"Dark Mind is awake." Toffer smiled as Clarice greeted us.
"You cheated, Zeke. You slept so long while we were out only for two hours," Ronnie added.
"Huh? How long did I sleep?" I asked.
"Twilight and sunlight just caught up with you," an annoyed Janet said.
"That long?" I asked.
"Yeah! And how much you've missed that event!" groaned Ciara.
"What's going on? Why are y'all wearing the same type of clothes?" I questioned again. They were all wearing different colored jackets and pants. They also had scarves on their foreheads that said "Buddy Power".
"You can wear it when you can keep up with practice!" Don said as he gave me the black jacket and pants.
"That's our training uniform. It's per-color according to the medallion we're holding," said Fritzie.
"Will anyone tell me what happened other than what Clarice told me?" I asked. Almost all of their eyes were on me.
"Later you'll know everything. Bu
"Where have you been?" Limwell asked as we met in the hallway. "Ah. Eh. At the Library," I stuttered in response. "At the Library? We have a class while you're at the library? My goodness Zeke, make everything organized! Your new found friends don't seem to be a good influence!" he said, annoyed. "Let's eat first," Jerome said then walked over to Limwel. "Hey, are you going to leave me? You won't take me to eat?" I said as they walked away from me. "Ask your friends. There coming into you. Looks like you will be invited to eat," Jerome shouted without even looking at me. I was about to walk to follow them when Don and Lyka suddenly stopped me. "Oh, why is your face like that?" Don asked. "My bestfriends are angry with me. They are jealous of you," I replied looking at my friends who were slowly disappearing from my sight. "Do they know about us?" Don asked again. "No. And I know they don't know you. That
Loud screams rang out throughout the Center Wall. Senior officials of the four cities were fighting already. Reina Luisiana flew up quickly and waved her wings, releasing a strong wind to her opponents while we watched. MarMar rotated his tentacles to protect himself while Daryanara and Prince Mineri struggled to find strength so that they would not fall in battle. Moments later Daryanara quickly pulled out a spear and threw it upwards to hit Reina Luisiana's wing. Simultaneously with Reina Luisiana's gradual downfall, MarMar's tentacles were wrapped around Daryanara's body. Prince Mineri moved quickly with his whole body glowing. He pulled out scales that he dug into MarMar's body and he released Daryanara with a shriek. A terrifying sound resounded throughout the Center Wall in conjunction with the flying black cloth that enveloped the entire battle stage. "What happened?" Darwin asked as he sat up. None of us could answer hi
I was deep into sleep when the hot rays of the sun hit my face. I was leaning against a tree that I had made a makeshift bed. I saw my companions stretching their bodies waking up as well. I didn't expect the sunrise to take us any further in this area. I thought the game would start yesterday when the Director suddenly let out a dark smoke that darkened the entire Center Wall. "You're awake?" Clarice asked, just looking at me who was very drowsy. "Yeah. Good morning!" I answered. "It looks like the first game will start today," Ronnie said watching the Loowas around. "Where's the Director? Why can't I feel him?" Vergel asked, already awake and feeling the surroundings. "We may not see and feel him but I know he's around," Don said as he kicked at the weeds in front of him. "It seems like Ruffa is too tired," said Darwin who had been looking at her. "Hey Alvin, you're awake, aren't you? Why don't you get up?" Toffer sai
We were stopped by the ground suddenly eating away at a part of the Center Wall. It provided a way out of the place where we were. "In our first game, all you have to do is to run and run. Don't give up because your lives will be the price. Are you ready, Loowas? Let the first game begin!" His words echoed throughout the Center Wall. The Loowas ran quickly. I didn't know where they were going. But all I knew was they were following what the Director had said: run. "What? We're just going to run? Is that our first fight? Just like that?" Alvin asked, obviously underestimated by the Director's Game. "There's something hidden in this game. It's not just running. But as far as I know, we have to get through the Center Wall first before it closes," said Don and started running. I could see the two sides of the Center Wall slowly moving closer to each other! Don was right, we needed to get out of here before the two walls closed. "Run Ke
"We've been walking for a while but we still haven't found a place to sleep," Alvin growled. Ever since we entered the Dark Place I had heard nothing from him but incessant complaining. "Even if we go for a walk, there is no good place for us to rest. Let's stop first!" We all stopped walking. "Alvin is right. We've been walking for a while but there doesn't seem to be a good spot here except for the trees. Maybe we'll just spend time here. After all, the Loowas will be resting somewhere too," said Clarice. "Okay, all right. But where can we lie down here? My back hurts a bit," said Ruffa sitting at the root of the tree. "Is that okay?" Janet said as with just a flick of her fingers she made a cradle out of the tree branches. "Wow, Janet. You can make beds for all of us. At least a sofa if you don't want a bed," Toffer said, his eyes were twinkling. "Hey frog, thank me that you can still sleep because of me. Do you want to lie there on the gro
"Director's morning, gamers. I hope you slept enough right for our next game. I just want you to know that your number has been reduced to five hundred and forty-four. A lot of you couldn't make it to the first game. The question is will you be able to survive the next game?" he said with a horrible laugh. "Sh*t! That's how much is lost?" Ronnie asked stiffly. "Maybe it's better if we keep an eye on other Loowas while we protect ourselves," I said "Zeke is right. If we want anyone to survive till the end, we must help the Loowas win every fight." Don agreed with me. "Do you think they can't? Of course they can without our help! Look at them, they are strong. They also have powers that can help them win," Alvin groaned as if he didn't care about the Loowas at all. "Do you hear what you're saying, Alvin? I'll just remind you why we're here, to save the Loowas from the Director's hands. Now they're slowly dwindling because of this bloody game!" T
"Wait, guys did you see Alvin?" Toffer asked when we met again at the opening of the Dark Place. Even though they were always quarreling, Toffer was still worried. "There's no trace of Alvin anywhere," Lyka said as the ray disappeared from her eyes. I tried to look for him with my mind but I couldn't find him. "I can't feel him either," said Vergel who had been sensing the surroundings. "No way, he's gone?" groaned Janet, looking at the Loowas scattered at the opening of the Dark Place. "Don't think like that. Maybe he just doesn't want to show up for us," Ruffa said. "No. Because if he just doesn't want to show up to us, Lyka should have seen him, Alvin could have felt him and Zeke could have read where he was. Isn't it when the Loowas die in the game, they just disappear suddenly. I think... Am I thinking right?" Janet said. She had a point there. But if that is what happened, how did it happen? "Can't you watch the whole thing that
"Alvin!" Janet's shout made a loud noise throughout Amoras. The Loowas were in a commotion and some of them were noticeable and suddenly floated in the air and quickly became stars. "Ruffa, to your right!" Vergel shouted and Ruffa ran quickly. I didn't know what was going on because I couldn't see our opponent. We only followed what Vergel and Clarice said until we split up. "Zeke, be careful!" Clarice said and I followed. "Don't breathe, Zeke. You're inside the two Awaka. You're at their feet," I heard her say in her mind. I suddenly felt intense nervousness and fear. It was hard because I knew there were opponents but I couldn't see them. I wanted to breathe but as Clarice had said, I held my breath and didn't move at all. A few minutes and I could already feel a yawn clawing up my throat but Clarice still didn't let me move. "Zeke, don't move! They're still there," Clarice said. "I'm trying not to!" I said in her mind.
"What is it, hurry up! We're the only ones who aren't there," Limwell said to his friends."This it is, oh. Wait for me!" Jerome shouted as he chased after his friend.When he chased him, he put his arm around his friend and smiled."Zeke will be happy when he sees us in our graduation gowns," said Jerome who was adjusting his gown that was flying in the wind."That's for sure. The three of us dream to graduate and get our diploma!" Limwell replied as he gripped the stiff folder containing his diploma."I didn't expect us to graduate, we're just copying Zeke. Hahaha.""It only means one thing, the diploma we hold is for him not for us," Limwell laughed too."There they are!" said Jerome and ran towards the Keepers."Sorry, we're late," said Limwell looking at the Keepers wearing their graduation gowns."No worries. We just got here too," Toffer replied, smiling at them."Any last words for the Dark Mind?" Darwin s
"Stand back!" said the Director looking seriously at Ronnie's unconscious body. "He's not the real Keeper!" he added, which surprised my twin. "What do you mean?" Kier asked, looking at Ronnie's severed head lying on the side of his body. Suddenly darkness enveloped the Director's eyes which caused Ronnie's body to disappear like a bubble. He then looked at the rest of the Keepers and in a flash, they all dissolved. "Arghh! Blasphemous! You're a traitor!" the Director screamed in anger and was in front of me in a flash. He strangled me so angrily that I smiled. "Where are they?" he asked and it made me smile more. "Was my show okay, Mr. Director?" I asked which intensified his anger even more. With the intensity of it, his aura gradually changed. It was even stronger than his usual power. "You made the mistake of pissing me off!" he said and his form suddenly changed
"Take away the energy that binds them," I commanded and it surprised my twin and the Director. "Why? Isn't it easier for you to kill them if they are bound to my power? They have nothing against you because they can no longer use their power," the Director replied, almost shouting at me. "Whether they have power or not, they have nothing against us. Besides, I will not kill a creature that cannot fight back. I would prefer to see them fight until they pity themselves on the fact that they are alive," I said as I smiled and backed away from Ciara. The formerly weak and timid woman I had first met at the Medallions Hub was back. "I can't quite imagine that you would be even more brutal than me, Kiel. What you said made me even more impressed. I didn't make a mistake negotiating with the Director for our lives," my twin said as he smiled and hugged me. "We're twins, aren't we? We were born with a curse. And that curse bound the two of us toge
I felt Kier's hands caressing my cheeks. He wiped away my tears. "Shhhhh. Don't cry. Isn't this what you wanted? To see me and be together again?" he asked, smiling. I was unable to answer him as I felt my legs and hands go numb. He'd untied me. The sensation came back to me slowly and I felt freedom temporarily. I gave Kier a tight hug as I fell into his arms. An embrace full of longing. "We finally met again," I said, uncontrollably in tears. Seeing him again was the happiest moment in the four years I had lost. I felt him caress my hair which surprised me. He did the way I used to do it to him all those years ago. "I'm back so we can be together again," he said letting go of my embrace. "Come with me, Kiel." he smiled. "Where? Can't you come back home to us?" "I will not come home to us. You will come with me. You will love the world I built for our brothers and sisters. There I will no longer kill and thirst for blo
Since I had woken up I could do nothing but receive blows from my two friends. I could feel the extreme weakness of my body because of the intense blows they were unleashing on me. "What Zeke, aren't you going to fight? Will you just stay there quietly?" Limwell said as he hit me in the face and body repeatedly. "Would he fight if his hand and foot were tied? Think about it," Jerome said just watching what his friend was doing. Jerome was right. Even if I wanted to fight, I couldn't because I was floating and tied up. Some kind of black energy was separating my hands and legs. My limp body was scratched all over. I didn't know how I got here but when I woke up, I looked like this. I was wearing no clothes except for my pants and I was bleeding all over. I felt my face sting when Limwell slapped me. "If you had told me before that your twin was the reason why my sister died, we wouldn'
"Hey, Lyka! Are you listening?" Toffer said, opening all the drawers he could find. "Huh? What's that?" she asked. "I've been talking to you for a while and you can't even answer me. What are you thinking about?" "Because I can't believe my vision. He suddenly entered my mind even though I wasn't using my powers," she answered anxiously. Lyka just leaned against the wall and sighed. "Didn't you say that your vision isn't wrong? So that might be right. Wait, what did you see?" Toffer asked, rummaging through the things he could see. They were in the kitchen of the Director's kingdom because their shoes brought them there. They were looking for any clue that they could use against the Director. "Blood," she replied. "What? Just blood? If it's just blood, why would you react like that?" Toffer asked. "The message of my vision was not clear because he suddenly came out of my mind. But I saw Zeke wrapped in his blood," Lyka said sta
"Limwell? Jerome?" Words came out of my mouth as the dark smoke that had surrounded us disappeared little by little. What were they doing there? "How did you enter this world?" I wondered as they smiled at me. "Shouldn't we be the ones to ask you that? Why did you come here without even telling us? I thought we were best friends?" said Limwell seriously. "Are you still wondering? Because his new friends is bigger than ours. Eleven is much better than three. Quantity over quality," Jerome said smiling. "What are you talking about? You know you're my best friends. Answer my question. How did you get here?" I couldn't stop myself from shouting. I knew they had no power but I wanted to know how they entered Loowa's Kingdom. "Perhaps your friends have the same power as us," Don said. "There's something wrong with them, Zeke. I don't feel like they're on the same side," Vergel said and I was surprised. "They're not our opponent
"Rambato, please! I'm still sleepy," I muttered as Rambato licked my face. I had been trying to get him off me for a while but he still didn't stop. "Raaaaaamba!" he said happily and I had no choice but to wake up. "Good morning to you too. You woke up so early. Look, my fellow Keepers are still sleeping well," I grumbled but got up. Why was I separated from the others? Last night Toffer had thought it would be better to sleep if we had a soft bed, so Janet made beds out of a big cloud. As I stood up I noticed the large tree in front of me. Gone were the twinkling fireflies. Only bare branches were left. It was sad to see the tree in the sunlight. It seemed like a painful event to watch when the brilliance of the world left you. "Raaaaaamba!" Rambato said hesitantly, holding my leg. I bent down and lifted him. I gave him a sweet smile as I placed him on my shoulder. "I'm okay. You have nothing to worry about," I told him smilin
I opened my eyes in conjunction with the voices my ears could hear. I slowly turned to lie down and was shocked to see the very nice place we were at. Ciara and Darwin look back at each other, seemingly watching those in front of them. Ruffa and Ronnie, on the other hand, were arguing. I couldn't hear what they were saying but based on the expressions on their faces, it was obvious that the two were arguing again. "You're awake!" Don said to me without even realizing that I was next to him. "What happened? What place is this?" I asked him one question after another. "I don't know. Lyka just saw in her vision a place we could rest in without being disturbed. So Darwin brought us here with his compass," he replied. I looked all over the place. In front of us was a large, glowing tree. It was surrounded by clear water. The light of the tree reflected on the water which made it even more