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  As Jimmy ran, a tidal wave, seemingly coming from the river, was rushing over the dike and following him. He noticed ahead one of the Counselors from the dorm, Matt, was somehow directing the wave with a ring he wore on his finger. Jimmy held out his hand, and the yellow ring glowed. A wind rushed from nowhere and knocked Matt down, rendering him unconscious. The ring he had on stopped glowing, and the wave crashed and dissipated. Jimmy removed the ring from Matt's hand and kept running. This one had a blue gem in the shape of a raindrop.

  Jimmy stopped for a moment when he smelled smoke. He looked on to see another of the Counselors, Tracy, using yet another ring. This one was burning the buildings, setting them on fire. In a reactive moment, Jimmy held out his hand again, and the blue ring glowed. Hydrants exploded as the water poured from them, dousing the flames and sweeping her off her feet. Jimmy ran to her and managed to remove her ring as well. This one has a red gem in the shape of a flame.

  Jimmy continued running until he hit Market Street, where he was met with another crowd. Surrounded on all sides, he took a defensive stance and prayed to himself. Suddenly a voice whispered in his ear. He looked down to see something shiny. He picked it up and found that indeed, it was another ring, this one with a green and brown gem in the shape of a grown tree. He held out his hand, and the earth beneath him lifted him high above the crowd. This, however only delayed the inevitable, as the mindless minions began to scale the tiny mountain. Jimmy closed his eyes, fearing the worst, but then all the rings glowed. In a flash of light, the rings combined, and the newly reformed sword rested in his hands. With the crowd inching closer, and nothing left to trust but himself, he remembered what the old man had told him. He read the inscription to himself‚.

  "Fortitudo Existo Mei Vis" he whispered to himself, reading the inscription. He knew in a split second the translation of the Latin phrase.

  "Courage, be my strength!" he shouted, with strength and purity in his heart. The sword exploded with energy, and the minions were flung backwards. The golden energy began to wrap itself all around him, covering him in light. The energy bonded with his skin, covering him in golden armor from head to toe. Jimmy suddenly felt a new strength within him, his own body changing and morphing around him. The light exploded from him again, and he slowly lowered his sword to the ground. He emerged indeed as Susira had said, as the Hero of Legend.

  At once, the minions began to retreat. This infuriated the beast. Jimmy let instinct take over, and he leaped from the mountain of earth. All at once, his feet morphed, and fire blasted from his soles, sending him flying rapidly in the direction of the beast. The beast bared its claws, and Jimmy drew his sword. Jimmy crashed into him with tremendous force, and the two sparked repeatedly as Jimmy began swinging his sword wildly against the beast. The beast fought back with ferocity, but knew he was now outmatched and attempted to flee. Jimmy swung his sword much too late to connect with a hit, but instead a bolt of energy launched from the sword itself and hit the beast. Jimmy chased down the beast, hitting him with repeated shots along the way.

  Jimmy managed to drive the beast back into the dorm and into his own room. He continued to fight him, but noticed his time band on the floor. He dodged a swipe from the beast, and grabbed the time band. In one clean motion, he swung back and thrust his sword clean through the beast's back. Blood began to pour from the wound, and its mouth. Jimmy attached the band to its arm, and withdrawing the sword, activated the time band. The resulting flash of light followed the explosion, which sent Jimmy flying out of the window and to the ground below. The blast was so powerful that he faded into unconsciousness.

  * * *

  Jimmy awoke on the ground, the sword still beside him. He was back to normal, and it looked as if nothing he had seen had occurred. He hid the sword from view as he made his way back up to his room. When he went inside, he found everything back to normal. The only difference, besides the sword, was the absence of the time band.

  "I guess it's back to the drawing board," he said to himself. He placed the sword and sheath in his closet, and proceeded to study the schematics he had of the time band.

  Little did Jimmy know, in sending the beast back in time with the time band, a catastrophic chain of events had begun. A rift in time from both journeys had begun to expand, and the true root of the evil Susira spoke of was unleashed upon the world. It would seem that The Hero's story had not ended, but was only beginning.

  Chapter 2 - The Quest For Wisdom

  * * *

  2

  "The Quest For Wisdom"

  Weeks had passed since the strange events in the city happened. Jimmy was sitting in his room, still going over his schematics, and reconstructing the time band he had lost. Just then he heard a knock at the door.

  "Jimmy", yelled Ron. "Open up, I have something for you."

  Jimmy walked over and opened the locks. He opened the door, and Ron stepped in with a package.

  "We all felt bad when we heard your project went missing," he said, "so we tried to make it up to you buy getting you a little something." Jimmy opened up the box. In it were a few bags of tortilla chips and a case of soda, both his favorite flavors. "We figured this would cheer you up. At least they're letting you do a make up for the project."

  "Yeah," Jimmy replied, "but the project I had was so far advanced, getting an A on the assignment would have been just the tip of the iceberg. Ah well, I guess it doesn't matter now. Thanks Ron. Tell everyone I said thanks."

  "Here," Ron said, turning on the TV. "Take a break for a few minutes and check out the news. I hear the Archaeological Society made a huge discovery today." Ron left the room and closed the door. Suddenly, something on the news caught Jimmy's attention.

  "In news today," the TV blared, "the Archeological Society, in their study of the coal formations of the area, made a remarkable discovery. A box, the contents of which are sealed within, dating back as far as the 14th century, was found amongst the rock and coal. The Society is trying to find out exactly what it is, and what the secret is to opening the box without damaging it. It will be on display at the Sordoni Art Gallery until tomorrow, when it will be transferred to the Society's main office in Scranton."

  "The markings on the box," Jimmy said to himself. "I know I have seen them before." He went to the closet and unsheathed his sword. On the hilt were markings. A heart symbol, a sword driven through it, rays of light beaming from it. The box had the same markings. Jimmy knew there was more to this, and the only way he could get the answers would be to get into the gallery tonight and see for himself.

  * * *

  Night fell, and Jimmy carefully hid the sword and sheath inside the back of his shirt. He made his way out of the dorm and headed to the Learning Center Building, which housed the gallery. On entering, he found a small crowd viewing the box. The guide was just moving the crowd to the next exhibit when Jimmy arrived. With a hood over his head as not to be recognized, Jimmy carefully checked around him before looking at the front of the box. He pulled his sword from its sheath and matched the symbols together. The lock popped open, and inside was another sword. This one was similar to his own with a small difference. The symbol on the hilt was that of a raincloud with a lightning bolt. Jimmy knew the sword must be another of the Swords of the Avatars. He carefully lifted it out of the box and closed it once again, leaving it as it was. He carefully made his way out of the gallery and back to the dorm, hoping no one would notice the box had been emptied.

  * * *

  Once back at the dorm, Jimmy pulled back his hood. He placed his sword and the other side by side. The swords were indeed made the same‚all one piece from hilt to tip with mere leather and hide wrapping the hilt. However, it seemed the hilt of this new sword was a tad longer.

  "Why on earth would the hilt be this long?" he thought to himself. "The swords were all made by the same smiths at the same time. The design should be exact. Unless‚" He took the new sword and studied the hilt in detail. He walked over to the corner of the desk and
began hitting the very end of the hilt against the desk repeatedly. He kept hitting it harder and harder until a piece broke loose and fell to the floor. He unwrapped the end and compared the swords again‚.indeed they were identical. He took the piece he had knocked off, and found folded paper inside, along with three very old coins. He blew the dust off all of it, then examined the paper at his desk.

  "Greeting, Virtue," the letter read. "It is I, Susira, writing this to you. By now I'm sure you have finally understood that you are indeed the chosen one. That is how I knew you would find this letter in the manner you did. First, let me put your mind at ease by saying that the beast was slain by the Hero of Legend, and has been destroyed. There is, however, a dark side to this. Your journey has set in motion a chain of events that will test you to your limits. That is another reason I have sent forth this sword. This is the Sword of Wisdom. Just like your sword, this sword has the ability to unlock limitless energies in the one who wields it. Finding her is your next task. Your instincts will lead you to her, but I will share with you a passage from an ancient text known only to us as 'Legandria':

  The one who is to wield the Sword of Wisdom,

  The Ruler of the Night, Keeper of the Storms shall she be.

  Golden hair, and eyes like windows,

  With wisdom much more than you see.

  She is close to Virtue

  In body and heart

  Forever their destinies intertwined

  Closely seen, far apart.

  May this help you in your quest to find the descendant of Wisdom. You will need her help to defeat the evil I fear is growing as we speak. As for the coins I have given you, protect them. When the Triad is reborn, their purpose will become clear. Stay safe. Susira, Elder of Korocho."

  Jimmy wasn't sure what to make of it. The description could be any number of women in the world. But he knew somehow, someway, he had to find her. He read over the letter again.

  "Closely seen, far apart," he read. "Golden hair, eyes like windows." He pondered people he knew. "She has to be someone I know. But who would be close, but far away?" Thinking a moment, he suddenly got up and began digging in his closet. He pulled out his old high school yearbook and began digging through it. He then came upon a photo of someone he remembered from back then that matched what he was reading.

  "Her," he said to himself. "She was the smartest in the class. I never really got to know her all that well‚but if anyone I ever knew could match the description of 'Wisdom', it would be her." He closed the book and began doing his research. After looking through some documents on file at the schools around the area, he found that she did attend one nearby, but would be home for the semester. After obtaining the address, he set out to go there, hoping and praying that not only would she remember him, but somehow believe this whopper of a story he had to tell.

  * * *

  Jimmy hadn't been on these back roads in years. He wasn't even sure at this point whether he was in the right place or not. Once he spotted the numbers on the mailbox that matched his directions, he pulled in. As he turned off the car, he breathed in deeply. The smell of the country took him back to a place and time that brought him great peace. Finally he mustered the courage to grab the sword and sheath from the passenger seat, and get out of the car. He slowly approached the front door of the house and with the same nervousness he had back then, knocked cautiously. No one answered, so he knocked once again. He had thought someone was moving around in the house, but feared his own mind was playing tricks on him. When no one answered the second time, he carefully turned around and began walking to his car.

  "I probably have the wrong house," he said to himself. "It was a long shot coming out here. I don't even know for sure if‚"

  Just then, the door opened slowly, and a voice came from behind him.

  "Hi," she said. "Can I help you?" Jimmy slowly turned around. "Wait‚I think I remember you." She paused for a moment, as to study his face. "Didn't you graduate with me?"

  "Yes, Chrissy," Jimmy replied. "I'm Jimmy."

  "I remember you," she replied. "What on earth are you doing out here? Tell me you're not selling door to door."

  "No," he replied. "But to be honest, what I have to tell you isn't going to any less believable." He took in a deep breath. "Mind if I come in so we could talk?"

  "Sure," she replied. "Strange as this sounds‚I trust you." They both walked back to the door and into the house.

  "You need anything to drink?" she asked. "Coffee? Tea?"

  "Coffee is fine, thanks," Jimmy replied. He sat down and breathed in deeply again. He had the sword tucked behind him where he sat, hoping maybe he'd be able to slowly convince her he's telling the truth. "So, what have you been up to lately?"

  "Same," she replied. "College stuff. You?"

  "Same," he replied. "Mostly. But lately, some things have come up."

  "Like what?" she asked.

  "That's actually what I came to talk to you about," he replied. He reached behind him and pulled out the sword and sheath. "This is something I have to show you." He pulled the sword from the sheath, and held it in front of her. "As strange as this sounds, this belongs to you."

  "A sword?" she asked. "It looks old. I've been doing a lot of historical research lately. Let me see it for a second. Maybe I can tell you exactly how old it is." She reached out to grab the sword, but instinctively hesitated‚.as a voice whispered into her ear, "You are the Chosen."

  "Did you hear that?" she asked, backing off a second.

  "Hear what?" he asked. Jimmy wasn't sure what was going on, but remembered the voices whispering to him when he first held the sword before using it. Could she be hearing them too?

  "Nothing," she said hesitantly. She reached out again and grabbed the sword with both hands and looked at it closely. She looked at the symbol on the hilt. All of a sudden, her eyes glazed over. Jimmy was startled a bit, but looked on. Energy flowed from the sword into her hands. Then moments later, she blinked. She looked at the sword, then up and Jimmy.

  "I will forever be a memory," she babbled. Then she shook her head, as if she came out of a trance. "I'm‚I'm not sure what just happened."

  "I do," Jimmy replied. "The sword you have there‚it's just like mine. It grants you the power to become a powerful hero‚.strength, speed‚"

  "Wisdom," she replied. "I can feel its energy. I don't fully understand it‚but I believe it." She set the sword gently down, and got up from the couch. "This explains everything. Let me show you this." She walked into the other room, and when she came back, she had a book in her hand. She handed it to Jimmy, and he read the cover.

  "Legandria?" he said. "This book‚.it's‚"

  "Extremely old," Chrissy said. "I was doing research in the library, and this book literally jumped out at me. It suddenly fell from the shelf to the floor‚not sure if it had been teetering there for a while or if someone pushed it by mistake. When I started to read it, a sudden feeling came over me‚and I wanted to know more. So I not only checked the book out of the library, I offered to buy the book from the library. I've had it for a few days now‚and now that you have found me, some of what I was reading is suddenly making more and more sense."

  "The sword was unearthed in a box with a note," Jimmy said. "In it were quotes from the book that helped me find you. Perhaps there is more in it that we can‚"

  Just then, the TV got a tad louder, as a news correspondent broke into the programming.

  "We're interrupting normal broadcasting to bring you this special report," it said. "Strange clouds have suddenly appeared over south Bane-Barre. Weather forecasters say this is an absolutely unnatural phenomenon, and no one has any idea where they came from. We will keep you posted as this story develops."

  "If you read Legandria," Jimmy said, "then you know what we have to do."

  "But how will we get there in time?" she asked. "It'll take forever to get to the city on foot."

  "While I was working on my time band research," Jimmy said, "I develo
ped an arm band that could not only act as a two-way communicator, but could transport matter from one specific place to another."

  "Does it work?" she asked.

  "We're going to find out," he replied. He gave her one, and put one on himself. "Here goes nothing," he said as they pushed the buttons, and in the blink of an eye, they were gone.

  * * *

  In a flash of light, the two of them appeared in the center of the city. The storm clouds above them were pitch black, swirling around as if opening the sky for something awful.