Chapter 6

(the Maniac and Phenomenon)

Previously, our heroes encountered the eggbots, and Shocram’s has his own encounter with a familiar haunting set of eyes. So far, they have packed up and already on the move to the next town, still searching for supplies and food. But now they travel with a new face, Mia the Bat.
We join them as they marched on through the open landscape of rolling hills, massive trees, and lakes, under a big blue sky. Carrying Mia on his shoulders, Xak walked side by side with his friends, Shocram, Solar, and Lunar.
"Oh man, I'm so Hungry...” Shocram complained, “Can we find something to eat? I don't care what it is.. I'll freakin' eat a rock, if it'll taste good.. uhg..." 
"Shocram, all you've done so far is complained; why not actually help once in a while?" Lunar said, annoyed as usual.
"Pfft.. I have been helping...” Shocram replied, turning to give Lunar the stink eye.
"oh is that so?” Lunar growled, “how about I teach you something about 'Helping'" He threated, he seemed like he wanted to rip off Shocram's big head.
"Wow,” Solar says with a little surprise, “and I thought Lunar was only capable of hating just me..." 
"Guys calm down, alright? We're all hungry, let's just hurry to the next town, and grab a bite to eat.” Xak said attempting to calm everyone down, he turned his head to Solar, “How much further to the next town?"
"Ummm.... I think about... just over the Hill I suppose." Solar said, a little less confident to Xak’s likening.
"Are you sure.. Because you sound like you're just guessing..." Xak asked, looking at Solar with an annoyed stare
"Hey I know!" Mia said out loud, grabbing everyone's attention.
"Yeah? What is it Mia?" Xak said looks up at her on his shoulders.
"Let’s go Fishing! I mean, there is a lake right over there! We can catch something to eat." Mia suggested.
"I'm more of a pizza guy... but Fish doesn't sound too bad on an empty stomach." Xak said.
"Yeah I guess that’s alright" Solar agreed.
"Bleh... never been a fish guy either--" Shocram complained when suddenly his stomach growled a noise that sounded fierce, he looked up, "but.. I guess It'll do.." He said, agreeing.
"Hmph... I don't see any other option." Lunar says.
"Great!” Mia exclaimed happily, “My daddy taught me how to fish, and used to take me here to fish in that exact lake, so I know fish are there." Mia hopped off Xak’s shoulders and ran towards the lake, with everyone following behind her.
"Hey Xak... I know she’s just a kid.. But do we really need to have a kid tagging along?” Shocram whispered, “I mean as it is we can barely find food, and now we have another mouth to feed, I say we take her to the next town, and drop her off.”
"Shocram... I'm not ditching her... I made a Promise.. Alright look it's fine, she's even helping us get something to eat, so she's not useless I think you just need to adjust a bit more.." Xak said whispering back, as they watched Mia taking off her shoes and stepping into the lake ready to catch some fish.
"eh.. I just don't think it's--- wait a promise? What Promise?" Shocram asked with surprised.
"A promise that I would protect her" Xak replied simply.
"what!? And did you even think about us? We are a group we need, to think this--"
"Shocram, there is nothing to be thought through about, just because you have a problem with her doesn't mean we do. Look a Promise is a Promise, and I don't break my Promises, alright? Now either Hog up, or step down." Xak said with all seriousness, staring Shocram right in the eyes.
"Alright.” Shocram backed off, “I guess i'll just shup up then... but we should at least think about finding a home, I mean we're not exactly the best 'parents' for a little girl.. just think about it..." Shocram said as he walked ahead to the towards the water.
"he does have a point about that... where we're going is no place for a little girl... and I don't want her getting hurt....--"
"Sounds like you have some issues, Xak" suddenly, Xak's other self-spoke to him in his head.
"oh you again... I don’t know what to do... I don't want to break my promise, but I don't want her getting hurt..." Xak said to himself.
"Well, if she's helpful, keep her..." the other Xak said.
"But she's just a kid..." xak said.
"Then get rid of her..." the other xak spoke cruelly.
"I'll think this over later, you know you still haven't told me exactly who you are..." Xak stated.
Nothing replied.
"Hey, don't leave now!" Xak said out loud as everyone stared at him.
"Hey, Xak are you gonna stand over there talking to yourself or are you gonna help us catch some fish!" Solar said.
"umm hehe... yeah I'll be right there..." Xak replied, "but you and I aren’t doing with this..." Xak said to himself as he walked toward the lake where the others were.

The group spent a day splashing and catching fish except for Shocram who stayed clear of the water. Xak had noticed Shocram’s avoidance with the water and confronted him, soaking wet Xak reached out to Shocram as Shocram shook his head and shied away.
"Hey, Shocram what’s the matter? Are you afraid of the water or something?" Xak asked as he dripped with water.
"um no.. not exactly.. it's more like.. I can't be around it..." Shocram said scooting back away from Xak and his dripping fur.
"oh, wait you can't swim! That’s no problem, I'll teach you..." Xak said aloud. Mia, Solar, and Lunar over heard them as they walked towards them.
"What’s going on? Shocram is something wrong?" Solar asked.
"I thought I heard the mighty Lightning Lord couldn't swim." Lunar taunted.
"Aww little baby can't swim?" Mia joined in taunting.
"Shut up! It’s like that at all..." Shocram said, looking over everyone with an annoyed expression
"so if it's not that you can't swim what is it?" Xak asked
Shocram lifted a finger and summoned electricity to his finger tip as an example to the others, "what do you think happens when you put water and electricity together?" Shocram said a little riled.
Everyone's face was point blank, thinking to themselves "Oh, right."
"Oh.. Sorry about that.. I guess we kinda didn't think of that..." Solar said apologizing as Mia poked Shocram’s knee gently with her finger wet putting Shocram into an instant shock, electrocuting him.
"Buwah!" Shocram yelped, he glared at Mia, "why you little!" Shocram growled, as he summoned up electricity to his hand and reached out to grab her, "Let's see how you like it, brat!" Shocram shouted angrily as Xak’s arm stood in his view stopping him.
"Shocram, she's just a kid, alright let it go" Xak said as Mia hid behind him.
"uhg.. Fine, but is he touched me again while she's soaked, none of you are gonna stop me..." Shocram snapped. He noticed Mia taunting with the classic 'pulling the eyelid down and sticking out her tongue'.
"Grr..." Shocram growled silently as the group walked back to the water to catch more fish.

Before they knew it, the sun had gone down, and they had caught quite a feast of fish.
"Wow, Mia you weren’t kidding about the fishing thing huh?" Solar complimented.
"Nope, Mia never lies!" she said giggling, as Xak’s hand pated her head in approvingly.
"Good job Mia thanks to you, we can eat tonight." Xak said smiling at her.
"tee hee no problem Big Bro!" Mia said blushing looking back up and smiling.
The group set up camp and got a fire started, and already started cooking the fish over the fire as abruptly from the trees near by the group came a weird groaning of some kind. The group stood up, on guard and went to check it out. 
As the sound got louder, Mia was getting scared as she clings to Xak’s leg, "I'm scared, Xak. Protect me." Mia cried out clinging tighter.
"Don't worry Mia nothing will happen" Xak said to calm her down.
"Aww how sweet... now the four of you are baby-sitting... how delightful…" a voice spoke out.
"Show yourself where ever you are!" Xak shouted.
Then a being of red crystal showed up behind Xak and taped his shoulder. Mia looked up to see the being and screamed out in fear. Xak looked at Mia and then at the crystal being and stepped back quickly with Mia in his arms.
"Who are you--" Xak got a look at the being and took notice that it looked a lot like Mischef and Mephiles, " you! You’re one of them aren’t you!" Xak growled a loud as the others stood on their guards surrounding him.
"One of what?... I can't confirm when I don't know.. heheheheee." the being spoke in a creepy giggle.
"You know, like Mischef and Mephiles, you’re a shadow guy!" Xak exclaimed, feeling a little dumb saying that out loud.
"Oh! So you have met my brothers? ... hmhm yes I am one of them.. But we're not called... 'shadow guys" we're called Voidians... beings of eternal darkness... and you must be Xak... oh, how I’ve been want to meet you! my name is Myral... Myral the Dark" he said informing them.
"Well I don't care you and your Brothers are gonna answer to me, especially Mischef..." Xak said as he spoke that name with fire in his eyes and hate in his voice.
"Mia looked at Xak, noticed the anger he shared with the others, seeing as there was some kinda of connection with this guy and Xak. She could only wonder.
"What do you want Myral?" Shocram growled.
"oh my my.. I seem to have drawn attention myself... Mischef will awfully mad at me eheheheheee," Myral sighed causally and informed them, "but I did not come to fight... I came here because I'm tired of waiting..." 
"Waiting on what!?" Solar replied.
"I was tired of waiting to meet you is all, I've heard a lot about you, so I figured why not go and meet him in person?" Myral said with a very uneasy tone.
"Okay so you've met him, move along!" Lunar shouted.
"Oh now c'mon I'm not hurting anyone, I just came to visit... And you guys look at me like I'm the bad guy.. hahahahaa!" Myral chuckled at his joke, "No need to worry though.." he said easily, as he swiftly moved and appeared behind Xak and grabbed Mia from his arms, dashing off.
Xak tried to stop him but did not reacted in time. Suddenly Shocram blitzed after Myral, the two neck to neck race through the empty fields as Shocram made several attempts to grab Mia back as she cried, Myral only chuckled at every failed attempted Shocram made.
"Oh! c'mon! 'Lightning Lord' I thought you could move faster than that!" He taunted as he kept dashing ahead of Shocram. Behind him, Solar and Lunar joined in the chase, riding their Orbs in the shape of a hoer board, looking like they were riding light and dark.
"We’re gonna help! Lunar and I are gonna distract him while you grab Mia!" Solar said and Lunar confirming, and at that they went ahead side to side next to Myral as he was in the middle of the two hedgehogs, Lunar made an attempt to attack Myral, as Myral only put Mia in the way causing Lunar to abort his attack.
"Damnit, he's using her like a shield!" Lunar shouted in anger as Solar tried to make an attack right after Lunar had made his but only to end up the same having to abort his attack also/.
"crap, what do we do--" 
Rapidly, Xak appeared ahead of them, he reached his hand out and grabbed Myral stopping him dead in his tracks, as Shocram, Solar, and Lunar shot on ahead not noticing Myral disappeared from them until they looked behind them. Xak had a tight hold on Myral's head, extremely pissed off.
"Put- her-down" Xak ordered as his eyes were hollow, and his skin a little pale, giving Myral a deathly glare.
Myral complied as he dropped her on the ground, and then only laughed in Xak’s face even though Xak had the intention to kill, "ohh i'm so scared! Do something. I dare you!" Myral said, provoking him. 
Xak would not take any of his crap, and immediately lifted Myral off the ground with the one hand he had a hold of him, and smashed him into the ground, making a hole beneath them, and he held him down still ready to throw a punch.
"I’ll teach all you pieces of crap to not take what I love!" Xak roared in anger as he pummeled Myral face into the dirt. everyone watched Xak's rage out burst on Myral's face.
"This is for my Mother!" with that Xak slammed a mighty Punch into Myral's face.
"This one is for my Father!" again with another mighty Punch.
"This one if for my Home!" Xak said with another powerful Punch to his face.
"this one is for my Girlfriend Ophilia!" Xak shouted as this punch was lit in black flames, with a might roaring flame as he struck Myral's face with a heavy impact, make the hole bigger and burying Myral in the dirt.
"die, die ,die DIE DIE!!!" Xak screamed pummeling Myral's head into he ground harder and harder digging the hole deeper, as Shocram rushed in for Xak to try to calm him down.
"Xak, cool it dude, he's done!" Shocram shouted, he noticed Xak’s eyes were hollow, nothing was in them but the hate that he felt and the the hate he was unleashing.
"Xak. Calm down! “Shocram tackled Xak to the ground and gave him a little shock, hoping it would knock him out of it, as Xak only tossed Shocram off, and suddenly before Shocram could get on his feet Xak struck at him, with black flames blazing his hands with every punch, aiming at Shocram.
Shocram dodged every punch as he kept trying to calm him down, "Xak stop it right now! It’s me Shocram!" but the punched only kept rolling as if they didn't faze him.
Shocram shot Xak with a lightning bolt knocking him off his feet. He stood there, yelling at him, "Damnit XAK WAKE UP!" he shouted as Solar and Lunar suddenly raced to Shocram’s aid, as they both grabbed xak by an arm holding him back as Mia stood in front of Xak and looked at him with tears in her eyes.
"Big Brother, Please stop! the bad guy is beat up, please... stop"
But nothing phased him. Xak was still in a rage as he threw Lunar and Solar off of him and looked at Mia, when suddenly Myral appeared in front of Xak. “hehe I have to say Xak... you hit like a girl! Wuahahaa!" with that Myral threw a punch back at Xak, knocking him across a distance that had knocked him out cold. Myral looked at Shocram casually, “I’ll be leaving now... but you and me... 'Lightning Lord' we have some games to play..." He said as he suddenly vanished. At those last words, Shocram’s face lit up and his eyes shrunk as he remembered back to last night in the woods 
"No way..." he whispered.
When everyone rushed to Xak’s side, he awoke to find everyone hovering over him with a big welt on his face from Myral's punch, "uh.. What happened?" Xak asked, holding his head in pain.
"You completely went berserk on Myral.. And to be honest if it wasn't for Myral kickin' your butt, we might've had a big problem...." Solar said. 
Mia sprang up and hugged Xak tightly with tears running down her cheeks" Oh, Xak you're back.. I was so scared I lost you!" Mia cried hugging tighter.
Xak hugged her back "i'm sorry Mia.. I promise I'll never let that happen again!" He said as Shocram finally caught up with the others.
"Hey, what took you so long? " Solar asked.
"Sorry.. just.. Thinking about something Myral said back there..." Shocram said looking bit uneasy.
"what did he say?" Xak asked
"Nothing don't worry about it... let's just get back to the camp... I'm tired.. And we should eat--“ Shocram gasped, remembering, “ THE FISH!" Everyone quickly rushed back to camp only to find the fish they had been waiting on to cook had been burned.
"damnit.. damn you Myral! That's another Meal I didn't get to eat!" Shocram cried out.
"Don’t worry guys we still have more fish remember, we caught a lot!" Mia said reassuring everyone.
"then what are we waiting for? Let’s get to cooking those fish..." Solar said as he and Lunar got more fish on the fire.
"Hey Xak!" Shocram said as he walked next to him with Mia also with him holding his hand.
"What?" Xak replied
"I think I finally got a title for you." Shocram said looking confident in the name.
"So you were still think about that... alright let me hear it." Xak said assuming for sure Shocram was gonna say something stupid.
"I got it! Your title is now 'the Black fire phenomenon'!" Shocram said "get it, because you don't understand you’re powers and you're powers are black flames, that are unbelievably powerful!" he said helping Xak to under stand.
"huh... I like it!.... Xak Black fire Phenomenon... has a nice ring to it!" he said agreeing with Shocram, "what do you think of it Mia?”
"I think it sounds awesome! Big bro! You're the black fire Penomomon!" She said smiling brightly and Blushing
"it's Fen-nom-men-on!" Shocram corrected her.
"Shocram, you're a butt head!" Mia said teasing Shocram. He got annoyed at her again, walking with them looking angry.
"so now there are 3 of them... maybe even more... this is just getting annoying." Xak thought to himself.
"Alright guys fish is done let's eat!” Solar said as Xak, Shocram, and Mia, raced to the flame to eat.
"mm this is great!" Mia said with a mouth full.
"eh finish chewing before you speak" Shocram said.
"yeah well, why don't you finish thinking before you speak!" Mia back talked as Solar and Lunar laughed at the two arguing while Xak eat his fish with a silent look.
"guys... "Xak spoke as everyone went silent and looked at Xak, "After what happened.. we need to be on High alert... at-all-times!.. we can’t have something this happen again... got it?" Xak said as everyone Nodded in agreement.
"yeah!" they replied...


(mean while)


"Damnit Myral I thought I told you to not draw attention to yourself!" Mischef shouted in anger.
"yeah yeah yeah.. well I wanted to meet him... after all he is our--"
"Silence fool! Next time I give you an Order you do it! No if's and's or but's about it..." Mischef argued.
"Mischef, relax... everything is fine.. in fact... after today we discovered something about our little Xak..." Mephiles said
"And what might that be--"
"That might be.. The fact that Xak, loses control of his powers when he gets to angry... we can use that..." Mephiles said sounding deviant.
"hmm I suppose we could... couldn't we..." Mischef said agreeing with Mephiles.
"See, I do know what I'm doing Mischef..." Myral said
"Yes well orders are orders... now I have some new orders for you... and you better follow them... or I'll end you myself..."Mischef growled angrily.
"ha! That’s cute little mis missy chef... allow me to laugh at that Threat WUAAAHAHAHAAA!" Myral laughed at Mischef as Mischef tackled Myral to the wall holding black flames in his hand and aimed at his face, "Xak’s black flames may not be strong enough to do any damage to you, but you and I are both fully aware of what my flame can do…" Mischef said staring Myral dead in the eye. He dropped him and walked away.
"follow these orders or else--"
"Myral.. these Orders are important, you will follow them or you'll not deal with Mischef but Me instead." Mephiles threatened.
"okay, not him I'm afraid off hahaa!" Myral said getting up and agreeing to follow "alright I'll do it... but only to my amusement... your orders are nothing to me." Myral said
"So be it, but don't stray from the mission, got it!" Mephiles stated.
"yeah yeah yeah.. I already said I'd do it..." Myral said.
"muwwaahahaha soon everything will come to fruition... and the world.. Will be ours..." Mischef said.
“Indeed Brother, be first we need our Lord in order to do anything.. And he's no use to us in his... current condition." Mephiles indicated.
"Of course, and if Myral follows his orders, he'll be back in no time." Mischef said
"Wuaahahahaaa!" the dark brothers laughed in sync...



(to be continued)