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The sun rose up over the back of the city of Halfoam and shed it’s light over the people and buildings. The sunlight came in through the windows and hit Joel in the face, and he woke up to the bright light with a shadow in the middle of it all. As his eyes came into focus with the bright light he saw Celia sitting there next to him, waiting for him to come out of his slumber. Joel sat up, stretched and yawned, then shaded his eyes so he could look at her easier.

"Mornin, sleeping beauty." Joel said.

"Sleeping? Who’s sleeping?" Celia asked him, "Come on, let’s get some breakfast and do something fun today!"

Celia stood up and walked to the kitchen to prepare some food, and Joel stood up soon after and followed her in, scratching his head.

"Well okay…" Joel said. He looked around for a moment, then said, "Hey, where’s Koichi? He’s usually up by now, isn’t he?"

"Hmm, Koichi? I guess he’s sleeping in. The poor guy sounded like he was having a nightmare about something." Celia told him, "Speaking of which, it sounds like he’s coming out now.

Joel and Celia heard a loud stomping sound that seemed to emit from the ground up. Koichi tromped out through the hall from his room and into the living room where he would normally sit on the couch. He turned the television on and was mumbling something about crazy women. The doorbell sounded off, and Joel answered it only to find Ryan standing on the other side of the door.

"Hey Zareon." Ryan greeted Joel as he stepped through the entrance.

"Ryan, uh, hi." Joel said, watching him move passed him.

Celia walked out of the kitchen to see what was going on and saw the young man unknown to her walking through her house.

"And you must be the young Celia I’ve heard so much about." Ryan said, walking up to her.

"Excuse me…?" Celia asked.

"Celia, he’s, uh…" Joel started.

"Allow me to explain, Zareon." Ryan told Joel, looking back at him. He turned to Celia again and said, "I’m his long lost brother!"

"What!?" Joel and Celia asked in surprise.

"You’re not my brother! Are you?" Joel asked.

Ryan tilted his head down and began to chuckle at the thought, and said, "Heh, no. Of course not." He looked at Celia with a grin and said, "I’m Ryan, the guardian of the mind forces. I’ve come for Zareon to see if he wants to join me in exploring the world."

"Zareon?" Celia asked.

Koichi, watching from the back of the room on the couch, took a moment to think, and he jumped up, grabbed his sword, and swung in Ryan’s direction.

"Zareon’s the name that punk who attacked the castle used to call Joel." Koichi said, "Well this boy’s not going to do any damage while I’m around!"

"Ah, that’s right. My name’s Joel, not Zareon." Joel told Ryan.

"Hey, wait, I told you yesterday that I wasn’t here for a fight, didn’t I?" Ryan said.

Ryan put his hand up and waved at Koichi once, and the sword flew out of Koichi’s hand and into Ryan’s hold.

"Besides, I’d have already brought on an attack if I were, don’t you think?" Ryan said.

"Why you…" Koichi growled, "Over sized, spiky hair demon… I oughta…"

"Hey, I’m an over sized, spiky hair demon, too, aren’t I?" Joel thought.

"You talk too much." Ryan said.

Ryan brought up his hand and cast a spell that shot out an aura ball from his hand. The aura ball hit Koichi and enveloped him in a veil of smoke, and when things cleared up Koichi appeared transformed as a rosy cheek, cheery young schoolgirl in a dress.

"I oughta bake a cake! Tee hee!" Koichi giggled in a high voice. He trotted off to the kitchen, then he transformed back into his old self and looked outside and roared, "Hey, I don’t even know how to bake a cake! Grrr…" The veil of smoke covered him again and he transformed back into the girly figure and said, "I know, I’ll go to the store and learn how! Tra la la…" Koichi trotted to the door of the house and left. He transformed back into his normal self after he left the house and ran back, yelling, "Where the hell am I going to find a book on cake baking anyway? Grr…" Koichi transformed into the girly figure again with a puff of smoke and giggled, "Heheeh, I think I’ll clean my room!"

Koichi trotted from the door to his room and began moving things around as he hummed a tune in the girly figure he was bound in. Joel, Celia, and Ryan looked back at each other after watching Koichi’s little act, and Ryan put down Koichi’s sword and sighed.

"Sorry about that." Ryan said, "How about we get down to business now that Pop and Fresh is out of the way?"

"Uh, Pop and Fresh, sure…" Joel mumbled.

Ryan walked over to one of the couches and sat down, and Joel and Celia followed him shortly after and sat down on the other couch in front of the television. Ryan kicked back, stretched, and relaxed as he sat down.

"Not bad, not bad at all." Ryan said, "You guys made a good choice when you bought this place, you know?" When he got a silent treatment from Joel and Celia he said, "Oh right, well there’s a reason for me barging into your house like I did, and as I said before it’s because I want to know if Joel has thought about joining me yet. Well then, have you?"

Joel scratched his head and thought for a while, then looked at Ryan and said, "Actually, no. I’m still trying to figure out how you predicted Celia and I would get together like this." Celia gave the two young men a surprised look and Joel mumbled, "Um, oops…"

"You… knew we were going to get together?" Celia asked. Her eyes lit up with a sparkle and she asked, "Wow, does that mean you can tell us if we’re going to have children? What’ll they be like? Will they be good?"

"Hey, woah, hold on there lady!" Ryan said, waving his hands around, "I can read your thoughts, I can’t foresee everything!" Celia blushed a bright red and crawled back into her seat, and Ryan told her, "I’m not a pervert, sheesh." He turned back to Joel and said, "There’s benefits and disadvantages to both choices, Zareon. If you come with me then I will teach you how to use your powers like I use mine, and I will tell you about our origin. I won’t force these things into you. You’ll be able to see the world. The bad thing is that you’ll have to face battle after battle in many cases with monsters and real demons. We all might have the power to restore ourselves after combat, but it still hurts to happen to us." He took a moment and gave out a slight sigh and breath, then said, "The good thing about staying is that you can adapt to a peaceful life here in this city where chances of danger are slim to none. You and Celia can live a pleasant life, as I told you before, and raise a family here. The not so good thing about staying is that you may eventually be found out about and hunted down, or you’ll end up in another painful situation that will make you lose control and destroy many things again. You may also get the innocent people here involved in another attack from another person like us who seeks you out to settle a score from your previous life." Ryan crossed his arms and sat back again and said, "So either way you’ll have your happy times, and you’ll have your dreaded painful times. It’s all up to you, man."

Joel leaned forward on the couch, putting his elbows on his knees and hands on his cheeks and thought for a moment. He looked at Celia and asked, "I don’t think I could go on an adventure without you, so what do you think? Would you go with me if I did?"

"Well that’s a stupid question, Zareon." Ryan thought. He snickered to himself, and thought, "Asking your loving wife, who’d most likely follow you anywhere, a question like that."

Celia looked up at Joel and said, "Of course I would, Joel, but… I’d love to raise children as well. I don’t see why this guy can’t tell us about ourselves just now."

"Why tell you something you won’t need to know if you don’t take my offer?" Ryan asked her, giving her a shrug.

Celia sighed and said, "Well okay, then I’ll go, too, if it’s the only way."

"Excellent, if you both will join me then we can get moving right away." Ryan told them, "I assure you, you won’t regret this."

"There’s one thing I’d like to ask you, though, Ryan." Joel mentioned as they stood up, "Please call me Joel. I don’t know who this Zareon is, and I don’t feel comfortable being called that."

"Okay, suit yourself. Joel it is." Ryan said.

Ryan repositioned his headband over his head, and the three set out to leave the house. Koichi overheard their departure and ran outside to catch up with them.

"Wait, don’t leave me here!" Koichi cried, running towards them in his normal figure, "I’ll promise to be good, I swear!"

"Hmm, are you sure? Dragging around a human pet on this journey might cause some problems." Ryan said, grinning, "I’m not sure I’ll be able to feed you, water you, and clean up after your messes, so you had better be good!"

"Wha, you… I’ll protect the princess however I can, even if it means following her all the way around the world!" Koichi growled.

Joel stepped up to Koichi and put his hand on Koichi’s shoulder.

"Don’t worry, you’ll do your protecting." Joel told him.

Koichi looked to the side and slapped Joel’s arm away. He turned away and stepped into the car. The others turned their attention away from Koichi and looked at each other again.

"Well if you guys are taking that thing, I’ll meet you at the gates of the city." Ryan told them, "I can get farther faster on foot."

"That’s what I told Celia." Joel said, crossing his arms.

"We’ll see you there, Ryan!" Celia said, waving good bye.

Ryan turned around and walked away, and Joel and Celia took the front seats of their car. Celia drove them out to the front of the city, but they found themselves being chased by a police car with its lights flashing at them. She stopped the car in a parking lot near the entrance to the city of Halfoam and the policeman greeted them.

"Mornin there young lady. You’re looking pretty green there, are you feeling okay today?" the policeman asked.

"Yeah, green’s my natural skin color." Celia told him.

"Mmm Hmm…" the policeman mumbled, "A stolen student driver car was reported yesterday. I’m going to have to ask that you three step out of the car so I can take you all in."

"But sir, the instructor said we could keep the car." Joel told the man, "I think there’s something wrong in your report."

The policeman knelt down and looked at Joel, then fell back in shock.

"Holy shit, you’re the boy on all the wanted posters!" the policeman cried, "This is going to promote me if I bring all of you in!" He stood back up and put his gun up at the three of them, "Now do as I say and get out of the car!"

Joel, Koichi, and Celia each stepped out of the car and lined up in front of the policeman. The man looked over each of them closely, then stepped back.

"Mister Koichi, I didn’t know you hanged around these criminals." He said, looking at Koichi.

"Hmph, hardly." Koichi grunted.

"Well I’m afraid I have no choice but to take all of you in to the police station." The policeman told them, "Now hold still while I cuff you."

"Excuse me, dear police officer, but we’ll take this situation from here." A male voice came from the side. Far out to the side stood Tim and Katy, "We’ve been looking for that blonde guy over there, and he’s way too tough for you. You’d better leave him for the Axle Gang to take care of!"

Joel stepped out and saw the two. He glared at them both as Tim and Katy did the same with a sly grin on their faces.

"So, it’s you again." Joel said, "Wasn’t enough you kill my best friend, so you come hunting me down as well, huh."

"Yes, yes, it’s me in all my glory." Tim said, "But last I heard you’re the one who pulled the plug on dear sweet Sarralyn."

"You’re going to pay for what you did to Marco!" Katy told Joel.

A boy who looked of ten years of age walked up between Katy and Tim, pointed at Joel, and said, "That’s right, he’ll pay for killing my brother! Lemme at ‘em!"

The boy ran up to Joel and threw a punch at him, but all Joel could do was watch the boy in wonder as his hand smashed and made a cracking sound against Joel’s leg. He fell back against the ground and started crying, and Katy stepped foreword and picked him up. Tim walked up to Joel, Celia, and Koichi and looked at each of them.

"Matt here is Marco’s younger brother. He decided to join us on our little… hunt… when we made plans to leave Traquo." Tim said, looking at Joel. He turned to Koichi and said, "But I suppose we’re not the only one’s who picked up another member of our team. You must have been through a lot since you left. That’s what’s to be expected from a freak, though." Tim turned and looked at Celia, and his eyes lit up, "Oh my, has my dear beloved Sarralyn come back for me, or did she not tell me about her twin sister?"

Celia backed up to the car as Tim approached her, giving him a disgusted look. Joel reached out and grabbed Tim from behind, but the policeman took action and clubbed him in the back of his head. Joel was knocked down to the floor senseless. Tim looked down at Joel and kicked him away, then looked up at the policeman and put his hand on the man’s chest.

"Thanks, but as I said before, leave this situation to me!" Tim said. He began mouthing words silently, then his voice echoed, "Vikahn Survown!"

Katy covered Matt’s eyes while Tim cast his spell on the Policeman. The man looked down as Tim’s hand emitted an aura and a low hum, and his body disintegrated, leaving his bones falling down on the floor. Koichi looked at the corpse, then up at Tim as his grinned at Koichi.

"Are you scared of me yet, stranger?" Tim asked Koichi.

"Scared? This is witchcraft! You’re just like the man we faced at my castle, aren’t you?" Koichi hissed. He put his hands down on his sword hilt and said, "I won’t allow any harm to come to the princess! I’m going to…" With a feeling of violence, Koichi once again was enveloped into a puff of smoke and transformed into the girlish figure, holding a plate of cookies and smiling cheerfully, "I’m going to serve you three some cookies! Who wants some? I have sugar, chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin…"

Tim looked at Koichi with a confused look on his face, then he turned around and leaned forward at Celia, putting his arms on the car on both sides of her.

"So, what do you say you join my gang, the axles?" Tim whispered to her with a soft tone, "With a little work, you could be just as strong as me."

Celia looked at Tim disgusted, then brought her hand up to smack him on the face. Tim saw this coming and grabbed her arm, and he stepped back as he pulled her arm with him.

"Wait a minute, I’m not a weak, helpless little girl." Celia thought for a moment.

Her eyes gleamed at Tim, and she used her other hand to forcefully hit Tim’s shoulder. Tim released Celia with the impact of her attack, and she grabbed onto him by his upper arms and shoved her knee into his gut. Tim’s eyes widened and he staggered back away from Celia with one hand over his shoulder and the other around his chest. He dropped onto the ground next to Katy and Matt and began crying.

"Oww, owie oww!" he cried, "She huuuuurt me!"

"Oh no!" Katy gasped.

She put Matt down and reached into her bag, and she revealed out a bottle of medicine from her items.

"I can’t believe his secret was broken at a time like this!" Katy mumbled as she fed Tim the medicine.

"You’re gonna pay for this!" Matt snarled at Celia.

Celia stood up straight, crossed her arms, and looked down at the child.

"Is that all you can say?" she asked him.

"Ho, ho, that’s right!" called out another voice from behind the car.

Ryan leaped up, preformed a fancy flip in the air, and landed on top of the car. The top of the car sunk down a bit with Ryan’s performance. Tim stood up and shook his head a bit, and he noticed Katy and Matt looking up in amazement at Ryan.

"Why sit there and make idle threats when you know you’ll never make it?" Ryan asked them. He jumped down and looked at Joel and said, "Come on, get up. You’re not dead yet and you know it."

Joel opened his eyes and sat up. He moaned for a moment with one eye half-open.

"But I like dreaming." Joel said.

"Just who do you think you are butting your face into this business?" Tim asked, taking a step forward.

"Well who’s a teenager who backs off and cries like a baby who needs pampering when he’s hit by a girl?" Ryan snickered, "I’m Ryan, and if you want to take on these two then you’ll have to fight me."

He jumped down off the car and in front of Celia, and he stood in his own fighting position. Koichi waddled up to Ryan in his girly figure wearing the dress and carrying around the plate of cookies.

"Would you like some cookies, too?" Koichi asked Ryan in the high voice.

"Not now, human. I’m busy." Ryan told Koichi, "Just stand over there with Joel and Celia while I take care of these three real quick."

As Koichi waddled away from Ryan a horde of police cars zoomed into the scene and surrounded the exits. Police rushed out of their cars, four out of each, creating a crowd surrounding the seven suspects. They stood around them with their hands on their belts, ready to pull out their weapons and attack at any moment, as the chief of police called out at them. It was Lilly’s father who was shouting, and Lilly was standing with him in uniform next to him. Koichi could recognize the voice within his transformed state.

"Oh god, I can’t believe she’s seeing me like this." Koichi thought.

"Alright guys, we’ve got the reports of you stealing cars and killing people. We’ve got you surrounded, so just give up nice and easy and we’ll start the questioning." Lilly’s father shouted through his megaphone.

Koichi broke Ryan’s spell and reverted back to his original self, and he ran up to Lilly and her father.

"So Koichi you finally show your true self, you criminal." The chief yelled through the megaphone right in front of Koichi. Koichi grabbed the megaphone and threw it down, and Lilly’s father said, "I knew it’d just take some time for the new guys to show their evil ways."

"I think I’m going to be deaf for the next couple weeks." Koichi said, "I have nothing to do with all this, I’m just a humble protector of Princess Celia."

Lilly looked at him questioningly, then she put her gun up and aimed at Koichi’s head.

"Yes, that’s right Lilly. Do it!" Her father cheered.

"I’m a hateful person, but you’ve got to believe me. One protector to another." Koichi said, looking into Lilly’s eyes.

Ryan looked at Koichi in front of the crowd and laughed.

"Oh please." He said, "This situation needs to lighten up, big time."

Ryan put his hand up and cast a spell on the big line of police, and they all turned into a singing and dancing row of girlish figures in dresses, including Koichi and Lilly. The police danced up and down, kicking their feet back and forth, and swinging their dress side to side, singing in a high voice, "Happy, Happy, Sappy! We’re as happy as can be! If there’s any life that we would chose, then happy you would see! Happy, Happy, Sappy! We clean and cook for free! If you want a cookie, then come up and ask me, or me, or meee! Happy, Happy, Sappy! We never like the mean! When we come across a bad guy, we make them something sweet!"

One of the men danced up to Joel and the others with a cake, and all but Ryan fell down in stupidity of the whole situation.

"See, this is much better." Ryan said, laughing.

"Well," Tim said, standing up, "If we have to beat you to take Joel away, then fine. I like my odds three to one." He looked back at his team as they stood back up and said, "Let’s get him, quick and easy."

Ryan stood up with his arms crossed. His eyes gleamed and his teeth shown in a grin as he looked at the three members of the Axle Gang standing in front of him preparing to tackle and defeat him. Tim leaped forward at Ryan and stopped right in front of him, and he waved at Katy, then at Matt. Katy dashed forward and jumped up at Tim, and Tim boosted her forward and behind Ryan to the right. He boosted Matt ahead and to the left of Ryan as he ran up to Tim as well. The three stood around Ryan in a triangular formation, clapped their hands, and brought out their arms to the air.

"We’ve studied tricks of our own." Tim told Ryan, "Try an Axle Gang Delta Attack."

Ryan looked around and noticed the three began emitting a colorful glow. Tim shined red, Katy showed blue, and Matt appeared green. Grey rays of aura shot between each of them and the ground began lighting up. Joel stood up and grabbed his sword from the car, and he ran out of the triangle with Celia as beams of light flew from the ground into the sky. A large three-sided pyramid of flashing energy formed between Tim, Katy, and Matt. The cars next to Ryan began changing into stone, becoming petrified by the magic attack, and he looked at himself and noticed the effects were beginning to take place on him as well. But he remained calm as he turned into a statue within the pyramid attack.

With a crackle and a flash of light, the pyramid Delta Attack finished and faded away. A bird that had flown inside fell to the stone ground, where everything had turned to stone, and broke apart. Tim and Katy put their arms down and walked up to the two cars and the tall young man between them, but Matt was a bit shaky in the knees from their performance and could not manage the ability to move up with his party. Tim knocked on Ryan’s statue head and shrugged briefly.

"He was a hard one, wasn’t he?" Katy said, putting her hands on her sides.

"Not until now. He’s just another stupid victim of our team." Tim said. He waved his hand up in the statue’s face and said, "See you in hell, won’t you wait for me?"

The statue began the move and rattle, and Ryan’s arms broke free from the spell, sending shattered shards of thin rock down at the ground. Tim and Katy gasped at the sight and began moving back again, but Ryan grabbed Tim on his sides, broke his body free, and leaned his upper body back, pounding Tim into the ground in his throw. Ryan broke his legs and feet out from the stone prison as he stood back up, and he turned around and looked down at Katy with a smile. Katy began taking steps back to get away from Ryan and began running away screaming, but Ryan reached out with an invisible hand and grabbed her from a long distance. He raised her up into the air and held her there as she cried for help. He motioned his hand at high speed from up in the air to down at the ground, and Katy smashed down into the stone road near Matt, causing the ground to crack apart and Matt to lose his balance and fall down. Ryan picked up Tim from the ground and kicked him to near where Katy and Matt lay.

"You know, if I had a mother I would have said she told me to be nice to girls." Ryan said, "It’s too bad you three didn’t know I’m immune to low level earth attacks. I trained with the earth guardian after all." He looked over to the crowd and pulled Koichi out with his powers and said, "I’ll be off with my friends and human now."

Ryan looked down at Koichi, seeing as how he was still in his singing, dancing girlish figure, and he dispelled Koichi and cast a sleep spell over him before he could make any moves. He dragged the sleeper up to Joel and Celia, and the four set off out of the parking lot, through the crowd of dancing police, and exited the city of Halfoam. Afternoon had approached them that day as they walked down the roads of the world.

"So much for our car." Celia said.

"Yeah, but at least they got it back. Who knew the Axle Gang is trying to chase me all around the world." Joel said, scratching his head.

"Oh I wouldn’t worry about a car if I were you." Ryan told them, "This journey will take us all around the world, and you can’t take a car into the Old World where there’s castles and kingdoms. Besides, walking and running strengthen your legs, which makes you a faster runner and stronger kicker."

"So Ryan, where are we going first, exactly?" Joel asked Ryan.

"I’m going to take you to desert village of Nilton." Ryan answered, "Your younger brother lives there, and it’ll be easier on you if you meet your family before you meet the other guys and girls of the guardianship."

Ryan looked back at Koichi, who he was carrying in mid-air with his powers behind the group. He was still fast asleep from Ryan’s sleep spell, but Ryan snapped his fingers and released him from the deep sleep and hold. The group stopped as Koichi shook his head and fell down to the ground on his face. He stood back up and yawned and scratched his head for a moment and looked up.

"Ugh, I had this weird dream I was…" Koichi started. His vision focused, and he saw everyone and how he was still wearing the girly dress, and said, "Oh never mind, it’s real. Damn it."

He slipped off the dress, as he was still wearing his normal clothes under it, and threw it away. Time slipped, and dinner came soon as the four traveled together into the unknown. Ryan set up tents, and Joel and Celia lit up a cooking fire for food. Koichi disappeared for a moment, but brought back a big monster he had slain for food and put parts of it up over the fire to cook.

"Thanks Koichi! That was actually helpful of you!" Celia said, thanking Koichi.

"Hmph, don’t mention it." Koichi grunted as he crossed his arms and looked away.

The three sat down around the fire and waited for the food to cook. Ryan came back after finishing up the tents and putting his stuff away into his own and sat with them.

"You know, you missed quite a show back there while you were singing and dancing." Joel told Koichi.

"Oh shut up, I don’t want to think about that. The city was too much of a horrible nightmare on my half." Koichi said. He picked up a piece of meat and blew on it a bit, then said, "It’ll be relieving to move back into the ‘Old World’."

Joel picked up a small twig and poked at the meat still cooking over the fire.

"I’ve never had monster before. Are you sure it’s safe?" Joel asked.

"Of course. I’m eating it, aren’t I?" Koichi said, wiping his mouth with his shoulder.

Ryan looked away and chuckled, then picked up a part for his own appetite.

"I guess I’ll start lessons tonight for you, Joel." Ryan said. He took a bite from the large monster and swallowed, then looked up and said, "Just like hamburger. But the only time you should worry about getting sick from something is if you’re in a fight. Other than that you won’t notice yourself being sick, because your body is never truly affected by any disorder. Battle is when your guard is down." He stood up and tossed what was left of what he took into the fire and said, "The meat could be poisonous or it could be full of disease, but being who we are I could care less."

Ryan, Joel, and Celia looked at Koichi. His cheeks puffed up and he put his hand over his mouth, and Koichi stood up and made a mad dash for the trees.

"See, one of the things you’ll always remember about is your recovery." Ryan said. He stood up and unsheathed the short sword he kept with him and held the blade against his left wrist, holding it out to show Joel and Celia, and said, "This is going to be a bit gruesome, but it’s a good example."

Joel cringed and Celia fell back as they watched Ryan cut off his hand. It fell down to the ground and faded away.

"I think I’m going to join Koichi… ooh…" Joel moaned, putting his hand on his chest.

Ryan put his sword away and began rubbing on his arm where he cut himself. The limb was leaking with blood and pouring onto the ground in front of the fire.

"Man, my skin’s getting tough. It’s getting harder and harder for me to do that to myself." Ryan said, gritting his teeth.

"Your hand’s not growing back like you said it would! Do you need my healing spell?" Celia asked Ryan.

"Heh, don’t worry about it, it’s coming." Ryan told her. A lump formed within his lower arm and moved out, and out shot a new hand to replace the one he cut off, and Ryan said, "There, good as new. What do you two think now?"

"Celia and I can do that, too?" Joel asked.

Ryan nodded and said, "Sure, if you’re really one of us." He turned around and looked away from Joel and Celia and said, "Okay, next thing you two should both know and always keep in mind. Our kind is kind of immortal. More like long living, though. We’ll age just like regular humans until we hit our teenage years, but from there on we stay in a young and youthful body for years to come as long as we survive. I may look like I’m eighteen, but to be honest I’m really…" Ryan paused for a moment, then turned his head, grinned, and said, "Three hundred and sixty one years old!"

"What?" Celia and Joel cried.

In an instant the two found themselves crashed on their heads from Ryan’s remark, astounded by what they had heard. They sat back up and rubbed their heads soon after.

"It’s no joke. Zareon, the guy I see inside you, Joel, was much older and stronger than I am when he was defeated." Ryan said, "Even I’m a reincarnation of another guardian who died, and there’s some others around the world who are even older than Zareon ever was."

"So… if any of us ever die then we’ll just be reincarnated with another spirit? Is that how it goes?" Celia asked.

"That’s right." Ryan said, nodding again, "There’s a lake somewhere around the world that’s supposed to reveal the truth behind your spirit. Maybe we’ll pass by there some day and find out who we were in our last life. But our creators, the gods in heaven, need us for when the evil they sealed away in this world breaks loose and makes its attack again. They’ll just keep bringing us back hoping that the new spirit will take over our body if we die in hopes of it being a surviving one." Ryan paused for a moment again and walked up to Joel. He put his hand up and pointed at him and said, "You’re a runt for a newbie, Joel. You woke up way too early for your chambers to fill your mind with all the knowledge you were supposed to get. But at least you were given your fighting and survival abilities. Your name and mission would have been more clear to you if you had waited."

Ryan stepped back and sat down in his place again. Joel sat back and remembered how the people were talking about how he was found inside a mountain.

"That’s right, you were placed inside that mountain in your crystal cage. We all were, all around the world." Ryan said, "Sorry if I have to read your mind a bit."

"That’s okay, this is very informing of you." Joel said.

"Yeah, well, it’s getting late. I think I’ll bring my lessons to a close for now." Ryan told them. He stood up and walked to his tent, but turned around before he went in and said, "Oh yeah, I almost forgot. It’s important to keep your core safe. It’s a small ball inside your neck, and it’s the source of all our powers. We all have one, so guard your neck if anyone ever tries hitting you there or you won’t be immune, you won’t be long living, you won’t grow back any body parts. Well I’ll teach you more tomorrow. See you then, alright?"

He waved and ducked into his tent and closed it. Koichi returned and joined Celia and Joel looking as fresh and stubborn as ever. He sat down with them and began eating again.

"Hey Koichi, didn’t he say that was poisonous?" Celia asked.

"Screw what the guy said, I’m fine. He was just messing with my brain again." Koichi hissed, "I don’t care what I missed either. I just want to eat and go to bed."

Joel and Celia stood up and walked away.

"See you tomorrow, Koichi." Joel said as he walked away.

"Don’t let the bed bugs bite!" Celia told Koichi as she waved at him.

Koichi ignored them and continued eating his food. When he finished he stood up and looked around for his tent.

"Hey, they didn’t put up a third tent. Do they really think I deserve to sleep outside?" Koichi thought. He lay back onto the hard, dirty ground and looked up to the sky and thought, "Idiots are downgrading us nobles day after day. Pft, bed bugs… what childish fantasy story."

A monster snarling sounded off in the area and red beady eyes flashed all around the camp. Koichi jumped up to his feet and quickly drew his sword from his sheath as monsters of a wide variety advanced on the camp.

"Bed bugs… right…" Koichi thought, "Well they’re not getting me."

The night moved on as Koichi defended the camp against the numerous monsters. While Joel, Celia, and Ryan slept peacefully in their tents, Koichi was busy on his toes destroying anything that came in a twenty-foot radius of his position. His own training had taught him well in the art of survival and spotting his enemy through the darkness. On the other side of things, what would Ryan have in store for his students in the days to come? With every passing moment he seems to share more and more with the couple to educate them in their true way of life.

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