AN: Okay! I'm back! Wooohooo! Disclaimer: I do not own MapleStory. On tooo the reviews! Oh, I'm starting to play Trickster, so I haven't played MS for a while now. By the way, I had different approach for this chapter. It woulda been a little less in depth in terms of the characters and all that. I hope this one turned out better than the original.

Cookie- lol… Nice job on lvl 48 that quickly o.o . You're not… hacking are you? Just kidding. If you were hacking you'd be like lvl 78 by now.

Eien Kaosu- Thanks! I think Zale used the Ranger's Fire Shot. Seifer's a bit of comic relief right now… But who knows for how longer! Twilight Zone music

Saiyuki- Hien is really getting fans o.o Thanks. I hope Demon's Wake proves to be just as good as Lost.

Judgment- Thanks for the review P I gotta say, Seifer's my favorite character. And don't worry about late reviews peoplez… I mean, I'm not exactly quick with the update either…

Omega- Well, I hope the story becomes as good as Lost. I personally like Lost more, but I just started Demon's Wake. I hope you get your action soon.

The sails fluttered in the slight wind that drifted over the calm seas. The sloop cut through the water as easily as if it were air. Seifer watched with an emotion bordering awe as the ship drew nearby to the wreckage that was once Zale's ship. A rope was tossed over the railings. Seifer paddled towards his friends, pushing through the floating rubble. "Well, should we go aboard? Or shall we wade here 'till the sharks decide it's time for din-din?"

Hien cast Seifer an angry look. "W-when you put it like that, it's hard to back out…"

"I know. So, who wants to go first?" Seifer asked innocently, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards.

Zale rolled his eyes and swam forward with a powerful breaststroke, cleaving the water as he went. "I'll take my chances with the pirates."

Seifer laughed. "Aye! I believe it be time to talk like a pirate! Hoho!"

Hien cast a glare at Seifer. "D-don't, please."

"Alright! Let's get going!" Seifer called, completely ignoring Hien's plea. Hien sighed and set off after the energetic warrior.

XxX

Ryker raised his hand to silence the chatter of the Kryptos. "My people! Please, quiet. Kronos will hear us if you continue this up!"

The crowd quieted, though there was still the occasional murmur. Ryker smiled. "I'm glad you have decided to gather here. It's been a decade since Kronos asserted his rule over Victoria Island and we were forced to hide in holes like mice! We were forced to watch as our brethren sailed away to Maple Island to escape the wrath of the demon lord! But we have prospered! We have flourished in our hideaways, earning us the name of the Kryptos!" The crowd cheered, pulsing with energy. "We have secretly opposed Kronos, while our families fled and cowered in a distant land. We are dominant, and I propose… That we assert that dominance!"

Lara grinned. "Finally! I've been kicking for some action!"

Her mother gently laid a hand on her shoulder. "Laramie, please. Stay quiet, just this once."

Ryker began talking again. "I propose a full-fledged war against the demon himself. In three weeks, we shall march through Victoria, slaughtering all monsters who stand in our way. We will be unstoppable and Kronos will feel fear as we have felt it!" Ryker raised his fist triumphantly in the air to a chorus of victorious catcalls.

Lara shook her head. "They haven't even started preparing for battle and already they celebrate victory…"

"Don't be too hard on them. They've been wanting to destroy Kronos ever since we were driven from our land! And you were just as enthusiastic about the war only a moment ago."

"I... I've had my priorities straightened out."

"What, in the last second?"

"Mom! Stop bothering me! We can't beat Kronos anyway, so there's no point in pulling out a full-fledged campaign now! We'd just be crushed!"

"Laramie, you don't know that. Everyone in the Kryptos is highly trained, and Ryker is stronger than all of us."

"Didn't keep him from killing Kronos before..."

"Laramie--"

"My name is Lara!" Lara turned, threw her nose up, and stalked off into the bush.

Ryker watched the fight from his place upon the podium. I'll have to keep an eye on her...

XxX

"Wow. Who'da thunk that Crimson Balrogs really were that big!"

Hien cast a frosty glare at Seifer. "W-will you please be quiet? We don't need you to make those monsters mad!"

Seifer sniffed. "Are you insinuating that I always get us into trouble?" Seifer asked, slightly hurt.

"J-just… Be quiet, please!"

"Ah, whatever." Seifer cast a glance around the balrogs' ship. "Kinda run down, isn't it?"

Zale looked curiously over at him. "Did you expect the balrogs to clean it? I'd say they were a little too busy slaughtering people to keep it clean."

Seifer frowned. "But still… It doesn't look very… I dunno. It's--" Pain seared through his head as a Crimson Balrog pounded on the back of Seifer's head. "The fu--!" The paw descended again, this time driving the man to his knees.
Zale shared a look with Hien. Seifer's actually being brought down… This isn't good, Hien thought.

"Get the hell off of me, dammit!" Seifer called. The balrog simply grunted.

"He says that you smell. That is, you smell worse than most humans. And trust me, Gruthq's met a lot of humans. Most of the humans don't really walk away, but…" A man stepped forward from one of the cabins. "M'name is Oroitz. It means 'memory' if you were wondering. Me mum said I was her memory. I think she wasn't quite right in the 'ead, but she was me mum, and I loved 'er." The man was tall and his shaggy black hair fell over his bright gray eyes that shone with a curious energy.

Seifer glanced up and grimaced. "Friggin' hell! There's something other than these barf bags alive on this ship! Are you another prisoner?"

Oroitz grinned. "Nope. I'm sometimes called a 'bloody linguist' or somethin' to that effect. The balrog's kept me on so I could translate for 'em. Some people like to hear what their killers sayin' to 'em before they die, ya know?"

Seifer nodded. "Aye. Which one's the captain of this dinghy?"

"I wouldn't call it a dinghy, kinda hurts their feelings ya know? And when their feelings get hurt… You get hurt. Good thing to know, ya know? An' ole Gruthq's mon capitaine around here."

"Ah. Good. Then tell him he smells worse than a bloated yeti who's been dippin' in pig shit for about a year."

"Seifer! He'll kill you for that!" Hien warned.

"Let him try!"

Oroitz smiled ruefully than barked something to the massive balrog in its own deep, harsh language. The monster bristled and floated into the air, flapping his leathery wings, creating a mini-whirlwind. Gruthq growled something then turned away to confer with the other balrogs who had gathered on the deck. "I'm to take you to one of the inner-cabins and guard you there. He'll deal with you later," Oroitz called as he walked forward with a slight bounce in his step. "I've never actually had to guard anybody! This is awesome! Bloody sweet! C'mon, I'll show you to your quarters! Bloody 'ell, I've always wanted to say that!"

XxX

Alex stood in the center of a huge rune shaped like a circle. Smoke curled around him, sending tendrils of wispy nothingness almost hesitantly to touch Alex. "Who's called me here?" The accomplished swordsmen called; his voice sounded strong in his mind, it actually came out as a little more than a whisper.

"Why, big brother, you don't recognize me? I'm almost ashamed!" Akuji swam out of the gloom towards his brother. "You've grown big, big bro. And not just your body, bro, but your ego! Holy shit! You should see the effect having a little town to manage has done to you. Do the village women come to you with their troubles?" Akuji's voice took on the high-pitch quality of a woman's. "Oh, Mr. Alex! Please, there's a biiiig bug on my kitchen wall! If you come squash it I may have a little treat for you… Something nice… Warm… Oh, so pleasing… How about… COOKIES!" Akuji burst into hysterical laughter.

Alex gazed sternly up at Akuji. "You're not really here. You are dead, if not in the physical sense, in the mental sense."

Akuji looked shocked for a moment. "Bro… That hurt! Accusing your own brother of being dead! Do I look dead to you?" Akuji stepped forward and slapped Alex on the face, hard. "Do I feel dead to you?"

"This is only a dream."

"Oh. That's how it is. I get it. You don't want me alive. I'd steal your spotlight. Well guess what, big bro! I'm friggin' back! I may not be in my normal body, but I'm back! And say good-bye to your spotlight, because--"

Alex awoke in a cold-sweat, the ranting of his younger brother still fresh upon his ears.

AN: Alright. Chapter done. I didn't get to the thing I changed and I talked about up there, but I'll get to it next chapter. Please review, and I hope you enjoyed this one (We'll get to the action next chapter, Omega).