Chapter Four: Phases of Difference and Change (Wednesday, July 26, 2006)

“I hope whatever Guild Master Alex and Vice-Master Haruki are doing is going smoothly,” Panthakasai said, sitting on the sofa holding the letter that Haruki had written.
“Those two, no matter what, should be fine. I mean; they’re the almighty Guild Master and Vice-Master!” Gary replied, a touch of humor in his voice. Quan turned his head towards the window and gasped.

“People, put everything away. Guild Master Alex and Vice-Master Haruki are returning,” Quan whispered. Everyone scrambled around and returned everything to their correct positions.

As the door creaked open, everyone turned their heads toward the door. When Alex walked in, he turned his head away. Haruki walked past Alex and sighed, her eyes showing an intention to speak.

“Everyone, it has been decided amongst the guilds that there will be an all-out Guild War. If you wish to leave us, you may do so. Lifestream is at a disadvantage as we are terribly short on members while the other eleven guilds have the maximum capacity of thirty. I will say this once, so listen carefully. You are to be ready with your weapons and prepared to protect Lifestream Headquarters at all costs – that means even if you must fight to the death. Guild Master Akina of Ryodan is allied with us so she will attempt to give us backup. Do not count on that backup, however. If you wish to step away from the plate and leave before the war that starts a week from today, please take your things and leave by tomorrow morning,” Haruki pursed her lips together and looked at the other members of Lifestream one by one.

Panthakasai let out a low ‘Tch’ sound, and stood up from the sofa.

“Guild Master Alex and Vice-Master Haruki, we would never leave Lifestream. We will be ready by next week on this fateful day. Have faith within us!” Panthakasai said.
“Then it is agreed then, people? Okay! Don’t worry; we’ll make sure that Lifestream will be the last one standing!” Gary spoke up. Everyone nodded at Guild Master Alex and Vice-Master Haruki.

Haruki smiled and then looked at Alex. Alex returned her smile and nodded. Haruki smiled to everyone and then proceeded to her office. As she approached her office, she thought about what had happened during the yelling and screeching at the Guard of the Twelve Guilds.

Haruki put her hand to her office door’s doorknob and raised her eyebrows.

“The door isn’t locked … I locked it before I left. What is going on?” Haruki narrowed her eyes and, pulling out her Wagner with her left hand, swung the door open. No one was inside her office; it was quiet and dark inside.

Haruki slowly walked in, her eyes moving right and left. She switched on the light and jumped back. All her papers were sprawled everywhere in her room, the fish in her aquarium were sliced in half, her window was opened ajar, and her desk had deep knife marks.

“What is going on?” Haruki hissed. She took one mighty step forward and reached her desk. Without warning, the door to her office suddenly shut itself with a bang. Haruki swerved around and found herself face to face with Yama.

“Captain Yama, what are you doing here and how’d you get into my office?” Haruki spat. Yama smiled warmly and slowly walked up to Haruki.
“Don’t be afraid, Vice-Master Haruki. It’s only Yama, hehe,” Yama’s warm, smiling expression began to turn into a menacing, evil look.
“What do you want, Captain Yama?” Haruki demanded.
“I don’t want anything from you but your demise! Enjoy my present!” Yama’s eyes flashed and teleported over to the window.

Yama latched the window shut and turned around with a glass container, a maniacal look on his face. His eyes danced with excitement as he smiled. Haruki turned towards the direction of the window and her eyes went wide with fear. She stepped back slowly. Inside the glass container were hundreds and hundreds of wasps, poisonous wasps. Yama uncapped the glass container, let it drop, and then teleported out of the room. Haruki dashed to the door and attempted to open it. The door was locked. Haruki closed her eyes tightly and screamed.

– – – – – –

“Mazekii, you sure you want to join in with the Guild War fun? I mean, you’re new to us and well … I thought … you know …” Panthakasai asked Mazekii as she sat on her bed. Mazekii, who was looking out the window and leaning on the window sill, turned around and beamed at Panthakasai.
“Captain Panthakasai, of course I want to stay and fight alongside with Lifestream! I’ll try my best!” Mazekii smiled. Panthakasai laughed and slowly, but surely, Mazekii joined in.

Suddenly, a knock came at the door. Panthakasai teleported to the door unlocked it. At the door were Quan, Gary, Kyle, Michael and Cameron.

“What on earth are you two doing this late at night? All four of us can’t sleep because you two are making such a ruckus,” Gary complained. Mazekii laughed nervously.
“Sorry Captain Gary, Captain Quan, Kyle, Michael, and Cameron! We didn’t mean it!” Mazekii apologized.
“Haha, we were joking! Got ya finally Mazekii!!!” Michael laughed. Everyone laughed.

“So, what exactly brings you here?” Panthakasai asked the guys.
“Captain Yama … he seems a bit strange nowadays don’t you think?” Quan asked.
“Well, at least that’s what all of us guys think. We haven’t seen him in ages, so to speak. What do you two think? Oh wait, Mazekii hasn’t even met the guy,” Cameron continued. Mazekii looked on with a confused expression.
“I know what you mean … things have been awfully strange around him. Who knows, maybe he’s just really busy?” Panthakasai replied. Kyle shrugged.

Out of nowhere, a high pitch scream was heard. All seven of them cocked their heads towards the door. They looked at each other for a split second and charged out the door. Alex came rushing down the corridor and stopped right in front of the crowd.

“What was that?” Alex demanded.
“It sounded like a female high pitched scream! Who could it have … Vice-Master Haruki!” Kyle gasped.

All eight of them ran down the corridor and down a flight of stairs. They turned the bend and found themselves right in front of Haruki’s office door. Alex attempted to turn the door knob, but the door wouldn’t budge. A low thud was heard on the other side of the door and they all instantly knew that it was Haruki.

“Should we just break down the door or …?” Kyle looked at Alex.
“Dammit! I’m so stupid! I have the All-Access Key!” Alex cursed. He put the key into the lock and unlocked the door. All of them pulled out their weapons and then Alex swung the door open.

All of them jumped back as they saw the hundreds and hundreds of wasps flying around in the room.

“What on earth are wasps doing in her office?” Michael cried as he stood in the doorway. Panthakasai gently pushed him away and sent a “Fire Arrow” into the room. Quite of number of the wasps burned up and turned to a crisp, falling onto the carpeted ground. Michael attempted to freeze the wasps using his “Cold Beam”, but no matter how much he and Panthakasai tried to clear a path – more and more wasps got in the way.

“How do we get rid of them?” Cameron screeched.
“Oh my god … Haruki is an anaphylaxis! We need to clear the entire room or get her out of there now!” Alex roared.
“Haruki is an anaphy-what?” Mazekii was confused.
“We’ll explain later! Let’s go!” Quan shouted.

Alex ran into the room and performed “Dragon Roar”. Most of the wasps were stunned and couldn’t move. Panthakasai used her “Fire Arrow” once more and sent an arrow lit up in flames towards the wasps. Michael jumped into the fray and casted “Thunderbolt”. The crackling lightning crashed down from round, glowing, blue circles that floated just above the wasps and electrocuted a great many of them. Quan joined in and performed the smooth, cool actions of his “Savage Blow”; turning and attacking non-stop over and over in groups of six strikes. Kyle swiped at the wasps alongside Alex and both of them knocked the guts out of the wasps.

Mazekii and Cameron searched around the room and pass the onslaught of fighters until they found Haruki’s limp and numb body slouched against her cabinet. Slowly, they dragged her out of the room and felt for a pulse.

“She seems fine, and yet in pain at the same time. I hope she’s alright,” Mazekii said concerned.
“Haruki is strong and has always been strong. Don’t worry, Mazekii, she’ll be alright,” Cameron smiled.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Alex, Michael, Kyle, Quan, and Panthakasai successfully eradicated the office of all wasps. They rushed over to Haruki’s side and sighed. Alex crouched down and looked at Haruki closely.

“She doesn’t look right … there’s something wrong, I just know it,” Kyle said, staring at Haruki’s face.
“What do you mean something ‘wrong’? What’s wrong, Kyle?! Tell me what an anaphylaxis is!” Mazekii shouted.
“An anaphylaxis is someone who has an extreme allergic reaction to wasp or bee poison and, if they aren’t treated immediately, have a one-hundred percent chance of dying. If one of us were to be stung by a poisonous wasp or bee, we’d have a fifty percent chance of dying. The allergic reaction also results in the victim having a breathing problem, a sharp drop in blood pressure, and a great many other side effects. I entirely agree with Kyle, there is something wrong,” Alex explained.
“Guild Master Alex, her temperature is dropping; I can feel the warmth from her body slowly going down. Someone check her blood pressure!” Panthakasai said urgently.

Cameron pulled out a strange mechanism and checked for Haruki’s blood pressure.
“Her blood pressure is … it just suddenly went down so much!” Cameron gasped.
“She seems to be having slight breathing problems as well!” Mazekii looked up at Alex, her eyes full of alarm and concern. Alex held his head low and looked down at Haruki.
“Someone … go alert Guild Master Akina of Guild Ryodan. They may have a cleric or priest who can do something …” Alex gritted his teeth and, with a deadly look on his face, looked up towards the wall.

“Captain Yama … I knew it,” Alex hissed.

Chapter Five: Dance Begins (Tuesday, August 1, 2006)

Quan dashed pass the fields of dancing grass and trees and turned left at a fork road. He jumped over a two meter high fence and cut down a bush with his Shinkita, the sharp blade slicing the bush into a few pieces. Quan continued on the dirt path for a few minutes and finally reached his destination – the Guild Headquarters of Guild Ryodan. The golden archway of the emerald, diamond-studded door was shut tight and beautiful shrubs, trees, and gardens lined the building. A large transparent-like jade dome covered the entire building and a stoned pathway led to the supposed front door area of the headquarters.

Quan shook his head from the magnificent sight and ran towards the entrance. He pulled out a charm that allowed him to enter the dome and proceeded through. Once at the grand doors, he pounded on the door and called out for Guild Master Akina. After banging on the door for what seemed like an eternity, Quan fell to the ground on his knees – his voice hoarse from crying and his arm tired from banging on the door. Suddenly, the door creaked open slowly, and under the arch stood Yusei, Vice-Master of Ryodan.

“Captain Quan of Guild Lifestream, what on earth are you doing here? I am so sorry for such a late answer. We were discussing something in the meeting room,” Yusei looked at Quan.
“Vice-Master Yusei, Vice-Master Haruki, she’s hurt! Poisoned by a wasp or something and she is an anaphylaxis! We need a priest to help us! We don’t know where Captain Yama, our only priest, is! Please, Vice-Master Yusei. We need help,” Quan pleaded.

Vice-Master Yusei crouched down and put her hand on Quan’s shoulder.

“Do not worry, Captain Quan. I will call for our priest immediately. In the meantime, go back to your headquarters and tell them to have her on a bed or something and try to keep her temperature at the normal thirty-seven degrees. I will take haste in calling our priest. Now go, fly with the wind, and may your Vice-Master live to see another day,” Vice-Master Yusei said urgently. At that, she rose and ran into the hall, calling out for her fellow guild members to summon their priest.

Quan quietly thanked her and rushed out of the headquarters. He sped back the way he came and crashed through Lifestream Headquarters’ main entrance. Everyone looked at him with an anxious look on their face.

“Vice-Master Yusei has sent for their priest to come … she said for us to make sure that Vice-Master Haruki’s temperature is correct and to have her on something flat and comfy while we wait. Their priest … he or she should be here soon,” Quan panted. Alex let out a sigh of relief and began to bark out orders.

About fifteen minutes afterwards, someone came knocking on the door. Quan rushed to the door and swung it open. There stood Guild Ryodan’s first of four priests; Gyaku. Gyaku nodded to all of them and casually teleported to Haruki’s bedside.

“It has been ages since I last set my eyes on a Lifestream member. What happened to her?” Gyaku asked.
“Captain Gyaku, thank so ever so much for coming. Someone whom we have yet to find out knew that Haruki was an anaphylaxis and let out over one hundred poisonous wasps loose in her office. We successfully eradicated all of them, but we were unfortunately too late and one of them stung her,” Alex explained.
“I am so sorry about this. I will do whatever is in my power to stop the venom from progressing further in her body,” Gyaku replied. Alex nodded and told everyone to leave Gyaku and Haruki alone. Taking one final glance back at Haruki, Alex left the room and shut the door lightly and quietly behind him.

Gyaku spent hours and hours attempting to heal Haruki and stop the poison from progressing. Slowly, her condition became less threatening and it was safe to say that she would be fine. The cause for alarm was eliminated and at last, Haruki was back to normal. Three days passed as she slept. Gyaku visited once everyday during those three days to reassure himself that she was going to be fine.

“Captain Gyaku, I cannot tell you how much we appreciate you coming and helping us,” Alex ushered a hand towards him.
“Do not fret, Guild Master Alex. Ryodan and Lifestream are allied; lending a helping hand was the least I could do. It seems that any possible threat of death has been destroyed and her living on to see another day has been pushed up to one hundred percent. I must take my leave back to Ryodan now. I will see you and your guild in less then five days. Good luck, Guild Master Alex,” Gyaku replied. He turned and walked through the entrance to Lifestream. He turned, waved goodbye, and teleported away.

Alex looked over his shoulder and at Haruki and sighed, thankful for Gyaku’s effort, time, and help. He shut the door and returned to his own office.

– – – – – –

“Are you certain you want to betray your own fellow guild and join us, Priest?” Guild Master Kenny of Guild Fateless asked. The priest opened his eyes and let his Terius styled hair fall into his face.
“Yes, I am quite certain, Guild Master Kenny. I was once part of Lifestream, but not anymore. Their ways are sickening to me. It is time for change and for the end of Lifestream to become evident,” Yama replied.
“Then welcome to Fateless, Yama. We have waited for a priest to come and join the likes of us,” Kenny smiled warmly.
“I guess I shall begin helping Fateless by telling you the weakness of Lifestream …” Yama said, his friendly expression changing into a serious one.
“Yes … that would be nice …” Kenny smirked.

– – – – – –

Four days after Gyaku’s helpful lending hand, the day of the starting of the War came. Kyle paced back and forth across the lounge, anxious and fidgety. Cameron looked out the window lost in thought and slowly sipped his cup of coffee. Michael looked down at the floor and sighed. Meanwhile, Mazekii and Panthakasai quietly talked about what they would do after the war. The door to the lounge creaked open and both Alex and Haruki walked through.

“The war is about to begin fellow members of Lifestream. I would just like to take the time to thank all of you for supporting Lifestream. We will try our hardest to be the last guild standing. I deeply hope that there will not be any casualties within our guild,” Alex announced.
“Furthermore, Captain Yama will not be joining us in protecting Lifestream. It seems that he has turned sides and according to Guild Master Akina, he has joined the likes of Guild Fateless. If you see him on the battlefield – give no mercy. If we must, we will mow him down,” Haruki continued.

Mazekii, Quan, Kyle, Michael, Cameron, and Panthakasai stood up and nodded. They were prepared for battle. A shout from outside the headquarters broke their short silence. Alex and Haruki turned around and saw, before them, Guild Imperials and Guild Fateless. Alex cursed under his breath and clenched his fists.

“Everyone … the battle starts now,” Haruki gritted her teeth and drew her Shinkita and Panlid. With their new weapons, all eight members of Lifestream were ready to pounce.
“Eight versus sixty, aren’t these odds just so wonderful,” Cameron laughed nervously.
“Let’s go!” Michael cried.

All eight of them ran out of Lifestream’s entrance and stood their ground as all sixty members of Imperials and Fateless streamed in towards them. This was it – the beginning of the gruesome war. A haze of lightning, ice, fire, and poisonous gas enshrouded the entire small battlefield and the clang and banging of steel against steel echoed throughout. Bandits twirled and swept past their enemies – dancing and blood being spilt. Assassins summoned their shadow partners and continuously casted Lucky Seven; their steelies and ilbis stars flying left and right uncontrollably.

The haze slowly dispersed and as far as the eye could see, bodies were sprawled everywhere. All eight members of Lifestream were already tired, each of them injured, but they stood strong. Suddenly, out of no where, Guild Master Rio, a crusader, appeared behind Alex. Alex gasped as his eyes turned towards Rio. Rio smirked and held his Red Katana high in the air. Haruki turned around from the fight and her eyes opened wide.

“GUILD MASTER ALEX WATCH OUT!” Haruki screamed. Suddenly, something dug into her back. She fell to the ground hard as Panthakasai cried out for her.

Alex’s body went numb, unable to listen to the commands his mind was shouting out. Rio swung hard and laughed. Alex cursed and shut his eyes tightly. He felt something, or rather someone, push him out of the way and heard a crossbow arrow launched. Alex fell to the ground and opened his eyes, looking up. A Golden Crow and a bag of arrows crashed to onto the grassy ground. Alex began to shake – his eyes full of utter disbelief. Rio narrowed his eyes and pulled the sword out of the body he had just punctured a hole into with his Red Katana. A crossbow arrow had pierced his left shoulder and he clutched it with his right arm, the Red Katana in his left hand.

“No … this cannot … be …” Alex shouted. The girl turned her head slowly towards Alex, her Red-Hearted Earrings jingling softly. She smiled, the life in her eyes dying away. The Red Maro hat she wore fell to the ground and then her entire body fell lifelessly onto the grass. Her eyes were closed and peaceful, a smile on her lips.

“Mazekii … no …” tears he could not hold began to form in the corners of Alex’s eyes. Mazekii was gone. She had saved him at the last minute and he couldn’t say thank you. Mazekii …