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A New Adventure

            Kendra had left some time ago, the sun was high in the sky, and was beginning it’s slow decent into the horizon. There was still a few hours left of daylight true, but you could tell, the setting sun was approaching.

            Macy had taken David into her back yard, and were spending some time together. She had taken great care in concealing him from her father, but he was too busy in business conversation with Kendra’s dad to really pay too much detail.

            They had been talking for a while, about many different subjects. Basically just getting to know one another. Macy had taken David to a little construct in her back yard, that enabled her to sit down and David too, yet be at eye level with one another so they could talk more easily.

            “So, have you figured out how Kendra got her powers yet?” Macy asked him.

            “No, I don’t know.”

            “Hmm… How could she of gotten them?”

            “I don’t have any idea. Based on my perception, she’s always had the ability. But I don’t know. I don’t know much about Kendra’s past, so I don’t know anyway.”

            “Hmm… Maybe that’s the key.”

            “What?”

            “Well, she and her family had to leave quite suddenly a long while ago…” Macy  trailed off, and put her head in her arms infront of David, who decided to cross his legs and lean back. This was interesting. What a mystery.

            “So, when Kendra’s not there, what do you do?”

            “What do you mean?”

            “Well, when you’re not with Kendra what do you do to stay entertained?

            "Hmm... Sleep mostly. I havent really been apart from Kendra since the accident, not but a few times come to think of it."

            "Hmm... You really cant remember anything from before you met her?"

            "Not really, no. I dont even know how we met really. I just remember seeing her, and calling for help instantly. For some reason, I knew what to do, even though I had no idea what was going on, or where I was, or anything really."

            "Thats bad."

            "I know. But what can you do?"

            "True. I guess you have to figure that out sometime."

            "Yea, no kidding. I am trying to remember, I keep having these weird ideas and things. Dreams and what not. I think I'm trying to remember, but it's very hard."

            "Well dont hurt yourself now."

            "Im trying not to." Macy grinned.

            Macy was absent mindedly watching a plane fly by, far off in the distance. Macy was about to ask David a question, when she was preempted by something she didnt expect. There was some strange sound she could not make out. When she looked down, she found David looking right at a blue disk.

            The blue disk shimmered for a moment, then folded in on itself creating a bluish tube. The tube then fell into the ground and dissolved into nothing. Left standing in its place was a man about the same size as David. Macy was dumbstruck.

            "Hello again David."

            "Umm... Hello?"

            "You do not rember me, do you?"

            "No?"

            "Well thats a good thing anyway, I had to make sure you didnt. Anyway, my name is Nelf, it's good to see you again." David remained silent. "Parden me for dropping in unannounced. I do that from time to time."

            "What's going on?" Macy finally spoke up.

            "Yes, hello madam. Im sorry for interrupting you. I know you were about to say something, but I had to come; something's happened in Mordanian"

            "Whats Mordanian?"

            "It's another world. Much like your own. It's the one in which I am the Portal Guardian of. Forgive me for not explaining in detail, but I have come to deliver a message to David."

            "Okay, what is it?" David asked,

            "During a recent raid on The Keep, Melanie was hit by a powerful spell, and I believe her powers have been disapparated"

            "Melanie? Who's that?"

            "Now is not the time to remember who she is. However I just want to warn you that a great deal of power has been lost. And power like that just doesn't disappear. Since she was from this world, I would expect it to still be here. And since you were the last person to see her before she was transported to The Keep, I figure you may want to know."

            "Okay... But none of this makes any sense."

            "Your Marklars are wise and true, but alas you will learn when the time is right. For now however, you need to remain safe, and be on the lookout for any strange signs. Anyone, who shows paranormal power, magical or non. Remember David, CONSTANT VIGILANCE, is the best form of defense."

            David was very confused, but thought at that moment, this Melanie person sounded like someone very important. And he was the last person to see her. Could it be perhaps that this was the girl Kendra was talking about? Could this be the girl in all of his dreams? Who was she? Again she appeared without any explanation! He had to get to the bottom of this.

            "For now I must be going. The war waits for no man, and the portals need tending to."

            "Wait a moment," Macy stopped him, and he looked up at her once more. "You say there's a bunch of power floating around out there?"

            "Yes. It was recently disapparated, and now I do not know where it is. Why do you ask?"

            "How can you tell where it goes? Or a better question, how does one find it?"

            "That is a question I would not expect you to ask. However... The power contained with Melanie was great, and her energy was thrown to the winds. There is no telling where it could be. My best guess is that all of her energy was split into different forms, and then dispersed throughout this world."

            "Where is it?"

            "Again I do not know, but if what I said is true, then each power segment would of found a host and attached itself to them. But now I must be going, I am sorry I do not offer much more."

            David tried to stop him, "Please, Nelf, who is Melanie?"

            "You will find out soon enough David. It is best you do not remember until the opportune moment." And with that the blue ring appeared on the ground and Nelf was gone, very much in the same way he came.

            There was an odd deafening silence that hung in the air after his departure. David was looking at the spot where Nelf had last stood, and Macy was looking too, longingly. Even the air was still, it was almost stifling.

            "So David, did you understand what just happened?"

            "Not really. However, it makes me think."

            "About what?"

            "It's nothing really. Just about a strange dream I've been having as of late."

            "Hmmm... All that power... I wonder where it went."

            "He said it split up, and found hosts."

            "You don't suppose Kendra has become a host do you?"

            "It's possible. She is very powerful. But, if that's only a fraction of what this Melanie girl had, then she would of been insanely powerful."

            "I wonder where the rest of it went." Macy blew a piece of her bangs out of her face. David noticed that the air was no longer so still. It seemed very tense, and stirring.

            "Hey, you okay?" David called up to her,

            Macy looked at him, "Yea. I'm okay. Was just thing is all."

            "About what?"

            "About how cool it would be to have some magic power."

            "Really?"

            "Of course! Wouldn't it be so much fun?"

            "Depends on what you have I suppose."

            "What does Kendra have?"

            "Aside from magic?"

            "Yea. I'm sure she's got to have some kind of special power."

            "I don't know. Kendra's been able to do a lot of things that don't seem connected. However, she's had a lot to do with appliances and electronics, you know, lights, computers, stereos, and so on."

            "Would that mean she has some power over electricity?"

            "Some at least. But she seems relatively magic by itself. However, that still does make me wonder if she got her power from this Melanie."

            "You should ask her when she gets back."

            "I don't suppose she slipped you any kind of information on when she'd be back?"

            "No, but probably in about an hour or two, just before sunset."

            "Okay, I will ask her then."

            Macy's mood seemed to of been elevated. She had sad up and taken her head from her arms. "So, want to do something until Kendra gets back?"

            "Like what?"

            "You know, I for once I don't quite know. I've lived here all my life and I've got no clue."

            "Heh, that's funny. Hmm, decisions eh?"

            "No kidding."

            "Well, I haven't got any ideas either. I suppose I should just wait for you to think of one."

            "What do you mean?"

            "Well you know, I can't really do much without the help of someone normal size."

            "Hmm... Have you ever had to get around that?"

            "I can suppose so. There was this one time Kendra left me alone for some time, I had to get along without her for a while. It was hard, but it was doable."

            "So what did you do when she was out?"

            "I tried to use the computer, but that proved so tiring, I went to bed shortly after."

            "Interesting." The conversation spiraled from there. Not making too much sense, nothing of any real importance again as said.

            Kendra was visiting a few of her friend's, and they had a small impromptu party. But aside from that, there wasn't anything of any real importance going on that night. No one could think of anything to do, so no one really did anything.

*  *  *

            Elsewhere in the boundless worlds that exist, Nelf was returning to his post. Yet when he arrived in Mordanian he found that things had not gotten any better. The castle was under siege again, and by the looks of it, was going badly. He went out into the court yard.

            The sky was black, and there was a fog rolling in from over the walls to the south, where the ocean was located, the tide rising violently. Nelf could hear the distant sounds of battle, come out from the fields in front of the castle, and upon the walls themselves. As he stood there watching the forward towers, there was an explosion of stone, as a massive boulder plowed right through the body of the tower, throwing stone in all directions.

            Stone rubble, many tons in weight, was flying right at Nelf. He put up his hands and released a small wave of energy that blasted the rocks just enough to change their trajectory. They missed him narrowly. In the hole that now looked out of the tower, a fire spout appeared, and looked to be getting out of hand.

            Nelf saw one of his generals run out of that tower, and begin to run to the other tower, to Nelf's left.

            "Nightblade, status report!?" Nelf called to him.

            Nightblade approached him and gave a quick greeting. "Ugh, it doesnt look all that great sir. As you can see they just blasted a hole through our tower."

            "How did this happen? Why aren't the mages deflecting the bombardments?"

            "Im sorry my lord, but our Mages are preoccupied, a Kreelix was spotted not that long ago, and it has been draining their magic sir. I can even feel my own strength wavering."

            "Well do not let it happen again. If we suffer another blow like that we might lose a wall. Where are our trebuchets?"

            "One of them was taken out by the Kreelix, and the other was hit by fireball. Our archers and Tower Guards are doing a decent job at keeping them off our walls sir."

            "That's good then, how much longer until we can repair our trebuchets?"

            "I would say we can get one up within the hour, and the other will have to be rebuilt, which could take a few days."

            "Right, get on it. Repel those attackers, we will let no Council scum to set foot into this courtyard, is that understood general?"

            "Yes sir!" And with that General Nightblade retreated into the castle wall, and reappeared some time later up on top with his soldiers.

            The battle seemed to of reached a stalemate. Nightblade's archers were releasing volleys of arrows constantly into the swarming hordes of Council troops attacking the gates. When a ladder would be raised to the wall ramparts, the Tower Guards went to work pushing it off, or fighting off the advancing troops. All in all however, the wall seemed impenetrable, except for the gaping hole in the east tower.

            From the tower itself the mages worked their magic. Half of them had already gone down due to the Kreelix sapping their magical energies, however those of them left standing were doing all they could to protect the castle wall.

            Another massive bolder came flying at the east tower again, however this time the mages were ready, and conjured up a physical shield just long enough to halt the boulder in its tracks, and repel it. Another mage collapsed from exhaustion.

            Out on the battle front, there was a line of Order toops attempting to push back the ground lines of Council troops. Fierce hand to hand combat was taking place, and the casualties were heavy on both sides. The Order troops were instructed to make their way to the trebuchet that was set up deep within the enemy lines, and take it out before it could do too much damage to the castle. Progress was slow.

            Out of the blackness of sky came a screech that could shatter bones. "Kreelix!" Someone on the wall shouted, and arrows trained upwards, looking for a target.

            Then suddenly it came, it swooped down out of nowhere, it's black and purple scales camouflaged it nigh perfectly with the night, and its deadly claws raked the wall once, taking out two soldiers and an archer. Arrows flooded the air, as the followed suit.

            The Kreelix flapped its massive wings and came back around for another pass. As it approached the wall however, a bolt of green light slammed it in its side, and threw it off course. The Kreelix lost its bearings, and came crashing down onto the wall, where it was assailed by swords and spears.

            Crimson blood seeping out of its wounds beneath its scales it got up and opened its mouth, and as it did a terrible screech filled the air, as white fog materialized around the soldiers, and was sucked into its mouth. Four dropped dead instantly, three more were knocked out.

            Nelf was watching this, and decided enough was enough. He was going to need the aid of someone very soon. He spoke an incantation, and made a complex motion with his hands, tracing out a purple rune in midair, and launched a massive purple and white bolt of pure energy at the Kreelix. It saw it too late.

            The Kreelix was dead.

            Nelf hardly had time to breathe a sigh of relief, when he heard a cry from atop the Astronomy Tower, that could not be mistake for anything but, 'GIANTS!' Nelf knew it was certainly possible, he had to go for help. Just as he turned to leave the courtyard, a boulder much larger than himself crashed into the center fountain, stonework and water exploded in a mesh of chaos.

            Nelf moved into the castle, and proceeded back to the portal room. He must go back to David.