"Excuse me, Master Cyrus? It's morning."
I stirred awake to see that the castle librarian was trying to get me up. Sure enough, the librarian was correct in that it was bright and early morning. I shook the cobwebs out of my head as I closed the book I had fallen asleep reading and handed it to the librarian.
"Sorry about that," I apologized. "It was a lot of reading, and…"
The librarian chuckled. "Oh, it's quite all right. No harm done, after all. At any rate, I heard from one of the soldiers that you were participating in the Festival of the Hunt today. And knowing how exhausting it can be, I assumed you would want to grab some breakfast before the Hunt began."
I nodded as my stomach growled. "Yeah, you've got a good point there. I appreciate you waking me up."
"Oh, it's no trouble," the librarian assured me. "They're serving breakfast at the soldiers' barracks, and I don't think they'll mind if you join them. It's on the Mid Level, just before you reach the Falcon's Gate airship dock."
"Great, thanks!" I replied as I stood up and headed out of the library and to the lift. I rode the life down to the Mid Level and, after a minute of searching, found the barracks and the mess hall. The soldiers there, just like the librarian said, welcomed me to join them as one of the servants got me a plate stacked with eggs and smoked ham. As I dug in, some of the soldiers started asking me questions about the escape from Alexandria and the journey from there to Lindblum, so in-between bites and second helpings I told them the story, embellishing where needed to make the story entertaining. The soldiers all listened intently to my tales as I finished up my breakfast. I thanked them for the meal as they all wished me luck in the Festival of the Hunt.
After finishing up breakfast, one of Regent Cid's aides informed me that the Festival would commence right at noon and that I was to wait in the castle's guest room for instructions from one of the Festival's officials. I thanked the aide as I left the barracks and headed for the guest room. No one else was in the guest room as I walked up to one of the beds and grabbed the chainmail I'd bought yesterday. After fitting it over my undershirt and putting on my red shirt and alchemist's coat, I sat on the bed, waiting for the others to arrive.
"Good morning, kupo!" a moogle from across the room cheerily greeted. "Are you waiting for the Festival of the Hunt to begin?"
"Yeah, I'll be participating," I replied. "You the castle's personal moogle?"
"Something like that, kupo," the moogle replied. "I'm Mogki. I help the servants with maintaining the guest room for the regent's visitors. Hey, are you maybe heading for Burmecia anytime soon, kupo?"
"Hmm, perhaps," I answered. "Why?"
"Kupo…I have a letter for Atla, kupo. But Artemicion hasn't stopped by in ages, kupo. I was wondering if you could take it to her instead."
I shrugged. "Sure, why not? I don't have any real plans for after the Festival, so maybe I will go visit Burmecia."
"Thanks a lot, kupo!" Mogki exclaimed as he handed me his letter. I pocketed the envelope as I sat on the bed, wondering when the others would show up. Fortunately, I didn't have to wait much longer, as Freya walked in, her well-worn spear sheathed on her back. From the looks of it, Freya had spent some time recently sharpening it, making sure it was ready for monster slaying.
"Freya! I was wondering if you were going to show up," I shouted as I stood up and walked down to greet her.
Freya immediately noticed Legacy securely fastened to my back. "So, you fight with a scythe…a very obscure choice. Some would say it's almost impossible to use effectively in combat."
"Yeah, I get that a lot," I teasingly retorted. "But talk like that doesn't last past the first few minutes when I get to swinging."
"Confident, aren't we?" Freya mused. "Well, I look forward to seeing if your skills match your boasts."
"The feeling is mutual," I replied as I saw more people entering the guest room: Dagger, Steiner, and Vivi.
"Oh, Cyrus!" Dagger excitedly said when she entered the room. "I didn't expect to see you here."
"Hey princess," I replied. "I'm participating in the Festival of the Hunt today, and they asked some of us to meet here in the guest room. What are you doing here, by the way?"
Dagger shrugged. "Uncle Cid said we should wait here until the Festival begins. I'm not so sure I want to watch it…"
"But Princess, you must!" Steiner insisted. "Please, you might enjoy it."
Dagger sighed. "I suppose…"
"Hey, if nothing else, you can watch and cheer me on when I wipe the floor with the competition," I suggested in a boastful tone.
Freya chuckled. "Unlikely. It will be me who wins the contest."
"Keep telling yourself that, Freya," I shot back before realizing that I hadn't introduced her to Dagger and the rest of the gang. "Damn it, where are my manners? Dagger, Steiner, Vivi…this is Freya. She's a Burmecian Dragon Knight, and she's also taking part in the Hunt. And for some reason, she thinks she's going to beat me."
"All the more reason to root for her, you filthy vagabond!" Steiner bellowed before saluting Freya. "Captain Adelbert Steiner of the Alexandrian Pluto Knights! It is a pleasure to meet a fellow knight."
"Likewise," Freya replied, somewhat uninterested. Steiner, oblivious as always, paid it no mind as Vivi started to pace a little.
"What's up, Vivi?" I asked.
"Oh, I was just wondering where Zidane was."
"Zidane?" I asked in a false-confused tone. "I thought he wasn't participating."
Dagger, obviously flustered, replied, "He, ah…he told me yesterday that he changed his mind. But he's running late…if he doesn't get here soon…"
"Hey!" Zidane's voice shouted from the guest room door. Sure enough, the tailed thief sauntered in, carrying a new pair of daggers. The blades were blue and were massive, almost as large as an axe blade. They looked roughly like two lightning bolts as Zidane kept them sheathed to his back.
"Wow, looks like someone's gotten a new pair of knives," I teased. "So, what prompted you to get off your lazy ass and actually go hunting today?"
Zidane laughed. "Those 'knives' are called The Ogre. And they're going to completely kick your butt!"
"I'll believe it when I see it, Zidane," Freya simply stated. "We'll see if you've improved your skills."
Before Zidane could reply, one of the Lindblum elite soldiers came walking in, carrying a scroll as he mumbled to himself. Finally he spoke up:
"Ah, good. You're all here. The rest of the participants are being briefed in other sections of the castle. Allow me to explain the rules of the Hunt.
"First, you will all have 30 minutes to hunt down as many monsters as you can within Lindblum's various districts. Our handlers have just released them, so they should be all over the city by now. For every monster you slay, our judges will award points based on the monster slain and how long it took to fell. Second, curative items are permitted, but if you become too injured to continue you will immediately be disqualified. Third, at any time, you are permitted to use the air taxis to go to any of the other districts you please. Keep in mind, though, that the clock will continue to run while you are en route. Whoever scores the most points without disqualification will be granted the title of Master Hunter and receive a reward."
The soldier pulled out a quill and put it to his scroll. "And what would you like for your hunter's reward?"
"I'll go with Gil, all the way!" Zidane exclaimed as he thumped his chest.
Freya sighed before answering, "I'll take an accessory."
"And what about you, Mr. Cyrus?" the soldier asked as he scribbled down Zidane and Freya's requests.
I thought about it for a minute before smirking. "I request several books from the castle library's collection, regarding the alchemists."
The soldier's eyebrows shot up, but he shrugged as he wrote it down. "And what about you, Mr. Vivi?"
"WHAT?" Vivi shouted in shock. "I never signed up!"
Zidane shot a mischievous grin as he walked up to Vivi. "Yeah, I thought you would do pretty well, so I signed you up. Come on…with your black magic, it'll be a piece of cake!"
Vivi started wringing his hands nervously. "I…I don't know…"
Freya shook her head disapprovingly. "That was very inconsiderate of you, Zidane."
"No kidding," I replied. "Not that Vivi can't handle himself, but you should've asked him before signing him up."
Zidane rolled his eyes in aggravation before an idea popped into his mind. He bent over and whispered something to Vivi.
"What?" Vivi shouted. "Me and the princess?"
Zidane tried to hush him, but Steiner's impeccable ability to hear anything remotely sounding like the word "princess" caught Vivi's outburst as he ran down and confronted Zidane. "What was that? You just mentioned the princess! What evil deeds are you plotting now?"
"It's nothing!" Zidane said as innocently as he could. "Right, Vivi?"
"R-right, it's nothing," Vivi reassured Steiner in his nervous tone.
"Very well, then…so then what will your reward be, Mr. Vivi?" the soldier asked again.
Vivi wrung his hands nervously before replying, "Um, I'll take a card."
"Good. So, it's Gil, an accessory, texts on the alchemists, and a…a card. Very well, now for your starting positions. The three districts in play are the Business District, the Theater District, and the Industrial District. Hunter Zidane will start in the Theater District, Hunter Vivi will start in the Business District, and Hunters Freya and Cyrus will begin in the Industrial District. Air cabs are waiting in the depot to take you to your assigned starting points. Good luck, and good hunting."
We all nodded at the soldier as Zidane, Vivi, Freya, and I headed out and walked to the air cab depot. Zidane and Vivi boarded separate taxis as Freya and I climbed into ours. As the air cab rumbled towards the Industrial District, the cab driver explained that once we landed, the city-wide intercom system would announce when all the hunters would start. At that moment, the cab doors would open and the Festival of the Hunt would commence.
After listening to the cab driver, I unsheathed Legacy and shouldered the weapon, something Freya mimicked.
"Why did you request information on the alchemists?" Freya asked as we neared the Industrial District.
"Call it a desire to know about my predecessors," I replied as I showed Freya the seal on my left palm.
Freya looked at it and shrugged, "So, you're an alchemist yourself? A very dangerous road to go down, considering what some of those 'predecessors' did in the past."
"Then call it trying to redeem the ones persecuted for the actions of those misguided idiots," I retorted. "At any rate, I want those books so that I learn more about alchemy. Much of what I've learned to this point has been by trial and error. Last thing I need is to try a combination and have it blow up in my face…literally."
"Fair enough," Freya replied as our air cab came to a stop at the Industrial District. Through the windows, we saw a trio of fangs pacing around. One of the fangs, in a rage, rammed the side of the air cab with force, shaking the cab. Freya and I tightened our grips on our respective weapons as a voice shouted over the loudspeakers:
"The Festival of the Hunt is about to begin! We remind all of our citizens to stay off the streets until the monsters have been routed. Hunters…on your marks…get set…"
Freya and I dropped into our battle stances as Freya said with a smirk, "Don't get yourself killed, alchemist."
"Try not to fall behind, dragon knight," I shot back with a grin as the voice behind the speaker gave the signal:
"GO!"
(Play "Hunter's Chance" from the Final Fantasy IX OST)
The cab doors opened as Freya and I rushed out, brandishing our respective weapons. Legacy earned its first kill when I drove the blade clean through a fang's torso. Freya, however, was quick as she dispatched one fang and almost instantly followed through with a jab to the second.
"What was that about keeping up?" Freya taunted as she leapt up the top of the stairs leading to the Industrial District. "You'd best move faster if you wish to keep up with me!"
I snarled as Freya headed into the district. As fast as I could, I ran up the stairs to follow, Legacy held behind me ready to strike in an instant. As I entered the Industrial District, I was immediately accosted by a pair of mus, who immediately met the same fate as the fang from earlier as I cleaved them asunder.
As I was making my way through the Industrial District, the master of ceremonies would continuously announce who was leading in points. In the beginning, various names were being announced, along with mine, Freya's, Zidane's, and even Vivi's. The lead changed almost by the minute as I continued slicing my way through fangs and mus.
"Hunter Zidane leads with 74 Points!"
"Damn it," I muttered as I reached the Industrial District's main square. There, perched on the statue of the previous regent, were several trick sparrows. The blue-feathered avians took notice of me as they all swooped down, looking to dive bomb me.
"Arcana Number One: Exile's Edge!" I shouted as a small, fierce wind spun around Legacy's blade. I slashed at the trick sparrows as the wind disoriented them, forcing them to crash. I wasted little time as I cut them all down.
"Hunter Cyrus leads with 87 Points!"
I nodded, pleased with myself…that is, until the lead changed. First, it was Freya with 92 points, then someone called the Strange Gourmand with 94, and then some guy named Ivan with 97. I swore as I plunged deeper into the Industrial District.
I was running towards Bobo's Doom Café when I saw a man wearing armor on the ground, being attended to by the same waitress that Zidane was ogling last night. I immediately ran up to them, wary of any approaching enemies.
"What are you doing out here, lady?" I demanded. "There's monsters crawling all over the district!"
"I know, I know! But this man got hurt outside of the café. I couldn't just watch…I just had to help!"
"M'lady," the man on the ground said, "Your sentiment is touching, but Ivan Flame-Tongue would never wish a fair damsel such as yourself to put herself at risk for me."
"Stow the chivalrous knight routine!" I shouted. "Look, what's your name, miss?"
"Lillian."
"All right, Lillian. I need you to drag Ivan here into the café. I'll stand here and fend off any…"
As I spoke, a quartet of fangs ran out from the alleyways near the Doom Café, and like the pack animals they were, they began to circle around the three of us, looking rather hungry.
"Oh, you think you're smart, do you?" I said tauntingly to the fangs as I grabbed two items from my coat that I had gotten from Engineer Zebolt. Surprisingly, I learned through my research that many of the items that were used in airship construction and weapons design were actually useful Mix items, so I took the chance to stock up.
"Mix! Bomb Fragment and Trick Sparrow Wing, Elemental Fire!"
The familiar sensation of the deconstructed items raced from my left hand to my right as I held my right hand above my head.
"Burning Squall!"
A crimson sphere appeared in my right palm and dissipated as wind started howling around the three of us. The fangs were confused as the wind swirled around them…until it ignited, immolating them quickly and painfully. The four fangs fell to the ground, burnt to a crisp as they breathed their last.
"What in Gaia…?" Ivan said in a low tone as I helped Lillian drag him to the Doom Café.
"Are you going to be all right?" I asked the fallen warrior.
"Yes, I will survive…but I am unable to fight right now. Therefore, I leave the Hunt to you, brave warrior."
"Thank you for helping us," Lillian said as she placed her hand on my shoulder. She blushed a bit as she said, "I…we…owe you our lives."
"Don't mention it," I said nonchalantly as the man on the loudspeakers announced that Freya had regained the lead with 113 points. I nodded once to Ivan and Lillian as I ran for the air cab depot, slaying a couple of mus along the way. Knowing that time was now my biggest enemy, I decided to try my hand at hunting in the Theater District.
After getting in the open cab and telling the driver our destination, he revved the engines and flew at a breakneck pace, hoping to minimize the downtime I would have due to the trip…
17:23 Remaining
The air cab reached the Theater District as I quickly stepped out. I ran out of the depot and found a hungry fang waiting for me. I sidestepped the beast as I drove the pike at the end of Legacy's shaft into its skull, smashing it and leaving him dead. I heard an update as to who the new leader was, but I paid little attention to it as I went deeper into the district.
There were slain monsters throughout the many avenues and boulevards of the Theater District, but more creatures continued to roam the streets. I kept cutting through as many as I could as I worked towards where I remembered Tantalus's hideout being located.
Sure enough, I came up to the old, somewhat dilapidated old clock house to see a familiar-looking bronze-skinned female sizing up a mu with her oversized axe. She wore a tan-colored tube top and a light brown coat with a red bottom. Effortlessly, she cleaved the mu in two as she brought her axe back up and rested it on her shoulder.
"Hunter Lani leads with 137 points!"
"That's right!" the axe-wielder shouted. "Who's the best bounty hunter in the world?"
As the woman, Lani, was celebrating, a trio of trick sparrows flew out of the top of the Tantalus hideout and immediately got into swarming position. Seeing that she didn't notice them, I grabbed another pair of items from my coat.
"Mix! Flan Ooze, Elemental Wind!"
The vials of rancid liquid from the flan monsters I encountered in the Ice Cavern dissipated in my left hand as the energy sphere formed in my right.
"Arctic Breeze!"
A blast of frigid air, thanks to the Ice-based elemental liquid, rushed from my hand and struck the three trick sparrows hard, coating their wings in ice. The sparrows fell hard onto the cobblestone walkway, crushing their bones on the pavement and leaving them lifeless.
"Hunter Cyrus leads with 141 points!"
Lani, having watched my attack, put her hands on her hips. "I'll be damned! You're not half-bad! Cyrus, was it?"
"Yeah, I'm the guy who's winning this contest. You must be Lani."
Lani smirked. "You've heard of me. Not that I'm surprised…hell, when you look this good and kick as much ass as I do, word gets around."
"Or I put two and two together when they announced your name," I countered with a chuckle. "But don't get me wrong, I don't discount either your looks or your ability to kick ass."
"Ha ha! You're not bad at all, Cyrus. I might just have to buy you a drink with my winnings."
"Keep dreaming, sweetheart," I taunted as I ran past her. "But should a miracle happen, I'll take you up on the drink."
Lani laughed as she ran in the opposite direction, zapping a mu with a Thundara spell before disappearing around the corner. I headed for the theater where some play called "Moogle Wannabe 2" was being played, hoping some monsters were lurking around.
I ran down a flight of stairs as I heard another update: Zidane had taken the lead with 153 points. Knowing time was running out, I picked up speed as I headed for the theater.
Still, despite the pressing time limit and my own desire to win, what I saw made me laugh.
Standing on top of a barrel surrounded by three mus was a rather effeminate-looking man in a white and purple outfit. He was screaming like a five-year old girl as he tried to slap the mus away…weakly.
"Someone, help me! Lowell Bridges is too talented and too fabulously-handsome to die!"
I rolled my eyes as I rushed in, taking the mus down with quick slashes from Legacy. After the skirmish, Lowell got down from his barrel and kissed me on both cheeks.
"Oh, thank you, you most noble warrior! You've not only saved my life, but you've saved all of these uncultured rubes from having to live without my thespian stylings! Culture and good taste thanks you, my good sir!"
"Right…look, just get inside somewhere. After all, you wouldn't want your fans to cry themselves to death if you get eaten by a fang," I suggested, a bit uncomfortable with the flamboyant actor.
"True enough! Thank you again! And do come out to see 'Moogle Wannabe 2!'" Lowell called out as he ran off into the theater. I groaned as the master of ceremonies called out:
"Master Vivi leads with 192 points!"
"Damn! Now Vivi's getting ahead of me?" I shouted out loud as a fang tried to blindside me. I quickly took it down with a powerful blow from Legacy. "Got to get my ass in gear!"
Knowing now that I'd never be able to catch up slaying small-fry monsters, I decided that the only way I could win was to go after the big bad boss monster…and there was only one place large enough for it to be rampaging in.
I headed back up the stairs and past the Tantalus hideout until I reached the boulevard leading to the air cab depot. Once I reached the depot, I told the cabby to take me directly to the Business District. The driver nodded as he cranked up the engine and drove the cab quickly towards the last section of Lindblum City.
8:47 Remaining
The cab set down in the Business District just as Freya had retaken the lead with 226 points. Knowing that I had less than ten minutes to close the gap, I bolted out of the air cab depot and into a pair of mus. They were quickly cut down with Legacy's razor-sharp blade as the gore slid off. I quickened my pace as I ran through the streets, cutting down any monsters that got in my way.
I made it to a large bazaar in the Business District that connected Main Street with the cul-de-sac where Dragoos and Torres had their shops. I started to head for that cul-de-sac when I saw Vivi running away from a rather enraged fang. Vivi rushed right past me, scared out of his mind as I stepped between him and the fang and dropped Legacy's blade down on the fang. I was about to tell Vivi to stop, but he had already turned the corner. I sighed as I shouldered Legacy and started running.
I was in a full sprint when I ran into someone coming out of the alleyway. As fate would have it, it was Zidane, who was panting but otherwise in one piece.
"Cyrus! Heard your name announced a couple of times. How're you doing?"
"Fine, but not nearly good enough," I replied. "Last I heard, Freya was still in the lead."
Zidane nodded. "Yeah, I caught up to her before, but then she got back in front. She's really on fire. But I'm not giving up! I've got a date with Dagger at stake here!"
"So that's why you decided to compete," I said as I wiped some sweat from my brow. "You really do have a one-track mind, you know that?"
Zidane shot me an exasperated look. "Oh, give me a break, man. Dagger's just…"
"Five minutes remaining!"
Both Zidane and I had a look of panic on our faces, knowing that time was running out. We were about to sprint off in different directions until we heard screams.
"That's coming from Market Circle!" Zidane exclaimed.
"Near Dragoos's shop?" I asked as Zidane nodded. "Then let's move!"
Zidane and I rushed toward the cul-de-sac. After a minute, we reached Market Circle and found the source of the screams: a pair of kids who Zidane immediately recognized as Lucilla and Bunce, orphans taken in by Tantalus. They were being cornered by a massive red boar with man-length tusks and a blue mane that almost looked like a mohawk.
"Hey ugly!" Zidane shouted as he drew both halves of The Ogre. "Over here!"
The monster, hearing Zidane's taunts, turned its attention to us as it snorted and pawed the ground with its large hoof.
"A zaghnol…just our luck," I muttered as I shouldered Legacy.
Zidane motioned for the kids to get out of the streets as he dropped down into a battle stance. "It might be a bit tricky, just the two of us."
"Perhaps I might be of assistance," the familiar voice of Freya shouted from the rooftops. The dragon knight leapt down with ease as she stood shoulder-to-shoulder with us as we faced down this mastodon.
"Fine, but I get to finish it off!" Zidane insisted. "After all, I'm not missing out on a date with Dagger!"
"Brazen as always," Freya said as she shook her head.
"How about we focus on not dying? Can we do that, please?" I suggested in a forceful tone as the zaghnol roared defiantly. Zidane combined his two daggers to form his thief sword, thinking that the extra leverage and striking power would be best for this battle as the zaghnol rushed us, looking to heave us with its tusks. Zidane and I managed to hold it off as Freya leapt up and, after somehow staying up there for a good ten seconds, dived down and drove her spear into the zaghnol's hide. The monster roared in anger as it thrashed and bucked, tossing Freya off. Zidane and I went in to slash the monster and managed to dig into its shoulders, but even our cuts were only flesh wounds to the thick-skinned beast as it tossed us aside with its tusks. Zidane landed near Freya while I ended up in the fountain.
"Damn! Ugly here's tough!" Zidane stated as he and Freya got to their feet. I struggled back to my feet, now fully soaked and fully pissed off. Just as we had gotten back into our stances, the zaghnol started to buck and grunt.
"What is it doing?" Freya asked as she readied herself for an attack. Her question was answered as the zaghnol's body started to teem with electricity. It then shot a powerful stream of Thunder magic at the three of us as we all had to dodge to avoid what could've been a critical attack.
"Son of a…that thing's started using Thundara!" I shouted. "We need to be careful when…"
"Time to show this porker who's the boss!" Zidane said as he recklessly rushed in again, this time hoping to out-quick the zaghnol. The thief managed to strike the zaghnol on its side, leaving a nasty gash. This enraged the monster as it struck Zidane with a counter Thundara spell, sending Zidane flying back. The tailed thief, despite being in obvious pain, still smirked as he downed a potion.
"Two minutes remaining! Hunter Freya remains in the lead with 242 points!"
Freya, smiling due to her lead, went for another leap to try and jab her spear into the beast's thick skull. However, when she leapt down, the zaghnol caught her with its tusks and heaved her back in the air. I grabbed a pair of trick sparrow wings from my coat seeing Freya tumble out of control.
"Freya! Ride this! Mix, Trick Sparrow Wings, Elemental Wind! Havoc Cyclone!"
The wings disappeared in my left hand as a green sphere rested in my right. I slammed the sphere into the ground as a large whirlwind appeared between me and the zaghnol. Freya, sensing the wind, used it to right herself in mid-air and rode it up to try her jump again. This time, Freya found her target as her spear was driven into the zaghnol's head. However, the monster's thick skull prevented Freya's spear from piercing its brain and only served to piss it off. The zaghnol shook its head violently as Freya was tossed off and onto the ground. It then went to stomp her with its hoof, but…
"Arcana Number 2!"
The zaghnol, before it could crush Freya, was struck by a massive sickle-shaped beam of energy. The attack sliced into the monster and sent it crashing to the ground, its howls indicating that it was in mortal pain.
"Spectral Reaver," I finished as I shouldered Legacy after unleashing my newest Arcana technique. Zidane and Freya, getting to their feet, saw that the zaghnol was vulnerable as they readied their weapons.
"All right! The big bastard's mine!" Zidane shouted as he rushed in, The Ogre held behind him and ready to strike.
"Not today, Zidane," Freya countered as she leapt in the air, aiming for the beast's eye. As for me, I simply stood by as I focused my energy…
I can't imagine what it looked like when I vanished into thin air, only to reappear next to the zaghnol with Legacy's blade dripping in blood after slitting its throat. All I know is that I was the one with the large smirk on my face as I announced:
"Arcana Number 3: Shadow Harvest."
"3…2…1…Time's up!" the loudspeaker shouted. "And the winner is…Hunter Cyrus! With an astonishing 316 points!"
(End Music)
Freya, a bit shocked at the outcome, nevertheless was a good sport and shook my hand in congratulations. Zidane, however, wasn't nearly as sportsmanlike.
"Aw, man! Cyrus, you couldn't just let me win?"
"Sorry buddy," I replied as exhaustion started catching up with me. I downed a potion and an ether as I continued, "I really wanted those books."
"Well, damn you anyway, Cyrus!" Zidane pouted before laughing. "Nah, just kidding. Congratulations. You really pulled it out in the end."
"Would all participants in the Festival of the Hunt please return to the castle? Our soldiers will now round up all remaining monsters."
"Guess we better go," I said as I sheathed Legacy and walked with Freya and Zidane to the air cab depot. We met up with Vivi (who had sought refuge in the depot after the incident with the fang) and congratulated him on doing so well and being so brave for the majority of the Hunt as the air cab flew in and whisked us away to the castle...
"That was marvelous, all of you!" Cid exclaimed as he hopped in his seat in excitement.
Our whole party was in the throne room as I stood before Cid and Artania. The others were on either side, all smiles as they congratulated me on my victory.
"316 points! A new Festival record!" Artania announced as he walked up to me. He handed me a small decorative shield with a very ornate archer engraved on its surface. "It is with great honor that, on behalf of Regent Cid Fabool, I present you with the title of Master Hunter."
"Thank you," I said as I accepted the award. "I will carry this title with pride."
"As you requested, our chief librarian has selected three books from the early years of the Golden Age of Alchemy. They contain a wealth of information…however, our scholars haven't been able to make much sense of it. Perhaps an alchemist's mind will be able to unlock their secrets."
A servant walked up and presented me a satchel containing the books. I slung the strap over my shoulder as I bowed once at Regent Cid, showing my appreciation. I then turned to face my friends.
"Well done, Cyrus," Freya said. "You certainly earned this victory."
I nodded slightly. "Thank you, Freya. Truth knows you didn't make it easy on me. Same goes for Zidane and Vivi."
Vivi simply chuckled as Zidane shot me a thumbs-up. "Well Cyrus, we ought to celebrate! Drinks at the Doom Café are on…"
"Regent…"
A weak, pained voice from behind us was pleading for the regent. We all turned and saw the source: a Burmecian soldier, limping and wounded. Freya, recognizing her countryman, ran over to keep him propped up as he continued to breathe heavily.
"Forgive my…intrusion…I bring urgent news from…from our king," the Burmecian soldier weakly said as he coughed up a bit of blood.
"The King of Burmecia?" Cid said as he hopped off his throne. As Artania started to protest, not wanting Cid to reveal himself, Cid snapped back, "Take a look at him…an injury has left him blind. Continue, soldier."
The soldier nodded as he coughed again. "Our kingdom…it's being attacked by an unknown force. We are…we are severely outmatched. Please…we request immediate reinforcements!"
Cid, hearing that war had come to Burmecia, had a look of genuine surprise and shock on his insect face as the soldier continued, "The enemy…it was an army of mages wearing…steeple-crowned hats…"
The soldier slumped in Freya's arms as I rushed to help her hold him up. As I held onto the Burmecian soldier, I saw out of the corner of my eye that Vivi was completely rattled by the news of the enemy. In spite of his youth, he knew exactly who the enemy was…and he was again questioning what that meant with regards to his own existence.
"Don't worry," Cid said reassuringly. "The king of Burmecia and I are old friends. We will send reinforcements as soon as possible."
"Thank you…Regent..." the soldier said as he started coughing violently. He spoke in-between coughs, "The king…and all of…Burmecia…will be most…grateful…"
The soldier's body immediately went completely limb as Cid ordered his aides to take the soldier to the infirmary. Freya shook her head as she and I set him down on the floor. "It's too late…he's dead. It's a miracle he even made it this far. I can't believe this is happening."
I shook my head in sadness as I closed the rat soldier's eyes. I then whispered an old Exile's prayer for the fallen: "Rest well, fellow traveler. May you find your peace at Journey's End."
Freya heard my prayer and silently thanked me as we stood to face Cid. I was the first to speak up. "We've got to do something about this."
"Indeed," Artania muttered as a pair of soldiers carried the fallen Burmecian out of the throne room. "Unfortunately, this couldn't have happened at a worse time. Because of the Festival, there are hardly any men left in the castle to mobilize. It would take time to organize a relief force."
"Then we have no other alternative," Cid stated as he hopped back onto his throne. "Call back the 4th Aerial Division patrolling the border."
"Sire, if we do that, we'll lose our eyes on Alexandria!" Artania insisted.
"GWOK! You think I don't know that?" Cid fired back as he calmed down. "But Burmecia is our ally. We must help them."
Freya, silent throughout this exchange, was deep in thought as she spoke up. "Steeple-crowned hats…perhaps they are black mages, like Vivi."
"It can't be…can it?" Vivi muttered, wringing his hands nervously.
Dagger was in shock as well, having witnessed the death of the soldier. "Could Mother be behind this?"
Freya, now renewed with determination, stood up straight as she looked Cid square in the eye. "I must go now. I cannot sit and wait for reinforcements."
"I'm coming with you," Zidane chimed in, an uncharacteristic serious look on his face.
Freya looked at Zidane with surprise. "You? But this doesn't concern you!"
"What, am I a stranger all of a sudden? I'm not gonna sit back and watch your home get destroyed, all right?"
Freya was about to say something else, but instead she nodded her head and said, "Thank you."
"Count me in, too," I said as I walked up to stand next to Zidane and Freya. "I'm not about to let good people die needlessly. My Road is clear…and it leads to Burmecia."
"You too, Cyrus?" Freya asked as I nodded. Freya nodded in turn as if to say "thanks."
"Um…can I come too?" Vivi finally said as he stood in front of us. "I wanna find out who those mages really are. Please?"
"Sure thing," Zidane said reassuringly as he patted Vivi on the shoulder.
"Then it's settled," Dagger chimed in. "Let's go to Burmecia."
"Princess, we cannot!" Steiner insisted. "This is a foreign matter! It has nothing to do with us!"
"Steiner is right, Garnet," Cid added. "We don't know if Alexandria is involved."
Dagger looked confused. "But…if black mages are involved…Zidane, you know what I'm talking about, right?" she asked the tailed thief.
Zidane was silent as Dagger continued to plead. "If Mother is behind this, I'll make her stop! I promise!"
Zidane looked a bit sullen as he set his gaze on the ceiling. "I think you should stay here."
"What? What are you saying?" Dagger implored.
"We don't know what to expect there. It could be extremely dangerous," Zidane explained.
"I've already faced great danger coming here! What's the difference?" Dagger insisted.
Zidane shook his head. "Dagger, you're not hearing me. This is war. A lot of people are going to die."
"I know that!" Dagger blurted out, almost sounding like a bratty little girl.
"Do you?" I simply stated beneath my breath.
Dagger turned her frustrated gaze at me. "You too, Cyrus?"
I sighed as I explained. "Do you truly understand war? Can you comprehend what combat does to the spirit of the soldier, of a nation? Have you ever seen what war does to the families of the fallen? You've faced danger, that much is true. But a few monsters and Black Waltzes are hardly the same as facing down the atrocities committed by soldiers in the name of one's kingdom. Sorry, princess…but you're far from ready to face that."
Zidane nodded as he added, "Tell me Dagger…how did you feel when you saw that Burmecian soldier die, just now?"
Dagger seemed a bit dumbfounded. "I felt sad, of course."
"Just sad? You didn't feel scared?" Zidane pressed. As Dagger hung her head, Zidane continued, "Obviously you haven't realized just how dangerous this is going to be. You could get killed! This isn't the time to be convincing your mother of anything."
Dagger was getting a bit choked up as she tried to say, "But…but…"
Cid finally spoke up to break the tension. "Enough. Now's not the time to argue."
"I agree," Freya added. "We must head for Burmecia at once. Will you open the Dragon's Gate?"
"Gwok…of course. If you're going by foot, leaving from the gate is the best way. But the gate's been sealed for years, gwok. It will take time to undo the seals. While we wait for the gate to open, why don't we have dinner?"
"Sounds good to me," I replied. "Hate to have to go back into the Mist on an empty stomach."
"Dinner is being prepared as we speak," Artania explained. "Please wait in your rooms until then. Once it's ready, I will send servants to escort you."
We all thanked Cid as we headed out of the throne room. Cid and Artania headed for a side chamber, obviously to discuss strategy. As I was leaving, I saw Dagger trailing behind, staring intently at a small burlap sack in her hands.
Knowing what she was planning, I turned and walked up to her. "How deep is your resolve, Dagger?"
"My…resolve?" Dagger asked as she held the bag behind her, trying in vain to hide it.
"Knowing what you know, how far are you planning on walking this path you're thinking of taking?" I explained. "There's no guarantee that things will work out and that your goals will be easily met, if at all. Are you still willing to walk that path?"
Dagger almost looked like she was about to deny any sort of plans, but she quickly figured out that I wasn't about to be fooled. Instead, she simply nodded as a determined expression was etched on her face.
"Then do what you will," I said as I started walking out. "There is only one Long and Winding Road, but there are an infinite number of paths to tread on it. We, all of us, must be willing to choose the path we feel must be taken. So walk your path…and be prepared for the consequences of your actions.
Dagger was silent as I headed out. However, just as I exited the throne room, I heard her quietly say:
"Thank you…"
New Mix Abilities:
Burning Squall-A whirlwind of searing hot embers surrounds Cyrus, burning anything it touches
Arctic Breeze-Below freezing winds rush towards enemies and coats them in mystic ice. Works better on flying enemies.
Havoc Cyclone-A powerful tornado swirls on the battlefield, striking enemies with Wind-elemental damage (also handy for lending dragon knights a hand in their aerial acrobatics)
New Arcana:
Spectral Reaver-Cyrus collects energy on his scythe's blade and sends it flying at his opponents. It's considered a ranged attack.
Shadow Harvest-Cyrus vanishes from the battlefield to land a critical strike on his opponent. This attack takes priority (meaning that if someone is already going in for an attack on the same enemy, it will always strike first)
Author's Notes:
Man, I'm uploading so quickly again? IT MUST MEAN THAT THE WORLD'S COMING TO AN END!
Well, not really. I'm just working off momentum and really wanted to get this chapter out. I think it's actually one of my better ones, mixing action with my usual healthy doses of humor and epicness. I hope you all agree and enjoyed reading!
Special thanks as always go to my reviewers: David L.J.J. (AKA the artist formerly known as butcherthegirl), Volanaro, FF and STH, and NobodiesHiiro. Hmm, I seem to be missing a few people...oh well, I'm sure they'll review. And why haven't you reviewed?
Quit pointing at yourself, you know I'm talking to you. Oh what...did you say you were going to review? Really? Then why isn't your name on my "thank you" section? Huh? That's right, you don't have an excuse!
Nah, I'm just messing with you. But seriously...you should totally consider reviewing. It's lots of fun and people will think you're awesome!
Next time: From Mist to Muck
See you on the Long and Winding Road,
"The Exile" Cyrus Truth
