The cold wind rushed past the ears of Maeson as he fell through the open sky. He held his little sister very tight against his chest to keep her warm and safe. He looked up at the giant dark shadow covering the bright sun. It was not a cloud at all. It was a very real living creature. The beast was bigger than any alien ship. Its wide wings stretched across the whole sky and blocked out the morning light. The flying creature looked like a giant dark dragon made of pure night and old magic. It roared very loud.Maeson closed his eyes and prepared for the hard ground approaching fast. He knew his body could not survive such a very high drop. But Ava was right there beside him in the cold air. The red light inside her mind flared bright. She stretched out both of her hands toward the green grass far below them. A thick wave of red heat shot out from her palms. The hot energy hit the ground and pushed back up against the rushing wind. The red magic created a soft cushion of warm air. They

The dark queen stepped back as the huge machine climbed over the steep cliff. The dark blue crystal body shined brightly under the morning sky. The ground shook with every step it took. Maeson stared at the giant face. He remembered building this machine to protect the deep rivers of his ancient city. The loud voice from inside the crystal chest was familiar to him. It was an old friend he thought he lost a very long time ago. The chest plates slowly opened wide. A ramp made of pure light extended down to the hot ground right near them."Get inside quickly," the loud voice boomed again. Maeson did not hesitate at all. He grabbed his young sister and ran toward the glowing ramp. His brave wife followed right behind him. She called her light wolves to jump onto the bright path. Ava was the last one to move. Her human mind was still weak from the scary fight. The thick gray fog rushed forward to grab her ankles. The dark queen screamed in pure anger. The fog turned into sharp claws. Maes

Maeson stood very still in the quiet stone street. The tall shadow stepped out of the dark building. The bright light of the underwater city shined on the face of the stranger. It was a man, but his eyes burned with a harsh red fire. The red light looked exactly like the dangerous protocol hiding inside the mind of Ava. The stranger wore a white uniform, but it was torn and dirty. He held a heavy black spear in his hands. He did not look friendly at all. Kael pushed Maeson back. Kael raised his big hands to fight."Do not hurt him," Ava yelled loud. She ran forward and stood between Kael and the corrupted guard. Her own eyes began to flash with a very soft red light. "The protocol virus infected this city too. The dark energy traveled through the water." The red eyed guard looked at Ava. He lowered his heavy black spear just a tiny bit. He tilted his head like a curious dog. He recognized the red energy inside her mind. He spoke in a voice that sounded like grinding metal. "The crimso

Maeson stared at the man in the dark suit. The face looking back at him was his own. The eyes were the same deep brown. The jaw was the same sharp shape. The clone stood tall and cool. He checked his polished fingernails with a bored look. He did not seem worried at all. Maeson gripped his blue sword. The light from his wrist felt cold. He felt a deep shiver run down his spine. The clone was a perfect copy of his physical form. He even held his head in the same way. The room was silent."Who are you?" Maeson asked. His voice sounded thick. "What is this trick?"The clone laughed a soft, dry sound. "I am the original version," the man said. "You are just a copy made from broken data. You were born from a lab tube. I was born from flesh and bone. I have the true memories of the architect. You just have the bits and pieces that the system decided to keep."Maeson did not believe the words. He looked at his wife. She held her white spear with shaking hands. She looked at the clone and the

Maeson stared at the shiny key in the hand of the stranger. He did not reach for it. The man in the dark suit stood very still. His face was calm and he smiled a very polite smile. The dark eyes of the man hid a deep secret. Maeson looked past the man. He looked at his frozen sister. He looked at his frozen wife. They were still trapped in time. The water around them was gone. The dome was quiet and cold."Who are you?" Maeson asked in a rough voice. He felt a sharp pain in his chest. His magic was very weak right now. The blue light on his wrist did not glow at all."I am the game master," the man replied. "You broke the reset machine. You stopped the end of the world. But you did not save your friends. They are stuck in the pause. Only the metal key can start their time again."Maeson stood up on his tired legs. He looked at the key. It was shaped like a small bird."What is the catch?" Maeson asked. He knew men in dark suits never gave free gifts."The catch is very simple," the ga