The Lost

The Lost
Chapter 10: The Edge Of One's Mind

The mind awakened can be a wondrous, exciting realm. Full of history of times past. The joy of living, loving and lamenting the cares of the one's life. It can also be filled with great deeds, romantic conquests, and much sadness. As Raoul touched the various memories in his mind, like a butterfly dancing among a field of flowers, Raoul felt elation, triumph, and yes- much sorrow.

His present persona was the voice of reason. The anchor to the labyrinth that wrapped his thoughts in a hailstorm of memories. Perhaps it was his years of discipline and training. Sir Luis would be proud of his ability to reconcile his past with his present, but there was much more than mere knowledge in this. There was also much resolve.

There was no going back to those horrific events of long ago. He would not repeat the loop of his suffering over Yui. Yui was alive, whole and beautiful. To Raoul there would only be the present. He knew his lover would suffer the most horrifying death, but he also knew he had avenged this suffering by Ormand and his group of jackals. He would replay that image gladly, for it was payed back ten fold. But as he thought of Yui, and the current relationship they shared, Raoul felt an overwhelming peace in his mind.

Once they were reunited, both he and Yui would experience an even stronger bond. He would quench the flames of suffering in Yui by telling him, that his murder and that of the children did not last but one sunrise, and sunset. It would become the final chapter to the past that both Raoul and Yui would suffer, and he was glad for it. That era was long gone, and needed to be just that. He would not go into denial overwhelmed by what occurred, for it did happen. But his desire was to heal, love, and reunite with Yui, as his thoughts went back to the Lord's dance.

As Raoul tossed in bed, he decided to take a walk. The night had been filled with many a celebrated heart, and glass of wine. The ship hummed softly, as he walked the corridors. The crews had retired for the remainder of the night, and he headed towards the bridge. He had missed two days of their journey, and wanted to be back in the driver's seat of the mission. He found Yousi once again at the navigator's controls navigating yet through another wormhole. His mind recalled several voyages through space, as he grew up next to his father's side.

“Lord Am, how are you feeling?” Yousi turned to address Raoul. Raoul noticed the golden glow of his eyes, and his slightly transformed body. Yousi seemed to pilot almost effortlessly, being able to turn his head, while navigating.

“I am well, thank you Lord Xu.” Raoul could now recall his past conversations with the young pilot, along with the present day dilemma of having to modify his mind. That fact bothered him much.

“The ship's crew is quite excited to see you well after your awakening. It was quite a scene to see the mountain collapse after you all left!”

“Yes, I recall little of that. I've seen you and your two companions Omaki and Argent awaken, and can only say, it is nothing like your own event, to drive home how difficult it is to surface.”

Raoul could still feel the sensation of being underwater. Although he knew it was not real, his mind and body reacted different. That Iason and Riki could do this time and again, was impressive.

“I have to admit, waking up in space, where I was killed, was not a pleasant thing.” Yousi spoke. “But to hear the hum of the ship, compared to the hum of Jupiter's seal in my head, was a welcomed relief.”

“About that-”

“There is not need to apologize Lord Am. I understand now why it was done. Jupiter had no way of knowing I was waking. She did not know the mind blocks could “leak” as Lord Riki mentioned. So my actions were pretty much uncontrolled. I didn't know what I was trying to do. At least not all the time.”

Raoul clenched his jaw, knowing how much Yousi must have suffered as a half-wit. Though Raoul could not know what it felt like, he had a feeling the storm in his mind could have been the same for Yousi at some level.

“The memories of that time are still a blur to me, though I now know I was trying to return the data to Jupiter's matrix. I did not have the data crystal, but I did know what needed to be entered. I had names, and dates, and coordinates in my head, that I could not get out of my mind. I placed everything I recalled into my journal, and then discovered it was lost after my modification. You know the rest after that.”

“I never liked that aspect of my job Yousi. Having discovered the demons in my own head, has made me reconsider what we do to men. In my days at the Advance Academy, I was always at odds with Sir Raymone over this. I could not freely consent to modifying one's mind, until he told me the crimes they committed. I was only dealing with the facts, and not the man himself.”

Raoul sat next to Yousi. He had a new prospective over his duties. There were many things he thought differently, now as awakened. Perhaps this was all factored in by Jupiter. Perhaps this was the best she could do to control a society veering off the path she wanted.

“Unless you know what made men think, it was just a guessing game as to their reasoning behind their crimes.” Raoul spoke with a sense of knowledge. “Lord Riki and Iason have an ability unheard of in our current society. An Empath is highly sought after for Intelligence, and we have never been able to find one anywhere near the levels of the young Prince.”

“He and Lord Iason are in a unique position.” Yousi spoke. “When I saw him in my mind, he was as real as you are before me. Lord Iason and he share a link unknown to any of us.”

“And Lady Erin, his mother. Now she is also a first rate empath, however, she does not have the ability to link in the mind's eye. And I can't imagine her trying to pull anyone out with her temper!” Raoul laughed quietly. “She'd probably try to talk you out, and if that failed, she would then toss things at you just to get your ass in gear.”

The two men laughed, as the images of Lady Erin's beating of Raimen was brought up once again. Raoul wondered if she was holding Yui closely. She obviously knew him, and looked kindly towards him. Perhaps her “motherly” instincts would kick in and she would be a comfort to him.

“Well, if that's the case, then I have a new found respect for her.” Yousi giggled. “She was too funny with Raimen. I can't imagine the reunion those two will have in person!”

Raoul looked at the monitors and noticed what looked like a large cloud off to the port side. He walked up to the sensors, and noticed it did not register. He then looked closely at his monitor, and could swear he saw a mass behind the cloud.

“Yes, Lord Am. We are heading towards that nebula. It is where “Les Fidelis” is located. I discovered the small green planet one day, after we were chased by Elders. They took the wrong wormhole thinking they were following me, when in all actuality, it was an unmanned escape pod with a false signature of our ship. One of my better days I would say.”

“Indeed.” Raoul looked on as the ship made it's exit from the wormhole. “How did you discover it? It does not even show up in the sensors, if I didn't see it with my own eyes, I would have missed it.”

“Actually, I flew right past it myself!” Yousi smiled. “I was more worried with making the next wormhole, and getting back to the settlement, but it has a slight glow to it. It caught my attention, while transformed with my vision. I thought it was a space mirage, maybe a false image reflecting off the nebula's clouds. Whatever it is that caught my attention, I followed my nose, and found this beautiful jewel in space.”

“A treasure would you not say?” Raoul watched as the nebula's clouds did in fact reflect many images if you looked well enough.

“It is truly that. It holds a vast treasure trove of beautiful jewels.” Yousi whispered. “Many of the Maidens died just as horrible a death as we did. But we held out hope that they would one day, live in a world filled with love, as we once knew it.”

Raoul watched as Yousi slowed down. He adjusted his heading, and then continued.

“Why did we slow down Yousi?”

“I want our Lords to see where they rest, before we land. It would take us nearly four hours to arrive on our present speed, but if we slow down to half speed, it will give our Lords a good night's rest. It is a large nebula, though it does not seem like if from here. As we get closer, you will see just how enormous it really is. They are all asleep, and it will be a few hours before they rise. With all the celebrating, I'm afraid none of them are up for an early wake up call.”

“No, I doubt it. Especially Lord Kai and Raimen! That blond one is quite something else when he's in a mood to dance on top of tables.” Raoul laughed once again. “He had the medics all dancing along, and I would not be surprised if their room was a den of bodies right now.”

“That would be something else. But I think those two have their eye on a certain young medic.”

“Oh? Did something happen while I was out?” Raoul's eyes became big.

“Well I think young Jake did more than give Lord Raimen a massage if you get my meaning?”

Yousi raised his eyebrows suggestively at Raoul. Raoul slapped his forehead in disbelief.

“Aren't they kind of young for those two old coots?” Raoul roared.

“Well they are older than they look.” Yousi countered. “No younger than Yui or Riki.”

“Yes, but I'm not that old!” Raoul continued to laugh. It was a wonderful sound to Yousi, as he's not seen Raoul this way since he prevented Raimen's hair from catching on fire when Lady Erin was waking.

“Well,” Yousi giggled. “You are over ten thousand years old Raoul.”

“As well as you Yousi!”

As they once again looked at the monitor, Yousi became silent. He knew what was waiting for Raoul, and could not wait to see his face, when he sees the names of his family as Sentinel's over the dead, and not as one of the lost.

“There is going to be many days of tears after tomorrow, and I don't mean tears of sadness, as much as tears of joy.”

“Let's hope so Yousi.” Raoul got up and made for the door. “I'll try to get a few hours of sleep myself. I've been trying to sort out my thoughts, since there are two sets of them in my brain pan.”

“Yes, that does have a learning curb to quote Lord Iason.”

“Indeed it does.”

Raoul headed down the corridor, towards the mess hall. He hoped to find a cup of coffee to help him settle down. If not a good glass of wine would have to do. As he passed the observation deck, he noticed the glow of the nebula begin to fill the room with a soft blue, almost dreamlike color. He'd never seen anything like that before. He found no coffee, so helped himself to a nice glass of chilled wine. He returned to the observation deck and sat in one of the soft chairs that faced the window. He loved the many beautiful shades of blue and and black. But what got his attention was the light of the sun off in the distance. Just as described by Lord Jensen in his logs.

Raoul enjoyed his wine, and closed his eyes, enjoying the silence. He was roused from his thoughts, by the voice of Riki. But he was nowhere near him.

“My Lord?” Raoul whispered.

“Lord Am, you need to rest your mind. It is not as silent as you think. Yours is a powerful mind, and I must admit, it was not an easy one to crack. But your life is now about to take a wonderful turn. Yui is near my mother. How I know this is even a mystery to me, but if I know her, she will find a way to make his thoughts sting less, as he begins to awaken. I propose this. Once we have retrieved our Maidens, Iason and I will link to my mother as we begin our journey home. I believe Yui will awaken soon. I am certain I sensed this when my mother was awakened.”

“Will Yui fare well? He is a gentle soul. He does not deserve the horror of what he will feel..yet a second time.”

“No one does. But just as Iason and I made our new life a reason to rejoice, so shall you and Yui. I sense this in you both. Jupiter has made possible what Iason only thought in theory. She used his intelligence, and made a decision to restore our lives that were interrupted. It would be a shame if you and Yui were never to reconcile your lost love.”

“Yes. You are correct Riki. To have never known what that young man did for nearly a century on his own, would have been a crime.”

Raoul clutched his hand over his heart. The same pain he relived was once again in his mind. Riki sensed this, and without hesitation, sent Raoul a burst of energy. Raoul took a deep breath, and immediately felt relief. The burst washed over his body, and felt as if he was being wrapped in the arms of love. Soon the presence of Iason was felt.

“My love, you know you are suppose to be resting..” Iason's sleepy voice was heard. “You do too much on your own. Perhaps you need to feel my hand against your bottom dearest, in order to make you follow doctors orders. Hm?”

Iason reached across Riki's body, and sent his own energy through to Raoul. Raoul felt the familiar sensations from his old lover's touch. Iason indeed took Raoul into his embrace, and gently rocked his old friend. Raoul closed his eyes, and within moments, he was between Iason and Riki.

“We may need to keep you here, if I'm going to make my young Prince obey his doctor.” Iason whispered.

Without a word, Iason embraced Raoul from behind, and stroked his long hair. Riki cuddled against Raoul's chest, and placed both hands on him. Slowly the two of them began to infuse Raoul with their energy. His thoughts were sent along with theirs to memories of the Lord's Dance, and happier times, where Yui was at his side. Raoul's need was fulfilled, as Riki knew his heart, and within moments, the three were fast asleep. Raoul remained asleep in the observation room, his wine glass was left half empty, as he slept soundly.

*~*~*

The first rays of light crept across the city, as dawn broke over Ios. The wind storm that began the night before, had continued to blow into the morning, giving the early sunlight an eerie red and orange glow. Lady Erin was in the midst of a disturbing dream, and was once again roused from her sleep. Though she did not cry out, the nightmares came nevertheless. She maintained her power, and made every effort not to destroy her room a second time. Her monitors were no longer attached, so the alarm was not raised. However Jupiter needed no such thing, as she continued to monitor both queens without let up. She saw the young queen sit up, and clutch her hands against her breast.

“Riki....oh dearest!” Erin's hands trembled, and her breathing labored. She had broken into a cold sweat. She then reached for a glass of water, and tumbled out of bed. The noise was heard by Selene who slept in the suite across from her. She came running, to find Erin on the floor in tears.

“My Lady!” Selene quickly helped her up. “Are you injured?”

“N-No.” Erin tearfully whispered. “No, I am alright. I just fell when I reached for the water.”

Selene noticed a gash on her left hand, more likely from the glass she tried to reach for.

“You have a laceration on your left hand my Lady, I must tend to it.”

Selene wrapped a cloth around her wrist, then helped her back into bed. Erin continued to tremble, as she was covered with her blankets. She looked outside, as the wind continued to howl against the windows.

“Are you cold my Lady? You are trembling. Perhaps I'll raise the temperature of your suite. I understand winter is closing in on Amoi.”

“No, that is not it Selene, thank you.” Erin smiled in the darkness. “It is Riki. He's in danger once again, and I can't do anything about it...”

“How could you know this?” Selene whispered, as she tried to sooth Erin's trembling hands.

“Oh, you can say it's a mother's intuition. This is not the first time I have sensed his life in danger, and I fear it won't be the last before he returns home.” Erin looked at Selene and smiled in the dark. Selene rose to retrieve a first aid kit, and returned. She turned on a small lamp on the nightstand, and began to treat her wounds. “Riki and I are extremely sensitive, and I know he's also felt the same presence in his mind as I have. There are men out to capture him you see.”

“What? Then we must inform Jupiter, we must get him some help!” Selene rose to find some one, anyone, but was called back by Erin.

“Now what kind of help could we provide?”

Erin winced, as she watched Selene removed the glass shards from the palm of her hand. Once removed, and cleaned, Erin held Selene's hand from applying anything further. Selene watched, as Erin healed her wounds, not leaving any sign of injury but the blood on the cloth and the shards of glass on the floor. Erin continued her thoughts without missing a beat.

“He's on the other side of the Path, and certainly too far for us to do anything to really help. I know he's not without protection, with his Lord Father and the others watching over him, but I have yet to ever be wrong. It's just the most awful feeling to sense what is to be, and yet be helpless to do anything about it.”

Selene sat back down, and held Erin's hand. She was worried for Riki. She had to admit, she had a soft spot for the Prince, as she witnessed him at his lowest point, only to emerge a new man when he came into his new life. His soulful eyes were hard to ignore when he thought Iason was lost. And now she felt the same pangs of anxiety, not knowing what dangers he was facing.

“Is there anything I can do for you my Lady?”

“Yes, when the sun rises, I want to have a meeting with the group of Elders staying on Amoi. I will attempt to reach him, come hell or high water. I know there is little chance that I will get as far as he and Iason can travel, but I want to try nevertheless.”

“But you are not yet completely well my Lady, you may hinder your recovery, and that would be -”

The soft hum of Jupiter was now heard, as she was now going to make her presence known. She had seen enough of the conversation, to warrant her involvement, as she too was not about to let Riki be harmed. If Lady Erin could forewarn him, perhaps Riki would not suffer. If the Elders did in fact live on the other side of the Path, then the communication would now have to be made. It was a risk she was now willing to take.

“My Lady are you alright? I heard the disturbance upon my sensors.” Jupiter lied. “And find Selene's anxiety radiating nearly as high as yours. Did you have another nightmare?”

“Yes, Lady Jupiter I did. I have seen more into Riki's situation, and I saw a group of hands reaching out to him in the cover of darkness. There were many, and they cried out to him!” Erin's voice betrayed her worry. “I know this image was similar to the darkness I experienced while I was waking. But I believe it was not his mind he was in. I just don't know!” Erin clenched her hands. “There was so much chaos and noise, that I could barely make his presence known. But then suddenly many hands reached out to him and called him “Lord Tempest!”

Erin covered her face and began to weep. She was beside herself with worry, as the images of Riki's body being hauled away into darkness was playing in an endless loop in her mind. Selene looked at Jupiter who hummed a bit faster, and turned the lights on to a soft glow.

“Then we shall do all we can to bridge the gap...my Lady.” Jupiter began to pace, as she processed, and within moments, completed her task. “I have sent out a summons to the Council of Elders residing within the city. And have also sent out an emergency beacon to Aristia. Lord Iason's Estate will contact the Elders Island, and set up as before. I will not wait for tragedy to strike once again before we act. I have calculated the time they have been away by the last beacon they crossed. I feel, they have either arrived at their destined location, or may be heading back soon. I will risk this, for there are too many variables leading me to believe your mother's intuition is in fact the link between two powerful Empathic beings.”

Erin was a bit calmer, now that Jupiter put out the word. She also noticed Jupiter had been listening to their conversation if Jupiter knew what she had spoken in whispers to Selene. She would forgive her this time, as she figured she had heard enough to make an informed decision. She may be a machine, but Erin could clearly see, that she also had a heart. Regardless of whether it hummed or beat within her matrix.

“Thank you Jupiter, I will prepare, and begin my meditation. Please have Lord Bernard bring as many of the mineral jars as he can possibly get his hands on, and some of those wonderful candles too! Selene, could you please get me dressed, and prop me up in one of those chairs, I want to be sitting when they arrive. Yes, yes, you may place those monitors back on.”

Selene looked at the young queen, an then Jupiter. Without knowing, Erin had tapped into Selene's mind, and picked up on her worrying over her health. Perhaps it was Erin's rising anxiety that had her reaching out, and more likely picked up Selene's thoughts as if she had spoken them out loud.

“Yes, my Lady.” Selene smiled.

She was dressed in a beautiful long robe, with many embroidered flowers in deep blues and warm golden shades with green vines that ran the length of her petite body. Once dressed, Selene had two attendants place Erin in her chair with her feet comfortably resting on a footstool. Selene brushed her long straight hair, and placed it in a soft braid that lay down one side off her body tied with a silk tie.

Within minutes, a gaggle of Elders was heard coming down the corridors like a stampede of wild cattle, as assistants and Elders alike converged upon the Queens suite. The Elders looked half asleep, but did not fail to make all the preparations. Several attendants brought in coffee and other beverages to help the Elders get their minds to shake off the cobwebs, and once everyone was in place, they slowly began to meditate.

There were several Elders who used the meditation spheres, and several who went about lighting candles and applying mineral oils on the Elders as they slowly calmed their minds. The Elders had indeed come prepared, with several crates of mineral oils, which impressed Lady Erin. It seems they did know what they were doing, as the earlier chaos was now more like a synchronized dance, between Elders and medical assistants. No doubt rehearsed before her awakening several days before.

Erin was about to speak, when she noticed someone peeking into her suite. It was Yui, and Lord Hector Stone. In all the fuss, his scheduled visit was overlooked. He stared at all the people squeezed into the suite in wonder. Hector looked for Jupiter, and as she materialized, she signaled for him and Yui to follow her. They walked into the adjoining room, and watched through the glass windows.

Erin thought about Yui's words the day before, when he mentioned that Iason and Riki would set off those predisposed to their powers, and were triggered to awaken. She knew she was a powerful Ancient, and an Empath, so she would consider this before she began. Would Yui be set off by her powers? Would he be safer at home, or perhaps out of the city? But if she could reach out to Riki from Amoi using the Elders around her, and the Elders on Aristia, the chances were, that Yui would not be safe anywhere on Amoi.

Yui's mind may be tapped in her efforts, and he may suffer. Erin had to make a decision, and it would not be a simple one. Both young men were in danger of one kind or another, but now hesitated to proceed with Yui so close. Erin made a decision and signaled for him and Jupiter to her. As Jupiter materialized next to her, Erin waited for Yui to enter the room.

“Jupiter, there is a very real possibility that Master Yui will be overwhelmed with my power, and be triggered to awaken.” Erin looked at Yui, whose eyes now became wide with worry. “I don't know if you will be able to deal with this Yui.” Erin whispered. “If you are triggered, I won't be able to see what you see, nor help you from within. I would only be able to sense your thoughts, and the surge of emotions coming from within your mind. If I hear your suffering, I may not be able to assist you as my Riki would.”

Yui swallowed hard. He could see Lady Erin was divided about her choices. After all it was her son who was in danger, not him. He would have to manage on his own if it was to happen. But then he recalled her own awakening, and the fact that Riki reached all the way from his location to help her through it. Could not Riki also help him, should he awaken? Yui's thoughts were so loud, Erin motioned with her hand to push them back.

“I believe that is a possibility Yui. Are you alright with this decision?”

Jupiter and Selene looked at the two not knowing what had transpired between Erin and Yui. Jupiter in her processing of the many possibilities now spoke.

“Perhaps the young Prince-” Jupiter began but was interrupted by Erin.

“Yes Lady Jupiter, that is what I was just discussing with Yui. If we- by some remote possibility reach my son, perhaps he will aid in Yui's awakening should he be triggered.”

Selene felt she needed a scorecard, just to keep up with the unspoken conversation, but figured out on her own that Lady Erin was preparing Yui for such a possibility. She knew only what was revealed to her about Yui's situation, and overheard bits and pieces of their conversation the day before. It was a difficult choice for both Yui and the young Queen.

“My Lady,” Yui spoke. “I am willing to do this. Lord Riki will be there, I'm certain of this.”

“Yes, dearest, it is a gamble. But if Riki is not forewarned, he may be lost.” Erin's eyes filled with tears. There was really no choice in the matter, and Yui was more than ready to cross that bridge, now that he knew it was going to be hell either way.

“I know Lord Riki would not hesitate. And you should not hesitate over me...I do understand.” Yui gave the best smile he could muster, in attempts to make Erin feel better.

“Very well.” Erin reached out and took Yui's hand in hers. “Jupiter, is there a way to protect him? Perhaps a mind block? If he begins to suffer, I will seal his mind in sleep. It is something I -as a Warrior Empath- can do for him.”

Jupiter knew of what she spoke. “He will have to be monitored. That is the only way I will be able to help him, if I detect a rise in his vitals.”

“Then let's do that.” Yui reaffirmed his decision.

The attendants waited for the final decision, then moved the other cushioned seat next to Lady Erin, and Yui moved to sit next to her. He gave a nervous smile to Lord Stone who watched from a distance, feeling anxious over both the Queen and one very brave young man. Hector was not surprised with his response. Yui was truly walking in the shoes of his ancient persona, as he continued to shine through his present life.

As both Erin and Yui were being prepared and linked to the monitors, Elder Bernard spoke to Lady Erin.

“My Lady, we await word from Aristia, and will begin shortly. We will act as a catalyst and link with the the Elders on Aristia, who in turn, will send a most powerful surge of energy into the Path of the Ancients.” Elder Bernard looked at Yui, before he continued. “We will be able to stabilize Master Yui should we feel him stir, though we hold no power as you or Lord Riki. If we link with the young Prince, you will see his tempest veil, and at that time, he will control the realm you find yourself in.

Yui, if Lord Riki detects anything out of the ordinary in your mind, he will no doubt, address it. I must warn you both, that he is a formidable power source, and if Lord Iason joins him, which I believe is highly possible, your link will truly be clear. We on the other hand, will tire out if this takes too long. We will do our best to maintain the link, so if possible, please convey your message with all haste.”

“Very well.” Erin gave a nod to Bernard. “I will do my best.”

Yui was placed in a robe after being doused with mineral lotion, and Selene began to hook him up to the monitors. His elevated heart rate was a clear indication, of his state. He watched as Lady Erin was also hooked up, and he smiled as she sighed deeply. It was no secret she would prefer not to have all those wires on her head. Selene had placed a screen around her for modesty, soon after she rubbed mineral lotion on the Lady Erin. Jupiter appeared once more.

“Elder Bernard, the Elder Council is assembled at the hot springs beneath Lord Iason's Estate. They indicate that once you are ready, you may begin.”

The Elders sat on their large pillows, and looked to Erin to begin. Erin closed her eyes, began to transform. Her hair which was tied in a loose braid became undone, and began to float serenely above her head. A surge of warm energy washed over everyone in the suite, and once the Elders began their meditation, their combined powers caused Erin's face to glow softly. Yui watched Erin as she opened her eyes, and admired the beauty of them. He recalled Riki's eyes held the same gaze, and found them highly attractive.

“Why thank you dearest.” Erin smiled at the young man, then looked deeply into his eyes. She felt the sting of something eating at the young man's soul. She would put that at the back of her mind, and began to reach out to the Elders on Aristia.

*~*~*

They landed on an aging shuttle port. The many buildings showed signs of wear, as the city itself was beginning to awaken. Lord Bastian was led to a waiting shuttle, and he and Elder Simon were taken to the Council of Elders. Bastian noticed the city below was quite tranquil, and the first signs of activity were the emerging citizens opening their shops. They was a humble appearance to them, and the vendors dressed in modest attire. However Bastian quickly noticed, they all wore silver collars. For what reasons, Bastian could only guess.

Simon on the other hand, was feeling rather confident, as he sat up proudly for his having found his lost Clan. There was an air of familiarity in his gaze, as he viewed the city below. It was just like them to have servants, and he could tell, they were quite docile. The Elders of Rhea failed to make that population do as they willed. It was theorized that the darkness of Rhea's atmosphere allowed a negative element to grow and fester. It didn't help matters that Rhea was famous -if not infamous- for attracting the most unscrupulous characters.

The Elders were one of a mix bag of races in the quadrant, and home to not only the native population, but just about any sort who dealt with the underbelly outside the trade association. The Elders kept to themselves, and literally owned nearly a quarter of the planet. Iason and Riki put a stop to that in one night. Simon was still feared by the population, that saw the remnant survivors come back to life, though their bodies did not heal as before. But life continued, as Rhea's powerful factions took over. They found an increase in their profits now that the Elders were no more. They knew the beacons were controlled by the Elders.

For the right price, mercenaries were given safe passport through the path, eluding even Jupiter. They knew Jupiter would not bother to chase mercenaries, so long as they kept to themselves with Aristia being the figurative line drawn on the sand. Jupiter favored the Aristian people. No doubt for Aristia's love of “Their Lost Son,” Lord Iason Mink.

Simon noticed Bastian was preoccupied with his tour over the city, as the people looked up and moved on with noticeable fear.

“Why do they all wear silver collars?” Bastian finally asked. He thought it was odd that all the citizens wore them. Lord Kiril who sat in the front passenger seat turned to face Bastian.

“Why they are the lower class, of course.” The Elder spoke without batting an eye. “I know you are not familiar with our population, so I'll give you a brief history lesson. We have a love hate relationship with the population, in that when our forefathers first arrived on Yasuo, they were greeted as Gods. The natives were quite an innocent and docile people, but we soon found out that beneath their timid, and unassuming behavior, laid a most vicious and undisciplined creature.”

Elder Kiril seemed a bit agitated with his brief “history lesson.” His facial expression betrayed his dislike to the population.

“I'll have you know that our ancestors fought them for nearly ten thousand years. We brought them technology, and the knowledge we held was a boon to them, and they repaid our generosity and kindness, with betrayal, and sabotage!”

Bastian looked out the window again, now noticing that Elders patrolled the streets down below.

“That our forefathers found their women attractive was repulsive to most of the Elder Clans, but that seemed to only increase their lack of control, nearly watering down our true blood. There were only handful of women who were lost along with our original forefathers. As you can imagine, they were treated like royalty among our Clansmen, who chose to keep the bloodlines true. You will see this when you meet our Council. I see that you Lord Simon are a true blood, as I see our tell-tale appearance permeating down to your marrow. This will please the Elders, and you will find them quite anxious to learn all about our brethren on the other side of the Path.”

Simon took in every word coming from Elder Kiril's mouth like a tonic to his broken soul. His own advice to the Elder Council of Rhea fell upon deaf ears on more than one occasion. Here he would find acceptance, and reverence in all he was about to report. The irony was that only a hand full of them survived. Unlike the traitorous Elders of Aristia who have become the lap dogs of the Ancients, and Jupiter no less. He wondered how his long lost “Clansmen” would take the news. Though by looking over the city, it seemed they had issued themselves.

As they neared the center of the city, Lord Bastian was amazed with the architecture. He was a lover of fine, and expensive things, and this he could thank Lord Mink for. In his attempts to curry favors for the handsome Lord, he grew to love the very things Iason favored. The building was nearly ten stories tall and was clearly the finest in the city. The outer facade was made of black granite-like stone. As the building grew in height, the stone changed from one type to another, and he could see, they spared no expense.

What he did not realize, was the multitude of lives lost that building had taken in order to be built. Yasuo never recovered from the Elder's invasion. And although it was not seen as such, at least not at first, the civilization that worshiped the elements was no threat to the madness that landed on their planet. Bastian was roused from his thoughts, as they were escorted to the elevators, and rose to the top of the structure. He noticed the higher they traveled, the darker the decor became. When they exit the elevator, they was greeted by group of Elders, who promptly stood guard over them, as Lord Elder Kiril walked ahead, without missing a beat.

They walked down a long corridor, that was filled with much activity, as Simon was the first known “Clansmen” they had seen since they landed ten centuries ago. The Elders that lined the halls were an unusual sort, and both Simon and Bastian quickly realized the difference from one Elder to another. The mixing of the two peoples and their outward appearance. The true lines of the Elder Clans had indeed been watered down, as the lessor pedigree was abundantly clear in the eyes and hair of many Elders. Golden highlights in their hair, and the mixed colors of the eyes gave them an eerie appearance, not to mention they were not as tall or thin as the true Elders of old. Like Simon.

That Simon was scarred and battle worn was also noticed by those who stared at the tall Elder. Simon strode down the hall, more than happy to show these half-breeds what a true and glorious Elder was. Lord Bastian was just as much on display, feeling the eyes of all upon his long ebony locks, and pale complexion. The patch over his eye, and his expensive attire, gave him an air of nobility. This was most pleasing to the true blooded Elders, who also dressed alike.

As they entered the Council Chambers, Simon was surprised at the layout of the room. It was virtually the same as that on Rhea. It gave Simon a sense of belonging, and he admired the many works of art that decorated the large hall. But that is where the similarities would end.

“My Lords, I am proud to introduce Lord Elder Simon..” Elder Kiril stopped, when he realized in his excitement, that he never asked Elder Simon is family name.

“I am Elder Simon Simone, brother to Byron Simone, and son of Elder Kronos Simone who's ancient lineage spanned to the one true leader of the Elder Clans of Amoi, Lord Elder Jonas Simone.”

The Council chambers came to dead halt, as the weight of that lineage sank in. The young Elder standing before them all was a direct descendant, of the Royal Elder's family. Lord Bastian's jaw dropped, as his mind could barely get around the fact that he was such an important member yet was treated so poorly by his own Clan. Perhaps Simon was the “unloved” son, as he recalled all his dealings with the Elders was done through Elder Byron, his brother. He didn't even know Elder Kronos had a second son. But that would explain Simon's bitter account of the Elders demise, to the point of leaving that little tidbit out of their partnership.

“I am no longer Elder Clan.” Lord Bastian recalled the young man told him on Rhea. Furthermore, that would explain why he was looking so smug since they were escorted from the landing field. Bastian now wondered what plans this young would-be Heir had in mind.

“I welcome you Lord Elder Simon Simone. I am Lord Elder Viho Pallaton, and as you already know, we are the Council of Elders of Yasuo.” Elder Pallaton smiled at the young man, taking in his confident appearance, and almost perfect stance. “We have been without word of any of our Clansmen for over ten thousand years, so to see one such as you, is truly a blessing upon us all.”

The council chambers broke out in applause, and cheers were making the room vibrate. Perhaps the alarms before dawn were a good wake up call they all had on such an odd day. They all knew two ships had triggered beacon 1272. To find one of their own, when they were arguing amongst themselves for hundreds of years over decaying technology, was a healing balm to their anxiety.

Elder Simon gracefully bowed to the Council members, who now began to cheer once again. It was as if the answer to their prayers had just walked into the centuries chamber. Simon looked around, to find many mixed blood Elders, yet not one sat at the Council's table. This disturbed him, as the Clan was divided by race, and genealogy. It did not take any mystical powers to see his news would now divide a ten thousand year old Clan. They may not be cheering, once they learn why he is there in the first place.

“My Lords, I stand before you, as one of the last of my Clan. I did not come from Amoi, as many of you might think. While you were being launched into the unknown, the centuries old wars raged furiously for hundreds of years, until the final eve of the world as we knew it, came to an end. While you were landing on Yasuo, and adapting to a new way of life...” Simon paused, and his eyes were diverted to the mixed blood Clansmen. “Amoi's newly celebrated Living Text, came to life in the devastating meltdown that ensued. You see, the final end-all effort our mad brethren set off, on that eve over ten thousand years ago, gave Jupiter, the spark of life. And in her awareness, the sentient machine did not favor our Clansmen. No, she decided to exiled our kind into the stars, or be murdered outright.”

The Elders minds were all sent reeling, as Simon filled them in, on what they thought they missed out in the last ten thousand years. The Council chambers became silent once more, as Lord Elder Viho Pallaton now addressed Simon.

“My esteemed young Elder, I believe you bring us bad tidings, is this not so?” Lord Viho began. “I also see you have suffered near life threatening injuries, and sense you have yet to heal fully. We have not all fared as well either, so before we continue, I will ask you to do us the honor, and introduce your companion. I see he is not Elder, nor is he Intellect or Warrior, by the color of his skin, and the one eye exposed to us. Much can be said without your explaining it, but I can tell you have an alliance with this gentleman, and I would very much like to hear what it is, and why you sought us out.”

Lord Viho was anything if not intelligent. He was leader of the Clans for a reason, and he could see, these two men before him had quite a tale to tell.

“Please, allow us to offer you a drink, and a seat. I fear, you will be speaking for some time, and I am most eager to listen, and discover what has transpired in our absence from history.”

Lord Viho gave a wave to the attendants, and quickly a small table was brought in, with two chairs, and a flask of wine and two glasses. As the two acknowledged the hospitality, Elder Simon continued.

“Lord Viho, you are wise, as you are generous. My esteemed colleague, is Lord Bastian Hemile, who hails from Alpha Zen. He is born of Nobility with ties to the Trade Leaders of our Sector. He was also injured by my Council of Elders' unfortunate plans, and has joined me on this journey, in hopes of extending his hand in friendship.”

Bastian bowed respectfully, however waited to be addressed before he would speak. He knew well the cunning of such men as these Council members, and would not risk the delicate proceedings, allowing Simon to continue. He sat down and was poured a glass of wine. Simon gave him a slight smile, as Bastian crossed his legs, and gave Simon a nod.

“Yes, our Clansmen were exiled by Lady Jupiter, and our forefathers were exiled to the stars. Many settled on strange new worlds, only to find death and destruction. The madness that was unleashed upon our people ran its course on many populations, and those Clansmen became the dust in the centuries that followed. Those who were not affected with the madness, decided to start fresh on other lands.” Elder Simon paused, once again. “But I will get back to them shortly. Lord Jonas Simone, headed to the farthest civilized planet in our region. That planet was Rhea. You may have some accounts in your archives with regards this world, as Lord Jonas' Heir, Elder Eric Simone, knew the people of Rhea in his travels, and it was this link, that allowed our exiled Clansmen to settle there.

But this was not an easy undertaking. The people of Rhea, where not always kind, no, while they did tolerate our kind, they came to regret their choice, and also exiled our Clansmen to the desert lands and volcanic mountains. To a darkness that never ended. But. Not all things were difficult. Lord Jonas continued to lead from the base of an extinct volcano, and with many long years of backbreaking work, carved a city into the bowels of the mountain, and built a new world of our own. Here, only Elders were permitted, and the mixing of blood was not granted, nor tolerated.”

His last comment brought the room to low roar, as the divided Clansmen looked at each other with the truth staring at them in a young Elder from their past. The Elders on the short end of the stick now felt nervous as the words from Simon stung deeply. Many were not at fault being born into a subclass, so the discrimination they suffered, was written in their faces.

“For the next ten thousand years, our Clansmen became prosperous. Our intelligence was far beyond of the planets in that region of space. With their Sage's powers that grew, our kind soon amassed a great fortune. But our leadership soon turned back to the anger that festered within our hearts. With no need to increase our vast wealth, the age old desire to exact retribution upon the sentient computer ate at our Clansmen. The decision to take back what was lost began. Our Clansmen discovered that Lady Jupiter was reanimating the fallen Intellects, and created a class of Elite. She named them 'Blondie's.' They were the product of hundreds of years of tests, and over the centuries, she came to perfect this procedure. The Council of Rhea, used their vast wealth to find the remains of our brethren, to do the same. This hunt for the lost created a silent war between Lady Jupiter, and our forefathers. Until one day, a so called “Prophesy of Hope” was discovered among the ruins of ancient civilizations throughout the known universe.”

When Simon spoke those words, a loud gasp was heard among the Elders. Simon stopped speaking, and looked towards Elder Viho.

“Please continue Elder Simon.” Viho's expression was now changing, as the conversation not the night before centered on the talk of the Oracles and a similar prophesy.

“Yes. This prophesy claimed that “The Flame would rouse the Tempest,” and that this “Tempest would fan the Flame.” It was heard for thousands of years, and we Elders went looking for it in the bones of the dead. We collected the specimens of all know Intellects, and destroyed the remains, knowing Jupiter was also after them. With the passage of time, we figured this prophesy may have been the return of the Lord Heirs and fallen lovers of Amoi. Lord Iason Mink, heir of the Intellect Clans, and Lord Riki Oskuro, heir to the Warrior Clans.”

“Now what the hell were these two prophesied “Lord's” suppose to accomplish?” Came the voice of Elder Raynard. “They were Intellect and Warrior, and nothing more than the litter of the two royal Lords. What could they possibly do? Bah!”

Elder Raynard was quite animated, but this display of emotion was actually his anxiety seeping out to the surface. He was truly eager to learn this, as he was still fuming over the talk of such a prophesy on their own world. Mainly coming from the lower classes, and the Oracles. Everyone in the room except Simon and Bastian knew of this, and they all began to murmur loudly, to the surprised expressions of the two guest.

“And what ever came of this gathering of specimens and the prophecy itself?” Lord Viho pressed on.

Simon felt a familiar knot in his gut, as did Bastian. Were they just being paranoid, or did this group of Elders also know of this prophesy? They looked at each other, and with the sense of dread in his mind, Simon asked the question, he truly did not want to hear the response to.

“I gather, that by the reaction of this Council and it's members, you too have heard of this prophecy?”

Lord Viho stood up, and walked around the long and quite large table where the Council sat, and began to speak once more.

“We have been on this planet for over ten thousand years, Lord Elder. And throughout this time, there has always been one uprising or another. I am certain Lord Kiril gave you a brief tour of our city, and our history. The natives who were here centuries before us, also spoke of a “Tempest.” A god-like savior in a being with immense power, and the aura of a warrior. He was said to display powers that surged from his body, and eyes were black as night. They claimed his face glowed, and he could control and harness the wind, and the energy of lightning.”

The Elders all laughed quietly, as Elder Viho exaggerated the words of the Oracles

“There are countless stories of this prophesy. This one in particular is the oldest one. This story is passed on from one generation to the next, among the oldest and youngest natives. It is said, that this child-god, saved the oldest living “Viho” or Chief of the people at that time, by the laying of his hands upon his body, and miraculously saving his life, restoring his heart they claimed was no longer beating.

They also spoke that this “Flame,” was chasing his lover through time and space. That one day they would reunite in love, and that he would followed him back to Yasuo and together, would free the natives from bondage. Of course, nothing ever came of this. But now I see in your eyes, that this was not just a tale told by old wives, and the Oracles of these people.”

Elder Simon took a deep breath.

“You are truly wise, Elder Viho. And yes, I have the rest of my tale to speak, but I am afraid not one of you will like the end.” Simon took a sip of his wine, and gathered his thoughts. “We found millions of specimens, and destroyed the remains, as I reported. In turn we collected the specimens of our fallen Clansmen, and collected them in two vaults. The plan conceived and carried out by the Council of Elders was to blackmail Lady Jupiter into giving up her technology for reanimating the dead. Their demand was in exchange for the life of her Head of the Syndicate and favorite Elite, Lord Iason Mink.

You see, our brethren in their wisdom, concocted a plan to kidnap the young Lord, without ever knowing that he was the prophesied Flame known only to Jupiter, and her secret organization known as The Firm of Shield of Honor. My father, and the Council of Elders did not listen to my advice of seeking our Clansmen we theorized may have survived on the other side of the Path of the Ancients. And as I stand before all of you here today, you can see that I was right all along.”

Elder Viho made his way back to his seat, as he took in all this information. His mind, like everyone else in the room, was shocked to learn the prophesy was actually true. Or was it?

“Lord Simon, if what you say is true, then there is still the matter of this Tempest. Are you trying to say, that Lord Riki Oskuro, the young Prince- is this Tempest?” Elder Viho looked around the room. The one thing that an Elder could do was pick up the outward signs of another Elder, being Sages and Mystics. Though their bloodlines had been mixed, the same element of Elder still permeated throughout the Clans. They all looked on, as Elder Simon gave his answer.

“Yes.”

With that one response, several Elders shouted profanities, as they found this all to be one great farce. But then Elder Simon raised his hand, and a golden orb appeared before them. He looked around the room, and spoke.

“Do you have an empath among you? If not an empath, then one who reads the energy of a pure blood? If you do not believe me, I'm certain you will find what hides in my memories quite believable.”

“We mean no offense-” Elder Viho quickly spoke. “You misunderstand. You see, we have also had a situation rise from the moment your ships crossed beacon 1272 in dead of night, through the cluster of wormholes. We have never been able to cross the Path back to our own space, due to the lack of modern ships, and the loss of the ability to see the wormholes. As I'm sure you have noticed, our Clansmen have indeed been watered down over the centuries of breeding with the natives. Though in recent generations, we have tried to restore to our natural bloodlines.”

Elder Viho continued, as he tilted his head, and observed Simon's scarred face.

“I fear there is even more to this, is this not so? You came all the way out here, obviously navigating the wormholes...tell me, do you have an Elder who can see the paths? I believe the answer will also be yes. But to be honest, I do want to learn what is in your memory. Not to offend, but to learn what transpired, and how you received your injuries.” The Elders in the room, whispered among themselves, as Lord Viho spoke.

Simon laughed quietly, which made Viho raise his eyebrows in surprise. The young man stood up and without saying a word, began to remove his Elder's robes, down to his thin tunic, and undergarments. The Elders were astonished by the site of his many scars criss-crossing over the young man's body. It appeared as if he had been through a shredder. Every area of his body was same in appearance, as his face. Even Lord Bastian gasped at the site. Suddenly he felt equal to Simon, as he was not alone in his suffering. While he endured dozens of surgical procedures to restore his body, the young man before him had no such luck.

“This my dear Lord Elders, is what happened to all my Clansmen. This is what the Flame and his Tempest did to our people. I assure you, that a city of pure-blood Elders, were turned into the dust that still fills the halls of that dead volcano. This is what drove me into the stars, with my remnant few. I knew you existed, as my sources discovered many of you took to the stars to battle an elusive foe. One I hope you will have the means to reveal through this.”

Elder Simon held up the data crystal he and Bastian could not get to work. For the technology required to do this was only found on Amoi, or in an ancient race on the other side of the Path. Like the ones he was addressing at that very moment. The room became eerily quiet. Elder Viho called for Elder Theo Pirro to be summoned to the Council chambers. This was a pure-blood Elder, and a recluse by nature. He did not mix with the Council members stating quite vocally, that the whole lot of them were corrupt in their ways. He trusted no one but Elder Viho. He lived outside the main city, and preferred the natives than his own kind, and if truth be told, would have toss them all off their planet for their crimes against the people of Yasuo.

Of course the Council did not agree with Elder Viho's choice. Perhaps it was the thought of their minds being probed, and their darkness being revealed. Elder Theo was so named by the natives for his honesty was said to be “divine.” His flaming red mane was also given the name of Pirro, in the native tongue. He was well liked for an Elder, and the natives did not fear him. As the Council members waited for Elder Theo, Simon dressed, and sat down to enjoy his wine.

“Ah, I believe our Elder Raynard, will be able to decipher its contents.” Elder Viho took the data crystal from Simon to exam it. “This is old technology, and I believe you already know this, no?”

“Yes. It was the only thing that survived the destruction, other than me and my crew. It was housed in the Vault of Specimens I mentioned, and according to our ancient archives, dates back to the era of the Living Text, then known as Jupiter.”

The mention of Jupiter's name once again caused the noise level in the room to rise. As all waited for Elder Pirro to arrive, Simon retrieved the data crystal and watched as Elder Raynard made his way to Bastian, who was sitting on the edge of his seat. He sat patiently observing the many loud conversations rising above the noise. He had dealt with one Council of Elders on Rhea, and the familiarity between the two had his mind racing, as he could see the divisions with the mere mention of the word true blood.

Elder Raynard took the opportunity to speak with Bastian, as the strange Lord looked a bit nervous. Raynard had been watching him during the proceedings, sizing him up. He knew he was nobility in his manor of dress and the body language he displayed. At least up until the last few minutes, before Elder Simon undressed. But Elder Raynard was not named Waneta or “shape shifter” by the natives for nothing. He could ferret out his own kind, and he saw in Bastian, an opportunity.

It has not been brought up yet by the Council, but everyone was thinking it. This Lord Bastian reeked of technology. He was dressed as a Noble, and decked out with expensive jewelry. To have been paired with this young would-be heir, meant they have an agenda. And any Elder worth his weight in gold, would surely know, the means for them to return to their ancient world, sat next to Simon.

Simon and Bastian were sitting in a room full of such men. Elder Raynard walked up to Simon and examined the data crystal. His expression was transparent enough to let Simon know, he'd seen this technology before. However, he did not care for the young pup, as his declarations of royalty, along with his tale of Iason and Riki left a bad taste in his mouth. He could already hear the hysteria of the Oracles spread like wildfire, as the centuries-old talk of a “Flame and Tempest” would soon fill the streets with even more talk in view of the visitors.

“Yes, I've seen such a device before, and will try to locate the corresponding system to reveal it's contents.”

Raynard all but ignored Simon, which was not lost on Bastian. It would seem the young Elder would find the same treatment on Yasuo by this group of men, as he did on Rhea. If not all, at least those who would discount the old prophesy. He couldn't wait to see their faces as this “empath” reads all that transpired between Iason and Riki. He was still trying to accept this himself, but the footage he saw not two days earlier could not be denied. He now moved his gaze to this older-than-dirt Elder, as he bowed respectfully in his direction.

“Greetings Lord Hemile,” Elder Raynard smiled. “I am intrigued by your presence. It must have been an interesting journey to our side of the Path. We ourselves have not breached the wormholes for many decades, and surely not since I was a young man. As you can see, I am no longer young.” Elder Raynard laughed despite himself. “We stopped our expeditions because we were losing far too many ships, not to mention pilots and crews. And as you no doubt saw, we don't have many to spare.”

Lord Bastian blinked at this Elder's frankness, and noticed Lord Viho's scathing look, as the tall Elder cleared his throat. Making Elder Raynard hold his tongue.

“Well, it was by a strange number of events that we even made it this far. We ourselves were on an expedition of our own.”

Bastian was not as forthcoming as Elder Raynard, as he slowly raised his eyes at the looming Elder. This gave Bastian a closer look at the man who made his skin crawl. He was not at all handsome, and had several moles on his face that would scream at him had they a voice of their own. His beard was long and uneven, as well as his auburn hair that was getting thin on the top. Bastian made a mental note, and felt most men would at that point just lop it all off. This Elder dared to comb over the balding area, as if no one would notice. Bastian quickly decided he did not care for the man, who now bent over as if hard of hearing, and spoke once again.

“Oh? And what expedition would that be Lord Hemile?” Elder Raynard pressed on.

“I believe we will be getting to that explanation soon, Lord Raynard- is it?” Bastian smiled. “I would not dream of speaking out of turn, as Lord Elder Simon will explain our presence and then some.”

Elder Raynard's reaction was priceless, making Elder Viho smile. He made no effort to hide this, as he's never really cared for the man, but tolerated him for his intelligence. It was always causing trouble in the Council Chambers, and would hope that after nearly two centuries of knowing the old man, he would finally give up and retire. He seemed to always find himself in the middle of one squabble or another, and usually one he instigated himself.

But he did like Lord Hemile's comment, as he watched Elder Raynard's mask of false kindness, turn to his real face. One which scowled, and turned his wrinkled skin even more unattractive..if that was even possible.

Soon the Council's Chamber doors opened, and Elder Theo Pirro walked in. At first glance one would not think him to be anything but the true blood he was. But as one would take in his attire, you could have guessed he indeed had gone native. He wore his hair neatly braided with gold ties, that had several native charms symbolizing the elements. His complexion was tanned, and golden, which gave the indication that he spent much of his time outdoors. His tunic was emerald green, with black buttons that began at this neck, and crossed over his chest.

His eyes betrayed his disgust with the men he was about to unleash his temper on, when he set his eyes on Elder Simon and Bastian. His face now changed, and he smiled as if he had won the grand prize. He sped his pace, which he'd been purposely dragging when he was summoned into the city. He waited on no one to make introductions, and immediately began to talk to Simon.

“Ah yes. I see the wave of truth in this young one.” He raised one eyebrow and made believe he was doing something important, when in truth, he just loved the rumors of the two visitors, and wanted to make the Council members squirm a bit.

“Yes, this young Elder is yet to heal. But even so, he made a long journey across many a wormhole to visit a den of snakes and Wanetas!” Elder Theo couldn't help but look at Elder Raynard, as he directed that comment to him.

Elder Raynard nearly tripped as he made his way back to his seat, and pretended something had caught his foot.

“Now, now Elder Pirro. Is that any way to speak to your fellow Council members? You do not shine a positive light on this assembly with your remarks. What is this young Elder and his friend to think?”

“Am I wrong?” Elder Pirro scratched his ass, as he walked over to the wine at Simon's table and poured himself a drink using Bastian's glass. “I was summoned most rudely by your hounds, while I was enjoying a pleasant morning walk in the city. I was dragged away, leaving my just purchased bundle of vegetables into your presence, only to hear this lot of cackling old men. Furthermore, I find said men cowering in fear, over the news this young heir has brought you from across the stars!”

The assembly became hushed, as Elder Pirro began his reading. They knew this man was a true empath, and as he already told them why they were there, they could do nothing but sit down and listen. Elder Viho grinned once again, knowing this Elder was going to have his way with the Council regardless of the issue, as he has always done so in the past.

“Yes, well I'll make sure to send someone to pick up your vegetables Elder Pirro. We do have a favor to ask, since you are now here. Lord Elder Simon Simone hails from across the Path of the Ancients with a tale so incredible, we would ask you to witness his thoughts, so we may better understand his mission.”

Elder Pirro looked at Simon and Bastian, and gave him a sideways glance. “This child?” Theo pointed at Simon, then walked over to Simon, and looked upon his scarred face.

Simon turned his head in his direction, and in his mind, replayed the taking of Iason on the Ios, and the battle that ensued with Riki leading the rescue against the Elders. Theo's body twitched, as he experienced the injuries upon Simon's body, and trembled at the loss of life. Any life. He gave Simon a sobering look, as he witnessed Iason and Riki's appearance. He also saw Jupiter in all her glory appear before the Council of Elders, and the many exchanges between Iason and Elder Kronos, Simon's father. He further witnessed Iason's transformation, and his eyes filled with tears, as he heard Riki's words to his Flame. Yes, it was true. All of it was as Simon said. However, Simon's mind and heart were not for the Flame and his Tempest, this much he knew. It was on revenge.

Theo pressed his thoughts deeper, and saw the footage they viewed of the royal fathers and their sons at the Lord's Dance. He gasped when he looked at Lord Kai and Raimen. A Warrior and an Intellect. Elder Theo smiled. To anyone else in that room, this would be a true nightmare. But to him, and those who believed, this would be the voice of salvation. But he would not dare mention this to anyone, and certainly not Elder Waneta. He truly despised this man, and could not wait for him to keel over.

Elder Reynard was in league with Elder Pillan who would use this excuse to cleanse the population of this belief of a world ending “prophesy.” They had done this several times in his lifetime, as Elders lived long lives. At least the pure blooded Elders. He would not allow it to happen again.

Theo collected his thoughts, and quickly thought of his next move. There would be little time to act, and he wanted to prepare the natives, as he had for many decades. He looked over at Lord Bastian, and peered into his thoughts, uninvited. What he witnessed made his stomach turn, and the thoughts he read regards to Iason nearly made the wine travel back up his throat. His barbaric treatment of those two young men would have made Theo pop his head like a grape. But there was far more behind this man than even Simon knew. This man was no different than Elder Waneta...a man of many faces, and full of darkness and revenge.

Yes, this was the key to the union between a young Elder and this Lord Bastian Hemile. Both wore the scars of regret and betrayal. Both wanted the Ancients for this, but more importantly, they wanted this Council to do the work for them. Simon was truthful in all he spoke. But he would not find what he desired most here, in these men. Redemption.

As Elder Theo finished his readings, he looked at the Council Members seated at the long table, and took a deep breath.

“What this young Heir speaks of is the truth. His Clansmen did battle the Flame and his Tempest, and his body is the proof. As is Lord Bastian Hemil's, though he went to great lengths to remove the blemishes upon his flesh. These two bring an important piece of data, that when revealed, will change the lives of each and every one on this planet.” Theo now looked back at Simon and Bastian. “What they have witnessed was both horrifying, and most beautiful. Our Clansmen on the other side of the Path are lost. This much is true. But there are other Elders who in their eyes, have betrayed his Clan, and injured their pride.” Theo looked at Bastian. “They are in search of a vast treasure, and they believe the contents in that data crystal holds the key to them finding it. I will say this once, to not only them, but to all of you. What you are all hoping to find on the other side is not in your best interest.”

With that Elder Theo turned to Elder Viho and bowed. He next turned to Simon and Bastian and bowed respectfully. He then made a hasty exit without another word. With his exit, the Council Chambers roared with the loud voices of panic and confusion. But Elder Theo did not care. He was going to save lives. He had made preparations and had them in place for many years. He gave a nod to his attendants, who were waiting for him with his private shuttle at the exit. He quickly entered, and gestured for them to climb in. This was very unusual, as natives were prohibited from riding with an Elder. But Theo did not care. He quickly made for his home, and within moments, he was making his way to the countryside, to where the natives knew to go.

*~*~*

Les Fidelis...

As dawn broke over the small world of Les Fidelis, the first beams of light crossed over Raoul's quarters. The Sentinel's Chariot had arrived to their destination. He had awakened in his bed confused as to how he got there. He was wearing only a night shirt, and nothing else. As he stretched out, his mind returned to the comfort of Iason and Riki taking him into their embrace. He felt as if hope was now smiling down on him, as he thought of Yui back on Amoi. What he would give to have Yui before him at this very moment. Though his present persona was filled with memories of loving him just a few days ago, his memory of long ago was still painful to accept.

He sat up and walked towards the bath to clean up. He noticed several bowls and cloths left in a neat pile, with several small jars of mineral lotions. It was then that he noticed he had been bathed, and his skin smelled sweet. While he was lost in his thoughts, the bell chimed at his door. He turned around and granted entrance.

“Good morning Lord Am.” Came the gentle voice of Martin. “I hope you are well rested?”

“Yes, thank you Martin.” Raoul looked at the young medic. “Though I seem to have forgotten how I arrived at my quarters, when I recall being in the observation room.”

“Yes, you were.” Martin went in to collect his bowls and towels. “You were brought in by Lord Kai and Sir Luis Raymone, who found you dead asleep when they were making their rounds. Lord Kai had me and Jake give you a massage and make you more comfortable. You never woke, which surprised us.”

Raoul smiled, as he began to dress. Obviously there was no need to clean up.

“I was being taken care of by Lord Iason and Riki. It was Lord Riki who sensed my thoughts, and both he and Iason watched over me last night. The last thing I recall, was the two of them placing me between them, and infusing me with their energy. I have never felt such comfort, or love. It was quite amazing.”

Martin blushed, thinking Raoul had been intimate with the two Lords, and adverted his eyes away from Raoul's face. Raoul picking up on this, quickly spoke up.

“No, no- you misunderstand. I was not intimate with them in that way.” Raoul smiled. “I can't think of anyone but Yui right now, even though I do recall being intimate with others. I don't know if I will ever share my bed with anyone else, and right now, I can't see past my love for Yui.” Raoul looked outside his portal at the giant nebula which was getting bigger as they approached the hidden blue planet.

Martin watched the tall Intellect, as his thoughts seem to float along, as the stars did outside. Martin placed his bowls down, and approached Raoul. He tapped Raoul gently on the shoulder.

“My Lord. When Lord Iason first regained consciousness, he held the very same gaze I now see in your eyes. He had yet to awaken, and even though his love for Lord Riki was in the present, it was a deep love that seemed written in stone. When he awakened to his past life, he mourned the lost time between him and the young prince. His heart ached as yours does at this very moment, and we watched him fight for what was his. You also are upon that bridge, and Yui awaits on the other side. I am certain, that when you reunite, the hardships and pain, will melt with your first embrace.”

Martin looked up at Raoul, who towered over him. He gave him a slight smile, as Martin's words sank in. It was true that he witnessed Iason before and after his awakening, so his words carried much weight.

“For such a young man, you certainly are a wise and compassionate soul. I feel Lord Iason and Riki are blessed with the lot of you Martin. You and your medics have been quite busy of late. Are you completely healed?”

“I believe so. Lord Raimen's healing powers are incredible. We will never understand the medical aspect of his powers, or that of both Intellect and Warrior.”

“Well, I'm about to find out. I have memories of using my powers, but never to heal. There was no time for that. I've also learned we can die of a mortal wound. Lord Kai was the last face I saw before I sank into darkness. But in the heat of battle, there was no such luxury. Lord Heiku would usually just patch us up.....”

Raoul became silent. He realized that Heiku was always behind Lord Kai and the front lines. He stared out in front of him, as Martin roused him from this thoughts.

“Lord Am?” Martin whispered.

“I just remembered Lord Heiku. I have memories of his life, and many conversations with him. He was Lord Kai's personal healer, and in fact, his was the first face I recalled after Yui's death. I was told I had a head injury and had been out for days. When the truth of the matter was that my memories of Yui had been sealed.”

“Lord Mink had a similar experience. He began to remember Amoi, his family, and his work on Jupiter's Matrix.”

“I must admit Martin, this is really strange to hold two sets of memories. I clearly recall my past relationship with Iason, and my jealousy of his love for Riki. But I now feel as if those are the distant memories, and Yui was always the first. I was involved with Lord Kai as the wars raged, but the ones that ring true are of Yui.”

“Well, if you ask me, your heart is telling you what is true. Your love for Yui has surpassed time and death. Lord Riki told me once, that the heart rules one's life. He said that being an empath was a difficult thing to adapt to when he first awakened to his past. He said the sudden rush of thoughts from people was hard to filter out. But the fact that he had a mission to focus on, made the voices quiet down, to the point that he could zone in on the one he needed to hear.”

“Yes, he mentioned that when he found me late last night. He said my thoughts were powerful. Then he and Lord Iason placed the recent of images of Yui into my mind. Then I felt their warm energy and went to sleep.”

“I do recall their healing power. I thought Jake and I were going to die, but Lord Iason and Riki crossed the universe to save us. How do you repay something like that?”

“When I find out Martin, I will tell you.” Raoul laughed quietly. “I am now on the same bridge as you. Our mission will be a good way to focus on the what needs to be done. But our return to Amoi, will be the time to look forward to reunions.”

“Yes, I can't wait to meet Lady Erin. Lord Kai was so happy to see her awaken, though Lord Raimen may see it differently.” Martin giggled. “But I see where Lord Riki got his looks. She is quite beautiful.”

“That she is. Lady Yuri is also breathtaking. Lord Iason will be quite happy to see her awaken. Though her journey to the present will be as it was for all of us who have suffered the wars.”

“Well, all she will have to do is look at you, and Lord Kai.” Martin smiled. “Well, we need to get you something to eat, and ready for our expedition! You should see Lord Iason, he is all decked out as if he were on some archaeological dig!”

“Well, that does not surprise me at all. He is quite the adventurer. If he weren't the Head of the Syndicate, he would have been happy digging up history. At least those were his present hobbies. The Iason of the past was a studious young man, who was often given the boot from his father to get some fresh air from the labs. But it was those very same experiments, and theories that have given us all life once again.”

The two men enjoyed each others company, and deep conversation. Martin helped Raoul dress, and even did his hair. Martin recalled Raoul's father in the archives, and placed a braid down the right side of his face, and tied it off with a blue tie. Raoul wore his Sentinel's uniform, and looked around for something that was missing. Martin watched as he looked all over the room, then stopped to think. After a few moments, it dawned on him, and he made a bee line to his weapons locker. He opened the door, and found his whip.

“Ah, there you are!” Raoul exclaimed. “I have missed you dear old friend.”

Raoul smiled, as he placed his whip in it's proper loop, and gave it a soft pat. He didn't know whether he would need it, but felt naked without it. He looked at Martin, who gave him a thumbs up. He collected his things, and both men headed out the door. There seemed to be a loud commotion as they approached the mess hall. When they entered, those who saw him enter gave a loud cheer.

Raoul was surprised by the welcome, and made an attempt to escape, and found Kai and Raimen right behind him.

“Oh no you don't!” Raimen giggled, as he playfully pushed Raoul back into the mess hall. By then everyone had turned around and was laughing at Raoul's attempt to sneak out. “You may have been asleep for two days, but I assure you, no one slept peacefully until you came about.” Raimen pointed his finger at Raoul's nose.

“What in the world are all of you making such a loud ruckus about?!” Kai's loud commanding voice was heard over the men. “Isn't it too early for adult men to be acting like first year-”

“Oh stuff it my love!” Raimen interrupted as he ran to the center of the group, to see what they were all excited about. Kai was left with his mouth open, and his finger pointing up in an authoritarian pose, as he watched Raimen pointing outside.

“Well, it seems there's no stopping them, is there my friend?” Kai laughed. “Well, what are you waiting for? Get in there and see what has them so excited.”

Kai pushed Raoul further into the room, and joined the crew, as all watched the little green planet begin to appear from within the giant nebula. It lay like a green pearl, and was catching the first rays of light from the sun in that system. It was truly a beautiful sight to behold. Soon Iason and Riki made their way into the mess hall, and joined everyone in seeing the resting place of the Maidens.

“Yousi, you did well my friend.” Iason whispered to Yousi who rocked on his heels. He knew the crew would truly love seeing the small planet as they approached. Riki hit him playful on the arm, as they watched Les Fidelis in full bloom.

“This has to be the most beautiful jewel in the galaxy Yousi. And you said you discovered it by accident?” Kai spoke. “All nestled in a blanket of stars. I can see how easily this little world could be have been overlooked.”

After a few minutes Sir James could be heard over the intercom announcing that they were about to enter the atmosphere. Everyone watched eagerly, as the land masses appeared, and the ship made for the coordinates Yousi gave. Omaki and Argent hugged their shy partner, as the three watched the settlement come into view. To the untrained eye, one would say it was a barren world, but since everyone knew the settlement was in the many caves, they looked on as Sir James landed the ship at the mouth of the largest cave.

Every one headed out, and could not wait to begin the recovery of the maidens. Omaki and Argent literally ran, with Yousi a close third. Iason watched the dust cloud of their tracks, and nothing but a blur of blond hair go by. He was a bit more regal, until he saw Riki sprint out in front of the three, who laughed as they made their way to the cave. With that, it seemed as if a stampede of men followed, from both ships, to include Elders and medics. Elder Petros lagged behind, and preferred to join the Lord Fathers.

Kai and Raimen were impressed with the beauty of the planet, and felt Yousi's second choice was a kindness, to the ones who survived. As the crew followed the excited ones in the lead, Raimen smiled at the faces of Iason and Raoul. Both walked together towards the cave, and seemed to enjoy the beauty of it. There were many green fields of grass, and wildflowers in every direction.

“I believe Iason is trying to soften the blow.” Kai spoke, as the three watched Iason's gestures. “Let's hope, this is not too much for Raoul, so soon after his eventful day yesterday.”

“There has been far too much loss for all concerned my Lords.” Petros spoke. “There is also much joy in what the Maidens will bring. Like the many blossoms that cover this world, it is appropriate that their resting place turned out to be this paradise. Lord Raoul may yet mourn today's discovery.

“Well, there is no stopping this, so let's hope his newly awakened mind, finds comfort in knowing who slumbers beyond the entrance. I do hope his dear twin was not the last.” Raimen sighed.

“Monique was truly beautiful. I remember her smile.” Kai whispered. “I always wondered what happened to her, and Lady Anabelle. Rene never told me she was even off world. I understand, Raoul thought they had been relocated near the south pole. Your dear wife made sure they would escape the carnage...much to her credit. This life may have been difficult for the Am household, but this world, somehow, makes me envy their life here.”

The three Lords, entered the caves and stood in awe, at the grand Estate that greeted them. That so much time had passed was not obvious, as the structure carved out of bedrock stood as a silent witness. It confirmed that at one time, life truly existed on that planet.

“Lord Kai!” Came the voice of Omaki. “Look! The recording devices are still here!” Omaki held the data crystals. “Well, the recording devices didn't technically survive. Obviously, with ten thousand years in between, the few months my past memory knows has passed. But it seems that at the present, a bit more time actually happened.”

“That does not make sense Omi! But I'll take your word for it!” Kai laughed at the giddiness of the three men, who fought so hard to make this possible. Raoul and Iason looked at the Estate, and walked in.

Inside, Raoul looked at the small hall and walked over to the spot where a fireplace once was. The windows that let in the sun's rays with the aid of mirrors were all gone, but the faded stained glass was still intact on smaller windows. Raoul found Iason staring at the remains of what looked like a bread oven.

“It seems our three friends, tried their best to make them as comfortable as possible. I see old technology everywhere I look.” Iason cleaned the dust off his hands. “I see the remnants of an old processor made to store grains, which would explain the bread oven. There are also a few pieces of crystal stemware I found in one of those storage compartments.” Iason smiled.

“My Lords!” Came the voice of Darius. “We have found them!”

Darius' excitement was overflowing, as he smiled at both men. Iason's eyes lit up, as both he and Raoul followed Darius to the interior of the cave. They could see everyone digging slowly, as the entrance to the vault was covered with several feet of dirt. As they dug further, they found a layer of rock, and further still, found the last barricade that revealed the titanium door of the vault.

With so many hands, the work was fast, and exciting, finding everyone involved. The medics were so happy, they scurried from one end of the cave to the other, bringing water and more tools from the ship. Nearly an hour later, the entrance had been completely cleared away. The men all stood back and took in the sight of what three men built, all by themselves.

Lord Kai looked at Omaki and Argent who had removed their shirts, and were back in their old mode of working the site, Yousi sat near a rather large boulder by the dry lake bed, where he used to always rest. Kai walked over to them, and addressed them.

“How long did this vault take the three of you to complete?”

“Years, my Lord.” Omaki quickly answered back. “Nearly a century, as time would permit. Since we had to begin from scratch once we transferred the Am household and the specimens again. We dug the chamber into the rock bed with the one Bio-Droid, and that took us several years, between the three of us. But we left it behind, since it broke down, and was dead weight. The vault materials were found and collected from Jupiter's first vaults. She did not need them, so Lady Yuri told us to take what we needed at the beginning. We were even allowed to take several of the fail-safe generators.

I admit, I felt a bit guilty taking them from Jupiter, but without them, the vault would have never stayed active, and the women, would have perished within months. We couldn't have them burning wood for warmth or cooking, so we scrounged for all we could carry each time we returned to Amoi. Sometimes we were gone for months. The longest period of time was nearly two years. So this fail-safe generator with it's nuclear base, did the job. After that, Yousi designed the blue prints, for it, and well, we just built it. We knew the giant caves would cloak them, and the nebula would hide their signature.”

“Absolutely amazing!” Raimen spoke as he looked over at the sealed vault. His face was covered with dirt, and sweat, as he leaned on Kai's shoulders. “I must say, you three did a wonderful job! Now, will one of you do us the favor and open it up? The men are quite eager to collect our Maidens and bring them home.”

Kai looked over his shoulder to see the crews of both ships looking in their direction. Their faces betrayed their eagerness, having worked hard to reveal the Queens Treasure. Yousi stepped forward, and walked over to the hatch. He gave a deep sigh, and pressed his code:

“HOPE.”

The hatch hummed loudly, and the cave vibrated at first, as the twelve inch bolts all began to move across the door. With a loud hiss, the door released it's centuries old latch. Yousi looked at everyone, and with the help of several crewmen, pulled the door open. When they saw the thickness of the door, Iason and Riki, along with those who saw the vault of specimens on Rhea, knew what they would find.

Lord Kai and Raimen walked in, and looked up. The vault rose nearly three stories high, and was filled to capacity with specimen jars. Which were nothing like they imagined. They were actually small metallic cylinders with a crystal cap the size of a cigarette lighter. The men became reverently quiet, as the multitude of jars was awe-inspiring. Yousi, Omaki and Argent stood at the door. To them, it was only yesterday when they sealed the vault. It was still too real for them to enter.

When Iason and Riki walked in, they were overcome by the sheer numbers before them. Riki felt his anxiety rise with the thought of so many dead. And all, if not the majority- were women. Iason picked up on his sadness, and without hesitation reached over to him, to sooth his thoughts. In doings so, the energy coming from Iason had the same reaction it did on Rhea. The jars began to vibrate, and the specimens began to glow, lighting the vault completely. Iason and Riki could swear they heard the multitude of souls cry out to them. Iason and Riki's reaction made Kai and Raimen stared at their sons. They both realized the many things said of their linked powers was indeed unique. Their love surpassed time, and space..and even death.

The silence was broken when Argent remembered the stone sarcophagus' he chiseled away for the Am household, and tugged at Omaki. “We need to find them.” Argent pointed to a small box with a number of cylinders and a set of familiar tools. “I knew if we were going to do this, I might need them.”

“I guess old habits are hard to break my love.” Omaki gave him a soft kiss on the lips. He didn't know how to approach Raoul, and wondered if he should.

Riki sensed the sudden ache in their heart, as the three had yet to enter the vault. He walked over to them and spoke.

“Come, let's get this over with.” Riki walked out, and led the way. The three followed wondering how he knew the direction to their resting place. He held a torch lamp and slowly made his way off to the right. Nearly a hundred yards away, he pointed to the wall. Much of the rock had shown signs of natural erosion, since they were not sealed like the vault. But Riki looked into Argent's mind, and as he recalled each one, Riki called out their names.

Iason came up behind him, followed by their fathers and Raoul. With the Lords on the move, the crew quietly walked over to where they were all standing, facing the wall. As Riki pointed to each sarcophagus, the Elders said quiet prayers, and added each name as Riki finally came to Lady Anabelle Am. It seemed as if all sound was suddenly sucked out of the cave, and all that was heard, was Raoul's gasp. Iason watched as Raoul came up to her grave, and knelt down.

“H-How can this be?” Raoul looked at the three who held their equipment in their hands. “I was told they were in the south pole! I believed all their correspondence was from there.....”

Raoul's mind was once again in pain, as he touched his mother's sarcophagus. Then Riki pointed to the one next to it. Then he whispered Monique's name. With that, Raoul gave way to tears. It was too much. He knew they were lost, but he believed them to have perished on Amoi. He looked at Iason and Riki.

“You two knew? As did you three?” Raoul whispered. “Why not tell me?”

Omaki stepped forward.

“We told them Raoul. We asked them to help us tell you....or to at least to soften the blow. But you began to awaken, and-”

“And it was Riki and I who made that decision Raoul. But we only discovered your family's part in this mission, through the logs from the data crystal. We felt the knowledge of this would best be kept until we landed.” Iason approached Raoul who was conflicted with emotion. But it was understandable.

“When they were asked to volunteer for this mission Raoul, they did not hesitate, and felt honored to watch over the lost.” Omaki whispered, to which Raoul quickly looked in his direction. “They knew your father guarded Lord Kai. So your mother, volunteered to be a Sentinel over the Maidens. Over our treasure.”

Kai now stepped in, to try and turn this around. He knew Raoul would suffer yet more, when they landed, but there was no other way. Especially so soon after his ordeal.

“Commander Darius, have your crew begin to load the specimens on board our ship. We have several large storage compartments that should hold them secure. There's a good day's work ahead of us all, so let's get moving. Lord Heiku, you and what's his name....Victor. Yes, please assist these three with the collection of the Am household's specimens. Sir Raymone, please assemble a team, to load the remains once they are done. We shall bring them to rest on Amoi. They have been far from home for far too long.”

With that, the two crews broke off into their assignments, and the excitement would soon begin to rise once again. Raimen walked up to Raoul and tilted his head, as he tried to see his face. Raoul was standing over his sister's sarcophagus. He placed a hand over the lid, and tried to see what was inscribed. But the elements had all but worn off the private messages.

“I fear, I am not good company right now Lord Raimen.” Raoul whispered softly. “I know I should be happy that they did not suffer a horrible death on Amoi. But they all knew. My father, mother, and even my twin sister, all three kept silent.” Raoul tried to see the positive, but the reality that was before him, was hard to accept.

“What they knew was that you had an important mission yourself Raoul. I understand, you were assigned the northern territories, and commanded a vast number of men.” Raimen soothed. “They knew if you were aware of their mission, the very real possibility of their mission, would have been at risk if you had been taken captive. Those three over there, fought against the very same madness you did, but without using their powers, without all you had to give in your defense. If only to keep them safe. So please do not mourn their choice. You should rejoice in the fact that they were true Sentinels like you, and your father. But, I do have a bit of good news with regards to him.”

Raimen looked on, as Raoul heard the lid being removed from the first sarcophagus. His heart raced, as he knew beneath his hands, his sister lay in death. Raimen gently pulled him away, as he spoke.

“I learned your father is not far from here. In fact, he is in the vault you were in a few minutes ago.” Raimen saw Raoul's face light up, as he let the words soak in. He suddenly wiped the tears from his eyes, and looked at Omaki, who gave him a nod in confirmation, then smiled weakly. The excitement that beamed from their faces before they began, had been drained from the three. Raoul saw the anguish in their task, and imagined what they must have suffered for nearly three hundred years.

“I know this will also pass.” Raimen stroked Raoul's hair. “I have my own tears to shed, my dear friend. She lays waiting for me to arrive home. I fear, I will need all the support I can gather, in not only helping my dear wife to awaken, but in the guilt I feel for dying before her.”

“It can't be helped my Lord. It was a dark hand we were all dealt. Lady Yuri will be happy when she sees her family restored before her. I can only hope, mine is as fortunate as yours.”

“Well, it will give way to an endless parade of parties and merrymaking, as we welcome them all back one at a time!” Raimen smiled. “Besides, we will be a race of extremely old farts, and who knew I'd look so handsome at a young old age of ten thousand..blah..blah...blah.” Raimen giggled.

Raoul shook his head. Truly they were a race of Ancients. But as he watched Heiku retrieve specimens, he realized Heiku has been awful quiet. He wondered what was going on in his head.

Riki watched as the crew carefully handled the specimens. Lord Raimen and Kai used their powers to slowly bring down the ones at the very top. Iason and Riki floated nearby, and with the four of them working in unison, the vault slowly was being emptied. The crews loved seeing the four of them float without a second thought, and privately hoped that if any of them also awakened, they would have the power to levitate.

The hours passed, and the two crews worked diligently to empty out the vault. Sir Bryan provided a wonderful meal, which restored the many hands that gently placed each specimen into the storage containers. On occasion they would glance at the database which listed the deceased, by name and a corresponding digital tag on the specimen cylinder, which to the crew really didn't mean much, since they had no memories of who they were. On the other hand, Omaki, Argent and Yousi knew them well. Lord Kai and Lord Raimen could not bear to look at the list, but knew the joy of seeing them alive once again, outweighed the ache they felt at the moment. When Lord Rene Am was found, they placed his specimen with Lady Anabelle, and Monique.

Lord Kai looked down at the Am family and whispered. “Soon dear friends. Soon you shall all see the fruits of your labor.”

*~*~*

Thanx for reading my story, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please give a review. (-.-) -bows humbly-