Looking for the White Star Staff

  Yana, DD, and Alisha appeared on Gra Continent. DD moved closer to Yana, taking on his usual bodyguard stance. Gra Continent was a dark, miserable place filled with black smoke that plumed up from underground volcanic activity.

  Yana looked around. The shadows stirred as her gaze passed over them. She called Jasmine and Mag forth. The Dimensional Wraith and Shadow Spark appeared next to her.

  She looked to DD. “Take us to the void space above the main lava tube.”

  He looked at her sheepishly, his massive form shrinking slightly. Yana rolled her eyes. “You are a Marked Demon. Why do you refuse to [Void Step]?” He remained silent. “I am sending you back to Sho to train with the Demon Clans.”

  The huge Marked Demon shuttered visibly, just as the air around them shimmered and they all moved to the void space above the lava. [Dimensional Step].

  This void space was odd, in that the darkness shimmered with a purple and green luminescence. They all stopped—temporarily blinded by the odd light. ‘Do you know what this is, DD?’ DD’s internal voice was shaky. ‘I have heard stories of this type of void, but I have never seen it. Is it illusion void?’

  ‘I can help us move through it, Mistress.’ Mag moved forward and used [Shadow Splice] to cut through the luminescence.

  The luminescence parted and revealed a pure, quiet darkness. Yana nodded as she moved them all through the void, in the direction of the Starlight Church’s next artifact. The luminescence closed in, and once again their sight and perceptions were obstructed. Once again Mag moved forward, her small spark of a body subdued in the darkness of the void. [Shadow Splice].

  The purple and green luminescence again parted, and again Yana sensed the artifact.

  The group carried on in this way until the artifact—the White Star Staff—seemed to disappear all together.

  Yana frowned. ‘Everyone, get ready, there is something here. Something is blocking my perceptions.’

  Alisha squirmed on her shoulder, the Shadow Doll beginning to shape-shift. Her perfect porcelain face melted like wax, and the liquid porcelain ran down Yana’s arm just as her shadow scythe materialized in her hand. The scythe drank Alisha’s magic, channeling her [Shadow Weave].

  The void shadows flowed into the scythe as it wove them into a fine web. DD moved forward, executing a massive [Void Rip]. A dark wave of magic moved through the void and suddenly stopped with a sonic boom. “There!” Yana shouted.

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  They all moved forward, attacking the spot where the attack struck. There was a loud, pained moan, but still a bright green poisonous flame rapidly moved toward them. Mag squealed in excitement as she moved forward and consumed the entire flame.

  There was a tiny burp and a small wisp of smoke, but no pause. The others streaked past the Shadow Spark and continued to the point of impact.

  Jasmine cast a [Shadow Embrace] just as DD sent another [Void Rip] right behind it. The darkness came together in a dense dark knot, then it was ripped apart. An agonized ethereal scream moved through the void.

  Yana’s porcelain arm twirled her scythe and then slashed it down. The void parted in two, the entire space trembled as if it were about to collapse, and out of the space moved a black, purple, and green beetle the size of a huge mountain chain.

  One of its six legs had been severed, and putrid light green blood oozed out. Its carapace was spiked and had two cracks going down its left side. Its beady eyes focused on Yana as it moved forward, Yana’s break in the void unable to heal.

  Yana grinned—eager to fight such an emergency foe—her scythe twirling before her, and Alisha sparkling along her arm like fine china speckled with brilliant diamonds.

  She sprang forward, DD by her side, as she used [Shadow Create], [Shadow Manipulate], and [Illusion] all at once. Her forehead shone as Shadow poured forth to assist her magics.

  Shadow poured out and combined with void shadow to create powerful minions that swarmed out of the darkness by the hundreds. Yana was annoyed that she couldn’t manipulate more. They moved out like an army, ready to be fodder against the massive beetle.

  DD moved forward, unleashing [Shadow Kill] in a wide arc toward the beetle, his dust rising before them like a dense shield.

  [Shadow Kill] had no effect. They knew instantly: it truly was a Void Beast.

  “Alisha!”

  [Shadow Weave] moved forward just as Yana used [Spell Weave]. They combined the two weaves with [Illusion] and moved the composite spell toward the beetle. The shadow-void minions surged past them, ready to be fodder for the massive foe.

  The [Illusion Weave] hit the beetle in its beady eyes. The creature froze, enthralled by the Illusion, and Yana saw it—the White Star Staff.

  Yana twirled her shadow scythe, Mag moved forward and went through the carapace as if it were made of butter, and the scythe sliced the beetle’s head off in one sweeping blow.

  Yana’s breaths came in large, heaving gulps. She was utterly spent.

  Alisha reformed into her beautiful porcelain doll self. The shadows and void-shadows all flowed back into the gem in Yana’s forehead, and Mag and Jasmine consumed the Void Beetle. The White Star Staff moved into Starlight’s pocket dimension. Yana took a long moment to regain her equilibrium, letting the darkness of the void soothe her soul.

  She looked out into the luminescent void. Jasmine and Mag collected what was left of the Void Beetle, and they all moved from the space. [Dimensional Step].

  ‘Starlight?’

  ‘I am going to Tey, Mistress. I think the Lark is there. I believe she is under distress.’

  ‘Just confirm that she is there. If she is in danger, call me and we will come. If not, go to Heli and make sure he is okay for me. I sense something is off with his change, and I can not tell if it is good or bad.’

  Yana looked to the others, signaling the next move. They initiated [Dimensional Step] to Li Continent.

  Yana looked out over the myriad of waterfalls. This was the last of the Church's artifacts—and perhaps the greatest—the Tears of a Starguide encased in a star crystal. “Let’s do this. I have a Shadow Lark to save.”