A.N. I am sorry for the delay in the updating of this chapter however difficulties in my educational life have meant that I have had very little time to devote to writing this. Hopefully the next chapter will be up quicker. Until then, I hope you enjoy this chapter although I have to admit that it is more of a plot based rather than action chapter.

Goodbye and Good Fortune

Fallen Saga Creator

Alliance of Four

Steiner glared at the back of Zidane's head as the genome balanced deftly on the tip of the cannon, leaning forward, face tilted toward the wind. 'Well?' He asked impatiently.

The genome shrugged, a toe and the tip of his tail the only things stopping him from plunging almost two hundred feet. 'I'm not sure. Those ships don't carry any undead or the demon kind and most of them smell human.'

'Most?'

Zidane sniffed the air again, his brow creasing. 'Yeah, I'm not sure what else's on there. Nothing evil, they don't smell of blood, new or old, but they don't smell human. They smell… like… I don't know. I've never smelled anything like it before. But I don't think we have to worry, the rest carry Lindblum's scent, I think the Regent has decided to pay a visit.' He back-flipped off the cannon, landing lightly back on the stone airship dock. 'I'll go tell the Summoner that there is nothing to fear.'

Steiner growled, 'I'll say when you can go genome. You're to stay here and receive them as guests of the Queen.'

Zidane shrugged again and leaned against a flagpole, whistling an odd tune as he idly fiddled with the hems of his gloves. Steiner grimaced at his lack of discipline and turned his eyes back to the airships, their engines just beginning to be heard as a dull, background roar. They grew larger slowly, the pennant of Lindblum flying proudly atop the lead ship, the unique sound and design of the ship marking it as the Hilde Garde II, the fastest ship on the Mist Continent. It had broken from the rest, closing at almost double the speed of the rest of the convoy.

In less than ten minutes individual crew members could be made out on its docks as they rushed about, preparing to dock. Zidane's eyebrows rose a fraction as his sharper eyes picked out something that the rest could not see. A party gathered on the deck seemed to be made of a half-dozen humans and about two dozen of something he had never seen, golden eyes glowing within a face of purest black. He perched on the rail, shading his eyes from the sun as the ship grew nearer, hearing the mutters from the knights of Pluto as their eyes told them the same.

The black ones were dressed as mages, identical clothes, pointy hats and knobbly staves making it impossible to count them accurately. In their midst a girl of no more than ten seemed to order them into place as a miniature of the black mages tottered around after her, obviously used to her wrath. Watching with a bemused smile were an elder man and a woman, likely Regent Cid and his wife, the first a large man with broad shoulders and a neatly trimmed beard, deep red suiting him in the latest fashions. His wife was dressed in an equally well cut and expensive gown, fine silk of light blue matching an elaborate head-dress with pearls sown copiously into both.

The airship glided to a halt beside the dock, mooring ropes thicker than a man hitting the dock to be manhandled onto huge iron rings set into the stone of the dock itself, those torn by the Prima Vista still leaving gaps in the steady pattern. Shouts of airmen sounded back and forth as a gangplank snaked up and outward from the dock, meeting the airship neatly, airmen binding it as the whirr of the engines died and the airship settled into the huge stone cradle of the dock.

The Regent led the procession down the gangplank, his wife at his arm, a dozen honour guard of Lindblum soldiers behind them. Following them came the black mages, the small one and the girl leading them down to meet Steiner and Zidane. The giant kneeled as Cid stopped before him.

'Regent, Garnet Til Alexandros, Queen of all Alexandria thanks you for your presence and welcomes you to Alexandria castle. She awaits you in the throneroom.'

The Regent smiled at the stiff captain, his red suit given an oddly roguish look by the cape around his shoulders. 'Thank you Steiner. I would like to see her as soon as I may. I have much to speak to her about.' He turned to Zidane as the genome leaned against a flagpole, idly chewing on a fingernail, his gloves now tucked into his belt.

'My pardon sir but I have never seen your like before. Who or rather what are you?'

Zidane grinned, 'Long story Cid, Garnet will tell you the whole thing.' He paused and looked down as he felt something poke his stomach. 'Who are you?' He asked the girl staring up at him with huge eyes and a sea of purple hair.

She smiled at him craftily, 'You're cute. I think I'll keep you.'

He grinned uncomfortably as she threw her arms around his stomach and hugged him, the tiny horn on her forehead nearly spearing him through. He rose his gaze and looked at the mages who shifted uncomfortably, the small one shaking his head as he covered his eyes with one hand, the sight obviously familiar to him. Zidane tried to extricate himself and pushed her hands away only to have them lock around him again no matter how many times he threw them away. As Regent Cid turned to follow Steiner he sighed and decided to let her hang on to him if she wanted to. Dragging her with him he walked after them, the mages behind him, worried mutters reaching his ears as they discussed what would be done to separate Eiko from her "new toy".

He reached the throneroom and saw Dagger's eyes widen fractionally as she caught sight of the girl wrapped around Zidane's lower half, the frustration on his face making it plain that he wished she were somewhere else. He groaned as a small smile flitted across her face and knew that she would tease him with this later. She turned from him as he began another battle to free himself from the youngster's clutches and Dagger welcomed the Regent.

She greeted him as an old friend, remembering him not only as a Regent but also as a man who had bounced her on his knee on her third birthday. 'Cid, I am glad that you have come. We have much to discuss, come into the conference room.' The two rose and Zidane finally managed to extricate himself from the grip on his waist long enough to race to Dagger's side, eyeing Eiko nervously as she pouted and strode after him, the mages in tow.

The conference room was a large, long room, tapestries decorating the walls depicting previous monarchs, regal features lit by dozens of lamps and the sunlight that streamed in from a window behind Dagger's chair. She seated herself at the head of the table, Zidane at her elbow, the large, mahogany table before them stretched the length of the hall, designed for dozens of leaders to meet and talk, a whisper carrying to all ears. Cid sat at her right, his wife by his side, their chairs high-backed and plush so that when Eiko sat beyond them she sank into her chair, her eyes level with the tabletop.

Cid waited for the leader of the mages and his miniature to totter in and seat themselves before speaking, his tone making it obvious that he knew he would be in that room for a long while. 'I know that you have much to tell me Garnet but first let me say that Lindblum will lend you our strength. These black mages and the Lady Eiko have told me a little of a prophecy and of events that have transpired but I have a feeling that you will have a more complete telling.'

Dagger nodded, 'I do indeed Cid. It started… it started three thousand years ago truth be told.' She told them then of all that had happened, from her capture in Terra to Kuja's take over in Alexandria, to her awakening as the summoner. The personal details of what had awoken her remaining between she and Zidane as she began to tell them of her plans for the future.

Cid nodded his approval as she finished before speaking again, 'I agree that your plan is the only viable option however I think that those with me have something to say upon this subject.'

Dagger turned to the leader of the mages, somehow singling him out from among the row of identical mages. 'Do tell me then sir? What is it that you know of this situation?'

He appeared momentarily confused by her question, taking a moment to collect his thoughts before speaking, 'Oh, um, well I and my colleagues are known as the Black Mages. We are a race like the genomes, brought to this material plane from another. However, where the genomes where under the control of Kuja, we were in the service of the Good Spirits. As such we were instructed to hold onto two of the summoning stones so that if Kuja arrived before the genomes could deliver the stones then at least there would be some means of holding him at bay until the true summoning stones could be retrieved. '

Dagger leaned forward eagerly, 'Then you have two of the summoning stones in your possession?'

The leader coughed and stared sheepishly from under his hat. 'Um, well, technically yes.'

Zidane lifted an eyebrow as Dagger asked the question that had sprung into all their minds. 'What do you mean technically?'

'Um, well, technically the stones are with us, technically they are in this very room. We just, uh, can't give them to you.'

Zidane's eyes narrowed, his muscles tensing as he readied himself for treachery, 'And why not?' He demanded.

'Um, well, because Eiko absorbed them.'

All eyes shot to the girl as she burst into a fit of giggles. 'That's right. I spent so long talking to the two spirits that they started to like me and joined themselves to me. Now I'm the summoner so the rest of you can just go home.'

Zidane's eyes turned angry as Eiko stuck her tongue out at Dagger but her hand on his arm restrained him. 'Then tell me Eiko, if you are the summoner then call forth Alexander. His presence is here, all round us, his summoning stone is amplified by the great crystal spire that it is held within so calling him forth should require no effort for the true summoner.'

Eiko looked at her surprised then sat with a frown of concentration as she stared furiously at the tabletop. Then suddenly she leapt to her feet and thrust her arms skyward, calling out at the top of her lungs, 'Alexander, come forth!'

Silence reigned. Dagger sighed and nodded, 'It is as I thought. The two spirits have decided to protect you with their power due to their affection for you. But the other summoning stones will only respond to my call. I do not doubt that if I called to them they would break from you and come at my beck. Fortunately the need for this last resort is not great. Last night I fought Kuja here and beat him thanks to Alexander's power, the crystal spire and the faith of our citizens amplifying him so that his wings could sweep Kuja from this city. I wounded him, hopefully gravely enough so that he will need time to recover. By then the genomes will be here with the other summoning stones and we may make ready for battle.'

Eiko sat with a scowl on her face as the black mages all nodded in agreement with Dagger, the small one beside her holding a hand over his mouth to stifle the giggles that welled up inside him. The Leader stood and bowed, 'This news is excellent. With your permission summoner, our ancestors served your predecessor and if you will allow us we would like to serve you. We may not look like formidable warriors but there are almost five hundred of us in all and we each have fearsome magical powers.'

Dagger bowed her head and smiled, 'Your aid would be most welcome sir, but first I must know your name.'

'Oh, uh of course, I am Vovo, leader of the Black Mages, this is my son, Vivi, Eiko's companion.'

A.N. Hope you enjoyed it, as always comments and suggestions are welcome and any personal e-mail will be answered as soon as possible.

Goodbye and Good Fortune

Fallen Saga Creator