Maplestory, The Novel (AU)

by Tatsumari

(current book uploading: A New Dawn [S3]) An Alternate Universe of Maplestory and all the adventures that await within. Come, be a part of the journey of defeating The Darkness.

69. ND - Chapter 12: A Wound in Time

Chapter 12: A Wound in Time

"Jenny! Where are the others?" Kyrin called as Helen and Jenny strolled back into town. Jenny was still as bubbly and friendly as always, but Helen seemed more muted and reserved than usual.

"Matt and Lilli should be 'sparring,' and Jack is training with Hawkeye," Jenny answered as Helen wandered away, waving silently to them while heading back to her hut.

"Is Helen alright?" Kyrin asked, watching her walk away with slumped shoulders and dragging feet.

"I'm not sure. Helen told me the Empress needed Olsen for something, and I think it'll be a while before he gets back." Jenny answered with a shrug. Kyrin was about to ask further questions when pictures of her and someone else flashed through her mind. Her hair was shorter, and she had a pair of strong arms around her, bringing back phantom emotions she couldn't pin down. When the thoughts passed, she blinked and shook her head, seeming dizzy as Jenny caught her arm, instantly steadying her.

"Mrs. Waterman? You ok?" Kyrin stared at her surroundings, sighing and nodding before going after Helen. What were those flashes she saw? Were they buried memories? Were they visions of things to come? No, they couldn't have been: It'd been a few years since she cut her hair, so why was it shorter? She pushed the questions aside upon nearing Helen's hut, finding her sitting silently on her bed, holding one of Olsen's shirts.

"Are you alright?" Kyrin asked, coming in and sitting down on a chair across from the Guardian Mage.

"I know not. My relationship with Olsen hath been firm, yet my mind terries on what will become of us. I know not when he will return, and it maketh me fearful," she replied, holding the shirt to her chest. Kyrin leaned to her knees, nodding in silent agreement.

"Jenny said the Empress needed him. Did he tell you what it was?"

"No information was given unto me, only that the Empress needed him." Kyrin sighed, reaching out and gripping her hand.

"There is more lingering in my heart. I shall not see Olsen again, not as we are." Helen continued. "Canst thou give me some insight?" Kyrin dropped her head and stayed silent for a while, sitting on the bed beside Helen and putting an arm around her.

"You guys are on a life-changing journey. You all change daily, so it's hard to say anything about your feelings. All I can say is to have faith in Olsen, and he will return."

"What if he is assailed or worse?" Helen asked, her eyes welling and her grip on the shirt tightening.

"Like I said, Olsen's pretty strong, and no one in the history of Ossyria, other than Dark Lord Jin, has wielded the power of the Pink Quartz. I doubt there will be many that could put up a decent fight against him." Kyrin smiled, hugging Helen close and rubbing her arm.

"Come on, the others should be waiting for us."

"What for?"

"A letter from King Alishar arrived this afternoon, and Aran wanted to brief you all before sending you on your way." Kryin smiled, getting up and holding a hand to Helen, pulling her off the bed as they made their way to the briefing circle where Aran, Matthew, Lillianne, Jack, and Jenny were waiting.

"Helen, there you are. Have you seen Olsen anywhere?" Aran asked, folding the scroll he held as he looked back at her. Helen shook her head, explaining for what she hoped would be the last time what the Empress needed of her beloved Olsen. Aran sighed with a growl in his throat, unfolding the scroll and motioning for Helen to sit.

"A letter arrived from King Alishar this afternoon, requesting your assistance with a problem brewing in the lowest levels of Ludibrium."

"It's Papulatus, isn't it? Samuel mentioned him during training," Jack asked, a smirk hidden in his voice.

"Yes. And from what the letter states, the situation is deteriorating quickly. If you have questions, it might be better to ask Alishar or any of his advisors once you arrive." Matthew sighed a light breath, looking at Helen across from him in the circle.

"Helen, I think it'd be wise if you were to stay behind for now." Helen looked up with shock as Jack snapped his attention to him.

"Hey, since when were you calling the shots?" Jack sneered with an annoyed grin.

"I'm not making myself a leader; I'm just making a suggestion," Matthew snapped back, turning to Helen and waiting for her reply.

"Pray tell, did I do something to offend thee?"

"No, but I can see whatever happened to Olsen is getting to you, and I don't want you distracted. Olsen would probably kill me if anything happened to you while he was away."

"No, I can assist. Fighting off this threat will pull my mind off this worry I have for Olsen," Helen stated, standing to emphasize her words. Matthew looked to Jack and Jenny, silently asking for their opinion, to which they shrugged.

"Helen's healing magic might be something we'll need. It's not exactly a picnic we're going to." Jack chuckled, to which Jenny and Lillianne agreed. Pushing his tongue under his upper lip, Matthew nodded and locked gazes with Helen, reluctantly nodding to show his approval.

"I suggest that you get some rest and embark early tomorrow morning. Your battle will be long and intense." Aran boomed, rolling up the scroll and handing it to Jenny, who sat nearest him.

"No, we'll leave tonight. The letter said the situation is worsening by the minute, so we'll sleep on the Ticket's ship as much as possible." Matthew ordered, rolling his shoulders as he stood. Even if they were technically two people down in their team, the situation wouldn't wait.

"Hopefully, this isn't a preview of things to come," he thought, regretting his choice to mobilize as the sun sank over the horizon: it would be a very long day.

---

There it was, the Thieves' den he'd been told to find. It was a rundown shore shack where rogue ninja gathered to flaunt their high-end escapades. Raids plagued the building many times, even burning to the ground once, but somehow, it always remained to serve as a breeding ground and information hub for the thieves that lived in Ossyria. Pulling up the hood of his sackcloth cloak to cover his eyes, the young man walked in through the broken-down door. A sea of eyes fixated on him and the heavy Gold Dragon Caster on his arm, sparkling in the low candlelight. He could almost feel their thieving hands trying to reach up and pull the claw from his arm, but he knew that if any of them were to try he would make them wish they hadn't.

"Cider." He said as he sat down at the front bar, making the lively harpsichord music stop, drowned out by the roar of everyone laughing heartily.

"Cider?! That's what you want?! Are you a little boy or something?!" The man next to him asked, doubled over with laughter as his comments stirred everyone into a more furious laughing frenzy.

"Huh, that's funny." The young man said in a low voice, turning to the bartender and asking for his cider again, looking up from under his hood with a cold, malicious stare. The bartender's laughter quickly faded as he searched for the cider, nearly fumbling the bottle once he had. The man next to him was still recovering from his fit of laughter, pointing to him as he wiped his tears away.

"Do you have a little crown on your head, princess?! Take off your hood and show it to us," The man said as he reached for the hood, only to have his hand swatted away.

"Don't touch the hood." The young man growled, his right hand feeling the tip of a shuriken in his Caster.

"Oh come now, you can't be all that shy!" the drunken man reached for the hood again when there was a stiff thud on the bar. The man looked down at his hand, seeing the blackened steel of a kunai pinning it to the bar.

"AH! Oh, that smarts!" the man bellowed. It was hard to tell if the man was laughing or screaming in pain as he pointed out the knife to the rest of the crowd.

"This one has some acorns on him!" he laughed as he tried to pull the kunai from his hand. The hooded man felt the others in the room stand, throwing his arm down and making shuriken slide into his palm as a pale red light ignited around them. Before the entire floor erupted in a battle, a man from upstairs slowly came down and held up his hands, instantly stopping everyone.

"Easy there lads, we can let our new guest express himself; we are thieves, not savages," He called as everyone in the bar relaxed. The hooded man slid the shuriken back into the Caster, then pulled the kunai from the man's hand, shaking off the blood.

"You might want to have that healed by a priest," the hooded man said, turning back to the man who had descended the stairs.

"Name's Jarred mate, what's yours?"

"Aster." Jerred nodded and motioned for him to come upstairs where a few more thieves sat around comfortably on cloud-like couches. Jarred slumped into his overstuffed brown leather couch, instantly joined by seductive, athletic women dressed in leotard-like armor.

"So what brings someone like you to this rundown dump, mate? It can't be that you're looking for trouble," Jarred asked, wrapping his arms around the girls and bringing them closer to him.

"I'm here to find people willing to go on a journey with me," Aster replied, taking a seat across from Jarred, refusing a drink offered by one of the others.

"What's in it for them?"

"The fact they'll be able to get out for a while: it's a journey that doesn't have a reward." Jarred scoffed and pulled a dagger from the shelf behind him, thumbing the edge.

"So if I hear you right, Aster, you're saying this journey is nothing more than that? Why would any of us join you on such a journey if there's nothing in it for us? What exactly are you after?" Aster pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

"I was hoping to keep that knowledge to those that would join me, but since it seems that none of you will do it unless there's money involved-"

"Now wait just a bloody moment, mate. I didn't say none of us would do it without money. I just want to know what's in it for us." Jarred snipped.

"Apologies. What do you know of the Pillars of Time?" Aster asked. Jarred snorted softly, spinning the dagger tip on his finger, watching as the light danced from the blade. He sat up straighter on his couch now that Aster had his attention.

"The Pillars of Time are nothing more than a legend. Many of my mates have gone out searching for years to find them, but have yet to turn up so much as a clue. Legend has it that any magic used with them will make any spell permanent. I don't believe in magic that can't be broken. If anything, it just makes magic incredibly hard to break. What do you want with them?"

"I'm just out to find them," Aster replied. Jarred smiled, already seeing the possible profits these things would bring from selling them in the Ossyrian Underground to power-hungry mages. If that is, he could find them. This man seemed to know much more than he was letting on and could be closer to finding them than anyone.

"I see; well you can have your pick. Some of the finest thieves are right here. That pale one over there at the bar, no one knows his name, except for his thief name of Looped; he's a bit loose in the head, but never underestimate him. That one over there by the door, that's Kurai. The blond girl to my left at the table; that's Zimlici. A curvy one at that one, mate, wears her armor well. The one in the khaki with no shoes is Coshbar. And the one with the hat, goggles, and facemask goes by the name Neo Junker. If you ever find them, we should be able to split the profit from those stones 50/50."

"These aren't for profit: they are to keep the world from falling apart," Aster replied, making Jarred's attitude flip completely.

"Oh, so you're one of those people. I'm sorry, mate, but you have no place here and put a hole in my best mate's hand. So I'm sorry, but you'll have to go." Jarred sneered, leaning back on his couch and wrapping his arms around the girls before snapping his fingers, signaling a massive man in the corner to stand. Aster bowed, walking to the door while a young woman watched him leave on the main floor.

"It sounds like he's going after something pretty heavy. I don't want anything to do with it." Said one of the others in her group.

"Kilik, you're such a wuss. It's no wonder our group is ranked lowest in Ossyria," the woman snapped.

"Ursa, that guy looks like he's been through hell a few times. Did you see the battle damage on his claw?" another man in her group answered with a hiss.

"And what of it? If we sit around here waiting for the next big score announced by Jarred up there, we'll never move up. I'm going with him, besides, I think someone I know has some information that guy can use."

"Then I'm going with you," Her brother Dante said, picking up his dagger and sliding it into his belt. Ursa looked around at the others of her small thieving band for those who would join her, but they all looked away or tried to seem more interested in something else. With a heavy sigh, she threw her hands at them as she and her brother ran after Aster.

"Hey, mister! I heard you're going after something. The pillars or whatnot? I'm Ursa and this is my brother Dante." she called, running up to Aster.

"Yes, the Pillars of Time; do you know anything about them?" Aster asked, not fully turning around as he hurriedly walked away. Ursa shook her head, trotting to keep up with his fast and wide stride.

"No, not me, but I know someone who might." Aster stopped, turning to her as the shadows of his hood hid his face.

"Tell me who." Ursa sighed heavily and thought about it for a moment.

"I can't do that. The person I'm thinking of doesn't like it when people he isn't familiar with come strolling in," She replied, looking back to her brother whose face fell as soon as he realized who she would take him to.

"You can't be serious, Sis."

"Shut up Dante." Aster was intrigued. This person must be a real pain if the brother already showed signs of distaste.

"Alright, but if you're coming with me, you realize there is no profit in it."

"At this point, I don't care." Ursa snapped back, crossing her arms and shifting her weight slightly to one leg. Aster nodded and motioned forward with his hand, letting the light creep under his hood and reveal a few strands of his strange pink hair.

"Then lead the way, young lady."

---

"Ah, Guardians. Hold on, aren't you one short?" Alishar asked, rising from his throne to greet them.

"Olsen had some other matters that needed his attention," Matthew replied, gripping Alishar's hand firmly in greeting.

"I see, I'm sorry to hear that. In any case, I'm glad that you have come as quickly as you have; time is becoming increasingly unstable. My Cronos are having quite a bit of trouble keeping time, and the secondary Time Sphere is beginning to become overworked. One of my most trusted informants on the Time Sphere, Mr. Bouffon, has been overseeing the operations down there. I believe that you have already met him once before, have you not?" Matthew nodded as Alishar escorted them to a glass-walled elevator taking them down past the toy factory and into the deceiving Path of Time. It was as if space existed within the bottom of the city, stretching out forever. Glowing warped clock faces hung in the air, ticking out a warbled heartbeat while sparks of light drifted to a floor suspended in mid-air by nothing more than a long blue ladder.

As they neared their stop, they saw Mr. Bouffon waiting at the door, wringing his hands and fidgeting from one foot to the other. No sooner had the doors opened than Mr. Bouffon reached out to shake their hands, seeming to resist pulling them along.

"Hurry! There isn't much time. Time itself is getting too far out of alignment. Tachyons are beginning to escape the Time Sphere and saturate the creatures down there!" he urged, walking away from them and holding his hands out as if to direct them.

"Back up a second, Bouffon. What happened to the time Sphere in the first place so we can know how to fix it?" Lillianne asked when a jolt in the floor made them all look at each other, when a wave of nausea washed over them.

"There's not enough time to tell you and save Ludibrum, or more importantly, Ossyria. I can temporarily stabilize the situation with a makeshift Time Sphere, but I'll need to get the free roaming tachyons to empower it. Once I have those I can tell you the next step."

"I will remain while thou gather the Tachyons," Helen assured.

"I may be wrong, but aren't tachyons supposed to be this theoretical thing?" Jenny asked, shifting the weight of her quiver full of steel-tipped arrows.

"No, they are very real, but I need them quickly!"

"What do these things look like? Can we even touch them?" Jack asked. Bouffon reached back for a canister and a picture of an object no bigger than a bottle cap; it looked similar to a strand of D.N.A. encircled by a ring.

"Here take this canister; it will contain them until you return with them. Don't handle them for too long since it may adversely affect you. I need between 10 and 15. They have infested the creatures we call the 'Soul Teddies' or the 'Buffy Jesters'. The teddies are through this door behind me and the Buffy are through that door over there. Now hurry: the crack is getting worse by the second!" No sooner had he finished speaking than another jolt rocked the ground, making a hazy crack appear in the floor. Helen wished them all well, casting a spell to enhance their power before the rest left to face their Jester foes.

"Did you not say you would tell the history of the Time Sphere while we terried?" Helen asked. Mr Bouffon went to a workbench and grabbed a strange welding torch, running to the crack and sealing it back up.

"You're an impatient one aren't you?" Mr. Bouffon chuckled as the floor trembled again. Bouffon returned to the bench and began pulling parts and pieces from shelves, building something.

"Do you know the reason the Time Sphere exists in Ludibrium?" Bouffon asked, grabbing a welder and attaching pieces to one another.

"My understanding tells of the Time Sphere placed in Ludibrium to maintain childhood innocence, allowing the creation of toys for the Children of Ossyria," Helen replied, to which Bouffon stopped working, and his shoulders slumped, turning back and pointing a hammer at her.

"That's the official story, but the real reason isn't that simple." he huffed, returning to his creation. "The goddess Rhinne doesn't control time in Ossyria. Not entirely. During the height of the Sharenien Kingdom, Minerva, Corus, and Rhinne all discovered that two separate but conflicting timelines exist in this world. One surrounded Rhinne and her temple, and the other within the world of Ossyria. These two timelines appeared to be fighting against one another for dominance, but neither was able to become the prime timeline." Mr. Bouffon paused, clicking together a few parts and welding them together.

"Goddess Rhinne tried to find which timeline to eliminate, but she nearly killed herself in trying to eliminate the one surrounding her. And eliminating the timeline within Ossyria would destroy it. So after decades of study, Corus and Rhinne created the Time Sphere to contain and protect the timeline of Ossyria, isolating it and stabilizing existence."

"Prey tell, what led to the Time Sphere cracking, the Distortion, and The Rift?" Helen asked, holding her hand out as a spark danced on her fingertips when the ground shuddered under them.

"I hope your friends hurry. The Crack resulted from the Heroes battling the Black Mage all those centuries ago."

"Did it appear from the Intensity?"

"Not entirely. The Dragon Mage Freud used a complicated temporal seal, ripping the Black Mage and his existence from Ossyria's timeline. But legends say the Black Mage tried to break through the barrier before it fully formed, straining the timeline. At that moment, the Black Mage existed simultaneously outside and within time. The shearing stress on the timeline was so great, that tachyons began to multiply exponentially, spawning thousands of fragmented alternate timelines until it was too much for the Time Sphere, cracking the outer shell from the pressure." Another shudder made him pause, holding his creation steady until the shaking stopped.

"Within minutes, the space around the Sphere, called Time Origin, was flooded with corrupted tachyons. The king sent a special team to patch the sphere, but by then, the leaking sphere bored a hole into another dimension, allowing the creature known as Papulatus through. That creature then brought his soldiers into our world; The Buffy Jesters, Clockmaster Buffoons, Ghost Pirates, Spirit Vikings, and his generals, Thanatos and Gatekeeper. Fortunately, our soldiers confined his underlings to one side of the Path of Time called 'The Warped Path of Time'. We had contained the creatures and his underling, but the Time Sphere remained cracked." As Helen took in the whole story, Bouffon continued working in silence, welding and hammering.

"What of the other path? Does your tale allude to a second?" Helen asked when the ground jolted hard. Bouffon began wringing his hands, nervously looking around.

"Oh, I do hope they hurry. The other side houses our biggest mistakes in toys. Workers experimented with alchemy to create an artificial soul and bring teddy bears to life as better companions to children. We also experimented with a pocket watch that would never need winding for adults. We made thousands of each, but the triumph turned to failure as the bears' souls began to break down and rot, turning violent. This violence spread to the watches, making them sprout powerful souls themselves.

"Because of this rot, those souls became impossible to destroy. We could only imprison them down here and wait for them to dissipate. Unfortunately, the leak in the Time Sphere eventually spread to the other side and aggravated the situation, infecting the toys with corrupted Tachyons. This corruption made them more powerful, stirring the souls into a violent frenzy as they yearned for a body."

"Then, pray tell, what is the purpose of the Second Time Spheres? Did our parents not defeat Papulatus before allowing for the repair of the Time Sphere Prime?" Helen asked, stepping closer to watch the construction of Boufon's device.

"Because the Sphere had cracked, it could no longer effectively contain Ossyria's timeline. This crack resulted in the Temporal Distortion at the top of Eos Tower and a tear in time at the top of Helios Tower. With the help of the scientists from the Omega Sector, we constructed Secondary Time Spheres using blueprints drawn by Corus and the goddess and some of the uncorrupted tachyons gathered from the Time Sphere. With these structures, we managed to contain these events. The damage to the Time Sphere Prime meant it could no longer hold the present as a singular entity separate from the past or future. We managed to prevent The Distortion from spreading further, but the tear was different. We sent a team to study it and found that it led to the past, a dangerous venture for anyone to know about: altering the past in the tiniest of ways, could drastically affect the future."

"Then the Secondary Time Sphere keeps the tear Secret?"

"To a degree, but its primary purpose is to keep it from growing. If left unchecked, it could eventually tear time so much that the past and present would exist simultaneously, straining the timeline beyond saving." Bouffon looked down at his watch to see how much time had passed before continuing his tale.

"Then your purpose is to ensure Papulatus' soldiers do not escape the Warped Path?"

"Yes. And I have guarded my post for centuries. Eventually, your parents came and eliminated Papulatus. Once he was defeated, my friend Flo and I redesigned and repaired the Time Sphere, stopping the leak while we redesigned the Time Sphere Prime to ensure it would never crack again. With the Crack repaired, the hole into Papulatus' world and the Tear in Time began to repair themselves."

"That is a joyous thing. But why dost thou need our assistance if the Time Sphere is repaired? And what of these tremors below mine feet?" Helen asked

"Recently, a powerful sorceress and swordsman chased our soldiers out of the Time Origin and brought with them Papulatus. That stupid creature opened protective shell around the Sphere, punched a new hole into his world, and began draining the tachyons after rupturing it again. At first, we thought we could handle it. But now we realize that we can't. The speed at which Papulatus drains the Time Sphere increases daily, causing these tremors in Ludibrium. If this continues much longer, the tremors will begin spreading to all Ossyria. Time will collapse in on itself, and everything will disappear." Another jolt in the ground caused Helen and Bouffon to fall just as the others stumbled back with a full canister of tachyons. With hurried happiness, Bouffon opened the canister and butted the open end to a glass-like sphere. The tachyons flowed in and began to flit around inside. He then placed the glass sphere inside the machine he'd made, which hummed to life, and the tremors under their feet subsided to a mild buzz.

"This tertiary Time Sphere should help stabilize time, but it could still give out at any moment. I need you to face the Death Masters and collect about 300 tachyons and 300 grams of a mysterious powder they produce. It will help to make this Sphere stronger. You can collect the powder on the cloth that surrounds the soul bound to the bear; you should be able to scrape it from that cloth." Bouffon mounted a small counter on the canister they had brought him before and handed them a small bottle.

"That counter will help you keep track of the tachyons you collect, and that bottle will hold 305 grams of powder. Please hurry, I don't know how long this Time Sphere will hold." All five began their descent earnestly, listening as Helen relayed what she had learned until they arrived at the Death Master lair.

After an hour, they finally gathered up the materials. They handed them to a thankful Bouffon, who immediately went to his friend Flo, an accomplished magician who mixed the elements.

"What exactly are you making with those?" Jenny asked.

"With a few of the tachyons and powder you brought me, Flo will make a patch for the Papulatus created." Once Flo had created the patch, the tremors became harder. Bouffon looked back to the Tertiary Time Sphere, seeing the glass beginning to show signs of stress, bulging out in some areas while having discolored streaks in others.

"Oh no! We must hurry!" Quickly drawing a small map, he handed them the patch and sent them on their way.

"When you get the Time Origin, you will need the Medal of Ludibrum, which is the key to opening the Origin Housing. One of our expeditions lost it when coming here, and there is no way to create another as it is a relic of Rhinne. Thanatos and The Gatekeeper guard the way, and if reports hold, they are the ones who hold this key. I don't know which has it, so you may need to face them both. Good luck!" Bouffon called.

Rather than go down the Warped Path of Time and risk alerting Papulatus of their approach, they went through the prison of the forbidden toys, the Forgotten Path of Time. As they descended, they began to see signs of time breaking down; large portions of platforms looked melted, while patches of bluish slime clung everywhere. The slime stuck in the gears that led up to the Clock tower, further distorting time.

"What exactly is this stuff?" Lillanne asked, picking some up with her finger only to shake it off as hard as she could when the goo began to melt her gauntlet.

"I don't know, but I think it's safe to say that we don't want to touch it," replied Matthew as they weaved their way through the lair of the Teddies of Death, only having to fight their way through the icy Phantom Watchers. Even though everyone was stronger, they still used precious time to stay alive.

"If this keeps, we'll never make it to the Origin in time," Jenny panted, checking her arrow count when they had found a place to hide for a moment.

"I've got an idea, but I'll only be able to do it once," Matthew said, his eyes lighting up.

"Matt, don't, not yet. The Dragon Stigma is a powerful tool, but if you use it now, we won't have that option once we face Papulatus." Lillianne cautioned.

"Then what else… oh, I know what I can do," Matthew exclaimed, sheathing the Niblehiem. With a ring he drew his Execution Herald, transforming his cloak into a shield. Ruby power emanated from his body solidifying into a giant, transparent shield before him.

"What are you doing, Matt?" Jack demanded, his shoulders itching and legs burning with anticipation.

"Ok, this will only work once, but it will get us through at least. I'll run through first; stay right on me. I'll push as deep as I can before this mana shield gives out. Once it does, I'll use the Hammer of Heaven to clear more of a path and knock the rest off balance. Lillianne, you and Jenny will come to the front. Lillianne, you need to charge your Fenrir Strike. Jenny, I need you to use as many fire arrows as possible. These things use ice to attack. Jack, you and Helen cover our rear flank." Jenny and Lillianne nodded when Jack had a thought.

"What happens if we get swarmed?" Fire flared around Matthew's sword as the Warriors Overcharge ignited around his wrists.

"We won't," he growled. Claws appeared on all four sides of his feet as he empowered his Iron Stance. The claws clamped down onto the ground, tearing pieces out of it as he walked. With a calming breath, wind whirled around him as lightning struck at his feet. Power whirled around Lillianne and Jenny when Matthew shot forward in a streak of light, charging through the mass of Phantom Watches until the shield broke like glass. With a soul-stirring shout, Matthew held his Execution to the air as ruby power swirled around his arm, creating a giant gold hammer shining with a holy radiance. It hit the ground hard, but it heaved harder under the weight of his attack, cracking and deteriorating under their feet.

The ground held long enough for Lillianne and Jenny to leap over Matthew and begin their assault. Lillianne slammed through the creatures in front of the long corridor leading to the Time Origin Chamber. Arrows launched with blinding speed from Jenny's hand in a fiery stream, zipping past Lillianne's head, stopping when the bow began to glow yellow with heat. Jenny's gloves prevented her hands from burning, but she could still feel the pain. Throwing down her bow, she reached for her Crossbow, firing frigid bolts, freezing the enemies in place. Lillianne broke through the frozen ranks until she had gathered enough energy and released it in a beam of power in the shape of a pack of wolves.

As the attack drove through the ranks, Helen faltered. Memories of her and Olsen fighting side by side crept into her mind, making her lose concentration. A Watch spotted her and took a breath. Light gathered in the concave mirror chained behind it, feeding back into the beast's tail as it gathered the energy in a frozen bolt. Jack turned when Helen stopped moving, leaving her wide open.

"HELEN! SNAP OUT OF IT!" Matthew screamed as he swung hard, releasing his shockwave that screamed past Helen. The shockwave deflected the ice, allowing Matthew to charge hard, destroy the mirror, and release the spirit, but Helen couldn't move fast enough. Jack picked her up and followed Lillianne as they powered through the Watches into the chamber. Lillianne slammed the giant vault-like door shut as it iced over when hundreds of ice beams hit the mithril door. Jack stood Helen upright hard.

"WHAT WAS THAT HELEN?! What happened? You and Jack were almost frozen solid!"

"I ask for thy pardon Matthew. Missing Olsen hath effected me more than I anticipated."

"You don't trust the rest of us?" Matthew snapped back when Lillianne pulled him off to the side.

"Hey, take it easy! He just misses Olsen." She hissed.

"This is a mission to stop time collapsing here in Ossyria. I don't want…" Lillianne dropped her halberd and pinned Matthew to the door, grabbing his chest plate.

"How would you act if I wasn't here by your side?" Lillianne growled as Matthew roughly pulled her hands from his armor.

"I need you to stay focused, Helen." Matthew scolded.

"I will clear my mind of these thoughts. But if thou thinkest I should return home…"

"You won't be going anywhere." A deep, booming voice said as a massive, bulky creature hovered toward them with hissing growls from the back of its throat. Its giant face snarled, grinding its jagged, overlapping teeth and glowing white eyes while the thick armor on its arms clattered with each move. A chunky axe handle with a blade made purely of blue light rested in its hand, the mana powering it fizzing and hissing into smoke around it.

"You must be The Gatekeeper," Matthew snickered. "At least now we don't have to come and find you." Matthew sighed as an eighteen-foot tall, one-eyed creature comprised mostly of armor floated up beside Gatekeeper, the pauldrons rising high to what they assumed to be its head. Its lanky arms appeared to be made mostly of dark aura, flowing and undulating along its shape, ending into sharp, claw-like hands. A glowing mass pulsated in its center, dividing its top and bottom, while its interlocking teeth revealed the mass with a steady breathing rhythm.

"For my master Papulatus!" the Gatekeeper roared, raising the axe. The blade howled, taking the shape of a giant sword. His eyes were glowing, energy spilling from his mouth as bright light, and the five of them scattered as the blade slammed to the ground, causing it to collapse beneath its weight. Matthew sheathed the Execution and drew his Niblehiem.

The veins within the sword screamed to life, readying to charge back into battle. The Gatekeeper smiled, switched hands, and brought his axe down hard where Lillianne stood as she battle-stepped away. A green light flared around Jenny's eyes as she watched the Gatekeeper until his shoulder joints flared bright green in her vision.

"GO FOR THE SHOULDERS!" she yelled, dodging another body smashing blow while firing arrows in sets of four. As she released the sinews, the arrows became engulfed with mana, firing one after another. Jack drew his pistol and Helen her Spine Arrow, both attacking Gatekeeper's shoulders, who seemed to fold in and bring his massive pauldrons to bear, blocking their attacks.

"I'M PUTTING US IN OVERDRIVE!" Matthew shouted as their bodies glowed a dark gold color. With an air warping flit, Matthew was upon Gatekeeper, using his new Intrepid Slash to score the armor surrounding the beast's arms. Jenny nocked an arrow, holding the sinews tight as winds drew toward her bow. Gatekeeper growled, swinging his massive hand at Matthew, slamming into his Gaia shield and sent flying, denting it. As Gatekeeper turned, Jenny loosed her arrow, slamming into his pauldron and making it stumble.

"Nice Shot!" Jack smirked, holstering his pistol, ruby crystal power humming around, waiting for the right moment.

"I was aiming for his arm," Jenny huffed, summoning a phoenix. It became a roaring inferno, streaking to the ground around Gatekeeper, setting it ablaze. Matthew shook his head and stood once again. Lillianne launched from one of the many mysterious doors hovering in the air, bringing her halberd down hard enough to shove Gatekeeper to the ground and stun him. Jack drew his fist back and streaked for Gatekeeper as Helen summoned a giant shard of ice and hurled it parallel with Jack. Lillianne prepared to lose her Fenrir charge, swinging wide as Jack came Level with her, all three attacks slamming into Gatekeeper. The impact hurled the creatures into Matthew, who absorbed his collected orbs, swinging hard into the shoulder of Gatekeeper.

As the sword made contact, a seal with an eye in the center flashed across Matthew's forehead. The sword's edges glowed white hot and forced the Niblehiem cleanly through the beast's shoulder, severing the arm from its body and weapon from its body. Black liquid dripped from his shoulder. With an agitated roar, Gatekeeper pulled the axe out of his severed hand and swung down hard on Matthew.

He held up his Gaia Shield, this time standing firm as the claws on his feet dug in. The Gatekeeper snarled, pressing his weight onto him and pushing Matthew back, but Gatekeeper's blood made the floor slippery enough that Matthew's Iron Stance wasn't able to hold him in place. Jenny drew her bow and began her Hurricane of arrows while running up to him, each arrow unfortunately sparking off the thick armor.

"Jenny! I'll toss you to get a shot from above!" Lillianne called, lacing her fingers, catching Jenny's foot, and launching her high into the air. Jack and Lillianne streaked to Matthew, helping to hold the Gatekeeper back and halt his advance. Jenny drew her Bomb Arrow and fired it straight down on Gatekeeper's head as Helen fired a flame arrow. Both arrows hit at the same point, and the explosion made Gatekeeper Howl in pain, releasing the pressure on the three friends for a moment, allowing Matthew to brace and swing hard. His blade sparked off Gatekeeper's armor, just as Gatekeeper regained his balance and swung down on Matthew again, pressing harder onto Matthew, making the warrior's strength falter.

"It seems Warrior that you have come to the end of your strength. I, on the other hand, have strength to spare!" Gatekeeper growled, pushing into Matthew, their weapons creaking under the strain. Lillianne braced her stance, slamming her halberd between his eyes and knocking him back hard. The attack gave her enough room to unleash her most powerful attack: The Bear's Claw. A massive cloud of mana erupted from her body, surrounding the halberd and taking the shape of a polar bear. Its paw swung in time with her halberd, digging its claws through Gatekeeper's armor and tearing a chunk away. Jenny took advantage of Gatekeeper's stunned state, grabbed her crossbow and fired a bolt into the ground, followed by firing an arrow into the sky.

"LET IT RAIN!" Jenny called as the ground erupted into a blast of arrows. Each needle sharp arrow pierced through the thick armor, leaving beachball sized holes where thick black blood spurted. But as he fell back a dense cloud of arrows rained down on him, the force slamming him to the ground, making his armor crack.

"You see Gatekeeper, we know when to use our strength. It's just a matter of finding the right opening." Matthew grinned as ruby power flowed from his body and down the length of the Niblehiem. He walked to him and began slashing at the armor, building orbs which quickly turned red—each slash built on the Overcharge, creating the Hypercharge. Matthew stepped aside, letting Jenny walk up to him, holding her bow drawn tight, aimed at his forehead.

"You lose," she seethed. Green light engulfed her bow as wind howled around the arrow she had drawn. Flames began to pull from the arrow and into the wind surrounding it, some of the fire solidified into white streaks. When she released it, the winds and fire tore into Gatekeeper's body, shredding what remained of him. The Gatekeeper's shrill scream echoed through the black expanse around them. Lillianne breathed a sigh of relief when she realized they had only been fighting one of Papulatus' two generals.

"Guys, where's Thanatos?" She asked, looking around while catching her breath. Jenny's face fell as she realized they were already running low on mana with another creature like Gatekeeper to face. They would have to resort to Crystal Power if there was another fight, tiring them out even more.

As Matthew leaned on his sword, a slight breeze blew behind him, catching Lillianne's attention. She turned to see Thanatos behind Matthew, lifting his arms high in a horrifying display of attack.

"BEHIND YOU!" She screamed. Matthew crossed his arms, but the Warrior's Coffin wasn't fast enough as Thanatos' fists slammed into Matthew, driving him to the ground with a loud crunch. Images flashed before her eyes of looking up at Matthew as though he were holding her, bawling great tears fell over her face.

"MATTHEW!" Liliianne screamed. Jack leaned into his run, about to unleash an attack, when Thanatos touched the base of his palms and the tips of his fingers together. A ball of energy formed in his palms before being hurled at them and sinking into their chests.

"What was that?" Jenny asked, slightly dazed by the impact. Lillianne waited for no explanation as she charged, striking Thantos hard enough that the impacts thundered through the space around them.

"Whatever it was didn't seem to do anything," Jack said, readying his fists to fight, but they didn't fizzle or buzz with the lightning he usually summoned around them, making him relax and look at his palms. Jenny drew her bow, but her Spine Arrow wouldn't form. Helen tried to create a massive shard of ice, and could feel her mana trying to leave her body, but nothing happened. Jenny reached back for an arrow, firing it when Lillianne was tossed back only to watch it stick in the tough armor around his shoulders.

With an agitated growl, Thanatos pulled the arrow from the armor, making it sizzle under his touch, breaking it in half. Jenny drew her bow again, this time trying to use her crystal power, but instead of a screaming spine arrow, nothing happened.

"What hath thou cursed us with?" Helen demanded, running to Lillianne and helping her to her feet. They wanted to rush to their friend, but Thanatos stood in their way. He chuckled before speaking in a whisper.

"That is the effect of my abilities; Gatekeeper only knew how to attack with full strength. I, on the other hand, use my superior intellect and cunning to win a battle. Your mana and crystal power have been sealed; your skills and strength are all that remain," He hissed, his mouth-like torso almost appearing to grin.

"That may not be as advantageous as you think," Matthew grunted, holding his side, stinging with every breath, blood dripping from his head and mouth. Thanatos squinted his eye, turning back and staring at the wounded warrior as he dared to defy what he'd done to them.

"What do you mean? You're injured and all of your power is gone." Thanatos whispered.

"That's… that's where you're wrong. I came prepared!" Matthew growled as he pulled a Snow Potion from his knapsack, drinking the entire bottle. Matthew shivered, trying to make his body accept the frigid, putrid-tasting potion. But after a few moments, he stopped holding his side. Lillianne stumbled and let out a thankful chuckle, leaning heavily on her halberd.

"Matthew! You're ok!" she smiled, thankful tears stinging her eyes until Thanatos brought her back to the battle with a hissing scream.

"I STILL HAVE THE POWER ADVANTAGE OVER YOU!" Hissed Thanatos, raising his arms to bring them down on Matthew. A bell echoed as his fists met the large Gaia shield, denting under his strength.

"That's where you're wrong! We may not have our power, but our skills alone are for more than you can handle!" Matthew grunted as he pushed against Thanatos' strength, dropping his Niblehiem and reaching for the lighter Execution. Without his mana, the Niblehiem was too heavy to use.

Helen's eyes flitted back and forth, reaching to her belt and pulling out a small notebook, quickly reading over the contents she'd found. Dropping the book, she slammed her hands around her staff, reciting a spell in a flood of words.

"You know that's not going to work, right?" Jack sneered, lowering his stance and clenching his fists tighter. After another moment, Helen spread her arms wide, her hair and eyes glowing with violet light as a wave washed over them all, instantly unlocking their mana. Jack sprinted to his friend in a blur, helping to push back the shield.

"Jenny, do your eye thing; we need to find his weakness!" Lillianne called, running in with a battle step. Jenny activated the spell, and everything became sharper in her vision. As Thanatos' middle separated, energy gathered, firing in a beam that punched through the Gaia Shield and hurled Jack and Matthew Away. Matthew stabbed his sword into the ground, halting his travel before charging back at him, trying to ignore the pain in his chest.

"I don't see a weakness!" Jenny called, running closer for a better look when the sharpness in her vision faded.

"Keep Looking!" Matthew commanded, charging at Thanatos with his sword, thundering from the flames surrounding it. Before he hit, the fire faded, and the hollow clang of Matthew's sword threw the tall creatures into a nearby doorway. Instantly, Jenny's vision resharpened, focusing on Thanatos for weaknesses until an explosion from Helen's poison and flames sent their target careening back toward her, making her vision return to normal.

Jenny ran to a farther position and tried again, realizing that the mana seal only worked when they were close to Thanatos. She was about to tell the others when Lillianne and Matthew came skidding across the floor and stopped beside her.

"Everyone! Stay back from him! Spell only works when you're close." Jenny shouted. Matthew grinned, standing and unleashing his shockwave, tearing through the air, cracking Thanatos' armor, and throwing him to the ground.

"WHAT?!" he hissed, picking himself up, gathering energy in his hands to fire.

"Anything yet Jen?" Lillianne asked.

"Not yet."

"Then beat him till he begs!" Jack shouted as blue dragon wings and tail appeared around Matthew, shooting him forward with blinding speed. His swing cut through one of Thanatos' shoulder guards, tearing through the aura-like flesh of his body, followed by Lillianne slamming the butt of her halberd into his head. Thanatos caught her leg and threw her to the floor, hauling her up to throw her down again. Matthew's eyes widened as images flashed before him of Lillianne beside him in combat, pale green energy billowing from around her.

"No, it can't be." he thought, cutting through Thanatos' arm and grabbing Lillianne away.

"Lilli, you ok?" Matthew asked. Lillianne grunted, reaching for her arm but managed to nod.

"What was that?" Matthew thought, checking Lillianne more thoroughly when a sound behind him made him look back to see Jack holding back Thanatos' balled fists.

"Keep your eyes open, man!" Jack shouted before throwing his fists to the side as he and Matthew punched Thanatos' mouth, hurling him back as Helen appeared, casting a healing spell over Lillianne.

"Come on, there's gotta be a weakness somewhere!" Jenny thought, scanning Thanatos as Matthew and Jack pummeled him, unable to find any weak spot. She focused her attention on the teeth at his waist, where she could see green points of light from between his teeth. As he opened his mouth-waist, the orb of energy in the center glowed bright green.

"THERE! THAT ORB IN HIS CENTER! THAT'S HIS WEAKSPOT!" Jenny yelled as Matthew found his footing and grinned with dark pleasure. Running for his Niblehiem, he dragged it away, using his crystal power to fill the sword's veins, the metal screaming. In a comet of light, Matthew shot at Thanatos, stabbing through his chest plate. Red aura rose around Matthew, overwhelming Thanatos' Mana Seal.

"Looks like I have the use of my crystal power again," He grinned, transforming his cloak into the serrated edge form and forcing the blade up through his chest and out of his shoulder. Thanatos tried to recover, but Matthew continued his assault, chiseling away his armor with his Intrepid Slash. He then transformed the cloak into its shield form and slammed it into Thanatos, pushing him back.

"IT'S OVER!" He shouted, hoisting his sword as the cloak became its serrated form once more. Sacred light curled almost lovingly around the blade, lines of red light erupting from Matthew's back as Dragon's Wings. Thanatos struggled through his pain while his aura-like body appeared to bleed, opening his mouth while the energy gathered within.

Matthew ran shot toward him in an explosion of sound as the wings propelled him faster. Thanatos released his energy beam but missed as Matthew weaved to avoid the beam, focusing his attention on that orb. When the beam subsided, Matthew disappeared in a streak of golden light. Thanatos swung his claw-like fingers as a metal ring echoed until Matthew reappeared behind the tall beast.

Matthew knelt, holding the sword out and up until the wind created during the attack howled behind him. He and Thanatos remained still until long claw marks appeared on the right side of Matt's face from his lips, across his cheek, and through his ear. He cried out in pain as blood spurted from the wounds, and Helen appeared beside him, instantly beginning to heal him.

"Heh, that was good, kid," Thanatos whispered as his body dissipated, the Medal of Ludibrum and the empty armor falling to the ground with a clatter. Helen managed to heal most of the skin, but the exhaustion from the previous battles was beginning to take their toll, unable to close the wounds completely. Jenny picked up the Medal while Lillianne applied an antiseptic to his skin, making Helen remember when Olsen put a bandage on her arm after getting a scrape.

Once they had all caught their breath, they made their way down the corridor to the Time Origin, where a flat tombstone stood. Thick circuits ran across the face with a scrolling marquee in an unreadable language. Under the sign was an empty depression where a few glowing blue circuits converged. Jenny looked at the medal and then at the depression.

"You think that's the keyhole?" Jenny asked, motioning for Helen to look.

"It hath the same shape. Mayhaps you are correct?" Helen shrugged, motioning for her to try it. With almost reverent silence, she placed the medal, watching the circuits begin to glow brighter in the stone. Groaning metal echoed all around them, making her hesitate before turning it. Jenny wrenched her hand back when the Medal dropped into place, and the circuits glowed brighter. Behind the stone, circuits within the floor lit up and ran to a giant doorway that resembled a grandfather clock.

A thick ring of blue metal split away from the clock, causing dust and dirt to fall to the ground and reveal an additional heavy steel door. Another set of circuits glowed, illuminating giant light bulbs on either side of the steel door. The hands of the clock above the door heaved into motion, gear teeth clanking as the arms moved straight up and the door slid down.

"Access, granted." A mechanical voice boomed.

"Well, I guess this is it." Lillianne sighed, massaging her leg as a bruise began to appear. Jenny rolled her left shoulder, stiff from firing so many arrows, and Jack leaned back, pressing his hands against his spine to crack it. Helen reached into her knapsack, drinking a mouthful of a mana-restoring potion, shivering as the thick liquid ran down her throat.

"We'll go in five minutes to give us time to recover. I think we can spare at least that much time." Matthew chuckled as he sat down and began attending to his wounds with more care. Helen went to each of them using her crystal power to heal their wounds more fully.

"Save your energy, Helen. We're going to need it." Jack smiled as Helen healed a small cut on his forearm.

"This does not tax me, Jack. However, I appreciate thy concern. In waiting, it doth require more energy as I need to undo thy body's natural healing," she smiled, moving on to Lillianne and Matthew.

"I'll be waiting for you," Papulatus growled, jumping into the giant machine. It was as if it were breathing peacefully in sleep until Papulatus took hold of the control stick and switched the systems on. The drive within the machine whined to life with lights and sounds gradually rising and eyes blinking to life within the clock face.

---

The Black Mage reached out and took the statuette, looking it over and admiring the detail in something so important. Whispers filled the air as he asked whether or not Eleanor or Dragon had learned how to trace them.

"Not yet master, which is why we have come to you for guidance. Perhaps your greater knowledge of such things could provide a clue we have missed," Eleanor said, bowing low to the ground when she felt a slight rise in the room's temperature. The Black Mage answered flatly in a hiss with an edge. Dragon and Eleanor waited, wondering what to do when until their master crushed the statue's base under his grip.

"Master! What-" The Black Mage raised his eyes to Dragon silently. Dragon could feel the pressing power surrounding him, making it hard to breathe. The Black Mage opened his hand and revealed a small orange gem, no bigger than his thumb, with a black symbol etched into the surface.

"That still leaves us with the question of how to find the others," Dragon interjected, quickly wishing he'd remained silent when The Black Mage looked at him hard. Agitated whispers explained the process as he set the stone in Eleanor's palm as if restraining himself. Eleanor held the gem between her thumb and forefinger before sending a mana pulse through it. Instantly, the gem glowed as an orange image of Ossyria projected from the gem. In this image, a pulsing glow shone on the westernmost part of Victoria Island, remaining for a few moments before shrinking into the gem, leaving behind a dim light at its center.

"The next Pillar appears to be in Kerning," Eleanor said. The Black Mage nodded, folding his hands as his eyes disappeared.

"The ancient passages say that when one Pillar is close to another, it will glow brighter," Dragon interjected. The Black Mage said nothing for a long moment, until whispers filled the air.

"The Guardians? You don't think they'd fall from your path," Eleanor asked, her eyes widening. Again, The Black Mage said nothing, turning back for the massive window overlooking Edelstien.

"We shall be on our way," Dragon intoned, bowing slightly as he and Eleanor left the room. Once far enough away, Eleanor tugged at Dragon's sleeve, pulling him to the side and speaking low.

"Do you have any hint why The Master wants these Pillars?" Dragon breathed a long sigh, looking back when he heard a recruit walking past them.

"It may have something to do with the Crystals."

"The Crystals? How? The Pillars are a spell lock, not a focus or amplification medium."

"I don't know for sure. But can you tell me, with all the preparations the Black Mage has made, that he isn't planning on taking the Crystal's power from the Guardians and ensuring it stays that way?" Eleanor crossed her arms, turning from Dragon and stepping away from him, lowering her brow in thought.

"I want to believe in The Master's plans to make Ossyria a better place for everyone. But his actions with Oberon and Edelstien make me question my part in all this."

"What happened in Edelstien?" Dragon asked, looking back to make sure no one was watching.

"There has been a curfew ever since Oberon took control of it. The Memory Knights and the other officers keep to that mandate firmly." Dragon swallowed hard, his breathing quickening and his palms feeling damp.

"Until recently, I thought a stiff fine would be the only punishment if anyone broke this mandate. But I've seen what happens, and I don't think I can be part of this anymore," Eleanor became pale, looking away from Dragon as he went to her, touching her shoulder as he stepped around to face her. Despite being given the title of Lord within the Black Wings, there were still things he didn't know.

"What did you see?" He asked, feeling her tremble under his touch.

"During a visit to Edelstien, a family was rushing home a few minutes past curfew. The memory Knights caught them and escorted them away for questioning and punishment, and I followed to ensure the Knights completed the process correctly. Instead of taking them to the Mayoral office, we went toward the mines, taking a lift to one of the lower levels where Gelimer waited." Eleanor seemed to shrink into herself, closing her arms around herself.

"He stripped their souls from them, Dragon. He stripped everything away until there was nothing left, dumping their minds into crude androids that he sent to the Mine Face." Dragon hugged her tightly, putting a hand on her head.

"There's more isn't there?" he asked with a growl. He felt Eleanor nod against his chest, letting her stand back.

"It's not just the curfew: any violators of the marshal rule, anyone suspected as being part of a resistance movement in Edelstien, even the delinquents of the Black Wings are put through the same process. I thought we dismissed them, not strip their entire existence away-" Dragon put a hand over her mouth, pulling her into an empty classroom and shutting the door.

"You can't say that so freely, Ellee. What would happen if the Black Wings acolytes were to hear you? Or worse, The Black Mage?" Dragon hisseed.

"The Black Wings are supposed to improve things through authority, not fear!" Eleanor shot back. Dragon narrowed his eyes, swallowing hard.

"Do you suddenly want to save everyone because you've begun questioning your usefulness to The Black Mage? Not too long ago you had no issue killing off a half dozen people with a single spell." Eleanor sighed, leaning against a desk and steadying herself upright while looking at the floor.

"I believe deep in my heart, I have always known something was wrong with The Master's view of the world. I wanted so badly to believe the world could be better through his power, that I ignored it. When the Black Mage killed Oberon and Eldan, it stuck with me. And then when you commented how The Master doesn't care for anyone, it made me question everything he's done for me." Eleanor sighed, a quiver forming in her words. Dragon looked back at the door, listening for anyone nearby before approaching Eleanor. He reached out and took her hand, brushing the back of it with his thumb.

"What are you going to do now?" Dragon asked, flinching when he thought he heard someone reaching for the door.

"I've made arrangements with one of the officers named Leonor in Edelstien to transport these punished individuals personally. She is fond of someone in the Edelstien Resistance, and between the two of them, they hide these individuals." Dragon tensed his hand, hoping the excitement was hidden enough on his face before putting both on his hips and walking away from her with practiced disgust.

"You are aiding the enemy, Ellee. The Black Wings have been trying to crush the resistance for nearly eight years, and now you tell me that you've begun undermining the rule of the Black Mage?" He felt her hands on his shoulder, gripping it hard.

"You've seen how callous The Master is toward life. A simple misstep could lead to annihilation. Yes, I have my preservation in mind, but without people, our new world will have been for nothing."

"And what happens when Gelimer complains to The Black Mage?" It'll only be a matter of time until agents less understanding than I uncover what's been happening."

"Then what are The Black Wings for?" Eleanor shouted. "We are supposed to be the arms of the Black Mage, keeping the world in order in preparation for the new world. The Wings now are nothing more than a collection of psychopaths with no regard for human life. As far as I've seen, Gelimer has all he needs. This mind breaking of his, is nothing more than a side project." Eleanor backed away, her skin paling when she realized someone outside might have heard her. Dragon's mind raced as he wiped a hand over his mouth, sighing heavily before turning to face her sternly.

"I will not report this to The Black Mage. But you need to keep a better watch on your actions and words. I can't lose you, Ellee. You mean too much to me now," he muttered, embracing her tightly. Eleanor returned his embrace, sighing while resting her head on his chest.

"I will keep my guard up," Eleanor promised, before they kissed one another and left the room to start their assigned task of finding the Pillar of Time.

"What about finding these Pillars? Bringing them to The Black Mage will only make things more difficult," Dragon asked.

"For now, we search for them. The Guardians are no doubt looking for them as well. And as long as we keep up the appearance of attempting to acquire these pillars, The Master shouldn't be too worried if some were to fall into their hands." Eleanor grinned, taking Dragon's hand as they walked toward a waiting skiff through the castle.

---

Once fully rested, Matthew sheathed his Niblehiem and reached into the knapsack, pulling out the dimensional patch. Lillianne and Jenny constantly watched the shadows, listening to the gears and clutches switch positions in a mechanical rhythm. A large, red sphere sat in the center of the room, and just to the right of that, an oddly shaped hole hung in mid-air.

Matthew turned the patch several directions, trying to match up the edges when a strange, high-pitched howl screamed behind them. Jack and Helen spun around to see a colossal machine bringing its massive hand down. Lillianne grabbed Matthew by the cloak and Battle Stepped away. Jenny disappeared in a whirlwind and Helen teleported Jack away just as the hand slammed to the ground.

"You will do no such thing!" Papulatus screamed, reaching again for Matthew and Lillianne when the back of the giant clock with arms exploded in a flower of flames. Gears clanked, and motors hummed as Papulatus turned around to see Jenny, her eyes almost burning, and a green light pouring from her eyes.

Papulatus growled as he shoved the control sticks forward, reaching out for Jenny with the large hands. Instead, he slammed into the outer wall of the Time Origin when Jenny leapt away. When he turned the Clock Face around, he saw Matthew trying to plug the hole. The hands of the machine clapped hard, a shock wave screaming, striking hard enough to throw him back and leave him stunned.

"I will have what I came for! And there is nothing you can do to stop me!" Papulatus yelled, reaching for a control board and pushing one of the buttons. The large red sphere hissed steam from between its gear-like seam, the top half rising to reveal a tremendous golden orb thrumming in time with the shifting gears and clutches, seeming to bend reality toward it.

The sound of machinery moving hummed as the orb's energy began seeping into the hole Matthew tried to cover. The ground shook as the hole drew more energy in, making cranes and plugs sway from the ceiling. Papulatus turned around to face his stunned audience, expecting to see them frozen in awe. Instead, he saw Matthew lunging at him, swinging his Nibelheim hard, and hurling Papulatus to the far side of the room.

As Papulatus tried to put his Clock Face upright, an arrow and a fireball melted through the machine, causing control rods and gears to fuse in molten lumps. He tried to assess the damage until Matthew unleashed a volley of blows from the Intrepid Slash. Each strike became harder as orbs around his wrists gathered and began to glow red. Papulatus angrily slammed a button on his control, making large plates separate from the face of the clock and fizzling mana shooting out as bolts of lightning.

Matthew tried to move, but lightning struck his sleeve and shocked him with brutal power. Jenny managed to avoid the shock, getting a clear shot for her Mortal Arrow. Before she released it, Papulatus pushed his emergency button and disappeared within the machine as it folded in on itself. Thick protective plates slid into place, and a protective barrier appeared. The powerful arrow ricocheted into one of the cranes, obliterating its hoisting cable.

"LILLI! JACK! DO IT NOW!" Matthew called. Lillianne jumped from the shadows with the patch in her hands, running for the Time Sphere and hitting the same button that Papulatus had, closing it. Then, Jack pressed the patch into the tear, grunting and growling to force it into place. As the patch was about to fuse into place, Papulatus reactivated the Clock Face, seeing what Jack was doing.

"NO! DON'T!" He called, jamming the control sticks forward to stop him. A loud crunch of metal rang at his feet before being dragged back and slammed against the wall. Jenny and Helen pummeled him with arrows and blasts of Ice. Jenny combined her Hurricane with the Strafe Strike, tearing small pieces off and blowing holes in the machine while Helen froze the machine against the wall. Lillianne hurtled at Papulatus, striking the left arm hard enough that a hydraulic line of hot mana sheered from its place within it, spraying everywhere. Lillianne howled as the liquid splashed her skin, making her writhe in agony as it burned her skin. Helen immediately teleported to her, healing her wounds with the mana burning her skin.

"Can thou fight on?" Helen asked as the last as her boils healed.

"Yeah. Skin's a little tender, but I should be fine," Lillianne breathed. Papulatus madly slapped buttons trying to keep from losing any more mana, but he was too slow. Jenny held up her Black Beauty while mana seeped into the bolt, transforming it into a metal projectile with a point on both ends. It ignited firing with enough force to warp the air around it, slamming through the center of the Clock Face, collapsing multiple supports and machinery, rupturing more mana lines that knocked Papulatus from atop his perch. The little glow worm returned to the Clock Face, jumping into the seat once he'd landed.

"You have no idea what you're doing!" Papulatus screamed as pieces of his Clock Face fell to the ground, bent and crushed. Still, he refused to give up the fight, despite most of the chassis being broken beyond recognition and mana pouring from the broken hydraulic lines.

"You are making a very dangerous tear in time become bigger, and if it is left alone, it will destroy Ossyria!" Matthew shouted, holding his sword up ready to strike again. Papulatus looked up, noticing that Jack was still struggling to hold the patch in place, while the last few inches of light faded from around the edges.

"Do you know why I came to this world in the first place?" Papulatus screamed as he flipped switches, trying to reroute power and make quick repairs.

"Because Time Sphere cracked and burned a hole through existence. And once you came through you began trying to take over Ossyria by controlling time itself!" Matthew shouted back.

"While that may be one of my goals for Ossyria, it is not the only one! The leaders of my world chose me to seek a place to gather food. My people feed on tachyons! Our world does not have time, and thus tachyons don't exist! The last world we had conquered collapsed, so we needed a new world to harvest them from. Your world is rich in tachyons, and thanks to your Goddess of Time, new ones are created daily. Blocking the hole I came through will cause my people to starve to death!" Papulatus shrieked.

"And we can't allow you to make our world collapse because your need for Tachyons will no doubt grow!" Lillianne shouted back, raising her halberd ready to strike.

"Do you think I care what happens to your world?! The Black Mage will destroy it all anyway; my people are the only ones who deserve salvation!" Papulatus shouted back as the Clock Face restarted and heaved its tired looking frame into the air. Its arm slammed down, knocking Matthew, Jenny, Helen, and Lillianne off balance, slamming them to the ground, and pressing the machine's weight onto them.

"Guys!" Jack shouted, trying to look back and hold the patch in place.

"We're fine! Keep going!" Jenny shouted, struggling to pry herself from under the giant hand.

"I will save my people!" Papulatus shouted, reaching for Jack only to be thrown back by Jenny and Lillianne.

"Give me a few seconds guys; I'll let you know when I'm ready," Matthew said as he stood, taking a deep breath and holding his sword at the ready. The veins went dark and became a glowing blood red mass. Jenny and Lillianne launched at Papulatus cutting, slamming, piercing and skewering the Clock Face from all angles and Helen lobbed sweltering balls of fire, melting through its outer frame. Matthew focused his energies making all of the battle noise disappear.

"I call upon you, Argaust of the dragons. Hear me and honor your contract." He thought, feeling a presence in his mind turn to him and almost smile.

"I hear you, and I will honor the contract." A voice replied as his body swelled from the power surging through it.

"Spirits of the ancient dragons, give me wisdom and strength to face mine enemies." Matthew recited, his arms and legs swelling even further, while a seal of chasing dragons appeared on his forehead.

"PAPULATUS! PREPARE YOURSELF!" Matthew screamed, signaling to Lillianne and Jenny to move. Red light erupted from Matthew's back while a tail of the same light swayed in anticipation. The little glow worm did his best to pull up the Clock Face and activate the emergency protection, but it wasn't working! Matthew exploded forward, absorbing all ten orbs gathered around his wrists. He swung with an upward cross so hard that the tip whistled as it moved. When the blade made contact with the outer shell of the Clock Face, a large green seal appeared at the contact point.

Time seemed to freeze before a burst of dark energy propelled the sword clean through the machine. Before Papulatus could take in what had happened, Matthew spun around and swung opposite the first upward cross. Matthew reached for his cloak and held it up to wait for the impending explosion as hairlines of blue appeared in an "x" shape across the machine.

Parts inside broke, sending shrapnel into the engines, cracking mana tanks and detonating them. Papulatus smashed the bright red button marked 'abort' and separated a small craft with teeth out of the main body. He began flying away, almost sounding as if he were mumbling to himself.

"We shall meet again Guardians! And when we do, I shall destroy you!" He called, turning his attention to the front and sped to Jack, still holding the Patch closed.

"Oh no you don't!" Matthew growled, holding out his hand as a serrated spear made of light appeared on the back of his hand, a golden cord wrapped around his wrist. It shot into the back of the machine, sticking through it and Papulatus. Matthew then hauled on it, pulling the little worm down low enough for Lillianne to jump into the air and bring down her Judgment of Ice on top of the little craft. The gargantuan ice axe broke it to smithereens, as Jenny fired her Double Shot, catching Papulatus' hands pinning him to the wall while Helen threw a glob of poison around him, numbing his limbs. Finally, it was over.

"You don't know what you've done!" Cried Papulatus with white tears streaming down his face, trying to free himself. As he squirmed, the patch finally sealed the hole, making the tear disappear and allowing Jack to join his friends.

"Shut up!" Matthew coughed, while a splotch of blood hit the floor where he knelt.

"Matthew!" Lillianne called, kneeling next to him.

"I'm all right, Lilli. It's just the Dragon Stigma wearing off. I'll be fine in a minute or two." he smiled, leaning more heavily on his sword.

"No! No no no no, let me go! Let me go! You don't understand, my people will starve!" Papulatus screamed. Jenny slammed her hand onto his chest.

"This is my home! Do you think just because our world has something yours doesn't mean you can just take it without consideration of what will happen?!"

"I promise I'll find another way!" Papulatus screamed.

"And collapse another world?!"

"What difference does it make? We're all going to die anyway!"

"I'm sorry Papulatus, but I can't let that happen," Jenny said solemnly, loading another bolt into the Black Beauty and holding it up to him as frigid winds swirled around it.

"No! NO! NOOOOOOOO!" The bolt slammed into his chest and froze him solid, silencing his screams and breaking into small flakes, scattering across the floor.

"Did we do the right thing?" Matthew asked, his voice echoing through the hall dozens of times while leaning on his knees to catch his breath.

"I know not," Helen answered, healing a bruise forming on her forearm.

"We just cut off an entire world from a food supply. We're supposed to save people, not condemn an entire dimension." Jack shouted, motioning to where the tear had been a few moments before. Jenny holstered her crossbow, slinging her bow around her shoulders.

"I'm not sure there is a right answer this time, Jack. Even if they continued feeding off Ossyria's Tachyons, Papulatus and his people would eventually have to move on to another world once ours dies out," she said.

"Rhinne could make more. Isn't that what he said?" Matthew questioned

"That is a fact Papulatus was misinformed about," a female voice said. The five turned to see Mr. Bouffon and another similar-looking person walk into the Time Origin with an army of Chronos and a hefty-looking machine resembling a giant spherical alarm clock.

"The Goddess Rhinne doesn't create time. She is its protector, and we of Ludibrium are its stewards. The Goddess can create Tachyons to help in time's protection, but not in the amounts Papulatus claims," the woman said, directing the Chronos to position the machine next to the Time Sphere.

"Is that Flo?" Lillianne asked, walking over the Bouffon as he watched.

"Yes, she is a very dear friend of mine. She and I redesigned this new Time Sphere together."

"Hold on; the Time Sphere we saw was just fine." Jack pointed out, mentioning the giant glowing orb he'd seen earlier.

"No, it isn't. You saw the event horizon surrounding the crack in the Time Sphere Prime, and the jet of Tachyons escaping their confinement."

"So, this big red dome thing?"

"Is a protective shield to contain any leaks that may happen and prevent anything from being corrupted by the leaking Tachyons."

"Prey tell; the creatures corrupted by time, hath this come to pass because thou couldst not close this shield?" Helen asked.

"You hit the nail on the head there, Guardian Mage. The only controls for the Shield are here in the Time Origin. With Papulatus gone, we can finally replace the damaged Time Sphere and put emergency measures in place to ensure something like this will never happen again." The Guardians watched for the next few hours as the new Time Sphere filled with temporal energy. The clockworks ceased for a while, making everyone feel like they were strangers to the world while the Chronos exchanged Spheres. The feeling passed once it was mounted and the clockworks heaved into motion, revealing the Time Sphere Prime as it should have been. A giant glass-like sphere containing a swirling golden glow wrapped in pulsating cables feeding into the floor. With the press of a button, a massive split clockface folded in front of it, the hour and minute hands whirling until they found their place and continued counting time.

Upon returning to Alishar's Palace, the king was thrilled to hear they had completed their task. To show his gratitude, he personally draped 'The Cloak of Ludibrum' over their shoulders, a sign to anyone that a great deed had been done for the city, returning to Herb Town soon after.

"Hath news of Olsen come?" Helen asked Eckhart, who greeted them. Eckhart shook his head, making Helen sigh and walk to her meditation spot. Matthew and Jack went to their training grounds, asking if Lillianne wanted to join them. As she followed them, she thought back to when Matthew seemed to be crushed by Thanatos. What was that flitting vision she saw? It felt like she'd seen it somewhere before, but he couldn't remember where. Was it a dream? A story that she'd read? And why was she looking up at Matthew crying over her? Her thoughts turned to the words of Carta and her prophesy of doom for them.

"It can't be. No, it isn't." Lilianne thought. But all the same, she couldn't shake the feeling that somewhere, at some time, Lillianne would be put in mortal danger. Walking faster to catch them, she reached for Matthew, gently grabbing his cloak.

"Hey, Matt, could I talk to you?" She asked. Telling Jack to proceed, Matthew turned back and reached for her hand, studying her concerned expression.

"Hey, What's the matter?" he asked, putting an arm around the small of her back and pulling her close. Lillianne swallowed, looking away and sitting down on a nearby rock.

"When Thantos hit you into the ground, A vision hit me; I was in your arms and you crying over me. It made me think about what Carta said, that we would 'suffer a great loss'." Matthew paled, remembering he'd seen at the beginning of their journey: a dream he had while on his way to Victoria for training.

"Could this be…"

"Hey! Is there a human here by the name of Matthew Drake?" Called a voice, breaking Matthew's thoughts. Lillianne and Matthew snapped their attention back into town, seeing Acuia, the Seraphim 'The Six' had rescued from a book in Ludibrum, approach Wing the fairy as he stood waiting agitatedly.

"Yes, he is over there," Acuia called, pointing to where Matthew and Lillianne were talking. Wing huffed, flew over to Matthew, and tossed an old envelope at him.

"There! We've kept that piece of junk in Ellinia for 600 years. I would have liked to throw it away since it was from you humans." Wing snorted, flying away before Matthew could retort, fumbling to catch the floating piece of paper. When he had, Lillianne reached for his forearm, her eyes pleading.

"I don't know what to say, Lilli. I've had similar visions myself since I arrived. But whatever it's supposed to mean, I won't let it happen."

"Can you say that with absolute certainty? Carta said it with so much conviction, and it seems like a certainty between you and me."

"Because it's supposed to be in the future, and the future hasn't happened yet. It won't happen; it's just a warning." Matthew sighed, kissing her forehead with a smile and turning his attention to the envelope, carefully sliding the old twine off and tentatively opening it, squinting to see its faded writing. Athena came over to him, recognizing the symbol on the back of the parchment and smiled.

"So it's finally time." She thought.

"What does it say?" Lillianne asked, standing next to him.

"I can't see all that well, but I'll try to make it out." Silently he read for a bit until he became still and his eyes nearly doubled in size.

"What! What is it?!" Lillianne pressed. Matthew shook his head and cleared his throat to read aloud.

"Matthew, I write this to thee to come hither and save this town. If thou doth not, then thy very existence in this world will cease to be.

Signed: Helen Olman

Post Script: ensuring for thee this is indeed from myself, Olsen hath left, completing a mission for Empress Cygnus." Lillanne and Matthew stared at each other briefly; how could Helen have written them a letter 600 years ago? She hadn't even been born yet! Grendal hadn't even been born yet! Athena chuckled and caught their attention.

"What? Do you know something?" Athena nodded, taking the letter and reading over it again.

"Yes, Yes I do."

---

The Black Mage opened his eyes and smiled: finally, Papulatus was gone. With Eleanor and Dragon out on a scouting mission, Hilla reawakened her dead city, and Orca was busy overseeing the traitor's energy draining. The only person he had left to speak with was Arkarium, whose voice held power. A plume of black smoke appeared in his chamber.

"I live to serve Master." Arkarium's smooth voice answered. He was a tall but thin man with a long white beard and mustache that reached to the floor, a cobra familiar hunched over his head. Whispers filled the chamber as The Black Mage relayed his instructions to him concerning 'The Guardians' next little escapade.

"Yes master. Will you not be going after General Von Leon?" Arkarium asked as The Black Mage shook his head. Arkarium nodded, disappearing as The Black Mage looked down at Edelstein. Von Leon was never any use to him, only his sorrow-fueled rage. The Black Mage summoned a dark flame before snuffing it out by clenching his fist. He'd nearly recovered his full strength, and the Guardians were progressing nicely, but not quickly enough. Perhaps it was time again to have his little pet summon another beast.