FOREVER DESTINY : Ancient Era Arc 1

Before the Beginning

Episode 16:

"The Weight of the World"

Story Focus: Hariel and the Dekutan's Chosen

By Nekochan

Author's Note

All I can say about this episode is: If this isn't the last episode before the finale, I must have gotten hit by my Muse's sledgehammer once again. Quite a few very important events will take place in this next episode, meaning they will take up quite some time to explore fully through the plot, but I can't fathom a reason to delay a final confrontation much longer.

Arigatou Minasan! (Thanks everyone!)

Nekochan

(-)(-)(-)

4:21 AM Monday- Hell, G'gonstrm May 9th- 981 D.A.

Dark blue hands made even bigger by the long claws they sported clamped around Badamon's neck and slammed him into the wall. He cried out in pain as D'no Z'nma began his tirade.

"+"You FAILED? How could you have FAILED, you miserable excuse for a servant?"+" The Great Father demanded.

Badamon tried to protest, but it only came out in tiny gasps. "+"We- We . . . weak- ened . . . them-"+"

D'no Z'nma tightened his grip. "+"I don't care what the fuck you THINK you did- If the Ceremony of Unsealing fails . . ."+" he drug Badamon's body further up the wall, "+"the blame will fall to YOU and the consequences will be dire, indeed."+" He threw Badamon to the ground.

"+"Please forgive me . . . M- my Lord,"+" Badamon sniveled hoarsely, "+"I w- would . . . gladly give up . . . m- my life for-"+"

"Oh ho, no,"+" D'no Z'nma chuckled as he interrupted the panting creature at his feet. "Death will not have you. You will serve us for eternity in a form that will suit your purpose."+"

Badamon could only stare wide-eyed at the Great Father as he tried to comprehend the meaning of such a statement.

Satisfied with the reaction, D'no Z'nma turned away from Badamon and started to walk back out of the antechamber before giving his orders. "+"Go protect the Artifact of the Demon-sister; that will be what they go for next. Now . . . My First Son, R'nast . . ."+"

"+"Yes, Great Father?"+"

"+"Fix his damn arm and then get back into position for the Ceremony."+"

"+"I will do so, Great Father."+"

Just great, Badamon thought as he watched D'no Z'nma leave and R'nast approach him, a whole new set of worries just got added to my plate . . . Damnit.

(-)

Hariel could tell Duhnoh Zuhnmah had reentered the room when the chatter stopped. In fact, Hariel was almost sure he could hear Duhnoh Zuhnmah muttering as the Gizmu approached - it sounded like curses to Hariel. The Conduit listened halfheartedly to Duhnoh Zuhnmah and Duhnoh Bihmah's conversation, which he knew full well he couldn't understand. Not long afterwards, the Gizmu called Ruhnast returned as well. They also exchanged a few words before both Gizmu moved back into place.

"We'll begin now, Chosen of the Dekutan, with the weakest Rune . . ." Duhnoh Zuhnmah spoke as he stepped backwards to where Hariel assumed was directly above his head. "My dear, which Rune is on your right foot? The Silver Spider Web, correct?"

They have got to be married . . . or lovers . . . or something . . . 'cuz that was politeness without sarcasm! Hariel thought to himself, then realized that Duhnoh Zuhnmah hadn't spoken in his native tongue to the tall Gizmata.

Duhnoh Bihmah nodded, still cradling her green child in her arms. "It is. Shall I begin, then?" Her voice was incredibly soft and endearing, betraying Hariel's impression of her as a cruel Gizmata and making her sound much more like a loving mother.

"If you would be so kind, my dear," the Gizmu's voice traveled over Hariel's head. "Understand this, Chosen . . ." Duhnoh Zuhnmah's voice deepened as he spoke. "My patience for incompetence is wearing thin."

Hariel, for his part, could scarcely believe he'd even heard those 'tender' words come out Duhnoh Zuhnmah's mouth - even if they were followed up by a threat - but then his whole body constricted as he realized Duhnoh Bihmah was speaking again, and it was the words he'd hoped to delay.

"Hariel the Focus, Chosen of the Dekutan," Duhnoh Bihmah called out, her voice filling the room, "Accept my Rune of the Silver Spider Web!"

Duhnoh Bihmah glowed purple and then a silver light shot out from her right foot, arching up into the center of the room to burst brightly. Identical designs for one symbol scattered throughout the room were also glowing with the same purple aura, as were a few of the numerous Gizmutan. It was none of the other 'head' Gizmutan, but a handful of the Gizmutan lined up behind Duhnoh Bihmah in a rough wedge shape fanning out like a great cloak. The color of the orb of light shifted to a pale magenta and then shot straight down at Hariel.

Despite his protective armor and seeing the light coming straight at him, Hariel gave a loud gasp as he felt the power pierce his heart. The overwhelming shock of it made it so he couldn't change his expression - he couldn't breathe; he tried, but he couldn't! What came out was a choking noise and Hariel's vision was paling into what looked like the same silver-white that had previously been the orb's color.

The words. Saying the words, despite his lack of breath, could probably save him . . . for now. "I- I a- I accept . . . th- the Rune . . . o- of the . . . S- Silver . . . S- Spider Web . . and release you . . . from its power." Every muscle in his body relaxed after he'd finally said that last word and he began breathing again, but they were harsh, deep breaths.

"Well . . . it worked." That came from a male that wasn't Duhnoh Zuhnmah.

"Yeah, look! Mommy's Rune is gone!"

That sounded like a little girl . . . that Dihmree, maybe? I guess that makes the other 'head' Gizmutan the two Duhnoh's kids, Hariel mused, coming back to himself and managing to open his eyes.

"Counterclockwise from the right foot is the left foot, Father," Kuhrant noted quietly.

"The Silver Chain Grip is a more powerful Rune -" Duhnoh Bihmah began, but Duhnoh Zuhnmah cut her off.

"It doesn't matter, my dear. As long as the fool remembers to breathe this time, he should be fine."

Hariel felt what had to be Duhnoh Zuhnmah's spear-like tail poking his helmet at each emphasized word. Not about to do anything that would speed up the Gizmutan's Ceremony, Hariel decided to start gauging how long he could hold his breath before being forced to say the words for fear of suffocating himself.

"Hariel the Focus, Chosen of the Dekutan . . ."

Hariel tried to brace himself this time.

"Accept my Rune of the Silver Chain Grip!"

This time the orb of light changed to amber and the female Gizmata called Tihvdah glowed along with Duhnoh Bihmah, the silver shining from each of their left feet in addition to some other Gizmutan lined up behind Tihvdah, who was standing to her mother's right, closer to Hariel's left foot. Once again, one of the symbol designs on the ground emanated a bright light from its many replicas.

The orb of amber struck Hariel and once again he was overwhelmed by the intense concentration of power washing over him. He desperately tried to remember the words that would bring him relief, speaking them as slowly as he could manage. "I accept . . . the Rune . . . of the . . . Silver . . . Chain Grip . . . and release you from . . . its power." He felt his body slam back onto the stone table, realizing then that he'd been tugging so hard against his chains that he'd actually been lifting himself up about an inch. It was a little difficult to breathe, but slightly better than last time.

They certainly didn't make this easy to sabotage, Hariel noted wryly, but I intend to find a way to do it.

(-)

4:35 AM Monday- Hell, G'gonstrm May 9th- 981 D.A.

Shedosh stirred to consciousness, slowly sat up to stretch, and yawned rather loudly. So, he wasn't surprised to hear Kokuen-oh relay his status to the three girls huddled in a semicircle some ways off. He noted simultaneously that T'myra was still unconsciousness near him and that the Captain was asleep in her Lord's lap on his other side nearer to Kokuen-oh. Najyana motioned for both of the men who were awake to come to them, so they did.

"I know you've been asleep, Shedosh, but we have to ask for your opinion on this," Najyana explained. "We think we may have figured out that diagram Kokuen-oh showed us from The Prophecy."

Shedosh sat down. "I see," he murmured, "May I see the book again?" He received it from Najyana, took a quick glance over it, and nodded to the girls. "Okay, please tell me your theory."

Acuashy and Najyana appeared willing to let Sashyrary explain the first part. "We think it's a formation for some Circle Augmentation spell. See how each figure has identical hand positions but at slightly different heights? We figure the person with the highest hand position starts and it proceeds clockwise from there until the fourth person, with the lowest hand position, returns the power to the first person . . ."

"This works when you consider the symbols marking each person; they are the four cardinal directions," Acuashy picked up where Sashyrary left off. "It would begin with East - the person with the highest hand position - proceed to South, then to West, on to North - with the lowest hand position - and then back to East. If you correlate this to the four seasons and the length of a day, East - a new day dawning - would symbolize Spring and make West line up with Autumn. North is Winter - when night is longest - and South is Summer - when day is longest . . ."

Najyana spoke last. "The reason we figured the seasons would matter is because we're thinking this was the purpose of the four Captains and we were designated by the seasons. It didn't make sense to tow us along without a purpose and if this will wake T'myra up or help us find her Artifact or whatever, then that would also mean all five participants in this spell were female, which has been known to matter in Circle Augmentation from time to time. It would start with Rafakoh, go to Acua, then to Sashy, up to me, back to Rafakoh, and she'd send the spell - whatever it is - on to T'myra."

"That more or less explains the diagram itself," Shedosh observed, "even if we don't really know what kind of spell you girls would end up casting when Rafakoh can't cast anything at all -" The girls looked crestfallen, as if they hadn't thought of that, but he continued. "Anyway, did you make any sense out of this sentence? You kept referencing the spell starting with one person and it ending with the same person before it moved on to someone else, probably the central figure lying down."

"Well, it's because the translation is, 'When Perception is misled, Sensation can renew its power with Discrimination followed by Effusion before Communication can occur, routing the abilities of all into Sensation for Perception's sake.' " Sashyrary noted, "Perception has to mean T'myra, we figured that much out - I mean, it is The Prophecy, which apparently can track our movements and give us these cryptic messages when we need them . . . "

Acuashy chimed in. "We then puzzled over why 'Perception' would be used to refer to T'myra and not 'the Third Conduit' or something to that effect. As we mentioned earlier, we thought about the significance of all five of us being female - something crossing the boundary of Conduit and Captain - meaning a new set of titles had to be assigned to the five of us, but with good reason. Well, what do the words Perception, Sensation, Discrimination, Effusion, and Communication have in common?"

Shedosh shook his head, smiling innocently. "Other than ending in the 'shun' sound and starting with different letters, none of which are in order, or even all consonants? I have no idea; please tell me your thoughts."

The girls chuckled at his antics.

"They reference the five senses. Communication ... conveyance of ideas, often through words or speech, thus requiring another being to understand or hear one's ideas. Acua even said that when I broke down earlier and reminded me of the spells I'd cast long ago using my voice as the focus," Najyana suggested as she tugged gently at her ears.

"Effusion?" Shedosh asked, waiting to confirm their suspicions.

"A concoction like those made by apothecaries, often with a strong effect and odor." Sashyrary touched her nose as she said this. "I use powders and scents as my most powerful foci."

"Discrimination?"

"The ability to notice subtle differences and appreciate good quality or taste," Acuashy said softly as she extended her tongue ever so slightly to touch it. "I believe wholeheartedly that I noticed your good qualities right away, Shedosh." She blushed profusely as she said that and so did Shedosh, but he continued his line of questioning.

"Sensation?"

Najyana pointed to Rafakoh. "A physical feeling caused by having one or more of the sense organs stimulated, usually by touch. As often as we see Rafakoh clinging to the Lord in some way or another, you can't tell me she enjoys any sense more than touch."

"And Perception? Did you ever discover why it meant T'myra?"

"An attitude or understanding based on what is observed," Sashyrary insisted. "Meaning no offense to the Lady, but she tends to believe her eyes - and people's actions - more than promises, gut feelings, or logical deductions."

Shedosh nodded in understanding. "All of that is too neatly tied together to be false and I do applaud the efforts of you girls, but that still leaves me wondering how Rafakoh would cast a spell at all and what kind of spell is going to get cast."

The room fell silent for a bit as everyone pondered this.

"Well . . ." Kokuen-oh said thoughtfully, "What if it's not a spell?"

Shedosh furrowed his brow. "If it's not a spell . . . then what is it?"

"A . . . ritual? A ceremony? I don't care what you call it, but I think it will bring T'myra's Artifact to us," Kokuen-oh suggested.

Raising an eyebrow, Shedosh twisted to look at Kokuen-oh, who had been standing behind Sashyrary. "Care to enlighten us as to why you think that?"

Kokuen-oh sat down next to Sashyrary, who appeared to blush a little and smile, but he gave no indication he noticed. "Well, we know that your Ancient Staff channels the power of the Dekutan, right? I'm starting to wonder if that isn't how each of our Artifacts work, in one way or another. We didn't think that the girls - the Captains - had Artifacts, but what if that's because all four of them help summon T'myra's, which has the power to wake her up?"

"So . . ." Najyana puzzled aloud, "We're going to use our . . . bodies? To channel the power of the Dekutan . . . and bring T'myra's Artifact to us?"

"I'd say souls . . . energy . . . personal energy; you girls cast spells, but Rafakoh fights in combat - you all exert personal energies, just in different ways." Kokuen-oh shrugged. "Maybe I'm just making all of this up to feel useful."

"No, look!" Sashy pointed to The Prophecy.

Kokuen-oh took the book from their hands and slowly read aloud as writing appeared there, "Two with Power . . . Two with Endurance . . . Two of the Mind and two of the Body . . . but only one with Strength enough in the Soul . . . for the Focus to succeed . . . if haste is made."

Acuashy stood up quickly. "I'll go wake R'rufu."

The others turned to each other with shocked eyes. "Well, I guess we're gonna' do this thing," Najyana chuckled as she rocked back on her knees to stand as well.

(-)

4:49 AM Monday- Hell, G'gonstrm May 9th- 981 D.A.

Hariel lay gasping on the cold table as numerous Gizmutan began to cheer. All but two of Duhnoh Bihmah's runes had been removed, which was the only reason he was getting a reprieve at all. In addition to the Spider Web now present on his right foot-guard and Chain Grip on his left, Hariel's armor now also sported runes depicting a Flying Arrow, Rain Droplet, Howling Wolf, Star Diamond, and Snake Fangs, easily visible against the stark white of his armor.

It had been tough, but the First Conduit had managed to keep increasing the duration of time he spent short of breath before accepting the runes without the Gizmutan noticing his plans - they merely thought he was getting tired, he'd heard them say. That was another reason for the brief intermission.

"That should be more than enough time for a Chosen of the Dekutan to have regained his strength," Duhnoh Zuhnmah sneered.

Guess it's time to try stalling again, Hariel mused. "Maybe if you weren't pushing me to go through so many Runes so fast-"

"Ha! As if the Runes of the Dekutan could possibly be causing a Dekutan's creation as much agony as they have my brood all these years. Let's continue, Great Mother!"

Great Mother? Brood? You can't seriously tell me all of these Gizmutan are her kids- Hariel tried to ponder, but was cut off by Duhnoh Bihmah obeying Duhnoh Zuhnmah's wishes.

"Hariel the Focus, Chosen of the Dekutan . . ."

Breath deep - I have to hold it as long as I can-

"Accept my Rune of the Silver Bright Eye!"

An orb of light illuminated lime-green as the baby Guhkreht, together with Duhnoh Bihmah, the silver shining from each of their right hands. Once again, various Gizmutan on the ground floor of the room glowed brightly in unison with a symbol reduplicated over and over across the cavern's bottom.

The orb struck the white armor and Hariel strained with all his being to hold his breath, refusing to speak the words for as long as he could resist.

Then something distracted the First Conduit - a shadowy image was there before him against a stark silver-white background, but he couldn't make out who it was. Hariel was able to determine that the tall, thin being had long flowing hair and was wrapped in what looked like some kind of sheet that the figure was holding against hirself. (1a) It looked like the being was trying to say something -

"BREATHE, DAMN YOU!"

That was Duhnoh Zuhnmah, Hariel realized. He was snapped back to reality and was once again aware of the power wracking his body that was restricting his ability to breathe.

"I accept the . . . the Rune of . . . of the S- Silver . . . Bright . . . Eye!" Hariel barely choked out the words. "And release you . . . f- from its power." A rush of air came into his lungs as he began taking deep, rasping breaths in-between fits of coughing.

"He's not going to make this easy, is he, Father?" It was a male voice only slightly lighter in tone than Duhnoh Zuhnmah's.

"One more chance, Chosen, before you make me angry. Now . . . last is your right knee, correct, my dear?" Duhnoh Zuhnmah addressed Hariel first and then Duhnoh Bihmah.

Duhnoh Bihmah nodded first to Duhnoh Zuhnmah then to Nihkihndee, who was on the right side of Tihvdah. "Hariel the Focus, Chosen of the Dekutan . . ."

Hariel tried hard to relax this time, hoping to determine what the hazy figure was all about.

"Accept my Rune of the Silver Cut Gem!"

As the two females' right knees glowed brightly along with those of the Gizmutan lined up behind them, the silver-white orb launched into the air again, this time becoming pale brown before slamming into Hariel. The waves of power rippled across his very being and, against his body's reactions, he managed to hold his breath so that the backlit figure appeared again.

Sie was clearly visible this time and Hariel realized sie was smiling. (1b) The person had brown skin like Saberstryke's, long green hair like Sashyrary's, and piercing blue eyes the color of Shedosh's, but in hir hair was the oddest crown Hariel had ever seen - like it was made out of clouds. On hir fingernails - and toenails, Hariel marveled - were sprinkled every color of flower he knew: reds, pinks, oranges, yellows, whites, blues, and purples of every hue. Surrounding the being was a wrapped sheet that shimmered like starlight and faded from pale dawn yellow to bold sunset red to evening violet and down to midnight black just above the bare feet with an aquamarine sash holding the sheet to the being's waist. A small diamond clung to one earlobe while three bits of jade, sapphire, and amber dotted another, which accented the necklace of jet, pearl, and quartz on a string of gold and silver thread intertwined.

Hariel knew he had never seen this being before in his life, but the way the being smiled at him made Hariel feel like he should know this colorful figure.

"Hariel Akuen, I know what you have agreed to - the Great Gizmu D'no Z'nma has forced you to perform the Ceremony of Unsealing, rather than the Ceremony of Sealing."

Now Hariel was confused. Sie looks like a man, but hir voice is lilting and soft - effeminate, really - and it's got that reverberating power the Gizmutan speak with; is sie one of the Gizmutan too?

"But D'no Z'nma broke the rules of the Agreement - only the Champions of the Battle for Cheakir were meant to perform this ritual, not whomever possessed the Focus Power-key."

Agreement? Champions? Battle for Cheakir? Focus . . . they kept calling me the Focus . . . Power-key? Is that the Artifacts?

"Because D'no Z'nma broke the rules, I am going to bend a few rules of my own."

'How can you do that?' Hariel asked.

"Oh, for now let's say it's because I can." The being smiled brightly at that, breaking into semi-informal speech briefly. "Hariel, you cannot take back your promise to free the Gizmutan; it is your Word-Bond, but you can release them into a world that is not this one."

Hariel's head was spinning, but he tried to be respectful anyway. 'I'm afraid I don't know what you mean. How am I going to do that?'

"The Seer will complete his first entry into The Prophecy and you will know what to do."

'Kokuen-oh will tell me what to do?'

"Good luck, Focus of My Chosen."

'Wait, 'My Chosen'? Then, are you -'

"YOU FUCKING MARTYR!" That wasn't the backlit figure's voice . . .

(-)

Lord Saberstryke stood off to the side with Shedosh, watching as Kokuen-oh ensured all of the girls were in position. "How sure are we that this is a good idea?"

"I'll admit that we're not entirely sure," Shedosh said with a sigh. "But I have difficulty believing that any ceremony shown to us in The Prophecy would harm us. It may not have the effect we expect, surely, but I'm willing to bet that it's a good idea regardless."

"It's just . . ." Saberstryke groaned, shifting his weight to his other leg and crossing his arms. "We really shouldn't be playing with fire, right now, don't you think? If things go poorly . . . we've screwed ourselves out of any chance of salvaging this 'divine mission' we're on."

Shedosh nodded, the rings on the Ancient Staff chiming. "I certainly agree with you, but consider the alternative . . . without T'myra being conscious and possessing her Artifact, how will we know what we're up against regarding the Gizmutan? How will we stop that plan if we're not as close to full strength as possible?"

Saberstryke sighed as well. "That wouldn't sting so bad if it weren't the non-magic-using lady I'm courting heading up this little ceremony-thing."

Chuckling slightly, Shedosh turned to Saberstryke. "My special girl is in there, too, you know."

"Doesn't make me feel any better."

"I guess not."

Kokuen-oh had never felt so stressed over the most minor of details. They'd organized themselves around T'myra for fear of moving her and, after a short panic attack by Kokuen-oh, they managed to discern through a quick spell which direction was north. Rafakoh stood precisely where Kokuen-oh asked her to, but she didn't stay there long; as soon as Sashyrary was in place he asked her to scooch a little this way and back-up a little. Then, he brought in Najyana and Acuashy and he spent so much time analyzing the angles of the diagram that he finally just squatted down to find a position where the diagram and the girls looked identical and judged from that where they should move, then just made sure they were in line with T'myra. All they did to the unconscious Conduit was ensure her hands were folded across her chest.

"So . . ." Rafakoh trailed off, messing with her finger positioning in front of her forehead, "I know it's supposed to be like this . . . but what am I supposed to say?"

Acuashy, with her hands centered at her clavicle, looked over at Sashyrary, whose hands were just barely below her breasts, but she just shrugged and shook her head. Her gaze turned to Najyana, her hands at her belt-line, who bit her lip and looked thoughtful, still not answering. Finally, she spoke up. "Kokuen-oh . . . does The Prophecy happen to mention anything about a verbal focus to this ceremony?"

Kokuen-oh looked stunned for a moment before quickly flipping the page with the diagram over and back to read everything that had appeared within the last day. "I - uh . . . I'm honestly not seeing anything."

"Then it's concentration," Shedosh called out. "All four girls must have the same goal in mind and then the ceremony will begin."

"And this specific goal would be . . . ?" R'rufu requested.

Kokuen-oh thought for a moment longer and then finally said, "We think it's the Artifact, right? Then let's have you concentrate on bringing the Artifact here, to T'myra." The girls nodded and then he added, "Oh, and I think all four of you should look in T'myra's direction . . . uhm, oh! Also, I'll count to three and after I finish saying three, start concentrating right then - after I say three."

"Sounds like a plan, Kokuen!" Sashyrary said and beamed a smile in Kokuen-oh's direction.

"Okay," Kokuen-oh breathed deeply. He coughed and cleared his throat and then began, "One . . ."

Rafakoh closed her eyes and tried to imagine what channeling magic should feel like.

"Two . . ."

The other three girls cleared their minds as they looked in T'myra's direction and slowly shut their eyes too.

"Three!"

Concentrating as hard as she could, R'rufu dug deep into her soul and it suddenly occurred to her that she had been instructed to 'send' her power on to Acuashy. How? How do I 'send' it to her and how in the Dekutan's name do I let her know that I sent it? No, no . . I have to focus . . . T'myra's Artifact . . . We need to get T'myra's Artifact here, to her . . . here, to T'myra . . . T'myra's Artifact here . . . here . . . Her eyes suddenly shot open with her mouth as she shouted, "MIGHT!" As she tried to contemplate why she said that, she noted none of the other girls appeared shaken up by it. Then a white glow began emanating from her wrist-guards, which traveled all the way up her arms. She suddenly felt reassured that this was supposed to happen and so she closed her eyes to focus once again.

Saberstryke, Shedosh, and Kokuen-oh looked back and forth at each other; a barely visible line of misty white had appeared, connecting Rafakoh to Acuashy.

Acuashy dazedly noted it was her turn and felt a warmth tingle all over her skin as she tugged at the magic energies she knew she possessed to send it on to Sashyrary. We need T'myra's Artifact here with us to revive her. . . Here with us . . . here . . . Acuashy's eyes also flew open as she called out, "CLARITY!" She smiled and both of her hands glowed bright white as her eyes slowly closed again.

It was then that another line appeared, this time between Acuashy and Sashyrary.

Saberstryke took a step towards Kokuen-oh. "So help me, Kokuen-oh, if this isn't supposed to be happening -"

"Sh!" Kokuen-oh hissed, "I think it's working!"

Sashyrary gulped as the sensation of warm liquid filled her throat and poured down into her very being. T'myra needs our help . . . Hariel needs our help . . . We need T'myra's Artifact here so we can help them . . . we need her Artifact here . . . here . . . Now it was Sashyrary's eyes that suddenly opened when a word screamed forth from her mouth of its own accord, "STAMINA!" Her belt began to emanate a bright white light and this comforted her for some reason, allowing her eyes to fall gently shut as if in sleep.

As predicted, a new line appeared between Sashyrary and Najyana.

Kokuen-oh's heart skipped a beat as he looked on.

"You can feel the power gathering here, can't you?" Shedosh whispered.

Kokuen-oh could only nod mutely.

Najyana tilted her head back slightly and breathed deeply at the power enveloping her. It was as immense as that which she'd felt in the last battle when she helped augment Shedosh's shield. This is my purpose . . . to call T'myra's Artifact to us and revive her . . . call it to us here . . . here . . . "REASON!" She cried out as her eyes went wide in shock. The ornamentation of her hair flared with white light and formed a halo all around her head and, in spite of the odd feeling, she was relieved to know it was there now and so she closed her eyes once more.

The final line connected Najyana to R'rufu and the three men watched in awe as T'myra was enclosed in a cocoon of white aura that slowly started to lift her off the ground.

"This . . ." Saberstryke muttered, "Is a good thing?"

T'myra's body stopped levitating after it was suspended over Rafakoh's head.

"Yes . . . Yes, I think so . . ." Kokuen-oh replied.

Then, four new lines of white mist appeared starting from each of the four girls and ending at T'myra's white cocoon.

Shedosh chuckled, mimicking T'myra's accent, "Indeed."

Rafakoh shuddered as echoes filled her ears and a strange kind of warmth erupted within her. 'T'myra's Artifact here', 'Here with us', 'We need her Artifact here', 'Call it to us here' . . . Yes, here . . . Here, now! Now! R'rufu opened her eyes again and slowly lifted her gaze to T'myra's hovering form. She let her hands fall to her sides and then lifted them towards T'myra.

Yes, yes, go! Kokuen-oh cheered mentally.

T'myra's form began to glow even brighter.

"LIFE!"

It was difficult for the three onlookers to determine just who had said the final word. Then the men had to close their eyes.

Her hand was reaching out to grasp something. Her vision was so blurry, she could barely see a thing . . . how was she going to find it in all this blinding white light?

There!

Over there!

You can reach it!

Grab it!

Those voices . . . she knew those voices . . . the necklace . . . she could almost feel it in her hands . . .

Come back!

Don't let go!

Bring it back!

Please!

Then she was falling backwards . . . it just felt so nice to be surrounded like that . . . so warm . . . so full of life . . . "Life . . ."

Emerald eyes slowly opened as the heaviness upon them faded. She breathed deeply and sat up suddenly, but fell back down. She closed her eyes once more, then opened them again slowly, tilting her head around in a circle to see seven people peering down at her. Some spoke, others grinned, some cheered, others cried, but all wore a look of relief.

"You're awake!"

"T'myra, please, it's us!"

She blinked and then blinked again, rubbing her eyes before stretching with a yawn. She grumbled low in her throat and clutched the item she was holding to her forehead. "So 'elp me, Cuamyjy, I'm gonna' kill that Gizmu bastard . . ."

(-)

5:04 AM Monday- Hell, G'gonstrm May 9th- 981 D.A.

"YOU FUCKING MARTYR!"

Hariel felt something slam into his chest as he gasped for breath, finally remembering the words to say. "I accept th- the Rune of the . . . the Silver Flying Arrow . . . and release you from it's power." He tried once more to relax, but now he knew what the being had wanted to tell him, but that knowledge was staggering to him. He felt a prickle at the back of his neck and noticed one of the males reach forward as he spoke.

"Father -"

"Listen, you," Hariel watched as Duhnoh Zuhnmah's tail pointed itself directly under Hariel's chin. "I am well aware of the fact that you are reluctant to be cooperative about this, but do remember that your word is your bond, here, and if necessary . . ." the point dug into Hariel's chin a little, but not enough to break the skin, "I will find a way to make you be cooperative - even if you withstand breaking your Word-Bond, that gives My Children the freedom to recapture your beloved Demon-sister! Do you understand me, Chosen?"

Hariel grimaced, but mumbled, 'Yes.'

"I said, DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME, CHOSEN?" Duhnoh Zuhnmah roared, slapping Hariel across the face with his tail.

"Yeah, I got it," Hariel rasped out a little louder, his head tilted towards his left side as he spat out some blood - he could still taste some in his mouth where it continued to bleed.

"Father, perhaps if we just -"

A surge of pale aqua light erupted from the corridor that the head Gizmutan had come come from as shrieks of frustration echoed from that direction as well.

"Fools upon Fools . . ." Hariel heard Duhnoh Zuhnmah groan before calling out his minions. It was then that Hariel heard someone run into the room, then shout out with a familiar voice, but it didn't comfort him.

"+GREAT GIZMUTAN, THE ARTIFACT DISAPPEARED!+" Antulpan cried.

Hariel soon found himself being forced through the Ceremony with demanding speed; each time Hariel gasped out wordlessly, Duhnoh Zuhnmah would slap him on the chest, leaving Hariel with an increasingly bruised chest as they moved on to Duhnoh Zuhnmah's Runes . . . the Gold Spider, Clasp, Arrowhead, Whirlpool, Wolfhead . . .

(-)

The girls had new jewelry to inspect while Shedosh spoke with T'myra, who was now wearing her Artifact, which she told them was called the Jewel of Life - it looked exactly like the 'symbol' at the top of the diagram in The Prophecy. The girls determined on gut feelings, like T'myra, that Rafakoh now had Armbands of Might, Acuashy wore the Rings of Clarity, Sashyrary called hers the Belt of Stamina, and Najyana had on her Tiara of Reason.

According to what T'myra remembered from K'rant's possession, the Gizmutan plot was in the middle of succeeding if Hariel had really left with K'rant to save T'myra. I can't believe tha' idiot really did it . . . Stupid Cotton, you're right in their 'ands!

"You mean you think that the Ceremony could be going on right now?" Shedosh repeated, "Right NOW?"

"Indeed, Shedosh, right now. Tha' Gizmutan wouldnta' lost any time gettin' 'Ariel t' do tha' Ceremony," T'myra insisted.

Saberstryke swore under his breath before speaking. "That means we need to be there to stop him!"

"What?" Shedosh laughed ruefully, "And take on every one of the Gizmutan including this 'Great Father' and his kids?"