AN: Okay... Chapter 21... Errm... Okay, I don't own MapleStory except for my characters. Okay... on to the story! Oh... Yeah... Errrm.. Whatever...Attic-Window: Sorry... Yeah... He died... Thanks! They kinda all died so that sucks... But it had to happen for what I plan...


What the? Caden crouched in the underbrush as he watched the scene unfold. Kronos stood to the side as seven mages (they had been put under Kronos's control) chanted in deep, gruff voices while they circled a crude round table. Kane was strapped to this table, a smug expression on his face. Kronos tossed a dead Pig into the air over the table just as the mages finished their chant. Red energy arched through the air and met at the corpse. Kane convulsed on the table as a roar tore through the area. Caden held his hands to his ears and found that a small trickle of blood was coming out of them. "I summon thee! Kronos, the true creator of Oblivion!" The balrog bellowed.

Kane stopped squirming. "You... You summon me? Me? You who have stolen my name as your own?"

Kronos seemed to quake in fear, but then righted himself. "Yes! I summon you to do my bidding!"

Kane stared straight at Kronos. "You may come out young mortal..."

Caden caustiously crept out from his hiding spot, earning a glare from Kronos.

"Balrog! I will show you my power! Then... Then you shall be afraid..." Kane smiled. Caden noticed that the demon's forefinger twitched. Suddenly, the seven mages standing in the circle evaporated in a pink vapor. The table distentegrated, though Kane stayed in the same position, floating in the air.

Kronos shivered and took a step back. "Such power..."

"Yes. And now you die, namestealer... doppleganger... fool!" Kronos fell to the ground, huge pieces of meat sliding off his bones and hitting the ground with a sickening sound.

"What the hell..." Caden mumbled.

"Did you not see me move?" Kane whispered from behind him.

Caden stiffened. Kane had moved behind him with almost inapparent speed. "I... I pity you. You live trapped in your mind by that pathetic balrog. But... I do not pity you enough to allow you to live." Kane placed a hand on Caden's neck. "Good-bye..."

"No...!" Caden coughed as Kane squeezed tighter. Caden's skin began to ripple, tremors racking his body. Invisible worms raced along under his skin and his eyes shriveled as blood poured from his sockets. His face darkened to a burned black and his clothes burst into flames. Thousands of cuts appeared on his body, opening in seconds and widening until his skin was entirely gone. The muscles below rippled and burst, spraying Kane with a coat of crimson red. The bones cracked and broke apart, leaving only shattered remains of the once proud warrior.

Kane dusted the ashes from his hand and surveyed his vessel's body. "A good choice of a body... I thank you Kane... No longer does this body belong to Kane... Now... I am Kronos! Ruler of Oblivion and True Heir to all other realms!"

XxX

"Welcome, travelers. I--"

"We have no time for this Scadur. Take us to the Holy Ground."

"Another team after the holy force?"

"Indeed. Direct us and we shall be gone from your village. We do not wish to impose upon your--"

Ryker clenched his fist. "Dammit! We don't have time for eloquent greetings! Something's happening back on Victoria Island! I can... feel it..."

Druce glanced sharply at Ryker. "Very well. Lead us onwards Scadur."

Scadur lead them solemnly through the quiet winter village of El Nath. "Through those gates... Just trek over the hills and you will see the Holy Ground. I wish you luck in your quest."

"Thank you."

As Druce lead his fellows over the hills, Scadur shuffled into the nearest bar. As he ordered an ale, an old man approached him. "Did you see off those travelers?"

"Yes, Alcaster. I... fear... We will not see them again."

"Aye... We have lost many in the current of that false quest... Though why Druce was with them... He should have warned them that--"

"Druce often goes out of his way to prove his points. There's no telling what his business here is..."

XxX

The black obelisk towered over Aradia's head as she gazed open-mouthed at it. Ryker leaned over to her and said, in a mock whisper, "Hey, Aradia... You're drooling...!"

Aradia snapped to attention and tried to subtly wipe her mouth on her robe. "S-Shut up Ryker!"

"Guys... Pay attention. Something important is going to happen..." Druce called softly. The others gathered around him. With a shaking finger, he reached out and traced a complex figure on the dust on the obelisk.

"Okay... Drawing stuff in the dust is important... Hey, can I write my name?" Ryker asked in a falsely cheery voice.

The figure Druce had drawn suddenly started to glow intensely. "Druce... What's going on?" Alex asked cautiously.

"Just reach out and touch it." He commanded.

Alex touched the stone and watched as Aradia, Chase, and Ryker mimicked his actions. "Forgive me..." Druce whispered.

"What? Why should--" Ryker blacked out; the last thing he saw was his friends falling to the ground.

XxX

"Druce... Why have you returned?"

"My fellow... travelers... wish to recieve the holy force."

"Why did you not--?"

"Where? What? Druce? What're we... Where are we?" Ryker asked, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

Aradia stood and looked around the cold, stone cavern and gaped at its residents. "Holy... You're... You're Robeira!"

The robed mage looked cooly at Aradia from under her hood. "I know. Druce... Childern... This way."

Ryker bristled with anger. "Who the hell does she think she is? Calling us children?"

As he walked by, Alex put a consoling hand on Ryker's shoulder. "Don't worry about it Ryker. Just show her up when we have to fight."

The robed heroes led them down a dim corridor lit by gnarled torches. "This way..." A woman in a magenta robe asked. She had a bow tied to her back and her hands, grasped behind her back, seemed to always be darting to it then quickly returning to their original position.

A huge doorway loomed before them. The bowwoman stood before it, while her fellow guardians walked swiftly through. "This is where you will be tested. If you manage to beat us, you may recieve the holy force. Since you have no bowman among you, I shall act as your... guide... Alex, Tylus will test you first. Please step through..." She gestured towards the doorway and Alex, nodding, obediently strode through the doorway.

"Good luck!" Aradia called.

As Alex walked through the massive doorway, a strange sensation hit him. He became acutely aware of the oppressive space that the room beyond took up and the overwhelming darkness that resided beyond. He shook away the feeling and strode on to meet his opponent and wager his life for a force that he was beginning to believe was inexistent.


AN: Okay. Relatively important chapter... I haven't updated in a while... I'll update sooner this time. Feel free to review...