Chapter Twenty-one
Of Lindblum & Alexandria
The Dragon's Call proved itself to be a swift-running, well- maintained airship, or at least it was in my eyes. The trip from the Eoroqu to Lindblum lasted a total of three hours; I could've swam to the shores near Cleyra in less than that, but then it would've taken longer to get to Alexandria. Home also would've called me, and if I met any old friends, I knew I'd be willing to stay and leave everything unaccomplished. Therefore, despite the long ride, I welcome the Dragon's Call and its transportation.
Most of the trip I spent playing card games. Staring at the Mist Continent quickly lost its lust, particularly since the rising fog we traveled in blocked out most of what could be seen. Five passengers, myself included, played a friendly game of Black Jack, and I quickly found that I needed to improve my game, particularly since I lost 250 of my Gil to a young crewmember just reaching his fifteenth year.
"I've played Black Jack for years now," the crewmember said, pushing a long strand of red hair over his ears. "Me father taught me. He was a killer too, but I beat 'em hands down."
"Aw, Gerek, I hate playin' againsht ye," one crewmember complained, smoking casually from a pipe. "Ye always beat meh and I cawn't catch up for e million Gil."
The young Gerek laughed. "Ah, Mich, you're not too bad yeself! Maybe if you'd smoke a lil' less and concentrate a lil' more you wouldn't do so bad!"
Mich's mocha-brown eyes narrowed as he stared at Gerek with clear annoyance. Laughter bubbled around the large table while Gerek grinned, showing off a mouth that would be full of near-white teeth if it weren't for two canines missing, one on the top, one on the bottom. Then, his green eyes sparkling, Gerek closed his mouth and gathered up the cards. He began to shuffle them, watching the group surrounding him.
"Well, who's up for another one?" he asked.
"Aw, what thee hell. Gerek, I'll play another one, but theesh time I'ma hopin' I'll ween!" Mich declared, eyes flashing wickedly.
"I wouldn't mind another game as well," I declared.
"Aw, jeez! Not another one who knows theesh game like the back of hees hand!" Mich moaned good-naturedly while three more people declared that they'd gladly play.
Gerek chuckled. "All righty, then. Mark, you deal."
Gerek tossed the shuffled deck across the table. A gnarly hand lightly covered with thick, brown fur caught it. Mark smiled, though, having somewhat of a snout, if a short one, his smile looked ominous and wicked. His brown eyes sparkled while his triangular, upright dog-ears perked. His face was thickly covered with brown fur, and everyone sitting near him could see his furry, dog-like tail wagging happily.
"My pleasure," Mark said, his voice holding a heavy accent that could easily be compared to a dog's growl. "Let us start this game."
"You'll make us a great dealer. That nose eh yers can sniff out thee cheaters!" Mich joked.
Indeed, Mark's nose was black, and much like a dog's. It was also powerful, from what I had seen. Mark ignored Mich, and instead, the game began. It swiftly came by, with Gerek once again the winner. Mich, as usual, was grumbling with anger, particularly since Gerek won with a black jack. I had gotten close to winning, but in the end, I was bust with a very painful 28. I had a funny feeling I shouldn't have drawn another card when I had a score of 18.
"And that's that," Gerek said triumphantly. He looked around, grinning. "Anyone else up for a game?"
"I dun think so, Gerek. I've 'ad enough of theesh 'lose from thee start' beesuness," Mich grumbled. "Let'sa talk instead."
"Talking works very well, m' friend," Gerek replied. He looked over at me. "It's been a while since I've seen a Burmecian. What were ye on Eoroqu for?"
"I was preparing for a battle," I replied. "I needed to gain strength. Eoroqu's known for its strength."
Mich laughed. "Yeah, that's what we want peeps te think."
"Mist Continent didn't hold anythin' good?" Gerek asked. "I heard it's got some good warriors... Beatrix, Aireff..."
"Beatrix is my opponent," I replied calmly. "Aireff's my father."
"Oh!" Gerek said with a laugh. "Now I get it. You already knew the best of the best."
"Exactly, but I needed to know beyond the best. I think I do now," I replied.
"Why didn'ch ye jus' teleport back to the Mist?" Mich asked. "I saw Meander teach ye to teleport."
"I didn't think of it," I replied. "Besides, I don't know everything about Alexandria, so it'd take a while to find her in the Space. I'd get ill before I'd find her."
"I see ye point. Besides, traveling's worthwhile," Gerek declared.
At this point the airship shook, nearly sending Gerek off his chair. Laughter erupted from most of the table, while Gerek shook his head, chuckling.
"Well, it's normally enjoyable," He replied.
"That normal?" I asked, lifting my gaze to the window. As usual, Mist clogged the sky, but it looked like the Mist was moving upward.
Gerek looked up, his eyes soon focusing on the window. He seemed to nod to himself, and I wondered curiously what was on his mind. The airship shook again, this time with more violence, and quite a few people had to take hold of the table. I quickly realized that the ship was moving downward, slowly but surely.
"Are you we at Lindblum?" I guessed aloud.
"Smart one," Gerek muttered.
The airship continued to descend, though the vibrations and jolts had long since passed. Outside, a roar came, but it was not a roar from a monster. It sounded mechanical, as if coming from something unliving. The mist, I noted, was breaking up a bit, though I still couldn't see into the distance. What I could see, however, were airships, very close to the Dragon's Call, heading in all directions.
Then, suddenly, the mist was gone. It seemed as if the ship had suddenly teleported into a different world... The sun beamed down unthreatened. Buildings, hundreds of buildings, stretched in all direction. Airships flew through the skies, and there were so many designs, I couldn't examine just one airship. I looked back to the people within the Dragon's Call, but none seemed impressed by the place. In fact, they all looked bored, and surprised at my own surprise. They had all been to Lindblum before, it seemed.
Suddenly, the airship shook roughly, and I heard the engines rumbling while they shut down. With a final, light shake, the airship was still. I turned to the window, and find a dark wall, with light evident on the other side of the airship.
"Ride's over. Here be Lindblum," the captain grunted.
We all rose and left the cabin. Four people, dressed in white, blue, and gold uniforms complete with a pointy, white hat, were examining the airship. The captain of the Dragon's Call slipped past the crowd and handed a piece of paper to one of the men. The man quickly read it, nodded, and shouted a few orders. The men stepped aside, and people began to step carefully down from the deck of the Dragon's Call and onto the ground. It was an easy step for most, since the airship was low enough for ladders or stairs required, but some people were nervous.
I quickly got by a few nervous and slow people and easily stepped onto the metal ground. The first thing I quickly noted was the fact that the room was huge. Behind me were what I assumed to be airship docks; they appeared able to take many airships at once. The Dragon's Call was at the dock, but so were two other airships that made the Dragon's Call look small. Both airships were decorated with silver and gold, and appeared to be fancy, traveling airships for the rich. Uninterested in them, I took a few careful steps forward, trying to figure out where to go. I soon saw the door leading out... And then another. Pausing, I tried to consider which way to go. Noting that one door led to the castle, where I didn't want to go, I took the other door, and soon found myself outside.
Various people walked around, yet I could still see a blue, odd machine rising into the air. Mist was rising from the platform underneath the machine, and the machine itself was running on propellers. The propellers bent backward, and suddenly, the machine sped away. I watched the mysterious machine with awe as it sped away.
"Never saw an aircab, friend?"
The voice was not familiar to my ears, yet I quickly located the speaker. To my surprise, it was a Burmecian. His white fur was a pleasant sight, reminding me that I was close to home, and not back with the Dari. He had black hair that just reached his shoulders, and deep mocha eyes. I quickly noted the outfit he wore. First, I could see that he wore black pants made of the skin of an unknown monster. Decorated the bottom of these pants were griffon feathers. Over a white shirt he wore a vest made out of the scales of a Green Dragon. Covering the vest and shirt was jacket, made out of the same material as his pants. On this jacket, I could see a metal emblem with four distinct squares. Two squares, the white and yellow, with the white in the upper left corner and the yellow in the bottom right, signaled a Dragon Warrior. The other two, a dark blue in the bottom left and a deep violet in the upper right, were ones I did not recognize. Atop his head he wore a black hat with two holes in it, clearly eyeholes. Decorating both sides of the hat were griffon feathers. The hat was clearly a piece of armor, just like the rest of his clothing. The Burmecian leaned casually against his spear, a four-tipped, trident-like metallic weapon with a deep sea-green color. Aquamarines decorated the spikes. He smiled lightly at me, extending a long-nailed, white hand.
"Sir Malthus of Burmecia at your service," he said calmly in his rich baritone voice.
"The pleasure is mind, Sir Malthus. I am Sir Fratley of Burmecia," I replied, taking the other's hand and shaking it. "You are a Dragon Warrior?"
"Have been for ten years now," Malthus told me. He smiled broadly. "Sir Fratley? Iron-tail, I take it?"
"How did you know?" I asked curiously.
"Rumors, myths, and legends coming from Eoroqu tell much of you. You beat Relámpago, did you not?" Malthus asked.
"Yes, I did," I replied.
"You're a young one," Malthus said, smiling.
"I can't be much younger than you," I replied.
"I'm 27. Surely you couldn't have even reached your nineteenth year," Malthus replied.
I blinked with surprise; Malthus looked far younger than he stated. Apparently, he had not had a very hard time as a Dragon Warrior. Either that or he was able to take it well. Malthus, clearly seeing my surprised look, chuckled softly.
"It's not what you think. I've fought a few fine battles, but with nothing more than monsters and thugs. I have yet to go into a real battle," Malthus explained. He looked out into the distance, staring at the horizon. "I pray it will not come soon."
"Why do you say that?" I asked curiously.
"Do you not know? Queen Brahne of Alexandria has been acting very strangely lately. Ever since the death of the King... And she's been odder since Garnet's birthday passed. There are rumors that she plans to attack Burmecia," Malthus explained.
I stared at Malthus with horror for a few seconds, then regained my posture. Apparently I would have to get to Alexandria quickly. Within my mind, I felt that Beatrix was still the main problem; defeating her, I felt, would lessen the problems, if not eliminate them. Yet I was still shocked at how quickly everything had happened. I had only been away from the Mist Continent for a year, and Brahne was already being rumored to start an attack.
"I must get to Alexandria, then," I said resolutely.
"Alexandria? You're a Dragon Warrior. You should come back with me, to Burmecia," Malthus replied, staring at me with concern clouding his eyes.
"I plan to go to Alexandria to fight Beatrix. She is the General, and I am sure she may be corrupting the Queen, or at least helping her with these decisions. She—"I was cut off by the roar of a machine.
I turned about, and saw that the mysterious blue machine, an aircab as Malthus called it, had returned. It quickly landed in a lowered platform. A door within its side opened, and a small group of people poured out. As soon as everyone was out, a conductor appeared in the doorway.
"Business District! Leaving for Business in five minutes!" the conductor declared, then disappeared back into the aircab.
I was shocked by the mob of people who flocked to the aircab, and even more surprised at Malthus was one of them. Deciding he was the only one who would be willing to help me around town (or at least out of town), I swiftly followed him. Seeing a Burmecian approach with a spear made many people move aside to let Malthus pass, and I took this opportunity to slip in behind him.
Inside the aircab, there seemed to be nothing but people. There was no place to stand without brushing against someone's shoulder. Malthus, noting this, simply stood right outside the doorway, and I soon stood with him. He leaned casually against the aircab, and pulled down his hat. Then, pulling his spear close to him, he became perfectly still, and almost seemed to blend into the aircab interior.
Suddenly the door near me closed, startling me. The aircab shook, and I could hear the propellers spinning. I heard mist exhale from the aircab, and suddenly I felt the aircab lift into the air. The experience seemed futile compared to an airship, however, and I was relatively calm. Malthus was much calmer, however; the Dragon Warrior looked asleep.
The aircab soon was clearly moving forward; I could see the Lindblum landscape whipping by. The aircab was full of chatter, but Malthus was completely silent. If it weren't for the fact that Burmecians can't sleep very well when leaning against a wall, I would've thought he'd fallen asleep in a few seconds.
Suddenly the aircab began to fly lower, clearly to land. I was surprised by how quickly we had traveled; perhaps the Dragon's Call was an old ship after all. Either that or Lindblum's aircabs were incredibly fast.
The aircab shuddered violently as it landed, and that seemed to jolt Malthus to reality. Pulling his hat back above his eyes, he rose to his full five-foot, four-inch height. The aircab let out one final shudder before someone outside opened the door. Quickly I slipped outside, only to find myself faced with no direct place to go. I heard a chuckle behind me, and soon saw Malthus appear beside me. He looked over at me, and I thought I saw amusement within his mocha eyes.
"You'll get lost if you don't know your way around," Malthus told me. "Come. I'll show you the way out of here. It is not too far."
Malthus quickly stepped forward, though it may have been the massive crowd spilling out behind us that made him rush forward. We quickly hurried to a door that led to light and therefore outside. The minute we were outside, I was shocked. There were hundreds of buildings spreading in all directions. Even Burmecia wasn't nearly this huge. I found myself only able to gawk at the many buildings, the airships flying through the sky, and the hundreds of people walking the streets.
A light tap on the shoulder brought me back to reality, and the fact that Malthus was heading toward a set of stairs. I quickly followed, managing to get past the massive crowds. We followed a small group down the stairs, and I soon found myself in a massive corridor, brownish in general color. Two guards saluted the group leaving, and didn't question where we were. Malthus walked over to a massive set of doors, and with incredible ease pushed one open. Outside, I could see endless green grass, mountains in the distance, and a mist.
Quickly I rushed over to the door. Malthus smiled lightly, looking out toward the grasses. He didn't leave, however. Instead, he turned his gaze on me.
"This is the way out," he said, as if it wasn't clear. "If you want, we can return and get supplies."
"No. No, I am sorry, but I must hurry," I explained quickly.
Malthus nodded and moved aside, leaving the way open for me. He tipped his hat, then turned around and quietly left, without even a word of goodbye. I simply nodded at his leaving form and, taking a deep breath, stepped out into the world.
The trip to Alexandria was mysteriously easy. The monsters that attacked me were swiftly disposed of, so swiftly it seemed almost dull. Most people would've take a week to reach Alexandria, while I only took four days to travel to the city. I was quickly relieved when, after getting onto the massive Alexandria Plateau via a quick mountain detour, to see the many man-made canals leading into a waterfall down into the Evil Forest. I walked over to the city, and was not stopped by anyone as I entered. It was mid-afternoon and, spinning my spear a bit, I entered with full confidence.
The first place I headed toward was the Castle, and it took me little trouble to get to the boat leading there.
"Excuse me. I'd like to go to the Castle," I told one of the guards.
"Do you have permission?" one of the guards asked, staring at me suspiciously.
"Well, no, but—"I began.
"I'm afraid we can't let you in, then. The Queen wants no unexpected visitors," the other guard said.
I didn't bother trying to convince them to let me through. I simply began to head down the canal, following it carefully, trying to find a way to swim or leap across without being seen. I didn't note that I left the main part of the city that people walked, and that I was practically alone. I was only considered with crossing the moat.
"Can I help you with something?"
I practically tripped over my own feet at the sound of the familiar voice. Somehow I managed to keep my footing. I immediately whirled about, and saw none other than my very opponent standing before me, watching me calmly with her brown eye, the other eye hidden by a cloth wrapped around it.
Beatrix seemed to stare right through me, and her eye narrowed ever slightly when she noted my spear. She took a few steps closer, tossing her brown hair over her shoulders, or at least farther from her eye.
"This is an odd place for you to be wandering... Particularly with a lance," Beatrix said calmly, with the slightest suspicion. "I ask, why are you here?"
"I was looking for you," I managed to say, taking deep breaths as I tried to keep myself calm. Eventually, I told myself, we could fight. My left hand, holding my spear, tensed.
"Oh?" Beatrix asked. She seemed to immediately note my hand tensing. "What for?"
I spun my spear about and within a second had the axe-like blade aimed at the General's throat. Apparently my eyes had become cold, for Beatrix's eye widened with surprise, but she didn't even move otherwise.
"To fight you," I replied.
"Why? I've done nothing to you. I don't even know you," Beatrix replied calmly.
"To protect Burmecia."
"Interesting way to protect your country. I've done nothing to harm your country in any way."
Beatrix's calm attitude was annoying me deeply. Where was the cruelty she was rumored to have? Where was her merciless attitude?
"You and your Queen are planning an attack on Burmecia," I growled.
Beatrix blinked slowly, yet showed no surprise.
"And who told you that?" she asked calmly.
"So it's true?" I asked.
"I never said it was," Beatrix replied. "Why don't you go home? There is no reason for me to fight you. I have done nothing."
"You are manipulating your Queen. You and she are planning to destroy my country!" I spat at Beatrix as she turned her back on me.
Beatrix's steps faltered, and I couldn't help but smile. She soon whirled around, her brown eyes hard. She stared at me coldly, her eyes meeting mine in a deadlock.
"How dare you suggest such. I would never corrupt the Queen," Beatrix replied, her voice still calm.
"Yet I saw you talk to her. I hear the people mutter things about you. They say you are heartless. The Mist Continent knows it," I replied.
Beatrix's calm attitude was very quickly faltering with each word I said. I saw her tense, and her eye narrowed angrily. I kept my smirk on my face, pleased to see her faltering. By then, I was not thinking properly, only thinking about a good fight.
"Those are rumors, and nothing more!" Beatrix snapped.
"Rumors can tell the truth, and these do! You are nothing but a cold- hearted murderer!" I replied.
"How dare you. I have not murdered anyone," Beatrix replied angrily. I was pleased to see I was getting to her.
"And now you corrupt your Queen to kill more people," I growled.
"You be quiet, immediately!" Beatrix snapped.
Within a second Beatrix had her sword drawn. The powerful saber sword, known as Save the Queen, had its tip pointed right at my throat. We stared at each other for a few seconds. Beatrix was clearly trying to calm down, but not succeeding. I was trying to think of a final comment to truly make her fight.
"I advise you leave, now," Beatrix growled warningly.
"There is no way I will allow you to corrupt your Queen and destroy Burmecia," I replied, almost tauntingly.
I had not expected the results of my comment, but they quickly came.
Suddenly I was on the ground, deep slashes in my knees. And above me was Beatrix, the tip of her sword aimed at my throat.
-------- Mwahahahaha! You'll have to wait to see what happens ;) Man, I LOVE cliff-hangers...
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, events, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix.
Of Lindblum & Alexandria
The Dragon's Call proved itself to be a swift-running, well- maintained airship, or at least it was in my eyes. The trip from the Eoroqu to Lindblum lasted a total of three hours; I could've swam to the shores near Cleyra in less than that, but then it would've taken longer to get to Alexandria. Home also would've called me, and if I met any old friends, I knew I'd be willing to stay and leave everything unaccomplished. Therefore, despite the long ride, I welcome the Dragon's Call and its transportation.
Most of the trip I spent playing card games. Staring at the Mist Continent quickly lost its lust, particularly since the rising fog we traveled in blocked out most of what could be seen. Five passengers, myself included, played a friendly game of Black Jack, and I quickly found that I needed to improve my game, particularly since I lost 250 of my Gil to a young crewmember just reaching his fifteenth year.
"I've played Black Jack for years now," the crewmember said, pushing a long strand of red hair over his ears. "Me father taught me. He was a killer too, but I beat 'em hands down."
"Aw, Gerek, I hate playin' againsht ye," one crewmember complained, smoking casually from a pipe. "Ye always beat meh and I cawn't catch up for e million Gil."
The young Gerek laughed. "Ah, Mich, you're not too bad yeself! Maybe if you'd smoke a lil' less and concentrate a lil' more you wouldn't do so bad!"
Mich's mocha-brown eyes narrowed as he stared at Gerek with clear annoyance. Laughter bubbled around the large table while Gerek grinned, showing off a mouth that would be full of near-white teeth if it weren't for two canines missing, one on the top, one on the bottom. Then, his green eyes sparkling, Gerek closed his mouth and gathered up the cards. He began to shuffle them, watching the group surrounding him.
"Well, who's up for another one?" he asked.
"Aw, what thee hell. Gerek, I'll play another one, but theesh time I'ma hopin' I'll ween!" Mich declared, eyes flashing wickedly.
"I wouldn't mind another game as well," I declared.
"Aw, jeez! Not another one who knows theesh game like the back of hees hand!" Mich moaned good-naturedly while three more people declared that they'd gladly play.
Gerek chuckled. "All righty, then. Mark, you deal."
Gerek tossed the shuffled deck across the table. A gnarly hand lightly covered with thick, brown fur caught it. Mark smiled, though, having somewhat of a snout, if a short one, his smile looked ominous and wicked. His brown eyes sparkled while his triangular, upright dog-ears perked. His face was thickly covered with brown fur, and everyone sitting near him could see his furry, dog-like tail wagging happily.
"My pleasure," Mark said, his voice holding a heavy accent that could easily be compared to a dog's growl. "Let us start this game."
"You'll make us a great dealer. That nose eh yers can sniff out thee cheaters!" Mich joked.
Indeed, Mark's nose was black, and much like a dog's. It was also powerful, from what I had seen. Mark ignored Mich, and instead, the game began. It swiftly came by, with Gerek once again the winner. Mich, as usual, was grumbling with anger, particularly since Gerek won with a black jack. I had gotten close to winning, but in the end, I was bust with a very painful 28. I had a funny feeling I shouldn't have drawn another card when I had a score of 18.
"And that's that," Gerek said triumphantly. He looked around, grinning. "Anyone else up for a game?"
"I dun think so, Gerek. I've 'ad enough of theesh 'lose from thee start' beesuness," Mich grumbled. "Let'sa talk instead."
"Talking works very well, m' friend," Gerek replied. He looked over at me. "It's been a while since I've seen a Burmecian. What were ye on Eoroqu for?"
"I was preparing for a battle," I replied. "I needed to gain strength. Eoroqu's known for its strength."
Mich laughed. "Yeah, that's what we want peeps te think."
"Mist Continent didn't hold anythin' good?" Gerek asked. "I heard it's got some good warriors... Beatrix, Aireff..."
"Beatrix is my opponent," I replied calmly. "Aireff's my father."
"Oh!" Gerek said with a laugh. "Now I get it. You already knew the best of the best."
"Exactly, but I needed to know beyond the best. I think I do now," I replied.
"Why didn'ch ye jus' teleport back to the Mist?" Mich asked. "I saw Meander teach ye to teleport."
"I didn't think of it," I replied. "Besides, I don't know everything about Alexandria, so it'd take a while to find her in the Space. I'd get ill before I'd find her."
"I see ye point. Besides, traveling's worthwhile," Gerek declared.
At this point the airship shook, nearly sending Gerek off his chair. Laughter erupted from most of the table, while Gerek shook his head, chuckling.
"Well, it's normally enjoyable," He replied.
"That normal?" I asked, lifting my gaze to the window. As usual, Mist clogged the sky, but it looked like the Mist was moving upward.
Gerek looked up, his eyes soon focusing on the window. He seemed to nod to himself, and I wondered curiously what was on his mind. The airship shook again, this time with more violence, and quite a few people had to take hold of the table. I quickly realized that the ship was moving downward, slowly but surely.
"Are you we at Lindblum?" I guessed aloud.
"Smart one," Gerek muttered.
The airship continued to descend, though the vibrations and jolts had long since passed. Outside, a roar came, but it was not a roar from a monster. It sounded mechanical, as if coming from something unliving. The mist, I noted, was breaking up a bit, though I still couldn't see into the distance. What I could see, however, were airships, very close to the Dragon's Call, heading in all directions.
Then, suddenly, the mist was gone. It seemed as if the ship had suddenly teleported into a different world... The sun beamed down unthreatened. Buildings, hundreds of buildings, stretched in all direction. Airships flew through the skies, and there were so many designs, I couldn't examine just one airship. I looked back to the people within the Dragon's Call, but none seemed impressed by the place. In fact, they all looked bored, and surprised at my own surprise. They had all been to Lindblum before, it seemed.
Suddenly, the airship shook roughly, and I heard the engines rumbling while they shut down. With a final, light shake, the airship was still. I turned to the window, and find a dark wall, with light evident on the other side of the airship.
"Ride's over. Here be Lindblum," the captain grunted.
We all rose and left the cabin. Four people, dressed in white, blue, and gold uniforms complete with a pointy, white hat, were examining the airship. The captain of the Dragon's Call slipped past the crowd and handed a piece of paper to one of the men. The man quickly read it, nodded, and shouted a few orders. The men stepped aside, and people began to step carefully down from the deck of the Dragon's Call and onto the ground. It was an easy step for most, since the airship was low enough for ladders or stairs required, but some people were nervous.
I quickly got by a few nervous and slow people and easily stepped onto the metal ground. The first thing I quickly noted was the fact that the room was huge. Behind me were what I assumed to be airship docks; they appeared able to take many airships at once. The Dragon's Call was at the dock, but so were two other airships that made the Dragon's Call look small. Both airships were decorated with silver and gold, and appeared to be fancy, traveling airships for the rich. Uninterested in them, I took a few careful steps forward, trying to figure out where to go. I soon saw the door leading out... And then another. Pausing, I tried to consider which way to go. Noting that one door led to the castle, where I didn't want to go, I took the other door, and soon found myself outside.
Various people walked around, yet I could still see a blue, odd machine rising into the air. Mist was rising from the platform underneath the machine, and the machine itself was running on propellers. The propellers bent backward, and suddenly, the machine sped away. I watched the mysterious machine with awe as it sped away.
"Never saw an aircab, friend?"
The voice was not familiar to my ears, yet I quickly located the speaker. To my surprise, it was a Burmecian. His white fur was a pleasant sight, reminding me that I was close to home, and not back with the Dari. He had black hair that just reached his shoulders, and deep mocha eyes. I quickly noted the outfit he wore. First, I could see that he wore black pants made of the skin of an unknown monster. Decorated the bottom of these pants were griffon feathers. Over a white shirt he wore a vest made out of the scales of a Green Dragon. Covering the vest and shirt was jacket, made out of the same material as his pants. On this jacket, I could see a metal emblem with four distinct squares. Two squares, the white and yellow, with the white in the upper left corner and the yellow in the bottom right, signaled a Dragon Warrior. The other two, a dark blue in the bottom left and a deep violet in the upper right, were ones I did not recognize. Atop his head he wore a black hat with two holes in it, clearly eyeholes. Decorating both sides of the hat were griffon feathers. The hat was clearly a piece of armor, just like the rest of his clothing. The Burmecian leaned casually against his spear, a four-tipped, trident-like metallic weapon with a deep sea-green color. Aquamarines decorated the spikes. He smiled lightly at me, extending a long-nailed, white hand.
"Sir Malthus of Burmecia at your service," he said calmly in his rich baritone voice.
"The pleasure is mind, Sir Malthus. I am Sir Fratley of Burmecia," I replied, taking the other's hand and shaking it. "You are a Dragon Warrior?"
"Have been for ten years now," Malthus told me. He smiled broadly. "Sir Fratley? Iron-tail, I take it?"
"How did you know?" I asked curiously.
"Rumors, myths, and legends coming from Eoroqu tell much of you. You beat Relámpago, did you not?" Malthus asked.
"Yes, I did," I replied.
"You're a young one," Malthus said, smiling.
"I can't be much younger than you," I replied.
"I'm 27. Surely you couldn't have even reached your nineteenth year," Malthus replied.
I blinked with surprise; Malthus looked far younger than he stated. Apparently, he had not had a very hard time as a Dragon Warrior. Either that or he was able to take it well. Malthus, clearly seeing my surprised look, chuckled softly.
"It's not what you think. I've fought a few fine battles, but with nothing more than monsters and thugs. I have yet to go into a real battle," Malthus explained. He looked out into the distance, staring at the horizon. "I pray it will not come soon."
"Why do you say that?" I asked curiously.
"Do you not know? Queen Brahne of Alexandria has been acting very strangely lately. Ever since the death of the King... And she's been odder since Garnet's birthday passed. There are rumors that she plans to attack Burmecia," Malthus explained.
I stared at Malthus with horror for a few seconds, then regained my posture. Apparently I would have to get to Alexandria quickly. Within my mind, I felt that Beatrix was still the main problem; defeating her, I felt, would lessen the problems, if not eliminate them. Yet I was still shocked at how quickly everything had happened. I had only been away from the Mist Continent for a year, and Brahne was already being rumored to start an attack.
"I must get to Alexandria, then," I said resolutely.
"Alexandria? You're a Dragon Warrior. You should come back with me, to Burmecia," Malthus replied, staring at me with concern clouding his eyes.
"I plan to go to Alexandria to fight Beatrix. She is the General, and I am sure she may be corrupting the Queen, or at least helping her with these decisions. She—"I was cut off by the roar of a machine.
I turned about, and saw that the mysterious blue machine, an aircab as Malthus called it, had returned. It quickly landed in a lowered platform. A door within its side opened, and a small group of people poured out. As soon as everyone was out, a conductor appeared in the doorway.
"Business District! Leaving for Business in five minutes!" the conductor declared, then disappeared back into the aircab.
I was shocked by the mob of people who flocked to the aircab, and even more surprised at Malthus was one of them. Deciding he was the only one who would be willing to help me around town (or at least out of town), I swiftly followed him. Seeing a Burmecian approach with a spear made many people move aside to let Malthus pass, and I took this opportunity to slip in behind him.
Inside the aircab, there seemed to be nothing but people. There was no place to stand without brushing against someone's shoulder. Malthus, noting this, simply stood right outside the doorway, and I soon stood with him. He leaned casually against the aircab, and pulled down his hat. Then, pulling his spear close to him, he became perfectly still, and almost seemed to blend into the aircab interior.
Suddenly the door near me closed, startling me. The aircab shook, and I could hear the propellers spinning. I heard mist exhale from the aircab, and suddenly I felt the aircab lift into the air. The experience seemed futile compared to an airship, however, and I was relatively calm. Malthus was much calmer, however; the Dragon Warrior looked asleep.
The aircab soon was clearly moving forward; I could see the Lindblum landscape whipping by. The aircab was full of chatter, but Malthus was completely silent. If it weren't for the fact that Burmecians can't sleep very well when leaning against a wall, I would've thought he'd fallen asleep in a few seconds.
Suddenly the aircab began to fly lower, clearly to land. I was surprised by how quickly we had traveled; perhaps the Dragon's Call was an old ship after all. Either that or Lindblum's aircabs were incredibly fast.
The aircab shuddered violently as it landed, and that seemed to jolt Malthus to reality. Pulling his hat back above his eyes, he rose to his full five-foot, four-inch height. The aircab let out one final shudder before someone outside opened the door. Quickly I slipped outside, only to find myself faced with no direct place to go. I heard a chuckle behind me, and soon saw Malthus appear beside me. He looked over at me, and I thought I saw amusement within his mocha eyes.
"You'll get lost if you don't know your way around," Malthus told me. "Come. I'll show you the way out of here. It is not too far."
Malthus quickly stepped forward, though it may have been the massive crowd spilling out behind us that made him rush forward. We quickly hurried to a door that led to light and therefore outside. The minute we were outside, I was shocked. There were hundreds of buildings spreading in all directions. Even Burmecia wasn't nearly this huge. I found myself only able to gawk at the many buildings, the airships flying through the sky, and the hundreds of people walking the streets.
A light tap on the shoulder brought me back to reality, and the fact that Malthus was heading toward a set of stairs. I quickly followed, managing to get past the massive crowds. We followed a small group down the stairs, and I soon found myself in a massive corridor, brownish in general color. Two guards saluted the group leaving, and didn't question where we were. Malthus walked over to a massive set of doors, and with incredible ease pushed one open. Outside, I could see endless green grass, mountains in the distance, and a mist.
Quickly I rushed over to the door. Malthus smiled lightly, looking out toward the grasses. He didn't leave, however. Instead, he turned his gaze on me.
"This is the way out," he said, as if it wasn't clear. "If you want, we can return and get supplies."
"No. No, I am sorry, but I must hurry," I explained quickly.
Malthus nodded and moved aside, leaving the way open for me. He tipped his hat, then turned around and quietly left, without even a word of goodbye. I simply nodded at his leaving form and, taking a deep breath, stepped out into the world.
The trip to Alexandria was mysteriously easy. The monsters that attacked me were swiftly disposed of, so swiftly it seemed almost dull. Most people would've take a week to reach Alexandria, while I only took four days to travel to the city. I was quickly relieved when, after getting onto the massive Alexandria Plateau via a quick mountain detour, to see the many man-made canals leading into a waterfall down into the Evil Forest. I walked over to the city, and was not stopped by anyone as I entered. It was mid-afternoon and, spinning my spear a bit, I entered with full confidence.
The first place I headed toward was the Castle, and it took me little trouble to get to the boat leading there.
"Excuse me. I'd like to go to the Castle," I told one of the guards.
"Do you have permission?" one of the guards asked, staring at me suspiciously.
"Well, no, but—"I began.
"I'm afraid we can't let you in, then. The Queen wants no unexpected visitors," the other guard said.
I didn't bother trying to convince them to let me through. I simply began to head down the canal, following it carefully, trying to find a way to swim or leap across without being seen. I didn't note that I left the main part of the city that people walked, and that I was practically alone. I was only considered with crossing the moat.
"Can I help you with something?"
I practically tripped over my own feet at the sound of the familiar voice. Somehow I managed to keep my footing. I immediately whirled about, and saw none other than my very opponent standing before me, watching me calmly with her brown eye, the other eye hidden by a cloth wrapped around it.
Beatrix seemed to stare right through me, and her eye narrowed ever slightly when she noted my spear. She took a few steps closer, tossing her brown hair over her shoulders, or at least farther from her eye.
"This is an odd place for you to be wandering... Particularly with a lance," Beatrix said calmly, with the slightest suspicion. "I ask, why are you here?"
"I was looking for you," I managed to say, taking deep breaths as I tried to keep myself calm. Eventually, I told myself, we could fight. My left hand, holding my spear, tensed.
"Oh?" Beatrix asked. She seemed to immediately note my hand tensing. "What for?"
I spun my spear about and within a second had the axe-like blade aimed at the General's throat. Apparently my eyes had become cold, for Beatrix's eye widened with surprise, but she didn't even move otherwise.
"To fight you," I replied.
"Why? I've done nothing to you. I don't even know you," Beatrix replied calmly.
"To protect Burmecia."
"Interesting way to protect your country. I've done nothing to harm your country in any way."
Beatrix's calm attitude was annoying me deeply. Where was the cruelty she was rumored to have? Where was her merciless attitude?
"You and your Queen are planning an attack on Burmecia," I growled.
Beatrix blinked slowly, yet showed no surprise.
"And who told you that?" she asked calmly.
"So it's true?" I asked.
"I never said it was," Beatrix replied. "Why don't you go home? There is no reason for me to fight you. I have done nothing."
"You are manipulating your Queen. You and she are planning to destroy my country!" I spat at Beatrix as she turned her back on me.
Beatrix's steps faltered, and I couldn't help but smile. She soon whirled around, her brown eyes hard. She stared at me coldly, her eyes meeting mine in a deadlock.
"How dare you suggest such. I would never corrupt the Queen," Beatrix replied, her voice still calm.
"Yet I saw you talk to her. I hear the people mutter things about you. They say you are heartless. The Mist Continent knows it," I replied.
Beatrix's calm attitude was very quickly faltering with each word I said. I saw her tense, and her eye narrowed angrily. I kept my smirk on my face, pleased to see her faltering. By then, I was not thinking properly, only thinking about a good fight.
"Those are rumors, and nothing more!" Beatrix snapped.
"Rumors can tell the truth, and these do! You are nothing but a cold- hearted murderer!" I replied.
"How dare you. I have not murdered anyone," Beatrix replied angrily. I was pleased to see I was getting to her.
"And now you corrupt your Queen to kill more people," I growled.
"You be quiet, immediately!" Beatrix snapped.
Within a second Beatrix had her sword drawn. The powerful saber sword, known as Save the Queen, had its tip pointed right at my throat. We stared at each other for a few seconds. Beatrix was clearly trying to calm down, but not succeeding. I was trying to think of a final comment to truly make her fight.
"I advise you leave, now," Beatrix growled warningly.
"There is no way I will allow you to corrupt your Queen and destroy Burmecia," I replied, almost tauntingly.
I had not expected the results of my comment, but they quickly came.
Suddenly I was on the ground, deep slashes in my knees. And above me was Beatrix, the tip of her sword aimed at my throat.
-------- Mwahahahaha! You'll have to wait to see what happens ;) Man, I LOVE cliff-hangers...
This story is copyright to me. Some characters, locations, events, and Gaia in general are copyright to SquareEnix.