• “I can sense him! He’s here!” Rempo shouted as he flew over the desert sand.
    “Rempo, slow down!” I pant as I lean against a stone wall, enjoying the cool feel of it.
    “C’mon! Get moving! I can feel his aura!” He called over his shoulder as he flew along the passageway.
    “well I’m not used to overwhelming heat 24/7, and I don’t RULE over heat 24/7” I complain as he blushed slightly at this. Mieli was panting as she tried to keep up with the rest of us.
    “I HATE deserts! It’s so hot… and I can’t use my forest powers here! Oooh thank goodness you’re here! You’re so nice and cool!” She exclaimed as she held onto Neaki.
    “(…! What are you doing..)” She breathed. I ran after Rempo, my dagger in hand. “Wait up!” I yelled.
    “Not much farther! He-” Rempo was cut off by a sudden chill of cold wind. There was a flash of bright light and they stood in the domain where they found Neaki. “What the hell?!” He shouted.
    “(My…. Old home…)” She whispered as she floated around, touching the cool walls. “Neaki! What did you do?” Rempo complained. “(Nothing…. I don’t know how…)” she hissed as she turned to Rempo.
    “Wheeee! Yay it’s so cold!” Mieli shrieked like a child as she zoomed around the room. I blinked and stared at the arguing spirits, as if I were a small child watching my parents fight.
    “Well we have to find some way out of here! And we were so close to Ur!” He growled as he slammed a iron clad arm against one of the walls, making a high pitch ringing sound travel through the air.
    “Calm down will you? It’s up to Kyra if she wants to head back out. Right Kyra?” Mieli said as she turned to me. I thought it over for a moment.
    “Well… I still feel dizzy from the heat so…. I guess it couldn’t hurt to stay for a little bit.” I grin.
    “Woohoo!” Mieli exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. Neaki even smiled. Although Rempo sneezed and began to shiver.
    “Rempo come over here, I know how to keep you warm. Change to human size please.” I told him as he nodded and turned into his human form. I walked over to Rempo and leaned against him as we sat against a wall. “Body heat, this will help a little.” I explain.
    “Ano… Thanks Kyra..” Rempo stammered, is cheeks flushing with color. I tilted my head.
    “Rempo, is something wrong?” I ask. He shakes his head. “N-no! Not at all!
    She’s so close to me…. He thought as he moved over so he could be closer to me.
    “Kyra sama! We’re ready to go!” Mieli chimed. I cocked my head to the side. “For the last time, don’t call me sama!” I exclaimed. She nodded.
    I stood up and brushed my pants off. “Alright! To the desert!” Rempo crowed. I laughed and walked next to him as he shrunk back to his normal size.
    A few hours later we had managed to make it back to the Desert Town. Olly greeted us with a scowl. “Why did you leave?! I thought I told you to search for the lightning spirit!” She said, anger rising in her tone.
    “Sorry Olly, I was taken to the Wasian empire by a portal, it won’t happen again.” I explain as I bow in respect.
    “It better not, now Anwar! Take them back to the shrine!” She barked. Anwar stepped out of a Nomad’s tent, putting his sword across his back.
    “Yes,I shall.” He responded in his cold voice. His eyes looked emotionless, as if dead.
    I forced a smile and trotted after Anwar, clutching the book to my chest. Rempo glided along side me, Neaki and Mieli followed. “Geeze! Why even bother! We can find him on our own.” He growled as they reached the shrine.
    “From here you must go on your own, I shall be waiting for your return.” Anwar explained as he left the spirits and I outside the final room.
    “All right! Let’s go get Ur!” Rempo shouted as he flew inside.
    “Yay! We get to see Ur again!” Mieli exclaimed as she dragged Neaki with her. Neaki looked emotionless, as always.
    The bookmark floated towards me, there was a flash of light and the lightning spirit, Ur, stood before me. He looked the same size as a human with a mask covering his eyes. “Greetings chosen one, It is a pleasure to meet you.” Ur said in a preaching tone. Red lights flashed and a shrill alarm wailed. “Oh, it seems by freeing me you have set off the alarm. Chosen One, find your opponent’s weakness, then strike.
    “Aww! A lecture already! C’mon Kyra! Let’s kick this hunk of stone into it’s proper place!” Rempo shouted as we charged at the large rock like Robot. After several hours it was defeated. “Finally! Now you have all four of us Kyra, you can continue to create the new world!”
    “I’m not sure if it’s time… Oh! Look! It’s Anwar!” I exclaimed. Anwar strode into the room, Olly leading.
    “Heyh heyh heyh! Well done my child! Now I can use the great spear to take over the world!” Olly cackled.
    “Not gonna happen you wrinkled old hag!” Rempo crowed. I stood in my fighting position, daggers at the ready.
    “Oh, and don’t think you can go just yet, I need you to find another shrine for me. If you do, I shall set you free.” She said. Anwar blinked.
    “Follow me,” Anwar sighed as he took my hand. I blushed as he took me to the jungle in the middle of the sariah desert. “Now, you are to find this temple. This is the last thing Olly needs you to do. Goodbye.” Anwar walked away. Has she gotten used to the desert yet? He thought.
    I walked alongside Mieli and Ur. Mieli was complaining how hot it was and Ur was going on about how to block out the heat with your mind. “Hey! Look! Is that it?” I asked as I walked to the entrance of a decorated cave. Olly floated out and cackled.
    “Good, good. You are free to go now. I only wanted to see If you would do it. No one has entered the temple, much less find it, in over one thousand years!” She laughed and disappeared.
    “Why that hag! Making us come all the way out here for nothing!” Rempo huffed.
    “Well, while we’re here let’s see if we can find it.” I suggested and walked into the mouth of the cave.
    “W-wait chosen one!” Ur cried out as he and the others stumbled after me. There was a pattern on the walls, some strange lettering. “Use the Book of Prophecy to read it.” He preached. I nodded and code scanned the wall.
    “So, the time is now here. You must travel through this passage and defeat the monster that lurks around the corner. You may take one, and only one, spirit with you. Press the first three letters when you are ready.” I read from the book.
    “So.. Who gets to go with Kyra into the freaky cave?” Rempo asked. “The desert is made of heat and I am flame.”
    “But me being the wisest I believe that I should be the one to travel with the chosen one.” Ur commented, “I may be able to help her.”
    “(I…. Will go…. Heat is weak against… me)” Neaki breathed as she floated next to Ur, her wand at her side.
    “I wanna go! It sounds like fun!” Mieli shouted in a singsong voice as she twirled around my head.
    “Neaki, what if you are attacked. You’re weak against flame. And Ur, will you be able to see? Also Mieli… Well… I don’t think it will be that fun.” I said. The spirits began to argue and I pressed the first three symbols. “Let’s go Rempo!” I cried out as I dragged him inside.
    The wall closed behind us. I squeaked and clinged onto Rempo. “Um…. Kyra? What do you want?” He asked.
    “That scared me ok?! I held onto you for protection!” I explained. Rempo paused and looked at me. “That’s all?” He asked. “Yes that’s all!” I shouted. “Well you’re the one that’s snuggling up to me!” “Well you’re the one that’s having dirty thoughts!” We bickered. A flame lit up the darkness and a lovely young woman stood before us.
    “Hello. My name is Samied. Welcome, to the challenges. We must have you changed so you are wearing only white. Now, come with me.” She said in a comforting voice as she traveled down the path. Rempo and I followed.
    “Now, please choose whatever you wish to wear, I shall be back soon. You must wear white, the beasts that roam these corridors are frightened by the color white.” She explained and left the room.
    I searched through the gigantic closet, as happy as a little kid in a candy shop. I chose a short white skirt, a pale shirt that reached my hips, and white boots.
    “Man, I hate this. I hate everything but the feeling of the desert. Nothing else makes me happy.” He complained.
    “You hate everything huh? Well… do you hate this?” I asked, and without thinking I stood on my tip toes and kissed him gen
    tly on the lips. I closed my eyes and his eyes widened. He stood there for a moment, in shock. Wait, Why am I doing this?! I’m kissing my best friend! I screamed in my mind. Everything told me to pull away, but I couldn’t. Rempo closed his eyes and gently kissed me back.
    When what I realized what I was doing fully sunk in I pulled back and looked away, touching my lips. Rempo blushed and felt his lips as well.