Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy or any of its characters. Why is it called "Final Fantasy" when there are, like, thirteen sequels? Kind of defeats the purpose of it being "final," doesn't it?

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The four warriors marched through the tall grass of Coneria Plains, heading north to the ruins once known as the Temple of Fiends. Mace marched at the front of the pack, looking brave and resolute, but inwardly cringing at the thought of facing Garland in battle. Dax came next, keeping his eyes open for any possible means of escaping. Aura and Edan brought up the rear, walking side-by-side but not speaking to one another.

"This is crazy," Dax whispered to himself. "What am I doing out here? I don't belong on this idiotic quest. I should be in Pravoka, drinking wine and listening to the sailors tell tales of high seas adventures."

Aura kept her eyes on Dax's red cape as they walked, watching it swish with his movements. His broad red hat was made of the same leather as his boots, and his silvery hair blew in the wind. She had never seen an Elf before, let alone a half-Elf. She wondered if they all had silver hair.

Mace stopped walking suddenly, staring straight ahead. Dax peered around him, but didn't see anything. He was about to ask him what was going on when he heard it. Laughter echoing over the grassy hills. It sounded like children, but he knew it was not children.

"What is it?" Aura whispered.

"Imps," Mace said with contempt, drawing his rapier.

Dax drew his dagger and waited, his eyes scanning the tall grass. He heard Aura's breathing quicken and wanted to comfort her, but before he could say anything, a movement caught his eye.

"There," Dax pointed.

"And there," Mace added, pointing elsewhere.

"They are trying to surround us," Edan growled. The dark man threw his dark cloak back to bare his arms and raised his wooden staff in the air. A concussion shot through the air, making Dax's ears pop. The grass around them flattened for a hundred yards in every direction, creating a clear field of battle. Just beyond that, the grass rippled ominously.

Suddenly, six Imps charged at them. Mace felled the first one easily with one sweep of his rapier. Aura took a swing at one, but missed. It danced away from her, laughing. Edan clubbed one over the head with his staff, stunning it, and Dax quickly stabbed it.

The remaining four Imps retreated to the edge of the clearing and whispered to one another. Edan did not wait for them to come up with a plan. He stepped forward and uttered a chant, casting a fireball that fried the closest Imp. It screamed as it died, and the others charged with rage in their eyes. Mace killed another one. Dax swung at the one that charged him, but it ducked and weaved under his blows. He finally punched it in the mouth then stabbed it before it could recover. The last Imp had gone after Aura. She fended off its knife with her staff, looking terrified. Mace ran over and attacked the Imp from behind, finishing it.

The party stood for a moment, catching their collective breath. Mace pulled out a cloth and carefully cleaned the blood from his blade. Dax bend down and began patting the pockets of the dead Imps.

"What are you doing?" Aura asked him.

Dax held up a gold coin that he had retrieved from one of the Imps. "Getting paid for my services."

She didn't respond. Mace had begun walking, again, and she quickly joined him. Edan followed. Dax finished collecting money from the bodies before joining them. He showed Aura a coin trick, making it disappear from one hand and appear in the other.

"That is silly," She said, but smiled.

"Maybe you'll like this one, better," He suggested. He showed her the coin, cupped his hand around it and blew. He opened his hands wide to show her that it had disappeared, then reached over and plucked it out of her hood.

"You do know magic," She said, awed. "I thought you did."

"I only know some slight-of-hand," He told her. "Not real magic."

"I can sense it in you," She said firmly. "I know you possess great power."

Dax just shook his head. Up ahead, Mace called, "There it is."

Edan and Aura ran over. Dax did not run, but walked over causally. Far away, they could make out the ruins of an ancient temple. A large forest lay between them.

"That is actually two forests," Mace said, pointing. "With some marshland in between."

A forest, at last. Now I can plan my escape, Dax thought. Aloud, he said. "We'd better get going if we're going to make it there before nightfall."

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The first forest was not very dense. The marsh was small and muddy, making it difficult to cross. A couple of Imps attacked them, but were quickly felled. The second forest was thick and dark, which pleased Dax. He waited until they were well into the forest, then stooped down and fiddled with his boot straps. Aura and Edan moved around him and kept walking after Mace, not suspecting a thing. Dax stood and melted into the trees, smiling.

His smile vanished a moment later when he encountered a wolf. It stood directly in his path and growled. Dax's blood chilled. There was something wrong with this wolf. He could sense it. Something had made it go mad. He heard movement behind him and turned his head slightly. Anther wolf was sneaking up behind him. Very slowly, he reached under his cape for his dagger. Without warning, the wolf in front of him leapt at his throat.

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Mace heard the sound of fighting, and a very human-like yell. He whirled around, trying to pinpoint the noise, and realized someone was missing.

"Where is Dax?" Mace asked. The others looked around uncertainly.

Mace ran toward the sounds of combat. He burst through the underbrush and found Dax on the ground with two wolves on top of him. Without even stopping to think, he ran over and grabbed the wild beasts one at a time, flinging them off of the figure, then drew his rapier and attacked the nearest wolf. Edan arrived and attacked the other wolf, clubbing it with his staff. Aura ran to Dax to check on him. His sleeves were torn and she could see that his arms were badly mauled and bleeding. She quietly and carefully chanted a spell to heal his wounds, oblivious to the combat not even five feet behind her. As soon as she finished, Dax leapt to his feet and ran to Edan to assist him. Between the two of them, the wolf quickly fell. Mace finished his wolf at about the same time.

Dax carefully rolled up his torn and bloody sleeves to examine his arms. The wounds had healed well, but still had angry red marks on them that were tender to the touch. Movement caught his eye and he looked up just in time to see Mace punch him. Dax went sprawling, and Aura jumped in between them.

"Mace, stop it!" She yelled.

Mace ignored her and pointed a finger at the half-Elf. "Where were you going?"

"Nowhere," Dax said. "I stopped to retie my boots, and when I looked up-"

"You are lying!" Mace shouted, furious.

Dax staggered back to his feet, rubbing his jaw. His right hand clenched into a fist in case the young squire came at him again. Instead, the small and mysterious Edan came up to him.

"This is unacceptable, Dax," Edan said darkly. "We must be able to count on one another. We need your word that you will support us in this mission and not try to run, again."

"If you do, I will kill you myself," Mace added. He pushed Aura aside, grabbed Dax by his shirt collar and shoved him to the front of the party. "Now start marching, and do not stop until we reach the Temple of Fiends."

Dax spat on the ground, the turned and began walking. His stomach broiled with anger. As commanded, he marched forth until they emerged from the forest and found the temple ruins looming in front of them.

"It's much bigger than I'd thought it would be," Dax said, looking up. Massive stone pillars guarded the entrance. One had broken and tumbled to the ground, leaving chunks of rock as big as a man along the grassy lawn. The stairs had deep cracks in them, and fog rolled along the ground. The air was suddenly cold.

"Come on," Mace said, and led the way into the Temple of Fiends.

Inside it was dark. Mace and Aura had to wait for their eyes to adjust, but Dax, being half-Elf, could see clearly right away. He noticed Edan staring at him and smiled at him. Edan looked away.

"That door leads to the main chamber," Mace pointed, whispering. "Weapons at ready."

Everyone drew their weapons and followed the young squire to the door. Dax saw Mace's hand shaking as he reached for the door ring, but said nothing. The door swung open on rusting hinges with a loud protest. On an altar in the middle of the room lay Princess Sara, bound and gagged. She appeared to be unconscious, or worse. Between them and her stood a massive figure in full armor. Bats flew around the room listlessly.

"What's this?" The giant said. "Has my own squire come to fight me?"

"I am not your squire, any more," Mace said resolutely. "I have come for Princess Sara."

"No one touches my Princess," Garland snarled.

"Garland, what has happened to you?" Aura spoke up. "You no longer look… human."

"The Fiends have given me great Power," Garland said. "They have drained the light from the four Orbs of Power and given me the strength of ten men."

"Then when we have finished with you, our quarrel is with the Fiends," Mace told him. "We are the Light Warriors, as foretold by the Prophet Lukahn. We shall defeat you and the Fiends, and bring light back to the Orbs!"

"Light Warriors?" Garland laughed and drew his sword. "You impertinent fools. I, Garland, will knock you all down!"

And with that, Garland leapt forward and swung at his former squire. Mace, in trying to dodge, fell backwards. Garland raised his sword over his head and brought it crashing down at Mace. Dax intercepted and blocked Garland's attack with his dagger. The steel squealed and his arms vibrated painfully under the force of the blow. Dax gritted his teeth. Garland hit him with an elbow that sent him flying.

He really does have the strength of ten men, Dax realized with a twinge of fear.

Aura stepped forth and cast a spell that made her appear to be mirrored into several copies of herself. Garland swung at her, but hit only empty air. He roared in frustration and hit Edan with the hilt of his sword as he chanted a spell. Edan crumpled to the ground, unconscious. Mace leapt to his feet and charged the knight, yelling senselessly. The two swords clanged against each other, over and over, as the two dueled. Aura took the opportunity to tend to Edan.

Enough of this, Dax thought, and got to his feet. He chanted the words he had heard Edan say in the grasslands and felt a surge of satisfaction as a fireball shot from his hand to the knight. Garland roared again, this time in pain, and Mace attacked him with renewed determination. Dax ran over and joined him. Between the two of them, the knight soon fell. Dax sank to the ground, exhausted.

"How did you do that?" Mace asked him. "I thought you didn't know magic."

Dax shrugged. "I don't know."

Mace studied him for a moment, then went to Priness Sara and began to untie her. Edan groaned and got up with the help of Aura. She cast a healing spell on him. Mace returned, carrying the unconscious Sara in his arms.

"We must hurry and get back to Castle Coneria before night fall," Mace announced. The two mages followed him. Dax got back to his feet with a weary sigh. A bat swooped down and he shooed it away, annoyed.

"Kee… kee…" It said.

Dax stopped and watched the bats for a moment. There was something about them….

"Dax, come on!" Mace yelled. Dax sheathed his dagger and ran to catch up to them.