Chapter 5: Stepping Out and Saying Goodbye

Antonia woke with a start and a wide grin: today was the day! She even woke up before her alarm clock had gone off. Hurriedly, the archer dressed in her newly adjusted Black Lineroa inherited from Jenny for completing her training under Advance Master Rene. Time and again, she would try to push her extremities through the proper holes only to get stuck and have to start again, losing patience with each minute. She donned her quiver of bronze-tipped arrows, tied the pure white bandana around her head, and donned her Black Patriot hat. Walking through the door, she saw Aeris, Nathan, and Auzzy standing outside her hut, waiting for her.

"You take forever to wake up," Aeris said, instantly realizing how loudly she had spoken. She looked around, hoping her voice hadn't awakened anyone else.

"Oh, hush. Being here before I woke up proves you're just as excited as I am," Antonia laughed in a whisper as the four of them headed to the food court, where Aran and Lilin waited for them.

"I had a feeling you four would be up early. Unfortunately, the Tickets have yet to wake up, so for now, I want you to read these." Aran handed each of them a detailed list of creatures living within the lower levels of the Ludibrium Clock Tower.

"You are going to need that knowledge for your mission's success. You may be much more powerful than you were a few months ago, but some creatures live in the depths of Ludibrium that even I fear." Aran warned as Lilin brought over a platter with cups of warm cider and fresh buttered toast.

"But remember, you also need to keep up your strength. Here is something to warm you up until the morning meal. Even your teachers eat before embarking on their journeys," Lilin kindly said when Matthew shuffled to them, scratching his head through his thick, waist-length hair and yawning so big it looked like his mouth would split his head. He wore some faded jeans but, in his half-awakened state, had forgotten to grab a shirt despite the foggy, chilly air.

"Oh man, what are you guys doing up so early?" he asked, walking over to the well and dipping the spoon into the cold water.

"Don't you remember, Master? It's our first solo mission." Nathan replied, picking up his spear and resting it across his shoulders.

"Oh, right. I forgot that it's today. So, how do you feel?" Matthew asked while Aeris and Antonia watched him for a bit, whispering between themselves and admiring Matthew's chiseled torso.

"A bit nervous, actually," Nathan replied. Matthew nodded and placed a hand on the Mithril Platine armor passed on to him.

"Just try to stay calm and only use everything you've got when you're sure you'll have a break afterward. Also, remember, Auzzy and Antonia need distance for their attacks to be useful, so keep the enemies as far away as possible," The warrior advised before tapping a fist to Nathan's chest and then walking back to his sleeping quarters. Two hours later, the four students boarded the Ticket's ship and headed for Ldibrium, waving and saying their goodbyes to their teachers.

"So, how are we going in? Fast and hard? Or all sneaky-like?" Aeris asked, pointing her inherited Abyss Revolver in different directions as though facing the enemies already.

"Well, First things first: we need to see King Alishar before we do ANYTHING. I want to know if there's something we should know before charging right in. If we charged in, we might not come back," Auzzy suggested as the rest of them agreed, still shaking with adrenaline-fueled anticipation: they would make their teachers proud!


An ominous glow arose over the Leafre forest, worrying Chief Tatamo. The center of the glow appeared to be coming from the borderline of the Dragon's Nest and the Minar Forest. A very sacred place where Saia, The Nine Spirits Dragon, resided to amplify her powers. She kept the Leafre Forest safe from the rancid mana permeating the land after Horn Tail tainted the Cave of Life. The barrier had weakened significantly in Saia's absence, making maintaining it harder for the dragoness after being trapped within Ledron for so long. Tatamo managed to keep the barrier from collapsing completely, and with her return, the barrier seemed to be holding better. But this new presence, this threat emanating from the same area as Saia's Meditation Grounds, worried him; it was evil.

"Yaku, you are good friends with Saia, right?" Tatamo asked, stroking his long mustache braids. Yaku nodded as she polished an earth dragon's egg to a jade-like shine.

"I need you to go to Saia's Meditation Grounds to see-" A painful howl split the air as something crashed into the middle of the Hafrings town, tossing dust and dirt into the air and breaking numerous branches from the tree tops. Immediately, all of the Hafrings began to come out of their houses and incubating stations to see what had crashed through their town. Tatamo's eyes widened under his thick eyebrows when he saw Saia slumped on the ground. Part of her fur was burning, patches of scales were missing or burnt, and some of the flesh in her wings was punctured or torn. All over her head, blood stained her lips and pearl white scales, while cuts and slashes decorated her soft underbelly.

"Sly, get the herbs! Max, we need water to put out those fires! Ito, Kumo; look her over to see if she has any other wounds!" Tatamo ordered as he hobbled as fast as he could to her, reaching out to touch her muzzle. With a start, she opened her lavender eyes, tackling him to the ground under her hand, barring her teeth as she turned to Tatamo. When she saw that it was a friend, she immediately released him and relaxed.

"Tatamo; am I glad to see you. Dragonoir is in the Meditation Grounds and trying to use it to gain power. I tried to fight him, but he overpowered me. I'm so sorry, Tatamo; because of my inability to fight him off the barrier may collapse." Tatamo shook his head and brushed aside the fur on her head as Max patted out her burning fur.

"You did all that you could, Saia. Rest easy, we will send for the Guardians."


'The Six,' as they were now known since everyone counted Lillianne, slowly made their way into the food court. They talked over their previous battle, telling the kids that always gathered around them about their adventures while they all sat quietly, listening in awe.

"…And it was just about that time that I knew what I had to do," Olsen said as the kids inched closer until Dances with Balrog walked over to the table.

"Alright youngsters: The story will have to wait for another time; these six have some important business to attend to," he grinned. Disappointed moans came from the kids as they said their goodbyes and returned to their chores.

"Good timing Dances; I don't know how many times I've told the story of my crystal power being released." Olsen sighed, sitting down and reaching for a peach. Dances nodded just when a pulsing wind blew through the area as Mir and Evan landed.

"You may want to hear this too, Evan." Dances said as Mir shifted to her human form and sat down next to Evan, reaching for a peach and cutting it into slices with a swipe of her claws.

"Crane was on an errand for me to Leafre and returned with a message for you Guardians from Chief Tatamo. Dragonoir attacked Saia in her Meditation Grounds," Dances said with a grave tone.

"Is that not where a Barrier originates to protect the Minar forest from Rancid mana?" Helen asked.

"That it is, Helen. Nothing about what Draongoir wants with it is known, but if he taints it and the barrier collapses, rancid mana from the Cave of Life will flood the forest and kill off everything there with a slow and painful death. Chief Tatamo has asked that you chase Dragonoir away from the Meditation Grounds by any means necessary."

"Does the message say how long the barrier will hold for?" Olsen asked, lacing his fingers together and resting his nose on them. Dances shook his head as he read over the letter.

"No, but Crane told me that Tatamo said it won't be long, especially since the amount of rancid mana seems to have increased." Dances replied as Olsen wondered why Draongoir had taken such a vital spot in Ossyria.

"Helen, what do you make of it?" Olsen asked.

"In our past dealings, he has always spoken of conquering the Black Mage and taking his place. If I understand the Meditation Grounds correctly, the pure atmosphere amplifies Saia's barrier abilities. Perhaps Dragonoir is trying to amplify Phoenix's powers, which will enhance his own." Mir shook her head, leaning against Evan.

"That could be very problematic for us. Master Evan and I barely have enough power to match him now." Evan nodded in agreement, placing a hand on her head and looking at the skies.

"I knew trying to rid his body of the Black Magic aura would be difficult. I want to save my brother from himself if it is possible." Dances sighed and gripped his shoulder.

"I understand how you feel; I too lost someone very close to me to dark powers. But whatever the case, we must get Dragonoir to vacate the Meditation Grounds before the barrier collapses." They all nodded to Dance's words, finishing their meal and meeting back at the dock to board the Queen's Wing once armed. Before she boarded, Helen stopped and looked down at the gangplank.

"Helen? What's wrong?" Olsen asked as he came back down to meet her.

"For a long while, I have wanted to return to Ariant and see for myself how the village is fairing since the defeat of their queen." Olsen was about to respond when Grendal happened to pass by and hear her desire.

"I don't think there will be any trouble if you do such a thing, Helen. Besides, all of you have grown quite a bit in power. I doubt that they'll miss one of you going somewhere else." Olsen nodded and put an understanding hand on her bare shoulder.

"I think there will be a time when events will pull us in different directions, unable to rely on each other. Go ahead, I'll tell the others where you went," Olsen urged. Helen smiled before kissing him on the cheek.

"Olsen! What's the holdup? Are you coming or what?" Jack called impatiently. Olsen ran back up the gangplank as Helen waved her goodbye and went to find Oz, finding her meditating near the outskirts of the village. She tried to remain quiet as she neared when Oz opened her eyes and smiled at her.

"Oh, Helen! I thought that was you. Why didn't you go with the others to Leafre?" Oz asked, crossing her legs and grabbing her ankles. Helen looked to her Staff of Dume, thumbing the edge of the short blade on the top before sitting beside her.

"I am curious to know if you would accompany me into Ariant. It has been on my heart to return and see how the villagers are fairing now that the king is back in power." Oz smiled warmly and jumped to her feet, scooping up her staff and throwing on her cloak.

"Then let's get going! I'm sure that we'll be fine on our own. Besides, we're two highly trained mages!" Oz said excitedly as she and Helen performed their long-range teleportation spell, disappearing in a wink of light.


The long walk through Ludibrium did little to burn off the adrenalin surging through the four students as they walked to King Alishar's throne room, feeling more excited as they neared the palace. Antonia felt apprehensive and stopped, staring at the clock tower in the city's center. The last time she was here was when the creatures of the clock tower killed all her closest friends when the Black Mage returned. Auzzy went to her, patting her shoulder and jerking his head to the side as they entered the palace. Once presented to Alishar and the greetings had been exchanged, the king showed them a diagram.

"As you know, the Chronos have been running rampant throughout the clock tower and toy factory. What I need you to do is find out why they are causing so much trouble. This level is where they seem to be most concentrated, near the clockworks of the tower between the Paths of Time and the Toy Factory." He explained, pointing to two levels on the diagram.

"During your investigation, should you find Grandfather Clockwerx, please help him however he sees fit. He is responsible for making sure the Clock runs on time." Orders in hand, the four of them headed for the clock tower to begin their descent. Antonia stopped at the entrance as nightmarish memories came flooding back to her: the noises, the sights, and the fear started to overwhelm her until Aeris called to her.

"Hey Antone, are you alright? You're as white as a sheet of paper," she called as the others returned, trying to comfort her fears the best they knew how. Antonia sighed raggedly and told them what had happened before she was Jenny's apprentice. Nathan nodded understandingly and set the butt of his spear on the ground.

"Listen, I promise you're not going to see anything like that happen again." the sentiment made her smile, but somehow, Antonia just couldn't bring herself to take comfort in Nathan's words. Sure, she knew they had seen their troubles, but it still didn't calm the agitated butterflies in her stomach.

"Come on, you won't go alone," Aeris said as she took her hand and walked into the inky, musty corridor. Antonia tried to stay calm, but every little noise bothered her, making her see Aeris, Nathan, and Auzzy as her late friends. She shut her eyes, trying to rid herself of those horrible memories as they descended to the clockwork. Giant gears and levers clinked and rattled in a heartbeat-like rhythm, clutches whirred, and chains clattered with each movement.

"Alright, Aeris, you go with Antonia. Look everywhere and see what you can see. Nathan, you go one more level down; see if there's anything out of the ordinary. I'm going to go opposite the girls. Meet back here in 30 minutes." Auzzy commanded. Nathan slung his spear over his shoulder with a leather strap and began his descent, looking around every corner to find anything that would explain what may have caused the uprising. Auzzy quickly and quietly ran through his section, periodically finding strange blue boxes with small antennas.

The girls came across strange-looking crystalline flakes scattered periodically on the floor. Nathan managed to find a few cogs strewn on the ground, some looking as though someone pried them loose. But the gears above his head in the clockworks were many times larger, so it couldn't have been from above them. Once their search time was over, they all quickly regrouped.

"Something doesn't feel right." Auzzy started, looking around them as if he were paranoid.

"Is it just me, or do any of you feel like we're being watched?" Aeris asked as she began looking around.

"You too? I thought I was the only one who was getting that feeling," Nathan looked over his shoulder and stood as still as he could, hushing the others and reaching for his spear. He held it parallel to the ground in front of him in one hand, while holding two fingers up with the other between his face and the spear.

"Spirits of the ancient dragons, give me wisdom and strength to face mine enemies." He mumbled quietly. A circle of ancient letters formed on his forehead, encircling two dragons chasing each shaped like a "y." With his newfound strength, Nathan stood with a broader stance and pointed his spear forward, watching the shadows around them.

Aeris slowly drew her pistol and cocked the hammer back. Auzzy flicked his wrist, catching three kunai between his fingers. Antonia fought off her fear and took the bow from her shoulders, quietly nocking an arrow. Tense moments stretched out into eternity as the four of them waited and watched their surroundings, almost able to feel the eyes watching them.

Something moved to Antonia's right, making her fire into the dark. Horrible scraping noises echoed through the halls until something flopped to the ground. Silent seconds ticked by until the shadows around them ignited into a violet light of clock faces, revealing dozens of Master Chronos.

"I knew it," Auzzy grumbled, hurling his kunai at the clock faces. Nathan swung his spear hard, unleashing his newly learned Dragon's Fury in a roar, shoving many creatures aside. Aeris cracked off rounds from her pistol, lobbing a mana grenade into a group, reloaded her gun, and unleashed a blast of subzero air. Auzzy forced his mana into one of his Kunai, growing to three times its size with menacing serrated edges. He hurled the massive knife with a grunt through four Chronos, rattling on the ground before shrinking. He barely had time to jump back as the Chronos cast their Time Spells, piles of dust appearing where he'd been a moment before.

Antonia shot her Mortal Arrows dozens of times, trying not to let thoughts of her past haunt her. Unfortunately, the more she fired the more she began seeing the creatures that lingered in the deepest parts of the clock tower: clocks on legs with salivating growls, battered teddy bears with spirits tied to them, or even further down, the ominous Death Masters and Grim Time Keepers. The sights began to cloud her vision, making her shake until collapsing to the ground, unable to stand. Nathan noticed her weakened state and ran to help her, unsuccessfully trying to shake her out of her trance.

"Cover your ears guys; we need to get outta here!" Nathan shouted, driving the tip of his spear to the ground. A thunderous Dragon's Roar erupted above the noises of battle and forced away all the Chronos around them. After recovering, the Chronos clicked invisible tongues to each other as though speaking, searching for the would-be heroes. The four of them silently hid a floor above the creatures, trying to shake Antonia out of her daze while compiling their findings.

"Something is seriously wrong here. Did you notice how the Chronos attacked without trying to avoid one another?" Nathan asked as he watched the 'door' of their hideout.

"I think someone's controlling them. I kept finding these little blue boxes with antennas everywhere I looked. Inside, I found a little computer." Auzzy replied, looking worriedly back to Antonia, who was still unresponsive.

"Atone and I found these weird crystal flakes: they gave me the creeps when I tried to pick one up," Aeris said, hugging Antonia close to try and get her to stop her shaking.

"That sounds like a pretty good theory. I found these all over the place where I was." Nathan reached under his pauldron and pulled out a small cog set.

"This is it? They're just gears." Auzzy argued once he had taken them from Nathan.

"Look closer; someone pried it out of something. See all the scratch marks? There are even a few missing teeth on one of those gears." Nathan said as Auzzy looked closer.

"Now if we could only get Antonia to wake up, we could probably look for this Grandfather Clockwerx. Maybe he knows a thing or two about the Chronos."

"But Alishar said to help if we found him while investigating." Argued Aeris. Nathan chuckled under his breath.

"We are investigating, and I think he knows something." Nathan shot back. Forty minutes of asking, pleading, and waiting later, they managed to bring Antonia out of her frightened coma. As they readied to leave, Antonia wondered if she would ever conquer her fears of Ludibrium's lower levels. Aeris suggested that she stay behind for the moment while Nathan and Auzzy went ahead and searched for Clockwerx.

They searched until they came across a short man on a tall ladder oiling a set of gears in the ceiling. His face was ashen with a golden mustache, wearing a purple ear-covering beanie, an oil-stained jacket, and grayish blue jeans. Nathan and Auzzy stayed out of sight as much as they could until a careless step by Nathan kicked a box of parts.

"Who's there?" the man called, putting down his oil can and climbing down the ladder while Auzzy and Nate came out of the shadows.

"We come under Alishar's request; I'm Auzzy, and this is my friend Nathan. King Alishar asked us to investigate the Chronos uprising," Auzzy answered, his hand twitching on the guard of his dagger. The man nodded and relaxed, putting a large wrench back into his toolbox.

"Ah, yes; that is troublesome. I'm Grandfather Clockwerx, the mechanic for Ludibrium's Clock. You can set anything by this clock. The farthest it's ever been off was three one-thousandths of a microsecond, and that was a nightmare trying to fix, I'll tell you that much." Clockwerx chuckled, cleaning off his hands. Auzzy and Nathan looked at each other, raising their eyebrows as Clockwerx climbed his ladder again to tighten a set of bolts.

"Do you happen to know what's causing this uprising?" Nathan asked as Clockwerx grunted to tighten a bolt.

"Not really. But to understand the uprising, you have to understand the Chronos. The Master, Platoon, and Chronos aren't living creatures. They're more closely related to ghost machines with cogs and springs as their innards. Minerva created them after Corus created the Time Sphere. They help the flow of time in Ossyria remain constant and unaffected by using Time Magic." Clockwerx wiped off the oil from another bolt and began to loosen it slightly.

"I thought living creatures were the only ones able to perform magic," Auzzy interjected.

"That is an excellent point, young man; it is one of many mysteries that have yet to be solved. They must keep time from falling out of alignment. And so when any small distortion happened, it was the duty of the Chronos to find, patch, and reset small amounts of time. The Platoon Chronos fix larger problems, such as rifts or loops, and the Master Chonos repair the largest problems, such as tears or paradoxes in spacetime. Their Time Magic is used to stop, cut out, rewind, and reset time to keep everything running smoothly." he explained, coming down from the ladder and wiping his wrench and hands.

"Have you noticed anything strange lately?" Auzzy questioned. The old mechanic cocked his head, furrowing his brow and putting his hands on his hips.

"I have noticed all the Chronos have been acting strangely, " Clockwerx explained, tossing the oily rag into the tool bag.

"How so?" Nathan pressed.

"They all appear disoriented and lethargic, which should be impossible for them: they're practically machines rather than living creatures."

"If they are more machine than creature, could someone be trying to control them?"

"It's possible. But that would require much more than basic mechanical or technological knowledge. The Chronos may be more machine, but some parts are living and magical."

"So what happens if one of them breaks down? Would you know how to fix them?" Auzzy questioned, crossing his arms.

"I can re-manufacture the physical parts within them, but to my knowledge, King Alishar is the only one who can successfully replace said parts without killing them." Auzzy nodded, telling the mechanic to be careful as they returned to the girls.

"So I guess you were right Auz, they are being controlled by someone. But it doesn't seem like it's that old man." Nathan pondered as they walked.

"He knows more than he's letting on," Auzzy sneered.

"How do you know? He just said King Alishar is the only one capable of repairing the Chronos without killing them." Once far enough away, Auzzy stopped Nathan, speaking intensely.

"That's the key phrase: '...without killing them.' What other creature do you know that walks around disoriented and lethargic?" Nathan lowered his head and thought for a while.

"The only thing coming to mind are the Zombies within the Undead Forest." Holding his hand out and raising his eyebrow, Auzzy motioned for Nathan to complete the thought as the realization came over the warrior.

"The controlled Chronos are dead."

"Exactly. If the living part of the Chronos is dead, all that remains is the machinery and the magic. It would take some basic mechanical knowledge to 'revive' them, and the machinery would control the magic. And if you could control the machinery, you control the magic." Nathan was about to continue until he dragged Auzzy behind a statue of blocks.

"What's your problem?" Auzzy hissed until Nathan forcefully put a finger to his lips, then pointed as though he were looking around the statue. Auzzy's eyes widened, and his skin paled, seeing a hoard of Chronos shrouded in a strange black aura near the hideout and the girls.

"I'm no expert on magic, but that aura doesn't look like it should be there," Auzzy sighed until Nathan began whispering his action plan.

"I'll draw their attention with my shockwave. You sneak behind them and take out as many as you can. That should give the girls a chance to get out of there." Auzzy nodded in agreement as Nathan readied his spear. But before any of them could act, a blaze of red hot flames poured down on the Chonos, melting away the fabric-like skin from around their mechanical bodies. Above them, Aeris hung onto a girder, reloading her pistol and calling out to them.

"Well? Are you two just going to stand there or do I have to do this alone?" she asked with a smirk. Auzzy grinned as wings appeared on his feet, becoming a streak of light and hurling kunai into each of the Chronos's bodies. The knives bounced and ground between cogs, making the Chronos shudder and lurch before falling over.

Nathan cast his Dragon's Blessing spell over himself, growling as he unleashed a brutal swing. A shockwave erupted from the spear's tip, ripping through waves of Chronos. Bright blue wings spouted on his back, propelling him to the hordes of creatures still coming, thrusting through three Chronos, twisting and tearing the inner clockworks apart, showering him in shards of broken gears and sparks.

Aeirs's Abyss Revolver thundered as bullets tore apart the Cronos' bodies, spreading gears and twisted pieces of their bodies across the floor. She pulled a six-sided dice from her pocket, thumbing it into the air before snatching it and looking at the number.

"Alright, a two! This ought to be a lot more fun than I thought!" she shouted as her body began to glow a faint blue color while mana toughened her skin. Auzzy darted around the room as nothing more than a blur of color as countless Kunai tore into the Chronos before they could release their time spells. After cutting his hand, Auzzy reached into a small pouch of bronze coins, hurling them into a mass of Chronos. The explosion threw bronze shrapnel into the Chronos' inner workings, grinding the gears with terrible knocks or pings.

The sickening noise gave Auzzy the window he needed to eradicate them. As the Chronos' number dwindled, they all became encouraged, seeing victory on the horizon. But Nathan's confidence turned to fear when he missed a swing and found himself pinned to the floor. Auzzy and Aeris tried to get to him, peeling away the Chronos holding him down, but in their haste to free him, they failed to notice the Platoon Chronos sneaking up behind them. They too were quickly pinned to the floor.

"What on earth are you doing to my soldiers!" shouted a voice as Auzzy struggled to turn his head under the weight on him to see Clockwerx coming out of the shadows. Nathan too struggled to turn his head, looking the greasy man in the eyes.

"You! What are you doing here?" Nathan demanded. Clockwerx snorted, motioning for the Chronos to pick him up.

"For too long I have been at the mercy of that overweight bastard, Alishar. Making sure his clock is always on time, changing gears, oiling cogs, aligning drive shafts, and reweighting the springs; it's all led up to nothing! You would think that after 1400 years of service, I would at least be allowed to oversee more than these cogs!" the mechanic sneered.

"Well my waiting has finally paid off and I now have the power to control these Chronos!" Clockwerx shouted. Aeris struggled to move and form a grenade in her hand. But the weight of the Platoon holding her arms down pinched off the flow of mana to her hands.

"Do you know what kind of repercussions that could have on Ossyria? They might not even be repairable!" Aeris growled as she struggled to find a way to free her arms. Clockwerx walked to her with a swagger, putting his hands behind his back as he leaned down and smiled.

"That is where you are wrong, little girl. I have researched the Time Sphere, and the problems these Chronos were meant to fix no longer exist! With the Chronos at my side, the underlings of Alishar himself, I will dethrone him and take my rightful place as king of Ludibrium!" He strutted before them as he spoke, spreading his arms wide to show how worthy he was of the throne.

"AND YOU THREE ARE DOING NOTHING BUT JUMBLING IT UP FOR ME!" Clockwerx thundered, pointing at them with fire in his eyes. Reaching up to his mustache, he twisted the ends of it as he took a calming breath.

"Kill them, they are of no use to us." He commanded as he walked away, and the Chronos moved them into a line, holding them down with all their body weight. From the hiding spot, Antonia sat shivering. Even though she was fully awake, she saw nightmares about Paris, her former boyfriend. The Viking Spirits from lower in the tower had torn the side of his body open with one of their powerful spells, leading to his bleeding to death in her arms. She could barely pull her legs under her to see her friends pinned to the ground, seeing Paris's kind and courageous face take the place of Auzzy's.

"No…" she whispered. A Master Chronos hovered before them as it began to solidify a Time Spell. Violet light emanated from the gears, creating small clocks around it, while the main face began to separate.

"No…" Antonia watched in horror as the Chronos in her vision became that of the giant Viking Spirits, hovering up to them and aiming their powerful magic cannons at Paris.

"No, not again! NEVER AGAIN!" Antonia shouted as a mana blast roared from her body, blowing aside the blocks she used for shelter. As the Chronos faced the noise, a thick wall of arrows rained down onto them, tearing through them or pinning them to the floor. The archer swung her bow hard, throwing a Chonos back, bowling through those holding her friends. Carrying the motion, she fired a massive Spine Arrow, pinning six to the wall, firing more with the combined brute force of her Force Arrow with the sheer sharpness of her Spine Arrow. Showers of cogs and metal shards skittered across the floor as the Chronos exploded.

Jumping high, Antonia fired her Bomb Arrow at a cluster of Chronos, blasting them to pieces before they could unleash their Time Magic. An arrow fired toward the ceiling burst into dozens, raining a hailstorm of arrows onto the remaining Chronos. The creatures shook and shuddered as they tried to empower their time spells, falling to scrap instead as their bodies collapsed. As the last Chronos fell apart, Antonia lowered her bow, appearing as a grand warrior amid a mountain of bodies while the other looked on in awe.

Nathan was about to compliment her when her knees buckled and dropped to the ground, heaving for breath; the violent volley of attacks completely drained her mana and energy. Aeris shouldered the dead Chronos away and ran to Antonia, grabbing a bottle of Orange Peel potion and putting it to Antonia's mouth.

"Wow, I didn't know you had that much power, Antonia," Auzzy grunted as he dug himself out from under a pile of Chronos. Within moments, the potion took effect, helping to calm Antonia's breathing.

"I just… I didn't want to lose my friends again. I don't have the strength for that," she huffed when Grandfather Clockwerx walked up to them with rage in his eyes, a three-inch wrench in his hands.

"You destroyed my soldiers! How could you! Even knowing what I have been through?!" he shrieked, raising the wrench high.

"You don't deserve to be king if you are willing to stoop to this," Nathan shouted in return, facing Clockwerx and readying his spear.

"That is of no consequence! I can make more and amass a new army of Chronos under my com…" A hissing shriek pierced the darkness surrounding them as a white and yellow comet screamed at Clockwerx. Light splashed over his body, blinding them all while infernal screams howled in the darkness. When the light faded, it revealed Clockwerx frozen in place, the color of his being fading to brown dust, blowing away as an ethereal growl approached from the shadows. A torn teddy bear limped into the light, silvery fabric crudely sewn onto part of its head.

With slow menace, another creature hovered into the light appearing to control the teddy bear: a specter with two bony hands hovered on either side of the bear, each glowing with a symbol in the palm. Bright blue eyes, over which a torn and ragged sack cloth hovered behind the stuffed toy. The second creature moved its fingers while the Teddy Bear went over to the small pile of dust and pulled out a yellow piece of wax paper with red symbols painted on it. Moving its fingers again, the bear stuck the charm back on its chest, turned, and stumbled back into the darkness with the same ethereal growl. The friends only watched in terror as the creature's glow faded into the surrounding shadows again.

"What in Ossyria was that?" Nathan stuttered once he calmed his shivering.

"That was a Teddy of Death, one of the most fearsome creatures of the lowest levels in the Clock Tower," Antonia responded, helping the others to their feet.

"Come on, we need to report to Alishar what we found." She said in a commanding voice, smirking as they turned to leave. Auzzy glanced at the pile of dust once making up Clockwerx and noticed a sleek black scroll.

"Hey guys, wait up," he called, moving to the pile and grabbing the scroll to read it. Before opening it, he slid off a silver ring with a blue gem and wings made of onyx.

"What is it?" Aeris asked, waiting with the others a few paces away.

"It's some kind of scroll," the ninja replied, bringing it to his friends. After moving to a nearby light, Auzzy read off the words within, detailing a contract from the Black Wings, promising Grandfather Clockwerx a position as a general in the Black Mage's army should he bring Ludibrium under his control. The scroll also contained a parchment page with specifications for a cog made from a Black Crystal and a simple transmitter, allowing him to control the Chronos.

"Well, we know how and why he wanted to control the Chronos. Let's get this back to Alishar," Nathan suggested, motioning for them to follow up the next ladder. Before leaving, Antonia turned around, swearing she could see the ghosts of her former friends and boyfriend standing at the edge of the light.

"Hey guys, I'm alright," she muttered as they nodded and walked back into the darkness.

"Hey, Atone, you comin' or what?" Aeirs called from further up the ladder. With a broad smile, she turned back for the ladder, climbing up to her new friends.


The trip to Leafre was uneventful. The information The Six received from Tatamo and the healing Saia still left many unanswered questions about why Dragonoir wanted the Meditation Grounds.

"I still think Helen's guess about him wanting to amplify Phoenix's power is the best bet." Jack offered as Mir nodded to him.

"I think she's right too, Jack. The only other reason that Dragonoir would want to take the grounds is to… oh no." Evan looked over at Mir when she stopped mid-sentence, staring at the sky.

"Mir? What's wrong?" Jack asked. Mir stumbled a bit as she realized and felt what Dragonoir was up to. The others surrounded Evan when Mir collapsed into his arms.

"I know what it is he's trying to do," Mir whimpered, burying her face in Evan's chest, gripping his shirt while her shoulders shook from her quiet sobs.

"What? What is Dragonoir going to try and do?" Lillianne demanded while Alden walked up to Evan and nuzzled Mir gently.

"Dragonoir is going to commit the ultimate sin against dragon-kind: He's going to turn Phoenix into a demon," Evan replied sadly.

"I don't get it; the Mediation Grounds are holy. He shouldn't be able to do that," Olsen pointed out, furrowing his brow and holding his arms wide.

"You're wrong, Olsen. It doesn't matter if the ground on which the ritual is performed is sacred or cursed; it just needs to be a place of highly concentrated spirit energy. Every dragon can feel a connection with the next. But when one of them becomes or is forced to become a demon they can no longer allow such a dragon to exist." Evan sighed as Mir gathered herself and continued.

"Once a dragon becomes a demon, everything about them is for destruction without discernment. Even Horn Tail when he wanted to dominate the mana of Ossyria would never think like that. In Dragonoir's case, it's even worse. Phoenix and he are bound together, and whatever happens to one, will affect the other. We can't save him if he completes it," Mir said, her voice cracking and hitching as she spoke. Matthew sighed heavily, the muscles in his jaw flexing as he clenched his teeth.

"We'll just have to get to him before that happens!" he growled, clenching his fist fast enough that the metal of his gauntlet clanked. His helmet clattered as he put it back on, then offered his hand to Mir and Evan.

"We'll do all we can to save them both." He reassured as the two stood and sadly followed after the rest, hoping against all odds to arrive in time as the Guardians began to run. Evan took to the skies with Mir: he had to make it, he had to.


Dragonoir threw his stick aside after finishing the last letter of the spell circle etched into the dirt. The clattering stick stirred Phoenix awake in his armored human form. His head throbbed, trying to reach up and massage the sore spot until tight and thick ropes prevented his movement. Panic surged as he looked at the ground around him, instantly knowing what Dragonoir was planning. He struggled under the ropes in vain as they held him against a stout pole.

"Master, is this really necessary?" Maya asked with a tone of concern in her voice. Dragonoir looked back at her hard, his eyes wide with insane fury. He'd discovered what Phoenix had done for Maya after being hit with a poisonous arrow from Helen. Since then, Dragonoir stewed in rage that Phoenix ignored his command.

"I've trained with Phoenix for more years than you've been alive! Yet Evan can still best me! It's time I do what is necessary and take what is rightfully mine! You dare ask me such a question after you let yourself be stricken with a poison arrow?" he growled, turning back to the spell, clenching his hand so that his knuckles popped as Maya supplicated for Phoenix.

"I admit, my inability to heal myself was regrettable, but you needn't punish noble Phoenix this way."

"Punishment? You think this is PUNISMENT?!" he shrieked. "I will ascend beyond the Black Mage by any means required!" Dragonoir shouted when a new voice filled his ears.

"Master Please! I have served you faithfully all these years, even when your dabbling in Black Magic transformed me into what I am. I beg of you do not make me lose who I am!" Phoenix pleaded, still trying to break free of the ropes holding him. Dragonoir walked up to Phoenix, drawing his hand across his face hard enough that his neck cracked.

"SILENCE! I am your master. And you WILL obey my word!" he thundered, returning to the edge of the spell circle, readying to initiate the ritual.

"No, he won't, Utah!" Evan shouted as Mir landed hard on the ground, scuffing the circle while her claws sliced through the ropes holding Phoenix. Dragonoir shrieked with rage.

"Is this what you resort to now, Evan?! You have been there to tear it apart every step of my life! Why not give me this ONE thing?!" he demanded as Phoenix transformed into a dragon, coiling behind his master.

"Because he wants his brother back!" Matthew thundered, as they all stepped into the clearing. Maya backed away from Dragonoir until she tripped, unable to take her eyes off her master.

"Y… you… You're Utah? No, that can't be; you can't be Utah! Utah was a caring, strong-hearted person. He was nothing like you!" Maya stammered. Dragonoir growled as he turned to face her.

"That weakling is what drove me to this! Evan stole everything from me: Our Family, our home, even the love and affection of the Ossyrian people!" he growled, black mist rising from his shoulders. Maya backed away until she felt Jack's boot and clung to his leg.

"What about my older sister, Camila? If there was ever a person who cared for you more than her own life, it was her! Do you know how long she cried for you after we told her you were dead?" Maya shouted as Jack helped her to her feet. Dragonoir clenched his hands even harder, his whole body shaking in wrath.

"ENOUGH!" Dragonoir thrust his hand toward Phoenix, who responded with a blast of flames. Olsen jumped before the group and pulled up his cloak to guard them from the inferno. Before they could act, Dragonoir pulled a glove from his hand, slamming it on the ground as light erupted around him and Phoenix. Evan leaped from Mir's shoulders, casting a powerful ice spell, to which Mir responded by firing a swirl of icy air. Sadly, Dragonoir's spell was already beginning to work, vaporizing the ice as it neared.

"Master, NO! AAHHHGGG…" Phoenix raised his head to the skies and cried, his roar becoming a scream of agony. Mir too cried out as tears formed in her eyes, wanting to help her brethren dragon, but knew she could only watch. Slowly, Phoenix's eyes glowed and his teeth became serrated.

Spines sprouted down the center of his head, neck, and back, dripping with venom running down the flesh between. His scales darkened to black, and his once majestic wings tore away, becoming roaring plumes of fire. Dragonoir too began to change as spines grew from his back through his cloak and bony pauldrons appeared on his shoulders. Jack ran to the front, slamming his Hammer Fist into the ground, pushing up a slab of earth, protecting them from an explosion he could feel coming.

Thunder ripped through the area, flattening the surrounding trees and charring the grass into ash. After the dust had settled and the seal stopped glowing, Phoenix let out a growling breath as a plume of aura escaped his mouth like smoke. Atop his shoulders, Dragonoir shouted commands with a voice of shrill screams and growls.

Jack clenched his teeth and ran for him, pulling back his fist as far as he could, opening his Mana gates, and pushing him into his Hyper form. As Jack hurled his fist, Phoenix turned to face him; Jenny, Olsen, and Lillianne flanked him while the dragon focused on Jack. Phoenix clamped his jaws around Jack's fist then turned to face the others, breathing fire around Jack and hurling him toward the others. Matthew unlocked the sections in his sword and swung hard, wrapping it around Phoenix's neck and pulling himself in, drawing his Spartan and aiming for Phoenix's heart.

As he was about to strike, he felt as if he were moving at only a fraction of his usual speed as Phoenix turned and flung him into a rock with his tail. Jenny picked up her bow and stabbed it into the ground, where a scarecrow appeared from a cloud of mana. From behind it, she began drawing her Spine Arrows. Jack shook off his dizziness and reopened his Mana gates, pushing past the torn flesh on his arm and slugging the ground where a shockwave ripped through it, making Phoenix take to the skies.

Lillianne appeared above them as a massive cloud of mana emanated from her body to create a giant double axe. Dragonoir hauled on chains to aim Phoenix at it, but his actions were too late as the axe drove them both into the ground and froze them in a block of ice. Matthew managed to regain his bearings, igniting the Sawtooth with white-hot flames attacking the block of ice in a blur. Each swing cut into Phoenix's frozen flesh, charging his Warrior's Overcharge. Jenny stood on a branch holding her bow tight, transforming into a giant bow of light while winds howled around the arrow she had drawn.

Jack's fists glowed with red lightning, absorbing the sphere of energy surrounding him in the preceding seconds. Olsen drew his dagger and the spare Kunai on his belt, holding them high in the air as mana flared from the blades like flames before driving them down into the earth. Chained blades appeared from the ground under Phoenix and Dragonoir tossing them into the air. Jack ran under them, facing a palm and his gun at the dragon's underbelly. He first hit them with a beam of energy and then a blast of icy air from his frozen pistol before rolling out of the way. While still in the air, Lillianne swung down as hard as she could, unleashing a wall of ethereal wolves and driving Phoenix back into the ground where Matthew was waiting.

"I'm sorry, but this ends here!" the warrior growled, absorbing the orbs of his Warrior's Overcharge and swinging wide. The Flames fluttered and tore through the air as the teeth of his sword hit the ice, shattering it away from Phoenix and biting into his skin. A bright green seal appeared at the contact point before enveloping the sword in a dark aura, hurling it through the dragon's tough flesh. All signs of life were silent until Phoenix's claws smashed into the ground from the cloud of dust, making everyone lose their balance. Dragonoir hauled on the reigns as they took to the skies with something bright on Phoenix's tongue. Jenny was about to draw an Emerald Wind arrow when Evan reached up and stopped her.

"No Jenny, this is my burden, not yours." Jenny looked back to see Evan's reddened eyes, and the damp scales around Mir's as they took off.

"UTAH! I WISH I COULD SAVE YOU, BUT YOU LEAVE ME NO CHOICE!" Evan shouted. Phoenix and Dragonoir responded with a roar as they rushed at one another. Flashes of light and peels of thunder rolled through the valley as the two dragon riders slammed into one another. Ice and flames filled the skies, striking their riders and burning the dragon's scales with each horrendous attack.

Mir clamped her jaws around Phoenix's neck, clawing and tearing at his heart while Dragonoir and Evan cast spells at each other directly. Phoenix swung at Mir, splitting her skin with ease on her underbelly, then swatted her to the ground with his tail. He landed on top of her with enough force to break her wings, making Mir howl in agony. Her pain turned to fear as Phoenix began to inhale, bright blue flames drawing into his mouth. Evan stumbled to her and set a hand on her shoulder, groaning in pain.

"I'm sorry, brother," Evan whispered as he cast his spell: light gathered before Mir's snout as she gathered her mana, took a breath, and fired it into the light. An explosion ripped through the air as the beam shot through Phpenix and into the sky, casting a warm yet saddening glow onto everyone in Ossyria. The smell of burning flesh hung in the air when the light settled, a stench beyond compare. Phoenix's eyes had gone dark, no longer having the red glow emanating from them like a brightly lit ruby. With his last few moments of life, he looked down at his chest, where a large hole now resided, then shakily leaned down to Mir's ear.

"vinxa… sia myvish…" (Thank you my sister) he whispered, slumping to the ground as Dragonoir fell from his shoulders, bleeding profusely from the wound where his right arm and part of his chest had been blown off in the blast. Coughing and heaving, he fought for what little life he had left, blood soaking his now clear face and staining the ground where he lay. Maya ran over and knelt next to him, tears stinging her eyes as she shakily touched his face, cleaning the blood from his ashen skin as though doing so would keep him alive.

Evan and Mir watched over her shoulder as Dragonoir's life slipped away before them. Despite the aura of the Black Magic having dispelled, his eyes were still cold and soulless. If his breath had been a weapon, he would have used it to kill Evan. With one final spurt, Utah spewed blood from his mouth and became still, hate and furry still burning within his empty eyes. Evan tried to remain strong but couldn't fight back the tears that forced their way out of his eyes. Mir put her arms around him, holding him together while his world fell apart, able to ignore the pain in her wings to comfort Evan's raging ache. Saia walked up to the group carrying Chief Tatamo on her back, but when she saw what had become of Phoenix, she closed her eyes sadly and bowed. It may have been a victory for the Guardians, but they had lost in a way.


Helen and Oz calmly walked through the Ariant market, bustling with people and life after they had dethroned the queen. Jiyur caught sight of them and waved to Helen as he finished buying a basket of food for himself and his sister, who was living happily with Eleska. Everywhere she went, accompanied by Jiyur, people Helen had helped came and greeted her warmly. She was happy to see that the people here had gotten back on their feet, beginning to heal the scars left by Areda.

After escorting Jiyur back to Eleska's house, Helen's skin tingled, feeling the same as it did when she cast her lightning spells. In a flash, she teleported down the road as a powerful bolt of lightning blackened where she stood just a moment before.

"My my, you're a fast one. No one has been able to avoid my lightning like that." a voice called. Helen turned to face whoever had cast that spell and saw a young man wearing a white robe draped over one shoulder with golden pants and forearm sleeves. Haughtily, he brushed the drooping side of his hat out of his face, spinning his Ice Element wand on his fingers.

"But you won't be so lucky this time, Black Wing!" he growled, holding up his wand as the young mage hurled a mana bolt into the sky. Orbs of light appeared before Helen, giving her just enough time to hold up her arm and bring to life her newly acquired Shield of Ester; a bright light shot out in four directions from a diamond-shaped jewel on her wrist, holding off the lightning.

"I see; you are quite powerful young man. But let me open thine eyes to what you are against." Her cloak became a while atop her staff while she summoned a flame in her hand, hurling it forward.

"Ah, a poisonous flame mage, let's see you get past this." The young mage laughed as he summoned a wall of ice to block the oncoming flame, but was sent flying when Helen cracked her whip on the flame, making it explode and shatter his ice wall. Just as the young mage was about to recover, Helen summoned her Wings of Light, feathers sticking into the wall around the young mage.

"A priestess, too? That's impossible!"

"It is not impossible, especially when you carry the responsibility that I do," Helen answered, pushing her mana aside as the Amethyst power poured from her body. Electricity gathered in her staff hand and encased her staff as her cloak returned to normal. She hurled her lightning-wreathed staff at the young mage, then threw her hands out, freezing the young man's feet in place. He tried casting a lightning spell to counter the fast-coming thunder spear, but the spell collapsed under the sheer power of Helen's. He shut his eyes and covered his face as the staff buried itself in the wall directly beside his head. When he opened his eyes, Helen was standing before him with a bubble of thick poison near his nose.

"Wh… who are you? I've never seen a magus as powerful as you. You can even cast the spells of all three mages: The Arch Mage of Poisonous Flames, the Arch Mage of Cold Lightning, and the Bishop!" Helen moved her delicate hand in a mesmerizing fashion before putting the poison back into the pouch on her belt and pulling out the staff from beside his head.

"I am Helen Olman, The Guardian Mage of Ossyria; Granddaughter of Grendal the Ancient." The young mage stood in awe and fear, wanting to run and bask in her glory. Heaving and grunting, he broke the ice away and fell to his knees, placing his wand at her feet.

"Guardian Mage of Ossyria, I beseech you that I, Bert of Victoria, be taken under your watchful eyes and trained to become as powerful as you." Helen laughed breathily and shook her head.

"Bert, there is no reason that you must bow to me. I am but a human, just as you are."

"Yes, but you are one of them. The ancient texts said you would defeat the Black Mage. I can do no other." Bert quickly replied, not wanting to look Helen in the eyes. Helen sighed, grabbing his arm and bringing him to his feet.

"Bert…"

"Please, call me Burr." He asked. Helen nodded and smiled warmly.

"Burr, I will gladly take you as my apprentice. But I warn you now that you may feel like you are not progressing and may even feel that you will never be very powerful. I house the Amethyst Chrystal's power within mine own body; such power indeed is very potent, thus making it seem that I am much more powerful. In reality, I am no more powerful than you could be." Burr looked up into Helen's riveting violet eyes and nodded when a voice came calling from down the road.

"Helen! Helen, I came as quickly as I could when I heard the explosions! Are you okay?" Oz shouted, her staff blazing ready to fight as she ran to them.

"Yes Oz, I am fine. My new apprentice Burr was confused as to whom he was attacking." Helen smiled as Oz beamed and extended her hand.

"Hi there, the name's Oz. I'm the Empress's Chief Blaze Wizard. Trust me, you won't find a better master than Helen here. She can teach you all sorts of tricks. She even showed me some things I could do with my flames." Oz happily said, shaking Burr's hand vigorously.

"Well, shall we get back to Herb Town? I think the others should be coming back soon." Oz suggested as Helen nodded her agreement and began casting the long-range teleportation spell. Burr was about to ask a question until he found himself standing in Herb Town, seeing the other Guardians sitting a bit off, each depressed and on the verge of tears. Helen looked around and saw a young woman in dark and sensual clothing sitting with them.

"My friends, what transpired while I was in Ariant?" Olsen told her what had happened, bringing Maya back with them since she no longer had anywhere to go. Helen nodded, almost feeling the pain that Mir felt in having to kill her very own kind. Camila happened to be walking by when she saw Evan and Mir holding each other.

"Evan? What's the matter?" She asked gently, placing a hand on their shoulders. Evan dug deep, finding just enough strength to look Camila in the eyes.

"Camila, I'm sorry. I've known what happened to Utah for many years, but I didn't have the fortitude or the courage to tell you the truth. Utah was Dragonoir; I tried to save him from himself, but I couldn't." Camila bit her lip, looking away for a moment before she too succumbed to tears and joined Evan and Mir as they wept over the loss of a dear friend, brother, and comrade.


All three of Horn Tail's heads looked to the southeast, feeling a sudden spike in power. His heart felt like it would break, feeling one of his brothers become a demon. He was about to spread his massive wings when he felt another spike in power and a bright beam of light pierce the skies.

"Vdri algbo isthasy." (Sleep Well Brother) The Mage walked in just as Horn Tail closed his eyes and bowed his heads in respect of his brother's passing. It saddened him when he heard the torrid whispers of The Black Mage fill the air around him. Horn Tail bared his fangs, growling in his throat while the horns on his middle head glowed.

"Tir ti shashtiup jacida jilinth mrith dout lexri munthrek!" (do not stain his memory with your words human) Horn Tail growled between his clenched teeth before putting his heads on the ground and quietly mourning the loss of one of his kind. When he heard The Black Mage heartlessly preach of Phoenix and Dragonoir's weakness, Horn Tail growled and faced him as flames brewed in his throat.

"Be careful what you say Mage, you may just anger me." The Black Mage laughed and shook his head, filling Horn Tail's ears with a warning before leaving him to his mourning and tears over such a pointless loss.

"You may have given me back my life, but it is mine to lose. Not yours to take." Horn Tail thought.


Translations for the Draconic Language are on my profile