(A/N): Chapter 7 is up. It took a long time to update, because I'm planning the general course of events. I had five chapters written before I uploaded the first one, and I have twenty one chapters in production, with only the 'chapter guide' as I like to call it. Even I'm amazed at what I've come up with. But don't fret, my faithful followers (yeah, I know you are reading even if you don't review. That's just lazy), this story here WILL finish. MARK MY WORDS!. But I'm uploading more slowly though. It IS difficult to write in another language, you know.

Now, I give you Chapter 7: A friendly monster?.

Chapter 7: A friendly monster?

"At last!" said Max "I was thinking we'd never get to Vale".

They were on the other side of the Goma Range. Two days had passed since they left the secret passage, and four since defeating Eacus, the Crypt-lord.

Leng was tired. The monsters had invaded the cave, and most of them were weak to Wind. He had been casting plasma and tornado every 2 minutes for almost 48 hours. Even the map was useless there, since nobody ever took the time to chart the cave, and now there where monster tunnels everywhere. He really needed a rest.

Joe, on the other side, was calm, as usual. Even though he was tired, he didn't needed a rest that badly. However, their supplies were running out, and Vault was a few days far. So, they decided to rest in the Inn, buy supplies and hopefully leave town in the morning.

Little did they know that a pair of round, blue eyes were watching them.

"Welcom to Sanria, the Eastern most city of the kingdom of the Golden Valley!" said a guard at the gates "You look like warriors. Maybe you can help us out with a little problem here"

"If that problem involves too much left-overs after a party, we're on it" said Max.

"Well, actually is more like getting rid of a pesky little devil. He's stealing our food, and he's always doing some 'practical jokes' around. Look over there".

They followed the man's gaze and found a house filled with plants. Flowers came out of it's windows and a few branches had already destroyed part of the roof.

"That was made with Psynergy. It's a powerful monster, and we've tried to corner it sometimes, but he always escapes".

"Ok, leave it to us" said Leng "of course, we'll have to ask something in return".

"And what would that be?"

"Free supplies" said Joe. "We'll take care of it, and you'll give us enough supplies to travel to Vault"

"Seems good enough" he said "I'll leave it in your hands". And then he looked at the house again.

"Who would have guessed it? They were only children..."

"Excuse me?" said Leng.

"No, nothing. Please enter"

"So what do we know about this thing?" asked Leng.

"We know it's aligned with Venus" said Max. "That spell it's called Wild Growth, and it's quite an advanced spell".

"We'll split up" said Joe " I'll go near the well. Max, you go around that house. He'll probably return to admire his creation"

"Or, maybe I'll go to the Tavern and take care of the wine. Don't want to risk losing it, y'know".

"Whatever".

"I'll go to that house" said Leng "There's something suspicious in all of this. It will return there".

"If anything happens, cast a light on your position and we'll be there inmediatly" said Joe " It may want to escape, and we must leave for Vault as soon as we can"

That night, Joe was sitting near the well. A beatiful park to honor the Sun god was nearby. A pedestal stood in the center, and an old, muscular man was standing in it. He kept the Sun in his left hand, and a key (the keys to knowledge and power) in his right hand. Joe knew that he remembered seeing something quite like it before, only he couldn't remember where.

Then He saw it. A small creature, with several thorns on his back and big blue eyes. Joe knew that it was the creature that they were looking for, and he casted a big orb of red light towards the sky. The creature noticed him and ran away, but He ran after it, making the orb follow him. They reached a dead end, and then he gave a good look at the creature.

It was Venus Djinni! The creature knew that this time it wouldn't be easy to lose its pursuer, and quickly casted Mad Growth in front of Joe, who cut it with his flaming sword. When Joe entered the alley, He saw it running on the roof of the nearby house. He jumped after it. When he reached the roof, the djinni was already jumping for the next house. He ran after it.

"Joe!"

Leng was on the roof right next to him. They jumped from roof to roof to catch up with the Djinni, who was getting away.

"I'm here too little fella!" Max suddenly appeared in front of the creature and hit it with his powerful Mace. The poison soon took it's toll on the Djinni, that used every ounce of energy left for one final attack. It suddenly began to glow with Psynergetic light, and casted several Spires at the Three Adepts.

"That's not gonna work" said Leng "You better surrender and come with us".

The djinni took a step back and fell through a hole in the roof. They jumped after it.

They were in a room filled with food. Something moved in the Shadows and walked towards the Djinni, that was lying on the floor. It was a kid! He was covered in rags and full of ashes. Soon others followed and they began to cast cure at it. However, He wasn't getting any better. Leng walked towards him and gave him a plant with blue flowers.

"Eat. It will cure the poisoning". He said. The Djinni obediently ate it all.

"Who are you? Why aren't you in your houses?" said Max.

"We have no home. We're orphans from Bilibin" said one of them.

"And why are you in this room?"

"Nobody wanted us in their houses. They believed that we might have been cursed"

"What curse?..." Leng asked, but Joe knew exactly what the kid meant.

"The curse of the werewolves" He said quietly "If a werewolf shares his blood with you, you will become one of them".

"But we were not hurt! We left the city before they came from the South!"

"And what have you been doing this whole time?" asked Max.

"We tried to live in this city. They gave us an abandoned house. We all lived in it with Flint..."

"Flint?"

"The Djinni. He was one of my dad's Djinn" .

"So you're the son of Bilibin's governor" said Leng " And why did you leave the house?"

"Flint wanted to make an appropiate house for us. But the money that we earned was not enough to make another one so..."

"He casted that spell and filled it with flowers". finished Joe.

"It was so beatiful that the mayor of this city wanted the house. He said that he would throw us out of this city if we didn't gave it to him. And He was the one that thought about his whole werewolf thing! He throwed us out of there, with nothing to eat, no money, and no work! Flint has been bringing us food since then..." He cried.

"That son of a..."

"Calm down, Max". Joe said " We'll take care of it. I want all of you to come with me"

"What! How dare you!"

The mayor could not believe what he saw. The whole town was in an uproar. Now everybody knew what he had done.

"You're not gonna put me in jail! Guards! Guards! Arrest this people! I want them all in the deepest dungeon!"

"That ain't gonna happen, sir. You are under arrest for violating the laws of King Raniel, that states that orphans have the right to a new home and a a new family. You will come with me"

"Aaagh! Let go of me! Let go! You'll pay for this warriors! You'll PAY!"

The soldiers put him in jail. The new mayor (who was selected by the people, and turned out to be the soldier standing guard at the front gate) gave them a handsome reward in gold coins.

"Well, guess that's it then. Thank you warriors. I wish that there was something else I could do to repay you"

"Well, you can do something about these kids" said Leng. "As an official messenger of King Raniel, I command you to turn that house into an orphanage. These and any other orphans can live there for as long asthey wish".

They were given their old house back. Also, many people had offered to adopt them, since they realized that the mayor was lying.

"Thanks warriors." said the kid from before "You have saved us. I wish I could help you too..."

"Yes, you can" said Joe "Do you remember hearing anything about the werewolf army, back in Bilibin?"

"We know that they came from the South. Wait, I heard that they were planning an attack on Ankohl and Xian!".

"Ankohl..." said Max.

"They're awfully close to Lemuria" said Leng. "It's only natural that they were a target"

"But Ankohl has not yet been defeated. The Hephaestus stronghold is nearly impossible to conquer". replied Max.

"However, they might also attack from the Sea" said Joe "King Poseidon's wrath is terrible and he'll be probably leading his troops".

"In any case, we must go to Vault quickly. King Raniel must be informed of all this" said Max. But just when they were leaving the city, The orphan catched up with them.

"Wait! there is something that I can give you. Here, take him". And Hegave the Djinni to Max.

"I know you're a Djinn hunter. I could feel it. Flint will aid you in your travels".

"Thanks. Come Flint! There are many monsters out there!"

Flint nodded. Then he began spinning very quickly, and burrowed. suddenly, several orbes of golden light rose to the sky, and floated down towards Max, entering his body. Then, a thirdTopaz appeared in his left hand.

"Good bye, Flint! Be careful out there!"

"Ok, now I have five Djinn. Joe has five too, and Leng has five. that makes us even". Max said.

"If you want to keep score, then yeah, we're even." said Leng

"What do you say Joe? Who do you think will find the next Djinni?"

"Me, of course" He said calmly.

"What? Ok, I'll take that as a bet. Whoever gets hissixth Djinni last will have to pay for everything the others buy or use for a week. What do you say Leng?"

"I'm in. How about you Joe?"

"Whatever" He replied.

The city of Vault was still two days away,and they knew that they had to hurry, as the War had just begun. But somehow, Joe felt that this was a very long trip.