As Johan stood at his window, looking up at the sky, the Finn recalled the days of his youth. He remembered with perfect clarity the events that had led up to where he was that day. ---------- It had all started 20 years before. Back then, Johan was an average, 16-year-old male. That is, average except for his elfin heritage. It was before he had left Finland, before he left on his journey to find the Legendary Elf. Johan, more than any other member of his clan, was adamant about finding the elf. Because of this, he had many books pertaining to Norse mythology, hoping that they could give him some insight into the Prophecy of Awakening. It was during one of Johan's cram sessions that the door to his room opened. "Hello, Johan," a warm male voice said from the doorway. Johan turned to the doorway to see a young man with silver-blond hair and deep blue eyes. He was about Johan's age and looked almost exactly like Johan, with only subtle differences in his height and facial structure. The only part of the boy's appearance that was unnusual was his pointed ears. "Oh, hello Rikhard," Johan said, recognizing his fraternal twin brother. "How was Norway?" "It was fantastic," Rikhard replied. "The people there were so nice. I'm glad I went there. It gave me a chance to calm down after what happened to Lady Heidi." "Yes, I heard about that," said Johan. "Cardiac arrest, right?" Rikhard simply nodded. The brothers became solemn. Lady Heidi was the leader of the Mustanen Clan before her death several days before. Many clan members, including Johan and Rikhard, looked up to Lady Heidi, and her death was felt by all. Changing the subject, Rikhard asked his brother, "What's that you're reading?" Glad to be off the subject of Heidi's death, Johan happily answered, "Old Norse mythology." "Brushing up on our clan's history, huh?" asked Rikhard. "Not really," Johan explained. "More about the elves in general." "I see," said Rikhard. "Brother..." Johan trailed off a bit, "...do you think the Prophecy of Awakening will come to pass?" "I don't know," Rikhard replied. "I hope so. Before I succumb to the illness that took our father's life." "I wish you didn't have to endure father's illness alone," said Johan. "I wish that I could have inherited the disease just like you had." "Don't say that, Johan," Rikhard cried. "One of us needs to survive to pass down the Legend of Alvara. Our clan is the last remaining clan of the elves. If the Legendary Elf is to be born, I believe that it will be a child of the Mustanen Clan." "Do you think so, Rikhard?" Johan asked. "I believe it to be so," replied Rikhard. "So do I, Brother," Johan said, a smile beginning to come back to his face. "So do I." Just then, Rikhard started coughing. "Rikhard," a concerned Johan asked, "are you all right?" "Yes, Johan," Rikhard reassured. "I'm just fine." "Rikhard?" a young, female voice said from the doorway. Johan and Rikhard turned to see a young woman standing in front of them. She was no older than Johan, and was very beautiful. She had long, dark brown hair that framed a pair of light brown eyes. Instantly, Rikhard's eyes lit up. "Oh, hello Erika," he said, almost overly enthusiastically. "Who is that?" Johan asked. "Johan," said Rikhard, walking to the girl, "this is my girlfriend, Erika Dagomar. Erika, meet my twin brother, Johan." "Nice to meet you, Erika," Johan said. "Nice to meet you too, Johan," Erika said with a smile on her face. "So," said Johan, curious as to who this beautiful stranger was. "How did you guys meet?" "We met in Norway," Rikhard said. "I was watching the sun set in the fjords and Erika happened to be standing there, watching the very same sunset." "The moment we set eyes on each other," Erika continued, "we knew that there was something between us. A mystical bond that brought the two of us together." "My heart was beating so fast," said Rikhard, "that I thought I was going to have an attack. But thankfully, I was able to calm myself down." "So," said Johan in a teasing manner, "my twin brother has finally found love." "Hey, don't accuse me of taking so long," Rikhard said. "You haven't had a girlfriend either." Johan laughed nervously at his brother's statement. Rikhard turned to the brunette and said, "The inauguration of Lord Blake as the new clan lord is taking place tonight. Would you like to participate in the ceremony?" "Oh, no, I couldn't," Erika said. "This is only for members of the Mustanen Clan, isn't it?" "My dear," Rikhard said, taking Erika's hands in his, "you are no less a member of the Mustanen Clan than I am. I am sure that our mother and uncle will gladly give us their blessings." Rikhard then turned to his brother. "You will too, right Johan?" "Yes, of course," Johan exclaimed. "You two look like a great couple." "Well," said Rikhard, "I think that I should get some rest. The flight took its toll on me. I'll see you tonight at Uncle's ceremony, right?" "Of course, Brother," said Johan. Rikhard and Erika left Johan to his book, most likely to Rikhard's room. 'Rikhard and Erika Mustanen,' Johan thought to himself. 'It has a nice ring to it.' Then, Johan made a contemplative face. 'Still,' he thought, 'that name "Dagomar". I know I've heard it somewhere before.' Johan shook off the feeling and told himself, 'It's probably nothing. I'll give them my blessings, just like I said I would.' ---------- That night, the reception room was filled with guests. Most of them had the blond hair and blue eyes that were indicative of Scandinavian heritage, and all of them were part of the Mustanen Clan. The room was lively with discussion and conversation. All of the guests seemed to be enjoying the refreshments and company. However, as a middle-aged clan member stepped up to the front of the room, the idle conversations stopped and all eyes focused on the man. "My friends. Brothers. Sisters," the man said. "Thank you all for coming. I know that many of you are saddened by Lady Heidi's death, especially those that knew her. For many years, Lady Heidi led our clan. She made sure that the knowledge of our ancestors was taught to our young ones. She made sure that even with the illness that our clan carries, we never lost hope. It is an unfortunate irony that it was that same illness that took her life in the end. However, Lady Heidi's strength will continue to live on in all of us." The room took a moment of silence to honor Heidi and her life. "As stated in Lady Heidi's will," the speaker continued, "when her role as Clan Leader ended, the task would fall upon her cousin's first son, Lord Blake. Lord Blake, please stand." Blake stood and started walking toward the front of the room. The rest of the clan members applauded as Blake stood next to the speaker. With the soon-to-be clan leader standing at the center of attention, the speaker pulled out of his pocket a transparent crystal. "For generations," said the speaker, "the leader of our clan has possessed this jewel. As the new leader of the Mustanen Clan, I present to you the White Sapphire of the Mustanen Clan. Use this jewel to lead our clan into the future." The speaker held out the White Sapphire to Blake, and Blake took it. Holding the jewel in his hands, Blake said, "As stated in Lady Heidi's will, I, Lord Blake, hereby succeed her as the leader of the Mustanen Clan. With the power of the White Sapphire, I will lead our clan into the future just as well as Lady Heidi has. Here's to our future. May the power of our ancestors guide us." With Blake's ceremonial speech delivered, the other clan members applauded the completion of Blake's inauguration as the leader of the Mustanen Clan. As Blake stepped down from the front of the room, the rest of the clan members went back to their conversations and celebrations. For most of the night, Johan, Rikhard, and Erika had been standing idly at the side of the hall. "What did you think of the ceremony, Erika?" Rikhard asked his girlfriend. "Fascinating," Erika replied. "I've never known of a white sapphire being passed down from one clan lord to the next." "I don't know if you would be able to understand the significance of a jewel to our clan," said Johan. "Actually, jewels are important to my family as well," said Erika. "Are they?" asked Rikhard, fascinated by what Erika had said. "Yes," replied the brunette. "I know that some jewels grant people special abilities. And I am sure that if Lady Heidi's will stated that Lord Blake succeed her, that the White Sapphire of the Mustanen Clan grants him those powers." "I'm surprised that you know of the power that exists inside jewels," said Johan. "I'm sure families all over Scandinavia have some knowledge of it," Erika said. Although acting warm and fascinated by Erika, Johan secretly harbored strong feelings of suspicion toward his brother's new consort. ---------- After the festivities had ended and most of the clan members had left, Rikhard and Erika met with Lord Blake and his sister-in-law, Rikhard and Johan's mother. The two teenagers had news to give to the two elders. "Mother, Uncle," Rikhard said, "Erika and I are getting married." Blake and Rikhard's mother were surprised by the sudden decision. "Really?" Blake asked. "Aren't you both a little young?" Rikhard's mother said. "We know," Erika said. "But, we love each other very much. We fell in love at first sight and we want to make the most of the time we have together." "I do sense the connection between you two," said Blake. "And considering Rikhard's condition, I approve of this. Rikhard, Erika, you have my blessings." Rikhard smiled and bowed his head to Blake in thanks. He then turned to the older woman and asked, "Mother?" It took Rikhard's mother a moment to think over the situation. Eventually, she decided to smile and said, "Rikhard, Erika, you have my blessings." Both Rikhard and Erika smiled. They looked at each other, leaped into each other's arms and kissed, so happy that they had the blessings of the Mustanen Clan. ---------- Rikhard and Erika entered Johan's room to tell him of their engagement. However, they found Johan asleep at his desk with an open book. "Just like Johan to fall asleep with his head in a book," Rikhard whispered to his fiancé. "He likes reading, does he?" Erika asked. "He's very interested in the history of our clan," Rikhard replied. "I think he's worried about me." "Because of your illness?" Erika asked. Rikhard nodded solemnly. "Lady Heidi died of this illness," Rikhard said. "Our father died of it too soon after we were conceived. But our mother knew that Lord Heikki would always live on inside his sons. She endured his death, gave birth to us, and raised us for the both of them." Not wanting to dwell on the subject, Erika suggested, "Do you think that maybe we should put Johan to bed?" "That's probably a good idea," Rikhard agreed. Rikhard picked up his brother by the shoulders and Erika picked up Johan by the legs. After laying Johan does on his bed, Erika and Rikhard started leaving the room. However, before they closed to door behind them, Rikhard said to his sleeping brother, "I hope you will be at our wedding, Johan." ---------- Rikhard and Erika spent the next several weeks planning their wedding. With Erika being accepted into the Mustanen Clan, it was decided that the wedding would be held at the Mustanen household, in the same room where the clan leaders had been inaugurated. "This is amazing," said Erika as she decorated the hall. "Two months ago, I would have never believed that I would be getting married at the age of sixteen." "Me neither," said Rikhard. "It is pretty incredible." "So you think we're moving too fast?" "Erika," Rikhard reassured, "I love you more than anything. And I need to do things while I'm still healthy enough to do them." "I know," said Erika. "But there are still things that we don't know about each other." "Well," said Rikhard, "we'll have the rest of our lives to learn those things." "Oh, Rikhard," Erika said, happy that she had met the man standing before her. After sharing a kiss, Erika asked, "So. Where should the refreshments go?" "Well," said Rikhard, pointing to where the food was situated at Lord Blake's inauguration, "I was thinking of having all of the food over on that side of the room. Maybe one table for refreshments, another for the cake, and another for lunch and dinner." "We're still planning on the lobster and oysters, right?" asked the brunette. "Yes," Rikhard replied, "we are still planning on the lobster and oysters." "Do you think we should add on some caviar while we're at it?" asked Erika. "Caviar's not a bad idea," agreed Rikhard. "It can be a garnish for the oysters." "Nice thinking, Rick." "You want to help move the tables over to the side of the room?" "Of course, my love." Rikhard and Erika started pushing one of the tables over to the side of the room. It was heavy, but they wanted their wedding to be perfect, so they decided that it was worth the effort. "Phew," said Erika, wiping her brow after the table had been put into position. "That was a workout. Maybe we should move the other tables later." "Maybe you're right," Rikhard agreed. Just then, Rikhard was overcome by a voilent fit of coughing. He covered his mouth and fell to his knees. "Rikhard," Erika cried, rushing to her fiancé's side, "are you all right." "I'm just fine," Rikhard said. "This happens sometimes." However, when Rikhard removed his hand from his mouth, both he and Erika were horrified to see blood on his hand and dripping from his mouth! "You're not all right!" Erika screamed. "What's happening?" Rikhard said, in a state of shock. "Come on," Erika said, lifting Rikhard to his feet and draping one of his arms over her shoulders. "Let's get you to the infirmary." ---------- Using modern medicine and whatever mystical powers they had inherited from their elfin ancestors, the witch doctors of the Mustanen Clan diagnosed Rikhard's symptom as a result of his genetic disorder, the same disorder that gave many of the Mustanen Clan, including Rikhard and Blake, their visibly pointed ears. "When Sir Rikhard pushed the table," one of the doctors said, "considerable stress was put on his heart. Because of this, his heart was unable to properly pump blood away from his lungs." "So that's why I started coughing up blood," Rikahrd realized. "Yes," the doctor reaffirmed. "What threat does this pose to Rikhard?" asked Erika, worried about her fiancé's welbeing. "In most cases of this disease," said the doctor, "death is caused by sudden cardiac arrest, resulting from an overworked heart. It seems that in Sir Rikhard's case, his heart is losing strength gradually over a long period of time. It saddens me to say this, but I would estimate that Sir Rikhard does not have more than ten years left." The horrifying news of Rikhard's inevitable fate was too much for Erika to bear. The brunette fell to her hands and knees and broke down into tears. Using what strength he had regained, Rikhard managed to stand up and go to Erika, embracing her, trying to comfort her. ---------- It was not long before the rest of the family was told of Rikhard's eventual end. Although everyone was saddened by the news, Johan was the only one that expressed his sadness with anger. As soon as he had heard of his brother's fate, he retreated into his room and spent a long time simply pacing back and forth. Eventually, Johan's legs became tired and he simply threw himself onto his bed. 'I can't believe it!' the 16-year-old thought. 'Rikhard, my twin brother, has less than ten years to live.' Johan rolled onto his stomach, looking at the sheets below him. 'If the Jewel Summoners hadn't destroyed out ancestors fifteen hundred years ago, we would still have access to the gene sequences that gave the elves strength. The strength to counteract this genetic defect.' Suddenly, Johan had a frightening realization. 'The Jewel Summoners!' he thought. 'Could it be...?' Hoping to confirm his realization before it was too late, Johan jumped out of bed, went to his desk, and started reading the text written in his books of Norse mythology. ---------- The day of the wedding arrived. As leader of the clan, Lord Blake was chosen as the minister. All of the clan members were happy for Rikhard and Erika...all except for Johan. Although he hid it well, his suspicions about Erika were continuing to grow. "Well, here we are," said Erika and she and Rikhard entered their room. "Man and wife." "Yes," said Rikhard. "Here we are indeed." Despite the joyous occasion of their union, the celebratory atmosphere was simply a cover-up for the sadness that Erika and Rikhard felt. "What are we going to do, Rikhard?" asked Erika, saddened by Rikhard's steadily worsening condition. "What are we going to do?" "I don't know, Erika," Rikhard said. "I don't know." "I can't stand to be without you," Erika mourned. "Why did it have to be this way?" "This gene has been passed down through my family for generations," Rikhard explained. "We believe there was once a gene that was able to counteract the ill effects of this one, but it has been lost to the sands of time." "I just with there was something we could do to keep you alive." "I know, my darling," Rikhard said, embracing his wife. "I know." ---------- Meanwhile, Johan was continuing his search for the truth, furiously reading through his Norse mythology books. "I have to find out who the Dagomars are," Johan said to himself. "I know I've heard that name before. Brother, don't fall into the trap that our ancestors did." ---------- "Rikhard," Erika cried, "don't you know what you are asking?" "I'm asking to consummate our love," Rikhard repeated himself. "We do not have much time left, and we may not have another chance. I want to become one with you before we run out of time." Erika looked into her lap, thinking about what Rikhard was suggesting. "Please, Erika." Tears started welling in the young woman's eyes. "Oh, Rikhard!" she cried, jumping into her husband's arms. They wrapped their arms around one another and met in a passionate kiss. ---------- 'Brother won't believe me unless I give him proof of Erika's treachery,' Johan thought as he opened his book a chapter entitled, "The Jewel Summoners". Johan read the text, very deliberate in reading each word, knowing that what he was looking for was buried in the words somewhere. Finally, Johan found what he was looking for. "Here it is!" he cried. "I knew it! Rikhard, you must not continue with this woman!" The boy picked up his book and exited his room. As Johan walked down the long hallway, he could hear moaning from Rikhard's room. However, it did not hit him what was happening until he heard Erika's voice crying out from behind the door. "Oh shit!" said Johan as he made a bolt for the door. "I hope I'm not too late!" Johan was petrified by what he saw when he opened his brother's door. Both Rikhard and Erika were naked. Rikhard was lying motionless on his bed; Erika was sitting next to him, looking at his body. With all of his suspicions about Erika painfully confirmed, Johan's rage exploded from him. "You bitch!" Johan screamed at the woman before him. "You people haven't changed in fifteen hundred years. You're still trying to complete your mission. Well let me tell you something, Dagomar, you will never destroy the elves completely! The Prophecy of Awakening will come to pass, I assure you! The new age of the elves will come to pass and you Jewel Summoners will be destroyed just like our people were destroyed!" Johan rushed to his brother's desk and picked up the white sapphire that Rikhard had frequently used as a paperweight. Using the white sapphire's power, Johan summoned a powerful force that threw Erika from the bed and onto the floor. Erika found herself lying next to her coat and she quickly reached into it, pulling out a golden-yellow crystal. The crystal had barely begun to start glowing when Johan threw another attack at Erika, knocking the crystal from her hand. With the power of Rikhard's white sapphire with him, Johan chased Erika out of his brother's room. "I'll never forgive you!" the boy screamed, throwing attack after attack at Erika. "You corrupt my brother's heart, then you have your way with him, knowing full well what it would do to him! You bitch!" Erika found the exit and ran out into the snow-covered Scandinavian landscape. Johan continued chasing. "I'm not going to let you die from the cold, Dagomar!" he said. Rikhard's white sapphire started glowing white and a powerful force threw Erika backwards, toward Johan. Using his free hand, Johan grabbed Erika by the neck. "I will be the one to kill you," he said, looking Erika square in the eyes. "I will not grant you the luxury of dying from anything besides my hands." Slowly, Johan started tightening his grip on Erika's neck. The brunette started chocking as her windpipe was crushed. she struggled to break free from Johan's grip, but she could not overcome Johan's strength. "Yes," Johan said, an evil grin coming across his face. "That's it. Struggle all you want. Try to escape. Let me see the fear in your eyes as the life drains from you." Erika's eyes rolled back in her head as Johan continued to tighten his grip on her throat. Her struggling slowly became less and less violent as her strength left her. "Die. Die! DIE!!" cried Johan. Just then, out of nowhere, a glowing red javelin flew toward Johan. His foresight alerting him to the danger, Johan dropped Erika and dodged out of the way. The boy looked in the direction that the javelin was thrown from and saw a band of several elderly warriors, each one of them holding glowing red spinel crystals. "Madame Erika!" one of the Jewel Summoners cried at seeing the young woman lying unconscious on the snow. "What have you done to Madame Erika, you monster?" The Jewel Summoner summoned a vehicle, similar in design to a motorcycle, composed entirely of glowing red crystal. The Jewel Summoner drove the vehicle straight toward Johan, but the boy jumped out of the way before he was run over. As he drove by, the Jewel Summoner grabbed Erika and picked her up. Seeing that Erika was being dragged to safety, Johan used the power of Rikhard's white sapphire and threw another attack at the Jewel Summoner. Before the attack hit, the Jewel Summoner took out a glowing apatite crystal and used the green crystals power to drag him and Erika toward the other Jewel Summoners. Johan's attack hit the snow where the spinel vehicle had disappeared. The Jewel Summoner retreated behind the other Jewel Summoners, who were standing as a wall to protect Erika. Johan saw a magenta glow coming from behind the wall of Jewel Summoners, indicating the activation of an amethyst crystal. Johan held up the white sapphire. The transparent crystal started glowing white as Johan prepared to fire another attack at the Jewel Summoners. However, one of the Jewel Summoners pulled out a crystal of the deepest red. The red crystal started glowing and the white sapphire stopped glowing. The Jewel Summoner had somehow used his crystal to negate the power of the sapphire! Suddenly, Johan knew what it was that the Jewel Summoner was holding. In awe of the Ruby that the Jewel Summoner held, Johan was distracted from the other Jewel Summoners summoning more crystal vehicles. Before Johan could snap out of his trance, the Jewel Summoners were already too far ahead for him to catch up. For a moment, Johan simply stared into the distance, watching the glowing red vehicles disappear into the night. As reality began to sink in, Johan felt his rage build up again inside him. He yelled into the night and fell to his knees, pounding his fists against the snow. "Why?!" Johan cried. "Why? Why did it have to turn out this way? Brother, Rikhard, forgive me. I wasn't able to save you. I wasn't able to avenge you." Just then, without the use of any of Johan's power, the transparent crystal in his hand started glowing. "Rikhard's white sapphire?" said Johan, looking at the sapphire in wonder. Johan concentrated on the sapphire, feeling the power that it possessed. "Brother?" Johan said. "Your spirit is inside this crystal." Johan closed his eyes and attempted to commune with his brother's spirit. "Brother. Speak to me. Guide me." The white glow of the sapphire extended to engulf Johan's body. The boy felt the power of the sapphire and his brother within him. "Alvara?" Johan asked. "Brother, what do you mean, Alvara?" Johan continued listening. "The Ruby?" he asked. The glowing of the sapphire stopped and Johan's eyes snapped open. "Dagomar," he said, "you are mine!" ---------- For nearly a year, Johan used the power of Rikhard's white sapphire to track the movements of the Red Ruby of Alvara. It was in the Far East that Johan finally caught up to the Ruby. It was a forested area. If it were not for the power of Rikhard's white sapphire, Johan would have become lost in the woods. "Brother," Johan said as he hiked through the forest, "soon I will find the Red Ruby. Soon, your death will be avenged." As Johan continued hiking, he came across a small hut in the middle of the forest. Seeing the hut before him, he rushed to the door and burst in. "Dagomar!" he called out. "Dagomar, are you in here?" Johan searched the small structure, but found no sign of the person he was hunting. "She must have sensed the presence of Rikhard's sapphire," Johan said to himself. Johan made another search through the hut to see if he could find a trail if Erika had left one. It did not take Johan long to find a small bit of blood on the floor. He followed the trail if blood to a back door that Erika must have used to escape. Again, Johan trekked through the forest. "Where are you, Dagomar?" Johan asked. "I know you're around here somewhere. I'm going to find you. You can't hide from me forever, you Bitch." A moment passed as Johan viewed his surroundings, looking for any sign of Erika's presence. Then, he heard someone coughing. The sound was coming from some bushes several meters away. Johan walked toward the bushes. However, Erika had already left. Johan again enlisted the aid of the white sapphire. The sapphire began glowing white and Johan followed its pull. As Johan came out of the trees, he found himself on a ridge, which led to the top of a waterfall. On the ridge was Erika. Johan was pleased to see that the young woman was not in the best of health. She was wearing a worn-out jacket and it seemed that she had difficulty walking. She used a walking stick to stay standing. As Erika struggled to get away, Johan simply walked up behind her and picked her up by the scruff of her worn-out coat. "I found you, Dagomar," Johan grinned. "You don't understand, Johan," Erika said weakly. Her voice was raspy, as if she had trouble breathing. "Oh, I understand," Johan said, refusing to hear Erika's explanation. "I understand that you fucked my brother, knowing that with his condition, it would kill him. And now, you are trying to claim that you were innocent and that you were simply doing what people in love do. Well I am not the fool that you take me for, Dagomar!" still holding Erika by the scruff of her jacket, Johan kicked her hard in the back, knocking her to the ground. Erika started coughing violently, a small bit of blood dripping from her mouth. "Well, well," said Johan. "It seems that you were not unaffected by my strangling you ten months ago. I'm glad." "Johan. Please," Erika pleaded. "I will not listen to y our lies." Johan kicked Erika again and again. When he felt that he had kicked Erika enough, he picked her up by her neck just as he had done back in Finland. "Suffer, Dagomar," he said. "You and all the Jewel Summoners will suffer for the pain that you have inflicted upon my kind, upon my family, upon my father, upon my brother!" Before Erika had choked to death, the white sapphire in Johan's hand began glowing. It was pulling Johan toward Erika's jacket. Johan dropped Erika and reached into Erika's pocket and pulled out a brilliant red crystal. "The Red Ruby of Alvara," said Johan, amazed that he was actually holding the fabled jewel. "I have been tracking this crystal all over the world with my brother's white sapphire. Ironic that such a powerful crystal in the hands of a Jewel Summoner was the very cause of that Jewel Summoners demise." As Johan was distracted by his awe of the Ruby, Erika had started crawling to the edge of the waterfall. "Where do you think you're going, Dagomar?" Johan asked, noticing Erika crawling away. At the edge of the waterfall, Erika painfully got to her feet. "I tried to tell you, Johan," she said. "But I see that it is pointless to try to convince you. Since there is nothing more that I can do to help, my life may just as well end here. I'm sorry, Johan." Erika closed her eyes and spread her arms out to her sides. A single tear dripped down her cheek. "Rikhard..." she said wistfully. Then, Erika started leaning backward. "No!" Johan cried, seeing that Erika was about to fall off the edge. He ran toward her, but she had already fallen. Johan watched as Erika's body was engulfed by the mist of the waterfall. Again, Johan fell to his knees, feeling defeated. "Curse you, Dagomar," he said softly. His next words were anything but soft. "Damn you to hell! I was supposed to be the one to kill you! I was supposed to have revenge! Damn you, and all the Jewel Summoners!" Johan was taken out of his fit of rage when he noticed the Red Ruby of Alvara glowing. He then looked at the white sapphire to find that it was glowing as well. "The Red Ruby of Alvara and Brother's white sapphire. They're calling to each other?" Slowly, Johan moved the Ruby and the sapphire closer together. The intensity of their glowing increased. As the two crystals touched, a bright, red flash came from the point of contact. Johan had to shield his eyes with his right arm. When the bright light had died down, there was only one crystal in Johan's left hand. It was the Red Ruby of Alvara, but it had increased in size by the white sapphire's volume. "They fused together?" Johan said in wonder. "The Red Ruby must have the power to absorb the powers of other rubies and sapphires. This truly is the key to finding the elf! I guess the Jewel Summoner's aren't good for nothing after all." Although Johan had failed in his mission to kill Erika himself, he had received a great consolation, the fabled Red Ruby of Alvara. Satisfied for the time being, Johan returned home. He spent the next 2 years continuing his education, biding his time until the time came for the Prophecy of Awakening to come to pass. ---------- As his high school education came to an end, Johan decided to continue journeying, hoping that the Red Ruby of Alvara would eventually lead him to the elf. At the age of 18, Johan found himself studying at a university in St. Petersburg, Russia. Johan was sitting in a lecture hall, waiting for class to start, when another student, several years older than him, sat down beside him. It was a man in his mid-twenties. He had brown hair, dressed formally, and had a warm, friendly smile on his face. "Bonjour," the man said. "Bonjour to you too," said Johan, not particularly interested in conversing with this man. "Let me guess," the man said in a French accent. "Swedish?" "Finnish," Johan corrected the man. "Ah, you're a Finn," said the man, still keeping his warm, friendly air about him. "I have friends in Finland." "Do you?" Johan asked, remaining bored an uninterested. "Just trying to be friendly," said the man. "Thank you," said Johan, "but I am in no need of friends." "Oh come on. What kind of talk is that? Let's try an introduction." Holding out his hand to shake, the man said, "Nice to meet you. My name is Pierre Doulin." "Please, Mister Doulin," said Johan. "I don't have time for games." As Johan finished his sentence, he then remembered the name "Doulin". It was the same feeling that he had when he heard his brother mention the name "Dagomar". This man was a Jewel Summoner! "On second thought," Johan said, "why don't I give it a try?" He took Pierre's hand in his and said, "Nice to meet you, Mister Doulin. My name is Johan Mustanen." "See?" Pierre said, smiling. "Doesn't it feel good to have a friend?" "Yes," said Johan. "It does." ---------- 17 years later, Johan was where he was today. "I stuck by you for seventeen years, Pierre," he said, looking out his window at the plane that flew by. "I even followed you to America. I could not kill you right away; I foresaw that you would lead me to the elf. And now that I have found the elf, I have no more use for you. You will die, just like Erika Dagomar. ---------- To be continued...
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