Our heroes are outside the lost city of ID. No one seems too happy about going inside, as fearful glances are passed around. "What's going on?" asks Oar, oblivious. "It's the city of ID." shudders Adie. "I get that much," frowns Oar, "But why are you afraid?" "Haven't you heard of the legend?" asks Edeline, giving Oar and shocked stare. "No," he says, "Why should I?"
"Well," explains Faeda, "The legend is, that ID was once a simple town. Until the townspeople gained wisdom of machines. They began to build all sorts of creatures, called 'robots'. These robots would do all of the work for them, so they may play all day. Before long, the people of ID transformed their city into a machine-heaven. With steel and wires, it was an wonderful site for anyone to visit!"

Oar: "That sounds interesting... but not scary." (-_-)
Edeline: "Wait, there's more..." (u_u)
Faeda: "Then one day, something horrible happened... all of the people, the townspeople and the tourists, all suddenly disappeared!"(o_o)
Galen: "They just vanished... without a trace! Of course, Ivy Castle sent in rescue teams, to find the missing people. But each team also vanished." (o_o)
Vi: "This happened a hundred years ago and no one has stepped foot in ID since." (>_>)
Adie: "Faeda?" (o_o)
Faeda: "Yes, Adie?"(;^_^)
Adie: "Why are we going to ID, again?!" (o_o)
Edeline: "Yeah... it seems wrong, that the Guardians would send us to a town, where we most likely will be trapped." (u_u)
Adie: *shudders* (o_o)

Everyone looks to Faeda. "The directions are correct." she nods, "The second shard is here." Everyone, except Oar, is uneasy about this. "It sounds like a ghost story." he sighs, "Nothing more." "Well," frowns Galen, "I guess we have no choice. We can't send Faeda and Vi in there alone. Let's go."
They step past the iron gates and into the steel city. Wires run from the corners of every building and along the streets. There are lighted buttons everywhere and a low computer-type hum is constant. It was all very fantastic and exciting to see, yet it was horrifying. There were no people around and it felt as if people were not to exist here.

Adie: "Let's just get the shard and get out of here!" (o_o)
Galen: "I agree... this place gives me the creeps." (>_>)
Oar: "It seems completely abandoned. Nothing here to hurt us." (-_-)
Edeline: "I don't know about that. It feels like we're being watched." (o_O)
Adie: "Eeek! Don't say that! You're freaking me out!" (o_o)
Faeda: "That way... we have to follow the blue cable. It will lead us to the shard." (^_^)
Galen: "Okay. Let's follow it, quickly." (-_-)
Edeline: "Keep alert, everyone. I'm sure we'll make it out of here." (^_^)
Adie: "I hope so..." (o_o)

They follow the blue cable, Vi and Edeline watching over Faeda, while Adie sticks close to Galen and Oar. After a while, they are lead to a building, that looks as though it's completely made of microchips. "We have to go inside." nods Faeda. "Okay," says Galen, "But let Edeline and I take the first step in, in case there's trouble." Adie whimpers, as Edeline and Galen slowly make their way inside.
"You scare easily." Oar comments to Adie. "Yeah?" frowns Adie, "Well... You... You're like a stone! You don't have any emotions!" "Hmm," says Oar, "You're trying to start a fight, so you won't have to feel so scared." Adie turns pale, then whines, "Well, then... play along! Please?!" "I'm confused," says Oar, "Why would a powerful Mage be so afraid?" "Powerful?" blushes Adie, "Well... yeah... I guess I am powerful!"

Vi: (>_>)
Faeda: (;^_^)
Adie: "After all, I am on a journey with a seer! I wouldn't have been picked, if I didn't have the skill!" (^_^)V
Oar: (-_-)
Adie: "Wow... you don't talk much, Oar. But when you do, you say some pretty amazing stuff!" (^_-)
Oar: "It doesn't matter what I say. In the end, people hear what they want to. It's only the eternal silence, that speaks truths." (-_-)
Adie: "...Then there are times, when you say the most odd things too..." (;^_^)
Faeda: *giggle* (^_^)
Oar: "..." (-_-)
Edeline: "All, clear! Nothing in here, but wires." (^_-)
Galen: "But, watch your step, there's a faulty wire near a wall." (u_u)
Edeline: "He was almost electrocuted!" (^o^)
Galen: "Don't say it, like you're happy!!!" W('O')W

They all head inside the building and the door slides shut behind them. "Eeek!" screams Adie. "Don't worry," waves Faeda, "It's an automatic system. We will be able to leave." Adie pats her chest, as if having an heart-attack. "Where to next?" smiles Edeline. "You seem better." nods Oar. "Huh?" asks Edeline, confused at first, "Oh! Yeah, this place isn't scary. It's kinda cool! I'm thinking that the legend was just a ghost story." "Yeah," sighs Galen, "We've been here for a while and nothing hasn't happened."
A panel opens up and hundreds of robots storm in! "Galen!" screams Adie, "Why'd you say that?! You jinxed us all!" Faeda tries to open the door. "It won't budge!" she shrieks, "We're trapped!" "Okay," nods Edeline, "Time to fight. Vi, get ready to do your stuff!" Vi nods, as Galen makes his stance and Edeline draws her sword. "Let's do this!" growls Galen. Edeline takes out robots with her sword, Galen break into them with his fists, and Adie is starting to cast.

Edeline: "Hyaa!" (o_O)
Adie: "...Beyond the reaches of the plains..." (-_-)
Galen: "These guys are chumps! Aim for their circuits!" W('O')W
Faeda: "Look out, Edeline!" *healing* (o_o)
Edeline: "Whew! Thanks, Faeda!" (;^_^)
Adie: "...Hear my cry and let the enemy..." (-_-)
Vi: *sings note* (-_-)
Faeda: *gasps* "It didn't work, Vi?!" (o_o)
Vi: "My song won't work on robots!" (o_o)
Galen: "Don't worry, there's only a few left! We can handle them!"
W('O')W
Adie: "...Perish now! Lightning Strike!..." \(^o^)/
Faeda: "Eeek!!!" (o_o)
Galen: "Gah! Look out, Faeda!" (o_o)
Faeda: "That almost hit me!" (o_o)
Adie: "Sorry! SO sorry! Honest mistake!" (;^_^)/
Oar: (o_O)

"Crazy mage!!!" growls Galen. "I said I was sorry!" frowns Adie, "Geez!" Edeline takes out the last of the robots. And everyone gives a sigh of relife. "Hey..." frowns Adie, "How come you weren't fighting, Oar?" "I have no intentions of getting involed." he answers, coldly, "I'm just here to observe." Vi looks towards the floor, Galen and Edeline stares, and Adie is fuming! "That's horrible!" she yells, "You'd watch us get hurt or killed, just like that?" Oar is silent.
"I thought we were friends!" says Adie, her eyes welling up with tears. "There's that word again," sighs Oar, "I don't understand. Isn't 'friendship' a fictional concept?" "What?!" the girls asks, very confused. "Yeah," frowns Galen, "Oar has never had a friend in his life. He only reads about it in books, therefore he thinks it's fictional." "That SO sad!" whines Adie. "I don't need you pity!" frowns Oar. "It's not 'pitty'!" says Adie, "It's 'concern'! I care about my friends."

Oar: "...'Concern'? 'Friends'? It makes no sense to me..." (-_-)
Edeline: "We'll be your friends, if you want. But you can't shut us out and live in the dark." (^_^)
Adie: "Yeah! You have to let us in, from time to time. And smile!" \(^o^)/
Faeda: "I know you're here to observe, but I wouldn't mind if you'd like to help us along too." (^_^)
Oar: "...I rather be alone and in the dark. This 'friendship' thing seems tiresome and useless." (-_-)
Faeda: (o_o)
Edeline: "That's..." (u_u)
Adie: "What a weird guy..." (>_>)
Galen: "It's no use, ladies. Even Funnel Cakes can't snap him out of it..." (u_u)
Edeline: "So... that's what you were doing?" (o_O)

"Wait," frowns Adie, "Did we just miss something?" "It's nothing." says Galen and Edeline, quickly. Adie gives them both a odd stare. "Well," smiles Faeda, "At any rate, the shard is located in the next room." "Let's snag it," nods Edeline, "Before any more robots show up." Everyone agrees. They walk into the next room and the door slams shut behind them. "Not again!" whines Adie. "Well," shrugs Galen, "At least there aren't any robots."
A panel slides open and thousands of robots spill into the room. "Galen!" yells Adie, "You jinxed us again!" "What will we do?" frowns Edeline, "There's too many of them!" "We'll have to take out as many as we can!" growls Galen. "It's no use!" screams Adie, "We'll never make it! We're doomed!" Suddenly, many arrows shoot through the air, striking the robots and turning them into stone!

Galen: "What the-" (o_o)
Edeline: "Who did that?!" (o_O)
Faeda: "It was Oar!" (^o^)
Oar: "Go ahead and fight... I've defeated many of them." (-_-)
Galen: "R-right... Let's do this!" (;^_^)
Edeline: "Aiyaa!" (o_O)
Adie: "Guardian of the heavens..." (-_-)
Oar: *shooting arrows* (-_-)
Faeda: "Don't worry, Vi. Stay close by me, they can handle it." (^_^)
Vi: "I just feel odd... none of my songs work on these machines." (u_u)
Adie: "I call upon you, lend me your power..." (-_-)
Edeline: "Galen! Behind you!" (o_o)
Galen: "Grrr!" W('O')W
Oar: *shooting more arrows* (-_-)
Adie: "And help me strike my enemies into the ground!" (-_-)
Galen: "You're not so tough!" W('O')W
Faeda: "Galen, here!" *healing* (^_^)
Adie: "Lightning STORM!" \(^o^)/

Several bolts of lighting struck. One bolt hits and defeats a robot, the rest is heading for our group! "Look out!" shrieks Galen, pulling Edeline and Faeda out of the way. Oar quickly pulls Adie and Vi away from three oncoming bolts! "Is everyone okay?!" asks Faeda, concerned. "There are twenty robots left!" shouts Oar, "We have to finish!" Galen and Edeline quickly finish off four together and Oar gets the other sixteen.
"Whew!" sighs Edeline, "That was close!" "Adie..." frowns Galen, "You're really dangerous, you know." "I'm sorry..." she blushes, "I kinda over did that spell." "Don't worry," waves Faeda, "It all worked out fine. Now..." She walks up to a computer terminal and began entering code. "Huh?" frowns Galen, "What are you doing?" "I am entering a password," nods Faeda, "In order to get the shard."

Adie: "And then we'll leave?" (o_o)
Faeda: "Yes. After I get the shard, we'll go." (^_^)
Galen: "Good..." (u_u)
Edeline: "So... what made you join in the fight, Oar?" (^_^)
Oar: "Nothing 'makes' me do anything... I do what I wish." (-_-)
Adie: "Fine, then. Why did you want to help us?" (u_u)
Oar: "I'm not sure why..." (-_-)
Adie: "Could it be that you really see us as friends?" (*_*)
Oar: "I don't understand nor agree with the concept of 'friendship'. Therefore, how could I feel view you as one?" (-_-)
Adie: "I'm taking that as an 'yes'!" \(^o^)/
Oar: (-_-)

There was beep and a compartment of the terminal opens. Faeda reaches in and grabs the shard. "Cool," smiles Adie, "Let get out of this place. "Wait..." says Edeline, point to the large screen on the wall, "This thing is blinking." On the screen there is an icon, blinking ominously. "Wonder what it is." says Vi, stepping closer. "Let's not pick with it," frowns Adie, "Might be a trap." But Faeda ignores her and presses the icon. A log is opened and a computerized female voice speaks...
"Engineer #118-5gb Log," it recites, "Daylight, 5th day... The robots are no longer responsive to commands. Erratic functions are occurring. Commencing diagnostic scan in search of error... G-Sector damaged in machines. It seems as if the robots have gained higher intelligence. They seem to have gained human-like responses and are prepared to revolt against our commands... End log." "What does that mean?" asks Galen. A door slides open and Adie shrieks. "More robots?!" she shouts. "No..." says Oar, heading for the open door, "Something most human..."
Behind the door, there is a huge room full of wires and blinking buttons, all along the walls. And in that empty space of floor, there lies thousands of humans, frozen in horrifying statues. Some of the statues still screaming silently in fear, others frozen in running stances, some huddled in corners. Our heroes gasps at the sight, Edeline and Vi quickly turn away. "This is death." says Oar, emotionless...