A Possible Final Meeting, Part I: Arrival At The Palace

The Mana Fortress hovered silently in the sky, the remaining sea water flowing like a river from its outer shell down toward the ocean below. The sky began to darken as thick clouds blocked the sun from sight, the gleam of the never rusting, ultra durable alloy that comprised its outer armor fading. The clouds began to crackle with energy as the Mana of the world began to drain, nature was being thrown out of balance.

The boy who had become a man named Randi, the girl who forced her way into his company and grew to be his friend named Purim and the sprite child whose gender was unknown even to its comrades named Popoie watched it all in awe and terror upon the back of the multi-winged dragon they called Flammie. Despite wanting to flee from the terror of the ancient past it maintained its altitude close by, flying in a large lazy circle.

Lightning churned within the cloud, multiple bolts struck the fortress dead on but it didn't shudder, it didn't seem to be effected at all. But then it lurched to life all of a sudden, its form being engulfed in light. A loud, mechanical noise that they'd never heard before came into being... and then a volley of weapons fire surged forth from the immense weapon of death. Deftly it was evaded, but then another came, followed by more and more. Each became harder to dodge, the dragon scared by such unfamiliar energy based weapons.

Quickly it fled from the fortress, flying with all possible speed... but it didn't follow them, and if it were then it must have been incredibly slow. Regardless the boy knew where he had to go; the Water Palace to see Sage Luka. He commanded the beast and it flew, as if knowing where exactly to go... perhaps, even now, as Mana was vanishing it could sense what little power was left in the Seed of Water.

Arriving some time later the dragon landed and let off its passengers, but instead of going back to the sky it remained on the ground, as if frightened by the thunder and lightning. The four of them headed toward the palace but Flammie halted before entering the water and remained as the three moved into the small pond. It was colder than normal, and it felt wrong; it just remained still, it didn't move, it didn't flow... there was something off about it that didn't feel natural.

They entered the Palace itself, all seemed to be as it always had been, physically... but the sound of flowing water was gone, as was the energy of the area. It felt dead and lifeless, there was no presence, no feeling of warmth, no inviting nature. Mana was gone, and with it so was the feeling of safety, of belonging, of being welcome. They crossed the bridge that had been extended for them, as if Luka was expecting their presence; they were the only passages in and out of the inner area... it was a good thing that they were mechanical and not Mana based.

Finally, they were within the heart of the palace, and the eyes of the boy, the man... the Mana Knight were met with the form of Luka. She stood before the altar on which the seed rested and when his eyes rose her eyes locked with his own. She knew he'd come to her for advice, and he knew she would be waiting for him.

There was much to come from this, perhaps their final meeting...