"Where'd he go?" Harsemhin mused.
He then espied Cyan flying off in the air, chasing after nothing.
Harsemhin tapped his foot a few times.
"I wonder what he could be after."
Faintly Harsemhin heard Cyan call out, "Slow down! Let me get you back!"
"Get who back? He's not chasing after anyone at all!" he softly cried. I have to remember he was after me; he might still be after me... But why?
Cyan slowly shrank.
"I can't let him get into trouble; he doesn't seem like he's around here. Just like me."
Harsemhin sighed.
"I'll wipe myself out, using all this Stellar. Monoceros Agility!"
His speed increased, Harsemhin stealthily chased after Cyan, who was chasing merely an illusion set forth by Mani Mani.

"This can't work at all..." Mani Mani gasped. "I can't support one illusion on this Cyan... as well as keep the bones alive for an extended period of time...
"Fooling Cyan has to work to keep my plan in action. If he escapes my illusionary tactics, all is lost. He has to defeat Ness with the UFOs.
"But the dinosaur could prove useful. I should keep the dinosaur semi-alive as long as I can bear the strain on my life force, but how long would that be?
"Hopefully, Cyan and my alien flunkies should be able to beat Ness. Reaching the Zenith of my power depends on it."
His giant monologue completed, Mani Mani slumped down into his chair.
Mani Mani tapped his hand against the arm of his chair, trying to find a source of power that he can borrow, then he stopped. His mouth stretched from one cheek to the other, as he snapped his fingers. Rockwell appeared before him, sprawled upon the ground. Mani Mani chuckled to himself.
"You failed." Mani Mani laughed, "Now... I must punish you."
Mani Mani reached out with his golden hand and touched Rockwell's forehead. A glow emerged from his Sword of Light as each stroke of energy entered into Mani Mani. He growled as he saw the Sword of Light. He released his grip on Rockwell and pulled out the Sword of Light with disgust.
"Vile sword. He has very little taste." Mani Mani mumbled to himself as he weild it before him.
He threw the sword onto the ground and went back to sapping Rockwell's energy but as he does so, Rockwell turned over on his back and groaned. His flesh was burning and peeling apart. Angonized, he reached out with his hand and cried softly, "Master... help me..."
Mani Mani scoffed and kicked Rockwell in the stomach, shattering his lower ribs. Rockwell screamed and held his stomach as Mani Mani absorbed his energy. Unaware of the Sword of Light, it immediately took a life of its own once again. The Sword of Light hovered above the ground a few feet, pointing at Mani Mani. The sword took flight once it seized its oppuritinty and cut through his arm. Mani Mani screamed and gripped onto his arm, looking at the sword floating before him.
"Remarkable..." Mani Mani stared in amazement once the sword's twin popped out of Rockwell's sheath to join it, "Quite remarkable..."

As Cirra walked along with her group, she bit her nails.
"I hope Harsemhin is alright...I never even got to tell him my name!" she said, reproaching herself.
Cirra looked att he group around her thoughtfully. "I don't know any of them...I don't even feel safe here." She shuddered. "All I want to do is go home..."
As the group walked along, she saw a small alleyway cutting behind a building. When she was sure that the memebers of the group were thoroughly distracted, she quickly cut off from the group, and ran quickly into the alley. After a short sprint, she emerged on the other side. A quick glance told her where Harsemhin was; only one person she knew could run that fast down the street.
"But how will I catch up with him?" she said, pulling her hair. As she pulled a lock of hair, she racked her brain for an idea. Within seconds, one had come to her.
"The Niveous Rod!" She pulled it out of her pocket, and hugged it close to her. Looking down at it, she sighed. "Now what?"
Clumsily, she put the wand to her heels, and tapped them.
"What to say, what to say..." she whispered to herself. On the third tap, foreign words took over her lips.
"Monoceros Agility!" She cried out, and hit the wand on her foot. Instantly, she could feel new energy rush through her. She sprinted out of the alley at top speed, running after Harsemhin.
"What is he doing?"

While Cyan continued to chase after and attack empty air - as far as anyone else was concerned, that is - Harsemhin was quickly gaining ground.
I have to catch him, and stop him before he wrecks anything else! he though to himself. "Scorpius Blade!"
The beam cut through the air, but Cyan had enough time to react, unfortunately for Harsemhin.
"Shadow Slash!" shouted Cyan, spinning around and swinging his sword. The Scorpius Blade was diffused instantly. "Do not interfere! You know better than to disturb me when I'm on this hunt!" he yelled at Harsemhin as he approached.
"I won't let you do anymore damage," explained Harsemhin, but his last attack had left him very drained.
"Then I'll have to stop you from interfering."
"Sagitta ..." started Harsemhin.
"Dark Cross!" called Cyan. This time he beat Harsemhin to the 'punch', swinging his sword twice and doing significant damage.
Harsemhin said nothing as he slumped to the ground. He wasn't dead yet, but he was in a very bad way. Cyan surveyed his work for a moment before returning to chase the dragon, finding it had not gone far.
Just as Cyan left, Cirra ran up to Harsemhin as he lay in the street.

"Mm... this does not bode well," Siris mused.
"What's wrong?" Luna asked.
"Harsemhin... his energy seems to have faded a bit," Siris pointed out, not talking to anyone particularly. He closed his eyes and raised his head in concentration. "I think... Harsemhin is unconscious."
Dan wrinkled his eyebrows in concern at hearing this.
"Cyan was near him, I gather," Siris continued. "And that other girl is near him now. Hm. I never did catch her name."
Siris opened his eyes. "I'm going to go find them." He looked at Luna, then at Dan. "You're coming with me, aren't you?"
"I suppose it would be the best thing to do," Dan replied.
"Yeah, why not?" was Luna's reply. "You're the only one of these people that I've actually come to know."
Siris cast his flight spell on both of them in turn. He said to the rest of the group, "We'll let you decide what you want to do, but we're going now."
Siris, Luna and Dan rose a few feet from the ground (Dan shakily since he had not flown often, and Luna almost as shakily for almost the same reason) and went in the direction of Siris's odd sense.
After a short time of flying, Siris pointed ahead of himself, said calmly, "There they are," and proceeded to touch down to the pavement. Harsemhin was lying on the ground, and Cirra kneeling over him. As Dan and Luna also set their feet to the ground, Cirra became aware of their presence and turned to face them.
"Ah, it's you," she said. "Cyan did this to Harsemhin."
Siris frowned. "Seems we are a step behind Cyan. Oh well, let's see if we can't help you..."
"I just don't know what to do," Cirra admitted.
"That's not good," Siris noted. "The longer we tarry, the less time we have."
Luna shuddered.
"None of this is making me feel right," she added for good measure.
"There's got to be some way to save him," Dan observed.
"But how?" Cirra asked.
Don't worry about me, Cirra. And don't worry about why I know your name. Just listen to what I have to say, a voice echoed in Cirra's mind.
Harsemhin? she thought back.
Yes, it's me, Harsemhin replied. Your Niveous Rod is the key to bringing me back from near death. Have you ever studied Greco-Roman mythology?
Yes. Back home I studied it intently.
And you're aware of the story of Orpheus and Eurydice?
Yes, Cirra replied.
Then you know how Orpheus played his Lyre to bring Eurydice back from the dead? Harsemhin asked.
Didn't he succeed, then make one horrible mistake? Cirra added.
Cirra's head shook subconsciously.
Yes, but just use Lyra Orphean Rhapsody.
Harsemhin stopped talking to Cirra.
Lyra Orphean Rhapsody? Cirra thought.
Just use it! Harsemhin urged.
"Lyra... Orphean Rhapsody!"
Harsemhin stirred.
"Harsemhin!" Cirra exclaimed.
"C... Rita!" Harsemhin quickly amended.
Luna smiled.
"That was close. I guess," she whispered to herself.
"Are you okay?" Siris asked Harsemhin.

RG and Skulryk trodded the streets of Fourside. They had lost the trail on which they were following long ago. Right now, they were simply tired and lost.
"Aw, man..." Skulryk said. "I don't even know how we got here in the first place." He looked up at the shabby buildings. They had stumbled into a poorer district of Fourside.
RG simply sighed, and stared around the streets. "I think... I think that's the way back to the middle of fourside. At least, I believe that we'll come out where we'll know our way around."
Surely enough, RG's aid provided helpful. They emerged from the alley just in front of the hospital.
Skulryk smiled. "Thanks! Now... if only we can find our way back."
They walked down the now familiar streets, but could not find any companions from before. "They..." Skulryk said. "I mean... the people I was with before... They somehow got involved in that battle. They must be long gone by now, and... wait a minute..."
Skulryk peered down the street. Surely enough, at the end of the road, he managed to spot several of his companions. "I know them! Come with me, we'll catch up with them."
Skulryk shouted to the people he knew. "Siris! Luna! It's Skulryk!" He ran over to him. "Hey... That's the person Cyan was fighting... and I saw him and her watching them at the fight..."
Siris took note of Skulryk. "Alright, I suppose I should introduce everyone... The man fighting with Cyan is Harsemhin. He's rather badly injured."
Cirra looked over to them. "My name is Rita..." she said.
Dan extended his hand to Skulryk. "I'm Dan.. and you are?"
Skulryk looked up from his notebook. "I'm Skulryk." he said.
RG, who was rather far behind as he had chosen to walk instead of run, had just come in. "Hey, Skul, who are all these people?"
Siris sighed, and reintroduced everyone.

Kyle became quite irritated now. All of the people he had been looking for had just left! He figured that Matt felt similar. It takes alot to get Kyle mad. He just didn't like the thought of being deserted.
Forgetting that Matt was even still with him, Kyle walked off angrily in the direction he figured was best.
His natural ability to get lost was heading him in the right direction. He was being drawn right toward Mani Mani because of the large amounts of dark power he was emitting.
Along the way he passed a street where he saw TsuramiSea standing around with Ness. He didn't stop, though, because he figured Tsurami didn't want to be disturbed. So, Kyle continued in the direction he was walking, still a little angry, but he was feeling better after seeing that Tsurami was alright.

Harsemhin was still recovering at a steady pace. Meanwhile, the others were discussing their situation.
"And that's the story! We have to stop this evil that's spreading!" RG finished explaining. "It's a good thing we found you. Do all of you have any idea what we can do next?"
Siris folded his hands, then dropped them to his sides, and then rubbed his eyes. "Look, I don't know about defeating any great evil right now. I just want to find out what's wrong with Cyan."
Cirra nodded. "Right. Haven't we gone through enough already? Harsemhin nearly got killed!"
"But we have to do something," said RG sharply. "This could be serious!"
A cough came from the throat of Dan, who rolled his eyes. "Should we really believe what you're telling us anyway?"
"It seems believable to me," interjected Skulryk. "Just look at all of the weird stuff happening."
"Well, maybe if we ALL confront Cyan, nothing bad will happen," remarked Cirra. "He couldn't possibly attack us all at once. Maybe that way he would listen to us."
Some of the group appeared doubtful, but they couldn't think of anything else to do.
"Well, I think we should wait for this guy to heal first," said Luna, pointing out Harsemhin. All present agreed, and stood over the healing ancient.

Matt sighed as Kyle rushed off. He was a bit upset that the others had hurried off without them as well, but it was no use to become frustrated. At any length, the appropriate thing to do seemed to be to track down the others and rejoin them, as they had a common goal to reach. He began to walk off in the direction he had seen them fly, not certain of where they could now be found. I just hope that Mani-Mani can be stopped before he turns the whole city into an illusion.

Mani-Mani stood staring at the two swords pointing at him. Rockwell was heaving, desparate for air. Mani-Mani just wanted to sap the rest of his energy and leave him to wither into a twisted shell, but he was worried that the swords might do something... regrettable. The swords were certainly powerful, even if their owner was inept.
Mani-Mani decided for the time being to use his current energy to track Cyan's progress, and move the skeletal dinosaur to a new position, and have it stand by.
With a heaving sigh, Mani-Mani made another quick monologue. "This is such a problem..... I don't know how much longer I can go on expending energy like this. That deluded boy had better kill Ness soon. I can't imagine what's taking him so long... maybe I overdid it with the illusions." Mani-Mani fell wearily into a chair.

Four shapes hovered behind a building, having sighted Ness and Tsurami.
"There's that Ness kid. But I don't see Cyan yet," remarked Eon. "What's taking the fool so long?"
"Help these days," sneered Nayc. Then he noticed something. "OOOHHHHH! That brat!" The other UFOs noticed Tsurami as well. "He's still hanging around! How annoying. Why doesn't he just go home and play some video games?!"
"Let's kill him!" cheered Nual frantically. She began to shoot forward, but a tractor beam held her back.
"Not so FAST," buzzed Nath, the user of the beam. "He has probably told Ness that we are servants of Mani-Mani. Ness might have it in for us. However, when Cyan gets here, Ness will be too busy, and we can all concentrate on killing that little worm."
Nual pouted. "Awwww.... but I wanna see that little brat BLEED PROFUSELY!!"
Nayc bobbed. "That would be nice."
Eon giggled. "Just listen to Nath, you twits! We'll get our chance soon!"
A grating sound eminated from Nath. "All three of you, relax."

Kyle, who had been blindly heading to Mani Mani, somehow found himself in front of a door in some building. He suddenly came back to his senses and looked around.
"Where the heck am I?" he said. He was about to try to find a way out of the building when he heard a voice from the other side of the door he was standing by.
"Who's by the door? I can't have someone interferre! ...It's that boy who can use the powers of darkness. And yet he can control it because he's got-"
Kyle didn't want to hear any more. He was aboout to correct the voice for calling him a "boy", but when he burst into the room there was a sudden bright light... It got brighter and brighter... Then everything went back to normal.
Or not.
Kyle stood at in the doorway to the room and looked inside it. Everything was black with a neon outline. Kyle noticed, when he saw the window, taht it was suddenly nightime. He didn't see where the voice had come from.
Kyle backed out the room and started down the hallway to try to leave... but the hallway was black with neon outlines too!
Kyle suddenly felt extremely uneasy and wished that he hadn't left Matt back there.
He was walking down a stairwell when he heard some noise from below. Kyle hurried down the rest of the stairs and exited the stairwell and saw... a gas pump! It was trashing the room! It noticed Kyle's presence and looked up, but by the time it looked, it had a blue stick in its face...
"3..." it muttered.
"What?" asked Kyle. He was very suprised that he hadn't chopped the gas pump in half. He backed off of it.
The gas pump edged closer to Kyle. "2..." it grumbled.
"WHAT DO YOU WANT!?" yelled Kyle at the gas pump.
"1..." it murmered.
Kyle eyed it and was about to run away whem the gas pum reached somewhere and pulled out a bomb. "0..." it whispered.
The gas pump was about to chunk the bomb at Kyle but.
"End of the World Alpha!" The gas pump was sucked into a black hole. Kyle picked the lack hole up and tossed it out a window. The black hole landed near a melting clock, whick was immediatly sucked into the black hole as well, right before it imploded.
Kyle was feeling weak. he started to walk around the area outside of the building. It somewhat resembled Fourside.
He saw a man with glasses standing by a neon tree. Kyle ran up to him.
"Do you know where I am?" Kyle asked.
"No."
"Am I still in Fourside?"
"What? Are you still sleeping? This is Moonside!"
"Aha! So you do know where we are!"
"I told you I did! ...Oh, you're an outsider. I see. Around here "yes" means "no" and vice versa. You understand?"
"...um, no." Kyle was still confused.
"Good! Now you explain it to me."
"Nevermind," Kyle said, and walked away. He knew one thing. He wasn't in Kansas any more. He wasn't even in Fourside, for that matter. He was in Moonside, and he had no idea how to get out.

Harsemhin struggled up.
"Rita," he asked, "what do you think we ought to do with Cyan? He's becoming too powerful, and he nearly killed me just now."
Cirra looked at the others, who nodded.
"We've got a crazy little plan," she answered, "and it just might work."
Cirra described the plan to Harsemhin.
"Yes. It just might work."
"I assume you're Harsemhin?" Luna asked.
"Yes," Harsemhin replied, "I am Harsemhin Aberfydd."
"Har-suh-vin? A-burr-vithe?" Skulryk sounded out the words.
"Right," Dan confirmed. "He's got a weird spelling to go with the pronunciation."
"HEY!" Harsemhin protested. "Dan isn't weird? Skulryk's not irregular?"
Luna pushed Skulryk and Dan out of the way.
"My name's Luna," she introduced.
"Pleased to meet you, Luna."
"Of course, you already know me," Siris noted.
Siris looked around at his new companions, and smiled.
They are strong indeed, he thought to himself.
Harsemhin looked at Siris intently, finally saying, "Siris, correct? Wasn't your hair brown when I last saw you?"
Siris grinned. "Heh, I keep forgetting about that."
"That is a bit unsettling," Luna pointed out. "Is there any way you can change back?"
Siris frowned. "Well, I probably could," he sighed. "But this has never happened to me before... I've never been able to keep it like this. I want to see how long I can keep it."
"Well then," Dan said. "What exactly are we going to do now?"
"I don't know about you," Siris said as he sat on the curb of a nearby sidewalk. "But I'm rather hungry."
Anime sweatdrops followed. Siris reached into his bag (the one marked 'BAG') and pulled out a single orange.
"I believe," Siris said as he removed the peel and took a bite, "that this is an orange of doom."
Luna sighed.

"Leave me ALONE!" yelled Kyle at this annoying fire hydrant. It was following him around, blasting him with powerful jets of water.
Kyle had been fighting his way around Moonside for a long time now... or at least it seemed like a long time. Kyle figured out the Moonsidian language, now. He also figured out that this place was somehow connected to Mani Mani. Some of the people just wouldn't shut up about it!
Kyle had run out of psychic power. He couldn't use his black holes anymore. He had passed a hotel before, put by the time he had figured out the language completly, he was a long way from the hotel. And even worse, when he stopped to ask this one guy directions, the guy just said,"hello... and goodbye," and the next thing Kyle knew, he was in a part of Moonside he'd never seen before! Now he was still in search of the hotel.
Kyle took off running. For some odd reason, he had the R.E.M. song Texarkana stuck in his head... Kyle looked back and saw that the fire hydrant was still not far behind him. He couldn't help but onder how a hydrant could move so fast...
He passed through an alley and ran down a street. He ran past a guy who shouted at him,"Hey! Do you need to go to the hospital?"
Kyle hept running. He was heading toward a very tall building. It looked like the tall building near the department store in Fourside.

Kyle was almost there when an Abstract Art blocked him! Kyle turned to run the other way, but the hydrant was already there. Kyle turned to run out to one side, but a Dali's Clock was quickly approaching from that direction. So, Kyle had only one more direction to go. Behind his was a building that looked like a museum. He ran inside.
Kyle ran as far into the museum as he could. There were other people in the museum, but the three enemies that came in had no interest in them. They wanted Kyle. Luckily Kyle found a back door!
...But Kyle felt a strange energy in the museum. He looked back and he saw where the energy was being emitted from. A present box on the other side of the room. Past the trio of possesed everyday items.
The package's energy wasn't like the one that Kyle had followed that led him to Mani Mani. It was warm. It was kind. Gentle. Bright. Mysterious. Powerful...
Kyle wanted it. It wanted Kyle. It beckoned him. Kyle would do anything to get it. Even fight off three powerful enemies.

Matt was lost. Believe it or not, it is exceptionally difficult to track flying people. A bit dispirited, but not yet ready to give up the chase, Matt continued on his way. After what seemed like an eternity walking in circles around the city, Matt finally found something. He rounded a corner and saw a figure floating in the air. Hmmm...I can't make out who it is from here... thought Matt, struggling to focus on the person. But since he's flying and seems to be armed I'll just assume he's one of the group.
Matt ran towards the person, desperately trying to get his attention. The figure turned and glared at him, showing his face. Matt didn't recognize him and stopped in his tracks.
"Begone!" cried Cyan, drawing his sword. "I have a dragon to catch, and I need not have people like you pestering me!"
"Dragon?" questioned Matt, confused.
"Do you not see it?" asked the figure, pointing to the street. All Matt saw was empty pavement.
"Wait a sec..." thought Matt. "Of course! This must be Cyan! He's been messed with in the head. I should try to calm him down..."
"Hey, friend!" yelled Matt up to Cyan. "How about you come down and talk to me? I can help you if you just come with me."
Cyan stared at Matt, obviously annoyed with him.
"First of all, I'm not your 'friend.' Secondly, you're obviously not trying to help me since you are attempting to distract me from my mission. And lastly, I don't need your help. You should be eliminated for you interference!"
Before Matt knew what was happening Cyan charged towards him at full speed. He got heavily hit by his sword and hammered against the wall of a nearby building.
"Ughhhh..." mumbled Matt. He knew from the strength of that first blow that he couldn't take on Cyan in his 'darker form.'
Another heavy blow sent Mattt flying, landing in a heap of trash cans. He felt as if every bone in his body had been broken.
"I doubt I can beat him..." thought Matt desperately. "But if I can stall him and make some sort of signal, I can get the others over here to help."
"Prepare to be undone." muttered Cyan darkly. He was approaching the injured Matt and was preparing to strike a mortal blow.
Matt swiftly lifted his sword, and muttered a few arcanic words, finishing with one in English.
"FlashBlade!" he exclaimed. A brilliant flash illuminated from Matt's sword. Cyan stumbled backwards, clenching his eyes. He struggled to regain focus.
Not for that signal... thought Matt. He reached opened and rummaged through his pack, pulling out a large firecracker. Written on the side it said 'Ryu-Dama.' Pulling out a match and lighting the explosive, Matt quickly planted it on the ground and dived away.
If this doesn't grab their attention, then nothing will.
The fire made it to the end of the fuse, and the firecracker was set-off. An earth-shattering 'boom' echoed throughout the building as it streaked skywards. Upon clearing triple the height of even the tallest building it erupted into a shower of flames and fireballs. Each fireball erupted into a smaller explosion with several fireballs within and so on.
Matt stared up at the explosion, but was soon struck down to the ground. The FlashBlade had worn off.
"First you distract me from my mission then mock me with your silly flashes of light!" exclaimed the angered Cyan, kicking Matt into the street. "You must be taken care of!"
After another vicious blow to the head, Matt blacked out. The last thing he remebered was the smell of smoke and the taste of his own blood...

"Dark Noose," muttered Cyan as he bound Matt with the attack. "That should be enough to keep him out of my hair."
Cursing himself for stopping again, Cyan returned to the chase and quickly found his prey again. After a couple of turns, he lost sight of it.
Where'd he get to now? wondered Cyan as he searched. He then noticed Ness and Tsurami. So he changed forms again..... I wonder where he picked up that ability anywayc he thought idly as he moved into position.
Ness and Tsurami didn't notice Cyan above them, or when he came lower.
"Dark Noose," he whispered and let loose a wave of dark energy which hit Tsurami and bound him tightly, removing him from the ensuing battle.
"What?!" exclaimed Ness.
"Mmmmphh," suggested Tsurami.
"I'll finish you off this time," stated Cyan, matter-of-factly as he succeeded in hanging Tsurami from a lamp post, as he had Harsemhin.
"Why do you keep coming after me?" asked Ness, pulling out his bat. "I only want Mani Mani, not you."
"You should be able to figure it out!" exclaimed Cyan as he attacked Ness.

Elsewhere, Harsemhin and the others were still chasing after Cyan, lead by Siris who was tracking Cyan's changed aura. An explosion caught their attention.
"That sounded like it was from up ahead!" said Harsemhin.
"That's where Cyan is," added Siris.
They made their way to where the explosion had come from and found Matt, bound by Cyan's dark force.
"Cyan just keeps causing damage!" exclaimed Harsemhin. "We have to stop him now! You go on ahead, I'll look after him," said Harsemhin.
"All right," said Siris, starting off again.

Siris and crew arrived just as the battle between Cyan and Ness was starting. They noticed Tsurami and quickly let him down.
"What happened?" demanded Siris. "Why are they fighting?"
"I don't know. Cyan seems to think Ness is some long time nemesis of his ..." responded Tsurami.

SLASH!
Kyle cut off the gas pump's hose!
It seemed that Kyle's strength had grown since he had noticed the present box.
The gas pump backed away into a corner of the museum, trying to block the way to the box.
The hydrant had shot a powerful blast of water, but suddenly stopped for a few seconds because the Dali's Clock had stopped time for a few seconds and got some hits in. The blast of water continued and hit Kyle.
Kyle knew that his best bet was to take out the Dali's Clock before the hydrant. It was more dangerous with its ability to stop time. Kyle gathered up his strength and charged at the melting chronometer. The stick sliced straight through it. It was appearantly weaker than the hydrants and gas pumps, ruining Kyle's attack plan, but not by much.
The Dali's Clock stopped moving.
The hydrant, somehow, used a normal attack on Kyle. It was weak.
Kyle repeatedly attacked the hydrant. *WHAP* *CLANK* *CLANG* *CLUNG* *CRACK* FffssssssssSSSSSSSSSSSSSTTT!