Rockwell stood over Everdred's body, which laid face-down on the grass, pouring blood into the soil. "That should grow some interesting things," cackled Rockwell. All of the vendors of Burglin Park stared in fear as Rockwell looked around. "Now to wait for my help in killing Mrs. Polestar." He blurred out of his current space, disappearing completely.
Mani Mani smiled.
"Now that I've realised more puppets are beneficial than fewer," he mused, "perhaps I should string Enrich Flavour."
He looked out one of the nearly boarded up windows of the house he was now in.
The Enrich Flavour Building filled up the entire window. He smiled, and wandered over to the Enrich Flavour building.
"Hello, babyfa... oh, good evening, Miss Boruhesu!" the secretary of the Enrich Flavour Building greeted Mani Mani. "What brings you to the Enrich Flavour Building?"
"I would like to see Mr. Enrich Flavour," Mani Mani curtly replied, keeping Ellen's characteristic scratchy voice as she spoke.
"Please take the elevator up," the secretary relayed. She motioned to her right.
"Thank you." Mani Mani bowed.
The ride up to the 48th floor was rather uneventful.
Mani Mani shuddered as each successive elevator operator warned him to stop looking at their hips.
Uggh... he moaned.
Monotoli fumbled for a key to the bathroom he had made when he owned the building.
He unlocked the bathroom, and rushed in.
He panted heavily.
"Mani Mani? But wasn't he.... dead?"
He pulled out a handy screwdriver, and unscrewed the vent.
"He's probably already after me," Monotoli muttered, "so I have to keep running until I escape him..."
He lifted himself up into the vent. He'd have to take the risk that Mani Mani would assume that he'd take the first way out he could.
Mani Mani rushed into the bathroom, which was unlocked.
"He's been here, I know he has!" he screamed. "But where is he?"
Kyle backed away, getting his sword into a good fighting position, but then he got an idea. He switched his stick to its dark state and tried to use his psychic energy to create a dark aura around him, to make it look as if he was being taken over. He kneedled to the ground, making sounds as if he were resisting. Then he got up, the dark aura vanishing (it was eating up energy) and he looked at Matt. Into his eyes. Kyle's sunglasses prevented the others from seeing that his eyes hadn't changed color. Kyle's trick had worked! He was in a state in which he seems like an evil being, yet he was able to keep his sanity.
The others around accepted Kyle as another of Mani Mani's followers and stopped advancing on him. Kyle decided to follow them until he figured out what exactly was going on, or until he found the other who hadn't been taken over by Mani Mani.
"Is he awake?"
"Awake, is he?"
"Grooooooooaaaaaaaaannn..."
Matt squinted. He felt...odd. The last thing he remebered was the transformation and someone laughing. That horribly twisted laugh. He struggled to focus, and soon things came into perspective.
He was lying on the floor inside a huge citadel. The walls and floors were chiseled out of bone-white marble, with ornate designs covering them. There was a bright light enveloping the area, but Matt could not see where it was emmitting from. Two figures floated above above him.
"Welcome" they both chanted in unison. The two people floated around him. They looked no older then himself, and bared a striking resemblence. Except for the fact that they had piercing white hair and were dressed in robes.
"Where am I?" asked Matt, looking the two over.
"This place is known as T'tam, the city of light. My name is Ysp." answered one.
"This is the city of light, the place known as T'tam. My name is Cihc." added the other.
Matt looked around, confused. "What? What happened to Kyle and Tsurami? I couldn't control myself! I was at-!"
"Yes, we know." they interrupted in unison.
"That is why you are here."
"You are here, that is why."
Matt got up. "I have to go and help them!"
"To help them," said Ysp.
"You must first help yourself," continued Cihc.
Once again, the two began talking in unison. "An evil entity known as Mani-Mani has taken over your body. But it has done so by channeling through your were-wolf form. You must conquer your dark side in order to break the spell. That is why you are here, in the realm of your mind."
Matt was taken back. He looked over his surroundings.
"This is my mind?..." he stammered.
"Yes it is," answered Ysp.
"It is, yes," followed Cihc.
The two spoke united once more. "In order to break the domination of the Mani-mani, you must travel into the darkest realm of your mind. Venture into the woods of 'Flow Erew,' and destroy the great evil there. The Mani-mani's spell will be broken if you suceed. And if you fail..."
The two bowed their heads.
"That is not an option."
"An option, that is not."
They continued.
"We will transport you to the spot of power, Roet'em. From there you will cross the peaceful valley of Erutan, and venture into Flow Erew. Before entering the woods, look for a man by the name of 'Drows.' He will be your protector on your journey."
"You will depart now."
"Depart now, you will."
"What?..." stuttered Matt, still dazed in confused. He had barely followed what they were saying, and was still in a state of shock. Before he could ask an questions, he felt himself being teleported away.
He reappeared on a small jade platform. He looked at his surroundings. To his surprise, he saw the citadel he had been in floating in the sky directly above him. Around him was a serene looking forest. A lone figure stood atop a nearby hilltop.
"I have been waiting for you..." said the man. He didn't turn to look at Matt, but instead gazed out over the treetops.
The man was a strong-looking fellow. He was adorned in leather armour, and had a large resemblence to Matt, except much older. He had an enormous sword strapped to his back.
"I will accompany you through the woods." he muttered. "But you will have to fight the 'great evil' yourself. I am just here to guide you."
Matt was about to ask one of the millions of questions thta was racing through his mind, but was quickly silenced by Drows.
"No words." he said. "Just follow." With that, he ventured down the hill towards the forest.
Matt followed. "I'm not sure what exactly is going on, but I suppose that following this guy and doing what the sages told me to do would be my only available course of action..."
He stumbled down the hill beside Drows, not knowing what to expect...
Cyan walked towards Kyle, Matt and Tsurami, not slowing or deviating from his path. His stare caught Kyle's glance and his pupils shrank.
Cyan stopped in front of Kyle, still staring straight at him. Just when Kyle was sure he'd have to fight all three of them, Cyan shifted his weight and began to move away.
"No, I've no business with you ... or them," he said coldly as he strode away.
Now where would he be... wondered Cyan to himself as he continued on. He can't still be at home, he'd have left by now. And where would that other one be ... he could be anywhere now. Where would he have been sent to ...
Taking to the air, he continued searching for his targets.
Monotoli jumped out of the vent in the 2nd floor bathroom and ran into the elevator, panting.
"Hurry!" he ordered the controller. "Get me down, quick!"
"Why, of course, but ferrying paparazzi at a higher speed requires a payment."
"I'm not joking! Either let me down or we both die!" he warned the controller.
"I'm sorry, but Enrich Flavour Building rules dictate that the paparazzi must pay for express transport."
"OK, have it your way," Monotoli muttered. He picked the controller up by the scruff of her neck and threw her into a nearby wall.
"I swear I'll sue you for harassment, paparazzi!" the controller yelled as the door closed.
Monotoli impatiently tapped his foot, waiting for the elevator door to open.
"Open open open!" he urged angrily. "He's coming for me!"
Beads of sweat began to drip from his graying hair onto his withered arms.
"What's that light?" Raltise mused, pointing at a small sliver of light in the distance once they had all gotten through the mirror.
"I don't know..." Cirra replied, nervously handling the Niveous Rod.
"Hopefully it's a way out," Harsemhin added. "I've had enough of parking metres and mailboxes to last me a lifetime."
"Haven't we all?" Dan joked.
TsuramiSea himself hadn't actually turned evil. His true consciousness had only been weakened to the point of submission by the powers of darkness. His consciousness was now buried in a corner of his being, thinking to itself, as thinking was all he could do now.
The master must have awakened my memories.... wait! Matt didn't say 'master', did he?
"I serve Mani-mani. It is his will that you must die."MANI MANI?! screamed TsuramiSea mentally. Not that evil thing!
Matt turned to Cyan as he walked away, but then faced Tsurami and Kyle again. "No. He is not serving Mani Mani's will."
"Never mind," said TsuramiSea in a cold voice that didn't seem right for him. "He is of no consequence now. But there are others. We will take care of what Rockwell failed to finish. Let's find those that travelled with Cyan."
Matt and TsuramiSea nodded, and Kyle nodded as well, in order to not be suspected. The three headed off in the direction that they had been heading before Matt had been overtaken.
I hope the others can help me snap them out of it, he thought.
Raltise peered toward the light, his lip curling slightly. He combed a hand slightly through his auburn hair, taking care not to knock anything out of place.
"Aha...It seems it IS a way out...however, an illusion can't last forever you know."
Cirra looked back at him, puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"That's for you to decide." HE said, indicating toward the light. Dan covered his eyes slightly, and looked at it head on.
"It looks like it's...pulsing?"
Raltise raised his eyebrows shortly, and looked down at Dan in disdain. "It's closing."
"It’s CLOSING?" Cirra yelled, aghast. "Then what are we doing waiting here?"
She looked over to Raltise, but he wasn't there. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him pacing away. "Correction! What are YOU doing waiting here?"
She gasped, and picked up her skirt to run away. Harsemhin yelled for her to wait, and he ran ahead, hot on her heels. Dan stood quietly for a moment, and then suddenly jumped. "We'd better get going!"
The quartet managed to reach an equal footing, with everyone surprised at Dan's adrenalin-induced speed. The exit was only a few feet away, and Cirra threw out her arms for it. However, she felt a strong force hit her square in the stomach, and she fell out of balance, to the ground. She looked up to see Raltise's arm stretched forward. "I don't think you realize it. The roles you play in this puppet show are not vital...if anyone needs to leave here alive, its me! Now I’m going through, and as for the rest of you-" Raltise was cut off as Cirra nailed him in the leg with a well timed kick. He winced, but the time he lost was critical. Harsemhin and Dan had already made it through the gate, and they were now helping Cirra get through as it closed around her middle.
"I'm almost through! She cried triumphantly, but suddenly felt a wave of horror wash over her.
"Raltise! Let GO OF ME!" She said, kicking her ankle. He had grabbed it as she was being pulled through, and was now sneering at her. "You need to learn some respect, missy!"
She yelled, and threw back her arm, knocking him in the jaw with the Niveous rod.
He cursed loudly in pain, and yelled as he saw Cirra get pulled through. The last bit of light vanished, and the shadows crept around him. He screamed, but no one could hear him in the blanketing darkness.
On the other side, Cirra started sobbing loudly.
"I can't believe..." She looked back at where they had emerged. It was a cellar wall, which she later found out to be the bottom of the bakery.
Harsemhin nodded. "He's still in there...I wonder what will happen?"
Dan gritted his teeth. "Jerk deserved what he got."
"No," Harsemhin said. "I don't think he did. He just lives a different way than we do, that's all. May the stars help him, wherever he is!"
Still not sure what to do since they had come out of the wall and had lost Raltise, the group stumbled out of the basement. The light coming in through the shop's window made them pause for a moment as their eyes re-adjusted.
"We should get our bearings and try to find the others again," suggested Harsemhin.
"Or maybe they'll find us," said Dan, pointing to Cyan, who was walking down the street but hadn't noticed them yet.
"Greetings, Cyan!" called Harsemhin. "Where are the others?"
Cyan stopped dead in his tracks, eyeing Hrasemhin. "Anthadd...? I thought he didn't exist in this dimension. This is too good."
"Who's Anthadd?" asked Cirra.
"I'm not sure, Rita. I think Cyan was looking for someone called Anthadd when he arrived here," commented Harsemhin.
"I don't know who he's looking for, but he doesn't look too friendly right now," said Dan.
"I don't like this," said Harsemhin. "He doesn't seem quite the same."
"Uh, why is he drawing his sword? And wasn't his armour blue before?" asked Cirra.
"I'm not sure..." replied Harsemhin.
Cyan broke into a run and then lunged for Harsemhin, who dodged deftly before the blade buried itself into the sidewalk.
"Blast it!" shouted Cyan.
"I don't think he's on our side!" shouted Dan, backing off quickly.
"Scorpius Blade!" called Harsemhin, releasing a blade of Light energy.
Cyan was ready for this and parried it easily. "You're too easy for me to predict, you know that?" he taunted.
Mani Mani chuckled to himself, tapping his fingers along the side of a desk while observing havocs that he wrecked upon others with his puppets. Everything was going perfectly... except Rockwell. He was a failure... Mani Mani had high expecation for him, thought he was going to be a fasicinating warrior. Yet, he let a girl from the Atlus Family go...
"Idiot." Mani Mani growled, as he banged the desk, causing a small dent, "No matter... I'll give him another chance. It seems... Ness is still wandering around, looking for something."
Mani Mani clapped his hands twice, summoning Rockwell before him. He appeared and bow before him. Mani Mani's smile immedaitly turned into a scowl by the sight of him. Mani Mani walked around, played with the handles of Rockwell's swords and said, "You failed me, servant."
Rockwell let his head down as Mani Mani continued, "Do you know what I think of failures?" Rockwell remained motionless, "this... is what I think of failures."
Mani Mani whipped out the Sword of Shadows and sliced a gaping wound in Rockwell's arm. He winched at the pain but remained still. Mani Mani chuckled to himself and said, "You have massive potentional. I'm helping you reach that level... but you can't seem to kill a little girl!"
Mani Mani raised his hand and smacked Rockwell across the face, leaving a mark. "Rockwell... what am I going to do with you?" He sighed and stroked the blade of Rockwell's sword, "This is a fascinating weapon... where was I? Ah yes... Rockwell, I'm giving you your last chance. I want you... to give Ness this letter. Do not fight him... at all. Remember what happened to Everdred? When you have completed your task, come and see me."
Rockwell stood up on his two feet, grasped Mani Mani's letter and nodded. Rockwell asked for his Sword of Shadows back. As he did so, Mani Mani became enraged and swung the sword, creating a scar near Rockwell's left eye. Rockwell stepped back, unblinking as the blood flow onto the carpet. Mani Mani threw the sword at Rockwell's feet and said, "Get out. You disgust me."
Raltise slammed his fist on the ground in frustration. "What!? How could they do that to me!? I try to aid them and they do something like this...mmm, yes. I see...well then, we cannot allow this to be left alone, not at all...not at all." Raltise stood up, regaining his composure, and dusted himself off. He looked around.
"Mmm, of course...the realm of Moonside. It is all illusion, however. Meaning that essentially, nothing can harm me here. Yes, yes...I see now. This is all not real! All in my mind, of course!" His mouth curled into a crooked grin, flashes of yellow revealed within. He took in his surroundings, noticing that he was in a damp basement, lit by an eerie neon glow. An abstract art stared passively at him from a nearby wall.
"The play cannot run its course without all the essential players...which is why I will have to do something about the situation I am in. Moonside is an illusion. An illusion of the mind. And my mind is one that is not easy to dominate. Therefore..." He shut his eyes and extended a hand towards a nearby wall.
"If Moonside only exists in my mind, then I can control it. This should not be too difficult. Now to find a way out..." Raltise fell into a state of total silence. He focused all his mental energies into creating the exit. A glimmer against the wall. Then a flash of bright light. Finally, Raltise's mental energies tore open an unearthly rift in the wall. His eyes shot open.
"The way is now clear. The intermission is over, and now the next act of the performance shall begin." Striding forward, Raltise stepped through the rift, even as the portal itself was closing, and disappeared.
"So this is Flow Erew?" though Matt, scanning his suroundings. The once serene forest surrounding had shifted into a dark, marsh-like atmosphere. There was mist everywhere, vines hanging from the trees and mud so deep you could drown in it. Luckily, Drows was there to protect him and help him if he lost footing.
"We are almost there." muttered Drows. He had been completely silent during most of the trip.
"Almost where?" questioned Matt. He was still confused about what was going on.
Drows turned to Matt and spoke to him briefly and sternly.
"To the 'Great Evil.' You will fight him. Now just be silent and follow." He continued walking.
Matt sighed. He knew that was the best answer he was going to get from this warrior, so he vervously began to follow him once more.
Upon traveling for a few more hours, they came across a clearing in the bog. Oddly, although was a parting in the treetops, it was still as dark as night. Ruined pillars were scattered across the area, and runes were written on the ground. Matt recognized these as runes and began to translate them in his head.
"D'neeht?..." he read. "That's what this place must be called....
"It is time," ordered Drows. Matt quickly abandoned the runes and looked towards him.
"You must battle the keeper of darkness. He is the root of all evil in this world. You must defeat him to break the bonds that Mani-Mani has made for you."
He pointed in the distance. Matt squinted to make out what he was directing his attention to. It looked to be a stone throne of some sort, but there was too much mist sorrounding it to see clearly.
"Go now," muttered Drows. He pushed Matt of in the direction of the throne. Then, he began to walk back in the direction of T'tam.
"Drows!" yelled Matt, but by the time the name had left his mouth, Drows had dissipeared into the fog.
Matt wiped the nervous sweat from his brow.
I guess I'm on my own for this one.
He collected himself, drew his sword and approached the throne. He was nearly in front of it before he could see a silouette of a figure sitting there.
"Matt...I've been waiting for you." whispered a familiar voice. The mist cleared, and Matt stepped back.
Standing there an exact duplicate of himself. This wouldn't have been as shocking (since he had been seeing people that looked like him since he arrived in T'tam) but this was different. This was him in his monstrous were-wolf form. The being leaped out of his seat and in front of Mathew. It let loose an unearthly howl, and charged Matt head on.
Matt watched, pale as a ghost, and made an attempt to defend himself against himself...
"How?" Harsemhin was dumbfounded.
"I can predict what you'll do," Cyan glibly replied.
"And how do you do know that?"
"Temper, Harsemhin!" Cirra admonitioned curtly. "We don't want to get into a fight with a friend."
"But he's not a friend anymore," Harsemhin argued. "He's evil!"
"That may be true," Cirra reminded Harsemhin, "but he was our friend. We've got to reason with him."
"Can we even reason with him?" Harsemhin shot back.
"Watch out!" Dan warned. "He's attacking!"
"What?"
Cirra and Harsemhin whirled around... and saw Cyan rushing at them.
Geldegarde Monotoli panted.
"I wonder how Skulryk is doing. I heard he was sent out on an assignment as well," he mused. "I hope he's doing better than I am."
He looked behind him and breathed a sigh.
Well, Mani Mani's gone... he thought.
And then he ran into a group of four people involved in a fight.
"I've got to get a picture of this!" he cried, fumbling for his camera.
"Ice Shards!" Cyan cried.
"Out of the way!" Harsemhin warned, pushing Cirra out of the way.
"Harsemhin!" Cirra exclaimed.
Harsemhin slackened his body, and the Ice Shards passed harmlessly over his body.
Cirra pulled Harsemhin up, to let him free.
FLASH!
"What was that?" Cyan demanded angrily.
He whirled around.
"You!" he exclaimed angrily.
"Uh oh..." Monotoli muttered.
"Get over with those three!" Cyan ordered.
"And what if I don't want to?"
"Ice Shards!" Cyan froze a nearby lamppost.
Monotoli hurried over to Dan.
"How dare you!" Harsemhin exclaimed.
OK... I know I studied a more powerful variant on Stellar... but what did I call it?
Of course! Harsemhin exclaimed. Prism Stellar! I remember now!
Man, this is getting old. Harsemhin's Memories
I wrote the date in my diary.
"Today," I dictated out loud as I wrote in my diary, "I have begun to practice a new level of Stellar even as we fight against the Giygan Invaders. I found it in the Tome of Sugemo. Hopefully I will never have to use this newest level, Prism Stellar.
"In Prism Stellar, most Stellar abilities are brought to a new level, and a new form of attack. In fact, few Stellar abilities are in anyway identical to their Prism Stellar variants.
"As with Stellar, Prism Stellar has one skill that all people will learn to begin with. And as with Stellar, Prism Stellar's premier skill is connected with the constellation Scorpius. The Scorpion. The premier Prism Stellar attack is called Rainbow Scorpius Needle.
"I expect all Prism Stellar skills will be preceded by the word Rainbow, although this is merely a theory. Further research should be completed only upon the defeat of the Giygan Invaders."
Quick thinking protected Harsemhin on this day. Realising the power of Prism Stellar, Harsemhin immediately put it to use.
Harsemhin turned quickly to face Cyan and called, "Rainbow Scorpius Needle!" He loosed a bolt of concentrated light energy that took the form of a needle.