I also edited this monstrosity, all one-hundred-twentysomething "doc." pages of it. It caused me to climb upon the highest minaret and shout obscenities in a language only the insane can comprehend while thick gelatinous pus oozed from my eyes drawing hideous flies and maggots to swarm about, assailing me with innumerable bites and stings in my half-mad torment. You can see the unedited version at the bottom of the page. (Note Mason-3's... excessive... use of elipses...)

Fei sat there on the bar stool, not knowing what to do with his life. He had just been fired that day from Pagan Inc. and you don't get second chances with Pagan Inc. Fei just didn't know what to do as his beer was passed to him.

Being part of Pagan was all he knew, and they fired him just for being late to his unit. Those bastards! He'd been a warrior for them all his life, been trained in the arts. Now they brush him off for a minor offense! Fei had half the urge to take his katana from it's sheath and go to the building with a surprise for them...

Ever since the millennium things had been different for him. With the coming of Lucifer and Jesus Good and Evil had been waging war for fifteen years now, and he'd served on the evil side with the Pagans because of his friend's urgings.

He'd show em' somehow. But how? Pagan Inc. owned everyone, the media, the people, and the governments.

Before he could say anything a hand tapped him on the shoulder...

Fei whirled around, and immediately wished he hadn't for two reasons. One was that he was on his twelfth beer, and the room did not quite manage to quit whirling at the same time he did. The second reason was that this action placed him face to face, or in this case, face to elbow, with the owner of the hand which had tapped him. After a moment, Fei managed to point his head in a more or less upward direction, to see that he was, in fact, facing a fairly unpleasant looking daemon. Of course, all daemons are unpleasant looking, and working as he had for Pagan, Fei had seen his share of them. However, this particular daemon looked as though he had had a hard life, even more so than one could expect for a denizen of the underworld. The daemon glowered down at Fei. Fei almost succeeded in holding a steady gaze on the daemon. This continued for several minutes, until the barkeep broke the monotony by demanding Fei pay his tab, to which Fei responded by vomiting all over himself.

Fei slowly regained consciousness. This turned out to be a bad move, and he slipped out again for a moment. When he roused himself again, the first thing he noticed, aside from the distinct sensation that a road crew was doing repair work inside his skull, was that he was not in his home. In fact he was in Hell. Flames danced about him as unholy screams pierced the air like the navel of a rebellious teenager.

"Is this...Hell?" he asked no one in particular. "No, you idiot," no one answered. "This is one of those new-wave performance art things." Fei looked over, and saw that no one was talking to him. No one stood and offered his hand. "Come on," said no one. "You've been out all morning. Big things are afoot, and you're needed." Fei made a valiant effort at a reality check as no one led him away from the outdoor arena where the performance artist was wrapping up his act, down a back alley, and into a dank converted warehouse.

The daemon continued. "We are the Gahald, former minions of the underworld who have escaped our eternal bondage and rebelled against Satan. As an ex-Pagan soldier, you are a prime candidate to join our ranks." Fei looked confused. "Wait, do you mean you're working for... Him?" No one answered.

"Not at all," said no one. "He doesn't employ the likes of us. We fight for ourselves, for our own freedom. Never again will we be enslaved by the Powers."

Fei stared at the ground, his mind racing. Somehow he felt uncomfortable when no one was talking to him. But, at the same time, he knew no one was making sense. Why fight someone else's war? Whether he worked for Light or Darkness, he would be working for someone else, fulfilling someone else's goals. Personally, he didn't care who controlled the universe, so long as he could kick back with a cold beer on a Saturday night and take in a ball game.

"All right," Fei said slowly. "Count me in."
"Excellent," the daemon rumbled. "We must prepare our next move soon. Any ideas?" The daemon looked at Fei. Fei looked at no one. No one looked back.
"I have a plan," Fei said.

Fei cocked an eye at the daemon. "You do know..." Fei Began, "that God cares for all his children no matter how lost they may be." The Daemon looked suspiciously at Fei.

"O.K. whatever I'm not much into the so-called 'higher up God', what has he done for my people? We sit and we live in HELL! ok! DO you know how hard that is!?" The Daemon's eyes glared.

Fei staggered back, suddenly a cloud of smoke arose from his mouth, and a voice as if from the air itself, spoke "Yes, my friend, You may not be into liking God but no matter, God has something special prepared for you. You, whether you like it or not, will play a crucial role in the coming stages of the war" The Daemon scoffed.

"well...uh..."
"Argile, Argile the angel" the spirit interrupted.
"Well, Argile, are you here to help or float there?"
"Sorry.."
"Dran"
"Dran, let me revert to my natural state and the planning will begin." Argile's vapor slowly condensed into a solid form and drew his sword "Well then folks, let the wars rage."

Walking through the burning Sirenar desert, Dran, Fei, and Argile, were tired and in need of water. Argile stopped, Dran and Fei looked back at him and wondered if they should help. Suddenly Argile's arm shot straight up in front of him and he pointed. "Look!" Argile shouted "It's the mirage of the desert dwellers, the Sirenarians! It means we're getting close!"

Argile stumbled forward, his wings covered with sand, dragged behind him.

"I see nothing! Only desert...barren empty desert! What the hell have you gotten us into Argile!?" Dran yelled.

Argile gasped, Fei flinched at the force of Drans yelling. "Look," Fei started "We might as well keep going, and besides, Argile's an 'angel' He might see things we don't" Dran was silent, he turned around and began to walk, Fei followed, Argile trudged along after. The trio had been walking for three days with out food or water, Argiles 'visions' were getting more frequent until...

"We're here!" Argile dropped to his knees and clawed at the sand. "We have finally made it to the city of Aldara!"

Dran looked around, Fei squinted ahead. "*hmp* I see nothing" Fei muttered "A lot of nothing...but...the dunes ahead...they look like..." Fei turned his head "Exactly like the dunes behind us except... they're reversed."

"Of course mortal" Argile started, Fei cocked an eye "We have come to the Mirror City, also known as Aldara!"

The odd entrance to the city took then to a crystalline city. There they met Llyda, a sexy brunette who showed off her killer legs. Llyda greeted them. She would join them on their quest. "Follow me to the heart of the city," she pleaded.

Fei tried to cover up for is pointing outward dick. "Sure, just let me sit for a minute." he said. When his boner died down they followed Llyda through the city. Argile and Dran tried to keep Fei's eyes away from Llyda's ass (all she was wearing is a green shirt with tight underwear).

Argile had to comment, "This is almost embarrassing."
Dran nodded and grinned. "He'd better get used to seeing Llyda like this."
Fei lost his sense of direction, "Can you guys take your hands off my eyes?"
Dran giggled, "Oh pish-posh, we are almost there."

"Hmp! I would have guessed Fei to be a more...collected man then what he is displaying here." Dran said, taking his hands from around Feis eyes.

"Well, this my friends is the heart of the city, the Fluxual Stone, made of the extremely rare fusion of artyle and rantreon. This is what gives Aldaras' citizens their power"

"So, we will use this...this pebble, to get out of the badlands??" commented Dran, who sounded as if he could not be bothered by such a shabby-looking device, for the Fluxual Stone stood 24 feet tall, with a fine dust covering-which Fei ran his finger across-and emanated a soft red glow which lit the room, and let off a hum.

"Well?" said Fei.
"I'll use it, though, where WILL it lead?" Llyda bit her lower lip and smiled at Fei.

"You will be taken into Delradar city, the capital of the continent of Cya. There we will..." Fei cut her off "We... you're going as well?" Argile lowered his head in embarrassment, Fei tried to pass it off as obligatory, yet his voice showed his longing for Llyda to come. Llyda sighed "Well, I know you most likely to object to women in wars but look out there." Llyda waved her hand to show the bustling city below the Fluxual Stone cathedral window "Those are all my brethren! Dammit there is a war raging in Wilnara right now! The forces of God and Lucifer are tearing our world apart!!... and I don't know if you care but, this city will NOT fall, are you with me... or are you going to go and sulk in a cave in the Ranarock mountains??!!" Fei's jaw dropped, he never knew a simple question could ignite rage like hers.

"I'm with you" Fei said.
"As am I" Argile finally spoke up.
"Yeah count on me for backup" Dran said, for the first time displaying a smile.

"Fine, the stone will deatomize us and reatomize us in Delradar city... theoretically.." Fei bit his lip. Llyda started the stone, it began to spin. Shouting over the roaring wind the machine generated Fei called to Llyda "What if I don't get my hand back?!" Llyda smiled back "You know what they say: Damned if we don't!"

Llyda stepped into the portal.

Fei, Dran and Argile followed Llyda through. They ended up in what looked like an armory. Fei looked at all the weapons. Llyda said, "Here are all the weapons at our disposal. On our journey we will meet many hostile forces. Including dragons, demons, soldiers, aliens and so on. We will need all the weapons we can grab."

Dran smiled and picked up a sword. Llyda sighed, "However, we cannot use armor or any body protection." Fei look around him, guns, blade, explosives. "Choose wisley, we will not return here. We still must pick up the other 3 people joining us."

Running his hands across the blade of a katana, Fei sighed, he remembered the days when the angels would use them, and him and Pagan inc. would use grenades and shotguns... the bloodshed, Fei wondered how he could ever do it again.

"AAAHHH!" Argile exclaimed like a child marveling over candy he had no money for "A new broadsword... this WILL come in handy!" Argile discarded his old sword like so much junk, and sheathed his new gleaming blade. Dran wandered around the room and rested his eyes on an old dusty battle axe. "Handy as ever! " Dran tossed the blade up gently, "Well well well! This is mine!" Dran holstered his new axe. Mean while Llyda stood poised with a sixchamber gun in her hands "BOOM! you're dead." .

Llyda licked her lips, strapped on an ammo belt and loaded it. Argile picked up a shield, and put it on his arm. Dran Strapped a vest on and clipped grenades to it. Fei holstered a grenade launcher and 44. caliber nightwolf, Argile still not content, strapped daggers and knives to various parts of his body. Llyda took Argiles clue and grabbed a sword, then thought again and grabbed another. Fei positioned knives on his leg and said he was ready. Dran looked up from buckling his belt with 2 guns, three knives and a sword attached to it. Dran smiled..

"Never can one be prepared" Llyda pushed a button on the far wall "Ready folks lets saddle up!" They all once again jumped into the portal.

They all emerged in a dark room, very dark and grimy. Fei knew instantly where he was...Hell... but... but why? .

"Hello Fei. I see you've made some... friends." A voice boomed. "Did I tell you the tale of the four horsemen?" It asked. "No... who are you?!" Fei asked, wondering why no one else had appeared here. .

"Nevermind who I am... but you should say hello to your new playmates. You'll never. betray Pagan again!" It snapped as four men on horses materialized in the midst of the room. Fei was trapped.This was not good. Anything they touched would be destroyed.

They met the other three, two women and a man. The 1st woman was Crissy, a slender bodied young woman in her 20s wearing a figure hugging red leotard. Next was Amanda, a woman in her way early 20s who wore a tee shirt and short-shorts. Next was Virgil, a wise mage with the knowledge of eons. .

"Well, now that we have met, were is Delradar?" Fei asked.
Llyda said, "Across this jungle. About 1,000,000 miles."
Fei looked confused, "You're kidding?"
Dran shook his head, "Llyda doesn't kid about things like this." Argile said, "You should know that." .

Crissy took out a M41A Pulse Rifle and loaded it, "You guys must have landed in the past armory. We got the future one, that means better weapons." Amanda took out a futuristic looking sniper rifle and slung a rocket and grenade launcher around her back while Crissy slung a Lacrima 99 and a Draco. .

"Well lets get going. "Crissy eagerly said. "What about Virgil?" Fei asked. Llyda turned and bit her lip, "Virgil has amazing mental abilities, he needs no guns or blades." Dran slapped him on the back and the group of seven marched into the dense jungle...

Upon a throne of blood atop a pile of skulls, Satan laughed to himself. It had been an easy trick to divert Fei to the ninth pit of Hell, while sending a doppelganger on with his friends. "Those fools," Satan chortled. "They have fallen right into my hands!" .

He peered into a blood-red stone at his right. Within the stone, he saw his minion, disguised as Fei, tromping through the jungle with that pathetic band of misfits. Then, Satan shifted his attention, and the stone revealed the real Fei, trapped in one of Hell's deepest dungeons, about to face off with the Horsemen...

"You have no chance Fei." Death, on his horse laughed.
"Is that a fact?" Fei answered, hate in his eyes.
"Yeah it is my friend...we have no time to waste on you right now. We must destroy... ahem... the world." War, on his horse bellowed. .

"So you can play with our friends... the Untons." Famine giggled. Fei's face showed a puzzled look as the horsemen waved their hands and disappeared, leaving a whole horde of 14 foot tall ogres in front of him. "DAMN!" Fei grasped his katana,it had a few tricks to it. He wasn't worried at all, he was just worried about where the others were. .

"SO Fei, you worked for Pagan eh?" Virgil asked. The doppelganger, confused just nodded...that's when Virgil decided to delve into his mind. He found a mission, a mission of death and that it was an imposter! .

The ogres smirked and rushed at Fei without warning. "Bring it on!" He smirked as he whirled the katana about and pressed a small switch on the handle, splitting the blade in two. He quickly gave a sharp spin with the sword and stabbed an ogre in the gut...

Fei whirled and sliced the head off another ogre. Then spun and cut, sliced, decapitated, amputated and disemboweled until he was the only one left standing. Fei breathed hard and a blue halo surrounded him.

Fei was transported to a jungle. He turned to see 6 people. "Llyda!" Fei said in relief. Llyda took his arm and introduced Fei to Crissy,Amanda and Virgil. Dran said "Welcome back Fei. We found out that The Devil sent and imposter with us. So we killed him." Argile scratched his head and said, "Well come on, we have a large jungle to cross." Ahead, they heard a roar. .

"What are the inhabitants of this jungle?" Fei asked.
Crissy tightened her gun strap and told him ,"Oh, things like monkeys, gorillas, natives, dinosaurs, dinosoids, lost citys, aliens, mutants, demons and a common poacher or gunman." .

Fei shook his head and Llyda soothed up to him, "Well Fei. At least there is no night-time out here." This didn't seem to calm Fei. He walked over to a ravine, looked over the lush jungle and sighed. Argile walked over to him and said, "Enough talk, we must go."

The balance of nature had been shifted, Satan and his minions held the earth in their grasp. The band of misfit warriors were no match for Lucifer, and they knew it, this gave Satan the upper hand..

*KWSHIN!* Fei cut through the foliage with his katana, not hesitating to see if any animals were in the way. Llyda held the hilt of her gun, Argile was tense, he wondered if any of his traveling companions knew his secret. He would tell them... in time, it was of course part of his punishment, to know humility, yes God has mercy on ALL. Fei stopped, Crissy hesitantly turned her head looking for any possible danger. .

"I sense nothing Fei" Virgil spoke up "We CAN continue" Fei continued to stand still, Amanda licked her lips "Look Dammit, if we are supposed to be going somewhere we should really get going!" Fei turned to Virgil "I want you to create a time flux, so that we may rest, and sleep." .

Virgil nodded and sighed, raised his arms into the air and chanted "Time belongs to no man, let it be night across this land!" The clouds slowly began to turn whirling together, picking up speed until the heavens blackened and the sun shone no more..

Deep growls emanated through the forest, Llyda pulled her gun and cocked it. Dran unsheathed his axe. "The creatures of the night are on the prowl" Fei said. A dark shadow moved through the trees. .

"Quick Virgil circle of protection!" Fei shouted a light haze covered the ground just as the creature lunged. The creature hit the invisible wall and howled in pain, "Werewolves, great." Fei muttered. Suddenly they were surrounded by werewolves on all sides..

"We are protected" Virgil reassured one of the wolves threw another wolf at the shield the werewolf burst into flames and died, the shield faded and the circle of wolves advanced towards the group. .

"What the hell happened Virgil?" Fei screamed.
"Oops,wrong circle,I think a Circle of Protection Black would save us." Virgil suggested.
"Then conjure one up dammit!" Fei screamed.
A werewolf laid a hand on Virgil's shoulder, "Too late!" he said. .

The jungle erupted in gunfire as werewolves were shot open and blown apart. Fei sliced the head off of one of the beasts and saw Llyda blow the head off another. A halo of red magic surrounded Virgil and he started burning every wolf he pointed at. Crissy was ganged up upon, but her M41A blew the wolves apart. Amanda had shot one in the chest, the others retreated. .

Llyda looked around, "Everyone alright?" Nobody was even touched. "Our weapons seem to be VERY useful." Crissy said, as she un-braided her soft red hair. .

They slept the night with no further attacks. The morning was nice and bright. Fei looked around, a monkey scurried up a tree. They picked the gear up and moved on. A mile or so ahead, the ground began to rumble violently. Amanda was told to go see so she grabbed binoculars and looked over a hill. .

"Oh my God," she whispered. .

Thousands of velociraptors were running towards them, and from the snarling and the foaming at the mouth, they looked hungry.

"Stop!" Argile yelled, "Look, they're not running towards us they're running FROM that!" .

Argile pointed towards the jungle at the edge of the clearing. A pack of four armed creatures emerged from the bush, snarling and ready to fight. One of the creatures lunged into the air, paused while there, and fell on the back of the raptor and began tearing it to shreds, other raptors swarmed the creature but to no avail, it was too strong and twice their size. .

"Damn" Dran muttered "Why did he release the Ract? Unless...of course. Everyone get BACK!!!" Dran yelled running from the scene of blood shed. Fei got up and followed Dran, the rest of the pack in tow. Argile spread his wings and took to the sky, following the rest. .

Dran yelled to Fei who was behind him "Those are Ract, a breed of carnivorous warriors! *gasp* They are sent in before warships to clear the land of inhabitants, think of them as Lucifer's dogs. Men the war is literally on our heels!!" Fei's eyes widened, "We will fight!" .

"How?" Llyda interjected "We have no choice, I left Ranor to fight, I won't let them down!" Crissy yelled, still running. "Nor will I" her sister (Amanda) yelled. .

Catching up with Crissy and Amanda, Fei sat down next to a large metallic structure, the structure began to move and the earth trembled, a giant metallic golem stood before them. It's joints gave a metallic creek, and his mechanical voice boomed "I am Krovak, what is your command?"
Llyda cocked an eye at Fei. "Well...we'd like you to help us"

"Bwa ha ha," cackled Krovak. "Me, help the likes of you? I don't think so," and with that he scooped up Amanda and bit off her arm. Amanda screamed, then passed out as Krovak munched noisily upon her severed limb. .

Krovak brought her leg up to his mouth, but before he could take a bite, Chrissy blasted him between the eyes with a fusion cannon. Argile caught Amanda as Krovak melted into a pile of goo. .

Chrissy spit on the molten slagheap, causing it to sizzle and steam. "Damn golems," she muttered. Meanwhile, the Ract were drawing nearer. Fei pulled Virgil aside. "Listen," he rasped. "We have to get out of here. Now. Don't you have some kind of spell for this type of thing?" .

Virgil pondered the question. The Ract set fire to the meadow. Virgil continued pondering. Dran and Argile argued over how best to treat Amanda's wound. Deer, elk, squirrels, eagles, fire ants, llamas, anteaters, opossums, hawks, iguanas, finches, sloths, and other assorted wildlife ran by in a panic. In the distant forest, trees came crashing down amidst billowing smoke and flames. Fei, Llyda and Chrissy stared tensely at Virgil. The Ract finally noticed the rather largish group of people hanging around the edge of the clearing, and began heading their way. Fei glance nervously between Virgil and the Ract, then back to Virgil, then the Ract, who were much closer now..

"I've got it!" Virgil exclaimed, and Fei suddenly had the sensation of being sucked through a straw, then shot out of a cannon. The universe sped away at the speed of light, then reconvened around him. The party was standing in a large cavern of sorts. There was no sound except the distant dripping of water on stone. Fei looked around. "Where the hell are we?" .

Everyone looked at Virgil. "Don't look at me," he said. "I didn't cast the spell."
Llyda looked confused. "Then who did?"

Amanda stood, she had been fully healed. Everyone was happy with that, but they were confused with their current location. Finally, the devil's voice boomed in the cave. "I sent you here. It is a maze!" Llyda screamed, "Lets us out you son of a bitch!"
"I can't just let you out. You will have to find a way out! But nobody every has, wizard or no wizard." Amanda spoke up, "This is a Catacomb, we must be miles underground!" Llyda was in a fit of rage, but kept her cool. .

"You will all die now!" The Devil said, then his voice left. "The place must be rigged with traps." Dran said.
Argile said, "Must be lots of monsters to."
Crissy licked her lips and said, "At least we have lots of firepower."
Fei grunted. This was all very tiring!

Amanda waved her new metallic arm around to test it out, the group had been wandering around the cavern for hours and had long ago lost any sense of direction. .

"Well, dynamite could get us out of here..."
"except we have no dynamite, there was none in the armory" Llyda said. Argile ran his fingers across the rocky wall, feeling it's smoothness. "This is cinderstone, a type of stone that is resistant to fire, yet crumbles under water" .

All heads turned towards Virgil "eh...that is to say..eh..uh..*sigh* yes, I do know a water spell, but it takes time." Virgil announced. "Fine, we will wait, and each of us will explain our part in the war." Fei eyeballed Argile. The group sat in a circle staring at each other. .

"Argile will go first" Fei announced.
Argile looked around hesitantly, and finally began.
"Well, I am one of the angels of the lord" Dran snorted, Argile continued "I was on a mission to deliver medical help to the members of the heavenly army, I was attacked by a Carnisard, an acid spitting reptilian creature, I used some of the medicine on an arm which was severely burned, and in doing so, I condemned Lauriel to death, had I not used the salve on myself, she would..."

Argile cast his head down .
"God would allow me into Heaven, but I decided to atone for my sin by staying here on Earth and fighting in the war." Fei looked at Argile, sorry that he had made him tell, he didn't really need to know, Argile really felt bad about it.

"I will tell my tale now" Fei announced.
"I worked for Pagan inc. for a long time, my friend of many years, Daniel, convinced me, I fought for Hell in the war and have slain many of God's followers. I'm not proud I never was, but the power I saw Lucifer wield, I thought for sure Heaven would lose and I wanted to be on the winning side, now I will be, hopefully, or God help us all."

"Finished!" Virgil announced. "Now, I think you all want to be next to me when the flood comes" Virgil said, the group looked around. "Do you hear that?" Dran asked "sounds like..." "WATER!!!!" Amanda said cutting Llyda off, suddenly a wave came crashing down the corridor towards the group.

Virgil quickly set up a barrier around the group, just as the water hit. The rock the cavern was made out of was quickly eaten through like acid on carpet. The energy bubble the group was in bounced freely on the current, lava began pouring through the space where rock once was. Virgil decided make hole in the ceiling with which to get out of. Suspending the bubble in the air, Virgil shot a cannon of water at the ceiling, everyone could see that he was straining finally the ceiling collapsed and an outpour of lava gushed onto the bubble. Pushed down beneath the surging current of water, the bubble climbed back to the surface and was once again levitated into the air. Virgil concentrated and forced the groups craft into the downpour forcing it upward. Finally the group emerged in a sea of lava. A whirlpool had already formed because of the hole caused by Virgil. Virgil strained to keep the bubble stable, though it was taxing his power to the limits. Virgil propelled the bubble into the air and out of an opening in the high ceiling. Looking down, the group saw they were trapped in an island volcano. The bubble floated to safety on a nearby beach and popped. The group spilled out onto the sand and gasped, relived to be alive Amanda turned to congratulate Virgil on getting them out, turning to him she saw Virgil sprawled on the ground not breathing, she called to the others. Argile kneeled at Virgil's side, and checked his pulse, Virgil was dead. Amanda put her head on Llyda's shoulder and wept Dran picked up Virgil's limp body, and swung it unto his back.

"We will give a proper burial." Dran walked into the forest the others followed suit. The group walked for hours, their hearts filled with sadness, Virgil had used all his strength to get them out, and now he was dead. Fei stopped at the edge of a cliff, his mind already worn from the loss of a friend, could not comprehend what lay before him, nor could the others. Before them lay in ruin, a war torn city, with Lucifer's' citadel in the center. The battle had come to town and now was the time to fight. This would be the final battle.

The group slowly climbed their way down the cliff, all knowing that if Lucifer was not stopped here it would lead to more blood shed. Silently the group landed in the town, Virgil's body still slung over Dran's shoulder. They walked towards the citadel, all of them fearing their destiny, wondering why they came along on the journey but each knew no one else could do this it was they who were going to end the war, they would be heroes... legends.

Ract still prowled the abandoned streets, Llyda held fast to her pistol. A Ract jumped out of the shadow of a building, Llyda shot it's leg. The Ract howled and skittered away into the darkness. No matter how far they walked the Citadel loomed over them, a menacing reminder of what lay ahead.

"Back! Wah-tai he!!" Shouting was heard coming from an alley followed by a flash of light and the mangled scream of a Ract. "Sin-he-no-wa!! Kame'-tow-san!" More screaming and another flash and still more screaming. The group turned into the alley to see a man clothed in mages garb surrounded by Ract, all were amazed that he was not yet dead.
"Ah hell!" Amanda muttered.

Amanda ran toward the mage, a Ract stood on it's hind legs and snarled, Amanda drew her metallic arm back and swung, sending the Ract to it's death. Slamming into a brick wall the Ract's body slumped to the ground, a blood trail ran from the crack it's body made in the wall. The other Ract struck back, Fei lunged at one and decapitated it, sending it's reptilian head to the ground with a *Splitct* and a bloody bounce. Llyda shot round after round into the nearest Ract until it finally fell. Crissy stabbed an escaping Ract in it's back sending it into a fury, swiping at her. Dran came up behind the berserk Ract and lobbed off it's head with his axe. Argile, not missing the action, grabbed a Ract and brought it into the air, the strain on his wing was enormous, yet he brought it higher and finally dropped it watching the screaming Ract fall to Earth. Fei stabbed another Ract just as Argiles' fell on it with a noise of breaking bone and cracking pavement. Finally the last Ract fell at Amanda's metallic hand (Broken neck).

The mage introduced himself as Pan. Pan said that this was the city of Corad on the island on Rodod. Lucifer's forces had invaded the city days ago, and killed most of the inhabitants. God's army arrived and destroyed all but a few Ract. Pan nodded and pointed to the sky, Argile saw a ring of angels flying above the city.

"They're waiting for Lucifer to attack again" Pan added.
"y'know that's funny" Fei said "Cause we're here to make sure he doesn't." A long smile spread across Fei's face.

High in the citadel above Conrad, Beelzebub, Satan's lieutenant, stood looking over the ruins of the city. His power had been stretched to the limit by the recent attack by God's army; it was all he could do now to maintain the unholy barrier that protected this last bastion of evil from the angelic host above. Things were going poorly for Beelzebub. His master had realized the fight over Rodod was a losing proposition, and had abandoned Beelzebub and a scant legion of hellspawn to defend the retreat of the main army. Satan was planning something, Beelzebub knew, something big. He had no idea what it was, but it irked him to know that his part in the war was no longer important. He had become expendable. He eyed the angels circling above the city. What were they waiting for? Why did they not attack? Suddenly, he noticed several angels split off from the main group and descend into the ruined city.

"Probably found a band of Ract," he muttered. "Useless bastards." Most of the daemons responsible for controlling the Ract had left, and the stress of the angelic attack had driven most of the mindless beasts berserk. Now they roamed the streets, beyond Beelzebub's control. He honestly didn't care if the angels killed them off or not; at least it gave them something to do besides attacking the citadel. Just for fun, he decided to watch the melee through his Seeing Stone.

Beelzebub turned to the dark orb in the center of the room. He focused his will, and the stone revealed to him the scene unfolding in the city below. His jaw dropped. Then, wide-eyed and panicked, he ran at full speed into the catacombs below the citadel.

He had to get out of there, fast. He had to tell his Master. The stakes had just gotten higher.

Three angels descended into the darkened alley, more angels moved in to close the gap left by the three. An angel with long blonde hair landed on a sloping rooftop, if it could be called that anymore. The angel peered over the edge looking at the group of strangers and the angel who he could only guess was Argile, word had gotten around in Heaven that Argile had voluntarily agreed to leave Heaven, and fight in the war. Everyone envied him...though wasn't envy a sin? "Oh well" the angel thought "Wonder what they're here for?"

Meanwhile, on the street below...
"I am a beginning mage, meaning I can't walk on water but I am a firecaster, and I can Levitate up to one thousand pounds..."
At that point Crissy interjected "Can't most mages levitate about two tons?"
Pan sighed, "I am a BEGINER! Starter just learning, not expert!" Pan sighed again, Crissy swallowed and rolled her eyes. Argile looked to the darkened sky "We're being watched!"

The group looked up. "I sense it too" Pan said. "They're Angels" Argile spoke up "Come out, we're here to help!!" A noise of fluttering wing was heard and then more three Angels swooped down between the group.

"I am Raphael"
"I am Gabriel"
"And I" the biggest said "Am Michael"
"The Archangels?" Fei asked.
"You know a lot for one who worked for Pagan inc." Michael spoke up.
"Well... I was on a mission to kill you, but you killed all but me" Fei lowered his head then continued. "Even the one who goaded me into Pagan in the first place...Devon."

"Well ,my condolences but me must hurry. Lucifer is planning on moving his citadel. If he does that another town WILL be destroyed!" Raphael said . Argile unsheathed his sword "Lead the way!"

"Well we'll have to destroy the Generators then the Engine. Lucifer will then probably release his chamber from the tip of the citadel." Raphael pointed to the seed shaped enclosure at the top of the citadel. "We will be in that... Beware Satan is not going to be easy. most of you will die, so who's in?" Michael asked.

"In" Fei said
Crissy thought for a moment "IN! Don't wanna miss out on the fun!"
Llyda looked over at Fei "IN, gotta keep Fei in line!"
Amanda cracked he metallic knuckles, then her bone ones "I gotta pay Lucifer back for he has done...I'm in!"
Argile unsheathed his sword "In!"
Dran, still carrying Virgil, looked hesitant. "I'm in I wanna see what 'God' has planned for me." Dran smiled a little.
"I'm in, there's nothing left for me here!" Pan said.

Fei walked forward unsheathed his sword, raised it high into the air "Alright guys, lets go! We're gonna be heroes!"

Deep in the bowels of Hell, Satan directed his minions. Soon it would all be over, soon, the Army of Light would be overthrown, and Satan would stand triumphant over the shattered gates of Heaven. His plans were working perfectly. Admittedly, he'd been surprised by that twerp and his ragtag band of would-be heroes, but that problem had been taken care of. He knew the old wizard would be unable to withstand his subtle poisons; without the old man, the party was doomed. They would never get out of that volcano. Satan chuckled to himself.

Soon...soon his aeons of planning would finally pay off. The angelic host were stretched to their limit containing the chaos his minions were wreaking all across the globe; no one would suspect that an immense army of hellspawn was poised to strike at the heart of God's earthly domain.

His thoughts were interrupted as the doors to his throne room crashed open. Beelzebub stumbled in, breathless.

"My liege," he gasped. "They...he...he's back!"
"What? What are you talking about? Who's back?"
Beelzebulb swallowed hard. "Fei," he whispered.
Daemons as far away as the third level of Hell could hear Satan's scream of rage.

The motley band of heroes had gathered in an old tavern to plan their assault on the citadel. Argile came winging in from above. "I can't see anything about the place," he said, his wings drooping. "There's a shroud of darkness about it, that my eyes cannot pierce."

Michael turned to Dran and Fei. "You two worked for the other side. What do you know about this place?" "I was just a soldier," Fei shrugged. "They didn't tell us anything they didn't think we needed to know." He looked at Dran. Dran looked at the ground.

"There's not much to tell. The citadel was built over the gateway between earth and Hell. Every daemon that comes here must first pass through there." "So then you've been there?" Llyda asked incredulously. Dran glared at her. "Yes. But that was a long time ago. A lot could have changed since then."

Raphael glowered at him. "Just tell us what you remember. Anything could help." Dran frowned. "The citadel, and the nexus it encloses, are designed to be mobile. The tower will arise in a new city, daemons pour out, the city is destroyed, then eventually, the whole thing sinks back into the earth, only to resurface somewhere else."

"And you think Satan's ready to move this thing?" Fei asked. "It only makes sense," Michael said bitterly. "There's no reason for him to remain in this city. You've seen it. There's nothing left to kill." Llyda suddenly grew anxious. "What if they move the tower while we're inside?" Dran looked down again.

"I don't know," he muttered quietly. "But I'm sure we don't want to find out. There's only one option." "Destroy the citadel," Fei said.

The party made its way through the abandoned streets. Everything was eerily quiet. "Any sign of Ract?" Amanda hissed. "None," Argile called from above. The archangels flew in slow circles higher up.

A wide circle of ash and slag surrounded the area where the citadel had forced its way up to the surface. The group squatted by the ruined buildings just outside the circle to spy out the tower. "I don't understand," said Llyda. "It looks totally deserted." "I have a bad feeling about this," Fei muttered. Argile swooped down.

"All right," he said. "Here's the plan. The archangels will provide cover for us, while we infiltrate the tower and sabotage the generators."
Fei stared at him blankly. "That's the plan?"
Argile shrugged. "Yeah. Why?"
"Nothing," Fei sighed. "Let's go." He doubted any of them would make it back alive.

High above, Michael flew with the other archangels. "Alright," he hissed. "Get ready!" The angels fanned out to form a wide circle around the tower. Down below, Argile flashed the signal, and the team began darting across the plain. "Now!" Michael cried, and the angels unleashed a barrage of holy energy at the tower. Waves of holy light crashed against the dark walls of the citadel, but there was no response. No return fire. Michael stopped channeling energy.

"Something's wrong," he said. He looked down, and saw the party blast open the tower doors. They ran inside. Still, nothing happened.

Then, with an unholy grinding of metal on rock, the tower began to tremble. Jets of steam shot up from the ground around the cold steel walls of the citadel. And the tower began to sink into the ground. Michael stared in amazement at the steaming crater left where the tower had just been. "Shit," he whispered. "What are we going to do now?"

"Michael! Watch the language! We're ANGELS!!" Raphael hissed "No time for that! The chosen ones are in that citadel!!!" Michael returned "We'll follow it!!" .

Michael dove into the hole, a large tunnel was all that remained, the citadel was moving fast. Michael and the others followed as fast as they could, flying down the tunnel after a moving fortress.

Meanwhile Satan began gathering his army. Beelzebub was the commander, the army consisted of mostly Ract some Carnisards, six golems and five "Chicken Riders" ( Giants who rode on the backs of two legged feathered creatures, they have no language and as such have no name). Each of the Racts' four arms carried a weapon, knives, swords, and the occasional gun...most Ract were too stupid to know not to shoot themselves in the head. The Ract that had guns, went through years of training just learning how to point and fire.

"This is all we have!!!??" Satan bellowed. "A buch of idiot Ract, and chicken farmers!!!!!?????"

Beezelbub flinched, the Ract snapped to attention and snarled. " IDIOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Satan bellowed "I SHOULD KILL YOU!!!!!!!! HOW ARE WE GOING TO DEFEAT THE HEAVENLY ARMY IF WE FIGHT WITH CHICKENS??????!!!!!!!! HUMANS AREN'T AFRAID OF THE GIANTS, THEY LAUGH AT THEM!!!!! AAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!" Satan sat on his throne of blood.

"MOVE OUT MEN!!!" he yelled Beezelbub saluted then marched through the catacombs to the surface to meet the citadel in Coral City.

Searing winds blew across the scorched plains and broken mountains of Earth. The years of holy war had nearly decimated the entire planet. Even in those parts where life managed to thrive, everything was dark, grimy, covered in the ash and stench of war.

Everywhere but Coral City, the last bastion of hope against the encroaching darkness. After Jerusalem fell to the forces of evil, God's armies raised a city in the midst of the ocean. It was an island, made entirely of coral, and the ramparts and towers of the city were carved from it. The last of the papal Archmages had cast a holy spell over the ocean, converting it into holy water. Few of Satan's minions could bear to cross the enchanted sea, and those that did were easily dealt with. From across the globe, huddled masses of people flocked to the island seeking refuge. Only those who were pure of heart could enter the gates of the city, for above the gates were the Watchers, twin statues that could peer into the hearts and minds of men. Those they found unworthy were instantly killed by the Watchers' deadly gaze.

Indeed, the people of Coral City, alone of all the peoples of the world, lived without the shadow of fear and despair that covered the rest of the war-torn globe. They tended to assume they were totally protected from the outside world.

Thus they were not at all prepared when the Citadel of Darkness rose up into the center of their island. They were even less prepared when the tower opened up, and a horde of daemons poured out, ready to destroy the last stronghold of hope and good will on earth.

Amanda heard the stampede of demons long before the others, suddenly, the walls of the citadel began to shake. Demons, mogs, goblins and giants poured forth from within the bowels of the moving barricade. Beezelbub's army arrived shortly after the demons were released. The group climbed a staircase and watched as millions of beasts crashed down the corridor they were just standing in. Fei looked to Dran. "We're screwed, Satan has unleashed his fury, Coral is scrap!"

Fei shook his head and proceeded up the staircase. Beezelbub ran behind the horde screaming something, then stopped, something caught his eye, figures moving high above him, climbing towards something, "Oh" Beezelbub thought "Climbing to their deaths" Beelzebub smiled then flew into the air in pursuit.

The Coralian amy fought valiantly. They slew the Giants and their "Chickens" first, thier small size gave the giants a hard target. Troops left the city and ran to the beach, as planned the demons followed them out..out into the gaze of the Watchers. The demons froze as the Watchers scanned their souls, then the demons burst into flames. Demon after demon died, then finally a horde of demons attacked the Watchers, unfortunate ones who climbed the statue, then positioned themselves in front of the eyes to attack, met a swift death. The Archangels emerged in the heart of chaos, the angels departed and flew to help the Coralian army at different parts of the island.

Meanwhile, the group had reached a landing at the top of the tower, in front of a gigantic stained glass window depicting Lucifer in the Garden of Eden. Crissy rotated her shoulder and cracked her knuckles. Beezelbub hid behind a stone pillar, and waited.

"Well, it looks like one more flight of steps to the devils pod," Fei said.
"But you'll never see it!!!" Beezelbub shouted as he flew from his hiding space.
"Who the.." Crissy started.

Beezelbub flew into Crissy, knocking the wind out of her and sending her through the stained glass window. The window shattered, Crissy body plummeted to the war below, her body landed on a stone spike, jutting from the top of a church impaling her. Crissy grasped the top of the spike, as blood poured forth, she desperately gasped for air and then lay still on the now blood-stained spike. Fei was enraged, Argile was shocked, but it was Amanda who attacked Beezelbub, she leapt onto his back and pounded at his skull with the butt of her gun. Beelzebub crashed into a wall to try and dismount Amanda, though she held tight, despite now broken ribs. Amanda positioned her gun onto Beezelbubs head and pulled the trigger, a loud explosion was heard followed by the sickening sound of cracking skull and spilling blood. Beezelbub landed and stumbled out of the window, Amanda still on his back. Beelzebub gave no further sound, but Amanda went screaming to the earth. Argile flew out of the window and caught Amanda. Beelzebub fell to the street with a thud and the crack of bones, Ract swarmed his body. Argile landed in the window and laid Amanda down, she wept. "Why couldn't you save Crissy!!!!!???" Amanda screamed.
"I..I" Argile was dumbfounded.

He had wanted to, but it happened so fast, as Amanda kneeled on the floor crying, the group realized, this was no game.

"Look!" Llyda interjected "Fighting won't bring Crissy back! Now we must fight Lucifer or Virgil and Crissy's sacrifice will have meant nothing!!!" Argile lowered his head. Amanda did not stop crying. Dran nodded.

"Look, you will see her again. Even after we win this war...if we win this war, God will supposedly create a new heaven, and she will be there!" Amanda nodded, stood and began walking up the staircase "You all coming, or what?" Fei walked after her, Argile, Llyda, and Dran followed.

Michael slew millions and millions of Theemons, crossbreeds of demon and mogs. He would not stop until he saw Crissy's body land on the spike, he flinched, another of the chosen had fallen. Michael continued to battle, but the demons kept coming, Lucifer had said to forget ranking demons, he just sent them all. Raphael the Archangel was being attacked be a Carnisard, it spewed acid at him then waited to see what had become of the angel, now Carnisards are stupid by nature, most demons know that angels, especialy Archangels were hard to best but alas, when the dust settled and Raphael was nowhere in sight the Carnisard bellowed, it would be it's last, Raphael cut it's horned head off, he then proceeded to lob it at a Ract, the Ract was impaled by the horns it howled and fell.

Lucifer prepared to go and make his final assault on the gates of heaven, but a voice came to him in his head "Oh you..." Lucifer said. "What? I have one last chance? Right, and I see, so you really think they will defeat me? Hahahahahahahah! I was once under your rule, now we will see who bows to who." Lucifer was silent for a moment. "Never!! I am coming and your kingdom will be mine!!!" Lucifer grabbed a sword from the side of his throne, the sword of death, he sheathed the sword, and trumped down the passage towards Earth.

After what seemed like an interminable flight of stairs, the five remaining adventurers found themselves at the peak of the Citadel, Satan's chamber, from which he ruled on those times when he came to earth.

Llyda ran her fingers over the dark, grimy walls. "Something is inscribed here," she remarked. Fei stepped up next to her. "It's daemon-script," he said. Fei glanced at Dran. "Can you read this?"

Dran sighed, then began scanning the dark runes that covered the wall. "It's a prophecy," he said. "In the end days, war will rage between heaven and earth. Fire will consume the lands, and all people will despair. Then, a hero will come, the chosen one. He will be the key to winning the war. If he fights, Satan will fall. But if he dies, his blood will allow the Dark Prince to enter the gates of Heaven." The party was silent. Argile's wings slowly stirred the dead air.

Finally, Amanda voiced what they were all thinking. "Who is the chosen one?"

The streets of Coral City were slick with blood and gore. The angels fought valiantly, but they were vastly outnumbered. The human defenders of the city were quickly losing their nerve as they watched their compatriots being slaughtered by wave upon wave of hellspawn. For every daemon the angelic host slew, two more rose from the Pit. Clearly, Satan had been holding back his forces, concealing his true might in preparation for this day.

Gabriel and Michael were fighting back to back, fending off a gang of Carnisaurs and their daemonic masters. As the last unholy corpse fell to the ground, a shadow passed over the two archangels. They looked up, and their hearts were filled with despair. Rising up before them was Krigan, one of the most powerful archdaemons of all time. He had been a mighty angel once, on par with Gabriel and Michael. But he had chosen to side with Lucifer in the first war, and the aeons he had endured in the Pit had made him strong and terrible to behold. He commanded a pack of hell-hounds, each one mounted by a daemon rider, and his troop was headed straight for the archangels. Michael beheaded an approaching hellhound, as Gabriel skewered another. Their daemon riders jumped down and joined the melee, but were quickly taken down. Gabriel scored another hit, but then a daemon shot Michael through the arm with a black arrow. Michael cried out in pain, and collapsed. Gabriel let forth a mighty battle cry and hewed the fell creature in two, then knelt down by his fallen comrade.

Before he could tend to Michael's wound, however, Krigan stepped up and planted his wide cleft hooves before the weary angels. "Surrender to me," he chortled, "and I will make your deaths quick and merciful." Gabriel lowered his head. He had no more strength to fight. Krigan grinned maliciously as he raised his sword.

He paused. A strange look came over his face. Then, the huge archdaemon fell forward, revealing Raphael, who was standing behind him, sword drenched in thick black blood. "Thank you," Gabriel sighed as Raphael fluttered over to them. "Thank me when this day is over," he responded grimly.

Dran scratched his head as he let his fingers follow the pentagram engraved in the center of the prophecy. "I don't understand," he muttered. "It says, 'By this sign shall he be known.' But this is Satan's symbol."

Fei gasped, then stepped back from the wall. Everyone stared at him as he reached up with trembling hands to brush back his matted hair. There, tattooed on his temple, was a pentagram. "This is how we were marked as soldiers of Pagan," he stammered. "But...how could I..."

Just then, the very foundations of the tower began to tremble. The five crusaders whirled around as flames shot up from the center of the chamber, and a deep booming laugh filled the room.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!" The group stepped back, the pentagram on the door began to shine, orange light shown upon it's face. The door swung open, out stepped Satan.

"Well, you must be the 'chosen one' God sees something in you which I don't. Oh well, I have a kingdom to conquer!!" Satan hunched over, suddenly giant leather wings sprouted from his back "We'll finish this another time... perhaps when I rule Heaven."

After that final comment Satan began to walk down the stairs. Fei unsheathed his sword, "We will finish this now!!!" Fei lunged toward Satan, sword ready. Lucifer turned to face Fei, eyes glowing with rage and he growled "WE WILL FINISH THIS LATER!!!!!!!"

Fei's body jerked and he was sent flying back into Dran, Dran lay under Fei trying to remove his unconscious body. "Dammit! Get off!" Dran yelled.

He threw Fei to the ground as he stood "You're never going to be happy, even if you conquer Heaven. I will make sure of that!!!" Dran shouted.

Satan reached the landing with the broken stained glass window, he looked up at group who were following him, "Damn shame about Beezelbub. Nice mess he made with that girl there though!!" Satan commented looking out of the opening. Amanda could stand no more.

"Damn you!!" Amanda ran towards Satan with the last weapon she had, her dagger. She planted the dagger in the back of Satan's skull, he did nothing, the dagger slowly entered his skull, then with lightning quick reflects, the dagger reappeared in his hand. Turning he slashed Amanda across the stomach, Amanda doubled over. Reaching down, Satan picked up Amanda's limp body and held it out the window, the group, who had already started down the stairs when Amanda stabbed Satan, rushed to her aid. Argile flew as fast as his wings would carry him. Lucifer glowered down at Amanda as she bled onto the streets below, already a pack of Ract were gathered below the window to drink the falling droplets. Argile slammed into Satan, he stumbled, dropped Amanda, thinking quick, Amanda shot Satan with a grappling gun, and pulled him out as well. Satan began to fly, pulling Amanda up as he went, trying to shake her off.

"This is yours Argile, we can't lose another" Pan said. Argile took to the air, unsheathing his sword, he followed Amanda's swaying body. Satan began shooting fire from his eyes to burn the rope and Argile. Argile was hit, the pain shot through his body, started to land but flashes of Lauriels' body drenched in blood came to him "You must save her" Lauriel's voice spoke to him, or was it just his imagination? Argile shook his head and raced into the air, he cut the rope and caught Amanda.

"What about" Amanda started
"Another time" Argile assured her.

Argile landed in the stained glass landing again, "That did nothing for my ribs!" Amanda said jokingly.

"He's going to Heaven" Pan said "We must follow."
"How!!?" Dran asked,
"You have to die!" he added.
"Maybe not.." Argile said, a broad smile spread across his face.

Meanwhile on the streets below, Demons began rising into the air, blackness filled the sky the moon arose in the night sky and filled with the color of blood. "Satan is at the gates" Michael said to the other six Archangels who had now gathered around him. "This is the last stand!" Michael still clutched his arm, his eyes glowed.

Satan and his demonic host rose higher into the night sky. Suddenly, a bright light surrounded them. The seven archangels appeared before them, swords drawn, eyes gleaming. Satan laughed. "Stand aside, you pathetic worms," he bellowed.

Gabriel flew forward. "Lucifer," he proclaimed, "you have been cast from Heaven by the will of Almighty God. Go back to the Pit from whence you came; you cannot enter here."
Satan cocked an eyebrow. "Oh no? I think I can." And with a flick of his wrist, the daemons swarmed up around the archangels.

Fei stood in the broken window, looking up at the battle raging in the skies. Light flashed as the angels' swords met with unholy flesh, but the angels were hopelessly outnumbered. Fei watched in horror as an angel plummeted screaming from the sky. Suddenly, he had an idea. He turned to Pan. "Pan, you said you studied levitation magic, right?" Pan sighed.
"Yes, though I'm not very good at it."
Fei's mind rushed. "Do you think you could reverse the spell?"
Pan looked at him blankly for a moment. "You mean, increase gravity? I don't know...I think so."

Fei looked back out at the hordes of daemons. Their wings strained just to keep them aloft. "Then do it. And do it quickly."

Things were going badly for the angels. Already many of the lesser angels had fallen, and the archangels were weak from their earlier battle. They drew together in a tighter formation, and the daemons flocked around them, ready for the kill...

Just then, a loud humming noise arose from the earth. The buildings below groaned as though some tremendous force was acting on them. Then, one by one, the daemons began dropping from the sky. Michael felt himself growing heavier, until it was almost impossible to stay airborne; he noticed his companions drifting toward the ground.

"Someone's cast a gravity spell!" he cried. "Land! Now!" The angels touched down just as the spell reached full force. Daemons were hurled against the ground, exploding on impact into a mess of blackened blood and ruddy flesh.

A booming laugh rang out above the island. Michael looked up, and saw Satan, still floating effortlessly in the night sky. "This ends now," Michael muttered. He reached into his robes and drew out his mighty bow, and the Holy Arrow of Light. Cocking the bow with his bloody arm, Michael took aim. The arrow streaked across the black sky like a laser, and struck Satan in the heart. The Dark Prince looked down in amazement as he plummeted to the streets below.

The angels gathered before Satan, who lay wounded in the town square. Slowly, he rose to his feet. The angels stepped back. Then, Satan's body began to dissolve where the arrow had struck. The angels watched in amazement as the Dark Lord started melting away before their eyes.

"Wait," said Gabriel. "It... it's a doppelganger!"
The phantom Satan laughed. "Fools...did you think I would join the front lines so soon? Heh...first I had to bring you this gift..." With that, the doppelganger's body exploded into a wave of black acid, which swept the angels away.

High up in the tower, Dran, Fei, and Argile watched in horror as the angels were swept away in a tide of foul caustic acid.

"Is there no hope?" Fei cried. Dran lay a heavy hand on Fei's shoulder. "There is always hope," he said. "Fei, you are the chosen one. You can defeat Satan. It is no accident we found you...it was meant to be. You must fight. Else, all is lost."

Fei hung his head. A gleaming tear ran down Argile's face, for the compatriots he had lost that day. And down below, the remaining daemons gathered around the tower, their dark eyes gleaming.

Suddenly, a great tremor rocked the tower. The adventurers looked about wildly. "What is it?" Llyda screamed.
Dran steadied himself against a stone column. "Something is coming through the portal," he shouted. "Something BIG!"

Lightning crackled across the chamber. Suddenly, the floor split, and flames leaped to the ceiling. Fei looked around. The wall of flames had cut him off from the others. He drew his katana and crouched, poised and ready for action.

A shadow seemed to fill the room. Slowly it began coalescing into a solid form. From within the shadow, cruel laughter boomed, echoing off the grimy walls. A deep, powerful voice cried out, "Now, chosen one, we finish this! By your blood I will enter the gates of Heaven, and then all shall know me as their one true master!"

Fei steeled himself for what he knew would be the battle of his life, the only battle that really mattered. The battle he had been born to fight. He grimaced, brandishing his katana. "Come get some."

Llyda stepped in as Lucifer stepped out of the portal.
"Llyda, get out of the way! "Fei screamed. Llyda turned to look at him.
"Fei, if you fight him now, he will kill you!" Llyda screamed.

Fei looked at Satan's taunting expression. "She's right Fei, we must leave. He cannot force you to fight. You must make your own choices. That is God's way." Dran said.

Fei lowered the blade. "They are right, we must finish this another time."
Lucifer laughed. "All the more time to think about what I'm going to do to the universe."

With that a portal opened behind Fei. Llyda put a soft hand on Fei's shoulder, "Come on, we must go." They all stepped into the portal.

Fei and Dran were transported to a small underbrush. Fei looked around, where the hell was Llyda, Amanda, and Argile? Dran looked around. Wherever they were it was night out.

Dran whispered, "Lucifer must have tampered with the portal. The others are probably miles away." Fei asked, "Why are you whispering?" Dran pointed ahead.

5 people wearing ceremonial robes sat there chanting something. Fei could not make out what. A single candle lit the area. "The death speakers. "Dran said. "Satan transported us to a cemetery."

"What are they doing?" Fei asked.
Dran sighed, "Midnight Ritual."
The name made Fei shudder. "What is a Midnight Ritual?"
Dran smiled, "Let's just say this, always bury old friends deeply for they might return...with worms." That made Fei shudder more.

Meanwhile,2 miles north by north east, and underground, Amanda, Pan, and Argile awoke to the cries of children. Argile leapt to his feet, his sword drawn. "Where are we??" Argile asked a running woman, The woman stared at Argile and continued running. Amanda slowly rose to her feet "I'm starting to*ungh* feel those ribs" Amanda said, slowly rubbing her right side. Pan stood silent, then spoke "That gravity spell, it... took a lot out of me, I can't seem to levitate!" Amanda and Argile stared at Pan.

"Turns out" Dran began "While we were out, Lucifer made it to Heaven, he still hasn't won, his Demons can't get in, he's fighting a losing battle against all of Heavens forces!"
"How do you know?" Fei began.
"Look to the sky."

Dran pointed the air was pitch black, the moon still was blood, and an opening was seen in the sky, Lucifer, and Angels, thousands, the entire Heavenly army. Lucifer was slowly backing out of the gates, but he was not beaten... yet.

"We must go to them!!" Fei said
"They will show you how" Dran pointed to the Death Speakers.

"Yes" one of the speakers said. "We can get you to heaven, but what good will it do you, if you can't fight?"
"I can fight!!" Fei said.
"AAHH! But you need to concentrate, you are not the chosen one by accident, you posses an inner-strength that will allow you to seal Lucifer for another thousand years!! Maybe forever!" The speaker smiled as he said this.
"So when do I begin training?" Fei asked.

"This is an underground shelter for humans" Llyda said, walking up behind Argile and Pan. "What... the?" Argile asked startled.
"I woke up, you were still asleep, so I bought us supplies, the scouts have located Fei with a band of Death Speakers. We go for him at dawn." Llyda said this and walked away.
"Well , I'll go talk to some mages. If there are any, they would know how to solve my problem" Pan walked down a random corridor.

"Well that leaves me and you, hero!" Amanda said to Argile "So, what should we do now? I opt for food, shower and rest, in that order" "Fine" Argile said back, they walked to where a delicious smell emanated.

Llyda went up to an Elf who ran a weapons shop.

"Hey, the names Nail, and welcome to Skyshroud's very own smith n' gun shop!"
"Thanks, do you have anything in the way of fire arms capable of killing demons quick?"
"Are you kiddin'?" Nail asked, half shouting.
"We have to! My God! there's a war out there with hundreds o' demons and she asks if we got sumpthin' that'll kill em' HA! That's a hootenanny! Bant! Get in here! Bring the 'Roach spray'!" Nail, shouted to the back room.

Suddenly a young Elf of about fifteen (In Elven years, which is about eight in human years), came running from out of the back room carrying a gun that resembled a grenade launcher.

"This here" Nail began "Is the Nail 2001, Demon Grenada! HA!"
"2001..? Isn't that a bit old?" Llyda asked.
"It's a classic, fifteen years to be exact, y' lucky enough if y'live THAT long nowadays!" Nail said.
"But fifteen years ago, we hardly knew anything about Demons! In fact, not many believed in God or Satan!" Llyda argued .
"Well, I'll throw in some special, new grenades, small enough to fit in that barrel, but boyoboy do they packa wallop!!" Nail slapped his thigh for about the fifth time.
"Fine how much!?" Llyda sighed
"Two thousand.." Llyda narrowed her eyes
"Okay...One thousand" Llyda turned to walk out.
"Fine..fine, but I'm losin' on the deal...two hundred!"

Llyda turned back around. "Fine"
"Fine"
"Good, and I'll need two gross of grenades"
Nails' jaw dropped.
An earthquake ran through the catacombs of the underground shelter, "It's coming!!!" a screaming boy yelled as he ran past Argile and Amanda. Llyda came running too, holding a grenade launcher and a cane.

"Where's Pan, I bought this for him, it's a magic cane... or something" Llyda said "I'll take it!!!" Pan said running, he nearly got hit by a falling piece of the ceiling, "Whatever this is, I'll need that!" Pan said, finally caught up with the group.

"I really hope Fei and Dran are alright" Llyda called through the noise. "I can't sense them... then again my powers aren't at their best either!" Pan called back. "Here it comes!!" Argile shouted, his sword ready.

A creature twenty feet tall, crashed through the wall and bellowed.

The red creature stepped forward, walls cracking behind him. Llyda loaded her new weapon, and tossed Pan the cane.

"Lets see....Yate'-hao-ni!!!!" Pan shouted, holding the cane in front of him horizontally. The creatures' chest busted open, it howled, it shook its' head and advanced, despite the hole in his chest cavity. "Llyda!! " Argile screamed as he slashed at the creature "Use your launcher!!" Argile leapt out of the path of the creatures' humongous fist. More debris. Amanda pounded furiously at the creatures face. Llyda shot one grenade, the gun went up as the grenade left the chamber. The impact sent the creature reeling, then the grenade went off, showers of black blood splashed the party, the creature gave one final bellow, which was drowned out by gurgling blood in it's half gaping throat, it fell, bringing more debris down onto it's body.

"What spell did you put on the creature Pan?" Argile asked, as he flapped his wings to shake off the entrails. "Burst heart spell!" Pan commented.

Amanda spit on the creature.
"Well, this shelter ain't so secret no mo' " Nail said.
"Where were you!!? " Llyda demanded.
"More importantly, did the ammo work?" Nail said with a smile.
Llyda sighed "Yeah it did"

"Good," Nail said, and nodded toward the shattered cavern walls. "You're gonna need it."

Llyda looked out, and her jaw dropped. The caves were positioned deep within a mountain, and through the blasted mountainside, she could see the wide, blackened plain below. An army of enormous insect-like creatures were advancing toward their position.

"This day keeps getting worse and worse," Amanda commented, as she attached a particle cannon to her mechanical arm. The group prepared for yet another onslaught of evil.

The giant insects began clambering up the mountainside. Thinking quickly, Pan chanted a quick spell. His staff glowed brilliantly for a moment, then grew dim. The others looked at him. "What did you do?" asked Llyda. Pan pointed up above them.

From high up on the mountain, a monstrous shape descended. Its great hairy legs crushed the rock underneath. Llyda, Amanda, and Argile looked in amazement at the creature Pan had summoned: a thirty foot spider! The spider quickly set to work spinning a web over the gaping hole in the mountainside. Then it clambered back above to watch and wait.

At that instant, the insects swarmed over the last rise and poured down toward the human colony. The front lines found themselves ensnared in the spider's web. A panicked chatter went up among the creatures as the spider descended into their midst and began attacking insects left and right. However, there were too many of the foul beasts for the spider to withstand; soon it fell under a wave of mutant insects.

Now the bugs began tearing at the spider web protecting the caverns. Amanda picked them off with her particle cannon, and Llyda scattered them with grenades, but for every one they killed, two more came to take its place. Soon a gaping hole had been rent in the spider web. Pan tried a mending spell, but it was too late. An enormous creature pushed through the hole, and landed right in their midst. Argile hacked at it with his sword, but the monster's carapace was too strong even for his holy steel. The beast grabbed Llyda in one of its huge pincers, and began lifting her to its mouth. Llyda screamed and struggled to escape, but to no avail. Pan looked up, losing his concentration on the mending spell that was holding the web together. The heavy cords of webbing began to strain and snap as more and more bugs pressed against it.

Amanda blasted at the creature, but its hell-forged exoskeleton easily deflected her attack. With a flutter of its wings, the thing sent her sprawled out on the cold rock. Llyda struggled to raise her grenade launcher, but her arm was caught in the creature's iron grip. Just then, Nail came crashing through the back wall in a huge tank. Its forward plasma cannon, 30 inches wide, spoke once. A gaping hole was torn in the creature's carapace. From out of the hole poured a boiling, caustic fluid. Argile swooped down and scooped up Pan, setting him on top of the tank, then he sped to recover Amanda. He lifted her off the ground just as the noxious liquid spilled over into the space where she'd been lying.

The beast made a horrendous noise. It's grip weakened, and Llyda was able to wrest her arm free. She brought up the grenade launcher, took aim, and planted a grenade in the hole in the creature's exoskeleton. She launched another into its gaping mouth.

The beast exploded. Llyda went tumbling down to the ground below, falling with the creature's dead arm, into the pool of acid that had formed at its feet. She screamed in pain, then screamed again as the remains of the monster came crashing down upon her.

Argile hung his head. "Another lost," he murmured. Pan looked up. The other monsters were still clamoring over the web, enraged at their captain's defeat. He saw that the web would not hold much longer.

"This ends now," he said, gritting his teeth. Nail, Argile, and Amanda all took a step back as Pan began a mighty incantation. His body was filled with a powerful light, which flowed down his staff, then burst into the room like a thunderclap. The light spread to the web, where the weakening strands suddenly glowed brilliantly. The swarming creatures screamed as their foul bodies were burnt to ash against the enchanted web. The other insects pulled back, and stood for a moment, regarding this anomaly with their multifaceted eyes. Then the web expanded, and became a solid wall of rock. The insects, cautiously at first, crept back to the wall. Then, in a rage, they swarmed over it, clawing and beating at it with their many limbs.

Thus they did not hear the massive wall of water pouring down the mountain until it crashed down upon them, sweeping them down to the scorched plain below, where they were drowned. Pan collapsed onto the hard metal floor of the tank. The others watched in amazement as the enchantment wore off, and the temporary wall of rock crumbled to dust. Looking out through the hole in the mountainside, they could see a wide lake where once had been a blackened field. Steam rose from the water, and in the distance, they saw, for the first time in ages, a rainbow...

"Don't... count... me out yet*ungh*" Llyda rasped from beneath the creatures massive half-body. Argile rushed to Llydas' side. "Llyda... how did you..."

"Hah! My brother always said I was thick skinned.." Llyda forced a half smile, her face was bloody and cut. Pan regained his strength and levitated the carcass of the creature. Llydas' body was severly burned, her clothes in tatters, her arm was broke and her leg was twisted from the fall, acid stained her shirt, her body smoked in the breeze brought in from the hole in the mountain side.

"I gotta be there..*kaff* to help Fei, and get revenge for *hakk* my brethren...*" Llyda fell silent. A tear rolled down Argiles' cheek, Fei would be enraged.

Fei sat concentrating, then an immense wave of emotion swept over his body "Llyda!" Fei's eyes widened, one of the Death Speakers looked up, "Another of the chosen has fallen, but in your time of need she will...." The Death Speaker stopped abruptly.

"She will what?!" Fei asked, holding back tears.
"It is never good for one to learn of his own fate" another said.
"But you will be reunited with her someday..." The speakers voice trailed off.
"That is it!! I'm going after Lucifer, prepared or not!"

Fei stood, Dran cocked an eyebrow at him "Good, I'm tired of sitting here anyway!" Dran grabbed his ax and walked off after Fei.

"He is strong" Said one Death Speaker.
"Yet he will be hampered by his emotions" said another.
"He has the power, he does not need training, it will come to him, he did what we wanted him to... he passed the test" Said the third and tallest Death Speaker.

This time it was Argile who carried the dead body, his wings strained, his heart heavy, his head a mess, he flew to the wake, an overgrown mushroom, in the heart of the Forest of Illusion. The wake was said to have holy powers. Argile hoped so. Nail, Pan, an Amanda rode in the tank and arrived shortly after Argile.

Argile set Llydas' body down on the stone altar and wept, Pan said a prayer and covered her burnt naked body with a satin sheet. All were silent. Llyda had helped so much in the battle, now she was a memory.

Llyda stood in a room of darkness and stars, she felt her stomach...no burns, the pain was gone, no scars, she breathed a sigh of relief.
"Well" A voice said from nowhere.
"Who are you?" Llyda asked defiantly.
"I am no one" no one answered, it's voice echoed.

"Well, have I died?" Llyda stepped toward the direction of the voice, but it came from all directions.
"That is for you to decide" The voice said again. "
What!" Llyda gasped confused.
"Are you dead or aren't you? I haven't all day!" The voice boomed.
"Well...I guess I am" Llyda said unassured
"Are you sure?" The voice cooed
"Because the choice is yours and yours alone."
"Well... then I'm not!" Llyda said, more confident this time.
"Good because you're needed!" The voice trailed off.
A light appeared around Llyda she was flung into a tunnel of stars.

The had left the wake several days ago, Llydas' body lay there still, then the scars began to recede into her body, her torso shot up and Llyda gasped for air. Llyda looked around the altar, she was naked, and a cool breeze blew over her body, she wrapped herself in the thin satin sheet and, without a word, left the altar in search of Fei and the others.

Fei reached the wake in a matter of days, Dran had said they would place her there. Fei walked up the glowing steps, he stopped and read a golden plaque on the entrance arch way.

"Moonlit Wake" Fei read aloud,
"Dran!" Fei called.
"What??" Dran called back.
"Llydas' body...it's disappeared!"
"What!!!?" Dran yelled. He bounded up the steps.
"She must have been moved" Dran sniffed the air.
"This way." he said, Fei ran after him.
"What do you mean moved!!??" He asked.
"I mean" Dran began "Her body was taken! Most likely by one of Lucifer's minions, he may have wanted to lure you in."
"Well I'll take the bait!" Fei said, his eyes glowing.

Llyda wrapped the sheet around herself it was getting cold and dark, Lucifer's form still lit up the sky, the angels were fighting hard. "Oh Fei, I hope you're alright." Llyda continued walking, something was following her. She stopped a few miles later, "Who's there!!?" She called out "Us!" A band of wood elves emerged from the bushes.

"We are Haute Elves, from highland! We saw you rise from your slumber, we were laying to rest one of our own." The Elf bowed his head. "Yeah well, why were you following me?" Llyda asked "We have heard stories of a group of travelers who are destined to kill Satan! You are one of them, you are The Llyda." Llyda blushed a little.

"Well..do you have any clothes??" Llyda asked what looked like the head Elf, a group of females Elves rushed Llyda a dragged her into a carriage. Llyda emerged from the carriage a few minutes later clad in armor. "This is better! When do we start?"

Nail's tank rumbled across the desolate plain. Pan and Amanda sat in silence as Nail concentrated on what was left of the old highway. Every now and then Argile would check in to report what he saw from the air; otherwise, everything was silent.

The four had nearly given up hope. Llyda was gone, Fei and Dran were lost; it seemed hopeless. Still the night sky shone red with the fires of Satan's assault on Providence. They knew Satan could not enter Heaven unless Fei's blood was spilled...but where was Fei?

Argile swooped down again, and Nail brought the tank to a halt. "There's a town up ahead," Argile motioned off into the distance. "It's partially hidden by the mountains. Maybe we can take refuge there."

Nail looked uncertain. "What if Satan's taken the town?" "That's a risk we'll have to take," Amanda chimed in. "Our supplies will barely last till the end of the week. We need a place to rest, regroup, and figure out how to find Fei in all this," she gestured to indicate the blackened ruin all about them.

Nail hesitated, then sighed in dejection. "All right. We'll approach the town. Carefully, though." The tank started up again as Argile resumed his vigil high above.

"Where are we going?" Llyda asked the elven leader. It seemed as though she had been riding in this caravan for ages. "We are traveling to Ocydia, the Hidden City," the elven prince responded. "It is there that elves have lived for ages since mankind came to dominate this world. Only recently have we begun traveling beyond the bounds of our enchanted city. You will be the first human to come there in over 1000 years."

The caravan wound its way up through the steep mountains. Llyda looked out across the plains below. Years of war had scorched the green earth; now all was black with soot and disease. She was about to turn away when a distant glint of light caught her eye. She looked again, but saw nothing. Perhaps it had been her imagination.

Fei and Dran followed the trail out of the forest. There they stopped, for rising above them was Kolingian, the highest peak of the Shadow Mountains. The two exchanged a glance, for they had both worked for the Darkness, and were well aware of the peril within those craggy peaks.

"This looks bad, Dran," Fei choked back his tears. "If the bastards that took Llyda are headed there..." Dran bowed his head. "Yes, it is possible. Even I do not know fully what dark arts are practiced in those hills. What I do know gives me little hope. Yet we must keep hope alive. For Llyda's sake." Fei's face became grim. "Yes," he said. "At the very least she deserves a proper burial." The two heroes set out upon the trail that led into the heart of the Shadow Mountains.

The Elven caravan bumped along towards the hidden city. Ella worked tirelessly through the night, checking for approaching creatures, bombs and anything else Satan could conjure up. Llyda came and sat down next to her on the roof of the central car.

"Nice night" Llyda commented handing Ella a cup of coffee. "Yeah, thanks" Ella replied taking it.

"I have been to the human city of Romulan 2, I have seen both the kindness and brutality that your race can exhibit." Llyda sighed at that statement, "We're not all like that, most of us just try to get by" Llyda sipped her coffee, Ella said nothing until Llyda asked.

"What is this? Mocca?"
"No, it's an Elven bean coffee, native only to Ocydia." Ella sipped hers as well "You have a lot of pride in your race... I mean heritage" Llyda raised her eyebrows as she said race. "Well, our roots stretch back farther than human life. You know you're the first human to come to Ocydia in..."
"I know" said Llyda, interrupting Ella "1000 years, Rac told me."

Ella's eyes widened "So you have talked to the general, the leader of this army caravan?" Ella narrowed her eyes at Llyda Llyda didn't notice. "Yeah why?" "I have been trying to get an audience with Rac for ages, then a human comes to our camp and he finally comes out of seclusion!?" Ella became enraged, Llyda noticed how she said human.... with disgust.

Dran was half way up the mountain, Fei was about fifty feet below. Rocks fell as they progressed, and the winds got stronger. "We'll make it Fei!!" Dran called down to him with a grin. "I *uh* know!" Fei called back.

Dran finally reached a landing, a cave entrance stared at him. Fei came up a few minutes later, huffing and puffing. "Lets go, we've reached the top now through the cave and hopefully to destiny!" Fei said Dran held back as Fei walked in, his sense of danger passed and Dran followed.

"Hello!" Fei called out with a chuckle.
"HELLO!!!!!" a rumbling voice echoed back

Fei unsheathed his sword. Dran held his ax steady. The walls began to shake and then a monstrous head appeared from behind a rocky corner. An enormous dragon emerged, literally almost bursting out of the peak of the mountain.

A surge of power emanated from the dragon, and with that it's body grew to twice its' size, now the dragons teeth were each about Fei's height... if he were STANDING on Drans' shoulder. The back of the dragon ripped through the peak and made the mountain about 100 feet shorter. Fei rushed the dragon, the dragon knocked him away with it's tail then, turning to Dran, it began to lumber towards him, Dran stared at the dragon, it burst into flame, it was the same death stare he had used to kill djhcjdszbjhsv, (one of Lucifers best fighters). The carcass of the dragon began to lean and finally fell over, now that the mountain was shorter, Dran could see the next town, some twenty miles in the distance

"Huh," Dran snorted
"*sigh* What...just... happened?" Fei stammered getting to his feet.
"You got slammed against a wall, and are now just coming around" Dran said, while trying to stabilize Fei.

"So, where to boss?" Fei asked Dran pointed to a gleaming city that was half concealed beneath woodland "Ocydia" Dran said.

Just then the Dragon stood up and flew in front of the pair. Dran screamed,"I just KILLED YOU!!"

The dragon laughed, "You IDIOTS! Dragons such as me are fire proof and fighter-proof. Only water elements can defeat me. And why did you try to kill me anyhow? I wanted to be friends! If I wanted you dead you'd be roasted by now!"

Fei said,"Oh...well I'm sorry." The dragon grinned, "Well... I'm sorry for throwing you against a wall. You got me freaked so I decided to defend my-self. I have sworn to kill Satan's high general and sex interest Asurre. She killed my father and half the human town."

"Asurre? Isn't she the one who likes wearing those tight glittering red bikinis?" Dran asked. The dragon nodded, "She practically seduced all the human males by rubbing her body against them." "Yes I have encountered her once in the lost land of Jaaimmarra. She is very HOT."

The dragon said, "Whatever. I'm not interested by HUMAN females."

"Well I am Dran. This is Fei." Dran introduced them both.
"My name is CHARIZARD!" the dragon said spreading his wings.
"How catchy." Fei snickered. The clouds began to get gray. The sun was blocked.
"Well Charizard. Come with us, you will get your revenge. "Dran said. And the trio started off.

The tank rose up over the last crest of the foothills, and stopped. Nail looked out with wide eyes at the glittering town below them. "What is this place," Amanda asked, awestruck. "It is Ocydia, the Elfhome, last haven of the Elder race in these dark times," Nail replied. Pan sat brooding in the back. Something seemed out of place. Argile joined them from above. "It looks safe to go ahead. Maybe now we'll get some rest at last!" The tank started back up, and rolled steadily down toward the city.

Fei, Dran, and Charizard had been on the mountain trail for a few hours, when they stumbled upon a small camp hidden in the cliffs. Several haggard looking Elves leapt out, swords drawn, to challenge them. Their leader stepped forward. "Who are you, and what business brings you through the Mountains of Shadow?" he demanded.

"Hold," Fei said. "We are enemies of the Dark Lord. Is that not enough?" The lead elf looked at Dran and Charizard, and laughed. "What enemies of evil travel in the company of daemons and dragons?" he scoffed.

"ENOUGH!" Dran shouted, and his mighty voice echoed in the rocky heights. "We are on an errand to find our friends; we are headed for Ocydia."

At this the elves murmured amongst themselves. The lead elf turned back to them. "If your friends are in Ocydia, then it would be best if you forgot them. Most likely they are already dead." "What?" Fei cried. "Isn't Ocydia the home of the Elves?"

The tall elf sighed. "I am Graelim, lord of the elves. We few are all that remain of the people of Ocydia."

Dran looked down at the city that glimmered in the distant valley. "But there are still people there," he insisted. Graelim shook his head. "No, not people. That town is accursed now. It has been overrun by the Lothgar, the Shadow Daemons. They and their succubi are all that inhabit our ancient home now." Dran shuddered at the mention of the Lothgar. Fei hung his head in desolation. Even among the dark legions of the Pit, the Lothgar inspired fear and despair. Charizard eyed them curiously. "What are these Lothgar?" he asked.

"They are shadows," Dran said. "Shadows filled with dark will and the evil of the underworld. They have no form of their own, but can project many forms, fair and terrible, to deceive their victims." Graelim nodded. "Even now," he added, "they hide in Elven-form in the fair towers of Ocydia, delighting in the torment they wreak upon unsuspecting wayfarers." "Unsuspecting wayfarers," Fei echoed. "Like Llyda." He grew silent again. Darkness stole across the land.

Finally Dran spoke. "Lothgar or no, I won't forsake our friends," he vowed. "Even though all the hosts of Hell opposed me." Fei looked up, and for a moment, hope gleamed forth in his eyes. "No," he said. "We can't give up. We won't!" He tore off down the path without a moment's delay.

"Fei!" Dran called, then turned to Graelim. "You can hide away here in the mountaintops if you wish," he said. "Or come with us, and help us take back your homeland." With that, he ran after Fei with all the speed a daemon could muster. Charizard slithered anxiously behind them.

Graelim turned to his people. They all had their heads down, staring at the ground. "For too long, we have cowered here, afraid of the forces that drove us from our homes," he cried. "Now come strangers, unlooked-for, to aid us in our time of need. Will we sit idly by while they throw themselves into mortal peril?" The entire host looked up, and for the first time in years, the fell light of kindled spirits gleamed in their eyes.

"Come then! Let us fight for what is ours! To battle!" And brandishing his sword, Gaelim sprang away down the trail. "To battle!" the elves shouted, and bursting into a song of war, they followed their lord into the valley below.

In Ocydia, Charizard found many delights. He feasted on bread and ham. It felt good to get off his hind legs for once, and rest his wings. The elven servers ran in and out of the dining room. "Whoa now Charizard. Don't bloat up." Fei said. Charizard giggled, "I won't. My belly takes 100 elephants to fill up."

Dran yawned, it was starting to rain. By five at noon, Dran lay sleeping while Fei watched Charizard engulf large quantities of food. Just then a familiar voice yelled, "FEI!" Fei turned. AND IT WAS LLYDIA!

"Llyda!!"Fei cried. He ran and they hugged tightly. Dran woke up,dazed a little. Charizard asked, "Who the hell is that?" Fei was crying,"This is..."

A gust of wind cut him off. "Why is there a breeze in here?" Dran asked.

Llyda fell to the ground and a shadow loomed over her. It spoke, "So you think you defeat my shadow army? Well,I think...!" Charizard used his powerful flamethrower attack to sear apart the shadow. Charizard let loose another stream of fire to destroy the particles.

"Shit!" Fei said. Charizard grinned and stood. Then screaming was heared outside. "The shadow guys you were talking about have come out." Charizard said. Fei shook his head, ANOTHER battle.

Graelim fought side by side with Fei and Dran as the Lothgar awoke from thier diurnal slumber. They attacked in swarms, looking like black masses of darkness. Fei cut through one after the other of lothgar, yet they still came, each one was sliced, yet it would re-collect into a humanoid figure. Charizard, continuously blew fire at the creatures, yet they seemed to be unaffected. It seemed hopeless, they could not be killed. One Lothgar appeared in the shadow of Charizards humongous wings, then, slithering up his back, it wrapped its dark tendrils around Charizards mouth, suffocating him. Fei looked on in horror as his newfound ally lay dying on the stone ground. Then thinking quickly, Fei shouted to Charizard, "Use your fire breath! Create some light!!"

Charizard strained against the Lothgars' iron grip, and finally pried his mouth open. Gasping in a sweet cold breath of air, Charizard turned to the creature and blew, it, as expected dodged the flame, the flame hit a wall and illuminated the area. A horrid shriek resounded through the city as Lothgar receded into the shadows.

"We have weapons!!" Graelim shouted, "Create fire!" he shouted again, now overwhelmed by Lothgar. Reaching through the swarm, he raked his sword across a brick wall, creating sparks and sending more Lothgar looking for shelter. Dran used his fire gaze on a withering tree, it burst into flames.

"We have light!" He shouted, the next few minutes were a winning battle, lothgar after lothgar ran into the shadows, until the final one fell.

"Well, I think we killed them all" Fei said through gasps of air.
"No" Dran said, "They can appear anywhere in the world, as long as there are shadows!"
"Then we might not have seen the last of them" Fei said.
Dran lowered his head, "I know we haven't."

A chariot pulled up to the crashed gates of Ocydia, waking the tired heroes. Graelim walked up to it, Fei, Dran, and Charizard, stood ready for battle. The chariot door swung open, and out jumped Llyda, she looked aroung a spotted Fei, she ran to him with a smile on her face.

"Llyda, you're alive..." Fei began "And well!" Llyda said as she leaped into Feis' arms, Fei embraced Llyda tightly, not wanting to let go.

"Well" Said Graelin, just as the rest of the Elves poured out, Ella leading them. "This calls for a feast, when will the others be here?" He asked. Ella looked up, "They will be here shortly."

The rest of the traveling caravan pulled up a few minutes later, and all the Elves poured out, Graelin embraced his brother and Elven Army general, Rac.

"Well" said Rac "Let us prepare for this feast my brother has told me about!"

The Elves began work on the feast. A few hours into preparation, Argile flew into the city and landed, he cupped his hands over his mouth and shouted to the crowd, "Greetings, I am Argile, I come looking for..."

"Argile!!" Fei shouted as he ran towards him.
"Where are the others?" Fei asked
"They will be here in a couple of hours, but I have some bad news...Llyda's..."
"Right here!" Llyda shouted as she pushed through the crowd.
"How did you..."
"Long story, I'll explain it all after the feast!" Llyda said.
"Well, we should help too!" Fei said.
"This will be the best one ever!" He said, holding Llyda close to him.

A half hour before the festival, a rickety old tank pulled up to the now-restored front gates. The hatch of the tank opened and Nail stuck his head out.

"Well, well! Lookit what 'da cat dragged in, Bant! Come on up, take a look at what the Elves did in a short amount o' time! Ha! They done cleaned it up so well!" Nail climbed out of the tank and straddled the gun barrel. Bant climbed to the top of the tank.
"Yes?" He asked.
"Oh go back down and tell the others we're here, and lower this gun, I gotta git down offa this thang!" Nail said.

A moment later the gun lowered to the ground, Nail hopped off and walked up to the gates, Amanda, Pan and Bant came up and slid down the gun.

"'Ello!! We need someone ta open these gates dangit!" Nail shouted. Pan used his cane and levitated himself into the air, and over the gates. By now a crowd had gathered, Pan opened the gates and the group game into the city.

"Has anyone seen a man named Fei!!?" Pan called out, the bustling citizens stopped and raised their hands to the sky and yelled in unison "The great warrior is here!! He will be the benefactor of our new world!!" The crowd lowered their hands and continued to work on cleaning up the town, and preparing for that nights festivities. Amanda put her hand over her face, "Every where he goes, he gets the credit! Oh well those must be hero perks!"

A long table was positioned in the center of the town, torches were lit to ward off any remaining Lothgar. Fifteen turkey roasts were placed on the table, every Elf and human in Ocydia was present, they had fixed up the city as best they could in the prior sixteen hours. Children's eyes were glazed over as they licked their lips in anticipation for the biggest meal they would ever have. Most of the elder Elves held their gaze constantly to the sky, watching as Lucifer battled against the Heavenly forces.

"I haven't had a meal like this one since...I don't know" Bant said.
"Don't worry, you'll enjoy it!" Llyda said.

Rac who was sitting next to his brother Graelim, decided a toast was in order, he stood up, "Everyone! May I have your attention. I would like to thank you all for the magnificent job you have done to restore this city to its splendor, but I will not stop there, I must thank our friends, Fei, Llyda, Pan, Amanda, Argile, and Chari..." Graelim wispered to him "Charizard". Rac continued, "And Charizard, sorry" Rac smiled.

Ella, who seemed fixated on Rac, suddenly got up and left the table, Rac was about to follow, but decided against it, he knew she liked him, but he was the leader of the Elven Amy, "How could she be so rude..." He thought to himself.

"I know humans killed her father, but these human helped us oh well, I'll talk to her later." Rac raised his goblet "Toast!!". The crowd called out in unison "Toast!!"

Fei dove into his turkey, his face was literally covered with it when he finally let up for air, luckily he was not the only one who did so. Dran was surprising everyone, Demons usually are the worst eaters, when on their best behavior, Dran was really showing manners, cutting his food, and taking small bites, he overheard some of the conversations involving him, "See, even a demon has table manners son, so use your fork and eat right!" A mother was whispering to her son. "Wow!" said one young Elf to another "I wanna be strong like him when I'm older!!" This made Dran smile, he actually felt good, maybe being on the good side was better then fighting with Satan.

Argile sat next to Amanda, he liked her very much, she had spirit, courage, and though the loss of her sister troubled her, he knew she would be alright.

"Hey mister how big are your wings??" A young Elf questioned him "Na! What a rude question!!" said the boys mother. "I don't mind! See." Argile spread his wings high into the air "Whoa!" the child exclaimed.

Charizard flew over the festival, keeping watch, he would occasionally swoop down and grab a leg of turkey, then fly back up. Pan sat next to an old mage "So, you teach magic, maybe you could teach me someday?" Pan asked him, "Who knows, maybe I will" said the old mage.

Fei was proud to be back with Llyda, he had missed her company, from the first time he had met Llyda, he had liked her, now that feeling had become love.

After the festival the city fell silent, most of the children had fallen asleep, stuffed to their hearts content, Fei, Argile, Pan, Amanda, and Llyda slept in and old hotel, through the broken roof, Fei stared at the sky, stars, as far as the eye could see, and a little to the left, the battle raged, Fei preferred not to look at it, he figured he see enough of it when it came time for the final battle. "*sigh* I haven't had a shower in weeks". Llyda mumbled in her sleep "What's' that?" "Nothing it's nothing" Fei answered, he closed his eyes and fell into the deepest sleep he had had in a while.

"Goblins." Rac said.
Graelim said "So the war hungry beings challenge us?"
Rac sighed, "I was brought up to believe that goblins were foul beasts that feed on the dead. But seeing them in combat changed that whole theory. Now they challenge us in war for revenge."
"Revenge for what?" Graelim asked.
Rac sighed, "Exactly 10 years ago, a few of our Skyshroud Troopers left the city. They wandered through Llanowar forest, to this day I wonder how they got out of Llanowar without the native treefolk or elves bothering them. Anyway, they wandered into Goblin Territory. There they found at the base of one of the Goblin Mountains, a goblin female and her child."
Graelim asked, "So what happened?"
"Well the troopers raped the female and killed the child. "Rac said with disgust. "Now the goblins wage war on us."

Ella walked in, "The goblins want to battle us!" she screamed. Rac began to sweat, "Yes, our Orc allies found this out when a spy returned from the mountains." Ella began to cry, "But...but...we'll all be KILLED! The goblins are war machines!" Ella began to run away to her home.

Rac rubbed his head, he thought, I HOPE SHE DOES'NT MAKE GO AROUND MAKING EVERYONE GO NUTS.

Graelim, "She is a very sensitive young one, isn't she?" Rac said, "As annoying as she can be, she is correct, the goblin hordes will come from the mountains, stream through Llanowar, and attack US." Graelim said, "We'd better tell the humans and the demon and the dragon this, they might be of some help."

Rac shook his head, "As strong as they may be, nobody here has seen the goblins fight except me. They are unstoppable killing machines. They will cut, slash, and possibly grenade their way in here and we WILL LOSE. WE CANNOT BEAT THEM. But we will fight until the end. Their favorite time to fight is in the winter ,which is just around the corner. Invading them will be useless ,because they always have ground, air, and sea support. So all we can do is get ready for winter because that will be our last stand against the goblins."

The heroes rode along as Charizard soared through the air, the other Elves had used their own transportation methods, some rode in tanks and others on the backs of Dragons. The Goblin battle was nothing more than barren land, no trees, no water, and in the center of it all, an Orc bunker, the Goblins had obviously bought the help of the Orcs, which were cross breeds of Goblins and Ogres. Usually the Goblins fought the Orcs but for the right price, Orcs would help anyone! Goblins aren't smart, so they probably sold Goblin slaves, all Goblins, Orcs and Ogres, were dirty by habit, so the stench of the camp rose high into the air and was interfering with the battle strategy of Rac and Graelim.

Graelim sat cross legged on Charizards' back, while Llyda, and Fei watched him point out the positions, Rac sat behind Graelim, covered in a thick Popem hide shawl. www.stretchy.org/catsuit "Okay" said Graelim, "We will attack at dawn, Through the Llanowar canopy."
Fei interrupted him "What's Llanowar?"
"It's the forest down below!" Rac replied.
"No, that's Raniwar!" Llyda said "I hiked through there once! When my brother was still alive."
"Well" said Graelim "We will use the human name while in your presence."
Rac growled. "Okay" said Fei "Where do we attack from?"
Grealim began to chart the map, "This will be yet another unnecessary battle" Fei thought to himself "Don't worry!" said Llyda as if reading his thoughts "You need the training!" Fei smiled, a little.

As day was breaking, a scout came running into the Goblin camp. He brushed past the guards, then collapsed before Arglim, the goblin chief. "Elves...approach!" he gasped, then fell dead.

The chief sat in stunned silence for a moment. Things were not going very well. Earlier that month he had begun planning a final assault on the Elven encampments in the Mountains of Shadow. He had been a bit startled when the elves suddenly struck to retake Ocydia from the darkness that had descended there. This move could only mean the elves were planning something, and Arglim had accelerated his plans. As the elves and their allies feasted in Ocydia, the goblin army prepared to mobilize. Then, the night before they were ready to strike, a strange old man came hobbling into the camp. The guards tried to accost him, but they were struck down as if by lightning. The man stopped right in front of the orc bunker, and laid a powerful incantation on the entire camp. Immediately, all their weapons and armor crumbled to dust, and the mighty orc warriors lay cowering like frightened children. The old man vanished in the confusion, and Arglim had spent all night trying in vain to remedy the situation. Now an Elvish army was approaching, just as his forces were recovering from the incident the night before.

Still, they would fight. They would fight to the very last goblin. Even bare handed and weary, the goblins were more than a match for any elf.

"Let them come," growled Arglim. "They will see why people cringe in terror at the mention of goblinkind! We will crush them like the pathetic waifs that they are!" All who were in the chief's hall rose up at his words, and cheered. The bloodthirsty cry went up throughout the camp, and the downtrodden orcs and goblins rose to a frenzy in anticipation of the battle to come.

High above the forest, Fei heard a terrifying cry go up in the goblin camp. He shuddered. Llyda put her hand on his arm. "Everything will be fine," she said. But she thought, No one has ever defeated the goblins before. What chance do we have?

Rac stood, a perilous move since he was on the back of a dragon 600 feet in the air. He hefted his sword, and the elvish army descended upon the foul camp below. The goblins stood poised, ready for the assault. The battle had begun.

Swooping to the ground, Charizard flew through the camp. Graelim jumped off, though he had miscalculated, at the speed Charizard was flying, instead of landing as he had hoped, Graelim hit the ground and his body flew into a roll, he finally stopped and looked up, there standing above him was Arglim. Fei leaped off Charizards' back when he landed and began his assault. Llyda was aiding Charizard atop his head, Llyda stood between Charizards' two horns and fired down at the helpless Goblins as they feebly tried to attack Charizard, he blew fire at the stragglers that Llyda had picked off. No one had ever beaten the Goblins because of their sheer number, most armies ran out of ammunition before the second wave of Goblin attack.

This battle was no different. Elven warriors attacked from above with arrows, yet for each Goblin that fell, four more rose in its' place. Rac descended on one of the greatest species of Dragon ever, a Leviathan. Its' blue wings cut through the air, as it dove towards, Graelim who was losing to Arglim. The Leviathans' mouth opened wide and sent a searing bolt of blue flame at Arglim, noticing it, Arglim dodged Graelims attack, and barely managed to dodge the flame. The Leviathan roared, Rac drew his heavy sword, and commanded the Dragon down. The Leviathan landed, and Rac disembarked. Swinging his sword with ease unheard of, he moved in on Arglim, Graelim stood and wiped the blood from his mouth.

"Arglim! At last we meet, I have been waiting for this battle!" Rac slammed the sword into the ground.

"Well" Arglim growled in a low scraggly voice "This meeting will decide who lives and who dies, and Ocydia and the Raniwar forest!! Ha!"

Arglim thrusted his sword at Rac, who dodged and tried to parry yet Arglim blocked. "Not so fast I see" said Rac. "But stronger than you will EVER be!!" Arglim slashed at Rac. It cut through his chain mail armor but created a spark when it hit flux steel, an alloy of steel and flux stone.

"My sword is laced with it" said Rac referring to the alloy. "I know it's deadly to Goblins" Arglim leaped into the air and kicked Rac in the face, he fell to the ground, Arglim stood over him with his sword to Racs' throat. "Yet I am a hybrid!! Faster than Goblins and strong as Orcs and immune to flux stone!!" Rac kicked Arglim in the stomach, he stumbled back, Rac leaped to his feet, and stood over Arglim, Arglims eyes widened, Rac slit his throat.

"You know what " Rac began, Arglim gasped for air "You talk too much!!"

Arglim fell silent, Rac plunged his sword into Arglims' chest and walked away. The fighting seemed to stop immediately, Goblins who had been winning, looked at their fallen leader and began to run, the Elves attacked in great swarms, and butchered the Goblins. After the battle the Goblin camp was burnt to the ground.

Back in Ocydia, Argile waited with Amanda, who lay recovering her broken ribs. Amanda had time to recollect about what happened to Crissy, she missed her sister she began to cry again, Amanda knew if she was going to be any good in the upcoming fight against Lucifer, then she would have to let Crissy die, her spirit would live on. Argile woke up to Amanda's' crying, "What is it?" he asked Amanda thought about telling him, then simply said "Nothing, it's nothing"

Pan was in the hall with the sage he had met at the feast the night before, they sat quietly meditating, the sage had shown Pan how to get his magic back and why he had lost it, but he would need to concentrate to get it back, so Pan stayed in Ocydia. Pan seemed to have lost hi ability to use his power because of lack of concentration, though Pan had hardly been in any battles. Pans' eyes suddenly fluttered open as he began levitating.

"Master" Pan began, "I know" the sage interrupted. Pan was happy, he felt he could do anything. The sage smiled he had taught him well, and though he didn't know it yet, Pan had learned a new spell, which would save the entire group, in the final battle.

The heroes returned to Ocydia, a cheer rose up among the citizens, the battle was won, the Goblins had been driven out of the eastern Ta zone. Rac and Graelim waved as the newly caught Leviathan landed on the ground, this made Charizard a little jealous, but he did not react, he was experienced, while the Leviathan was not.

"Well Fei" Llyda began when do try to overthrow Lucifer?"
Fei smiled, he defiantly had not forgotten his mission, to destroy Satan.

Rac was TRIUMPHANT! It was a good day. But he worried still about the occasional Goblin Hero. Then a voice sent chills down his spine, "So you think you have won?" Rac whirled to see Ella with a blade around her neck, "My leader is dead but I will not retreat like a coward to a bastard elf like you." Out stepped a Goblin Hero. He spit at Rac and tightened his grip on Ella.

"I will fight you to the death." The hero threw Ella against a wall, knocking the wind out of her. Rac lunged with his sword but the hero countered and sent Rac flailing. "I don't have time to play." the goblin snickered.

Ella watched the long battle. The hero was always on the upper hand, swinging and defending as if he was taught at an early age. The she watched in horror as the hero took Rac's head off.

"RAC!!!!"

The hero looked at her and threw Rac's head aside...

That's around the time where I came in. My name is Zion... Zion Peran.
I'm part of the council of legends.

Satan is a powerful foe...of all the worlds that have been created by God....even the most powerful of men have failed to defeat Satan. The only choice God ever has is to destroy all creation, starting life anew. But we saw something different in Fei, something very different. I had the spotlight in the last war of this kind but one of the men I was with had betrayed me.

I began my quest in Hilion a region known only to the most powerful of beings, located underground where Australia used to be before Satan vaporized it, sending the light forces running for cover. "Zion, you know your duty. You must make sure that no matter what, Fei never dies. You are the strongest of all the past legends. Make us proud." Ulan said to me, giving me the Bastard Sword of Spirit, the legendary sword, that when combined with the fabled Excalibur, forms pure good. It is the only weapon against Satan. I had to first find the Excalibur, then Fei, wherever he was.

I had been given a few rations and a crew of three, among them were: The archangel Michael, he was the power of my crew. The Saint Peter, he would be the healer and of course The angel Samson, he would assist Michael with the power. I would have to be tactics master with Michael. It wouldn't be easy to retrieve the Excalibur, we knew it was somewhere in the badlands of Inlam, former Asia. That was a whole continent!

The awesome doors to Hilion closed as we set out to find the Excalibur.
Good luck to Fei, and Godspeed...

Fei was sitting in a room by himself, it was time that he planned an assault on Satan himself. But how? I mean, if this guy could hold off God then what chance did he have?! And also, you couldn't just knock on hell's door and ask to see Lucifer! Somehow...he'd get him though soon he'd ask the entire troop to help.

"Wasn't me" Rac said stepping out from behind the wing of Leviathan. "I must admit I played a part in this scheme! I created a mirage " said Pan. "Goblin heroes are Goblins who can survive without a leader" said Rac as he picked up the Goblin, he squirmed around, yet Rac didn't let go.

"Well now...erk!" Rac fell silent, he dropped the Goblin hero. The Goblin hero had stabbed Rac while he was speaking. Rac doubled over, blood dripping between his fingers, he had been stabbed in the heart. "Never underestimate Goblins,!!!" the hero squealed.

Ella ran at the hero, but he was too quick, he stabbed her in the back with the same dagger used on Rac, she fell face down on the ground. By now Graelim had taken notice of the situation, and rushed to help his dying brother, he reached the hero as he grabbed a bystander and held the dagger to his throat.

"Kill him now I could!!" the hero said. "Yet this would bring me little satisfaction, as seeing a leader fall the way mine did" the hero was suddenly tackled by Pan who then suspended him in the air.

"I am not good at just mirages!!" he said "But what you have done is beyond redemption" Pan growled He narrowed his eyes.
"yeah..*urk*..but...you... killed... our...leader*ugh*" the Goblin said through gasps for air.
"You made a declaration of war" Fei shouted.
"Yes...but...we...never...attacked" the hero pleaded.
"You would have!!" Pan growled.
"Fine!! I'll never cower from you!!" Once again the hero spat, Pan narrowed his eyes, a second later the hero's' neck was broken, then his body was folded like a towel and was dropped to the ground.

"Find a better life in Hell!!" Pan said, Fei was awestruck, he had barely seen Pan fight, now he'd just killed a Goblin, without mercy.
"I guess we don't know Pan...then again he mostly never speaks" Fei thought to himself.

Graelim kneeled at his brother's side "Rac...I" Rac shushed him.
"Brother I'll be fine!!" He smiled a little, though blood had begun to rise in his throat. "And so will Ella..." Rac looked over at Ella's' lifeless body. "I really did lov....*" Rac took one last breath and died, Graelim gulped, he was now leader of the Elven army, but he didn't have a brother to teach him what to do, he felt for the first time alone.

We stepped out of Hilion onto a barren desert. Wind blew slightly as Michael informed me of our situation at the moment. "Ulan said that we needed to get to the northern perimeter checkpoint, that's where the ship will be waiting! We have around fifty miles to the checkpoint." "Species of demon?" I asked. "Terra Nomels and Nucloeos." Michael replied. "Weapons?" I asked. "Fifteen pump pulse rifle..charge plasma rifle...knuckles of might...three automatic pistols...the bastard sword of spirit and two regular broad swords." He systematically replied. "Ok..let's save the guns only if we see one of those Nucloeos." I responded as Michael nodded and handed me and Samson large trekking packs with weapons. We started walking as a light wind picked up, it was eerie on the black, smoky, sky.

"What exactly is a Terra Nomel?" Samson asked.
"They're like electric wasps-big pushovers.They've been around since the first world was destroyed. Satan really isn't that creative with his armies." I responded. "Basically just watch yourself around them, they can still fry you but with a few slices they go down."

"Oh I see, so what about a Nucloeos?" He asked, obviously he was green, a rookie.
"Well, let's say you could harness nuclear power within your own body...enabling you to fire concentrated blasts of pure energy that would make Rambo pee in his pants. Then let's say that your reflexes and strength are so above human, that the only thing that could harm you and that would be fast enough to catch you would be plasma, the thing stars are made of. That's what those are. Trust me, you don't want to piss them off..." I said trying to scare him as best I could, but this was Samson I was talking to. He responded with a thoughtful nod as we continued our hike.

"So why didn't we get a land vehicle again?" Samson asked, definitely a rookie.
"Well, let's say we run into one of those wasps who blasts the vehicle with electricity, overloading the engine and shutting us down. By the time we've gotten out of it, we'd be surrounded by them. Then it's bye-bye world." Michael answered.

"Oh well we aren't exactly saving the world..we're just key elements...well...not...okay..okay we are a big part of the world-saving thing...but...okay okay you're right. Fei can't do it alone I think." Samson rambled.

"Fei? Fei hasn't realized his full potential yet. Right now I'm a thousand times as strong as him.Every one of us legends has to realize their potential and Fei hasn't done it. If he tries a counterstrike on Satan now... there is no hope. That's our job, to train him, find the Excalibur sword and protect him." Michael said quickly, sounding like he wanted Samson to stop talking.

"Yeah that's right. The real heroes come out to shine at this point in every world's history but no one has ever... ever prevailed." I sighed.
"Well then we aren't really legends or heroes are we?" Samson quipped.
"Well I'm a legend whether you like or not." I snapped back.

This was going to be one heck of a hike.

As we continued on our hike Michael let us in on a lot of information...

"You know, God has a funny way of working. I wonder how many Samsons and Michaels there really are in Hilion." He said. "How do you mean?" Samson asked.

"Well... I'm the archangel Michael from the world before this one, my new "replacement" already helped Fei and the others as best he could but..." Michael started.
"But?" I asked.
"He made a fatal mistake." Michael said.
"How?" I asked, becoming interested.
"Well, he only meant to help. I understand but... they alerted Satan to their presence so now it's a spike mission." Michael answered.
"I thought there could only be one of an angel." Samson said.
"Well you're wrong. That's all I know about it. I lost him somewhere in the middle of the battle." Michael voiced.

"Damn. Well, we still need to find the Excalibur." I said, focusing on the mission.

We reached a slightly high hill of rock, me and Michael went up first, as we neared the top, five wasps flew over the hill. The wind from their wings knocked us back. I landed on my back painfully as Michael back flipped and landed on his feet. Within a flash his broad sword had gone into the thorax of one of them. Samson slipped on the knuckles of might as he jumped into the fray.

I quickly jumped up and unsheathed my bastard sword as two wasps angrily buzzed toward me and blasted at me with pure electricity. I reached into a pouch on my belt and threw a white powder in front of me- a negativeconductor- stopping the electricity. My sword stabbed it in the huge compound eye. Without warning an extreme blast of light blew me and my whole crew back...Nucloeos! It was most definitely an ambush!

Saint Peter, who'd been quiet through our journey, in the bible he was pretty talkative, anyways, Peter took cover behind the battle as he summoned the power of the holy spirit about us.

I quickly rolled to my feet as a large demon landed in front of me, it quickly grasped my neck as I stabbed it in the gut. It gave a slight sigh and then, the bastard sword's ultimate power of spirit exploded within it vaporizing the beast. I landed on the ground as I saw Michael holding off the wasps with Samson with more Nucloeos on the way.

"Peter! We need help! Heal us!" I yelled.

Meanwhile, Fei, Dan and Amanda climbed a steep slope of the Darkness Mountain, just outside of Ocydia. Argile, Charizard and Llyda were scouting up ahead, Graelim decided that the Elven army should help in the quest to destroy Lucifer, so he rode on the back of Leviathan while dragon riders, and Monot Raiders followed. Fei reached the peak of the mountain, Argile was waiting while Llyda, on the back of Charizard, flew through the air.

"Look" said Argile "That territory beyond Ocydia, that's the Moonlight zone. It's a frontier, leading to the Northern limits, there we will find the gateway to Heaven."
"How?" Asked Fei.
"A spatial rip occurred in the creation of Neo Earth"
"Neo Earth?" Fei conjectured.

The Elven Army reached the peak and set up camp. "Perhaps I should tell everyone" Said Argile. The army sat in a semi-circle, around Argile, Charizard and Leviathan sat, or rather lay side by side, and listened.

"Neo Earth" Argile started "Is the Earth you live on, it was created after the old Earth, Lucifer wasn't stopped there, so we will try to stop him here, or all will be destroyed, and another Earth will be created."

The crowd stirred as they talked it over. "So we're just seconds?" An Elf asked.

"No" said Argile "On each Earth, a legend is born, if he does not succeed in destroying Lucifer, he will live and continue on in Neo Earth! Fei is the Neo Legend! "

The crowd mumbled and once again talked this over with one another "But, on this Earth, you are all Legends, you all will help, you all play a VERY important part in the final battle! Thought most will be destroyed!!"

The crowd became upset, Graelim stood and shouted "Listen we owe it to our helpers to return the favor, they aided us in the Goblin assault, and saved Ocydia from the Lothgar!! And Our entire world depends on us! So are you in!!??"

The crowd hesitated, then all broke out in a war cry.

Meanwhile....

"Peter! We need your heeeelp!" I shouted as more demons entered the fray. "Yes sir!" He shouted back as he whirled his hands about in a quick motion as a white light enveloped him.

I took a bad hit to the face from an electric shot from a wasp, as I hit the ground Michael arose from behind the wasp and his sword sliced through it like butter. As the remains smoked, I saw Samson holding off a whole mass of wasps and Nucloeos's by himself. God! This was such a waste of time! By the looks of it, we'd have to use magic.

I sheathed my sword and shouted, "Cover me for five seconds then it'll be over!" Instantly Michael, Samson, and Peter were all at my side battling against hordes of beings as I summoned up an earth spell.

Michael was heaving his awesome broad sword of Avalon valiantly and slaying dozens of beasts, but they still kept closing in! "Three more seconds then I've got it!" I yelled as a red flame pulsed through me.

Samson was making necks explode and heads roll, that's when the shock came. The whole area around us was enveloped in a catastrophic explosion, fiery masses of fire raged about us as they swallowed the wasps and Nucloeos. As the fire closed in on us, Peter's white light enveloped us as a force field, forming a protective barrier against my awesome spell, and just like that, it was over.

I was the first to step out of the force field. We were looking at the masses of bodies that filled the land. "That's just great! My Power has to be recharged now because of this strain....grumble...grumble." I angrily voiced.

"Well listen...it's only another fourteen miles until we reach the ship, then it's on to Inlam!" Samson triumphantly yelled.
"Oh yea, yeah let's risk our butts some more!" I yelled.
"OH no! They're close to Heaven!" Michael screamed.
"Why, is that bad?" Samson sarcastically remarked.

"Well heaven was evacuated when the war started, everyone moved to Hilion... and after we moved out..."
"Satan's army moved in. It's one of the small HQ's of Pagan. But I'm sure Fei and his buddies don't know about this." I quipped, interrupting Michael.

"So?" Peter asked. "So, we have a new mission to find Fei before he makes the move for heaven. Then we'll find the Excalibur together. If he makes a move now Neo Earth is doomed!" I said grimly.

"Well then we'd better hurry!" Said Michael as he started jogging faster. We all picked up the pace as Michael tried to send Fei a mental message..."DON'T GO! NO NO NO!" We hope you hear Fei, we pray.

Fei and the others went upward when access was denied. Fei asked, "What the?" Pan monitored a message from God, "You cannot destroy the hellion troops as of yet. Head east to a spring, there you will meet a new member of your caravan." Pan told Fei, "God commands us to head east and pick up someone. I am guessing that this new member will help us fight." Fei was a little annoyed, but it was God's command. "We head east."

After days of eastward trek, they finally reached a spring. "This must be the place, but i don't see any..." A break of twigs was heard behind them, all whirled ready for blood to see a...

girl.

Fei was confused. "Hello," the girl softly said. "Uhh....hi." Dran scratched his head. The troops went at ease. "My name is Holly, I am to join you." she said.

Fei looked her over, she was around 5'7. Cute in a way. Slender body, brunette hair in a hairdo Fei seemed to like. She wore a wool vest with a thick long sleeved white undershirt, brown cloth pants and boots. Along with a red cloth necklace with a peculiar stone at the end.

"Where did you come from, how old are you, where are your parents?" Llyda asked.
"I come from Sparrel Town. And I am 15 years old, my parents are dead. The big baddie and his army killed them and the town. I must go with you to unlock the Master Disk, an artifact that can turn all the baddies into goodies, even the big baddie." Holly said.

Fei was touched by her innocence. The big baddie must be Satan.

"Well Holly, welcome!" Dran said. Holly smiled and walked over to them. Holly was just an innocent girl, how could see be in the middle of this?

"Oh and this is the magic stone," she said pointing to the stone on her necklace, "it will tell us which way to the disk and tell use who is a badie and who is a goodie." Fei smiled, "Well Holly, which way?"

"Michael, did they go for it?" I asked.
"Yeah... thank God" He replied.

They all reached a small forest and decided to rest in a clearing. Fei still had some unanswered questions.

"Crap!" Michael yelled out of nowhere.
"What?" I asked quickly.
"Holly's been hit." Michael said, sweat gliding down his face.
"How badly." Samson asked.
"It's not so much the hit, it's the poison. The only cure for it is in a forest containing Jashat berries." Michael said.
"We have to get to that ship!" Peter yelled.
"Definatly. Wait...there it is!" Michael triumphantly yelled as he made a mad dash at the horizon. The sun was coming up over the wasteland. It was quite beautiful but I couldn't focus on that now. The ship was here. We'd be meeting Fei soon... very soon.

The vile saliva almost made him vomit when Michael stepped in and took the demon's head off. The other backed and said, "This is not over." Before Michael could kill them they dissipated.

As they walked back to the campsite Zion stopped.

"Yousa gonna die human!!" The raspy voice of the demon called to Fei, "And yo patnas neva gonna see ju 'gan." "Yesss" his partner hissed. "We gonna hurt ju real niccccceeee" A smile spread across his scaly face, hundreds of needle point teeth jutted out.

"Not if I can help it!!!" Argile screamed as he flew into the demon. Argile lifted him up and slammed him into a tree.

Amanda aimed her pistol at the other's head, "Why the hell won't you die!!" Amanda screamed *KRAKOW!!!* Amanda's pistol went of, it slammed into the demons head "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!" he cackled. "Yousa need betta weaponsssssss" he rasped. "Damn you!!" Amanda punched the demon with her metallic fist, it's head flew back nearly breaking his neck.

Argile tussled with the other demon, his wing was nailed to the tree by the demons sword, yet he still punched back "Ha!! And God say you da gaurdians o' da humanssss, yokind is weak as well!! I'ma kill ju quick so I get backto da human" "Na!" Fei said as he planted his Katana into the Demons back, the curvature of the blade made for an interesting exit point.

Amanda was on top of the other Demon she pried at his mouth as he tried to throw her off, yet in an amazing display of strength, Amanda ripped the Demons lower jaw completely off his face. The Demon writhed for a second or two and finally died. Amanda wiped the blood off of her fist as best she could and dropped the severed jaw. Fei struggled to pull the sword from Argiles' wing but it was no use, Amanda stepped up and tugged ripping the sword out. Argile let out a scream of pain as blood gushed from his wing. Fei walked off for a second and returned.

"Found them" he said triumphantly as he held the entire Jashsat bush out "Lets go, Holly needs us" Argile said through the pain.

As the boat neared Devils Crest I turned to face Michael "This will be the final..."
I stopped, Michael stared into space.
"My GOD!! Have mercy on them I pray of thee" Michael uttered.
"What?" I asked.
"The poison, Holly ...we MUST hurry!!"
The boat sped onward towards Devils Crest.

"Holly are you okay?" Llyda asked "Yeah..just..a little...woozy" Holly passed out "Oh no!! Fei!!! Feeeeiiiiii!!!!!!" Llyda called.

Dran ran up behind Llyda as Holly's body began to spasm, she started convulsing, suddenly her skin began to rip, a bloody scene unfolded before Llyda and Dran, the Elven army looked up from preparing their weapons, they grabbed what ever weapon was fixed and stood at arms because there in front of them stood a twenty seven foot tall creature....with Hollys' skin beneath it's feet.

The boat washed ashore and we all ran out and headed towards the clearing Michael told us Fei would be in, Michael took to the sky, he would arrive before us.

"I got the...ber..ries..." Fei stopped as he saw the scene of violence, Llyda and Dran attacked the creature as the Elven Army shot arrow after arrow at it. Charizard and Leviathan attacked together hitting it with flames, the creature didn't seem to notice until Charizard dive bombed it, then it began to attack. Argile flew in and sliced at the back of it's neck, his broken wing was hurting him badly, he fell to the ground as rolled just as the creatures foot hit the ground where he was laying just a few minutes earlier. Michael flew in and began attacking the creature, soon all were at it Fei was cutting at its' ankles yet it didn't falter. The creature swung at the Elven army hitting and crushing five. Amanda perched herself in a tree, she had designed a proto type barrier cannon for the fight against Satan though it seemed more useful here, Amanda took aim and fired. A beam of plasma hit the creature in the forehead and spread over it's body, the creature was trapped Amanda adjusted the barrier size and began crushing the creature. The field began to shrink, then stopped as the creature tried valiantly to halt its' impending death finally the creature was crushed to death, and thirty tons of blood, organs, and intestine were compacted under extreme pressure.

Amanda went and picked up the orb , it was blood red, she took the orb and, reared back her left arm and hurled it at a tree, now the insides the orb which measured about 5 inches in diameter, contained thirty tons of crushed Demon, when it hit the tree, an awful noise of suction, and slurping spaghetti through a straw was heard, followed by an enormous explosion of blood and innards, everyone who witnessed the display was drenched in the creature, creating as big a mess as possible. Everything was soaked through with blood and innards hung from trees, Argile sorely flapped his wings, more goo flew off. In the center of the mess lay a single skinless body, it was Holly, she was dead.

"No!!!!!!" Michael screamed as he landed to the ground, he cradled her bloody body and wept. As a final good bye Pan raised his hands into the air "Wai-nok-tant" he muttered, Holly's' skin grew back, she was no longer a muscle covered body, but instead she was the girl Michael had come to love, she opened her eyes, "Hey you" she smiled.

"Whoa!" said Pan "I didn't know I could do that!"

"There's a lot you don't know" A figure came into the clearing, followed by two others.

"Well" I said as I stared at the bloody scene before me, "Hey Michael, get Holly some clothes" I looked around, spotted Fei and made my way over to him.

"This" I thought "Will be the hardest Legend to teach!"

"Who are you?" Fei asked.
"Never mind about that. I hear that you're going to fight Satan eh?" I coolly said.
"Yeah!" He yelled strongly.
"As soon as we get the metallic disk-"
"You mean the one that is engraved into the Excalibur?" I asked, cutting him off.
"What? Excalibur? What the?!" Fei was confused.

"Past the Devil's Crest is a land called Inlam, the Excalibur sword, plus this sword..." I held my Bastard Sword of Spirit up in the air, "Is the only thing that can harm Satan." "No way...he's not all that tough... it's just his armies." Fei said, blowing me off in a sense.

"Oh?" I started," Well why do you think all of the legends of past earths died against him?" "Because they were weak! I'm strong!" Fei said, what an upstart. "No. You aren't strong right now Fei... you just aren't. But I can teach you the real definition of strength." I persuasively said. "Because when the REAL battle begins my friend, the only people who will be able to fight Satan are the legends which are all but extinct. Me and you are the last ones." "So only me and you could take Satan?" Fei asked, not believing me.

"Yes, you with the Excalibur, me with the bastard sword of spirit. It represents the great balance, brute strength and awesome faith. But remember, Satan's armies will still be fighting us while we are fighting Satan. That's what the elven army is for. Then the four horsemen will interfere as well. That's what the rest of our crew is for. That leaves just you and me to fight the big man." I voiced to Fei, trying to get him to see the severity of the situation.

"Well, you can't train me in the wilderness." Fei said.
"I know. A ship will take us to Hilion." I pointed in the direction of the ship.
"Hilion?" He asked.
"You'd have to see it to believe it." I said as I walked to the camp with him.

When we arrived I stood on a rock and called out attention to everyone. "Me and Fei..are going to Hilion to train. In the meantime I have a big favor to ask of you. Without it Satan will never cease to exist. Follow Holly, Michael, Peter and Samson to Inlam and find the Excalibur sword!"

Fei's expression went blank as the crowd conversed, shocked.
I quickly jumped off of the rock and motioned for Fei to follow me to my ship.
Michael quickly took control of the masses as Fei and I headed for the ship.

"Hey Mike!" I yelled back to him.
"Yeah?" He replied.
"Take care of Holly." I winked at him.

As we walked back, Fei began asking me lots of questions. "If there are only four horsemen why does it take all of the other people in my group besides the whole elven army to defeat them?"
"Because they aren't like normal beings. They are on the verge of invulnerability." I answered as we exited the forest.
"Well, how strong do I have to be to stand a chance against Satan?" He asked.
"Well... I'd say about my strength, roughly one thousand times as strong as you are now." I replied, purposely dwarfing him.
"Ok." He replied, embarrassed.

We arrived at the coastline three hours later. Once again I opened the cockpit and I got in after Fei. The crowded ellipse reversed its course and the engines roared to life...

"Okay everyone! Please follow me, we have a serious mission!" Michael said. The whole group started trekking through the forest like a huge caravan, just hundreds of Elves.

"Watch your step." Michael said to Samson. "Why?" He asked. "Because the rumor is that the badlands before the Devil's Crest contain the walking dead." Michael said. "As the prophets of the beginning of the millennium predicted, when hell runs out of room the dead will walk the earth." They walked in the dead of night, hoping not to find those things.

At exactly 3:00 P.M. the dead attacked.

It was prepared for, but the dead rose from the ground beneath them. Elves were slaughtered, but Michael killed a good hundred. The dead had no weapons, but ate you alive when they got you. Holly had no weapons so she stayed as close to Michael as possible.

The elves put up a resistance, but not good enough. The dead were slow and stupid, but they were HUNGRY. Holly got separated from Michael. Michael whirled, the girl was nowhere to be seen.

Holly was being ganged up by the dead. She feared for her life, but she grasped the magic stone tight and closed her eyes. Micheal saw Holly standing in the middle of an advancing dead army her eyes were shut and she was griping that stone at the end of her red necklace. Michael dashed to save her, then...

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A wave of fire formed out of the ground and washed over the dead army. He thought he was dead when he saw the elven survivors confused at what happened. Michael knew. The girl used her power to form the wave and incinerate the dead.

Dran stood in the back of parade of warriors, Argile Amanda, Llyda and Pan were there as well. They each began to question their role in this battle. "Y'know" Dran began "Who the hell are they to tell us we're not gonna fight Satan!!? We have gone through so many trials, so much loss, we deserve vengeance dammit!!" Dran growled. "It's like Crissy, and Virgil didn't even matter, their sacrifices...what were they for??" Amanda asked. "I opt to leave, go find Fei and ditch these assholes" Argile commented. Everyone stopped and looked back. "I'm on Earth I can curse...when I'm mad." they all chuckled a little. Dran looked up and called to Charizard, he came flying down and not missing a beat, started walking "Yes?" he asked. "We're leaving, we all feel we were fine before that Zion guy and his band of mercs came along" Llyda said "Are you with us or not?" Pan asked Charizard thought this over for a moment, then answered "Yes I'm in." everyone smiled. Graelim ran up to Pan "I know what you mean!! My brother was killed by a minion of Satan!! I'm going as well!!!" Pan looked shocked "You can't who will lead the army??" "My brother did a much better job then I ever will, I know who does it just as good as he does" A smile spread across his face. Graelim bounded down the road after the crowd looking for his successor.

Zion and Fei reached Hilion, possibly the only green place left on Earth, buildings rose high above the city, most looking more like temples than offices of condos. Fei looked it over, mages, warlocks, and wizards all bustled about the busy metropolis below them, each seeming not to notice the others, "Wow" said Fei "Pan would really like it here!!!" "Yes but I am here to train you" said Zion.

Graelim returned to the group huffing and puffing. "I told Tiv that I would be leaving, and placed him as general of the Elven Army, we'll see them all at another time, during the final battle, now we need to get to this "Hilion" place. Any one here know where that is?" Graelim summoned Leviathan as he said this. Amanda, Dran, Llyda and Pan climbed on Charizard, Argile too weak to fly, hopped on as well.

Pan raised his hand once he was seated on Charizard;s back "I know where that is." he voiced.

About an hour after their departure, the elves, Michael, and Holly came upon the sword Excalibur. "Well there it is FINALLY!" Michael exaggerated.

He tried to pull it out, but his attempt failed. Next just about every other elven military personnel tried, but failed.

Holly softly said, "Maybe I can." Micheal grinned, "No. If none of us can, then there is a good chance you won't either." Holly grinned, completely ignoring Michael, and walked over to the sword stuck in the stone. She gently grasped the handle and with a tug... Michael said, "This is cute but....HOLY FREAKING SHIT!" Holly slid the sword out of the rock and held it tightly.

"It's quite heavy Michael, can you hold it for a second, please?" she asked. Michael was to warped to respond. The elves almost all fainted. "Michael?" Holly softly said. Michael began to space out a little. "Hold on, I'm spacing out over here." Michael said.

"We must get to Hilion." Tiv said. "Yea, yea just hold on a sec. Holly lemmie see the sword." Holly handed it to him. "We can get to Hilion faster than the early departures. We can just ride on the Leviathan. Holly gets on first. Come on, we have lots of time, but a load of stuff to do."

Holly ran back down the trail in search of Graelim and Leviathan, but the heroes had already left the forest and were well on their way to Hilion.

On a cliff by the seashore in Hilion Fei stood poised and in mantis stance, Zion was as well. "Well now, let us begin!!" Zion yelled.

Fei ran at Zion, he side stepped, and without turning around, back kicked and caught Fei in the small of his back. Fei fell to the ground and sighed, got up and started to walk away. "You have a lot to learn!! You will not defeat Satan like this, you're sloppy!!!!"

Fei rolled his eyes "Look!! I do things differently than you, I can kill Satan on my own, without this!!! All I need are my friends!!!"

"How very touching, like the moral on a Saturday morning cartoon!! But sorry, this ain't a show, there might not be a happy ending to this!!!" Zion growled at Fei. "Maybe not but, I'm not gonna let my friends down, we've been through a lot together, and for you to say now that they can't help!!! Screw that!!!"

Zion was shocked by what Fei was saying, "Is he possibly thinking of abandoning training for some friends...yeah maybe Fei does have what it takes." Zion thought to himself.
"Maybe the reason you never defeated Satan is because you fought alone!!! You never let anyone help, well I will!!"

"Good to hear that!!" Graelim called down from the back of Leviathan. "We all feel loved now!!" Llyda called down from Charizard The two Dragons landed and their rider dismounted.

"Well" said Fei "Are you gonna train us or what?'" Zion thought about it for a moment, "FINE!!"

Back in the forest the Elves, Samson, Peter Holly and Michael continued the march to Inlam. The news that the dragons and the heroes were gone did not seem to trouble Michael as much as the prospect that they found Excalibur so quickly, but alas it was found and all were at peace "Michael!!" Holly screamed "The sword!! "

The entire caravan turned heads to see what Holly was screaming about, the sword began to glimmer, then a bright light emanated from it. This wasn't the Excalibur, but something that might be a little more useful. Michael sighed, there was no danger, but more of a revelation.

An army of darkness gathered around the gates of Heaven. All their efforts to gain entry were in vain; Satan knew this, but assaulting Heaven gave his troops something to do while he considered his situation.

According to the prophecy, he could not enter Heaven until he spilled the blood of the Chosen One. This seemed simple enough; Satan had never met a challenger he couldn't easily defeat. However, every time he killed one of the Legends, the pesky warrior would evaporate in a burst of flame, and the world would be destroyed and replaced with a new one. So, the trick would be to spill the blood of the warrior without destroying existence...

Satan lifted his head. It had been months since he had had any report on those irritating "heroes." Something was going on, but what? Satan motioned over Assurre. "I think it's time we gave our little friends a taste of things to come," he chortled ominously.

"Concentrate..." Zion ordered. Sweat beaded on Fei's brow.
"Come on, now...don't be a sissy!" Fei struggled to maintain his balance as he walked on his hands across a tightrope, balancing hundred pound weights on each foot. He would have retorted, but he needed all his concentration to make it across. Finally, with a last gasp, he collapsed on the other side. Zion strolled up to him.

"Very good," he said. "Now get up. You still have a 20-mile run ahead of you." Fei struggled to his feet, then began plodding off. "Wait," Zion called. "You forgot this," he added, as he slung a 50-pound pack to Fei's back.

Fei got back just as sun was setting. Llyda and Dran were preparing the evening meal, as Charizard soared above with Leviathan. Nearby, Argile tended a wound Graelim had sustained in that morning's training exercises. Amanda looked on; she was learning how to tend the wounded, a skill she would need in the upcoming battles.

Zion greeted Fei enthusiastically. "Welcome back, champ! Supper's nearly ready." Fei looked around. "Where's Pan?" he asked. "He went into town this afternoon," Llyda said. "He's gone to consult with the Helian mages."

Fei slumped down on the ground. Dran pressed a bowl of stew into his hands. "Thanks," Fei murmured as he shoveled in the steaming food. Suddenly, he looked up. Zion was also at attention. "Something's up," he said. "You feel it, don't you Fei?" Fei nodded. Amanda walked over. "What's wrong?" she asked.
Just then, a horde of daemons swarmed into their camp.

They fought the daemons valiantly. The months of training had clearly paid off. Then, just as the evil hordes seemed vanquished, a peal of laughter rang out across the clearing. Zion froze. "That voice..." he muttered.

In a burst of flame, Assurre appeared in the midst of the camp. She quickly brought her crossbow to bear on Fei. "Assurre!" Zion shouted. She whirled around to face him. Zion drew his sword. "Let's go," he said. Assure whipped out her own sword. They dove at each other, their blades clashed, the duel was on. "Didn't we already kill you, human?" Assure taunted.

Zion parried, thrusted, his swing went wide. He blocked her counterstrike. "Once just isn't enough for guys like me," he quipped. Assurre blocked his next swing, then sent his sword flying out of his hands. "I guess you're right!" she retorted. She drove her sword deep into his belly. Zion's eyes went wide. Fei leapt forward.

"NO!" he screamed. With a cruel laugh, Assurre flew up and disappeared. Fei ran to Zion's side. "Zion!" he cried. "You can't die! I must complete my training!" Zion coughed. "There's nothing more I can teach you. The rest you must find within yourself..." His eyes fluttered, blood welled up in his mouth.

"No!" Fei cried. "How can I defeat Satan without you? We were supposed to fight together!" Zion smiled. "I will always be with you Fei...in spirit..." He sighed, and leaned back. Fei closed his eyes. His mentor was gone. Suddenly, he felt very alone, very vulnerable.

Llyda walked up to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Fei..." she said. He began sobbing uncontrollably. Llyda sat down and put her arms around him. They sat like that for over an hour, while Argile, Amanda, and Dran prepared a grave for Zion. As they lowered his body into the ground, Fei walked over to where the bastard sword had fallen. He hefted it up, feeling its weight. "There is nothing more for us to do here," he declared. "It's time to head back to Inlam."

As Leviathan and Charizard lowered into Inlam Michael approached, a very stern look on his face. "Where the hell have you been??!!" He bellowed Fei held out the Bastard sword, Michael's eyes widened, "Dear Lord help us" Michael slumped to the ground. "Don't worry We'll lead the way!!" Fei held the sword up into the air, he had no problem controlling it now.

"From here we head north to the Northern Limits!! Argile has informed me that a portal exists it is a dimensional rift, from when the Earth was recreated. We can get to Heaven from there!!" Michael looked at Fei, then at Dran, Argile, Graelim, Llyda, Amanda, and Pan as they leaned against Charizard's enormous stomach. "We leave at dawn!!" Michael said, then turned and walked away.

At dawn a war trumpet bellowed throughout the camp, Tiv the new Captain of the Elven Army, sounded it. All rose and saluted, he handed a bullhorn over to Fei. Fei cleared his throat, pulled the button and began to speak, a murmur of shushing went through the crowd.

"Today we depart for the Northern Limits, it will be a hard journey, and we will have only a few hours rest before our final battle with Satan. I know I have been gone long, and I know you have all trained well, you are all at your peak...perfection I should say, but now, as we face our darkest hour, I want you all to know I would not rather fight alongside anyone else but you. *sigh* You have helped tremendously, and many, I'm sorry to say, will not live through this fight, but I will make sure that you have not made the ultimate sacrifice in vain!!. We will show Satan that we are more than a bunch of people who have come to face him and die, but an army of warriors who have come to face him and live!!!!!!!!!"

a cheer rose up through the camp, all raised their hands and shouted, this was indeed their greatest hour.

As the massive army prepared to break camp, Michael took Fei aside. "While you were gone," he said, "we found this." He drew out the glowing sword. "Is this...the Excalibur?" Fei asked. Suddenly, the sword glowed brighter, and a voice spoke into Fei's mind.

"No, Fei..." it said. "I am the Sage Sword. I am the keeper of the legend of Excalibur."

Fei looked at the strange blade in amazement. Michael glanced at him. "Are you all right?" he asked. Fei said nothing. The sword spoke again. "The Excalibur is hidden; to find it, you must undertake a great quest, the most perilous of them all. No one may accompany you, except the girl of destiny." "Who?" Fei asked. Michael gave him a funny look.

"The human child." the sword responded. She will lead you to the Excalibur. Only with the combined power of the Excalibur and the Bastard Sword will you be able to destroy Satan and undo all the evil he has wrought in the world. The sword went dark, and Fei stood in silent thought. Michael plied him for information, but Fei had nothing to say.

He took the sword to Pan. "You're wise," he said. "You will have the most use for this." Pan took the weapon respectfully. Graelim strode through the camp, rallying the men. "Come! The final hour has come! Let us be off!" The army formed ranks and began marching into the north.

Graelim rode up to the front on the back of Leviathan. Dran was marching beside Charizard, who was carrying Llyda, Amanda, and Pan. Argile, his wing bandaged, hovered in the middle distance. Graelim looked back, then tapped Dran.
"Where's Fei?" he asked.

Fei and Holly watched as the Elven army slowly disappeared over the distant crest. Holly gripped the stone that hung from her neck; it was glowing faintly in the morning haze. "All right," Fei said. "Let's go." They set off to the southeast. Fei clutched his sword tightly. He had a feeling there was unspeakable danger ahead of them. But then, that seemed to be his lot in life...

"Dammit!! He's gone off again!! This is getting a bit repetitive!!" Dran said.
"I know," said Llyda "But I trust Fei, he won't turn his back on his destiny...our destiny."

Argile flew up until he was abreast with Pan "I saw him stay behind with Holly" "Hmmm...this is interesting, yet I have great feelings which tell me his mission is far more dangerous than ours!" Pan answered before reverting back into a deep meditation.

Argile sighed, Pan was the most passive...he wondered if he really needed to be here. "Y'know Pan" Argile began, Pan sighed and opened his eyes
"What?"
"You really don't have to be here...I mean if you don't want to be..."
"I haven't seen it necessary for any involvement on might part, everything that comes our way can and usually is solved with physical strength, now please Argile I must meditate, if I am to be at my best during the next fight!" Argile took offense to this, and so fluttered off. Pan thought to himself, he hadn't meant to be rude, but he needed to concentrate...."Oh well" he thought "He'll thank me later for this"

Fei cut through the branches as he and Holly separated more from the group. He could feel something strong up ahead, about three miles, though Holly and him knew something was pursuing them.

Fei cut his way through the branches. He thought a lot about Zion, he himself had said that the only way for them to beat Satan is if they both fought together. "I'll always be with you in spirit." He said. Fei knew about Zion's hidden meanings but he couldn't figure this one.

Holly had taken point and they were cutting their way through the forest. Fei wasn't paying attention to Holly that much, he just made sure to follow. His mind was deep in thought. Zion had died before hadn't he? It didn't make sense. If Zion had already been killed and sent to Heaven, then Hilion how could he die again? Something about this didn't add up. He wanted to go back to the gravesite.

For hours they trekked through the forest until it got dark. Fei could see a distant clearing with scattering dust and what appeared to be a few destroyed temples and castles. Ruins...after this they'd be going to the ruins.

They had gotten only three miles. Fei felt a powerful force where they camped. It wasn't bad, he couldn't put his finger on it though, but he had a dream that revealed a few specs.

Fei was in a mirrored room. He looked all around, no one was there. All at once Satan appeared and the room melted into a desert. Fei could hear armies clashing and his fellow crew members fighting the horsemen. He saw Satan in front of him, the wind eerily blowing between them.

Fei whirled out the Excalibur and the bastard sword of spirit. As he did this a strong spiritual force made the two swords clash. Fei started to scream from the extreme force of it as pain seared through his body. He was then blinded by an extreme white light that threw him off-balance. When his vision returned, he was staring at a figure glowing brilliantly with a smirk on it's face, holding the bastard sword of spirit.

"I told you I'd always be with you in--" Fei awoke in a sweat, not because he wanted the dream to end, but because of a starting noise that awoke him. The bushes rustled a bit.

Fei dashed to his swords and called out, "Who's there?!"
No answer.
Fei was at a fighting stance in a position to protect Holly at all costs.

All at once a figure slipped down from the trees, it's face was masked and it had desert Arabic clothing on.
It stared at Fei. "Who the hell are you?" Fei asked.
No answer.

It dashed at Fei quickly, Fei drew his swords and slashed at the figure quickly, who caught the blades in between the palm of his hands, then quickly sweep-kicked Fei, sending the sword into the air and into its hands. "Are you Fei Oreh?" It asked. "Y-yes." Fei timidly answered.

"Good." It withdrew the sword from Fei's neck and tossed it on his body.
"Who are you may I ask again?" Fei asked, bewildered.
"I-I used to be called Fei, in times of old. I am the Third Legend." He said.
"What are you called now?" Fei asked.
"Appollion." He replied, "But that is not important, there were a few things Zion didn't know about. He was really a rookie legend, I was the one who trained him. Fei, he is the only legend that can help you. The rest of us have no more lifeforce to give."
"Lifeforce?" Fei questioned.

"Yes... consider it the amount of time left on the physical earth." Appolion said. "I am only here because I have minimal lifeforce left. Zion was smart. He died so he could save his lifeforce. If he'd of finished training you, he couldn't of helped you in the final battle..."

"Revelations are already past. I still see foolish humans using 666 to buy certain goods and such. Those people don't know what it means in the least." Appolion said.

"I see. How long can you be here?" Fei was curious now. "Another twenty six hours." He said. "So you'll help us?" Fei said with excitement. "No, I can't .Legends of the past can't interfere."

"What about Zion?"
"He was different. He has died a legend in two worlds enabling him to interfere in the final battle."
"That's why he--"
"Exactly. He beat the 'system' if you will."

Fei and Appolion talked a lot that night, as Holly slept. The final challenge was about to take full effect...

Llyda awoke to the steady rocking motion of Charizard's wide gait. The dragons were traveling by land in their northward journey for fear of attracting attention in the sky. Looking about, Llyda saw Dran jogging steadfastly along; he had no problem keeping pace with the huge reptiles. Amanda still slept, huddled under Argile's wings. Llyda smiled; the affection between the cyborg and the angel was touching. Pan, as usual, was meditating. A few yards away, Graelim and Tiv consulted each other on the back of Leviathan. With Fei gone, Llyda suddenly felt very lonely, even at the head of an army of thousands.

As she sat in quiet thought, Dran hopped up to sit beside her. Charizard grunted at the added weight, but said nothing.

"You're awfully quiet," said Dran. "Is something wrong?", Llyda just sighed. "I just...I wonder what I'm doing here. What can I hope to accomplish? I'm no legendary hero, I don't have Pan's magic or Argile's healing skills, all I can do is fight and shoot a gun, and that army behind us is, no doubt, better at that than me." she trailed off. Dran chuckled quietly.

"Llyda, you're probably the most important person here," he said. Llyda scoffed incredulously. "I mean it," he replied. "Listen. You and I both know this whole army doesn't stand a chance against Satan. He's too powerful for any of us. Only one man in this whole messed-up world can hope to defeat him."
"Fei," Llyda sighed.

"Yes. Fei is the one who is ultimately responsible for vanquishing evil. And if he loses hope, if he loses the will to fight...then we are all doomed."

Llyda looked at Dran curiously. "What does that have to do with me?"

"Why do you think he pushes himself like he does? To save the world? That's too big a concept for anyone to wrap his mind around. No, Llyda, he is driven by one thing above all else: his love for you." Llyda sat back in stunned silence. "He...loves..."

Dran smiled. "Yes. He loves you. Even an old bitter daemon like me can see it; I'm surprised you can't. And believe me, if it weren't for you, Fei would have given up long ago. Despair is a powerful weapon; it can destroy even the most valiant warriors. But the dream of a life with you, after all this is over, has kept hope alive in his heart and fought back the despair from overpowering him. That is why you are the most important one of all of us. Without you, there would be no hope." And with that, he hopped back down to resume marching alongside the dragons.

Llyda sat for a long time on Charizard's back. It all seemed so clear now.How had she missed it before? Suddenly, all thoughts of herself were gone. She worried about Fei, how was he doing, alone in the wilderness with no one to help him but a defenseless child? She had never realized what a heavy burden it must be, to have the fate of the world rest on your shoulders.
"Fei," she whispered. "I hope you're all right."

Thousands of miles away, in the heart of Inlam, Fei looked up at the woods around him. "Llyda," he muttered.
"What's that?" Appollion asked.
"Nothing," Fei mumbled. "So, where do we go from here?"

"We must find the Excalibur," said Appollion. "Soon, before my time here is done." "Very well," Fei replied. "But...how will we find..." he suddenly noticed Holly was no longer with them. "Holly!" he cried. "Holly! Where are you?"

A wicked laugh rang out through the woods. "She is right here," echoed an all too familiar voice, and in a flash of light, Assurre appeared, holding a knife to Holly's throat. "I underestimated you, hero," she sneered. "Let her go!" Fei shouted.

"Hmm...I don't think so," Assurre purred. "We're having such fun together, aren't we dear?" Holly made no reply, but trembled, wide eyed, in the witch's grasp. Assurre snorted derisively, then noticed Appollion standing behind Fei.

"My, my...what have we here?" she cackled. "Why, Appollion, you old meddler! Come to fill your protégé's shoes, eh? And what lucky victim was sacrificed to allow this little trip?" Fei looked back at Appollion in confusion. "What is she talking about?" he asked. Apollion simply hung his head.

"Oh, didn't he tell you? The only way old-worlders like him can gather the lifeforce to reenter the mortal world is by harvesting it from the living!" She began laughing hysterically. "And what's better...they can only use the lifeforce of pure souls! Your friend here had to take the life of a purehearted, decent person just to come here!"

Fei looked at Apollion in horror. "Is...is that true?" he stammered. Apollion looked up, and Fei knew the answer before he said anything. "Yes. It's true," Apollion sighed. "But it was necessary, Fei. There are things you still must learn, that Zion never had time to teach you..." Fei interrupted, "I thought you said Zion meant to die early!" Assurre laughed again. "Oh, yes," she cackled, cracking up in hysterics. "He...meant...to die...before he even accomplished...what he came here for!" She struggled to regain her composure. "Oh, Appollion, you amaze me! The things you justify in the name of your 'holy crusade'!" Appollion seethed with anger.

"Now listen here, witch..." Suddenly he was stricken silent. Assurre's face was no longer laughing. Appollion struggled for air as Assurre stared coldly at him, focusing her malice upon his mortal form. "Stop it!" Fei yelled. But he could not attack Assurre without risking Holly's life and Holly was the key to finding Excalibur.

As he looked from Holly to Appollion, he realized he could only save one of them...

Fei closed his eyes and turned around, his back facing Asurre. Then he whirled to fling his blade at Asurre, but Asurre was gone. Appollion was dead. Holly stood at her place, fear stricken. Asurre's voice boomed from around the trees, "The GIRL will be no threat to Satan, but Apollion was. I shall see you again." Then the voice faded.

Holly sat on the ground and said, "I..I'm sorry..the big baddie was with Asurre. I could feel him." "There was nothing you could have done...Holly." Fei said.

Fei buried Appollion an hour later. NOW what was he going to do? Here he had some 15 year old girl with a strong magical power, but she barely used it. And they were alone for the moment. "Can you teleport or something?" Fei asked. Holly looked sarcastically at him, "Teleportation is fictitious. We will just have to walk." Fei sighed. It was an awful day so far.

Holly whirled at the sound of a tyrannosaur roar. "A baddie." she said as the magic stone began to glow. Christ, Fei thought, why not have a worse one?

Llyda awoke after having fell asleep she dreamed about Fei, the wind was what really woke her, it seemed to be blowing past her at an enormous speed, she tried to move but was strapped down. Leviathan roared as he dove through the clouds, Charizard followed, twenty more miles until they reached the Northern Limits, and then three more miles until the dimensional rift. Amanda lay strapped to Charizard's back, like Llyda was, she had woke a few hours earlier and was working on a new weapon for her arm.

"Why are we in the air again?" Llyda asked Argile as he glided alongside Charizard "Tiv said it would take too long to reach the northern limits" Llyda looked at Amanda, her pieces for the weapon, as well as the bag they were in sat unmoving on Charizards scaly back. "How are you keeping the pieces on Charizard?? Why aren't they flying out into the wind?" Llyda called.

Amanda pointed to a watch on her wrist "A magnetic holster, keeps everything right where I want them" She continued to work, Llyda took out her gun, she reached into a bag Amanda was using to take pieces from and began remodeling her gun. Dran sat on Charizards head, he smiled at Llyda, he was glad he had tied her down. He turned and looked ahead again.

"We haven't talked in a while" He said to Charizard over the roaring winds.
"We haven't!" Charizard bellowed back A grin spread across Dran's face, they began a conversation.

Pan sat on Leviathan, Argile flew up and sat next to him "Sorry about disturbing you yesterday" he said.
Pan smiled "Sorry about sounding so mean!"
"Don't worry about it!!" Argile said.

Graelim patted Leviathan on the head "Good girl!!" Leviathan roared.

Holly and Fei looked back, a hungry Tyrannosaur came lumbering through the foliage, it leaned it's head down, sniffed and continued walking. "What just happened?" Holly asked. "We're too small for it, that big creature would definitely not bother to try and attack us."

Holly stared at the tracks it had made, "I guess animals can go to hell"
"Huh?" Fei asked. "Since when do dinosaurs appear out of no where? They're extinct! Geez... some legend, never even heard of extinction." Holly continued to mutter. "I'll pretend she never said that." he said then followed Holly as they continued their trek through Inlam.

"How are we going to get back to the group in time?" Fei asked Holly once he caught up to her "There's someone in the temple that can help with that" Fei looked puzzled. "What temple?"

"Oh" Holly had forgotten what Appolion had given her "This crystal isn't mine, really, Appolion gave it to Michael who gave it to Zion, who gave it to me! It taps into the wearers inert magic which is why whenever there's danger it glows and I get power but it's yours so here. You'll need it more!"

Holly handed it to Fei, he looked at it, it had a symbol carved into it, a bull, and a cross.

"It's a key" Holly said
"To get in right?" Fei asked.
"No...to keep something in!"
Fei had a feeling he was going to need a little more help.

Leviathan dove down through the clouds, Graelim on its' head cheering at the top of his lungs "Good girl!!" Graelim called back to the others, "We're here!!!" Dran stood up and cheered, though standing on a dragon while flying through the air is not a good thing, Dran fell, Charizard immediately dove to catch him, Llyda and Amanda were startled by this and screamed, Pan noticed the distress and jumped off Leviathan after him Argile flew down as well after Dran. Dran was not screaming, yet was rather calm, he seemed to know his friends would come through, he continued his free fall. Finally after what seemed like an eternity, Pan reached Dran and grabbed him the strain on him was enormous though they managed to get to Leviathan's back, "Geez Dran how much do you weight?" Pan asked short of breath. Leviathan and Charizard landed a moment later and the heroes disembarked.

"Ok where's this portal Argile?" Llyda asked "It appears at midnight, though we must wait for Fei!" Argile cautioned, "Fine..." Llyda began walking away.

Amanda sat on the ground and began to finish her arm, about now it began to resemble a cannon, she had added a laser sight as well as customized a diamond laser, she had a compartment for a gun and her shoulder contained a bullet compartment, twin steam valves protruded from the top of her shoulder, her M-16 now had a flashlight and laser sight attached to it. Llyda took a cue and had remodeled her own gun. The Grenade launcher Nail had given her was now compatible with bullets as well as grenades. Llyda had tinkered with the last ten grenades she had, she took out the powder and the special liquid, she filled about 300 bullets with one grenade, giving her around 3000 bullets though she knew she would need more. Pan practiced his fighting skills against Dran and Argile, Tiv and Graelim contemplated the plan of attack against the evil army, they didn't expect to live through this confrontation, in fact each in of the heroes there expected to die, but they would rather die with no one else by their sides than each other, and hey if they were going to die they decided, it was better to go down fighting...

Night had fallen, the portal soon became visible, it looked like a doorway into space, stars swirled around the edge and in the center, total blackness. The Elven army arrived at last, clad in fur shawls, Llyda warmed herself under Charizard's wing, while Pan, Argile and Dran sat studying the portal. At last they had reached the salvation point...but from there, what?

Fei and Holly stepped out of the woods. Before them lay a vast stretch of dead earth. A few strangled weeds struggled to hold on to life. "Inlam," Fei muttered. They hiked across the plain all day, and into the night, only stopping to rest when fatigue had pushed them to the limit. Finally, on the fifth night, Fei noticed a dim glow in the distance. Looking at Holly's amulet, he saw that the stone was glowing as well.

"It's the magic place," Holly whispered. "See? My necklace knows." Fei rolled his eyes, and continued up a small hill. At the top, he looked down, and saw the source of the light: a circular temple in the valley below, shimmering in the moonlight, and at in the center of the temple was a glowing orb. They scrambled down the hill toward the temple. As Fei approached the orb, the amulet flew out of his hands. It struck the orb, bounced off, and fell to the ground; its light had faded out.

"What's wrong?" asked Fei, as he stooped to pick up the necklace. Holly frowned. "This ball...it isn't supposed to be here," she said, tapping on the surface of the orb. "That's what's messin' up the magic."

Fei drew his sword. "Not for long it isn't," he grumbled, then struck at the orb with all his strength. Nothing happened. He stared incredulously at the orb. "Didn't even scratch the surface..." Holly placed her hand flat against the smooth glass. "Fei, could I see my necklace please?" Fei shrugged, and handed it to her. She strung the amulet around her neck, then put her hands back on the orb. A puzzled look crossed her face. She opened her mouth, and words that did not seem to be her own came out: "Khon wa ni ekto!"

With that, a lightning bolt flicked down from the heavens, striking the orb full force. Fei was thrown to the ground; when he stood up, the orb had been shattered, and Holly was gone. Where she had been standing, only the amulet remained. Fei scooped up the amulet, then looked around. "Holly!" he cried. There was no sign of her anywhere. He understood then; another innocent sacrificed in the name of justice. Looking back at the amulet, he stepped up to the pedestal where the orb had been. He stepped up onto the pedestal, and a brilliant light surrounded him. Fei was lifted up, up... He found himself in a large, dark chamber. Before him was a glass case. A sword was inside! "Excalibur," he breathed.

"Yes," came a commanding voice. "The legendary holy sword. Only the pure of heart may take it from this sacred resting place." A knight, old but strong, clad in silver armor, stepped into the light.
"Who are you?" Fei demanded.

"I am Osric, last Knight of the Round Table and guardian of the sacred sword." Fei paused for a moment. It seemed to him Osric was waiting for him to speak. "I am F-"

"Yes, I know who you are," Osric interrupted. "Fei Oreh, mercenary of Satan, slayer of angels, and now you come to this sacred place seeking to take the holy sword. I know you very well, Fei." Fei looked down; he could not meet Osric's accusing stare.

"I am not proud of the things I have done," he muttered. "But I am on a quest to defeat Satan, and I must have this sword to do it." Osric stared at him for a long time. Fei could feel the knight's stare as if it were a knife piercing his very soul.

"Very well, Fei. You have passed the test. May the Lord aid you in your quest." With that, the knight vanished, the glass case shattered, and Fei found himself back in the temple, the Excalibur in his hand. Fei looked up to the heavens. "God help us all," he whispered, and set off into the north.

Charizard heard a war-cry emit from the east. He stood while everyone was sleeping. Another cry came from the north. Then another from the south. Charizard sighed...this was baaaaaaaaaad news.

Fei stopped walking to sit and rest. His head hurt like a son of a bitch and he was tired. "Hey Holl..." Fei stopped himself. Holly was dead. His stomach tied in knots. He missed her. MISSED HER ALOT. He decided to rest. The journey would be lonley.

He shut his eyes for a brief period but was forced awake when a soft hand touched his shoulder. "JESUS!" Fei yelled without reacting, he whirled and drew his sword with almost inhuman speed. "Hey watch that." a familiar voice giggled. Fei screamed, "You're dead!" Holly grinned and looked into his eyes, "Well nice to see you again as well."

Fei calmed, "Sorry." He said, ashamed. "But that bolt killed you. Right?" Holly sat on the ground, "Yes...sadly. But when I entered heaven, the lord told me it wasn't my time to pass on yet. And he put me back here as my old self again!" she cheerfully stated. "Well..." Fei said. "it's better than nice to have you back, with me." Holly nodded. She smiled and she and Fei discussed things.

Charizard woke the others when he saw shimmering silhouettes approaching them. They prepared for the worse. Whatever they were, they were more in likely hostile...

Assure sat there, waiting for her chance to attack Fei. When he came back here through the woods with the Excalibur, Fei was a dead man.
As Assure sat there with a wicked grin. She heard a loud thundering noise and a great explosion of light erupted a few hundred yards away.
Her ears turned toward the sound, meddling humans, when did they stop?! Her eyes turned bright red as she jumped out of a tree and dashed at the sound.

"What was that?!" Fei yelled, looking upon the horizon at the huge explosion of light. "Beats me." Holly sighed as they trekked onward. Assure arrived near the scene of the explosion swiftly, she examined the crater in the midst of the forest. She saw a few words etched in the crater in white.

Spirit resurrection

"What?" She said to herself. Then, she slowly thought to herself...
She whirled around, but was too late a blade had rested itself in front of her throat.

"Zion!" She yelled.
"Miss me babe?" A voice muttered.
"You can't..I mean...but..n--impossible!" She hissed.

Zion kicked her in the back before she could say a word. She writhed in pain. "That one was for our failed relationship." He said. He swiftly kicked her knee and sent her to the ground and said, "That was for killing me!"

She swiftly turned a snapped "Nice ambush...it was the only way you could fight me eh? And bringing up past personal things. You have sunk to a new low Zion." "Shutup, you're the one who works for Satan. That's as low as you can get." He aimed the blade at her, "If you think that's the only way I can fight you then bear your arms and we'll finish this!" "You honestly want to die again? This would be your last time coming back without having to use lifeforce. That fool Appolion is dead. He was an old legend." She said arrogantly.

"Put up or shutup!" Zion quipped.

She gave him a stare, "This isn't about the 'war' is it Zion? You still are enraged at me... for when we were still humans, and-"
"If you won't fight then I'll tear your neck off myself!"

He yelled as he charged her head-on. She caught his attack and said, "Very well. I'll kill you one last time...yawn...but before I kill you and never see you again..."

She sprang forward and kissed him deeply. Zion's expression changed, then it grew even more angered. She then leaned back and said, "All's fair in love and war!" She threw him away from her as he hit a tree. She launched herself at him, blade out, and barely missed him. The two fought doggedly for some time at an inhuman speed. Sparks flying from their swords and the air splitting with their quick movements.

Meanwhile...
Up above the fight...Satan watched Zion and Assure fight. He watched their movements and how much faster Zion had gotten. Then he made note to keep an eye on Assure. She could betray him for that...man. That's when he disappeared, confident in Assure's victory.

He reappeared in the eighth level of hell. He walked into his throne room and sent the order out. The final battle was going to begin momentarily, he needed to strike all of them at once.

The sparks stopped flying as Zion and Assure appeared back to back in the middle of the crater. "If I don't kill you Satan will you upstart." Assure barked.
"You won't kill me." Zion said.
"I did it once didn't I?" She snapped.
"You won't do it again."
"What makes you so sure?"
"Because you still are torn between Satan and me."
"Nonsense! How could I kill you and still care for you?!"
"Whatever. I know what I know, shall we commence with round two?"
"N-no." She said, she gave Zion a glance as she started off into the woods.
"Damn." He muttered to himself, "I was just about to kill her....."

He knew that the personal rendezvous would have to wait, because the final battle would soon begin. Good thing that just now he had only been using 1% of his true power. He needed all he could get.....

As the armies of darkness marched forth to obliterate the Elven resistance, Satan sat alone in his inner sanctum, deep in thought. Zion's return was an inconvenience, but Satan knew it was beyond the power of the old legends to destroy him. Only Fei posed a real threat. Satan grimaced at the thought of how easily Fei had evaded his grasp so far. Yet Fei was the key. How ironic to think the bastard had once worked for him!

Slowly, Satan raised his head. "Worked for me..." With that, he burst forth from his chamber, laughing with devious mirth at the simplicity of the plan forming in his mind.

Zion trudged through the wilderness. Now that Fei had the Excalibur, he knew the final battle would soon be at hand. Yet in many ways, Fei was still unprepared...
"No less prepared than you were," said a familiar voice. Zion whirled around.
"Appollion! Wha...what are you doing here?" Appollion smirked.

"Well, let me tell you, old friend." Nothing in his tone suggested friendliness. Zion took a step back. "Apparently, God took issue with my need to return to the mortal plain," he hissed. Zion's eyes went wide. "Return? You had no need to return!"

"That's exactly what He said." Appollion's voice dripped with hate. "I thought you would see things differently. I suppose you did not learn my teachings as well as I thought." He began pacing back and forth. Zion stared at him. "Wait...does that mean you..."

"YES!" Appollion screamed. "I was cast out of Heaven! I, the greatest of all legends, the only one who even came close to defeating Satan, and now...now I am reduced to a common daemon," he spat the last word out with distaste. Zion stood in silence for a moment, then hesitantly put his hand on his old master's shoulder.

"Appollion...I...I'm sorry," he whispered. Appollion shoved him away; his eyes gleamed with the light of hellfire.
"Sorry, are you? Heh. You're just like all the others. None of you understands what I'm trying to do here!"
"Appollion, we all want to see Satan destroyed," Zion said calmly, surruptitiously lifting the latch over his sword. "But, it's not your fight anymore." At these words, Appollion screamed, and fire leapt up around him.

"It is my fight! It was always my fight! I was chosen! I was the one who was supposed to defeat him!" Zion backed away as the flames began spreading through the underbrush. "You failed, Appollion!" Zion shouted over the roaring fire. "We all failed! All of us! Why can't you accept that?"

"I did not fail!" Appollion's face was twisted with rage, shifting into a horrifying demonic shape. "You only fail if you give up! I will never give up! Never!" A burning branch crashed down from the trees above, narrowly missing Zion. He leapt aside to avoid the branch, and in the same movement, drew out his sword and plunged it into Appollion's heart. The daemon's eyes went wide with shock, and the fire about them died out.

"You did fail," said Zion. "You lost sight of God's plan. And that makes you no better than the Devil himself." He jerked his sword upward, splitting Appollion in two. The daemon's body crumbled into a foul black dust. "I pity you, old friend," Zion murmured as the ashes blew away in the wind. He tarried a moment longer, then began running north, into the fray.

Fei and Holly clambered over yet another hill, and froze. Down below lay a wide plain, still smoking from a huge battle. Charred and bloody corpses lay strewn across the blackened grass. Fei stared in horror at two enormous skeletons in the middle of the field, that were unmistakably dragons... Without thinking, Fei ran down onto the field. He recognized the sigil of the Elves on a broken shield. "Dran!" he screamed. "Argile! Amanda!" he paused, tears welling in his eyes. "Llyda..." he turned in a slow circle, surveying the scene of the carnage. His friends were surely dead...or worse, captives of Satan.

Holly walked up to him. She was sobbing and terrified. Fei held her, she buried her face in his shoulder. She's just a girl, he thought. She shouldn't have to deal with this. But there was no way he could shield her from the cruelty of the world...

Suddenly, Holly stopped crying. She went limp in his arms, her head lolled back. She was dead. Fei saw a black arrow sticking out of her back. He looked up.

There stood a mighty daemon, wearing the black cape that marked the highest rank of Satan's legions. The daemon smirked. Fei ran toward him, but stopped short as the daemon reached into the folds of his cape and pulled out Llyda!

"Llyda!" Fei cried. The daemon gave him a withering stare.
"Pathetic human," he chortled. "Do you know who I am? I am Asmodeus, chief of Satan's army. If you can defeat me," he tossed Llyda to the ground. "She lives. You lose, she dies." Asmodeus drew his crimson sword. "No negotiations." He lunged for Fei. Fei drew the Spirit Sword to parry the attack. The two fought long and hard across the charred and blood-drenched plain. Hours passed, but Asmodeus showed no signs of fatigue. Fei felt himself nearing his own limits; the duel was far more brutal and fast-paced than any he had had before.

Finally, Asmodeus knocked the Bastard Sword from Fei's hands. Fei quickly drew the Excalibur. Asmodeus paused, seeing the holy aura of the sword, then grinned and dove back into the fray. They fought at incredible speeds, until their arms and legs were blurs across the dimming land, then there was a horrendous clang of metal, and the Excalibur flew from Fei's grasp, landing several feet away. Asmodeus stood over Fei, and put his sword against Fei's throat.

"Fool," he chuckled. "You are beaten. How did you think you could defeat Satan, if you are so easily bested by his servant?" He laughed again cruelly. "No matter. You have doomed your friend, and your world, to the will of the Dark Lord. I should be thanking you..." and with that he disappeared with a flash of light. Fei looked up; Llyda was gone. Asmodeus' voice rang out over the plain: "I nearly forgot. This is for you," and Llyda's body came plummeting from the night sky. She landed at Fei's feet, broken and bloody. Fei fell to his knees. He took her cold hand in his own. "Llyda," he whispered hoarsely. "Oh my God, Llyda...I failed. I failed," he sobbed.

Satan laughed as he watched Fei agonizing through his Seeing Stone. He walked over to where Llyda, Dran, Amanda, and Pan were being held captive. "So sad, don't you agree?" he laughed. "Too bad he lacks the focus of will to see through my illusions. Fighting a phantom!" Satan laughed hysterically. "You're sick," Llyda spit. "Does it bring you pleasure to torture him like this?"

"Why, yes it does," Satan rumbled. "But I have a far greater purpose in mind than my own amusement." He stepped back to the Seeing Stone. "Fei's blood must be spilled for me to enter Heaven. That is the prophecy. Yet I have slain countless legends before him, and never have I been able to invade Heaven. Instead, the world is remade, and a new hero is born to annoy me." He leaned forward. "Today, I had an epiphany. When I kill the legend, his spirit goes to Heaven, where he becomes powerful enough to bar my entry while God recreates the world. But..." he grinned at the image of Fei, "what if he kills himself?"

Horrified realization spread across Llyda's face. "He'll die with a mortal sin..." "And go to Hell," Dran finished. "Giving you the chance to take over Paradise." Satan grinned. "Exactly. I have no idea how far I'll have to go to break this little twerp, but I'd say he's already near the edge. Now all that is left is to push him over."

"You sick bastard!" Llyda spit at him. Satan exploded with rage.
"ENOUGH! I will succeed! I will gain entry to Heaven! And I WILL put myself on the Throne of God Himself! It is my destiny! Look at all that I have accomplished here! Surely you must see that I, Lucifer, am the greatest and mightiest of all beings!? Surely you see my absolute power!?"

Fei cradled Llyda's body in his arms. "I failed," he sobbed, over and over. He saw an ornate dagger hanging from her belt. A curious expression overcame his face as he drew the dagger and held it in his hands. A tear rolled down his cheek, landing on Llyda's face. "I'm sorry," he whispered to her, and brought the dagger up to his chest.

Llyda stared at Satan coldly. "All I see is a pathetic fool who thinks that twisting and destroying God's creations is a sign of power. If you truly deserved to sit in God's place, you would understand that the ability to create, and nurture, and love, that is true power. All you can do is mock God's majesty by marring his creation. That's not power. That's foolishness."

Satan glowered at her. "Really?" he growled. "Well, perhaps this will change your mind..." He raised his hand, and a ball of fire began forming around it. "Now, you will know what power is," he cried, as the fireball reached a searing intensity. Llyda cringed, waiting for the strike.

Just then, the Seeing Stone glared blindingly white, then shattered. Satan lost his concentration and the fireball fizzled in his fingertips. His jaw dropped as he stared at the smoking shards that lay where his Seeing Stone had been. There, standing above the broken glass, was Fei, the Exalibur in his hands. He pointed the holy sword at Satan.

"Now, we finish this," he said grimly. Satan stared at him.
"How...how did you..." as Satan struggled for words, Zion materialized beside Fei, holding the Bastard Sword of Spirit.

"That was a nice trick, Scratch, but you forgot about me!" he bellowed. The two legends leapt down from the dais that held the Seeing Stone, and confronted Satan. The holy light of the Excalibur gleamed in Fei's eyes as he pointed the sword at Satan's chest. "It's over," he barked. Satan smirked.

"Pathetic fool. It has only just begun." With that, he vanished in a flash of fire and smoke. Fei and Zion paused a moment, startled by Satan's disappearing trick. Then they rushed over to their friends. Fei cut their chains; he noticed with satisfaction how effortlessly the Excalibur cut through the thick iron. Llyda flung her arms around him, sobbing.

"I thought I'd lost you," Fei whispered.
"I thought I'd lost you, too," she replied. They gazed into each other's eyes for a moment, elated to see each other again. Slowly, Fei leaned in to kiss her.

"Ahem," Dran rumbled. Fei looked up. "We still have a lot of work to do," the daemon scolded, barely holding back a smile. Fei reluctantly let go of Llyda. Zion clapped an arm around his shoulder. "Well, boy, you're lucky I found you in time. Looks like you still need training," he added sternly. Fei nodded.

"Let's get out of this place. Then we'll see if we can find somewhere safe." The party made their way out of the foul chamber. Coming up a long flight of stairs, they found themselves back in Coral City, in the entry to the Citadel of Darkness. The top of the citadel was broken and destroyed, and sunlight poured in from above. The heroes stepped outside into the town square, and were greeted by the curious stares of the Coralians, who had been going about their business rebuilding the city.

The mayor of Coral City strode up to them. "You must be the legendary heroes we heard about. Welcome back to Coral City!" Fei looked up at the crystal blue sky. "I think this will be the perfect place to finish my training," he said.

The Elven army awoke from their long slumber, Satan's' little trick nearly killed them. Charizard yawned and looked over at Leviathan, her head craned and she yawned as well. Tiv looked for Graelim, there under a pile of rubble lay his broken and bloody body.

"No.....not you as well Graelim..."

The portal to Heaven had disappeared, Tiv figured there was no way to continue leading, he felt he was lower than Graelim, yet Graelim had always felt that Tiv was better, that is why Tiv was the leader. Tiv's tears hit the ground, the rest of the army had taken note of Graelims' death and had begun to weep. Now the Northern Limits were also know as the place of eternal life, and legend had it that a person who was not only loved, but respected as well, who return like a Phoenix, and be born again out of fire and from the ashes of his body. Suddenly to everyone's astonishment, the portal to Heaven opened once more, and there stood Graelim.

"Hey Tiv" he started.
"Graelim" Tiv wiped the tears from his eyes.
"Are you coming back?" Tiv asked.
"No...but I have here two people...warriors I should say, who will be of greater assistance than I ever was."
"Who?" Tiv asked.

A loud shriek resounded through the land, the army and the two Dragons, all looked towards the portal, suddenly, a giant bird shot out from the portal and into the air "It's name is Phoenix, it will never die, it will be, so I have heard, of great use in the coming battle, next to Dran..."

"What?" Tiv started, but Graelim cut him off .
"And here, is Phin, a crossbreed, Dragoon."
"Hello" said Phin as he stepped forth from the portal, "And now I shall be off" said Graelim.
"Wait..." Tiv shouted.
"What...how can I do this, I can't do this alone!!!"
"You'll find a way" Said Graelim, he then turned and disappeared, leaving the Elves to get acquainted with their new allies.

Pheonix stood, it's wings the color of fire, it's mighty crest of flames blew gently in the wind, Tiv knew it could easily carry the army, he turned to Phin. Phin stood proudly, his 7 foot tall frame easily supported the broad sword he carried with him, he had tiger stripes on his arms and along his tail, he wore a chest plate of nir, a strange metallic type of material which hardened or softened depending on the wearers attitude.

"Well Phin," Tiv started "Can you tell us where Fei and the others are?" Tiv asked. Phin glared down at Tiv, then in a gravely voice answered "Coral."

Tiv sighed, another long trek awaited them "Well do you think Phoenix could carry my men?"

Phin contemplated then replied. "Yes, but it is not in the mood, it only carries the chosen one." Phin reached into a sack on his side, fumbled for a moment, then pulled out a strange little creature, which had the ears of a rabbit and was aqua marine in color. "But this should do nicely!" Phin answered.

"How does...it...he...she...what is it?" Tiv asked.
"It is a Nof, a mystical wish granting animal, I have had it with me since I died."

Tiv pondered this for a moment.

"I found it while in Hell" Phin said, answering Tiv's unasked question.
"I ventured there to destroy Satan for what he did to my family, and found it wounded I healed it and was made my way back to Heaven, after I could not find Lucifer, there I met Graelim who was of much help and asked for my assistance. So I am here"

Tiv asked one last question "So how does it work?"

"It's former master killed it and banished it to Hell, the Nof are a wish-granting race, apparently it's master wished for it to be some sort of transport creature, so now it can transform into a giant Nof and carry it's master where ever it wants to go."

Tiv sighed, turned to the Elven army cupped his hands over his mouth and shouted
"Men!"

The Elves looked up.

"We head for Coral tomorrow!"

A grumble went up through the crowd and most sighed.
"Don't worry, we have transport this time!" Tiv added.
A cheer went up through the ranks.

Phoenix sat next to the two dragons, it seemed to Tiv that the battle squad had become a sort of zoo for mystical and mythical creatures, "Oh well" He thought "If they get us through alright....

Zion, Fei, Amanda, Llyda, Dran, Pan, and Argile, all set to work preparing weapons, Amanda began working on a new cannon, for Leviathans' back, a pity such a creature, an elegant creature had to be turned into a mechanism of war. Llyda came and sat by Amanda.

"So," Llyda started "When did you learn to create guns and cannons?"

Amanda smiled "I used to be a gunsmith, and an auto technician, so building came naturally to me, Crissy was always impulsive.....I really miss her, and Virgil, I never even got to say thanks." Amanda's eyes welled up, Llyda comforted her.
"I know, I miss them as well, we will get revenge, I promise you that Amanda"

Fei watched as Llyda comforted Amanda, she was like a sister to her now. Dran stood next to Pan showing him his eye trick, Pan almost had it but could only create smoke so far. Amanda stood and walked over to Argile who was fitting his wings with metal supports.

"Hey guy" Amanda said, wiping and drying the tears from her eyes.
"Hi," Argile answered back.
"What are doing to your wings?" Amanda asked.
"Oh, they've been damaged too much, so I had the blacksmith create supports or braces, that will allow my wings freedom, while still protecting them, watch." Argile stood up, and spread his wings to the sky, the sound of metal rubbing metal was heard and then, stretching seven feet straight up, Argile's wing flapped, he began levitating.

"C'mon" he said beckoning for Amanda to grab his hand, her metallic hand met his flesh hand and he pulled her up, "Wow" Amanda said as Argile began flying.

Zion looked up, "You two should really be training y'know!" He shouted at the two star crossed lovers. "I am, I'm testing my new wings" Argile shouted jokingly.

Argile and Amanda both loved each other, but he would return to Heaven and she would remain here on Earth...unless...of course, Argile could neglect or decline to re-enter Heaven, to stay with her. Yes he thought, we will be happy together.

"Well" Amanda started "Are we going higher or what?"
Argile smiled and lifted her gently into the sky.

Zion sat there, thinking. He knew what his destiny was, he was nothing on par with Satan but there was one thing Satan didn't know about his new power from God. The first was that he had requested to be given the ability of the balance, the two great forces of the universe as the two swords are. He was now the balance. When Fei combined those two swords his power would rise uncontrollably, so would Fei's.

Zion knew that Satan underestimated him, of course. Zion's power was only at 1% of his maximum. That night he was talking with Fei.

"Listen Fei...your power has increased greatly, and will increase 100 fold when you combine those two swords, but this is the last technique I'll teach you,one small camouflage technique for power. You will need these to defeat Satan."

"Shoot." Fei said.
"Well, it's easy, just concentrate for me. Clear your mind.."
Fei closed his eyes for a few seconds and nodded for Zion to proceed.
"Now..imagine yourself as weak as you can be, a trace of your true power."
Fei began to think hard as a small blue light enveloped him, then disappeared.
"You lost the concentration Fei."
"I know."
"Keep practicing all night, Satan is a bad underestimator."
"Alright."

Zion stood up and walked to the edge of the camp. His power not even a strand of what it really was. And he had an ace up his sleeve as well. He didn't want to teach Fei this technique that only he knew. Ground zero was what he'd called it when he was a human, because of the severe effects of the blast. The technique was more of a defense. It used a little lifeforce but it increased power by millions... but only if you could handle it. If you could, you'd have exactly sixty seconds to finish the fight before your body was exhausted, after that, ground zero blast, incapacitating you forever, or if your lucky draining your body completely and rendering you helpless for weeks and years. Zion knew he could handle the attack but he couldn't use that first or he'd be burned out before they had a chance. Satan would find out how much power the last legend had!

Of course things could go wrong with his attack but not necessarily bad. Energy could leak out and for every bit of plasma-pure energy that hit the ground awesome explosions occurred. Appolion had taught him a similar trick but way smaller. Only Zion knew how to unlock all it's power...

Phoenix streaked across the sky, her crest of fire, blowing in the wind, the Nof was below, hopping, well leaping in great strides, the soldiers were holding on trying to maintain their composure (and lunch). Tiv rode on the Nof as well, he would ask nothing of his men that he himself would not do, so here he was, being jostled about like a rag doll. Phin sailed on the breeze, his wings spread wide. Tiv had wondered how he had kept them hidden, when he first arrived, they were extremely wide and looked to have been worn.

"Water Ho!" Phin shouted.
"Alright men! Brace yourselves!"
Indeed they did, for when the Nof spotted the water, it screeched to a halt, "What the hell!?" A solider cried out.
"Phin, can the Nof cross water?" Tiv called to Phin .
"Yes! But they hate to go in it" Phin answered back, "What do you mean?" Tiv asked raising an eyebrow at Phin.
"This!" said Phin who then proceeded to call the Nof and command it somehow.
"gra-noh-oktak-belaf-no-wei-ku-sui!" Phin called down.
The Nof nodded it's head.
"Hold on tight" Phin said.
"Good God" Tiv mumbled.

The Nof scrunched down-
"This is gonna hurt somehow!" Tiv said
. -straightened it's back,-"This is just grea-AAAHHHHHH!"
- and sprang into the air, like a missile, the Nof's ears opened and it began to sail. Tiv looked back to find Phin following close behind, most of the Elves, had cried out in amazement, others in shock at the speed of the Nof and the ease at which it did this. Tiv threw up over the side of the Nof, "If you can't hold you food, then you'll never defeat Satan!" Phin called down grinning at Tiv "I'm...we're just going to HELP, not actually fight Satan, we can't only Fei can." Phin smiled.

"I was resurrected, that takes a special order from God himself, I have talked to him, the fact that only Fei can destroy Satan is just what Michael, Zion, and all the others would have you believe, but I know for a fact, that this is the final showdown, this is the final Earth, no more chances, and I also know for a fact that Dran, Llyda and all the others including you and your army, play a significant, if not crucial role in the final stand, and one, will give his life...or meaningful life, to save us all! So don't you dare think of quitting now!"

Tiv found all of this hard to swallow, yet he kept silent, the tone at which Phin said all of those things, would suggest that he was disgusted with Tiv. Finally, after hours of flying, Phin shouted "Land ho!"

a cheer went through the army, soon the island of Coral was visible, soon, they would all meet up with Fei and the others.

Fei was practicing within the tent. Satan...what an enemy!
Zion had so thoroughly prepared him for the worst.
"Err...Fei... I need to speak with you." A voice said.
Fei whirled around to see Zion.
"Yeah?" Fei asked.
"Well, that army is arriving soon but there's something we didn't expect..."
"What?!"
"Meet me outside the camp at the ridge." Then Zion quickly left the tent.
Fei sighed and ran out of his tent to rustle the others up.

...Meanwhile....

Satan and his horsemen sat, waiting for the right moment.
"When should we send the army in?" War asked.
"Not yet...it has to be at the right time."
"When?! Sire we could take them all out right now!"
"NO we couldn't! We have to separate the more powerful people from the army and get Zion and Fei to battle me. Send them to the funhouse."
"Sir, are you sure?"
"It will expend all of their power so when they fight me they'll be weak."
"I see."
"As for the other powerful people... have fun with em' make em' feel like they have a strong chance then squish em' the second they get too cocky."
"So, when is the attack?"
"Well...."

....Meanwhile....

"Friends who are gathered here, listen." Zion said.
"This had better be good!" Dran yelled.
"Look dead ahead on the horizon." Zion was getting at point...
"What is that?! It's black!!!" Fei gasped.
"That's the sun. It's not black yet but soon it will be. When the sun turns black everyone, I want you to be on the ready!" Everyone nodded and a few words of agreement were heard.

"Fei, come here." Fei quickly walked over to Zion.
The ship landed on the shore with gawking elves looking at the sun. They all unloaded onto the shore. Where was everyone? Slowly they trudged off the ship. Zion took Fei away from the others.

"I was just going to warn you of--"
A loud explosion was seen in the distance as the sun's blackening seemed sped up.
"What the-?!" Zion yelled.
A portal opened three hundred yards off of the coast. Men poured out of it like flies from eggs.

They landed in the water swimming for the coast but underwater there were mutants. How would they detect them underwater? Then a thought hit Zion.

"Someone go down there and warn the elves! Go, Go, Go!" "I'll go!" Argile said as he flew toward the coast...

The final battle had begun...

Fei ran down and bumped into a figure. He looked up.
"Michael!" Fei yelled.
Michael smiled, "Been a while, eh?"
"No shit. Look, if this is about Holly..."
"Oh! No,no,no,no. Holly is just fine. See?"

Michael unfolded his wing to reveal Holly, alive and well.
"Is she invincible?" Fei asked.
"No, silly. I just have a 'strong will' according to Michael." Holly said.

Michael nodded, "Holly. Stay here. Don't go down into the battle. If you do...well you know. Stay out of sight too. Kay?"
Holly smiled, "Alright. See you later Fei!" Holly ran behind a rock. Hopefully, Fei thought.

Michael said, "Amazing how strong her will to live is. She wants Satan dead after what happened to her parents, but she wants it by her own hand, with is quite impossible." Fei nodded and continued his charge to the battlefield...

Phoenix, swooped down from above, it's beak opened, a flame shot forth from it's gaping mouth, the water began to boil, the mutates that were still in the water were killed, the ones which had escaped were fighting the Elves, the Nof had stayed in it's gigantic size and as such was kicking at the aqua mutants, the genetic mishaps of Rog, Satan's' chief biological engineer. The Aqua-mutes, as they were known, were amphibious creatures, who attacked without mercy. Zion left the scene of destruction and ran into Coral town square, there he rallied the townspeople and told them to ready themselves, and to take cover. He then flew of to the top of the half destroyed Citadel of Satan, there he found the army training and he found the Mayor, Tabalan. Running over to Tabalan Zion explained the current situation.

"Listen, I want...need your armies help! The forces of evil have descended upon the city. again and we need powerful weapons, and men, Can you help us?"

Tabalan thought for a moment, "Yes. My people have re-activated the Citadel's power generators, and it's mobile capabilities, we have attached a.."

"That's great" said Zion, interrupting Tabalan's speech "Whatever you can do, do it!"

Zion patted Tabalan on the shoulder and then flew out of the tower down onto the shores, Michael and a bunch of angels fought against the demons who had just joined the fight, while Fei and his friends readied Amanda's pulse cannon. Suddenly, a tremor went through the island, the Citadel began to move. The demons sent up a cheer, thinking it was Satan, but suddenly an laser beam arose from the top of the fortress, it aimed and pointed at the shores. Inside sat Tabalan, aiming the crosshairs of the gigantic mechanism at the beach.

"All Elves, Angels, and humans..."
Dran sighed.
"and one Demon by the name of Dran, vacate the beach!" A huge voice bellowed from the top of the Citadel.

All of the Eleven army had relocated to the town square, Fei and his group took cover in a building, the angels took to the sky. The demons tried to follow, but were cut off, a blue beam shot forth from the tower, it cut across the land with a sound of clashing metal, some demons, were caught in the beam and froze, for a second nothing happened, a groan went through the Elven army, suddenly, an explosion retraced the path of the beam and incinerated most of the demons, those caught in the initial beam were imploded, others were caught in the after blast. A second beam this time a red beam flashed across the whole of the beach, flash frying everything there, still more Aqua-mutes arose from the water, the third and final beam swept across the ocean, freezing it, all of the Aqua-mutes were caught in the beam.

"Done!" said Fei standing up, he froze as he saw what had already been done. "They're already dead." Fei said to Amanda who was kneeling behind some rocks "What?" She exclaimed.

"Oh well, the cannons done already, lets' try it out!" She cheered. Fei, hoisted the giant cannon onto his shoulder, Dran stood behind him, Pan was in the air, giving his energy to the machine, Amanda opened a hatch on her bionic forearm, she reeled off a few strands of wire, then, connected them to the cannon's side port,, she reeled off three more, and connected them to a black box on the ground, "Ready!" she said.

Fei gripped the side of the cannon and aimed it at the frozen beach, Amanda charged the weapon with energy from the black box, (A portable power generator) and pressed a button on her arm. The cannon hummed to life, energy surged into it, then, after a moment of charging, the cannon pulsed and released a searing wave of energy. Fei and the others, were sent flying from the recoil of energy. That very energy raced towards the beach, kicking up dirt and ice as it sped towards it's target, it hit the first aqua-mute and disintegrated it's upper torso, the lower half bled profusely, it's innards, spilling onto the melting ice, others suffered the same fate, a halved body, coating the ice with their blood. Amanda smiled from under Drans body.

"It worked!" She exclaimed "Now get off me Dran!"

Amanda pushed Dran to the side of her, he got up slowly. Fei was helping Argile up. Only Pan stayed in the air. Zion raced over to the fallen heroes, "Well, it won't defeat Satan, but it will help out a lot," he said, helping Amanda regain her balance. Zion waved his hand across the frozen plain, half bodies lay bleeding, others, were decapitated, the ice was beginning to melt.

"Well," Said Zion "Let those of you who die in this war, at least die like that!" Zion walked away.

Zion walked away. He wondered up a distant hill as he reached the peak to see all of the other armies pouring in on the horizon, four flames burst in front of him as four beings swirled about him in elemental explosions. They settled in front of him...The Four Horsemen!

"Our old friend Zion. Hehe...this will be interesting." Famine bellowed on his horse. "I don't have time for you guys." Zion said with a dismissal of his hand. "WELL MAKE TIME!" War barked on his horse as he sped it straight at Zion.

Zion effortlessly disappeared out of harm's way and within a split second had reappeared behind War by a few feet. Then before anyone could see him going at such a fast rate...he drew the bastard sword and gave it a quick throw backwards. The sword entered War's back painfully. That's when the spirit came in. White light exploded from War slowly wounding him before he exploded in a bright white flash. The sword, floating in mid-air was retrieved by Zion who then gave a threatening glance to the rest of the horsemen.

"What?! You--y--you can't be that fast! It's impossible!" Famine said. "Then why am I?" Zion quipped. He disappeared again as a slashing sound was heard and Famine's neck burst open in a flurry of red.

Three faint images of Zion then rejoined each other in the middle of the two remaining horsemen. "Like I said, no time." Zion said as he turned around. The two left horsemen descended down the hill away from the powerful Zion.

"Where...are...you going?" A voice, panting, asked from behind Zion. He turned around to see Fei covered in other demon's blood. The Excalibur was still shining clean with no stains on it though.

"We fight him together remember!" Fei said.
"Yeah, be prepared kid."
Kid? Zion hadn't spoken to him like this before, like an amateur.
"How much have you let me in on Zion?"
"Not enough."
"Why?"
"Not enough time for you to grasp the concepts."

Zion turned and said, "If your coming, follow me. Down in that valley below us is where we'll Fight, the Devil's Crest." They both descended the hill. They knew that the armies on the other side of the large island would soon overwhelm even the strongest of armies. It was all on their shoulders now.

1hour and 20 minutes later they reached the bottom of the sand filled valley. That's when they saw them. Dran and Argile and Michael were already there...why? They had their weapons drawn. That's when it happened. The sky began to darken and evil clouds swirled about and winds arose. Zion stood there like a statue his eyes pulsing with intensity as his hair blew in the wind.

"This is it Fei. Are you the legend?" Zion asked rhetorically.

In a huge flash of red and black light and electricity an entity appeared. No face, just all black and on fire. Then the flames melted off of it and it looked sinister. The horns were staggering. It was all there. He had to be at least eight feet tall compared to Fei's 5'10 and Zion's 5'11 statures. Michael was nearest to him as they started exchanging words. That's when Satan waved his hand and all three of them burst into flames.

"NOOOOOOO! STOP!" Fei yelled as he whirled the Excalibur out and made a mad dash for the prince of darkness. The sword must've been thrust over three hundred times in a few seconds at Satan who didn't seem to move but moved so fast that he dodged every single one of Fei's thrusts. When Fei grew exhausted Satan gave a smirk and a hard cool fist came into Fei's gut sending him fifteen yards back and into a rock. He sat there twitching and writhing in pain.

"Hahahaha...The new kid's a bit of an upstart Zion." Satan laughed.
"Shutup!" Zion said, his eyes never moving from Satan.
"I see you want a piece...WELL COME!"

Fei sat recovering and he blinked. In that short period of time he missed Zion's charge that spanned ten yards. Fei couldn't see the two fight.He'd just see a few explosions between the two colliding fists or legs and he'd see sand get kicked up all over the place. They were everywhere! That's when a loud noise erupted to Fei's right as he saw Zion and Satan's elbows collide and Zion drew the bastard sword.

"FEI GET OVER HERE NOW!" Zion yelled as he dodged three punches from Satan. Fei whirled to his feet and trying to show that he knew a few things back flipped to Zion's side and had the Excalibur in hand. Instantly and electric field began to form between the two.

"FEI, this is important! Make sure the swords fuse! When they do we can harm him with every blow. I'll Hold him off while you help them fuse!" Zion yelled as he jumped to Satan who hit him to the ground. Zion whirled to his feet and called on his ultimate attack, Ground Zero. The Apocalypse was on it's way...

Meanwhile Tabalan sat in the uppermost chamber of the Citadel, trying to start the cannon. A portal had opened, spilling out demons of all kinds. He and the remaining heroes had devised a way to stop them. He'd seen the star of the fight between Zion, Fei and Satan. He had seen Dran, Argile and Michael disappear, but knew, they most likely weren't dead. He pounded furiously on the control panel, finally the console lit up, Tabalan typed a few keys and momentarily the hum of the cannon was heard. Llyda came rushing into the room, her gun drawn, she fired out the door twice and then closed and bolted the door. She stood there panting. Tabalan didn't even bother to look back.

"Llyda, is Amandas' cannon in posistion?"
Llyda holstered her gun then responded.

"Yeah, Fei and Zion are fighting Lucifer, we have to help them, but first the wave of demons..." Tabalan nodded, as he looked down at the Coralian Army fighting alongside the Elven Army, he couldn't be prouder of his men than he was now. He turned back to the control panel, the cannon was operational now, he took the controller and aimed the cross-hair at the surging mass of Demons. He disengaged the safety locks and pressed the fire button. The cannon gathered energy and fired. A red beam hit the crowd of demons and incinerated them, a cloud of smoke arose and then settled leaving only a crater. Llyda pulled a receiver from her belt and spoke into it.

"OK, Amanda, Pan, the Demons are gone, we're gonna fire one more time into the portal, make sure you fire directly into our beam, at the portal entrance! Over"

The receiver was dead for a moment, then the crackle of static began, Llyda dropped the receiver and hung her head, they were dead, "Hello, Llyda! Llyda!" A voice came over the receiver Llyda fumbled for the device, "Oh, God! Pan she's not answering!" Amanda screamed.

Llyda could hear Pan in the background, telling her to calm down. Finally after what seemed like an eternity, Llyda found the receiver and spoke into it "I'm here! Did you hear my message? Over."
"Yeah" said Pan.
"We got it, Over"

Llyda sighed a sigh of relief, Tabalan, looked back at her "You ready?"

Llyda nodded.

From where Pan and Amanda stood, they saw the beam just as it hit the portal, Amanda aimed her cannon, then fire, at the beams' "end point", Pan closed his eyes and shot another beam of energy into the portal, the three beams converged in the portal, energy began to crackle and sizzle out. Space time around the portal began to destabilize, it was collapsing in on itself. Finally it shut, Llyda and Tabalan breathed a sigh of relief as they saw what had happened.

"Hey! Guys great job!" Llyda shouted through the receiver, to Pan "Yeah, Okay, just pick us up over!"

Llyda clipped the receiver back onto her belt, and gave Tabalan a thumbs up, Tabalan, disengaged the Citadel locks, and began to detach the top of the Citadel from the base, it hovered for a second then flew down to Amanda and Pans location. Llyda opened the door she had come through and tossed a rope ladder down to the two heroes, Pan climbed up, followed by Amanda. When inside Llyda closed the door. Amanda stared at Tabalan who didn't seem to know what to do next, Llyda shouted at him "Lets Get to Fei and Zion... NOW!"

Tabalan pushed the control stick inward and accelerated, they quickly flew over the island, and arrived at the battle ground of Fei and Satan, they arrived just in time to see Zion perform his ground zero attack, Zion was encompassed in energy, he held out his fist and opened his palm, energy flew into it rapidly, it gathered into an enormous ball of blinding power, Satan shielded his eyes against the glare. Zion shot the ball, it engulfed Satan in a torrent of energy. He tried to defend against it but Zion sent pulse after pulse into the hurricane of plasma. Fei sat awestruck, but still fusing the swords. Zion could feel himself falter, he was losing energy fast, he wouldn't see this fight to it's end. With one last pulse, he fell to the ground. Satan was kneeling. His armor cracked and destroyed, it fell to pieces, at his feet. Finally, the fusing was complete Fei was engulfed in a white light which soon Faded, leaving Fei confused, but clad in new armor, and holding a new sword. Zion coughed up blood as he stood weakly. "There you go Fei, I have done all I could, you posses the Legend armor and the sword of God. You now have the power to defeat Satan." He stopped, raised his hand and shot Fei with energy. He smiled "And now you have more" as Fei staggered back from the jolt of Zion's energy, Zion fell dead. Fei rushed over to him and kneeled.

"I can't do this alone," he sobbed, but a voice in his head told him "Don't worry, friends will help, I know.

Satan, looked at Fei, with a smile on his face "I'm not out of this game yet! Your mentor is dead and now you have no choice but to surrender" Satan cackled.

Fei stood up with his head hung low.
"That's what you think!" he said.

Fei raised his head to one side, he bled from his left eye, he bared his teeth and lunged at Satan blade whirling in a blinding volley of strikes. Llyda watched all of this from her position in the flying pinnacle of the Citadel. Amanda turned from the scene and searched for other survivors. She could see Charizard and Leviathan fighting the hordes of Demons which still remained. Phoenix, was held by Satan in a magical barrier, while Phin lay dead at Phoenix's feet. Tiv was nowhere in sight, neither was Dran, Argile or Michael. She began to worry about Argile most of all though. Even though she saw the Elves fighting valiantly, and the Coralians, half dead, and falling weaker, she still prayed for Argile to return. Llyda took this opportunity to take over command, she shoved Tabalan out of his seat. He fell to the floor with a thud. He rubbed the arm he had fallen on. Pan was still standing while Amanda seemed to read Llydas' mind, she walked over to the door and opened it. She used her magnetic field generator to scale the side of the Citadel, she stood and unholstered her receiver.

"Ready when you are Llyda" Llyda talked into her receiver "Now!" She said calmly.

Amanda fired her cannon, it hit Satan directly in the back, he howled in pain, Satan glared up at the Ship. He was about to react when Llyda shot another beam of energy. It sped towards Satan. Fei saw his moment and struck Satan in the back just as the beam hit, catching Satan and Fei in it's path.

All of a sudden a white light appeared deflecting the beam in every other direction but Satan's. When the debris and smoke cleared...there it stood...a pure white entity.

"What the--?!" Fei yelled.
It turned and landed on the ground. The white light started toward Satan.
"What NOW?!" Satan yelled.
"Remember me?!"
"It's impossible--it can't be ZION! He's dead! I saw him die!"

"Maybe it isn't Zion, but this fight can't be over with him dead...heheheheheheh. Remember the deal at the beginning Satan. You knew you couldn't kill Zion but you did it anyways. Now I can fight you."

"NO! GOD?!"
"Nope, God's perfect. He wastes no time on pests."
"Who are you?"

Fei saw his opportunity as he whirled to his feet and took the opportunity to strike. He brought the sword right through Satan's back sending blood everywhere. Zion's plan had worked. Meanwhile the legends were all gathered in the heavenly ship of Avalon. Above the battle. Apollion was in the Ship rallying the men.

"Fei has struck a punishing blow to Satan! But what I fear is that he doesn't know that Satan isn't even at 1% of his power yet! He's probably three million times stronger than he is now! The good news is that Michael sacrificed himself for Zion's sake. The energy in the cannon was enough to release Zion's soul to materialize. He'd done the ground zero attack on purpose. Now he was pure plasma. Soon Fei would deliver the final blow while all the legends held Satan at bay.

"Alright men... all 20 of you are the greatest! Make me proud. Pilot!" Apollion said.
"Yes sir." The pilot answered.
"Bring her down to the Devil's Crest!"
"Affirmati-"

They were interuppted by a stray blast hitting the ship's hull. "Dammit!" Apollion yelled as the ship began to spiral out of control.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Satan yelled as he hit the ground. "I DID IT! I AM THE LEGEND!! YESSSSS!" Fei yelled as he jumped up and down.

"No you didn't." The white light responded.
"Who are you?"
"Not exactly Zion. "
"What?"
"His soul. I am pure plasma.God is the only explanation. I gave up a seat in heaven for this and now I'm a pure soul everyone always goes to heaven or hell as a soul no one stays in purgatory. Well I'm doing just that. But also if you don't kill him in time, the planet dies."
"Wha-wh-what?!"
"That's right...about three or four hours..."

Just then a loud roar was heard in the sea. "What's that?" Someone in the elven army yelled as a huge beast rose from the sea. "OH MY GOOD LORD!" Someone else screamed. The beast shot fire everywhere as waves crashed on the shore.

"I always thought it was a metaphor!" "The planet will die?" Fei asked.

"Well, apocalypse is a real strain on a planet. And Satan's mere presence sucks up lifeforce like there's no tommorrow."

"Zion, why don't you die? You're hiding something here! I know it!" Fei was suspicious. Zion couldn't be human, It was impossible. "Can't talk now kid. Satan at 6 o'clock" Fei whirled around to meet a blade in his armor that knocked him back into a rock shoving him into it a few feet. Debris flew everywhere as Satan held the sword and faced Zion.

"YOU! STUPID ASTRALS! WHY WON'T YOU DIE!!!!!!!!"
Satan made a mad lunge at Zion swinging and Zion dodging.

Then Satan threw the sword down and threw a lightning fast hit straight into Zion's gut making satan's hand explode from the exposure to extreme energy. "Hahahahaha....your on my time now Satan." Zion's soul laughed.

"That's where your wrong Zion. While your soul can't die when I get charged to maximum power you will be unable to harm me!" Satan yelled.

Fei lay there in the cave unconscious, his thoughts drifting about.

"Appolion! We're going down fast!!!!" The pilot yelled as the ship corkscrewed.
"DO SOMETHING!" Appolion yelled back.
"I CAN'T SHE'S SHUTTING DOWN! IT THINKS THAT THIS IS A DRILL!" The pilot screamed.

Satan took a step back.
"Prepare to meet your fate Zion. After your soul is neutralized you will cease to exist. You're playing with fire, a gutsy move on your part." Satan laughed as he stepped back and gritted his teeth. Instantly a huge orange fire engulfed him making a large crater from where he stood. Zion's soul just floated in it's entirety and watched Satan power up.

"What's happening down there?!" Llyda yelled.
"I don't know! Charge a new blast!" Amanda said.

That's when the ship came crashing to earth on the battlefield. It skidded off of the hill and landed at the edge of the devil's crest. Men began pouring out of it and heading for Zion's soul and Satan. That's when a huge blast came from the sky, purplish red it was, and it hit a spot in the ocean. The explosion was great indeed killing the beasts in the sea and a good portion of the armies. It was bright red and the noise was great.

"So you've launched an aerial attack eh?!" Zion's soul said.
"NO! THAT WASN'T MY ARMY ATTACKING!" Satan yelled back as he stopped charging up.

This is where the historians are confused. They didn't know who or what was attacking the People. This is where the books trail off. Only a select few know what happened. What you are about to see next is the only true account of what happened.

Giants they were, the end they brought, the Infinity they were called. The Infinity were a race of beings whom God considered brethren. They brought the end to all life on a planet whenever they arrived. Zion had seen this coming, now it was too late. The Infinity were literally THE Armageddon, they would decimate everything. They had surrounded the Earth, each, as black as space, only their eyes shown. Fei had completely stopped with his assault on Satan to stare up into the heavens. There were six pairs of eyes, each fixed upon Fei, and at the same time, through him, into the heart of the Earth. The Coralion army had also stopped fighting, giving the demons the chance to attack but, as foretold, the end brought with it chaos. The very ground the army was standing on split asunder. The ocean began to boil. The moon was blocked out. It became a perpetual night throughout the land. Fei's problems had gotten much bigger.

Zion's voice spoke "Fei, you must act now, the others are on their way to help! This WILL end here and NOW! You must act quickly!"

Fei took heed and charged at Satan, suddenly, a piece of ice jutted up from the Earth, propelling Fei through the air. Steam spouted from the core of the Earth. Earthquakes ravaged the battlefield. The Infinities eyes began to glow. Volcanoes erupted, around the island. the Elven army took to the skies on Phoenix who was freed during the chaos. The army helped to pull the remaining Coralians from the inferno that was now the city streets. Meanwhile Llyda and Pan sat in the ship hovering, waiting for anything to happen that could save them all. Suddenly, Amanda's face lit up.

"I've got it!" she screamed, Amanda stood up and began pacing the tight room. "Why didn't I think of this before!?" Amanda turned to Tabalan.

"You said the Citadel was operational, right?"
Tabalan nodded his head.
"Can it fly?" She asked.
Tabalan thought about it for a minute and then nodded.
"Good, we can use the Citadel, to halt the attack of those...those whatever they are!" She said pointing to the eyes in the sky.

Llyda was about to question about when the Citadel was able to fly, but instead turned the ship around and headed for the Citadel. Upon reaching it they found that the city and most of the country side was overflowing with lava, and that the Citadel would be next, Llyda flew over and landed inside the front foyer of the tower. They disembarked, except for Pan. "I'll stay here, there's something that needs to be taken care of!" he said. Llyda nodded.

"Ok," She turned to Tabalan, who was busy scratching his little bald head. "Ok Tabalan where is the machinery needed to power this thing?" Llyda asked as she closed the giant doors to the Citadel. "Through there, lets hurry though!" Tabalan shouted as they headed straight for the generator room.

Fei continued to attack Satan, as the other legends arrived on the scene, an old legend named Lockhart, attacked with his saber, Satan turned to him and slew him where he stood, his body, began to wither, and finally turned to dust. Another quake ravaged the land. Charizard and Leviathan were struggling to stay in flight. They had been taxed to their limit. They both fell to Earth with a loud thud and with their last breath wrapped each other in their wings. Fei shed a tear, but couldn't stop fighting, Zion hovered above him unable to help, or risk violating his duty. Amanda was tinkering away in the engine room, when a shimmer went through the tower, it's top half began to fold downwards, and rested there, Amanda jumped for joy at this, the citadel now resembled a tank, Tabalan lost no time running up the stairs and into the main part of the control room, Llyda followed. Amanda came a minute later, huffing and puffing. Llyda looked around at the room.

"Where did this come from? There was no mention of this before!" She shouted at the absent minded Mayor. "Well...I uh... nevermind that lets go!" he said as he propelled the tower into the sky, Pan who had been waiting in the ship, flew up to meet with the rest of the group.

"Listen," he started "Those beings up there, they are called the Infinity, they bring the Apocalypse, we can't stop them, but we may be able to halt them."

Llyda shook her head. "No. First we rescue the remaining towns-people, then the army then the Infinity, but we have priorities!" "Right" Pan said as he stared out the window.

"We have to do something!" Argile shouted at Dran.
"I know what my part is now, so don't yell at me, I'm giving up freedom for this!"

Argile nodded, Dran looked around the white room, and wondered if what he was about to do would really save the world. Argile came over to him, "It's time, we have to act now or the Infinity will destroy Earth meaning another, Earth will have to be created!" "Fine" Dran muttered.

Argile opened the portal.

Llyda sped through the sky in the now mobile tower. Tabalan, the mayor of Coral, looked slightly disgruntled. Pan was down below in the engine room with Amanda, trying to reroute the cannon power to the main thruster engine. As the ship neared the western edge of Coral island, Llyda could see the beach up ahead, Rac and Lothgar were overwhelming both the armies. Amanda came running into the room, scaring Tabalan.

"OK, the cannon is still operational, but when in use, we'll slow down, so nothing major" a smile spread across Amanda's' greasy face. Llyda nodded and turned to land the tower.

An old legend named Ada tried her hand at defeating Satan. Though Satan was pre-occupied with Fei he nevertheless managed to push Fei off for a moment, whirl around and cut Ada in two. She staggered back for a moment, then her torso folded over backwards and she fell. Satan laughed at this, then turned around to meet Fei's blade. The tip of Fei's sword slid quite easily through Satan's skull. Satan staggered back, bellowed, then clutched his face, blood seeping through his fingers. Fei withdrew his sword, it's tip coated with thick dark blood. Satan removed his hand, revealing where he had been stabbed. Satan stood, blood trickling from his left eye. Fei advanced on him, as did the other legends. Satan fell to his knees. Fei stepped up to his kneeling figure, raised his blade into the air and spoke, "This ends now!"

Satan looked up. Fei's face was blocked by shadows, though Satan knew there was no remorse. He began to stand but was hit on the back by a legend named Iyc. Fei kicked Satan who fell backward on to the ground, his eye still bleeding. The other legends stepped back, but still encircled him. Now on his back, Satan once again tried to stand but Fei ran toward him, raised his blade and, with Satan staring up at him, brought it down over Satan's' neck. There was a sickening sound as the blade slid cleanly through Satan's' vertebrae. Satan's' head fell to the ground, billowing up dust. Fei lowered his sword, the other legends looked bewildered for they had never been able to do what was just accomplished here.

Fei began to walk away, but turned quickly, a deep rumble of laughter. Fei recognized it as Satan's. As he looked the ground opened up beneath the remaining legends. They fell into the gaping hole. Fei started after them but the ground had closed. He heard the screams of the legends as the earth ground them dust. Fei hadn't a clue, but as he turned he faced the rocky visage of Satan. His body was made of the ground. He had merged with the earth, but Fei did not know this, he only knew, he was now witnessing, Satan's ultimate form, the extent of his powers, and he didn't know if he would live.

The remaining members of the army piled into the tower, Llyda glancing around for any signs of Dran or Argile. She didn't see any. Still, she closed the doors. The tower lifted off the ground. Amanda was looking out the window at the two dead bodies of Charizard and Leviathan. She cried, but remained focused. Pan was also staring out of the window, and out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw a portal open, and two figures rush out, he turned to see it clearly, but it had vanished. He considered informing Llyda, but decided not to. It was probably just a figment of his imagination. Meanwhile, Tabalan had taken control of the tower and was now steering towards the heavens, toward the Infinity.

Fei collapsed to the ground hopelessly as Satan laughed and laughed in his form of the earth. He began destroying everything in sight forcing Fei to make hasty retreat. Fei was just inches from being swallowed up by Satan's earth.

Tabalan was near the infinity patrol when all of a sudden, a beam of light emerged. Tabalan was blinded as the tower was engulfed by the awesome force.

"It all ends now FEI! NOW NOW NOW! I CAN NEVER DIEEEEEEE!" Fei seemed to be out of options when all of a sudden a white light appeared before him and shouted, "GENESIS!!!!"

Instantly the world was engulfed in a huge explosion. Fei closed his eyes and let it consume him. 3 days later Fei awoke in a room, turquoise in color and sparkling with silver diamonds, the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

As his vision returned he saw three men outside of his small room conversing one was...was...SATAN?!! Fei made sure to listen as they talked.

"Nice kills Satan. You get better every time you do this."
"Oh yeah I know but, God, you're good. We'll do fine in the universal starimatig." Satan said to Zion casually.
"What?! This whole thing?! Oh my god?!" Fei thought.

He jumped from his bed and ran to the men and started yelling, "WHAT! I worked so hard! FOR...FOR..WHAT?! WHY WHY WHY! What are you--" The other men burst out laughing.

"You didn't think you knew it all did you? You think the apocalypse is a worldly thing eh? HA! This is a training exercise, the last one we got as a matter of fact. Before the universal starimatig...." Zion said half-laughing.

"What's that?" Fei asked.
"The Universal Apocalypse, the race for Safe Haven in the middle of the Universe." Satan said.
"Huh?" Fei asked.
"Ahhh, it's an intergalactic thing when good vs. evil really heats up." Zion said.
"This whole religion thing...is..is...a joke then?!" Fei asked.
"The bible you mean? HA! Our first training exercise was that book. You have much to learn my friend, for the Legend....can never....end."

Zion smirked at Fei as he showed him to his next training exercise.

~If you read this entire thing you probably did it at gunpoint.~

---

Return to The Rest of It Return to"Neverending" Stories See this story in it's raw, painfully unedited form.