Chapter 2: The Shadow Lord's Helper
Zeid was now deep within the Yagudo nesting grounds, known as Giddeus. He was there to rid the Yagudo stronghold of a dark dragon, which had already eaten very many Yagudo tribe members. Zeid was there because he had got called to Windurst to go on a quest that was requested by the Yagudo Chieftain himself. The Yagudo had called to Windurst for help, and then Windurst had turned to Zeid. Finding himself deeper in Giddeus than anyone had ever been, he felt he was getting close to the location of the dark dragon. Finally, he happened upon something that was quite unexpected. It was a Mithra known as Semih Lafihna, leader of the Sybil Guards in Windurst and right hand to the mysterious Star Sybil. Also trained by Perih Vashi, her skills with the bow were remarkable. She seemed to be facing a one-eyed monster with wings.
"Your reign of terror ends here!" Cried Semih Lafihna.
The evil eye just laughed. "Ha! Let's see how you fare against my pet!" All of a sudden, the earth began to rumble. "I summon you, Shadow Dragon!" The ground in front of Semih Lafihna burst open and out of it appeared a ghastly looking dragon, resembling the description given to Zeid.
Semih Lafihna jumped backwards, as to avoid the pieces of the earth in front of her being scattered. "You think this creature is any match for me?" she said as she took out her bow and fired one graceful arrow into the dragon's lower stomach. The dragon gave a great howl of pain. Semih Lafihna looked to her side to see only Zeid.
"Ah, what do we have here, a volunteer to slay the dragon? Well, I have much better things to be doing than this. This dragon is no match for my bow and it bores me. Perhaps it is worthy to fight you." With those final words, she threw down smoke bombs and disappeared behind the white smoke.
Zeid un-clasped his great sword from his back, ready to fight, "So, you're the one that has been sending your dragon out to reek havoc on these Yagudo!"
The Evil Eye smiled. "Why yes, it is the Shadow Lord's wish after all. They betrayed the Beastmen race by signing a peace treaty with the Federation of Windurst."
Zeid was shocked. "The Shadow Lord? What are you talking about! He was destroyed twenty years ago in the Great War!"
The Evil Eye sighed. "Why am I even talking to you? I should be destroying you! Shadow Dragon, attack the pathetic Galka!" The dragon flew up into the air and came down, hard, at the ground where Zeid was standing. Zeid jumped out of the way and delivered a horizontal slash to the Dragon, slicing it across the arm. The dragon gave out a roar, turned around, and clawed at Zeid, but was only blocked with Zeid's great sword. Zeid forced the dragon's claw off of his great sword and suddenly started manipulating the dark spirits of Vana'diel to enter his body and give him strength, most of these spirits being the ones of the fallen Yagudo at the hands of the Shadow Dragon. He then ran at the dragon with his great sword dragging behind him. The dragon was again up in the air and coming down hard on Zeid. As Zeid charged towards him, he jumped up into the air and passed the dragon so fast that no one even saw what had happened. Both the dragon and Zeid landed, facing opposite each other. The dragon's head then started slipping from his shoulders. Then, to the Evil Eye's surprise, the Shadow Dragon's head had fallen completely off.
Zeid, re-clasping his sword to his back, just grinned. "Barely even a challenge." He looked over and saw the Evil Eye trying to escape, "Oh no you don't!" He ran after the Evil Eye and caught him. Tackling him to the ground, he started pummeling the Evil Eye to the pulp.
Lion, also hearing of the mysterious dragon, ran to Giddeus and arrived there as soon as these events began to unfold. She ran up to Zeid and pulled back his fist. "Stop, he might be able to give us some information! Talk to him!"
Zeid, not knowing who this crazy woman was, threw her off of him. "Alright, I'll do that." Standing up and holding the Evil Eye by its wings, Zeid questioned him. "Tell me, what you were talking about when you said 'it's what the Shadow Lord wants!'" The Evil Eye, bruised and beat up, did not answer. "Answer me!" yelled Zeid. "Has the Shadow Lord returned?"
The Evil Eye cleared his throat. "He is not back yet, but he is in the process of coming back. This stunt that the Shadow Lord has sent me on was to distract the people of Vana'diel, but to also punish the Yagudo at the same time."
Zeid, still astonished that the Shadow Lord was on the verge of returning, said. "So we can still stop it? Tell me, what kind of magic can you use to bring the Shadow Lord back from the dead?" The Evil Eye, again, did not answer. "How would you plan on bringing the Shadow Lord back from the dead?"
The Evil Eye was fading fast. "Magicite… They will use Magicite."
Zeid, losing his temper, yelled. "Who is going to use the Magicite and where do they plan on gathering it?"
The Evil Eye was falling quiet. "The Orcs are storing their Magicite in Davoi, The Quadav has theirs in Beadeux, and the Yagudo have their Magicite in Castle Oztroja." The Evil Eye's breath began to stop. "You will never stop the return of the Shadow Lord. Just remember that it was I, the most loyal servant of the Shadow Lord, Seeker, who told you of the Shadow Lord's return." With Seeker's final words, his one big eye closed and he died.
Zeid, frustrated, threw him down and then turned to Lion. "Don't follow me, I am going to find that Magicite myself. I must stop the return of the Shadow Lord on my own." With his final words he walked out of the Yagudo stronghold, Giddeus.