Chapter 4: Resurrection of the Genius
Three and a half years had passed since Ark left Crysta and the orphans were now eight, it didn't seem like anyone else had grown older but they just thought that it had to have been some magic of the Elder's. Serena often found herself gazing into a pond wondering if Ark was even still alive. "He'll be back some day." said Elle as she came up to Serena.
"Elle, I didn't hear you coming." said Serena.
"I also come here to think from time to time. I know it's been a while since Ark left but I still have to believe we'll see each other again."
"Maybe I'll see him again when it's my time to go up."
"You better get going, you have lessons today." As Serena left Elle looked into the pond. "Ark, please be ok."
###
Ark slowly woke up and was looking into the face of a young woman. "You're awake!" she said.
"I did it." Ark said. "I revived Human life."
"Revived human life?" the woman said. "You must have been dreaming. My name is Luki, I've been caring for you during the past three years you were asleep."
"Three years?!"
"Take it easy. As soon as you're up to it Lord Kumari will see you."
Ark was up sooner than expected and now stood before Kumari a man with a shaved head who sat on an ornamental pedestal. "I know about you Ark." Kumari said. "Humans with the exception of myself have no memory of what had occurred before you awakened us. Also you no longer have the ability to speak with Animals or Plants."
"But my task is finished I can go back to Crysta." Ask said.
"One task is done yet your work is not yet finished."
"What else am I supposed to do?" Ark asked.
"I do not know all things, but you will discover what you need to do yourself if you travel to the continent of Europe. There your next task will show itself."
"Thank you." Ark said before he left.
###
Weeks later in Crysta another lesson was being held. "Why do humans stand to two legs instead of four?" the Elder asked.
"Simple." said Luna. "So they can't run as fast as cats."
"True, but wrong. Humans walk on two legs so they can be able to use tools. Because they can use tools they can make many wondrous things."
"What kind of things?" Molly asked.
"Humans call them inventions, machines that they use to improve their lives in one way or another. When human life was restored they lost much of what they knew. Before you can go up to the Overworld they must regain that knowledge."
"How?" asked Gary.
"There are people called geniuses, they have a spark of imagination and a desire to shine light on a dark world. When properly inspired they can accomplish great things. Ark's next task is to seek out these geniuses and help them to advance human knowledge and ability."
"How long will that take?" Darien asked.
"Maybe sooner than you think, humans can progress rapidly if the conditions are right."
###
Ark awoke in the room he spent the night in. He had an odd journey after waking up in Lhasa; first he had to help find a girl who could create mirages in a town of zombies, then he arrived in the kingdom of Loire where he meet a mute princess who had the same name and appearance as Elle and while helping to find a cure for her he found an abandoned village named Storkholm that was practically identical to Crysta. After he reveled that the king had adopted Elle in order to try to find the secret of Storkholm he had a dream where the Elder told him to find the Geniuses of the world and help them. He tapped on the box Yomi came out. "What's up Ark?"
"We're leaving; the Elder wants us to find the geniuses."
"So where to first?"
"Spain. I heard rumors of a man there with advanced navigation techniques."
"Then let's go."
As they left Ark heard something ghastly. The king had been murdered.
###
Back in Crysta Serena was talking to Darien after nightfall. "Elle really misses Ark."
"I do too."
"No, it's like a piece of her is missing. I'm beginning to think that if you left me a piece of me would be missing too."
"I feel the same way. It looks like each of the boys feels that way about one of the girls."
"The girls each feel that way about one of the boys."
"Let's promise each other that if we'll always come back to each other no matter what happens."
"I promise."
"And I promise."
###
Some time had passed for Ark. He was laying back on the grass thinking about the people he met on his new journey. Fyda, the noble swordswoman; Royd, the cold yet caring mercenary; Meihou, a seer and long time student of Kumari; Meilin, Meihou's mischievous granddaughter gifted with the power of mirage; Perel, a young boy who was a skateboard wizard; but most of all about the former princess Elle. She confessed to him that she was the one who murdered the king for killing her birth parents. Ark thought about her mostly because she reminded him of his Elle, the one from Crysta; he missed her so much; her, the kids, everyone. He then thought of the Geniuses he helped. Columbus and his ship, Pierre with his camera, Eddy and electricity, Bell and his Telephone and now nearby Ark, Will had finished his airplane. Ark was amazed how quickly mankind had advanced in such a short time, he felt that somehow sometime before to would have taken centuries for such changes to take place. From simple huts and small villages to big cities and sky scrappers; from candlelight and simple hand tools to television and computers. What was next?
Yomi then popped up. "I know where we should go next, in Russia there is a lot of talk about a man named Beruga. It seems like people are getting their memories about him back."
"Then what say we take the plane there?"
Ark always enjoyed trying the new inventions out.
###
The Orphans rushed out of the Elder's house in a very good mood. Elle was coming from the market and went up to them. "What are you so happy about?"
Serena was the first one to speak. "The Elder says Ark's tasks are almost finished!"
"Then he's coming home?"
"And that's not all; The Elder says it's almost time for us to go up there."
"I'll miss you all."
"I can't wait!" said Lita.
"The Elder said he'd give us a special present before we go." said Raye.
"I want to see all the inventions Ark helped to make!" said Amy.
"And when we go up we'd be young and beautiful forever!" said Mina.
Elle suddenly felt a chill around them. "I'm happy for you." She then thought. {Something about them has changed. Why do I feel cold around them? Ark please hurry home!}
###
Ark had fought his way through a lab complex in the Aral Sea. He thought it was very strange that Yomi knew the right password to the mainframe but shrugged it off. He found out what happened to make the world lifeless before, the virus Asmodeus had killed most living things within hours but Beruga took a vaccine he made and put himself into a cold sleep. Ark now stood before the machine and it started thawing Beruga out. He stirred and then woke up. "I am alive again."
"My name is Ark, I was sent to aid the Geniuses of the world."
"Thank you now let me show you my crowning achievement." They walked down a hall. "Do you know why Mankind fears loneliness and the dark?"
"It's natural to be afraid of them."
"And that is because Mankind fears death. My ultimate goal in biological research was to eliminate death." They entered a sealed room. "And I succeeded." Inside were tubes that held people in a zombie-like state floating in a green fluid. "Go ahead introduce yourself."
Ark looked into a tube and saw the zombie inside had a look on its face that resembled sadness. "Is it such a happy thing to bring back the dead or to live forever?" Ark said.
"These reanimated corpses are in a sense just the prototypes." said Beruga. "When working on the Asmodeus vaccine I perfected the treatment so that those it's given to will retain a human appearance."
"But if everyone is immortal the Earth will fill up and be unable to support such a large number."
"I am scientist, I thought ahead. First since there will no longer be death there will no longer be a need for birth. Second only those who are necessary will live forever, the rest will be left to death."
"What?!" Ark in his journeys felt that all life was precious. "I can't let you do that!"
"Then I have no choice." Beruga then pushed a button on the underside of his bracelet. Spherical robots then shot Ark full of electricity. "Are you aware of the three laws of robotics? A robot must protect people, a robot must help people and provided that the first two laws have been upheld a robot must protect itself. My robots have a fourth law built into their programming; those who are determined to be threat to me must be destroyed."
"Beruga..."
"Soon my master will come from the underground I must make preparations for his arrival."
Ark then fell unconscious and he saw the elder before him. "Elder."
"Your task is finished." The Elder said. "Your reward is rest for all eternity. Beruga will make the world great."
Ark felt his life fade but something refused to let him die.
###
A few days later at the city of NeoTokio people were going about their business when Asmodeus was secretly released by Beruga. Within a matter of hours almost every living thing in the city was dead.
###
In Crysta, Elle was called by the Elder. "You wished to see me?"
"Yes, it is about the children's journey to the surface. When they go I want you to accompany them."
"Me?"
"Yes, you have your own task to perform. I'll tell you about it when you leave."
"Of course Elder."
"Is there something else?"
"I'm worried about the children, lately I feel cold around them."
"Cold?"
"I can't explain it but I'm also starting to feel around everyone else and the Crystal Blue."
"Don't worry about it. The children simply have been following my lessons and I do know what is best for this village."
"Yes you do."
"Go home and rest."
"Yes thank you."
###
Ark was now in Dryvale also known as "the grave at time's end" in Antarctica. He was surprised to find such a dry place near the South Pole. His last quest was to gather the Starstones and place them here. He had place the last stone at the altar and then heard a voice in his head that sounded like his own.
"I am of Lightside, you are of Darkside. The loop of fate was been distorted, if Earth's history can be likened to a clock the hour hand now points to thirteen. A time that can not, no must not exist. All living things exist within the loop of fate and cannot avoid this destiny; however you exist outside the loop and can change it. Now close your eyes and think of the Earth."
Ark felt a presence enter him and then his senses faded away...
End of chapter four
Three and a half years had passed since Ark left Crysta and the orphans were now eight, it didn't seem like anyone else had grown older but they just thought that it had to have been some magic of the Elder's. Serena often found herself gazing into a pond wondering if Ark was even still alive. "He'll be back some day." said Elle as she came up to Serena.
"Elle, I didn't hear you coming." said Serena.
"I also come here to think from time to time. I know it's been a while since Ark left but I still have to believe we'll see each other again."
"Maybe I'll see him again when it's my time to go up."
"You better get going, you have lessons today." As Serena left Elle looked into the pond. "Ark, please be ok."
###
Ark slowly woke up and was looking into the face of a young woman. "You're awake!" she said.
"I did it." Ark said. "I revived Human life."
"Revived human life?" the woman said. "You must have been dreaming. My name is Luki, I've been caring for you during the past three years you were asleep."
"Three years?!"
"Take it easy. As soon as you're up to it Lord Kumari will see you."
Ark was up sooner than expected and now stood before Kumari a man with a shaved head who sat on an ornamental pedestal. "I know about you Ark." Kumari said. "Humans with the exception of myself have no memory of what had occurred before you awakened us. Also you no longer have the ability to speak with Animals or Plants."
"But my task is finished I can go back to Crysta." Ask said.
"One task is done yet your work is not yet finished."
"What else am I supposed to do?" Ark asked.
"I do not know all things, but you will discover what you need to do yourself if you travel to the continent of Europe. There your next task will show itself."
"Thank you." Ark said before he left.
###
Weeks later in Crysta another lesson was being held. "Why do humans stand to two legs instead of four?" the Elder asked.
"Simple." said Luna. "So they can't run as fast as cats."
"True, but wrong. Humans walk on two legs so they can be able to use tools. Because they can use tools they can make many wondrous things."
"What kind of things?" Molly asked.
"Humans call them inventions, machines that they use to improve their lives in one way or another. When human life was restored they lost much of what they knew. Before you can go up to the Overworld they must regain that knowledge."
"How?" asked Gary.
"There are people called geniuses, they have a spark of imagination and a desire to shine light on a dark world. When properly inspired they can accomplish great things. Ark's next task is to seek out these geniuses and help them to advance human knowledge and ability."
"How long will that take?" Darien asked.
"Maybe sooner than you think, humans can progress rapidly if the conditions are right."
###
Ark awoke in the room he spent the night in. He had an odd journey after waking up in Lhasa; first he had to help find a girl who could create mirages in a town of zombies, then he arrived in the kingdom of Loire where he meet a mute princess who had the same name and appearance as Elle and while helping to find a cure for her he found an abandoned village named Storkholm that was practically identical to Crysta. After he reveled that the king had adopted Elle in order to try to find the secret of Storkholm he had a dream where the Elder told him to find the Geniuses of the world and help them. He tapped on the box Yomi came out. "What's up Ark?"
"We're leaving; the Elder wants us to find the geniuses."
"So where to first?"
"Spain. I heard rumors of a man there with advanced navigation techniques."
"Then let's go."
As they left Ark heard something ghastly. The king had been murdered.
###
Back in Crysta Serena was talking to Darien after nightfall. "Elle really misses Ark."
"I do too."
"No, it's like a piece of her is missing. I'm beginning to think that if you left me a piece of me would be missing too."
"I feel the same way. It looks like each of the boys feels that way about one of the girls."
"The girls each feel that way about one of the boys."
"Let's promise each other that if we'll always come back to each other no matter what happens."
"I promise."
"And I promise."
###
Some time had passed for Ark. He was laying back on the grass thinking about the people he met on his new journey. Fyda, the noble swordswoman; Royd, the cold yet caring mercenary; Meihou, a seer and long time student of Kumari; Meilin, Meihou's mischievous granddaughter gifted with the power of mirage; Perel, a young boy who was a skateboard wizard; but most of all about the former princess Elle. She confessed to him that she was the one who murdered the king for killing her birth parents. Ark thought about her mostly because she reminded him of his Elle, the one from Crysta; he missed her so much; her, the kids, everyone. He then thought of the Geniuses he helped. Columbus and his ship, Pierre with his camera, Eddy and electricity, Bell and his Telephone and now nearby Ark, Will had finished his airplane. Ark was amazed how quickly mankind had advanced in such a short time, he felt that somehow sometime before to would have taken centuries for such changes to take place. From simple huts and small villages to big cities and sky scrappers; from candlelight and simple hand tools to television and computers. What was next?
Yomi then popped up. "I know where we should go next, in Russia there is a lot of talk about a man named Beruga. It seems like people are getting their memories about him back."
"Then what say we take the plane there?"
Ark always enjoyed trying the new inventions out.
###
The Orphans rushed out of the Elder's house in a very good mood. Elle was coming from the market and went up to them. "What are you so happy about?"
Serena was the first one to speak. "The Elder says Ark's tasks are almost finished!"
"Then he's coming home?"
"And that's not all; The Elder says it's almost time for us to go up there."
"I'll miss you all."
"I can't wait!" said Lita.
"The Elder said he'd give us a special present before we go." said Raye.
"I want to see all the inventions Ark helped to make!" said Amy.
"And when we go up we'd be young and beautiful forever!" said Mina.
Elle suddenly felt a chill around them. "I'm happy for you." She then thought. {Something about them has changed. Why do I feel cold around them? Ark please hurry home!}
###
Ark had fought his way through a lab complex in the Aral Sea. He thought it was very strange that Yomi knew the right password to the mainframe but shrugged it off. He found out what happened to make the world lifeless before, the virus Asmodeus had killed most living things within hours but Beruga took a vaccine he made and put himself into a cold sleep. Ark now stood before the machine and it started thawing Beruga out. He stirred and then woke up. "I am alive again."
"My name is Ark, I was sent to aid the Geniuses of the world."
"Thank you now let me show you my crowning achievement." They walked down a hall. "Do you know why Mankind fears loneliness and the dark?"
"It's natural to be afraid of them."
"And that is because Mankind fears death. My ultimate goal in biological research was to eliminate death." They entered a sealed room. "And I succeeded." Inside were tubes that held people in a zombie-like state floating in a green fluid. "Go ahead introduce yourself."
Ark looked into a tube and saw the zombie inside had a look on its face that resembled sadness. "Is it such a happy thing to bring back the dead or to live forever?" Ark said.
"These reanimated corpses are in a sense just the prototypes." said Beruga. "When working on the Asmodeus vaccine I perfected the treatment so that those it's given to will retain a human appearance."
"But if everyone is immortal the Earth will fill up and be unable to support such a large number."
"I am scientist, I thought ahead. First since there will no longer be death there will no longer be a need for birth. Second only those who are necessary will live forever, the rest will be left to death."
"What?!" Ark in his journeys felt that all life was precious. "I can't let you do that!"
"Then I have no choice." Beruga then pushed a button on the underside of his bracelet. Spherical robots then shot Ark full of electricity. "Are you aware of the three laws of robotics? A robot must protect people, a robot must help people and provided that the first two laws have been upheld a robot must protect itself. My robots have a fourth law built into their programming; those who are determined to be threat to me must be destroyed."
"Beruga..."
"Soon my master will come from the underground I must make preparations for his arrival."
Ark then fell unconscious and he saw the elder before him. "Elder."
"Your task is finished." The Elder said. "Your reward is rest for all eternity. Beruga will make the world great."
Ark felt his life fade but something refused to let him die.
###
A few days later at the city of NeoTokio people were going about their business when Asmodeus was secretly released by Beruga. Within a matter of hours almost every living thing in the city was dead.
###
In Crysta, Elle was called by the Elder. "You wished to see me?"
"Yes, it is about the children's journey to the surface. When they go I want you to accompany them."
"Me?"
"Yes, you have your own task to perform. I'll tell you about it when you leave."
"Of course Elder."
"Is there something else?"
"I'm worried about the children, lately I feel cold around them."
"Cold?"
"I can't explain it but I'm also starting to feel around everyone else and the Crystal Blue."
"Don't worry about it. The children simply have been following my lessons and I do know what is best for this village."
"Yes you do."
"Go home and rest."
"Yes thank you."
###
Ark was now in Dryvale also known as "the grave at time's end" in Antarctica. He was surprised to find such a dry place near the South Pole. His last quest was to gather the Starstones and place them here. He had place the last stone at the altar and then heard a voice in his head that sounded like his own.
"I am of Lightside, you are of Darkside. The loop of fate was been distorted, if Earth's history can be likened to a clock the hour hand now points to thirteen. A time that can not, no must not exist. All living things exist within the loop of fate and cannot avoid this destiny; however you exist outside the loop and can change it. Now close your eyes and think of the Earth."
Ark felt a presence enter him and then his senses faded away...
End of chapter four