[spoiler]It is that time of the week, Thursday to be precise, to post the first chapter of [u]Lives of ARC v2[/u]. When I ended the first [u]Lives of ARC[/u], a lot of people kept asking me to make a second one. A lot more people enjoyed the series more than I thought. I apologize for taking so long to actually start the second volume. I was really struggling to come up with a good plotline for the series. However, here it is! [u]Lives of ARC v2[/u]![/spoiler] "Malikeith," Ta'Chal beckoned. The warlock king sat on his throne as he studied a map thst his ghost was showing. A man came in from a room off to the side of the throne room. "Yes, my Lord?" He asked. This man's ghost, Vladimir, was already studying the map with King Ta'Chal. "I have negotiations with the House of Dunes to attend to, and I must be leaving immediately..." Ta'Chal leaned forward as his ghost highlighted an object in the center of the hologram. "Of course, my Lord," Malikeith Shorinson said with a slight nod. Ta'Chal pointed at the highlighted shape. "I want you to take a team there, and bring back whatever is hidden inside. Could be interesting, valuable. It could help our city rebuild," Ta'Chal stood up from his throne and walked to a room in the back of the castle. His four chrome plated guards followed him. Malikeith stood in the throne room as he processed his orders. Ta'Chal's ghost transmitted the data to Vladimir before disappearing. The man turned around and walked straight for the barracks. Malikeith slowly opened the door into the pitch black room. Many of his fellow teammates were still asleep. The Light wielder-- Risen, the people of Tau'la called them-- shut the door quietly, so no light got in. He reached for the switch and flipped it. For a moment nothing happened, but finally, then the lights came on. "Ahh! Turn 'em off!" The five men groaned as they shoved pillows in their faces or threw up their arms. One man even flipped out of his bed, then remained to lay on the floor. "Rise and shine, boys," Malikeith said loudly. The men got up and slipped into their shirts and shoes. One man patted his face to wake himself up. "The King wants us to clear an old ruins. Rumor is, there is an ancient artifact hidden within it. He wants us to bring it to him." "Tau'la has stood here for centuries. How are we just now discovering this?" Asked Luther after he splashed his face with water. "I couldn't say," Malikeith answered. "If the Fallen have already claimed the site, then, our presence could break the treaty..." Rex said as he raised to a sitting position. "It's the Hive I'm worried about," said the Awoken commonly referred to as Buggsy for his bright yellow eyes. He turned to the man in the doorway. "Gotta remember, 'Keith. We're not Risen like you, we're just a bunch of filthy casuals. We die, we're done..." The thought always crossed the teams' minds, but no one could say it. "That's why I'll defend you to my last Light..." Malikeith replied. "Now, get your equipment. We leave at 0700." The six men, one Risen and the other five just normal beings, walked their sparrows out of the gate of Tau'la. The city was quickly healing its wounds from the Dunes attack. The outer wall was already near repaired. Just over head, King Ta'Chal's private ship, escorted by four other ships, flew across the sky. They were headed toward the House of Dunes stronghold-- a crashed ketch nearly completely eroded by the desert storms. Malikeith hopped onto his sparrow then looked to Vladimir. His silver and green ghost brought up the map as to where the structure was. Malikeith sat up, then looked back as the last man climbed onto his sparrow. "We will travel west about five Klicks. There, we should find our mystery stronghold," The man looked west. A faint wall of goldish-brown peaked over the horizon. "Definitely wear your oxygen filters... That storm could be a rough one..." The six people darted across the sandy sea. Their repulser engines carved a thin trail in the sand, marking their presence. Three Klicks west, the team pierced through the veil of the storm. They were pecked repeatedly by the grainy sand. It scratched their visors and peeled paint from their armor. Luckily, no one inhaled the sand. That could have been deadly. "Vladimir," Malikeith said. "We need a spotlight, if you don't care..." "Ugh, fine..." the ghost replied. The ghost tethered himself to the sparrow, then turned on a flashlight and spun in circles. It wasn't long before the group tightened formation. "I hate doing this..." the ghost mumbled. "Sorry, bud! But someone has to do it!" Malikeith yelled as he looked up to his rotating ghost. "We are nearing the site, Malikeith," Vladimir said. "Okay, just let me know when to slow down," the Risen replied. "Uh... Right about now..." "Wha-- AHHH!!" Malikeith pushed himself out of the sand. He shook the sand from off his helmet then stood up. He looked around to see his sparrow crushed like a soda can and lit on fire. Malikeith placed his hands on his waist and said, "What was that?" "I told you to slow down..." "What happened?!" He asked. "You hit a stone slab, destroyed your sparrow and was launched off like a catapult..." Vladimir said with a chuckle. The other five drivers pulled up and hopped off their sparrows. They tried to stay as close together as possible, but the storm made it near impossible to see each other. "Well, 'Keith, that was something!" Rex yelled through the wind. "Indeed, but at least we found it..." Malikeith kicked the stone slab jutting from the sand. "The recent winds must have uncovered this place." Vladimir gave off pings of Light that highlighted anything related to the structure. "This place is ancient! 'The Temple of Naedar'. I've never heard of it!" He exclaimed. "The Temple of Naedar... I wonder what lies in side," Luther said in awe. "That's what we're here to find out..." Malikeith placed his hand on Luther's shoulder.