Final Fantasy IV The After Years: The Novel

by Celes Chere

17 years after Final Fantasy IV, Ceodore Harvey departs Baron to earn his spot in the elite air force, the Red Wings. In the days that follow, the world falls to crisis, with a mysterious figure gathering the crystals once more and the ominous return of the second moon. This time, there may be no homecoming. A novelization based off of the iOS version of Final Fantasy IV TAY.

21. Act Twenty-One: Eblanese Tales Part II

Act Twenty-One: Eblanese Tales Part II | The Vagrants

[Dedicated to my Sweet Ibuki, who I know is on the moon smiling down on me now. RIP.]

Izayoi's Tale | The Sixteenth Moon

"Ah, I'm glad it fits you, Izzy. I'm sorry that no one told you before you arrived that you needed a bathing suit."

"It's no matter," Izayoi frowned, tugging up at the pencil-thin shoulder strap. "Are you sure it fits, though? It feels a little tight."

"Well, you're a little bigger than me…" the girl flushed. "…Where it counts, anyway. You fill it out quite nicely, is what I mean."

Izayoi sighed, raising her arms over her head as she turned in front of the mirror. She felt utterly exposed and vulnerable in every way possible – and if she actually got in a fight, she would become even more exposed, and rather quickly. And where was she supposed to hide any weapons on the two strips of fabric that constituted this bikini, which was already not doing a very good job of containing what it was supposed to hold in the first place?

I should have been more vocal with my displeasure about coming here, Izayoi thought, flashing a bright, fake smile at the girl who had generously come to her aid, an Epopt trainee named Lila. Lila smiled back weakly at Izayoi's reflection in the mirror. Lila couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something about her new friend Izzy that made her just a little nervous – maybe Izzy had taken the comment about her body the wrong way?

But "Izzy" had hardly paid attention to anything Lila had said – her mind was hundreds of miles away. Izayoi had arrived in Troia the day before, shortly after Edge had dismissed the Eblan Four – and had found the town in a rather chaotic state. As expected, the Epopts – eight priestesses who ruled the Troian territories and were the guardians of the Crystal of Earth – were in a tizzy about the return of the second moon, and that panic had quickly spread to their constituents. But in addition, it had turned out that the rumor Edge had shared about one of the Epopts falling ill was true, which left the crystal with only seven guardians and an uneasy fear that it was more assailable than ever, now that the moon had reappeared after seventeen long years.

Admittance to the Crystal of Earth's chamber was not granted to just anyone – Izayoi learned that only Epopt trainees and the Epopts themselves had access to it on a regular basis for the purposes of prayer. Luckily, there were scores of girls clamoring to become Epopts thanks to the now-vacant post, so it was easy enough for Izayoi to buy the plainest, cheapest gown she could find at a clothing shop and dress herself down to look more like an average Troian woman versus a nimble Eblanese warrior, and then declare her intention to become a trainee at the castle.

"Name?" the Epopt asked who had accepted Izayoi's audience request to become a trainee.

"…Izzy," Izayoi replied. It was an alias she often used for missions – very rarely outside of Eblan was she her true self, and not many more people other than Edge, Gekkou, Zangetsu and Tsukinowa knew anything about what she was really like.

"Age?"

"Thirty-one." That had been the truth – she only lied about her age when the situation necessitated it – she was a master spy, and she had gotten that way by always keeping her fake identities as uncomplicated as possible.

"What are some of your best skills, Izzy?"

Poison expertise, espionage, manipulation and seduction, marksmanship, knife-throwing, hand-to-hand combat, water affinity ninjitsu, and I can kill a man in five seconds with just my thighs.

Izayoi gave a shy smile. "I'm rather adept at both white and black magic – All self-taught."

"Wonderful! I think you'll fit in well with the other girls. Please report here for prayers at dawn tomorrow, and at that point you will meet with the Epopt who will be leading tomorrow's lessons. Trainees are expected to report to us every day – don't think that just because a different Epopt teaches each day that we won't know who is skipping. When you are deemed worthy, you will take a final exam for consideration of becoming a future Epopt. Is that understood?"

"Crystal clear, ma'am," Izayoi nodded. "I'm sure everyone is anxious to find the successor for the eighth post."

"We are indeed, dear," the Epopt smiled. "I'm glad so many girls and women are answering their country's call for help, especially in trying times like these. I'm looking forward to seeing you tomorrow – have a blessed day."

Izayoi had gotten a room at the inn and kept a low profile until the next day for her appointment at the castle. She made sure her pink, off-shoulder gown was pressed before sliding it over her head, and pulled her dark brown and black hair out of her usual ponytail, letting the sleek locks fall over her shoulders and back instead. Without her makeup, her skin-tight bodysuit, or her obi filled with weapons and potions, she looked like a regular young woman going out for a leisurely summer stroll.

After the prayer session with the Crystal of Earth, which Izayoi could now mentally check off her list of mission objectives as having confirmed was safe and sound, the Epopt who was giving the day's lesson pulled the small group of girls aside to briefly announce "Izzy's" arrival, followed by an explanation that today, they would be needing a bathing suit and to meet at the southernmost pond in thirty minutes. Izayoi's face must have gone white in confusion, for it was then that Lila, a blonde who had been standing next to her, whispered in her ear kindly.

"I have an extra one you can borrow – let me know where I can meet you and I will bring it over!"

If I get in well with the girls, maybe they'll spill some dirt on who the leading candidate is for the eighth Epopt role, Izayoi smiled to herself. Small-town girls like these love gossip – I just need to get 'em started, and they'll all fall in line.

"That would be great," Izayoi gave a dramatic sigh and twisted a lock of hair around her finger. "You're the best – meet me at the inn when we're done here. I've got my own room on the second floor."

And so, Lila had arrived – with the skimpiest bikini Izayoi had ever seen. As they left Izayoi's room to walk to the pond together, Izayoi snatched her knee-length navy and violet robe from a chair that she normally wore over her bodysuit – there was just no way she could prance around in a public space like this. Lila wasn't much more covered up herself – Izayoi wondered how the hell she could walk outside with a straight face.

I suppose under normal circumstances, a woman wants to be seen and noticed…but in my line of work, that's the quickest road to a failed mission.

Eblanese kunoichi Izayoi knew that it took a lot more than just a flash of skin to turn a man – or woman – pliable in her expert, polished fingers – such tricks were far too base for her methodology, even in missions where she was afforded privacy. Civilian Izayoi-turned-Epopt trainee "Izzy" was so embarrassed that she feared she might pass out as soon as the robe needed to drop – it was moments like these that made her realize how sheltered she was for such a worldly woman.

When Lila and Izayoi reached the springtime flower-covered knoll that sloped above the pond, the Epopt who was acting as their instructor did a final headcount – everyone had now arrived. "Are you ready to begin today's training, girls?"

Everyone nodded silently, and the Epopt continued, tilting her head toward the pond behind them.

"Today, we'll work on your spiritual fortitude. You shall cleanse yourselves with cold water and wash away any distractions. This will help you focus your internal energies. Once you're ready, please assemble in the pond." She turned and began to walk down the knoll, and the girls clustered together, some of them starting to pull off various pieces of clothing under the protection of their fellow students. Izayoi stood there with her hand clutching her robe, exasperated. Why, why, why did she feel like Master Edge had done this on purpose, even though there was no way he could possibly see her? This was humiliating.

"Hey...did you hear?" a girl with red hair reached down to untie a peasant-style skirt. "They say a war's about to break out."

"I heard the same thing!" Lila blinked, and Izayoi bit her lip in an attempt to look concerned. The redhead, clearly thrilled at having the spotlight turned upon her, took her sweet time untying her skirt's sash as she looked at each of the girls to make sure she had their undisputed attention. When she met Izayoi's eyes, Izayoi offered an encouraging smile. The red head's lips twitched slightly in pleasure, choosing to interpret Izayoi's gaze as an unquenchable need to know what was coming next. She dropped her skirt and stepped out of it, her legs a flash of white.

"Word has it that Baron's deployed their airship fleet again. My mom said things are looking just like they did before the previous war. She was deployed on an urgent post at the border just this morning."

So her mother is a soldier, Izayoi thought. The Troian military is already taking defensive measures? Seems like overcompensation if Baron is just increasing air activity. It's not like they ever stopped having an air force…I'm sure they still have to train new recruits.

Do the Epopts know something else they are not telling the public? They are in charge of the military…

The red head pulled her blouse up and over her head. "And that's not all...I heard that Leonora will be taking her final exam shortly. That's why she's not here today."

Lila crossed her arms over her chest, blowing her bangs out of her face. "Really? Leonora? Say, that reminds me...Remember the rumor about how she needed to master black magic first?"

Izayoi raised an eyebrow. She could pick up from the slightly raised pitch of Lila's voice that this might be worth picking apart a bit more.

"Black magic?" Izayoi blinked, and Lila turned to her, nodding.

"Mm-hmm. Supposedly, they're requesting a mage from Mysidia to instruct her."

"Is that part of the exam?" Izayoi asked. "Proving that you've mastered black magic? I thought you…er, we, only needed to know white magic to fill the post?"

Lila looked down. "I don't know...we're not told a lot about the final exam. When you are tapped to take the final exam, it's a really big deal – no one has actually taken it since the post became vacant. You're escorted to the Tower of Trials in the south and have to do – well, something there. None of us have spoken to Leonora since she was told it was her time to take the final exam – she was just pulled out of class one day, and that was it. She's been sequestered."

"Tower of Trials?" Izayoi narrowed her eyes. "So no one has actually completed it? It must be dangerous if you need to master black magic."

The red head, who was twisting a lock of her curly hair impatiently, let out a not-so-subtle cough so that everyone would turn back to her.

"Leonora has never cast a black magic spell in her life – I've seen her every day for the last bazillion years. If we really had to learn black magic, don't you think somebody would be teaching us? But the rush to put someone as mediocre as Leonora through the exam – It sure looks like there's going to be war soon, doesn't it? She's not even from Troia."

They don't seem to have a high opinion of this girl. Is it just because she's an outsider?

There came hurried footsteps, and the Epopt appeared over the crest of the hill, clenching her jaw. "Girls, what are you doing? Hurry up and assemble in the pond!" The trainees jumped in surprise, Izayoi included, and those that had been too entranced by the gossip to undress began to hurriedly shed their clothing.

"Yes, ma'am!"

Izayoi let out a soft sigh as the others began to scramble down the hill. She untied her robe, letting it pool at her feet as she pressed her hand over her mouth in thought and wrapped her free arm around her bare midriff.

I've been here for a while now...What could be happening with Baron, though? This is the first I've heard of any concerns with them…is it because of the moon? As Izayoi glanced up, she saw a young man bouncing on a chocobo down the main drag that ran past the town of Troia toward the castle, which was to the northwest. His navy robes billowed in the wind, and she could see a long, brunette braid whipping behind him. He turned his head toward the village, a wide grin enveloping his features when he spotted Izayoi and the others, who had made their way down to the pond. Snapping back into "Izzy", Izayoi coquettishly lifted her hand from her mouth and gave a wave. The man's jaw dropped and he raised his hand to wave back, nearly losing control of the chocobo and seconds away from tumbling into the dirt before he managed to right himself. The girls in the pond broke into a shriek of giggles, and Izayoi shrugged as if this kind of thing happened to her all the time, sauntering down the hill to join them.

"You're the last one here," the Epopt snapped, and Izayoi flushed as she stepped into the water without any further fanfare. It didn't even occur to her that the pond was freezing-cold – she had such an affinity to water that she oftentimes wondered if she had ice water in her veins instead of blood – but the Epopt took her lack of reaction as an attempt at attrition, and backed off with the glaring.

"I'm sorry," Izayoi offered, wading over next to Lila, whose lips were already turning blue. The Epopt turned away from her and faced the group. The water reached everyone's waist and was so clear and clean that Izayoi could see her sun-dappled feet.

"All right. You will now cleanse your bodies in the pond and train your spirit."

"Ma'am?" Lila stuttered through chattering teeth. "Um...what should we be thinking about while we're doing this?"

The Epopt crossed her arms over her chest. Izayoi noticed that she was fully-dressed, with a twinge of jealousy. "You must try to sharpen your heart and soul as you concentrate. Do not think about anything else. Make your consciousness one with the water surrounding you."

Lila clearly looked confused by the Epopt's instructions, but instead, she merely lowered her gaze. "Er...yes, ma'am."

Heavens, at least make this a challenge, Izayoi thought, crossing her toes with impatience. Hopefully this will be over with soon so I can go check out that tower – why in the world are Epopts, of all people, messing with black magic? It seems very sudden…

The Epopt raised a finger. "No one is allowed to leave until all of you have achieved full concentration."

Damn! We could be here for hours if I have to wait for this lot…!

"You may now begin!"

Izayoi closed her eyes, pressing her palms together just above her diaphragm, and willed her contracting, anxious muscles to relax. Patience…I will see the tower in good time… As she listened to the waters of the pond gently lap against her bare skin, she envisioned her thoughts being extracted from her mind one-by-one, plucked away by her pinched fingertips like one would stretch out a deliciously long string of saltwater taffy, and setting them free into the pond, where they would be eventually carried away from her and ushered into the ocean.

That second moon…when was the last time I saw it? The time between Eblan's burning and my return home…it's all a blur now…

And Tsukinowa…he wasn't even a thought…he was born into a world with only one moon.

…Master Edge…

…What will it take for you to stop seeing me as a woman…? It's been seventeen years…

…

…

"I-I can't take this anymore! It's too cold!"

Izayoi's eyes snapped open at the shriek that had erupted beside her. She didn't dare turn her head, but could see out of the side of her gaze that now the rest of Lila had turned as blue as her lips, and her teeth were chattering so loudly that they would surely break apart in her mouth at any moment.

"You can't expect to become an Epopt if you can't even get through this training exercise," the Epopt sighed, and much to Izayoi's surprise, the red headed girl saddled up beside Lila, placing her arms on her shoulders. Had Izayoi been a betting woman, she would have expected the red head to try to find a way to flaunt her superiority. But instead, she turned to the Epopt, pulling Lila closer against her.

"She's a very frail girl, ma'am! You can see her face is turning blue!"

"Please, ma'am, you need to let her rest!" another girl piped up from behind Izayoi, and the Epopt shook her head.

"Very well. That'll be all for today."

Huh… Izayoi blinked. That was a little too easy…maybe the Epopts really are hedging their bets on this Leonora girl if they are letting the rest of the trainees slack off?

"Izzy!" Lila whimpered as she began to make her way out of the pond. "Sorry to cut and run…I'll stop by later to pick up the swimsuit, OK?"

"Sure," Izayoi smiled – this time, it was for real. After all, Lila had been very kind to her, and her only offense had been that she was just a little too trusting – there was no reason to say good-bye with anything but genuine appreciation. Perhaps if Izayoi had been born under a different star, she would have become friends with someone like Lila and would have appreciated the concept of a microscopic bikini a bit more. "Take your time. You just get some rest."

She waited until the Epopt and the other girls had left the pond before climbing out and immediately tying her robe back on, which did much to assuage her internal angst about her body being on display. As she made her way back to the inn, she kept her head lowered in hopes of staving off any onlookers or strangers that might attempt to interrupt her from getting back as quickly as possible.

Is Baron the reason why is Troia so eager for a new Epopt? I still cannot believe they've gotten to the point where they've built an entire tower solely for training purposes...What is it they are training for?

---

After drying herself off and carefully setting the borrowed bikini in the room's biggest windowsill so that it would dry in the sun and be most noticeable to its owner, Izayoi slipped into her ninja garb and pulled her pink gown over it – she realized she would still need to keep her identity under wraps until she was far away from town, even if moving around in a poufy gown was a serious pain in her arse. At least now she could keep her knives strapped to her legs again, which was a small consolation. After taking one last look around the room, Izayoi got down to her hands and knees and reached under the bed, pulling out her hunting bow and slinging it over her shoulder.

Leaving the door unlocked behind her, Izayoi shrugged on her robe to hide the bow and strode purposely out of the inn like she had an important appointment to get to. Her first point of business, she had decided, was to find a chocobo to make it easier to move around. She had studied the small map of the Troian region that had been hung up in her room as a decoration, and after noting the location of a patch of forest called the "Chocobo Village", had remembered that Lila had said the Tower of Trials was "in the south". Although the map was too old to have the tower marked on it, she had noticed there was a cape on the southern tip of the continent that would have been an ideal location for such a structure – if the Troians were being strategic, it would have provided an excellent border outpost in addition to whatever its true purpose was. Plus, it bordered an ocean and was cut off from the rest of the continent by a river – and Izayoi always had strong premonitions when it came to water. She didn't want to sound too suspicious by asking around about the tower – it sounded as if the Epopt trainees barely knew what went on there, so she highly doubted an average civilian would have any new information for her. She decided instead to go with her gut and check it out blind.

Maybe I'll see this Leonora there; too, Izayoi mused as she exited the town and made her way into the bordering woods. If she's the leading candidate to become the eighth Epopt, it will be good for me to get a read on her. It was interesting that the other Epopt trainees were quick to point out she was a foreigner – I see that Eblan is not the only nation still wary of outsiders, even after a nearly world-ending war.

After tracking a chocobo and effortlessly catching it, even with the gown adding to her handicap, Izayoi traveled to the southern cape, her eyes trained to the horizon as she and her companion bird finally broke free from the woods. The wall of trees that had encompassed them had given way to the open world once more, and sure enough, her instincts had been correct – she could see the outline of an ivory tower in the distance. The surrounding areas were barren – there was no sign of any life or civilization that had made its way this far south – it all just added to how painfully out of place the structure seemed to be.

Once closer, Izayoi gently tugged on the chocobo's neck feathers to get it to slow down, and leapt off the bird, her gown fluttering behind her as she landed on the grass with nary a whisper. A set of steps led up to the tower doors, each side of the doors flanked by a massive ivory statue of what she assumed was an Epopt from ancient times – two women with matching flowing hair, laurel leaf crowns set upon their heads, and eyes turned benevolently toward the entrance of the tower, staves in hand pointing northward. Izayoi marched up the steps and had to laugh when she got a better look at the doors. There were no handles or anything indicating one could actually enter this place. Pressing her palms against the doors, she felt a tremor run through her body – it was brief, but she recognized the sensation – magic. Not quite the same as ninjitsu magic, but similar enough that she knew what she was now dealing with.

A magical seal bestowed by the Crystal of Earth? No matter.

Izayoi stepped back, taking one last look at her surroundings. There had been no evidence of anyone else yet arriving by foot or chocobo – she had not seen any footprints in the dirt path, and there was no dust or scrapes in the entryway of the tower to indicate that the doors had been opened recently. If she was going to investigate, now was the time to do it. Shrugging her robe off, she licked her lower lip in anticipation of what was coming next.

"Good riddance," Izayoi grunted under her breath as she grabbed the skirt of her gown and reached up, yanking it up and over her head in one violent motion. Throwing it into a pile at the foot of the stairs, she tugged her robe back on and tied the obi tightly around her waist, letting out a deep breath – the boning of the gown had been practically rearranging her organs. Reaching inside her obi, she pulled out a fire fang and flicked it toward the gown, her eyes lighting up in glee as it burst into flames and burned away into clean, glorious nothingness. When the fire had put itself out, she gently kicked away at the lingering ashes and turned to look up toward the roof of the tower.

I'll just scale the outer walls and take a look around.

Launching herself into a jump, she grabbed hold of one of the Epopt statues' staves, using it to swing into a somersault that allowed her to scale the first level of ramparts. Disappointingly, the windows she could see were lined with mirrors, which meant she was only greeted by her own reflection. Pulling herself up floor by floor, Izayoi could not help but feel as if a pit had begun to open up in her stomach – she felt as if she were being watched, even though there had been no possible way anyone could have followed her – not even Epopts could cast a spell of flight to keep up with her climbing pace. She could only draw one rational conclusion – that perhaps what was watching her wasn't human at all.

Pulling herself onto a balcony to rest her arms, Izayoi slid down against the balcony doors (locked and shuttered, of course), and reached up, sweeping her rat's nest of sweaty hair into a ponytail so that it wouldn't continue to fall in her eyes. Huffing for breath, she pulled her knees to her chest – she could still feel something's gaze trained on her, but whatever it was was hesitating for the time being. She had purposely made herself look vulnerable in attempt to draw whatever it was out, but it wasn't biting – at least not yet.

I'm impressed. Building a tower like this as simply as a training tool? There's an intensely powerful monster presence inside. I can feel it from here. The Troian Epopts must have something dire in mind, sending their trainees here…

After waiting for a few more minutes with no visitors, Izayoi jumped back to her feet and continued her climb, revitalized. When she had at least reached the last level of the tower, she was pleased to see that the windows above each balcony had now become stained glass – and if she squinted hard enough, she thought she might just be able to make out what was inside. Breathing against the glass so that it became covered in fog, Izayoi swiped her leather bracer across it to clean off the grime that obscured her view. Pressing closer against the glass, she thought she could see some sort of an altar – or perhaps a monument? – in the center of a large chamber.

"What is that…?" Izayoi whispered, pulling back to give the window another round of cleaning. But as her gaze focused on a slab of dirt-streaked amber glass, she saw a pair of eyes flashing in the glass' reflection above her head, and felt a torrid, sticky blast of breath strike the back of her neck.

"What!?" Izayoi cried, whirling around and finding herself face-to-face with a Zuu, which was hovering in mid-air, trails of green-tinged dribble hanging from its jagged beak as it swung its head to strike. Izayoi dodge-rolled to the left, inwardly cringing as the Zuu slammed its head into the stained glass, expecting it to shatter everywhere. But to her surprise, the window remained stubbornly in-tact, and the Zuu recovered quickly from the miscalculation, rearing up on its spindly legs to prepare a dive attack.

"You're a little far from home, precious!" Izayoi hissed, reaching over her shoulder and withdrawing her bow with one fluid motion. She slid to her knees as the Zuu launched itself into the air, arching backwards and releasing a single medusa arrow into the bird's heart as it soared over her. The bird screeched as veins of gray slurry began to weave through its feathers like hundreds of tiny threaded needles, and Izayoi managed to dive out of the way just in time before the now-petrified beast collapsed into the tower with a shuddering crash that made the floor of the balcony quake beneath her feet.

Waving away a cloud of dust, Izayoi coughed loudly and slid her bow back over her shoulder as she stepped away, her fingers pressed to the stained glass for leverage.

It's still there…that feeling in the pit of my stomach…this isn't the only monster at this tower. The Zuu was just an annoying interloper – most likely driven mad by the appearance of the new moon for it to appear in a random place like this. Could there be more monsters inside that the Epopt trainees are expected to fight alone…? Why…?

As Izayoi lifted her eyes toward the southern horizon and the surrounding sea, she pressed her lips together, suddenly finding herself aching for home. To her, it had not felt so long ago that she had stood in a very similar position to this, gazing toward Eblan and wondering when the nightmare that she had been living would finally end and she could wake up. When Rubicante had bathed their castle in fire, there had been so little time – she and her cousin Chisaki had been in training in the castle's basement alone when the attack had struck. Their only exit had been destroyed, so Izayoi did the only thing she could think of at the time – she flooded the basement with her water ninjitsu in an attempt to shield herself and her cousin from the flames that would have otherwise eaten them alive.

---

Seventeen years prior…

When Izayoi had woken up, she was soaking wet, but quite alive. The flood had drained away, leaving herself and her cousin in a water-logged, burnt-out shell of mud and debris. Chisaki was alive too, although still blacked out, her breaths shallow and feather-light. Fueled on nothing but adrenaline, Izayoi dug them a tunnel to freedom and hauled her cousin's body back to the surface, where she encountered a few other ninjas who had returned to the remains of the castle to scout for survivors.

"Lady Izayoi! Lady Chisaki!"

"Gekkou!"

Izayoi threw herself into her student-teacher's arms, throwing any semblance of protocol out the window. Gekkou embraced her warmly; grateful that only after his first turn at the search he had managed to find at least a couple of living souls (although technically, they had found him).

"What of our family?" Izayoi pulled away, staring up at him warily. Gekkou's smile faltered and the flicker of darkness in his eyes had been all Izayoi needed – she had begun to process his words before he could even speak them aloud.

"I'm so sorry, Izayoi…you and Lady Chisaki…were the only survivors. Both of your parents…and Lady Chisaki's fiancé…they're gone."

---

Current day

How much time did I spend in Troia when I left Eblan that first time? Izayoi crossed her arms under her chest, biting her lip. After meeting with Gekkou, time had ceased to have any meaning – I don't even remember where I went first – I just wanted answers about what had happened. But by the time I had gotten to Troia…I was so tired of it all. I had been cowardly and left my cousin – and the last member of our clan – behind in our dying country, to mourn our family and her fiancé alone. I thought I had been doing something noble in trying to find the monster that did that to us, but what good was it going to do anyone in the end?

I remember the night I climbed Troia castle - the tallest spire they had enclosed the ailing Prince of Damcyan in put this puny tower I'm on now to shame. It was to be my final mission, done under the cover of darkness – I had realized that all I really wanted was to see my family again. The moon was in its sixteenth phase – the phase I had been named for – it felt fitting for it to be that night that I joined them once more.

But when I finally reached my destination, my eyes were drawn to the southern horizon, just like now…and that's when I saw it – despite the blanket of darkness, despite the dulled starlight, and the shadows cast by the otherworldly twin moons – there was Eblan, my homeland, spread before me. The entire time I had been gone, it had felt so far away…but the truth was...it was always so close. If I reached out from that Troian tower, I could fit all of it in the palm of my hand. The Tower of Babil had begun to glow – something about Eblan's destruction had lead to its activation…none of us understood what it had meant at the time…it was frightening, but also breathtakingly beautiful.

I realized that night that a kingdom was not determined by boundary lines and masonry – it existed in the hearts of its people. And as long as at least one of us survived, Eblan would never truly die, no matter how many times it was razed to the ground.

So, under the light of the sixteenth moon, I gave myself a new mission – to rise from the ashes, like the phoenix that adorned Eblan's coat of arms – to be reborn over and over again as long as it took to unlock the secrets of the tower Eblan had been guarding since our ancestors could remember. That tower was the key to Eblan's destruction – and maybe its revival, too, if any of us could stop what had gone into motion.

A flicker of red dancing in the skyline caught Izayoi's attention, disrupting her daydream of years long-past. She blinked, pressing her hand to her mouth. Was she truly seeing what she thought she was seeing?

What!?

Over the Eblanese continent, a pulsing red had bled into the sky, fading softly in five-second increments before bursting to life again. Izayoi lowered her head, her hair falling over her eyes as she stifled a choke that was the bastardized cross of a sob and bitter laughter.

The Tower of Babil is glowing. It's still weak, but it's just as it was that horrible night I came to Troia all those years ago. Time is of the essence – I must hurry back to Eblan. My business here is done – the fate of the eighth Epopt will have to wait for another day.

She breathlessly reached down into her pocket for the Teleport Stone. But when her fingers grasped nothing but air, she felt the blood drain from her face. Fishing around in her other pocket, she came up empty-handed, cursing.

I must have dropped it during one of my many costume changes – oh Izayoi, you've really done it now!

Rolling her eyes at her own carelessness, Izayoi gave a punishing kick to the petrified Zuu, letting out another string of curses. Her foot throbbing and her heart racing furiously, Izayoi glowered toward the cape, her eyes suddenly widening when she saw the very obvious solution that had been sitting in front of her face the entire time – she had just been too entranced with trying to get into the tower to notice.

"...That's it!"

Docked at the cape was a single ship – it was hard to tell from the height of the tower, but based on its size, she was fairly sure they would have room for one teeny, tiny passenger like herself. Slamming her first into her hand, she cackled and began to leap down the side of the tower as fearlessly as one would jump into a puddle.

"I'll catch a ride on that ship…!"

---

Izayoi sauntered up to the gangplank of the waiting vessel, glowing with the confidence she thought had been previously squelched by her turn as the bikini-clad Epopt trainee. Before making her way to the cape, she had paused in front of one of the mirrored windows at the tower in an attempt to do something with her dirty face and hair, and had pulled out her most secret of secret weapons – blood-red lipstick.

When she had done the best she felt she could under the circumstances, she made her way down the rest of the tower and retrieved her waiting chocobo to make the short journey to the ship.

At the sound of footsteps, the captain appeared, but it was evident by the size of his eyes that Izayoi was not who he had been expecting. She smiled, her hand on her hip. "Are you the captain of this ship?"

"Y-yes, but..."

"What is your destination?"

The captain scratched his head. "M-Mysidia, ma'am!"

Izayoi smiled more, dragging her teeth over her lower lip just enough to make sure the captain's eyes were still on her. By the involuntary twitch in his cheek, she wagered she still had his attention.

"I'm actually headed in that direction. Would you mind if I came along with you?"

The captain flushed. Behind him a few crew members had appeared, agog at the woman before them. The captain glanced back at one of the sailors, who nodded eagerly. "What man of the sea would turn down a pretty lady like you? Right, you guys!?"

"Aye-aye, sir!" the sailors laughed, although Izayoi heard one lean in and whisper.

"What about the brat…? Weren't we supposed to wait for him?"

"Mmmm?" Izayoi asked, and the sailor blinked, shaking his head.

"N-Nothing you need to be concerned about, my lady!"

"Oh, good!" Izayoi giggled, pushing past the captain and taking her place on board. The captain tipped his hat, and she giggled again for good measure, pretending to be thoroughly amused.

"So, where are you headed?"

"The land of Eblan."

The captain's face fell a little. "Er…the continent with the glowing tower? We saw something suspicious with our scope…Are you sure you want to go to a dangerous place like that?"

Izayoi blinked, bringing her hand to her chest and letting her voice drop an octave. "Will it be a problem? I'll pay however much you want…"

The captain looked away. He was embarrassed after how cavalier he had just acted, but after dealing with Master Palom for nearly a month, he didn't want to put his crew through any more unnecessary hell. "…As long as we don't go anywhere near that thing…"

"It won't be necessary for you to get close," Izayoi offered, and the captain nodded hesitantly, giving a reluctant grin.

"Well, we'll shove off then, Miss…"

"…Izzy."

"Miss Izzy! The winds are strong today – I think you're my good luck charm."

"Perhaps so," Izayoi smiled gently. She watched as the captain walked away, shouting orders at his crew to start preparing for their departure. Collapsing on a crate, Izayoi rested her head in her hands and tried to keep the smile on her lips, even though she could feel it quivering – about to collapse in on itself like a house of cards. For the moment, she had forgotten about the bone she needed to pick with Edge – it had been a long time coming, and his sending her to Troia had just been the icing on the cake – right now, all she wanted was to rush home as fast as possible and see how she could help.

Hang on, Master Edge! I'm on my way…

---

Tsukinowa's Tale | Rabbit of the Moon

"Now then, that's all for today, kids," the black mage closed the book he was holding, and the children gathered before him bowed obediently – all except a purple-haired boy, whose chin was already touching his chest – he had been fast asleep for the past fifteen minutes.

"Yes, Professor!" the children chanted, and the explosion of volume made the purple-haired boy blink and snap up, staring in horror as he saw the puddle of drool trailing down into his textbook, blurring the ink of many of the incantations written within.

The professor smiled. "See you all tomorrow. Remember to eat a good meal and get a good night's sleep, okay?"

"Yes, Professor!" the children exclaimed once more, and began to scatter back to their various homesteads in the village. The sleeping boy was swiping at the mess in his textbook with his robe, his cheeks tinged red as the professor stared at him expectantly.

"Lapin?"

"Y-yeah?" the boy looked up sheepishly, finally giving up on his book and slamming it shut in resignation.

The professor shook his head. He was wearing the traditional blue robes of a black mage, and a floppy straw hat was protecting his skin from the blistering early-summer sun – from underneath the rim, Lapin could see the professor's watery gray eyes narrowing. "You weren't paying attention to me today either, am I right?"

Lapin shook his head quickly. "S-sure I was! Really!"

Busted.

The professor had to restrain himself from smacking his palm against his forehead. "You've been studying in Mysidia for a very long time now – I know you had a leave of absence approved to take care of your sick sister – but you're back now, and already slacking off. Are you honestly sure you're interested in studying the art of magic here?"

"Of course I am!" Lapin protested. But he couldn't very well tell his professor that he was falling asleep standing up due to his being up all of the previous night doing some light spying. Some mysterious figures had made their way into Mysidia and had eventually entered the Tower of Prayer and never emerged – just their appearance alone had made Lapin suspicious, and he hadn't seen them again since. He wondered if they had managed to sneak away sometime that morning while he was getting ready for school, or if perhaps they had never left the tower. By the time he had given up on pursuing them any further, he had needed to get to class.

"I have a hard time believing that."

The boy looked away, the hand holding the textbook dropping forlornly at his side. "You're just saying that because I'm not from here..."

The professor frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. Just how long had it been since Lapin had first come to Mysidia, anyway? He remembered Lapin's arrival like it had been yesterday, but several years had already passed. The professor, then a student, had been walking on the southern shores on a nondescript night with a date, a white mage who was in his class, when she had suddenly stopped and gasped. The date had not been going all that well, and he remembered wondering if she was going to fake an illness and run for her life. Confused, he watched as she instead bolted toward the water, where a still form was washed up on the beach.

"What is it?"

"It's a child!"

"He's alive! He's still breathing! Give him some Cure! Hurry!"

"R-right!"

The professor had always held a soft spot in his heart for the stranger-turned-student, who said he had no memories of what had brought him to Mysidia, but showed a talent for magic and was willing to help out at the school as payment for room and board while he recovered. The inevitable day had come when Lapin finally remembered where he came from and had returned home, but he had vowed to continue his magical studies, having fallen in love with Mysidia, and occasionally returned for longer stints when school was in session. The professor liked to think that Lapin wasn't treated any differently because of his "outsider" status, but he wasn't so naïve to believe that there wasn't some possibility that he had been singled out by the dwindling population of the village that still believed that only certain mages from prominent families were the most "worthy" of a magical education in the most hallowed of mage dwellings on the planet.

Not wanting Lapin to think he held any such antiqued views, he shook his head quickly and felt his cheeks redden. "N-no! I didn't mean it like that...But can you really deny that you've been distracted since you've returned to class?"

Lapin bit his lip and continued staring at the ground, trying to think of what he could possibly say in his defense, when a new mage quietly joined them. He saw a pair of buttery-soft, pink leather sandals pause next to the professor's dragging blue robes, and felt his heart leap in excitement. Daring himself to look up, his eyes trailed over her long, alabaster limbs, encased in ribbons first from her sandals and then her pink striped leggings that reached her thighs. Her hands, wrapped in pink bracers and free of adornment with the exception of a tarnished, scratched star-shaped ring on her pinky finger, were resting over her narrow hips.

She was staring expectantly at the professor, her kind brown eyes turned upon his faded hat since it hid most of his face, but Lapin noticed that the light behind her gaze was far duller than normal – she was standing there before them, but her mind was a million miles away. Lapin saw the dark shadows under her eyes, and observed that her candy-colored pink hair was unwashed and seemed lank in its ponytail. The hollows of her cheeks were awash with white, like she had splashed sea foam on her face. But despite it all, she was still one of the most beautiful girls – no, one of the most beautiful women – he had ever seen in his life. It had been the first time he had seen her since he had returned, and he felt as if he had been inflated with helium and was a skip of joy away from floating to heaven.

"Oh! Lady Porom!" the professor exclaimed. He didn't seem to notice how off her entire demeanor was.

Porom sighed and gave a small smile.

"How many times do I need to tell you, Professor? You don't have to call me "lady"."

"But..."

"Never mind," Porom raised a hand and shook her head. "Now's not the time for semantics, I suppose. The Elder's waiting for you in the Hall of Prayer."

"The Elder!?"

"He wants everyone there at once."

"Understood, ma'am. Right away, ma'am."

The professor turned to shoot Lapin one last apologetic glance before moving along, rushing up the boulevard Porom had approached them from, which lead north toward the Tower of Prayer. Porom watched after him momentarily, chewing on her lower lip and blowing a strand of loose hair out of her eyes before resting her gaze on Lapin. Lapin couldn't help but grin, pushing up on his toes just a bit more to draw himself to his full height.

"You're Lapin, right?" Porom asked, and he felt his breath catch in his throat. The way she said his name was like birdsong. After a few moments of silence, he realized it was his turn to say something.

"Oh! Uh, yeah!"

Porom cocked her head, cutting straight to the point. "You're hiding something, aren't you?"

Lapin let out a nervous yelp of laughter. He reached down; patting the hip of his robes with what he hoped was a degree of cool confidence. "So you noticed? I-I've got a toad inside my pocket."

A pink, exquisitely groomed eyebrow shot up. "Is that all?"

Lapin swallowed. Well, there's a reason she runs the show around here…it's not like she's a dummy. He looked around cautiously, and replacing his grin with a look of repentance, half-whispered. "Well, actually...I've got some Gysahl Greens that I stole from the field as well. I wanted to try to catch a chocobo…"

He could feel her eyes searching his, and watched as her lips twitched slightly. She crossed her arms under her breasts, her mouth pressing into a line.

"I hope that's it..."

"That's all! I mean it!"

She continued to watch him, and he could feel sweat start to break out under his hairline.

"What? What!? I didn't do anything else!" He sniffled. Porom blinked, and the spell her cold, pressed inquisition had cast upon them was shattered.

"You sound just like him," Porom said softly, and Lapin frowned in confusion.

"Huh?"

"Nothing," Porom shook her head and turned on her heel. "Make sure you give back those vegetables, okay?"

"Okay!" Lapin nodded eagerly, even though she could no longer see him. She left him, her pink ombre cape sweeping behind her as she went. When she was totally out of sight, Lapin let out a deep breath, practically crumpling in the street right then and there. It had been the most intimate encounter he had ever had with Lady Porom – the first time they had ever really spoken – and it could have taken a negative direction very fast.

That white mage can't be trifled with. I'd better watch out around her. The "naïve outsider" shtick won't work for long – she could practically see right through me. That was a pretty good lie I came up with though about the toad and the greens…I'll have to remember that one for next time.

Lapin pressed his fingers to his lips. He wondered what had been so urgent that Porom herself had been sent to fetch all the senior practicing mages in the village – was this about the new moon? There still would have been some classes in session at the tower – he decided it was best to act as if he were taking some extra courses to make up for his absences, and see what he could find out. He pulled his leather book strap out of his robes, tying it around his textbook and slinging it over his shoulder. After straightening his robes and wiping off the smear of drool on his jowl that he was horrified to learn had been there the entirety of his conversation with Porom, he made his way to the Tower of Prayer, and felt his stomach drop when he saw there was a mage standing guard at the entrance. That wasn't normal protocol – something was definitely up.

"Hello," Lapin said casually, his fingers tracing a well-worn groove in the book strap. "I need to audit the last black magic class tonight – I'm still catching up from being out so long. My professor said it was OK."

The mage shrugged. "Sorry, kid. The Elder's having a very important meeting with his mages right now. All of the classes for tonight have been cancelled. Run along home now, okay?"

Lapin pouted, but gave a nod. "Okay. Have a good night." He turned away, flitting down the stone steps and making a show of turning off the main drag to act like he was heading toward a cluster of village dwellings. A very important meeting, is it?

"Hey, Lapin!"

Lapin glanced up, pushing his hair out of his eyes. A classmate of his, a black mage named Alec, was waving to him excitedly from his front yard, and stuck his fingers in his mouth, letting out a loud whistle. Lapin bounded over, grateful to have an excuse to actually head into the neighborhood, dropping his book in Alec's yard.

"What's going on, Alec?"

"Guess what? I just learned how to cast Toad!"

"For real?" Lapin smiled. "That's really cool. Was that what you were working on in class today?"

"Yep!" Alec grinned. "You want me try it on you? Don't worry, I've got plenty of Maiden's Kiss if I can't change you back!"

Lapin was about to politely decline, when the realization of his good luck suddenly hit him. Students weren't allowed in the Tower of Prayer, but…what about amphibians? He had learned in class that humans cursed into becoming toads retained all of their mental faculties…

"I'm game!" Lapin grinned back, reflecting Alec's enthusiasm. "I've always wanted to take a swim in the pond by the tower gardens!"

"Awesome!" Alec laughed. "Just head back to my place when you're ready to be changed back, all right? Here goes!" He closed his eyes, pressing the tips of his fingers together and chanting under his breath. "...Toad!"

There was a poof of putrid green smoke, and Lapin felt the unsettling sensation of his insides collapsing in on themselves and the rush of a viscous glaze dousing his flesh. Nothing hurt, but it felt awkward and uncomfortable, like a dream where you were wandering around school naked. When the smoke had cleared away, Lapin found himself staring up at a massive Alec, who was bending down, his voice booming.

"Whoa, it worked! How do you feel, Lapin?"

"Croak!" Lapin exclaimed, his eyes bugging out excitedly.

Perfect! Now, back to the tower!

Lapin hesitantly raised one leg, getting used to the sensation of his webbed feet sticking against the blades of grass in Alec's yard. When he felt confident enough to move on, he launched himself forward using his hind legs, relishing in the shot of wind that rushed beneath his belly as he flew through the air and landed with a graceful "plop".

This is easier than I thought it would be! It's kind of like being a rabbit…

Lapin made his way back the way he had come, aglow in victory and in whatever other slimy juices toads were naturally covered in. Hopping up the tower stairs, the mage that was still standing guard took one look at his new visitor, shrieking at the top of his lungs and practically merging himself into the doorway.

"Eek! G-g-go away! If you don't go, then...I-I-I'm outta here!"

Lapin stared up at the mage, wondering if his internal grin was evident. The mage shrieked again, gesticulating wildly.

"One of the students must have dropped you on their way out…everyone went home! HOME!"

Lapin continued to stare.

"...Eeeek! I'm going to have to find a box…!" The mage threw open the doors to the tower, rushing inside. Lapin hopped inside after him, taking care to go straight ahead toward the stairway before him since the mage had turned left, toward the classrooms. As Lapin began to climb the stairs, he could hear voices echoing around him – he knew from prior visits to the tower that he was heading for the crystal chamber, and it sounded like several people were already inside. Just as he was about to reach the top of the stairs, a frantic pair of footsteps closed in behind him, and Lapin had to press himself into a corner of the step he was on to keep from being crushed. It was a white mage with magenta, curly hair, muttering under her breath as she tugged the door open that lead to the room where the Crystal of Water was housed.

"Meghan, be sure to lock the door behind you," an unfamiliar female voice called out.

"Yes," the white mage replied, and Lapin hurriedly snuck in behind her before the door slammed shut. Darting off to the right as fast as his legs could carry him, he stopped behind a tall, crystalline pillar, watching Meghan out of the corner of his eye. She twisted the lock shut on the latch, turning to walk back toward the rear of the chamber, her face becoming distorted as he watched her reflection pass through the floating crystal.

Waiting for her on the other side of the room was a black mage with her straw hat hanging over her shoulders and long, stringy hair in a rat's nest down her back, and Lady Porom, her hands folded tightly over her navel. There came the sound of another door opening and closing, and Lapin could make out another figure approaching the three women – more feeble in gait and presence. A hushed conversation started, but Lapin was dismayed to find that he could only make out every few words – he was too far away.

The elderly figure cleared its throat. The voice was low and deep – he was almost certainly a man. "With Palom absent, I would like to call upon…"

There came collective cry from the women. Lapin huffed, sneaking out from behind the pillar inch by inch to see how much ground he could dare to gain without being noticed.

Palom…isn't that Porom's twin brother? Why isn't he here? I can't hear a darn thing…they're talking too quietly. If my ears were human…!

There came another round of faint conversation, this time between the man and Porom. Lapin kept his eyes on Porom as she spoke with the elderly man, her eyes wide and alit with confusion.

The black mage cleared her throat, interrupting them. Her voice boomed through the chamber – it was evident she was angry. "Elder! This is certainly a serious matter that requires swift response…"

"…But surely Mysidia's army of mages would be sufficient for its protection!" Meghan protested. "Why do we need to call upon an outsider – one that may not even exist or be willing to ally with us?"

The man turned toward Meghan, a glare in his eyes as he lectured her in a voice that was still too quiet for Lapin to hear. He crept forward, wondering if he could make it to the next crystal pillar that was a few feet away while the mages had their gazes locked on the man – whatever he was saying, it held their full attention. He made a break for it, leaping forward into the air just as Meghan pouted, turning away from the man. Her eyes fell upon Lapin, and he felt time grind to a halt – his eyes never left hers even as he crashed to the floor and flopped behind the next pillar. But instead of screaming, Meghan's face merely twisted in disgust, and she let out an involuntary shiver before turning away.

Thank the gods, the woman has some sense! Lapin thought. He could feel the hammering in his chest dull to a quiet roar as he scampered to the other side of the pillar and settled in once more. He was now situated diagonally from Porom's rear, watching as she shook her head, her ponytail swishing over her lower back.

"Black magic is not a panacea for all our problems. Have you forgotten what the Elder taught us? Spiritual fortitude is foremost what we must be concerned about – saving lives instead of dreaming up plots to take them. If the dragoon really is Kain Highwind, he may know what is going on with the Lunar Whale or the moon – being that he has dealt with both in the past. And it would be safer for all of us if he could be our envoy to Baron, as well."

Who…or what…is a Kain Highwind? For some reason, that name seems really familiar…

The man watched Porom quietly, his mouth pressed in a straight line. The black mage rolled her eyes, and Lapin wanted to jump out and give her a thorough lashing for showing Lady Porom such disrespect. Porom seemed to take it in-stride, though – she didn't even flinch.

"Yeah, b-but..." the black mage protested.

"How else should we respond to the moon's return?" Meghan shrieked. "If Palom were here, we would not be discussing such a ridiculous plan. We are practically gifting our lives to a phantom who could be friend, enemy, or non-existent."

"Elder..." Porom gently tugged the man's sleeve. Still, he did not look at her – his eyes were boring into Meghan's. Meghan huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, staring up at the ceiling.

He's the Elder of Mysidia? Lapin blinked. He looks as if he's aged one-hundred years since I saw him last…is he ill?

"I will travel to Mount Ordeals at once," Porom suddenly declared, and the Elder gasped, shaken from his daze.

"But..."

"Don't worry, I won't do anything rash."

Mount Ordeals…! Lapin frowned. I've heard many legends about that place – it's supposedly a death trap.

The Elder's eyes fell upon Porom's. She met his stare head-on, straightening her spine and crossing her arms over her chest as if to dare him to name someone better to go in her place. After a few moments, he let out a shaky breath and shook his head. "Be careful out there. Whatever you do, remember to stay out of harm's way. Mount Ordeals accepted you once – Even I am not sure what will happen now – our world is in a terrible flux."

"Yes, Elder!"

"Listen, everyone. We cannot afford to hurry ourselves into an ill-advised plan of action. If there is no aid to be found at Mount Ordeals, we will come up with another plan – together."

"Yes, Elder," Porom, Meghan and the black mage said in unison, watching each other warily.

"But in the meantime, I want you two to go with Porom," the Elder ordered, and the two mages nodded, although the disappointment was evident on both their faces. It seemed to Lapin that they were as familiar with the dangers of Mount Ordeal as he – which was not a surprise, given they both appeared to have been born and raised in Mysidia, just like Porom. The three of them carried themselves in a way that was just distinctive enough to indicate they had the type of pedigree that was worshipped in this village.

"Yes, Elder."

"Prepare yourselves for the journey tonight, and make your leave tomorrow. It would also do you well to pray to the crystal for your safe passage – I, of course, will be praying as well."

"Yes, Elder."

Porom faced the two mages, a small smile on her lips as the Elder turned away from them, unlocking the rear exit of the crystal chamber and beginning his slow climb back up the tower steps. The three mages began to whisper, and Lapin gave up on trying hearing anything else – he had picked up enough for the time being to mull over. He decided that he would have Alec change him back and would go back home for the night – home being the inn he had secretly rented a room in.

I don't want to get locked in here tonight – better get as close to the exit as possible so that I can sneak out when they leave.

"Oh, Porom…" Meghan's loud, brassy voice burst out after a few moments, making Lapin freeze in his tracks. "There's a toad in here. Can you take it outside?"

"And why can't you do it yourself?" Porom asked tiredly, and Meghan let out a low wail.

"I just can't STAND the sight of them…let alone touch one!"

"How do you work in a school?" Porom sighed, but Lapin could hear the clicking of footsteps. Before he knew it, he had been scooped up gently from behind into Porom's hands, which smelled like a combination of lotion and salt – it took everything he had to resist both his human and toad instincts and keep his warty lips from pressing into her flesh. He didn't want her to freak out and drop him by accident – he was pretty sure even he wouldn't be able to survive that kind of assault in his current form.

Porom! Why are you headed for Mount Ordeals? Does it have anything to do with this Highwind person?

"Here you go," Porom said softly, and Lapin suddenly found himself back outside in the courtyard of the tower. She knelt down, and he reluctantly hopped from her hands, turning to stare up at her. Porom watched him for a moment, a funny frown on her face as she stood back up and turned to go back inside, the tower doors slamming forcefully behind her.

---

That evening, after being transformed back to his old self by Alec, Lapin retired to his room at the inn, refusing any dinner. He wasn't sure if it was because the spell hadn't entirely left his system yet, but for some reason all he wanted was a really juicy slug or a crunchy cricket – he decided that was a sign to keep to himself for a while.

Pulling the creaking chair up to the small desk shoved into the corner of the room, Lapin removed a sheet of parchment and a quill, and began writing down every snatch of the conversation from the crystal chamber that he could remember. As the ink flowed onto paper, formulations began to take shape in his mind.

Highwind…Mount Ordeals…an "envoy" to Baron…and a Lunar Whale? Plus, Palom, Porom's twin brother, is missing…

Lapin leaned back in his chair, crossing his leg over his knee and chewing on his lower lip as he stared up at the ceiling.

Kain Highwind…where have I heard that name before? Certainly not from any recent conversations…his name is not from any Eblanese clan I have ever heard of…perhaps he has ties to Baron if Porom wishes him to be an envoy? But how does she know him?

And why does Mysidia need an envoy in the first place? Are they truly powerless just because Palom is gone? What is the connection between Mysidia, the new moon, and Baron?

And what in the world is a Lunar Whale? Some sort of legendary monster?

Lapin sighed, setting the quill down and shaking his head. The exhaustion from not sleeping the night before was catching up to him – again – and it was hard to hold a thought for more than a few seconds before it dwindled away into nothingness. Pushing his chair back from the desk, he dragged himself over to the small porcelain washing basin stashed next to the only window in the room, pouring a small amount of water from the pitcher into the trough and splashing it over his face. The water droplets clung to his long eyelashes, making his ice-blue eyes pop even in the dim light of the room. They were the most prominent feature of his clan – seemingly passed down into every generation without fail. He had them, his cousin Izayoi had them, and his dear mother did as well – the three of them resembled each other so closely that many people mistook them for siblings.

Scrubbing his cheeks with his water-tipped fingers until they turned pink, Lapin pulled off his shirt and used it as an impromptu towel. Whether he was at home or abroad, he never went a night without his simple grooming routine – having been raised by women, there were a lot of habits that he had picked up that perhaps were not as common for other teenage boys, but they were practically as ingrained in his DNA as any of his physical features.

Tossing his shirt at the foot of his bed, Lapin crawled under the covers and closed his eyes. He had decided that his mission wasn't quite over yet – he had verified the crystal's safety, but the conversation in the crystal chamber was more than enough evidence that Mysidia was in some sort of unrest. If he was going to see what Porom was up to tomorrow morning, he would need his sleep – he would rise first thing to follow her to Mount Ordeals.

There was a small part of him that worried about the Elder's comment about the mountain "accepting" them – but that was overpowered by the growing impulse bubbling in his chest to somehow protect Porom. If things got ugly – he could swoop in and save her. Sure, it would blow his cover as "Lapin" – but he thought Master Edge would understand if the situation escalated to that point.

If there was only one thing Tsukinowa could ever be sure about in this entire world, it was his master's stance on saving beautiful women from impending doom – always a "yes".

---

Tsukinowa could smell the storm even before he had awoken.

His mind was drifting in that delicate unconscious state where he was aware he was dreaming, yet he was still powerless to wake himself up. He was following two sets of wet footprints in the sands of the Eblanese shores – and he could see their owners straight ahead, even through the tossing rain that was so intense, it was blowing into him sideways. His shawl had become a soaked, leaden mess, adding ten more pounds for his petite frame to carry. The gales that were ripping through the air in irregular intervals had torn his shoulder-length hair from his ponytail, sending it cascading into the wind like ink pouring from a turned-over jar.

His mother was standing in the transparent mesh of sand and water when the ocean met the shore, her skirts clinging to her wet form and her head bowed, billows of black hair the color of the night itself hanging over her shoulders in limp curtains. Next to her, a sinewy arm wrapped around her shoulders, was cousin Izayoi, who was five or so years younger than Chisaki, but looked much older and refined in that particular moment – her hair was still wrapped tightly in her trademark ponytail, golden ornaments dangling like wind chimes, and her bodysuit was sleek with rain, glimmering like a second, highly-evolved skin. Chisaki was barefoot, her toes blue with early onset hypothermia – Izayoi's were wrapped snugly in her favorite combat boots.

Izayoi was the first to notice Tsukinowa – even though they had a fifteen-year age difference, they had always seemed to have a bond that went beyond that of just cousins within the same clan – Tsukinowa secretly thought of Izayoi as his big sister in all but name, and it was times like this where he was positive she felt the same for him – he had been purposeful in his stealth approaching them, but she could sense his presence right away. She nodded her head, indicating that he should join them.

"Mother, what's wrong?" Tsukinowa blinked. Chisaki was staring listlessly at the sea, her eyes as red as a rabbit's, but with no tears to be found.

"Chisaki…your son is here," Izayoi said gently. "He deserves to know, doesn't he?"

"Know what?" Tsukinowa frowned. Chisaki sighed, pressing a hand to her chapped lips, still not able to look at him. He stayed back a respectful distance, his eyes drifting between Izayoi and his mother. Izayoi stared at Chisaki, willing her to say something – anything.

"My Lapin…" Chisaki mumbled against her hand. "I've just received word that your father has passed. It was…unexpected. An accident, apparently, in the country he was living in. I don't know much more than that."

Tsukinowa looked down at the sand, because he didn't know what else to do or how to feel. The words that had just left Chisaki's lips…well, they really meant nothing to him in particular. He had never met his father – he could probably count on one hand the number of times his father had even been mentioned in front of him by either Chisaki or Izayoi. What he knew was minimal – there had been a torrid love affair shortly after the conclusion of the war and after the death of his mother's fiancé in the great Eblan fire – Chisaki had fallen pregnant, and he was welcomed by the entirety of their clan – his mother and Izayoi – nine short months later, his father out of the picture as quickly as he had appeared.

And because you couldn't miss what you never had, Tsukinowa had simply never thought about him beyond the occasional reference that was made in his presence.

Should I be sad right now? Tsukinowa frowned. Is there something wrong with me that I feel nothing?

"Tsukinowa," Izayoi whispered, and he glanced up at her, locking with the eyes that mirrored his own. She offered the slightest of smiles, and he knew she could tell exactly what he was thinking. "It's OK."

Tsukinowa turned away from his cousin, and gently pressed his palm to his mother's back. "Mother…I'm sorry. Please…please don't be sad…what can I do?"

Chisaki sniffled in reply, dragging her rain-stained silk sleeve underneath her nose like a child.

"I'll be OK, Lapin. I just…well, you'll understand a bit better when you're older, I think. I'm sorry you had to see me this way – you've always been stronger than me though – you and your cousin have been my crutch far more than is appropriate."

Izayoi and Tsukinowa shot each other a knowing glance behind Chisaki's back. "Mother…" Tsukinowa shook his head. "…I don't mind being your crutch. I'll never mind, because you're my only mother, and I love you. I might be too young to understand, as you say…but why are you sad about someone who hasn't been in your life for this long?"

Chisaki lowered her hand, a gloomy smile blossoming over her porcelain features.

"It's difficult for me to explain…but I suppose one of the main reasons is that even if he hasn't been in my life this entire time, he still gifted me one of the best – if not the best – parts of my life. He gave me a mote of light in endless darkness and despair, helped pull me from the depths of self-imposed isolation.

My darling Lapin – he gave me you – it was the night of the full moon when your first cry changed my life for the better, forever – and I could see the outline of the legendary rabbit of the moon clear as crystal through my tears."

---

A violent rush of wind slammed into the window of the inn, rattling the windows so thoroughly that Tsukinowa's eyes snapped open. As he sat up in bed and waited for his vision to catch up to his consciousness, he could make out a blur of gray – a stark contrast to the sunny day he had greeted yesterday.

"A storm is coming," Tsukinowa muttered to himself. "The wind is trying to tell me that this is a bad idea…"

Regardless, he leapt out of bed and began to hurriedly pull on his discarded clothing – first the shirt from yesterday, layering over it a belt of knives and shuriken he had tucked under his pillow for safekeeping, and his trademark shawl, tugging it over his head and tugging the cowl over the bottom half of his face to conceal his identity. He swept his hair up into a knotted ponytail, and finally draped a jade and wooden beaded necklace over his neck and chest – a good luck charm he had been gifted by his mother and supposedly an ancient artifact that had been owned by the founders of their clan millennia ago.

And now, it was time to play the waiting game. Tsukinowa pressed himself against the wall next to the window so that he could easily see outside without being spotted. Although not on purpose, his room in the inn had offered him the perfect view of Mysidia's main drag – he could see most of the village's comings and goings, including the markets and the village gates. Cracking open the window, Tsukinowa felt another urgent breeze rush inside, and he closed his eyes, letting it wash over him.

"She hasn't left…yet. But she will be soon…"

Sure enough, about fifteen minutes later, a shock of pink hair came bounding down the streets, flanked by the two mages he had seen in the crystal chamber yesterday. It was hard to tell from far away, but Porom seemed happy enough – she was walking with purpose, her head held high and her spine ramrod-straight. A pack was strapped to her back, and he could see a mythril staff sticking out of it.

Well...time to climb a mountain, Tsukinowa thought, sliding open the window just enough so that he could slip through. It was rare moments like these that he was grateful he hadn't hit his teenage growth spurt yet – despite being told that he was just a late bloomer, sometimes being short enough to pass as an awkward elementary magic student really did a number on his confidence – especially when he stood next to Izayoi, who was practically giant.

Perching on the roof of the inn, Tsukinowa observed as Porom and the others crossed the threshold of the village gates and proceeded due east. It was another fifteen minutes before he allowed himself to drop down from the roof into an alley, crossing to the next side street and climbing the side of a sundries shop that would give him enough height to vault over the protective wall erected around the village.

Once he had landed safely in the meadows outside of Mysidia's village limits, he relaxed his stance slightly – Porom and the mages were mere specs against the already rapidly-darkening horizon, and in a pinch if one of them suddenly rushed back in his direction, he could use the Teleport Stone Master Edge had gifted him to return back to the inn. The road to Mount Ordeals was an ancient trader's path that bisected the majority of the continent Mysidia sat on, so he had no fears of getting lost. As long as he kept his distance, he figured everything would go according to plan. He could find out what Porom was seeking on Mount Ordeals, and report back to Eblan post-haste.

An alliance between Baron and Mysidia to investigate the moon seems like something Master Edge should know…if that's what is really going on here. Master Edge has allies in Baron – why do you suppose they would not engage with us?

Mount Ordeals, in a way, did not live up to Tsukinowa's expectations from all the stories he had heard as a "student" in Mysidia. Both the children and professors he had heard tall tales from made it sound like the mountain was the end of days itself – some variety of hellscape dripping with undead where you would be zapped by lightning as soon as you set foot on the skull-ridden path, deemed too unworthy to grace the holy land. Oh yes – and there had also been the stories about the walls of flame so impenetrable that only the most powerful black mage in Mysidia, Palom, could quench them with his ice magic.

But the reality was that it was just a tall, imposing mass of rock that did look rather threatening against the backdrop of a brewing storm, but otherwise seemed fairly benign – rotting swathes of trees did dot the pathways, and there were a good amount of bones – Tsukinowa had a hard time distinguishing if they were human or monster – but not so many that they crunched under your boots, like his professor had warned many times when a child made the mistake of asking what Mount Ordeals was like. Truth be told, Tsukinowa thought that perhaps the mountain in Eblan where he had needed to take his test of courage as a young student of ninjitsu was still scarier – the giant dragon he had to fight at the end of his trial still gave him nightmares to this day.

Tsukinowa took a step forward on the rock-strewn path, and paused. No holy bolts of light tore from the sky to fry him, nor had a pit opened up beneath his feet to drop him into Hell.

"I guess that means I'm accepted," Tsukinowa laughed to himself. He pushed forward, almost too-giddily kicking away a skull that was in his way. The skull smacked into a wall of rock, and Porom and the others, on a path several meters above that made a spiral around the mountain's base, paused at the sudden cracking sound.

Tsukinowa grimaced, throwing himself against the same wall and flattening his body as much as he could possibly manage, sucking in every part of him that he could manipulate. He could hear Porom mutter something above, and could only pray that she wouldn't decide to come back down the path to investigate.

"…Just the wind…" he heard a high-pitched voice – it sounded like Meghan's – drift over him from above. A few moments later, their reluctant footsteps faded away, and he sighed in relief, sliding down against the wall and cradling his head in his hands, which was spinning from holding his breath for so long.

I can't let my guard down around Porom for even a moment! Was she a ninja in a past life?

At the crossing that linked the western station of the mountain to the eastern station, Tsukinowa once again had to scramble for cover. Porom's companions were battling a nest of Spirits, and to Tsukinowa's surprise, Porom had left the battle to backtrack to another path to see if it was less riddled with monsters. Dashing behind a boulder that had at some point rolled down from the now-visible summit above them all, Tsukinowa once again held his breath, pressing his fingers against the Teleport Stone buried deep in his pocket in case things got awkward.

Porom stopped a few feet away from the boulder, her voice quivering as she suddenly called out. "Palom?"

Tsukinowa closed his eyes, lowering his head. He heard Porom cough weakly, and after a few moments, she retreated back the way she came, turning left to explore the other path alone.

She must be terribly worried about her twin…

---

Feeling particularly cautious after their last near-encounter, Tsukinowa decided to stay in his hiding spot and give Porom and the others a longer lead. While waiting, he heard Porom double-back from the path she had gone down, declaring aloud to her companions that it was a dead-end when she emerged back onto the crossing. When their chattering had completely faded away, Tsukinowa stood back up, slowly traipsing through the piles of disintegrating monster corpses the girls had left in their wake.

There's something to be said about the power of magic, Tsukinowa shook his head as he leapt over a pile of rotting Skuldiers and latched to a sheer cliff to scale, deciding he had given them enough of a lead to allow himself a shortcut. I've always wished to be stronger in the mystic arts – our clan has always had the most affinity with water and wind, and I hoped to break the mold in that regard – but it seems that even with all my training in Mysidia, I can't rise above my station. Master Edge has been so generous to let me continue my magical education, even though I haven't demonstrated any progress to him at all and my reconnaissance of Mysidia returns nothing useful – I wonder what he is thinking? I'm too cowardly to question his motives…and Izayoi would say it's not in my place to do so…

When he finally breached the summit, Tsukinowa was shocked to see that there was no sign of Porom or the others – and there was no evidence of any type of struggle, either. Hauling himself over the cliff, he climbed to his feet and resisted calling out, instead wandering over to a large stone shrine erected in the center of the summit that had caught his eye. It was inscribed with a message so ancient that he couldn't make a word of it out – the elements had done away with any possible context clues long, long ago.

What's this? A stone monument? Tsukinowa blinked, running his hand over the cold, smooth edges. Porom…where did you go?

He circled around the monument for good measure, even though there was no way Porom and two other women could possibly squeeze behind it to hide. Across from the monument was a bridge that Porom and the others would have had to cross in order to reach where he had climbed to – he flew over it, his footsteps light and so airy that the bridge barely stirred beneath his body. But when he glanced down the spiraling pathway that would take one back down the mountain, there was no sign of them there, either – so that meant they had not turned back.

"What is going on?" Tsukinowa muttered, scratching his head. There had been no sign of Highwind, either – so maybe they weren't looking for him here? A scorching tendril of wind danced over his ear, and his head shot up, his eyes immediately falling to the east from whence the gust had come. A beam of crimson light was burning through the distant fog that had been ushered over the land thanks to the incoming storm, and Tsukinowa had to mentally map out the blue planet in his mind to try to understand what he was looking at. When he realized he was staring in the direction of Eblan, the horror of what had come to pass dawned upon him like a wake-up slap to the face.

"The Tower of Babil…!" Tsukinowa whispered. "It's been activated!"

He had never seen the tower's glow for himself – from what he could piece together from Eblan's tortured history with the tower, it had not shed any light since a mere few months before he was born – close to sixteen years ago, now. But he had always been told – or warned, rather – that if the tower had become activated, you would just simply know. And he knew there was nothing safe or normal about the pulsing red that he could see rising and falling against the sea of gray – it was like the beating heart of a monster taking its first breaths, soon to spread its wings and tear its cocoon asunder.

Biting his lip, Tsukinowa glanced back one last time toward the long-abandoned stone monument behind him. I hope nothing's happened to you, Porom…but I need to get home as soon as possible!

He wasn't sure what it was he would actually do once he reached Eblan – but he was sure Master Edge would have a plan – he always did. I'll be back with you as soon as I can, Master!

Tsukinowa reached into his pocket, grasping hold of the Teleport Stone. He had originally entertained the idea of trying to water-walk back to Eblan, before this crisis had reared its ugly head – he sorely needed the practice, and he had liked the idea of keeping the Teleport Stone on him in case of a future emergency – he knew despite Master Edge's nonchalance when he handed them out that the stones were rare, and contained a type of magic that not even ninjitsu could properly replicate. But now he couldn't think of a situation that would have been considered more of an emergency than the tower that nearly destroyed their planet seventeen years ago coming back to life.

Closing his eyes, he let out a deep breath, trying to shake away the anxiety that had settled into his limbs. Well, back to Eblan. Thank you, Mysidia. Farewell again, Professor...and farewell to you, Porom. I hope we have a chance to meet again someday…I'd like to tell you my real name, next time…

Master...my friends...I will see you all soon!