After a day of traveling, Mathis and Alex finally reached Hamletia, or what was left of it. The town was burned to the ground. Some of the building ruins were still smoldering, the smoke rising from the ash. The fresh smell of burning wood filled the air.
"Who would do such a thing." Mathis cringed.
Alex thought a moment. His Grandfather definitely sheltered him from the outside world. "The world is filled with evil men, with evil hearts. Both Lunar and Lograndia have them. And I bet other worlds too."
"I just can't believe people can be this evil!"
"Believe me Mathis, I know what you mean. You will have to get used to it though, there is probably more where this came from." And Alex did know how he felt. Alex could remember his surprise of the outside world when he left the sheltered island of Burg. Mathis would have to get over it though.
"Alex! Look! Over there!" Mathis pointed to a pile of ash. Alex could see something moving. A person! They hastily ran to his side.
The man reached his arm out toward them. He hoarsely muttered a word. "Ig...nis." The man then fell, his last flame of life leaving him.
As the man's arm fell, a small white orb fell out of his hand. It looked like the Matron that Mathis had, but it was white. Alex reached down to grab it. As he held it, the most peculiar feeling washed over him. He suddenly knew the knowledge of how to cast healing spells. The Matron had saturated his mind and body with magic!
"Feels weird doesn't it?" Mathis leaned down to where Alex was crouched over. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it."
Alex, not believing there was anything else to be said on the matter of Matron, commanded Mathis, "C'mon. We don't have time to waste. We must reach the city of Rivar."
Mathis agreed, and they continued on, leaving the burnt town behind them.
Byron returned to his master after that embarrassing episode with Metrom. He would have to remember not to mention all the details of his venture.
"AH BYRON, I SEE THAT YOU HAVE RETURNED. HAVE YOU FOUND WHO RELEASED XENOBIA FROM HER ETERNITY?"
Byron held his head down in shame. "Sorry Master, I have some bad news."
"WHAT IS IT BYRON?"
"Well, Xenobia was never resurrected."
"BYRON! DON'T TALK SUCH BLASPHEMY!"
"But Master, it's true! Xenobia is still trapped in the Underworld paying her eternal sentence. The person devastating Lunar is merely an impostor."
"DON'T SAY MERELY BYRON. THIS IMPOSTOR IS STRONGER THAN XENOBIA ORIGINALLY WAS. SHE WILL BE QUITE AN OBSTACLE ON THE SAVING OF LUNAR."
"I see Master, what should I do?"
"VERY SIMPLE. GO DOWN TO LUNAR, AND TELL THE PEOPLE THAT XENOBIA IS AN IMPOSTOR."
"It shall be done!" Byron bowed his head, and vanished in an enveloping blue light.
The heroes made an outpost in the prairie town of Pao. They were discussing their strategy on defeating Terranox, and now, Xenobia. Kyle was the spokesperson. "All the major cities like Meribia and Vane are gone. So are Meryod, Nanza, Damon's Spire, the Goddess Tower, and all of Caldor! We are literally being eaten up by this bastard, and there's nothing we can do about it! And where the hell is Nall and Dyne!"
"Right here, don't get so cranky you muscle-bound buffoon!"
Kyle turned around to see Dyne and the extremely annoying flying cat, Nall. Kyle was both annoyed at Nall's remark, and relieved that they finally showed up.
"Well it's about time," muttered Kyle.
"We're here right, so let's just forget about."
Kyle and Nall would have continued to argue if Dyne hadn't stepped in. "Enough. Now how can we defeat Terranox. And I still can't believe that Xenobia is still alive!"
"She's not," said a mysterious voice in the corner. "Xenobia is long dead."
"Who the Hell are you!" commanded Kyle.
"My name, is Byron," Byron said as he came into view. "The Xenobia you're having a problem with is a fake, an impostor."
The entire room filled with an uncomfortable silence. The same thing was on all of their minds. Someone being able to mimic such a dastardly person as Xenobia must be evil to the core. And that, was another big obstacle in their quest to stop Terranox.
"It's you!" Nall exclaimed. "The same person who informed about Terranox in the first place."
"That is correct."
"So," Nall said sardonically, "now that I know your name. What is your purpose?"
"My purpose," Byron hesitated. "My purpose is to help protect Lunar. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get going." With that Byron vanished.
"No Wait!" Mia ran to the luminescent light, but her efforts were futile. Byron was long gone. "How can we get in touch with you if we need you."
Nash walked up to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry Mia. I have a feeling that if we're ever in trouble, he'll show up to help."
Just then a young mage ran into the room. "Master Nash! Urgent news about Terranox!"
"Yes Gall, go on," Nash said.
"Mostly every part of Lunar has at least one city that was attacked. But not the Frontier."
"Of course! How could I have been so stupid. That's where this new Xenobia must be hiding."
"That is exactly what I was thinking master. And also, we have detected large amounts of malevolent energies coming from every town."
"All right," Kyle ordered, "here's the plan. Nash and Mia can head towards Marke. Jess, you go with cat-thing to Ruid. And I'll go to Talon with Dyne. Any objections?"
"Yeah," Nall said, "I'm a dragon, not a cat."
"Still," Jessica said, "how are you going to be much help? You can't do much damage in your cat form, and you can't just go barging in as a dragon!"
"Stop calling me a cat! And anyway, I've learned a couple of tricks, watch." There was a bright flash of light. When the light subsided, Nall had turned into a human. "Tada! Now who's gonna be useless."
After getting over the brief shock, the friends said their good lucks, and headed their separate ways.