Notes: Simple spelling error fixes and some good old fashioned duct tape over those plot holes.

Vana'diel: Crystal of Darkness

Chapter IV: A Dragoon's Embroil

The Elvaan dragoon stepped forward towards Age, hand resting on his polearm. "The map, and maybe you and your friends wont have to die."

"I've got a quest to fulfill, and no stuck-up San d'Orian Royal Guard will stop me from getting my cash." Age said, eyes glancing towards the crest upon Edgah's breast.

"San d'Orians? The stuttering midget too?" Edgah chuckled. "Now I suppose if I don't kill you I'll just have to hand you over to the Temple Knights. Although I will suggest execution for treason."

"I've got an airship to catch." Kat mumbled as she slinked through the doorway. Edgah ignored her. He'd have time for her in a minute.

Shinji struggled out of his entrapment and took his place besides Age. "Enough lies, we were sent by the General of the Reserve Knights legions to get that thing."

"I haven't time for this." With that Edgah withdrew his polearm and swiped upward at Age, who quickly smacked the attack away with his blade and took a battle stance.

"Cocky bastard." Age thrust his sword towards his opponent, but the next thing he knew, sparks flew as the sword slashed against the wall. Age leapt around to see Edgah standing there with a smirk on his face.

"You've got the sword skills of a samurai, yet you don't know much about dragoons, do you?" Edgah jumped towards Age, polearm in hand, who had no time to react. The dragoon slammed into Age, sending him flying to the wall in a yelp of pain, then slumped down into an unconscious heap. Edgah turned his eyes to Shinji, who eyes were transfixed on his fallen companion. He strode over to the Tarutaru and grabbed him by the collar, effortlessly lifting him up as Shinji kicked and swung at the dragoon.

"Tarus... so weak." At these words Shinji fumed, and in one swift motion whipped out his knife and slashed at Edgah's arm. Edgah grunted in pain and released his grip on the Tarutaru, who fell to the ground. Edgah gripped his bleeding arm. "You dirty little rodent!"

Katsuka swiftly leapt up through the hole in the ground, gazing up at the gray sky that still threatened rain. Down below the clash of blades could be heard, but she didn't care; she had an airship to catch. But which way was it to the San d'Oria? Judging by the Orcs that had attacked them she assumed they were in West Ronfaure, which meant San d'Oria lay to the Northeast. She set off through the forest in that direction. After only a few steps a sound caught her keen ears, and she turned around to see Edgah standing at the entrance to the tomb, map tucked into his belt. They couldn't even last long enough to let me get out? Morons...

"You don't think you can just walk away, do you?" Edgah said, steadily approaching the Mithra.

"I've got to get to Jeuno, I don't have any more time to waste in this stupid country." Katsuka said coolly. Clearly Edgah didn't think it reason enough to let her go. He jumped into the air and landed right in front of the Mithran girl, who stood her ground.

"You don't wish to fight like your friends? Good choice. That'll make this much easier." At this Katsuka rolled her eyes and mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like 'moron' before Edgah once more leapt into the air. Before she could even look up she blacked out.

Katsuka's eyes slowly opened, her mind was still clustered, but she knew well enough where she was. People, most likely Elvaan guards, were carrying her into the great stone walls of what appeared to be San d'Oria. The large red flag with the crest of San'dOria: a yellow crown with two winged horses crossing spears in front of it, hung overhead, still in the windless night. The clouds had cleared, and above the treetops a black sky, dotted with sparkles of light and a blue crescent moon stretched over the lands. They carried her into the city, through the abandoned streets towards the Chateau d'Oraguille. San'dOria was surrounded by the forests of East and West Ronfaure, in exception for the ocean that lay to the North, where the airships routinely came and went to and from Jeuno. The entire city was built of stone and wood surrounded by protective walls that loomed ahead over 20 feet tall. Watchtowers were placed on each corner of the city. The architecture of this city struggled to keep the memory of days past alive. The nation of San'dOria was once proud and strong, but in recent days, with the growth of Bastok and the technology it brought, the days of Elvaan greatness seemed to be waning.

Her consciousness slipped once more.

When she awoke again, this time for sure, she was laying on a poorly made bed in a small cell with Age and Shinji sitting against the wall in silence. The room was made completely of stone, in exception for the wooden door that was securely locked. Age had a bandage wrapped across his forehead, where a red blood stain shown through. Shinji's face was cut, and looked a little bruised up. Kat seemed to suffer nothing more than a headache. When she noticed this all of a sudden she was glad she didn't chose to resist and end up like Age and Shinji.

The trio sat in the cell waiting, not saying a word. Shinji looked the most uneasy, the words of Edgah about an execution for treason loomed in his mind.

"...I want my gil." Age groaned. Shinji laughed, Kat even let out a chuckle. Even though they were all imprisoned and were at the risk of being executed, Age still only wanted his money.

The soft thud of boots on the stone floors echoed through the halls, freezing the three in place. The foot steps grew closer and closer until they were right outside the door. The clink of keys. Their weapons were gone. The sound of a lock clicking. The door swung open with a creak, and there stood Edgah, looming over them all, black hair covering his face. He flipped back his hair, soaking in the situation with his expressionless eyes. He withdrew from his pocket a piece of straw. "Life is so fragile. Take a few risks now and then, bend the path of a safe life." Edgah bent the straw a little, "Yet, bend it too much and..." the straw snapped, and he let the pieces fall to the floor. "You could all easily be executed for interfering and endangering a Royal Guard. But of course, I will give you a chance. Who are you, who sent you, and how do you know about this." With that he withdrew the map that put them in their prison.

Age stood up and looked Edgah in the eyes, easily matching his height. "Age and I were sent by the Reserve Knights General to retrieve a map rumored to have been buried in the lost tomb of a great adventurer who lived long before the Great War took place..." Edgah scoffed, then turned to Katsuka.

Kat growled, and spoke in an annoyed tone. "I was planning to travel to Jeuno to meet up with members of my Linkshell... before I made the mistake of running into these two morons." She shot a glance of malice towards the Tarutaru and Elvaan.

"Names?"

"Ithilsul, Nettin, Epsil."

At the first name Edgah looked a little surprised. That name was familiar to him, yet no faces or mentions of it could his memory recall. He tucked that name into the back of his mind for now. If this Shinji spoke truth, he would have to consult Alpha about this encounter. "I was personally sent by the Prince himself to retrieve this map. The General would not go behind the Prince's back like that. There will be time to question who sent you later. No doubt whoever truly sent you wishes harm to the Kingdom. No terrorists against the Kingdom deserve the privilege of life- nor accomplices who feign innocence and ignorance. You will all be tried tomorrow." With that he turned around, slamming the door behind him, securing the lock and marched down the halls of the underground prison.

Edgah marched passed cells where condemned faces stared out through the small bars in the doors, up the stairway and into the Chateau, passed the guards who stood watch over the prison entrance, through the church where San d'Orian priests prepared for the morning prayer, and out the large doors to North San d'Oria. The sun had just broken the horizon but two hours ago, birds sand in the trees scattered around the city square. The sky clear of any cloud coverage, a perfect light blue. He walked west through the city, turning north through Labormans way, and into the port area. Here the ocean stretched beyond the airship dock endlessly to the north. A speck in the sky grew closer and closer, until it's shape was made out to be an airship. Just in time he thought. The airship flew down and landed in the water, then powered towards the dock, coming to a halt right next to it. Edgah turned around and headed for the Rusty Anchor Pub, located a little west of the docks.

Inside he took seat at a two-person table in the corner and waited, turning away the Hume waitress who asked for his order. The pub was empty as always at this time, it wouldn't fill up until the airship passengers arrived for breakfast. Behind the counter a Tarutaru girl stood on a stool, taking an order from a young Elvaan woman, then shouted in her high Tarutaru voice the order to the Galka wearing a chefs hat in the kitchen behind them flipping pancakes. A Hume couple sat across the room from Edgah eating their breakfast and talking quietly amongst themselves while their little girl plowed through her food. The door swung open and in came the morning rush of airship passengers coming from Jeuno. Edgah waited. Minutes later a Hume with short black hair and a black and red suit entered. The symbol on his shoulder marked him as an airship captain. He looked straight at Edgah and walked up to him. Edgah remained seated. The Hume eyed Edgah as if he were a bug he was about to squash. Edgah was the first to speak, and in a flat, plain voice said, "Nub." Alpha laughed and sat down across from Edgah.

"Long time no see. What brings you up here so early?" Alpha started.

"Yesterday evening I caught three people interfering with my mission. Upon questioning them I found out that one of them knows a man named Ithilsul... that name sparked some hint of a memory at me. I couldn't remember who it was at all, or even where I've heard it before... I thought maybe it was someone from my past, from the wars possibly? You've known me since then, since before I lost my memories. You were the one who found me there in the ruins of the city and helped me remember as much of who I am as you could." Edgah looked Alpha in the eyes, who gave his order to the waitress who approached during Edgah's talk.

"Ithil...sul...? Well..." Alpha thought back fifteen years into the past. Back to the day another piece of the Jeuno empire was lost to the beastmen hoards. Alpha was apart of the team searching for survivors of the battle. The beastmen had overrun the city, the allied forces were not able to hold them back. Not when those dark cloaked figures came. It took all they had to clean out the vermin that had killed men, women, and children who littered the streets, stained and coated with blood. He had already found several of his companions and friends. Friends that he had known since he was a child. Friends who he would play with in the savannas of Windurst. All dead. The last friendly face he prayed to not see with glazed eyes and limp muscles was an Elvaan he had met from joining the allied nations to fight against the Shadow Lord and his beastmen. He had trained with him, taught him many techniques and skills, and had become close friends with him.

Alpha walked through a dark tunnel that was built as an escape route in case of emergencies. Bodies were scattered throughout it. The Orcs had somehow leaked into here. They ambushed anyone trying to escape and slaughtered them. Alpha continued on, reaching the end where the exit had collapsed. Six dead Orcs lay half buried in the rubble, all covered with tears and gashes made from a polearm. Black blood glazed the ground. Buried in the rubble Alpha noticed something shining- the point of a spear. He began to move the stone, aided with a mix of black and white magic skills, until he uncovered what lay beneath. Alpha pulled out the limp Elvaan, who was stained with Orcish blood as well as his own. He pushed aside the black hair from the Elvaans bloodied face, and gasped- this was his friend. Alpha struggled to find a sign of life from him, and found a faint pulse in his wrist. He closed his eyes concentrated as hard as he could, placed his hands on his friends struggling heart, and casted a spell known as Raise on the fallen Elvaan soldier. A powerfully bright, white light shot out from his hands, engulfing the room. The Elvaan gasped as his wounds began to close until small scars were all that was left. When the light stopped he was breathing in slow, forced breaths- but breathing still. Alpha bursted out a sigh of relief and joy that he had not been too late. Edgah lay there, healed of his physical wounds but still in a swooning state. He began to mumble in his swoon, the recent events coming back to him in his dreams. "I will not... let the beastmen... anyone... no... Ithil...? go... run... fool Hume... Orcs... die... first... for the Kingdom..."

"Ithil. That was the name you said when I found you. But it could have been something else- Ithildin, Ithiler, Ithilacious- you didn't say Ithilsul specifically. You probably shouldn't dwell on it too much. You never mentioned any Ithilsul to me in the time you've known me." Alpha said.

"I see..." Edgah was still not satisfied. Maybe this person could be a key to my past... that Mithra...

The Hume girl returned with a plate of galkan sausages and eggs, then placed them in front of Alpha with a cup of hot coffee. "Was that all you wanted to ask me?" Alpha said with half a sausage in his mouth.

"No. I was sent to retrieve a map in East Ronfaure for the Prince, but a Mithra, Tarutaru and Elvaan seemed to have gotten there before me. They resisted, and I brought them down and had them arrested. The Tarutaru and Elvaan claimed that they were hired to find this map by the General of the Reserve Knights. Why would the Prince and the General go behind each others backs to have different people try and get this?" He withdrew the map and lay it on the table.

Alpha swallowed his egg and looked over his plate at it. It was a map of the world, of Vana'diel. There were 3 X's marked on it, one on each southern continent, and one northwest of Jeuno. A path was marked coming north off of Jeuno, through the island of Qufim and towards a fabled area called Behemoth's Dominion. "This is interesting... these locations..." Alpha examined the map again. "What do you know about the Behemoth legend?"

"Beasts terrorizing the land in impossible situations. But who listens to the nonsense bards spill out?"

"Meet me on the airship in about an hour." Alpha drained his coffee, left some gil laying on the table, then scribbled out a note on a napkin and handed it to Edgah. "Give that to the lady at the Airship Travel Agency and she'll let you through for free. I hear about a lot of things as an airship pilot, a lot of rumors and stories. There could be more going on than we know of." With that Alpha scraped his chair back, put on his red and black chapeau hat and walked out the door. Edgah stuffed the note in his pocket and left to speak to the general of the Reserve Knights.

Edgah walked back to the Chateau. More people lined the streets now, heading off to their jobs, or to the local markets for some early shopping. The two guards at the entrance to the Chateau nodded and let him through. He walked through the halls towards the Reserve Knights quarters, which was completely empty. Most Reserve Knights set out adventuring or stayed in their own homes when not in times of war, which has been the case for the past fifteen years. Edgah walked by the empty bunks to the door of the General's quarters. He knocked and waited. No answer. Again he tried, and again. Suspicious, he pushed at the door, and it creaked open. Unlocked... Edgah pushed it all the way open and entered the room. It was completely dark. He blindly found the window, and pulled open the curtains.

Light rays casted themselves across the floor, and Edgah's eyes stared in shock at the scene he witnessed. The General, still in his nightgown, lay against his dresser, covered in blood. His eyes were blank, his face frozen in horror. Blood dripped from his mouth, staining his gray beard. The handle of a knife protruded from his bloodied chest, and a single arrow was buried into his forehead, leaving dried streams of blood that fell down his face. Edgah gritted his teeth in anger, drew his knife and scanned the room, just incase the intruder was still there. All was quiet. The General of the Reserve Knights was murdered. The prisoner said that he wanted the map.