One by one, Celev, PP, DNA, and I all went through the portal and entered.... what the %*#& is this place? We were standing on some kind of island made of crystal in a huge area filled with calm black water and other small crystal islands surrounding us. The ceiling above us was also pitch dark, but with shimmering lights floating around everywhere. Or was that the sky? It was too vast to tell.
<DNA> Wh-Where are we?
<Thena> You mean you don't know? I thought you were the expert!
<DNA> This can't be the ocean, otherwise it'd be wavier.
<Celev> Oh.... shun? What's that? o_o;
<DNA> The ocean is a body of endless water at the edge of the world. I've read about it in my books. But that's not important right now!
DNA rushed around the small island, looking around at various things that I couldn't see because they were beyond the camera angles. Suddenly, he cried out.
<DNA> The Elemental Stars! They really do exist!
<Celev> Oh, yeah, I remember from our lessons. The 4 elements make up everything that exists in our world, animals, objects, even people!
<DNA> Earth, water, fire, and wind, yes. Legends say that the Elemental Stars are 4 objects that contain the purified essence of each element. And they're here, in this place!
At DNA's excited tone, the camera angles finally obliged and moved around the room to show us what he was talking about. At each corner of the large room around us was a larger island with a status on it, and each statue was slightly glowing in the colour of its respected element: yellow for the Venus Star of Earth, blue for the Mercury Star of Water, red for the Mars Star of Fire, and Purple for the Jupiter Star of Wind.
<PP> So, uh, why is this so exciting? It's just a bunch of statues, we already saw tonnes of those before in the Sanctum.
<DNA> You don't understand.... this is the source of all Alchemy!
<Thena, Celev, PP> o_o;;
<DNA> The Wisdom Stone, the Stone of Sages... it can turn anything into gold and even grant immortality! Don't you understand?
<Thena> Uhhh... not really, no. >_>
<PP> I guess it's just, like, these statues are really powerful or something?
<DNA> Beyond powerful! With a single gem, you could take over the entire world!
<Celev> You wouldn't actually do that though, would you?
<DNA> Oh me? No, that's much too mundane. But I have spent my entire life searching for the Elemental Stars. To learn the full truth about Alchemy and life and the Elements and everything... the start of that is learning the truth about the Elemental Stars!
DNA looked off towards the Stars, then at the small islands around us, then back to the Stars, then at Celev and me.
<DNA> So, uh, would you boys mind using your young, strong bodies to help an old man out?
<Thena> Uh, sure, I guess. What do you want us to do?
<DNA> First, you'll want these. *hands over some small bags*
<Thena> What are these?
<DNA> They're special bags made of Mythril. You'll need one for each Star, to keep it safe, you see?
<Celev> You want us to put the entire statue into one of these little bags?
<DNA> Oh, goodness no, the Elemental Stars themselves are much smaller. Each statue is holding the star in its hands. You see? That's where the light is glowing from.
<Thena> Alright, Celev, let's go. PP, you stay here and keep an eye on DNA.
Celev and I headed off together. The small islands made a jumping puzzle, though some of them were too low or far to jump onto, and so we were herded into picking up the Venus Star first. Sure enough, the Star was a small orb of glowing gold resting in the hands of the statue. I yoinked it down and stuffed it in one of the bags, and as soon as I did so, there was a small rumbling throughout the chamber. Several of the islands that are been too low to jumped to raised higher into the air, giving us more access around the room, including opening a path to the Mercury Star.
And so we hopped around the room gathering the Elemental Stars. Mercury was next, and grabbing that Star unlocked a path to the Jupiter Star, which we figured would in turn unlock the path to the Mars Star. DNA shouted encouragements at us the whole time, but after we grabbed the Jupiter Star, we noticed he had fallen silent. We looked over back at the central island to see... KoN and bb had appeared!
<bb> Ope, I guess we've been spotted.
<KoN> Aww, poo, I was hoping they wouldn't notice until after they'd grabbed Mars, too.
<DNA> Ohmygosh, you guys want to steal the Stars! D:
<bb> Don't act so hoity-toity, isn't that exactly what you were going to do, and using the information you stole from us, too?
<PP> What are you going to do to us? ;~;
<???> Don't worry, you'll be safe.
A third figure arrived through the portal to back up bb and KoN. He had a mask over his face, but he looked strangely familiar...
<???> After all, letting you live was a part of our agreement, wasn't it?
<bb> Of course! So long as the cooperate with us, anyway.
<KoN> You hear that boys! You better hand over all of those Elemental Stars if you don't want your little girlfriend here blown to smithereens!
<DNA> Thena, no, don't do it!
<bb> Oh please. -_-;
<DNA> What guarantee do we have that you won't just kill us all as soon as you have what you want.
<KoN> *shrug* I guess you'll have to remove the mask, Jaber.
<bb> Yes, since you're so concerned about their safety, you can be our guarantee.
<Celev> Wait, what? Did he just say what I think he said?
<PP> But it can't be Jaber... my brother died in that storm...
<???> Well, so much for that ruse...
The mystery man pulled off the mask and, sure enough, underneath was the recognizable face of PP's older brother, Jaber.
<PP> But... it can't be...
<Jaber> So, uh, sorry for making you think I was dead for 3 years, PP.
<bb> And he has us to thank for it, too, since KoN and I were the ones who saved his punk ass.
<KoN> Snatched him up out of the river unconscious.
<Jaber> And I've been since them since then.
<PP> But why... why did you lave me all alone and let me think you were dead? ;~;
<Jaber> PP, I....
<bb> Alright, that's enough, you two.
<KoN> Elemental Stars now, teary emotional reunion later. I'll even bring the tissues.
<bb> After all, you don't think Jaber would let us kill his own little sister, do you DNA?
<DNA> Well, no, I suppose not...
<Celev> Alright, I'll bring over the ones that we have so far.
I handed Celev the 3 bags containing the Venus, Mercury, and Jupiter Stars and he began hopping over the platforms to reach the others. However, suddenly a 4th person appeared in the room, teleporting onto the island Celev had just reached.
<Vom> I'll grab those if you don't mind.
<bb> You're late, Vom. >:|
<Vom> Sorry, was fixing my hair, darling.
<KoN> You can go ahead and hand the Stars over to him.
<Celev> *shrugs and hands the bag over*
<Vom> Thanks! Now be a dear and go back to your friend and grab the last Star for us, would you?
<Celev> You said you'd free PP when we gave you the Stars!
<bb> Yes, we did, and there's still one you haven't brought us yet, now hop to it!
<Celev> *grumble*
Celever was still grumbling when he got back to me and we began hopping along the path. This was the longest jumping puzzle yet, but finally we made it to the last island and plucked the Mars Star from the hands of the statue.
However, as soon as we grabbed the last Star, the room began to change, violently! The earth shook beneath us and, in a sudden flash of light, the water drain out of the bottom of the room showing the ground beneath, distant and dark with cracks leading deep into the earth with a pulsing red glow.
<KoN> What the %)&* is this!?
<bb> Goddammit, not again...
<Vom> Without the energy of the Elemental Stars, the chamber is collapsing!
<Thena> What the hell kind of sense does that make?!
<DNA> Oh god, this must be the "terrible retribution" that the legends spoke of....
The room slowly began to cease its violent tremors, but then the camera panned to show us the sudden appearance of.... a giant floating rock with one large eyeball in the center?
<Celev> Pssst, Thena, you have any idea what that thing is?
<Thena> Clearly it's a giant floating rock with one large eyeball in the center.
<DNA> Could it be... the Wise One?
<Thena> I dunno, he doesn't look too wise to me... just floating there and blinking at us.
<bb> Well, whatever it is, it's probably a guardian of the Stars of some sort.
<Vom> Yes, it's very powerful.
<Jaber> I think that's our queue to exit.
<KoN> We can't leave yet, we still need the Mars Star!
<Vom> I don't think you understand how powerful that giant floating rock with one large eyeball in the center really is. We don't stand a chance.
<bb> Fair enough, we'll get the Mars Star later.
<PP> Dude, we can't just leave Thena and Celev here to die!
<bb> Yes, we can, in fact, that's kind of what I'm hoping will happen.
<KoN> In fact, I'm more worried about what will happen if they do somehow manage to survive.
<Vom> Well, we'll just have to keep PP and DNA as hostages. If they want them back, they'll bring us the Mars Star.
<Jaber> Man, you can't just break your promise to me like that! You promised me she's be set free!
<KoN> If we don't bring her with us we'll just be leaving her to die, do you want that?
<Vom> Look, let's talk about this later. For now, we need to go!
<bb> Alright, let's roll.
<PP> Thena! Celev! Promise me you won't die!
One by one, they all exited the chamber through the portal in the central island leaving me and Celev alone with the giant floating rock with one large eyeball in the center. It had left the others alone to flee, but floated over to the platform where Celev and I were cowering.
<WiseOne> So, uh, you guys just going to sit there and cower while this place collapses around you?
<Celev> Ohgodno, please don't kill us.... ;~;
<WiseOne? Kill you? Really? I'm the one that's expending as much Psynergy as possible to hold this place up for you to get out. I won't be able to hold it much longer and then the volcano is going to erupt, so you better hustle! Go on, get out of here.
As it spoke, a cluster of lights appeared around each of the elemental statues and then rose up into the sky.
<WiseOne> Ope, there go the Djinn now.
<Celev> What's that me--
<WiseOne> No time to explain everything, we need to talk quickly. This is bad, really bad. Without the Elemental Stars contain this room, the volcano is going to blow and there will no longer be any safe place for the Stars. Once again, the world will be exposed to the threat of Alchemy.
<Thena> Alchemy is a threat...?
<WiseOne> Alchemy is an incredibly dangerous power. If the Elemental Stars are used to ignite the Lighthouses, that power will be released over the entire world.
<Celev> Ohgeez, that sounds bad.
<WiseOne> The Lighthouses must remain unlit...
Suddenly, the room started rumbling more and more violently. Crystal pillars began crashing to the ground around us.
<WiseOne> I can't hold back the eruption any longer! You guys need to skedaddle!
<Celev> We can't escape, there's no way back to the portal!
<WiseOne> Fine, I'll help you out.
The giant floating rock with one large eyeball in the center blinked and suddenly we were teleported to the inner Sanctum on the other side of the portal. The entire Sanctum was still roiling and shaking with the fury of the volcano, so Celev and I ran as fast as we could back through the dungeon and back out to the town. All of the villagers were standing around staring at Mt. Aleph in awe.
<Celev> Ohgod, it's my grandpa, I'm going to be grounded for like a million years. Maybe we should go back up and take our chances in the volcano...
<Thena> *fwap*
<Celev> Fine, fine, I'll take my punishment like a man... *gulp*
<Villagers> Yay, you're safe! \o/
<HeadPriest> What the holy *^$% is going on up there? What did you guys do?
<Mum> Weren't DNA and PP with you?
<Thena> It's a long story. Let's tell it over lunch.
And so we all went into the sanctum (the regular one in town) with Celev's grandpa the mayor, my mum, the head priest, and some of the other priests, and told them all the entire story of what happened, gesturing and using wild facial expressions the whole time.
<Thena> ... and then we came back down and met up with you guys.
<HeadPriest> That being you spoke of... the giant floating rock with one large eyeball in the center... I have seen it before, in my dreams. In fact, it spoke to me in my head just now.
<Everyone> :O!
<HeadPriest> It really must be... the Wise One, guardian of the Elemental Stars. It corroborated your story and told me more about the volcano eruption. Unfortunately, nothing can be done about it now.
<Mum> Will the town be destroyed again?
<HeadPriest> The Wise One will be able to direct the flow of lava from hitting Vale, so no worries there... unfortunately, we have even bigger problems to worry about.
<Thena> It's the stuff the rock was talking about in the chamber, right? About the Elemental Stars being used to release the power of Alchemy?
<HeadPriest> A power that could destroy the very world, yes, if we do nothing to stop it.
<Mum> What can we hope to do?
<HeadPriest> It's Thena and Celev's job now.
<Celev> Wait, us?!
<HeadPriest> Yes, you. Acquiring the Elemental Stars is your fate alone.
<Mayor> Are you sure it's such a good idea to trust them with a job this important?
<HeadPriest> They're the main characters of the game, of course I'm going to trust them! Besides, the Wise One said so. Each of them shares responsibility for the actions that have been taken on this day.
<Celev> Dude, you can't blame us for those jerks wh--
<HeadPriest> Thena, will you accept responsibility for the fate of the land?
<Thena> Sure, ok.
<Celev> I guess I'm with Thena, then.
<HeadPriest> Oh Wise One... the two youths have accepted your request... please set them on their journey by telling them what it is you actually want them to do.
Suddenly, the Wise One himself appeared in the room before us.
<WiseOne> Good, you guys are brave, I like that in an RPG character. I'll be keeping an eye on you. *wink*
And then he was gone.
<HeadPriest> He says... he says "Jaber must unlock the power.... Find the Lighthouses.... You'll have the guidance of the Elemental Star...."
<Thena> Use the Mars Star to find the Lighthouses, got it.
<Celev> Uh... then what?
<HeadPriest> Hold on, I'm working on it... mind to mind communication is very difficult you know...
<Thena> He could have just stayed here and talked to us himself instead of disappearing again. -_-;
<HeadPriest> ... ... ... "Seek the elementals... the Djinn... They will be useful."
<Celev> Djinn, got it... whatever that means... anything else?
<HeadPriest> ... ... ... Nope, that's all. Good luck! the fate of the world is in your hands! *drops mic and exits*
<Mayor> Well, that could have been more helpful....
<Mum> Don't worry, Mayor, they're the main characters, they'll figure it out.
And so Celev and I were sent off on an urgent quest to save the fate of the world. Everyone from Vale gathered around the town to set us off on our way, waving their flags and wishing us luck. It was time for adventure!
