Carolyn's Comments:

Mood: Calm

Rant: Huge thunderstorm going on out here in Illinois. Driving me crazy. I usually love it when it rains out. It calms me for some reason and I can write easier, but right now the constant lightening is driving me insane.

Sorry for not updating in awhile. My bad. :p

After what felt like ages of traveling, the castle finally began to appear in the distance. The seven towers loomed ominously in the distance.

"I always forget how huge the castle looks from the outside!" Jade said in awe as she looked up at the sky where the tops of the towers vanished behind the clouds.

"Stop admiring the scenery." Milla snapped. She was in one of her wonderful moods again. "We're on an important mission. Virus wiped out a whole ship of my clan's people, so who knows what he'll do if he gets to the castle first!"

"Alright! Alright!" Jade said quickly jumping back onto her sleigh. "See? I'm ready to go!"

"That's better!" The young Icecarl warrior growled dangerously. She climbed onto the sleigh that she and Tal were riding. "Coming, Tal?"

Tal was gazing off into the distance at the violet tower of the castle. There was something foreboding about it. He didn't know what, but something horrible was waiting in the near future. Very soon, he felt he would lose something very precious to him…

"Tal?" Milla's sharp voice pierced through his thoughts. "Are you coming?"

"Hmm?" Tal said snapping back to reality. "Oh, right. Sorry…"

"Why did I think of all that?" Tal thought as he climbed onto his sleigh. "Lose something precious to me? What the hell's the matter with me anyway?"

Tal, Milla, Jade, and Crow, sped off in the direction of the castle. But as Tal's thoughts left the subject of the Violet Tower, he was unaware of the ultimate confrontation with evil that he would soon be facing there.

As the day dragged on, the castle became larger and larger as they drew closer. Finally, they were almost at the base of the Red Tower. Tal shuddered as he recalled the time when he had fallen from its walls. That incident had led to him meeting Milla for the first time and learning the secret of the Keystones. Now, years later, those things seemed distant. It was so hard to believe he'd actually experienced it all.

"We're almost there." Jade called out, "When we get there, we'll have to warn everyone about Virus, and then construct a battle plan!"

"Heh," A cold voice suddenly rang out on the wind, "Jade, you never cease to be so determined. That's one of the things I love about you…"

Suddenly he was there. Virus stood on the ice in front of them, smiling sadistically. His arms were folded, and he was leering at them. Everyone's sleighs screeched to a halt. (Come to think of it, why didn't Tal just keep going and run him over?)

"You again…" Jade snarled. Her happy demeanor was gone as she climbed off her sleigh.

"Yes." Virus chuckled. "Me again."

Crow hurriedly climbed off his sleigh. He drew his sword and stepped protectively in front of Jade. "Get out of our way. NOW."

Virus smirked. "I know you from the future as well, Crow. Always the little hothead, huh?" He spread his arms and smiled. "You want to take a poke at me? Go ahead, if you want to wind up like your future-self that is!"

Crow's face paled. "What are you talking about?"

"Didn't Jade tell you? After I got rid of that whelp of a father of hers, you went into a murderous rage and came after me. I wiped you out easily though. You died begging for mercy."

"YOU FUCKING LIAR!!!" Crow screamed. He zipped forward with his sword aimed for Virus's stomach. Virus jumped to the side. He caught Crow by the back of his Icecarl furs and flipped him over so the young fighter was glaring hatefully up at Virus.

"Heh. You're right boy. I AM a liar. You died valiantly; your sense of honor never waned. You didn't even whimper, as I stuck your own blade through your stomach. Now that was no fun…"

Crow ripped himself free and faced Virus angrily. "You rat-bastard… I'LL SEND YOU STRAIGHT TO HELL!"

Virus scoffed. "Come on! You're future-self was the mightiest Icecarl warrior alive! What makes you think you have a chan-"

Before Virus could finish speaking, however, Crow ran forward and swung his blade at him. Virus was caught slightly off guard and Crow succeeded in slashing Virus across the stomach. It wasn't a deep wound but it knocked Virus to the ice.

"He…he did it!" Tal said in shock.

"Don't you see?" Milla whispered, "Crow's a different person right now. His kindness is gone. His urge to avenge his clan members is giving him more power!"

"Get up Virus," Crow snarled. "I'm not through with you yet."

"Fool." Virus chuckled from the ground. "If death himself cannot take me, what makes you think YOU can?"

"I SAID GET UP!" Crow roared.

"…Very well." Virus hissed. He suddenly rose off the ground, hovering in midair. His hands crackled with black electricity. Tal felt himself being pulled up off the ground. Milla, Jade, and Crow were being pulled up as well. Suddenly, all four friends were hurled down into the ground. Virus hovered over all of them. His eyes were as cold as ice.

"I am the Dark Summoner, Virus Dracon-Lineth!" He declared, "I now summon the forces of darkness to serve me!"

Suddenly Tal felt a horrible burning pain fill his body. It was unlike anything he'd felt before. It was as if the very essence of agony was flowing through his veins instead of blood. He screamed in pain and managed to look over at Crow and Milla. The two of them were crying out in pain as well. It appeared Virus's deadly spell affected them too.

"I can't get rid of the pain!" Tal thought frantically as he covered his ears in some hope it would block the attack. "We'll all be killed!"