Flicker

The journey to the Ice Caverns was quiet. Amarant wasn't one for small talk and Dagger was too focused on getting there as fast as possible. It made her desperately miss Zidane, who used to fill the silence so easily.

Oh Zidane, am I really strong enough to do this?

She shook her head vigorously, frowning at herself.

No, I don't have time to doubt myself! I have to do this! For my people. For Zidane.

'Do you need to rest?' Amarant's voice broke through her thoughts.

Dagger shook her headed firmly.

'Let's keep going.'

Destruction didn't use Ultima on them; he wanted to play a little. The female rat, Freya, kept making pleas to Zidane, telling him to fight.

'Maybe he doesn't want to come back when you keep hitting his body.' Destruction smirked. 'Now, are you going to move or will you pointlessly die first?'

'The King is a child, how can you speak so calmly about killing him?' Freya demanded.

'He's still the King above all else; he chose to resist and so his age makes no difference.'

'Surrendering was never an option. We know you need to slaughter as many Gaians as possible for your plan!'

'True,' Destruction shrugged, 'But you would have had a few more days to live.'

'Enough!' Freya screamed, jumping high into the air. At the same time Fratley lunged forward, forcing Destruction to dodge. The rat-man was faster than he anticipated and his spear caused a thin cut on his forearm.

'Who's cutting whose arm?' Fratley taunted, darting after the retreating genome body for another attack.

Destruction's eyes widened in surprise before he let his body's instincts take over, moving with the speed of an expert thief to dodge Fratley's attacks. Even then some attacks hit with enough power to effect his HP and make him grunt in pain.

Perhaps I should take this a little more seriously.

Destruction back flipped out of Fratley's reach long enough to cast a spell, sending a ball of fire towards the Burmecian knight. He was starting to regret not having a pair of daggers to fall back on.

Forget entertainment, I should kill them now.

He began to ready an Ultima attack while Fratley was still recovering, but lost focus when an attack from above hit him.

Damn, I forgot about her.

Freya jumped back towards Fratley, but kept her gaze on Destruction. He glared at her, having suffered some damage, but not enough to worry him.

'Fools!' Destruction yelled, releasing his Ultima attack. The two Burmecians braced themselves, wincing as the attack hit them.

Impressive. Destruction admitted, when he saw they were still alive, although their HP was dangerously low. It's a shame I have to kill such fine warriors.

'This is your last chance to surrender. Don't waste your lives.'

'…N-never!' Freya gasped out. '…This is…my home. I won't….let you…destroy it.'

Destruction sighed, beginning to step closer to them as he raised his hand.

'Very well.'

Mikoto watched the Black Mages, gathered at the village entrance, rush towards Vivi when they saw him, talking at once. Vivi's sons were the most distressed.

'Where is this mist farm?' Reason asked her, making her turn from the Black Mages.

'It was past the graveyard. I'll show you.'

She briefly wondered whether to ask permission, but the Black Mages didn't even notice them heading into the village.

'So they used machines to drain the mist from monsters to reuse for themselves? Clever.' Reason muttered as they walked. 'Strange that Vivi came up with it though.'

'What do you mean?' Mikoto asked, startling him from his muttering as he looked at her in surprise.

'Well, from what I know of Vivi, he's a gentle soul who wouldn't harm anyone. But this method would mean the monster dies in agony.'

'You're hardly one to criticise about methods,' Mikoto pointed out with a raised eyebrow.

'I wasn't, just an observation…I wonder what happened for him to come to a decision like that.'

'You should ask him.'

Reason just shook his head, falling silent.

Steiner arrived in Alexandria out of breath but pleased to see the city was calm.

Good, no Terrans have attacked here yet.

He raced to the castle, seeing Beatrix coming out to meet him as he arrived.

'Steiner, you're alone? Where's the Queen?'

Steiner was doubled over, panting for a few minutes before he looked up at her, his expression deadly serious.

'Beatrix, there's a lot I have to tell you.'

Ipsen entered Treno with a carefree smile, earning a few stares from some shady characters walking around.

A city of eternal night, where the nobles grow fat and the thieves lighten their pockets.

The young King rather admired the lifestyle. Being a King so young and then his eternal service to the Gaian Gods left him with little experience of freedom. He couldn't help but romanticise a thief's carefree life.

But it was not to be, and there's no time for unrealistic dreams.

Even so, he dawdled as he followed the eidolon's faint presence, gazing in wonder at the enchanting city and its people. He passed the card stadium and mansion, following the presence to a building near the water where a woman stood outside.

'Have you come to offer a rare item to the bird lady?'

'Quite the opposite,' Ipsen smiled, 'I'm interested in buying an item in her possession.'

The woman gave him a bemused look before letting him pass, muttering a half-hearted 'good luck'.

Ipsen wasn't phased as he entered, giving the bird woman a polite bow.

'Good evening, my lady. I'm interested in the gem you recently acquired.'

'Quack, quack! I collect items boy, I don't sell them!'

'Then perhaps an exchange would be more pleasing.'

The bird lady narrowed her eyes in thought, then she caught sight of something and snapped her fan shut, pointing it at Ipsen's waist.

'That belt you're wearing, is it genuine?'

Ipsen blinked in surprise and looked at his decorative belt, beginning to remove it.

'Why yes, it's very old, originally from the Forgotten Continent.'

'Give it to me and we have an exchange.' She squawked.

Ipsen grinned.

Perhaps there are benefits to being royal, even here.

And speaking of thieves, he thought as his belt floated from his hand and a dark matter dropped into it.

Welcome back, Zenuma, once a King amongst thieves.

A curtain of sand invaded Destruction's path to the two injured Burmecians, making him growl in annoyance. He turned to see who was the cause, but saw only more sand.

A sandstorm? He thought, What's going on?

Freya let out a relieved sigh as two Burmecian soldiers came to her and Fratley, helping them up.

'Are you okay? Is the King safe?'

'He's in the palace,' She said, 'Thank you, you arrived just in time.'

Beyond the two was a group of twelve Burmecians dressed in Cleyran dance outfits. Four were dancing, while the others watched, ready to take over when the current group got tired.

A few old traditions of Cleyra remained with us before they were destroyed. Hopefully this small sandstorm can be maintained even without the Magic Stone of Cleyra for a while.

…Because if it doesn't, we're in real trouble.