Chapter 1: To Topple a King
Two soldiers make their way from the capital city of Bastok to the fort in North Gustaberg. One in Republican Mail with sword and shield and the other dressed in some type of blue mage's clothes with a single short horn protruding from a metal headband. He has a jeweled casting staff.
"This endless war has been hard on Bastok, but not in the same way as the other great nations," Zelig explains to his new friend. Even considering they are both Galkas, he and Gamesage have become friends unusually fast. "San d'Oria has taken massive casualties and the Windurst capital city has been physically devastated as you know…"
Gamesage nods remembering the shock of seeing his home destroyed after being eaten by a Cavernous Maw.
"…But here in Bastok things can be said to be much worse. In those counties the population is united under the flag but here we are more divided than ever. I don't know what life is like for you in Windurst, but you have been acting dangerously naive. We are on the brink of civil war. You must be careful around the Humes."
"To be careful about the Humes or to be careful of our fellow Galkas?"
Zelig, unable to think of a response, looks at the ground, "…Both… Both unfortunately," he says finally. "I'm old enough to just remember the last race riot in Bastok. Things have always been rough for us here but it's all we've had 'til now."
"Until now?" Gamesage asks.
Zelig opens his arms wide in front of him. He stares hungrily down at his palms, fingers curled back clawing at the air. "Our current President won because of us. He promised us justice and equality finally after all these horrid centuries of virtual slavery. But because of the war all the money and recourses meant for raising us from servitude are going to the war. It can't be helped. We both know the front lines…"
Gamesage nods.
"…but people are starving worse than ever with the rationing and the military has forced thousands from their homes into the streets."
Gamesage looks at the ground somberly, "If war comes… what side will you fight on?"
Zelig lowers his arms and looks at the ground again as they walk. His long silence says more than any words. If he was determined to fight along side his own kind, he would have said so already. His heavy guilt warps his body, from his face to his steps.
"No offence…" he finally begins, "I really like you. Don't take this the wrong way, but how can I trust someone with something like that who won't tell me his real name?"
"Not this again," Gamesage rolls his eyes.
"Look we take our nicknames because the other races either cannot pronounce or refuse to learn our real names."
"Is it really that important? What's in a name but a bunch of syllables?"
Zelig's face turns to angry disbelief, "How can you say that!" He clenches his fists and flails his arms in rage, at least what he believes is rage at the time. "Our language is all we have left of our civilization, and it is dying more and more with each generation. Soon even our names will disappear with that attitude."
"I'm sorry," Gamesage says sincerely as they begin to climb down the ramp. "But please understand that I like my nickname. It's not trivial to me. It's who I am this time around. My last life I had a different nickname that suited me then and my next life I will have a nickname that will suit the person I will become when I am reborn in another hundred and sixty years or so."
Zelig's face turns to shock. His rage dissipates completely, "A hundred and sixty years? What? Really?"
Gamesage roars, face towards the sky. Even for a Galka, his voice is deep like an unending pit.
Zelig gets a depressed smile.
"I'm only forty-four! What age did you think I was?" He looks at Zelig. His broad smile vanishes. "Are you all right?"
Zelig looks at the ground, "You might as well know…" he looks back up, "that you remind me of someone I lost to the Journey almost twenty-three years ago now. When I first saw you I almost died of fright." He chuckles to hide the pain he is in — it doesn't work. "The way you look, sound, move, even fight… it screams that you're him, but I know for a fact that he is that little boy. I've watched him grow up from a distance since his rebirth."
Gamesage smiles meekly, "It is still too painful to look at him isn't it?" Before Zelig can respond, he continues, "He's growing into a young man by now, talking to him may help give you closure… Or are you scared of falling in love again? Love is a scary thing but it shouldn't keep you from the ones you care about."
Zelig stops in his tracks, goes bug-eyed and slack-jawed.
Gamesage laughs again, this time beating his knees, "You look like you've just seen a ghost!"
At the fort, a unit of Hume soldiers is on duty. "Hey Sergeant!" shouts the lookout from on top the fort. All the soldiers below look up at him.
"What is it soldier?" he shouts up.
The lookout points towards the ramp, "Here comes Private Zelig and that 'Adventurer' person Gamesage!"
"Are you sure Private?" his commanding officer shouts.
"Yeah! It's them! There's no mistaking it!"
Individually they are both rare breeds, but together they have become an unmistakable pair. Both are large even by Galkan standards, but it's their hair that marks them apart. Zelig has a normal hair cut: slicked back hair exposing his forehead, bushy eyebrows so thick they fuse with his sideburns, and a neatly-trimmed robust beard. But his hair is a brilliant red, a red rivaling any Elvaan's locks, with darker auburn marks shadowing his eyes and cheeks. Gamesage has the more normal darker hair color, but his raven hair is spiked into three points tapering from black to salt and pepper to white at the tips like paintbrushes. His beard is thinner, but longer and more ragged than Zelig's, and his eye marks don't spread to his cheeks. Their deep ebony encircles his sockets making his piercing eyes look like they are emerging from darkened caves.
They deliver the orders to the soldiers at the fort and begin to walk back.
"The government really needs to invest in linkshells, they would make things more efficient and make these trips obsolete," Gamesage complains as they round the top of the tall ramp up the cliff face.
"You act like linkshells are common and dirt cheap," Zelig kicks the desert sand to make his point even more clear. "They are as expensive as drinking water if not worse."
"Maybe I should try to get some," Gamesage says to himself.
"Look, even if the scientists and mages find a cheaper way to make them, they would never leak them to civilians. You'll never see one as long as you live."
Gamesage lifts both his arms above his head and lowers his hands behind his head. "Hmm…I'll have to have the nerdian look up the history of linkshell use during the Crystal War to see if I can get away with bringing some back here without messing with history," he muses.
Zelig stops in his tracks. "What do you mean by that?"
Gamesage gets a confused look on his face, Wha…?" he begins to say. Suddenly horror consumes his eyes and he clamps his hands over mouth realizing he spoke out loud.
"Gamesage what is up with you?" Zelig asks concerned, "You're weirdness was funny at first but I'm starting to worry about you."
Gamesage walks over to one of the ramparts guarding the road and leans against it locking his elbows. He looks at the ground a long time.
"Gamesage? Gamesage are you alright?"
"…Zelig…" he finally starts, "… I… I think I need to be honest with you…"
"Honest? What do you mean?" Zelig's concern is tempered by muted anger, though his imagination could never conceive of the contents of the coming conversation.
"Zelig…" he says turning around. He looks him straight in the eyes. "I'm a time traveler. I'm from about twenty years in the future."
"That's not funny," Zelig says flatly.
"I'm serious," Gamesage says pleading with his arms. "I am from the future."
"If the Tales Keeper hadn't been lost in Xarcabard you children would never think you could to get away with things like this!" he says pointing bitterly.
"Raogrimm is alive."
"What?" says Zelig so shocked he is barely audible.
"If you can call it a life," Gamesage adds looking at the ground.
"What do you know? Speak!" Zelig demands.
"I saw him die, he saved my life."
"You are making no sense first he's alive now he's dead!"
"I told you," Gamesage says perfectly calm, "I'm from the future. He is alive now if you can call it that but he died saving me in the future."
"What do you mean 'if you can call it that'?"
Gamesage twists his minded trying to explain what happened to him without revealing the Great Raogrimm has become the Shadow Lord.
"I said SPEAK!"
Gamesage eventually finds some words, "Under normal circumstances, he would have joined the undead, but like many before him and the tens of thousands after him because of the war, the Great Bane of Xarcabard twisted his dying body into a demon."
Zelig's knees hit the ground, his soul unable to process what he is hearing.
He continues, "When he was finally recognized for who he really was I was part of the group that was sent to save him, but after we purified him…" Gamesage looks back at the ground, his shoulders slouched, "But then we never made it out of Xarcabard," he says dejected.
Zelig puts his face in his hands in anguish.
"But even then…" Gamesage continues his story.
"Will this madness ever end?" Zelig laments in his mind. He leans forward putting his elbows on the ground.
"But even then his soul couldn't find peace, and I was part of the alliance that entered the Shrouded Lands and cleansed him one last time." Gamesage gives a meek but hopeful smile, "His soul may never find true peace as we understand it, but Cornelia has stubbornly refused to pass quietly as well though she has managed to remain whole. She hasn't left his side in thirty years and she refuses to ever abandon him. Maybe with her by his side for eternity he will discover the next best thing."
"OH!" Zelig begins to moan. He rolls over on his side in the dust, "…Oh how the Galkas have fallen if babes can utter such damnations. Altana must have truly forsaken us!"
"Altana has not forsaken us!" Gamesage rushes over to him. "She will give the Knowledge to another Galka so the Sacred Cycle will remain intact, a Galka that personifies the true ideals that Altana represents. I couldn't think of someone more worthy to become our next Tales Keeper." Gamesage grabs Zelig by his shoulders and lifts him up. He looks him in the eyes, "This is no sunset. This is a dawn. A truly HOLY Dawn! There won't just be peace between the Humes and the Galkas, but between the Beastmen and all of us. The wandering Moblin tribes have settled and formed their own nation, and many Beastmen now live in our cities."
Zelig can't believe this. "How can such a world come to be? Are you mad!"
Gamesage says calmly not realizing the coming rage, "In Mindartia, there is a peace treaty between the Yagudos and Windurst. Some Yagudos are even serving as mercenaries in our armies. My good friend Gessho is a Yagudo, we first met in Aht Urhgan. He's become a diplomat." Gamesage pauses briefly. His voice turns from hopeful to a more somber tone, "… But history has been altered pretty dramatically by now so at this point all that can be hoped for is to try to rewrite history as close to the original as possible."
Zelig hears none of the last sentence. "You're friends with the Beastmen! Have you betrayed us!" Zelig grabs Gamesage's coat.
"Wait, Zbig…" Gamesage doesn't finish the word, "Zelig…What are you doing?"
Zelig twists his arm and pushes Gamesage to the ground screaming "Guards! Guards!" as they are near the entrance. Gamesage breaks free of Zelig but not before he is stabbed in the arm. Bleeding heavily, he makes a run for it.
Gamesage takes the lead and rounds a corner. Before Zelig can follow he hears "My spirit soars high with you, Garuda!" A sudden gale whips up a giant dust cloud blinding the view and choking the air as the City Guards run up.
"What is it Zelig?" one of them shouts over the roar. Suddenly the wind stops and the dust begins to clear.
"This way hurry!" Zelig runs into the cloud.
As the dust settles, the Galkan solders follow the muddy blood trail. It stops abruptly at the Maw. Zelig drops to his knees out of breath and leans on his sword. He punches the ground, "Damn you!" He starts to cry softly, "Damn you" he whispers.
"Zelig, what happened? Where's that Adventurer that was with you?"
The anger chokes the tears. He stands up, wipes the blood from his sword and resheathes it. "Don't worry about him, he'll be back."
As he starts to walk back to the entrance, they notice he's limping.
"You should have the Tarutaru White Mages look at you," one says, "A force of Windurstian mages and Mithra Mercenaries have just arrived to aid us. I hear they're the best in all of Vana'diel."
As Zelig is being escorted to the Infirmary, they come across a loud confrontation between some Galkas and some Humes. They move quickly to assist the Hume unit already on the scene to mediate and disperse the crowd.
"What's going on here?" demands a Galka soldier.
"That boy is accused of theft," the commanding Hume says pointing , "Normally we pay no heed to Galkas disciplining their own young. But then the mob came and we had to intervene. We are still discerning the cause when you came charging up."
"What is your rank soldier?" the Galka asks.
"I am Second Staff Sergeant."
"Then I outrank you. I am First Sergeant. Give me your report."
"That rat stole something belonging to my boy!" a man shouts with his hand on his son's shoulder. His wife nods.
"I've stolen nothing!" a voice shouts coming from the crowd of Galkas.
"Bring the boy here," the first sergeant orders.
A Galka child with a black eye and bruised arms squeezes his way through the mob and stands in front of him. The boy salutes, "Sir?" Zelig grimaces in terror looking at the boy.
The sergeant folds his arms, "What do you have to say for yourself?"
"I didn't do anything wrong Sir," he says meekly.
"Like Hell you did!" a Galka shouts, "You were playing with Hume children. A boy your age should know better!" The Galka soldiers all look surprised, all but Zelig. His face turns to pity.
"Is this true child?" the Galka sergeant asks.
"Yes Sir," he mumbles.
"What possessed you to do such a thing?" he asks shocked.
"I saw some Hume children play a game I didn't know so I watched a little bit. When I was spotted they decided to have some sport with me and invited me to play in their tournament. Then I won against him," he points at the boy, "The children had a toy necklace as a prize. He and the other children got into a yelling match over whether to give it to me since I won and he stormed off. He still had it with him when he and the others left." "I swear on the Goddess," he whimpers.
"How dare you lie hiding behind the dress of Altana!" The father clenches his fists and flails his arms. "I'll have you hanged rat for slandering my family! No Hume could ever lose to a Galka! You're nothing but a bunch of mindless buffoons! Stray cats take better orders than you wretches!"
As weapons begin to be drawn and fists are raised, Zelig jumps into the middle of the group before things turn physical, "All right! Everyone just calm down!" The fact that he faces the Galkas with his back to the Humes does not go unnoticed. "Everyone just stop please."
"Stop it Daddy!" a voice comes from behind. The high voice startles everyone from their rage and they all turn to see a group of children running towards them. Some dressed if fine clothes, others more worn.
"What are you girls doing here? Get back to the manor," a man orders looking down at the three girls standing in front of him, looking between twelve to five, "This isn't a place for children."
"We heard that Jasper lied about the game to get even with the nice mule so we all ran over," his middle child says.
"Father please," the oldest says taking him arm, "He really did win this week's tournament. He didn't cheat or anything. Can we hire him? He's really smart. Why didn't you ever tell us mules could be so smart?"
"Are you the children this boy played with?" the sergeant asks.
They all turn and see the beaten Galka child. A little girl, four at most, screams, "Doggie!" She runs over to the Galka boy and kisses him on the cheek. "You booboos ouchie?" she asks. Her brother, eight or nine, runs over and grabs her. "What did I tell you," he whispers sternly.
Zelig smiles when he sees them.
The older children turn to Jasper.
"Look what you've done!" a boy shouts.
"What was your problem anyway? Even if he is a Galka, he won fair and square and you know it," huffs a girl.
"You could have just won it again next week!" shouts another.
"Big meanie!" the little girl runs over and puts all her thirty-odd pounds of weight into a straight line punch. Jasper kneels over in pain, arms between his legs.
"Then you children confirm this boy's story about him winning some kind of game?" the Hume sergeant asks.
The little girl walks over to him and starts talking. She is almost impossible to understand so her older brother walks over, pulls her close and begins translating her toddler gibberish. Soon the other children all start to shout over each other adding their views to the narrative.
In spite the chaos Zelig can picture everything clearly in his mind:
The kids were having their gaming tournament and she saw the Galka child shyly watching behind a lamppost. She skips up very chipperly and introduces herself, "Hello my name Icie. What you name?"
"Drogo" the Galka whispers.
"Do you wanna play with us?"
He shakes his head no.
The girl looks confused. "You sure?"
Drogo hides his face behind the pole and nods.
She grins broadly and moves up to see him, "You really sure?"
"Yes," he says and backs up.
Icie walks up to him and grabs his hand and tries to drag him over, "If you don't wanna play why you watching us?"
By that time the other children have noticed her absence.
"She's over there!" she hears a kid yell.
"Get your filthy hands off of that girl Mine-Mule!" one of the older boys says as they surround Drogo trapping him against the sea wall three stories above the sea.
The girls grab Icie and pull her away. "Don't worry you're safe now," a girl says.
"What?" Icie asks confused.
"What you think you're doing Mine-Rat. Making friendly with the girls?" one says while another shoves him to the ground.
He kneels. "I do…do… nothing. I do nothing. Gir… Girl came to me," he stutters.
Some start to laugh. One kicks dirt in his face, "You expect us to believe a Hume would actually…"
"What you doing him you big bullies!" the little girl yells and tries to squeeze through the circle. The children turn deathly silent in pure utter shock. Little Icie runs up to Drogo, "You ok? Got booboos need kisses?"
"Sis, is the Galka telling the truth? Did you walk up to him?"
"Yep! And I asked him to play," she boasts proudly.
"Goddess, your little sister's an idiot," one boy says.
"Yeah what are your parents teaching you two?" a girl asks.
Some of the boys start to crowd the brother. He grabs his sister and holds her close.
"Sis, Galka and Hume kids don't play with each other," he says watching the other children. She keeps asking "why" until her older brother tries to slap her. The Galka kid grabs his arm before he hits her.
"Hey what do you think you're doing you filthy mule!" the boy who had kicked dirt in his face punches Drogo. Drogo doesn't flinch. The boy grabs his hand, falls to his knees crying "My hand! I broke my hand!"
Jasper interjects, "Did you guys honestly think you were really beating him up you morons. Even the strongest Hume that has ever lived could be broken like a tooth pick by a weakest Galka in history." He gets in Drogo's face, smiling as he mocks him patronizingly, "That's why the Galka are nothing more than servants. They have big muscles and tiny brains. They can't even tie their own shoelaces without a Hume telling them how to do it. If she won't listen to us then let's just show her how superior Humes are to Galka and let him play."
Drogo doesn't know any Hume games so Icie shows him how to play the first game. Drogo wins. They move to another game, another child impressed shows him how to play this one, Drogo wins again. This goes on through the tournament until Drogo has a small cheering section that goes nuts when Drogo wins against Jasper becoming the champion. Jasper refuses to acknowledge the win and turn over the prize, the necklace, and leaves.
The older brother then screams over the others pointing at Jasper, "I took the necklace because he was being a doodie-head and wouldn't give it to him!" He pulls on a chain around his neck revealing a gold pendant with a purple gem. He holds it out to Drogo, "Here this is yours."
Jasper's father goes to hit the brother but Drogo gets in the way again.
The Hume soldiers separate them. "Can I see that child?" the Galka sergeant holds out his hand. He takes it and holds it up to the light, "This looks like gold but the scratches are silver in color."
"May I see it," asks Jasper's mother, "Our family runs a jewelry store."
The Galka nods and hands it to her. She examines it. "Why this is nothing but gold plated tin. And ugh! The cut on this jewel is horrendous. A cut like this should be a crime worse than murder!" She stands up straighter and turns to her son, "Where did you find such a thing!" she scolds.
"The dog was playing with it," he moans still in some pain, "I thought it be a good piece of junk for the Port rabble."
She hands it back to the sergeant barely pinching the chain with her index and thumb and holding her nose with the other hand, "The dog must have found it in the bushes in front of the store burying his bones. Some fool thought it was worth something and tried to sell it." After he takes it back, she shoos him off like a servant, "Go on now! Take that disgusting thing away and toss it in the harbor where it belongs."
"Then it's all true then…" the father looks at the ground. He clinches his fists and glares at his son, "You really did lose to a Galka…"
The son tries to run away but the other men in the group grab him. His father walks over, "Not only did you lie to me, but you lost to a Rat! How am I supposed to face my associates and suppliers. Do you know what will happen to our business when they find out my son lost to a…!"
The mother walks between them, "Don't you dare beat him! It will do nothing to regain our honor." He turns his glare to her.
"Then what would you suggest woman?" he asks bitterly.
"Humes can never beat a Galka when it comes to brute strength. The only way to beat a brute is with your mind. Challenge the child to a game of chess and end this once and for all."
"I accept," Drogo says without hesitation.
The father turns around, "You're challenging me mine-mule?"
Drogo nods, "I won it from your son so it's only fair that I should let you win it back." Then he asks, "What's chess?"
The father laughs. "I accept your challenge! The price will be that worthless piece of tin."
"What are you doing lowering yourself like this?" the Hume sergeant asks shocked.
"I have been Bastok's chess champion for nine years and have never lost a match," he gloats, "This won't take long."
The Humes leave with their children, including the parents and their son to retrieve a chess set. The Galka sergeant puts his hands on his hips, looks down at his feet, shakes his head and sighs in disbelief.
"Sergeant, permission to speak freely?" asks Zelig.
"Proceed," he says raising his head pinching the bridge of his nose between his eyes.
"I think we should allow this match to go ahead."
The sergeant looks up shocked, "What? Why?"
"As unorthodox as this situation is, if we intervene to prevent this match from occurring, tensions will only escalate further. If we allow this match to proceed it will give closure to this disturbance."
"As if there can ever be closure between us and the Humes," interrupts one of the civilian Galkas. Many nod in silence.
"As much as I'd hate to admit this, you're probably right Zelig." The Galka sergeant turns to the other soldiers, "Men you are to give security and crowd control for this match. Keep things civil. We don't want another riot on our hands."
"Yes Sir!" they all salute.
As the civilian Galkas leave for the match one comes up to Zelig. "The greatest depths of hell are reserved for traitors and mutineers," he whispers.
"You should remember that fact," Zelig whispers back.
One of the other civilians places his hand on the Galka's shoulder, "You're wasting your time with him. This man is a friend of Gumbah." The first Galka turns to his friend and nods. Then they both walk off. Zelig begins walking away.
"What was that about?" a Hume soldier asks.
"It's nothing."
Zelig walks to the Infirmary with his head down the whole way. They want to keep him for observation because he is so pale and trembling slightly, but Zelig manages to talk his way back to duty.
Word spreads quickly for such a big city and a larger crowd than expected gathers for the match. The father gives a very rudimentary explanation of the game then they begin.
"You don't expect this match to proceed without my presents?" an old man walks out of the crowd and is stopped by the soldiers. The father sees him and looks surprised.
"What are you doing here? This isn't an official match," he says standing up.
"You know this man?" one of the soldiers asks.
"I am the head of the Bastok Chess Association. I brought my identification with me if you need it officers," he hands them some papers.
"I have every intention of officiating this match," he says walking over. He looks at the boy, "I'm told your name is Drogo little one," he smiles.
Drogo stands up as well. "Yes sir," he nods.
"But sir, this is just a rat," protests the father.
The judge turns to him. "My grandfather would tell me a story from his time in the army of a Galka who carved him a new chess set after his was lost in battle," he glances at Drogo, "I learn to play off that set." Then turns back to him, "And he told me that story of when he saved his life over and over again 'til I mumbled his name in my sleep. Even if this is against a Galka, you know the rules against unauthorized matches. If you wish to continue, I will be judging. Unless you wish to forfeit your membership?"
The father grumbles and sits back down.
"Good, then let's get started," he says taking his place next to the board.
"Checkmate, three moves!" Drogo says excitedly.
"What!" the father shouts. Drogo explains pointing at the pieces with the judge hovering over them.
"He's got you there," the judge says.
"This was only practice," the father protests, "I was just seeing that he understood the rules."
Before the judge can say anything, Drogo interrupts, "It's ok. We can go again. It wouldn't end this if he claims he wasn't really trying."
The judge leans back up and sighs shaking his head. "The practice match is over. The real match begins now by mutual consent!" he announces loudly to the crowd. He and the father exchange angry glares.
"Checkmate, six moves!" Drogo wins again, this time even faster.
"Matches are two out of three," the father protests again.
"Ok then," Drogo nods and they go one more time. This time the match is more even, but eventually the child withers down the man to a few pieces. It is obvious to everyone that Drogo is going to win again.
Drogo suddenly pokes the judge. "I need to go pee," he whispers.
He raises his hand, "Ten minute break! Go to the lavatory if you need to!"
Drogo knocks over his chair as he scurries off to the laughter of the crowd. The father turns around and watches him leave.
The father paces around stretching his legs. Then, as he hears Drogo making his way back, he sits lazily in Drogo's chair. "Welcome back," he says motioning to his empty chair.
Drogo walks over and touches the rook as the judge yells "No!" Drogo looks up at the judge with the rook in his hand, "What?"
The soldiers keep the unruly crowd at bay as the Galkas and now many Humes cry foul.
"And you call this a match of honor!" one Hume man shouts.
The father feigns innocence, "He touched the piece. Rules say he claims the color."
"What?" Drogo looks back and forth between them confused at first, but the many Humes laughing hysterically quickly brings him to reality.
"Hey you tricked me!" he shouts pointing angrily.
"I'm sorry boy but rules are rules. You touched it," the judge sighs. He leans down to Drogo's ear. "Don't worry. You still have one more match," he whispers.
"There won't be another match," Drogo says sternly putting the rook down. He glares angrily at the father. He returns it with a cocky grin.
"Checkmate! I win."
The crowd goes silent for several moments. Then a lone clapper starts. Then another, and then another, and another. Then a cheer from the depths of the crowd. The energy crescendos with almost everyone cheering, both Galka and Hume at the outcome. Drogo wins with an impossible hand.
Two Galkan soldiers run up from crowd control and lift Drogo on their shoulders. Drogo is happy at first enjoying the energy of the crowd. Then one of the soldiers screams something in Galkan and Drogo's face turns to horror. The chant moves through the crowd with even some Humes getting in on the act not knowing what they are saying. Drogo searches the crowd terrified and discovers a single face as horrified as he is at the chant. He stares at the Galka for a long time watching him hit his knees then roll over on his side lamenting.
Suddenly a faint sound rises above the jubilation. The crowd slowly goes quiet as people listen to the noise. A murmur moves though the crowd thinking it's a bell ringing frantically. Suddenly the two soldiers drop Drogo and all the soldiers run towards the gate. The civilians soon begin to panic and scatter. The lamenting soldier grabs Drogo in the chaos and runs to the barracks.
"Stay here!" he orders.
"What's happening!" Drogo cries.
"The city is under attack." Then he runs away.
Two days later, Gamesage is rewarded quietly for ringing the alarm bell like a wild man while most of the guards are quietly punished for leaving their posts to come watch the match. If Gamesage hadn't given the warning, the surprise attack would have been devastating. Zelig, confused as ever, decides to keep quiet over the events earlier that day.
The week after the attack, Zelig and his unit are returning from security in Mines when a child runs up to them.
"Hey you're the boy from the other day aren't you?" one asks.
"Yes sir," Drogo answers.
The soldiers smile and try to gather round the boy to talk to him. But Drogo runs and hugs Zelig's legs and starts to cry. The others' smiles fade as they look at him for an answer.
"I saved the boy from the stampede," Zelig turn to his sergeant, "Sir permission to walk behind with the boy?"
He nods, "Alright men back to the barracks. Zelig will catch up with us."
Zelig watches them leave then he leans down, "I'm surprised you recognized me after the short time we spent together."
Drogo shakes his head, "No I came here because I saw you crying in the crowd when the chant started. You feel the same way I do right?" Drogo sniffles.
Zelig gives a depressed smirk and nods.
"What's gonna happen to me? When the Humes find out I was called the name of their President's killer?"
Zelig puts his hand under his chin, "Don't worry about a thing. It was wrong to call you by the name of that murderer, but you've become a hero in your own way. No one will betray you to the Humes over this."
Drogo smiles, "I've never heard him called a murderer before." Zelig, startled at his slip of the tongue, falls backwards on his butt. Drogo nods, "I think he is too. You're called Zelig right?"
Zelig and the child are still talking as he walks into Markets. "Drogo, why didn't you defend yourself when those Hume boys were harassing you?"
"I didn't want to fight. With everything happening with the war I didn't want to make things worse. You saw how everyone reacted. What would have happened if it had been a real fight and not a game?"
"That was very adult of you Drogo."
Drogo gives a short depressed chuckle, "From what I've seen even adults aren't very adult then."
"That's true," Zelig puts his hand on Drogo's shoulder, "That is very true. Drogo, I always see you by yourself watching the other children."
"I don't know. I just don't feel like playing. I never really have, even before the war. I just like to watch."
"You know Drogo, in your past cycle, you were quite the loner. I guess it's just part of your nature. But just because it's part of your nature doesn't mean you're alone. You have friends, good friends. Now more than ever. Even among the Humes." Zelig laughs at his last sentence. "Why were you watching the Humes playing anyway?" he asks as the chuckles fade.
"I like watching Humes play. You know even though they play different games they play just like we play?"
"Children are children no matter what their race is", Zelig says.
"Even among the Beastmen?" Drogo asks.
Zelig becomes uncomfortable and is unable to think of a response.
The boy says thoughtfully, "If all of Vana'diel's children were allowed to play together, I bet there won't be any wars." He looks up at Zelig, "Why do grownups hate each other?"
"It's a long story," Zelig says.
"I know that, I read a lot, but I still can't find it."
"Find what?"
"Find why everyone hates each other," Drogo answers, "Humes and Galkas hated each other even before the killing, the Elvaan hate everyone. People treat the Mithra as savages, no better than Beastmen. The Tarutaru are nice to everyone but their kindness is not returned because they are so small and weak no one takes them seriously. Even the different Beastmen all hate each other."
"I know that, not 'til this Shadow Lord came along have the Beastmen united like this against us."
"You know that the Beastmen and Enlightened didn't always fight?"
"What?!" Zelig takes his hand off the boy and jumps back with a start.
Drogo turns and faces him, "Yeah, back when the Elvaan and the Humes were always at war, the Beastmen would fight for Bastok. But that was before…" Drogo's voice drops off and looks at the ground.
"Before we were driven from our home by the Anticas?" Zelig finishes his sentence.
Drogo nods slowly. He clinches his fists and starts to cry.
Zelig kneels down, but before he can say anything, Drogo wraps his arms around his neck. He looks up avoiding the child's face and sees on top of the wall the father with a crossbow aimed at them. He fires. Zelig throws the child aside to shield him and is struck in the chest.
In the hospital Gamesage is trying to force his way to see his friend.
"There is nothing we can do but make him comfortable," a nurse says.
"I can save him!" Gamesage yells.
"There is nothing you can do, even the Taru White Mages can't save Zelig," an orderly says pushing him back.
Gamesage becomes furious. He puts his hands into a hand sign and screams "I howl at the Moon along side you, Fenrir!"
Everyone stares at him, then runs in terror as a giant wolf-like beast appears. Gamesage grabs the screaming nurse, "Where is he?" He glares at her with demonic eyes.
She points down the hallway shaking hard.
"Clear the path!" he orders and carrying the nurse, they charge through the hallway. They break through the door into the room of the dying Galka. Gamesage puts down the nurse, but she doesn't even hear him say "thank you" before she faints. Fenrir rounds up everyone into a corner, including the Tarus, but their fear turns to amazement at what happens next.
Gamesage thanks Fenrir and he disappears. Then Gamesage says, "May your light guide me, Carbuncle", and a glowing squirrel appears before everyone. "Help me save Zbigniew." The two then use healing magics the Tarus have never seen before. Gamesage smiles, then Carbuncle disappears as did Fenrir. Zelig opens his eyes and sits up completely healed, but disoriented, as soldiers rush in and drag Gamesage away.
A while later as Zelig is dressing, the children come in. Drogo runs up and hugs him crying. The children all ask if he's all right, and tell him that a funny dressed Galka did some weird magics and saved him. And that he was arrested by the soldiers.
A nurse comes in, "You children need to leave now." A soldier is behind her.
The children start to leave but Drogo won't let go of him. "Come on Gamesage let's go," says little Icie.
"What did you just call him?!" Zelig asks startled.
"We called him Gamesage sir," the brother says, "It's the title we give the winner of the tournament because he or she is the master, or sage if you will, of all games."
"I see" he says looking down at the crying child patting him on the head, "It's ok… I'm ok… you need to go now. I'll come find you later. I promise… Gamesage."
Drogo looks up, nods, and walks sniffling out of the room with the girl holding one hand and the brother the other.
One of the Galka guards fumes, "You shouldn't encourage the children to answer to their Hume names like dogs."
Zelig retorts angrily, "That child just proved that we are more than a strong set of muscles to all of Bastok, no, to all the Alliance and in time I bet the entire world will know his name. Gamesage is no trivial nickname. It is a title of honor. It is our duty to instill pride in our children isn't it?"
The next day after he is released, the adult Gamesage is practicing against himself in a game of chess on the same board he used as a child. He is rubbing the pendent of a necklace like prayer beads in one hand as he plays.
Zelig walks up to him. "I hear you saved my life yesterday. The Tarus said that the magics you used are in the most preliminary of development and are nowhere near as refined and powerful as what you displayed." He sits down opposite of Gamesage. "You're Drogo aren't you? Everything you said is true then."
Gamesage smiles and nods. "At least that is what I am trying to make happen again."
"Is that the famous necklace? May I see it?"
"Of course," Gamesage gives Zelig the necklace.
He looks at it, "This is a San d'Orian design."
Gamesage nods, "It's just a Wing Pendant. It's not worth anything though. Just a low level knick-knack the Temple gives out."
"What game did you win this in anyway?"
"Hangman," Gamesage smiles chuckling, "They assumed that I was illiterate. Then when they realized I could read, Jasper had one of his goons get a dictionary." He looks down at the board and moves a knight taking a pawn. "Good book the dictionary, such big words. I used to practice by drawing letters in the dirt."
Zelig smiles and looks back down at the necklace. He runs his fingers over the length of a large gash stretching from one feather tip to the other. Even the jewel is gouged. "This looks almost like a claw mark…" he thinks.
"Looks like this poor thing has seen too many battles," Zelig says looking up from examining it.
Gamesage closes his eyes. "Yes. It has definitely seen one too many battles," he answers slower and more deliberately than his normal cadence.
"You still have it after all this time?"
Gamesage opens his eyes. "I've never lost a match," he says, "if I had I would have given it up to the new winner."
Zelig gives it back, "I see… Did I die originally Drogo?"
Gamesage looks down at the chess board, "Yes, yes you did. But not in this battle. Lots of people did die though because no one was on duty. The man who shot you died too." He adds bitterly, "Funny what happens when you save a life."
Zelig nods in sympathy. "People are starting to ask questions after what you did for me, you should disappear for awhile."
Gamesage nods back, "I need to go back home to the future Windurst and Aht Urhgan anyway, my clothes and weapons are damaged and I need to stock back up on supplies." He smiles broadly and almost laughs at the thought, "There are so many things that just haven't been invented yet that I hope you get to see."
"Aht Urhgan, really?" Zelig asks hopeful.
"Yes they have recently reopened the borders between our two lands. They have many powerful magics in their own right."
"I see…" his voice drops, "Then they will not aid us?"
Gamesage shakes his head.
Zelig looks down at the chess board, then raises his head smiling, "A Galkan mage, especially one of your caliber, that's quite a sight. When did you learn the Taru magics?"
"Originally, the battle was completely devastating like I said before, everyone blamed me. But the kids never hated me, especially little Icie and her older brother Zeddie…."
Zelig interrupts, "Shh! Shh! Don't enunciate his nickname so loud," he whispers.
Gamesage nods, "Alright Ceddie then… Anyway, their parents fell in love with me too. After you died at the end of the war, they were all I had. When they moved to Windurst chasing the schools of fish, I went with them."
"This atrocious war must go on for decades then," Zelig laments hiding his face in his hands.
"No, actually it will end in the next year or so."
"But you're so young!"
Gamesage shrugs, "That depends on your perspective, twenty-four is a standard age for leaving home for the other races."
"But wait, if I… at the end of the war…that?"
Gamesage starts crying profusely. He starts trembling and puts his head on the chess board.
"Drogo," Zelig stands up and rushes to him knocking the chess board over. Gamesage grabs him and they fall to the ground. He hugs Zelig in an iron grip, "Zbigniew" he coughs in jagged breaths. He's in the full throws of a panic attack.
A crowd starts to gather.
"Gamesage, Gamesage, get a hold of yourself," he says. "Drogo, please…" Zelig whispers.
"Gamesage!" a Mithra in sanctioned San d'Orian Temple White Mage garb runs up and does a running slide on her knees into the duo. "Sage…Sage?"
"Bear…" Gamesage whispers as he lays his head on her chest.
"Brother please stand, the guards are coming," she whispers earnestly.
Gamesage stumbles to his feet as the guards come. They carry him to the Infirmary.
As the doctors and mages look him over, Zelig asks the Mithra to come with him to a quiet area where they can talk alone. They enter a storage room.
"You called Gamesage 'brother' back there didn't you?"
"Oh," she has a startled look on her face. She brings her hands to under her chin griping them nervously. "Um… yes, yes I did." She bobs down briefly is submission, before standing up straighter. "Gamesage and I are really good friends, obviously we're not related."
"You from the future too?" Zelig asks.
The Mithra panics and begins to talk incoherently fast as she backs up. She slams her body hard into the wall. Zelig pins her on either side with his gigantic arms.
"It's alright, Drogo told me everything. I'm his Zbigniew. My name's Zelig. He called you Bear right?"
The Mithra calms down. She smiles and nods, "Yes… Zbigniew."
Zelig smiles and his eyes light up as he hears her pronounce it perfectly. Even those who choose friendship with Galkas find it almost impossible to speak the Galkan language, just another barrier between the races.
Suddenly Zelig feels the pressure of a blade against his neck although there is no one else in the room. A disembodied voice comes out of thin air, "What are you thinking about doing to our little silk farmer?"
"Gollum no! He's Sage's father!" Bearstar yells. Zelig feels the blade lift.
There's a knock at the half opened door, "What's the noise in here?" A San d'Orian Temple Knight enters. "Are you here alone?" he asks. His sword is drawn.
Zelig feels a trembling body crouching behind him but when he looks there's no one there, as there was before with the ghostly voice.
"An invisibility spell?" he thinks to himself.
"Yes, I am alone," he says looking up at the Knight.
"Are you sure?" he walks behind Zelig and takes a swing with his sword into the thin air behind him but he strikes nothing but the floor.
"What on Vana'diel do you think you are doing?!" Zelig yells.
The knight puts the point of the sword to his throat, "Where did she go?"
"Where did who go?"
"Don't play games with me mine-rat."
"Stand down knight!" Gumbah is standing at the door. The Knight sheathes his weapon.
"What's this about?" Gumbah enters the room.
After he enters, the door squeaks wider seemingly on its own. Nothing an unbalanced hinge wouldn't do, but just enough for someone thin like the Mithran race to slither through. It goes unnoticed to all but Zelig.
"I'm looking for the Mithra that helped that Galkan mage to the hospital. She matches the description of a Mithran fugitive sentenced to death in San d'Oria for Grand Heresy against the Goddess."
"With the arrival of the new battalions there are nearly a hundred Mithras in the capital. How can you be so positive that you draw your sword?" Gumbah says with stern authority.
"Because she is a known associate of that Galkan mage that made a spectacle of himself a few days ago that was just carried in. There's no mistaking it. I've interrogated him myself personally on previous occasions." The Knight turns and points angrily at Zelig, "and THIS Galka was just seen talking to her!"
"Zelig, what happened?" Gumbah asks Zelig with concern in his voice.
Zelig takes a deep breath, "I called the Mithra that helped carry Gamesage aside to thank her for helping. She nodded then left. I don't know who she is, she didn't give her name nor did I ask."
"Then why are you in this room alone?" the Knight demands.
"The war gets to all of us at times," Zelig answers with a touch of exhaustion in his voice.
"There's your answer knight now leave at once," Gumbah orders.
"Rats run in packs," the Knight whispers under his breath as he leaves the room.
Gumbah looks at Zelig earnestly, "Zelig we've been friends for decades, please tell me I didn't just lie to a Temple Knight of all people. We're on our last legs, forging an alliance is the only chance Bastok has of survival! We don't need any trouble."
"I didn't lie," he says, "Everything I said was true."
Gumbah gives a sigh of relief, "Thank you Zelig." Gumbah leaves satisfied.
Zelig turns to the wall, puts his arms up and leans against it...
"Drogo what are you getting me into?" he whispers.