Loomian Legacy Veils of Shadow

Looking To The Past To Solve The Now

"So..." Thane said awkwardly. It was hard to start a conversation with someone you had just saved, and then wanted to strike down, or maybe Thane was just weird. He was just glad that he had gotten used to the bandages on his face. "You and your dad are monks?" Thane was aware that Akio had two sons, that was public knowledge, but he didn't know who they were. Hayato nodded. "Both of us since we were young. My older brother isn't one, he's on a journey." Thane nodded. "Wait, but, like, aren't monks supposed to take a vow of chastity? How did, how did-" He trailed off, but Hayato understood and laughed nervously. "Both my brother and I were orphaned at a young age. My father found my older brother as a toddler, and me as a baby a few years later. He took us in, and made us one of his own." Thane nodded with a long "oh" of understanding.

An awkward silence filled the air. "Thank you for saving me and the others," Hayato said after a few minutes. "Yeah, dude, don't mention it." Before another long and awkward silence could ensue, Hayato filled the air with another question. "Have you faced something like this before?" Thane nodded and stared down at Embit who slept peacefully on his lap. He remembered the flash of pink leaves, the pure blunt force of the psychic attacks employed by Duskit, and how Embit sacrificed his evolution to save him and Twittle. "But, I prefer not talking about it." Hayato nodded and didn't pry further.

Suddenly, Hayato made an offer. "I owe, you Thane." Thane snapped his head up. "You really don't." He protested, but Hayato insisted. "No, if you're facing something bigger than us, then I owe you a favor." He stood up, his arm already in a cast. "A weaponsmith in town owes me a favor, and I owe you a favor. If you are to keep traveling in search of this demonic phenomenon and putting a stop to it, you need to be better equipped." Thane blinked at him. "You will not always be able to rely on your Loomians and watch." Finally, Thane sighed after a silent standoff. "What do you have in mind?" He asked, understanding that Hayato wanted to arm him. Hayato shook his head and grinned, "No, what do you have in mind?" Thane shrugged. "I don't know? Something with range, but also non-lethal." Hayato grinned. "Consider it done."

After Hayato offered to give weapons to a young teenager, he disappeared. Thane had no idea where Hayato had run off to, but now he was alone. After about half an hour, Thane was ready to fall asleep. Suddenly, a commanding voice woke him, and Embit. Thane snapped his head up to see Akio approaching. In his hand was an old and yellow scroll, tattered and stained from the beatings of time. "Mr. Akio, sir!" Tane stammered out. Now that the adrenaline and volcanic heat weren't present, Thane had no more boldness in his tone. Akio waved a hand at him. "No need for pleasantries, Thane. You saved my son, and for that, you have my eternal gratitude." He gently placed the scroll on the table and opened it with great care.

"Have you encountered this before?" Akio asked. Thane nodded, "Yeah, once, in Gale Forest. There was a stone, Hayato mentioned a stone. I think it's connected somehow." Akio nodded. "The top floor of the Pagoda has been quarantined, but I can feel the evil in the air." He pointed to the text on the scroll. It was in some ancient language that Thane didn't recognize. "Can you read this?" Thane shook his head. "No. Can you?" Akio hummed. "I can read enough. From what I can understand, the text tells of an ancient power that could turn the hearts of even the most noble of men and Loomians." Thane looked up at the older man. "This, is something, ancient Thane."

For a moment Thane was silent. "Can I take a picture of this? I know someone who might be able to translate the rest of it." Akio nodded but looked at him, puzzled. As he snapped a photo, Thane explained. "My dad, he's an archaeologist." He began. "He found a stone tablet, but, this is going to sound crazy, but the tablet broke apart. It broke into eight pieces and just flew off." Akio stared at him and nodded. "The stone in the Pagoda fell from the sky." Thane nodded. "Right, I already found and collected one." He held up his wrist and pointed at his watch. "With this. Now, I know where the second one is, so I can go and get it."

He stood and Embit followed. Akio also stood and shook his head. "Unfortunately Thane, I'm afraid I can't let you do that." Thane blinked at him. "Why, the stone is dangerous." Akio nodded, "I know that, but the Pagoda holds too many ancient artifacts." He shook his head regretfully. "I took an oath, Thane." Thane stared at him. He can't be serious! He thought. "But, I can make an exception." Thane lit up. "If you prove yourself strong enough." Thane's face fell. "If you can defeat me in the Battle Theatre, I will grant you access to step foot into the Pagoda." Thane looked up after a moment. "I accept your challenge." He declared with a nod. Akio nodded down at him. "I hope you come prepared to face me." He said and patted Thane on the shoulder as he walked past him and out the door.

Thane and Embit watched him go, and once he was out of sight, Thane looked down at his partner. "What do we think, Buddy? Can we beat him?" Embit jumped up and nodded confidently, making Thane smile. Suddenly, his watch rang and he looked down, it was a call from Noah.

Thane quickly answered. "Hey, Dad?" Thane winced as three voices immediately began to yell at him. Lauren and Derrick crowded around Noah, slipping into the holographic frame of the call. "Where have you been?" Noah and Lauren demanded simultaneously. "You hung up suddenly and never returned our calls! And what happened to your face?" They demanded. Thane dodged their question and instead, asked one of his own. "Dad, did you get the photo I sent you?" Noah pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh and nodded. "Yes, Thane, what's this about?" Thane took a deep breath. "I think I know what's going on with the stones."

The adults on the other end of the call blinked at him. "You do? Because we do too." Now, Thane was the one staring blankly at them. "What?" He gaped. Noah took a long breath. "The stones exude some sort of virus upon making physical contact, completely taking over the host, mind, and body. The only way to expel it from the body appears to be by rendering the host unconscious." Thane blinked. That was what he was going to tell them. "How do you know this?" He asked. "A few Loomians in the lab were infected," Lauren spoke quickly. There was no way she was letting her son know she had also fallen to the virus.

"Do you know where the second stone piece is?" Noah asked. Thane nodded. "Yeah, it's going to take some time to get it, though. I have to go through a trial to prove my worth, or something." Noah blinked, "A, a trial?" Thane shrugged. "Don't worry about it, I got this." Noah nodded. "Good, collect the stone, and then we'll talk about having you come home." Thane and Embit's eyes bulged. "What! Why?" Lauren sighed. "Thane, honey, now that we have a better idea of what we're dealing with, we don't feel like it is safe for you to keep going." Thane stared at them. Luckily, Derrick was there to be a mediator. "Don't worry about that Thane. For now, do your trial and collect the stone." Thane nodded shakily. "Okay, talk later." He said before ending the call without another word.

He looked down at Embit, and the two collapsed into a couple of chairs. They had gotten so far in such a short time, and made too many friends. Thane ran his fingers along the three discs on his backpack strap. He shook his head. "No way." Embit looked up at him and cocked his head to the side. "We've come too far to turn back now." He looked down and scratched Embit behind the ears. "We're going to finish this. Find the stone, collect the Battle Theatre Medals, and get to the Roria League!" The fire in Embit's eyes matched Thane's, and the two friends knew they were going to be just fine.

Guys, guys I locked in. I didn't write for an entire week and was itching to write. So this weekend, you get two chapters! One delayed, and one right on schedule! A little shorter than usual, but it's setting up a lot, not just for these next few chapters, but for the rest of the book. That's all from me this weekend, have a great day!