How long has it been? A month, two months or maybe more? Nether the less, it has been very long and I have a feeling that I have failed some of you in my updates. I apologize. I guess I owe some of you an explanation. In any story, just like the sculptor in the Forest Haven, I needed inspiration. Despite my best efforts, I failed to find any anywhere so I decided to quit writing until I found some. When I read a recent review, this brought back memories; forcing myself to ask the question, 'what did happen?' With that in mind, I decided that since I started this story, I intend to finish it, no matter how long it takes. Some of you may not be interested in this story anymore; that is fine. Like I said before, I started this, so I'm finishing it.

Don't own anything except the concept of this story.

CHAPTER FOURTY-EIGHT: THE SPREADING EVIL

Usually when you finish a picnic and go to bed, the very next morning, you should feel ready to face everything and everything. But for our heroes, however, nothing would have prepared all of them for the chaos within the Renegade Base. When all of them entered the control room, most of the renegades were scrambling all over the place. Papers were flying everywhere and everyone was screaming at each other.

"What the hell is going on?" asked Lloyd. They were approached by Yuan.

"About time you woke up," he said. "Please, follow me. Step lively, now."

All of them took their seats within the conference room where Yuan was bringing the screen down.

"Do you all remember the darkness that was spreading through the sky?"

"The one that's covering Mizuho and Ozette?" asked Sheena.

"Correct…but now it's made its way up to Hima and slowly heading towards Meltokio."

"How could something like that spread so quickly?" asked Regal.

"Apparently, this darkness is growing. Soon, this who land will be covered in darkness…which brings me to my next topic…"

"The tree of mana?" asked Professor Raine.

"Yes. Due to the lack of sunlight, the land is slowly dying."

"So our objective is clear," said Wilder, "We must find the cause of the darkness and stop it before this world is covered in it."

"That is correct."

"Then what are we waiting for?" asked Lloyd, jumping from his seat. "Let's get to…"

"Hold on! There's something else."

"Something else?" asked Raine. "Didn't you cover everything?"

"No…it is regarding this Rei person…"

Shinji spoke quietly, "So you found her, right?"

"Yes, we have. She was spotted in Flanoir, freezing everything in sight."

"So what's the problem?" asked Asuka. "All we have to do is go there and beat her up."

"It's a trap," replied Professor Genis. "Don't you see? She hasn't revealed herself in a long while. Ganondorf must be making his move right now. While we're busy fighting Rei, the darkness will have enough time to spread to the remaining parts of the world."

"So, we're splitting up?" asked Colette.

"Seems like we have no other alternative," replied Aurion.

"I call the ice queen!" yelled Asuka.

"This isn't a game," replied Yuan coolly. "Although I hate to do it, we must split into teams in order to alternate ourselves between our two objectives." He turned to Xavier and Professor Genis. "But I need the two of you to stay here."

"And why is that?" asked Professor Genis.

"The source is probably coming from this other world you're from. Figure out a way to get the Crown of Heaven working again."

"This time, we'll use my calculations," the professor grumbled.

"Just transport yourself to another world once and you drag it on forever," grumbled Xavier back.

For the Flanoir mission: Genis, Raine, Professor Raine, Shinji, Asuka, Zelos, Sheena

For stopping the darkness: Lloyd, Colette, Wilder, Aurion, Regal, Presea, and Aryll.

"Why am I always stuck with you?" asked a mad Sheena, when she was paired up with Zelos.

"Because you're the lucky one," replied Zelos, who leaned over, his hand over Sheena's shoulder. SLAP! Not very wise.

"There is no time to lose," said Yuan. "We must end this whole affair quickly!"

Scrambling to the rheairds, each group flew in the opposite direction: One group to Flanoir, and the other to the tree of mana.

Flying overhead, the Flanoir team dropped into the city, walking cautiously as if to be ambushed at any given minute.

"You know, I usually like this city, but now it seems…creepy," said Zelos.

"Will you keep it down?" asked Sheena. "Someone might here us."

"Well, excuse me, but I don't remember asking for a commentary!"

"Will you two knock it off?" asked Professor Raine. "You'll draw attention!"

"Like there's anyone who'll here anything," replied Asuka.

"How do you know?"

"Because I can sense danger miles away."

"No you can't," Shinji said quietly.

"What was that?"

"Uh…nothing…"

"That's what I thought you said."

"She's right," Raine said, "I don't hear anything. Even darknuts make a sound when they are moving."

"Who said that the enemies here are darknuts?" asked Genis.

"What do you mean? They're always darknuts."
"Well, not here. Maybe there's an enemy here that's fit for this weather."

"Like what?" asked Zelos, who was scanning the area.

There was a slight shuffling sound coming from the snow.

"Shh!" said Raine in a whisper. "What's the noise."

"I…I don't here anything," said Shinji.

"That's because there's nothing here," replied Asuka.

"No, I hear it too," said Professor Raine.

"What is that sound?" asked Sheena. "It appears it's coming from the snow."

Suddenly, Blue tektites were blocking the path the group was walking on.

"Ah! What are those?" exclaimed Genis.

"I have no clue," replied Raine. "I've never seen anything like those before."

"And there's nothing like those things in this world either," replied Professor Raine.

(A/N: Blue tektites were originally in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask but never existed in the Windwaker world so I'm just putting them in this story)

"Whatever these things are, they're going down!" yelled Asuka.

"Uh, guys, they're surrounding us," said Shinji, looking back.

"I don't need you to tell me that!"

"Then let's do this quickly," said Sheena.

"Then quickly you shall have it, my dear," replied Zelos.

"Eww, gross!"

"Genis stay close to me," said Professor Raine.

"Augh, Raine," Genis protested in disgust.

"Little Genis needs me to protect him, huh?" asked Raine.

"Just stop talking and get smashing."

While the group engaged in the melee, Rei stood on a building and sighed.

"They're all…so violent," she said to herself.

Enroute to the tree of mana, Aurion asked, "Where do you think this darkness thingy is coming from?"

"Probably from somewhere we'd least expect it," relied Regal.

"So where would we least expect the darkness to come from?" asked Colette.

"I say…the tree itself," replied Presea.

"The tree…itself?" asked a confused Lloyd.

"That's what I was thinking too," replied Aurion. "That the darkness is coming from the tree."

"But how?" asked Wilder. "That the tree is producing this darkness?"

"You're about to get your answer," replied Lloyd. "Take a look at that!"

The tree was in sight. As predicted, darkness was spewing from it. Touching-down, the team surveyed the area. That's when Aurion bumped into something.

"Ouch," he said, rubbing his head. "Damn, watch where you're…"

"What's wrong?" asked Lloyd.

"Hmm…seems to me that we didn't get here first."

"What do you mean?" asked Colette.

"Well, this thing looks like a lady…a pretty one at that."

Upon closer examination, Lloyd and Colette's faces went white.

"What's wrong Lloyd?" asked Regal.

"That's…"

"It's Mana!" exclaimed Colette.

Mana, the tree's protect has turned to stone. Out of the stone figure, a faint voice was heard. "Stop…him…"

"Mana!" Lloyd yelled. "You're in there!"

"Stop…him…"

"Stop who?" asked Presea.

"Me…little miss," replied a voice.

In front of the tree, stepped two figures: One was Lord Irving, and the other figure made Aurion's face turn white.

"Who's that creep?" asked Lloyd.

"Ganondorf," mumbled Aurion.

"Who?"

"I heard of him," said Aryll. "It was he who obtained the power of the gods, who attempted to cover the land in darkness and was ultimately sealed away by the very power he hoped to command. He is the very same Ganon... The emperor of the dark realm the ancient legends speak of...my brother told me about him."

"So…you must be the hero's sister," said Ganondorf. "And the traitor Kratos…for how much longer will you delude yourself."

"I was deluded by your selfish ambitions," replied Aurion. "And now I'm here to stop you."

"You? Stop me?" he gave a maniacal laugh. "You alongside a little girl, a stultified hero and a failed Chosen stop me? How absurd. I only came to this world to see how things are progressing but I suppose I have time to play your little games. Irving, get rid of these vermin at once!"

"Yes master," and with that, Lord Irving charged towards the groups, with two unsheathed swords.

Well…not bad for a come-back chapter. Please let me know what you think and please NO FLAMES!