Final Fantasy: Chronicle of Ultima CH.4

- Chapter Four -






Bright Lights swayed in the open. Xjrn’s head rested on the table. Her fingers tapping monotonically and her head staring down the lumpy clay wall. She was bored, very bored, hence the silence. Elliot was asleep. Sleeping in the basket he so dearly loved. The same one he was born in actually. Xjrn used her keen intelligence and created a very comfortable bed out of it. She stood and looked around. What could she do to pass the time? She could go fishing, but then again she never caught anything. She could go to the market, but staring at food and things she wants would be so unbearable.

She could explore the forest . . .

Her mind paused . . . Why would she even think of that? The forest they say is filled with many dangers, not only that a “Phalanx Avion,” something you don’t want to see, hear, or fight. It’s been known to crush even the greatest warriors to pieces.
But then again the chances of seeing one is very rare, so rare in fact that they're a wonder of existence, with that she then convinced herself she should go. What harm could happen anyways? She also wanted to see what was in there. She has heard there are faeries and nymphs in this forest. Kind creatures too, said to grant wishes. Xjrn smiled, propping instantly out the chair in excitement and then started to walk outside the house, when she remembered Elliot; she turned her head to the Avion, asleep in his basket.
She just couldn’t leave him here. She thought to herself, Oh he’ll be alright, and continued to walk outside. It was gloomy today, even though the sun was out, it somehow felt very dark, at least darker than usual. She took in the outside air and preceded to step forward when she suddenly heard a very strange cooing noise. Her eyes flashed and she looked behind her, and there at the door sat little Elliot, staring in confusion as it’s mother-like figure was about to leave. She sighed, “Well I guess I can’t leave ya there right?” she said giggling and walking over.
She walked over, lifted the little Avion, and then looked over at the forest; it cooed again and then made an awkward moaning sound. Was it trying to tell her something? She didn’t take note of however and began to enter the forest.

It was ridiculously dark, and it was stagnant and very crowded. She could barely fit through the closely shifted trees and she had clipped her ears plenty of times against the sharp bark of the plants and stems. She almost tripped once or twice on the lifting roots of the plantation, and had to climb plenty of rocks and annoying fallen logs.
Then she reached a tall wall of bushes and leaves, it stood high, and it looked impossible to climb, especially while carrying Elliot. She sighed, already a little annoyed by this place and tried to push through it, and saw something amazing. As soon as she poked her head past the leaves a small fairy floated past her and Elliot’s face; of course he tried to snap at it, but Xjrn held him back, not on purpose but was to stunned to let him go. The being was humanoid, yet small about the size of her hand its wings fluttering like a humming bird, and seemed obvious of Xjrn being there. Out of excitement, she pushed through falling out and rolling over, she misjudged how high she was.
She looked around, for once there was light. Yet, it was strange though, it felt like she had entered sometime at night; the blue light was a pure moonlight almost. However, this is also strange because, she had entered a spring, and the faeries seemed to be flying around it, oblivious to the fact she was there it seemed. She stood and started to walk forward seeing amazing creatures like no others, strange lotus plants that reacted, as she got closer, some diving under water, and some just hissing. She even saw strange species on the trees, little bugs that would jump around time from time. Then she happened to turn her head to see the river, which the water was coming from. She smiled, this place was so serene and calm, it was like a paradise.
As she walked into the light she looked up to see where it was coming from, and it astounded her, “The moon?” she said with a loud whisper, and yes it was the moon, or was it an illusion? There was no way she was here for a full afternoon; she just entered.
Could this place have an eternal night? Elliot made a small chirp and tried to jump out her hands, and then suddenly started to point its head into the direction of something. Xjrn rubbed his chin to calm him down but he only became more frustrated. She turned, “Stop it before I drop yo-" she looked up, “Oh my god! It’s a nymph!” she said to him slowly bending down hoping it didn’t see her. The Nymph was sitting down on a log, holding a harp, she had crystal blue skin and strangely ice looking hair, it was silver but crystal like, although bare the beauty wore a small almost lowing cloth, made of a blue fabric Xjrn had never seen before. She wasn’t playing the harp; in fact, her head turned to see Xjrn and she made a careless smile.
“Hello . . .” the spirit said. Xjrn was about to say ‘hello’ herself when the creature suddenly started to float away with wings of silver feathers. “Hey!” Xjrn cried out and then started to chase the creature down the river stream; hopping off to enter a large area where the trees had vanished for a good yard. To the right of her was another dark path it was far and deep. Elliot suddenly started to freak out, jumping and screaming madly. She turned around and started to try to calm him down only to look up at a statue of Avions face staring out the forest abyss. It nearly frightened the hell out of her, nearly. Elliot started to scream and then let out a very long and shrieking coo, which then transferred into a somewhat funny roar. She laughed. “You will be big like that soon!” she said with smile, “Now c’mon lets find the Nymph.” She was about to turn around when suddenly the eyes of the Avion statue opened, each of the eyelids pulling up. And two very red eyes stared down at her. For a second her face remained the same and then it hit her, this was no statue . . . This was a Avion . . . her face became even paler and her eyes widened and a sickly frightened look came to her face, and without hesitation she burst off running, the Avion let out a long frightening roar that echoed and Elliot roared back.
It burst its large head from the tree destroying it with its massive body and any other tree in its range, and Palanox, the Phalanx Avion ripped after her with a mad intension; to kill Elliot of course. No Avion, unless trained, likes another Avion to be in its territory. She kept running; she looked back to see the large monster chasing her, with every breath, there was a shriek, she didn’t want to die, not now. Of course, now she regretted coming to this damn forest. It was going to kill her.
She kept running, and then she tripped and fell over, what was that? Another tree limb sticking from the surface of the floor of course. She scuffled to her feet and the Avion closed in, it pulled its head back and snapped forward attempting to crush her. She dived out the way screaming and watched as its head slammed into the ground, and then ripped it back crying madly, she burst off her feet and entered into a run. The monster, out of utter rage, suddenly tore a tree from its roots and Palanox suddenly lobbed a large tree at her, she shrieked and then fell over, the tree barely missed her head, the large Avion closed in and then tried to snap at her again, she rolled and avoided a blow that would have ripped her legs off. Then she ran, fast like a blitz, as soon as she faced the direction she needed to be in, she saw it! A way out, a dark cave, she didn’t even wonder about the dark creatures that could lie in there, instead she fully ignored it and dived in, rolling down the small hill, and surprisingly stopped on the steps of stone and marble.
There where steps here, was someone here? She stared up at the cave entrance, the Avion stared inside and became enraged, its eyes glowed red and Elliot shrieked, she didn’t understand why she stood up but she did and started to run. There was a sudden explosion as it blasted a large burst of fire down the cave hole, she turned quickly and kept descending the hole hoping to out run it.
She felt it slam against her back, it was so intense that she could have fallen over, instead; she was blown off her hinges and slammed into a wall. She sat there wheezing; it burned, her back was in a heap of pain. However, surprisingly there wasn’t a singe at all. She looked back too see that her clothing had been razed off in the back and that her scales were lustrous, she reached back and poked one, it was sizzling, and burned her hand, it had to be hot enough to cook on at this point.
She just absorbed the heat from the flame. Her scales could really do that? She stood, Elliot started to coo as he saw his master stand, she wasn’t wounded but in aching pain. She started to walk down more and then saw something a little frightening, the Nymph. She was sitting on a small rock playing the Harp tranquilly. She set Elliot down and walked over slowly. “Please, can you help us!? That Avion out there is trying to kill me and Elliot!”

“Mother of the Espers, thou hast entered our woods, why?” Said the Nymph.

Xjrn pressed onward. “Mother of Espers?” Elliot ambles over to the fair Nymph who bent over, lifted him and stroked his back gently. “Of course dear Otis, wielder of the Twilight Avion, thou art Xjrn, Goddess of the Espers, the one?” The Nymph stood and walked over to the young girl, “Go-Goddess!” she said with a bark, stuttering of course, “I am not, where in the world did you get that?” The Nymph chuckled, the girl was so young, little did she know the powers within her. The nymph should know, she was once her in a strange way; no apart of her. Instead the Nymph led to change the subject “Where is your sword Xjrn? Thou wish to tame Paladox’s wild temper, you will need thy sword and shield. A blade of light, a shield of guardianship, the shards of hope. Your sword is thy love, your shield is thy heart, Xjrn, the merciless Goddess of Espers, shall you take it?”
Xjrn stared with a perplexed look, what was she talking about? This wasn’t ordinary; this whole forest was filled with something strange, almost as if it was waiting for her. She wanted to leave; she wanted to go home. Back to that little hole, she lives in, a little patch of nothing, but it was still home. Xjrn looked up, her eyes narrowed on the Nymph. “. . . Who are you. . .” she said with a somewhat dark, yet brave voice. “How do you know so much about me? I have never met you Nymph, and with your powers I doubt you can read minds.” The Nymph smiled, lowering the young Avion to the floor, he scuttled around and then looked up and stared at the two.

“Me? Thou need not know who I am . . .”
“No, you tell me Nymph, who are you?” the girls voice started to become frustrated.
The Nymph giggled, “For one Xjrn, I am not a Nymph.”
Xjrn’s eyes squinted. “Then what are you?”
The creature we once thought was a Nymph, started to walk forward, she held the harp in her hands with a delicate arch and pointed to the dark and then she too slowly started to disappear.
“Follow . . .” she announced.
“Wait . . . No!” she screamed, “Stop walking away from me!” Xjrn suddenly walked over, grabbing Elliot and following the creature to the shadows.
It was too dark, she remembered tripping over things, a lot of hitting walls, she only became more and more desperate to know this person, a person she has never met, her shadow in the heart of the forest. She felt alone, very alone, the dark was just so cold, so unfeeling. The mercy it showed was more than just direct, it was, astonishingly frightening. She walked slowly down into nothing it felt, and then she tripped over a small rock she sat there, looking around, “Hello! Lady, where did you go?” Elliot chirped to Xjrn’s voice. There was a deep moment of silence. Xjrn tried her hardest to the pierce the shadows, but nothing happened.

“So does thou believe . . .?” said a voice, direct and front.
“Do I believe what?” Xjrn started, she looked back and thought of something, “That I am a goddess?”
“I was once part of yourself, Xjrn, the Goddess of Espers, I gave up my life, my power, to live in eternal rest. Too many I was known as Shiva,”
Xjrn looked around confused. “You know me . . .? Shiva?”
“Not anymore of course, but in thy past, in another life, yes.” Suddenly she heard footsteps, someone had gotten very close, and before she could actually say something, a strong light shined down upon her, where she saw Shiva and the moon. Shiva stood above her, smiling a warm smile. However, it was not enough to reassure Xjrn.
“What am I? People tell me I am a Avion Mage, is that entirely true?” Xjrn said, standing slowly.
“Logically in a way, nigh, thou is more than just that, for they are merely riders attained at birth of Avionic powers. You my dear, thou are’t the goddess of the greatest beings alive; you Xjrn are a Goddess.” Xjrn looked down she felt the urge to do something, she wanted power again, the same thing she wanted when she fought Grum, the same thing she wanted when she found Elliot. “Help me . . .” Xjrn said, somewhat nervous to say it out. “Help me to obtain my true power. Help me conquer the Avion above.” Shiva smiled even more. “There are things thou must now about thyself Xjrn, powerful things,” The maiden said as she started to walk around her, “In thy current form Odin, thou’ist eyes, ears and nose are like no other humans, thou art a perfect being, able to do anything. But, there is another powerful thing about thee Xjrn, thou’ist Immortal.” Xjrn looked back, surprised, this wasn’t true, she was immortal? “So, I will never die?” she said. “No . . . Unless, you do not complete yourself.” Xjrn looked at Elliot. Xjrn smiled, the woman suddenly tapped Xjrn, and pointed to something. “There is more power in you that will be unlock throughout your growth. Those will help you grow.”

Xjrn stared at it, it was so distant. “What . . . is that?” Xjrn said leaning over. “It is your heart, and your guardianship . . . go Xjrn, take them.” Said the creature. She looked at the maiden with a somewhat scared look, and then the maiden nodded, to confirm her fate. Xjrn started to walk, it felt far away, she felt like she wasn’t getting any closer, it felt like hours had passed before she could finally see the blade. She stepped over and stared at its design, her eyes scanned until she saw something else, a shield rested behind it. She walked over and lifted it. The shield was small and round, but had strange acrylic symbols embedded on its silver front surface, with a large jewel shaped quite like the symbol on her palm, the back was a lining silver that had a rainbow sparkle in the light. She stared forward with a cold look as she gripped the leather handle, she was worried, she wondered how the small thing could protect her from a person, let alone a Avion. Her eyes scanned back to the sword, which was stuck in a Pedestal, the stone bearing the mark of the twilight Avion. She gripped the hilt and pulled, it wouldn’t budge.

“Oh, one more thing, do you love someone?” said the voice of the harp carrying woman.

“I . . . I love Elliot . . .” she said. “Of course, but there must be something else.” The creature replied. “No . . . I don’t think.” She said as she stared at the sword. “Then in order to pull thy sword from its hilt, thou must promise it that you will defeat Palanox.” Xjrn’s eyes sparkled and an angered look formed, “I was already going to kill it.” She said. Then she yanked at the sword again, there was a small glow on the pedestal, and then finally it unhooked from the plinth, and she lifted its heavy body in the air. A straight handle, a Bastards sword, with a handle incrusted with diamonds, and a rune slot slipping through the silver blades surface.

Sadly, Xjrn could barely read this ancient Elvin language.

“Excalibur . . .” said the woman.

Elliot stared at the blade and cooed.
“Xjrn, are you ready to fight Palanox?” Xjrn nodded, she was ready to do anything at this point, she either tried or she died, that’s how she thought of this situation. Then suddenly everything went from a dark taunting black, and shined white and then she suddenly was at the entrance to the cave. “Then it is time, fight Palanox, the Phalanx Avion.” Xjrn’s heart raced and she turned back with a terrified face. There was the Avion looking down on her with an angered, furious look, she lifted the blade and put her shield in front of her, this wasn’t going to be a walk in the park. “Are you truly ready?” said a voice; she turned and saw the woman sitting atop the cave with Elliot in her lap.

The shadow of the earth-like giant toward above her with a dark almost demonic tone, a beast of black blood and earthly flesh, stone hinged scales of rock and monstrous claws of obsidian glass. The monster pressed forward with an impulse to kill, a rampaging colossus with a Gaussian like appearance stepped forward and showed its awesome mighty honor, a belly made of feathers with a Phalanx symbol etched upon it. The beast suddenly charged forward and lunged at the girl, Xjrn shrieked and dived out the way, getting away quickly with a messy and poorly executed dodge role. However, there was no time to waste; even she knew time was of the essence. Xjrn lifted the shield, she had to attack, attacking was the only way this young girl would survive this battle, defense would get her nowhere. The beast leaned over and was surprised to see the young girl charging forward, with the blade in hand she swung wildly without any precision whatsoever. She had never wielded a sword, so swinging was the only thing she knew how to do. But her swings were too wild, the beast would just lift its head back and swat at her. Of course, it too was at a disadvantage, it just couldn’t handle swinging at something so small, it missed of course, but then Xjrn was somewhat good at reading movement. She could actually get away from its powerful claws, which even surprised her.
Then she saw something she did remember seeing before. Its eyes suddenly glowed a deep red. The Nymph like creature stared at Xjrn, she truly wondered if Xjrn could handle this beast, Of course, the little girl could dodge, but it’s also about killing it as well. “I wonder if you can handle its fire?” she said to Xjrn, leaning forward, a hint of course. “Wait? What? Fire?” she screamed and then the Avion suddenly slammed forward leaning forward with its head pointed at Xjrn. Then there was a burst of fire, she shrieked and in an accidental reaction lifted her hand to her face, the flame didn’t even touch her, instead it deflects off the shield, and something else. The shield was emitting some sort of light from its rim, the light was long and extended for at least a foot and a half, and it literally blocked her entire frontal region. She smiled, “Whoa, this thing is better than it looks!” but then suddenly in her happy amiss, she hadn’t seen the giant claw fast enough to dodge it’s attack, and was slammed by it’s powerful arm, it sent her skidding across the floor. She was surprised that hit didn’t break anything. Or so she thought, her left hand which held the shield was ironically not moving. She stood, exhausted already from one blow. Now she had to deal with a lifeless arm . . . This thing . . . had too much power.
She stared at its awesome rage, she had to find a way, the head has to be its weakness, but how to kill it? She couldn’t just tell it to bend over and stab it in the face. She studied the way it suddenly stood up right. The beast has to bend over to launch fire at her. In addition, that’s when its head is the lowest. Nevertheless, the only time the monster was low enough was when it was blasting a burst of fire. However, there was no way she could get close to it then. Instead, she must go for something else. The neck looked like armor almost, and the top of its head seemed fur like. She couldn’t climb it though. So she had to think of something else, something more painful, maybe just to get it away. She thought of something . . . It might just work. The Avion lunged forward and she stepped out of its way and dodged one of its claws. She pulled her sword up in a taunting fashion. She gripped a rock and tossed it at the beast. It slammed into its nose, pulled back, and roared furiously. “C’mon you stupid lizard, fight me like a real Avion!” she screamed a bluff, and it of course angered the beast even more, human tongue is easily understandable by Avions. Its eyes grew a deep red, and then . . . There was another huge burst of flames. However, this time it unraveled in a much deferent role.
Xjrn had dodged the flame and now closed in on the beast, which blinded itself with its own smoke and flame. “Tah!” she screamed and then slashed at its open leg, the leg flew off as if an axe man chopping a log, and black blood spewed from its open wound. She wasn’t ready for that one. In fact, it got all over her, the side of her face was covered in the crap, and it blinded her right eye. The beast pushed back and screamed to the winds in pain. She stepped back rubbing her eyes and trying to get the blood out. And suddenly the creature extended its wings and jumped to skies.

She smiled and then fell back, “Did I win?” she said, Shiva giggled, even she knew this wasn’t over yet. Suddenly a shadow flew above her and the young girl. Xjrn looked up, “It’s hast returned!” she looked around; “Damn!” this thing would never go away it seemed. Suddenly she saw it flying above in the farther regions and then it suddenly dipped into the trees. Hers eyes lowered and then she stared deep into the forest. “Where did it go?” Suddenly she felt a tingling sensation in her arm. She lifted, her eyes widened, a being like herself could heal that fast?
A powerful smashing noise echoed across the forest. Xjrn’s body fidgeted with every crash and her eyes widened as she twisted back and forth. Behind the smoke of the dark forest and the never-ending calm of night. The noise vanished for what seemed like a split second . . . . . . .
Then . . . . Wham! Right in front of her, the trees suddenly exploded apart, the Avion suddenly slammed towards her. There was no time to react. Even as well as she could, it happened so fast, it was almost impossible to dodge. It came at an angle where it seemed as if it just attacked blindly, it could have swept her off the ground with its powerful jaws but instead it crashed against her. Its wing slamming into her stomach; it was enough though to force the air out of her . . . And break a couple ribs. She could feel them suddenly crunch inward the sharp pointed bones snapping and jamming into her stomach. She couldn’t breathe; it hurt like nothing she has ever felt . . .
She didn’t know if she did it out of reaction or out of sheer agony and pain, but when the creature smashed into her, her hands grabbed its feathery wings and latched on hard, locked into place. The creature lifted into the sky, it hoped to drop her from above, and that would be dire. She opened her eyes as the pain started to drown away. In the air it was like nothing could break the silence, the wind pushed against you hard and the wind made your ears pop. She would have felt happy if it wasn’t for the horrible situation she was in. but something did catch her attention . . . . The sky. It was amazing; the moon stood above her, it was deep and blue, and the stars were far from there, there were clouds of nebulas just floating. Then as you stared toward the horizon, to where Rubanutre was located, one would see the setting sun and the dawn sky, that fading into the night as it entered the forest. She stared with wide eyes, oblivious to the blood that started to fall from her lips. Then as the Avion suddenly flapped an arm, she shrieked and gripped it tight. She couldn’t die, not now. Not while she still had her friends, while she still had Elliot . . . And Kilik. The Avion suddenly roared and started to roll repeatedly. She slammed her hands into the beast wings and gripped hard, if she let go, she’d die. The Avion suddenly pulled into large flip. Its body shined in the moonlit air and as if faced dusk, it started to descend at a speed that would make even the greatest knights stomach turn. She tried to crawl up, but was caught by something. Bushes and trees started to slam against her repeatedly, it descended into the trees. It quickly ended though; the beast couldn’t take such self-battery it seemed. She had to do something; its wings weren’t a place to be on a mad Avion. She had to find a way to get to its back. However, with her wounds. It seemed she could barely move. Her arms barely had the strength to push her up.


Suddenly the monster pulled a monstrous flip and flapped its wings in a wild spree. It was getting annoyed it seemed, but Xjrn wasn’t ready . . . Her grip slipped . . . And she fell.

She felt herself descend in midair. This was the end wasn’t it? It couldn’t be this way. There was no way this could end so quickly.

But then it was almost as if it was fate watching this match, the Avion suddenly came back, either misjudging it’s aim or if it didn’t realize she was still in the sky, but she suddenly fell across it’s back, and it happened again, her body reacted without her permission, and grabbed it’s fury mane. Now she rode on the back of the Avion, Palanox was actually oblivious to the fact she was there. She knew this was it . . . this was her only chance to do something. She pulled her arm up, ignoring the deep pain in her stomach and crawled forward. Until finally she reached the neck of the Avion. The monster had immediately sensed her there and started too rolled and zoom back and forth in the air. Xjrn held on tight. Soon after twisting and jolting around in the air, the beast was now too tired to move. She however was holding on to her dear life, one of her eyes opened as the Avion suddenly slowed and entered into a float. “Now!” she screamed and then suddenly started to crawl up its neck placing each leg on the side of each foot. “Die!” she yelled, and then let out a battle cry as she raised the blade and slammed into the back of the creatures head, the blade entering into one side of it’s skull and piercing the other side hard and fast. As the black blood of the Phalanx Avion sprayed out, it let out a deranged and painful cry as it slowly started to fall back. Xjrn fell too, leaving her blade, falling from Palanox’s head and entering free fall in a very quick but nominal speed. As she stared up, she saw Palanox’s body start to glow with a fierce blue, its body quickly burning into a blue flame that eroded into the night.

She suddenly slammed into trees and then rolled down to the floor. The grass helped cushion her fall. However, all and all she was just too weak to keep going. She stared up at the sky, with a smile however, “I won . . . I actually beat the Avion . . .” she smiled and coughed, she could feel the starchy liquids enter her throat. “But . . . I think I’m a little to late aren’t I . . . Oh Elliot . . .” she said aloud . . . “Kilik . . . Both of you . . .” Before she could continue, something caught her attention. A glint in the air. At that moment she felt herself starting to black out. The glint increased, over and over again. It was her sword . . . falling toward her. She stared and felt nothing, her eyes became dark and as soon as the blade came toward her, she fell asleep.








Xjrn awoke from what felt like a horrible nightmare, sweating and panting. She was at home; lying in bed, she stared around her room in disbelief. “A dream . . .” she said aloud. That was somewhat depressing. All of that work, and it was only a dream? How annoying. She sat out of bed, wondering what to wear. She walked out wearing a cloth and stared into her living room, she made a simplistic smile Elliot was a sleep and nothing seemed deferent. Until however she turned her head to stare at something on the wooden table . . .

“Excalibur . . .” she said with a pause and an utterly confused look.

The blade from her dreams, it was sitting on her table. And so was her Shield. She fell on her knees. But wait, She couldn’t have, she died in her dreams? What was she doing here? Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. Elliot suddenly awoke and looked up and chirped. “Elliot. I can’t be going insane right now . . . no, that really happened . . . right?” he only chirped in response. Suddenly the flaps of the door rose up, “Kilik?” she said as she saw her friend stumble inside. Kilik smiled. “Hey, how are you?”
Xjrn pouted and then suddenly sprung on a foot, she seemed like she was trying to blurt something out. Kilik stared, “Are you oka- by the Twilights where did you get a sword!” Xjrn’s eyes widened. “You didn’t realize I wasn’t here all today?”
Kilik hopped back “Wait what?”
“You heard me!” Xjrn countered.
“It’s early in the morning, I just woke up little while ago tired and sleeping spuds.” Kilik said crossing her arms.
“. . . . . . . .” Xjrn didn’t realize it was still morning, and still as gloomy as ever. If she had gone, it would have been dawn by now. Right?
“Never mind.” Xjrn continued. “And I just found the sword alright . . . And the shield was with it.” She continued.
“You found it? What, you were just bumbling around and happened to see it sitting there on the floor?”
“I wasn’t bumbling; I was . . . gardening . . .” It was obvious she was lying.
Kilik shook her head, “I don’t care, just get a dress on and come on.” Xjrn looked up. “What?” she started, “Where are we going, I can’t leave Elliot?” Kilik looked at the basket and then suddenly put a cloth over it. “There, now no one will notice you caring a little Avion under there.” Xjrn stared with dull eyes . . . “You have to be joking . . .”
It seemed Kilik wasn’t, with that, Xjrn got dress, and they all left out.





It was almost nighttime before they all got back. Kilik stared at Xjrn as they reached home. Xjrn had stopped and was staring into the forest. Her eyes were too deep in there for Kilik not to notice something weird, she seemed almost in a trance. “Xjrn?” she said walking forward. “What are you staring at?” Xjrn didn’t reply for what felt like a good second.
“Did all of it truly happen?” She said aloud. Kilik’s head tilted to the right. “What are you talking about?” Kilik said as she walked over to Xjrn and observed her carefully. “I went in there . . . into the forest . . .” she said, Kilik’s eyes widened, “You went into the forest?” she shook her head, “Your either brave or stupid Xjrn, I’d never go in there!”
“I did . . . And I saw faeries and a Nymph . . . but she wasn’t really a Nymph.” She said aloud.
“Faeries? A nymph that’s not a Nymph?” she said slowly. “You seemed to have quite the adventure.”
“And then . . .” Xjrn started and then started to move forward as she talked. “I was chased by a Avion, and she told me I was a Goddess of Espers, and that I was special.” Xjrn said with a sorrowful look as she stared into the shadowy abyss. Kilik’s eyes widened, this was just too spontaneous to be a lie.
“You were chased by it? Oh god it didn’t hurt you?” She almost didn’t note the goddess thing though. “So you are a Avion riding Goddess?” Xjrn looked at Kilik. Kilik was either really imaginative or just plain gullible. “Yes, I fought the Avion too. And I killed it . . . it’s the Phalanx Avion, Palanox.” Kilik’s eyes widened, “Wait? You killed the wild Phalanx Avion that roams the forest?!” Kilik stared at Xjrn and then looked back at the forest entry; it gave a cold embrace, almost as if taunting the two to enter. But Kilik, being so adventurous wanted to see these things, she wanted to know what a Phalanx Avion looks like, and she wanted to know what nymphs and faeries were. She also wanted to know what the forest looked like.
“You know, I lied . . .” said Xjrn, as she stared off into the distance. “I lied about the sword.” She said. Kilik turned and stared with a somewhat disappointed look. “Why Xjrn? You don’t have to lie to me.” she said with a careful tone. “I know, I was scared though, I was frightened; I thought you’d find me strange if I told you I found it in the forest.”
Kilik smiled, her face becoming grim, “Well . . . I guess I will just have to see . . .” she said as she started to walk toward the forest entrance.
“See what?” Xjrn said stepping forward. “You aren’t going in there are you?” she said walking over to Kilik, stopping as Kilik put her hand on a tree and then stared back at Xjrn. “of course Xjrn, I just have to see these things you speak of, it’s rather amazing you now.” Xjrn, who was confused at the sudden bravery of Kilik, almost protested. But then she sighed. “Fine.” She said. “But let me grab my blade okay?”

The Three; Elliot, Xjrn, and Kilik, were all drifting into the forest deep echoes. Xjrn had her blade and shield slung across her back; Kilik held Elliot and walked behind her. “Do you know where you’re going?” she said to Xjrn. “Yes, Yes I do.” She stated. Xjrn truly did know where she was at, but; it wasn’t that she remembered where she was, it was that something was calling her to that region, something pushed her to go there.
Kilik suddenly found herself staring into a deep and large patch of bushes, and a wall of them that stood a couple feet high. “Past here,” Xjrn started, “we will be entering the sacred part of the forest.” Her voice was surprisingly strong willed, and she seemed almost undaunted by the forest itself. Kilik stared up, “Sacred?” she started. Xjrn suddenly stepped to the side and lifted her hands to the bushes, almost gesturing an entrance into a home. “You first . . .” Kilik’s eyes squinted and she seemed reluctant at first gaze. Then after taking a deep breath, the young girl pushed her way through the grassy patches and fell into the serene land Xjrn had entered before. Xjrn giggled as she suddenly heard Kilik scream. “My twilights there are faeries!” she screamed.

Xjrn pushed through the brush but her eyes froze as soon as she stared into the light of the one hole In the batch of trees. She stared with a somewhat confused and annoyed look. Something wasn’t right . . . Kilik hadn’t noticed it because she was too busy chasing the faeries around to actually realize this. But the hole that once gave off moonlight in Xjrn’s time of entering was now a sunny bright glow. This was weird though. Last time she entered, it was night. And now, it is day.
But at the same time, when her and Kilik entered; it was night, but in here . . . it was day? Xjrn made a cautious “Psss,” to Kilik. Who had heard and stared back cautiously, “Come here . . .” Xjrn said. Kilik nodded and jogged back quickly. “Something isn’t right . . .” She said pointing to the sun hole. Kilik stared at it for what felt like a minute, until it finally registered in her brain that something really wasn’t right with this scene. “oh my . . .” she said . . . “Your right, it is morning, or damn almost, yet . . . When we came inside-” Xjrn continued, “it was night.”
Kilik walked over to the brush and stared deeply into the sky. “But . . . there’s no way it took us that long to get here.” She said but was surprised when Xjrn had suddenly walked over to the bush. Her eyes wide. “Xjrn . . . Do you think that . . .” Xjrn looked back, “This world has a deferent time realm than ours?” she noted. And Kilik nodded. Xjrn grabbed Kilik’s arm and then started to run, “c’mon . . . I have to show you something.” She said as she continued. Kilik nearly jumped with fright, “Wait!”

Xjrn had run as far as they could, until they reached the place. The stone with the cave inside it. Kilik fell back panting, Elliot was still asleep and Xjrn looking around in disbelief. Another strange thing, if she had fought the Avion here then there would be scorched trees, snapped bushes and a totally messed up environment from which the battle had incurred . . . but no, the place looked fine. Almost, as if no one had entered it. Xjrn started to walk impatiently toward the cave entrance. “Hey, hey! Don’t leave me!” Kilik yelled, as she stood to follow. Xjrn had an angered look on her face. And Kilik couldn’t understand why.
“Hey what’s wrong?” she said to Xjrn. Xjrn thrust her hands back. “Nothing seems right!” she said as she walked down the stairs, those to unaffected, and Xjrn remembered being blasted by a fire that would have scorched this stairway. “What?” Kilik said, and Xjrn pushed faster. Searching, and for what, Shiva. They finally reached the small room where Xjrn met the so-called nymph. She stared around and then looked to the dark, Kilik’s face filled with worry. “Um, Xjrn . . .” she said. But there was only silence. Kilik was suddenly surprised as Xjrn suddenly grabbed her hand and rushed into the darkness.
“Whoa! Xjrn its way to dark to be walking around in here, there could be Clock Belly Spiders, and Dead Hands, we really shouldn’t be in here!” Xjrn didn’t answer, but then both of them seemed to stop and became quite as they stared into a large room, where only one light lit close, and another far, far away seemed to be almost impossible to reach. Xjrn suddenly let go of Kilik and ran forward. And into the light. “Nymph, or Goddess, Where are you!” she screamed. “Nothings right, this place has felt like nothing has even happened, as if unaffected by time, tell me, was I truly here or not!” Kilik stood there; she was too scared to say anything. She felt it wasn’t necessary. Xjrn looked forward. Something had caught her eye. A glint of light in the far distance. The place where she obtained the blade, Excalibur. “Kilik! Come!” Xjrn commanded, she suddenly entered into a sprint and entered into the dark. Kilik frowned, but sighed and followed soon after.

Impossible . . . Completely Impossible . . . Those were the thoughts that rang through her head as she sat and stared at yet another blade, no; not just another blade, but a shield as well. “Another sword . . .” Xjrn said as she stared at it. Kilik finally arrived panting hard, and dripping with sweat, “Damn it Xjrn; don’t leave me like that . . . I’m a short distance little girl, and quite raving is my energy.” She slowly made her way up the Alter where the blade stood still on the pedestal, the summer light shined down upon it. “Whoa . . . Another one . . . ?” she continued to say, “but, Xjrn . . . didn’t you get a blade from here?” Xjrn seemed to ignore her, walked over, and tapped the hilt. “It’s nice; it looks almost like mine . . .” But there were some differences, instead of silver, the blade was gold, it shined with a heavenly light as well, it had a strange hilt however, yet a powerful arm guard, and the blade seemed to be a little wider than hers as well and hade a V shaped tip, obviously very heavy. “Well . . . Let’s see if I can pull it out.” Xjrn suddenly gripped the blade and yanked at it hard, but it didn’t work, she tried at least five times and Kilik could almost laugh as it looked as if her face was turning red.
Then Xjrn remembered something. The Nymph said the only way one could pull it out was if they met a challenge or if they were in love . . . She thought to herself. And then shook her head, it felt as if something was unanswered here. She didn’t have a challenge put ahead of her, nor did she have the heart of someone. She couldn’t understand. “I don’t understand this Kilik. I don’t have a true love; I don’t have anything of the sort, no challenge, no anything.” Kilik was busy trying out the shield and swinging it around. “It’s a pretty golden shield it is!” she said as she stared at the emblems on it. “Wait, what?” Kilik said as she looked over. “I think your just weak . . .” she continued to say. “Love can’t pull a blade from its pedestal . . .”

Suddenly there was an explosion and a huge burst of light as something blew the walls of the stone monastery down . . . The Phalanx Avion. Xjrn’s face became extremely fierce, “Its back?” She looked to Kilik who had fallen over in fear, “Oh, no, no . . . I’m going to die. . .” she cried and started to push back, the room was finally lit with light, and it reveals a large room with symbols of the Twilight scrolling around it. She studied the Avion, it had changed, it went from a creature that was dark, and looked to be made of earth, too a beast that had flesh, made of true bone and what not. She looked to Kilik, “Don’t fright, lest this beast lay a finger on you while I live!” she screamed and then suddenly charged at the Avion. The beast suddenly hopped back to see the girl charging, it’s gold body swayed back and then it threw a claw forward swiftly and with the intent to kill. But Xjrn, with the pure bravery, and the will to save a friend; suddenly bursted to the left and then suddenly slashed its open arm, but there was a problem, her blade made contact but bounced off, it couldn’t cut its powerful scales. And then suddenly it swiped its hand aside and smashed into the young girl hard, it sent her flying back and slamming into a wall. Where the impact seemed to not only throw her into utter daze, but may have injured her as well.
Kilik screamed in fright as she saw what happened to Xjrn, watching as her friend tried to push off the wall, suddenly gagged and then fell back. She whimpered and looked around as the Avion started to walk toward Xjrn. Her eyes focused on a glint, the blade, if she could pull it out . . . She tugged it as hard as she could, with all her might.

Suddenly she gave another tug, and then tugged again as the light from the Pedestal increased and then as it burst from it’s hinged self the blade lifted to the air. Then suddenly a cold feeling swept through her body. Her eyes change to a gold piercing light, and pupils of a Avion replaced that of a humans, she hadn’t realized it however. She looked up, “Xjrn!” She looked over to see Palanox advancing on Xjrn. “Xjrn!” she screamed again and then ran forward, but then suddenly her blade started to shake, it shook so much that she almost dropped it, and then suddenly it raised up, and a bright light suddenly shot from it, pointing at the Avion. It was showing her something. She looked forward, with that hard shell, there would be no way she could kill this monster, but it just so happened that on it’s back there was nothing but fur, no armor or anything, it looked to have fallen off maybe. She grunted and shot forward, ignoring the shaking blade, and its amazing weight, and proceeded to suddenly charge the Avion. Well, it was more like a pushed run; the blade was so heavy she was dragging it behind her. However, due to her excitement, and utter passion to save her friend she didn’t actually realize its heaviness and ran completely ignoring it. As she drove closer the young girl braced to jump, she would catch it off guard if she had too, a strike right at the weak spot would crush it.
She suddenly drawn all the strength in her body to her legs and braced as she launched herself up and high into the air. She did not know how she did it, nor did she understand why; but by using her momentum, the girl swung the blade in a full vertical swing also meaning she flipped a full rotation and then slammed it into the back of the beast. A very skillful and powerful blow . . . that she clearly didn’t land correctly. Instead, it just smashed against the scales, shattering them and slicing across its back. The beast was completely caught off guard, thrown into a masked oblivion the monster screamed while arching its back stiffly and threw itself over. Moaning in pain and crawling back trying to recompose itself from that viscous blow. That blade could shatter its armor easily. It had a powerful hilt and the blows struck hard, the blade even boosted the power of Kilik, all though Kilik possessed great power already. She hadn’t even realized it yet funny enough. As the Avion tried to regain itself Kilik made a run to Xjrn who seemed almost unconscious, she woke as she saw Kilik run toward her, the young girl stared with a blurred look, something looked very different about Kilik, and she couldn’t quite grasp it though. However, before she could concentrate her view the long, ear-popping roar of an Avion echoed as the beast lifted its ugly head and stared at the two. “Kilik! You got the sword?”
The monster threw its head back for a split second, it’s eyes becoming red at the same point of motion, Xjrn instantly knew, and she hopped in front of Kilik quickly, as the beast neared to blast a he burst of singing of flame, but thanks to the shield Xjrn had the fire merely deflected off it’s surface. Kilik burst from behind her and swung at the Avions head, the blade smashed into its skull, flew to the left, and smashed against the wall. The beast leaned forward to see Xjrn coming down upon it. She slammed the blade into the side of its jaw and it screamed and threw its head around in a distraught sense of woe. It threw her off, she slammed against the floor and rolled only to stammer to her feet, she could only watch Kilik charging with the blade resting behind her she slammed into the beast stomach, it pierced easily, and the blood came soon after. Xjrn knew this was her chance, she jumped and this time slammed the blade against its skull, it pierced its horrid flesh, and blood streaked across the wall in a quick flash and died instantly, there was no blue smoke, and no fire, it just died.
The two stood there panting, they had their eyes open long enough before Xjrn finally felt weak and fell to her knees, then pressed her blade into the floor. Kilik fell on one knee, holding herself up by the blades huge body. Suddenly the place started to shake the two looked around, Xjrn tried to stand but only fell. Her endurance had failed her, so did Kilik, in fact she fell over. The two looked at each other, “The earth Kilik, the Earth cries!” Xjrn said aloud, feeling dizzy. “We are going somewhere I think . . . We are-” said Kilik dozing off. Suddenly she felt dizzy, after images carried forth in her eyes. She stared dark eyed at her surroundings. The building started to collapse and there was a beam of light in the end.