The Chronicles of Weyard

By Claviculae

Chapter 8: The Secret Service

Cuman stepped out from behind a building. He was wearing the circlet, but the blade was detached, probably so he wouldn't draw too much attention to himself He indicated for them to follow him, then lead them up to the palace. The guard at the gate moved to stop them, but then stepped back when he recognized Cuman. They walked inside the palace, admiring the craftsmanship behind it. Cuman lead them through a maze of hallways, up and down several flights of stairs, and finally to a large door. "Few people know about this place," he said, producing a key and unlocking the door. "No one comes this deep into the palace, so we're pretty much safe down here. And if they do come and get past this door, there's an ancient passage that leads to a cave just outside the city." he said, pushing the door open. "Now, come in and meet Albert." They walked in, fully alert. They looked around and gasped.

The room they were in appeared to be some sort of control center. Several dozen people were there, working with different instruments, many of which Santur had never seen before. "This is the Alchemy Control headquarters." Cuman said. "It's where we constantly monitor Psynergy levels all around Weyard. I won't explain the purpose of it, though. I'll leave that to Albert." A few of the workers looked up as Cuman lead Santur and his friends past numerous consoles where people were busily working. He led them down the underground tunnel to a door that said 'Albert' on it. Cuman knocked. Santur startled as he heard the same voice that he had heard in his mental conversations come from behind the door. "Come in." Cuman opened the door and led Santur and his friends in. There, seated behind a desk that was covered in papers, was the old man that Santur had managed to catch a glimpse of. He looked to be somewhere in his sixties, but it was hard to tell. He had several tufts of gray hair sticking out from the sides of his head. He also had bushy eyebrows and a mustache. He wore dark gray pants and a white shirt, over which was a deep red tie and a white lab coat. He spoke with the same German-like accent that Santur had picked up in the mental conversations. "Have a seat, friends." he said, indicating the chairs in front of the desk. They sat down warily, not sure what to expect. "Hello. My name is Albert. I run the Alchemy Control Secret Service. May I inquire what your names are? I know Santur, but the others are strangers." Cuman stood up and introduced them. "This is Meron, his main traveling companion. This is Brigg, his trainer. This is Gandas, the owner of the ship they use. I assume that I need not point out their obvious elements?" "Correct, Cuman. Stand outside the door." Cuman obeyed, shutting the door behind him.

"Now, down to business. I suppose you're all wondering what is going on, correct?" They nodded. "Then let me explain who I am. My name is Albert, and I am an Adept, in case you didn't notice." Meron looked confused. "What's wrong?" "You do have the birth mark below your right eye, but your pupils are just black. I thought that Adept's pupils change color according to their Element." "That is correct, young lady. They do. My pupils reflect my unusual Element. I am not of any of the four normal Elements. I am of the element of Luna, the parent Element of Jupiter and Mercury. I will explain that later. Back to the point. I have been placed in charge of the Alchemy Control Secret Service because of my great skill with Psynergy. Santur has already witnessed how I can create a mind link over incredible distances. The job of the Secret Service is to keep Alchemy and it's power under control. You see, no person is just of one Element. Everyone has the ability to learn abilities from other Elements. That in itself proves that no person is bound to one Element. Every person has the ability to become an Adept if they choose to pursue that goal. An Adept is merely a person who's Psynergy is powerful enough to pass the tests in the Land of Mist. But once a person becomes an Adept, they can continue to grow and train. If they work hard enough, they can gain the power of their Element's symbio. If they master their Element's sister Element, they can become a part of the Parent Element. For instance, Jupiter and Mercury share a very close symbiosis. They both have the Parent Element of Luna. Luna is really a combination of Jupiter and Mercury. Or rather, Jupiter and Mercury are split halves of Luna. Venus and Mars share a symbiosis, one that is, however, not nearly as close as Jupiter and Mercury's. The Parent Element of Venus and Mars is known as Sol. As I'm sure you have already witnessed, Sol Psynergy is very offensive. Most great Psynergy warriors are either Venus or Mars, Mars being the more common of the two. Now do you understand why it is so easy for Santur to use Douse and Meron to use Mind Read?" They nodded.

"Good. Now, Sol and Luna also share a symbiosis, which is why most people can master basic Psynergy skills from any Element." "Do Sol and Luna have a Parent Element?" Gandas interrupted. "Yes, they do. The parent of Sol and Luna is Alchemy. After someone becomes a Sol or Luna Adept, they can try to master the symbio of their current Element. If they can, then they will become an Alchemist. Alchemists are the most powerful warriors there are, and the only thing that can take down an Alchemist is another Alchemist. Also, the wielder of the Stone of Sages can take down an Alchemist, but no one today wields the stone. Now, the job of the Alchemy Control Secret Service, or ACSS, is to locate anyone who is a Sol or Luna Adept and keep tabs on them. If they try to master the symbio, then it's our job to stop them. If they come close to becoming an Adept of a Parent Element, then we are required to kill them." "Is that why you're after me?" Santur asked. Albert shook his head. "No, that's not it at all. In fact, I never had any intent of killing you. I manipulated the Gray Company into attacking you so that I could fool the two Mars people who hired me. I was really protecting you." "How does that work?" Santur asked bitterly. "Yeah, and who are the Gray Company?" Meron added. "The Gray Company are a group of insane fanatics wanting to wipe the earth clean of all who won't join them. Normally, they wouldn't present much of a threat. But they also are after the power of Alchemy. A few of them are Sol and Luna Adepts, and the rest are wannabe's who have a very small amount of Psynergy. You see, I've been watching you for several years, Santur. I know that you would make a great member of the ACSS, so I want to protect you. When the two Mars people came and offered to hire me to kill you, I immediately accepted. I manipulated my way into the Gray Company and sent their weakest assassins against you. Then, I told the two who had hired me that I had the Gray Company taking care of the job. They assumed that I had the powerful Adepts in the Gray Company after you, so they didn't ask questions. Now that you're here, I can protect you much more effectively."

"So, what are you going to do about the Gray Company?" Santur asked. "Since there are powerful Adepts in it who are after Alchemy's power, we have to kill them. You, Santur, are a powerful warrior. If you can pass the trials in the Land of Mist, then you will have the power to destroy them. You're here right now so that I can offer you a job. If you can pass a simple test, then I'll give you an extermination job here in the ACSS." "Why would I take that job?" Santur replied. "Because it's a warrior's job, but a lot more interesting. Because you get to protect a multitude of innocent lives, and have fun doing it. Also, because of the great pay. And finally, because it will allow me to get those two Mars people off your back. Do you accept?" Santur thought for a minute. "If I do, am I bound to stay in the Gray Company for a certain amount of time?" "No, not at all. You can quit whenever you want." Albert reassured him. "I'll do it. Now, you said something about a test of some sort. What is that?" Santur asked. "A simple battle between you and my three right-hand men. Follow me to the battle room."

Santur and his friends followed Albert through several corridors to a large room. "You may choose two of your friends to fight alongside of." Albert said. "Gandas and Meron." "Good. Now, the men you will be battling." Albert said, indicating the three people coming out of a door. They all recognized Cuman, but the other two were strangers. "This is Guman, Cuman's main partner." Albert said, indicating a large, burly man who looked capable of bending iron bars with his bare hands. "And this is Protan, my main exterminator." Albert said, indicating the man dressed in red. He wore a red helmet that had a black plate that covered his eyes. He also had a piece of orange cloth draped around his neck. "Beware of Guman's strength and Protan's Psynergy skills." Albert said. "First off, you'll be doing longsword combat. Pair off." Albert said as they all drew their swords. Santur walked over to Protan, Meron went to Cuman, and Gandas stood in front of Guman. "Begin." They all rushed forward, sword meeting sword with a loud clang. They fought with swords for about five minutes. Halfway through, Brigg challenged Albert, who drew a katana and rushed at Brigg. Santur managed to score a nick on Protan, as did Meron on Cuman. Guman finally brought the flat of his sword down on Gandas' shoulder, sending him to the ground. Brigg and Albert continued fighting, each struggling for the advantage. Brigg finally managed to bring his sword onto Albert's left arm. Albert held up his hand and everyone sheathed their swords.

"Step back five paces from your opponent." Albert said. They obeyed, creating a twenty-foot gap between pairs. "The next round is a free-for-all using Psynergy. Go!" They all started casting as soon as they heard that word. While Santur, Meron, and Gandas all fought in a mob with the three men that Albert had pitted against them, Brigg and Albert just fought each other. Albert had been right. Protan was an incredibly skilled Sol Adept. He was capable of blasting off an almost-constant stream of Psynergy attacks. Guman, however, concentrated mainly on trying to pound people. Cuman was also skilled with Psynergy, though not as much as Protan. Santur finally established a mind link with Meron and gave her an order. She nodded and started charging her Mercury Psynergy. Santur charged his Psynergy, then threw a small, glowing sphere of energy at the ground. It flew underneath the three opponents and formed a huge, swirling whirlwind. Meron instantly shot a stream of freezing water into the whirlwind, then watched as the three ice-encased assassins fell to the ground. The ice that encircled them shattered, allowing them to collapse. Albert, upon seeing this, held up his hand. "You win."

They were all given vials, which they immediately used. Refreshed and renewed, they sat down to talk with Albert. "You've passed the test. Congratulations. You're all now members of the ACSS. Your first job will be to pursue the title of Adept. Here's a detailed map of Eastern Weyard," he said, producing a sheet of paper and laying it on the table. "We're right here. The Land of Mist is somewhere around here." he said, circling a region of ocean with a red pen. "You are to take your ship, pass through the Gondowan-Indra land bridge, and sail up the eastern coast of Gondowan until you reach Lalivero. Then, proceed due east until you come to the Sea of Time. It is marked by these two pillars of rock jutting out of the water. Proceed into the Sea of Time and navigate it. This will be accomplished by sailing around these glowing rocks three times. Once you have done so, the turbulent currents will stop for a few seconds. Quickly navigate your way through them. Once you exit the Sea of Time, proceed to the small island in the center. Dock there. You'll figure out the rest from there. Take this letter and present it to the guards at the gate. This other letter you are to give to the King of the Land of Mist. It contains details for your testing. After you become Adepts, you will be instructed on how to bypass the waters in the Sea of Time. After you exit, return here for your next assignment. Is that all clear?" Santur nodded. "Good. Now, I need to ask you some questions." "Shoot." was Santur's reply.

"Can you summon the powers of the Djinn?" Albert asked. "Yes, I am capable of doing that." "Which powers can you summon?" "I can summon the basic spirit of Jupiter, along with two other warriors, one who shoots arrows at my foe, and the other who actually picks my opponent up in a whirlwind and shoots it." Santur replied. "That is a good start, but it's not nearly enough. Before you leave, you will be granted a greater power. I assume that your companions can also use the first three summons for their Element?" "Yes. Meron can summon the basic spirit of Mercury, a woman called Nereid, and a creature that produces several powerful streams of water. Gandas can summon the spirit of Mars, a rider on a fiery creature, and the dragon Tiamat. Brigg is capable of summoning the spirit of Venus, the power of the ancient Pharaoh, and a creature called Cybele." Albert sat back and thought. "That's a wonderful start. Now let me explain an even greater power. Do you know of the god of thunder?" "Yes, I believe he is called Thor." "That is correct. If you go with Cuman, he will show you how to summon that power." Santur stood up and exited with Cuman.

"Now for you, Meron. Do you know of the three converging mountain ranges near your home in Vault?" "Yes. Vault is just south of the Goma Range, a range of mountains that extends eastward to Kolima. It also extends westward until just past Vale. It then splits and runs north and south. Oh, it also has a small range that extends eastward between Vault and Vale." "That is correct. Now, if you follow that range north, you will find a small range that extends to the west, near the coast. But if you follow the main range even further north, you will find that it splits into four small ranges. There is the southward range that leads to Vale, and there is a short northern range that ends in a river. There are also two ranges that go to the east and west. They both curve north, giving the whole range the resemblance of a scorpion with Mercury Lighthouse in its claws. Now, at the point where those four ranges converge, there is a high peak that is shrouded in ice. Beneath the ice is a huge machine that can spray a concentrated stream of ice slush for an incredible distance. The machine was crafted centuries ago as a weapon of war. It is still operational, though. Go with Guman and he will introduce you to an instructor who will show you how to summon that power." Meron nodded and exited.

"Gandas, how much do you know about astronomy?" Albert asked. "That's a pretty broad question, but I have an adequate knowledge of it." "So you know what meteors are?" "Of course. Why?" "Because when meteors enter Weyard's atmosphere, they encounter immense friction. The result is that many of them burn up before they even hit the ground. They are commonly called 'shooting stars'. But there are some that are made of a more sturdy and heat-resistant material. They actually are able to withstand the heat and hit the ground. The result is that you have a large, hard, flaming mass that weighs several tons hitting the ground at an incredible speed. Go with Protan and he will instruct you on summoning that power." Gandas stood up and followed Protan out of the room.

"Before I talk to you about the summon, Brigg, I need to talk to you about Santur. I think that it's good for you to be traveling with him. They all need you to be with them, to keep them out of trouble. But you do need to allow them room to grow. Try not to limit them too much. Try to let them make decisions about what to do without your advice and if they ask for it, encourage them to decide for themselves. Now, about the summon. Have you ever heard the prophecy about the Day of Destruction?" "Maybe a long time ago, but I don't remember it." Brigg replied. "First, a bit of history. You heard me talk about Boreas. It is a weapon from ancient times, back when Alchemy was commonplace. Back when incredible power was so common, tensions started to grow between nations. The possibility of war started to grow until it became imminent and the only questions were when and between whom. Also, how terrible it would be. So, each nation started constructing a powerful weapon. The northern nation that eventually split into the towns of Prox and Imil decided to build Boreas. They weren't the only ones building something of massive power. Two of the nations decided that either they would win or Weyard would die. They built massive doomsday machines, devices with the sole purpose of wiping out all life on the planet. Both devices took the appearance of massive flying knights, armed with sword and shield. Each was able to unleash a huge sphere of energy that would wipe out Weyard. Fortuanetely, Alchemy was sealed, the power sapped, and the devices laid to rest. Tensions eventually eased, and finally dissipated into normal international affairs. When Alchemy was unleashed again, the power returned. The doomsday devices are now operational. Fortunately, they are hidden underground. Very few people know about them, and most of those who do know work here at the ACSS. There are, however, others who know where the machines are and, worse still how to operate them. Thus came the Day of Destruction prophecy. It is said that some time in the future, the devices will be activated and most of Weyard destroyed. We at the ACSS cannot prevent this, but we are doing our best to delay it. We have planted guardians at the locations of the devices. If anyone ever defeats the guardians, they are given a new summoning power. This is enough to fool most people into thinking that they have achieved their goal and obtained the prize. As soon as they leave, however, the guardians become active again. So far, no one has ever gotten to the devices. But someday, someone will. And that's where your power comes from. You see, you are able to open a temporary portal to the Day of Destruction and sap a little of the energy from the lesser knight's weapon. We have named the power 'Judgment'. I will show you how to use it." "What about the other device?" Brigg asked. "Supposedly, someone of the Jupiter or Luna Element can sap power off of that knight, but it has yet to be accomplished. Now, follow me." Albert led Brigg to a room where an instructor was waiting.

Two hours later, they all met back at the office. "You are now all armed with incredible power. Go become Adepts. Good luck!" Albert said, sending them off to the ship. On the way, Santur was walking into various things, too dazed to see them until he had already slammed into them. "Santur, what are you thinking about?" Meron asked. "Hmm? Oh, just the idea that I'm finally going to become an Adept!" They boarded the ship, pulled up the anchor, and plotted the course. They were off.

Wow, chapter eight already! I thought it turned out great! I'm glad that I finally got to address the origins of things like Judgment and Boreas. Please let me know what you think of this chapter! Also, please start reviewing. Thanx.

P.S. Has anyone figured out who Albert, Cuman, Guman, and Protan remind you of?

Claviculae

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5/9/03

7:59 pm

25 paragraphs

288 lines

3551 words