Rocko carried Paige’s tiny frame back to the abandoned factory, she was breathing, but remained unconscious.

One of those times, being short doesn’t help eh? he thought, walking through the corridors of the underground complex. Entering the infirmary, he placed Paige gently onto one of the beds. The others trailed behind him, a very dehydrated Sophie chugging constantly on a water bottle.

“Will she be ok?” rasped Sophie as she peered down at her friend. She was deathly white but otherwise ok.

“I hope so,” murmured Rocko, showing more gentleness towards the small woman than he had ever. His fingers were at her wrist carefully checking her pulse.

Nathan and Jake peered worriedly over Rocko and Sophie’s shoulders.

“I feel awful,” croaked Paige, her eyes lids fluttering open.

The group sighed in relief.

“You almost drowned,” whispered Sophie, “I should’ve acted sooner!” A tear of happiness fell as Sophie embraced her.

Paige let out a small cough, sucking greedily at the air. “Don’t worry about it Soph. I am in one piece, I could hold my breath for hours if I needed to,” she smiled shakily but that did nothing to calm Sophie, whose face was twisted with guilt.

“Marco informed me that Hunters have been seen around an area, inhabited by an ancient Inca tribe,” Teresa called out as she walked into the small infirmary, Hyung and Sam following close behind.

Hyung’s face was serious, “It is time,” he told the group.

They each looked at each other with blank expressions.

“It is time for your first mission,” he finished, noticing their puzzled faces. He placed a folder crammed with paper on the end of the small bed. Sophie looked questioningly at Hyung for permission before picking up the files.

“We have evaluated each of you and you are ready for this. We wanted to make sure you were each at a level where we could trust you in combat.”

As Hyung continued, Sophie flicked through the pages quickly, before passing the file to Nathan.

“You will be leaving tonight within a few hours.” Hyung finished.

“Whoa! I can’t go tonight...” Sophie exclaimed, “If I’m not home before eleven, then I’m in serious trouble.”

“That has been taken care of,” Hyung said without skipping a beat.

“You make it sound like you killed them!” she joked.

Hyung just stared at her.

Her expression changed to worry, “... You didn’t kill them did you?”

“Your parents are fine,” Hyung replied before taking the files quickly from Nathan’s hands.

He opened the folder and spread out some of the papers from within, “You are going to a small jungle village in Bolivia,” he pointed at a small dot on a map, “You will meet a man here by the name of Marco. Teresa will be going with you, she is the only one here who has met him.”

“What are we doing in Bolivia?” Nathan asked looking at the different pictures and notes spread on the table.

“You will not be going Nathan, you need to head out on your own quest,” Hyung said quietly.

“What!?” exploded Nathan, slamming his fist upon his knee, “Why can’t I go?” he bellowed.

“You are not trained,” said Hyung simply, “You need to control your abilities before you can go on missions.”

“If this information is true, then I have to go.” Nathan remarked, pointing to a picture of a golden Trumpet, “If that is what was stolen, you will need everyone you can get.”

Hyung sighed, “It is true a trumpet has been stolen.” The rest of the group looked puzzled.

“So this isn’t about the fifth blade?” Jake asked quietly. Both Nathan and Hyung shook their heads,

“Yes that was stolen too, but is of no great concern, the blades are constantly changing hands. This item holds far more value,” the old man pointed to the photo of the golden trumpet, “This trumpet is one of seven. These trumpets, are artifacts, mentioned in the ancient scriptures.”

Sophie lent over and studied the photo. The trumpet gleamed a beautiful golden color, the same strange marks that covered the blades, gleamed across the body of the trumpet.

“Our spies have determined that the Hunters have found another two. And, after stealing our one, they now have three. The whereabouts of the other four is still unknown,” Hyung finished.

“So that is what they are searching for in Bolivia?” Jake quizzed.

“Not exactly…” Teresa cut in.

Sophie’s eyes lit up, “I heard you mention a scroll when we were in the park. Is it that?”

Teresa nodded, “If the Trumpets were found to be real, then there stands a great chance that the Scroll of the Seven Seals is also real. That is what you are going to find.”

“And this is why you need my help,” argued Nathan, “Not only do I have more information about the Trumpets and Scroll than the rest of them, but if all this comes to pass, then me training in the east will all be for nothing. We will all be dead. Isn’t what this is all about? The book of Revelations? The Hunters trying to bring on the end of the world?” he said seriously.

The rest of the group gasped.

“Let me go to Bolivia with them. When I return, I swear I will go to the man in the east. Happily even,” Nathan added, desperately pleading with Hyung.

Hyung regarded Nathan seriously for a moment, “If this is what you truly wish Nathan, you may go. However, when your swords overwhelm you again… Do not say you weren’t warned.”

Nathan nodded tersely. This wasn’t a sweet victory.

“So how do we get there?” Sophie asked timidly, her hands clutching at a photo, “Shizen can take any form, so transporting it through customs wouldn’t be a problem, but is not like they will let everyone else fly there carrying weapons,” she held up her wrist, where Shizen had formed to a bangle once again.

“We have our own methods of transport for these sorts of things,” Hyung smiled.

“I may have a quicker way of getting us there,” Jake piped up. “I will need to get Kagami, but after that, I can make a portal and we can get to Bolivia in seconds,” he offered.

Hyung nodded, “You sure you are capable of this?”

“I have a firm grasp on my abilities,” said Jake, his eyes meeting Nathans.

“Then it is settled. Meet back here in an hour. Pack only a small back pack and make sure you bring your weapons. Never be without them again.”

The group nodded and disbanded to prepare for their trip.

Rocko stayed behind as the rest of the group left the room. He stared at Hyung who had pulled out his pipe.

“Can I help you Ben?” Hyung said melodically.

Rocko paused before answering, “It’s about Nathan… Are you sure it is alright for him to go with us? After watching his fight with Jake, he seemed a little unstable.”

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Hyung puffed out a plume a smoke, “Nathan is a strong fighter Ben. I trust that he will not put you in danger. He was right, we need everyone for this mission. We cannot let the Hunters get the Scroll.”

Rocko moved close to Hyung, “I hope you’re right. But if I get any hint of danger towards us from him, I won’t hesitate to stop him.”

Hyung let out a small chuckle, “You could try Ben… But they won’t let you stop him, you would be signing your own death certificate.”

“Are those two swords really that powerful?” Rocko asked, his eyes curious.

Hyung just smiled, “Go and get ready. Don’t worry about Nathan, there is more to him than you realize.”

The group met back an hour later. Jake had arrived a little earlier and created a large mirror. He had disappeared inside but was yet to return.

“While we wait for Jake, I have a present for each of you,” Teresa walked into the room carrying four packages, handing one to Sophie, Rocko and Paige. “Sorry Nathan, I don’t have one for you. These belong to the Keepers of the twenty blades. Not the ones you hold.”

“What are these?” murmured Rocko, tearing open the brown paper package, revealing a mass of dark grey.

“Cloaks!” replied Teresa, “Sewn years ago. Each accompanying one of the twenty blades, always fitting the Keeper perfectly.”

“Cool,” murmured Paige as she pulled out a swathe of golden fabric.

Sophie had already slipped hers on, the deep forest green matching her eyes.

“You’re right, they do fit perfectly!” noted Rocko, who had slipped his on and was now admiring the grey cloak in the mirror Jake had created.

Nathan stood awkwardly to the side.

“You can have this instead,” murmured Teresa, slipping him a small book, “I thought you might find it interesting. I know how much you love reading,” Teresa teased. “It is the book of Revelations.”

Nathan slipped the book into his jacket, just as Jake stepped out of his mirror, “The preparations are complete,” he declared proudly, “We are ready to go to the co-ordinates you gave me on that map,” he said, handing the map back to Hyung.

Teresa threw him the last package, he opened it to reveal a light blue cloak, “Wow! Looks amazing! What does this say?” he asked, motioning to the strange text down the back.

“Nobody knows. The text was copied from the corresponding blade,” Teresa said shrugging.

“It’s time to go,” Hyung said, motioning towards Jake’s mirror.

They lined up in front of the mirror.

“You need to be in contact with me to pass through. Don’t let go until we are completely through otherwise you could get lost in the other dimension,” Jake instructed, sliding his hand into Sophie’s.

Sophie then took Paige’s hand with her free hand, and soon the group was all linked.

“Here goes…” Jake mumbled, leading the group through the large glass panel.

As they entered into the other dimension, they stepped into a circular room. A huge round mirror, supported by giant golden braces, sat in a prominent position in the center of the otherwise dark room. It was the only object, commanding attention its gold frame somehow illuminating the area where they stood in a perfectly aimed beam of light.

“I thought I would make it look like a real portal,” Jake laughed, examining his work.

Rocko stared at the huge glossy surface, “I see you spare no expense from your fantasy bank account.”

Jake ignored him, motioning for them to stay linked and pass through the second mirror.

They were immediately met by a wave of heat and the sun beating down on them.

“Greetings!” came a thick South American accent.

Rocko blinked up into the shining sun, his eyes blurred from the trip, unable to take in his surroundings. Clicking and chirping insects rang noisily in his sensitive ears. He felt odd after passing through Jakes mirror, it was quite like opening a door, except on one side of the door, it was calm, quiet and the dead of night, but the other, was a bright world full of large trees and noisy insects. Looking around, he noticed the others equally unbalanced, only Jake seemed at ease with this movement. Perhaps it came more easily to him - the sudden change, or perhaps it was a side effect of his blade. As his vision returned, he could make out his surroundings; they were on a narrow dirt road, next to an overgrown lawn. A run-down shack sat fifty meters down a slight hill, and tall, overgrown jungle encroached either side of the lawn.

“Marco!” cried Teresa with youthful exuberance, violet eyes shining bright. Laughing delightedly she pushed her way through the group, who were close together from the trip. Marco was solid unit, slightly round, but well-toned. Rocko couldn’t get a read on what he truly looked like, as a wide brimmed hat cast shadows over his face, and a very loose Hawaiian shirt draped over his body. Thick light hair curled slightly out from underneath his hat, only hints of grey betraying his age. Dark scruff graced his strong jaw, the only part of his face not covered by shadow. He caught Teresa in a warm embrace, his olive skin arms winding about her slender waist, pulling her from the ground to spin in a circle.

“It has been too long Teresa!” he chuckled, releasing the slight woman and stepping back to survey her.

Rocko coughed lightly, causing Marco to look up smiling.

“You had kids?” he teased, “My they grew up fast. I didn’t even know you were pregnant!”

Teresa laughed, “Nah, I adopted them,” she shot back, winking at the group who watched the transaction with open mouths. They hadn’t seen Teresa quite like this before. So happy and carefree.

“Still the same old shack?” Teresa noted, turning down the gravel driveway. Marco smiled, following after the exuberant woman. The group fell into step behind them, trying to hide their looks of dismay at the dismal looking house in front of them. A small dirty shack sat perched up a hill. The old boards, abused by the weather were coated in a thick layer of muck and grime. Dusty windows boarded up and huge weeds spilled from the small gardens creeping across the unkempt lawn. Corrugated iron made up the roof, and was adequately topped off by a rusted, bent chimney.

Sighing, they continued to trudge after the pair through the overgrown lawn. They reached a faded red door, the knob looking rusted and jagged, like it would give you tetanus if you touched it, but that didn’t stop Marco’s large hand closing over it.

“Make yourselves at home,” he said happily.

Rocko heard Paige choke back a snort. A small smile tugged at his lips. Marco threw open the door, and the groups dismay morphed into awe.

Everything was immaculate. Gleaming silver surfaces graced the kitchen, and pristine white carpets welcomed them into the hall, everything had its place, right down to the polished letter opener, sitting delicately in a small case, waiting to be used.

“Gee, you keep a tidy house Marco,” Nathan offered, “Ever thought about tidying the outside?”

Marco let out a laugh, “I work with the philosophy ‘It’s what’s on the inside that counts’.”

Rocko smiled, Marco was so carefree, very unlike Sam and Teresa - who were more serious and mysterious.

“Right. Everyone take a seat and I will explain why you are here,” Marco started.

The group shuffled around, taking seats where ever they could in the small lounge. Rocko winced slightly as his dirty shoes touched down on white carpet. But Marco proceeded through, his sneakers leaving a small trail of dirt and dust behind him. He did not seem to care. Perhaps he would clean it later, Rocko thought, lowering his bulky frame onto a small seat in the corner of the lounge, Jake had quickly slid next to Sophie on a two person couch, so Paige and Nathan took a seat on the ground, waiting patiently for Marco to start.

“Unfortunately, the age of the Keepers could be coming to an end. This area has been free of conflict for decades, however, recently members of a group called the Sect of the Forbidden have entered these parts. These people you will know as Hunters. I don’t know how large this cult is, or who leads them, but they have shown up in my back yard looking for an artifact,” Marco took out a cigar, lighting it before continuing.

“The Scroll of the Seven Seals?” Nathan asked.

Marco looked Nathan square in the eye, his gaze suddenly serious and intense, “Have you ever read the scriptures son?”

Nathan gulped under Marco’s heavy gaze, “No Sir…”

“Well near the end of it is a prophecy. A prophecy regarding the end of the world.” Marco paused slightly to let the information sink in. “It predicts the darkest time the earth has ever known. We are talking about natural disasters on a global scale. Greater than any we have ever seen. Plagues that will wipe out billions of people, famines, droughts… The world as we know it would come to an end.”

“More positive religious stuff eh?” Paige jeered.

Marco carried on, ignoring her comment, “The Sect of the Forbidden wish to bring all that on. They have eight Keepers working amongst their ranks. In the book of Revelations there is talk about a series of artifacts. These are widely believed to be metaphorical, but unfortunately this isn’t true. Seven Trumpets and the Scroll of the Seven Seals. The Trumpets have been hidden all over the world. Each trumpet is able to bring a curse on the world. However, the thing that is more worrying is the Scroll of the Seven Seals. That is what I believe they have found in this area. You must take a two day trek into the jungle and find the Temple of the Tuki Tribe. Use extreme caution as these are not friendly people. They have guarded their temple for the last 2000 years undisturbed. They will not ask questions, they will kill you, and then eat you.”

Rocko waited for Marco to laugh but received only a foreboding silence.

“Ok, extreme caution will be taken,” Sophie whispered biting delicately on her lower lip. Her eyes darted about nervously.

“I will take as far as I can by jeep, but after that, it will be a hike through dense undergrowth.” Marco finished.

“Can’t I just set up a portal, like I did to get us here?” interrupted Jake.

Marco shook his head, “No. For starters, not only would it be rude, but turning up on their doorstep unannounced is a sure fire way to get killed. The Tuki tribe will kill first, and then question your corpse, especially if you suddenly appear in the middle of their village. Secondly, that area is protected.”

“What do you mean, protected?” Jake asked skeptically.

Marco slid a globe in between the group, “Nobody knows how, but there are places in the world called Blank Spots. These places are inaccessible by any of the teleporting blades.”

Nathan’s lit up, “There are three, Kagami the Mirror Blade, Chronos the Blade of Time and Adamah the Blade of Earth.”

Marco gave Nathan a smile before turning to Teresa, “This one is well read, where did you find him?” he asked rhetorically. “You are quite right, those three blades work in three very different ways, but these locations are unable to be plotted. You cannot travel to a place you cannot find Jake. You need to know where you are going, you need coordinates. Or a visual aid. You have neither and even if you had the visual aid, I’m not so sure it would work. Very little is known about these Blank Spots.”

Jake sighed, resigning himself to the thought of a long walk tomorrow.

“Anyway, enough of my voice! Enjoy what remains of the day. You will leave at day break tomorrow. Feel free to relax and explore the area. Just don’t venture too far into the jungle.