CF#36

“Dreams of life”

Led by Jason Barker

"Sir, they're coming, all this I've sacrificed to achieve will be lost if they can re-open the gate!" Ariah pleaded to the one who had bestowed him his gifts.

"Your debt is paid, but you come to me again." he asked from the shadows. "You want my help"

Ariah nodded, "I'll do anything, I've upheld your last tasks-- this time will be no different."

A grunt. "Take me to them, it will be payment enough my plans are ready to come into fruition"

Ariah nodded eagerly and the man-creature slipped away into the confines of the small object at Ariah's feet, he held it up, the light gleamed off the black finish of the Soulkeeper's box.

The transport landed and the band's acting leader bounded out on all fours. Grey Wolfe. He was quickly followed by Dianthe, Tachyon, Blade, Kaliana, Deyja, and the one with the hands and powers that all their hope rested on: Laina. They rushed into the destroyed castle searching for the remnants of the gateway to Dreamworld.

Dianthe surveyed their surroundings. Some of the rubble had shifted, giving the already haunting, desecrated scene, a strange surreal life. Well, to her mind and Grey's anyway, the rest...this was their first time seeing anew the destruction of Crystalia.

It wasn't long before she found the Rydia Crystal reacting with it's unsanctioned glow. She looked back toward the CFs who were fairly silent in their reactions, giving them a moment of mourning--it looked like they needed it, all over again.

"This way," Grey said finally and they followed into the pocket of debris, Dianthe's Kiav began to glow intensely. The blue hue spread over the area revealing the faint traces of a dream gate in which Rupay had been taken.

"Laina," Grey said and she stepped forward. She closed her eyes and touched the wispy remnants of the gate. Slowly, she gathered it's essence and doubled it back into itself, amplified. The recycling effect took several minutes until it became bright green glowing light big enough to step through.

Laina backed away and they all nodded to her in approval.

"Let's go get Rupay," Grey growled and then the box came tumbling out the other side of the gateway. An old brown box with a black shiny finish creaked as it tumbled and landed upright before them.

"Going after the child," a wispy voice said, "will be risky. But it can be done."

The various Crystal Fighters turned to see a gray cape, gloves, and mask. A blue crystal hovered just beneath the mask.

"Who in the name of Tiger Tyger are you?!" Grey snarled. "Why don't you have a smell?"

"Easy Grey," Dianthe said, "I don't think he's a threat."

"She is quite correct," the being said. "I am Wraith, a guardian spirit, recently entrusted with the Crystal of Balance and charged by the cosmic protector Iam with assisting you in whatever why I can."

"Very...interesting," Tachyon said. "Iam's been nothing but good to us in the past, so we have no reason to doubt him...but?"

"I can help to guide you in the Dreamworld. It's a world more of mind, shadow, not substance. That is my domain," Wraith said.

"Fine," Grey snapped. "Fine. If you help us find Rupay...then we'll talk about what to do with you."

"Uh...and what about the box?" Kaliana asked reverting alls attention back from Wraith.

"Also interesting" Tachyon said zipping over to it. "This particular object is in my data base."

"Is it dangerous?" Grey.

"Depends, it was inhabited by an entity known as the Soulkeeper." Tachyon face wasn't appealing as he read on through his helmet screen. "It says the one who holds the box can take the souls of his enemies and feed them to the Soulkeeper."

"Why would it be in your CF database?" Grey again.

"It seems our departed friend Krakken had found it back when our predecessors were still on Crystallia, sometime after its destruction the Soulkeeper got mad at K for rejecting his power and the CFs fought him and apparently destroyed him." Tachyon finished.

"They destroyed him, for sure?" Grey asked.

"As far as they know." Tachyon replied.

They sat and stared at the box as nothing happened for quite sometime.

Laina frowned at the box.

"It's not an object." She stated, matter of fact.

Blade glanced over at her, then back at it.

"What do you mean, Laina? It's a box..."

"No, that thing.. is alive, can't you feel it?"

After she had "powered" up the gateway, she felt extra sensitive to otherworldly things.

"Either it's alive, or someone.. something within it is. I can feel it... We need to get rid of it, and soon."

"I feel it too," Wraith said. "Like the pain of a million souls, all rolled into one. It strains even the empathic barriers I have, that keep the emotions I sense from overwhelming me." "I've got some anomalous signatures from my scanners too," Tachyon said. "Whatever anyone does... Do not open that box!"

"So....?" Blade half asked and they all looked at Grey.

It was time to lead his pack he realized, this what it was to be a leader, standing up to the tough questions and taking the pack down the right path - the one that wouldn't leave them dead.

"Right," Grey nodded "Laina, Kaliana, Blade, Tachyon you stay here and watch that box and makes sure nothing comes out, and of course don't open it!

"Dianthe, Deyja, and....Wraith come with me." he paused a second overlooking his decision and gave himself a nod then moved through the gateway to the Dreamworld.

Between the real world and Dreamworld, as seen by Grey Wolfe: Images...everywhere. My memories. White Wolfe, brother. My friend, and later my foe. Happy times/winning my Crystal/protecting my tribe. Bad times/being cast out/betrayed by White/left for dead. Found by her/good times/good friend/killed by White/appearing on the Avenger. Watching friends die... loosing Zelda.. being trapped in that almost world drawn form my memories... Happy/life/guilt. Why...why has no time passed?

Between worlds, as seen by Wraith: The others... they'll be bombarded by their memories, made real to them, constantly playing. But I... I am just a spirit. It has no affect on me. We'll pass through the void soon enough. I only hope that they are strong enough to survive the onslaught of their best and worst memories.

Dianthe. Rydia. Dianthe. Dianthe.... half-forgotten dreams spiraled through her. Aquaintences... different... moving to the large central temple of Be'jin. A calling. A single, solitary prayer. Moving farther and farther away from Be'jinian life. Mentally...spiritually... Knowing. High Priestess. Alone. Forgetting them..focusing.... Isalla, bright tender silver goddess. Loving. Isalla...calling... leading.. The CFs, strange..different.. The Kiav. Death. ...death... Rydia...Dianthe... Rydia. Loss...hurt... Pain and suffering flooding her soul with darkness. Blue ocean swimming, drowning her vision. ...who? No one... no. Everyone...lost, dead...falling, fading... Deep marine, surrounding..beating...purging... Crushing. A river...light to follow... a trail, and a rope. A mission..a life. Rydia. Dianthe..

~GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!!~ Rydianthe.…

THE BOX

Kaliana gave the box a scrutinizing look, then finally she raised a bored eyebrow, "Uhh...how long do we have to stare at this thing?"

"It's not staring, it's watching." Blade remarked. Laina shifted restlessly. She was as bored as Kaliana, but didn't want to say so aloud. It wasn't just boredom though, she was worried.

"Watching. A box."

"Fiiiine. Call it guarding, if you wish. We have to make sure nothing happens to them in there, because of this box, or us out here- because of this box."

Laina turned to Kaliana. "I'm sorry you got stuck with watching the box, I know you much prefer action. But this box.. whatever was in it.. could be in it.. is pure evil. Could you imagine the power to take someone's soul? It would make you less then a demon. Besides, the box eats at whoever is holding it... so it can take over the host."

"What if someone denies it?"

"Look around you... this is what happens when someone says no. That's why we have to watch, and wait. It is boring, I agree.. but better then leaving their backs unguarded."

"Just watch the box okay?"

"Uuuhhh.. Blade. It's not moving."

"It's fairly placid as long as we don't open it, right?"

"Well.."

"So, *why* in all depths do we need THIS many people 'guarding' it?" Kaliana said in frustration, tempted to just kick open the box and end everyone's misery.

Blade, the ever calm one, replied.

"Quite simple. Should something.. or someone try and open the box, we stop them."

"...." Kaliana just frowned at him, and he shrugged.

"Even if one of us would try, we would stop them. By death, if it comes to that. However, you can always confront your memories in the dream world if'd you'd rather."

Kaliana flinched visibly but grumbled that she didn’t think anyone but the CFs would care about opening some dumb box.

Blade went back to silently watching it, arms folded across his chest. He was dressed in his "war robes", which were a deeper red then his usual. It was quite simple, should any blood be spilled on him, one couldn't tell.

Laina murmured aloud.

"The dream world is a place for that, dreams. If an awake person goes into it, they are assaulted by dreams and memories. Many a person has gone into a dream world, only to come out with their mind gone."

"And just *how* do you know so much?"

"Easy. I was asked to read up on it before we came here. There are certain people who can go through that world and the 'awake' one. Dream walkers, those born within the dream world, and certain classes of demon."

Hmph. Kaliana moaned, "Well lade-freakin-crap-onna-stick"

"No!" Tachyon yelled flying towards as his sensors registered Kaliana's adrenaline peak.

Blade and Laina turned from a discussion of dreams to a look of shock as Kaliana swatted away Tachyon like a flittering bug, "Shew fly, I'm putting us out of our misery."

If either Laina or Blade had been in wolf form maybe they would have been fast enough but not like they were now, Kaliana kicked the creaking lid open and the dark form rushed forth.

~Shock it,~ Tachyon thought, that was embarrassing.. His sensors registered the strange form within before any of the others.

His electronically amplified voice shouted, "Laina, get Kaliana out of there. Blade, start setting up some kind of magic that'll be useful against evil spirits." Like the second-in-command he was, Tachyon was on the move, issuing orders. He brought his pulse blasters on-line, ready to blast the whatever-it-was.

DREAMWORLD

Grey, Dianthe, and Wraith materialized in Dreamworld. Had any of them been with the Crystal Fighters when they were there before, they would barely have recognized it. Although it was created by the combined dreams of all living things, some of its greater energies had come from Rupay herself. The Tyger looked to the more mystically inclined members of his sub-team.

"What do either of you sense, mystically? I'm unsure of what of my own senses to trust, in a world that is not entirely real." Wraith stretched out with his empathic, telepathic, and clairvoyant abilities, seeing the little wisps of the realm that was, and yet was not, as real as our own. "I can sense a general background of emotions, those of the dreaming. But I can sense the features of the land here as well. Not far from here...there is a cabin. There are minute resonance of the Crystal Fighters there, long forgotten, yet I sense Rupay was well...or at least a trace of her. If you desire, I can teleport us there."

A strange feeling came over Dianthe as she surveyed their surroundings; it was almost like looking at a scene with two different sets of eyes. She saw one thing, then in a different way, but the two visions wouldn't lock. It was a little dizzying, not to mention disorienting. But, when Wraith pointed out the "cabin" as it tended to manifest to the eyes, she was able to focus on it.

They started walking in the general direction of the cabin, leaving Wraith behind a few paces before he spoke up, "There's no need of that."

"Huh?" After he brought it up, Dianthe realized just how different things were in the Dreamworld. They could walk for years and never reach the cabin--physical rules didn't apply. Instead...to will..to 'dream'..the spot into being where they were..

"Wow...it worked.." Dianthe stared with her more visual sight at what really did look like a lovely little cabin in front of them. Though, no longer did any smoke float softly from the chimney..how far gone was Rupay really? At least they knew for sure that she was still alive...otherwise the cabin would cease to exist; it was part of her, part of the dreamworld that she had created.

WAKING WORLD

Blade quickly cast a low level "holy" spell of sorts. If it was a white, he would have been able to stop it perhaps.. but he was a red mage.

Laina pulled Kaliana away from the box, growling.

"It must have gotten to you! I'm sorry, but I have to do this!"

She spoke a single word, and a green mist flowed around Kaliana, wrapping her in sort of energy chain. She'd stay put until they took care of what had been let loose.

"And so it can not get to you anymore..." She murmured something, and a shield encased her, invisible to the eye. She also gagged her, because she had started yelling.

She then turned to the others.

"We have to get it back in the box! And quick!"

The spreading dark matter took form above them, the Soulkeeper.

He looked over them in their fighting stances, "Not as I remember," The Soulkeeper spoke "Though your Crystal bio signatures are easy to sense."

It was true they weren’t the Crystal Fighters he remembered fighting before, they were a new breed, but they would serve his purpose none the less.

"Shall we engage in a fruitless battle?" Soulkeeper questioned, "or should we get right down to business?"

Unfortunately the CFs weren’t wearing their suit and ties, they would fight!

DREAMWORLD

Deyja pulled his cloak more tightly around himself, pulling up the hood. Something just...didn't feel right to the Faian CF. Rupay had been a dear friend to him when he was still a child, before Moon had undone the magics that had trapped him as a child. But now he had his memories and full powers, and was in the prime of his life.

"This is Dreamworld?" he asked. "Absolutely amazing."

"Spare your wonder, Deyja," Grey snarled, a look of determination set on his canine features. "Let's go inside. Between my own senses, Dianthe's spiritual senses, and Wraith's psionic abilities we should fine something." Though he was trying to be a strong leader right now, Grey's voice practically dripped with emotion. He'd felt like he'd failed so much recently. Dakey, Rupay, Zelda... He'd promised to protect them all...and failed.

Wraith floated towards the cabin, resting a glove on the door. "I do not sense anything within, but the World of Dreams is the most complicated, contradictory, and constantly shifting world of all. Even my own senses may fail. Would that a mere spirit such as myself could access the Crystal of Balance...I might be able to divine the secrets of this realm by tapping its connects to the real world."

Blade and Laina swept with their paws but they seemed to do nothing as they passed through the still Soulkeeper. He stood to watch the futile attempts. Already guessing it was hopeless, Tachyon didn't fire upon the dark spirit.

"There, you see, useless. you can't attack me on this plane." Soulkeeper spoke gently, not threatening.

Laina and Blade turned to Tachyon and he nodded, "The files say he can only be harmed or harm others on the Astral Plane."

"And seeing as none of you have the ability to take us there, negotiations will begin." Soulkeeper crossed his arms and waited for their undivided attention.

"We don't negotiate with things that live in boxes," Tachyon said. He sent a mental signal to one of his subsystems, re-wiring the electro-magnetic frequency projector located in his chest plate to project a beam on the frequency range brain waves operated on. Not exactly a psionic blast, but it just might work. He just had to stall for time.

DREAMWORLD

The cabin looked much like it had, though none of the ones there would have remembered that. Deyja walked over to the simple stove, pressing a palm against it. "It's warm... Has somebody been here?"

"I cannot tell," Wraith said. "There are numerous psionic emanations here, conflicting. I cannot identify a single presence. But...." The spirit rested a glove on the table, scanning it with his clairvoyant power. Something was here...something like us. Not truly of the Dreamworld."

Grey sniffed the air, or what his senses and brain told him was air. "Nothing. I can't get a scent. Nothing I can trust anyway."

WAKING WORLD

Tachyon says, "OK Mr. Soulkeep, you can have Blade and Kaliana... But PLEASE don't kill me!"

Suddenly, within the various wrappings Kaliana smirked and without the slightest hint of detection on Tachyon's sensors, she disappeared.

"What'd you do?!" Laina demanded of their returned foe.

"I only put her somewhere more...convenient, no need to get huffy. Now, are we to do things the messy way or would you like to bargain?" The tone dripped as if with blood.

DREAMWORLD

Dianthe nodded uncomfortably, ~It shouldn't *be* like this.~ she thought though she was unsure of what she meant. Suddenly, a familiar figure popped in, wavering the spiritual energy around Dianthe who took an abrupt step back.

"Kali??" Grey asked in confusion. She nodded, a barely visible cloak surrounding her. Though, it wasn't surprising, Kaliana always had that type of air even in the physical world.

"I got tired of staring at that stupid box." She explained, "So, now I'm here to watch your backs." She checked out the cabin with a dubious look on her face, "And this is...it? It being..uh..whatever.."

WAKING WORLD

Soulkeeper snapped his head back towards Tachyon, "Don't you dare release those blasts if you value the lives of your friends."

"Don't threaten me!" he could read his mind, Tachyon realized and the Soulkeeper knew the frequency blasts could hurt him.

"Don't you understand Kaliana is mine now, she opened the box. Her soul will be mine in death just like Krakken's is now." Soulkeeper smiled realizing they did not yet understand this aspect. "That’s right I have Krakken's soul, it became mine when he first opened the box and it came under my complete control when he was killed."

These words stopped Tachyon cold.

Soulkeeper raised his hand up with a blue light in it, "The question is, do you want this back?"

Laina frowned, she should have known something like this was going to happen. But she thought she had protected Kaliana from his attack, however, perhaps she had helped him. Damn.

"Soulkeeper... We shall listen to your deal."

The others all looked at her. What was going through her head? Even the Soulkeeper couldn't tell, she had her thoughts firmly blocked.

"And then, perhaps.. I shall propose a better one to you."

"I like you girl, I really do," he closed his hand again, making the blue flame (which they could only believe was Krakken's soul) disappear, "I'll give you a chance to take back Krakken's soul and life if you just play my game. Of course if you lose, the soul of each and every Crystal Fighter becomes property of yours truly."

Laina smiled, slightly.

"But how can we trust that you'll really give us back his soul?"

"Laina... what are you doing..."

"I'll tell you what."

She addressed the Soulkeeper now, hoping she knew what she was doing.

"Let me play your game. If I win, his soul and life returns.. if not, then you get me and Blade as prizes. None of the others."

"Why would I want just your soul?"

"Because. I can do everything that you need."

"Laina!" Blade hissed, "This is madness!"

"Hmmm in most cases I would be appalled by such an offer, but your unique amplifying abilities could help me achieve my goals none the less."

Laina nodded agreement.

"No, this is my lead!" Tachyon interrupted, "Laina you don't know what you're getting into, why do you even want our particular souls, Keeper?"

He nodded as if considering, "I suppose it's only fair, and I am a fair man. You see the last time I fought you Crystal Fighters, I was nearly destroyed. I had to use the power of the trillions of souls I had gathered over the years just to resurrect myself." he made sure they understood and then continued, "Times are dangerous for me, I fear I could be disposed again far before I gain enough soul energy for another resurrection, but if I had the power of the Crystal souls the power from that handful alone would be enough."

Tachyon considered also, "No I can't warrant this."

"Tachyon, he has agreed it will only be my soul!" Laina pleaded.

"It's not worth it, with the power you hold…who knows what he could do with it."

"But Krakken, he is an innocent soul, I can't let that thing hold it under his power." Laina was at a stalemate with Tachyon.

"We can't risk it, Li," Tachyon said. "I'll offer myself up. If we can exist in a box fairly well, he'd love my armor. But if he takes control of it... Well, I'm not the most powerful of the CFs. You'll just have to destroy me and it."

"Hah, are you kidding me, if this is how it is, I'll take my business elsewhere." the Soulkeeper started to turn away.

"No, I'll do it, and Tachyon you'll just have to accept it!" Laina went determinedly towards the Soulkeeper.

"If you want her to go, you have to take me too." Blade ordered.

Tachyon knew he had already lost the battle, "I go too or no deal, just tell me what this sick little game of yours is!"

"It's simple really, you will fight five of my best collected warriors." Soulkeeper smiled "You win, Krakken is yours and if I win Laina is added to my collection and of course if you two are playing as well, you'll have to sign over your souls as well."

"How can we possibly trust you?" Tachyon questioned.

"I'm of my word, that’s all I have, you may not agree with what I do but I am a man of honor." Soulkeeper's words didn't reassure him but what else could he do.

"I... do not think we have any choice," Doc Tachyon said. He almost absently questioned the wisdom of staking all their souls on Krakken's... but no one deserved what he had to be going through. "I, Tachyon Ri'Alt, agree to this."

DREAMWORLD

"So...what do we do now?" Deyja asked.

Dianthe, who had been whispering a combination of prayers and minor spells, looked up. "I do not know, my own spiritual powers are insignificant in this world. I can find no trace of Rupay."

Grey sniffed around in each corner, then sniffed the stove. "I found Rupay's scent... But I don't know what I can trust in this world." The Tyger looked out the window. Seeing strange creatures coming towards the cabin.

"Nightmares," Wraith said. "The dark part of a dream. There are safeguards to prevent them from taking a form. But with Rupay gone for so long, that is no longer so. We will have to deal with them. Remember, that this is a dream. We can do almost anything we imagine here."

"Anything? Riiiiiiight." Kaliana stated, the first one out of the cabin and headed toward the nightmarish creatures of filmy darkness. Their strange appearance made her shiver a little with both disgust and subdued horror.

Dianthe also was a bit disturbed by the creatures, but she stood her ground, Kiav raised defensively. A diaphanous tentacle of hazy evil reached out like a grasping skeletal hand. She bit her lip a bit nervously, her top eye squinting a little as she raised her Kiav to block it.

The surreal gauzy appendage floated through her solid weapon as soft as a rose petal. Her eyes widened and she backed up, but not in time. She had thought that the two would have made contact..it should have at least slowed the creature, she wasn't ready to dodge, to run. A light kiss of a touch brushed her vulnerable skin and abruptly she went starkly stiff with a horrified visage.

All three of her eyes began to radiate a small but piercing light and her body tilted over, then fell to the floor, still stiffer than a board. Suddenly, the lights lifted from her eyes and joined together in one blinding tiny ball that was sucked into the "body" of the nightmare, drown in blackness until it disappeared completely.

"What the H*LL?!" Kaliana exclaimed, backing sharply away from the creatures.

WAKING WORLD

"Good then it is settled. Now Laina, if I could only take use of your powers for a second." Suddenly in was in her mind, her willingness had somehow left it open unexpectedly and he reached in, taking her powers and made her amplifying powers push ten fold onto her psychics.

"Unh!" she moaned quietly as her body went stiff with her limps spread as if being crucified, she had amplified her powers before but never to such an extreme.

With Laina in his control he made her push them all into their own minds and forced them to all become one...

They were standing in the odd world of moving colors and physical thoughts. The Soulkeeper couldn't be seen throughout the Astral Plane but they knew the game had begun.

"Well," Tachyon said, "this shocking sucks." He sent the cybernetic signal that brought his armor's scanners on-line. "Nothing. This place isn't real, and this isn't my armor. So my mind perceives it as having something to scan. Crap inna hat."

DREAMWORLD

Deyja faced down a nightmare, a curiously disturbing six-foot pink rabbit with a base drum. In Faian, he cried out, "Mana of all creation, take the form of devastation!" A bolt of mystic flame leapt forth from his Crystal, engulfing the nightmare in a flame that would burn until it had consumed every last bit of the creature.

Grey stood in front of another nightmare, ready to drawn on his Crystal powers. Despite a brief re-occurrence during the Haji war, his transformation power had vanished, probably for good.

"Hyper strike!" Grey Wolfe struck at many times the speed of sound, barely more than a blur. The nightmare fell apart like a cartoon character sliced with a sword.

Wraith faced a pair of them, and the permanently etched smile of his mask/face seemed oddly appropriate. The nightmare struck, its clawed hand hitting the empty space within his cloak. It froze, though no signs of ice or cold appeared on it. It was as if it had touched the void, death itself. Wraith turned to face the other one and it fell apart, literally. Like someone had sucked all the moisture out then tapped it. Wraith had simply used his telepathic powers to wake up the dreamer to whom the nightmare belonged.

ASTRAL PLANE

"We are in the astral plane.. A world of thought. I wish Tala or another telepath was here..."

She looked around, warily. Blade stood next her, one hand on the hilt of his sword, already ticking off offensive and defensive spells.

"We need to be careful... and I'm sorry you all got mashed in here with me."

"Laina?"

"Yes, Doctor?"

"Why was you so sure.. of yourself?"

She sighed. "My Crystal not only amplifies my power and others, it also has the souls of several dead wizards in it. I can call upon them if need be, and use their magic as my own. It's been done a few times already. That's why."

He was silent, nodding.

DREAMWORLD

Kaliana stood back from the others, not daring to reenter the possible, but relative safety of the cabin. However, while the others fought as best they could, the nightmare which had attacked Dianthe shriveled into the opposite of a sparkle which floated over to Kaliana. She gave it a scrutinizing look before it disappeared completely.

"Fillani, fingers of flame, strike down my foes and evil tame!" Deyja cried out, firing five narrow beams of white hot flame. It pierced a nightmare's head, causing the creature to fall to the ground.

"Howling blaster!" Grey yelled, firing the blue-white energy attack that was his to command. The beam, a combination of heat and force, took out another nightmare.

Wraith floated above the battle now, watching. He reached out, sending psionic waves from his psuedo-body. "Creatures that the mind has spawned..," he gestured as he spoke, "Be gone!" The remaining nightmares vanished, as though they had never been. "I apologize. It took me some time for me to analyze their psionic signatures enough to disrupt them."

"It's alright," Grey said. "You came through in the end... That's what matters. You've earned my trust."

"Dreams are links to so much of a person's mind," Wraith said, "and the cabin is an extension of Rupay." He gestured, and the cabin became a stream of sparkly, yellow dust, floating off into the distance. "I have heightened that connection. I suggest we follow it."

ASTRAL PLANE

The sudden shudder of the ground, that really wasn't there on the Astral Plane, was the first indication of the approaching creature.

Built on huge tree trunk sized stalky legs it thudded forward. It had a huge gnarled and scared body which gave way to the oddly deformed and savage looking head of the beast warrior.

As he approached the three Crystal Fighters he pulled out his axe which had an almost comical largeness. The warrior just grunted and swung the huge blade so hard, the wind it gave off could knock most down.

Blade had studied the creature as it approached, and while the other two were (or might be...) down, he wasn't. His quickly drew his sword, almost wishing for a second that he was something a bit more practical. However, if wishes were horses, beggars would ride- as he had always been told. This thing had to been taken out.

He shot forward quickly, using a down-slash attack, just to gauge how quick the warrior was.

The creature was slow stumbling into a defensive position; Blade could have easily made contact with his sword if he had been trying.

Blade was backing away when the huge blade was coming back around, the momentum of the first swing caring it faster then before.

Laina grabbed him by the collar and tugged him away.

The creature’s large hooves fell forward towards them. Tachyon flew up in an arc just off of the creatures stone-like hide and blaster his side mounted lasers up into the creatures chin. It's stomp foot missed narrowly from the two animorphers.

The creature swung his hand to slap Tachyon away like a pesky insect, the miniature scientist made a tight spiral and slipped out of the of the huge slap but the back draft of moving air sent him out of control sliding across the ground of the astral plane back to where Laina and Blade were recovering.

The trio looked back towards the beast, they were back where they had started, a giant creature stomping towards them and way outmatched in strength and power.

~I'm sure were outweighing in the wits department.~ Tachyon thought and pulled himself together for the second round.

"Blade."

He glanced at Laina, then wordlessly, handed his sword to her. She gripped the handle with both hands, a greenish mist enveloping the blade as she started to chant. The creature continued to walk towards them, but she didn't move; even though Tachyon started to say something to her.

The mist swirled about, changing from the lime-ish green to a pure white. When it was done, she handed it back to Blade, a sort of blank-yet dark look in her eyes.

"Rend his flesh to nothing."

"But he's stone!!" Tacyon protested. After all, he had been the one to bounce off the armored hide.

"He can cut through it. Attack."

Blade did as told, the sword growing brighter and brighter. He swung it again in an arc, waiting for it to clang off the monster. Instead, it went through its arm as thought it were made of regular flesh.

DREAMWORLD

Kaliana grumbled a little as the large last nightmare she fought vanished abruptly, "Took long enough." she shot at Wraith who had disposed of it after a few explosions. After that she continued her habitual mumbling and headed after the others, "Where's this headed anyway?" She asked, firm in the belief that she did *not* want to know (at the last minute) that they were heading straight for the "big baddie" (as it were).

"All right, Wraith where the h*ll are we??" Kaliana asked. They had been wandering for far too long (by her standards) and hadn't found much yet. "Are you *sure* this is the right way?" She guessed they were wandering in and out of random dreams...and this one seemed to feature trees, lots and LOTS of them. Well, yes it was a jungle, but the trees were what really stood out...especially when the leaves began to tremble and crackle as the ground shook....

A long black line streaked by on the ground beneath them, "What?" Grey began to ask then the whole world shook violently again and the black line widen quickly enveloping the whole Dreamworld.

The CFs senses were consumed by the infinite hole and their minds began to fall through the world, a nauseating tug grabbed at their stomachs as they plummeted through a world of altered senses.

"Wraith, get us out of this!!!" Deyja screamed as they began to tumble for what felt like eternity.

ASTRAL PLANE

The large grotesque warrior screamed as Blade rolled away, it turned towards him and left its back to Laina and Tachyon. Tachyon took this opportunity and shot up towards its head, flying in close, he shot of a round from his wrist blasters strait into the creatures large ears. The warrior screamed and tumbled forward as the blaster fire fired his cerebral cortex throwing him into a fit of vertigo.

The warrior lurched forward screaming then collapsed with shaky thump.

"Quickly," Laina ordered "secure him." They ran forward but the creature disappeared.

A clapping noise surrounded them in the Astral Plane, "Bravo." Soulkeepers voice, "Challenger two is ready."

Tachyon sent a cybernetic signal to another of his armor's subsystems, calling up a different weapon in his gauntlet. Phased anti-matter packet projector. It spat small bolts of pure anti-matter, kept just out of phase with this dimension until it struck whatever target he locked into his sensors. Whatever was coming would be big...and bad.

DREAMWROLD

"I shall," Wraith said. The spirit grew to an incredible size, catching all the CFs in a giant glove. The mask that served as his face looked around, "The void. The realm beyond the sub-conscious. Pure id. The most basic levels of the mind. It will take...a considerable amount of mental power to get us out of here."

"Just DO IT!" Kaliana demanded, furious at the instability of their position. If this kept up.... Mentally, she gave a quick sigh and reigned in her temper--it wouldn't serve her in a place like this and might even make her slip up. Now was definitely not the time to let chance slip in. Her entire being seemed to tighten, then she formed a small 'spirit-tight' bubble around herself, lightening Wraith's load.

Elsewhere, Soulkeeper faltered then his eyes narrowed and he regained his position, albeit unhappy about the shift of energy.

Out of the shadows within the shimmering purples and blues of the Astral Plane, stepped out a new being. This one was far more human looking, at about average size to most humans species, not Tachyon's of course.

A soft robe was pulled over her body, it would allow easy movement. She bowed at them then took a fighting stance towards the three CFs that had been pulled into this world of minds and souls.

"Let's kick some ninja butt shall we?" Blade said bringing his sword back to ready.

The ninja woman moved towards them with frighteningly quick speed.

DREAMWORLD

The mask that served as Wraith's face showed no expression as he encased Kaliana, Grey, and Deyja in protective bubbles of mental energy. The bubbles were needed, to prevent them from being affected by the void within his body. He drew them into the space within his cloak, then winked out of existence.

They reappeared where they had left and Wraith cried out as though in pain. "Something... something is terribly, terribly wrong. There is a great evil, spreading through the astral plane. The world of dreams is but a few levels of consciousness removed from the astral plane... Any damage done there, will affect this world, as will any evil."

"My colleague must have gotten his plans underway then" Ariah said suddenly standing before them.

"Attack." Grey quickly ordered.

Kaliana stared warily at Ariah for a moment. She had guessed that he was working with Soulkeeper, but whether he knew about her... Apparently, somehow he did. He feinted at her with a laser-like psionic blast but his true target was Grey.

She broke from her position, "Take Wraith." she suggested, outstretching a hand to cast a ball of explosion that singed Grey's tail as he jumped out of the way.

Deyja spoke in Faian, holding up his crystal, "Bird of Fire, Bird of Light, Holy Flame, Phoenix Strike!" A huge bird, made of flame erupted from his Crystal, flying out to strike Ariah.

Ariah just held up a hand, forming a psionic shield. It fended off the attack, along with a nova blast from Kaliana, and a howling blaster shot from Grey.

Now...now it was Wraith's turn. The sprit grew to gigantic size again, easily as tall as an office building. He took full use of the powers of Dream World, drawing on a hammer from the dreams of a professor or Norse mythology. It was proportionate to Wraith's size. "Face the hammer of Thor, face Mjolnir!" the spirit cried out, bringing the war hammer down on Ariah.

Ariah just stood his ground and let the hammer strike him with all its might, Ariah was lifted off the ground, thrown into the air. He moved the world around him to hold him and slow his flight, he dropped back to the ground and kneeled from the exertion of the hit.

"You don't understand," Ariah pleaded. "I don't want to fight, it's all just a misunderstanding."

Kaliana's eyes narrowed at the sudden shift to tactics and she immediately ceased her attack. Perhaps... She wasn't quite sure. Well, if this was how it was going to be.. she winced, she had blown her cover--or..not, she could always pawn it off as a distracted miss...accidentally almost hitting Grey... "What're you saying Ariah?" she demanded, she would have to instantly start up improvisation at the answer, that she already knew.

Wraith returned to normal size, and said, "Then speak, Ariah. Tell us what you did with the girl."

"Or else," Grey growled.

Deyja hung back, thoughtful. He turned to Kaliana. "You...you fired on Grey. Why?"

Kaliana pursed her lips, she had been hoping no one would directly *ask* about that, especially not before Ariah had revealed his intentions. She gave him a placating look, promising a 'good and true' explanation *after* they were out of immediate danger.

ASTRAL PLANE

Blade and Laina sidestepped the rushing woman easily enough. Although neither had been formally trained in her type of art, they were quick on their own.

Taychon fired his blasts at the woman, scoring a few direct hits.

"How many of these do we fight?"

Blade looked over at Laina, who shrugged slightly.

"I do not know.. but they will be easily enough beaten."

Blade frowned, ever since she had basically, powered his weapon.. there was something off about her. He just wanted this to be over, now- so she could return to normal.

DREAMWORLD

Ariah looked sad, "I thought Rupay would be better off with me, I thought you people would squander her gifts."

"Gifts?" Grey asked.

"She commands dreams." Ariah said, "you don't understand, my people the Be'jinnians are not capable of dreams."

"How can that be true if you are here in the Dreamworld?" Deyja interrogated.

"I sold my soul to the Soulkeeper, in return he gave me mental powers to seduce dreams on myself and others." Ariah tried to explain "That’s how I made those Haji destroy themselves (*”Ragnarok”) and back on Faia once I bumped into you guys and explored the mind of your friend Zelda (*”The Secret”), I made you see me as a healer back then though so you wouldn't have been the wiser."

Ariah just watched them ponder, wondering if they could accept it, "I'm sorry I did it, I've been obsessed with the power of dreams for such a long time and was even in a cult. They were the ones that trapped you in your own dreams with their machines (*”Crystal Prelude”)." he watched them remember when they were abducted and thrown back into their past lives. "That’s the only way we could experience dreams for the longest time, by watching others. After we let you leave I discovered why the machines wouldn't work on Rupay, she was from the Dreamworld, of the Dreamworld. That’s when I came back for her." he shook his head in shame.

In a way they felt pity for the poor deluded Ariah but he wasn't their main concern. "Is Rupay ok?" Grey asked.

Ariah motioned with his hand and a pocket opened in the Dreamworld, inside Rupay was sleeping peacefully.

"This is BS!!" Kaliana cried and shot a nova blast at Ariah catching him off guard, he screamed falling back into the pocket which closed back up behind him.

"Rupay!" Deyja yelled.

Grey ran up scratching at where the pocket had just been but he had no way of reopening it.

Wraith turned glaring at Kaliana, "Are you sure if she is friend, or foe?"

ASTRAL PLANE

Blade couldn't understand it as the ninja took each shot from his blaster not even seeming to want to evade. She screamed with each hit and fell back but just came back up for more.

Laina looked puzzled then it hit her, "Blade stop it, she is building that power up in front of her!" Blade and Tachyon looked at her questioningly.

When they looked back she was gone, "Wha?" Tachyon asked.

"Behind you, ya small little stud." She karate chopped him into the ground.

Blade turned and fired but she moved incredibly fast from one side to the other, she had absorbed the power and turned it into energy that was now fueling her muscles.

She came at them like a blur, kneeing Blade in the gut and dropping him then kicking Laina in the chest and throwing her several feet before they could ever react.

"Come on slow pokes." she smiled.

DREAMWORLD

Kali glared straight back at Wraith, "Oh, yeah? And what about *you* ghost-boy?" she challenged, "I've been a CF a d*mn lot longer'n you and I've never turned on my comrades, but, *you* haven't been *around* long enough for us to even *call* you a comrade!" In her hand she was already holding a small, contorting mockery of a ball which seemed to struggle to get out of it's own form as lightening lances of energy pulsed around and through it.

"Why'd you fire on Ariah, he was explaining--" Deyja began rationally.

"*Think* about it here, did you *hear* what he said? The guy sold his *soul* to the Soulkeeper." The old-timer CFs knew much more about Soulkeeper than the newbies, but hopefully the same impact had been left, once that soul had been lost...there was no hope of recovery, not without some form of assistance.

"And did you guys *forget* about the nightmares? *Ariah* just flat out *told* us he has the ability to send stuff like that after us, remember Dianthe? His nightmare-whatever *killed* her, or took her soul to use up for *his* power, that's probably how he appeared just now." she fumed.

ASTRAL PLANE

Blade wiped the blood that trickled from the corner of his mouth, while Laina struggled to get back up.

"You're going to pay for that..."

The other woman sneered. "Oh yea? You can't even catch me."

Laina just smiled, darkly.. then began to shift in a cheetah. Blade blinked. He knew that her Crystal allowed her to become anything.. but this..

Laina changed the cheetah form just a bit. She was still as lithe, had the speed, but she had given herself bigger claws and teeth. She growled at the woman, who just smirked.

"Come and get me.. if you can..."

Laina ran forward, swiping at the woman who blurred in and out. Laina had been expecting that, so when she reappeared, Laina was ready.

She pounced on the woman, claws embedding themselves into the woman's shoulders. She yanked them down roughly, ripping to shreds; flesh and clothing.

The woman, although in pain, used a sort of blast to blow her away. Laina flew backwards, toppling Blade over. However, she was back on her feet in an instant, staring at the woman through glittering gold eyes.

The ninja woman got a tiny little tap on the shoulder and she turned around to face Tachyon who was again using his brain instead of strength.

"Say cheese." he smiled and sent out a large flash beam straight into her eyes blinding her for several seconds.

Blade and Laina both pounced her as she stumbled around. She swung to get loose but the collected energy had faded and Laina was easily holding her down as Blade swung his sword into her and she evaporated much like the warrior creature.

"Good work Tach." Laina praised.

"Yes," Soulkeeper said from all around them. "I've never seen Chelin defeated so fast, but your next opponent shall pose a much stronger challenge."

The three CFs waited for the challenge. They felt their clothes begin to tug and flap backwards as wind began to swell around them. Stronger and stronger…then he seemed to materialize straight out of the willowy gusts. They faced Krakken.

"So.. the only way to save him..."

"Is to fight him.." Blade finished for Laina. They looked at the Doc.

"You got a way to get around his winds?"

"Shock it all," Tachyon said under his breath. Then, louder, "OK...we've been doing ok and have won the first two rounds, but we've still been fighting like we were in the real world. This is the astral plane. Zelda explained it to me once.....it's a lot like cyberspace. Anything we image becomes real, if we put enough willpower behind it." He gestured and the ground began to rumble and shift. Very quickly in formed into figures. The others CFs. Every single one in Tachyon's database.

"Let's save a soul."

DREAMWORLD

Wraith slumped slightly, and the others felt a wave of sadness pass from him. "Please Kaliana," he said, "control your anger. It accomplishes no useful purpose. I sensed no hostility in Ariah. He wanted to help us. But I also sense....that there is more to you than there seems to be."

Grey locked eyes with her. "We don't know what happened to Dianthe...," he said slowly with a tinge of sadness, "but what we do know is that Ariah was offering to help. He even said he was of the same race as Dianthe...and that they do not dream. Perhaps that was why she vanished. Perhaps she has returned to the real world. But now...we will never know."

"And I would still like to know why you fired upon Grey," Deyja said. "What are you hiding?"

"What happened to her? The nightmare thing got her, obviously. We *saw* it happen. Geez, you guys're acting like *I'm* the bad guy here, did *I* send out those nightmares, *did* I?" She searched her memory for the time when they had first met Dianthe, "Her own people, hmm? What does *that* matter? Haven't you ever heard her talk about her past, she was a priestess in near enforced seclusion! I wouldn't be too happy with..my...own people if they had done that to *me*, would you?"

After another spurt of a rant, she turned to Deyja, "Get off my case, will you? It was an accident, if I had been aiming for him I would've hit him, don't you think? This *is* the Dreamworld, *he* just *said* that things'll happen the way we will them to."

"And the shielding?" Wraith asked, he had sensed it earlier but hadn't opted to pry. She gave him a long stare, "We *all* have our secrets." she said intensely, daring them to reveal their own troubled pasts before they asked that of her.

"Now, can we get *moving*, he *does* still have Rupay, remember? Especially with her ties to all this..she's more important than pointless squabbles." Kaliana said with and attempt to move on and get something done. Perhaps Wraith could trace Rupay....or...could they just will themselves to her position? Could it be that easy?

"I may be able to locate her," Wraith said. The spirit grew silent and seemed to be concentrating. "I've found a very powerful source of psionic energy."

"Rupay?" Grey asked.

"I am uncertain... But it is likely. I will teleport us there now."

Space bent around them, and the CFs vanished from that point in Dream World, to appear at another.

Kaliana stared at the landscape around them or lack thereof, "Uh...Wraith...where ARE we?" she asked, then let out a curse as Ariah tackled her from behind.

Grey shook his head "Fight but do not try to harm him, he doesn't want to fight just like us but because of Kaliana we will have to regain his confidence." They nodded and went to stop Ariah before he could seriously harm Kaliana.

ASTRAL PLANE

Laina frowned as the wind ripped around them. Something was very wrong here, why were they fighting Krakken? He must have a power.. that they didn't know about. Something other then being able to control the winds.

Blade however, was ignoring a few warnings as he rushed the blue-skinned warrior. He made it till he was merely three feet from him. He fell to his knees, gasping for air.

"BLADE!"

Laina screamed. She couldn't loose him again, not this time. Doc was rapidly going through his databanks, saying ‘shock’ five times a second. Tala reacted quickly, shadows dragging Blade away from Krakken. Laina rushed over him to him, dropping to her knees by his side. His was breathing, barely.

"Blade..." She murmured, then glanced up at Krakken. Her eyes had become a hazy shade of red-gold.

"You just made a *Huge* mistake, Soulkeeper..."

In the back of her mind, she heard laughter. But she ignored it, grabbing Blade's sword. As she rose, she walked purposely towards Krakken, who just laughed.

"It ends.. now!"

She started to run, lifting the sword as she did so. Krakken simply began to use the same spell as he did before, to suck away her air.. as he had done to Blade. But nothing happened. Instead, she seemed to become a sort of blue mist, yet returned to form. He started to back-peddle, but it was too late. Laina had impaled him upon the sword, the tip of it was sticking through his back.

"Do not *ever* mess with *my* mage, Keeper. For it shall be your soul that is lost..."

She growled as Krakken slumped forward, waiting for the Keeper to appear.. or for Krakken to spring back to life....

"S'ok he was only a blue little wimp anyways." Soulkeeper finally materialized on the Astral Plane to face every single CF past and present being projected by Tachyon as he took their images and traits from his database files. "Krakken was merely for ironic fun, didn't expect him to last long. Besides, I was hasty to see your final match in this game-- me!"

A sharp green blast shot forth from Soulkeeper’s out-thrust hands and Laina was shot backward. Soulkeeper grabbed Blade who was choking for air and easily flung him over fifty feet across the astral plane.

"I've mastered this realm, you will not in the time it takes for me to claim your souls." Soulkeeper watched Tachyon strain to keep the psychically projected CFs active, "Thank you can hold out little one?"

Laina struggled to get her to her feet, but she had kept her grip on Blade's sword. If only Tala was truly here... She'd be the one to help. Poor Tachyon.. if only she could enhance his powers and be able to...

"Keeper!"

She yelled. He turned his attention to her.

"You and Me! Remember? You and me alone, you bastard! I challenge you!"

"Laina! No!"

"I have to do this. For you all, for Blade... For me. Let them drop, and help Blade. I can't loose him..."

"Laina.." Tacyon protested.

"Do it now!" She glared at him, then she pointed the tip of her sword at Soulkeeper.

"Do you accept my challenge, you coward? You who must hide behind others powers? Others souls? DO YOU?!"

She was beyond all reason now, her only goal was to avenge Blade.

DREAMWORLD

Ariah was reaching for Kaliana with weird glowing hands. Deyja quickly shot a wall of flames between the two forcing Ariah to halt.

Wraith turned to Grey, "Keep him occupied I'm working on something." the mystical masked creature said pulling his sword free and turned away from the battle.

Grey went after Ariah who made a hole in the world but Grey sensed and quickly evaded it. He shot a mild howler blast to distract him then leapt, meaning to pin him. Suddenly giant talons plucked him out of mid air before he could reach Ariah.

Ariah smiled at his own control over the dreamworld. Next he conjured up the flowing ice that swelled up at Deyja's feet and began to consume him.

Wraith decided we would have to put an end to this. With his sword glowing bright green color, he stabbed it into the ground and suddenly everything disappeared: the bird the ice and everything dreamed by Ariah or others.

"How?” asked Ariah as Grey dropped back down to the ground and Deyja moved his legs again.

"I've frozen the power of the Dreamworld so you can face these Crystal Fighters without bending any rules, it will be a strictly physical affair." Wraith said then nodded for the CFs to continue.

ASTRAL PLANE

Soulkeeper sighed slightly reluctantly. Her soul would be enough alone and even though the others could be fought easily he would rather have them out of the fight. Laina had struck his fancy. It would be much more exciting to face her one on one, more intimate.

"I accept."

Suddenly Blade and Tachyon were thrown from the Astral Plane and Laina was left alone with the Soulkeeper.

Laina felt a chill wash over her, but held her ground. She wasn't going to lose, not to *him* .. not after what he did to Blade. And too everyone else that had been a victim.

"Interesting, you offering yourself to me. I'm certain you'll make a most wonderful warrior."

"I'm not going to lose."

Laina's reply was short, clipped. The Soulkeeper started laughing. As he did so, the same energy blasts leapt from his hands like wildfire. Laina was thrown black by the blast.

"Fool! You are *nothing* compared to me!"

"No, Keeper.." Laina growled, rising. She was a tad fried, but armor started to appear over body. "You've just met your match!"

They were evenly matched at the start. Each was using magical attacks, chipping away at the other’s defenses. Laina had always been more of a physical fighter, so this magical use was wearing her down. Plus, Keeper had more time and knowledge of his powers, so he was easily keeping her away from him, and dodging the swipes of her sword was child's play. She managed to get close one time, and got a slash in.

"You...!!" Keeper’s eyes flared, and he backhanded her across the face, sending her flying. As he did so, the outlook of the astral plane started to warp and change. Instead of being a void, it started to look more like a rocky battleground. When Laina landed, she fell hard, leaning a trail of dirt behind her. She rose shakily, blood leaking from the corner of her mouth. Keeper floated before her, arms folded.

"Ready to give up?"

She said nothing, and just pointed upwards at him. She spread her fingers open, and a ball of red/blue appeared in her hand. He blinked.

"Never."

She blasted him, and he flew backwards, a large hole appearing in his outer garments. It wasn't meant to kill, just hurt. It had burned through, leaving a large scorch mark on his chest.

"You'll pay for that..."

He remarked as he rose. Oh, but this was fun. He hadn't a fight like this since Krakken. He could hardly wait to tame her, and make her a warrior for him. He'd be unstoppable then.

They continued to trade blows, physical and magical.. till both fell from a blast fired at the same time. Laina's armor had long since faded away: most of his clothes were blackened. Each was bleeding from cuts, and had bruises everywhere.

Laina was fighting to keep her eyes open. She couldn't loose to him, the others were counting on her. A few feet away, Keeper was struggling to get up. That little.. how had she managed to counter that attack? It was impossible! The soul flame was supposed to be unbeatable, he had killed many a person with it before.

"I. Shall. Have. You..."

He spoke with conviction as he finally got up. Laina saw him rising, and groaned. She was in too much pain to even move. But she had too. She gripped the handle of her sword, whispering...

"Please.. Blade.. someone.. give me the strength I need..."

Laina pleaded as Soulkeeper scrambled towards her diligently. He forced himself to move across the rocky dirt path to her, to take her as his own.

The red seeped down her face and onto the hard dirt that scratched into her face and wounds. The mixture created muddy splotches, for awhile it was the only color she saw; red. Then, past the burnt form of the approaching Soulkeeper, was blue.

For the first time Laina had realized that when the Krakken’s form had fallen, impaled by the sword from her hands, he hadn't merely disappeared like the other soul forms. He was still there and now approaching from the distance as the Keeper came over her.

With his failing energy the Soulkeeper was forced to kneel beside the immobile Laina.

"Thank you for such a valiant fight young woman, you almost brought me to my end before I had your soul, the thing I sought to keep from that end, ironic huh?"

"You and your ironic crap." Laina murmured through the blood in her mouth. Soulkeeper just smiled as the green was glowing around his hand again. It would be the last blow in her weakened state and at point blank range. Laina closed her eyes.

It was awhile as the 'Keeper charged his power and Laina lay silently in the dark until she heard the first groan from the Keeper. She peered and saw the Krakken form in a tussle with the Soulkeeper.

But something was odd, they seemed to be melding as if Krakken was trying to force himself into Soulkeeper.

Then suddenly they had become one and the violent screams filled her ears as the two conjoined flailed about in convulsive rhythms. Two souls in one body, it was unnatural and destroying both the souls. Keeper would have to release Krakken's soul from his hold to get him out of his body Laina realized. Then the two fell away from each other, becoming two individual selves again.

For a while, neither moved. All three of them just lay there, then Krakken moved his head across the dirt path and crooked it at an angle where could look at her, "Thank you Laina." he said quietly "Finally he has sent me free thanks to you." and the blue skinned friend she had once barely known faded away to the afterlife of his people where he was meant to be.

It wasn't over-- Soulkeeper was still alive, but Laina did not believe he would be able to kill her any longer.

She watched him go into a seizure like state… but he was still speaking, mumbling to himself more, "She is near I must get to her." Then the Keeper faded away from the Astral Plane and then the Astral Plane faded too and Laina was waking up in the ruins of the castle where Kaliana had first opened the box.

"Kaliana!" Laina shouted looking at Blade and Tachyon.

"What?" Tachyon asked.

"Keeper is barely alive, he said SHE was his last chance and he may be talking about Kaliana since she opened the box she belongs to him." Laina thought, "Where is she?!"

Tachyon observed, "I'm getting a bio signature from the other side of this gateway." The Dreamworld gateway was still blaring in front of them.

Blade helped Laina up, "Let's go."

DREAMWORLD

Wraith's sword, he felt, was finally filtered to the right power and frequency; he should be able to accomplish his task. They just needed to hold him.

Laina, Blade and Tachyon were just coming into the sightless barren Dreamworld as Grey and Deyja were knocked back. Wraith had to release his power on the Dreamworld to execute his plan and suddenly the world shifted back to normal.

Wraith shouted to the new allies, "Hold him!" he said pointing to Ariah. Tachyon nodded and zoomed forward and pulled back a panel on his armor and shot a small object before Ariah could take over his control of the Dreamworld again. The object gradually grew and extended as it sprung through the air to catch its pray. It was a net, Wraith realized, watching it rapidly become large enough to capture the Dreamworld violator. It wrapped quickly around Ariah clenching him and then shocking him with its electric pulses.

Ariah toppled over in a frenzy. Wraith quickly made his move and plunged his sword into Ariah's mind on a mental frequency so that it did not kill him only extracted the powers that the Soulkeeper had given him.

Wraith pulled the sword back and Ariah cried, feeling empty and no longer able to dream. He slipped away from the Dreamworld. Grey and Deyja were already picking up Rupay from where she had laid, seemingly unconscious till now.

Laina and Blade were looking over Kaliana who was slowly getting up "Did you see the Soulkeeper?" Laina asked.

Kaliana looked confused, "No, what are you talking about?" Kaliana looked angrily at her.

"Maybe it wasn't you." Laina thought but she had been so sure for some reason, but if not Kaliana then who.

"Without Ariah, how do we get back out of here?" Tachyon asked and Wraith pointed to the young girl who was one with the Dreamworld herself.

Rupay smiled then the Dreamworld began to pull in on them then pushed back out. In a burst of bright light they all found themselves once again in the ruins of the castle.

With just Soulkeeper and Dia's power, Kali's not stupid enough to take on *all* the CFs.

When they had materialized back into the physical world, there was an addition to the earlier collection of spirits: Dianthe. She was curled in a fetal position, her Kiav a foot or so away from her, and she was breathing shallowly.

"She's...alive?" Grey asked wonderingly, looking at Kaliana who shrugged.

"Apparently." The rejoined groups of CF compared notes while someone checked over Dianthe, "She's alive...but, there's no brain activity, aside from that controlling physical functions and that's at a minimum, it might not even keep her alive for much longer than a few days.

Laina frowned thoughtfully at Dianthe, the Soulkeeper had mentioned a her... And since it hadn't been Kaliana - so far as she could tell - could he have meant Dianthe? She hoped not, for she had been one of the nicest.. since, well Zelda. She sighed, hoping that she would be alright.

Blade was checking something, then he shook his head.

"Something's.. not right, I can't heal her. I don't know why.. Laina.."

"We'll have to wait for the others, maybe they can help her."

Rupay was safely returned to them, Krakken's spirit was free, Ariah's power was diminished and he was sent back home to live a normal life. Soulkeeper was gone and probably finally destroyed. If Dianthe could pull out of this it might just be the CFs most satisfying of victories yet, Grey thought looking at his pack.

The double bleep sounded overhead signaling that the transporters had been activated, the others had arrived back from Faia and they could only hope that their adventure had gone as well.

Grey led his people to greet the others a rival so they would be whole again and ready to face the newest threat to good and themselves.

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