Formal introductions had been made, and Shizuka and Cheney volunteered to stand guard at the end of the alley, giving the others freedom to deal with important matters. "A Geomancer, a young alchemist, and a ninja...quite an interesting bunch you've collected about you," Kyle remarked. Marcine shrugged. "And you're hanging out with a ship captain and a former Red Monk," she pointed out. Kyle chuckled. "Yeah, it seems we're developing more in common every moment," he said. Sobering quickly, he shook his head. "It seems like it's been so long..." Marcine nodded. Then, cautiously, she probed, "So...what did you mean, 'as one heretic to another'?" Kyle swallowed, licking his suddenly dry lips. "Sis, I...it's so awkward, after having chased you for so long with plans to bring you back so Father and the High Priest could..." "Execute her," Davin prompted, earning a glare from the Dragoon. "Admonish you for your sins..." Kyle continued. He shook his head. "And now, I find myself sharing in them..." "Sharing...?" Marcine echoed. "The lad used a Calling," Jil put in. "Saved me ship an' what was left of me crew. O' course, this was afore I joined up with yer lot." Marcine's eyes widened. Davin crossed his arms and scowled. "So, if you're as much a 'heretic' as she is," he asked, "why did you keep hunting us down like dogs?" Kyle clenched his jaw. "You have to understand...I was brought up in the Church, I swore an oath to uphold the will of the Three Gods..." "Just like Marcine," Davin said. "...yes," Kyle acknowledged. "But I had found an Egg...I wasn't planning to use it, or even to keep it, but it came down to a choice of living or dying, and I..." "Chose to save lives rather than sit by and do nothing," Davin finished for him. "Just like Marcine." Kyle was openly glaring at the Geomancer now. "Yes, your point is made," he ground out. "Would you mind butting out? This is a family conversation." Marcine put a hand on Kyle's arm, and also on Davin's. "Let's calm down, please. We've had enough hostilities, don't you think?" "We're about to have more," Cheney's voice interrupted. "I smell those strange beasts coming this way." As everyone tensed up, Shizuka began chanting. "Ancient spirits, empower the shield that gives death to sound and sense...Silence Wall!" A faint, shimmering field flickered in the mouth of the alleyway, then faded from view. Shizuka turned to the group. "This one has shielded the alley from the senses of those monsters," she said. "They will be unable to hear us, smell us, or sense our presence." "Thank ye, lass," Jil said. "Twould be annoyin' to have this little gatherin' interrupted with another fight." Kyle nodded. "Perhaps it's best if we swap stories, starting at the beginning..." * * * * * * Stine glared at the mismatched blue creature before him. "I have had enough of thine mockery, foul creature! It is time thou were made aware of thine role, and Stine, the Citizen's Champion, Beastmaster extraordinaire, shall smite thee!" The Atma Beast charged. Stine smirked. "MATRA MISSILE!" And the battle was on... -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- FINAL FANTASY LEGACY Knights of the Round Created by Brian Stricklin This chapter by The Eternal Lost Lurker Chapter 29: Siblings and Rivalry -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- A brief, awkward silence hung in the air as the two Cavanaughs completed their tales. "You've changed so much since all this began, sis," Kyle said. "But then, I suppose all of us have." Marcine nodded, throat feeling a bit too thick to emit any words. "Sis..." Kyle began. "Do you have...visions, sometimes?" Marcine blinked, then took a moment to compose her answer. "At times," she affirmed. "I don't always understand them at first, but the Sleepers always have something important to show me. Of that, I'm certain." Kyle nodded. "As am I...the visions I've had have been somewhat disturbing, but I can't dismiss them as a mere side effect of using magic. Especially since I've only done it once." He paused. "Do you feel the presence of the Sleepers you've Called?" "Yes, although it's normally something in the back of my mind, acknowledged but not dwelt upon. A sense of something familiar, comforting, powerful...watching over me. Always watching over me." Kyle rubbed his chin. "That sounds similar to my experience. Although...my awareness of Tritoch was always more disturbing than comforting." He shook his head. "Of course, I'm still coming to grips with the full scope of all this." Shizuka tilted her head. "You speak of Tritoch in the past tense...this one finds this curious, and wishes to know why." Kyle swallowed. "The last vision I had...after that vision, I could no longer feel the presence of Tritoch. I can only guess at what that means, but..." "What was the vision?" Davin asked. Kyle took a deep breath. "I saw...a faceless mask, a curved sword...and death. After that, nothing." Everyone gasped. "Siegvin..." Davin said, clenching his fist. "But...how could that be?" Mika asked. "I mean, sure, Siegvin is strong...he k-killed Syeira...and caused us so much trouble...but how could he kill a Sleeper?" "A human, killing such a powerful being..." "The one you call Siegvin isn't human," a voice from outside the alley said. Everyone glanced up, at a trio of robed figures blocking the end of the alley. The apparent leader was lowering his hand, a glimmer of magic trailing from it. "They found us..." Kyle said. "They must have dispelled the Silence Wall," Shizuka said. "What do we do?" Mika whispered. "Tell us what you know of Siegvin," Davin demanded. The Manakyr chuckled. "The one known as Siegvin is...or rather, *was*, a Sleeper. But...it won't concern you anymore. We want the Legacy. We'll take her over your corpses if necessarily necessary." "Believe me, it's necessary," Kyle said, assuming a defensive stance. The tall, lanky Manakyr and his squat, portly companion produced wands from the folds of their robes and began preparing spells. "We're serious! Give us the Legacy, or we'll shake it to you good!" "Are you certainly certain you wish to die?" Davin cast about for spirits while settling into a combat stance. Mika rooted around in her satchel for an explosive potion. Shizuka seemed to be waiting for a moment to strike, while Cheney was silently focusing his energy. Jil fingered her shuriken, while Marcine began chanting a spell of her own... "HOLD!" The tableau was broken as an all-too-familiar voice rang through the streets of La Verde, accompanied by rather unsettling snarls and growls. "What in Darovan's name...?" "Hey! Those are the Atma Beasts! What's shakin' here...?" "Verily hast the mighty Beastmaster Stine wandered directly into a hive of heretic scum! Surely the quarry I pursue is among thy kind! Wilt thou divulge their location peaceably, or shall I extract the information I need from thine mangled bodies?" "Y...you don't scare us! We won't tell you anything!" "Even if you do seem to have totally total control of the Atma Beasts, the Legacy is ours by right, and we'll take on anyone who gets in our way!" Any further words were cut off by a woman in odd armor descending into the fray. She stroked a curved sword fondly. "Why look, Nikolai," she said. "This is quite a party. The Cavanaugh girl is even here." "Who the hell is *that*?" Kyle asked. "Beats me," Davin said. "Desist, odd yet possibly noble wench! Stine knows not what thine business is with the heretic, but no harm shall come to thee if thou were to leave peacefully at once!" Zarela peered at the beastmaster curiously. "What tree did a nut like you fall out of?" Stine fumed. "Enough of this! ATTACK!" The Atma beasts charged the Manakyr and Zarela. Defense spells went up, defensive stances were taken, and Stine gloated as the snarling creatures advanced on the whim of their new master. "Who do we attack first?" Mika whispered. Kyle smirked. "Who says we have to attack anyone? They're too busy fighting each other to notice us." "Aye, we could make our escape through the passages..." Jil said. "Or we could take to the rooftops." Davin placed his hand against a wall, where it took on a bricklike appearance. A dubious staircase made of pavement, brick, and debris emerged into being. After checking to make sure the feat of geomancy didn't attract unwanted attention, Davin gestured to the others. "Up we go!" Everyone glanced at each other, shrugged, and followed Davin to the roof. The makeshift staircase dissolved in their wake. * * * * * * Once the party had put a respectable distance between themselves and the raging battle (which could be heard for blocks), they took a moment to plan. "We're going to have to get into the Academy and check out Gaia," Davin said. "I still be needin' me nest egg," Jil said. "And we be needin' supplies." Davin frowned. "Alright, we're going to have to split up. Jil, take Mika and Shizuka with you...Kyle, I assume you'll want to stick with us and go to the Academy?" Kyle stared at him. "I've chased my sister practically to the ends of the world, and you have to ask a stupid question like that?" Davin chuckled. "Alright, that's settled." Cheney spoke up. "I'll scout the town, and join back up with everyone as soon as I find out anything useful." With that, he was gone. "Okay, everyone. Let's get as much done as we can before the idiot brigade realizes we're gone and starts looking for us." With that, the two groups moved in separate directions, barely noticing the sudden cease of the battle sounds in the distance. AUTHOR'S NOTES: Sorry about the short part. I've had a horrid case of writer's block at possibly the worst time imaginable.