"He that has eyes to see and ears to hear may convince

himself that no mortal can keep a secret. If his lips are

silent, he chatters with his fingertips; betrayal oozes

out of him at every pore."

-Sigmund Freud (Austrian neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis, 1856-1939)-

Enemies along the way.

The Aesir lead them down a dim light corridor that was underneath the ground. They were lead into a huge chamber filled with all sort of machines; a particle accelerator stood in the middle of the chamber with several tubes leading into it. The walls were lined with computer panels and experiments that were runing. The Aesir lead them into a door at the end of the room into a smaller chamber with several tables filled with gadgets of all sorts. Ynothna took from the center table a belt with several buttons embedded on it,

"This gadget is called the altomus it allows anyone who wears it and anyone with ten meters to be invisible. It uses a reflective shield to deflect all line sight and any scan signals that may be used by the enemy and it can only used once."

"incredible I never seen such technology in my life did you invent this?" asked Will.

"Yes but unfortunately as I told you it isn't well developed but it will allow to get into Nolram undetected. Anyone can pass through the shield still cannot see you. Only you can see each other and your surroundings."

"excellent how much would it cost?" asked Will and the Aesir answered, "nothing only in one condition,"

"very well name your price,"

"you must allow me to come with you to Nolram for I too have a bone to pick with Lord Athinel and his minions of darkness they were the ones who framed me on Montressor fowl ruffians I will not give up until I see him hanging in the Gallows," The Aesir's hand began to tighten into fists. The other began to look at each other with utter bewilderment at the request made by the Aesir.

"Very well you will come with us on our quest let us leave now for the king doesn't have time to live any longer he needs to be rescued," said Lord Gathonir. A huge grin appeared on the Aesir's face as he spoke, "Thank you my lord Gathonir I am totally grateful,"

Then out of the corner of Jim's eyes he looked towards the Aesir's hand and saw a gleaming golden ring on his palms with bright ruby embedded on it. It seemed to change its number of sides every time the Aesir move. It was one of the most stunning abject Jim ever saw.

Everyone left the room all except Jim who stood there staring at all the objects that littered the room. All his life he had lived around machines and making them but no such moment in his life would prepare for this moment where all the gadgets he ever dreamed were kept here. Jim strolled towards the other tables and saw a silver headset gleaming on the table. He took the headset and examined it. On one of its earpiece was a red button. Then suddenly a voice began to echoed in the room whispering into his ears telling him to wear it and press the button. It was calling him beckoning him. He slipped the head set on his head and pressed the button.

For a moment he thought he saw several figures passing through the room. Then it became clearer and clearer when suddenly the whole surroundings began to change and the next thing he knew he was standing among the audience of several different species. Suddenly recognized the building that he was in. It was the supreme court of Montressor where captain Athinel had his trial he still remembered the fight he had in this court.

The whole area seemed gray and standing on the center of the stage on the spotlight was the Aesir Ynothna. His limbs were chained to the ground and the Judge was an old Ermine woman. Her mallet banged upon the desk and said in a strong voice,

"Aesir Ynothna you are sentence to exile in the planet of Naridon under pain of death. As punishment for your devastating crimes you have commited in Montressor. Court dismissed," She pounded the mallet upon the desk and several guards began walk towards Ynothna and unfasten his chains that were clutched in the ground.

Jim suddenly spotted a man sitting in the corner with his face concealed in the dark and by his silhouette he looked Naridonian. Then suddenly the thoughts of the Naridonian suddenly seemed to spoke into Jim's mind saying something that shocked him. Aesir Ynothna was betrayed by someone who is a big threat to the Bayanis. It was a spy but who could it be. Before he could know the answer the image disappeared and he could see the dim light room of the chamber. And There standing in the doorway was will calling his name, "Jim wake up its time to go and continue on the journey," Jim slowly returned the head set on the table and walked out of the door.

-----O-----

The sun was now in the middle of the sky shining its golden rays through the reflective atmosphere making the sky look like a giant window. It swirled here and there following the direction of the winds. It was like another sea above the land below. It seemed to be the only thing left that was beautiful in Naridon. The rests was dead plains and many of its once majestic cities were reduced to mere ruins and decaying matter. Flying over the plains Jack gazed towards the desolate expanse feeling the fury and hate build inside of him. His anger was directed against the omniscient one and his minions. How can something so evil and so powerful could be stopped? Perhaps the mysterious Draetmir that slowly is dieing could save them but when it is gone what then? Could Courage save them?

Slowly they neared the city of Nolram. Its tall towers and adamant battlements glisten in the light looking impenetrable, domineering, and terrorizing. They slowly landed on the side of a huge hill. The low humming of the engine began to disappear and grew silent. They stepped out of the Gangplank with Ynothna wearing the altomus upon his waist. They were several kilometers away from the Nolram. The light of the sun began to dim as it prepared of sunset. Upon the dark ground there was a strong drumming sound that was straight ahead of them. Reacting quickly Ynothna pressed one of the bottoms of his belt and a neon glow began to emit from it covering every under a dome of neon glow and slowly it disappeared and became invisible. Slowly the stomping grew and they saw in the distance a long line of Adamast soldiers. The most elite and most feared fighting force in the Etherium. All held rifles in their hands and all were wearing white uniform suits that were strong enough to stop a bullet. They walked in perfect unison as if they were one and they were all equally spaced between them. Above them were black figures soaring across the sky they were the Araedarns. They were headed towards them but only a few miles apart. The party stood still gazing at the battalion of the omniscient one. Holding steady they slowly began to hear a clock sound. Its tempo grew quicker and quicker.

It began to tick faster and faster until suddenly the ground shook and the invisible shield began to give way showing its glowing neon field until it all began to gather at Ynothna and its belt. Ynothna couldn't speak he was alarmed but the phenomenon then a rush of energy there was a large explosions as it filled the vicinity with intense light as all the energy tore away from its source the rest of the party run away from the explosion. The battalion of Adamast and Araedarns stood still as statues. Their gazed fixed upon the explosion. When it ended Jim Jack and Silver and all the rest stood up and gazed towards a burning cadaver in the middle.

Lord Gathonir with his face scared walked towards to examined the dead Aesir. He looked at the Altmus which was partly destroyed. Inside was a small piece of paper fluttering in the wind and drawn on it was a symbol of snake inside a circle. Suddenly fear overcame him like a giant wave striking upon a rocky hill side. Lord Gathonir began to say for the first time in fear and dread,

"It is the symbol of the Omniscient one. This device has been sabotaged," then Lord Gathonir spotted something that gleamed under the sunshine. It came from one of the Aesir's palms.

On the Aesir's fingers was the golden ring with its color slowly disappeared. Silver with his eyes filled with astonishment with his heart papitating said, "What in blue blazes?"

Lord Gathonir picked up the ring and headed towards Jim. He handed the ring to Jim who took it slowly. Jim looked in wonderment at first at the ring then at Lord Gathonir who smiled and turned to the battalion ahead. It began to stir as several Araedarns broke away from the regiment and headed towards the Bayanis pulling out their rapiers and pointing them towards the party. He glanced at the approaching enemy and turned back to his men. He began to scream in the top of his lungs saying, "Fellow comrades get out your weapons and prepare to fight. Wait for my signal to head for the hills."

High pitched screams resonated through the air piercing into the ears of every that stood their. It pierced through their ears like a dagger that slowly deepened and then tearing away. Then suddenly they came closer then abruptly shoaling upon them were burning cannon balls showering the ground as the Bayanis, Jim, Jack and Silver shot at them. The Araedarns began to fly over them like vultures over dead prey. Still firing Jim and Silver and Jack ducked down behind a rock while the screams of men filled the air screaming in agony as there were attacked by the violent storm. The Black figures continued to soar showering the Bayanis with burning fireballs filling the area with flames and explosions.

Still shooting towards the attacker Jim, Silver, and Jack hid under the rock when there was another high pitched scream behind them they turned and their floating in mid air was an Araedarn. It grabbed Jim by the feet and tearing him away from the others. Silver and Jack cried in alarm screaming for Jim when another Araedarn appeared before them pointing their rapiers towards them. Seconds later the whole area was filled with intense light from no where. It filled every crack between the stones. Jack and Silver couldn't see what was happening because they shielded their eyes. Then the sounds of explosions from rapiers died down and once the light disappeared the Araedarns were gone. But so was Jim....

-----O-----