I am still undecided how I want to end the traversing of the desert scene. I have however skipped over and finished the act with intent to return to the missing segment.
________________________________________
_____Stepping through the doorway was immediately refreshing. Inside, the rocky archway bordering the door had water streaming down and dispersing into small pools on the ground. Flowers and moss lavishly covered the archway and surrounded the pools of water. The sun was no longer blistering hot. Without hesitation Klonoa lurched to the nearest pool of water and began drinking. The water was perfect.
_________(steve) spoke in awe, "Lovely place."
_____Klonoa slightly out of breath from drinking, "So far this side of the door is enjoyable."
_____"Clearly," said ____(steve) squarely. "We can not stay too long."
_____Refreshed, Klonoa sat on a large nearby rock. A dense facade of trees presented itself a short distance from the door. No sound came from the trees. After a moments rest, "Okay we should get going. Just some more water and we'll set out." As Klonoa reached his hand into the pool the source above the doorway turned to ice. The ice continued to grow down the stream of water. In fright Klonoa pulled his hand out as the ice fully encased the pool and then invaded the moss and flowers that had made the pools their home.
_____Shocked Klonoa stood up and slowly backed away.
_____"We'd best get going."
_____Turning to face the trees Klonoa noticed the forest had also changed. A cold fog had moved in and covered the forest floor to waist height.
_________(steve) whispered, "We haven't time to lose."
_____"Wahoo..."
_____Entering the forest the sun provided enough light to see above the fog clearly. The fog however was chilling to the touch and thick, making each rock, root, and fallen branch an obstacle.
_____Venturing farther into the forest the trees became more dense and the air chill was beginning to have a bite. Sunlight was decaying and insufficient.
_____Many moments past and Klonoa stopped moving and looked around. "We've been walking for a long time..."
_____"Ummmm..."
_____"I can not see where we're going anymore."
_____Expecting more answers from ____(steve) Klonoa glanced at his ring in deprecation.
_____"Hmmm, hang on. Something is wrong."
_____"What is it?"
_____"I...I do not feel disconnected from my powers as much here."
_____"Are we walking the wrong way!"
_____With a nervous tone, "No, no...I must think; keep walking."
_____"It's too dark, I can't see."
_____"Right, right, um... here let me create some light."
_____The gem in Klonoa's ring began to glow with a white light.
_____Astonished, "Your powers work here?"
_____"They should not work here; something must be wrong with the ___. We must hurry and get to the element."
_____Before Klonoa could take a step he felt a chill run down his spine; the hairs on his neck stood up.
_____Noticing the hesitation, "What is it Klonoa?"
_____"Do you not sense something?"
_____... "No."
_____A high pitched faint laughter came from up ahead.
_____Raising his glowing ring and squinting Klonoa could see a faint circular blur floating an arms distance away. Klonoa, reaching out his other hand the blur giggled more loudly and disappeared.
_____"Are you seeing ghosts Klonoa?" ____(steve) asked in a bit of jest.
_____Klonoa felt a tug at his hat and he quickly placed his hand firmly to hold it down. More giggling came and Klonoa looked up to see the source. Upon looking up there was tugging at his ring, this time more forceful. Promptly looking back at his ring Klonoa saw a blue transparent floating ball with two eyes, pink tongue and two stubby arms cheerfully attempting to pry the ring from his hand. Klonoa fired a wind-bullet causing the ghost to float up like a balloon, giggling and fading away into the fog. More giggling came from all around.
_____Klonoa began running forward without comment. He could see more blurs floating by as he ran. He felt a sharp tug on his left ear which made him stumble temporarily. His right shoe became undone before he regained his balance. Coming to a stop Klonoa swatted at the ghosts all around him. The giggling and blurs disappeared.
_____Taking advantage of the solitude Klonoa crouched and refastened his shoe and made sure he still had his hat.
_____"Don't believe they want us to leave," said ____(steve).
_____Panting Klonoa replied, "Their game is probably to slow us down."
_____Standing back up Klonoa could see a bunch of transparent ghosts floating around him. Raising his ring he fired three wind-bullets dispensing the three ghosts in front of him. The other ghosts became more opaque and lunged for Klonoa's ring. Retracting his arm Klonoa dashed forward continuing through the dense forest. There was a sharp tug at his collar and Klonoa nearly fell backwards. Reestablishing a sprint he ducked under low branches and vaulted over a large rock.
_____Klonoa, using some acrobatics performed a quick spin mid-step. He fired wind-bullets at the perusing ghosts but only made contact with one. Returning to his forward run he noticed the fog was dissipating and sunlight was returning. Ahead a dense patch of bushes blocked his way. Hovering above the bushes a ghost waited anxiously. As Klonoa came within reach of the ghost he fired a wind-bullet and held onto the ghost.
_____Floating over the bushes Klonoa could see a pathway beyond. Suddenly the ghost disappeared and Klonoa fell onto a few tree limbs then onto the soft forest floor. A bit shaken and disorientated from the fall Klonoa started with a stumbling walk then reasserted a quick sprint as he followed the pathway he saw moments ago.
_____Nearly out of breath Klonoa could not hear the relentless giggling anymore. Hurdling over a fallen tree he almost ran face first into the door. ... "Finally...found it." Klonoa, continuing his haste, opened the door and stepped through.
_____Now in the next room Klonoa stood in what looked like a normal but empty wooden house interior. The next door was clearly visible a short distance away and was oddly painted with white blotches.
_____"Wha-? The room is empty? Is this some kind of trick?"
_____"Maybe it is but we do not have time to stand around," said ____(steve) nervously.
_____"Right," Klonoa affirmed. He rushed across the room; everything felt normal even the sound of his shoes against the wood flooring sounded normal.
_____Stopping in front of the door Klonoa curiously examined the white blotches which plagued the flawless facade. He raised his hand and touched a blotch at eye level. Upon pressing his hand onto the white anomaly his hand felt numb and the portions of his glove contacting the anomaly became a fuzzy blue mist. "Maybe this room is broken." Pulling his hand back to his side and peering over his shoulder there was nothing else visibly anomalous with the room. Grabbing the door handle he opened the door with caution as if something might be on the other side. Peering through the door and finding nothing hazardous he stepped through and closed the door behind him.
_____There it was, the element resting on a wooden pestle in the middle of the room. Looking around Klonoa could see the white blotches were larger and more populous but did not obstruct a straight path to the element. Not seeing any reason to suspect trickery Klonoa carefully observed the white spots as they appeared to slowly grow while he walked towards the element. The element was partially covered by one of the white blotches. It was half yellow and half a transparent blue inside the white abyss.
_________(steve) burst out with concern, "See that Klonoa, the element is being attacked!"
_____"Attacked?"
_____"Whatever is creating these white spaces is using them to consume the element; this would explain why the weather patterns have been unstable."
_____"And why the last room was empty."
_____"Precisely! Quick, take the element."
_____Klonoa reached out and touched the yellow unaffected half of the element. The element appeared to struggle as it faded away and pulled from the anomaly; the yellow mist of the element spiraled up Klonoa's arm and disappeared.
_____With relief but trailing into trepidation ____(steve) said, "Great, now let us get out of here. Go back to the previous room so we can travel to the final element."
_____Klonoa scurried back the previous room. There was a blue flash and ____(steve) was standing adjacent to Klonoa.
_________(steve), with a face portraying the definition of despair put out his hand. Klonoa grasped his hand firmly and the wooden room faded away as all the other places had.