Gay Erotic Stories

The three bandits ran as fast as they could, holding the sacks of gold behind their backs. The darkness of the night helped to conceal their retreat. The surroundings were dark; the cloudy sky hid the otherwise-full moon. Their plan was perfect. Their timing was perfect. The village of Lindenwood hadn't expected their coming. At last they arrived at their hideout. It was a small cave hidden behind waterfall. Inside the cave was another small lake with a small ledge at the other end. The strong smell of oil filled the air. The river was well known for its dangerous rapids, therefore the area around it was rarely patronized. Another perfect hideout, they claimed. Merrily they opened the sacks and divided their booty. They had planned everything. They had never failed before. They had never been captured before. Their trail had never been tracked before. They thought they would never get captured. This time, they didn't plan one thing... "Feeling lucky, thugs?!" Adriana Freesland stood near the cave opening. The waterfall soaked her priest costume. Her long hair was braided with a pretty red ribbon. She was standing in the middle of the lake. The water covered her waist. She was standing firmly despite the slippery surface beneath her boots. In her right hand was a metal mace. Behind her was Maya Murdock. Her tight body suit was thoroughly soaked by the water, sending chill across her body. Her hair was tied in her usual ponytail. She held a silver blade and a torch. The fire illuminated the entire cave. She looked at the bandits cautiously. "I'm afraid you'll run out of job pretty soon... In the name of the villagers of Lindenwold, we're here to arrest you!" Anna said again. One of the bandits stood up and stood on the edge of the ledge. "I'm impressed. You're the first mercenaries who actually find us. Too bad you picked a wrong job..." "Give up now. There's no way you can escape from us." "We won't escape from you... We will kill you." He sneered. "Do you notice this smell?" Both Anna and Maya did. "Mistress... this is... natural oil...!" Maya exclaimed. "Clever..." The bandit said. "You were standing in the middle of an oil pit. Unfortunately, you should know that bringing that torch is your biggest mistake..." Without warning the bandit threw a small knife at Maya's torch, instantly knocking it out of her grasp. The torch fell into the water, and instantly the entire lake was ignited in flame. Maya screamed as the fire crept upon her body... But she was not burned. Her body and Anna's were glowing. Anna had cast magic barrier bubble around them on time. The bubble kept the flame a few inches away from them, giving them extra space. But the barrier wouldn't last forever... "A fast action... But too bad... We won't let you get out of here..." One other bandit pulled a lever on the wall down. A metal cage fell from the ceiling at the edge of the ledge, sealing the ledge from their reach. A similar cage emerged at the cave opening from underwater, preventing any attempts to escape. They were trapped inside the blazing lake! "The oil pit in this area is pretty generous, so I think the fire will not go out anytime soon..." The bandit sneered again. "Too bad... we could have had a good time together... but we will enjoy seeing how you will be fried... slowly..." The barrier around them was getting weaker, and the water was uncomfortably warm. Maya looked for a way to escape, but found none. But Anna had another idea. "Maya, swim underwater! We must find a way to open the cage!" "Right!" Both of them dived underwater, then a second later the barrier gave up and vanished. The entire lake had been covered with blazing fire. "Where did they go?" the bandit asked frantically. Anna guided Maya to the cave opening. Soon Maya could touch the cage. She was right! If the cage was raised from underwater, then the locking mechanism had to be underwater. She only needed time for her hidden talent, disarming traps, to work. Anna cast another barrier on the water surface, created another bubble, and held it open with all her might. Maya surfaced later, took another deep breath, and dived again. Slowly she examined the locking mechanism of the cage. She recalled all the training she had received form her father. Every trap had a trigger. If she could find out how it worked and reversed the process, they might be able to escape... "Maya, make it quick! The water is boiling!" "So this lever held the gears in place... and they held the cage closed... So if I get rid of this lever, the cage will pull the chain..." Maya quickly pulled out her blade and stabbed it on the lever. The wooden lever was cracked, but the cage stayed unmoved. "Maya! Hurry!" This time she stabbed the lever with all her might. The lever broke down, the gears started to rotate, and the cage fell. The cave opening was open! A sudden rush of air escaped from the mechanism. Water entered her lungs and she involuntarily exhaled to force the water out. She was running out of breath! Her body began trashing around as she tried to get to the surface... But a hand grabbed her collar and pulled her body. She tried to fight frantically, but suddenly she found herself breathing again. The hand kept pulling her along the rocky ground and into another water. She found herself hugging a big rock. "Hold tight! Keep yourself underwater!" It was Mistress Anna. She took another deep breath and did what she was told. She could feel the rapid river water dragged her body away, but she held tight to the rock. Slowly the water cooled her body and washed away the oil around her suit. After a while she got up and joined Anna near the cave opening. The lake was still burning and the bandits were looking at them, smiling. "Again I'm impressed... You escaped my best trap. But too bad, you can't reach us..." The bandit said. "But you can't get out as well..." Anna answered. The bandit lifted a bodysuit. "Asbestos armor... We can cross the lake without getting burnt. We've planned everything. Pretty clever, huh...?" "Clever indeed." Anna said. "But how do you get out of that cage?" "Simple. Just lift it up." The bandit held the cage and lifted it, but he withdrew his hand quickly and roared in pain. "AARGH!!! MY HAND!!!" The metal cage! The metal cage was extremely hot! Anna had known about this. "So you guys have planned everything, huh?" The other bandits tried using the suit to lessen the heat, but again they failed. They had to hold the cage long enough to lift it. They had made the trap, hoping that they only needed to use it once. That was why they hadn't tested it and had missed an important detail. "So... you guys said this oil pit is pretty generous...? It might take a long time before it goes out..." Anna shot back. Maya just giggled. The bandits, however, were getting panic. They tried using the lever, pounding the gate with stone, and digging a hole on the wall, but nothing worked. They were trapped inside their own trap. "We surrender!" One of them yelled. "Please help us! I don't want to die!" Anna smiled. "Don't worry... You have around an hour until the air become toxic and you will pass out. Just hope that the villagers will come to arrest you before it happens." Anna turned to Maya and smiled. "Come on. We have to tell the villagers to pick them up later." She said. "And could you spend some time at the pub?" "Yes, mistress..." She walked a few paces before saying, "And good work on the trap." Then she walked toward the darkness. Maya merrily followed her, knowing that they had completed another mission. Maya Murdock was sitting in the village pub in front of the counter. The surroundings were dark and gloomy. Few customers were chatting casually in the center of the room, but most of them chose to sit near the corners and concealed themselves in the darkness. The village of Lindenwood was just a small farming village southwest of Aragon, but it was also a junction town that connected four other towns around it. Traders and merchants usually built trading posts and warehouses here to store their goods before delivering them to the major towns. This role made the little village significant in this area. However the significance was not matched with the local security. The royal army had used to have a military outpost in this area, but since the demon menace arose, the troops had been put into active duty to defend many important defensive points across the land. Now Lindenwood was also patronized by rogues, bandits, and brigands. The trade routes that the village served offered many opportunities for those villains who wanted to take some cargo. It had only been three months ago that the village hall decided to start hiring mercenaries to help secure the traffic lanes. And Anna and Maya had done their job well. They just captured the three most wanted bandits, the Drake brothers. These three scoundrels had not only been raiding the caravans. They had been raiding the village itself as well. The town council had offered the biggest bounty for those who could bring the three bandits back to the village, dead or alive, with or without their booty. Their success in capturing the bandits had rewarded them a lot of cash, but cash was not what they needed. They needed fame. And they didn't do this for their own. They're doing this on purpose. It had been six months since Atrus White Lion left the party. And it had been six months since both her and Anna started to look for him. They had been asking every people in every village, but nobody had heard or seen anything that matched Atrus' descriptions. Anna had been very distressed about this. She still felt that Atrus' leaving was entirely her fault. When they had nothing to do, Anna usually spent her time daydreaming. Moreover, she sometimes forgot to eat and drink in the process. Maya could notice that Anna had been losing weight a lot. That was the main reason why Maya had advised her to take skill training in a town. She chose maces as her weapons of choice since priests and clerics were not allowed to use any wicked-looking weapons and could only use them for self-defense. Recently Anna had been practicing with Maya, and her skill developed quite well. However, her concern about Atrus' whereabouts still remained. Then Anna had developed a new strategy. She had been accepting many mercenary tasks from the town halls or guilds to gain fame. She hoped Atrus could hear about her success and would be convinced to join them again. But Atrus' intention was unclear. Until now no news was heard about him. Maya, however, had her own strategy. She had been spending time drinking at the pubs. Especially in towns like Lindenwood, there were many things she could learn from the fellows in pubs. Thieves' guild was an illegal underworld organization that accommodated many needs of the villains across the land. During less troubled times, the royal army had been trying in vain to suppress this group. Honest merchants usually would stay clear of this organization, but some merchants had been known to make contacts with the group. Thieves' guild offered many unique services ranging from mercenaries for hire, raiders to put down competitors' business, until the dirtiest business, assassinations. For less aggressive people, Thieves' guild was the best source of information in the realm. The barkeeper approached her slowly and passed on a mug filled with ale. Maya quickly drank it, feeling the burning sensation in her throat, then returned the mug. He looked at their surroundings and said, "The man you want to meet is in the left corner, next to the window. He has a rose stuck on his shirt. He knows you are here. Don't attract too many attentions." he talked again in low voice. He refilled the mug, then left her. Maya took the mug and slowly turned around. She found the man. He was sitting in the corner. His dark cape covered his face, but the red rose on his suit was visible. He was surveying the pub patrons. Maya stood up and slowly made her way toward him, only to be stopped when a hand roughly grabbed her arm. When she turned around she saw a short man... a dwarf... was looking at her. His long brown beard dominated his face detail. He wore a leather suit and a worker helmet. Strapped on his back was a vicious-looking battle-axe. His gaze was unfocused and his breathing was stink... He was drunk. "Aye... Where are ye goin', lad... We haven't had fun together..." His voice was rude and hardly audible. "Let me go." Maya said. "I 'now ye... Ye caught tee Drakes...Hey fellas...! She caught tee Drakes!" The entire customers stared at Maya, made a few stupid comments before returning to their business, paying no attention on the drunken dwarf. Annoyed, the dwarf pulled her body closer. "Ye became quite famous aroound 'ere... How' bout some fun, eh...?" "Let me go!" Maya exclaimed. "Gimme those busts!" Roughly he grabbed her breasts and pinched her nipples beneath her body suit. Maya squealed in distress. "STAY AWAY FROM ME!!!" She produced a knife and threw it to the air. Then she pivoted her body and kicked the dwarf on the belly, sending him crashing into a table and on the floor. A few seconds later, the knife fell down on the wooden floor just a few inches from the dwarf's face. He stared at it in terror before fainting. Again, the customers stared at Maya, made a few stupid comments before returning to their business. Maya turned to the barkeeper, but he just smiled. "It's okay. He's a regular customer, so I can take care of him later." Maya smiled, then made her way to the corner of the room. She approached the table, put her mug down, the sat in front of the man. He was a middle-aged man with no special feature. He looked at her in the eyes. His eyes were dark and his stare was cold. But she cast her fears off and stared back. "I notice the other seats are empty..." He said slowly. "You were looking for me." Maya answered in her serious tone. Suddenly the man smiled warmly at her. "Anna Murdock... The daughter of the great John the Plunderer... It has been an honor..." The response shocked Maya. "How do you know me?" "I am one of your father's man. I admired him so much. You inherit three things from him; your knife-fighting style, the way you talk... and your eyes..." "Don't talk about my father!" She snapped. "Having him as my father had been a disgrace for me." "You never forgive him, do you?" he asked. "He is a great man..." "Stop it already!" She took a deep breath. "Back to the business, do you have what I want?" He smiled. "You are looking for your master, Ranger Atrus White Lion. I'm quite surprised you were willing to enslave yourself for him. He must be a great man. I should meet him sometimes..." He paused for a while, enjoyed her annoyed look, then continued. "I don't know where he is, but perhaps you can figure this out. Tell me what you know about what has been happening in the past few weeks in the southwestern region of the kingdom" Maya thought for a while, then answered. "Several surprise attacks by unknown forces were reported on several villages in that area. All seven small villages and a town were utterly destroyed in the attack. No survivor was found." "Quite right..." the man smiled. "But there's one thing that's not right. The attack didn't destroy all villages. One village is still intact, but the royal army lost all contact with the village. It's still there, hidden behind the enemy line. Rumors said they were rebelling." "How do you know...?" Maya asked skeptically. The man's smile grew wider. "I thought you still believe, Miss Murdock, that we thieves know more than any souls that inhibit this land..." "Of course." Maya agreed. "It's a small world." "The forest around those villages is now infested with foul folks. It is possible that those demons were the unknown attackers. They succeeded in conquering those villages and killed all peasants... except one village. The name is Whitewater. The elves called it Mantanadaria... or in their language... the Blessed Land." The man moved his body closer to her and lowered his voice. "The village is located next to the Elven border. It's the farthest one from the kingdom, so it's really weird to know that it stays intact while the closer neighboring villages were destroyed." Again the man glanced to his surrounding, then continued. "Rumors said that the village is protected..." The man stared at Maya's eyes. He looked serious. "It's protected... by an angel... Local peasants had seen a lone figure slaughtered a large band of foul folks by himself... They called him Bakara, or in their local language, the Wingless Angel." Maya was drowned in her thought. A lone figure who slaughtered a large band of demons... There was only one man she knew who could actually do that... Atrus White Lion... The man drank his ale, then stood up. "I know you're worried about your friend, but that's all I know. If you want to investigate this thing, I must warn you that the journey may be dangerous. Expect a tough fight on your way to the Blessed Land." Then the man turned around. "Wait... I must pay you..." Maya stopped him. The man looked back and smiled. "A smile from the daughter of a man I honor most in my life is the greatest payment I can receive." Maya blushed, then smiled warmly. "At least tell me your name..." The man turned around and wrapped the dark cloak around his body. "Don't hate him, Miss Murdock... Your father was a great man..." Then he made his way to the door. Maya sat on her seat for a while. The thought of his father bothered her. Her father was the one who had taught her many things... who had equipped her with skills to stay alive... who had inspired her in many ways... But he had also made her lost her childhood... he had made her lose her virginity... he had made her lose... everything... But this man was still loyal to him even years after his death... why...? There were many things about her father that she didn't know... For many years she had seen her father as her symbol of disgrace for putting her life in misery... She hated her father... but why...? Was it because he had caused her to endure the slavery? But she was just like him... Her skills... her attitude... her eyes... She could remember his charming eyes that had always soothed her when she was only a little girl... That warm and loving gaze she had always received from him...The care and love he had given her when she was small was the same ones she always wanted to give to Master Atrus... But she quickly set the deepening conflict in her mind aside and finished her ale. Then she walked out of the pub and headed to the inn. She had to tell the happy news to Mistress Anna... And Anna had the same thought with her, and it didn't take too long for her to decide. They left Lindenwood the next morning. The villagers had urged her to stay longer so they could plan a party, but she politely declined. The villagers insisted that she take the heavy leather backpack they gave. Maya had to carry the extra weight over her shoulder, but neither she nor Anna wanted to offend the kind villagers. After a few miles from the village, they opened the backpack and were surprised to find food rations that were enough for at least a week. The weather was fine, although the sky was cloudy. The worst time of winter had passed, and the wonderful spring was coming. Birds from the south had returned and sang their beautiful symphony. The wicked snow was gone, replaced by vast carpet of grass. Flowers of many kinds had blossomed and filled the air with their fragrance. This was definitely the best time of the year. The journey to the southwestern region normally took four days, but they could get a ride on a hay cart that was going in the same direction. On the second day, they arrived at the edge of the area of dispute. Hired soldiers at the forest clearing by the river built an army camp. The soldiers were confused when Maya explained that they were going to go farther into the forest. They told them about the Army of Darkness that still roamed the forest, but it didn't stop Anna. Lastly the soldiers offered a shelter for them for a night, but again Anna declined and continued walking toward the forest. Maya followed her. Deep inside Maya could understand her mistress' feeling. Mistress Anna hated hired soldiers and mercenaries. They didn't fight for the people; they fought for money and fame. They paid no respect to the peasants and villagers. Moreover, they had created a painful scar in Anna's memory, and the pain seemed endless. She had been brutally raped by those people. It seemed that she had been destined to hate those people for the rest of her life. Until now Anna had only told this story to her and Master Atrus, her two most trusted friends. Slowly Maya felt happy that she had been treated as Anna's trusted friend. She ran after her and tried her best to cheer her up. Halfway through the jungle they arrived at a large clearing. A large ruin that had used to be a village was there. It was utterly destroyed. The houses had been burned to ashes, and only a few scorched pillars stayed erect. The thick scent of smoke and burned material filled the air. Slowly they made their way through the ruin. On a clearing outside the town were rows of stones put on the ground disorderly; probably a small cemetery built carelessly by the soldiers for the villagers. Anna approached the graves, prayed for the poor souls, and then blessed the graves. Suddenly her muscles grew tense. Maya saw the change in her expression, and unsheathed her long dagger. "I sense something." Anna said slowly. "We're being watched..." Maya tried to listen to her surrounding, but she could sense nothing. "The village of Whitewater was only a few miles west from here. We had better arrive there before dark. Keep your eyes open." Then she reached for her mace and held it tightly in her right hand. Slowly she made her way through the dense forest before them. The forest was dark and gloomy. The small path through the woods was covered with weeds and wild grass, giving hint that the village of Whitewater didn't have a good relation with the neighboring villages. They met several deer around the forest having lunch. They watched the two girls carefully as they made their way through the bushes. Suddenly one of the deer ran away toward the darkness of the woods, followed by others. Anna signaled Maya to stop and quickly observed the land with her spell. The forest turned silent. Occasionally there were strange sounds coming out of the thick bushes along the path, but the light wind made exactly the same sound. Maya couldn't recognize anything hostile around them, but her feeling told her otherwise. Without warning Anna loosed three quick bursts of fire bolts toward the bushes ahead. Several loud groans were heard, and suddenly several angry roar were heard from every corner of the woods. A pack of orcs appeared in front of them, blocking the path. Another group appeared behind them, pinning them down. Anna faced the first group; her mace was ready in her hand. Maya faced the other group, covering Anna's rear. The pig-like creatures were staring at them. Wicked-looking axes were in their hands. Their thick leather armor provided them with extra protection. Instead of boots, their feet were wrapped with thick cloths, enabling them to advance around the woods without causing too much noise. "Ah... humans, you seem to be in the wrong place and the wrong time..." One of them said. "I disagree. We are here to teach you all a lesson..." Anna responded. "Alright, gang! Let's have our lunch!" The orcs roared and approached them. "MAYA, COVER MY BACK!!" A huge orc dashed at Maya, but he was not a match for her superior speed. Two throwing knives found their marks on his forehead, sending him down. Another one charged at her, but again she was faster. Before he could eves swing his gigantic axe, Maya tackled him down, sat on his back, and slit his throat. Then she spotted an orc tried to throw his axe toward Anna. Again she dashed while screaming. The orc was surprised, but prepared. He successfully blocked Maya's knife. The rest of the orcs lost interest on Anna and tried to surround Maya. Maya readied her long silver blade and began dashing from one orc to another, trying to score a kill. Anna, on the other hand, had an easier fight. She created an invisible force that pushed her opponents backward. The orcs fell on the ground, and before they recovered, Anna had begun her counterattack. She jumped from one orc to another along the path, bashing their skulls with her mace. Soon the path was once again clear. She turned around and loosed several fire bolts toward the group that pinned Maya down, giving her a chance to escape. "Quickly! This way!" Despite her fierce fighting, Maya was wounded. A stray axe swept through her leather suit, creating a long cut on her left shoulder. Behind her the angry group of orcs were still pursuing them, throwing smaller axes blindly along the path. Slowly she retreated, following Anna and keeping the flying axes away from them. Anna later came to her aid, bashing the axes away with her mace and shooting fire bolts at the pursuing party. Maya led the way through the thick bushes in front of her. Her wound was bleeding and she had many smaller cuts around her body caused by the shrubs along the path. Her vision began to blur as fatigue overcame her body. Suddenly she found out that the ground underneath her was collapsing... It was a trap! But it was too late. Her body fell down into the pit trap. Anna involuntarily joined her shortly. They were trapped inside a pit that had been dug on the path, concealed by the thick bushes. The pit was dug deep enough so that it would take a while to get out of there. Anna got on her feet again and found out that the pit mouth was now surrounded by a dozen of orcs. The creatures sneered at them. "Look at them humans... Trapped like animals..." Anna was about to loose some fire bolts when she saw Maya's figure lying on the ground, unmoved. She quickly ran to her and turned her body around. She was groaning in pain. "My... my ankle..." Her left ankle was sprained. Anna tried her healing spell, but it could only soften the pain. Her power was drained already. Meanwhile the enemies were still around. Healing Maya completely wouldn't save them anyway. "Well, how can we cook them...?" The orc sneered again. "We can rain fireballs into the pit... It can be an interesting show..." "How do you like your meal? Do you like it well done or medium?" The other orcs laughed lavishly at the joke. Anna could only stare at them. "Mistress... leave me... Save yourself..." Maya's voice was weak. "No. We came here together, we'll go through this forever." Anna answered. "But... Master Atrus... you must find him..." "WE will find him... I'm not leaving you here... We will..." Her words were interrupted by a long wail of one of the orcs. The group left the pit mouth, and a battle was happening outside. Suddenly an orc's head, cut from its body, fell into the pit, right beside Anna. The eyes were staring at her in agony. Despite her battle experience, Anna still didn't really like that kind of surprise. She yelled at the top of her voice, then quickly ran to the corner away from the head and dragged Maya's body with her. But the battle was not finished. One by one the enemies' body parts fell into the pit. An orc hand fell right on her head, making her scream. She ran from one corner to another, dodging the corpses that fell from the pit mouth. While she was still terrorized by the corpses around her, she heard the sound that raised her spirit as well as gave her chills... "LIGHTNING SLASH!!!" Atrus White Lion!!! Both Anna and Maya were paralyzed by the voice they just heard. Lightning slash was one of Atrus' fighting style. It couldn't be wrong. They had found him! But the forest fell silent again. No angry groan was heard from outside. They were alone once again. When Anna recovered from her fright, she began calling him. "Atrus! Atrus! We're down here!" There was no answer. "Atrus! Maya was hurt! Please help us!" But the forest was silent. He had left... He didn't hear her... or he tried to evade them... The bitter memory of the battle of Gideon came back to her mind. She still remembered clearly how she had betrayed his trust. She had accused him as a fame-thirst ranger. No matter how many times she had apologized to him, she knew that her words had hurt him deeply. "Atrus... why haven't you forgiven me..." She sobbed softly. "Mistress... I'm sure he just didn't hear us..." Anna approached Maya's lying body and helped her to sit. But when she held the back of her neck, she could feel that she was sweating... cold sweat... When she looked at her, her gaze was weak. Her breathing was heavy and her voice was faint. "Maya... Are you alright?" "I'm okay, mistress..." She touched her neck with her fingers. Her pulse was weak... very weak. Cold sweat now covered her forehead and her lower body was shivering. "You have a fever... Oh no. You've been poisoned..." "No. I'm o..." Suddenly she coughed hard. Blood tricked from the corner of her mouth. "Oh my god... hang on... I have to take you to the village..." Anna drained her spell power on the healing spell, but it could only ease the pain. Despite the corpses around her, she walked to the nearest pit wall. It was well dug. The roots had been cut, making it impossible to use them to climb up, but she tried it anyway. Climbing was not her specialty, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get out of the pit. Meanwhile the sky was getting dark. She checked Maya's condition once again. It seemed the cut on her shoulder caused the poisoning. She picked one of the axes and studied it. The tip of the metal had been smeared by strange substance, and despite her wide knowledge of poisons and hazardous substances, she couldn't recognize this one. Maya's body was getting weaker. The poison had been spread in her blood veins. Her condition was very... very bad. "Oh no. Just hang on there..." She began to panic. As if her prayer was answered, she heard footsteps from the bushes. It could be Atrus or more orcs, but she didn't care. Maya needed a shelter, even in the enemy's custody. "HELP! PLEASE SOMEBODY! WE"RE DOWN HERE!" Her scream was noticed, and soon the pit mouth was surrounded by several figures holding torches. She let out a sigh of relief when she noticed that they were humans. "Please help us! My friend is gravely wounded! She needs a doctor!" "Who are you, priestess?" One of then asked sharply. "If you're from the government, I have to ask you all to leave at once!" "No, we're here at our own will! I can explain later, but please help my friend!" Two men jumped into the pit and looked at the corpses around them. "Bakara was here..." "The orcs attacked us on the way. My friend was poisoned by their axe." One of the men sat next to Maya and examined her closely. "She's telling the truth... The girl is dying! We must bring her to the village!" "Very well." The leader said. "Hurry! We must return before dark!" The village of Whitewater was a small farming village next to the Elven border. It had been founded as a military outpost to deter the Elven menace a few years ago. However, the lack of ample transportation system around the village had urged the royal army to change the plan. Whitewater was just a poor hamlet in the west border of the kingdom. The lack of transportation granted them a privilege of not having to send any resources to the government. But the same reason resulted that they received little attention from the kingdom, especially during this conflict. But the main reason the kingdom abandoned the hamlet was because the villagers had made a peace treaty with the Elves. The locals had helped a lone elf that had been injured near the border vicinity. In response, the Elven kingdom had declared that if they decided to attack Aragon, the hamlet would be spared from their wrath. Despite the peaceful environment the villagers enjoyed, Whitewater was still a poor village surrounded by small farms and dense forest. The houses were mainly made of logs from the woods. A small river provided the village with enough fresh water throughout the year. A small temple was the only indication that this village was more civilized than a normal barbaric village. Anna was sitting on a wooden chair in an inn. The villagers had brought them to the village before nightfall. A weird local drink was served to her. It tasted like herb tea and it did a good job in keeping her warm. Several villagers were sitting nearby, watching her carefully. Then one man whom she knew as the group leader approached her and sat down in front of her. He put down his ale mug, then stared at her. "Very well, priestess. My name is Gordon. I'm the village leader. What's your name?" "Adriana Freesland, or Anna. I must thank you for helping us." "Priestess Freesland... You saved Gideon a few months ago. You work for the government?" "No, I'm not. Why?" Anna asked. "Answer me first. If you're not a government spy, why are you here then?" "We're here in our own will." Anna explained. "I'm looking for the man you called Bakara." "And what makes you think we're going to believe you?" Gordon asked again. "We're his... friend." Anna carefully picked her words. She could only hope that Atrus would be willing to recognize them. If he didn't want to see them, the villagers would not believe her. "Do you have any prove that you know Bakara as your friend?" Anna tried to recall Maya's description. "I know his name." "But we don't." Gordon said. "We called him Bakara." "I know that he is a well-trained Ranger, the son of Captain White Lion." Anna tried again. "Bakara is a very enigmatic person. We know nothing about his true identity." Anna tried to figure out what the villagers might know about Atrus. Finally she said. "He lives in pain." Gordon stared at her for a while. "You know him... It's true. He comes to the village often and seems to be very friendly, but we all know he's hiding a deep pain inside his heart..." "I know..." Anna hung her head. "I... I caused it... I'm here to put him back together..." Gordon smiled warmly. "If you are truly a friend of Bakara, then you are our friend. We are very sorry for the trouble we've caused. We are getting sick of the government's plot on our village. We are no longer loyal to the kingdom. That's why we don't trust outsiders." "I understand." Anna said. "The king should pay more attention on the people's welfare." "That's why we love our Bakara." Gordon said. "He helped us whenever he's around. He protected our village from the invaders. Moreover, he asked nothing in return. We have our own way to thank him in spite of our limited resource. We never charge him anything in the market. We occasionally made a small feast for him. We all love him." "I know..." Anna just smiled. Then she remembered her friend. "How's Maya?" "Your friend? Our doctor is examining her. Come..." Gordon led her to a wooden door. He asked her to wait while he went inside. Soon he went out with another middle-aged man. His expression was gloomy. "How is she? Can you cure the poison?" Anna quickly asked. The other man shook his head weakly. "I've never seen such a violent poison before. I can only give a normal medicine to slow it down, but it won't stop the venom completely." "Doctor, you must save her!" Anna begged. "I'm sorry, but I can't cure her. But there's still hope..." "I'm willing to do anything to save her!" Anna answered quickly. The doctor turned to Gordon. The leader thought for a while before answering her. "Tomorrow we will take you to the mountain hermit... where Bakara lives..." Anna watched over Maya right beside her bed all night. She was suffering from a terrible fever. Her body was shivering and cold sweat covered her skin. All night Anna sat beside her bed, keeping the sweat off her forehead. Maya's plea that she should get some sleep was ignored. They were so close to finding Atrus, and she was not going to let her friend die. The doctor occasionally came and gave her herb drink to keep her warm. It eased her fever, but wouldn't deter the poison. In the morning, the villagers had decided to acknowledge Anna's sincerity. In turns they visited them and gave them fresh breakfast of newly baked bread and pancakes. Within an hour there was a huge pile of pancakes and three jars of honey on the table right beside the bed. Maya wasn't in a good mood to eat a lot and Anna definitely couldn't eat that much, so they decided to put them in their backpack for later use. Shortly after breakfast, Gordon came to pick them up. In front of the inn there was a wooden chair with long poles on each side. The chair had a leather strap on the waist and a cushion on the seat. "Since your friend wouldn't be able to walk well, we decided to carry her on this chair." Anna and Gordon carried Maya's limp body and put her on the chair. The strap was secured to keep her from falling during the trip. Anna double-checked Maya's condition to make sure she was strapped comfortably. Four men slowly lifted the chair and held the poles over their shoulder. A few men joined them later, each carrying a short sword. Gordon himself had a sword strapped on his back. Anna was very amazed. "You... you're going to escort us there? I... I don't know what to say..." "No need..." Gordon said. "This is the least thing we can do for the friends of Bakara." Gordon's word troubled Anna. Did Atrus still think of her as his friend? He certainly loved Maya like a sister. He had too many reasons to love Maya. But he had no reason to like her after what she had done. Deep inside she cursed herself for her foolish action back in Gideon. She decided she would accept it if Atrus hated her, for he had too many reasons to do so. Gordon talked about the village along the trip. He talked about how the forest around here became very safe since Bakara began his action. He talked about the mountain hermit who inhibited the small cottage behind the forest. He said the hermit possessed a powerful magic that also protected the village from invaders. But he was still a hermit. Nobody in the village had ever seen him. They arrived at a large clearing in the forest. The men slowly put the chair down. Anna checked Maya's condition, but there's nothing she could do to make her feel better. She was suffering gravely from her fever. Her eyes couldn't focus really well. Her entire body was shivering and sweating. She had no power left even to speak. Anna was even more worried than ever. Maya might not make it... Then one by one the men left them. "We will not go any further." Gordon said. "Bakara would see you here... if he wishes." Again she felt worried. Atrus might not want to see her anymore. He might just take Maya to see the hermit and leave her here. All her efforts in trying to find him would be in vain with his refusal. She felt she was going to burst in tears, afraid to see the outcome of this reunion. Maya noticed this. She weakly caressed Anna's palm, trying to convince her that it wouldn't happen. The forest around them was very silent. There was nobody around but Anna, Maya, and Gordon. The sun shone brightly on the sky and through the trees, creating bright patches on the ground. The thin morning mist from the nearby mountain covered the ground. Humans hadn’t touched this area. It was like Eden. The peace and harmony was soothing, yet overwhelming. "Who want to see my master?" They were surprised by the sound from the forest. Anna wasn't sure if that was Atrus'. The voice was rather vague, but audible. Gordon quickly answered it. "We have visitors from out of the village. They claimed themselves to be your friends." The forest was once again quiet. There was no answer. This time Anna couldn't hold it. "Atrus...!" she cried. "I know you're listening to this... Please just hear what I really want to say..." She paused for a while before continuing. "I know you're still mad at me for what I've done in Gideon. I know you hate me so much... I don't mind. You have rights to hate me... But Maya is gravely wounded here... I beg you... please help her..." She couldn't stop the tears in her eyes. She could even hear Maya sobbing softly. "If you don't want to see me... I will go back to the village now... I will leave the village tomorrow morning... and you will never see me again..." When she turned around, she saw a figure standing in front of the mist. It was Atrus... He was looking into her eyes. His hair was a little bit longer than before. He still wore his usual leather suit, and a sword was strapped on his back. He was looking at her... and he was smiling... "Anna... it's really you..." Anna was stunned. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know what to say. She was speechless. But Atrus slowly approached her and put his arms around her body and embraced her lovingly. "I miss you so much... Look at how much you've grown..." "Atrus... I... I'm... just... so sorry..." "It's not your fault." He quoted Jenna's words. "You were tricked. I understand your feeling. And no, I don't hate you. I miss you so much." At last she cried so hard in his arms. All the tension that had been torturing her mind was released. He didn't hate her; that was all she needed to hear. She felt a great relief deep inside her mind. Atrus tried his best to comfort and support her. After a while he turned to see Maya, still strapped on the chair. "You said Maya is wounded. What happened?" "The demons attacked them, Bakara." Gordon explained. "We found them near the village. It seems that this girl was poisoned by one of the demons. We can't cure her, so we think that the hermit might be able to help. Atrus approached and examined her. Maya gave him a weak smile and a faint whimper to tell him how happy she was to see him again. Atrus took her wrist and checked her pulse, only to be shocked by his analysis. "She got venom all over her veins!" He turned at Anna. "What had happened to her?" "I'm sorry... She protected my back in a battle with a bunch of orcs... The orcs hit her with a poisonous axe. I couldn't cure her on time... I'm just so sorry..." Maya whimpered again, and Atrus represented her this time. "It's not your fault. There's nothing you could have done. I haven't seen venom so powerful like this before myself." Atrus turned at Gordon. "I want to thank you for saving my friends and bringing them here." "No need, Bakara." He answered. "You've always been our friend. Please come by our village sometime. We will make a feast for you and your friends." Then he bowed and left. "Anna, help me with her! We must bring her to my master!" After a short walk, they arrived at a small cottage on the other side of the forest. It was located on a ledge leading to a valley down the hill. From there they could see the thick forest covering the valley. The Elven border was only a few hours from here. On the southern land was a huge black mountain, towering the land. Aragon people called it Mystic Mountain. When early travelers passed this to chart the land, this mountain suddenly rose from the ground with thundering roar and unleashed a violent earthquake that reached the capitals of both humans and Elven kingdoms. The travelers retold the mountain as "raised by a mystic power from the underworld". Nowadays people knew that it was a normal natural phenomenon, but the name was retained. Rumors said the mountain had some nasty critters inside. The cottage, despite its size, was warm and comfy. There's a fireplace nearby. The furniture was simple, mainly made of logs. There were two doors leading to other rooms. Candles illuminated the rather-dark room. In the center sat a hooded figure. He was meditating on the floor. "Master, I've returned. And I bring two friends here. This is..." "Adriana Freesland... I've been expecting you..." Anna was stunned. "How do you know...?" The figure opened his hood and stared at her. He was an old man. His thin hair had turned white. A long white beard was dangling on his chin. But his face was familiar. Anna quickly fell on her knees and bowed. "Lord Falagor...! I'm sorry I didn't recognize you... Anna Freesland, at your service..." "Don't worry... Even my apprentice here didn't recognize me." He smiled. Atrus was also stunned. His master was actually Lord Falagor, the royal advisor and the supreme wizard of the realm! He put Maya on the nearest chair and knelt down. "I'm sorry, master." Falagor chuckled again. "Stand up. I'm no longer a royal advisor. I'm just a hermit living in a secluded cottage now... And I see that your little friend Maya Murdock was in need..." Both Falagor and Atrus approached her body. Her stare was weak. Falagor took her hand and examined her. Atrus slowly stroke her long hair and looked into her eyes with great concern. "Master, could you heal her?" "I can't tell. I haven't seen the poison before. I'll bring her to my room for further examination." He looked into Maya's eyes. "I need to identify the poison. The process will hurt; you won't be able to endure it. Therefore I will shut down all your nerve system, except your sight. You can see, but you won't feel or hear anything. If you comply, close your eyes." Maya helplessly looked at Atrus. "Don't worry, you can trust him. He will cure you, Maya... I'm sure you will be just fine..." Then he tenderly kissed her lips. Maya's heart was flushed with joy. Her master was here, and he was not going to let her go. Her fear vanished instantly. She turned back to Falagor and closed her eyes... Anna stood in front of Atrus, her mace ready in her hand. She carefully watched him as he walked slowly, circling her position. She's not going to lose, she thought... not when he couldn't hurt her. Atrus slowly circled her, trying to find a chance to strike. His bare feet produced almost no sound as they stepped on the rough ground. In his grip was a long rattan stick. For her, the odd was clear. He couldn't kill her with his stick, but she could. Her mace was enough to crush his skull. His flexible stick might create welts and bruises, but those were easy to be healed. But Atrus still insisted that she should use her mace in this match. "Don't hold back." He said. Anna dashed toward Atrus and swung the mace, but Atrus was faster... way faster. He slid to her side evading her blow, then quickly tackled her vulnerable boot. When she regained her balance, the rattan stick was only an inch from her neck. "If I've been a demon, you would have died by now. You must fight faster than that!" Anna swung the mace again, but Atrus dodged it easily. Atrus dashed from one spot to another, and no matter how fast she tried, she couldn't match his speed. In one occasion, she got exhausted and rested for a while, only to find him dashing at her. She tried to cover herself, but the rattan stick was unstoppable. A long welt was formed on her left hip. It was nothing she couldn't heal, but it was annoying. "I can't match your speed! You're simply too fast for me..." She said while panting. "Nonsense! I presume until now Maya has been holding herself back against you..." Anna couldn't accept the taunt and charged at him. This time she was faster. She began to study Atrus' movement as well. Slowly she built her pace to match his, but again he was faster. Her power didn't last forever, and when fatigue claimed her, Atrus created another welt on the other hip. It hurt a lot. "You're still a sitting duck! You won't survive a battle with such ridiculous speed..." This time Anna was pissed off. She followed Atrus' movement again for a while. When she paused, Atrus dashed toward her for another shot, just as she had planned. She let herself fall to the ground and used magic to soften the fall. When Atrus was about to step over her, she raised her legs and kicked his belly, sending him propelling in the air and smashing on the ground. Before he could recover, Anna pinned his body down and put her mace just an inch from his neck. "If I've been a demon, you would have lost your head by now..." Atrus smiled. "Smart trick. You've been improving better than I thought. I'm impressed." "And now your life is in my grasp, right...?" Anna held his chin and kissed him passionately. He was surprised at the intrusion, but accepted the kiss. His hands slowly moved behind her body and embraced her lovingly. She missed that embrace so much. She held his body close, hoping that he would never let her go. Suddenly Atrus rolled his body and pinned her body down. "Wrong... your life is in my grasp... But this time, I'll show you what to do to a female prisoner..." Atrus kissed her again before moving to her neck. His hand slowly massaged her hair. "I don't know you've become a pervert..." "It's your own fault..." Then he turned his attention to her pert breasts. He softly massaged her breasts under the thin fabric, teasing her. "So tell me... what has Lord Falagor taught you...?" "Many things..." Atrus answered without switching his attention. "When he met me, I was quite a wimp... I guess it took longer for me to recover from what I've done in Gideon... Then he put me back to my old self, I guess..." "What did... he say..." "He told me that I've been controlled by my own emotions... At that time I was so shocked that I couldn't think well... I felt I've been defeated by my own grief... I've killed an entire army and I almost... killed you... I couldn't understand what he was talking about..." Anna looked at him lovingly. She could see the fear in his eyes. She kissed him again. She was willing to be there for him. She was willing to share his fear. "Then he gave me an advice that I still remember until now... He said that emotions are our slaves... Fear, grief, happiness, sorrow, all of them... We only have to remember who the master is..." He set her suit aside to reveal her cute breasts and began playing with them, making her moan and squirm. "Then I realized that I had been controlled by my own grief... I realized that I was supposed to be the master, not the slave... Then he helped me to master my fear..." Now she was getting aroused. Atrus cleverly played with her breasts and evaded her nipples, making her frenzy. She looked at him with her pleading eyes, but he knew what she was thinking. "So... you're... a brand new man...?" Her breathing became shorter and heavier. "No." he chuckled. "I'm just the same Atrus you've known... I'm just a better man..." He was a better man now! She was getting crazy, but he still teased her so cleverly. "Atrus... please take me..." "No, you're not ready..." "What do you mean, I'm not ready? I'm so... so..." She couldn't say it. It's too embarrassing. But he looked at her lovingly. "You look so cute when you're pissed off..." Anna blushed. She rarely took compliments seriously, especially those about her appearance. Suddenly Atrus disappeared from her sight. Then she felt him opening her legs, revealing her moist part. She was so embarrassed. Atrus, however, was happy with her response. He set her panties aside and licked her pussy lips. This time she couldn't hold it much longer and exploded. When she recovered, she giggled to see Atrus' face being covered by her cum. She happily licked him off. "I suppose I'll make you pay for this..." He laid her down again, moved in front of her opened crotch, and prepared his member. He looked at her, searching for a sign of objection, but found none. Anna was just waiting for him patiently. He slowly thrust his member inside. Her wet vagina made it easy for his member to slide in. When he put his full length in, she arched her back as pain and pleasure hit her. "I'm sorry, Anna... Are you okay...?" She smiled at him. "I'm alright... You can move now..." Atrus slowly moved in and out of her in a slow rhythm to help her get used to having him inside of her. She responded with soft moans in every thrust. Her stare was locked on Atrus' eyes. Those charming blue eyes... They were the same ones that belonged to Atrus White Lion whom she had known... She knew that she had once again found him... He slowly increased the pace as the feeling inside her was building up. Her vagina was now flooding with her cum. Atrus played with her nipples that aroused her even more. Shortly after, she reached the peak. "Atrus... I... can't..." She arched her back and cried as the ecstasy hit her nerve. Atrus held her body close as she came for the second time. It didn't take too long for him to join her. He pulled out of her, spurted his seeds on her belly and collapsed beside her. She rolled his body over and kissed him passionately. "Atrus... that was wonderful... thank you..." He smiled. "I'm most honored..." This was the moment... She had to say it... She looked at him in the eyes. "Atrus... I have favor to ask..." He looked away. She could notice the change in his expression. "You want me back, right?" Anna nodded. "Please join us again... Our journey is not finished yet..." Atrus stood up and put his pants on, then looked at the vast landscape before him. "I'm willing to, Anna... But there's one thing that still bothers me..." Anna turned away. "You still haven't forgiven me...?" "No! That's not it!" He quickly answered. "I... I'm not ready for this journey..." Anna watched him as he stared at the horizon. The sun was setting, adding wonderful touch to the evening sky. Silence crept upon them. Deep inside she could feel his emotion... his confusion... "When I follow you, I have nothing to fight for but fame. I wanted to be a true Ranger. I wanted to be a strong man. I wanted to be famous." He turned at her. "I want to make my father proud." He sighed before facing the horizon again. "Somehow in our journey, that desire has shifted. Suddenly I feel that I don't really care with my fame. I don't really care whether I can make a name for myself or not. When I realized that, I also found that I don't care about anything... I... I don't know what I'm fighting for... I have lost my desire... all of them..." She listened to him silently. She wished she could help him, but she didn't know what to do. She could only listen as he continued... "That's why I decided to leave you and Maya for a while. That's my main reason. And until I can find my real intention in this journey, I won't join you. I... I don't want to be a burden..." There was a moment of silent for a while. She tried to find a way to answer his question, but none came out. She had to admit that their quest was vaguely described. Until now the so-called Champion of the Guardian was still an enigma. "Why do you look for him...?" His question startled her. "I... I don't know... To save the land, I guess..." Atrus turned away again, but he didn't seem to be satisfied with the answer. But she couldn't say it... She couldn't say it until the time had come... "I'm sorry... I... I can't help you... I..." She said slowly. Atrus looked at her and smiled. "What for? You're willing to hear me. That means everything to me. I haven't talked to anybody about this. Not even to master Falagor." "But I'm not very helpful... I can't do anything..." "You don't have to." He offered his hand. "Come. We must return before dark. My master must have done his examination by now." They sat inside the cottage in silence. The fire had been lit. The dinner had been served. But nobody wanted to eat. Nobody had the desire to eat. Grief and despair had engulfed them all. "So, master... you can't save her..." Atrus said slowly. Falagor sighed for the fifth time that evening. "I'm sorry, my apprentice, the poison came from a rare root that grows only in the underworld realm. Until now nobody in our realm can make the antidote. Magic could cure her, but the poison has spread even to her cells. It's already too late." "It's all my fault... I should have cured her with my magic sooner..." Anna sobbed. Atrus put his hand on her shoulder. "It's not your fault. There's nothing you could have done. There's got to be another way to help her..." "But even Lord Falagor couldn't help her! Maya... she wouldn't make it, would she...?" "Actually there's still hope." Falagor quickly said. "What is it, master? I'm willing to do anything to save her!" He paused, then stared at Atrus. "There's a herb in this realm called Black Orchid. It is a flower that grows in the volcanic region. When mixed with several local herbs, it could create a poison so strong that it will slay anybody who drinks it instantly. However, it is known to have a powerful effect. It can be used to deter even the strongest poison in this realm, so it's a sort of poison against poison effect. That's why the elves called it the Almighty Potion." He drew a deep breath before continuing. "We might be able to use Black Orchid to save Maya's life. But there's a problem. Its poison was so strong that the effect will solely depend on the patient's body. The venom is very violent. The patient may die a terrible death if he couldn't hold it." "Master, are you saying that this poison can actually cure her?" "Yes, but only if she could endure the torture." Falagor answered. "You and Miss Freesland are her friends. You will decide her fate. Her life is in your hand." Anna looked helplessly at Atrus, who was just as confused as anybody else in the room. Letting her die in pain would be foolish, but using a stronger poison would make her suffer even more. Either way, she could die. They could only choose how. "Atrus... I don't know... I don't want her die... but I hate to see her suffer..." "No!" Atrus snapped at her. "I'm not going to let her go!" Anna was stunned. There was a scent of anger in his voice. He was angry, all right, and she could understand him. His friend was dying. She could remember his angered expression after the battle at Labrador. She could remember how hard he had blamed himself for not helping her. "Don't let your anger hinder your judgment, my apprentice." Falagor reminded him. "No, master, I'm still awake." Atrus answered. "I can't represent her, but I know her well. I know she will not die without a fight. She needs the chance, and I will give it to her." The room was silent for a while. Atrus was serious about his thought, and Anna knew better than trying to change his mind. She loved Maya, and she definitely wouldn't let her die easily. She owed Maya her life... she owed her too much... "I will go tomorrow to find the flower..." "WE will go tomorrow." Anna quickly added. "She's my friend, and I won't let her die." Atrus looked at her for a while, then smiled. "Thank you, Anna..." "I will put Maya in trance status. This might slow the venom's work, but not for long. You will have at least two or three days to find it and bring it back to me." Falagor said. "Where can we find this Black Orchid?" Anna asked. "It's very rare, but you're pretty lucky." Falagor answered. "There are some of them nearby... at the lava pool inside the mountain... the Mystic Mountain..." They had a quick breakfast that morning. They had been eating pancakes for 2 days now, and since there was no honey in the forest, they had to eat them plain. Nobody complained, though, for they don't want to make Anna volunteer to cook. Anna had packed everything for the journey. Atrus went inside Maya's room for a while. She lay there on the bed, unconscious. Her face was pale and her breathing was faint. Her hand was very cold in his palms. Despite her sickness, her face was still pretty, as if she was sleeping peacefully in her paradise. He knelt next to her bed and softly stroked her long hair. "Atrus, we're ready to..." Anna stood still near the door. "I... I'm sorry if I'm interrupting something... I'll see you outside..." Then she quickly left. Atrus just stared at the door for a while, then turned his attention back to the sleeping beauty before him. "Don't worry, Maya... We won't let you die... We'll fetch the antidote for you..." Then he softly kissed her delicate lips. As if she accepted it, her hand responded with a twitch. Atrus noticed this and tried to notice her consciousness, but she was still sleeping peacefully. "Don't worry, my apprentice. I will guard her with my life." Falagor's words calmed him a bit. He stood up and strapped his sword on his back. He gave a quick glance at Maya's prone body, then joined Anna outside the cottage. Falagor gave him a silver talisman. "Don't lose this. It contains a teleport spell for your trip back to the cottage. Call me when you're ready to activate it." Falagor raised his hands and a green light covered both Atrus and Anna. Slowly the surroundings grew vague as the teleport spell took effect. A few seconds later the view was changed with the thick forest around them and a long path toward the monstrous mountain... the Mystic Mountain. "Atrus! We got companies!" A small band of orcs jumped out from the bushes and attacked. Anna launched her fire bolts and fried the thugs, but more came from behind them. Atrus had already prepared his fighting stance when the attack came. One orc charged at him, but he evaded the blow and smashed his skull with his bare hand. Another one dispatched him, but he dodged his axe and kicked the creature on the groin. The orcs began to acknowledge Atrus' superior skill and hesitated to make another pass. "Well fought, Ranger... You are improving..." Anna complimented. "You're not bad yourself... Your magic is getting better. Say... shall we waste them all?" "Right behind you, tiger!" She prepared her best fire bolt spell. A few minutes later, the forest was littered by dead orcs. Anna didn't use her magic too much, and Atrus didn't even unsheathe his sword. Neither of them had a scratch. Anna sighed in relief. That was too easy. With Atrus around, everything seemed so easy. "Not bad, tiger... We waste them all..." "You fought well... How many spells have you mastered?" he asked. "Just a few... I've mastered fire bolt and force. Why?" "Oh... you're not that good, then..." "Hey! Watch it, mister! Are you saying that I'm incompetent?" Anna challenged. "Well... sort of..." He sneered. "JERK!!!" "ROOKIE!!!" "IDIOT!!!" "I'll deal with you later. Let's go!" "Fine! Lead the way, 'fearless leader'! Maya was trying to observe her surroundings, but she couldn't. Everything was dark. She was in the middle of nowhere. No sound reached her ears; no light shone upon her eyes. She could only sense one thing... the coldness around her. The chill embraced her body like a blanket. Her clothes served her little protection. Alone in the dark, she began to grow panic. "Mistress Anna...! Master Atrus...! Anybody... please answer me...!" Her voice echoed in the darkness, but no answer came. The darkness swallowed her fading call almost instantly. Then everything was silent once more. She couldn't even hear her breathing. "Is this underworld...? Am I dead...? Where am I...?" She tried to recall what had happened. The last thing she could remember was Atrus' concerned gaze. Falagor had shut down her nerve system, knocking her out of her own consciousness. Now she was alone in the dark, cold and frightened. "Master Atrus...! Please answer me...! I... I'm scared..." She began to weep, but she knew it was useless. Nobody would hear her. She felt lonely. For the first time after her liberty from the slavery, she was reunited with loneliness. "Maya Murdock... the brave and loyal warrior... now just a puny crying little girl..." Maya was shocked at the incoming voice. It came from nowhere, but it rang inside her head. The tone was firm and strong, making her even more frightened. "Who... who are you?" "I'm very disappointed... I'm expecting a fair fight... but YOU are my opponent? Hah!" Opponent! What was he talking about? "What do you want...? Show yourself!" "I'm here to fight you, Miss Murdock... You have been dreaming for this opportunity for many years... Now you have the chance... You'd better not miss it..." "Who are you? Are you the Lord of Darkness?" The answer was her ultimate nightmare. "Why, Miss Murdock... I'm Knight Murdock... John Murdock... or also known as John the Plunderer... your father..." Anna loosed another fire bolt that quickly roasted the nearby bat. More vampire bats swooped down, but were unable to penetrate her magical barrier. Atrus kept his body inside the barrier as Anna shot the bats down again and again. "We can't stay here too long! There are too many of them!" "They're coming from that hole!" Anna pointed at the huge hole on the cave ceiling above them. They were in the cave inside the Mystic Mountain when a group of vampire bats jumped them. "If I can get a clear shot at it, we could seal their lair!" "I will distract them! Don't miss!" Atrus dashed out of the barrier and hurled several stones at the evading bats. He scored no hit, but the bats were pissed off and started tailing him. He distracted the bats to the other end of the cave. "Anna, NOW!!!" With most of the bats at the other side of the cave, Anna could get a clear shot at the hole. She created the biggest fireball she ever made, and loosed it. A spectacular explosion occurred and the ceiling was collapsing. "Anna! OVER HERE!!!" Anna ran toward his voice. Atrus had found another path, and was keeping the bats away. Behind her, numerous boulders fell on the ground, burying anything beneath it. The ground beneath her began to rock, tripping her feet. She cried as her body fell on the ground, and the thunderous roar of the cave in behind her was getting close. "Atrus... help...!" Suddenly a pair of powerful arms grasped her shoulders and dragged her along the rocky ground. The dust blinded her eyes, but she tried to push herself forward. Then she felt her body being pinned on the ground, and the final roar of the collapsed cave was heard. "Anna... are you okay?" She sat down and rubbed her eyes. The cave was completely blocked by huge boulders, but before them was another long path deeper into the mountain. She was basically unhurt except the scratches on her knees that were made when Atrus dragged her away from the cave in. Atrus, on the other hand, had a lot of bite marks on his skin. His back was totally covered with dust when he protected her from the blast. "Thanks... I... I owe you one..." Anna said while trying to regain her breath. "One?! You owe me MANY!!! How many times have I saved your ass?!" "You... you..." "Come on! We don't have much time!" "JERK!!!" "WHY?! ANSWER ME?! WHY DO I HAVE TO ENDURE ALL THIS?!" Maya's cry echoed in the darkness. She was crying, but she still stood defiantly, waiting for a response. The answer was not the one she expected to hear. "So this is my brave daughter and student... crying helplessly at her state of being..." "YOU'RE NOT MY FATHER!!!" "AND I'M ASHAMED TO CALL YOU MY DAUGHTER!!!" The voice answered angrily. "The daughter of John the Plunderer is not a meek little girl!!" "But you made me into it! You made me endure all that slavery!" Maya countered. "Maya... Until when will you keep yourself enslaved?" "I'm not enslaved! I serve master Atrus under my own will!" "But you are still enslaved... by your own destiny..." "What are you talking about?" Maya was getting confused. "The grief caused by your slavery... it is still inside your heart... Your hatred for me still exists as well... Your body was facing the future, but your self is still trapped in your past..." "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" Then the memory flashed in her mind. The man in the bar... His words rang in her ears. She could remember how he had said that she looked exactly like her father. She could remember how Master Atrus had asked her about her father. In both occasions, she had refused to recall who he was. "Who are you actually?" she asked again. "Maya... your innocence has been protecting you until now, but it also prevents you from seeing the truth... You must arise, Maya... You must not be enslaved by your past... You must be free from the bondage of your emotion... You must face the destiny and control it..." "But how can I do that? Humans cannot change his destiny! Only the Guardian can!" "No, you're wrong. You're very wrong." A view came out in front of her eyes. It was... the brothel... She could recognize it well. That was where she had been enslaved for a full year. That was where she had been brutally violated by many men. That was the first place she wanted to forget. She could remember how Atrus had come and set her free. To repay his kindness, she had been his slave willingly, although he hadn't treated her like one. She could remember the creepy feeling when the thick leather collar was placed back around her neck... by her own hands...! At that time, she had made a choice... a choice that would affect her future... Then the vision changed into a large room with expensive furniture. She quickly recognized it as the brothel-master's bedroom, where she had been punished for her poor service. The hated man was there, sitting on his large bed. Another man, wearing dark clothes and purple cape entered and spoke. "We cannot get the girl, sir. The man took off immediately with her." "I thought I told you to use any means necessary, mister...?" The brothel-master said. "We later know the man as Atrus White Lion, the son of Captain White Lion and the hero in Labrador incident. A careless attempt to kill him might spell doom for all of us..." Kill him? Her old master wanted to kill master Atrus! Why...? Of course! He could have abducted her and put her back to slavery! But that didn't happen... because she had chosen to follow Atrus. Had she not chosen it, she would have been in the brothel, serving men's lust unwillingly. She wanted it... And her choice had changed her destiny... "Despite his divine authority, Lord Guardian is no dictator." The voice said again. "He doesn't want to control you. He gives you rights to choose your own path. But you have to master your path, not to be enslaved by it. Be who you want to be." They arrived at another huge room inside the mountain. The air was incredibly hot. They had to be somewhere near the center of the buried lava pool. Despite the unfriendly environment, the cave walls were decorated with beautiful and colorful mineral rocks. The rocks seemed to be illuminated elegantly by unknown light source behind the walls, giving little light to the otherwise-dark room. Halfway through the cave, Anna suddenly shuddered violently. She fell on her knees, only to be held by Atrus. "Anna! What's wrong?" "I... I don't know... My... my power... It's gone...! I can't cast any spells...!" She could feel it. Something in this room was usurping her spell power. She tried to resist it, but she kept on losing power. Her magic barrier and eagle eye spell seemed to use more power than before. "Dispel them! Anna, dispel them! Shut it down!" Atrus commanded. Anna dispelled all her active spells. She could feel her power returning, but an invisible field was enveloping her body, waiting for her to use her spell again. Every time she prepared to channel her power, the cave absorbed it again. Her magic ability had been rendered useless! "Don't use any spells! We can do it without them. Just keep your eyes open..." A strange roar from the other end of the room cut off Atrus’ words. Strange force lifted rocks and pebbles from the ground and mashed them into forms... of humans! The rocks slowly formed the legs, bodies, arms, and round heads. The creatures stood erect about nine feet tall. Many more materialized from all corners of the room, surrounding and pinning them in the center of the cave. "Anna...? Do you see them or those were just illusion...?" Atrus asked. "Earth elementals... They were creatures created from rocks and earth, bound by strong magical force, enabling them to form up when they sense danger and disperse to conceal their existence. Ancient tribe shamans usually use them to guard precious mines or quarries in their territories. The knowledge to cast this complicated spell had been lost in time." The detailed information served them no help as several elementals raised their rocky arms. Atrus grabbed Anna's little body in his arms and pinned her down on the ground as sharp pebbles propelled from the elementals' arms. The rocks found their marks after being bounced back and forth by the walls, but Anna was fully protected by Atrus' body. Even he didn't groan, she knew he was hurt. "Atrus... Are you okay?" Atrus stood up and faced the front group. "Cover my rear. This is my fight." Atrus unsheathed his sword for the first time that day. That sword...! She could recognize the deep blue glow. It was the demonic sword wielded by the demon king Lucius, back in Gideon. It was the same sword that had claimed Jenna's life, the beautiful young maid from Gideon. Then the air around Atrus grew hot. Anna quickly moved away as bright flame engulfed his body. His eyes were blazing with fire. The only thing that was not burned was the deep blue sword in his hand. The scene was exactly the same as the one in Gideon, inciting fear inside her. A group of elementals shot numerous pebbles at the petrified Anna, but Atrus stood between her and the creatures. The fire around his body quickly incinerated the incoming missiles. "ANNA! ON YOUR FEET!" He talked to her! His voice was heavy and sore. Atrus dashed toward a group of elementals and began to slice and dice them with his mighty sword. The demonic sword glowed brightly as it sent frost spells to all creatures unlucky enough to be on its way. The sword slashed through the rocky figures, freezing the creatures from inside, crumbling the rocks and dispelling the magical bonds. Atrus expertly played his sword, and one by one the creatures perished into pebbles and dust. The elementals from the other side shot more pebbles at Anna, but she required no second command. She wielded her metal mace and deflected the flying rocks. Despite their huge forms and incredible strength, earth elementals were awfully slow and sluggish in their movement. Anna dashed toward them and began her hit-and-run attack, bashing their body and evading their attempts to grab her. Slowly, their ranks began to diminish as her mace turned them back into dust. Several bigger remains could group together to form new creatures, forcing Anna to crush them to crumbs. Atrus, however, had no trouble in doing that. With his fireballs, he could incinerate the elementals in one shot. He fought fiercely to secure the other path and quickly cleared it from any hostile creatures. Then he dashed to the other side and helped Anna with the remaining enemies. After half an hour of intense battle, the cave was cleared. Anna just lay on the ground, panting from exhaustion. Brute fighting was not her specialty since she relied heavily on her magical skill. Atrus' flame also subsided, returning his old form. He looked unhurt except the wounds on his back. She had to admit that he had killed far more foes than she had. "Well fought, Ranger..." He just smiled. "Now you've seen what I've learnt from Master Falagor." "You seem to be able to control your power by now..." He nodded. "In Gideon, my power was controlled by my anger and anguish. That's why I couldn't control it. Now I can control it and put it into good use." He looked at his glowing sword. "This cursed sword has been put into good use as well.... Jenna... I will use it in her memory..." She could feel his sadness. He still felt responsible for Jenna's death. "I'm sure she will be very proud..." "I know... But you fought well. I'm pretty impressed." "Now you know that mocking me is your biggest mistake!" Anna sneered. "Well... not good enough to beat my superior skill... but it's okay..." Then he walked away. "You... you... JERK!!!" "But why...? Why did I have to be a criminal's daughter? I didn't wish for that destiny!" "You must learn to accept reality, for you cannot run from it. Reality comes from the past, and you cannot change it. However, reality must have served you something." She thought for a while. He was right. Her fighting style... her trap disarming skill... she got that from her father... and they had for many occasions saved many lives, including hers. "But why do I have to become a slave? Why do I have to live in disgrace?" Another vision came before her eyes. She recalled it as the trading town of Tiras in southern Aragon, where she had been enslaved. The view revealed three people, Atrus, Anna, and herself. It was the time before she pledged allegiance to Atrus. "I went to the brothel house to look for a slave so we can grant her independence." She heard Atrus saying to her in the vision. "But most of the whores I found enjoyed their slavery. You didn't enjoy your slavery. Therefore I decided that you didn't belong there." That's it! Her slavery had failed to make her into a submissive whore. She had endured it well, and she had come out stronger. She couldn't imagine what she had become if she learnt about sex the easy way, just like all those whores. Deep inside, she felt proud of her strength and dignity. For all these years she had hated her father for making her endure all the pains of her past. But now she had realized how she had been enslaved by her hatred. She had seen how she had tried to run away from reality. She had known how much she had learnt from her past. Slowly, her heart, along with her hatred, melted. She looked into the darkness. "Thank you... father... I... I thank you..." "For what, Maya? I thought you hate me with all your heart." "You have opened my eyes. I used to hate my past. You have made me realized how my past had taught me many things. I... I'm sorry... For many years I've hated you. My destiny with you has served me well. It has served me, and it will not control me, ever." Another image appeared from the darkness in front of her, and she quickly recognized him as her late father... the man who had become her worst nightmare... the man who had been her symbol of disgrace... the man who had freed her from the prison of her past... "Father... I... I..." That smiling face... that loving gaze... was overwhelming. Tears of joy fell from her eyes. She realized how much she missed him. She realized how much she loved him. The hatred from her past had kept those feeling from arising. "Father... I love you... Are we going to be together once again...?" "Oh my god..." The two companions had arrived in the lava pool. Rocky walls covered by precious gemstones fortified the huge cave. On the center of the room was a large lava pit. The lava beneath was bubbling violently, indicating that the mountain was actually still active inside. At the center of the lake was a small island. A stone altar stood on the island. Numerous pieces of stone stood circling the altar. "Atrus! Look!" Anna pointed at the island next to the altar. It looked like another standing stone, but after looking at it for a while, Atrus identified it as a sitting man. He sat near the lava pool, unmoved. A long stick was in his grasp. "I cannot believe there's a man inside the Mystic Mountain..." "I can't either... Come on, we have to cross the pool." The island was isolated from the rest of the cave by the lava pit. The only mean of crossing was the rows of raised rock platforms from the cave side to the island. Beneath the rocks, however, was the endless journey toward the center of the planet, and both of them knew it wouldn't be entertaining. Moreover, the pit also produced bursts of flame constantly that could almost reach the ceiling. "Even if I can cast it, my magic barrier won't protect you from the lava..." Anna warned. Atrus carefully walked near the pit. The heat was intense, making both of them sweat excessively. The nearest platform was close, but he wanted to make sure it was strong enough to support his weight. He carefully stepped on it and confirmed that it was indeed firm. He then put the other foot on and stood on it. To his dismay, the rock shook a little. Far beneath him was the fierce bubbling lava. If he fell down, he would be incinerated instantly. He tried to recall all the balance training he had received from his father. When one's heart was calm, his body would obey him to the fullest. When soul was at peace, the coordination would reach perfection. He took a deep breath, tried to forget about the hell beneath, and looked at the path before him. He took another step, then another one, then another one. His confidence grew in every successive step he made. Soon he found himself standing halfway through the lava pit. The flare erupted angrily beneath his feet, but he stood firmly on two platforms. He looked back at Anna. "Come! You can do it!" "Yeah... Easy for you to say..." She mocked him. "Do you prefer staying with those cute elementals until the end of time?" "No! But being boiled in the cauldron below won't be fun..." She had her reason to fear. He thought for a while, then came up with a brilliant idea. "Are you saying that you're SCARED?" "NO!!! I'm just... just..." "You know what, Anna... You're starting to... disappoint me..." "You...! You'll pay for mocking me!" "COWARD!!!" "BONEHEAD!!!" "EGGHEAD!!!" "DOLT!!!" "CHICKEN!!! CLUCK... CLUCK... CLUCK..." "ARRGH!!! FINE!!!" She took one careful step on the nearest platform. The rock held her weight firmly. Her body, however, shivered from a terrible fear. She tried to regain her balance, then dared herself to take another bold step. Her breathing was heavy, and sweat covered her completely. After the third step, when she thought she couldn't make it, she heard him again. "Is that all you can do? Ah come on! Even my thirteen-year-old cousin can do better!" "NO, HE CAN'T!!!" "True. But after seeing you, I'm quite sure. Moreover, it's SHE! That's right... a GIRL..." "ATRUS!!! I'LL MAKE YOU PAY!!!" She took another step, then another one, supported solely by her anger. Once she was near to him, however, her mind was fixed to 'revenge'. She didn't realize the slight elevation change of the next platform. When she did, it was too late. Her left foot was tripped, and she stumbled forward. "ANNA!!! YOUR HAND!!!" Before her eyes was the blazing lava pit, waiting to turn her body into ashes. She cried at the top of her voice, dreaded at the sight. Suddenly she felt a pair of strong arms grabbed her extended right arm and swung her back up. Atrus, who stood firmly between two rocks, caught her arm in time, and was swinging her body. The island was not too far away, but he only had one shot. He threw her body backwards as far as he could, used the gravity to make a stronger counter-swing toward the island, and let her go. She screamed as her body was propelled in the air. He made it! Anna landed on the island, although the landing wasn't nice. His action, however, was done by sacrificing his own balance. The momentum made his left leg slip off from the rock platform. His right leg followed shortly, but his right arm made a majestic safe by holding the platform where his right foot had used to be. He was hanging on one arm on the rock platform, and beneath him was the dreaded lava pool, ready to swallow his next prey. "ATRUS!!!" Anna was near the pit, looking at him in terror. She had forgotten about the pain in her ass during the landing. She had forgotten all the insults he had made. "Atrus... forget about what I said... Just... just don't die...!" She was right. He could feel his arm was getting weary. His death was at hand. It was only a grasp away, and then everything would be over. But he didn't want to die. If he died, Maya's hope of survival would be lost. He calmed down and let the feeling flow through him. And the flame around his body was ignited. The hidden power inside his body was once again available for him to use. The sore pain in his right arm gave in and he could feel the power returning. Slowly he lifted his body back to the platform. Soon, he secured his position on the rocks again. With his new power, his sense was greatly enhanced, making his work much easier now. He took another step, then another one, then another one. He made his way across the lava pit in no time. The blaze across his body vanished as he calmed down. The frightened Anna greeted him immediately. She snuggled him tightly; the hint of fear was still in her voice. "Thank god, Atrus... you're okay... Don't do that again...!" He embraced her and comforted her shivering body. "It's okay. I don't have a cousin, anyway." He chuckled. "Let's check our friend here." They walked slowly toward the figure. It was a figure of an old man with a long beard. His long robe confirmed him as a mage. He snuggled his long magical rod between his arms. But one important detail was quite terrifying. The volcanic dust had mummified the man. His skin was completely dark and rigid, but his original shape was kept. His eyes stared blankly to the far wall. Suddenly Anna tugged his arm and pointed at the altar. On the altar was a book. It had beautiful sculptures on the cover, but the astonishing thing was that the book was actually floating. "I... I can't believe it... the long lost Book of Elements..." "What?" Anna looked at him, puzzled. "Don't you know? The Book of Elements was the ultimate dream for every mage in the realm! You can master many elemental spells by only learning ONE book!" "No... I haven't heard..." "Nobody has heard about it for years. It belonged to the Order of Magi, far north of Aragon. The place was destroyed during the Great Magi Wars. The book was lost, and now it has been found..." He could remember clearly how the Great Magi Wars had happened nine years ago. The magi of the realm had refused to swear allegiance to any of the kingdoms in the land. Both Elven and Human kingdoms had claimed possession of the group, since the magi clan had members from all races. The clan, however, had decided to take the subversive way and rebelled against both rulers. They had been driven away, but the war had unnecessarily claimed many lives. Anna picked the book up from the altar, looked at it in awe, then put it inside her backpack. He then glanced back to Atrus. "My theory is that this unfortunate mage is a fugitive from the raid. He took the book before the whole place was burned, and hid the book here. He created force fields to dampen magic inside the caves and put elemental guardians to ward off the soldiers who came for him. However, the force fields also hampered his own magic, and he was trapped here, forever..." Atrus nodded at her theory, but his attention turned to the small weeds beneath the altar. The Black Orchid! Anna seemed to notice it as well. She retrieved the clay container from her backpack, put a leather glove on, and carefully picked some of the flowers up. Nobody, not even Falagor, wanted to play around with the strongest poison in the realm. She closed the container with several bands of rope. "Okay, I got it! Now... the talisman." Atrus took the talisman out. The silver medallion was not very impressive, but it contained a very strong magic inside. "Do you think this will work inside the force fields?" he asked. "Let's hope your master is strong enough to be called the supreme wizard of the realm..." He eased his mind, trying to invoke the power of the talisman. "Master... we're ready." The talisman shone brightly and the vision around them grew dim. It was soon replaced by the friendly-looking nature. The hot air was replaced by cool air and light wind. The roar of the lava was replaced by soft sound of birds chirping from a far. Behind them, the old cottage stood where Falagor was waiting. The talisman had worked! "Atrus... the sun!" The sun was rising! They had been fighting inside the mountain for the entire night! And Maya's life was at stake! "Anna! Get back to the cottage now! I'll be right behind!" Anna required no second command, and quickly ran toward the cottage. Atrus took a last glance toward the mountain before him. There were many things he didn't understand. Why would a fugitive of both Humans and Elven kingdoms built his hiding place near both nations' border? Why had the mage be so careless in making his defenses that had finally claimed his own life? Didn't all magi know everything about their spells, including the effects and consequences? But the questions would remain... kept secret beneath the surface of the Mystic Mountain... "Father... Why are you here?" Maya finally asked. Her father before him smiled. "I'm here to bring you home. At last we're together." He lifted his hands, and before her came another image. A beautiful garden replaced the darkness around her. The vast carpet of thin green grass covered the landscape. The soft breeze of wind played her ponytail. Songs of birds could be heard from afar. Wonderful flowers from many kinds were blossoming, spreading their fragrant perfumes. "Father... is... is this paradise...?" His father nodded. "Your loyalty to your master is unwavering. Lord Guardian has acknowledge your kindness and has granted you the best." He smiled warmly. "You belong here." "Then... then I'm dead already..." She said nervously. "Master Atrus... Mistress Anna... I... I've left them..." "They don't belong here, Maya. Their time has not come." Her father answered. "You don't have to feel pain anymore. You don't have to suffer in the ruthless world anymore. You're free." "No more pain... no more suffering..." She repeated. "That's right." He gestured at the vast landscape around them. "All these glory of nature... they are all yours. The choice is all yours." "My choice..." "Yes... You have to choose wisely, Maya..." Maya's body shook violently again, startling both Atrus and Anna to death. Falagor lay her quivering body back to bed and checked her condition, although he knew it wouldn't help much. The poison had been applied and was now working; both fighting the original venom and destroying her already battered body. Her soul was getting weaker and weaker. Atrus sat quietly on the bed beside her body. Anna sat next to him, sobbing. Falagor sat on the other side of the bed. Maya had been shuddering violently for nearly three hours. In each passing moment, her soul was getting farther and farther from Falagor's reach. Atrus had started to blame himself for causing her to suffer more, but now there was nothing he could do. "Master... is she... is she...?" "I'm sorry, my apprentice... I can't reach her... All we can do is pray..." "Lord Guardian... please don't let her die..." Anna pleaded. "I'm sorry, father... I have to fail you." Maya finally answered. "What for?" His father asked with puzzled look. "I cannot accept your call to paradise." She said. "I don't want to die." "But your role in the world is over, Maya. This is your place." She looked at her father with determination. "You taught me a lot about deciding my own destiny. You taught me that the choice is in my hand. Deep inside, I know this is not my destiny." "What do you mean, Maya?" "My task is not completed yet. I still have to go with Master Atrus and Mistress Anna. I still have to look for the Champion of the Guardian. I still have to save the people of Aragon from the Army of Darkness. I promised Master Atrus that I will follow him forever." "But that's their task now. You're finished, Maya, finished." "No, father!" She answered. "I will go with them. I will help them in their journey. THAT is my destiny. I'm sorry I have to fail you, but deep inside I know that I have made the right choice." His father just stared at her for a while. She thought she had just angered him for what she had said, but she hadn't do anything wrong. She had been honest with her mind, and she wouldn't regret it. Suddenly his father smiled warmly at her. "Maya... my lovely daughter... You have grown wiser than I thought... You're no longer my little girl... Look how much you've grown..." "Father...?" "You have chosen wisely, my child." He answered. "The time has not come for both of us to be together. Your master is waiting for you. Go now." He paused before adding. "I just want you to know how proud I am to have you as my daughter..." Tears filled her eyes. "Father... I... I love you..." "Go now, my child... Keep me alive in your heart, and I will be with you... always..." And suddenly her eyes snapped open. "Maya!!! Oh my god... She's awake! Maya!!! You're awake!!!" Anna cried hysterically. She turned to see both Anna and Atrus. Her eyes were still heavy from the long sleep. "Master... Mistress... am... am I alive...?" Atrus took her hand and squeezed is softly. Even his eyes were full with joyous tears. "Yes, Maya... You'll be fine... Welcome back..." The feast was wonderful. The local villagers of Whitewater entertained them with beautiful music and delicious meals. The feast was dedicated for Atrus, their beloved Bakara, and his friends. Falagor had refused to join them despite Atrus' constant pleas. Maya attended the feast on her chair. Her body was still too weak to dance, but she enjoyed her time. The party lasted for the whole night. When it was over, Atrus thanked the locals for the wonderful feast. He then returned to the cottage with Anna, Maya was strapped on his back. They were inside the forest when it happened. The sky was suddenly covered with thick cloud and the moon was instantly hindered. The forest was extremely dark except the small light coming from Anna's torch. The wind picked up and was blowing wildly. Atrus unsheathed his sword and Anna drew her mace, prepared for any threats. Maya was not in condition for a fight, although she wanted to join them. "Keep your eyes open... I have a bad feeling about this..." Atrus warned. Then a bright light shone before them, blinding their eyes. Atrus thought he would be blinded permanently, but he realized that he could see through the blinding light. There was a figure, floating before him a few inches over the ground. Atrus prepared to attack, but Anna came to her sense. "Atrus... I... I can't believe it..." She fell to her knees. "Lord Guardian... Adriana Freesland... at your service..." Atrus couldn't believe it either. Lord Guardian, the supreme god and lord of the realm was now before him! He dropped to his knees, being careful not to cause Maya to fall. "It's okay. As you were." The Guardian's voice was clear and firm. "Lord Guardian... I'm sorry... Atrus White Lion, at your service..." "Maya Murdock, at your service, my lord..." Maya said, still in Atrus' embrace. The light no longer blinding them, and they could see the figure clearly, although not in detail. "Peace be with you, humans. Forgive me for my sudden appearance." "No, my lord... It's my greatest pleasure to witness your appearance." Atrus answered. The figure turned to him. "Ranger White Lion... You have grown strong and well mannered. I know you since you were small, and I'm pleased to see you so mature today." "Thank you, my lord. I'm most honored." "And you, Priest Freesland... I'm also happy to find you still strong in your dreams and ideals. You have been the inspiration to your friends." "My lord... I live to serve you and protect your creations..." Anna replied humbly. "And finally you, Maya Murdock..." The Guardian turned to Maya. "Your loyalty is as strong as mountains, and even the storm of the Northern Sea is not strong enough to break it. Someday in your life, you will be well rewarded for your faithfulness." "Thank you, my lord..." Maya answered. "My loyal people, I'm here to ask for your favor." The Guardian finally said. "My lord... Please let us know what you need. We will devote our energy to serve you." "You know that the Dark Age has swept over the land. Invaders from the Nether Realm have been trying to claim control of your realm." "May we know why, my lord...?" Maya asked. A scene appeared in front of them. They didn't know what it was, but it was a huge pink crystal looming among the vast field of snow. "This is the Crystal Tower, the gateway between the World and the Underworld. The great Goddess Gaea guarded the Gate. In accordance to the prophecy, the Gate is now open, controlled by the demons. Gaea herself was arrested and poisoned." The view changed into a figure of a beautiful naked woman chained spread-eagled in the air. Her body was full with welts and whip marks. She was in great agony. A long brown tentacle emerged from the floor and violated her vagina mercilessly, and another one raped her ass. Several tentacles played with her breasts and tugged her nipples. Behind her was a huge blue arc stone gate with dark hole in the middle. From it came the long stream of dark power into the wind. As the woman came, the dark stream flooded the gate, summoning more demonic power into the World. The dark stream enveloped her body, choking her and adding her misery. "This place is the source of the plague..." Atrus declared. "I have heard my people cry, and I've decided to come to their aid. I have sent a helper, a man who will liberate the land from the plague." "My lord, are you referring to the Champion of the Guardian?" Anna asked. "That is correct. I want you to look for him, and lead him to his destiny." The request startled them "But we don't know who or where he is..." Maya claimed. "You will find him in your quest. I have another task for you, Ranger White Lion." "Yes, my lord..." "You will go to the Kingdom of Aragon and urge the king to wage a war against the Army of Darkness. Then you will go to the four clans of the realm and urged them to form an alliance to suppress the threat. Only the full alliance of five clans of the realm will survive the assault of darkness. "But how will they believe us?" Atrus asked again. "You will go to the five clans, including your kingdom. Every one will ask you to do a certain mission to prove your role as my prophet. Complete their requests, and they will be convinced." Atrus thought for a while. They were going to be the Guardian's prophets. They have to create an alliance consisting of every race in the realm, including the Humans and Elves, who didn't like each other. Moreover, the royal palace was filled with all kinds of people he didn't really want to deal with. The Guardian was able to read his concern. "Fear not, young Ranger. I will accompany you in your journey." "It's not that, my lord. I'm just worried I will fail you." Atrus answered honestly. "You will not, for I'm with you. This is my sign. In every clan you will seek one soul that I have chosen earlier. Every one of them had a dream of the Champion of the Guardian. They will follow you and aid you in your quest. You must seek all five warriors from the five clans, or the Champion of the Guardian will not be revealed. Do you understand?" "Yes, my lord." All three of them answered. "Remember, I will always be with you all." Suddenly the bright light disappeared from sight. The forest was dark once again, and they were alone, staring at each other. For a while, no one spoke. "Well, I suppose we have a task to do..." Anna spoke up finally. "I... I don't know." Atrus said slowly. "Master Atrus... What's wrong? You don't seem too happy..." Maya asked innocently. "I don't know... I just think I'm not ready for this journey..." "You don't know what you're fighting for, right?" Anna approached. "Yes... that's right..." Anna stared at him. "Then tell me, Atrus, why did you insist to save Maya's life?" The question shocked him. "What... what do you...?" "Answer me!" She cut him off. Atrus turned to see Maya, who was staring at him, waiting for his answer. Anna looked at him sharply, demanding an answer. "I... I think I love her... I don't want to let her go..." He finally admitted. "Why didn't you tell the villagers about it?" Her second question came. He really didn't tell the villagers about his action in the Mystic Mountain. He had simply told them that the hermit had healed Maya. "I suppose it is not necessary..." "Don't you care of the fame and glory anymore? Don't you love hearing praises from them?" "No, I suppose not..." He told her the truth. "Atrus... Don't you get what I'm trying to show you?" Anna finally asked. "Master... your feeling... it has defeated your dream of fame and glory..." Maya added. His feeling... his love... had really saved Maya's life, and he didn't really asked for anything in return... He understood now... He fought for her because he loved her... "Atrus... think about all the innocent people in the realm! Think about how the demons have robbed their lives. Think about what will happen to the world if the evil forces are victorious." Then Maya touched his shoulder. "Think about Jenna, Master Atrus... How many innocent people like her have to die in hands of those demons?" She was right! He hated to see those people slaughtered by the demons. Jenna's death was a terrible tragedy, and more would be killed if the prophecy was not fulfilled. Somebody had to do something, and he had got his order, directly from the Guardian. That somebody was he. "Thank you, Anna, Maya... I have found what I'm fighting for..." He looked at them with determination. "The Guardian has revealed the love in me. He has changed my life. Therefore I swear I will fight for his people." Falagor wasn't surprised with his request. "Of course, my apprentice. Your training here is over. There's nothing I could teach you anymore." They were standing in front of the cottage. It was two days after the Guardian came to Atrus. Anna stood beside him, holding her backpack on her shoulder. She was merrier than ever; happy to have Atrus back in the party. Maya stood nearby, looking better. Falagor's treatment had helped her body to get well. The poison had been gone completely. Actually, even Falagor was amazed. He claimed that he didn't help much in the treatment process. It seemed that Maya's life force had healed her body. Never in his career had he seen such a strong will to survive. He couldn't understand it, but decided to accept the result. "Master Falagor... I can't thank you enough for bringing me back to my old self..." "No, my apprentice... YOU have found your old self. It was inside your heart, hidden by your grief and anger." Falagor answered. "I just helped you find it." "And thank you for teaching me those healing spells..." Anna spoke up. "You're welcome, Priest Freesland. Use them well." "Lord Falagor... thank you for everything..." Maya said lastly. "Don't thank me. Your master saved your life. Take care of him well." "Master Falagor... goodbye... I hope we'll see again..." Atrus bid him farewell. "Be careful in your journey, my apprentice. A royal task will be difficult, but I'm confident you will be able to do the Guardian's bidding." Slowly, the three companions walked away from the cottage into the dense forest. Atrus seemed unwilling to leave his teacher, but he knew he had a mission to do. The villagers escorted them halfway through the forest. They also let their beloved Bakara go unwillingly, but Atrus promised that he would return. Gordon took them to the road leading to the kingdom. "I suppose this is where we say goodbye, Bakara..." He said. Atrus smiled. "Thank you for all your kindness to me and my friends. I promise I will return after my job is done." Anna approached Gordon and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you for helping me and Maya. We owe you our life." Gordon smiled warmly. "I will always pray for you all. May the Guardian speed your way." And they left the village of Whitewater, carrying a big brown bag given by the villagers... ... full of pancakes. "HOW ARE WE GOING TO EAT ALL THESE PANCAKES?" Anna yelled. She got sick with pancakes after their last encounter. "It's their way to thank you for being part of their village, I suppose." Maya said. "That's true. It's also a payment for your naughty kiss..." Atrus sneered. "Naughty kiss? Just tell us that you're jealous..." Anna shot back. "JEALOUS? I can get kisses ANYWHERE and from ANYONE!!! Right, Maya?" "Eh...?" "PERVERT!!!" "CHEAP PRIEST!!!" "JERK!!!" Maya just walked merrily with them, happy that both her friends had returned into their old selves. And the Land of Lore welcomed them back in their adventure with its warm sun and cool breeze. Falagor stood outside his cottage, looking at the vast landscape before him. The bright light was right beside him, illuminating the surrounding. "A young man with such spirit... Too bad he has to go through pain and misery throughout his life... He could just have picked a mate and settled down..." "Indeed. Yet his destiny dictates otherwise." "Tell me, Lord Guardian. What do you think of him?" "He has matured just as I expected. But before him still lie danger and death. Agony beyond imagination will threaten him. He will be tortured from inside out." The silence enveloped them for a while. Finally the wizard turned to the light. "And when will he know his destiny?" "It's not the time yet. When his time has come, he will face his destiny. When his time has come, he will be prepared to face it." To Be Continued... * * * * * Thank you to everybody who has been very helpful and supportive in my work. For those who wonder, I do accept critiques. I've received a few, and I'd love to hear more. - Viper vipers101@hotmail.com