Chapter Three :: Without a Word

"Your aunt, by far, is one of the best cooks I've known," Beowulf said, leaning back from the table a bit. "Not things wrong with any of it, except maybe the fact I had a bit too much." Reis put a hand on his shoulder and smiled. Somewhere behind the pair Worker 8 was standing still, keeping silent watch over the fields and tables, only a faint hum and the glowing eyes any sign of 'life' from the giant.

Johnathan licked his fingers clean, not letting a drop of basting get away. "You hear that, Aunt?" he called to her at the next table over on the far end. He leaned back and craned his head to look at her.

"Why thank you," she replied. "Though my nephew should brush up his manners," she added jokingly.

Johnathan shrugged a little and sat back up, collecting a few dishes into a small pile. He stood in sync with his aunt as she started gathering empty platters. Reis as well started collecting dishes, as well as Rafa and Malak. Meredith noticed this and said, "I can do it, and you, Johnathan, why don't you all go out as you planned?"

Alma spoke first as she collected one of the baskets that had once held fresh rolls. "Its all right Auntie," she said, "I want to stay here and help."

Beowulf chuckled as Reis shook her head. "She's rather stubborn," he said, "she'll help at least clean up and catch up."

Rafa adjusted her headband before collecting another plate. "Yeah, I want to help you. Besides, I'm not really in the mood to go out there right now." Malak nodded as well, dark eyes on Meredith. "Maybe we can get Worker 8 to help!"

"Oh, all right," she said, chuckling with warmth. She watched as they gathered up their stuff and started heading for the back fence. Halfway there she called out, "make sure you're back before the sun gets too far along and you can't see."

Johnathan turned around and waved, and turned back to the others who were coming along. "Well, that's settled. We might have to go a bit further in than normal to find anything."

Doran laughed, nodded, and added, "only because we made a lot of noise over here two days ago and scared them all out of their wits. And Chloe here even tried out a spell she learned from a wandering wizard. Isn't that right?"

Chloe flushed slightly and looked down at her feet. "Yes, I did."

Ramza smiled, and then scanned through the forest. "Well, at least it's keeping them from the crops and cows," he said. "Let's go." He climbed over the fence, his eyes scanning between the trees for signs of movement. Once over, the party delved into the woods, the dappled sunlight falling on them in myriad patterns, lightening the mood of the usually musty forest. Small banter passed between them as they kept a sharp lookout for anything out there that looked to be a threat of the farmlands. Their meanderings turned northwestern, heading parallel to the road now. Chloe stayed close to Ramza, her eyes seemingly more alert the further they went from the farm.

Agrias waved at her friends to quiet down, and ahead, Johnathan saw the shifting forms of Goblins, accompanied by two panthers and a bomb. Ramza chuckled at pondered. "Ok, who's going? I'm sitting this out; I've done it enough."

Cid and Agrias exchanged glances. Meliadoul drew a mythril sword - she'd wisely left her knight sword behind for ease of movement - and nodded as well, though her skills were going to prove fairly useless in the battle. However, she had a surprise of sorts for the others in store to compensate for the failing of her Mighty Sword skills on monsters. Bowing his head, Beowulf drew his sword as well, looking once more on the blade that had served him well for many years as a temple knight. Mustadio wrenched his gun out quickly, not wanting to be outdone by the sword wavers, and a good chance to test his new gun design. The five were prepared in time as a black goblin spotted them, gibbering in goblin and sending the monsters into place.

The four young ones and Ramza found a safe place behind the battle lines formed by their team, and Johnathan perched himself, eagerly waiting to find out what was going to happen. Chloe stayed near Ramza, but her eyes often darted around, past the battlefield nervously. Doran took Johnathan's distraction as an opportunity to put his arm around Lillina's shoulders, and protectively held her as she watched. It hadn't gone unnoticed however, and Johnathan swore vengeance later for it as he turned his eyes back to the combat.

Agrias made the first move, moving forward and swinging her blade high as she stood a few steps from two goblins. "Heaven's wish... to destroy all minds!" She leveled her sword quickly, pointing at them as she cried out while unleashing the holy knight powers within. "Holy Explosion!" Blinding light tore forth, shining pure as it struck the two goblins dead on, sending them both to the ground with shrieks. She grinned a bit and looked over at Cid.

Cid, not wanting to be outdone quite so well, settled on a night sword technique for one of the panthers, who stalked forward and leapt with nearly no warning. Cid dodged barely, twisting clear as it landed behind him. Gripping his blade, he drove it down as he called forth the dark power. "Master of all swords, cut energy! Night Sword!"

About the same time Beowulf found himself surrounded by two goblins as the red eye flashed over the panther, bathing everything in a dull red glow. The light reflected off the eyes of the two goblins around him, and he avoided one as the other nailed him in the leg.

"Hey Beowulf," Ramza shouted as the goblin Cid took on fell back, "You gonna let that twerp push you around?!"

"Of course not!" he called back, picking the one at his right. "Break!" One simple word unleashed the powers of the Magic Sword arts he'd mastered many years ago, petrifying the goblin. "Need a scarecrow-goblin statue?"

"Just steal the show," Mustadio said, taking aim at the other panther heading for Meliadoul. "Here's nothing!" He pulled the trigger, a loud crack filling the air and sending the panther reeling back. "Woo! It works!"

"Mustadio, behind you!" Agrias cried, pointing as the Black Goblin came form behind.

"Not while I'm here," Meliadoul gritted before leaping high in the air. Johnathan's eyes lost sight of her past the trees, trying to track her. The goblin stopped its charge, baring its fangs as Mustadio whipped around. Before he could get a shot off the trees above parted, giving way as Meliadoul came down, driving her blade through the goblin cleanly. She pulled herself up and dislodged the blade form it, looking at the last goblin running away. That left the bomb which floated menacingly to the back of the field.

"Well done, Mellie," Ramza said, "though wherever did you learn that?"

"I hunted down Izlude's old Knight Blade teacher and learned it to compensate for my weakness against unarmored opponents. Rather useful, I'd say."

Chloe gasped and grabbed Ramza's arm, looking around the forest. "Ramza, look!" She pointed one thin finger past the bomb at a rising shadow from the brush and trees.

Agrias whirled, her eyes falling on the shape and knowing it before seeing it. "Dragon!" she hissed.

"Not just that," Beowulf said, looking behind them past where Ramza and the others were, "we've got two hydras as well!"

Mustadio swore a bit as he spied even more beasts coming out of the wilderness that weren't the average run-of-the-mill goblins. "Two behemoths and another dragon?!"

Johnathan scrambled up, perplexed and angered at the same time. "This isn't normal at all, there've never been these types here, ever." He drew his blade as Doran drew his, moving the ladies closer to the others as they formed a ring. "This is very strange," he muttered.

Ramza shook his head. "Always a time for something that isn't to be. Somehow, its not too surprising, but then, I'm used to it."

"I know we could probably take them," Cid said, eying the ring, "I just don't like it." The beasts moved closer, their eyes gleaming with dark intent and instinctual hunger. The last time such odds had been faced were the days they were fighting a path to the Graveyard of Airships.

Meliadoul licked her lips. "Johnathan, Doran, I'd stay back if I were you."

Doran shook his head slightly, "We're not that helpless-"

One of the Behemoths charged just then, Lillina's piercing shriek echoing through the trees as the two young men scrambled to muster themselves between Lillina and Chloe and the beast. Ramza drew his own blade and chanted quickly, "Brush off vanity, and show reality! Ultima!"

From another quarter of the forest, another chant sounded, a pair concise and together, yet different. From the heavens water struck down on the behemoth as the light of Ultima tore into the beast's flesh, sending it crashing to the ground before the startled pair. Heads turned in surprise as a chocobo stormed into the area, Reis, Rafa and Malak on board. Reis deftly leapt off, hitting the ground running with the grace of a Dragoner as she stopped before the red dragon behind the group and stared into its eyes, calling on the powers of her class and skill to convince the great beast to aid them.

"Talk about timing," Malak said, running a hand through his hair as he looked around.

Chloe crouched down, covering her ears and not looking up at any of the creatures as Lillina knelt beside her, holding onto her shoulders and trying to comfort her. Rafa noticed that the beasts were suddenly backing away, and the dragon Reis was next to took to the air spiraling away. Ramza looked around, trying to spot what could have possibly caused them to suddenly give up the attack.

Johnathan breathed a sigh of relief, wiping sweat from his brow. "We almost became behemoth food..."

"You weren't... scared were you?" Doran taunted.

"Enough," Ramza said, eyes searching the area. "Reis, any idea?" She shook her head, her blonde tresses swaying. "I'm hoping its just because we did kill one of their pack... Chloe?"

She stood just then, looking around wide-eyed. "I- I have to go. My father ... he must be worried about me!" She bolted then, and Johnathan took a few steps after her before giving up then, watching her run to a nearby fence and climb over.

"Anyone?" he asked, shaking his head. "Aw, nuts, she is right though, it's getting later by the minute, and darker." His voice betrayed him a bit as fear and awe both crept in, though unnoticed by the others.

They made their way back in silence, occasional glances being the only sign of something on the minds of them all. They stopped off at the fences to Lillina and Doran's homes, seeing them safely back home before heading back to the farmstead. It was on passing through the field they saw three shapes waiting in the light of the backdoor as the moon spilled its light on them. Johnathan knew one was his Aunt, while the other two remained unfamiliar.

Rafa spoke then, "Oh yeah, the reason we came out partly was because Olan and Balmafula. They came while you were out."

"Always nice to know the past can catch up," Ramza said softly.

"Ramza, it's been awhile," Olan said, his voice grave. "Good evening, father, I didn't know you'd come as well."

"You'd all better get inside out of the cold," Meredith said, holding a shawl about her shoulders. "We saw the reason for your being late already..." Her eyes looked skyward a moment longer before she headed in.

"Dragons?" Olan asked.

"Yeah, despite the fact it's not a normal occurrence. Two to be precise," Ramza said, "two Hydra, and two Behemoths. Last time we saw those odds..."

Silence fell about them, and no one dared to say a word. Johnathan moved past Ramza to get in out of the cold and free form the awkward silence before he asked the question burning in his mind. In his absent-minded state, he nearly collided with Alma, who looked worried and concerned. He shook his head and went to his room, closing the door behind him rather than talking about what had happened. He easily could have met death that day, and keenly was aware how unskilled he was. More troubling was their encounter. If they hadn't been there, if they'd only been going on a normal hunting spree with the girls...

He remembered the Ultima, the raw power unleashed from Ramza's spell as he flopped onto his bed, tuning out the talk in the front room as he replayed that incident in his mind over and over. The power of it, mixed with the other spells from Rafa and Malak, had been enough to take a great Behemoth down.

He tuned his hearing in again as sleep started to overtake his mind, hearing someone say "...Aquarius is around here somewhere..." before sleep finally washed over his exhausted mind and body.