Disclaimer: How many times do I have to do this? The site should just have a disclaimer. But then my
word count wouldn't be so high. So Final Fantasy does not belong to me, nor do the places, events, or
characters. They belong to some guy in Japan, or a whole bunch of guys in Japan. Maybe if I buy
Square stock then I could legally say I own them, well one one millionth billionth. Does Square even
have stock? My head hurts.
Since my disclaimer was so long, I'll write only three words in this space. Read and Review!
Chapter 17
After grabbing their weapons, supplies and changing, the five set out to find the sky chariot.
Jane agreed to lead them there, even telling the history of the ancient machine.
"The sky chariot is an advanced airship, called the Ragnarok. It has been closely guarded for
centuries by the Chosen. It was built by an ancient civilization called Esthar. Their country used to lie
on this continent, but their magnificent cities have long since fallen into decay and ruin."
They trekked through the desert-like Forgotten Continent, the sun beating down on them. Tiny
lizards scampered by, their tiny feet burning on the hot sand. The few scattered trees offered no shade,
being dried out and wind torn.
"It's too hot!" Lani complained, taking off her infamous hat to fan herself.
Mikoto was trailing her feet, the heat sapping energy away from her body. She brushed her
sweaty hair out of her eyes, the salty droplets clung to her hand. She sighed melodramatically, the
sound quite foreign to her lips.
Why were things so complicated? When had things come this far? If someone had told her
two weeks ago this would happen, she wouldn't have believed them. But now...now she had to warn
the queen of the eminent danger. She felt heavy, and it wasn't due to the oppressing heat around her.
Blank had wrapped his jacket around his head like a turban to keep the sun from beating down
on him. He too was taking progressively slower steps, the burning sun taking it's toll. Jane had
wrapped a scarf over her head and shoulders. The light material contrasting with her dark skin. She
seemed fine, being used to the environment, and her body conditioned to withstand the extreme heat.
Amarant picked up the rear, his steady even steps unaffected by the heat of the sand. Mikoto doubted
anything really ever hampered him. He seemed to be able to withstand just about anything.
They continued walking until the sun dropped below the horizon. Now instead of extreme heat,
they had to deal with the cold desert night.
"We should find shelter and build a fire." Jane suggested.
However the best they found was a rock outcropping open to two sides. Amarant got some
dried out wood, it looked like he just picked up one of the various dried out trees scattered around.
Mikoto quickly lit it with a Fire spell and sat down. Blank also sat down, poking at the fire with a stick.
Jane started their spartan dinner and Lani just collapsed on the sandy ground, "Hey Jane, how much
longer 'til we get to this airship? The desert air is doing murder to my skin."
The woman looked up from the food, "Not much longer, but you need to rest if you are to
defeat the Guardian."
"I knew we couldn't get a break." Blank muttered, sending sparks everywhere with his stick.
------------------------------------------------------
Following the much needed meal, the five sat around the fire. The only sound the splitting of the
burning wood. Stars twinkled above, surrounding the twin moons.
Mikoto yawned, pulling the blanket tighter around her body. She shifted, trying to find a more
comfortable position against the hard rock.
"How are you doing over here?" Blank asked, sitting next to her.
She turned to him, the firelight dancing across his strange features, "Alright, I guess."
"You guess?" He said, a slight humor in his voice.
She shrugged, looking away, "Everything is just strange, nothing really makes sense."
He laughed lightly, "When did things ever make sense?"
She stared into the fire, the flames seemed to move to some unknown rhythm, "In Bran Bral
everything made sense. It was logical, organized, comprehensible. But here...I am sorry, I must be
boring you."
He shook his head hurriedly, "No you're not." His covered face was turned to her, waiting for
her to finish.
"But here," she continued, sadly, "I just do not know. I feel like I do not know anything, not
anymore."
"Trust me, we all feel like that some of the time."
She smiled, comforted by his words, "Don't you mean most of the time?"
"Hey, I know you're a blonde, but-"
A laugh, "That is not what I meant."
There was silence for a moment. Mikoto sat, contemplating the man next to her. He was quite
a paradox. Some one who lived as a thief and actor, who became petrified to save his friends. And
took an active interest in herself.
"Mikoto?"
She shook herself as the object of her thoughts spoke up, "Hmm?"
"Did you," he paused, "did you like it in Bran Bral? Do you wish you had been able to stay?"
Her brows furrowed, "Things would have been simpler, but...I am glad I came to Gaia, I like it
here."
"Even with me for company?"
A grin tugged at the corners of he mouth, "Yes." Even with you...
They sat in silence for a few moments, thinking. She wondered what was on the thief's mind.
Perhaps, she thought with a chuckle, he was wondering what she was thinking.
She heard a snore from across the fire, apparently Lani had fallen asleep against Amarant. The
bounty hunter appeared unfazed until she started drooling. He cursed, shutting Lani's mouth, then just
leaned back against the rock, as if nothing had happened.
Mikoto smiled, sleep overcoming her senses.
---------------------------------------------------------
The next morning they found themselves trekking across the desert once again. The sun beating
down on them, again. Dragging their feet, again.
"It's too hot." Lani complained, again.
"We are almost there." Jane said wearily.
Mikoto had no idea how she knew, the landscape looked like the same rocks and sand they
passed an hour ago. Sorry, now there were some cacti. Some bleached out bones lined a ridge, the
vertebra starkly outlined by the sand and sky.
"Tell me again why we left the castle? Cold water, plenty to eat, hundreds ready to serve us?"
Lani asked to no one in particular.
Mikoto ignored Lani's comment, sure they were hot, tired, thirsty, and a thousand other things,
but they didn't complain about it every five seconds. The sun was approaching it's zenith when Jane
came to a halt, "Here."
-----------------------------------------------------------
Jane stopped in front of what appeared to be some sort of bunker. The gray metal and stone
covered in layers of yellow sand. It looked like a sand dune from three sides, and the door was hard to
see unless very close.
"Let's crack this egg open." Lani said, relieved and happy. She wielded her axe, ready to
chop the bunker asunder.
But Amarant beat her to it, he lunged at the metal bar sealing the door, cutting it with his claws.
Then he kicked the door in, the clang echoing inside the structure.
"No finesse at all." Blank commented, cracking a salvaged flare and stepping inside.
Mikoto followed him, her eyes quickly adjusting to the darkness. Blank used the meager light
to inspect the room. There was nothing there, save dust. Not even a door.
She thought she heard Blank growl, "Walk halfway across the fucking desert, and there's
nothing here."
"There has to be something." Mikoto relied with more patience than she thought she had.
A shout from Lani, "A little help out here guys!"
They hurried back outside, only to be confronted by some huge worm creature. It was at least
forty feet long, and some of it disappeared into the sand. A gigantic mouth opened in three sections,
hundreds of glistening fangs lining the interior. Saliva dripped out, the substance green and gooey.
"Is that the guardian?" Mikoto asked Jane a bit breathlessly.
She looked frightened, "No."
"Whatever it is, it picked the wrong day to mess with us." Blank said, drawing his sword.
Amarant nodded his agreement.
Lani flipped her hair out of her eyes.
Mikoto unstrapped her chakra from it's place on her hip. The circle fitting neatly into her left
palm.
Jane stood back.
The worm dived against the sand, the force creating a mini earthquake. The four faced the
quake head on, knowing the sand would absorb most of the force. The moment the ground stopped,
Amarant, Blank, and Lani rushed in to take the worm while it's guard was down. However, the
creature lunged forward, using it's great mass to crush the three. They narrowly avoided the attack by
leaping out of the way.
Mikoto used the opening to her advantage, casting Demi on the monstrosity. It writhed,
thrashing it's tail.
Amarant slashed up, over the creature's eye, the tiny structure covered in blood. Lani hacked
off a piece of the worm's mouth, fangs chipping her axe. Blank cut sideways across the worm, the
blade deep in the beast's body.
The worm tried to lift itself, but only collapsed, the desert sand entering it's wounds. It tunneled
back under the desert, retreating.
"Well, that was fun." Blank said.
Lani gapped in horror at her weapon, "My axe! The worm ruined my axe!"
"You can get it fixed." Amarant replied.
She glared at him, "I might just use your skull to sharpen it."
Jane came over to Mikoto, "My Lady, the worm did not just leave, I think something worse is
coming."
"Something worse?"
She was answered by a gust of wind, the sand like a thousand pinpricks on her skin. Mikoto
coughed and sputtered, the sand going right up her nose and into her mouth.
"Who dares seek what is not theirs?"
Mikoto looked up, there was a man there. At least she thought it was a man, he was the most
beautiful person she had ever seen. He was ethereal, his skin pure ivory, and his hair black silk. He
was dressed as a dancer, his movements graceful and timed. But his eyes were like the sand, coarse
and biting.
He looked over the group condescendingly, his eyes measuring, calculating. "You seek the
Ragnarok?"
Lani spoke up, "Yeah, pretty boy. Hand it over and we won't have to mess up your hair."
"Surely you jest?" his pleasant face then turned horrible, "Do not make light of me, lest those
words become bitter sand in your mouth."
He stepped to the right, and Lani was engulfed in a pillar of fire. She screamed, the sound
muffled by the roar of flames.
Mikoto cast Water on her, the ball of liquid putting the flames out. Lani collapsed to the sand,
barely moving. The genome quickly hurried over, assessing the damage. Lani was badly burned, but it
was nothing a good Curaga spell couldn't fix. After the healing spell, Lani stumbled back on her own
two feet, ready.
"Quite resilient, aren't we? Like a cockroach." He stepped to the left, balancing on his toes,
then bounded forward, arms wide, "That needs no be squashed."
He raised his arms, then brought them down, his hands caressing his cheeks. He swayed side
to side to music only he could hear. Ice shards gathered around him, the crystals ringing. The music
was as strange as he was, sad yet beautiful at the same time..
Mikoto watched him dance, she couldn't turn away. Really, she couldn't.
Something was wrong.
Lani was just staring at him too, enthralled by the dance.
Blank and Amarant didn't seem affected, they rushed forward ready to strike, but were denied
by the ice crystals. The crystals grew; sharp, jagged points shooting out. The two backed off, there
was some exchange between them. Then Amarant stepped forward, "No Mercy."
But instead of hurting the dancing man, some ice crystals blew apart, dissipating into the desert
air.
Mikoto gained a little bit of control, "Keep breaking the crystals!"
Lani nodded vigorously.
Blank saluted and then stepped in front of Amarant in a defensive stance, he said something
over his shoulder. Amarant nodded and cast Demi Shock. More ice crystals broke apart, the man's
defensive ring was shrinking.
However, defense was not on his mind. He twirled about, and bolts of blue lightening spun
outwards, hitting Blank squarely in the chest. The thief was jolted back, but retained his ground.
Mikoto realized their plan; since Blank couldn't destroy the crystals he would protect Amarant,
who could. She didn't like it, but couldn't do a thing. The man still somehow preventing her and Lani
from participating in the battle.
Jane was of no help either, she was cowering by the bunker, scared out of her wits.
Amarant continued to use his Flair abilities, destroying the crystals. And Blank kept on taking
damage. Every hit made her want to tear the supermodel hair out of that man's head. The thief could
hardly stand anymore.
But the strategy worked, with the last crystal destroyed Mikoto ran forward, kneeling over the
fallen thief, "Full-Life!"
Blank slowly got up, the wounds on his body disappearing in the healing light, "Thanks."
Lani tossed Amarant an Ether, then charged at the still dancing man. The jagged edge of her
axe caught his shoulder, tearing his arm right off, "No one gets away with that!"
But instead of pain, a smile was on his face, "Now you've done it, now you'll pay!"
A swirling mass of matter came out of the wound. The black pseudopods wriggling wildly.
The stuff kept on coming out of him, wrapping around the dancer facade.
The true Guardian was terrifying. Standing nearly twelve feet tall with multiple arms and legs.
He seemed to be able to morph, changing the amount of arms as the need arose. Deep in the head
were two slit-like eyes, still that sand color, and still coarse and biting.
The four stood in front of him, prepared to battle.
Lani attacked again, swinging her axe full circle. The Guardian slinked away, a very fluid
motion. He lashed out, a pseudopod arm growing longer, at Lani. But she blocked the oncoming
mass, using her axe head as a shield.
Mikoto cast Flare, the red energy wrapping around the Guardian. The beast shrunk, curling up
into a ball.
And stayed that way.
"What the hell?"
It was like a lump of coal, just sitting on the sand. Blank poked it with his sword, but nothing
happened, "Well, that was surprisingly easy."
Jane seemed to have regained her composure, "Please hurry, that thing might wake up."
The five crowded into the small metal bunker, Jane keeping them to one side. She stepped to
the opposite wall, running her hand along the surface, "Aha!"
The floor suddenly dropped from underneath their feet, sending them sliding down a large slide.
Mikoto skidded on the metal, landing with the others in a jangle of limbs. Jane came down last,
somehow landing primly on her feet. The genome disengaged herself, standing and dusting her legs off.
Blank got up, adjusting the belt around his head. Amarant stood, placing Lani on her feet.
"This way." Jane then headed down the dusty hallway.
Mikoto followed, kicking up dust at every step. The way seemed to be hewn out of the
ground, support beams lined the walls and ceiling. Light seemed to seep out of the wall, casting a
golden glow on everything.
They came to some stairs leading into darkness, 'This is it." Jane announced.
Lani put her hands on her hips, "Where?"
"You can't see the airship from here, but the stairs lead into it." Jane said, heading in. The
lights going on as she made her descent.
Blank chuckled, "Well, we'd better hurry up if we don't want to be left behind."
word count wouldn't be so high. So Final Fantasy does not belong to me, nor do the places, events, or
characters. They belong to some guy in Japan, or a whole bunch of guys in Japan. Maybe if I buy
Square stock then I could legally say I own them, well one one millionth billionth. Does Square even
have stock? My head hurts.
Since my disclaimer was so long, I'll write only three words in this space. Read and Review!
Chapter 17
After grabbing their weapons, supplies and changing, the five set out to find the sky chariot.
Jane agreed to lead them there, even telling the history of the ancient machine.
"The sky chariot is an advanced airship, called the Ragnarok. It has been closely guarded for
centuries by the Chosen. It was built by an ancient civilization called Esthar. Their country used to lie
on this continent, but their magnificent cities have long since fallen into decay and ruin."
They trekked through the desert-like Forgotten Continent, the sun beating down on them. Tiny
lizards scampered by, their tiny feet burning on the hot sand. The few scattered trees offered no shade,
being dried out and wind torn.
"It's too hot!" Lani complained, taking off her infamous hat to fan herself.
Mikoto was trailing her feet, the heat sapping energy away from her body. She brushed her
sweaty hair out of her eyes, the salty droplets clung to her hand. She sighed melodramatically, the
sound quite foreign to her lips.
Why were things so complicated? When had things come this far? If someone had told her
two weeks ago this would happen, she wouldn't have believed them. But now...now she had to warn
the queen of the eminent danger. She felt heavy, and it wasn't due to the oppressing heat around her.
Blank had wrapped his jacket around his head like a turban to keep the sun from beating down
on him. He too was taking progressively slower steps, the burning sun taking it's toll. Jane had
wrapped a scarf over her head and shoulders. The light material contrasting with her dark skin. She
seemed fine, being used to the environment, and her body conditioned to withstand the extreme heat.
Amarant picked up the rear, his steady even steps unaffected by the heat of the sand. Mikoto doubted
anything really ever hampered him. He seemed to be able to withstand just about anything.
They continued walking until the sun dropped below the horizon. Now instead of extreme heat,
they had to deal with the cold desert night.
"We should find shelter and build a fire." Jane suggested.
However the best they found was a rock outcropping open to two sides. Amarant got some
dried out wood, it looked like he just picked up one of the various dried out trees scattered around.
Mikoto quickly lit it with a Fire spell and sat down. Blank also sat down, poking at the fire with a stick.
Jane started their spartan dinner and Lani just collapsed on the sandy ground, "Hey Jane, how much
longer 'til we get to this airship? The desert air is doing murder to my skin."
The woman looked up from the food, "Not much longer, but you need to rest if you are to
defeat the Guardian."
"I knew we couldn't get a break." Blank muttered, sending sparks everywhere with his stick.
------------------------------------------------------
Following the much needed meal, the five sat around the fire. The only sound the splitting of the
burning wood. Stars twinkled above, surrounding the twin moons.
Mikoto yawned, pulling the blanket tighter around her body. She shifted, trying to find a more
comfortable position against the hard rock.
"How are you doing over here?" Blank asked, sitting next to her.
She turned to him, the firelight dancing across his strange features, "Alright, I guess."
"You guess?" He said, a slight humor in his voice.
She shrugged, looking away, "Everything is just strange, nothing really makes sense."
He laughed lightly, "When did things ever make sense?"
She stared into the fire, the flames seemed to move to some unknown rhythm, "In Bran Bral
everything made sense. It was logical, organized, comprehensible. But here...I am sorry, I must be
boring you."
He shook his head hurriedly, "No you're not." His covered face was turned to her, waiting for
her to finish.
"But here," she continued, sadly, "I just do not know. I feel like I do not know anything, not
anymore."
"Trust me, we all feel like that some of the time."
She smiled, comforted by his words, "Don't you mean most of the time?"
"Hey, I know you're a blonde, but-"
A laugh, "That is not what I meant."
There was silence for a moment. Mikoto sat, contemplating the man next to her. He was quite
a paradox. Some one who lived as a thief and actor, who became petrified to save his friends. And
took an active interest in herself.
"Mikoto?"
She shook herself as the object of her thoughts spoke up, "Hmm?"
"Did you," he paused, "did you like it in Bran Bral? Do you wish you had been able to stay?"
Her brows furrowed, "Things would have been simpler, but...I am glad I came to Gaia, I like it
here."
"Even with me for company?"
A grin tugged at the corners of he mouth, "Yes." Even with you...
They sat in silence for a few moments, thinking. She wondered what was on the thief's mind.
Perhaps, she thought with a chuckle, he was wondering what she was thinking.
She heard a snore from across the fire, apparently Lani had fallen asleep against Amarant. The
bounty hunter appeared unfazed until she started drooling. He cursed, shutting Lani's mouth, then just
leaned back against the rock, as if nothing had happened.
Mikoto smiled, sleep overcoming her senses.
---------------------------------------------------------
The next morning they found themselves trekking across the desert once again. The sun beating
down on them, again. Dragging their feet, again.
"It's too hot." Lani complained, again.
"We are almost there." Jane said wearily.
Mikoto had no idea how she knew, the landscape looked like the same rocks and sand they
passed an hour ago. Sorry, now there were some cacti. Some bleached out bones lined a ridge, the
vertebra starkly outlined by the sand and sky.
"Tell me again why we left the castle? Cold water, plenty to eat, hundreds ready to serve us?"
Lani asked to no one in particular.
Mikoto ignored Lani's comment, sure they were hot, tired, thirsty, and a thousand other things,
but they didn't complain about it every five seconds. The sun was approaching it's zenith when Jane
came to a halt, "Here."
-----------------------------------------------------------
Jane stopped in front of what appeared to be some sort of bunker. The gray metal and stone
covered in layers of yellow sand. It looked like a sand dune from three sides, and the door was hard to
see unless very close.
"Let's crack this egg open." Lani said, relieved and happy. She wielded her axe, ready to
chop the bunker asunder.
But Amarant beat her to it, he lunged at the metal bar sealing the door, cutting it with his claws.
Then he kicked the door in, the clang echoing inside the structure.
"No finesse at all." Blank commented, cracking a salvaged flare and stepping inside.
Mikoto followed him, her eyes quickly adjusting to the darkness. Blank used the meager light
to inspect the room. There was nothing there, save dust. Not even a door.
She thought she heard Blank growl, "Walk halfway across the fucking desert, and there's
nothing here."
"There has to be something." Mikoto relied with more patience than she thought she had.
A shout from Lani, "A little help out here guys!"
They hurried back outside, only to be confronted by some huge worm creature. It was at least
forty feet long, and some of it disappeared into the sand. A gigantic mouth opened in three sections,
hundreds of glistening fangs lining the interior. Saliva dripped out, the substance green and gooey.
"Is that the guardian?" Mikoto asked Jane a bit breathlessly.
She looked frightened, "No."
"Whatever it is, it picked the wrong day to mess with us." Blank said, drawing his sword.
Amarant nodded his agreement.
Lani flipped her hair out of her eyes.
Mikoto unstrapped her chakra from it's place on her hip. The circle fitting neatly into her left
palm.
Jane stood back.
The worm dived against the sand, the force creating a mini earthquake. The four faced the
quake head on, knowing the sand would absorb most of the force. The moment the ground stopped,
Amarant, Blank, and Lani rushed in to take the worm while it's guard was down. However, the
creature lunged forward, using it's great mass to crush the three. They narrowly avoided the attack by
leaping out of the way.
Mikoto used the opening to her advantage, casting Demi on the monstrosity. It writhed,
thrashing it's tail.
Amarant slashed up, over the creature's eye, the tiny structure covered in blood. Lani hacked
off a piece of the worm's mouth, fangs chipping her axe. Blank cut sideways across the worm, the
blade deep in the beast's body.
The worm tried to lift itself, but only collapsed, the desert sand entering it's wounds. It tunneled
back under the desert, retreating.
"Well, that was fun." Blank said.
Lani gapped in horror at her weapon, "My axe! The worm ruined my axe!"
"You can get it fixed." Amarant replied.
She glared at him, "I might just use your skull to sharpen it."
Jane came over to Mikoto, "My Lady, the worm did not just leave, I think something worse is
coming."
"Something worse?"
She was answered by a gust of wind, the sand like a thousand pinpricks on her skin. Mikoto
coughed and sputtered, the sand going right up her nose and into her mouth.
"Who dares seek what is not theirs?"
Mikoto looked up, there was a man there. At least she thought it was a man, he was the most
beautiful person she had ever seen. He was ethereal, his skin pure ivory, and his hair black silk. He
was dressed as a dancer, his movements graceful and timed. But his eyes were like the sand, coarse
and biting.
He looked over the group condescendingly, his eyes measuring, calculating. "You seek the
Ragnarok?"
Lani spoke up, "Yeah, pretty boy. Hand it over and we won't have to mess up your hair."
"Surely you jest?" his pleasant face then turned horrible, "Do not make light of me, lest those
words become bitter sand in your mouth."
He stepped to the right, and Lani was engulfed in a pillar of fire. She screamed, the sound
muffled by the roar of flames.
Mikoto cast Water on her, the ball of liquid putting the flames out. Lani collapsed to the sand,
barely moving. The genome quickly hurried over, assessing the damage. Lani was badly burned, but it
was nothing a good Curaga spell couldn't fix. After the healing spell, Lani stumbled back on her own
two feet, ready.
"Quite resilient, aren't we? Like a cockroach." He stepped to the left, balancing on his toes,
then bounded forward, arms wide, "That needs no be squashed."
He raised his arms, then brought them down, his hands caressing his cheeks. He swayed side
to side to music only he could hear. Ice shards gathered around him, the crystals ringing. The music
was as strange as he was, sad yet beautiful at the same time..
Mikoto watched him dance, she couldn't turn away. Really, she couldn't.
Something was wrong.
Lani was just staring at him too, enthralled by the dance.
Blank and Amarant didn't seem affected, they rushed forward ready to strike, but were denied
by the ice crystals. The crystals grew; sharp, jagged points shooting out. The two backed off, there
was some exchange between them. Then Amarant stepped forward, "No Mercy."
But instead of hurting the dancing man, some ice crystals blew apart, dissipating into the desert
air.
Mikoto gained a little bit of control, "Keep breaking the crystals!"
Lani nodded vigorously.
Blank saluted and then stepped in front of Amarant in a defensive stance, he said something
over his shoulder. Amarant nodded and cast Demi Shock. More ice crystals broke apart, the man's
defensive ring was shrinking.
However, defense was not on his mind. He twirled about, and bolts of blue lightening spun
outwards, hitting Blank squarely in the chest. The thief was jolted back, but retained his ground.
Mikoto realized their plan; since Blank couldn't destroy the crystals he would protect Amarant,
who could. She didn't like it, but couldn't do a thing. The man still somehow preventing her and Lani
from participating in the battle.
Jane was of no help either, she was cowering by the bunker, scared out of her wits.
Amarant continued to use his Flair abilities, destroying the crystals. And Blank kept on taking
damage. Every hit made her want to tear the supermodel hair out of that man's head. The thief could
hardly stand anymore.
But the strategy worked, with the last crystal destroyed Mikoto ran forward, kneeling over the
fallen thief, "Full-Life!"
Blank slowly got up, the wounds on his body disappearing in the healing light, "Thanks."
Lani tossed Amarant an Ether, then charged at the still dancing man. The jagged edge of her
axe caught his shoulder, tearing his arm right off, "No one gets away with that!"
But instead of pain, a smile was on his face, "Now you've done it, now you'll pay!"
A swirling mass of matter came out of the wound. The black pseudopods wriggling wildly.
The stuff kept on coming out of him, wrapping around the dancer facade.
The true Guardian was terrifying. Standing nearly twelve feet tall with multiple arms and legs.
He seemed to be able to morph, changing the amount of arms as the need arose. Deep in the head
were two slit-like eyes, still that sand color, and still coarse and biting.
The four stood in front of him, prepared to battle.
Lani attacked again, swinging her axe full circle. The Guardian slinked away, a very fluid
motion. He lashed out, a pseudopod arm growing longer, at Lani. But she blocked the oncoming
mass, using her axe head as a shield.
Mikoto cast Flare, the red energy wrapping around the Guardian. The beast shrunk, curling up
into a ball.
And stayed that way.
"What the hell?"
It was like a lump of coal, just sitting on the sand. Blank poked it with his sword, but nothing
happened, "Well, that was surprisingly easy."
Jane seemed to have regained her composure, "Please hurry, that thing might wake up."
The five crowded into the small metal bunker, Jane keeping them to one side. She stepped to
the opposite wall, running her hand along the surface, "Aha!"
The floor suddenly dropped from underneath their feet, sending them sliding down a large slide.
Mikoto skidded on the metal, landing with the others in a jangle of limbs. Jane came down last,
somehow landing primly on her feet. The genome disengaged herself, standing and dusting her legs off.
Blank got up, adjusting the belt around his head. Amarant stood, placing Lani on her feet.
"This way." Jane then headed down the dusty hallway.
Mikoto followed, kicking up dust at every step. The way seemed to be hewn out of the
ground, support beams lined the walls and ceiling. Light seemed to seep out of the wall, casting a
golden glow on everything.
They came to some stairs leading into darkness, 'This is it." Jane announced.
Lani put her hands on her hips, "Where?"
"You can't see the airship from here, but the stairs lead into it." Jane said, heading in. The
lights going on as she made her descent.
Blank chuckled, "Well, we'd better hurry up if we don't want to be left behind."
