Message #587588

[BlueAnnihilator]

Shina: So after our trip, we went back to Asroc City to rest up for the night before heading out again. And it seemed everything was okay afterall.

Blue: It seemed okay?

Shina: ...But it wasn't. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong. And we had found out that night after we noticed Kovah was missing from the inn.

*Deke rises from bed in the middle of the night and notices that Kovah isn't there*

Deke: Kovah? Kovah, are you here?

*Deke looks through the entire inn for Kovah, but he's nowhere to be found. He then returns to their room and awakens Shina*

Deke: Shina! Shina, wake up!

Shina: Hunh? Unh...Deke..what's wrong...?

Deke: It's Kovah! He's..he's gone!

Shina: What? Gone!? But where did he go!?

Deke: I don't know! I just woke up..and...and he wasn't here anymore.

Shina: Kovah... Let's go find him before something terrible happens, Deke!

Deke: Right!

*Deke and Shina leave the inn together and begin to search around the city for Kovah. They look everywhere, but they can't find him*

Deke: Darn, he's not anywhere around here.

Shina: I just hope he's okay...

Deke: Do you think...his disappearance had anything to do with that monolith?

Shina: I wish I knew, Deke. But I pray that it doesn't. If something happened to him...I..I just don't know what I'll do.

*Deke and Shina continue through the city until arriving at the elders shrine*

Deke: Shina, we haven't looked here yet.

Shina: Okay, let's go.

*The two enters the shrine. Meanwhile, Kovah is already inside, standing right beside a sleeping baby Reese*

Kovah: There...there he is. He...is the one I need...

*Kovah reaches out to grab him when he shot in the back by a magic attack*

Kovah: Gaaah!!

Elder1: Stay away from that child!

*Kovah turns around and faces the elder*

Kovah: Errgh!

Elder1: Ah! It's you! The traveller from earlier! But...what is the meaning of this?

Kovah: The boy. I need him. I need him to unlock the power!

Elder1: Unlock the power? What...no..it can't be! How could you know that he is the key!?

*At that moment, Deke and Shina enter the room where the elder and Kovah are facing off*

Deke/Shina: Kovah!

Elder1: You! What are you doing here?

Deke: We're looking for Kovah!

Shina: Is he...is he okay?

Kovah: Deke! Shina! Don't just stand there! Kill him!

Deke: What? What are you talking about!?

Shina: Kovah, what's going on!?

Kovah: Argh! I'll do it myself!

*Kovah dashes forward and throws a punch, but the elder erects a barrier, causing him to punch it instead*

Kovah: Agh...

Elder1: You are not welcome here. Leave this place!

*The elder casts a teleportation spell, warping Kovah out of the shrine completely*

Deke: Kovah!

Shina: What did you do to him!?

Elder1: I'll be the one asking the questions here. Did you three go near the monolith, even when we told you not to?

Deke: Uhm...

Shina: Well...

Elder1: I knew it. We told you not to go, but you went anyway. Now look at what's happened! The boy has become so enamored by the power that he'll stop at nothing to gain it!

Deke: Then what...what should we do?

Elder1: Leave. And never return to this place.

Shina: But...but that's not like Kovah. He wouldn't...he wouldn't do something like that. Something must've happened. Something must have possessed him to make him do this.

Elder1: If there truly was another presence in his mind, I would've sensed it. Such is not the case.

Shina: But...I...

Elder1: Go!!!

*Deke and Shina leave the shrine. And afterwards, a barrier is erected over it, barring anyone of entry*

Shina: Kovah...there you are.

Deke: What's gotten into you, huh?

Kovah: That power. It must be mine!

Shina: Kovah, what are you talking about? Stop speaking nonsense. Can't we just go now?

Kovah: No. Not until the key in my possession.

Deke: The key? You mean...that baby?

Kovah: Yes.

Shina: Please stop this, Kovah.

Kovah: I will not stop. And if you plan to get in my way, Shina, I'll destroy you!

Shina: Aaah!!

Kovah: So they've put up a barrier to protect the child it seems. Very well. I will just come back another time.

*Kovah begins to walk out of the city*

Deke: Kovah! Where are you going!?

Kovah: Somewhere.

Deke: But...but what about us? Your friends...

Kovah: You can come if you wish. But only if you will aid me.

Shina: Kovah, this is ridiculous!

*Kovah ignores her words and continues walking*

Deke: Shina...

Shina: Deke?

Deke: I'm going.

Shina: You mean...with Kovah? But why?

Deke: Because...something's not right with him. You and I both know that. And if we abandon him now, there'll be no chance to save him.

Shina: Deke...

Deke: Shina, I have no intention of helping him with this scheme, but if it means that he will be freed from whatever has a hold of him, then I will do so.

Shina: Then...then I will go too.

Deke: No, Shina. You stay here. This is a dangerous path I follow, and I don't want you to be dragged into it. So I beg you, please remain here. Wait for us.

Shina: Okay...

Deke: Good.

*Deke begins to walk away*

Shina: Deke, wait!

Deke: Hm?

Shina: Please. Please save Kovah. Bring him back...to me.

Deke: Don't worry. I intend to.

*End flashback*

Shina: So I did as he said, and waited in Asroc City. I waited and waited for the next 16 years. But I never saw them again...

Blue: So you believe that something happened to Kovah when he touched the monolith, is that right?

Shina: That has to be it. There's no other explanation for why he'd be doing this. It just...it just doesn't make sense!

Jawo: And this Deke guy, he went with him just like that?

Shina: He believed that the only way to save Kovah was to let him unleash the power, in hopes that whatever was manipulating him would disappear.

Jawo: But that's insane!

Shina: Please, don't blame him. It was the only way. We didn't know what else to do!

Jawo: *grumble* I'd like to give that guy a piece of my mind.

Elder1: Whatever the reason, we knew that Kovah must be stopped.

Elder2: And that was why we took many precautions to ensure that Kovah never gets his hands on Reese or his key.

Elder3: First, we moved the monolith to an even more secure area.

Elder4: And then, using our power, we seperated Asroc City from the rest of the island and fled to the skies.

Elder5: We then sunk the remainder of the island along with the monolith under the ocean, where no one will ever get their hands on it. We even set in place 4 statues to make sure that it stays there. One of those statues lies right before us.

Elder1: But that's not all. Even with all of these measures taken, we still felt as if Reese wasn't safe in our care anymore. So our search for a safe haven for him led us to the Kinnear Academy.

Reese: Huh?

Elder2: We knew of its true operation so we hired the academy to look after Reese and raise him, keeping him hidden away so that Kovah would not find him.

Elder3: And in the event that Kovah did indeed find him, we hoped that maybe their trained students would be able to keep him at bay.

Elder4: And so we returned to Asroc, where we assumed this had all come to an end. And this peace continued on for the next 16 years.

Reese: Hmm...so I guess now I know why Headmaster Bringas was always so protective of me. This was...just a job for him...

Elder1: Reese, it's not like that at all.

Reese: Hm?

Elder2: It may have been for money, yes. But Headmaster Bringas still loved you as if you were his own son. He's even the one who gave you the name of Reese.

Reese: He's the one who named me? Well then...what did YOU guys name me?

Elder3: We had originally named you Eytinge.

Reese: Eytinge? But that's my last name!

Elder4: Hmm, so it is? I suppose Bringas decided to keep our name afterall.

Elder5: Let it be a reminder of those who cared for you even though you were not of their blood.

Reese: Hehehe, I feel a lot better now.