Dark Age Legends

[Trent]

The trio followed Darak over to the group of soldiers, examining them each carefully. Special attention was paid to Vincent. He looked to be a very high-ranking soldier.

--- --- ---

Aura followed Allen over to see it... Oh, it was so beautiful! "Oh, wow..." Her eyes sparkled as they stared at the pool. "...So... This is the trap? What do you mean by that?"

[Xorlak]

Vincent allowed the four to walk towards him, and the Grey soldiers slowly massed around them.  Vincent recognized Darak, through only by a brief acquaintance in the past.  He didn't really know the man.

"Ah, Commander... Darak?  I am pleased to see that you are all right.  You have heard the news, haven't you?  It seems Emperor Draven has been killed, and a new Emperor has risen in his place.  Yes, yet another change of colors...  Emperor Melkoth wishes us to spread the news to the remaining cities to ensure their loyalty to the new... Grey Empire...  Perhaps you help us out?  I need a more experienced officer to help lead this massive force."

He looked past Darak to Zion and the others.

"Who are you, anyway?"

[Dude Man]

"Greetings, General. Yes, Commander Darak." He replied. "No I have not heard the news at all." Darak said, sounding surprised, he didn't really expect any of this.

He then rubbed his chin and then nodded. "Well, this wouldn't be the first time I've gone through the change of Emperors or colors. Very well," He then scratched the back of his neck. "So leading a force? What is the forces? task sir?"

[Zeros']

Zeros' looked behind him, at his friends, as they emerged from the tunnel. He motioned for them to follow him, as he proceeded back the way that they came.

---

Allen smiled.

"This pool... Is a magical one... It's fueled - by fear," he whispered. "It's fueled by the fears in human hearts... The fear of hunger; the fear of betreyal; the fear of love, in some cases," he said.

"Inside, you will face your greatest fear, no matter what it may be... Death, hunger... Your worst fear shall be shown inside the pool," he said, before turning back, and looking at the seemingly harmless pool of water.

"Now... No more time to waste... Let's go," he said, before jumping from his pearch, as his body disappeared beneath the water.

[Trent]

//I thought I already posted...

"Zion Ultima..." "...Xenai Omega..." "...Tsu Nami."

Zion didn't like what he'd heard. "Draven's... dead?" Zion felt a bit bad, they were just starting to hit it off, even if a tiny bit. He was naive and thought that Draven was being good the whole time, but still didn't know about the demon thing that Draven was responsible for.

"Well... I guess our alliance ends here, then. We were allies to the Crimson Empire. This doesn't make us enemies, though."

Xenai thought about the name Melkoth... "Melkoth... Melkoth... Where have I heard that name?"

--- --- ---
//Quoaz, you kick ass.

Aura thought back at the last comment, the fear of love. Tsu instantly came to mind. She clenched her teeth and dove in after Allen, already knowing what she would have to face...

[Xorlak]

Vincent smirked.

"That would be High General now, commander."

He placed his hands behind his back.

"We are heading to the fortress of Bandervil to ensure that their allegiance falls in with the new regime.  For now I'll have you help me guide this army their.  Afterwards, I'll probably have another task for you."

He turned back to Zion and the others.

"So you were allies of the Crimson Empire but not with the new regime?  I'm sorry to hear that.  I'm afraid I can't have you running around freely, even if you mean us no harm.  Nothing personal, protocol and all..."

He waved his right hand in the air.

"Seize them."

A mass of Grey soldiers descended upon Zion, Xenai, and Tsu...

----

A small ship, was moved into the closest harbor bay, visible from the caves, gleaming and new looking.  It looked similar to the oddly shaped Posidon X, that they had traveled to Tjed on.  It was largely made of a bight cherry wood, with large fin like sails that extended out of the back and to each side.  It looked to be big enough to carry 10 or so comfortably.

[Dude Man]

"Very well, High General." Darak said grinning.

He then looked a bit surprised, as Zion, Xenai and Tsu suddenly ended the alliance and then had them surrounded by soldiers. He looked at them and narrowed his eyes.

"Perhaps, sir. If they changed their minds we could let them, live?" He suggested.

-----

Abodahon watched what was going on with Vincent, Darak, Zion and the others.

"Hmm, those are the mortals that I left the possessed Valos with..." Abodahon mumbled. He then sighed. "Not again..."

He then closed his eyes, he had a mental connection with the spirit demon he would try to locate it and see the status on it.

"Argg...apparently it still doesn't have full mobility control, its powers are still limited from what it can fully perform. No matter..."

----

'Awaken my servant...'

The headless body of Valos then slowly gets up and then walks over toward its head and picks it up.

'Perform the needed repairs, then come to my location.'

[Trent]

"Whoa, hold on a moment!" Zion frowned at the turn of events.

"Yeah, man! Seriously... We're not enemies!" Xenai waved his hands frantically as if he were trying to cover up a mistake in what he said.

"Zion, Xenai... We're not enemies, so just start the alliance again."

"Yeah... Okay... Are you willing?"

[Xorlak]

Vincent frowned, as if in thought.

"What is this 'alliance', anyway?  Who do you represent?  Do you mean to say you wish to join the Grey Empire?  It would probably be the most healthy choice in the long run..."

The grasping soldiers held back, awaiting their general's command.

[Trent]

"Well, Draven needed our help, so we figured we'd help him out for the time being." Zion commenced to explain the situation.

"Melkoth... Melkoth... Where have I heard...?" Xenai continued to ponder, and shook it off. "Anyways... Draven was an enemy before, but it had been a long time. He seemed to not be doin' evil things."

"Yeah... The alliance was going well until the guy died. Last we'd seen him was when Valos and the huge guy with gauntlets attacked. It seemed Valos was betraying the empire under the big guy's order. We fought, and I killed him. Valos, that is. Draven tried to take the big guy. Did that guy kill him?"

Tsu shook his head. "I have no idea what I want to do..." He mumbled quietly. "...Wait... Do you guys have any information about Aura Hikari?"

"Yeah," said Zion, "I would also like to know about Zeros' and Duilin... Ven Hyul as well, if possible... Can you guys give us some information?"

[Dude Man]

Duilin made a low whistle as he saw the ship. "Whoa...what a beauty." He commented. 'And, if I'm the one holding the deed, that would make this ship mine.'

Rink examined the ship. "You think that's amazing? You should see some of the ships they've got in hell." He smirked.

----

Valos walked out of the remains of building, his head seemed to have been stitched on, the skin on his head was terribly pale. He cracked his jaw and headed off...

[Zeros']

Zeros' smirked a little, as he motioned the two on the ship. He sent a telepathic message to Rink as well: Watch Duilin.

He walked inside, and examined the ship. It was brand new, as far as he could tell. Never even been used before. He headed to the helm of the ship, and examined everything.

"Well... Everything seems to be in working order..." he muttered, as he waited for his companions to join him.

---

// Oh yeah. Trent: Don't wait for Allen to respond. They're in seperate places. \\

As Allen decended into the water, he saw a variaties of images flash all around him. One of different orgins, but, all connected by fear. Some, were the fear of dying... Of losing a loved one... Of betrayal... Of love.

Even if the air around him looked more like water, he could breath perfectly fine.

As he decended further, he just hoped the Aura was also well...

[Trent]

//Alright.

Where am I?

This place...

I knew...

I'd end up here...

...All along...

It is a place where there is only light, and only darkness. Nothing exists here, and everything exists here. Nothing happens here, and everything happens here at the same time. Here, everything is possible, yet at the same time impossible. There is no time here, yet all the time in the world is condensed into this little bit of nowhere, into this everywhere. It is conceivable, so much that it is inconceivable, creating a paradox with the power to revive or destroy the world. This place is Paradox.

And Tsu was standing right across from her there. Her breath quickened... She started to sweat... And her fists clenched. She was ready for this. Or was she? This wasn't real anyways... But a fear she had to face.

[Xorlak]

Vincent shook his head.

"No, I can't say I've heard of any of--"

Wait.  That girl that came to Redvik with Valos the other day had 'Hikari' etched on her badge.

"... Well, actually I believe I saw Lt. Hikari the other day in Redvik.  I'm afraid the company that went to attack Laus met with an ill fate, though."

He then took a second look at Xenai.

"Oh yes, you were one of the guests on that flight too.  One of the Falcon model ships that landed in Redvik.  Didn't recognize you at first.  No, I haven't seen her since then."

(Feel free to make interesting things happen.  I'm too burned out to start anything major at the moment.  Heh...)

----

A mechanic entered the ship's small bridge, coming up behind Zeros'.

"Oh, so you're the ones.  She's ready to go!  It's pretty easy to operate.  Here's the manual."

He slammed a huge phonebook sized document down on a small table.

"It just has a lot of... features.  Be careful of this, for instance."

He pointed to a large leaver underneath the classic wooden oversized ship steering wheel.

"Don't hit that when anyone's on deck.  That's makes it dive underwater.  And that one..."

He pointed at a red lever near the first, but paused and scratched his head.

"... Well, uh... actually I don't know what that does.  That's not on our other ships...  Must be some kinda prototype thing that never made it on the others.  Better not mess with it..."

He took a few steps back and waved.

"Well, gotta go.  Have fun!"

He hastily left, leaving the ship to Zeros', Duilin, and Rink.

[Trent]

//Thanks a lot. x_x

"Ill fate... No, she's alive. I can feel it." Tsu sighed. "She'd have a fit if I joined up with you guys. Probably would claim me to be stalking or something."

"What are you saying? Are you saying that you want to be dragged off by these soldiers?"

"I could really care less."

"Damn, kid! What's with you?"

"It's love," said Zion. "It can, at times, be the most destructive emotion in existence."

"Well... Nothing personal, but we're not joining you guys, then. Sorry. That, and you can go ahead and haul us off."

"Wait, what!?" Zion was shocked at Xenai.

"Yeah, do it! See... Fighting here is just boring, you know? If you take us in, it's a lot more fun to break out ourselves. You agree, don't you?"
"Oh, whatever!"
"I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to the grey guys!"
"Fine, okay. Drag us off."

--- --- ---

The illusionary Tsu stared Aura down... He was just like the real thing! "You don't understand how I feel about you... Not at all... Why do you fear me?"

He was creepy... Ugly... Geeky... //If there's any activity Gaian considers geeky, we'll say that Tsu does it.// ...And so damn good at fighting... She couldn't stand it! She had to beat him!

"I'll get you... Right here, and right now."

She extended her right palm, gathering light energy into it. She formed it into a ball, and willed it to swirl... She would strike it with her free palm in various places to make it swirl better. She would continue to develop the attack.

"I'm sorry it has to be like this, Aura..." Tsu charged forth, a hand going to the hilt of Shin Kuon Yaiba...