While PikaChan continued to sleep, the voice in her head was still quite active.

Paula trying to contact PikaChan reminded it that it needed to make a call of its own. She dropped the sword in her panic while Riley dragged her off, it could be anywhere by now... the voice sighed. I guess we'll have to try our own little summoning trick...

The voice reached out across time and space, seeking out a long time - if slightly hostile - acquaintance.

In another place and another time, a young man looked up from his work when he heard a familiar voice calling to him. He hadn't heard it for many years.

Can you hear me? it called.

What do you want? he asked in relative disgust.

Still hate me with a passion do you?

Get on with it. Why are you bothering me?

Fine, fine... It's about Riley.

Riley?! What did you do to him?! He prepared to launch a mental Shock Bolt.

You're still too predictable, you know that? asked the voice. It got a growl in response. Look, don't do that because you'll only take out an innocent trying to get me. It's not my mind you'd shatter.

What. Did. You. Do. To. Riley, he thought through the equivalent of clenched teeth.

I did nothing. However, that's not the problem. You remember the Darkness, right?

You expect me to have forgotten how? The tension between the two was as spectacular as always.

Well, whatever. That's our problem. The Sins of the Father are trying to repeat. Riley's gone berserk.

It got RILEY?! He paused for a moment as the thought sank in. This is all your fault I take it, right?

Probably. Look, to stop this we need your sword, but PikaChan dropped it when Riley dragged her off.

PikaChan? The name seemed oddly familiar, but he couldn't place it.

Yes. That's whose mind I'm in right now. When Riley lost it I was essentially ejected from his. Look, I need your help to get the sword back. I can't call it on my own.

Yes you can. I had it designed based on yours, remember?

That doesn't change the fact it isn't mine. Look, just help me this once, would you?

Fine. But only because Riley's involved. You do realize she needs to be awake for this, right?

How did you know she was out?

I have my ways, just as you have yours. Wake her up.

Completely at a loss for how to wake PikaChan, the voice decided to try the obvious. He shocked her with her own powers.

"Ouch!" exclaimed PikaChan, jolted back to consciousness by the unexpected burst of energy.

PikaChan, we need your help. We need the sword.

But I dropped it... How can I get it back like this?[I] She shook her arms which were still chained to the wall.

With my help. This new voice was unfamiliar to PikaChan. It's possible to summon my blade to you.

It's an ability in both his sword and mine. But I can't call his, only he can.

You're Riley's dad? asked PikaChan.

Yes, now let's hurry with this so you can save him.

Riley's dad began concentrating and PikaChan could feel the force of it in her mind. Then the voice in her own mind began concentrating. Following its lead, PikaChan also concentrated on the sword, even though she had no clue where it was. With a burst of energy, the sword formed in her hand and the shield clattered to the ground beside her.

That's all I can do to help you, I'm afraid. The rest is in your hands, rather literally now, I guess, chuckled Riley's father.

Thanks, thought PikaChan.

Don't worry about it. Just save Riley for me.

I will.

Before I go. PikaChan, after you save him ... take good care of Riley for me. PikaChan blushed as he thought this.

Beyond PikaChan's ability to detect it, the two voices continued on their own.

So what happens if you screw up and Riley dies?

Well, since I actually exist in his mind, and it just _seems_ like I'm in hers, then I'll probably cease to exist too.

Good. At least I can take solace in the fact we'll finally be rid of you once and for all. But I'll still hunt you down and make you pay for it if he dies because of you.

Haven't I already paid for everything enough already? The voice was a bit indignant about it.

No. And you'll never pay for what you did. Not in our eyes, at least.

You know I never wanted that to happen, and I apologized for it.

You can't apologize for that, and whether you wanted it or not, it happened and can't be changed. Good bye.

And with that the voice was alone in PikaChan's mind again.

----

Skulryk moaned and rolled over, his weight sliding into the shifting ground below him. His eyes slowly opened, light filtering in from the moon's cascade. Clarity returned once more to his pupils steadying themselves upon the distant twilight. He clenched his fist, taking with him a mound of sand, and he raised his hand, letting the granules slowly tumble between the niches of his fingers.

"Uhn, what happened..." Skulryk mumbled as he sat up, rubbing his temples. The last thing he recalled was the monstrous apparition of Diamond Dave fleeing into the forest, and the dozen and a half individuals running after him. All was blackness after that. He rolled it over in his head, searching for some missing piece of the puzzle, some key that would unlock the door to the enigma dancing about his consciousness. Yet all was to no avail. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he found a hand extended before him. Squinting, Skulryk made out the smiling face of Amber above him. He returned the expression and grasped her hand in his own, allowing her to hoist him to his feet.

Amber brushed a long red strand of hair from her eyes, turning to view King as he darted playfully about the sandy beach, in pursuit of Indigo. The girl laughed gleefully as the dog gave chase, skidding across the unstable ground every time he tried to change his course. Skulryk frowned, remaining silent for a few minutes as he inhaled the fresh ocean air, the peaceful lapping of the waves soothing his tensed nerves. He closed his eyes once, remaining this way for a few seconds, then opened them and arched an eyebrow. "Where exactly are we? What happened?"

Amber looked down, folding her hands in front of her. The words haltingly escaped her lips. "To tell you the truth, I don't really know...I just woke up like you did. Everyone else is pretty woozy right now, and I don't see any sign of our balloon."

"That's it, right there." Skulryk turned around to see Dan approaching, one finger extended toward the distant retreating horizon. Skulryk and Amber turned their heads toward the ocean, where their eyes met the remains of the massive hot air balloon. The ocean waves tugged at the delicately patterned craft as an unknown force pulled it further into the murky deep.

"Agh, man! There goes our ride." Ness approached, cap in one hand, the other ruffling his black hair. He muttered incomprehensibly. "It looks like we're stuck on a deserted island. But I have no idea how we got here. I can't even recall crashing."

"Yeah, same here." Paula, who was beside him, chimed in. She brushed a golden lock out of her face and placed a hand on her hip irritably. She shook her head. "This is really very perplexing." She intoned. In the distance, she could see Teddy and Jimmy splashing about the waves near the sinking ship, trying desperately to save whatever they could. All this was to no avail, for the might of the ocean cared little for the plight of those stranded.

It was then that Skulryk noticed a solitary figure standing atop an upturned rock some ways down the beach head. "Hey..." he whispered, nudging Ness in the ribs. The Protector turned, frowning and squinting in the fading daylight.

"Is that...who I think it is?" He began in a jog down the beach.

"Hey, wait...!" Dan bellowed, before shrugging and taking off after him. The rest did the same. It was only a matter of moments before the mystery began to surface into view. Hair as white as the snow danced in the ocean's gentle grip as the man stood solemnly, his arms folded firmly across his chest, the slim black turtleneck hugging his body.

"Well, it's about time you guys woke up." Talus whispered. He cocked his head, grinning wryly, but the expression quickly subsided. "I was beginning to think you'd all had a bit too much gas."

"Gas..." Paithan whispered. "Wait a minute, are you telling me...!" Talus held up a hand to silence him.

"I'll be doing the speaking here, if you don't mind." The young man stated succinctly, his tone of voice sharp and commanding -- both very out of character for him. Talus let his arms fall to his side and hopped off the rock. He pointed to the balloon in the distance. "You're all lucky. You could have been killed. Twice. Not only are you incredibly fortunate to have survived the crash, but you could've asphyxiated on the gas. This whole beach was suffocated in it when the balloon crash-landed on the sands. I had to move it into the ocean all by my--" He froze, inhaling sharply. Talus looked down, pursing his lips in an expression of thought. "Well..." He muttered at last, "It's not important. What matters is that we're all alive." He crossed his hands behind his back and began to walk toward the forest.

"Wait a minute!" Eric yelled. "What do you mean 'by yourself'? That thing's huge! It would've taken a hundred men to move it! Are you saying that you pushed it that far into the ocean all by your--"

"I said it's not important!" Talus roared through gritted teeth, clenching his fists. Every nerve in his body was tense with anxiety, and his eyes were wide with anticipation.

"...The girls are missing." He stated at last, not bothering to turn around. "Luna and Venus are probably somewhere in the forest. We should find them quickly. There's no way to tell what vicious creatures live in that place."

"Luna and Venus...?" Seong-un whispered. "When did they...wait."

"I remember." Chase stood apart from the group, his arms crossed, eyes closed. "Yeah, I remember it clear as day."

The Royal Altian Balloon was soaring somewhere over Summers when they attacked. It didn't take them long. They came screaming out of the sky in their war machines, the whirring of rotating blades cutting through the cold atmosphere high above Eagleland.

"Were they Zeros!?" Dan exclaimed, interrupting. He was silenced by a quick fist to the noggin.

"I'm telling a story here!" Chase growled. He cleared his throat and continued.

War let out a mighty bellow as the three horsemen screamed through the sky in unholy gyrocopters. The machines were painted a cold black, the merciless steel cutting through the frosty dew. In an eye blink, the implements of destruction rained bitter steel upon the helpless balloon and its occupants.

"Quickly!" Targus shrieked, sending the balloon into a sharp dive. The vehicle responded with amazing agility, plummeting through the clouds at a moment's notice.

"You'll not be spared the suffering of the hellish flame!" Pestilence cried, letting loose a volley of arrows from his ride. Famine let loose a cold laugh.

"Enough! This is pathetic. You are all helpless in there. Prepare for thy doom." A whirr escaped the mechanisms of the craft, and a series of gears clicked internally. Raltise strode forward calmly, leaning against the rail of the basket, and he leveled his ice blaster at the horseman.

"Bang."

The bolt of ice seared the clouds as it rocketed through the air, sending vicious shards in its wake. Famine frowned and angled his gyrocopter to the right slightly. The bolt passed by, barely scraping the hull.

"Eh...what?" Raltise gasped, looking incredulously. Famine roared with laughter and flipped a small red button on his console. With a scream, a barrage of missiles escaped from a hatch in front of the gyrocopter and exploded upon the helpless balloon. The vehicle shook from the impact. Venus let out a cry of panic as she toppled over the side of the basket, only saving herself by digging her fingers into the woven railing. Luna ran to the edge, grabbing the singer's hand and attempting to hoist her up.

Another spray of bullets rained from the sky, this time striking the balloon itself. The craft lurched suddenly, and with a scream both women were sent toppling over the side. Famine shook with laughter.

"Well! That's two down!" He cried. His victory was cut short by his vehicle careening sharply to the side. He looked up to see a fire brewing from above, and one of the rotors missing. He let out a gasp as the whole thing went into a spin, and he began tumbling downward. As he spun into the clouds below, his voice echoed across the sky. "They came from...behind!"

War and Pestilence frowned, looking down at their retreating brother, and with a shrug, both went after him. Meanwhile, the balloon continued to leak gas. Chase began envisioning ketchup on his watch, the fumes causing him to all but forget the incident. All, in truth, suffered the same fate. All but Talus, who stood gripping the rail where Luna had toppled over, his knuckles white with fear.

Skulryk paused. "How did you know Talus's reaction if you were high?"

"Shut up I just did." Chase replied.

Talus, several yards away, shuffled about in his pockets impatiently. "Thanks for the storytime, but we really gotta get going." He muttered, motioning irritably to the dark forest before him. "If we don't get going soon, something else will pop up to deter us. So we're moving. Now."

"Now wait just a minute!" Ness growled. "I've had enough of you bossing everyone around! I don't know what's gotten into you, Talus, but I don't like it. We'll leave when we're good and ready."

A low, uneasy chuckle escaped the boy's lips. This quickly developed into a piercing laughter that echoed across the sands. Talus turned around at last. "Tell me, Ness. If Paula was missing, wouldn't you stop at nothing to find her again? Or would you just forsake her?" An unsettling silence fell over the beach dunes. Ness lowered his head.

"I see."

"Oh, do you? I don't think you do. I think you're more concerned with your own well being than the well being of anyone else here. I think you could care less about your sister's plight, because all that matters is that someone is forcing you out of retirement. No...you don't see at all, do you?"

Ness remained stoically calm.

"Do you?"

His hands slowly formed into fists.

"Do you!?"

"I care about the safety of this planet! Everything else is secondary! My family, my friends, even my life! The fact that my sister's my enemy means little to me! I need to stop her just the same. No matter who it is, I'd eliminate them. Even if they were the person I loved."

Paula gasped, covering her mouth quietly. She looked at Ness, shocked, her eyes watering slightly. The Protector realized his words all too late, and turned to look at her, an expression of disbelief on his face. "Paula, I..." managed to escape his lips before he was cut short be a sharp slap to the face. Paula glared at him angrily, tears brimming in her eyes, and she turned away, walking down the beach. Ness looked after her, unable to say a word, his hand searching his pocket. He pulled out the small box with the engagement ring he had planned to give her. He gritted his teeth, cradling it in his palm. Talus grinned, arching an eyebrow.

"Saving the planet starts with the individual. What good is this hunk of rock if you don't care about the people on it?"

"Ah yes! Visitors! So good of you to come!" A sharp voice pierced the twilight, and all heads turned to a solitary figure on horseback emerging from the trees. Talus snarled, backing away.

"Horseman, show yourself!" He bellowed. The figure moved into the moonlight. Surprisingly, it was not one of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, but rather a lone rider hoisting a bow, the arrow trained on Talus's heart. He wore a stylized headdress, clearly marking him as a form of tribal leader.

"Hello, and welcome to our island! I trust you'll have a comfortable stay!" He snapped his fingers, and as if on cue, hundreds of bronzed men with spears emerged from the underbrush. The men bared their teeth viciously.

"Well, it appears we really have no choice. We appreciate your hospitality." Talus called out, grinning and raising his hands into the air.

----

Mere minutes later, the captive group emerged upon a large hut village at the center of the small island. Torchlight illuminated the grounds, casting eerie shadows about the trees. The huts were cylindrical in shape with triangular roofs, similar to a Mr. Saturn's hut though made entirely of wood and leaves. The center of the village comprised a larger hut, undoubtedly a gathering hut of some sort. The roof was painted ritualistically in red paint, the streaks of crimson lancing out from the brown rooftop. The leader on horseback dismounted, trading his bow and arrow for a spear and grabbing Talus roughly. The young man had been tied at the feet and with his arms behind his back, and gagged tightly.

"Our leader wishes to see you, and you alone. The rest of you will be held in the Jingle Jail."

Chase frowned. "The what?" He was silenced by a blow from the shaft of a spear.

"Silence!" A gruff voice bellowed. "Do as you're told and you won't get hurt...badly." Chase muttered incomprehensibly as the group was led off. Talus, meanwhile, was pulled roughly by the leader toward the large hut in the center of the village. He frowned, glancing at the rooftop's markings.

Strange... he thought. They look almost like... He shook his head. No. The leader at this time had approached the door, a drapery, and he moved it aside, pushing Talus inside. The boy fell head over heels, unable to walk, and tumbled to the wooden floor. With a grin, he let the drapery flutter closed, and he was off. All inside was dark, but Talus could discern the outline of a throne at the far end of the hut. The rest was bare save for several sconces lining the walls, their torches giving off little light.

The young man looked about, eyeing the throne peculiarly. It was almost as if...

"Welcome, Young Master!" A booming voice cried out as a shadow stood from his seat at the throne. Talus's eyes widened and he let out a muffled exclamation as Raltise himself entered the dim light of the torches. The Nightmare Demon grinned, fluttering the black cape that hung from his broad shoulders. He strode forward, his black boots clicking against the floor sharply. He stopped short of Talus's body, looking down at him, his arms crossed.

"Well, Young Master, it appears that they have been a little...rough with you, but I could not risk any chances. You know quite well that I can take orders only from you, and I could not risk you spoiling my little...fun. Be patient, though, I will let you all go in time." He unfolded his arms, grinning wildly, and he turned.

"I bet you're wondering what happened to me. Well, much like yourself, I found myself immune to the powers of that gas, and I made my way to the interior while you foolishly stayed behind to watch over the rest of them. I discovered, quite to my surprise, that this was a group of natives from my cult -- imagine, those who worship the Nightmare Demon! Quite a discovery, yes!" The unearthly one began to pace, crossing his hands behind his back.

"Yes, yes...this is all too fitting. Tell me, why did you die on the ship five years ago? ....Well? Yes, yes, I expect no answer. Hmmm, I see...well! We all know why you died. And it wasn't because of foolishness! You wanted the Protector to harness the Path of Light. Access to the island. Yes, yes...for that reason. Well, no matter. It is all falling into place, is it not? But tell me..." Raltise strode forward again, this time leaning over and grabbing Talus by the throat, hoisting him into the air. "Tell me, Young Master! Tell me why you protect them! Tell me now for I must know! Have you gone soft? Have you learned...compassion? Yes, I see..." His grip tightened about Talus's throat, choking the life out of him.

"The erasure of your memories was necessary for...it. Yes, yes...it was for your own good, the tribunal had decided. For the good of all of us. So you could...concentrate. I was told to ensure that you would not recall your past, particularly your memory of that...girl. And yet..." He let Talus drop to the floor in this instant, and he turned away, clutching his wrist.

"And yet...I find myself, too, succumbing to the very compassion of these...humans. Perhaps I have been about them too long, but I finally feel this thing that people call...emotion. Pity. Guilt." He turned, grinning wildly, brandishing a small case from the depths of his cape. "But that doesn't mean I cannot fight it."

Raltise waved the small cylindrical case about in the air, chuckling all the while. "Here, Young Master, I hold the key to your past. I am quite tempted to give it to you, but the better part of me urges me not to! What shall I do? Shall I flip a coin? Yes, perhaps that is the only alternative..." Raltise cradled the case in both hands, slowly opening the black velvet lid.

"Ah, yes...your glasses. I have held them all this time. Perhaps it is time for you to see the truth? To see all with clarity once more? Yes, perhaps it is...but before I decide, I must know..." He closed the lid with a snap. kneeling next to Talus.

"Tell me..." He whispered. "Tell me why you have not struggled against your bonds? You could have surely broken free by now..." A peculiar light danced in Talus's eyes, as if he were smiling through his soul.

With a clang of metal, a large sword struck the hard wood floor, sending splinters everywhere. Raltise's eyes widened and he dove to the side, his cape fluttering in his wake. The sword moved once more, slicing horizontally through the air, cleaving the fabric in half. Raltise went into a tumble, careening across the room and only coming to a stop upon crashing into the wall on the opposite side. The blade of a sword was quickly pressed against his throat. His eyes were clenched momentarily, but in an instant they darted open. He was silent for a moment before letting loose in a horrible shriek.

"My cape!" He cried shrilly. "You ruined my beautiful cape! You'll pay for this, you--" A grin slowly crossed his face. "Quite so...good evening, Young Mistress. What a pleasant surprise." Luna narrowed her eyes, and cocked her head to the side to look at Venus, who was frantically untying the boy at her feet. The ropes and gag dropped to the floor.

"Raltise, give me the glasses." The Nightmare Demon muttered and slowly reached into his cape, removing the velvet case, he tossed it high into the air. The case opened mid-flight, sending the glasses, blue tint glinting faintly in the torchlight, across the room toward their owner. Talus caught them in one hand by one of the earpieces. He grinned, looking down. The crack glistened distinctly in the dimness of the room. He looked at Raltise again.

I get it... The Nightmare Demon thought. You didn't break free because you knew they were here... "Why, Young Master! I believe our guests deserve a storytime, don't you agree? Why don't I tell them the delightful story of how you were once in the serv--" A sharp glance from Talus caught the unearthly one's eye. In an instant, a bolt of extreme pain shot through Raltise's cranium. He let out a weak yelp, and went limp. Luna sheathed her sword. Talus frowned, scratching his head.

"Well what do you know, he fainted. Funny, that..." He whispered, grinning wryly. With a slow movement, he placed his glasses on his face, the earpieces hooking over, the world becoming a blue shade before his eyes. He pushed them up the bridge of his nose, and with a smirk, he looked up. "Hey there, Luna. It's been a while."