Chapter Seven

Leviathan

Rabanastre

The Palace Treasury

Red hair fell against a pale cheek and maroon eyes scanned the room that had once housed the Vanguard and the Shard. Even now he could still feel the residual power in this chamber and for a moment he basked in the raw energy that washed over his body. He had done his part and made sure that the Sky Pirate had woken the Vanguard from his hibernation. Waking up to the sarcophagus he looked inside. This was where he had slept for all those centuries, trapped in the darkness with the memory of Solaris.

The red head wiped those thoughts from his mind. The Vanguard didn't want those memories anymore. When the red head felt his strength beginning to waver he let go of the concealment spell that was hiding his most noticeable feature. As soon as the spell collapsed red wings sprouted from his back, his coat tearing away to reveal a naked torso. Sighing with relief the winged man let his wings flutter for a moment before settling them against his back.

His wings were a heritage of his people, hidden away from Ivalice and unable to intervene. He was an Aegyl; his sacred duty was to preserve the Vanguard from all harm. He had failed the first time but the circumstances had been something he had never counted on. Llyud stepped away from the ancient coffin that had housed his god.

To stand here was truly a peaceful feeling. Llyud frowned when he heard footsteps thumping from above. The Imperials would be coming back to investigate this place soon. He had little time to spare especially now that the link between Balither and the Vanguard was strengthening. For now Llyud would keep his distance and watch how things would unfold. But there was something that he could do to give them some time.

"Vanguard...it's hard to believe that you walk the world again." Llyud lowered his eyes. "Am I doing the right thing?"

As always he received no answer. His faith had kept him going these past few years even as his life force was beginning to wane. He didn't have a lot of time left but this was something he could do to ensure that the Vanguard would remain safe and allowed to carry out his sacred duty. The only thing he was truly worried about was Balither and his reaction to the truth behind his connection to the gemstone.

Shaking his head Llyud brushed those worries and thoughts aside as he spread his wings and felt the breeze caress the crimson feathers. To fly was to experience true freedom. He hid behind the door when the guards opened it then he silently flew from the chamber and on to his next destination.

He had a Judge to find.


Marquis Ondore's Estate

Bhujerba

The estate was indeed a magnificent house. The guards had led the group through the main gates and into the marble chamber that served as a reception area. Portraits of immense value were on display as well as pottery from all different races and other priceless antiques. The Marquis had excellent taste in décor by the looks of things and Fran could practically see the Gil signs going off in Balthier's eyes.

The group was left in the reception area with the guards while another went off to inform the Marquis of their arrival. Vaan glanced up at the large stained glass window and admired the simply beauty of the art work. Whoever created it could see wonderful things in glass, so many colours and stories to tell. From beyond the glass he could make out the large crystal situated near the estate itself. The reception area itself looked quite cozy with a large fireplace near the desk and various velvet red chairs situated against the marble walls. Ondore knew how to treat his guests well.

Ten minutes after they were left alone the guard returned with the news that the Marquis would grant them an audience. Balither and Fran stood behind Basch and Vaan as they were led through the gleaming marble corridors of the estate. Basch had not seen the interior of this place for over three years. In a way it felt like coming home almost, back to a place he felt familiar and safe with, a place he could help. Soon they were brought to the Marquis private office on the top floor of the expansive mansion.

Ondore's office was large with an expensive wooden desk and a window that was open to reveal the beautiful city below. The gentle breeze was actually pretty warm and Vaan approached the window to glance outside. He heard a door open somewhere and another person entered the room. Glancing around he saw a middle aged handsome gentleman sit down at the desk. His warm eyes widened only slightly when he saw Basch but he nodded at the blond warrior then took up his seat.

"So you live Basch Fon Rosenberg. This is indeed an unexpected surprise." Ondore smiled gently.

"It has been a while your Excellency." Basch bowed slowly.

"I have heard rumours of your return from the people. Perhaps you can fill me in on what happened." The Marquis asked.

"I escaped from the Nalbina Dungeons with the help of them." He glanced at Vaan and the Sky Pirates.

"Nalbina you say? Escaping from there is quite a feat in itself." Ondore linked his fingers under his chin. "The Empire will be coming for you."

"Of that I am sure." Basch sighed.

"This is why we are cutting our losses as of now." Balither motioned for Fran and Vaan to follow him. "We've done our part and I wish you a pleasant journey Basch."

"You are not coming with me?" the ex-knight looked concerned.

"I already told you, I got roped into this because of this charming young man here..." he pointed towards an indifferent Vaan. "And I need to get back to making a living."

"Such is the way of a Sky Pirate." Ondore shook his head. "You are not prisoners here, so you may leave if you wish."

"But what about you?" Vaan stood next to the former knight. "Are you going after Amalia?"

"I have to. She is the only hope for the Resistance." Basch replied earnestly.

"But won't you need help?" the smaller male questioned.

"I'll be fine," he gave Vaan a barely there smile. "You don't have to get mixed up in this. You've helped me enough."

"If you want Vaan you can stay here." Balither waved his hand.

"What?" the pirate was surprised when the blond glared at him. "You're going to leave me here?"

"Why are you so upset? I thought you didn't like being chained down?" he raised a haughty eyebrow.

"I..." Vaan stopped. Why was he so upset at the idea of Balthier leaving him behind. "You woke me up...you have a responsibility."

"How so?" the brunet didn't look convinced.

"Nothing..." the blond gritted his teeth. He had to clench his fists to calm down. "Basch, I'll help you."

"Vaan, you don't have to do this." Basch placed a hand on Vaan's shoulder.

"Vaan..." Balither frowned irritably. Why was the brat so angry all of a sudden? Come to think of it this is the first time Balither has ever seen anger on that face.

"You can leave Balither." Vaan snapped.

"So what do you propose to do?" Ondore broke the silence. "Amalia will be heavily guarded."

"You know what I have to do." Basch murmured.

"It will be risky. They could execute you the moment you are captured." Ondore looked uneasy.

"It is worth the risk." Basch answered firmly.

"Then you know what to do." Ondore stood up and approached the ex-knight. "I wish you luck Basch Fon Rosenberg."

"What are you doing?" Balthier noticed that Basch was going for his sword. The blond man brought his sword up against Ondore's neck.

"Guards! Ondore called.

Several men ran into the office with their swords drawn and immediately apprehended the group standing near the Marquis. Basch didn't put up a struggle when he was roughly taken from the room. Vaan let himself be taken from the office along with a stunned Balither and a quiet Fran who only looked exasperated.

They were pulled along the corridors until they were brought out into a courtyard. Waiting for them was a troop of Imperial soldiers who Ondore was going to send into the mines to clear out the monsters. Standing at the front of the troop was a Judge.

"Oh this is just wonderful." Balither said sarcastically. "That wasn't the brightest idea I've ever seen."

"You know I had no other choice." The ex-knight answered. "I am sorry that you were caught up in this."

"You could have left me out of it completely." The pirate groaned.

"Well, well it seems my time here has been truly fruitful." The Judge approached the group. "So you must be Basch."

"That I am..." the blond man stared at the cold helmet covering the Judge's face. "The people will not take news of my survival lightly."

"I highly doubt the people will hear of this." The Judge walked around the man. "You and your friends have caused trouble in Nalbina."

"I apologize for the inconvenience." Was the sarcastic comment.

"Lord Vayne will surely thank me for this. Take them to the ship." The Judge turned to the troop.

"Vaan, remind me to kill the good captain when I have my hands free." Balither said lightly as they were escorted to the vessel that would take them to the warship circling around the Skycity.


The Dreadnought Leviathan

The journey to the warship was filled with an awkward silence that no one volunteered to break. Balither and Fran glanced at their surroundings as they tried to think of the best way to escape from their current situation while Vaan remained silent alongside Basch. He had noticed that the man's right arm was red from where his nails had scratched repeatedly.

Vaan felt his heart constrict as he stared at that raw skin. Since he gave Basch that needle shard from the red stone the ex-knight had been scratching at his arm and he still didn't seem to notice it. Vaan felt the ship jolt causing him to glance out of the small window so that he could see where they were being taken to.

The warship was immense in size and surrounded by numerous other smaller vessels that guarded the larger one. The warship had to be the size of Rabanastre's palace, possibly even bigger. The Empire had several other ships just like the Leviathan, such as the Ifrit and the Shiva. Dalmasca had never been able to create such vessels of power or strength.

Archedes indeed had the better firepower and when they began to war against Dalmasca it was a firm belief that the Empire would succeed in conquering the nation. But to see the kind of ships Archedes could create was something else entirely. Vaan began to think that maybe coming along with Basch was a bad idea. The prison skiff was taken to the hanger bay on the lower section of the dreadnought.

Once the skiff came to a stop the guards brought the prisoners out onto the docking bay and escorted down the passageway. Balither took note of the corridors and the direction back to the skiff. Basch may want to find the Amalia woman but the pirate preferred to look for a way out first. He noticed that Fran was also taking in the details around her.

Vaan kept his eyes fixed ahead of him, as usual no emotion played across that face of his. Even his eyes were like chips of ice making it so much harder to read him. Balither frowned when he thought about Vaan's reaction back at Ondore's office. He seemed too angry and passionate...almost human. The pirate glanced up when a door hissed open and they were taken onto the bridge of the ship. There stood the Judge from Bhujerba and before him was the woman from the Waterways.

"So you have joined us at last." The Judge chuckled. "How fitting to have the two of you here."

"Your Majesty..." Basch spoke softly. Amalia's eyes widened but cold fury replaced the shock soon enough.

"You!" she hissed in rage. No one stopped her when she stalked up to the blond man and slapped him as hard as she could. "You murdering bastard!"

"Now that is language unfitting of a princess." The Judge admonished.

"Princess?" Vaan actually looked a little surprised.

"Now Princess Ashelin, I believe we have some unfinished business here." The Judge intoned.

"I would die first before helping you." She spat at the man.

"Now that is a pity. It seems that you shall be detained along with the former knight for the duration of this trip." Ghis clicked his fingers.

"Heed my words I shall take Dalmasca back from you." Ashe scowled.

"Without any claim to your heritage you shall be little more than an imposter." Ghis waved his hand.

"Is that why you want the Dusk Shard? To conceal my blood line?" Ashe demanded.

"All I want is the location to the Shard's resting place. Save me all this trouble." Ghis asked.

"She knows not where the Dusk Shard is hidden." Basch interrupted them.

"Dusk Shard..." Vaan whispered, his eyes closing. "Dawn, Dusk, Midlight, Midnight..."

"So the boy knows the Shards names." Ghis approached the smaller blond male. "I wonder if he knows anything useful."

"Don't drag him into this!" Ashe called. "He knows nothing."

"I won't let you have it." Vaan scowled darkly.

"What?" Ghis asked when Vaan broke the chains around his wrists. Reaching forward he grabbed hold of Ghis' throat through his armour.

"Vaan!" Balither yelled.

"Release him immediately!" a guard commanded. He was pressing a sword against Basch's neck. "Release the Judge or Basch dies."

"Don't think for a second my men will let you go." Ghis choked out as the hand around his neck began to tighten and squeeze.

"Ahhh!" Basch moaned painfully when the sword cut into his flesh.

"No!" Vaan let the word escape his lips before he could stop it.

"Unhand me or he dies." Ghis muttered. Reluctantly the hand let go of his neck and Vaan was brought to his knees when a sword hilt clashed with his head. He knew the blade wouldn't even bruise him but he wasn't going to let the Empire know that.

"The Dusk Shard." Ashe whispered when she saw the item that Vaan had dropped when he was attacked.

"The gods smile on us. You have brought the Shard to me." Ghis laughed as he picked up the ancient stone.

"Enjoy it while you can." Vaan scowled. "I'll be taking it back soon enough."

"Take them to the brig. The gallows await them." Ghis turned away as he admired the red stone. "Lord Vayne will indeed be pleased with this."

"The gods must jest..." Basch shook his head as they were escorted off the bridge. Ashe was taken separately, his eyes dark with anger at the former knight.

"Ashe has no right to the Shard." Vaan hissed.

"She is of royal blood; it is her right to claim it." Basch reasoned. He felt his arm beginning to throb a little.

"She can't begin to understand its true purpose." Vaan refused to listen. "I need to get it back."

"You protect Basch's life at the cost of the Shard." Fran pointed out. "That same resolve could get it back."

"Thank you...for what you did." Basch murmured. Vaan looked at him for a moment.

"You're welcome." He replied.

"Right now we need an escape plan." Balither muttered to the two of them.

"Allow me..." Vaan tore his arms away from the guards that had been holding him.

Jumping up he kicked both men in the heads. Balither and Basch acted fast and took hold of the other guard's weaponry. Fran kicked another in the chest and knocked him against the wall. As Vaan tore the chains off their wrists another guard entered the room but he stopped when he saw that they had escaped captivity.

"It looks like you don't need my help." A familiar voice drawled.

"Vossler." Basch didn't bother to keep the surprise out of his voice at the sight of his friend.

"Ondore works fast my friend. I've been waiting for you here." Ashe's knight said.

"Where is the princess now?" Basch inquired.

"Back through the ship, past the security system." Vossler answered.

"We must get her out of here." Basch turned to the others.

"Well there's a skiff here for our escape route." Balither rubbed his face. "Fine, let's rescue your lady shall we?"

"Vaan, where are you going?" Fran asked when the blond boy stalked out of the chamber they had been taken to.

"I'm going to get the Shard back." Was his answer. "No one has the right to it but me."

"What is he talking about?" Vossler frowned.

"Vaan, we need your help." Basch walked up to the seething boy. "Please, come with us."

"I need that Shard back..." Vaan refused to move from where he was.

"We can get it back, I promise but right now we need your help." The former knight pleaded. "You're the reason I'm still alive."

"I'm sorry but..." Vaan wanted to refuse, he truly did but when he glanced at Basch those haunted eyes bore into his own blue ones.

"Please Vaan, just this one time." The former knight murmured quietly.

"Fine..." he relented with a whisper. He couldn't refuse those eyes and that sent a shiver throughout his body. "I'll help you."

"We need to move out now." Vossler interrupted them. "Follow me to the brig and avoid the detection grid as best you can."

"Balither..." Fran noticed that her partner had a troubled look on his face.

"Let's move out." He said thickly. Strange how Basch could calm the boy down and he got pissed when Balither even suggested leaving.

The group followed Vossler out into the passageway careful to avoid the red beams of light spanning the corridors. Vossler had been here long enough to get a good look around this section of the ship and he knew the fastest way to the brig area. No doubt Lady Ashe would be heavily guarded but after seeing that blond boy fighting and breaking the chains as if they were paper he was willing to believe that they could get Ashe off the warship with little effort.

When they reached the chamber that contained the reset system for the alarm a few soldiers were patrolling the area. They dispatched them easily enough then Vossler took them up to the second floor. They entered into a square shaped hallway with red beams lining one area of the passage. They would have to take the long way round to avoid detection.

When they reached the door and entered into the brig chamber there was a patrol of Imperial Elites waiting for them inside. Already in a bad mood from having the Shard taken from him Vaan cracked his knuckles and rammed his fist through the head of the first Elite who was stupid enough to attack him.

Basch and Vossler attacked the second Elite while Balither and Fran took out any other soldiers in the immediate area. Vaan scowled darkly when he was finished taking care of any Imperials nearby, his hand drenched in blood and gore as he picked up a key that had been dropped. His body was thrumming with energy and something else that was making him see red. He handed the key to Vossler without a word and stepped back.

"You don't think that was a little extreme?" Balither motioned at the mangled body of the guard.

"I'm in a bad mood." Vaan crossed his arms.

"The princess should be in one of these cells." Vossler managed to open the door. "As soon as we find her get back to the skiff."

"Looks like I win the prize." Balither smirked when he opened a door at the far end of the cell. Ashe stood up when her cell door opened.

"Lady Ashe." Vossler approached the stunned princess. "We must leave now."

"Vossler! How did you get here?" she questioned him.

"We will explain everything once we leave this place sire." Basch stepped forward.

"You..." Ashe growled then he went forward with her hand raised.

"Don't touch him." Vaan had grabbed Ashe's wrist.

"You..." she narrowed her eyes. She drew her body back, her body shuddering in outrage.

"Please my Lady we just leave here now." Vossler broke the silence. "Basch will come with us."

"I will not put my trust in the hands of a traitor." Ashe shook her head.

"You do not have any other option." Vossler retaliated. "You must trust us. This is the only chance you have at escaping this place."

"I hate to break this up but we need to go now." Balither called from the corridor. "Someone tripped the alarm."

"Dammit." Vossler cursed.

"I will trust your judgement." Ashe relented heavily. "Where is our destination?"

"Back to the hanger bay. We have a skiff ready." The knight answered.

"I'm going after the Shard." Vaan spoke up. "You have the princess."

"Vaan, wait!" Basch called but the blond boy took off out of the chamber. "Dammit!"

"If he knows where the Shard is we must follow him" Ashe stated.

"We do not have time." Fran shook her head. "The guards will be upon us soon."

Ashe looked uncertain but she nodded and followed the others out of the brig. Basch couldn't help but feel worry for Vaan when he vanished down the corridor. Every part of him screamed to follow Vaan but he had a duty to uphold. He needed to protect the princess at all costs. But what frightened him was that for a single moment he thought Vaan as a higher priority than the princess ever would be.

He followed after the others, his arm throbbing all the while.


Here's another one guys and the next chapter has already been written up. I would've had this up sooner if the document manager hadn't started acting up. You know the drill, review and make me happy :)