Joy: Okay, I know, I know. This is another short chapter. But there is a reason. I wanted to write something from a first person point of view. I chose to do that now. This on is from Joy's POV while she is under the influence of the spell. It is also present tense. Sorry for the tense change, but it made it sound better and flow easier.

Now, on with the chapter!

The Host

Quiet. Everything is so quiet. Is this the end? Or is it the beginning?

Where am I? This place is strange and yet so familiar. My thoughts are so jumbled. I feel I have been here before. All my memories are there is my mind, but they are locked away, and I cannot unlock them. I am unable to even recall my name.

Everything is so unclear to me. So strange…It feels as though I am flying, though my feet are on the ground. I seem to just barely touch the ground.

There are so many strange people here. Who are they? I am able to see into their souls. They mean me no harm. In fact, something tells me that they are my friends. They know me, and deep down, I know them too. Why can I not unlock my memories? Why are they hidden from me? It is almost enough to drive me to the brink of insanity.

Or am I already insane? What is insanity? What is normal? Am I being driven insane by my bottled up memories and random thoughts. And there is something else…

What is this incredible power I am feeling inside me? Did I always have this power? I cannot remember, but I think that I did not. The power is so intense. It feels as though there is no limit to this energy. I feel as though I could do anything and there would be no hindrance. I feel lighter than air and as confident as I believe anyone could feel. Am I always this confident? This full of energy? Or is it the strange power inside me that is giving me these feelings?

There is an odd robed man standing a few yards away from me. Who is he? I look directly at him. His soul is black. It is a deep blackness that houses great evil powers. This man means no good, of that I am certain by the look he is giving me. I can tell that he hates the very sight of me.

A memory has resurfaced! A mission to stop this man from ruling the world…that is what we were doing, these people and me. I have to use this new power that was given to me and stop him. He cannot get away! I will not let him get away. I feel…angry. Why? Is it this man who makes me feel this way?

The robed stranger glares at me. Now he is yelling something. He says that he will kill me and complete his plan to use the Millennium Items to take over the world. What are the Millennium Items? I see them out of the corner of my eye. Yes, I know what he is speaking off now. He fires a blast of black energy, but it does not get far before yielding to my pure wall of magic that surrounds me. I think that the wall has always been there. It is like an instant for it to have appeared. Like it knew it was needed.

Simple-minded fool.

He believes he can kill me. I highly doubt it, given the differences in out magical capabilities at the moment. I am far superior to him. I raise my right hand. Now I will teach him a lesson, one he will not live long enough to forget. I take aim right at him. Then I fire an energy blast of white, hitting him easily. He cannot dodge in time.

A loud scream pierces the air as the man feels the full extent of my blast. His soul and body, once whole, are now slowly shredded in to the tiniest of pieces and vanish one by one. The sight is that of the stars in the sky, twinkling until they are extinguished.

I hear the voices of those around me, though their words are not interpreted in my ears. I look over at the unconscious girl on the ground before me. She looks as though she had been put though quite a hard time. There are cuts throughout her entire body. Her clothes are tattered, torn to pieces. I hold my hand over her. I will give her clothes and do my best on her wounds, though she will need to have some time to rest. I do not have the time to heal her completely. This power is beginning to leave me.

The others around me look in awe as my hand and her limp form begin to glow. Clothes magically appeared on her body and she got a bit more color in her cheeks. She looks better…a bit. I want to do the same for the others. I close my eyes briefly, willing them to be better from their pains and injuries. They seem happy and grateful for my actions.

My magic is spent. I only have time for one more spell, and I know what I will cast. It is a simple spell…but it will help me. I feel so very weak all of the sudden. I need to sleep. A simple spell of sleep is what I will cast. Uninterrupted sleep until I have had my fill of it. I can feel warmth encompass my entire being as the spell is granted.

Yes…a deep sleep.

No pain…no joy…

Joy…it is so familiar…

Joy Houyoku…that is my name.

I feel nothing…

Nothing at all…

Nothing…

Joy: There you have it! Vargon is SO dead. Never coming back, so no worries for the group.

Now the next chapter is called Aftermath. It states the recovery process for out worn out group. I'll make it longer, I promise. Till then, review and see you next time!