CHAPTER 21
OLD WOUNDS
Silas waited patiently outside the Zeltennia blacksmith's while Adela continued her strange training. She had recently apprenticed herself to the metalworking master and now spent five hours twice a day forging. Her appearance was radically changing into a harder, more ruthless looking fighter's than before. It was worrying Silas to no end that she was driving herself to such extremes just to prove herself worthy of Law's affection.
The ninja looked down at the people below him from his comfortable seat on the shop's roof and frowned at their obliviousness to their fate. They'd been conquered by madmen over and over again, and not one of them had done anything about it. Such apathy was what kept people like Delita in charge. . .
Silas shivered in the gentle rain, wishing quietly that Adela would hurry before returning to his previous train of thought. He was unnerved by women who survived their encounters with the King; their eyes were blank and their minds were vacant in such as way that it looked as though their souls had been ripped from their bodies. Every day Delita's lusts seemed to grow, and Silas feared more and more for Adela's safety. Soon enough Rafa wouldn't be enough for Delita, and he would begin looking for other conquests.
Silas snorted. One thing he knew he could count on was that Law wouldn't surrender Adela without a fight. Law was as possessive as Delita - maybe even more so - and he would never let Adela go unless there was something in it for him, and maybe not even then. Greedy men always sought to hoard every treasure that came into their possession...
Silas peeked through the window next to him and peered downwards, watching Adela straining to lift the giant hammer under the stern eye of the blacksmith. After she had smacked the molten metal a few times, she reached up with a delicate hand and wiped the sweat from her forehead, her tan skin gleaming with perspiration and her hair shining in the forge's light. A treasure, indeed.
Silas angrily turned away and silently dropped to the ground, looking for something to vent his frustrations on. A sudden tap on his shoulder took him by surprise, and he whirled around to face his assailant.
A girl wearing a pink dress and a dirt-smudged pretty face was standing before him. She held out a flower to him and tilted her head to one side shyly. "Buy a flower? Only one Gil each," she said.
For a second he didn't understand her, and then her words reached him. "Oh... Is your life so hard here?" he softly asked as he took the flower and pressed a coin into her palm.
"It can be, but . . . wait . . . oh, sir!" she exclaimed, holding out his coin. "This is much too heavy! It must be worth at least fifty gil! I can't take this!"
He saw the mark on the coin and almost slapped himself. He'd given her money from his own time! With the purer gold inside the coins of the future, it was probably worth a lot more in this day and age.When he saw that she tried to give it back, he shook his head and melted into the shadows.
The flower girl blinked, stunned by his sudden disappearance, and tried to peer into the darkness to see him. As he watched her from the roof of the opposite building, he became slightly flustered. It was not like him to slip like that. That girl should never have seen him. He wondered if Adela was the only one who needed training... "Strong body, strong mind, strong soul," Adela had often repeated as a mantra during her meditations. Silas sighed and started to move away when he heard a muffled cry.
The flower girl was surrounded by at least seven big, ugly men. Two of them pushed her back and forth as another dug through her purse. One of the men eventually grew tired of roughing her up and pulled her closer, running his hands up her sides possessively. "Hey, pretty nice, toots," he said huskily. The girl whimpered.
Silas was there in the blink of an eye and dragged the man into the shadows where the goon's death cry became nothing but a gurgle. "What the F---?!" one of the late hoodlum's associates yelled. "Let's get 'im!"
Silas flew from the shadows, his flails blurs in the rain as he attacked furiously. When he stopped, there was no one left alive, save the girl and himself. She stared at him with a horrified expression as he reattached his weapons to his belt.
"You had better get out of here," Silas said as he turned around. "It's very dangerous around-"
Silas froze. One of the men, a chemist who wasn't quite dead, had grabbed the girl and put a gun to her head. "OK, ninja man, now why don't you just back off nice and easy..." he growled. Judging by the wounds on him, this was a desparate attempt to escape. "...I don't see you movin'... That does it! Say goodbye to the chick!" the Chemist rasped as he loaded the gun.
Silas didn't hear anything the man said because he had been focusing his every instinct on his next move. He wasn't sure he was fast enough to reach the man before he could pull the trigger...
Suddenly, the man gave a yelp and rose up into the air as a huge black blade thrust out through his chest. Silas gritted his teeth as Law held his sword above his head with one hand and stared at the twitching Chemist impaled on it. The Dark Holy Swordsman grinned darkly and twisted the blade so that it silently sliced through the man, and the chemist fell to the ground in little pieces. The bodies of the slain gangsters became crystals and emitted eerie-looking lights in the dark alley. Law turned away and glanced back over his shoulder at Silas.
"Is she done yet?" he asked.
Silas blinked and looked around. The girl was gone; a single rose laying in a puddle on the ground was the only sign that she had ever been there. Silas knelt down silently, picked it up and cradled the fragile thing in his hands.
"I asked if she was done, Silas," Law growled. Silas saw a subtle shift in the crook's stance, and realized that the Dark Rival sword was slowly moving towards him. He could see Law's muscles straining to hold it in one place, though not very willingly. Silas's gaze met the heretic's. Law wasn't planning on sheathing it. His eyes narrowed as he scowled at his ninja subordinate. Dark Rival wrenched forward, and Law made no effort to hide it. Silas had to fight his urge to take an involuntary step back. Dark Rival wanted his blood, and at a breath it could lurch forward and claim it...
"I'm here!" Adela said, as she rushed out of the store and knelt before Law. "I'm sorry that I'm late."
The sword was gone as if it had never been unsheathed. Law pulled Adela up, drew her close and kissed her in one fluid motion. She made no effort to escape, closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment. Law's eyes were open and locked on Silas, daring him to make a move. Silas, showing no emotion, bowed slightly and backed away into the shadows. Law kept the kiss going for a good ten seconds before he finally pulled back.
"W-what brought that on, sir?..." Adela asked nervously as she blushed bright red.
Law grinned at her. "I missed you, of course," he replied. Her eyes sparkled with adoration and he laughed. "C'mon. Delita's serving dinner in half an hour." He took her hand and lead her back to the palace.
A crushed rose fell from the darkness overhead, accompanied on its fall by gentle raindrops. It wasn't long before the petals were washed away in the street gutter's currents.
By the time morning broke, Ramza and his large menagerie of friends had already been walking for three hours.
"How long d'ya think it'll take us to reach Zeltennia?" Seifer asked.
"A few days," Agrias said. "But if we keep this pace, it won't be too long."
"Walkin' for three days?!" Seifer groaned. "Ugh... I don't know if my feet can take that..."
"Oh, stop whining," Celes muttered. "Be a big boy and walk like the rest of us. Gau's younger than you and he's walking. Aren't you, Gau?"
"Aoooo," Gau responded as he walked on all fours.
"He's got an extra set of feet..." Seifer grumbled.
"Ovelia's getting along fine," Amarant said. "And she's never done this kind of walking before."
"Look again," Seifer grumbled as he pointed.
Amarant turned and sweatdropped. Ovelia was plodding along with sweat pouring down her brow and wheezing every few steps. "Ohhh..." she groaned. "I'm tired..."
"Something wrong, Ovelia?" Agrias asked.
"Agrias, you know I don't walk that often..." Ovelia sighed. "I don't want to be a burden, but I don't think I'm gonna be able to keep up..."
"Well, I suppose all the royal treatments have their setbacks, eh?" Mustadio asked. Agrias elbowed him in the shoulder.
"It's OK, Ovelia," Ramza said as he walked over to the worn-out girl. "Here."
Ovelia was quite surprised when Ramza threw her arms over his shoulders and launched her up onto his back. "What?!" Ovelia asked. "Oh, Ramza, I couldn't. What if we get into a fight?"
"Then I'll put you down," Ramza replied. "Don't worry about it. You can relax once we reach Lionel Castle."
"Well, OK..." Ovelia said. She was worried that she was forcing her friends to put themselves out for her, but still... it wasn't often that Ramza Beoulve gave someone a piggyback ride.
"Sheesh..." Balmafula chuckled. "You're a real sucker for hard luck cases, aren't you, Ramza?"
"Hey, you'd want someone to carry you if you were at the end of your rope, wouldn't you?" Malak responded. "Ramza's just bein' nice."
"Did you say somethin' about a place called Lionel Castle?" Seifer asked.
"Yes," Ramza said. "Lionel Castle was once owned by Cardinal Draclau, but he sided with Ajora and perished in battle. The castle's run by the merchant guild of Warjilis now..."
"In other words, we're walking into a den of thieves," Orlandu said. "Those merchants are no better than bandits sometimes..."
"Yes, but they're also as against Delita as we are," Agrias said. "They'll give us some information, at least."
"And if they don't..." Celia chuckled as she cracked her knuckles.
"That's where WE come in," Lede finished as she threw a few kicks.
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," Ramza muttered as they kept walking.
"If Delita attempted to invade Zeratul," Everhart said, "he has undoubtedly conquered everything in his own realm. Prepare yourself for a battle, Ramza."
Ramza sighed. Fighting against friend after friend had really taken its toll. He was constantly worrying if he could keep all of his friends safe from Delita and his cronies. "How much longer will I have to fight?..." he asked.
"Hmm?" Ovelia asked from her position on the Beoulve's back. "What's wrong, Ramza?" she asked.
"Nothing..." Ramza lied.
"Well, OK..." Ovelia responded.
After a few more hours of walking, Ramza's party arrived at a large, stone castle. "This is Lionel Castle," Agrias said to the other-worlders. "Boy, it's been a while. I don't know what goes on here anymore, so..."
"It looks like there was a fight, if you ask me," Amarant grumbled.
"What?!" Ramza asked as he looked around. The castle's structure wasn't damaged, but traces of blood were detectable on some of the stones. Also, the flag of the Warjilis Merchant's Guild had been ripped from the nearby flagpole and replaced with the Nanten's black lion flag.
"Sheesh," Rad grumbled. "Why doesn't he just write 'Delita Wuz Here' on the wall? It would save us a lot of trouble."
"It looks like he beat us to the punch!" Alicia groaned.
"Oh, the humanity!" Lavian wailed.
"It does look bad..." Orlandu growled, "but we should go inside and check things out."
"Right," Ramza said as he gently let Ovelia off. "Rad, Amarant, Ayla, Seifer, come with me."
"The rest of us will scout around," Mustadio said as he readied his gun. "You guys go find whoever's in charge in there. If he's a merchant, get some info. If he's a Nanten, wail on him!"
"Well, you're pretty gung-ho for someone not fighting," Agrias mused. Mustadio chuckled embarassedly and blushed.
"Let's go!" Ramza said as his party ran through the open gates and into the main hall.
The interior of Lionel Castle wasn't as messed up as the exterior. There were no bodies or bodily juices anywhere, but a lot of the fine woodwork and paintings that hung on the ornate walls had been slashed up, and Ivalice soldiers were running through the halls after the panicky merchants. The merchants were carrying huge armfulls of gold and it fell everywhere as they tried to escape. If it hadn't been a real threat, it would have been comical.
"Geez, even I feel sorry for these fatcats," Rad said.
"They not cats," Ayla said. "They greedy men."
"This has to stop!" Ramza declared.
"I'm on it, Ramza," Seifer said as he readied his gunblade and charged into the fray.
"Time to get my workout," Amarant mused as he cracked his knuckles, slipped on his Rune Claw and charged after Seifer.
"Ramza, we've gotta find the Nanten leader and stop him!" Rad exclaimed.
"Ayla help!" Ayla voiced. "Stop bad man!"
"All right," Ramza agreed. "Let's go!"
Ramza, Rad and Ayla joined Amarant and Seifer on their clobbering tour of the castle. They dashed into each capitalism-gone-mad room and stopped the Nanten while rescuing the merchants.
"Whew... Thanks!" one merchant said when Rad knocked out the Monk that had been assaulting him. "I'm Zaloro, head of the Banjo Maker's guild. Stop by my shop in Igros. I'll give you a discount! Hell, I'll give you a free banjo!"
"Free banjo, eh?" Rad asked. "Well, I know someone who'd love one of those..."
Amarant and Seifer barged into a very ornate room, where a very dangerous-looking Samurai was attacking another merchant.
"Hey, you!" Seifer laughed. "Have some of THIS!" He ran up and slashed the Samurai, who flew across the room and crashed into a bronze sculpture, which shattered on the spot.
"How's this?!" Amarant grunted. "DEMI SHOCK!!!" He pointed at the Samurai, who became encased in a black sphere and was hurled into the ceiling. When he impacted, the crystal chandelier which dangled above came crashing down, sending glass flying every which way. The Samurai, defeated, groaned and slumped to the floor.
"Ha!" Seifer laughed. "Hey, we make a damn good team, Amarant!"
"Team..." Amarant said. "I suppose we do."
"LOOK at this place!!!" the merchant yelled. "You couldn't have fought the guy OUTSIDE?!"
Ramza swung his Chaos Blade and shattered the Octagon Rod of an attacking Oracle before kicking the man into a wall. Just as Ramza stepped back to take a breath, he heard Ayla give a loud war cry. He whipped around just as she collided with a Ninja just inches away from him. She knocked the warrior to the ground and scratched a little tic-tac-toe game into his forehead with her fingernails. The circles won.
"Ayla, did you?..." Ramza asked.
"He going stab Ramza!" Ayla declared. "Ayla stop before he get to Ramza!"
"Thanks, Ayla," Ramza said. "Now let's find the leader!"
"You guys finished too?" Seifer asked as Amarant and he stepped out of a room where they had just taken out a pesky Black Mage.
"Yep," Ramza said. "Where's Rad?"
"Right here, boss!" Rad laughed as he came crashing out of another door while pummelling a Lancer. The worn-out dragoon flopped to the ground at his feet.
"Rad getting stronger!" Ayla commented.
"Let's hurry!" Ramza said. "I bet the leader's on the top floor!"
"Why would you think that?" Seifer asked.
"The leader's ALWAYS on the top floor," Amarant grumbled. "Don't you play any video games?"
Ramza's party ran up the steps, pausing only to clobber more Nanten Knights and save merchants. Finally, they reached the top floor.
The top floor was the large, stepped chapel that Ramza, Mustadio, Rad and Agrias had battled the Lucavi Queklain in only a year before. Needless to say, it hadn't changed much. The candelabras still burned brightly and the wooden altar was still laden with religious artifacts that glorified the now repulsed St. Ajora. Only one thing had changed: the person standing behind the altar.
"Hey, Ramza," Amarant growled as he looked at the person. "Is this one of yours?"
Ramza looked hard. The figure's face was obscured by the green robe that it wore, but judging by the body structure, it was obviously a girl. The green robe and the Save The Queen sword that dangled at her side were also big hints as to who the girl was.
"Meliadoul!" Ramza exclaimed.
Meliadoul looked up. Ramza expected to see her face twisted into a menacing glare as the Cativo had done with the rest of his friends, but Meliadoul's face showed only blank eyes and a half-open mouth.
"Hey, is she possessed or braindead?" Seifer asked.
"That's not funny!" Rad snapped.
"Meliadoul..." Ramza growled. "Is there a monster inside of you?..."
Meliadoul muttered something that no one could make out. "Meliadoul?" Ramza asked again as he walked closer.
"..." Meliadoul repeated.
Ramza walked right up to his old comrade and bent down so that he could hear what she was saying. He could feel her breath on his cheek. "Say it again, Meliadoul..." Ramza said.
"Ramza..." Meliadoul whispered in a hollow, straining voice. "R-run..."
"Run?!" Ramza asked.
Suddenly, Meliadoul whipped out a glittering silver stone and held it up.
"Another Chrono Stone!!!" Ayla yelled. "Ramza, get away!"
"I understand..." Ramza said. "I'll get you out of there, Meliadoul."
"AAAAHHHHH!!!!!" Meliadoul screamed as a bright flash blew through the room. Ramza, temporarily blinded by the flash, stepped backwards until he was back with his friends. When the light faded, Meliadoul had been replaced with another Cativo. This one was a tall, slender nude girl made entirely of shining silver. Her hollow eyes sneered down at Ramza and his friends.
"You've killed enough of us, Beoulve!" the Cativo yelled. "For Ajora and my fallen comrades, I, Luster, the Cativo of Metals, will slaughter you!!!"
"Meliadoul's become Metal-iadoul!" Rad exclaimed.
"That was bad," Amarant grunted.
"Let's go!" Ayla declared. "Help Meliadoul!"
"It's metal against metal, baby!" Seifer laughed as he ran up to Luster and swung his gunblade. Much to his surprise and dismay, the blade bounced off the ballistic beauty's skin like water off a duck's back.
"Fool," Luster snarled as she cocked her hand back. Her entire arm shape-shifted to form a horribly sharp stick. She thrust it forward in an effort to run Seifer through.
She would have done just that if Ayla hadn't leaped in and shoved Seifer to the side. Both of them rolled to the side and collided with the wall.
"You helped me?" Seifer asked.
"Of course!" Ayla laughed. "Ayla help all friends!"
"Hmmm..." Seifer hummed as he smiled. "Agh... Damn, I'm hurt. Sorry, Ramza, I'm outta this fight..."
"Now for MY turn!" Ayla shouted as she got on all fours and ran at Luster.
"A cave girl..." Luster muttered. "They're attacking me with teenagers and cave girls... I have to get out more often..."
"CAT ATTACK!!!" Ayla screeched as she leaped up and landed on Luster's back. She swiped her fingernails across Luster's back and bit at her neck, but all she got out of it was broken nails and a sore mouth.
"I am made of metal, you prehistoric dolt," Luster mused as she grabbed Ayla off of her back and hurled her across the room. She crashed into the rear wall so hard that she left an impression.
"Houuuagghhh!!!" Ayla yelled as she collapsed to the ground. "Forgive, Ramza! Ayla hurt bad!"
"Step aside," Amarant said. "Time for me to take a shot."
Just try me, greeny," Luster taunted.
"SPARE CHANGE!!!" Amarant shouted as he started hurling coins at Luster. She reacted to this, but not in the way that anyone had hoped. The coins stuck to her body and were sucked inside.
"What the?!" Ramza exclaimed.
"You didn't think I was made of SOLID metal, did you?" Luster taunted. "If I was, I'd be stiff as a statue. Well, time for you to learn your lesson the HARD way..."
Luster held her hand out with the palm facing Amarant. Several small round things started crawling up through her and moved up to her arm. Then they shot out from her hand. They were the coins that Amarant had thrown! They flew back at the party with twice as much force as Amarant had thrown them with.
"Ahhh!" Rad yelled as he produced a shield and hid behind it. The coins knocked Amarant down.
"Damn!..." Amarant swore. "I can't get up..."
"Doggone it! She's taken down three of us!" Ramza cursed.
"Let me fight, boss!" Rad said. He ran forward and put up his fists.
"Rad, what're you gonna do?!" Ramza asked.
"Just you watch, Ramza!" Rad said. He put his hands together and began to charge a spell.
"Rad, that takes too long!" Ramza cried.
"Too late," Luster laughed. "He's already begun to cast it..."
"..." Rad said as he concentrated on the spell.
"Now I can move in and kill him slowly..." Luster said. Her body seemed to lose all solid form as she melted into a silvery puddle and slithered down the stairs. She slowly began to encase herself around Rad as he chanted. Sweat was pouring down the Squire's brow, but still he persisted.
"Enjoy your last breaths, youth," Luster cackled as the shiny, almost-gooey material formed a sphere around Rad and began to crush inwards.
"Rad!!!" Ramza cried.
Just then, Luster screamed loudly and electricity blew through the room. She lost all solid form and splattered all over the place. Rad emerged from the encagement, grinning proudly.
"Metal conducts electricity!" he said. Just then, he stumbled a bit. "Ooohhh... I need a nap..." he groaned before toppling over in a dead faint.
Luster reformed herself back on the top step and leered at Ramza. "You're the only one left, Ramza," she cooed. "Now, how to dispose of you..."
"You don't control Meliadoul!" Ramza shouted all of a sudden.
"Huh?" Luster asked as she paused to consider this for a moment. "...Bah! Feeble taunts won't save you now!"
"I know Meliadoul," Ramza continued. "She doesn't let anyone run her life. She's fighting you, Luster. I've been sensing that from the start."
"Says you!" Luster snorted. "I'm makin' the little whelp do whatever I please."
"Really?" Ramza asked as he reached into his travel pack and pulled out the case that Flo Garnomm had given him. "Then I wonder what'll happen if I show this?"
Ramza yanked the lute out of the case and held it up. "Meliadoul, look! Cinna's parents asked me to give this to you! They said that they entrusted you with it..."
Luster felt sick, and for a good reason. The spirit that the Cativo had latched on to WAS fighting back, and much stronger than ever before. "Put that thing away!!!" Luster shrieked as she tried to force the rising feeling of panic back down.
"They said that you were the best thing to ever happen to their son, so they wanted you to have his most prized possession," Ramza continued. "Wasn't that nice of them?"
"GGRRRRAAAAAHHHH!!!" Luster screamed as she flew at Ramza in a fit of rage. In one swift motion, she grabbed Ramza by the throat and hoisted him into the air, lute and all. He hand shifted into the sharp rod once again.
"You know..." Ramza managed to hack out as his air supply began to fade, "Cinna loved you..."
Luster raised the sharp pick for the finishing blow...
...But that blow never came. As Ramza watched, Luster thrust the rod through her own skull! "AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" Luster shrieked. "NOOO!!! THIS CAN'T BE!!! MASTER, AVENGE ME!!!"
Luster exploded and Ramza fell back to the ground, still clutching Cinna's lute in his hands. When the explosion's light faded, Ramza saw Meliadoul sitting in front of him with the silver stone at her side.
"Ramza..." Meliadoul coughed. "...I'm... I'm free..."
"Good to have you back, Mel," Ramza said.
"...Cinna's parents really said that I could have that?" Meliadoul asked as she eyed the lute.
"Yes," Ramza said as he gave Meliadoul her prize. "It was his favorite..."
"...Cinna..." Meliadoul sighed as she ran her fingers over the fine wood. She was used to being stone-faced and hardened against emotion, but after losing her father, brother and Cinna to the fame dark forces, she was pushed over the edge. She could no longer contain her feelings.
Meliadoul started to cry. She sniffled slowly at first, but soon the tears began to flow like a drizzle. "Cinna... Cinna..." she sniffled as she hugged the lute and water dribbled down her robe.
"I'm sorry, Mel..." Ramza said.
Ramza was very surprised when Meliadoul grabbed him and started bawling into his chest. All ramza could do was return the hug and reassure her until she was done sobbing.
"That's it, Meliadoul," Ramza said. "Let it all out..."
"I did love him..." Mel sobbed. "I did, I did, I did... He was such a jerk, but I loved him anyway..."
"I know, Meliadoul, I know..." Ramza sighed as he kept the hug going. "At least you're finally letting it all out..."
"Ugh..." Seifer groaned as he picked himself up and looked around. "What the hell happened? Hey, why does Ramza get to hug all the chicks?!"
"Shush!" Rad scolded. "It's a very tense moment..."
Ramza held Meliadoul for a while longer as she sobbed her heart out.
"Hey, they're back!" Mustadio called as he spotted Ramza and company exiting the castle. "And they've got Meliadoul with them!"
"Ah, wonderful," Orlandu said. "Another comrade rejoins the ranks."
"Who's that, Cloud?" Tifa asked.
"That's Meliadoul," Cloud responded. "One of the toughest Temple Knights in Ivalice. She's virtually unbeatable."
"Well, she looks pretty beaten now..." Beowulf said. "She looks like she's been... crying..."
"Hey, guys," Ramza said as Ayla, Seifer, Rad, Amarant, Meliadoul and he emerged from the courtyard. "How goes it?"
"We saved a merchant from a few Knights," Agrias said. "It turned out that he was the guildmaster! Can you believe that?!"
"Before he ran off, he told us about Delita's new friends," Reis said. "It's information that I'm sure that you'll want to hear..."
"Meliadoul, welcome back!" Malak said as he ran to greet his friend.
"Hi, Malak..." Meliadoul said. "It's really good to see all of you."
"Gee, Mel, why do you look so glum?" Malak asked.
"Ummm..." Meliadoul said.
Malak noticed that she was clutching Cinna's lute in her hands and understood. "Ah... I see," he said.
"We're all glad to have you back, Meliadoul," Ovelia said.
Meliadoul smiled. Just then, the sorrow left her eyes and they hardened again. "All right!" she said. "It's time to take this battle to Delita!"
"We've still got a ways to go, but we'll be there soon," Orlandu said. "Come along."
As the party walked, Ramza asked Agrias what the head merchant had told them.
"OK," Agrias said. "FIrst of all, Law and his toadies are from the future. They came here with an overzealous cardinal named Gideon. They have several Zodiac Stones from the future, including the Sheep, Rooster and Rabbit stones. Delita's infused himself with the Rabbit Stone's power, much like Rafa did when she fought Draco. Gideon's been promoted to a High Chancellor, but aside from that he doesn't seem to be too much of a threat."
"That jerk's the reason all of this happened!" Mustadio groused. "I'd love to pop him in the pooter once or twice!"
Everhart had approached Ramza during the discussion. "Ramza, may I see the new stone?" he asked.
"Oh, sure, Everhart," Ramza said as he gave the silvery sphere to the black-armored Lancer.
"The Chrono Stone of Metal," Everhart said. "My quest is almost complete..." He flashed a bright gray and handed the stone back.
"You're almost finished, Everhart?" Alma asked.
"Yes," Everhart replied. "My powers are almost completely restored."
"Ummm..." Alma started to say.
"What is it?" Everhart asked.
"Everhart..." Alma started. "When this is all over..."
"Yes?" Everhart asked. "Go on."
"If you, umm, wanna..." Alma started to say. "...Spend a little more time..."
"Guys, look!" Rad exclaimed as he pointed.
Ramza looked up. "Oh, no..."
Ahead of the party and directly between them and Zeltennia sat Bethla Garrison, the biggest fort in Ivalice. It looked incredibly different from the last time Ramza had set his eyes on it. Now huge searchlights flashed through the air and at least two airships bearing the Nanten crest floated over it.
"Looks like Delita knew we were coming, huh?" Beowulf asked.
"Scans indicate over 500 soldiers occupying the Garrison," Worker No.8 beeped. "They have been designated extremely hostile. Approach with extreme caution."
"What could be there that those soldiers are guarding?" Celes asked.
"It's either treasure or someone of importance," Orlandu said. "And Bethla is full of important people..."
"You don't think he's protecting Queen Ruveila, do you?" Mustadio asked. "I heard that she's being held there indefinitely."
"The woman who tried to throw me off of the throne..." Ovelia sighed. "...No, Delita wouldn't guard her. He needed her out of the way as much as me."
"Then WHO could he have thrown in there that needs so much protection?..." Malak asked.
Just then, all of Ramza's original friends guessed the same person at once. "CAPTAIN FLITE!!!" they shouted.
"What? Who?" Tifa asked.
"Never heard of him," Celes said.
"Auuoooo..." Gau said as he shook his head.
"Captain Flite is the guy that assumed command after we trounced Delita once," Mustadio explained. "Delita must have tossed him in here after he got his new powers..."
"At least he's not dead," Balmafula said. "Let's go bust him out!"
"Yeah!" everyone agreed.
"Oh, dear, oh, dear..." Gideon panicked as he paced frantically around his office. "Those mere children will be here soon... I want to help King Delita, but I have no combat skills... What can I do?!"
"Perhaps I can help you..." a dark voice resounded throughout the room.
"What?!" Gideon asked. "Who are you?!"
The box of Zodiac Stones on Gideon's desk popped open. Delita had given Gideon all the Zodiac Stones that Ivalice had for safekeeping, which included all the regular Zodiac Stones (minus the Taurus Stone, which Ramza had) and the future's Chinese Zodiac Stones. As Gideon watched, the Pisces stone eerily floated up from the box and hovered in front of him.
"Holder of the Holy Stones..." the dark voice resounded. "Summon me... I will help you protect your King... I will make you powerful... All you must do... is ask..."
Gideon didn't think about it for any more than a second. "I'll do anything to keep that Ramza kid from ruining my leader!" he said. "Help me defeat him!"
"Heh heh heh..." the stone chuckled darkly as it floated forward and touched Gideon's forehead. "I am Pirahnos... a Lucavi. Your wish is granted..."
The eastern tower of Zeltennia Castle glowed with a sickening aquamarine light. Dark laughter roared out and could be heard from everywhere in the castle.
"Unhhh?" Rafa asked as she sat up, allowing the satin sheets to fall and re-expose her body to the room.
"What's wrong?..." Delita asked as he sat up.
"Did you not hear that, master?..." Rafa asked. "Another Lucavi has been resurrected..."
"Good," Delita chuckled. "Gideon was worthless anyway. Maybe this guy will have a fighting edge..."
"I love you, Delita..." Rafa sighed as she pressed herself against the crooked King.
"That's just what I wanted to hear," Delita sighed as the two sank back into the soft sheets.
"...Disgusting," Silas grumbled as he listened through the door. "I must take care that no other women wander into that cad's clutches..."
"Silas, what are you doing here?"
Silas, yet again caught off guard, stood straight up and turned to the voice. It was Adela. Though her face was half-covered in darkness, he could see that she wore an expression of confusion.
"Adela," Silas addressed his accomplice after the initial surprise wore off.
"Why were you outside of the King's bedchambers?" Adela asked.
"Errrgh..." Silas growled. "He's infatuating himself with Beoulve's lover again."
Adela shook her head. "That's what he does."
"I am afraid that once he is bored with her, he will seek out new challenges... and new prey," Silas said as he glanced back at the door.
"You make it sound like he's an animal," Adela said.
"This King is nothing like what the history books say," Silas fumed. "I'm beginning to wonder if there's truth in the Durai Report..."
"Why would Law lie to us?" Adela asked.
"(Why, indeed...)" Silas thought to himself. He then turned his attentions back to Adela. "If he does get bored with Rafa, any woman in this castle would be fair game," he muttered.
"True..." Adela said.
"Adela," Silas said. "Watch out for him."
"Of course I will," Adela said. "But... why are you telling me this?"
"..." Silas said.
"...Are you concerned... for my safety?" Adela asked.
"I am concerned for everyone's safety," Silas replied. "Just... Don't do anything... unwise... all right?"
"...OK..." Adela responded.
"Weren't you going to train with Law out at the church ruins?" Silas asked suddenly.
"Oh, yes," Adela said. "I must have lost track of time! I'd better go. What are you-"
Adela looked around. Silas was gone. A nearby open window blew a cool breeze through the hall.
"...Silas..." Adela said quietly.
