Hearts in time- The Quests of Wraith Wills
part one: A New Journey
by
Lance The Flamesniper
Wolfe Wills sat across from his younger brother with a look of concern on his face. It had been
eleven months since Wraith's friends Matt and Lance had disappeared without a trace. During that time
Wraith had written a story that he claimed was what had happened to them. Wolfe had read the story
of course. Being a psychologist, he thought it might bring forth clues as to what, if anything, Wraith
might know about what REALLY happened. Most people suspected he knew more than he let on and
that in his own way that story was just a dodge. It didn't help things to add that Wraith was starting to
act erradically. Especially when he decided to move into Lance's old room.
"I know what you're thinking brother," Wraith said as he took a long pull of his beer.
"Oh really? Enlighten me. What am I thinking?" Wolfe countered.
"You're thinking I got a screw loose."
"What makes you think that?"
"Don't. Just don't okay. I don't need you pulling some psycho-sorcery on my brain. I know you
think I'm nuts because everyone whose read that story I wrote thinks that."
"Wraith... you wrote a story that said you and your two best friends used some kind of spell to
go to another dimention. While there, your friends supposedly met and fell in love with the girls of their
dreams, in Lance's case literally, who just HAPPENED to be reincarnated princesses from some ancient
interplanetary kingdom. All the while fighting monsters and dealing with the fact that all three of you were
also supposedly reincarnated warrior-princes of the same interplanetary kingdom which supposedly died
off six millenia ago."
"That about sums it up, yes."
"At best that makes you seem delusional."
"It's what happened!"
"It's what you THINK happened. Next you'll tell me that there's a book in the library that pulls
young women into it to use as a sacrifices to some ancient chinese gods or maybe you'll tell me about
a boy killed in a car accident that came back to life to hunt demons for the king of the spirit world."
"VERY funny bro," Wraith laughed bitterly. He hated being teased and hated more being mocked.
"I know that everyone thinks my story was just fiction, I knew it as soon as I sat down to write it. However,
I promised Lance I would try to explain things."
"So explain things," came Wolfe's reply.
"My story does that," replied Wraith irritably.
"No your story is a bit of fiction that a lot of people think you did in exceptionally bad taste."
"Bad taste?"
"Come on Wraith. You wrote that story right when two people close to you had been missing for
several months. A lot of people think you are trying to cover up something. Now tell me what's going on? The
truth this time," Wolfe growled.
"You want the truth? You can't handle the Truth!"
"Try me."
"Okay, you asked for it. Lance Jayd is dead, but Lance Meioh is not. Matt Blackheart is most likely
no more but Matt Kino lives."
"What?"
"In that place they went to they gave up their clans to become part of their wives' clans. Mostly Lance's
idea, ronin that he fancied himself to be and all that. As near as I can figure it's kinda a weird traditon where they
died to their clans when they wed the women they loved."
Wolfe could only blink. In a way that did sound like Lance Jayd. For an entire month Wolfe had been
working with the pychiatrist that, at the time, had been treating Lance Jayd. The doctor in question had some
rather interesting insights about Mr. Jayd. These started from the an early diagnosis of depression. That idea
lasted about a week as the dreams grew longer, more vivid and incredibly bizarre. Suddenly depression wasn't
even a possible diagnosis. The words schitzophrenia and dementia came up as did the belief that Lance was
becoming obsessive about the mysterious woman in his dreams. He didn't think of Lance as dangerous
however, still the delusion of this mysterious woman who he then compared EVERY woman he tried to date
to was definitely unhealthy.
Then there was the apathy. Wolfe had noticed that even though the doctor hadn't. Most people who
don't have a stable dating relationships tend to be distraut about it, though Lance was not. All he'd say about
it would be "She wasn't the One." or "It just wasn't meant to be." and leave it at that. As if his being dumped
or having a bad date was of little or no consequence at all. He was like that about other things as well.
Whether he passed or failed at classes; whether or not his car was broken down, all the things that would
upset or please a normal person seemed to be recieved with the same level of response. However Wolfe
noticed that while Lance didn't concern himself with those things, he showed emotion around his friends,
when practicing martial arts and also toward a specific sword he kept in his room at the college.
His room at the college was likewise odd. He kept it incredibly clean, insisting on people taking off
their shoes at the door. He lacked most furniture, including chairs and a bed, though he did have a kitchette
and a strangely short table that was the perfect hieght for a person to kneel at as well as a stand on which
had rested a katana. Though one room over in the two room dorm was a desk with a computer and a decent
chair which spoke of that being where study was done. All of this puzzled Wolfe the first time he visited. It
wasn't until much later that the peices of his room made sense. Quite simply just as his brother had just
said. Lance was trying to be an American samurai. The only thing that was out of place was the full color
sketch of a woman, who if drawn to scale was tall with magenta eyes, dark green hair; overall strangely
haunting in her beauty. And to Wolfe, haunted was a word that was aptly fitting as this was supposedly
the woman that haunted Lance's sleep.
"I suppose that does make sense when applied to Lance and his mindset. But that stuff about
magic, and him having a twin? And fighting a monster called Necros? That's a bit of a stretch."
Wraith stood up. Enough was enough. "Brother, I know how this all SOUNDS. Even I have a hard
time believing that and I had spent almost a month living this madness. But all of what I wrote was true!
The magic, the past lives, the time travel, all of it's true. And just as true is the fact that somewhere out
there is the way to get back there. Now if you'll excuse me I have to be on my way I have a lot to do
before the sun rises."
With that Wraith Wills walked into the night. Unknown to him, destiny was about to find him
again.
It had been almost a year since it happened. Wraith's strange friend, Lance had made his bid for
happiness and, in doing so, turned Wraith's world onto it's ear. The things he'd seen and learned on that
quest made Wraith's logical world seem incredibly limited. First Lance used a magical spell to take them
to a parallel world. Then it was using magic to fight monsters, magic that Wraith himself had used. From
there it was learning that he was a prince in a Solar system spanning alliance called the Silver Millenium.
Then came the final battles in the Tides of Time and Necros' tower. It was sheer insanity...and yet he
missed it. 'No.' Wraith thought bitterly.'I miss her'.
To say that Mina Aino had made a mark on his life would be like saying Einstein was smart or
that the universe was big. It was understating the obvious. Mina had a very care free way of looking at
the world, she'd not ever become jaded despite her seemingly endless problems. Deep down he wished
he could be more like that. The last eleven months had been a whirlwind of wierdness. It had started
when people noticed Lance and Matt were missing. Soon the police, National guard and volunteers
were out looking for them.
Unfortunately enough people had seen Lance and Matt with Wraith the last night they were
seen to make people REALLY suspicious. As such the police were all over Lance's room, Matt's room
and Wraith's room with a fine toothed comb. On top of that they grilled Wraith mercilessly, though if
they knew anything about Lance Jayd they wouldn't have bothered. Wraith may be tough but compared
to Lance, the mixed martial artist, and a bare knuckle fighter like Matt, there was just no contest. He'd
pointed that out to the cops repeatedly, only to have them turn him loose and keep watch on him. He
suspected Detective Ellix thought she had him on a leash like some kinda of pet, too bad she didn't
scare him.
However, upon returning from summer break he found that his world was not to return to normal.
Instead he had somehow gotten assigned Lance's old room, and with it Lance's decorations and computer.
Wraith could have refused that room, but didn't. However he also seemingly inherited something else. A
Palm pilot on a wrist mountable sheath. While the device was not all that different from any other Palm
pilot, save for the fact that when he turned it on the first thing he'd read was a familiar phrase. One he'd
been told after a deadly battle. It said simply: "Sometimes destiny makes choices for you, and
sometimes choices make your destiny." Then there was the package he'd gotten after the first week
in the new room. It had been a simple Manilla envelope with no return address. Inside, however, was
nothing more than a picture. The picture had that familiar Green haired woman sitting serenely as
Lance leaned behind her with his arms wrapped around her shoulders in a loving hug, both of them
smiling for the camera.
"Gone but not forgotten, their names etched on the tomes of Time, heroes pass not to tombs
for the rotten but into Elysion divine," a hooded person chanted as Wraith passed.
"Quite a poem," Replied Wraith as he prepared to toss a handful of coins in the begger's
direction.
"More to get your attention Wraith Wills than to earn some pittance. I am something of a
fortune teller and I shall tell yours if you'll listen," The hodded person replied, the voice was smoke and
silver, definitely feminine.
This will be good for a laugh, Wraith thought as he was lead to a nearby bench. "Tell me what
you see of me."
"I shall tell you past and present then future," the woman said. "But being one raised to revere
science and logic, you may doubt my gifts...or you would until a year ago..."
Wraith stood up, sputtering with rage. "It that what this is about? Another wacko here to torment
me about what I wrote?"
"Temper, temper. I am no "wacko". Not some loon here to cause you grief," The woman soothed.
"What I am is a teller of pasts, a reporter of presents and diviner of futures."
Warily Wraith sat back down. "Very well then continue."
"A year ago you had your belief that magic, time travel and past lives were all the stuff of fiction
completely shattered by the Consort of the Time Senshi," the woman replied.
"Consort of the Time Senshi? Lance. Right. So far so good," Wraith mumbled. "But anyone could
have read my story an' knew that."
"Yes. The past is something easy to track. So I'll go after the present instead."
Wraith nodded and waited for the mundane things like her guessing what classes he took or what
he was doing five minutes ago. So it was completely a shock when she said something else.
"You are looking for the way back. Not because you miss Lance but because you miss her."
"Her?" Wraith asked.
"The lady of the golden hair. You've not told a soul about it but your brother has seen how you've
been. He doesn't know though that Lance has contacted you twice in the last year."
"What?" Wraith asked. "I haven't seen Lance since...."
"That PDA and the picture were both from him," the woman replied. "Now for your future. On this
disc is a computer program. Put it in your or should I say what was Lance's computer and allow it to load.
Consider your choices carefully, Wraith Wills, and your destiny will be bright. Choose poorly and failure
will the least of of your worries. Do you understand?" When Wraith nodded she continued. "Then go!
Quickly!"
With that Wraith took off running.
Wolfe had just exited the bar to find his brother. Whatever was happening had to be worked out.
It was clear that something was troubling Wraith if he believed that tale he's been telling. Wolfe got to
the park just in time to see Wraith recieve something from a hooded woman then take off. His instincts
said he should go after his brother, but there was something about the woman that stuck him as off. He
couldn't place it, but his sense on the matter said she shouldn't be here.
The Woman looked directly at Wolfe and began walking the opposite direction as Wraith had. It
took Wolfe all of three second to decide to give chase. he followed the woman as closley as he could as
she moved between buildings on the campus. She turned a corner with him only ten feet behind her but
when Wolfe turned the corner in persuit he found her waiting for him.
"You follow fast like the wolf for which you are named," the woman said. "And wisely you followed
the wrong path allowing Wraith to do as he must."
"What? What do you mean?" Wolfe asked nervously.
The woman laughed. "He goes to his destiny with a choice to be made. With his help an evil plot
may be mislaid. More than that cannot be told. And my time here soon wanes, oh Wolfe so bold. But worry
not for I shall offer aid, to your brother until my debt to him be paid!"
With that the mysterious woman levitated into the air as a portal opened above her head. She slowly
drifted through it and was gone.
Wolfe blinked. He must be overworked to have seen that. People don't levitate. They don't disappear
without a trace. And yet one just did and two more had done the same a year ago. Then he remembered.
She'd said something about his brother. Withou another thought he took off toward his brother's dorm, all
the while fearing the worst.
In a dark sub-basement of the police department Detective Ellix and a group of other people gathered.
Long ago there had been a holy site on land which the police department now stood. Only a handful of people
knew about it. They were the Order of Necros, though most of the world knew them as the Beholden. For
many years they'd been on the watch for a "chosen warrior" whom their lord was sure would be born in one
of two worlds. He watched one and charged them to watch the other. Amoung the gathered were a few humans
and more than a dozen golems. Their leader was a man known as Master Rune. No one had ever seen his face
but they all knew better than to question his call.
"I have recieved a vision that the one who slayed our master in the name of the time harlot has sent one
of his minions to this world," Rune proclaimed then waited for the murmurs to die down. "I believe that the minion
has been sent to aid the one left behind in stopping us from achieving our quest! To this end we must slay them
and gather the five mystic items. The dagger of Dez'jira T'kai, the fang of Rothgar, the heart of Neptune, the book
of fates and the Key of Merlin must be gathered. Also the imprisoned one must be guarded if he is freed the power
of silence would be once more able to strike at us."
Ellix nodded. She knew a lot about the quest to gather the five items, all five if gathered would resurrect
Necros if a proper spell was used. She also knew about the imprisoned one. He was one of the four misplaced
princes who the Time Harlot needed to secure the future. There was much work needed to do.
Wraith loaded the disc cautiously. Something weird was going on, but then again if that woman was really
working with Lance, weird would be about normal.
The disc passed through virus scan. then began loading a dialer. Soon a symbol appeared on the screen
proclaiming that "CT.net" was active.Wraith looked at the image that appeared in the background though and
decided that whatever city that was was definitely cool looking. Then an invitation to chat appeared on the
screen. He clicked the acceptance button and soon found his handle, Master of Whips, in a room with five other
names: Gatekeeper, Swordmaster, Dragonblade, Lady of Lightning and Love.
"And here's the man of honor!" Typed Swordmaster.
"Do I know you people?" Wraith typed back.
"I don't know whether we should be insulted or not by that," Dragonblade typed.
"Clearly you people know me," responded Wraith.
"You could say that," Lady of Lightning replied.
"Some of us better than others," Gatekeeper answered.
"And some of us not as well as we'd like," added love.
"Ah, but Wraith could fix that Love...," stated Swordmaster. "All he has to do is pay attention."
"Pay attention to what?" Wraith typed all the while growling.
"Right know Master of Whips," Began Gatekeeper. "You are in a crossroads."
"The first step into it was provided by Swordmaster's sister," Dragonblade continued.
"Fortunately you've taken it," added in Love.
"But this is a matter where choices make your destiny, not where destiny makes your choices,"
Swordmaster finished.
"What??" Wraith responded. That had sounded too much like Lance for his liking.
"My beloved Gatekeeper would prefer things be mysterious, but the matter is dire and thus I'm going to
be straight with you. Wraith Wills there is a way to get back to where you belong," Swordmaster responded.
"Necros has minions in this world that are looking for five moon kingdom relics. If they find them, both this world
and the world you're in will be doomed."
"How do you know about Necros?" Wraith asked, suspecting this to be a very elaborate joke.
"I know about Necros," began Swordmaster. "Because I killed him."
"Wraith, now is not the time to question," Love asserted. "I, Mina Aino, miss you."
In a heartbeat he knew they were telling the truth. "What must I do?"
"Being progaramed into your wrist mounted palm pilot is a tracking program, historical database and data
link so we can communitate with you. Also included is an A.I. holographic assistant. For some reason Amy chose
to program it to look the way she does..It wasn't my doing," replied Swordmaster. "Leanna will also be around to
help you. But you need to hurry."
The Palm pilot beeped that the Dowmloading was completed and Wraith hurried into the night though a
seldom used side door. A few minutes after he left, Wolfe entered the room. He saw that the monitor was on and
promptly sat down at it. Suddenly the handle being used changed from Master of Whips to Dr. Wolfe.
"Always later than needed," typed Swordmaster.
"What do you mean?" Wolfe responded.
"Dr. Wills," Gatekeeper said. "Wraith must fulfill his destiny, just as my beloved Lance fulfilled his. Please
do not interfere."
"What!? You know where Lance is? Is Matt still with him?" Wolfe typed.
"If you look, you will see," Swordmaster responded cryptically then the screen went blank.
Wolfe sighed. the last statement didn't make any sense at all. Then he looked next to the computer. What
he saw was impossible.
There, in a frame, was a picture of Lance and the woman he'd drawn an image of. They were in a loving
embrace and it was clear that they weren't just smiling for the camera, they were truely happy together.
For once, Wolfe Wills began to doubt his own sanity. He needed to know what was going on and the
only person with the answers was Wraith.
TBC
part one: A New Journey
by
Lance The Flamesniper
Wolfe Wills sat across from his younger brother with a look of concern on his face. It had been
eleven months since Wraith's friends Matt and Lance had disappeared without a trace. During that time
Wraith had written a story that he claimed was what had happened to them. Wolfe had read the story
of course. Being a psychologist, he thought it might bring forth clues as to what, if anything, Wraith
might know about what REALLY happened. Most people suspected he knew more than he let on and
that in his own way that story was just a dodge. It didn't help things to add that Wraith was starting to
act erradically. Especially when he decided to move into Lance's old room.
"I know what you're thinking brother," Wraith said as he took a long pull of his beer.
"Oh really? Enlighten me. What am I thinking?" Wolfe countered.
"You're thinking I got a screw loose."
"What makes you think that?"
"Don't. Just don't okay. I don't need you pulling some psycho-sorcery on my brain. I know you
think I'm nuts because everyone whose read that story I wrote thinks that."
"Wraith... you wrote a story that said you and your two best friends used some kind of spell to
go to another dimention. While there, your friends supposedly met and fell in love with the girls of their
dreams, in Lance's case literally, who just HAPPENED to be reincarnated princesses from some ancient
interplanetary kingdom. All the while fighting monsters and dealing with the fact that all three of you were
also supposedly reincarnated warrior-princes of the same interplanetary kingdom which supposedly died
off six millenia ago."
"That about sums it up, yes."
"At best that makes you seem delusional."
"It's what happened!"
"It's what you THINK happened. Next you'll tell me that there's a book in the library that pulls
young women into it to use as a sacrifices to some ancient chinese gods or maybe you'll tell me about
a boy killed in a car accident that came back to life to hunt demons for the king of the spirit world."
"VERY funny bro," Wraith laughed bitterly. He hated being teased and hated more being mocked.
"I know that everyone thinks my story was just fiction, I knew it as soon as I sat down to write it. However,
I promised Lance I would try to explain things."
"So explain things," came Wolfe's reply.
"My story does that," replied Wraith irritably.
"No your story is a bit of fiction that a lot of people think you did in exceptionally bad taste."
"Bad taste?"
"Come on Wraith. You wrote that story right when two people close to you had been missing for
several months. A lot of people think you are trying to cover up something. Now tell me what's going on? The
truth this time," Wolfe growled.
"You want the truth? You can't handle the Truth!"
"Try me."
"Okay, you asked for it. Lance Jayd is dead, but Lance Meioh is not. Matt Blackheart is most likely
no more but Matt Kino lives."
"What?"
"In that place they went to they gave up their clans to become part of their wives' clans. Mostly Lance's
idea, ronin that he fancied himself to be and all that. As near as I can figure it's kinda a weird traditon where they
died to their clans when they wed the women they loved."
Wolfe could only blink. In a way that did sound like Lance Jayd. For an entire month Wolfe had been
working with the pychiatrist that, at the time, had been treating Lance Jayd. The doctor in question had some
rather interesting insights about Mr. Jayd. These started from the an early diagnosis of depression. That idea
lasted about a week as the dreams grew longer, more vivid and incredibly bizarre. Suddenly depression wasn't
even a possible diagnosis. The words schitzophrenia and dementia came up as did the belief that Lance was
becoming obsessive about the mysterious woman in his dreams. He didn't think of Lance as dangerous
however, still the delusion of this mysterious woman who he then compared EVERY woman he tried to date
to was definitely unhealthy.
Then there was the apathy. Wolfe had noticed that even though the doctor hadn't. Most people who
don't have a stable dating relationships tend to be distraut about it, though Lance was not. All he'd say about
it would be "She wasn't the One." or "It just wasn't meant to be." and leave it at that. As if his being dumped
or having a bad date was of little or no consequence at all. He was like that about other things as well.
Whether he passed or failed at classes; whether or not his car was broken down, all the things that would
upset or please a normal person seemed to be recieved with the same level of response. However Wolfe
noticed that while Lance didn't concern himself with those things, he showed emotion around his friends,
when practicing martial arts and also toward a specific sword he kept in his room at the college.
His room at the college was likewise odd. He kept it incredibly clean, insisting on people taking off
their shoes at the door. He lacked most furniture, including chairs and a bed, though he did have a kitchette
and a strangely short table that was the perfect hieght for a person to kneel at as well as a stand on which
had rested a katana. Though one room over in the two room dorm was a desk with a computer and a decent
chair which spoke of that being where study was done. All of this puzzled Wolfe the first time he visited. It
wasn't until much later that the peices of his room made sense. Quite simply just as his brother had just
said. Lance was trying to be an American samurai. The only thing that was out of place was the full color
sketch of a woman, who if drawn to scale was tall with magenta eyes, dark green hair; overall strangely
haunting in her beauty. And to Wolfe, haunted was a word that was aptly fitting as this was supposedly
the woman that haunted Lance's sleep.
"I suppose that does make sense when applied to Lance and his mindset. But that stuff about
magic, and him having a twin? And fighting a monster called Necros? That's a bit of a stretch."
Wraith stood up. Enough was enough. "Brother, I know how this all SOUNDS. Even I have a hard
time believing that and I had spent almost a month living this madness. But all of what I wrote was true!
The magic, the past lives, the time travel, all of it's true. And just as true is the fact that somewhere out
there is the way to get back there. Now if you'll excuse me I have to be on my way I have a lot to do
before the sun rises."
With that Wraith Wills walked into the night. Unknown to him, destiny was about to find him
again.
It had been almost a year since it happened. Wraith's strange friend, Lance had made his bid for
happiness and, in doing so, turned Wraith's world onto it's ear. The things he'd seen and learned on that
quest made Wraith's logical world seem incredibly limited. First Lance used a magical spell to take them
to a parallel world. Then it was using magic to fight monsters, magic that Wraith himself had used. From
there it was learning that he was a prince in a Solar system spanning alliance called the Silver Millenium.
Then came the final battles in the Tides of Time and Necros' tower. It was sheer insanity...and yet he
missed it. 'No.' Wraith thought bitterly.'I miss her'.
To say that Mina Aino had made a mark on his life would be like saying Einstein was smart or
that the universe was big. It was understating the obvious. Mina had a very care free way of looking at
the world, she'd not ever become jaded despite her seemingly endless problems. Deep down he wished
he could be more like that. The last eleven months had been a whirlwind of wierdness. It had started
when people noticed Lance and Matt were missing. Soon the police, National guard and volunteers
were out looking for them.
Unfortunately enough people had seen Lance and Matt with Wraith the last night they were
seen to make people REALLY suspicious. As such the police were all over Lance's room, Matt's room
and Wraith's room with a fine toothed comb. On top of that they grilled Wraith mercilessly, though if
they knew anything about Lance Jayd they wouldn't have bothered. Wraith may be tough but compared
to Lance, the mixed martial artist, and a bare knuckle fighter like Matt, there was just no contest. He'd
pointed that out to the cops repeatedly, only to have them turn him loose and keep watch on him. He
suspected Detective Ellix thought she had him on a leash like some kinda of pet, too bad she didn't
scare him.
However, upon returning from summer break he found that his world was not to return to normal.
Instead he had somehow gotten assigned Lance's old room, and with it Lance's decorations and computer.
Wraith could have refused that room, but didn't. However he also seemingly inherited something else. A
Palm pilot on a wrist mountable sheath. While the device was not all that different from any other Palm
pilot, save for the fact that when he turned it on the first thing he'd read was a familiar phrase. One he'd
been told after a deadly battle. It said simply: "Sometimes destiny makes choices for you, and
sometimes choices make your destiny." Then there was the package he'd gotten after the first week
in the new room. It had been a simple Manilla envelope with no return address. Inside, however, was
nothing more than a picture. The picture had that familiar Green haired woman sitting serenely as
Lance leaned behind her with his arms wrapped around her shoulders in a loving hug, both of them
smiling for the camera.
"Gone but not forgotten, their names etched on the tomes of Time, heroes pass not to tombs
for the rotten but into Elysion divine," a hooded person chanted as Wraith passed.
"Quite a poem," Replied Wraith as he prepared to toss a handful of coins in the begger's
direction.
"More to get your attention Wraith Wills than to earn some pittance. I am something of a
fortune teller and I shall tell yours if you'll listen," The hodded person replied, the voice was smoke and
silver, definitely feminine.
This will be good for a laugh, Wraith thought as he was lead to a nearby bench. "Tell me what
you see of me."
"I shall tell you past and present then future," the woman said. "But being one raised to revere
science and logic, you may doubt my gifts...or you would until a year ago..."
Wraith stood up, sputtering with rage. "It that what this is about? Another wacko here to torment
me about what I wrote?"
"Temper, temper. I am no "wacko". Not some loon here to cause you grief," The woman soothed.
"What I am is a teller of pasts, a reporter of presents and diviner of futures."
Warily Wraith sat back down. "Very well then continue."
"A year ago you had your belief that magic, time travel and past lives were all the stuff of fiction
completely shattered by the Consort of the Time Senshi," the woman replied.
"Consort of the Time Senshi? Lance. Right. So far so good," Wraith mumbled. "But anyone could
have read my story an' knew that."
"Yes. The past is something easy to track. So I'll go after the present instead."
Wraith nodded and waited for the mundane things like her guessing what classes he took or what
he was doing five minutes ago. So it was completely a shock when she said something else.
"You are looking for the way back. Not because you miss Lance but because you miss her."
"Her?" Wraith asked.
"The lady of the golden hair. You've not told a soul about it but your brother has seen how you've
been. He doesn't know though that Lance has contacted you twice in the last year."
"What?" Wraith asked. "I haven't seen Lance since...."
"That PDA and the picture were both from him," the woman replied. "Now for your future. On this
disc is a computer program. Put it in your or should I say what was Lance's computer and allow it to load.
Consider your choices carefully, Wraith Wills, and your destiny will be bright. Choose poorly and failure
will the least of of your worries. Do you understand?" When Wraith nodded she continued. "Then go!
Quickly!"
With that Wraith took off running.
Wolfe had just exited the bar to find his brother. Whatever was happening had to be worked out.
It was clear that something was troubling Wraith if he believed that tale he's been telling. Wolfe got to
the park just in time to see Wraith recieve something from a hooded woman then take off. His instincts
said he should go after his brother, but there was something about the woman that stuck him as off. He
couldn't place it, but his sense on the matter said she shouldn't be here.
The Woman looked directly at Wolfe and began walking the opposite direction as Wraith had. It
took Wolfe all of three second to decide to give chase. he followed the woman as closley as he could as
she moved between buildings on the campus. She turned a corner with him only ten feet behind her but
when Wolfe turned the corner in persuit he found her waiting for him.
"You follow fast like the wolf for which you are named," the woman said. "And wisely you followed
the wrong path allowing Wraith to do as he must."
"What? What do you mean?" Wolfe asked nervously.
The woman laughed. "He goes to his destiny with a choice to be made. With his help an evil plot
may be mislaid. More than that cannot be told. And my time here soon wanes, oh Wolfe so bold. But worry
not for I shall offer aid, to your brother until my debt to him be paid!"
With that the mysterious woman levitated into the air as a portal opened above her head. She slowly
drifted through it and was gone.
Wolfe blinked. He must be overworked to have seen that. People don't levitate. They don't disappear
without a trace. And yet one just did and two more had done the same a year ago. Then he remembered.
She'd said something about his brother. Withou another thought he took off toward his brother's dorm, all
the while fearing the worst.
In a dark sub-basement of the police department Detective Ellix and a group of other people gathered.
Long ago there had been a holy site on land which the police department now stood. Only a handful of people
knew about it. They were the Order of Necros, though most of the world knew them as the Beholden. For
many years they'd been on the watch for a "chosen warrior" whom their lord was sure would be born in one
of two worlds. He watched one and charged them to watch the other. Amoung the gathered were a few humans
and more than a dozen golems. Their leader was a man known as Master Rune. No one had ever seen his face
but they all knew better than to question his call.
"I have recieved a vision that the one who slayed our master in the name of the time harlot has sent one
of his minions to this world," Rune proclaimed then waited for the murmurs to die down. "I believe that the minion
has been sent to aid the one left behind in stopping us from achieving our quest! To this end we must slay them
and gather the five mystic items. The dagger of Dez'jira T'kai, the fang of Rothgar, the heart of Neptune, the book
of fates and the Key of Merlin must be gathered. Also the imprisoned one must be guarded if he is freed the power
of silence would be once more able to strike at us."
Ellix nodded. She knew a lot about the quest to gather the five items, all five if gathered would resurrect
Necros if a proper spell was used. She also knew about the imprisoned one. He was one of the four misplaced
princes who the Time Harlot needed to secure the future. There was much work needed to do.
Wraith loaded the disc cautiously. Something weird was going on, but then again if that woman was really
working with Lance, weird would be about normal.
The disc passed through virus scan. then began loading a dialer. Soon a symbol appeared on the screen
proclaiming that "CT.net" was active.Wraith looked at the image that appeared in the background though and
decided that whatever city that was was definitely cool looking. Then an invitation to chat appeared on the
screen. He clicked the acceptance button and soon found his handle, Master of Whips, in a room with five other
names: Gatekeeper, Swordmaster, Dragonblade, Lady of Lightning and Love.
"And here's the man of honor!" Typed Swordmaster.
"Do I know you people?" Wraith typed back.
"I don't know whether we should be insulted or not by that," Dragonblade typed.
"Clearly you people know me," responded Wraith.
"You could say that," Lady of Lightning replied.
"Some of us better than others," Gatekeeper answered.
"And some of us not as well as we'd like," added love.
"Ah, but Wraith could fix that Love...," stated Swordmaster. "All he has to do is pay attention."
"Pay attention to what?" Wraith typed all the while growling.
"Right know Master of Whips," Began Gatekeeper. "You are in a crossroads."
"The first step into it was provided by Swordmaster's sister," Dragonblade continued.
"Fortunately you've taken it," added in Love.
"But this is a matter where choices make your destiny, not where destiny makes your choices,"
Swordmaster finished.
"What??" Wraith responded. That had sounded too much like Lance for his liking.
"My beloved Gatekeeper would prefer things be mysterious, but the matter is dire and thus I'm going to
be straight with you. Wraith Wills there is a way to get back to where you belong," Swordmaster responded.
"Necros has minions in this world that are looking for five moon kingdom relics. If they find them, both this world
and the world you're in will be doomed."
"How do you know about Necros?" Wraith asked, suspecting this to be a very elaborate joke.
"I know about Necros," began Swordmaster. "Because I killed him."
"Wraith, now is not the time to question," Love asserted. "I, Mina Aino, miss you."
In a heartbeat he knew they were telling the truth. "What must I do?"
"Being progaramed into your wrist mounted palm pilot is a tracking program, historical database and data
link so we can communitate with you. Also included is an A.I. holographic assistant. For some reason Amy chose
to program it to look the way she does..It wasn't my doing," replied Swordmaster. "Leanna will also be around to
help you. But you need to hurry."
The Palm pilot beeped that the Dowmloading was completed and Wraith hurried into the night though a
seldom used side door. A few minutes after he left, Wolfe entered the room. He saw that the monitor was on and
promptly sat down at it. Suddenly the handle being used changed from Master of Whips to Dr. Wolfe.
"Always later than needed," typed Swordmaster.
"What do you mean?" Wolfe responded.
"Dr. Wills," Gatekeeper said. "Wraith must fulfill his destiny, just as my beloved Lance fulfilled his. Please
do not interfere."
"What!? You know where Lance is? Is Matt still with him?" Wolfe typed.
"If you look, you will see," Swordmaster responded cryptically then the screen went blank.
Wolfe sighed. the last statement didn't make any sense at all. Then he looked next to the computer. What
he saw was impossible.
There, in a frame, was a picture of Lance and the woman he'd drawn an image of. They were in a loving
embrace and it was clear that they weren't just smiling for the camera, they were truely happy together.
For once, Wolfe Wills began to doubt his own sanity. He needed to know what was going on and the
only person with the answers was Wraith.
TBC