Battle  
                                   (Chapter 5) 

    " I don't believe it! We put him in the strongest cell we have and he 
still gets out!" shouted Dunamis. Alethea glanced at the shocked guards.
" Go get General Nights now!" Alethea ordered. The guards dashed off at top
 speed. 
      Reve pushed her way between Alethea and Dunamis and stared in stunned
 surprise. Reala was gone. Dunamis walked into the room and examined the 
hole. Only a minute later the Nights flew down the hall at top speed, and 
stopped at the cell door. He glanced at the cell.
" When did he escape?" asked Nights.
" We don't know." Dunamis glanced at the crumbled mortar. " It looks like 
he pulled the mortar lose!" Nights walked briskly across the room and 
kneeled down to examine the mortar.
" It looks more like it was crumbling and he just peeled it out of the 
wall." Nights looked at the large block. " Alethea, could he have pushed a 
block this large out of the wall with a broken ankle?"
" I suppose if really tried he could, but it must have been quite 
difficult." Nights looked at the four 'maren standing at the door then 
frowned grimly.
" We had better find him before he gets back to Nightmare. Dunamis go look 
for him, and take Reve with you. Alethea you'll come with me, but go get 
Eti first. He'll probably head for Mystic Forest where it's dark and there 
are lots of hiding places." Dunamis nodded then left with Reve." 
Eti arrived a minute later wide eyed. 
" Nights she can't be serious!" Eti stared into the cell.
" Yes she is, Reala has escaped." Nights said wearily. 
" How long ago?"
" No one knows."
" What about the guards." said Eti glancing at the one standing behind her.
 He was intently studying his foot.
" I'll discuss that after we find Reala. I'm going to look with Alethea, and
 Dunamis and Reve have already left to find him. Until I get back your in 
charge, Eti." Eti straightened in surprise and delight.
" Yes sir!"
    Reala flew through the dark forest wearily. His vision had been blurring
 on and off and he felt extremely dizzy. The long shadows distorted the 
appearance of Mystic Forest even more. Reala knew he was lost. He had never
 been to Mystic Forest before, nor to Soft Museum, and had no way of knowing
 where he was. He also could not fly very fast because of dizziness and his
 injured ankle. Normally he would point his feet, but now his ankle hung 
useless beneath him and caused a very substantial drag. Abruptly he felt a 
growing chill and slightly sick feeling sweep all the way through him. Black
 and white spots began clouding his vision and he landed quickly in a small
 thicket. Reala realized that if he did not rest immediately he was about to
 pass out. He, like Nights, possessed a phenomenal threshold for pain and 
remarkable endurance, but even Reala had a limit. Reala made sure he was in
 a difficult place to see. He knew he could not go to sleep, the rebels 
might already have found out about his escape and be looking for him. He sat
 down and leaned with his back against a tree trunk. 
" I must not fall asleep." Reala told himself. Then fell asleep almost 
instantly. 
    Jackle stood silently looking over the Minion and 'maren under his 
command. Clawz had already brought his troops over the long barren stretch 
of Marble Flats almost five minutes ago. The bleak land of Marble Flats was
 composed mostly of black marble resting in chunks, boulders, and small 
pebbles. There were old abandoned quarries where large blocks had been move
 to make the Castle of Nightmare where Wizeman and most of the high 
officials of Nightmare resided. Even those 'maren who had rooms, canyons, 
etc. out side of the castle where they commanded (Reala, Gulpo, Gillwing, 
Jackle) was not really where they lived. Jackle was waiting for Gulpo and 
his troops to show up. Jackle sighed tiredly. Why did Gulpo seem to always 
take his time before battles? Gulpo was defiantly not dumb; he was actually
 quite smart. It had taken Jackle awhile to see that Gulpo, slow as he could
 be, had a natural timing when it came to fighting. Clawz yawned tiredly. 
" I hate it when Gulpo is suppose to fight, he's always late." 
" Gulpo is a favorable fighter, and Gillwing is still recovering." Jackle 
stated simply.
" I still don't like to wait for him; waiting makes me edgy."
" Just remember when we get to their base not to go fighting crazy like you
 did last time you fought. There will be lots of rebels this time." Clawz 
gave Jackle a mock hurt look.
" I just got a little excited."
" Slightly." Jackle smirked.
    The sun began to rise in Nightopia as Nights and Alethea continued their
 search. Nights glided slowly through the woods looking for some sort of 
sign that Reala had come this way. Alethea glanced at the mist, which seemed
 to fill the forest floor below them. Reala could be almost anywhere. Nights
 dived through numerous tangled branches, and kept looking.
" Don't you think he could be back in Nightmare by now?" Alethea asked.
" If he knew where he was going I would say yes, but he doesn't. Also, he is
 injured, that will keep him from being able to fly at normal speed." 
Reala woke up suddenly and realized that he had fallen asleep. He would have
 leapt to his feet if he had not been painfully aware his ankle was broken.
 It felt even worse since he had rested, and he could tell it had swollen 
even more. He could tell the pain killer had worn off also. Reala stood up 
carefully and looked around. He knew he must have been asleep for about two
 hours. The brilliant sunrise nearly blinded him; Reala was unaccustomed to 
being in bright light for long periods of time. A layer of mist hung over 
the ground and Reala inspected the area for any sign of someone looking for
 him. Seeing no one, he flew away trying to find his way back to Nightmare. 
      Dunamis glanced at a shadowy patch of trees. Reve flew behind him 
looking for broken branches or trampled grass. Abruptly Dunamis motioned to
 Reve to stop. She glanced at him curiously. Dunamis was looking into a 
small dark cluster of trees, and Reve felt a leap of anxiety race through 
her. She quietly removed her sword from its sheath and flew beside Dunamis.
 Reve stared intently into the clump of dark trees. Slowly Dunamis crept 
into the shadows and landed on the ground. Then a loud flurry of noise came
 from one of the treetops. Dunamis looked over his shoulder in alarm. Reve 
leapt back and nearly screamed as a white ball of fluff with two legs, a 
beak, and tail leapt past her. It shrieked and took off at top speed along 
the ground, alarmed at their presence. Suddenly it stopped and looked at 
them.
" Reve, Dunamis?" it twittered nervously. Reve recognized the small Snip.
" Frost, what are you doing here!" she shouted. Dunamis flew up to meet 
Reve and glanced at the frightened Snip. 
" I was just taking a nap." Frost replied relaxing a little. This was not 
unusual for Snips, who were nocturnal.
" That's not exactly safe here, Reala's escaped, and Nights thinks he's in 
the forest." The Snip stared.
" I'll go back to the base." he chirped nervously, and dashed back toward 
the base. Dunamis and Reve continued looking for Reala.
Gulpo had finally arrived, and Jackle had given the orders to begin. The 
troops were ready, all of them, and they proceeded enthusiastically. It 
would be about an hour before they reached the rebels' base at Soft Museum.
 It had taken five different scouts to find out where the base was, and a 
long time to plan the attack. Reala would have thoroughly enjoyed this. 
Almost everyone in Nightmare thought he was dead. Jackle was not quiet sure. 
      Reala flew slowly and in exhaustion through the trees. The morning 
light glanced off the leaves and mist that hung in patches on the ground 
below. He fell dizzily to the ground his vision blurring once again. He 
nearly screamed at the overwhelming pain in his ankle. This had become more
 and more frequent. As his vision cleared Reala got up and looked in front 
of him. Suddenly a he heard a rustle of branches above him. A 'maren dressed
 in mint green and white landed in front of him. He looked into the large 
brown eyes of Alethea. Reala flinched, of all the 'maren to have to fight 
why Alethea! She was one of the only 'maren who cared anything about him. 
Reala sighed. 
" I don't want to fight you Alethea."
" Neither do I." The two stood quietly for a few moments. Alethea looked at
 his face, which had a gray tinge to it. Only someone in tremendous pain had
 a gray tinge to his or her face. She was sure that if he tried to fight 
like he normally did he would pass out.
      Reala noticed a streak of purple over head. Nights landed beside 
Alethea.
" Leave me alone Nights." Reala growled menacingly. 
" I'm not going to let you go back to Nightmare." Nights replied coolly. 
Reala glared at Nights. Nights glanced at Alethea.
" Wait over here; I should be able to handle him myself." Alethea nodded, 
and backed away. Suddenly Reala sprang on one foot at Nights. Nights leapt 
straight up in the air and tried to kick Reala between his shoulders; 
Reala rolled in mid air and grabbed Nights ankle trying to slam him into the
 ground. Nights caught himself using his hands, and agilely preformed a 
front handspring before Reala could get a good grip on his ankle. 
      Eti relaxed and enjoyed the early morning atmosphere. It was a calm 
clear morning, and her only concern was for Nights and the others who were 
looking for Reala. They had not come back yet and that concerned her. She 
knew Reala tended to disappear when he wanted to, and could be quite 
difficult to find. She sat quietly on a column thinking when one of the 
lookouts raced up to her. He was gasping for air. 
" What is it?" she asked with concern. 
" An invasion! Jackle and a huge force of Nightmaren and Minions are coming
 this way!" Etienne sprang to her feet. She suddenly wished very badly that
 Nights was back. 
" Call the colonels now!" she shouted.
      Nights kicked Reala in the short ribs. Reala was thrown back and 
doubled over, one hand over his ribs. Nights dived at him, trying to hit him
 in the solar plexus. Reala moved out of the way and grabbed Nights arm, 
slinging him head over heals. Nights regained his balance and drill dashed 
into Reala, who spun off, slamming his side into a tree, and fell on the 
ground. Reala gritted his teeth and tried to breathe; he gasped and tried 
not to scream. Reala stood up. He felt yet another injury to add to the 
ones he already had. Nights hovered thirty yards in the air in front of him
 wondering if he had broken Reala's ribs. Alethea held her breath.
" Are you ready to quit now?" Nights asked grinning. Reala simply leapt into
 the air, and shot through the trees.
      Tears streamed through Reala's eyes. Breathing ached. Moving at all 
was extremely painful, but Reala was sure his ribs weren't broken. Nights 
followed several yards behind him; trying to stop him. Reala whirled in 
mid air and preformed a genuine flying side kicked into the left side of 
Nights face. Nights, who had tried to stop in time, flew several yards 
backward into the tangled branches of a tree. Reala tried to fly as far 
and as fast as he could before Nights recovered, but Nights caught up again
 very soon. 
      Eti looked at the on coming troops of Nightmare. Anxiety raced through
 her. It was not a tremendously large army. Eti glanced at the rebels; all 
of them were exactly where she had planned. She wondered if her strategy 
would work. Jackle seemed to be leading the Nightmaren army in a triangular
 formation. They were almost in the middle of the grounds of Soft Museum. 
Eti glanced at the soldier hovering nervously below her. He rustled the 
branches in front of him slightly. 
" Be still!" she hissed. 
      Jackle glanced around. A puzzled feeling tugged at him. Where was 
everyone? He had expected his army to be assaulted before they arrived. 
Jackle felt that something was very wrong. The rebels should have been 
panicking and fighting. The word ambush came to his mind. Surely, they 
wouldn't be that stupid; it would be far too risky. If they were discovered
 before they attacked they could be completely wiped out. Clawz strolled up
 casually.
" Maybe their base isn't here." 
" Not likely." murmured Jackle " But the word ambush keeps coming to mind."
 Clawz snickered quietly.
" You just got this position and you're already as paranoid as Reala." 
Jackle glared at Clawz.
" You don't have to talk to Wizeman if you fail on this mission."
Suddenly rebel troops sprang from the surrounding woods. Jackle leapt into 
flight and began hurtling razor sharp cards at the on coming rebels. Nights
 was nowhere to be seen. 
" He must not be here," thought Jackle delightedly. He knew Nights well 
enough to know if Nights was here would be right in the middle of the 
battle. 
Eti sailed straight over three 'maren and straight toward Jackle. He turned
 around and saw her. She pulled out her sword. Jackle turned to face her and
 instantly a number of razor sharp cards hurtled toward her. She batted them
 out of her way with her sword.
      Reala plunged through leaves and tried to make as irregular a flight 
pattern as possible hoping that Nights would run into something. Nights 
followed unshakably behind him. Reala began to lose speed. He could not keep
 flying until he ran into Nightmare by accident. Nights seized Reala's 
ankle without thinking. However, that was a serious mistake. Reala screamed
 at the top of his lungs. If Nights had stabbed Reala, he doubted Reala 
would have screamed much louder.
Dunamis and Reve stopped suddenly as loud scream rang out from somewhere in
 the forest. The two looked at each other.
" Reala!" they said in unison, and headed in the direction from which the 
scream had come.
      Nights would more than likely have won if he had not made that 
mistake. Nights let go of Reala's ankle in shocked alarm. That to was a 
mistake. Reala whirled around and punched Nights in the stomach sending him
 soaring through the air. Reala had not even had to think; his reaction had
 been a reflex developed from fighting. Nights hurtled through the treetops.
 He had never seen Reala hit anything that hard before. He steadied himself
 and shot back through the trees to find Reala, but Reala had vanished into
 the forest. Nights looked for him for a few minutes before returning to the
 area where Alethea was waiting. She looked up at him in concern.
" Where's Reala?" 
Nights told her what had happened.
      Eti wondered where all of Jackle's cards were coming from. He seemed 
to have an endless supply in his cloak. Jackle laughed in amusement. Swarm 
after swarm of cards shot straight at Eti. She batted most of them out of 
her way, but some nicked her every once in awhile. 
" Give it up rebel, you'll never win." snickered Jackle. Eti got angrier, if
 she was ever going to get near him she had to get rid of those annoying 
cards. However she had never fought Jackle before and was at a complete loss
 of how to get past his cards. 
      Jackle glanced at the continuing battle. It had been nearly an hour, 
and the battle was looking badly for the Nightmaren.  Jackle could see Clawz
 pouncing on a Snip near by. Another rebel drill dashed into Clawz. Clawz 
roared and clawed at 'maren. The rebels had surrounded Jackle's troops as 
the battle had begun. This put the Nightmaren army at an extreme 
disadvantage because they had to defend themselves on all sides. The 'maren
 rebel Jackle was fighting tried to paraloop him. Jackle moved out of the 
way quickly as the paraloop closed. 
" You'll have to do better than that!" laughed Jackle.
      Eti felt a growing frustration. How long was this going to take. She 
awaited more cards out of her way. 
" If I never see another card again it will be too soon." she thought. 
      Jackle realized that he was out of cards. He had used them all on this
 persistent 'maren who was fighting him. Jackle waited until Eti realized 
he was out of cards. 
      " What is he doing? He must have finally run out of cards," she 
thought. Eti wondered why he wasn't running. " He must have some sort of 
trick." She paused for a moment waiting to see if he would hurl a card at 
her unexpectedly. Then Eti charged him enthusiastically.
      Jackle smirked. He held the dagger out of sight and waited till Eti 
charged him. Then he threw it at her. By the time Eti realized that the 
something heading for her was a dagger, she felt a sharp pain in her right 
arm. Eti looked at her arm in alarm. There was a long gash in it; she 
started at her arm for a moment then shot toward Jackle furiously. She was 
not really angry as much as just tired of fighting him. However, she did 
want to wipe that cruel cocky smirk off of his arrogant face. She raised her
 sword and nearly cut Jackle, whose smirk faded instantly. He shrieked and 
moved back. 
      Dunamis and Reve burst into a small clearing. They both spotted Nights
 who was sitting on a rock, and Alethea who was patching up a number of 
small scratches on Nights face and arms with some sort leaf. 
" What happened to you; where's Reala!" Reve panted. Nights sighed.
" I got knocked through the tree tops, and Reala got away." Nights winced 
as Alethea rubbed the leaf over a particularly nasty cut.
" Do you want me to find him." Dunamis asked eagerly.
" No, he's probably over the border by now. It's only a few miles from this
 point in the forest, and if he's still moving as fast as he was when I was
 chasing him, he'll be too close to catch. I also think we should get back 
to the base before Eti sends some one to look for us."
" He won't be moving that fast for long. He's more than likely to pass out 
any time soon, and everyone here has been up most of the night. We're not 
alert enough to watch our backs that close to the border." sighed Alethea.
      Jackle fumbled for the second dagger he had never used before. He had
 either defeated his opponent or been beaten. He had never fought anyone 
this long; it had almost been an hour and a half. Eti swung her sword and 
cut the arm Jackle was reaching for his dagger with. Jackle leapt backwards
 and roared in frustration. He ducked as a Minion went flying over his head.
 He turned and fled to the edge of the field. 
" Retreat back to Nightmare! NOW!" called Jackle. Eti flew at him sword 
first. Jackle knocked her sword out of her hand, and then he fled into the 
woods. Eti was knocked backwards slightly then rushed to retrieve her sword.
 The Nightmaren army had almost completely fled from Soft Museum. A few 
rebel guards chased the last of them off the battlefield. She felt a weary 
delight. One of the rebel Minion, a Hollow, flew over to her.
      " We won! There all gone!" It squawked in excitement then darted off 
to spread the news. Eti landed lightly on the ground, and looked out over 
the field. There were a few injured rebels but not many. Eti felt suddenly 
very weary, and dropped to the ground.



                                     Finale 
                                   (Chapter 6) 

      Nights and the others arrived back at Soft Museum. All of them stared.
 The grounds around Soft Museum had been a battlefield. Nights flew over to
 a Mamu who was near by. 
" What happened!" 
" We were attacked." The Mamu looked at Nights in confusion."  Where were 
you?" Nights glanced over the field.
" Where is Etienne?" 
" I don't know." Nights shot furiously over the field looking for Eti. He 
searched frantically for her. He asked everyone he saw if they had seen her.
 No one knew where she was. 
" How could they not know! She was leading!" he thought. The thought of Eti
 injured or dead kept tugging at his mind. A terrible feeling flooded over 
him. Frost, who had heard Nights asking about Eti, dashed over to him. 
" I'll go with you." he piped cheerfully. Nights smiled grimly.
" Thank you, I could use some help."
      Alethea dash to her infirmary and frantically began treating the 
various patients. There were several Minion, and about seven 'maren, a few 
of which were badly injured. Alethea rushed for the various herbs that she 
kept in stock. Most of the ones she needed had to be fresh and not like the
 dry ones she kept. Dunamis walked in nervously; he felt out of place in the
 infirmary. Alethea glanced up at him.
" I need some help, come with me." Dunamis followed her. She handed him some
 bandages and gave him several instructions. Dunamis nodded uncomfortably. 
" Don't worry I'll take care of any one who's seriously injured; you ly and 
took off again. 
      Jackle stood at the doors of Wizeman's throne room. Jackle's heart 
beat wildly. Clawz stood beside him and Gulpo stood behind him. Jackle swung
 open the doors and held his breath. Wizeman was standing facing the doors.
 Puffy, Gillwing, and a number of other high-ranking Nightmaren were already
 there. All of the 'maren turned around and looked at them. Jackle felt 
particularly uncomfortable. Claws walked almost timidly down the small aisle
 of 'maren and stood with them. Gulpo followed after Clawz. 
" Traitors." thought Jackle as he walked down the aisle. He stopped at the 
front facing Wizeman. He felt a rush of terror streak all the way through 
him. Two of Wizeman's looked down at Jackle. One of Wizeman's eyes was as 
large as Jackle's head. 
" Well Jackle did you wipe out the rebels." Wizeman's voice boomed. Jackle 
wished he could slip through a crack in the floor.
" No." He said then flinched expecting to be hit with a blast of energy. 
Surprisingly it didn't happened. Jackle risked a glance at Wizeman. Then as
 surely as he let his guard down one of Wizeman's hands knocked him across 
the room, and Jackle slammed into the black marble wall. The other 'maren 
cringed in fear. Jackle picked himself up in alarm and terror. This had 
happen at least eleven times to Reala in the presents one or more 'maren, 
and Jackle suddenly wondered if it might happen regularly to himself. 
" Tell me what happened." Jackle flinched at the rage behind Wizeman's 
voice.
      Reala flew over the border of Nightopia. Nightmare stretched out in 
front of him for miles. The desolate land composed mostly of sand, rocks, 
and small deep pools of water passed underneath him. Reala flew a slow 
uneven flight along the plain. The stars shone amid thick multi colored 
clouds. Only a few more miles lay between him and the Castle of Nightmare. 
He collapsed again on the hard ground below him. The same overwhelming pain
 filled him. Reala continued across the plain immediately. He knew if 
stopped moving even for a short time he would fall asleep. 
      Jackle gave his report nervously, and the other 'maren listen quietly.
 Clawz remembered that Reala had rarely sounded nervous. Clawz snorted 
contemptuously, but very, very quietly. After all, it would not do to have 
your authorities not like you in a most permanent way. He wondered why 
Jackle had gotten this position in stead of some of the other 'maren. Jackle
 finished and Wizeman questioned him. Jackle had calmed himself down 
somewhat and answered with surprising calmness. 
      Reala could see the castle over the flat dry plain. He was almost 
there; it wasn't even a mile away. Reala would have speeded up if had any 
energy left to speed up with, he barely had enough to continue. His entire 
being screamed that it needed to rest. Reala ignored it.
      Jackle stepped down in relief and joined the other 'maren in the now 
crescent shaped group. Wizeman began laying out the next strategy to be 
used. The other 'maren listened intently.	
      Reala reached the main gate. He flew inside the small courtyard like 
area and headed for Wizeman's throne room. To keep moving now had become a 
battle with him self. His vision was now constantly blurred. His side as 
well as breathing ached. He was very dizzy, and his ankle was worse than it
 had ever been. He felt like some one had tied a weight around him that was
 pulling him down. 
"Am I going to die?" The thought ran across his mind with a grim humor. He 
flew down the long hall to Wizeman's throne room. The large heavy brass 
doors were closed as usual. He pushed them open. 
      Jackle and the other 'maren turned in alarm as some one opened the 
doors behind them. Jackle stared as the exhausted broken looking form of 
Reala flew in to the room. Reala had no sooner entered the room than he 
passed out on the ground. His face was gray white and miraculously looked 
paler than it had ever looked. Quiet alarmed murmuring began among the 
'maren. Jackle wondered if Reala was dying. 
" Bring Nettle." At Wizeman's command some of the 'maren took off to call 
one of the only physicians in Nightmare. The others waited nervously. Reala
 was still breathing. Jackle noticed his injured ankle and wondered if it 
was broken. The bandage around his head had a large spot of blood on it, but
 it didn't look as if he was still bleeding. Ten minutes later the 'maren 
came back with another 'maren leading them. Jackle had never seen her 
before. She had gray blue eyes and a sword by her side. Her outfit was black
 and white, and she had a pearl in her headpiece. She flew to the throne 
room doors and looked over at Reala who was lying on his stomach. Suddenly 
Reala stirred and opened his eyes. He looked up at Wizeman then the other 
'maren.
" I'll take him back to the infirmary. I think his ankle is broken." Nettle
 glance up at Wizeman silently asking for permission. She hoped Wizeman 
didn't want to talk with him in this state.
" You have my permission Nettle." Nettle and another 'maren helped Reala to
 the infirmary. 
      Reala drank yet another bitterer anodyne than the one Alethea had 
given him. Nettle set his ankle only a few minutes after he drank the herbs,
 and put a cast made of the same plant Alethea was going to use around his 
leg. Reala absolutely could not keep himself from screaming.  
" You should not be fighting any time for the next few months." Reala stared
 at her. 
" And just how long is a few months." 
" At least four months, and you should rest a lot for the rest of this week.
 You had a fairly bad concussion."
" I'll be fine now, except for my ankle." Reala tried to stand up on one 
leg and nearly fell. He felt dizzy again.
" No you're not. Your concussion is a serious injury. You can go now, but 
come back if you need some more anesthetic." Reala shifted uncomfortably and
 looked down at the tiled floor.
" Thank you." Nettle nodded.
" It's my job, but your welcome."
      Eti sat on the roof of the larger of the two buildings in Soft Museum.
 Nights flew up to join her.
" Are you feeling better Eti."
" If I didn't do you think I would be sitting on the roof." She smiled at 
him. " Do you think that Reala made it back to Nightmare?"
" I don't know. I tried to be careful not to hurt him any worse than I had 
to. In fact, he tried to get away once we found him, which is unheard of 
for Reala. Still I did slam him against that tree awfully hard so he might 
have some broken ribs." Eti looked straight at Nights.
" Do you think I handled the attack the way I should have?"
" Of course, from what you said you didn't have much time. I think you did 
the best you could on such short notice." Eti relaxed somewhat.
" You know we'll have to move to another base."
" What do you have in mind?"
" Well Mystic Forest is an excellent place to build a base; then there are 
the sea caves at Splash Garden. The unexplored regions of Nightopia might
 provide some excellent places also, but we don't have time to explore them
 yet; though we should soon." Nights walked over to edge of the building. 
" I had better go now or the scouts will leave without me." 
" Let me come with you."
" If you think you can handle it then come on." The two of them flew off 
together.
      Reala sat in his throne room alone. Almost no one came into his throne
 room without his summoning. It was one of the few places in Nightmare 
where Reala could really enjoy quietness. Most of the inhabitants of 
Nightmare talked about him behind his back in hostility or simply curiosity.
 He had grown accustomed to the whispering and avoidance that almost 
everyone in Nightmare seemed to participate in regarding him. Between the 
terror that every lower ranking inhabitant seemed to have toward him, and 
the plotting of the power hungry higher ranking 'maren he was very isolated.
 Sometimes it was very depressing not to have anyone to talk to. Reala began
 to relax. At least Wizeman had not shot him with an energy blast or thrown
 him across the room during his report. Reala leaned back and fell asleep.
      Jackle was in a really bad mood. He had just gotten Reala's position 
and already Reala had come back. Jackle wished Reala had been killed or 
captured permanently; he didn't care which.
" It was just my luck for him to show up after Wizeman took all his 
frustrations out on me." Jackle's thoughts were interrupted as Clawz slunk 
down the hallway that Jackle was walking down. Clawz grinned. 
" Lost your new position already?" He purred in a mocking way. Jackle 
shouted viciously at Clawz.
" Are you just trying to be impertinent or would you like me to knock you 
senseless!" Clawz backed up in alarm. 
" A little touchy aren't you?" Clawz mewed dismayed.
" A LITTLE, A LITTLE, GET OUT OF MY SIGHT YOU COWERED BEFORE I KNOCK YOU 
THROUGH THE WALL!" Jackle screamed. Clawz turned and took off up the hall. 
Jackle felt a little satisfaction as he floated down the hall. There would 
be time to find a way to get Reala's position. He simply had to find the 
best way to do it.
      In a dark high wing of the castle, Clawz perched on a large still 
gear. This was his favorite haunt. He laughed softly to himself. Jackle had
 finally gotten as power hungry as almost all the other high officials. He 
wondered how long it would take before someone made an attempt to get rid of
 Reala in a most permanent way. Puffy had her spies almost every where and 
was bidding her time. Gulpo was constantly looking for ways to get higher up
 in rank. Jackle had just started looking, and the others had been looking 
and plotting for awhile. Few of them suspected Clawz desire for power also,
 mostly because his plan was so subtly designed. Reala was too powerful for
 him to take down so he would let someone else do the job for him. Then it 
would be easy to bump off the successor; none of the others were as 
dangerous as Reala. Clawz grinned malevolently. None or few of the others 
had the control to accomplish Reala's job for long, but Clawz knew he could.
 It was only a matter of time. 
                                  

                                 THE END