Chapter 2.

  Enigma was prepared to reveal his presence to the army,
just so he could get a look at his old friend.
  ‘Hold him, Power.’ Ksid demanded, stepping in in front
of the young boy in case he broke away. 
  Power grasped Enigma in his huge arms, lifting him out
of the water. 
  ‘What is she doing?’ Enigma was asking no one in
particular. ‘Why is she with the Revolution?’
  ‘I take it you befriended her in the future?’
  ‘Something like that.’ Ice answered for him.
  Enigma could here her talking on the other side. 
  ‘What’s she doing in the Crystal City?’ Sly was asking
someone.
  ‘She’s creating a bit of trouble.’ this second person
was saying. ‘Everybody knows Histausiglar is the biggest
country on the continent. It’s the centre of trade and
communication. Once we gain control of that, we basically
have Korutiania by the - ’
  ‘Enigma?’ It was Arem.
  He placed his finger to his lips for silence.
  ‘What of the old man?’ Sly was asking when Enigma
regained the converstaion.
  ‘The old man lost her. He was spotted with a group
about six. But she got away.’
  ‘Good. Take some men with you down to the Crystal City.
I think she could use them.’ The conversation ended.
  ‘Did you get that?’ Enigma looked at Ksid.
  ‘All of it.’ he smiled. Comeon. Let’s get out of here.’
  ‘That’s easier said than done.’ Terrol smirked, inspect
the trouble.
  ‘Any suggestions?’ Ksid appealed
  No one answered.
  ‘Enigma?’
  The overly strong boy winced. ‘Okay, fine.’ He thought
about it for a little. ‘How long can you hold you all
hold your breath?’
  ‘What did you have in mind?’ questioned Iikin.
  ‘How about we swim down stream?’
  ‘But they’ll still see us.’ Arem said considering it.
  ‘Not if we’re all invisible.’ Enigma smiled wryly.
  ‘You can do that?’ Ksid asked.
  ‘I think so.’
  ‘But we’re going to get wet.’ Ice noted. ‘Not to
mention that book of yours.’
  ‘Don’t worry, I’ll take care of that to. So what do you
think?’
  ‘Sounds like a fair idea.’ Ksid nodded.
  ‘Good. Now how about putting me down.’
  Enigma focused on the group. They were suddenly
surrounded by a blue aura.
  ‘Where did everybody go?’ It was Terrol. ‘I can’t see
you.’
  ‘Me neither.’ Enigma confessed. ‘At least we know that
it works. I’ll go first. Swim for as long as you can. All
we have to do is get around that first bend, then we
should be okay.’
  Enigma sucked in as much air as possible, then dived
under water. 
  Swimming as fast as he could, he could see the army
passing by. There were so many of them. Sly caught his
eye slightly. He slowed down a little, beggining to turn
around, but something pushed him from behind.
  He rounded the first bend and swum a little further.
Making sure he was well clear of the army, he surfaced,
gasping for air. The others soon joined him.
  ‘Everybody here.’ Enigma question gently.
  The rest of the group was present.
  ‘Who was it that pushed me back there?’ the boy 
interrogated, transorming his friends back to normal.
  ‘Sorry.’ Ksid apologised. ‘I could sense that you
weren’t focussed on what you were supposed to be doing,
so I gave you a little nudge.’
  ‘What about our horses?’ Arem rung her hair out.
  Atrebor scampered to the top of Enigma’s head. She
began to speek.
  Several moments later, there was sound from behind
them. They drew their weapons. A familiar snort alerted
them. It was their horses.
  ‘How do you do that?’ Enigma looked closely at his pet.
  Mounting up, they quikly rode away from danger.
  ‘That was close.’ Ksid sighed.
  ‘Yes, very.’ Enigma was dissapointed.
  ‘Hey, forget that woman.’ Ksid looked directly into his
face. ‘I don’t know what happens in the future between
you two, but the Sly of this era as evil.’
  ‘Is it the same person?’ Ice asked. ‘Because there are
times where we’ve met two people fom different eras that
are idenital in every way, except they’re two different
individuals.’
  ‘I’d imagine that it’s the same person.’ Ksid replied.
‘Sly is a high ranking person in the Revolution heirachy.
Because of this, she has been given an elongated life.
One aging year for her is like five hundred aging years
for an average mortal. Sort of like me. I’m not really
immortal, I just say that so enemies trying to kill me
think they have no hope.’
  ‘How did she become apart of the Revolution in the
first place?’ Power questioned.
  ‘I don’t know. You’ll have to ask her yourself.’
  ‘In the present - that is to say, in the future - or
what ever, she told me that her and her mother used to
live the streets.’ Enigma explained. ‘Then she was
enroled in the slave market with a group called the
Enemy. She worked for Master Pain in the Sanctuary for
most of her life, and the Sanctury in this era hasn’t
even be thought of yet.’
  ‘That’s strange.’ Ksid noted. ‘But I’d still bet that 
the Sly of this era, and the Sly of yours are one and the 
same. Something must happen to her in the future. Ask me 
in a couple of thousand years, and I may be able to give 
you the answer. Anyway, she’s been part of the Revolution
for yers now.’
  ‘But she had a face.’ Enigma explained. ‘The servents
of the future didn’t. They just had muddled up skin.’
  ‘That too, must be something that eventuated with time.
There’s not much I can say that I know or that you
yourselves would probably know, but all I can say is
think of this Sly person as a totally different
character. She’s evil, and she couldn’t care less for any
body but herself.’
  A little rodent appeared from the inside of Iikin’s
jacket. It was Kolga, his pet mouse.
  Similarily, Arem’s little pet Betra, also a mouse, a
black male, appeared. Joined by Atrebor, they conversed
on the back of Aroht, inspecting and cleaning each other. 
  ‘You people really have a think with mice, don’t you.’
Ksid laughed, watching the little rodents play. 
  ‘Ksid.’ Enigma got his attention. ‘There’s something we
need to tell you that you may what to listen to.’
  ‘Oh?’
  ‘You know your sister?’
  ‘Merian?’ Ksid answered. ‘What about her.’
  ‘Well, we have reason to believe that something has
happened to her. She may be in danger.’
  ‘What do you mean?’
  ‘A woman we battled was sent back sometime into the
past. Before we left the present she hinted at your
sister, Merian. She said that she had a little “accident”
or something like that.’
  ‘What accident?’
  ‘We don’t know. That’s all we were able to gather.’
Enigma shrugged.
  ‘I haven’t seen her in a long while.’ the old man
clarified. ‘I wouldn’t know where to find her. I hope
she’s okay. Either way, there’s nothing we can do until
we find out what has happened. All I can do is worry.’
  Enigma looked at his other group members. ‘You seem to
be taking this rather well.’
  ‘What do you want me to do? Is this woman you speak of
of the Revolution?’
  The boy nodded.
  ‘That’s worrying. Maybe it hasn’t happened yet. Maybe
she arrives a little later in the future. We’ll have to
keep our ears open.’
  They rode on in silence for the next few moments. 
  It was early afternoon now. The atmosphere was warm,
but cool, shaded by the tower canopy over head, chilled
by a fresh breeze. 
  Enigma pondered the task they had been given. It was 
different and obscure. Somehow, he knew everything would 
he okay. 
  ‘Where about’s in time are we, Ksid?’ Power broke the
silence.
  ‘Oh, a little after your rein.’ Ksid answered.
  ‘How little.’
  ‘Only a couple of hundred years. Not much would have
changed since you’ve been gone. What am I like in the
future, by the way?’
  ‘Honestly?’ Terrol said.
  ‘Honestly.’
  They looked at each other.
  ‘I can’t be that bad,’ Ksid smiled, ‘can I?’
  ‘Well, to be quite honest,’ Arem spoke for the group,
‘you and your future self aren’t that much different.
Actually I don’t think you changed at all.’
  ‘Huh.’ Ksid was dissapointed.
  The forest began to dissapear as they rode south -
east.
  ‘What about that riddle?’ Power was thinking out loud.
  ‘What about it?’ Ice asked her parter.
  ‘What do we have to do? It’s so vague. Why do all these
important things have to be riddles?’  
  ‘So the wrong people don’t get involved.’ Ksid replied.
  ‘Nonetheless, the wrong people do get involved, whether
it’s riddles or not. Usually, they let us do all the hard
work, then they go and mess everything up.’
  ‘Still, the riddle’s there as a safe guard. Can’t be to
careful.’
  They camped that night underneath an averaged sized
tree. Tents that the group usually carried along with
them were set, and a fire was lit. They conversed over a
hot dinner whipped up by the cook - Ice, in this case -
of soup, bread and meat. They talked lightly, then one by
one, sought their rest.
  Ksid and Enigam were the last men standing.
  ‘So, how did you get into all this mess?’ Ksid was
saying, watching Power dissapear in his shelter.
  ‘By accident.’ Enigma leaned back against the tree. ‘I
was in the slave market, I got away - the one thing led
to another, and I found out I was trying to save a God.
  Ksid frowned. ‘How did you get into the slave market.’
  ‘My parents were killed when I was a little boy. I was
taken away and forced to work for different masters.
Eventually, I found my way to the Sanctuary - a slave
market. Huh, more like a slave haven. I burnt the place
down after many years spent there. When I look back on it
now, at all the hardship and pain, the loss of my parents
and family, I kind of understand that it was all
neccessary. Everything. If it hadn’t of happened, I
wouldn’t be here now.’
  ‘Do you want to be here now?’
  ‘Well, yes and no.’ Enigma scratched his head. ‘Yes,
because I’ve got the most amount of friends I have ever
had at one time. Also, it’s bett erthan being a slave. 
Anything’s better than being a slave. On the other hand, 
I have the whole of Mankind on my shoulders - past, 
present and future. That’s a pretty big responsibility.
I’d much rather be at home in my house by the Revai
River.’
  ‘Where did you get that ring from?’ Ksid was watching
Enigma playing with a largely jeweled object on his
finger.
  ‘This?’ he lifted the gold ring. ‘Cludge gave it to me.
He helped us defeat the combined forces of the Enemy,
Sharks and Revolution. It’s really nice. It’s made of
gold, and has what looks like a star on top, made out of
finely shaped fragments of diamond.’
  ‘Watch out. All the women will be after you.’ he
grinned. ‘How did Cludge come to being. I mean, how did
he come back to life.’
  ‘Gaurdian - the leader - he figured out what you wanted
him to do, and was able to free his buddies. The timing
was good too. Our enemies had us chasing after illusions.
They were dividing us and taking us by surprise. If it
weren’t for those Gargoyles, I don’t think me and the
others would have made it here.’
  Ksid had a sour look.
  ‘Where’re we headed, anyway?’ Enigma forced his eyes
away from the hypnotic ring. 
  ‘The Crystal City. You heard Sly say that yourself. The
one I’m after went there. Not to mention that task. It
points in this direction as well.’
  ‘What is it with you and this woman?’
  ‘She aggrivates me, plain and simple.’
  ‘Whatever you say.’
  Arising before dawn, they continued their slow pace,
headed towards the Crystal City. Ksid was calmer
compaired to the first time Enigma had met him in this
new era. He seemed a little more at ease with the fact
that the Conscripted Boy had travelled to the past. It
took a little bit, but they eventually got there.
  There were a few spots of rain now and then, but
nothing to worrying. It was reasonable warm as they rode
before the sun, the clouds however providing adequate
cooling.
  After a week and a half of slow riding, they looked
down upon a shining city in front of a blazing, orange
sunset.
  ‘It really does shine.’ Ice smiled.
  ‘It’s only made of quartz.’ Ksid explained, covering
his eyes with his hands.
  ‘Yes, we were given a tour of the place not to long
ago.’ Enigma said. 
  The continued on towards it in the progressive shadows.
They entered into the expensive looking city through a
pair of quartz gates, eyed up and down firstly, by a pair
of soldiers, standing guard. 
  ‘Everything looks the same.’ Power noted.
  ‘Except newer.’ Enigma added.
  The mud bricks looked to have been only recently layed
down. They were fresh with little wear. The different
coloured quartz that was the homes and buildings of the
residents of the Crystal City, shined brightly,
reflecting the dark rays of the near red sun, falling
further and further away.
  The city was a little smaller compared to its future
counter - part, Enigma noted, but not by much. There was
still a little development that needed to be done. The
palace was the same as usual, situated in the centre of
the business area with its own personal gate and court -
yard. A stair way of white quartz lead up to two giant
doors, that could only be moved with several of the
strongest in the land.
  ‘Lets find an inn first.’ Ksid suggested, looking
around for one. ‘I’m not to sure what we’re supposed to
be doing here, and there’s no point going to the palace.
I don’t want to notify our enemies of our presence here.’
  They found such an place not to far from the palace
itself, called the “Blind Drunkard”. It was made of
traditional wood, consisting of two levels with the
general eating and drinking area below, and the rooms
above. 
  The ground floor was reasonably full, thriving with
life - fights, singing and dancing - it was really rowdy.
  ‘What’s with all the racket?’ Ksid complained to no on
in particular. ‘This isn’t a tavern.’
  ‘They sell alcohol, don’t they?’ Power replied.
  With only a few rooms left, they had to share: Arem
with Enigma, Ice with Power, and Terrol with Iikin and
Ksid. 
  It was cramped, abling, only just, to fit. Enigma took
to the floor, whilst Arem had the bed to her self. There
was a single window opposite the door, faceing the
palace. To the right of the door was a fire place. It was
extinguished, not cool enough for any reason to be lit.
Opposite the fireplace was Arem’s bed and a door to a
bathroom. There was a square table in the middle of the
room with an oil lamp providing some light. 
  One of the three moons was up, full, shining brightly
across the land.
  ‘“Limpid Metropolitan”’ Enigma was think outloud the
riddle they had been given. ‘Transparent City - the
Crystal City.’
  ‘What?’ Arem asked, drying her hair after taking a
bath.
  ‘Oh, nothing.’ Enigma sat comfortably by the window in
a large chair, beverage in hand. ‘You look lovely this
evening.’
  Arem smiled fondly, her face glowing in the moon’s
shine. She fell back onto her bed, leaning her back up
agains thte wall. ‘You ever miss home, Enigma?’ she
questioned, out of the blue.
  ‘I don’t really have a home.’ Enigma replied. ‘Except 
for my little hut on the Revai River. But even then, I 
don’t have anyone to come home to.’
  ‘But your free. You don’t have to answer to anyone, you
don’t have to do things you don’t want to do.’
  ‘Maybe so,’ Enigma answered, ‘but with this, I have no
one to talk to, no one to love, no one to be with. Why
you so interested in this all of a sudden?’
  She sighed. ‘I don’t know.’ Getting up, Arem moved to
the window, sitting on the arm of the chair. ‘I guess I’m
a little home sick is all.’
  Enigma leaned back.
  ‘So how you coping with all this Sly business?’
  ‘Not to bad.’ Enigma said. ‘I just have to keep on
reminding myself that the one here is not the Sly I used
to know. I wonder what changed.’
  ‘Give it a bit of time and anything will change.’ Arem
assured.
  The moon sat behind the tall towers of the palace,
outlining its shadow. 
  Enigma’s eyes lightly skimmed across the sight.
Something caught his attention.
  ‘Did you see that?’ Arem asked, bewildered.
  ‘I think so.’ Enigma replied, equally dumbfounded. A
silhouette of, what looked like to them, a man, fell from
the tallest tower, plummeting down deep into the pits of
ground below.
  Enigma opened the window, sticking his head out, trying
to get a better look. 
  ‘What was it?’ Arem joind him.
  ‘I’m not sure.’
  Another head joined them, one window across.
  It was Ksid. ‘What’s the problem.’ he asked, his hair
fluttering in the breeze.
  ‘Something fell from the tower over there.’ Enigma
pointed to the tall structure.
  ‘Suspicious?’ 
  ‘Ksid,’ Arem answered for Enigma, ‘a man plummeted from
the tallest point in the city. What would you think?’
  ‘Enigma said anything about a person.’ Ksid retorted.
‘Come around to my room.’
  Closing the window, the pair obeyed.
  Ksid’s room was exactly the same, except they had one
extra bed. Terrol took to the floor.
  ‘What’s the matter?’ Iikin questioned as the pair
entered. 
  Enigma scrated his head. ‘A man, basically, fell from
that tower over there.’
  ‘You shouldn’t really worry about it, you know.’ Terrol
said. ‘What ever happened, its none of our business.’
  ‘No, I have a strange feeling about this.’ Ksid
informed.
  ‘Think we should check it out?’ Enigma questioned.
  ‘I think it best.’ the old man answered.
  ‘I’ll get changed.’ Arem walked out of the room.
  In less than a minute, the group were gathered outside,
armed and ready.
  ‘You sure you saw what you saw?’ Power asked carefully
as they briskly walked on foot towards the palace.
  ‘Well we both saw it.’ Enigma replied. ‘That’s two of
us. If it were one of us, we would have thought nothing
of it.’
  ‘Hey, how are we going to get inside?’ Terrol realised.
‘The gates will be closed.’
  ‘By the sounds of all that music,’ Ksid said, ‘coming
from in front of us - the palace - I’d say they’re have a
ball, or some sort of celebration. It’s early night, and
look.’ He pointed to a carrage pulling out in front of
them. ‘Guests re still arriving. That means, the gates
should still be open.’
  They broke into a jug, keeping up with the carrage,
hiding behind it. As they approached their destination,
Ksid swore.
  ‘What?’ Ice looked at him. 
  ‘The gaurds.’ Ksid whispered, out of breath.
  ‘What did you expect?’ Power quietly said back.
  Ksid fought hard to think of a plan. But his time ran
out as the coach slowed, pulling up for inspection.
  There were two gaurds, one on either side of the gate,
wearing mainly brown leather, carrying spears, and
bearing helmets for protection.
  ‘Evening sir.’ the gaurd on the left greeted the noble
inside the carraige. ‘You don’t mind if we have a quick
inspection of your vehicle do you? It’s standard
proceedure - just in case someone’s trying to sneak in.’
  The guards started at the head of the coach and began
making their way down the sides, one on each.
  ‘Take my hand?’ Enigma demanded of Power. ‘You know
what to do.’ The boy began to glow a deep blue arua, his
muscular figure slowly changing, until he was a decent
hand sized rock.
  With little effort, Power lofted Enigma in the air. In
mid flight, he sprouted wings, like he had done once
before, and directed his trajectory at the gaurd on the
right. With an amusing thud, he stuck the soldier in the
helmet.
  ‘Hey.’ the soldier grasped his head.
  ‘What is it?’ The other soldier ran around to join him.
  The gaurd retrieved Enigma from the ground. ‘Someone
threw this rock at my head.’
  The search the surrounding area with their eyes for the
culprit.
  ‘Are you boys just about finished.’ A grumpy voice
called from inside the vehicle.
  With a distasteful look, the gurd let the carraige
pass.
  With the two soldiers on the one side, the group were 
able to take to the other, sneaking by the defence 
unseen.
  As the coach moved further along the courtyard, the
group took to the shadows.
  ‘Stupid rock.’ the slightly injured soldier complained.