Temple of Artemis

Story
Sakura: EEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I HATE LIZARDS!

Ian: And you were fine with frog people? (Kai, Ian and Sakura are running away from three Lucubras in an open sky maze.)

Sakura: They aren’t scaly and creepy and gross!

Kai: (Firing an arrow, getting stuck in a Lucubra.) They aren’t scaly.

Sakura: You’re being too literal! Kill them already!

Kai: (Firing another arrow) Trying. (Ian spins, extending his chain at a Lucubra. He hits a Lucubra square in the face with the blade, and it roars in pain. It doesn’t stop, however, as Ian retracts the chain.)

Ian: Nothing we do hurts them.

Sakura: Oh, Malem! Squash them!

Sakura’s red materia glows, and Malem appears. It charges forward, tackling a Lucubra, grabbing it and throwing it, colliding with another one. Malem then fires a mana blast at the third one, knocking it over. The three Lucubra surround Malem, and they pounce. Malem punches one out of the air at another, sending the two down the cliff. Malem catches the third one, throwing it over the edge with the others.

Sakura: Nice job Malem! I’m so glad I kept you with me!

Malem: (Grunts happily)

Ian: They’re coming back. (Sakura looks over the edge, seeing the Lucubra climbing back up.)

Sakura: Let’s find our way through here already. (Her materia glows, Malem being recalled.)

The group makes it inside a building, and they go down the hallway. They go down a set of stairs, and arrive in a large round room, with moving platforms and a pillar in the middle of the room, a button on it. There are 11 more doors, not counting the door they came out of.

Ian: It’s a big clock.

Sakura: A clock? What’s the point of that?

Ian: We have to ride the clock hands to get to the different doors. (Kai jumps across the hole, landing on the center pillar. She then jumps over to the door marked number VI.) Or we could do that. (Ian extends his chain, imbedding itself into the wall above the door.) Hold on.

Sakura: Oh, you want a hug? Seriously?

Ian: You’re still angry? What is wrong with you?

Sakura: You brought that little blonde secretary onboard the ship!

Ian: Jennifer? I brought her aboard because we destroyed her job. And she’d live if she was with us. Why do you think I brought her onboard?

Sakura: I thought you did to, (She turns away, blushing.) I thought you, uh, started something with her.

Ian: No. Just doing what I signed up to do. Save lives, and save the planet.

Sakura: Oh. Sorry. (She hugs him, as he wraps his arm around her. He swings over to the other side, making it to the door.) End Scene

Kai makes it to a set of stone doors. She tries to push them open, but it is locked. Ian and Sakura then join her.

Kai: You think you can open this door?

Sakura: Step aside. (Kai steps aside, as Sakura cracks her knuckles.) Kiyah! (She punches the door, destroying it.)

They walk into a room, seeing murals on the wall.

Ian: What is it saying?

Kai: Long ago, after Artemis became the world’s patron, the Black materia was created by followers to better understand space, where Lady Artemis resides. (She brushes her hand over a mural.) The Black materia has the ability to summon a planet like object, towards the planet.

Sakura: If that planet comes at us, then the planet would be destroyed.

Voice: It can also be used to destroy the storm, and create peace. (The group turns, seeing Eunice walking in.)

Kai: You!

Eunice: Hello, Kai. We meet again.

Kai: And you shall die this time.

Eunice: Oh, I’m aware of that. My love requires my sacrifice for the Shadows, to cleanse the world and bring it to its knees.

Sakura: Your love? Your love wants you to sacrifice yourself?

Ian: Wait, you WANT to destroy the storm?

Eunice: Of course. We are all on the same side. However, I don’t know how I can say this, but you will die here. (Eunice raises her bow, firing at them. Kai pushes Ian and Sakura out of the way, hitting the ground.)

Kai: Stay here. This is my fight. I must kill her.

Kai fires arrows at Eunice, who dodges and fires again. Kai dodges, charging in, pulling out a knife. Eunice blocks the knife, kicking it away. Eunice then grabs Kai’s throat, as Kai pulls out an arrow, jabbing it into Eunice’s leg. She groans in pain, knocking Kai away.

Eunice: Ugh! Swampfire! (Her red materia glows, Swampfire being summoned.)

Swampfire releases a stream of fire at Kai, who jumps and dodges, firing arrows at Swampfire. They go through Swampfire, him reforming. He then throws seeds, which hit the ground and plants grow out, swarming Kai. Kai’s red materia glows, and Goat Foo appears, using mana to sever the plants.

Eunice: So, it’s a summon battle again.

Goat Foo dashes forward, Swampfire releasing fire. Goat Foo uses mana palms to push through the fire, and strikes Swampfire. It recovers, and swings a punch at Goat Foo. Goat Foo catches the attack, and strikes the Omnitrix symbol. Swampfire glows red, as it disappears, returning to the materia.

Eunice: No! (She opens fire at Kai, who is charging in. Goat Foo fires mana hooves, deflecting the arrows. Kai kicks Eunice, causing her to lose her bow. Kai then stands on top of Eunice, arrow nocked and pointed at Eunice’s head.) No, please. Kai. Please. You and I used to be tight, like sisters. We did everything together. Please. (Her eyes are filled with fear. Kai sighs, not lowering her bow.)

Kai: You betrayed Lady Artemis, and killed your other sisters. (She releases the arrow, impaling into Eunice’s skull.)

Ian: Why?

Kai: She killed the Hunters. As of now, I am the last of them. Now, I can resurrect them.

Sakura: Kai. (Kai recalls Goat Foo, and takes Eunice’s red materia, tossing it to Ian.)

Kai: Here. I don’t need it. Now, we need to get the materia. (She goes over to a table, and activates a projection model of the temple.) It’s a puzzle. The temple is the materia itself.

Sakura: You mean we’re inside a materia?

Kai: Yeah, but there’s a catch. Someone has to be inside to solve the puzzle. Which means.

Ian: The one who solves it will be crushed.

Kai: Eunice knew this, and was prepared to die for her “love.” (She sighs.) Go. Run. Get out.

Sakura: What? You think you can sacrifice yourself?!

Kai: There is no other way.

Ian: What about reviving the Hunters?

Kai: Lady Artemis can do that as well. My job is to defend the planet. My life means nothing compared to the life of those on the planet. Besides, I know that the ones who shall obtain the Black materia are those who won’t misuse it, and I can die in peace knowing that.

Ian: (nodding) Alright. Sakura, let’s go.

Sakura: No! I refuse to leave you here Kai!

XLR8: I agree. (The group turns, seeing XLR8 dash into the room.)

Sakura: John! You’re alive! (XLR8 runs over to the puzzle, next to Kai.)

XLR8: I’ll solve the puzzle.

Kai: Are you kidding me? You just came back to life and you want to die again? Besides, it’s beyond your understanding. (XLR8 shifts.)

Brainstorm: Please. This kind of puzzle is child’s play. A member of Shinra could solve it.

Kai: (Small chuckle) Well, I’m glad they’re not here.

Brainstorm: I as well. Now, go. Fly, you fools. I will try not to dive into this brain teaser for a few minutes. (Kai nods, leading the others out of the room.) But it looks so easy.

Characters

 * John Spacewalker
 * Kai
 * Ian
 * Sakura

Villains

 * Eunice (death)
 * Lucubras

Summoned by Sakura

 * Malem

Summoned by Eunice

 * Swampfire

Summoned by Kai

 * Goat Foo

Used by John

 * XLR8
 * Brainstorm (first re-appearance)

Trivia

 * The history of the temple is quite simple to the original version.
 * It's revealed that the Shadows wish for the destruction of the cosmic storm.
 * John quotes The Lord of the Rings, saying "Fly, you fools."