Crystal Prelude

CF#33

Led by Zelda and Jason Barker

 

The CFs were all back on Destiny’s Child, in more or less good shape. They were still unwelcome on Faia despite peaceable attempts at communication. It seemed it was time to leave this place, ravaged by the Vile, there was nothing more they could do. They had rid it of most of the Vile while turning it into even more of a battleground than it had previously been. Some of the CFs regretted it, some felt it necessary, while others had forgotten it entirely. They had other places to travel to.

The current space gossip was that someone, a few galaxies away, had taken control of the Vile. No one was quite sure about who they were or what their plans were and, as yet, there was no evidence except for an increasing number of Vile. Stronger, more intelligent Vile. Not many though-- almost as if they were prototypes. It, of course, was the CFs job to figure out what was happening. Entropy and Pyro were at the controls, testing a few things in the middle of the new Crystalia's night cycle.

"What about.." Entropy began, when suddenly the ship gave a faint shudder, just a tremble really, and everything seemed to wink out for a second.

"What th' h*ll?!" Pyro exclaimed. It seemed like the universe had just sneezed, or they had stood up too fast after sitting down for a long period of time. They both felt a light trace of dizziness, but it was passing quickly and everything seemed normal…

 

TENLION OVER 7 YEARS AGO

 

There had seemed to be some kind of...wavering in reality. Zelda sat up, feeling as if she was rising from a bad dream. She blinked a few times to clear her blurry vision, it was the middle of the night and she was still sleepy. But...there was something strange about her surroundings.. the CFs...where...? She got quickly to her feet. Was this still Crystalia...Destiny’s Child? She didn't remember any place like this...and..on the ship..she had gone to sleep in the castle, in a room identical to one which Eme had given her on the original..real..Crystalia. She dusted off the leaves and dirt still sticking to her simple white dress. How did she end up here? And...was it safe to be standing here in the dark...

 

"Are you alright?" Nity asked with concern and helped to brush of some of the remnants stuck to her dress.

"Yeah I...Nity?" Zelda looked at him stunned, "How, where?!"

"You didn't hit your head did you?" Nity looked at her head for any noticeable concussions, "you took a nasty spill tripping over that root."

Zelda looked back to see a gnarling root coming out of the groun.

"Uh yeah I'm okay…just dazed."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded.

"Okay, it's only little farther." Nity started to lead the way but Zelda didn't follow. Lost in thought, at the word "Katana," she snapped back.

"Oh, I'm coming." she jogged after him.

 ~Katana?~

 

Unamed planet, home to various races, including the Tygers--six months ago:

 

"Grey!" a voice shouted, "Look out!"

 

Grey's world blinked into existence as he dodged a blow from a much larger bugbear. He still had his Crystal.

 

"Howling blaster!" he shouted, blasting the wild creature away with blue energy. He turned around.

 

"Lillia?!" But she was dead...killed by his brother, White Wolfe.

 

The elf woman nodded, "I'm ok Grey! You stopped it! Did you leave enough of it left for a meal?"

 

The Tyger reeled. Just after he'd been exiled from his clan, and then left for dead, Lillia had found him, nursed him back to health. In return, he'd stayed with her and protected her. But that seemed like a lifetime ago.

 

CRYSTALAX:  ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO

 

Ganthet's sword tore into an obsidian warrior, smashing him to pieces upon the ground. Near-by, X'al fired her crossbow, splintering another warrior. His morphing powers weren't working. He had no Crystal. X'al was dead, like the rest of his world.

 

 

NOWHERE, NO PLACE

 

 Tachyon floated in nothingness. He still had his armor, but it wouldn't do him any good if he weren’t anywhere. His sensors had recorded a surge of negative chronic energy. He guessed the others had been sent into the past. But he'd traveled to the CFs differently. He wasn't from their universe proper, but rather one smaller and within theirs. So he'd been thrown somewhere else.

Odd...if he concentrated, he could just make out vague images of the others...

 

 

BREADEN JIHAN- THREE YEARS AGO

 

She heard the knocking, and sighed.

"Just a minute..."

Agh.. she was still worn from that thing that had knocked her out. She pulled the covers up over her head.

"Come in...!"

The door creaked open, and instead of the usual footsteps she had become accustomed to hearing, these were heavy. Who...?

"Tala, you must get up."

Her father?!? She sprang upwards, making her father take a step back in surprise.

"You're... alive?"

He frowned.

"Are you alright? I should tell Duncan.. no more parties before an important day."

Important day? What day... oh Gods. Today was the day she lost to Nokomis, today was the day that would begin her exile..

Her father was a quick man, but not quick enough to catch his daughter from slumping over. Sighing, he shakes his head.

"I'm certain now.. no more liquor for you."

 

TENLION, 7 YEARS PAST

 

Zelda walked slowly, though still trying to keep up with Nity, and took note of her

surroundings. It was all...different...and yet familiar in a strange deja vu sort of way...

Familiar....but...it wasn't Crystalia, she knew that. She had spent enough time there to be

able, as a healer, to recognize most of the plant life. But this...this didn’t fit anything in

Crystalia. Still...

She shook her head, she shouldn't be worrying about that, not when she had a ghost in

front of her. After all, there was no other way it was possible if he wasn't some kind of

spirit. She could *sense* him, this was no mind trick...like earlier.. somehow, that's what

it *must* have been, her mind tricking her out of her almost unconscious state. But she

wasn't fully recovered just yet. But...with Nity just...*there*...it was unbalancing, she

could neither recover nor draw back again.

What was going on? Her head hurt too much to think about it, maybe she really *had*

fallen... as soon as the thought crossed her mind it seemed *right* just as the name

had...Katana... She looked out into the sky, what was this? This feeling of

almost...coming home? As if she had lived it in a past life or... she shook her head and

strove to catch up again. No. She wasn't this Katana person and she didn't know what

was going on with...Nity.

He looked behind again, brows drawn, "Are you *sure* you're all right?"

Zelda nodded, not quite trusting her voice.

A fairly uncomfortable silence later she finally spoke up.

"Um...where are we going?" she asked quietly, not sure if she should explain that she

wasn't really this Katana person and had no idea what was going on here. Not that she’d

recognize the name of any place if he said it. Still, at least she might have some idea of *some*thing.

"What do you mean, where are we going??" Nity looked flabbergasted, and she noticed for the first time the boyish quality his face held. Younger then the Nity she had known, he looked to be in his mid to early teens. "We are going to the Gathering, where Jetral told us it would be, these guys are doing illegal junk out here and force those kids to do their dirty work and we’re about to get the dirt on them." Nity said heroically.

"Uh, oh yeah…" Zelda said snickering at his bravado.

"Kat you sure you’re ok?" he brushed a lock of hair out of her eyes.

She nodded and asked to keep going.

"Sure but stay quiet now, it should be just over this hill."

 

ALTERNATE EARTH

 

"CHRIS!" a voice shouted. UA snapped back to reality to see a pick axe coming down towards his head.

"Aw, s@*#!" he exclaimed as he rolled out of the way. He rolled back and downward kicked his attacker. He grabbed the axe handle and flipped off the small wall he was lying on, taking the axe with him. He landed on the ground and looked around. Construction site enclosed in a warehouse, full to the hilt with goons in black armed to the teeth. He then saw who his teammates were:

Christian, scientific genius with some street fighting skills and inventive abilities.

Joe, minor martial artist with robotic arms and elevator legs that allow him to reach heights of 50 stories.

Icedude, superhuman with the ability to freeze the moisture in the air around him.

Wow, I musta been knocked really hard or something. UA thought. He brought the pick-axe back and deflected a shot from a shovel. He then spun and side-kicked the guy in the stomach, then smacked him upside the head with the side of the axe.

"Chris! The bomb!" Christian shouts. UA looked up towards a roof-ward catwalk, and he saw the robotic skeleton known as Robo. He worked frantically on a device, connecting fuses and wires.

"Ice, you got a shot?" UA asked, upper cutting another attacker.

"Negative!" Ice shouted, freezing two guys in their tracks, then hitting another.

"Joe?"

"Got it!" Joe loaded a pellet into his arm cannon and raised it. But one of the goons slammed down on it with a bat. Joe countered with a cross punch, sending the guy flying, but then got three more.

"Uh, scratch that."

"D?"

"You wish!" Christian said, jumping over three guys trying to tackle him. UA shook his head as he went for his holster. No gun.

"Aw, crud!" UA looked at the axe in his hands. "Duh!" He swung it back, then up, letting it go and sending it flying. Robo made his move to connect the last wire, then looked up and then turned his head, showing his big, red laser eye to the axe, just as it hit him square and sent him flying to the ground.

"Yesssssss!" UA cheered.

He ran over to Robo and looked down at him. He shook his head and clicked his belt buckle. It snapped open and popped out an ovular pellet before closing. UA caught it and snapped it open, causing a round disk mechanism to form in his hand. He crouched down and placed it on Robo's chest.

"Wait! What're you doing! Stooooooooooooooooooooooooop--*"

The red eye dimmed out.

"Welcome to robo stasis, pal." UA turned to his teammates who finished cleaning up the bad-guy mess.

"Alright, guys, let's get back to the cave. The authorities can handle it from here." 

 

GAMMA PRIME, 20 YEARS AGO  (Note: All talk is through telepathy.)

 

"Sir, the enemy fleet is moving in at top speed, 6 minutes until contact. Should I release the fighters?" Chain said, while monitoring his station.

 

"Yes. Tell the other Airships to release the fighters. How's ground control?" Zealen replied, while viewing the control monitors.

 

"Gravtanks and Infantry are all accounted for." Mocross stated.

 

All the sudden, the ship rocked from a huge explosion.

 

"We've been hit! Are the Psionic Shields holding up?" Zealen said.

 

"No, a Mage must have wiped them out!"

 

Zealen looked at his hands, and closed his eyes.

 

TENLION 7 YEARS AGO

 

~Illegal what??~ Zelda thought to herself as they moved closer to the "Gathering" where people were speaking in hushed secretive tones. ~Well, if this is some dream it's the most realistic one I've been in...~ she mused worriedly trying to dismiss the word "impossible" from her thoughts because it was obviously happening and therefore possible...but, how? Yet...if it was a dream...why did Nity look so much younger than he had any time she had known him? The mind was a complex thing, but to 'deage' him just that amount, so perfectly. Then again, she *did* share some of his memories, even if she had never had much access to them before.

 

An old dry twig snapped beneath her foot, echoing with what seemed the power of a thunderclap in the otherwise quiet forest. She winced and Nity looked back at her, surprised and not very happy (though not angry either) at her carelessness.

 

Zelda winced again as she suddenly realized they were not alone. She was not sure if anyone in this "Gathering" had heard, it *was* just a normal sound that could be caused by any animal. Unless the ears that listened were well trained to the specifics of that type of sound. A previously invisible, otherwise very well camouflaged, sentry appeared from the foliage,

"What are you doing here?!" he demanded in a sharp hiss. Zelda exchanged a glance with Nity, at least they could be sure of their welcome..or lack there of.

 

 

 

GAMMA PRIME 20 YEARS AGO

 

The lift..elevator, whatever it was Kaliana was in rocked arhythmically and she threw out her hands to the wall to steady herself. Haltingly, the lift doors opened to what looked like the technological command center of some kind of mechanical transport. By the snatches of conversation she observed if not heard, it was probably a space ship. Strangely enough, they did look like they were communicating...but she heard nothing...

She had just been sleeping a few minutes ago...and then suddenly she was in a lift. She shook her head, trying to puzzle it out. Sure, weird things had happened before with the CFs..they seemed to attract bad luck like evil charms. But...hmm teleportation maybe? Then she caught sight of someone vaguely familiar, she struggled to recall the name.

"Zealen? No..Zealen? Is that right?" she asked, making her way out of the elevator.

 

TENLION

 

The man looked back and forth at the two kids, Nity's mouth hung open.

"Uh....." Nothing would come out.  All he could think about was that giant knife hanging from his belt and the steel pierced arrows he carried for his bow.

"Well kid what?" he looked at Nity, "You guys lost?"

Nity gulped hard trying to bring his vocal cords back to life. Suddenly a small creature stirred the woods nearby sending Nity into a panic, he grabbed a large rock.

 "WOAH" the guard said holding his hand up to yield Nity of his intended actions. It didn't work but Nity threw well wide of his target but it was enough to cause the guard to duck stumble over some brush and fall down.

"Run, KAT!" Nity said grabbing Zelda by the arm and pulling her into a run.

"Wait," Zelda said after a bit. "Wrong way." She was right they were headed right towards the Center where several guards were posted outside smoking leaves.

"Oops," Nity said and tried to make a retreat in the other direction but their old pal was back on his feet with his bow and arrows ready.

"Just calm down kid, no ones going to hurt ya, this is just a restricted area is all." the guard shook his head trying calm Nity.

"So we can go?" Zelda asked.

"My boss will want to see you ask you a couple of questions for precautionary measures but that’s all, then you go on your way."

"No, you’re lying." Nity said and he pulled Zelda again darting off to the left.

"WAIT KID!!!!!!" The guard tried to warn but it was to late, Nity had run them strait into a large camouflaged ground hole.

 

 

"They really *must* be up to something if they've got traps like this around.." Zelda whispered, it had been a short distance to fall and they were a little dirtied and bruised but otherwise not too much worse for wear, they couldn't climb out though, they would need some help, which was the very point of the trap.

"Are you kids all right?" the man called down, he seemed nice enough, but Zelda didn't really trust him. The surface minds of these people were...creepy... and guarded. Also, she wasn't sure what those other people had been doing back their but the trails of smoke left and awful stink. She coughed a little, trying to clear her lungs even though she knew it was a little late for that, the gesture was more psychological than anything, she guessed.

 

A hand reached towards them, then stopped abruptly at a sound from above, there was some hurried discussion, then another face peered down at them.

He was smiling, but it was tight around the eyes, strained, "Hey, did you get lost out here? Where are your parents?" he asked in a 'I have to talk slowly because they're just little babies' voice. Zelda glanced back at Nity, still not quite sure what to say. It didn't seem the optimal time to explain that she wasn't Katana and didn't know the names of Katana's parents, not as if she would tell *this* guy even if she *did.* Nity still looked a little nervous, it appeared this wasn't what he had been counting on.

 

"Let me help you out of there and Jerdy, here, will walk you back home. But you have to promise to stay away from here; it's not safe for you. There are.....animal traps...around... also..you have to promise to not tell your mommy and daddy about this, it's not a bad thing, but we don't want them to be hurt either."

~This is ridiculous.~ Zelda thought to herself, ~We're, apparently, teenagers, not toddlers!~ And she had been through more the past few years than most adults in their entire lives. Slightly annoyed at the demeaning attitude, she was about to calmly and politely explain things to this..to be polite...imbecile... but Nity held up a hand of caution. ~Well..this *is* his world after all... I guess anyway.~ she thought, raising an eyebrow, but not saying a word.

 

            "Thank you gentlemen, I'm sorry, I guess we did get a little lost and I got spooked by that guy’s weapons." he pointed at the man.

"I'm just a guard, I use these for protection, not to harm little kids."

Nity nodded, "Yeah I guess so, we’re really sorry we came near your building here we didn't know anything was out here but we will definitely go home now and never come back if you just help us out." Nity turned to Zelda and nodded making sure she knew they were going to playing the fibbing game for now.

One guard nodded and they were hoisted out.

The two dwelven teens left for home, Nity with slumped shoulders of defeat.

 

PLANET OF THE TYGERS, SIX MONTHS AGO

 

Grey Wolfe shook his head slowly, trying to clear it. This wasn't right. He'd left his world behind, after Lillia had been killed.

 

"Grey?" she asked, "Are you ok?"

 

"I...I am fine, Lillia. Just a little disoriented. Using my power is taxing sometimes."

 

~What's happened?~ he thought, ~She smells real, this whole world smells real. My senses scream that it's real. But it can't be. Can it? Can I have been granted another chance?~

 

CRYSTALAX:  ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO

 

"What's going on?!" Ganthet demanded. "Who are you?"

 

"Prince...Ganthet, my love," X'al replied, worry on her green crystal face, "What do you mean? Did you suffer a head injury?"

 

"You can't be real! You're dead. This whole world is dead! I am the last!"

 

She leveled her crossbow at him, pointing it at his heart.

 

"Ganthet, if you don't start making sense, I will shoot you."

 

NO PLACE/NO WHEN

 

Tachyon didn't know how long he'd been here, but he knew he had to do something. Images of other worlds, pasts, presents, and futures floated by him. He needed to find someway to find the Crystal Fighters....

"Computer," he said, accessing his armor's systems, "Did we absorb any of that chronal discharge?"

 

YES.

 

"Good. How much?"

 

ENOUGH TO SHIFT OUT IN TIME.

 

"Alright. Bring up the files on the other CFs. If I can find one, I may be able to blast into their past."

 

PROCESSING NOW.

 

 

EARTH - 10 years ago

 

"Golden Force mobilize." An announcement blared over the base's loudspeaker.

"Commander Nero?" Kevin, disguised as one of the 'Golden Force' tried to wake up Pyro.

"COMMANDER NERO!"

"Huh, What?" Pyro woke with a start.

"We gotta move!"

"Oh yeah, suit up."

Pyro walked over to the locker marked "Nero." Inside was a suit of armor, golden colored and reflective. Attached to it was a black cape as well as a helmet that looked like a golden skull.

"Prenez garde de la mort d'or," Pyro said to himself, "La mort d'or surgira encore!"

He suited up and grabbed the long steel staff in the locker. "Lets cut em down."

 

Pyro, Kevin and 3 others entered a transport. As they took their places Kevin sunk deep in thought.

 

"Okay, somehow we're in Pyro's past. I'm assuming the others are too... I must not have been affected cause I'm so far out of touch with my own timeline it must not have sent me back..." Kevin thought, "For now I'll just play along, and pray that we snap back soon. Until then, I'm D'or L'Orage... Why is everyone speaking French anyway???"

 

BREADEN JIHAN- THREE YEARS AGO

 

"Tala, you're awake finally."

"Sorry, Mom..."

She sat down, pouring some juice before the servant could. Her mother and the servant both stared at her.

"I.. don't feel like being waited on today... Just in case, you know? Don't want to jinx myself..."

Her mother nodded.

"You'll do fine dear, you're the oldest."

~Yea.. I hope so...~

But she knew.. something was not quite right, something was off... but what? Just nerves, she supposed.

Someone put hands over her eyes, making her laugh.

"Guess who!"

"Duncan.. I know it's you.."

"Shoot."

He grinned at her, unrepently, and sat down next to her. Then her father arrived...

Lastly, Nokomis...

Tala froze in the act of drinking, as her sister appeared before her. Nokomis was dressed, casually, compared to her usual dark outfits. She wore a pair of slightly baggy blue jeans, and white tee-shirt, and brown hiking boots.

"Sorry I'm late... I was out... Getting ready."

"Good to hear."

"And you.. Tala... how are you this morning?"

Her smile fake, and those eyes... Nokomis wasn't her sister, she was a part of her... what? She placed a head to her forehead.

"A little headache, I'll be fine later. I will put on a good show."

Nokomis' nods, taking an apple from the tray a shadow held for her.

"Good. I can hardly wait.. to see who is the one to rule.."

 

TENLION

 

Zelda was relieved that Nity had finally spoken up, she still had little idea what was going on. It had seemed some sort of personal quest for heroism, to confront bullies of the tribe or something. But..it seemed like this was bigger than that, much bigger. She sighed, wondering if anything at all she did was in character. Who knew how this Katana person acted? And if she apparently looked so much like her, why hadn't Nity said anything about it when they first met? Unless she went on the assumption that this was some kind of alternate universe. It had happened enough that she knew it was *possible* but also enough that she believed it unlikely.

 

Despite the look of disappointment, Zelda was pretty confident that Nity hadn't given up just yet. She still remembered the determined look on the face of his older self as he told Entropy that he would take the mission instead, that he would be the sacrifice. Heroism? She had never been able to think of it that way, death hurt too much. Well, who was to say this Nity was different, that he would somehow give up instead of persevering? Still...he *had* held himself up under the previous pressure and got them away without *too* much suspicion. Well, she hoped anyway.

 

Either way, she couldn't stand seeing this teen, especially with Nity's own aura and face about him, with his shoulder's weighted down by onerous failure. She put an irresolute hand on his shoulder, in spite of the age difference he wasn't that much shorter than the Nity she had known.

"I'm sorry." She said quietly realizing it as a mistake the moment the words left her mouth. He wasn't at the point for consolation in the face of this small debacle, that would mean giving up and giving in, accepting that they had lost and not trying again.

 

"I mean-- that we didn't learn more this time." she added quickly, trying to make up for her words. "We're not *really* going home are we?" she wasn't even sure where or what home was but maybe she could lift him up a little, add some pride to support and straighten his weary shoulders. "We've got to stop them!" She wasn't quite sure what she was getting herself into, but she had been... had been? Since when had she use those words..she was, *was* still a CF. Those people were up to something most likely illegal on this world and that most likely meant they were injuring someone somehow. That meant that she should do what she could to help.

 

Zelda couldn't have known what she was doing or how, blocking out what had happened. Even back to Nity's death, she just put it aside, there was too much else to think of and if she kept remembering the burning remnants of Crystalia every time she saw this Nity she would, with renewed startlement, be seeing a ghost. Right now she had to accept this as if it was real. This time, Nity would remain alive until she was no longer in a position to help.

 

EARTH - 10 Years ago

 

The 5 Golden Armored warriors landed out side a base.

"This is nuts." Kevin said to himself as they started getting out of the transport, "Waitasecond, this can't be Pyro's past... wrong dimension.. so how did we end up... oh crud.."

A moment later gunfire sprayed the Transport, the first salvo destroyed the transport and sent the rubble flying onto 3 of the 5 warriors. Only Kevin and Pyro avoided the blast.

"This is stupid." Kevin yelled as he grabbed Pyro's shoulder and teleported them both, 12 years ahead.

 

EARTH - 2 years from now.

 

"Where are we?" Pyro asked as he woke up from his role in the past.

"Back at our training grounds." Kevin told him while taking off the golden armor.

"Okay... what’s going on?"

"Well, as far as I can tell, we got thrown into the past. And seeing a way out I jumped us into a future that we would be in our right minds."

"Why weren’t you effected?"

"I don't have a past, I was never even born."

 

BE'JIN

 

Dianthe smiled to herself as the morning light greeted her, Durv could be warm and gentle

when He wished. She remembered more than one peaceful death in the house of the

Immortals, early temples she had previously sheltered in. But He had another side, despite

Isalla’s impatient soothing, that side was burning light and harm, she knew those well.

But, today was not a day to bother with such things.

She felt a presence in the air, a

premonition of what was to come. She stretched and moved to the plain stone alter in the

center of the room, smiling up a greeting through the hole above it. Of course, the best

time to search for Isalla was at night, in the very middle of the blessed darkness she, or

rather her tribute to the people of Be’jin, could be seen through that very hole. She turned

to the hooks on the side of the wall and gracefully lifted up her Kiev, the long wooden

ceremonial stick. Slowly she touched one end to the left side of the alter, then turned it

and touched the right side of the alter with the tip. It flowed through her hands as if it was

liquid, not solid, and obeyed her every wish, for she would never command it.

 

 

EARTH - 2 years from now

 

"What the hell are you talking about?" Pyro asked as he was trying to disengage the golden armor that he was wearing.

 

"The timeline I was born in no longer exists." Kevin tried to explain.

 

"How?!"

 

"The reason why I have been hanging around you and the other CFs is simple, someone is going from timeline to timeline and destroying the Crystal Fighters, the Crystals and anyone who has or would be connected to them."

 

"What?!" Now Pyro was confused.

 

"At my last count, over 1000 timelines have been hit. It seems to follow a pattern, they strike at the same day at a peak of energy in that timeline."

 

"So?"

 

"They hit every 3 years, the last hit was 3 years ago next month. If they continue the pattern that they have been following... This timeline should be next."

 

"Wait a second, your saying there’s someone trying to wipe out the Crystal Fighters... completely? They are powerful enough to kill 1000 of groups of CFs and now their coming here?!"

 

"That’s about the size of it." Kevin said as he walked towards the cabin he had teleported them near.

 

Pyro sat there in thought, "Wait, if you have no past, and these guys are killing the CFs then.... Your parents were Crystal Fighters!"

 

"Good job maniac." Kevin said, he had been wondering why Pyro hadn't figured it out yet. He figured it was about time.

 

"Do I know ‘em? I mean this timeline's version."

 

"Uh, Yes..." Kevin began to think that Pyro wasn't as smart as he acted.

 

"I'll have to think about this one."

 

Kevin simply groaned and walked into the cabin.

 

 

VOID OF SPACE

 

The angelic being called Iam had sensed the disruption.  Something had clearly happened to his allies. But he could not deal with that now, as much as he would like to. His cosmic awareness had detected a new source of evil power in the universe, and he had to deal with that.

 

 

CRYSTALAX, ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO

 

"Very well X'al," Ganthet said slowly, "Remind me why we're out here. I fear I suffered something of a head blow."

 

The woman of green crystal woman clipped her crossbow to her belt.

 

"You should know this my love, my prince, but I will tell you anyway. We heard rumors that the light beings who live above us, had traveled to some other world and abducted a girl from there, with the intent to try and change her into one of them. You and I were sent to investigate, and just encountered the obsidian soldiers."

 

Ganthet's mind raced. The girl could only refer to Solara. He'd refused to believe his little friend had been one of those light beings, always thought they'd brainwashed her somehow because her powers made her like them. This had just been confirmed.

 

PLANET OF THE TYGERS, SIX MONTHS AGO

 

Grey Wolfe excused himself from Lillia's presence, claiming he just needed time to think. He ran flat out, following a familiar scent. If he was truly in the past, then he could find his traitorous brother White Wolfe...and kill him.

 

ELSEWHERE

 

Tachyon called upon the chrono-energy in his armor and shunted towards the strongest energy signal.

 

Reality came back into focus as he slammed into a woman made of light. Another being, armored was firing pure black energy. Ganthet was behind them.... He called on more chrono-energy, trying another shunt.

 

He was back in the no-place...but the woman was with him.

 

"Who're you?" he demanded.

 

"My name...is Solara," she said. She was young, just eighteen. "I...shouldn't I be dead?" She gasped... "I..don't fell right. I could always feel like I still had a body...I don't now." She reached out and her hand passed through him.

 

"You....they thought you did die," Tachyon told her. "I'm a Crystal Fighter...from the future. We all got thrown through time."

 

"What? Why?"

 

"I don't know. But I've got a fix on another of the Crystal Fighters. I think I can find another. And I'll bring you with me."

 

"Thanks. They...they were my only friends. I'll do anything to help them."

 

BREADEN JIHAN- THREE YEARS AGO

 

Tachyon and Solara appeared above a castle.

 

"Where are we?" Solara asked. "I don't recognize it."

 

"Me neither," the doctor admitted. "But...can you bend light? We need to be invisible."

 

"Yeah...I think so."

 

 

TENLION

 

"Of course we’re going back Kat, especially now that I know its true, they have possession of shrub mushrooms, that’s what those guys were smoking out there." Nity said with a new sense of hope.

"Yuck, I was wondering what that terrible smell was."

"Yeah those are the drugs that have started circulating around the tribe's kids, I finally found those guys and I just need to get proof of their drug solicitation and that they are taking in kids to sell their stuff."

"So are we going to do it?"

"Tomorrow, after I have formulated a plan" they came up to a large cabin like structure, like the Center as Nity had called it was built, but this was much smaller.

"Home?" Zelda asked, half a question half a statement.

"Yep home at last." he pushed the door open for her and she walked in.

"Bye Kat!" Nity started to leave,

"Wait," Zelda stammered "Aren't you uh staying?" She was not happy at the prospect of being alone in this place.

"Katana, I'm already going to get enough heat from my dad as it is getting home so late, I can't stay any." he rushed over and kissed her on the cheek then quickly left for home.

 

BREADEN JIHAN- THREE YEARS AGO

 

Nokomis walked down the hallway, wrapping herself with shadows. The crept through the floor, through several sub basements of the castle, till the finally came to a small cave.

The only light source here was a candle, and it was freezing. Nokomis reformed from the shadows, staring at the small, hunched over figure.

"Will I win?"

"Yes... She hasn't had enough training. Still too green with her powers. It will be an easy victory."

"Good. Perhaps I'll kill her."

"You can't."

"Why not?"

"This is not a fight to the death, only for rulership. Should she challenge you again, afterwards.. you can."

Nokomis nodded, then left. The man turned back to his work, staring into a small globe. If Tala had about two more years of using her Crystal.. and her own "light" energy... she could easily beat Nokomis. What none of them knew, was that she had had that training... but even though she had forgotten.. mostly.. would the Crystal remember?

 

GAMMA PRIME, 20 YEARS AGO

 

Zealen had heard the report of the intruder, and was on his way there now with two guards. This was most likely a saboteur, as the enemy nation had no capability to train Protoss to take full advantage of their arts.

 

"In there sir." One of guards motioned.

 

He placed a hand in front of him, and in one swift motion, the elevator door opened up. He recognized the girl inside. Through telepathy, he said, "Trust me on this, just go along with it."

 

The two guards came and took her away. Zealen closed his eyes and appeared on the bridge.

 

"Status report, please."

 

"Shields are back online at 102% capacity." Chain replied.

 

"Mocross, are we ready for an attack?"

 

Mocross looked at the monitor, and pressed a few buttons. "Computer Command won't let me in."

 

Zealen closed his eyes and he then appeared in front of a massive door.

 

"Code Command: Zealen, Avatar of the Royal Fleet, 65xgrr." Suddenly the door opened, followed by the opening of another 2 doors, and he walked in.

 

"Hello computer command."

 

Inside, was a Protoss integrated into the computer core, capable of taking over all the duties of the ship in a blink of an eye.

 

"Hello, Zealen."

 

 

 

ACCESS ROAD THREE, NEW JERSEY, ALTERNATE EARTH

 

Icedude's DeLorean pulled into the cave through the holographic boulder blocking the entranceway. It pulled to a stop inside, and the doors open upward. The four Avengers got out and began removing their costumes.

"Ah, whatta day." Icedude said. He pulls off his glass helmet and messed up his hair. "Now where is our lovely fifth member?"

 

GAMMA PRIME

 

Furiously, Kaliana yelled at the guards, "What's wrong with you?!?! What are you *doing*?? Where'd Zealen go???" They made no move to confirm that they'd heard her, let alone understood. And what was that voice in her head before? She shuddered, mind readers. She'd have to be extra careful then, especially if they all had such skills. Her mind was her own and she was determined to keep it that.

 

"Arrghh! LET ME GO!" She raged, trying to kick at the guards, not yet ready to resort to her Crystal. They hadn't harmed her after all, yet. And she was going to be cautious this time..no more innocents.. Suddenly, she stiffened, the guards had to lift her off the floor to keep moving, but she didn't react, her eyes wide. All the innocents. She had killed them all. She was no better than those she sought to defeat. It would have to end. She had decided that long ago. She would end it, personally.

 

TENLION

 

"But--" Zelda began, stepping forward, but he was already gone. ~Well, I hope he's comes up with a good plan.~ She shook her head sadly, this was way too deep for any two teenagers. And if *they* weren't being considered kids...how young *were* the dwarves caught up in the operation? She winced, almost a shudder. She wasn't sure she *wanted* to go back there. Still, they had been up against worse.....right? ...hadn't they? Nothing like this, except that personality mutating "evil serum."

 

"Katana." Snapped a voice.

"Would you people stop *calling* me that!?" Zelda replied in a frustrated tone, she felt like she had possessed this Katana person. Especially after Nity.. An odd look crossed her face and she touched her cheek lightly. She had never been kissed before. Not that now was different, it was Katana he saw and knew. She wasn't Katana.

"Katana! Are you listening to me??" The unfamiliar voice demanded sharply, she had been talking at length about mundane familial issues and Katana's irresponsibility. Zelda had tuned her out in favor of her own thoughts, but now she turned back with an unmistakable urge to call the lady "mother."

"No, and now I'm going to bed."

"Don't you dare disrespect me!"

 

Tiredly, she seemed to remember that this was something that happened often.

"I really don't care what you think." she mumbled and headed in the direction she *hoped* was her room. Katana's room *Katana's*.

"Get back here!" The caustic order came and to no avail.

 

Zelda shut the door, glad that her own mother hadn't been like this. The thought drew her up sharply. It had been ages since she had thought of her family. She curled up in a ball on the bed, she couldn't afford to now. There was too much already tilting the scales that could drop her into personalized oblivion. She did her best to find sleep, she had a feeling she'd need the recharge for their undertaking tomorrow. She was too tired and distraught to think of anything resembling a plan; she'd just have to leave it all up to Nity.

 

BREADEN JIHAN- THREE YEARS AGO

 

 Invisible to the eye, Doc Tachyon and Solara flew towards the castle, slipping in through a window.

 

"What now?" the light-powered CF asked.

 

"My armor's sensors detected Tala here. But this place is unknown to me. I have no idea how to find her. My sensors can only cover a certain amount of area, and chrono-jumping like that fried most of them anyway. But...I think I have a plan."

 

"What is it?"

 

"How fast can you fly?"

 

"Speed of light, or close to it...least, that's what UA told me once."

 

"Good. I need you to fly everywhere and find her. Let her know we're here. I can wait here. I'm too small to be noticed, if I hover at ceiling height."

 

"Ok...if you say so."

 

With that, Solara flew off, pushing her flight speed to the limit. She was almost everywhere at once. She would have been crying, but she had no tear ducts left. She didn't even have a body anymore, she really was just light now. Soon enough, she found Tala. Keeping herself invisible, she passed through the wall and stood before her. She allowed light to pass by her naturally, and she resumed her appearance of a girl made of golden light.

 

"Tala...," she said, "Thank goodness I found you!"

 

EARTH

 

"I got it! It’s Zelda!!!" Pyro said with sudden realization

"No..." Kevin groaned, this had to be the 6th or 7th try Pyro had made.

"Kisutsu?"

"HELL NO! I can use a computer, can't I?"

"You got a point there."

"Damn... gotta think some more."

 

*GROAN*

Kevin walked out of the cabin, "We got only a month or so before Trax and his boys get here... We have to find the others and get them ready, or they’re all doomed."

 

"ENTROPY?"

"NO!!!!"

 

BREADEN JIHAN- THREE YEARS AGO

 

Tala looked up at the girl, one brow arched. Who was.. this...

"Solara?"

She nodded.

"Solara! Oh my god! I'd.. hug you if I could... But knowing my luck, we'd pass right through each other. Hey, what are you doing here, if I may ask?"

As the girl explains, Tala nodded, listening.

"Hmm... But I can't leave just yet... I have to fight someone. My sister.. in order to assume leadership of the throne. Should I disappear.. now.. before the fight... It would be bad. Take me to where Tachyon is, he can rest here."

"Will you be able to keep up with me?"

Tala chuckled.

"Just go on ahead.. I'll be right behind you."

They left together, arriving where Tachyon was in just a few seconds.

"Hey, Doc.. Good thing you two showed up. You can go rest in my room, eat .. drink.. whatever. I can't leave just yet, as I was telling Solara."

She then explained it to him, and then waited for what he wanted to do.

 

EARTH

 

Kevin was concentrating as much as possible, trying to locate the others, but not having much success, especially with Pyro randomly yelling names.

"UA?"

"No."

"Nity?"

"No."

"I hope to god it wasn't Kyle"

"#@%@$, no. Would you leave me alone for a sec?"

 

Kevin was worried; he had just over a month to find everyone, and get them ready for the greatest battle of their lives.... or possibly their deaths.

 

"Tala?"

"NO! NOW SHUT UP!"

 

Pyro sat there in thought, for some reason missing the obvious.

"The kid don't even look like any of the CFs... must resemble his other parent."

 

Kevin walked back towards the cabin; he had had enough stress trying to find the others. He needed a break.

 

"Tachyon?"

"Am I 3 inches tall?"

"No."

"Well, there you go."

"Uhh….Grey Wolfe?"

"What are you smokin?"

 

BE'JIN

 

On mornings like this, Dianthe did not miss the comforts of companionship as her

Sisters at the temple had said she would. She hadn’t ever really been close to any of them.

They stood back, almost in awe but not jealously, of her dedication. In face, few of them

ever made it to the secluded ranks of upper priestesses. They tended to keep their training

in mind, but left to begin families of their own with their Chosen soul mates. Dianthe had

never really bothered with that sort of thing, all their gossip and little squabbles were much

too material for her. She looked to the heavens for her own Chosen.

 

BREADEN JIHAN- THREE YEARS AGO

 

Tachyon nodded, trying to assimilate everything.

 "OK, I understand. And I accept this...we can't change the time stream. Either it would just create a divergent reality...or break down the fabric of space and time."

"But you've got to understand Tala, I can't get us back to our real time. My armor absorbed just enough chrono-energy to shunt me and, because she has so little mass, Solara. And even if I hadn't spent all the energy, I don't think I could manage to shunt you and your mass. Not that I'm saying you're big.... But well, I'm small. ....And I could use some food."

 

Solara stiffled the urge to laugh.

"Tala...how long was I gone...how long did you think I was dead?"

 

PLANET OF THE TYGERS

 

Grey Wolfe found his brother keeping watch over the Tribe while it feasted.

"Brother," Grey growled, "stand and face me."

 

"Grey?" White Wolfe asked. "I guess I didn't kill you. I'll correct that mistake." It was then that Grey noticed a crystal, a deep dark purple, hanging from White's neck. "I've got power of my own now."

 

"You'll never beat me brother," Grey countered, "and I'll have my revenge. Both for what you have done...and what you will do."

 

"What ARE you babbling about?"

 

 

CRYSTALAX

 

Ganthet had quieted up after convincing X'al that he was all right. They continued their traveling up the mountain, heading to the Light-being’s city. Why didn't he remember this? Oh yeah, this was when that Vile had shown up. He'd beaten them and gotten his Crystal. But if he didn't do that now, what would happen? And wouldn't his life have been better, if he hadn't? No dying, no being in the wrong body, he’d just be here, with his people, with X'al.

 

NEW JERSEY , ALTERNATE EARTH

 

"Sorry I missed the fight guys" Lark said twirling her sword, "It was really nice of you to let me join, I mean these spandex duds are really uh.......groovy?" Lark smiled at her new teammates.

She had entered a strange new world where she was considered insane if she talked about where she was really from. ~Luckily, I remember a similar place like this after Crystalia, I knew UA was a native to this stuff and found him, now I just need to go with the flow for now till I get things figured out.~

 

TENLION

 

It was the next night and Zelda had yet to hear from Nity though she had heard plenty from her....well that was to say Katana's mother.

She was drifting off with the last remnants of the woman’s incessant nagging fleeting away when she heard a voice.

"Kat!" It came quietly from outside. Zelda found the wood opening and pulled away the latch and swung it open like a window.

"Nity?"

"Yeah."

"Where are you?" she scanned the darkness but couldn't find him.

"Up here!" he said from where he sat in the tree, "Sorry I didn't get to you sooner but....woah!!!!!" Nity grabbed desperately for something to but found nothing, his balance abandoned him--as Zelda was starting to notice it did often in this stage of his life and Nity plummeted back to the ground two stories down.

"GROAN!!!"

 

EARTH

 

"Ganthet?"

"I have skin."

"Oh yeah."

Kevin couldn't believe just how brainless Pyro could be at times.

 

"Betsy?"

"That’s what you call your gun, I doubt I was born from a side arm."

 

Either the Rage thing or the Time shift messed with his head.  Kevin hoped he wasn’t this dumb naturally.  That was just a depressing thought.”

 

"Pikachu?"

"You ate him remember?"

"Mmm  yeah, he tasted like chicken... I oughta go hunting more often."

 

Pyro walked back into the cabin and an instant later a bright flash filled the area.

 

"Hello Big Brother..." A voice from behind Kevin said.

"Neal... Or should I call you Trax? Or how about shrimp for old times sake.

"Whatever you want, you'll be dead in a month or so anyway."

"So what, you just came here to shoot the breeze."

"Well, I'm gonna shoot something, that’s for sure."

 

BREADEN JIHAN- THREE YEARS AGO

 

"Actually.. I don't think it'll harm anything. Maybe we were supposed to go ahead, or to another planet, and we just.. got hit by something, and ended up in our pasts. Geez, Solara... you were gone for a while.. I'll see if my ..other powers still work.. and just teleport you guys to my room. You'll find all sorts of stuff in the living area."

"Living area?"

"Yea.. a princess has her own quarters, you know? I have a living room, a library, sleeping area.. all that stuff."

Before either of them could comment on that, shadows wrapped around them, and then they reappeared in Tala's room. In that hallway, Tala grinned.

"Super cool.. now, to beat Nokomis...."

 

A few hours later.

 

Her father and mother sat side by side each other, watching the two standing on the battlefield. Each wore plain white clothing, their hair pulled back. No swords or any weapons made by man were allowed. This was a fight of magic against magic. The first one to fall was the loser.

Last time, Tala had been tricked by Nokomis, who had wrapped the shadows around her ankles. But this time.. Tala had a small surprise of her own.

Everyone fell silent as her father raised a hand.

"BEGIN!!!"

 

GAMMA PRIME

 

They hadn't really *locked* Kaliana in a cell. Instead they walked her to a dead end of the hallway, took a few steps back, and a 4th wall sort of..appeared. It squelched up, fluidic, to completely seal her in. Despite the writhing angry creature inside her, Kaliana knew ranting and raving wouldn't help her. Plus she wouldn't get the satisfaction of any sort of reaction from these people as she couldn't see them and they probably couldn't see her. There was no sense monitoring her if there was no way out. She couldn't even tell where the walls *met* anymore, it was like being inside something's...stomach or.. She shook off the thought, disgusting. And not something she wanted to contemplate *while* in there.

 

Patience had never exactly been one of her strong points, and she had learned the harsh less of what waiting could do to someone, to everyone. She frowned intensely and began running her hands along the rubbery material of her cell.

 

BE'JIN

 

The wind rustled across the door-less opening of her tiny sanctuary, Dianthe

grinned wryly at the superstitious who would take that as some sign, good or bad, from

the Triad. She shook her head, said her morning prayers and devotions, then left out the

door. As she walked in the early dawn light she mumbled and half-sung her thanks:

 

“Time will take me, erode life, but only change you as your faces pass. I ask not

of your overflowing bounty. I shall only take what I barely need to Be’jin’s gift [life].

Your blessed love feeds my soul more than any material sustenance needed. Your

interpretive truth extends my mind to your abounding psyche. I thank you with my heart.

I pledge my life to you in whatever service you request from sacrifice [Not human

sacrifice in the traditional sense, it’s taking hurt, enduring what things of life that Durv

throws as stones in the path.] to Durv, to a simple smile, all as you deem fit.”

 

Each word, no matter how soft, carried the strength and belief of all her years.

The words glided out of her to be spread on the wind, carried and planted to spring up

from the gratified earth like flowers. She caught sight of Isalla early in the sky and

reached her soul out. Always before she had received nothing, expected nothing. That was

faith. But this time....it was different.... “Crystal....” she felt, more than heard the word

whispered.

“Wh-what?!” she exclaimed aloud, knowing she was not heard.

 

TENLION

 

"NITY?!" Zelda whispered in a startled exclamation, "Are you all right?" she said as loudly as she dared, another groan came in response. She made sure her door was shut, Katana's door, so *Katana's* mother would know nothing of the escape. She let out a mild curse that the door had no lock on it.

 

Suddenly, said door burst open and Zelda almost groaned an echo of Nity, hadn't this woman ever heard of privacy??

"Katana! What are you *doing* with that window open?" she exclaimed, her attention diverted for the moment. Zelda decided, despite the rude order, that she might as well play the obedient child in hopes that the parent would leave all the more quickly.

"Ah..it was..getting a little stuffy in here.." she mumbled, rushing over to close the window, and with a wince. She had been too surprised to cast any kind of levitation spell for Nity, and she would have had to find him first. Then this stupid lady came barging in and she couldn't concentrate enough to send down a trail of her consciousness to investigate.

 

After shutting the window, she got a small nod of approval before another tirade was launched. Something, something, evil things might come of leaving an opened window unattended. Zelda didn't bother mentioning that she *had* been in the room and could have easily been observing it in case of any evil contingencies launched through the dreaded ventilation! She was *very* glad she was not Katana if this was the usual. She nodded along with whatever was said, properly repentant, or trying to be. Meanwhile, practically jumping and fidgeting, and hoping he didn't try the window again.

 

"I don't think you understand the severity of the situation!" Katana's mother was saying.

"I'm sorry." Zelda muttered in response, "Excuse me?? That didn't *sound* very sorry! Now, I want you to go downstairs and clean the dishes like you were *supposed* to!"

Zelda moaned mentally, she hadn't counted on that. She didn't even know *how* these people washed dishes and she just *knew* that if she asked where the soap and towels were, not to mention the kitchen, she would be accused of disrespectful backtalk.

 

Zelda held back the sarcasm that was quickly developing and gave the woman a plaintive look.

"I'm sorry, really, I'll do them early tomorrow, I promise! I'm really really tired, I've got to sleep!" She *had* been about to go to sleep earlier, but she was no longer tired. Then, she remembered something said earlier, about evening reading or something.

"And you're going to be near the kitchen tonight, right? I don't want to interrupt your reading, banging pots and pans around. It would be hard for you to concentrate." Through some miracle, perhaps just because the dwarven woman was getting bored and tired, she accepted this.

Moments later she was out the door admonishing Zelda--...Katana, never to do it again and to be sure to clean them extra well tomorrow. She also received a warning about how hard it would be to scrub the dishes after a night for everything to stick on. Frankly, Zelda didn't care and she didn't intend to come back, even if she *was* stuck in this past for the rest of her life.

 

Could that...happen? She determined to think about it later, think about it when it might even be possible. Would staying here really be all that bad? But, what about the CFs? She quickly recoiled from that thought and what always accompanied it--what was left of them. But here..Nity was alive, and they weren't slacking off, they were *helping* people.. or trying to.. And she had already abandoned the CFs anyway. She didn't want to hurt them any more.

 

Zelda didn't bother reopening the window, especially in case the infinitesimal change in temperature might be noticed by that lady again. Instead, she teleported herself out of the room and floated carefully down the two stories to where Nity was still lying. She winced and knelt, shouldn't he be moving by now?

 

"Nity?" she asked, barely brushing air across her vocal cords. She looked back towards the house, all the lights were off on this side, thank goodness. She decided it was safe to try some magic. After a short, but intricate, chant a spiral of orange-colored light left her fingers to circle the prone body of her friend.

 

~Hmm..no serious damage..some bruises at the worst.. I guess the fall must have knocked him out for a short time.~ Even as she thought this, he began to push himself up into a sitting position. The transition into consciousness left him a little dizzy, and he was unsteady just trying to sit up.

"It'll wear off soon." she said, a caution, not to move too much right away, in her voice.

 

"I'm glad..you're not hurt." Zelda said, still quietly but also now with a little hesitation. She then gave him a swift, but careful, hug along with a rushed apology for taking so long and an abbreviated explanation.

 

EARTH

 

"Well, that wasn't very nice." Kevin said as he turned to face his brother.

"Eat me." Trax said indignantly.

"No thanks, why do we even have to do this?"

"You’re in my way."

"Oh yeah, I forgot you were an evil little $#@%@."

"Nice..."

"Thank you."

Pyro was still sitting in the cabin trying to figure out who Kevin's parents were. He was oblivious to what was going on outside.

 

"Now lets see, first I'll kill you, and in a month, I'll kill all your friends." Trax said with a grin.

"It’s been 15 years, I've gotten a bit better."

"So have I."

"So what, you've gotten past 'sucky'?"

Trax said nothing.

"Then you must be on 'stupid little shrimp with no personality'."

"You always were an insulting twit."

"Why can't we all just get along?"

"OH SHUT THE $#!% UP!" Trax said as he launched a lightning bolt into Kevin's guts, sending him flying.

 

BREADEN JIHAN- THREE YEARS AGO

 

Tachyon was trying to figure out how to get them out of this, using the holo-projector in his gauntlet to project data into the air.

"Solara," he said, absently tearing away a piece of an apple sitting next to him on the table, "You said you can fly at the speed of light, right?"

Solara was floating in a sitting position, trying to make herself solid, and not succeeding.

"Yes. Why?"

 

"If we can do something to boost your speed even more, to beyond that of light, we can, theoretically, get into the time stream and travel through it."

 

"Oh. I guess I could do that. I could make a hard light bubble and drag you and Tala with me. But I'm not sure it could survie that kind of speed. ....I hope Tala's ok."

 

"Me too. I never met Nokimis, but I've heard she's mega-evil."

 

A mysterious, but fairly normal voice with no discernable accent, spoke up, "Time has not been altered, please resume your previous activities." It sounded a bit frustrated, like a scientist with an experiment that wasn't going quite as planned. It was heard by both Tachyon and Solara.

"Who..?" Solara wondered, but it was impossible to tell what direction the voice had come from, in fact it had almost seemed to come from every direction at once without being omnipresent. Whoever it was hadn't intended on either frightening them or seeming occutly distant. Also, just in case, the message was projected to the others as well.

 

TENLION

 

Zelda furrowed her brow...the voice had almost seemed to come from within her mind. She shrugged and looked back at Nity, wondering what the plan was (and hoping he had come up with one, other than running in there again trying to be heroic.) She smiled, that was the main difference between him and that...Razis.. who was probably still in their own time or whatever was going on. Who knew? But there was that one fact, besides every other piece of proof and despite how stubborn and reticent he had been at the first, that proved he was the Nity she had known. Albeit younger, and more enthusiastic...she glanced at his bruises...and less coordinated.. Still, there was that honor, that drive to *be* something, contribute, help in some charitable selfless way.

 

PLANET OF THE TYGERS

 

Grey Wolfe's lips curled back in a snarl. He'd heard the message. If it was true, he could kill White Wolfe, and not alter time.

"Howling blaster!" he howled, firing the bolt of blue energy.

 

"Darkness Wave!" White Wolfe cried, firing a blast of black/purple energy from his mouth.

 

The two beams intersected and the resulting impact knocked both Tygers off their feet.

 

CRYSTALAX

 

Ganthet and X'al continued their trek through the mountains, getting ever closer to the city of light.

"Ganthet?" X'al said. "Is it getting...cold?"

 

Crystalax were usually immune to temperature changes. It must have been very cold indeed. Ganthet scowled.

"Ice people," he said simply. "Up there. On the ridge."

 

On cue, a half dozen ice warriors, and a pair of metals jumped from the ridge, armed and ready to battle.

 

BREADEN JIHAN- THREE YEARS AGO

 

"Well," Tachyon said, "that was interesting."

 

"Uh...I guess so," Solara said. "But who was it?"

 

EARTH

 

"Ouchies."

Kevin said as he picked himself off the crater he landed in, "That wasn't very nice."

 

"Wasn't meant to be." Trax said waiting for his brother to get up.

 

"Okay, just so I know..." Kevin said as he launched a blast of his own, throwing Trax through a tree.

 

"Okay.. that hurt."

 

"Thought it would."

 

The two spent the next 2 hours sending each other flying.

 

"This is getting boring." Kevin said, trying to catch is breath.

 

"Yes it is." Trax gasped.

 

"Hey, what’s goin on out here?" Pyro stepped out of the cabin, "You must be Trax."

 

"You brought him here?" Trax said to Kevin.

 

"Yeah, call it bonding." Kevin said.

 

Trax stood up and blasted Pyro, who screamed and went flying

 

"Well, that should take care of him."

 

Pyro got up and started coming towards him.

 

"Oh, go die."

 

Trax hit em again, sending him screaming and flying. Pyro got up again. Pyro walked right up to him and stared him in the eyes.

 

"STAY DOWN!!!" Trax hit Pyro with all his power and sent him slamming into the Cabin, which collapsed around him.

 

"Ya know Bro, he’s not gonna be happy." Kevin remarked

 

"What are you talking about?"

 

Suddenly the rubble of the cabin exploded up and Pyro, standing in Rage's armor emerged.

 

"Oh.... #$%^&"

 

GAMMA PRIME

 

"Time has been altered, Zealen."

 

"I know it has." He replied to the core.

 

"Oh, how so?"

 

"I altered it."

 

With that, Zealen's Psiclaws came out and he slashed the core. The weakling inside quickly perished, cutting off psionic power.

 

"Warning, Hull power supply -brzap- is critical."

 

Zealen placed his hands on his head.

 

A Moment later, him and the one who had mysteriously appeared here were on the surface. Zealen watched the lead airship crash into the water moments later, quickly sinking it.

 

"Maybe now what I did can be undone."

 

ELSEWHERE

 

The mysterious person who had previously spoken to the CFs was now conversing with his comrades over a slight glitch.

"The fail-safes?"

"In order." an underling replied, "But, we'll have to set up a switch."

The first man sighed, "Yes. Yes of course."

 

Suddenly, Kaliana found herself in the midst of strange earthian elemental type...things. They kind of reminded her of Ganthet, but they were made of metal, or more often, ice. In fact, there was Ganthet right on the other side of them.

"Hey, G!" she called, waving even though she *still* had no idea what was going on. It didn't really feel like a dream, though after being stuck in that cell... she had no idea, after all, how much did it take to make a white enclosed place seem real?

 

TENLION

 

"Nity?" Zelda asked.

 

ALTERNATE EARTH

 

"Well, you didn't give us much choice, Lark." Christian said, taking off his shirt and hanging it up on his hooks. "After all, strange coincidence you moved into our old apartment and found one of Chris' old uniforms*." He pulled on a yellow shirt with half sleeves, and heads towards the back of the cave.

"Ung!" Joe said, grabbing his arm.

"What's wrong?" Chris asks.

"Lousy punk with a bat...musta damaged my hydraulics." Chris looks at his arm.

"Probably just jarred something loose. Lemme take a look in my lab." The two headed off. Icedude stripped down to his street-clothes and hung up his cover-alls. He walked over to Lark.

"So, uh...don't suppose you'd care to go out for a coffee?"

*SUPER AVENGERS #410--C

 

  BREADEN JIHAN- THREE YEARS AGO

 

Tala had heard the voice as well, but ignored it. Nokomis attacked first, shadow tendrils spiraling up around Tala's legs. Originally, they had nearly jerked her off her feet, but this time.. she phased through them. Nokomis blinked, then frowned.

"Not this time... Sis."

So, it would be a little harder, no big deal. Nokomis raised one hand, fingers stretched. A globe started to form in front of her. Tala watched, idly amused, as her sister poured powered into this ball of darkness. Their parents watched as well, wondering why Tala was not attacking while she had the chance.

Nokomis then pointed at her sister, and the sphere went flying. People in the audience gasped, and Tala just idly held up a hand. The ball skidded to a stop, midair. Nokomis' eyes narrowed, she was beginning to get angry. He had told her she would win.

Tala smiled, and the sphere went flying back a Nokomis, who barely ducked out of the way in the time. Tala however.. had followed it up with a glowing orb of light, which Nokomis in the chest, and flew her backwards. She landed, hard.. skidding to a stop several feet away.

Tala then turned to her parents, and bowed to them.

Her father rose, as did Nokomis.. who was preparing to attack again. He turned towards her, and black energy bands wrapped around Nokomis' ankles, hand, and mouth. She started hopping, yelling something, but it was muffled.

"Take her away."

He then turned to Tala.

"Return to your quarters."

She nodded, and he sent her back to where the other two were waiting.

Instead of telling them what had happened, she asked..

"Did you guys hear that voice too?"

Tachyon nodded, replacing his helmet on his head as he did.

"Yes. Quite odd. The question is then, what do we do to find the others?"

Solara tried to swallow hard, but failed, having only an approximation of human shape, and not any organs.

"I don't claim to understand any of this... But....there must be a reason behind it. I saw enough during my time with the CFs, before Tachyon saved me, to know that nothing happens without reason it this universe."

 

CRYSTALAX

 

Ganthet beheaded an ice warrior, just noticing Kaliana. He stopped X'al from launching a crossbow bolt at her.

"I believe...she is an ally, my love."

 

With help from Kaliana's power, over-localized spatial phenomena, the various ice and metal warriors were easily dispatched.

"How did you get here?" Ganthet asked.

 

PLANET OF THE TYGERS

 

Grey and White Wolfe tore into each other with fangs and claws, realizing that their Crystal derived powers would only cancel each other out. After only a few minutes, both were bleeding freely from numerous wounds.

 

EARTH

 

"OW!!!"

"OUCH!!"

"AGH!!!"

 "HELP!!!"

 

Kevin couldn't help but chuckle at his brother getting the #%^& being beaten out of him. Pyro as Rage was kicking the life out of Trax.

"Pyro, Pyro, PYRO!!!" Kevin yelled, causing Pyro to turn around.

"What th? Oops," Pyro suddenly noticed he was holding Trax in the air, bleeding all over the place. He dropped him and Trax looked up.

 

"YOU’RE ALL NUTS!!!" He yelled as he faded into nothing.

 

"Well.... that was fun..." Kevin said with a grin

"He's gonna wake up sore." Pyro laughed.

"For the next 3 or 4 weeks."

"He's gonna be mad when he comes back."

"He'll have friends too, speaking of which, how do we find the others?"

 

BREADEN JIHAN- THREE YEARS AGO

 

Donovan paced around his throne room, earning watchful gazes from the three others that were allowed within the chamber. They were his underlings, but should he fall.. he knew that they would be the first to crush him.

"Report.. you said something about being found?"

"Yea.. it appeared someone sensed you. I warned you.. entering that ..Fighter was not a good idea!"

"So? I dare to go where others won't..."

Donovan then turned to the speaker, and pointed a finger at him.

"And do not forget who is the ruler here, understood? I will. Kill. You. Should you dare to take that tone with me again."

Something muttered. Donovan arched a brow. It was not repeated, so he resumed his pacing.

"Send out two warriors.. see if they can find any traces of what .. or who.. found us."

"Done."

"That is all, you may leave."

They filed out silently, and Donovan sat in his chair, becoming thoughtful.

------------------

A man in red robes, and Laina suddenly fell into Tala's room, landing on Tala. The man was the first to get up, extending a hand to Tala and Laina.

"So sorry about that."

He then glanced around, pointing at Tachyon and Tala.

"Tala.. and the doctor.. I assume. But, I do not know who you are, lovely one."

He bowed to Solara, then drew back his hood.

"I am Blade. A member of Laina's tribe.. also a mage of the red robes. I know you are the Crystal Fighters."

"Uhh.. Laina.. didn't he like.. uhm..?"

"Kick the bucket? Oh, yea.. but I saved him! Now.. we just hafta get to the others!"

Tala frowned, shaking her head. What a huge mess they had gotten into.

 

CRYSTALAX

 

"I might tell you if I knew," Kaliana drawled, then surveyed the scene with a tragic sigh, "Your world's version of Vile, or what?" she asked. She had observed how comfortable he was in this place and familiar with the type of terrain. Plus there was X'al who appeared to be from the same species. Though, for the most part she ignored the Crystalax woman. They had to find the others before worse things than an attack of animate metal and ice, happened. Well, she knew where Zealen was, sort of. She wasn't quite sure what had happened to the ship but she must have been teleported out or something, who knew? She was just glad to get out of that white room.

 

BE'JIN

 

Dianthe traveled through the rest of the day, other signs of warning startling her at least once a Shift (the equivalent of an hour while a Turn is one full day from dawn to dawn).

~Last Shift...~ she thought to herself with a heat of desperation, ~The leaves shaped an object...a crystal...~ She had returned to her sanctuary cold with a mix of fear and eagerness. She had been worried all Turn about the little things that had happened,

the little things that even one would set off any one who help superstitions. She passed through the opening; it was already darkening outside as Isalla spread her blanket of protection, glittering with the light of souls.

 

IN OTHER REALMS

 

"You're sure." It was more a statement than a question from the surpassing ArchMage to the Goddess of Light. She received a very humanoid nod in return as well as a raised eyebrow that said 'go ahead.' Zaria continued, she hadn't needed the prompting, she would have explained her doubt either way.

"If we are supposed," she stressed the word 'supposed', "to be on the side of Light and Goodness, does that not imply truth as well?" The Goddess of Light gave a faint smile, it was good to see Zaria thinking this way and striving for understanding. She was too used to doing whatever it took to get something done, even if it meant deception and lives lost.

 

"This child--"

Now the Goddess interrupted, "Not a child, not by her people's standard." Zaria needed to learn a bit of humility if she was still thinking of the deceived and unlearned as "children." She may have power, but that did not necessitate arrogance.

Zaria shrugged off the admonishment, "Dianthe, she believes that her Goddess is speaking to her. Why do I not just reveal myself to her?" She spoke with frustration, but not with anger. She was learning.

 "If you did so, she would not believe."

"Would you rather her believe in a false idol?"

"Whoever declared Isalla false?"

Zaria gifted her with a bit of a glare, "I'll not argue theology with a Goddess." she declared.

 

"That is beside the point. You have told me to take on the mantle of this one, be Isalla for her so that she will agree to leave her home and calling."

"She would not come otherwise."

 "And that gives us the right to impersonation?"

"How do you know that's not how Isalla was created in the first place?"

Zaria rubbed her temples, "Enough of the double-talk. I agree to continue this charade. For now."

 

ELSEWHERE

 

Iam alighted on a mountaintop, folding his wings of light at his back. The setting sun sent rays of red and orange down on his golden skin and hair. His cosmic senses had clearly led him to THIS world. The source of evil power was clearly somewhere here, but he could not pinpoint it. How could someone so evil, use such an innocent and beautiful world as its staging point?

His somber thoughts were interrupted as a hand came to wrest on his shoulder. He spun around to see a pair of warriors. Big, burly fellows, each carrying a large sword.

 

"Please," the angelic being pleaded, "no violence. I have to wish to hurt you."

 

"Too bad," one of them said, "we want to hurt you!" His sword lashed out, knocking Iam off his feet.

 

"Always violence," he said to himself, "they always choose violence." Holy power crackled in his hands, as he concentrated it into a blast of power. The first of them men went down hard. No physical damage, just soul shock.

 

He wrapped his wings around himself, protecting him from the other. Batting the weapon away, he flicked his wings, firing a pair of feathers like flechets. They burned with a holy fire, plunging into the man's chest and stomach. They forced him to face the evil in his own soul....more than he could bare.

 

The angel, with something akin to sorrow, placed his hands on their heads. He didn't like doing this, but when his cosmic awareness failed, it was sometimes needed. He pulled a location from their minds, then shook his head in disgust. In absorbing that knowledge, he'd seen their entire lives, every vile thing they'd ever done.

He spread his wings and took flight.

 

BREADEN JIHAN- THREE YEARS AGO

 

"My name is Solara," Solara said. She just blinked in amazement. So many new people had joined since she'd been plucked out of time. Tachyon had told her about some of them. Didn't Laina enhance other people's powers? Maybe...maybe she could help her be solid again, even if she'd still be light.

 

"A pleasure to meet you sir," Tachyon said, "But I am afraid I have no idea on how to gather the others. I fear it may be a job for...magic, that for any science I know."

 

PLANET OF THE TYGERS

 

 Grey Wolfe struggled to stay on his feet. White Wolfe was winning. He'd fail....and he knew White would go after Lillia, just as he had in the real time. He'd been sent back just a little more than a day before he became a CF. He thought he could prevent this death...but it looked like he would not.

 

CRYSTALAX

 

Ganthet scowled.

 

"No," he said, "not Vile. Ice and Metal clansmen. The Metals are staunch allies of the evil Obsidian clan, while the ice usually side with us Crystals. I suspect those we fought were rebels and criminals."

 

"Ganthet?" X'al asked. "Who is this woman? Why is she here? Why are you talking like she's an old friend? What is this power she wields?" The former love of his life was having trouble taking this turn of events. She'd never believed in other worlds, and this was clearly shattering her world view. She drew her crossbow and pointed it at Kaliana.

 

"Speak, witch! What have you done to him?!"

 

ELSEWHERE

 

Iam didn't get very far, for just a few minutes after he took flight, another appeared. However, this.. man carried no weapons. Instead, he just hovered there, before Iam, a slight grin on his face.

"A beautiful place.. is it not?"

Iam just paused, studying him. The man held a hand out, a goblet appearing. He sipped from it, glancing around - then back to Iam.

He looked to be not much older.. perhaps younger, then some of the Fighters. Seventeen at the most.. but his aura.. that darkness that Iam senses had found, was far older then that.

The man continued to drink, waiting for Iam to speak.

 

BREADEN JIHAN

 

"Hmm..." Blade frowned thoughtfully, while Tala had gone to get actual food and drink for everyone. Tachyon had explained how he had shunted Solara and himself here, and the possible use of her light powers.

"Even so, all of us together will be a strain. Laina's Crystal acts an as amp for her powers, and for those she wished to enhance. Perhaps she could power up your suit.. or Solara's powers."

He then turned to Solara.

"However.. seeing that you are made.. of pure light.. it might harm you, or have some other side affect. I don't think it should harm your powers though..."

Laina shrugged slightly, then took an apple.

"If not, then I could always enhance Tala's again.. Tachyon could lock onto somebody, and we could all be teleported to their world.. past.."

Tala then glanced at Solara.

"You are from Ganthet's world if I remember correctly.. why don't we go to him? Or.. Grey Wolfe, I remember that how he made his journey to us.. it was not happy time for him."

 

 

CRYSTALAX

 

Abruptly, the crossbow X'al had been waving in Kaliana's face exploded.

 

"*I* haven't done anything." she frowned at the accusation, taking it as a personal affront. But, she also indicated that she thought someone *else* might have interfered, done *some*thing, though she wasn't sure exactly what.

 

The sudden explosion hadn't injured X'al, except possibly her pride. Kaliana continued, not in the mood to wait for a reaction.

 

"My name is Kaliana and I have *no* idea what we're doing here, but normally G and I would be with the *rest* of the CFs." ~Who're somewhere not here.~ she mentally added the useless thought. "Probably aboard Destiny’s Child, now who are *you*?" she finished with a glare and a warning glance at the crossbow pieces.

 

BE'JIN

 

Dianthe yelped as the 3 sconces suddenly roared to life and light with Durv’s fire.

“N-no...impossible!” she called, trying to convince herself. But, she was a priestess, her

job was to believe in the impossible. Quickly, she tried to calm herself, she would have to

do a 3rd level invocation. Just the thought made her shiver with anticipation, she had

never dreamed to ask so active a part of her goddess, but it was clear she was being told

something, if only she could understand, she was striving so hard to understand!!

 

IN OTHER REALMS

 

Most others would laugh at the woman's startlement by such a simple trick, but Zaria just felt a little sorry for her disillusionment.

"She really thinks an Immortal would waste their time on her." She said out loud with a hint of sadness, she knew more than anyone that Immortals were busy with much larger things.

"And isn't one?" The Goddess of Light reminded her. Zaria shrugged, not the least bit abashed by her elder's most recent score.

 

"Not directly."

"Do we ever work directly?"

Another shrug, then, "Any novice mage could perform the same little tricks." Zaria observed, wondering why Dianthe did not suspect someone behind the scenes. After all, that *was* what was happening. Then again...true magic was not widely used on her world.

 

BREADEN JIHAN- THREE YEARS AGO

 

Solara shook her head.

"No....I'm not. The light-people there kidnapped me from Crystalia.... did something to me, changed me using a Crystal, then did...something else to my mind. It made me betray my friends...tell them the secret's of Ganthet's harmonic powers. They sent me back, weak....so Ganthet saved me."

A look of pure sorrow was on her face. She'd betrayed them, even if it was against her will.

 

"Solara...," Tala said. "Please. No one blames you. We know what they did to you. We've long forgiven you, everyone has."

 

Tachyon nodded in response to Blade's suggestions. "Yes... When I was in the no-place, my computer recorded the temporal signatures for some of the others. I think we can find one of them."

 

CRYSTALAX

 

Ganthet yelled, silencing both X'al and Kaliana.

 

"OK, Kaliana.... X'al was...is...the…my first love."

 

"Ganthet?" X'al asked, "how do you know this person?"

 

"X'al..., Warrior Gods, I could never lie to you. I'm not exactly the Ganthet you know. I'm from the future. I've left this world behind, found new friends and new battles. I don't know why I'm back here, but I know it won't last..."

 

PLANET OF THE TYGERS

 

Grey Wolfe stood weakly, summoning his energy to fire his Howling Blaster. It hit his brother squarly in the side, knocking him down. He couldn't let his brother win...had to stop him from ever killing Lillia. He couldn't stop...couldn't.

 

ELSEWHERE

 

"Very beautiful," Iam agreed. "I would hate to see something so wonderful damaged."

 

The angelic being beat his wings for a second, adjusting his position in the air.

 

"I will be frank. It is my mission to, in one way or another, stem the flow of evil into this universe. I have traced a powerful source of evil to you. I do not like battle. I beg that you renounce your evil powers, so that I do not have to cause you damage. Any battle between us will surely cause great destruction to this world."

 

BREADEN JIHAN

 

"Hmmm..." Blade studied her.

"If we can figure out the process used on you, we might be able to make you solid again. But, that will have to wait for later.. when we have more time. And, once everyone is back."

He then turned to Laina.

"Enhance Tala first.. but let Tacyhon get the signal on somebody. Once he's ready, Tala can take us all to that place.. and time. Alright?"

Laina nodded. They waited for Tachyon to tell them when he was ready.

 

ELSEWHERE

 

Donovan laughed, softly. He was truly amused, and a little in awe. He had never been this close to an angel before, and he would never be again.

"You do not enjoy battle, neither do I. I prefer to do my dealings the old fashioned way.... Behind someone's back. I am sorry, but I will not renounce my powers. Being evil is too much fun."

He stood then, the goblet fading from view. The clasp holding his cloak together unhooked, for it was not a cloak at all, but his wings.

"If you do not wish to fight me, leave now.. Stay, and I will kill you."

 

Iam shook his head slowly. In his many travels since becoming an angelic being, only once had he managed to convince someone to renounce their power. It always came down to violence. Sometimes, he could simply cut off the flow of their powers, or block their access to it. But this one...he would have to be slain.

"I will not leave. It is my sacred mission to defeat all sources of evil within this universe," he said. "Prepare to face my might."

 

Crackling, golden energy surged around his hands. He brought them together and fired a blast of holy power. Unlike the bolts he'd thrown at the warriors, this was purely destructive force.

 

BREADEN JIHAN

 

Tachyon called up the information his sensors had recorded. He'd seen so many glimpses, but only caught on to one strong lock. "I've got Grey Wolfe. I have the temporal and dimensional coordinates."

 

Despite no longer being affected by temperature, Solara shivered. The man called Blade offered hope...but it sounded slim. She'd been able to achieve a measure of solidity before, when she was linked with Ganthet...but not now. But at least she was alive. Her energy matrix must have stabilized, no longer needing to be refracted by Ganthet's form.

   

"Alright.. let's go."

Instead of shadows surrounding them, they sank into darkness. Blade and Tala were the two most used to using a spell like this, but the others were a little startled.

"Sorry... it won't last long."

It took only a few minutes for them to land where Grey and White Wolfe were still fighting.

Blade shook his head, sadly. It was hard to see two wolves fight, considering what had happened to him, but he could understand the need too.

"Should.. we.. help him?" Tala asked the others.

 

ELSEWHERE

 

Donovan smiled, just standing there. As the energy flew closer to him, he simply folded his wings around his body. Black flames danced around him, and Iam's energy simply .. rebounded off his form.

As his wings unfurled again, the young, human face was gone, instead now.. it held a reddish hue, as did his eyes.

"Did you think you could defeat me with that?"

Scorn dripped from his words, and the flames danced down his arm, collecting into a ball in his hand. He then threw it at Iam, but instead of staying in it's sphere- like shape, it blew apart, turning into black spikes.

 

VOICES IN THE SKY

 

“Strong, creative minds…”

“At least we’re near finished.”

“They must be linked powerfully together to invade so.”

“The Crystals?”

 

CRYSTALAX

 

"It had better not last." Kaliana grumbled, at least she had gotten used to Destiny’s Child. Being thrown around from place to place like this did *not* help matters for her. Reluctantly, she apologized to X'al, "Look, I'm sorry I broke your bow."

 

Ganthet believed what he said, about them being in his past and the way he spoke of and to X'al..like she was some sort of ghost..or just shouldn't *be* here.. She guessed that the warrior had been killed, or otherwise lost to Ganthet. She decided, despite everything, that she would make an effort to be more pleasant to the woman, and Ganthet. But, she also had to find out what was going on, maybe they'd be able to find a way out of here. If Ganthet would take it. She wasn't completely sure, even if he had said that he knew this change wouldn't last.

 

"So, we're in your past?" she asked for confirmation, "I was just in a ship with Zealen, I think he was the captain or something. That could have been his past as well. I'm not extremely well read on tachyons, chrono-particles whatever you want to call them. Definitely not enough to make any kind of time machine."

 

BE'JIN

 

The torches were already lit as required, Dianthe folded her legs under her and sat in front

of the alter with her Kiev laid horizontally in front of her. She waited. A full Shift later

and it was dark enough to begin. She chanted first her thanks to the goddess, repeating

the small movements with her Kiev that she had done at the start of that day. She tried to

slow down her hurried motions when they began to move in time to her swiftly beating

heart. She drew herself into the rhythm of the ritual.

 

ELSEWHERE

 

Iam dodged the spikes, but barely. "I had hoped," he said. He drew back his wings, them flicked them forward, sending a dozen flaming feather flechets at his foe.

 

BREADEN JIHAN- THREE YEARS AGO

 

"I don't know," Tachyon said. "Grey's often said he wanted revenge on his brother, even though that brother was killed by Vile. He might not welcome our help...but at the same time, he might get killed."

 

Solara on the other hand, had just acted. She flew quickly, and blasted White Wolfe with a bolt of focused blast of photons. It was light focused to the point of near-solidity, not unlike a force bolt.

 

Grey struggling to stay standing, looked around to see his friends, as well as Blade and Solara, whom he did not recognize. "What...<gasp> are you doing here," he wheezed.

 

"Helping you."

Tala spoke, while Solara and Laina kept an eye on White Wolfe.

"You okay? We got a healer here.."

 

CRYSTALAX

 

Ganthet frowned. "I am afraid I do not possess the technical know-how to build one either. And, my world does not possess the technology either. We are a simpler people. Metal working, simple machines like catapults are all we have. And yes...this is my past."

 

X'al looked around confusedly. "You're from the future...not exactly my Ganthet? What happens to make you so sad?"

 

"I...cannot say, X'al. I won't try to change time anymore." How could he tell her, that Misery had wiped out his world, everyone?

 

ELSEWHERE

 

Donovan was able to dodge most of the feathers, but two got stuck in his wigs, he growled at Iam.

"You had hoped? You thought me a weakling like those other two idiots?!"

His eyes became even more ruby as his rage was building.

"That mistake... shall cost you.."

He rose upwards then, and his wings once again opened, he looked at Iam. Flames roared, heading directly for the angel.

Iam took the hit hard by the flames, almost falling from the sky. He formed a shield and sword from golden energy.

"We can trade energy all day," he said. "But let us settle this with blades."

 

TENLION

 

"Katana." Nity shook his head still dizzy from his fall, "I'm ok, we better get going before our parents find out we’re gone."

Again they were off to the center hoping things would go as planned this time.

~Wait, what is the plan?~ Zelda asked realizing they had yet to discuss it, now they were nearing the ridge again, the center would be just over the other side.

 

EARTH, NEW JERSEY

 

"Um cofay?" Lark was unfamiliar with the term, she hadn't heard UA or Pyro ever mention it and they were natives of this world.

"Yeah, we can just go sit down relax and talk, you know coffee." IceDude tried to explain to Lark's obvious confusion.

"Oh, coffee!!!" Lark nodded.  A type of caffeine supplement. "That would be nice" ~I just hope it doesn't last long I need to talk with UA and figure what is going on.~

 

PLANET OF THE TYGERS

 

"I'll....live," Grey replied. "but....I couldn't stop him....couldn't kill my brother. If you hadn't shown up...he would've gone on to kill someone very dear to me. I couldn't save her before....and wouldn't have now."

****

 

 

 

CRYSTALAX

 

"Trying to change it?" Kaliana shook her head, "Don't they teach you about paradoxes? If you change something in the past your past self won't have any reason to come back and change it therefore it was never changed in the first place. If *that* made any sense." She shrugged, she had just been repeating what one of the tutors on her homeworld had said. She hadn't been able to really understand it, just the fact that changing the past wouldn't work.

 

Unless..you went by the dimensional theory that the CFs seemed to have proven more than once. For every second there was an infinite number of alternate seconds where something different happens and the next second each of those splits off into an infinite number of other possibilities. She wished vehemently that they could just stick to reality, but life just didn't seem to agree with that particular wish. But then, it never seemed to.

 

That was just how life was, she guessed. Unless you *made* things happen yourself, took charge over fate, if that was possible. She sighed, they would probably be here for a while, "Hey, G, while we're here, is there anything I should know about? Deadly poisonous plants etcetera. Stuff besides the fact that if those other warrior people appear be ready to fight again."

 

TENLION

 

~Nity!!~ Zelda said urgently, not even realizing that it was telepathy but resorting to it involuntarily for safety, ~You *do* have a plan this time?~ she worried mentally. Nity turned his head toward her and gave her a piercing stare,

~How...did you..do that?~ he thought out the sentence carefully and the mental equivalent of 'loudly.'

~It's telepathy.~ she explained nervously, not quite sure how much he could pick up at this point, had he already learned that she wasn't Katana?

 

So what if he had! She wasn't, she felt bad enough already keeping up this facade that no one seemed to be able to see through. She hadn't even been *trying* to impersonate the girl, in fact she didn't know anything about her! She just hadn't disputed the identification of 'Katana' that seemed to follow her around. Yet again, she found herself wondering what kind of person she was while at the same time still feeling..at home with the name, with everything here.

 

Had Zelda ever really existed? She shook away the thought, frightened by the implications. No, she knew who she was. And she was one of the CFs, she could recall all of their names, all of their faces, their personalities, their mental auras. That was real. This was...well, she didn't know what it was.

 

At the moment, with the darkness over head, the cold yielding grass behind her feet, the chill yet humid air, the evening sounds of chirping bugs, and even the secretive dwarves and dwelves with their aura of wrong-doing, at the moment, this felt real. At the moment, her memories of life were as gossamer as an almost forgotten dream.

 

Nity was still looking at her strangely, now he whispered aloud.

"Did that just..happen?"

She nodded reluctantly.

"You do know what it is then." she replied, her voice equally low, hopefully not in the range of hearing of any of the ones they were presently hiding from. ~Yes..~ she switched back to the safety of mental speech, ~It did happen. Well, what's the plan?~ She had backed out of explaining what was supposed to be reality to him. She could have, just then. It would have been easier through the mind, with him probably already suspecting something was off.

 

GAMMA PRIME

 

Zealen looked behind him. "Hmm, odd, she should have come down with me."

He placed his hands on his head.

 

"Ahh, so she is alive."

 

He looked around him. Maybe now Chain wouldn't have had a chance to ruin the planet and summon the Zerg. He knew he was in the past, but how had he gotten here? He placed his hands on his head, and tried to teleport himself to where she had gone, hoping he didn't get her into to much trouble.

 

EARTH

 

Kevin sat alone in the forest, thinking about what they could do to stop his crazed brother.

"What’s wrong brother?" Trax appeared behind him as a hologram

"!&#% off." Kevin simply waved him off.

"You have no chance, I will win."

"No you won't." Kevin stood up and faced his brother.

"Who will stop me? You?"

"Yes, by any means necessary,"

"I will give you a way out, leave this timeline, never cross paths with me again and I will let you live."

Kevin's eyes began to glow.

 "Neal, Let me tell you something, you have no idea what you’re getting into. You will not walk away from this one. Win, lose or draw—you’re dead."

 

"Let me tell you something my brother, you can't begin to realize what I can do. Hell, you don't stand a chance."

 

"I will win, I may not survive but I will win. Realize this: I draw my power from the end of the universe, from Armageddon, ragnarok, whatever the hell you want to call it. I can destroy planets, solar systems and galaxies with a thought. I WILL destroy you."

 

"You are full of yourself aren't you?"

 

"Remember the day you killed my friends? Remember the moon?"

 

Trax fell silent.

 

"That was 25 years ago, I'm much stronger... If you kill me, I may destroy us all, the entire timeline if I need to. If you kill the others, I WILL destroy us all. Don't think for a moment that I can't or won't.  I will gladly sacrifice a universe to stop you.

 

Trax grinned, "Bull#$%&, you don't have the guts."

 

Kevin looked at him with an evil grin, "Try me."

 

Trax simply disappeared.


ELSEWHERE

 

"Very well..."

Donovon slowly lowered himself, till he was across from Iam again. The black flames danced around him again, this time forming a broad sword, the color that of rust. A shield formed as well, and after he grabbed them both, he swung wilding at Iam with the sword.

 

PLANET OF THE TYGERS

 

Tala noded, while Blade walked over. He laid his hands over Grey, not on.. just over him by a scant inch or so. He murmured something.  A bluish mist left his hands, and floated over and through Grey. Within a few minutes, he is healed.

Blade then glances around thoughtfully, then looks at White's prone form.

"So, what shall we do with him?"

 

TENLION

 

Nity just stood bewildered, "How can you do this, why didn't you tell me about this before!!!" Nity was frantic and unaware he was talking so loud.

Zelda grabbed him in a hug and shushed him to calm down.

~I'm sorry but I don't have time to explain it now, but it will help in our mission, whenever you want to talk to me just think the words to me and they will enter my head like mine are into yours right now.~

"Okay?" Zelda asked out loud just to confirm he wasn't imagining it all.

Nity nodded slowly.

"Now," she pointed towards the Center down the hill below ~What’s the plan?~

"Well uh..." Zelda shook her head wanting him to use her telepathy ~uh...well...uh...can you hear me?~

Zelda nodded.

 ~Well the plan was to join the Center and get in for the dirt you know, hear that?~

 

CRYSTALAX

 

Before Kaliana's eyes, Zealen appeared.

"What in all..?"

"Apparently teleportation works."

He looked toward Ganthet and X'al, realizing that even after the teleport, they were still in the past, albeit a different one.

 

TENLION

 

~Join..?~ Zelda eyes widened, ~You sure that's safe?~ She realized it was probably a stupid question, nothing was safe, *that* she knew and even less so when it involved any sort of 'bad guys.' She noticed she was still hugging him, then released him with a mental 'sorry.' ~Well..so, how are we going to do this? Are we going to just walk in and ask if we can be part of their operation?~ She was a bit dubious as to their reception though.

~It'll be dangerous but I don't want you to go, I have to do this myself, I don't want you to get hurt.~ With that Nity left, running down the slope towards the armed guards.

 

PLANET OF TYGERS

 

Grey shook his head from side to side.

"He killed someone very close to me in our real timeline, only to be killed by a Vile. That saddened me. I thought it was because I did not get a chance to kill him myself.... But he is my brother. I don't think I could kill him." Grey walked over to where his brother lay, and ripped the Crystal from him, then tossed it into the air. He blasted it to pieces with his Howling Blaster. "He is powerless. But...can this be done? Place a hypnotic suggestion in his mind, so that when he returns to the Tribe, he confesses to having framed me for murder? I will let the Tribe deal with them as they see fit."

Tala nodded.

"It can be done.. any telepath can do it. This will take a minute though..."

She went over to White's body, and knelt beside it. She lightly stroked his fur, while accessing his memories. She was there a few minutes, and when she rose, she looked rather.. pale.

"It's done.. when he awakes, he will not remember finding you.. or this battle. But he will remember what he did, and feel so guilty,.. he'll have to confess."

 

ELSEWHERE

 

Iam's sword met that of his foe, deflecting the blow. He tried a stabbing thrust, but hit only Donovan's shield. Never before had he faced so powerful a foe. He'd expended a lot of energy in the bolts he tried against Donovan. The angelic being did not know how long he could keep fighting. He did not know where his foe drew his power, but he knew his own reserves were not infinite. But he felt a strong enough surge to surely best him....or so he prayed.

 

He swung his sword in a wide arc, hoping to score a hit that would take the evil man's wings out of the fight, lending himself an advantage.

 

Indeed, Iam did score a lucky hit. The sword cut through Donovan's left wing, creating a gaping wound. Donovan stumbled slightly, he had not been wounded in a fight for quite some time. Since he was closer to his home he could heal and "recharge" as it were- quickly.

But, this was just enough to really tick him off.

I am watched as he started to fall down, and felt hope, but then Donovan was in the air again.

"I can fly.. with or without these things. Mine, unlike yours.. can be just for show."

He then raised his sword, the tip glowing an ugly red.

"And now, to make to grow with a greater light, that of your blood!"

He rushed at Iam.

 

CRYSTALAX

 

A smile pulled its way across Ganthet's features. If Zealen was here, then it might be possible for them to find the others. The Protoss had access to technology that made most of Pyro's arsenal seem like toys.

 

"Dunno how you got here and with us of all people, but d'you know what happened to the others?" Kaliana asked of Zealen, also with the question of getting to them in her voice.

 

ELSEWHERE

 

The blade cut deeply into Iam's wing. Being ethereal energy, it did not bleed, but instead seemed to flicker and disapate. Iam quickly forged a floating platfrom of energy. "Well played," he said. He raised his hand and fired a bolt of energy. The time had come to stop playing quite so fair and take greater action. This time, the bolt was not so much destructive energy, but holy power. A beam of purity.

 

PLANET OF TYGERS

 

Grey Wolfe nodded his thanks. "I am glad you found me when you did. I fully expected to die. In fact, I almost wanted to. When I saw what a failure I would be..."

 

"Grey...," Laina said, "You're not. You're as brave as any of us, and no one can defeat everything."

 

"If you say so... We'll be moving on, I take it?"

 

"Yes," Blade said, "if Tachyon can lock onto any of the others."

 

"Not on my own," Tachyon replied, "But if Laina can use her power to enhance my sensors...."

 

 

TENLION

 

~What are you ta--~ Zelda began, but before she finished he was already running down the slope. ~Goddess save me from heroic idiots!~ she sighed. She decided she might as well add herself to that list, as she followed him with a wince. Running right at the enemy just didn't feel right, or healthy. Besides, there was no chance in life that she was going to let himself get hurt or killed, again.

 

Nity heard her coming and looked back, ~You were supposed to--~

~Stay there, safe?~ she shook her head, ~Did you actually think I would? I'm going to help you. At this rate I think you'll *need* it.~ she thought, eyeing the guards who were looking at them with raised eyebrows.

 

"Hey..aren't those the kids from before?" One grumbled to another. The second just shrugged with a 'who cares' look on his face.

"At least they didn't bring anyone else."

"Yeah, well, either way, we'd better tell the boss."

"*You* tell him."

"He didn't want to be interrupted..some new deal, he likes you better *you* tell him."

"No, *you*!"

 

COFFEE PLAZA, BROADWAY

 

A trendy establishment in low town Manhattan, it featured a quiet, small coffee house environment. Icedude, or rather, Derek Ice, sat with Lark in a corner booth. Derek rambled on and on, and Lark just nodded her head, trying to follow along.

Everything he said...he's treating me as if I should know all this stuff. As if I am from here. Maybe...that's because he thinks I am. I may have replaced whoever was supposed to be here, and I am the only one that realizes it. However, I do find this..."Derek"...quite interesting. He laughed, obviously having said a joke she didn't hear.

"So, how did you get your powers?"

"My powers? I was born with them. That's why they call us superhumans." He smiled to the waitress as she placed their coffees in front of them. "Only thing is, my powers are still underdeveloped, despite my age. In such case, they tend to fizzle out after a lot of use."

"So, what do you do, then?"

"Well, I'm into refrigeration, so I devised a little way that I can have Freon enter my chill-suit through the specialized oxygen tanks I wear on my back. The frozen nature of the liquid allows me to absorb it and project it out as my own power. So far, I haven't been in a fight long enough to see what happens when both supplies run out."

"I see...that would be...terrible."

"Tell me about it." Derek picks up his cup and takes a sip. "Ahhh, iced coffee. How's yours?" Lark looks down at the brown liquid in her cup. What to do?

 

ELSEWHERE

 

The attack hit Donovan, knocking him back, hard. The smell of.. something burning.. reaching Iam's nostrils, but to Donovan's credit, he did not cry out in pain.

He moved his hand from his side, eyeing the wound that was there now, black blood dripping from his fingers. Donovan's gaze then locked onto Iam, and he smiled slightly.

"Score one for you, angel... Score one for you..."

He stayed that way for a moment, thinking. He had never felt such pain in his life..ever. He would need time to heal, but before he left, he would knock that damned angel from his perch.

He lifted his hand, muttering something too low for Iam to hear.

A sphere started to form above his head, a black globe. It continued to grow in size, till it was big enough to contain either of them. He then pointed at Iam, and spoke the final word of the spell.

The globe then broke apart into millions of bats, flying straight for Iam. There was no way he could fend them all off.

Donovan, sure that this would Iam's final moments, smiled.

"Good show, old chap.. good show. Too bad I was stronger. Evil triumphs.."

He then faded from view, going back to home to heal.

 

PLANET OF TYGERS

 

"Okay..."

Laina walked over to the doctor, and picked him up.

"Maybe one of these days, you'll have to find a way to make yourself taller."

He said nothing, and Laina, grinned bashfully.

"I mean, to us.. at least. I bet back home, you were a lady killer."

Blade rolled his eyes, and Tala chuckled lightly. 

 

 

TENLION

 

"Ergh well I ain't gonna disturb the boss no matter what, you know how he is when he gets in his moods."

The other guard nodded.

"Kill them then."

The other guard then lifted his bow and steel tipped arrow, Nity put on the brakes but found traction lacking in the down sloping dirt, he finally skidded to a stop, his nose an inch or so from the arrow tip. Nity put his hand in the air.

"Uh....we come in peace."

 

NEW JERSEY

 

Lark put the steaming cup of coffee up to her lips and took a gulp, it took her a second to feel the burning sensation then she screamed and tossed down the coffee in disgusts.

"What the hell, you trying to kill me?"

"Woah, sorry I guess it isn't your cup of tea?" Derek smiled whipping up the mess.

"Tea?"

"You not much on beverages are you?"

Lark nodded.  "Guess not." ~Oy this is going to be rougher then I thought.~

"So anyways if you’re going to be running around with us spandex boys you probably will want to get a codename for yourself."

"How do I do that?" Lark asked ~a codename, why do these people have such odd rules about being a hero on this world?~

"Yeah, well, basically you use a sword and stuff, something about that, maybe Sword Girl or Blade" He tried to give a convincing smile.

Lark smiled trying to think. "Um how about Sharp Edge?"

"Sure."

 

ELSEWHERE

 

Iam fell from the sky, and would surely have gone splat, had not something intervened. The angelic being simply disappeared from sight.

 

***

 

YOU WERE ALMOST DEAD THIS TIME, IAM.

 

"I know..., I know. I've never faced so strong an evil."

 

YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DEFEAT HIM ON YOUR OWN. I AM NOT EVEN SURE YOUR ALLIES, THE CRYSTAL FIGHTERS COULD.

 

"We will have to try. But, not yet. I'll be long in recovery. My powers won't be back at their peak for a few days."

 

DARK TIMES ARE COMING IAM. STAY HERE FOR A WHILE. I HAVE NO DESIRE TO SEE YOUR END COME ABOUT.

 

"You know I won't. I have a responsibility to protect this universe. I'll be back out in space once my strength returns. And I'll have to find Donovan."

 

PLANET OF TYGERS

 

Tachyon had locked on to multiple signatures in the same time frame.

 

"I've got Ganthet, Kaliana, and Zealen. All in the same place."

 

"But didn't Zealen...when Crystalia?" Solara asked.

 

"No...," Tala said. "He vanished from a while, took time to recover, but came back when we needed his power."

 

TENLION

 

Zelda sighed hopelessly, ~Youth..? Ah..~ she shook her head and made her way carefully down the slope.

 

"Um. Excuse me, could you please not point that at my friend. We're here for a reason."

"Yeh, what?" He asked gruffly, crossbow not moving an inch.

"Point--it--some--where--else." Zelda said carefully, with a hint of anger covering her own fear of another loss.

"Katan--"

~I can handle this Nity. <sigh>What happened to the plan??~

 

"Make me, little lady." he sneered, trying to make trouble so he wouldn't have to report anything more than nosy kids to his boss. She reached for her Crystal and found...nothing. Her fingers began to tremble, why hadn't she missed it before? Where *was* it? It was..had been..an undeniable part of her for..what...years now? She frowned darkly, then directed it at the man blocking their path.

~Well..there's more than one way..~ she thought to herself, summoning up her internal power of magic. She began to glow faintly while the guard stared at her, nudges his companion who just shrugged.

 "So she knows a little trick, so what? They're just brats we *should* let the boss deal with 'em."

 

An icy breath of wind swirled around Zelda and Nity, nearby, shivered with the sudden temperature change.

"Katana?!" he burst out, eyes wide. Her own eyes snapped open as she focused on her target. Instantly, the wind surrounded the crossbow in a white cloud that solidified into ice a second later.

"OWWW!!!" The man yelped, dropping his weapon to let it shatter on the ground. He was rubbing his cold red hands together while they stung from being ripped off the ice.

"Who *are* you?!"

 

PLANET OF TYGERS

 

"Okay, well.. let's get a move on. You still go it, Doc?"

He nodded, and once again Tala did get them all there. However, when they arrived this time, she leaned against Blade slightly.

After placing a suggestion in Blade's thoughts, and then teleporting them all here.. it had been quite a stretch. Not only because they were hopping to different worlds, but different times as well.

G spotted them first, and they all waved to him.

"Heyas G, we found you! Thanks to Doc here, he's a keeper."

Laina went over to Tala.

"You alright?"

"Yea.. I figure I can do at least two more jaunts.. but maybe we should stay here a while an' rest.. of figure out how.. or why.. we're back in our pasts."

 

 

TENLION

 

"We um are here to help you, we want to join," Nity looked at Zelda again with astonishment, "see what uh....we can do, I think your boss would like to see us?" Nity nodded--a convincing nod, apparently, because the man nodded back.

"Furly go get these kids to the boss."

The one named furly nodded and escorted the two into the Center.

 

CRYSTALAX

 

"OK, that's it," X'al yelled. "I'm going back to the castle. You people deal with this. My mind wasn't made to handle this. Fair thee well, Ganthet from elsewhen, return to us one day." With that, the Crystalax woman walked off into the distance.

Ganthet shook his head slowly. He'd had a chance to start his life again.... But no, in the back of his mind, he'd always know what he was running from. His future was with the Crystal Fighters.

 

But then....he saw Solara. The Crystalax's voice did not come easily.

"Solara...? Little friend? You...but you died in my arms."

 

"Just my body Ganthet. Just before Rage destroyed me... Tachyon time jumped in and out. My light form got pulled too. And I'm stable. I won't break apart...but I'm not solid. Ganthet, can you ever forgive me...for what I did, betraying you like that?"

 

"I never blamed you Solara. I knew what they did to you. You saved my life then, and nothing can change the fact that you're as much a hero as any of us. We never blamed you, never needed to forgive you, for you did nothing. I am just...I am just....I am very glad to have you back."

 

 

TENLION

 

"What're these kids doin here??!?!?"

"uh. They wanna join or something." the guard sent a nervous look back at the two.

"LOOK at them you idiot! They're KIDS! They don't have anything we can USE!"

"Um..sir. They have..power.."

 "No you fool *I* have power and YOU are treading on ice!"

"Funny you should mention ice sir.."

"THAT WASN'T A JOKE!!" The guard quavered a bit, but continued to try and prove his case. He grabbed Zelda by the arm and yanked her forward into the conversation
 "Hey!" she yelped at the rough treatment.

 

"She can freeze things, just thinking about it!"

"Oh *really*?" The man was clearly not convinced.

He pushed Zelda closer, "Show 'im!"

She decided then was not a good time to glare back at him, not if they were trying to sign themselves up in whatever type of fellowship thing this was.

"Well little lady, you gonna prove this idiot right?" On second thought, maybe it *would* be a good idea to glare back at the man, which she did.

"Not while he's yelling at me." she said, almost pouting.

 

The second person, in some way superior obviously, to the first just laughed, "All right then, please show me what you can do."

She smiled, tightly, "Well, since you asked so nicely.."

It took her a few moments, and an incantation, during the time he grew more and more skeptical. Until a lance of lightening shot out of the clear sky and struck a nearby spear.

"It's easier to call it when the sky is already in a storm." He could tell that was just a sample, she wasn't tired at all from the sending, or at least hid it well.

He turned to the young man--Nity, "And you? Why'd we want you around here?"

 

CRYSTALAX

 

Kaliana looked an apology at Ganthet, for X'al to just walk off like that... While in his own memories she had..probably been killed, she guessed. She shook her head, was this what CF did to people? Pasts did not seem to have a place, other than in lessons and X'al had just proven it.

 

She took a step forward, still surprised at seeing some of the others, apparently they had come and found her, she wondered if the rest would be soon to follow. And now Ganthet was talking to light. She didn't bother asking what was going on as the light answered back, an old friend? One of, or involved with, the CFs, she guessed. She faintly raised a brow at Tala, she looked a bit tired, or maybe that guy she was leaning on was just comfortable, she couldn't tell. She caught the end of Tala's conversation, "You were in your pasts as well?" it wasn't exactly a question as they had just confirmed it, "And have a way to get to others. Any idea how many other pasts our...comrades are in?"

 

EARTH

 

"What are these for again?" Pyro asked as Kevin dragged a large log in-between them.

"They’re just Laser Scythes, it’s what we’re using them for." Kevin said as he picked up his Scythe. He held it back, and swung forward, catching the piece of wood and launching it through the air a hundred feet.

"How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?" Pyro asked with a grin as he launched a peice.

"Do I look like a woodchuck?"

"Do you really want me to answer that one?"

 

CRYSTALAX

 

Tala grinned at Kaliana.

"Yea, we've been hopping from place to place, and time to time. Doc here found you guys, I just provided the transport. This person here, is Blade. Laina's.. "

"Mage." He smiled at Kaliana. "A pleasure to meet you."

"Oh, G.. Blade may know a way to make Solara solid, but be able to keep her light powers."

She then pushed herself to stand, and Laina went over to her, laying hand on a shoulder. Tala then nodded her thanks, and then looked at the others again.

"Did... you guys hear a voice? Like someone saying they made a great big ol' cosmic mistake?"

Zealen nodded, “Perhaps, we are pawns in a cosmic game.  Someone giving us a “second chance”—we all did end up in turning points of our past.”

 

 "But that leaves open the question as to why Kaliana was thrown into your past," Tachyon replied. "Or why I was thrown into a no-when. Nor does it explain how I was able to rescue Solara."

"I'm real," the young woman asserted. "I know I am."

 

"I never said you weren't, ma'am," Tachyon said. "Only questioning what happened, since you obviously are."

 

Ganthet fought the urge the smash his head into a wall, not that there were any nearby. He hadn't felt this confused since his early days with the Crystal Fighters, when he'd barely understood technology. He knew enough to get by these days, fly a shuttle, run the castle's security system, but this....this was giving him a headache.

 

Grey Wolfe tore into his portion of the now cooked rabbit.

"But, if there is a someONE behind this, not a someTHING, how do we fight a person who can do this to us?"

 

Tala shrugged, "Do we *have* to fight it? Someone's got to sound like Zelda here, what about reasoning?"

Tachyon caught on to her thoughts and, as a scientist, continued to explore the possibilities, "And *why* do this to us?" That part just didn't make sense. The Vile lived for and by chaos; their other enemies just wanted them destroyed. But this...why would anyone want them reliving their pasts?

Kaliana was also joining in the team effort of thinking. Why was it that she and some of the others had been thrown into pasts of different CFs? Were they...meant to figure this out?

She sighed, "For some reason I feel like we're in a giant maze, you know, the kind to test the intelligence of creatures or something. I think on earth they used mice. Put them in a maze with cheese in the middle."

 

"It's a basic means of scientific experimentation," Tachyon said. "Using what the scientist perceives as lesser creatures to test theories. It could simply be that a race of beings on a level as much above us as we are to animals, is doing this. Perhaps....we are in the true past, but one kept in a short of temporal hold, so that nothing we do affects it."

Grey licked the blood off his lips, "If someone's doing this do us...as an ...experiment.... I'll be sinking my teeth into them."

 

Ganthet resisted the urge to smile. Grey reminded him of himself, at a younger age. Honorable and loyal, but fiercely emotional. His warrior training at put him past that....most of the time.

 

"Not a good idea Grey," he said. "You've told me before about what happened in your past.... But let it go. We all have horrible things in our lives, in comes with sacrificing our choice to live as we please to protect the universe. Your friend, Lillia, would not want you to dwell on her so."

 

"Perhaps you're right Ganthet. I'm just glad that in some universe now, my brother gets some form of justice."

 

Solara looked at the skyline.

"It's amazing to think... Right around now, light-beings have traveled through time and dimension to kidnap a teen from Crystalia, to change her into something like them....then change her very mind, to make her betray those whom she came to call friends. ...I am very glad to be free. My impromptu trip through time with all of you has freed me from what they did."

 

Kaliana looked at Solara a little sadly, hoping, for her sake, that these changes would last.

"An experiment.." She was a little uncomfortable with the thought of beings so much more powerful than them, who could right now we staring at them, analyzing their every move. She stood abruptly, just for something to do, and began to pace. "Tala...when you've recovered enough, you think you could try to search for these hypothetical beings?"

 

"Perhaps a new one is in order?" The familiar voice was saying someplace far from hearing, but only inches away.

His assistant shrugged, "Or maybe we should bring them out of it, we've learned--"

"Not much, besides that they're smarter than we thought."

"Well, we could have stopped their traveling through "time" as they think of it."

"Yes, but then they would have caught on all the sooner. Still, we ought to leave that one enclosed, with the elven girl. Perhaps it will help her. Her psyche has been very unstable previously."

"Fragile minds, they cannot assimilate things as fast as time flows for them. I wonder how many they have lost to that. Do you think they call it a disease?"

"Doubtful, do not underestimate their intelligence."

"Yes sir." "Now....about your new idea....hmm vitals are synching with our time…check the…yes there…"

 

BE’JIN

 

Shifts later, the moon was in place above the alter, lighting it. She was about to

turn to cover the torches, this was Isalla’s time alone, when they all went out without a

brush of wind or her own moving touch. She shivered in the darkness, looking towards

the bluish light that spread across the alter, taking comfort in the familiarity.

“Spirit of the

moon,” she said breathlessly, entreating the goddess to listen, “mother of the seas,” she

used the two titles most powerful and then spoke the goddesses own name, “Isalla.” It

was simple, nothing more was needed, just the name. Then she began the purpose of this

specific invocation.

 “By the respect you grant our life we pray,”

She used the ‘we’ involuntarily, despite that all this time she had been alone. Still, it

was also a way to get on the good side of the also lonely goddess, for in her tone she

called on Be’jin, the goddess’ lost lover, to support her. Be’jin lay shrouded in Durv’s

“leave-taking” darkness and therefore lost to the seeking goddess who showed herself

faintly in the day, yet still, neither could see or be with the other. Not until the moon

merged with the earth, so said an ancient prophecy, but of course, that would be

destruction for both and all the people living on the planet. It was just a fable written by a

lovesick cleric, she guessed.

 

“By the respect you grant our life we pray you speak,” she repeated with emphasis,

determined to receive an answer as she send her soul out with her words into the moonlight

along the alter, “reveal the darkened mystery that shrouds destiny! I pray you!!” her last

words were both soft and urgent, she had to know. She wanted so badly to be able to

serve Isalla, but when the time had come, she thought in disappointment in herself, she

could not recognize the signs.

“The city..” a breathy voice explained with compassion for

her longing, “Join my kind.”

 

CRYSTALAX

 

"Not a problem. I'd like to find out who's thinking they're gods or something."

Laina looked at Tala, reproachfully.

"You shouldn't say such things. Gods.. and Goddess, are very real!"

Tala just shook her head. Where she came from, there were no gods. Oh, myths.. yes, of course. But, real gods? No such thing.

"Sorry. But, yes.. we can search for them. Doc."

She turned towards Tachyon.

"Could your sensors pick up.. hmm, I guess really enhanced powers, or brain waves, or something. That way, we could try to find some clues..?"

Blade, meanwhile, was studying Solara carefully. And G, as well. The two had shared a bond, of some sort.

"Provided Laina can increase their power, yes... I think. Yes," the diminutive scientist answered.

 

 

ELSEWHERE

 

Donovan watched a glowing sphere. Iam hadn't died, as he had thought. Something.. or one .. had saved him. He growled, in anger, and partly from frustration. He had never been wounded, not once. That.. being, had to be taken care of. He would need to a find an evil power that matched his own. Together, they could do destroy him.. he supposed owing someone a favor.. for once.. wouldn't be too bad.

He cupped his hands together, shadows flowing together to form a tiny, dark sprite.

"Masssterrr?"

"I wish you to seek for me."

"Seeeek." The sprite nodded.

"Find a being with darkness to match my own, power as great."

The sprite nodded again.

"Go. Do not return till the being is found."

It took off, and Donovan slumped back in his chair. Now, all he had to do was wait.

 

Donovan did not have to wait long, as someone else had sent out their own little gremlin to find a being of equal power.

There was a flash of light as a gateway opened behind him, and a woman stepped out. She was tall and demon-like in appearance. Her skin was an almost black shade of purple. She had horns, and cloven hooves for feet. She had large, bat-like wings. Her raven-black hair fell all the way down to her ankles. In a way, she was terrifyingly beautiful. She wore only a black metal bikini and gold bracelets around her wrists and ankles. The dark sprite floated just behind her, looking rather nevrous. At her feet, her own little furry gremlin walked beside her.

"I am Solara, Queen of Evil," she announced simply. "My gremlin found your sprite, which let me to you. What do you want?"

"I seek help in destroying an angelic being. I had decided to play with some friends of his.. the Crystal Fighters or somesuch.. and he is now on a quest to kill me."

He didn't watch Solara's reaction as he spoke the word "Crystal Fighters", for the sprite had returned to him.

"In return, should you help me.. I'll owe you a favor."

He then waited, for her answer.

 

CRYSTALAX

 

"Go for it then." Kaliana urged, she was getting sick of these confusing places and she had work to do. This was just not an optimum place for it.

Laina grinned.

"Just tell me when you're ready, Doc."

 

 TENLION

 

Zelda followed Nity and Nity followed one of the guards down the lengthy halls and stairways. They past many open doorways to large rooms with tons of activity in some with a surprising number of teenagers it seemed playing games and stuff while others had rooms with people laughing and others sprawled over sleeping where they fell.

 ~These people~ Nity thought ~are all drunk or on something.~

Finally they arrived at large gold doors.  There was writing on the doors but it was unreadable because this place called the Center didn't seem to have a sufficient availability of lighting.

The guard pulled the door open and motioned for the two to enter, this room was even darker then the rest of the building and Nity took a moment before entering but he told himself it was to late and he was to close to turn back now.

The guard pulled out two chairs not saying anything and set them out for Nity and Zelda then he left the room still saying nothing.

They sat in the dark for several uneasily quiet moments before Zelda called Nity through her mind.

~There is someone else here, I can sense them.~ Zelda said and she saw Nity jump a little bit.

"Geeze!" Nity said looking at Zelda sternly ~That still freaks the hell out of my Katana so if you could keep this mind talking to a minimum...~

~Sorry,~ Zelda thought back ~but it's necessary, there is someone here watching us, assessing us.~

~Who?~ Nity wondered.

~I don't know I can't get thro...~ she was cut off as two lamps over head at the far wall suddenly flamed seemingly by themselves a man could now be seen sitting across from them.

"Hello, my name is Ganoy what is yours?"

 

 

MANHATTAN

 

Lark saw a red flashing light from inside the building.

 "UAs signal." she whispered to herself taking a deep breath looking over the side of the building at the long drop, she carefully balanced herself on the edge.

 "These things are so much easier in the heat of battle when the adrenaline is pumping." she placed her sword sideways on top of the cable and held on to each end, being careful not to cut herself.

 "Here goes--" she said and pushed off sliding down the cable. ~CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!~ she screamed in her mind, at the last instant she pulled away her sword and flew through the window landing lightly next to UA.

 "Piece of cake" she said ~Thank the goddess~

 

ELSEWHERE

 

Solara smiled evilly.

"It's actually quite interesting then... I have also been dealing with a group called the Crystal Fighters, especially their mage ally Laguna. I've been trying to destroy them for some time now. But they have no angel ally. I knew I felt like I was crossing the dimensional barrier when I came here."

She wrapped her wings around her body. "I have an idea. What if we were to take Laguna and Iam captive, and when the Crystal Fighters come to rescue them, pit the two teams against each other. And if that fails to work, surely the two of us could destroy them."

 

Donovan nodded.

"Interesting. Two teams...." He paused for a moment, then resumed.

"If you wish, I could capture Laguna for you. He might be expecting.. or know your power, so mine would be a surprise to him. In return, you can go after Iam, and then we can pit the teams against one another."

 

CRYSTALAX

 

Tachyon searched out with his sensors, now enhanced greatly. "I...I think I've got something. I'm definitely picking up a power source of some kind.... it's stronger than any I've detected before.... Stronger than Iam, even more powerful than the Destiny."

 

TENLION

 

Zelda and Nity cautiously said their names, but little else at first.

"I welcome you to the Center." he said pleasantly, seeming to mean more than first thoughts would admit.

~Was he the one watching..?~ Zelda thought to herself, there was something different about this guy. ~Be very, *very* careful.~ she warned Nity, at this age he seemed to be *very* impulsive, not something that would really benefit them in this situation.

~Okay, okay, would you *stop* that??~

 

She was uncomfortable enough without a ready way *out*. She shifted in her seat, it was almost like being in a cave, even though the lights were now on. She guessed that she might be able to teleport out of her, but she knew she couldn't go far, in fact, with her luck she might not be able to go out of this building--she could even 'port them into the middle of a wall.

 

Zelda looked to Nity, she had been about to ask the man for information when she realized that they were supposed to be *joining* not investigating, at least not obviously.

 

BE'JIN

 

Dianthe woke up with a headache, wondering what had happened. Then she

remembered the night before, the powerful words had hurt her skull in their strength, she

had tried to hold on long enough for the goddess to explain, but she remembered falling

unconscious beneath the weight of the words. ‘My kind’ could only mean outsiders,

offworlders, for obviously the creatures of the ocean, bequeathed to Be’jin, would not be in

the city. Besides, she would not be able to join them as they *did* live in the ocean while

she must survive on land. Well, she had nothing to do but head to the city and there was

only one city She could have meant...the booming metropolis of Be’jin on a fairly

accessible, and large, island in northern waters.

 

CRYSTALAX

 

Tala frowned for a moment. Stronger the Iam? What if it wasn't good? They could be going right into a trap.

"Okay, when you have a steady lock.. let me know. I'll teleport us. But just in case, I'll keep everyone in a semi-phased state. If we attacked, we won't be hurt as much, and make a quicker getaway."

 

Kaliana raised an eyebrow, "Not *as* much? How dangerous exactly *is* this?" Maybe they should send someone in ahead, did they even have a precise lock on a location, or just on some sort of powerful beings?

 

TENLION 

 

Zelda felt something odd, an odd feeling passed over her and was gone, something familiar but she wasn't certain what it was.

"Yes sir." The one which they previously had thought was the leader, came through the door talking as if he had been called in, although Gandy hadn't said anything.

"So tell me exactly why you felt it necessary these two to see me?" Gandy asked in a faked pleasant voice.

"Well," the guard stammered knowing if his boss didn't like his answer he wouldn't have the chance to redeem himself .

"They said they wanted to join and they possessed some powers I thought would interest you"

"Is that so what are these powers?"

"Well the girl she can make lightning, wind, and freeze it's pretty incr..."

"And the boy" Gandy interrupted apparently not amused by what Zelda could do.

"They said she can only use her powers when he is near for some reason."

Gandy nodded and waved the guard away "Is this all true?"

“Yeah.”  Nity replied.

"Don't lie to me idiot!" Gandy was finally showing his true side "You see I got a few tricks up my sleeve to, I'm a telepath just like your girlfriend here except it seems to me she isn't quite the person everyone thinks she is."

~That’s what I felt~ Zelda realized ~Why I couldn't probe his mind, he can block it with his own powers that seem far superior to mine.~

"So you wanted to join so you could get some evidence on us, shut us down and be the hero of the day, right!!!"

Nity jumped with his own look of fierceness, "Look what you’re doing is wrong, selling drugs that will get people addicted and kill them, but then you recruit kids to give it out at school and get more kids addicted, you’re really sick and you’re going down!!!!"

Gandy grinned and back handed Nity across the face and he sprawled to the ground.

 "You’re useless to me, but you," he said looking over at Zelda. "Can provide me with some much needed entertainment." he licked his lower lip.

Zelda thought she was going to be sick.

 

CRYSTALAX

 

Tachyon kept scanning for a few minutes longer. "I have confirmed coordinates.  This is the strongest lock I'll be able to get."

 

Ganthet extended four serrated crystal spikes from the knuckles on his right hand, and then reabsorbed them into his body. He didn't know what to expect, but it half felt like they were going to have to fight.

 

Grey scratched a spot behind his head with one of his back feet absently, before getting up and ready. "Let's get this over with then. I would have a word with whoever put us through this."

 

"Just remember everybody, we might not have to fight. We'll seek violence only if we must," Solara told them.

 

"Of course. But don't let your guard down, because we might have to fight... These beings may not be simple experimenters," Zealen replied.

 

ELSEWHERE

 

"That is quite agreeable," Solara said. "An angel, eh? My proxy, that foolish woman Kyi, could fight the Crystal Fighters to a stand-still. Surely I can deal with him." As she was sure Donovan was plotting against her, she was already plotting against him.

 

Donovan nodded, watching her idly. She had something else in mind, he was sure of it. But he would deal with it when the time came. Right now, the angel and the mage. Next, her and the teams. If both were destroyed.. evil could reign again. He liked that idea.

"Would you care for a drink, or do you wish to begin right now?"

 

CRYSTALAX

 

"Doc, Laina, and I will remain in the middle. The rest of you taking flanking positions, Blade.. you and G on the ends. You two are the best for this sort of thing right.. should we be attacked. Okay?"

"I'll still keep you guys from getting hurt as much as I possibly can. Now, is everyone ready to go?"

They all nodded. "Alright..."

The shadows engulfed everyone once again, and they're off.... 

 

TENLION

 

Instantly Zelda thrust her arms forward and two ice shards shot forward each catching a shoulder of Gandy nailing him to the wall.

"Come on Nity, you’re not dieing again." She pulled him up towards the door.

"Again?" he asked concerned.

~oops~ she thought realizing she had slipped up.

"Katana what is going on here what is wrong with you?!?!?!"

"Not now," Zelda felt a psychic charge, it was Gandy ripping away the ice shards telekinetically, then healing himself through his mind.

Zelda slammed the door and froze a layer of ice over it.

"Kat!" Nity warned, they were staring straight at several arrows ready to be launched.

Zelda reacted, instinctively blasting the guards away with high powered water streams. The ice holding the door closed cracked from Gandy's force. Zelda created a wave, pushing them quickly down the long hallway hoping to make some distance, the guards were getting back up to chase but Zelda released searing steam to fill the hallway burning the screaming guards who didn't know what to do but instead fell, clutching themselves as if it would relieve the pain.

Gandy burst through the door running through the mist of steam as if unaffected, Zelda figured it was some kind of mind of matter ability allowing him to not feel pain.

Zelda pushed Nity forward up the stairs, Gandy released a TK blast it hit her square in the back of the head and she slammed into the stairs. Zelda screamed out and Nity stopped just past the door at the top of the stairs and turned back for her.

 "NO!!!!!" Zelda slammed the door closed locking it.

"Come on Gandy you (*&(*^% bastard!!!!!!!!" Gandy came to the foot of stairs.

"You brave little *&^$#" Gandy grinned, he knew he would win.

"No one else dies!" she stood her ground.

~Nity~ she commanded him through her mind ~leave now, get the truth out, do your part to stop this madman.~

~But~ Nity pleaded back.

~No, I'm letting you into my mind so you'll know that its the only thing you can do, you must.~

Nity felt her need for him to do it so he left running from the center over the ridge towards the tribe land.

Zelda felt the searing pain unleashed on her mind and screamed.  Gandy just left as she fell unconscious.

 

ELSEWHERE

 

"Nothing to drink, than you though dearie," Solara said. "My world's Crystal Fighters are dealing with their opposite numbers right now, and I have no doubts they will prevail."

She nodded to herself, "If we can bring these two teams to battle each other, there will be heavy damage to both sides. The question is though, how do we make them fight?"

 

"Decoy. We must make them think that the other is another fraction of 'doubles', and that they have stolen Laguna or the angel. I assume the ones fighting against your fighters might have him. Either by force, or he went to save others. However, if he is a mage, there is no way they'll be able to gauge his power. Like you and I.. people know that we are powerful, but how much power do we actually have? They don't know, and won't ever find out, unless we tell them. Or, I as prefer.. to show them."

His wine goblet appeared again, and he sipped from it thoughtfully.

"Or, we could send dreams to them, foretelling them of danger from other Crystal bearers. Those that appear good, yet have some devious thoughts in mind. I'm certain there are those on each team, truthfully. They appear good, and have a purpose for having their Crystal.. yet they are using it for personal gain, or have betrayed the others in the past."

He sipped from his goblet again, waiting for her input to his ideas.

 

TENLION

 

Zelda could feel herself being lifted into the air, she was tied up with ropes and they pulled at her limbs hard but she didn't pay any attention to what was happening to herself she was watching psychically as Nity ran through the forest it seemed it was the only thing she could do, her powers seemed subdued somehow and she couldn't even contact Nity. She found it odd as he rushed onward, no one was pursing, still Nity moved on as fast as possible for help.

"Nity…" she watched as he suddenly fell, the word thundered in his head causing him to fall and clutch it, he had closed his eyes but when he re-opened them she was aware that Nity was somehow seeing her also.

"Nity," Gandy repeated "It's time you end this game, stop trying to be a hero, you lost."

"NO!" Nity said sternly.

"Yes, the second you go to town with information about my Center and it's activities is the day you become a cold blooded murderer." Gandy stopped and watched Nity trying to figure it out "Within hours news will find ears that Nity raped and killed the poor darling girl, you will be discredited, and sentenced to your own death."

"No… you wouldn't… you sick son of a, NO!!!!!!!"

Zelda, for a split second, felt a searing pain and then she was watching the events from across the room like a bystander, she could now see the true face of Katana slumped forward in the ropes that had pulled her into the air, the gurgle as warm blood spilled behind the blade that Gandy was now pulling back from her dead and defiled body.

"I suggest you run Nity, word will be out soon of your killings, you better have a good hiding place." Gandy turned away from the dead body and went to an assistant.

 "Make sure you leave her out in a field and make sure it looks like the boy did it, and make sure you get the word out too." Gandy walked away like the passing events had just been another day in his life, and freighting enough, it probably was.

Zelda just stood stunned watching as Katana's body was dragged away.

 ~These are the memories Nity always had blocked deep in his mind.~ Zelda realized. No one seemed to notice her, as if she was some kind of ghost, as she rushed out to find Nity.

 

EARTH

 

UA read over some papers in the lab, while Lark kept an eye on the door. UA slide his chair over to some equipment in the corner, and looked it over. He turned it on, and pressed a button. A small tray slid out. UA pulled out a disk and placed it on the tray before it slid back in.

"What's that?" Lark asked.

"According to the good doctor's theories, it's possible to traverse realities by focusing in on one particular engram wavelength." UA said. He looks up to see Lark can't understand what he just said. "Engrams are the energy wavelengths a person's brain runs on...every thought, every emotion...what makes a person who they are. If we can lock in on a particular wavelength, we'll be able to get to somewhere we can get some help."

"So, who's engrams are you using?"

"No one any better than an old friend." UA hit a switch, then clicked on a device that looks like a gate. The lights came on, and UA grabbed Lark's arm.

"Nity."

They walked into the gate, then disappeared. The door to the lab opened, and the Dr. walked in. He looked around.

"Strange, I don't remember leaving this equipment on...."

 

TENLION

 

Zelda fumbled through the foliage towards Nity's presence, she gasped suddenly almost tripping over him, he didn't seem to notice her or be able to see her. Nity looked up toward the sky with tears sliding across his face murmuring something.

 "I'm so sorry Katana, I didn't know what to do, I was so scared and I couldn't move. Why did I leave you back there??" he accused himself, "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry."

Nity curled up and fell asleep out in the middle of the forest where Zelda knew he would stay for several more years before his destiny as a Crystal Fighter would catch up with him.

Zelda walked away letting him be, she finally realized why he sacrificed himself as Crystalia was destroyed--he felt he had already lost someone to his own inaction and at those last moments of Crystalia he realized he wouldn't let it happen again to those who had become his family, the ones he had come to love. The Crystal Fighters.

 

Zelda closed her eyes and shed a tear in memory of Nity and when she opened them again she was floating in nothingness wondering if she would ever return to her rightful place in the universe.

 

ELSEWHERE 

 

Solara smiled evilly and nodded, sitting down without actually sitting on anything, using only a tiny fraction of her power to hover.

"Yes...," she said, "that would work. While I do not know the specifics of your Crystal Fighters, there are some among mine that are less than good and decent and honest. And coming directly off a battle with evil Crystal Fighters, mine would not trust any others easily. Without Laguna to tell them of your's intentions and goodness, a battle would insure. Yes...dreams. Most beings are weakest in their minds."

Donovan smiled, tipping his glass to her.

"Wonderful. Then I will go and grab for Laguna for you, when you tell me the time is right."

"The time will be right very soon," Solara said. "But I am afraid I must take my leave of you. The universe is a large place, and your angel enemy roams the space ways. But I will find him soon enough." She folded her wings around herself and then just seemed to fade from sight.

 

SOMEWHERE

 

Tala, Laina, Blade, Kaliana, Ganthet, Grey Wolfe, Doctor Tachyon, Solara, and Zealen appeared in a blue-white void, while chuncks of rock-like matter floated freely about them. They floated, as there appeared to be no gravity. Already there and sitting on one of the rocks were UA and Lark.

 

"Am I seein' things?" UA asked. "Solara?"

 

"Long story short: time travel," Tachyon told him. With help from Solara's solid light platform and Tachyon's human-sized strength and boot jets, they made their way to the rock. Stories were quickly told as to how everyone got to where they were now.

 

"So what now, Doc?" UA asked. "Long as Entropy's not here, you're in charge."

 

"Excuse me? As I recall from the file, you used to lead. Why don't you?"

 

"I don't entirely trust my own judgment anymore... And while the CFs have made peace with me... I just don't trust myself. You've taken charge before, do it again."

 

"Ok...," Tachyon replied, "My sensor's are drawing a blank. We need to see how far this place goes on to, see what it is. Solara, fly as far as you can west for ten minutes. Ganthet, extend out your body for ten minutes east. Laina, enhance Grey's senses to the max and check north, Tala and Zealen, probe south will your psi-powers."

 

BE’JIN

 

"Well, it appears they have concluded it for themselves." Doctor Sha declared, while his assistant stared at a glowing monitor.

Without looking up, Jinpo responded, "Yes, they *are* more intelligent than we originally had thought, perhaps they did not even need this journey into themselves."

"Nonsense, you saw the graphs."

"Yes, yes, the emanations from the disturbed elven girl. I'm not sure that this has helped her much though, but at least it has unlocked those memories."

 "We did our best," The Doctor sighed, almost in defeat, "I suggest you log them out now, I believe we have some explaining to do."

The assistant shrugged, he believed in this research and the cultural exchange but he didn't see why they couldn't just send them back to their ship as if they had dreamed it all. It was a lot safer for the doctors. They had once investigated a sorely wounded Angammon who had not been pleased when he was logged out of the on-line memory program. In fact, they had only just finished rebuilding the lab.

 

Despite his personal objections, he obeyed the doctor. He surveyed the scene one last time before it changed dramatically. The CFs were laid out one by one in tubs of sensitive gel. The gel translated the impulses their brains received into physical pressure so that everything felt just as real as the real world. It also contained enough oxygen and whatever else was needed for the particular life support of each being. Along the sides of the tub ran electrical wires which connected the gel to their System.

 

Jinpo then went from one vat to the other and pressed the sequence of unmarked buttons which drained out the gel into a purification area. Moments later he circled again, this time logging each of them out of the program in a couple more minutes they would fully begin to awaken into reality.

 

Zelda sat up, feeling slightly gooey but not in an unpleasant way. Wait. She was supposed to be dead. Or Katana was..

She gasped involuntarily and choked out a sob, "Nity!"

He thought she was dead, knew it, had sensed and seen it. She looked around, not comprehending what was going on, ~I have to go back.~ she thought, not quite sure how she was supposed to accomplish that goal.

 

 

OUTSIDE THE LABORATORY

 

Dianthe, in a type of hypnotic ecstasy at being so close to her Goddess, followed to numinous touch of the invisible Zaria. She heard a strange abrupt sound and suddenly the presence was gone. She wasn't surprised, Isalla had more important things to attend to and she was where she should be. Isalla had contrived a way to bring her through the security of these laboratories and even took the time to point out exactly in which one she would find what she sought.

 

THE LABORATORY

 

Ice splintered like spider-webbed glass across Zelda's palm and she realized she was clutching her Crystal. The edges of it had hardened to slits that bit into the soft skin of her hand and dripped blood as if from fangs. With unseeing eyes and a lack of cognizance she dropped the Crystal as if it really *had* bitten her. Instead of shattering as it clattered to the ground outside of the tub, it simply stopped abruptly, almost floating.

 

Dianthe entered the room but all that her eyes were aware of was the culmination of the prophecy, the words of Isalla had led her here. She knelt in reverence to the floor and took up the gift of Immortals. As soon as the Crystal touched her hand it began to glow. Wonder lit her eyes and she began to smile softly as the warmth of it flowed through her like the energies of healing.

 

Brokenly, Zelda leaned against the back of the vat. But, before she could truly begin to gasp the situation she disappeared.

 

BEYOND TIME AND SPACE

 

Moments later, Zelda was frozen in a type of time stasis behind Zaria while the ArchMage glared poison tipped daggers at the Goddess of Light.

 "YOU!" she burst out, "How is she supposed to heal when you do this? You not only let it happen, you MADE it happen!"

"No, you did." The Goddess responded calmly.

"At *your* biding, is this supposed to be an attempt to have me forgive you, to have me heal? Well *you* failed *miserably*!" She whirled out of existence in that particular physical space to clean up the mess that had been made.

 

THE LAB

 

Solara snapped back into awareness. It all came back to her.... Tachyon hadn't saved her so long ago, these people had. Plucked her light form and via it, her Crystal, through space. Leaving the others to find her physical body. They'd been studying her, her memories, helping to undo what the light beings of Ganthet's world had done. And now, they'd found the rest of the Crystal Fighters. And a the strange woman was there... And the tube she'd been sealed in was opening.

Ganthet's mind came back into focus. It had taken a lot to slow his unique metabolism down enough to do what had been done to him. His fist formed into a spiked sphere and he shattered the tube with a single blow. He saw Solara... So it hadn't all been false!

 

Strange, sterile, chemical scents filled Grey's nostrils. One second, they'd been trying to search the void....the next he'd woken up here. A light application of his power freed him. He couldn't believe...that it had all been a dream!

 

Tachyon's sensors flooded to life, as did his mind. He wasn't in a tube, they'd just replaced his helmet with something else, pumping him full of chemicals. The level of technology and skill it would take to capture all the CFs like this!

Tachyon started looking around. There was a clear vat, filled with an ugly brown/gray liquid. ENTROPY! Of course! He was some kind of liquid being. Slowing down his metabolism to do this kind of thing wouldn't work! He'd loose cohesion!

 

Laina and Blade awoke, together. Laina was the first to sit up though, and look around.

"What.. why..."

She turned, to see Blade next to her. Her eyes widened, and she fell silent. This was too, too much.

Tala came to a bit more slowly. However, while the others were looking around, trying to figure out where they were, she remained still. It had been a shock, to see her parents again.. and then.. all the traveling. And there, here? In a pod?

 

Kevin snapped awake, "oh.... I feel like I've been sleeping on a slab of rock." He then noticed his surroundings, "Close enough."

He blew the lid of the tube off, "Wake up Pyro."

He tapped the tube with Pyro in it. Pyro quickly sat up, smashing the tube with his forehead and fell back into the tube.

"Geez, I gotta get you back together."

Pyro's eyes flew open for a second time, "WHAT THE #^&*?! WHERE THE !#$% AM I?!"

"Chill Pyro, we’re all trying to figure it out,"

"Last thing I remember is.... blowing up I think."

"That happened months ago man, I can't imagine you got knocked in the head that hard."

"What are you talking about months?"

Kevin looked at Pyro, and focused on his Crystal, in jarred Pyro's memory of what had happened in the past few months

"Well.... That’s annoying." Pyro groaned, "So now what?"

 

"Excuse me High Priestess..." He easily identified her status and specified deity by her light flowing robes in multiple shades of blue, "but might I ask what under Durv you are doing in this lab?" Jinpo asked, a little offended at her presence in the midst of their work. Dianthe blinked away the mesmorization of the Crystal to cast her eyes toward him, "I leave you apologies for any intrusion but my calling has led me here, to these people."

 

Before she could proceed into further detail her attention was drawn away by the unexpected levitation of her newfound Crystal. As she observed, awe and argent securing a glow in her eyes, the Crystal seemed to grow fuzzy along the edges which had sliced its previous owner. The unfocused extremities faded into a, still refracting, liquefied form of the Crystal. The substance moved of it's own accord to caress the cylindrical timber of her Kiav. The consecrated staff looked like what UA might have called a bo and near each end, where her hands might be placed, was a deep blue wrapping, worn from use. If one looked at that foot long section of the Kiav embraced by mellifluous Crystal with dreams in the heart, it appeared almost to shimmer with preternatural power.

 

Dianthe closed her one-handed grip generously along the wood and stepped closer to the waking CFs, "Great Ones be praised, it is truth." She smiled at the nearest of her strange new companions, "Let blessings touch your heart." she greeted with all the formality of a High Priestess.

 

Grey did a full body shake, freeing the gunk from his fir.

"I want," he growled, "to know what's going on. And I want to know now." He stared down Jinpo and bared his fangs. "Talk while you still can. I want to know by what right you invade my memories, make me relive my life, toying with me emotions!" The Tyger, it seemed, was quite mad.

 

"Grey!" Solara cried. "They helped me! Undid what was done to my mind!" Her eyes flared suddenly and her hands glowed more brightly as she gathered energy for a blast. "But I want to know why I was treated like a lab rat!"

 

Doctor Tachyon put his helmet on and activated his jet boots. He flew up so he was eye level with Dianthe.

"Pardon me, ma'am," he said, "But do you know what's going on? And um... Where's Zelda? Why do you have her Crystal?" He wasn't quite as mad as the others. He hadn't been treated quite the same. But to see them have been put through all of this.... And now, for Zelda to be gone...

 

Ganthet felt like smashing something. He didn't like being used. And seeing his world, and X'al.... Too much. Too much. He'd never felt angrier.

 

Tala, Laina and Blade all arose.

"Everyone. Calm down."

Tala looked around.

"We were brought here for a reason. And yes, they may have treated us like lab rats.. but it could have been worse. We could have been stuck in our pasts, or throw around in some sort of weird time thing. So, be thankful you're here, alive.. and not ..gods know where. Okay?"

She turned to the two men.

"Please, explain why you brought us here."

"Yea, and how you managed to save Blade." Laina adds.

 

Jinpo straightened his immaculate colorless jacket. They were not dressed in the typical lab coats of scientists running an experiment, but in marginally casual clothing. He took an uncomfortable step backwards to distance himself from the seething Tyger. However, he would not deign to give them an explanation, instead he gave his superior a look that said 'we should have just put them back on their ship none the wiser.'

 

Sha shook his head, the impulsive young man would later be trouble. He just did not understand dealings with sentient creatures.

"I am sorry for the interference, but our readings did show that you all felt urgently toward your unknown destination. You would not have consented otherwise, yet the mental health of some of you depended on this," he winced slightly, though still dedicated to the missionary aspect of his chosen job, "..ah..intrusion." He attempted to look pointedly at Zelda's containment but found that the red-headed elf was gone. He stared at Dianthe, nearly sputtering with disbelief, "You..? T-the..no!" Dianthe was tied into the knotted midst of an explanation of her presence, however, and could not grace him with a lengthy pious theory as to why one of the CFs had disappeared.

 

Dianthe blinked, trying to keep her eyes from crossing as she perceived the small doctor which she had earlier thought to be a large bug. A very large bug.

 "Zelda?" she queried with a valiant endeavor to remain unsurprised at the bizarre nature of her new associates. "Ah, that girl... She has been enfolded by the golden-dark wings of Durv I assume."

Tachyon raised an eyebrow what he assumed was a theological speech, "Could you clarify, ma'am?"

Dianthe shrugged, at a loss to elucidate further, "She is just....gone to not return. Unless of course the Goddess bestowed mercy upon her...She was here earlier after all." The woman nodded with growing certainty, that explanation made the most sense to her.

"Ah..will she return if it was the doing of..an Immortal?"

Nonplussed, she took a moment to come up with an answer, "Quite probably, though she will be altered as even a touch of the holy essence will surely do. She will not return as her most recent self..and maybe not even to this group.."

 

"And the Crystal?" Tachyon prompted warily. She smiled in an instant reply of the ether which had infused her Kiav,

"A gift from Isalla.." she hadn't quite realized that it had belonged once to another, when she touched it, it recognized only her as its true partner. "I am not sure as to the Great Work in which you people are involved, but now my place lies away from the temple. I must join you." It was not exactly a request, she didn't expect to be refused; her Crystal wiped out any suggestion of denial. She had become a part of them.

 

Meanwhile, Sha handed Tala a flat screen that contained all the information they had gathered, down to video clips accessible only to those that were specifically in the sequence. It also contained notes of minor difficulties as well as side comments.

"Your ship is about a light-year from here, you may traverse to it when you're all ready." Then he offered aid, "If you wish we can transfer you there with.." he stopped at the name for it as he knew they wouldn't recognize it, however from his notes he remember that one or two were from earth or knew about it, "something along the lines of transporters from Earth's old "Star Trek" entertainment."

 

Blade's own presence reminded Sha, "And him.." he frowned slightly, almost in concentration or debate, "The answers are in that." he indicated the pad he had given them, which looked for all the world like a thin computer screen. It was pressure sensitive and so activated, and accessed, by touch.

 

Tachyon was glad his helmet hid his expressions as he tried not to roll his eyes. Just what they needed; a religious fanatic. Tachyon didn't subscribe to any religion, preferring to simply think there was a scientific explanation for everything. The Crystals themselves, for example, were really some sort of very sophisticated device. Or so he believed. Yet...he couldn't help but also believe in some sort of here-after... And he'd seen things like Iam and other supposed mages.... All things to consider later.

He turned to face the two scientists.

"I'd like to thank you for trying to help Zelda... And for returning Solara and Blade to us. But if you EVER try anything like this again without our permission... I will let Grey and Ganthet deal with you. And would you mind fixing Entropy. He's still dissolved."

 

Laina glanced around, then at where Entropy was slowly reforming. She wrinkled her nose slightly, then spoke up.

"You know.. maybe we should try to figure out what happened here, and what happened with Zelda when we get back. Not that I don't trust anyone here..." She side-glanced at the lab guys, "But we'd have a better way of tracing her when we got back. Wouldn't we?"

That question was mostly directed at Tacyhon.

 

"How bout I just break one of their necks unless they tell us?" Pyro said eyeing one of the techs

"And have every guard in the building on our heads?" Kevin looked at Pyro like he was crazier then normal.

"So? Their probably squishier then Vile, no big deal."

 

Tala glanced at the screen, studying it idly, then handed it to Laina and Blade. Then, she turned again to study Dianthe. It appeared, that she had taken Zelda's place, but Tala knew that Zelda was still around. Sure of it.

Quietly, she walked over, and started to hold out her hand, then thought better of it. Shaking hands was the normal way to go about greeting people, but she seemed .. different, not just because of her appearance, but those robes.

"I am Tala..." She bowed her head, then gestured to the others. "I assume you know already that we are the Crystal Fighters."

 

Dianthe tilted her head in recognition at Tala and brushed one of her twin braids behind an ear. "Crystal Fighters." she repeated, as if tasting the name. It seemed to define their purpose, she guessed her path would lead into the front lines of battle. It would be a change from her sanctified seclusion, however she would contribute as she could.

 

Kaliana groaned and pulled herself out of the containment unit with an arduous effort. She wiped traces of what she deemed 'slime' off of her and cast it with a squelch onto the floor, earning a glare from Jinpo. She brought a glowing ball of explosive potential into being on the tip of her finger; she was getting used to the functions of her Crystal.

"I agree with Pyro," she grated, angry at the disruption and wasted time, "No. One." she elucidated with a clear threat, "screws with my mind and gets away with it." The spark of nova popped and jumped restlessly from one of her hands to another.

Sha shook his head, holding Jinpo back with a wave of his hand, ~Ah..I had thought better of these people, they may just be as violently unruly as Jinpo.~ Still...his assistant performed his job well and would listen to reason more often than not, he hoped that would also be the case with the CFs.

"As I have said, I am sorry for the intrusion...but...the situation--"

"To h*ll with the situation!" She elongated the word sarcastically. She had lost too much already to loose herself and here was an man responsible for such a delusion. If she had, like the others, been flung into her own past he would be long dead by now. That-- she would not, could not, have stood for.

More than a little ruffled, Sha suppressed a shudder but before he could reply, Jinpo spoke up, "Would you kindly extinguish that...that before it starts a fire, this is advanced, expensive and rare equipment!"

 "And the experiments." Sha added tentatively, "They cannot afford to be disrupted."

"Disrupted?" Pyro sneered, ready for some destruction.

"Right. Weren't we the ones you said were being 'disrupted'." Kaliana supplemented angrily when Tala stepped in.

"Cool it guys."

"They did explain themselves." Tachyon added, understanding the theory of experiment but not exactly accepting the apparently immoral means. "And," he was already preparing to analyze the data, "We have a log of everything they did." He pointed to the pad.

"That's just what they want us to think!" Pyro grumbled suspiciously.

"Pyro chill, blowing up the lab could cause a bigger problem" Kevin said, not taking his eyes off the scientists.

"Oh yeah, and you trust em?" Pyro said under his breath

"Not for a second, but playing along is better then rushing in without a clue."

"Since when?"

"Good point, maybe leveling this place is a good idea. I could blow the planet up."

"That’s overkill isn't it?"

"Since when?"

Kaliana groaned in response, "It's overkill if you kill *us* too!" she fairly yelled at them.

 

Tachyon nodded in response to Tala's question. It was possible, especially once they got back to the Destiny.

The other CFs were waking up now too, climbing out of their tubes.

 

"I'll thank you to send us back now," Entropy snapped, Griever at the ready.

 

Zealen flicked his psi-blades in and out, and Ganthet did the same with crystal spikes from the backs of his hands. The others also all did a breif power manifestation.

 

"I still like the idea of blowing this place up." Pyro said as his Crystal poured more and more energy into his Krimson reactor.

"Uh, Pyro, your arm’s on fire." Kevin said with a grin.

 

Pyro looked down and saw his forearm in flames, "Well, that sucks."

 

"Turn off your reactor."

 

"Naw, they're all afraid of fire, lets see if this interests them" Pyro said with a grin as he at least slowed down the power flow, no use in causing an explosion on his arm... that would be annoying.

 

"Pyro, you’re such an insane idiot." Lark said with a life knowing he would take it as a compliment. "But we have bigger problems, am I the only one who realizes we’re three short here?"

"Ah sorry,” Sha said then he left for a second to returned with the others.  A dazed look of re-awakening was the faces of Eme, Deyja, and Rupay.

"Like Entropy," Sha explained "their unique mind sets were not compatible with our technologies; Entropy's shifting mind, Eme's extremely high live of psychic ability, Rupay could not be fooled because of her connection with dreams, and Deyja's past was so severely blocked probably by some magic that our machines could not even access it."

"What?" Eme asked.

 

Kaliana extinguished her explosion before it resulted in anything and sighed, "Eme, we'll explain later." She grumbled, leaving a glare for the two doctors.

"So," Lark asked, "We going to trust them enough to take their offer?"

Kaliana shrugged back, "Well, if it doesn't seem to be working right we can have Pyro self-detonate." She gave an exasperated, if wary, glance at the burning arm of the pyromanaic, "Though, knowing Pyro, he'll probably be the only one to survive his own self-destruction."

 

"Naw, if I blew up with my luck, everyone else would survive it. Anyway, if I knew where the heck we were, I could call for Destiny or the Dragonstar... but I don't, so I can't." Pyro admitted.

 

"I'll bet if these guys can take us, they can put us back." Kevin said with an evil grin.

"I'll bet they can, they’re so afraid of equipment damage let’s see how they like this!" Pyro fired a blast from his Krimson reactor into a nearby piece of equipment, putting a neat little (foot-wide) hole in it.

 

"No no, we don't want Swiss cheese, we want rubble, here, let me show you." Kevin pointed at the same piece of equipment and sent a small energy ball at it, completely atomizing it

 

"Not much rubble there either." Pyro said with a grin.

"Not much Flintstone either."

 

"We are PEACEFUL SCIENTISTS!!" Sha called, not fearfully but not exactly happy about the equipment damage. Jinpo just raised an eyebrow at him and indicated a large box covered messily in wires and blinking lights. Pyro and Kevin turned in unison to shoot that, one of the few things left in the room.

 "WAIT!" Tala stayed them, thinking rationally (probably the only one who was), "What if that's their 'porting device?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Don't bother, they're hopeless." Kaliana shook her head and they were uncannily alike as well.

 

~Or dangerously alike.~ She thought, as the case obviously was proven at an earsplitting blast. She surrounded the living members of their party in a force field-like round barrier that protected them from the debris.

 

"Well, at least they haven't hit the self-destruct yet." Sha said a bit dubiously, it didn't look like much more damage could be done, even by the device rigged to explosive wires that internally lined the walls surrounding the room, what was left of it, that had been pretty much destroyed.

 

"Actually," Jinpo said, eyes burning at the apparent desecration of his temple, "You've *already* destroyed our...’teleporter’ as you people so quaintly put it." Sha gave him a warning look, "But not our original means--" Suddenly, the trio of Pyro, Kaliana, and Kevin, blacked out, collapsing where they stood.

"I'm *sorry,* it would have been a lot more gentle had you not blown up the ah.. 'shock absorption.'"

 

Dianthe looked...not quite thrilled with her present companions, ~Isalla, mother goddess, aren't they a little...violent?~ but she received no verbal answer. She sighed with a shrug, knowing that it might just be a trial she would have to deal with in her service.

"Ah..is there, then, another way to reach this ship if Doctor Sha can no longer help us?" The doctor in question looked about ready to jump into the nearest bomb shelter...and probably *still* wouldn't feel safe there.

 

Sha, however, proved himself equal, though no one would have believed the now-pale alien would have the strength to keep from fainting in his present state. He probably just wanted to be rid of them as soon as possible.

"Well, I can use the portable...it is not as powerful, I again apologize if the ride is a little ah...bumpy... please stand together.." The CFs were pretty much already arranged, they had circled around Pyro and Kevin who were just harmlessly unconscious, such as they had been recently except they were not connected to the System.

 

Moments later, the CFs were, a little nauseously, back aboard Destiny’s Child.

 "I will NEVER do that again." Ganthet groaned, his motion quickly accepted and enforced by Laina's pleading, "Tala, next time would you *please* do the honors."

 

*CLICK*

 

From what we gather from the device given to Tala, the alien beings use their advanced technology to study other cultures. To do this they sent us into our past back when we were still living on our home planets and sent others into others pasts to see how they would deal with a new culture and what affect they would have on that world. Zelda's was the most interesting, the VR machines accessed Nity's memories that was locked deep in her mind, it seems she must have received them back when they had a psychic link.

As for Zelda, she has seemingly disappeared, having no clue how to find her we can only wait to see what becomes of it. We know she has had an odd past with the arch-mage known as Zaria, I'm certain she had a part in her disappearance but for now things must go on as normal.

 

Entropy out.

 

*CLICK*

 

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