вacĸ ιn тнe ĸιngтιllιυм palace....

A guard ran bursting through the throne room sweating. "Sire, It would seem that the prisoner, Jason, has escaped and overpowered the Top Enforcer Security guards. He is on his way to what seems to be the source of a strange energy surge of magic coming from the forest near the Old Hall of Knowledge, the gateway between Artahiém and the Outskirts. Only the brave king of Artahiém can take care of such a catastrophe."

The King rose from his throne and a magical sword materialized in thin air and floated to his hand. "Understood, Athony. Thank you. But I am enraged at Jason. Make sure if it that Archamium Academy.....is...destroyed. We cannot afford for them artistic minds to grow too strong. Their leader has crossed too many lines. It is only a matter of time before he leads a Rebellion against Kingtillium University and take over Artahiém. Now go, my faithful noble. And notify the Head of my Council, Sir Aaron, to come with me."

With that, the King ran to the Old Hall of Knowledge.

вacĸ aт тнe old нall oғ ĸnowledge, вrιnĸ oғ arтaнιèм....

The Dark Wizard laughed with the hands clasped in front of him pacing in circles around his opponent, Kriston. The deactivated the domes holding Dukestep, Dellta, and Forge. "You so called 'prodigies' really don't know, do you? Tsk. Kids, it's story time..." He said with a snarling grin. Kriston nodded. "Once upon a time, a Son of the Moon whooped the Mage of the Dark Legion of Demons. His named was Kriston Wrathe!" Kriston jumped and kicked the Wizard. It broke his jaw but he instantly used dark magic and his wound healed.

Kyrie ran at the Dark Champion. "FOR ARTAHIÉM!!" He clashed swords with the Champion. "You can't take us alone. Maybe if you had the Prince of Artahiém. He was--" Kyrie stopped. He remember the legends of the long lost Prince of Artahiém." He was good with He is good with a sword, hammer, dagger, staff, pilum, spatha, gladius, katana, cutlass, machete, his fists. He is good in karate, martial arts, the list continues. He was the Kingtillium's and Artahiém's Top Enforcer and warrior. The King's first and only son..." He looked to Forge as his eyes widened. "That sounds familiar. The prince was 17 when he disappeared. That was 14 years ago. The Dark Champion...how old are you."

The Dark Champion grinned an evil snarl. "31...." Dellta stopped fighting the swarming demons. Forge stopped blasting the demons with white energy. Dukestep stopped swinging with her enchanted dual daggers. Kriston stopped fighting the Dark Wizard and turned toward the Dark Champion. He dropped his platinum lance and it clattered to the floor and transformed back into a wand. There was a moment of silence. Kriston pointed at the Dark Champion. "You...you..You are the long lost Prince of Artahiém." The remark seemed so farfetched to the prodigies that they didn't even know what to say. "And you are working with him."

Then, King Tithan Atoaquinn of Artahiém and Principal of Kingtillium University walked up to them with a grin grilling his sword. Jason stood behind the King defeated bound hand and foot with some nasty bloody scars and a gag in his mouth. "Yes, the infamous Dark Champion is my firstborn and only son, the long lost Prince of Artahiém. And I knew. Now is where you would call me a traitor, talking about how I have been playing you and the whole kingdom all these years and attack me with inspirational music playing in the background as you take a stand for all that is right and good in the world.

"But I am very talented in the Arts. Now give me your relics, now. The staff from Forge, swords from Dellta, daggers from Dukestep, and of course, the dual master Kingtillium wands from the twins of Sir Aaron." Kriston picked up his wand. "And if we refuse?" King Tithan Atoaquinn continued. "Well, they won't do you any good when I eliminate you. From now on, anyone who failed the Alpha Exam is not sent to Archamium. I have your father and Sir Anthony destroying the Academy right now." Forge gripped his staff. "He is bluffing." The King raised an eyebrow. "Am I?" He continued. "I will have the Kingtillitary eliminate the forgotten ones of Archamium personally.

"Now, you either pass the Alpha Exam or die. No room for artistic spontaneous minds like yours poisoning the classic orderly Kingtillians of Artahiém. My University is the way, and the way is life. Failing is Archamium. And Archamium....is death. Kyrie Wrathe, Dellta Straote. I need you to stay away from them. A magical gigantic wall pushed them away from the Archamium prodigies and disappeared. "Now, line up and place the relics in my palm." Forge walked emotionlessly with the staff behind his back. He brought it in front and placed it in his hand. Dellta, Dukestep, and Kyrie did the same.

Kriston was walking with the wand behind his back. Last second before he placed the wand I. The King's palm, it transformed into a golden lance and Kriston ran toward the Old Hall of Knowledge. He knew if he could destroy the Old Hall's most mystical powerful book of spells, the ancient power of the spells would be released from the pages. The power from the First Times would be reborn. And with First Times level magic, that was enough to reanimate Artahiém itself! Which means more than enough power to regenerate Archamium."

The Dark Champion understood. "What now, father?" King Atoaquinn continued. "I must go to the palace. The Dark Wizard will bring the remaining captives the the Outskirts for the Kingtillitary to eliminate them. You need to stop Kriston before he restores the power of the First Times! He can't regenerate Archamium. Remember the prophecy!" The King ran off towards the palace. Kriston was deep in the forest, but then he saw a glowing blue door slightly submerged in vines and fungi but locked for sure. Kriston was running at it. He blasted a moon beam at the door and it exploded. He heard more rushed footsteps and looked back.

It was the Dark Champion holding a Dark Magic enchanted sword. Kriston cursed. He was better with a lance than a sword, though his swordsmanship was pretty good. He ignored the Dark One and ran through the door. It was amazing! An old library from the First Times! Rusty books flying from shelf to shelf to straighten themselves. Everytime Kriston's shoe touched the floor, it would glow blue and fade away. He transformed his lance into its original state, a wand. He aimed it at the left bookshelf. It pulsed. Right bookshelf. It pulsed. Straight ahead. It glowed constantly. Kriston ran and came to a stop. The ultimate book of spells, legend has it that it was written by the Gods themselves when Artahiém was created!

He hated to have to destroy it. His wand transformed into a flaming lance. He set fire to one of the pages. It burned for 2 seconds before some water put it out. "What the--" Kriston looked at the Dark Champion. "Did I forget to tell you I studied in the Arts of Ice and Water? A pity really that you won't live to see my full potential, but you will get a taste." Faster than Kriston could've reacted to, his arms and legs were bound in frozen shackles. He broke them easily and his lance stopped burning. He threw it at the Champion's head. The King's son caught it mid flight."Never unhand your weapon when fighting with me." He took it in both hands and snapped it in half, it's magic essence floating out of the shattering penetration.

The Dark Champion snapped his fingers, and they were in a desolate desert with a single palace in the middle of it all. It was so tall it could actually be taller than a mountain. Mountain. Dark. Kriston remembered the legends. Dark Mountian. "This is Darkmount, the capitol of the Outskirts. We are in the Outskirts now. I suppose the Kingtillitary us waiting to eliminate us in there..." He pointed at it. It had to be an 8 hour trip by magic chariot at full speed! (Artahiém Equivalent to a Mercedes or Lamborghini, pretty much any sports or muscle car of your choice).

The Dark Wizard spoke. "I can teleport us there in an instant. He snapped and instantly, they were standing in a throne room. Everything was wicked and black. Then BlackStone came outta nowhere and tried to tackle the Dark Wizard but was kicked into line with his companions. "Where were you?" BlackStone rubbed his sore neck. "I was hiding in Dukestep's shadow. I thought I could overpower him." The head of the Kingtillitary motioned toward a pit of bubbling acid and lava. "Who's first, kids?" The general of the Kingtillitary said as he motioned his hand toward the pit. "No volunteers? Great, I get to choose...."