-Temple of Desire-

Standing at 20 feet high and 20 feet wide was a large bronze double door. Standing before it was a man wearing a red tunic, brown gloves, brown pants, and black boots. As he turned around, a silver mask covered the entire top portion of his face, from the nose to the forehead. He looked down at the yellow flute in his hand as it radiated with a soft glow.

"Interesting, being here has recharged the flute's power." He looked back at the door. "I came all the way here to this, and yet it refuses to open. According to the text, I need desires... pah, there is no shortage of desires, but it needs to be... specific. I am done running and hiding." His attention shifted to the stone column that showed a chiseled map of the planet. "I need a specific one. Temple, help me gather what I seek!"

A few seconds after his demand, the map lit up to reveal the world. He disappointingly shook his head; this was wrong.

"I need to reiterate: I want this door open. I have collected enough desires; I need a few more or just one special one. Out of all the ludicrous desires, I need a pure good one, someone or something that radiates and will give me the world I seek."

Seconds went by before the light on the map faded to reveal 6 points of interest. He scowled at one dot blinking in London, then raised a brow on one dot shining brighter than the others in one of the cities of North America. He shook his head and brought up his flute.

"A concert must have a finale."

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-Parkerville, Petalburg Park-

Right after school, Tina met Kite and her new friends at the park. When she agreed to join their LARP campaign, she expected everyone to behave like idiots without rules and try to one-up the other by spouting that their power is better. She was wrong; they thought carefully of the power structure and did not create skills on the fly. The children discussed plans, where the setting was, what skills they would develop, and who would lead.

"Your feather looks beautiful every time I see it." Her new friend, Rosa, spoke up.

The long, raven-haired girl nodded as she touched the red feather gifted by her grandpa. "It always feels like I am seeing it for the first time."

"I know. I could look at it all day."

"It's distracting." Kite turned to them. "We can praise the greatness of the feather any other time."

"Why don't we use it as a prop?" asked a boy.

"No." growled Tina.

"Remember Rule 3?" said a girl. "No using important family heirlooms as props."

"Exactly." The young crimson boy stated. "Let's not forget about the priceless necklace and Ronnie being sent to boarding school. We'll miss him."

Tina nodded as everyone continued to talk, with the wind blowing, birds chirping, and a calm yet haunting melody flowing through the air. Wait, what? She jumped up just as everyone else did, wondering where the song was playing. Unknown to Tina, her feather glowed softly as soon as the tune picked up.

"Whose phone?" asked a boy.

"No... that's.. Death Melody."

"No," Kite started panicking. "No.. why us? Why here?"

The sister worriedly looked around at not just her group, but at other parkgoers looking exhausted and about to collapse, but she was not... why? She quickly got out her phone and quickly found her brother's number. After the song ended, everyone around the park fell to the ground, unconscious. She yelped when a door materialized in front of her, then opened, revealing a masked man and 30 five-foot bipedal rats.

"Hmmm, you did not succumb?"

Luckily, her brother answered.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Tina, what's up?"

"JAKE! THE DEATH MELODY PLAYED! PEOPLE FELL! A MAN IN A MASK APPEARED FROM A DOOR!"

"Death Melody? Door? Masked Piper is there? Where are you?"

She heard someone curse and demand the location. "Petalbur-AHH!" The masked man grabbed her arm and took the phone away. He glared at her with intrigue.

"Why did you not succumb? What is it about." He noticed the crimson feather in her hair glowing softly. "Hmm."

"HEY! We're on our way!"

The man glanced at the phone. "Who is this?"

"JUST SHUT UP AND STAY RIGHT THERE! The Radiant are coming!"

The man scowled. "More of you?" He glanced at the girl. "We're leaving; you will be another test to finally achieve my dream." He tossed the phone, then lifted her over his shoulder before walking toward the door while she screamed. Just as he entered, he heard his minions growl. He whirled around to see nine balls of light drop down to reveal the eight radiant and another long-eared creature. The boy in red looked shocked before anger marred his face. "HEY!"

"JAKE!" cried the sister as the man turned to face them. His eyes narrowed at his old foes and new faces, all donned in the same uniform type.

"There are more. Distract them!" He finished before leaving through the door with Tina.

Blaze growled as he reached for the door, only to be blocked by four rats. His face saddened when the door closed before shattering into dust. He closed his eyes, feeling disappointed and angry. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME!"

"Kite!" The lightning warrior knelt to his brother with a horrid look. "Little bro." He eyed a rat approaching him. Narrowing his eyes, the boy let electricity coarse through his fingers.

"They'll be fine as long as the rats don't take their desires." Ivy stated, wearing a full green uniform and without glasses, revealing her green eyes.

"But why did your sister not succumb, and why take her?" Geo grimaced as he was ready for a fight, his full dark brown uniform on display.

The violet shinobi wielded her kunai. "Take care of these creatures first."

The warrior in red held out his hand, forming his sword. He pointed it at the rats before him. "Fine by me."

The rat's eyes widened, releasing a bright flash of light that blinded the warrior. He heard everyone shout something before rubbing his eyes. "What was that?"

"Jake?"

The warrior in red froze at hearing the voice belonging to someone who departed a few years ago. There was no way he would hear that tone of voice again. He uncovered his eyes to reveal a familiar brown-haired man before him.

"Dad?"

"My son, do you want to see me again?"

"What?" he gasped. "But you're dead?"

"Does it have to be permanent? There is a place where your desires can manifest."

Before Jake could respond, a vine shot past him and pierced the older man in the stomach. The warrior's eyes shot open in horror, then became confused when the man melted back into the rat. The sound of battle came back to his ears while the warrior in green walked up beside him with her arm extended. The vine was melded to her forearm as if it were natural. She gently smacked the boy's face.

"Hey."

"You needed that red ember." Her tone was cold. "These rats will use that trick to transform into what you desire the most." She flicked her wrist, causing the vine to raise the creature in the air. "It got us too at first; then we quickly realized it was not real after Jin reminded us after dispelling his illusion. There is one thing we all need to realize." She growled and swung her arm, swinging the vine with a trapped rat at its brethren. The vine wrapped around them, tightly binding them. "You can't always get what you want; sometimes, it's a glasshouse occupied by a bear. The bear will break the house. Think about it."

"Huh." The fire warrior chuckled. "Yeah." He raised his other hand. "Now I'm mad." Flames erupted from his hand.

"Good, as the old saying in my family goes. 'With the back of your ancestors, face the world.'"

Ignoring the phrase, the fire warrior shouted. "Blazing Fist!" He leaped at the bound rats and destroyed them with ease after his fist connected. He watched as the rats disintegrated in dust.

"Did that hurt?"

"Nae, just a little tingle." she chortled.

He looked around, seeing the others finish off the rats with their signature attacks while displaying varying expressions after witnessing their desires. They varied between being angry and sad. The shinobi had a haunted look as she watched her slayed creature dissolve into dust. Whatever they saw, they did not want to see again. Once the battle was resolved, the group converged to discuss.

The water warrior slammed her foot on the ground. "That felt real." She turned to the warrior in brown. "You could've warned us."

"What you saw is the threat we are facing. His rats let you see what you want, and he takes it to fuel his ambition." He growled. "Forcing me to see something I can't have has given me the urge to finish him off. Not everyone gets what they want."

"Granting their desires can lead to devastating consequences." The violet shinobi grasped her face. "You get the job you want, but another person may have been more qualified. You could get the attention of your affection against their will, or someone might wish for peace, but at what cost? Death of others?" She dropped her arm while gazing around her. "Call the health services, head back to the hub, send Luka here to check them, figure out a plan, then head to the Temple.

"Blaze." The light warrior worriedly glanced at the fire warrior. "Seeing what we saw, he has Tina. He might show her something she desires. But... why did he take her?"

"I don't care why." growled the fire warrior. "If he subjects her to what I saw, I will go all out."

"Then we better head back and get ready." said the terra warrior. "The temple will be a problem if we are unprepared."