“I’m alright. Don’t worry about me.”

AsaHi’s tiny fingers folded over the back of Zemi’s broad hand as he strained to draw the rifting energy into the Cynosure chamber. He was shaking. Every now and then, a spasm racked his body, nearly causing him to fall. And every time, Kudako or Aur were there to offer him strength to stand.

The loss of Zento was more than just a painful, emotional void for the Arweinydd. He had lost a part of himself, his binding Champion who shared his power and bridged the connection to the planet itself. What had once been so easy and so careless to Zemi now took his full concentration to even attempt. It broke AsaHi’s heart to watch the Dreigiau struggle so hard just to fail… again and again as the rift energies seemed to slip right through his fingers.

All she could do was stay by his side and offer him what little strength she had left. It had been so difficult to keep herself from breaking down at the news of Zento’s death. Even though nothing had been formally finalized, the winged warrior had always treated AsaHi like a daughter. He had brought hope and guidance to everyone who knew him… and to those who even knew of him.

And SoYa…

She almost didn’t want to think of it. She had watched the strained composure on his face as he had reached out to comfort Zemi in the midst of his own grief.

He’s become so much like Zento… But I know he must be hurting so much right now.

She couldn’t imagine what it felt like to be in his shoes… to watch his family be torn away, one by one. It was the reason why AsaHi didn’t have the heart to argue when he had raced away on the back of the She-Wolf in desperate attempt to save his brother, the last true family he had left. If there was anything left there to save at all…

The sound of murmuring from the far side of the chamber caused AsaHi to peer back over one shoulder towards the entrance. Her mouth opened a bit, though no sound escaped as her eyes blinked, trying to figure out what it was she was seeing.

The She-Wolf Zazo padded into the room with a scoffing look, nudging her way past any of the winged people who weren’t quick enough to give her the space she desired. Draped over her back was a dark, slumped figure, streaming black ooze across the Arweinydd’s hind quarters. The moment her eyes locked upon him, AsaHi could feel the prickles of fear racing over her skin.

TsuYa..? They really found him. They managed to capture him! But how?

The answer appeared, only a moment later.

I don’t believe it..!

It was SoYa. His clothes were torn and shredded with the struggle of battle, lines streaked across his body where wounds seemed to have once been inflicted. Somewhere along the way, he had lost his hat and his hair hung about his shoulders in wild wisps of untamed curls. His eyes were deep and penetrating, flickering with an internal light that she had often seen when looking at his father. A pair of vibrant white wings arched from his back, shimmering with a luminosity that few other Awakened seemed to have.

Something awful must have happened…

AsaHi could remember how SoYa had hesitated the first time he had seen her wings. She remembered the look of awe and doubt that spread over his face. How he had stammered with uncertainty, trying to find the things to say.

She felt that way now. Everything she had always known he was deep inside was now so plain for the world to see.

There was also battle-worn exhaustion written on his brow and in the way SoYa leaned against his staff for support. AsaHi felt her concern outweighing her doubt as he stumbled up to the rifting stone, stopping to stand silently next to her. Everyone was watching him, though he seemed too tired to notice.

“SoYa…” her voice seemed tiny to her ears. “Are you hurt?”

He shook his head slowly, “I’m alright. Don’t worry about me.”

AsaHi reached out and gave his arm a gentle squeeze. When he turned to look at her, she forced a weary smile. Quietly, he returned her smile – it was the same SoYa-smile that she had always known, warm and comforting. No words were needed between them. Her fears were put to rest.

“Should we not find shackles for the Marked?” Kudako’s low voice intoned from somewhere behind.

-Shackles? Are you implying that I don’t have this completely under control?- Zazo gave a snuff.

“No, Lady Zazo. It is just the thought of precaution,” the Dragon bobbed his head politely.

-Well, for your information, everything is fine. Or perhaps your little Earthian eyes cannot perceive that,- she continued gruffly.

“He appears to be dripping on your fur,” Aur’s commentary was so smooth that it was impossible to accuse it of being the humor it really was.

-I know that!- Zazo barked. –I gave him permission to!-

“I see,” the Watcher lifted his eyebrow and gazed drolly at Kudako. The Dragon just nodded and crossed his arms.

-Overgrown mountain lion!- the She-Wolf sneered, bringing her burden up to where the Dreigiau stood. -Zemi. What’s the hold up? Haven’t you gotten that rift open yet? Your Sygnus pet is going to be here soon!-

“I’m trying, Zazo,” Zemi muttered.

-Not hard enough!-

“Would you like to do this?” the Arweinydd scowled.

-If I were doing it, it would have already been done,- she retorted.

“Then how about giving me a hand?”

-Fine! Since you can’t do it yourself!- Zazo barked back. Then, before anyone could say another thing, the She-Wolf poked her nose forward, right into the small of the Dreigiau’s back.

AsaHi jumped, yanking her hand away as the Arweinydd’s form burst into a brilliant shaft of white flame. She shouted his name, backing away, but everything that had been Zemi and Zazo were lost within the sudden vortex of light.

The runes along the floor began to pulse as the chamber rumbled. Multicolor tiles spread throughout the room casting up brilliant shafts of energy, bounding and rebounding from the etched glassy walls. Finally, the light merged and centered, feeding into the luminous glow of the rifting platform before them.

AsaHi’s breath caught in her throat as the wild spiral of light and shadow drew inwards for one short, shaky moment. Then with a wind that smelled of salt and sea, the huge spiral rift burst open, streaming sunlight and a vast arch of blue sky above them.

The darkness of the Wyndor caves melted away, the earth shifting under her feet. As she felt herself dangling in a moment of misplacement, her hand reached frantically for something solid and firm. She fell back, only to be caught and righted by SoYa’s strong arms.

What just… happened?

When AsaHi finally caught her breath, her green eyes flicked around in wonderment. She was leaning heavily against SoYa’s chest, her knees quavering more than she wanted them to. SoYa, too, looked a little stunned and disoriented as the cooling sea breezes ruffled through his hair.

Soft dunes of white sand billowed out in all directions around them, the quiet sound of rushes and reeds playing in the wind. The sea forests shown brilliant green, vivid and full of life — so different from the fear and decay of the underground chambers they had just come from. As the seascape stretched out in a quiet majesty before them, it was hard to believe that anything they had just experienced was something more than a bad dream.

“I know this place,” JouKa’s voice was hardly above a whisper. “We’ve been ‘ere before.”

“Yes,” Aur agreed. “We have.”

“Lord Zemi… can you walk?” Kudako inquired, reaching down to gather up the drooping Arweinydd.

Zemi had returned to his normal form now. Only the slight sparks of energy lingering in the air showed that anything had happened at all. Zazo, on the other hand, had taken the appearance of a summer time poof-ball flower. Her fur stood on end in every direction except for where the oily black blood of the Marked continued to drip.

-Sure. Sure. Be concerned over him,- she grumbled. -No thanks to me for getting us here.-

“Thank you, Lady Zazo,” SoYa offered quietly.

-Did I tell you that you could speak to me?- the She-Wolf huffed and stuck her nose up in the air. -We’re wasting time. Let’s go.-

“Go where?” AsaHi asked.

-To that ridiculous Shellab place. Where else?- Zazo began to pad across the sand, flicking her feet and grumbling.

“What’s a Shellab?” AsaHi whispered back over one shoulder to SoYa.

His puzzled look and slight shrug spoke his own confusion on the situation. Instead of answering, SoYa simply walked forward and offered Zemi his shoulder for support from the other side. The Dreigiau gratefully took it.

Then Zemi did a double take, teal eyes opening wide. He exclaimed with just as much surprise as anyone else, “SoYa! You’ve Awakened!?”

The Athrylith gave a calm laugh in reply as they made their way forward over the sands, “Well maybe… just a little bit?”

Take every man and Dragon that you find to the Cynosure chamber for a full evacuation!

“Fall back! Fall ba–” the winged soldier’s words were sliced off in mid-sentence in a bubbling froth of blood and devouring silver mists.

Zento watched with wide horrified eyes as the man crumpled, then collapsed in a spray of red. Screaming and writhing, the mists surrounded him, ripping at the very fabric of his life energies and tearing the unwilling spirit from the once-living flesh. With a last jerky convulsion, they body lay still and slowly began to sink down, spreading into an oily dark patch of decay across the stone floor.

Within moments, there was nothing left.

Before Zento could gather his wits to shout a warning, the mists spread, a billowing cloud of death sweeping down over the rest of his men. The chamber was filled with the sound of unearthly shrieks of the dying, mingled with the screech of the Marked. The winged man staggered back, holding his head as the sound traced piercing pain between his ears.

Dragon flame lit the room as the majestic creatures swung about, releasing blasts of fire over the surging shadows. The heat cut through the mists, which only seethed and boiled back, spreading through the room.

“We must retreat!” Zento cried, finding his voice and making a dash for the flaming Dragons.

“We’re holding the lines, Master Zento!” one of the Dragons responded.

“There’s something else here! Something more than the Marked!” the winged man shouted, grabbing on to the great beast’s foreleg.

“Lord Zemi ordered us to remain!”

“Lord Zemi wouldn’t want you to follow his orders to death!” Zento shouted back.

But it was no use – the Dragons would not budge. They continued to blast at the swelling ranks of the Marked that now flooded the floor with dark ooze and decay. A pang caught in Zento’s throat as he took one look behind him, then rushed on ahead, searching for anyone who would heed his warning.

We have to evacuate!

Before he rounded the corner, he could hear the terrible bellowing and thrashing of the Dragons from behind.

Those mists… This place is a death trap!

Rushing into the far corridor, Zento was greeted by the Captain of the internal troops, “Master? Have the Marked broken through? Are we to engage?”

The Champion reached out and grabbed the soldier with a wild look in his eyes, “Orders have changed. We’re to make a full out retreat to the west wing. Take every man and Dragon that you find to the Cynosure chamber for a full evacuation!”

“Master!?” the captain’s face was grey and shaken. “I don’t understa–”

“Just do it!” Zento commanded, releasing the shaken soldier and drawing his weapon. He turned to face the dark corridors behind him, bracing himself for whatever evil would try to follow. Already, the silvery lines of mist were creeping at the edge of the cavern doorway.

The men gave a dubious look between themselves, questioning their leader’s unusual behavior. But not a one dared to challenge ZenToYa once his blade was in his hand.

“You heard the orders! Fall back!” the Captain echoed the command, lifting his own weapon. But time was working against them.

The Marked had moved fast with no Dragons to defend the passages and keep them at bay. The shadowy forms sprang in through the doorway, carrying the overpowering feel of dread and smell of decay. Claws and fangs and screeches filled Zento’s senses. Somewhere distantly as his blade began to whistle and slice, he could hear himself shouting for the men to keep moving, to press on to the evacuation.

The young winged Captain sprang up beside him, sword gleaming in one hand.

“What are you doing?!” Zento demanded.

“I’m not leaving you here to fight this alone, Master!” he shouted.

“Follow my orders, soldier!” the winged warrior was already feeling winded, as he spun and slashed one hand over another to drive the Marked back. Just long enough to let the others get away.

The Captain’s brows lowered, “I’m sorry, sir, I can’t do tha–”

He reeled with a choke, back arched in a painful snapping motion as Zento watched a long, slick black blade burst up through the man’s chest. With a flip of the sword, the man was flung with terrible strength and splattered against the far wall. The moment the broken body hit the ground, the silver mists rushed over it, devouring, ripping, leaving nothing behind.

Zento stumbled back against the wall, the chains of his Bhinod rattling as his hands shook. Two cold silver eyes slitted, peering at him from within the heart of the seething mists, tearing into his mind, the pressure paralyzing even his strength of will.

I can’t… move…!

The Marked sprang for him, sensing an easy target, their screeches pound and tearing pain through his mind. Zento struggled to pull up a defense, to force his arms to move, to raise his weapon… but nothing responded to his command, even as the shadows loomed over him.

The long black blade lashed again, this time shattering the leaping Marked into a spray of dust and decay. Black streaks splattered the walls as their dying screeches choked into a gurgling hiss.

What!?

A scene of madness unfolded before him. Both winged soldiers and Marked alike were ripped to pieces before Zento’s eyes. The mists claimed it all, destroying without prejudice. And in the middle of the massacre was a form twisted, yet too familiar.

LuShi..!?

Long silver hair hung ragged and wild, streaming down his back, into his face and haunted silver eyes. Blood, both red and black was splattered over his face, hands and body as the long black blade shown coldly in its unending thirst for death. His expression was contorted, caught between pleasure and disgust, his motions fluid and flawless as he tore through man after Marked without a hint of emotion. Huge, ghostly silver wings spread, half arched from his shoulders, giving him the appearance of being so much larger as the boy that Zento had once known.

There’s nothing left to him…

Nothing but the fevered and delusional light in his eyes as LuShi seemed to draw more and more power from the death that surrounded him. He had truly become the Bane… the weapon of terrible destruction, crafted through Zeromus’ Hatred.

SaRa died because of you, you monster! You took her from us! I won’t let this killing continue!

With the Dark Sygnus’ attention pulled from him, Zento found himself able to move again. Teeth gritted, the Champion lifted his weapon, a challenging shout ringing from his throat, “LUSHI! FACE ME!”

The black blade lowered as the Bane stopped to turn. The cold silver eyes focused on him, tracing Zento’s face as if searching for recognition. But like the Marked, there seemed so little there that had once been before. It was much to Zento’s surprise when the Dark Sygnus began to speak.

“Master ZenToYa…” the name was uttered as if a sudden revelation.

“I can’t let you do this, LuShi,” the Champion leveled his blade, posing in a strong, defensive stance.

“Do you really think you can stop me?” LuShi asked, so casually. So offhand. As if nothing at all was wrong in the world.

The first blow took Zento off-guard. Like a snake striking, the black blade blurred forward, slamming him back against the wall with a terrible, bone rending strength. He could feel something snap as he struck, a sharp pain piercing his side and ripping away his breath. Zento fought to keep his feet as his knees buckled… he could see the mists slowly surround him, lapping at his feet.

The Dark Sygnus took a slow step forward, voice low and dangerous, “How does it feel to have been right about me, Master ZenToYa?”

The blade crashed down on him again. This time, the Champion scrambled to throw his own weapon up, sparks flying from the chain of his Bhinod as metal struck metal. Sweat sprung out on his brow, his muscles aching with the tremendous effort it took to fend off the glittering edge of the Dark Sygnus’ sword.

“All I ever wanted was to earn… your… approval!” LuShi hissed, bringing the sword down on him again and again to accent the last three words. The final strike snapped the chain of the Bhinod, like a knife cutting through twine. “I never could… but maybe now, I’ve exceeded your expectations for me. Yes?”

Zento flattened his back against the stone, breathing heavy as the pieces of his weapon shivered in both of his hands. His green eyes narrowed, fighting the fear that threatened to drive him to his knees. Facing the Dark Sygnus alone and with the last of his honor.

“Could it have been different? Could this have been prevented?” LuShi asked with a somber tilt of his head. “Can even you can answer that?”

Then LuShi lifted his sword and drove it straight into the Champion’s chest.

Not a flicker of remorse. The pale boyish face stared down as the winged man choked, struggling for breath and staring at the blade in disbelief. Then with a flick of his wrist, the Dark Sygnus withdrew the sword, seeming to marvel at the sight of Zento’s blood on its tip.

A coldness crept over Zento’s body, numbing, washing away the pulses of pain. His face was heated by the sensation of tears. The pang of hopelessness… knowing that this time, he would be leaving his sons behind him for good. The frustration of loss… of not having the power to avenge the death of his sister. Of not being able to stop the Bane and protect the people of Nefol, the nation that he built and nourished from the ground up.

My family… my people… Zemi… I wasn’t strong enough…

The haunted silver eyes simply watched from above. Eyes that could see the world of living and dead. A creature who commanded the power to enslave the spirits and force them to do his deeds of death, violence and destruction.

“You will… take me…” Zento gasped hoarsely, wincing at the pain of trying to speak. “Just like… you took… SaRa…”

The Dark Sygnus did not make a move. The mists hovered over the floor, but did not reach to devour him, even as the pool of blood began to spread and coldness took the feeling from Zento’s body.

Finally, LuShi spoke, “I didn’t take Aunt Sara.”

“I don’t… believe you…”

“I know you don’t,” the Sygnus nodded his head slowly. “But, I didn’t take her. And I will not take you.”

The mists drew away, receding from the room as the Dark Sygnus leaned down over the Champion’s crumpled form. Carefully, somberly, LuShi placed the grips of the Bhinod in each of Zento’s numbed hands, arranging them in a way proper to honor a fallen warrior.

When he stood again, the silver eyes met green. LuShi’s voice was thick and struggling for sound. Again, he asked, “Could it have been different?”

Then, without another word, the Dark Sygnus lifted his blade and stepped over the fallen Champion’s body, heading deeper into the cave. In the direction that the escaping soldiers had fled, resuming his hunt.

“LuShi…!” Zento choked, face contorting. But his voice was too weak to carry. And soon he found himself alone in the growing darkness, the only sound his struggling, gasping breath.

The great maw snapped open with a gleam of fangs. A stream of pure energy shot across the room as the Marked shadows began to boil at the foot of the cave door.

The sound of dragon-alarm echoed through the depths of the Wyndor chambers, startling AsaHi from her restless sleep. She didn’t know how long she had been sleeping or how much time had passed since they had arrived in the Dragon city, but she could feel that it had not been enough time to get things as situated as Zemi would have liked for the defense against the Marked siege.

Next to her, SoYa was stumbling to his feet with a groggy look. He, too, must have attempted to get what little sleep as was offered. His hair bushed out in all directions as he jammed the square-topped cap down over it. In better times, this would have made AsaHi laugh… but for now, laughter was dimmed as the sound of battle began to flood the hallways.

“AsaHi!” was all her Promised said before he took her wrist, urging her up and moving.

Getting her feet under her, she rushed to keep up with his longer stride.

They had hardly gone half the length of the room when a looming shadow burst through the doorway ahead of them. AsaHi stumbled back with a yelp of surprise as SoYa’s staff leveled forward, lighting the room with a brilliant golden glow.

“SoYa! Put that out!” Zemi’s gritty voice groaned from where the Dreigiau was squinting away from the light. “You’re going to alert every goo-dripper around that we’re here!”

“Oh!” the Athrylith sounded abashed as he lowered the staff. “I was just–”

“Yes, I know. Very courageous, kiddo. Now come quickly — follow me,” Zemi beckoned.

“Where are we going?” AsaHi rushed after the Dreigiau without a moment’s hesitation. SoYa was a little less eager to move forward, peering down the length of the shadowy stone halls before following.

“We need to secure the last of the children in the west wing before the Marked get this deep into the caverns,” the Arweinydd answered shortly. “We tried to gather everyone earlier, but we just haven’t had enough time!”

AsaHi peered ahead in the shadows to see the huddling forms and frightened eyes of a dozen young winged children. Among them, she could make out a few familiar faces, children she had seen and spent time with on the Islands before the Migration. Then, a dark haired girl rushed forward, waving a tiny hand in worry and calling her name.

“Suzume!” AsaHi answered back, coming to meet her.

“We’re under attack?” the little girl asked taking AsaHi’s hand with shaky fingers.

“It’ll be alright,” she attempted to sound reassuring. But it was difficult to keep the fear out of her voice.

-Yes. All will be well, but we must make haste,- a quiet voice echoed softly within AsaHi’s ears. Speech that was not speech.

A small white bird alighted down upon Suzume’s head, wings and tail flicking with what seemed to be agitation. Instantly, the girl recognized the shimmering sparrow form of the Arweinydd Zeni.  If Suzume had any surprise about acquiring the sudden feathered hairpiece, she didn’t show it — AsaHi couldn’t help but wonder at the casual demeanor between child and bird. Afterall, it wasn’t every day that an Arweinydd landed to perch on one’s head.

The roar of battle Dragons suddenly shook the walls, leaving AsaHi’s knees weak from the impact. Great voices and sounds of alarm came from the adjacent chambers.

“We’ve been blasting them down off the east wall, but they just keep coming!”

“How many are there!? The lower chamber is nothing but black and stench!”

“Those things are tearing the wings off of people! I saw it myself!”

“Hold your ground! Ready the flames. Torch anything that comes from the below!”

SoYa’s hand clamped around her wrist again, a frightened light to his wide eyes. He managed to squeak a few quavering words, “We better go!”

AsaHi nodded mutely, gathering Suzume with her free hand and rushing towards the group of shivering children, who stood frozen by the seeping aura of fear that hung heavily in the air. The side halls burst into red flame as the screeches of the invaders met with the molten fire, claws and fangs of the defending Dragons. The girl felt her breath whistling between her lips as she broke into a sprint. However, the frightened children before her only stared at the inferno glow with horrified faces, unable to move.

“Come, children! Come with me! Follow me!” AsaHi’s voice was strained with fear. She motioned with both hands, like a person trying to herd a flock of chickens away from danger. But still, they did not move.

Suddenly a pillar of white light burst up through the chamber. She only had a moment to turn and see the form of Zemi’s great white Dragon taking form – wings unfurling over them protectively, deep teal eyes glowing with a brilliant internal flame under the stream of shaggy Dragon mane. The great maw snapped open with a gleam of fangs. A stream of pure energy shot across the room as the Marked shadows began to boil at the foot of the cave door.

If the children had been frightened before, they were terrified now. But it was enough to get them moving, running as fast as tiny feet could manage. It was all AsaHi and SoYa could do to keep up and try to direct them to the same place. There were no signs of Marked ahead, only the screeches of battle and agony ringing out behind. The large, shimmering white form of Zemi followed distantly, driving the attackers off of their trail.

SoYa clutched his head now and then, squinting in pain as he ran. The sound of the Marked screeches were blood-freezing to everyone, AsaHi remembered, but were extremely painful to the Athryliths in particular.

She reached one worried hand over to grip his shoulder. Though she was too winded to manage words, he understood the motion.

“I’m fine… keep going,” SoYa replied through gritted teeth.

Before long, the winding halls forked off in many different directions. AsaHi pulled up to a stop – though she had spent much time in Wyndor before, she had never explored so deep within the mountain core. And she certainly wasn’t sure of picking her way to the west wing, as the Dragons had called it.

A few of the children were sniffling, on the verge of tears as SoYa turned around in a circle. His brow was furrowed, too, “Which way?”

-Come with me!- chirruped the answer. A streak of white zipped over their heads and down the path to the left as the tiny white Zeni-bird pointed the way through the shivering halls and chambers.

AsaHi opened her mouth with surprise. But Suzume was already tugging on her hand, pulling her forward.

“Zeni knows!” the little girl told them without a hint of doubt.

AsaHi peered at SoYa. The Athrylith only nodded.

The halls grew darker the deeper they traveled, making it more and more difficult to coax the children forward. Eventually, SoYa was forced to use his staff to light the way.

-Almost there. Don’t stop now.- The soft-spoken words brushed past her ear, somehow soothing. Renewing her determination.

“Zemi?” AsaHi turned with a questioning look. There was nothing there, no sign of the Dreigiau. But she could feel his presence, sense his awareness. She knew that the Arweinydd was there. Watching and protecting his people with the dedication and concern that of a true Patron.

She could sense it in him – the pain and fear and struggle that Zemi shared now with his people. A growing understanding of what it meant to live and die. To lose and mourn. And to fight to protect those that did not have the power to protect themselves.

In the midst of the darkness, battle and invasion, this came as a comfort. AsaHi knew that whatever happened, Zemi had found his way. He could hold his own against the threat of Chaos, now.

The Dreigiau would stand against the darkness and protect his people, no matter the odds.

“AsaHi! SoYa!” a familiar voice called their name from the end of the hall.

The girl had to squint before she could finally make out the beckoning form of JouKa, fully armed and looking ready to do battle. Without another word, the short-haired girl turned and pushed on the side of the rock face. There was a deep, startling rumble as what appeared to be a dead end in the hall began to shift and open. A brilliant, multi-faceted light burst from the widening cracks in the wall, revealing a huge chamber of shimmering wonder.

Despite the ripples of fear that still gripped her, AsaHi couldn’t help but give a long breath of amazement. Multi-colored tiles glittered and pulsed along the floors, some emitting tall shafts of rainbowed light towards the vaulted roof. Tiny, pin-pricked runes and patterns were traced along every inch of the rock, all focusing inward on one large, upraised panel of translucent stone. It was huge – big enough for even the Zemi Dragon to perch on. Staring into its swirling depths felt as if one had come face to face with heart of the universe itself.

“What is it…?” AsaHi whispered.

“A major rifting point of the Cynosure system,” Zemi’s voice answered from behind her. This time she felt his hand on her shoulder as he walked past her into the room.

“A what?” SoYa echoed with a furrowed brow.

“It be our ticket outta ‘ere,” JouKa told them with a somber look. “That’s why we’ve been bringin’ all the kids and women.”

“Go ahead. You’re safe now,” Zemi motioned the newest arrivals forward.

For the first time, AsaHi’s gaze slipped past the brilliant glow of the Cynosure stone to see a much, much larger group of people huddled in the safety of the far end of the room.

Released from their guidance, the children scampered across the chamber, hopping over the runes and shimmering tiles to join the others.

“So what exactly does it do?” AsaHi asked, carefully stepping through the doors.

“It’s a transportation system of sorts,” Zemi answered.

“Then, we’re going to evacuate?” SoYa inquired.

“If things start to turn against us, yes,” the Dreigiau nodded. “I promised your Father…”

“Then you had better call the troops in now and get these people out of here,” a ragged and broken voice intoned from behind them.

AsaHi turned with a worried frown, taking a moment to make out the shape that emerged from the shadows of the hall. She knew the man, though they had only met once before the attack on the Spiral, and she could not remember his name.

“You’re… that spirit… the one that was Lucci’s friend?” she stammered slightly.

He looked too real to be merely a spirit now. In fact, he looked just as real as anyone else there. He bore the grim and tatters of someone who had traveled a long and exhausting journey. His face was lined with a deep grief, the tips of his long ears quivering as they drooped.

“I am…” he answered hoarsely, leaning against the wall as if to catch his breath.

“How did you get here?” Zemi asked, lowering his brows.

“Are you alright?” SoYa asked at nearly the same moment.

“I’m fine,” the spirit nodded. “And how I got here is irrelevant.”

The Dreigiau crossed his arms with a frown, “Not to me.”

“Zem,” the man breathed out with a tired, pained look. “I’m here to warn you. You have to get your people out of here! You have to go to the Vision Stone… it can tap into the Ways… and it might be the only thing that’s going to save you.”

“Save me? From what?” Zemi’s eyes narrowed. For some strange reason, the Arweinydd appeared to be taking the message of warning seriously.

“It’s Lucci… I tried to stop him,” the spirit’s voice wavered, almost to the point of weeping.

“Lucci! Did they find him?” SoYa’s eyes widened. “We sent a Spiral search party for him after the battle… but no one had seen him.”

“He w-went… to face Zeromus…” the spirit choked.

“What?” Zemi moved forward, quickly gripping the other man’s shoulders. “Why?! Why did he do that without telling anyone?”

“He thought he could stop the battle… he wanted to defeat Zeromus… he wanted to protect people. But it turned out all wrong. The sword… the wings… Lucci didn’t even recognize me… I couldn’t stop him!”

“Wings?” SoYa breathed.

“Sygnus…” the spirit slumped forward. “Zeromus has Awakened the Dark Sygnus.  Luccious is coming… he’s almost here.”

“TsuYa!” she suddenly shrieked, finding her feet. In a blind rush of emotion, she ran at him...

For a long while, there was no sound within the chamber except for the soft sobs of JouKa that came every now and then. TsuYa couldn’t bear to look at her. Couldn’t tear his dark eyes from the streaks of shadow that were drawn across the crystal tiles of the floor. Something within him felt heavy – not victorious at all.

But… KoGuRai is our enemy. He wouldn’t have hesitated to strike me or LuShi down. How can I even question if what I did was right?

It had come as warrior’s instinct. Strike while the enemy was unaware. Maybe it was a little underhanded. But when the life of people was at stake, there was no such thing as hesitation. TsuYa wanted to tell himself that he had struck to defend others… and not to fulfill his own bloodthirsty desires to see KoGuRai beat down and defeated.

If it was the right thing… then why do I feel so rotten about it?

Aur’s large golden form was sitting, unmoved next to JouKa’s collapsed form in the doorway. Though he outwardly showed little trace of true emotion, the way he sat by the girl’s side, whiskered nose poking down at her bowed head, was almost a posture of concern and care. Every now and then, his tail flicked up and down, golden eyes never blinking.

Man… I just never win.

Zazo had come to stand at his side, in turn. Her white fur was frosted with the glitter of blue and silver light as it streamed from the runes above and below. Her mouth was open in a lolling half-pant as one large paw lifted. Placed on the right spot in the small of his back, she nearly threw TsuYa flat on his face.

“Argh! Zazo! What was that for?” his protest broke the silence as he turned and shot a glower at the She Wolf.

-You fight well, Earthian. Don’t doubt that you did what you had to do,- she informed him.

I wish everyone saw it that way.

-There is, however, just one thing you have overlooked.-

And what is that?

-The Sygnus boy,- Zazo’s tail flipped back and forth, encouraging him to lift his head and look around the chamber.

TsuYa did. And he saw that LuShi was no where to be found. He made sure, turning around and around in the strange runic light. But time and time again, his eyes told him the same thing.

“He’s gone!?” the warrior sputtered out loud. “Where did he go?”

“I do believe I saw the boy travel through one of the Pathways during the last moments of your fight,” Aur lifted his head slowly, ears tilted forward.

“Did you see which one?” TsuYa asked. As his gaze brushed over the ornate designs that scrolled over the floor, he realized that there were quite a few of the strange, pulsing tiles. It was an assumption that led him to believe that the Pathway that Aur mentioned was tied to the glowing spots on the ground.

“Yes. I did. There is nothing to worry about.”

“Nothing to worry about? How about the fact that LuShi’s just flickered off somewhere that we don’t have any clue about… and he’s now getting further and further away. Again!” the warrior scowled, spreading his hands in a wide motion over his head.

-Relax,- Zazo snuffed. -We caught the Sygnus boy once. We can catch him again.-

“Yeah, but now, he’s so far away from Ceiswyr, how are we supposed to get him back to the Islands?”

“Who cares,” came the broken reply from where JouKa slumped next to the doorway.

“What?” TsuYa turned slowly, displeasure written over his face.

“I said… who cares…” she wiped her face on the hem of her cloak and shook her head. Her face was all red and streaked from crying… and fighting the show of tears. There was bitterness. And anger. And a mesh of a million other emotions there.

For a moment, TsuYa didn’t want to argue with her. Afterall, he was the one that had caused the pain that was written in her face. In the next moment, he shook his head out with a balled fist and dark, slitted eyes.

“Look. I don’t know what you came here for, JouKa. But I’m here to find and secure LuShi… and to bring him back home safely,” the young warrior told her, pacing a few steps closer. “I don’t know what sort of connection that you have with KoGuRai. And I don’t care. The man’s a monster… our enemy. And if he gets in the way of us again, I’ll kil–”

“TsuYa!” she suddenly shrieked, finding her feet. In a blind rush of emotion, she ran at him and slammed both of her fists against his chest. Again. And again. Sobbing and cursing him before shoving away one final time and rushing out the door of the chamber.

“JouKa..?” Aur’s deep voice rumbled after her.

But she didn’t stop. The warrior, the wolf and the lion were left standing in the chamber, staring at where her pale form had vanished into the darkness beyond the threshold.

“This isn’t going well at all,” Aur sighed finally.

“I told you that we shouldn’t have brought her. She’s nothing but trouble,” TsuYa snuffed with crossed arms at Zazo.

-If I do recall, it was the girl who just saved your life.-

“What are you talking about? I had everything under control!” he protested.

-Of course,- the She Wolf loped a few steps across the chamber, nosing the glowing tile where the Champion had vanished.

Suddenly, there came a high pitched scream from outside of the doorway. Before any of them could respond to the sound, JouKa came running back in with a wide-eyed look. “Esgyll! They’re swarmin’ the place outside! Won’t be much time before they notice tha doorway!”

TsuYa choked, “We better get moving then. Which of the portals did you say LuShi stepped on, Aur?”

“Wait! I don’t want ta go with you!” JouKa spat at him, far more vicious than he had ever seen before.

“Where else do you think you can go, JouKa?” he retorted with a deep scowl.

Her eyes flickered towards the tile where KoGuRai vanished.

“You gotta be kidding me!”

“What if I’m not?” she lifted her chin with a defiant scowl in his direction.

“I don’t get you! The guy would have killed us!” he argued.

But she would have none of it. She simply turned away with a bitter murmur, “Of course you wouldn’t understand.”

As TsuYa made a step forward to retort, the runes along the walls suddenly grew stunningly bright. Gone was the pale silver sheen and the angry blue glow. A pure white light touched every tile, every rune, lighting it with a strange, otherworldly radiance. Somehow, TsuYa could sense this was how the chamber was meant to be.

In the center of it all, a shape began to take form. JouKa scrambled a few paces back, her eyes wide as the light began to draw in on itself, pulsing and growing with each breath. A long slender neck stretched upwards, lifting the wedge-shaped Dragon’s head, bright teal eyes reflecting down on them with an unreadable expression.

“Lord Zemi?” the words rolled out of TsuYa’s mouth before he knew what he was saying. Head craned back, he watched the great white Dragon form, taking a shape much like what he was used to seeing a long time ago in the Host Gate.

It feels like it’s been decades since that time… with all that’s happened in between.

-It’s about time you showed up,- Zazo shook out her fur disdainfully with glowering eyes. -This has turned out to be a real mess, Zemi. The Sygnus boy is gone again. He’s been very difficult to capture.-

Great… I bet he’s here to chew us out for screwing everything up.

“As I figured he’d be,” Zemi lowered his head to peer at the group in the chamber. There was something about the way he spoke that left TsuYa to think that the Arweinydd had something more on his mind than coming there to ream them for mistakes.

“I see that the Dreigiau had knowledge of the Cynosure, then?” Aur spoke slowly, his golden eyes reflecting the light from above.

“I had a few ideas about this place. But not exactly what it was, no,” Zemi replied. “Now that I do know… I’m here to seal this place and its power away once you’ve gotten where you need to go.”

“What? Why?” JouKa demanded, forgetting exactly who she was talking to, obviously.

Zemi, however, didn’t seem to take much offense for it. Instead he blew a soft breath in her direction, a deep rumbling sound purring through his voice, “Because now Zeromus is aware of the Cynosure, too. The last thing that I want is for him to have access to something that will allow him to send his troops out of the Inner Realms.”

“So… this place really is a rift?” TsuYa asked with a frown.

“Not just a rift… but hundreds of rifts,” the Dreigiau replied. “Could you imagine what Zeromus could do with this means of transportation for himself and his creatures?”

TsuYa didn’t say anything more. He just shivered and kept his dark thoughts to himself.

“Exactly,” Zemi bobbed his head slowly. “That’s why I’m closing it down once you’ve gone through to follow Lucci.”

-Then how are you thinking we’re supposed to be coming back?- Zazo spoke sharply, a thought that hadn’t dawned upon TsuYa just yet. -We don’t even know where that portal will take us. What if we get dumped far outside of the Inner Realm somewhere? You going to send Dragons searching us out or something?-

“Eventually. Maybe,” Zemi answered.

What? What does he mean by MAYBE? Is he just sending us out there to be stranded?

TsuYa balled his fist, eyes glittering sharply at the shape of the white Dragon. The head turned toward him, responding, as always, to the heat of his thought. Zemi shook out his long white mane and blinked before speaking again.

“I will not leave you to be stranded,” his words were simple.

“But aren’t we supposed to bring LuShi back to the Islands?” TsuYa inquired, picking his words carefully and fighting back his frustration. It wasn’t a good idea to yell at the Arweinydd who could simply choose to cast him off into the black void at a personal whim.

“There’s been a change of plans,” Zemi spoke slowly. The weight of the words were immense, almost knocking the breath out of everyone in the chamber. Everyone except Zazo, of course.

JouKa had forgotten her anger and was peering over at TsuYa with a concerned, questioning look. The young warrior could only shake his head and shrug, fighting to keep his temper from showing on his face. Aur remained silent, his tail flipping back and forth occasionally. Either he had known about what Zemi was coming to say or he didn’t care much about it to begin with.

When the obvious question was not asked, Zemi took it as his cue to continue, “Things are becoming more dangerous in Ceiswyr. I don’t think that it’s safe for Lucci to stay there. It’s obvious that Zeromus will do everything he can, even send his Champion, to take Lucci away from us and turn him to his own bidding.”

TsuYa pursed his lips with a scowl of deep displeasure.

“You were there, TsuYa, when they attempted to wake Lucci’s power in the worst possible way,” the Dreigiau said quietly. “The child is facing the aftereffects of that attempt. It has not been easy for him or anyone around him… and I fear that more attempts will be made as long as Lucci remains within Zeromus’ grasp in the Inner Realms.”

“So why didn’t you just load ‘im up on a Dragon and send ‘im to Wyndor?” JouKa asked, putting a hand on her hip.

Is she not afraid of mouthing ANYONE?

“That’s a pretty obvious place to send him. Right to where danger can follow and find those who have Migrated… the one safe spot for the people that still remains hidden,” Aur spoke quietly.

“Yes, that’s true,” Zemi nodded lowly. “But also, I think that Lucci is taking on a pro-active attempt to stop this war from its source. I’m very sure that he is seeking something that will allow use to strike at Zeromus and take him down for good.”

“Mmmmm….” a sound rumbled in the back of Aur’s throat. But he didn’t speak.

“You mean there’s something we can use to defeat Zeromus?” TsuYa’s eyes widened.

“Maybe.”

“Like… kill-kill? Like DEAD?” JouKa chimed in, coming to stand next to him.

“It’s very possible,” the Dreigiau answered.

“Why didn’t anyone mention something as big as this before?” the warrior asked with a furrow of his brow. Something about this seemed unusual to him, but he couldn’t put his finger on what it was.

“Because we didn’t know if we could find the items that would make the defeat of Zeromus possible,” Zemi replied slowly. “But it would seem that now, he’s found some outside… help… that’s revealing the information that we need to make it happen.”

Another rumble rose from the back of Aur’s throat. TsuYa couldn’t tell if it was a growl… or what it meant. But there was an exchange of looks between the Guardian and the Arweinydd that followed shortly after. When Aur finally turned to look away, there was a submissiveness to the motion of his head.

-Then we can finally beat some sense into Zerom… and end this ridiculous battle,- Zazo snuffed. -What do we have to do, Zemi?-

“I need for all of you to follow after Lucci, just as you have been. Do not try to capture and return him, however,” the Arweinydd ordered. “I want, instead, for you to do what you can to keep him safe from any attempts Zeromus may send after him. And to make sure that Lucci finds what he needs to help us end this war.”

JouKa nodded slowly, “Sounds good to me.”

“Yeah…” TsuYa rubbed the back of his head with a frown.

Almost too good. I wonder what sort of information LuShi is getting… and where he’s getting it from? Why didn’t Zemi just send us out there instead of letting the boy Sygnus wander around in the middle of all this danger?

Though Aur’s head was still bent away from the Dreigiau, his voice rose one more time, “Zemi… are you certain about this?”

“I am most certain,” the Arweinydd replied, teal eyes bright as they focused on his Apprentice, “And I am appointing TsuYa as the leader of this mission.”

“Me?” the warrior’s eyes widened. All questions flew straight out of his mind at the thought of new-found responsibility. And position.

“Yes, you, TsuYa. Are you up to it?”

TsuYa straightened, his chin lifting. It was all he could do not to let his smirk show, “Oh, most certainly, Lord Zemi. I’ll get it done!”

A hungry dangerous shadow filled the void of his eyes as he threw up his weapon, point-down, aimed to spear the warrior from above.

-Aur is sure not much of a mountain lion, is he?- Zazo scoffed as she sprung spryly from stone to stone up the face of the mountain.

TsuYa didn’t say a word. It was all he could to just to hang on to the Arweinydd’s back as they made their way further and further from the safety of the ground. If it wasn’t for the mere seconds that her feet touched the rock before the next launch, he would have considered it flying.

I’ll leave the flying to the Awakened, thank you…

Somewhere below them, he could hear the sounds of Aur as he made his best attempt to follow in Zazo’s impossible paw prints. Of course, the She Wolf was having the time of her life during this whole scenario, not a once stopping to remember exactly what they were really climbing the mountain for.

Not like I really know what we’ll find when we get there. I don’t know why LuShi would have come all this way just to get himself cornered in the mountains. There’s gotta be something here he’s after…

A particularly rough jolt sent him sprawling closer down against Zazo’s back. TsuYa gritted his teeth, pinning her sides more tightly between his knees. “Will you watch it!”

-You think too loud, Earthian. Keep quiet. You’re breaking my concentration.-

“I thought mighty Arweinydd didn’t need concentration,” he snuffed.

-Would you like to experience the sensation of free fall?- Zazo growled.

He wound his fingers tighter into her fur, “Don’t you dare!”

-Then you’d be smart not to…-

From somewhere above their heads, a bright pulse of silver light flashed brilliant into the storm-darkened sky. The mountain began to shake under Zazo’s steady strides, though the wolf continued upward, unhindered.

Aur and JouKa were not so lucky. TsuYa could hear the girl’s shout coming from below. Though he couldn’t make out her words, he could tell that the tremors were making their climb far more difficult.

“Zazo! We can’t leave them back there!” TsuYa protested.

-They will be fine. We can’t afford to lose the time,- she replied sharply.

“But…”

-We weren’t the only one that saw that light.-

Before TsuYa had a chance to ask the Arweinydd to clarify her words, a twisted shriek shattered the air over the mountainside. He reeled his head back just in time to catch the blurred dark-winged creature swoop down and vanish into the rocky cliffs above them. There was little doubt that where the monster was flying was exactly where LuShi would be.

“Crap! Esgyll!” he spat from between clenched teeth.

Zazo didn’t need anymore encouragement. She was already making her way towards the cliffs, wide open mouth showing gleaming fangs. All that TsuYa could do was lay as flat as possible to give her speed… and hang on in hopes that a mis-step didn’t send him tumbling off to the depths below.

Finally, one last great bound sent them surging over the edge of the ledge like the breaking of a huge white wave. For a moment, TsuYa felt himself lifted through the air, hovering inches above the She Wolf’s back. The next thing he knew, they were face to face with the looming dark form of the Esgyll.

“Zazo!” TsuYa’s shout was hoarse in his ears. One hand was already pulling his scythe from over his shoulder, dark eyes focused with deadly intensity on the monster before him.

Fearless, the Arweinydd shot forward, carrying him on a streak of white towards the massive shadow. His hand tightened on the haft of his weapon as it burst into a defiant deep blue flame.

With a rush of wicked exhilaration, TsuYa felt his blade carry forward and up. His strike was focused and lethal, slicing into the under-jaw of the creature as it brought its head down. Zazo’s fangs ripped into the throat, the momentum of her leap tearing a huge gash through the decayed flesh.

The Esgyll shrieked a gurgling cry as it thrashed back from their attack. The motion caught on the hook of TsuYa’s scythe, shredding the lower half of it’s maw as the warrior fought to pull it away. For a moment, TsuYa felt himself knocked from his mount. But one deft turn of the She Wolf in mid air caught him before he could fall.

As if the huge winged monster meant nothing to her at all, Zazo leapt past the writhing form, towards what looked to be two huge doors in the side of the mountain. All sorts of runes and writings were lit up along the pillars that made up the threshold. But they were moving so fast that TsuYa didn’t get a chance to see anything else before the shadows of the chamber beyond filled his vision.

Where are we going? That thing’s not dead yet!

-Then we’ll give Aur a little present once he gets up here. There are more dangerous things to deal with.-

The intensity of the She Wolf’s tone told him to sit down, hold on and shut up. So he did. It didn’t take long before TsuYa understood exactly what she was talking about. A deep, choking darkness rose up before them in the heart of the mountain, spreading with dark wings that blocked out the silver glow of the chamber ahead. Wings that were familiar… and slightly transparent.

“KoGuRai!” TsuYa hissed between bared teeth.

Though his voice was low, the Champion still seemed to hear. KoGuRai’s head turned, misshapen face appearing to TsuYa’s vision. The darkness behind his eyes had grown more intense, more unstable… almost neurotic in nature. An animalistic snarl broke over his lips as his focus fell completely upon the young warrior.

A soft cry echoed through the chamber, drawing TsuYa’s attention away from his rival. For the first time, he noticed that LuShi was there, struggling against the powerful grip of the winged creature. Though the boy Sygnus was tall, KoGuRai seemed to possess far more strength. LuShi had nearly been pulled off of his feet in the confrontation, but so far, he seemed unharmed.

We got here in time.

-Naturally.-

Hands tightened around the grip of his scythe, TsuYa sprang at full speed from the back of the She Wolf. For once, he could feel Zazo’s astonishment instead of it being the other way around.

-What are you doing!-

This one is mine… stay out of it, Zazo!

-You are insane, Earthian! He is the Champion of Zeromus… you cannot beat him by yourself!- Zazo wheeled about, snapping at him with her teeth as if to catch him and pull him back.

We’ll just see about that.

Dark eyes glittering as he met KoGuRai’s equally dark gaze, a slow smirk broke over TsuYa’s face. For years, the Apprentice had to sit by and bite back the frustration and disgust he felt at KoGuRai’s near-treasonous tendencies in Nefol. So many times had there been something shady or something a little off… usually aimed at taking out the well being of SoYa. Usually aimed at redistributing the power from those who should rightfully rule the School.  And now, TsuYa was finally getting the opportunity to repay all the treachery.

I’m going to enjoy every second of this.

The Champion threw LuShi roughly against the nearby pillar and drew his weapon with a low growl. His dark wings stretched wide over his head as he stalked towards his rival, blade held low and ready to strike.

“You honestly think you have any chance against me, TsuYa?” KoGuRai snarled, a twisted glower covering his face. “You don’t even have your Daddy’s wings yet, little boy.”

“I don’t need wings to rip yours to shreds,” TsuYa sneered in return, crouching low and watching the motion of his opponent’s blade carefully.

“My… are we arrogant,” the Champion’s voice was smooth and taunting. “Just because you’re growing into your Marked powers… doesn’t mean you can take me on.”

TsuYa choked.

Growing into my what…?!

“Why, TsuYa… didn’t you know?” there was a gleam of victory in KoGuRai’s dark, soulless eyes. “You don’t believe that Master Zeromus’ power will be turned forever by a worthless little enchanted trinket.”

“Shutup! Like I’d believe anything that you’d say!” TsuYa spat, making the first strike.

His scythe whistled through the air far faster than he even believed possible, a burning blue flame trailing behind. As the naginata rose up to catch the blow, sparks of blue and sickly red-black exploded between the two weapons.

“You’d only be fooling yourself,” the Champion intoned in an offhand way. He was far stronger than the warrior could have imagined. “Especially since now, Master Zeromus’ power is growing. How long do you think you have before you will bow to him… and to me…”

“FORGET IT!” a cry of fury broke from TsuYa’s throat as he began to swing, blow after blazing blow. A heated anger rushed through his limbs, carrying his blade forward with a blinding speed. Suddenly, he found himself matching the Champion’s strength, strike for strike, even knocking the startled-faced KoGuRai back with a few of the more focused blows.

KoGuRai didn’t respond in words, though the sounds that issued from between his black teeth were ones of wonder and frustration. No more banter came from his side of the battle as he found all his concentration bent to hold his ground against the wrath of the relentless scythe.

-Well… well… you’ve got more to you than I thought, Earthian.-

The runes that spread over the floor began to flash and respond as TsuYa pressed the winged creature back into the center of the chamber. They dimmed the moment that KoGuRai stepped near them only to be relit with a brilliant blue, angry light as TsuYa claimed the ground. Sparks rained across the room as time and again their weapons clashed. Energy crackled around their two forms, exchanging blows that went unseen by the normal eye.

A powerful sweep of the scythe sent a stream of blue flame straight over KoGuRai’s shoulder, through one wing. Where TsuYa expected to be met with the resistance of feathers and bone, he found nothing but a ripple of darkness that parted… then drew back together again. The warrior’s dark eyes narrowed as he drew in a sharp breath of realization.

“Your wings…” TsuYa hissed. A twisted smile broke over his face, accenting the Mark on his cheek with the glow of blue from below. “They’re not really real.”

“Don’t be foolish!” KoGuRai snapped, reeling back from the words. That’s all that was needed to gage the truth. “My wings were a gift from Master Zeromus himself!”

“Just an illusion,” the warrior snorted. “Boy does he have you strung along with his pretty offers…”

“They’re REAL!” the Champion’s voice rose up in furious intensity. He was nearly frothing at the mouth, flecks of dark spittle dotting his lips as he hissed.

Man… he’s touchy about this. He should have never let me know.

“What a poser,” TsuYa taunted with an off-handed flip of one wrist. “You and all your talk of controlling this or that. I bet you’re not even a real Champion.”

KoGuRai gave a wild shriek, wings spreading vast over TsuYa’s head. A hungry dangerous shadow filled the void of his eyes as he threw up his weapon, point-down, aimed to spear the warrior from above. The motion was so unexpected that TsuYa found himself twisting in a desperate attempt to throw up a defense against the blow. Something told him that it wasn’t going to be fast enough.

“KoGuRai!!!” a high, frightened voice screamed out the Champion’s name.

And just like that, it all ground to a complete stop.

Bathed in the soft light of the pillar runes, JouKa stood in the doorway. Her own wings were spread, a hint of terror in her face as her green eyes drank in the scene within the chamber. One hand grasped at the stone of the pillar as if her legs were threatening to give way on her from the shock of it all. There seemed to be tears in her eyes… something TsuYa had rarely, if ever, seen since he had met her.

“Jou…Ka..?” KoGuRai stammered with a strangled sound. His face was turned towards her, an expression of distress and dismay. The weapon still remained upraised in his hand, but all thoughts to strike had completely flown from his head.

“RRRRRAHHH!!” TsuYa’s battle shout broke the stillness of the room.

It didn’t matter how they knew each other. It didn’t matter what was going on between them. All that mattered was that KoGuRai, his enemy, was standing prone in front of him. And he wasn’t going to pass up this chance to make his strike.

JouKa gave a sharp cry as she saw the flash of the dark scythe slash upwards.

The Champion reeled back with a choking gasp as a spray of black burst from his midsection. He stumbled, slipping on the slick floor, straight back onto one of the pulsing tiles. Unlike the other tiles, this one didn’t go dim upon his touch. Instead, it lit up with a brilliant flash… and when the light faded, KoGuRai was gone.

He hoisted himself up on a few lower-jutting stones, stretching his hand up towards the smooth spot.

Lucci was breathing heavily as he scrabbled his way up the last few feet of the steep incline. Small stones and dirt rained down behind him in long, slender trails while he got the final foothold and kicked himself up over the edge of the overhang. The youth had never attempted to climb a mountain before… so in with that consideration in mind, he told himself that he was actually doing quite well.

That should lose them… shouldn’t it?

-I wouldn’t bank on it too much, Lucci-boy,- Kaz told him. -Once they figure out that we’ve gone up… they’ll be on to us faster than we’d like.-

Though he was tired, the words spurred him to find his feet and continue forward. Lucci wasn’t exactly sure where Kaz was leading him to. It was a place that the spirit called the Cynosure. It was there, he said, that the secret Pathways that led across the whole planet connected in the Time Before. Though Lucci wasn’t so sure about things with big names like Cynosure… he hoped that Kaz was right. That they would be there soon. Because he was tired and they were now being chased.

Lucci was first warned about his pursuers two sleeps ago by Them. They couldn’t seem to make out exactly who was following – if they were creatures of Zeromus or of Zemi. But either way, the youth didn’t want to be caught. Creatures of Zeromus would certainly be up to no good. And creatures of Zemi would only seek to catch him and return him to the Islands.

We’re too close now… I can’t be taken back.

Despite the fact that Lucci knew they were traveling at a supernaturally accelerated speed, those who followed them appeared to be traveling just as fast. In fact, they had done nothing but continued to gain ground over the past day, much to his dismay. He knew it was not the time to rest. Not when Kaz assured him that their goal was near.

Are you sure that these Pathways will still work, Kaz? If they’re from the Time Before, won’t they be too old?

-The Pathways were embedded into the energy flows of the planet itself. It would be quite hard to destroy such a thing… though I suppose it could be possible,- Kaz answered.

What do we do if they’re not there?

-Let’s just hope they are. It’s the risk we have to take right now.-

The youth knew that Kaz was right… as much as he didn’t like to admit it. As much as hope and good wishes had proven to fall through for him, time and again. This time, all Lucci had to go on was an ancient legend, a misty light and a desperate hope.

Where are we going from there?

-Let’s just concentrate on finding the Pathways first. See that dark area of rock up there… above your head, to the right?-

Lucci paused and peered up at the face of the mountainside. Sure enough, there was a patch of darker stone that seemed to be strangely smoothed and slightly indented. He wouldn’t have noticed it if Kaz hadn’t pointed it out to him, however, for it was posititioned right underneath the drooping branches of a sickened bush.

Yes! I see it!

-Can you reach up there and put your hand on it?-

The youth nodded slowly. He hoisted himself up on a few lower-jutting stones, stretching his hand up towards the smooth spot. It wasn’t too difficult for him to reach, the stone cool against the palm of his hand.

-Good. Now… we need to take this slowly.-

What do you need me to do?

-The Cynosure lies within the heart of this mountain. We’ve got to open the door to the chamber. However, it’s designed to respond to only certain kinds of energy signatures,- Kaz explained, a sifting silver mist already beginning to gather.

Do you think you can do it?

-I’m gong to give it my best try. So I need you to concentrate with me… help me to project my energy,- the spirit told him grimly. -Chances are, I’ll only be able to open the door, if that. So once it’s open, it’s open… and we’re going to have to move fast.-

Lucci nodded, his silver eyes focusing on the spot under his hand. The sifting of mist grew thicker. Stronger. It gathered around his body, a cool and damp sensation, streaming around his shoulders then down the length of his arm to his outstretched hand. Though something within him wanted to flinch, he forced himself to sit absolutely still.

The tickling in the back of his mind, his awareness of the presence of Kaz, began to grow. It quickly became a swelling pressure that filled his ears with a muted roar, like the sound of the winds on a troubled day. The youth sucked in his breath as sweat beaded along his face. He could feel the vast, deep power rising from beyond a distant time and connecting into his own essence.

Kaz!

He almost panicked as an abrupt rush of energy flowed through his body. For a fleeting moment, Lucci felt his knees weaken and his stance waver. His breath choked, frozen cold within his lungs. The world swam in front of his eyes, threatening to grow dim.

-Hold on now. Just a little more!-

The stone under his touch began to shake as a silver light began to expand, first in an outline around his hand, then streaming along the cracks of the stone wall. His eyes fought to make sense of the vision. Millions up on millions of tiny etched runes began to burn, like the scripture written of the finest-point pen, glowing brilliant in tall columns that slowly formed into a doorway. The stone shifted and began to recede like a dark ocean tide.

-Here it comes, boy! Watch it happen!-

When the mists drew away and Lucci’s senses came back to him, he found himself staring into a huge entrance built into the face of the mountain – large enough to even fit Zemi’s Dragons through. The doorway seemed like a simple rectangle at first. But as he moved his head to stare at it, the structure gave the feeling of shifting and changing, as a liquid would.

“Wow…” at a loss for words, it was all he could say. His voice came out in a hoarse croak and he realized that his whole body ached from channeling the amount of energy that it took to open the lock on the chamber.

-If you think that’s neat, wait until you see inside,- Kaz told him. Though there was enthusiasm in the tone, there was also the sense of weariness. As if he, too, had been taxed by taking on such a feat.

Lucci took that as a cue that it was safe to enter the chamber. Carefully, he strode forward, the only sound came from the stone under his boots. Abruptly, the sound changed from a gravelly crunch to the click of his heels on a slick, solid floor. The youth looked down just in time to see a silver glow illuminate the square tile around his feet, reacting to his touch. The light caught like wildfire, pulsing from one tile to the next until the whole floor of the chamber was humming with a cool, quiet energy.

“It’s beautiful!” the youth caught in a sudden breath.

The Cynosure rose above him, a tall structure of gentle slopes and great pillars. The walls and the floors looked to be carved out of the heart of the mountain itself, made of a serene crystalline stone. Everywhere Lucci looked, reflections upon reflections upon reflections shown, leaving a hazy and unreal feeling about the whole room.

There in the center of the Cynosure, a fantastic circular pattern was etched into the crystal. Long looping designs and exquisitely ornate script crossed from one point of the circle to another. Lucci realized after studying for a moment that it was like a giant compass – like the ones that he had seen on some of Master ZenToYa’s old maps. Except this one was far, far more complex. At certain points on the circle, patterns converged into spirals and stars – tiles that seemed set apart from the rest of the design. There looked to be some sort of logic in their placing on the floor, as if they held an important function to be discovered.

If only I could read that script on the floor. I wonder what it says?

-It is the name of the Pathways,- Kaz told him. -The writing is in the language of those who lived in the Time Before.-

Lucci bent down in curiosity, reaching his hand towards the nearest tile.

-Careful! Don’t touch that. There’s no knowing where it will lead you if it transports you!-

“Sorry!” the youth drew back with a wide eyed look.

-It’s okay. I just don’t want us getting sent off somewhere impossible to return from. There are a lot of Pathways that don’t have a connection back to the Cynosure. You can travel to them, but not back from them. That wouldn’t be good right now.-

“No… it wouldn’t. You’re right,” Lucci nodded, staring at the tiles in wonderment. “So this place.. this Cynosure… allows for travel all around the world?”

-Yes.-

“Like… to everywhere?”

-Just about. You can find your way to any place you want to go eventually from here.-

“So why did it get closed up?” the youth tilted his head, looking back at the designs that spiraled far above his head.

“Do you really have to ask that. Or are you truly that naive, Lord LuShi?” a deep, cold voice echoed across the chamber.

Lucci rounded on his heel with a look of alarm. He had been so engrossed in the energy of the Cynosure that he hadn’t felt the presence of someone else entering. And for some reason, even They had not alerted him to it. In fact, They were almost silent to the point of non-existence since he had entered the chamber.

The slick, disfigured smile and the black, glittering eyes was all that he needed to see.

KoGuRai? How did he get here?

-I don’t know. But I don’t think he was the one that we’ve been running from.-

You mean… there might be more?

-I don’t know that either. But my advice to you – watch the one that’s here and worry about the others later!-

Just as Lucci was about to take that advice to heart, a large fist shot out from the folds of KoGuRai’s cloak, grabbing him by the shirt front. The smile had twisted into a vicious snarl as the putrid breath seeped out from between the blackened teeth. “I’ve been looking forward to meeting with you again, Lord LuShi. This time it’s going to be just you… and me.”