...My only excuse for not writing this chapter sooner is...my wisdom teeth were pulled.(stares as the readers wince and mumble)

YEAH...You try writing while being almost unconciousn from both pain and medication strong enough to drop Crazy Al.

It. Ain't. Easy.

Well, anyway, it almost wore off completely, when i suddenly got on my computer, and found a death threat to my goldfish if chapter seven wasn't written soon.

...Really weird. Especially since I don't have a goldfish. I do however own a peanut butter elephant...Oh crap, that's the meds kickin' in.

Dammit! Kell-El! Do the disclaimer! Before I-(falls asleep drooling on her keyboard)

Kell-el: Whatever. She doesn't own any of us except Reki. This story contains Yaoi, a few het couples, and most of all, oocness.

"W-What the hell?" Kell shouted as he pulled the durlan off of his chest. Why-Where had that come from-Did Cham even understand- Startled green eyes looked up at him, faint and hazy, and Kell stiffened, suddenly feeling an unpleasant but familiar energy.

'Magic? But Zix isn't anywhere near us...' Black and green narrowed as Cham whimpered in pain, a red glow surrounding his form. The glow suddenly changed direction and seeped up the superman copy's arm, wrapping around his head as though to choke him.

A voice suddenly rose up, startling Kell. His grip tightened on Cham, nearly crushing the smaller form. "Give him to me... I will have the Durlan Turner... Durla will fall... My revenge... will... be..." The voice was loud, but hazy, like it was being blocked by something. Kell growled, and shoved his own mind energy at it, having been trained by Zixx on how to do so.

'GET OUT OF HERE!' The presence retreated, and the same voice returned, only a lot clearer. "He will serve my goal...' Kell yelled as he opened his eyes, glancing around the cave. His gaze settled on the tiny form in his arms.

'Where? Where are you? You cannot hide from me, Durlan Turner...I'll find you soon enough...' The voice was icy, poisonous, and sickened Cham to his core. He curled up, trying to force the dark power from him.

"Cham? CHAM!" Why was that sound familiar?

"CHAM!" Oh, it was...his name, right?

"Yeah, it is. Don't worry. I'll protect you." It was someone he knew, right? Someone...

Kell-el?

"CHAM, WAKE UP OR I SWEAR TO KOENMA I'LL POUR MANJYU SURPRISE DOWN YOUR PANTS!" Reki screamed, quickly swerving away from the orange-haired durlan as he bolted up from his cot, sweating bullets. She grinned.

"Well, good thing, cause I don't have any manjyu suprise with me." She joked as he took in the surroundings. Bouncing Boy, Karate Kid, Saturn Girl, and Lightning Lad were huddled in a corner, speaking in low tones. Superman and his clone were argueing in relatively low voices, though the original Big Blue would glance around behind him, eventually resting on Cham, then swinging back to Kell.

"I'm guessing I lost the game?" Reki nodded, looking at where Brainiac 5 was staring out the window, nearly as tall as Superman himself. The genius looked angry about something, and Cham knew very well what was bothering him.

Ron-Carr was standing in a corner, though he should really say bend, as the room was circular. The dark green stones suggested that it was part of a large and very old structure. Maybe some kind of castle?

"Kaz..." The Durlan flinched when his name was hissed by the Coluan. He slowly turned his head, fearful of being swatted, or worse - what if Brainy had him thrown out? Imagine the look on his face when he instead recieved a gentle pat on the head.

"You and Kell-El were lucky to have found that cave. A travellar from this castle wandered by in the storm and found you both unconcious. He brought you here, and when I contacted your communicator, we were able to transport down safely."

There was a moment of silence, in which everyone turned their attention to the three. Cham blinked once, twice, then "Dur, wha?"

Reki sniggered, then said in a slow voice meant to for babies and mentals, "Loud beeping thing make everything okay again."

Cham grinned. "Duh, thank you Professor. Now calculate the formula for hyperspace.(1)" Reki laughed, toppling off her chair. Brainy began to rattle said formula off, only stopping when Superman put a hand on his shoulder. The Coluan flushed darkly when Superman quietly told him it was a joke.

"Well, I'm glad to see you're awake, Cham-sura.(2)" The lughter ceased as a rather strange looking person stepped in the room. It looked like Old Man Brisby, but much younger, and a bit more handsome. He had long dark blue hair that was braided down his back, and bright pink eyes that reminded Cham of Saturn Girl's.

"I was passing by on errand for the mistress-sura, when the storm blew up. Passing by the cave, when I saw you and that man-sura-"at this he pointed at Kell-El who shrugged,"- struggling against something. I pulled him through the storm with my Whirlwind, him carrying you, and when we got home to the castle the beeping thing went off and I heard your friends calling for you-sura."

Cham nodded, then sat up. Reki gently handed him a cup of water, which he took gratefully. He examined the stranger's outfit closer.

He wore a dark green robe, and over that he had a sort of grey tunic. He had fleshy red boots which ran criss-cross around his legs. There was a small zigzag scar on his cheek, though Cham's view was blocked by the long bangs in front of the man's face.

"Oh! My name is Nivan-sura. I hope you recover well, and soon. There is a great danger running around at this time." Brainiac 5 approached him slowly, a distasteful look on his face.

"You mean Nasinga? We've been warned. Actually, I've been wondering if there really is such a thing?" Nivan took it in stride, and smiled pleasantly at him.

"Yes. I know that he exists, for it was his claw that gave me my scar." He lifted the hair on the left side of his face, showing the scar ran from the bottom of his cheek to the top corner of his forehead.

"He was long, perhaps even bigger than your ship. His eyes were as bright and dark as space. His scales shone like fire, and he sat in a lake made of jewels." Cham, Reki, Bouncing Boy, Karate Kid, and Saturn Girl were listening with rapt attention, while the others looked at each other.

"He was not angry, merely curious as to why I was there. I beseeched him, I pleaded him to help give our village crops, and he did!" Brainy rolled his eyes, which in turn made Reki slap his arm.

"Nasinga is not the evil you seek. It is a demon known as Maliba. It looks very much like a wolf, and it howls, and makes the red soot sweep through the wind." At this Brainy perked up.

"The red- Do you mean the powder we examined in the field?" Nivan nodded.

"It is a very powerful toxin, and you must have noticed that the planet has become sick. No animal on this world could be so terrible. It's obvious that the monster is not of this world." Lightning Lad jumped up from his seat.

"Maybe someone, the same someone who called in, really is trying to lure us out!" Nivan looked startled.

"Called in? That is impossible, we have no technology high-grade enough to make such a transmission." At this, almost everyone in the room reached the same conclusion: They had been baited, and now were trapped.

"Please, calm down. I will talk with my mistress-sura, and she will sort all of this out." Nivan tried to soothe, as shouting erupted over the room, only ending when Cham moaned, and clamped his hands over his ears. Nivan and Reki were by his side immediately.

"T-Too much noise..." He whispered, small drops squeezing out from behind his eyes. Saturn Girl sighed, and floated over to sit on the bed of her fellow legionaire. She gently used her telepathy to soothe the Durlan's mind, then turned to face everyone else.

"Nivan is right. I can sense a person of high intellect somewhere in the castle. We all have to stay calm." Reki nodded, and glared around the room.

"That includes you, Lightning Lad. AND YOU, KELL-EL!" The clone scowled at her, to which she responded by sticking her tongue out. Cham snickered, as did Nivan. After a seconds pause, the Ivivian hopped up, and took Reki and Cham's hands in his.

"I shall lead to Mistress Aruhart-sura, and while you talk I will fetch something to eat." He let go and started to walk out when Saturn Girl called him back.

"You said that Nasinga is not the creature that's wrecking the village." He nodded towards her. "But you also said that Nasinga is the one who gave you that scar. I don't understand."

Nivan was frozen for a moment, before it melted into an almost dazed smile.

"I do not recall saying that he attacked me. I asked him to give me a wish, and in return I gave him my sight. This-" He pointed to his left eye, which was just hazy enough to distingush from his right in color. The left was a cloudy green, while the other was clear. "-Is my end of the bargain."

"Bu-But that's not fair! Why should you have to give up your sight?" Reki yelped, clearly outraged. Nivan shook his head.

"What is not fair? An eye for an eye, or in my case, food for my starving people." Reki flushed, and bowed her head. Nivan giggled, making her look up again.

"Besides, I'm not much of a hunter anyway. I always run away from the thing we're trying to catch." That got a few giggles.

"Mistress-sura! The visitors wish to speak to you. Mistress-sura?" Nivan called down the stretch of hallway he led them down. He peered into random rooms and corridors as they walked on.

"This is so strange. Mistress-sura always tells me if she's going to leave the castle. I wonder where- ACK! Mistress-sura!" A very elegant woman had suddenly appeared in front of him, and he jumped out of suprise. He now stood, holding a hand over his heart, while Reki, Cham, Karate Kid, and Bouncing Boy huddled together, like when they would watch a horror film.

"D-Do you always appear out of thin air like that, ma'am?" Reki asked from the middle of the group, then pushed off the others weight. The lady smiled.

"No, I was merely following the sound of Nivan's voice." She turned to him. "A few moments ago, all the candles in my room went out, so I came down the hall seeking your company. I see the one you brought in has recovered?" Nivan nodded and bowed to her. She sank back, a sign she regarded the boy as an equal, rather than a servant.

"I am known as Lady Aruhart, or as Nivan here refers to me, Mistress. May I inquire to your titles?" Reki felt a strange wave of energy sweep over them, and found herself bowing while her legs crossed.

"I am Reki, ma'am." She twitched, then straightened up quickly, giving Brainy a 'wtf?' look. He frowned.

"Very pleasant to meet you, Miss Reki. And you are?" She replied, staring at Cham. He twitched, then after a few moments he bowed, though with less grace.

"I-I am Kaz Daggle. It's a pleasure to meet you." He straightened up, a bit paler than before. Brainy narrowed his eyes. 'She's manipulating them, using magic? Is she from Zixx's world?'

"Very good. And oh-! There will be time for introductions later. Now, we feast." She led them into another large hallway, which held several statues and a large ornate table, laden with all manner of foods.

"Now then, you Miss?" Mistress said sweetly to Saturn Girl, who introduced herself, Lightning Lad, Bouncing Boy, and Triplicate Girl. Ron-Carr introduced everyone else, trying not to feel left out.

"Ah, how wonderful. Keeping the peace on different planets must takes its toll on you all." Mistress remarked as they dug in animatedly, Cham and Reki the loudest.

"MMM! Ma'am, if I do say so, this stuff is great!" Reki managed around what appeared to be blue mashed potatoes. Brainy managed not to recoil in disgust.

"Mmm-hmm!" Cham agreed, his face covered in a strange shiny purple sauce. Brainy did recoil at that, and quietly twirled his fork around his questionable salad, which contained the following pigments: pink, scarlet, marron, and plum.

"Now then, you all must be very tired. Why don't you retire for the night, and we will talk in the morning." She swept her hand toward the door, where Nivan was standing. He smiled, and ushered them back up the stairs, waving them into rooms three at a time. Kell-el, Superman, and Reki were in one room, whereas Cham, and Ron-Carr were in the opposite.

"Um, Ron-Carr?" The green changeling looked over at the Durlan, who looked rather nervous.

"D-Do you think that Maliba would be able to get in here?" Ron-Carr twitched, then sighed. He stood, and dragged the other bed closer to his own. Cham jumped in and nearly hung off the edge to be as close to the other shapeshifter as possible.

"Thanks, buddy." Ron-Carr sighed, then slowly got under his sheets. He turned over to ask Cham why he was so spooked by the story, only to find that Cham was deep asleep.

'I guess he falls asleep fast when he needs it, huh.' Ron-Carr smiled slightly, then closed his eyes into nothing. He wasn't aware of a small peach'colored hand winding itself around his own

Oh noes! What's this? Cham's two-timing? Naw, you'll see, you'll see. Now, read and review my minions! It gives me strength!