From: Zephyr (zephyr@1stconnect.com) Subject: [PW!] The Undead Crown of Nephthys: Rise and Fall of the Outer World Newsgroups: alt.games.nintendo.pokemon Date: 2001-04-01 13:02:09 PST The Undead Crown of Nephthys: Rise and Fall of the Outer World Written by Zephyr [OOC: ;)] The four moons of the Outer World rose over the horizon. Their alignment would be a rare one, one happening once in a millennium. The four moons are said to coincide with one another today and create the most potent lunar eclipse known to the specters of the outer worlds. The barren landscape of the Outer World would seem non-inhabitable but upon a closer look one would see massive craters with "life" in them. Life in the sense that all ghosts who did not return to the Inner World in pokemon form lived here. The surface of the water broke as Julia gasped for air. Spending around five years stuck in this "dimension" had left her no other choice but to take up the arcane art of channeling. Perhaps then, the ghosts told her, she would be able to find her way back to the Inner World, the world of the living. The ruler of this undead plane called herself Nephthys, after the Egyptian goddess of the dead ritual. After the incident involving Team Rocket, the death of Aurora, and the use of unworldly magick, Julia soon found herself in this ghastly world. Found by Nephthys herself, she was taking under Nephthys ghostly arm and taken into training. Of course, this did not happen so quickly, months passed before Julia recovered from her trauma and decide to accept the invitation. The training was grueling and difficult however, through it Julia's empathy and senses heightened along with her physical strength and endurance. Perhaps, the only reason she had to train so vigorous would be that the intra-dimension hopping would require most of her energy - if she had little she would be completely destroyed. There is no day in the Outer World, it is night and because it is night being able to track time would be difficult had the citizens not learn to track the moon's movement and phases. It was now the 13th day in the 4980th year after the complete destruction of the fifth moon. Changing into dry clothes Julia contemplated the change. If it were successful she would need a new alias, as to avoid any detection of Team Rocket or its affiliates. But she would have to think of that later, the spires of the Outer World glowed with a dull lavender aura. The location of her drop off would be random, but if it worked out she would be five years from whence she disappeared. Aurora.Derrick.the gym.she had to push those thoughts aside for now. Perhaps in the near future she would visit them, but when then? What would Derrick think or ATR? Julia's train of thought was snapped to attention by Nephthys' howl. The time of change was now. "Julia, when you return to the Inner World, you mustn't forget me or us nor must you neither forget what we have taught you; and that you do have a family somewhere, it may not be in the Inner World but you must try to soldier through this", Nephthys quietly whispered to Julia as she made her way to the platform. "You mustn't forget us Julia, because this ritual requires a catalyst and I am that Catalyst!" proclaimed the great Nephthys as a series of gasps were heard throughout the crowd. "Nephthys, you can't do this. I'm not worth that sacrifice, please think of your people" were the pleas Julia gave as the undead queen ignored her. "I am sorry, but this is the only way. My people, you must learn to live on your own to live by your own will and not the will of someone else. As of this day forth you are all truly free. Free to live." "Nephthys.." The four moons came into their alignment as the lunar eclipse began to take form. The outer lunar corona glowed brightly as the spires glowed violently with pure energy. The world trembled subtly as rays of light shot down from the sky and into the circle. Nephthys took one last look at Julia as she began her dark ritual. "Lords of the moon and outer worlds, I beseech you. Bring this mortal to her proper plane amongst the stars. Far from death and pestilence, far from this outer world. Bring her spirit and vessel closer to the inner life, closer to the world of the living. Child of the specters I send you off, to finish your life in the world of humans. Goodbye Julia, goodbye forever" "Anubis be my guide, break the seal of the undead crown and bring me to the plane of the living" Julia responded as she took her place on the altar. An intense beam shot down from the center of sky and into Julia. Her physical being seemed to almost deteriorate as the light consumed her and the altar. 'I'm floating.but where am I floating to? Anubis guide me, do not allow me to stray from my path. Bring me closer to my family and friends.' The energy of the spires soon shot off into the sky and connected together forming a wormhole. The incandescent form of Julia soon began to float to the wormhole before being finally sucked in. 'You humans say the dead are dead, and with it their hearts are gone. How wrong your people are, the heart is the center of the soul and we are but souls personified. In that way, we never lose our heart and we never lose life.' The voice of Nephthys echoed throughout Julia's mind as she traveled by various planes. A small blue emerald beamed in the distance, the glow of life encased it in a spectral capsule. It was earth, the epitome of life in the Milky Way galaxy - the home of the one called Julia Aiyana. 'Billions of people living here.I can hear their separate heart beats. Their bodies pulse with never ending life but now there is silence. The hearts of billions are beating as one; it is the heartbeat of the earth itself. The silent drums of life beating away, as a beacon to me. Now two hearts beat as one, I am one with the earth.I have arrived home' A small pang of bright light fills the forest as the body of a young girl falls quietly onto the soft forest floor. With a gasp the girl awakes, breathing in air by the lungful. Quietly making her to the source of water trickling she regains her sense of balance of direction. Splashing her face with water she takes a look at her reflection. It is chaotic at first but it soon calms to a solid figure. Her eyes are gray and a streak of white hair takes the place of her left hair bang. "Julia Aiyana died five years ago. Her memories exist and perhaps one day she will also. But now there is only Charlotte Ward." [OOC: Uh I'll post WG later today, I guess.]