(Inside cover, text): Story update for those who missed "Mrlynn and Charisma #3" - Tayariel was in the clutches of Shaydra, near death. She discovered that Shaydra wanted the Jewel that Tay wears on her forehead for some mystical purpose. Mrlynn and Charisma, sent to London to fight Shaydra managed to free Tay and send for someone to explain everything to her. Tay left London with her two new friends and returned to NYC...

F242 was still the same, loud obnoxious people slamming around on the dance floor, street punks trying to look tough at the bar, and singles and couples looking mysterious at the tables. The bartender waves to Tay as she makes her way to the door to Ricky's office. Tay is wearing jeans, the right knee blown out, the left side of the ass worn out; a black cotton stretch shirt and her leather jacket. She has a duffel slung over her right shoulder. She goes to the door and opens it up. Standing by the one-way mirror leading to the club is a man in a long black cloak.

"Who the hell are you?" she exclaimed.

(Splash page this-) Lethel-siis turns to face her, the cowl falling back, his silver eyes reflecting in the faint light.

"I am Lethel-siis Vylzx Naalma'ala, Lord of Arcania. I am here to answer your questions. But this is not the place to talk..."

They both disappear in a flash of light.

They reappear in the country- field of long grass, a few bushes, some bright, leafy trees. No fences, though. Tay staggers back from Lethel-siis in shock.

"What just happened?" she asks.

"I teleported us away from the city. Too many people there. Mrlynn asked me to seek you out and explain things to you," Lethel-siis responds, bowing his head slightly. "Where would you like me to begin?"

"Who are you?"

"I am Lethel-siis. I am a Mage who was born on Atlantis 30,000 years ago. And I can help you. You went to Shaydra for an explanation. I sent Mrlynn to retrieve the Eye of the Moon from Shaydra's possession. Let's begin there. Have a seat." They sit upon the grass. "Thousands of years ago, magic was the way of life. Religion attacked and destroyed magic and its users and so science came to replace it. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

Do this however you see fit. I see it as a picture of a person being burned on the cross, and out of the smoke comes a computer or something suitably technical.

"Good. Magic is useful for many things, and so there are talismans and amulets, wands and staves and just about anything from any mythology or stories you may have read. The most powerful artifacts on earth are the Gems of Luna. No one knows where they came from. When I was born 30,000 years ago they were already ancient. With one stone, a Mage could perform things far beyond his normal abilities. With all of them, he would be a God. For that purpose, the Gems were scattered across the planet. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

Picture of Prelude here. The chalice has a small, hairline crack in it.

"Magic is a function of life. It flows like life through the universe, and it has it's tides. 1700 years ago magic all but left the planet. It has been returning in recent years and will soon be back- stronger than ever. Mages today can already do things beyond the art of most Atlanteans, and they will only grow stronger. When Magic returns, Mother Earth will awaken, and to many it will seem the Apocalypse has come. Mankind may perish in the wake. To save ourselves, the Gems of Luna must be reunited and used. Would you like anything to drink?"

"What?"

"Would you like a drink?"

"Uh... sure. I'd like a Hell's Kitchen." Lethel-siis gestured and the drink appeared in front of her. She took a sip and raised an eyebrow with an approving look.

"The Gems of Luna are five in number. The Eye, Heart, Stone, and Tear of the Moon, and the fifth is the Bloodgem of Luna. Of them, the Tear of the Moon is the most powerful and important. With the four other stones, a Mage is only as powerful as if they only had one stone. The Tear is required to use the Gems together. The one who holds the Tear of the Moon is one of the most powerful people on the planet if they know how to use it."

For this, I see Lethel-siis holding his right hand out, an illusion forming above it of five gems. The Tear you know. The Bloodgem is the size of your fist and red. The Stone is a lump of gray rock, looks like a moon rock (go figure). The Eye is a cats eye type of stone, but blue instead of brown. The Heart is a ring with an emerald stone, silver band.

"This is all fascinating, but why am I being dragged into this?"

"You wear the Tear of the Moon on your forehead even as we speak."

"I... what?"

"The Tear of the Moon is yours, and it's power lies locked within you. The Tear has bonded it's life force with you. Otherwise Shaydra would have had no problem taking it from you. Every Mage on the planet wants that stone on your head, and will kill you to get it."

"Even you?"

"Yes. The stones can be used by a circle of five people, and it may be that you will yet be a part of that. But I can and will kill you if it becomes necessary. I would prefer not to, however. I will teach you how to use the power in you so that you can defend yourself."

The conversation is simple, a picture of them, however you want it to look.

"I'm one of the most powerful people on the planet?"

"Yes. And currently the most important."

"Could I defeat you?"

"Not even if you were fully trained in how to use the power, childe. I am the oldest person on the planet, from a civilization that crumbled to dust millennia ago. I have far more experience and power than you, or anyone else for that matter. No one can defeat me."

"Awfully sure of yourself, aren't you?"

For this bit above I want a splash page of Prelude. The crack is larger now.

"Mrlynn and Shaydra are two of the most powerful Mages on the planet, you saw what they did to each other. I am over a hundred times more powerful than they are. Childe, I have fought Gods and won. Consider it arrogance, if you will- but it is nothing more than fact."

"Why help me? Why not just kill me and take the power of the Tear for yourself?"

"What is a thousand dollars to a Trillionaire? I choose to help you because I would prefer to save the planet peacefully, and fight for the side of good. Even as you would."

"Good may be highly overrated."

"Childe, you are barely in your second decade of life. You cannot see beyond your world, your reality. The universe is a great mystery to you, and the concepts of good and evil hazy to your mind. I know you better than yourself, and though unlearned in these matters, it is good you fight for."

"Ri-i-i-ight. OK. Teach me."

Lethel-siis reaches out and places his hand on her forehead.

"It is done," he says taking his hand off her head.

"That's it?"

"The knowledge is there, but you must practice with it to become proficient. I recommend a certain haste in your efforts, Childe. Time is running out for you. And all of mankind. Here," he says, handing her a button, " when you want to return to the city, press this and I will teleport you back there. Stay here awhile. Practice. We will meet again." He stands and disappears in a flash.

Tayariel sat on the grass, staring at where Lethel-siis was just a second ago, shock plain on her face. She swallows hard and slams the rest of her drink. The glass turns to smoke when the last drop is gone. She pulled her legs in so she was sitting cross-legged, her hands on her knees. She closes her eyes.

Blackness.

A Blue-ish Green light appears in the distance and draws closer. As it expands to surround Tayariel, images flicker in the blackness. A tree. Black. A rabbit hopping in the grass. Black. A wolf, howling at the moon. Black. Then white. She opens her eyes and we see the field as before.

"I can feel the life around me, sense it," she thinks. She looks at a tree. The branches on the top zoom in until we see a butterfly perched on a branch. She looks at a patch of grass. A rock suddenly floats up into the air.

"I can levitate things!" The rock does a few loops, then zooms off in a direction. She raises her hand and the rock zips towards her. It's off course! SMACK! the rock hits her in the stomach and she doubles over with a gasp. She gasps a few times and stands up. She glares at the rock, now on the ground, in anger and it cracks in half. Her eyes widen in surprise. She pulls out a cigarette and holds it out. She glares hard at the end of the cigarette and the tree behind her bursts into flame.

"Shit!" she shouts, jumping and spinning around to look at the tree. A small black cloud forms over the tree and begins to rain. The fire is soon put out.

Splash of Prelude. The chalice is shattering around her.

Tay looks at the cigarette again, sweat forming on her forehead. The Tear of the Moon is shining faintly. The entire cigarette bursts into flame and she stares at it for a moment, then takes a drag off the flaming cigarette.

In a news room in Network 54's main office, the busty, blonde, ditzy Tina MacIntyre was on air. She smiled the mindless smile of a newscaster and began her spiel of death and destruction.

"We apologize for interrupting your regular broadcast for this special bulletin. The National Weather Service has required this of all broadcasting companies to warn the populace of the bizarre weather that has been unexpectedly and, inexplicably appearing. The midwest has seen more tornadoes in the last hour than in the last two months. Ten tornadoes are reported as having touched down throughout Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Oklahoma, and South Dakota; causing thousands of dollars of property and crop damage. Meteorologists have found what appears to be four hurricanes forming, two in the Atlantic ocean, one in the Pacific ocean, and one in the Indian ocean. Two hours ago, the Rocky Mountains were shook by an earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale. Severe thunder and lightning storms are happening all across the country. Citizens are advised to take appropriate precautions for the weather in their areas, and to stay tuned for further updates as they come in," Tina finished. She put her hand to the headset on her ear and listened for a moment. Her face took on a look of horror and disbelief. She continued shakily. "This just in. A disaster of biblical proportions. The western seaboard was shaken by a quake that is unmeasurable on the Richter scale. California and much of Oregon and Washington have been completely sunk by this quake, which has pushed them underneath the rest of the continent, raising a new mountain range along the new coast.

"Oh my God, what's happening..."

This is a page with a black background, four pictures of Tina representing the facial expressions, the text broken apart evenly for each expression.

FINIS!