A strange garden-like chamber existed on the ground floor of the Mystic Ruins. Unlike the other dusty, dreary rooms of the structure, this area contained a strange magnificence that made it very inviting and comforting.
The primary reason for this odd brilliance was the fact that it contained remnants of the ages. A past mystical epoch in the history of Lunar was kept alive in this very room through the acts of Ghaleon, himself once a living image of this era.
Ghaleon created this garden to house and protect that which he could find of the past... his past. It was a period that he seemed to miss deeply in his heart.
Unfortunately, in between his other more known 'actions', Ghaleon was barely able to scratch the surface of the past. It remained a mystery to a large extent to both the strange warrior-mage and to any whom actually researched the topic. Possibly only Althena herself knew the truth...
In his searches Ghaleon was able to find only one living race of that age... the fairies. Upon their discovery, he immediately invited the remnants of the race to live under his protection. This happened quite far before his time as the 'Magic Emperor' but even then Ghaleon's promise remained sincere.
The fairies consisted of a very small number. They were dying out slowly in hiding as the 'new' age forgot about their existence and every other remnant of the past. The tiny flying folk were fearful of being discovered by any person of the present age. They were fortunately found by an individual of their period... one who was intelligent and powerful enough to truly protect them and who sought only their preservation in return.
When Ghaleon perished the first time the fairies were left on their own once again. They remained within the protective secret garden and lived peacefully, well taken care of through the enchantments of the deceased magician.
They were more than happy when Ghaleon was revived, even if it was for but a short time. The story of the pointy-eared survivor of their time had been passed down among the fairies and it kept them hopeful that they would never be forgotten as long as any of them lived.
Ghaleon's second passing came as a blow but the new friendship with the dragon race, another culture that survived through all the ages, enabled them to continue and finally accept the human world around them on Lunar.
The dragons kept watch for the welfare of the fairies. The survivors of the race thought they were now truly alone though as all that prevailed of the mystical age. No other fairies apparently lived on Lunar...
When the Mystic Ruins were occupied by the Cult of Zophar, the fairies suddenly found themselves endangered. It had been at least a week since Shade, the Black Dragon of Althena, had visited to check on them. They rarely left the protection of their garden and knew nothing of the augmentation of monster attacks on towns. They did, however, feel the sudden increase in evil magic within their souls as DarkStar was recovered and brought to Lunar.
They also certainly noticed the assault of the cult that somehow quickly broke into the sacred structure and captured them all. The fairies were unable to stand up to the attacking force (and unwilling to risk more of their dwindling number) and were promptly contained under a constant barrier by a handful of cult priests.
For some reason, they remained held within the very same garden... so close yet so far to the outside world...
As Hiro and his companions were still unconscious from their aerial battle, a small group of fairies were gathered at one corner of their 'cage'.
An aged-looking male in a flowing robe with a long white beard hovered softly, his hands wrapped around a small wooden stick upon which he 'leaned'. Being that fairies rarely grew larger than one quarter the size of a normal human being, this staff was actually more of a twig.
"How much time has passed since these villains invaded our sanctuary?" he asked his two companions. "My memory is not too clear these days."
"Roughly thre-" one of them, a brown-haired moderately young female started to respond.
"Long enough to annoy me beyond belief," interrupted a slightly younger redhead female.
The eldest of the trio looked at the latter speaker and sighed.
"It is of no use to get in a huff, young one. There is no escape or rescue for us under present circumstances."
The older female sprite looked about and muttered.
"Unless one of these priests falter or the dragons return, we're helpless..."
The impatient nymph simply brought her knees up to her chest in a sort of mid-air crouch and fingered the tiny knife that was tied around her left leg. Her transparent wings beat fairly rapidly as she sighed loudly.
That morning was relatively normal for the fairies (as normal as being captured and held by an evil cult could be)...that is, until Mistress Haranne returned...
The horde of Necro Knights guarding the main entrance into or out of the Mystic Ruins separated quickly as the harpy burst into the garden, screeching in pain and thrashing her wings and arms about wildly. The Dark Scimitar glowed fiercely.
Jan was fighting a losing battle in her mind. The consciousness of DarkStar was not happy at all over the actions of the harpy the previous night.
"So," the sword spoke within her brain, "you are still able to endure me enough to use your skills for good purposes."
Pain surged through her body, stinging more deeply with each passing second.
"I... will... resist..." Jan yelled back aloud. The assembled miscreants around the former swordswoman didn't understand why one of their leaders was acting so strangely.
"You will not... nothing can defy me," DarkStar answered.
Jan's consciousness was blacking out within the harpy's mind.
"You will become a vessel of PURE evil today... I will guarantee that, child."
A few Flash Lords approached the carrier of the Dark Scimitar as she dropped to her knees and doubled over in pain.
"Mistress?"
Haranne's eyes flashed open and she glared at the minions around her.
The red-colored orbs stopped momentarily on the group of cult priests and the fairies trapped within their spell.
"One... last... deed..." Jan thought to herself.
The harpy let her arms fly to the sides. Miniature phoenixes flew apparently at random throughout the garden as she yelled to the heavens.
The trio of fairies near the edge of the shield had certainly taken notice of the events.
"Does this count as a change of circumstances?" the fiery pixie quested, 'standing up' instantly and watching the flaming birds rebound off of the marble walls.
Jan actually was aiming when she cast her final spell. The phoenixes scattered all of the grouped guardians, particularly those Necro Knights blocking the doorway.
One fire avian connected with a single cult priest and set his brilliant orange robe aflame. The barrier around the fairies flickered as the other priests noticed the pain of their companion. The Flash Lords promptly beat the flames off of the priest... but not before someone took advantage of the situation.
"I'll bring back help!" the red-haired fairy yelled as she soared through the weakened trap spell and towards the door.
"Good luck Mistra!" the other female responded. The old sprite shook his head as he watched the shield restored just after the fairy girl escaped.
Haranne calmed down suddenly and stood up quietly. She promptly walked to the stairs at the opposite end of the room without saying a word.
The knights had no chance of catching Mistra as she dipped and dove. She was at the door and out through it within a few seconds, her wings beating as rapidly as they could without flying off of her back.
A Flash Lord yelled an alarm within the lower chambers. A horde of floating Persona masks flew down the stairs and trailed the fairy escapee outside.
As usual, Ornah was waiting atop the roof. The Necromancer and Anti-Leo stood nearby, watching closely as the grand wizard chanted softly over a group of objects: the stolen crests.
"Whoa! What happened to you?!"
Ornah's concentration was broken and he scowled as another handful of figures emerged from the stair portal.
Anti-Hiro was the one who had spoken. Apparently he was talking about the disheveled yet calm Haranne, but the Blade Wizards and other doppelgangers also emerged with both of them. KOMUSHA was the last to rise to the roof with several priests.
"QUIET!" Leo's clone bellowed.
DarkStar spoke through Haranne's voice as she strode up to Ornah's side.
"Progress report, vessel of Baldour."
The magician picked up the crests and held them in front of the assembled minions.
"We've recovered all but the Red and Blue Dragon Crests. The settlement attacks continue to confuse the common people. These two options are nearly ready," he responded with a motion towards the two shapes, one metal and the other dark, lying on the roof.
"Setbacks?"
Ornah cleared his throat.
"Crystal recovery hasn't returned yet. Those strange 'generators' haven't been researched. The Gnasher hasn't been located or returned either."
Haranne nodded to each report.
"Master Ornah," one of the twin wizards spoke, "Might I ask why we didn't take the crimson icon when we had the chance?"
A bandaged Anti-Ronfar opened his mouth too soon.
"Yeah, why didn't you take it back then... things might have gone differently in that battle if we had all the crests already."
Ornah glared at the doppelganger. These impetuous shades were slowly getting on his nerves.
"Simple... simpletons. If I had taken both the red and white crests simultaneously then we would have attracted far more attention than we would want at this time," the wizard uttered. "I'm far sure that the dragons would have scoured the lands for their crests at a much augmented rate if they vanished in pairs. In fact, little ones, that winged cat-like creature who pitifully assaulted me IS a Dragon in reality."
The Blade Wizards glanced at each other and then back at their leader.
"That... was a dragon?" one started.
"The drakes of our world were much more intimidating," the other finished.
Ornah laughed heartily. Anti-Lemina scratched the back of her head with a curious expression on her visage.
"My younger associates, sometimes things are not always what they seem," Ornah said with a smirk. "That was indeed a dragon, far more powerful than even the serpents we controlled back home."
Haranne had meanwhile walked to the side of the metallic titan. A low whisper was being emitted from her lips.
Anti-Leo began to speak as a cool morning wind flew by.
"Ahem. As you were saying, Master Ornah, taking all the crests simultaneously would have resulted in too much attention for our cult, correct?"
The mystic nodded.
"Master DarkStar cannot provide limitless protection for us until the sword is fully awakened. We need more time for that, but we have much to do in that duration to keep ourselves busy."
"That may be true... but doesn't that give warning to the guardians of the remaining crests? Won't we have even more difficulty procuring the others now?" the doppelganger quested.
The wizard opened his mouth to answer but stopped as the harpy raised her hand and approached the group again.
"It is indeed so," Haranne replied, "but with every additional crest and each passing moment, DarkStar grows stronger and shall make the added defenses a mere nuisance."
Unfolding her wings and holding the Dark Scimitar in front of her, the harpy moved to Ornah's side and pointed the blade at the quintet of clones.
A vile smirk crept on her face as she spoke.
"For example..."
A Flash Lord huffed and puffed as he stumbled up the stairs to the roof portal. He was really not looking forward to having to report the escape of a fairy below.
The priests had surmised that the mistress had not notified the other leaders of the cult due to her strange nature. That meant someone else had to do it...
"Why me... I'll be lucky if they don't roast the messenger..." he muttered to himself.
He finally stepped onto the shimmering circle that would transport his form to the roof. The same tingle pulsed through his body as it had done before.
The miscreant manifested on top of the Mystic Ruins and began to creep toward the amassed villains... very slowly.
He suddenly paused as the Dark Scimitar flashed and showered the five doppelgangers with a pale blue light.
"Wow."
Anti-Leo was the only shade not to raise his hands to defend himself as the illumination surrounded the quintet. Each felt a slight twinge of pain flow through them.
"Gahh! What are you doing?" Anti-Hiro yelled.
Anti-Lemina blurted, "OUCH! That hurts, you nega-creep!"
Haranne didn't answer immediately. The light emanating from the Dark Scimitar rapidly died down.
The Flash Lord rubbed his eyes as he looked at the doppelgangers. The Necromancer turned to face him and walked over to his side. They conversed quickly as the shades recovered.
"There... wasn't that worth a little pain?" Haranne spoke.
"Wasn't what worth the pain?" quested Anti-Ronfar as he brushed himself.
Anti-Jean suddenly gasped as she stared at the beast man beside her and then down at her own limbs and body.
"We... we're not shimmering anymore!"
Grinning, Anti-Leo bowed slightly toward the harpy.
"No one can discern us from the heroes in that case."
The winged woman walked back to KOMUSHA's flank as she talked.
"Yes, but this is not a permanent cleansing yet. Your time is limited in that state. DarkStar requires more time to fully cast such an enchantment."
Turning to Ornah, she continued to speak with the voice of DarkStar.
"The killing machine and I are off to one of the more remote northern villages. My vessel requires a purification of its own... consider this another town distraction for our purposes. Continue as you have planned."
With hardly a look back for the nod in response, the harpy dove off of the precipice and flapped her wings rapidly. KOMUSHA's engines whined into operation and the titan flew off behind her as they soared to the north.
Ornah regarded the 'heroes' in front of him.
"The red crest has been located in Vane by our spies. They've seen that the Raculi priests and those accursed flying animals still had it with them when they arrived there last night. Now that you are no longer obviously fake heroes, you may be able to steal the crest more easily at this time. I suggest that only three of you attempt this theft...we do not want to chance having you run into your 'other selves'...and you'd best hurry if that spell is limited. The priest and that Junior Premier are in Vane currently, so Anti-Ronfar and Anti-Lemina will have to stay behind."
"Master Ornah," interrupted the Necromancer. He approached the wizard and spoke in a low tone briskly.
"Hm... perhaps you two can do something else. It happens that one of the captured sprites below has somehow escaped our guards... catch it before it reveals our location to anyone," Ornah continued.
All five doppelgangers bowed to the commands and ran toward the glimmering portal, followed briskly by the thankful Flash Lord.
"I am headed off to examine the machines surrounding those bizarre 'generators', my allies," Ornah said with a slight wave of his palms. He started to hover above the stone of the roof. "If, by chance, we have any visitors, you know what to do."
The Necromancer nodded and bowed to the prime mage. The Blade Wizards subsequently did the same in unison.
Ornah flew to the southeast.
A small party of humans emerged finally from the south edge of the Illusion Woods.
Roy stretched his limbs and checked his possessions as the children and women proceeded into the bright sunlight. His battered sword had been returned by the winged female (who had mysteriously vanished by the time he had awakened). Strangely enough, she had apparently taken no notice of the cylindrical weapon that he had used in the goblin fight. Apparently, Roy was allowed to keep it for protection... something he was certainly thankful for.
As he exited the trees, Roy turned back and regarded the strange nature spirit who had brought them safely out of the forest.
"Uh... thanks for the help and guidance again," he muttered.
Plantella looked up into the skies beyond the dark canopy of the forest and then back to the Takkar guard.
"You are welcome... stay well."
Roy nodded, still somewhat amazed over the past day's events. He returned to his charge and led the survivors to the south. The town of Dalton was relatively nearby and it would make a good place to stay until news came about Takkar's fate. They still would have to make it safely to Dalton though...
He cradled the Pulse Vulcan weapon in his arms and thought to himself with a slight grin.
"I don't think we'll have too many problems making this journey with this in our possession."
The townspeople of the frigid town of Zulan bustled about on their normal morning activities. They had luckily not endured a single monster assault against their village as of yet. The isolated nature of Zulan apparently had discouraged any sort of attack. The community also didn't possess any secrets or armies that would invite such attention.
It appeared the inhabitants would not be disturbed by such an event...
...Or so they thought...