The Beginning of a New Journey
"So this is the city of Fletz." Haschel says, staring around.
Fletz is a light town decorated in sky blue and white. A stream cuts through its center, flowing in from the ocean. The houses are made with ceramic tiles, and there are many strange astronomy tools around. The castle towers over it all. The pale blue decorations of it and the small stream reminds me of Damia. I miss her.
Dart kneels down by the bridge, smiling just a bit.
"Dart, what is it?" Shana asks, bending down beside him.
"Look at this. This bridge is named after a woman named Claire. My mother's name was Claire." Dart explains.
"Really?" Haschel turns quickly from observing a garden with vegetables in it. "My runaway daughter is named Claire too!" he smiles, the several lines around his eyes deepening. "There may be a secret connection between us..." he jokes.
"It's impossible to have such a coincidence." I declare.
"Exactly." Albert begins to launch into one of his explaining modes. "Let's just say the population of Serdio is one million. 550,000 of those people are women. Four percent of them are named Claire. Therefore, there are...22,000 women that are named Claire. Furthermore, the-"
"Just looking at them you can tell the difference." I interrupt the King.
Haschel is a few inches shorter than Dart, and while Dart is fair, Haschel has dark hair and eyes. Dart is slighter, with well-toned muscles and shifting eyes. They look nothing alike.
"Indeed," Albert muses. "Cranioscopically speaking, the distance between their skulls, their eyeballs, and—"
"Let's go. He'll talk all night if we let him." I say. The king talks way too much.
We need supplies; we must go to the marketplace. But the merchants behind their stands all turn and scatter when we near. They duck under their stands and hide, or run into nearby larger stores.
"Oh shoot! Run!"
"What?" Shana tries to stop a young woman, who just shakes off her hand and flees down the street, her shopping bag smacking against her thigh with each step. "What did we do?"
"I don't think it's us. It's her."
A girl descends from the steps leading up to the palace. But while most Tiberoan people are dark-skinned because of the sun and heat, this girl is pale. She is beautiful, with fine blonde hair pinned up elegantly on her head and deep forest-green eyes. She wears a dress ranging in the colors of red and pink. She looks elegant and serene.
But when she speaks, it is anything but serene. She glares, her hands on her hips.
"I heard someone say 'shoot'. Who was it?" She demands, looking around. "Where the hell is everyone? I came out here to see all you little people, and you all run off! I'm the princess! You have to be nice to me!" Her voice would be melodious if she wasn't screeching like an angered owl. "Where is everyone?"
Even I am a little worried when her eyes fall upon us.
"Hey! Who are you people? I've never seen you here before!"
Albert bows nervously. "I'm Albert of Serdio. These are my friends—"
"Who's that?" Emille jabs a finger toward Dart.
"That is Dart, my Lady. He's from Seles, and—"
"I don't care where he's from. He's cute. So are you." She flounces her skirt and shakes her hair back. "Why are you here?"
"We're here to talk to King Zior. We want to know if he's seen someone named Lloyd."
"Who's Lloyd?"
"He is a murderer and a bandit." Albert replies tightly. "We think he might have passed through here, maybe to the Valley. We want to know if we can go there."
Her forest-green eyes widen. "Why would you want to go through there? It's a scary place. It's not fun at all, and it's swarming with bandits."
"We're not afraid of bandits." I tell her.
"Well, you should be! They're scary! They could kill you in a second."
"I doubt it." I gesture to my sword. "I'm very good with this."
She backs away from me. "You're weird. Stay away from the Valley, do you hear me? Stay away from the bandits and the Valley!" She looks around, annoyed. "This place bores me. I don't even know why I'm required to make an appearance to these idiots. I'm out of here." She sweeps back up the stairs to the palace, swerving a long way around a pregnant woman, muttering something about pregnancy being a hell on wheels.
"That's Princess Emille?" Haschel says in disbelief.
"What a brat!" Shana exclaims, which surprises me. Shana does not dislike many people. "She was so mean!"
True, she's a spoiled little child, but… There is something odd about the way she behaved when the bandits were brought up. Warning us to stay away may seem like she worried for our safety, but for the look in her eyes, the threatened look of a cornered animal. Is she protecting the bandits, perhaps?
Albert frowns. "I heard she was very sweet! Oh, if this is a dream, please wake me up! They said she was the quietest, most serene princess in all of Endiness. But recently, she's been acting like a totally different person. I don't understand. I'm supposed to get married to her!"
"Supposed to?"
"It's been an arranged marriage since we were children. I'm supposed to get married to that princess!"
"You mean Princess Emille?" the man who had said 'shoot' pokes his head out of the inn door. "She's gone now, right? Man, if you're gonna get married to her, I pity you! Okay, let me explain. I think it happened around six months ago, that's when she changed. She used to be so sweet, walking around the marketplace, talking to us commoners. But six months ago, she changed. Now she's horrible!"
"What happened six months ago?" Haschel queries.
The man shrugs. "I dunno. Princess Lisa might know, though. She hasn't changed. And neither has King Zior. But the king believes that it's only a phase. He overlooks what a terrible person she is."
Shana turns to Dart, asking if we are still going to go to the Castle. When he replies yes, all five members of the party start toward the stairs, but the large guard shakes his head. "No one may enter the Twin Castle in Fletz. It is King Zior's direct orders."
"Why?" Shana wants to know.
"There have been many bandits in Tiberoa recently. King Zior does not want any trouble in the castle. Please leave." The guard says, with the utmost politeness.
I begin to draw my sword.
Both Dart and Albert stop me. "Rose, don't. We'll just find another way." Our leader says. "Don't do anything rash."
A bit reluctantly, I sheathe my sword. I had forgotten the taste of blood against metal.
We stop at the bar to discuss what we should do.
"We're here to pursue Lloyd, don't forget." Dart warns us. "Emperor Doel said he was heading toward Tiberoa, and Fletz is the capital here. Maybe someone here knows about him."
"Welcome!" The waitress, a dark-skinned woman who has been talking nonstop to someone at the bar, comes up to us, eyes glimmering. "You're not from around here, are you? I can tell just by looking at you! Let me tell you something about the land here. Haven't you seen the mosiacs on the paths? That's because Tiberoans have faith in the stars. Do you want to hear more?" The look in her eyes tells me that she is dying to talk.
"Actually…we're here to look for someone. Do you know a man named Lloyd? He has platinum hair."
Kaffie thinks for a minute. "Nope. Never heard of him. Is he new?"
"Yes."
"Then I don't know. But you're more interested in a man than the stars?!"
Shana is busy staring out of the window. One of her hands is clutched to her heart. "Dart? Did you notice something? It's already nighttime, but even during the day, when we arrived, I saw that moon up in the sky. It hasn't moved an inch."
The warrior gets up and confirms that.
"That's strange."
"No, that moon is always there. Tell you what. You should go ask Fester to explain it to you. His house is right next door to the bar. But he's a bit weird in the head. All he cares about here is astrology and astronomy and whatever. But then again, that's what Fletz is known for. Everyone here studies the moon and the stars. And did I tell you? The..."
I tune her out after the first few minutes. As I had observed before, Kaffie does not stop talking. I signal to the bartender, and he hands me a new glass of wine.
Albert watches as I down several glasses. "You better slow down, Rose. Drinking ruins your fighting skills."
It does not matter for me. After all the time I have been alive, my liver automatically neutralizes any alcohol I consume. "I could still beat you up." I reply almost courteously, taking another sip.
The King just shakes his head.
Finally, Shana and Dart manage to quiet down the waitress, and we leave, quickly, for Fester's house.
Dart knocks politely with his knuckles on the door. "Excuse me? Is anyone home?" The lights are on, but no one comes to answer the door. "Hello? Fester?"
"Allow me." I mutter, ducking past Dart. Loudly, I use the side of my hand and rap on the door until it opens.
Dart begins the conversation before I can. "Are you Fester?"
"Yes. I'm sorry I took so long to answer. I was busy admiring the moon." Fester is very tall, dressed in violet, with a turban on his head. "Please, come in." he gestures, and the five of us crowd into the small house.
"We're here to ask you about the Moon That Never Sets"
"Oh! About the Moon That Never Sets! Wait here for a minute. Let me get some materials. You are interested in a weird matter Of course, I cannot make judgements about other people. Please take a look at this."
The five of us crowd around a small viewing screen and Fester turns it on, showing a picture of the moon.
"In astronomy, a moon that never sets cannot exist. Stars travel the sky by catching the wings of time. But this moon never moves, day or night. That's why it's called the Moon That Never Sets. After counting 108 years, the Moon That Never Sets glows red and the Moon Child comes down to bring peace and happiness to the world. However what we really get is destruction…that is, the Black Monster.
Dart jumps to his feet. "Did you say the Black Monster?" he asks through his teeth.
"Yes. But why a demon, not a blessing? The mystery has yet to be resolved."
I clench my sword. I know this legend by heart.
Albert lets out a breath that he has been holding. "I never imagined we would be able to get some information about the Black Monster here."
"Did you find this useful?" Fester asks politely.
"Yes! You think so too, right, Dart?" Shana pokes at him.
He nods, his face set.
Fester sighs, and looks up as a bell sounds, echoing loudly throughout the city. "Oh it is getting late. I have to hurry or I will be making the Princess wait!" He grabs a black duffel bag that had been resting in the corner. "It's hard to eat only by astronomy. I'm acting as the governor to Princess Lisa as well. Oh, if you want to take a good look at the Moon That Never Sets, go upstairs and take a look through the telescope. Lock the door when you leave." The man runs off.
"Great, now what do we do? We don't know anything about where Lloyd is." Haschel complains, but in a good-natured way. He does not wail or lament; he is an optimist.
"I guess we'll have to rest at the inn tonight, and see what to do tomorrow." Dart says wearily. "Come on."
But the inn is full.
"I'm sorry, we have no vacancies tonight. We have had many travelers take refuge here against the thieves, so we have no empty rooms." The woman at the desk informs us.
"Are you sure? Not even one room? We're all friends; we can share." Dart says.
The woman shakes her head.
"We'll just sleep outside tonight. It's not the first time; come on." I say.
"Oh, Miss? You're not allowed to do that. No one is allowed to leave the town at night. It's for your own safety. There are bandits wandering around."
I gesture to my sword. "We can defend ourselves."
"I'm sorry, Miss. That's not allowed. King Zior's orders."
I'm really starting not to like that king...
"Rose, don't worry. We'll just ask if we can stay at someone's house." Dart says quickly.
"I suggest Nello. He's got a big enough house, and he's very nice." The woman says. "I'm sorry we can't help you."
She is right. Nello's house is right by the Claire Bridge, and he welcomes us in. He says that we can stay the night if we want.
"Welcome. I am Nello, the representative of the Green Project, turning the brown barrens to green, the deserts to forest. Don't be so shy. You too wish to bring green back to the earth, don't you?"
"Yes, we do." Albert says honestly. "People have been forgetting about the planet lately. No one cares about plants anymore. Green is disappearing."
"Exactly!" Nello seems pleased to find someone who shares his thoughts. "That's why I've started this organization..."
"Really? What for?"
"It's to bring green back to the Barrens. I'm going to..."
"It looks like they're going to talk all night." I comment, my arms crossed. I have never been one for flowers, despite the fact that it is my namesake.
"Let's just go to sleep first." Shana yawns, curling up in a chair. "Good night."
"I'm tired too." Dart disappears into the adjoining room. "You're looking at the flowers, Shana?"
"Yeah. They're different from anything I've ever seen. I wonder how they bloom."
"That's right. You love flowers. I gave you a bouquet when you were eleven. You were so happy."
"You remember?" Shana smiles. She is beautiful, unnaturally beautiful, almost. It is no wonder Dart likes her.
"And I've been trying to plant greens throughout the Barren, or at least I'd like to do that, but I can't. Now now. There are so many bandits wandering around." Nello continues.
"That's horrible. Why are there so many bandits all of a sudden anyway? From what I heard before, Tiberoa was very peaceful."
As I predicted, King Albert and Nello really did talk all night.
In the morning, Nello advises us to go to the flower city of Donau. He says they might know what is going on with the bandits. Personally, I think he is telling us to go just because there are plants there. But Albert persuades Dart to lead us there.
"You'll have to cross the Barrens on the way. Be careful. I hear that's where the Gehrich Gang, the bandits, like to attack travelers." Nello says. "Good luck."
"It seems there were no signs of Lloyd after all."
"In the last moments of his life, my uncle was himself. We can trust the information he gave us. So we have to assume that we crossed paths with him."
"But then, where in the world?"
"Well," I comment. "At least the King is getting along well with a motley crew like us."
"I was concerned at first, too." Haschel says, not seriously. "I thought we were going to be pushed around by the King's ego!"
"Please, stop teasing me, both of you! From now on, I don't want you calling me 'Your Majesty' or 'Your Highness' or anything like that. That might get us in trouble."
Dart simply says, "Thank you."
Shana giggles. "Dart can't do courtesy. He gets cramps in his tongue when he tries to speak politely."
But Dart only smiles. "Like you can?"
"Hey!" Shana slaps his arms playfully. "I'm more polite than you are!" She swats at his hands.
Look at them. They can insult each other so affectionately, hit each other playfully. I wonder, was my relationship with him ever so close? I could never be like that with Dart. I could only be like that with the him of years ago.
The Barrens really live up to their name. There is no green there, only sand and rock formations. Albert sighs when he sees it, but does not comment. It is just as well; if I have to hear anyone else try to persuade me to petition to help the Barrens, I will kill them. It is not that I do not like the earth or flowers or green. I just know when to back off.
The canyon formation is not confusing, just far. It is not long before they are complaining to rest.
"Just a little further, okay, everyone? Just up underneath the rock-bridge over there. Then you can all rest in the shade, okay?" Dart suggests. "It's only a little further."
He falls into step with me. "How come you don't complain, Rose?"
"I'm not tired. What's different about that? You don't complain either."
"Well, yeah, but that's because...well...I'm a guy. Guys have more stamina than girls."
"That is not accurate." I tell him. "Believe me, Dart, I could go much farther than you." I quicken my pace. After the years and what I've been through, I am indifferent to all weariness, both physical and emotional.
But when we reach the bridge-looking rock, I hear laughter. A shrill cackle like a boy with a pinched voicebox.
"Hee hee hee! Are you dating those girls in a place like this?" The tallest one, but still short, asks.
"You bring them to a place like this? You need a doctor!"
"What a quack! Ha ha!"
The voices comes from above. There is someone perched on the bridge. I cannot tell his age; he looks neither boy nor man. But he has two male friends with him, and he is undoubtedly a thief.
"Who are you?" Dart asks.
"Hey, Mappi, did you hear that?" one of the friends giggles. "That guy just asked you who you were!"
The tallest one jumps down, with his two friends. "Ta-da! We're the one and only Gehrich Gang! We're so bad we scare ghosts back to hell!"
Dart blinks and then speaks in unimpressed monotone. "They have no class. At all."
"What! What did you say? Just leave behind your valuables, that's the deal!"
Dart takes out his sword. "What deal? Get out of our way."
"This is your last warning." I say carefully, pulling out my sword in a scratch of metal against metal. "Or you will need a real doctor."
The thieves do not like that. They rush us.
Shana and Albert take care of the two friends, while Haschel, Dart and I focus on Mappi.
Thieves have never been too skilled. In all my years, I have never met a thief that was even halfway to a formidable opponent. And Mappi is even worse than the others. His buddies go down quickly.
Dart rushes forward, cornering Mappi against the stone cliff.
Mappi cowers, falling on his knees. "Wait, don't! Don't kill me! I swear, I won't do it again! I swear!"
Don't listen to him. He's a lying coward. Kill him.
But the red-clad warrior has a weak heart. He lowers his sword, and turns back to us.
And at that moment, Mappi strikes.
Lunging forward, he pushes himself off the ground. Dart's mistake was turning around, and allowing Mappi to swipe at the red jewel hanging around Dart's throat, the Dragoon Spirit of the Fire Dragon.
The gem falls several meters away from them.
NO!Both Dart and Mappi dive for the necklace.
Although thieves are not strong, they are quick. Mappi's speed is unrivaled. He reaches the prize first, clutching it in one fist, crowing his victory.
The Dragoon Spirit!
Drawing my sword, I run toward Mappi, keeping my steps quick but silent.
Mappi notices me at the last second, dodging the slash I aimed at his head. Quick as light, he makes a smug face at us, and scrambles up the rock cliff, disappearing.
"He's gone!" Shana exclaims. "He stole the pendant!"
"That was my necklace!" Dart yells furiously. "Now I can't transform. And it was my dad's gift to me."
"That was the Dragoon Spirit of Fire! It does not belong in the hands of a common thief! We have to get it back, now." How dare they let the Dragoon Spirit be taken so easily? Something of such power, such honor, and it is gone so quickly! That thief will die!
Haschel clears his throat. "There's nothing we can do about it now. Let's just get to Donau, quickly."
The road ahead splits into two. Shana runs ahead and reads the sign. "The 'Home of Gigantos' is to the left, and 'Donau' is to the right." She tells us. "We go right?"
"Yeah." Dart does not reply, so it is Albert that speaks. Perhaps I have been a little too harsh on the warrior, but he must know the full impact of the situation.
Donau is a very quiet, very peaceful town with tiny homes, and flooding with colorful flowers of every hue possible. Haschel begins sneezing immediately, explaining that he is allergic to pollen. Walking on the path with his eyes squeezed shut to hold back the tears, he crashes into a man clad in armor.
"Oh, I'm sorry." The man says, helping him up. "I'm a Knight of Mille Seseau. I'm looking for the man who saved the life of our Sister Wink."
Blink.
"I assume it is not you. Please excuse me." The knight bows.
There is a young woman standing at the entrance to the clinic, one hand leaning against the wall, breathing slightly fast whether in fear or giddiness or both. I am guessing that that is Sister Wink.
Ignoring the knights for now, we wander through the city. "I've been here before." Shana tells us. "I have a friend here. Can we go see her? It will take just a moment."
She ducks into a small home to our right. "Kate!"
A brown-haired young woman appears. "Shana? Is that you?"
"Yeah. How's everything going? ...Are you crying? What's wrong? Where's Lynn? Weren't you two supposed to get married?"
Something clicks in my mind, and I look away.
Instead of replying, Kate sits down on the couch and thrusts a letter at Shana, who takes it and reads it aloud: "'Dearest Kate, don't worry about me. I've gone to confront the Gehrich Gang. I've learned that they are in the Home of Gigantos, and I'm going to stop them. Please don't worry about me. We still have the wedding to plan.' Kate? Lynn wrote this? He's gone to face the thieves?!"
Kate nods, sobbing.
A commoner went to stop a whole swarm of bandits by himself. Smart…"Oh, Kate, that's horrible. I'm so sorry." Shana says, putting her arms around her friend. "Is there anything we can do?"
"Yes. Please. Go to the mayor here. Show him the letter. Ask him to help, please." Kate says, looking away. "Lynn is the mayor's son. I'm staying here until my fiance returns."
"All right, Kate, don't worry. We'll give the letter to the mayor. We were going to go stop the gang anyway."
Kate gives us all a confused glance.
"They took something of mine that was important." Dart explains, speaking up. "We'll rescue your fiancé. We'll go talk to the mayor."
"You just wait here, okay, Kate?" Shana hugs her friend, and rises.
"I'll always wait, until Lynn returns." Kate vows.
I used to be like that too. I promised that I would wait. But then... I shake my head to clear my thoughts, and follow the others outside.
The mayor's house is nowhere near as elaborate as the Twin Castle in Fletz, but it is large compared to all the other houses in Donau. An elegant staircase leads up to the front door, and two gardens surround it. On a walkway in front of it, a woman is selling items.
Dart and Shana show the letter to the mayor, who is surprised.
"What kind of man would venture to face the Gehrich Gang all by himself?" I cannot tell if he is nervous or angry or both. "Please. Will you go help him?"
Dart nods. "We were headed there anyway."
"Thank you so much. If you don't know the way, you should return to the Barrens. Where the road splits, take the left path. Oh wait...I forgot. To get to the Home of Gigantos, you must cross the Valley of Corrupted Gravity."
I hate that place.
"And to pass through there, you need to get the King of Fletz's permission. He had his guards seal the Valley. You need his pass to get in."
"We'll do that." Dart promises.
The mayor bows. "Thank you so much."
We haven't even saved him yet.As we leave the house, we pause on the steps.
There is a girl standing down there, young, only around fifteen. She has a petite frame and an enormous hammer strung onto her back. She has a cheerful face, but her eyes are narrowed at the three thieves in front of her.
"Hey, why did you touch my butt?" She demands to the thief.
"What? I wouldn't waste my time touching you!" he answers. "You're just a kid!"
"A kid! I'm the most popular dancer in this town!" She takes the hammer off her back and holds it ready. She has used the weapon before; she is no amateur. "I could forgive you if you'd admit I'm too sexy to ignore, and apologize!"
"Huh? Is this kid dreaming or what?"
"I can't stand it anymore!" The girl swings the hammer, once...twice... three times, and the thieves fall to the ground.
"Ow! Let's get out of here. You're not worth our time." The thieves run off. "You'll pay for this!"
"Hah! I wouldn't pay you anything!" The girl sticks out her tongue.
"You are so full of it." I mutter quietly, but it seems she hears me. She turns around and notices us, her eyes glaring again.
"Who are you?" She demands. "Are you part of the Gehrich Gang? Do you want me to smash you too?"
"Whoa, wait!" Dart holds up his hands. "We're not thieves."
Haschel whispers, "Platinum hair, just like Lloyd...The rest is different." I am not sure if it is an insult or a compliment.
He is right. Although the girl in front of us does have the same brownish eyes and platinum hair—hers is tinged slightly bluish—she is not at all like Lloyd. The swordsman was tall, and she is petite. Lloyd had an air of predatory danger around him, while this girl looks too delicate and full of herself. She is scantily dressed like a dancer, clad just enough, and has an enormous sky-blue bow tied around her waist for decoration. A necklace of a strange design clings to her throat. The way she dresses is almost as if to attract those thieves.
"We're not thieves." Dart declares.
"Come on. We don't have time to waste on this kid." I say.
"That's right. We have to rescue Lynn."
The girl puts away her hammer. "Lynn? You guys are going to save him? That's great! So was I! All the people here in Donau are too chicken to do anything about the bandits, so I was just about to go to the Home of Gigantos and stop them myself! My name is Meru, and I'm going with you!"
Dart shakes his head. "No thanks. We can take care of it."
"No way! I'm coming with you no matter what!" The girl stamps her foot.
Shana brings Dart to the side and murmurs something to him. He shakes his head at first, but finally nods. "All right, Meru, you can come with us."
"All right!" She jumps up. "Beautiful dancer Meru and friends are heading to the Home of Gigantos to stop the Gehrich Gang! Let's go!"
I turn to Dart, eyebrows raised. "You're sure about this? She's just a child."
"I know, but..." he shrugs. "Anyway, let's go."
Meru is talkative.
She speaks nonstop all along the way back to Fletz, inquiring all of us about our hobbies and our weapons and our past, and everything. I ignore her, but she does not shut up. For the first time in a long time, I begin to feel the beginnings of a headache, and I must walk faster to avoid speaking with her.
"She is rather chatty, isn't she?" Albert comments, walking next to me after Meru started speaking about how cool it must be to be the King of Serdio.
"Chatty?" I echo. "I'm halfway to killing her!"
"Rose, you're halfway to killing everyone." Albert chides, but with a smile to show that he means no offense.
I am relieved to see Fletz. Meru is too busy marveling at the streams and the Moon and the houses and basically everything to question me about my past.
The guard is still blocking the path, with the same reason, saying we cannot get in, even if we are going to the Valley of Corrupted Gravity.
"Hey! Why won't you let us in!" Meru demands. "Hey, Allie, you're a king, aren't you? Why can't you just tell him to move!"
"Shh! Meru, no one's supposed to know that!"
Meru shrugs. "Oops."
Yeah, oops. Like I'll oops when I accidentally run my sword through you.
"Well, I'll get him out of the way!" Meru backs up and runs into the guard. Real smart.
And springs back. She simply ricocheted off of the guard and landed on her backside in the market streets. "Ouch! Hey!"
"Not my fault." The guard shrugs. "You ran into me."
"That's not fair!"
"Come on, Meru." Shana practically drags the young dancer away.
We sit in the bar again. Dart, Shana and Haschel are trying to ask Kaffie about how to get to the King, but the dark-skinned waitress is speaking, and I know how long that can take, so I simply sit down at the bar and order another glass.
Albert does the same, only it is non-alcoholic, of course.
Meru sits down next to me. I groan mentally.
"You drink?" She makes a face. "Yuck."
I remain silent.
"I hate drinking. I took one gulp once, and I threw up." Meru makes a gagging sound.
Mentally, I set up a mind shield to block out her voice. In any other's opinion, she is a rather nice and pretty girl, kind, I suppose, but she talks too much. In my opinion, she is annoying and I don't want her to speak to me.
"Rose? Rose? Rose! Are you even listening to me?"
"No." I reply, sliding off the seat and walk around the restaurant, trying to escape her. It takes all my will not to yell and run out of Fletz itself. Dear Soa, go away!
Dart must see the annoyed look on my face, because he comes over. "Okay, Kaffie says that because Fester is the governor of Princess Lisa, he should be able to get us in. But we better hurry, because he usually leaves at night, and it's almost night."
We do so, catching Fester just as he leaves his house after the bell gongs. He agrees to help us to get in. The large guard questions him, but being a governor gives him certain privileges.
After entering, Fester explains. "To the left is the Moon Tower, where Princess Emille's room is. And that's the dining hall. To the right is the Star Tower, where Princess Lisa's room is. And that's the guest room. To the front are the training center and the storage rooms. And up those stairs is the Chamber of the Sun, where King Zior is. Come with me, and I can get you a private audience with the King.
"King Zior, I'm sorry I'm late." Fester bows.
"Don't worry about that, Fester. Lisa has been asking for you. She is curious about a new star. And either my eyes are fooling me, or I am seeing several Festers..." Zior is a friendly large man, but not too bright, probably getting senile.
"Your eyes are not wrong, King Zior. This is Dart and his friends."
It takes an entire two hours to explain everything to the King, and at the end, he speaks. "All right. If you understand all the risks, then fine. I grant my permission. Servant! Bring them the Pass!"
A skittery-looking boy brings in a small golden pass, and upon it are inscribed the words: The Pass to the Valley of Corrupted Gravity. How subtle.
We bow to Zior, and begin to leave.
When we are at the front door, a timid female voice stops us. "Excuse me? King Albert?"
Albert turns around to see a quiet-looking girl, probably a handmaiden.
"I am Libria, the Lady's maid for Princess Lisa. Princess Lisa had me call you and your company. Please follow me." She moves up the stairs to the Star Tower.
Albert and Dart exchange glances and follow.
Princess Lisa looks a lot like her sister, but her voice and attitude matches her appearance, unlike Emille. She is dressed in yellow and orange.
"Hello. I'm Princess Lisa. I'm sorry to disturb you all, but I've learned several key pieces of information from reading the stars. I think you would like to hear them, and I need your help." She pauses, and begins to tell.
"It happened six months ago. That was when sister Emille changed. We were horseback riding, when Emille's horse suddenly became frightened and ran off into the forest. When the servants found her, she was lying unconscious on the forest floor. She was in a coma for a week before she woke up.
"But when she regained consciousness, she was completely different. It was like she was a totally different person. But Father and the Council were so glad to have her safe that they didn't notice. But these past six months, Emille has been very different. I'm worried for her.
"In a few weeks, it will be Emille's twentieth birthday. She is the heir, and at twenty years of age, the heir will rise to the throne. We have a sacred treasure here." Lisa sighs. "King Albert, you are the leader of Serdio. You are the guardian of the Moon Gem. Just as here, in Tiberoa, we have the Moon Dagger. It will be passed to the heir on her twentieth birthday.
"But I am worried. I am afraid something is wrong with Emille, and that may affect her rulership. Furthermore, I have learned from the stars to 'never give up the moon'. I believe that they are speaking about the Moon Dagger. And I am sure that it has something to do with the bandits. Because also exactly six months ago, they began appearing. Just after Emille's accident. Please help us."
Dart nods. "We will do everything we can."
Lisa bows. "Thank you. Please stay for dinner. You will see Emille."
"We've met her already." Shana says, making a face. "At the marketplace. She's…unpleasant."
"I'm sorry for that. Again, I want to know what's making her act this way. Come. Dinner awaits us."
Emille eats like a slob.
Her right hand slices the steak cleanly, and her left hand picks up the piece with a fork and she shoves it into her mouth. It takes her all of half a second to do this, and she repeats it again and again.
"I'm going to be sick." Meru mutters to Haschel. Those two have gotten along very well, although one is sixteen and the other is nearing sixty.
"She's so rude." The Rouge master mutters back.
"Ha! Look at her!" Zior laughs. "It seems that whenever girls turn 20 they develop quite an appetite. Fester, why don't you introduce everyone?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Oh, Fester, I didn't know you were there." Emille gestures with her fork, speaking around her food. "Are you still into all that weird stuff? The moon and stars?"
"Yes...Anyway, this is..."
Emille interrupts. "Hey wait, I know you people. I saw you at the marketplace. The two cute guys."
Fester nods, relieved. "I am glad you have met them. Those two are Dart and Albert. And that is..."
"I didn't ask about anyone else." Emille snaps.
"Ha. Please forgive her. Emille is a bit shy." King Zior says.
"I am not shy! I just don't like them. Hey, you! Bring more food!"
Shana glances sidelong at me. And for once I agree with her, returning the glance with raised eyebrows.
Lisa squirms a bit in her seat. "Please, eat more. I assume you are leaving first thing tomorrow morning."
"Where are you going?" Emille asks, not looking up. "Are you still going to the Valley of Corrupted Gravity?"
"Yep." I take great pleasure in telling her this.
Emille gasps, her knife falling out of her hand and onto the floor. But quickly, she bends down, picks up the knife, and begins slicing again, regardless of the fact that the knife had been on the floor where the servants had been walking. "Huh! Stupid guys!" She mutters.
I poke at my food a couple of times but do not eat.
Dinner is quick, because the small talk is bypassed, and not many people eat, so the maid Libria leads us to the guest room. The first room has three beds, and the adjoining room the same.
"I'm still hungry!" Meru complains. "Princess Emille took my share!"
"She took my share too." Haschel nods. He usually welcomes everyone with open arms and heart, but this time he seems to dislike Emille, with ample reason.
"Agh. I'm tired. I'm going to sleep. Good night, everyone." Albert walks to the bed farthest from the door and lies down with his forearm over his eyes.
"I'm tired. Good night." Shana takes the closest bed, and immediately falls asleep, breathing lightly.
Meru sits on the third bed, but does not lie down. When Haschel asks her if she's tired, she answers, "Of course. But I can't fall asleep until Dart does, right? Because then I wouldn't be safe."
She is so full of herself.
"Huh?" Dart seems confused, but Meru just winks.
Dart sits down on the first bed. "We'll need to get rest tonight. Tomorrow we go after the Gehrich Gang. I need to get my Dragoon Spirit back. It's too important to fall into the hands of the thieves."
I face the wall. "Then maybe you shouldn't have lost it in the first place."
Haschel turns to me, and shakes his head, good-naturedly. "That's our Rose. Always so harsh. Why don't you smile?"
"I don't remember how to smile..." I pause, and start for the next room. "We'll meet in the morning."
The guards let us in the Valley of Corrupted Gravity instantly when they see the pass.
When the morning sunlight appeared, we left the Twin Castle and started for the Valley. It took all morning and several rests, but we made it to the shadowy valley, and the gates opened.
The valley is made of floating stone paths, and there are several boulders hovering around. It seems like something from a space movie.
Meru is the first to run in on the stone paths, kicking a large boulder off the cliffs. It falls all the way down the abyss without a sound. I cannot see the bottom of the canyon.
She turns back to us, hands on her hips. "Aw, no fun. Isn't the gravity here supposed to be weird?"
"Meru, look out!"
Meru ducks just as the boulder comes flying back up, nearly taking off her head. "Ack!"
I pick up a stone and toss it off. It floats in a straight line until it collides with another rock, and takes another trajectory.
"This place was where one of the major battles in the Dragon Campaign took place. The land here was affected by Wingly magic, and the gravity became corrupted. Even after 11,000 years, this place is still dangerous." I turn to Meru. "I don't think you'll have much 'fun' from here."
She holds her hands up hastily, palms outward. "I didn't actually mean it... So which way do we go?"
"It doesn't matter." Dart says. "I've been observing the pattern of the rocks. They all lead to the same place, all the way up there. We'll just have to keep climbing. These rocks can support our weight. We better hurry up. This place gives me the creeps."
Dart was right. The rocks did support the weight of us, although we had to go one at a time.
"Rose? Come on, hurry up!" Dart calls.
I turn away from staring into the distance. "There's...something there, by the exit. Something strong but unhealthy."
Dart squints in the direction I am pointing at. "I can't see that far. But we'll get up to it. Come on. Give me your hand."
I leap over the canyon without the aid of the outstretched hand or the floating rock. The thing by the exit seems oddly familiar...
"Look out!" Shana screams.
"Whoa!" Dart's foot slips on the floating rock and he tumbles down to the vast endless canyon.
I dive over the edge, hooking my feet against the lip of the cliff, and thrusting my arms down, catching hold of Dart's right hand. The tension on my feet heighten and becomes almost unbearable, and my muscles scream for rest.
"Don't struggle." I tell the warrior in a tight voice.
"Rose!" he seems surprised that I am helping him. "What are you doing...?"
"Rose! Oh Soa!" The others all rush over.
"Get ready to pull us up. I can't do this alone." I order, my voice strained. "And Dart, don't move." I lower my voice. "Unless you want to die."
The gloves, both his leather and my dark violet, are beginning to slip. I tighten my grip, digging my nails in, and hold tight. All the blood is rushing to my head, and my breath is coming fast.
"Shana, get ready. Pull us up. Now."
Hands latch on my ankles, and I slam my head against the cliff as the others pull us up. I do not release Dart until he is safely on the platform. He has several bruises and scrapes.
"Rose! Are you okay?" He asks, struggling to his feet.
"I am fine." I get onto my feet, dusting myself off, my breathing returning to normal. "Are you?"
"I'm okay. Soa Almighty, Rose, that was dangerous!"
"I know. Let's hurry on." I sprint ahead.
"Rose, wait. You're bleeding." Dart grabs hold of my hand and pulls me to a stop. "Rose!" His hand is gentle as he fingers an inch-long gash on the right side of my forehead.
"It will heal." I answer curtly, pulling away. Shana does not look worried. She trusts me now. And I trust myself. The only reason I was attracted to Dart was because he resembled my lost love so much that it was impossible. But now that I understand it is not him, all my heart goes back the many years to reminisce about him again.
And yet, I still travel with these people...why? Because they are Dragoons? Because it is my responsibility to teach them, to make sure they will not die or abuse their powers? After all, I had joined them for that reason, because I had not wanted any more Dragoons to die…
The others are murmuring about me as I go ahead, but I do not wait for them. After a few seconds, they catch up, silently. Even Meru does not speak.
I leap over rocks without actually seeing them. I am thinking.
He did the exact same thing for me. We were in the exact same valley. It had not been so gravity-corrupted then, but the ground had been so far away. I used to be afraid of heights. My foot slipped. And he caught me, grabbed my hands. I begged him not to let go. He said he never would. I miss those days, those days that were pure and sweet and openly honest.
"What is that, Rose?" Dart's voice interrupts my thinking.
I look up from the ground, jolted out of my thoughts. I had walked up to the exit without even knowing. I look at what they are all gawking at.
"Ew..." Meru says. "What is it?
"That might be the real reason that this valley has corrupted gravity. That's a Virage. But it has a full body. It is much more powerful than the one we fought in the Volcano Villude." I explain.
"The voice is coming again..." Shana whispers loudly, hoarsely. She reaches out a hand as if to touch the Virage across the distance.
"We have to get past it somehow." Dart says.
Instantly Shana is afraid. "No! Don't do that!"
"But Shana, it's blocking the exit."
"No. Please, Dart, don't go over there. I feel that it's bad. Please, Dart, it's dangerous there!" She is practically weeping. Whatever she feels, she feels it strongly.
There is a rumbling sound, and a tremor so that even the floating rocks drop.
The Virage groans, and stands up.
"It's awake!" Dart yells. "Did it sense our presence?"
Most likely Shana's. What connection does she have to it?"Watch out for its ultimate attack." I warn them. "Dragoon form will help with this battle."
Dragoons morph, while Meru looks on in awe. "Cool!"
Not quite the word I would use to describe it. "Astral Drain!"
"Wind Blaster!"
"Atomic Mind!"
"Moon Light!"
Shana seems dazed, almost as if she suffers from a headache and euphoria both at the same time. Is that even possible?
The Virage did not die by any easy means. It took an entire four hours to beat it into submission, and we used up all our items and healing potions. Haschel and Albert were knocked out of the battle, and Shana sat down when her headache grew worse.
The Virage screamed, like a dying hawk, and stretched out one clawed hand at Shana, who had moved dangerously close to the edge.
"Shana!" Dart yells, and I with him, we run forward-
--and skid to a stop.
Shana is defending herself.
Not by her bow and arrow. Her weapons lay at her feet, her hands are clasped together. A bluish aura surrounds her entire body, illuminating her in different power. The power emanates from her like heat from a fire, starting nowhere but itself.
It seems stronger than guiding Dragoon Magic, but Shana seems entirely at peace. The blue fire from around her lashes forward, slamming into the Virage and knocking it off the ledge.
It falls down to the bottom of the valley, hitting its head several times.
"It's going to have one hell of a headache when it wakes up." Meru comments.
"If it ever does." Haschel adds.
But I do not hear them. I am busy staring. It is impossible for a human to have such magic. Even a Dragoon in morph does not have magic like that! It is impossible!
"Shana! What on earth..." I falter for once. "What are you to Virage?"
Why did the Virage reach for her in particular? Why did it stop? Why did she have the power to knock it off the ledge? HOW could she have had that power? I have never seen that sort of power! Who...what IS this girl?"I don't know!" She sobs, her hands covering her face. "I don't know anything!"
Dart comes over and puts his arms around her. "Don't worry about it. The Virage is gone now. Come on, everyone, let's get out of here. We all need some rest."
The Home of Gigantos is beautiful in that ancient way.
If there hadn't been any thieves.
The pillars are crumbling, the walls are eroded. A giant clock, broken, blocks the way to the far side, to a giant temple. The entire place is covered in dust and dirt, creating sort of a ghostly vision.
The thieves notice us as soon as we get in. No surprise. All six of us, it is impossible not to. We battle our way in.
Like before, bandits do not put up much of a fight.
We make it to the clock before he stops us.
He didn't look like much. Tall, wearing baggy red pants that were narrowed at the ankles. Brown shoes. Dark hair pulled back. But he had a strange fighting stance, something almost worldly and knowing. No way this could be a simple bandit.
It is Haschel that knows. "You!" he says, jabbing a finger. "Where did you learn the Rouge Art?"
"Who cares? You stumbled onto our hideout, and now you'll have to pay!"
Haschel ends this fight as quickly as it began. The rest of us just watched. The tall stranger leapt in a flying side kick. Haschel ducked and slammed his fist into the tall one as he soared over him. As the stranger landed, Haschel punched his face and stepped a foot on him.
"The Rouge Art is a tradition found only in my village. Everyone from outside who learns the Rouge Art must have a connection. Where did you learn it?" He asks again, quietly but with menace. "Do you know a woman fighter named Claire?"
"Claire? No, I've never heard of her. I learned this from the boss here, Gehrich." The bandit swallows, and Haschel moves his foot, allowing the tall man to stand up.
"Gehrich..."
"Yeah. He used to study it seriously about twenty years ago, but then he got kicked out." The bandit says.
"Gehrich…kicked out… Oh, now I remember him. He was once my disciple."
"You'll never defeat my boss. He's ten times better than me!"
That's not saying much.
"It is my fist who decides if I can defeat him or not." Haschel says with such quiet dignity that the bandit turns and runs off. The martial arts master then turns and faces the giant clock that blocks our way. "Everyone get out of the way."
"Wait, wait, Haschel!" Dart yells. "You can't do that! That thing is three times the size of you!"
"Watch me."
The Rouge martial arts master moved his right leg back, knees bent to support him better. Hands clenched, his right fist moves back and then forward-
--And the clock explodes into stone shards that sting against me.
"Holy--!"Albert strangles off a curse.
"Wow!" Meru shrieks. "I didn't know you could do that!"
The ruins up ahead lead to the temple, up three flights of staircases. It is less impressive up close, but I like things that I can face directly. To the left, stairs lead down to a platform with several boulders, to the right is a cave, and to the front is the temple.
"Let's check the cave first." Dart suggests. "He's probably in the temple, but it's better to be safe. Everyone stay together."
"Whew..." Haschel breathes hard, sitting down on a flat rock. "My back hurts."
"I told you that you shouldn't have done that." Dart scolds him. "All right, you stay here."
"I'll stay with him." Meru volunteers. "Hmph. Men! You should have thought about your age!"
We leave the two of them bickering as we advance into the cave.
It is a short walk, only half a mile or so. But it is an empty cave, filled only with the healing rock fireflies.
"Nothing but rock fireflies in there, Haschel." Dart reports as we come out of the short narrow cave.
Meru lies sprawled on the flat rock, facedown. Haschel is nowhere in sight.
"Meru!" Dart runs to her, and checks her pulse.
As he does so, she immediately awakens. "What? What happened?"
"We could ask you the same thing." Albert says. "Where's Haschel?"
"I don't know. I was talking, and then something came from behind and hit me." Meru reports, dusting herself off, picking pebbles out of her platinum-bluish hair.
"Haschel must have gone ahead." Dart draws this conclusion. "He must be facing Gehrich."
We climb the stairs to the temple, and enter the doorway.
Inside there is a gaudy bronze throne. The room is lit with only candles, and the ceiling is supported by three dusty pillars. A fallen and defeated Mappi is against the wall, the Dragoon Spirit next to him. A tall dark-haired man is exchanging physical blows with Haschel.
"Haschel!" Dart yells.
The martial arts master hardly looks at us. He continues fighting with Gehrich.
Dart moves to help, but I wave a hand at him.
"Let him." I say. "Sometimes it is best to confront your past alone."
I would know that best out of all of us...
Master will always be better than disciple. That is how everything works. It is the master that teaches the disciple, and the master has had more knowledge and experience.
Just as now. Gehrich is knocked back into one of the pillars, with a heavy groan.
As if echoing him, the pillar sways and groans. Several chunks of the ceiling begin to fall.
Gehrich looks up at the fallig pillar. "Please run! Master!"
"It's gonna cave in!" Dart realizes. "Haschel! Come on!"
But as they turn to leave, a particularly large boulder blocks the doorway. Meru slams it with her hammer, but the rock hardly splinters.
The pillar is falling in huge pieces now.
"It's too late!" Albert yells, ducking, and covering his head.
It's never too late until it actually happens! I snarl in my head. I will not die so insignificantly. I cannot die yet! I drop into a crouch, and then onto my back. Maybe I can stop it with my legs, support it somehow until they find a way to hold it up.
But the ceiling jolts once, stopping. Only little rocks fall, one of them striking my forehead where I was smashed when Shana and I pulled Dart up, but I hardly blink.
A Giganto is there, holding up the pillar and ceiling. He has slowed its momentum so that it merely crumbles. He is straining, obviously working hard.
"Kongol?!"
The Giganto tosses the pillar to the side.
Haschel is kneeling by Gehrich, who is still unconscious.
"Is he going to make it?" Shana asks quietly.
The dark-haired man shakes his head. "But if that Giganto over there hadn't caught the pillar, then he would be dead by now. As would all of us."
"Yeah, Kongol, why are you here?"
"It is a strange way to get revenge." I say. "What's going on in your mind?"
"Ugh!" Haschel is kneeling by the awakened Gehrich.
The disciple says something to his master, several words that make Haschel nod, and then the body goes limp. I can see even at this distance.
Everyone is watching him now. The Rouge master gets to his feet, holding the body. There are tears in his old eyes. "Martial arts is connected with the heart. When you hit someone, your fist aches, and your heart aches..." he sighs and shakes his head. "I will dispose of the body with the proper rituals. Please wait for me."
As we wait, Dart questions Kongol. The Giganto is not lying. He said that he had only followed Doel all his life, that Doel had saved him as a child. But Doel had promised him a land where everyone would be equal, no matter what race.
There will never be such a land. It is impossible. There can never be a land like you wish. All we have is killing and being killed.But because Doel had died, Kongol wants to follow us. To see what we fight for.
"Equal world need strong leader." Kongol says, gesturing to Dart. "Kongol follow you. Kongol want to see if Dart is strong leader."
"Wait!" The warrior holds up his hands. "I'm no leader!"
"That's where you're wrong, Dart." Shana says.
"Yeah, she's right. There's something about you, Dart, that makes me want to follow you." Meru shrugs. "I don't know what it is."
I agree."...Okay." Dart concedes. Our little party now numbers seven. He faces Kongol. "We're friends."
"Friends." Kongol repeats. "It good word." He clamps a brotherly hand on Dart's shoulder, but because of the Giganto's great strength, the warrior drops to one knee, wincing.
When Haschel comes back, he has Lynn with him, and the Red Dragoon Spirit pendant. The tears are gone.
"Gehrich said that the Princess Emille in Fletz is a fake, a bandit-woman named Lenus. That's why there's been so many bandits lately." He states simply. "We have to go back before they pass the Moon Dagger to the wrong person. Kongol is coming with us?"
"Yes."
Everyone in the party looks normal, but each one carries within him or her something that drives them forward, keeping us together. A girl that can awaken Virages and is being hunted by Emperor Diaz, a King of Serdio who is avenging his friend and searching for the Moon Gem, a martial arts master searching for his runaway daughter, a talkative dancer with a hidden means, a Giganto who dreams of a perfect world with equal people, and a red-clad warrior that is impossibly similar to my long lost love.
And of course, this mysterious woman that holds a deadly secret.
What a crew.
Fletz is in celebration.
It does not matter that they do not like Princess Emille. These people will celebrate the sun coming into the sky if nothing else. Fireworks are being readied, and I know that inside the palace, the "Princess Emille" is about to receive the Moon Dagger at the Coming of Age Ceremony.
We had dropped Lynn off at Donau, where he and Kate were to be married. Shana wanted to stay for the wedding, but we were on a tight schedule, so she simply wished her friend good luck.
And Meru decided to come with us.
"I used to believe that things like Virages and Dragoons and Gigantos were only in fairy tales. So I want to come along to see how far they go. And don't even argue, because I'm coming with you no matter what." She had said, and Dart did not argue.
The large guard in front of the castle is now gone. A new one replaces him, and he does not look friendly.
"Bandit." I tell the others. "Lenus must have switched them."
"Should we break through or retreat?" Albert asks.
Dart shrugs. "Haschel, what do you think?"
The dark-haired master narrows his eyes. "We're getting to the Ceremony no matter what. We are stopping Lenus. Or Gehrich's death will be useless. We won't allow that to happen, right, Rose?"
I understand what he means. He may not be the leader of the group, but I feel a certain respect for him, and I obey.
Moving fluidly around a vendor cart, I leap impossibly high into the air to land behind the guard. Quickly, before he can turn around, I jab my hand into the fragile vein in his neck. He slumps down to the ground without a whimper.
I walk back to the others. Shana has her hands over her eyes. "Is it over?" She whispers.
"I didn't kill him." I tell her. "Just knocked him unconscious."
"Thank you." Shana says, relieved.
She is too weak. Something will go wrong. If not now then later.
There is no one to stop us from entering the palace, but inside is swarming with guards dressed as knights.
"We need to find Princess Lisa first and tell her what happened. Then she might know what to do." Albert says, pointing to the Star Tower.
We needed to avoid all the guards, so we separate. I ignore the stairs, transforming to Dragoon and flying up silently. No guards see me. They never do.
The rest of them arrive within minutes, and we enter Princess Lisa's room.
"I have been expecting you. I am ready. Tell me what happened." She orders. All royalty are like that. No matter how nice, they are still royalty, and used to being obeyed.
"Princess Emille is actually a woman named Lenus. She's working with the other bandits, and that is why there have been so many thieves lately. Lenus has taken on the form of your sister."
"Oh thank God." Lisa breathes. "It is impossible for my sister Emille to have such an attitude. I must go with you. The only way Father will believe us is if we find the real Emille. I will go with you to find her."
With Lisa with us, we did not need to worry about the guards. They simply glanced, backed off, and stayed away. We made it to the Moon Tower without any trouble.
The room is empty.
"It's horrible!" Lisa gasps. "This place has been ransacked!"
"We did say it was bandits." Meru says meekly. "Where's Kongol?"
"He was too big to fit in the room." Shana answers.
"Aw, I feel bad...I'm going outside to wait with him." Meru leaves.
"Me too. There are too many people in this room." Haschel disappears.
We search around the room for anything that may seem magical, that could hide the real princess.
"Rose? Come and look at this." Dart is gazing at a portrait of Emille. "Is it magical?"
I reach out a hand and feel the magic-energy buzzing from it. "Yeah."
And with a yell, we are all inside the painting.
"What is this place?" Shana asks.
It seems like an outer space with color. There are stars and constellations with splashes of orange and red and violet. We are standing on one platform, and twenty meters away is another platform with a chair on which Princess Emille is sleeping.
"It seems a magical space was created in the painting." I inform the others. "It seems peculiar. It is in a different plane, perhaps even a different dimension." I wonder who had the magic to create it, and to store the real Princess Emille here. No human could possibly manage it.
"We can't jump over that." Dart says. "How are we going to get to her?"
"I can transform and fly over there." Shana offers, placing her hands on her pendant. The white light shines, but she does not transform.
"It is hard for beginners to transform at will." I say, but when Dart throws me a nasty look, I amend myself. "It is hard for even I to transform without a battle."
In the end, it turns out that Dart found a switch that created a magical bridge. Albert crossed and woke Emille, saying that if she did not wake up, an irreversible error would be made to Fletz and all of Tiberoa.
Emille awakened at that, breathing shallow, as if confused. I had not crossed the magical bridge, but even at this distance, I can tell. Lenus could never have compared with Emille. This girl moves with a grace that is incomparable, as if she is floating on the air. Her voice is soft and beautifully modulated.
We left the painting by the way we came in, scaring Meru and Kongol and Haschel who had thought we had disappeared.
We reached the Chamber of the Sun a second too late.
Lenus in Emille's form accepted the Moon Dagger just as the real Emille screamed stop. Zior fainted at the sight of two of his same daughters, and the fake leaped onto the balcony, shedding her disguise.
"Surprised, huh? This is the true form of Miss Lenus!" She laughs.
She is a Wingly. Dressed in revealing black skintight battle armor, with the platinum hair of a Wingly underneath a fashionable cap the exact color of flame, and she has the wings that look like shafts of moonlight through clouds. She is tall and slim, with long legs and the hunting light of an Amazon in her wood-colored eyes.
"Give up. You are cornered."
"A girl in love doesn't know the meaning of the words 'give up'." She says, waving her hands in dismissal. "I have gotten this far for my love. I won't give up so easily!"
The only one she will ever love in her entire lifetime, whether it be mortal years or an entire 11,000.
"I'm sorry but you will not have to be in love anymore. Because you will die here."
Lenus hovers slightly in the air, legs stretched like a well-fed cat. She does not attack physically, but with several devastating magical spells.
"Magic Shield!" Haschel tosses an item in the air, where it explodes into sparks that cover the entire team.
"What was that?" Shana asks.
"A magic shield to block her attacks for three turns. I found it in the Home of Gigantos." He explains. "Attack her now while you have the chance."
Kongol goes first, attacking with a huge axe the size of his torso. He has the strongest physical attack out of all of us.
I have noticed several changes during the journey. The enemies are growing much stronger. I am often surprised during battles now, instead of practically sleeping through them. And the allies...they have grown much stronger as well. Especially Dart. He handles his Dragoon with a natural born ease, with the grace that even my years as a Dragoon cannot imitate. Truly it is as if he is my love.
But that is impossible.
Even Shana. Her aim is better now, firing deadly arrows. Her Dragoon is more of a healing element than attack, and she is like the medic of the group. But she understands the importance of battles, and knows when to enter and when to step aside.
The mystery between her and the Virage I still cannot decrypt.
Even though her magic attacks were powerful enough to make me weak, Lenus did not have good physical defense. She gives up easily.
"Give up. There is no point in this meaningless battle." Albert says. "you are surrounded."
"Really?" Lenus laughs. "You over there! What do you think of that?"
Meru keeps silent, frowning.
"Whatever!" Lenus jumps off the balcony. "Bye now!!" She calls, using her wings to fly off into the distance.
"We need to catch up with her. She's heading for Feuno." Dart says. "We need a ship to pursue the Wingly."
King Zior revives himself. "The gods that ran the heavens 11,000 years ago." He mutters, standing up. "You... She took the Moon Dagger!"
"We'll chase after her. Do you have a ship here?" Dart asks.
"Not here. Not in Fletz. But in Donau. There is a port by the mayor's house. Tiberoa's ship, the Queen Fury, is in there. The commander is named Puler. He will let you on." Zior stumbles to his throne with the help of his two daughters. "Emille, you will need to tell me what happened..."
"Come on." Dart says with an unnatural light in his eyes. "We need to get to Donau."
Dart made us run the entire way.
Out of Fletz, through the Barrens, across the distance, into Donau. We arrived at the port breathless and panting. Even I, with the years of practice, am tired, and only with the sheer will I have cultivated am I able not to pant and pass out. We could have just transformed into Dragoons and flew, but Dart insisted that it would be wrong to leave Meru and Kongol. So we had had to run.
The commander, a tall colorful man dressed in pirate clothes, was waiting there, along with a blonde girl of around nine years old, probably his daughter Kayla.
We boarded the ship immediately after buying the sufficient items, and set sail.
The Queen Fury is a steel ship, built with wooden decks and several floors and cabins. It is not a beautiful ship; it could never compare with Mille Seseau's Saint Louvia, which had been elegant, as everything was in that mysterious continent. Instead, the Queen Fury was an ugly thing, a metal battleship with no taste. I may be a warrior, but my armor, my sword, my appearance overall seems rather fashionable, or at least presentable.
I ignore everyone and the crew's greetings, and climb up to the mast, as high as I can without disturbing the lookout.
I stare off into the sea, thinking first about our mission.
We need to get the Moon Dagger back, then go after Lloyd and find out the mystery with Shana, and get the Moon Gem back.
Albert had explained on the way about the Divine Moon Objects, although I already know the story.
After the Dragon Campaign, the Humans built the three cities in Tiberoa and Serdio and Mille Seseau. Each country's capital was given a Divine Moon Object by the Winglies as a sign of peace. They hold great magic power, which is probably why Lloyd is after them.
Or should I say Emperor Diaz?
I do not know why Greham and Doel said that it was Diaz.
Diaz had died 11,000 years ago in the Dragon Campaign. He had led our forces in Gloriano, and he died. I remember clearly. Either Diaz really has come back to life by some ultimate resurrection spell, or someone has a pure 23 hidden in their tunic.
Turning my thoughts around, I think about what has happened in the past years.
For years I had not bothered to make any friends. I would never—could never—stay with them anyway, and they would always be repulsed if they found out my secret. Not to mention what had happened had left me seriously rattled.
I had been so young back then, in the war. All my friends had had to help me, comfort me. Even pretty Damia, who was younger than me but had more experience. She had been so insecure, and we often comforted each other. From the always-gentle Shirley to war-loving Kanzas to my own long lost love, they were always there. But...they had died, and I saw them die. That left me with a wound that would never close.
"Rose?"
I do not need to turn around. By the footsteps and voice, I can tell it is Dart.
"So you're all the way up here. You like high places?"
"They're closer to the sky." I answer. I had spent half my life in the sky, flying. The Wingly battles were always in the sky, by the floating cities. I lost my friends in the sky. I wanted to be... with them, in some poetic way. "What is it you came up here for?"
"I wanted to know if you could tell me anything about the Black Monster."
I would tell you everything about it if you would only listen. I think, but I say differently. "Unfortunately I have nothing to tell you."
"Oh."
"What are you going to do when you catch him? Kill him to avenge your parents? That will satisfy your feelings?"
"'Revenge does not generate anything.'" Dart quotes. "That's what I learned from Lavitz. To tell you the truth, I don't know what I am going to do... or even what I want to do when I face the Black Monster. I just want to know what he is."
"I see..." I say shortly, and finally turn around to face him. And although the wild wind does not even ruffle my hair, it whips his hair around his face, pulling the dark blonde out of the headband that keeps it away from those bewitching eyes. He is smiling slightly, almost a confused but polite way. He looks so much like my old love. I almost...
I turn back to watching the sea. "Well, I can tell you something. Do you want to know what is the source of the power of Dragoons?" Without waiting for him to answer, I charge on. "War is not in human nature. Humans fight by making themselves enter insanity. It is...the same for revenge. This is a tool to amplify the insanity. And this insanity is the source of the power of Dragoons, the Dragon Knight. Someday something will happen and if you cannot chasten your insanity I wonder if you will be able to endure it given the size of your spirit?" I say idly. "…Sorry. It was just nonsense."
"When I finish with Lloyd, I will go on my journey to pursue the Black Monster. When I face him I will find my own answer to that." Dart says, in a far off voice, as if thinking aloud. Even without looking at him, I can see him shake his head, sketch a mock salute to me, and climb back down the ladder.
Sighing inaudibly, I realize I am restless.
On the deck, I can see Haschel right below me. He is laying on his back, staring up at the fiery dusk sky, which is slowly darkening into the violets and blacks of night. Thinking about his runaway daughter Claire, most likely. And Shana is standing by the railing, holding her hand out to the seagulls and singing.
I turn away, almost annoyed by her gentle sweetness. There were days when I was like that too, but those days are long past.
I turn my attention back to the sea, half my mind scanning the ocean for things that he might have missed, and half my mind thinking back on the days when I was still sweet and caring and honest.
"Rose?"
Slightly alarmed that I had not heard Shana come up the ladder, I angrily curse myself for my lack of alertness. I do not turn around; my cold exterior the only thing that I can cling to. "Did you need me for something?"
"Um. What are you thinking about?"
"Dart." I reply, turning around to see Shana's shocked face. "I'm kidding." I add.
"Oh. Heh." She replies, swallowing thickly. Maybe she thinks that I am lying and that I really was thinking of Dart, or she is simply surprised because I bothered to make a joke.
Finding nothing else to say, she smiles slightly and climbs back down the ladder.
I don't hate her as much as I used to. I wonder if I should have said something.The soft thumping informs me that two people are climbing up the ladder but trying to be stealthy about it. I can hear their whispered voices; it is Dart and Meru.
"Don't pull a prank on her." Dart warns. "She doesn't understand jokes."
For once, Meru is somber. "I won't. Rose has a mysterious personality. She's could but when it comes to a critical point, she leads us in a variety of ways."
"We are alive now because of Rose."
And so you shall stay that way.
"I agree." Meru nods her assent.
I have gotten used to her by now. Although she is talkative and nosy, she only wishes to know so she can help. She has an odd way of helping, though. But being with these people have made me weak; I no longer actually hate anyone.
The dancer's footsteps shift, but before she can speak, the lookout cries out.
"Commander! There's another ship!"
There is a ship in the distance, illuminated by the gentle moonlight. The wood is rotting, and the sails are torn and there are no people on board. A ship like that should not be able to sail as smoothly as it does. But yet it does.
"It's gonna slam!"I throw my arms over my head to protect myself, and wait as the inky blackness of unconsciousness claims me.