ETTING   OME   O   LFANDRA

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Saga and Christi's Journey part 2 - Shadow

   Saga looked at the spirit of his old friend from a past life. Saga did remember Xane while he was alive. Seeing him like this was almost too much for him to take in for one day. However, Saga was curious about why his old friend haunted this place, as well as the many others who also did so.

   "Alright, old friend, let's talk. After all it has been quite some time. Of course lets got to a place with a bed as well, because it seems my companion *glances over at the now-winged Callian* was knocked out by her sudden transformation."

   The spirit floated up and started drifting towards the city. "Well then, pick her up and follow me! I know the perfect place."

   Saga took flight and followed Xane's ghost over the lake, Christi in tow. Saga looked at the city and remembered it as it was back then: A proud great city with magnificent towers, mighty gates, bustling marketplaces where merchants from all corners of this world would gather to hawk their wares, some mundane, some exotic, and a great castle at the edge of the lake where the king of the land ruled with fairness and absolute justice. Now the towers have crumbled, the gates have fallen open, the  marketplaces lie empty, and the castle is naughts but ruins. It pains Saga to see the city this way, but it must be, for all things must end.

   Saga lands with Xane outside a place he remembers as the Lake Tree Inn. They go inside the old  inn, its roof now gone. Saga takes his blue-haired elflike friend  and tucks her into a bed that is in amazingly good condition for its age, and goes back to the tavern room to meet with Xane. To his surprise he looked outside, and sees the ghosts of three soldiers outside. When the ghosts see him they do something Saga did not expect.

   "Sir Caldeon! We are sorry we didn't notice you!" The soldiers immediately saluted him, and then went on thier way.

   When he goes to speak to Xane the first this they do is reminisce about the old days, of glory, battle, and the heroic stand at the northern gate which allowed them to destroy the unholy army of the Yugolothic demons so long ago.

   Saga remembered those great times, but he knwe he had something else to ask here. He  was interrupted, however, by the sound of Christi's  footsteps. She immediately perked up from her stupor and stated inspecting Xane from all angles.

   "Wow! You're a real ghost?"
   "You're not scared of me? mos people find the free-floating dead to be unsettling at best. I'm sorry bout thw wings, if it was painful for you, I'm sorry. Actually, I think that white feather wings become you."
   "You're still a knight, huh? Well, my name is Christi Sazrilar."
   "And mine is Albion Xane. pleased to meet you."

   Saga interjects.
   "Sorry to interrupt the pleasantries, but I must ask: Why do you and the soldiers still haunt here?
   "We need one of the High paladins to relieve us of duty before we become free. We are bound by our own honor to protect this place, even in death.
   Saga begins to weave a spell. There is a great flash.
   "Well then, consider yourselves relieved."
   "Thank you, old friend, I will be sure to visit you and your new friends someday. There is a portal outside the city I believe you can use. Farewell."

   With that, the spirits left the city, and all was normal. And Saga, for the first time in his life, flet a great weight lifted off his shoulders that he didn't even know he had.