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Part 1 of AEONIAN

Chapter 1: Ether's Whisper

"So, have you ever experienced anything paranormal?" says the sweet voice coming from the girl who's atop the bed, and beneath the covers; she's beside her companion within the dark bedroom.

"I was three when I saw my first ghost. It was early in the morning, and the sun hadn't even rose, yet; just as I woke up, a translucent figure was smiling down at me. I could barely make out what he looked like; all I could see were antlers on what appeared as a man," says Patrick, the protagonist, to his girlfriend, Gabby.

"That's actually terrifying; honestly, I don't think I'll be able to sleep, now."

"You have nothing to worry about," he says as he giggles. "This was so long ago."

"Was that the only time you saw something?"

"Can we just go to sleep?"

"No, I want to know; were there more times?"

"If you really want to know, there was another time that I remember seeing that thing; my mother and I were about to get robbed when I was nine, and when the man broke into our house, my mom jumped out in front of me, and started screaming at the top of her lungs. He pointed the gun to her head, forced her to shut up, and demanded us to get to our knees.

When I finally found the courage to look up at the robber, I noticed the tip of his gun melting apart. In that same moment, I saw that to the left of the thief, was the ghost from before; all he did was touch his finger to the tip of the weapon, and before we knew it, the criminal dropped it, and was booking out the door. When I asked my mom if she saw him, she denied it. When the cops showed up, I sounded like a lunatic trying to describe what happened." A pause occurs. "Growing up, because of how I was looked at when I told them what I saw, I was always too ashamed to ever bring those instances up to anyone else; tonight was one of the first nights in a while that I even thought about any of that."

Chapter 1 Part 2: Debts due

Patrick Keaton (an African-American male who just turned nineteen) is wearing a green-hooded jacket and blue jeans, as he sits atop the closed toilet within the lavish bathroom; throughout the rest of the prestigious restaurant, are customers suited in different-colored suits and fine clothing. While sitting in the lonely stall, he's peering down at the screen of the cellular device that he's holding in his two hands, which is displaying a map of the immediate vicinity; a golden circle indicates that the car he's after, the M.V.III, is near.

Two men suddenly enter. Using the x-ray lens that's crafted into the camera on his phone, he holds it up to scan the gentlemen. If they were Patrick's target, his phone would vibrate, indicating that the desired car key is attached to the scanned individuals, however this did not occur. He repositions his phone downward, and continues to stare in silence. Moments after the two leave, almost one after the other, another man enters. Patrick scans, and is able to identify that this individual is his target; his name is Aaron Avel, and he's both the chief of the New Fair Police Force, and the most crooked cop in the entire state.

Patrick's boss is Mr. G.; people with criminal ties either go to him for the best haircut in town, or an illegal pair of wheels, but most likely it's both. As it turns out, Aaron only paid half of the amount he owes Giovanni for the car, with the promise that in two weeks he'd have the rest. Those two weeks passed two months ago, and Gio has decided to send his most reliable employee, Patrick, to retrieve what's rightfully his. Just as Aaron takes his stance before the urinal, Patrick stands to his feet.

The automatic toilet flushes, and after exiting the stall, he casually walks over to the exit.

"Your mother ever teach you to wash your hands, son?!" says Aaron, as he continues to face forward. His tone and expression indicates his intoxication.

Patrick waves his hand over the blue laser attached to the locking system. This action locks the door, without a sound. He then retrieves the tranquilizer pistol that was hidden in his pants, and releases a round into Aaron, who has just finished zipping up his bottoms. The dart enters his back, and Patrick catches his falling body from behind. While dragging him into the open stall, he steals the (small, white, squarely-shaped) key, from his blazer. He places him on the toilet, and positions Aaron so that he doesn't topple over. Patrick closes the stall, washes and dries his hands, and proceeds out of the unlocked-automatic door.

He pushes a button on the key device, and the (sleek) yellow, red, and orange, sports car, which is parked across the street, flashes its bright-green head and tail lights, revealing to the holder of the key that it's now unlocked. Patrick enters the (completely) tinted car, and maneuvers onto the busy streets within the incandescent city. He takes a right at the end of the block, continues downward, and makes a left at the next light.

He briefly advances before being halted by a red indicator, which he abides. From the right side, an all-black police officer's car pulls up, and stops beside him. Patrick breaks a sweat. "Chief! It's Rodge, roll down the window!" says a voice that expels from the radio that's built into the middle compartment. Before this moment, Patrick hadn't seen this object. He remains motionless. "Hey! You in there?!"

Just as these words are spoken, he aims his tranquilizer at the man whose eager head sticks out of his car. Patrick lowers the passenger window with his (left) index finger on the indicator, as his right hand holds the pistol at the cop. Just as the line of sight with the officer's head is revealed, he lets off a round, which lands in his neck, instantly causing him to fall asleep; the man's head hangs out of the craft. He uses this opportunity to escape, and zooms into the (horizontally) moving traffic; Patrick slips through the gap of two speeding vehicles.

"Twenty, twenty-five, thirty, thirty-five, forty grand; here you go, P.," says Giovanni, as he places Patrick's payment (in orange paper dollars) atop the wooden-rectangular table; they're within Gio's hotel room, and seated in chairs that match the (dining) surface. The boss is wearing a white shirt, and black-basketball shorts. His hair is gray and slicked back, and his skin is white, but slightly tan. Two (suited) members of the Hax mob, which is an organization ran by top-notch launderers, who've managed to spread their influence and business across the entire planet, are standing at the entrance.

"Thank you, sir," says Patrick. He stands to his feet, and after opening the door for himself, he exits the room. The chime of the oven indicates that his food is finished cooking. Mr. G. proceeds into the kitchen, and places the oven mittens on both of his hands; he removes the two paper plates, and brings them to the table. They're holding lasagna.

"So how much longer until he arrives?" asks Mr. G..

"He should be here shortly," responds one of the men. Just then, two knocks sound against the exterior of the entrance. The mobster opens the door, and at the other end, is Layon, who's a (young) suited-black male. He's the son of Tony Hax, who's the man that's actually in charge of the mob, however is now seventy-eight, and expecting to pass away from health issues sooner than later. He has entrusted Layon with the job of overseeing future operations, which is a known fact to anyone that's involved with this infamous family.

"Mr. G., it's nice to see you. You look well." As these words are spoken, Gio is approaching his guest.

"Don't take a step closer," sternly says the guard.

"This food is for me?" Layon asks.

"Sure is, I made it myself. It's delicious, I promise. Please, take a seat." The two seat themselves across each other. Layon continues to scan the food.

"It's safe sir, we watched him make it," says the other guard.

Gio places a napkin in his lap, and Layon follows suit. They both briefly bow their heads, and whisper prayers over their food. With the silver utensils that have been neatly placed by Mr. G. beforehand, they begin eating. Gio asks, "So, what do I owe this occasion?" and takes another bite.

Once he swallows his food, Layon says, "My father has sent me. As you know, he has lots of love for you, however, as of recently, we've entered quite the predicament. It turns out that he trusted the wrong people in one of his business dealings, and long story short, he lost money, lots of it; so much so, that he has asked me to personally express to all of his associates, that if he doesn't collect double the amount that you pay for his services and protection, then he'll have no choice but to cut you off."

"How does he expect me to collect an extra million every other month?"

"Are you telling me it's impossible?"

"It's not impossible, I just feel like-"

"Good, then you have exactly one month before I swing through again." Layon places his utensils down at the right side of his plate. "Do you mind if I take this with me? I'm in quite the rush."

"Not at all," Gio replies, as he cleans his fingers on the paper towel; he stands to his feet, and fetches the aluminum that resides in one of the drawers within the kitchen. He returns with a sheet, and hands it to the new boss.

"You weren't lying when you said this was delicious," says Layon, while wiping his hands. He takes the aluminum, and wraps up his plate.

"Thank you, I made the recipe myself." While holding the food in his left hand, Layon extends his right one, to shake. Their hands briefly and firmly interlock. Layon heads for the door, which has been opened by one of his guards.

Just before leaving, Layon says, "By the way, would it be too much to ask if when I make my visit, I can get a cut? I imagine I'll need one by then."

"Of course not; I'll hook you up, anytime."

"Much appreciated." He exits along with the guards. Gio, using the (black) rectangular-cellular device, which he removed from his right-pant pocket, types into the screen.

The person whom he dialed on his phone, picks up, and Mr. G. shouts, "Terra, I need you to come by the hotel, pronto. Make sure that she's charged up enough to reach the hangar." From out of the bedroom, which was accessed after Patrick climbed up to the roof, and down to the (open) banister that's connected to Gio's room (on the highest floor), exits the young criminal, with a semi-automatic weapon strapped across his shoulder.

"Is everything all right?" he asks.

"I'll be fine, kid; thanks for the help."

"No problem." Patrick tosses the gun onto Gio's couch, and proceeds out.

Chapter 2: The Rolling Wolves

Mr. G., now in a purple suit, is standing atop one of two helipads that have been built into the roof of the hotel, which doubles as a lot, and is packed with hovercars. His red helicopter, piloted by his (young) assistant, Terra (who's wearing a blue jumpsuit), is descending onto the building. She lands, and he enters the passenger seat. The automatic door closes behind him. They lift off, and continue to the hidden hangar in the desert.

"You mind me asking why we're going back?" asks Terra.

"It's not a huge deal, but Hax is expecting me to double the amount I give him. We have a good enough system to where we can keep this up for the next year or two, but it's going to require me to take out everything I have, which is why we're going where we're going."

"How do you expect to move three-hundred vehicles at one time?"

"The only way possible, I'm going to program them to find different routes to the warehouse; I'll have them park around the facility."

"You think they'll make it all the way there?"

"Yeah, I checked everything out, last week." An hour passes before they reach their location. Upon reaching a position above the hideout, they recognize that the trapezoidal prism-shaped (concrete) structure, which is usually hidden beneath the sand, has been left engaged, and raised above the surface (this, as well as the tire marks, indicate that his belongings have been stolen). "Are you kidding me!?" screams Gio. "Hurry up and get us down!" They land, and the two rush into the empty space. "This can't be real," Mr. G. solemnly says.

"What now?" asks Terra.

"Did you tell anyone about this place?"

"Of course not, sir." A blue sports car rushes into the scene; it belongs to his daughter. She, along with her boyfriend Patrick, who's sitting in the passenger seat, are speedily approaching. By the time they've parked in the sand, Terra and Mr. G. have exited, and are now standing before them.

"Dad!"

"Why are you here, Gabby?"

"I tried calling you, what's wrong with your phone?"

"I've been busy."

"Well while you were busy, some guys riding motorcycles, broke into your house!"

"When?!"

"Three hours ago!"

"Why'd you bring him?"

"I picked him up from the meeting you two had; he was the one who told me where you were headed."

"I told you to never bring anyone here."

"Dad; I'm sorry, it's just-"

"Enough; did you get a good look at who broke in?"

"Yes; they looked like a biker gang wearing burgundy, and black colors."

"I told her I think it's The Rolling Wolves," says Patrick.

"Never heard of them," Gio replies. He quickly retrieves the gun that's tucked into the front of his pants, and steps to Patrick with it drawn and aimed at his head. "Look me in the eyes, and tell me you don't know anything about this."

"Dad!"

"Stay out of this. Mr. G., I swear to you that I don't," he says without flinching. "I feel terrible, and I realize how this situation affects us both, so I'll return the money you gave me today, and also promise that I can get what has been stolen from you, back."

"How can you make that sort of promise?" he says, while still aiming the gun.

"By Gabby's description, I'm positive that who I think is responsible, is to blame. In the past, The Rolling Wolves tried recruiting me; I know where they scout, and tonight, I'll convince them to let me join. Give me two days to locate your merchandise, that's all I need." Gio removes his pistol.

"I'm sorry for jumping the gun like that; but if what you say is true, and you can come through for me like this, as my name becomes more known as far as the Hax family is concerned, then so will yours. Not to mention the millions I will reward you throughout the years."

"Consider it done."

Five hours have passed, and it's now twelve in the morning. Patrick has just arrived at his cousin's house, and has parked his (silver) hoverboard (which remains hovering) atop the dirt road beneath his feet; his name is Shannon, and for the past twelve years, he has distributed the most top-notch bootlegged movies, on Earth. He's known worldwide for his fabrications, and has even gained popularity amongst the underground society.

Tonight, according to Shannon, three members of The Rolling Wolves will be making a purchase; earlier, Patrick gained permission to join him during the exchange. He walks through a lush field of grass that makes up his front yard, and ascends up the short flight of steps. He knocks twice on the door to the lonely (white), pentagonal prism-shaped home, which is surrounded by a green field that has a dozen oak trees scattered around; a pond is behind the vicinity. "It's unlocked!" yells Shannon, as Patrick suddenly notices the bicycles belonging to The Rolling Wolves, resting in the driveway to his right. Patrick proceeds inside.

"You keep your door unlocked?" Patrick asks. Shannon, who's wearing a gray sweatsuit, is sitting on his couch within the living room, and watching a boxing match on a monitor that's mounted into the wall across from him. He ignores the question, and his cousin's presence; the television resides above a fireplace, and beside a smaller T.V., which is displaying an infrared camera feed.

Shannon, intrigued by the spectacle of brutal blows being exchanged by the two fighters, points over to the small one, and says, "I always know who's coming." By pressing the button on the center of an almost flat, small, black and square device that's within his lap, he closes and locks his door, which is indicated by loud clicking, and the clamping down of locks.

"Where are the guys?"

"Testing out their purchase, upstairs."

"Did somebody named Jay, show up?"

"Why?"

"I want to see if I could get put on the team."

"No kidding?"

"I mean it."

"Yeah, he did; he's upstairs. How do you know him?"

"He invited me to join his clique after he witnessed me wipe the floor with some guy I got into a bar fight with. When you told me the head of the gang was coming, I assumed he'd be here." Footsteps abruptly descend the staircase; two robust figures, who're wearing black pants and boots, and burgundy tops with designs that resemble a simple-black outline of a snarling wolf on the backs of them, follow Jay, who's carrying a black-plastic bag, and is dressed similarly, as they enter the front of the house. "So how does one go about joining the squad?" The three men laugh in unison as they continue down the steps.

"Are you asking for yourself?" asks Jay, as his group closes the distance with the front door, which Shannon unlocks with another press of a button.

"I am; we actually met a few months ago. You were a witness to a beating I laid down on someone at Marty's Bar. That's when you said I could join you; I denied at first, but now I'm thinking of taking you up on your offer." Jay takes his time to scan Patrick's profile.

"I remember everything, kid, but I don't remember you; so that means if I said what you said I said, I was probably drunk, and I'm easily impressed when I'm under the influence. But if I saw something in you for what you can do with your hands, then I'll need you to show me again, if you really want to join that is."

"Fine by me."

"What's your name?"

"Patrick."

"Patrick, meet Sean, he's our new blood. Sean, show him what you got." The recruit violently pushes Patrick without warning, and he stumbles back.

"Not in here, please," Shannon sternly demands. Jay leads the men to the field.

"Line up five feet apart, and start when I say. The winner is whoever is left conscious; try not to kill each other if you can help it," says Jay. They line up across one another, raise their fists to cover their faces, and ready their stances.

"Go!" Simultaneously as this is shouted, Sean, with his head down, attempts to tackle Patrick. Just as he latches onto his opponent's abdomen, Patrick grips his neck with his right forearm as his feet slip back a few inches in the dirt. He continues to choke Sean as he tries everything to slip out of his (breathtakingly) powerful hold. "Let him go! New rule, no choking, only striking; it's too boring any other way," demands Jay.

Patrick raises his hands, and steps back a few feet, as Sean, whose previously pale face is now red, recomposes. They assume their fighting stances once again. Sean steps forward and throws a right hand, but he leans back just in time to dodge it. He follows with a left jab, however by ducking, Patrick dodges it, and retaliates with a right punch to the opponent's abdomen; this causes Sean to lower his guard, and cover his broken ribs.

He takes advantage of this moment by hooking his left arm under Sean's right shoulder, and locking it behind his head. He uses his left foot to sweep the fighter's legs; with his weight and leverage, Patrick throws him to the ground. The moment Sean slams, he's put to sleep. "Impressive! Now I see why I said what I said." These words are spoken while Jay and his comrade close the distance with their sleeping friend. They each help him to his feet, and place one of his arms, over each of their heads. Jay, who's now standing across from Patrick, reaches into his pocket, and hands him a card. "Meet us there." By their third step, the unconscious wolf wakes up.

"What the heck happened?" Sean asks.

"You got beat down, bud; it was incredible."

"Oh... Oh, yeah. Thanks guys, but I got it from here." They stop in their tracks, separate themselves, and continue to their bikes; Sean rubs the back of his head with his right hand, as he walks. They mount their rides, engage them, and zoom north, toward the road.

Chapter 3: The Ranks

The wolves have chosen a ginormous yacht as a hideout; this vessel has two helipads, is completely white, and is currently floating a few dozen yards away from the shore of the deserted beach. A hangar that's identical to Gio's, resides behind the ten men, who're positioned atop the sand; Jay, after exiting the bike-filled space, presses in a code on the digital security system that's mounted on the exterior. The iron doors vertically fall shut, and the structure descends into the ground. "Now that's, amazing," says Patrick. Two jet boats have dropped down from the yacht (by the use of propellers, which recede upon reaching the top layer of the sea), and shirtless members of the wolves are heading toward the shore to retrieve Jay's group.

"Pretty awesome, right? A good friend of mine made that for me; he's actually the one responsible for our most recent score," says Jay.

"How so?"

"He told us about a client who never paid him full price for his handiwork. He said that this guy he did a project for, was some barber slash illegal car dealer, who deals with the mob; of course that sparked our interests, so I gave him some cash, and he gave me the whereabouts of our mystery hairdresser; as it turns out, what you'll be seeing in that yacht, is everything we found from his stash." The boats have finally reached land. The crew enter into them; Jay, Patrick, and three others enter one, and the last five enter the other one. They swim back to the ship.

"Patrick, I trust you; I know you don't know this about me, but I'm a huge fan of hand to hand combat. Growing up, that's all I practiced, and that's all I was really entertained by. I can tell a lot about a person from how well they fight, and right away, I can tell that you have discipline, patience, strength, and courage; to me, to have those qualities makes you an ideal comrade. I say that to say this, if you decide to betray my trust, I'll see to it that I personally torture you, and it will last until your last breath.

We follow a strict code: you respect me, and I respect you; if you feel the need to fight someone in the crew, you come to me, and we'll get you, and your temporary opponent, in the ring, however afterward, you'll make up, and we'll continue this operation, smoothly. If you want to be one of us, I hope you're prepared to stay with us, because I'm telling you now, you'll see way too much dirt for us to trust you with just up and leaving. Can you make that commitment?" Jay asks. Patrick offers him his open right hand, to shake.

"You have my word," he says.

"Around here, we don't shake hands; we fist bump." Jay offers his right-closed fist. Their fists collide. "Welcome to The Rolling Wolves; today, we're going on a mission. We've found a buyer who's willing to pay a little over ninety million for those cars we came up on. You're going to provide security for this operation. You'll be carrying an assault rifle, but you most likely won't be shooting anything; we're on good terms with these guys, but we just need to show them we don't mess around.

They'll most likely be armed too, so do keep your eyes peeled. We're meeting them on their turf, and should be arriving within the next thirty-six hours." Their boats have finally arrived at the yacht; metallic poles shoot out from the center of the small crafts, and at their tips, unfold eight blades, which spin at an immaculate rate. Suddenly, Patrick's ride, as well as the others, levitate up into the boat, and land in the vast pool that's crafted into the top of the vessel, which is meant for storing sea craft. They park near the edge of the pool, and step out onto the upper deck.

"Welcome to Aeon, my father created this, and passed it down to his only son. As a part of our team, this will not only be your second home, but it will also be your job to keep it together. I'll assign you your duties after this operation is over; for now, I'm going to my room," says Jay, as he begins for the staircase that leads him down into the ship.

"Where will I sleep?" Patrick shouts out to him, before he fully descends.

"There's thirty-seven of us in total, and fifty rooms; figure it out. If you need anything, tell my girl, you can find her in the bar. She'll get you some new clothes, too. If I were you, I'd get acquainted with everyone."

Chapter 4: The Storm of Destiny

It has been seven hours since the previous events, and as the heaping storm occurs outside of the soundproof interior, Patrick, while in his new gang attire, lays asleep in his dorm. Jay, now holding a coat in his right hand, abruptly swings open his bedroom door, and yells, "Wake up!" Patrick jolts his body up, and stands to his feet.

"What's going on?" he asks.

"Aeon has been hit by lighting; the strike caused us to lose control, we're heading right toward an uncharted island. Here," Jay throws him the orange (bomber) jacket; he puts it on. "Follow me." Together, they rush to the upper deck, and meet the other members, who're both escaping with the use of the six jet boats, and the nine hovercrafts parked atop one of the helipads (they appear as simple, jet-powered cars, which seat three people). By the time they reach the pool, only one boat remains. They head inside the last one, and follow The Rolling Wolves, who're making their way to the nearby island that's now 200 meters, north.

After the propellers carry them into the air, and down toward the surface of the sea, the incredibly strong current pushes them the entire way. After a brief trip over the water, they crash onto the tan sand. Almost as soon as the clan regroups, they simultaneously watch Aeon collide with the land; the front end is badly damaged. Jay announces to the men, "This thing was made out of material that can fix itself; it may take a few hours, but we should be all good, soon."

"Get on the ground!" a mysterious voice screams; the source of it is cloaked in the darkness of the night, as well as the jungle which borders the beach. They turn around to see the silhouettes of a line of forty-armed soldiers, dressed in all-black military attire; they have pale skin, long-black hair, slanted eyes, and muscular figures. The clan yields to this command, and the militia, who've turned on the flashlights attached to their weapons, rush in to bind their hands.

Chapter 5: Predator Becomes Prey

Two (armed) soldiers (wearing navy-blue jumpsuits) make their way into the prison that's just outside of their base, through the open entryway. The high-ranking leader is wearing a silver cap, and the sergeant's bald head is exposed; the structure is designed like a giant igloo, with thirty (box-shaped) cells aligned within its perimeter.

The walls are made with (see-through) impenetrable glass, which expose the dark jungle, beyond; the cells are protected with the use of (multiple) red, horizontal, intense-light beams. Their hands are bound above their heads by metal restrainers mounted into the interior of the chambers.

The bald one is carrying with him a device (that resembles a metallic frisbee) with a handle at its center (which he holds it from); earphones extend out from its top end, and are connected into both of his ears. "Which one of you is the leader?" the capped man calmly asks.

"I am," Jay answers. The men head over to the cubicle from which the source of this voice, expelled. By typing a password into the back of his advanced (left) glove, the cell's beam protection vanishes. The captain, along with his partner, enters.

"What's your name?"

"Jay, we're a biker gang that happens to sometimes travel by yacht; my ship was struck by lightning. We lost control of her, and crash landed here. We don't mean you any harm, I can assure you we didn't even know you were here." As these words are spoken, the hairless gentlemen is holding the strange tool up to Jay's forehead.

"He's telling the truth," the sergeant says.

"These are the conditions: in the morning, we'll let you go; I'll provide you with a plane, however I'll be keeping that ship of yours, and everything on it," says the leader.

"I understand," Jay responds.

"Good; for your cooperation, once we leave here, we'll remove the binds from all of your hands."

"Thank you." They head toward the exit, and the beams re-engage. "Hey, there's one more thing." The group turns to face Jay. "There's something I'd like to retrieve from my ship; it's a picture of my father, and it's locked in my briefcase. That's the only photo I have left of him, and you won't have any luck finding it on your own. It would mean a lot to me if I were able to have it."

"Cuff him and bring him upstairs," says the man with the hat, as he disables the leader's barrier; simultaneously, the metal binds holding the crew, disengage for everyone except Jay. The bald one hands his boss the lie detector, and as the commander exits the prison, the soldier heads towards Jay's cell.

"No sudden movements; when these things retract, you either keep your arms up, or get shot," he says, as he types into the keyboard that appears on the surface of the back wall. As he finishes typing, the restrainers disengage. "Step forward, and slowly lower your arms," he says, while pointing his rifle at him. Just as the officer positions himself directly behind Jay, he bashes his elbow into his nose, instantly knocking him out.

He takes the silenced-automatic weapon that's strapped across his back, as well a grenade that rests in his vest. He leaves the cell, sneaks over to the exit, and uses the gun to shoot through the control panel that's responsible for the cells' beam-shield system, which is mounted beside the opening.

After the tenth round, the beams concurrently vanish. They regroup near Jay's position. The leader pulls the pin out of the grenade, and tosses it into an open cell. The explosion destroys the glass barrier, and the wolves scurry out, and into the dark jungle. They sprint for a short trek, before spotting ten, glowing-orange orbs, hovering east. They hide.

"If we get separated here, whatever you do, make your way to the yacht; we can't be too far away," quietly says Jay.

"I think I just picked up a signature," a voice from one of the orbs, states. The objects zoom toward the wolves with the turrets that have descended from their lower hemispheres, now aimed out in front of them. They close the distance with the group, who have hidden themselves within the bug infested bushes, tall grass, and behind the trees. "There!"

The wolves sprint in different directions as one of the hyperventilating members is penetrated by a fury of bullets. Patrick, along with four other wolves, dart down a dangerous slope that's composed of only mud. By the time they reach the bottom, the four have once again split up. Patrick relentlessly presses forward, and hears a trail of ammunition at his feet.

Abruptly, the ground beneath him gives, and he finds himself falling for fifteen feet. He lands in a vast pool, within a cave. He dives under the water, and swims deeper into the space to avoid detection. He finally reaches the end, and crawls onto the dirt-covered land; a golden chest rests against the stone wall ahead. He walks over, and closely examines it. He opens the box, and discovers a steel-black bow. Without hesitating, he grabs the weapon. His eyes begin to shine white, and he vanishes from sight.

"Patrick Keaton; we finally get to meet our hero," a male voice calmly announces. When Patrick regains consciousness, he finds himself within an all-white dojo, sitting with his legs crossed, and before three (Asian) men (sitting similarly), wearing white-monk robes.

"Where am I?" Patrick asks.

"A world outside of your own. We call it the Astral Realm," says the elder to the right of the man in the middle.

"Is this the land of the dead?"

"Not quite. We're here because we've made a deal with The Master of Spirits; he has allowed our souls to reside in this place, where interaction with the physical world is accessible through meditation, until the time that we can witness our dying wish, come true. Patrick, completing your mission will grant us the peace necessary to achieve a life in the Upper Realm," says the man in the middle.

"My mission?"

"Before we died, The Master told us that the bow we would forge, would be found by a man carrying his grandson's soul. Naturally, in your current body, you wouldn't have any recollection of this relation, however, it has been prophesied that you'll be the one to save our people. You were being chased by the Gonu tribe; they are our descendants, as well as the reason behind why we created the bow.

We were warned that if we didn't sacrifice ourselves on the island, then the most dangerous threat our people will ever face, would eradicate our lineage. The object you stumbled upon contains our magic essence, and was created for the individual who shall, by himself, remove the cannibalistic devils.

There are a village of practitioners that call themselves the Vama; they've succumbed to wicked ways, only studied and practiced by those who either manipulate the Spirit Princess' teachings, or who've fallen to Vasu, the evil sorcerer who escaped the Upper Realm. The Vama are guilty of both, and their unspeakable rituals have transformed these people into blood-sucking minions of pure evil.

By sacrificing their own people to the mysterious Vasu, without even knowing why he wants them, he has granted them supernatural forms, and terrifying abilities. The Vama wish to overthrow one nation at a time, starting with their neighbors, the Gonu. Once they gain control of your planet, they wish to make everyone food. This action will allow them to gain enough strength to transform their spirits into monstrosities; with the abundance of power they'll obtain through eating the innocent souls, they plan on transporting their minds into the world of spirits, in order to consume The Master. If they're successful, every-single lifeform in each realm, would be enslaved by them.

Their attack on the Gonu began three hours ago; they decided to strike when the king, who's responsible for protecting the land with the use of our other blessed weapon, was captured by the mainland soldiers. The princess has been able to lock the remaining people within the castle, however now, you must save them. By touching the bow, which the Gonu soldiers came here in search of in hopes of cultivating its power, you're now merged with our mana; that means that our knowledge is now yours, as well as our magic and skills," says the (middle) elderly man.

"Do you accept our power, which only you can wield, and which will bring an ending to our struggle?"

"So this is my destiny?"

"Part of it, there's still much more."

"How can I be sure that all of this is true?"

"We've been made aware that your special spirit has already made itself known to you."

"Could you possibly mean-?" A pause ensues. "So the one with the horns, was..."

"So you do remember. Your spirit was born concurrently with your physical form, however all Royal Souls are fully mature, from the start. My brothers and I were chosen to create the gift The Master of Spirits always wanted you to wield. This power is in fact your destiny; you were always meant to be this world's immortal hero."

"Immortal?"

"It's true; by taking this bow, you'll be accepting two of the many gifts your grandfather wished for you to receive; immortality, and evil's bane. That doesn't mean that you'll be hearing from us forever however, we only require seeing our home being cleansed from the Vama.

Once that happens, and we ascend, our gifts and knowledge will remain yours. That's not to say your troubles will be ending. Sooner or later, you're bound to run into Vasu, or at least his minions; The Master however, has told us to make sure you know that by taking the bow, you'll always have the means to overcome any obstacle you come across.

If you wish to deny, he's given you that option as well, however by denying, the overnight destruction of an entire race, and potentially the downfall of the world, will be on you. Now that you're aware of all of this, what do you wish to do?" A brief pause occurs as Patrick contemplates.

"I'll help."

"Glad to hear you make the right choice. Let's get to it, then," says the monk that's left to the one in the middle.

Chapter 6: The Heron

A silver, blue, and white, heron, flies high over the uncharted island, and heads east. The huge bird, at a phenomenal rate, continues for one hour in this direction, until finally, after soaring over the ocean below, he reaches another island. It's snowing there, and piles of the white flakes have spread over the entire land. A mountainous castle extends high past the white trees, and ruined infrastructure plagues the area. A translucent-green, pyramid-shaped shield, protects the castle's exterior.

The heron lands twenty yards behind the line of creatures, who're naked, have the tails of devils, and faces and bodies that look as if saber-toothed cats merged with humans. Their hands and feet have sharp claws that extend out of the tips of their fingers and toes, and black wings cover their backs. The heron morphs into Patrick, who's now suited in a white-shimmering ninja outfit; he's equipped with a hood, a short-sleeve shirt, sandals, and a ninja mask.

Patrick, without alerting the creatures, who're attempting to break the shield by striking it, draws his bow (which he holds with his left hand), and aims his arrow, which manifests in place (out of thin air). "The longer you pull back, the more power your soul arrows will generate," an invisible voice states. Patrick maintains his posture, and the incandescent-white arrow, after ten seconds, turns from its original color, to orange.

"Hey! Over here!" Patrick screams at the enemies. They turn their attention to him, and by using their wings, flock over. Patrick releases his arrow, and upon connecting with the monster at the center of the group, an explosion takes out thirty of them, out of the one hundred and twenty that continue to pursue him. Their severed limbs hit the snow, and shortly after, morph into strange-black smoke, that evaporates. Patrick breaks for the barrier, sprinting beneath and past his oncoming opponents; he leaps spectacularly high into the sky, and lands atop it.

He then uses rapid quick shots to take down ten more of the foes, which are now ascending to the top of the shield. Patrick turns his bow vertical (with his left fist facing the sky), and releases three arrows at a time, killing three more, simultaneously. He repeats this twice, and doesn't miss a mark. Before they're able to reach his position, he vertically leaps, again.

He gains 250 yards away from his enemy, levitates in space, and charges his arrow. This time he waits for fifteen seconds; by the time it's fully charged, the arrow has turned red, and the enemies are only twenty feet away. He releases the projectile at the center of the collection, this time destroying fifty of them in a grand-burning explosion.

The fifty-one remaining enemies flee, and scatter off into the same direction. Patrick transforms into an orb of white light, which reshapes into the heron from before. With stunning speed, he chases after them. The enemies swirl together in a tornado. Soon after, their bodies shift into a pile of green gas.

In a flash, the legion combines into one entity (that stands 150 feet tall), which looks like a titanic, bull-horned ape, with red fur, four (luminous-yellow) eyes, reptilian wings, four (long and robust) arms, and two powerful legs; fire is brewing within its mouth, which is also filled with pointed teeth. Patrick, who has once again reshaped himself into the ninja, is stunned at the sight of this transformation. His frozen body is knocked out of the air by the beast's lower set of hands, which are held together, and rise up to strike their prey from underneath.

He's launched into the air, and plummets down to the ground. Immediately after hitting the snow, the monster's gargantuan foot is raised, and ready to collapse atop the protagonist. Patrick quickly rolls to his left, and away from the falling limb. He hops to his feet, and darts in the opposite direction. While sprinting away, he charges his arrow. He's abruptly grabbed by the extendable tongue of the beast, and rapidly reeled into its mouth; he continues to charge his weapon while being taken away. Moments before entering the head of the beast, Patrick releases a (point blank) fully-charged shot, directly into its face. The lifeform instantly glows red; it then shrinks into a ball of fire, which briefly radiates, before dying down.

The only thing that's left of the being, is the collection of black salt that has fallen down from the strange sphere. Patrick is thrown hundreds of feet, back. He slams into the snow, and his body remains motionless; his outfit, although it's regenerating, has been destroyed.

Chapter 7: The Queen's Request

By the time Patrick wakes up, there are two people in the elegant-white room, which he finds himself within. One of them is Queen Erina; both her turban and dress, are black, and her sandals are brown. The other individual is a (seven foot tall) female guard named Bafa, who's wearing golden-gladiator armor, a bronze helmet, and silver boots; in her right hand is a steel sword, which she grips with caution and aggression. Tan-colored furniture has been organized neatly around. He slowly raises his torso. "Where am I?"

"In my castle. My name is Queen Erina, I, along with my husband, rule over the Gonu people. Who are you?"

"You can call me Patrick."

"You saved us from the Vama clan; we watched you from here. You were absolutely outstanding. How can we repay you?" A pause occurs before the next line is spoken.

"Do you happen to have any gold?"

"Tons of it, how much would you like?"

"Four million Credits worth, if that's possible?"

"Not a problem." Patrick stands to his feet.

"Thank you, Queen Erina; pardon my rudeness, but do you mind if I collect it now? I've got to get back home." She hesitates to answer.

"Long ago, there were three men who founded this land. They were born slaves of war, and by mastering their captors' magic, they were able to best their oppressors, and free their people. Their names were Exy, Kine, and Arlo. Through a mysterious ritual, those men transformed into the bow you carry."

"So I've been told."

"You've made contact?" Patrick nods. "You're obviously special, and I believe you're the only one who can save the king. I beg of you, will you please help me?"

"I remember now, the elders, they told me that he's been captured. What did his captors want with him?"

"Our ancient teachers planted a special herb on this island, called Tala, which was only meant for our king's consumption; it allows him to hear the voices from the astral land. Not only is this realm home to our teachers, but it's also the first place fugitives from The Wrath, choose to hide out in."

"The Wrath?"

"It's a place where souls who've chosen a life of vile and disgusting behavior, reside as slaves for one of The Spirit Master's grandsons. Without an evolved soul, the possibility of becoming possessed by the evil spirits that lurk in the shadows of the other world, by using the Tala, are likely. Somehow, word has spread to the mainland about it.

They sent their private militia to steal both the Tala, and my husband, away in the night. The Vama attempted to use the time our defenses were lowered, to attack us. If you'll be so kind to retrieve the king, and the stolen medicine, however much gold you want, it's yours!" Another pause occurs.

"I'll do it. But first, I'll need a share of the gold sent to a specific address, as soon as possible."

"That's perfectly fine; thank you so much!" She tightly embraces him.

Chapter 8: King Les and the Tala

Patrick, in the form of the heron, flies over the ocean once more, and heads in the direction of the base, which appears as a (black) gigantic-military ship. He finally reaches his destination; he perches his feet atop the antenna that extends hundreds of feet into the blue sky, and is crafted into the (monumental) radio tower. Below, using his enhanced vision, he's witnessing King Les being interrogated by a man that appears as a general, whose outfit consists of burgundy-military fatigues and golden boots; a plethora of gold stars are pinned to his (long-sleeve) shirt's collar, and the king is wearing a black-sleeveless shirt, and slim-fitting matching trousers and boots (he's now on his knees and facing the ground, with his arms behind his back, and his hands bound by a metal cuff).

Twenty of the general's soldiers, who're also wearing similar outfits, are standing in a horizontal line, behind him. Within his right hand, is a stun rod; by the look of the king, it's obvious this weapon has been used on him, plenty of times. Soldiers moving cargo, casually walking together, and who're either driving vehicles or standing idle, can also be seen, along with parked planes and tanks, and ginormous-multicolored crates. Down below, there are a total of three-large buildings that stand beside each other. They all appear as silver pyramids, and are constructed into the floor of the vessel; the two between the largest one, are the same size.

"Les, for many years, your pursuit of liberty has been supported by the mainland. Your inability to provide the information that I request, is threatening that support. If you don't want us going back to that precious island of yours, and picking up another one of your kind, for questioning, I suggest you-"

"That's pointless, I'm the only one who knows how to use it, and I'm the only one it's meant for," tiredly responds Les.

"Those sound like the words of a man attempting to save his people. Les, this is my last time asking politely; how is the Tala properly prepared?" Les remains still and silent. "Take him to the cells. And prepare a ship for Gonu Island." Two guards scurry to follow through with this order; they grab him by his arms, and drag him along, as they proceed into the building to the right of the middle one.

"Wait!" yells Les. The soldiers carrying him, halt. "I'll tell you everything." They stand him to his feet.

"Smart man," pompously says the general. The two guards, now following their general, forcibly escort Les into the middle pyramid. Patrick scans his surroundings; a few hundred yards away from his position, he spots a security guard within a (prone) motorboat. Patrick flies over to it, and once he's above the man, he transforms back into the ninja. He lands quietly behind the soldier, and by using the inside of his right forearm, he strangles him until his movements, cease.

He lets him go, and his body thuds against the floor. Patrick powers down, and replaces his Rolling Wolves attire, with the guard's outfit. Before the soldier is able to wake up, he uses the cuffs that were attached to his new-utility belt, to bind up his hands to the railing that's assembled into the interior of the craft, and uses the rope that rests on the passenger seat, to wrap up the sleeping man's feet. He changes back into the heron, and flies over to the base. He takes cover behind a crate, shifts, and now, disguised as a soldier, makes his way into the facility he witnessed Les being taken into.

"They're on the highest level," says one of the invisible spirits. "The door leading to the stairs, is the second one on your left." Patrick continues past the soldiers, and enters the staircase while maintaining his incognito status. He hurriedly speeds up the many flights of steps, and finally reaches his destination, which appears as a steel, featureless door. "The key is in your right-pant pocket."

With the use of the stolen item, which is shaped like an (almost flat) rectangle with a (black) lens at its center, and white circuits running across its blue surface, he opens the door by placing the key, much like a puzzle piece, into the indentation that's carved into the wall to his left; a small-orange (triangular) light, blinks beside the slot.

The blinking turns solid green, and the door opens. "Proceed with caution. Les is at the end of the hall, to your left." On this floor, the opposite wall is ten feet away from the entrance, and two-long pathways exist in either direction. Patrick slowly makes his way to the end, until suddenly, after his fifth step, Les bolts out of the room, that from within, different monstrous screams, which seem to indicate both pain, ferociousness, thrill, and fear, escape.

"Unbind me! I'm your only chance at survival!" exclaims King Les. Patrick grabs his right shoulder, and the two vanish. They reappear in the astral world, and within the elders' dojo; they're sitting in the same fashion as before. Patrick is now in his ninja attire, and Les' hands are unbound. The king's signature sword is now within his right hand; it appears (completely) golden, and the face of a violet-eyed dragon is crafted into its hilt. "What is this place?"

"You're safe here, King Les. Mr. Keaton there, is a Royal Soul, who's going to aid you in besting those monstrosities. You two must listen carefully to my instructions," says the one in the middle.

"You--you're Arlo," mumbles Les.

"What happened?" asks Patrick.

"You didn't see them? As we've been meditating here, we've recently noticed a spike in demonic energy. There's no doubt that this force is from The Wrath. It seems as though whatever it is, has the ability to manifest within this area, as well as within the souls of its new hosts. When those men absorbed the Tala you gave them, they allowed their spirits to become susceptible to this evil influence.

So far, from what I've been able to decipher, there were nine brothers who fought in a war versus a tribe of peaceful witches, over allegations of lethal spells being cast on their leader. The witches cursed these nine souls, and gave them spirits of monsters, capable of turning their own tribesmen, into similar ghouls. Once the witches witnessed their complete transformation, they decided to spare the people by curing them, but sent the nine assassins directly into The Wrath.

Somehow, those assassins escaped; there's no telling how long they've been hiding away here, just waiting on someone weak enough, to possess. Now that they've found their way back into the physical realm, they remain without their natural senses, and will blindly infect everyone they come across. Attempting to stop them in the real world, will only result in their regeneration. You must first destroy the forms located here; when the spirits of the nine are disabled, only then can we cure those who've been afflicted by them," says the one to the left.

"Cure?" asks Patrick.

"By soaking your bow in their blood, my brothers and I will use our souls to purify the curse; once this is complete, we'll have enough of their essence, to contrive an arrow capable of deleting the disease. Follow me," says Arlo. They follow the man to the exit. He opens the white-wooden door. The ground below is composed of black space; distant stars seem to ignite the abyss. Very far north of their location, are (nine-red) smoke-like swirls, that ascend high into the green-burning sky.

"Those smoky formations are emitting from the top of the heads of the nine corrupted brothers, let them be your guide. What they're doing, is providing a beacon for the cursed mainland soldiers. It's going to take the two of you to finish this."

Patrick and King Les exchange a nod, and sprint across the magic surface, leaving a glowing-smoke cloud that briefly resonates against the bottom of their feet, with every step. In two minutes, they've ran two miles. While running, and maintaining a close distance apart, Les suggests, "How about we both take care of four, and join forces for the last one? We can collect their blood, afterward." They're a mile away from the first target.

"I don't think so, I rather make sure you're safe."

"Are you trying to insult me!? You must not know the power of my blade. Don't assume that since you may have witnessed me bound by the hands, that I'm not gifted with incredible power. It just so happens that I made a vow not to use my powers on humans, however if you wish to test me like you've indicated by your words, then-"

"King Les, I wasn't trying to-"

"No! Since you've seen me in my lowest state, I'll ensure that you see me in my most high! Behold!" With an enormous leap, he swiftly races through the sky, and directly at his enemy ahead; his sword is pointed out in front of him (in his right hand).

As Les closes the distance with his target, whose appearance resembles a magnificently sized, black-furred creature, with the face of a rooster that has a (terrifically) sharp beak, the body and legs of a sharply-clawed Tyrannosaurus, as well as chicken-like wings (disabling him from flying), a long neck, and spikes running down its back and tail, Patrick catches up.

It notices Les before he reaches it, and prepares his spiked tail to swing. Les grabs his sword with both hands, and flips forward; his momentum causes him to spin in this direction with incredible speed, and upon reaching the monster, whose tail has swiped in attempt to knock Les, he's able to cut cleanly through it, and lands on its back. A thunderous scream that reveals hints of both human and chicken origins, expels. While Patrick continues in the direction of the fight, he watches as the hybrid attempts to use its beak, to stab the king. Using his sword, he blocks the fury. He then jumps onto its head, and uses his tool to stab through both of its eyes, triggering even louder screams.

Just before reaching the battle, from out of the sky, descends twelve, lizard-men-like beings, with blue hair on their heads, green scales, tan abdomens, red eyes, giant figures, elongated arms and necks, two hind legs, sharp talons and claws, and two tentacle-like tongues, which hang out of their mouths (stingers are attached to these slimy limbs, and they have the ability to stretch far distances).

The twenty-four (sharp) projectiles attack Patrick, simultaneously. To dodge their lightning fast speed, he backflips while simultaneously pulling back on an arrow. Almost immediately after missing, they retract their tentacles, and relaunch them. Patrick leaps 100 yards into the air, and levitates; his arrow has now turned orange. He releases it. Four of them are able to dive out of the way, however eight have been dissolved into (blue) smoke.

The remaining enemies, with incredible power, jump to meet Patrick in the air. While falling past them, he slowly rotates in a circle. As he spins, he takes out each of them with a single arrow through their necks, instantly causing them to disappear in the same fashion as their brothers. Patrick lands gracefully. By the time he looks up, the ginormous head of the hybrid, is severed from its body.

"I was expecting that thing to put up more of a fight," states Patrick.

"I'm not going to lie, it was formidable, even without eyes. It seemed as though the moment it caught wind of you killing its offspring, it became distracted; that's when I delivered the finishing blow." Patrick makes his way over to the downed enemy. "I doubt I'll get that lucky, again." He sets his bow down in the pool of glowing-green blood. Moments later, the fluid, as well as the weapon, glow white, and the liquid is seemingly absorbed into it. By the time the process is finished, the weapon is without a stain. Just after retrieving the bow, in the distance, thirty more reptilians pour down.

"I have a new plan; since I'm the one who has to collect the blood, how about you keep these creeps off my back, while I take down the chickens?"

"Fine, but if I run out of things to kill, don't be surprised to see me taking your glory." In a flash, Les appears in front of the bunch, and is hacking away with extraordinary swiftness. From the beginning of Les' assault, limbs are tossed in every direction (before becoming mist).

Patrick darts for the next target. Once he reaches a point in which the details of the monster are distinguishable, he jumps. While midair, he charges an arrow. The (similar-looking) cursed brother abruptly turns to face the oncoming assassin. Just as he spots the ninja, a fully-powered arrow is released. Using its wing, the varmint takes cover.

The power from the attack, blasts flesh, bone, and feathers, in every direction. Patrick lands before the foe. The savage swings its tail at his head, but by leaning back, he maneuvers out of the way. It then stabs downward; Patrick grabs the tail just before it penetrates him. Due to his upgraded avatar, only a small amount of blood leaks from the puncture points.

He struggles with its immense strength (for five seconds), which is pushing him downward, until he finally throws the tail into the air by thrusting his arms, up. He then vertically lunges upward before giving his target the chance to recalibrate. Now thirty feet above the entity, Patrick releases three arrows into the tip of the tail; they pin the limb to the ground. He lands in front of the adversary, and aims two arrows at a time, at its face. Once released, they find their home inside the eye sockets of the vile animal. Two more arrows are shot immediately after this, and land in the same exact spots; they impale the previous arrows, driving them deeper into the eyes.

This attack collapses the anomaly, and blood spills from its mouth. While briefly soaking his weapon, he scans the distant battlefield. Les appears as a twister, and is blending the many devils, to shreds. Reassured by this sight, once his bow is ready, Patrick breaks for the next signaler.

He sprints for a minute before reaching his next prey. Just as the organism turns to face him, his arrow penetrates between its eyes; this briefly stuns it, and he continues past. This action draws its attention, and the being follows behind, while snarling and making ghoulish noises.

A short while later, he closes the distance with another corrupted chimera; his brother's heavy footsteps forewarn it of Patrick's approach. By bolting in a diagonal angle, he passes it, and heads toward the next target. The two fiends let out a high-pitch shriek as they chase after him. This sound alerts the other five of their predator's presence.

The remaining prone daemons turn their attention toward the source of the signal, and with wonderful speed, they advance in its direction. Patrick and the five enemies north of his location, rush at one another. While this occurs, he applies tension to the magical string. Just before the two groups collide, he once again leaps upward. From the peak of his ascension, he shoots the fully-powered shot at the center of the group; this eradicates most of each of their bodies. He lands atop the head of one of the three creatures that remain standing. From the moment he lands, it attempts swiping him off with its tail; it thrusts downward, however, by side flipping out of the way at the last moment, Patrick avoids the attack, and forces the monster to best itself.

As for the last two, from out of nowhere, Les has submerged himself, sword first, within the side of the face of the monster standing northwest of Patrick's position. A moment later, the remaining brother, still unaware of Les' presence, lunges its beak at Patrick. Just as he dodges this attack by hopping backward, Les finishes it off by landing atop the back of its head; his thrown sword hits the mark first, and Les follows right behind it. He lands with his feet planted on his weapon's crossguard, which further pushes in the point of the saber.

"You weren't kidding, I had absolutely nothing to worry about," admits Patrick.

"I'll give you a break since this is your first time witnessing such magnificence. But never doubt me again, young hero."

"How did you learn how to do all of that?"

"My sword was created by the same beings that made your bow. Our elders used a metal that can only be summoned through magic, to make my blade. While wielding this weapon, all of my skills and abilities are second nature."

Chapter 9: The Young Hero

Patrick finishes collecting the cursed blood. The elder spirits create a cure, and manifest it within the fabric of the spirit arrow; this causes its color to shine, gold. The elders transport the two back to the military ship; they manifest atop the highest platform on the radio tower. Below, are the hundreds of mutant soldiers, which resemble the lizard-like creatures from the astral world. By this time, the entire base has been enclosed by a (violet) holographic, bubble-like barrier. Patrick pulls back the arrow, and after holding it for ten full seconds, a transparent-purple sphere encapsulates the arrow's tip, and swirling black mana has begun to twist around the projectile's exterior.

He releases it, and upon making contact with the floor, black electricity, starting from the point of contact, spreads throughout the entire ship (in the shape of an expanding circle). Before their very eyes, the roaming beasts change back into a sleeping and nude version of their previous forms.

They finally notice nine-gargantuan humanoids (also without clothing), on their knees, and aligned in a horizontal line; their hands are closed together, and their heads are bowed. "Those can't be who I think they are," says Les. They jump down, and land before the anomalies, who're seemingly praying. Patrick readies his bow, and Les keeps his right hand on his sheath (which resides down at his right side). The nine figures finally stand to their feet. They're identical, eleven feet tall, have long-white hair, pitch-black eyes, fangs for teeth, and burly figures.

"Thank you for curing us; words cannot express our gratitude. Instead, allow me to share with you the location of an abundance of gold, that throughout thousands of years, we've collected," says the brother who's standing in the middle. Suddenly, both Les' and Patrick's eyes are forced shut. The coordinates to a planet, as well as an image of it, and the exact whereabouts of the hidden stash, are engraved into their memories. By the time they come to, the nine have disappeared.

"I suppose it's time we get going, too," suggests Les. Patrick uses one of his red arrows to blast a hole into the barrier, directly north of his position. This shatters the shield, and a mega-regenerating opening, is made. They jump through, and with their incredible speed, they sprint atop the ocean, and back to Gonu Island.

Fifteen minutes of sprinting occurs before the two arrive. Patrick continues to trail him through the woods until they reach the set of three-hundred steps, formed into the hillside. As the heron, he flies to the top. Patrick reaches the bridge, which allows travelers to cross the canyon and reach the kingdom that's erected atop the highland, a short time before Les; sitting on the dirt near the bridge, are Erina and Bafa. Upon seeing her husband and the mysterious hero seemingly appear from out of thin air, she bursts to her feet, and tightly hugs the king before planting a kiss on his lips; he holds her close, and lovingly kisses her, back. They finally let up.

"I couldn't save the Tala, they forced me to prepare it for them."

"And?"

"It was a nightmare, but thanks to him, we were able to solve the problem."

"What happened?"

"I'll tell you everything, after my nap; I'm beat."

"Of course you are."

"Strange man, bring it in," says Les, as he extends his open right arm, while still holding his left one around his wife's waist. Patrick snickers, and embraces the two in a (brief) three-way hug.

"Bafa, bring the chest, please," says Erina. The guard makes her way over, and drops the treasure at Patrick's feet. The cube-like box is made out of silver, and has two handles shaped into both of its sides.

"Would you like for us to prepare for you a way back to your home? It would be my treat, and I can assure you that our ships are trustworthy, and exceptionally swift," says Erina.

"I would appreciate that."

"Bafa, please prepare our finest vessel for Patrick's trek," requests Erina.

"Hold on; you're going to need a way to get to that treasure those guys showed us back there, so instead, Ba, see to it that this man has the highest caliber ship we have in stock. I'll show you how to operate everything, once you're ready."

Chapter 10: Home

A black, upright, octahedron-shaped craft, silently descends from beyond the clouds, and gently lands its end, in the tan sand, below; four jets, which release purple flames, are assembled into its sides. It powers down, and an automatic door that's at the center of the ship, separates apart. While carrying the silver box on his right shoulder (in his ninja suit), Patrick escapes the craft, and heads toward the entrance to his isolated trailer that's parked in the middle of a vast desert.

He proceeds to his front door, and after opening it, he sees his girlfriend watching television on his bed. She jolts at the sight of him; baffled at his suit, glowing eyes, and the silver chest, Gabby asks, "Am I hallucinating?" Patrick sets the chest down at his feet, and powers down. Three oval-shaped tattoos, manifest on the front of his right wrist; they're horizontally aligned, and are all the same size.

The one on the farthest left is green, the middle one is golden, and the last one is blue; these marks are the monks' insignia. Once his ninja attire dissipates, his stolen-military fatigues are revealed, as well as his face. She plants her feet on the floor, and while sitting upright, begins hyperventilating; she covers her heart with both of her hands.

"Baby, it's really me," he says as he plants his right hand on her right shoulder. "I can explain everything, but before I start, did your dad get his money?" She looks up at him, remains silent and afraid, and nods her head. He slowly sits down on his bed, beside her.

An hour passes before the entire tale has finished being explained; Patrick, in attempt to calm his girlfriend down, keeps her hands within his. Gabby, still noticeably uncomfortable, is finally calmed by Patrick's words, when he asks, at the conclusion of the story, "Do you really love me?"

"Yes, Patrick."

"Then let's get out of here, and never come back. We have enough gold to live a happy life anywhere we want to, between here and Mars; and don't worry about your belongings, I'll buy you everything you need, once we touch down."

"But wait, what about my dad? Don't you think he needs you?"

"I've given him my fee for bowing out; he should be fine with an extra billion dollars worth of gold, to his name. I doubt he'll have any trouble finding another thief in that city." Gabby's expression is still unsure, as is indicated by her concerned eyebrows, and inability to maintain eye contact.

"But how do you know that those dead magicians won't need you for something else? Like what if that village is attacked again? Or what if some undead monsters or aliens threaten the world? Will you always have to risk your life for as long as you live? When you were stealing cars, I always knew you weren't in any real danger, but now-"

"I'm still not in any danger. I was being modest in the story, but if you were there to see what I was capable of doing, you would know that there's nothing to fear. You can trust me; besides, the Gonu are safe now." A pause occurs. "I can't promise you that I won't be called on because of my gifts, I also can't promise you that I'll deny the invitation to save the world. All I can promise you is complete truthfulness and loyalty, and that I'll never let anything stop me from coming home to you." These words soften Gabby's face, and the two lovingly kiss.

"We can really go anywhere?"

"No kidding."

"When can we leave?"

"Tonight, if you'd like. Where's your ride, by the way?"

"It's out there, it's just cloaked."

"Perfect; where would you like to go?"

"The mountains in the north."

"Sounds good to me; you ready?" After a brief pause, she nods her head.

The two, still holding hands, proceed outside. She disengages the invisibility cloak on her motorbike, and they load it into Patrick's new vehicle; they then enter, themselves. The spacecraft rises, and zips off (south).

At this period of time, homes can be bought off of the internet. The two decide on settling down in a mansion that overlooks the ocean, on a massif within a neighboring location that's called, Central Sector. Only one-million people live in this country of mostly farmers, that's known for its beauty, vast-green lands, wild animals, and kind neighbors, who keep love and hospitality at the forefront of their interactions.

One night, while sitting on his new-velvet couch, along with his sleeping girlfriend, whose legs are sprawled out over his lap, Patrick, while observing his sixty-inch television that's mounted into the wall above his extravagant, gold-plated fireplace, decides to, by gently kissing her nose, wake her up.

"What are you doing?" she sweetly asks, as her eyes flutter open.

"Do you want to be with me, forever?"

"I already told you, yes."

"Then that settles it, we're husband and wife." They passionately kiss; afterward, their eyes interlock. "What type of ring would you like?" Another pause ensues.

"Who says I want a ring? I rather us just have matching tattoos."

"What would you like to get?"

She kisses his right wrist. "This. By me wearing your mark, I'll prove to you that I'll always accept who you are; beneath it, I want the words--wait what kind of bird did you say you can change into?"

With a smile, he says, "A heron."

"Oh, yeah; I want it to say, Mrs. Heron," she says, before bursting into a short bout of laughter. "What do you think?"

"I love it," he says, while continuing to smile.

She yawns, "I'm going to bed."

She places her feet on the floor, but before she can stand up, Patrick says, "There's something I didn't mention."

"What?"

"I'm not going to die; I'm not even sure if I'll keep aging. But with that being said, for as long as you're alive, despite how old you become, I'll never leave your side." A long pause takes place; Gabby's gaze faces the floor as she contemplates what to say.

She finally looks up, and says, "That means the world to me, Patrick. You've really made me the luckiest girl, ever. I won't torture you though; when the time comes when I'm just too old, I'll understand you wanting to do your own thing. Just know you won't have an excuse to, until I'm at least seventy; until then, I'm doing everything possible to remain as young and beautiful as I am now."

"I love you."

"I love you too, Mr. Heron." They exchange another passionate kiss. "By the way, I think that should be your hero name."

"Mr. Heron?" Gabby giggles at the notion.

"No, that's corny; just, Heron."

The Wolf and the Heron Part 2

#fiction

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