast. Glaring at the monster in hatred, he
placed his hand palm down on the floor right under the creature's body, one
word issuing from his lips.

"Inferno!"

A wave of red spread outward from Raen's hand then suddenly erupted into a
ball of searing plasma that engulfed both man and demon.

"Raen..." Maya whispered. Of all the losses she had experienced this night,
Raen's loss was the hardest. Even though Maya had known him for only a short
time, he was the closest thing to a family that she had right now. He was
her sister's friend-- maybe even her friend as well. Not to mention the only
member of her government who was even close to her in age.

The tower started to break apart but Maya was too depressed to notice. Eyes
locked onto the glowing fireball, she took no heed as parts of the floor
began to crack and break off and the walls crumble into dust as the tower's
structure finally surrendered to the stress. Precious seconds passed, seconds
Maya could have spent escaping from the doomed building, then from within the
globe of flames Maya spotted movement. A figure wreathed in flames popped out
of the sphere and dropped to the floor. The flames died down into wisps of
smoke to reveal a badly shaken Raen, unharmed and none the worse for his
experience.

"Raen!" Maya shouted joyfully. Rushing to his side, she anxiously checked his
body for any sign of injury, but found none. "Raen... Are you all right? Did
you get hurt? How did you escape from there? Are you *really* sure you're all
right...?" Maya bit her tongue to stop herself from babbling-- such behavior
was unseemly for a queen. Helping the weary magician to his feet, Maya led
them away from the still seething ball of fire where the demon was entrapped.
"How in the world did you manage to survive that?" she asked again once they
were far enough. "I was sure you were dead."

"I was able to... shield myself... split-seconds before... the flames
started," Raen explained while gasping for breath. He then noticed the
current state of his surroundings. "The tower's collapsing!" he exclaimed in
surprise. "We have to get out of here, quick! Besides, I don't think the
monster's dead yet."

"What!"

Just then, the sphere of flames surrounding the demon exploded with a huge
blast, sending Raen and Maya crashing to the floor. The explosion was the
final straw on the tower's already fragile structure. The floor tilted at an
alarming angle as the tower finally fell, breaking apart into the pieces of
plaster and marble and other components that made up the building.

"Hold on!" Raen shouted, grabbing hold of Maya as he sought for a foothold
on the shifting marble while trying to avoid falling debris. Across the room,
the demon growled as it spotted them. It was charred but basically intact--
and very, very angry. By this time, the tower had tilted so much that Raen
and Maya were practically standing on the walls. Raen looked up in time to
see the huge form of the chaos demon come barreling through the falling
debris towards them. Taking a firm grip around the redheaded queen's waist,
he kicked off, the duo staying suspended in mid-air for a moment as the demon
crashed through the wall they had been standing on. Thinking quickly, Raen
worked a quick teleportation spell, cutting Maya off in mid-scream. They
disappeared, the air rushing in to fill the vacuum caused by their abrupt
departure. Then the tower came crashing down.

******

"...EEEAAAAAHHHHH!!!"

Maya and Raen popped into view just several blocks away from the castle, the
young queen of East Heaven still screaming her lungs out. They collapsed to
their knees, panting for breath. Maya punched the magician on the shoulder.

"Don't you ever do that again!" she ordered.

"Hey!" Raen complained in a injured tone of voice. "I saved you, didn't I?"

"I didn't mean that, I meant jumping off without warning me. God! I thought
I was going to die!"

"Okay, okay!" Raen placated. "At least we're safe."

"You're right," Maya agreed. Nearby, the castle finished collapsing, now
looking more like the rest of the city. "And that monster is dead and buried
under all that rubble. But we did it-- we saved East Heaven. It's going to
take a lot of rebuilding but-" She was cut off by an inhuman scream from the
direction of the castle ruins. "It can't be..." she breathed.

"Oh yes, it can," Raen said grimly. He stood and started walking in the
direction of the scream.

"Where are you going?!" Maya asked in alarm.

"To finish it, once and for all!"

"No! You can't defeat it!" She grabbed Raen's arm to prevent him from walking
off. "Come on, let's just get to the Portal Gate," she said, pointing to
where it was located just further down the street. "We can go to Seithe and
get some reinforcements. You can't do this on your own."

"No, you go and use the Portal Gate. I'm not leaving until I avenge my
friends." So saying, Raen disengaged himself from Maya's hold and ran off
before she could do anything to stop him.

"Wait! Come back here! That's an order!" Maya called after him. The magician
seemed not to have heard, or was pretending not to. Muttering something about
'stubborn fools', Maya hurried after him, casting a longing glance back at
the Portal Gate behind her. Reaching an intersection, she turned in the
direction Raen had gone-- and stopped short at the sight before her.

In the rubble-strewn streets of the once great city, Raen and the demon were
battling it out with complete abandon. If there was a building still standing
after the storm had hit then it was knocked down in the course of that savage
battle. Raen was keeping his distance, knowing that he stood no chance in a
close up fight against the monster. This way, the only thing he had to avoid
was the demon's beam attack, which was easy to anticipate once you knew what
to look for. He was a skilled magician, with many spells in his arsenal, and
he called on the full extent of his skill as he fought to vanquish the
monster who had killed his friends. When the demon came too close, he blew it
away with a miniature whirlwind, utilizing the environment to his advantage
as the wind picked up the surrounding debris and battered the demon with
rocks, broken concrete, and twisted shards of metal. From afar, he rained
down daggers of fire and ice on the demon's head. He even once caused a
two-story building to collapse over the creature. However, no matter what he
threw at it the demon kept getting up again and again. Raen could have sworn
that he had managed to damage the monster-- several times in fact-- but the
creature refused to stay damaged, almost as if it was healing itself. He
began to have second thoughts about whether he could actually defeat this
thing. Perhaps her Majesty had the right idea after all.

Raen's inattention almost cost him his life as the demon managed to get close
enough to send him flying with a blow. Luckily, the claws had missed or he
would already be dead. As it was, he was sent crashing into the side of one
of the few buildings that still stood. He looked up from his place on the
ground, too dazed to do anything as the demon loomed over him to deliver the
final blow. He flinched as the wicked claws began their deadly plunge-- and
blinked in surprise as a small fireball came shooting out of nowhere to
exploded in the demon's face. The attack was hardly strong enough to harm the
unnatural beast but it did stun it for a moment, giving Raen time to regain
his senses and scramble to safety. Once safe, he looked in the direction
the attack had come, and was surprised to see Maya standing further down the
street and panting heavily, her hand still outstretched. It was obvious that
even pulling off so minor a spell had severely taxed her energy reserves.

"Your Majesty! What are you doing?! It's not safe here! You must get away,
quickly!" he shouted as he ran towards her position.

"I could say the same of you, you idiot!" Maya stormed back. "What were you
thinking of, running off like that? Dying won't help your friends. Come on!
If we hurry, we might get to the Portal Gate before the demon notices."

"Right, you convinced me," Raen agreed. "Nothing I do seems to harm the
demon. We might as well get out while we still have the chance." They turned
a corner and ran as fast as they could towards the Portal Gate a few blocks
down the street. A few seconds later, they heard the sound of the demon
giving chase; obviously it had recovered from Maya's surprise attack much
faster than they had anticipated. Raen caught Maya's eye, indicating with a
nod of his head that she was to continue running, then turned around,
ready to slow the demon down with an attack. His eyes widened instead when
he saw the demon preparing an attack of its own.

"Get down!" Raen shouted, tackling Maya to the ground for the second time
that night, a beam of energy shooting overhead. They covered their ears as
the beam crackled and fizzed, then disappeared entirely. Slowly, they looked
up at the beam's trajectory. The attack had gone through several houses, one
of the few remaining trees, and...

"No," Maya whispered. "The Portal Gate... It's gone!" Where the Portal Gate
once stood was now a molten pile of unrecognizable material, material that,
in the one thousand and more years since the Gate's discovery, has never been
damaged or touched by weather. It was widely assumed that the Portal Gates
were indestructible, but here lay evidence to the contrary. What manner of
creature was this chaos demon?

"No time to worry about that now," Raen interrupted, pulling Maya to her
feet. "The monster is coming right at us!" Running madly, they ducked into
the narrow streets and alleys to slow the larger demon down. After a while,
Rean led them into a small, abandoned shop where they paused to catch their
breath.

"What are we going to do?!" Maya asked in a panic. "The Portal Gate is gone,
there's no way we can escape now!"

"Calm down," Raen told her. "There may still be a chance. It's risky, but I
think I can do it."

Curious, Maya asked, "Do what?"

"I'm going to teleport us out of here," the magician explained. "I used up a
lot of energy in the fight, but I still have enough for one big spell,
provided I use up everything I have. It's still not strong enough to get us
to Seithe, but at least it'll get us out of here."

"I guess it's worth a try," Maya conceded. "What do I have to do?"

"Just stay close to me," Raen advised. "Better yet, grab hold of my arm and
don't let go for anything. This is a more difficult spell than the one I used
to get us out of the castle so I don't want anything going wrong." Maya did
as she was told while Raen began the spell.

Teleportation was a tricky business. The spell itself was among the highest
in the magical arts, and very few magicians were able to perform even the
simplest teleportation. Raen was one of the few, and he was not restricted
to simpler forms. He was a prodigy in the magical world, the youngest ever to
be chosen as East Heaven Kingdom's Court Magician. His skill in magic was
unsurpassed, matched only by Princess Mint's natural talent for magic. But
while the princess had a raw ability unseen since the earliest Masters, Raen
possessed a technique and finesse that even people twice his age were unable
to achieve, and a repertoire of spells that was the envy of many. He called
upon that knowledge now for the task at hand, a task made harder by his
weakened condition. Teleportation required strength and direction. Raen's
strength was almost depleted, but it would suffice for two people-- barely.
As for direction-- the spell itself could be performed anywhere, except for
one factor that must remain constant: the caster must know his destination.
A person could not just teleport to places he had no knowledge of, the spell
must be told where the caster wants to go to, otherwise a person could end up
lost-- or worse. Raen knew he didn't have the strength to take them all
directly to Seithe, so he decided to try for one of the outlying villages
around Seithe instead.

The spell was almost finished. Tying the last parts of the spell into place,
Raen watched in satisfaction as a pinkish aura rose up around them, an
indication of the spell's effect. Just then, the roof of the building caved
in and the demon they had almost forgotten about suddenly burst through the
flying debris and reached for them, claws extended.

"Oh no!" Raen exclaimed in dismay as the demon entered the spell's range,
disrupting the weaves of the spell and turning the aura from a light pink
into a darkish purple. "No! Not now! The spell must not go wro-" With a
flash, everyone disappeared from sight-- Maya, Raen, and... the chaos demon.

******

They appeared in a small forest clearing, their sudden arrival disturbing
the peace of the pre-dawn stillness. Raen and Maya staggered back from the
overwhelming sense of vertigo caused by the disrupted teleportation spell,
clutching each other for support as the world seemed to spin around them.
Catching his breath, Raen chanced a look around, but recognized nothing.
So, they were well and truly lost-- which was a far better alternative than
what might have been. Then he remembered the chaos demon.

Drawing his head up, the magician saw that the demon had, indeed, been
transported along with them-- and was now standing barely three paces away
from where he and Maya lay huddled on the ground. Luckily for them, the
creature also seemed to be suffering the after-effects of the botched
teleportation spell, otherwise they would probably have been dead by now. As
it was, the creature had now recovered and was lumbering towards them with
slow purposeful steps, as if it wanted to savor the moment, knowing how
helpless they were. Raen tried once more to get back on his feet, and failed.
His strength was completely gone, the last of it having gone into the
teleportation spell. Maya was a deadweight, having collapsed out of sheer
exhaustion. If only he could save her... But any attempts to rouse the young
queen, so that at least she would be able to escape, bore no fruit. The demon
was almost upon them now. Raen hung his head, resigning himself to the
inevitable. Was this to be the end then?, he thought. Lost in a forest
clearing where no one would know their fate? Filled with depression, Raen
waited for the final blow. It never came.

A reddish blur slammed into the side of the demon, sending the monster
crashing into the trees. Raen stared. The demon lay on its back, a huge gash
that ripped from its shoulder to mid-torso evident on its side. A black,
blood-like substance stained the surrounding area. The cause of the injury
lay several feet away from the monster: a large, strange-looking axe that
was embedded into the soft dirt. Raen stared some more. The weapon looked
to be very heavy. Who could be strong enough to *throw* it? And with enough
force to send a fifteen foot demon flying? A soft footfall nearby caused the
magician to turn his head in the direction of the sound. Walking towards him
was a young man, probably around Raen's age, dressed in forest greens and
leather armor. A matching hat covered most of the stranger's head, but Raen
could see several silver-white locks that had escaped the hat's confines
tied back in a short ponytail. The man's gray eyes were serious and intense,
as if he had seen a lot more than most people. Raen had seen that expression
only once before, when Princess Mint had returned from her two year exile
five years ago.

"Are you all right?" the stranger asked him concernedly.

"Yes," Raen replied. "Thank you for saving us." Raen could have sworn that
he'd never seen this man before in his life... so why did he look so
familiar?

"Us?" the stranger asked, suddenly noticing that he had saved more than just
one person. His gray eyes darted down to the redheaded bundle in Raen's arms,
then widened. "Princess Maya?!" he exclaimed.

Raen eyed the leather-clad man narrowly. He had a sneaking suspicion on just
who this person was; hearing him say Maya's name confirmed it. But, just to
be sure... "And just who are you?" Raen asked, cautiously.

The stranger seemed surprised at the question. "I could ask the same of you.
But I suppose you're one of the good guys, seeing as how you were protecting
Maya. Anyway, my name's Rue."

Raen frowned at the familiar way the man said Maya's name, then it sank in.
"*You* are Rue? The Rue? Well, looks like I had a bit of luck after all.
It's a good thing you were passing by, otherwise-" he broke off, staring at
something. "The demon," Rean's voice was flat. "It's getting back up."

"What!" Rue turned around to look. Raen was right, the demon was getting back
up. The wound along its side was now mostly healed and the creature was
flexing its arms in anticipation of battle. Rue frowned. His weapon, the Arc
Edge, was too far away for him to reach it in time. He couldn't afford to
try and get it, doing so would leave Maya and the other man unprotected. He
would have to take a chance and fight the creature unarmed.

Back at full strength, the demon charged, eating up the distance in a matter
of seconds. Rue charged as well, crossing the demon's path and trying to
lead it away from the others. True to plan, the monster changed course and
went after Rue. They met in a flurry of strikes, the demon's claws flashing
dimly in the pre-dawn light, trying to tear into flesh but hitting only air.
Rue leapt about, using his agility to evade the deadly claws, slowly
maneuvering the fight towards where his weapon lay. He would sometimes
deliver an occasional blow with his hands and feet. He knew that the blows
did no damage to the demon, but his purpose was met-- the attacks had pushed
the demon in the direction Rue wanted to go. Rolling under a sweeping side
slash, Rue came up behind the demon-- with the Arc Edge in his hands. The
chaos demon turned just as Rue was getting up and drove a clawed hand down
at the warrior. Rue blocked with the Arc Edge, his feet digging into the
soft earth as the demon pushed down, arms straining to hold back the demon's
strength. Rue smiled as he pitted his strength against the monster. Finally,
a foe worthy of fighting.

The tone of the battle changed. Where before it was fast and furious, now it
was even more so. Raen could only watch in astonishment as the man called
Rue held his own against a creature that the top magicians of East Heaven
were unable to defeat. Who is this Rue? *What* is he?

Rue swung his weapon as he moved under an attack from the demon, feeling the
blade of the Arc Edge cut into the creature's armored skin. It was not over
yet, he knew, so he constantly stayed in motion, circling around the beast
as it pressed its own attack.

The demon was amazingly fast on its feet, and it kept pace with Rue as he
moved. The demon struck with its right arm, talons primed. Rue spun the Arc
Edge around in a fluid motion, diverting the monster's attack and, using the
same motion, pivoting in place to deliver a blow onto the monster's left leg.
He leapt back again as the demon's left hand arced around in a cutting swipe,
but wasn't fast enough to avoid being raked across the chest. Rue ignored the
burning pain in his chest and glanced down to check the severity of the
injury. Fortunately the cut was shallow, only a flesh wound, his armor having
prevented the demon's claws from cutting any deeper. The wound wouldn't be
causing problems for now, but if the fight dragged on... The demon didn't
have the same problem, any injury it had sustained in the fight were already
healing themselves. Rue had never faced an opponent like this before, one
that healed almost as soon as it was hurt. He did not lose hope, however.
Something in the back of his mind told him that the demon could be destroyed,
that the demon's healing abilities only reached a certain extent. If he could
just keep on piling on the damage...

He charged with renewed fury, weapon slicing through the air. Rue weaved in
close, blade flashing twice. The demon screamed in mingled pain and fury as
two parallel gashes appeared on its chest. It attacked, both clawed hands
sweeping downwards, but Rue leapt in the air then spun, letting the weight
of the weapon carry him, slashing the demon across the shoulder, almost
severing its left arm. The demon screamed again, grabbing Rue in midair with
its remaining hand and threw him into the trees. Flying through the air, Rue
braced himself for impact but was unable to prevent crying out in pain as
he slammed back-first into a tree trunk. Gasping slightly, Rue looked up...
and was barely able to bring the Arc Edge up in time as a beam of some kind
blasted into him. He strained against the beam's onslaught, feeling the trunk
behind start to crack as he was pushed back from the force of the attack.
Then the tree gave way and he was sent flying again, but only for a short
distance as the beam dissipated. He landed on his feet, none the worse for
wear, the earth shaking as the tree fell with a mighty thud. His hat, which
had miraculously stayed on throughout the fight, had now fallen off,
revealing a glowing diamond-like gem embedded in his forehead. His hair had
broken free of its ponytail, long silver-white strands floating in the wind.
Rue radiated power-- or perhaps it was the golden aura that surrounded him,
an aura that caused the ground near him to tremble. He lowered his weapon,
glad that the Arc Edge was of Aeon make, otherwise he might not have survived
the attack.

Across the field, the chaos demon was back to full health. It eyed the
glowing form of Rue with... was it recognition? Spreading its wings, the
demon took to the air, kicking up a huge cloud of dust from the downdraft.
Rue stared at the slowly diminishing speck with puzzlement. Was it
retreating? But no, the demon had stopped moving and was now hovering high
overhead. What was it doing?, Rue asked silently. Then realization struck
and Rue leapt aside just in time to avoid being vaporized from another beam
of energy. He looked at the smoking patch of earth where he had been standing
then turned his gaze skyward. So, it wanted to take the fight into the air,
did it? Rue was glad to oblige.

The golden aura that surrounded Rue changed into a light pink, and then
reality seemed to shift. Where a young man once was now stood-- or perhaps
hover would be more accurate-- a gargoyle. Small in comparison to the chaos
demon-- only six feet from nose to tail-- the vaguely draconian gargoyle was
armed with a menacing set of claws and teeth, as well as the ability to
attack with sound waves.

Rue the gargoyle took to the air, swiftly closing in on the demon. What
happened next was like an aerial ballet as the faster and more agile gargoyle
quickly took the advantage. The demon tried to swat the gargoyle from the
air, but its bulk prevented it from moving fast enough to catch the smaller
creature. Rue flew circles around the demon, moving in to strike with taloned
feet, claws cutting deep gouges in the demon's skin. Out of desperation, the
demon tried shooting off more energy beams, to no avail. The beams were
easily avoided, and the gargoyle retaliated by unleashing several sonic wave
attacks then rushing in to strike the stunned demon with its talons. Several
minutes later, the battered demon fell from the sky, cratering into the
ground below with a resounding smash.

The gargoyle dove after the falling demon, intent on finishing its task. It
flew parallel to the ground as, up ahead, the demon was slowly and painfully
getting up. If gargoyles could smile, it would have. It was closing in on
the demon, only several meters away, when the reality shifted again and it
was Rue who was charging at the demon, momentum carrying him forward. The
golden aura once again surrounded Rue and the jewel on his forehead blazed
with power. Seeing as how the demon was preparing to fire an energy beam at
him, Rue drew his arm back and threw the Arc Edge with all his strength. The
weapon struck the demon dead-center on its armored chest, sending the monster
crashing into the base of a tree.

Rue crossed the distance separating them in a single bound, pulling out the
Arc Edge with his right hand while his left hand pinned the demon up against
the tree. The gem embedded in Rue's forehead shone brighter, his aura
throbbed with power. The earth shook and strong winds spiraled around the
pair, cracks spreading out from the ground on where Rue was standing. The
chaos demon screamed in agony as Rue's power ripped the shell of its physical
self apart, its body slowly disintegrating. A brilliant flash of light, an
agonizing scream, and all was still. The only one left was Rue, aura gone,
standing in an area of total devastation, the surrounding area looking as if
some great force had torn it apart. He walked back to where Raen and Maya
were staying.

"What are you?" a stunned Raen asked.

Rue sighed. Setting the Arc Edge in its holder at the back of his armor, Rue
replied, "It's a long story. I'll tell you, if you want, but first we gotta
take care of Maya. Claire's cabin is nearby, come on." Picking up the still
unconscious Maya in his arms, Rue waited for Raen to join him. They set off
through the woods.

******

Dawn rose over what once was the capital city of the East Heaven Kingdom,
now nothing more than ruins under the sun-kissed sky. The once vibrant city
lay quiet in the aftermath of the storm, the only sound being the footsteps
of the man who was the cause of all this destruction. The silver-haired man
strode unconcernedly among the city's dead, pausing every once in a while to
survey the surrounding carnage.

"Admiring your work?" a feminine voice asked from nearby. Gear turned to face
the speaker, his blue eyes meeting her purple ones. The woman looked to be in
her early twenties, though she carried an air of mischief mixed with
confidence around her. Her clothes pushed the boundaries of decency, dressed
as she was in a tight, form fitting, black dress that ended at mid-thigh. The
dress also showed a hint of cleavage through the vee-cut pattern on the
front. She wore a hooded knee-length cape draped around her, the hood pulled
up so as to conceal her face. A short gust of wind threatened to pull the
hood down, swirling the cloak around the woman's body. A slim hand reached
out to hold the garment in place, the plain gold bracelet on her wrist
tinkling as she moved. Another tinkle revealed a matching bracelet on the
other arm. Gear smiled at her in response to her question, amusement written
on his face.

"Of course," he told her, gesturing expansively at the ruined city. "A
masterpiece, isn't it?"

The woman's mouth twisted in distaste. "Was all this really necessary? It
seems a bit... excessive."

Gear shrugged. "Necessary? Probably not. But then again, I so rarely get the
opportunity to... indulge a bit. Why waste it?"

"Well, you've had your fun," his companion said, sourly. "Let's get on with
our mission, shall we? Have you found the seal already?"

Gear waved his hand dismissingly. "There was no need to search; I already
knew where the seal was. It's in the castle-- or rather, what's left of it.
Follow me." He started walking in the direction of the castle ruins without
bothering to see if his companion had followed. She hurried to catch up.

"You knew where it was already?" she asked incredulously. "Then what were you
doing out here? Wait, I don't want to know."

They walked in silence after that, each keeping to their own thoughts.
Eventually, after much weaving and twisting around the rubble, they reached
the castle. Compared to the rest of the city the castle was still
recognizable, the upper floors and outbuildings having borne the brunt of the
attack. They entered the building, carefully picking their way through the
corridors. After a while, Gear took them down to the castle dungeons.

"Do you mean to say that the seal is in the dungeons?" The girl asked as
they passed by a row of cells. "That's impossible! It would long have been
discovered if it were."

"I never said it was in the dungeon," Gear reminded her. He stopped and
entered the cell at the end of the hall. He placed his hand on the back wall
of the tiny cell. Suddenly, with a flash of light, the wall exploded and dust
filled the room. When the dust cleared, the wall now sported a gaping hole,
and beyond it was another room.

"I didn't know this was in here!" the girl said, surprised.

"Of course not!" Gear scoffed at her. "And neither did anyone else. The fools
who ruled this country have forgotten their true purpose. East Heaven Kingom
was created to protect this very place-- the seal to the prison of the Lord
of Chaos!"

"Ironic, isn't it? That this has been here all this time and nobody knew
about it." Brushing the dust off her dress, the woman entered the room, Gear
following close behind. She took a look around. The place was substantially
more spacious than the cell they had just left, but it was just as bare.
The walls were of stone, not brick, and pitted with age. The only item of
interest was the circular pattern engraved into the floor of the room with
runes and mysterious markings at various intervals. Although she did not
recognize any of the words written on the pattern she was sure that this was
the seal they were looking for.

"So, what do we do now?" she asked.

"*You* aren't going to do anything," Gear told her. "For now, at least. I
will release the spell on the seal. You can watch, but don't step inside the
pattern." He walked forward to stand in the center of the pattern inscribed
on floor. As the woman watched, she could have sworn she saw Gear flicker as
he crossed over the outer boundary of the seal. For a second there it looked
as if Gear's silver hair had turned black and his complexion had darkened a
bit. No, it must have been her imagination because when she looked again Gear
was still silver-haired and light-skinned. The complex patterns of the seal
came alive as Gear reached the center, the lines and inscriptions glowing
with light. Energy crackled around the seal and the man standing inside it.
Gear raised his hands and intoned,

"Cross the void of time and space
Sacred one, you I embrace.
Lord of Chaos, trapped beneath
Your liberty I now bequeath!

Arise now, to rule on high,
Take your throne above the sky.
Winds obey, and waters hear,
Fire bow, and earth do fear!

Void has come to take your place
So become one with empty space.
Mighty One, rise from the seal!
Make our enemies bow and kneel!"

A pillar of light rose from the seal, shooting through the ceiling and up
into the sky. Gear's silhouette could still be seen from within the pillar.
The ground started shaking so violently that the girl could hardly stand.
The girl's cloak whipped violently in the wind that had suddenly risen.
Black lightning spread out from the seal, writhing with energy, tendrils
reaching out to the farthest corners of the castle. She flinched as the
threads of energy came near, but relaxed when the lightning passed through
her without any harmful effect. The walls were not so lucky-- the lightning
blasted them into non-existence. There was a flash of blinding light, then
darkness that seemed to last for eternity. Then her vision cleared, as if
a mist had been removed, and she noticed that her surroundings had changed.

Gone was the dingy chamber where they had first found the seal. Instead,
she found herself in a vast starlit darkness. For a moment she thought she
was suspended in space, but then her feet felt something solid beneath them.
Taking a few cautious steps, she found that she was indeed stepping on
something, though her eyes told her otherwise. Gear was now standing beside
her, and the seal itself was still inscribed on the 'floor' of this strange
non-space. Hovering above the seal was obsidian throne, on which was seated
a hazy, indistinct figure who seemed to be caressing the large black sphere
that floated in front of it. The woman shivered at the feeling of immense
power coming from both the sphere and the man on the throne.

"My Lord Basa, I rejoice in Your awakening," said Gear, bowing low to the
figure on the throne.

"Ah, Gear, My faithful servant." The voice was cold and empty. "You have
served Me well, and your service will be well rewarded. When I have come to
take My rightful place, you will be My right hand. Anything you would desire
shall be yours."

"It would be an honor to serve as the right hand of the Lord of Chaos," Gear
stated.

"The time shall come when I shall rule again, but the seal that imprisons Me
has not yet fully been broken. The powers that created the seal must be the
ones that break the seal. Until that is done, My influence will be limited."

"I am aware of that, my Lord," Gear said. "And I have also acquired what You
had commanded me to." He gestured at the cloaked woman beside him.

Lord Basa shifted his attention to the woman Gear had indicated. "Very well
done indeed," he complimented. "You have done a fine job with her." To the
woman, he commanded, "Come closer... Princess Mint."

Doffing her cloak, Mint stepped forward. "My Lord Basa," she bowed.

"Yes, I can feel her potential," Lord Basa hissed. He turned to Gear. "My
servant, there is another task I would have you do."

"My Lord?"

"Awaken My other servants, it is time they rejoin their Master. I will show
to you their resting places so that you need not search for it."

"At once, my Lord." Gear disappeared, the information placed directly into
his mind.

"And you," Lord Basa said, turning to Mint. "You will serve me, as Gear does,
as all the world will eventually do." It was not a question.

"Oh yes, my Lord!" Mint said, eagerly. "I will do anything you command."

"Then bring to Me one born of Dew, that I may be free of the seal that binds
Me. And the world shall witness a new age, an age where Chaos shall reign
supreme! All that stands against Me shall perish in the void of eternal
darkness. But serve Me well, and you shall have a place in My new era."

"I live to serve You, Lord Basa," Mint declared, "and I will not fail. The
one that You seek is as good as Yours."

"See that you do not fail me." The black globe Lord Basa had been caressing
flew to a stop in front of Mint. "I will give you the power to do what needs
to be done. Stretch forth your hand and receive My blessing."

Mint hesitantly reached out a hand, then stopped as she saw the sphere more
clearly. It was a perfect sphere, slightly more than a foot in diameter, and
if she looked closely, she could see flickers of light coming from the center
of the sphere. It crackled with energy, the same black lightning she had
witnessed before was running across the sphere's surface. Mint felt drawn to
the sphere. She suddenly realized what it was.

"A relic!" Mint exclaimed, eyeing the sphere hungrily. She reached out her
hand and touched the sphere.

And the whole world was plunged into darkness.

******

End Chapter 2


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CREDITS:
Thanks again to my pre-reader, Leonis(Leonis472@aol.com), for the loads of
help he gave me while I was writing this story. He had a lot of contributions
for this chapter, including the names of Raen and Lord Basa. The city of
Orava, which was mentioned briefly in my market scene, was also his idea and
will play a role in a later chapter. Probably the biggest contribution he
had were the spells. Both Maya's Cosmos spell and Gear's Seal Breaking spell
are his. Without those two spells, this chapter would be nothing. Of course,
his biggest achievement is putting up with me and my snail's pace writing.
He deserves a *lot* of credit for that. Kudos, Leo!

AUTHOR RANTS:
Here you have it-- Chapter 2 of my Threads of Fate fan fiction. I'm glad to
have received lots of praises for Chapter 1, as well as threats if I didn't
continue. ^ ^ Well, don't worry; I do plan to finish this, but this is gonna
be a long, *long* story. Even I don't know how many chapters there will be.
I planned this fic *months* ago but only now just started writing it-- that's
how difficult and complicated the plot is. Well, the story is moving right
along-- especially now that I have a pre-reader-- so you'll get to see later
chapters in the next few months.

You're all probably wondering what the heck I'm doing, making Mint into a
bad guy, right? I assure you, it's essential to the story. I'm not against
Mint or anything, she's actually my favorite character in Threads of Fate.
This is just a-- what was the word again? Oh yeah, plot twist. So don't throw
your rotten tomatoes at me yet, 'coz there's a lot more of Darkening Threads
coming up!

I hope you had a good time reading. Keep the reviews and C & C coming in and
I'll keep on writing! And a bit of shameless self-plug here: Please visit
my website! Special features include: Anime/Game Mp3s, Anime Wallpapers, my
fan fiction and fanart, and a Free for All Links page(you can add your own
links!). See you there!

Catch Chapter 3 of Darkening Threads on your favorite cable network! Coming
soon!

-Lyn Chan