Once upon an orbit of planet Fait, a playful young girl and her flustered yet resourceful single father must endure sickness, encounter exotic creatures, escape a predatory government, and outwit a wicked wizard to survive just one more day. Having...
Rene had not heard his Hide-and-Go-Sneaking daughter's applause from outside, for, laughing in joyful, excited disbelief himself, Rene knelt at the old man's side, shaking him happily. "You did it, you crazy old man. You won. You..."
Rene noticed that the old man's face, neck, and hands, were all terribly bruised, with every color, every wound imaginable. His breath came slow. The candles that hanged around suspended from the Mundi Tree flickered, and with each flicker, in time with the old man's weak exhales, the candles' light grew weaker, softer, soon to go out.
Confused, sad, angry, how could this be? Ophiuchus had won, had he not? Rene cradled the old medicine man's bald, bruised head in his lap. "I was too late. I'm sorry, shinseon," Rene whispered down to him.
Ophiuchus took Rene's hand into his own and gave it a surprisingly strong squeeze.
Ophiuchus wheezed, "You are not too late, as yet,
In perfect time you are to repay your debt."
"Look what they did to you. I tried, but...I didn't help enough. I didn't save you."
"Your shinwha repaid I require was not
For you Gorchen's soul-puppets to stop
from their foul task to fell this fleshy old shell.
To live a life a while is quick, precious, and small.
The deed I request of you, now, most important of all."
One trembling hand Ophiuchus reached to the clasp affixing Shadowslider, gave it a weak series of taps, and the cloak of black feathers blurred into the shadowed floor, gone from him, then reappeared, fastening itself around Rene Naza's shoulders.
"My trusty Shadowslider, you herewith take.
This hero's staff, called Xiphos, I hereby make."
Ophiuchus next touched the long branch Rene had been using in battle, now lying on the floor beside them, and it transformed in a flurry of sparks into a silver staff.
Rene Naza rallied his courage and asked, "What am I supposed to do, shinseon?"
Ophiuchus grabbed Rene by the sides of his face and his squinting gaze burned into Rene's eyes for the shinseon's final, most important testament-
"Find, you must, in Mount Veda's shadow, the hero
Redemptor,
Who can save Tetrapolis, save our Fait. Your daughter,
Love her, protect her, listen to her."
In the branches of the Mundi Tree the candles went out and there was only darkness in the Sylva Dome. While Nariah, from her hiding place outside, was crying, so, too, was Rene. Rene released the old man's hand. Yet, as Rene's eyes were closed through his grief and tears, he did not see what happened next, although Nariah did.
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The fallen body of Ophiuchus began to glow, in seven segments, the seven colors, extending from foot to bald scalp. His beard changed color from silver to black, and he was young and handsome again, and free from bruises, and, eyes closed, his face was smiling, at peace. Then, this rainbow figure of light, in one instant, beheld in Nariah's large, wide eyes, shot straight out the top of the Dome, and was gone from view.
Rene opened his eyes and found the old man's body vanished. Picking up the silver staff, Rene stood. Was Xiphos to be Redemptor's staff? Was he to give this to Redemptor when he found him? In the shadow of Mount Veda? That meant he would have to leave Tetrapolis and venture to the Western Wilds. But no one ever left Tetrapolis. Leave and somehow reach that sacred volcano with its blue lava?
There was no doubt. He knew what he had to do. Impossible as it may seem now, he had to do it. And he had to do it before Gorchen and his next batch of bossessed henchmen were onto him.
Across the Sylva Dome, Rene hurried past the rising, groggy figures of the creatures, who were muttering, "What happened?" and "Where are we?" As Rene passed by Mean Mountain, Mean Mountain, confused, said, "You?"
As her father was almost out, Nariah hurried away from her hiding spot. She would meet up with him outside. Although she had disobeyed, it would be best to be honest, to admit that she had not "represented her word as bond to world." Hurrying around the side, Nariah came to the front. But with what she found there, she immediately hid herself again.
Stepping out from the Sylva Dome, out into the light of day, Rene Naza lifted his eyes and found himself surrounded by an entire patrol of floating aerocycles, each Siren with her blaster primed and pointed down at him.
In the lead of the Sirens, directly in front and over her father, hovered Sheriffa Scythia Salve, pointing her blaster at Rene. The Sheriffa gave a forced, arrogant smirk.
