The daily life of the people of Dalaam went as every other days. Each and every one of them were going through their own routine. Little did they know about the activities going on inside the palace of their land's royal family. Among those walls, Poo was standing at the center of a wide room with only pillars and windows atop the tall walls whose only purpose is to let the light shine upon the royal dojo. It was there that soldiers, servants and even the royalty would learn and train in martial arts since generations. Poo, clothed with his usual white garbs, was taking a battle stance. Both of his fists open and ready to strike. His trusty Sword of Kings was standing feet away from him, behind the crowd around him. They were about 20, maybe even 30. All of them were some of the best soldiers in Dalaam, circling around the prince, all taking their own battle stance. They received strict orders from Poo: go out at him without any trace of reserve.
It took a few seconds before some of them had the resolve to attack one of those they swore to protect with their lives. Four of them finally charged in. Among them, 2 of them were using lances while the others decided to go hand to hand. Poo, without hesitation, quickly blocked the first kick destined for him and dodged the punch. He didn't had time to counter before the lancers came in, one trying to sweep him off his feet and the other to knock him with a vertical swipe. Poo didn't waste his time though. He immediately took a hold of the two previous attackers and stood on his hands with them as his hold. He immediately used his feet to stop the lance coming down to him and after sending it away of harm, kicked the wielder before pushing himself away from his pillars as they got swept by the other lancer aiming for the prince. They regained their composure and attempted another attack. This time, more decided to join in and attempted to attack the prince while he was focused on the other four. Poo, however, took them by surprise as he not only parried every attacks but swiftly countered with the grace of the martial artist he was. Soon, all of Poo's opponents started to go on the offensive. The prince used every trick in his book to fight back as hard as he could. No matter how clever an assailant's tactic was, Poo always managed to either dodge or block. When they saw that they were going nowhere, those that stuck to hand to hand combat let those with weapons take the lead as they backed down to get additional weaponry, weaponry that the prince himself told them they were allowed to use against him. As the weapons started to storm around Poo, he realized it was time to move to the counterattack. With one sweep kick, he managed to trip the soldiers that were currently swarming him and took the chance to jump onto another guard and use him as a platform to jump across the masses. As he landed, he turned to his assailants as his hands took hold of the Sword of Kings.
Dusk was slowly setting in. In the scene where battle cries and the sounds of metal clashing were echoing all day lied the soldiers, exhausted, battered, defeated. In front of them was standing Poo, without a single hint of injury. As he saluted his sparing partners, he left the dojo, feeling unsatisfied of the training session he just went through. He decided to seclude himself for a little while. He had a lot on his mind. He sat on the border of one of the palace's highest windows, staring at the setting sun. He needed to become stronger. However, he wasn't sure how. As devoted his servants were, they weren't any match for him even in numbers. Attempting another session with an higher number was out of the question. The chaos it would generate could cause incidents. Yet, there he was with no change at all and no possible way to improve in the current situation. Did he reached the peak? No, he couldn't believe that. Believing that would mean that he cannot help Ness any longer. Believing that would mean that he wouldn't be able to protect his people for whatever danger may come in the future. Believing that would mean that he would admit his own weakness...
Poo felt a familiar presence behind him. It was his guardian and master. He was the one who tended to him since he was born. He's also the one who thought him martial arts and the spirituality of their people. He had trained Poo until the fateful day of the Mu Training's conclusion. Over time, he had progressed far beyond him. Still, the young prince never hesitates to consult his old master when he feels the need to do so. "I heard the training went well, said the wise man. The guards seem to be still recuperating in their quarters though." Poo stared at the setting sun as he answered his master. "I cannot say that this training is much fruitful... In fact, I believe I became too strong for anyone in this kingdom. 24 of the best men of the kingdom couldn't even keep up with me. I'm afraid there is nothing I can do to become better here." The prince's servant simply looked as the royal prince simply leaned against the window while staring outside. "Are you suggesting leaving to find a place to..." "No! I cannot afford to travel aimlessly in those times of uncertainty" answered Poo. The prince's guardian slowly walked in as he examined some of Poo's belongings he put on a nearby table. "Perhaps you might find your answer from the Star Master then." Poo stared down to see his kingdom, doubts filling his mind. "The Star Master only comes to you... never the other way around. I have looked everywhere for him. I checked where he had brought me for learning the ways of the Starstorm and various locales... in vain. The Star Master cannot be found on this Earth unless he wants you to." Poo's master let a small smile show on his face as he chuckled. "Perhaps you should begin looking elsewhere then." Poo was caught up in surprise and turned toward the man. "Wh...what do you mean?"
Poo dusted himself as he reached the top of the mountain. The last time he stood there was during the last trial of the Mu Training. Yet, it seemed like it wasn't so long ago. He sat down and assumed his meditation position. As he prepared his mind, he recalled the words of his master. "I have thought you how meditation can strengthen one's mind and open to a vast field of possibilities. However, meditation can give one's mind access to a dimension of the world beyond your wildest fantasies. Only the few who masters the act of meditation can witness such event. Prince Poo, your gift has given you new eyes. However, they have yet to be fully opened. My lord, go train your mind atop the training mountain in order to lift the darkness away from them and then you shall be able to look for who you seek." Poo closed his eyes as he emptied his mind of any remaining thoughts. His breathing started to slow down. Soon, his heartbeat followed the pace. He could feel his muscles slowly becoming numb as he discarded his feelings. As his meditation progressed, he sank further into the darkness. This time, he was slowly sinking into it by his own accord. He knew that no matter thick the darkness was, his mind could never be destroyed. After a while, all sounds, all smells, all sensations had vanished into the darkness. However, in the depths of this eternal darkness, Poo could see a small glimmer of light. Little by little, that light started to expand, gnawing through the dark. The light was so bright, Poo couldn't see through. However, he felt compelled by it. He felt that the light was the key to everything. Poo willingly allowed his soul to be engulfed by the ever growing light. After a while, he started to distinguish colors. In front of him, he could see the nearby mountains. As much as they seemed normal, the sky was all the opposite. It was gleaming into colors of the rainbow. Streams of colors were flowing through the blue of the sky. Did he pulled himself out of meditation? What's with the scenery? Poo lifted his hand to see if he could move. He then noticed he could see through his very own body. His eyes widened, struck by what was happening. Poo turned around. He saw Dalaam in the same kind of scenery. However, he could distinguish glows along the roads and through the house's windows. He couldn't help but believe that those glows were the radiant life force of his people. As he looked down, he noticed a young man garbed in white, meditating where he once stood.
Poo stared at his meditating body. He could see an aura around him. It was faint as most of his energy had lowered to the minimum needed to live as a result of reaching a greater level of meditation. It was just like his master told him. His spiritual training has reached a point where, through meditation, his spirit could break free of the chains that bound him to his physical body. In this new astral form, his eyes could see things no living being could see in their flesh and bone. He looked ahead. On the canvas that was his kingdom, faint glows of radiance appeared all around it. As some moved along the roads, others were simply glowing through the windows of Dalaam's homes. Poo turned around, staring at the sky one more time. The weird colors he was seeing, were those the flows of life force from the planet itself? Poo started to believe once more. Maybe now, he could find who he is searching for. As he cleared his mind once more, the last lines of his discussion with his master echoed through his soul. "Should your soul be strong enough, it shall leave outside your body without harming neither. Should your soul be pure enough, it shall be light enough to part from the ground and make one with the wind, said the master earlier." "Have you ever experienced this, master?" Poo recalled the small smile of the older man. "Although I have seen the other side with my own eyes, my spirit wasn't yet ready to free myself of the earth." Poo closed his eyes once more. As he renewed his resolve, he felt his feet touching the void. As he opened his eyes, the astral winds were slowly lifting him upward, heading for the skies.
Poo looked down as he was being carried away by the wind. He could see so much land from up there. Far in the distance, he could see the sea. He knew that across the sea was where his friends currently were. 'Amazing... Never in my life would I have imagine to share the view of the birds. Perhaps with this ability, I can finally find...' Poo hesitated for a moment. Although it was true he could find Ness that way, he wasn't sure if it was the best decision. After all, he was so powerless during the confrontation with the hooded man. What would he expect to accomplish even if he found him? He didn't feel stronger. He didn't feel better. He didn't feel like he could make a difference yet. He couldn't resolve to come face to face with his friends just yet. 'The Star Master. I should be able to find him now. I hope that where ever he is, he will be able to help me.' Poo continued his ascension in the skies. He felt his spirit free of everything. This feeling of freedom was something he never ever experienced before. Still, he tried to stay focused at the task at hand. However, he really wasn't sure where he would find the Star Master. Was there any place that a physical body couldn't visit? Poo turned himself to face the sky, looking at the sun. He was wondering where to start. Then, to his surprise, he noticed some of the astral winds were converging to one point. He decided to investigate. As he got closer, he examined what seemed to be a mountain in the sky. 'And I thought my land was nicknamed the land in the clouds. Huh... a place no normal being can reach... maybe...'
Poo kept ascending the planes, hoping to reach the summit. He passed beyond the clouds, beyond the skies, almost to the stars. Finally, after a long journey, he set foot on what seemed to be "solid" ground. Poo looked down where he came from. He could see clouds covering Earth along with the colorful astral winds coursing all around it. His next reflex was to look above him. To his amazement, he could see the stars, the sun, the moon and all those bodies of the cosmos. He believed his soul had reached as closest from space as a spirit could get. Attempting to climb further seemed impossible. It was as far as his soul could get away from the earth it was bound to. Finally, Poo looked around him. The ground seemed rocky but plants seemed to be able to grow. Without any logical reason, water seemed to come out of a fountain in the middle of the summit and flow on the canals set at each directions from it. As the water fell down the mountain, it slowly changed color and transformed into astral wind. This place was spiritual... it didn't belong to Earth but yet seemed to be in symbiosis with it. The prince finally noticed, to his surprise, other people. He seemed to be more amazed than they seemed to be physical bodies rather than an astral form like he was. He watched them closely. One man was meditating on a rock while a woman was going through what seemed to be martial art forms. Further away, another man seemed to be staring at a rock he picked up while an older man was lifting a huge boulder. Poo finally took a few steps, unsure where he had landed. He noticed what seemed to be black domes but he couldn't see any kind of entrance or window on them. He tried to ask some of those unusual people but they didn't seemed to be aware of him or they simply were ignoring him. Poo kept looking. He then suddenly felt a familiar aura. Poo turned back and noticed one of the domes. This one had an entrance. Without second thought, the prince went through. Once inside, Poo was confused as he was still outside. The dome had vanished save for a floor of bamboo where he was currently standing on. The cosmic scenery was still above his head. In front of him, however, stood a familiar face. "Welcome, Prince Poo. Make yourself at home".
Poo was sitting on a soft red cushion, with a cup of warm tea in front of him. Across the small table was sitting the wise Star Master, the one that helped Poo discover his potential on his previous journey. "Perharps I should begin by explaining you about this place, said the old man. This place is called the Village of the Wises. As you might have guessed it, this place doesn't exist in the physical plane. People with spiritual powers that reach a certain level, like yours for example, are able to leave your body and free yourselves from the restrictions your carnal robes cast upon you since birth and all this without having to experience death. If those people's spirits is then pure enough to be as light as a feather, it can then travel great distances and see the world through their real eyes. This is how the very few people come to this place the first time. After that, only a very small number of those people manage to develop themselves further to be able to fully exist in this plane and belong here as a living being." Poo looked at the sage as he spoke. "Is this why you're in the flesh while I am just a projection?" "Good deduction, answered the old man. This, you see, has become my reality long ago. When a mind reaches a level even further than yours, this location becomes as clear as day. For you, when you'll be back into your body, your memories about this place will become blurry as one's memories is physically in the brain. The spirit itself cannot 'learn' on its own without years and years of spiritual development. As a matter of facts, the only thing you will clearly remember is the answers you're seeking that led you here." Poo nodded as he attempted to sink all this knowledge. "One day, when your mind can truly memorize by itself, you shall recall this place as you see it now. When this day comes, you shall be able to teleport here" concluded the Star Master. The two then stay silent for a few seconds as they drank their tea. "You know why I came here I suppose" said the prince. "I cannot deny it" answered the old sage. "Can you make me stronger?" asked Poo. The Star Master took a few seconds to formulate his answer. "I apologize but everything I could teach you has been taught in your previous journey." Poo was afraid this answer would come. For a second, he felt like he might not have any potential left in him and that he could never fulfill his duties as a prince and as a comrade if he didn't had enough power to protect both his friends and his people. "However, you do not need me to proceed further in your development" added the wise man. A glint of hope came back into Poo's mind. "Remain here for as long as you like. Train here. The answers you seek shall come to you if your mind is ready to face the illusions concealing them." The prince looked at his own reflexion in the cup of tea. After drinking the last of it. He got up and bowed to the Star Master. "If you excuse me, I need to go train."
Poo was wandering around the village. He said he needed to train but he wasn't sure how. He looked around to the other wise ones for inspiration. One of them was resting on a slab of stone onto a long needle, his balance completely stable like he was sitting on the ground. Another was doing martial forms, some familiar to Poo while others completely unknown. Perhaps they weren't used anywhere in the world but here. Another, to Poo's amazement, was standing still while lifting a boulder five times his size above his head. A woman was also standing in balance on an iron bar, holding various objects onto her arms and head without moving a single inch. Another man, with a beard probably as long as his body, was meditating on the water that was flowing out of the fountain at the center of the village. As Poo reached that fountain, he couldn't help but look at it. Atop the fountain was some mysterious round rock that, despite being as black as the void, was sparkling like no other metal. It almost seemed like the cosmos itself. Poo lifted his head toward where the sky should be. Thousands, even millions of stars were shining above him along with the moon, sun and planets he could see. He felt like he was between his world and the universe beyond. He probably was as far as he knew. He was currently in astral form: he wasn't completely bound to Earth right now. As Poo looked back down, he noticed a man and a woman, both of them sitting on the other side of the fountain, staring at the rock on top of it. He observed them for a while. Their look were so serene. It was if the truth was being exposed to them somewhere through the pitch black stone. On his feet, the prince noticed a fragment of the same stone in the water. He picked it up and started to stare at it. It seemed like a plain rock to him. However, as he kept focusing on it, he felt like his mind was being pulled to the rock. His vision zoomed toward the rock as in he was sinking into its void little by little. His senses seemed to dim until it was the total darkness.
Poo looked at himself. He could see himself as clear as day but everything was pitch black. He looked around. Nothing. Not a sight, not a single noise. He didn't feet cold. He didn't feel warm. All he felt was... loneliness. He suddenly noticed something behind him. On his feet was two chains. Both of them had an handle. Curious, the prince looked where the first chain was bound to. The chain was heading to his right, upward until it went high above him. He could notice something was sticking into the chain to prevent it to roll down a ring that was floating in the air. He concluded it was to prevent the chain to fall through. As he kept following the chain, he got quite a shock when he found at the end of that chain, suspended above the void, a round object that had small clouds and covered in water. "Ea...Earth?" He couldn't really comprehend what was going on. Does this mean this chain was the only thing that prevented the world to fall into the darkness of the void? Poo quickly got frightened. He turned around to see the other chain and quickly followed it. It had the same pattern: the lock, the ring, the chain suspending. At the very end of that chain, to his horror, was a huge chunk of rock carved into many paths, spearing through the clouds with, at its very top, an eastern palace protected by the elephant statues. "Dalaam... what does this all mean!?" He didn't had much time to think about it as a noise brought his attention back to the ring. The object blocking the chain through the ring was cracking. Soon, it would snap and let the chain flow through the ring and send his precious kingdom on a crash course into the darkness! Without even giving it another thought, he rushed back to the center and took a hold to the handle bound to Dalaam's chain and as the lock snapped, Poo used all his strength to hold the chain in place. However, to his own horror, he heard a similar noise behind him. As he turned his head, he could see Earth's lock breaking apart. Soon, it shall break and the Earth would meet the same fate as Dalaam would have done would Poo not took a hold of the chain. "I can't let this happen!"
Poo was struggling. The pain was flowing through his whole body. He felt two enormous forces, pulling him on opposite sides, attempting to break him apart. As his left hand tightly took hold of Dalaam's chain, his right hand had its grip on Earth's. However, holding on was the only thing he could do. He didn't have enough strength to move. All his power was focused on one single task: prevent both chains to escape his grasp. Should he even slip, only for a moment, either his kingdom or his planet would be absorbed by the void. However, he knew he couldn't hold on forever. He didn't had the force necessary to prevent both to fall. He knew at best he could save one of them, but he couldn't resolve to sacrifice his home in exchange for the world's safety. Of course, he knew that giving up on Earth wasn't even an option! However, his strength was slowly waning. He had to make a choice and soon. However, Poo's conflicted mind just froze. "I can't... I can't do it! I can't decide! I cannot choose between my kingdom and the world! I can't save both either! I don't have the strength! I don't have enough strength! I can't do anything at all!" Poo's eyes closed as he felt himself become numb. He felt powerless. He felt like he failed everyone. ". . . Why do you have to take the whole weight onto yourself?" Poo's eyes opened as he heard the familiar voice. In front of him stood Ness, staring at him. Behind him, Paula and Jeff were there. The three slowly moved to his right and took a hold of the chain binding him to Earth. "You should know by now... you're not alone in this fight" said Ness as he started pulling. "We've been fighting together for so long. We're friends. We all share the burden" added Jeff as he took a grip of the chain as well. "You can always count on us to lighten the weight on your shoulders Poo" said Paula as she joined her friends. "No! protested the prince. I can't let you guys handle all that burden on your own for the sake of my kingdom! It's my responsibility as well! I can't burden you with my other duties!" "You should know by now, my prince, that you never were alone not even for an instant" said a voice behind him. As Poo turned his head to his left, his eyes widen as he saw his master, pulling on Dalaam's chain with all his might. In front of him stood soldiers, pulling as much as he did. Further along the line stood servants, citizens, women, children, all the people that he always worked so hard for and who always supported him. "My people..." answered the prince. "Although you do have an important role in those two chains, you failed to realized that from the very beginning, others were sharing the toll the chains were putting on you. Not a single instant have we not contributed to the kingdom so that you could fulfill your destiny without having to worry about us, explained his master." "And we always did the best we could to save the Earth, added Ness. When you left us in Scaraba with the Star Master, we kept going forward. Knowing that you were needed somewhere and that we had to keep on going forward for the moment you would return to us. Should your kingdom be in danger, we would never allow it to happen, even if it means you would have to leave us. That's what friends are for. We're ready to take your part of the burden whenever you need to keep your kingdom safe... so please, stop trying to take it all onto yourself. Believe in us. Believe in your people. Let us help you carry this weight together." Poo closed his eyes. He felt his strength coming back. A smile formed into his reinvigorated face. "My friends, my people... thank you."
Poo started pulling with all he had. On both of his sides, the people he trusted started pulling as well, all of them trying to prevent the void to devour what they held dear. They kept pulling. At the center, Poo rebalanced his efforts on the side that seemed to let go at times. As they kept pulling, they finally managed to start pulling back the chains. Poo pulled on both sides until he could join his fists together with the handles clenched within them. At that moment, a light started to glow at the center until it covered Poo's vision. As the light dimmed, he noticed in front of him a collection of statues. All of them were the people he held dear, pulling on a chain. At the center, a statue of himself was standing, keeping the chains sealed together, keeping them from slipping ever again. He felt a hand fall on his shoulder. "We make a good team, don't you think?" asked Ness. As the vision of Ness slowly started to dim, Poo smiled back at him. "We sure do." Poo looked one last time at the statues before they vanished and the darkness lifted itself, bringing him back in front of the fountain. "I'll do whatever it takes to become stronger. I trust you to handle things until my return, everyone."
Poo stood in his fighting stance, facing two elders that circled around him. The two charged in and started trading blows with him. At incredible speed, the prince evaded or blocked every blows coming to him. Surprisingly, despite the three not sharing the same state, they could still hit eachother. They kept going for a while until Poo regained his distance. He started to focus his energy in his hands. As the energy converged, he diffused it onto his body. "PSI QuickUp!" Feeling as if time slowed around him, he charged in with blinding speed against his two opponents to counterattack. After trading more blows, the three were once against at safe distance. The two elders then started to focus their energy. When they gathered enough power, they released flames and sent them at the young prince. The prince, calmly gathered his focus as the air around him started to crystallize. "PSI Blizzard, Alpha!" After few moments passed, standing in the middle of a frozen field, Poo saluted the two elders, thanking them for the sparring match.
Poo was sitting in front of the Star Master as he poured some tea into the cups on the small table. "I thank you for having enlightened my mind, Star Master. Thanks to you, I have regained my complete will to fight and my strength is renewed." The old man, however, simply made a sign of negation to the young man. "What you have learned here, you learned it on your own. I praise you for accomplishing that much and I have no doubt you will be able to progress that way even more." "I should probably head back home now, said Poo. There's a lot that needs to be done." "Indeed, answered the Star Master. After all, you been here for a whole week." The young prince was taken aback. "What!? A week!? But I haven't eaten or slept since I got here!" "In this world, the notion of time ain't what you are experienced to. Time on Earth can pass in the blink of an eye. Although your body is in deep meditation. It should still be living." The prince finished his tea in silence. He then got up and bowed to the Star Master. "I thank thee for thy guidance. I must return before I die of hunger." As he turned around, the Star Master spoke. "During your training, us elders foresaw that you will one day return with your friends here, this time fully in the flesh. When that day comes, I'll be expecting you." Poo nodded as he looked to the exit. "Then it is not a farewell yet, simply a good bye."
Atop the Training Mountain, Poo was still meditating. He hadn't moved there for a week. Finally, his eyes opened, fell down on his back. "Whoa... I think I need to get used to the 'real' life again." Like the Star Master told him, he had difficulties remembering the details of his journey. The only things he could clearly remember was the two conversations he had with him, the time in the void and, surprisingly, his new PSI techniques. No, maybe he didn't remembered them. Maybe his body simply realized them when his doubts finally cleared away. "My prince!" Poo turned his head toward the cliff. He noticed his master with three guards, waving to him. "I see you have completed your journey! We have kept up to your duties during your absence." The prince smiled as he slowly got up. "Spare me the report, master. You'll have all the time to explain me back at the palace. I beg you, however, to take a head start and demand the kitchen to prepare one colossal meal... I am starving!"
Poo was finishing up his rice as he was sitting at a big table. He had Tony on the phone earlier. He told him about Jeff who, exactly like Poo expected, was in depression. The prince felt relieved that Tony managed to get him back on his feet, thanked him and told him he would soon join them. He was now watching around the table where all the important people of the kingdom gathered. "My friends, I believe the time has come for me to set out once again. It seems the planet whom Dalaam is blessed to exist within is on the brink of another crisis. I have called you so you could assume the responsibilities of the kingdom during my absence. I shall still be watching over you and help when the needs come. Still, I trust each and everyone of you and I believe Dalaam will prosper and be a peace in your hands." Each of the attendants stood up and bowed to the royal heir. One of them spoke up in the name of everyone. "We vow with our honor that we shall serve our land and our prince with the best of interest for Dalaam and the world. You may go in peace, your majesty."
Dusk was setting itself in Twoson. Poo was leaning against the wall next to the front door of Paula's house. He had contacted Jeff that he would pick Paula up and head to Winters right away. He was done worrying about what he could accomplish for those he cared. It was time for him to give his contribution. He believed Paula and Jeff were doing their best to rescue Ness and it was his turn to chip in. He stared at the sky as the moon slowly appeared on the twilit sky. Together, they would find their friend and fight together as a team for the sake of the world. At the corner of his eye, he saw a girl walking toward the house. "Hey, Paula!"
Free of doubts and filled with resolve,
I shall fight until we're together once again.
We're allies, we're comrades, we're friends.
You and I are not alone.
You watch over us and we watch over you.
This is what friendship is all about.
To be continued...