Sasha's father pulled into the driveway and parked the car. "Here we are," he said, opening the door and getting out.
Sasha opened the passenger door and got out as well, looking at their surroundings. They were in a residential area of Troisemburg, and her father had taken them to a medium-sized house. It was an older house, and Sasha almost felt an air of comfort from it, despite the rain.
Suddenly, she heard a knock on the car window, coming from the backseat. Turning around, Sasha realized that they must be having trouble getting out.
She walked over and opened the backseat door. Immediately, Zain fell out, sprawling on the ground; he was followed by Karen and Guy, who fell on top of him.
Guy looked up at Sasha, frowning. "The next time your father says that four people can fit in a backseat, I shall have to disagree with him," he stated.
Karen sighed. "I couldn't agree more."
From underneath them came a muffled voice. "Mmm mmm mm mm!"
Realizing their situation, Karen and Guy rolled off of Zain, embarrassed. Trying not to laugh, Sasha bent down and helped Zain to his feet. "Are you okay, Zain?" she asked.
"I'll live," Zain replied. He looked at Karen and Guy. "They're just lucky they didn't cut themselves on these." He pointed to his goggles; nothing remained of their lenses except for broken glass shards.
"Sorry, Zain," said Karen. "I didn't mean to fall on you. We were squeezed in there so tightly that when the door opened, I couldn't help but fall out."
Guy nodded in agreement. "It was the same with me. I apologize, Zain."
A voice spoke up from inside the car. "It is because you have no sense of balance."
The four friends turned and looked as the newest member of their group calmly opened the door on the other side of the car and got out. "If a Dalaamese warrior were to fall in that manner, it would be a disgrace."
Zain turned to Kato as the younger boy came around the car to face them. "I guess it's a good thing we're not Dalaamese warriors, then," he joked, scratching his head.
Kato nodded solemnly. "Indeed."
The four of them stared at Kato, surprised. "You don't have to be so blunt about it," Sasha admonished him.
"I speak only the truth," Kato told her. He turned away and walked over to Sasha's father, his regal cloak billowing around him.
Zain stared after him in disbelief. "He's acting awfully high-and-mighty for a little kid," he said quietly.
Kato stopped walking and glanced back over his shoulder. "I heard that."
Ignoring them, Guy walked up to Sasha's father. "Where are we, Mr. Maybee?" he asked.
Samuel turned to him. "This house belongs to a friend of ours, Guy," he replied. "The other member of our Scrabble team."
Guy's eyes widened, and he looked at the house in a new light. "This is where Mark Wyrd lives?" he said. "I have never seen his home before."
Samuel turned to the others. "Everyone, let's get inside quickly, so we can get out of this rain," he said.
Sasha nodded. "Right, Dad." She turned to the others.

Mark Wyrd was more than a little surprised to see Samuel Maybee show up at his house with four teenagers and a 12-year-old in tow. "M-Mr. Maybee!" he stammered. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm sorry to disturb you on your day off, Mark," said Sasha's father, "but it's an emergency. The hotel I was staying at was attacked, and I didn't know where else to go."
"A... Attacked?" Mark repeated. "You mean like that city in America was attacked earlier this morning?"
Guy stepped forward upon hearing this. "There was another attack?"
Upon seeing Guy, Mark Wyrd became even more surprised. "Guy!" he cried. "What are you doing here? You know what your father said: you're not supposed to leave the base!"
"It was my doing," Samuel answered for Guy. "A situation has come up, and it's no longer possible for Guy to stay at the base. In any case, this isn't about him; it's about the fact that aliens are invading Earth."
Mark sighed. "You're right," he said. "There was an emergency news report this morning that said that the town of Spookane, in America, was invaded by aliens and strange phenomena, not to mention creatures of the Madness."
"Strange phenomena?" said Guy. "What kind of strange phenomena do you mean?"
Mark stared at him. "All kinds of weird stuff was happening," he replied. "The reporter who gave the emergency report earlier said that everyday objects, like cars and even road signs, were actually moving by themselves, attacking people. Not only that, but strange tentacled aliens showed up and started abducting people. A lot of people in Spookane have just... disappeared."
Karen's eyes narrowed. "Abducted... Just like Neil..."
Then Mark looked at the others who had arrived with Samuel. "Mr. Maybee, who are these other kids you've brought with you?"
Sasha's father sighed. "Mark, we need to talk."

About a half hour later, they finished explaining to Mark what was going on.
Mark sighed. "Geez," he said, "I sure didn't expect anything like this."
He looked at the five youths. "So, you're basically the successors to the four heroes that defeated Giygas 30 years ago."
Zain nodded. "That's right, Mr. Wyrd. Thank you for letting us stay here for now."
"It's not a problem," Mark assured them. "I don't know if I believe in the whole 'chosen ones' thing, but in times like this, we need all the hope we can get."
Karen sighed. "I just hope we haven't put you in danger, Mr. Wyrd," she said. "Somehow, the enemy keeps finding us, as if they always know our exact location. Mister P found Guy, Neil, and I in Duplora, and Kaatz found us at the hotel in this town." She looked at the floor. "Why do they keep finding us? Can they read our thoughts?"
Her words gave Guy an idea. "Karen..." he said, "I believe I may have found the reason for that."
Everyone turned to look at him, waiting expectantly. Surprised by the attention, Guy cleared his throat and offered his explanation. "Karen, your telepathy allows you to read the thoughts of others, correct?"
Karen nodded. "Yeah, ever since I found out I had it."
"Then here is my theory," Guy offered. "If your telepathy allows you to read others' thoughts, then it would only make sense that you are projecting your own thoughts as well. We may not be able to read them, but it is possible that the enemy has agents who can."
Everyone stared at Guy in surprise, and Karen gasped in astonishment. "I... I never even thought of that!" she cried. "That means..."
She paused as the truth finally dawned on her. Somehow, she knew that Guy was right. "So then... Every time someone's come after us... It was because of me." She closed her eyes, filled with guilt. "It's all my fault."
Zain shook his head. "It's not your fault, Karen," he assured her. "There was no way you could have known."
Sasha smiled at Karen. "Besides, can't you just keep your telepathy turned off? If you block yourself from reading thoughts, that should block you from projecting thoughts, too."
Karen slowly nodded. She closed her eyes for a moment, and then opened them again. "It's done," she said. "My telepathy is disabled. I'll leave it that way from now on."
Guy nodded. "Then, the forces of the new evil should not be able to find us anymore... At least, not as easily as they have in the past."
He cleared his throat. "So, now that we have handled that matter..." His gaze turned to Kato. "There is the matter of who YOU are, and where you have come from."
Kato folded his arms. "My name is Kato," he replied. "Although you already know that. I am a warrior of Dalaam, and a member of the Chosen Eight."
"A warrior?" Sasha repeated. "But you don't look... old enough."
"I may be only 12 years old," Kato said, "but I have been trained in the art of fighting all my life. Besides, if I recall correctly, most of the Chosen Four were not much older, when they defeated Giygas."
Zain shrugged. "Well, in any case, you're right about being one of the Chosen Eight. I knew as soon as I saw you."
"Is that so?" Kato replied, raising an eyebrow.
Sasha looked at Zain. "Well, Zain's the leader, so he seems to have some kind of ability to recognize the other members," she said. "If he says that you're one of us, then you must be."
"There's still one thing I don't get, though," said Zain. "Kato, how do you already know about the Chosen Eight? You're the only one I've met who already knows."
Kato stared solemnly at him. "I was told my destiny by the old master, who resides in the palace of Dalaam," he answered. "He is very wise, and he is able to see the flow of time and destiny during his meditations. After he told me of my destiny, he sent me here, to join your cause."
He smiled. "It's almost fitting, I suppose," he continued. "After all, I am the son of Emperor Poo, one of the Chosen Four who defeated Giygas."
Everyone started in surprise upon hearing this. "You are... Poo's son?" Guy stammered.
"Indeed I am," Kato replied, almost enjoying their astonishment.
"It doesn't matter who he is," Zain said, getting over his surprise. "All that matters is that he saved us from Kaatz back there. If he hadn't shown up and helped us, it would have been all over for us at that hotel." He looked at Kato. "We're all in your debt, Kato."
"It's nothing," Kato assured him. "As a member of the Chosen Eight, it is my duty to help you." He paused for a moment. "Also, if, at any time, I ever seem arrogant toward you and the others, I apologize. The culture of this country is vastly different from my own, and I when I compare the two, I see mine as... superior, even if I do not wish to."
Karen smiled at him. "That's okay, Kato," she said. "I bet if we went to Dalaam, we'd think Hawkland culture was better."
"Speak for yourself," Sasha retorted.
Karen winced. "Oh, sorry, Sasha," she apologized. "I keep forgetting you're not from Hawkland either."

They talked for a while longer, getting to know their new companion. Finally, Zain said, "Not that I have anything against talking, but we should probably go check out the Tranquil Zone. We don't know when or if we'll ever run into Kaatz again, and we need to find the Sanctuaries."
"I was just about to say that," Samuel agreed. "But are you sure you're rested well enough? I know I was unconscious for most of that fight with Kaatz, but it must have been pretty taxing."
"We're fine, Dad," Sasha replied. "At least... I think we are." She turned to the others. "Sorry, I didn't mean to speak for everyone."
Guy adjusted his glasses. "I am prepared," he said.
"That fight took a lot out of me," Karen admitted, "but I'm fine now."
Kato simply nodded his assent.
Zain smiled at her. "I'm ready whenever you are."
Sasha's father nodded. "Okay then," he said. "I'll drive the five of you to the northern outskirts of town, and from there you can go north into the forest and find the Tranquil Zone."
Karen frowned. "Please don't tell me that we all have to squeeze into your company car again, Mr. Maybee."
Mark Wyrd shook his head. "You can use my minivan, Mr. Maybee," he offered. "It's got more than enough room for everyone."
Samuel turned to him. "Are you sure, Mark?" he asked.
"Of course," Mark replied. "I'm not going anywhere in this rain anyway."
"It's settled, then," Zain stated. "Let's go to the Tranquil Zone!"

It took about a half hour for Samuel to drive them through town to the northern outskirts of Troisemburg. In the roomy comfort of Mark Wyrd's minivan, it was much more comfortable for all of them. The black clouds still covered the sky, and the rain continued to fall, still showing no signs of stopping.
Finally, Sasha's father pulled over to the side of the road. "This is as far as I can take you," he said. "There aren't any roads where you're going; from here, you'll have to walk."
From where she was sitting in the passenger seat, Sasha looked at him. "Dad, you're saying that as if you're not going with us."
Samuel looked down at the steering wheel, not speaking for a moment. "...I'm not," he finally said.
Everyone looked at him as he said this. "What do you mean?" asked Karen. "We need your help, Mr. Maybee!"
Sasha's father turned to look at all of them. "I've done all I can for you," he said. "I have to go back to the Orange Enterprises base now."
"But why?" Sasha demanded. "Saving the world is more important than your job!"
Samuel closed his eyes. "...You're right, sweetheart," he replied. "It IS more important. It's also more important for me to keep you safe."
Then he looked at Guy. "But I have to go back, and not because of my job. I'm covering up Guy's absence at the base, so that no one knows he's not there anymore. I can't risk his father finding out."
Guy returned his look. "At this point, Mr. Maybee," he said, "I do not care if he finds out. I could care less what that selfish miser thinks. You should stay with your daughter, Mr. Maybee."
Sasha's father sighed. "...I can't, Guy. You don't understand what your father will do if he finds out you're gone. He'll send people here to find you, and if they do, they'll keep you from your mission." He looked at Sasha. "And judging from the type of 'people' that I think Orangeman Orangere will send, they'll endanger all of you, my daughter included."
He shook his head. "I'm sorry, everyone, but Guy's absence from the base MUST remain a secret."
Zain nodded in understanding. "It's okay, Mr. Maybee," he told him. "We'll be fine on our own. It's not as if we can't take care of ourselves, after all."
Samuel smiled. "I'm glad to hear that, Zain," he said. "Sasha will be safe with you. I know you'll protect her as you've been doing."
Zain scratched his head. "Well, it's not one-way, you know," he corrected. "We protect each other." Sasha turned and smiled warmly at him.
"Right," Samuel agreed. "Anyway, once you've visited the Sanctuary..." He handed Zain a slip of paper. "You can reach me at this number. I won't be able to do much, but I may be able to tell you where the next Sanctuary is. Once I get back to the base, I'm going to review all of my files of paranormal events, and see if I can possibly find out anything else about other Sanctuaries."
"Very well, Mr. Maybee," said Guy. "Thank you for all of your help."
Suddenly Samuel started in surprise. "Oh, I almost forgot," he said. "Mark Wyrd gave me this to give to you, Guy."
He handed Guy a small bag, filled with various parts. "He found these parts in the base while you were gone," Samuel explained. "He wanted you to have these; maybe you can use them in your 'projects.'"
Guy accepted the gift gratefully. "On the next time you encounter Mr. Wyrd, please give him my thanks," he said.
"I will," Samuel promised. "Be careful, all of you."

The thick cover of the forest helped shield them from most of the rain, but it also blocked out most of what little light there was. Still, everything was soaked, and the five of them had to avoid stepping in large mud holes that dotted the ground. Sasha and Karen used their umbrellas to avoid getting wet from the rain that passed through the foliage.
The group adopted a sort of formation as they trudged through the forest. Being the fastest and most agile by far, Kato took the lead; if they encountered any Madness creatures, he would react much more quickly than anyone else. Karen and Guy took the rear, both of them constantly checking behind them in case anything tried to attack them from the rear. Karen had her frying pan ready, and there was an occasional ping as it was struck by drops of water falling from the trees. Guy kept his hand in his pocket, ready to draw out his gun in an instant if he had to.
That left Zain and Sasha in the middle. Both of them constantly scanned either side, watching out for Madness creatures. Both of them had walked through forests before, and both of them knew that in the forest, enemies could attack in an instant, at any time.
However, no enemies came forth as they traveled. It seemed that the constant, neverending rain was keeping the creatures of the Madness from coming out.
As they walked, Sasha glanced over at Zain, and noticed a sad look in his eyes. Wondering what was the matter, she asked, "Zain, what's wrong?"
"It's nothing," Zain responded tersely. "Don't worry about it."
Sasha knew he was lying, so she pressed the matter. "No, something's definitely wrong, Zain; I can see it. I'm your friend; you can talk to me, right?"
Zain closed his eyes. "...It's these," he answered, pointing to his broken goggles. "They were broken when I fought Kaatz."
He looked at her. "They're the only thing I have left of my dad," he continued. "Now that they're broken..."
Sasha nodded, understanding. "Maybe you can have them fixed in town, when we get the chance," she suggested.
"I hope so," Zain agreed. He was silent for a moment. "...There's something else."
"What is it?" she asked.
"...When I fought Kaatz... He told me something," Zain said. "Something about my PSI."
Sasha blinked. "About your PSI?" she repeated. "What did he say?"
"He called me... an empathic psychic," said Zain. "He said that I don't have to concentrate when I use my power... He said that my power comes from my emotions."
Sasha thought about this. It certainly solved a lot of unanswered riddles about Zain's unique PSI. "That must be why you're able to use your power so fast," she said thoughtfully. "Like in the fight with Turbo Cat at Lumina Pillar. That also explains why you get so angry when you're about to attack someone: the power must be feeding off of your anger."
"But it's not just anger that fuels my power," Zain replied. "When Kaatz put that Binding Pseal on you, I tried everything in my power to heal you. When I did that, my ability to heal expanded phenomenally. It was as if my power was responding to my... need, to help you. And, I didn't use my power on you because I was angry."
The look in Zain's eyes finished what he was saying for him. You did it because you care about me, Sasha thought. The thought made her feel happier than ever, and she smiled joyfully. "Thank you, Zain," she said. "You saved me from being taken to the dark one."
Zain shook his head. "You can thank Kato for that," he corrected. "I don't know how he did it, but HE'S the one who made Kaatz leave." He looked down. "I couldn't defeat Kaatz, even with my empathic PSI. If it weren't for Kato, you WOULD have been taken to Giaguo."
"Maybe," Sasha replied. "But YOU'RE the one who broke that pseal and freed me from that barrier." As she said that, she suddenly wondered about something. She reached up and touched the Prescient Pseal on her forehead. "I wonder... If you were able to break that other pseal, maybe you can break this one too."
"I don't know," said Zain. "I don't even want to try. The last thing we need is for you to start having those dreams again and suffer from insomnia."
Sasha laughed. "I wouldn't want that either."
Zain laughed with her, but the concept made HIM wonder as well. COULD I break it? he wondered. He guessed that if he really wanted to, he probably could.
Suddenly a voice sounded from up ahead. "This must be the place," said Kato.
They stood before a high cliff, which rose into the sky. It was vertical, and there was no way that they could possibly climb it. At the base of the cliff, in front of them, was a gaping hole that led underground.
Guy and Karen caught up with them. "The Tranquil Zone must be through that cave," said Karen.
Rummaging through his items, Guy got out his flashlight. "It would appear that the situation calls for the flashlights."
Karen turned to him. "Can't you just say 'We need the flashlights'?"
Guy looked away, feeling uncomfortable. "...We need the flashlights."
Karen smiled. "See? You don't have to talk so formally all the time."
Guy shook his head. "I cannot help it," he replied.
"I CAN'T help it," Karen corrected. "Try it."
Trying to please her, Guy swallowed. "I can... I... I can... I... cannot... help it..."
Karen sighed. "You're hopeless."
"That isn't true," Kato retorted, joining in the conversation. "In Dalaam, Guy would be greatly respected for his eloquent manner of speaking."
Guy smiled. "I am grateful for your opinion, Kato."
Zain got out his own flashlight, turning it on and peering into the cave. "There's one thing that can be said for this place," he remarked. "It's dry."
"Dry is good," said Karen.
Zain turned to face them. "Is everyone ready?"
His four companions nodded their agreement. "Okay then," said Zain. "Let's go inside. We'll use the same formation as before."

Despite its potential dangers, the cave was a welcome change, as it was indeed dry compared to outside. Zain and Guy used their flashlights to illuminate the area as they walked.
Kato was in front, and he had no flashlight, but it didn't matter; his finely-trained senses allowed him to know where he was going even in the dark. He remembered what it had been like during the test of pain, when all of those senses had been stripped away from him; the thought made him even more grateful that he had them.
None of them talked this time. The very sound of their footsteps echoed throughout the cave, except for Kato, who made no sound at all. If they spoke, it would cause even more of a disturbance, and they were making a large enough disturbance already.
Suddenly the five of them heard a loud growl from up ahead, which echoed everywhere. Zain aimed his flashlight ahead, and the bright light reflected off of six glowing red eyes. "Madness creatures!" he cried.
There was another growl, and three large bears appeared, baring their sharp teeth at the intruding humans. Zain gulped; they had never fought such large animals before. He was not allowed to think about it for long, though, because the bears let out a mighty roar and attacked simultaneously.
Kato met one of them with the Sword of Kings. He easily sidestepped the bear's charge and scored several deep cuts on it. Enraged, the bear turned to face him.
The second bear headed for Zain. Zain couldn't use his power; if he did, he would hit Kato as well. He got out his baseball bat and adopted a defensive posture. It wasn't necessary, however; Sasha came up next to him and used her power. "PSI Freeze Beta!"
Blasted by ice, the second bear was knocked back. But the reprieve was only temporary; the bear roared angrily and headed for them again.
The third bear charged at Karen and Guy. Karen concentrated and pointed her finger at it, while Guy got out his Equalizer gun and took aim. "PSI Beam Beta!" Karen cried, releasing her psychic beam; at the same time, Guy fired his gun.
The double beams smashed into the bear with tremendous force. It collapsed to the ground and did not rise again.
Karen turned to Guy, smiling. "We make a pretty good team, Guy."
"We certainly do," Guy replied, returning her smile.
Meanwhile, Kato had wounded the first bear even more; however, its tough hide protected it from the full force of Kato's sword. Kato knew that if he did not do something different, he would eventually make a mistake, and then the bear would have him.
Applying a new strategy, Kato managed to maneuver so that his enemy was out of range of Zain and the others. "I have you now," he said. Concentrating and delving into his training, Kato thrust his palm outward. "PSI Starstorm Alpha!"
The technique worked exactly as Emperor Poo had taught him. A brilliant starburst came forth from his palm and smashed into the bear. Kato's enemy was blasted into the wall, and it fell to the ground, defeated.
Zain and Sasha were having trouble with the second bear, which was now the only one still on its feet. As the bear charged them, Sasha used her power again. "PSI Freeze Beta!"
The effect was the same as last time. Although the ice attack stunned it for a moment, the bear's hide was simply too thick for it to be overly affected by the cold.
Before it recovered, Zain dashed in and dealt a blow with his bat. The bear roared furiously and swiped at Zain with its huge paw. Zain just barely managed to evade the attack; if it had connected, he would have been cut to ribbons.
"Zain, be careful!" Sasha cried, concerned for him.
"I'm okay!" Zain replied, dodging another attack from the bear. Suddenly, he noticed that there nobody else in front of him besides his enemy. He had a perfectly clear shot.
That was all he needed. Zain's eyes turned as red as the bear's, and he stretched his hand at the bear. "PSI Hyperion Beta!"
The bear stood no chance against Zain's improved solar attack. It soon joined the others.
With all of their enemies defeated, Zain looked around. "Is everyone okay?"
Sasha nodded affirmatively. "It never even reached me."
"I am unharmed," Kato replied.
"We're fine, too," Karen added, coming up to them. "It never stood a chance against me and Guy."
"Great," said Zain. "Let's keep going."

Some distance later, the group saw light ahead. "There's light!" Karen cried. "We must have made it to the other end!"
Zain and Sasha looked at each other, remembering what had happened at Lumina Pillar. "Be careful," Zain advised. "I have a bad feeling about this."
They continued onward, and finally reached the source of the light. Zain's fears were confirmed; a very brightly shining orb hovered in their way, giving off white light in all directions.
"What is this?" asked Guy.
"Be on guard," Zain answered. "If this is anything like at Lumina Pillar..."
Suddenly the shining orb reacted. Seeming to pull all of the light back into itself, it changed shape and took on a form.
Finally the light died out, and the group stared at what had emerged. It was a huge bear, fully twice as high as any of them. It had dark, almost blueish fur, and its paws sported long claws that were clearly designed for slashing enemies to pieces.
The giant bear looked down haughtily upon the five humans, and spoke. "Welcome, intruders. I am the Mighty Bear Seventy, loyal follower of the master. Beyond here is the Tranquil Zone."
Karen, Guy, and Kato stared in shock, surprised that it could talk. Zain faced the guardian, and raised his bat at him. "Listen well," he declared. "We defeated Turbo Cat at Lumina Pillar, and we can defeat you too. Either let us through to the Sanctuary, or we'll destroy you!"
The Mighty Bear Seventy grinned. "Bold words for a puny human," he remarked. "But I am not intimidated. I can crush all five of you like bugs."
Sasha stepped up to Zain's side. "Let us through to the Tranquil Zone!" she demanded.
"The Tranquil Zone is mine," said the Mighty Bear Seventy. "If you want it, you will have to take it from me."
The guardian suddenly attacked so swiftly that no one could react. Zain screamed in pain as the Mighty Bear Seventy's jaws closed on his outstretched arm, and the baseball bat fell from his fingers. "Zain!" cried Sasha, horrified.
Then the Mighty Bear Seventy let go, and stood up straight again. "I've always enjoyed the taste of human flesh," he said, licking his lips. "But there will be time enough for that later."
Zain stared at the massive bite wound in his arm; the pain was agonizing. It was bleeding profusely, but something else was wrong...
As he looked up at the guardian, Zain's vision became blurry. "Wh... What did you do...?" he demanded, his speech becoming slurred.
"Don't worry about it," the guardian replied. "You'll be dead within five minutes."
Zain's eyes widened. "No..." His voice died in his throat, and he collapsed to the ground.
"ZAIN!" Sasha cried. She knelt down to help him, close to crying. "No! Wake up, Zain!"
The Mighty Bear Seventy bared his poisonous fangs at her. "You can be next." He prepared to strike again; in her concern for Zain, Sasha didn't even notice him.
"No!" Guy shouted. He raised his weapon and fired at the guardian.
The guardian was just about to bite Sasha when a powerful beam smote him in the face. Stunned, he stumbled backwards, his heavy footsteps echoing throughout the cave.
As the enemy recovered, Guy, Karen, and Kato stepped forward. "Keep Zain alive as long as you can, Sasha," Kato told her. "Once we have dealt with this enemy, we will help him."
Sasha looked up at him and nodded, tears in her eyes.
The Mighty Bear Seventy finally recovered and stared down at the three humans who faced him. "You... I'll smash you all!"
"We will defeat you, guardian!" Kato shouted. He dashed forward with the Sword of Kings and slashed in a wide arc.
The guardian was knocked backwards by the blow, but as with the other bears that the group had fought, his hide was much too tough to be significantly damaged by Kato's sword. However, Karen followed Kato's attack with her own. "PSI Fire Beta!"
Before he could recover, the Mighty Bear Seventy was suddenly met with a large burst of flame, which scorched his fur. This attack was followed up by several shots from Guy's gun, harming the guardian even further.
Burned and shot, the guardian roared in fury. "YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT!" he screamed.
Bolting forward with unnatural speed, the Mighty Bear Seventy slashed with his sharp nails at Karen, Guy, and Kato. Kato stepped forward and blocked the attack with the Sword of Kings, preventing Guy and Karen from being harmed; however, the guardian's attack was so strong that it broke through Kato's defense and slashed him across the chest, ripping through the Cloak of Kings and scoring several deep wounds. Kato grimaced in pain and fell to one knee.
Before the guardian could finish Kato off, Karen struck. "PSI Thunder Beta!"
The Mighty Bear Seventy was electrocuted by two bolts of lightning, and he fell to the ground. Scrambling to get back on his feet, he growled furiously. He glared hatefully at his enemies; he badly wanted to cut them to pieces and smash them.
He was met by Kato's outstretched palm. "PSI Starstorm Alpha!"
Blasted by Kato's starburst attack, the Mighty Bear Seventy collapsed to the ground, severely wounded. Karen turned to Guy. "Let's finish this," she said, pointing her finger at the guardian.
"My thoughts exactly," Guy agreed, aiming his gun at the guardian. The two of them attacked simultaneously, and Kato released another Starstorm attack.
Under the force of Guy and Karen's improvised double beam attack, combined with another of Kato's Starstorm attacks, the guardian of the Tranquil Zone was vanquished.
With their enemy defeated, Karen and Guy ran over to Sasha. Kato healed the wounds in his chest with his PSI and went over as well, noting with surprise that the rips in his Cloak of Kings were no longer there.
"Is he okay?" Karen asked.
Sasha looked up at them, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I can't heal him," she said, sounding frantic. "I keep trying, but it's not working!"
Kato knelt on one knee and placed a hand on Zain's forehead. "He still lives, but his life force is fading. He will not survive much longer."
He concentrated and brought forth his healing power. "Healing Beta."
Nothing happened.
Seeing the lack of results, Kato looked up and met Sasha's eyes. "This is strong poison," he said solemnly. "I'm afraid it is beyond my ability to heal."
Sasha's eyes widened. "You mean...?"
"There is nothing we can do for him," Kato stated. "If Zain were awake, he could probably heal himself, but the poison has taken his awareness. It's over."
"I won't accept that!" Sasha cried with conviction. "He's my friend! I won't watch him die!" She looked around wildly. "There has to be something we can do! Karen, Guy, can't you do anything?"
Karen shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry, Sasha," she said. "My PSI can't heal."
"I regret that I must tell you that I have no medical knowledge," said Guy, looking down.
Sasha looked at Zain. He had done so much for her, and if they didn't do something, he was going to die. "There has to be something..."
Then she remembered Lumina Pillar.
"We have to get him to the Sanctuary," she said. "Help me carry him!"
Wondering what she had in mind, the other three did as they were told.

After hastily carrying Zain through the cave, they made it to their destination, emerging from the cave into a small open area in the cliff that was strangely devoid of rain. There was grass everywhere, and a small pool of water was in the center.
As they entered the Tranquil Zone, they suddenly felt great calmness, as if all of their problems had faded away. Their grip on Zain's body relaxed, and he was slowly lowered to the ground.
Kato stepped forward in amazement. "I... I know this place," he said. "I feel as if I've been here before."
As he approached the pool of water, Kato suddenly saw an image in his head. At first he thought it was himself, but as it became clear, Kato realized that the image was of someone else... Someone that he knew well, although Kato had not seen him in three years.
Emperor Poo stood before Kato; he had appeared in a much younger form, at about age 16. He had been 16 when he had defeated Giygas with the other three heroes.
I am proud of you, Kato, said the image of Kato's father. You will make a great emperor someday, and you will return Dalaam to the days of its glory.
"I will do my best," Kato replied.
The emperor smiled, and his image faded away. I am going to give you a new power, his voice said. The power of the Tranquil Zone, the power that shifts and adapts to its surroundings. Prince Kato son of Poo, the power of PSI Form Change is now yours.
Kato looked up in surprise as he realized that he knew PSI Form Change. It was an ability that would allow him to shapeshift into other forms besides his own.
Next, Kato, Guy, Karen, Sasha, and Zain were filled with a strange warmth, just like what had happened at Lumina Pillar. All of their wounds faded away, healed by the Sanctuary.
Zain slowly opened his eyes. "...Wha... Where am I?"
Hearing his voice, Sasha cried out in happiness and hugged him tightly. "Zain!"
Guy and Karen turned to them, surprised. "Zain, you're okay!" Karen exclaimed.
Zain slowly sat up. "The last thing I remember... The Mighty Bear Seventy had... poisoned me..."
"You're okay now," said Sasha. "The Tranquil Zone healed you."
Zain's eyes widened. "The Tranquil Zone!" He reached into his backpack and brought out the Sound Stone. Just then, a clear melody rang out in the air.
It was clearly a continuation of the melody they had heard from Lumina Pillar. It was just as peaceful and happy as the first part, and it made them all feel as if there was no evil in the world, only joy and peace.
But just as suddenly as it had begun, this part, too, cut off. Then the Sound Stone began to glow with its soft blue light. As they watched, the Sound Stone replayed the melody from Lumina Pillar; only this time, instead of cutting off, it continued, playing the melody of the Tranquil Zone as well. When the second melody was finished, the Sound Stone returned to normal.
Zain looked at his four friends. "We did it," he said happily. "We have the second part of the Earth's melody."
"There are six more remaining," Guy reminded him.
"We'll find them," Karen said with conviction.
Kato still stood by the pool. He heard the voice of Emperor Poo one last time. Destiny has an iron grip on him... Kato suddenly had a brief glimpse of the future; it was only an instant, but he gained much information from it nonetheless... Information he didn't know how to handle.
Turning, Kato looked at Zain in a new light. Zain was rejoicing with the others at their accomplishment, not paying attention. "Zain..." Kato said to himself, "I have seen what destiny has in store for you... And it makes me sad."

Meanwhile...

Mila slowly approached what had once been Home Base, her heart heavy. She wondered if she were going to her death.
The others, especially Brian, had been against this. They suspected a trick, and they did not like the idea at all. But Mila had finally convinced them that it was the only way to free their friends, and they had finally capitulated.
All of them except Brian. He had refused to look at her as she left Quincy's house, heading for the West End.
She wiped a tear from her eye as she thought about him. Mila did not want to remember him that way. He was her friend, almost like a younger brother; it was wrong that her last memory of him was like this. She wished that she could have made up with him before leaving, but he would never have agreed to what she was now doing. Brian was almost exactly like her, except for the fact that he was more stubborn and relentless than Mila could ever be.
Brian will make a fine Defender one day, Mila thought. But it was her task to make sure that there was a Home Base for Brian to defend. All of the other people that the Neo-Bla-Bla Gang had captured had to be freed... By any means necessary.
As she approaced the old parking garage that had once been her home, the two Gang Members stationed out in front saw her. "So it's you," one of them sneered. "Dangerous Tom has been waiting for you."
"I'm here to give myself up," said Mila. "But first, I want you to free everyone else you've captured."
"Only Dangerous Tom can give that order," said the second Gang Member.
Mila folded her arms. "Then go and ask him."
Glaring at her, the Gang Member went into the parking garage. After about five minutes, he came back. "Dangerous Tom has agreed," he said, "but only if you give yourself up first."
"Does your leader think I'm stupid?" Mila snapped. "Once he has me, he won't have to free the others! He can do whatever he wants!"
"Dangerous Tom is a man of his word," said the first Gang Member. "If he says he'll let them go, then he'll do it. We've never really liked that about him, but it's the way he is."
The second Gang Member nodded in agreement. "That's the best deal you're gonna get, girl," he stated. "Take it or leave it."
Mila was in a quandary. If she agreed to their terms, then it was possible that they wouldn't let the others go. Then again, if she refused, it was a certainty that they wouldn't let the others go anyway.
"...Okay," she said. "I agree."
She walked forward, and the Gang Members grabbed her by the arms and dragged her inside. Mila knew that she could easily overpower them, but if she did, it would be very unlikely that they would let the other Defenders go. She swallowed her pride and allowed them to have their way, following along as they roughly dragged her throughout her former home.

What had been done to it was appalling. Garbage lay everywhere, and the once-clean parking garage was filthier than Mila could remember. The place was filled with Gang Members, all engaged in various activities, some of them dueling with each other for fun. Occasionally, she saw one of her fellow Defenders who had been captured; he or she was always surrounded by at least five Gang Members who kept a close eye on their prisoner. As Mila walked past, the captive Defenders hung their heads; the best of them, Mila Aisengarde, was now in the hands of the Neo-Bla-Bla Gang.
The Gang Members recognized her as well. She had given many of them bruises and broken noses, and they did not forget things like that. They glared hatefully at her, and Mila guessed that the only thing keeping them from attacking her simultaneously was the orders of their leader.
Finally, they reached the top floor underneath the roof of the parking garage, where a makeshift room had been set up with opaque red shower curtains. The two Gang Members brought Mila in front of it. "We have her, Dangerous Tom," said one of them.
"Very good," said a deep tenor voice from the other side of the curtains. "Bring her inside."
The Gang Members took Mila inside the "room," and Mila saw the leader of the Neo-Bla-Bla Gang for the first time.

Mila had always imagined Dangerous Tom as a much worse version of one of the regular Neo-Bla-Bla Gang members, with large muscles and a bad sense of hygiene. In reality, however, he was MUCH different.
"Dangerous Tom" was a grown man; he couldn't have been less than twenty years old. His short brown hair was slicked back, and his blue eyes were like ice. He dressed in a clean white suit, and appeared to have taken a bath quite recently. Mila sniffed the air, and she realized that he was wearing cologne. He was sitting behind a desk in a comfortable-looking armchair, and he got up as they entered.
"Mila Aisengarde," said Tom in a greeting manner; his voice was pleasant, as if he were interested in nothing more than being friends. "I finally get to meet the famous Mila Aisengarde, who has defeated more than one hundred of my underlings." His gaze focused on the two Gang Members holding her. "You may leave now."
"But Dangerous Tom, what about you?" one of them protested. "What if she--"
"I assure you, I am quite safe, men," Tom replied. "It is you two who are in danger; if she had wanted to, she could have roughed both of you up at any time. The fact that she has not proves that she is a woman of her word, as I am a man of mine. You may go." He paused for a moment. "Oh, and go down and tell the guards to release the others."
This shocked both of them. "But Dangerous Tom--"
"I said that they would be freed if Mila Aisengarde gave herself up, and she has given herself up. Therefore, the prisoners must be freed. I see no problem here."
"...Yes, Dangerous Tom..." they replied, less than enthusiastic. They went out through the curtain and were gone, leaving Mila alone with Tom.
Mila faced him. "I'm glad to see that you ARE a man of your word."
Tom bowed to her in a very gentlemanlike manner. "Of course, Miss Aisengarde," he replied.
"I must say," said Mila, "whenever I envisioned the ruthless leader of the Neo-Bla-Bla Gang, THIS never came to mind."
"You will find, Miss Aisengarde, that I am not your usual ruthless gang leader," Tom replied.
"Oh, really?" Mila said sarcastically. "Is that why you heartlessly dumped children out onto the street to starve to death?"
"I did not wish to do that," Tom responded, "but I had no other choice. You've seen the people I command; if the children had stayed here, those brutes would have begun harming them sooner or later."
"But why did you have to come here?" Mila demanded angrily. "We never threatened you! All we wanted was to exist in peace here, and you came and destroyed everything we've worked for!"
"Alas, I do regret the necessity of that action," Tom told her, "but again, I had no other choice."
He straightened his white tie. "You see, Miss Aisengarde, it is my dream to rule all of Ellay. This city is being abandoned as we speak; three-fourths of it are already abandoned. People and businesses are leaving the South End as well; within the next few years, Ellay will become a dead city." He paused. "Dead except for me, at least."
Tom folded his hands behind his back. "I will be the leader of Ellay," he said. "I will return this city to its former state of greatness. With my gang, I will build a utopia, a perfect society that will be the envy of every other society in this world!"
He smiled, and for some reason his smile scared Mila far worse than any regular Gang Member's smile would. "It is unfortunate, but your 'Home Base' was in the way. In order to properly rule Ellay, I can't have other forces here who do not recognize my authority, you see. Now that that has been taken care of, I have only to wait until the South End is abandoned, and then this entire city will be mine."
"There are people in Ellay who won't accept that," Mila shot back.
"The Neo-Bla-Bla Gang will change their minds," Tom replied. "In any case, I will soon realize my dream. It is only a matter of time."
Mila was disgusted by this man; for all of his attempts to look upper-crust, underneath he was no more than a common thug with delusions of grandeur. "What do you want with me, you scum?" she asked. "Why did you want me?"
"Because I want you on my side, Miss Aisengarde," Tom answered. "You are the best of the best; you fight better than any of my men, and despite your age you are a better mother than most real mothers. I need you to be my strong right hand, Miss Aisengarde. The gang sees me as a paternal figure; they need a maternal figure as well."
This caused Mila to laugh. "You definitely have the wrong person," she said. "Your gang hates me."
"They will change," said Tom confidently. "Once you are on my side, they will see the other side of you that they have not seen before. They will come to love you as they love me."
Tom opened his arms wide. "Join me, Mila," he said, freely using her first name for the first time. "Join me, and I will give you whatever you desire, as long as it is within my power to do so."
Mila shook her head. For all of his claims of needing a "mother" figure in his gang, Dangerous Tom was a man who had deliberately sent children out in the street to starve. He was a man who would attack other people merely because there were in his way. "I won't," Mila said. "You can forget it. I'll never join you!"
Tom frowned. "Mila, I implore you to reconsider," he said. "You have no idea what you're giving up. Don't throw it all away without even seeing what it's like."
"Forget it," Mila repeated. "I don't want anything to do with you. You'll have to find someone else to build your 'utopia' with you; I'm going back to my friends."
Dangerous Tom shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid I can't allow that, Mila," he said. "You'll have to stay here, until you change your mind. I've set my sights on you, and I'm not going to give up until you are mine."
He went over to his desk and opened a drawer, taking out a small device with a button on it. "I truly wish it hadn't come to this," he said. "You have no idea how much I hoped that you'd see things my way right from the beginning. Now we'll have to do it the hard way."
He pressed the button, and a bell-like tone rang out through the parking garage. "My men will take care of you until you're in a better mood to talk," said Tom.
Surprised, Mila clenched her hands into fists. "I won't let you do that!" she cried. She dashed forward to attack him, to punch him in the face just as she had punched most of his men.
Calmly, Tom caught her fist in his left hand. Whirling around, he twisted her arm behind her back, and clubbed her over the back with a nightstick that he suddenly held in his right hand. Mila cried out in pain and fell to the floor, and Tom placed his foot on her back, pinning her. "How... How did you...?" she asked.
"You are a very, very good fighter, Mila Aisengarde," said Dangerous Tom, setting his nightstick on the desk, "but you are not invincible."
Two Gang Members entered the "room." Seeing what their leader had done, they looked upon Tom with great respect. "You... You actually defeated her!" they cried. "No one's ever been able to beat her!"
Tom removed his foot from Mila's back. "Take her to the floor directly beneath this one," he ordered. "Have her kept under guard at all times by at least fifteen men. Other than that, you are all to treat her like a queen... For that is what she will be one day."
Not questioning him, the Gang Members did as they were told. Mila looked up at Tom, wincing from the pain in her back. "You won't get away with this!" she cried.
"I already have," Tom corrected. "It is only a matter of time until you see things my way. I only hope that it will be soon. Until then, farewell, Miss Aisengarde."
The Gang Members dragged Mila away.

To be continued...