Welcome to Gaia! ::

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Life is preventing me from drawing this.
that and i cant draw for sh!t
and i'm lazy.

so here is the script, i'll post it in bits...maybe write more, u guys can give me ideas. hopefully one day when my skill goes up i'll illustrate it. for now, u guys get this!



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Chapter Two

Aze, Rika and M are all seated outside a large pile of rocks. Rika is crying and Aze is trying to comfort her.

Rika: They-they were all dead. Everyone! There was n-nothing I c-could do

Aze: It’s okay! Everything will be okay.

Rika: But they are dead! How can you say it will be okay!

M: It is not the dead we should mourn but the living. Those who have been taken captive by the Empire are the ones who will face a fate worse than death.

Voice: Well that’s depressing

Three turn to see Kas and Blue coming up the hill towards them

Blue: everyone alright?

M: Aze suffers from a broken arm, and Rika from post-traumatic stress. We all suffer from a few cuts and bruises but nothing life threatening.

Blue: Thank you, M.

M: Kas, are you aware of the fact that you are bleeding?

Kas: what? The ********! They ******** shot me!

Blue: Oh it just grazed you. You’ll live.

Kas: That’s not the point! The point is: my beautiful blood has left a trail for them to follow.

M: he is right

Blue: Dammit. We’ll have to move fast. Aze, is the tunnel still safe to travel by?

Aze: of course! I used it just last week when I…I…eh…

Blue: Aze! I know you’re a thief but really!

Aze: I can’t help it! I have to keep in practice some how! Besides, I return everything after a few days. I swear!

Kas: AHH HAHAHA. This kid stealing weaponry from the rebel base again? Atta boy! What you steal?

Aze: Not much…its in the tunnels.

Aze puts a hand on one of the large boulders. He then pushes it in and the rock slides away.

Aze: Quickly- before they find us!

Everyone enters the dark space and the rock slides shut behind them. The space is lit with green glow seconds later by Rika

Aze: this way!

He leads them down a sloping tunnel into a large cavern. The sound of rushing water is heard.

Kas: woaaah. I didn’t even know this was down here!

Aze: It was used as an emergency escape from the main building…but has been abandoned for a few years. Until I discovered it. Makes for a good hiding place.

Rika: Is that a river I hear?

M: There is an underground river in this area.

Aze walks over to a flat rock where there is a display of guns.

Aze: take your pick! But the sniper is mine.

Rika picks up a small pistol, Blue takes a shotgun, M takes two long silenced pistols and Kas takes a machine gun which he straps to his back.

Rika: Wouldn’t this be considered stealing?

Kas: Nahh. The rebels are gone. Besides…these could have been ours. They just like to keep the good guns hidden away. The jerks.

Aze: What do we do now? We have no home anymore…

Blue: I don’t know. I really don’t

Kas: Looks like you all need a hansom clever man like myself to take charge!

Blue: yeah, my a** you’re taking charge!

Kas: Sorry sweetheart, the rebels are destroyed. We just witnessed the Empire take out the last hope for people like us. We’re on our own now. It also means I don’t have to take orders from anyone! So if you don’t mind. I’m gonna take this lovely piece of machinery right here and find my way to the nearest village that has yet to be infected by the Empire.

M: And what do you plan to do there

Kas: Live there, duh!

M: And once the Empire finds your village? Burns it down and takes the citizens to work in the mines to fuel their colossal cities, what will you do then?

Kas: Shut up! I’ll just go to a new village then!

Blue: Kas don’t you get it! The empire will just keep spreading! Building bigger cities, taking everything from this earth! Why did you join the alpha-sector? To stop the empire!

Kas: Our little raids on their cities did nothing! All we worked for was just crushed in one blow! One attack and we were destroyed. I believed in the revolution. Not anymore. Not after what I saw tonight. So if you don’t mind- I’ll be on my way!

Blue: Kas…

Rika: So that’s it then! You’re just gonna give up! Kas….you’re…you’re such a ******** d**k head!

Everyone looks wide-eyed at Rika who never swears

Kas: Thanks. Means a lot coming from you. Aze, how do I get out of here?

Blue: Don’t tell him.

Kas: what!

Blue: that’s -ungh-

Rika: BLUE! Blue are you alright?

Blue: My head-hurts-

Suddenly the blue crystal around her neck starts to glow brightly. A figure of the commander is projected from it

Figure: I am commander Ray Hayden of the Alpha-sector rebels. If you are watching this it means I have been killed and that our base destroyed. I hope no one ever has to see this message.
The rebels were working underground on a piece of equipment we called the Stone. Only a select few knew of the Stone and if you are viewing this then you are one of those people. The stones purpose however was kept secret, even to the most elite members of the rebels. It holds a great deal of power and is extremely dangerous. However, it is our weapon against the Empire. What you hold now is only a small fraction of the Stone. Yes, the aqua colored crystal given to you by myself. It posses some power, but we have yet to discover how this power is to be unlocked. I pray that you may discover this for yourself. This small shard will wish to reunite to the rest of the Stone and will guide you to it. I have sent our weapon to a hidden location- it is up to you to find it and rebuild the rebels. Let the shard guide you.

Please. The fate of the world rests in your hands. Do not let the Empire discover the stone first or all our efforts will be lost.

Image fades and the stone stops glowing. Blue collapses onto the ground.


A man wearing a large cape is standing over the body of the dead commander. Another military man approaches him.

M.M: The weapon is no longer in the base, sir.

C.M: they must have dispatched it when we attacked. Very well. Any survivors?

M.M: out of the 594 members currently living in this barracks, 248 survived and are being taken to Dagon. Approximately 100 of them will be given the death penalty and the rest will be taken care of accordingly. The other rebel outposts have been destroyed, but their members were gone before the droids had arrived.

C.M: very good. Thank you captain.

M.M: Sir, there is one more thing. We searched their records, and the group which was posted on tonight’s scout is missing. A droid found a trail leading into the field, and requests permission to investigate?

C.M: missing? Find someone to pull up the video surveillance for this room. NOW!

A few minutes have past, the two men and two technicians are sitting at a screen plugged into the wall. They see the commander take out a blue stone and shoot down three droids, after getting shot himself. Kas and Blue run in and the commander hands the stone to Blue. The tape stops.

C.M: That must be the key. Pull up the stats on the group and see if the girl there is part of the scout party.

A man types frantically on a key board and the names of the scout group appear on screen with their pictures and statuses

C.M: A mage? Haven’t seen one of those around in years... Well, well, well. If it isn’t our little runaways.

Panel of Blue and M’s screens shown

C.M: Find them.

Image of Blues sleeping face is shown. She opens her eyes and looks around. She is on a small inflatable craft with a light at the front and back with her friends going down the underground river.

Rika: Hey, you alright?

Blue: I think so…where are we?

Aze: No idea! M found an old raft so we all piled in and started heading down the river. We’re hoping there is an old outpost or something further down here.

Blue: where’s Kas?

Aze: He’s here.

Rika: He’s just been moody ever since our spat. I think he’ll stay though…believe it or not he does have some form of conscious.

Blue: augh. I have such a head ache. What is this thing?

Rika: You remember the whole thing about the Alpha-sector creating some weapon called the Stone, right?

Blue: Yeah, no one knew what the damned thing was though. They kept it pretty secret.

Rika: Well, if what the commander said in his message is true, than the Stone is a piece of powerful ancient magic. And you have part of it hanging around your neck.

Blue: s**t! Get this off me!

Rika: it’s quite harmless. No need to worry. You see… I was allowed to see the stone once. They were tying to tap into its magic but weren’t able to...so they had us mages check it out…

Blue: And you never told me!

Rika: They said not to tell anyone!

Blue: yeah, yeah.

Rika: Anyways! From what I, and the other mages, could tell, is that the stones power can’t be used in its raw form. It has to be transferred through another object- like a staff used by a mage or, in small doses, through a human

M: You mean to say the stone needs to be bound to something with conscious thought?

Rika: yes.

Blue: guess that leaves Kas out of the question.

Kas: I can still hear you!

Blue: Just making sure you were paying attention!

Kas: Sure you were. What I don’t get is why Rika knows all this. Why keep it secret for so long! We’re your friends Rika! You can trust us!

Rika: I know. I was ordered not to tell anyone… The more I think about it, the more I realize how corrupted the Alpha-sector was. We were united to fight the Empire, yet we kept secrets from our own members.

Blue: Well then. We know what we’re looking for. And how to work it. This thing will lead us too it. Seems simple enough?

M: You have to consider what we would do after we find the Stone. Taking down the Empire is not that easy.

Kas: I got a brilliant idea! We sneak into one of their council meetings, and blow the whole ******** lot of them up! No leaders- no Empire.

Aze: Then we all live under the rule of the O’ great Kastor?

Kas: Alright, who taught the kid sarcasm!

M: He has a point.

Blue: Whatever. We will worry about that then. Everyone in?

Rika: of course!

M: yes

Aze: sure thing!

Kas: well. Seeing as half of you are girls. You will need a big strong manly man like me around to protect and guide you along the harsh journey ahead. So I might stick around for a while.

Blue: Kas, you are such an arrogant b*****d.

Kas: But you love me anyways!

Blue: ugh.

Rika: Do you guys hear that?

Blue: If it’s the hum of engines- then I don’t wanna know.

Kas: WATERFAAALLLL!!!!



Chapter Three

Image of a calm underground lake is shown, lit up by faintly glowing lights along the edges. A second later Aze breaks the surface of the lake gasping for air. He swims over to the bank and collapses.

Aze: I can not believe I survived that.

Voice of Kas who just came out of the water: Tell me about it.

M: That was extremely unpleasant. < rings out hair> Where are the girls?

Aze: have they not surfaced yet?

M: I do not see them here.

Kas: s**t! < dives back into water>

M: Should we inform him that he wouldn’t be able to see them anyways in this minimal lighting?

Aze: nah.

A very wet looking Rika and Blue approach them

Rika: Everyone alright?

Aze: yeah. But I don’t think I’ll be swimming for a while.

Blue: Where’s Kas?

Aze: Trying to save your lives.

Kas comes sputtering out of Water with a piece of green fabric

Kas: They’re dead! This was all I found!

Rika grabs fabric from him

Rika: That would be mine. Thanks!

Kas: You...You’re alive!?

Blue: Sorry Kas, can’t get rid of us that easily.

Kas: Shame.

Blue: isn’t it though.

M: Blue, you may want to see this.

The rest walk over to M who is examining a metal surface with a door embedded into the cave wall. Alpha Sector is painted on the door in faded cracking paint.

M: It appears to be an old outpost or refuge for the rebels.

Kas: Looks like they were prepared for an attack. I have a feeling that raft wasn’t meant for us.

Rika: The commander wouldn’t abandon all those people Kas!

Kas: Sure he would. That is, if he didn’t get shot, so instead we’re running around on his goose chase. Hell, he probably knew the attack was coming but did nothing to stop it!

Blue looks down for a second, no one but Kas notices and he gives her a suspicious look.

Blue: Lets get this door open.

M tries turning the handle but it doesn’t move.

M: Hum. Problematic.

He takes out a pistol and shoots the handle before giving the door a shove. It creaks open to reveal a small dim room, lit by one glowing orb similar to those outside.

Rika: How-

M: Waterproof gun.

Rika: Cool!

A digitized voice fills the room

Voice: Welcome to Alpha-sector refuge One-B. Please state name.

M looks at Rika.

Rika: Oh alright. Rika Shay.

Voice: Checking sector files. Name: Rika Shay. Statues: Scout. Position: Earth Mage. All systems starting. Welcome Miss Shay.

The room lights up and a set of glass doors slide open to reveal a large cavern with a black tiled floor where a few small vehicles are parked. The far wall is a white metal and is set with windows, large sliding glass double doors and an elevator.

The group enters the cavern, examining the machines and eventually makes their way to the doors on the far side.

Rika: Guess this is where we’ll be staying. Do you think it’s stocked with food? I’m starving!

Aze: Lets find out!

The two run in, M follows. Blue goes to enter but Kas grabs her wrist.

Kas: What do you know.

Blue: What are you talking about?

Kas: You know very damned well What I’m talking about, Blue. You know something about what happened tonight and you aren’t sharing. Lets just call it a hunch but I don’t think coincidence brought the five of us together on a scout tonight. I had already done my patrol duties for this week.

Blue: what?

Kas: Oh come on! The five of us have all been on missions together. You and Rika are practically family, we would all trust M with our lives. This tight group of people all seems to convenient.

Blue: ******** Kas! You think I planned this!

Kas: The series of recent events has gotten me re-thinking a lot of stuff

Blue: No! I don’t know anything! I asked you four to come on my scout because you are the closest people to me. The people who I…I can call my friends. Yeah, sure I have a higher ranking because of my stupid Empire training, but do you think it helps! Having every other person hide from you because they think you’re an Empire SPY! A spy! Yes, that’s what half the Sector thought I was. I ran away from the Empire camp. I wasn’t sent here!

She looks down tears in her eyes, trying to hide them.

Blue: Now…Now I don’t- know w-what to do. < she sobs>

Kas: Blue? I…I’m sorry.

From inside Rika calls: Are you guys coming or what!

Blue: Coming!

Kas enters a second later to see Blue laughing with Rika.

Kas: Women! I don’t understand them!
He grabs a open can from Aze and marches towards the glass door elevator

Aze: Hey!

Kas: I’m going to find a bedroom.

Aze: What a lazy lump of…of..

Blue: Annoying sweaty man?

Aze: yeah!

Rika: I think I’ll go find us a room, Blue. Before Kas takes the best ones.

M: I will assist you. A change of clothing would also be greatly appreciated.

Rika: Alright, see you guys in a bit!

Rika and M vanish into the elevator

Aze: So…we have a plan?

Blue: Well…We’ll rest here for a while… try and make contact with the other Alpha outposts and see if anyone can help us. Maybe regroup as many members here before we go out and find the Stone.

Aze: What about the shard? I mean…Commander Ray managed to create a projection from it, maybe we could use it to alert other Alpha members to come here. That way we don’t have to worry about the Empire listing in on our broadcasts.

Blue: hum… . That would be best. If the group who attacked us got into the files at the base they might know we aren’t accounted for.

Aze: I don’t think that matters. I mean, tones of Sector members must have escaped that massacre…

Blue: … I never thought of it that way. Everyone really is…dead…or soon to be anyways.

Aze: Its okay. We still have each other. And the shard! All hope isn’t lost yet Blue! We have the key to finding a powerful weapon! Rika said it possessed magical properties…if that’s true then the Empire has no chance! They fear magic! We all know that.

Blue: That’s why I’m worried. Aze. I need you to promise me something.

Aze: of course! Anything!

Blue: No matter what happens to myself, Kas or M. Your priority is Rika. Do not let the Empire take her. Not after what they did eight years ago…finding anyone who can use magic is rare now. Keep Rika safe. Promise me you will!

Aze: I promise Blue. You know I won’t let anything happen...you guys are like my family.

Blue: Thanks Aze. Now lets get that arm looked after..

AZE HAS A CAST ON HIS ARM NOW!!!!!!



Scene fades into the grassy hill with the rocks. Two flyer droids land beside the blood trail and examine it. A screen of the what the droids are seeing is then shown in a large room. A man in front of the screen on the keyboard speaks:

K.M: Looks like the trail ends there. Probably crawled up to the hill and died then got taken away by some form of creature.

The military man from before is beside him

M.M: it doesn’t add up. No animal would be able to take all five… it’s possibly a fake trail. Have the droids scan the forests and fields. Check everything with a heat source, they could use the bodies of animals for coverage.

K.M: Yes, sir. Uh..sir. If I may ask, why such an interest in these five?

M.M: *sigh* I do not know. I believe one of them posses and item of great importance.

K.M: If it is just the item we need, should I instruct the droids to fire?

M.M: ….Kill everyone but the girl. If she has the item she may save us time by telling us how to use it.

K.M: I understand. Flyer droids given permission to scan surrounding territory. Kill all but marked target. Uploading information to hard drives….


Chapter Four

Blue is walking along a long narrow walkway. Everything drops off into a dark void below. She makes her way to the center where it opens into a large circular area. On the opposite side a large machine sits, a sphere protrudes partway from the center of the machine

Blue: What is that….

She walks up and touches the sphere, pressing her ear to it she can hear a faint humming. Gun shots startle her and make her spin around to face the door where she came from. Two female robed and decorated figures are fighting off a handful of heavily armed military men with green and blue magic. The girl with the green is shot and falls to the ground. The other yells and fires a large blast killing the men. She then bends beside the body, closing its eyes. She pauses before standing and making her way towards Blue across the landing. Blue walks towards her, curious. Its only when the girl is close that Blue realizes it is in fact her. She stares at herself walking towards her, unmoving as the second Blue walks right through her and towards the machine, placing a hand on the sphere.

A male voice causes both to spin around: Don’t do it!

Kas is walking towards them both now.

Kas: Don’t do it Blue.

Blue: Shut up Kas!

Kas: Do you want everyone to die! Blue I just saw Aze and M both get killed, and to get to you I just had to step over the body of Rika. What’s happened to you, Blue?

Blue: Do not try and stop me.

Kas Holds out a hand

Blue: NO!

Kas: Blue this isn’t you!

He is slowly walking towards her.

Blue: Stay back! Please! KAS!

He grabs her wrists and the glowing stops. Blue collapses into his arms and sobs

Kas: it’s okay. I’m here..shh…

He tilts her head up and kisses her.

The First Blue’s jaw drops.

Blue sits up in bed and falls right out. Rika is beside her holding her down because she is thrashing in her blankets.

Rika: BLUE! Blue! What happened!! BLUE CUT IT OUT! What happened?

Blue: Dream…

Rika: Nightmares?

Blue: Oh believe me nightmare wouldn’t be a strong enough word.

Kas appears in the door way

Kas: The ******** is with all the yelling! Gave me a heart attack!

Rika: Blue had a bad dream Kas!

Kas: Oh well Boo-hoo! I hit my ******** a** on the floor when her yelling scared me right outta bed. ******** bad dreams…

Kas slumps away from the door back to his room.

Blue is slightly flushed and stumbles back into bed.

Rika: You okay now?

Blue: yeah, thanks sorry...go back to sleep…

Rika: Alright…want me to keep a light on?

Blue: I’m not five, Rika!

Rika: You act it sometimes

Blue sticks her tongue out at Rika before lying down.

Rika: Night!

Blue: sleep tight…..

Blue looks down at the shard around her neck and takes it off, placing it on the side table before falling asleep.

Blue to self: That is one dream I could have done with-out you stupid rock….

It is now morning, Kas is seen examining the various vehicles outside. He enters back into the house part of the base where the rest, save Blue, are gathered around a computer trying to activate it.

M: The power seems fine, but all communication systems have been cut off.

Rika: On purpose?

M: This refuge has been here for a while, it could be that wires have been dislocated. I will try and re activate the network if possible.

Kas: The vehicles will need some work. All older models, most recent dates back to three maybe four years ago.

Aze: Will they still work?

Kas: I should be able to get them up and running.. Where’s Blue?

Rika: Trying to get the stone to work. I think she’s on the top floor somewhere.

Kas: Top floor? What, if it doesn’t work she’ll give up hope n jump?

Rika: No, I’m pretty sure it was to get as far away from you’re arrogance as possible.

Kas: …a-

M: It would be best to walk away with whatever pride you have left.

Kas glares and marches into the elevator. He sticks his tongue out at Rika just as the door closes, she returns the gesture.

Blue is sitting on the roof looking out over the cavern where the vehicles are located. The cavern ceiling is a few feet above her head. She closes her eyes and holds the amulet in her hands.

Blue thinking to self: What are you going to show me? Will you show me anything? Please…anything. I don’t know what to do… he said you were to guide me. So anything in the way of direction would be great right about now… just...no more dreams…



Blue mumbles: You are shitting me. Stupid rock.

Kas is beside her now

Kas: No jumping alright. I’ve already tried to save your life once in the last 24 hours.

Blue: You’re hilarious.

Kas: I know! A comedian really. it’s a shame no one understand my sophisticated humor. Get that pretty little stone working?

Blue: No...nothing yet… And I’m afraid your arrogance is crowding me up here.

Kas: Jeez! What’s with everyone today! I am healthily arrogant!

Blue: Kas, you have enough arrogance for all of Dagon and u know it.

Kas: More reason to love me!

Voice filling cavern: Blue, Kas, you better come take a look at this!

Blue and Kas return to the room where M, Aze and Rika are. M has managed to get the computer working and images flash across the large screen and two smaller screens.

Rika: M managed to get the surveillance cameras for this place working.

Kas: So what’s the problem?

Rika: Look M can you make it bigger?

M types and the images fills the entire screen. It is the grassy hill with the rock that they had entered the night before. Droids are patrolling the area.

Blue: Oh no…

Rika: They know we are missing, otherwise they wouldn’t have put out so many droids to search the area.

Aze: Must have followed the blood trail

Rika: Most likely.

Blue: But why would they put so much effort into finding a lousy scout group…

M: They know we have the shard. The empire is not stupid, they must have known about the Stone in advance…Possibly a spy in our base which leaked them the location, and information of the Stone. If they hacked into the security tapes they would have seen Ray hand over the shard to you Blue.

Kas: In other words we have to move. Fast. It’s not gonna take long for them to find the opening to this place. Aze, how bad is that arm?

Aze: Its not broken, just a bad sprain…should be able to move it.

Kas: Lets go see if we can get one or two of those Bikes up and running.

Aze nods and they both leave.

M: I will try and pull up a map of this refugee, find any other escape routs and see if I can get security working on the door we entered to buy us some time.

Rika: Great! Blue, lets go stock up on supplies.


Chapter Five

The group has gathered around three vehicles which have been cleaned up and polished. One is an armored looking truck with room for two seats in the front, then a large armored trunk area for living/storage. The other two vehicles are heavy built motor bikes with glass protecting the rider which is meant to bend lower over the bike for speed.

Blue: We ready to go then?


Rika: I packed blankets, as much food and weapons as it could fit and anything else we might need.

M: Then all we need is a direction

They all turn to face Blue

Blue: eh…well. Out! We have to get out of here…the shard cant sense the stone yet-I don’t think. So maybe if we get out into the open it will pick up on the trail.

Aze: Works for me!

Blue: M, Rika and Aze will ride the truck. Kas and I can take the motor bikes.

Rika: Blue! If anything those things will be after you, you ride in the truck-

Blue: no. Its better if you are with another driver, that way if we need your magic you won’t have to focus on steering.

Rika: …alright. But I still don’t like it.

Aze: Don’t worry is better this way.

Blue smiles at Aze.

They all board the vehicles.

Kas: WOOHOO! Haven’t been on one of these babies in a while!

Blue: They banned you after you crashed two of them…joyriding.

Kas: Aw, what’s wrong with a man trying to have some fun!

Blue: A man wouldn’t have smashed up two bikes.

Kas: We leaving or what?

Blue: Lets go then. M, the door?

M presses a button in the truck, causing a large door to slide open. They speed off down the tunnel.

A panel of the Droids entering the door hidden in the rock is shown. They shine a light at the river and fly off down it.

Blue and co. have been driving in the tunnel for a while using ear-piece communicators to speak to each other.

Kas: We close to the exit? I’m starving over here!

Rika: We ate breakfast already!

Kas: Yeah, an hour ago!

Blue: Oh cry me a river.

Kas: Maybe I will! And I’ll drown myself in a helmet full of tears, then we’ll see who’s sorry!

Blue and Rika: I won’t be

Kas: Thanks guys. Your fearless leader is dying from hunger and you ask him to drown in his helmet of sorrow!

Rika: Helmet of sorrow?

Blue: Isn’t that from a videogame?

Aze: Overlord: World of Ruin. You get it by killing the level ten demon in the secret room of the ice temple.

Blue: Oh yeah! That thing was hard to beat…

Kas: Because you, my dear, are a girl. And have no skills when it comes to demon slaughter. I on the other hand, am an Overlord champion and could beat you all with my eyes closed.

Aze: I’d like to see you try!

Blue: My dark elf could own your warriors arse, Kas.

Kas: HA! I could beat you both at the same time! Two against one!

M: If you don’t mind, I will interrupt your senseless chatter to inform you that we are coming close to the exit which may mean rocky ground ahead, so please be alert.

Rika: Thanks, M. You have no idea how annoying that game is.

Kas: What are you talking about! M plays too!

Rika: Oh dear lord.

M: Hum. This is not good.

Rika: What’s not?

M: The control for the door is not responding.

Rika: What are we gonna do?

M: Blue, Kas, please drive behind the vehicle, and keep and eye out for falling rocks.

Kas: On it!

Rika: Oh no… M!

M steps on the speed. A second later the truck smashes through a rusted metal garage door hidden in a cliff face. The truck pulls to a stop and Blue and Kas park beside it. Everyone stares wide-eyed at the landscape

Blue: No…. This can’t be! TELL ME THIS ISN’T REAL!

Everyone else has left the vehicles. They stare off the wide cliff out onto a dead landscape. The trees are grey and crumbling, what was once a grass land is a cracked and dry dessert. Crumbling structures are seen in the distance. They sky is yellowed from pollution.

Blue turns, tears in her eyes to face the rest

Blue: This…This is what we were trying to stop. This is what we were working against! THIS IS WHAT THEY HID US FROM! KEPT SAFE IN OUR LITTLE REFUGEE! THIS!…This is …this is what the Empire has done… kept hidden from us. ******** storms off down the sloping path.

Rika: Blue! Wait!

Kas: s**t… I had no idea it was this bad.

Aze flops down in the reddish dirt

Aze: I used to live in a place like this… a small village. It was taken over by the Empire and we were forced to move to Urbane…that was years ago… it was desolate..but..not…dead…

M stares out at the scene for a minute then turns his back on it

M: We will all ride in the truck.

Kas: What! No way! I spent too much time getting those bikes running!

M: There are no evident roads, the truck can handle the terrain better. And besides, there is no telling what is living out there. The last thing we need is you and Blue getting picked off by snipers.

Kas: You’re telling me you actually think people live out there!

M: Kastor, do you really believe everyone lives within the Sphere? The Sphere is nothing compared to what is really out here. Yes. There are people out here, and they do not like to be disturbed.

He walks into the truck, Leaving Kas and Aze looking confused and a little frightened.

Kas: s**t…

M sits in the drivers seat. He closes his eyes and leans back. A moment later he opens his eyes and notices something in the visor. He opens it and a old note book falls out.

Rika catches up to Blue who slumps against the cliff face.

Blue: it’s not fair!

Rika: I know… its not But...we can’t give up now. We just started.

Blue: You’re right.

They smile and hug. Suddenly the shard starts to glow

Rika: What’s it doing?

Blue: I don’t know! I guess that’s where we are going.

Rika turns to look out at the horizon.

Rika: Those buildings over there?

Blue: yeah…That must be where the stone is.

Rika: Those look far away…Maybe a day over this terrain.

A horn honks and the truck pulls up beside them

Kas: C’mon ladies! We don’t got all day!

Aze: We don’t even know where we are going yet, Kas. We DO have all day.

Kas: Ah shut up.

Blue: Those buildings in the distance. That’s where we need to go.

Aze: You sure?

Blue: Positive. The shard did some glowing. Ask Rika if you don’t believe me.

Aze: I believe you! Hop in!





Chapter Six

The group has arrived at the cluster of abandoned buildings. They are walking through the deserted streets at night with a pale moon giving them their only light.

Kas: its abandoned. That damned shard is leading us on a wild goose chase!

He kicks a piece of rubble which goes flying and crashes into what seems like a crumbling fountain.

Rika: Kas!

Kas: What!

Rika: Be quiet!

Kas: there isn’t anything here anyways!

Rika: You never know!

Aze: What’s that?

He points to the fountain, there is a shimmer of light coming from it

Kas: The stone?

Blue: Be careful Kas!

Kas: There isn’t anything here! For crap’s sake guys!

He has made it the fountain and bends over to grab something. He jumps back quickly

Kas: MOVE-

The fountain explodes engulfing everyone in flames.

Blue sits up in bed, the shard glowing faintly around her neck. Everyone is asleep in various places in the truck. Rika has a small fold out cot on one wall, M is asleep in the corner of the truck, Aze on the seat of the fold out table and Kas stretched across the front seats. Blue has taken a cot as well.

Blue: s**t…

She flops back into the cot, the shard has stopped glowing.

Panel of Kas is shown. He is lying away staring up at the ceiling.

The group had made it to the crumbling city. It is mid-day as they walk through the abandoned streets, taking in as much as possible.

Blue: There isn’t anything here. Just sand and buildings.

Kas: It’s abandoned, duh! That stupid shard is leading us on a wild goose chase!

Blue turns to face Kas with a look of surprise. He doesn’t notice.

Kas kicks a piece of rubble which bounces off a building into a crumbling fountain.

Rika: Kas!

Kas: What!

Rika: Be quiet!

Kas: there isn’t anything here anyways!

Rika: You never know!

Aze: What’s that?

He points to something shimmering in the fountain

Kas: The stone?

Blue stares wide-eyed and almost in a daze. M looks at her curiously

M: You alright?

Blue: What? Yeah.. KAS! Kas don’t move.

Kas: I’ll move if I want to!

Blue: KASTOR! I swear to ******** if you move you will ******** kill us all. Stop and walk towards us slowly.

Kas: relax!

Blue: I’M NOT ******** AROUND!

Kas looks surprised and annoyed but obeys.

Blue: Get some cover.

Rika: Why?

Blue: Just do it! M, can you get a shot at that?

M: Of course.

They all take cover.

Rika: Blue, what’s wrong.

Blue: Trust me. M, whenever you’re ready.

M nods and aims then shoots. The fountain explodes sending rock and dirt flying everywhere.

Blue sighs and collapses against the wall. M, Rika and Aze go to examine where the blast went off.

Kas: wow.

Blue: yeah.

They follow the rest to the fountain and stand around the huge hole in the ground.

Aze: How deep do you think it is?

Kas: Wanna find out?

Aze: Not really.

Deep laughing comes from the buildings in various places. Rough looking men emerge, some holding dusty guns other curved rusted blades. A rather large bearded scruffy looking man steps closer to the group

Man: setting off sensor mines on purpose, are we? I don’t recon you know how hard it is to find of those these days…

Aze moves a bit in front of Rika and M grips the gun at his waist

Man: Don’t look like you lot are from around ‘ere…too clean…

Second man: They probably from inside the Sphere!

Man: Ya don’t say! I never wudda guessed it!

Voice: Dat will be ‘nough Larry.

A tall muscular woman with dark brown skin and firery red hair pushes her way through. She wears a dirty white tank top exposing much of her midd section and dusty army pants with combat boots. Various chains hang with weapons and bangles decorate her arms. She wears a necalace identical to Rikas but a red gem hangs of the end instead. Her eyes are a clear red-brown colour.

Woman: Wut you lot hangin’ round ‘ere for? Dis is deserted land, scavengers took everytin’ dey could git der ‘ands on years ago. Nuthin’ but Sand worms and otha crawlers…

Man: They set our mine off, Madura.

Madura: I know what dey did, don’t think I can’t hear it from da desert?

She looks Kas up and down before examining the others
Madura: Not frum around ‘ere I see. Hum. Well if you’re out ‘ere with no machines den you must be friendlys. No tribes be dressin like dat ouside da Shpere.

Kas: We’re from inside the Sphere, base got blown up by a bunch o’ Empire droids. Guess they found us out so now we’re lost out here…serching for- searching for any survivors of the base. They would have fled the lands under Empire control.

Madura: mmm. I see. Ola, Sister! Its been a while since I seen anotha.

Rika: Five years ago for me. Destroyed the last Grassland shrine.

Madura: Well den, we can’t be leavin’ a sista aloen out in dis dessert ‘ere. Larry! How much room we got in da trucks?

Larry: Nuthin. Just looted a fallen Empire ship, filled the trucks right up…well, might be able to squeeze ‘em in if they don’t mind getting a bit squished up.

Madura: Which on of yous the leader?

Blue goes to take a step forward but Kas holds out a hand in front of her

Kas: That, of course, would be me. Kas.

Madura: Well den Kas, I only be offering dis to you once because a mage happens to be part of you’re crew. You stay out here you will die. Der ain’t no question ‘bout it. If da Sandworms won’t git you, the Emprie will…an if dey don’t get you other tribes will. And otha tribes don’t take to kindly to those who lived in da Sphere. Head back wit us. If anytin the mage will get to meet fellow sisters, learn some more skills.

Kas: Well then, I will take you up on that offer, Madura. This Is M, Aze, Rika and Blue. We have our own means of transportation.

Madura: Follow our trucks back. We be outside the city. That’s a pretty stone der, I suggest you keep it away frum unwanted eyes.

She turns and walks away, the other men folow.

Blue: Kas! What the hell are you doing! We can’t trust these people! We Just met them!

Kas: You heard her! I don’t want to be eaten By some damend oversized worm! We’re stuck out here anyways. Might as well pick up on some survival tips. Just let them think I’m the leader, alright?

Blue: Oh if you think I’m taking orders from-

Rika: its okay Blue! After what the Empire did a few eyars ago, all surviving mages are bonded by a pact. It doesn’t matter what our original elements are, we can not hurt another mage, or their accompanying party. We’re safe. Trust me.

Blue: I’ll trust you. Not this oversized sack of potatoes!

Kas winks at Blue before following after madura with M

Aze: Besides… the shard lead us here right?

Blue: But the stone wasn’t here!

Rika: Magic has a conscious thought. Powerful magic that is. Many mages have claimed it to guide them. It is guiding us to the stone I‘m sure…but maybe it has another motif in mind…

Blue: Rika, you and I need to have a talk with this Madura. I need to know everything about magic and this stone.