Disclaimer: I don't own .Hack or any of its characters or plot line. Don't sue me for what I write, just review my work.

A/N: Some people I have look at my work before putting it on FF.N told me I was concieted so I decided to write this chapter and my next one is like it. Enjoy for all those people who love the wavemaster class

Chapter 6: The Trail of the Wavemasters

The next day only David, Jasmine, and Lan met after school.

"Jon said he was busy, and Kelly said she felt sick," Lan worrying if it had anything to do with last night.

"Did they say anything about Helba's offer," David asked.

"Kelly, didn't want to talk about that, but Jon said he's willing to see what she has to say."

"Until they get back I say we do some things on our own," Jasmine suggested," You know side stuff that doesn't have to do with Helba or the virus."

"I found something on the board offering a challenge to all wavemasters," David said, "If you survive the dungeon then you win the chance to learn skills of the element of your choosing."

"What is your strongest element or elements anyway, David?"

"All I have right now is my wind tornado attack and one very weak darkness attack."

"What about healing spells," Lan asked.

"I have a reviving spell and a mid level healing."

"Where did you get a reviving spell," Jasmine screamed at him.

"A piece of armor I found about two weeks ago, too bad I couldn't use it in our fight with Balmung. I saw something that has a similar offer, but for heavy blades and heavy axmen."

"Can you bring a friend to help you?"

"Only wavemasters, that's the point of the challenge."

"Alright, I guess we'll see you later David," Lan and Jasmine left.

That night David, went to where the board had mentioned the challenge would be at. As he got there, he noticed that many other wavemasters where there. He spotted Mistral out of the bunch and walked up to her.

"Hey there Mistral," he called out," So you heard about the skill challenge too?"

"Yeah," she said," what self respecting wavemaster would pass up the chance to learn all the skills of one element of your choosing?"

"How about we team up so we stand a better chance at beating this thing?"

"Sure I don't mind teaming up with someone I know. What element are you currently best at using?"

"I have a good wind attack, and a weak dark attack, how about you?"

"I have some ok fire and water attacks other than that all I have is healing spells, and status recovery."

"Any scrolls?"

"No, I heard that part of the challenge is that scrolls can't be used and I put all mine away."

"So how is this all supposed to work?"

"I guess the administrator will come and send in teams one at a time, and after each team, the portals in each area are recharged."

"Can you volunteer to go first?"

"Doubt it, probably be a lottery."

"Excuse, me," an NPC came along," are you two together?"

"Yeah we are," David answered.

"May I please have your names then?"

"Chaosb1ade and Mistral."

"Thank you, your number will be 73." The NPC moved along to the next group.

"Oh, man," Mistral sounded depressed," there are at least 73 groups and probably a lot more."

"I guess it just depends on how many teams they let attempt the challenge."

"Daavvviiiiiidddddd," A voice called out to him," You thought you would go and do something just meant for our character class and not call me?"

"Sorry Kelly," David surprised to she his friend," Lan said you were sick so, I decided you wouldn't want to try this."

"Quick," Mistral cut in, "Call back that guy who took are names and see if we can add Sakura to our group."

They called back the NPC David and Mistral had seen, and they managed to get Kelly into their group. Their number hadn't changed but the three mages sat in the field for about 30 minutes before a system administrator had come out to greet them.

"Players," the thin man said," all of you are wavemasters come to compete for a great prize. The prize is the ability to permanently learn all of the attack and support skill for any element of your choosing. There are about 250 of you here today and about 100 groups, but only 20 groups will have the chance to compete. You were given a number by an NPC and there will a lottery to decide who will be allowed to enter this dungeon. There are certain rules to this challenge that you MUST take into account before you are allowed to enter. No scrolls shall be used, only your current magic and attacks skills may be used. Support, strengthening, recovering, and weakening skills may be used as long as you can keep casting them. All other items may be used, including any HP and SP recovering items, and revives. If any team is caught using a scroll or any illegal skill, they will be disqualified and ejected from the dungeon immediately."

"I guess that means no bracelet usage," David whispered to Kelly.

"Yeah, I guess we'll have to do this one the hard way," Kelly admitted.

"We'll begin the lottery now. I will call out all the numbers first, and then those numbers will be shuffled again to decide the order of which the selected teams will enter. Remember your numbers, players."

A cage appeared next the administrator, and it had many balls inside of it. The cage began to spin rapidly, and suddenly stopped after about one minute. The administrator drew 20 balls out of the cage.

"The winning numbers are: 27, 16, 9, 39, 69, 73, 11, 30, 90, 95, 76, 83, 1, 66, 13, 47, 8, 80, 100, and 25."

"Alright we're in," Kelly shouted.

The other teams groaned and left after hearing the announcement. The number of players dropped drastically. There were enough players left to count them all. Including David's group there were 53 players left. The 20 selected numbers were placed into another cage and the new cage spun and after another minute stopped.

"The team order will be: 16, 39, 100, 83, 25, 1, 27, 76, 11, 69, 9, 80, 8, 13, 30, 95, 73, 66, 90, and 47.

"At least we're not first," David said.

"Yeah but near the end, which I think is a bad thing," Mistral said.

"One good thing is that we're a three person team unlike some of these guys," Kelly said.

"Yeah I saw a person who came here by themselves," David mentioned.

"That it makes it that much harder and that much more worth the prize," Mistral sounded ambitious.

"But no one to heal you if you die," David pointed out.

"Oh, I thought that all items would be blocked so I only brought my equipment, did any of you bring any SP recovering items," Mistral whimpered.

"I got some after hearing about this challenge," Kelly said, "I got a lot of them."

"Hey Sakura, what are you best skills," Mistral asked.

"I got a new staff that came with some good lightning and earth spells, and I have some great fire skills."

"I guess we wait till we're called," David said.

They sat there for about an hour as teams were called and sent into the dungeon. After a while, the administrator came up to David.

"Number 73, Chaosb1ade, Mistral, and Sakura, are you ready to attempt to beat the dungeon. I should mention to you, that only 3 teams before have finished this dungeon, no handicaps will given to you for higher level, level of your skills, or that you have three people in your group compared to some groups who have had two or even one persons. So, are you three ready?"

"Yeah," all three of them said at once.

"Then proceed. Just be sure to remember not to use any of scrolls once you are inside the dungeon, if you do you'll be disqualified."

The three mages proceeded inside the dungeon, and it seemed easy enough. The battles had some rough spots but Kelly, David and Mistral got through them without much trouble. All seemed fine until the final level of the dungeon. All of the monsters on this level had resistances to all but one element. The three alternated on who would attack while the others strengthened, and healed any damage received. The hardest fights were against enemies that could only be hurt by dark attacks, because David was the only one with a dark skill but it was not as powerful as the other ones he had. By the time they had reached the last room, each of the three had their share of injuries and were starting to run low on recovery items. They had all their revives which was only 4 to start with, about 10 small and 5 full SP recovery items, and no more healing items. They reached the door with the purple haze, and stopped.

"Let's rest for a bit to recover SP without items," Mistral suggested.

"That's good," Kelly sounded exhausted, "I didn't think this last level would be so hard."

"I know," David confessed," as long is this last monster isn't weak against darkness, we'll be fine.

After resting for about five minutes, they entered the last room. The portal swirled around and a ghost like figure with a sword appeared. The ghost had no body to speak of, but the head of the ghost was visible. The most, well known feature of the head was its glowing yellow eyes that seemed to stare straight into the mages' souls. The fighting started as the ghost froze David in place with a wind spell. The spell did next to nothing except maybe cut David a bit, but nothing serious. As all three launched an attack, the spells bounced off, or did nothing. A golden shield surrounded the ghost as the spells hit it.

"What type of skills did each of you use," Mistral asked.

"I used fire," said Kelly.

"Wind," said David," and you?"

"I used fire too, what was that gold shield on it though, could have it been a clue on how to beat it," Mistral pointed out.

They launched another volley of spells, this time around, Mistral threw icicles at it, David used his darkness spell, and Kelly threw a boulder. All but the boulder bounced off the shield. The boulder passed right through and hit the ghost right in the head. As she saw this, Kelly used her best earth attack, four stone slabs appeared around the ghost, trapping it inside the slabs, the slabs crashed into each other. But instead of damaging the ghost, the spell seemed to do nothing and a new, white shield glowed brightly.

"What was that it was weak against earth but when I used the stone cage...," Kelly was shocked.

"It did absolutely nothing and the color of its shield changed to white," David finished.

At that moment the ghost started casting its own spell, but it wasn't a tornado like last time. This time, his spell consisted of a shadow appearing beneath everyone and then razor sharp teeth shooting out of the shadows.

"I got it, use the element opposite of what it uses or the color of its shield," Mistral stated," Sakura use lightning on it now!!"

Kelly sent a thunderstorm on the ghost frying the ghost for only a second but, then the shield changed color again, this time green. David used a wood skill that sent a huge tree straight into the ghost. The ghost seemed fazed by the attack and it retaliated with a fire attack. The fire was sent at Mistral and the fire started to burn her to a crisp. As the fire dissipated, Mistral's whole body was badly burned and she was unable to move. David and Kelly healed her as fast as they could, and after the healing, Mistral summoned a ring of ice blocks that surrounded the ghost. The blocks then crashed into the ghost all at once, freezing it in the process. As Mistral tried the attack again, the ghost's shield had changed yet again, this time back to gold. Kelly used her stone cage again, this time the skills crushed the ghost, and changing the shield, red.

"Mistral," Kelly called," Do you have any fire skill that does all its damage at once like that icicle attack?"

"Yeah , do any of you have similar skills," Mistral asked.

"Yeah, I got one that sets an enemy ablaze," Kelly said, "on the count of three then."

"One...two...three!!!" At that moment, Kelly and Mistral fire skills hit at once turning the ghost to ashes.

After the fight, everyone took some time to calm down before heading to the next room. After about five minutes they continued on, and in the next room, there was a strange statue, with a man in front of it.

"Ah good, you have made it past the shapeshifter," said the strange man," Congratulations you have passed the trial of the wavemaster. You shall receive your prize now."

"All right," David cheered," Is it true that we will learn all the skills of a certain element depending on what I choose?"

"That is correct, all you need to do is approach the statue, and when prompted choose which element you wish to master."

The three mages approached the statue and it asked them which element they would like to learn like the strange man had told them. David chose Darkness being that he only had one weak dark skill, Kelly chose to master water and ice, while Mistral chose wood. All three of their bodies floated suddenly, and each glowed with the color of the element they chose. Their minds were suddenly flooded with the knowledge of their element. After about minute, their bodies returned to the ground, and they returned to normal.

"That was messed up," David said," It felt like my mind was consumed by darkness.

"Mine felt like it was frozen then I felt like I was underwater," Kelly said.

"All I felt was a cool breeze and surrounded by trees," Mistral said.

"Do you two feel like you know the skills," David asked.

"I think," Kelly was unsure," but I would have to try it out to be sure."

As the three got back to Carmina Gadelica, it was strangely empty, and no one was around. For the server just being opened up again no one was in sight, even the shop NPCs were missing.

"I guess we should get going being that no one is here," David said as he went toward the chaos gate.

"Alright see you later Cb1ade," Mistral said as golden rings overlapped her body and she was gone.

"Maybe we should mail everybody about this and tell them we're ready to go see Helba anytime," David said.

"I don't know," Kelly said, "I'm just not sure we should trust someone who has set us up in the past."

"We'll call everyone and talk about this, ok?"

The two left and tried mailing everyone but few responded. Only Jasmine responded to the mail saying that Lan and Jon were already logged in and doing their own side quests. One could only wonder what these quests would be.

End

A/N: I know the skills I have described have names to them but since I don't know the exact names, I don't want to try and guess. I'm playing .Hack/Quarantine right now so I will try to get the names soon. Review my stuff so I know to keep writing it.