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Crystal Guardian

Arc 3: Perversion of the Light

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Chapter 30: The Path Home

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It had been 25 months since the attack on Crystalorb, and 18 months since the Hodian High Council handed themselves over, 24 months of searching for the Spirit Stone, but still no sign of the whereabouts of the Spirit Stone. For all intensive purposes life had returned to normal, and the people of Crystalorb were once again rediscovering the simple joys that life offered with relative security.

The threat from the HOD had diminished and the hope of prosperity was returning to Crystalorb. However the new found peace between the HOD and Crystalorb could not halt the rising tensions between major global powers. The worlds major alliances were in a global arms race fuelled by the emergence of Crystalorb and Hodian technology. The war between the HOD and Crystalorb had spilled over into the world, and the damage could not be undone.

The US military was hard at work trying to reverse engineer the technology of the Manacle of Destiny from the Manacles they received from Lerumo. They were looking to duplicate the flight capabilities of the Manacle, flight capabilities that had their origins in Crystalorb technology. The Crystalorb Research Division were confident that the US would not be able to reproduce the Manacle of Destiny, but the Crystalorb Research Division calculated that the US would eventually be able to duplicate the Repulsive Electromagnetic Radiation energy propulsion system also known as Spatial Compression Technology or Spatial Warping Technology.

The Repulsive Electromagnetic Radiation energy was at the heart of Crystalorb technology, and the Crystalorb Research Division was concerned about the prospect of this technology falling in the wrong hands. The HOD had stolen and duplicated the Repulsive Electromagnetic Radiation energy technology, but it was not as efficient as Crystalorb technology, and they could only manage maximum flight speeds of Mach 3.2

The Crystalorb Research Division knew that the US would need to develop an adequate power source before they could develop airborne warships. However the Crystalorb Research Division recognized that it was only a matter of time before the US is equipped with a fleet of airborne warships that are armed with Hodian made plasma Cannons and field shields. The Crystalorb Research Division calculated that the US was some 30-60 years away from the development of airborne warships.

The Crystalorb General Council concluded that there was a need to develop an ArmsCorp Airship along the line of the ArmsCorp Cruiser. The main Idea was to develop the airborne warships in a similar way to the process that led to the production of the ArmsCorp Cruiser. The projected timeline was 15 years to produce a prototype using high strength composite materials with Crystalorb materials only used for Crystal Based Batteries, Crystal based Energy Weapon Systems, Energy Field Shields and Repulsive Electromagnetic Radiation energy Propulsion Systems.

The Crystalorb Research Division projected unit costs of the ArmsCorp airborne Cruiser was estimated at R40 Billion 〘$7.55 Billion〙 and this was less than the projected cost of the US estimated R50.35 Billion 〘$9.5 Billion〙. The primary motivation for Ralefa Holdings and Crystal Valley Industries was undoubtedly the profit, but the Crystal Valley Industries was insistent that the ArmsCorp airborne Cruiser would only be available to the ADA countries and their allies that had a democratic system of governance.

Both types of airborne warships would have several variants, but the projected price was determined for the most expensive. The Crystalorb General Council and the Government of the South African Federation of City States signed an agreement to exclude non-Democratic countries from any further access to South African and ArmsCorp weapon systems. This meant that China, Vietnam, and other members of the Asian Defence Consortium would no longer have access to the South African weapons Technology.

Ralefa Holdings and Crystal Valley Industries understood that the raging global arms race offered great profit opportunities, and they positioned themselves for maximum benefits. Ralefa Holdings had plans to assist the Asian Defence Consortium, the Northern Alliance and the Islamic Alliance with the development of their own airborne warships by supplying them with Hodian made plasma Cannons, Repulsive Electromagnetic Radiation energy Propulsion System and field shields.

Over the previous 20 years Ralefa Holdings and Crystal Valley Industries had become the two largest privately held corporations in the world. Their estimate value could only be measured by their revenue, and that was on par with the top 10 largest listed corporations. Both corporations were owned by trusts with Thousands of members, and this helped to keep the wealth of the Hodians and Crystalans secret from the general population.

The South African Government welcomed the peace between Crystalorb and the HOD. This meant that Ralefa Holdings could once again openly participate in the South African economy, bringing with them their considerable resources. The global head office of Ralefa Holdings was in New York, but following the peace Ralefa Holdings opened a new regional office in Crystal Valley City because of its proximity to the location of the Hodian High Council.

From a revenue perspective Ralefa Holdings was about 10% larger than Crystal Valley Industries, and with its vast agricultural enterprises Ralefa Holdings was a massive global player, but Crystal Valley Industries had traditionally focused on the market sectors where it was an industry leader. Crystal Valley Industries was steadily making inroads into the agricultural sector using their Crystalorb developed hydroponics technology.

Incidentally the new regional offices of Ralefa Holdings were just down the street of Crystal Valley Industries global head office. The stage was set for a new kind of rivalry between the HOD and Crystalorb, but this time there would be no need for violence, and the competition would only be Isolated to financial matters. There was no love loss between Crystalans and Hodians, and the relationship would always have some elements of animosity, but their leadership would guard against violent tendencies.

For the foreseeable future Crystalorb would view the HOD with a level of suspicion and the Hodians would respond in kind, but coexistence was the order of the day, and the true beneficiaries would be the Hybrids. The poor Hybrids had been trapped between the feuding powers, and for the first time they could plot their own path without the HOD or Crystalorb trying to dictate the terms.

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It had been more than two and a half years since the attack on Crystalorb, two and a half years since the Indigo took Naole to the stratosphere, two and a half years without a word on Naole's fate. Even Casara began to think that Naole was dead, and his Children had almost forgotten him, they went about their lives like all other Crystalans. Canala had become a young woman, and after taking her Vows of Honour she was now fully integrated into the Expeditionary Division.

Casara had trained Canala and Nasara side by side and they were now very capable warriors, and because Canala was older than Nasara once she completed her preliminary Vanguard training she formally became an Expeditionary Vanguard. It was clear to everyone that Canala had the talent; a natural warrior instinct. Canala chose the Expeditionary Recognisance because she wanted to earn the respect of the other Expeditionary Vanguards by serving at the front line of the Crystalorb Forces.

Nasara on the other hand had not yet taken her Vows of Honour, and was still shadowing her mother Casara. Nasara still had 3 months to go until she could take her Vows of Honour, but it was clear to everyone that Nasara was a legend in the making, she had been born with an indomitable warrior spirit. Despite the relative peace, the Crystalorb forces trained even harder, they would never again be caught unprepared.

Crystalorb's 12 sectors periodically conducted security drills in which attack simulations were conducted to test the preparedness of the sectors to defend against attack. During one of Crystalorb's night time security drills the rebuilt Crystalorb Command Centre received an urgent Communiqué that required Guardian Commander Authorisation. Many at the Crystalorb Command Centre wondered what kind of Communications Channel would require Guardian Commander Authorisation.

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Commander Aman was slightly annoyed at being called back from outside Crystalorb where he had been observing the simulation, and as he entered the Crystalorb Command Centre Nasan the acting deputy Guardian Commander could sense Aman's mood

Aman : " Why can't you deal with it?"

Nasan : " The system doesn't officially recognize my Armour's key as that of the deputy Guardian Commander"

Aman : " We have to do something about that? Mine still says I'm the deputy Guardian Commander"

Nasan : " Either we find the Spirit Stone or we change the system!"

Commander Aman authorises the Communiqué and opens the Communications Channel

Naole : " Crystalorb this is the Indigo; Requesting permission to enter Crystalorb air space!"

Nasan : " What?"

Aman : " Is this a joke?"

Naole : " I repeat! Crystalorb this is the Indigo; Requesting permission to enter Crystalorb air space!"

Aman : " Who is this?"

Deputy Commander Nasan checks on the system

Nasan : " Voice analysis confirms that it's Naole! Communications Signal check confirms that it's the Indigo!"

Naole : " Crystalorb?"

Aman : " This is Commander Aman! Your entry has been authorised! Take heading 240; I'm sending two Sector 8 Vanguards to guide you in!"

Naole : " Will do Commander! Indigo out!"

The Communications Channel between Crystalorb and the Indigo is then closed

Nasan : " What do we do now?"

Aman : " I will inform Lord Cyris and the Crystalorb General Council; You inform Casara!"

Nasan : " On your Command!"

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Fortunately Casara was in Crystalorb when she received the message of Naole's return, and she took all the family to meet him. Lord Cyris and the entire Crystalorb General Council went outside to meet the man who almost sacrificed himself to save Crystalorb. Canala was not there to receive her father but the twins Ralen and Raole were there with Casara, Kato, Nasara and Casara's 6 year old son Kalen.

Everyone was surprised at how large the Indigo had become; it was almost as large as the Intrepid and the Leba. When the doors opened Naole was lowered to the ground by an energy field to an awaiting crowd. As Naole's feet touched the ground Ralen and Raole rushed to greet him, and as they jumped on him all three fell to the ground

Naole : " Hold on there boys, your old Dad isn't as strong as he used to be."

Ralen : " You’re not Old."

Raole : " You haven't changed a bit."

Naole : " And How've you been?"

Ralen : " We've been training with Aunt Casara."

Raole : " On her ship."

Ralen : " She's the captain of the Intrepid you know?"

Raole : " Yeah! We've been travelling the world searching for the Spirit Stone."

Naole : " I'm sorry I've been away for so long."

Raole : " They said you were Dead, but then they said you came back to life."

Ralen : " Good to have you back Father."

Naole : " Good to be back."

Raole : " What was it like being Dead?"

Ralen : " We missed you Dad!"

Naole : " I've missed you boys." Naole hugs the twins "I love you guys very much."

The other people continued to stand aside in order to allow Naole a brief moment to catch up with his sons.

The boys had a lot of questions for their father, and they also gave Naole a brief description of the events that occurred in the couple of years his been away.

As Naole approached the group that had been waiting for him Casara stepped forward and hugged her brother.

Casara : " I was afraid I wouldn't get to hug you again little brother. I've missed you Naole."

Naole : " I've missed you Casara."

After a few moments Lord Cyris and Chancellor Kasun Lesedi 〘The speaker of the Crystalorb General Council〙 step forward to greet Naole

Cyris : " You had us all worried."

Kasun : " Good to see you again Naole."

Naole : " Good to be seen my Lord."

Cyris : " How've you been son?"

Naole : " I've only been awake for 5 hours."

Kasun : " You've been unconscious all this time?"

Naole : " I can't quite explain what's happened to me. But my body feels different."

Cyris : " Different how?"

Naole : " I don't know yet. But I just don't feel like my old self."

Kasun : " Then you must go to the Crystalorb Medical Centre and have our doctors have a look at you."

Naole : " I will."

Cyris : " A lot has changed since you've been gone."

Naole : " I've heard."

Kasun : " We made peace with the HOD."

Cyris : " Thanks to Casara."

Naole : " My boys think the world of their aunt." after a brief pause "Peace; I never thought it possible."

Kasun : " Neither did I; Yet somehow it has Happened."

Cyris : " And the world’s better off for it."

Naole : " Indeed!"

Cyris : " What happened to your ship? It’s much larger than it used to be!"

Naole : " While I was in my deep sleep the Indigo collected minerals from underwater seabed Volcanoes and combined with Electromagnetic Radiation on the blue spectrum the Indigo was able to grow using me as an energy modulator."

Kasun : " But who gave the ship the orders if you were asleep?"

Naole : " I think I did; My connection to indigo has gone beyond anything I thought possible."

Cyris : " Your connection?"

Naole : " The Indigo isn't like the other Crystalorb Ships. The Artificial Intelligence Organism at the heart of the Ship is a living Organism which I named Indigo, and when I built it I modelled it on my brain, but because of the fact that the Artificial Intelligence Organism was built from my own Brain cells and Chest Crystal it grew beyond the original design purpose. The first thing that happened was that I was able to make a direct connection to the Indigo through my Chest Crystal. Over time the Indigo began to share my consciousness, and as you can imagine the potential is limitless. Now I can't seem to separate myself from the Indigo, and it may be that we are permanently fused."

Cyris : " Amazing!"

Naole : " That it is!"

Kasun : " On behalf of the Crystalorb General Council and by extension all Crystalans I formally welcome you back to Crystalorb without any reservation. The Crystalorb General Council has declared that your actions during the attack on Crystalorb have proved your allegiance to Crystalorb. Therefore by special order of the Crystalorb General Council we repeal your expulsion and end your exile from Crystalorb!" Chancellor Kasun raises his hands "Welcome Home Naole Olen."

Naole : " Thank you Chancellor Kasun, Lord Cyris; And my thanks to the people of Crystalorb."

Cyris : " We thank you for your service during our greatest hour of need."

Naole then shook the hands of many of those who had come to meet him, and then he was taken to the Crystalorb Medical Centre for a medical assessment.

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Dr Nadu was one of the few Crystalorb doctors to treat Nalen, and as such he had some knowledge of Naole's biochemistry. Naole's daughter Canala was made aware that her natural father had returned, but since she was on a surveillance operation she could not be released from her duties in order for her to return to Crystalorb.

The Medical examination of Naole continued for hours, and because of the complexities involved other doctors were called in to help with Naole's assessment. Naole was then released from the Crystalorb Medical Centre while the doctors reviewed the information and determined a prognosis. When Naole was released he took a tour of Crystalorb and surveyed the repair work that was almost complete.

Many Crystalans were happy to have Naole back amongst them, and they were wondering where he had been, but many were wondering how he came back from the dead. After his tour of Crystalorb Naole went to Casara's home to spend time with his family. Canala had been given an apartment with enough room to accommodate a large family, but the twins Ralen and Raole were in the custody of Casara even though they spent large amounts of time with their sister Canala.

The next morning Naole held a meeting with Tumi Ralefa the CEO of the Crystal Valley Industries and the Deputy Mobile Assets Defence Guardian. Naole had previously formed the Naole Olen Trust which owned 10% of Crystal Valley Industries and 100% Olen Industries. The meeting involved talks about the sale of the assets of Olen Industries to Crystal Valley Industries leaving the Naole Olen Trust with just 10% of Crystal Valley Industries.

Naole Agreed and thereby Olen Industries was dissolved and its asset and staff transferred to Crystal Valley Industries for total sum of $12.6 Billion. Naole did not mind losing his company, and the reason he agreed to this is because he did not want to be in direct competition with Crystal Valley Investment Bank which is a division of Crystal Valley Industries. Naole then took the $12.6 Billion and invested it with Crystal Valley Investment Bank. The dividends the Naole Olen Trust received from the 10% ownership of Crystal Valley Industries gave Naole more than enough resources to support his lifestyle.

Naole had become accustomed to an opulent lifestyle that is uncharacteristic of Crystalans, and the costs of running his lifestyle were enormous. The airship Indigo alone had an annual running cost of R200 million in; electricity, rare minerals, maintenance and other requirements. After the meetings with the executives of Crystal Valley Industries Naole briefly went to his home in Crystal Valley City and then returned to hear the results of his medical examination.

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When Naole arrived back at the Crystalorb Medical Centre he found that his twin sons, Kato, Casara, Lord Cyris, Enala and Canala were waiting for him. Canala had just returned from her deployment after completing her mission. As Naole walks in Canala embraces him and they talk and catch up while they wait for the doctor to arrive, and when Dr Nadu entered the room everyone stood up to hear what he had to say

Dr Nadu 〘MD〙 : " Sorry to keep you waiting. My lord; I didn't mean to keep you waiting."

Cyris : " It's quite all right Doctor! I'm sure it could not be helped."

Naole : " How does it look?"

Dr Nadu 〘MD〙 : " After a thorough review by our Medical panel we've reached the following conclusions."

Naole : " Yes?"

Dr Nadu 〘MD〙 : " The First thing we noticed is that you have a Crystal protrusion at the top of your head."

Naole : " What? I thought that was just scar tissue from my injuries."

Dr Nadu 〘MD〙 : " Its not; The Crystal protrusion at the top of your head is identical in its make up to the Communications Crystal on the helmets of Guardian Crystal Armour, and furthermore it links directly into your brain."

Naole : " That's not possible!" Naole sits down "How?"

Dr Nadu 〘MD〙 : " This forced us to examine your brain, and what we found confounded even the best of us; It defies logic. We think that when you collapsed during the battle with Lerumo your brain tissue began to die, and in response your mutated Blue Crystals rebuilt the neural pathways with the aid of an external template."

Naole : " Indigo!"

Dr Nadu 〘MD〙 : " From the information we've gathered about your relationship with that Artificial Intelligence Organism we concluded that Indigo was the most likely source. Since it could not rebuild the parts of your brain to the way they were it duplicated itself in your head. I'm sure you've noticed that your computational abilities have increased exponentially."

Naole : " Am I still human? I mean; am I man or machine?"

Dr Nadu 〘MD〙 : " The technical description for what you've become is Cyborg, but then again many Crystalans are far from being normal human beings" jokingly "What has happened to you is irreversible, and to some extent has been a part of you since Nalen altered your Biochemistry. You could say that it was always your fate."

Naole : " Will it get worse? Will I loose my ability to feel?"

Dr Nadu 〘MD〙 : " You have always seen your condition as a curse while everyone else sees it as a gift." after a brief pause "I suppose it's different when you are the object of focus. We don't know how far this development will extend, but we do know that its method seems to be to enhance and not replace. You may possess the ability to reformat all the Crystals in your body to incorporate technological and Evolutionary progress. For all intensive purposes you are becoming a better you."

Naole : " So it's not all bad?"

Dr Nadu 〘MD〙 : " I won't lie to you; there are some concerns about your ability to live a normal Crystalan life. The main problem is your weight."

Naole : " My weight? There's nothing wrong with my weight."

Dr Nadu 〘MD〙 : " You look normal, but there is nothing normal about your weight. You weigh a ton Naole. We have measured your weight at 1008 kg."

Cyris : " What?"

Casara : " How is that even possible?"

Naole : " But I don't feel that heavy?"

Dr Nadu 〘MD〙 : " That's because your body has somehow compensated for the increased weight. Your Blue Crystal is denser and Heavier than other Crystals, and all your bones have been transformed to Blue Crystals, your muscles and other tissue have 10 times the normal Crystal component. Your eyes are almost entirely Crystal; probably capable of full spectrum vision. All this accounts for the increased weight. We think that perhaps for a brief moment your Chest Crystal may have assumed you dead and began the absorption process, and that usually starts with the bones, but when you came back to life the bones had been changed and so your body repaired them with the Blue Crystals. We can't really know what happened, but our analysis indicates that the changes that were made by Nalen are probably the only reason you are still alive. Which brings us to the next point?"

Naole : " There's more?"

Dr Nadu 〘MD〙 : " Because so much of you is Blue Crystals, and by that I mean bones, organs, nerves and even blood we don't think you will age like other Crystalans. Not even Casara. We live to be 150 years these days, and Casara is expected to live to be a little over 200 years old. You all know that the Chest Crystal does not die as long as it receives energy, and in the body that energy comes mainly from the skin and food. Our skins absorb 80% of the energy we need for the Chest Crystals, and here in Crystalorb that energy is supplied by the Illuminating Crystals." the doctor points up "This is something that was first discovered by Nalen. Because the Chest Crystals does not Die, but grows denser and more powerful, and so much of Naole is Crystals we don't know how he will age. The aging process is governed by the copying mistakes during cellular replacement in tissue. In Naole however we've noticed continuous improvement and not replacement or regeneration, and the responsive nature of his blue Crystals make it difficult to determine how he ages, or if at all?"

Cyris : " By the Source!"

Naole : " What are you saying doctor?"

Casara : " I think he's saying that you’re Immortal."

Dr Nadu 〘MD〙 : " Immortal? Not exactly. But all indications are that you may never age. You will in all likelihood not be able to have more children, and this is because of the extreme energy contained in every cell of your body, including your sperm. No egg would be able to withstand such power. Like all Crystalans the older you get the heavier you’ll become, and your weight could reach 5000 kg in a Hundred years. From what we've learned from your body we will be able to focus our Medical research into this particular field, and with time we will be able to extend all human life by hundreds of years. Don't worry Naole; In the end everyone won't age. You won't be alone forever. It may take us hundreds of years to develop the Medical technology, but every step forward will save millions of lives."

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As they walked out on the Crystalorb Medical Centre Naole did his best to put up a brave front, but nothing could hide the utter despair he felt deep in his core. Naole's shock was only eclipsed by that of his companions, and they knew that this was the dawn of new age; the age of the immortals. If Dr Nadu and his team were right their research would change human kind forever.

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As Casara and the others continue to talk they were approached by Lord Tumo and Lord Nato of the Hand of Destiny, and Lord Nato was eager to talk to the Crystalorb Leadership

Nato : " May I have a word Lord Cyris?"

Cyris : " Of course; But first." Lord Cyris begins to introduce Naole to Lord Nato "Naole this is Lord Nato, Viceroy of the Hand of Destiny. And Lord Nato this is Dr Naole Olen PhD."

Nato : " Nalen's Son?" taking Naole's hand "Pleased to finally meet you."

Naole : " Likewise"

Cyris : " What can I do for you Lord Nato?"

Nato : " I request an opportunity to speak to Crystalorb Leadership about a matter of critical importance"

Cyris : " The Crystalorb General Council is in session as we speak, Let’s go see them."

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When Lord Cyris arrived at the Chambers Crystalorb General Council he made a special request to allow Lord Nato to address the Council on an urgent basis. The speaker of the Crystalorb General Council agreed to allow the Council to hear from Lord Nato.

Then Lord Nato steps on the podium and addresses the Crystalorb General Council.

Nato : " I Thank you all for this unprecedented opportunity. I believe that there might be a way for you to recover your Spirit Stone. There is an ancient ritual that has been passed from generation to generation of HOD, but the origin of the ritual is what is of critical importance to you. As the eldest son the ritual was passed to Ralefa by his father Kanao. The ritual has been used by the HOD in the past during the time of Ralefa and I'm sure it could work for you, but the ritual has not been attempted since Ralefa’s passing. The ritual speaks about the requirements to summon the spirits of the dead to the land of the living. Most of the HOD did not see the need to speak to the dead directly, they preferred to use divination. To cause the physical manifestation of the dead you need the power of nine powerful spirits; In a strange way it correlates with the fact that you had 9 members of the Council of Elders and the Spirit Stone contains the spirits of the dead. The 9 powerful spirits focus their minds and energies in the remembrance of those close to them that had passed. Their combined energy will give the dead enough energy to manifest in the land of the living. One of the reasons the HOD don't practice this ritual is because the ritual can be dangerous if the energy is insufficient."

Lord Kasun Rises to ask a question

Kasun : " You want us to risk 9 Crystalans to attempt a ritual no one has tried in over a hundred years?"

Cyris : " By summoning the dead who are also part of the Spirit Stone we would in actual fact be summoning the Spirit Stone, at the very least they would be able to give us the precise location of the Spirit Stone."

Nato : " The way I understand it the power of the Stone is not infinite. The longer it stays underwater the more energy it loses, and we don't know how long the containment field will last, it could be hundreds of years. This may be the last hope. And as for the risk, your Guardians are more powerful than any of those who performed the ritual in the past."

Kasun : " We only have 7 Guardian Armoured personnel; Seven Guardians! There isn't enough to perform this ritual of yours!"

Cyris : " Technically speaking there are 9 Guardian Armoured people currently in Crystalorb."

Kasun : " 9? Where did you get the other 2?"

Cyris : " I'm Guardian Armoured. And Naole is also Guardian Armoured."

Nato : " Naole's return is what gave me the Idea of the ritual, I knew that he would be the ninth powerful spirit, but I didn't know he was still Guardian Armoured. Our reports say that his Guardian Crystal Armour was returned to the Stone."

Kasun : " Naole? Didn't you strip him of his Guardian Armour?"

Cyris : " We did; But we never destroyed his Guardian Armour, we just locked it away. Its an insurance."

Kasun : " Then you have your nine."

Cyris : " Let’s put the matter to a vote for approval"

Kasun : " Ok!"

The Crystalorb General Council votes to authorise the ritual and Lord Cyris informs the other Guardian Armoured Crystalans about the ritual and they decide to meet the next day at the top of the pyramid where the Spirit Stone used to be.

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That night Naole returned to his ship where he recharged his energies for the task ahead. The indigo flew to high altitude were the sun's blue radiation was most potent and absorbed energy.

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