Disclaimer: Maybe they're mine in an alternate reality.

Big thanks to chocolatelova and HANDHELD Uber Rei Model 05 for reviewing! I changed the settings so anonymous reviews are accepted, there is no excuse now!

Chapter 13

The castle was still sleeping when Mikoto prepared to leave the next morning. The lamps had not been lit; the hallways lighted only by the rising sun. Specks of dust drifted in the air, their swirling motion weaving in and out of the shadows. She traversed the castle, her footfalls the only sound.

She wore her traveling clothes, freshly pressed and cleaned. A leather bag slung over her shoulder carrying extra clothes and necessities. Garnet's letter was tucked into a pocket, crinkling every time she moved.

Mikoto walked in solitude. The emptiness around her drew out her inner thoughts. She hated to leave again so soon, but the importance of the task kept her feet moving forward. Kept her resolve firm.

Reaching the room Blank was staying in, Mikoto knocked lightly on the door.

"C'mon in."

She turned the cold knob and entered, the heavy door shutting itself as she stepped through. The genome dropped the bag on the ground, "Ready to go?"

His back was facing her, but she saw him still throwing objects into his own bag, "In a minute."

Mikoto yawned and leaned against the wall, her eyes drawn to the man in front of her. He apparently had gotten up late, with the last minute packing. Not that she blamed him of course, anyone naturally up at this hour needed to be smacked. His dark red hair was shiny in the low light, drooping over the belt on his head.

But what drew her attention was his skin. He was usually covered up, however now he had no shirt on, maybe forgetting in his rush to get ready. And his strange multi-hued skin showed. Mikoto had noticed his appearance, one would have to be blind not to, but never to this extreme.

Muscles moved under what appeared to be large skin grafts. Small raised scars crisscrossed his back, outlining the different skin tones.

She found her sleepy mind vaguely wondering if his skin was like that all over his body.

"Done."

Blank then threw on a shirt and jacket, grabbed his sword, and slung his bag over his shoulder, "Let's go."

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They went deep into the labyrinth beneath the castle, down the many hidden paths and stairways, far beneath the ground. Here only torches illuminated their way, and water dripped from the stone ceiling. Cold, damp air drifted by, creating a low whistling sound.

Mikoto lead the way, relying only on her memory for navigation. She turned down identical hallways seemingly at random, until she came to an ordinary wooden door.

"Here?" Blank asked.

She knocked three times…

Silence…

Blank shifted a few times, impatient, but Mikoto stayed stationary, waiting.

The door slowly creaked open, revealing a grizzled old man. He peeked out of the doorway, his small beady eyes evaluating the two, "Whad you whant?"

Mikoto pulled out Garnet's letter, and held it out to the elderly man. He snatched it out of her hand and opened it. The man read it with only one eye, the other watched Blank and herself.

After a moment he spoke, "So, you need the Invincible."

"Yes."

"Whell, come on in." He opened the door the entire way and the two went into the room on the other side.

It was a small living quarters, with meager necessities, containing a bed, a table, a chair, and a huge technologically advanced airship.

"Woah."

Mikoto agreed, the Invincible was quite impressive.

"There it is, get out of here." The old man said as he shambled to his worn chair. He sat down and fell asleep almost instantly, for his loud, throaty snores filled the cavern.

The genome started up the many stairs into the airship. The pings of the metal steps echoing in the expanse.

Blank followed her, "This is one hell of an airship."

"It is amazing," she agreed as she keyed in the code to open the hatch, "But in the wrong hands…"

"I can see why the queen kept it locked up." Blank said.

She passed through the hatch, leaving her bag on the metallic floor. Blank passed up her bag and his, then pulled himself up as well. The two went to the cockpit, and Mikoto sat herself in the pilot's seat.

She started flipping switches and pressing buttons. The ceiling of the stone cavern rumbled, and started to open. Early morning sunlight pouring into the dank dungeon.

The controls lit up, and the engines purred into life.

The Invincible rose out of it's stone tomb, it's untarnished hull gleaming.

While Alexandria slept peacefully, the most destructive piece of technology took off right under their noses.

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The ride was quick, the Invincible being the fastest airship in all of Gaia. A few hours later, the southern shoreline of the Outer Continent appeared on the horizon. The sapphire blue waves crashing against the sand. Instead of heading west to the Iifa Tree, their course took them slightly east to the Black Mage Village.

The Black Mage Village…

Mikoto had spent her first two years on Gaia there. And even now all of the other genomes remained.

She had left many friends there, she was ready to see them again.

"Where is this village?" Blank asked, leaning over her shoulder to see the panel better.

She keyed up the close up of the forest, "See the dense forest? The Black Mage Village is hidden deep within."

"We can't land the ship in that, can we?"

"No, we'll land on the overlooking plateau, and then hike down." She explained.

"Sounds like fun." Blank said sarcastically.

"At least we don't have to go all the way around the ridge."

"Who would think of doing that?"

The two were silent for a moment, a creepy chill running through their bodies.

Mikoto shook it off, "Prepare to land."

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The two slowly hiked down into the canyon, the hot, dry air cooling rapidly. They made their way over the sandstone rocks, using the roots of scrawny pine trees for footholds.

They were covered in dust by the time they reached the bottom. Covered in dust and sore.

"If I even see one more rock…" he trailed off when he saw Mikoto's expression, "What is it?"

"Something isn't right."

She gazed into the dark forest, trying to discern the problem. The trees gazed back, standing silently…

Silently?

"Where are the owls?"

"Yeah, I don't hear them." Blank said, confused.

The bad feeling increased tenfold.

"Let's continue on."

Mikoto headed into the silent forest, Blank following closely behind. She turned down the dirt paths, not even glancing at the signs.

They saw owls.

Dead owls.

The avians lay scattered across the forest floor. Plumes of feathers ruffled in the slight wind. Dried patches of blood created a checkerboard affect across the ground.

"Shit." Blank walked over to the fallen fowl, examining it closer, "Looks like something tore it apart. What could do that, at least to so many of them?"

Her bad feeling only got worse, "Nothing native to this place."

The thief stood up, backing slowly away from the mutilating bird, "Let's get out of here."

Mikoto nodded and took them down the path to the Black Mage Village.

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At first glance nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The houses stood, strong and solid. The little picket fences added a quaint charm. The trees rustled slightly.

Then they saw the lifeless bodies of Black Mages.

"No!"

Mikoto ran forward, kneeling by one of the golems. She flipped him over, expecting but not seeing the bright yellow eyes under his pointy hat. She stared hard, her hand resting lightly on the mage's chest.

No…

She ran to the next mage, and the next. Only to meet the lifeless gaze of Death.

No…

She stood up swaying slightly. Instead of a picturesque village, she saw the bodies of friends laying helplessly around.

Helpless…

Tears formed in her green eyes, threatening to spill out. Blank came over and stood by her, his presence was comforting.

No…