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“Come back here you worm!! Come back here and return that food!” Jinta, cloaked in his traditional black, form-fitting garments, just laughs merrily as he leaps from vender-top to vender-top, lightly skipping across the paper-thin fabric as the guards flail after him in the cobbled streets. Most of the people in the streets, dressed in their rags that barely hide the bones and sagging skin beneath, just smile to themselves as they watch the circus act that Jinta always puts on to tease the heavily armored guards. He does this both to elude, and to make the inhabitants smile, something that they have had little opportunity, or reason to, in recent months. Jinta was always stealing food and Yinlari for those families that are taxed nearly to death because of the demands of the High Twins. They need funds to find the Final Piece of the Orb. With the threat of a Civilian War on the brink, chaos has already erupted in the city. Jinta leapt for the next stall…and tumbled to the ground, as the guards had gotten ahead and chopped the roof off, much to the dismay of the livestock vendor that the ruined roof belonged to.

“Hello there gents, lovely day isn't it.” He stood up, dusted himself off, and then stretched his arms over his head, cracking his knuckles in the process. He glanced at his side and noticed some feces that had gotten smeared on his pristine black over shirt. He looked at the guards in their glinting armor, and put on a frown. “Now look at what you made me do. Fine day THIS is turning out to be.”
“It is now, now that we have you, finally, you pathetic piece of…well…look at where you landed at!” The guards chuckled, thinking that Jinta had finally been made a public fool. The lead guard then brought out his Binding Orb, and activated it, binding Jinta tightly with an invisible rope. Jinta’s eyes widened slightly as he had gotten himself caught of guard. This is something that he hasn’t done since he began life as a rogue.

“If I am a pathetic creature, why do I keep escaping your grasp? Although it seems that, you have me in quite the bind right now. I suppose that you have to win every once in a while otherwise you get replaced, am I correct on that assumption?” The lead guard cuffed Jinta roughly across the face with a heavily gauntleted fist, tumbling Jinta to the pile of dung he had landed in the first time, bleeding profusely from a split lip. “Lemme guess…you are going to take me to the High Knight, aren't you? Ah well…then I will have to take my leave then. I really ought to clean up first, if I am to appear before the Knight.”

“You aren't going anywh…YEOUCH!” The reason for the yelp of pain is that a rock had been tossed and shattered the Binding Orb, which dissolved the spell around Jinta, who immediately bowed to the public. The guards looked in all directions, wondering who threw the rock. They left Jinta alone for just a few moments while they activated their Sword Orbs for offensive procedure and began to scan for the offender that broke their Orb and disabled the other Binding Orbs, a capital offence, punishable by the Death Orb.

This gave Jinta an opportunity to make a grand exit. “It has been a pleasure, but I must be off now.” He bounded away and rounded the corner, and he pulled out his own Teleport Orb, and appeared at the house he was headed for after a trip that seemed to wrench him from his inner core, stripping layer after layer of flesh, although painlessly, and pulling him in every direction at once, and then being put back together at the destination that he had set in his mind. After a few moments to regain his sense of direction, he knocked on the door, which slowly opened enough so that the people on the other side of the door could see who was at the door, and then the door flew open and Jinta was dragged inside. “I have returned, with the food and 300 Yinlari. Hopefully the Twins won’t take it back from you anytime soon.” He set the several loaves of bread and sack of fruits on the table, and then pulled out a small, cloth bag, and tossed it on the table next to the fruit, and then turned down any payment. “It is my honor to help those oppressed.”

“Please, Jinta, take this Orb, I found it digging in the back yard, and since we are Devoids, you can use this better than we could. We have no idea about its Power, but with your connections, you can find out easily, and any other Orb we find, is yours. We won’t take no for an answer.” Jinta smiled, and accepted the Orb, which vanished to wherever the Orbs went to when Disactive, waiting to be called upon.

“Thank you, I shall find this useful. Enjoy your meal, and you know how to find me, don’t by shy.” He bowed and left the room. He then used his second Teleport Orb and appeared in front the Orb Identification Office. “I have a new Orb that I need you to Identify for me. Here are the 5 Yinlari as standard payment.”

The guy nodded, took the Yinlari, brought out an Identification Orb, and activated it. Hovering over the Mystery Orb that Jinta had brought out and set on the counter, a mist formed. Within the mist showed a man activating the Orb, and he melted into the shadows, and you can see him moving from shadow to shadow. This was the first of this Orb that has ever to be seen, and so Jinta had the privilege to name this style of Orb. “I shall name this spell ShadowWalk.” The man nodded, and jotted the effect of this spell, and the name of the Orb.

The silent attendant then activated the Orb in a box so that the Mystical Force that it exerted can be entered in to the Database, so that if any other ShadowWalk Orbs are found, they can be Identified readily. “Thank you sir, and have a nice day.” He did his signature bow, and then walked out the door while the attendant finished his business of completing the report on the ShadowWalk Orb.

Jinta, on the other hand, walked to the forest, Spegburg Forest, and down the main forest path back to his encampment, mentally cataloging his Orb List and wondering about the decay that he has been noticing in the forest. It doesn’t seem nearly as plush as it once was when he first became an outlaw nearly 10 years ago. He remembered being able to freely swing from branch to branch, the trees seeming to move to aide him in escaping, now the forest seems on the edge of death. Maybe it was time to see the High Elder once more. He regretted having to do it, because the use of Orbs was forbidden to reach his front door, as he only helps those that are able to traverse the terrain on his own skill and prowess.

He could use the Teleport Orb, his third of five, to reach the edge of the hazardous marshland, however, he wanted to try to use the ShadowWalk Orb, to see if he could use it. His specialty was Stealth Orbs. If this falls under the classification of Stealth Orbs, then things were gonna go smoothly. He brought out the Orb, and activated it. Instantly, he felt his skin growing hot, he dived into the nearest shadow, learning the limitation of the Orb. Sunlight is lethal if he cannot reach shadows soon. He melted into a puddle on the ground, sent an ‘arm’ to the next shadow, and moved along that arm until he was fully in the next shadow.

Moving this way, learning the finer details about this Orb, he reached the marshland, Undurpath, in an hour tops, which would be instantaneous with the Teleport Orb, or 3 hours by foot. Here he waited until the spell lost its effect, which lasted another hour. He made a mental note saying that this spell lasts a full 2 hours. Observing that night was closing in, he retreated into the forest not ten feet from the marsh and found a nice spot in a tree and slept peacefully until the sun was nearing the middle of the sky.

* * * *

“WHAT!?! YOU LET HIM GET AWAY FROM YOU AGAIN?!?!?!” The Guards flinched as the High Ruler once more berated them for allowing Jinta to get away from them. “I see that I have to have my Twin Sister join you on you next hunt.” The color from the Guards faces drained as they heard that the High Knight is going to be recalled from the Underground for this one person. The High Knight is investigating rumors that an underground army was building up for a revolt against the Users of the Orbs by the Devoids. “Leave me to my business, and go about your own trying to find this Jinta! Don’t mess up again, or it will be YOU who receive the Death Orb…as in against you!” The guards bowed and walk away.

Alice sighed and brought out a Communications Orb, and activated it once all of the retainers had left and barred the doors. From inside the Orb, the Twins could see each other perfectly. “Kayla, sister dear, you are needed here on your proper place on the throne. The guards are ineffective against catching this Jinta rebel.”

“You were the one in the first place that wanted to try to be the High Ruler my dear sister. Do you think that he is in the Army of Devoids?” Alice shook her head. “Then he is a User himself?”

“Yes, a rather skilled one, it seems he is equipped with Stealth-style Orb and Movement. If we could ‘recruit’ him it would be most beneficial in tracking the Army.”

“Too bad he seems to be on the other end of Our Law. Ah well, he will convert, or die, like the other trash that defied Us.”

Kayla giggled, “Still as bloodthirsty as ever I see.”

Alice chuckled, “Still as sympathetic as ever I see.”

Kayla frowned, “We each have our roles, sometimes I wished that we never thought of trading off like we did for so long. I shall return by the morning daybreak. Until then, rest up, there is a lot of work to do down here, items that are best suited to you.”

Alice playfully saluted, “Can do, and hurry up, I miss my armor and the sound that the sword makes as I pull it out.” They spoke for another hour, Alice catching Kayla up on the day’s events, and the reverse, like she had done daily for the past week, and then she went to bed.

* * * *

In the morning, Jinta climbed down from the tree and started a small fire using an Ember Orb, and caught a few hares using his Dagger Orbs, and roasted one on a spit. Gazing out into the Undurpath, once more into the Spegburg Forest to see if anybody was tracking him, and then stepped into Undurpath, feeling himself starting to sink already into the soft peat and mud. For a full 3 hours he navigated over rotting trees, through murky waters that went at least three body-lengths over his head, and being 6 foot 7, that was saying something. Through miles of quicksand, this land, devoid of pleasant creatures, was treacherous to even the most experienced of travelers. The plants themselves strive to keep out foreigners. If one is not careful, one can find oneself riddled with poisonous thorns. The creatures themselves have adapted to his hard environment. Standing on 2 legs, the Mortiator has thick, leathery skin, long claws, often coated in the same poison as the plants that they have to rip through to get anywhere. The Mortiator are ruthless, often killing their young and mates for their meat.

The first time he traversed this terrain was almost 11 years ago, and he barely made it to the hut alive. He was on the very edge of starvation, bleeding in several places, and in some, infection was already starting to rot away at his flesh, sending searing pain ripping through his body, but he made it. The High Elder completely restored his body to its peak form, and then tasked him to become what he is now, a Hero to the People, and an adversary, albeit a playful one, to the Most High Twins.

He did not set out to become a thief and a vagabond, but that was the price he had to pay to find out the answer. His question? Where was the Final Piece to the Peace Orb. He was asked to return when he has the power to walk in the darkness, and the ShadowWalk Orb seems to be able to do the job perfectly. So onward he trudged through the deadly swamp that not even the Guards, nor dare even the High Twins to enter. Otherwise, the Peace Orb would have been completed by now and activated.

Finding the Final Piece was to be rewarded with the highest reward, a life of luxury and happiness, life in the palace, being waited on hand and foot, eating anything you want, whenever you want. It is a dream come true. He couldn’t wait. Soon, his dream will be made reality.

* * * *

Late in the morning, Kayla entered the castle with cheers and admiration from the crowd gathered in the streets to welcome home the High Knight, Protector of the Land, and Champion to the Users. Kayla just smiled and waved at them, giving them hope that they needed, even though there was none to be shared amongst the peons that she and her sister governed. That glimmer is what sustains most of the peons, but there were a few amongst the crowd that were willing and eager to spill her blood.

Filthy animals, these Devoids, thinking that the Users are hoarding the magic of the Orbs. It wasn’t their fault that the Orbs were picky, picking the elite amongst the rabble to share their power. The Supreme Sorcerers made sure of that. Yet, there were people like Jinta, rabble, using the power of the Orbs AGAINST the High Rulers. Maybe the Supreme Sorcerers weren't all that bright after all. Who knows how their minds worked anyways?

Walking into the anteroom, she greeted her sister with great gusto. Alone in the room together, they openly hugged each other, and updated on the news since last night, and then retired to their rooms so that they can change back into the others roles. Alice stretched, “It will feel good getting back to the slaughter. I have missed it over these last days. First, however, I need to go after this Jinta fellow and slay him good.”

“Please, back off of the bloodlust sister, it makes my belly queaze thinking about it. I have had enough of it in the sewers.” As evidence, she was turning pale green.

“Fine, fine, you can keep the throne, I am not that much of a diplomat in the first place like you are.” Kayla just laughed lightly. “Seriously! My brain hurts!” To that Kayla could only laugh heartily, while Alice just stood there rubbing her forehead.

There was a knock on the bedroom door, and both girls bolted upright and answered the door together. “Sorry to bother you both High Twins, but we have a location on Jinta. Some of our scouts have reported Jinta being on the edge of the Undurpath Marshland. This report is only a day old. We believe him to be in cahoots with the High Elder. His business there is as of yet unknown. Our scouts refuse to enter the Undurpath without heavy Protection Orbs, but as we all know, Orbs in the Undurpath 9 times out of 10 backfire explosively. Only the Dark class Orbs work perfectly all the time.”

“Yes, we know all about the Orbs and the Undurpath phenomena. Keep your scouts on the forests edge. Watch every foot! I shall be there soon.” Kayla slammed her fist on the bed hard, causing her sister, the High Knight, to flinch. “For one more night we must switch. I have to meet this Jinta in person.” Her sister merely nodded. She got dressed in the Knights armor, grabbed Shadowmist, the war-horse of the High Knight, and ran at full steam to the Spegburg Forest’s border with Undurpath.

Alice glowered at the peons who come in repeatedly daily with the same requests, phrased differently. Do they think her a moron not to see the various ways the same requests can be phrased? It has been 2 days since her sister left to go after Jinta the Rogue, and she has yet to report in her findings. She was getting worried that her only familial connection might be in trouble, but then she reminded herself, nobody would DARE mess with the High Knight, on pain of a torturous death that she herself implemented. She misses the smell of fresh blood, the feel of the blood as it courses down her body. She misses battle. She let the rambling of the pleading peasants pass from one ear to the other, not listening, until a messenger arrived with an ultimatum from the Devoids. She immediately dismissed court, and motioned for the quivering messenger to her sister’s throne, which she is sitting in as per the Ancient traditions is for the High Ruler. The messenger handed her the missive, and waited at her feet. She kicked at his face, missing on purpose, but still reveled in his quail as he descended. She began reading it, first to herself, and then repeated for the entire court to hear.



Alice roared, and drew her sword and ran it into the head of the messenger all the way down to the hilt. The guards visibly trembled as they watched the High Ruler slay the messenger. “Those IDIOTS! THEY think that we prevent the Devoids from using the Orbs?!? If it were up to us, NOBODY would be Users, except those in the Military and the Hospitals. Unfortunately, we don’t. Everybody get out NOW!!” The guards nearly tripped over each other running out of the room to escape the wrath of the High Ruler. As soon as they shut and barred the door, they heard several explosions and crashes. They put their weight on the door to prevent the storm of Her wrath from reaching the rest in the castle. For over an hour they barely contained the wrath and prevented anybody other than the High Knight if she ever showed up.

“I wish that the High Knight were here. In fact, if I didn’t know that they wouldn’t switch positions, I would swear that the High Ruler is in fact the High Knight.”

“That is dangerous talk, but I agree with you. When the Twins are together, they almost seem placid.”

Once things have finally settled down, the guards slowly unbarred the doors, and eased open the doors. The formerly grand room that was filled with banners and curtains as ancient as the castle itself was now in complete ruin. The guards shakily took their positions while the Elders paraded in and assessed the damage. After about an hour taking stock of the damage, and began to count how many times a Repair Orb would need to be activated to restore order to the throne room. They determined that it would take several hundred activations to restore everything to peak condition. They would have to do it in clumps of 30, as the Royal Stores have 50 Repair Orbs, and needed the other 20 just in case something else drastic happens.

Alice stormed from the room and went to her bedroom, stripped down, and went to the Royal Baths to relax, and wash off the blood of the serf messenger. She sank deep under the suds and relaxed. She wished that her sister was here, as they washed each other thoroughly. They did everything together, and she missed her sister horribly. Her sister kept her sane. She wouldn’t have decimated the Throne Room NEARLY as much as if her sister was there. Kayla was her world. She loved her sister dearly, and would do anything to please her.

After an hour soaking in the warm suds, she stepped out, her milky skin glistening in the moonlight filtering in from the one way windows. She went to the next room, the steam room, and lay down on the benches for a few minutes, before standing up. Still unclothed, began an exercise regime she made for herself to keep in peak form. For a full hour, she honed and toned her muscular form. Panting and dripping sheets of sweat, she went back to the baths and scrubbed herself clean. Walking slowly back in the secret passageways still stark, she flopped onto her bed, locked the door, and went immediately to sleep.

* * * *

Jinta awoke at his usual time, the 5th hour after sunrise. He unwrapped his arms around Kayla, and went into his morning stretches, to keep his limberness at their maximum efficiency. Kayla began shivering, feeling Jinta’s warmth melting away from her, and, grudgingly, woke up herself. She stood up and leaned backwards to work the kinks out of her back. After she had straightened, she went over to his side. “I take it that you are used to sleeping on the ground? I sure am not, I am unbelievably sore.”

Jinta smiled, “The key, is stretching afterwards, as I have been doing. Even if you find yourself on a soft bed, stretching does wonders. If you don’t mind my touch, I can help you there.” She nodded vigorously. Yearning for the merest hint of his touch is what she seemed to live for currently. So, for the next 2 hours, in the warming air, he pushed her to her limits, and beyond, getting her nice and limber. She took his direction readily, eager to learn from this thief…of hearts. She believed that he can do no wrong, no evil, she believed this in her inner core. In the 8th hour after sunrise, they ate sparingly from his food pack. Kayla whistled for her horse, and, nervous about losing Jinta’s love, sent him to scout for a way into the Bloody Desert safely. Once gone, she used a Packing Orb and stored her armor in the Orb, safe and in suspended animation, so that she doesn’t need to worry about the armor rusting away.

Half hour later, Jinta returned. “I have found a semi-safe way, there are currently sandstorms that are starting to stir. Myself, I don’t have the proper Protection Orbs for sandstorms, we might have to bunker down for another full day.”

Kayla didn’t know whether to quail for the delay, or be thankful for the delay. She wants to remain with him for as long as possible, but she needs to also capture Jinta and take him before her sister for execution. She imagine Jinta to be a rough and rugged, decrepit fellow, not the Jinta that stands before her right now. She feels guilty for lying to him about her name, Kaitlyn. Where did she get that name anyways? Why did she make the name up in the first place? He was so sure that his name was Kheldar, and she believes that he can do no wrong. Why was she so scared what he will do, what he will THINK, if he found out that she was the High Ruler, in the guise of her sister, the High Knight? Because… a voice long since forgotten and buried rose up in her mind, …you love him, completely and totally, you don’t want to ruin this good feeling, you want to treasure and cherish this feeling forever. “I don’t have the proper Orbs myself, sorry.”

“Not a problem at all. After the week that I had, I need all the rest that I can manage.” He lay down on the ground again and went promptly back to sleep. She smirked in his direction, and lay down again herself. She needed a vacation herself. She must've dozed off herself, as when she reopened her eyes, he had apparently done some hunting, as there were a few animals over her Ember Orbs roasting. She figured that it was the smell of the meat cooking that awoke her. She sat up and crawled over to the Ember Orb, and took a deep breath of the scintillating aroma of the fresh meat. “Help yourself, there are plenty of the Long-eared Rabare ready to roast. And no need for manners, dig right in and rip away whatever you want from the bones. I do not judge like that.” He smiled at her, and she felt herself sinking deeper. Kayla grabbed one of the stakes with the rabare impaled on it, and began to hungrily rip away at the tender meat, savoring the flavors of an open flame. Back at the castle, they had nothing like this, everything was already off the bone and on platters with all the silverware in the proper order on napkins. She felt exhilarated to live wild like this. She could really lose herself, her identity, out here, in the wild, with no servants or underlings, just her and him, forever.

“Kheldar, I do not think I asked you what you are doing out here, besides looking for the Missing Piece. Why would you want to live in the lap of luxury? You have complete freedom, right here, right now. Living the high life is lonely. No friends, and the ‘friends’ that you do have want what you have, not what you are.” She sighed a lonely sigh.

“It is better than scrounging for day-to-day food. There are literally dozens of deaths a week from starvation, and the supposedly High Protectors, are doing nothing to prevent these useless deaths. They sit on their thrones, eating until they are plump, wasting a lot of food that can be redistributed easily. The people are not picky about what they eat, as long as they CAN eat.” He too sighed a deep, heartfelt sigh. “They listen to nobody, they think of only themselves and their power. They don’t listen to anybody, especially recently while the High Knight is away.

Kayla startled at that statement. Alice was not doing her job? Well…not her job, but Kayla’s job well? She would have to investigate that when she gets back. In the meantime, she went over to Jinta, and draped her arms around his neck, her fingers dancing on his thick chest. “I am sure that things will be smoother when we get back to civilization. In the meantime, check the border, see if the winds are dying or not.” Jinta nodded, and left the encampment. He returned an hour later with an all clear sign. She nodded, and called her horse back over, and told her to go home. The horse nodded, and began galloping back.

Jinta smiled, and waited until Kayla got her gear together. About 15 minutes later, they set off, hand-in-hand. When they had reached the border, he dropped her hand, and went into his backpack, and grabbed 3 Orbs in each hand, between his fingers, while Kayla grabbed 2 Orbs herself, one in each hand. “Shield and Sword?” asked Jinta. She nodded, and glanced at his hands, “Dagger?” He nodded back. Together, eyes wary for any sign of life, they stepped into the Bloody Desert.

“Has anybody ever mapped the Bloody Desert?” Kayla asked Jinta without looking at him.

Jinta shook his head. “The terrain changes too often, with each storm. It is futile. Not even the residents know the terrain by heart. They only have a generalized idea, and very few landmarks. I myself only know the basic routes, and they go nowhere near the center of the Bloody Desert. Rumor has it that at the center of the Bloody Desert is an epicenter of constant, continuous gales of gritty wind. I guess we shall find out then, won’t we?”

Kayla merely nodded at the thought. Curses, and without any Protection Orbs. I knew that he might’ve gone into the Bloody Desert, but I didn’t think that he would be foolish enough. “What will we do for protection then? We both admitted that we didn’t have the proper Orbs. I guess that we might have to raid some of the inhabitants, although I hate the thought of dealing with them, especially since it will be 2 against dozens. I am skilled in the art of battle, but not well enough against a gang like them.” She reflected on the Orbs that she brought with her, and tallied up how many she could handle.

Jinta chuckled, “Sounds like fun, doesn’t it? I am a fair hand myself. I can handle large groups easily. Don’t worry about it.”

“You sure seem lighthearted in the face of danger,” she growled. “I don’t get you, you seem all serious about some things, but here we are about to face certain death, and you laugh about it!”

Jinta let out a hearty bellow of laughter, “Life is too short not to have fun. If you are serious all the time, your life sentence will shorten. Live free and loose and live longer. The more you are stressed out, the more you will come down with ailments. Ever see a sick jester, or a perfectly healthy Elder? Didn’t think so.” He risked looking over at her and smiling widely.

Kayla felt his gaze on her back, and turned towards him, and smiled back. There is something different about him, like he might be touched in the head or something. I am still fascinated by him though. “Let’s focus back on the terrain.” Jinta nodded, and looked back the way he was looking before, keeping a close eye for life, and traps, both man-made and Mother Tiaku made.

* * * *

Jinta remembered back to something the High Elder said to him before he left. “Ever wonder why the Bloody Desert was named so since the dawn of written history? It is because that is where the Peace Orb was activated. The Peace Orb decimated the other Supreme Sorcerers. I was spared merely because I created my own peace with Mother Tiaku and Father Azuramum long before then, and was granted my own power from Mother Tiaku.” The High Elder was visibly shaking as if his memories were attacking his very body. “At the Heart of the Bloody Desert is where the Final Piece can be found, in the heart of the Everlasting Winds. There rests the bottom of the Orb. I was told by Father Azuramum to leave it there, because the Peace Orb must never be activated again. Otherwise, all of the Users will be bereft of their powers forever. I feel that it MUST be activated, for my own repentance for the dastardly deeds that I have done all that long time ago.” After this tale was finished, the High Elder went to sleep, seemingly as if the weight of the plane was lifted off of his fragile, bruised shoulders.

Jinta smiles to himself as this memory fragment arose and drifted away. They had been walking for several days already, headed in one direction. They figured that if they kept in one direction, they would find some clue as to where the Heart of the Bloody Desert was. Their supplies were whittling away as they pressed deeper and deeper into unknown territory. They knew that Mother Tiaku was rebelling against the realm because the Bloody Desert, which usually has Thermals over 150 daily, and 79 nightly as an average, has dropped to that Jinta’s thermoreader has been reading 96 in the day and 27 at night.

Kayla kept close to Jinta at nights, so that they can share their warmth, and not use the Ember Orbs, so as not to attract unwarranted attention. Jinta asked for the waterskin, as his lips were about to crack from the dry air, she brought it out, dismayed at the fact that it had run dry. “We need to find a waterhole somewhere Jinta, we can die out here. Even though the Thermal had dropped, it is still arid and dry.” Jinta merely nodded, not trusting to open his mouth to let out more moisture. He thought a bit, and smiled, causing his lip to split wide open, and began to drink his blood, moistening his mouth. Kayla turned slightly green at the thought, and whipped her head away. “Please…don’t do that again.”

Jinta could barely muster a faint hint of a chuckle. He then perked up his ears. He motioned for Kayla to follow him, and for about thirty minutes of desperate hiking, he tilted his head again, and altered his course ever so slightly, and ten minutes later, he tumbled off of a dune, and splashed into frigid water. “YYYEEEOOUUUCCCCHHHHHH!!!!” He couldn’t leap out of the pool, as he skinned up his knee horribly, causing the crystal clear water pinkish around his knee. He did, however, splash around in the pool carefully, ecstatic in being cool in the daylight, and moistening his flesh, which was starting to look leathery. A few seconds later, Kayla had stripped her outer clothing completely, and dived in next to him. When she surfaced, he looked sternly at her. “I AM IN SEVERE PAIN HERE! I think I broke my knee tumbling down.”

“Oh, sorry about that Jinta. I guess we have to bunker here for a few days, because I don’t have that kind of Healing Orbs. I have Minor Healing Orbs, not Orbs that can set or heal bones readily. By the way, how did you know that this was here?” Jinta merely pointed upwards, and there she saw the gliding buzadees, small avian creatures that feasted on rotting flesh. “So you heard their cries. Impressive, as I didn’t hear a thing. How did you get to be so good at detecting things that other people are unable to detect?”

Jinta tilted his head downward in deep thought. “Maybe because my Orbs are mainly Stealth Orbs. Since I use them so often, maybe my abilities got sharper. Who knows how the Orbs directly and indirectly affect their Users. There have never been enough studies about the Orbs that I am aware of. In the meantime…ARE YOU GOING TO DO ANYTHING OR NOT ABOUT MY KNEE!”

She went over to Jinta and brought out a knife, and cut away Jinta’s pant leg. She slowly pulled away the cloth from around the wound. Pink ooze seeped from the cuts, and his black knee bones were showing. Jinta winced at the pain as she peeled back the flesh and muscle to get to the bones to inspect the break. “Sorry, but this will hurt worse than anything you have felt before. Jinta could only grunt, preparing himself for excruciating pain. She set down a glowing Minor Healing Orb on his shattered ebony kneecap, and activated it. Jinta let out a roar of pain that scared away the buzadees. Slowly, painfully, the minor fissures sealed up, and the larger cracks narrowed slightly. Spent, the Orb’s light dimmed. Jinta panted heavily as his knee continued to throb.

Kayla nodded. “Makes sense, about your Stealth Orbs that is. So, what kind of Stealth Orbs have you got with you? I am curious at your collection.”

Jinta smiled. “Show me yours and I will show you mine.”

Kayla fought back a blush, as they spend the rest of the daylight in the water, reveling in the cool waters, and relaxing carefully, as Jinta’s knee was still killing him. At night, however, when the temperature dropped, they had to risk the Ember Orbs to maintain any kind of heat. Jinta, wanting to keep awake for a while longer in the middle of the night, poked Kayla hard in her ribs. “What do you think will happen when we find the Missing Piece? An elderly man said to me that the Peace Orb was made to make peace with Mother Tiaku and Father Azuramum and their children, us.”

Kayla snorted derisively. “Obviously he was mistaken. It was activated to make Peace between the peoples.”

“What if it doesn’t do that? He also said that if we activated it, then the Users will no longer be able to use the Orbs anymore, that the powers of the Orbs were taken from Mother Tiaku and Father Azuramum.”

“That man is a quack. He should be put down. Anyways, listen to what we…the High Twins say. That will be best Kheldar. How is your knee feeling?”

“What do you think, it is still killing me. I wish that there was an Orb that numbs body parts. But the chill of the water seems to help that pain. The same person that told me those tales also says that the change in weather is because Mother Tiaku is rebelling, getting revenge for stealing her Power.”

“That doesn’t make sense. Why would They do that?”

“Well…do we have any records of how things were way back then? I have hunted, and I haven’t seen anything.”

“True, the records are incomplete. I still don’t think that the weather changes are caused by Mother Tiaku and Father Azuramum.”

“Well then, what do you think is causing the weather changes?”

“You got a point there. Let’s sleep now.” Jinta nodded, and was almost instantly asleep. These tales swarmed in her head like long forgotten dreams…and nightmares. Could everything that she knows to be true, be false? She would have to think hard about that. Meanwhile, her eyes could no longer remain open, and she fell asleep before she realized that her eyes had closed.

As soon as the red sun rose out of the sky, Jinta began to roar in pain, which woke up Kayla, who rushed over to him. “You alright Kheldar?”

“NO! WHAT DO YOU THINK!! MY KNEE FEELS LIKE IT IS ON FIRE!” Kayla picked him up and walked with him into the water, and set him down. His face became less creased and stressed, as if the waters were healing him. She knows that that isn’t the case. The coolness of the water was soothing the wound. She picked up a second, glowing Minor Healing Orb and set that on the kneecap, and activated it. Within seconds, the glow ceased, and the fissures had finished sealing.

“All that is left are the muscles, blood veins, and the outer flesh.” Kayla worried deep in her heart for this man. She knows that it was not meant to be, this feeling of hers for him, but she cannot help it. She cannot abandon her sister. She needs to sort out her feelings. First things first though. Get the Missing Piece. That is first. They rested for the rest of the day. Jinta kept grumbling and complaining about his knee. This is understandable. She would herself if she were in his place. The red sun started to set, and the thermal started to drop fast. She moved closer to Jinta and wrapped her arms around him. He seemed to not be in as much pain as before with her near him.

They settled down to sleep within 2 hours of the sun setting. Jinta had already fallen asleep, when they heard an explosion. Jinta jumped to his feet, and instantly roared in pain, and fell to his knees, cracking the kneecap anew along the same fissures. Kayla quailed at her failed attempts to heal him. “I am sorry Kheldar, I thought that it would work!” Jinta could only glower at her. She recoiled from him, and fished in her pack for the Weaponry Orbs she had stashed back because they thought that they were at a sort of sanctuary in the Bloody Desert. She cursed herself for being unprepared. Unfortunately, she couldn’t search for long, as she felt a poke of something sharp and metallic at the small of her back. She slowly stood up, and turned around. “Yes? Something I can help you with Mr…”

“Redbeard. Captain Redbeard, Captain of the Sandy Scurvies, Master of the Bloody Desert, and your captors. Hand over your Orbs!”

Kayla growled, “Never, you have no idea who you are messing with.”

“Then enlighten me.” Kayla kept her mouth shut, as she didn’t want to chase away Jinta. “Didn’t think so. Don’t be a heroine.” He turned around, and activated a SunFlare Orb, lightening the area. He turned around. “Jinta? What are you doing out here? I haven’t seen you in several months!”

“Don’t you mean Kheldar? That’s his name, Kheldar.”

“You are mistaken, his name is Jinta, the Rogue.” Jinta could only look away in disgust. Kayla’s world fell apart. She lunged at him, fingers splayed, only to be stopped by Captain Redbeard grabbing her hair and stopping her short. “Not so fast harlot.”

Jinta snapped to attention, “Never call Kayla that! Yes Kayla, I knew who you were.”

Kayla was devastated by this news. He knew who she was, and lied about seeing Jinta cross into the Bloody Desert? Was everything he did and said a lie? Was this why she was kept segregated from the commoners? More and more questions whirled in her head.

Captain Redbeard went over to Jinta. “What are you doing with that old alias? I thought that everybody knew that Kheldar was Jinta, except the High Flops and their cronies! She must be a moron, for not knowing who you are buddy. Wait a minute…Kayla…THE HIGH RULER! WHAT ARE YOU DOING OUT HERE?!?”

“I came for HIM! I should NEVER have trusted you!” *I still desire him though, I don’t understand why though.* “Why did you carry around this charade??”

“For the same reason YOU did Kaitlyn. So that I can befriend you. I have lied only about my name, that is all. Redbeard, do you have a BoneSetter Orb?” Redbeard nodded to a crewman, who brought out a sack of Orbs, and dig around for a few minutes, before finding one and tossed it over to Redbeard, and set it on Jinta’s knee, and activated it. In a bright flash of white-hot light, the kneecap is sealed, and the flesh began to mend itself, with Jinta struggling hard not to make a noise. “Many thanks my friend, but please, do not harm my partner, and release her on her own cognizance. As the High Ruler, she is bound by her oath to me, that oath being that she and I head into the Heart of the Bloody Desert, where the Missing Piece lay waiting.” Kayla growled, because he was right. She was bound by her word.

Redbeard laughed heartedly, “You always knew how you play the ladies.” Redbeard offered Jinta his hand, and helped him to his feet, and then gave him a tight hug, clapping him hard on his back. Jinta coughed with each clap. Redbeard backed off, “Sorry, still recovering from the Bloody Desert, eh?” Jinta merely nodded. “Anyways, why take this risk to the Heart of the Bloody Desert? Life is good, right Jinta?”

“How can you be so BLIND Redbeard? Have you not noticed that Mother Tiaku has started to rebel? The weather is turning cooler, and cooler. Surely you and your band have noticed this!” Jinta maintained as straight as face as he could, but when he got excited, he couldn’t help but to move his legs, causing his face to blanch as pain once again ripped through his body. Jinta breathed heavily through his teeth for several moments until the flare of pain subsided.

Kayla felt her heart skip a few times as she watched Atn…Jinta in pain. No matter what he did, she still cared. There is a small kernel of love that she wanted to nurture and to cherish. She knew that she was sent out to kill him for crimes against the Twins, but she fell under his charm. She couldn’t kill him now, or ever, once she knew him, or rather, his façade. She still wasn’t sure about trusting him completely, but she cannot help but to trust everything that came through his rather chapped lips right now. Why did she have to fall for him? She is tore between her feminine needs, and her job as the High Ruler, where there is no room for any type of emotion. She would have to meditate on her needs and wants.

Jinta, on the other hand, merely lay there as the throbbing subsided once more in his knee. “I do deeply regret the deceit of the names, but I had to complete my mission from the High Elder.”

“HE IS STILL ALIVE!!” Kayla leapt up and wrapped her hands on Jinta’s collar of his shirt. Jinta nodded. “I thought that he died off ages ago. What? Is he living in the Undurpath?” Jinta nodded again. “So then…the stories that you told…they were true then?” Once more, Jinta nodded, and then gently placed his hands on hers, and removed them from his tattered shirt. “Sorry, I was just…so shocked that he is still around.”

“Yes, and it was HE that set off the original Peace Orb. He said that the Peace Orb was made to make peace between we mortals and Mother Tiaku and Father Azuramum. He survived the explosion of the Peace Orb, which killed all of the other Supreme Sorcerers. He survived, because he made his own peace with Them. When the Peace Orb is once again activated, all Users will be Devoid.” Jinta sighed as his narrative ended. Redbeard and Kayla were knocked back on their heels as they digested this information. “If we don’t repair and activate the Orb, all life will end.”