The Secret Beneath Kessingale (closed)

[Xos]

It was a bright and cheery day, and Xos was sitting on the steps of the citadel in Corone. He had finished buying his wife a new dress, and then went on to smack a strange mutant man around a place he thought only existed in threory. He had even killed him and walked out of a citadel match alive and well for the first time. One might think that would put him in good spirits, but it didn't.

"What's wrong friend?" asked one monk, the first female monk he had ever seen. She was dressed in the same reddish yellow robes the others wore. Her head was covered by a hood.

"I've missed graduation. I worked so hard for so many years to earn my Doctorates in advanced Arcane and Scientific Theory. So many nights I gave up society in order to study, so many weekends I stayed in in order to keep up with the level of work honors gives you. I have the knowledge, certainly, but I didn't graduate. That is what's got me down. I was going to graduate Egregia Cum Laude, the class Valedictorian, and the only student ever to pass Professor Causa's class with a 4.0 grade average. But alas, here I set, in another reality, unable to graduate." Xos said.
"Our common master, The Glorious Light, he sent me to tell you, he wants you to return, to graduate. But you need to remain for yet awhile longer there. There's another lesson you need to learn. Look up a battle called "The Battle of Reason." The monk said.

"I can return! I'm ready, let us go!" Xos said.
"I thought you might say that, but are you sure you want to go alone?" she asked.
Xos stopped and thought.
"Your right. Let me hire two others to assist me." He said.
"We'll bring them here." The monk said.
Thunder echoed around them. There were words in that thunder, words only they could hear. Not one person besides the two of them heard the roll of thunder that was Omni's voice.
"An innocent sitting on a fountain? What did he mean by that?" The monk asked.
"Could be a powerful child. Typically, children are considered to be innocent, not yet knowing much. Said something about a midnight blue ribbon in his hair, or some such color." Xos said.
__________________________________________________ ____________
A few days later, the call was answered. One a fellow member of The House of Sora, and one an innocent child. Xos was surprised that a child should be chosen to assist him. No he was gonna have to baby sit, and waste his time watching a child.

Xos and his two research assistants stood in a room at the top of the tower, and the lady monk took Xos's hands in hers and the both prayed to Omnisource to open an interdimensional gateway back to Kessingale. The book of the ancient masters rose out of Xos's pack of items, and vaporised into gold light. It surrounded the Quartet, and disappeared, taking them with it.

Xos looked around him in wonder, a tunnel made of light energy. Stars, Galaxies, entire universes were flashing by at speeds that, in theory, if not faster than light rivaled it. He looked around.
This must be the eleventh dimension where each universe is naught but a Membrane of it's own.
Universe Membranes floated by. Some were bright, some were dark. Xos realised quickly that the dark ones were "diseased" somehow, but he didn't quite understand how. He realised the bright ones were then, healthy. They headed into and through a Membrane, an interesting place devoid of life, carbon, and silicon.

Then they headed into another directly behind it. It was very dark, very diseased, and Xos still didn't understand how it was diseased.
Those studying M Theory could certianly learn alot by traveling like this.
The thoughts traveled through his mind, and then dread filled his heart, for they had entered his home reality, dark and diseased as it was. What was wrong? Was this why he was sent home? Was this why he was to look up The Battle of Reason?

Everything went dark, and light returned.
_____________________________________________

Xos sat up, he felt like he had just woke up. He stared into the book he had been reading. It contained information on the powers of the great ancients. Magic had fascinated him, for he could accomplish a little magic.
"Was, was it a dream? he asked himself. Before anyone could answer, a Red-headed young woman burst into the room. She looked, dragonish.
"XOS, your almost late for graduation, hurry, their starting!" she said excitedly.
Then she stopped dead in her tracks.
"Who the hell are you three, and what happened to you Xos?" she asked.
Xos stood and looked behind him to see his two assistants and the very bewildered and confused Aibrone monk who had not actually intended to come with them.
"IT WASN'T A DREAM!" Xos shouted excitedly.
"Kalia, hurry, lets go get ready. You three, quick, go to the audience stands!" Xos shouted and dashed off.
The woman sighed and turned. She had been wearing robes indentical to Xos's, except they were grey, and covered with healing symbols, and necromancy symbols.

"Down the hall to our left, take a right at the end, follow the stands, can't miss it." she said offhandedly, and walked away to the right.

"I, I hadn't really intended to come along." the monk said.
She sighed.
"Well, guess I'm along for the adventure." she said, and lead the trio to the stands.

The Kessingalians in the stands looked at the three in the front row like they were weird and exotic creatures, on display for public amusement.
"Wonder where they got them." whispered one.
"That little boy sure is cute." said another.
"That man is hot, I'd like to do things to him that would make him squeal." said another.

"Quiet please." A voice said from below. They were seated in KU stadium, home of the Unidentified Flying Objects. The man speaking was the only human being on staff, Professor Causa. He wore black slacks, shoes, and socks. A blue dress shirt with a red bow tie, and over all, a white lab coat. He was in his seventies, and had a great white flowing beard. He was the strictest meanest teacher on staff, and would expell students from the entire college for not paying attention, failing to accomplish homework and research assignments, getting any thing lower than a C, including a C-, and once expelled a student for falling asleep in class. In addition his assignments were so incrediably complex and far reaching, that only the criminally insane would actually consider taking them. This was why he was reserved for the bad students that the university wanted to get rid of but couldn't actually get rid of for one reason or another. The fact that Xos voluntarily chose him for his honors courses was something that made everyone wonder what was wrong with him. The further fact that he passed all classes with flying colors made everyone wonder what his secret was.

Xos stood on the stage in full graduation regalia, which was the robes he was already wearing, multiple small golden ropes, and because he was class valedictorian, a free conical hat designed to match his robes.

KU had the Valedictorian give the opening speech and the class speech.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, brothers and sisters, my dear friends. It is not often we gather in such great numbers for so joyous an occasion. Though it has been naught but hours for you, for me, many days have passed since this morning, and I have learned many things." Xos's speech began, and from there he spoke for an hour straight speaking on the nature of reality, and telling them of Althanas.
At the end of his speech, The President of Kessingale University, a weird amorphous blob creature with fifteen eyes and four times as many tenticles handed Xos his Diploma. Xos bowed before everyone, even as the crowd cheered.
__________________________________________________ _________
Xos had them take the teleporter to his house straight from the university.
"May I present to the world, Dr. Xos Xilanthese." Kalia said as they materialised in the house. She smiled, but a look in her eye spoke of a secret feeling that would not be reciprocated.

Xos's house was made of the same material as the rest of Kessingale, the mysterious and green colored Substance Z. It acted like metal but felt like an organic substance. The windows were made of a crystal with the strength of Plynt. He had a couch in his front room and couple of chairs against the walls. Automated servants kept things in order. He had a couple of spare guest beds in rooms upstairs. The whole house was computerised and one had only to speak to relay a wish or command. The Crystal windows were shuttered closed by Xos's wish.

"So, this is my house, payed for with my inheritance. I have over 900 trillion Galactic Standard credits in the bank, so anything you need, totally on me.
Relax, make yourselves comfortable. Al, Kially, your rooms are upstairs, the first and second doors respectivly. Shial, my apologies for accidentally bringing you along. Your room is the third. If you need anything, ask the house, it will fetch it for you. I have to log into the internetwork and research The Battle of Reason." Xos said.

Shial, the Aibrone monk who was accidentally brought along looked at a computer interface screen on the wall with fascination.
"Is it intelligent?" she asked.
"I am a class seven Artificial Intelligence programmed in household management. I am equipped with a translator that allows me to understand over three hundred thousand different languages. I can perform complex calculations and play multiple games. Does that saitsify your question?" the computer responded.
"Yes, but it only raises more." Shial complained.
A robot servant, built to look human but not quite human walked over to Xos.
"Welcome home master, you have a parcel waiting for you in your library study." the robot said in a clearly artifical voice.

"Like I said, make yourselves at home, Tomorrow we go to the Galactic Mall as I show you the city. Really there's a historical volume there I wish to purchase." Xos said.

He went upstairs and was not seen for the rest of the night.

"So, are you skilled in combat then?" Shial asked the computer. In response a door opened accross the room.
"Aha! you have arenas like we have back home. Very well then, I accept your challenge!" Shial said. She entered, and spent the next have hour putting up a good fight against an exact holographic replica of herself. To her, it was simply a new magic, not understanding that this was instead highly advanced science.

[Alberdyne_Cormyr]

My name is Alberdyne Cormyr. I am the last son of the Cormyr household. A long time ago, I lived in a perfect world. My Father and Mother were a whole entity and I struggled to please them. Everything I did, I did in their honor. I honored my parents even at the cost of my own honor. All of those wonderful days came to an end when my Mother, Alma Cormyr, betrayed my family and murdered my Father in cold blood. That single moment forever altered the course of my life. I found myself thinking about that time period often. Could I have done anything to save my Father? Could I have given my own life? What would the world have been like without Alberdyne Cormyr? My Father would still be alive. My family and its long heritage of honor and pride would still be intact to this day. I would still have my castle. My castle. Home. The inheritance I was promised as heir to the property of the Cormyr household. But the inheritance is not what troubled my heart the most. My Father was a ghost that constantly haunted me. It so happened again that I was dreaming of my Father. Or at least, someone who I thought was my Father.

In his dream, a phantasmal fog surrounded Radasanthia. Dyne turned from his pursuer running for his dear life. But why was he really running? Dyne was no coward. And yet, he felt compelled to run from the entity that gave chase to him. The fog swirled in a circular sort of pattern that forged ghost-like wisps for shapes. Dyne's shadowy figure ran through the vaporous mist. He only stopped to catch his breath even as he heard the boot falls of his pursuers.

One of his pursuers was laughing at Dyne. "There's nowhere to run to little boy! You're still just a child! Why are you running!?" Dyne stopped at a crossroads. The intersection went off in four directions and was usually a busy Radasanthian street. There was an infamous water fountain located there that was close to The Bazaar. That fountain was the battleground, long ago, between a man named Max Dirks and a man named Leopold Stevens. Their ghosts still danced around the water fountain to this day, memories of an era of Althanas long gone.

Dyne saw the water fountain ahead. As he ran towards the fountain, the philosopher saw something out of the corner of his eyes. It was the image of a little boy playing right by the fountain that caught the apprentice's eyes. He stared for a moment. The boy turned towards Dyne Corona and placed a finger before his lips. Shhhh. Dyne stopped running and the image of the boy faded away. His face was completely stunned as he stared in the general direction of the boy, but the image was now gone. Perhaps forever.

Green fluids poured through the statue of the All-Thayne. It was a representation of the All-Thayne commonly found in Radaasanth's more educated caste. The statue seemed to look down imploringly at Dyne Corona as he made his way to that particular square of Radasanth. Buildings were covered in darkness, windows were boarded up and screams echoed in the air. Dyne was forced to face the end of days and two ancient enemies were coming. One was an individual that he'd fought long ago in his nightmares, and the others was an even more powerful individual.

The man who started this all. The Consuming Darkness. "You cannot run forever Alberdyne Cormyr. I have your name on my tongue. Your name has always been written on my tongue. Join us. Like everybody else has. Like he has. Like your whole family has." The footsteps grew closer now, they were echoing in the streets. Dyne felt the presence coming closer and decided that the time for running had come to an end. "All Thayne guide me. All Thayne forgive me." Dyne whispered in prayer to the statue of the All-Thayne as he prepared to face his destiny. Two individuals walked up towards Dyne. One of them was Dyne's exact height. The other was a taller individual engulfed in living darkness.

Both of these men stared at Dyne accusingly. The shorter of the two men approached Dyne and walked until he was approximately a couple of paces away from him. They were both staring eye to eye. "We finally meet again my brother." enyD said calmly. "You've been running for all these ages. It seems that our paths have collided again." The man looked exactly like Dyne Corona but instead of being a handsome, young monk, he was a barbarian with a hideously scarred face. The man named enyD anoroC stared at his counterpart for a moment before he was given his orders. "I am going to offer you this one last time Alberdyne Cormyr. Forsake The Glorious Light. Join The Consuming Dark." Dyne Corona, one of the last bastions of humanity and last hope for mankind, looked up at The Consuming Darkness. "I denounce you bringer death of destruction! Master of lies! Destroyer of worlds! I turn my back on you forever! I side with The Glorious Light!" The living darkness shook a form that could've been a head. This was the last stand of all that was living. "Then fall forever hero."

A scream in the darkness.

--------------------------

Dyne awoke in his bed. He was screaming. The apartment that was set aside for the patriarch of the House of Sora was empty except for Dyne Corona. He was sitting up in his bed and sweating profusely. His heart was racing. Next to his person on a small table was pitcher of cold water. Pouring himself a goblet full of the substance, he took a deep pull of the clean water. Getting out of the bed, he went over to the bathroom and cleaned himself off. He took a bath in the tub, brushed his teeth, and meticulously cleaned himself off. He studied the various scars on his body. The bathroom was an ornate room that had a giant golden mirror, a big white tub, and a sink. Dyne took a towel from one of the racks and dried his moistened body off. After he spent some time brushing his pearly whites, he was clean and ready to face the challenges of his day. As the acting patriarch of Lodge Bladestorm, Dyne Corona had a lot of responsibilities. His dual duties as a Monk of Ai'Bron and a Corone Ranger made him a high profile individual within Radasanth's high end crowd. Dyne liked it that way. He liked the attention that his position drew to himself, even the unneeded kind.

You see, Dyne had a dead mark on his head. Once a member of the Syndicate for a single operation, Dyne had betrayed the Syndicate and joined the Corone Rangers. That was an insult punishable by instant death upon location. A man named Ottocar had sent legions of individuals to claim the dead mark on Dyne's head. However, none have ever been able to claim it and Dyne lived at large, at peace with his life.

As a member of high society, Dyne lived in the lap of luxury. Dyne's apartment was built into an apartment complex for higher wealth citizens that could afford such accommodations. Dyne used his money and influence to bring about peace of mind. He'd purchased the deed for his apartment in an earlier business venture. Dyne had not regretted the purchase at all, he now had an upscale apartment to his name. He could use it as a base of operations for the House of Sora alongside his property in Salvar.

Walking around sky clad, the Corone Ranger sat down on his large couch. It was quite comfortable and he closed his eyes when he sat down. There was a knocking on his front door. Dyne sighed. He stood up and walked over towards that area and opened the front door without bothering to cover his perfectly chiseled form. His body was well muscular with less than ten percent body fat. He had many scars around his person from the various wars he'd gone through in his day. Opening the door he looked at the female monk behind it and sighed. "May I help you?" It was a monk that Dyne had never seen before. She was taller than Dyne but still on the relatively short side, around five feet and four inches. She had a petite but athletic figure. She wore the robes of a courier monk and had markings on her robe suggesting that she was much higher rank than Dyne currently was in the organization.

Dyne respectfully bowed towards his superior and immediately motioned that she could enter the apartment complex. The woman nodded, keeping an eye on Dyne’s bare form. It clearly wasn’t the first time she’d ever seen a naked man before and obviously wouldn’t be the last. “Put some clothing on Sir Cormyr.” She said calmly. Dyne obeyed and quickly clothed himself in his favored worker clothing. It was a simple cloth outfit that was baggy and loose. A utility pack was worn around his waist, and a pack was worn around his shoulder. Dyne kept his sword by his side at all times. His melee batons and other traveling necessities were placed into his packs. He had the impulse to do that judging the seriousness in the monk’s tone of voice. He placed his belongings alongside the large couch and sat down next to her.

He put his clothing on completely in front of the girl never once bothering to hide himself. In its current incarnation, the organization of the Monks of Ai’Bron had become a secular movement. Leaning towards a progressive society, the society of the monks began to become the antithesis to the Corone Empire. Dyne had joined the monks during a time period when the people needed hope in The Glorious Light in all of its many forms and incarnations. Dyne was specifically a follower of the Thayne known as Khal’Jaren in his many incarnations. The philosopher also worshiped the All-Thayne as did all of the individuals who followed the Thaynehood. For all the Thayne, even N’Jal, came from the All-Thayne. “What is your will my master?” Dyne asked calmly his face suddenly becoming quite serious.

“Your service to the All-Thayne is needed young Cormyr.”

************

And so, the next few hours were spent in a rush of feelings and emotions. Dyne was pulled along with a little kid every which way. The monk, Shial joined the quartet on their journey to this place called Kessingale. There had been so much done in such a short period of time that the philosopher had barely had anytime to digest it all. And suddenly, they all ended up at Xos’ house. Xos was a fellow member of the House of Sora, that much he knew for certain. That was a truth that he could cling to in a time of many uncertainties. Investigating the house, he was about to ask Shial many questions but she went into a different room to entertain herself. Dyne sighed. He was all alone with that kid in a foreign house in a foreign land. The struggles back home were probably really petty compared to the events happening there. Dyne turned to look at the little kid. He sat down on what appeared to be a fancy couch and tried to relax. What he’d seen coursed through his head now. He’d seen reality at its truest level, a philosopher’s dream. Dyne thought back to all of the strange things he’d seen in the teleportation tunnel. He was no stranger to that form of travel being a monk, but he was a stranger to that particular variety.

The sights were burnt into his memory forever. He mostly was concentrating on the dark membranes that he’d seen in his journey across the tunnel. Those membranes concerned him greatly. He’d gotten a particularly dangerous and overbearing vibration from those membranes. With his eyes closed tightly, he tried to meditate but couldn’t. He thought back to the dream he had when all this started. The Glorious Light and The All Consuming Darkness. Those two thoughts made the monk shiver. He turned to look at the little kid…

***********

Earlier-

After having had a vision directly from The Glorious Light, Shiel left the Citadel to go recruit Kially Gaith and Alberdyne Cormyr. One was a fellow member of the Monks of Ai'Bron and the other was a child who was a guardian of something extremely important. Shiel walked in the general direction of The Bazaar and came across the infamous water fountain dedicated to the All-Thayne. She passed by the fountain and saw that a child was there playing with the water. She smiled and walked towards the little boy. He fit the description that The Glorious Light gave her. Shiel paused in front of the boy and addressed him.

[Kially Gaith]

Kially had been in Corone now for some time, it was one of the few towns he’d actually learnt the basic layout of and as per usual, he found himself resting within the afternoon sun, sat at the edge of the town square fountain, water cascading down its’ edges whilst the boy looked down longingly into the water below him, admiring the gentle ripples as water fell like angels tears from above, spattering down grey marble until it met the basin pool, a gentle trickling sound easing the boy into a quiet day dream.

Many faces turned to look the boy over, a few speaking of days gone past where witnesses to Kiallys’ ‘power’ had been stunned or shocked to learn of his ability, the boy, thus, by a select few, was given a wide berth, allowing him his own space, not wishing to risk the wrath of the ‘son’ of Luc Kraus, eyes flurrying round to try and spot the ‘father’ amongst the daily crowd, not resting until every space had been examined once then thrice, still unnerved as they were unable to see such man available within the bustle of the local bazaar.

Those who brushed past the boy did so with complex naivety, none knew nor cared about the boys presence, letting him be, whilst others simply tutted, frowned and shook their heads that someone would be irresponsible enough to allow a small boy of Kiallys’ age to play near a rather deep fountain, oblivious to even the simplistic idea that he had no parents.

The sky was a dull grey that day and despite the weather looking overcast, Kially was as cheery as ever, unmoved by the mass of humanoids walking the streets, hustle and bustle of the market place bringing chitter chatter, calls of sales and banter of those who familiarized themselves with friends, another average day to be sure.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meandering through the purveyors of the day, Shial quietly found herself making her way towards a place that she had envisioned the night before at the will of her deity, Xos had entrusted her choice of beings for this return and such was her job to select them, never had she thought a small boy would be selected for something that could be all to dangerous, the travel alone could be enough to scar the boy for life and here she was, attempting to recruit him for reasons unknown.

“Young man, I believe you are in need of money?” Her assumption was incorrect, however, the boy seemed to perk up his ears, aware that he was being directly spoke to.

“Money?” He’d state, looking up to the odd robed woman curiously as she removed a small pouch from her belt, grumbling about how this was not her duty.

“Yes, I’ve been told to collect you. Money. Gold. Currency. You know? The stuff you buy things with?” Opening the bag with utmost caution, Shial carefully held it out open to the boy, revealing a plethora of different coloured coins.

“Oh! Shinies!” Called out the boy in surprised glee, revealing in a spectacularly failing fashion that he really had no idea about economics or the financial systems that ran the Althanian continents.

Shial gave a wry grin, now understand just why the boy had been selected by her deity, he was an innocent child, unknowing of the world and an easy sacrifice should the time arise…Or at least she thought so, taking 20 gold from her pouch and offering it out. “If you’ll come with me.”

Kially, as naive as ever, was an easy purchase, taking the minuscule amount of gold for himself and raising it up into the air, dropping the coins, where they fell like any amount of coins would though never hitting the ground, absorbed into a blurry abyss moments before impact.

Shials’ grin broke away into an open-mouthed gape of surprise, maybe THIS was why the child had been selected, and perhaps he had more power than she imagined.

Hopping to his feet, Kially stood before the robed woman, scratching his pale back as an itch over took him, dirty little fingers reaching round and idly scratching himself until appeasement of self was met with utter contentment.

Shial led the boy back to a quaint house where he was introduced without names to another monk, a taller fellow who said not a single word, silent exchanges of looks were given and Shial said not a word either, allowing the two to get to know each other with glances alone, Kially, however, had other ideas, standing by a window as to look outside, curious as ever as to just what was going on. No one had never told him not to go off with strangers and it seemed right now, that no one was stranger than Shial, save, maybe for that man who only stared at him without a sound.

Time flew by quicker than he realized and it was not long before they were setting off for Gaia knows where, Shial leading the way for the trio whom would soon be met by a fourth.

Considering just what was to become of this boy and just what powers he held in store to see kept Shials’ attention as she walked, leading the boy into a dark alleyway where a dark portal quietly opened at her whim, stepping in, Kially quickly followed without a second thought, having already been bribed with ‘shinies’ and before he knew it, he was traveling at an odd speed through a reality he did not recognize, however, the feeling in his stomach as the ge-forces pressed upon him were all to similar, much like that of his masters ‘wind walking’ skill.

Part way through the journey, two other figures slowly faded into vision and Kially just gazed quietly over them with a soft and gentle curiosity, their faces and emotions twisting with each turn as odd looking colours faded with bright ones standing out far more than those of darker more unhealthy hues, these things, of course, unknown to him, ‘membranes’, he’d heard Shial gabble on about, which either way, did not hold his attention.

To entertain himself, Kially found himself thinking of the sea, that big vast amount of water, a near infinite supply of something he held dear. Swaying softly to the waves in his mind, Kially found himself rocking gently from side to side as he began to sound out just what he heard in his mind, not really paying all that much attention to those around him. “Shhh….Shwhhhhhh…Shhhh….Shhhhhhh.”

Closing his eyes, the journey went much faster, through it all, the boy was sat in his own mind, gentle sand padding underneath his bottom as he appreciated the ocean spread out before him, shells and drift wood littering his perfect scene as nature was how it was intended to be – Peaceful.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Soon enough, the teleportation came to an end and Kially found himself once again out of his daydreaming, hours having passed like seconds, people having come and gone without ever saying hello or goodbye. This day? Average? Not at all. It was obviously only just beginning.

[Xos]

Xos was the first one awake the next day, partially from excitement, partially because he realised Kially had not completed the journey with them.
"What is the matter?" Omni's voice asked in his heart.
"The little boy, Kially, he's missing!" Xos exclaimed out loud.
"You would be the first to admit, interdimensional travel is tricky, but it was I who moved you, and I am of all dimensions. He is not yet there, but he will be when the time is right. He is with me, in my light. Safe. You can relax."Omni said.
Xos visably relaxed.

Dyne and Shial woke within minutes of each other, and after their morning preperations were down for breakfast. Shial marveled at the sonic shower. She was used to cleaning with water, not sonic energy. This place was really alien to her.

They both followed Xos's example, when he walked up to the computer, and ordered a Number five for breakfast. Three green circles appeared on the table, contracted, expanded, and left behind three steaming hot plates of food. They were piled with Eggs, Bacon, Ham, English muffins, and came with two tall glasses of Orange Juice and Milk.

After finishing breakfast, and all three were satisfied, Xos gestured at a robot, and it came and picked up the plates, disappearing with them behind a steel door next to the stairs.
Xos told them about Kially's temporary absence from the group by omni, and then asked them if they wanted to go to The galactic Mall with him.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
The three were wizzing through the Highway tubes at a high rate of speed.
They had an excellent view of the great city of Kessingale.

The Highway tubes ran everywhere, by buildings, around buildings, through buildings. They joined and split and carved their own spidery paths through the city.
Xos's car was oval shaped, with all the seats facing each other. Currently, he had only three in there, and all three facing towards the front. He sat to the front of Alberdyne and Shial, it WAS his car after all.

He was going on about the things they were seeing. They passed a ring hovering in mid-air. A giant ring, big enough to shove a mountain through.
"That's the Space Gate. We're actually covered by a translucent dome that filters out all harmful and UV rays." Xos said. It opened to reveal a giant steel grey tunnel, and a gigantic flying ship set down on the surface, larger than all the buildings.
"That would ship would be The Queen Argox. Queen Argox was the first queen of the Galactic Empire. She was a Frenalgock, I'd describe one to you, but that's an exercise in futility, so I'll just leave you to wonder what a Frenalgock is and why it's an exercise in futility to describe one. Anyways The Queen Argox is a luxary cruise ship, it sails from Kessingale, on one side of the Hulu Galaxy, to Elngron, on the other side." Xos said. He cracked his neck and his knuckles.

"Kessingale boasts over 6 billion citizens, and thus most of what you see are houses, schools, and local stores combined in one. The city is too large to have seperate districts for commerce and the like. However, some of the larger buildings you'll see are dedecated soley for one purpose or another."
Shial's jaw dropped in shock. SIX BILLION! She couldn't even fully grasp the size of such a number. The city she saw was mind-numbingly huge. She was glad they didn't have to walk, that would be a feat in and of itself. She estimated the distance they traveled already was at least a months worth on a good horse.
"Anyways, some of the larger buildings do have one sole dedicated purpose. For instance, that large one over there are the corporate headquaters of the oldest company in the entire Hulu Galaxy, Warhaven Incorporated. They have interests in every aspect of life, in every world, in every system, around every star, in the entire galaxy and beyond." Xos said.
The building he was pointing at was a giant tower that actually extended through the sky dome, for it was also a space elevator. It's section of the sky dome was darkened, and one could see it extend all the way up to a massive structure.
"Up there you'll see The International Space Station. It's a Space station, a second city built in space beyond the confines of the atmosphere. It's in Geosyncronus orbit with Kessingale. That means it's always above us, despite the rotation and revolution of Exluth, the world we're on. It's primary function is to great other much larger ships that can't dock down here like the Queen Argox can." Xos said.
This made Shial wonder just how big the ships were, for The Queen Argox was as big as 45 citadels put together, at least by her rough guessing. She didn't want to ask Xos how big they were, she was afraid he might answer, and she didn't quite fully grasp half the things he was talking about.

"Still, we do have other intresting things to see, but their on the other side of the city. Like Sholun's prophecy. It's a long story that so far has always come true. No one can guess what the last part means though.
'From here to eternity, in the universe's last days, The Consuming Darkness shall destroy us all forever more, but this fair city upon which I gaze, shall fall into another world and it we shall save." Xos said.
"How exactly does a city fall into another world. Events from Radasanth's past prove a city can sink into the empty space beneath it. Is there another world beneath this one?" Shial asked.
"No. Just empty space." Xos said.
A giant mammoth building larger than any other loomed in the distance.
"And there's our destination, on the top half, we have the seat of The Republic of the Kessingale Democracy. On the bottom, The Galactic Mall. Some crazy people think it's because the government wants to spy on us, but that's crazy. We can trust our government, the President said so." Xos said.

The car glided smoothly to a stop inside the building.
Shial and Dyne leaped out of the car with Xos.
"Two Non-resident aliens, one resident." Xos said.
He let a beam of light scan him.
"Identity of Dr. Xos Xilanthese confirmed. Now scanning Non-resident Alien visitors.
Visitors, please let us scan you. This process is painless and will only take a second. Visitors are free to come via resident homes, but upon entry to public places must be scanned to ensure no deadly and harmful Mutagenic diseases are released upon the public. Scans completed, DNA stored in memory. Please attach names." the computer said as it scanned them.
"Oh how silly, I forgot. The Gentleman's name is Alberdyne Cromyr. The lady's name is Shial Kestel." Xos said.
"Entry permitted, have a nice day." the computer said, picking up Xos's care and storing it with thousands of others in underground storage.
Xos stepped on the moving sidewalk and gestured for the others to follow.
He was moved inside the building.
The inside of the Galactic mall was set whatever your body decided was comfortable, for upon entering you were gased with a substance that formed a film on your body, keeping you comfortable at all times. It had no harmful side effects, but occasionally someone with a low tolerance to it's ingredients was gased and reacted strange to it. Shial for instance, turned purple. She wasn't suffocating or anything, but one of the ingredients made her skin turn purple.
"I hate purple." Shial complained.
"It's better than suffocating." Xos said.
The occupants of the mall were a widely varied bunch. Some were 12 feet tall with three eyes, no arms and four legs. Some were smaller than humans, green, with two giant almond shaped eyes. Others were Amorphous blb creatures likt the Kessingale University president. Infact one was the KU president. He was out with a slightly smaller blob and two little blobs that were appearently his wife and children. Of course, blobs weren't pretty anyway.
There were creatures with extremely small heads and extremly huge muscles, they were called Gareens, because that was the sound their breathing made. They were the only known creatures in existence able to fail an IQ test. Then there were others wild beyond description, and some you simply had to see to believe. Then there were the occasional Frenalgock, and they got to see why attempting to describe one was an exercise in futility. Later, even to themselves and each other they would find it difficult to describe one accuratly.

The shops were as varied as any you might see in any Althanian Bazaar district. There were armor shops, and weapon shops, apothecaries and odds and ends. there were other shops as well, and the one Xos came for. The book store.
The bookstore was just a bank of moniters against the wall.
"The Battle of Reason." Xos said.
"The Battle of Reason', by author Oyr, Ninranb, a religous document detailing the last war over five thousand years ago. Price, 5,000 Galactic Standard Credits." The computer said. Xos nodded, and the wall opened a little slot, where Xos withdrew a little crystaline card.

Xos smiled and continued on.
"Dr. Quack's Plastic surgery, we improve Body and mind. Hey, I wanna look." Shial said.
So Xos lead the three in there. Dr. Quack was half human, half duck. He was a kind man, standing behind a counter.
"So, what do you do?" Shial asked.
"Oh, a first timer, I understand. If there's some part of you you want improved, some defect nature gave you you don't want to bare, I can fix it for you. I must say you are a beautiful woman though, so I couldn't imagine it being anything of a physical nature, unless you wanted to become a man, then I could help you. Or maybe you wanted something in your mind fixed. Maybe you want Psionic abilities, it's the hot new item this year. Maybe you want your reflexes improved, or your strength increased. No matter the request, Dr. Quack is here to help." The Docter said.
An old man walked in.
"Ahh, Mr. Jones, your just in time for your appointment." Dr. Quack said to an old human.
He lead the old man to a casket looking machine.
"You have everything picked out?" the docter asked.
"Oh you betcha, I can't wait to be young again." the old man said. He laid down inside, and Dr. Quack closed the door.

"I'm a fist fighter, I want each of my punches to explode against my opponet." Shial said, not believing this man could aaccomplish such a feat.
"Indeed, right this way. You have insurance?" The docter asked.
"Oh, I'll pay." Xos said.
"It's one hundred thousand Credits." The docter said.
Xos shrugged sat down, and began browsing his new book.
"You want something Al?" Xos asked, as The Docter hooked Shial's hands up to a strange looking machine. Shial smiled as it tingled pleasantly against her hands.