Chapter 3 – Road Of Swirling Sadness, Regret, and Grief

Wendy was dreaming about stuff again. It was completely dark…it was so scary…get me out of here…Wendy woke up with a gasp. She was sweating all over. She was breathing hard. She looked at Zep. He was sleeping like a baby. Chibi was breathing at his usual slow speeds.

“Not the dreams again…” She said.

She opened the door exit of the fusion bar and walked outside. A breeze came whizzing by her. It felt refreshing despite how she hates the cold wind. She stared up toward the dark sky, lit up to life by millions of bright stars of all shapes and sizes. She closed her eyes and toke a deep breath. Suddenly an image came into her head. She saw the quiet forest of Ellinia calling out to her. Everywhere she looked was dead bodies. Blood stained the trees and screams pierced the forests quietness. She then saw a masked figure with dark skinny arms appear. It chanted several words and the ground erupted with spikes of crystallized diamonds. It then looked directly into Wendy’s eyes. Suddenly the image was replaced by three mages. One was wearing flame red clothing. The other was wearing crystal blue clothing. The last was wearing pure white clothing.

The mage wearing the red clothing looked into her eyes and said, “I, Moranos, hereby give you the full feeling of sadness.”

Immense sadness welled up inside Wendy. She wished it would stop as the sadness grew and grew. When she thought she would die of sadness, the feeling subsided.

The mage with blue clothing stepped forth and said, “I, Kelk, hereby give you the full feeling of regret.

Instantly Wendy felt pain and sadness as she watched her memories of leaving the quiet forest of Ellinia forever. She reached out and said, “Wait! Don’t leave me alone!” but the surroundings slowly disappeared into the engulfing darkness.

“Please…I want to go back…I want to see the trees again…I want to see the people whom I have loved since childhood…” Wendy said as she continued weeping over her mistake. And then the feeling was gone.

The last of the three mages stepped forth and said, “And I, Lea, hereby give you the full feelings of grief.”

Wendy stared in horror as her memories were dug up once again. This time she saw her friend lay on the floor. She was bleeding very seriously. She saw herself next to her friend crying for help.

“Somebody please help her!” She cried out to the passing fairies.

“As much as I want to help…she’s not a fairy.” One of the fairies said. “You do know that we, fairies, hate humans. So go get one of your clerics and heal that friend of yours.”

Wendy watched as her younger self ran off toward the nearest house. When she finally came back with a cleric, her friend was no more. Wendy watched her younger self drop to her knees and weep over her friend for hours. When her friend was buried she was the only one there to mourn her death. The memory burned in her head. It all felt like it happened yesterday. The three mages stepped back.

“Now you know how each of us felt when we were young.” All three mages said at once. “Sadness, Regret, and Grief all mixed up into one emotion are very powerful indeed. But among all these emotions lies another…forgiveness.”

Without warning the three mages disappeared. Wendy felt her body fall to the ground. Before she fainted she saw Zep and Dark Lord running over to her. When she woke up, she was in the fusion bar again. Was the vision about the masked demon true? Did a greater power then she threaten the quiet forest of Ellinia? She must find out herself. She tried to lift herself of the table she was resting on. Zep and Chibi came into view.

“You fainted outside.” Zep said. “What happened?”

“I had a vision.” Wendy replied. “A masked demon attacked my village. Then three mages appeared in front on me and showed me how strong, Sadness, Regret, and Grief, felt like.”

“The masked demon must be Thanatos.” Dark Lord said.

The trio looked at the famed assassin.

“How did you know its name?” Wendy asked.

“Why I have met and fought it once before.” Dark Lord replied. “If what your vision states is true then we must prepare for the worst. Go get your friend, the hunter, to join us. After that we must rally our people in Ellinia for the final assault. Now go find your friend.”

All three nodded before rushing out of the fusion bar and racing towards the dungeon in the heart of Victoria Island.

Chapter 4 – The 4th Outcast

The trio reached the entrance to ant tunnel. There were a lot of noises coming from inside.

“Still crowded as ever eh?” Zep said. “Now how are we going to find Mark in this huge cave?”

“He told us he would always be near the forsaken sanctuary.” Wendy replied. “Obviously you still have a lot of remembering to do.”

Zep scratched his head, embarrassed by the remark.

“Lets go.” Chibi said. “No time to waste.”

Zep and Wendy nodded and went into the darkness of the cave. Inside it was dim and the air was moist as if they were in a creature’s mouth. They went past a group of hunters and warriors teaming up on some undead mushrooms. The warriors still in their young ages stared at Chibi’s spear in awe. They continued on for a few minutes. Finally they reached a vast opening in the cave.

“Were getting near.” Wendy said.

They went past the dangerous steam that was coming up from the ground. After a few more minutes they reached yet another vast opening in the cave. Wendy scanned the ledges for someone. There was someone sitting on a ledge, leaning against the wall, snoring away. Zep tried to hide his laughter. Chibi simply stared at the person. Wendy sighed and picked up a pebble. She flung it only to watch it bounce off the wall near the sleeper’s ledge.

“Let me do this.” Chibi said.

He picked up a pebble and hurled it hard. A second later a scream came from above as the trio watched a body fall from the ledge and come crashing painfully onto the ground. Zep burst out laughing. The person that fell jerked violently. A few minutes later the jerking stopped and the person stood up.

“I wish you could stop doing that guys.” The person said.

“Your fault for sleeping Mark.” Chibi said.

Come to think of it they haven’t seen Mark since 2 years ago. Seems like he got used to his strange abilities to survive blows that normal people can’t take. She looked at him now and compared him to his old self. His hair was shorter then last they met. His eyes were still the same clear blue color. Below his right eye was the same nasty scar that was made the day he was chased from his village.

“What now?” Mark demanded. “Its got to important for all three of you to come and disturb my sleep in such an unpleasant way.”

He shot a glance at Chibi. Zep tried not to laugh. Mark pulled a string and a bow came down from the ledge he was just on a moment before. It was a beautifully made Gold Hinkel. The bow was also one of his town’s most valuable treasures. Athena Pierce herself crafted it when she was a simple bowman.

“Good thing you didn’t hurt my baby” Mark said rubbing his face against the bow.

Zep stared at Mark for a second before bursting out laughing again. Chibi narrowed his eyes as if he was insulted. Wendy simply shook her head.

“Out of us four, Mark…you’re the funniest and the dumbest one in our team.” Zep said still laughing.

“Does that explain how I was able to pin you to the wall with one arrow.” Mark retorted.

Zep stopped laughing in an instant. It was now Wendy and Chibi’s turn to laugh.

“I still remember how you yelled at us to get you down from the tree for two hours.” Chibi said with a snort. “I wonder where you would be if we didn’t listen to you and left you there.”

“I bet he cant do that now since I have gotten much faster since two years ago.” Zep simply said.

Without warning Zep swung his arm and quickly launched two tobi stars straight towards Mark. Mark quickly responded by loading his bow with lighting speed and let loose four arrows. The first two deflected the tobi stars coming at him. The other two arrows pinned Zep to the wall. Chibi was laughing so hard he was pounding the ground with his fist. Mark smiled and looked at Wendy for comments.

“I see your skills haven’t diminished since we last met.” Wendy said simply. “We must get going. We promised the Dark Lord to meet up at Ellinia with the untied forces of Victoria Island.”

“Sounds serious.” Mark said. “Count me in. After all I am part of the four outcast’s of Victoria Island.”

He placed his hand forward. The others did the same. A strange symbol glowed dimly on their right hands. It pictured a crest with a staff, sword, dagger, and bow on each corner of the crest. It also had a large crack splitting across the crest. The light on the four grew brighter.

“For our homeland.” The four said before walking off towards the exit of the ant tunnel.