9:23 PM
Year 6000
Alvarna

“Secrett, I love you too, but as a sister.” Latios said morosely. Secrett looked down at her feet as tears rolled down her cheeks. “I have to go.” He said rushing past her bursting through the large doors to the church. Secrett fell to her knees, quietly sobbing. Kyle rushed over to Secrett and hugged her.
“Secrett don’t worry. Things will be okay. Kanoni will be alright too.” Secrett stroked Kyle’s face and smiled faintly.
“Kyle he likes me as a sister. I can’t live with that. I just want it-” the doors burst open and Kanoni rushed in.
“Kanoni!”
“Kanoni!”
“Hey guys. I was just coming to visit you guys and Latios told me goodbye. If you run now, I think you can catch him Secrett.” Kanoni said giving them hugs.
“Thanks Kanoni.” Kyle rushed out the doors to catch Latios while Secrett remained kneeling on the floor behind him. Kanoni abruptly walked up to her and sat next to her.
“Secrett did you tell him?”
“I didn’t get a chance.” Secrett mumbled.
“Well, you have to tell him. Maybe he’ll stay then. Maybe he’ll think there’s something worth to protect.”
“Okay.” Secrett said giving Kanoni a hug. She quickly pulled away with a disturbed grimace.
“Kanoni, what if the baby has the Aerostigma too?”
“We’ll look after both of you. Don’t worry.” Kanoni helped Secrett up and shoved her out the doors. “Go on and tell him.”
Secrett burst out the doors behind Kyle right into Latios.
“Sorry.” She said sliding away.
“Secrett, I lied.”
“What do you mean?” Secrett walked over to Latios, looking him in the eyes dark amber eyes she now knew so well.
“When I said that I loved you as a sister… Secrett I love you so much more than that.” Secrett stepped forward to hug him goodbye, but Latios kissed her gently on her lips.
“Latios, I have to tell you something.” Secrett pulled away and held Latios’s hand tight.
“I have to go now.”
“You’re still going to leave?” Secrett said, astonished.
“Goodbye Secrett.” Latios murmured kissing her again. He slipped his hand out of hers, and started for his motorcycle.
“Latios if you would just listen to me, you wouldn’t have to go.” Secrett strained her voice as she broke into tears again and watched Latios ride away on his bike as the words,
“I love you Secrett.” Trailed softly behind him.

9:30 PM
Year 6017
The Forbidden Forest

The trees swayed harmoniously in the channeled wind that crept around them, dancing lightly on the grass. A lone woman sat quietly inches above the water. Her cloak hiding her face drooped so that the very tip was soaked in the crystal clear river. Around her was a thick layer of ice that had frozen over her.
Several men had surrounded the river and were throwing rope over the large imprisoned woman, so that it sunk lower into the river. One man was newer than the rest and was being teased by the older group.
“So do you miss your mommy?” One of them asked, ruffling the rookie’s hair. The rookie pushed him away and looked for something to throw at him. Nearby was a large rock that was easy to lift so the rookie let go the rope that slid off the ice right into the man on the other end. The rookie looked up and quickly chucked the rock at the man who had teased him, but he dodged it. The ice float couldn’t and the rock was forced right into it cracking the ice. The woman inside began to sink and the whole iceberg was completely submerged in a matter of seconds.
“You broke it, brainless. What if that fiend comes back?”
“Are you crazy? There’s no way she’s alive.”

8:26 AM
Year 6021
Latvia, Rune City

21 years later…

Shiva stood behind the counter cleaning a wrought beer glass as she gazed out the delivery’s front door. She watched as people strolled mindlessly, almost robotically, like zombies down the eroding sidewalks that traced the buildings in the city. It was hot out and there was no wind. Just as she set down the glass she had been cleaning her whole shift for another, the phone rang from upstairs. Some people looked up at her, but when she showed no intention of going upstairs to get it they went back to reading or making exchange with each other.
“He’s not here… he’s never here.” She said to herself. The phone rang a few more times and finally went silent, only so that it could start ringing again. “Ugh.” Shiva breathed, slamming the other glass down on the counter and headed up the narrow enclosed staircase. She picked the phone up and held it to her ear.
“Hello, this is the Harperwind Goodale Delivery. Can I help you?” Shiva said turning around to face the window.
“Is this Shiva?”
“May I ask whose calling?”
“It’s Kyle. How have you been?”
“I’ve been great.”
“Hey listen, we’ve got something big. Is Tidus there?”
“He’s never- no.”
“Well something creepy is going on at the Forbidden Forest and he was called to check it out. Do you know when he’ll be back?”
“No.”
“Doesn’t he own the place?”
“No, we both run it.”
“So why do you run it all the time?”
“I guess he has other things to do.”
“Well good luck. Oh could you ship some more Goodales to the Regiment?”
“Sure.”
“Bye-”
“Tell Reno I said hi; okay?”
“Alright. Good… Shiva.” The line suddenly went dead.
“Kyle?” Shiva hesitated and pulled the phone away from her ear and stared out the window. The usual gray color the city had was even darker today as stormy clouds began to settle over Rune City. Just as the first few drops of rain fell from the sky a hand was placed on Shiva’s shoulder. She didn’t jump, but turned around setting the phone onto its receiver. Tidus looked beat and worn like his usual self.
“Why aren’t you at the counter?” he asked taking his rain coat off. His face was handsome with bangs that hung over his eyes.
“The phone was ringing and-”
“They could have left a message. Just go back to work.”
“Whatever.” Shiva said pushing past him. He sighed, and watched until she finally got back to the counter, and then flopped down in his recliner chair in the corner.

4:23 PM
Year 6021
Latvia Mountains, border of Alvarna and Latvia

Kyle sat in the pilot’s seat with his hands clutched tightly on the controls of the air craft, Strife Maker. The large helicopter hovered low over the dark dust clouds that were billowing out from the gigantic crater known as the Latvia Mountains.
“Captain, are you there?” He said into his headset. There was a static crackling on the other end. Kyle looked at the empty passenger’s seat with his cell phone set on it. He was tempted to call Shiva again, but a screams and shouts could be heard from beneath the dense smoke in the amiss of the mountains.
“I’m coming captain.” He said and lowered the helicopter into the deep cavern.

5:25 PM
Year 6021
Rune City

“Alright, take this to this address and you’re done. Just lock up when you come back.” Tidus said handing Shiva a wrapped package with a piece of paper on it. Shiva took it after setting down another beer glass and looked at the letter with the address.
“Okay, but where are you going so soon?”
“I have to go meet Reno and Kyle at the mountains.”
“You know I haven’t seen you for a while.”
“I know it’s nice to see you guys again.” Shiva smiled and walked outside to get her motorbike as Tidus turned the open sign to the closed sign. She slipped her leather gloves on, mounted herself on and put the package on the front of the motorbike, and after churning the motor on with a loud sputtering she zoomed off down Main Street. She weaved around other people and bikers on the nearly empty streets. She had wanted to call Reno and ask how he was doing, but the customer always had to come first. That’s what Tidus and she had agreed on at least.
She stopped in front of an old apartment building with one good window. She got off her bike and with the package under one of her arms she took her gloves off and put them in her side pocket. The sun was now setting and the usual gray was now turning a dark purple orange haze. It shined in her brown, almost black hair that was pulled back loose in a purple ribbon she normally wore around her neck. The ribbon was a sign of their group. The group involving Tidus, Kyle, Reno, Carlos, and Faris.
“Harperwind Goodale Delivery Service.” Shiva said knocking on the door. It opened almost instantly, but only a crack.
“Do you have my package?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay. Just put it through the doggy door at the bottom; okay?”
“Sure. Your package cost-” The person slammed the door in Shiva’s face and stuck its hand through the doggy door with twenty dollars and dropped it on the door mat. Shiva tentatively picked it up and shoved the package through the doggy door.
“Thank you for using the Harperwind Goodale Delivery Service.” She murmured and put the money in her back pocket.
When there wasn’t an answer she walked back to her bike and took out her cell phone.
“Hey Reno, is Kyle there... He what? Okay I’ll get Tidus and we’ll be right there.”

6:00 PM
Year 6021
Helicopter Graveyard, just off the border with Latvia Mountains

There was nothing on the barren landscape until you got close enough to see the mountains. Shiva sat behind Tidus on his motorcycle as they zipped through the flat land. Up ahead, coming fast was the Helicopter Graveyard. Kyle’s new helicopter, Strife Maker, was on its side with dents and large chunks torn away from it.
“Oh my God.” Shiva said jumping off the slowing down motorcycle.
“Shiva. Tidus!” Reno came out from behind the capsized aircraft with Kyle right behind him. Tidus turned the motor off and walked over to them.
“So what did you find?” Shiva asked touching five of the metallic swords that had cut through the helicopter’s motor.
“We don’t know, but we think it’s some lady from Craccia. She has the markings.”
“Well what’s she doing all the way in Latvia?” Tidus asked taking all five swords from the motor.
“Well Reno thinks that it’s Azeroth.” Kyle said punching Reno lightly in his shoulder.
“I do. It makes since. This used to be a quarter of the Forbidden Forest, where they hid her.” Reno pointed behind him as he spoke. “And as for trying to get her, there seems to be these creatures that are protecting her. They totaled Kyle’s helicopter.”
“Yeah and when I called for backup, Captain… well he… they got him.” Kyle mumbled.
“And we think those creatures are going to try and awaken Azeroth.” Reno said exasperated. “At least that’s what they told us they were going to do. Now we were thinking about getting the rest of the Regiment together and see what’s going on down there.”
“Sure.” Shiva said with a shrug. She looked at Tidus who had remained silent for most of the discussion.
“Sure.” He grunted with a faint smile.
“What about Faris?” Shiva asked.
“Well…” Reno slurred. Shiva punched him lightly in the shoulder. “Okay. I think she’s in Rashio. And as for Carlos I think that he’s in Alvarna still, with that dog of his.”
“I’ll get them.” Tidus said jumping on his motorcycle.
“What about us. We have no transportation now that Kyle’s gone and blown up our helicopter.”
“We aren’t going anywhere.” Shiva said stepping in. “If we need Faris and Carlos we can call them.”
“Okay. So now how are we all going to fit on Tidus’s motorcycle?” Kyle asked.
“We’ll fix her up for you.” Shiva volunteered.
“I can go to the nearest auto shop and gets a new motor. Tidus and Reno and Shiva, you guys stay here and try and fix my helicopter.” Kyle suggested.
“Kyle, just don’t crash my motorcycle.” Tidus said handing Kyle the keys.
“I won’t.” Kyle chimed and started the bike and road off.
“So how has the delivery service been holding up?” Reno asked handing Shiva the old motor.
“It’s great.” Shiva said handing Reno a hammer.
“Yeah.” Tidus said mindlessly screwing a nail into the side of the chopper.
“Why do you leave all the time?” Reno asked Tidus. He looked up from his half screwed in nail and frowned.
“What do you mean?”
“Come on Tidus, you know what I mean.” Reno said heatedly. Shiva looked up as she put the motor carefully down on an upturned table and sighed.
“Where I go… you don’t need to know everything about me Reno.” Tidus was now standing straight up so that he towered over Reno.
“Tidus-” Shiva placed a hand on his arm and he backed off.
“Look, I just want to know how my friend is doing, but I can’t call you, because you never pick up your phone. And whenever I call your business phone, guess whose there… Shiva.”
“You guys, just stop. I want to see Azeroth without you two fighting all the time. Just grow up.” Shiva shouted firmly. Tidus walked away into the shed and Reno went back to connecting the wires under the helicopter.
“Shiva do you know where Tidus goes?”
“No. He-”
“Says more to you than the rest of us.” Reno finished for her. Shiva picked up a nail and handed it to Reno.
“I guess he does. I think it’s just… since Terra died-”
“You were the second closest to him. I understand.”
“Thanks Reno.”

8:02 PM
Year 6021
Kamoa, Velvet City

“Thanks Umaro.” Kyle said putting the money on the glass counter. Umaro, an ugly old man took it and grinned showing a yellow set of twisted teeth.
“Be careful down there boy. Just don’t screw up and get yourselves killed.” Umaro said going through a doorway to a back room.
“Thanks.” Kyle whispered almost to himself. He headed outside to Tidus’s bike, started the motor and drove back to the Latvia Mountains unaware of the other three motorcycles driving above on the cliff.

9:47 AM
Year 6021
Latvia Mountains

The new helicopter was large with added artillery and a new name that Kyle had constantly been fretting over.
“It’s got to be good.” Kyle was saying. Shiva at the moment was the only one smiling, even if it was a fake one.
“How about Strife Maker… Two.” Reno said shaking his hands next to his shoulders.
“No, I’ve got it. The Armageddon.”
“I like it.” Shiva said getting up.
“Sounds good Kyle.” Tidus mumbled. Reno got up as well as Kyle and they headed towards the helicopter to board it with Shiva right behind them.
“Reno how deep does the mountain go?” She asked.
“About five-hundred feet or so.” Reno said opening the door.
“Shiva go get Tidus.” Kyle said getting into the aircraft behind Reno. She nodded and went over to the one building next to a piled of helicopter remnants. The building was supposed to be a shelter base for the warriors in the battle with Athia seventeen years ago but it had been long abandoned after the Wicked had gotten to it three years ago. Tidus had been a warrior then, like the rest of the Regiment. Only Terra wasn’t here now and it felt empty to him.
Shiva found Tidus sitting with his back against an airplane’s cockpit. She walked over and sat next to him wrapping her arms around her legs.
“So… I heard we’re leaving and I was just wondering if you cared to join us.” Tidus looked at her and smiled crookedly.
“Come on.” He said pulling her up with him by her arm. They walked over to the helicopter that was now running sending their hair into a frenzy of tangles hiding their faces as they boarded the aircraft.
“Come on in.” Reno said helping them in.
“So what does Azeroth look like?” Shiva asked moving to an empty reupholstered chair next to Tidus who took his seat next Kyle with a gesture of complete tediousness.
“No one knows. Only Secrett saw her.” Reno took hold of the clutch and pulled back, lifting the massive helicopter up into the sky.
“So how is Secrett doing?” Tidus asked.
“Well she got taken captive by some of the older Wicked members. I think they’re so vigilante. They just waste their time with hoping Azeroth will come back.” Kyle mumbled. He took the clutch from Reno and began to maneuver the helicopter towards the abiding smoking mountains.
“I’m hungry.” Reno said getting up from his seat.
“Wouldn’t be the first time.” Kyle muttered. Reno shot him a harsh glare and took out an apple. Reno wasn’t overweight; in fact he was skinnier than Tidus. Although Tidus was mainly muscle. Kyle abruptly slapped the apple out of his hands onto the floor with a solid thud. Shiva raised her eyebrows and Tidus remained looking out the window. Reno was looking at his apple longingly with hands in the air.
“What was that?” Reno asked now looking stunned.
“I don’t know I just felt like doing that.” Kyle said shrugging. Shiva stood up suddenly.
“Kyle what’s that?” She was pointing outside of the huge yellow tinted window that surrounded the front of the helicopter.
“That would be… Reno what is that?” Reno looked down where Shiva stood looking out the windshield. There was a dark spot amid the billowing smoke clouds. It was small at first, but then it gradually began to get bigger until it surfaced from the crater. It was another aircraft.
“Whoa…” Kyle and Reno said in unison.
“Give me the controls.” Reno ordered.
“But… why?” Kyle stammered.
“Just give them to me!” Reno shouted, yanking the controls out of Kyle’s grasp. Tidus was now standing next to Shiva. The aircraft was much larger than their helicopter. It was easily ten times bigger than that. The surfacing airship almost looked like a blimp, only with a large chopper on top and two bases beneath the large hub blimp.
“Alright everyone hold on. We don’t know if this is a friendly ship or they’re gonna shoot us down with them blasters.” Reno said moving the helicopter so that it was hidden from view of the large blimp aircraft.
“Reno just go into the crater.” Tidus said going to the other side of the window.
“Tidus… what do you think I’m doing.” Reno mumbled. Tidus ignored him and watched the massive aircraft float, advancing higher into the air ever second. Reno controlled the helicopter closer into the crater and hovered over it a minute, before finally descending into the dark smoke that came from the bottom of the basin. Just as they were about halfway below the top of the crater the whole aircraft shook sending Kyle to the ground. Shiva had been holding on tight to the bar that fit around the inside of the window.
“Shiva go see what got hit.” Reno structured. Shiva nodded and rushed over to the door they had entered to get on and opened it. Below was the black smoke that felt hot to the touch as it passed upward. Shiva looked up at the blimp aircraft and gasped.
“Shiva what’s wrong with Armageddon.” Kyle shouted above the rudder’s obnoxious loud whirring. Shiva looked up at the rudder and frowned. Two of the fans were missing so that only two others were supporting the whole helicopter’s weight.
“They shot us!” She shouted back. Kyle was out next to her in a second and looked up at the damaged chopper.
“Damn.” He muttered and went back inside. Tidus was then next to Shiva and was looking out across the large basin.
“What are we going to do?” She asked, her voice cracking with the wind. Suddenly the helicopter shook again as another cannon was aimed at their helicopter and shot the side of it.
“Shiva!” Tidus yelled. The force of the cannon ball had shaken the helicopter so sadistically that it had knocked Shiva over the frame of the open door. Tidus dove after her and caught her hand before it slipped from the metal bar that was nailed under the helicopter’s underside.
“Hold on Shiva, I’ve got you!” Tidus yelled. “Give me your other hand!”
“No, what if i fall!” She shouted back.
“Shiva, do you trust me!” There was a long pause before she answered.
“Yes!” Shiva yelled shakily. Her hand was beginning to sweat and Tidus was losing his grip.
“Shiva please. I won’t let you fall!” Shiva brought her other hand up so fast that Tidus hadn’t nearly enough time to react, but caught just in time. Tidus hoisted her back into the helicopter by first grabbing her shoulder and then reaching down to pull the rest of her up by wrapping his arm around one of her legs and twisted her into the copter.
“We’re going down, everyone get close!” Reno yelled pulling Shiva and Tidus close to him. Kyle was still in the pilots’ seat trying to steer the helicopter to the ground safely. Without much providence, including the fact that the previous cannon had knocked off their rudders completely, they began to fall towards the dark amiss of the Latvia Mountains.
~
“What are they doing here?”
“robably the same reason we are. Wouldn’t blame em’.”
“Do you think they’ll be mad at us?”
“No.”
“What are they doing down here?”
“Are they dead?”
Shiva’s eyes flickered open, but she quickly shut them again. The light was so bright. She was breathing deeply for a moment and then opened her eyes again to the sound of a steady stream of gushing water. Like before the light was bright, but Shiva shielded her eyes with her hand and looked around. Tidus was laying on the floor as well as Kyle and Reno. They were in a room that was completely empty. In front of them was a large window that let her see the view of the area they had landed in. Shiva stiffly got up twisting her back side to side and walked over to the vast window and looked out over the jungle. At the far end was a waterfall which had explained the sound of running water.
Behind Shiva, by the door, were two people standing stalk still. When she turned around she jumped and held her hands to her mouth to keep from screaming.
“Shiva!” Faris squealed rushing over to her and giving her a friendly punch on the shoulder.
“Faris, oh my god! How did you guys get here?” Shiva asked breathlessly.
“Well I’ve been here for a few months. I tried calling you guys, but no one answers. I had to save Carlos’ when his boat got caught in a whirlpool. I found him on the bank down there.” Faris said pointing to Carlos who stepped out of the shadows. Carlos was much older than them, in his fifties. He had been part of the Regiment ever since Latios and Secrett had made it.
“What about us? Where did we land?” Faris pointed far off into the distance. Shiva had to squint to see the small outline of their once again mangled helicopter.
“You know you guys are heavy.” Carlos mumbled grumpily. Shiva smiled while cocking an eyebrow.
“When do you think the babies will wake up?” Faris asked attentively poking Reno in the cheek. Reno muttered something unfathomable before shakily getting up.
“Hey it’s Faris. What are you doing here?” Reno grumbled.
“This is the thanks I get for saving you guys’ ass!” She exclaimed. Reno slapped a hand over her mouth and put a finger to his own lips.
“Shh.” He spit. Faris stared at him through slit eyes and walked away towards Kyle.
“Are you guys okay?” Shiva asked taking Tidus and Reno’s hand in each of hers.
“Yeah.” Reno said sliding his hand out of hers. Tidus stirred for a moment and then his eyes opened and he awkwardly got up with support from Reno and Shiva. Kyle was still out on the floor.
TO BE CONTINUED...