The Stonekeeper...

22

Your P.O.V
I woke up to a blinding light. I groaned and sat up. I noticed Emily with me. "Emily! Y/n! Are you all right?" Vigo asked running over to us. "Where are we?" I asked. "Whose memory is this?" Emily asked. "I mine. We're in the garden of keepers." Vigo replied. "Where's the others? Most importantly, where's Trellis?" I asked. "You worry to much about him." Emily said and helped me up onto my feet. "Max and Trellis must be here somewhere. We should have entered at the same point." Vigo said.

"Then we better find them before they tear eachother apart." I said. "Hey!" We heard someone shout. We walked over and hid behind some bushes. "Someone's coming." Vigo whispere. "Come back here, elf lover." Someone said. "I don't want any trouble." Someone that looked like Max said. "It's Max." Emily whispered. "Then you shouldn't have gotten involved with the elves." Another boy said. "No the Max you know. That is the Max I knew when I was young." Vigo explained. "This is shortly before he was supposed to die. Before he became cursed."

"I'm warning you guys. You better leave me alone." The younger Max threatened. "If you know what's best for you, you'll turn those elves into the guard for treason. That includes your girlfriend! She's a traitor just like the rest of them." Another boy said. "Layra isn't a traitor! And she's not my girlfriend!" Young Max replied. 'Layra? That must mean the Max we know must have been through a lot.' I thought. "Call her whatever you want, Max. But she's trash, just like her family." The unknown boy said. "No. They're better than you." Young Max replied. The other boy punched Max in the face and he fell onto the ground. "Get back up, elf lover! Stupid traitor!" The boy said. "You don't deserve to be in the academy!"

Young Max sat up and looked at the other males. "Your right. Having to deal with losers like you is a special kind of punishment I don't deserve." Young Max replied. "What did you call me, Griffin?!" The boy asked annoyed. "You heard me just fine....loser." Max replied and picked up the boy with his amulet. "I don't need friends like you. Selfish punks...no honor. No class." Max said. "I...can't...breathe." The boy said. "Max, stop it! You're killing him!" The boy's friends said. "Then do something about it." Max replied to them. They ran away, scared. "Or youcan just run away." Max finished. "Guys...guys?" The boy said, trying to breathe. "They left you to die. These are the friends you have." Max said. "Please, Max." The boy begged. "I'm...sorry."

"If we were friends, I would never leave you like that. But we're not friends. We're not friends at all." Max said. "Max! I can't breathe! Stop it! Max, stop!!" The boy managed to say. Max continued to choke the boy. Then someone used their power to break the so called fight. The boy ran off and another walked over. "Who did that?! Show yourself!!" Max yelled out. "I juat did you a big favor, my friend." I recognize the tone of the voice. "Vigo!" Max said. "If that clown died, you'd be put in Yarboro prison for life. He's not worth it." Young Vigo replied. "You ought to stay out of my business, Vigo." Max said. "Vigo, is that you?!" Emily asked. "So long ago it feels like a former life." Vigo replied. "We went on to be friends sokn after. I was probably the only other student he trusted. Let's go find the others."

We walked across and bridge that brought back a few nice memories. I stopped and looked at the water. It was clear as glass and had a few orange fish in it. Vigo and Emily were talking while I was enjoying the breeze and the sounds of birds and leaves brushing against eachother. "There you are! I was wondering where you got too!" I looked up to see Trellis and Max still in one peace. "This must be your memory of this place, Vigo. My version would be much less idyllic." Max that we know now said. Trellis gave me his hand. I grabbed it and he pulled me up. "Unfortunately, we will not find the voice here. He insists that I meet hi. In Valcor." I sighed and Trellis wrapped his arms around me. "And you oblige him." Vigo said. "We still have the element of surprise, Vigo." Max said. "I don't think you do, Max." I said to him. "Always the pessimist, Vigo. And always wrong." Max replied. Vigo and Emily hopped on again and we were ready to go. "Okay, my friend. We're ready!" Max said to Chronos and he took off.

We flew over some clouds and I somehow. "Look, Emily and Y/n. These are my favorite moments. Being above the clouds at sunset. For just a few short moments, I can forget the world below." Max said. I leaded over and touched a cloud. Trellis pulled me back and held me close. 'It's beautiful." I thought and Trellis smiled. "Stop using your powers to read my mind, Trellis." I said to him. He smiled sweetly and kissed my cheek. "Never love." He replied. We landed and we hopped off. "What is this place?" Emily asked. "Valcor. Kingdom of the elves. And this is the temple of kings." I replied. "Ah, then this is where the kings are crowned." Max said. "It's also where kings are laid to rest when they die. Their bodies are buried here beside kings of the past." I explained. We then heard rumbling. "What is that?" Trellis asked. "The voice knows we're here." Max replied.

"My dear Max. I'm very disappointed. I see you brought some company. Why didn't you tell me earlier? I would have prepared tea and cakes." The voice said. Trellis stood infront of me in a protective way. "Tbis was not meant to be a cordial event. Unless you want to think of it as a farewell party." Max replied to the voice. "A farewell party? For who?" The voice asked. "Get ready, I feel like this isn't going to end well." I said to everyone. "Oh, this is a party for me. Thevouce said, realizing what Max meant. "We acn defeat you. You're overpowered. Y/n has the ability to destroy shadow spirits. And Chronos is Alledia's most powerful mountain giant." Max said. "I signed up for no crap!" I said but Max ignored me. "Ah, eight. Your faithful steed. I am sorry Max pulled you into this old man. Good luck in the next life." The voice to Chronos.

"Next life?" Chronos asked. Then a huge boulder squash him. I gasped and Trellis hugged me. "What have we gotten to ourselves into?...."