"Sir Faulkner III: Wind Chime" by Lyn LJ Jackson

Chapter Three: Wind Chime

"Say, Seheir," began Arch Edgewood. His feet took him down the Red Road once more. "How far do you think this road goes?" Seheir was flying above his master, his gaze far down the path.

[I do not think that any one has traveled the full expanse of it.] Arch's grey eyes fell on the trees. The bark was always a dull white and the leaves a red that never faded. A light wind blew, and a faint sound if chimes could be heard.

"Did you hear that?" asked the falconer.

[What? The music? There are a group of trees ahead with chimes on them,] informed the peregrine falcon. The two keep forward west until they came up on the music makers. A breeze had rose up again, and the soft twinkling of the metal, glass, and sersynic chimes could be hear clearer.

"These look home made... How intricate...these wind chimes," commented Arch. Light bounced off the surfaces of the music makers, and spotted the trees with the reflections.

"Do you like them?" asked a voice. "I made them myself." Arch turned to see a man standing behind him. His hair was a deep purple, and his eyes were blazing silver. He blinked a couple of times and his eyes shifted to a pale blue against his pale skin.

"So you are an UeHuman, sir...?"

"Mystin Sky," said the chime maker. "You can call me Sky."

"Sky, then. You must keep to the side, I have not heard of any other UeHumans aside from Rainne and myself," spoke Arch.

"Ah. I thought I recognized you, Sir Faulkner III they say," began Sky, "A descendant of the beloved hero of the First Age."

"Yea, right."

"Faulkner had no children, so their claims are clearly false," said Sky. "They want to cling to their hopes, I say let them. They will all fall to pieces with out some one they can look up to. But you are right. I do stay to the side. I am powerful enough to oppose the works of Rainne as you do, but I cannot seem to bring myself to do it. Rainne is responsible for destroying my family, and I have vowed to avenge them, but... it seems my mind is weak while my heart is ready to go."

[You should help the guy out. Let him join the team. You could use some help. After decimating the Piercing Gaze Woods Rainne is leveling higher security and nasty traps to snare you in,] reminded Seheir. Mystin Sky was looking thoughtfully at the falcon that had settled on Arch's shoulder.

"Would you mind if I joined you?" asked the purple haired chime maker.

"You understand Seheir? Ah...of course. You are a UeHuman, after all," spoke the falconer. "Of course you can join us. Then, I guess I should tell you my name, being that you will be sticking around for a while. I am Arch Edgewood."

"Nice to meet you, but I am afraid I will not be around for as long as you believe. I am carrying a curse Rainne put on me," informed the silver type UeHuman. "I will die from it."

"A curse? Have...? Hm, never mind. You have probably searched every where for a cure, and Rainne being the master mind that he is probably does not know if a cure exists any way," commented the white haired falconer. "But none the less, I will be happy to take you along, and aide you in your vow to avenge your family."

"And in return, before I die, I will tell you of a place where you can become a stronger UeHuman than you already are," said Sky as the chimes sounded over head them again. "You will need to be stronger if you plan to go against Rainne by yourself. And...it seems that you might get a chance to meet him before you ever expected to."

"How do you mean?"

"Rainne is coming secretly to Shinoir. He is planning to survey the works that his general Subparr has done in his name. The master mind will be analyzing his accomplishments and failures." Arch laughed lightly.

"For one who keeps to the side, you sure do keep up to date on the latest information."

"Well, I did in the hopes that I might be able to do some thing one day," said Sky, "And my information keeping, it seems, has proved useful to give us a shot at seeing how Rainne operates and maybe even test how strong he is." Arch nodded and looked back up at the chimes.

If the world were simple and yet beautiful as these chimes, one would not have to worry about people like Rainne, thought Arch. But this is no utopia...

Arch sat leaning back in the grass behind a tree filled with chimes. Mystin Sky had led him and his falcon off the Red Road and to a spot in the wood where he hung his more special chimes. The chime maker began to hang up some of his creations that were hidden in the tall grass.

Seheir soaring high, busy looking for some small animal he could eat. Sky was showing Arch his more exquisite pieces.

"How do you form the chimes?" questioned Arch. He picked up a fallen apple off the ground, checked it and found it clean. He bite deep into the fruit.

"With my powers," began the chime maker. "I can summon cosmic power, and I utilize it to shape various material."

"No wonder they are so smooth and naturally curving. They were not made by tools."

"And because of how they were made, they seemed to pertain some of the cosmic power with in them. They never break, and where ever I hang them, they can never be moved again," informed Sky. "These wind chimes will continue to exist after me. They will remember me to passersby who knew me as The Chime Maker."

[Hey, UeHumans. There is a little mouse running toward you,] informed the peregrine falcon. A fair lad around his teen years came running up to Mystin Sky.

"Sir, sir! You told me to tell you when the ship bearing the rust coloured Celtic knot has arrived at the port of Dune Arrow. It is here," said the boy.

"Why thank you, Sen," spoke the pale eyed chime maker. "Here is a sersynic chime for you just as I had promised." The lad took the prize, bowed to Sky, and hurried off again.

"I presume that means that Rainne is here," said Arch as he sat up from the grass. He finished his apple and stood. Mystin Sky hung up the last chime.

"We better get going now if we wish to catch him to follow his steps before he hides himself," said Mystin Sky. The two UeHumans and the falcon were soon moving swiftly down the Red Road to reach Dune Arrow Port.

Arch Edgewood, Mystin Sky, and Seheir were dwelling in the shade of a mega leaf plant. From their spot, they could clearly see Rainne emerging from his ship. Seheir sitting on Arch's shoulder could see even farther.

Arch could see rows of Rainne's soldiers piling out of the single ship. There were at least fifty men; enough to take a small village if they wanted. After the foot shoulders were standing in rank lines, the commanders of the troops emerged. They came out leading their horses. They all wore dark armour and rust coloured capes. The commanders had dragon shaped helms up on their heads. Rainne appeared just like his comrades, but Arch could tell by the way he carried himself and gave orders to every one that he was the master mind.

"We are going to follow along the under brush," said Mystin Sky. "I will lead." The commanders were soon in place; one in front and two in the rear. Rainne was at the head of course. He did not need guards; he did not fear any one. He was an UeHuman after all and he felt that he could defeat what ever came across his path. Such thinking some times caused the downfall of most men.

[Though I do not like it, I think I shall stay on your shoulder,] began Seheir, [If Subparr sees me in the sky, he will know that you are not far away.]

"Good thinking," said the gold type UeHuman. "You always were the more clever of us two."

[Oh, I am so flattered you think so,] said Seheir in a dull dry tone. [Yea, right. I already know that the ancient Great Prey Birds have intelligence higher than that of the average human, so it would only make sense that my mind could rival yours.]

"Yes, yes, of course," acknowledged Arch.

"They are on the move," informed Sky, "Let us go. We shall keep five metres behind." The infantry guided by their horsed commanders moved down Herald Road, which branched off the Red Road. The two following UeHumans kept to the shade as the detachment made their way to the first stop.

In the middle of Blue Grass Forest, Subparr was sitting on a marble bench. Rainne was seated up on a marble pillar across from his general. The fifty soldiers bordered the clearing, and the other two commanders were handing out rations to the troops posted around.

"So, my dear Subparr," began Rainne. His helm was still up on his head. "How have you been?"

"Just fine, Master," responded Subparr. "And you?"

"Well you know how I have been," began Rainne "Very busy. Let us speak on what you have done. What have you done, Subparr?"

"Well, I have fixed the under ground RIVER system that you asked for; the army of Woolly Men is almost complete; and the Heratic Flu is ready," reported Rainne's general.

"And...?"

"And what, may I ask, Sir Master?"

"What have you done about this rogue UeHuman that destroyed the work I have going in the Piercing Gaze? This wrongly named Sir Faulkner III, as the soon to be doomed people call him."

"Well, I have people on the look out for him, and if they see him, they are supposed to attempt to bring him in, or kill him if they cannot capture him," responded the minion. Rainne laughed in Subparr's face.

"On the look out? No search parties?"

"Well, I--"

"It is fine for now," interrupted the master mind. "Since all the preparations are near completion, I am merciful on this lack of effort to find him. I will deal with the rogue myself once every thing is in motion. Now let us move out. I have yet to see these works that you speak of."

"Understood, Master." Subparr stood, followed by the master mind. The two other commanders walked over to Subparr.

"My name is Sir Kestel," said the fair haired one.

"My name is Sir Rendal," said the dark haired commander.

"These two sirs will, upon my leave, join you in future activities," informed Rainne. "Soon you will need the help," explained the master mind when he saw the look of protest on his general's face. "You cannot be every where at once."

Sir Kestel and Sir Rendal organized the infantry and brought Rainne his stead. Subparr retrieved his courser and mounted. The rest of the commanders did the same. Rainne went to the front of the company followed by his general. Sir Kestel and Sir Rendal returned to the end of the troops.

"What shall I show you first, Master Rainne?" asked Rainne's general. "Hm, I guess the Woolly Men," said the master mind. "I would love to see what you have done in training my creatures." Off to the side a tree of Blue Grass Forest, Arch spoke.

"Maybe they will talk about those monsters while they are checking up on them," hoped Arch from his spot in a drooping tree. He and Sky were hiding in a suun berry. Seheir's eyes were looking around for any thing of interest that Arch and Sky would not be able to see.

"They might if they can feel that they are secure," commented Mystin Sky. "If we make a mistake in our following, and allow them to discern that presence war. Then Rainne will know that I am her

[Hmm...,] began the bird of prey, [All the soldiers are wearing these weird grenades embellished with a spider on one side of the casting.]

"A spider?" questioned the chime maker. "Interesting.. Let us ponder on this as we attempt to keep up our pace set behind the troops." Mystin Sky and Arch followed the company as they left the clearing. They were back on the Herald Road traveling to Subparr's base where he was working on the Woolly Men Soldiers.

"What a wonderful place you have made here," said Rainne as he entered the laboratory floor of the base on Far Ice Lake. "You have been using my money well." The master mind's eyes fell on a cage that held two Woolly Men. "Do they speak?"

"Yes, they do. Well at least the ones that were created from human captives, which make up about ninety three percent of the ranks," answered Subparr.

"Very good, very good," said Rainne. "I would so love to see one in action, but their are not any people here strong enough to give the things a reasonable challenge for their strength."

From a distance not too far away, Arch's little party stood invisible in watch. He had provided himself and Mystin Sky with an Invisi Herb to eat, while Seheir used his own abilities to stay invisible.

"I have two detachments ready, and the third is nearing completion," reported Subparr. The scientists and workers who stood at the consuls and kept their eyes on their work. They did not want to recognize that Rainne was in the room at all.

"Show me every thing you have running here," commanded Rainne. Subparr then commenced to take Rainne on a personal tour of the laboratory grounds.

"These status screens here display the health of each Woolly Man," informed Subparr as he pushed a worker out of the way and pointed at a large screen. "We do not want one of them getting sick and infecting all the others." Rainne's general promptly moved on to the next consul. "And here is where the formation and splicing to create the Woolly Men."

"Fascinating to see my work being used for good," said the master mind. Subparr moved on to another consul. He showed his master every thing there was to see. And Arch learned a great deal of information that would aide him when the time came for him to face those beasts.

The Woolly Men were suited for the cold. They could survive long hours underwater, and had advanced healing systems. Their long shaggy fur could reflect energy pulses, and their beady green eyes could see excellent in the dark. Their claws were changed to be made out of metal, and their bones reinforced to be able to with stand great pressure. The Woolly Men were also intelligent. The commander Woolly Man was trained in strategic warfare.

[How fun,] began dryly Seheir. [These Woolly Men have retained the human ability to learn and comprehend. How fun and how unfortunate.] After Rainne gave his compliments of approval on the operation, Subparr led him out of the Far Ice Lake base. They returned to Sir Kestel, Sir Rendal, and the troops who were waiting on the lake's unnaturally frozen shores. The company headed by Rainne moved off, and reunited with Herald Road.

Subparr halted the mass of infantry units by Herald Road's Meadow of Good Care. Meadow of Good Care was a chain of inns that were established along the Red Road and the other main Roads that branched off of it. The inn was not large enough to hold the hold company comfortably, so many of the infantry had to quadruple up in rooms. Rainne received his own chamber, and so did the privileged Subparr other commanders. 

Arch and friends set up their own camp in the trees a good distance from the Meadow of Good Care. They laid on the soft grass and waited for sleep to take them. Seheir was taking the first watch for trouble, and would wake one of the others when his shift was over.

The night waned in to the next day, and Seheir was about to wake Mystin Sky to take a shift when he heard some voices coming from the inn. Sir Kestel and Sit Rendal emerged from the Meadow of Good Care and drifted in the general direction of where they were stationed. They stopped near the border of the trees. Both had on their armour still and their rust coloured capes, but their helms were not up on their heads. Seheir took a good look at their faces so that he may recognize them later. The fair haired Kestel spoke first.

"So, how do you think Subparr is taking the fact that we will be sticking around after Rainne leaves?"

"I honestly do not know," said the dark haired Rendal. "He seems to think he can handle things here himself, but I do not think that is particularly against us staying."

"Excellent. Though it is not as if we are going to intervene in his work. We will not be around much at all, since Rainne has given us more important things to do while we are in Shinoir..." The two commanders shared a laugh together as they slapped each other's shoulders.

[Well it seems all the competent commanders are no longer at detained in Jshair. Rainne has sent Arch a special gift to play with,] though Seheir to himself.

"Aw, man," began Sir Rendal, "I cannot wait to try out these powers Rainne gave us. When we begin our quest to seek out that rogue UeHuman and bring him in to Rainne, it will be fun exercising these new abilities."

"Yea, but we have to be careful too. Rainne did warn us that if we over exerted ourselves past our limits, there could be side effects."

"Side effects, slide affects," said the dark haired commander. "Master Rainne is an excellent gene splicer. He work on us is flawless."

[So...that is what you two are... Creations of Rainne. I wonder what he used to give you a small piece of Ue powers,] said Seheir, as his mind recorded in to his memory every word the two Rainne minions spoke. The two gene spliced humans talked of irrelevant things for a bit more and then went inside. Seheir decided to inform the two UeHumans near him of what he knew in the morning. The peregrine falcon woke Mystin Sky for his watch shift.

The Meadow of Good Care was loud with the sound of breakfast. Rainne's company were too large for the eating hall, so food was brought to their rooms. They were busy refueling their systems for another day of traveling when Arch Edgewood, Mystin Sky, and Seheir were stirring out side. They traveled deeper in to the wood there until they found themselves a meal. When they were all back at their original camp site, Seheir brought all their attention to the announcement he had to make. The bird of prey informed the two of all that went on between Sir Kestel and Sir Rendal during their conversation out side the inn last night. Arch and Sky listened in silence as the discourse was related to them. When Seheir finished retelling the tale, it was Sky who spoke first.

"Hm. So Rainne has some idea of how powerful an UeHuman Arch could be if he sent enhanced humans to capture him," commented Mystin Sky.

"Enhanced things are nothing like their pure forms," stated the falconer. "Even if there are two of them, I doubt they will be able to subdue me. But thank you for catching all that Seheir. It is still good to be on the look out for them from now on. If they ever caught me off guard, they would obtain a small advantage... I would rather they have none."

[Ah, good friend, you know I always watch out for you,] assured the falcon. [But do not worry so much. Mystin Sky is here to aide too. That is, if he wants to fight...]

"I do, and I will this time," said Sky. "I have you guys to support me. And I wish to avenge my family at least, before I die."

"Gosh, Do not speak about death. It is what you do before your time to pass on that makes a difference," said Arch. Sky did not answer, but only stared off in to the distance reaching of the woods.

An hour passed until Rainne's company left the inn. Rainne decided to be kind and pay the inn, though he had a habit not to pay for things and dared any one to say any thing about it. He was so pleased with the quality of the palatschinken that he had for dinner, he felt had had to pay the Meadow of Good Care. The two spliced commanders ordered the troops back in to rank lines, and readied the four steads for their masters. The infantry moved out once it was ready, and Mystin Sky led the way in following their steps.

The next stop Subparr took Rainne and his large party to was to the factory that was mass producing the Heratic Flu. The base was located in the Peering Peaks mountain chain. Mount Belle was the local of this base. A base camp was set up for all the troops and Sir Kestel and Sir Rendal to reside at while Subparr and Rainne made the hour trip up the mountain. Arch and friends followed along invisible, riding on the powerful back of Seheir's seven foot form.

The master mind and his minion reached the small base while the sun was still high in the sky. The base on Mount Belle was rather small, and only existed to the extent of a few rooms. The Heratic Flu was already made, and Rainne could see the formula he devise bubbling in its solution form in the huge vat before him.

"Have you tested it on a human subject yet?"asked Rainne.

"No," responded Subparr. "I was going to have it done, but then I heard of your to be arrival and decided to wait. I thought that maybe you would like to see it."

"Oh that I would," agreed Rainne. "How thoughtful of you, Subparr." Rainne's general ordered some of the workers who were transferring the liquid in the vat to smaller vials to bring a test subject to the administration room. Subparr led his master over to the room where subjects were placed for testing. Rainne took himself a spot right next to the glass. Arch and his buddies followed invisible and unnoticed. Two men in blue suits dragged in to the administration room a crying old man.

"Please let me go!" cried the grey haired man. Tears traveled along the wrinkles in his face. "Do not do this to me! Have you no conscience? No heart?" One blue suit held the old man's mouth open while the other poured the contents of a vial in to his mouth. After they were sure he had swallowed some of it, they departed from the administration room to decontaminate themselves.

Rainne's eyes were fixed on the subject as he waited for the effects that he knew would occur to show themselves on the poor old man. His steel blue eyes seemed to smile as the man's skin began to erupt in boils. The sores burst open, and the tears of the man turned to acid and burned his face. He screamed as his blood began to thicken in his veins, and his eyes began to melt in their sockets. All the while, his brain was slowly decaying to slushy liquid.

A few minutes later and it was all over. Only the deformed corpse remained.

"How... how marvelous! How simply marvelous!" exclaimed Rainne to his general. "The Flu is better than I though it would be. These scientists here must have found a way to make it more potent. Subparr. I want you to find the man that enhanced my formula and give him a raise. And you better do it. I will find out if you have not." Rainne turned back to look at the dead man the disposable team in orange suits were carrying out. "Oh, do please me some more. Let us depart as quickly as possible to check out the RIVER system." Subparr was pleased that his master was pleased. He showed the master mind the way out of the base in Mount Belle. Every thing about Rainne's visit was going as smooth as Subparr could hope for. Subparr wanted to get what ever rewards Rainne might have stored up for him. Now the only that could mess that up was the arrival of the named Sir Faulkner III. Subparr prayed to Heimdall for the first time in years that the UeHuman was far, far away.

Sir Kestel and Sir Rendal were bantering over what size ration should be given to the troops while Rainne and Subparr where dining on more exquisite food. The company had stopped for rest along the Herald Road. The last place Subparr had yet to take his master was to the origin point of the RIVER system.  The sun had already begun its descent, but Rainne was going to finish the last stop today any way.

Arch Edgewood, Mystin Sky, and Seheir were all seated in a leafy weeping willow that was rather a great distance away. The infantry was still in sight, but far enough away that the words spoken would not be carried by the wind to their ears. Seheir was perched on a branch near an opening in the branches so he could keep watch on the movements of Rainne and his minions.

"I wonder what Rainne plans on utilizing that Heratic Flu for," pondered Mystin Sky.

"He was mass producing it..." began Arch. "So most likely it is not aimed at a single individual, but a group of people. There are too few UeHuman and would require that much product. So it has to be for humans. If it were for some kind of unruly creature, then it would have been tested on some beast back at the Mount Belle base."

"But why would Rainne want to kill people? Does he just plan to conquer lands and kill of the people, reigning over an empty and desolate land? He needs the townspeople," spoke the chime maker.

"Why does Rainne do any of the things he does?" responded the falconer. "So far, even though he plans on controlling the countries he conquers, no one knows what he plans on doing with them. He is the master mind, I guess he has every thing figured out already."

"There has to be some kind of cure some where."

"Of course. Even if Rainne is not afraid of obtaining the Flu himself, the workers on the project would not be there if there lives were not guaranteed. Do you remember the way that old man died? I bet those who know the Heratic's method of extermination would rather prefer being killed by Rainne for not working on the Flu then by the Flu itself," reasoned the grey eyed Arch.

"True, true. Do have any idea what the RIVER system is?"

"Actually I do. And it has nothing to do with a river. RIVER does not even stand for any thing. It is just a code name," said Arch. "While on some travels in the past, I found out from some soldiers that Rainne was constructing a way to link minds. Back then, a large main processor was in charge of managing the whole operation, while smaller computers stationed in major towns and villages would help provide an even larger range and network for the main hub. I only half believed it at the time."

"But why would Rainne want to link the people's mind together when he can easily control them with fear?"

"That is because the RIVER network is not for the villagers. It is for his minions, his soldiers, and his monsters. He wishes to accomplish mindless cooperation and obedience."

"What?"

"Yup, that is what the system is for. The soldiers that told me this wished for me to destroy the operation, but I could not at the time because I had no idea where the RIVER system was being configured," informed the white haired man. "But now I can do something about it. At least we will find out if the smaller computers have been set in the towns yet."

[Guys, guys,] called the peregrine falcon. [The troops are rounding themselves up.]

"Then we had better get ready to follow along," spoke Mystin Sky. The two UeHumans and the bird of prey descended from the willow tree and took up following Rainne's party.

The detachment soon came up on a quaint log house in the middle of the east farthing of the Fire Water Swamps. The troops did not enter the dangerous grounds, and where happy to let Rainne and Subparr go on with out them. The followers were invisible, and Mystin Sky led his friends on a safe path through the darkening swamp.

Once in side, Subparr took the master mind down a long hall to a room in the back of the wooden house. Passing rooms and work stations on the way, Arch saw the manufacture of serenderry bushes, lots and lots of serenderry bushes. He could only guess that they were the Arms for the range and extension of the RIVER network. At the end of the hall was a bed room. One guard was posted out side its open door. Rainne and his minion entered, and Arch and Sky positioned themselves in the hall so that they could see every thing that occurred in the room.

Rainne stood before the thin cot that served as a bed. A pale lad with steel grey hair sat up on the cot. He looked to be only ten years aged.

"Clever," spoke Rainne. "The Head for the RIVER system is this little boy?" Subparr nodded.

"The designer for the casing made it easier to hide, and to control. The interface is much easier too. The boy obeys who ever it is programmed to obey. It is a basic AI, and is not able to do anything it is not programed to be able to do or learn," informed Subparr.

"Who is it programmed to obey now?"

"The head programmer of course, Dr Cartington," responded Rainne's general. "This boy is still a prototype after all. The whole RIVER system is not up and running yet. We do not want the boy to be commanded to do some thing when all the connections are not up yet, and we do not want him to misinterpret a command because his understanding circuits are not all installed. But he still has basic computer functions." Rainne petted the head of the boy and decided to ask him a question.

"Dear lad, what is your name?" The child only shrugged, a new movement he picked up from his programmers.

"Some times I am called Boy, or Lad. But I like Lad better, so that is my name," responded the Head of the RIVER system.

"Well then, Lad, do they treat you well here? Every thing going fine?" The computer nodded.

"And just who might you be, sir?"

"I am going to be your friend, and my name is Rainne." The lad looked side ways at the evil UeHuman.

"You do not look well, Mister Rainne," said Lad. "I do not want to be your friend." The master mind turned to Subparr. No one ever expected that the boy would dislike the man who commissioned his creation. Subparr was as surprised as his master was.

"He can be reprogrammed to fix that," assured Subparr.

What they did not know was that the Head of the RIVER system had a highly advanced AI in its head. The head programmer Dr Cartington was also in charge of its main design. The casing for the computer was designed to look like the ten year old boy Cartington had lost a year ago. The AI in Lad was made to be like Cartington's dead son. Lad was also programmed to be wary of people with evil auras, which he had functions to be able to sense. Lad was much more than what the original parameters Rainne had in mind for the Head of the RIVER system.

The boy turned his head and looked out in to the hallway out side his bed room. He was picking up auras similar to Rainne's but were not evil.

"What do you see, Lad?"asked Subparr, his own head turning to look down the hallway. Seheir could see the boy gazing in their general direction.

[It seems we have a problem,] announced Seheir. [I do not think the boy can see us, but he sure seems to be able to sense our presence.]

"What is down there, dear boy?" asked Rainne's minion. The boy computer pointed at Rainne.

"More people like him." Subparr immediately turned and stepped in to the long hallway. He could presume who it was lying in wait.

"What is it?"asked Rainne. His voice began to turn cold. "It is that rogue UeHuman, is it not?"

"That is my guess," admitted Subparr. "Master, I do not know how he found this place. I accept all--"

"Oh shut up for now," said Rainne. "There is not time for mindless talk, there is going to be a battle soon. The rogue did not come here for no reason." Lad was sitting up straighter on his cot. He just knew some thing interesting was going to occur.

Down the hall, Arch and Mystin Sky were trying to decide what to do.

"I know we must take the boy," whispered Arch, but should we leave it at that, or should we try and hurt Rainne while he is here?"

"I say we go at Rainne. Both of us together stands a chance against him," spoke the wind chime maker.

"And as I promised, I shall help you with your vengeance."

[I will take grab the boy,] said the peregrine falcon. [I will take him to Ever Dreaming. Meet me there after you two finish what ever your confrontation leads to.]

"So we attack Rainne, and while he has to defend, Seheir goes in and strike Subparr so he cannot do anything to interfere," began Sky, "Then the falcon grabs the boy, makes an exit, while he continue to try and harm Rainne until the situation falls to when we have to retreat."

"Sounds like a plan to me," agreed the falconer. "Sky, both of us will turn visible at the same time, but Seheir, you stay invisible. It will be more a surprise that way when you strike."

[Okay then. I say let us be off. On the count of four. One...two...four!] The two UeHumans turned visible as they ran down the hall to the bed room. Seheir stayed in his small form, and flew to the room.

Once in side, he grew to seven feet, and struck Subparr across the chest twice. Subparr screamed as he fell to the floor loosing blood. Seheir grabbed Lad around the waist with one massive talon and burst through the ceiling with his prize. Once out side the building, he extended his invisibility to the boy so he could fly unnoticed.

Arch and Sky eyes were blazing gold and silver as they struck both Rainne with their powers. Arch's fists where flaming and Mystin Sky hands held orbs of violet cosmic matter. But neither of them landed a blow on the master mind. A shield of water pushed them back in to the hall.

"So there are two of you!" exclaimed Rainne. "This is some thing new!" Sky leapt up on to his feet. Hearing Rainne's voice angered him as memories of what he had done to his family rushed back to the front of his mind. He send a pulse beam of cosmic matter at the evil UeHuman as his anger was emitted in waves around him. Parts of the building began to twist and contort, falling prey to the emissions of another dimension's materia.

Arch was soon on his feet, fire began to make its way to covering his body, sparks and fire flicked off his shoulders and hair. He followed Sky back to Rainne. Mystin Sky had was close enough to Rainne now for his shield to be useless. The comic matter surged around Sky as he unexpectedly kicked Rainne across the face. Rainne had expected them only to use their powers, and had been caught off guard with the physical contact. The chime maker soon fell to his wrath, and his unstable cosmic matter powers were only adding fuel to his furnace. He grabbed Rainne by his armour and threw his across the room. Rainne was soon back on his feet, only to be met by a blast of fire. Rainne called on the waters, and a geyser erupted in the middle of the bed room. The ever increasing ruin made the bed room look more and more like a battle ground. The water fell on the flame covered Arch, extinguishing his fire.

Meanwhile, Dr Cartington was in his computer working on a new program for Lad when a signal went off a console. Only he knew it meant that his boy had been removed from his room. The programmer gathered up his important papers in to a satchel and tied it to his back. He had heard the sound of destruction that he had tried to ignore, but he could not now that his Lad has been moved with out his authorization. Dr Cartington hurried out of his work station to find out what happened to Lad.

Dr Cartington approached the hall to the boy's room, but at the end he could see the room burning with fire, twisted and deformed areas of the hall, and water and some violet materia floating around. He feared that if Lad was in there, he would be hurt beyond repair. Or...he might have followed his danger program and ran from his room and went out side the building. The programmer rushed out side and in to the swamps.

"Lad!" screamed Cartington. "My boy, where are you? Lad!" He traveled a bit further in to the wood when he heard a faint voice scream.

"Turn around, you big bird, that is my papa!"

"Lad!" screamed the programmer. "Come to me, Lad! Come to Papa!" Soon a large wind blew past Dr Cartington as he was grabbed round the middle by a powerful gripping force. He could not see what is was that grabbed him until Seheir extended his invisibility to the man also. The programmer soon saw that he was high above the Fire Water Swamps in the grip of a large bird of prey. He was over joyed when he saw that Lad was in the other talon.

"Hey there, father," said Lad. "Look! We are flying!" Dr Cartington could only smile as he saw his little boy perfectly replicated in the computer. He hoped the bird was taking them far, far away from Rainne.

Rainne was smiling. He was just playing with the UeHumans who were opposing him. Now that he saw their modes of attack, he knew exactly what to do to avoid any damage from them. Mystin Sky came at him with his alien cosmic matter, and Rainne would deflect it with his ice shields, or he would just hit the chime maker with a ton of water and slash at him with razor sharp ice. Arch's more powerful ability was fire, which he could never use. Rainne would just hit him with a blast of water and all his fire would be out. He struck then with lightning but Rainne would bring up massive icicles from the floor and the lightning would strike those instead of him.

Mystin Sky soon saw that their attacks were turning useless. He decided to try a new method to at least hurt Rainne. Just one mar on that skin of his, thought the chime maker, Just one drop of blood to hit the floor... An idea suddenly came to Sky's mind as Rainne was distracted by Arch's effort to electrocute Rainne. He grabbed a dropped lightning bolt, that had been from one of Arch's attacks, that was sitting on the floor. Sky brandished the bolt like a sword as it burned his hand. Cosmic power flowed from the orb in his fist and transformed the lightning bolt in to a wicked, savage blade. The lightning bolt was now the blade, the hilt and spine of the blade was made of alien cosmic materia. Violet matter surged around the sword as it emitted and eerie light.

The chime maker held the blade up, and charged at his most hated foe. His rage was at its summit. Rainne turned his head just as he saw the silver eyed UeHuman coming at him He send up an ice shield, but the materia blade cut clean through the ice. Rainne then tried to hit Sky with a force of water, but Mystin Sky kept coming. Sky growled as he put all his force behind the sword. The vicious blade swung and the sound of chimes echoed in the devastated bed room. The lightning blade cut through Rainne's armour and to his soft flesh underneath. Rainne gritted his teeth as he felt to his knees. He would not give them the pleasure of hearing him cry out. Wild geyser rose around the master mind. He forced himself to his feet. Sky smiled as he saw blood dripping from his adversary's armour.

"You have done well, UeHumans, but you cannot defeat me," spoke Rainne. "I remember you now." Rainne nodded toward the chime maker. "Little Mystin, the boy who made all those horrible chimes. The boy I cursed." Rainne raised his fist and suddenly Mystin Sky fell to the ground. the materia blade falling to the ground.

"Sky!" cried Arch as he pulled himself off the floor from where Rainne had previously threw him. The chime maker writhed in pain as the curse poisoned his body. As he lay weak and defenseless, Rainne picked up Subparr's blade from his unconscious body and and stabbed Mystin Sky in the chest.

"Nooo!" Arch hurried over to the chime maker but it was too late to save him. Rainne walked over to his general.

"You had better get stronger, Sir Faulkner III. Or you will end up just like your friend," spoke Rainne. "Ugh, I do so need a Zephyr Tank to relax in..." The master mind activated a device on his belt and transported himself and his minion away.

The falconer looked down at Sky. Sky's eyes were no longer silver, and Arch could see the life fading from them.

"I promised if you helped me I would tell you how to get stronger," reminded the chime maker. "Go to the Siegmund Vale, and take this chime. When the wind blows, you will see what happens." The falconer took the small sersynic chime.

"I am so sorry things had to end this way, Sky," spoke Arch. "When I defeat Rainne, I will also do it for vengeance of your family."

"Thank you, dear friend," sighed the chime maker. "Hang up the rest of my chimes for me... It was nice knowing..." Mystin Sky's voice trailed off as his life left him. Arch Edgewood closed the silver type UeHuman's eyes. He picked up the materia sword and Sky's body, and then Dispersed back to the place where Sky had hung all his special chimes.

Sir Kestel and Sir Rendal stood with the troops as the end of the destruction revolving around the south end of the log house ended.

"I bet that was Rainne defeated the rogue UeHuman who,but some stroke of luck, happened to be in the Fire Water Swamps at the same time as our Master," spoke Sir Kestel.

"Do you think Master Rainne is going to come back out side?" asked Sir Rendal to his buddy.

"Hmm... no." Sir Kestel turned his head to one side. "I do not sense his presence any more."

"What about Subparr? Is he still here?"

"No."

"Hmp. I guess we have to do some thing with these troops."

"I say we send them home for a few days. They have been dragged around with Rainne because he likes being seen with a large force behind him, and they have not even seen any fighting," reasoned Sir Kestel. "And..." His voice lowered to a whisper. "We will be free to look for the rogue UeHuman while Subparr is not around for us to report to."

"Ah, I see your point," agreed Sir Rendal. "The troops deserve a rest." Sir Kestel turned on his stead to address the company there.

"Good men, due to certain circumstances, you all will be allowed to return home for... a week." Cheering commenced from the troops. "Now, now, settle down. I expect you all to return to Base Gutenburg at the end of seven days. And if you do not, Sir Rendal and I will hunt you down, and have fun doing it. Understand?"

"We understand, sir!" echoed fifty voices. 

"Very good, you are dismissed then," said Sir Kestel. The two commanders took Rainne and Subparr's horses' reins and led them to Base Gutenburg. There they planned to drop off their own coursers and freshen up for the ques ahead of them: to find the rogue UeHuman.

"I like that idea of yours," commented Sir Rendal. "I do so like it very much. Now we can finally exercise these powers Rainne gave us. Yes... we are indeed going to have some fun fun fun..."

Arch Edgewood looked down at the body of the chime maker as he lay in a hole on the ground. He had buried him the the clearing surrounded by his chimes. Arch looked down at the materia blade in his hand. He decided not to bury it with Mystin Sky. He would have wanted Arch to use it against Rainne and his works. Arch absorbed the blade. After dropping one the prettier chimes he found on the ground in to the hole with Sky, he covered up the chime maker. Arch went around and collected all the chimes he found hidden among the brushes and the grass. He found his way back to the Red Road, and went west towards the Ever Dreaming Lake. He hung up the wind chimes as he went along. The sun descended along his path, bearing red as it had seen the bloody days events. A light wind had blown, and the chimes sung silently in honour of their creator's death.

Rainne, you will meet your end, thought Arch Edgewood. You will pay for all the lives you have taken, all the people you have hurt. Your end leave mark the end of this age of fleeting shadows...

Dr Cartington and Lad were sitting by the edge of the Ever Dreaming Lake. The boy computer had his feet in the lake. The waters were now safe since its spring had been purified. Seheir was back in his small form, flying high above the Ever Dreaming. He looking for a meal, and keeping an eye out for any one that might approach. He saw Arch coming just as he was wondering where his master was. Arch was soon at the lake, looking at the Head of the RIVER system and its programmer.

"It seems Rainne will still be on the loose once he gets to a healing tank," spoke Arch. "I could use one myself... But, Seheir... Sky, as you might have already guessed, did not make it." He collapsed by the lake and laid back on the grass. He was worn out, and a little annoyed that he had gotten dirty.

[I believe his name should go along side yours when this evil is finally vanquished,] suggested Seheir.

"And it shall. I shall see to it," said the falconer. Lad stood up from his seat and looked down at the UeHuman, then up at Seheir in the sky.

"Are you talking to the bird?"

"Oh, maybe," responded the falconer.

"Hmm..." though Lad, as he scratched an itch in his steel grey hair that did not exist. "Hmm..." Dr Cartington stood and came over to the UeHuman.

"I do not know why your falcon took the boy, but I want to thank him to grabbing me too," said the programmer.

"Okay, he can hear you though," informed Arch. "But we only took Lad so Rainne would not have him. You guys can go live a normal life if you want... Though it would nice if you had any information on Rainne that you would like to tell me."

"Secrets!" exclaimed Lad. "Give him some secrets, dad. And I... I will use my Zephyr function! How is that?"

"An excellent idea, my boy," agreed Dr Cartington. "Heal him first though, he appears a bit faint." Lad put a hand over the UeHuman's head and another over his heart. The energies that would normally come from a Zephyr Tank flowed from Lad's hands and covered the falconer's body. Arch was soon healed. He sat up.

"Thank you, Lad," said Arch. He looked down at his clothes and reminded himself to buy some new ones at the nearest town.

"Daddd..." whined Lad. "Now the secrets!"

"Yes, yes. Well I do not know much, but only one thing that you might be able to take in to consideration in the future," began the programmer. "Rainne, the evil master mind, has a daughter."

"No way..." said Arch. "A daughter?"

"Yes. She is only three years old, and her name is Elei. She is being taken care off by a lady who does not know the kid is Rainne's. She believes it belongs to Subparr, for he is the one in charge of checking up on the kid."

"Where is she?"

"The Dim Hold Vale, in the Rutlzer Village. But... the only thing about the girl is that she is sick, and no one knows how long she will live. Her mother died in child birth from the same disease Elei now carries," informed Cartington.

"Is the girl an UeHuman?"

"Fortunately no," said Cartington. "For if Elei survives, you know he would turn her to follow in his foot steps."

"Hm. Well," said the falconer. "I guess I shall have to pay Elei a little visit in the future. It is getting late. Where you two go?"

"I do not know. Maybe to a little village in the Red Region. Probably to Village of the Hope. Yes... I think that is a good place," said the programmer. "I can finish my work on Lad there."

"Will you still complete his functions as the Head of the RIVER system?" asked the falconer.

"Yes, I will. Only because it might be needed in the future," said Dr Cartington.

"Well I will have Seheir give a lift to the Village of the Hope," began Arch, "While I go to find some new clothes." He stood and walked away from the Ever Dreaming. "Good luck to you both."

"And you, sir." Seheir flew down as an ancient Prey Bird and motioned for the two to climb on his back. The peregrine falcon took off and head for the Village of the Hope.

Arch stood in the middle of the sunniest clearing in the Siegmund Vale. He held the small sersynic chime out in front of him, waiting for a wind to blow. He did not have to wait for long, as a slight breeze began to stir. The wind chime sounded, and it echoed the most beautiful chimes Arch had heard from Mystin Sky's creations. The sersynic chime began to glow and eerie white as the music grew softer and louder, its sound echoing through the whole vale, it seemed. The chime left the falconer's hand and it expanded and grew in to a statue of a dove. on a pillar. The marble figure settled in the middle of the clearing. It soon spoke to Arch.

"Good sir..." began the Dove. "What is it you desire most?"

"My only wish to grant the people a new age to live in, one where Rainne the master mind does not exist, a place were the sun does not have to colour red, a place where the sky will never be tainted with tears of sorrow," spoke Arch Edgewood.

"Good sir..." began the statue. "What is it you desire most for yourself?"

"I...I do not know," said Arch. "For as long as I can remember, all I have wanted was some thing for the people."

"Ah... UeHuman," said the Dove. "Such is the demeanor of your kind."

"My kind? What of Rainne?"

"Rainne? Ah... that Rainne is no UeHuman."

"What?"

"I said, good sir, that Rainne is no UeHuman," repeated the statue. Arch's mind fell to memory as he thought back to the battle with the master mind. Now that he thought on it, he could not remember Rainne's eyes glowing when he activated his abilities.

"You...you right. He is not..."

"Yes, of course I am right."

"Just what are you?" asked Arch Edgewood.

"That is an irrelevant question that I shall not answer," said the Dove. "But I will tell you that Mystin Sky has left a power with me that was to be given to who ever activated me with one of his sersynic chimes. Sersynic, it had to be, he said. Those were his favourite. Hm... So that must mean poor Sky is dead. The winds all mourn him. They did so love his chimes."

"Yes, he was a good fellow," said Arch. "Too bad it had to end that way..."

"We all must leave when it comes our time, good sir. But my time in this dimension is ending, so I must give you this power," spoke the statue as a glowing orb emerged from the right wing of the dove. It entered Arch's chest and integrated itself with the falconer's other abilities. "Power of the sea faring wind. Strongest type, you know. Soon you discover its possibilities. I must leave you now." The Dove statue turned back in to light, and the sersynic chime reappeared in Arch's hand. Seheir, circling high above, whispered to the wind.

[You come and go, wind,] began the peregrine falcon. [May this age be gone as swift as you fly...]