In the Realm of Dreaming
By Mardrena
Sparks leapt through the fog as blades clashed. Yulie Yamano spun on his heel, deftly parrying a strike from a Nether Soldier before slicing it diagonally, banishing the spirit within. He yelped and sprang to the side, barely avoiding the spiked tail club of a Thunthen Noble. The Noble pulled a phergon pistol out from under its shell and took aim at the boy, but Yulie stabbed the tip of his adamant-edged sword Tiger Tooth into the barrel and wrenched it away. Before the Noble had a chance to lash out with another tail strike, Yulie used a Cresta's Wheel technique to lop it in half then slash the Noble in the gut while it reeled in pain. The Noble's body dissolved in a puff of fog as it collapsed.
Yulie, clad in his conjured White Ryder armor, whirled around to face another onslaught as he found himself surrounded by more Nether Soldiers, Thunthen Nobles, and even beasts from the Menagerie. He set his jaw and flipped Tiger Tooth around to fire from the tiger-head ornament on the pommel. Before he had a chance to shoot, all of his foes vanished with a roll of fog. He glanced from side to side, anticipating another ambush. He frowned and raised an eyebrow when he heard a sound, like a faint chittering whisper, barely able to discern any words. It seemed to come from all sides, and while not incredibly dense, the fog stretched as far as the eye could see.
"Hello? Who's there?" Yulie demanded as the voice became more distinct.
"I...I...I need your help!" It sounded like a girl calling out for him, but no one he recognized.
"Drega? Kayli?" Yulie called out, confused.
"S...S...Seek out those familiar to you...you will need allies in this fight!" The voice became faint and Yulie sat up in bed in his own room. He leaned over to turn on the lamp and rubbed his eyelids. Whisker lay across the bed at his feet and rolled onto her back, stretching her legs and flexing her paws before curling up like a kitten. Yulie glanced at the alarm clock: three hours till sunrise. He'd at minimum be able to steal a quick nap before school.
He reclined in bed and put his hands behind his head. Hard to believe the city had recovered so fast after the devastating Cataclysm. People were quick to resume their lives so suddenly interrupted by the invasion of Beastlord's Menagerie. The media had gone above and beyond to hide the truth from the public: that a legion of otherworldly beasts had entered the world through portals torn open by the underground explosion. Instead they placed blame squarely on a single lunatic. Despite the miraculous restoration of the entire city thanks to the artifact Ryo had received, Yulie felt uneasy about the sudden return to normalcy. Few people bothered to question events and even fewer sought the truth. He knew, his parents knew, friends like Kayli and the Twins knew, the Ronin Warriors and their many allies of course knew, but everyone else acted as if a simple storm had come and gone.
Yulie settled back under the covers and tried to resume his nap, but he couldn't quite get back into deep sleep in such a short period of time. Something about that voice alarmed him. It didn't sound like a figment of his imagination. It sounded desperate, urgent, unlike anyone he knew. He remembered evacuating people before the detonation, how they sounded relieved and grateful, but not panicked. He wondered if all his recent experiences had jumbled up his imagination. He closed his eyes, but at most he merely lay in bed awake with his eyes closed. Whisker's lips hung away from her teeth as if grimacing but otherwise she remained fast asleep. Yulie envied her being able to sleep so easily. He smiled as he recalled the unofficial reunion of the siblings on Thanged during the Blood Dawn celebration. Magma repeatedly teased Whisker with his large paws, but when he tried his antics against Snow, the normally sleepy tigress wrestled back, slapping him in warning. One moment he'd be reminded that they were still tigers, and the next they would act like very big kitties.
"Yulie?" Yulie paused as he prepared to leave class at the end of the school day.
"Sir?" Yulie turned towards the teacher's desk.
"I wanted to talk to you about something." Yulie shrugged and walked over to the desk while other kids filed out of the room. "It's about your grades." Yulie frowned and raised an eyebrow.
"What about them? I'm passing everything, aren't I?"
"That's just it: you're passing when you should be excelling! You could be doing so much more with your aptitude, you really should be applying yourself more aggressively. I've noticed over the years you've become more distracted, and some days you seem downright exhausted. What on Earth do you do with your spare time?" the teacher scolded. Yulie smirked and shrugged his backpack.
"Would you believe me if I told you I fly around on a robot space horse and fight the forces of evil with the help of a white tiger?" The man did not seem amused at all and adjusted his glasses.
"Mister Yamano, video games might be a good release valve for stress, but it shouldn't be the only thing you do with your life. You're at the age when you begin fast becoming an adult and need to prepare yourself for all the responsibilities that follow." Yulie's gaze grew distant as the teacher continued babbling, and though he appeared to listen attentively, he only heard "Blah blah blah prepare to enter the work force blah blah blah being the school kendo champ will only get you so far blah blah blah push to get into the top .01% blah blah blah."
A tic developed in the corner of Yulie's eye as he remembered his recent experiences, both in Thorolk and during the Cataclysm: Failing to save Grytha from a fatal wound and having to draw his weapon against his own friend Kento. "Do you understand that I'm just trying to help?" the teacher said and wove his fingers together before twitching his thumbs out to the sides. Yulie pursed his lips.
"Yes, sir," and with that he turned around and left the room before the teacher had a chance to sputter a protest. Yulie walked through the halls, alone in a sea of students. Sorry teach, but there's bigger things in this world than test scores and college. The image replayed in his mind of Grytha and Arthragor falling to their deaths. I can't let something like that ever happen again...there won't always be someone else to jump in and save me. I can't be the helpless kid anymore.
Yulie broke out in a chuckle as he left the school grounds and walked down the sidewalk. "Hah! This sounds like the plot for a cheesy anime: a kid has to balance saving the world with acing school. Hah hah!" Yulie reached into his pocket and fingered the dragon pearl. He stopped carrying his bokken all the time since he got the pearl, and while he hadn't had to use it at school...yet, it gave him a sense of comfort. Cars passed him by on the street, people walked past either to work or to home laden with groceries. He entered his neighborhood and walked up to the door of his house.
"YULIE!" Yulie blinked and looked over his shoulder, startled to see a familiar form galloping towards him. It'd been a long time since he saw Whiteblaze out in the open, and sitting between his shoulders rode Kayli, looking small compared to the tiger's bulk. The large white tiger came to a stop on the sidewalk and Kayli hopped off, clutching her favorite blanket in one hand.
"What brings the two of you way out here?" Yulie glanced around: thankfully none of the neighbors could be seen. "Here, come inside," Yulie beckoned and clicked the remote switch for the garage door. White Wind whinnied a greeting to the older tiger. Yulie closed the door behind Kayli and Whiteblaze. "I forgot, you don't go to school like other kids. Your mom ask you to run errands?"
"Did you hear her?" Kayli asked. Yulie blinked in confusion, thinking she meant her own mother, Renee Sanada. "The girl from sleep." Yulie's eyes widened. "You did hear her, didn't you! She kept asking for help. She said to ask people I know, but when I tried asking Ryo and Big Sis, they both made fun of me. You think it means something?" Yulie didn't reply immediately then let out a soft chuckle.
"My teacher would probably say it's just your mind sorting through stuff from real life, but we both know there's more to that. If you hear her again, try to find her. It's the weekend so I don't have to worry about school tomorrow. We'll figure this out, and if not, maybe Anubis or the Ancient can help us," Yulie assured. Kayli nodded firmly and hopped back onto Whiteblaze.
"I'll get Whiteblaze to help, right, Blaze?" Kayli cupped the tiger's chin in her hands and turned his head towards her. Whiteblaze looked generally confused about the situation. Kayli giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. "Unless he's busy babysitting Ryu, of course," Kayli rolled her eyes. Yulie smirked, amused at Kayli being an aunt at such a young age.
Yulie's eyes popped open and he sat upright in a field of otherworldly flowers. He could've sworn he'd just barely lay down to sleep after dinner with his parents and chatting about school and his father's job. A pair of butterflies flitted past his face, one wearing a gold monocle and top hat and the other in an elegant gown. The two danced through the air overhead. Yulie heard a growl and turned around and saw Whisker snuffling through flowers, intent on chasing something. She yowled and recoiled and clamped one paw over her muzzle. Yulie raised an eyebrow when he saw a large bumblebee wearing a checkered apron come out of the flower bed shaking a rolling pin at the tigress.
"Whisker? Is this the real you, or my memory of you?" Yulie asked and walked over, rubbing her between the ears. Her fur felt real, and she responded to him calling her name and his touch.
"Y...Y...Yulie!" He whirled around upon hearing the voice and Whisker jumped to all fours in alarm. "I need your help! You share the same dream now because you know each other, but dreams do not always align so perfectly. Seek out others close to you, you will find them in this world!"
"Why do you need help from me? Or Kayli? What's going on?" Yulie demanded.
"S...S...Search and you will find them! When you are all together, I will explain everything..." Yulie clapped his palms against his thighs in exasperation when the voice ceased altogether.
"Well you're here…but where's Wind? He sleeps too, doesn't he?" Whisker gazed up at him idly. "Maybe he doesn't sleep the same way we do because his body is mechanical?…and why aren't you able to speak, this is supposed to be a dream, isn't it?" Yulie demanded. Whisker blinked and twitched her tail idly. Yulie sighed before pivoting on his heel to begin walking.
He backpedaled abruptly when he nearly walked face-first into a tree. Instead of standing in an endless field of wildflowers, he and Whisker now stood in a forest bordering a quiet burbling creek. He spotted the elderly-looking Renee Sanada washing clothes in the stream and Kayli playfully wrung water out of each article before tossing it over a line. It seemed like a simple, idyllic life out in the wild.
Kayli apparently didn't notice Yulie and Whisker right away and skipped right past them to and fro. She paused and looked off to the side and Yulie followed her gaze and saw two shadowy figures standing in the distance. He recognized the silhouettes of Ryo and Tanya wearing full Armor and cradling their helmets in their arms. Kayli called out to them and ran towards them, and the shadows smiled faintly, but it seemed no matter how much Kayli ran they always remained at a distance.
That's right...she grew up never knowing she had an older brother and sister. This is what she's afraid of: losing her family again... "Kayli? Kayli!" Yulie called out to her and she stopped running and looked over his shoulder at him. Renee and the clothes line had vanished from the shore and so did the shadowy figures. Kayli glanced from Yulie to where her mother had been and back at where she'd seen Ryo and Tanya. "Kayli, it's me! Remember, you said to find you?" Kayli looked confused.
"I saw them...I saw them! I was trying to find them! She said 'find people you know' didn't she? Why couldn't I reach them?" Kayli fretted, looking genuinely distraught. Yulie scratched his head, puzzled himself. Kayli scowled and pouted, upset she couldn't enlist her older siblings for aid.
"I couldn't reach Wind either. We still don't really know what's going on. She said she'd find us when everyone is gathered, but I'm not sure who all she means."
"What about those two boys? The ones from that other planet? The brothers, right?"
"Yeah, Ph'li and Ko'li, but I'm not even sure if we can reach them this far away. I guess it wouldn't hurt to look." The three took off walking deeper into the forest, and as they walked, Yulie noticed the trees looked virtually identical. He frowned, worried they might be stuck in some sort of loop.
"Hey? You hear somethin'!" Kayli exclaimed and pointed into the distance. The forest came to a stop on the border of a familiar-looking structure. They exited the forest and found themselves outside of the central pen of the Mazzan compex in Bainshaebo. Adult Pegasi fed from troughs in other pens or trained with prospective riders. Some loitered close to the shielded fence separating pens and watched the spectacle unfolding within the main pen as the mighty Skybolt Sunhammer flung someone from his back, sending the hapless figure skidding across the gravel.
Ru Ru Tiki, Ko'li bumped into a fence post and rubbed the top of his head before sitting up and staggering back towards Skybolt. "I will prove myself! As grandson of Ander Vai Stel Vethu, I will prove worthy! I will earn your respect, or die trying!" Ko'li proclaimed and strode up to Skybolt. The Pegasi watched him approach and didn't move to attack or rebuke him, but as soon as Ko'li hoisted himself into the saddle, the legendary Pegasi bucked him straight off, sending him skidding once again. Again and again Ko'li tried and again and again Skybolt tossed him, not hard enough to injure, but hard enough to convey he would not be won so easily. Ko'li staggered to his feet and rubbed his elbow.
"Ko'li!" Yulie called and the Thangien boy turned to face him. All of a sudden Skybolt and the other occupants of Mazzan aside from the three dreamers vanished. Ko'li blinked in shock upon seeing this and glanced from Yulie to where Skybolt had stood but a moment earlier. "As funny as it is to watch you getting your butt whooped, we've got more important things to worry about."
"Did you hear the dream-girl too?" Kayli inquired. Ko'li folded his arms over his chest.
"I thought it was Ritho, the Morning Mother. I thought she wanted me to tame Skybolt Sunhammer, to carry on Tiatiante's legacy. You are saying it is someone else?"
"We're not entirely sure. She just said she needs help. I found Kayli, then you, so I guess we need to find your brother and Drega," Yulie replied. Ko'li smacked his fist into his palm and nodded firmly.
"Then the Fearless Four will ride once more!"
"Five," Kayli interjected suddenly, drawing glances from the two boys. "There's gonna be five. You, you, me, the unicorn boy, and Drega. That's five," Kayli insisted and pointed at Yulie and Ko'li before finishing counting on her fingers. The boys exchanged glances with Yulie chuckling softly and Ko'li rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. Neither of them had actually ever seen Kayli fight before, she seemed to tag along during fights as a happy coincidence.
"KaylTakin, you are younger than we, and not as experienced in the rigors of battle…" Ko'li lectured. Kayli scowled and set her jaw and before Ko'li could continue chiding her on her lack of formal battle training, he recoiled when Kayli whipped him first in the face with one corner of her blanket then in the gut. Yulie's eyes popped wide open seeing her use the cloth so deftly. Despite not wielding any conventional weapon like a sword or spear, she seemed adept at using the blanket like a whip, likely something taught to her by Renee. Ko'li clamped one hand over his mouth and the other over his stomach, nursing tender bruises. Kayli held up her hand and spread her fingers again.
"Fearless Five," she reiterated before turning around and marching away confidently.
"She's definitely a Sanada," Yulie remarked with a smirk while Ko'li blinked in shock.
"Guys!" Kayli called out and the two boys jogged over to where she stopped. "Look!" she pointed.
The environment had changed into a rocky plain riddled with cracks and fissures. They could see a fierce battle unfolding between two combatants: a large hulking monstrosity and a small wiry figure with a long tufted tail. The monster lashed out with a bulky arm, plunging its fist into the ground. In its other hand it held what looked to be Kayli Sanada. Ko'li and Yulie glanced from her to the dream-world doppelganger, and Kayli herself looked equally befuddled. The wiry figure nimbly sprang away from the clumsy attack and lashed its tail.
Ru Ru Tiki, Ph'li narrowed his eyes in determination and glared up at his hideous muscle-bound foe. The creature's face bore an uncanny resemblance to Prince Torehj, King Torke's son. Ph'li wielded a telescoping sail-blade similar to the one owned by his father and sprang high into the air, avoiding another punch. He spun around elegantly before swinging the blade down and burying it between the creature's shoulder and neck. The creature bellowed in rage, sizzling black ichor spewing from the wound, and dropped "Kayli" as it fell. Ph'li sprung forward and caught "Kayli" before she landed on the ground and whisked her away before any of the acidic blood touched her.
"KaylTakin, are you alright?" Ph'li asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks to you. You're so brave, rescuing me like that!" "Kayli" gushed.
"On my honor, as grandson of Ander Vai Stel Vethu, you shall come to no harm," Ph'li whispered and leaned close, closing his eyes slowly and puckering his lips.
"Tintae!" Ko'li hollered. Ph'li's eyes snapped open and he looked up upon hearing his brother call out for him. He blinked in shock when he saw Yulie and Kayli running alongside Ko'li then glanced down at where he could've sworn he'd held Kayli just a moment before. His arms remained held open as if cradling someone, but "Kayli" had vanished. Ph'li let out an equine yelp and scrambled to his feet, doing a double-take between the empty ground beside him and the three approaching.
"Ko'li! Yulie! What-where-I…" Ph'li raked his fingers through his hair. His white-furred cheeks turned slightly pinkish when he saw the real Kayli. "T-T-Thelektukak, KaylTakin," he stammered.
"Why was I in your dream," Kayli demanded and scowled.
"Uuuuhhhh…uuhhhh..." Ph'li did not immediately reply. His mouth hung open awkwardly for a few moments. He quickly composed himself and squared his shoulders, thumping his fist against his chest. "YuliTakin! What urgency is there this day!" he asked abruptly. Kayli glanced from him to Ko'li.
"Apparently someone in this world needs our help. She can only contact us while we're asleep. I didn't think we'd be able to find you two since you're on a different planet." Kayli kept glancing from brother to brother. She didn't really know the Twins that well having only met them in Thorolk during their pursuit of Goretsoku, and briefly spotting them during the Blood Dawn festival. Suddenly she reached out and cupped Ph'li's cheeks in her hands and began rubbing them.
"You feel soft," she remarked. Ph'li let out a soft whinny and flicked his ears. Ko'li burst out chortling with delight. Kayli reached for him next and rubbed his cheeks, startling Ko'li. "You feel like a peach," she added. Even though Ph'li had inherited most of his father's Native traits, Ko'li still had a faint layer of barely-visible fuzz. Yulie laughed richly but turned serious quickly and gazed around the landscape. Grass began growing suddenly amid the cracked ground and the environment shifted into a verdant plain bordering a large lake. Whisker growled softly and paced from side to side, letting out low guttural calls. She raised her ears and lashed her tail apparently calling for someone.
"Where...where's Drega? I've been thinking about her since this whole adventure started and we haven't seen her yet…" Yulie fretted. Surely such a supernatural circumstance such as this would come as no surprise to the Dragongirl and her drake, Razzie.
"Dregaaaa! Drega!" Kayli cupped her hands around her mouth and hollered.
"Maybe she is simply not asleep in her world? She is from a different plane altogether, is she not? Time passes differently there," Ko'li theorized. Yulie hissed through his teeth softly.
"If your friend is from another Realm, perhaps she is not able to pass the Veil." The four of them looked up towards the sun upon hearing a girl's voice and saw a shadow looming over them. It looked like a large rectangle that descended towards the ground. Yulie reached into his pocket and pulled out his dragon pearl, summoning his armor and drawing his sword. The Twins likewise drew their weapons and tensed for a possible trap. Whisker didn't seem alarmed, however, and Kayli glanced from the boys to the approaching newcomer.
An elaborate woven carpet set down onto the ground before them and a figure wearing leather boots decorated with elaborate gold seams and cut gems stepped off from the carpet. Steel tipped the toes and heels. A thick leather belt snugly suspended a pair of baggy linen pants tucked into the cuffs of the boots. A white tunic with blue embroidery along the collar tucked into the belt. A colorful robe embroidered with gold symbols draped over the arms and flowed down the back. The newcomer raised one arm, letting the loose sleeve of the robe hang wide. The carpet rolled up tightly on its own then rose into the air and slid inside the loose sleeve. Dark red hair flowed over the shoulders with two white streaks running down either side of the brow. Dark green eyes regarded the dream travelers.
"My name is Konomi Paige, and I called you here because I need your help." She looked roughly the same age as Yulie and the Twins but held her shoulders straight and her face spoke of a grave urgency. "Normally, you should not be able to interact with this world. I should not have been able to reach out to your consciousness." The girl turned to the side to look out over the lake and raised one hand, curling her index finger then making a gesture by turning her hand from side to side. The surface of the lake turned to ice abruptly, drawing a yelp from Ph'li. "What we call the Veil separates Realms, maintaining balance and keeping them from overlapping or colliding." Konomi made another series of gestures with her fingers and a chunk of stone materialized above the thin layer of ice. It fell, punching a hole through the ice and vanishing into the water. "Something of incredible power has breached the Veil." Yulie wondered if this had something to do with the Cataclysm.
"Merely a few days ago by your reckoning, neither Realm knew the other existed. You are able to glimpse fragments of it as you sleep, but you typically remain unable to interact or manipulate the environment. To you, it would seem a simple figment of your imagination, but to someone like me, who grew up in this world, it is as normal as the one from which you hail." Yulie frowned: this couldn't involve the Cataclysm. That had ended weeks ago. "It is said in legend that this world came to be when a very powerful mage entered a deep sleep to replenish his power, and as he slept, he projected aspects of his power to Shape a world where magic is as integral to life as is food or water."
"So...it's like Thorolk...but for wizards instead of dragons?" Yulie mused. The girl rolled her eyes.
"Mage! There is a difference! Wizardry is only one facet of spellcasting," Konomi stated.
"Why ask us for help, in that case? If you can do this," Ko'li nodded out at the still-frozen surface of the lake. "What need have you of us? We are warriors, not magicians."
"Mage!" Konomi looked flustered. Ph'li rubbed his chin and flicked his ears.
"Your name is Konomi Paige...and you are a mage…" his lips spread in a toothy grin and he exchanged glances with his brother. "Konomi Paige the Underage Mage!"
"The newest member of the Fearless Five in DregTakin's stead!" Ko'li added. "Konomi Paige the Underage Mage, Konomi Paige the Underage Mage!" The Twins began giggling and clapping and dancing where they stood. Konomi didn't seem the least bit amused and closed her eyes, scowling. She grit her teeth then raised her hand and made another set of gestures. A bolt of lightning shot down from the sky, striking the Twins and singing their clothes. Ph'li's fur poofed out from his skin and his tail tuft looked like a wad of cotton. Kayli shook her head and rolled her eyes.
"Ugh….I...I…" Konomi let her composure slip and bit her lip, apparently struggling with her thoughts. "I need you to help me kill my father." The dream travelers stared at her wide-eyed in shock. "My mother died when I was very young, and my father could not cope with the loss. He obsessed over ways to make himself stronger, either to return her to life or to make life better for me...but he was my father! All I needed was for him to be there! My grandfather and grandmother tried to sway him from his path, but he delved deeper into madness. When the Veil was breached, he began devising a way to merge our worlds. The Veil exists for a reason! Overlapping Realms can have disastrous consequences!" Yulie immediately thought of the final battle of the Second Dynasty War, when Talpa briefly linked the Mortal and Nether Realms, and for a fleeting moment had achieved his mad goal for conquest. The weak were used as fuel for the Dynasty, or turned on each other in a delirious frenzy. Leather rasped as Yulie clenched his fists in determination.
"My grandparents tried to put a stop to him...they...they failed…before they left to confront him they sent me away to hide, but I cannot hide anymore! Not when he is so close to achieving his twisted dream! I cannot face him alone...I-I am not...not strong enough…" Konomi swallowed, and Yulie could tell she wasn't simply referring to her magical skill. She took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders again. "As long as the Veil is destabilized, and your will is strong enough, you are capable of manipulating this Realm. The strengths you wield in the waking world exist in this world. My father constructed powerful wards to thwart magic used against him, and all of his remaining power is bent towards his spellcraft. He will be ill-equipped to handle warriors of your might."
"Why not call the Ronin Warriors in that case? They were able to stop a war in another Realm like this," Yulie argued. Konomi folded one arm over her chest and tapped her chin with her knuckle.
"This is difficult to explain...the older a person gets, the more...linear their thinking becomes. Their experiences define their reality. Think of a tree when it first grows. It expands like a bush, growing rapidly, but as it continues growing and the trunk extends, the bark hardens, the roots stretch deep, and the trunk reaches high. The mind is still open, but for an adult 'seeing is believing', and as I already said, normally you would not be able to interact with this world. Besides, if these warriors are as powerful as you indicate, bringing them here might cause even worse damage to the Veil. Magic is the harnessing of ambient forces in the world, similar to using an oar to row a boat, or building a windmill to grind flour. The powers these 'Ronin Warriors' wield are akin to forces of nature themselves. It would be like trying to direct a storm or quench a forest fire."
"I can transport us all to the border of my father's stronghold, but we should take a moment to prepare. I...expended a lot of energy I probably should not have just trying to contact you…" Konomi glanced at the frozen lake again as the ice began melting and water sloshed through the cracks. Yulie got the impression all of the magic tricks she used to prove a point also taxed her energy.
The five of them and Whisker sat down on the shore of the lake. Whisker took a nap within a nap and slumbered beside Yulie. Konomi sat on her carpet with her legs crossed and eyes closed in some sort of trance. She seemed to be chanting under her breath and moved her fingers in various gestures. Ph'li hunkered down beside the campfire and folded his arms over his knees, narrowing his eyes slightly. His furry lips spread in a giddy grin and he snaked his tail over towards Konomi and began placing the tuft close to her head, turning it from side to side giving her everything from a mohawk to a mustache to a mullet to shaggy bangs to a goatee. Konomi still had not stirred from meditation, continuing to make gestures with her hands. Ph'li stifled giggles and Ko'li snorted softly.
"Boys…" Kayli grumbled under her breath. Konomi gave no indication of having heard any of them, but as Ph'li moved to give her another beard, Konomi's index finger rose and touched a single hair from Ph'li's tail tuft. It promptly caught on fire and Ph'li sprang to his feet and began running up and down the shore, squealing in protest. None of the fire touched Konomi. Ko'li tried calling out to Ph'li telling him to simply dip his tail in the lake, but Ph'li kept scampering back and forth in a panic. Yulie glanced from the frantic Ph'li to Konomi and smiled. Kayli rose from her seat and shouted at Ph'li to stop being so silly. She huffed angrily and unfurled her blanket and pushed it into the lake water before grabbing the corners and bunching them together. As Ph'li passed by, she swung the bulb of water up and around, smacking it into the Native boy and dousing him thoroughly with icy water.
Tears flowed from Ph'li's eyes as he examined the ruins of his tail tuft. "Maybe you can grow it back with your horn," Yulie suggested. Ph'li tried and pressed the tip against his golden horn to no avail. "I guess your healing powers won't work in this Realm."
"No...it is Ritho's Edict," Ph'li replied sullenly. Yulie blinked in confusion.
"When Ritho punished the Natives for their hatred of Human-born, she decreed they could only use their powers to heal others, or humans. She intended to teach Natives humility," Ko'li explained.
"Has it worked?" Yulie raised an eyebrow. Ph'li threw Yulie an awkward glance.
"Well, if we are all simply asleep, then it will be just fine when we awake," Ko'li reasoned. Yulie frowned: if they were to suffer a serious injury in this world, would they simply 'wake up', or would wounds reflect in their waking bodies. Before he had a chance to dwell on that theory any longer, Konomi emerged from her trance and began snacking on an assortment of dried fruit from her belt.
"Being a mage is harder than it looks," Yulie commented. Konomi blushed and averted her gaze.
"You could say that. I inherited innate talent from my parents and grandparents; that is why I call myself a mage. Wizardry is the manipulation of natural forces, such as fire, or storm. Enchantment is altering an individual's perception of the environment with charm or illusions, or bestowing magical protection. Sorcery affects objects and force directly, like conjuring a rock, or unlocking a door without a key. Healing is straightforward enough; the curing of wounds or drawing of poisons, the knitting of bone or calming of fevers. In your world, 'mage', 'wizard', and 'sorcerer' are used interchangeably, but in this world, they are specific disciplines, subjects of study or art to perfect.
"For example, even though you use magical armor and equipment, it does not make you a magic user. Magic is not simply a weapon to be wielded blindly or forcefully." Yulie shifted in his seat and glanced down at the pommel of Tiger Tooth. "There is subtlety and understanding involved. In this world, everything has a name, and names have meaning, and meaning has power. There are words for Sun, Joy, Fire," Konomi began tracing symbols in the dirt. "Strength, Cold, Inspiration, and so on."
"You sound like you'd get along well with Kayura. She's a priestess, and a very powerful spellcaster in my world," Yulie smirked. Konomi ducked her head, looking flattered. She frowned wistfully.
"My grandfather was a sorcerer and my grandmother an enchanter. My mother was a healer, and my father is a wizard. Magical talent is defined at birth, and my family had high hopes for me. But...with my grandparents and mother gone...I worry my father is not simply after a 'better world' for me...I fear he views me as a weapon; a means to an end. He constantly craves more and more power, and merging our Realms will let loose a tremendous amount of magical power. I fear what he plans not just for me, but for everyone…" Konomi fretted.
"No child should fear their parent!" Ko'li interjected. "On our world, parents that bring harm are swiftly punished so no other dare repeat their mistake. We do not suffer wickedness." Konomi looked startled by his harsh tone and Yulie grimaced awkwardly.
"Our grandfather was the greatest hero of our world, and every day, a song sung in his honor. All aspire to be as brave as him. Your father is not your father. He is a coward!" Ph'li added. Yulie knew they simply wanted to be supportive in their own way, but Thangiens had a strictly black and white view of morality with little room for gray. Konomi looked torn between appreciative and haunted. Yulie glanced at Kayli, who looked lost in thought. She never got the chance to know her father, and Yulie's own father had no great deeds to sing of aside from being swept up in Talpa's initial invasion. He seemed all too happy to immerse himself in his normal ho-hum day-to-day life. Konomi set her jaw and clenched the folds of her pants over her knees before pushing herself to stand.
"We have tarried long enough. It is time. Put your hands on my shoulders. I will transport us as close as I can to my father's stronghold, but this will require a great deal of energy on its own. I will not be able to fight as fiercely until I recover." She turned around and raised her arms. Yulie, the Twins, and Kayli stood behind Konomi and grabbed folds of her robe by her shoulders. Yulie reached down and grabbed Whisker's collar firmly. Konomi inhaled deeply before making a series of gestures with her hands. The landscape around them shifted like a sheet being yanked from beneath them and verdant shores turned into smooth, cooled rope lava. An ominous black spire loomed in the distance.
"This used to be a simple cottage...my mother would weep if she could see what it has become…" Konomi lamented. She shook her right arm and unfurled her carpet. "I cannot transport us any closer due to the wards my father placed. Remember, you are capable of manipulating this Realm thanks to the overlap. Try to summon dreamsteeds to your call," Konomi suggested. Yulie closed his eyes and raised his arms as if holding reins. He thought of White Wind and his sire Skybolt Sunhammer, and the first time he'd ever ridden a Pegasi into battle. The ground beneath his feet shattered and fell away as a four-legged winged form burst up from beneath Yulie. It looked like White Wind, fully grown, with hooves of black steel and a body of gleaming chrome. Painted flames adorned his chest and curved pipes like that of a motorcycle formed the wings. Clinking chains formed the tail and a U-shaped crest adorned the head. Whisker crouched and sprang onto "White Wind"'s rump, and the dreamsteed threw her a cursory glance before turning back forward, shaking its head restlessly.
"Slian yador!" the Twins beamed. Ko'li copied Yulie's gesture and a second equine creature emerged from the ground. It looked like a cross between a draft-horse and a tank with polished green skin and multiple blades for a tail. Thick beam cannons protruded from its shoulders and it sported sleek engines instead of wings. A single red visor formed its eyes and a thick ridge of metal formed the mane. Ph'li followed next and yelped with delight as a blood-red form reared up from the cooled lava like an unleashed hell-fiend. It looked like a cross between a Pegasi and a classical devil with glittering blood-red skin, the cloven hooves of a demon, the wings of a dragon, and bright yellow eyes. A long wiry tail tipped with an arrowhead lashed behind it. Ridged horns curled out from the sides of its head.
"KaylTakin, I can carry you-" Ph'li reached down and offered his hand to her but paused when he saw Kayli's face wrinkled in concentration. She yelped in surprise as a small pink form popped up from the ground beneath her and she found herself in the saddle of a chibi-style Pegasi with pink hide, thick stubby legs, and small feathery wings. Ph'li recoiled at the sight of something so garishly adorable, but Kayli seemed more than happy with her new horsey.
"Come. It is time. Stay close to the ground. A toxic fume permeates the clouds above us," Konomi warned and rose up into the air on her carpet.
"Hyah!" Yulie lashed the reins and his dreamsteed launched forward in a powerful gallop. The Twins followed at his side and Kayli's pink Pegasi pony oddly enough kept pace with its bizarre turbo trot. Blood-thunder filled their hearts as they rode, rapidly closing the distance towards the stronghold.
Inside a chamber at the very top of the spire, a robed figure turned away from a green crystal mounted on a twisted brass pedestal. On smaller pedestals surrounding him stood three colorful spheres, each covered with gold lattice and emanating a stream of crackling energy towards the central sphere. Lips spread in a smile. "Ahh…so my beloved daughter comes home at long last…"
"YuliTakin! Ahead!" Ko'li warned and pointed into the distance at the base of the spire. The heavy black gates swung open with a groan as if inviting them within, but hordes of ghastly forms rose up from the ground to greet them. Skeletons, shadowy wraiths, and hulking stone soldiers.
"Minions conjured by my father. Do not let them distract us!" Konomi shouted and swooped far above the horde. Yulie, Ph'li, and Kayli's steeds sprang into the air while Ko'li simply plowed his way through. In the courtyard within the gates, more creatures await them. Yulie shot blasts with Tiger Tooth at the skeletons and Whisker swatted away incoming blows from the stone soldiers. Ph'li's steed breathed fire, shredding wraiths and burning bone into ash. Ko'li's steed crushed skeletons under hoof with ease and Kayli's pink Pegasi pony furiously kicked minions in the face. The Fearless Five fought their way to the front door of the stronghold and blasted the doors open.
"Let the Pegasi handle them!" Yulie shouted and dismounted. The dream White Wind whirled around and charged into the fray, blocking any minions from chasing after them. The Twins and Kayli followed Yulie's lead and dismounted, and the other dreamsteeds lunged at the pursuing horde, deploying explosive Pegasi weaponry against their foes. Whisker remained behind as well, tackling stragglers trying to go after the Fearless Five.
Yulie craned his neck back to gaze upon the interior of the tower. Initially it appeared composed entirely of black marble, but then the walls flickered and instead of stone he saw swirling walls of flame filled with screaming faces. He jumped when he felt a gentle hand on his arm and glanced to the side at Konomi. "Remember, enchantment affects perception. As long as your will remains strong, you can persevere," she advised. The Five pelted up the spiral stairs running along the wall. Yulie glanced to the side: the illusory faces seemed to be taunting him and the sight reminded him eerily of the Tower of Pain from the Second Dynasty War. He set his jaw and turned his gaze forward.
"Ahh!" The others halted upon hearing Kayli's cry. She'd fallen onto the steps as if something had grabbed her. "Yulie! What's going on!" Yulie's eyes widened in horror when he saw her legs fading.
"KaylTakin!" the Twins shouted and reached to grab her only for their hands to pass through Kayli's arm. Kayli looked over her shoulder then back at Yulie, shouting desperately before fading completely.
"B-B-Blessed Mother of Roth...what happened?" Ko'li demanded, his voice shaking.
"She awoke," Konomi replied simply, drawing glances from the remaining boys. "She has returned to the waking world and can no longer interact with this Realm."
"But she can return, right? All she has to do is close her eyes and go back to sleep, right?"
"It is not that simple. She has to be specifically attuned to the dreaming world, completely at rest."
"You mean, like REM sleep…" Yulie muttered before straightening himself. "Then we're running out of time. Lead the way!" he said to Konomi, who nodded, and they charged up the stairs, finally arriving at the summit. Two tall suits of black armor stood on either side of the door to the inner sanctum. As the Fearless Four approached, the eyes glowed red and the suits stepped forward, drawing long swords carved with glittering symbols.
"YuliTakin, leave these two to us!" Ko'li stated. Yulie glanced at the Twins, startled.
"This should have been KaylTakin's fight! She should be here! We will fight in her stead!" Ph'li added, drawing his father's sail-blade. Ko'li drew his own sword and nodded firmly. Yulie hesitated but furrowed his brow and nodded. The sons of Aurorakhan and T'plaureth charged forward and engaged the two guardians, buying an opening for Yulie and Konomi to rush past. Yulie cast a brief worried glance over his shoulder before turning away tearfully. Door after door swung open before them as Konomi cast spells of unlocking. The last door gave way and they entered the inner sanctum.
"Konomi...my beloved daughter...it's so good to see you again. You're just in time to witness my magnum opus…" A tall man turned to face them. He wore a gray tunic tucked into dark blue pants and a black robe embroidered with gold symbols along the hem furled around his arms and legs. The man stood beside a pedestal wrought from twisted brass. At the top, in the middle of six claws carved from black crystal rest a large green gem with a jagged surface. On smaller pedestals around him sat colorful crystal spheres wrapped in gold lattice. Beams of crackling energy coursed from them into the larger stone. "It won't be long now. Soon, I'll give you the perfect world we've always dreamed of!"
"No! Father, stop this! This isn't what Mother wanted! Your dream will turn reality into a nightmare for everyone!" Konomi pleaded. Yulie tensed with Tiger Tooth drawn.
"I cannot stop, not now, not when I'm so close to fruition. Can you feel it? Can you feel her? She's so close...we'll all be together at long last…" the renegade mage turned away from Konomi. Yulie sprang forward, aiming to slash him between the shoulders. The man whirled around and held his hand out at Yulie. A squirming mass of green rope flew out from his sleeve and wrapped around Yulie's arms, holding them fast. Yulie toppled forward to the ground, his chin banging against the black tile. "Let me guess, with a single brave leap, the hero rushes forward to win the day? I think not," the wizard mocked and turned to Konomi. "As for you…" he raised his arm and with a flurry of gestures sealed Konomi between a set of four tall blocks. "This is for your own good, my dear. I've poured my life into this. I'll not be stopped now, not even by my own daughter."
Yulie struggled to no avail against the rope binding him. While his pearl armor gave him enhanced combat skill, it didn't confer super strength. "Quit your thrashing boy. Creepvine can pierce through even the toughest armor if agitated enough." Yulie glanced up at the wizard as he turned his attention back to the crystal foci. Sure enough, the 'rope' squirmed as if alive and sharp white thorns poked against his armor. Yulie still held Tiger Tooth in his hand and tried to turn the pommel around to aim at the wizard. He prepared to squeeze the grip before pausing as he remembered what Konomi had said about enchantments and magical wards, and how the flames she accidentally sparked on Ph'li's tail had not touched her the slightest bit. Yulie glanced around the room frantically. Inside the stone prison, Konomi cast spell after spell trying to destroy the rock, only causing the slightest cracks.
"Stop being so selfish, boy," the man drawled. "Don't you see? Once our worlds merge, I'll have created the perfect Realm! A realm of pristine magic of the likes not even the Great Mage could have conceived!"
"You don't get it do you? Your daughter doesn't care about magic or power!" Yulie shouted. He thought of his father, his upbeat attitude before the Dynasty War broke out and his reaction to seeing White Wind and Whisker for the first time. Despite his absentmindedness concerning otherworldly threats, it was his grounded normalcy Yulie appreciated most. "She just wants a father!"
"And she'll have one! I will be there at her side. I will give her the best of both worlds," the man replied, unwavering in his mad resolve. Yulie had to think fast: he couldn't call Whisker, Wind, or the Twins. Konomi still struggled to free herself from the prison. Yulie couldn't break out of the vines binding him either. He turned his head up, noticing the energy beams coursing from the smaller spheres into the main foci. He let Tiger Tooth lie on the floor and swiveled his body around, rolling sideways towards one of the small pedestals. The man did not seem to hear him move over the crackling crescendo of the energy streams. The vine held his arms tight, but not his legs. Yulie scooted himself back slightly, putting the pedestal between himself and the man.
After a few quick breaths to focus, he swung his legs up then forward, slamming his heels against the pedestal. It rocked forward slightly before rocking back into place. Yulie's breath caught in his throat, but apparently the wizard still had not heard him. He swung up and lashed out again, and again the pedestal rocked to and fro slightly, this time making an audible crunch on the tile.
The wizard turned to the side and glanced at Yulie with a smug smirk: What could you hope to accomplish, boy? Yulie paused a moment, wondering if his actions really were in vain.
Suddenly the man's face contorted in rage and he turned around. "No! NOOOOO!" he screamed upon seeing Yulie so close to the pedestal. Yulie knew then and there he'd hit paydirt and he swung his legs up once more and slammed his heels against the upper column close to the gold-twined sphere. "I will not let you stop me! YOU WILL NOT INTERFERE!" the man roared as he stalked towards Yulie. Yulie briefly wondered why he simply did not blast him with fire. Apparently the crystals were much more integral to the spell than he realized. The man came closer and closer, his robe billowing and eyes wide with maniacal wrath. Yulie rocked back nearly onto his shoulders before giving one final shove.
The pedestal toppled forward. "NOOOOO!" the wizard screamed and lunged forward, catching the column with both arms. The sphere popped off the top, however, and fell towards the floor. The wizard reached out with one hand, trying to catch it only for it to tumble out of his outstretched fingers. The delicate gold-wrapped sphere shattered in a spray of energy and crystal.
Konomi stopped casting fire spells and inhaled deeply, collecting her wits. She closed her eyes and made a set of gestures before pressing her palm forward. One side of the stone prison vanished and she stumbled onto the floor, exhausted after expending so much energy at once. She pushed herself to her palms in time to see the sphere shatter. Without the sphere maintaining balance, the remaining two spheres sent an arc of energy to engulf the wizard. He staggered to his feet and screamed as crackling arcs of blue-white light wrapped around his arms.
The creepvine made a faint shrieking whine before turning brown suddenly and Yulie finally managed to shrug it off and stumble to his feet. He watched as the man writhed in the chaotic field enveloping him. He screamed and screamed, an indignant roar as if death were beneath him. As if his body were a candle and his innards wax, he began to melt from the inside out through his mouth and eye sockets. "FATHER! NOOOOOO!" Konomi screamed in horror and reeled from the sight, covering her face with both hands. Not once had the wizard cried out for his daughter. Yulie himself felt revulsion at the sight, what he'd inadvertently caused. The remaining two spheres exploded from the overload and the green crystal foci at the center cracked in two, giving off a burst of energy. Yulie briefly saw a skeleton inside the robes where once Konomi's father had stood before the shockwave from the shattered foci sent bones and cloth scattering into ash.
Yulie felt faint all of a sudden and looked down to see a large shard of the foci piercing his armor on his gut. He blinked slowly and fell forward, landing on his knees. Konomi recovered from her shock and scrambled over and knelt infront of him. He could hear her calling his name, encouraging him to stay focused, but his eyes felt weary. He raised his hands and saw them fading. The room around them started crumbling apart with a grinding roar. Konomi raised two fingers and pressed them against Yulie's forehead, closing her eyes and muttering under her breath as white light engulfed them.
"Come on sleepy head, you've slept in long enough for today," Ms. Yamano shook Yulie's shoulder gently. Yulie's eyes opened and he rolled onto his side before sitting bolt upright and feeling over his stomach. Nothing there. "Breakfast is almost ready. You better get some for yourself or else your father will wolf everything down-Yulie! My goodness, your eyes are red! You're crying! What happened? Bad dream?" she asked and gently stroked Yulie's bangs.
"Yeah…you could say that…" Yulie wheezed, blinking tears from his eyes. Whisker lounged on the bed next to his legs, awake, but not alarmed. Yulie gulped down breaths, trying to put the thought from his mind of seeing Konomi's father meet such a grisly end, no matter how crazed he'd been.
"Well get dressed and come to the kitchen. Some warm food in your tummy should get you ready for the day in no time," Ms. Yamano patted him on the arm reassuringly, unaware of how grave the stakes had been just a short while ago.
There was a battle and I missed it? How come? White Wind grumbled in protest as he flew high in the sky with Yulie and Whisker on his back. Yulie stared ahead grimly, remaining quiet. White Wind shook his head and grunted as he angled down towards the ground for a landing just outside the Koji estate. Yulie could see Kayli standing out on the lawn waving at him with her blanket. She jogged over as soon as Wind touched down and folded his wings.
"Yulie! Did you guys win!" she asked frantically.
"I'm...I'm not sure…" Yulie stammered, still at a loss for words.
"I'm really sorry I couldn't stay. I….I had to go to the bathroom!" Kayli admitted and buried her face in her hands. Yulie let out a rueful chuckle and patted her on the shoulder. "The bad guy didn't win, did he?" she asked and lowered her arms. Yulie's gaze looked distant.
"I don't think so...nothing happened in this world when we woke up. Everything's still the same as before. The Ronin Warriors would've noticed if the Realms fully overlapped, wouldn't they?" Yulie gazed up at the sky and clouds drifting idly by. Normal insects buzzed about in the morning air.
"Yulie...what's that thing on your head?" Kayli asked and wrinkled her face.
"Huh? What thing?" Yulie glanced down at her and blinked. Kayli reached up and rubbed her thumb against his brow.
"You've got this weird thing on your head...Oh!" A sudden burst of white light sent both of them tumbling onto their backsides and startled Whisker and Wind. The luminous mass coalesced into a humanoid form and faded, revealing a girl wearing elaborate robes.
"Hello there," Konomi Paige greeted and giggled. Yulie sat up, blinking in disbelief.
"Konomi! You're safe! I'm glad to see you!" Kayli nearly tackled Konomi with a hug. Konomi patted her on the back and smiled appreciatively. Yulie smiled gratefully before frowning with guilt.
"Konomi...listen...I'm sorry about what happened to your father. I-I didn't mean to-" he began and bunched his shoulders, shaking his head. Konomi reached forward and cupped his chin, smiling.
"It is not your fault, Yulie...he...he was no longer my father," Konomi admitted sadly and shook her head before withdrawing her arm. Kayli scooted away and looked up at the girl, frowning in confusion. Yulie opened his mouth to protest but Konomi squeezed her eyes shut. "You must understand, Yulie: my father wove his own lifeforce into his spell. Such a thing is strictly taboo among mages for good reason! Your friends Ph'li and Ko'li were right; He...he was no longer my father.
"There is nothing left for me in the Dream Realm. If I remained there I would just be fighting to survive. I want to do more than survive! I want to live! Before you fully awoke, I used that power mark of yours as an anchor to follow you into this Realm. I sense there is a great destiny yet ahead of you, and I want to be at your side!"
"Power mark?" Yulie asked, perplexed. "Oh, you must mean this?" Konomi frowned as Yulie pulled his dragon pearl out of his pocket. "I got this from a Chinese dragon in Thorolk, the realm Drega lives in. He says it bestows power and wisdom and it lets me summon my own mystical armor…" Konomi stared at Yulie as he babbled on and on about his adventures with Drega.
He does not know...and yet I can see it clear as day... Konomi stared at the symbol composed of multiple intersecting lines and shapes on Yulie's brow. It looked far more complex than the symbols she used for her own spells, and must have some great meaning in this Realm. It glowed faint orange. Konomi glanced at Kayli and noticed an even fainter pinkish light on her forehead. She has one too, but not as distinct. Perhaps it has not fully manifested?
"Konomi...what's wrong?" Kayli asked when she saw the mage's concerned expression.
"My father was too far gone to save...I know that now...but I no longer believe he worked wholly on his own ambition. I suspect something beyond the Veil manipulated him, enticed him into his mad ritual. As formidable as he was, even besting my grandparents, he alone could not have caused the breach. Before the end I could sense something, a consciousness, as if a being pushed against the Veil and stretched just so that it tore at the seam. Who could benefit from such chaos?"
Yulie thought of the various enemies the Ronin Warriors had faced. Ryo had defeated Dygra once and for all, and Mal Daggur had no interest in other Realms, coveting the Earth more than anything. Beast Lord had met his end in Gurvangoth, and Talpa's kingdom had waned drastically as of late.
"The breach will close over time, but I worry that beings from the Dream Realm might stumble through. I was able to travel using magic, but there are great, fantastical beasts only seen in dreams that could potentially enter this Realm...I can only hope nothing terrible happens because of me…"
Armor clanked as a tall menacing figure strode down the hall. Braziers sprang to life with green flames as Talpa walked past. He held his right hand raised, fist clenched around something as he approached a lacquered door that swung open. He entered a vaulted chamber deep within the bowels of his fortress and tilted his fanged face mask up at a large spherical structure that resembled a lantern made of yellow glass resting within vines of wrought iron. Light bounced about inside as the Dynasty Emperor sauntered up to the base of the structure. He uncurled his fingers, revealing an exquisite gold ring studded with emeralds and symbols.
"Ashgzra…You have been busy, I see?" he purred. A disembodied voice like that of a little girl hummed innocently. "Hah hah hah! Even in your incorporeal state, you strive to gain my favor!" The voice made an affirming hum. "I realize that you grow impatient, but you must wait until I am able to properly craft a body worthy of housing your essence. Kylyra initially showed promise, but her form ultimately proves too unstable to replicate, and wholly unsuitable for one such as you. Cease your antics for a time and conserve your strength until the time is right for you to emerge." The voice let out a grumbling pout. "Come now, Ashgzra...I have waited over a thousand years for my plans to come to fruition. Surely you can wait a trifle longer," the Dynasty Emperor reasoned. The child-like voice grumbled again in resignation. Talpa laughed richly, his voice echoing through the chamber.
"Hah hah hah! Such inspired wickedness! Ashgzra...my heir…my daughter..."
A young girl with light brown hair wearing a hooded yellow raincoat clomped up the stairwell, humming to herself as rain sheeted outside in the city. A bound umbrella hung from one wrist and a laden grocery bag from the other. She paused at the top of the steps when she saw something poking out from between a heap of trashbags some idiot had left in the stairwell. It had brownish fur with dark brown spots on its back and head and small pointed ears. The girl set down her belongings and walked over, kneeling down and reaching out for the creature. It stared up at her with brilliant light blue eyes.
"My...what an unusual-looking kitty you are…" the girl turned her head from side to side and studied the creature. She rubbed her thumb against the furry protrusions just above the shoulders. They almost looked like stubby wings. "You must've been rejected by your momma, huh? I know what it's like to live alone...Hey! I got a great idea! You could come live with me! You'd be safe and warm and I can cook food for you every day! What do you think?" the girl asked and held the creature up slightly.
"Rowr!" the creature opened its mouth, briefly displaying tiny pointed teeth.
"That's a pretty strong meow coming from such a tiny mouth. Come on. I'll take you to my apartment. It's not that far." With that, the girl tucked the "kitten" into her shirt and retrieved her things before resuming her trip up the stairwell as thunder rumbled outside the apartment complex. "My name's Barbara by the way. I'll have to figure out a name for you later…"
AOD Soundtrack
1. Legend of the White Ryder-Storytime-Nightwish
2. Pursuit of Goretsoku-Ghost River-Nightwish
3. Answer the Call-Jump-Two Steps From Hell
4. Blood Thunder-Immortal-Two Steps From Hell
5. Beyond Saving-Mephistopheles-Trans-Siberian Orchestra
6. I Want to Live-Cassandra-Thomas Bergersen
Author's Notes
I didn't intend on taking this long of a hiatus. This past year's been more difficult than most. I recently had to say farewell to one of my oldest friends and it's been very jarring. I have not felt this way since I lost my youngest aunt when I was young to Hodgkinsons lymphoma. She was merely a few years older than I am now and the memory of seeing her wasting away is seared into my mind. I got the chance to visit her grave for the first time in a long time. Before her passing, my Grandmother had tied a wind chime on a tree above her headstone. The tree is a great deal taller now, and the chime...the chime still remains.
Konomi Paige was actually meant to debut much earlier in the original draft, but with the restructured timeline I ended up pushing her back to give Kayli and Drega more time to develop. Konomi is another character based from The Summoning. As a child, I just thought the magic system looked cool with its colorful symbols. I learned many years later it had roots in history, chiefly Elder Futhark, the runic alphabet used by ancient Nordic cultures. In Aftermath, after the Soul Swords are repaired, Anubis takes note of the markings along the blade. These are loosely based off of "Wunjo"-Joy, "Kenaz"-Torch, and "Sowilo"-Sun= "Symphony of Flame".
Yulie is growing up before our very eyes, and although he is able to compartmentalize conflicts as "dealing with bad guys", it remains to be seen how his trials will affect him in the near future. Much like Colby, he has to grapple with the increasing weight of responsibility. Everything is building up towards a huge payoff which will ultimately surprise everyone. Whether he is ready remains to be seen.
A few months back I tried to look up someone I'd once known in the community many years ago and inadvertently stumbled across a blog post of theirs. It came off as sounding kind of snappy, almost spiteful and condescending, and it alarmed me. I don't presume to be the end-all, be-all authority on writing, no one should be. Fanfiction's always been about pushing the boundaries of imagination, going down the rabbit hole of "what if" and exploring new worlds and ideas. It's very much a process of trial and error and something to be refined over time. Stories can range from the serious like "Dark War", to the whimsical "Talpa and Pinky". I am far from an authority on the subject, but this is the advice I will offer to aspiring writers based on my personal experiences.
Don't collaborate with anyone. Ever.
A person might seem appreciative of your works and might come off as good to bat ideas back and forth, but they will latch onto you like a remora nibbling at flecks of creativity, then over time turn into a lamprey, feeding on your energy. Instead of appreciating your creative vision, they will try to influence it into something they want, slowly trying to deviate your works from the original concept. They will tell you your ideas aren't that good and that theirs are better. They will tell you to push core original characters to the back burner and try to crowbar in their own. They will make their characters far better and bestest than yours could ever be. You could have a colossal dragon powerhouse or a cosmic superbeing and they will be expected to play second fiddle to a quirky obnoxious brat with overwhelming bullshit powers.
And when you push back? When you grab ahold of the steering wheel to right the ship? They will resent you. They will increasingly become harder to reach, harder to ask advice of. You can be patient and extend the olive branch, and they will tell you they're "in the middle of a raid". And when you realize how much damage they've inflicted, when you cut off the gravy train after realizing just how toxic they really were, the depth and scope of their interference will shock your soul. You will be left wondering if their hunger for attention turned them into a monster, or if they were always a monster.
Never collaborate. Save yourself the grief. It will only end in heartbreak.
I was going to make an offhand remark about hiatuses, but decided against it, being in poor taste. The passing of Kentaro Miura this past year sent shockwaves through the anime/manga community. Japan lost their equivalent of Stan Lee, Charles Schultz, J.R.R. Tolkien. Charlie Brown will never kick the football, Charles Dickens will never finish Edwin Drood, and Guts will never be able to punch Griffith's stupid smug smirky face in. I'd only ever heard of his magnum opus, Berserk, occasionally in the past, and had never gotten into it, but once I did, I couldn't put it down. There's character development, action, violence, and epic worldbuilding and narrative cohesion on a scale that would make Game of Thrones look like Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog…and that's not meant to be an insult to Mystic Knights…
I got to attend the local anime convention this year and I asked if they had some sort of In Memoriam planned for Miura, and much to my disappointment, many of the staff had not even heard of him. I couldn't even find any volumes of the manga for sale. It could be that Berserk is a niche property, but that might work to its benefit. Miura kept his vision his own. He didn't try to sanitize or water down to appease weak appetites. He kept his vision pure, and for that he has my deep respect.
Along with the latest chapter of Neo Ronin, this newest chapter of Yulie's Tales acts as a bridge-chapter to lead into the newest series. To kick off the New Year on a brighter note, here's a preview of the first new AoD series in over a decade.
"Cye, what the hell is going on?" Ryo demanded as he walked over to the Ronin of Torrent. Cye turned to look at him with a grim expression.
"We've got company incoming." The two looked up as four lights streaked through the clouds.
"What are we talking about here, a solar flare?" Rowen asked.
"A solar flare would be a bad case of sunburn compared to this…" Bak Thraplek fretted.
"What if there is something out there, something we've never seen before. What if there's something we've pissed off without even realizing it?"
Ryo's gaze flicked to the side when he heard the sound, like a faint grinding scrape. His eyes followed the hairline crack as it crept up his arm.
"You expect us to depend on swords and sorcery to fight against the Totalitary!?"
Kayura could only stand by and watch as Dhr and Ita fought, clawing and thrashing and screaming dreadfully.
"They remember this world...this was the planet that fought back!"
"Last, not least, he comes at night…"
Kento recoiled as he found himself face-to-snout with the shadowy entity.
"A silver shadow seeking light…"
"I told you I'd come back when you least expected." Ryo's eyes widened as Mia turned to face him.
"If you won't let me get justice my way, then get it for me."
"Do you know why your father decided to stay here instead? You were his greatest treasure!"
"The manipulation of fire, or water-pyro and hydrokinesis-, would be easy to label magic. So what would you call a being capable of manipulating matter on its basest level? A being that is able to pick apart atoms and reassemble them on a whim? Why, you would call such a being a god...would you not?"
Ryo stared at the new arrivals, eyes wide in shock. He ran his tongue over his lips, his mouth hung open, as if words themselves felt too terrified to leave his throat.
"We...We...We have watched you all for quite some time. It is good we are able to meet at last. IN THE FLESH." Her voice boomed, sounding simultaneously like a faint breeze and a peal of thunder.
SPACEQUAKE