Chapter 15: New Beginnings
Four days passed after returning from Edelstein; however, Shinsoo and Matthew remained in their unnatural slumber. Grendal and Helen tried waking them with various spells, techniques, and potions, but nothing worked. The others trained hard: Jack either lifted weights or spared with Kyrin. Jenny ran courses with Olsen. When she wasn't trying to wake Matthew, Helen would meditate or read through books of spells for hours, then practice what she had learned.
Lillianne would check on Matthew during her rest periods while training. On the afternoon of the fourth day, Jack stopped by Matthew's hut. As he pushed the curtain aside, he saw Matthew sitting up, holding his head, and groaning as the light hit his eyes.
"Could you please keep that curtain shut? My head is about to split open," Matthew asked, blindly reaching for the glass of water on his side table.
"Sorry, man; welcome back to the land of the living." Jack chuckled. Matthew looked up just as Lillianne threw the curtain aside, making Matthew's head throb again as she tackled him. Jack smiled, then snapped his fingers when a thought struck him.
"Dude, the gate closed on you. How'd you get it to open again?" Jack asked. Outside, something tired walked up to the hut. Lillianne walked to the door and carefully pulled the curtain aside to see the empress's feather dragon.
"Shinsoo, you're awake!" she exclaimed. The great beast nodded and smiled, sighing as he lay down, tired from the simple walk.
"I think we should all speak to everyone before anything else," Shinsoo said softly.
"I agree," Matthew grunted, standing up and walking with help from Lillianne. Despite his splitting headache, it was just bearable enough to go to the Counsel Pit, where the others waited.
"I understand Matthew was trapped in the Null Realm for a short while. What happened?" Aran asked as Lillianne assisted Matthew to his seat. Olsen responded to Aran's question.
"Once we passed through the gate, the connection to the realm became unstable. In addition, one of the power generators exploded, severing the connection altogether. After insisting that the resistance open it again, Checky informed us that it would take months to get enough power. A few seconds later, the gate opened on its own, allowing Shinoo and Matthew through."
"How exactly did you come back if there was no power?" Aran asked with interest as Matthew rubbed his head again from a pulse of pain behind his eyes. Lillianne put a hand on his back.
"Hey, we can do this another time if you want. You just woke up, and…" Matthew put a hand on her leg, his eyes heavy.
"It's alright, Lillianne," He whispered, smirking.
"We found a girl named Sophilia who used to live in the Pendergeist Mansion, but we lost track of her. After the portal closed, Shinsoo and I faced an army of skeleton soldiers. Their presence allowed Shinsoo to remain in his protection state, eradicating many of them. Sophilia appeared to us from nowhere, standing where the portal had been. I apologized for not being able to bring her back to our realm. She said she would send us back as thanks for getting rid of the Mana Drill and saving Nathan and Aeris.
"Before I had a chance to stop her, she transformed what remained of her Life Force into energy and began forming the gate back to this realm. Shinsoo and I darted through the gate, but something made us blackout as we passed through. The next thing I remember was waking up in my hut." Aran nodded, thinking hard as he stood and walked over to five stands covered by thick burlap.
"You may have passed out because your Life Force resonated with hers for a moment, disrupting it for a short time." Aran theorized, holding his chin in thought. Matthew shut his eyes tightly, leaning over until his head sat in his hands, propped up by his knees.
"Take the day to rest, Matthew. Tomorrow you'll need to begin regaining your strength. Once you have, we can leave for El Nath."
"And why would we go there?" Olsen asked dryly.
"To begin the next phase of your training, of course."
Eleanor opened a small vial and poured a drop of glowing white liquid into a glass tube protruding from a massive control board containing a thin gel. She looked up when the inquiring whispers of the Black Mage materialized from the dark.
"Progress is slow but steady. I've only been able to copy and sequence the DNA. As of yet, their actual bodies will take at least another two to three months to form." The Mage nodded as he looked up at the empty gel-filled chambers, tiny bubbles rising to the top. Questioning whispers filled her ears.
"Their minds will grow with their body and will have matured," Eleanor answered. The Mage held an image in his hand of the remaining Crystal Husk. Eleanor slowly shook her head as she flipped a switch, drawing the small tube into the control board and returning the vial to storage. The Mage hissed in the back of his throat, walking to where his other 'guest' was staying.
Casually he passed through the door of Checky's cell, his hands shackled by thick chains while his feet and legs were stocked to the floor. When Checky caught sight of The Mage, he pushed off the floor as though lunging, stopped by the chains. The Mage's eyes narrowed as if he were grinning, summoning a small sphere of his power as entertained whispers filled the air.
"You MURDERER! YOU KILLED MY FAMILY!" Checky roared, pulling at the chains that held him back, making his wrists and ankles begin to hurt as the cuffs dug into his skin. The Mage held up his hand, hissing in the back of his throat, where a vial appeared marked in bold letters 'Life Eater'.
"It was you who tainted the virus! You standing here makes me just as sick as the virus did!" Checky shouted. His rage stopped cold when The Mage drew his hand across Checky's face, making the sharp clap echo through the chamber. He then leaned down to the mechanic's ear as whispers hummed.
"You're no god. You're just a man drunk on his power," Checky growled through his teeth. The Mage stood to his full height and took a long breath before extending his palm, hitting him from every side with solidified Black Magic. It broke bones and cut his flesh as it whirled around him. When he stopped, Checky hung from the chains and panted in pain while the Mage took his sharp boney finger and picked up his chin to look him in the eye.
Growling whispers made Checky's skin pale as he turned his eyes to see The Mage hold an image of Edelstein before him. It then showed his beloved Doctor Claudine walking down the road in her lab coat and glasses. Checky's mind raced, gritting his teeth and balling his fists until he slumped in the chains. With an uninterested chuckle, The Mage slipped his finger from under his chin cutting through Checky's flesh as he left the room.
Outside, the Oblivion Knights and Chief returned to their station surrounding him. Once The Mage had left, Checky picked up his head enough that the blood under his chin ran down his neck.
"Mark my words Black Mage: you will fall! The Guardians are far more powerful than you give them credit for."
It took a few days, but Matthew regained his strength, swinging his swords as fast and hard as usual. On the second day's afternoon, Nathan came to speak with him. Matthew looked at him when the motion caught his attention in the corner of his eye as the young warrior called out when he was near enough. There was also something off about Nathan; his gate looked stiff.
"I never did get a chance to thank you for saving Aeris. She's the one person left in my life that I can truly call family." He called, bowing to Matthew on the training grounds. Matthew leaned on the sword he was using, thankful for the distraction to catch his breath.
"You're welcome. I see you've restored your spear." Matthew panted, pointing to the weapon. Nathan smiled, holding it into the sunlight.
"Yes, Grendal the Ancient was kind enough to re-invigorate the magic used to create it with his own." Matthew smiled as he nodded.
"Well, that's good to hear." Once Matthew was sure that he had caught his breath, he pulled the sword from the ground and was about to return to training when his senses tingled. He held the blade up in a whirl just as Nathan's spear slammed into it.
"What I can't forgive is my embarrassment in the Mana Drill Castle." Nathan thundered. Matthew looked up with fire brewing in his eyes. He still had a hazy headache, and all this loud noise wasn't helping. Training on his own was hard enough.
"Look, it was nothing personal. You might have beaten me if I had done things differently. I don't know. Just let it be." Matthew commanded.
"No, we resolve this NOW!" Nathan shouted. Matthew pulled away, running his fingers agitatedly through his hair, looking to Lillianne, Helen, and Jack.
"Helen, grab me an Orange Peel potion and heal my headache. Lilli, in the weapon's rack, there should be a Mikhail ax, and bring my cloak on your way back." He asked. Helen hesitantly reached into a bag across her shoulders for the potion as his headache slowly dissipated with the spell. Lillianne returned with the items he had requested, worry crossing her face as she leaned in close to him.
"Are you sure about fighting? It's only been a couple of days since you woke up. You're not even wearing your armor." Lillianne asked. Matthew shrugged as he spun the ax in his hand.
"Honestly, I'm not sure. I'm feeling almost normal, but the boy wants to fight now, and I just want to get this over with. The sooner I can get that done, the sooner I can get my strength back, and the sooner we can get on our way." Nodding, Lillianne stood back as he faced this overly eager young person.
"What? Are you afraid of getting your sword scratched?" Nathan prodded. Matthew laughed as his cloak transformed onto his arm and charged in a blur. Nathan barely managed to block the heavy swing, bending the shaft under the swing's weight.
"I should warn you, your prodding has put me in a bad mood." Matthew snarled, turning the ax up while a blue light gathered at the center of the handle. The ax slammed into the spear from below. Flames fluttered and tore in its path, throwing Nathan back. Nathan stabbed the spear into the ground, swinging around to sprint back as fast as he could. Wind curled around Matthew as blue flames moved up his body, gathered in a cloud above him as threads of electricity felt over his body. A bolt shot down around him as Matthew charged in return.
Nathan thrust his spear, but Matthew moved to the side, grabbed the spear, and pulled Nathan forward. Simultaneously he swung down hard, flames igniting along the ax's path. Nathan let go of his spear and jumped back, watching as the ax cratered the ground. As Nathan righted himself, Matthew buried the spearhead where he had been a moment before. Nathan took advantage of the momentary lull in Matthew's movements. He grabbed onto the end of his spear and sprang forward, planting both of his feet in Matthew's back, forcing him to the ground.
While Matthew tried to catch himself, Nathan pulled the spear from the ground, about to run it through Matthew's back when the large shied of his Golden Gaia burst into existence. Nathan tripped as the spear sparked off the shield. Matthew thrust his palm forward, an image of a ghost rising from Matthew's back, making Nathan feel unexplainably weak and dizzy. The young warrior barely managed to escape the bone-crushing swings that Matthew unleashed on him. Flames licked his face with each swing while sparks flew around them in a deadly dance. As Nathan swung wide, Matthew ducked down and swept Nathan's legs from under him.
As Nathan was still falling, Matthew swung down with his free hand, slamming the entirety of the shield's face into his body, pushing Nathan to the ground. When Nathan could open his eyes, Matthew held his ax a few inches from his face.
"Do you yield?" Matthew asked with an agitated tone.
"No… NOT UNTIL YOU FALL!" Nathan shouted, batting the ax aside and thrusting the spear forwards. Sparks flew as the spear ground the broadside of the ax while Matthew moved. The edge of the spearhead grazed Matthew's cheek and sliced it open with a paper-thin cut. The light in Matthew's eyes changed as he brushed away the blood.
"I'm ending it NOW!" Matthew thought as the blue glow around his ax flared into an angry red, summoning the Ruby Crystal's power. Nathan moved as the ax came down hard, whistling into the ground. The impact kicked up a cloud of dust around them. Nathan spun around and thrust the spear again but met something hard, jarring his whole body. The dust blew away, revealing a wall of iron dissipating into a cloud of ruby-colored dust.
Nathan began running for the nearby trees, hiding behind the thickest one he could find. Matthew growled as he held the ax to the sky, small orbs gathering around his hand. Matthew's strike detonated six tree trunks, splinters hissing through the air like arrows. Nathan could only stand frozen for a moment as he tried to devise a strategy.
He knew Matthew would be hard to beat, but now that he was using the crystal's power, there would be no way to block the weight in his attacks. He'd have to catch him off guard. A high-pitched scream surging through the trees disrupted his thoughts. Nathan peeked out to see what it was, dropping to the ground when Matthew's Solar Scythe blazed through the trees in a wide path. Nathan was about to get up when Matthew kicked his spear from his hands, grabbed him by the collar, hauling him over his head, and slammed him to the ground.
When Nathan finally caught his breath enough to see, Matthew stood over him with the ax's blade on his throat. In the distance, he could hear Lillianne and Jenny commanding him to stop. Matthew looked up, then hauled Nathan to his feet again and roughly set him down on a stump. Matthew collapsed to the ground after walking a few steps away, while Nathan dropped his face into his hands as he shook his head, disappointed in his performance.
There were so many places he could have been better in that fight; he might have won. But the gap in skill and power was just too significant; he may never defeat Matthew at this rate. Aeris came running over to them when she heard the noise.
"What in Minerva's name did you do?!" she asked, hurriedly looking him over to ensure Nathan wasn't hurt.
"He embarrassed me, Aeris. I want to make it right."
"By taking on the Guardian Warrior?! What would that prove?"
"That I can still protect you. That I am not a failure." Aeris stopped cold, putting her hands on his head and locking her golden brown eyes with his.
"You are never a failure. And so what if Mattew overpowered you? That thing was created by The Black Mage, the worst man in the history of bad men! If you had been able to stop him, you never would have found me." Aeris argued, seeming to at least make Nathan agree the fall of the Mana Drill was a positive thing, but getting beaten was still an event he would like to forget.
"But what if I lose you again? I don't think I could live through that." Nathan shot back.
"Then get stronger! Sitting around feeling sorry for yourself isn't doing you any favors." Nathan looked back to Matthew as Jenny and Lillianne helped him to his feet. His pride may take a minor hit, but learning from the one that defeated him would be the quickest way to gain power.
After another three days, The Five strolled across the docks towards Shank's ship. They were told to leave their armor behind and only bring their weapons, which was odd. Helen's search revealed they would be undertaking what they all knew as the Third Job Advancement. However, details of what was involved were a bit scarce. From what she did find, they would all be learning from people called "The Advance Masters," but nothing more substantial.
Aran was waiting for them on the deck, standing next to five covered armor stands. He appeared to start an influential speech when three voices came running up the dock. Helen turned back to see their three new friends, Antonia, Aeris, and Nathan, running up the gangplank to the ship, weapons in hand. Antonia quickly made her way to Jenny, Nathan to Matthew, and Aeris to Jack, all three bowing low and setting their weapons before them.
"Please, allow us to be your apprentices!" they chimed, waiting eagerly for an answer. Jenny quickly smiled and reached down, picking up Antonia's bow and smiling as she remembered starting her training with something similar.
"You may. But I won't be able to teach you much of anything until I have completed my training." Jenny answered, setting a hand on Antonia's shoulder. Antonia looked up with a massive smile and hugged Jenny tightly. Matthew pulled his Neocora from his belt and put the dull edge on Nathan's head.
"Nathan, I will accept you as my apprentice." Nathan nodded as he stood and then handed his spear to Matthew.
"I put my spear in your hands." He said with confidence. At first, Jack was confused seeing the pistol lying at his feet. Even if this girl wanted to be his apprentice, she didn't seem serious enough to take on such a task.
"Do you know how to use that thing?" Jack asked. Aeris shook her head as she rocked back to her knees.
"No, Sir Jack," Aeris answered. Jack rolled his head, then his shoulders as he sighed.
"Alright, but for the first few months after I finish this training, I'm gonna push you harder to catch up to the others. You understand that means you'll be pushed to your limits and beyond, right?" Aeris stood and nodded her understanding, holding the pistol handle first to him.
"Alright then, I guess I can show you a few tricks," Jack sighed. Aeris smiled large, trying to contain her excitement as she walked over to Nathan and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek.
"May we come with you, master?" Nathan asked. Matthew raised his eyebrows, turning to Aran as if asking the same question.
"If you understand that my word has the same authority as theirs and that while they are training, then you may," Aran said with authority as the three of them nodded in understanding.
"Good. Shanks! Set helm for El Nath!" Aran called.
"Aye Aye, Aran. El Nath, here we come." Shanks answered. Before they pulled the Gang Plank away, Lillianne kissed Matthew, telling him that she would see him later once his training was nearing completion. After lifting off the waters, the stands in the middle of the deck drew Olsen's attention. The heavy cloth used to cover them fluttered slightly, revealing flashes of color from what was underneath.
"Guardians, gather around. I have a gift for you all." Aran called. As they shuffled into place, Aran reached for the cloth, pulling it from the stands in one grand motion. It revealed five stands with new armor for each of them. For Matthew, a set of smooth and highly polished Mithril plate armor waited, edged in hammered gold. Grieves and large gauntlets sported brass forearm guards, and a thick plated Mithril helm rested at its feet. Jenny looked over her new clothes in confusion.
"Is there something wrong, Lady Jenny?" Aran asked, catching her confused look.
"This just looks like a black version of the Sky Lineros: the same shoes, dress, gloves… the same everything. Wouldn't it just be easier to give me that?" she asked until Aran explained further.
"Lady Jenny, Minerva created the Sky Lineros for who we can only assume to be one of her Heroes. Unfortunately, no one has yet proven powerful enough to wear it. Even your mother, Athena, was unable to control its great power. This outfit will suit well until then." Jenny looked back to the outfit and nodded, deciding to imagine that it was the Sky Lineros instead.
Next to Jenny's clothes was a stand dressed in a white silk shirt covered by a black vest, decorated in gold buttons and chain, with red and white striped pants. The soft black leather boots, studded with brass rivets, rested underneath black leather fingerless gloves dotted with steel studs.
Helen almost tenderly caressed the gold sleeve of her new sapphire blue dress, noting that it bore a striking resemblance to the Onyx Empress Requiem. After a few moments, she concluded the dress was similar to what she saw at the beginning of her journey in her grandfather's library and applied the same explanation Jenny received about the Sky Lineros.
Olsen admired the tough fabric of the shirt and pants interwoven with brass chainmail, which looked like dragon scales. A tightly tied black bandana hung on the top with a broad brown stripe and dark goggles. At the base rested the bronze-colored gloves and the crimson-stained leather boots. However, their admiration was cut short when Aran insisted they don their new armors, as they would need them for the upcoming training. Helen was the first to come out of the captain's quarters, though her movements seemed slow and awkward. Soon after, Jenny struggled up the stairs from the hold, instantly staring at Helen.
"Helen, you look fantastic!" Jenny called, admiring the backless blue dress shining like her indigo eyes. The flowing golden sleeves started at her elbows and widened to her hands while her Gaia of Shadows covered her shoulders.
"Thanks, but it feels like I'm carrying around a sack of flour," Helen commented, leaning against her staff for support.
"I assume these are weighted to help us in our training," Olsen called, climbing out of the hold when he caught sight of Jenny; her Black Lineroa fit loosely, but it still held her figure well. Jenny noticed his stare, shifting her weight to one leg in an attractive pose. Olsen cleared his throat to center himself as Jack and Matthew hauled themselves up the stairs; Matthew appeared to be having the most trouble.
"What did you make this out of, lead?" Matthew groaned, propping himself on his knees as he panted.
"To some degree, yes. While these are your new armors, they aren't what you will ultimately wear. The extra weight you carry will help you in your training, helping to enhance your endurance to use the Crystal Power more effectively." He answered when Olsen spoke up.
"One question; usually, new armor means we also get new weapons. Where are those?" Olsen asked, moving his arm around with the heavy Blood Gigantic clamped on his forearm. Aran chuckled.
"Yes, Olsen, that is usually the case. But this time, once you have completed your training, you will offer your current weapons on the Alter of the Sacred Stone. It shall transform them into a weapon you will wield. As of now, only a few thousand people have completed this training. Even fewer progress to the Master Level, settling in their power. Remember, training for normal people is much more physically demanding and takes much more time to attain. Normal training takes almost a decade to reach this level without the crystal's power."
On the western border of Herb Town, human Mir sat in the sun soaking up the heat on her wing when something tickled her senses. Somewhere out there, she felt Phoenix, Dragonoir's servant, transform.
"Mir? What is it?" Evan asked as he finished the last of his bean buns.
"It's him, master. He is… heading for El Nath, where the guardians are. Should we go after him?" she asked with concerned eyes, the symbol on her forehead glowing, anticipating the shift into her proper dragon form.
"I think they'll be fine, Mir. Utah is much wiser than when he attacked the first time. He might be harder to track if he senses we are coming after him. Besides, Aran is with them." He explained. Mir calmed, spreading her wings once more to soak up more of the sun's warmth. However, she grumbled in her thoughts. She wanted to fly, feel the joy of the wind on her scales, and feel her thoughts and Master Evan's in synchronous harmony as they dove, spun, and cast spells together.
Over the years, she had grown to enjoy her partnership with her master, becoming an iron bond between them. Mir began to wonder if their partnership could even be something more. She did possess a human form, but she was still a dragon.
"Shall we go practice some of our spells? Just in case we are needed by the Guardians?" Evan asked, finishing the Danish on his plate. Mir grinned and jumped up from her seat, her wings twitching in anticipation. Evan chuckled, stuffing the last bite into his mouth while getting up, leaving a few meso coins behind as Mir tugged on his arm.
Olsen walked from the bow to the helm, spotting Jenny leaning against the ship's side, the wind blowing her hair back as she watched the clouds pass by.
"What changed your mind about being the Guardian Archer?" Olsen asked, putting his arms around her waist. Jenny smiled as she put her hands on his, thinking back.
"It wasn't so much a choice as it was a realization. The more I thought I was becoming this monster, the more I kept thinking about Antonia and her request to become my apprentice. I told myself that if I trained her, she would become just like me. But I realized all the things I'm going through right now are things that Antonia will never again have to see or endure: I am her shield. I am Ossyria's shield." Olsen smiled, kissing her on the cheek.
"I'm proud of you, Jen; you don't know how much this team needs you." He finished when Matthew came up to them and handed them a heavy leather cloak to protect them from the biting cold of El Nath. The Five were each given one as soon as they descended the gangplank, crossing through the sea of people where Alcaster waited. A short while later, the ship turned downward. Shanks fired the landing thrusters, blowing away waves of snow while the landing gear extended, touching down in the marketplace where a crowd of people already gathered with leis of Snow Roses and cranberries waiting for them.
"Guardians of Ossyria, it is a pleasure to see you again. I've heard so much about your accomplishments since we last met. Are any of you hungry or thirsty?" Alcaster called, standing towards the back of the crowd. Antonia, Nathan, and Aeris raised their hands.
"I see that three of you already have apprentices: that is most fortunate. Please follow me, Guardians; I shall escort you to the Mansion of the Advance Masters. Aran, will you take those three to my house?" Aran nodded as they separated and trekked over the icy main road to the mansion that sat over all of El Nath like a castle. Once they had reached the door, Alcaster turned and stood them all in a row, shoulder to shoulder.
"Remember, these Advance Masters will not tolerate a lax attitude, nor will they accept you giving up. They will push you like your parents did when you began this journey. Treat them with the utmost respect, and they will become your best friends in time." Alcaster lifted the giant brass knocker and let it fall onto the grand oak door with a hollow-sounding thud.
"Come." A strong voice boomed, at which the doors unlocked and opened into the grand mansion. Within the house stood five people, in the same order as the guardians, each wearing a different colored robe and hoods covering their eyes in a dark shadow. Jenny tensed as one of them walked up to her holding a bow behind her. A blond braid hung from under her hood on her right side down to her knees, dressed in a red velvet robe.
"Miss Jenny, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am Rene." She said with a pleasant tone of voice, the shadow of her hood fading as she looked up. A man dressed in a Kingfisher blue robe walked up to Olsen, allowing him to better see the cross scar on his cheek. The young ninja's hand reflexively twitched, pulling a pair of shuriken from his claw.
"Master Olsen, I am Arec. It is an honor to meet you." He said, crossing his arms and meeting sleeves as he bowed, which Olsen returned. Helen watched in awe as a trim figured woman with long ruby red hair draped over her left shoulder in a yellow robe hovered over to her and set down on the ground.
"Lady Helen, I greet thee with many pleasant salutations. I am your teacher, Robeira." Her demeanor was so elegant and subdued that Helen forgot that she was a Master Mage. Matthew snapped to attention when a man in an orange robe came forwards. A large sword lay across his back, sporting a full beard and mustache across his face.
"Lord Matthew, I have been awaiting your arrival. I am Tylus." He said, offering his hand, clad in a heavy but well-polished gauntlet. Matthew reached for and firmly shook, surprised by the man's iron grip. Jack was too enthralled by the other masters that he didn't see the man swinging a pistol on his finger approaching him. The hood of his violet robe pulled back far enough to leave the smirk on his face visible. When he spoke, it was with a hint of a British accent.
"Greetings to ya, Sir Jack. Th' name's Pedro. Now that each of ya has met us, we c'n begin the first of your training; the mental training." Roberia nodded to him and continued his thought.
"Agreed, Pedro; Thou wilt engage in battle with us, where thy will to fight shall be subject to a bombardment of thy worst fears. Harsh though it may seem, it is necessary; thy enemies possess more cunning." Robeira finished as Tylus stepped forwards and asked bluntly.
"Are you worthy of being here?" Matthew stared Tylus back in the eye with a fierce determination as ruby power began seeping from his arms and shoulders.
"The most worthy yet," Matthew growled in return. Tylus smirked as he backed away and nodded.
"We shall see. Come." Each master led a guardian to a separate room. The Guardians suddenly felt very alone and vulnerable to what was about to hit them.
Helen and Robeira
Once through the door, Roberia waved her hand and shut the door hard, shoving the bolt shut with a loud clap making Helen jump. She then hovered to her desk and pulled the hood from her head, revealing her young and attractive face. Her unnaturally violet eyes peered into the world amid the cascade of red locks.
"Art thou certain thou belong here?" she asked sharply. Helen was taken aback by the question.
"I know I belong here; from what your prophecies have said…"
"Speak not of prophecies," Roberia snapped. "I ask, dost thou think that thou belong here? Is everything thou learned worth staying hither? Thou art but a child, and yet believest thou can overcome the Black Mage?" Helen felt her breathing begin to elevate with each word thrown at her. Her hands balled into fists, beginning to feel clammy.
"It's not a question of whether or not I think I can. It is a fact that I must." Helen replied with conviction. Robeira smiled as she shook her head.
"Thee? Defeat the Black Mage? Thou couldst not summon a powerful enough spell to keep Jack from dying. Thou couldst not even protect thyself in Ohio. Thou. Art. Weak." Helen's eyes stung with tears and changed to deep purple, violet flames roaring to life in her right hand while icy cold blurs swirled around the top of her Thorns staff.
"You want power! I'll give you power!" Helen roared as she hurled the ice at her. Robeira huffed, batting the attack aside, then teleporting to her, slamming her hand to the ground. Helen teleported away just as a blast of flames shot from the floor all around Robeira, leaving the boards scorched. Helen tried to gather her thoughts, but Robeira was already on her, being held back only by Helen's staff.
"It is a wonder Jack seems so distant! That Aeris girl bewitches him! A girl whose interest lay in being a pirate! What an opportunity!" Robeira smiled. More tears began blurring Helen's vision as she tried to stay focused.
"NO! JACK LOVES ME!" she shouted, plucking her finger across the staff and unleashing a compressed Sacred Arrow, throwing Robeira back. Robeira stood to counter when gears of flames erupted all around her while a fireball built at the top. Robeira laughed.
"Dost thou know thine own purpose? Dost thou know thyself?" Roberia teased, shaking her head in disappointment.
"SHUT UP! Jack is not that kind of man! Jack is passionate and not the kind of man to leave someone he cares about!" Helen shrieked, Amethyst power gathering on her back and shoulders, howling and shaking the room.
"And I am no mere child! I am the Daughter of Gregory and May Olman, Granddaughter of Grendal the Ancient! I AM HELEN OLMAN! I, with my comrades, will defeat the Black Mage, and there is nothing you can say or do that will stop us!" with a burst of dark light, her cloak disappeared from her shoulders and reformed as a dark energy bullwhip, starting from the top of her staff and coiling on the ground. Helen instantly swung the whip around and snapped it hard at the fireball.
It exploded, hurling flames into the cage of gears she had created. Reaching for her pouch of poison, Helen made motions with her fingers and launched a poison bubble into the maelstrom. The sound tore through the room as the bubble popped with a whip swing, shoving every loose thing to the walls. Finally, spheres of amethyst power sprang from her body as bolts of lightning thundered into the cage.
The fire gears slowly dissipated into mist as the dust and smoke cleared. Helen could hear Robeira gently clapping her hands in proud applause behind her. Whipping around, she reached up to draw her Sacred Arrow until a cube appeared around her, the spell falling apart. Helen tried casting another one, but that too failed. Again and again, she cast spells, but none of them would form.
"Calm yourself, Lady Helen; the test is over. Thou know thyself, and what mission is asked of thee. I am sorry if mine comments were harsh, but I needed to know if ye knew thyself before continuing." Helen clenched her teeth as the flames in her palms roared to life; the walls and floor began to melt from the heat. Her hair and eyes glowed violet as the fire built.
"I am not the same girl that left Ohio!" Helen thundered, her voice layered with rage. Roberia rushed forward, grabbing the young mage's hand and dissipating the flames.
"Helen! Stop! Thou hath proven thyself." Roberia commanded, hugging Helen tightly once the spell had dissipated.
"I know my words are harsh, but I must confirm thou knowest thyself. What thou hath endured, no person should. Thou art strong, Helen Olman. And thou shalt be stronger than any Ossyrian mage before thee." Helen calmed her breathing, relaxing her shoulder before hugging Roberia back. The near assault in Ohio was almost gone, but Athena and Kyrin helped her work through it.
"I am sorry about all the damage," Helen muttered, looking around at the damaged room. Robeira smiled as she hugged Helen close.
"Do not worry. This is but a very elaborate spell created near to 630 years ago." Robeira snapped her fingers, making everything return to its place.
"Now, the real training can begin," Roberia said with a bright smile, holding Helen away from her with a proud smile.
Olsen and Arec
Once inside, Arec slid the large bolt on the door shut, the sound echoing in the room. Taking the hood from his head revealed a young man's face with unreal violet eyes and short fire blue hair.
"So you think you're a ninja? Are you sure of that, looking as weak as you?" Arec asked in a hostile tone.
"You don't know the extent of what I've been through to get here." Olsen shot back.
"Your right; I don't. But your father, Dark Lord Jin, must be losing touch if he picked someone as weak and pathetic as you."
"Don't you DARE down talk my father that way!"
"Or what? Am I going to stain his honor? You don't know the black things he's done. You don't even know who you are: you're just a child playing dress-up! You can't possibly hope to defeat the Black Mage as such." Olsen's teeth creaked behind his lips.
"I know who I am; the question remains; who are you?!" Arec snickered as he drew a dagger from his belt.
"The truth is you don't know who you are. You're just stalling so that you can find out. That isn't going to work here, Olsen. It's a wonder that archer Jenny has stayed with you as long as she has, pretending to give you her affection." Olsen's shoulders burned, and his eyes changed to hot pink as the aura from the Quartz within him began to seep from his body.
"Calm down; he's just trying to get you to make a mistake." Olsen thought, taking a breath while the power calmed and his eyes went back to blue.
"Nice try, but it isn't going to work." Olsen laughed, pulling his shoulders back and cracking his upper back.
"Are you afraid to show me what you're made of, little boy? I'm right here; take your best shot. That is if your father taught you well enough. He only teaches you out of pity." Olsen tried to keep his head, but the last insult left him unable to keep his wits. The quartz power roared down his arm and into his claw, setting the blade of his dagger ablaze with pink flames.
"Then you've sealed your fate," Olsen growled, disappearing as he took a step. Arec smiled as he positioned his dagger to his left and waited. Olsen appeared above him, fist glowing hot pink. Arec moved to the side, turned, and hurled three shurikens at him, all three blazing with a bright blue flame. The adrenalin surging through Olsen's body kept his eyes wide and focused as he deflected all the stars, hurling two of his own back at Arec, following closely behind them.
Arec easily deflected the shuriken and sidestepped Olsen in a blur. Six cut marks appeared one after the other on the wall behind where Arec stood. Arec drew his dagger across his hand and then reached into his pocket, grabbing six copper coins. He ground them in his hand, covering them in his blood while his hand glowed with mana. He then tossed the coins around Olsen, each one exploding. Olsen reached for his cloak and wrapped it around himself just before they detonated, protecting him from the flames.
Olsen's mind raced as he thought up a plan. Arec had more skills at his disposal, but he didn't know Chief Knight Eckhart's skills. With that thought, Olsen burst from his cloak and hurled three double sets of shuriken at Arec, disappearing with a burst of hot pink flames. Arec waited for what was to come: his senses burned with something foul coming his way, but he couldn't sense Olsen anywhere.
"Is that all you know? Running and hiding? Is that to compensate for your failure in Ohio? You were so easily captured, and you nearly let your friend be assaulted," Arec shouted when something of a dark violet color appeared before him, stretching its wings out while four smaller orbs of the same color surrounded him. Olsen then appeared in the rafters overhead.
"Still, your tongue knave! I am no weakling, and I know exactly who I am! We WILL defeat the Black Mage. I am the Son of Dark Lord Jin…" as he spoke, quartz power gathered in his hand, slowly compressing into a swirling dark violet mass in his hand.
"…I AM OLSEN DA'LOR!" The ball of energy screamed like a banshee, taking the form of a smoky skull. The orbs grew wings, flying at Arec, meeting in the center with an explosive force. A cloud of poisonous vapors spread out on the floor when the skull made contact with the ground. The Crimson Gaia became a glow of red hot energy, attaching itself to the side of Olsen's claw, creating a sword reaching well beyond his hand. A blazing arch of flames shot from the edge and hit the floor with an explosive force. Olsen let out a breath as the adrenalin high began wearing off when Olsen heard Arec's nervous laugh from behind him.
"My my, Jin never told us you were also learning from the Empress's Knights. You had me worried for a moment. Well done, Olsen. Please forgive my earlier comments, but I had to ensure that you knew =who you were. Now, we may begin the real training."
Jack and Pedro
Pedro's gun spun around his finger as he locked the door and threw the key out of his window, catching the weapon in his hand and pulling back the hammer.
"Well, well, well… so you're the son of that wench Kyrin. I would've liked to take a tumble with her if she hadn't gone…" Jack silenced him as he appeared in his face, pushing the end of his Hades revolver hard into his chin and pulling the hammer back, his arm and gun humming with ruby power.
"Say that again, I dare you," Jack said between grit teeth.
"Or what? You're going to kill me like you did those pirates?" Jack's finger moved without thinking, pulling the trigger, making a loud crack as the hammer hit an empty chamber. Pedro stood wide-eyed for a moment.
"Trust me; I would have if I had reloaded. Next time, you won't be so lucky." Jack said darkly, pulling the pistol away and slamming a fully loaded clip in, smacking the slider back to charge the chamber.
"Who are you really?" Pedro asked, throwing back his hood: He looked about his mid to late twenties with high but sunken cheeks, blazing violet eyes, and snow-white hair, while a single steel earring hung on his right ear.
"You should already know that. I'm the Guardian Pirate," Jack growled.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Jack Waterman."
"THE Jack Waterman? Or just some imitation? If you're an imitation, how am I to know that the real Jack Waterman is even in Ossyria?"
"Don't hurt yourself with all that thinking." Jack scoffed, pulling the belts tight on his Psychotic Edge knucklers.
"I wonder If Helen likes that Dragon Mage better than you. He's more powerful and a mage, giving her something in common with him. But most of all, I wonder how good your mother is at…" Jack could no longer take what he was saying, whirling around and swinging his fist from the ground like a comet. Pedro quickly caught it.
"My my, is that all you can muster? I'm greatly disappointed in you, Jack. Helen must think you're such a weakling. With this much power, you wouldn't even be able to knock down an infant. Your mother may just go out and find another man to have fun with so she can have a proper son who knows how to fight!"
"That's enough!" Jack roared, yanking his fist away and spinning to connect his elbow with Pedro's face. It missed as Pedro moved back and forth as Jack punched again, nearly hitting him. Pedro smiled as he grabbed his arm and pulled him forward, burying his fist into Jack's gut and throwing him back. Just as Jack was righting himself, Pedro clenched his glowing fist. The ground exploded in a straight line towards Jack, who rolled out of the way. Jack regained his footing, compressing mana into his hands and pulling the pin on his grenade as he tossed it. Pedro smiled, caught the grenade, and threw it back before it detonated, making Jack dive for cover.
"You're getting weaker by the second, Jack! Is that all you got!?" Jack grabbed his cloak, pulling it around himself. Pedro stomped on the ground, making a bolder jut from below the floor, breaking rocks off and hurling them at Jack, contrails following each of them as they shattered after hitting the fabric.
"Come on, little man! Show me what you got!" Pedro prodded. Jack clenched his jaw harder until the ruby power from within him began to surge: threads of electricity felt all over his body and the ground while gathering on his fists. Exploding from under his cloak with a thunderous roar, Jack struck the ground, making floorboards and rocks fly into the air. Pedro jumped back but was overtaken when Jack appeared through the debris, a rooster tail of dust following his feet. Pedro crossed his arms to block, but the earth-shattering blows were more than he could stand. First the left, then right, left, right, left, right. Pedro was becoming sluggish from so many hits until Jack back spun and hit him square in the chest with his elbow, sending Pedro flying back into a shelf of books. Pedro looked up from his stupor to see a red ball of energy gathering around Jack. Threads of electricity felt all over his arms and orbs of ruby power gathering at his fists.
"My mother is no tramp! She is happily married to my father, Mark Waterman! My Mother is Kyrin Waterman, Master of the Pirates! My comrades and I will defeat the Black Mage, so don't DARE assume you know who I am!" energy built around him as he spoke, more and more electricity threading throughout the room. At the same time, a giant, hazy image of lime green sharks began appearing behind him, cruising through the air in a circling pattern. Finally, the Emerald Gaia melted into light and reformed around his fists as large steel weights.
"I AM JACK WATERMAN, GUARDIAN PIRATE OF OSSYRIA!" A peel of thunder exploded as Jack launched into a corkscrew, rocketing towards Pedro while the sharks charged forwards. The impact shook the ground hard, making part of the wall collapse as books and dust flew everywhere. Jack could hear Pedro appear behind him, spinning around while drawing his Hades, jamming it under Perdo's chin. Ruby power hummed around the warm steel of the barrel. Pedro nodded and smiled, backing off and standing to his full height.
"Very good; I'm sorry if my comments hit a bit close to home, but I had to be sure. You do know who you are, and now, the real training can begin."
Jenny and Rene
Jenny walked into the room, admiring the well-polished furniture and fine Persian rugs hanging on the wall with a giant portrait.
"That's a good painting. Is that Minerva?"
"Yes, I did it myself from memory," Rene replied, lowering the hood from her head, revealing her stunning violet eyes and mass of golden locks cascading into the cloak that framed her attractive round face.
"You did that from memory? Minerva died hundreds of years ago, and you're saying you met her?"
"Yes, I know this is hard to accept, but I am much older than I look. I have learned many things, and one of those things is when a person is not fit to continue their journey. Your form is poor, and your strength is less than it should be. Even a mouse with a cold has more power than you do!" Jenny raised her eyebrow as Rene spoke.
"Your mother must be as old as I am, so it's a mystery to me why she chose to teach someone like you who is so obviously weak the ways of the bow. I bet your father left her because you were so pathetically weak!"
"That is crossing the line, Rene!"
"What action will you take? I can go on if you need more reasons why I shouldn't teach you." Jenny bared her teeth.
"I bet you were such a sad little girl without daddy around, always taunted about how your daddy didn't love you enough to stick around. Your daddy didn't want the responsibility of showing you who you are in the world because you were so pathetic!" Jenny reached for her crossbow and fired, ice crystals trailing the bolt as it flew, freezing the wall where it hit. Rene fired a Spine Arrow, but the arrow shattered as Jenny's Spine Arrow punched through it and stuck in the wall next to Rene's head. It was followed by a hurricane-force wind, knocking Rene into a bookshelf hard. Jenny disappeared in a howl of wind, appearing again on the top bookshelf as her bow grew into a giant tribal design, radiating with Emerald power. Wind gathered around the bright green bomb arrow she had nocked. Her cloak turned into a stream of wind energy, attaching to her bow as stiffening arms.
"I have no use for your rhetoric! My mother is the finest teacher in the entire world, Athena Peirce! My father didn't leave; he died from a heart attack! And I am their daughter, JENNY PRICE, GUARDIAN ARCHER OF OSSYRIA!" the howling winds were finally released, hurtling down and pulling in everything not secured to the floor into the fray. Rene's eyes went wide as she first held up her bow to block the incoming surge of wind. Unfortunately, the wind distracted her from the bomb arrow. She rolled to the side only to be caught in the blast and thrown into another wall. Something began forming around Jenny's head, spouting wings while a hazy green cape of Emerald Power flowed in the breeze surrounding her.
Jenny reached for another arrow with a livid grunt and pulled the sinews tight in a blur. The wind began howling louder, breaking into pure energy mixed with her Emerald Power. Rene started to empower a Spine Arrow to counter. When Jenny did release the typhoon, everything in its path was eradicated, blowing a hole in the wall. The wings and cloak around Jenny dissipated as she caught her breath. Rene appeared beside Jenny on the shelf.
"Jenny, stop. I am sorry; I admit my comments were a bit too far. I didn't know that your father had died in such a manner. I only knew that when you and your mother returned that your father wasn't with you." Jenny broke into tears while Rene pulled her close and stroked her head, hushing her tears as she did.
"I was surprised by that attack. On its own, it is a formidable power, but in your hands, it is far more deadly. I had no idea that you five also learned from the Empress's Knights. Now that I am sure that you know who you are, we can begin your real training."
Matthew and Tylus
Matthew felt on edge as he walked into the room; something about Tylus wasn't sitting right, as if a monstrous hostility emanated from him like an aura. Once Matthew had entered, Tylus slowly closed the door and dropped a large wooden bar into the brackets, ceremoniously pulling back his hood. He looked to be in his mid to late thirties with short maple brown hair that extended down his jaw and around his mouth in a wise-looking beard and mustache. His eyebrows seemed thinner when he opened his violet eyes and drew the large sword from his back, stabbing it into the ground, making the blade ring.
"The ability to be a warrior of your power is a privilege, not a right. You may be the son of Dances with Balrog, but you have not truly found yourself. So I will ask again; are you truly worthy of being here?" Matthew lowered his eyes, trying to match the aggressive stare from Tylus.
"I am more worthy than anyone before," Matthew repeated. Tylus smiled, clapping his hands together as a giant blue seal appeared and shrank into his body.
"We shall see," Tylus said softly, grabbing his sword as though he were going to strike, despite being at least 10 feet away. All at once, bright blue dragon's wings appeared on his back, driving him forwards with blinding speed. Matthew barely rolled away from Tylus' swing, flames igniting over his head in a wide arch. Matthew rolled to his feet and drew the Neocora in time to stop Tylus' sword from hitting him, despite its amplified weight. Matthew saw something circling Tylus' right shoulder parallel to his head: a small orb circled his shoulder back to front with a small flower inside. Tylus leaned close and whispered into his ear.
"I've always hated your father. He is such a weak little man; weak men breed weaker men. A true warrior doesn't need to have a woman beside him. If anything, he needs someone to keep him warm for the night." Matthew grit his teeth as he pushed Tylus back, driving his fist forwards, making contact with Tylus face, sending him spinning to the ground.
Matthew stomped on the ground as a ghost-like creature rose from his back, making Tylus feel weak and unfocused. Matthew's body glowed with gold light as he began tuning his mana with Tylus's in a Mana Overdrive. He knew that he could only use one or two attacks before needing to cut off the Overdrive, so he was determined to make them count. Matthew charged in a flash, light gathering at the hilt of his sword with a left cross. Tylus managed to block the incoming hit, feeling a small part of his Mana disappear, realizing what had happened.
"Smart move, but you forget, I have access to your mana as well, stupid boy! You have already failed if you plan to defeat the Black Mage with such insignificant power!" Tylus pulled on the handle of his sword, extending it into a spear. Setting the tip on the ground, he leaned back to charge his attack, mana swirling around the spear and solidifying into a dragon's head.
"Weakness runs through your family. You are nothing more than a little boy playing heroes! Trust me, once Lillianne sees how weak you are, she won't even want to look at you. You even failed to keep Keeny from her unfortunate death!" Tylus smiled as he continued to charge the attack when something felt wrong. The expression on Matthew's face changed, as did the feeling of his power. It was no longer the firm pressure of his mana; it was something else, something thousands of times more potent. Ruby Power began leaking from his body as if it were flames. Throwing down his Neocora, Matthew drew the Tiger's Fang. It appeared to ignite as the ruby power tore across the blade. Tylus tried to terminate the Overdrive, but the power flooding Matthew's body made the connection hold even more.
"Lillianne is a strong, proud woman, but she would never see me as such. My father is not weak for marrying, and having a woman to love doesn't make you weak; it makes you stronger!" Matthew growled, looking back up to Tylus, his eyes glowing hot with ruby power.
"I am the son of Dances with Balrog, otherwise known as John, and Yasmin Drake! Neither are the weaklings you make them out to be! And I have not failed in my fight against the Black Mage! I have only begun to fight! I AM MATTHEW DRAKE! GUARDIAN WARRIOR OF OSSYRIA!" Light gathered at the guard as he swung the Fang, the tip leaving a contrail. Tylus collapsed the spear handle and tried to block the swing, but the impact threw Tylus back.
Tylus raised his sword to counter but was surprised when a giant gold shield appeared instead. It disappeared as Matthew swung down, missing Tylus and hitting the floor, making it splinter. Tylus turned around, snowflakes flying from the blade as he swung when his sword made contact with an iron wall freezing it over instead, jarring his body. A cloud of ruby power exploded over Matthew, striking at his feet. Tylus covered his ears from the thunderous roar while the rage in Matthew's eyes contorted his face into something that didn't even look human.
Tylus raised his sword, driving the tip into the ground as a magic circle appeared around him. In the center, a strange head-looking seal appeared and rotated into an upright position, becoming a dragon's head. The dragon pulled from within the circle and let loose a deafening roar, shattering the ice and blowing everything in its path away. Matthew drove the Tiger's Fang into the ground before the Dragon's Roar hit, standing from under the debris around him.
"Had enough, kid!?" Tylus shouted, holding his sword at the ready but weaker than ever. The exposure to the Ruby Crystal's power via the Overdrive pushed him far beyond his limit and took its toll. Matthew smiled as he raised his sword and severed the Overdrive, light gathering around the blade, forming a giant sword made of pure light, unleashing his Solar Scythe at Tylus with a roar of the wind.
Tylus diverted it into the wall with a hard swing. Matthew used a Light Step to propel him forward in a blur. The cloak around his arm moved to the edge of his blade, creating large, claw-like teeth. Tylus braced as Matthew swung down, hurling the master into the wall. Matthew then held his hand up as Ruby power surged into the air above Tylus while streaks of light rose around Matthew.
"You… are… finished." With a drop of his arm, the light above Tylus separated and formed five swords made of pure light, creating a dust cloud when they hit the floor. The ruby glow dissipated as Matthew came down from the battle high, sheathing the Tiger's Fang and searching for his Neocora amid the debris.
"Well done, Matthew. You had me quite worried there for a moment: Mihile has taught you well. I must apologize for my earlier comments, but I had to be sure that you were firmly rooted in who you are. Without such knowledge, training would be pointless. Now, the real training can begin."
