Mika held her breath, shrinking back slightly against
Shizuka's impassive form, as the trio of robed men passed by
the archway.  The closest of them was so near, she was sure
she could reach out and touch him.  Her heartbeat thundered
in her ears, and she wondered why it hadn't given them away.

	And then the three had passed, and the soft sounds of
footfalls on cobblestone receded along the street.  They
waited a slow count of thirty, and then Jil took a step
forward from her shadowed corner.  "That's a mite close for
comfort," she grumbled quietly.

	Mika nodded in wholehearted agreement.  "I can't
believe they didn't see us.  Were you using magic, or
something?"

	The ninja girl shook her head.  "They were not
looking."  Hesitantly, she added, "And... she thinks these
magicians may have a way of detecting her powers."

	"Aye, they did find us quick, afore," Jil mused.

	Another, more reluctant, nod.  "If we could use the
passages..."  But of the three of them, only Jil had any
experience in La Verde, and that was far from complete. 
Besides, without Davin, many of the passages would be closed
off to them.

	"We be nearly there, lass."  The captain glanced at
Shizuka.  "Clear?"

	"Yes," she reported.  Scanning the street briefly for
likely-looking hiding places, she pointed.  "The large
building on the corner."


======================================================

FINAL FANTASY LEGACY
Knights of the Round

Started by Brian Stricklin

This chapter by Scott Schimmel 
Chapter Thirty: Affirmation and Determination

======================================================


	Marcine would disagree that she had an easier time of
it.  True, the passages were far safer than the streets as
far as avoiding discovery was concerned, but stealing
through a maze of corridors in pitch blackness, sandwiched
between Davin in the lead and her brother behind her, was
maddening.  She had long ago become utterly lost. 
Fortunately, Davin showed no hesitation; if he hadn't known
the way, Marcine was convinced that she could have wandered
for years in the darkness without finding a way out.

	"This one should take us right beneath the academy's
walls," Davin whispered, tugging her gently toward her left. 
She and Kyle followed suit.

	"How is this possible?" the dragoon wondered.  "It's
almost like a second city, built within the walls of the
first..."

	"I don't know for sure," Davin answered, "but my guess
is that when the academy was established, the geomancers
built the first tunnels as an escape route, just in case. 
The war was on people's minds, then."

	"And they've been expanded since?  Makes sense. 
Still," he grumbled, "I wish they'd thought about light."

	"Geomancers wouldn't need it.  The spirits are very
responsive."

	Marcine stirred.  "I might be able to--"

	"No.  They might detect it.  Just stay with me.  It's
not too far."

	"And when we get there?" Kyle asked.  "It's a fortified
structure.  They'll be occupying it, if they know anything
about warfare."  The tone of his voice left no question who
"they" were, nor how Kyle felt toward them, and Marcine was
unable to suppress a slight shudder.  "Even if they don't,
they may want to check the libraries."

	Davin's response was grim.  "I think I can get us to
the courtyard.  After that... we'll have to improvise."

*

	Mika's nose wrinkled at the dust swirling in the air. 
"This is the place?" she questioned, trying to stave off a
sneezing fit.  Beside her, Shizuka stepped forward, taking
in the neglected furniture, the cracked mirror and broken
bottles, the tattered excuse for a carpet.  She, Mika noted
irritably, didn't seem to be bothered by the dust.

	"Aye," Jil said, stepping forward into the room.  "Th'
Blue Dolphin, it used t' be called.  Ye'd never know t' look
at it now, but it was quite th' lively place in its day. 
Not so long ago, neither."

	"So what happened?"

	The captain smiled sadly.  "Me mate who owned th' place
took sick an' died.  Seems they just boarded it up an'
forgot about it."  She shook her head.  "Well, less trouble
fer us, then."

	"I'm surprised you left it here, though."

	"Aye... well, it holds some memories.  'Sides, ye'd
never expect t' find such a thing here, now, would ye?"

	"I guess that's true," Mika admitted, taking in the
state of the room once more.

	Jil nodded, kneeling to shift the tattered rug and
reveal a trapdoor.  Its neglected hinges squealed softly as
she pulled it open.  "Ye keep watch, just in case.  This'll
take a few minutes," she warned.

	Mika and Shizuka nodded in response.

*

	Cheney paused on the rooftop, willing his body
completely still in the shadow of a chimney.  His
reconnaissance wasn't going as well as he'd hoped.  True,
the streets were mostly clear, with only the occasional pair
or trio of robed figures wandering around for the most part,
plus at least one more of those beasts they'd faced before. 
But the reason why the streets were so sparsely patrolled
was unfortunately very clear.  There had been at least two
dozen of the magicians waiting near the city gate, and even
more than that in the vicinity of the docks.

	If they stayed in the city, it was only a matter of
time.  They couldn't fight off the entire force of Manakyr. 
But they couldn't get out of La Verde, either; not easily,
at least.  A single person might slip by, especially if it
were himself or that Ryukin girl.  But not Marcine, and if
the Manakyr got their hands on her...

	No, they would need another way out.  But La Verde was
a natural fortress; only the gates and the docks provided
easy access, and those were both closed to them.  The secret
passages might get them outside the walls, but not far
enough to avoid being spotted from the gates, and he doubted
they could outrun the magicians.

	What they needed was another way out of the city.  A
way that nobody would expect, that would catch the Manakyr
off guard.

	He tilted his head back, staring thoughtfully up into
the sky.  A way out...

	His eye fell upon one of the gleaming airships.

	Cheney smiled.

*

	"Where is she?"  The agitated young chemist paced the
length of the bar, then wheeled.  "She should've been back
by now, shouldn't she?"

	"It has only been a short time, Mistress Gilchrist,"
Shizuka replied.  She stood near the door, peering out
through the slats they'd pried loose.

	"Yeah, well... I hate standing around waiting."  Mika
kicked sullenly at the battered rug, sneezing as the blow
sent a plume of dust into the air.  "And I really hate
dust," she added.

	"This one regrets your discomfort, but she thinks there
is nothing she could do to alleviate it."

	"Mmpf."  The younger girl waved a hand in front of her
face, fanning ineffectually at the dust.  "You mean there's
something you can't do?  I'm surprised."  Shizuka turned
slightly, stirring as thought she might interject a comment,
but Mika pressed on.  "I mean, you can fight -- in the dark,
even -- you can sneak around five feet from the bad guys
without them even knowing you're there, you can pretend to
be something you're not and have other people believe you,
you can cast spells or whatever almost as strong as
Marcine's..."

	"That is not quite correct."

	"...And you can't be that much older than me, and I
can't do any of that stuff, so... so..."  She flounced into
a chair, heaving an exasperated sigh.  "So how come?"

	Startled by the sudden warmth of a hand against hers,
she looked up, meeting Shizuka's violet eyes.  "You are
looking too narrowly.  There are many things this one cannot
do.  What you do is among them."

	Mika blinked.  "Huh?"

	"She cannot heal," Shizuka explained.  "Her Art is not
suited for it, and she knows nothing of potions or
medicines.  At best, she could bandage a wound."

	The younger girl's gaze turned away.  "Big deal," she
muttered halfheartedly.  "Like that's much good in a
fight... besides, Marcine can heal people with magic."

	"Fighting is not the only thing that matters," the
Ryukin girl insisted.  "And this one could not accomplish
what Marcine has done... each person has different
strengths.  You have great strength within you.  If you
continue to develop it--"

	"Yeah, sure, I might be able to do something in a year
or two."

	"Perhaps you may find a quicker way.  It has happened
on occasion."

	"Yeah, but you can do it now."

	Shizuka smiled slightly.  "This one has been trained
almost since birth, Mistress Gilchrist.  You have come far
in a much shorter time... not only in the spiritual Art, but
also in your alchemy."

	"Since..."  Mika struggled with the concept for a
moment.  "...Oh."  She paused thoughtfully.  "Wow. 
That's... wow."

	"It was not entirely a matter of choice.  This one's
bloodline is very strong in the power, and, as its
development is linked to emotion to some extent, it might
have inadvertently gotten out of control if she were not
trained.  The power is dangerous and difficult to control
even for a skilled wielder.  An untrained child could be a
threat to an entire village."

	"Wow," Mika repeated.  Then, "How did your friends feel
about that?"

	"Her teachers were understanding.  Few had her
strength, but many had gone through the same training,
including her mother."

	Mika frowned.  "Teachers?  I meant..."  She trailed off
to a very quiet "Oh."  Shifting her gaze to the floor, she
tried to come up with something more to say.  "Um..."

	A gentle smile greeted Mika as she glanced up.  "It
was... a duty.  She does not regret having fulfilled it."

	"Yeah, but..."  She hung her head again.  "I guess you
had to do a lot of hard work, huh?"

	The Ryukin ninja's hand tightened around hers just for
an instant, a brief comforting squeeze.  "Yes, but no more
than you.  Or did you learn alchemy overnight?"

	"No, but... I'm sorry.  I don't know why I thought... I
mean, you make it look so easy..."

	"There is a saying..."  Shizuka frowned momentarily as
she struggled to translate.  "'We all follow our own road,
and pay our own toll.'  That is close to the meaning, at
least.  This one started on her road early, but she thinks
that yours will be shorter once you have found it.  You are
very intelligent, Mistress Gilchrist."

	"Hmm."  Mika blinked, then slowly smiled.  "Hey, didn't
I already tell you?  Call me Mika."  She laughed as Shizuka
arched an eyebrow slightly.  "Come on... Mi-ka.  Two
syllables.  It's easy.  Besides, you can't keep on sounding
like a servant, or something, if we're all supposed to be
partners."  She flashed a broad grin and added, "And that's
an order!"

	Shizuka's unreadable gaze continued until Mika's smile
threatened to slip.  Just before she asked whether she'd
done something wrong, the older girl chuckled quietly.  "You
are a very unusual girl... Mika."

	On the ladder below, Jil smiled to herself.  Then she
finally continued her climb, poking her head up through the
hole in the floor.  "Arr, 'twere a small delay, lasses.  Me
apologies."

	Mika, she was amused to note, actually jumped a little. 
"Oh, Jil... is that what you came for?" she asked, peering
at the small cloth sack in the captain's hand.

	"Aye.  It be not gold, lass... that be too bulky t'
hide here."  She smiled.  "Never fear, 'twill be more 'n
enough fer a new ship, once we find ourselves a friendly
port.  Now let's go an' meet yer brother," she said to the
chemist.

	"Right!  Um..."  She turned to Shizuka.  "Would you
mind...?"  The ninja nodded, smiling in amusement, and
stepped forward to take the lead once again.  Scanning the
street outside, she nodded thoughtfully.  And Mika thought
of one more question.  "By the way, just how old are you,
anyway?"

	"By your reckoning... this one is not quite thirteen
years of age," she responded neutrally, not taking her eyes
off the street outside.  "It will be a moment.  One of them
is near."

	"Thirteen?" Mika whispered in disbelief.

	"Bit of a late bloomer, are ye?" Jil mused.

	"This one binds her chest," she answered
matter-of-factly.  "It is convenient for many of her tasks."

	"Shizuka..." Mika muttered, blushing slightly.  "There
are some questions you don't have to answer, you know..."

	The ninja cocked her head, studying Mika's reaction. 
"This one hopes she does not offend you by saying so," she
finally stated, "but she thinks many aspects of your culture
are very strange."

	"-Our- culture is strange...?"

	"Let it go, lass.  We need t' be concentrating on the
job at hand."

	Shizuka nodded.  "It will only be a moment."

	Frowning, Mika asked, "He's still nearby?  Do you think
he--"

	The ninja girl stepped forward into the street, one arm
rising with a flash of steel.  A moment later, a robed
figure collapsed to the ground, his face frozen in a rictus
of surprise as he clutched at his throat.  Shizuka idly
flicked the short blade, cleaning it of blood, and with a
single motion sheathed it and concealed it once more within
the sleeve of her garment.  "Not any more," she answered
impassively, and turned to lead the way along the street.

	Mika shivered slightly as she followed, stepping
lightly over the body.  Strange, indeed...

*

	The cavern was lit by the ruddy glow emanating from the
pools of magma that dotted its floor.  She wasn't sure just
how far they'd descended, but they'd been within the cave
system for the better part of the day, and she felt as
though they'd walked to the center of the earth.  It
wouldn't surprise her that much.

	And it was hot, oppressively hot.  The air was still
and heavy and smelled faintly metallic.  Breathing was
something of an effort; walking, even worse.  It had only
become this warm in the last half-hour or so, but already
Pearl felt as if she'd been trekking through a desert for
weeks.

	The thing that really annoyed her, though, was that Cid
didn't seem to notice the heat.  Oh, he'd slowed his pace a
bit, but she got the impression that he'd done so entirely
for her sake.  She had the nagging sense that he'd be
setting a much brisker pace if he were on his own.

	Pearl, as an adventurer, wasn't used to that sort of
accommodation.  Yet another reminder, she supposed, that
Cid's fame was hardly undeserved.  Nearly as old as her
grandfather, he might be, but she'd be hard-pressed to name
a stronger warrior.  Or a wiser.

	The fact that he was worried terrified her.

	He glanced back over his shoulder, and she wondered
momentarily whether he could read thoughts, too.  But if so,
he gave no sign.  "We should run into him any minute now,"
he commented.

	"Ivan Tsarevich..."  Pearl shook her head, still in
wonder.  "I can't believe..."

	"What is there to disbelieve, woman of Voden?"

	She turned, following Cid's lead, and was greeted by an
unusual sight.  Strolling toward them across one of the
flows of magma was a roughly human figure formed of flames. 
It advanced slowly but steadily along the surface of the
superheated liquid.

	"You'll have to forgive her," Cid called, a broad grin
on his face.  "She's not used to confronting living legends,
especially those who haven't been seen for a few centuries. 
Where is your companion?"

	"Gladly I will," the billowing flame called back.  "And
my friend sleeps, but he is well."  Pearl noted its accent
-- very similar to the speech she'd heard every day in
Voden, but with some slight differences.  Archaic forms,
yes, but perhaps more than that...  "Tell me, what brings
you here?  I may be mistaken, but I don't believe it is yet
five years since our last encounter."

	Cid shook his head.  "No, you haven't lost track of
time, friend."

	"Then it must be dire news indeed that brings you
here."

	A weary smile crossed the old monk's face.  "I'd say
so.  It seems the Manakyr have returned."

	The humanoid flame was still for a moment.  "I see," it
finally crackled.  "My brother Genji had mentioned...  Then
the war has already begun."

	"If it hasn't yet, it will before Pearl and I get back
to the surface," Cid confirmed.  Pearl's breath caught in
her throat; she hadn't considered it in terms of war.  "But
that's not all.  A Knight of the Round is helping them."

	"A Knight?"  The elemental flickered in obvious
agitation.  "Are you certain?"

	Nodding, Cid replied, "Madonna confronted us at my
home.  I'd no idea she was a Knight before then."

	"Knight of Wind..."  If anything, Ivan's motions grew
more agitated.  "I do not think I can help you.  I might
defeat her, if she were to come here, but to leave this
place..."

	The old monk nodded as Ivan trailed off thoughtfully. 
Pearl couldn't remain quiet, however.  "You can't leave? 
Why not?  Is something keeping you here?"

	"Not in the literal sense," the burning figure assured
her.  "But yes.  This you have already beheld."  Ivan
gestured to the pool of magma upon which he stood.  "There
is little here, but nearby lies a river of magma... no, an
ocean, truly.  It extends from here beyond Yahl Russa,
almost as far as Voden.  When first I came to this place it
was quiescent.  That has not been the case in recent years. 
Were it left unattended, this ocean would explode upwards,
and there is no way to tell where.  An entire city might
perish in an instant.

	He was silent for a moment.  "My power has been
sufficient to prevent such an occurrence.  With the stone of
my heart, I would be able to do so even at a distance. 
However, even with the stone, I could not prevent disaster
here and fight a battle elsewhere.  My power alone is
insufficient."

	"I'm sorry," Pearl stuttered.  "I didn't realize..."

	Cid nodded solemnly.  "I thought as much.  But there
might be another way you could help us.  If we could find
Gilgamesh--"

	"Indeed," Ivan breathed.  "No doubt he could overcome
her.  Yet that will not be easy."

	"No.  For one thing, we have no idea where to look,"
Cid stated in a dry tone.

	Ivan paused again, perhaps considering how much should
be said.  "Our brother's voice has been somewhat
constrained.  However, his location is fairly clear.  I
suspect that it will prove an arduous task to enter his
presence, but if you are resolved..."

	"We don't have a choice," Pearl said.  Cid nodded.

	"Then I shall entrust this knowledge to you:  Gilgamesh
resides to the south, somewhere within the city the Church
calls capital."

	"Tienne," Cid murmured.  "Is it possible...?"

	"Tienne?" Pearl asked, starkly disbelieving.

	"Right in the middle of 'enemy' territory."  Cid
chuckled humorlessly.  "It couldn't be harder for an old
'heretic' like me to reach unless he was in the grand
cathedral itself..."

	"Knowing this, do you yet plan to go?" Ivan asked.

	Pearl nodded.  "We still don't have a choice.  I can't
say I'm happy about it, but... we'll figure out something."

	The flaming figure twisted in a rough approximation of
a bow.  "Then I have one further gift to entrust to you,
woman of Voden."  It held out one appendage.  "Take my hand. 
You will not burn."

	Pearl wasn't completely sanguine about that, but
tentatively, she reached forward until she came into contact
with the extended flame.  True to the Knight's word, it
failed to burn her; instead, it was cool and surprisingly
smooth to the touch, almost like marble.  Without prompting,
she drew her hand away and found that she was grasping a
small stone with a rune carved into its surface.  "But," she
began, "don't you need this?"

	"Not so long as I remain here.  I judge your need to be
the greater.  Carry the stone of my heart with you."  Ivan
paused briefly, then added, "Aid the Legacy."

	"Thank you," Cid said simply.

	"If all goes well, we shall meet again, my friend. 
Good fortune to you, until that day."  Without warning, the
flames billowed up, then flickered out, its remnants
receding into the magma.

	"So..."  Pearl said.  "Ivan Tsarevich."

	Cid chuckled.  "I think you impressed him."  He cast
one final glance across the cavern, then turned.  "It's a
long journey to Tienne.  We'd better start now."

*

Author's notes:  Not much to say.  Didn't cover Marcine's
group in nearly as much detail as I'd have liked, but time
was short thanks to exams. ^_^;  Thanks to Kate Malloy for
prereading.


Scott Schimmel            Ex ignorantia ad sapientium;
                          Ex luce ad tenebras
"You really aren't normal, are you?" - Miki Koishikawa