Chapter 23
Carbuncle hopped down the main street of Verdigris and stopped to scratch a long ear. She then glanced back and forth. Not that there was much to see. Verdigris was still mainly a mining town, with few amenities. A hundred years before, some travelers from Tzen had stumbled on to an exposed vein of iron on the mountainside in this tranquil valley. Now it was the major source of raw materials for Golgatha. It was beginning to expand beyond the mining shacks to the south and the military garrison to the north.
Can I help you little one?" asked a young man dressed in overalls.
(No!)
Carbuncle continued until it saw Siren sitting in a field next to a half-built house. Three children were listening to her play a cheerful tune on her harp. They were humming along softly. Carbuncle sat next to Siren and was immediately picked up by the little boy.
"Bunny!" he said cheerfully.
(Hey! Put Carbuncle down!)
"Cute bunny!" said a little girl patting her head.
Siren stopped in mid-note. "Children, please put Carbuncle down. It's not nice."
"Sorry Miss Siren," said the boy, releasing Carbuncle, who hopped onto Siren's shoulder.
"I want to be just like you!" said the little girl sighing.
Siren looked appalled. "Don't ever say that."
"But you're so pretty and you can play and sing!" protested the girl.
"It has brought me nothing but sadness," countered Siren morosely.
"But it also brought you Lord Diablos!" said a second girl.
Siren blushed furiously and noticed Carbuncle's fur was bristling. "Don't make up stories children."
"Why? Hasn't he kissed you yet?" asked the first girl.
"Ew! Why would he want to kiss you?" asked the boy.
"Boys are so dumb sometimes!" retorted the second girl.
Siren stammered incoherently. Carbuncle jumped onto the ground.
(Carbuncle has Lord Diablos! Not floozy!)
The kids just stared at her blankly.
A swarm of bats swooped in low and resolved into Diablos. The girls ran off screaming in terror. The boy just stood there in awe.
"Cool!" he breathed looking up at him.
"There you two are," said Diablos angrily. "We've got work to do."
Siren nodded, still red-faced. Diablos frowned and stared at her.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Ah.yes my Lord," said Siren weakly.
"Then let's go," he said striding off. They followed him into a low building with a long overhanging porch. When they got inside they saw a young woman sitting in the anteroom. She was busy speaking to a Golgathean Lieutenant. The Lieutenant turned and saluted to Diablos.
"Lord Diablos, here's the woman our patrol captured. The other prisoner is the kind you're looking for but is still unconscious."
Diablos nodded and gestured to the soldier, who stood to one side. "Your name is Cid, right?"
Cid nodded. "Please give us asylum in Golgatha my Lord."
Diablos folded his arms across his chest. "Who is after you?"
Cid hung her head. "The Magic Academy. My friend was very badly hurt. He hasn't woken up for a week now."
"Why, what did you do?" asked Diablos sternly.
"Who's your friend?" asked Siren politely.
Diablos shot an angry glance at Siren.
"Red," said Cid. "Well, Ifrit really. But I like to call him Red, cause his eyes are red, so.."
"Ifrit!" said Diablos sharply making Cid cringe.
"Wasn't Ifrit the fire Esper in the town you-" began Siren, who was quickly silenced by Diablos' hand over her mouth.
Carbuncle hopped into the back room. Lying on top of the stripped bed was Ifrit, still in his Esper form. His massive chest rose and fell evenly highlighting the ugly scar completely encircling his torso.
Diablos led Cid inside, followed by Siren. "How did he get that scar?" he asked.
"The Holy Light," said Cid. "I don't understand though. It looks like it cut all the way around."
"It cut all the way through," said Siren examining the wound. "It should have killed him."
Diablos smirked and lifted Ifrit's left arm. "I think it did," he said pointing to the magicite crystal Ifrit was holding.
"What is that?" asked Cid.
Diablos held up a warning finger. "Don't touch it. I think it's the remains of Phoenix."
"Phoenix? Another Esper?" asked Siren.
Diablos nodded. "Other than the goddesses, only Phoenix would have the power to revive him."
"Can you help him?" asked Cid anxiously.
Diablos put his hand on her shoulder. "The Lieutenant said you had a ship. May we borrow it?"
Cid nodded. "If you promise to help Red."
Diablos extended his hand. "Of course. You have my word."
Cid shook his hand. "You can have it then."
Diablos smiled broadly. "Golgatha would be happy to grant you and Ifrit asylum."
Carbuncle hopped down the main street of Verdigris and stopped to scratch a long ear. She then glanced back and forth. Not that there was much to see. Verdigris was still mainly a mining town, with few amenities. A hundred years before, some travelers from Tzen had stumbled on to an exposed vein of iron on the mountainside in this tranquil valley. Now it was the major source of raw materials for Golgatha. It was beginning to expand beyond the mining shacks to the south and the military garrison to the north.
Can I help you little one?" asked a young man dressed in overalls.
(No!)
Carbuncle continued until it saw Siren sitting in a field next to a half-built house. Three children were listening to her play a cheerful tune on her harp. They were humming along softly. Carbuncle sat next to Siren and was immediately picked up by the little boy.
"Bunny!" he said cheerfully.
(Hey! Put Carbuncle down!)
"Cute bunny!" said a little girl patting her head.
Siren stopped in mid-note. "Children, please put Carbuncle down. It's not nice."
"Sorry Miss Siren," said the boy, releasing Carbuncle, who hopped onto Siren's shoulder.
"I want to be just like you!" said the little girl sighing.
Siren looked appalled. "Don't ever say that."
"But you're so pretty and you can play and sing!" protested the girl.
"It has brought me nothing but sadness," countered Siren morosely.
"But it also brought you Lord Diablos!" said a second girl.
Siren blushed furiously and noticed Carbuncle's fur was bristling. "Don't make up stories children."
"Why? Hasn't he kissed you yet?" asked the first girl.
"Ew! Why would he want to kiss you?" asked the boy.
"Boys are so dumb sometimes!" retorted the second girl.
Siren stammered incoherently. Carbuncle jumped onto the ground.
(Carbuncle has Lord Diablos! Not floozy!)
The kids just stared at her blankly.
A swarm of bats swooped in low and resolved into Diablos. The girls ran off screaming in terror. The boy just stood there in awe.
"Cool!" he breathed looking up at him.
"There you two are," said Diablos angrily. "We've got work to do."
Siren nodded, still red-faced. Diablos frowned and stared at her.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Ah.yes my Lord," said Siren weakly.
"Then let's go," he said striding off. They followed him into a low building with a long overhanging porch. When they got inside they saw a young woman sitting in the anteroom. She was busy speaking to a Golgathean Lieutenant. The Lieutenant turned and saluted to Diablos.
"Lord Diablos, here's the woman our patrol captured. The other prisoner is the kind you're looking for but is still unconscious."
Diablos nodded and gestured to the soldier, who stood to one side. "Your name is Cid, right?"
Cid nodded. "Please give us asylum in Golgatha my Lord."
Diablos folded his arms across his chest. "Who is after you?"
Cid hung her head. "The Magic Academy. My friend was very badly hurt. He hasn't woken up for a week now."
"Why, what did you do?" asked Diablos sternly.
"Who's your friend?" asked Siren politely.
Diablos shot an angry glance at Siren.
"Red," said Cid. "Well, Ifrit really. But I like to call him Red, cause his eyes are red, so.."
"Ifrit!" said Diablos sharply making Cid cringe.
"Wasn't Ifrit the fire Esper in the town you-" began Siren, who was quickly silenced by Diablos' hand over her mouth.
Carbuncle hopped into the back room. Lying on top of the stripped bed was Ifrit, still in his Esper form. His massive chest rose and fell evenly highlighting the ugly scar completely encircling his torso.
Diablos led Cid inside, followed by Siren. "How did he get that scar?" he asked.
"The Holy Light," said Cid. "I don't understand though. It looks like it cut all the way around."
"It cut all the way through," said Siren examining the wound. "It should have killed him."
Diablos smirked and lifted Ifrit's left arm. "I think it did," he said pointing to the magicite crystal Ifrit was holding.
"What is that?" asked Cid.
Diablos held up a warning finger. "Don't touch it. I think it's the remains of Phoenix."
"Phoenix? Another Esper?" asked Siren.
Diablos nodded. "Other than the goddesses, only Phoenix would have the power to revive him."
"Can you help him?" asked Cid anxiously.
Diablos put his hand on her shoulder. "The Lieutenant said you had a ship. May we borrow it?"
Cid nodded. "If you promise to help Red."
Diablos extended his hand. "Of course. You have my word."
Cid shook his hand. "You can have it then."
Diablos smiled broadly. "Golgatha would be happy to grant you and Ifrit asylum."