History

"Big Brother," Shane called the second Gallows got in the house, "You've come back. So, how was your journey? Were you able to find those guys who were draining the power from the Guardians?" As the other three watched the two brothers, their emotions were quite different. Clive was now deciding he had to go and see his family very soon. Virginia felt a pang of regret that she couldn't go and visit her own home and talk to her aunt and uncle. Jet didn't care much to watch, he was a little bit jealous of the warm family moments both Clive and Gallows had. But as he tried to turn away to hide this, Virginia grabbed his hand.

"Don't worry, everything is going to be alright in the end. We're going to stop the Prophets, and then we can make our own happiness together," she whispered in his ear. Then, the girl gave him a small peck on the cheek. Jet blushed, he was happy that Clive and Gallows didn't see that as it happened, at least Gallows would start to tease him. Clive would be interested, but he wouldn't start tormenting the boy.

Gallows told Shane, "Well, we shut down one of their plants, but we felt this strange sensation a little while ago, and a light flew off north. I was wondering, could you and Granny possibly tell us what it was? I mean, you probably were able to sense it too, and you are the more perceptive of the two of us."

At that moment, Halle walked in. "If you're talking about what happened yesterday, it felt as if it was a Demon of some sorts. Perhaps your little friends are planning something new. Shane! Take them to the World's Footprint, which is twelve o'clock north of Infinitum. There, you will learn a little bit about the world we live in, and our history. Although, from what some have told me, there are conflicting reports. I have a theory, that maybe the truth has been lost, and both the records at those ruins and the ones in the text of the old Avatars of the Guardians might have to combine together in order to form or real racial past."

"What are Avatars of the Guardians?" asked Clive, "Is it something to do with the Baskar? Or is it something like what we are, chosen humans of different origins who would join together whenever Filgaia was in danger?" Of course, Virginia knew what they were, Avatars of the Guardians is another name for the Shamans. Mostly, it was used to speak of the past, and of the heroes who saved the world in the old war.

"A tribe much like the Baskar, they were wiped out a thousand years ago. But I hear some of the people were able to survive, and their descendants still carry on the old ways in this day and age," Halle replied. She gave a look to Virginia, who nodded a little. But no one actually told the rest of the story to him, there was no need for a lengthy explanation. It was not like it was important to the quest or something.

* * *

At World's Footprint, they were given an extensive lesson in the history of Filgaia. Two thousand two hundred years ago, the Immigration Ship came to the planet, with refugees from a world that had been destroyed. Those people were called the neosapians, the ancestors of the human race. The people on the starship began a conflict with the Elw, a race that was living on Filgaia and survived as long as there was at least some greenery. It raged on and on, until finally it came to a close. But not before Filgaia had been ravaged by the Guardian Blade, Airgetlamh, in an attempt by an Elw named Vassim to destroy the invaders. The Elw left for their own dimension after that, leaving Vassim's sister, a girl named Mariel, stranded on Filgaia. Mariel used to speak with the Baskars, but mysteriously vanished a few hundred years ago. Some people say she had died as the planet was slowly dying. Others claimed she was in hiding and still trying to regrow Filgaia's lost greenery. But whatever the case may be, her whereabouts are currently unknown.

It was quite similar to what Virginia had been taught as a child. The only difference was that in the old Shaman stories, the war was between humans and Elw, against Demons. Something was starting to bug her, she decided that she'd have to look into it later. Now, they had to continue to the final room in the complex. There, the team hoped they would be able to find the last answers from the last of the murals.

This mural was blank. Shane stated, "This thing can be thought of in two ways, my grandmother had told me. One, it's hopeless to wish for a brighter future. Two, the future is not written yet, we still have time to make our future the way we want too. Now, can you take note of those statues? They're the former pedestals of the High Guardians. Someone long ago smashed them, they've been broken for many ages."

Virginia shook her head. "Sad, isn't it? But cheer up Shane. We've got the High Guardians right here. All four of them. The idols that held them were scattered all over Filgaia and we managed to find them recently. That's why we were so late coming here after we felt that strange pulsation. We were looking for the High Guardians. So cheer up Shane, we have the greatest power in the world on our side, no one can stop us now. How about we all head back to Baskar for a little RnR before we go on our next mission?"


* * *

On the way out, three forms appeared. They were the animals from Virginia's old vision, the one that spoke of the Blue Menace! And just as you might have expected, said menace appeared right after them. The creature looked them over one by one. When his eyes lay on Virginia, he let out a low chuckle.

"So, these are the humans who oppose us, Leehalt," he commented, "The girl, she is an especially interesting case. I well can feel the blood flowing in her veins, the blood of the ones who defeated me in my last attempt to take over Filgaia. What power she has, it is even greater than her ancestors'. I would like to see it for myself. Girl! Fight these monsters, or you will die!" With that, he summoned some of his allies to battle with Virginia. Seeing as she had no choice, she unleashed a Hi-Flame upon them, killing all of them.

"Then it's you, Ziekfried! The one my mother told me about, who tried to use the Sacred Gem that the Guardians gave to our ancestors in order to destroy the world! If you have indeed returned, I will have no choice but to destroy you once again," Virginia yelled, cocking her ARMs. A glint of rage was in her eyes.

The man told her, "That was my name, a long time ago. But as I am reborn with greater powers, I have a new name. Now, I am known as Siegfried, Child of Adlehyde. Can you hold up to me as well as the ancestors that I spoke of? For even with your extended powers, you will never be able to kill a Demon of my caliber. Those beasts were just a test to see your magic in action. Until we meet again, live so I may be the one to destroy you." He teleported off, laughing like a maniac. The Prophets followed close behind him.

Shane was down on the ground. "The Blue Menace, he has come here at last. And Virginia, I had no idea that you were an heiress to the Avatars of the Guardians. You should have told us before all of this."

"Sorry, I didn't think it was important," Virginia stated, "But now, I guess I can't hide my true power any longer. As my ancestors did long before me, I will smite this evil from Filgaia. We should all return to Baskar, besides having to bring Shane home, it is getting late. I would like to take a short break from it all."

- - - -

Teefa's Last Word…

Yeah, Siegfried's reason for changing his name. The real reason: Baka translators. I read a Japanese walkthrough (it was the only one complete enough to help me with the later puzzles), and his name was still Ziekfried. And Virginia has to use her true power to beat him up. Just like with the wings, I had to figure out how to integrate them into the story. Oh well, we've got something special in store in the next chapter. Another thing I took a long time debating on how to integrate.