After a week had passed, I had grown accustomed to the headquarters of the Recktors, as Trevor had phrased it, I thought less and less of home, my thoughts constantly replaced with a natural curiosity of Mendwall, and how it works at a more fundamental level.

Don't get me wrong, I really wanted to go home, but that was no longer my top priority, as it was now figuring out my Mendigo ability entailed exactly. I would everyday, for hours on end, train myself in almost every way to test out both theories.

I stood near the entrance where the elevator was, I let out a deep sigh. From the corner of my eye, I saw Trevor approach me, his wing speed steady. He was with Creation, "You ready for this?" Creation asked me, I nodded.

"I have to be ready for anything," I replied, "I need to get out there, and actually explore Mendwall, if I want to go home, I need to study how the world works, and that means that I need to see what's where."

"She'll be fine," Trevor said, "Skylar's a strong girl, despite what she says about herself. She's got potential."

"Very well," Creation replied, "Let's get going then." Creation then proceeded to open the elevator gate, and the three of us walked inside the wooden contraption, and we ascended the long shaft.

When we reached the top, we exited the building. "So," I began, "What're we doing out?"

"We are going to do a patrol of the next town over. Really simple as the town's known for not having a high rate of empirical activity." Creation replied without looking at us.

"And that's a good thing because..."

"Because this'll allow you to get what it is that we Recktors do out in the field." he began to walk towards what appeared to be a set of grassy hills, and I followed him.

Once I had caught up to him, he handed me what appeared to be a curved knife, it's blade wrapped in a thick cloth, I looked at Creation with confusion on my face. "What's this for?" I asked him.

"Just in case the patrol goes badly, we won't leave you without a means to defend yourself. This may not be much, but it'll have to do for you."

I reached my hand out hesitantly, wondering if I should really take the knife. Was it necessary?

I mentally slapped myself, and I took the sheathed knife, and strapped it to my belt.

After I had done so, Creation then turned around to look forward as he began to walk outside the village. I began to follow him.

It didn't take too long before I recalled an experience from a few weeks ago. "Wait, why can't I just learn magic?" I asked.

"What do you mean by that?" Creation replied back.

"You know, when we rhymed and random stuff happened?" I waved my arms to attempt to imitate what I had done.

"Oh that? That's real simple." Creation looked at Trevor, who got his message.

"What he means by that kid is real simple," Trevor took over, "Magic is too complex for us to use 'ere in Mendwall."

"Why though?"

"Mendwall doesn't necessarily have the right amount of Shtinzu flowing through it."

"What is that?"

"Shtinzu is an energy source that is outputted by people."

"Then why is it so hard to come by?"

"This is mainly because there's one tiny problem- Shtinzu is a source that is produced only by youer kind- Mendigo. And to be frank, there are not a whole lot of living, breathing Mendigo 'ere on Mendwall."

"Wouldn't the dead-"

"Let me stop you right there kid. I get that you learned that this paradise is supposed to be the afterlife, but Mendigo after they are 'ere after death are no longer able to produce Shtinzu."

"And even if hu- my kind lived here most their lives?" I inquired, remembering of the story Creation told me.

"As far as we're concerned, once you become less than one percent Mendigo it's gone, youer ability to produce Shtinzu is forever lost."

"Well, most cases..." Creation added.

"I was getting to that Creation." Trevor spat back.

"What do you mean by 'most cases'?" I asked.

Trevor hesitated for a moment before answering, almost as if he was making sure it was safe to tell me. "There's a story... Well, more like prophecy."

"Go on..." I egged him on.

"The story goes like this: Once Mendwall reaches a point of no return, and energy scarce, the Keeper shall be born of two spirits- The Seventh son of #7, and the Purest of Mendigo. The Keeper shall create limitless energy and shall be the key to many worlds. And the Keeper alone can bring Mendwall back to what it once was."

"What does this have to do with magic?"

"Not much, but somebody here wanted you to understand some of our goals, but that's way off topic. By 'ere, magic relies on Shtinzu, and since Mendigo don't really stay in this world alive for very long, it runs out. When we use spells, it takes a ton, and I MEAN a TON of Shtinzu."

"And how is that bad towards you guys?"

"Because if we use too much, we'll all burn up."

"Like a sickness or fever?"

"No, we burn. Like catch fire type burn."

My mouth dropped. "Then, what about me then?"

"Well, that's simple. Most Blubardschnauds have highly sensitive noses that can detect even the faintest of Shtinzu being used."

"What's a Bubart... Blubad... Whatever it is."

"They're a race of strong creatures that can smell the Schtinzu from far away, they are strong, like the hulking armored dude we faced when you first came 'ere."

"That thing?!?!?!" I exclaimed.

"Guys, calm down." I heard Creation from right in front of me, we stopped talking.

"What is it?" I asked.

Silence. Then... CRACK!

"Get down!" was all I heard, and there was a BANG, and the side of a hill blew up, it sending a bunch of rocks our way.

I tried to move, but I didn't know where to hide.

"Kid!" Creation crabbed my arm, pulling me close to him as there was another explosion, and we were encased by a dome of rubble, trapped, and I had no idea as to what to do.

"What the heck just happened?!" I exclaimed to myself aloud.

"Isn't it obvious? We were just trapped," Creation said, "Underneath a dome of rock, to which it doesn't look too stable, so digging our way out of here isn't an option."

"Then what do you suggest then?"

"Creation! Kid! Are you okay?" I heard Trevor's voice call out.

"We're fine for now! Don't stick around, they could still be nearby Gust!" Creation called back.

Trevor was silent for a moment before he replied "Alright, jus' be safe, and protect the Mendigo!"

"Just be careful, and tell Geist to avoid here for a bit, we'll find a way back to base, now go and hurry!"

"What will we do Creation?" I frantically asked him.

"First, you need to calm down. And secondly, we need to observe the structure, see if it'll hold for a while as we figure out how to escape with as little casualties as we can."

"Alright." I took a few deep breaths as a means to calm myself down. I shuffled to my feet, and I crept closer to the wall, and I began to search through the stones.

I had found that it was a tight structure, and it was stable, as long as there wasn't another tremor like that.

"It appears stable," I replied, "But I don't know for how long."

"Then it's obvious what we need to do."

"Which is?"

"We need to-"

"Is there anyone in there?" called out a new voice, this one was filled with authority.

I opened my mouth to speak, but Creation stopped me. "Yeah, who's speaking?"

"This is General Spence of the third deployment, are any of you hurt?"

"As far as I can tell, no."

"Do you need help?"

"I think we're good. The dome seems stable."

"What are you doing Creation?" I asked him.

"You do not want to have us found." he replied quietly.

"Why?"

"Need I remind you that you aren't supposed to be here, and I am a well known member of the Recktors, they'll kill us if we are rescued."

"Are you good?" the general asked us again.

"Yeah, we're fine."

There was a moment of silence, and suddenly the general stated, "Stay right where you are."

"Crap," Creation said, "We were probably made."

"How though? I thought we did well." I asked.

"They probably have a Xceltor with them. They are natural at knowing when someone is hiding something."

"Then that means that one of us has deliberately hidden something from the general."

"By who?"

Creation looked at the wall of rock in which the general's voice came from.

"Creation, what are you hiding from him?"

"The dome is stable, but the ground isn't. We are above a cave network."

"Why didn't you tell me beforehand?"

"Because the general would know for sure as to that we weren't going to be fine without help."

"I see a Recktor!" came a new voice, and Creation's head snapped over to the direction of the voice, and I began to freak out.

"Who else is there?" I turned around frantically, and I only confused myself from my spinning.

"Kid are you okay?" he asked me.

"Yeah, I just got dizzy for a second there."

"Well, this is no time to dawdle, we need to get out of here!"

"Who do you think that they saw just now?"

"It's probably Gust, he didn't leave us alone, dang it!"

"Is that bad?"

"Let's put it this way- If we get caught, you'll be in more trouble than us."

"Why?!"

"Because one, you're with a Recktor, and two, you've violated the interdimensional ban by coming here.

"And I get that okay! I get that I'm not supposed to be here okay? We just need to go I get it!" I took a deep breath, we need to escape, "What do we do?"

"Unless we can somehow dig a tunnel, I have no other ideas."

I brought my hands to my temples, rubbing them gingerly as I forced my brain to think.

"What if we..." I trailed off as my attention was brought to the top of the dome, where tiny bits of rock were falling down. "Creation wa-"

I was cut off by Creation shoving me down below him, as another shock wave was felt, and the top of the dome collapsed above us, and suddenly Creation's back expanded and he lifted his arms. A large silver 'll of material expanded over his arms, and the ground beneath him began to sink.

"Kid are you okay?" he asked me.

"Wait, what about you?" I replied, readjusting my glasses.

"I'm fine." His face was red and he was breathing hard.

"No you're not."

"We don't need this conversation right now."

"What should I do then?"

"Look around I don't know. Look for a way out."

"I feel as though we've been repeating this cycle of dialogue."

"Now is not the time for jokes!"

I stopped talking to him, and I glanced around the area. I need to help him, but how? I only know one spell, and I don't have my Mendigo Power, what could I do?

What could I do? I need to get him somewhere else. Anywhere's fine as long as it's not here.

Another tremor shook me, and Creation fell to a single knee.

"A little help would be nice anytime soon kid!"

"I'm trying, thinking!" I yelled back at him. I need to help him, I need to help him. I need to help him.

Suddenly there was a flash of bright blue light, and I felt a soft warn wind pass from underneath me.

I looked underneath, and I saw that there was a swirling blue hole in the ground, and my hands were glowing with the same aura.

I fell through the hole, and landed ten feet away from the dome as it collapsed, Creation being thrown farther away. The hole shut tightly, and Creation stood to face the General.

"A Recktor! After him Kohn!" he called, and he ran over to Creation, and pulled out a sword.

Creation's hand then pulsed, his flesh enlarging until it to the same shape, and blocked the swing before he threw a punch into the helmet. There was a loud clang, and the general stumbled back.

Trevor flew in soon after, and he rammed himself into the other guy (who I presumed to be Kohn) and he fell backwards.

The general then punched Creation right in his mask, and Creation swung a powerful roundhouse kick at his head, and the general saw his partner. "I'll get you later." was all he said before he picked up his unconscious partner and fled.

I looked over to Creation, who said "I knew you'd do it kid." and he fell to the ground.

I ran over to him, Trevor shouting "Hold on kid!" and I turned him around. I opened my mouth wide when I saw his face.

It was my best friend Ollie under that mask.

And I needed answers now more than ever.