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Wild Arms: To the End of the Wilderness
Chapter Six: Ancient Shrine
Written by Estrelita Farr

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Days passed, yet the air in Adlehyde Castle Town remained still, heavy. A mere few thousand people remained, wandering the streets as though they had lost their direction, feet dragging, shoulders hunched. Cracks tore across the streets of grey bricks, across the stone walls. The houses a mere blackened rubble, covered in ashes. Even the statue of the Castle Guardian Zeldukes lay in shambles, a sight that filled people with despair – the Guardian had protected the castle for the past thousand years, but with him gone, how would they last another few days, never mind another thousand years…?

But slowly, surely, the town worked towards its former glory. Some of the people began rebuilding their homes, lugging stone and wood. Some helped the doctors to care for the injured, others helped the castle kitchen to distribute food among the survivors.

Even Rudy helped, carrying bricks and lumber with his slender arms. Once in a while he stopped by the destroyed ARMs store, wondering if Emma was still alive… and one day he heard it. Faint, distant, the quiet tinkering of hammer from within. A small smile formed on his face as he resumed his task at hand – it was enough to know she was alive.

Jack sighed as he leant against a tree, arms crossed, a deep frown on his face. Such destruction… this was not the first time he had seen it. And, just like that time, he had been utterly powerless against the demons… as though it didn't matter if he was there. He clenched his fists.

The demons would pay.

Days passed, turning into a week… then, the day the four of them would finally set out in pursuit of the demons arrived. Rudy, Jack and Hanpan sat in the shade of a tree, munching on a simple breakfast of bread and cheese.

The swordsman shook his head. "The four of us randomly got together, searching for Lolithia's Coffin, and now we're chasing after demons… I don't want to sound philosophical, but I feel this is fate." He cast a sideways glance. "Anyway, Rudy, there doesn't seem to be much in it for you. Are you okay with all this?"

Rudy nodded.

Hanpan shrugged. "Profitable or not, you sure are a strange fella."

A sheepish smile.

Jack sighed. "Anyway, I'm a little concerned about the princess… she's been so busy with the funeral and planning the restoration. It distracts her from her pangs of loss… but…" He rubbed his head. "Eh, maybe I talk too much."

When breakfast was over, they stood waiting, constantly glancing in the direction of the castle. A moment passed. Another moment passed. And still they waited.

Jack tapped his foot. "The princess is late…"

"Maybe we should look for her," Hanpan suggested.

They set off, though one didn't need to guess where she would be. They headed straight for the mausoleum in the centre area of the castle town, the grand round hall where the royal families' tombs and people's cinerary urns were housed. As they strode across the polished yellow tiles, they found someone kneeling on the floor, head lowered, hands clasped in prayer. But this person wasn't in a dress as they had expected the princess to wear… was she not here after all?

Then, the person stood up and turned around to face them.

They stared.

"What the?!" Jack exclaimed.

It was Cecilia after all. Her hair now a short golden bob, with a red hair band across the crown of her head. Instead of a frock, she had on a long-sleeved blue top, a pair of striped leggings and a pair of boots, the magic staff strapped to her back. She blushed as she pushed a strand of hair behind an ear.

"I fixed my hair up a bit… and I changed into comfortable clothes… do they look okay?"

The trio continued to stare at her, then Hanpan said, "Ah, yes… I think it suits you just fine."

Rudy's eyes narrowed in concern.

She smiled. "I'm fine now. Crying won't change anything or start anything anew. A rainbow always follows a storm… it's true." She turned, gazing at the statue of the armoured king on the pedestal. "My mother used to console me when I cried. She used to tell me, 'nothing is impossible', then she would say a prayer to me. She taught me to believe in myself and to believe in tomorrow." She faced them once more. "I'm going to be strong. Even stronger than strong… but I will need your help."

The boy nodded with a smile. Hanpan nodded as well.

"Princess–" Jack began.

Cecilia shook her head. "Please, Jack, just call me Cecilia. Until I recover the Teardrop, I will no longer be a princess, but a wanderer like you."

He chuckled. "Fair enough." He cleared his throat and extended a hand. "Cecilia, we're here to ask you to be part of our team."

She gasped. "So I'm part of the team?!"

"Yes, of course. But we're late, so let's go."

A grin spread across her face. "Yes!"

With that, the other three stepped out of the shrine. The sorceress followed, but stopped a few steps away. She turned, gazing at the statue of a king, sword drawn as though to protect the place, the two horse statues at its side as though to protect it. She closed her eyes and clasped her hands together.

"Dear Mother, dear Father…" she whispered. "When I come back here, I promise to be much stronger. Please say a prayer for our safe journey and a safe return…"

Sunlight streamed in through the windows, the purple stained glass glistening. Warm, gentle. As though her mother and father were there with her, smiling down at her.

She smiled. She turned towards the open double doors and stepped into the morning sun… the calm after a storm.

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-o-o-o-o-o-

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Through the city gates they went, into the wilderness they ventured. Cecilia gave a quick explanation to the others – the women of the royal Adlehyde family were all born shamans with the power to communicate and draw power from the Guardians of Filgaia. And now, as the demons of legend returned to wage another war, she would have to follow in her ancestors' footsteps and unite the Guardians, and the place to do that would be the Guardian Temple past the eastern mountains.

They continued across the partially green lands, boots crunching on the ground. Monsters roamed the area, growling and charging at them as they neared, but the roar of the ARM, the flash of Fast Draw and the burst of magic made short work of them. The group walked until afternoon, when they stopped for a quick lunch of more bread and cheese.

At first the meal was a silent affair, their gaze cast elsewhere as they ate. Then Jack suddenly called, "Hey, Rudy."

The boy jumped.

"Lend me your ARM for a bit, will you?"

He blinked, but obliged.

Jack held the ARM up, gazing at the smooth, gleaming metal of the barrel. "So this is an ARM, huh? This is the first time I'm seeing it up close. What was it again – Amazing Random Manifestation?"

"Advanced Relic Machine," Hanpan corrected.

"Ah, right." He aimed the ARM at a nearby rock.

The others quickly raised their hands to their ears… but no roar. All they heard was the futile clicks of the trigger.

"Huh? The heck?" Jack frowned. "Isn't this how you use it?" Click, click.

The Wind Mouse sighed. "Jack, did you already forget? Not everyone can fire an ARM, you know."

"Why not? The bearer needs willpower to fire an ARM, right? I'm pretty sure I have enough willpower!"

"Yes, yes, I've no doubt. But you forget… you need to treat that ARM like an extension of yourself, not just some dumb machine."

A pause. Another aim, another futile click. He rubbed his head. "Eh, I thought I got it… guess not."

He shrugged. "Maybe you should just stick to Fast Draw. Like I said, not everyone can fire an ARM… especially not one this large." He glanced at the boy. "In fact, you're the first I've seen who can handle one this large and complex."

Rudy lowered his gaze, shoulders tense.

Silence.

Cecilia gazed at the ARM, then at its owner. "Rudy, may I?"

A short nod.

Jack handed the ARM to her. As soon as she took it into her hands, she gasped. "Oh!" Then she relaxed, running a hand along the smooth metal. "It's warm… I thought it would be cold. It's like a living, breathing thing…"

Silence.

She shook her head. "They say ARMs are the forbidden weapon, the weapon that ruined the world a thousand years ago. It's a common sight to see wanderers with ARMs now, though many still think they're cursed… but I don't believe that."

Jack threw up his arms. "Ah, who cares what other people say! What matters is that it gives us an edge in battle, we're going to need all the power we need to fight the demons. Besides…" He grinned. "You suck with a sword, so you might as well just stick with the ARM, eh?"

Rudy reddened.

Cecilia's eyes shone. "Hey, I just had a great idea! Why don't you train him, Jack?"

"Train?" the swordsman echoed. "Like, teach him how to use a sword?"

"Yes!"

Everyone stared at her.

Hanpan held his chin with a paw. "You know… that doesn't sound too bad. He'll definitely need a backup plan if he runs out of bullets."

The sorceress clapped. "Then it's settled!"

Jack burst into laughter. "Well, this ought to be fun! You'd better be prepared, Rudy!"

Rudy blinked, then nodded.

And so, when they continued on their journey, the lecture started.

"Lesson number one: footwork!" Jack declared. "Footwork is the basics of all sword techniques! If you don't have good control over your feet, your sword's useless!"

The boy nodded, eyes focused.

"From what I saw your footwork isn't bad – at least you can run – but you don't change directions properly. Go on, show me how you change directions when you run."

A pause, then he gave another nod. He jogged a short distance forward, then skidded before kicking off in another direction.

Jack slapped his head. "That's what I'm talking about. Princess, you try it."

She blinked, but obliged… with the same skidding turn.

Another head slap. "You two… here, watch me."

Jack sped forward, leaning to the front as though ready to crash right into the boy. The latter's eyes widened and drew back, arms raised to shield his head… but instead of crashing into him, Jack's path slanted to the right without any loss in speed.

"Did you catch that?" he asked. "No? I'll do it again, so watch me properly this time."

He sped forward once more. He leant to the left as though to fall, then his feet caught up with rapid steps to the left. Without slowing down.

Rudy stared, wide eyed.

He grinned. "Got it now? Go on, try it."

The boy nodded, eyes narrowed. He started running, rapid steps crunching on the ground. He learnt to the left, readied his feet…

…and fell flat on his face.

Cecilia gasped and hurried over to him. "Rudy! Are you all right?"

The treasure hunter slapped his forehead with a groan – it seemed this would be a long day.

Hanpan snickered. Jack threw a glare at him, then swatted him away with a hand.

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-o-o-o-o-o-

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They continued across the plains, and by the second sunset they arrived at a cave leading through the eastern mountains. They camped outside for the night, then entered the cave, with Jack holding up a burning torch and Cecilia's orb of light floating above them.

The tunnel was long, winding, and as with the plains, monsters attacked every so often. Cecilia defeated all the monsters but one with a burst of Crest sorcery, and Jack barked commands as Rudy scrambled to obey, armed with only his sword against that last monster. Sometimes they switched – with Rudy clearing all but one monster with his ARM and Cecilia practiced Crest sorcery while dodging its attacks.

They advanced slowly, carefully.

A few hours later they finally reached the other end, the exit blindingly bright. Outside, another partially green land greeted them and a few more hours south, they reached Milama.

Milama, the city of water built on raised stone platforms, with long bridges crossing over the wide canals that snaked through the city. As they strode along the streets, side-stepping once to avoid an approaching horse carriage, Rudy and Cecilia stopped to watch as a boat rowed along the canal, as a paddling of ducks and ducklings floated merrily along.

"That's an interesting idea," Cecilia commented, "Having canals as a mode of transportation. Maybe I should present this idea for Adlehyde's restoration plan."

The boy nodded with a smile.

Hanpan's long ears perked up. "Hey, do you hear that?"

Jack shrugged. "Yeah, I hear all the water, why?"

"No, not that! I think a kid's crying…"

They looked around, but all they saw were people going about their day and laughing children running around. Then, Rudy pointed.

There, at the edge of the street, a small girl sobbed. She raised her tear-streaked face at them as they approached, as Rudy and Cecilia knelt in front of her.

"My turtle…" she sobbed. "I dropped my turtle in the water, and now he's gone!"

They glanced at each other, then at the canal. But aside from boats and ducks, there was nothing else.

"The bar owner's father made it for me," she continued to sob. "What should I do?"

Cecilia smiled. "Don't worry, we'll find your turtle for you. Jack, Hanpan, please stay with her. I'll go look for the turtle with Rudy."

Jack groaned. "What am I supposed to do? Sing and dance?"

"Well… you could let her play with Hanpan."

A sharp squeak came from the Wind Mouse. "W-what?! I'm not a stuffed toy!"

She clasped her hands together. "Pretty please?"

He sighed. "Oh, all right…"

As they left a disgruntled Jack and Hanpan behind with the girl, Rudy and Cecilia went searching for the turtle. The sorceress asked around as the other ran along the streets with eyes scanning the canal, but the turtle was nowhere to be seen. Eventually they found it stuck in the metal grate at the side of the canal, and after Rudy carefully climbed down to retrieve it, they returned to Jack and Hanpan.

The girl's eyes shone. "You found my turtle! Thank you!" She smiled as she cuddled the stuffed toy turtle to her chest, dripping wet though it was. "I'm so happy. I'm never lonely as long as I have this, even when my father's away. The bar owner's father made this for me. He used to be the priest at the Guardian Temple, and he said this turtle is filled with the power of the Water Guardian. It's my treasure."

"Wait a minute," Jack said. "Kid, did you just say the bar owner's father was the priest at the Guardian Temple?"

She nodded. "Uh-huh. He works over there."

At the edge of the city, over the canal was a wooden platform where a small building stood. As the wanderers bid farewell to the girl, who waved happily at them, they stepped inside. Tables and chairs were arranged in groups, bottles of liquor glimmered on the shelves, and a long polished white bar sat at the back. The rotund man at the counter wiped the white surface quickly, hastily.

"One thing after another!" he muttered to himself. "I'm so busy today…" As the group approached, he looked up. "Oh, hello. Can I help you?"

"We came to ask about the Guardian Temple," Cecilia explained.

He straightened. "The Guardian Temple? I haven't heard that in a while… well, I can tell you everything I do know. A long time ago my father was the priest in that temple, and he used to tell me all kinds of stories. I guess it's odd, since I ended up a bar owner." He placed the cloth on the bar. "I have to take care of something first, do you mind waiting a little bit?"

Jack shook his head. "Not at all. We'll just order something while we wait."

"Good idea. Tell you what, this meal is on the house. It's been a while since I've talked about my father or the temple."

Hanpan gave a cheeky grin as the group pored over the menu. "All right, what's the most expensive dish here? Just kidding. What should we get?"

Cecilia looked up. "We'll have six orders of large chow mein with extra vegetables, is that okay?"

The other three stumbled.

The bar owner rubbed his head. "Well, certainly, miss… but don't you think six large orders are a little much for your group?"

Cecilia smiled. "I think we can finish it."

"As long as you do… six orders of large chow mein coming right up!" He grinned. "I think I'll have to charge you next time, though."

The three stared at the sorceress. Six plates of large chow mein? And extra vegetables? Even Jack could probably only finish one plate on his own… could they really finish it all?

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-o-o-o-o-o-

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"The enemy outnumbered us almost two to one!" Hanpan shouted with a hop. "However, our troops successfully engaged in blitz tactics and we attacked!"

Jack swung an arm. "One by one our men had to stop, but there were still so many of them! If it wasn't for one soldier who continued her efforts…" He slammed the table. "Her firepower, speed and war tactics were just too much for our enemies! And she finished the last of them with a vengeance!"

"All of the enemies who fell to her violence met at a cruel and merciless end. Her ferocity towards the enemies even drew shivers down the spines of her own allies…"

Jack grinned across the table, now groaning under empty plates larger than their faces. "How'd you like our real time war report of the Great Chow Mein Uprising? That was a crazy battle!"

The Wind Mouse stopped. "Wait, we forgot the reserve armies, the fresh young carrots and broccoli cadets. Poor guys never had a chance."

Rudy stifled a laugh, then jumped when Cecilia banged the table.

"Okay, you two!" she cried. "That's enough! Everyone in Curan Abbey eats just as much, I'm sure some of them eat even more than I do!"

Jack rubbed his head. "But really, four and a half plates of large chow mein? That's gotta be the world record! Or maybe I should worry about Rudy instead… he didn't even eat half a plate."

The boy flushed.

Cecilia banged the table again. "Well, being a shaman and using Crest spells take a lot out of me, and I get hungry!"

Silence.

Her shoulders relaxed. "And… I love chow mein. It not only tastes great, but it looks so delicious, too. I really enjoyed mealtimes at the Abbey. The other girls and I would just chat and eat. It was so different there…" She closed her eyes. "At the castle, everyone just regarded me as royalty. Not as a real person. I was 'the princess', and they were my entourage. Dinners were the worst. It was all about the fine china and etiquette, and being proper and dainty… and it was lonely."

Rudy's eyes softened.

She shook her head. "The people of Adlehyde love 'Cecilia the princess', but no one knows anything beyond that. What kind of food I like, what books I like… and now, more than ever, I need to be 'the princess' and recover the Teardrop. Sometimes I miss my days at the Abbey…"

More silence.

The bar owner approached the table. "Okay, I have some free time now. Are you ready to hear about the temple?" He stopped. "Oh, I'm sorry, were you guys in the middle of something?"

Jack shook his head. "Don't worry about it. We'd like to hear about the Guardian Temple."

He smiled. "Sure thing. First, the Guardian Temple is north of Milama, right by the lake past the woods. Let me see… what else?" A pause. "Okay, you probably don't know this part, since it's not really part of the legend. My father told me about a prayer room which only priests are allowed to enter. He used to talk about that room a lot. Maybe he wanted me to follow in his footsteps… anyway, here's the juicy part – you'll want to listen up."

The others leant closer.

"At three thirty, the door to that prayer room opens. I'm pretty sure that's what he used to say. Is this what you guys wanted to know?"

The swordsman nodded with a grin. "That's exactly what we were looking for."

He grinned as well. "That's great! I'm glad I can be of some help to you. Why don't you stay here tonight? Don't worry, I won't charge you for it."

Of course they accepted the offer.

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-o-o-o-o-o-

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Even before the dark sky showed any signs of dawn, the bar owner woke them all up ("You'll want to get up nice and early," he said, "My father used to leave early enough to make it to the temple by three thirty in the afternoon.") and even had a hot breakfast of ham and eggs ready for them when they arrived downstairs. The smell made their mouths water as they sat at the table, and the strong bitter coffee slapped them wide awake. Then, just as a faint glimmer of light lined the horizon, they ventured into the wilderness once more.

The journey took them much longer than they thought – it was at least six hours by the time they reached their destination, the afternoon sun rays burning on their backs. The Guardian Temple was a tall, magnificent building of yellow stone, sitting atop a hill surrounded by water and mountains. The tall pillars carved with detailed patterns of waves, the floor filled with carvings of the sun, stars and Filgaia's two moons. The flames on the chandeliers blazed to life the moment the wanderers approached, perhaps with magic.

Magic. The very air tingled with magic. The wanderers could feel it running down their backs and arms, like curious creatures greeting visitors. If even their temple had this much magic, the Guardians had to be really powerful creatures indeed.

Thick silence hung in the air, easily sliced with the mere sound of breathing. Everything was completely still, nothing moved except the four of them as they wandered through the hallways – no monsters, no critters… nothing. It was as though time in this place had been sealed ever since its last priest had passed away.

They soon arrived at a large hall, their gazes focused on a gigantic stone clock several stories high, its gleaming black hands longer than Jack's height of nearly six feet. Two statues of winged maidens in armour stood in the alcoves at either side, eyes closed, hands on the hilts of their swords.

But the hands of the clock did not move. It remained stuck at twelve, as though time had stopped.

Cecilia glanced at the pocket watch she had. "It's three in the afternoon now. Are we supposed to wait until three thirty?"

Hanpan nodded from her shoulder. "That's what the bar owner said."

The treasure hunter heaved a sigh. "Waiting, huh? I hate waiting…"

And so, gazing at the clock, they sat waiting. Cecilia tried to fill the awkward silence with a conversation.

"I've heard a Wind Mouse can live up to hundreds – no, thousands of years." She smiled. "How old are you, Hanpan?"

Hanpan scowled. "Really, I can't be telling you that! You don't ask a girl how old she is, do you?"

She blinked. "I'm seventeen."

Jack burst into laughter and Rudy broke into a grin.

The Wind Mouse slapped his head. "Never mind… let's just say I'm way older than the three of you put together."

Cecilia's eyes widened. "Wow, so you must have seen a lot of the world."

"Of course! I've been to so many places, some you won't even believe exists! Why, there was once I–"

Jack shrugged. "Believe me, you don't want to give him any chance to talk about himself. He'll go on… and on… and on…"

He gave a huff. "I won't say a word more, then."

More silence.

Jack gave a frustrated sigh and called out to Rudy. As they began sparring, Cecilia pulled out a little book on Crest sorcery, while Hanpan examined the detailed patterns on the stone clock.

More waiting. And waiting. Yet nothing happened.

Eventually Jack tapped his foot with a frown and cried, "Hey, Cecilia! Is it three thirty yet?"

The sorceress glanced at the pocket watch and shook her head. "Um… actually it's already nearly four."

"What?! Then what are we still waiting for?"

"Maybe… we're not supposed to wait?" Hanpan suggested.

He sighed. "Great. Just… great."

Cecilia shook her head. "But the bar owner seems quite sure about the three thirty part. Maybe we're supposed to try and move the hands of that clock?"

With no other leads, they decided to try that.

On the other wall was a collection of gears linked to a machine, and with Hanpan's guidance, they used it to move the hands of the clock. Once the hands pointed to three thirty, the gears above spun and the ground rumbled. A rectangular part of the wall below the clock opened, revealing a hidden passageway.

The hall was long, the flames on the tall candelabras blazing to life as they strode past, lighting the large pictures carved on the stone walls – of demonic monsters descending from the sky, of the humans, Elw and the Guardians rising against them, of flames that covered the entire Filgaia… the Great Demon War a thousand years ago.

More and more candelabras blazed, bringing the wanderers' attention to the four statues at the end. A grand long-necked turtle with a spiked shell, Water Guardian Schturdark whom the others had seen Cecilia summon during the Adlehyde demon attack. A mountainous reptile, with large spikes running down its back. A great roaring tiger, bat-like wings spread wide. A phoenix – or a dragon? – with four wings like fire. They all faced a single tall sceptre, its crystalline head glowing with a quiet turquoise colour.

As Cecilia closed her eyes, the words of Water Guardian Schturdark resonated in her heart and she relayed them to the others.

"Those who wish for the Guardians' power… to receive it, you must challenge our test."

Jack shrugged. "Now it's test time? That's rather old-fashioned. Well, bring it on!"

"The Earth Guardian Grudiev. His body strong and solid, he deflects blades and magic. Who will challenge Grudiev's trial?"

"If this Guardian can deflect blades and magic," Hanpan said, "Then it only makes sense to send Rudy in with his ARM."

Rudy nodded, eyes narrowed with determination.

"The Wind Guardian Fengalon," the Water Guardian continued. "Running claws sharp and fast, a strong wind no one can catch. Who will challenge Fengalon's trial?"

Jack grinned. "A Guardian that's as fast as wind, huh? Sounds like it's for me!"

"The Fire Guardian, Moor Gault. With wings of terrible fire, a roaring blaze that cannot be stopped. Who will challenge Moor Gault's trial?"

Cecilia's hand tightened around her staff. "A roaring blaze… I will try and tame it with my water Crest magic."

Schturdark growled. "This is the point of no return… are you prepared, Shaman Cecilia and her warriors?"

All of them nodded.

A burst of light from the sceptre. They gasped, blinded, shielding their eyes.

When it dimmed, the only one left by the sceptre in the hall was Hanpan.

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End of Chapter Six: Ancient Shrine.

Author's Note:

Man, the Great Chow Mein Uprising! Jack and Hanpan are really such jokers, they crack me up every time. xD

Would you believe me if I said these characters thought up the idea of sword training on their own? Really, they're coming to life and doing things on their own!