Darkness Begins To Fall
by Richard B. Sampson

It had been almost two days since Vet told me everything about the attack. I knew that eventually I would have to believe in the horsemen. Even Joel had said they would arrive someday. He had even told me that when Isis had died. I wish I would have listened to him more. I couldn't believe it when he was found dead, by his own hand. It was around then I decided there was only one place to get answers, and that was from Rotat. From my calculations, this was when the probes I had launched would reach the Dimentional Hub. I had also called for my most trusted friends to help in this. I wasn't sure what questions to ask. When I saw the doors open, I just said, "THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING." I couldn't believe the emotion I was feeling.

I saw Vet enter and say, "Radr, we all have a feeling what this is about. You want to find a way to destroy the horsemen." She had gotten to the point. She was the only of my original friends still alive. Rich was dead, killed by Sepheroth and his followers, and Skiz was killed by KLar.

I then noticed that Li had sat down and said, "We all know what troubles are out there. And Vet has found a way to wound the one horseman." I also noticed that Max, JaNa, and Hope were with her.

I looked in their direction and said, "I KNOW. IN FACT, THAT WAS GOING TO BE PART OF THIS. BUT FIRST, I NEED YOU ALL TO HELP ME IN SPEAKING WITH ROTAT. HE IS NOW THE ONLY BEING THAT I KNOW OF THAT HAS INSIGHT TO THE FUTURE." If it was possible, I probably would have cried.

I then heard Max say, "You are still taking Joel's death very hard, Radr. I don't know why he killed himself, but he must have seen something that truely scared him. Maybe something he didn't want to accept as possible."

I was surprised when another voice said, "That he did, young Max. It is good to see that you have returned to your loved ones." I turned on a monitor and saw that Rotat was looking at one of the probes. He then said, "You all must have questions, and the time you have to ask them is growing short."

That statement alone changed my first question, "ROTAT, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?" It had me worried. Was everyone to die in a few hours. Was there nothing we could do.

Rotat smiled and said, "You aren't going to die today. It is just in a short while, the Dimentional Hub will no longer be accessable to you. It has become to risky to leave the hub open here."

I heard Vet say, "You mean that you won't help us." I even had to admit that it was very disturbing.

He shook his head and said, "No, I can give you some help. You must know that what I say means alot, but I will never give a full meaning." It was his way. Max had told me about that.

I then heard Li ask, "Rotat, where did these horsemen come from?" It was an important question to everyone.

Rotat just looked at us and said, "They had existed long before they existed. They were the four fiends. When Isis died, they exploded and became the four horsemen. Their destructive powers are magnified many times now, and they will usher in the final days if not stopped in time."

I was thinking about Joel when he said that. Had Joel seen that no matter what we did, we would fail? I then heard Max ask, "What about my sister? Will we be able to free her if we succeed?" It was a big concern for Max and Li. Lena was the only other person left of his family that was unaccounted for.

Rotat just looked in his direction and said, "All I can tell you is that her role in the future is the most important role. She is both the beginning and the end. The Alpha and the Omega."

It was at that moment that JaNa said, "You mean to say that Lena is going to be something important when she's free, or when she's still a Crystoid?"

I noticed the look on Rotat's face. I could tell he wasn't going to tell us. I then said, "ROTAT, CAN YOU TELL US HOW WE CAN DEFEAT THESE HORSEMEN? THERE MUST BE SOME WAY THEY CAN BE DESTORIED?" The whole idea of these horseman being unstoppable unnerved me.

Rotat just said, "In order to defeat them, you must find what totally opposes them. Once you find that, you can use it to destroy them. I believe Vet found the way to oppose the horseman of Pestilence." I focused my attention on Vet.

She just looked at all of us and said, "All I did was cast a cure spell. If cure can defeat pestilence, what defeats the others?"

I heard Hope say, "Well, Calm would defeat war, and Life would destroy Death. All we need is to find a spell to counter Famine."

I then header JaNa say, "I remember reading once about a spell that fills. I can't remember the way to invoke it, but it fills the target object."

I then heard Rotat say, "Very wise, child. However, you must defeat the horsemen before all the gems are assembled, and the power source is merged. That is your only hope of being successful."

I then noticed that Rotat was heading for the door. I quickly said, "ROTAT, WHICH OF THE FOUR HORSEMEN WOULD BE SIMPLEST TO DEFEAT?" It was an honest question. I didn't have to fear any of them, except for maybe War.

Rotat just smiled and said, "Famine is the first you should go after. I recommend that you find the counter spell. Just remember, I know there is more that one way to defeat Famine." I was half puzzled by his remarks and watched as he dismissed the probe I had sent up with the closing of the door.

When that happend, the hub was gone. I focused on all those at the meeting and said, "ALL RIGHT EVERYONE, WE HAVE TO PREPARE. VET, JANA, HOPE, HUNT DOWN THAT SPELL. WE KNOW CURE WORKS ON PLAGUE, SO FIND OUT WHAT THE MOST POWERFUL CURE IS. MAX, CHECK THE SURVALENCE OF THE OUTSIDE. MAYBE WE CAN FIND A KINK IN THEIR ARMOR. LI, CHECK THE LOGS OF WHAT HAPPENED IN THE OTHER AREA. FIND OUT WHICH HORSEMAN ENTERED THE OTHER AREA." With their orders, everyone went to their appointed tasks. I just hoped that the search for the spell would not need to go outside the base.

I waited patiently, but I then saw Jack enter the room. In his hand he held a note. He looked at me and said, "Radr, I found this note in one of the books we have. It says `To Radr, From Joel.'"

I was stunned. Maybe it was an answer to why he died. I had Jack open it, only to reveal a data disk. I looked at him and said, "JACK, PUT THE DISK IN MY DISK DRIVE, AND GO HELP HOPE. SHE SHOULD BE IN THE LIBRARY." When he had done so, he left, and I started the disk.

After a few seconds, I heard Joel's voice. "Radr, I know that if you are listening to this, someone found my gift for you. You are probably wondering why I took my own life. I know that in the days ahead, many will die. I decided to wait for them with Rich. The only thing I must say is that I foresaw something devistating. I don't know what it was, but I swear I saw the beginning of Sherp, the fabled last day. I hope that I'm wrong, but if I'm not, I rather be resting in peace than in eternal torment. Take care, my friend." His words scared me. Were we doomed to destruction?

To be continued...

Tomes of Forbidden Magic