“How could this be?” Wondered Tannen. “The kingdom would actually give it out to us?”

    Sairori started to drink his tea again and made a reply.

"That map must have remained with them for many generations. Somehow, they forgot and decided to throw things away."

    Alistor started to question Sairori.

"Throw away? You mean that package you made me risk my life for was just something being tossed?"

    A displeased look was on his face while the others chuckled.

"The Kingdom tends to throw out stuff to make room for the new. Even if it's a map that was supposed to be kept safe."     

     Auroa then points out to the map as it starts to shine. Maigashi wondered why it was glowing as they heard a voice calling to it. A location gets pinpointed.

“Find me….Release me…..”

     Alistor and the others looked at Sairori for what they should do.

"Well….. If the tales are true, let us seek this fragment of the Rose. We could use all the help we need."

. “It seems the fragment of this rose is calling to us from the region of Mysteria.” Mentioned by Katty.

“Then let’s do this.” Alistor jumped.

     They decided to set course to the Mysteria, which lies far south of Mathias. Sairori got up with his walking stick as Tannen and the others got ready.

"If we go now, we can return before midnight," Katty said.

      Rushing out the doors, they made their way through the back entrance of Emerald Village. The party takes one last look at their home before setting off on a new journey.

Getting to this place won't take too long. Mumbled Maigashi. "Sucks that we have to walk. Man, I miss riding with Bamboo."

“I know…” Auroa shrugged.

     The party recalls their best moments with Bamboo in his car. Traveling to places as Alistor remembers crashing into a tree.

"Man, you were a terrible driver back then." Tannen reminded.

“Hey! It was an accident.” Alistor muttered back.

     The rest begins chuckling.

"Bamboo forced us to take a week of driving school. Do you remember our time with Ding? Maigashi asked."

      An embarrassed look was seen on Alistor's face.

“Don’t get me started.”

“Just like the old times.” Tannen nods.

     The team arrives in front of a hedge maze.

“This maze hasn’t changed one bit.” Sairori sighed. “This path will get us to our destination much quicker.”

“How many times did it take the both of you to remember the way through this? Katty wondered.

     Tannen smiled, not looking back with one of his teeth shining.

"Let's see, it was forty, fifty. No, Wait! Sixty-plus or maybe. Oh! I can't remember; we've both been through this maze many times."

     The party continues making their way through the hedge maze quickly.

"If you weren't around, we would have been lost in this hedge maze," Alistor commented gracefully to them.

     Tannen and Sairori both giggled a bit. They approached a temple up ahead. Auroa took a close look and noticed the entrance.

"Well, we're at one of the stop points. A small break wouldn't hurt. My legs are getting too old for this kind of thing." Gestured Sairori.

     The party arrives to rest at the front of the temple.

     Back at the Baronia fortress…

"What could they be up to?" Wondered the King. "They seem to be going somewhere, making me curious."

     Dr. Page viewed the viewing screen with the King.

"Well, shall we send down a monster?" He asked as the King was tense with excitement in his glowing eyes.

"Yes! This is it! Our first monster that we get to send down. Oh, how exciting."

     The King begins to look through his inventory of monsters at his disposal.

"Now, which one to choose?"

“So many choices.”

    Dr. Page patiently watches the King browse the inventory through a holographic system.

"Ah, perfect! Just the right one on my mind to do the job and test furthermore."

     The doctor took a closer look at the choice Baronia King made.  

"Well, my lord, which one is it?" He asks.

“Inter-ceptor!” Shouted the King.

       They both stepped a few feet away from the holographic system. The King raised his staff.

“Inter-ceptor! Come forth as I summon you.”

      A colossal spark bursts out through four sides as the room shakes for a brief moment. The monster is quickly summoned by the King's command.

"Perfect. Now go!"

     The monster slithers away and compresses its body as it teleports down to go after Alistor and the party. Down below, the party is seen taking a break by the temple.

     Ten minutes later...

"Well, I think that's enough rest. We should get a move on then." Replied Tannen.

     They got up as Sairori pointed to Mysteria, which lies far south of Mathias. They approach the path but are surprised by a great-sized object crashing down on them. The thing was stuck to the ground as Maigashi went to take a closer look at it.

“Careful!” Sairori shouted.

     Maigashi starts poking at the object with the edge of his bow. He continued to drive at it a few more times till he decided to turn his back.

     "Hmm, nothing, I guess." Gestured Maigashi.

     The object begins to move as Alistor and the rest notice it transformed behind him.

"What's wrong? Why do you guys seem speechless? Something caught your tongues?"

 The object continues to decompress. Maigashi looks at the rest of them strangely and assumes something as he gets annoyed.

 "Oh, I get it. Is this more of that silent treatment?"

     The monster begins making crackling sounds as the noise finally catches his attention.

“What the hell!”

    One of its arms was about to slam down on Maigashi, but Tannen reacted with a quick hand axe at the arm. Maigashi rolled to the side, stumbling. The hand axe pushed the mechanical arm off course, saving him from harm.

“You idiot! Watch it! You almost hit me with that.” Maigashi pestered.

      Tannen simply nodded.

 “Hush! Focus on the enemy.” Muttered Tannen.

      Maigashi continued to crawl till he could get up to his feet. The monster then opened its eyes to fire its lasers.

     The monster targets the rest on its screen. The lasers begin firing as Maigashi starts jumping and dodging like a maniac. Each laser impacts the ground unleashing some earth while the creature slithers around.

“What is that thing?” Asked Katty.

 "It bears the pattern of Baronia." Pointed Sairori. "This thing must be a monster of Baronia. I suppose it's here to stop us from making progress."

      Katty and Alistor drew out their weapons to begin the battle. The monster paused for a brief moment.

"Interceptor is the name, and the Baronia King sent me to destroy you. Now prepare to die!"

      Katty and Alistor conversed about that thing as they went around.

“I never saw something of this before.” Wondered Katty.

"These guys are different than what we have ever encountered." Replied Alistor.

     They both continue observing the monster avoiding the swipes from its tail. Maigashi made his way back to the other three.

 "Well, aren't you going to help, Tannen?" Gasped Maigashi.

     Tannen turned his back on Maigashi, refusing to help with this fight.

“What do you mean you won’t bother?” Yelled Maigashi.

     Auroa smiled, watching Maigashi complaining with Tannen.

"At a time like this, Tannen. Come on!"

      Returning to the Baronia fortress, the King watches Alistor and his friends battle the monster.

"Well, it seems our monster has engaged in battle." Laughed the King. "To spice things up in this battle. Doctor! Send down the Pawns to back our monster."

The King continues to watch the screen.

“With their members not working together, this should be an easy victory for my monster.”

     Maigashi continues to complain with Tannen down below.

"Well, you should at least thank me, geez." Tannen sarcastically said.

"Saved? You nearly hit me with that stupid Axe of yours." Maigashi pestered.

       Tannen turned around to watch the monster fight Alistor and Katty.

"Don't think you need my help for this one." Smiled Tannen as he raised one thumb up to Maigashi.

“What! You’re kidding me?”

       Tannen continued to have his thumbs up in front of Maigashi.

"Sairori has wanted to see how much progress you've made. So show us how strong you have gotten within a year."

      Maigashi's jaws dropped for a moment.

“But!”

“Hush!” Countered Tannen.

      Maigashi continues complaining.

“But! But!”

 "Just do it! Stop whining! If any of you are in life-threatening danger, we'll intervene." Tannen assured.

“But it can fire lasers.”

       Tannen showed no sign of fear to Maigashi about that statement.

"So what! Just go for it. They're just lasers."

     Maigashi regained his confidence to help them in the battle as he and Auroa prepared to join the fight. Baronia pawns appear in the crossfire of the skirmish as they jump in. Auroa and Maigashi took defensive maneuvers. Katty and Alistor continue fending against the Interceptor monster, only dealing minimal damage.

 “We got to finish this thing off as soon as possible.” Katty gasped.

"Well, any ideas?" Alistor asked.

      Katty brought up an idea.  

"Well, do you remember that charge attack? The first move you ever knew.

Well….the only one. Ya know?”

"Wait! Do you mean the Star Breaker? But I haven't used that in over eight months."

     He continued to ramble on.

"Well, just do it! I'll go distract the monster."

 "Alright, but it will take some time for me to build up power. It's been a while."    

     He began concentrating his energy into one place as an aura started flowing around him. Katty runs into the monster with his long katana to distract it. Tannen and Sairori continue to watch the fight while Auroa and Maigashi fend against the Pawns. Auroa shattered a few with the crack of his whip as Maigashi headshot two of them.

"Fighting these low-rate pawns is boring me. I want a challenge." Maigashi blabbered.

“What do you mean?” Asked Auroa

“I’m gonna go for the big one.”

     Without hesitation, he heads to face the monster.

"Wait! Oh my. Don't tell me. You're just gonna make me fight them all myself.” Auroa sighed.

     He gave a thumbs up.

"Don't worry, I'll get Katty to back you."

     Auroa continues to fend off the pawns while trying to gain some distance. Energy begins to take form around Alistor as Katty keeps up with the distraction.

“Ok, it’s almost ready.”

      Maigashi suddenly jumped into the fray to surprise Katty as Alistor lost concentration momentarily.

“What are you doing?” Asked Katty

"Let me help Alistor take this one on. Anyway, this one's personal now."

      He pulled Katty out of the battle to help Auroa. The monster drew its attention to Alistor as it slithered to him. Alistor continues to focus all his energy on the Star Breaker.

"Hey, over here!"      

      Maigashi shot an arrow at the monster to get its attention.

“So you want to go again?” Replied the monster.

     He stood up to the Inter-ceptor, giving off a daunting look.

"You have made a fool of me. And I won't let you further mock me. You may have your lasers, but I got my ranged attacks to counter."

“Have at it then!” Yelled the monster.

       Alistor continues building for his attack while Maigashi distracts the monster. The monster swings its mechanical arms back and forth. He dodged them madly as he started kicking the beast around to annoy it. Katty makes his way back to Auroa to back him. The two are surrounded by another group of pawns.

"Well, let's wrap this fight up."

“Same here!” Katty agreed.

     The two worked together to take care of the remaining pawns. Auroa and Katty slashed through the pawns, dismantling them.

     What remained was the monster itself as Maigashi continued annoying it. The Inter-ceptor began opening its eye out to fire its lasers. Maigashi didn't care, no longer ignoring it as he took the damage like a man.

"They're just lasers, after all! My lightning will break through it!"

     He began striking it with multiple lightning shots causing damage to its mechanical body. With one lucky shot, it hits the monster's central eye causing its vision to go absurd.

"Bullseye!"

      The monster's view and target system were now all down as it attacked mindlessly while moving wildly in a rampage. Sairori and Tannen continue to watch the fight.

"Ok, it's ready!" Alistor announced.

     Wasting no time, Alistor charges forward with his attack at full strength and power as Maigashi quickly rolls out of the way.

“Star Breaker!!!”

     His blade makes a crushing impact through Inter-ceptor. A Burst of energy came flying as sparks shot out from all sides.

“They actually bested me?” Gasped the monster.

     The monster collapsed to the floor, exploding. Mechanical debris sent flying as the rest went to take cover. Maigashi got up in amusement with their teamwork.

"Well, that worked out well."

      The others caught up to them as Tannen and Sairori were proud of them for defeating the Baronia's first monster without help.

     Back at the Baronia fortress…

 "Oh, what a shame we didn't win, doctor." The King said neutrally.

"Hmm, they have no problem with our first monster. They were lucky. Next time we'll be ready with something better; just wait and see."

     They both left the throne room to discuss future plans. Back below, Alistor and the team now looked at the pathway to the region of Mysteria.

     "Well, let's continue to our destination," Alistor suggested.

They all make their way to the passage that leads to Mysteria.