Welcome back!

I've been writing this chapter in an extreme danger zones, when I was shot at, sick, took care of my sick mom and was out of coffee! So this chapter is written in the worst moments.

Please enjoy.

Alex: Demonzeph does not own Golden sun or Golden sun; The lost age!

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Daila was soaked.

The little town of clay houses was dripping with water, Barrels and pots were drifting around in large ponds. A large sanctum of brown stones was located in the end of the city.

Water was dripping down its big stone pillars.

"Spiffy place, if you ignore all the water…" Sheba muttered as they entered.

"Me and Sheba go get some more food and medicine." Jenna declared. "Why don't you find some information's?" Jenna dragged off with Sheba and headed for a little place, were a girl had spread out a linen, were she'd placed some wooden planks to have her goods on.

A lot of people walked around, fixing houses and cleaning up. An old man was laying helplessly on his back in a water puddle like a turtle. Felix went over and helped me up.

"Whew, thanks lad. You probably think that it was the wave that hit me over, but it was really the earthquake afterwards! You felt it?" The old man asked as he found his balance again.

Felix nodded. "Then I wasn't the only one!" The old man said. "It felt like something bumped into the continent!"

Kraden interfered. "You shouldn't know if there are any boats we could buy, around here? Were in a bit of a hurry you see."

"I'm not sure…" The old man answered. "But Horoldan should know." The old man pointed at a young man with a red scarf on. "He's a fisherman you see." Kraden thanked him, and headed over to the man followed by Felix.

"Excuse me sir! Horoldan?" Kraden asked the man that was busy cleaning up after the wave. The young man turned his head. "That's me. Who are you, and what do you want. I'm in a hurry and this thing is heavy!" He put down the big urn he was talking about.

"You see, we got carried away by the wave, and we're not sure were we are… This is not Gondowan, is it?" The young man looked at them. "No, this is Indra, and this town is Daila… Are you from Gondowan then?" Felix nodded. "Could explain your weird closeting… which you should consider to change, since those are soaked if you haven't noticed." He continued.

Kraden chose to ignore the last comment. "You shouldn't know if there was a boat for sale?"

Horoldan stared at him like he was stupid. "Of course there's boats." He pointed at some of the planks that drifted around. "There is a piece there and there, oh and over there! Behind the total crushed part of a rudder!" He said sarcastically. "All our ships and other ways of living has been crushed, and now you want to buy a ship?"

Kraden was about to say something angry back, but Flexi laid a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. Kraden calmed down. "Well sorry for have taken your time then. Have a nice day." He turned to leave while Horoldan mumbled something like, 'I don't see the fantastic with it imbecile old man.'

They went over and found the girls that were talking to a worried girl in the 'shop'.

"They haven't come back yet! I'm really worried! If you see them, would you then tell them to get home?" The girl asked. Her long hair fell down over her worried face.

"Of course we will!" Sheba answered. "We'll keep an eye out for them, oh, hey guys!" She spotted Felix and Kraden.

"What's going on?" Kraden asked. "Some kids disappeared after the wave when they were out playing. We promised to keep an eye out for them." Jenna answered. "Any luck with the boat?"

Felix shook his head before Kraden could start in telling about the rude young man.

"We'll we didn't find anything interesting in the weaponry, but we did get some herbs." Jenna continued. "Should we say It's time to head off?"

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The plain outside was green with some spread sand pitches here and there. The sun shined from a blue sky with some spread clouds, and the temperature was good for a day in fall.

Felix enjoyed the weather and hummed a little. They'd changed closets in the inn beside the young girls 'shop' and got a good portion of food. He felt really good, and was relaxed for the first time in, what, 10 month?

He's thought drifted across his hometown and his old friends there. All of sudden a strange voice could be heard. "Auch! Hey!"

The voice reminded Felix of echoes in stone valleys.

He looked around, but couldn't see anyone. "Down here buddy!" The voice sounded from just before his shoes.

He looked down and spotted a little brown creature with small legs, a mermaid tail, sand colored belly, big blue eyes and spikes sticking out on its head and down its back. A djinn, a Venus djinn. Felix had seen Isaac and the others use such creatures in combat.

"Watch your stepping buddy!" It said looking at its tail that was stuck under Felix boot. Felix instantly moved his foot and kneeled down so he better could see the creature.

"What's going on up there?" Jenna called from behind, and walked up to him. "What in the world is that?" She asked when she spotted the little creature.

"I'M a Venus djinn!" It snorted. "OMG it TALKS!" Jenna cried out. "Of course I do! This mouth isn't very well formed for barking you know!" It swung it's tail.

"You don't have a mouth…" Sheba said, as she caught up.

The djinn mumbled and turned to Felix. "You seem to know what I am… You know something about us? You're an adept right?" They all stared surprised at it. "Even I knew that!" It continued.

Kraden came up. "Oho! If it isn't a djinn! You got released from mount Aleph when the elemental stars got removed, right?"

The little creature looked up at him. "That's right old man!" It turned to Felix again. "You look new around here! Having adventures in a new and strange land, eh?"

"That's right! Jenna answered. "How'd you know?"

"I saw a little of you before we got spread from the mountain. Pretty messy huh?" It said. "But now we're on it… As I said, me and my companions got spread from the mountain. Could I come with you? I'll assist you on your journey." It proudly shot it chest up to make himself look bigger. "I can come in handy, since I can attack enemies, boost psyenergy powers and join in with others in summoning gigantic creatures!" He jumped up on Felix shoulder. "Please? Can I come?"

Felix thought a little about it, but then nodded. The little guy jumped of joy and slid down into one of his pockets. "You won't regret that! Just call me when you need me. But when I've done a summon, I need to rest, to gain powers, 'key?" It blinked up to them. "Oh, and my name is Echo."

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They followed some mountains down south, were a path of sand went through.

Sheba was thinking about the djinn, when she noticed the way split.

She turned to Felix. "Which way?"

Felix walked down and looked around. Sheba could easily hear in his mind that he had absolutely no clue at all and they didn't have a map.

Echo popped up from the pocket and looked around. "Why are we stopping?"

"We don't know which way to go…" Jenna said. Echo jumped down. "We'll, there is a temple nearby, were I can sense something coming from. Either some kind of psyenergy, or another djinni. It's a little blurry." He jumped a little against west. "It's this way if you wanna go there."

"Well we could always use some more psyenergy, and more djinn would be fine too. Besides, there maybe is somebody, who knows were to find a boat, or know were Alex is…" Kraden wondered while rustling up in his beard. "Why not? Show us the way Echo."

"Alright! This way!" Echo said as he jumped west.

They walked down past a little forest and more mountains. Cliff ground began to show some places and water showed up to the side of them. A bigger forest showed up, when Echo jumped back.

"Monsters ahead!" He yelled and jumped up on Felix shoulder.

A punch ant jumped out followed by a big brown wolf and a giant blue bat.

Felix drew his sword and charged the wild wolf. It tried to jump aside, but a large cut showed on its side, so blood dripped down on the ground.

The ant punched out after Felix, but got smacked aside by Jenna's staff.

The bat flew around and tried to bite Sheba. "Whirlwind!" She yelled and a storm raised around her and made the bat get thrown around. "Four!" She yelled as she smacked the bat when it passed her. It fell to the ground were it didn't move.

The wolf jumped Felix. Felix swung his sword at it so it got its head cut off in the jump. Blood fussed out and colored Felix brown tunic, while he spun around to see if he should aid his sister.

This showed not to be necessary, when Jenna smashed the punch ant's head against a big rock, so some purple-brown slime covered the stone.

Kraden looked a little sick when he looked at the beasts. "Shall we continue?" He asked.

"Just a sec." Sheba said. "We need to clean our weapons first, or they'll get dull." She took up a couple of piece of linen, and handed them to Felix and Jenna. "It won't take long, if we use the water from the floods over there." She pointed. "You can just rest while we're at it."

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After they cleansed of their weapons, they continued down south. They walked down past a little mountain and a bridge west. Down through a forest and crossed another bridge east.

Sheba looked at Felix. She wondered what he was thinking. She could, technically, mind read him, but then she could loose his trust and get dumped back in Lalivero.

He was the silent strong type. That was at least the image she'd gotten of him, in the few days she'd been kidnapped.

They'd only talked once, or rather, she talked and he listened and nodded, shook his head or showed opinion in other ways, like pointing or making faces. The Saturos and Menardi had come back and they hadn't talked since.

Sheba looked over at Jenna. A nice girl. A little hot headed, but easy to talk to. They were getting really great friends and could talk about all kind of stuff. Sheba smiled by the thought of how Jenna had blushed, when they talked about Isaac.

She looked back at Kraden. Old annoying man. Thinking he was something. Sheba had full asses to his thoughts. A little to self happy for her to like.

They walked further up northeast, 'till Echo jumped. "Look! There it is! Kandorean temple!" He jumped up on Felix shoulder again. "Let's go in!" They walked up to the old Aztec style temple in yellow-brown stones.

Two monks were guarding a big wooden gate.

One of them spotted them. He'd a brown tunic on and he got extremely short hair.

"Have you come to see master Poi?" He asked.

Jenna walked up to him. "No sir, we—" "I'm sorry, but the temple is closed to sightseers." He broke in. "Huh? Why?" Jenna asked.

The other monk, looking a lot like the first monk, answered. "Once the period of meditation has begun, no one must enter the temple grounds. Master Poi's teachings require absolute concentration."

Jenna sighed. "Alright… but can we look around the temple, from the outside under the meditation?" She asked.

The monks looked at each other. "I guess it couldn't hurt." The first said. "As long as your quiet, then you can walk around freely." The other finished,

"Thanks!" Jenna said and turned to the others. "We might as well look around."

"Maybe the thing we're after is outside?" Sheba asked herself. "I doubt so." Echo said. "It feels like it comes from the inside."

"Why, then let's look around anyway. There might be something around that could help us otherwise." Sheba shrugged. "Come Jenna." She walked down of the left way and around a corner.

Felix follow after, while Kraden looked a little at the temple ruin so Felix had to puff him in the side.

When Felix and Kraden rounded the corner, Sheba and Jenna were investigating a wall, covered with plants. "Should I burn them down?" Jenna asked, looking into a hole in the plat-wall. "And risk setting fire to the temple?" Sheba answered, looking for bigger holes while letting her hand glide over the leafs. "Any other suggestions?" "I could probably blow them away… Stand back."

Jenna walked back to the others. Sheba pointed her staff against the leafs. "Whirlwind!"

"What's she doing?" Kraden asked. "Clearing a path." Jenna answered as the wind began to pull in the plants. "We found out there was a path on the other side, when we searched it for herbs."

The last plant was blown away and a cave entrance shoved up. "Shall we invade?" Sheba asked with a smile and went into the grotto.

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The grotto was not that dark, but really wet. Lots of water was gathered on the floor, so they got their boots soaked again.

A stone pillar stood in the middle of the path so they had to walk around it. The pat ended in a oval room with free look to the sky and a bucket floating around in a rope that came from the top.

"Looks like we ended up in a well." Kraden said. "Then I guess we can just as well go ba—Hey Felix! What are you doing boy! Get down from there!"

Felix had taken a good old of the rope and was begun to crawl up, by stepping his foots against the planks and 'walk' up. He made sign for the others to follow. "Alright! I thought the climping would first come later, but what the hell." Jenna grabbed the rope and began to climp up like her brother.

Sheba shrugged. "Well, if you can handle it, I can too." She followed the two others, but got stopped on the halfway by Kraden that grabbed her skirt. "Kraden! What the hell are you—"

"I can't climp like you can! I'm an old man!"

Sheba looked down at him. Then sit in the bucket and we'll pull you up!" She said.

She climped up, took the rope and made sign for the others to do the same. "You ready down there?" She said as loud as she dared, thinking of the monks meditating around her. "Yes!" Kraden answered. She looked back at Felix and Jenna that also stood with the rope.

"On three. One, two, three! Pull!" They pulled Sheba felt like her arms would fall off, but eventually the got Kraden up from the well. "You should really lay off dessert!" She gasped.

"Shall we just continue or what!" He asked, offended.

They snake through the meditating monks, that didn't seem to notice them or showed any sign of, that they heard the noise from the well. Over the open door hang three crossed spears.

They quietly entered with Felix first. "You there! Focus your mind!" A voice suddenly rang loudly through the halls. Felix bolded but quickly understood that it was not one of them that were spoken to.

The hall was a long floor were three monks sat. Behind them was a big door, sat into the cliff, with some kind of Buda statue sitting in the cliff over it. On each side of the Buda was two platforms with a door each. Over to the left laid a rope under a cliff that had a latter up to one of the platforms.

Up on the platform to the right stood a very old monk. He was the one who yelled to the monk sitting to the right of them.

The monk concentrated and hovered a little unstable for a second or two, the fell to the ground. He opened his eyes and looked up at the old man. "Did you see that master?"

"No, no, no! You're lacking in discipline!" The old man walked in through the door leaving the disappointed man behind.

He reappeared through the door on the other platform. "Now you!"

The man most to the left concentrated, and began to hover a little more stabile than the first, but still swinging from side to side. The he also fell down.

"How was that master?" He asked looking up.

"Improving…" The old man looked down at him with a thoughtful expression. "… Slowly! Continue your meditating!" He walked over to the Buda statue and looked down at the man in the middle. "Your turn!"

The man concentrated like his two friends had and began to hover. He swung a little, but saved it each time, and landed safely. The two other men clapped and he looked proud up at the old man. "Master, have I done it?" He asked, itself he seemed pretty sure that he had.

The old man thought a little about it. "Not bad… You might be able to succeed…"

The man jumped up, clearly annoyed. "Master, I can DO it! Please let me try!" The old man sweat dropped. "Your skills still need to be polished… It might get quiet dangerous… Would you still like to enter?" He asked.

The man jumped of joy. "Yes! Yes, I will! Please let me enter!"

There was a short silence, then the old man said quietly. "If you fail, you might loose more than just your pride…"

"I do not fear death master!" The young man shouted with an offended look. "Is that so?" The old man asked. "Well, then its time for you trial, oh foolish one!" He yelled over the noise from the big door that opened. "Enter the cave, and may the gods decide if you get out again!" He yelled as the door stopped moving. The old man walked then in through the door on the platforms.

The young man hurried inside, as if he was afraid, they would fall in again and keep him out. But the doors kept open even after he was gone.

The two other monks looked after him then got up and walked out against the door out.

Felix and the others quickly hid behind a big rock in the entrance. The monks walked past them without noticing them.

When they were gone, Felix and co. came out. "Should we enter?" Sheba asked.

"Enter were?" Kraden asked. "Well, duh. The door the monks went into!" Jenna said with a sarcastic look. "I'm not sure that—" "I say we go. Who knows? The source to Echo's strange feeling might be in that 'trial'" Sheba added.

Kraden groaned. "But, this is a—Felix!" Felix was already on his way through the door, but stopped and looked back over his shoulder with an asking look in his face, when Kraden called.

"Then that's set!" Jenna said. "Come on Sheba!" She and Sheba ran over past Felix and entered.

Kraden sighed as Felix followed them in. "Youth now a days…" He entered the door with a tired look on his face.

They entered a cave with large stones and a stone pillar lying around here and there.

To the right of them was a Tiny room with a door, blocked by gigantic stones, probably coming from the earthquake.

To the left were two paths, one stonier than the other.

Felix, Jenna, Sheba and Kraden looked down at Echo. Echo looked up at them. "Don't look at me! I'm more confused then you are! The psyenergy waves come from two places now!" Echo looked a little desperate. "Besides… I've never really been in here…" He said a little ashamed.

"It's ok Echo." Jenna said and petted it on the head. "You've been a great help already. Besides" Jenna clapped her hands together. "It's fun to investigate new places!"

Felix pointed at Sheba and Jenna and then up against the north path. "Ok Felix!" Said Jenna, dragging Sheba after her.

Felix made sign for Kraden to follow him.

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Jenna and Sheba walked down the stony path. It wasn't very long and quickly ended.

"Hey look Jenna!" Sheba said exited. "A treasure chest!"

They ran over to the big wooden chest, exited over that they'd found the treasure and not the boys.

"Wonder what's inside?" Jenna asked out in the air. "Open it!" Sheba answered, gleefully.

Jenna lifted the lid and got pushed back by the box. "What the…!" Jenna stared up from the ground and saw that the treasure chest suddenly got legs! The lid was a little open and revealed two red eyes in the dark and then two big claws smashed out through the sides of the chest.

"W-what the heck is t-that!" Sheba asked nervously. Jenna got up, while the chest-creature lifted itself up on the bug like legs. "I donno, but its coming this way!" Jenna halfway screamed.

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Felix and Kraden wasn't come that far, when they heard Sheba scream. "FELIII-IIIX!"

Felix spun around, hearing something like…. A giant scissor?

He ran back followed by Kraden and up the other road seeing, Sheba and Jenna use psyenergy on a big treasure chest with some kind of giant crab.

"Finally! Felix! Over here! Uarg! RAY!" Sheba called while making big dark clouds appear with hard rain and lightning over the creature. "Felix! Help us here will ya! FUME!" Jenna yelled, while sending the dragon flying.

Felix made sign for them to stand back and slammed his (now psyenergy loaded) fist into the cave wall, so a tremor rushed down from him to the place were the big chest was.

"Felix whait!" Kraden yelled, in the same time as Sheba and Jenna passed Felix in their retreat.

Felix looked asking back at him, while the roof fell down over the creature in the background.

They stood there in a second or two, Kraden trying to get his breath from running.

Felix sneaked over to the big pile of rocks covering the treasure chest.

"Arh, Felix! No! Get back here!" Kraden yelled, only getting the asking look again as response. "That thing is a mimic! It don't get killed that easy!"

Felix stepped up on the rocks and put his hands on his side, sending him a look saying I-killed-it-ok? Look, stamping a little on the rocks indicating that it was dead.

Suddenly he felt like he was getting drained for psyenergy, and looked down just in time to see a big claw shoot up from the rocks and catch him in a way so he couldn't move his arms. The mimic rose from the rocks and shook itself a little to get the last small rocks off.

Felix felt the claw trying to squeeze the life out of him and made a face in pain.

"HEY! LEAVE MY BROTHER ALONE CREEP! FUME!" Jenna yelled releasing another dragon.

The dragon hit bulls-eye, just through the opening with the eyes, making the mimic scream in pain and drop Felix. Felix fell to the ground and quickly got up standing, trying to catch his breath again. "RAY!" Sheba yelled, making a storm blow the opening bigger. Felix took a last deep breath, drew his sword, jumped and swung the sword hard so it planted itself in whatever was between the eyes.

The mimic screamed and swung its claws randomly around while blood fussed out from the wound. After half a minute it fell to the ground, dead.

Felix went carefully over and pulled out his blood covered sword and growled.

"Like I said." Kraden continued from were he was cut off. "Mimics are not as easy to kill as normal creatures, since their boxes provide extra defence."

Felix just growled again, and went back to the other path followed by the others.

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Lets jump to one of the other future characters, shall we?

A young man, about 27 years old, was making his ship ready to take off. He had sea-green, long hair tied with a piece of a ripped linen. His sand-coloured and blue bandana held up the long, split front hair. His face was friendly with a crocket smile and the eyes were yellow. He was very muscular build and 2.4 meters high. (0.0 wow) His half-long navy blue jacket was tied together with three red bands and had short arms. Under the jacket he had a white shirt with high neck and a belt sat crocket over from the left shoulder to the right hip and had a big axe, almost as high as himself and the pale-blue blade with a gray centre, as broad, attached to it. Two other belts hung free from his waist. He had navy blue shorts and matching boots with a little swirl on the sides.

He was carrying some man-high boxes aboard his ship, itself he didn't seem to be to have troubke with it.

He hummed a melody his dad had thought him before he'd died, while walking down into the rooms under deck with them.

When he came up on deck again, he spotted a young lady at the harbour. He smiled crocket and sat a mouth to his mouth and yelled. "Hey mom! I'll be right down!"

He walked a little back to get a run-up and then jumped out over the side and laded on his feet on the harbour. He dusted himself up and looked at his blue-haired mom with a crocket smile. "Hey, what's up?" He asked and placed his hands in his pocket.

"Do you really need to go so soon?" His mom asked in a quiet voice. He sighed. "Yes mom, you know my orders…" He answered. His voice was dark and rough, yet still melody and balanced with a strange accent. She looked down in the ground and nodded sadly. He looked sad at her, then gave her a hug. "Its ok mom, I'll promise to come home in one piece." He said. "My new friends will help me." He smiled as two small heads popped up from his pockets.

They were all blue with yellow eyes. Their foreheads looked like blue crowns and the place the mouth should've been was like a blue must age. The pockets hid the green belly, small blue feet and the violet tail with a claw. "Don't you worry miss Le Fair, we will look out for him!" The first jinni promised. "He won't let him get into trouble… all the time." The next added.

She smiled at them. "I'm sure you won't." She said and petted the second on the head.

Piers shook his head with a smile, then he looked up. "Hey do you guys hear that too?" He asked and frowned slightly. It sounded like a big wave. The jinni looked up. "Now you say it…" The said seriously. The young lady looked up. "What is that sound?" She asked, also hearing it.

The young man narrowed his eyes to see better, then they widened. "Tidal wave!" He yelled and quickly began to get his mom into the nearest house. Just as soon as she got in through of the door, the water roared over the houses. He grabbed the door to the house and tried to fight himself in. Suddenly a creaking sound could be heard from the door. He tried desperately to grab the door frame, but the wave's powerful grab ripped the door and him off.

He let go of the door and was carried down against the harbour, were he rolled onto his ship and slammed against the door to under deck. The anchor began to creak and the ship was forced out through the caves that lead in. Piers tried to get a hold in something as the ship was pushed out of the caves and against the cliffs and under-water streams.

He rushed out between the cliffs and past the three cliffs that marked Neptune's holy lair and out in the violent streams. The ship rushed over the waves, got swirled around in violent streams. The young man got bombed with water and it was hard to open his eyes, but he got to note a figure back were he came from, it was enormous and his thoughts fell immediately at Neptune.

The ship flew out through the reeves, and got some scratches here and there from slight contact, but ended up get drifted out. He fought himself under deck, to make sure the wave wouldn't carry him over board were he collapsed on the floor, while the wave carried the ship further away from his home…

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The long path was filled with broken pillars and stones everywhere. More paths were blocked by big boulders that'd fallen down from the fight against the mimic.

"Nice job Felix…" Sheba mumbled annoyed as they saw another path blocked. Felix frowned and walked with his hands in his pockets.

They finally found a path that wasn't blocked and went down through it to find a path up. They sneaked up, looking out for eventual other monsters or traps. They got out on a platform with a latter down and a lot of pillars around.

"Hey, who's that?" Jenna asked and pointed on a man down among the pillars, half-way buried in big stones. "I don't know." Sheba answered and headed for the latter. "But I'm gonna find out, you coming?" She asked while going down the latter. Jenna followed quickly after followed by Felix. Kraden groaned and mumbled something about a bad back.

Felix reached the ground while hearing Kraden mumbling. He rolled his eyes and held out his arms. Kraden jumped down in his arms and chuckled. "Why how gallant Felix!" He said and faked a girl voice. Felix glared annoyed on him and let go so Kraden landed hard on the floor and then walked over to the others, growling.

Kraden chuckled and got up, dusting him off and walked over to what showed out to be the monk from before. His body was crushed and he had a shocked and scared expression on.

Sheba and Jenna sat down beside the man and examined him. "Dead as the dodo…" Jenna declared while holding two fingers on the monk's throat. "Nice job Felix…" Sheba mumbled again with a annoyed growl from Felix as answer.

Jenna got up and shook her head. "Rest in peace…" She mumbled and continued. The others followed after.

They reached another latter up and got up on another platform. There was a door on a platform between the first and the one they stood on. A stairway lead down from there, so the figured it was there they should over.

"How do we get over there?" Jenna asked curling a curl of her hair around her finger. "I have no idea…" Kraden answered and looked around. "Argh! Felix! What are you doing boy!" He yelled after Felix that jumped out on a pillar. There was precisely room enough for a man to stand there. He looked back and jumped to the next were he stopped again and looked back at the others.

Jenna glared and shrugged. Then she jumped after Felix, followed by Sheba. Kraden waited a moment and then jumped clumsy out on the pillars.

They soon reached the middle platform and headed down the stairs…

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Alex was far ahead of the others. He'd passed the mountains ages ago and was having a break by walking along the sea-shore. There was some hills and platforms here and there, sand and a dark blue glittering sea to the south and the mountains to the north.

He walked past some platforms and noticed a strange ship between them.

The front had a realistic dragon head in metal. It was big and long, but no rows. Instead of a mast there was a big metal-lookout with a door.

Alex went over on the other side and crawled up the latter, wondering how such a big ship had gotten there. It seemed deserted too.

He went in through the door and noticed a big man sleeping on the floor.

Alex sneaked over and kneeled beside the man. Did he own this ship? He'd he sailed such a big ship by himself? Why was he lying here on the floor? So many questions…

Suddenly the man's arm shot out and grabbed Alex wrist. Alex got a shock and fell back over, while trying to get his hand free. The grab was incredibly strong and his knuckles were turning white.

The man opened his eyes and glared evilly on Alex, getting up. He was huge! Alex tried to get his hand free again, but the man tightened his grab in the wrist.

"What are you doing on my ship?" He asked with a murderous growl. "Sir, if you would be so kind to let go of my wrist, then I am sure we—" Alex tried while the hand began to numb. "What are you doing on my ship!" The man snarled again. "I saw it on the shore and it looked deserted, so I went aboard to see if there were any people." Alex whined as the wrist hurt like hell. "Now dear sir, would you PLEASE let go of my poor wrist, I cannot feel anything in it!"

The big man growled and let go. Alex rubbed the wrist while making a face in pain. "That hurt sir." He mumbled. "I'm glad. I don't like people going aboard on my ship without permission." The man growled.

Alex coughed and changed subject. "If I may ask sir. What is your name?" He asked politely receiving an evil glare as answer. "I am none of your business runt, but who are you, you insolent whelp?" He asked with a growl. Alex snorted. How rude! "My name is Alex Le Fay Mercury." He answered. "Fine 'Alex' get off ma ship!" The man snarled.

Alex took a step back. "Sir, I was going to ask if you maybe could—" "No." "But, I did not even—" "Are you deaf lad? I said no!"

Alex glared a little but then sighed. "Since this is the only ship around, I guess I just have to take the ship then." He said while making ready to launch a water-pump at the man. The man snarled and grabbed Alex wrist again. He spun around and send Alex flying through the cabin-wall. Alex landed hard in the sand, sliding a few meters.

He sat up and took to his head. "What by Mercury light house- Argh!" He yelped as the man jumped out and landed a few meters from him. "Take my ship!" The man growled with a shadowy face and the yellow eyes glittering with anger. "I think not!" Alex crawled a little backwards in the sand, when voices began to be heard a little away.

The man looked up and saw some guards come running. "There! Pirate!" One of them yelled while drawing his sword. "He must've been left here to look after the ship!" Another man yelled. The pieces seemed to fit in Alex mind. Obsessing so much over the ship, refusing to listen even when there might be money involved and the aggressive behaviour.

The guard jumped the man. "Wha? GET OFF!" The man yelled while punching the guards if they came too near. One of the men landed in a puddle of water and the blue-haired man made a move with his finger. The puddle glowed and a ice-pillar shot up. Alex got up. An adept?

"Stand still pirate!" A guard yelled and took some chains out. "I'm not a pirate!" The man yelled and stepped back from the chains with an angry frown. "If you aren't then follow freely, and we'll get someone to prove your innocence." The guard said.

The man paused and thought about it. Then he lifted his arms as a sign of giving up. "Fine, but let me get my energy source from my ship so it don't get stolen." He growled and headed back on his ship. The guards waited while on of them spotted Alex. "Do you know this man?" He asked while helping him up. Alex shook his head. "No sir, I spotted the ship and went to see why it looked so deserted when he attacked me." Alex answered while dusting himself off. The guard nodded and looked back on the ship where the big man came out with a black orb in his hand.

The orb was just big enough to be in his hand. It was black and looked like a pearl. It had a golden holder shaped like a dragon claw. He handed it to one of the guard while another one chained him up. Then two of them lead the big man away.

A guard walked over to Alex. "Are you ok? What happened precisely?" He asked while looking on Alex wrist. It was red and swollen. "I think he broke my wrist…" Alex mumbled. "I'll tell you what happened back in the city ok?" He asked. "The guard nodded and lead him away.

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They walked out on another platform. There was a little ground further down and a big hole with a rope over. More roads were blocked with stones. "Niiiiice joooob Felix!" Sheba mumbled, this time together with Jenna. Felix growled and walked down the free road.

There was a staircase only a meter away from a latter down, but the little meter was buried in boulders. Sheba crossed her arms but didn't say anything.

Felix went down the staircase followed by the others. Downstairs was a little river with a small waterfall where it continued.

Boulders and broken stone-pillars lay around and blocked the path over, so they had to walk further down to get over. There was a door but boulders blocked it. "Nice job Felix!" Sheba and Jenna said annoyed. Felix glared evilly at them, not bothering to even growl. He looked over at the river and gulped.

He'd been afraid of water after the he'd been ripped with the stream as child. He walked out in the water with a slight shiver and forced him up against the stream, followed by the others. Kraden had to grab Jenna if not to get washed away. It was hard and they often had to grab the boulders and pillars around to not get ripped with the stream down.

Felix got forced himself out to the side and into land again, soaked. They others followed while growling annoyed and tried to get the water out of their clothes. They headed down and through the door into a room with a pillar, two hot springs that jumped up for some seconds and landed again, with some stone-plates and two hot wind-channels.

"Now what?" Sheba asked and looked around. "The springs and wind-channels seem to go off on the same time." Kraden said and pointed. Jenna leaned herself up against the pillar. "Well that sure heEELPS!" She yelped and the pillar moved suddenly. Felix walked over and pushed the pillar around, then he looked at the springs. He pushed the pillar over on the nearest spring and dried his forehead off with the back of his hand. The other spring jumped again, but higher this time.

Felix waited until it landed and jumped onto the plate, making sign for the others to follow him.

Sheba was about to step up when it shot up again with Felix on it. He tried desperately to keep his balance while he rushed up with the water. It got up with height of a platform and Felix quickly jumped over. Soon the others followed.

They stood at the foot of the latter from before and climbed up. They walked over to a place where a rope hang over as a balance test, but now after the small earth-quake, the floor had fallen down so there now were a big black nothing under it. "Nice job Felix!" The three of them said while Felix sweat dropped.

Felix gulped. Alright Felix, you can do it. He thought to himself and stepped out on the rope. It was hard to stay balanced and he was many times about to fall down. Sheba had easier with it and got over safely. Then Kraden came. "I'm far too old for thiIIIS!" He yelped as he lost footing and fell. Jenna jumped out, grabbed the rope in her right hand and Kraden in the left. "Urgh! Kraden you should lay off dessert next time!" She groaned while struggling with not falling down. Felix got a little out and reached his hand to them. Kraden grabbed Felix hand and fought himself up on the other side with Sheba's help.

Felix reached out again and grabbed Jenna that got up on the other side followed by Felix. Hey paused a little, getting back to their senses and then went on. Inside the room was lots of boulders and a platform to the left of them. A rope lay under the platform and up on the platform sat a little blue figure. Jenna and Sheba looked up on the figure. "It looks like a jinni!" Sheba said.

Echo popped his head up from Felix chest-pocket and looked up. "It is! That is a mercury jinn!" He said happily. Felix looked up at it and then down the road. "If you and Kraden look further down, then we'll be trying to get this fellow down." Jenna said and grabbed the rope.

Felix nodded and went further down. The went in through a door and looked around. There was yet another platform with a latter. They climbed up and saw a sign and a big cooking pot with boiling water and fire beneath.

Kraden went over and read:

"Extinguish your desire,

and the fir will cool.

Empty your mind and you will feel no pain!

-Poi-"

Felix wondered a little and walked over to the cooking pot. He held his hand out and concentrated. Move! He ordered in his mind. The cooking pot pushed aside and the fire went out. Felix jumped over the half-burned wood the fire came from, followed by Kraden.

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LETS CHECK ON THE OTHERS! XD Damn, your going to kill me for this.

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The man was lead into a cell and released from the chains. The guard walked out and locked the cell door. Piers growled and sat down with the back against them. "Ok, what now?" He mumbled. He had a mission itself he was 'forced to leave' before time.

Alex had got bandages around his wrist. That psycho was really strong. He walked into the prison to see what they'd done to the giant. See what they'd done to the giant.

He noticed the man behind bars and went over. "Excuse me sir, I never caught your name…" Alex asked while resting his arms against one of the horizontal bars.

The man looked over his shoulder with an annoyed glare. "It would be nice to know who broke my wrist…" Alex added. The man looked away. Alex sighed and was about to turn. "Piers Le Fair Neptune…" The man growled. Alex looked back. "Piers? I'll remember that name." Alex said and walked out of the prison while an old man entered.

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Ok, back to Felix.

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Felix walked down the path behind the cooking pot when a gigantic hand slammed down in front of his nose with a nasty sound from the floor. He stopped on the spot and looked up at thing that'd almost made him as high as a pancake. Before him stood three big, blue and brown gorillas.

The first one snarled at him and launched another paw at him. Felix jumped to the side as the paw collided with the floor in a loud crash. Kraden ran back against the exit almost screaming like a girl. Felix cursed in his mind and send an earthquake through the floor, so the cave shook again, but quickly cut it off when he remembered the two girls being downstairs. He took out his sword while preparing for an attack.

Another gorilla launched its paw at him and almost got him nailed to the ground. Felix had just precisely dodged, but his cape was caught. He swung his sword at the big gorilla hand and managed to cut a finger off. The gorilla screamed in pain and launched the other hand after him.

The two other gorillas jumped him and one of them grabbed his leg and lifted him up in eye height.

It snarled at him and showed its teeth. It opened its mouth to swallow him when a fire-dragon hit it on the side of its head.

It screamed in pain and let go of Felix while grabbing to its face. Felix fell and was about to splat out on the ground, when a wind caught him and made him land gently on the floor.

Jenna and Sheba had arrived and launched psyenergy against the gorillas. Felix drew his sword. It was too risky to use earth-quake in here. He attacked another monkey and cut off its foot so blood splashed out to all sides.

"Roll it up for Echo!" Echo suddenly shouted from Felix pocket and jumped out. He circulated around Felix sword and it began to glow. Felix attacked the gorilla that had lost a finger. He cut through from head to toe and cut halfway in, but then he launched up again and cut the rest over, so the two half's fell from each other.

Everyone froze a second, while Felix glared at the sword like it just fell from the moon or something.

Suddenly he got a silly idea. Why not? He made sign for the others to move and stretched the sword against the monkeys with a ordering stance. Suddenly a ghostly figure of Echo appeared and brown energy shot out from the sword and smashed into the gorillas. The two foes were smashed into the wall while the energy continued into the walls with nasty, crushing sound from the monkey's ribs.

The monkeys fell to the ground, dead. Everyone stared at the sword as Echo came out again and fell asleep on the flat side of the sword.

Felix didn't react at first, but then he picked up Echo and put the little, brown creature down in his pocket again.

"Is that… the power of a jinn?" Jenna asked while jaw-dropping. Felix nodded quietly. Sheba lightened up. "Jenna! There was another jinn downstairs right!" She asked exited. "Hey your right! First one there keeps!" Jenna yelled and ran down again.

Felix and Kraden was about to follow when a latter fell down from a hole in the roof. Felix sneaked over and looked up. He made sign for Kraden to follow and crawled up. They ended up in a small path. In the end was a door that they walked through.

It was a room, build into the mountain with two doors. On a platform was a kind of tablet with a gem and a pole. At the foot was a rope and in the middle of the room stood the old man from the entrance with closed eyes.

"You have passed the test. I am very pleased with you." The old man said and turned to them. Felix and Kraden looked at each other. Kraden coughed slightly. The old man opened his eyes and almost jumped a meter in shock. "Y-your not one of my students!" He yelped.

Felix sweat dropped and rubbed his neck with a goofy smile. "How did you make it here!" He asked demandingly.

"Erm yes… Felix?" Kraden stuttered while looking at Felix from the corner of his eyes.

The old man ran out through the door farer away from them. "The rope is still on the floor…" The old mans voice sound. He entered again with his hands behind his back and with a suspicious look in his eyes. "You must've come through the cave…" He mumbled and paused a moment. Felix felt a little awkward, being the only young person, and even an un invited guest. "That means…" He continued and turned his back on them. "That I must give you the secret of Lash…" He aid with a heavy sigh.

Kraden and Felix looked at each other. "Master Poi… you seem upset." Kraden said. "Oh no! Not at all!" Poi answered. "Felix, am I imagining it or do he seem perturbed?" Kraden asked and looked at Felix. Felix nodded with a questionable look at Poi.

"I am not perturbed, merely surprised." He answered and folded his hands on his back. "Anyway… what is this 'Lash'?" Kraden asked with a cough. "Lash is a power passed down for years in this very temple." Poi answered and looked up at the tablet. "And now I must pas it to you. It is our tradition. A gift given to all who pass the test that is."

"What type of power is Lash?" Kraden asked while looking at Felix like he had the answer. Poi walked over to the rope. "Allow me to demonstrate." He said and pointed at the rope. On a silent order a glowing hand appeared and picked up the rope. As poi moved his finger up, so did the hand. As it reached the pole, it tied it around it and disappeared.

"That looked like psyenergy!" Kraden yelped. "Psyenergy? We call it spiritual strength, but its probably the same…" He wondered. "Those who didn't pass the test is not worthy of this power. It is a pretty hard test as you probably discovered…" He added.

"It just got even harder…" Kraden mumbled while giving Felix an annoyed glare and crossed his arms. Felix gave him an ok-I-get-it!-can-we-please-forget-it-already!-look.

"Harder?" Poi asked while raising an eyebrow. Felix rubbed his neck with a goofy grin. "It's a long story master Poi…" Kraden said with a cough.

"What do you mean old man?" Poi asked and looked from one to another. "Old man! Your no spring chicken yourself!" Kraden said with an offended look and hands on his sides.

Poi laughed and crawled up the rope. Kraden and Felix looked at each other, then Felix followed up the rope.

He walked over to the tablet and Poi. Poi took up the gem and held it out against Felix. "This is the Lash pebble. It holds the secret of Lash, use it wisely on your travels and I hope my students will have the honour of learning its secrets too."

Felix took it and turned the blue-green crystal in his hands with an interested look. It was shaped like three leaves with their ends bound together and it was just big enough to lay on three finger tips. The carving and polishing was delicate and fine, like it was made by tiny hands.

Felix was roughly ripped out of the trance when Jenna and Sheba came running up with the little blue guy. They were soaked and the blue jinn looked offended up at Jenna that carried it. "We got him! We got him! Ain't he the cutest!" Jenna asked gleefully while hugging it.

"His name is Fog!" Sheba added while running over to the end of the rope. "He was tough to convince, but we got him with."

Felix blinked and crawled down the rope to them. The blue jinn looked pretty annoyed and like it would like to burry its tail-claw in Jenna's nose…

"Fog!" A little voice sound from Felix pocket. Echo's head popped out. "Hey buddy! How's it going?" He asked and jumped down on the floor. Fog snorted and looked the other way. "Offended that they beat you?" Echo asked with a glint of laughter in his eyes. "They did NOT beat me!" Fog protested, offended. Its voice reminded of a foggy day where you couldn't see a hand for you. "I… just chose to give them a chance!" He snorted and jumped down. "Suuuuure you did." Echo answered with what, if jinni had mouths, would be a smirk. Fog tightened his claw and beat Echo in the head with it. "Ok, If YoU sAy YoU cHoSe To GiVe ThEm A cHaNcE, tHeN I bEliVE yOuu!" Echo said with anime swirly eyes and a big bump in his forehead. "Thought you would." Fog snorted while watching Echo fall back over.

Everyone sweat dropped at the scene. Fog jumped up to Jenna again with a snort while Felix piked Echo up from the floor and put him back in his pocket.

"Hey what are you holding Felix?" Sheba asked, looking at the small gem. Kraden answered. "This is the Lash pebble, it gives you the power to—"

Two monks called from the lower level in the other room. "MASTER POI! WE FOUND BROTHER TINNENAN IN THE CAVE!" They yelled. "WE NEED A LITTLE HELP HERE!" The other one added.

The four of them froze while Poi walked out and slid down. The group looked at each other. "Uh oh…" Sheba mumbled. "What do we do know?" Kraden asked. "I say we run for it…" Jenna claimed. They all ran out through the closest door and slid down the side of the wall to the entrance.

"NICE JOB FELIX!" Kraden, Jenna, Sheba and Echo yelled. While they ran out of the temple grounds…

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Felix: sits in a dark corner with a sweatdrop

Jenna: Nice going Felix…

Sheba: Yearh, real nice.

Jinn, Kraden and author: sweatdrop

Echo: ' A, well… Thanks for stopping by, please don't bug Felix further more.

Fog: Since we didn't get it THIS TIME. Coughs and glares at author We will find some boys in a cave together with— Echo bumps in

Echo: The most BEAUTIFULL JINN IN ALL-- Gets whacked by Fogs tail

Fog: Shut up, I'm talking! Echo falls to the ground with anime swirly eyes ANYWAY! We also find this beautiful made moiselle. We further more pass over the mountains and meet ANOTHER beauty!

Author: Le gasp, that is gonna be chaos… anyway, rate and review.

Jenna: Oh and we're launching an 'ask the characters'! If you have any questions to us, the jinn, monsters, enemies or the author, then post the question in the review and it will be answered in next chapter! (P.s. yes, also Alex and Piers.)

Author: pushes Jenna out of picture Yes. Sayonara and see you next time!