Episode XI: So I Defy Destiny
"I'm tired... and bored... and hot... and..." SnowOhki just kept muttering
things as we crossed through the plains.
"So?" Cubix muttered back. "You're the one with ice magic, shower us with
it! Shoot out some ice, and have Ritsuzen melt it!" Okay, this was getting weird.
Both Cubix and Willie were actually getting good ideas.
"Okay. Hora-Gyou!" The ice shot up and Ritsuzen used his Ro-Yaru Kaen to melt
it into a cool mist.
"Mmmmm... that's better... how long will this last?" Well, Sakari seemed to
be enjoying it. But I promptly put them back in order.
"Guys, we don't have a lot of time for a break. Must I remind you how much
time is passing in the other dimension as we speak? A few months have gone past
by now! We don't have time to doodle!" Everyone looked rather depressed at what
I had said. That's because they knew I was right. They all grumpily got up and
we started towards the village again.
"I am so BOOOOOOORED!" Orichalkon yelled out. No sooner than that than him
and SnowOhki were playing Shot for Shot. I was too tired to care.
"You know, there must be a more constructive way to spend your time," Ryo
nagged.
"Huh? Did you say something, Ryo? I couldn't hear you over the sound of my
fist pounding on Orichalkon," SnowOhki replied back.
"I might as well make up for that battle I lost," Orichalkon muttered. We
all continued on our merry way, letting them pound on each other. Ignorance
truly is bliss. Thankfully, Orichalkon was the victor this time. Now he wouldn't
feel bad for getting beaten up by a girl... quite easily, I might add. SnowOhki
pummeled him last time.
"Hey guys, is that the town?" Sakari asked us. It certainly looked like a
town. Buildings, people, and all the other things a town was comprised of. When
we approached the gates, we comprised a plan of action. Of course, who else
but Sakari would create the plan.
"Okay, I'm going to look for a PC to get the new recruits. The rest of you
can do whatever you want. Brad, you're going to go see the Prophet."
"Why just me?" I asked.
"Because, Valens gave you that amulet... maybe it has something to do with
the Prophet." I nodded in compliance.
"All right!" Willie yelled. "While you two work, we get to walk around and
slack off!" He was awfully cheerful.
"I couldn't let you work all by yourself, Sakari," said Ryo. "I'll come help
you."
"Oh sure, make yourself look like a gentleman and me like a bad guy," Willie
ranted.
"Yeah, that's the plan."
"Ritsuzen and I will try and get any help from the townspeople," said Kage.
"You can work all you want, I'm gonna enjoy this little stop." Willie quickly
walked off, and I set out to find the Prophet.
***
"This town's pretty big Brad! This could take a while to find," Orichalkon
said to me as he limply walked. He was very tired.
"I promise we'll rest as soon as we find the prophet. It's almost night, anyway.
I say we'll all be sleeping here tonight. Now, keep looking around for the Prophet."
I then heard a voice behind me.
"Did you say the Prophet?" I turned around to see a blue Gelert staring me
in the eyes.
"Yeah, that's right. Do you know where I can find him?"
"Sure. Just go up on the wooden plank level of the town and he's in the massive
tent to the left." I hadn't even noticed that half the town was on suspended
planks until now. I bid the Gelert thanks and farewell, and headed up the stairs
to the suspended area of town.
I eventually came across a tent with a faint glowing coming from it. The sun
was almost set, and we were both extremely tired. Just as we were about to walk
into the tent, a Grarrl stopped us.
"Sorry, only one at a time." Orichalkon nodded at me, and I walked in. The
flaps of the tent closed, and the crystal was released from beneath a curtain.
"Hello, young one. I see a fabled human has found their way." THIS was freaky.
"You are... the Prophet? Valens wasn't joking about a giant crystal..."
"Ah yes, the one incapable of a journey. But I see different for you. Why
have you come to see me, young boy?"
"I ask of your assistance in finding the gems to open the Tree of Desolation,
so that I may free this world of evil."
"We shall discuss that later. I feel a strange force coming from you. I know
something I feel you should know. You may wait to hear, or you can listen to
what I have to say about it now."
"Tell me what you see, Prophet," I hesitantly replied.
"As you wish. Many people believe there is no such thing as Destiny, but the
truth is that it does exist. However, Destiny cannot bind all people. Some people
are so powerful, have such big a purpose, that Destiny cannot keep a hold on
them. If the purpose is so important that it requires the person to make their
own decisions, Destiny will release the chains of those people. But then there
are people that Destiny does not want to release, but the force of the person
is too strong, strong enough to bend reality itself. Destiny will do whatever
they can to stop those people, whether it be making them turn back, or simply
wiping them out. I'm afraid Destiny hasn't merely let you go. You are defying
Destiny with your adventure. And Destiny will do anything it can to stop you,
even if it means taking your life." I was in total shock. It was all just too
much to take in. My heart was racing with fear and anxiety. "But, about the
gems... I cannot locate two of them for you, but I hold one of them. I trust
you will make good use of it." A glowing blue gem floated into my hands from
out of the darkness. "Keep it safe."
"I will. Thank you for your assistance." When I exited the tent, everyone
but Sakari was there to greet me.
"So, what'd the Prophet tell you?" Ryo asked me.
Episode XII: The Demon Strikes!
"That's all? Aw, that stinks," said Ryo.
"It's not too bad... only two more gems to go!" I couldn't tell them what
the Prophet told me. It was all too much. I wonder if it was the same for them?
Or was I the only one defying Destiny's laws... I would be a massive burden.
"So... how's Sakari doing, Ryo?"
"Not the best... every time we try to send them the codes and stuff, they
see it as a Trojan virus. It doesn't look like we'll be seeing any new allies
anytime soon. I guess we should go check and find out what she's up to." I started
to follow Ryo down off the planks to the lower level of the town.
"Brad," Orichalkon spoke. "Did the Prophet really tell you nothing useful?"
"Yeah... strange, isn't it? Proves Valens wrong." I didn't especially like
lying to my pet, but what choice did I have? We soon came to a very sophisticated
building, which seemed quite out of place in such a rural town. I saw Sakari
busily typing away in the corner. I walked over to greet her.
"Any luck?" I said quickly, scaring her in the way I had hoped.
"BRAD! Don't do that! How was the meeting with the Prophet?"
"It was fine... nothing extremely useful in terms of information, but he did
give me a gem we can use on the Tree of Desolation." Sakari looked at me awkwardly,
like something was wrong with me. She then continued talking.
"I give up. Sorry, but I just can't get past the firewall. Looks like we'll
have to finish this on our own."
It's for the best, I thought. I can't endanger any more lives than
I already have.
"Stupid computer!" said Kyoutan. He then started bashing it in the side.
"Kyoutan, stop that! It's not the computers fault!" Sakari was yelling at
the top of her lungs. Kyoutan looked up with a vacant face.
"Of course it is." We all sighed.
"Just... don't touch the computer, okay?" Kyoutan nodded. "Brad, can I talk
to you in private for a moment?" One word came to my mind. B-U-S-T-E-D!
"Umm... sure." As we walked over to the other side of the room, Willie, Ryo,
and Kage made whistling noises to mock me.
"Oh be quiet, all of ya!" Sakari yelled at them. "Now Brad, I'm going to ask
you again. What did the Prophet tell you?" This wasn't going well for me.
"I told you, he didn't tell me anything."
She let out a little giggle. "You're lying. I can tell when people are lying,
so don't even try it. Now, Brad, what did he really tell you?"
"... I can't tell you Sakari."
"Why not?"
"I just... can't. You'll have to accept that." I tried to walk away, but she
grabbed me by the shoulder.
"Brad! Tell me what's going on now!" I quickly released myself from her.
"Leave me alone! I can't tell you!" And with that I ran out of the building,
leaving Sakari, Orichalkon, everyone behind.
I'll do this on my own. I will no longer cast a burden upon these good
people... my friends. I should've known they were too good of friends to
let me go so easily. Orichalkon floated up to my shoulder.
"Brad... what's wrong with you? Why won't you tell us what's going on?" In
a fury, I knocked him right off my shoulder onto the ground. I felt remorse
for what I did, but I couldn't turn back around. I had to keep going, and rid
them of me. So I ran. I ran right out of town and started searching for the
gate to The Horror Shell. I knew the only one I could go to was Valens. The
Prophet said as long as she didn't go on a journey, she'd be safe.
You're free, my friends... Just as I thought I was approaching The
Horror Shell, I heard a girl's voice from behind me.
"Brad? Is that you?" I turned around to see Laura, standing there with her
Shadowed Shoyru, Dracosis.
"Laura? What are you doing here!?"
"Well..." And so she explained everything about the Neomails, NeoP0rt and
the trip through the Ethereal Plains.
***
"Laura, you have to get away from me. NOW!" I didn't have time to chat. "Go
to the town over there, you'll find some others like you. But I have something
to do, and I have to do it on my own."
"Brad? What's wrong? I came all this way, and now you won't even talk to me!"
It was obvious she wasn't going anywhere. I had to think of some way to lose
her. Then I remembered what a strange allergy she had to the smell of leather.
It would make her drowsy to the point that she just fell asleep. The jewel on
the amulet Valens gave me was surrounded by leather. I put the amulet up to
Laura's face, and before she knew what was happening, she was asleep in my arms.
I set her down on the ground.
"HEY! What'd you do to Laura, demon!?" Dracosis yelled at me.
"Relax, I just put her to sleep so I can get away. Take care of her, would
ya?" Dracosis nodded, and I ran right through the dimensional warp to The Horror
Shell.
"Valens? Are you here!? Darn... oh well. I guess I'll just put this gem in
the socket." I quickly ran to the tree and inserted the gem. "There... two to
go." Just then, I heard Orichalkon's voice strike my ears.
"Brad! Stop running!" I was cornered. So I just dropped to my knees and listened.
"Brad..." Sakari said. "Why are you doing this?" That's when the ground started
to shake.
"Guys, I don't wanna alarm anyone, but I think we're in trouble!" Willie yelled
over the loud shaking. As I looked up, I saw a massive black hole open in the
sky. As I stepped back, closer to the group, a group of black claws emerged
from the void. And they jumped at us.
"This can't be happening!" Sakari yelled. Everything was happening so fast.
I knew some of us were already gone, but I didn't know who! And that's when
I saw the claw coming towards me.
"Brad, look out!" Ryo yelled as he jumped in front of me. The claw that was
originally aimed for me took him instead. I was the only one left. The arms
were looking weak, and they retreated.
"No... I knew this would happen... Destiny is taking them all away from me!
Orichalkon, Sakari, they're all gone! And it's all my fault!"
And so I stayed there, on my knees, thinking about my lost friends.
To be continued... one day. | 
