This story belongs to me and my creative mind. However, most of the characters, names, and places all belong to their respective companies, so don't yell at me for copyright infringements! Remember, Italics represent a person's thoughts or the telling of past events.

Enjoy...

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:Faraway Dreams:

Chapter Eight:


Fedrich shifted underneath the sheets of his cot, consciousness slowly fighting its way through layers of sleep until it broke free, and his eyes opened to meet the early morning sunlight. Grumbling lightly, he sat up and rubbed his face, fingers coursing through his thin locks of hair and pushing them out of his eyes.

And another morning comes to greet the weary minded hero...

Finally awake enough to move, he swung his legs out to stand up, then shuffled to his dresser and picked out his clothing and weapon for the afternoon before leaving the bedroom for the front room. Already the other Regulators were present, most of them looking very awake despite the early morning hour.

"Morning, everyone." The Burman greeted.

"Good morning, Fedrich!" Ruthy replied.

"You know, you're far too cheery in 'ta mornin'." Gerick muttered.

"And you're a positive grump until you get your precious coffee." She reprimanded.

"Aw, give me a break, woman." Gerick shot back.

"Can neither of you maintain any civility?" Gordan asked.

"No." The two replied.

Fedrich chuckled, walking to the coffeepot to pour a cup of the caffinated beverage. Sipping the drink slowly, his mind drifted back to the thoughts that occupied his previous few days.

So far there have been four other incidents involving that Fire Bandit, damages limited to injured Guards and stolen property. A warrant for his capture was declared yesterday, and the city itself has offered a ten thousand Gil reward for bringing him in to the Security headquarters. I wonder what this bandit is intent on doing? For someone with that kind of power, simple thievery seems like a waste of his talent. There must be something more to this...someone else behind the scenes, maybe...

"Fedrich!" A voice shouted, bringing the Burman around.

"Huh?" He asked, looking at Gerick resting by the door.

"You might wanna finish up yer coffee and get moving, else they're gonna leave you behind!"

"Right, sorry!" He sputtered, swallowing the last of the brew and placing the mug back onto the table.

The Burman hurriedly exited the Hall, joining the other three Regulators as they casually headed for the Aircab terminal. Just as he joined up with them, a figure burst into the square, breathing heavily and clutching a rolled piece of parchment. The others stopped as the figure approached them, soon recognizable as Macky.

"Macky?" Illis spoke.

"Thank goodness I caught you in time!" He gasped, holding up the parchment. "Here! It's from the head of Castle Security!"

Illis took the scroll and unrolled it, scanning the words and reading it for the benefit of the others.

"Dear and valued members of the Regulator Specialist Team, assuredly you have heard of the recent attacks by a criminal labeled as the Fire Bandit. Normal Security teams have been yet able to halt the efforts of this criminal, and it is becoming a situation that could spiral down into something much worse if the public is panicked any further. Reports from your local representative, Mackenzie, have indicated that the population of monsters around the Lindblum Plateau is at a low, so the Security Council has come to a decision.

"You are hereby given a temporary relief of your duties as Regulators and have been assigned to assist the Security teams in the city to hunt down the Fire Bandit and bring him to justice. The Second Security Division, led by Lizel Hanovev, has been given the task of covering your efforts in the field, and will do so until this matter is cleared up. The First Security Division's leader, Cecil Greenbel, will be your liaison to the efforts of this special task, and any additional information you may need can be obtained from him or his men. As of today, your orders are as listed: To gather information regarding the Fire Bandit and use it to take him into custody by any means short of unwarranted destruction of public property or life, and also to study the execution of the attacks to see if there is a deeper meaning to his thievery.

"Good luck and good hunting. Serra Sepharim, Chief of Castle Security."

Illis lowered the message, looking at Macky as he rested on his knees, still breathing deeply from his run.

"So we've been ordered to hunt this bandit down?" She asked.

"Yeah." He breathed. "Seems like the higher ups don't want to be embarrassed by this anymore. They hope the populace will see our involvement as a positive sign of their willingness to deal with this quick and simple, not as a cover for their present lackings."

"Sounds like typical politics." Illis muttered. "Come on, you look like you've been up all night."

Macky treaded slowly back to the hall, the others in tow. "I was late in another meeting to address this, so I stayed at the castle and I nearly slept through the morning without giving you the notice."

"Gods in heaven, these meetings really take a lot out of you, huh?" Ruthy inquired.

"Yeah, but its a job." He grinned, stepping into the Hall. "Better than being some marketplace errand boy."

"So we'll have to meet with this Cecil Greenbel to get our information." Fedrich pondered. "Where exactly is his residence?"

Macky finally fell into a chair. "His men have a meeting and training hall in the Industrial District, just after the Aircab Corporation center down Industrial Way."

"Well then, it seems like our destination is their Hall rather than the field. Shall we depart?" Gordan asked.

"We don't all need to go, Gordan." Illis corrected. "I've been thinking about this guy, and it looks like if we get into a serious battle with him, we'll need to be ready. Ruthy, could you go to the Business District and pick up some potions and the like?"

"Sure thing, Sis." Ruthy accepted.

"Would you accompany her?" Illis asked of Fedrich.

"No problem." Fedrich agreed.

"Gerick, you up to going along with us to meet Cecil Greenbel?" Illis asked.

"Sure!" He exclaimed. "I'm more than willin' to get some exercise."

"Alright, then we shall all reconvene here at noon." Gordan finalized.

"Okay. See you all later!" Ruthy exclaimed, Fedrich following her energetic trail.



"Well well, it's nice to meet you all." A tall blonde called, offering a hand. "The name's Cecil Greenbel, although I'm sure the Lady Chief already mentioned me."

Gerick accepted the grip. "That she did, and 'tis good to meet you. The name's Gerick MacDougal, but Gerick'll do fine."

"Alright then, I might as well get to the point. You all know that some bastard aptly named the Fire Bandit has been stealing stuff left and right while torching anything in his path, especially my guards. Now I've been thinking of a plan to bait this guy into a trap, but the Lady Chief decided to bring you in to help out, which makes things easier for me."

Cecil stepped over to a large table, a map of the Business District sprawled across its surface. He tapped the map where a red pin was placed.

"We've managed to locate all the places the Bandit's attacked, but so far there's no kind of pattern to be seen, and the only constant is that he hits the target in the late afternoon. I've been telling my men to keep a sharp eye out for him and to stay apart so his spells won't hurt more than one man, but nothing seems to work good enough."

"Have you tried long range attacks?" Illis asked.

"Tried it, but that damn bastard has the luck of demons on his side. We've been close, but not a single arrow has impaled his worthless hide."

"We had the same luck." Illis muttered.

"So what options does that leave us? We cannot attack him from a distance due to his uncanny maneuverability, and he uses magic to repel anyone attempting a close range attack. His defenses seem to be impervious." Gordan wondered.

"And that's the damn problem!" Cecil cursed. "None of my men have been able to attack him from any range, he's just too freakin' powerful with those spells!"

"There has to be a way around that magic of his." Illis sighed, rubbing her hands together. "We were able to avoid his attack spell, so at least they aren't completely unavoidable. The question is how can we use that against him?"

"How often could he cast those spells?" Cecil tried. "Maybe a rush while he's gathering strength could work."

"I don't know. He could cast two spells one after another for all we know."

"Then maybe you could separate and try to attack him from different sides..." Cecil suggested. "If we could find a place to ambush him, then you could rush him from all sides and get him while he's focusing on other people!"

"It is possible, but what if he uses a warp spell to get away?" Gordan countered.

Cecil grumbled, thinking for a moment. "It's a risk we'd have to take, all or nothing."

"Well where do 'ya plan on trappin' this Bandit?" Gerick asked.

Cecil pointed to another spot on the map. "This is one of the high end business areas of the District, known for its jewelers and exotic clothing. If I were a bandit, this place would be a prime target to hit. The best thing is that there are only two ways out of that street, so if we surrounded him, then we could rush him from both sides."

"It sounds like a good idea." Illis concurred. "But you said he struck random targets, right? How could we find a way to get him there?"

"I'll work my men's schedules around so that any other place is too secure to risk an attack. We'll have to use that area as bait to get him, there's no other way around it. After that, all we need to do is predict when he would strike this area, close in around him and wham!" Cecil declared, putting hand to fist. "We'll attack from both sides and strike him down before he knows what happened!"



The morning air was chilly, the morning sunlight just beginning to show itself from behind the massive walls of Lindblum Grand Castle. People were just beginning to start their morning, and the two Regulators hoped the shops would be open to make use of.

"So what will we need to buy?" Fedrich asked.

"Obviously some potions, maybe even some high potions if his spells are as powerful as they look." Ruthy estimated. "I don't think we would need anything else, unless you have any ideas?"

Fedrich shook his head. "Not at the moment."

Ruthy sighed. "It seems like this guy is going to be a lot of trouble for us. I've never had to fight a human with this kind of power before..."

"Worried?"

"Sure I am, this could end badly for us."

"Still though, its going to be just one man against four of us, plus whatever men Cecil can gather. The odds are in our favor this time."

"But you saw what he could do!" She reiterated. "Those fireballs could drop any one of us in one hit, and would it be worth those lives to stop him?"

"If he continued attacking innocent people unstopped, sooner or later someone is going to be killed. We've got to stop him now so no one else gets hurt."

Ruthy didn't reply to his words, and Fedrich was willing to let her mull over his words. The two remained silent for the walk to the Aircab terminal and boarded an airship for the Business District. After a few minutes of flying through the open air of Lindblum, the Aircab landed in the appropriate terminal, and the two continued their silent walk to the shops in the market. People were already waiting for customers, a few early risers taking to the streets to do their part.

Ruthy sighed, staring into the cloudy skies. "You know, sometimes I wonder how you can stay so optimistic in spite of all the dangers we face."

"It beats just moping around acting like the world's gonna end." Fedrich stated, looking at the redheaded woman. "One of the key lessons of study to become a Dragon Knight is learning how to overcome sadness and focus on the better aspects of any situation. If a Knight were to be depressed in battle, there would be no way he could fight a battle to his limit!"

"True." Ruthy seceded.

"And wasn't it you who said that one couldn't fight monsters with a sour attitude? How is this any different?"

Ruthy stopped her walk and thought for a moment, Fedrich stopping as well to look at her as she mused over his words. A few seconds later, she looked back at him with a small smile gracing her lips.

"Once again you've managed to prove a point, Fedrich. There's no reason to worry about things when I know you and everyone else will be alongside me, and I couldn't hope for anything better."

"There now, you see?" Fedrich smiled back. "Things will work out for the better with that mindset."

"Okay then, let's keep going." She motioned.


* * *


"Thank the Gods Gerick gets the potent stuff." Macky yawned, setting down a third mug of the bitter coffee.

"Why? Too dependent on the caffeine?" A mystery voice questioned.

"Who in-!?" Macky sputtered, turning in his chair to find a person standing in the doorjamb of the Hall. "Who're you?"

"I just have one question to ask...actually, more like two. This the Regulator's Hall, yes?"

"Yeah, what business do you have with us?" Macky questioned, sensing something wrong with the situation.

"Not us, but whom. Do you know where your member Illis Killjoy is?"

Macky stood up finally, ignoring the sleepiness in his body. "First tell me what your business is here."

The man grew angered. "Look, you miserable peasant, just answer my question!"

Macky was surprised at the malice in the man's voice, his hands clenched in fists at his side and his eyes nearly aflame with inner emotions. The Regulator's representative grew even more worried, eyes glancing around to locate anything that could defend himself if a battle ensured.

"Well?" The man pressed.

"I won't be telling the likes of you! Why don't you leave me to my work?"

The man at the door growled, throwing a hand out and barking mystic words and ending with a familiar phrase. Instantly the tabletop was awash in flame, coffee and foods turned to ash in a seconds time. Macky looked at the table, then back at the man, and recognition immediately entered his head and the identity of the man was known to him.

"You're the-!"

"The so named Fire Bandit? Yes, and if you value your life as it is, you will tell me when Illis comes here!"

Macky backed away from the man, hoping that he could find a weapon. "What do you want with her?"

"She did something that upset me beyond words, and I'm intent on letting her know that I don't appreciate being crossed." The Bandit growled.

Macky was quick to know the man's meaning. "Don't think that we'll let you have your way with her. If you do so much as rearrange a hair on her head, I'll!-"

"Don't speak out of line!" The Bandit asked. "You've helped as much as your limited intellect can, now accept your payment!"

With a flair of his hand and another chant of words, a fireball exploded across Macky's body and threw the man against the wall of the main room. The Regulator the slumped to the floor, his clothes charred and his body red with burns, consciousness barely present.

"Do you like it?" The fiery mage asked. "Next time don't push my patience, it isn't my strong suit."

Macky just mumbled under his breath, words unable to form in his mouth.

"I see. When and if you come around, please tell Illis that Elric the Fire Bandit is here to collect," The Bandit asked, leaving the Hall. "And have a nice day."

Shortly after Elric left, Macky finally struggled to move, his chest burning with pain. He knew that Illis would be in great danger if the Fire Bandit ever caught her off guard or alone. Even with the entire group of Regulators present, Macky still didn't think they could match the kind of power the Bandit just displayed. Trying to ignore the burns across his body, the wounded man growled with effort to force himself to a stand, hands supporting him against the wall.

"Dammit...I gotta...get help..." He muttered.

Macky stumbled forward, falling onto the burnt table, his breathing ragged as each rise and fall of his chest sent waves of pain across his entire form. Making a final effort, he got to his feet and tried to run for the door, legs sluggish and numb. He broke into the early morning sunlight as he collapsed for the last time, his energy unable to concentrate through his wounds. He looked to his side, eyes barely making out the form of someone running to his side, and he sighed wistfully.

I gotta hope that Illis finds me before Elric finds her...