Chapter 9: A Star of Venus

Part I: Lilyvera, City of the Tree

Shamira gently laid the tornado down in the outskirts of Lilyvera. The tornado began to dissipate and the Fivefold were lowered slowly down by the failing winds to the ground, where they looked up in awe at Lilyvera.

Dominating all else of the city was an immense tree that defied logic with its size as it reached for the heavens. "It must be nigh fifty metres around the trunk…" Maris thought in awe. "And almost one thousand high…"
From gnarled brown bark reaching to the very sky, to limb upon limb of leafy branch overshadowing the city, a soft dappled green light filtering down and illuminating the streets and homes. Every so often, a leaf would float gracefully down and come to rest on the street, so that the roads were layered in emerald. From the branches of the Tree hung long and trailing moss, wreathing the tree in an ancient and venerable cloak. The moss just stopped short above the roofs of the structures that surrounded the Tree, structures dwarfed by the Tree's immense girth. As is common with the capitals, they grew around one majestic feature, and Lilyvera is no exception.

The houses were made of sturdy stone, pockmarked and smoothed by the impacts of decades of blowing sand, and were a soft yellow in colour. Flowering ivy climbed the walls, so that the entire city seemed vibrant and alive. The streets were smoothed flat through Psynergy, and carved from solid rock. The citizens were tall, either blond or brown-haired and strong. Most carried arms, and the women pinned flowers in their hair to show their Venus allegiance.

The Fivefold proceeded into a massive open courtyard, where Venus Adepts milled slowly. A large fountain had been erected in the centre to provide a steady melody of flowing water, and lilies floated serenely in the water as a tribute to the name of Lilyvera.

As the Fivefold walked on, Orior suddenly stopped. "Wait. When we seal Venus, Regnoare will most likely move against Lilyvera. Fortunately, this time we know they're coming. Is there any allies we can call upon to aid Lilyvera?"

Maris looked thoughtful. She slung off her pack and began rummaging inside it, and shortly after extracted a quill and bottle of ink. She dipped the quill and began to write, the blue Bird of Paradise feather scratching on the sheet. "I will write to Hydros… informing him that Regnoare will soon move on Lilyvera. Knowing him, he will want revenge on Regnoare, and no doubt feels guilty for letting him get away with the assault on Imil." She stopped writing, and looked up. "But how am I to get it to him…?"

Shamira smiled, and whistled piercingly. "I'll call a bird to carry the message to him, and find him wherever he is." A golden eagle fluttered down and alighted on her outstretched wrist. Maris handed Shamira the letter, who reached into her pack and extracted a piece of cloth. She beckoned the eagle over, who obligingly fluttered closer, its five-foot wings nearly slapping Orior in the face. She tied the letter to the eagle's leg with the cloth, and, after assuring the others it was safely secured, threw up her arm and the bird took flight. As it dwindled into the sky, Shamira turned to them. "Let's go."

The courtyard funnelled into a grove of trees, boreal giants to herald the path to the Tree. Their roots criss-crossed across the road, designed to impede an invading army, and the sunlight filtered through the green canopy and dappled the ground. The Fivefold picked their way cautiously along this path, occasionally tripping over a root and barely catching their fall by bracing on a large root. The Fivefold approached the trunk of the tree, and saw the roots had grown up the side and outlined an arch in the base, forming a doorway to within. Many curtains of hanging moss blocked the way through.

Cinaed strode forward, and the moss immediately snapped into motion and reached for his neck. Startled, he retreated, and prepared to burn it.

"Wait!" Orior raised his palm, which began to glow yellow. The moss obediently curled upwards, rolling itself up and revealing the chambers beyond.

The rounded form of the tree trunk formed an inner courtyard of immense size. Flowering ivy clambered the walls, releasing a fragrant scent to aromatize the air. Two Lilyveran guards sat cross-legged on the floor, large broadswords beside them. Their helms were covered with steel spikes made to resemble thorns, and their armour was made of steel dyed yellow. Orior approached them, and they leapt to their feet and saluted, slamming a clenched fist into the other hand. "General Orior! You have returned!"

Orior smiled dryly. "And in one piece. Bourn, Sorat, I need to see the King and Queen. As soon as possible."

Bourn looked uncertain. "You are welcome anytime, General, but the Adepts with you…" He indicated the rest of the Fivefold.

Orior's eyes flashed. "Do not question your superiors, soldier. They are my companions, and they shall enter." The guards acquiesced and stepped aside. They reached behind them and pulled back a section of ivy, revealing a winding staircase.

"Thank you," Orior said, and led the Fivefold up the staircase. "I am taking us to see my parents, the King and Queen of Lilyvera. Like Maris, I need to inform my sovereign of all that has taken place. If you we allow me, I would see them alone and then call you all in later. Understood?" They nodded. "Good." They began to climb. Moss hung from the walls on both sides, its flowers leading colour and cheer to the stair. Every so often the moss was cleared away and a torch placed, lighting the way. After a long while of climbing, he spoke again. "We are almost there." The winding staircase that they had been climbing, one made entirely of living wood, began to level off and became less steep until it was barely an incline.

Eventually, they came to another curtain of ivy. Orior informed them it was a very potent poison ivy and would cause they skin to shrivel and rot if they touched it.

"Wait here." Orior commanded, and raised his palm. With a faint rustling, the ivy spread, giving the Fivefold a glimpse of the room beyond. It was a perfectly rounded chamber, the floor growing with living grass and more ivy crawling up the walls. The ivy reached to the very crown of the tree far above, from where sunlight filtered down to give the room a faint glow. From a trio of naturally cultivated branches hung a thick curtain of moss, laced once more with flowers. The Fivefold could faintly see two figures seated beyond. "I'll be back." Orior said, and ducked through the opening. The ivy whispered shut behind him, and the Fivefold reclined against the wall and waited.

Orior approached the curtain of moss and knelt, the fresh grass feeling soft and springy underneath him. "Father, Mother, I have returned." Slowly, gracefully, the curtain rolled back, and the King and Queen of Lilyvera were revealed.

The King was broad-shouldered; his skin weathered from a life lived near the desert. He had light brown hair that he wore in a shaggy mane down to his shoulders, and upon it he wore a crown of gold set in the centre with an emerald. His features were as chiselled stone, with a strong chin partially hidden by a thick beard and prominent cheekbones and eyebrows. Under his bushy eyebrows glinted a pair of brown eyes, conveying authority and command. He wore a cloak thrown carelessly over one side, the brown leather clinging to his massive shoulder and almost sweeping the floor. Underneath, he wore chain-link armour of a brown leather jerkin, which stretched under the strain of his powerful muscle. A long tunic covered his legs, studded with small jewels and reaching just past his knees. Brown leggings emerged and were tucked into heavy leather boots buckled with gold clasps, which glistened in the soft light. His height was an impressive six foot six, and a great broadsword lay beside him.

The Queen looked comical beside this mountain of a man, as she was a slender woman of only five foot three. A waterfall of golden hair flowed down her back, bound over her forehead with a golden circlet of lilies. Her features were small and well sculpted, with brilliant green eyes like Orior's. Her raiment was a long green dress interwoven with flowers, and her slender hands were clasped upon one another in her lap. Her feet wore close-fitting thin shoes that were made of green silk. When she saw Orior, her face light up in a smile and shone with radiance. "Orior! My son! Welcome home."

The King nodded gruffly. "What news, General?" He gestured for Orior to continue.

Orior smiled, and bowed. "Milord. The Mantium Regnoare has conquered Vale, and demolished Imil. He had taken Sol Aurarius, but my companions and I sealed the power of Mercury to render that aspect of it powerless. Regnoare chased us to the Karagol, but we escaped through use of speed and occasionally beating them back. We are here to seek permission to climb Venus Lighthouse and seal it, further weakening Regnoare's power. However," Orior said, and lowered his eyes. "Either way, I suspect Regnoare will move against us, and attack Lilyvera. As a general, it is my suggestion that we prepare for war." He straightened, and saluted. He then turned to the Queen. "And I haven't forgotten you, Mother. I have missed you both," he said, turning back.

The King rose, and commanded Orior to listen. "Your advice has been heeded, Orior. We shall prepare for war, and you may climb Venus Lighthouse. Are your companions here?" He said, and indicated beyond the poison curtain. Orior nodded. The King snapped his fingers, and the barrier rolled up. "Enter."

Aleos and Cinaed, with Maris and Shamira in tow, entered and stopped a few paces behind Orior, and bowed. "King Astonas, Queen Galedia, we are at your service," they said, still knelt.

"Rise," Queen Galedia bade them, standing herself. The King also rose. "Adepts," Galedia began, "we have heard of your exploits, as they have spread through out the land. A group of five warriors, devilling Regnoare and hindering him every step of the way. The earth held rumours of your coming." She nodded. "Go. You have our blessing." She reached out and grasped the King's hand, and the nodded to each other. Each raised their other hand and said in unison "Go forth. On behalf of Lilyvera, we bless you on your journey, so that the power of Venus may aid you when you need help.

Per venia quod vires de Venus, nos beatus vos, ut vos may prodeo quod triumphus."

The King dislodged his wife's hand and walked to the moss wall, which curled as he went, revealing a doorway. He walked out onto a wooden balcony high above Lilyvera. Reaching for the bark skin of the Tree, he pushed it aside and reached inside to a compartment. He extracted a carven horn, adorned with lines of green emerald. Leaning over the balcony, he blew a long note on the horn, the piercing tone reverberating through the air. As his massive lungs contained to sustain the note, he changed the tune and raised it, punctuating it with deep, bass notes. It was the song of war.

King Astonas lowered the horn, and turned back to them. "Even as I speak, our army has began preparations. Now, Fivefold. All that remains is for you to conquer Venus Lighthouse. When you finish, we shall be prepared," he raised his broadsword, and from a scabbard on her back the Queen brought forth a striking rod. "To fight alongside you. Now, go."

With bows of farewell, the Fivefold walked respectfully backwards from the royal chamber, and the curtain closed behind them.

Orior smiled. "That went better than I expected. My parents do not often grant permission to journey to Venus Lighthouse so easily. Let's make haste." He began walking down the stairway, and the Fivefold followed.

Through the occasional openings, the Fivefold saw the preparations for war. Mars Adept smiths were busy re-forging weapons, making them more keen and deadly for the battle to come. Already, rack upon rack was lined with new-forged swords, spears, and staffs, still faintly glowing red form the fires of the forges. Forging was a dangerous business in the Tree, and that more than anything conveyed the urgency behind these preparations. The soldiers were training more furiously than ever before, yet many still found time to salute Orior as he walked by. After countless stairs, the Fivefold again found themselves in the inner courtyard, where the guard had been quadrupled. "General Orior!" Came the greeting.

"Men, I and my companions need passage to the Catacombs. Open the path." The soldiers looked surprised, but nonetheless one walked to the wall and pulled on one of the innumerable vines. With a grating sound, a section of the wooden floor lifted up, revealing a dank passage in a cloud of wood shavings. From the wall behind him, Orior lifted a torch and looked to the Fivefold. "Be ready, the Catacombs aren't exactly the nicest place." They nodded, and Orior led the way into the darkness.

As they walked, with only the flickering light of Orior's torch to reveal sodden wood pathways and scurrying insects, Orior explained just what the Catacombs were. "As the giant Tree rises far above Lilyvera, so too does its roots dug far below. Most are dedicated to providing nourishment to the Tree, but we chose a few to hollow out as passageways." He came to a five-way intersection and took the centre one. "As you can see, one can become lost easily here, as we dug many false paths and placed traps at the end to confuse invaders. The true route, however, we connected to Venus Lighthouse, which extends underground to nearly under Lilyvera. For that is also a defence against invaders: the only way to enter Venus Lighthouse is through here, and so only a Lilyveran can find the Catacombs, and only a noble can find the way. If one tried to pass through Venus Lighthouse, one would use Reveal only to find themselves blocked by a wall of electricity." The path began to slowly slope upwards, but Orior continued undeterred when it began winding clockwise. "Ah. Here we are." An ornate carved stone door rose in front of them, inlaid with a jade vine pattern. Orior drew his longsword. It began to glow yellow, and he tapped it thrice on the door. In response, the door glowed yellow and opened.

Orior smiled and nodded. "Here we are. The Tunnels of Venus Lighthouse."

Part II: Venus Lighthouse

The room opened to a vast chamber, the door on a ledge that ran from one end of the chamber to the other. The walls were beautifully designed, stones of green and yellow interweaving to form a mosaic of colours, representing the two aspects of Venus: Earth and Forest. Below, a goddess statue, like the ones in Mercury Lighthouse, presided over a patchwork floor of glowing tiles, and a model of Venus Lighthouse. A glowing line proceeded from the model to the foot of the goddess statue, marking the path.

Orior surveyed the glowing line, and nodded. "As it should be. The path it's at now is the path to the aerie; the other path is to the treasure room. Which we will not be visiting," he said, looking sideways at them. "Now, come on."

The next room was fairly simple: a gap in the floor revealed a lower level, and that lower level dropped into darkness. Climbing cautiously along the edge of the upper level, the Fivefold leapt from the top of a pillar to the ledge to their left, skipping the lower level entirely. The ledge continued to run along the abyss and came through another doorway. In this next room, pillars rose from a dark pit, providing a way one could cross by leaping. To their right, the path stopped abruptly. "That's the treasure room," Orior said, and turned back. With haste and not without some apprehension, the Fivefold leapt form pillar to pillar, each time feeling the empty air of the abyss yawn beneath them. They ducked through a doorway, and saw a tall pillar standing beside a tile with a water design on it. Orior turned to their Mercury Adept. "Maris. Fill that with water, please?" She obliged with a smile. "Thank you." With a grunt, Orior heaved the pillar onto the tile, which sank, bringing the pillar and its water down to ground level. From a nearby pit rose a platform, providing the way across. The Fivefold found themselves at another one a little further down the way, but were perplexed to discover it already solved. Orior's eyes darkened. "Let's go."

In the next room of pillars again raising from the abyss, Orior indicated straight ahead. "Treasure room on the other," he said, grinning, and passed through.

The next room was a three-tier designed room, with an abyss below the last tier. It seemed a complicated puzzle. Orior grimaced, then brightened. "Shamira." Shamira crept closer, and stood beside Orior to survey the scene. "I need you to create an updraft coming up here," he pointed two spaces off the cliff, "for us to cross. We'll throw you across." He nodded back to Cinaed.

Shamira stepped back in disbelief. "Excuse me! Throw me? No. I'll not accept something like- CINAED! ORIOR! PUT ME DOWN!" They each had grabbed one of her arms, and tossed her to the ledge on the other side. Frantically, she called up her Wind Psynergy to cushion her landing, and landed softly as a feather. She stood up and glared at them. "This isn't over." She shook her head and called up a whirlwind between the two ledges.

The Fivefold crossed hurriedly, and when Orior was crossing she lowered it so that he nearly jumped into a wall. He stumbled back, and looked up Shamira. "Okay, Shamira. We're even." He rubbed his forehead, as if massaging a headache. With a twinkle in her eye, Shamira revived the wind and Orior crossed safely. After passing through one more hall, and one more treasure room, they came to a room with five statues, each glowing inside with the power of Alchemy.

"Mercury. Venus. Mars. Jupiter. And Sol." Orior named, pointing to each blue, green, red, violet and gold statue in turn. He turned back to them. "This is the final guard to the gate to Venus Lighthouse proper. We need to arrange them to honour the elements and Sol." He strode up, and inspected each, then the spot where they would lay. He stood back, running his hand through his hair thoughtfully. "I don't remember how this goes…" He walked and stood before the Venus statue, staring at her, and had the strange sense of someone looking back. Reaching up, he ran a gloved hand along the cheek of the stature. "Almost alive…" he whispered. "I had forgotten."

Shamira walked up and stood beside him, convinced he was going crazy. Then, she, too, stopped short and stared. "By Jupiter, they are… I wonder." Casting Mind Read, she sought contact with the statue, and immediately a ancient feminine voice answered her in her mind:

"Yellow shines northeast of me."

She relayed this to Orior, and he nodded. "I'll need your help with this, Shamira." She nodded, and she walked to each statue and communed with her, telling Orior what she said.

Using Move, he placed the Mars Statue in the upper-left side, the Mercury to her right, Jupiter below her, Venus to her left, and Sol in the middle of all. As he pushed the Sol statue into place, the ground shook as the door grinded upon. He nodded to the Jupiter Adept. "Thanks Shamira... Let's go." With a wave of his hand, he gestured for them to pass through the door.

The next room consisted only of a single door, with the emblem of a tree in full leaf on the floor before it. "Now, we enter into the true Venus Lighthouse, house of the power of Venus…." With some formality, he led the way up the staircase, and into the Venus Lighthouse.

The door emerged in a vaguely triangle room, another tree emblem dominated the floor. Orior pointed to a staircase opposite them, and said, "That is the exit. It leads back to the true Venus Lighthouse, so that one may exit from that entrance. However, the aerie is this way," he said, indicating a door facing the tree emblem. "But for now.." he continued. "Let's rest." He dropped his pack on the floor, and leaned against it, closing his eyes.

Aleos shook his head. "Not for long."

After five minutes, the Fivefold were up and eager to be on their way. Most of them had not seen Venus Lighthouse before, and Maris wanted to see how it compared to Mercury. Orior led them through the door, into a wide room. A single fall of sand cascaded from an opening in the wall, the rustling of the grains providing a constant background noise, almost a music. Orior pointed to a door to the left, then to the far side of the room. "To reach there, we need to redirect the sand from this fall to go in the other." He said, and pointed to a carven stone path running down the wall, a ravine five paces across which the sand would pour into.

He walked rapidly into the door he indicated earlier. Casting Carry, he placed a block into a gap that barred their way, all before the rest of the Fivefold caught up. Seeming to be in great haste, he leapt across and proceeded through the next door. A roaring filled their ears as they saw through an opening in the wall to their right a colossal sandfall, thousands of grains pouring over every second. A staircase led down to the abyss it poured into, and on the other side of the fall a door opened in the wall. Orior ran up the hall, and disappeared to the right, down a turn. When the Fivefold found him, he was standing before the sandfall, the grains of the sand rushing onto the floor around his feet. He turned back and grinned. With a backflip, he landed neatly on the sandfall and immediately was swept away.

The Fivefold rushed to the edge and saw Orior, fighting the force of the sand as he made his way to the other side. The grains pouring through the barred opening at the top seemed to be never-ending, and Orior wore a look of intense concentration. With a final leap and some Venus Psynergy, he was carried onto the other platform. He looked back. "Coming?" He challenged.

Shamira gained a running start and jumped over Cinaed, placing one foot lightly on his shoulder to gain extra height. She landed nimbly halfway across the fall, and ran quickly across to join Orior. "Nothing to it," she said, returning his challenging tone. Orior laughed softly.

Cinaed and Maris crossed together, the much larger Proxian half-carrying the Imilian over, despite her protests. Aleos, looking amused, followed.

Orior nodded and clapped his hands, still laughing. "Let's go," he said, and led the Fivefold, still occasionally chuckling and shaking his head. "Jumping Cinaed… Carrying Maris! What a group I'm stuck with."

They crossed on pillars over another pit, and entered a door, and another. Eventually, they found the source of the first sandfall. It poured through a slit on the wall, and there was one beside it, blocked as it was by a stone platform. Orior stepped on a switch, and the platform grinded over, enabling them to cross the pit the sand poured into to the other side. They crossed, and descending a staircase they found themselves again in the first room. The old sandfall had passed away and a new one occupied the empty groove. Orior, with the others, rushed the new sandfall and successfully crossed through the door.

Next, they found themselves in a seemingly simply room. A pillar was set up so it could be pushed to create a way to bridge the gap between this door and the one they needed to cross, but upon closer inspection there was no way down. A ladder simply dropped to a dead end level, two useless pillars set up against the wall. Orior clambered down, and inspected the pillars. He knocked heavily on one, and the sounded echoed behind it. Smiling, Orior stood back and cast Move. He grabbed the pillar with the Psynergy hand and hauled it back, revealing a doorway beyond. He slipped behind it, and found himself on the level with the pillar. "Ha!" He cried, and pushed it into place. The Fivefold appeared on the ledge above them, and he ran around to rejoin them. They crossed quickly, and passed through the door.

They pushed several blocks onto a Psynergy conduit, which guided the energy of a Venus statue to open the door. Two sparks ran on two paths: one fell into a pit, but the other ran true and shone to open the door.

The Fivefold passed through into the final main room of the lighthouse, a room that held one centre sandfall, flanked on each side by empty grooves for sandfalls yet to come. Orior skipped light-hearted, humming a tune (Venus Lighthouse Theme, in case you're wondering), and the Fivefold following on his heels. He crossed the sandfall and walked up and jumped the empty groove by means of a pillar.

And so, they Fivefold solved puzzles, pushing pillars in every way conceivable, throwing Carry stones into abysses, fighting the rage of flowing sand and crossing under a sandfall at one point, which proved to be very painful; the Fivefold reached a mazelike room, defined by blocks placed throughout to mark paths. The floor was a constantly churning sandstream, and would carry along any and all who stepped on them. Across the room, a treasure chest sat in peace on a tile, and the Fivefold looked wistfully towards it.

However, Shamira's eyes grew cloudy. "It is not for us to receive," she said, in a strange, unfocused voice. "It is meant for another. One who will come later." She then seemed to snap back to reality, and shook her head. She reached up and gently massaged her forehead. "Ugghh… foresight. Uhhh…" she groaned again. She sat down and closed her eyes.

Orior grinned and sat down beside her. "I take it we leave that chest alone?" She nodded, her eyes still closed. "Well, let's just avoid it."

Cinaed looked impatient. "Then let's go!" He jumped out onto the sand, but began to list to one side as his axe weighed his right down.

"Wait!" Orior called, and jumped up, dragging Shamira after him. He jumped on to the sand, a protesting Shamira floundering after him. Aleos and Maris leapt up and followed.

Cinaed, seeming sure of himself, wove through the maze quickly, but at the first crosscurrent was caught off guard and carried along another way. The rest of the Fivefold struggled to keep up. Cinaed stopped resisting the current and allowed it to carry him along, and kept one hand on the wall.

However, when the path turned and the wall with it, Cinaed's hand bent back on itself and Cinaed lost his concentration. The relentless flow of sand swept him along still, and he lost his balance and fell. Orior, seeing this, hurried to catch up and in his haste also fell, tripping all the Fivefold behind him. A great struggling mass of Adepts was forced along the path after the Proxian, towards the iron bars that guarded the forlorn pit that the sand poured into.

Whether it was fate, a mistake in the forging, sabotage by Regnoare, their combined weight, or some other agent, the bars broke when the weight of the Fivefold was thrown against them.

Immediately, darkness enveloped them as they were drawn into the darkness of the tunnel. When Shamira craned her neck to look behind them, the broken gate was just a small and dwindling point of light in the blackness. Shamira flipped around in what little room there was, righting herself. The other Fivefold followed suit, and accompanied always by the rushing sound of sound pouring downhill.

The walls of the claustrophobic tunnel suddenly veered away, and the Fivefold found themselves in a vaguely circular pipe, about ten feet in diameter. The sandflow was still going, but the sand thinned to just three feet in depth, as Orior found when he plunged his hand into the raging mix. Yet, as it thinned, its wrath became less and shortly the Fivefold was softly carried along, though still seeing nothing in the blackness. Then, unexpectedly, a point of light appeared far off and slowly brightened as the sand carried them closer.

Without warning, the pipe dropped off and the Fivefold fell a short distance (approximately twenty-five feet, said Aleos' scholar mind) before they landed on an immense pinnacle. In the meagre light the Fivefold discovered they had fallen on an enormous pile of sand, towering some eighty feet above the ground. The cause of it was easily discovered, for even now countless grains poured onto it, adding to its girth infinitesimally. Orior, curious to discover what the light was, leapt down and began sliding down the mountain of sand. The rest of the Fivefold followed.

"Hah!" Orior cried as he jumped the last ten feet of the pile. He looked up, and moved ahead to allow the rest of the Fivefold room to land, which they did soundlessly.

Orior glanced up, and judged the light to nearly two hundred feet away. Being closer, the Fivefold could now discern that the light filtered down from some far-off hole in the cavern roof, allowing light to grace the chamber. Orior looked behind, and waved them on.

For some reason, the barrenness of the cave's rocky floor was shattered by the appearance of sparse grass. Orior, perplexed, reached down and felt the struggling growth. It was soft and healthy, which only increased his confusion. "How could this be…" he murmured. "There must be some virtue to this soil… there's no water, little light, and yet it flourishes." He glanced up again at the light filtering down from the heavens, and nodded. "It must be. Let's go."

Suddenly, realization dawned in Orior's eyes. "It c-can't be…" Leaping up, he ran at full speed towards the light, and stood breathless before the shining light.

There, glorying in the light, a longsword was struck, impaled in a rounded rock. Inlaid on the pommel was a single emerald in a rose of crystal, which melted into a sturdy handle of the same material. From that sprung a long blade, and two leaf-shaped guards near the handle, sharp as daggers and just as deadly. Most of the blade was hidden within the rock, but the blade that could be seen revealed it to be tempered excellently, almost a pure silver in colour except for a faint golden sheen around the edges. From the ground around the rock sprung forth several thorny briars, their long thorns reaching up onto the rock and twining round the sword, binding it, and coming to an end just before the handle.

"Auraleo…" Orior whispered reverently. He approached the entombed sword and knelt. "Ancient blade of my forefathers, you have been in our tales for generations. We still tell how you were wielded by Leorean in the War of Alchemy. Would you permit me to wield you again to fight the forces of darkness?" Orior closed his eyes, and seemed to feel a sense of assent. "Then, come unto me!" He cried, and sprang onto the rock. He grasped the hilt of the blade with both hands, and pulled, but with no result. Gritting his teeth with the effort, Orior summoned the power of Venus to increase his strength, his muscles bulging with newfound power. But at the same time, the thorny vines that encircled the blade began to writhe, growing and slithering up the blade to where Orior's hands held the handle in a unbreakable grip. Pausing for a moment, the thorns raised up and dove, winding around Orior's hands and digging the thorns into his flesh. Orior hissed in pain and anger as they strengthened even more and long, dagger-like needles drove into his hands and began to wind up his forearms, draining his energy.

With a cry of denial, Orior began to fervently tug on the sword, even as the vines crawled upwards and moved towards his body. Orior began to feel the darkness of the poison closing in, and in his desperation felt a foreign power brush his mind. "Emaleo!" He shouted, and in a flash of yellow light Auraleo surrendered its grip and slid from the rock. Twirling the blade, he hacked off the vines with pleasure, which writhed on the floor as if they had a mind of their own before a fireball incinerated them. Orior glanced up and saw Cinaed smiling, satisfied.

"I could hardly flame them when they were still on you," the Proxian told him, apologizing.

Orior nodded. "Thanks." He looked down and examined the blade he had drawn. Slashing experimentally, he saw a faint trail of yellow-green light follow the blade's path, and he nodded. "Imbued with Venus element. Excellent." He turned back to them. "So, how do we get out of here?"

Shamira paused and looked around, then pointed up at the shaft of light that poured down form above. "Only way."

Orior nodded. "I was afraid of this…" He strode over to the rock, and lightly kicked it. "But… I have a feeling this isn't just a rock. Come over here, Fivefold, and stand around the rock." The Fivefold circled the rock accordingly, and Orior stepped onto it. Flipping Auraleo point-down, he impaled it into the rock again. Both blade and rock began to glow yellow, and with a loud grinding, a circle of earth five feet wide and seven feet deep around the rock began to rise. Orior quickly withdrew the blade and leapt onto the rising platform. In a rough ascent, the platform pierced the light and continued to rise. Soon, the Fivefold found themselves suspended over a pit in Venus Lighthouse, a circular platform in the style of the rest of Venus Lighthouse occupying the empty space in the middle of the platform. Looking around, the Fivefold saw the shaft continued above, though the earthen platform no longer would rise.

Orior pointed at the Venus platform floating beside them. "To the Aerie," he said simply. "Let's go." As one, the Fivefold stepped off the earthen platform and crowded onto the Venus one. Lacking the Psynergy support from the Adepts, the earthen platform crashed heavily back into the darkness, and they began to ascend to the Aerie.

Part III: Clash on Venus Aerie

A patch of blue sky appeared above their heads, and slowly grew as they ascended through the dark shaft to the Aerie. They broke through the end of the shaft and were surrounded by light, a gentle breeze blowing through a blue sky mottled with fluffy clouds. The platform stopped beside the elevator of the Lighthouse, and the Fivefold one by one hopped onto it, being careful not to send a Psynergy command of descent.

Taking a moment to rest themselves before tackling the sealing of the Orb, the Fivefold drank some fresh water and ate a few strips of dried fruit while they enjoyed the open air. All too soon, haste bade them proceed to the sealing.

Traversing on the floating platforms that bridged the gap from the elevator to the Aerie, the Fivefold found themselves regarding the Orb of Venus. It was a rich yellow laced with veins of green, which continually phased in and faded across its surface, and radiated the Psynergy of Venus. Small orbs orbited it, just like Mercury's.

Maris took a deep breath. "Let's do this," she said, and started towards the beacon.

Suddenly, and ice-cold voice full of malice stopped her. "Not so fast." From behind the beacon strode a Mantrak officer, dressed for battle. A great broadsword hung at his side, and his black cloak swept the ground as he walked towards them. Hammered black iron mailed his torso and legs, and sheathed his forearms and boots. Vambraces protected his hands, short spikes protruding from the knuckles and fingertips. His warhelm was pure black, with a fiery crest of tempered steel glowing red with Psynergy. The faceplate was a blank mask, with slanted holes cut for eyes and vertical slits over his mouth. Behind the eyeholes burned the crimson eyes of a Mantrak seeking to kill. He surveyed them, and laughed. "Such a ragged bunch of scoundrels to cause so much trouble for His Darkness. And to think, the entire Mantrak army is after you!" He laughed softly.

Orior stepped forward, fists clenched. "Your master will fall. We already robbed him of Mercury, and shortly Venus. Jupiter and Mars will soon follow. Then, Regnoare will atone for his crimes. Even now, our armies prepare for war.

The Mantrak looked amused, and flipped his cloak back, revealing the full length of his seven-foot greatsword, the scabbard encrusted with jewels. "Oh really? Can you prepare fast enough?" With a slight inclination of his head, he indicated the far-off northern horizon. The Fivefold looked, and discovered a black haze gathering like a swarm of locusts before a plague, the winds of disease through a city. It was as this Mantrak said: Regnoare was coming.

A loud clash brought the attention of the Fivefold back to the Mantrak. He had drawn his greatsword and thrown the scabbard to the ground, and now stood in a battle stance. The greatsword was forged of a black metal, and faintly glowing red runes were etched on the blade, signifying plague, pain, ruin, destruction, and death. "I am to stand in your path, and if need be slay you to prevent the extinguishing of Venus. For the good of Weyard (Aleos snorted), and for the sake of our ambitions, you will now face Scyrian, Mantrak commander."

Cinaed only smiled. "Bring it," he said, drawing his axe.

"Glad to," Scyrian replied, and gathered Psynergy in his palm, calling upon the darkness of Luna. He knelt and slammed his hand into the ground, and immediately a wave of blackness erupted from the point. The line of shadow rushed across the aerie to them, and as it reached their feet and coiled around them the Fivefold felt a wave of overwhelming despair and hopelessness. Within moments, they found their energy being drained, and before their eyes the Mantrak commander glowed, his eyes flashing a brighter red as his strength increased.

"Ugh…" Orior grunted, and lunged half-heatedly at the Mantrak with his weapons, the Imilian blade in his left and Auraleo in his right. The Mantrak only smiled and stepped back, wielding the greatsword easily in one hand. Bringing it above his head and clasping it in both hands, he brought the blade down on the stumbling Orior. Sensing his doom, Orior crossed his blades above his head, and barely managed to contain the mighty weapon. Even so, the force of the glow shattered the Imilian blade, raining shards down on Orior, who raised his arm to defend himself.

"Orior!" He heard a shout, and retreated to look behind him. Maris was surrounded in a pure white aura, and reached her arms to the heavens. A bright light appeared between her palms and she brought it down and threw it at their enemy.

"Sol!" The Mantrak officer said in surprise, and called up his own spell. Instantly gathering darkness, he clashed forces with Maris' attack. The two orbs grinded against each other, and with a flash and a loud explosion they both exploded, spraying darkness and light everywhere.

With that, the rest of the Fivefold rushed him. Shamira and Cinaed attacked. Hastily raising his greatsword to block, the Mantrak fended off Cinaed's axe while at the same time blocking Shamira's thrust with his vambrace. Turning his parry into a slash, the Mantrak turned his blade horizontally and lashed out, and only their warrior's wit saved the two Fivefold from being beheaded.

Orior, his mind cleared, joined the fray. Scyrian was soon fighting frantically to keep the three warriors at bay, relying on large and wide slashes. More than once, Shamira's nimble rapier slid past his defences and clicked him on the armour, shocking him.

To make matters worse, he sensed the Mercury Adept sneaking behind him with her staff, the long crescent edge glittering cruelly. Refusing to be pincered, the Mantrak cast off his cloak and threw it behind him, entangling Maris and revealing his broad and powerful shoulders. Summoning a small amount of Luna Psynergy, he sealed the edges of his cloak together and preternaturally strengthened the fabric to the durability of steel. He smiled to himself. "Let's see her breath in there, much less cut herself out."

Meanwhile, though, the last Adept, who had yet to show his power, drew an intricate katana and advanced. In his grey eyes there was a cold fire, and he began to fight coldly and emotionlessly. His opponents fanned out, so that he was surrounded on all sides by foes.

Katana, rapier, longsword and axe flew at him from all sides. He growled, and swept aside katana and longsword with a grand sweep. The rapier he parried with his armoured forearm, and so only the axe was left. He quickly brought this greatsword around, so fast that a casual observer would only see a blur. He drove it into the ground, and used it to vault sideways and kicked the Proxian across the face with his armoured boots. The Mars Adept staggered back, clutching his jaw, which seemed to be broken. The Venus Adept broke off and rushed to his companion's side. Casting Potent Cure, he pumped Psynergy into his jaw, the Venus energy strengthened tremendously by the proximity of the Venus Orb. The Proxian rose and gingerly rubbed his jaw, and Scyrian cursed his forgetfulness.

The Mercury Adept still struggled around in the makeshift bag.

The Mantrak levelled his blade at the two Adepts till standing, and summoned darkness. Casting True Collide, the darkness reached out to his opponent's hearts and drained some of their energy, which took the form of small black orbs and flew into the Mantrak's body and recovering his strength somewhat.

The two Adepts recovered and rejoined the melee, and Maris was finally making some headway on her entrapment. The tip of her blade had speared through the fabric, and she was currently working it down, cutting a rough and frayed hole.

Scyrian growled, finding himself outnumbered once again. "Enough!" He cried, and cast Shadow Sphere. A black aura surrounded him and disappeared. A black shell phased in around Scyrian, and as he flung his arms out it expanded in every direction. The Fivefold were flung in all directions, and felt the darkness violating their beings. It clung to their skin and burned it with darkness, and when it finally wore off the skin it touched looked pale and unhealthy. Their minds were clouded and confused, their hearts discouraged, and their souls troubled. Scyrian, meanwhile, was strengthened, his health and Psynergy restored. He advanced on them, drawing his sword. "Now," he said as he walked, "time to die."

Suddenly, Maris leapt out of the bag. "Back to the hellhole you came from, darkness!" She reached out to the Fivefold and cast enough Ply for them to stand. "Now, Fivefold, lend me your strength!" She reached out and grasped Cinaed's hand. In turn, he clasped Orior's, who clasped Shamira's, then Aleos'. Maris glowed with power, and a white aura leapt to life around her. Drawing back her free hand, she cried, "Light Ray!" A bolt of white Psynergy crackled through their interconnected hands and went through Maris to gather in her palm. It sparked, and coalesced into a shimmering ball. Thrusting her hand outwards while bracing herself, a white-hot beam of Sol leapt out and crashed into the Mantrak, who staggered under the onslaught. Resisting the wave, Scyrian gathered darkness and countered with his own attack, and a flare formed where the two attacks combined. "More!" Maris shouted back, and the Fivefold obligingly increased the flow, and the beam strengthened in both magnitude and size. Scyrian's darkness failed to hold back the light, and was overwhelmed. The beam razed the Mantrak, searing his armour and cracking it. He was lifted off his feet and thrown backwards, the beam pushing him on. It carried him off the Lighthouse Aerie, and then dissipated. As his charred body plunged to the ground, the Fivefold heard him say weakly, "This isn't over."

---

Exhausted, the Fivefold collapsed on the aerie floor, breathing heavily. "We… won…" Orior gasped up, and closed his eyes. He got up on one elbow and looked respectfully at Maris. "If it wasn't for your Sol Psynergy, it is unlikely that we would have survived. I thank you." He inclined his head slowly. This sentiment was echoed by the other Fivefold.

Maris lowered her eyes modestly. "It was a necessity. Think nothing of it. Right now, let's work on sealing the Orb." She rose, and approached the swirling sphere. She reached out to it, and called forth the water. Water trailed from her fingertips as she brought her hands together, forming the foundation for the Star. She brought it towards the beacon, commanding it to gather in her Star.

Nothing happened. The newborn Star merely bounced off something like an invisible barrier and retreated to Maris. She frowned. "Orior! Help! It needs a Venus Royal to command it!"

Orior snapped to attention. "Right away." He strode over to Maris and stood beside her.

Maris looked up, but her eyes had a faraway look as she struggled to maintain the Star. "Place your hands over mine," she instructed. Orior obeyed, and gently enclosed Maris' hands in his. Maris concentrated, and the power of Venus flowed into her hands. Reacting to the order of a royal of its element, the beacon flashed, and began to break up into small pieces. Like a river of sand, it poured into Maris' Star, which began to turn from a almost transparent to a brilliant yellow, tinged around the edges with a hint of green.

"Orior," Maris continued in the same faraway voice, "I'll need your co-operation to forge it as well. Just feed me Venus Psynergy, and it should work." Orior nodded.

"Sub-zero." As before, the air around them turned frigid, rapidly heading towards –273. Before they froze to death, Maris summoned the joint Mercury/Venus core of the spell.

Spinning into formation from the water vapour in the air were several crystals of various shapes. Long thorns, almond-shaped leaves, and large jagged rocks. Almost as if drawn by a magnet, the crystals slowly gathered around the liquid Star, then paused, and plunged inside with supernatural speed. Forming a pattern of leaves and vines across the surface, the Star froze to its core and the patterns on the surface erased, leaving behind a flawless crystal.

Maris and Orior broke apart, and nodded to each other in satisfaction. Taking the Star reverently in her hands, she passed it to Aleos, who likewise placed it in the bag of Mythril with the Star of Mercury.

Orior nodded, and looked at the cloak and sheath of the Mantrak warrior they had fought. "Now," he said. "Let's deal with Regnoare." As one, the Fivefold turned to the Northern horizon and started with surprise. Regnoare's army had travelled off Angara, and was advancing on Lilyvera with a navy! Even as they watched, a bolt of lightning split the sky above the blackness, outlining countless shapes and making them seem like a fleet of dragons come to earth.

"How will we get down there in time?" Orior raged, and looked around in fury and desperation. Then, he visibly brightened as he saw a pitiful excuse for a plant clinging to the side of the aerie, a withered vine that descended a mere five feet. "Praise Venus!" He strode over and crouched beside the plant, perilously close to the edge. As he cast Growth, a yellow psynergetic aura surrounded him and faded. As the vine was enlivened, it grew in vitality and length, plunging to the point where it stopped, just a mere ten feet above the bracken-strewn earth.

He turned to them, smiling broadly. "Let's go meet Regnoare." He spun around and leapt off the Aerie, using the vine to slow his descent. As he descended, the air rushing past him, he couldn't help but think of Scyrian, who fell this distance. For fun, he let go and plunged another fifty feet before grabbing the vine again, feeling the friction right through his gloves.

"Regnoare, you won't win this time!" He thought.

Part IV: Battle of Three Elements

Orior and the rest of the Fivefold paused to refresh themselves after the battle on the aerie, before setting off to return to Lilyvera. After a Wish and Aura, the Fivefold felt much better and walked quickly, fearing they would be too late to save the Venusian city. The blue sky clouded over with dark mists and thunder crashed, but there was no rain. It seemed to be night in the middle of day. "Hurry," Orior whispered, and they hastened.

The trees surrounding them flew away, welcoming with open arms the city of Lilyvera. The city was strangely empty, the doors and windows shut and barred, and eyes glinted behind drawn curtains. Orior nodded his approval at the preparations, and strode with the Fivefold towards the Tree.

As it rose in front of them, a trumpet sounded before them as the Fivefold walked forward in awe. Waiting for them at the gate of the Tree was the Lilyveran army, rank upon rank of gleaming steel and armoured helm, and at the head of this force was the King and Queen, in full battle regalia. The Queen had a silver circlet on her forehead, the steel flaring to an open crest. She wore a robe of sturdy cloth, interwoven with chips of metal that shimmered as she moved. Her staff she held upright and leaned slightly on it as she smiled at them. King Astonas on her right wore armour of hammered gold over his steel mail, and his broadsword hung at his side. A gold lion helm gave his face an imposing nature, the jaws of the lion forming the opening of the helm.

He walked forward, leading the Queen with him. "You were successful?" He inquired.

Orior nodded. "Yes, my lord." He looked back to Aleos, who retrieved the Venus Star and handed it to him. Orior nodded and passed it on to his parents. Between them, they admired it, and it glowed softly in response to their energy, recognizing its royals.

Astonas nodded and handed it back. "Keep it safe. If Imil could trust you with Mercury, we shall with Venus. Now, to war!" He raised his weapon in challenge, and the Queen at his side did the same. Behind him, the arms of over a thousand soldiers rose in the air along with a great cry, sending their challenge in defiance to Regnoare.

Quietly at first, then slowly increasing, a high-pitched keen rose on the wind. "Krrrrrreeeeeaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…" It trailed off, and the Lilyveran army shivered.

Aleos looked up. "Regnoare is coming."

The wind whipped up, blowing the hair of a thousand men and women wildly. A thousand pairs of eyes turned to the sea.

Riding the waves arising, the Dark Fleet approached. The ships were of black wood, the sails black leather, and the eyes of countless fiends burned on board. The figurehead of every ship was a dragon skull, carven of black steel and tipped with an iron spear. From the prow sprung back the first sails in the fashion of wings spread horizontally, so that the vessels glided easily through the water. Violet lightning struck, outlining the ships in a malevolent light and the ships seemed to come alive, a hundred grinning skulls flying on a raging storm towards them.

The Lilyveran army quailed in fear, but the Fivefold and the sovereigns recovered. "To the fleet!" boomed the King, and the troops scrambled. One by one, the Lilyveran army, ships of ash wood, with green sails and thorns lining the sides, sprung out into open water to meet their coming foe.

The Fivefold boarded with the King and Queen on the sovereign vessel. A large castle rose in the back, and the green sail was interwoven with glinting steel, forming the insignia of the house of Lilyvera: a lion's head wreathed in flowering vine. The Fivefold stood at the prow, watching the incoming fleet guardedly.

With a great explosion, the fleets engaged. Utilizing catapults, the Lilyverans launched ballistic boulders at the Mantrak, projectiles that, while limited in range, were deadly upon impact. Several enemy ships were disabled as a screaming rock tore through their sail or mast, and Mantrak scurried to repair the damage when one hit the deck and dug a good-sized crater. Some were even sunk as a lucky shot hit them below the waterline, the Mantrak having bare seconds to escape before their ship was sent to a watery grave. And those that did escape found themselves adrift in a cruel, storm-lashed sea.

Then the Mantrak began their attack. Their cannons launched magma balls, the fiery missiles screaming through the air and setting several ships aflame. Endangered Lilyverans leapt overboard and joined the floundering Mantrak, so that there also began a battle in sea as well as one at sea.

Fortunately, fate had smiled upon them and the royal vessel was unscathed by the fireballs. The Mantrak ships now began their second assault.

From the sides of each ship a large wooden plank deployed, a sharp and glittering spike on the end. Two black ships rushed alongside the royal vessel, and, loosing these upraised planks, secured passage on board: the spikes had driven into Lilyveran decks, forming a bridge between the two ships. Mantrak streamed onboard, weapons drawn.

The Lilyverans fought back ferociously as the two armies engaged. The Fivefold stood by the Royal guard, fending off wave after wave. But they found themselves outnumbered each two-to-one, and form the bowels of the Mantrak ships still more poured. By continuous onslaught, the Fivefold were pushed back-to-back, and soon only frantic blows and bursts of Psynergy kept the Mantrak at bay. Supernaturally strong and resilient, the Mantrak took blows that would have killed a man with ease, and they were well trained and infused with the might of Luna. And so, the Lilyverans found themselves slowly being pushed back, to the cellars of their ship.

Then, a horn rang a piercing call through the air. King Astonas and Queen Galedia emerged from the cellar, glittering in armour of gold. Astonas held the horn in one hand, and he raised it to his lips and blew again. It glowed yellow for a moment, and countless particles streamed the horn, each placing itself in a Lilyveran soldier, strengthening body and spirit. The Lilyverans fought back and held the line.

Suddenly, an unknown ship ploughed into the midst of the fray, its blue sails and silver adornments lending it a shining, supernatural and unearthly look. The Mantrak and Lilyverans both seemed unsure to as if this was friend or foe.

To their immense surprise, the Fivefold saw none other than Lynn at the helm! Decked out in Imilian crystal, she was barely recognizable in the attire of war. She guided the ship beside the Mantrak vessel attached to the sovereign vessel, and looked across, waving, her scimitar in the other hand. She shouted something behind to her crew, and shutters opened in the sides of her ship to reveal rows of glinting cannons. Lynn dropped her arm in signal, and the cannons fired. Large, three-pronged hooks shot out, dragging long steel chains behind them. These impacted the sides of the Mantrak ship, spraying wooden shrapnel and splinters in every direction. Lynn ordered her ship away, and the chains drew taut, so that approximately five shining chains connected Lynn's vessel with the Mantrak one.

She gave a piercing war cry, and nimbly leapt on to the chain and ran across at full tilt. The Mantrak could only stare in disbelief as Lynn raised her scimitar and cut them down. She ran across the ship, wielding her scimitar left and right. Those who managed to stand in her way found themselves impaled with a large spire of ice, and kneeled over, disappearing in a cloud of darkness, returning to the Luna whence they came.

Soon, she met up with the Fivefold, and Maris expressed her delight at having met her here. "Lynn!" She said joyously, and clasped the Mercury Adept's hands in her own. "How did you know to come?"

Lynn grinned. "I saw the Mantrak fleet passing by the Karagol, and followed as quickly as I could. Luckily, the Karagol has tributaries, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to bring my ship, and as such would have been quite useless." Suddenly, she saw the King and Queen standing off to the side, and her eyes widened. "King Astonas, Queen Galedia!" She knelt and offered her sword.

Astonas smiled kindly. "Rise, lady. Take back your sword; you have rendered us a great service. Not only have you freed our ship, but you have strengthened the morale of our army as a whole." He gestured around them with his arm, indicating the Lilyveran army, which was fighting with renewed vigour and was slowly but surely beating back the Mantrak. "We thank you." Lynn bowed. Daylight broke through the fog of war, and it encouraged the hearts of the Lilyverans, leading them to greater feats of battle.

It was then that the Mantrak army utilized their most fearsome tactic. The Mantrak ships broke away from their host ships and sailed a good distance away, unfurling their sails once more. Then, letting the wind fill their sails and blow them along, the Mantrak ships levelled prow and rushed the Lilyveran ships. The cruel spikes of the dragon figureheads made efficient rams as the Mantrak ships splintered Lilyveran ships in half, the needle point opening a weakness through which the rest of the dark ship soon followed, trampling and dooming the helpless Lilyveran target. Soon, chaos ensured as Lilyverans scrambled to escape the assault of the Mantrak, and more often than not collided with each other. The few Mantrak ships that had been taken, like Lynn's for instance, set out to attack the Mantrak ships in the same manner, causing confusion and disorder. But the Mantrak ships were too numerous, and simply speared those of their own number that approached them head on at too high a speed. They could afford the causalities, and still the Lilyveran ships were assailed, their ships declining rapidly.

Just when all hope seemed lost that their fleet was doomed, a bare few ships straggling throughout the sea, the Lilyverans espied a silver glint on the eastern horizon. Shamira raised her head from the Mantrak soldier she had just slain.

"Lumeria is coming!"

Hydros stood at the prow of his ship, enjoying the spray of the surf that rose from the wake of his ship. In his hand he held a crumpled letter, the letter that was the reason for this travelling. He opened it and re-read it:

Hydros!

The Fivefold and I are just about to enter Lilyvera and seek permission to seal Venus. In light of what happened at Imil, we fear that Regnoare will attack once we seal Venus. If you would be of assistance to Lilyvera, they would be indebted to us.

Postscript: This is our chance for revenge! Remember that!

With love,

Princess Maris

He sighed and stowed it in a cloak pocket. It was true, she knew him all too well. She thought he wouldn't pass up a chance to avenge Imil and Poseidon, and she was completely right. It galled him that Regnoare could get away with the destruction of Imil with minor casualties, and, aside from vengeance, it was a chance to stall Regnoare and stave off disaster for a while.

He raised the decision with the senators, and they almost universally agreed: the memory of Imil's destruction was still fresh in their minds. Only one foolish senator objected, a relatively young man named Conservato, fresh appointed to the Senate. He argued that if they attacked Regnoare, they would only attract his wrath to Lumeria.

He had rounded on the impertinent fool. "You spineless swine! Are you so afraid of death that you have no desire to regain our honour? If we win, Regnoare may not have the strength to defeat us. The full might of his army fell on Imil, and we can only assume that the same fate awaits Lilyvera. Defeat him there, and he will be severely weakened and have suffered a major setback." The other Senators had applauded, but young Conservato bristled. Hydros had a feeling he would not have good relations with the fool. The coward even elected to stay behind, when others centuries older than he marched to the front lines! Outnumbered, Conservato had had no choice but to consent.

Hydros had immediately begun marshalling the troops, preparing the leftovers of the Imilian fleet and the Lumerian fleet for war. The slow-heated rage of Mercury Adepts was boiling over, many of them having lost friends or family in the destruction of Imil. In a few short hours, the fleet was ready to advance. Conservato was conspicuously absent from the farewell to the fleet, and Hydros had grinned inwardly at his cowardice.

Now, as Hydros saw from afar the flashes and mixed colours of the two armies in battle, he was eager to join the melee. His ship was at the head of three hundred warships of Mercury make, with crystal bracings and shining masts. The fleet glimmered in the afternoon sun, the steel armour of the ships blinding all else, so that it just seemed a storm of stars sailing the sea.

Hydros turned around and addressed the fleet, his voice ringing out over the sea. "Imilian and Lumerian alike! The time to strike has come, the time to deal Regnoare the cards of revenge for Imil! Now, go forth, save Lilyvera and route the darkness!" Hundreds of voices cried their jubilation, and a strong east wind blew up behind them, driving them forth.

Like a colossal wave, the Mercury fleet struck the Luna, throwing their ships into disarray. The metal bracings that adorned the hull of every ship proved impervious to the rams of Luna, strengthened as the armour was by ice and Psynergy. Fireballs were destroyed by blasts of water, and fierce Imil/Lumeria resistance threw off the Mantrak invading by plank. Soon, the wedge of the Mercury forces had driven through the Luna mass to the beleaguered Venus fleet, and Hydros directed his ship alongside the sovereign kingship. From afar, he saw Maris waving and smiling, the rest of the Fivefold beside her. He bowed in their direction, both to his princess and the monarchs of Lilyvera, who were standing beside them. They nodded, and the immense sovereign vessel swung around and sailed alongside him. Together, they began to plow through the Mantrak forces, who found that they tide of battle had turned against them.

The morale of the allied Lilyvera/Mercury forces was at its height. The Mantrak ships scurried in fear, pursued close behind by Allied ships.

Suddenly, the Mantrak ships turned tail and fled, dragging the bruised and blasted remnants of their fleet behind them. A triumphant cry rose in the Allied fleet, and many fists were pumped in the air for victory.

Aleos, however, remained solemn and guarded. Smiling, Orior thumped him on the back and told him to cheer up. "We won," he said happily.

Aleos shook his head. "Mantrak were created for death and destruction. They can't turn back, they will fight unto the death. I fear some ploy."

Even as he spoke, the day dimmed as the sky once again clouded over with dark clouds. Red lightning flashed, revealing a whirlpool forming in the sea. Form it rose a towering colossus of a ship, at least ten times the size of a normal ship and all black. It was built like a fortress, with each deck encircled by black iron and topped by long spikes. The decks ascended to a large castle in the back, a castle drawn in the likeness of a fearsome demon, with wings outstretched as sails. Broken chains hung from the sides, and the whole thing had an unearthly dark look about it. Hearts and courage failed as the allies regarded this coming monstrosity.

Lightning flashed again, and in the burst of light it was revealed in all its malevolent nature: a long spike twenty feet long rose from the prow, more keen and sharp than the smaller versions on the Mantrak ships. The chains swung and creaked in the violent wind. Row upon row of armoured plank slid back, revealing countless cannons. As one, they fired in red flashes and raining innumerable Magma balls down on the Allied ships. Half the vessels were sunk, Lilyveran and Mercurian alike. As abruptly as it began, it stopped.

Suddenly, someone screamed. "Look at the Tree!"

All heads turned and beheld a dark figure leaning on the base of the tree, red eyes burning in the shadows and conveying amusement. The unnatural red lightning flashed again, and the figure was outlined for a moment all in red: revealing furled wings, a crested helm, and a black sword at its side. It was Regnoare.

He smiled evilly, and shook his head in disappointment. He slashed his palm with the edge of his sword, and upon raising his bloodied sword, dark red lines of Psynergy appeared in the air and gathered around his blade, wreathing it in a crimson glow. Chanting something incomprehensible (Cruor Vesica, in the ancient tongue), Regnoare reached out with the weapon, and the whole thing sprung to life. The glowing blade shone with a crimson light, and bolts of energy crackled up and down its length. Slowly, the bolts extended past the end of the blade, reaching ever further until the sword had extended its energy to a hundred feet in length. Still swinging it lightly in one hand, Regnoare brought it horizontal and levelled it against the bark of the Tree. His grin widened.

"No…." Maris whispered softly.

Regnoare drew back his arm, bringing the enlarged blade over his shoulder. With a powerful diagonal slash, he sliced clear through the trunk of the Tree, and then disappeared into the darkness. The Allied army held its breath.

The Tree groaned and shifted, listing a bit to the east. Then, slowly and majestically, the great Tree tilted to the southeast and fell, gaining speed as it went, its many leaves rustling in the wind of its descent. It landed with a sizable crash on the city of Lilyvera, the branches somewhat breaking its fall. As it pulverized the structures underneath it, it began to roll. It rolled off the cliff beside Lilyvera and fell into the water with a loud splash, the spray of water being immense. It was so large, the fallen branches reached hundreds of feet into the air from the sea.

Lilyvera was in ruins. Half the buildings were crushed or damaged, and to top it off the stump of the Tree still remained, a ghastly slanting mouth that mocked the memory of the once-proud tree. Even as they watched with horror, the stump withered and disappeared.

As the Allied army stared with disbelief, a cruel laugh rent the storm-torn sky. Regnoare appeared above the dark warship, and alight softly on its crown. On his silent command, the Mantrak ships wheeled around and advanced, the dark wind of Regnoare lending them speed.

On every allied ship, every person was in shock. Despite their best efforts, Lilyvera had been destroyed, for the Tree had been the heart and soul of the city.

Orior shook with rage, his knuckles turning white as he clenched the handle of Auraleo tightly. "This cannot be… Regnoare…" He thought. "THIS ATROCITY IS UNFORGIVABLE!" He screamed, shaking. Suddenly, power flooded into him, and his eyes glowed gold and he was surrounded with a gold aura that slowly lifted him into the air. Below, Regnoare watched with curiosity.

Slowly swinging his sword around, Orior levelled it horizontally and clasped it with both hands. "Gaiaflare."

Auraleo glowed yellow, and from the tip sprung four emerald vines, all covered in thorns. They lashed onto the Mantrak battleship, drawing tight as a noose on each quadrant and binding it fast, effectively halting its advance. Regnoare tried to escape, but the vines had fashioned an invisible barrier around the ship. He fell back and waited uneasily.

Next, a storm of rocks erupted from the tip of the blade, rocks jagged in shape, barraging the Mantrak ship and denting each layer of armour. The ship was soon covered in the debris of a thousand rocks.

Orior adjusted the blade, pointing its tip at the heart of the warship. In response, both the vines and the sword began to glow yellow, rising in magnitude by the second. As the sword's glow crested in brightness, from the tip came a burst of light, and a lion-shaped avatar sprung forth, all golden with Psynergy. It shook out its luxurious mane and roared, seeming to shake the very heavens. It pawed the air, and Orior felt a ferocious mind contact his:

"So, this scum has felled the Tree? He shall rue the day he was born!"

Orior nodded savagely. "Yes he shall. You and I, Leo. We will punish him together."

The lion avatar turned back and regarded him thoughtfully before answering, "So be it."

Immediately, the vines began to turn a brilliant yellow. They turned into pure energy and collapsed, drawing rapidly towards the centre of the shape they formed, cutting through the ship as they went. At the centre, they merged into a single golden beam that emerged from the tip of Auraleo and reached into the sea. The ship began to slide apart, and Regnoare still struggled with the force that bound him, a force more ancient than he.

With a final resounding roar, Leo leapt at the point of the beam that pierced the heart of the ship. As he leapt, Orior heard his voice one last time: "Until we meet again." With that, Leo dove into the beam, and a blinding explosion ensured. The golden explosion rocked the area, and a gigantic golden orb expanded out, rippling the sea as it went. The four vine waves maintained their shape and rode abreast of the expanding orb, tracing a vaguely circular path around the sphere.

The warship was completely obliterated, not a shard of debris remained. As the orb expanded, Regnoare gave a cry and flew upwards, merely a black spirit borne on the wind. He rose to the sky and vanished.

Orior descended a little too quickly and crashed onto the sovereign Lilyveran ship, which was battered by cannonfire, but still intact. The last thing he said before he collapsed was, "Now… we won."

---

The celebration was long, but tarnished with sadness. Lilyvera was ruined, and the Tree could not be replaced. Nonetheless, everyone drank long and heartily. The King and Queen invited Lynn and her crew to dine at their table, along with the Fivefold and Hydros, who declined, explaining that he had to leave and govern Lumeria. He and Maris embraced, promising each other that they would see each other again. Once he had left and the feast had gone on for a while, Orior tentatively asked his parents what they planned to do next.

King Astonas leaned back and chewed thoughtfully. Then he finally said, "I think we will rebuild Vale. With Lilyvera destroyed and Venus sealed, the largest concentration of Alchemy is Mount Aleph. All who are willing can come with us, but the rest also have the option of joining Anchol, Izumo, or any other colony. We however, will rebuild Vale." Aleos nodded gratefully. Astonas leaned forward and looked intently at them. "And where will you all be off to now?"

Lynn grinned and refilled her glass with wine. "Sailing the deep blue sea, as always. Also paying tribute to my father, as he was mortally wounded in the destruction of Imil. I shall not forget my worthy father, Desaeis."

The Fivefold gasped, and Maris snapped her fingers. "I knew I recognized you! Lynn, the prodigal daughter of our Admiral! It's been nigh fifteen years since we last met!"

Lynn visibly brightened. "You remember!" Smiling, the two Mercury Adepts clinked their glasses together in a toast to their fallen fathers, and drained their glasses.

Astonas repeated his question, this time to the Fivefold.

Aleos brushed a strand of his long silver hair out of his eye and considered. "I think… we shall check on Mantium and see their disposition to Regnoare's tyranny…"

Astonas nodded. "A dangerous expedition, but a worthy one nonetheless."

Aleos continued. "Then… we shall visit Garoh before advancing to Anemos. Like Vale, Garoh is a multi-element city, and it would be well to warn them of the danger Regnoare poses."

Orior spoke up. "Anyway, I have kin in Garoh, and it would be good to see them again."

Galedia smiled. "Ah, your cousin! Send her our greetings."

Aleos drained his glass and rose. "We shall leave tomorrow. King Astonas, Queen Galedia, we thank you for the feast. May Venus shine upon your house." The rest of the Fivefold rose and thanked their hosts, and left respectfully, and spent the night in an inn.

As they lay in bed in the darkness, Maris said softly. "It feels great to be in a soft bed again, but we're on the road again tomorrow."

Orior rolled over and responded. "It's a whole wide world, Maris. There's a lot to see. Let's get some sleep, Fivefold."

One by one, they dropped off to sleep while the stars and Luna shone above them, gleaming like jewels in the night sky.