CHAPTER 1
Entropy busily packs in his room, throwing various articles 
of clothing, along with a crossbow and some bolts, on his   
bed.  Finally, he stops, seeing a small, leather-bound book.
 He picks it up, delicately opening it up and turning to the
first page.  "Home."  he says, smiling a bit.  "I wonder    
what Eikharus looks like these days?"  He sets the book down
gently on his bed, then proceeds to shove the remaining     
items into a backpack, save for the crossbow, which he hangs
from his belt opposite his sword.  Heading downstairs with  
the book in hand, he runs into the other CFs in the main    
hallway, including  Kyle, their  new leader.    
                                                            
 "Okay, where you goin', bird boy?"  Kyle says, noticing his  
burden.                                                     
 "Here."  He says, holding up the book.  "You can generate  
teleportals as UA could, am I right?"                       
 "Yeah, but first, you tell me where you're going."         
 "All right, all right, I'm going back home for a visit to  
my, well, what's left of my family.  It's important." Kyle  
looks a bit intrigued.  "I guess you can come if you want.  
There's plenty of open spaces, and it's much like old       
earth's dark ages, without so much darkness.  Somewhat like 
the old...what's it called?  King Arthur stories?  Anyway,  
you're all welcome to come with me.  I'm sure it would be a 
learning experience."  He looks at the rest of the CFs,     
slightly glaring at Kyle.  "Well, I need that teleportal if 
I'm going to go, or any of you for that matter."
"Hmmmm I would like to go but we cant all go" says Nity.    
"Someones got to protect the castle especially now that Vile
arnt the only enemys out there, we got the Darkens out there
wanting revenge aswell".                                    
"Yeah and I want to stay back with T.I.M. so we can work    
with Zealen in building his new suit" says Zelda feeling    
somewhat attached to Zealen lately after intrusting his     
Crystal to her.                                             
"Yeah and we are going out to look for survivors at the Vile
lair. The inocent prisoners deserve that we try looking for 
survivors even though there is probably a slim chance of    
that after the way that place collapsed. They probably didnt
have a chance the way they were chained to the walls" says  
Krakken.                                                    
"Ok Nity, Zelda, Zealen, Krakken, T.I.M. you five stay here"
says Kyle "the rest of you can choose to stay or go, as for 
me I feel like takin a little R and R, this leader stuff can    
take a lot out of you"                                      
"Yes sir" Zealen's machanicle voice said that had come with 
the robot body he had somehow been contained in.            
The CF's were eager to obey Kyle's instructions even though 
deep down it felt very wrong. But that was easily forgotten 
about as if someone had covered it up so no one would find  
it. Tala Wants to laugh at that comment about "leader stuff", after  
all, what had he done as a leader? Then she felt a twinge,  
and sighed. She felt only semi-regretful about her thought. 
 Oh well, she could chew on this feeling later, for now, she
had a trip to go on. She had always enjoyed visiting other  
places.                                                     
Zealen walks to the lab making large clanking noises. "I am 
afraid I got a older model." His suits arms come out and he 
starts gathering tools. A large portal opened, and Dalan    
walked out. "Zealen, ok?" He started taking out pieces of   
Zealen's suit and places it on the table. Dalan hands him a 
note. (Dear Zealen, your new body is in production, you     
should have it in a week.) "Oh well" Zealen said, getting to
work on his suit.
"I would be more than happy to acompany you, friend         
Entropy," says Ganthet.  "A land simialr to my own,        
untouched my the thing called high technoligy, where honor  
and justice shaped the world." 
''Im staying with Zelda, to help out.'' Rupay stated to    
Kyle. Then, she smiled toward the direction of Entropy ''I  
hope you have a safe and enjoyable visit.''                 
                                                            
Meanwhile, Eme was in her office doing things queens do. 
As the CFs continue through Kyle's teleportal, Entropy looks
back at them.  "I'm sure you'll all love the place."  He    
smiles.  "Indeed, Ganthet, honor is one of the first things 
we learn when we're born.  And we also have knights, but the
majority of them are at the Castle of Four rivers, where    
Eikharus's ruling council reigns."  Suddenly, a light       
appears before them.  "Ah, we should be coming out right    
about..."                                                   
  Exiting the teleportal, the CFs can see nothing but dead  
lands, burned forests, and a sky swathed in black clouds    
glowing sickly red beneath them.  "Oh, Jkaertus...."        
Entropy says, viewing the destruction.  He drops to his     
knees, staring off towards the west, where the scattered    
rubble and ruined foundation of some kind of building lay.  
Entropy just kneels there, eyes wide and mouth hanging open.
 "NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" 

CHAPTER 2
Nity watches the majority of the team leave. He hopes they  
have a good time and are able to relax and have a good time 
while there gone.                                           
"Well Krakken what do you say we go look for survivors?"    
asks Nity.

"You, Entropy an' Ganthet go south an' fan   
out.  Th' rest will come with me, got it?"                  
"You're the boss."  They separate.  "What a jerk.  Wish we  
kept--er, who was our last leader?"                         
"???  We had another leader?" Ganthet asks.                 
"Yeah.  His name was--" Entropy starts.                     
"Wait, I thought it was a she?" Kisutsu interrupts.            
"No, no...it was a shadow!" Ganthet exclaims.  And that    
continues on and on and on--we're talking energizer bunny   
here. 
Ganthet starts searching.  He picks up rubble, and tosses it
aside, looking to find anyone buried. ~Very odd,~ he muses, 
~I feel like we had another leader...Kyle does not seem to  
be thet type of being, moral character I found follow...,   
yet I have no hard memories of another, and I remember all  
1400 years of my life..~ 
Entropy looks to the others, shifting into his beast form.  
"I'm going to check out the castle of Four rivers."  he     
says, pointing to the ruins ahead.  "Do what you will.  If  
you find anyone, mention my name and they might not kill    
you.  Good luck."  With that, he flies off, down towards the
ruins.                                                      
                                                            
THE CASTLE OF FOUR RIVERS                                   
Entropy swoops down, into what must've been the main        
courtyard.  strange, inhuman(Or inbeast, for that matter)   
footprints lie in the dust, and two huge oaken doors hang   
unceremoniously from where they once stood. ~There's only   
one place I can find out about this.~ Entropy thinks to     
himself.  ~The Hall of Records, if it's still standing.~    
Decending into the remaining foundation of the castle,      
Entropy arrives in the wrecked remains of a huge library.   
Nearly all the books are gone, leaving only a small book on 
a podium.  Entropy's face is graced with a tear as he looks 
at the ruined area.  "All our knowledge was here,           
everything, over 500 generations..."  He goes over to the   
book, opening it up and turning to the last entry.          
                                                                                                                  
  The castle is under siege, and I know not how long we     
have.  The Master Vile has already defeated our defenders,  
and now only the stone and steel of the castle walls protect
us from the scourge.  If only the Crystal Fighters could    
arrive, but we lack the knowledge to summon them, and nearly
all our spellbooks have been captured by the Master Vile.   
As is my purpose, I shall record this creature so we might  
be saved from this hell.  The Master vile is a being of pure
shadow, black as night with burning eyes and three heads,   
each with a huge mouth lined with teeth.  It walks on four  
legs, and would appear to be a dragon if it were not for the
fact that no normal weapon can harm its shadowy skin.    
So far, we have not discovered a weakness, but it seemed to 
be vulnerable to cert-                                      
                                                            
  The entry ended there.  Entropy noticed the small spatter 
of blood on the page, knowing it must have been the         
scribe's.  "It is no wonder the castle was destroyed."  he  
said to himself.  "It's here."  He grabbed the book off the 
podium, then quickly ascended out of the castle basement.   
There would be retribution.  


CHAPTER 3
Zelda wondered what they would do while the others were     
gone...it was hard after so much action to think of actually
being able to relax for a change, or start something and not
have it interupted.  "I'm going to go practice a bit.."     
Zelda said to Rupay, and headed towards the courtyard.  
 
"Let's."  Krakken replies to Nity's sugeestion of going to the destroyed Vile lair.
"Celestial Razis Crystal POWER!!" the newly transformed Nity
, now Razis says to Krakken "shall we race"                 
"We shall" replies Krakken.                                 
Razis summons his power of flight and rockets off towards   
the one of the many destroyed Vile lairs.                   
Krakken summons the wind around him and takes off after     
Razis.  

After many long hours, Zealen had managed to complete his   
suit. "Wow, finaly!" His robotic body fit solidly in the new
suit, revealing the Protoss robotic glory. His suit then    
adjusted to his robotic body, increasing firepower, height, 
powers, and other things. "200 more things then my other    
suit, and with the kadynite crystal core, as a robot, I can 
use Psionic powers. I love my race." He walked out having to
duck a few times under the arches to find Zelda. 
Zelda had reached the couryard and was now sitting in the   
middle of it on the ground with her legs crossed and eyes   
closed.  She imagined a white square, one of the first      
things she'd learned..that was before they had given up on  
any evidence of psi talent.  She was able to hold it for as 
long as necessary now, if there was little interuption.     
Zelda reached out behind the box toward...something..it was 
a "warm" presense for lack of a better term.  It started to 
get stronger, but suddenly it turned cold..colder than      
anything physically frozen.  She jerked back, and in the    
physical world actually fell over backwards.  What sounded  
like a crack of thunder echoed somewhere in the distence.   
Zelda sat up slowly, the white box completly forgotten.  She
blinked quickly trying to focus on the "real world" which   
took a few seconds. 

Eme sat in her office and stopped writing. ~Kyle. Something 
is wrong about him. But he is a good leader I suppose. And  
the others seem to like him. Something seems missing.~      
                                                            
Rupay went to her room and slept. She liking sleeping in    
real life. To see what others saw when they went to dream   
world.

EIKHARUS
Tala Shakes her head, and moves towards the castle as well. As   
she did so, she studied the way the earth had been scorched.
She hadn't seen many fires, but she supposed they all did   
this sort of damage. She glanced up in time to see Entropy  
charge up the stairs, and phased over to him. In the blink  
of  an eye, really.                                             
 "Is...anyone alive?"                                       
She looks at the book he holds as she asks, wondering why he is    
holding onto it so tightly.  

Pyro surveys the wreckage of the castle. "Geez, whatever    
hit this place was like a freakin A-Bomb. He enters a       
chamber and looks around for a moment. he hears a crumbling 
sound and looks up just in time to see a chunk of the       
celing fall towards him, he dodges it for the most part,    
but it strikes his arm and pins him to the floor. His arm   
shattered.                                                  
Pyro momentarly screams in pain then snaps out of it, and   
weakly yells "HELP' before he passes out.

CRYSTALLIA
Razis and Krakken reach the wreckage. Razis beats Krakken by
a fragment of a second. The two slightly step over
the wreckage delicately pushing it aside looking for signs  
of life.                                                    
The two quickly find an opening and drop into an open   
part of the lair where not much rubble has fallen into.      
"Be careful" says Razis "We dont want this caveing in on    
us".                                                        
Krakken jerks his head to the left "Did you hear that".     
"No, what was it"                                           
"It sound like voices coming from that direction" Krakken   
points.                                                     
"Come on"                                                   
They walk towards where Krakken heard the voices from.      
Then they bot hear the voices, they can faintly make out the
word "Help".                                                
The CFs crawl under a semi collapsed ceiling and come into  
an open unharmed room. Across the room at the other side a  
little boy and little girl sit huttled together.            
The two CF's run towards the two children and pick them up. 
As they pick the children up in there arms they begin to,   
what seems like, melt!!!                                    
"What the hell" asks Krakken.                               
Then the two bodies explode into a mesh of vines.           
"Holy...." the vines wrap around the two CF's causing them  
to be unable to move.                                       
The CF's try to move but there arms and legs are tied so    
tightly together they fall to the ground.                   
Then a voice resinates in the air "You have come to close to
the sacred items now you shall pay with your life for trying
to rob the Vile, you show yourselfs to be an easy enough    
kill by falling for are first trap, to bad now you shall    
die".  

CHAPTER 4
"Where'd you find that book?" asks Tala.                                   
 "It was in the hall of Knowledge, where we kept all our    
records over the past 300 generations.  This was all that's 
left. It's got all the information on the traps and monsters
that were kept in the caslte and is the closest thing to a  
monster guide we'll find.  I think I know what did all this,
too.  There's nothing written on how to stop it, though.    
I've fought it before, but not too long.  I might be able to
find a weakness, and Yttrual help us if I'm wrong."         
  "Well, what is it?"  Tala asks.                        
  "You know your average Vile, right?"                      
  "Of course."                                              
  "Think of a giant, 5-headed Vile Dragon, and you're close.
 The castle's defenses could never stand up to that kind of 
onslaught.  I'm not sure if anyone's survived.  For all I   
know, I'm the last beast or human from this world.  However,
I know the creature likes water, it was always moving toward
the sea of Teurachtum while I was fighting it.  It'll       
also need someplace to rest, and there's only one cave big  
enough to support it on the seashore.  But for now, we have 
to rest.  We've got a long walk ahead of us.  By the way,   
where's Pyro?"

CRYSTALLIA   
Krakken wriggled around in his bindings.  They were     
unnaturally strong, but he could snap them, if he had enough
time to gather air around him, painstakingly but            
inconspicuosly.  They had to stall...  "'Sacred Items'?     
What sacred items?  Before we die, would we be permitted to 
see them, in all of their... um... glorious wonder?"       
    The leader of the Vile sect knew that he was up to      
something, but it didn't really matter; the captives were   
surrounded by an excessively large group of Vile that were  
more poweful than most, had given up more for their power.  
The evil creature smiled unsettlingly, "Agreed."

EIKHARUS
Pyro wakes up seeing and pulls, the remains of his arm      
tear off. He slids out a vile and smashes it on the wound. 
The burning sensation pases as the arm is burned shut.      
Shakeing off the pain he reaches the emergincy teleportal   
and ports to his lab.                                       

CRYSTALLIA
"Emergincy, 7734-Alpha" Pyro says as he falls onto a table, 
a robot swings towards him and begins adding componet after 
componet to the burnt flesh. In time a metal plate is       
finshed over the wound. Pyro wakes up slowly "Well, the     
connections compleat. He wanders over to a cabinet. Opens   
it up and reveals several arms to fit the socket in his     
sholder. He grabes the one labled "Battle Arm" and places   
it on, a skin like substance coats it, making it look like  
his real arm. "The funs only starting" He says as he         
reenters the teleportal to find his friends.


Razis and Krakken countinue to wiggle on the ground     
trying to get out of the vines but they are intensely       
powerfull.                                                  
Then the ceiling above them braks a part and slides away to 
reveal a huge spiked ball dangling on a thin rope.          
"%&*($*(& $*( B *()() $) *()$&(@^" The two CFs yell, the    
rope snaps, Krakken summons the wind and Razis summons his  
power of flight and they are able to just slip out of the   
way as the spikes graze there backs ever so slightly. The   
ball plummets through the floor leaveing a gaping hole.     
The vines around the two CF's disolve while there in mid    
air.                                                        
"Thank goddess" says Razis.                                 
"Yeah first a free hair cut and now we are free of those    
freaskish vines."                                            
Then a beam of light strikes the two CFs suspended in the    
air, zapping away there crystal's power. Razis turns back   
into Nity and Krakken loses his power over the wind. The two
plummet back down towards the hole left by the huge ball.   
Nity and Krakken drop through the hole. They can see where 
the spiked ball's decent had been stoped about a hundred    
feet down.                                                  
"We are going to be splatterd on that thing" yells Nity.    
"No" says Krakken as they pass a hole in the wall, Krakken  
lashes his hand out just grabing it before he passes by.    
Krakken's other hand lashes out just catching Nity's.       
"Hunh thanks pal" says Nity.                                
Krakken hoists Nity up into the hole and then pulls himself 
in.                                                         
"What is this thing" asks Nity.                             
"Looks like a tunnel"                                       
Nity looks back up the hole that the ball had made "Well we 
are going to have to follow this tunnel" Krakken nods and   
they cautiosly head down the dark tunnel into the unknown.  

CHAPTER 5
Zealen walks into the kitchen were he hopes to find the     
other CFs. He walks in and looks on the table, seeing his   
crystal in his case. He goes to grab it, but his robotic    
body shudders and he steps back. Just then Zelda walked in  
and looked at Zealen. "Boy, you got bigger." She said with a
grin. Just then Rupay walked in looking in the fridge. "I'll 
make something if your hungry." Zealen said. They both      
nodded. They sat down and waited for Zealen's Fereaa Grvaa, 
an excellent Protoss dish. After he served them, he went to 
grab his crystal again, but shuddered more. "I can't take my
crystal!" 

EIKHARUS
Entropy looks up, noticing the others as they arrive.       
"Good, you're here.  I know what did this, and I know where 
it's headed, or where it is, more accurately.  The creature 
that did this is called the Master Vile.  Think of a        
5-headed Vile dragon and you're close to it.  This book," he
says, holding it up, "Contains all the information on the   
creatures and traps here and in the surrounding areas, and  
some information on the Master Vile.  It can be defeated,   
but it will take all of, us, especially you, U.... no, Kyle.    
Where did that come from?"  He shakes his head for a second.
 "Anyway, we should probably get some rest.  There are 2    
boats in the river dock below, and we need to get to the    
fortress Handukal by tomorrow night to plan our attack of   
the nightmare.  For now, find someplace safe to sleep, and I
mean especially safe.  We built this castle exceptionally   
powerfully for a reason." he opens the book, displaying a   
few sketches of a tall, powerfully built boar-man carrying  
an ornate cutlass.  "These are Hjarns.  They run the night  
and no known force can completely wipe them out, they're    
probably still around.  Pleasant dreams, everyone."
Tala Wonders how one is supposed to get pleasant dreams after    
seeing that, but finds what she hopes is a good enough spot 
anyway. Before going to sleep, she scans the area around    
her, and finds nothing unusal. She wonders what it is that  
is bothering her, but prepares to fall asleep anyhow, hoping
nothing happens. 
Pyro Still being strangely awake from the day's events he spends 
much of the night making some modifications on his arm.     
"Just in case."
Though everyone finds it difficult to fall asleep, night    
comes quickly and eyelids gain weight as darkness grows.    
Soon everyone has nodded off, including Entropy, who now    
rests in a high-up outcropping of the ruined castle.        
  However, merely because everyone is in a peaceful sleep   
does not mean everything is peaceful.                       
 
CHAPTER 6
 A rustling sound emanates from the bushes nearby.  A      
moment later, almost deathly quiet, a party of 5 Hjarns     
bearing scimitars and axes emerge from the woods.  One of   
them, bearing a torch and wearing some sort of crest on his 
head, scans over the group and points at Tala and Pyro.  The
other 4 quickly produce some rope and two long poles, and   
the two of them are tied up, quietly, and gagged so they    
cannot warn their friends.  Suddenly, a dark figure appears 
from out of nowhere behind the lead Hjarn.                  
  "Hjak perutt nowapas kworrk? (Mind if I join in?)"        
  The Hjarn seems to recognise the voice, but the shadowed  
one is quicker, and the Hjarn's now headless.  The other    
four whip around as one of them begins to brand tattoos on  
each of Tala's and Pyro's arms, not even bothering pyro's   
mechanical one.  "Jukakk?(What?)"                           
  Entropy smiles as he takes a fighting stance.  "Ikakk    
nomas, Hjarn.  Ikakk wuss uir loquan.(Not today, Hjarns.    
Not while I live.)"

CRYSTALLIA                                                            
Krakken looked down the dark tunnel in front of     
them, gibbering Vile only a few yards away.  "Well, it looks
like this is the only way to go."  They walked down the     
muddy passageway, trying to hurry.  In their haste, they    
failed to notice the ladder on their right, leading out of  
the cave.  Krakken felt the soft ground shift beneath his>>>
feet.  Seconds later, he felt a sharp needle pierce his     
side.                                                       
    "Man, are you alright?"                                 
    "I'm fine, Nity," Krakken replied, ignoring the sudden  
dizziness and the burning spreading throughout his body,    
"just fine.  Now let's go, before those Vile catch up with  
us." 

EIKHARUS
The two Hjarns farthest back, suddenly fall   
over, their necks snapped.  The remaining ones turn to see  
the man of crystal, Ganthet. "I would suggest you leave now.
Between myself, and Entrophy, you haven't a chance."  Not   
giving the evil creatures a chnace to respond, Ganthet      
speaks again. "Harmonic disruption," he whispers.  The wave 
of harmonic energy hits the creatures causing them to blur  
and vanish from exsistance. 
Waking with a jolt and finding himself tied up Pyro       
starts wiggling and swearing loudly.                                                  
Pyro strains to get out as the Hjarns close in on Entropy. 
Unable to move he fires a few solo-spikes catching one of   
the Hjarn's leg throwing him off balance. As it regains     
balance it swings down it's axe, the blade snags the lines  
and force them into the ground. "I thought that would have  
worked better then that." He groaned and prepared for       
whatever else was comming, straing just praying that the    
bonds were at least a little weakened 
Entropy smiles as the last Hjarn is cut down.  "I believe,  
however,"  he says, reaching into the bush and pulling out  
another Hjarn, shivering and terrified.  "We forgot one."   
he turns to the Hjarn.  "Yhaq Nokk maxck wukakk uq Iock asq 
nollak.  (Untie our friends, and I may let you live.)"  The 
Hjarn quickly complies, then vanishes into the forest after 
untying them.  Suddenly, he notices the tattoos branded on  
their arms.  Running over to Tala, he examines hers more    
closely.  "You're lucky.  These tattoos were for regal      
sacrifices to their gods.  According to this, you would have
been the 492nd bride of Ujiquak, the Hjarn god of pleasures.
 And you, Pyro, most likely would have been given to        
one of their war gods.  I never learned too many of them.   
As for wondering how you would have been sacrificed, don't  
ask, you don't want to know.  Anyway, you'd best get back to
sleep.  Ganthet, you and I can keep watch over this place,  
we don't need much sleep.  The Hjarns might come back to get
their sacrifices, so be on your toes until morning.         
                                                            
THE NEXT MORNING                                          
After a supposedly uneventful evening, the CFs quickly    
arrive at their boats and shove off, Entropy, Ganthet, Tala,
and Pyro in one boat, and Kyle and the others in the     
second.  The trip is mostly uneventful, save for a few short
series of rapids.  Suddenly, the river abruptly ends at a lush 
tropical jungle near the foot of a mountain range.       
  "Ok, everyone out!" Entropy says, pulling out his sword.  
"We have about an hour's hike from here to the beach across 
a valley between the Yurudan mountains.  Even the Hjarns    
don't dare climb those, so we should be relatively safe     
unless the Harpaiai decide to come down from the peaks.     
Now, I'll take point, I know this land.  The rest of you    
follow me." 
Tala Follows along, still thinking over that 492nd bride thing.  
That would have been way too..gross or however one put  
it. Sighing, she rubs the arm that the markings are 
on.                                                         
 However, so far, she wouldn't have missed this trip for the
world. There were still so many thoughts here..some good,   
some bad..all interesting. 
"Quiet interesting," says Ganthet.  This trip was...unusual 
to say the least.  Those creatures presented an oppertunity 
for battle, and he had rejoiced in that.  He simply follows 
the others, giving the area a gental harmoic probe. They'd  
let him know about any living creature in the area.
The CFs continue through the mountains, looking down into a 
deeper section of the valley, full of lush plants,          
waterfalls, and, every once in a while, a glimpse of exotic 
wildlife can be seen.  "It's called the valley of Michara.  
I believe she would be much like the Prosperine of the roman
myths."  Entropy says, hacking through some thick foliage   
with his sword.  The valley is indeed beautiful, but ends   
soon after, as Entropy finally breaks through the foliage to
find a beach.  He turns back to the other CFs.  "It won't be
far from here!"  he says, then quickly dives through.       
  Another short walk later, the CFs arrive at a huge cave   
carved out of solid rock.  "This is it."  Entropy says as he
peers into the cave.  He grabs a stick, wrapping it in cloth
and soaking it with a flask of brandy.  "Pyro, if you       
please?"  One blast of flame later, the CFs venture in.