"Why....why..." stutters Ganthet, "why would you do that to 
us?" He questions Rydia more, "We've done nothing to you.   
We're protectors, heroes, warriors of honor and justice."   
   ~Oh boy, enough with the speeches G.,~ says Solara.      
  ~All right...I'll tone down the talk.~                    
  ~But what is with this person?  She talks like you're the 
bad guys!~                                                  
  ~Wish I knew Solara...I wish I knew.~                     
  He grows stern.  "Speak now," he rumbles. He didn't follow
with a threat.  There was no sense in angering someone would
could help merge reality.    
Tala nudges Entropy, thinking he should take Ganthet's lead.     
After all, if she could fling them anyway, whatever he was  
planning on doing most likely would not be able to hold her 
for long.                                                   
 "Let her speak first..I'm sure there's a reason why it was 
done."                                                      
 Her gaze swings back to her. "Isn't there?"     
Entropy looks back at her, a smirk on his face.  "Don't worry, I
think we've got what we need.  And she can explain.  It'll  
just be from a safe point."  Suddenly, a door slides open,  
revealing 10 security personnel and a strange table-like    
hovering device with a claw on one end, a glowing node in   
the center, and two walls on either side of the node.  The  
claw extends out, grabbing Rydia and securing her to the    
node.  Instantly, an energy shield forms over her.  Entropy 
smiles.  "Take her to the brig, she can explain there."     
  "What did you do?" Tala asks as she is carted off,        
struggling to get out of the node.                          
  "It's called a capture node.  Perfect for anyone with     
innate magic or psionics.  When it attaches them to the     
node, it begins draining their powers and feeding them into 
an Anti-magic field around them.  There's no harm done, it  
just keeps them from using any magic and prevents their     
escape.  It's one of my best, but if you don't like it, we  
could have stun-blasted her a couple dozen times and        
possibly have caused damage to the brain, if that's what you
wanted."   
Tala just arches a brow.                                         
 "I would have preferred her to explain in person..but if    
this is what "you" think is best, I assume I shall have to  
go along with it?"                                          
She turns smartly on her heel, and goes to follow that.. thing.
~Interesting fellow,~ comments Solara on Entropy.           
   ~Yes....he betrayed us once, then saved us.  He is unlike
any other I've met,~ replies Ganthet.                       
  ~And you let him come back?  Weird.~                      
  ~I don't get it either, except that he did come back from 
the dark side so to speak.  Everyone deserves a second       
chance.~                                                    
   "So," says Ganthet, "what do we do now?  How do we find  
and rescue the others? Solara asks the same question."     
 Entropy winces a bit as Tala leaves, then starts for the   
brig with the rest of the security officers.  Rydia should be      
looking exhausted, (actually, she looked about the same) one of the after effects of the capture   
node being it wears out the captive.  It would eventually   
render her unconscious, but other than that, there were no   
harmful effects.  Keeping an eye on her even as they arrive,
the node turns itself 90 degrees, holding her upright and   
sealing itself to a wall.  Entropy sighs, tells the security
officers to return to their posts, and waits for the others 
to arrive.                                                             
Rydia sighed, they'd never learn would they? Violent        
creatures.  They also highly underestimated her.  Before    
the security members came she locked away a tight resource  
of energy and let that machine take her surface energy.     
Ziyaluah looked nervously over at her mother, wondering what
she was going to do next.  She looked like she was getting  
tired of "reasoning with the unreasonable" as she probably  
would have said.        
  Entropy begins to grow impatient as he waits, finally     
deciding to start without them.  He glares at Rydia, looking
her right in the eye.  "Why.  That's all I want to know.    
Why did you do this?"                                       
  "You were growing too destructive.  You wiped out millions
of life forms.  Anyone who does that should get what they    
deserve."                                                   
  "What life forms?  We weren't after anyone but the Vile."  
  "Those are the life forms I am talking about."             
  "What?"  Entropy snorted derisively.  "Look, I've heard   
Vile called a lot of things, but life forms isn't one of     
them.  Do you know why we beat them down?"                  
  "I understand enough to know you wiped them out!"         
  "But do you know why?"                                    
  "It is not my business to say."                           
  "We killed millions of them because they killed BILLIONS  
of others.  They weren't anything deserving the title       
"Lifeform."  They'd look through an atlas of the system,    
pick out a planet, and go "Hey, this place sounds good,     
let's annihilate it!"  For all I know, My homeworld is now an
abandoned little planet populated by semi-sentient pig      
creatures thanks to the Vile."                              
  "Needless to say, you were slaughtering them.  It was     
unnecessary and you had to be removed to preserve them."    
  "Removed?"  He says, snarling at her.  "Removed?  You     
wanted us removed?"  He suddenly shuts down the node,       
pulling out his sword and forcing it into her hands,        
pointing it straight at his neck.  "All right, you want us  
removed?  Kill me!"  She hesitates for a moment.  "What're  
you waiting for, you have the opportunity to "Remove us"    
Why don't you?  Kill me!"                                   
  "I am a pacifist, I am not going to kill anyone."         
Entropy's rage gets the better of him, and he suddenly kicks
the sword from her hands, sending it across the room.       
  "For someone who can't take a life, you're a hell of a lot
more casual about sending people off to die!"               
  "This only proves that you are too violent!"              
  "Does it?  Or does it prove that you've treated us        
unjustly and we are demanding an explanation for attacking  
us like this?" 
 Tala mutters something to herself as she heads outside.  
Jeez, didn't he know better? If someone.. arrgh. Sighing,   
she glances around, frowning thoughtfully. Was someone else 
out here? Quietly, she begins moving forward,               
double-checking the area around her as she walks. She was   
sure she had heard..something.                              
 Or perhaps thought she had. Wait a minute.. was that       
something moving..? She moves closer, but carefully, not    
knowing who, or what it might be, until she nearly falls    
into the quicksand herself. She mutters a word, and blinks as   
UA looks at her.
As soon as he'd gotten out of the sand he tried his mind-cleansing trick again and ended up inside 
more quicksand. "Wonderful" he had muttered, then he 'ported  to the ship, this seemed like the right
 reality..                                          
 "UA! What..how.. ah, never mind.."                         
 "So, when did you get here?"
"HACK!  COUGH!  I dunno.  Where's here?"                    
"I'll explain later.  Come on."  Tala walks off and UA      
follows.                                                    
"By the way, thanks."                                       
"No problem."    
Ganthet and Solara had come up with a possible plan.  He    
walked to the room where they were hiding their prisoner.   
Unfortunately, he sees Entropy's already there.  He doesn't  
look happy either.  "Calm down Entropy.  Nothing is to be   
gained by anger.  Besides,  Solara has a much calmer        
approach."  He turns to Rydia. "My friend would like to     
speak with you.   Solara SWITCH!"   There's a flash of light
and the exchange is complete.                               
  "I am never going to get used to that," mutters Entropy.  
Solara turns to Rydia.  "Ma'am, I understand your motives-to
an observe the Crystal Fighters could be interpreted as    
evil, but the Vile are the evil ones.  They've all but 
ruined this world.  They killed all my family and friends.  
I'm the sole survivor of my village.  They are pure evil and
wish nothing more than to destroy all.  If you were to make
anyone vanish, it should be ...should be....should be ugh   
Ganthet SWITCH!" She finishes, her ability to remain        
coherent taxed to the limit.  "It should be them," Ganthet  
finishes for her. 

Reality 90
                                                   
He was about to make a camp fire when he heard a roar 
of in the distance. "WOAH~" Suddenly a large Red lizard       
emerged from the trees. "Oh, not good." Pikachu grabbed a   
ball out of his back pack. "What do you want me to do with  
this?" he made a throwing motion. "Well it's better then a  
rock, which was my next move" He hurled the ball at the     
lizard. the ball opened and the Lizard was sucked inside.   
"What Th'?!" Pyro said as he picked up the ball.            
"Pika!!" He grabbed this small computer from his bag and    
handed it to him. "Pokedex? Well, you've proven your not     
dumb. so...." He made a camp fire and leaned back, turning  
on the Pokedex with some hope of finding out what was going 
on around here.   

Reality 0

"Reasons are not important, if you're all as noble and      
intelligent as you seem to think then you should have been  
able to find a way to stop them without violence." Since she
was now free she 'ported to another side of the room.  "From
what you say, the Vile will end up being our next target. At
the moment though, we must finish this."  Rydia said.       
"Mother please." Ziyaluah spoke up, "I believe the Sacr--"  
Rydia gave her a sharp look, "Do not speak of such in front 
of strangers, you know that.  And who are you to interpret a
what is the word is this language? I believe prophecy is    
close.. you are not skilled in such things." 
"Besides..to answer something you said earlier Solara..or Ganthet..     
Good and evil are irrelevant, it is the means that is       
important.  For good and evil are but ideas toward coveting land
or people.  Everyone calls his enemy evil and himself good  
when it's really only a matter of view."  "Mother--"        
"Enough. Come." "No." "You--..why do you insist on speaking 
in this limiting language?!" Rydia exclaimed with annoyance.
 "Speak it if you wish me to answer at all I've cast my lot 
with them."  "Spiteful child.  Fine.  We must return to     
Rya'u'sa, there we can find another way to stop             
these..Fighters." she spat the word out like a vile         
substance.  Immediately Ziyaluah put up a barrier, Rydia     
hadn't been checking her thoughts, she had no need to, why  
should her daughter attack or stop her? But, they were       
closely matched in magic, Rydia wouldn't be able to send    
anything through that barrier, or take it down.  "Do you    
wish me to abandon you?" Rydia said, trying to keep calm as 
her daughter rebelled against her and everything she had    
devoted her life to.  "If you must." Ziyaluah said angrily 
wiping away a stray tear.  Rydia stared at her daughter and 
Ziyaluah stared right back at her.  Finally she turned to   
the few Crystal Fighters that had returned and lifted her   
hand. "NO!" Ziyaluah cried, sensing the spell that her      
mother was about to use, but she didn't have enough time to 
take down her barrier (if effectively blocked magic from     
either side) and help.  Suddenly though, a figure appeared  
in front of Rydia. 
"Kirka" Zaria said, it was soft but her voice carried to   
each and every one of them.  For the benefit of the others  
she used their language, after that single word whose       
meaning was not even fully realized in this language.  At   
the word Rydia stopped her energy buildup and blanched,     
staring at Zaria. "Leave them be. You are Kirka you must not
interfere lest I use Unbeing."  "Zaria..you wouldn't!" Rydia
said, Zaria had been like an older sister to her when she   
was learning the Art.  Despite her high morals, she knew the
meaning of Kirka.  She was not supposed to have existed,    
never supposed to have learned what she did.  Now, somehow  
through the combination of the Art and her character she    
was a danger, a liability.  To interfere with anything was  
to help in destruction.   

Reality 90
                                                            
After finally understanding what was going on, and checking 
the occupied balls, Pyro realized he had quite a force of     
these little buggers. As he and Pikachu wandered towards a  
town.   

Reality 0                                                   
                                                            
As Tala and UA walk along, she explains.                           
 "It appears that we were all tossed into other realities,  
by some circle. I believe, that's what the case is. They    
thought we were all murdering, cut-throats.. and I don't    
think Entropy is changing their view of us."                
 She pushes open the door for him, as they had towards where
everyone else is. 
 "He has someone there right now, perhaps you'll understand 
it better then I do. Or, perhaps you'll be able to talk some
sense into him. Just as long as something goes right soon,  
not all of us are back where we're supposed to be."      
"Mother, no!" Ziyaluah called out, canceling her        
protective field and reaching out to Rydia, "Don't!" she    
could sense the spell her mother was starting.  
No more.  There was nothing Rydia could do except...  She didn't belong her if she was Kirka.  
She should not exist.  The Circle should not exist.  All their work was destructive because of her 
existence.  Violence.  She was a tool of violence.  It was not acceptable.
But to Ziyaluah was  
too late, she was always too late, Rydia destroyed      
herself.  All that was left were blue and purple swirls of  
color, and soon they too faded.                             
  Ziyaluah wanted to cry, but she couldn't, it was too      
horrible for tears.  That was almost worst than crying for  
she had no output for her emotion.                          
  Zaria shook her head, "Such a waste.." she muttered,      
though she had know that if Rydia hadn't done this she would
probably have had to destroy Rydia herself..if she had the  
strength, emotionally as well as physically, to do such a   
thing.  +No..no.+ she told herself, that wasn't Rydia, that 
was Kirka, she was never supposed to exist.  She couldn't   
exist.  A fanatic with power was a dangerous thing.  Even   
though she was..had been a fanatic about something as good as
peace..but even peace can go too far.      She staggered, too long had seen been away from safe 
haven.  Layarteb's spell again was taking it's toll.  But she couldn't throw away her duties because 
of the inconvenience.
                 
Rya'u'sa                                                    
                                                            
Eilana and the others sensed the end of their leader.  She  
sighed with relief, their mission was a noble one, but it   
had been going to far.  She and many of the others had seen 
what they had done to the Crystal Fighters, and what        
Ziyaluah was doing.  They had started discussing it after     
Rydia left.  There were a few that were very loyal to Rydia,
but even they could see that what had been done was wrong.  
They should reverse it, though that would be a lot harder   
than what they had done since the Crystal Fighters they had 
focused on were no longer concentrated in one universe.     
Eilana finally decided on a plan of action.  At least some  
action.  They would go to the reality, place, and time where
Ziyaluah now was.  It didn't take much to convince the      
others.                                                     
                                                            
Reality 0                                                   
                                                            
 Ziyaluah looked away from where her mother had last stood  
and ended up face to face with Eilana, her friend. "What are
you doing here?" she said, taking her mind partially off her
grief.                         
Silently the Circle members lifted their hands to a small ripple where Rydia had been.  Rydia had 
tried to leave a last gift, but she hadn't been strong enough do it herself.  "Mother Ziyaluah, help us." 
 she said, indicating (with the 'mother' title) that they had chosen Ziyaluah to be their new leader.  
Ziyaluah, in shock, stared at her for a few seconds, then closed her eyes and helped them.was a wave of magic the spread out like a shock wave     
across the realities. It would sweep over the realities and 
send things that were out of place back to there reality.   
    For a brief moment, a tiny gust of wind seemed to flow  
down Krakken's throat.  He was breathing again.  As life    
reluctantly crept back into his body, something inside    
Krakken died, seeped out of him, and was lost forever.      
    Before the eyes of the Aldezaarians in the throne room, 
a coughing Krakken faded away from their world, like a stain
being licked away by a mangy dog.  At the same time,    
something that was left of UA trickled into what was left of
his world.  As they watched it all, not comprehending at all,
the guards couldn't help but weep in spite of themselves.   
                                                                                                
Reality 0                                                   
                                                            
Ziyaluah sighed, she should've just stayed back in Rya'u'sa 
to try to convince her mother to help instead of            
interfering uselessly with these people.  Though, to bring 
everyone back alone...that was what had ended her life.     
Rydia hadn't the strength to keep herself going after       
expending so much energy.  At least she finally had         
understood, it took a lot...maybe too much.. for her to     
know.                                                       
  Zaria smiled sadly, at least Rydia had understood, though 
she hated that she was Kirka.  That she shouldn't have      
existed.  Then she clutched the wall she was near and leaned
against it, not letting her face betray anything.  How could
she have forgotten? Why had she even come here? She would   
never have had the strength to unmake Rydia or even stop    
her.  She would barely have enough to get back...back where?
She'd have to settle for the Isle of Myst again.  She was   
surprised that Layarteb hadn't yet attacked her since she   
was out of her safety zone.  +As if he needed to.+ she      
thought bitterly.  She still hadn't found a way to          
untangle the web of a spell he had cast around her, the one 
that sapped her energy away no matter where she was.  The   
only place she had found safe was her isle, the magic she   
had cast upon it when she had created it, protected her from
Layarteb's spell. Without another word, she was afraid her  
voice might betray her, she teleported back to her isle, or...tried to...
 Ziyaluah, turned back to Eilana, "What are you doing here?"
she asked.  "Sensed Rydia death we.  Knew needed help you." Eilana said, having a bit of trouble 
with this
language.  She had learned it, they all had before they     
began the rites of Karansha.  But she had never used it.    
Ziyaluah nodded sadly, "Yes..it seems so.." "Ziyaluah.."    
Eilana started, the she switched to their own language, the 
words smooth and musical.  As she spoke she gave Ziyaluah a 
pleading look.  Ziyaluah answered it with a smile and a nod.
 Then she explained to any CFs listening that the Circle    
welcomed her back, wanted her back, they said she was able  
to see more clearly what was right in their quest and what  
was wrong so that they wouldn't make the same mistake again.
 One minute Zelda was staring at Nity's explanation of     
Shasta, the next she was back on the ship with Rupay, the   
right one she sensed.  The same one that had been with her  
before.  She turned to Rupay, "Was that a dream..? Umm..    
you ~were~ there weren't you?" Then a dark-haired girl, that 
looked a ~lot~ like her Rydia form came up and hugged her,  
"You could've been my mother..in a way you were... at       
least..at least one of you is still alive." Zelda looked    
after her in surprise as a group of people in robes of      
midnight and upside-down crescents on their foreheads joined    
hands and disappeared.  There was no backlash of light,      
showing their skill at such things.  They didn't even need  
words to push the spell along.                              
  "Why do I suddenly have so many daughters?!" Zelda asked  
no one in particular, "I didn't even do anything!"          
"Don't ask Zelda," rumbles Ganthet. "This whole thing has   
only made my head hurt.  We're glad you're back.  You too   
Rupay.   With any luck, the others will also return soon."  
  ~What about me?" questions Solara.                        
  ~In due time my new friend,~ he replies. ~For now, it is  
best not to complicate matters until we are all together    
again.~  
Zelda was too confused even to notice the extra consciousness
that was near Ganthet's own.                       
Eme popped back in sight of the others. UA had a shocked    
face. She was in his arms, almost kissing him. She stepped  
back and say his face then looked at the others. "Um, not    
again...what's going on?"    

Reality 84            
                                      
Kisutsu and Nity ran as this realities CFs chased them with 
pick axes and rocks, this reality was insane. Kisutsu and   
Nity were traders to the CFs here and it wasn't going well.  
Fortunately the Maia from this reality was helping them.    
UA was gaining on the three of them and Kisutsu turned and  
fired his gun at him. UA was knocked unconscious by the stun 
blast.                                                      
"This way!" said Maia she pushed a huge rock a side and      
revealed a cave opening. "Get inside" she said. Nity and    
Kisutsu ran in and Maia followed and pushed the boulder back
into place. "Come on down this tunnel!" Maia said and they   
down the dark tunnel.                                       
"Why are you helping us?" asked Nity.                        
"Look I am not from this..this..reality, I don't know if its 
true that your traitors but where I am from your good guys  
and I couldn't let you be killed."                            
Kisutsu stopped her, "You mean the same thing has happened to
you?"                                                       
"Kisutsu and I aren't from here either the same thing has    
happened to us." said Nity.                                  
"Really? That's great, I'm not alone here, what do you think  
happened to us?"                                             
"I don't...." the tunnel suddenly lit up around them.        
"Hold it right there!" they looked ahead to see Striker and  
about twenty Darkens standing around her with there guns    
raised. "You three aren't going anywhere, fire."              
All twenty guns fired at once the lasers zipping through the
air in their death march to catch the lives of the three    
innocents.                
Then it came the rippling wave a magic flowed through the     
valley picking out Nity, Kisutsu, and Maia.                 
The laser fire hit nothing.                                 
                                                            
Reality 0    
                                               
The three woke in the Dragonstar. Nity, Maia, and Kisutsu   
rose to there feet.                                         
"What happened?" asked Maia.                                 
Tala came up to them "It's a long story"    

Nity shakes his head at Tala and walks towards his temporary
room aboard the Dragonstar, as he passes by Krakken's room  
he hears a groan. Nity looks into the room and sees Krakken 
has returned and is sprawled on the floor bleeding to death.
"Oh &^%&*! Krakken!" Nity rushes over to him. "Zelda get in   
here quick!"  

UA finds Tala in the hall.                                  
"You wanna fill me in on what's going on, or do I have to   
wait for the movie?"  

"Ah goddess!" Zelda exclaimed, staring wide-eyed at Krakken.  She shook herself out of it, his life
 was on the line here, she couldn't just stand there!  Quickly she got out a few reagents and was 
able to scan him.  This was much too much for her to handle alone, she was a healer, but she sure 
wasn't that skilled.  She waved one hand over him in a fluidic gesture and he started to glow a soft 
green, "Eme!" she called, "Krakken's hurt, I'm going to need some help here!!"
Hearing Zelda, Eme pushes through and to his side. She      
begins to chant in elven and slowly waves her hands over his
physical wounds. A green glow emits from her hands and his  
wounds begin to close up. Once he is healed she rests a hand
on his head and his chest. She chants different words, in   
elven. A yellow light, sphere-shaped, leaves her head and it 
enters  Krakken's. This light is all Eme is, her mind, her  
spirit, her strength, her soul and her powers. Immediately,  
any internal wounds heal up.  Eme then tugs at his consciousness,     
pulling him until he is conscience. The ball leaves his head
and reenters Eme. She the falls limp, almost lifeless, but  
she is alive.     
"She did it!" Zelda exclaimed, glad that Krakken was all right, then she turned to Eme, "Ah goddess..
Eme..." quickly she checked to make sure Eme was all right. She breathed a sigh of relief, she was 
just tired.     
As the other CFs make sure Krakken is all right, Entropy
hangs back, talking with one of the Omicron personnel.      
  "All right.  We'll be there as soon as we can."  He says. 
"Dismissed."  The crewman walks off, and Entropy returns to 
the group.  "We're coming up on your homeworld, Tala.  This 
might be a little inhumanly difficult, so be ready."        
  "What're you talking about?"  UA asks.                    
  "There's these things...called Angammon.  They are        
incredibly evil, just as powerful, and are assimilating     
everything they can find on Tala's world.  We're en route to 
stop them, but I still don't know how many there are or 
exactly what their capabilities are.  My guess, though, is  
that Nokomis may have offered up some of the people to save 
her own hide.  I hope that isn't the case, but it's         
possible.  Anyway, we're almost there, so we'd better get to
the bridge."   

"Well then I think everyone is accounted for..." says Nity.  
"Except for two." they hear the voice as Pyro shimmers back  
into the proper reality "Pyro and.."                        
"Pikachu" says the little creature Pyro is holding.         
They laugh and go over to pet Pikachu.                      
So it looks like another happy ending to bad it won't last   
for very long.   

"Actually, while we're all here, I have someone you should  
meet," says Ganthet.  "Allow me to introduce the newest    
CF."    He pauses, "Solara Switch!"                         
  There's a flash of light and Solara appears where Ganthet 
once stood.  "I'm Solara," she says before going on to      
explain the circumstances of her joining.   


--THE END

The story of the strange Angammon continues in the next story "Darkest 
Hour" the end of an age of CF.  And what about this new CF?