Welcome to my new story! This is a fanfiction based on "Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles," aka "FFCC," a fabulous video game owned by Square Enix.

This story is recommended for those who have played FFCC. Because the game has already provided a beautiful world with detailed settings and creatures, I will be using little physical description. I will introduce the storyline, the settings, the characters, and the creatures with the hope that readers have played the game and already have knowledge of these components of the game. (The physical descriptions of the eight main characters will be provided at the end of the chapter.)

I am limiting physical description because the game has taken care of this. I am focusing, instead, on character interaction.

I am highly inspired by Dark Amphithere's FFCC fanfiction, "Final Fantasy: Tipa's Crystal Chronicles." However, I am not attempting to copy and paste his story; I am instead trying to bring a new adventure to the FFCC world. Any extreme similarities between our two stories are subconscious and accidental.

I hope you enjoy the story! Let us begin.

Chapter One: The New Caravan

The house was dark. Its windows contained no movement, no light, no comfort or welcome. With the sun directly behind it, the desolate building cast a long shadow over the ground, consuming all in its darkness.

Nalia Tal gazed at her home. The windows stared back like empty eyes, devoid of the life they had once contained.

The female Lilty closed her eyes. "Good bye," she murmured. Then she departed, leaving behind the house which held so many memories of love and joy.

Yuniel's mother accompanied her daughter to the door. Both were silent as they traveled through the house's silent halls. Yuniel let her hands caress the wooden walls, their sturdy structures reinforced by Gravity. The walls which her father had built.

When the two female Yukes reached the door, they immediately embraced. "Please," Yuniel's mother whispered through sobs. "Please come back."

"I will. I promise." When her mother had ceased crying, Yuniel gently removed herself from her mother's arms. She lightly gripped her mother's hands before exiting the house. Even as she moved further from the building, Yuniel could hear her mother's continued cries.

Firal Gat was armored from head to toe. Though his gear was heavy, the male Lilty stood tall. He swung his newly-forged spear experimentally; the weapon moved swiftly and fluidly through the air.

His father watched the scene with a smile. "How does it feel?"

"It's perfect." Firal smoothly maneuvered the spear onto his shoulder, ignoring the exposed points of the weapon.

"Good. I'm glad the armor fits. Not that I ever doubted it would. True armor for a true Lilty." Placing his hand upon his son's armored shoulder, Firal's father said, "Every new member of the caravan is young, Firal. All are between the ages of eighteen and twenty, just like you. But none are as experienced as you are. You'll have to take care of them, you hear?"

The young Lilty nodded. "I won't let you down."

"I know you won't." The older man watched his son march away with a proud smile upon his face. Firal never looked back.

Vaterium walked through his house quickly. He moved swiftly past the trash upon the floor, stepped over the splintered components of the stairs, ignored the rotting walls.

Sitting near the entrance of the home was a male Yuke. He reeked of alcohol. Though the man was motionless, Vaterium knew his father was awake. Vaterium ignored him as well.

The eyes of the man lazily followed his son, but he said nothing. Both were silent as Vaterium departed through the crumbling entrance to the house.

When reaching the bottom of her stairs, Iliana was immediately swarmed by her two younger siblings. The male and female Clavats clung to their sister, desperately keeping her in the house. "Don't go!" her six-year-old brother cried. Iliana's five-year-old sister could say nothing through her penetrating sobs.

Iliana knelt and tightly hugged her crying siblings. "It's ok. Everything will be alright. You'll be alright." She looked upward at her father, who watched them from several feet away.

Her father presented her with a mirthless, forced smile. "Yeah, we'll be alright."

Kissing her siblings' cheeks and wiping away their tears, Iliana released them and stood. She silently walked to her father and embraced him. Both cried silently, their tears wetting their still cheeks.

Some minutes later, Iliana exited the house. Her family escorted her outside. Nalia was waiting. The Clavats and Lilty did not utter greetings to one another; instead, Iliana knelt and hugged her lifelong friend. Neither cried, though Iliana's siblings wept heavily as they joined the embrace.

When this moment ended, Iliana's father took the hands of his two younger children. The two children waved constantly as Nalia and Iliana walked away. Iliana turned and, with a radiant, comforting smile, waved many times before her family was out of sight.

"You'll tell us all about your adventures, right?"

"Yeah, you'll kill big monsters, right?"

"Yeah, you'll tell us when you get back, right? Right?"

Tiya Sen smiled at the words of her three brothers. The three Selkies—who were twelve, ten, and seven, respectively—could not hide their sadness from their older sister. They're trying so hard to be brave, she thought to herself. "Of course I will." She embraced each one of them. Though they normally were slightly hostile toward such affection, they gladly returned her hug on this day.

Her two sisters, of ages five and four, had not said a word. However, they too refrained from crying. Tiya knelt next to them. "Are you sad?" she whispered so softly that only they could hear.

They quietly nodded. "Don't tell them, though," the five-year-old whispered, glancing at the three brothers.

"It's ok to be sad," Tiya murmured. "They're sad. I'm sad. It's ok to be sad."

The four-year-old clasped Tiya's hand. "You won't forget us, will you?"

Tiya smiled. "Of course I won't. I could never forget you." She hugged them both, kissing each on the forehead.

Rising, Tiya approached her mother, who was standing nearby. "Will you be alright?"

Her mother smiled. "We'll be fine. Don't you worry about us."

Tiya warmly embraced her mother. After rustling the hair of her brothers and gripping the fragile hands of her sisters, Tiya embarked and refrained from looking back.

After watering the final crop within his family's farm, Raku Doon quietly entered his house. Though the male Selkie had successfully avoided detection before this, he was unable to do so now. His mother saw him walk into the home. "Raku? What are you doing?" Seeing the dirt on his hands, she said, "Were you doing chores? Today?"

Raku shrugged. "I couldn't resist. You know how much I love physical labor."

"You know, your sarcasm is going to get you back someday." Her face became sad. "You know, you didn't have to do that," she said slowly.

"You would've forgotten. You always forget to water in the morning."

His mother began to sob. Moving forward, Raku embraced her. As Raku did so, his father appeared. "Oh," the older man murmured. "Is it time already?"

Raku nodded and hugged his father. Neither wept; instead, the father placed a hand upon his son's shoulder. "Be wary, Raku. The world is a dangerous place."

"Don't worry, Dad. There's eight of us."

His father's face was stern. "Orcs and goblins aren't the only monsters in this world." Nothing more was said. With the grim warning in mind, Raku headed toward the town's center.

Kayan held his weeping mother for what seemed like hours. "It's ok, Mom. I'll be back. Dad made it back. I'll be fine."

Reluctantly releasing her son, Kayan's mother nodded. Kayan wiped the tears from her cheeks and kissed her brow before approaching his father. The father and son embraced. When the two male Clavats released each other, Kayan's father said, "There will be many hardships, Kayan. Monsters will not be the only problems you face. You are so pure-hearted, Kayan; the others will need your strength."

"Don't you believe in them?"

His father frowned. "Of course I do. But not all individuals believe in the other races as we do." Then the older man stepped forward and hugged his wife. All three Clavats embraced before Kayan departed.

Kayan did not travel far before encountering Yuniel. "Good morning, Yuniel." The female Yuke nodded but did not reply. "You doing alright?" This time, the nod was slow. Frowning, Kayan said, "Yuniel, you don't have to do this."

"I know." The Yuke said nothing more, nor did she leave.

After giving Yuniel a small smile, Kayan stepped forward and hugged his only friend. Yuniel silently returned the embrace. Separating, the two quietly walked together toward the heart of the village.

The eight teenagers of the town—the new and sole members of Tipa's caravan—slowly entered the plaza which lay at the heart of Tipa, their village. Towering above them was a massive Crystal. The Crystal was tantalizing, its blue composition as powerful and mysterious as the ocean. However, the magical light of the Crystal was fading; it was time for Tipa's caravan to set forth.

When all eight members of the caravan—who were Kayan, Iliana, Firal Gat, Nalia Tal, Vaterium, Yuniel, Raku Doon, and Tiya Sen—had arrived, Roland, the village's wise elder, addressed them. "You are brave," he said. He was fairly quiet, but all present could hear him clearly. "It saddens my heart to see such young individuals embark on such a perilous journey, but I am inspired by your courage. We all are. The citizens of Tipa—your friends and family members—are all depending on you. We believe in you.

"Be careful, and be strong. The world is covered in darkness; miasma relentlessly attempts to destroy all life. Yet even in the greatest darkness, there is hope. The Crystals protect us, and dwelling within the darkest shadows of the land are Myrrh Trees, shining like stars in an endless night.

"Remember what you fight for. Remember the glow of our Crystal, the light of life. Remember, and do not lose hope. We will always be here for you, as you will always be there for us. Fight for us; fight for the hope hiding in the darkness. Be safe, be brave, and come back to us."

Roland held aloft the Crystal Chalice, the torn container which could magically hold Myrrh. Embedded in the top of the chalice was a Crystal, which emanated a soft, blue light. Because she stood closest to Roland, Iliana took the chalice, holding it as gently and lovingly as if it were a newborn baby.

Next to Roland was a wagon with a papaopamus standing in front of it. Both were ready to leave; Roland had spent the morning preparing the caravan's vehicle of transportation. The eight members of the caravan positioned themselves without speaking. Though they constantly glanced at each other, the young members of the four races were silent. Iliana, Nalia, Yuniel, and Tiya boarded the bed of the wagon; it was Tipa's tradition of placing the female members of the caravan within the wagon when leaving the village. Firal manned the head of the wagon. Grabbing the whips, he firmly gave the papaopamus motivation to move forward.

The caravan quietly exited their hometown, leaving behind their families and all they held dear, separating themselves from the home of all their memories.

End of Chapter One

Physical descriptions of characters (derived from the customized characters of FFCC):

Kayan - Clavat - Male - Natural

Iliana - Clavat - Female - Long Hair

Firal Gat - Lilty - Male - Steel Visor

Nalia Tal - Lilty - Female - Bare Head

Vaterium - Yuke - Male - Black Mage

Yuniel - Yuke - Female - Spiral

Raku Doon - Selkie - Male - Wolfie

Tiya Sen - Selkie - Female - Shark Eyes