Jezza, Mathis, and Alex stood outside the gates of Rivar. Mathis admires the blue skies for a moment, then turned toward Jezza. "So," he asked, "how do we get to the Arkhis Mountains?"
"Well," Jezza answered, "the mountain range itself is due north of here. But we should first follow the road northwest to the town of Cithara. We can re-supply there."
"Great, sounds like a plan." Mathis said.
"How long will it take?" asked Alex.
"To Cithara? I'd say about a day and a half."
"Then let's get going." Alex turned away and started to walk down the road.
"What's wrong with your friend?" Jezza asked Mathis. "He seems rather cold."
"I'll tell you along the way. I'm warning you though, it's a tear-jerker."
Kyle and Dyne traveled through the frontier until they reached the ex-slave town of Talon. In the seven years that had passed since Ghaleon's demise the town had rebuilt and become a prosperous mining town. Now however, it looked just as it did seven years ago--bleak, and desolate. The town was burning, people were strewn across the streets in bloody pools. It looked as if a mad army had just attacked the villagers without mercy.
"Who did this?" Kyle said to himself as he clenched his fists.
"I did!" yelled a voice from one of the burning buildings. It was Tempest.
"Tempest!" Kyle yelled. "Why would you slaughter an entire village?"
"He didn't do it alone you know," said a feminine voice from behind them. It was Fresca.
"Fresca, you too!?"
"We were bored in the peace that has enveloped the world-" Fresca started.
"So we joined Master Terranox's side in order to bring more carnage to Lunar," Tempest finished.
"I cannot allow you to do this!" Kyle yelled.
"Too bad," Tempest said, "I guess you'll have to die then." Tempest leapt from atop the house and drop kicked Kyle. Kyle leapt back to his feat and swung his sword at Tempest. Tempest quickly jumped several yards backwards, dodging the attack. Tempest is a lot more agile than I last saw him, Kyle thought, this will be tougher than I thought.
Tempest used his whip to grab hold of Kyle's sword and toss it from his hands. Kyle was now defenseless. Tempest whipped at Kyle, but he rolled out of the way and picked up his sword. Before Tempest could recoil his whip, Kyle thrust his sword through Tempest's abdomen.
"Aaagh!" Tempest muttered as he staggered backward. Kyle expected to see blood pour from the wound; instead a luminescent yellow liquid with a texture more like a gel than blood, oozed from the wound. Tempest kneeled on the ground as more of the fluid oozed out of his mouth. He then fell lifeless on the ground as his body seemed to cave in as the yellow liquid left.
Meanwhile, Fresca had started her assault on Dyne. Her sword came down, clashing with Dyne's scimitar. Fresca's strength overwhelmed Dyne's as he was thrown backwards. Fresca attacked Dyne as he lay on the ground stunned. Luckily, he was able to roll out of the way.
Fresca was furious with rage. She ran at Dyne with all her might. "Now you die old man!" She swung her sword with such ferocity that it shattered the ground, sending splinters of earth through the air.
Unfortunately for Fresca, her attack had left her wide open. Dyne thrust his scimitar through her back. "I'm not that old," he muttered as he removed the blade from her flesh. The same luminescent oozed from her wound as well, and she fell lifeless to the ground.
After the battle, Dyne and Kyle reunited. They examined the bodies of their fallen foes. "What the hell is going on?" Kyle asked.
"I don't know, but I know that they weren't human."
"Got that right." Kyle walked over to the body of one of the creatures. "And I'll tell you what else. I bet the others are going to meet the same kind of creatures along the way."
"Let's go back to Pao and wait for the others." Kyle nodded and started to head back with Dyne. He didn't want to show it, but he was worried about Jessica. I swear , he thought, dragon or not, if he let's anything happen to Jessica I'll wring his scrawny little neck!
After telling Jezza Alex's long and tragic story, she started to feel very sorry for him. She didn't know the stakes were so personal. Mathis had left out some parts, but Alex didn't feel like correcting him for he was getting tired of reciting the same tale over, and over again.
"His wife's a goddess!" Jezza said astonished.
"No," Mathis corrected, "was a goddess. She gave up her immortality to be with him remember?"
"How romantic," Jezza said to herself. Jezza glanced over to Alex. He looked very stern and never took his eyes off the direction in which he was heading. She once again felt sorry for him, then held her head up and walked on.
The trio was still walking for an hour after the sun had set. Jezza and Mathis were worn down by fatigue, but Alex was kept strong by his determination to reach the Arkhis Mountains and save Luna from the Hell that she was living.
"Alex," Jezza finally admitted, "It's dark, and I'm getting tired, can't we call it a night?"
Alex was immediately filled with anger. How could they be so selfish!? Lunar is being destroyed while all they can think about is having a good night's rest! But then it hit him. He was the one being selfish. Here were these two young Lograndians, risking their lives to help a man they hardly know, save a planet that they had never been to.
Alex's face once again wore the same selfless smile that he was known for back on Lunar. "Mathis, Jezza, I'm sorry. Of course we can rest. I was just being really selfish."
"No problem Alex," Jezza said, "you've been through a lot. We understand." Alex smiled, and placed his backpack on the ground. He leaned his head against the backpack and fell fast asleep. Than night, Alex had the soundest sleep he had ever had since Terranox appeared.