Disclaimer: Final Fantasy is copyrighted by Nintendo

Chapter 3

Kozu the thief looked back and forth between Orion and Lazarus, the fighter and black mage he had encountered earlier in the day. The three men were standing in a furnished inn room in the middle of the night, with only the light of the moon illuminating their lodgings. At that moment, Orion and Lazarus were speechless: according to this thief, the three of them were meant to be the fabled heroes of destiny, the Heroes of Light. To prove this, Kozu held out his emerald crystal, while Orion offered up his sapphire and Lazarus reluctantly produced his amber crystal; all three were glowing in a radiant light unlike any their holders had witnessed before.

"Do you believe me now?" asked Kozu as he put the crystal back into his pouch.

"It's impossible," Lazarus mumbled, "just impossible. How can this have happened?"

"It's destiny!" Orion shouted. "We were always meant to be the Heroes of Light!"

"I'm a cynical pagan, you are a brainless oaf, and this man is a kleptomaniac. There is no way that fate is so bleeding stupid as to pick people like us."

Kozu paced around the room as Orion and Lazarus bickered back and forth between each other. His eyes were constantly going back to his pouch. Was this really his destiny? Was he meant to save the world? These questions plagued his mind, but he ignored them for the moment.

"Listen," he told the pair, "I have a feeling that we will find the final Hero of Light somewhere in Corneria. Tomorrow, we shall search him or her out. For tonight, we shall sleep."

Lazarus staggered back to his bed, his earlier bout of nausea returning to him. "Yeh, well, find your own place to sleep; this bed is mine!"

"Don't worry about me. I can sleep standing up."

"Really?"

"Yes, fighter, it's a thief skill."

"Call me Orion!"

"Orion it is. And you, o black mage?"

"I'll tell you in the morning."

Soon after, Kozu fell asleep in the corner of the room while Lazarus was tossing and turning in his slumber. Orion was the only one who did not sleep that evening. He was much too excited about the prospect of saving the planet. The fighter spent that entire night wondering just where the final member of the party might be, and whether or not they would be as amicable as Lazarus was.

**

On that same evening, on the floor above the three Heroes, a traveler was trying as hard as he might to NOT fall asleep. He was bent over at the table in his room, poring over a scroll that he had procured while on the Eastern Shores. Occasionally, he would brush back a lock of his white hair that had fallen into his eyes. The lonesome scholar perused the contents of the scripture before finally rolling it back up and placing it inside his satchel. Enough was enough; he needed to sleep.

He removed his red coat and laid it upon the table's chair, and then did the same with his pants. His boots were left by his bedside. The last thing he stripped from his body was the red crystal that hung from his neck. It was emitting a bright light, like never before.

"I'll investigate that come the morrow," he whispered as he placed the ruby upon the nightstand.

**

At that same time, under that same moon, a young maiden was kneeling at the side of her bed, praying to the heavens for an answer to her divine question. She was a fair maiden, raised her entire life in a convent, who was given but one purpose in this world: to do the biddings of the gods. When she concluded her prayers, she rose up and shed her priestess robe. As she lay her body to rest, she noticed that the ruby necklace she was given by the High Mother was glowing in the moonlight in a most ethereal way.

"How lovely," she murmured as she drifted into slumber.

**

The next day saw the three travelers on the busy streets of Corneria, wondering what exactly they were going to do. Orion was jittering all over, eager to find this person he would he fighting against the forces of evil with; Lazarus was wondering if he might be able to sneak off and find a Spell Shop somewhere; Kozu was busy fighting the urge to rob everyone around him. Only one of them was focused on the task at hand.

"So how're we going to find the other Hero?" asked Orion.

"We'll go around to crowded areas," said Kozu. "If our crystal begins to glow, it means that the holder might be nearby."

"And if it's a crowded area, exactly HOW are we supposed to pick them out?"

"Talk to them, Lazarus. You'd be surprised at how much you can accomplish when you work with other people."

"I'll show you how much I can accomplish when I shove my knife into your greedy little-"

Orion clapped his companions on the back. "A splendid idea! Kozu and I will go shop at the tavern, while Lazarus can, um…"

"I'll be down by Ye Olde Magick Shoppe." The black mage wandered off down the alleyways to parts unknown. His comrades were left to go drink and ponder exactly what sort of sick sense of humor the forces that be must have…

After wandering for a spell, Lazarus happened upon a quaint shop that was made from white stone and had a stone-gray roof. There were three windows along the front and a single oak door served as an entrance. "Seeing as how my fellow Heroes of Light are off drinking ale till they can't stand," he wagered, "I have more than enough right to horde up on some arcane sorcery." With that decision made, he entered the old shop.

Seated at the counter was a fat old mage clad in a crimson robe. His head was adorned by a wizard's cap, and, like Lazarus, his face was concealed in the shadows. When Lazarus entered the shop, the old wizard looked up. "Well," he wheezed, "a customer! What sort of a spell would ya be looking for?"

"I'll take whatever you have, old man."

"I have Fire, Lightning, Sleep, and Focus."

The young black mage thought for a moment. "Which ones will allow me to destroy a monster should it even think of crossing my path?"

"That would be the first three."

"I'll take them." He threw his money onto the counter and sped off with his new magic tomes in hand. A giddy smile was on his face as he ran out of the shop. Nothing, not even the stupidity of his traveling companions could ruin his day!

WHAM!

Lazarus and the person he collided with fell to the ground. He rubbed his head and started to shout, "Hey, why don't you watch where you're go…go…oh," but he stopped when he realized exactly WHO he had bumped into.

Standing in front of him had to have been the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. A white mage's robe was wrapped around her body, but the hood was pulled down, revealing fiery-red hair that fell down to her shoulders and framed her face perfectly. Her dainty features were elegant, like royalty, and yet, she did not seem unapproachable. She had a cute little nose, soft, oval-shaped eyes that glistened like the surface of the ocean, and voluptuous lips that looked as soft as a pillow. Underneath the robe, the woman was wearing a pale blue tunic that was light and ephemeral. Her feet barely touched the ground, and her steps were silent thanks to her soft slippers. She was breathtakingly beautiful.

"Oh, I'm so very sorry!"

"I…no, it, um…uh…"

"I must have hit you by accident as I was leaving the White Magic Shop. Are you okay?"

Lazarus was not okay. His mouth was not working but his brain was on overload. Snap out of it, you damnable fool! The most perfect woman in the world is talking to you and all you can do is stand here as though you are petrified!

At last, his mouth moved and he shouted, "I AM LAZARUS, THE BLACK MAGE!" The woman stared at him for a moment before bursting into giggles. "Oh, I'm…I'm so sorry, hehe! I shouldn't be laughing, I just- hahahaha!" At that moment, Lazarus was very, VERY thankful that the standard black mage robe covered his face, for his blush would have put the ripest tomato to shame.

She stopped laughing soon after and reached out a hand. "Sorry for that, Lazarus the Black Mage. My name is Sister Maria, the White Mage." Her voice was silken smooth like a cat's.

"My apologies," he said as he shook her hand. "I'm just, well…"

"I can perfectly understand you're, er…problem."

"Come again?"

"Well, black magic has ill effects on the brain, has it not?"

"Madam, I do believe you insult me."

"Oh?"

"Yes. Black Magic destroys the outer world, not the inner. We use our powers for decimating our enemies, not ourselves."

Another awkward silence passed. "Yes," said Maria after a time, "well, I must be going to the market. Farewell, Lazarus the Black Mage." She wandered off in a hurry, leaving Lazarus all to himself.

"Well, strike me blind," he exclaimed, "I think she likes me!" The black mage dusted off his robes, checked to make sure his breath was fine (it was not), and then followed after Maria. He did not notice that the crystal in his pocket was glowing…

**

A good distance from the magic shops was the Cornerian Tavern. It was a place where all sorts gathered to drink, to gather a strong party, but mostly to drink. The tavern was nice and furnished, but there were some spots that were offset because of a brawl that had happened there. This was where Kzou and Orion were, and where they would hopefully find their fellow Hero of Light.

"Okay," Kozu whispered to Orion, "I'll head over to the mercenary guild, you cover the bar."

"Gotcha." The two split up. Kozu headed over to meet and greet the various warriors for hire, and Orion went to, well, drink ale and make conversation. The fighter plopped down onto a red barstool and said, "Barkeep! I'll have some of your finest ale!"

"I'll second that!" An inebriated man stumbled over and knocked into the bar. He was dressed in the Cornerian armor sans helmet, revealing a thick head of blonde hair. The man shouted, "It's the most t'rrible thing! That thieving bastard Garland has gone and stolen the princess Sarah! And the king's already sent out five of his most powerful knights, but they were slaughtered immediately!"

Orion helped the knight onto a barstool. "Tell me about this Garland guy."

"He's a right awful…the most powerful knight in all of Corneria…We always knew he was a little, y'know, wrong in the head, but we never figured he was a full-fledged demon of the Nether World!" The bartender passed a pint of ale to the knight. He took a big swig of the drink. "He can't be stopped by ordinary means. I…I fear that we might not be able to save the princess at all!" He broke down into fitful, drink-induced tears upon the bar and slammed his fists against the wood. Orion stared in sympathy at the man and wondered if there was nothing he could do.

"Don't you worry," he said as he clapped the man on the back, "the Heroes of Light are coming, and will surely save the princess!"

The drunken man did not hear him. "We're all doomed…it's over…the forces of evil have won…"

While Orion continued to drink, and Kozu spoke to the mercenaries, neither of them noticed the glowing light of their crystals grow brighter and brighter…

**

"Look, lady, all I'm saying is healing spells aren't going to do a thing for you when you wander down these tough city streets alone at night! Sometimes you need protection from the fiends that lurk nearby!"

"You mean protection from the house of elders or from the orphanage?"

"Both! Those old folks and children can be tricky little bastards."

Lazarus was following Maria through the crowded market square. So far, he had yet to actually impress her with his vast store of knowledge. It did not help that he was constantly offending the white mage to no extent. At the moment, Maria was perusing a stand of fruits, while Lazarus was standing beside her. Even though his face was concealed, she could tell that he had a cocky smirk plastered on his mug.

"I mean, these are powerful magicks that make a man feel alive! With power coursing through every sinew, every vein of your body! How could you possibly turn that down in favor of the art of healing?"

"I did it because I want to help people." She spun to face him, and gave Lazarus a most dangerous glare. "You are, without a doubt, the most morally bankrupt and violent man I've ever had the misfortune of knowing! Leave me and stay out of my sight!" Maria began to walk off, but Lazarus ran ahead of her and cut off her path.

"Listen," he said, "I'm sorry about all that. It's just that, well, I'm not so good at talking with women. Particularly beautiful ones like yourself."

"Oh! W-Well all right then!"

"Yes, and I want to apologize. My friends and I are…explorers of a sort, and we laak a healer. I know they are down at the tavern; may I get you a drink so that we might discuss this at length?"

The white mage put a finger to her chin in thought. "All right. Besides, I would honestly like to hear more about black magic. Could you refrain from talking about killing innocent beings, however?"

"I make no promises." The two of them walked off to the tavern, the animosity from before having all but vanished.

"Remove your hand from my buttocks before I crush you with my hammer, please."

"It slipped, I swear!"

**

When Lazarus entered the tavern with Maria, he spotted Orion from across the room. "Orion! Have you found anyone yet?"

"Nope," he replied, "but Kozu's talking with some people over there, so we'll see what comes up!"

The thief wandered back over and joined the small group. "Well, there wasn't a soul over there that had the red crystal of fire. I know, I checked. Speaking of checking things, I will need to stop by the shop and sell back all these trinkets I "found" on the floor."

"You just found them?"

"That's right, my black magic friend."

"You have a pearl necklace."

"Someone must have dropped it. Don't worry, it will go to some little orphan girl, I just know it."

Maria smiled sweetly. "Oh, that's so wonderful of you to give to charity!"

"See," said Orion, "he's a great guy!"

"He's a THIEF!" shouted Lazarus.

"I think he might have some anger issues."

"I concur. Just on the walk here, I could detect some amount of self-loathing."

"That's what I've been saying for years."

The black mage growled. "I know a dozen ways to kill you three."

"But won't you just be hurting yourself in the process?"

Before Lazarus could stab anyone with a knife, Kozu jumped between them. "Okay, let me just cover some ground rules when we set off on our journey. Any treasure we find? Mine. Any gil we find? Also mine, but I will loan some to you. Any weapons? Those that I cannot wield will be passed to a person who can. Any items? Those will…" He kept going on, but Lazarus was no longer listening. He was gazing longingly at Maria, and he felt a tug in his heart.

Sweet saints above, this woman is beautiful! Why, we might just be destined to be together! I mean, she casts white magic, I cast black magic. She is soft and gentle while I'm ruthless and violent. It's the age old proverb of opposites attracting!

But she's far too good for me. What am I? I'm just a cynical, emotionally crippled narcissist who has homicidal urges. What chance do I have with a beauty such as hers? I don't deserve to stare into her deep, blue eyes. I'm unworthy of gazing at her brilliant red hair. Saint Ivalice, why did it have to be red hair? As if she wasn't unattainable enough…

"Lazarus, are you okay?"

"Why won't you love me?!"

His companions all stared at him as if he had grown a second head. Embarrassed, Lazarus bowed his head and made his way to the bar. Orion wanted to spare his friend from humiliation, so he asked, "Kozu, can you fight? We'll be taking on a lot of dangerous enemies!" The thief responded by drawing two short swords from his belt and spinning them at a high speed. When he stopped, the fly that was circling around him split into at least three pieces.

"Does that answer your question?"

"Great! And White Mage, what can you do?"

"Well, fighter, my name is Maria and I am a priestess for the Church of St. Ivalice. I am gifted with a knowledge in healing magicks, and I wield a large hammer of divine judgment."

Both men looked at her before saying, "Wow."

"That's mighty impressive," Kozu sighed, "but what we're looking for is someone with a red gemstone that glows with our own." He held up his green crystal, and Orion did the same for his blue one. From at the bar, Lazarus hoisted up the golden crystal. "We are the Heroes of Light, y'see."

"The Heroes of Light?"

From out of nowhere came a spry young man wearing a red cap and garments. He had, in his pale hands, a red crystal attached to a chain. "Good sirs, I do believe this is what is known as fate!" he exclaimed.

"Just who are you?" asked Kozu.

"Oh, pardon my intrusion. My name is Lucius Malchior, scholar and student of the Red Magicks!" He hoisted his hands into the air as though he were receiving some award. Lucius was, from what the others could tell, fairly well-built man that was no older than they were, though his body was hidden in the confines of a fine shirt, pants, boots, and a large cape. His cap had a white feather placed in it; it matched his long, white hair. There was a sword in his belt, and a satchel over his shoulder. He opened the satchel and began to distribute various papers to Kozu, Orion, and Maria.

"This is my magical degree from the Mage Academy in Pravoka, my degree in teaching from Corneria, and my title of 'Head Master Mage' from the city of Delmar. I think you'll find that I am more than qualified to join as your fellow Hero of Light!"

Kozu flipped through the documents for a moment and then said, "Well, everything appears to be in order. And your crystal is glowing brightly. Lazarus, stop drowning yourself in ale and come over here!" The black mage hesitantly returned to the group and he held out his crystal. All four of the crystals shined as bright as stars, and Maria had to cover her eyes from the shine.

"Well, it appears that we four are the Heroes of Light!" exclaimed Orion.

"Before we continue," Lucius coughed, "I would like to know if any of you have any personality defects."

Kozu pocketed his crystal. "I'm a thief, Lazarus is a cynic and a jerk, and Orion is an imbecile. And judging by your know-it-all attitude, I would say that you'll fit in nicely! Welcome aboard!"