Chaper 5:

Eiko's heart was in her throat as they got closer and closer to Madain Sahri. It wasn't a very long flight, but something was making her nervous. Dagger was singing the lullaby again, and this time there was no haunting minor melody to follow it, but the air felt thick, and Eiko was finding it harder and harder to breathe.

Cahira came up behind her, laying a hand on her shoulder. It was the first time the young woman had ever touched Eiko, and she found the gesture strangely comforting. Cahira's lilting voice came into her ear. "Don't worry. Whatever we find, you will have us to back you up on it. We will protect you."

With tears in her eyes, Eiko impulsively turned around to hug Cahira. "Thank you. You don't know how much that means to me."

Vivi came out of the personal quarters onto the deck and walked up to Blank. "Don't land exactly in front of Madain Sahri. I'd like to walk around the outside a bit and see if we can find something that might give us a lead on what is going on here and what happened to the mage and genome. They were both my friends, and I'd like to look at the surrounding area and see if I can find them."

Blank nodded. "Will do. And, uh, once again, I'll just stay here and watch the ship. The last thing we need is for the airship to disappear."

"That would be a long trip home for you and the ladies."

"Yup."

The airship landed, and the party equipped themselves. They gave a few final instructions to Blank about what to look for in the way of suspicious things, and then headed down the ramp towards Madain Sahri. The air was even thicker in the old summoner city, and Eiko felt her throat constricting as she coughed. "What is going on here? It feels like the air is polluted."

"Cover your mouths!" Cahira ordered, ripping the bottom hem of her cloak off to wrap it around her mouth. Eiko took the thick bow out of her hair and did the same, and Dagger just held one of her heavy sleeves over her face. Vivi didn't seem worried about it, so they just let him do what he needed.

As they got to the edge of the city, Eiko pointed towards one of the bolders. "Look!"

A small foot donning a pink shoe was twisted on the top of one of them. The group ran towards the bolders, and Dagger quickly cast a float spell. Eiko and Dagger gasped in shock and hid their eyes as they surveyed the gruesomely crushed bodies of the genome and the black mage. Vivi nodded toward Cahira, who was already starting towards the bodies. "Let's take them to the airship. I'd like to give them a proper burial back at the Black Mage Village. Their families will appreciate it, and they will be given an honorable ceremony."

Cahira nodded, and the two of them quickly picked up the bodies and took them back to the ship, leaving Dagger and Eiko there with their hands over their faces and tears in their eyes. Neither woman was weak, but both had compassionate souls and would never wish something like that on anyone.

"It could have been an accident," Dagger said after a while.

"Possibly. We'll just have to go into Madain Sahri and find out," Eiko returned.

After a few moments, Vivi and Cahira were with them again, and they continued into the city. As they went, the air got thicker and thicker, until, suddenly, right as they came to Eiko's old house, the air cleared, and was the same light sea breeze it always had been. Each of them unwrapped their mouths, and cautiously walked forward. Eiko's face showed deep concern. "This is strange. Where are the moogles? They always come out to greet me."

Cahira nodded solemnly. "Stay here, your Majesty. Vivi and I will look inside."

"No," Eiko sighed. "I'm coming with you, no matter what is there."

After stepping into the home, she wished she hadn't. The moogles were suspended in air, all dead, and all just floating in substantial nothing. Dagger began to cry again. "This is so terrible!!!"

Eiko stepped forward, the rage that had been boiling inside her coming to the surface. "What kind of magic is this! Who would do something so awful to such innocent creatures!"

Tears began to stream down her face. "Who wants me so badly that he will destroy everything I care about?!"

A young voice came from the doorway. "Maybe it was that guy who came hear a couple days ago. He left a note for Queen Eiko."

The group spun around to stare at a young boy in the doorway. His hair was a burnished coppery red, and his eyes were the color of chocolate. He had a pointed nose and a pointed chin, and he reminded Eiko dreadfully of Amarant. His smile was big, however, and he seemed happier than the renowned Flaming Amarant ever had been. He pointed one skinny finger to the door. "My parents are out there. They'd like to talk to you."

Cautiously, the group followed him out to find exactly who Eiko had expected, Amarant and Lani. Amarant didn't say anything, but Lani smiled affectionately. "It's been a long time, Eiko. You sure have grown up!"

"Wh-what are you doing here?" Dagger asked.

"Princess Dagger," Lani bowed to her. "Give your parents my greetings when you see them. We go a long ways back."

"I know that this man is the Flaming Amarant, but who are you?" Cahira bit out, her harsh military training coming out in a quick burst.

"I am Lani, Amarant's wife."

"The famous bounty huntress."

"Indeed, but we are not here to collect any heads. Actually, I'm doing a favor for Eiko. Let's just say, I'm paying back old debts," Lani said with a smile. Amarant just grunted.

"I'm sending my boy here, Flynn, with you. He's seen the man who has done that dreadful thing inside. Describe him to Queen Eiko, my dear."

"He's sorta tall and girly looking, with blonde hair and eyes the color of the ocean. Oh, and he has a horn in the middle of his forehead. Like you," Flynn said, pointing at Eiko. "And he had a tail, like Zidane."

"A tail and a horn?" Dagger gasped. "He must be a genome summoner! That's impossible!"

"But all the summoners are dead except your mother and I."

"Apparently not, Majesty," Flynn continued, "Cause he had a horn, as sure as day, and he cast some spell on those moogles in there. Here, he left you a note. I picked it up and showed it to Mom and Dad here. That's where they got the idea to send me with you. Here you go, Majesty."

Eiko took the note, her hands shaking. After reading it, she looked up at them. "I do believe that we have a very dangerous summoner on our hands, ladies and gentlemen."

"And mages," Vivi muttered.