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Description
"The Birth of the Elements"
By: Jade Lightning, a.k.a. Inuyashas-hanyougirl
Part Two: "The Path to Set Things Right"

   Four years passed, and Arandor finally awoke in the castle chapel of Radiant Castle.  Before he was merely his spirit, but now he was in his body once more, appearing again as Arandor of Light, son of Kalak; he was a hedgehog again, no longer an echidna as he had been for so long.  He sat up in the Restoration Capsule, and flexed his fingers, trying to get the feeling back to his limbs, and he saw Shadow sleeping on a bench nearby, his face wracked with grief.  Unsure of how much time was passed, Arandor stood up, walked shakily to Shadow, and shook him awake.

   Shadow’s eyes opened slowly, and once they did fully, an overwhelming sensation of joy could be seen in his eyes.  He threw his arms around his friend and hugged him tightly.  He spoke in the Light Language, and said, “Oh Arandor, brother in love and soul!  You have long slept, and finally you’ve awakened, I’ve worried for you longer than you know.”

   Arandor slowly returned Shadow’s embrace, and replied, “Dear Shadow, I—how long, have I slumbered?  It can’t have been very long, nor very brief, but I desire to know what has transpired since the night I flew with the Elderstars.”

   To this, Shadow slowly pulled out of their hug, and frowned mournfully.  In an almost weepy voice, he whispered, “You speak rightly, for you slept for four years my brother; much has transpired. I kept watch over your…your children, and they are growing strong and right, yet you know that they cannot beat back the darkness on strength alone my brother, and that is all you left in their blood.”

   His eyes widened, and Arandor shook his head, holding his forehead in pain and said, “Look, I must speak with my father…I’ve done him a terrible dishonor, and for that I deserve nothing but exile into darkness, but please, I need to speak with him Shadow my brother, now and quickly.”

   Shadow merely nodded, before running off towards Kalak’s chambers, with Arandor fast on his track.  Finally, the Elderstars opened the doors to Kalak’s chambers, and he turned expecting to see Shadow, but froze, as he saw Arandor standing before him.  Arandor fell on his hands and knees, weeping, not wanting to look his father in the eyes, which before was no trouble, as he did not weep before his life as Kashoku either.

   But Kalak ran to his son, scooping him up in his arms and holding him tightly.  As Arandor wept, much like he did when he was an infant, (that being the only time he wept before), Kalak rocked him slowly and said, “My beloved son, do not weep, for I hold no anger to you; you are right with me and the Light once more…except there is a problem.”  He paused, unsure of how to continue and said, “My son…you—you are no longer the Pure Light…you are merely…”

   “The Light Elemental, as Shadow is the Dark Elemental, with an imperfect heart.  Truly my acts have corrupted me, and now the job I once held is passed to my children…that’s what you’re saying father, and this I understand,” Arandor said standing up on his own.

   Kalak nodded slowly as Shadow walked up and stood next to Arandor.  Kalak said, “Then you must know the problem Arandor, for you only passed half of the power of the Pure Light to your children, and that is the strength.  They do not have a Pure Heart anywhere among them to make up for this discrepancy.  We must find a suitable line, one who will someday have a child of the purest of heart, able to wield the power and goodness of the Light, which when backed by the Strength of the Light, shall prevail over all.  This is quite a predicament…I used a large part of my power just to give you another body, we must find a solution…for Mukot will not lay quiet forever, and someday there must be Pure Light to stop him, which in this case will come in the form of a husband and wife, one wielding the strength, perhaps the husband, and the wife wielding the Light.”

   The conversation went on for awhile, and all that they knew was unless some maiden of the purest of heart just happened to be around when the wielder of strength, now called The Son of Strength, needed her upon Mukot’s attack, the world was in grave danger and on a path of inevitable doom.  So Arandor, now merely the Light Elemental, went back to Eries, now being called Mobius by the planet’s inhabitants.

   As he walked, he dared not approach the echidna village, and that was for several reasons, but for now he just kept walking, and finally found himself at the stream where he beheld the beauty of Hakumei.  He immediately thought of her, remembering the first time he saw her, and he was happy.  As he bent over to get a drink, two hedgehog warriors came upon him, pointing their spears right at his throat.  He cried out to them in their native tongue, and pleaded for mercy, and this was granted to him, if only for awhile.

   He was taken back to the hedgehog village as a criminal, put in chains, and brought to judgement before the village leader.  The leader tended to be harsh, and many of his own followers disliked him.  He had a son, who also was harsh and cruel, and they both made fun of Arandor.  Before it got violent, Hakumei, who was one of the leader’s servants, and his favorite at that, ran up to Arandor and put herself between him and the leader.  She pleaded that he spare Arandor, and use him as another warrior, and thus Arandor was spared, the responsibility of watching him falling on Hakumei.

   Late that night, Arandor asked, “Why did you save me?  Surely you would not put yourself under the risk of your master’s wrath over nothing, especially not for someone as lowly as myself.  Speak lady, what were your motives?” He could not help but gaze at Hakumei as she washed the few dishes she owned, finding that as his body was repaired, so was his heart, and a deep affection for her began to pour out from his heart.

   Hakumei looked to Arandor and smiled; he noticed she was dressed in tatty clothing, though she was lucky, for the remainder of the king’s servants, those he didn’t love as much as her, were dressed in even poorer rags.  She sat next to him after drying her last dish and said, “I like you Arandor; you have the look of a hero.  You have such a kind and noble heart, one that a real king should have.  You didn’t deserve their ridicule.”

   Arandor closed his eyes, remembering his time as the King of the echidnas, but immediately came back to himself, and whispered, “So…you are his “favorite” servant…does this mean he takes care of you merely because you are the object of his affection?  The cruel monarch, he and his son should both be overthrown.”  He paused and looked back at her and said, “Forgive me for speaking such ills of your king and prince but…,”

   “No, you are not alone,” Hakumei interrupted.  “He and his son are cruel to us all…truly I am only spared his cruelty because of his lust for me.  None of his servants are to love any but him…but I…I loathe him.  My affection is kept for one I truly love, and have yet to find, for no warrior will stand up to him for love, not even me.  All of us maids are hopeless, as are the warriors.  Any families have to do the farming and work of the community…we’ll never be freed.”

   She turned her head to weep, but Arandor placed his arms around her, knowing full-well his peril but not caring, and hugged her.  He whispered, “Your king is hardly a leader, and I shall take him down.  It is the least I can do to repay you for saving my life.  For now, I think I shall sleep; when morning comes, I’ll begin my task.”  He kissed her gently on the head before curling up in the bed of straw and grass she made for him, for the hedgehogs, unlike the echidnas, were a poor people, though they had valiant warriors, their king made life miserable for everyone save his son and himself.

   Hakumei was in shock from Arandor’s sudden affection, not knowing that sense he awoke from the Restoration Capsule, his love for her had grown from his memories of her.  She admired his bravery and strength, and from this tender moment on, a deep love between them grew.

   Days rolled by, and Shadow came to Mobius as well, receiving acceptance into the same tribe, with the intent of helping Arandor, for unlike last time, he would not risk losing Arandor again.  Arandor and Shadow both became warriors, and Arandor particular worked his way up in the ranks, hiding his love for Hakumei to protect her, and also drawing the king’s attention to him.  Odd as it sounds, the king was growing to love Arandor, who claimed he was parentless, abandoned from birth, and thus the king grew quite fond of him.

   The king treated Arandor as well as he treated his son, and as such, Arandor became friends with the king’s son.  However, the king and his son were still exceedingly cruel to the tribe, and as Arandor continued to show care and concern for the tribe, the hedgehogs began to admire him deeply as well, seeing that same kingly character that Hakumei saw in him, and as the days rolled on, it was spoken of how great a king Arandor would be, and, the love that was growing between Arandor and Hakumei, the king’s favorite servant for her beauty.

   Yes, the love between Arandor and Hakumei was growing, and yet had to be kept secret, for as she spoke that first night, both of them would meet certain peril if the king found out.  Arandor loved her; even though she was a mortal, she had the purest heart any mortal can have, and this inner light that seemed to radiate from within her was one of the things that drew him to her, for he loved her as he loved the Light he was born of, and thus gave her utmost reverence.  She too loved Arandor and his strength, for obviously he knew his peril and did not fear it, and all was perfect for them, that is, until the king’s son grew suspicious of romance between Arandor and Hakumei, which was high treason…and deserving of death.

   Once the king heard his son’s suspicions, he grew outraged, being betrayed by the one person besides his son he gave any real care for, and demanded that Arandor be killed, a price put on his head and Hakumei’s, for she had committed treason as well.  Shadow, who worked as a guard for the king, overheard the king demanding his son kill Arandor, and grew fearful for his friend’s life, as well as Hakumei’s.  Shadow ran to warn Arandor, putting himself in danger, for a guard of the king was never allowed to leave until dismissed, so now, all three were in danger.

   The chase was on; as the king’s son ran to find and kill Arandor, Shadow ran to where he and Hakumei were picking fruit in the woods.  Drawn to Arandor by his Light magic, Shadow knew exactly where to go, giving them precious minutes to flee while the king’s son hunted for them, for yes, Hakumei had to flee with them, for now, it would be she, who would bear Arandor’s last child, the eventual Daughter of the Light, and while this was some years from now, her life was now of utmost importance.

   Shadow warned Arandor and Hakumei of the danger, but the king’s son found them quickly and threatened to kill them all.  Arandor told Shadow and Hakumei to flee, and a weeping Hakumei had to be carried to safety by Shadow, who wept a tear or two, once again fearing for Arandor’s life.  Arandor and the king’s son circled, not taking their eyes off each other.  When asked why he was to be killed, the prince haughtily replied it was simply because he loved Hakumei, and that is father feared Arandor would supplant him, because he was loved by all, and thus must be eliminated, along with his friend and lover.

   Arandor was angry and sick of the king and prince, how selfish they were, caring for none but themselves, not caring who they hurt.  It wasn’t just to save his life and protect Hakumei and Shadow; Arandor was going to kill the prince and take down the king, as they wanted to execute him, for the good of the hedgehog tribe, a race he was one of, and now loved deeply, as he loved the echidnas, and would save no matter the cost.

   So the prince and Arandor became locked in a gruesome battle.  Arandor used his martial arts techniques that he had taught to the echidnas, and held off the prince for awhile, but slowly the prince began to beat him terribly.  Arandor fled for his life, coming within the borders of the hedgehog village and knew now that there were lives at stake.  Thus, for the first time before mortal eyes, he wielded the power of the Light, killing the ruthless prince, but seriously weakening Arandor, who was critically injured already.

   As Hakumei, who with Shadow had seen the final climax from afar, ran to her love’s side, Shadow rallied the hedgehog warriors calling for a revolt.  So the women and families of the village began to work to save the Light Elemental, and the warriors overthrew the king, presenting him his son’s head in a bag, forcing him down from the throne.

   Fortunately, Arandor was not mortally injured, and made an exceptional recovery, (exceptional for the mortal hedgehogs who knew nothing of his great Light power despite what they saw in his attack), and was crowned the new King of the Hedgehogs, becoming a great monarch once more.  He immediately took Hakumei as his Queen and married her in a public ceremony, (which before now never occurred), and the hedgehogs began the climb to become a wealthy and prosperous race, under the rule of Arandor, their savior.

   It was now that Arandor and Shadow, who was now his trusted adviser in the village, began their work, for while Arandor would not be a father again for some time, they had other things to do to ensure the survival of life on Mobius in the face of Mukot’s inevitable terror.  Remembering his wish for the echidnas to make allies, (as Kashoku), Arandor and Shadow went to the echidnas to form this bond, which Arandor was sure the echidnas, still loving and trusting of their fallen King, would agree to immediately.

   It was difficult for Arandor to see his children, (with Mitsukai as Kashoku), after four years, but as Shadow had told him, they were growing beautifully, his son possessing the same traits as his father, and gentleness of his mother, and his daughter possessing her mother’s beauty and qualities, with the fearlessness of her father, and both already learning to become guardians, learning how to control the power of their heirloom, his son the Master Emerald and his daughter the Master Jewel.  It was enough to make Arandor weep, for he still loved them, and was proud of what they had become.

   Keeping silent about them, Arandor and Shadow talked to the temporary leader of the echidnas, (until Kashoku’s son could take the throne), explaining that because they had a common enemy, (the mutants), that they should ally together and face danger side by side, selflessly supporting each other in battle.  The echidnas, remembering the words of their beloved Kashoku, and fond of the new King of the hedgehogs, agreed to the new alliance, and gave the hedgehogs the Seven Chaos Emeralds as a sign of this alliance and friendship.  This alliance was extremely important, for someday this would ensure the Son of Strength and the Daughter of the Light would be near each other when the need came, and that the two races would help each other in the same way, as going at it alone only meant death.

   With the alliance set up, the Master Emerald and Master Jewel both on the best of care, and the Seven Chaos Emeralds being shared between the two races, (though the hedgehogs were responsible for their care), Arandor was finally able to relax, at least, for awhile.  It was soon that Hakumei became with child, and this got Arandor thinking about death oddly enough.  The hedgehogs were still unaware he and Shadow were immortal, and sooner or later suspicions would rise when the two of them didn’t age.  The thing was, he was determined to stay with Hakumei until she died, and not abruptly abandon his child afterwards.  Once more, he was unsure of what the hedgehogs would do without a body to bury, for this time Arandor could not abandon his body, (considering Kalak did not have the power to restore it to him again), nor could Shadow, so he had quite a trial on his hands.

   Yet his worries were dispelled with the birth of his baby daughter.  She was simply beautiful, and you could see the Light within her, the same Light Arandor possessed, and again was born of, showing that she indeed had inherited her father’s Light Magic, a power that after he departed would sleep in her descendents until the time came for it to awaken; it would awaken in a daughter years upon years from now, the Daughter of the Light.  Truly, it would be she and the Son of Strength who would save the world.

   So years of happiness came for Arandor, who was able to watch his daughter grow, calling her Amarie, which in the Light Language was translated into “Daughter of Arandor” or, “Child of Light”.  He stayed with the hedgehog many years, Shadow staying with him, and traveling quite often to check up on Kashoku’s children, who were growing quite well.  There were times when the tribes would come under attack, but their alliance held true, and they fought side by side, to the death, and thus many peaceful years came for both races.

   However, misfortune was inevitable, as it is for all life, and it was time for Arandor and Shadow to deal with the realization that their bodies wouldn’t age, even as those around them set into decay, and it was time to decide how to leave them for good.  Arandor wept, cursing his immortality, not wanting to leave until Hakumei died.  Shadow tried to console him, explaining that they would feign their death in a fire, that way the charred remains of any creature their size would satisfy their loved ones.  And so Arandor and Shadow put together fake models of themselves to burn in a fire, one that Kalak would have sparked by a lightning strike near the outskirts of the woods nearby.  This would have the fire in view of the echidnas in their village on the hills, and the hedgehogs from their stronghold near a lake in the middle of the woods.

   The board was set, and the night of their deaths was fast approaching.  Shadow had grown to love the hedgehogs as much as Arandor, considering they were his native race, and would miss them terribly.  Yet he was obviously suffering much less than his friend.  Arandor had already lost his first family, and this time he had to leave his wife and daughter for almost no good reason at all.  Shadow’s heart wept for Arandor, who had already suffered more than he should ever have, or anyone else for that matter, and the night before the fire, Shadow prayed for mercy on Arandor’s broken soul.

   Arandor, sick with grief spoke to Hakumei, bringing up the matter of the succession of leaders upon his death.  Though puzzled by this, Hakumei willingly discussed this with her husband.  He decreed that seeing as his daughter would be the first Queen, that the female descendents of his daughter would be first to rule, and if this was impossible or no daughter was born, only then would the son rule.  He also decreed that all members of the tribe were to be treated equally; that women could be warriors, and men could be farmers.  Truly, it was Arandor’s laws that brought never ending peace and prosperity to the hedgehogs, just as he had done for the echidnas as Kashoku.

   The evening before the fire, he said goodbye to his friends in his own way; not openly speaking it, but just so he could be at peace.  Before he left, he hugged and kissed his daughter Amarie, who was now seven, letting her know that he would always love her, his love for her would never die.  She did not understand this of course, but it meant something to Arandor, who knew in the distant future, he would hold the Daughter of the Light in his arms, and be at peace again, and the world would find half its salvation in her, and hence his daughter Amarie, who possessed all the Light Magic he could not give his other children.

   At last, he said goodbye to his beloved Hakumei, thankful at least for the chance to, as his heart broke even further as he remembered his precious Mitsukai.  She could tell he looked pained, but said nothing of it, and hugged and kissed Arandor as she did every day, whenever they parted, and before they slept, with romance and affection, not knowing she would never see him again.  He told her he and Shadow were going to speak with the echidnas, and the echidnas were even expecting them; so with one final goodbye, Arandor and Shadow left…never to return in this age.

   Now…the echidnas were watching for them when Kalak sent the lightning storm that would “kill” Shadow and Arandor.  Shadow watched Arandor as he cried, trying his best to console him, know that this was a degree of pain Arandor was never meant to suffer.  It should have been over when his body was rebuilt and his life as Kashoku was over, but for the sake of the Light Arandor went and suffered once more…the second time he loved the mortals being even more painful.  As the first thunder could be heard, Shadow knew there was only so much more Arandor could take before he was broken forever…and because of this, he was determined to do his part in protecting the Light no matter what the cost.  This would be important later, for Shadow had not suffered as Arandor had, and thus was still as strong and able as he should have been, though his coming decision would greatly alter this.

   So as Arandor and Shadow first emerged from the woods in full of the echidnas, the lightning struck, and the two wielded the power of Light and Darkness once more.  They blocked the strike from hitting their bodies, leaving the doubles they made of themselves to take the strike and burn.  Then they bridged the passage between Mobius and Radiant Emerald with the power of Light and Darkness combined once more, and thus were pulled safely to the stars and away, while back on earth the first of the echidnas began to mourn the passing of the Adviser and first great King of the hedgehogs, forever known as Arandor the Mighty.

   Upon hearing of her husband’s death, Hakumei went into grieving, and never recovered.  She died only months after Arandor, her daughter left to uphold the glory of her line.  Amarie and Kashoku’s children became friends during their reigns, upholding the alliance started by their father, and thus the prosperity of both races were preserved.  The Strength of the Light would sleep in the line of Kashoku’s son, as would the Light in Arandor’s Daughter; until it awakened, it was necessary that their lines be preserved, and thus Kalak decided that someone would have to keep an eye on the lines until the time came, for losing either the Son of Strength or Daughter of the Light, would mean the end of the world.

   Arandor was inconsolable; he was constantly weeping, his soul broken, and his heart bleeding after all of the pain he had endured body, mind and soul.  He could not bear the thought of returning to Eries, even though he knew he should, for the peaceful planet held too many happy memories for him that now would only cause him pain.  This was quite a predicament for Kalak, who knew the fragileness of life all too well, and knew that it would only take one mistake for the line of any of his children to end, and this was too great a risk to leave unnoticed.

   It was then, that Shadow came and told Kalak he was ready to play his part; that he had let his friend suffer for the Light enough already, and giving it great reverence, Shadow was ready to stand up and do his part for her good, and the good of the creatures he had come to love as he lived among them.  Kalak deeply admired Shadow’s humbleness and selflessness, loving Shadow as a second son, reveling in how much Shadow had grown to love and respect the Light despite his dark birth.

   And so, Kalak told Shadow what had to be done.  He would have to return to Eries, but not take up any relations with anyone for sometime considering he was “dead” to them, and even afterward to make any permanent friends would be risky, for they would inevitably die, and Shadow had to spare himself as much grief as he could, lest his guard be down when his power was needed.  Kalak knew that Mukot would soon learn the true purpose of Arandor’s children, and his desire to kill them would become his soul desire, knowing that in the end it would be the Son of Strength and Daughter of the Light who would supplant him, and it would be from these three children that they would come.

   So Shadow’s task would be to walk Eries alone and in isolation for however many years it took to protect the lines of Arandor’s children, until the final descendents were born, (that is, the Son of Strength and Daughter of Light and any others who retained the power that slept meant to be wielded in war), and Arandor was finally of sound mind and strength to join him.  Shadow knew how long this time would be; many a century he would have to pass alone, and yet Shadow did not care.  He loved Arandor, and so much did he care for the Light that spared him from Eternal Darkness that he would do anything for her good, and the creatures he had come to love on Eries below.

   He agreed to take this task, and thus said a tearful goodbye to Kalak and Arandor, especially Arandor, who would spend those same centuries alone, save Kalak and the Elderstars, just to recover.  They hugged tightly as the bridge to Eries slowly faded away, and with the last of the bridge bearing him down, Shadow said goodbye to Arandor and their home in the stars, Radiant Emerald.  It would be many, upon many, years before he ever returned, or saw his one true friend and brother again.

   Shadow’s journey began happily enough as he watched Arandor’s children come to adulthood, yet as the generations came slowly one by one, Shadow’s heart grew heavy with grief and misery as he went for so long without companionship.  And as he entered these dark years of his life, so did both races, the echidnas and hedgehogs, endure their own hardships.  However, Shadow would continue to fight back the power of Darkness as it sought to destroy the descendents of Arandor, as well as him, and so many centuries passed as Arandor’s descendents continued on, with many trials to handle, Shadow walked Mobius in pain and isolation, and Arandor slowly healed in the stars above.  After what seemed like an eternity, the true beginning of the tale, the Wars of the Light and Darkness, got their start at last.

Description
"The Birth of the Elements"
By: Jade Lightning, a.k.a. Inuyashas-hanyougirl
Part Two: "The Path to Set Things Right"

   Four years passed, and Arandor finally awoke in the castle chapel of Radiant Castle.  Before he was merely his spirit, but now he was in his body once more, appearing again as Arandor of Light, son of Kalak; he was a hedgehog again, no longer an echidna as he had been for so long.  He sat up in the Restoration Capsule, and flexed his fingers, trying to get the feeling back to his limbs, and he saw Shadow sleeping on a bench nearby, his face wracked with grief.  Unsure of how much time was passed, Arandor stood up, walked shakily to Shadow, and shook him awake.

   Shadow’s eyes opened slowly, and once they did fully, an overwhelming sensation of joy could be seen in his eyes.  He threw his arms around his friend and hugged him tightly.  He spoke in the Light Language, and said, “Oh Arandor, brother in love and soul!  You have long slept, and finally you’ve awakened, I’ve worried for you longer than you know.”

   Arandor slowly returned Shadow’s embrace, and replied, “Dear Shadow, I—how long, have I slumbered?  It can’t have been very long, nor very brief, but I desire to know what has transpired since the night I flew with the Elderstars.”

   To this, Shadow slowly pulled out of their hug, and frowned mournfully.  In an almost weepy voice, he whispered, “You speak rightly, for you slept for four years my brother; much has transpired. I kept watch over your…your children, and they are growing strong and right, yet you know that they cannot beat back the darkness on strength alone my brother, and that is all you left in their blood.”

   His eyes widened, and Arandor shook his head, holding his forehead in pain and said, “Look, I must speak with my father…I’ve done him a terrible dishonor, and for that I deserve nothing but exile into darkness, but please, I need to speak with him Shadow my brother, now and quickly.”

   Shadow merely nodded, before running off towards Kalak’s chambers, with Arandor fast on his track.  Finally, the Elderstars opened the doors to Kalak’s chambers, and he turned expecting to see Shadow, but froze, as he saw Arandor standing before him.  Arandor fell on his hands and knees, weeping, not wanting to look his father in the eyes, which before was no trouble, as he did not weep before his life as Kashoku either.

   But Kalak ran to his son, scooping him up in his arms and holding him tightly.  As Arandor wept, much like he did when he was an infant, (that being the only time he wept before), Kalak rocked him slowly and said, “My beloved son, do not weep, for I hold no anger to you; you are right with me and the Light once more…except there is a problem.”  He paused, unsure of how to continue and said, “My son…you—you are no longer the Pure Light…you are merely…”

   “The Light Elemental, as Shadow is the Dark Elemental, with an imperfect heart.  Truly my acts have corrupted me, and now the job I once held is passed to my children…that’s what you’re saying father, and this I understand,” Arandor said standing up on his own.

   Kalak nodded slowly as Shadow walked up and stood next to Arandor.  Kalak said, “Then you must know the problem Arandor, for you only passed half of the power of the Pure Light to your children, and that is the strength.  They do not have a Pure Heart anywhere among them to make up for this discrepancy.  We must find a suitable line, one who will someday have a child of the purest of heart, able to wield the power and goodness of the Light, which when backed by the Strength of the Light, shall prevail over all.  This is quite a predicament…I used a large part of my power just to give you another body, we must find a solution…for Mukot will not lay quiet forever, and someday there must be Pure Light to stop him, which in this case will come in the form of a husband and wife, one wielding the strength, perhaps the husband, and the wife wielding the Light.”

   The conversation went on for awhile, and all that they knew was unless some maiden of the purest of heart just happened to be around when the wielder of strength, now called The Son of Strength, needed her upon Mukot’s attack, the world was in grave danger and on a path of inevitable doom.  So Arandor, now merely the Light Elemental, went back to Eries, now being called Mobius by the planet’s inhabitants.

   As he walked, he dared not approach the echidna village, and that was for several reasons, but for now he just kept walking, and finally found himself at the stream where he beheld the beauty of Hakumei.  He immediately thought of her, remembering the first time he saw her, and he was happy.  As he bent over to get a drink, two hedgehog warriors came upon him, pointing their spears right at his throat.  He cried out to them in their native tongue, and pleaded for mercy, and this was granted to him, if only for awhile.

   He was taken back to the hedgehog village as a criminal, put in chains, and brought to judgement before the village leader.  The leader tended to be harsh, and many of his own followers disliked him.  He had a son, who also was harsh and cruel, and they both made fun of Arandor.  Before it got violent, Hakumei, who was one of the leader’s servants, and his favorite at that, ran up to Arandor and put herself between him and the leader.  She pleaded that he spare Arandor, and use him as another warrior, and thus Arandor was spared, the responsibility of watching him falling on Hakumei.

   Late that night, Arandor asked, “Why did you save me?  Surely you would not put yourself under the risk of your master’s wrath over nothing, especially not for someone as lowly as myself.  Speak lady, what were your motives?” He could not help but gaze at Hakumei as she washed the few dishes she owned, finding that as his body was repaired, so was his heart, and a deep affection for her began to pour out from his heart.

   Hakumei looked to Arandor and smiled; he noticed she was dressed in tatty clothing, though she was lucky, for the remainder of the king’s servants, those he didn’t love as much as her, were dressed in even poorer rags.  She sat next to him after drying her last dish and said, “I like you Arandor; you have the look of a hero.  You have such a kind and noble heart, one that a real king should have.  You didn’t deserve their ridicule.”

   Arandor closed his eyes, remembering his time as the King of the echidnas, but immediately came back to himself, and whispered, “So…you are his “favorite” servant…does this mean he takes care of you merely because you are the object of his affection?  The cruel monarch, he and his son should both be overthrown.”  He paused and looked back at her and said, “Forgive me for speaking such ills of your king and prince but…,”

   “No, you are not alone,” Hakumei interrupted.  “He and his son are cruel to us all…truly I am only spared his cruelty because of his lust for me.  None of his servants are to love any but him…but I…I loathe him.  My affection is kept for one I truly love, and have yet to find, for no warrior will stand up to him for love, not even me.  All of us maids are hopeless, as are the warriors.  Any families have to do the farming and work of the community…we’ll never be freed.”

   She turned her head to weep, but Arandor placed his arms around her, knowing full-well his peril but not caring, and hugged her.  He whispered, “Your king is hardly a leader, and I shall take him down.  It is the least I can do to repay you for saving my life.  For now, I think I shall sleep; when morning comes, I’ll begin my task.”  He kissed her gently on the head before curling up in the bed of straw and grass she made for him, for the hedgehogs, unlike the echidnas, were a poor people, though they had valiant warriors, their king made life miserable for everyone save his son and himself.

   Hakumei was in shock from Arandor’s sudden affection, not knowing that sense he awoke from the Restoration Capsule, his love for her had grown from his memories of her.  She admired his bravery and strength, and from this tender moment on, a deep love between them grew.

   Days rolled by, and Shadow came to Mobius as well, receiving acceptance into the same tribe, with the intent of helping Arandor, for unlike last time, he would not risk losing Arandor again.  Arandor and Shadow both became warriors, and Arandor particular worked his way up in the ranks, hiding his love for Hakumei to protect her, and also drawing the king’s attention to him.  Odd as it sounds, the king was growing to love Arandor, who claimed he was parentless, abandoned from birth, and thus the king grew quite fond of him.

   The king treated Arandor as well as he treated his son, and as such, Arandor became friends with the king’s son.  However, the king and his son were still exceedingly cruel to the tribe, and as Arandor continued to show care and concern for the tribe, the hedgehogs began to admire him deeply as well, seeing that same kingly character that Hakumei saw in him, and as the days rolled on, it was spoken of how great a king Arandor would be, and, the love that was growing between Arandor and Hakumei, the king’s favorite servant for her beauty.

   Yes, the love between Arandor and Hakumei was growing, and yet had to be kept secret, for as she spoke that first night, both of them would meet certain peril if the king found out.  Arandor loved her; even though she was a mortal, she had the purest heart any mortal can have, and this inner light that seemed to radiate from within her was one of the things that drew him to her, for he loved her as he loved the Light he was born of, and thus gave her utmost reverence.  She too loved Arandor and his strength, for obviously he knew his peril and did not fear it, and all was perfect for them, that is, until the king’s son grew suspicious of romance between Arandor and Hakumei, which was high treason…and deserving of death.

   Once the king heard his son’s suspicions, he grew outraged, being betrayed by the one person besides his son he gave any real care for, and demanded that Arandor be killed, a price put on his head and Hakumei’s, for she had committed treason as well.  Shadow, who worked as a guard for the king, overheard the king demanding his son kill Arandor, and grew fearful for his friend’s life, as well as Hakumei’s.  Shadow ran to warn Arandor, putting himself in danger, for a guard of the king was never allowed to leave until dismissed, so now, all three were in danger.

   The chase was on; as the king’s son ran to find and kill Arandor, Shadow ran to where he and Hakumei were picking fruit in the woods.  Drawn to Arandor by his Light magic, Shadow knew exactly where to go, giving them precious minutes to flee while the king’s son hunted for them, for yes, Hakumei had to flee with them, for now, it would be she, who would bear Arandor’s last child, the eventual Daughter of the Light, and while this was some years from now, her life was now of utmost importance.

   Shadow warned Arandor and Hakumei of the danger, but the king’s son found them quickly and threatened to kill them all.  Arandor told Shadow and Hakumei to flee, and a weeping Hakumei had to be carried to safety by Shadow, who wept a tear or two, once again fearing for Arandor’s life.  Arandor and the king’s son circled, not taking their eyes off each other.  When asked why he was to be killed, the prince haughtily replied it was simply because he loved Hakumei, and that is father feared Arandor would supplant him, because he was loved by all, and thus must be eliminated, along with his friend and lover.

   Arandor was angry and sick of the king and prince, how selfish they were, caring for none but themselves, not caring who they hurt.  It wasn’t just to save his life and protect Hakumei and Shadow; Arandor was going to kill the prince and take down the king, as they wanted to execute him, for the good of the hedgehog tribe, a race he was one of, and now loved deeply, as he loved the echidnas, and would save no matter the cost.

   So the prince and Arandor became locked in a gruesome battle.  Arandor used his martial arts techniques that he had taught to the echidnas, and held off the prince for awhile, but slowly the prince began to beat him terribly.  Arandor fled for his life, coming within the borders of the hedgehog village and knew now that there were lives at stake.  Thus, for the first time before mortal eyes, he wielded the power of the Light, killing the ruthless prince, but seriously weakening Arandor, who was critically injured already.

   As Hakumei, who with Shadow had seen the final climax from afar, ran to her love’s side, Shadow rallied the hedgehog warriors calling for a revolt.  So the women and families of the village began to work to save the Light Elemental, and the warriors overthrew the king, presenting him his son’s head in a bag, forcing him down from the throne.

   Fortunately, Arandor was not mortally injured, and made an exceptional recovery, (exceptional for the mortal hedgehogs who knew nothing of his great Light power despite what they saw in his attack), and was crowned the new King of the Hedgehogs, becoming a great monarch once more.  He immediately took Hakumei as his Queen and married her in a public ceremony, (which before now never occurred), and the hedgehogs began the climb to become a wealthy and prosperous race, under the rule of Arandor, their savior.

   It was now that Arandor and Shadow, who was now his trusted adviser in the village, began their work, for while Arandor would not be a father again for some time, they had other things to do to ensure the survival of life on Mobius in the face of Mukot’s inevitable terror.  Remembering his wish for the echidnas to make allies, (as Kashoku), Arandor and Shadow went to the echidnas to form this bond, which Arandor was sure the echidnas, still loving and trusting of their fallen King, would agree to immediately.

   It was difficult for Arandor to see his children, (with Mitsukai as Kashoku), after four years, but as Shadow had told him, they were growing beautifully, his son possessing the same traits as his father, and gentleness of his mother, and his daughter possessing her mother’s beauty and qualities, with the fearlessness of her father, and both already learning to become guardians, learning how to control the power of their heirloom, his son the Master Emerald and his daughter the Master Jewel.  It was enough to make Arandor weep, for he still loved them, and was proud of what they had become.

   Keeping silent about them, Arandor and Shadow talked to the temporary leader of the echidnas, (until Kashoku’s son could take the throne), explaining that because they had a common enemy, (the mutants), that they should ally together and face danger side by side, selflessly supporting each other in battle.  The echidnas, remembering the words of their beloved Kashoku, and fond of the new King of the hedgehogs, agreed to the new alliance, and gave the hedgehogs the Seven Chaos Emeralds as a sign of this alliance and friendship.  This alliance was extremely important, for someday this would ensure the Son of Strength and the Daughter of the Light would be near each other when the need came, and that the two races would help each other in the same way, as going at it alone only meant death.

   With the alliance set up, the Master Emerald and Master Jewel both on the best of care, and the Seven Chaos Emeralds being shared between the two races, (though the hedgehogs were responsible for their care), Arandor was finally able to relax, at least, for awhile.  It was soon that Hakumei became with child, and this got Arandor thinking about death oddly enough.  The hedgehogs were still unaware he and Shadow were immortal, and sooner or later suspicions would rise when the two of them didn’t age.  The thing was, he was determined to stay with Hakumei until she died, and not abruptly abandon his child afterwards.  Once more, he was unsure of what the hedgehogs would do without a body to bury, for this time Arandor could not abandon his body, (considering Kalak did not have the power to restore it to him again), nor could Shadow, so he had quite a trial on his hands.

   Yet his worries were dispelled with the birth of his baby daughter.  She was simply beautiful, and you could see the Light within her, the same Light Arandor possessed, and again was born of, showing that she indeed had inherited her father’s Light Magic, a power that after he departed would sleep in her descendents until the time came for it to awaken; it would awaken in a daughter years upon years from now, the Daughter of the Light.  Truly, it would be she and the Son of Strength who would save the world.

   So years of happiness came for Arandor, who was able to watch his daughter grow, calling her Amarie, which in the Light Language was translated into “Daughter of Arandor” or, “Child of Light”.  He stayed with the hedgehog many years, Shadow staying with him, and traveling quite often to check up on Kashoku’s children, who were growing quite well.  There were times when the tribes would come under attack, but their alliance held true, and they fought side by side, to the death, and thus many peaceful years came for both races.

   However, misfortune was inevitable, as it is for all life, and it was time for Arandor and Shadow to deal with the realization that their bodies wouldn’t age, even as those around them set into decay, and it was time to decide how to leave them for good.  Arandor wept, cursing his immortality, not wanting to leave until Hakumei died.  Shadow tried to console him, explaining that they would feign their death in a fire, that way the charred remains of any creature their size would satisfy their loved ones.  And so Arandor and Shadow put together fake models of themselves to burn in a fire, one that Kalak would have sparked by a lightning strike near the outskirts of the woods nearby.  This would have the fire in view of the echidnas in their village on the hills, and the hedgehogs from their stronghold near a lake in the middle of the woods.

   The board was set, and the night of their deaths was fast approaching.  Shadow had grown to love the hedgehogs as much as Arandor, considering they were his native race, and would miss them terribly.  Yet he was obviously suffering much less than his friend.  Arandor had already lost his first family, and this time he had to leave his wife and daughter for almost no good reason at all.  Shadow’s heart wept for Arandor, who had already suffered more than he should ever have, or anyone else for that matter, and the night before the fire, Shadow prayed for mercy on Arandor’s broken soul.

   Arandor, sick with grief spoke to Hakumei, bringing up the matter of the succession of leaders upon his death.  Though puzzled by this, Hakumei willingly discussed this with her husband.  He decreed that seeing as his daughter would be the first Queen, that the female descendents of his daughter would be first to rule, and if this was impossible or no daughter was born, only then would the son rule.  He also decreed that all members of the tribe were to be treated equally; that women could be warriors, and men could be farmers.  Truly, it was Arandor’s laws that brought never ending peace and prosperity to the hedgehogs, just as he had done for the echidnas as Kashoku.

   The evening before the fire, he said goodbye to his friends in his own way; not openly speaking it, but just so he could be at peace.  Before he left, he hugged and kissed his daughter Amarie, who was now seven, letting her know that he would always love her, his love for her would never die.  She did not understand this of course, but it meant something to Arandor, who knew in the distant future, he would hold the Daughter of the Light in his arms, and be at peace again, and the world would find half its salvation in her, and hence his daughter Amarie, who possessed all the Light Magic he could not give his other children.

   At last, he said goodbye to his beloved Hakumei, thankful at least for the chance to, as his heart broke even further as he remembered his precious Mitsukai.  She could tell he looked pained, but said nothing of it, and hugged and kissed Arandor as she did every day, whenever they parted, and before they slept, with romance and affection, not knowing she would never see him again.  He told her he and Shadow were going to speak with the echidnas, and the echidnas were even expecting them; so with one final goodbye, Arandor and Shadow left…never to return in this age.

   Now…the echidnas were watching for them when Kalak sent the lightning storm that would “kill” Shadow and Arandor.  Shadow watched Arandor as he cried, trying his best to console him, know that this was a degree of pain Arandor was never meant to suffer.  It should have been over when his body was rebuilt and his life as Kashoku was over, but for the sake of the Light Arandor went and suffered once more…the second time he loved the mortals being even more painful.  As the first thunder could be heard, Shadow knew there was only so much more Arandor could take before he was broken forever…and because of this, he was determined to do his part in protecting the Light no matter what the cost.  This would be important later, for Shadow had not suffered as Arandor had, and thus was still as strong and able as he should have been, though his coming decision would greatly alter this.

   So as Arandor and Shadow first emerged from the woods in full of the echidnas, the lightning struck, and the two wielded the power of Light and Darkness once more.  They blocked the strike from hitting their bodies, leaving the doubles they made of themselves to take the strike and burn.  Then they bridged the passage between Mobius and Radiant Emerald with the power of Light and Darkness combined once more, and thus were pulled safely to the stars and away, while back on earth the first of the echidnas began to mourn the passing of the Adviser and first great King of the hedgehogs, forever known as Arandor the Mighty.

   Upon hearing of her husband’s death, Hakumei went into grieving, and never recovered.  She died only months after Arandor, her daughter left to uphold the glory of her line.  Amarie and Kashoku’s children became friends during their reigns, upholding the alliance started by their father, and thus the prosperity of both races were preserved.  The Strength of the Light would sleep in the line of Kashoku’s son, as would the Light in Arandor’s Daughter; until it awakened, it was necessary that their lines be preserved, and thus Kalak decided that someone would have to keep an eye on the lines until the time came, for losing either the Son of Strength or Daughter of the Light, would mean the end of the world.

   Arandor was inconsolable; he was constantly weeping, his soul broken, and his heart bleeding after all of the pain he had endured body, mind and soul.  He could not bear the thought of returning to Eries, even though he knew he should, for the peaceful planet held too many happy memories for him that now would only cause him pain.  This was quite a predicament for Kalak, who knew the fragileness of life all too well, and knew that it would only take one mistake for the line of any of his children to end, and this was too great a risk to leave unnoticed.

   It was then, that Shadow came and told Kalak he was ready to play his part; that he had let his friend suffer for the Light enough already, and giving it great reverence, Shadow was ready to stand up and do his part for her good, and the good of the creatures he had come to love as he lived among them.  Kalak deeply admired Shadow’s humbleness and selflessness, loving Shadow as a second son, reveling in how much Shadow had grown to love and respect the Light despite his dark birth.

   And so, Kalak told Shadow what had to be done.  He would have to return to Eries, but not take up any relations with anyone for sometime considering he was “dead” to them, and even afterward to make any permanent friends would be risky, for they would inevitably die, and Shadow had to spare himself as much grief as he could, lest his guard be down when his power was needed.  Kalak knew that Mukot would soon learn the true purpose of Arandor’s children, and his desire to kill them would become his soul desire, knowing that in the end it would be the Son of Strength and Daughter of the Light who would supplant him, and it would be from these three children that they would come.

   So Shadow’s task would be to walk Eries alone and in isolation for however many years it took to protect the lines of Arandor’s children, until the final descendents were born, (that is, the Son of Strength and Daughter of Light and any others who retained the power that slept meant to be wielded in war), and Arandor was finally of sound mind and strength to join him.  Shadow knew how long this time would be; many a century he would have to pass alone, and yet Shadow did not care.  He loved Arandor, and so much did he care for the Light that spared him from Eternal Darkness that he would do anything for her good, and the creatures he had come to love on Eries below.

   He agreed to take this task, and thus said a tearful goodbye to Kalak and Arandor, especially Arandor, who would spend those same centuries alone, save Kalak and the Elderstars, just to recover.  They hugged tightly as the bridge to Eries slowly faded away, and with the last of the bridge bearing him down, Shadow said goodbye to Arandor and their home in the stars, Radiant Emerald.  It would be many, upon many, years before he ever returned, or saw his one true friend and brother again.

   Shadow’s journey began happily enough as he watched Arandor’s children come to adulthood, yet as the generations came slowly one by one, Shadow’s heart grew heavy with grief and misery as he went for so long without companionship.  And as he entered these dark years of his life, so did both races, the echidnas and hedgehogs, endure their own hardships.  However, Shadow would continue to fight back the power of Darkness as it sought to destroy the descendents of Arandor, as well as him, and so many centuries passed as Arandor’s descendents continued on, with many trials to handle, Shadow walked Mobius in pain and isolation, and Arandor slowly healed in the stars above.  After what seemed like an eternity, the true beginning of the tale, the Wars of the Light and Darkness, got their start at last.