Chapter Eleven: Nakta's Training
The cabin where the Crystal Bearers of Fum met was quiet. Yania and Trookle were both sitting at the table, silent. Nakta had gone outside without saying anything. Layle was standing in a corner of the living room of the building.
Once the three Bearers of Fum had recovered themselves from seeing their dead friends, Nakta and Trookle had buried Olgra and Renool. Nakta, Yania, and Trookle had all said something about each of the dead Clavats before they had sealed them into the ground forever. Despite the fact that she hadn't known either of them, Belle had stood next to Layle, and they had both silently attended the funeral.
Afterwards, Yania and Trookle had sat down together and Nakta had exited the cabin. Because they had known Olgra and Renool far longer than he had, Layle had left them in peace and gone outside. Belle had followed him and said, "I'm sorry about your friends."
"Don't be."
Since she could tell Layle wasn't as traumatized as the others, Belle was comfortable enough to ask, "Where were you guys when this happened?"
Layle told her everything about Olgra's vision and their search for the Selkie Crystal. Belle put her hands on her hips and smiled. "That's pretty unbelievable, Layle."
"I know. But Olgra's powers are not to be underestimated. I think we should both put aside our doubts and trust his vision."
Belle sighed. "You just had to get yourself involved in this, didn't you? Like saving the world from Jegran wasn't enough?" When Layle didn't respond, she shrugged and said, "How about I help you out?"
Layle raised his eyebrows. "Why would you want to do that?"
"I can't just let you run off again. I've got to get you back to those people in Alfitaria who want you to return." Belle winked. "And if I help you out, you'll owe me one. Then you'll have to come back with me."
Layle shrugged. "I think that depends on how much you help me. But don't you think you're doing a bit much just to help out Althea, Keiss, and Cid?"
Belle wasn't willing to tell him that she hadn't actually been sent here by those people, so she replied, "I'm sure Althea will be happy to pay me for finding you. And Keiss is gonna have to pay me twenty thousand gil, so I think I'm gonna gain quite a lot from this."
I knew she couldn't have come here just to see me. Layle thought to himself. She's just doing it for the money. "Fine, you can help me. But what exactly are you planning to do?"
Belle smiled. "I'm an expert at discovering information. Besides, I'm a Selkie, so it should be pretty easy to find out where other Selkies are." Without waiting for any advice or warnings, Belle said, "Don't worry, I can handle it solo." Then she ran south toward the road where she had landed her plane.
Shaking his head, Layle was about to step back into the cabin when he saw Nakta. The Clavat with the power of Thunder was sitting on a rock, looking out into the forest. Wondering whether he could help or not, Layle walked over to him. "Hey, Nakta."
Nakta half-turned his head. "Oh. Hi, Layle." He turned back to his original position, and Layle leaned against a tree near him.
"I'm sorry about Olgra."
Nakta sighed. "I know you barely knew him, but we have known him all of our lives. In fact, I was the first one who he found. I was only ten, and he was an adult. One day, I was playing with my powers, and he walked up to me. When I asked him who he was, he said that he was just like me. He explained our similarities, and he told me that he could teach me how to control and master my powers. He told me to think about his offer and left.
"I, of course, was curious and intrigued, and I was very determined to learn from him. He came and visited my house again, and he and my parents and I spoke together. They could tell that he was kind enough and decided that they would allow him to teach me about magic. After that, he came over about once every week and helped me harness my powers and taught me how to use them in a variety of ways. As he did, he also told me many interesting things about the world, such as continental drift and tectonic plates. This continued for a couple of years, and I felt very grateful and dedicated to him.
"Then, when I was twelve, my father died from a terrible illness. His death broke my mother's heart so badly that she died shortly afterward. I was also in a state of shock, and if Olgra had not visited and taken me in soon after my mother died, I might have also died from sadness. After that, Olgra raised me as if I were his own son, and I grew to love him like a father."
Layle gripped Nakta's shoulder. "I'm so sorry."
"I know. I miss him, but I am very glad that we were able to spend so much time together. But I do have one regret."
"What's that?"
"Right before we left for Lynari Island, Olgra spoke in private with me. He told me that he loved me and that he knew that, after all he had seen me do, he knew I would be able to find the Selkies. But we didn't. And I am sorry that I let him down."
Layle shook his head. "You didn't let him down, Nakta. There was nothing more that we could do to find the Selkies. We were extremely lucky just by finding that man who told us to go to Mount Kilanda."
Nakta nodded. "I know. But still…" After that, the Clavat went silent.
Layle knew that there was nothing more that he could do to comfort Nakta. Patting him on the shoulder, Layle left and went back into the cabin.
A few more quiet hours passed. Yania occasionally cried, and Trookle comforted her, but Layle felt that he should let the Lilty be the only one to help her for the moment. Nakta came in and sat with Yania and Trookle after a couple hours, but he and Layle did not speak to each other. Not knowing what to do, Layle remained in the corner and said nothing.
Then, they heard Belle's plane land somewhere outside of the forest. A couple minutes later, she came rushing into the cabin. "I know where to find the Selkies!"
The four Crystal Bearers looked up at her with surprised expressions. "What do you mean?" Trookle asked.
"I mean that I found out where they probably went! You see, I went to the library of Fum, and the librarian was very surprised to see me, since I was a Selkie. While we were on that subject, I asked him if he had any idea where they might have gone. To my surprise, he said he had a few books that might help me and gave them to me. I skimmed them and found out that, hundreds of years ago, in a time when miasma poisoned the world, the Selkies tried to occupy a swamp known as Conall Curach."
"I have heard of that swamp," Nakta said. "It is west of here, within the Rebena Plains."
"Yes! And I think that, since the miasma vanished and the number of monsters lessened, they would return to Conall Curach and reattempt to inhabit it."
"What if you're wrong?" Yania asked in an unfriendly tone.
"Does it matter? What if I'm right? At least now we have another chance at finding them! If we don't do this, Olgra's vision might come true! You don't want that to happen, do you?"
That made everyone quiet for a few moments. Then, as Yania was opening her mouth to speak, Layle said, "I agree with Belle. It's worth a shot."
Belle smiled at Layle, and the others nodded. "How about we leave in the morning?" Trookle offered. "We ought to get some rest before we go traveling again."
"Sounds great!" Belle exclaimed. "Hey Layle, will you help me move my plane into the forest? I don't want anyone stealing it; Keiss would kill me if I let that happen."
As Layle followed Belle out the door, he gripped Nakta's shoulder. "It looks like you'll be able to make Olgra proud after all." Smiling, Nakta nodded, and Layle walked out of the building.
Within the port of Fum, two men jumped off a ship they had stolen and let it float away. A Clavat man saw them and yelled, "Hey! That's my ship!" Before the man could attack them or get help, one of the thieves raised his hand and shot a ball of dark green light into him. Screaming in pain, the man fell and writhed on the ground. A few seconds later, his screams turned into a gurgling sound, then he went silent and his body became still. Knowing that others would have heard the man's scream, the two thieves quickly walked away from the port.
When they were sure that they were far enough away not to be followed, one of the men turned to the other and asked, "Where are they, Zinka?"
Just as the sun rose and the new day began, Zinka replied, "They are at the place where we killed that other Crystal Bearer. But they are heading west now."
"Dammit! Why can't they just hold still and let us kill them like the old man did?"
"Calm down, Grule."
"Calm down? How am I supposed to calm down? We just barely missed those Crystal Bearers when they sailed past us, and now they're moving away from us again! At this rate, we'll never catch up to them!"
"Maybe we won't. But Ragna and Comar will be able to."
Realizing what Zinka was planning, Grule smiled. "You're right! I completely forgot about your abilities. I apologize, Zinka." After Zinka had nodded his forgiveness, Grule said, "Go ahead and tell them. Whether they kill the Crystal Bearers or distract them long enough for us to kill them, they'll be dead soon. We can finally finish this once and for all!" Grule raised his head and laughed.
Chuckling, Zinka closed his eyes and set their plan in motion.
