{"sf1_id":1364908,"sf2_id":null,"title":"MapleStory: Innocence Undone Ch.2 - Oppression","author":"diosoth","words":20882,"posted_at":"2018-09-02T08:35:00.000Z","tags":["Drama","Fanfiction","No-Yiff","Violence (Not In Yiff)","combat","maplestory"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1364908-maplestory-innocence-undone-ch-2-oppression","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/view/1364908","image_url":"https://www.sofurryfiles.com/std/thumb?page=1364908\u0026ext=.jpg","description":"","content":"MapleStory: Innocence Undone  \n  \nChapter 2  \n  \nOppression  \n  \n  \n  \nSpring had come and Henesys was finally free of the snow, the damp  \nground no longer felt like walking on a wet sponge and the trees had   \nreturned to their preferred green. As was the habit of the town  \nresidents, the Chief paced the main street keeping an eye on   \neverything, his younger son studied magical books, his older son  \nmoped with desires of going on adventures, and his wife took care  \nof town planning. The Bowman Instructional School trained what   \nnewcomers that may wish to join. The dance academy welcomed its own  \nshare of new students. Market Street sold its goods to fresh   \nadventurers in need of potions.  \n  \nBusiness as usual. The status quo had returned.  \n  \nMarching to the stores with his weekly shopping list, Diosoth, a former  \nadventurer now retired and married, noticed an odd sight. A woman  \nhad set up a table, glass sphere resting in the middle. \"Welcome,  \nyoung man! I am Cassandra. May I offer my services and tell your   \nfortune for a small fee?\" The woman appeared to be middle-aged, brown   \nhair beginning to gray, in a long blue dress that did not seem to be  \nanything like what the Henesys townfolk wore.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Uh... I guess...\"  \n  \n\"Good. Have a seat,\" she requested. Looking into her crystal ball,  \nthe woman focused on hazy images reflecting in the round glass. \"Ah.  \nInteresting. You may have an unexpected journey in your near future,  \nperhaps to do with family...\"  \n  \nDiosoth figures he was being told absolute crap, vague nonsense that  \ncould be interpreted many ways. While his twenty-first birthday was  \nonly a day away and Kitrina would absolutely have some sort of  \nsurprise for him, even that was a stretch to assume the woman had seen  \nany of it.  \n  \nHe asked, \"how much do I owe?\"  \n  \n\"Five thousand.\"  \n  \nProducing the money, the bowman asked her, \"do a lot of business since  \nyou got here?\"  \n  \n\"Some,\" Cassandra responded.  \n  \n\"How many predictions come true, or is this just entertainment?\"  \n  \nThe fortune teller knew her customer was not dumb enough to buy into  \nthis. \"If anyone could accurately predict the future, then the world  \nwould be different. If I could predict the future in full, I would  \nbe much wealthier, my husband would still be with me...\"  \n  \nDio muttered, \"I'm sorry.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"No, it's in the past, fifteen years ago, he was on a hunting   \nexpedition. He and I knew what he was getting into, yet it did not  \nprepare me for the eventuality.\" Cassandra looked into the ball again.  \n\"My gift has never given me more than small glimpses, usually. At   \ntimes I may see more clearly but only briefly into the future, by  \nseconds or minutes and it is still only a flash. The future, for the  \nmost part, has not been written and one cannot see what has not yet  \ntranspired.\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \n\"Ah, no...\" Kit whined, hoping to flee as Mrs. Ming-Ming raced towards  \nher.   \n  \n\"Kitrina! Would you be interested in helping bake for next month's  \ntown festival?\"  \n  \nFaking a smile, the cat only answered, \"sorry, I don't cook.\"  \n  \n\"Oh?\" Jotting down on her list, the woman remarked, \"pity. I could  \nteach you, if you like!\"  \n  \n\"Um...\" the catgirl considered the proposal. \"Maybe. I'll think about   \nit, okay? My mom didn't cook either, she didn't have time so we always  \nate fast food and Dio never had time to learn, since he was, you   \nknow...\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Flipping the sheet over, she asked, \"would he be interested in   \nassisting? Maybe he could wear that shiny armor and host a few  \nevents! It might draw a few crowds!\"  \n  \nShrugging, Kit only said, \"I'll ask, but no promises!\"  \n  \n\"I don't see you two out much usually when you're shopping. In a   \nway I envy you, I was that way myself when I first married Stan,   \nfamily life and duties have a way of changing that. Are you thinking  \nabout children, yet?\"  \n  \nShe muttered back, \"not quite yet.\"  \n  \n\"You should,\" the town elder replied, \"They can be a hassle but you  \nwould regret it someday if you don't.  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nWithin the Omega Sector's military command center was a feeling of   \ndread, much different in tone from the normal threats handled on a   \ndaily basis. Even the low rank soldiers who did little more than   \nguard the base knew it. That man did not belong here, clad in a black   \nuniform unlike anything seen prior, trying to obtain classified   \ntechnology. Determined to be human, almost certainly not an agent of   \nthe aliens that remained outside the perimeter, their visitor   \nremained tied up in an interrogation room, having so far not revealed  \nhis secrets.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"You've had your turn. Questioning didn't get anything, drugs didn't   \nget anything, now we try it my way.\"  \n  \nA pair of red high heels stomped the steel floor as a female agent   \nturned the doorknob. Their prisoner seemed uninterested by the tall   \nfemale secret agent who had entered, that is until she began to undo   \nthe rope binding him to the wooden chair. \"It's about time- AHHHH!\"  \n  \nAn indescribable pain shot from the man's calf muscle into his back,   \npain caused by a thin shoe heel jabbing tender muscle. Unable to   \nreach down, lifted up and thrown into the wall hard enough to echo   \nin the small room, their guest felt a hand strike his chest, a faint   \ncrack shooting through his ears the tell-tale sign of broken ribs.  \n  \n\"Now, either you tell me why you're here, or I'll do more of the   \nsame.\"  \n  \n\"You're quite strong,\" he gasped, tasting iron as blood filled his   \nmouth. He hadn't quite noticed before but this new interrogator was   \nrather muscular, even if the black suit she wore did help to hide it   \nto a degree, although not even that hid the agent's arms very well.   \n\"But you are too late. HE is about to awake and there is nothing you   \ncan do. Kill me if you wish but even if you were able to get from me   \nwhat you wanted, it would do you no good.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Arm twisting violently, throwing her prisoner to the ground, Agent   \n\"E\" of the Omega Sector Secret Service picked up the black hat,   \npeering at white emblem. \"It can't be...\" Rushing out, carrying the  \nhat towards the command center, the agent flashed the emblem towards  \nthe Rangers, what few agents were present and Dr. Kim, head of the  \nOmega Sector. \"Did none of you notice this?\"  \n  \nHoony of the M-Force shook his head. \"Nope.\"  \n  \nChury also hadn't seen it. \"Looks dumb.\"  \n  \n\"I paid no attention to it,\" Dr. Kim answered. \"Let me look it up.\"  \nBringing up a search on the nearest terminal, he entered search  \nparameters and scrolled through a photographic list of known emblems   \nused in Maple World. \"Nothing current, let me expand the... oh, no...\"  \n  \nAgent \"E\" didn't wait for him to go on. \"It's the Black Wings. They  \nserved the Black Mage hundreds of years ago.\"  \n  \n\"The Black... this isn't good!\" Hoony cried. \"He's real?\"  \n  \n\"Everyone, this is an emergency.\" Dr. Kim took a sip of his coffee.  \n\"Plans to build the Mesodizer will be made a top priority. Our  \nmain focus, of course, is keeping the Mateons and Grays at bay, if  \nthey reach the tower they could send Ludibrium into the ocean. This  \nnew threat must also be taken seriously as well and prepared for,  \nin the event we have two battles on our hands.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"And we probably will,\" the female agent grumbled, \"that grunt in  \nthere said it would be soon.\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nDeep within the Temple Of Time, a slumbering beast slowly opened its  \neyes. Aware of its surroundings now, recalling the past, it felt   \nimmense power. Time spent at rest had finally given the Black Mage   \nwhat he needed. Escape may not yet come, but the world would now  \nknow he had returned.  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nMorning's sun peered across the sky as Cassandra polished her ancient  \ncrystal ball. Many hears had been spent refining the mystic arts to   \nknow what the future held, even if only mere glimpses could be   \nobtained, years showing themselves in hair turning gray. Placing the  \nglass artifact on its pedestal, the fortune teller began to peer   \ninside.  \n  \nWhat peered back was most unexpected. \"It can't be. The Black Mage?   \nIn all my years I- no. NO! What is this? I have to warn-\"  \n  \nThe poor woman had no time to warn anyone.  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nA mushroom house on the edge of Henesys sat quiet, its residents fast   \nasleep even as morning began to take away the darkness. Not far away   \nthe town itself was beginning its day, as always.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;As if some dark force was ripping the land apart with no thought to   \nthe consequences, an incredible sound echoed across all of Victoria   \nIsland.  \n  \nEyes popping open as he was thrown out of bed, a young man screamed   \nin pain while the entire building rattled. The event lasted mere   \nseconds. \"WHAT THE HELL?\" The voice came from the other side of the  \nroom. Kitrina found herself on a hard wooden floor, dazed from  \nslamming into it while still asleep.  \n  \n\"Kit! You okay?\"  \n  \n\"Yeah, I- damn! The leg's broken!\"  \n  \nShocked at what his wife had said, the Ranger crawled up and ran over  \nto help the injured woman. \"I'll get a healing- wait...\"  \n  \nKit threw the chunk of wood aside. \"The beg leg snapped right off!\"  \n  \nRelieved to see his lover was just fine, he reached out and flicked   \nthe lamp switch. Nothing. \"Power's out. Typical.\" Feeling for the   \ndrawers, the Bowman managed to dig out a flashlight. \"Huh... that's   \nodd, it's almost seven, sun should be out by now.\"  \n  \nPeeling the curtains open, the catgirl explained, \"there's a branch   \nover the window.\"  \n  \n\"This place is a wreck...\" he noted, hoping his PDA wasn't shattered.  \nIt wasn't, thankfully. \"At least this isn't broken. I hope.\" Flicking   \nthe power button, the device came to life, but failed to connect to   \nthe network. \"And there's no signal.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"I'm just glad we weren't killed!\" Kit whined. Stepping over debris   \nand fallen decorations, she looked out the living room window. \"Hey,   \nthe whole town's a mess!\"  \n  \nStumbling towards the window to see, Dio remarked, \"no wonder the   \nhouse was shaken. Must've been an earthquake.\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \n\"DAMAGE REPORT! I want to know what the hell just happened!\"  \n  \nKyrin was quite unsettled by this. Whatever this was had rocked the   \nNautilus terribly. The radio crackled, \"that leak in the bottom deck   \njust got a bit wider!\"  \n  \nAnother voice, \"we've had storage crates and weapons lockers spill   \nopen, but nothing exploded or went off.\"  \n  \nTapping away at the navigational systems, Kyrin assumed this had to   \nbe a malfunction in the map systems. She was showing a position some   \ndistance away from where they'd been a few minutes before, several   \nmiles away in fact, although the surrounding terrain was unchanged.  \n  \n\"I have a real bad feeling about all this...\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nGeneral Orchid smiled. \"Right now all those worthless heroes and   \npeons know the power of the Black Mage. Even sealed away and with   \nlittle power, their little island has been forever changed.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Yes, the Black Mage has rearranged Victoria Island,\" Gelimer balked,   \n\"so what? It seems a pointless display when he could have destroyed   \nthe island instead.\"  \n  \n\"Quiet, old man,\" his commander shouted, \"unless you wish the Black   \nMage to hear of your disbelief.\"  \n  \nWith a shrug, the elderly scientist merely responded, \"you may have   \nlived for centuries, but I am the one who maintains the experiments   \nand I am the one who makes progress. You may lead but I am the brains,  \nand you need me ESPECIALLY if you wish your brother to ever be   \nrevived.\"  \n  \nOrchid held back. The old man was right, as much as it annoyed her.   \n\"Go back to your computers and leave me be.\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \n\"At least the house seems mostly okay...\" Diosoth was beyond pissed.  \n\"But we'll need someone to look the place over and just hope if  \nwe need any work done the repairs won't cost a fortune!\"  \n  \n\"Huh, yeah, no electricity, no running water, no toilets, they  \nbetter fix this shit fast!\" the cat whined in anger. \"I am NOT going  \nto the bathroom outside!\" She looked over their wedding photos  \nhung on the wall. \"The glass is broken but the pics are okay...  \noh yeah, happy birthday, sucks this happened!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;A loud banging almost knocked the front door in. Rushing to answer,  \nDiosoth saw one of the local town women. \"Rina!\"  \n  \n\"I'm checking up on you, No one hurt?\"  \n  \n\"We're fine,\" he assured the woman.   \n  \nRina looked back towards the main residential area. \"It seems no one  \nhas been injured but things are really strange...\"  \n  \nNo one in the town of Henesys had an explanation. Buildings and   \nstreets had been shuffled around in seconds, as if rearranged on a   \nchess board, so much so that the main street itself seemed to point   \nin another direction if the compass needles were correct.   \n  \nChief Stan had no explanation, not that the old man ever seemed to   \nhave much of a grasp on what went on. Not that he would ever admit it   \nbut it seemed his role was practically that of a figurehead, as the   \nreal work always took place under his nose. Answers would not come   \neasily, unfortunately. Knocking frantically on the door to the Bowman   \ntraining school, he cried out, \"Athena Pierce! Why aren't you   \nanswering?\"  \n  \nNo use.  \n  \nElsewhere, on the edge of town, Pirate captain Kyrin surveyed the   \nchanges. \"So the whole town was moved. Interesting. But everything's   \nbeen changed. I wonder if the other towns have the same problem?\"   \nMerely traveling to Henesys had taken some time, as whatever magic   \nbound town scrolls to their location was no longer working, although   \nwith the towns themselves relocated it was hardly a surprise.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;The actual damage had been rather light, whatever unseen hand had   \ndone this was careful, though water pipes were broken, underground   \nelectrical lines severed and a fair bit of the town needed to be   \ncleaned of random debris. Walking through Henesys painted a better   \npicture of the real toll, unfortunately- lives had been changed and   \nthis event would run deeper than merely altering the towns themselves.  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nEdelstein, a robust city on the edge of the world, was unaware of the   \nevents transpiring elsewhere on Maple World. They had not felt the   \nchanges or heard of them. The town was under the control of the Black   \nWings, which meant that the outside world was of no concern, nor  \nwould they hear of it. Edelstein was a city separated from the planet.  \n  \nThis morning, on the outskirts near the old mines, children had run   \noff to play. This was not unusual in the least, the children had come   \nthis way many times and Stephan, Black Wings Watchman thought nothing   \nof it.  \n  \nA young boy, part of the group who had wanted to play hide and seek,   \nmade the mistake of hiding inside a cave. Within he saw large   \ncontainers of liquids, each holding a captive hooked up to any number   \nof machines. Within one, a young girl had awakened, a pitiful looking   \nexample of humanity, withered from scientific abuse, that had been   \nused for some unknown experiment, as had all of these captives.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nThe couple was in a foul mood, going over the damage and sacking up  \ntrash, made no better by the arrival of a certain Pirate at their  \nfront door. \"Nice mess.\" She asked, \"no one's seen Athena Pierce,   \nyou know where she is?\"  \n  \n\"Huh?\" The news was a bit of a shock, regardless of recent events.   \n\"She's not at home?\"  \n  \nKyrin merely shrugged. \"Her front door is locked. Your town's chief   \nis worried sick, and worst of all... whatever this was hit the   \nentire island.\"  \n  \n\"Oh wow,\" Kit moaned. \"But if it did this everywhere then- MOM! Damn,  \nI forgot all about her! She's probably been trying to reach me! I   \ngotta get to Kerning! Dio, where's the town scrolls at?\"  \n  \n\"They won't work,\" the Pirate responded. \"The towns were relocated,   \nand with the phones and PDAs all down, you better start walking,   \nlittle kitty.\" Flinging open the closet door, Kitrina grabbed her   \ndagger, not even stopping to say a word as she ran off. \"You have a   \nkey to her house, right?\"  \n  \n\"A key...\" Dio grumbled, searching where they'd usually be. \"Hold   \non... here!\" They'd fallen behind the shelf unit, hardly a surprise   \nwhat with the state of everything. Pushing it just enough to grab  \nthe key ring, the Ranger slipped on his boots, racing for the   \ntraining school. Key in the lock, door open, he found the building   \ntotally abandoned. \"She's not even here.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Arms crossed, the Pirate captain could only say, \"we need to check   \nthe other towns. I have a real bad feeling that none of the four job   \nleaders are still on the island.\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nIt was a rare sight to see the chief instructors of the four jobs   \ngathered together, then again it was a rare sight to see an entire   \nlandmass torn apart and rearranged. All four had gathered near Orbis,   \ntransported by ancient magic to the Chief's residence of El Nath, a   \nbuilding used by the third job instructors. For now it would serve as   \na meeting place.  \n  \n\"I did not expect such a drastic move,\" Grendel proclaimed. \"We knew   \nthe Black Mage's seal was weakening, and the deceased man's note   \nfound on the outskirts of Edelstein indicated the time was soon, but   \nTHIS...\"  \n  \n\"Even sealed away, his power is to be feared,\" Athena said with a   \nwhimper. \"Throughout the centuries I have witnessed his power. What   \nhas happened today is a bad omen.\"  \n  \nDark Lord shrugged, though it was bravado at best. \"Our immediate   \ngoal should be to repair the island. Communication lines are down   \nand I know that warp scrolls are no longer working. Relocating the   \ntowns has affected the magic.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"We must be cautious.\" Dances With Balrog felt that the strongest   \npriority now was in keeping order. \"The people must be reassured or   \nthere will be chaos. If the every day citizen and even warriors feel   \nas if we are not capable of handling this, they may turn their backs   \non us, or even turn to the Black Mage.\"  \n  \n\"The lands have also become entangled in chaos,\" the Elf spoke.   \n\"Warriors bicker among themselves. Thieves are now at war with the   \nnew Dual Blade faction.\"  \n  \n\"A minor concern,\" Dark Lord boasted.  \n  \n\"A concern you will deal with,\" Balrog shouted. \"We can not deal  \nwith that, not with more pressing concerns!\"   \n  \nGrendel merely tapped his cane, stating, \"we have been training   \nwarriors for years yet they have never had real direction. They have   \nlacked purpose. Now is time we give them a purpose, let them know   \nwhat it is they are fighting for. They are not fighting for money or   \nfame, but to protect this world. We should have made clear from the   \nstart what threat loomed on the horizon, though it is not too late.\"  \n  \nBalrog responded, \"agreed. We must make clear what has happened, who   \nwas responsible and what may come if our world does not stand and   \noppose this evil.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"It is time we return,\" Athena remarked. \"Our absence has no doubt   \nbeen noticed and we need to reassure the people. We should have told   \nthem before we met but circumstances warranted quick action.\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nHer knocking became loud pounding now, ready to beat the door itself  \ndown if she had to. Kitrina's mother had failed to answer since she   \narrived, leaving the cat worried her mother may be injured or worse.  \n  \nRearing back and bracing to slam into the door to do just that,  \nKit was stopped by a greeting.  \n  \n\"Hey! What are you doing?\" Renee had heard the knocking from the  \nother end of the building, hoping it wasn't either burglars or the   \nplace falling in on itself.  \n  \n\"Mom isn't answering me!\"  \n  \nRenee responded, \"She's not there! She went out.\"  \n  \nKitrina gave her old friend a puzzled look. \"What's going on? The  \nPDAs are down, the phones aren't working and I can't get in touch  \nwith her.\"  \n  \nThe girl only shrugged. \"I saw her carrying a big sword. Maybe she  \nwent to the swamps? I heard they wanted clay from those mud monsters  \nto help repair the damage around the city.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Great...\" The catgirl let slip a rushed breath out of annoyance.  \n\"Well, at least I brought my weapon! Never saw mom out fighting   \nmonsters, might be fun!\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nCleaning the streets of Henesys had been no simple chore, although   \nthis was likely the least damaged down of the five. Kerning was a   \nlarge city lined with tall buildings that could have easily toppled,   \nLith Harbor was made of stone walkways and buildings, and both Perion   \nand Ellinia were built on natural structures that likely suffered   \ngreatly.  \n  \nAfternoon had come and gone and sun began to fade in an orange haze   \nacross the horizon. Halfway ready to wander back home, Diosoth was   \ntoo tired to get up off the bench.   \n  \n\"Bad day?\"  \n  \nHe looked up to see Kyrin. \"Kit's mother is okay but she'll be with  \nus a few days. We have plumbing again but no power until Kerning  \ngets the power plant fixed and all the underground lines checked.   \nWe'll need someone to come in and get that branch lifted off the   \nroof and fix up all the spots that were cracked and- hey, who's that?\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Stumbling nearby was a young woman who looked somewhat familiar.   \n\"Isn't that the fortune teller who sets up every day?\" Kyrin inquired.  \n  \n\"No, that's an older woman. But wait, she is wearing the same   \ndress...\"  \n  \nStriding over, the Pirate asked her, \"you need help?\"  \n  \n\"Uh... no, I'm just a bit dizzy. I haven't felt right today.\" Lifting   \nup a fractured crystal ball, the woman seemed saddened. \"It's broken.\"  \n  \n\"Do you know Cassandra, that fortune teller?\"  \n  \n\"Don't be silly, I AM Cassandra! Don't you recognize me?\" she   \nreplied, more confused than ever. \"I just told your fortune   \nyesterday!\"  \n  \n\"But Cassandra looked like she was in her fifties,\" the Ranger   \nresponded, still with no clue what was going on. \"She has brown hair  \nand you're blonde!   \n  \nKyrin blurted out, \"look at you, you don't have a wrinkle.\"  \n  \nPuzzled further, Cassandra looked at her reflection in a nearby   \nwindow. \"Oh wow, I didn't look like this earlier today! Now I   \nremember, I looked into my crystal ball this morning right before   \nthat big bang noise tore everything up.\"  \n  \n\"You looked into... interesting.\" The Pirate captain was curious.   \n\"Did you see anything?\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Um... I don't remember. I've been feeling a bit weird all day. And   \nmy crystal ball is broken. I need to get a new one.\"  \n  \nTapping the toe of her boot against the stone walkway, Kyrin let out   \na sigh. 'This day just gets worse... first the island is rearranged,   \nnow someone was reverse aged. I wonder if that was intentional?   \nHmm...' Running off without saying anything, the Pirate needed to   \nreturn to her ship and meet with the crew to discuss the day's events,  \nperhaps determine the reason for all of this if one was known, and if   \nneed be, come up with an immediate plan of attack. The longer anyone   \nwaited, the stronger the Black Mage's power grew.  \n  \nBut how would one challenge that which is unknown? She had no clue   \nwhere or who to strike against. Indeed, her opponents had the upper   \nhand and Kyrin did not feel the least bit easy.  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nLife had finally begun to return to normal for Victoria Island after  \na long month of hard work to repair the damage, or as close to  \nnormal as could be considered with numerous permanent changes brought   \nabout. Cleanup had not proven too problematic, restoration of basic   \nservices went faster than expected, and no further sign of the Black   \nMage had been seen.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;The situation in Edelstein, however, would soon spill over into the   \nrest of the world, putting an end to this peace. Unknown to anyone,   \nthe entire planet was about to become a war zone.  \n  \n\"Hmm... so Schiller is dead, and the only possible culprit is a   \nmember of this pathetic Resistance?\" Gelimer inquired.   \n  \n\"It seems so,\" the Watchman answered. \"Before he died, we don't know   \nwhat the name means, if it was the one who killed him, one of his   \ncontacts or... even complete gibberish. Furthermore-\"  \n  \nThe old scientist scoffed. \"Tell me the name!\"  \n  \n\"That is another problem,\" he answered sheepishly. \"The name turned   \nup two results, either of which could be the likely individual.   \nOne   \nis a boy who lives in Edelstein, the other a man living in Henesys.  \nTo make things worse, they are spelled differently but we don't know   \nwhich one he meant! If he even meant either one!\"  \n  \n\"It is possible that one of our own would have recruited a child as   \na spy, it would be very useful... perhaps a witness. Or perhaps this   \nresistance group had become so desperate they have begun to recruit   \nchildren? And to think a child being trained to kill, they would have   \nto be incredibly desperate. Where is the boy?\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Hesitant, the Watchman finally responded, \"we do not know. He left  \nfor Victoria Island but we do not know where the boy may have gone  \nafter that.\"  \n  \n\"You don't know!?\" Gelimer screamed. \"Then find him! As for this other  \nindividual, send someone to interrogate him as well, if he is   \nresponsible then he will be dealt with.\"  \n  \n\"Shall I inform General Orchid of your orders?\"  \n  \n\"Do not concern her with this, I shall handle it.\" The aged scientist   \nwould never admit openly that he despised the commander of the Black   \nWings. In his eyes she lacked any real ambition, being too concerned   \nwith her brother's health to really do anything. \"Find them and find  \nout what they know. If they will not comply then force it out of them.  \nI want answers!\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \n\"I'm HOME!\"  \n  \nKitrina made her way to the kitchen, dropping two bags of   \ncheeseburgers and fries without care. Rubber gloves on to keep the   \ngrease off her fur, grabbing a burger, wrapper peeled back, the   \ncatgirl didn't wait to dig in. Shoveling in a mouthful of fries   \nbetween bites of cheeseburger, Kit had been waiting all day to eat.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Save me some.\"  \n  \n\"They were on sale, I got thirty,\" she replied.  \n  \n\"Thirty? Well,\" Dio groaned, \"I know what we're having for breakfast   \ntomorrow.\"  \n  \nWith a shrug, Kitrina opened the fridge and grabbed two cherry sodas.  \nBefore she could open hers, the cat saw something that didn't belong.  \nShadows moved past the window, faint sounds that her ears could pick up.  \nQuietly, she explained, \"there are two men outside the house, in   \nblack suits. They're whispering something I can't make out.\"  \n  \nGrabbing a burger, Dio responded quietly, \"that can't be good. Turn   \ninvisible and go get someone. I'll get my bow. Now.\"  \n  \nGetting up, the cat said loud enough to be heard, \"I'll check the  \nmailbox before I forget!\" Upon reaching the front door, Kitrina   \nactivated the Dark Sight ability, suddenly invisible to the world as   \nshe ran for the center of town. Knowing they'd been seen, two men  \nentered the house and shouted out, \"you are coming with us! The Black   \nWings wish you ask you some questions. Come quietly and you won't be   \nharmed!\"  \n  \nDiosoth replied by firing an arrow, nearly missing. \"We can take you   \nback beaten and bleeding, if need be.\" One of the men drew a weapon,   \nalthough before he could aim, a second arrow punched through his   \nshoulder, pinning his body to the wall. Blood began to pour, painful   \nscreaming cutting the silence as the pistol fell.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"I didn't want to do that but you really made me, man!\"  \n  \nStunned but unwavering, the second man grabbed a picture frame and   \nthrew it, charging Dio as the object grazed his arm. The two   \nstruggled violently, the large eagle-headed bow swung like a club   \nonly to fling wildly away. Kicking and punching, the pair fought   \nlike rabid animals until Diosoth felt the gun's barrel. Quickly   \nsnatching up the weapon and aiming at his attacker, the Ranger was   \nsuddenly caught in a dilemma of whether or not he could actually kill   \nanother person. Monsters had been one thing, but another human being   \nwas a different moral issue altogether. He merely kept the pistol   \ntrained on the intruder.  \n  \nWhimpering, all the man could do was flee, out the door to freedom,   \naway from death. He'd barely made it a hundred feet before another   \ngun was aimed square at his face. \"Good thing I was in town,\" Kyrin   \ngrunted, \"and it looks like I've caught one of the Black Mage's   \nunderlings.\"  \n  \n\"There was another one,\" Kit said, suddenly fearful.  \n  \nPeering out the door, Diosoth tossed away the handgun. \"Someone get   \nin here and get this guy out of my living room! And clean up the   \nblood!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Further concerned, Kit shouted out, \"BLOOD!?\"  \n  \n\"I had to pin him to the wall!\"  \n  \nThe Pirate captain merely smiled at the sight of a Black Wings   \nWatchman trapped and bleeding with an arrow through him. \"Good, he's   \nalive. He'd be useless to me otherwise.\"  \n  \n\"Help me,\" he whimpered. Grabbing the arrow's feathered end, Kyrin   \npressed down, snapping the shaft near the wall. \"AH! Get it out of me!\"  \n  \n\"You talk and I might. Come on, slime, I'm not going to carry you.\"  \n  \nNot far away, a figure clad in black watched as both men were dragged   \naway by the leader of the Pirates, no doubt to be interrogated. As   \nthe group left, he followed close by but wisely remained out of   \nsight. He was unsure of what was going on but recognized the two as  \nBlack Wings watchmen. The stranger would keep back, for now.  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nExiting the interrogation room, Kyrin felt quite smug for she had   \ntwo members of a mysterious organization loyal to her mortal enemy.   \nFor now what little she'd managed to get out of them clarified the   \nimmediate situation, although no doubt a bit more time could produce   \ninformation that would prove rather useful in the long run.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"They were after you,\" she explained, \"but they were going by a name.   \nThey were after two people but they don't seem to know why the Black   \nWings wanted either of them. And knowing how the Black Mage operates,   \nhe probably doesn't allow those on the bottom rung to know too much.   \nStill, it might explain why they sent those two rather than their   \nusual goons.\"  \n  \n\"That doesn't make me feel better,\" the Bowman shouted.   \n  \nWaving around an unknown model of PDA, the Pirate assured him, \"I sent  \na message to their boss saying you weren't of any interest. That'll   \nput an end to that! But this won't make you feel any better, either,\"   \nthe captain said with a twisted frown. \"They said both people they   \nwere sent after have the same name.\"  \n  \nSlumped against the wall of the Nautilus, Dio merely grumbled, \"then   \nthey didn't even know who they were after. I suppose that makes more   \nsense seeing as I don't know these people. But who else would have   \nMY name?\"  \n  \n\"That's gotta be a mistake,\" Kit responded. \"When we registered for   \nour wedding, there weren't any problems. No one even had a close match  \nin their system!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;The Captain explained, \"one of them said the person they were after   \nmay have been a contact. I know you're not working for them but   \nsomeone could be using your name, or they got the name wrong. Those   \ntwo idiots didn't know anything else. What I want to know is...\" Eyes   \nclosed tight, she continued, \"if the Black Wings really are back,   \nwhere are they located, and who was put in charge\"  \n  \n\"Back?\" Kit begged.  \n  \nKyrin elaborated, \"they were a group back in the days of the Black   \nMage, his army of enforcers. Their leader was a woman named Orchid.   \nI doubt either one is still alive after more than four hundred years   \nbut with the seal weakening he's likely found someone new to lead   \nthem.\"  \n  \n\"Miss Kyrin!\" Black Bark, one of her crew was leading a young boy   \ntowards them. \"This kid here says he needs to talk to you about   \nthose two goons we dragged back.\"  \n  \nThe newcomer was a young boy holding a crossbow, dressed in cheap   \nBowman clothing. \"I think they were after me.\"  \n  \nEyes glanced around the room, back and forth nervously. \"You, kid?\"   \nKyrin asked.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"I-\" He was hesitant. \"I'm from Edelstein and I killed a man.\"  \n  \n\"That's not funny,\" the catgirl shouted.   \n  \n\"But I did! He was one of them and he was going to kill me. I didn't   \nwant to! I- I couldn't help it. he knew I was in the Resistance and-\"  \n  \n\"The Resistance?\" Kyrin had heard of the group before. \"They're still   \naround then... funny, Edelstein was always so cut off but they   \nreopened travel a week after all that happened here.\"  \n  \nThe child said with a whine, \"the Black Wings controls the town. They   \ntook over the old mines and have a base there and I found people   \ninside glass containers. I rescued one but that man found out and-\"  \n  \n\"Okay, okay, calm down, kid,\" Kyrin said gently. \"What's your name?\"  \n  \n\"Dyos. I mean, Dyos Oth.\" Showing his PDA, again of an unknown model,  \nthe kid wanted to prove his story. I think that man must have told them   \nmy name before he died. I'm sorry, I didn't know someone else had my   \nname.\"  \n  \nStooping down, Kyrin planed a hand on the boy's shoulder. \"It's not   \nyour fault. Come with me and tell me everything.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nLocking the door to her private quarters, Kyrin sat in her favorite   \nchair. \"This is worse than I imagined. The Black Wings aren't just   \nreformed, they've taken over Edelstein, and if the town resists   \nthey'll blow up the power plant, which would take out the town and   \nprobably reach all the way to the ends of El Nath. The Resistance has   \nbecome desperate enough to recruit children.\"  \n  \n\"He's just a kid and he killed someone, that's screwed up,\" Dio said   \nwith a grunt.  \n  \n\"The boy rescued a little girl from their labs. He said they have a   \nlaboratory room filled wall to wall with people in vats. THAT is   \nscrewed up,\" she replied. \"This goes beyond what you could imagine!   \nHe said their leader might be a scientist, an old guy named Gelimer.   \nI've never heard of him.\u0026nbsp; The Resistance has been recruiting whoever   \nthey can trust but they have to be very discrete.\"  \n  \nBiting her lip, Kit inquired, \"but if they own that town then why'd   \nthey open up travel again?\"  \n  \n\"Probably to show everyone they don't fear us. They're confident   \nenough in their hold on Edelstein that they don't believe anyone can   \nchallenge them, especially not the job leaders. And if I walked in   \nand started shooting, they'd either kill their hostage, or blow up   \nthe power plant. They're right, we can't take them on, anyone who   \ntried would be killed. Unless they did it in secret.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Diosoth could only sulk. \"That's wonderful. That means they get away   \nwith whatever they're doing and - eh, AH!\" Spitting onto the floor,   \nhe commented, \"I think a bug just flew in my mouth. I don't need   \nthat! So how'd the kid become a Bowman? Athena Pierce said she'd   \nnever met him,\" the Ranger asked.   \n  \n\"It seems a few members of the resistance engaged in some magic   \ntrickery to create offshoots of the job classes. He told me that the   \nMechanic leader is a guy in a bear suit. Now that I think about it,   \na few years ago some oddball in a bear costume did come by asking to   \njoin up. I humored him, seems he was being serious. Anyway... I have   \nsome things to do. Wait here and I'll have the kitchen send up   \ndinner.\"  \n  \nLatching the door behind her, the Pirate captain made her way to the   \nhall, handing the napkin to the weapon's master, Shulynch. \"I hope   \nyour little hunch about the boy is wrong.\"  \n  \n\"Me too,\" Kyrin responded, fearful that he name wasn't a coincidence.  \n\"I'll send another message clearing the kid, then after that get word   \nout we have them.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \n\"Gelimer! Why did you send two of our men to the mainland?\"  \n  \nGeneral Orchid hovered into the lab, her usual angry self barely   \nsurprising the scientist. \"I was merely following up on something   \nSchiller said before he died, little girl. Don't-\"  \n  \n\"I don't care what he said. He was a failure. No one from that   \npathetic city would have dared attack us, it was no doubt that   \nResistance organization. Thanks to you, the Pirates have those men   \nand have likely interrogated them by now. You screw up like this   \nagain and I will have you head as a trophy.\"  \n  \nEyes focused on paperwork, Gelimer simply responded, \"very well, I   \nshall not pursue the matter further, if it will please you. For what  \nit is worth, they did contact us before-\"  \n  \n\"My brother must be revived. Focus on your duties and stop wasting   \ntime on such meaningless tasks, or I'll take your skull as a trophy.\"  \n  \n\"Yes, of course,\" he said just to get rid of his master. 'Still,' he   \nthought, 'she has a point. It's unlikely we'll get anyone else onto   \nthe mainland so easily if that Pirate captain captured two of our   \nmen, and they have done their jobs. Thankfully they know almost   \nnothing useful, let them waste time on interrogation. They shall pay   \nthe price for failure.'  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nKyrin joined her guests in the mess hall. \"That boy does look a lot  \nlike you,\" she remarked, \"same hair and eye color. He has your name,  \ntoo. Might be spelled differently, but don't you think that's  \njust a bit of a coincidence? Your name isn't common and the way it's  \nspelled is very strange.\"  \n  \n\"Like someone heard it before but didn't know how to spell it?\" Kit   \npondered. Dio, babe, could he be related?\"  \n  \n\"I don't think so,\" the Ranger answered back, thinking it over.  \n\"Mom died when I was six. He's what, twelve?\"  \n  \n\"Thirteen,\" the Pirate captain replied. \"With almost a year for the  \npregnancy I guess he could be... but that would mean your father  \nmet another woman.\"  \n  \nHe shot back almost in anger, \"no. Not possible. He sat around and   \ndrank his cares away. He didn't care about anything else. He barely  \nleft the house and stayed in Henesys the rest of his life. Wait...   \nwhen I was six, not long after mom died, he did go away for about   \ntwo weeks on some trip but he never said why. I was looked after by   \nneighbors. But that-\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;The cat looked her husband in the eyes. \"THAT could mean he's your   \nbrother!\"  \n  \n\"Half brother,\" Kyrin clarified. \"We need to find out and maybe get  \nsomeone into the city to look around. I'll have two of my crew sent  \nin. I would go myself but they'd probably recognize me.\"  \n  \n\"No.\" Diosoth had made up his mind. \"I need answers. I have to go   \nmyself. But I can't, they'd probably check my PDA when I got there   \nand get suspicious.\"  \n  \nHesitant now, Kyrin explained, \"I have a way around that... it's not  \nreally legal.\"  \n  \n\"Big surprise,\" Kirina scolded.  \n  \n\"I have a few PDAs that are totally blank. They can bypass the bio   \nscan and be programmed however I want. I can set one up with a fake  \nname, no explorer rank, fake everything.\"  \n  \nWith a sigh, the catgirl whined, \"guess we have no choice!\"  \n  \n\"Not you, kitty,\" the Captain shouted. \"You would stand out too much  \nand I need someone who knows how to go about this. I have the perfect  \ntravel companion in mind...\" Leading the couple down the main hall,   \nKyrin saw a young girl showing a photo to several of the crew. Short  \nblonde hair, perhaps no older than thirteen and dressed in basic  \nadventurer clothes, the child had a desperate look on her face.   \nApproaching her, realizing it was a Mage, the captain asked, \"can I   \nhelp you?\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"My parents went missing last month, have you seen them?\" the girl   \ninquired, handing over a picture.  \n  \n\"No, sorry,\"  \n  \n\"Thank you,\" the girl replied, wandering off.  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \n\"I feel so bound in this thing!\" Shulynch tugged at the long dress.  \n\"How does any woman wear this? It's too much!\"  \n  \n\"Don't rip it!\" Diosoth felt odd in his disguise as well but was  \nin no mood to complain. \"So these are going to pass?\"  \n  \nThe Pirate pocketed her new PDA. \"Absolutely.\"  \n  \nTheir clothes were magical covers, the kind typically sold for a  \nlarge sum of cash. By all outward appearances he was in street  \nclothes, hidden from view was his full armor and the bow pocketed  \naway. \"Keep your gun in reach but don't flash it unless you have  \nto.\"  \n  \n\"How do we get there?\"  \n  \nHe answered wearily, \"ever since the island got torn up, they   \nrelocated all air travel to the center near Sleepywood. The kid  \nsaid he flew in there. He told me his mother's name. I'll see her,  \ndid you find out anything?\"  \n  \nStill struggling with her hair up, bothered by the way it was pulled  \nback, Shulynch responded, \"he told us where to find the Resistance  \nHQ. I think he's scared. Think maybe he is your brother?\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"If I didn't I wouldn't be doing this. I should talk to him but...\"  \n  \n\"Don't know where to begin?\"  \n  \nHe let out a sigh. \"Kid just wants to go home but right now I don't  \nthink it's safe. Kyrin said he's safe here for right now. She wouldn't  \nlet him contact anyone in case, it sounds like they have the whole   \ntown on a tight leash. Last thing he needs is for someone to be  \nmonitoring his mother's phones or PDA.\"  \n  \nHighly uneasy, the Pirate gunsmith only said, \"follow my lead. Don't  \nattract unwanted attention, don't act like you're there to cause  \ntrouble. We're a married couple looking to buy a home. We'll look  \naround first, then we'll see his mother. After that we look up this  \nResistance and get some answers but make it clear we're not their   \nenemies!\"  \n  \n\"Married couple... your ring?\"  \n  \n\"Damn!\" Fishing through a nearby drawer, Shulynch found a plain  \ngolden ring. \"Just fair warning, this could go all wrong and I think  \nyour wife would go ballistic if I came back without you.\"  \n  \n\"Yeah...\" Diosoth preferred to stay behind, Kit was nervous as all  \nhell and he did not like being dragged back into this way of life.  \n\"Well, time to get this over with!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nExiting the gate, \"Zabel\" and \"Denise\" looked upon the city of   \nEdelstein. An older city, unchanged over the decades except for the   \nevil forces that maintained a stern grasp on the populace. The trip   \nhad been uneventful and so far the borrowed PDA had offered no issues   \nwith identification.  \n  \nThe main street sprawled forth. Dio had no idea where the house was   \nbeyond an address and directions, although being a stranger here he   \nhad no clue where to start. Walking along, a voice greeted him out   \nof nowhere. \"You are new here.\"  \n  \n\"Yes, I am.\"  \n  \nA wicked looking man in a long purple coat stood beside an ornate   \nstructure. The man's mustache curved along with his vicious smile.   \n\"I am Anthony, council president of Edelstein. May I ask, why have   \nyou chosen to visit our fine city?\"  \n  \nThinking quickly, he responded, \"My wife and I are looking for work  \nand a new home, for better opportunities than we've had so far.\"  \n  \n\"Excellent! Perhaps the Black Wings would offer the job opportunity   \nyou seek?\" he suggested, straightening his hat.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Yes, perhaps,\" Dio lied. \"Right now I want to find someplace to   \neat.\"  \n  \nAnthony merely responded, \"yes, of course. We will welcome you   \nanytime you wish to join.\"  \n  \nWalking off, hiding his disgust, the Bowman found a food stand and   \npurchased a sandwich, simply to keep up appearances. His Pirate  \ntraveling partner simply looked around. Content that the man who'd   \ngreeted him wasn't looking, they slipped away, searching for the   \nstreet he'd been told to find.  \n  \nThere. Turning down the road, then down another, the small house   \nwith a yellow wooden door seemed rather plain, much like the town   \nitself. Knocking, the bowman waited until a woman opened the door.   \n\"Yes?\"  \n  \n\"Belinda?\"  \n  \n\"Yes?\" she asked again.  \n  \n\"I'm here about someone you may have known in the past.\"  \n  \nPeering down the road, the woman only answered fearfully, \"I don't  \nknow anything, I'm sorry. I am loyal to the Black Wings!\"  \n  \nCould this organization have planted listening devices in homes? That didn't   \nseem very likely. As tightly held as the city was, they'd not even known who  \nthey had been looking for. Diosoth was already convinced now that the Black  \nWings operated more by fear and propaganda than in actual effort. They were  \na group that had grown too confident.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Johansen Xevion! Does that name mean anything to you?\"  \n  \nShe gasped in recollection of a name not heard in many years. \"I-\"  \n  \nThe Pirate leaned in closer. \"Your son is on Victoria Island. He's   \nsafe, the Pirates are keeping an eye on him for now.\"  \n  \n\"Oh, my...\" Belinda said with a faint sigh. \"I was worried. So many   \npeople in the city have vanished recently. But what does... please,  \ncome in!\" Inviting the strangers into her home, the poor woman went  \nto the sink to finish her dishes. \"I was afraid he had been taken!\"  \n  \nDio thought quietly, 'maybe that explains those people in vats he   \nmentioned?' \"I'm here because... my name is Diosoth.\" Startled and   \nstunned, his host dropped the plate she'd started drying. \"I know   \nthat's your son's name too, but he spells it differently.\"  \n  \nTears welled in his eyes. \"I met him before the Black Wings turned  \nthis city into a prison. He came here one day and we met. He said  \nhe had lost someone but didn't tell me who. I... I thought he loved  \nme. We made love one day and he disappeared right after that! Then  \nI got a phone call a month later... I didn't know he had a son. I   \ndidn't even know his wife had died! He mentioned your name and...  \nI named him that. I didn't know until later that I was pregnant and  \nwhen I tried to contact him I saw he was left to raise you by himself.  \nI knew we would never be together.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"I know. I need to leave, I can't stay here too long, but he's safe.   \nMaybe someday I can come back and we can talk further.\"  \n  \n\"Yes, of course.\" The woman merely sat still as her guest left.   \n  \n\"Ouch,\" Shulunch said with a feeling of sympathy she rarely felt.  \n  \nHead down, all the Ranger could do was mumble, \"I can deal with it  \nlater. We need to check out the Resistance and get the hell home.\"  \n  \nHis brother mentioned where the entrance was, in case he'd had any   \nproblems. An old pipe on the side of the school, big enough to crawl   \nthrough but otherwise inconspicuous, held a gate that opened easily.   \nNot far inside, a ladder dropped to the main room. Climbing down,   \nDio could see the leaders having a meeting. The lead woman wore some   \nsort of black mask, and as he'd been told, a man in a bear suit was   \namong the group.  \n  \n\"Unexpected visitors!\" The masked woman commented. \"I don't recall  \nthose two being recruited!\"  \n  \n\"Easy,\" the Pirate woman shot back. \"I'm from the Nautilus. Captain  \nKyrin sent us.\"  \n  \n\"The...\" the bear became uneasy. \"That means the Pirates know about   \nus.\" The bear demanded, \"and you're here because...?\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Diosoth responded, \"I am here about one of your members. A boy named   \nDyos Oth. Two members of the Black Wings were after him. They came   \nafter me, too. My name's spelled differently but it's pronounced the   \nsame!\"  \n  \nA woman holding a crossbow looked a bit worried. \"Uh oh...\"  \n  \n\"I've got some problems with all this. Yesterday I was minding my own   \nbusiness, sitting home back in Henesys with my wife. Today two men   \nI'd never met from a group I'd never heard of tried to attack me.   \nThankfully I'm friends with the Pirates, so both of them were   \ncaptured but I had to put an arrow in one of them.\" Before any of   \nthem could speak, he went on, \"then I meet this kid who has the same   \nname as me, and find out he's my brother, and I had no idea he   \nexisted until now, AND I learn those men were after HIM because he   \nkilled a member of the Black Wings!\" Moving close, leaning in towards   \nthe bear, Dio shouted, \"a KID killed a man because of this group! I   \nthink that's a terrible thing, I don't care if the man he killed   \nmight've been asking for it.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;The woman wielding the crossbow was at a loss. \"It explains that...\"  \n  \n\"We knew they were looking for him,\" the bear spoke, \"Jay said he  \nhad killed Schiller. But the report we got back was that they found  \nhim and said he was just a kid Schiller was trying to recruit at   \nthe time. But that other stuff... how did they get those reports if  \nthey weren't real?\"  \n  \nShulynch explained, \"we captured them. Captain Kyrin sent fake  \nmessages to call off the search. Then we let it leak they were  \ncaptive.\"  \n  \nThe woman wearing the black mask stepped forth. \"I know how you must   \nfeel, but we're fighting a war. I'm sorry if the boy was forced to do   \nsuch a thing, but if he hadn't then it may have been his body lying   \nthere instead. You may have problems with the situation, but I'd   \nwager you know there's no other way.\" Her calf-high brown boots and   \nthe corset worn over her shirt seemed an odd choice of wear, as did   \nthe top had with a skull emblem. If anything, it was an intimidating  \nlook that got attention, if unusual, though certainly noticeable   \ncompared to a man in a cartoony bear outfit.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;The bear asked worriedly, \"who else knows about this?\"  \n  \nDio replied, \"We had to tell Athena Pierce. Kyrin might have already   \ninformed the other job leaders since I left.\"  \n  \n\"I suppose,\" the lead woman remarked, \"that also couldn't be helped.   \nBut the last thing we need is-\"  \n  \nThe Ranger cut in, \"I know. He told us they'll blow up the power   \nplant if anyone makes trouble. They're staying out of this for now.\"  \n  \n\"Then we can trust you. You may call me Claudine,\" the leader said.   \n\"Belle is the master of the Wild Hunters, which your brother joined.\"  \n  \n\"Hi,\" Belle responded.  \n  \n\"Brighton leads the Battle Mages and Checky is in charge of the   \nMechanics.\"  \n  \nLooking at the man in the bear suit, Dio commented, \"Kyrin remembers   \nyou. Doesn't that thing ever get hot?\"  \n  \nChecky simply said, \"not really. How did you get here if they knew   \nyour names?\"  \n  \nThe Pirate answered bluntly, \"hacked PDAs with fake names. Not legal   \nbut much safer.\"  \n  \nClaudine was impressed. \"I need to show you something.\" Motioning for   \ntheir guests to follow, Claudine led them into the next room. \"We   \noperate in secret under the noses of the Black Wings. We've been low   \nkey for years but the events last month changed things. The Black   \nMage's powers are growing and we've taken to recruiting. However,   \nmost of the adults are afraid so we've had to turn to the children  \nat times. We need whoever we can get. I'm sorry your brother had to   \nkill, I'm sorry he had to get involved in this, but innocence has   \nbeen lost these days. I don't know what promises of adventuring  \nthey fed you before, but the stakes are much higher now than ever.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;A small girl stood in the main hall. \"Vita. Are you feeling better   \ntoday?\"  \n  \n\"Yes, thank you.\"  \n  \n\"Your friend Dyos should be back soon,\" Claudine said, assuring her.  \n  \nDio asked her, \"is he the one who saved you?\"  \n  \n\"Yes, he found me and broke me out of there even though he could've   \ngot in bad trouble. I don't know what would have happened if he   \nhadn't found me.\"  \n  \nThe Resistance leader said, \"You rest, Vita, okay?\"   \n  \n\"I will.\"   \n  \nClaudine smiled as the child left. \"She's been unhealthy since being   \nbrought here, I don't know what they were doing to those people and a   \npart of me doesn't want to know.\"  \n  \nThe bowman wanted to vomit. \"She looks like she's been abused.\"  \n  \nSuch emotion was foreign to her, having been raised without manners,   \nbut Shulynch almost started crying. \"I'd like to find the asshole who   \ndid that, shoot his kneecaps out and let him go for a swim in the  \nmiddle of the ocean!\"  \n  \nFeeling she could trust them, Claudine offered, \"if you want you  \ncan talk with anyone you want to get a better idea of what we're  \ndoing. Some areas are restricted but if I felt you weren't being  \nhonest, you'd have been locked up. I thought you and he might  \nbe related, you look a lot like him!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Regaining her composure, Shulynch suggested, \"split up. Talk to  \nwhoever you can, find out what you can, meet me by the entrance in  \nabout an hour. I don't wanna stay here too long and Kitrina is   \nprobably going to start clawing at people if she doesn't hear from  \nyou soon!\"  \n  \nNodding in agreement, Diosoth took a stroll through the dark hallways,  \nsuddenly startled by a woman cursing and complaining. Nearby, one of   \nthe large mech riders used by the Mechanics sat on the ground, its   \nowner working on it and managing to complain more than she worked.   \n  \n\"Can I help you?\" Dio asked her.  \n  \n\"No.\"  \n  \nTossing aside a wrench, the woman, covered head to toe in machine   \ndirt, only managed to say between stifled coughs, \"hardly.\" She   \nappeared to be in her twenties, clad in cheap Pirate gear, oil and   \nfilth smeared in her yellow hair. \"You must be new to the Resistance.   \nYou can call me Greased Babe, and that's not a sexual thing so don't   \nbother trying to hit on me.\"  \n  \n\"I'm married. I'm guessing that's not your real name?\" Dio commented.  \n  \n\"I don't have a real name anymore. And I'm married, too!\" Tossing   \naside a wrench in frustration, the woman slumped down. \"My husband  \nwent missing a few months ago and with all the people who disappeared  \nI don't think he left me. I need to find him. I only joined to find  \nhim. I'll have a real name again when I find him. Everyone else  \nin this run down city might be too scared to fight back but I don't   \nhave anything to lose until I find him. And most of the new people,  \nthey're all kids, what a load of shit! I don't like Claudine, she's  \na bitch if you ask me. I'm surprised they got a new adult recruit!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"I-\" He knew this would disappoint the woman. \"I'm not. I found out  \nI have a half-brother and he's involved with this.\"  \n  \nWiping her face and tossing the rag, Greased Babe spat out, \"cute.  \nHe's the kid that went missing? The one who offed that Black Wings   \nguy?\"  \n  \nThe Ranger nodded. \"Long story but he and I have the same name, it  \nturns out.\"  \n  \n\"Sucks you found it like this! Now let me fix my mech, you got your  \nown crap to deal with, I got mine.\"  \n  \nSome distance away, Shulynch saw a small girl chatting with what  \nlooked to be either a nurse or a scientist.  \n  \n\"... is this a joke?\"  \n  \n\"Uh... no, I'm so sorry, I didn't even think!\"  \n  \nShrugging, the girl slipped on the glove. \"I guess I'll go train  \nsome more.\" Short, dark-skinned and looking annoyed, the girl  \nbegan to walk away, stopping when she noticed the newcomer. \"Hi!\"  \n  \n\"Oh, hello,\" the gunsmith answered back.  \n  \n\"You join up?\"  \n  \n\"Oh, no,\" Shulunch responded. \"I'm here to look around, I work with   \nthe Pirates on Victoria Island. I'm Shuynch.\"  \n  \nThe girl said back, \"I'm Lutia Travern.\"  \n  \nShe looked at girl's new glove. \"Oh, I get it!\" Lutia had received a   \nblue Lutia magician glove as a prize. \"How old are you?\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Twelve,\" the girl answered without hestiating.  \n  \n'Son of a bitch!' the Pirate thought to herself. \"Hey, do you know  \nDyos?\"  \n  \n\"Sure, he's a friend of mine, we go to school together. He got me to  \njoin. I'll save the town!\"  \n  \nDoing her best to hide sheer disgust at this mess, the gunslinger  \nonly managed to say, \"I have to go, you be careful!\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \n\"You see what we've been driven to,\" Claudine stated. \"How some of us   \ncan be pushed only so far. You should return home. I suspect that   \nsince those two men are in Pirate custody, they may not attempt   \nanything further. Gelimer has probably heard of it by now. He won't   \nrisk sending more men to Victoria Island. This does confirm my   \nsuspicion that they have some means of travel between the Verne   \nMountains and Victoria Island that we haven't been able to uncover.   \nI need to find out how they're doing it.\"  \n  \n\"I have to go back,\" Dio said with a wheeze. \"The air in here is a   \nbit stale.\" Shulynch, used to stale sea air, also found the place to  \nbe intolerable.  \n  \n\"The price of having to run low key, using too much electricity   \nwould attract attention.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Remorsefully, he said, \"keep an eye on his mother, in case. I don't   \nwant anything happening to her. I still have a lot to talk with her   \nabout but I can't stay now. I don't feel safe in this city.\"  \n  \nClaudine merely thought to herself, 'join the club.'  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nThe flight back was slow and boring. \"Well, I'm hungry!\" Shulynch   \nremarked, pulling a lemon from her pocket, peeling and sucking on  \nit with one bite.  \n  \n\"AH, no...\"  \n  \n\"What?\" the Pirate asked, confused. \"It's good!\"  \n  \nShivering, the Ranger could only remark, \"I can feel my lips wanting  \nto suck in!\"  \n  \n\"Typical land lubber,\" she commented. \"You given any thought to what  \nCaptain Kyrin proposed?\"  \n  \n\"I- what?\"  \n  \n\"About you, her, Kitrina and maybe me doing it?\"  \n  \nGiving her a stare, Diosoth shot back, \"NOW? You want to talk about  \nthis right now?\"  \n  \nShe shrugged. \"We have time. You got a lot of shit dumped on you,  \nyou could use something else to talk about. So?\"  \n  \n'Oh well,' the bowman thought to himself. \"Kit's still interested.  \nI, uh... it's not that I mind but...\"  \n  \n\"Think you'd be cheating on her?\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Kind of,\" he responded, \"she says it wouldn't be since she's there   \ntoo, and holy shit she's insatiable when she's in heat. Maybe it  \nwould be nice having help. This is probably gonna mess with that   \nthough.\"   \n  \nSmiling, Shulynch asked, \"like my tits?\"  \n  \n\"Oh...\" Almost red now, he only thought to answer, \"yeah.\"  \n  \n\"So does she. I guess we need birth control?\"  \n  \nHe answered back, \"yeah. Kit takes pills, I guess she gets them from  \na doctor so they should be easy to get.\"  \n  \nPeering at the ground below, the Pirate admired the view. \"Never get   \nto see up this high, not from sea. You're worried about him. I don't  \nknow my family, they abandoned me or they died, whatever happened the  \nNautilus has really been the closest to a family I've got. You plan  \nto tell the kid?\"  \n  \n\"Not yet.\" Slumped over the side of the flying craft, \"he doesn't need  \nthat dumped on him now. I don't know how I feel yet, or how he'd   \nhandle it. He's grown up under a boot heel, how do I tell him the   \nfather he never knew is dead and that the man was just too much of a  \ncoward to ever see him?\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"It's not like he could,\" the Pirate woman explained, \"they restricted   \ntravel in and out of the city years ago. And did she even tell him?\"  \n  \n\"I- I didn't ask...\"  \n  \nWith a shrug, Shulynch could only say, \"some things get twisted into  \na mess. Some messes can be cleaned up, maybe not the way we like them   \nbut we make do. Sometimes things go wrong and you can't do anything  \nabout it.\" She decided not to bring up Tyran for the time being.   \nDespite her usual lack of tact, the Pirate recalled the stories and  \nfelt that particular ghost may haunt him for years, without being  \nreminded.  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nAthena Pierce could not believe how bad the situation had become. In   \nmere seconds the world had changed forever. The land was torn apart,   \nthe role of every adventurer had been forever changed, and whatever   \ninnocence the world had was now undone. A shadowy hand was   \nmanipulating events like a puppet master pulling strings.  \n  \nThe boy was of further concern. \"I do not believe the child has   \nfully realized what he's become involved with. The impact of being   \nforced to kill has yet to take its toll, although someday soon it may  \nvery well hit him terribly.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"He seems like a nice kid,\" Kitrina mumbled, \"too bad he's got   \nhimself in this mess.\"  \n  \n\"And what about us?\" Dio asked. \"I mean the heroes and adventurers.   \nHow are we supposed to handle all this?\"  \n  \nThe Elf responded, \"no one can force you to do anything, but remember,  \nthis will affect the entire world. Many have begun training much   \nharder although with news of the situation in Edelstein still quiet,   \nmany do not know the full meaning of what has transpired. The power   \nof the Black Mage is great, it is a power that may frighten the world   \nif it ever becomes known. I fear that many may refuse to fight when   \nthe time comes. But we have an advantage, for the Black Mage does not   \nhave full strength and the world has many more heroes now than when   \nhe reigned four hundred years ago.\"  \n  \n\"You want to meet the kid?\" Kyrin asked.   \n  \n\"Yes, I must.\"  \n  \nThe captain explained, \"he's in the training room. You have to see  \nthis kid on his jaguar!\"  \n  \nFollowing their host to the main training area, they were quite   \nshocked to see the boy riding a large black cat. Moving swiftly  \naround the room, arrows fired rapidly from mystical crossbows, the  \nbeast swiping massive claws at any target in range. Upon spotting the   \nfour, Dyos whistled and jumped off, sending the animal into a   \nminiature vortex. \"I'm sorry those men came after you. If I knew they  \nwere following me I could have done something,\" the boy said.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"It's okay,\" the Ranger assured him. \"Your mother is safe and we  \nlet Claudine know where you are.\"  \n  \n\"Okay,\" the boy exclaimed. \"Can I go now? I need to keep training.\"  \n  \nHesitant, Kyrin said, \"sure.\"  \n  \nShocked, Diosoth began to say, \"You can't be-\"  \n  \n\"He's not a prisoner. I can't tie him up.\"  \n  \n\"I agree,\" the Elf muttered, wishing she could disagree and fight  \nthis. \"He must choose his path.\"  \n  \n\"Thanks for the food and for helping me out!\" Calling his steed back  \nto him, the boy ran off.  \n  \n\"He seems like a nice kid,\" Kitrina mumbled, \"too bad he's got   \nhimself in this mess. Why didn't you tell him?\"  \n  \nDiosoth groaned. \"He's got enough to deal with. I can get into that  \nlater.\"  \n  \nKit was not thrilled. \"But there might not BE a later!\"  \n  \n\"I KNOW! I want to tell him, I want to invite him into my life!  \nIt's been eight months since Tyran died and this kid's not even   \nas old as he was! I thought all my family was gone, that you were it,  \nKit! But the planet's in real danger and we can't just sit back and  \npretend it's not!\"  \n  \n\"Yeah...\" the catgirl sighed. \"I'm kinda worried about the kid, too.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"I should warn you,\" Athena spoke, \"that the recent changes affected   \nmore than the landscape. Some monsters are weaker and some are   \nstronger than they once were. It seems there was also an unexpected   \nside effect which has caused certain pieces of equipment to contain   \nan extra power. Keep careful watch for these as the extra bonuses   \nthey contain may be of use.\" Reaching into her pocket, the Elf   \nbowmaster gave her student the clock-like medal he had given to her  \nmonths before. \"This has a powerful enchantment. You should keep it,  \nin case.\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \n\"Real nice...\"  \n  \nDisgusted by the buzzing of gnats, Kitrina picked up a leftover sack   \nof uneaten fast food, tossing the contents outside. \"I'll go get  \nfresh burgers in a bit. We should have told him!\"  \n  \n\"Not now,\" Dio replied, \"I think we'd just burden him. He's dealing  \nwith killing someone, he's dealing with being in a strange place,  \nhe can't even go home right now.\u0026nbsp; Kit? Want to maybe get in bed?\" he   \nasked, hoping to change the subject.  \n  \n\"well...\" For once in her life, the usually amorous cat was not in the   \nmood. \"Maybe. Just this has got my mind in a mess. Hey, at least they  \ncleaned up and patched the hole,\" she noted, looking at the living  \nroom entrance. \"Maybe we should train again. If we have to fight  \nI'd rather be prepared!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Yeah...\" Diosoth sat back in the couch. \"I bet we could take the  \nfourth job test and pass!\"  \n  \nPlopping down beside her husband, Kitrina smugly said, \"easy! How  \nabout we stay in tonight, like we've got used to, and go out tomorrow  \nand train, then go take the test when we're sure we can pass it!  \nI did NOT want to do this again! Maybe we don't have to, the planet's  \ngot a lot of explorers who could deal with this but even mom said  \nshe might. Just, we'll hang back. Deal with the lighter stuff to  \nlighten the load on everyone else!\"  \n  \nKissing her gently, the young man could only think to say, \"one night  \nfor us. We'll deal with that later.\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nA stench permeated the old caves beneath Sleepywood, foul air   \npoisoned by the undead mushrooms and reptilian beasts that made it   \ntheir home. The child chose to ignore the aroma, focused merely on   \nhis task. He needed to earn money, he needed to become stronger, and   \nslaughtering these monsters was merely one more step in a long   \njourney. He saw these creatures as mindless, they attacked on mere  \ninstinct without thought. Nowhere near the level of a man who put  \nthought into his actions.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;His jaguar ran, leaping across a gap in the pathway, mentally doing   \nas its owner wished. Dyos allowed the beast to be his legs while   \ntaking aim, arrows piercing the creatures one by one, his PDA   \nrecording the kills so that the Maple Administration's system could   \npay the promised bounty. Dyos would stop frequently to collect   \nwhatever odds and ends items the monsters had dropped, be it coins,   \nrandom armor or goods stolen from shops or adventurers, or even body   \nparts that could be sold to the stores. The child did not know why   \nshops bought random mushroom caps or horns, nor did it concern him.  \nThe intricacies of the world were quite unknown, regardless of the   \ngrowing up he'd been forced into already.  \n  \nIt was the humming of a machine that caught the Wild Hunter's   \nattention. Heavy footsteps across rock followed by the burst of   \nmachine gun fire that ripped apart a small herd of Drakes. The   \nlizards, much larger than men, fell quite easily from the onslaught.   \n  \n\"I've seen you back at the Resistance base,\" the woman greeted.   \n\"You're the one who had to kill that Black Wings agent. You've got   \nmore guts than most of the city.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"I-\" Dyos paused. \"I don't want to talk about it.\"  \n  \n\"Okay, then did you know two people have been following you?\"  \n  \nThe child hadn't noticed. Peering around the corner, he could see a   \nman in red armor and a woman with a long tail. The pair were dealing   \nwith monsters, a rather easy task for ones so well trained. They were   \nfar beyond whatever challenge these tunnels offered. \"That's that man   \nwho has the same name as me,\" Dyos explained.   \n  \n\"I know,\" she said. \"He came to the base the other day. He-\"  \nThe woman hesitated. \"I think he's worried about you!\"  \n  \n\"What do you want?\" he asked.   \n  \nResting her mech, the woman responded, \"we're allies, kid. You need   \nsomeone to help you and I want help of my own. The Black Wings took   \nsomething from me.\"  \n  \nA scream echoed from some distance down the caves. As if by instinct,   \nthe pair ran towards the sound, down the edge of a sharp drop to find   \na young girl cornered by several beasts. Taking aim, the Mechanic   \nopened fire, clearing out the beastly gathering. \"Another kid running  \naround here, what's the world come to?\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Thank you,\" the girl choked out. \"I got lost down here. Um...\"   \ntaking out a photograph, the girl asked, \"I'm looking for my parents,   \nhave you seen them?\"  \n  \nDyos looked at the photo. \"Sorry, I haven't seen them.\"  \n  \n\"Hm... wait, yeah. I saw them in Edelstein about a month ago. It was   \nthe same day the island was changed. At least, I think it was these   \npeople.\"  \n  \nHer eyes lit up. \"Can you help me find them?\"  \n  \n\"I-\" She couldn't simply brush the child off. If these people had   \nbeen in the city, especially before travel was reopened, then her   \nenemies may have been involved. \"If you go off on your own you might   \nget hurt. Maybe it's better if you stay with me. What's your name?\"  \n  \n\"Ameliorata,\" the girl answered. \"I became a Magician so I could look   \nfor\u0026nbsp; them.\" The girl looked to be only around Dyos' age, at most. \"I   \nbecame a Cleric so I could heal them if they were hurt.\"  \n  \n\"You can call me Greased Babe. It's not really my name but it's all I   \nhave now. They call me that because I'm usually covered in grease   \nfrom this mech. The kid here is Dyos Oth. I hope we can find your   \nparents.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;The boy was puzzled. \"I thought we-\"  \n  \nTaking him aside, Greased Babe whispered, \"I think the Black Wings   \nhave her parents. If they're not dead already they will be soon. You   \nsaid you saw all those people in tanks of liquid, you want to bet her   \nparents might be in those?\"  \n  \n\"Uh... we need to get in there!\"  \n  \n\"And the faster we get the money and experience as fighters to do it,\"  \nthe Mechanic shot back, \"the more likely we are to find her parents   \nstill alive. I really hope they are still alive... my husband might be   \nin there too, we need to get this done as fast as we can!\"  \n  \nReturning to the girl, the Mechanic offered, \"come with us. You'll   \nbe better off with companions anyway, and we could use a healer.\"  \n  \nAmeliorata's eyes lit up even brighter. \"You'll help me find my   \nparents?\"  \n  \n\"Yes, kid,\" G-Babe responded. 'I only hope we find them alive.'  \n  \nSome distance away, above the drop, Diosoth watched the three, but   \nwas too far away to hear their conversation. \"That's the girl who   \nwas on the Nautilus yesterday.\"  \n  \n\"I wonder what they're talking about?\" Kit wondered.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"She was asking about her parents, I think,\" he replied.  \n  \nSitting on the ledge, Kitrina remarked, \"hope they find 'em.\"  \n  \n\"With the way things have been going lately,\" Dio mused with a bad  \nsense of dread, \"me too.\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nGently pushing open the door to the Henesys Bowman Instructional   \nSchool, Kitrina wiped her feet on the mat, silently cursing her lack  \nof footwear. Waiting until a small crowd left after receiving the   \ninstructor's blessings, she approached and asked, \"hey, any idea on  \nhow the monsters changed?\"  \n  \n\"We wanted to train at golems but they're dropping too easy,\" Diosoth  \nexplained, \"I didn't think they were that weak.\"  \n  \n\"I know they weren't,\" Kit grumbled, recalling the time she faced  \na horde of them. Training wasn't merely exercise, adventurers relied  \non the energy they absorbed from defeated monsters to grow in  \nboth physical and magical strength. Skin and armor enhanced by  \nmagic, skills required magic, and that was taken from the fallen  \nfoes they left behind in the wake of battle. To kill the weak gained  \nsuch little strength that anyone of sufficient power would find their  \nprogress slowed considerably.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Puzzled now, the Elf asked the couple, \"does your PDA not have the new  \nguide?\"  \n  \nSlipping them out to check the map information, the feline groaned,   \n\"nah, nothing, looks the same to me!\"  \n  \n\"Sure, they'll get that update out right away! I think some of these  \nnew maps are broken too, that one path around Lith Harbor had us  \nin the ground.\" The Ranger bad become tired of the Administration's  \nlack of effort into keeping the system running, and ever since the  \ndisturbance it had been a constant stream of issues. Getting the  \nnetwork to play nice with the Edelstein models had also been slow,  \nbut that at least could be blamed on the uncooperative nature of the  \nBlack Wings, which ran their own separate network and refused to share  \ninformation.  \n  \nGoing through a nearby stack of papers, Athena Pierce proved the   \ncouple with a revised report on worldwide monsters. \"That should   \nsuffice until the network is updated. I am pleased to see you are  \nso dedicated to fighting.\"  \n  \n\"Uh... if it wasn't for Dio's brother we'd still be at home.\" Kitrina  \nwas tired of the rhetoric. \"Don't take this the wrong way, but we're  \ndoing this for him, not you.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"I- I meant no insult,\" the Elf said sheepishly.  \n  \n\"AH! I'm sorry, I didn't-\"  \n  \nThe Ranger cut in, \"we're tired. That's all. Thanks for the list.\"  \n  \n\"I am pleased to be of assistance.\"  \n  \nAs they left, the catgirl let out a loud, exhausted sigh. \"I need to  \nsit down...\"  \n  \n\"Kit? You don't know your father or who he is... think maybe you have  \nsomeone out there?\"  \n  \nShe thought it over for only a few seconds. \"It's possible. But I   \ndon't really worry about it... I'll probably never know who he is  \nand I doubt I'd know who they are so I guess it's no big deal to me.\"  \nChecking their inventory, the cat grumbled out, \"we're low on healing  \nsupplies. Before we head out tomorrow we better get to NLC and buy   \nmore.\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nKerning's old alleyways betrayed the sanctuary hidden within a dingy  \ncorner of the city. Kyrin felt the setting appropriate, in the  \nbackyard of the woman's hated enemy. High heel boots striding into the  \nDual Blade's hideout, the Pirate was hardly surprised to see Lady  \nSyl surrounded by bodyguards.   \n  \n\"The leader of the Pirates?\" Syl smiled at the opportunity. \"An  \nunexpected yet pleasant surprise! I've been looking forward to meeting   \nyou. I believe we could be powerful allies.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Can it!\"  \n  \nSyl's grin turned to a look of anger. \"Oh?\"  \n  \nKyrin wisely kept her weapon holstered as she said, \"you and the Dark  \nLord need to end your feud or people might get hurt. I don't mean all  \nthe kids you suckered into joining you, and they'd get hurt in your   \nwar bad enough but the Black Mage was responsible for the big bang   \nthat almost ripped the world apart!\"  \n  \nThat name sent chills up Syl's spine. \"Black... Mage? He's here?\"  \n  \n\"Not yet,\" the Pirate scoffed, \"but he will be. The Black Wings are  \nalready manipulating things in his favor. You need to make peace  \nwith the Thieves and work with them. The wants you fighting, it means  \nyou're not fighting him!\"  \n  \nThe Dual Blade master hesitated, finally managing, \"I will consider   \nit. It will depend on how stubborn Jin is, naturally...\"  \n  \n\"Oh and,\" Kyrin added in anger, \"I have a friend that's part of the  \nThief class. She doesn't ally with Dark Lord but in case you ever do  \ndecide to start a little war and one of yours hurts her... lady, the  \nocean's a big place. They might never find you. Don't do anything   \nstupid. You hurt my friend and the Black Mage will be the least of  \nyour problems.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Syl was furious, yet understood the threat. \"My fight is with Jin  \nhimself, not those he trains.\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \n\"So... how do we destroy this thing without them knowing it was us?\"  \nthe bear asked, arms crossed in dismay.   \n  \nClaudine pondered their options. \"It won't be easy, someone will have  \nto infiltrate in disguise and destroy the machine without any   \nwitnesses, and hope they believe it malfunctioned. That means it's  \na solo mission, possibly a suicide mission.\" Scribbling down notes  \nin the mess of paperwork scattered all around, the Resistance leader  \nnearly stabbed the desk with the pen tip in anger. \"Gabrielle can't  \nbe rescued, the kids tried that and she refused to leave. But she has  \na point, if she vanishes they'll know we rescued her! Albert's just  \ngoing to have to be patient. Right now we have more important threats  \nto deal with...\"  \n  \nBelle tried to hide her disgust but was hardly doing an adequate job.  \n\"I don't like sending in kids. It's bad enough they're hardly   \nexperienced or trained in combat but they're just children.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Tossing the broken pen aside, Claudine wanted to scream. \"And we might  \nbe recognized, we couldn't possibly blend in. We only have one adult  \nmember with us and I don't think she likes me. The kid's show enthusiasm  \nand we've trained them the best we can in the time we have, what   \nchoice do we have?\" Wiping her sweaty brow, the stale air of the  \nold storage tunnels only worsened her agitation. \"I need to check on  \nVita, she's still frail. I don't know what those monsters did to her  \nbut I think the boy who rescued her would break down if something  \nhappened and I did NOT become a doctor to see people die!\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nEvening fell on the small town and Kitrina was ready to go to bed.  \nThe long day of training had worn her out, all she wanted to do was  \nsleep. \"Can we take tomorrow off?\"  \n  \n\"Fine by me,\" her husband responded. \"You don't have to wear twenty  \npounds of crap everywhere!\" Popping open a bottle of ice cream soda,  \nthe fizz burning his throat didn't matter, his thirst was too great.  \n  \nLeaning against an old wall right outside of the general store, the  \ncouple was suddenly greeted by a woman Diosoth had known for years,  \nif not well. \"Anne? Anna?\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Anna,\" the woman answered. Evan's mother had made a run for supplies.  \n\"Have you seen my son recently?\"  \n  \nShrugging, the bowman only responded, \"no, why? He in trouble?\"  \n  \n\"No,\" the woman answered back. \"But he hasn't actually been home in  \ndays.\" Pausing briefly, she went on, \"is there any way you could   \nconvince him to come home and stay? I'm proud of what he's doing but  \nI'm still so afraid he's going to get hurt! I don't like this, ever   \nsince the island was changed everything feels worse! And you're   \ndoing this again, too, when you said you were quitting!\"  \n  \nIn no real mood to discuss it yet not wanting to brush Evan's mother  \noff, all he could say was, \"I tried. He's determined to do this  \nand right now the world needs heroes, all it can get. I told him to  \nbe careful, I think he's smart enough to stay alive, and we had no  \nchoice, either!\"  \n  \n\"Yeah,\" Kit added, \"Dio's brother is out there too, in bad trouble.  \nI don't wanna hear he got hurt because I was sitting on my butt  \ninstead of being a hero! I don't like it but if we don't fight things  \nare gonna be bad!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Nervously, Anna demanded, \"what's really going on? No one will tell me  \nanything!\"  \n  \n\"I don't think anyone really knows,\" Dio grumbled in anger, \"or they  \nwon't talk to us. Something about this Black Mage and a group that  \nworks for him. They've been- well, maybe they don't tell you because   \nthe truth is so bad you don't want to hear it. I know. I know more   \nthan I wanted to know. You think you're worried now? The answers won't  \nhelp you. My advice, let your son do this and save the world, and  \neven if something happens at least he might go out saving a lot of  \npeople, and I know that's going to suck BAD but the only other choice  \nis we all die.\"  \n  \nDespite all this, Anna smiled. \"My son is braver than I imagined.  \nThank you. Would you two like to come to the farm later for dinner?\"  \n  \nKitrina's ears perked up. \"MEAT! Yes, I want meat! But...\" The   \ncat let out an exhausted yawn. \"I've been up since early. I don't know  \nwhat time we got up... can it be tomorrow? If I don't get home I...\"  \n  \n\"KIT!\"  \n  \n\"Huh?\" The catgirl shook herself out of near sleep.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Evan's mother understood. \"Tomorrow, then!\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nKitrina felt like dead weight. Dinner had ended without any of the   \nconversation turning to uncomfortable topics. Evan's father had led  \nDiosoth outside, no doubt to try and talk about such things in  \nprivate, concerns over his son's well-being being the big topic that  \nthe family likely wished to know, yet didn't want to ruin dinner over.  \n  \n\"I'd help with the dishes but I only bought one pair of rubber gloves.  \nYou probably don't want cat hair in everything.\"  \n  \n\"That's perfectly okay,\" Anna responed with a forced smile, \"you're  \na guest. So, you live in the large house on the edge of town? I heard  \nthat place was a fortune!\"  \n  \n\"Yeah, but not too bad, I guess,\" Kit mumbled. \"We got it at a   \nbargain. Someone needed money. Look, you wanna hear about your kid,  \nDio was right, he tried to talk him out of this but I guess he feels  \nlike he has to. Something about an ancestor. I put up with that s-  \nall that when one of my friends died.\" Kitrina carefully silenced her  \nusual preclusion to foul language. \"But that's changed. Dio's got a  \nbrother he didn't know about and that kid's out too. But we've seen  \nfight and he's good! He's got two friends with him, so we've stayed   \nback, you know, let him do his hting and get better without us  \nholding his hand.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Gritting her teeth, the cat continued, \"that town the kid's from has  \nbeen run by bad people. They're fighting back. It's so bad they need   \nthe kids because the adults are scared. We had it good. We just got  \na wake up call. They got pushed and they pushed back. We just hadn't  \nbeen pushed hard enough yet but I guess we're starting to. I heard  \nrecruitment's been going up all around, I think people are getting the  \nidea bad things are happening. A lot of us are fighting even if we  \ndon't want to.\"  \n  \nLeaving her pile of dishes alone, the woman, with audible worry, asked   \nthe feline, \"do you think Evan's going to be okay?\"  \n  \n\"Uh...\" Kit wasn't sure if she should lie or be honest. \"I can't...  \nhe's strong. He showed up and got that girl from the golems. I was  \nthere! I could have handled it until the big one crawled out of the   \nground! I only weakened it some but he took it down. I think if your   \nkid wasn't there I might've been hurt. It's hard to say it but there's  \nalways a chance. My mom's been training too, I really worry about her,  \nshe says she's okay and I should train myself. She's a brawler, I  \ndon't want something to happen to her but I guess some people, they   \nwanna fight back.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Feeling almost at ease for the first time since the island was torn  \napart, Anna resumed her chores. \"How come whenever see you around   \nmuch? I know Diosoth left on an adventure but he quit when you got   \nmarried. We were hoping he would sell firewood again but that didn't  \nseem to happen.\"  \n  \n\"OH! Yeah... we have enough money he didn't need to and...\"  \n  \n\"...oh. I think I know what you mean,\" Evan's mother said, turning   \nbeet red. \"I was a newlywed once, myself!\"  \n  \nLaughing it off, Kit went on, \"yeah, well, people in Kerning aren't  \nthat big into talking to their neighbors, either. I didn't think  \nabout it until I moved here but I didn't have many friends. People   \njust stick to themselves and some people aren't really people I can   \ntrust. Guess I'm not real used to Henesys yet. Maybe I should learn  \nhow to cook. That was the bets meal I'd had in a long time! I mostly  \neat store food and microwaved cheeseburgers. Mom never had time  \nto learn either.\"  \n  \n\"You own a microwave?\" Anna said in disgust. \"I would never allow one  \nin my kitchen!\"  \n  \n\"Mrs. Ming-Ming said she'd teach me. But I haven't had time since  \nall this went down!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Would you like me to teach you? She's a good cook but also overworked  \nwith town affairs, I have free time and I could use the distraction  \nso I don't worry about Evan so much.\"  \n  \nGrinning, Kitrina blurted out, \"hey, yeah, sounds great!\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nDespite the man's claim to dislike emotions, Gelimer felt giddy as his  \nlatest device neared completion. \"This had better work,\" his   \ncommander scolded with disdain, \"your last weapon blew up! Keeping  \nthe citizens in line is getting harder! The Resistance is growing in  \npower daily. If not for security I would have blamed them rather than  \nyour own incompetence.\"  \n  \nA desire to slap Orchid was overruled by the knowledge that his   \nsuperior could kill him in mere seconds should he dare show such   \ninsubordination. His time would come but he had to be patient.  \n  \n\"Do not worry, I intend to test the poison gas dispenser thoroughly,  \nas a demonstration to Edelstein of what will happen to them if they  \nand their Resistance fall out of line!\" He was lying, of course.  \nGeliemr planned to use the gas regardless of Orchid's orders, which  \nwould either turn the citizens into his mindless, emotionless slaves,  \nor kill them. Perhaps both, perhaps a fate mixed throughout the town.  \nIn fact, Gelimer did not care which outcome happened.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nSliding the red helmet off, glad to be free of the thing, the Ranger  \nonly wanted to go home, get a quick meal and resume his training.  \nHe and Kit tad been at this two long, painful weeks, his body  \nyearned to stop and lay in bed for two days straight, his mind wanted  \nto stop this, he had made a promise to stop this, to his wife and  \nto himself. A promise broken by necessity was still a promise broken.  \n  \nHe had seen little of Henesys. Dragging his catgirl wife around the  \nplanet, they had now trained well enough to stand against the monsters  \nof Leafre and would soon be eligible to take the advancement test.  \nDays of challenging weakling slimes and angry mushrooms, days of  \na simpler time, all gone. The old hunting grounds outside of town had  \nbeen ripped apart when the lands changed, often used as a social   \ngathering even for those too advanced to require killing snails or  \nother simpler beasts would show off to those just starting their   \ntraining.  \n  \nSo much was gone, taken from them by an evil willpower, and if they  \ndid not fight back the rest would soon be ripped from their grasps.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Diosoth let out a mix between a sigh and a roar when he saw the town  \nchief and his wife approaching. \"Ah, there you are!\" He said  \nnothing and just kept walking. \"Is everything okay?\" Stan pressed.  \n  \nStopping by the old home he had grown up in, the Ranger came up with  \na daring idea in only seconds. The town may have been using it as a  \nwarehouse but it was still his property. \"I want all your junk out of   \nmy house.\"  \n  \nSurprised by the request, Chief Stan asked, \"would you repeat that?\"  \n  \nManners went out the window now. \"I said I want all the town's stuff   \nOUT of my house, and I want the place cleaned. I don't want excuses,   \nI want it it done NOW. I'm not in the mood for any crap right now!\"  \n  \nMrs. Ming-Ming gasped, shocked at the outburst. Stan would have   \nnormally refused to tolerate such attitude from any of his town's  \ncitizens, but a look in the bowman's eyes told him something that   \nwords could not convey. It was a look of desperate worry.   \n  \n\"Of course. I will have it done by tonight!\"  \n  \n\"And get two beds and some food. I'll worry about more furniture   \nlater,\" Dio demanded, \"two of my family are moving in within the next  \ntwo or three days. I don't have time to stick around, just get it   \ndone!\" He left without further explanation.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Did he say family?\" the woman asked, confused.  \n  \n\"He did... I think something terrible is happening.\" Groaning as he  \nthought it over, Stan admitted, \"I haven't been able to get any  \nstraight answers out of anyone! Athena Pierce is too afraid to tell   \nme, that Pirate woman won't cooperate, the Warrior chief told me to  \nnot ask him, and that Thief won't waste his time with me. Whatever   \nis oging on though, we have our part. Arrange to relocate everything  \nin the warehouse immediately.\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nAngered Kentaurs, large four-legged beasts that had once been civil  \nyet turned to war and their intelligence lost, charged the two  \nadventurers. Arrows flew and the dagger's blade cut through, bodies  \nturning into a haze and disappearing. \"So where do we find those  \ntwo we're supposed to beat and get those medals from?\"  \n  \nClimbing on a vine, well out of reach, Diosoth check the map on his  \nPDA. \"Not too far... if we can get past these damn things!\"  \n  \nCutting the crowd down, the catgirl deflected a spear against her  \nshield. \"I miss the slimes...\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Watching from a hill above, the warrior leaped down, her blade  \nswinging a wide arc into a gathering of the beasts, slicing through  \nas if they were not there. Grunting as each swing took down more  \nof the creatures, the stranger allowed some breathing room for the   \ncouple to deal with the last few surrounding them. The last of the  \nKentaurs finally vanished in the flurry of combat.   \n  \nHey, long time!\"  \n  \nKitrina stared in amazement at woman before her. White hair, tanned  \nskin and a weapon that looked to weigh as much as she did. A long  \ncape flowed behind her, lined with fur, outlining a body barely clad.  \n  \nPlanting the polearm firmly in the dirt, the warrior woman leaned  \nagainst it. \"I owe you for what you did for me,\" she said. \"Name's  \nAran. Back then I didn't know who I was and if you hadn't given me  \na push I would have been in BIG trouble.\"  \n  \n\"Did you say Aran?\" Diosoth inquired. \"You mean like the hero from  \nthe old legends? Are you named after her?\"  \n  \nGiggling now, she answered back, \"No, I am her! I was frozen in ice  \nuntil they found me! I see you're a fighter, last time I saw you,  \nyou were just walking around. She your girlfriend?\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Wife, actually,\" Kit responded.  \n  \n\"NICE!\" Hoisting the weapon over her shoulder, a move that left  \nDiosoth wondering how her arm wasn't broken trying to lift it, she  \nwent on, \"you out training or you taking that job advancement test?\"  \n  \nHe answered, \"the test. My brother's in trouble. He might need me  \nby his side, thought maybe I should get stronger.\"  \n  \nAran's look turned rather stern \"I'll help you get to Manon and  \nGriffey. Be careful, they're strong. Every time they're killed they  \ncome back.\" The warrior let out a sigh. \"Leafre's cursed by evil.  \nAll these monsters, we kill them and they come back. It never  \nends. We grow stronger but they keep coming. I can't help you fight  \nthem, it's against the rules and they will know if I help, but I  \nthink you can take them! No, I know it! We always win! Anyway, I owe  \nyou for helping me out, wish I could come along after you're done but  \nI've got things I have to take care of!\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nA simple, quick plan. As the ride landed in Edelstein, the catgirl  \nactivated the Dark Sight skill, invisible to all, remaining here   \nshould there be trouble. Diosoth, with his hacked PDA, ignored the  \ntown's goings on and made his way towards Belinda's house. His  \nknock was answered quickly. \"Pack whatever you feel is important,  \nyou're leaving here now! Don't talk, just pack, take whatever you can  \nfit into your storage pocket, leave the rest. You don't need   \nfurniture or dishes, just the important stuff you can't replace!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"But... Dyos isn't here!\"  \n  \n\"He's at the Resistance HQ,\" Dio assured her. \"I'll get him in a bit.  \nDon't spend more than an hour, we'll have the Black Wings distracted  \nso you can get to the airport and leave with us!\"  \n  \n\"I have nowhere to go!\"  \n  \nThe bowman responded shortly, \"My old house in Henesys is empty. It's  \nyours. Or do you want to stay here and be afraid all the time?\"  \n  \nBelinda shook in fear but managed to whimper, \"I'll do it! But how  \nwill I leave? They will check my ID and I don't have even enough  \nmesos to buy a ticket!   \n  \nProducing a small bag, he untied the sack and gave her several bills.  \n\"This is hacked, they won't know who you are, use it, and toss your old   \none if you have one. You can't come back to this city, either.\"  \n  \nTaking the money, the woman, riddled with fear, only managed to  \nstammer out, \"find my son! Find your brother!\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \n\"What do you MEAN he's not here!?\"  \n  \nClaudine was unsure if she should brush the Ranger off or be   \nterrified. \"We had a situation! Belle, Brighton and Checky were  \ncaptured while infiltrating the mines! I had to send someone in  \nand they volunteered! I didn't have a choice or any time to find  \nanyone else!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Holding back a desire to slap the woman, Diosoth knew that whatever   \nwas going on, the Resistance leader probably had no choice in the   \nmatter. \"Great... I better go in myself and find him! Now who's going  \nto distract the town so I can get his mother to the airport?\"  \n  \n\"Can I help?\" It was the young Battle Mage he had met prior.  \n  \n\"Uh... maybe. Lutia, right?\"  \n  \nShe shook her head.   \n  \n\"Okay... maybe we can think of a little plan that won't be dangerous.\"  \nHow Diosoth wished none of this had ever happened, but as Shulynch  \nhad said, sometimes a mess can be cleaned up.  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nLooking around the airport, the bowman whispered, \"KIT!\"  \n  \n\"Right here,\" the cat responded, remaining hidden. \"She coming?  \nAnd where's your brother?\"  \n  \n\"Things are going to shit. We have to get to the mines! He's there.  \nSo are that Mechanic woman, that girl and a Battle Mage they took  \nalong. Their instructors went in and got captured, they had to go in  \nand rescue them!\"  \n  \n\"SHIT!\" Dio could just see her expression of disgust without needing  \nto look at her. \"Glad we passed the fourth job test? We'll need it.  \nWhat about her?\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;He answered, \"some of the kids are working on a distraction. I left  \na Henesys scroll with Claudine for her.\"  \n  \nKitrina groaned in anger. \"If we don't get him out she'll probably...  \nand you... okay, I'll stay like this until we get in, we might have  \nto fight, you know that...\"  \n  \n\"Yeah, I know, I don't like it but I know...\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nTheir assault on the base had been going poorly, as if Greased Babe   \nexpected a smooth operation from the fools she had joined. They had  \nno plans, no direction, the idiots had run in and got themselves   \ncaught. She cursed Claudine for not coming along. It was only their  \nthree instructors missing, three who could be interrogated and blow  \nthe entire operation apart, three who could be easily identified  \nif anyone in the Black Wings bothered to check them out.  \n  \nShe was thankful that these fascists showed a degree of incompetence  \nand laziness. They ruled by fear, not efficiency. Security was a  \ncomplete disgrace, the hats they bought from a traitorous Watchman  \nenough to get through the door and no one asked them questions. It  \nwas merely assumed that any individual within the mines belonged.  \nThe Mechanic contemplated if they actually would destroy the power  \nplant, if they were courageous or willing enough to sacrifice   \nthemselves. All she ever saw from these pigs was a selfish need for  \npersonal gain. But it may only take one person making the decision  \nwith no concern over killing their own to spite any dissent.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Separated and wandering aimlessly, G-Babe tried to use the friends   \nlist to locate the others but had no luck in the uncharted tunnels.  \nDyos was probably pushing on to find them. Their Battle Mage contact  \nwas certainly either brave or filled with bravado but perhaps too much  \nfor his own good, she almost expected the kid to get himself killed.  \nPoor Ameliorata, not even part of the Resistance, had come along to  \nserve as a healer but that did no good unless they were together.  \nGreased Babe had no choice but to look around and wander until she   \nbumped into someone, preferably without anyone becoming suspicious.  \n  \nAnd to make the situation worse, those town scrolls did not work here  \nand the only means of an easy exit had to be saved for the three  \ncaptives. \"I think I know where they're being kept,\" Dyos explained.  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \n\"More visitors...\" the Watchman commented. \"We've had a lot lately.\"  \n  \n\"I need to get into the mines,\" Diosoth said. \"I heard you might  \nbe able to help.\"  \n  \nGrinning now, the man cheerfully replied, \"certainly! Call me Stephan.  \nYou will need a hat! Without it you won't be allowed inside. I can  \nsell you mine. Only a hundred thousand mesos!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"A-\" He was furious. \"Or I could just beat you and take it!\"  \n  \n\"You could... you'd be doing me a favor by killing me, actually!\"  \nThe attitude stunned both of them. \"I would no longer have to live  \nin fear of Gelimer or Orchid killing me if I don't please them. I  \nwould no longer cry myself to sleep every night thinking of the lives  \nruined by us, I would no longer worry about the greed so embedded in  \nme that it keeps me a coward too afraid to fight any of this... in  \nfact, now that I think of it, I don't deserve to die. That would end  \nmy suffering and for my part in all this I deserve to. Here,\" handing  \nover his cap, \"I may never have the courage to do this again but  \nI get the feeling you are not here to actually join the Black Wings.  \nDo be careful.\"  \n  \nSimply taking the hat and slipping it on, he mumbled, \"I almost  \nfelt bad for him. Almost.\"  \n  \nKit agreed. \"Even knowing you're doing wrong doesn't mean shit if you  \nkeep doing it! I'll keep invisible until we're in, we only have one   \nhat!\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nAmeliorata's eyes had trouble focusing in the dimmed caves. Certain  \nareas of lesser importance were almost dark. Pacing slowly, she  \nfinally saw to Black Wings Watchmen near a lit console. Wishing to   \navoid direct contact to avoid any trouble, she looked out anyway  \nand was startled to see familiar faces.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Racing forth, the girl screamed, \"mom! Dad!\", the alerted pair facing  \nthe child. \"Is it you?\" Suddenly realizing that something wasn't right  \nabout this, the girl asked fearfully, \"why are you dressed like that?\"  \n  \n\"Oh, no... it's the girl.\" The man mumbled.  \n  \n\"That brat! It was bad enough we had to keep her for the cover story  \nbut I thought she would starve or something!\"  \n  \nGrabbing his rifle, the man only blurted out, \"we can't let her go!\"  \n  \n\"No,\" the woman laughed with a despicable joy, \"I never liked the  \nrotten little anchor and we don't need her anymore!\"  \n  \nNo amount of combat skill or strength was of any use to Ameliorata  \nnow. Her parents wanted her dead. The parents she believed were in  \ndanger, the ones she loved so much, were going to kill her. Sudden  \ndepression drowned her, the life she knew was twisted and taken away  \nby a harsh discovery. The girl suddenly wanted to die.  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nBy pure chance had she found the specimen vats. Rows and stacks of  \npeople in jars, hooked up to monitors and tubes, abused for the  \nunethical experiments the Black Wings wished to perform. No concern  \nfor life, no kindness, no remorse, people were a commodity to these  \nvillains. Running along, looking at every face, almost ready to  \nfall down and give up as each face failed to register, Greased Babe  \nwanted to scream out and start crying. She could not find the man  \nshe loved. For all the worn Mechanic knew he wasn't even here, this  \ntiny bit of hope had been no comfort or guarantee.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;There.  \n  \nThe face.  \n  \n\"Jacobian...\"  \n  \nTapping the glass, hoping to wake her husband, the weary woman   \nwondered if he was sedated, and how hard it would be to shatter the  \nglass. Pounding harder, she realized the man was not breathing or   \nmoving. Her missing husband was gone. She had found only remains.  \nTo come this far and fail in such a manner felt like a stab in the  \ngut. Even expecting this could happen, the pain was beyond tolerance.  \nFists pounded in anger, she did not care if anyone heard, let them  \ncome.  \n  \nFinally slinking away, dazed as the hard truth had sunk in, Greased  \nBabe knew any name she had before was gone. That name had no meaning.  \nNephele was deceased as far as she cared, dead along with Jacobian.  \nTheir hopes, their love, all gone.  \n  \nGreased Babe had been born by cruel hands. Greased Babe would show  \nthe Black Wings that her new name was earned through a trial of  \nmetal and fuel. The grease that helped the Mechanics operate their  \nrides would keep her going. It was all she had.  \n  \nRunning through the caves, not yet ready to unleash full fury, not  \nyet ready to let anyone hear her, the voices caught the angered  \nwoman's attention.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Oh, no... it's the girl.\"  \n  \n\"That brat! It was bad enough we had to keep her for the cover story  \nbut I thought she would starve or something!\"  \n  \n\"We can't let her go!\"  \n  \nAmeliorata was at the mercy of two of the Watchmen, the child holding  \nback tears.  \n  \n\"No, I never liked the rotten little anchor and we don't need her   \nanymore!\"  \n  \nHer parents? Were Ameriorata's parents really going to do this?  \nGreased Babe was no longer surprised. The Black Wings were evil  \nand served only the Black Mage for whatever personal rewards life  \noffered. She knew the hard way that everyone else was to be walked   \non, in their eyes.  \n  \nCalling forth the mech, the footsteps were not enough to drown out  \nan angered scream. Distracted by the sound, the male Watchman had  \nno time to fire before being picked up and slammed into the mine  \nfloor. Spinning quickly, G-Babe aimed both cannons and fired at  \nthe woman without mercy. No parent who would murder their child   \ndeserved mercy.  \n  \nThe Black Wings trained their soldiers, for it took several shots to  \nwear away at the magical enhancements to the woman's health, each  \nbullet bouncing off yet the damage whittling down what strength she  \nhad as the final few shots tore through the weakened body. Attention  \nturned now to the man, G-Babe stomped on the rifle and began to  \ndrive the large metal fists down, beating her target senseless, his  \nown health depleting, until blood splattered from a broken frame that  \nhad once been an evil man, ready to kill his own child.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Calling off the machine's fury, the Mechanic let out a painful  \nscream of agony and victory. Her lover was dead but she had taken  \ntwo of them down as punishment. Mind finally focusing on the girl,  \nG-Babe slowed her breathing enough to send the machine back into   \nits storage pocket. Grabbing the child and holding tight, she   \nmanaged to whisper out, \"I'm sorry, I didn't want to but-\"  \n  \n\"They were going to kill me... thank you.\"  \n  \nThe Mechanic was shocked. Had the child forgiven her? \"I'm so sorry...  \nyou didn't find what you wanted and I didn't either, he's dead,  \nhe's dead and...\"  \n  \nUncertain if it would help, Ameliorata sent a wave of healing magic  \nthrough the unsettled woman as a voice called out, \"there!\"   \n  \nThe two looked around to see Dyos and their Battle Mage companion.  \nIt was time to finish this.  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nKitrina hated the way this place stank, she was almost positive the   \nsmell was dust that she shouldn't be breathing in. Aside from a few   \nrandom monsters, no one had given them any notice whatsoever.   \nNot even a bikini-clad catgirl drew any real attention. For the  \nimpression the Black Wings gave of having eyes everywhere, they did  \nnot feel watched.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nGelimer almost screamed. Two mangled bodies was a sight beyond   \nanything he had hoped to see today. \"Oh wow!\"  \n  \n\"What did this?\" one of his assistants asked, horrified yet unwilling  \nto run away lest Gelimer punish him.  \n  \n\"It was big... it must have been an ore muncher or a sentry machine  \nthat malfunctioned! Clean this mess up, we have work to do!  \nWe need to make sure the poison gas dispenser is fully operational!\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nTurning a corner, Diosoth nearly ran headfirst into Greased Babe.  \n\"There you are! What-\"  \n  \n\"We don't have time...\" she gasped, panting as exhaustion overtook  \nher body. \"We just destroyed a machine....\"  \n  \n\"Gelimer was going to use it on the city!\" Dyos clarified. \"I'm  \nglad you're here!\"  \n  \nAmeliorata hit both of them with healing magic. \"Hey, isn't there  \nanother one with you?\" the cat asked, noticing their party one short.  \n  \n\"He... thing nailed him,\" G-Babe said with a disappointed whine. \"It  \nwasn't just a machine, it had magic! Reflected his attack right back,  \nstrong enough to kill him a hundred times over, I bet! We need to get  \nout of here! I'm gonna strangle Claudine!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Recalling their way through the inner sectors of the mines, the cat  \nblurted out excitedly, \"there was an elevator a couple rooms back.\"  \n  \n\"YES!\" G-Babe fished into her pocket for a paper ticket. \"They have  \na quick way back to town! I forgot all about it!\"  \n  \nMaking their way to the platform, the five stepped on, the Mechanic  \nslipping her lone ticket into the reader. \"Hey... hold on...  \noh, can we be so lucky?\" A quick press and the platform lifted,  \nmoving quickly upward only to take a sharp turn straight ahead.   \nHolding on by the railings, they were jolted as an upward path   \nresumed, finally slamming to a halt.  \n  \nKitrina was certain this was not Edelstein. \"We're home?\"  \n  \n\"Son of a bitch,\" Dio groaned in anger. \"This is how they get here!  \nBetter let Kryin know!\" The group stood at the Six Paths Crossways,  \nthe hidden door slamming shut, concealed as a large chunk of tree   \nbark.  \n  \nKit looked towards the local guard, or what was considered a guard.  \n\"And naturally, the great hero is doing his job!\" Indeed, Mike, the  \nsuited man who kept an eye on this area, was asleep. \"I'd wake  \nhim but fuck him!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Realizing they had escaped, the trio slumped down, exhausted and  \nmentally drained. It was now that Greased Babe began to weep, followed  \nby Ameliorata. Beyond any tears, Dyos only huddled into a ball as  \nall of their pain surfaced, every bit of reality slapping them in the   \nfaces now that they had no distractions.  \n  \n\"Hey... come on,\" the cat whined, \"you won! You got out, you-\"  \n  \n\"He's dead,\" G-Babe spat out. \"My husband is dead, and I killed  \nthat girl's parents!\" Wiping her eyes on a dirty sleeve, the Mechanic  \nwanted to crawl away and pretend the world didn't exist. \"They were  \nBlack Wings!\"  \n  \n\"They tried to kill me...\"  \n  \n\"I killed a man!\" Dyos Oth had been forced to grow up too quickly,  \nto do things most people would never choose to do, and his boyish mind  \nfinally began to process what he had done. \"And that Battle Mage, he's  \ndead too!\"  \n  \nDio had no idea what to say as nothing would really comfort either   \nof them. Concerned over what had happened, he asked, \"his body, where  \nis it? If they find it they'll know it was the Resis-\"  \n  \n\"What body?\" G-Babe recalled in horror what had transpired. \"His own  \nattack came back at him. He was torn apart. Nothing left. Just a  \ncloud.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Nearby a wheezing groan caught their attention. Mike had woken up.  \nBeyond pissed, Kitrina only thought to shout, \"hey! You lazy prick!  \nGet over here and help us!\"  \n  \n\"We need to get to Henesys,\" Diosoth muttered, handing each of them   \na town warp scroll. \"Your mother should be there by now if nothing  \nwent wrong!\"  \n  \n\"Mom... she...\" It was the first bit of hope the boy had been offered  \nin some time.  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nGelimer was fuming now. \"First the power machine, NOW this! What  \nis going wrong with my machines?\" Without having seen the fight,  \nall the mad scientist could tell from the twisted pile of scrap  \nwas that his super weapon had ripped itself apart. \"Ah! Useless  \njunk!\"  \n  \n\"GELIMER!\"  \n  \n\"Damn...\" He knew trouble was floating its way in.  \n  \nGeneral Orchid stared at the remains of the poison machine.\u0026nbsp; \"I see  \nyou failed again! Two times! I'm not giving you a third chance! Focus  \non my brother's revival. Your toys keep breaking.\"  \n  \n\"Yes, as you wish.\" Gelimer only thought to himself, 'someday it will  \nbe I in charge, little girl...'  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nBelinda was far too worried to pay much attention to the tour of this  \nsmall mushroom house. Despite a safe trip to Henesys she had heard   \nnothing about her son's whereabouts, and Diosoth had not been at the  \nairport as promised.   \n  \n\"...we've cleaned the place and provided some basic necessities, for  \nnow this should do until proper furniture can be purchased.\" Chief  \nStan could tell the woman was elsewhere but had no idea what to say to  \noffer comfort. All he could think to do was give her a tour of the  \nhome and the area until some word came around. Potential for bad news  \nwas still strong.  \n  \nThe door wasn't even knocked before flinging open. \"MOM!\"   \n  \n\"DYOS!\" Grabbing her son in a tight hug, they ignored everything else.  \nFor now all either one cared about was being together after so long.  \n  \n\"Yes, well...\" The town Chief excused himself. \"We will talk more   \nlater.\" Exiting the mushroom, he spotted the others. \"I take it your  \nescape plan was successful.\"  \n  \n\"Barely...\" the Ranger groaned softly.   \n  \nFiguring it best to leave the matter alone, the Chief merely left to  \nresume his duties and only gave a soft nod.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Stepping inside, Diosoth waited for the woman to notice his presence.  \n\"I'll be buying furniture tomorrow, I'd do it now but I need some time  \noff. Did they give you beds?\"  \n  \n\"I don't understand...\"  \n  \nHe answered back, \"this is my house. Well, it was, and it is on paper,  \nI grew up here. Kit and I moved out before we got married but I didn't  \nget around to selling it. It's old but it's better than what you had.\"  \n  \n\"I can't pay you-\"  \n  \n\"You don't need to. Take it. I don't need the money and the place  \nisn't being used. Take some time to get settled in, if you want I   \nthink I can find you a job.\"  \n  \n\"Oh... sure...\" Belinda was still somewhat disoriented. Stepping forth  \nshe asked, \"did you tell him?\"  \n  \nHe answered with a whisper, \"no. I think you should but give him a  \nfew days. He's been through a lot, he's had to grow up years in weeks  \nand he's seen too much. Let him have some time off before he has that  \ndumped on him. I have to go, I've got other stuff to deal with, two  \nothers escaped with him. Just be with him for right now!\"  \n  \nGreased Babe stood by the doorway. \"You did them good. I guess I'll  \nbe heading off, I lost everything. Only thing I have left is payback.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"I can call Kyrin, she probably has room on the Nautilus she could   \nspare for a few days. Or I could ask-\"  \n  \n\"No,\" G-Babe shot back. \"Um, I mean, yeah, the Nautilus sounds good.  \nBut I can't stay with them,\" pointing inside, \"I don't belong. I   \nneed to get back to Edelstein eventually and work with the Resistance.  \nClaudine's got her head up her ass half the time, sometimes I think   \nshe's as bad as they are but those bastards took everything I had.   \nDon't worry about them coming after her, they probably won't even know  \nshe's gone and if they do they'll probably just think they took her   \nto the labs. I don't think they keep track of why they take, none  \nof the tanks had names. I bet they don't care who they take. I'll see   \nyou around!\"  \n  \nKit paid no attention as the Mechanic left, more concerned what to do  \nwith the young Cleric. \"You okay?\"  \n  \n\"Yes... no.\" Ameliorata sat on the grass, her blue robes still covered  \nin dirt and grime. \"Mom and dad, they... but she saved my life.\"  \n  \n\"Do you have any family we should contact?\" Dio asked, unsure of what  \nto do.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"No,\" the girl answered.  \n  \nThinking over what options he had, perhaps letting her stay with them  \nfor the meantime, a better idea popped into mind as he went into the  \nfriends list of his PDA. \"Fighting Bear, you better answer me...\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nPerion had once been a thriving land, before the monsters drained  \nall life from the ground and left nothing but barren rock. Despite  \nthe harsh conditions, the residents were proud of the town they  \nhad built.   \n  \nStanding before the large hut, Ameliorata had not been told why she  \nwas here. Staring in awe at the warrior who exited, the girl could  \ntell this man was strong, yet felt the sense of loss that still   \nlingered around him, a weakness that had felled a mighty fighter.  \n  \nDiosoth greeted him, \"this is the girl I told you about. Her parents  \nwere traitors, they also tried to kill her. She doesn't have anywhere  \nto go. I thought maybe-\"  \n  \n\"Of course.\"   \n  \n\"Let me finis-\"  \n  \nFighting Bear did not need to hear more. \"I have felt empty since  \nTyran's death. The child needs a family. I will care for her as if she  \nwere my own.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"She's a mess right now,\" the Ranger said to his friend's father.   \n\"She's not a Warrior either. I don't know if she'll ever want to fight  \nagain but-\"  \n  \n\"The girl will choose her path, as my son did. I will guide her and   \ncare for her.\" Looking her in the eyes, the old warrior said,   \n\"Ameliorata. I am Fighting Bear. If you would like I will welcome you   \ninto my home and care for you as if you were my own daughter. You have  \nsuffered a great loss, it is one I know well.\u0026nbsp; I may never be your  \ntrue father but I will raise you better than one who would join the  \nBlack Mage, if you will allow me.\"  \n  \nSmiling for the first time in months, the mage cheerfully answered,  \n\"yes! Thank you!\"  \n  \nFeeling further accomplished, having given to families a a chance  \nat a better life, Diosoth turned to leave. \"If you need any money,  \njust ask. I can spare a bit.\"  \n  \n\"No need,\" Fighting Bear replied, \"you have done more than enough to  \nbring joy to my life this day!\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nGustav waited by the farm's entrance. \"I wonder what he wants?\" Anna  \nasked, not really expecting an answer.   \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"He didn't say,\" the elder farmer answered anyway, \"only that he   \nwanted to see us right away. I hope it's not about Evan...\"  \n  \nThey did not have to wait long. Diosoth made hsi way to the pig  \nfarm quickly. \"Hey! Any chance you need extra help around here?\"  \n  \n\"Huh?\" It was an unexpected question. Gustav asked, \"Why? Are you  \nlooking for a job?\"  \n  \n\"It's probably going to be boring,\" Utah exclaimed, \"it's nothing  \nlike being an adventurer and it's hard work! But yeah, ever since  \nEvan left we've been a bit overworked.\"  \n  \nThe Ranger explained, \"there's a new family in town. One of them needs  \nwork.\"  \n  \nGustav was welcome to the idea of someone to ease their workload.   \n\"Sure but, does she have any experience on a farm?\"  \n  \n\"She... look, I rescued her from Edelstein. She needs something to  \nforget what she went through. She can learn. She's family.\"  \n  \nSmiling now, Anna answered him back, \"of course! We can at least see  \nhow she handles it!\"  \n  \nThe bowman responded back, \"good. Just be easy on her. She was   \noppressed. You don't know what the Black Wings are doing to that town.  \nShe lived afraid. Afraid to speak out, to not behave a certain way  \nor even being taken for experiments even if she did behave. Just give  \nher a new start at life. That's all I want.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Feeling a knot in his throat, Gustav asked worriedly, \"is that what  \nmy son is fighting?\"  \n  \nDio took in a deep breath. \"Yes. And he might actually win. And you  \ncan fight it too, maybe not like he does but getting their victims out  \nand doing what you can also fights them. Hey, give her a few days to  \nsettle in, she came here with almost nothing. My brother needs time  \ntoo, but he won't be here. I think he needs to fight, unless I can-  \nnah, he won't give up. He's already hurt them bad but I think he's not  \ngoing to quit. She's going to worry just as much as you are, you're  \nnot alone in that.\"  \n  \n\"Oh, boy...\" Utah felt drained. The harsh reality of the world was  \na heavy weight to bear. \"I thought it was bad when Camila was   \nkidnapped!\"  \n  \n\"Call us when she's ready,\" Anna responded. \"I'm sure she will like  \nit here.\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nThee days had passed, allowing some time for everyone to calm down.  \nWord from Edelstein had been quiet, though what little Greased Babe  \nhad found out, no one knew the Resistance had destroyed the poison  \nmachine. It had been written off as a mechanical failure.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;Loitering around the large submarine, Greased Babe, for once, did not  \nlive up to her name. The Mechanic woman had forgotten what a bath  \neven felt like. Stretching out against a wall, she was surprised to  \nsee Diosoth approaching. \"Heard you found the girl a place to stay.\"  \n  \n\"Yeah,\" he answered, \"for what it's worth she doesn't hate you. She  \nknows you did what you had to do.\"  \n  \n\"That's nice, but...\" G-Babe crossed her arms. \"Still, I can't look  \nher in the eyes. I maybe did what I had to but I still want to puke!  \nI went crazy, like a wild animal. She saw it. It's less offing two  \nof the Black Wings, they were horrible people, but she saw it.\"  \nShe heard a trade request chime on her PDA, and seeing Dio typing on  \nhis, figured he wanted go give her something. It was several million  \nmesos. \"OH? Huh... free?\"  \n  \n\"You need better stuff and healing goods. Take it.\"  \n  \nClicking the acceptance button, Greased Babe almost smiled at the   \ngenerosity, if not for the sight of a wizard and an Elf headed her  \nway. \"Ah, Diosoth! I did not expect to see you here.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Yes,\" Grendel clarified, \"we are here to see this young woman. We  \nwish a full report on the recent events in Edelstein. I thought  \nperhaps one who was involved may be able to tell us everything!\"  \n  \nHe gave them a stern look. \"Hey, not now. Okay? And don't even think  \nof asking my brother or the girl, they-'  \n  \n\"It's okay,\" the Mechanic spat out. \"I'll get a piece of paper and  \nwrite it all down. Give me an hour or two.\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nKnocking at the mushroom house door, Diosoth was greeted by the very  \nwoman he had rescued from the oppressed village. \"Dyos here?\"  \n  \n\"Yes, he's here. I told him last night, everything, he's been eager  \nto see you again!\" Belinda led him inside. \"I appreciate all you   \nbought but we didn't really need so much! You also did not need to  \nfind me work but I'm glad to start next Monday!\"  \n  \nFrom the back, the boy ran out, giving Dio a hug. \"Is it really true?\"  \n  \n\"Yep,\" he answered. \"Hey... how you doing?\"  \n  \n\"Okay, I guess...\" the kid sighed. \"Anne and Maya and Camila are nice.  \nI miss Ulrika and the others, and Vita...\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;That name made the bowman feel somewhat let down. \"I wanted to get  \nher out too, but they said she's not in good shape. She needs medical  \nattention constantly.\"  \n  \n\"Yeah...\" Dyos recalled what shape the child was in when he broke her   \nout of the base. \"Ameiloirata tried to heal her but it didn't do any   \ngood.\"  \n  \nBelinda was appalled. \"Is she really that bad?\"  \n  \n\"It's like my dad's leg, I guess,\" Dio said with a hint of sadness.  \n\"Damage to the body without magic to absorb it is harder to deal  \nwith. She might need years before she's better. Anyway...\" He withdrew  \nan adventurer's data pad. \"I know you're probably going to keep   \nfighting and I can't stop you. I don't blame you. But if you need to  \ngo to Edelstein, use this. Fake name, so they won't catch you at the  \nairport. Vita can't come here but you can see her.\"  \n  \nThe kid's eyes brightened with excitement. \"Mom? Can I?\"  \n  \n\"I suppose, but BE CAREFUL!\"  \n  \nDyos could hardly wait, shouting, \"thank you, brother!\" Grabbing his   \ncrossbow from his bedroom, the boy left without another word,   \nstunning half of Henesys when he summoned his jaguar to race faster   \nto the center of Victoria Island. \"At least I gave him money for   \nbetter equipment. Guess I should buy something, too, that armor might   \nbe fancy but it's hardly the best\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"So... you live in that big house west of town?\"  \n  \n\"Yeah. Oh, yeah, call before you stop by, it might be a bit awkward  \nif you just show up, Kit... uh, well...\"  \n  \nGiggling, Belinda knew what he meant. \"I will keep it in mind!\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \nNight was soon to fall on the island. Stan, Chief of Henesys, was  \nprepared to return home to his family. Standing by his door was a  \ntown resident he had not expected to see. \"Diosoth.\"  \n  \nHe handed an envelope over. \"That woman who came back with us, she  \nwrote a report for the job instructors. I wanted you to have a copy,  \nin case they didn't give you one.\"  \n  \nTaking the offering, Stan replied, \"thank you. I will read it   \ntonight.\"  \n  \n\"Yeah, just....\" The bowman trailed off briefly. \"It's bad. Be ready  \nfor it. Anyway, I need to get home.\"  \n  \n\"Wait!\" Stan's expression turned to one of sadness and regret, one  \nhe rarely showed to anyone. The town was familiar with his stony,  \nstern expression. \"I watched Johansen waste away for years. I should  \nhave done more to help him. I was too focused on my duties, perhaps,  \nand for that I am sorry.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"Don't be.\" It was certainly an unexpected response. Dio only  \nsaid, \"dad made his decisions. He was gone a long time ago.\u0026nbsp; I tried  \nto help him but he wouldn't do it. You couldn't have done anything for  \nhim.\"  \n  \n\"Still, I-\" Stan let the matter go. \"Thank you for this.\"  \n  \nThe Ranger added, \"hey, if you want, I can get my brother to talk to  \nyour sons. You wanted them scared off from being adventurers?\u0026nbsp; He's  \nlived the worst of it. I bet if he tells them the horror stories   \nthey'll stay well away from it! He's about their age so they might  \nlisten to him better than anyone else.\"  \n  \n\"Ah... yes, if he will, and again, thank you.\"  \n  \n  \n------------------------------------  \n  \n  \n\"Hey, how did your cooking lesson go?\"  \n  \n\"Good,\" Kit mumbled, almost ashamed of the cheeseburgers that she  \ncalled dinner. \"It might be a while before I'm really good at it   \nthough.\"  \n  \n\"I'm not picky.\"   \n  \nThe cat slipped on her gloves and dug in. \"Well I'm glad this shit's  \ndone with.\"  \n  \nDio grumbled, \"for now.\"  \n  \n\"Ah... yeah.\" Managing to eat her first burger in one quick bite,  \nthe cat whined, \"I still don't wanna do this every day.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp;\"So we don't,\" her husband suggested. \"I think the planet's waking up  \nand will have it's share of warriors. We'll still train here and  \nthere, so we can fight if we have to, but we can stay around and get  \nback to our lives.\"  \n  \nWith a smug grin, the catgirl only said, \"fine by me!\"  \n  \n\"Speaking of which,\" he muttered, \"I have to cut some firewood   \ntomorrow. Gustav is running short and I owe him for letting Belinda  \nwork there.\"  \n  \n\"Want help?\"  \n  \nSmiling, the Ranger answered with glee, \"yeah, would make the job  \nfaster!\"  \n  \n  \n  \n\n"}