Here is the anticipated confirmation of the person draining innocent people's mana. Then again maybe you don't really care. Let me know if you like where this story is going or just leave your two cents. Also if you have a skit you'd like to see let me know.

Read, review, enjoy.

Chapter 10: The Seeker

They parted ways when they reached the ground floor. The caravan people gave their last thanks to the ones who were staying in the tower longer. Yuri had though Repede would stay with him but his canine partner followed the people who were leaving.

That may have been better since it didn't look like there weren't many guards or mages left in the lab. They had caused a lot of commotion below but no one came. But it wouldn't surprise Yuri if they were walking into a trap. At least they saved the people and not all of them would be caught in the trap. Karol and Raven would be safe…Estelle would be safe.

Yuri, Flynn, Rita, Ren, and her spirit were heading up the tower. They climbed in silence even though there was no point in sneaking since the metal floors and tight space announced their approach.

They were climbing up to the third level when Rita broke the silence. "So, mask wearing freak, how the hell are you able to use magic?"

Flynn and Yuri were already up and checking the area for anything unwelcoming. Ren just climbed up from the ladder with Verius on her shoulders again. She looked exhausted, and not from the all the climbing. "Don't tell me that's my name now," she directed at Yuri.

Rita's head popped up from the ladder next. "I'll call you whatever I feel like."

Ren rolled her eyes as the mage was now on their level. "I don't know why my magic hasn't changed after the spirit conversion if that's what you're asking," she answered the mage in a bitter tone.

"That's not much of an answer."

"Yeah, well, I don't have the answer."

Maybe I should have made Rita go with Estelle and the others, Yuri thought as he rubbed his brow. A cat fight was something they didn't need. "Rita, could this wait until after we get out of this tower," Yuri actually asked nicely.

"You actually believe this person will be here then?" The mage asked and Ren actually started glaring at her. She did have a point. The Ringing Fox could disappear after they confront whoever was in charge of this tower. "Look, spells are a lot stronger with mana. But unless I can find a new medium I can't hardly harness any of it." Yuri remembered when Rita made that discovery. She had nearly blown a mage up. But she had still used her blastia as her so-called medium to help her with the formulas. Her giant scroll was the closes she had come to obtaining the new power mana offered.

"Everyone be quiet," Flynn suddenly ordered them. The girls closed their mouths and they all listened. Above them came the sounds of heavy footfall that had to be caused by someone wearing armor.

"I sense three presences," Verius whispered.

Before Flynn could say what they should do, there was a very brief moment when the tower shook like it was in a wind storm and was shortly followed by a loud cry of pain that lasted for half a minute.

"Make that two," Verius commented grimly.

"What the hell was that?" Rita muttered sounding slightly worried.

"Only one way to find out," Yuri said as he took the lead this time.

But Flynn grabbed his arm to make him stop briefly. "Remember, we're going to try and settle this as civil as we can. We only use force if necessary." The commandant was really saying it to Ren who didn't seem to notice.

If Flynn really wanted to settle this without fighting then he should have had the other group go with him. The commandant was surrounded by a people who are willing to start a fight at any moment.

Yuri moved out of the way and gestured at the stair. "Then by all means, commandant, lead the way."

Flynn just let out a sigh but started leading them up. There was a constant tapping noise that started to echo through the metal skeleton. The noise didn't seem to have any rhythm to it. Whoever was doing it would tap sporadically and then stopped for a very brief moment just to start again. But each sequence was different from the last.

When they finally reached the next level, they saw the room that was probably where all the actual research happened. There were broken parts of various objects. Some looked like former blastia and different kinds of scrolls and books were scattered all over the floor. However, it was the still smoldering form of an adult in the center of the floor that caught their attention.

The tapping was louder now and Yuri looked up at the walkway that lined the whole room to see dozens of chalk boards that looked like a five year old had scribbled on them. But in front of one of them was a man who was maybe about Yuri's age lying on the walk way and tapping his pen against the railing.

Suddenly the man jumped to his feet and lazily leaned on the railing like he just woke up. He was clean shaven but his short brown hair looked like he hadn't brushed his hair in over a year. He wore a blue button up shirt with only half of it actually tucked into his dark pants. There was even a loose red tie around his neck and suspenders.

The man opened his arms open like he was greeting a party guest. "Oh, commandant," he called out with false enthusiasm. "Had I known you were coming, I would have tidied the place up a bit. But I guess this is what you get for coming in unannounced." The last part sounded threating. But the man had an eerie smile on his face and kept spinning the pen between his fingers.

Flynn looked like he was about to be sick as he looked at the man. Then Rita whispered, sounding very nervous, "Zane Holwell, the Seeker."

Another damn Holy Knight, Yuri thought grimly.

Zane seemed to hear Rita and the pen stopped in his hand. Zane narrowed his eyes at the mage. "Mordio, I thought my side started to hurt."

Ignoring his change in tone, Flynn shouted, "Zane, what the hell have you done here?" It looked like Flynn wasn't planning on being too civil. Yuri wondered if it was because it was Zane or if he just couldn't keep his anger in check any longer. He would have made a joke about Flynn being a hypocrite if both Flynn and Rita didn't look like they were staring down the Adephagos again.

The Holy Knight seemed to forget about what he had said to Rita because his expression changed to a cocky one. "I'm just trying to help the good people of Terca Lumireis. I was told to get mana by any means necessary. I'm just following orders like a good knight should. Wouldn't you agree, commandant?"

"But to use people?" Flynn yelled. "Do you realize that you could have killed them?"

"So?" Zane questioned. "They're just a bunch nomads. It's not like anyone would miss them. You should be grateful I don't us you all for this experiment. I worked hard on those formulas I'll have you know." He sounded like a whinny child.

"An experiment?" Yuri repeated. He was starting to feel what Flynn was. The grip on his sheath tightened. Did he just do all this because he wanted to see if he could? Yuri didn't care what Flynn would say, he, at least, was going to fight Zane.

Before Yuri could do anything, Ren rushed in front of them and stood next to the charred body. "Where's the mana cannon?" She demanded with her dagger out and Verius in an aggressive stance beside her. All diplomacy was gone.

Zane stared down at them for a moment with a blank expression. It was difficult to tell what powers this man could have. He can supposedly take out a pack of monsters, but how? If anything, it was almost impossible to read what Zane was thinking. "So the great commandant is working with the person who's been causing problems for us scientists by stealing our mana, the Ringing Fox."

"We didn't steal it, we released it back to where it belongs," Verius defended.

"Your name should have been Mana Thief. I had thought Ringing Fox was a dumb name for the likes of you." Zane started rolling the pen between his fingers again. "But if I must answer you, the mana cannon was never here. This lab just made some parts for it."

The life seemed to drain form Ren's face. "No way," she muttered.

Suddenly the sound of a pair of feet was running across the walkway. It was the second person Verius had mentioned and he was just now making an appearance. It was another mage by the looks of it. He looked like he was hysterical. "Lord Zane, the prisoners are gone and so is the mana we've collected," the man exclaimed.

Zane looked at him with so much venom that Yuri thought that new person was going to melt under the gaze. "Well that's pretty obvious now isn't. When you work under me, I expect you to tell me what I don't know, not report what should be common knowledge."

The mage glanced down at the charred body below them. It all became clear to him. "P-please, Lord Zane," the mage fumbled with his words. "I-I'll personally go find more people for your experiment. Just please-"

"I've no need for incompetent people," Zane interrupted and pointed his pen at him like a wand. Before their eyes the mage suddenly combust into flames when Zane clicked the pen. His whole body was being eaten by the fire and he let out a blood curling screams for a blessed two seconds before he ended up like the corps that was beside Ren.

However, Zane looked disappointed at his pen. "Damn thing is still using too much magic. It was supposed to make him suffer longer," he pouted. But that sickening sly smile returned when he looked back down at Rita. "But I suppose you would know all about disappointments, huh, Rita dear?"

His words seemed make Rita freeze. Yuri wasn't sure what had happened to cause her to be so open with her fear. The way she had talked back at the capital, it was like she didn't think he was such a big deal. But Yuri wasn't going to wait for Rita to come back to her senses. He tossed the sheath off his sword and got into his fighting stance. "Let's just cut to chase and get this over with," Yuri told them.

Flynn offered no objections and even drew his sword. Ren remained in her stance.

"I'm not much of a fighter. Killing things I can do. But fighting? That just sounds so barbaric," Zane announced as he placed the pen in his front shirt pocket.

"That's some twisted logic you got there," Yuri commented.

"I don't have time for this. Tell me where the mana cannon is, now!" Ren shouted and suddenly a giant green magic circle appeared below their feet. Zane looked very interested in finding out what she was going to do by the way his eyes lit up like a little kid with a new toy.

They were inside but there was a slight breeze that Yuri didn't notice until it was strong enough to nearly knock him off his feet. He braced himself and saw Flynn and Rita were having similar difficulties. Rita was even knocked off her feet. But Ren seemed untouched by the change. She was the center of all it. "Ren," Yuri shouted over the roaring wind. "What the hell are you doing?"

She didn't seem to hear him. Ren held up her hand and he heard her say, "Remember our pact because I call upon you, Sylph!"

Yuri's eyes widened as mini twister emerged in front of Ren and quickly vanished to reveal the being that had been the Entelexeia Khroma. Now she was the small spirit of wind, Sylph. The fairy like being didn't say a word but she seemed to share the same determination as Ren. She flicked her arm upwards and a long wind blade shot toward Zane.

The Holy Knight barely dived out of the way before Sylph's wind cut through the walkway and the walls. Sylph quickly repeated the action only this time she aimed a little bit to the right of Zane so the walkway, with him on it, would fall to their level. Now there was a huge hole in the tower behind Zane from Sylph's magic gave them more natural light for them to fight.

Zane was trying to get to his feet but Sylph flew toward him and held up her arm and was about send another wind blade on the human. But the smirk returned to Zane and he pulled out a small brown box. He pushed a button on the side and suddenly Sylph was engulfed in a rainbow of light. Like the mage, Sylph let out a terrible cry before she was silenced. When the light disappeared, Sylph was also gone.

Though her presence was brief, Yuri still couldn't believe that Sylph was even there. Why and how did Ren bring Sylph here? Rita had one of her rare moments where she was speechless. Ren, however, looked horrified at what Zane had done to the spirit.

"I never would have thought you could do that. Lucky for me I had this," Zane said as he waved the box around.

"What did you do?" Ren demanded, replacing her horror with anger.

"I just shot pure earth mana at her. I don't think your little spirit will be able to help you again," Zane answered.

Yuri wasn't going to give Zane another opportunity to use one of his gadgets again. Yuri charged toward the Holy Knight and with both hands he aimed to slash Zane across the chest. But the bastard managed to side step him and it nearly caused Yuri to fall out of the opening Sylph had created earlier. He wasn't sure how Zane managed to dodge him at the last possible second but he had. It almost felt like the air around Zane had pushed Yuri out of the way slightly. But it was so small that he wasn't sure if that was what had happened or not. Yuri supposed fighting a member of the Holy Knights wouldn't be that easy, even one that had said he wasn't much of a fighter.

He turned around and saw that Zane's back was to him. Yuri was about to attack again when Zane moved out of the way just in time to avoid Ren's attack that caused her to collide into Yuri. He tumbled back and hit the ground with Ren falling on top of him.

Neither of them wasted a moment before they scrambled off of each other. "Will you watch what you're doing," Yuri snapped. In the back of his mind, he was thankful that she didn't use her arte that made her hand blue. They both would have fallen out of the tower. She had thankfully moved her dagger away in time so she wouldn't stab Yuri

"I could say the same," she shot back looking slightly flushed.

They heard Zane start to laugh and that directed their attention to the crazed scientist. "Seeing the two of you side by side I can now see why people would mistake the two of you. You almost look like twins."

"We do not," both Yuri and Ren exclaimed at the same time, which caused both of them to glare at one another.

"Well, it doesn't really matter. You're all going to die for getting in my way," Zane said with a sickening smile like he was chatting with a close friend.

"Do you really think you're going to get away with killing all of us," Flynn yelled out from behind Zane. He must have decided to stay behind and watch what tricks were up the Holy Knights sleeves. Verius was now beside Flynn and seemed to analyzing Zane. "How do you plan to explain this to his highness? What you have done has brought shame to the new order of the Holy Knights."

Zane started to laugh again but this time it sounded like a real one. He had even had his hands over his stomach for emphasis. "You really think I'm the only one bringing shame to the 'Holy Knights?' That title is a joke." Zane let out a few more laughs before he wiped his eyes of imaginary tears. "But it would be so easy to fool the little emperor. All I have to say is how you and the guild member tragically lost your lives while you were fighting the Ringing Fox. You all heroically slain her but in the end your injuries-" He kept talking like a kid who was telling a story to a stranger. His eyes were even closed as it seemed like he was picturing what he was telling them. His arms were even up doing big gestures.

Yuri looked at Flynn and noticed that the commandant was motioning at Zane with his eyes. Yuri understood instantly and nodded. Without hesitating, the two of them charged at Zane at the same time and made to slash both sides of the Holy Knight.

As Yuri swung, he felt like there was some resistance on his sword. But he had managed to cut deep enough to cause some bleeding just below the ribs like Flynn had. But as soon as their blades had connected to Zane's skin some kind of force pushed the two of them out of their swords reach of Zane.

The scientist had stopped mid-sentence and didn't seem to be aware of what had happened. When he looked down and saw that he was bleeding on both sides, he looked confused.

Suddenly, Flynn shouted, "His barrier is down, now Rita."

"Take this you damn bastard," Rita yelled as fireballs formed around her head. She had climbed up onto the walkway for a better vantage point and her giant scroll was open. The small fireballs shot toward Zane and he barely got out of the way like he did with Sylph's attack.

That was when Yuri realized what Zane had done. Zane had some kind of magic shield that somehow deflected his and Ren's attacks. But it wasn't that strong. He dodged Sylph's attack because it was too powerful. With both Yuri and Flynn they managed to break through it. Rita must have noticed that and told Flynn her plan. Now they would just have to wait until Rita lured him into a corner.

Rita kept firing fire spell after fire spell. Finally one hit Zane, who had blocked it with his forearms. The spell had burnt his sleeves off but otherwise his skin didn't seem marred. Zane was near where Sylph had brought down part of the walkway and there were some parts hanging down that he managed to jump up and climbed up to the walkway.

Seeing that Zane was heading toward her, she stopped with her smaller spells and unrolled her scroll for a stronger spell, one that would definitely injure Zane should he be hit point blank. Something like Flare Lance or something by the way a red spell circle began to form in front of her.

Flynn, Yuri, and Ren hurried toward Rita, but the Zane was faster than they had expected. Before Rita could even say the first verse of the chant, Zane had grabbed her wrist and interrupted her spell. She was just about to use her signature "Rita Chop," when Zane started talking loud enough for only Rita to hear. Rita just stood there frozen.

Zane was looking at her like he had when the mage he had killed. He said maybe only five words to here but it was enough to make Rita go limp. Zane grabbed Rita's collar before she completely lost consciousness.

"Rita," Yuri shouted as he watched Zane toss her over the railing.

He wouldn't reach her in time, but thankfully Flynn was there to catch her. The weight of both Rita and her giant scroll caused Flynn to fall backwards from the impact. But the knight managed to keep the mage safe. The commandant quickly pushed himself up.

"She's still breathing," Flynn said when Yuri reached him. The knight removed the scroll from her shoulders and gently laid her on the floor.

Yuri narrowed his eyes up at Zane. "What the hell did you do to her?" Yuri yelled up at him. The Holy Knight merely shrugged which only angered Yuri more. He was about to climb up to his level when they suddenly heard the screeching cries that Yuri recognized as a griffin.

"It's about time that stupid thing came," Zane muttered as he jumped down from the walkway and made his way over to the large opening. He walked casually like he had forgotten all about them.

"That tapping noise, it was some kind of signal," Verius suddenly claimed.

The monster landed in the opening and dug its talons into the metal surface. Its wings kept beating like it was ready to take off to the skies at any moment. But it had cuts all over its body and even had a few patches of feathers gone from its body. Nobody had tended the beast's wounds.

"I thought you were going to kill us?" Ren questioned that made Zane direct his attention back on them.

Zane then pulled the pen out of his pocket and tapped it against his mouth. "I did say that, didn't I," he seemed to remind himself. Then he started twirling his pen in his hand when his dark smile returned. "Tell you what, since I had so much fun with you all I'll give you five minutes to leave this place before I destroy it. I really hope you live, I'd love to try out some new toys on you all."

The Holy Knight then jumped onto the griffin and Zane said, "Tick, tock," before the two monsters jumped out of the tower and flew out of view.

"What are we going to do now?" Ren muttered.

She was looking down at Verius and probably meant the mana cannon. But Yuri quickly slung Rita's unconscious form over his shoulder and said, "We're getting out of here, now,"

Yuri didn't wait for Flynn or Ren's reply. He had no intention of finding out if Zane was telling the truth or not. They hurried down to the ground floor and all three of them jumped down the ladders instead of taking the time to climb down.

It was on the last ladder when Yuri twisted his ankle when he landed on it wrong. He nearly fell on his face but he kept running. With his shoulder that didn't hold Rita, he rammed his side into the door to open it.

He didn't stop running until he was out of the sand and back on the grassy floor of the forest. As he was running, he felt the loose surface tremble beneath his feet. But he wouldn't look back even as he heard the metal tower behind him scream out in protest at bending and breaking.

Yuri nearly dropped Rita when he finally reached the trees and she still didn't stir. But like Flynn said, she was still breathing. There wasn't a whole lot they could do for her until they got her to Estelle. Flynn and Ren arrived shortly after him. The commandant had carried Rita's scroll with him and Verius was on Ren's shoulders. It actually surprised Yuri that Ren actually stay with them. If she wanted to escape now was her chance. But she didn't

As they were catching their breaths, their gazes were on the tower that once stood tall. Now the top part was burying itself into the sand. There were even still some flames eating at the metal. Yuri shuddered to think what kind of power Zane had and realized that he was simply playing with them. If he had wanted to, he could have probably killed them. Yuri could barely comprehend how Zane even made those "toys" without the use of blastia. Was that the power of mana technology as weapons?

"What now?" Yuri muttered as he was slowly becoming aware of the throbbing in his foot. His boot was feeling a little too tight.

"We need to head back to Zaphias and inform his highness of what Zane had done here," Flynn answered. "I have always been wary about Zane becoming a member of the Holy Knights. I had even pleaded with Lady Nightwood he shouldn't because of his questionable ethics. But because he is a brilliant scientist, she insisted. Now I may have enough to have him discharged and arrested for his crimes."

Yuri was reluctant to agree, especially since with their luck more members of the Holy Knights were probably going to be their enemy. He also wasn't sure if jail was the best thing for Zane. This was reminding him a little too much of how the Empire carried out their justice on those with power. Could Nightwood even be trusted? Was she as guilty as Zane or was she miraculous innocent? Zane said the rest of the Holy Knights were no better but could they believe anything a psychopath says?

Then Flynn looked over at Ren who seemed to be weighting her options. "If you would come with us we could probably make a stronger case against Zane and even question the purpose of the mana cannon."

Both Ren and Verius looked at the commandant with wide eyes. Even Yuri couldn't believe what Flynn was saying. "You believe me?" Ren questioned.

"There's not much choice. But right now our enemy is Zane. I definitely believe he would try to kill you if you're arrested just to silence you," Flynn explained.

Ren and Verius glanced at each other. The fox spirit nodded his head toward them and Ren let out of sigh. "Fine, fine. As promised, I tell you what we know when get to the next town." Ren walked over to Yuri and had his scabbard in her hand.

It surprised him that she had actually taken the time to retrieve it for him. "I definitely want to hear how you managed to call Sylph here. But I guess that can wait until we reunite with the others," Yuri told her as he accepted his scabbard. For now, Yuri would trust Flynn's judgment since they didn't have any answers. But Yuri would keep their options open.

He sheathed his sword and knelt down next to Rita. Gently, he shook the mage's shoulders. "Rita, Rita," he called out. But she was unresponsive. "Damn it. Flynn, give me hand here."

Flynn helped him put Rita on his back so he could carry her easier. He'd have to ignore his foot until they reached Heliord. Yuri looped his arms underneath her legs and started to make his long way to the city. They would be lucky if they got back before night settles.

/~/~/

Skit: Anything But Flynn's Cooking

Flynn: Yuri, what would you like to eat?

Yuri: Don't worry about. I'll fix something for us.

Flynn: Nonsense. You've been carrying Rita this whole time. Not to mention I had yet to cook during this whole journey. I've always been checking the area for monsters during meal times and the meal would be done by the time I returned. I have to contribute to the group too.

Yuri: Like we would make the great commandant cook for us. Just let me make us something simple while you make sure there're no monsters around.

Flynn: Come on Yuri.

Ren: If you two are just going to argue about this like an old couple, why don't I just fix something?

Yuri: Just because you're traveling with us doesn't mean I'm going to trust you not to poison us.

Ren rolling her eye: Seriously? If I wanted to get away from you then I would have just left as we were escaping the lab. Fine, the knight can cook for all I care.

Yuri to himself: Do I let Flynn cook and force down his unholy creation or do I trust Ren?

Flynn: I'll just make something.

Yuri: No, what. Ren's new, we should let her cook. You know, so she could start contributing.

Ren: Screw that, I'm going to go find my own food. *She leaves.*

Flynn: Just take it easy, Yuri. I'll fix something for the two of and for Rita in case she comes to. *He leaves.*

Yuri: Please let this time be one of the rare times he fixes something edible.

*Just in case for those who don't know. In the PlayStation version, Flynn is a terrible cook. Of course it's briefly mentioned in the Xbox version too.