Chapter 15

By the time Ifrit and Shiva reached the doors to the throne room, the guards just waved them through. Once inside they could see the Queen resplendent on her throne. Odin was again standing by her side. On her other side stood Melchior. Ramuh was sitting in a chair against a wall, his staff lying across his lap. Between them knelt Cyrus, his wrists still bound in chains.

"Ifrit, Shiva, we thank you for protecting Magus Melchior. Our deepest thanks," said the Queen nodding to them.

Ifrit knelt next to Cyrus and put his fist into the floor. "Your Majesty no thanks are needed."

Shiva knelt with Ifrit between her and Cyrus. "May I ask Odin a question?"

Queen Lethe nodded and Shiva looked to Odin fearfully. "What happened to Jidoor?"

Odin closed his eye and folded his arms. "It seems they occupied Jidoor and began to help in rebuilding it, then withdrew when our forces approached."

Shiva shot a brief glance at Cyrus then looked back to Odin. "Are you sure?"

"We have witnesses," said Odin evenly. "Show him in."

The doors opened and Ballant ambled in. Shiva and Ramuh both gasped in surprised. Ifrit looked appalled and afraid at the same time.

Ballant sighed. "Ouch. I guess I have myself to blame for this reception."

"What is he doing here?" demanded Ramuh angrily as he got to his feet.

Odin shrugged. "He insisted on coming."

"I'm here to make my official report to the Queen," said Ballant nonchalantly. "What's wrong with that?"

"Don't act like we're friends," said Ramuh icily.

"I also came to apologize to you three. I shouldn't have blamed you for what happened. You are welcome to return to Jidoor," said Ballant sincerely.

Ifrit and Shiva seemed relieved but Ramuh looked angry. "What's your angle Ballant? Or did Lord Odin put you up to this?"

Ballant waved a hand. "No, this was my idea old friend. It's just that Espers made the villagers nervous."

"We were villagers too," said Shiva.

"You didn't tell me, so of course I was surprised," said Ballant reasonably.

"Now you know why we didn't tell you," Ramuh said bitterly. "And Ifrit didn't even know he was an Esper until the attack."

"I was just trying to help," said Ifrit.

"I understand that now," said Ballant. "You can come back anytime. I'll have your house rebuilt."

"We're not going back ever again!" said Ramuh, angrily storming out.

"Elder.." said Lethe.

"I'm Sorry you had to see that Your Majesty," said Ballant.

"Better let him calm down," said Shiva to Ballant. "I'll talk to him later."

"I'd appreciate that," said Ballant dryly.

"I'm not going back," said Ifrit.

Ballant nodded. "I can respect that."

"No!" he retorted. "It's not about Jidoor anymore. I don't know what the Raj or Diablos are planning, but I have to stop them!"

"You met the Raj?" asked Odin with mild surprise.

"They showed up the same time we did," said Shiva.

"They wanted to find Diablos," said Melchior.

Lethe nodded. "It's a pity that the enemy of our enemy is not our friend." She shot a furtive glance at Odin. "Especially given Eboshi's treatment of Espers."

Odin nodded. "I'd rather run myself through than work with either of them."

For the first time Cyrus looked up. "You're better off with the devil you know, Your Majesty. Espers are treated like nobility in Golgatha," he said.

Odin looked at Cyrus. "So you can talk."

"You sound just like Gaspar," said Melchior quietly smiling.

"My first assignment was to guard the Temple of Doom," replied Cyrus. "I got to hear his sermons. They made a lot of sense."

"That's odd coming from you Captain," said Lethe. "And King Hasdrubal has a strange way of showing friendship."

Cyrus sighed angrily. "The only problem with Golgatha is Diablos!"

"What are you saying?" asked the Queen.

Cyrus rattled the chains violently. "Let me kill him! If I bring you his head, then that would end this war!"

"You would betray Golgatha?" asked Odin incredulously.

Cyrus shook his head. "No, it's that bastard who betrayed us! He saw my men as nothing more than pawns in his little war game. He was willing to sacrifice all my troops just to curry favor with the King!"

"So you trash Jidoor, we just let you go, and you go kill your commander," said Odin smirking. "Is that about it?"

Cyrus bowed his head. "No. I'm guessing you spared my life so I can rot in your dungeon instead."

"Close enough," said Odin. "Your Majesty, I'll take him up on his last suggestion."

The Queen nodded and Odin led Cyrus away. After they were gone she turned to Melchior. "Magus, should we trust the Golgathean?"

"He's a soldier Your Majesty," said Melchior. "He only cares about his men. He can be trusted as long as their best interests are the same as ours. The more important question is, can King Hasdrubal be trusted?"

"He'll have to earn our trust," replied the Queen. "Magus, what should our priority be in this conflict?"

Melchior considered this. "I feel a war is inevitable now. The question is will we have to fight both Eboshi and Golgatha, or can we pit them against each other?"

By now Odin had returned and the Queen gestured to him. He raised his hand and muttered softly. A glowing image appeared in space hovering and shimmering in the dark.

"This is the most accurate map we have of the Great Continent," said Odin.

Melchior gestured to the eastern half of the hexagonal continent. "Although they are not yet involved in the war, Eboshi poses the greater threat. Their hatred of Espers will insure that sooner or later they will attack Golgatha and Asgard. I suspect if we do nothing, they will attack Golgatha first, since they revere Espers more than we do."

"So ideally, if we defuse the conflict with Golgatha, than a war between them and the Confederation will work in our favor," said Odin.

"Any conflict between two powers benefits the third," Shiva commented. "But why do we have to fight?"

"Goddess is angry," said Melchior. "She has grown weary of the sins committed by Doom and Poltergeist. She is demanding satisfaction."

"So the goddesses actually want a war?" asked Ifrit.

Melchior nodded. "They chose us because they saw our potential. But we have failed them too many times. They are demanding a sacrifice."

Ifrit tried to stop his shivers. "What sort of sacrifice?"

Melchior shook her head sadly. "I do not know. Goddess has not permitted me to see."

"So if we have to fight, how can we win?" asked Shiva.

"The outcome depends mainly on Espers," said Melchior. "That is why the Eboshi Confederation hates them so much, because nothing else can stand up to their Mage Knights. We need to recruit more to our cause."

Shiva and Ifrit exchanged glanced. Finally Shiva spoke. "Where would we find others?"

Melchior closed her eyes and breathed deeply. "The Magic Academy," she said eventually.

"What?" said Ifrit. "I thought they just killed Espers and brought their remains to Ebot's Rock."

"Some of the Espers there are still alive," said Melchior opening her eyes.

"It's suicide," said Odin. "The main entrance is heavily guarded. Besides, any airship or boat that approaches is shot down by the Holy Light."

"If there are Espers alive, we have to help them!" said Ifrit, curling his hands into fists.

"It would provoke a war with Eboshi," replied Odin. "We should let them make the first move."

Queen Lethe turned to Odin. "We cannot believe you can be so heartless Odin. You would let your brothers and sisters suffer?"

Odin played with the pommel of his blade Zantetsuken. "Your Majesty, you wound me. Of course I feel for them. But this could be a trap."

The Queen sat there silently.

"Of course it is!" said Ifrit angrily. "But I want to teach those Academy punks a lesson!"

"How can we get there though?" asked Shiva. "We can't fly or sail there without being seen."

"We can go under," said Ifrit, grinning broadly.

"Under?" asked Odin. "How?"

"I have a friend in the mining camp," he replied, pointing to the northern mountain range near the mouth of a river. "Cid is working on an underwater boat."

"Does it actually work?" asked Odin dubiously.

"I don't know," said Ifrit. "But it's better than waiting around."

"Go quickly," said Lethe. "We do not have much time."