"Please Mistress Lumina, we need you to do us this favor," Gyn
Samson pleaded with the diminutive blonde girl.

	"I'm not going anywhere without my friends!" cried the tiny armor-
clad maiden, who was having what could only be described as a temper
tantrum.

	"But Mistress Lumina, this is very important. We need put this sword
into the hands of someone who can give it to the Legacy." Gyn said, holding
out a curved blade to the young Knight.

	The ancient Moon Knight merely crossed her arms over her chest and
sat down right there in the hidden room in Gyn Samson's house. "Not
without Sacred and Minotaur."

	Gyn sighed and rubbed her face with her palms. "We've gone over
this, you were the only one found missing in that painting."

	"Well, perhaps you are looking in the wrong place my dear..." came a
decidedly mature voice from the immature little girl. Gyn removed her
hands from her face and looked down at Lumina, the Knight of the Moon,
who looked no different that she did before. "If you would allow me into the
Royal Art Gallery all will become clear."

	***********************

	"Yay! Lookit all the pretty paintings!" exclaimed Lumina as she
skipped down the hall, occasionally, running back to Gyn and pulling on her
hand. "Come on slowpoke! Sacred and Minotaur are waaaaitiiiiing!"

	"But Mistress Lumina... there has been no one else found here but
you." Gyn almost-whined trying to resist being pulled faster than she wanted
to go.

	"I know, I haven't woken them up yet silly!" the little girl responded,
happily bounding down the ancient halls of the Royal Art Gallery. Gyn
blinked at this as they continued down the halls.

	Finally they stopped in front of a large red tapestry, brilliantly
embroiled with a scene of two minotaurs, one decidedly larger than the
other, sparring with each other. The image was vivid, showing a sun setting
behind a vast mountain range and a forest with woodland creatures watching
the two giants fight.

	"Hiya guys!" Lumina squealed at the tapestry.

	"These are Sacred and Minotaur?"

	"Yup! Now just gimme a second to wake them up." Lumina said,
rubbing her palms together. She closed her eyes and her expression became
serious, or as serious as a cute little girl's face could get. She separated her
hands and pressed her palms against the tapestry. Her hair started to rise as
her body began to glow a soft, pale yellow. "Gyn Samson," she whispered,
"They will need some room once they awaken..." Gyn nodded and backed
down the hallway, not letting her eyes leave the Knight of the Moon.

	"Awaken, my faithful guards!" Lumina shouted as the pale yellow
glow moved through her arms into the tapestry. The hallway suddenly
became too bright to be in. The light blared through Gyn's eyelids even as
she raised her arm to shield them. She was unclear as to when the light
actually died down, as she was momentarily blinded.

	"Yaaarrrrrggggahaaa. Hey Bro... you awake yet?"

	"Errghhhh... yeah, Bro. Man, that was one good night's sleep."

	Gyn rubbed her eyes and blinked a few times to clear her vision, and
when it finally came back to her, she almost fell over at the sight.
Two purple furred minotaurs, each holding a massive two handed mace. One
was as tall as her and looked to fit comfortably in his surroundings, but the
other was nearly three times as large and had to slouch over just to fit into
the hallway. Lumina was standing between them, looking up and
grinning from ear to ear. "Hey guys! Long time no see!"

	"Hey hey, look Minotaur it's the lil' boss," the larger of the two beasts
said.

	"Yer right Sacred! How ya been, boss? Ya looked like ya aged some,"
Minotaur, the short one, said, much to Lumina's apparent chagrin.

	"I have not and you know it!" she harumphed.

	"Um... Mistress Lumina?" Gyn started, at which the Knight and her
bodyguards turned to her, "Are these your traveling companions?"
Lumina cocked her head to the side.

	"Travel?... Oh yeah! You wanted me to do something for you, right?"

	***********************

	Gyn Samson stood on the docks of the city of Ramaz, facing the open
sea, or more specifically, a medium sized sailboat which Sacred and
Minotaur were making themselves comfortable on, entertaining each other
with a game of rock paper scissors. She looked down at the small girl
between her and the boat. Lumina was standing right in front of the plank
with a slight smile on her face. "You're sure you can complete this task?"

	Lumina's expression didn't change from that of a child, but when she
spoke, it was evident that a child she was not. "I can sense the Heartstone of
Infinity... right now that's my best lead to the Legacy. I'll just have to take
the risk in hoping that the Infinity Stone is in good hands. Besides, Sacred
and Minotaur will protect me if worst comes to worst."

	Gyn nodded to the Knight. "Farewell Lumina, Knight of the Moon.
And good luck."

	Lumina leaped up and hugged Gyn tightly. "Byooo!" she released the
oracle and bounded up the plank, leaving Gyn Samson with a smirk.

	"Always changing, just like the moon."

	***********************

	"Are we there yet?"

	"No."

	***********************

	Zarela grasped the bars of her cage as the moogle throng carried her
further into the cave, all the while chanting what could only be interpreted as
a marching chant.

	"Ku. Po. Ku. Po. Kupopo. Kupopo..."

	This was swiftly annoying Zarela, but fortunately (for the moogles),
the tiny forest creatures stopped chanting as their march ended. They set the
cage down on the uneven cave floor. One of them walked around to the front
of the cage and unlocked the door.

	"Kupo!" it ordered.

	With an audible "hmph", Zarela walked out of her cage with her fists
indignantly rested on her hips, which were decidedly less armored than
Zarela cared for. "Whatever it is you want me to do, you little furball, I
could do it much better with my armor and my beloved Gustav!"

	"Kupo!" the moogle repeated, this time punctuated by stabbing it's
little furry paw in the opposite direction of the cave's exit.
Zarela sighed and took a torch from the moogle then started walking
down the cave's length, ranting all the way. "Fine! I'll do whatever stupid
little task you want me to do, but I want my Gustav back when I'm done. He
gets lonely without me, the poor little guy... must be so frightened..."

	She started to trail off about Gustav, not noticing the moogle squad
exit the cave as swiftly as their tiny legs could carry them. Without warning,
a glob of goo flew from the darkness and splattered against Zarela's bare
midsection. "Gross!" Zarela squealed trying to wipe the slime off herself
with her free hand.

	She was interrupted, however, by a loud gurgling roar. Crawling into
the light radius of Zarela's torch was a massive... snail. Its shell was an
iridescent rainbow of colors and its slimy, fleshy body was yellowish brown,
with two beady blue eyes extended on stalks, starring at her. Zarela cocked
her head and stared at it for a second. "...Right."

	The snail reared its head back and thrust it forward, sending another
glob of slime toward Zarela. She saw it coming this time, though, and she dove
to the right. She barely made it out of the way, as the first batch of slime was
already spreading over her body, making it difficult to move.

	A warning gurgle told her she had better get moving, and fast.  She crawled
out of the way just in time as a fleshy mucus covered flap of snail slammed down
where she had just been. She started backing away from the monster until she hit
the cave wall. "I... I can't do this without Gustav!"

	Just then, she heard it. A sound, or rather, a cry, that had been
repeating ever since she was first hit with the snail mucus. As she took a moment
to listen, the sound resolved itself into a collection of voices.

	"Kupo! P-popoku!" the pleading, terrified voices of small moogle
children cried off to Zarela's right, their tiny eyes shinning in the
torchlight.

	Suddenly, it hit Zarela. The moogles wanted her to rescue their
children. They probably sent their warriors to fight this monster and they
failed.

	"They saw me and Gustav fight... they probably thought I was strong
enough to defeat it. But..." Zarela whimpered, shaking her head as the snail
slithered up to her. It's slimy body started to expand, as if it was inhaling,
but it wasn't air it was filling itself with.

	Zarela started to tremble as sparks of electricity started arcing in the
snail's translucent body. Tears welled up in her eyes as she thought about
how she would never see Gustav again...

	"Kuu...po..." one of the moogle children whimpered. Their eyes met
and in an instant, Zarela knew what it was telling her. "Help...us..."
With a screeching roar, the snail let loose its electric breath- straight
into the cave's wall. Zarela leaped to the side and atop the snail's shell, the
muck hampering her before flying off her body as she moved too swiftly for
it to stick.  Unable to stop its electric attack before all of the charge was
removed from it's body, the snail stood prone, it's neck outstretched, arcs of
electricity visibly running through it.

	With a yell, Zarela plunged her torch between the snail's fleshy neck
and its shell, driving it deep inside. The fire went out, plunging the cave in
eerie light given off by the electric discharge of the snail's attack. Even
without a flame the hot cinders of the torch still scorched the sensitive skin
of the monster. Zarela took hold of the torch with both hands, withdrawing it
then stabbing it into the beast over and over. The beast cried out again and
again until finally it stopped, and slumped over, long after its electric attack
had died out.

	******************

	Zarela emerged from the cave, three tiny white creatures clamped
onto her body, one around her ankle, another around her neck and the last
one around her midsection.

	Pearl looked up from her cup which she had been sipping quietly,
waiting for Zarela to finish her task. Once she saw the moogles she arched
and eyebrow at Zarela.

	"Well... they're a lot cuter before they grow up," Zarela retorted with
a sweatdrop.

	******************

	Pearl and Zarela were brought up to a small stage where they were
seated, A large hut, or rather, large for a moogle, was on the opposite end of
the stage. The black furred moogle stood before them, leading a dance that
all the other moogles in the village followed. After a while of this
complicated dance, the lead moogle stopped and addressed them.

	"Kupoku... Kupo!" he gestured to the hut behind him.
A rather old looking moogle hobbled out from the hut, leaning on a
twig as if it were a cane. His fur was gray and a bit more ruffled than
younger moogles'. The little pompom on the end of his antenna looked as if
it hung a bit lower as well. Despite this, the little woodland creature
managed to express an air of dignity about him. After walking to the middle
of the stage he motioned for the black moogle to leave it, which it did.

	"Kup kupo kukuku p-..." he started, then looked at Pearl and Zarela.
"Ahem, excuse me, I sometimes forget in my old age humans do not understand
us."

	Both Zarela's and Pearl's jaws dropped. "You can TALK?!" Pearl
exclaimed.

	"Well yes my dear, so can all the moogles. I just happen to speak the
human language." It replied with a slight smirk.

	"Yes but...how...I mean...who...and..." Zarela stammered on.

	"Relax, child. It is not important where I learned to speak the human
tongue. What is important is that you defeated the Whelk for us. And for that
we are grateful. Grateful enough to overlook your destruction of our 
forest."

	Zarela laughed nervously, "Uhm yeah...about that..."

	"Also," the aged moogle went on, "you have rescued our children.
And for that we are even more grateful. You will be given your equipment
back and sent on your way. But one doesn't find humans wandering the
Great Forest everyday now..." he narrowed his eyes. "Just what were
you two doing in the forest?"

	Pearl spoke up, "We are looking for the Knight of Time and Space,
or more specifically his clocktower. We were told it was somewhere in this
area..."

	"Who gave you this information?" the elder moogle inquired.

	"My Master Cid, he-"

	"Ah yes, Cid. I should have known, you being his student and all. In
that case, I think we can help you."

	"You know where the clocktower is?"

	"That I do my dear. We can have a map drawn up for you within the
hour." He turned to Zarela, "Again, we thank you. I don't know if those
children would have made it if it weren't for you. When you see Cid again,
tell him Mog sends his thanks." And before Zarela could reply, the elderly
moogle turned around and started to hobble back toward his hut as all the
moogles in the village danced in ceremony.

	********************

	"Are we there yet?"

	"...No."

	********************

	Kyle stood in awe, the rain falling down on his face as he looked up at
the incredible sight of the Sleeper of Water looking at him and his group.

	SEEKERS OF THE HEARTSTONES, ENEMY OF THE FALLEN
ONE, Leviathan declared. I WISH TO SPEAK WITH YOU.

	Jill stood next to Kyle, in equal reverence of the majesty of Leviathan.

	Leviathan looked over every person on the Northern Cross, then
focused on Kyle. The Sleeper bent down so he was at eye level with the
Holy Dragoon.

	YOU ARE THE ONE TRITOCH SPOKE OF.  ONE OF DAROVAN'S LINE, it boomed,
without hurting anyone's ears.

	Kyle flinched regardless. This was the one that started it all... the first
to be awakened... and it was starring at him in the face. "Yes, my name is
Kyle Cavanaugh."

	TO THE SOUTH IS AN ISLAND OF DESERT.  THE
HEARTSTONE OF ICE MAY BE FOUND THERE... YOU WOULD DO
WELL TO SEEK IT OUT.

	"Th... Thank you, Sleeper. This knowledge will greatly help us," Kyle
said as he bowed slightly, feeling awkward as he was doing so. Should a
Holy Dragoon be bowing to a Sleeper? After all that he went through, Kyle
knew it wasn't an issue anymore, but still, old propaganda dies hard.

	THIS KNOWLEDGE DOES NOT COME WITHOUT A PRICE.
Leviathan stated. He chuckled a deep throaty laugh as he sensed worry
rolling off Kyle. DO NOT FEAR, IT IS A SIMPLE TASK, Leviathan
paused as a point in the air between him and Kyle began to spark. It grew
until it was a small sphere, able to fit in a person's palm comfortably. The
orb floated over to Kyle as he raised his hand to pluck it out of the air,
holding it between his index finger and thumb. He looked into it as clouds of
silver and blue swirled inside its infinite depths. I WOULD HAVE YOU DELIVER THIS
EGG TO THE LEGACY. MAKE SURE NO HARM COMES TO IT.

	Kyle's head snapped up from the egg to Leviathan. "You have my
word, Sleeper," he said as he put the Sleeper Egg into his pocket.

	Leviathan bobbed its head up and down, an approximation of a human
nod. ONE MORE THING BEFORE I GO, YOUNG CAVANAUGH, A BIT
OF ADVICE. At this, Kyle nodded. DO NOT BE SO SET IN YOUR
METHODS THAT YOU DO NOT SEE THE UNEXPECTED ENEMY
FROM BEHIND. And with that, Leviathan coiled into the air, only to dive
back down into the murky depths of the ocean once again.

	Everyone on board the Northern Cross stood silently as the rain
battered them and the ship. Jill walked up behind Kyle "Aye, what be we
doin' now Kyle? Should we be deliverin' the Egg first?"

	Kyle shook his head. "The Egg can wait, what matters right now are
the Heartstones. Do we have enough supplies for a trip south?"

	"Aye, tha' we do. With my Phoenix Compass we be travelin' straight
t'ward the Heartstone of Ice, shouldnae take us mor'n a day er two ta get
there." Kyle nodded, still not having moved since Leviathan left. "...That is
if ye MANGY DOGS get off yer ARSES an' git this ship'a'MOVIN'!" And
thus, the silent awe left in Leviathan's wake was broken.

	************************

	"Are we there yet?"

	"...Mika..."

	************************

	He blinked as he woke, head throbbing with the mother of all headaches.
He lifted his head and tried to look around with his blurry vision. The room
was dark and he couldn't tell if anyone else was in it.

	He brought his hands up to his face so he could rub the sleep out of
his eyes... or at least he tried to. It was then that he realized he was tied to a
chair, and an uncomfortable one at that.

	"Wh...where am I?" Piette asked no one in particular.

	"You are where you're needed, Mr. Fontaine," came a voice from
behind.

	Piette stiffed, bringing his head up too quickly inciting a wave of pain
from his headache. He grimaced and then tried to look over his shoulder.

	"Who are you? What did you do to me?!"

	"Relax Mr. Fontaine we merely gave you something to calm you
down. Now, I would like to answer all your questions, I really would, but
we'd best get down to business," the man said as he walked around Piette so
that he was in front of him. He was dressed in a long robe embroiled with
some design that Piette couldn't make out.

	"Who... are you?"

	"You may call me 'D'. I'll be your... tutor as it were."
Piette found it hard to concentrate on D's words, let alone what
happened to him these past few... days? Weeks? Oh gods, I don't even
remember how long I've been here, he thought.

	"Now, Mr. Fontaine... my sources say you know magic. Very
interesting indeed. That would make you a heretic, would it not?"

	"Wha...? Er... I...s...suppose?" Piette answered, finding it a task to just
listen to D.

	"Yes. Yes it would Mr. Fontaine... Do you like being a here-" D was
interrupted by a knock on the door. He turned and walked next to it, sliding a
cover off a window to look at a man on the other side dressed similar to
himself. "What is it? I'm in the middle of a case here!"

	"Sorry sir, but I thought this should be brought to your attention."

	"Well? Out with it!"

	"Yes sir," the subordinate on the other side of the door went on, "The
missing scout party has been found. What was left of them was discovered a
ways off their patrolling route."

	D arched his brow. "What was left of them?"

	"Y...yes sir. They were in pieces... we could only identify them by
their nametags."

	D sighed heavily. The fools obviously found the Legacy and her
bodyguard. "Increase security throughout the base. That will be all. I have
case to finish..." he said as he turned back to the pathetic figure that was
Piette Fontaine, drugged and scared.

	************************

	"Are we there yet?"

	"... Mika, we aren't even traveling toward Dwarvenhome right now,
we just need a place to rest." Davin said, looking up from where he was
lying down in the back of the Spider Walker.

	"...Just testing." Mika Gilchrist said as she looked back from the
passenger seat in the Spider Walker. Marcine had been looking for a good
place to settle down to let Davin recover for a while. They decided it was
best not to stop in the middle of no where, otherwise they could have a
repeat of what happened the other day. Mika turned back to Marcine. "Did
you find a good spot yet?"

	"No, not yet Mika. I haven't seen anyplace big enough to hide the
Spider Walker..."

	"...Oh..." Mika said, supremely bored. She looked up on the monitor
and saw a cave a ways off on the side of a cliff. "What about that cave? It
looks big enough to me?"

	Marcine nodded. "That does look like a good spot. Alright, I guess we
can stop there."

	The Walker slowed to a stop inside the dark cave. There was just
enough room for the hatch on top of the Walker to open, and for Marcine
and Mika to help Davin out. The Walker had been heating up again, and
they were all thankfull to be out in the reletive coolness of the cave.

	"Does anyone have a light, it's dark in here?"

	"Well we do, little miss." A flash of light accompanied the voice as
troop of men walked from the depths of the cave, all dressed in the robes of
the Manakyr Cult, the one in the center holding a torch with a blue flame on
it's end. "Let's just stay calm, and no one will get hurt," he added with a
toothy grin.

**************
Author's Notes
**************

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRG!@_@

This was alot harder than I thought it'd be. Not to mention the story hasn't
moved at all since I signed up. This chapter isn't so much mine as it is alot of
people's. Brian helped with alot, as did NinjaDebugger.

Demota, though, was probably the single biggest influence in this part. He helped
me get started when I had no idea what to do. In fact, the outline for this part
was his. So a huge thank you goes out to Dem. THANK YOU!

Uhg, I can say with certanty that this was an experience. I'm still trying to figure
out if I want to repeat this at some time or another. I guess I'll just wait for
reviews and see. Ah well, here's celebrating a new FFL chapter!

NovaSeaker