Chapter 9: The Einlanzer

We left the one friendly goblin in Viper Manor and headed to the catacombs. The place reeked of death. Wet, old, decaying death. Unlike the goblin barracks that had several hallways and many rooms, the catacombs was one long straight passage. We were flanked by countless jail cells, all of them empty. It seemed that Lynx didn't take many prisoners.

Though he had taken the one. It was an old man. Thin as a reed and clothed in half decayed rags. He sat in the corner of his cell rocking back and forth mumbling. His shock white hair, on both his head and beard, had grown unchecked for so long that most of his face was concealed. All but his eyes. They shone brightly in the false-light of Magil. Not bright with intelligence, hope, or even fear. Bright with madness.

Whatever the old man had been through had caused utter decimation to his sanity. "Ohhhh…Gorba…Merkid…Zorander…forgive me…"

"Hey, old timer," Kid called to him.

He seemed oblivious to us and continued to ramble on. "Everyone…and it was all because of me. Every last one of the Dragoons…Miss Riddel…even the General…forgive me…please…Gorba…Merkid…Zorander…forgive me…" The old man repeated his words in an endless loop. He had been saying them for so long that they had become his mantra.

"Hey, can ya hear me?" Kid called again, shaking the bars to his cell. The old man made no response.

"He will not hear a thing," Magil said. "He has constructed a wall around himself." I asked Magil what he meant. Turning to me the mage said, "A wall, used for shielding one's mind from reality. After being exposed to horrific events, tremendous amounts of pain and guilt can have this effect on a person. He has made a safe world inside his own mind. From there, he refuses to acknowledge anything he does not want to admit."

Magil's face remained expressionless, but his eyes looked almost sad as he spoke. I glanced over to Kid and found that her eyes held the same expression. For a moment the two of them reminded me of each other. "So," I spoke, finding the sudden resemblance uncanny and unnerving, "he's no good to us at all." It seemed we had done all that searching for the catacombs key for nothing.

"Maybe there is a way to break through his wall," Magil said quietly after a moment of thought. "He mentioned Lady Riddel. Maybe she can aid us."

"She isn't in her room," Kid reminded him.

Magil had already started off, heading out of the catacombs. "She wasn't there before, but she had been recently. She had simply stepped outside for fresh air, and will likely be back when we return."

"Well, now what Magil?" Kid asked as we once again stood inside Riddel's empty room. Magil pointed to the sliding glass door. Soft footsteps could be heard making their way towards us.

"Is someone there?" The voice of a young woman called out. Kid hid herself behind a large chair as Magil vanished into the shadows. Just as she reached the room, I ducked behind the door. Kind of pointless, in the very least she'd have noticed that her front door was standing wide open.

"Odd…I could have sworn I heard someone," she said as she entered her room. Like a cat, Kid sprung out from her hiding place and seized Riddel from behind, putting her knife up to the girl's throat.

"We've come for the Frozen Flame, where is it?" Kid asked in a strict whisper.

"That's not really necessary, Kid," I said stepping out from behind the door. Magil too had reappeared.

"Quiet, Serge," Kid said with a glare. I inwardly sighed. I'm sure there had to be an easier way of doing this than Kid's way was.

To my surprise Riddel giggled. Kid looked angry. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, come on you can't be proper thieves. You're far too noisy." We could achieve silence when we needed to, but Riddel had a point. When Kid got worked up she tossed caution to the wind.

"I'd watch my mouth girlie," Kid whispered. I had the sudden image of Kid slicing through Riddel's delicate neck. The young woman collapsing onto the floor, whatever secrets she had dying alongside her.

"Kid, look at her," I pleaded, "she's not going to hurt us."

"Dammit, all right," she said, letting Riddel go. "Still, don't think I'm not keeping an eye on ya!"

"The feeling is mutual," Riddel replied, rubbing her neck, glad to be in one piece.

"Don't worry, we're not your enemies. We're not after your power," I said to her. I hoped to win a little trust. Though Kid had done a pretty decent job of destroying any chances of that. "We've just come to talk, Riddel. If there's anything you could tell us about the Frozen Flame, or even the Acacia Dragoons, it would help immensely."

Riddel looked suddenly very somber after my words. She sat down on her bed, her eyes lowered. "Damn that cursed rock. The Frozen Flame, it was kept in the Kingdom of Guardia for centuries. With its subtle mysterious power, it allegedly could guide people and change history, all while somehow remaining elusive to those who sought it.

"But during the Great War, when Guardia fell to Porre, the Flame was stolen. It passed from hand to hand, finally reaching my father's. It was then that Lynx first appeared. He befriended my father and at first seemed a staunch ally. In the current state of the world, a small country like ours needed all the help it could receive.

"But Lynx fooled my father, fooled us all. He was after the Frozen Flame all along. He murdered my father and robbed him. Taking everything that was once my father's for himself, the manor, the Flame, even me."

Riddel began to cry softly into her hands. "When all of this happened I was just a little girl. I had no idea Lynx was behind it all, but over time I've learned the truth…damn that rock…damn the Frozen Flame. I want nothing to do with that stupid stone!"

"If you help us," Magil said calmly, "we can put an end to it all. What do you know of the old man locked in the catacombs."

Riddel's eyes lit up with the cold fire of hatred. "That traitor! Because of him, my father! And my dear Zorander!"

She took a moment to regain herself. "Yes, I know the man whom you speak."

"He was once an Acacia Dragoon," Magil stated.

Riddel nodded. "He was, before he betrayed my father and the others, and before Lynx had him sent to the torture chamber for countless days and nights. He's lost his mind as well as his identity."

Magil shook his head. "He knows who he is. He's simply hiding from the truth. If we could get him to speak, would he be of any help to us?"

"Yes, he knows everything. All of Lynx's dark secrets."

"Will you help us?" I asked her. "He was mumbling a bunch of names; one of them was yours. Maybe if he saw you it would bring him out of his shell."

Riddel blanched. "No. I can't look at him. I won't go near that traitor."

I sighed, it looked like we hadn't really made any progress after all.

"But you might find something in the torture chamber," she said suddenly. "He was kept in there for so long, and he was the last to go there. If he lost something, it might still be there."

I exchanged looks with Kid. Neither of us wanted to return to that place.

"If you go," Riddel continued, "bring the Einlanzer with you."

"The Eye-what?" Kid asked.

"The Einlanzer, it is a holy white sword, created long ago by ancient sages along with its demonic brother, the Masamune," she explained. "It was the Acacia Dragoons' most prized weapon. It once glided through the air in Zorander's hand, shimmering like a star, but now the Dragoons are all but extinct, and the sword has been stored somewhere in this mansion, as though it was some sort of trivial memento."

Riddel hung her head, saddened by the memories of days long past. "I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help. I wish I was more powerful, like you people."

"Strength didn't get us here," Kid lectured. "Power comes from believin in yerself!"

"I see…," Riddel said meekly. "I wish you luck."

As we left the room I heard Kid mutter, "Hope it ain't bad luck."

"That sword in the clock tower room," Magil said as he lead the way. "That is the Einlanzer."

"Are you sure?" I asked, puzzled as to how he could know such a thing. To me that old sword had looked like an old antique of no particular value.

"It's the Masamune's twin, like Riddel said, and I'd recognize that sword anywhere."

Kid and I stopped dead in our tracks. Curiously Kid said, "You've seen the Masamune."

"Yeah," I said, "how are you so familiar with it?" Then struck with a strange notion I asked, "You've never been its owner have you?"

The legend of the Masamune was a long and twisting one. Throughout the ages it was known as The Holy Sword, and was used by countless famous knights in the battle against evil. For the longest time it belonged to the Kingdom of Guardia, but like the Frozen Flame, it was lost during the Porre invasion. Then the sword changed. Some people claimed that all the suffering of the Guardia people caused the sword to go crazy. I don't know about any of that, but for certain the sword had gone evil. The Demon Sword Masamune was what people called it now.

Whoever possessed the blade was filled with blood lust. They'd kill anyone, friends, family, strangers, it didn't matter as long as they kept on killing. Most people were too afraid to even say the sword's name anymore. A terrible thought hit me. "Magil, that sword's not the Masamune is it? What if Riddel's wrong, and it's not the Einlanzer after all?"

He shook his head. "No. When the Masamune grew tainted it changed. If that sword was the Demon Blade, the evil magic would be palpable." I let out a sigh of relief as he continued. "And no, I've never possessed the sword myself, but I did know someone who did."

"Was he yer mate?" Kid asked with interest.

Magil didn't answer. It was times like these that I wished he'd show some emotion one way or the other. So I guessed, "Was he your enemy?"

He was silent for a long moment, and I thought he wouldn't say one way or the other. Then he shook his head in the negative. Even today I can only guess at the complex relationship they must have shared.

After the short conversation we continued our way to the clock tower. It was empty, with no sign of the old woman anywhere. The Einlanzer sat on the box where Kid had left it. Once she had retrieved the sword she tossed it over to me. "Hey Magil, if ya knew it was this magical Einlanzer the whole time why didn't ya tell us?"

"Because you'd try to take it with us," he answered. "It was not what we have come for. Better to let you believe it to be junk."

She grunted, none too pleased that he had withheld information from her. I drew the sword from its old scabbard and gasped at the sight. The blade was snowy white and sparkled brightly in the low lamp light. I could almost feel the holy magic flow through the sword and into my hands. Unfortunately, the sword was much too large for me to wield effectively. Even with all its power it would be useless in my hands.

Even so it made me feel slightly more at ease when we returned to the torture chamber. It seemed like we had just escaped the room's death trap only to come back for more. "Stay alert, Serge," Magil said to me. "We'll search the room. You focus on the trap ceiling."

I nodded awkwardly casting my gaze up. The spikes were so high up that I couldn't see them well, but I knew they were there, waiting. Magil began examining the cracks on the floor. A moment later I heard him say, "Just as I thought." I looked to what he was doing and found him digging into a thick butter like substance smashed into one of the large crevices.

"This must be the trap's trigger," Magil said almost casually. I could feel the blood run from my face. Sure enough it happened again. The door slammed shut and the ceiling began groaning as it started its deadly decent.

It felt like a terrible case of déjà vu. "Use the sword, mate!" Kid yelled. Easy for her to say. I had no idea what to do. Summoning my strength I lifted the Einlanzer above my head, pointing it to the dropping spiked ceiling. I had hoped the sword's magic would do something, but the spikes didn't even slow down.

"Damn," Kid swore angrily. "We'll have to bust through the door again!"

At that moment I remembered the large crack in the center of the room. Using all my power I slammed the sword into it. I could feel the holy strength of the Einlanzer run through me as it smashed deep into the stone floor. The tower shook as a huge jolt of power erupted from the blade. Blindingly bright lines of white energy scattered away from the sword and darted up the walls. For a brief instant the ceiling sparkled with the sword's holy power, then the contraption controlling the trap groaned louder than ever.

Then it was silent and dark once more. The silence was complete, the darkness however was flawed. The Einlanzer glowed softly from its resting spot, and next to the inscription that I'd found earlier one of the bricks glowed with a faint outline. Kid saw it too and walked over. "Huh, this brick aint got no mortar around it."

With a small tug she pulled it loose, and took out the tiny object it had been concealing. She brought it to the Einlanzer where we could all examine it in the faint white glow. What she had was a small golden ring, adorned with a slender set of leaves, like those of a fern, decorated with five small rubies. It shimmered in the holy light. Funny how a thing of great beauty could be found within such an ugly place.

"That's the Acacian coat of arms," Magil said. "Seeing this should snap the old man out of his delirium. If only for a little."

But the old man didn't even notice the thing once we brought it to him. "Hey old timer!" Kid called to him. "Look what I've got, it's yer old Acacian ring!"

He ignored her and continued his never ending mantra of guilt. Magil walked up to the cell and grabbed the bars. After chanting a few words of magic he pulled them apart like they were made of nothing stronger than taffy.

Not waiting for Magil to move Kid slipped past him and into the cell. She grabbed the old man roughly by the neck of his shirt and pulled him up, waiving the ring in front of his face. "C'mon ya stupid old goat! Snap out of it, before I slap the info outta ya!"

"Kid, do you really need to be so rough?" I asked, following Magil into the cell. I thought that the last thing this old guy needed was to be aggravated a little more.

"Let her be," said Magil. "This might help him come back long enough to recognize the ring."

The old man stood for a moment, mumbling incoherently, and then his eyes seemed to lock onto the ring. He clumsily grabbed it out of Kid's hand. For a moment he just stared at the golden ring, then he looked into Kid's eyes and said, "Riddel? Is that you Miss Riddel?"

Kid was about to correct him when Magil told her to play along. Noticing us for the first time the old man broke out into a half crazed smile. "Merkid! Zorander! You've come back!" I realized that he was inside an illusion. He'd only partially come back to reality. After all, Kid might have resembled Riddel a little, but it was doubtful that both myself and Magil bore uncanny resemblances to a couple of his old Dragoon buddies.

You've come back," he whispered in a horse voice. "I made a mistake. You all died…but…now we are reunited, let us head back to Staik Lake."

"That's nice old timer, but we need to ask ya bout the Frozen Flame," Kid interrupted impatiently.

He turned back to her. "What's that Lady Riddel? The Frozen Flame? What about the Frozen Flame?"

Grinning now that she was getting somewhere Kid said, "Your Lady Riddel needs to know where it is. Where is Lynx keeping it?

The old man smiled widely, glad to help. "Of course! The secret passage is in the ballroom…third candlestick on the left…" The old man's eyes began clouding over once again. "Please forgive me, for your father... I beg you, Riddel. The Dragoons..."

Kid's face was beaming. Now we knew where to find the Flame…and Lynx. "It's high time for you to bust on outta here, old man."

I was already heading out. The catacombs gave me a serious case of the creeps. "Come on, we've done all we can do here. He's got to walk through those bars himself."

When we left the catacombs Kid had a new spring in her step, but I was bothered by something. I kept remembering that whispered warning. "Magil," I said, "think it would be okay if we stopped by Lynx's room? I want to see that mirror again."

Kid looked at me in disgust. "What ya wanna see that stupid thing again for? We're almost there, mate! I can smell the Frozen Flame from here!"

Magil looked into my eyes for a moment. At first I thought he'd refuse my request, after all I hadn't really given them a good reason why we should go back. Finally the mage nodded. "Very well."