Lore and Legends
By Moonraker One
Chapter One
Life is such a funny thing.
Exdeath was long dead, the villains that served under him had all been wearily defeated, and time had passed about five years since the return of the crystals. Walking underneath the calm fires of the high sun, Butz couldn't help but recall the times that he had with the other four members of his crew. Well, technically, they weren't his crew, but a group of four that happened to journey with him. Despite the fact that he was the one who led them into battle, they never considered anyone to be a true leader to the quartet. The wind seemed to empathize with him as he brought to mind Lenna and her sister Faris, who stayed by his side all the way across the galaxy and back again. His heart brought him towards beautiful women like Faris, and at times it even made the trek a bit lighter. Love blossomed for him, although he outright denied it to anyone who'd ask him.
"Are you okay, Butz?" asked the young squirt at his side. What a memory; a girl that he used to be picked on by way back when he was just a kid died of a heart attack three months after Exdeath's demise at only thirty years of age. The boy, as fate would have it, had no one to turn to except this young adventurer who knew almost nothing of raising an eight-year old. Although it would seem the kid was a minor hindrance as they ventured through the woods, he somehow knew how to hold his own in a sword fight. The young boy idolized Butz for his sword skills, for he would go nuts every time his teacher and friend (he couldn't bring himself to call Butz his father) would come across a group of killer bees or some landturtles and cleave them in two with his BraveBlade. Right now, the forest approaching Tycoon wasn't very big, but was home to some pretty nasty creatures nonetheless.
"I…I'm fine," Butz lied, making sure his pupil didn't see the truth. Butz knew why he was coming back here. Even though, he figured, Faris would be married to some diplomat-type from a distant kingdom, he had to see her again. The void he and his friends sealed up with Exdeath's evil soul locked in its darkness forever, but a worse one was opened up; the void of his heart. He thought of many things as they passed the crater where the meteor used to be. Every time he would pass through the forest and a gust of wind would bring to life the natural sounds of the trees and life echoing eternally through the flora and fauna, his mind would wander. He thought of Faris, how she was almost lost in the darkness but time and whatever god was in heaven rescued her. He thought of the blade in a sheath on his back, and how many a monster's blood saw the blade as it passed through them with horrifying efficiency. The kid tugged at Butz's tunic, indicating that something he spotted caught his attention.
"What's that, Butz?" Butz, hearing the kid's question, he twisted his gaze to the side, and saw a familiar sight. He smiled as he changed course and walked over to the tree. He ran his fingers down the sap leaking from the tree, and tasted it; its smooth viscosity and sweet flavour brought memories of the pies made by Lenna. Then, looking down, he picked a bunch of berries attached to the flowering part of the tree's root. He picked one off and threw it down to his protégé.
"Koga," he said, referring to the kid by name, "you've seen these before! Tell me what they are."
The kid struggled a moment and said, "Ah, I remember! These are Norak fruit!" With a pleased look on his face, Butz leaned over and ruffled Koga's hair.
"So, you ARE learning what I'm teaching you. Tell me what these berries are used for."
"He he, these are used for treating people that have lost their mind!" A nod from Butz indicated that the kid was right, causing Koga to clap in acceptance.
"We're gonna stay in Tycoon for the night, Koga, and then it'll be a two days' journey to the fire shrine at Karnak." Even though the crystal was at a different, safe location now, the fire shrine at Karnak still stood firm for visitors to see the devices once used to enhance the crystals' energies. Koga, who had never been to Karnak in the year or so that he journeyed with Butz, seemed more eager to go than his mentor. Butz had his own reasons for wanting to take the kid there; he heard that since children can see spirits much better than adults, he hoped that the kid could experience the fire crystal's spirit. Personally, Butz received the spirit of wind, and it was a wonderful feeling. The powers that he gained through battle and experience, the crystal allowed him to keep in order to maintain the peace. Butz sensed that the other three adventurers he fought evil with still had their abilities too. Perhaps the crystals thought peace wouldn't last forever.
*
The job of guarding a kingdom did not come as easy. Both of the two soldiers at the gate of Tycoon wondered how smart the queen could be to only have this duo at the door. So far, eight monsters of Tycoon forest attempted to smash the gate, only to be turned aside by the skilled swordsmanship of the kingdom's soldiers. Forest winds brushed past the guards, leaving a sense of ease as they stood watch for any creatures that would try to break the gate, or worse, climb the walls. A figure approaching from the forest with a smaller one next to it immediately caught the guards' attentions. Calmly approaching the gate, Butz, who was wearing a covering over his head to keep sap dripping from the trees (this was the time of year that the trees' sap leaked slowly from the trees and was harvested to make delicious foods) from landing on his head and sticking up his hair, walked on. Fluoo tree sap took four hours' washing to remove from one's hair.
"Who are you, stranger?" inquired the guards. Obviously it had been so long they did not remember him, and with his head covering, his hair was cloaked. He cleared his throat to speak.
"Don't you remember?" he told them. "I am Butz, the man who ventured with your queen and princess four years ago." They both instantly drew swords, and swung them at him in an overhead swing. Surprising both of them and startling Koga, Butz drew his BraveBlade and stopped both their swords in the shape of an X with it. Able to carry two weapons at once, he kept an admantium-plated knife at his side, ready to draw quickly if anything dastardly occurred. When the two guards pulled back their blades and attempted to slash him in two at the stomach, he rapidly moved his blade to again stop theirs in an X. Taking initiative, he pushed their swords backwards, and held his sword horizontally at both of their throats.
"I shall not kill," he told them, "but believe me, I am who I say I am. Please let me and my disciple in." He sheathed his sword just as one of the guards pulled a lever to open the gate. Acceptably, they stood aside as the two entered the kingdom of Tycoon. A few moments after entering, the castle door opened. Two familiar figures came out of the stone structure. Butz drew a smile of remembrance on his face. He liked the way Faris looked in her royal dress, for it was not often that she wore one. As it would seem, the older sister was the one crowned Queen of Tycoon, because of her greater experience at life.
"God, you're beautiful," Butz couldn't help but say as he approached Faris. She looked at the child beside him, and smiled.
"So," she said of Koga, "is he your son?"
"Not of my blood, but yes," Butz replied. "In fact, he can wield a broadsword with skill typical of an adventurer!" Seeing an open moment, Butz draped his arm around the once-pirate and pulled her close to him, kissing her lips passionately. During the kiss, his other hand ran through her violet hair, lifting both of them up and far away from everyone else, even though their feet didn't leave the ground. Slowly, he opened his eyes and took a step back after the kiss ended.
"Oh geez," Koga flatly uttered. He stuck his tongue out. "Mushy stuff."
"Koga!" cried Butz. "Could you please go somewhere else?! Like maybe the training room where you can get some swordplay with the soldiers?" The kid gleefully skipped away at his mentor's request, leaving Faris and Butz to enter the castle.
"I'll have the cook fix us something," she told him. "Do you like roasted Kree?" Her question seemed needless; he loved anything of her recipes, because she knew above all else what goes into food to make it taste good. The trio of Faris, Butz and Lenna walked happily into the castle. Even though an old adventure ended years ago, the adventures of these three would live on forever. Not only because they saved the entire universe, but because they managed to meet a lot of people who were friends and struck down a good deal of enemies. Most of all, though, it would live on because Butz had, for the first time, a girl he knew he loved. If only he could set down his sword and magical Shielding outfit and stay in one place long enough to start a family, he would.
*
"So, it's decided? Earth is our next target?" the question shot through the room of the meteor like a bullet. Each of the six present knew the plan in its entirety, and had come this far. There was no way they were going to be turned away.
"Yes, Lord Muzef," replied Nwaa. "The Earth is the perfect place for us to go about starting our conquest of the universe. Once we spread our evil through all the beings of Earth, we shall stand unequaled by all the mightiest armies of the galaxy." Gliv did not have his fellow warriors' assuredness about the simplicity of the conquest of the Earth. Yes, the Earth was home to the four crystals that empowered most of the galaxy, but supposedly the mighty dark mage met his end at the hands of powerful beings from the blue planet.
"Lord Muzef, your godliness," Gliv explained, "Earthen warriors introduced the powerful mage Exdeath to his demise. Are you sure we are strong enough to take out the crystals?" Muzef glared at his subordinate with contempt over such a statement. According to what he learned, there was nothing any warrior could do once the crystals of Earth were destroyed. Or, at least that's what he was always taught as a young mage. His mentor was Exdeath's brother and as such if the earthen warriors indeed destroyed the dark mage himself they would provide a challenge. Being the lord of the order of darkness, however, Muzef had utmost faith in his group's ability to destroy the earthen heroes.
"Gliv, Warrior Mage of LeNai," Muzef said as he handed his subordinate a box given to him by his mentor, "within this box is a cane fashioned by my mentor, the brother of Exdeath. With this, no force of holiness can stand up to your might." He had, in his possession, weapons crafted from the deadliest sources, making them true weapons of annihilation. Gliv had the Ultimate Evil Staff, which could terminate any force of light very quickly. Nwaa had the diamond-tipped Stave of Pure, which could destroy anything with only the slightest bit of darkness within it. Uodi had the Bow of Dark Fire, which would ignite its victim when one of its arrows hit an evil being, and the fire could not be extinguished until the being died. Marenaf wielded the Triple S (soul stealing shuriken), which not only would automatically return to the thrower, but would imprison within it the soul of whomever was cut. Pecez wore the Titan Glove, which increased his attack and defensive strength past a thousand.
"Men," Muzef reminded them, "what our goal must be is to gain from Earth the most powerful treasure in existence." The words from his mouth caused everyone to gasp; could it really be at Earth?
"Sir!" cried Marenaf. "Are you certain the Staff of Omnipotent Wrath is at Earth?!" He knew what he was asking; the most powerful magic staff in the universe was not to be underestimated.
Muzef looked at his allies with a look of undue necessity on his face. "I'm positive," he answered. "We must obtain the Staff if we are to bring Exdeath back. Once it is in our possession, we can command Exdeath to return to life!"
*
Butz lowered his fork to the side of his dinner plate, and looked up at Faris and Lenna with a look akin to a person who had just seen a ghost. Even though they couldn't read his mind, they both knew instinctively that something had to be wrong. "Did you feel that," Butz asked, looking to his left and right for the source of it. "I just felt a cold chill, like I did when Exdeath first returned to life." Faris and Lenna could not feel the same feeling he had, but then, they felt it, only stronger, as though as shadow passed through them.
Lenna looked up, then back at Butz. "Yeah," she apprehensively remarked. "It feels like Exdeath only…different."
"Very much so," Faris added to her sister's statement. Just then, thanks to the power of the crystals, all three were able to peer inside the minds of the evils approaching their planet. It was only for a moment, so only one of the twisted desires popped into mind. Even so, it was enough.
We MUST obtain the Staff of Omnipotent Wrath, the thought echoed. The true meaning of the message seemed beyond most of the three, but Butz, however, suddenly gasped. Faris and Lenna, as well as Koga who came rushing into the room because he felt the same thing, saw the jaw-drop expression on their friend's face; he had to know something.
"You know what the Staff of Omnipotent Wrath is, don't you?" Koga's question permeated the room evenly, all present in Faris's dining room had the same thought on their minds. Butz looked up at them all, and cleared his throat.
"If you must know," he stated, "I'll tell you. Shortly after the universe was created, God knew someday there would come a savior to forever press evil down into a state in which it cannot harm innocent people. To do so, God realized, that savior would have to have the power of God himself."
"Thus," Faris added, "he created this Staff?"
Butz nodded and continued, "Yes. He put his magic in the staff. An infinite usage spell that only does one thing: it can command anything to do anything." Every eyebrow lowered at the words coming from Butz's mouth.
Lenna gulped. She uttered, "So, if they got ahold of this staff, they could command the world to blow up?!" Butz closed his eyes solemnly and nodded.
"You know what I'm thinking?" Koga interjected. "Don'tcha think that they're gonna bring that Exdeath guy back to life?" They all turned their eyes to the child, and had the same thought on their mind: Where the blue hell did he learn about Exdeath?! No matter where Koga learned of Exdeath, one fact was certain.
"No matter if that's their plan or not," Butz announced, "we have to find the Staff before they do." Agreeing with their friend, Faris and Lenna headed towards their rooms to change into journeying clothes, and to gather their basic necessities. Koga took the initiative by leaping onto the lap of his mentor. Looking up at Butz with a smile, Koga waved his hands a bit. A greenish aura surrounded Koga, and then quickly dissipated, startling Butz a bit. The adventurer knew that this aura indicated the use of black-type magic, but remembered that he only taught Koga a bit of white magic, for he assumed Koga had only a few of the crystal spirit powers he and his friends had. Where did the child master black magic? Butz pulled a hair from his head, and examined it.
"He he," giggled Koga. "I turned your hair orange." Butz rolled his eyes.
"Fix it. Now," he ordered. Hastily, the kid reversed the spell. "Now, Koga, where did you learn black magic?"
"My mommy taught it to me before she went to the other side," Koga said. A tear developed but he hastily wiped it away. Butz pulled Koga closer to him and hugged him, indicating to the boy that it was okay to remember sad memories from the past. After all, his parents died as well.
"Butz?"
"Hmm?
What is it?"
"Can you be my daddy?" Butz looked at the child, not knowing what to say. When he painted a positive expression on his face, Koga's aura seemed to light up.
"Sure I can be."
*
Gliv looked over at his master, and saw that something was wrong. "Is something not of proper order?" inquired the sorcerer. For only a few minutes had his master been examining the Earth through his crystal ball. Muzef shook his head, then looked at his servant.
"Normally, we'd be able to feel Exdeath's spirit, right?" Muzef stated. "I can't feel his spirit in the spirit dimension. Furthermore, I feel an energy similar to his emanating from the Earth." Uodi gasped as he approached his lord.
"Lord Muzef!" he announced. "Are you saying Exdeath is alive?" Muzef's squint expression indicated he did not believe so.
"No, I remember him dying. This energy is very similar to our lord's, but it's small, and…fledgling. This clearly belongs to a young person."
"Could a kid possess Exdeath's spirit?!"
Muzef shook his head again. "I…don't rightly know."
*
The journey officially started. Koga belly-ached to such an extent that Butz decided to bring him along. He had his own reasons for bringing the kid along; if Koga indeed learned basic magic from his mother, perhaps his magic skill would increase as the journey went on. The plan thus far was to find the Staff, although they had no clue as to where it was located.
"Where's our first stop, Butz?" inquired Lenna. She kept her Hiryuu spear attached to her outfit in case of attack, and still wore her genji armor outside the kingdom's gates. Butz knew where they first had to go.
"We have to get to the ancient library," he told the group. "Cid and Mid have the airship there, and I want to read more about the Staff when we get there."
"Butz," she entered, "I know someone who lives in the forest near the ancient library who might be able to help you with the kid's magic. His name is Lornac, and his little hut is on the way there." Butz gave a playful tap on her shoulder.
"Great!" he exclaimed. "I'm glad you're so useful in a pinch!" The newest journey had begun, and already they had not one but two destinations. Even though they were up against unspeakable evil, and odds that just like before weren't good at all, Butz seemed excited by the prospect of fighting the bad guys. Exdeath was a despicable being that almost brought all of reality to an end, but he did one good thing; he brought this crew of four (five counting Cara whom they were hoping to meet up with on their way to the library) together. The journey would be a long one on foot, and it would take them even longer because their walking pace limited their speed.
"I can feel the enemy approaching," Koga entered. "I think they'll be here in three days' time." As much as he hated to admit it, the kid was right. They didn't have very long to find the staff or even to prepare for the journey ahead. With the castle Tycoon fading into the distance, it would be a long trek, indeed.
"Waiting for something?" all four adventurers looked up to the source of the voice that asked the question. To everyone's pleasant surprise, it was Cara, riding Hiryuu. Apparently, she saw the same thing that they did. "I thought you guys might want a lift."
Butz chuckled a bit. "You've just made our day," he stated. "You saw the evil forces approaching too?" She nodded, and brought the dragon down lower so they all could ride. From what the rest of the crew could see, the dragon was as healthy as ever, so the flight to the library wouldn't be to hard.
"Fly, Hiryuu!" cried Cara, and the dragon took to the sky with a rush. "So, to the library?" Faris shook her head.
"Yeah, but there's a little hut in the forest surrounding the library," she explained, "you know Lornac's place?" Cara nodded, and pointed the direction out for the dragon. The ground below them quickly seemed to shrink. Quite a bit had passed since Butz last felt the blast of wind surge by him as he rode the dragon, but nonetheless he seemed happy to go again. In only a matter of ten minutes, they were near the forest already. Thoughts of hope surged through their hearts and their minds as they stepped off the hiryuu.
"Lornac?" cried Faris. A calm, gentle wind brushed past them, and they soon heard only the sounds of each other's footsteps and the trees rustling. Butz hastily pulled his sword from its holster, and armed himself. Shortly thereafter, the others felt it too. In their midst stood a silent warrior who'd made himself invisible using a bit of white magic. Even though his presence could not be directly seen, they instinctively could sense his every movement.
