Allen was shocked at how easily the creatures had detected him. He summoned his sword, after killing the first one he was sure this would be an easy fight, and he was ready to defeat them all quickly. Instead though he decided to use this as an opportunity to study the beasts. He assumed a defensive stance and began dodging and deflecting their attacks, studying how they moved and their preferred methods of attack. It would have been easy if there weren't so many of them. But their coordination and numbers forced him to stay on his toes, but with an effort he was able to remain unharmed. He could see however that more were coming and that he couldn't keep this up forever, one misstep or lapse in attention, one unlucky instant, could easily leave him maimed. He was playing a dangerous game and he knew it. After a few seconds like this, far less time than he would've liked, he leaped into the air and shined a light down over the creatures. This was not an offensive move, any normal being would've been completely unharmed by the light, after all he was just illuminating the area. He wanted to see how the monsters reacted to the light though.
"Alright." Allen walked to the door. Then stopped and looked up at the stars through the glass ceiling, trying to see the planet he would be going to. He opened the door and stepped through. Allen felt a spinning, falling sensation once he stepped through the door. All around him were swirling colors and the streaks of stars moving about faster than his eyes could register. All distorted by the vortex he was in. He didn't remember leaving the vortex. The next thing he knew he was waking up in a barren land. The only signs of life he could see around him were sinister, dead looking trees, and some monsters off in the distance. There were also pools of darkness in several places across the wasteland. The whole world seemed to be draped in shadows, as if no sun could reach it. He looked up at the sky and saw only what looked like dark clouds, covering everything. Allen stood up. "I didn't expect this world would already be lost to the darkness by the time I got here. Oh well, time to get to work. Legion said I should land near civilization, so I guess I'll start my investigation there. But which way will I find it?" He looked around the area and was attacked by a monster, which he easily dispatched. "Not very tough are they." Then he had an idea. "Maybe I could follow some of the monsters. He said they attack efficiently, and they sounded pretty aggressive, so if I follow a group of them they should lead me to the nearest civilization soon enough. The trick i just going to be not getting caught on the way." He looked around and hid by a nearby rock formation. Now he just had to wait. After a short wait a large group of the monsters came by him. "That's my cue," he thought. As soon as he was sure they wouldn't see him he came out of hiding and began following them at a safe distance. It was only a matter of time until he came to civilization.
Allen almost left, then stopped as he realized he'd forgotten something. "How do I get back here when I'm done?"
"Yep. Anything else you want to tell me? Or should I get going?" Allen wanted to know who it was controlling the creatures, and he didn't know how he wasn't sure how to find the source of the darkness. But he was getting used to Legion not answering his questions and didn't feel like wasting his breath at the moment.
"Maybe, sounds like a big job," Allen said, "and it's not like I have any field experience. But I'll do what I can. Just one question though; are these dark beings anything like the creatures that attacked the academy?"
"Fine." Allen had no doubt that Phisoxa could handle herself -though he wondered about Shero- and if someone else needed his help he couldn't turn them down just so he wouldn't feel left out. "What should I know before I leave to help this planet?"
"You don't scare me," said Allen. "Anyway, yeah I did want to look through your library but I wanted to be a part of the adventure too. What do you want my help with? I'll see where I'm most useful and then I'll go there."
Allen fell unconscious again. Then woke up after another couple of minutes. "You don't know much about chloroform do you? It has to be continually applied or it only lasts a couple of minutes, and continual application can have deadly side effects. That said I'm not complaining about being tired anymore, so you really don't have any reason to use it on me. And if you do knock me out again I'll kick you in your testicles after I wake up. Now I'll ask again, did they leave without me?"
Allen stretched as he got up. "Well, that was refreshing. Real comfortable chair too, I can see why you sleep in it. Next time though, feel free to just ask me to lie down." He looked around. "Wait, did they leave without me?"
Allen attempted to hold his breath and pull the cloth away. He was so tired though that he almost didn't want to resist. After a few seconds his body slumped as he fell into unconsciousness.
"Can't a guy get a little sleep before he goes off to save the world?" Allen said at Phisoxa. "Just a short nap at least? Or even just one hour?" He turned back to Legion. "Or, if not, maybe you know some magic that can serve as an good substitute for sleep?"
"So how do we get back if we want information then?" Allen rubbed his eyes. He really wanted to go to sleep, but felt he should learn this before he did anything else.
"Then where are we staying? We did just lose our home after all." Allen was upset to learn they wouldn't be here long and that snapped him out of his drowsiness, he had hoped to study these books to try and learn something that would help them, like how to defeat the monsters that had attacked the school.
"So where am I-and where are the girls- supposed to sleep?," Allen asked. "Do you have like, a hammock I could set up somewhere, or something? I kept one in a drawer in my room at the academy, but I doubt that'll help now."
Allen listened with intent to what Legion was telling him, and did his best to learn his way around the library. He had been up for a long time now though and he was growing tired. When the tour ended he yawned and said, "I don't mean to be rude but do you have any beds in this place? I've been up a while now and I could really use a few hours' sleep."
Allen was disappointed he couldn't read the journal. He started after Legion, "of course I am. Wouldn't be much point to you just showing yourself around, Would there? And who knows? Maybe I'll find a book that'll tell me how to undo the seal on that journal."
"Sun Tzu huh?" Allen said to Legion as he was walking off. "So I guess this library has every book ever written right? Maybe you could show me around before you read 'the art of War' that way I can find books myself. And Phisoxa I'd like a look at that journal when you're done with it, if you don't mind. It might have some useful information."
"You've got some explaining to do." Allen rubbed his eyes, from equal parts stress and tiredness. "First off, what's a Libra?"
"Fine, but if it does, I'm quitting. That's non-negotiable." Allen reached out and took his hand, relieved that they hadn't left without him. Then he reached for Shero's hand in an attempt to comfort her.
"No." Allen stared straight into where he thought the man's eyes were. "You asked me not to lie to you, so I won't. I hold myself to high moral standards and I won't agree to anything permanent until I know if it meets them." He pulled his hand back. "I want to make it out of here, but if I have to choose between death or potentially compromising my integrity. I'd rather die." He turned back to the door and got ready to fight when they broke through. He was ready to die to preserve his integrity, but he was secretly hoping the man would still agree to his terms. "Besides, in all honesty, the fact that you're not giving me a way off your team if I want it, makes me think I shouldn't trust you." Allen thought of Jen, he hoped she'd be proud of him for this, but he was upset to think he might die here and never see her again.
