(A/N): After a long wait, here it is. Episode 10. But first, let me check out the reviews.
GoldenSunGeek: That's exactly why I'm writing it. There's so much room in this game for history and legends that I can't understand why aren't more people doing fics about this time period. BTW, you better update'The Son of Lemuria'. The game asseen from a character's POV, and his (or her) feelings, thoughts and emotions. Put some imagination into the mix, and you got yourself a fic that flows almost by itself.
Master of Reality: Yes, Djinn are quite essential to the plot. And just for the records, I didn't say I had already finished the story. In fact, I don't even know how it's going to end. There's a good chance that it will need more than that.
You are the only reviewers again. Does this fic sucks that badly?(sobs)
No, I'm just joking. If you are reading this, and still haven't reviewed, please do so. Remember, it won't get better until you tell me if I'm doing something wrong. Thank you.
Episode 10: Concerning Werewolves.
Max woke up to find himself in a clean, white beach, under a full moon with no clouds in sight. The sound of the waves hitting the sand was soothing enough, but He knew that He had to get up the beach. He dragged Leng (who was still unconscious) to a higher terrain. There, Leng woke up.
"What happened? Where are we? And where's Joe?" All of these questions were asked very quickly. Max looked at him, with sadness still visible in his face.
"Poseidon sank the ship" He said slowly "I picked you up from the waves and found a piece of the hull big enough for both of us. Then, when we were near the shore, I left it and swam here. I don't know exactly where are we, although the current was very strong for a lake. As for Joe... I don't know what happened to him. After Poseidon's attack, He fell off the ship. Haven't seen him since then".
Both were quiet, trying not to think about it, but He was probably dead.
"I feel sorry for the little guy" said Max "He was always so calm and cool. I hope he's all right..."
"He probably made it too". Said Leng "We should go look for him".
They looked everywhere on the vast bay. But the only thing they found was pieces of the ship. Leng then tried to use the map, but He realized that He lost it during the storm. The lake seemed weird, for a reason, but they didn't know why. It seemed larger and deeper.
"Well, we can't keep mourning here" said Max. He stood up high and proud over the shores of the Karagol Sea "He was a brave and powerful Adept, and a good friend. He'll be missed".
They saw that the mountains of the southern bordes were right in front of them. Max easily identified Kent's Peak, shining above all others, and covered in eternal snow. Kent's peak was actually in Gondowan, and near the Suhalla range.
"The First Gate to Gondowan is very near", said Leng. "If we get there, we could easily reach Ankohl, and from there, travel West towards Magma Rock".
"That would get us awfully close to the sea" answered Max. "But" He thought, "it could get us close to..."
"All right" He said, smiling "you're the one that knows everything about Vale. You keep walking and I'll follow you".
After travelling south for a while, they found the Gondowan gate. Leng once again showed his ranks, as the guards opened the gate without much questions, and they didn't even had to pay the usual toll. Two hours later they set up camp for the rest of the night. The following day, they reached one of the great obstacles in their path: the Suhalla desert. An arid wasteland, far as the eye can see. Luckily, the guards at the Gondowan Gate had given them enough water and supplies for days, as the ones that they had bought were in the ship's cargo.
"This is my home!" said Max "At last I see the beatiful Suhalla desert again!"
"While I can't say that I share your opinions on 'beauty' " replied Leng "I'm glad that we've made it here without encountering one the demons. After all, they are supposedly hunting for us".
Leng hadn't finished his sentence when they saw a giant tornado heading straight towards them. Inside it, they could vaguely see the form of the Tornado Lizards, which were quite powerful monsters, and the ones that created this huge sandstorm.
"We can't douse the tornadoes!" Screamed Max, trying to be heard over the wind. "We'll need to go around them! Come, I know a way!"
He guided Max through the desert, until they came upon a hill. From there, they dominated the view. Several tornadoes were moving all around the labyrinth of rocks that was the Suhalla Desert.
"What the...? What's that!" shouted Leng. Suddenly, a small cloud appeared on the horizon, dousing one of them. A pink one.
"That's the Storm Lizard! Only we could face such a creature!" Screamed Max.
"We must help them!" Answered Leng.
They surrounded the valley, jumping on rock formations to reach the Lizard. But when they got there they saw something that they didn't expected. A werewolf was fighting against the Storm Lizard. He had long black hair, tied up in a ponytail. His black eyes were fixed on the creature, as He ducked and rolled under it's swipes. He was rather short but well-built, and was wearing the usual clothes of his Tribe.
"Pah!" said Max "I say we let it kill him and good riddance".
"No, wait!" said Leng "There's something... different about him. The werewolves that I fought while travelling towards Serland were somehow... wilder. I'll Mind read him".
Leng raised his arm and began to glow. Usually, Jupiter Adepts were only allowed to read the minds of those that agreed, or of those that were on trial, and very few Jupiter Adepts were able to Read someone's Mind from afar. Leng was truly skilled in this particular ability.
"I knew it! He's not being controlled by the Demons! We have to help him!" He said.
"Okay, leave it to me" answered Max. "Here I come!" And He leapt against the Lizard. He was powerful enough to knock it down in a single hit. Leng jumped after him, and began to focus.
"Sonic Slash!" He cried. A shockwave of pure wind force struck the creature's neck, beheading it.
"Are you all right?" He said.
"Yeah" said the werewolf. "Thanks a lot. I got lost and..."
"More are coming!" shouted Max. Many tornadoes were all around them. "Damn, we cannot douse them!"
"But I can. Deluge!" cried the werewolf. Many clouds formed all above them, dousing several tornadoes at the same time. The Tornado Lizards had to stop the sandstorms, but then they attacked at the same time. Max jumped and hit one in the head, but it was only one, and they were all around them.
"Can you fight?" Leng asked. The werewolf nodded.
"Of course. Beware, they are strong".
"I'm stronger" said Leng, "Spark Plasma!" Several lightning bolts fell all around them, killing few of the beasts. Leng realized that the creatures were strong against Jupiter.
"I'll have to use my sword then!" He said, and reached for his necklace. "Come on, Zephyr!" He glowed purple for a split second and dissapeared from sight. His speed was so great now that only the slashes on the beasts gave away his location. Meanwhile, the werewolf attacked with his bare hands. His claws were like swords, and his psynergy skills were great for a werewolf.
"Eruption!" he cried. Several volcanoes appeared under the largest group of beasts. The lava was more than enough to burn them to mere ashes. But Max was the most dangerous to them. They were weak against his Venus Psynergy, and the poison from his Mace was more than enough to kill one of them. He charged against a large group, and smacked the closest one. He barely evaded the swipe of another one, and then He jumped over it and began to focus for one final attack.
"Grand Gaia!"
All around the remaining Lizards, the ground began to crumble, and many small bolts of Venus Psynergy appeared from underground. Then, suddenly, they grew until the Lizards were trapped inside a vast circle of pure Venus Psynergy that shot out from the ground, and then closed. There were no Tornado Lizards left.
"All right, now that we saved you, can you tell us who are you, and what are you doing here? Max asked angrily. The werewolf looked at him with a mix of fury and respect.
"My name is Bril. I'm the youngest son of Helios, our patriarch. Most of my people have been posessed by demons, as you may already know. That made them incredibly strong, although they suffered a great loss of Psynergy. Those that didn't join the army were forced to work in a giant tower to honor the Leader of the Demons. He calls himself a dark and forgotten God".
"My brother joined them and became one of the captains of the growing army. He came to Angara, to attack the Mercury lighthouse. News have arrived that they were defeated with the help of two "Djinn-Hunters", that were later joined by a third one, and those three defeated a demon named Eacus, the Crypt Lord. Now those 'Djinn-hunters' are being hunted by the demons. I came here to warn them of danger and to try and save my brother".
"We are two of the Djinn hunters that you are looking for, Bril". said Leng, and his face darkened "We believe the third one, our friend Joe, has drowned in the Karagol Sea".
"I'm sorry". Bril said. "I hope my brother Seth is all right... Now, with my father dead, He's the leader of our Tribe".
"Seth? You're Seth's brother?" asked Max.
"Yeah" he answered. "Have you met him? How's He doing?"
Max's gaze lowered. He remembered the werewolf captain that was guarding the underground passage towards Serland. They had killed him there. He was going crazy with his power, and would fight them to the dead. But how would He explain that to his little brother?
"Seth... He's... He's dead". He said quietly.
"What?" Bril shrieked, "That's not true! Who could kill my brother?"
"We did. Joe and Me. He had already lost control over his power. I'm sorry". said Max.
Bril's face darkened. But instead of attacking them, He stood up. Tears were running through his cheeks.
"Seth... He was a good brother" He said finally. "He was never really evil. But his greed and his hunger for power made him an easy target for the Demons. It's probably for the best. I'd hate to see my brother turned into some kind of monster. But now I'm all alone. There's nothing I can do".
"Yes, there is" said Leng. "You can fight back. Come with us. Help us defeat those Demons, and you will avenge your brother. Will you help us?".
"I..."
Bril's face showed a mix of many emotions, not the least of which was hatred. But that hatred was directed towards the Demons. They had forced his people to work as slaves. They had destroyed his brother's mind, making him a mindless monster. And now, finally, they had killed his old and wise father, only for being too old to work. He looked at Leng and nodded. The Demons had gained a new enemy.