The small group had been walking for a while now but this wasn't a problem for the two Dragoons. Being trained soldiers, they were used to hiking much longer trails than the one they were taking now. The problem was with the youngest of the three. "Are we there yet?" Mika asked from behind Kyle. "No." Kyle replied. "Are we there yet?" she asked again after five steps. The large Dragoon spared her a glance and then returned his attention to the road. "No." "Are we there yet?" the young girl asked yet again after only two steps. Kyle, a tired expression on his face, turned his head towards the young girl as they walked. "You *live* there, don't you? Can't you tell yourself wether we're getting close to Tienne or not?" "No." Mika said simply, imitating Kyle's previous answers. After only a few more steps, she piped up again. "Are we there yet?" The third member of their party chuckled softly from behind Mika. Kyle turned away, groaned and shook his head. He had lost most of his squad, had lost the fugitives and was now leading a small, aggravating girl and the only soldier left from his troops back to Tienne to report a mission failed. Somehow, being Dragoon Captain was not all he had thought it to be. * FINAL FANTASY LEGACY Knights of the Round Started by Brian Stricklin This chapter by Madsman Chapter Three: Return and Rescue * "Are we there yet?" Mika chirped. Kyle stopped, making the two others who were folowing him stop as well. "Cheney?" Kyle turned to stare over Mika and look at the man in question, his squad's best tracker. "How long before we get to Tienne?" "Well, judging from how far we went to catch those two in the cave..." Cheney said, referring to their recent encounter with Biggs and Wedge. "I'd say we'll get there after sundown if we keep on walking." Another few hours with this annoying kid? By the Gods... "Carry me." Mika told Kyle, hearing the exchange and deciding that that much of a walk was too much for a girl her age. Kyle put his gauntleted hand to his forehead in disbelief as he debated this latest crucial, life-or-death decision that he now had to make as a new Captain of the Holy Dragoons. Well, she *did* save his life and all... * Sure enough, the forest was already getting dim before the trio saw any sign that they were nearing Tienne. Ominous sounds from a myriad of unseen creatures in the undergrowth and trees welcomed the twilight. "We'll never make it to Tienne before dark..." Kyle observed, noting the dwindling light as he looked up at the sky. "Sir," Cheney said in a low voice, walking up to his superior officer. "The Tienne woods are notorious for its thieves and wild animals. I suggest we stay in one place for the night." Kyle nodded, he having thought that himself. "Exactly. You still have your rations, don't you?" Cheney nodded. "And I have mine." Kyle raised his hand over his shoulder to poke at Mika who had fallen asleep while riding his back. "Hey, you. Wake up." Mika slowly lifted her head, adjusted her glasses and stared at her transport. "Are we there yet?" "No," Kyle said, crouching down to deposit Mika on the ground. Cheney stopped behind them. "We're camping out. You have supplies in your pack, don't you?" "Uh-huh." Mika nodded. "Good. That makes it a lot less complicated." Kyle straightened and turned to his fellow Dragoon. "Let's find a clearing and start a fire right away." * The fire crackled lazily and danced at occasional breezes, making the shadows jump and beckon eerily. The night had come swiftly and Kyle, along with the other two who were sitting with him, was grateful for the yellow blaze that was holding back the suffocating cloak of blackness. "I know your friend's name is Cheney," Mika said from across the fire. "But I didn't hear what yours was." Kyle looked up from his thinking and stared at Mika. "My name?" "Uh-huh." since we're going to spend all night here together." Kyle looked at Cheney for guidance and recieved a shrug. Kyle sighed and directed his gaze at Mika once again. "I'm Kyle Cavanaugh of the Holy Dragoons," he said, deciding not to mention his nk. "And now that I've told you mine, I'd like to ask for *your* name now, you being our... *guest* and all." Mika's eyes widened as if Kyle had just suggested something vulgar. "How dare you!? Don't you know that it's *rude* to ask for a girl's name?" Cheney laughed outright at this as Kyle shook his head in exasperation, both much to the confusion of the small girl with them. "Lass," Cheney offered. "It's rude to ask for a girl's *age*. Names are perfectly alright, let me assure you." Mika blinked and then stared dubiously at Kyle. "Is that right?" "Yes," Kyle said, rolling his eyes. "It's always been..." This was going to be a long night. * Somewhere in the very same forest, Davin and Marcine had already retired to an early slumber. * "So your sister, Marcine, wasn't it? She used magic right?" Mika asked cautiously. This was dangerous territory and she knew it. But she had to know what could drive a man such as Kyle to go against his own sister. Mika watched closely for Kyle's reaction. If Kyle was caught off guard by the question, he didn't show it. Apparently, with his wound treated and bandaged properly and having had a little rest, he was thinking much more clearly now. Cheney observed the conversation silently. "Yes," Kyle answered simply and left it at that. "Well?" Mika asked. "Yes what?" "Yes, her name is Marcine and she did use magic." Kyle replied. "And?" the young alchemist asked, still unsatisfied. The Captain raised an eyebrow and looked at Mika. "And... I was ordered to capture her and bring her in as a heretic and blasphemer." The girl saw her chance. Since she was captured, she might as well try and knock some sense into this fellow. "So you'd sacrifice a family member for the Church?" Mika asked, standing up and looking down at the sitting Kyle. It did wonders to push her point across. Kyle looked up at her, his expression unreadable. "Didn't you love her?" Mika went on. "Isn't *she* more important than the Church and your superiors? You'd bring her in just because you were ordered to?" "Yes, I *would* sacrifice a family member!" Kyle said, almost snarling, startling Mika. He stood up and it was his turn to look down at Mika since he dwarfed her at more than two yards tall. "But not for the Church. I'm after her because she went against my principles, do you hear me, little girl?" Mika swallowed and backed away almost unconsciously but the tall Dragoon wasn't finished yet. "How would *you* feel if all that meant anything to you, all that you've ever believed to be *right*, was shattered and treated as trash? And by your very own sister, no less?" he asked Mika, not caring whether she answered or not. "Generations of honor and pride, thoughtlessly cast away as if it meant *nothing* to her?" Cheney stood up and approached Kyle, fearing the worst. "Kyle, lad, don't..." Kyle crouched down and held Mika's shoulders so he could stare straight into her eyes. She didn't pull away. "Well," Kyle said, a little calmer now. "It means something to *me*. Yes, I *did* love her and Marcine was more important to me than the Church and my superiors. But not more important than my principles. I swore to protect her and she betrayed me by betraying the Church and its principles... which are *my* principles as a Holy Dragoon. A man will fight to the death to defend his principles." Mika took mental note of that. Cheney walked to Kyle and put a hand on his shoulder. "Lad," Cheney started. "I'm sure Marcine wasn't thinking such when she did what she did." "I know, Cheney." Kyle said, looking down and turning his back towards Mika, unwilling to show her his tears. "And that makes it all the more important for me to return her to Tienne." Mika, shocked at Kyle's outburst, had nothing to say. Cheney didn't believe he had anything to say that would sway Kyle from his decision and so kept silent. None of them moved from their positions and they stood like that for a while, each brooding in silence, the firelight playing with their features in lifeless indifference. "I told father that I didn't think I could forgive him for this," Kyle thought to himself. "The same goes for me, I guess..." * The fire was out. Mika glanced at the bundles beside her, knowing them to be Kyle and Cheney, both fast asleep. Mika slowly crept out of her sleeping bag, folded it and put it in her pack. She took a look at the map that Biggs had given her. She was leaving for Achal by herself. She had no intention of staying with someone who didn't care about his sister, much less go with him to Tienne to face the priests. She finished her preparations and started to turn towards the woods in the direction of Achal when Kyle stirred in his sleeping bag. Mika stopped and watched intently to see if he was awake. "Mmmmm..." Kyle mumbled, apparently only sleep talking. "That Mika'd better not try to escape... not that I wouldn't be glad that she was gone, but... the dire wolves in these parts have been known to have an appetite for small, irritating young girls... and the goblins aren't very friendly either..." Kyle fell silent once again. Mika breathed a sigh of relief and started to turn back to the forest again when she suddenly noticed for the first time how dark and gloomy it really was in the night woods. Invisible wildlife made their presence known with innumerable calls and hoots. "Well... maybe I can escape later..." Mika decided to herself. She put down her pack and quickly pulled out her sleeping bag, unfolded it and slipped in after laying it beside the sleeping Dragoon. She curled herself inside her bag... not that she was *afraid* or anything... it was just chilly out tonight. Cheney seemed to be chuckling in his sleep. * "Marcine?" The voice cut through the girl's dreams like a sharpened blade, making her open her eyes the slightest bit. "Not now, brother..." Marcine said irritatedly, still groggy from her disturbed slumber and pulled her blanket over her head to hide from the intruder whom, in her stupor, she mistook to be her brother. "Tell dad that I'm sick today and I don't wanna go to the convent..." She started to slip back into sleep again when two strong hands suddenly held her by the shoulders, almost jolting her fully awake. "Marcine..." the first voice came again, more urgently this time. "Wake up!" "Hunh? Wha?" Marcine said, sitting up, eyes wide open as she began the process of regaining her senses. She looked up at the face of whoever had awakened her. "Who? What...?" "It's okay," the young man before her said soothingly. "It's me, Davin from Tienne, remember?" "Davin?" she said unsurely. And then she did remember, the events of yesterday returning to her in a rush of memory, now that she was fully awake. She looked up at Davin's face and blinked a few times. Then she turned her gaze downwards. "So it wasn't a dream then..." Marcine asked. "No, it wasn't." Davin answered gently. "We're still going to Achal. But I'll be with you all the way there. Maybe even longer." Marcine turned to look at Davin again and smiled at the grinning face she saw before her. "Thank you, Davin... I owe you a lot and I don't know how to tell you how much this means to m-..." "Don't get all mushy on me now," Davin requested, smiled and stood up. "Didn't I tell you before? It wasn't that big a deal... I just couldn't let anything happen to you that I didn't think you deserved, that's all." Davin put his hands behind his head in a relaxed way as he finished and Marcine smiled gratefully at him. Marcine suddenly noticed the lit sky. "Wha?" she said, bewildered, squinting at the morning light. "W-why is the sun so high up?" She looked at Davin again. "You didn't let me sleep for too long, did you?" Davin laughed a bit. "Well, you were sleeping so soundly and I thought that you needed your rest, so I didn't wake you up." Marcine looked at him in disbelief. "B-but the Dragoons?..." "I kinda figured that if they were still after us, they'd already be all over us by now, since they use horses and all." Davin explained, offering a hand to Marcine who took it and pulled herself up. "Well, since they're not, I guess that something must have diverted them. We're safe... for now. And Achal can wait." Marcine smiled. If it was good enough for Davin, she decided that it would be good enough for her. She started to keep her sleeping bag and was just finishing up when she noticed the small bundle at Davin's side. "What have you been doing while I was sleeping?" she asked. "Nothing much," Davin answered modestly. "I just thought I would take the time to resupply ourselves, that's all." "Resupply?" Marcine glanced at Davin. "You, mean, you went to look for food?" "Yeah!" Davin nodded. "And I found some too! Care for some breakfast?" It was Marcine's turn to nod. "Okay then!" Davin said, grinning. "I'll skin these and you start a fire. Okay?" Seeing that Marcine agreed to this arrangement, Davin turned around to start preparing one of the small animals he had hunted when he heard Marcine's voice speaking behind him. Davin looked back at Marcine and gasped at what he saw. "Out of the ground," Marcine murmured, eyes closed. "Raze all the greenery with flame! Fire!" At that, a large fire shot out of Marcine's outstretched hands, startling both her and Davin. Marcine was flung back by the force of the flame bursting out but was caught just in time by Davin. They watched as the kindling burned... along with several bushes and a few tree trunks. Marcine looked at Davin apologetically. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean for it to be *that* big..." Davin just smiled and shook his head. * One of the guards on duty at Tienne's east gate saw three people approaching their post. He notified his companion and he confirmed what the first guard saw. It was the new Dragoon Captain, along with only one member of his squad and a little girl in green carrying a pack. The news was relayed by radio to Tienne Castle for the sentries there to recieve. The sentries in turn told the officers there of the guests. By the time Kyle, Mika and Cheney arrived at Tienne's border, an officer and an entire platoon of Holy Guardsmen were there to greet them... along with the Commander of the Holy Guard himself. * Marcine leaned peacefully against a tree and looked up at the treetops, rested and fed. Davin was doing much the same from not far away. He decided they would take their time digesting their meal for a while before being on their way. Generally pleasant things were on the two's thoughts when there was a sudden rustling in the branches of a nearby tree, startling Marcine and prompting Davin to be on his feet and fingering the hilt of his curved blade. "Who's there?" Marcine called out, trying to keep the fear from her voice. When there was no answer, Davin decided to find out what made the sound in a more direct manner. He dashed to the tree and leapt up at the branch from where the rustling had been heard and sliced it cleanly off with one swift, fluid motion. Davin landed safely on his feet at the opposite side of the tree, unlike the branch's occupant who fell about as gracefully as the branch he (or she) had been hiding in. There was a thud and then a groan as both objects met the ground and lay still. Davin and Marcine looked at each other and then hurried over to the fallen person. * Tienne Castle was the city's largest and oldest building, making it the site of the Tienne Grand Library and at the same time, the military headquarters of the entire city. Its massive walls echoed the marching of the platoon that escorted the three into the structure's halls. The small troop stopped when they reached a sizable chamber which seemed to be where all high officials entertained their guests or subordinates. Armand Cavanaugh took off his helmet, exposing his raven black hair, already graying at the edges, and turned around to face Kyle. "Begin your report." Armand said calmly after dismissing the Holy Guards, save for two. Armand and the remaining officer, a colonel, listened as Kyle recounted his search for the fugitives. Kyle didn't mention his conversation with Mika but, other than that, he didn't leave anything out of his report. "I see..." the colonel nodded gravely as Kyle finished. "I understand how you could have failed to capture your quarry. Six men are hardly enough to conduct a proper manhunt, especially when you consider the... *capabilities* of the two fugitives, and the fact that two became five in an instant. But why did you only take five men when fifty seemed to be what the situation called for?" "Father Lambert only allowed me to take five men with me." Kyle explained. A look of puzzlement entered his eyes. He turned his head to look at his father and commander. "But was this not your wish as well?" Armand's eyes darkened. "No, it was not. But I'm sure Father Lambert had his reasons..." The colonel noticed Mika who was standing beside Cheney. "Is this little girl the one you apprehended in the forest?" he asked. "You don't see any *other* little girl here, do you?" Mika said sweetly, making Cheney grin and making Kyle roll his eyes. "Cute," the colonel said, unamused. "Well, since you are too young for the death sentence and did nothing that I know of to deserve the Sinner's Wall, I guess you're going to the dungeons then, little girl." "Oh, woe is me!" Mika said, putting the back of her hand to her forehead in mock despair. "The brave old soldier wants to throw me, a poor defenseless child in the dungeon! How valiant and courageous of him!" The colonel was about to drastically increase Mika's punishment and Cheney was on the verge of laughing out loud at Mika's antics when someone else laughed from one of the chamber's side entrances. They all turned to look and saw two figures in white robes, the bottom part of these embroidered with pink triangles to signify their holiness. One of them, the one who had laughed, was thin and barely occupied the space within the robes while the other was rather obese and the robes he was wearing barely seemed to be able to hold his mass. The Tri-fan dangled from their necks. Armand and the officer reacted first. The Commander of the Holy Guard and his colonel walked up to the two and went down on one knee. "Father Onias, Father Lambert," Armand said, head lowered. "What is the will of the Gods?" "Nothing as of now, save for one," the thinner one said. "Arise, Son Armand, Son Paul." "Thank you, Father Onias," the two said and obeyed. The two priests glanced over to where Kyle, Cheney and Mika were. The two Holy Dragoons and the two Holy Guards, accustomed to being in the presence of priests, had already fallen on one knee, knowing how to greet people of their stature. Mika, however, wasn't as well-versed in such courtesy. "Are you two really High Priests?" Mika smirked, much to the horror of the soldiers in the room. "Well, I guess you *must* be, seeing as to how all the big strong men in here humble themselves before you." This didn't seem to affect Father Lambert in the least but it only seemed to make Father Onias laugh some more. His laughter was genuine and strong for someone so thin. "Arise, children!" he said to the genuflecting soldiers and then smiled at Mika. "What a spirited young girl you have with you! Who is she?" The colonel took the liberty of answering. "She was with the fugitives, your grace. She is to be put in the dungeons as punishment for her..." Father Onias waved him aside. "Bah. Nonsense. How can you throw a child as this into a dungeon? The Gods would never approve of such!" "Of course, my liege," the colonel said resignedly. "I will send her to the Chamber of Whipping instead for a quick but unforgettable lesson in..." Father Onias didn't approve of that either. "None of that now, Son Paul. Until I hear what exactly has transpired to bring her here, I will not tolerate anything done against that child. Do you understand?" The colonel nodded. Satisfied, Father Onias turned to Armand but it was Father Lambert who asked him about Kyle's report. "What happened?" Armand gave Father Lambert a summarized version of Kyle's report after which, Father Lambert nodded in much the same fashion as Armand before. Father Onias approached Mika and knelt down to look at her more closely. "You saved a Dragoon's life," he said, putting a hand on Mika's head to ruffle her hair. "You shouldn't be punished for doing that!" "Well, Marcine saved a little boy's life, from what I heard" Mika replied, making Armand and Kyle stiffen. "Should *she* be punished for that?" "But *you* didn't use magic now, did you?" Father Onias said, still smiling. "No," Mika said slowly. "I guess not..." Onias shook her hair once more and then stood up to face the colonel. "Son Paul, this child will remain under my custody for the duration of her stay here. I would have you prepare a room for her within the castle walls." "But Father," the colonel started to protest. "I have other things to do-..." Father Onias raised a finger and the colonel was silenced. "Very well," the colonel said finally. "I will see to the wishes of the Gods..." He turned to Father Lambert and Armand. "By your leave..." Armand nodded and the colonel went to see to his duty. Father Onias motioned to Mika to approach him. Mika complied. "Would you like to hear a story, little one?" Onias asked her. "Please," Mika sneered. "I'm not *that* young!" "No, no, no..." Onias said, holding up his palms. "This is no child's story. I'm sure you'll like it." "Well," Mika said unsurely. "Okay. If you say so, sir." "Sir yet!" Onias said, delighted. "Very well, follow me. I shall tell it to you in the library." At that, he turned around to walk out the main entrance. Mika went to follow him but looked back at Kyle and Cheney who were watching her. She waved a small goodbye at them before hurrying over to Father Onias' side. "Father Lambert," Armand started once they were gone. "I would speak to you about the five men you gave Captain Cavanaugh..." "Yes," Father Lambert replied. "What about them?" "Father," Armand went on. "The..." A messenger coming in the chambers interrupted him. He genuflected before Father Lambert before standing up and whispering something into his ear. Father Lambert dismissed him and then faced Armand. "We'll talk about this another time," he told him. "Something urgent has come up." Without pausing to see what Armand would say, he went to follow the messenger to wherever he had gone to. Armand could do nothing but sigh and turn towards Kyle and Cheney who stood at attention. "Have your wounds treated further," he told Kyle. "And prepare yourselves for further orders." The two Dragoons touched the symbol of the Tri-fan on their chests in a salute and Armand did likewise. The two then performed an about face and walked out the room, leaving Armand to the two Holy Guards and his thoughts. * "Ow..." Syeira moaned, eyes shut. She put a hand up to her short black hair to rub her head. "What happened?" "You were spying on us," Davin offered. "I stopped you." At this Syeira's eyes flew wide open and saw the two people before her. Instinctively, she reached for the dagger at her side and clasped nothing but air. This took a moment to register, however, as Syeira opened and closed her hand in the same empty space still in the hopes of finding the short bladed weapon that she usually kept in that general location. When she finally looked at her side to confirm what her hand had already told her, her face crinkled in a pout. "What happened to my dagger?" she yelled, glaring at Kyle and Marcine. "And where's my pack? What have you done to my belongings, you thieves?" Davin scratched his head. "We didn't do anything to them... they're right over there..." Davin pointed at the small bundle in the middle of the clearing. Syeira was upon it immediately, rummaging its contents and, seeing that nothing seemed to be missing, closed it again and slung it on her back. And then she remembered something. "My dagger!" she exclaimed and spun around to face Davin. "Where did you put my dagger?" She stalked over to Davin and looked up at his eyes. Davin looked at the angry thief. She was dressed in the usual fashion of thieves; no armor, black cloak and cape, a loose belt to stash knives in and small pouches containing lock picks and the such. "First thing's first," Davin said, unwilling to be rushed into anything. "Why were you following us? I thought I told you that we had nothing of value on us." "Heh, you didn't think I'd believe that, did you?" Syeira sniffed. "What kind of moron tells a thief that he has *something* of value on him? Of *course* you'd tell me that you had nothing!" "Well," Marcine said meekly, talking for Davin. "This time, at least, what Davin said is true. I don't think wehave anything that you would consider valuable with us." "Yeah?" the thief asked, her expression telling them that she still wasn't buying it. "Then what do you call *that*?" She then pointed at Davin's Tri-fan pin which was still fastened to his collar. The priestess stared at it as if she had never seen it before and the young elementalist quickly felt his collar to verify that the small pin was, in fact, still there. "Now, don't tell me..." the observant Syeira told Davin, stopping him in the middle of explaining. "You're going to say next that you actually *forgot* that you had that, didn't you? That you didn't realize it was there until I mentioned it and silly you and some other such fodder, right?" Davin gaped at the accurate guess, making Syeira laugh. Syeira snickered. "Oh, and you'd be surprised at what I'd consider valuable... for example..." She eyed Davin's side. "I've never seen that kind of curved sword before... it looks expensive..." Davin held the sword hilt protectively and Syeira laughed. "No, don't worry. I won't take your sword... you've shown me that you know how to use it," Syeira assured him and turned her back at them. "But I really have to go now... Maybe you really don't have anything I want after all... Now will you *please* give me back my dagger?" Davin suddenly noticed something sticking out of Syeira's pack. "Miss," he began. "That gun in your pack looks very familiar..." Syeira turned, blinked and then realization flashed across her face. "Oh, *this*!" She pulled the blunderbuss out of her pack. "Is this what you saw? I found it while I was making the rounds last night. Neat, huh? It looked like a battle had gone on where I found it. It was still loaded too." Davin paled a bit and Marcine was quick to notice. "Davin, what's wrong?" Davin, not hearing her, approached Syeira and the blunderbuss in her hands. "Battle? Did you say battle?" "Yeah!" Syeira nodded. "There were swords lying around but I can get swords any day. The guns I get are usually in shabby condition but this one has been taken care of, I can tell!" Syeira stroked the barrel with a finger. Davin suddenly gripped her by the shoulders, startling her. "Hey!" Syeira yelled indignantly. "You can look but don't touch!" Davin ignored her. "Bodies? Did you see any bodies?" "No I didn't," Syeira answered irritatedly. "Whoever had won had buried the losers... and I am *not* into crypt-robbing. Whoever buried them put their respective weapons on top of each of their graves so I just helped myself. There was even a slingshot there but I passed it by. That's all!" Davin, satisfied, released the thief. After a moment, he looked at the ground dejectedly. "So they're gone then..." Marcine was concerned about Davin's sudden distress. "Davin... what...?" "That's Wedge's blunderbuss..." Davin said, still looking down. "I'd know it anywhere..." "Friends of yours, huh?" Syeira shrugged. "Too bad. Sorry about that." "Oh, Davin..." Marcine whispered, suddenly feeling like crying. "I'm so sorry..." Davin pulled in a deep breath and then looked Syeira in the eye. "Did you see what could have been the grave of a... a... ten-year-old?" Syeira put a hand to her chin, trying to remember. "Well, from what I found..." Davin braced himself, expecting the worst. "No. They were all for grown men." Syeira finished. Davin blinked. "You mean, there was no sign of..." "I told you, no!" Syeira said impatiently. "Look, if you like my dagger that much, it's yours! Just tell me that you won't return it to me and I'll go steal another o-... whoah!" Syeira fumbled with the dagger Davin suddenly tossed to her, almost injuring herself in the process. Davin turned to Marcine who saw grim determination in his eyes. "They must have captured her," Davin told Marcine. "I need to rescue her. I have to go back!" Marcine stared at him. "What do you mean you? I'm coming with you too!" "No! You can't!" Davin shook his head. "You have to go to Achal and find a way to get yourself somewhere safe!" "No," Marcine said stubbornly. "I got you into this and I'll stick it out with you until the bitter end. Do you understand me, Davin? I'm helping too!" At first, Davin seemed annoyed that she insisted on coming. But then he smiled and sighed. "Oh well... I guess I'll need some of that magic to help me out there, huh?" Marcine smiled back. "Okay then! Let's go!" The two then made quick preparations and started their trek back to Tienne. Syeira, who had been listening to what had been going on watched the two take off. *Magic?* she thought. *That girl? This I gotta see... also, I haven't been to town in a long time... I could do a little... shopping... there...* "Wait!!" she called to them. "You'll never make it fast enough on foot!" Davin and Marcine stopped just short of exiting the clearing to see what the young woman wanted. Syeira waved at them and then put her fingers to her mouth to emit a sharp whistle. A few seconds later, a large yellow bird emerged from the trees to approach Syeira and make strange "Wark!" sounds. Marcine gasped. "I-is that a *real* chocobo?" "Well," Syeira grinned. "It ain't a horse! Wait a sec..." The thief whistled two more times and two more of the golden-feathered creatures revealed themselves to the trio to walk up to the woman who had summoned them. "The forest knows I'm its friend," Syeira explained, stroking one of the birds. "It provides me with whatever I need as long as I take care of it as well. Anyway, I figured that you could use a little help. So hop on one and let's head for Tienne already!" Marcine and Davin exchanged glances. "Um, miss..." Davin said uneasily. "Neither of us really know how to ride a chocobo..." Syeira clambered up onto one and made it walk to where Davin and Marcine were standing. "See?" she said. "It's real easy! And besides, these three are real friendly! Try it!" After some hesitation, Davin stepped up to one of the supposedly friendly animals. It looked at him with a large brown eye. "Wark!" it cried, daring Davin to mount him. With a burst of confidence, Davin slung one foot over the chocobo's back and tried to hoist himself up. He wound up snagging his foot on one of the wings and falling in a heap on the other side of the puzzled bird who looked at him as if it was the simplest thing in the world to ride a chocobo. "Wark! Wark!" it reprimanded him. "Oh, boy..." Syeira chuckled, watching Marcine help Davin up. "This is gonna take longer than I thought..." * Father Onias showed Mika an old book and lay it on a table. He sat down on a bench where Mika was sitting too. Mika's nose crinkled at the stale smell of it. "What's that?" "This," Onias told her, "is the history of the Thousand Year Journey." Mika looked up at him. "You mean, the story of the Manakyr? Weren't they destroyed?" She had been thaught this at alchemy school. "No, dear child," Onias clarified. "The Manakyr were *exiled*. Banished forever. And do you know why?" Mika thought for a while. "Ummm... magic?" "Precisely! Magic! What a clever little girl you are!" Onias grinned. "But do you know *why* they were banished for their magic? The Church has forbidden magic for a reason, you see. You didn't think that the Church would forbid such a wonderful gift as magic without a reason, did you?" Mika thought again and shook her head, no. "Of course not," Onias confirmed. "The Church *had* a reason. And *this* story will reveal the truth! Listen..." The aged priest opened the book and stared into it for a while. And then he laughed, making Mika jump. "Well it appears," the cleric chuckled, "that I have the wrong book!" He turned to Mika beside him who only looked at him as if he had lost his mind. "I think Father Lambert knows where the Thousand Year Journey is. Please be a dear, my child and go ask him where it is. I believe he is in the east tower seeing to a guest." Mika put a finger to her chin in thought and then shrugged. Why not? "Sure," she told the old priest, "I'll go ask father Lambert for you!" * Onias watched the small girl disappear into the rows and rows of books stored in the old library and sighed, remembering times when he was as young and full of spunk. "I will be leaving this world soon," he told the time-worn pages before him. "I need to tell *somebody* what I have learned. The future of humanity relies solely on the young, you know." The dust-covered tomes, of course, denied him any answer. * Father Lambert was frustrated at how five people who had defied the High Priests' will - *his* will - could escape so easily. He took a drink from the golden chalice on the table and felt much better. He then turned around to face the only person with him in the room, a man garbed in dark colors, who wore no Tri-fan. A metal mask concealed his face. Father Lambert noted the lack of holes in the covering and wondered how the man could even see him. "Armand is an idealistic fool," Lambert told his companion. "There's no way his own son will really make a serious effort to capture his own sister." The man in the shadows laughed softly. "Which is why you only gave him five men to command." His voice was chilling, almost familiar in its strangeness. "I'll even bet that *he* was the one who killed his own men," Lambert snorted, getting over the uneasiness over his companion's voice. "Just so he could say that he couldn't go on with the hunt on account of short-handedness! I'll bet Cheney is in on the whole plot as well!" The other man had nothing to say to this. * Mika looked around at the large staircase she was ascending. The drab, colorless stones of the walls were a lot different from the brightness of the castle hall's marble. "That Father Onias was strange," she mused, tracing a finger along the numerous cracks of the boulders that composed the tower. "But okay, I guess. He does't mean any harm to anyone and means well..." She stopped as she reached a half-open door and was about to enter when she heard a conversation going on inside. Something told her that whatever was going on was important and besides, it was the perfect opportunity as well. After a slight pause to make sure that the room's occupants didn't hear her coming, she put her back against the wall directly beside the door's opening and listened. * Father Lambert took another drink and then eyed the stranger with him. "I thought you were a bounty hunter... how come you're doing this for nothing?" "Don't confuse me with mercenary scum," the cloaked figure said, his voice becoming colder and even more unnerving. "I have my reasons for what I do." The High Priest trembled slightly and sipped a little more. "So you're saying that you will kill the girl and whoever is harboring her for no money? Don't make me laugh!" Lambert returned to the window and sneered down at the populace. "In my years as a High Priest, I've learned that *everything* has its price. *Anything* can be bought. So don't tell me that you want nothing for your services!" "All I want," the figure assured him, "is for your full cooperation." "And nothing else?" The large man glanced at the figure. "Nothing else." Lambert nodded and the figure turned to leave. "Wait..." Lambert said. The figure stopped. "Yes?" "You do understand," Lambert said. "That aside from you, I have hired *real* assasins for the job as well." "Yes," the figure said in a disgusted tone. "As long as they do not get in my way, they will not be a problem." Lambert nodded. "And you *will* kill Father Onias as well, as I requested earlier?" Outside, their unseen audience stifled a loud gasp. "He isn't part of my plans, but since you have asked me to, I think I will take the time to dispose of him," the masked man said indifferently. "That man is getting more senile every day," Lambert explained. "And he's too idealistic as well. I'm afraid he might do something stupid." The figure's clothes rustled as he prepared to leave. "Will there be anything else?" "One more thing. What do I call you?" the priest asked. "You didn't tell me the last time we met." Lambert could *feel* the figure's amusement. When he spoke, the priest couldn't help but take another shaky sip of his drink. The figure's dark robes flowed and rippled as though it had a life of its own. Lambert saw for the first time the strange curved sword dangling at his side. The masked man took a step backwards and directed the mask's faceless stare straight at the priest. "I am known as Siegvin." And then he was gone. * Author's Notes: Wai!!! A little long but I did it! I hope you don't get *too* confused by my storytelling skills! Godspeed to the next writer and thanks to my prereaders! Fan mail? Hate mail? Criticisms and comments? Over here... Madsthebeast@eudoramail.com Godspeed!