Okay, here's the first bunch of chapters from Space Lizards. Thought I might as well post this fanfic back as well seeing as I'm going to resurrect the Alternate One, because for new readers to understand the beginning of the AO, they may need to read this.
So here goes:

Prologue

Colonel Flareaux looked down from where he was stood on the deck of his sky engine, watching the destruction taking place on the ground below. The flames writhed as they rose up into the air, orange against the darkening evening sky.
The screams of the unfortunate denizens of the citadel below reached the fairy's ears, but Flareaux took no notice of them. He didn't care about what he was doing. He had been told he would be paid a fortune in riches if he would compromise the defences of this world, and that was what he was doing. No doubt the creatures of the Fairy Council would know of his traitorous actions by now. Flareaux stroked his combed, twirling grey moustache. To hell with Queen Gloria, he thought to himself. Let her burn and die when the time comes.
Far below, the citadel's buildings lay in shattered, blazing ruins. Even from far above, Flareaux could feel the heat of the inferno trying to bite into his skin. The colonel listened to the sounds of the Realm Elite's robotic troops as they thumped their way around or through the fires, circling the entire citadel so that nobody could escape. Not that anyone was likely to get out of the flames alive, of course.
The colonel decided it was time to update his master's knowledge on his actions. The general would be most interested to know.
Flareaux made his way across the sky engine's deck to the heavy oak door into the craft's interior. He pulled up the latch, hauled it open and stepped through. The corridor beyond was dimly illuminated by lanterns swaying from chains connected to the ceiling. The colonel's quarters were in the first door on the left. He entered the cabin and paced over to the gilded table, seating himself in the high-backed, ornate chair behind it. Flareaux pushed away his ink pot with the purple-feathered quill in it, and did likewise to the pile of parchment. A small cloud of dust wafted into the air, disturbed.
Colonel Flareaux found what he was looking for - a small panel set into the desk, with several golden switches and bronze-rimmed dials and gauges. He pressed one of the switches down with a long, thin finger, whilst carefully adjusting his hat in order to smarten his appearance.
One of the walls suddenly slid downwards into a socket, revealing a large screen underneath. Flareaux pressed another switch. The screen flickered for a few seconds, then came into focus. Or rather, it attempted to come into focus, for the image was still very fuzzy and vague. The shape of some strongly-built figure was distinguishable, but other than that, no real features could be seen.
"What is it?" The voice that spoke out from the screen was deep, with a sinister tone to it. It was also cold, and radiated untold strength and power.
"The last major citadel has fallen, general," Flareaux replied, "I have achieved your orders. The people of this world are now in too bad a shape to put up too good a fight. Can I expect my payment?"
There was a pause.
"Patience, colonel," the voice on the other end of the line spoke out once again, "I still have need of you. I have a slight problem with your fellow commanders."
"Major Beaudoreaux and Brigadier Edgeaux?" The colonel queried.
"The very ones. It seems they are not totally in allegiance with me, and have gone back to the enemy's side. They, Flareaux, are the ones who are responsible for informing the denizens of your world of my invasion force. I cannot allow scum like them to pose a threat to me. You know what I want you to do, colonel."
Flareaux indeed could guess what was coming next, but allowed the creature to continue.
"Kill them, colonel. They have been tracked down to the place you know as the Fairy Council. Have them annihilated. Ensure their deaths are as unpleasant as is possible. There is no better death for traitors than agonising ones."
"I'll see to it, master," Flareaux nodded, "there's just one slight thing I need to ask you. I'm sure you're aware that there is a creature in the area of the council of bravery, courage and strength. He may be a threat to us and your upcoming attack. If we find him, what do you want us to do about him?"
Although it was hard to be certain, Flareaux thought he saw something of a sadistic smile cross the creature's face.
"If he is there... then kill him too."

Chapter 1

The twin moons of the planet shone down from the starry sky on the gentle forests below. The sounds of nocturnal creatures was soft, like music to the ears. All was serene and calm.
In the thick canopy of one of the higher trees, a treehouse had been erected. It wasn't much - just a box-shaped structure built of wood, with a ladder leading up to it and a small balcony on one side. But by looking at it, anyone could tell it's occupant had obviously put a lot of effort into building it.
In one corner of the treehouse, two creatures were deep asleep. The first of them was the biggest, with blue-green skin and webbed feet. In appearance he looked rather like a strange form of toad, with two eyes perched on top of his head. The second of the creatures was a lot smaller, limbless, and with a big nose. The latter of the two was well known across the world, and was known by only one name.
Rayman.
A creature of bravery, of courage and strength. He was a hero to the people of this world, who had defeated many megalomaniac villains before. If ever the world was under threat, the limbless being with the magic fists was always on hand to save the day.
A red lum zipped past his nose, and Rayman's eye flicked open. He stretched his arms and yawned, at the same time awaking his companion.
"Quiet night, huh?" Rayman nodded to him.
"Why d'you have to wake me?" The creature muttered groggily. "I was having this really good dream about plum juice and these wierd pink lum things..."
Rayman smiled in amusement.
"When do you never dream of plum juice these days, Globox?"
Globox ignored him and settled down to go back to sleep. Rayman looked away, stood up and made his way over to the window - which was simply a large square cut out of the wood, covered with a veil that had been stitched together out of transparent, silk-like leaves. Rayman brushed the veil back, and stared out over the surroundings.
There was the Fairy Council in the distance, and in the surrounding forests, golden lights shone out of the windows of small cottages or homes that had been built on or in the trees. Looking on it now, Rayman couldn't help thinking how beautiful the scene around him was. He sighed with tired happiness. All had been peaceful for a few months now. There had been no major evil uprising for a long time. Perhaps now there was going to be a time of peace, without the threat of power-crazed supervillains attempting to dominate the world.
Rayman pricked up as he heard something moving along the forest floor below. He listened hard. There it was again - a sort of mechanical thumping, like metal hitting soil. It was only faint at first, but then it started getting louder. Rayman realised after a few seconds that this wasn't some animal sniffing for food in the undergrowth. This was something else. And by the increasing thump-thump-thump that he could hear, Rayman guessed that there was more than one of this "something else".
Rayman sensed the danger a few seconds before it happened. There was a hiss of energy. He threw himself backwards. And not a second too late, for a bolt of some form of magic passed overhead into the opposite wall, punching a hole in the wood. Globox leapt up with a yell of surprise, disturbed from where he was trying to get back to sleep.
"Rayman! What was that?"
"Someone's firing on us!"
Rayman's face was grave. He beckoned for Globox to remain silent. They heard a grating electronic voice speak out.
"Find the limbless being. He must die."

Chapter 2

"Okay Globox, don't make a sound..." Rayman whispered. "I don't know who these guys are, but by the sound of it, it's obvious they aren't friendly."
Globox had gone pale. He and Rayman were crouched as low as possible.
"Come over here to the window..." Rayman hissed softly, and Globox dutifully came. "We don't know how many of them there are, so I don't want to risk taking them on in a fight. We'll use the window to get into the treetops, and we'll sneak off from there."
"Where are we gonna go, Rayman?"
"Fairy Council - that's where we'll go. Queen Gloria must know about this."
Rayman stood up and carefully hauled himself out of the window onto the branch outside, then waited for a second or two whilst he got his balance. Then he beckoned to Globox, and held out his hand. Globox was trembling visibly as he followed Rayman out onto the branch. It dipped considerably under their weight. Rayman felt his blood freeze in nervousness. Is the branch going to give way? He thought to himself. Let's hope not...
But luck was coming their way, and the branch didn't snap and send them crashing to the ground.
"Start moving along, but don't do it hurriedly..." Rayman placed one foot in front of the other as if he was on a tightrope. "Too fast and we could lose our balance."
They moved slowly, but smoothly. When they reached the end of the branch, Rayman looked down. They were at a large height, but Rayman didn't let it unnerve him. Below, he could make out the silhouettes of five or six robotic figures grouping around the ladder leading up into the treehouse. They had their backs turned, having no idea about the two creatures up above.
"There's a ledge over there," Rayman gingerly turned to Globox and pointed it out, "Globox, I need you to just come closer. Hopefully, our combined weight should make this thing dip down further."
"And th-then?"
"Then, I get off first. No offence, but you're a heavy guy, so the branch should stay low. Once I'm off, jump up onto the ledge as best as you can. Don't worry - I won't let anything happen to you."
"Oh - okay..." Globox sounded a little unsure, but he did it anyway. Inched his way closer and closer to Rayman. True to Rayman's word, the branch did bend down under the weight. After a few seconds, it was almost level with the ledge. With the skill of an acrobat, Rayman silently leapt off, like a predator pouncing towards it's prey. He somersaulted once through the air, then landed lightly and went into a roll, straightening up after he'd done so.
"Your turn, Globox..." Rayman held out both hands reassuringly, showing his friend he was going to help him by catching and steadying him. "Don't worry, you'll make it..."
Globox was shivering terribly. Beads of sweat were trickling down his face, and he wiped them away with the back of his hand. He tensed himself, then he jumped.
"There! Stop them!"
Globox yelled in surprise, lost his momentum, and fell a second before he reached the ledge. Rayman leapt forward and thrust out his hand towards Globox's outstretched palm. But he was too late. With a startled cry, Globox fell to the ground below.
The figures Rayman had seen were sprinting towards Globox. As they drew nearer, they passed through a sliver of moonlight beaming down through the trees. Although he only briefly made them out, Rayman's suspicion that they were robots was confirmed. Also, now that he had seen them a little better, he deduced that there were about six of them.
"It is not the limbless one," the first of the robots grated, "what should we do with him?"
Rayman noticed that five of the robots looked to the sixth as their leader. This sixth robot was slightly bigger than the rest, of a more intricate build than the others, who were just bric-a-brac piles of junk when compared to it.
"We will take him prisoner," the leading robot decided, "he will be taken for interrogation."
As if on cue, two of the robots hauled Globox up. If it was possible for him to go even paler, Globox had. They roughly heaved him away into the undergrowth, no doubt struggling with his weight.
Rayman was about to jump down and attack them. Six scrappy robots like them, they'll be easy to take out, he thought. But then he felt cold metal on the back of his head, and he froze. Another one of them, right behind him. It spoke.
"Do not move."

Chapter 3

Rayman went still, as if he had been frozen. Not good, he thought.
"Turn around slowly."
He did so, and kept his movements unthreatening. Sure enough, it was another of the robots, stood behind him, holding some form of strange cannon studded with white-glowing nodules.
"Put up your hands. You are our prisoner now."
Rayman began to raise his hands, but then suddenly, unexpectedly lashed out, sending one fist whistling through the air at lightning speed. If it was possible for a robot to look surprised, this one did, as Rayman's fist smashed into it's face, leaving an almighty dent covered in cracks.
On an impulse, Rayman threw himself flat to the ground as the robots below, also carrying the same form of nodule-studded cannon, opened fire. Several magic bolts whipped through the air, then Rayman was up and running, climbing over a rocky outcrop with the skill of an athlete. Almost at once, the robots gave pursuit, but they were at a disadvantage; the joints in their legs were clumsily built, and it slowed them down considerably.
Rayman legged it through the undergrowth effortlessly. Normally he enjoyed moving swiftly like this - it made him feel truly alive. But his optimism was dampened by the fact that Globox had fallen into the hands of the enemy, whoever they were.
He abruptly stopped as he entered a clearing with three more robots in it. Two of them were of the ordinary design, the third was the same make as the commanding one back at the treehouse. This commanding robot carried a much bigger cannon than either of the two basic trooper ones, and it was no doubt more powerful too.
Rayman tensed his body, raising his fists. He knew a fight was inevitable.
The commanding robot fired, releasing a hail of energy blobs. But Rayman was already in the air, somersaulting over him. He landed with ease, then rolled forward and swiftly punched out with his left fist, following through with his right. The two basic troopers tried to help the commander, but Rayman was a whirlwind of energy. No matter where they fired, they always shot a second too late.
Rayman acrobatically leapt high, landed on the shoulders of the commanding robot. He grabbed the robot's head in both hands, then wrenched hard.
There was a screeching of breaking screws as the robot's head came loose. Automatically, it shut down. To Rayman's surprise, so did the two troopers. Then he realised - they must be slaved to the commanding one. Neutralise the commander, and the troopers will shut down too, as they won't have anyone to give them orders.
He jumped back down to the ground upon hearing more robots coming. As smoothly as a shadow, without a noise, Rayman slipped away.

Chapter 4

The sky was getting darker, and clouds were forming, blocking out the bright white moon. The occasional droplet of rain began to fall, hinting that a storm was en route. The blue-glowing mosquitoes buzzed for cover as the rain began to come down more fiercely. A squab oozed it's way into the dry comfort of a fallen log, and groups of tortoises slowly and wearily moved to their nesting areas.
A cobbled road winded through the undergrowth where the overgrown, vividly coloured plants and bushes parted. A small wooden cart pulled by a mawpaws animal was making it's way along slowly, a Teensy manning it. He whistled quietly, a wisp of strange purple smoke curling out of the end of the pipe he had in his mouth. In one hand he held a crooked walking stick. In the other he held the reins. A lantern was stood on the wooden slat on which the Teensy sat, throwing a dim orange glow over the area.
From out of the bushes, Rayman appeared. He was dripping wet from the rain, but didn't take any notice of it. The Teensy looked up at him, and pulled the reins back, gently but firmly. The mawpaws came to a halt.
"Well hey, there," the Teensy took the pipe out of his mouth and raised it in greeting. For someone so small, he had quite a deep voice. "What can I do for you, laddie?"
Rayman grinned, and came closer to the cart.
"Do you know the way to the Fairy Council?"
"The Fairy Council, huh?" The Teensy closed one eye and squinted through the other, no doubt playing the thinker. "Hmm, it's a fair few miles away, I'll give you that. Other than that, I can't say for sure. I'm only a passing trader. I don't have much idea of where it is."
"Then where are you heading?"
"Me? I'm headin' for that Blue-Flower Settlement place, a mile or two along this path. Why? What's it to you?"
"Can you take me there?" Rayman was already thinking about what to do next. He had a friend in Blue-Flower Settlement. Maybe if he went there, he'd be able to be taken with all haste to the Fairy Council...
"Well..." the Teensy mused for a second, "alright then. Hop on."
Rayman climbed up onto the wooden slat, carefully shoving the lantern further along. The Teensy shook the reins, and the cart set off again.
"You been hearing the latest news?" The Teensy asked.
"No. What's been going on?"
"You heard of the Realm Elite?"
Rayman thought for a moment.
"Yeah - I've heard of them. A peacekeeping army set up to protect the world. All their troops are robots, except for the main commanders, who are all fairies."
"Well, they say one of their leaders, Colonel Flareaux I think he was called, has turned traitor and taken control of the Realm Elite. He's been attacking major citadels and destroying them. Nobody knows why."
Of course, Rayman thought. It could have been the Realm Elite who attacked me and Globox!
"Is it just Flareaux?" He questioned. "What about the other two - Major Beaudoreaux, and that brigadier guy..."
"Edgeaux?"
Rayman nodded.
"Nah, they say it's only Flareaux." The Teensy gave the reins a sharp tug to one side as they rounded a bend in the cobbled path. "The major and the brigadier apparently escaped to the Fairy Council..."
Rayman contemplated what he would do when he reached Blue-Flower Settlement. Hopefully his friend would have a way of getting him to the Fairy Council quickly. He smiled to himself. Of course she would...

Chapter 5

The rain had become considerably heavier, a torrent of water flowing from the night sky. Blue-Flower Settlement was a pretty sight in the natural beauty of the Crossroads of Dreams. A quaint little place, it was comprised of a cobbled square ringed with trees that had been hollowed out and fitted with rooms, corridors and staircases to form homes. Golden lights shone out of windows, and the leaves rustled softly as they were stirred by the night breeze. In the centre of the square stood a raised stone plinth with a statue of a Teensy on it. Around it's base were small, vibrantly-coloured flowers and orange-glowing mushrooms. A small cloud of more blue mosquitoes were hovering around a swaying lantern hung from a pole projecting out of the side of one of the trees.
The regular clip-clop of hooves and the sound of wheels disturbed the quiet as the mawpaws-drawn cart made it's way into the square. There was nobody around.
The Teensy controlling the cart pulled the reins, stopping it. He turned to Rayman.
"So," he rubbed his hands together, "you want me to drop you off here? Or do you want to go further on, down that road there?"
He pointed to a second cobbled path, leading out of Blue-Flower Settlement in another direction. Rayman shook his head.
"It's okay, I won't hold you up any longer," he began disembarking from the cart, "I'll get off here. Thanks for the ride."
The Teensy relit his pipe.
"You're welcome." And with that, he set off again, trundling the cart off across the square.
Rayman looked around, brushing water out of his extremely damp hair. He waited for a second or two, then set off towards a third cobbled road leading out of the square. If I remember correctly, he mused, then Samia's place is just down there, outside Blue-Flower...
A green lum flew past, a second one in it's wake. Rayman watched them as they happily zipped through the trees.
He rounded a corner, and there was his friend's home, dead ahead. It was a colossal tree, thicker and taller than any of the others in Blue-Flower Settlement, with two lanterns hanging from a pole swaying over the circular, red-painted wooden door. Like the other tree homes, it had windows set all the way up it's length, but what mostly made this place different was that, on areas of the trunk and in most of the branches, were networks of steaming brass pipes, and rotating cogs with lengths of rope stretched between them.
Rayman went up to the door and knocked on it. After a few seconds, a voice called out from within.
"Who is it?" It was a girl's voice.
Rayman leant in closer to the door and called back.
"Is that you, Samia? It's Rayman here. Will you let me in?
There was a pause, then the sound of a bolt being scraped back. The door opened. A fairy girl stood there. In appearance, she looked like a fairy Rayman knew, one called Tily - the same skin colour, the same skin patterns. She was clad in a blue dress stitched out of purple leaves. Her light brown hair was tied back in a braid, adorned with a single white flower. She looked at Rayman through bright blue eyes.
Except what made this fairy different to others, was that she had no wings.

Chapter 6

Colonel Flareaux was sat in the cabin of his sky engine, currently flying over the Crossroads of Dreams. He was facing the large screen, which was switched on. The vague silhouette of whatever figure he was talking to was disrupted briefly by a flicker of static, then it went still again.
"Yes, general?" Flareaux rubbed his hands together.
"Are your troops in position, colonel?"
"They are. Two hundred robots and a steambunker division. The attack will commence in exactly four hours. I will ensure Major Beaudoreaux and Brigadier Edgeaux do not survive."
"I have a new objective for you, colonel." The silhouette spoke. "I don't only want the traitors killed. I want the so-called Fairy Council destroyed. Reduce it to rubble."
"But general, I would need more troops to do that."
What appeared to be annoyance momentarily crossed the figure's face.
"Use your brain, colonel. Call more in."
Flareaux nodded hurriedly.
"As you wish, general."
"What about the creature you spoke of? The one who might pose a threat to us."
"Um... several of my troops tried to kill him, but he got away. We captured one of his associates, though..."
"An associate?" The creature on the screen spat angrily. "Is that the best you can do, colonel? I didn't ask for one of his companions to be taken alive - I wanted the creature himself to be annihilated!"
Flareaux cowered in his seat. The general was in a livid rage.
"I will excuse your failure to carry out one of my orders just this one time, colonel," the creature hissed malevolently, "but fail me again, and I will show you the meaning of pure terror. Is that understood?"
Flareaux nodded, fear on his face.
The image turned off and the wall slid back into place. Flareaux sat back and spoke to a seeing stone embedded in the desk before him. His voice was wavering.
"Unit C-Commander 001. I want you to bring in reinforcements. Call for t-two more steambunker divisions, and have another five hundred robots brought into p-positions."
The image in the seeing stone, a commander robot, acknowledged him.
"Carrying out commands. Estimated time of arrival for reinforcements, five hours..."
Flareaux cursed under his breath. Five hours? He'd have to delay the operation, then. He wouldn't tell the general that - he'd only get angrier. For a split second, he wondered if he was really doing the right thing, helping the creatures that would soon be the masters of this world. But then he remembered the valuables he was to be paid, and he dismissed it instantly.
"When the troops arrive, you will await my orders..." Flareaux announced to the seeing stone.

Chapter 7

"So, Rayman." Samia smiled sweetly. "What can I do for you?"
Rayman sat back in a chair at a rounded wooden table. He wiped at himself with a clean towel she'd given to him, drying himself down. The inside of Samia's home was warm and comfortable - a fireplace was crackling and blazing merrily. A few glass jars full of tiny, orange fireflies were set on top of a wooden cabinet. The shelves along one wall were full of strange objects and contraptions. Rayman grinned to himself. He knew about Samia's love of tinkering and creating mechanical objects.
"I need help, Samia," he replied, "I'm a bit lost."
"Lost?"
"Yeah... I've hardly ever been in this area of the Crossroads of Dreams, so I'm very unfamiliar with it. I need to get to the Fairy Council. I was hoping you could take me there."
"I know the way." Samia smiled again. "I can get you there pretty fast too. But why do you want to go there? I have a feeling there's something behind this."
Deep down, Rayman was impressed by Samia's uncanny ability to sense what he was thinking. He nodded gravely.
"There's these robots out there," he informed her, "nasty robots. They attacked me and Globox. They got Globox, I'm afraid to say. I have an idea of who they probably are, and I need to alert the guys at the council."
Samia's expression went from the usual gentle appearance to one of seriousness.
"I guess we'd better get going right away."
She departed the room, leaving Rayman sat at the table, the towel still clutched in his hands. Lovely girl, he thought. He knew a lot about her - mainly about why she had no wings, and also why she had no magic powers. He repeated the story of her birth in his head. She'd been born with a rare, ethereal disease, and she was only one of about ten sufferers worldwide. It only affected fairies, and although it wasn't fatal or that bad, it prevented them growing wings, as well as removing them of magical powers.
Rayman put the towel aside, stood up and followed Samia. He eventually found her in a large room with a machine in the middle of it. The girl was kneeling by several thick brown cables, screwing them onto the fuselage of this strange craft.
"Like it?" She indicated it. "I built it not long ago. It doesn't look much, but I've already tested it, and it works well. It can fly quite fast, so don't have thoughts about us not getting to the Fairy Council quickly enough."
Rayman smiled at her, and clapped her shoulder playfully as a way of saying 'Well Done!'. He looked the craft over - it wasn't that big. It was comprised of a cylindrical fuselage with three stubby landing legs along either side. On the front was an open cockpit with three seats in it, surrounded by a multitude of levers and dials. The fuselage was lined with cogs and brass pipes that quivered as whatever form of gas or liquid fuel was pushed through them. In the centre of the fuselage, on the top of it, was a large pair of wings, built from metal bars with sailcloth - the same fabric used in ships' sails - stretched between them. At the front of the craft, one on either side of the cockpit, were two metal arms. In appearance, the entire thing looked like an oversized insect.
Rayman whistled in amazement, and grinned at Samia.
"It looks great," he complimented her.
"I'm glad you like it," Samia smiled back. "We're more or less ready to go."
"What - already?"
"Yes. We don't need to pack provisions, do we? We'll be at the council in no time. And it only takes a minute or two to power it up."
As if on cue, a copper bell jangled.
"There you go - that bell notifies me when the craft is powered and ready to fly. So come on, hop in."
Rayman climbed into one of the seats as Samia disconnected the cables. She moved them to one side, then got into the middle seat of the cockpit. Rayman watched as she pressed a switch, and he gasped, impressed, as the craft rose upwards, the powerful wings beating the air in swift motion. The legs retracted into sockets as Samia pulled one of the levers down. They rose slowly for a minute, then part of the tree wall slid upwards.
Rayman laughed, enjoying what was going on, as Samia thrust two levers forward and the craft shot out of the opening, which promptly closed behind them. Samia turned to Rayman.
"It's fabulous, isn't it?" She beamed. "I call this the Swiftoship."

Chapter 8

They were making fast progress over the treetops. The Swiftoship was certainly living up to it's name, and Rayman was enjoying every second of the ride, despite the fact it was colder at this higher altitude and the rain was still pouring down relentlessly.
"Hey, Samia!" Rayman spoke. "How come we're moving so fast? How did this thing propel itself at such a speed?"
"There's a massive tank of compressed air at the back of the fuselage," Samia explained, "it's released out bit by bit at enormous pressure."
Rayman whistled in fascination. He laughed aloud, dangling his hand over the side of the cockpit to wave cheekily at the cloud of curious red and green lums that were following below.
"You must have spent a lot of time on this."
"I did. I was pretty dedicated to it, too."
Rayman looked down again. And sat upright, startled.
For, on the ground far below, masses of robots were moving along in formation, accompanied by small rows of strange, steam-driven vehicles. Samia saw where he was looking, and stared down too.
"Those are Realm Elite," she whispered, "they're heading in the same direction as us!"
"Which can only mean one thing," Rayman looked grim, "they're going to attack the Fairy Council. Can't we go faster?"
"Sure."
Samia pushed a lever further down, and Rayman heard the roar of compressed air shooting out of the Swiftoship's rear become more furious. At once they picked up speed, skimming over the treetops. Rayman was amazed at the sheer number of robots and steam-driven vehicles below.
"Steambunkers," Samia told him, "that's what they are."
In appearance, the vehicles were long, low bunkers on six enormous, metal-plated cartwheels, with a large swivelling cannon mounted on top of them. A funnel on one side of each steambunker was belching out steam as they rattled forwards.
"Let's hope we get to the council before them." Rayman murmured.
"We will," Samia assured him. "The Swiftoship can outrun any Realm Elite unit."
They flew onwards, unaware that they were being watched from a sky engine in the distance. Colonel Flareaux stood on it's deck.
"Curse you, limbless..." he whispered angrily.

Chapter 9

Queen Gloria looked around at the faces of the world's various nobles sat before her. She was drawing into old age - her skin was becoming wrinkled, and a small pair of gold-rimmed spectacles were balanced on the tip of her nose. However, she was still as energetic and sharp as she was in her younger years, and she was known to be a wise creature.
"He's coming," the queen announced. "I have seen him. Rayman already knows strange things are happening. He's already on his way to speak with us about it."
"You think he can put a stop to this?" One of the nobles - a young, nervous male fairy - asked quietly. "I'm not saying I doubt his abilities, but Flareaux isn't the sort of person who would lie back and let Rayman wander freely into his midst."
Gloria smiled and clasped her hands.
"Don't worry, Cyril," she reassured him, "if there's a creature who can put an end to this mess, it's Rayman. Lord Lumicheste, have you assorted the evidence?"
A large, fat creature with red skin, of the same race as Globox, looked up as he was addressed.
"Of course, Queen Gloria," he rumbled. His voice was cultured and upper class. "It's all in the Eye."
They all looked around to the entrance as a large, sliding door formed of crystal slid open. A Teensy in flowing dark brown robes, with a tall golden crown on his head, stumbled in excitedly. It was the Grand Minimus, king of the Teensies.
"He's here now!" He squeaked, and took his place next to Queen Gloria.
Rayman and Samia came in through the entrance, and the crystal door closed behind them.
"Welcome, my friends," Queen Gloria bowed her head respectfully, "please take a seat..."
She conjured two more throne-like stone seats on the wall opposite with a ray of purple magic. Rayman and Samia sat down. Rayman surveyed the people before him. Gloria, queen of the fairies, was sat at the fore of the chamber with the Grand Minimus. There was Lord Lumicheste, a fairy named Cyril, all manner of different ruling creatures... even a familiar face, Gumsi, the child-king of the Knaaren, was there. Two burly Knaaren warriors flanked him. Two other fairies in Realm Elite uniform were sat next to him. Major Beaudoreaux and Brigadier Edgeaux.
"You made it quite fast," the queen smiled at them, "I trust it was you, Miss Samia, wo ensured this?"
Samia nodded.
"We've got to warn you," Rayman blurted out, "the Realm Elite are coming towards the Fairy Council and we think they're gonna-"
The entire chamber stirred.
"An attack force?" Gumsi piped up in his high-pitched voice. He was soon drowned out by babbling voices.
"But we aren't prepared for an attack!"
"Should we evacuate?"
"Where are they?"
"Where's Flareaux?"
"Silence, fellow nobles." Queen Gloria spoke loudly, and hush descended on the chamber. She gestured to Beaudoreaux and Edgeaux.
"Rayman, you obviously already know of Flareaux's actions. Here we have Major Beaudoreaux and Brigadier Edgeaux of the Realm Elite. They came straight to us when Flareaux turned traitor."
They both acknowledged Rayman, who saluted to them. He then looked towards the large, eye-shaped basin of water in the centre of the chamber. It had gone cloudy. Queen Gloria was spreading a golden powder into it.
"My friends," she announced, "I suspect there is more to Flareaux's actions than we know of. Why would he do this?"
She turned to face Rayman and Samia.
"Look into the Eye, my friends." She spoke soothingly. "In it's deep recesses, we shall see the truth..."

Interlude

The advance guard had arrived on the enemy's world. Now the main bulk of their army was en route.
Ten billion stone spaceships cruising through the deep, dark void of space, a fascinating yet spine-chilling sight to any passing space creature or intelligent being. Battle-scarred and menacing in appearance. Bristling with enough weapons to vanquish an entire world, this colossal armada had the intention of bringing doom to a particular planet.
In the distance was the place they'd set off from; the gargantuan, three-ringed planet of Reptillica, shining an icy blue colour against the blackness of the void around it.
The fleet travelled at a slow pace for several minutes, before the order was given to increase to light speed, then above. Pretty soon they were hurtling along at an incomprehensible speed. They passed by planets that they had invaded and successfully conquered in the past - now no more than great spherical husks of scorched rock and burnt rubble. The race that manned this incredible fleet was renowned throughout the universe as the ultimate superpower, a force that no other army or horde could ever match.
The fleet was that of the Space Lizards.
They swarmed inside every single spaceship, every destroyer, every freighter, every fighter. They were all at least three metres tall, their skin blue and scaly. Their jaws contained rows of vicious teeth, and their slit-like eyes glared about with savagery - for they were flesh-eaters. Every inch of their bodies were covered in muscle and sinew. Every one of them was clad in the same silvery battle armour.
On the command deck of the flagship, one Space Lizard stood out above the rest. He was three and a half metres tall, his blue flesh covered in inflamed scars. His battle suit was more impressive than those of the other Space Lizards - razor-lined shoulder pads, spikes studded along the metal plates covering his sinewy biceps.
This was General Sedgewick, leader of the Space Lizards.
He was perhaps one of the most feared military commanders of all time. Of all the wars he had orchestrated, all of them had been victories. He was devoid of what he called 'inferior' emotions - love, friendship, grief or sorrow - just like all other Space Lizards. The only feelings he ever felt were anger, hatred and brutality.
But his outward exterior of viciousness hid a great intelligence. Sedgewick was a creature of vast intellect, a cunning tactician.
And pretty soon he would be employing his skills against another planet. As far as he was concerned, it had no proper name. He referred to it only as 'the target'.
He turned slowly to face out of one of the flagship's viewing ports. Looking, it seemed, directly at the people watching him through the Eye.

Chapter 10

There were gasps from nearly everyone in the chamber as Sedgewick's face seemed to turn to stare at them out of the Eye.
"It's okay," Queen Gloria reassured them, "he can't see us. Well, my friends. What do you make of that?"
Rayman had gone quiet, and was grim-faced. He stroked his chin, deep in thought. Then he spoke.
"So Flareaux's working for these guys?" He said at last.
"Yes..." it was Major Beaudoreaux who spoke. "It would seem so..."
"Space Lizards," Rayman murmured to himself, "from the planet of Reptillica... and they're flesh-eaters?" A flicker of fear crossed his face. "Globox was captured by the Realm Elite! What will they do with him? They won't give him over to this Sedgewick guy will they?"
The Grand Minimus squirmed uneasily in his seat.
"I'm afraid we don't know what he might be going through," he squeaked, "but one thing's for sure. If he's been taken by Flareaux's lot... somebody better get out there and track him down. I doubt they'd kill him immediately. He's your best friend, Rayman. They'll probably want to interrogate him first. There may still be time to rescue Globox."
"Maybe so..." Rayman felt another slight fear rise up within him. "But where might they have taken him?"
"I might know the answer to that," it was Brigadier Edgeaux who answered. "Me and Major Beaudoreaux know the locations of all of the Realm Elite's major bases."
"So you have an idea where Globox could be?"
"We can't say for certain," the major took over from the brigadier, "but the most likely place is in the middle of a region of swampland known as the Amber Marshland. It's quite a long distance from here, but there was formerly a dungeon base established there during the robo-pirate invasion. When the pirates were defeated, it was abandoned and left to decay. But then, during the Rabbid invasion, it was occupied by the Realm Elite, who converted it into a detention centre for prisoners of war. The Realm Elite still uses it now - there are currently quite a lot of inmates there. The majority of them are Rabbids who were caught during their attack. But we're guessing that you'll find Globox there."
"Okay Rayman," Queen Gloria faced Rayman, her expression one of seriousness, "here's what I want you to do. The Grand Minimus will take you to Hall of Doors. There you will find a portal leading to the Amber Marshland, and you and Samia will head there with all haste. Once in the marshland, you are to proceed straight to the Realm Elite detention centre."
Major Beaudoreaux stepped forward, and held out a seeing stone to Rayman.
"You will need this," the major explained, "with it, you'll be constantly in contact with me and the brigadier. We'll guide you through the marshland to the detention centre."
Queen Gloria nodded approvingly, then continued.
"Once you are at the detention centre, you will infiltrate it. Find out if Globox is in there. If he is, get him out. Whilst you're there, keep an eye out for any possible Space Lizard activity. If you find anything remotely suspicious, let either the major or the brigadier know about it."
Rayman nodded.
"I won't let you down."
"Thankyou, Rayman." Queen Gloria took his hand in both of her wrinkled ones and squeezed it gratefully. "May fate be with you."
Rayman gave a salute to the major and the brigadier. Both of them saluted back with a smile each.
"Take care, old chap," the brigadier told him, "you're just the sort of person we need to get us out of this mess."
Rayman turned to exit the chamber. Samia stood up and was about to follow.
Then suddenly, there was a tremendous booming sound that shook the Fairy Council. The floor trembled violently, nearly pitching everyone to the floor.
"What was that?" One of the fairies, Cyril, asked. His voice wavered. He was obviously suddenly afraid.
Rayman clapped a hand to his brow.
"Oh, boy!" He remembered. "The Realm Elite attack force!"
"How many of them?" Lord Lumicheste got up, his enormous stomach wobbling all over the place. If they'd been in a less dangerous situation, Rayman would have found it mildly amusing. However, this was no time to find things funny.
"Lots of them." Rayman told them their worst fear. "Tonnes of robots, loads of steambunkers."
The people in the chamber looked about fearfully. Rayman knew they wouldn't have been prepared for this. Until-
"Kleng, Zept, go and rouse the other warriors!"
Everyone whirled around to face Gumsi.
"You brought warriors?" Rayman asked. At least somebody had been prepared for an event like this.
"Yeah." Gumsi looked up at him through his big yellow eyes. "I never venture out of the desert without an entire horde of warriors at my back. I can have them hold off the Realm Elite to buy you enough time to get to the Hall of Doors."
"Okay - do that!" Rayman couldn't think of anything else to say. "Come on, Samia!"

ah goodie, i never got to finish reading this.

Chapter 11

"Just a bit closer..." Gumsi was watching the oncoming Realm Elite troops in the distance. "Wait for it..."
Unbeknown to the advancing robots, a force of Knaaren warriors were hidden amongst the trees, lying low in the undergrowth. Next to Gumsi were Rayman and Samia, watching carefully. The robots were moving forward swiftly under the covering fire of the steambunkers, which were launching volleys of fireballs out of their cannons.
"Now!" Gumsi screeched to his followers.
Gumsi's counterattack had a large effect on the robots, who suddenly found themselves under attack from left and right. Knaaren wielding heavy stone clubs, others laying into the robots with their powerful fists.
"Excellent, your Majesty!" Rayman smiled respectfully at the child-king of the Knaaren as he turned, grinning with pride. "Come on, Samia! We've got to get to the portal leading to the Hall of Doors!"
"What about the Swiftoship?" Samia asked.
"Don't worry about that." Rayman started nervously as he heard the voice, then realised it was coming from the seeing stone he had been given. Major Beaudoreaux's face had appeared on it. "The brigadier had it moved into the Hall of Doors after you'd landed. You'll find it in there if you ever need it."
The major's face faded. Rayman thrust the seeing stone into a pocket, then he and Samia took off with all haste.
On the forest floor below, Realm Elite robot fought Knaaren. However, the Knaaren power of invincibility was working in their favour, and Gumsi's warriors were easily winning despite the fact the robots outnumbered them by far. Gumsi himself was stood high above on a ledge on the side of the council, sending off the occasional ray of magic at the foe.
Rayman and Samia hurtled up a flight of stone steps, onto a larger ledge, when suddenly they heard it. The sound of rotors slicing through the air. They felt a strong draught of wind blasting into them, and they looked up in surprise.
A Realm Elite sky engine was hovering directly over them.
"Samia! Get down!" Rayman yelled. They weren't a second too late; a large sphere of energy thumped into the centre of the ledge and exploded. It had been fired from the sky engine. "Look out!"
They dodged as another energy bomb struck close by.
"Samia!" Rayman shouted over the thunderous noise of the battle. "Get to the portal! Don't hang around, it's me they're after!"
Samia stood, uncertain, protesting.
"But..." she began. "I can't leave you!"
"You must!" Before she could say anything else, Rayman grabbed her, turned her and pushed her onwards. "Just go! Now!"
Samia looked at him for a second, torn between fear of the fighting around her, and her loyalty to Rayman.
"What are you waiting for?" Rayman screamed at her. "Get out of here! Don't worry about me, I'll catch up with you! Just go, get to the Hall of Doors! Go! Move it!"
Deciding it would be best if she did what Rayman wanted her to do, Samia turned and stumbled away.
Rayman turned also, to look up at the sky engine. He clenched his fists, grinding his teeth. Then he spoke, his voice a menacing whisper.
"Alright, feller," he murmured, "do your worst..."
He began whirling his right fist in a swift circle, charging it up. He stood his ground bravely, waiting... another energy bomb, this time aimed with a lot more precision, came spinning down to strike him.
A second before it hit, Rayman released his heavily-charged fist, straight into the ball of energy.
There was a sound like the screaming of a firework that had just taken off. Rayman's fist glanced off the energy bomb, but the strength he'd hurled it with was enough. The energy was deflected - straight back at the sky engine.
Rayman threw himself flat on the floor, covering the back of his head with his hands, as there was an almighty explosion. Red hot flames passed within inches of him, singing his hair slightly and scorching his skin. He gritted his teeth as the burning wreckage of the sky engine crashed down all around him, threatening to bury him under a pile of flaming wood, twisted metal and jagged shards of glass.
He was lucky, however, for nothing of the ruined sky engine hit him. But then Rayman saw he was not the only person to have survived this explosion.
A fairy in Realm Elite uniform, an elite commander, was flying down towards him. He was drawing into old age, and his face was contorted with anger.
"You despicable brat!" The fairy shrieked with fury. "You may have escaped that, but for you it all ends right here!"
Rayman looked him over.
"Colonel Flareaux, I presume." He said.
"You presume right," Flareaux snarled, "but you won't be alive to say my name after I'm done with you!"

Chapter 12

Rayman ducked to one side as Flareaux sent a blast of magic at him. It whizzed overhead, inches away. With amazing agility, Rayman leapt up, spun through the air and kicked out hard, catching the colonel in the chest with one foot.
Flareaux fell back, cursing. Before he could get up again, Rayman was on him, punching with his left, then his right, left again, then an uppercut to the jaw.
It seemed to Rayman that he was winning, until suddenly Flareaux lashed back with his own attack. He shot a bolt of white magic out of his fingers, straight into Rayman's chest. The limbless hero was sent flying backwards, landing heavily on his back. Flareaux's wings beat the air as he took off once again, his teeth bared in anger.
Rayman met him head on. They locked together, Rayman punching at the colonel's face, only to have his moves skilfully blocked. Flareaux's face twisted into a superior sneer, which quickly turned to alarm as Rayman increased his attack.
Rayman's hands and feet were a blur as he went into a furious attack, swiping, clouting, punching and kicking out hard with pent-up energy. It took all of Flareaux's concentration to fend as many of them off as he could. All around them, the battle raged. A fireball launched from one of the steambunkers struck close by, almost engulfing them in flames. Flareaux put up his hands to shield his eyes from the glare of the fire. In the moment he did this, Rayman flipped backwards, charging up one of his fists.
Flareaux looked up in further surprise as the charged fist streaked straight into him, throwing him to the floor with a sickening thud.
"Give up, Flareaux!" Rayman shouted over the melee. "You know what you're trying to do is impossible!"
The colonel drifted up into the air, flying once again. His face was contorted with hatred.
"Give up?" He spat the words out as if they were filth. "What, now that I'm so close to achieving the goal I was set?" He laughed hoarsely. "Of course I won't give up!"
He launched himself back into the fray, shooting rays of magic at Rayman. Rayman promptly weaved away, rolling across the floor and responding with another charged fist.
"Why do you have to do this?" Rayman demanded. "You're a powerful person. You've got all the wealth you could ever dream of. Isn't that enough already?"
Flareaux laughed again.
"You couldn't ever understand," he cackled, "nothing is ever enough for me. And this war is going to be won by my master, no matter what you think you can do. So I definitely want to be on the winning side, and if you know what's best for you, you'll join me!"
"Never!"
Flareaux raised his hand. He was about to cast more magic. Rayman braced himself to dodge once again.
There was a fizzing of magic energy crackling out of Flareaux's fingers. It was travelling at a speed impossible to avoid. Rayman opened his mouth to yell in surprise.
But then suddenly a circle of blue magic appeared in front of him, blocking Flareaux's shot. Rayman heard the colonel give a surprised snarl of rage. He looked towards where the blue magic was emanating from.
A short staff with an eagle's head on the end. Holding it was Gumsi, shielding Rayman from the colonel. They were locked by the energy.
"Go, Rayman!" Gumsi shrieked. "I'll hold him off!"
Rayman began running along the route Samia had taken, with Flareaux's shouts ringing in his ears.
"You can't escape, limbless! The Space Lizards will track you down! They'll kill you! They'll shred your mangled corpse into a million pieces and feed on them! You can't stop them!"
At the top of a flight of stone steps, Rayman found the portal into the Hall of Doors. He threw himself in, and at once he heard the sounds of the battle fade. He closed his eyes. He fell through nothingness for a second or two, then he landed with a thump on a soft, grassy surface. He opened his eyes. Samia was standing over him, peering down at him.
"Hey, Rayman."

Chapter 13

Rayman stood up, dusting down his clothes. He looked about, taking in his surroundings.
At first he thought something had gone wrong. He didn't recognise where he was - the last time he'd been in the Hall of Doors, things had been a lot different. He and Samia were stood in at the bottom of a large canyon with ledges sloping all along it's sides. Colourful, vibrant bushes grew out of the cliff faces, which were embedded with blue, purple, white, silver and sea green crystal. A waterfall at one end of the canyon dropped down into a large pool leading into a wide cave in the side of the canyon, lit by lanterns hung from the tunnel ceiling. The sky was strange - a pulsating, sea green colour, the blue clouds morphing into different shapes; figures of Teensies and fairies, mystic animals...
"Is this...?" Rayman left the question hanging in the air. Above, several of the clouds undulated and changed shape into a series of question marks.
Samia shrugged.
"It doesn't look familiar..." Rayman looked around.
"Good day, friends!"
Rayman and Samia looked around as the voice rang out from above. An old Teensy, ancient in appearance, was hobbling towards them, coming down from one of the ledges on the canyon side. He had a gnarled walking stick chiselled from a tree branch clasped in his skeletal hand. A huge, fuzzy white beard sprouted out of his chin. His face was lit up in the biggest of smiles.
"Welcome to the Hall of Doors!" He shook Rayman's hand heartily, and did the same with Samia. "You've been here before, haven't you?" He directed this question at Rayman, but didn't wait for an answer. "I heard about you using this place during the robo-pirate invasion, but that was a long time ago, before I was offered a job here as a portal guide."
"So this is the Hall of Doors?" Rayman looked around once again.
"Another part of it, yes," the old Teensy gestured around him, "there's a lot more to this place than you saw on your quests, Rayman. By the way, you can call me Olde Jock. Anyhow. There's only one reason why you're here. I got a message from the Grand Minimus before, telling me you were coming. Where would you be wanting to go?"
"A place called the Amber Marshland."
Olde Jock grinned.
"Follow me, friends. You're lucky, as the portal's just a short walk away..."

Chapter 14

Rayman and Samia found themselves falling through a swirling void of colours - yellow, orange, red, green, blue, purple, pink and silver... they descended at speed through a great shaft of twisting energy. Rayman felt a blast of air hurling into him, blowing his hair back. He felt the usual tingle of excitement that he always had on knowing he was about to enter another land.
They were en route to the Amber Marshland. After arriving in the Hall of Doors, they had been shown straight to the correct portal by gatekeeper Olde Jock. After stepping into the rotating spiral of magic, Rayman and Samia were heading swiftly onward.
Rayman closed his eyes and savoured every moment of the descent. He was enjoying this, as he always did. He opened his eyes and looked at Samia, who was clutching his hand rather tightly.
"You okay?"
"Just a bit nervous..." Samia replied. "I've never done this sort of thing before. You have, I'll bet."
"Don't worry about a thing, Samia," Rayman reassured her with a smile, "we'll be there in a minute. Relax and let your excitement take control for the moment. I always find this sort of thing fun."
He felt a strange buzzing emitting from one of his pockets, then remembered the seeing stone and plucked it out. It had lit up, and Major Beaudoreaux's face had appeared on it.
"Hello there, old chap," the major announced, "you fine?"
"Yeah..." Rayman answered, "and you? What happened at the Fairy Council? Did you repel the Realm Elite?"
The major's face fell in a crestfallen expression, and at once Rayman knew.
"Ah... right."
"They destroyed the council, old boy," the major shook his head, "it was awful. Gumsi's warriors were doing so well. But then Flareaux ordered them to deploy some form of weapon - nobody's ever seen anything like it, Rayman! Tonnes of Knaaren killed in an instant!"
"What - Knaaren?" Rayman gaped at him. "But they're invincible!"
The major shook his head once again.
"That's what we thought, too," he explained, "but the Realm Elite has the use of a weapon that somehow overcomes invincibility. And that's not all. The council's been reduced to a mass of rubble. Even worse than the last time it was ever penetrated, in the Hoodlum invasion. And you won't believe this, but they annihilated the brigadier."
Rayman couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"They murdered Edgeaux? But he's one of our senior commanders!"
"We're in complete disarray over here," Major Beaudoreaux's voice wavered, "the Realm Elite is now in total control of the Fairy Council ruins, and the woodland around it. Heaven knows what they may try - we don't want another scenario with the Heart of the World getting obliterated again."
"This weapon you spoke of," Rayman enquired, "do you have any idea what it might have been?"
"Unfortunately, not much," the major looked at him grimly, "the technology of that thing was like nothing we'd ever seen before - even more powerful than the tech employed by the Rabbids during their attacks. We don't think the Realm Elite could have built a weapon like that."
"So... you're saying...?"
The major went even more grim.
"We think he got that from these Space Lizard chaps." He spoke quietly. "And if so, it can only mean one thing."
"They're already on the planet," Rayman realised. "Not good..."

Chapter 15

As usual, the Amber Marshland was as unwelcoming in appearance as it had always been since the Clouding of Water. The sky was a morbid green colour, and wisps of mist were settling over the area. The few areas of solid ground throughout the swamps were nothing more than little spits of mud, rock, slime and viscous soil. Green-glowing toadstools of immense size, and twisted, gnarled trees with jagged branches and few leaves protruded up from the filthy water, in which rotting logs, decaying lily pads and weeds floated. The water itself differed in colour all across the marshland. In the shallower areas, where ugly-looking weeds and marsh vegetation grew, the water was murky and brown. In the deeper areas, however, the water was slightly clearer, and an ethereal amber glow emitted from it.
Practically everything in the Amber Marshland was foul-smelling, as everything seemed to be covered in a stinking mould - it coated the tree trunks, the swamp plants and the large toadstools, it was floating in small clumps on the surface of the water...
But the animals in this land paid no heed to the quality of their surroundings, for they fitted in perfectly. Toads with bloated bellies and large webbed feet, croaking loudly. Mosquitoes and fireflies swarming in the air. Small terrapins with hard, mean eyes and grimy, misshapen shells gathered together on some of the dirty logs drifting in the water, some of them biting awkwardly but nevertheless angrily into whatever unfortunate little fish they had caught. Piranhas with rows of vicious teeth leapt out of the water occasionally to snap up any mosquitoes or flies that descended too close to the water surface.
This unnerving scene was disturbed as a small light appeared in the sky - a tiny pinprick of white on green that lasted a second or two. The mosquitoes scattered, the piranhas leapt up further as if hoping to snap up the strange light, and the toads croaked like a crowd of people babbling in dismay.
Two figures had now appeared, falling down from the sky where the light had appeared. They plunged downwards at speed for a moment, then one of them slowed down, and the other held onto him.
Rayman and Samia came down slowly and gently. Rayman was using his hair as a helicopter, and Samia clung onto him tightly. They bumped down onto a patch of muddy ground with a squishing noise. The mosquitoes settled, coming forward slowly out of curiousness. The terrapins leered at the pair through their mean eyes. Both Rayman and Samia were out of place in this slimy land, being two clean little creatures in an area of filth and grime.
"This is the Amber Marshland?" Samia peered into the water. "I see why they call it that. Wonder what gives the water that weird amber glow?"
"Probably some interesting form of marsh life," Rayman muttered. He pulled the seeing stone out of his pocket, "hey! Anyone hear me?"
The stone lit up as Major Beaudoreaux's face appeared on it.
"I hear you, old chap," he saluted, "well, are you there?"
"Yeah."
"Good. I'll be guiding you from here. I can tell from where your seeing stone is emanating from that you're in the south end of the marshes. You'll need to proceed north. It'll be that way." The major's face momentarily faded from the stone to be replaced by an image of a golden arrow pointing in the said direction. "There's a little settlement not too far from your current position. If you need anything, there'll be denizens there who'll help."
"Thanks, major."
"You're welcome, old chap. Tally-ho!"
The seeing stone's light faded, and Rayman put it back in his pocket.
"We all set, then?" Samia smiled, gripping the rope straps of her backpack, bulging with whatever implements she'd put in it.
"Sure." Rayman clapped his hands. "Let's go and find this settlement!"

Chapter 16

Time passed frustratingly slowly in the Amber Marshland. Seconds mounted to minutes, and minutes turned into hours. The marshes themselves, however, didn't show it. The sky remained the same green colour, the mist wasn't lifting, and even the scummy water was perfectly still.
Rayman and Samia were tiring out. After hours of trudging through seemingly-endless dunes of mud, leaping dangerously over old logs and toadstools to cross deep areas of swamp, going through the time-consuming process of testing shallow areas to check there were no piranhas before wading through stinking filth, and being continuously bitten by pestering mosquitoes made them both tired and frustrated, especially since they must have covered miles of ground and not yet found the settlement they were heading for.
Eventually Rayman decided to call a halt. The pair of them sat down on a solid rock outcrop in the middle of a shallow area of water, with a tree growing right next to it. Rayman broke off some of the brittle sticks jutting out of the tree's branches, and heaped them up in a small pile in the centre of the rock outcrop. He rubbed a pair of jagged stones together, creating sparks that fell onto the sticks and lit them. They now had a campfire, and Rayman lay back, putting his hands under his head. Samia wafted with one hand at a mosquito that was whining around her ear. Rayman sat up abruptly.
"You hungry?" He asked, then he barged off without a reply, "hold on, I'll see if I can find something."
"Okay then," Samia called to him, "but don't be long! And don't go too far!"
"Don't worry about a thing, I'll be fine. There'll be nothing in this marsh that I can't handle."
He disappeared into the mist, vanishing through the dense, overgrown marsh vegetation. Samia sat back, propping herself up on the stalk of a tall, thick sapling that was growing out of a wide crack in the rock. She took her backpack, opened it and fumbled about inside, checking everything in it simply because she had nothing else to do. After a minute or two, though, she grew bored, and put her backpack to one side. She tried to sing a little song to herself, under her breath, but gave up after the first three lines after finding she could hardly remember the rest.
Samia closed her eyes. She felt very... drowsy. Before she knew it, she felt herself drifting into a sleep. She knew she shouldn't really, as Rayman was gone and there could be anything in these swamps, but she couldn't help it... it felt serene, tranquil, peaceful, welcoming...
"Samia! Come quickly!"
Samia snapped awake in an instant. The campfire was nothing more than a pile of smoking embers. My goodness, she thought to herself. I must've been sleeping for a long time...
"Samia! Over here!"
She looked hurriedly at where the voice - Rayman's voice - was coming from; somewhere in the vegetation. She slung her backpack onto her back, and set off at a run in the direction where Rayman was.
She splashed noisily through the shallows, and blundered through the thick, slime-coated reeds that stood upright like erect spears.
"Samia! Quick!"
Samia spurred herself onwards, crashing along through shallow swampwater, thick vegetation and muddy ground, until she finally came out of the undergrowth into an area of solid ground that sloped upwards. Heaven knows how far she'd just run. This little area was in shadow, for the sky was obscured by the trees, around which grew clumps of vile fungi and toadstools. Rayman was stood there, in the centre of it all, staring up the slope in disbelief.
"What is it?" Samia asked. Rayman pointed slowly upwards. Samia looked at where he was indicating. And gasped.
A dark silhouette of a figure was stood at the top of the slope, between the trees. They couldn't see any of the figure's features, but they could make out the outline of the silhouette. It looked familiar, yet Samia couldn't quite place who it was...
"Raaaaymaaaannnn..."
Then Samia realised who it was from the voice.
It was Globox.

Chapter 17

"Globox! Down here!" Rayman called, cupping his hands around his mouth. "We're down here!"
Yet Globox just stood at the top of the slope, a shadowed silhouette between the trees, continuously calling out the same name in a flat, expressionless tone.
"Raaaaymaaaannnn..."
Samia didn't like the sound of this call. It was unnerving. There was something wrong about the way Globox was acting. This wasn't like him. Normally, he'd be rushing down to them, grabbing them all in a big hug of happiness. She stopped Rayman as he was about to go up the slope.
"Wait..." she cautioned him, "I don't like this."
"Why?" Rayman looked at her curiously. "It's Globox! Can't you tell? We've found Globox!"
"Raaaaymaaaannnn..."
"See? It's his voice!"
Samia shook her head firmly.
"I don't know why this is," she started, "but I doubt that's Globox..."
But Rayman paid no attention to her. He began pacing up the slope, smiling, spreading his hands in a friendly gesture.
"Globox, don't worry about a thing. I'll help you."
But then Globox suddenly began moving away from them, walking down the other side of the slope, still in a trance-like manner.
"Raaaaymaaaannnn..."
"Globox, wait up! We're down here!"
Globox was already lost to sight, and Rayman began jogging after him, with Samia close behind. She tugged at his hand fearfully.
"Rayman, I think something's wrong..."
But Rayman still paid her no attention. They came to the top of the slope, and looked around. They couldn't see Globox.
"Where'd he go?" Rayman asked.
"Raaaaymaaaannnn..."
"There!"
Sure enough, Globox's dark outline could be seen walking away into the undergrowth, sloshing softly through shallow mud and water as he faded into the mist. Rayman and Samia automatically took off after him.
"Raaaaymaaaannnn..."
But as they reached the thick field of slimy, tall marsh plants, fungi and poisonous toadstools Globox had entered, Rayman and Samia found they'd lost him. Samia could see the fear and disappointment in Rayman's eyes as he slumped dejectedly on a toadstool.
"Why wouldn't he come to us?" He murmured. "We were right there, at the bottom of the slope, yet he didn't come to us."
Samia put a gentle hand on his shoulder and spoke quietly.
"You see what I mean?" She whispered. "Something isn't right."
"You don't think... you don't think," Rayman looked at her in fresh concern, "that... Globox has been... you know... traumatised by something he might have seen, perhaps? I've heard of people who've been traumatised severely, and they've never acted normally again... let's hope it isn't that..."
Samia looked down at her feet awkwardly. She didn't know what to say. She gently scuffed her foot on the ground, covering a-
"No, wait!"
She bent down to the ground, quickly brushing away the soil, exposing a muddy footprint. Rayman jumped up at the sight of it. They both looked up, and saw a trail of faint but nevertheless visible footprints leading onward.
"This way!"
Rayman took the lead. They scrambled through the vegetation, roughly pushing aside stalks, leaves, branches, saplings and spiny reeds. Then they heard it again.
"Raaaaymaaaannnn..."
Rayman rushed onwards, leaving Samia behind. She tried to yell to him to slow down, but he was too afraid for Globox's safety that he didn't listen to her. He vanished into the bushes.
Still, it wasn't hard to follow where he'd been. Samia was able to stay on his trail from the signs of broken stems and saplings, the coating of mud and decayed leaves on the ground that had been disturbed and what sound of him she could hear.
"Rayman! Wait for me!" She cried out.
Then she heard a scream of fear, like a parent seeing their child being fatally harmed. She spurred herself on, and came out of the bushes. She stopped dead at the sight before her horrified eyes.
Rayman was stood on the bank of a gigantic swamp that stretched into the distance. It was deep too, Samia could tell that. He was staring at something in the water.
Samia felt her blood freeze. It was Globox, floating face down in the swamp.
Before she could do anything, Rayman spoke tremblingly.
"Hang on, Globox, I'll get you out of there! Oh boy, let's hope I get to you before the piranhas do!"
He leapt into the water, went under, bubbles bursting out of his mouth. He surfaced, took a deep breath. Globox's body was sinking into the filth. Rayman dived down towards it. Reached out with his hands.
Then stopped in surprise as Globox's body faded and disappeared into nothing. Rayman then felt his surprise mount higher as he saw he'd been tricked. By what?
Then he felt a lump catch in his throat - or rather, where his throat would have been - as he saw the creature rise up through the murk, coming towards him.

Chapter 18

Rayman floundered in the water, as the image of Globox's drowned corpse faded, and he saw the creature behind it. The sight of it sent shockwaves of panic through his mind.
It was roughly humanoid in shape, with slimy grey skin. Areas of it's body were coated in smooth, glistening, slightly translucent pustules, containing some strange amber-glowing substance. It was coated in trailing marsh weeds that billowed around it in the water, giving it a frightening appearance. It's eyes were narrow, amber-glowing slits above a pair of large, gash-like nostrils and a mouth with mouldy gums, but no teeth.
It was swimming strongly towards him, kicking it's legs, varicose veins standing out from it's body as it came towards Rayman. It reached out with large, three-fingered hands - but then Rayman realised they weren't fingers, they were long, sharp claws, like curving sword blades.
As it drew near, several of the pustules on it's body burst, releasing the amber-glowing chemical within into the water. Rayman automatically threw out a punch, but the thick, gloopy water slowed it down, so it hardly had any effect on the creature.
So instead, he kicked out with his feet, propelling himself away from it, as he charged up another fist. It looked at him with annoyance, then swept forward again with alarming speed.
Rayman released the fist he had been charging, and this time it had an effect. With more power put into it, the fist overcame the hindering thickness of the water. The creature recoiled, surprised. An ugly welt spread over it's forehead, where Rayman's fist had struck.
But then it attacked again. It opened it's mouth wide, and suddenly a spume of the amber liquid was bubbling out towards Rayman. Rayman put his hands in front of him, at the same time trying to move back, away from whatever poisonous stuff the creature was spewing out. He wasn't fast enough. The liquid frothed towards Rayman and-
Then he felt a hand clamp on his shoulder, and suddenly he was wrenched, coughing and spluttering, out of the swamp. He turned to find himself face-to-face with another strange creature. There was a stern expression on it's face, but Rayman could immediately tell it was friendly. Samia was stood behind, watching nervously. The creature stared down at Rayman, and spoke.
"A word of advice, my friend," it's voice was definitely stern, but also definitely friendly, "don't trust the Amber Folk."
Rayman looked the creature up and down. It looked a lot like the monster he'd seen only seconds ago in the swamp, except it's skin was smoother, and was a light purple colour. It's eyes were bigger, and were a soft yellow. A small, ginger goatee beard hung from it's projecting chin. It's head was coated in a thin layer of ginger hair that was neatly scraped and gelled back. It was clothed in slightly frayed brown attire - waistcoat, trousers, sandals... there was something slung across it's back - a blunderbuss-like gun, forged of a bronze metal, with power gauges and dials all over the handle, and wires running along the barrel's length.
"Who - who are you?" Rayman asked after a while, struggling to get the words out. He coughed up a small puddle of scummy water.
"Me?" The creature scrutinised him keenly. "You can call me Slim. It was a good thing I was out looking for you, or that Amber One may have killed you."
Rayman looked up at Slim.
"Hang on - you were looking for us?"
"Yes," Slim's yellow eyes were luminous in the wispy mist. "It was a friend of yours who gave us the idea you may have been coming here. Does the name Globox sound familiar?"
Rayman immediately jumped to his feet and began speaking hurriedly.
"You've seen Globox? Did you rescue him?"
"No, no," Slim held his hand up for silence, "we couldn't rescue him - too many Realm Elite robots. But we got close and were able to speak with him. He overheard an order from that damn Flareaux, or whatever he's called. They're taking him for interrogation. You know what this means?"
Rayman laughed in relief.
"He's gonna be alive for some time, then! That means we'll have more time to get to him! I've got to alert the major to-"
His face fell as he rummaged about in his pockets.
"Oh no," he murmured, "don't tell me I've lost it in the swamp!"
"I know the way to the Realm Elite's detention centre," Slim took his weapon from his back and held it in his hands, each one with only two fingers.
"You do?" Rayman felt his hope returning.
"But first," Slim announced, "before we go onto rescuing your companion, I must take you to the settlement. There is someone very willing to meet you."

Chapter 19

It only took them a further hour to reach the settlement. Luckily for Rayman and Samia, Slim had brought a boat for them. It had been moored just a short walk away from where Rayman had been attacked by the Amber One - a small wooden boat with rusty dual propellers. A lantern was propped up in the bows. Rayman and Samia had taken their seats as Slim sat down in the back of the boat, firing up the boat's small engine with a pull of a lever.
For an hour they'd sailed speedily over the marshes, but now they were pulling in towards the settlement - a cluster of large wooden roundhouses and huts, some of them several floors high, standing on stilts over the marsh surface. Rickety bridges with damp wooden slats, and walkways constructed from thick, short logs lashed together with vine rope connected all of the buildings. From some of the roundhouses and huts, plumes of smoke curled lazily up into the air from whatever fire was within.
Slim guided the boat through a miniature maze of fishing nets suspended in the murky water. Through the muddy haze, Rayman could see hungry piranhas and terrapins circling in the water, grouping around the nets, eyeing the tiny fish that had already been caught in them.
The boat drew up alongside a jetty, and Slim stepped out onto it. He secured the boat in place with a thick rope, then took his blunderbuss in one hand, lantern in the other. He squinted in the dim light at Rayman and Samia as they climbed out of the boat.
"This way," Slim beckoned to them to follow, then set off at a swift pace.
As they moved into the settlement, Rayman took in his surroundings. Every roundhouse, every hut, was pretty much the same - bulky wooden logs stood upright forming palisade walls, thatched roofs, and lanterns and signs swaying from jutting wooden poles. Rayman couldn't help noticing that more creatures, of the same race as Slim, were appearing and regarding him curiously. They were all purple-skinned, with ginger hair and yellow eyes. A female in a brown poncho and smock, drawing into her old age, was leaning against one wall, watching him intently. A younger male, carrying a fishing rod in his hand, glanced at them for a few seconds.
Slim led them to a particularly big roundhouse somewhere in the centre of the settlement. He held the door opened for them. Rayman and Samia went in.
They were in a dimly-illuminated pub. Dozens of candles shone out from each windowsill. A lantern hung from the ceiling. Round wooden tables were lined all throughout the vicinity, and more of Slim's people were sat at them, talking loudly and laughing as they swigged beer from frothing pewter tankards. At the bar, a male, obviously the barman, was leaning back against one of the large wine barrels, cleaning a glass out with a ragged cloth. Rayman couldn't help noticing that a lot of the males in the pub were carrying the same blunderbuss weapons as Slim. Speaking of whom, Slim was leading them up to the bar. The barman looked them over.
"Yeah?"
"Is Fex here?" Slim asked. The barman nodded and pointed over his shoulder.
"He's in the back room. Go on through."
Slim led Rayman and Samia through a doorway, into a smaller, quieter room with barrels of liquor lining all of the walls. A table stood in the centre of the room. Sat at it's head was another of the creatures. He stood up.
"Welcome to the Swampanite settlement."

Chapter 20

"Rayman, Samia," Slim indicated the creature stood at the head of the table, "this is Fex. He is the leader of our people, the Swampanites."
Rayman looked Fex over. He was sturdily-built, his chin clean-shaven, with flame-red hair that had been spiked up at the front. A brown patch covered one of Fex's eyes. Around his broad shoulders was draped a moth-eaten brown cloak, like the sort that travellers would wear on long distance journeys. The ends of his trouser legs were tucked into big boots. Fex leant forward and offered his hand. Rayman shook it.
"Please, have a seat," Fex's voice was calm and reassuring. Rayman and Samia sat down together on one side of the table as Slim took a position opposite them. Fex however, remained standing. He took four pewter tankards and filled them with a fizzing liquor from one of the large beer kegs. He handed them around, then sat down. Rayman gingerly sipped at his drink, and tried to stifle a grimace at the strong, bitter taste. Fex and Slim seemed to find this amusing.
"Amberweed beer," Fex told him, "brewed from a mix of powdered amberweed and water. But of course, that isn't relevant to why we're here now."
"I have a feeling you're gonna help us," Samia ventured.
"That is correct," Fex took a long swig of his beer, "where do I begin? Shall I relate to you some history of these marshes and the Realm Elite's detention centre?"
He didn't wait for a reply.
"This land, the Amber Marshland, stretches in all directions from the centre for several hundred miles. It is nothing but stagnant swampland for leagues around. Once, a long time ago, this place wasn't a marsh. It was a lake - a truly magnificent, beautiful lake, with fruit orchards on the various little isles throughout it, and prime fishing spots. This was before the Swampanites settled here. Originally, a former race lived on this lake. They were peaceful, cultured people. They called themselves the Amberians. According to the records, the Amberians met a tragic end when they built a large factory in the middle of the lake. It was at a time when the Amberians were close to exhausting fishing supplies and the orchards. They were producing a form of magic liquid that, they hoped, would be an enchanted method of rejuvenating the numbers of edible fish in the lake. Unfortunately, it wasn't synthesised properly, and when it was all piped into the lake from the factory, it had a debilitating effect on the Amberians. They were transformed from the lively, good people they had been into horrific monsters that drained the souls of innocent people to survive. The remainder of the Amberians who had not been mutated were quickly hunted down and killed. These monsters were named the Amber Folk."
"Like what attacked me in the marsh?" Rayman asked. Fex nodded.
"Slowly, the magic liquid transformed not only the people into nasty horrors, but also the landscape. The lake turned into the swampland it is now. This is why this place is known as the Amber Marshland - because of the Amber Folk in it, and the fact that the waters gain their strange amber glow from traces of the magic liquid that once drifted through it. So there's your history of the marshes, in a nutshell. And what of the Realm Elite detention centre?"
Fex paused for a second or two whilst his words sunk in. Then he continued.
"The detention centre was first built by the robo-pirates. They constructed it originally as an outpost. But then, once the pirates were defeated, the place became abandoned. Slowly, over time, it began decaying. But then, during the Rabbid invasion, the Realm Elite took control of it, and they converted it into their detention centre. There they held prisoners of war - captured Rabbids, mainly. But now that Colonel Flareaux has turned traitor, he uses the centre for more purposes than holding prisoners."
"Interrogations?" Rayman guessed. Fex shook his head.
"They used it for that well before Flareaux's current actions. I have to warn you now, Rayman... there are Space Lizards in the marshes."
Rayman's jaw dropped open.
"Seriously?"
"I am afraid so," Fex nodded gravely, "my scouts, including Slim here, have found traces of them. It is possible the detention centre may be being used as a staging area for the Space Lizards as well as a prison. If we want to find the truth, we must infiltrate the centre. I have Swampanite troops ready. Did you see that most of them in the pub were armed?"
Rayman nodded, and Fex grinned.
"We leave soon," he announced, "and we proceed with all haste to the detention centre. Soon the Swampanites will attack the Realm Elite and draw their robots out of the way, giving you and your friend Samia the chance to slip in. Slim will accompany you."
He held up his tankard of beer.
"For now," he said, "you must catch up on some rest." He and Slim drained their tankards, and, with a deal of spluttering and coughing, Rayman and Samia did the same out of politeness. "To the success of free denizens of this world!"

Space Lizards is back! Yay! ^o^

Which reminds me, I still need to update my fan fic...

i think this is about where i got up to.

Chapter 21

Several hundred wooden boats, like the one that Slim had used to transport Rayman and Samia to the settlement, were quietly sailing through the swamps in a wide, even formation. Each boat contained up to five Swampanite fighters.
Looking around him now, Rayman looked closely at the creatures who would be launching the attack on the detention centre. He, Samia, Slim, Fex and a Swampanite who had introduced himself as 'Dusty' were sat in one of the leading boats. The troops were all dressed in the same outfit; the long brown cloaks and thick, waterproof brown fatigues. There were males and females alike, all clutching their blunderbuss guns. Some of them carried a different type of weapon - a stubby, keg-shaped cannon held on the shoulder. Every creature present had every inch of their skin smeared with plant dyes so that they were harder to see, plus their clothes had leaves fastened all over them, so that they would be camouflaged. From the way the boats moved in such a graceful formation, and from the stance of each individual fighter in each boat, Rayman could tell the Swampanite troops were experts. He listened closely as Slim turned to give him and Samia instructions.
"Okay, listen up," he spoke, "we'll be arriving pretty soon. When we tell you, make sure you put on your goggles."
Rayman took out the goggles from his pocket and looked them over.
"What do we need them for?" He asked.
"You see some of the guys have those shoulder-borne cannons?" Slim pointed one of them out. "They fire a small canister full of gas. They can be switched between poisonous and non-poisonous. Right now, they're on non-poisonous. Poisonous gases won't be any use against robots. Once we fire the canisters, they'll trail a mist of gas, which will form a thick fog in the air. It'll hide us from the Realm Elite's sentries. From their positions, it'll look just like a naturally thick fog cloud. You get phenomenons like that here in these marshes. Although it won't let the robots see us, the reverse is true as well - we won't be able to see them. So, when the gases start being laid, put your goggles on. They're magically enhanced, and will enable you to see quite clearly through the fog we lay. From then on, we launch a massive surprise attack. The Realm Elite robots are built for open battlefields, not for fighting guerrilla wars. Oh, and a last word of advice. If you see Globox or his corpse again anywhere outside the detention centre, remember; it's just an illusion created by the Amber Folk to lure you into the swamp. They developed that little trick recently; getting into people's minds and making them see things that aren't there. Make sure you remember that, okay?"
Rayman nodded. Slim looked away.
"There they go," he announced, and pointed. Rayman and Samia looked, and saw that all of the Swampanites who carried gas cannons had just fired their canisters off. Rayman gasped at how swiftly the air suddenly became cloudy and foggy. He looked to his left, where Samia was sitting right next to him. He couldn't even see her through the engulfing mist. He held his hand up right in front of his eyes, and he could only just make it out.
So he donned his goggles, and suddenly, everything was as clear again as it had been before - he could see perfectly.
And in the distance, he could see the detention centre; a huge brown slab of a building, built on massive stilts on the water. On it's parapets, Rayman could see the Realm Elite robots, dressed in their imperialistic red overcoats with white sashes and gold embroidery, their tall black bearskin hats, their well-polished boots and their crisp white trousers. He could easily make out their figures - all straight, hard angles. Their uniforms didn't suit their shape.
Then suddenly, there came an echoing crack from Rayman's right. He looked in the direction where it had come from, and saw that a Swampanite had just fired his blunderbuss. It was the cue for the other fighters, who suddenly leapt up and opened fire as the boats, gaining speed, spiralled off in groups, heading in different directions.
The attack had begun!

Chapter 22

The attack was already succeeding.
True to Slim's word, the Realm Elite robots were not built for fighting a hidden enemy. It took them several seconds to realise they were being fired upon from enemies hidden in the thick fog that the Swampanites had laid, and by the time they did start firing back, most of them had been shot down from the parapets of the detention centre. Also, because the Swampanite boats had dispersed and moved off in different directions, plus being hidden by the fog, the Realm Elite counter-fire missed the Swampanites by far.
Rayma